New Feelings and Confusions

"Hermione wake up." Luna shouted pulling the covers off Hermione.

"Mmmm….Luna what are you doing here this early?" Hermione asked sleepily as she sat up and checked the time on her alarm clock which was on bedside table. It was 7 in the morning.

"What you think I am doing? Trying to wake you up of course." Luna said as though if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"Why did you left early last night?" Luna asked Hermione.

"Err...Well I was not feeling well." Hermione faltered a bit.

"Really?" Luna asked with raised eyebrows as she sat on bed in front of Hermione.

"Yeah" Hermione mumbled trying to avoid Luna's eyes.

"Hmm...Because if I remember you were dancing with Harry Potter, next I saw you leaving. Did something happen between you two?" Luna asked with a knowing look.

"Of course not. You are insane to think that something happened?" Hermione said crossly.

"Relax Hermione. I was just joking. Now seriously what happened?" Luna asked.

"No Nothing happened between us. It's just that all those feelings to be near a boy, so close were so new to me. I have never been in close proximity of a boy before who is not a family. It was just a bit odd. That's it." Hermione said trying to sound sincere. Luna nodded with understanding.

Hermione wasn't going to tell Luna but last night she had dreamed about none other than Harry Potter. Even in her dream she was shocked to see herself kissing him.

"Anyways if I remember correctly my so called best friend left me to be with a certain redhead. Care to tell me about our dear Mr. Ronald Weasley?" Hermione said trying to change the subject. Though Luna didn't seem to notice.

Luna smiled brightly. She lay back on the bed and looked at the ceiling dreamily. "It was amazing. He was so sweet and considerate. He listened to me, I mean really listened to me. He didn't made fun of me, like some others did with me. And also he had very nice blue eyes. He asked me about our school. He even ignored my unskilled dancing though it was him who stepped on my toes most of the time. And he loves food." Luna finished in her trademark dreamy voice.

"Wow Luna. That sounds really deep." Hermione said with wonder in her voice.

"Just be careful." Hermione said cautiously.

Luna propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Hermione curiously. "What you mean?" She asked anxiously.

"I mean…Look, don't take me wrong but we don't know anything about Ron. He seems like a decent guy. But still be careful about your feelings. I don't want you to be hurt." Hermione said earnestly.

Luna squeezed Hermione's hand. "Don't worry. I'll be careful but I don't think he would hurt me. He's really a very nice guy." Luna said.

"I hope you are right." Hermione said.

"So are you two dating?" Hermione asked Luna.

"No, but he asked me to be his date for New Year Ball at Potters." Luna said cheerfully.

"Ugh..." Hermione grumbled.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"I just don't believe what's happening. Mom, Dad, Romilda and me, we are invited to Potter Manor for New Year Ball." Hermione groused.

"That's great. We both can go there together. It would be fun. You can dance with Harry Potter and I would dance with my Ronald. It would be so romantic." Luna said abstractedly, having a faraway look in her eyes. Though in this she didn't notice Hermione's shocked face.

Hermione groaned and got up from her bed to get ready for the day.

After having a house full on Christmas Day, it was again filled with just 4 members; Hermione, Romilda, Jane and Robert. While Romilda spent most of her time outside with her gang, Hermione spent her time with Luna at her home. Another purpose of spending the time with Luna was to give some quality time for her parents to spend together.

It was already 30th December. Hermione was getting more and more agitated due to New Year Ball. She hadn't told about her fears to anyone, not even Luna. She was anxious to see Harry Potter again. She still remembered the feel of his arms around him. Feelings she had when he pulled her in his arms were still there. Her heart was beating faster and she felt so jumpy at that time. One part of her was hoping to get a chance to dance with Harry Potter at New Year Ball. But another more rational part of her was saying her to stay away from all this stuff. She knew that in the end all these feelings would just bring her pain, nothing else. After all why Harry Potter would be interested in her when he could have any girl he wanted.

Harry couldn't believe what was happening with him. It was just a bloody dance and it left him completely out of sorts. He had danced with many girls before he danced with that brunette. Then what was so different about dancing with her.

"Harry" Ron yelled.

Harry jerked out of his deep thoughts. "What?" he said looking at Ron.

"I have been trying to get your attention for last 15 minutes and you are, god knows lost in which world."

"Sorry, what is it?" Harry asked trying to pay more attention to Ron.

Ron and Harry were at Weasley's house, Burrow. They were sitting out on the ground under a tree. It was the noon of 31st December.

"I was asking who your date for the evening is." Ron said annoyingly.

"Date?" Harry asked in confused manner, but then he remembered about New Year Ball and replied.

"No one yet. I am not sure if I want a date." Harry said moodily.

"Why? Aren't you taking Lisa Turpin with you? I thought you liked her." asked a bewildered Ron.

"She asked me, if I would take her as my date. Justin had already asked her and when I said no, she accepted his offer." Harry said distractedly.

"Well you better arrange a date for yourself. That should not be difficult for H-A-R-R-Y P-O-T-T-E-R." Ron said smugly. "Or you would have to dance with that Granger girl." Ron said laughing at his friend's stunned expression.

"I am not going to dance with her." Harry said indignantly.

"Why? Was she so bad?" Ron asked in an amused voice. He was surprised to see how Harry was reacting to that Granger girl. He had never been like this with any girl before.

"No" Harry almost shouted.

At Ron's raised eyebrows "She's just not my type." Harry said in a calmer tone.

"Yeah I can see that. She wasn't pretty. She looked more like a bookworm. Didn't she?" Ron said with a teasing look in his eyes. Harry just ignored double meaning of Ron's words.

"I think that cousin of Granger, what was her name? Yeah, I remember, Romilda Vane. She would just suit you fine. Blond and beautiful are your type. Aren't they?" Ron asked in an amused voice.

"Look who's talking?" Harry said "If I am not wrong it was you who looked so enamored with that blond, Luna Lovegood." Harry gave a questioning look to Ron.

Ron turned red. "Well she is really cute. She talks about strange things. But once you get past that she is a very pleasant company. I mean…I haven't met anyone like her before. Firstly I thought she was some crazy girl but then she looked sad after talking to Granger. So I asked her to dance with me. You should have seen her face. She quickly brightened up when I asked her. I asked her to be my date for the evening. And she didn't mind my eating habits. " Ron finished with a smile.

Harry looked at Ron with astonishment. "That's cool Ron. You must really like her to say something so meaningful which is a very rare thing for you." Harry said with laughing voice.

"Just shut up Harry. And it was not just me; you also looked so charmed by that Romilda." Ron said.

Harry glared at Ron but didn't say anything. Ron started laughing and patted Harry on the shoulder "Don't worry Harry; your secret is safe with me." He said with hilarity.

Harry frowned at Ron. "What's got into you today? I don't have a thing for that Granger, neither for her cousin. And she is pretty." Harry mumbled towards the end.

"What? Who's pretty? Romilda? Of course she is." Ron said feigning ignorance. He knew very well that Harry was not talking about Romilda but Hermione. Harry just chose to ignore him and lay down on his back looking at the sky.

Harry had been confused since the Christmas Day. Hermione Granger, she wasn't like other girls he had known in his life of 16 years. She was an odd girl. He didn't know how else to describe her. She didn't act like the other girls did around him. He was used to girls throwing themselves at him. It was the first time a girl had almost ditched him. She also made him so angry but at the same time she made him feel something else he couldn't describe. She was going to be there at New Year Ball. And to his surprise a part of him was eager to see her again this evening at the ball.

"Argh….What the hell is happening?" Harry muttered frustratingly and closed his eyes. He could hear Ron laughing and saying that he was going inside. When Harry didn't reply, Ron got up and left, leaving Harry alone lost in his own thoughts about Hermione.

"Mom I look so awful in this dress. Why can't I wear my normal cloths?" Hermione said in an unhappy tone.

Hermione was getting ready for the ball or more like Jane was making her dress up for the ball. Jane had brought a new dress for Hermione to wear for the ball. It was an A- line strapless knee-length emerald green dress.

"And why you have to bring an emerald color dress?" Hermione asked irately.

"Dear it looks good on you. Why do you have some problem with emerald color?" Jane asked innocently and according to Hermione, too innocently.

"No I don't have any problem." Hermione mumbled as Jane combed her hair. Her hairs were left open flowing down to her waist in soft curls.

"There, now you are ready for the ball. You look absolutely beautiful love." Jane said kissing Hermione on the forehead.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. 'Of course she will say this. She's my mom after all.' Hermione thought.

"Are you guys ready?" Robert asked as he entered Hermione's room where Jane and Hermione were.

"Yeah Robert. We are ready. Look at Hermione. Doesn't she look beautiful?" Jane said. Robert looked at Hermione and frowned a bit.

"Does she really have to wear that? I would be worried for the whole evening that boys would be hitting on her." Robert said.

Hermione burst out laughing at this. "Honestly dad, like that's ever going to happen." She said and left the room leaving her bewildered parents behind.

Jane smiled and said "We'll see."

"What?" Robert asked in perplexed manner.

"Nothing dear. Now common let's go or we would be late." Jane said as she left the room with Robert to go to the ball.

Author's note:-Hope you like it. It's not very detailed. I would try to keep future chapters more detailed.

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Disclaimer: - I don't own any character from Harry Potter series.