XXXXXX

When the meeting ended and they headed back to the Burrow, hours had gone by and the aroma of great food being cooked could be smelled all throughout the house as Mrs. Weasley was preparing dinner. Harry's thoughts were all on his conversation with Dumbledore and finding out about the Dursley's as he sat by the window, looking out on the lake when-

"About last night…" Hermione slowly began and Harry was then aware that they were sitting together.

"Yeah?"

"I mean…what was it exactly?"

He smiled back at her.

"You tell me."

"Are we together now?"

He continued to look at her as he pondered her question. The two of them had been friends for years, it would be strange to all of sudden think of Hermione as his girlfriend now. But a part of him really wanted that. He needed someone in his life, a better half, someone other than just a friend.

"Do you want to be?" He finally asked.

Hermione smiled as she looked down at the floor. The two of them were going in circles, not really answering the question. To be honest she had always admired Harry, thought that he would end up with a terrific girl. She never thought it be her.

Maybe it was because of all things that Malfoy had called her over the years. Saying awful things about her appearance, it made her think that no one would really ever want 'the beaver'. Harry lightly bit his bottom lip, wondering how to tell her. He wanted to be with her. But in the silence they were now in, a cold hard reality check suddenly hit him.

Now was not the time for this sort of thing. He couldn't attach himself to someone in that way, if he did than Hermione would be even more vulnerable then she already was.

"Hermione." He began. "I would like it, but with Voldemort out there-"

"This is now about him." She interrupted. "This is about us."

She then looked him right in the eye.

"I don't want to throw something that could be great away because of him. I would like to be with you, Harry."

A big smile then came over Harry's face as he knew there was no way he could turn her down now. The two of their faces then came closer as they kissed. Hermione lifted up her arm and put her hand on the back of his head, deepening the kiss-

'BANG!'

The two jumped apart and looked over at the open doorframe in shock as Ron was standing there, having just slammed his hand against the wall. He was glaring at the both of them.

"Ron." Harry began.

"Should I come back at another time?" Ron asked, a bitter tone in his voice. "Or are the two of you finished now?"

"Ron, just listen okay?" Harry began as he stood up. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Really?" His best friend almost laughed. "It certainly looked like something to me."

Hermione then got up and stood beside Harry, trying to help calm him.

"Just let us explain before you get mad." She said.

"Why should I get mad? My two best friends have been seeing each other behind my back and didn't even think to tell me, what's to get mad about?"

"We haven't been seeing each other."

"So kissing like that is something 'just friends' do? Give me a break. The least you could have done was told me, but I had to find out like this?"

"We didn't even know ourselves what it was until just now."

"Bollocks!"

Harry tried to respond but Ron scoffed while shaking his head and went to turn around only to find Ginny now standing behind him and had heard what was going on.

"It's true, Ron." Ginny defended. "They've only been together one day."

"You knew?" The all asked at the same time, surprised.

"Yeah." She responded. Ginny knew she needed to let this whole crush thing go, she wanted them to be happy and didn't want Ron getting angry at them for it. "I saw you two on the couch last night-"

"Alright!" Ron yelled. "I don't want to hear anymore!"

"It was nothing." Ginny continued as she looked at them. "I wasn't spying, I just woke up and saw Hermione wasn't in bed and I went to look for you."

Hermione nodded at her and Harry looked towards Ron.

"We kissed last night." He explained. "We both didn't really know what it was until we just talked a minute ago. We didn't count on you walking in on us. It was something we needed to figure out, just us."

"And did you figure it out?" Ron asked, sarcastically. "Are you two together now?"

Harry and Hermione looked towards each other and smiled.

"Yes." Hermione answered. "We are."

Ginny smiled back at them knowing they deserved the chance to be happy while Ron on the other hand didn't look pleased as he stared at his best friend.

"That's great, mate." He said with obvious fake cheer that made Harry frown. "Really terrific."

Harry knew why he was upset. He knew he had a crush on Hermione, but he never made a move. He had plenty of chances but never did.

"Are you okay with it?" Harry then asked.

To be completely honest, he really didn't care if Ron approved on their relationship or not. Hermione wasn't his little sister or an ex-girlfriend. And after everything that Harry had gone through over the past few years he felt he deserved a chance at being happy with someone he truly cared about.

Ron gave his friend a look before turning away.

"I guess I have to be, don't I?"

The rest of the night was uncomfortable for all of them as Ron kept his distance from his two friends and things didn't get any better the following day when it was time to head back to school to start their sixth year. Harry and Hermione were sitting together in a compartment on Hogwarts Express while Ron was sitting somewhere else with Seamus. They both decided to talk to him when they reached Hogwarts, enough was enough. They were sure he was okay by now, he was just being stubborn. It was a trait all the Weasley's shared along with pride and a temper.

When the train came to a stop and they realized they had arrived, Harry and Hermione got their things and headed out. At the same time, Ron and Seamus had exited from the compartment right behind theirs and the trio shared a look. However, before anyone could say a word a familiar voice laughed from behind them;

"What's this?"

They all turned their heads to see Draco Malfoy standing behind them with Crabbe and Goyle at his side. "Did Potter and Weasley actually not stay in the same compartment on the ride here? What happened, did you two have a lover's quarrel over the summer?"

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy!" Ron then yelled, not in the mood for him.

"Aw, did I guess right? Did Potter break up with you? Or maybe he's gotten himself a new sidekick?"

Ron jumped forward but he was restrained by Seamus. Harry and Hermione also ran over to help hold him back so that he wouldn't batter Malfoy till he was black and blue. By this time, Ginny and Susan Bones had come out of the compartment they were staying in and saw what was going on.

"If I get loose you better pray!" Ron yelled.

"Can't come up with a good comeback, can these muggle-loving weasels, can they?" Malfoy asked Crabbe and Goyle. They laughed along with him as Ginny took a deep breath while continuing to stand by. She knew that Ron was still getting over Harry and Hermione being a couple now and that last thing he needed was Malfoy taunting him.

Unable to stop herself, Ginny marched up to him, the Slytherin was paying no attention to her as he continued to tease her brother until she was right in front of him and spoke up.

"Leave Ron alone." She demanded. "You're no better than us."

A cold shiver ran down her spine as he stopped laughing and his cold gray eyes met hers. She forced herself to remain looking him in the eye as sneer appeared on his face.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy responded. "Who even told you that you could speak to me, little girl? I'm no better than your dirt poor muggle loving family? Please, I alone am ten times better."

After he lashed out at his little sister, Ron continued to struggle to get to Malfoy, the others being barely able to keep him back. However, Ginny refused to back down.

"Why don't you get your cronies to remove your head from your pompous arse? At least my family isn't full of Death Eaters! And I'm not little, I'm fifteen!"

Malfoy continued to stare at her with narrowed eyes as Ginny slowly took in a breath, her heart beating fast due to her anger. But the tall pale boy remained composed.

"Why don't you go back to worshipping that pathetic excuse for wizard Potter like the rest of your blood-traitor family does? Cause he isn't going to be around for much longer."

Harry and Hermione both stiffened at that, knowing full well what Malfoy meant. By this time, other students had come over to break everything up and finally Malfoy walked away and Ron seemed to calm down. Hermione then walked over to Ginny, putting a hand on her arm knowing how her friend felt at the moment.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Ginny muttered. "Just peachy."