A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters, world, or other canon events; I only own this story that they are partaking in. Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well. As I said in my last note, I am hoping that things are finally back to normal and that I can return to keeping new chapters on a more frequent basis. This chapter has been edited by my Beta Reader Mionellsparlockineco and myself to ensure any grammar, spelling and continuity errors have been resolved. Well, back to the show..
Harry sat quietly at the Gryffindor table as he waited for Hermione to join him. He had been a little surprised when she had declined his company while they had been descending the stairs. He shrugged and began to pull breakfast onto the plate before him.
"Hi Harry."
He smiled up at Neville, as his housemate approached. "Hi Neville," he greeted, as he indicated the seat near him in invitation.
The sandy-haired Gryffindor sat down and turned to look at him. "I hope everything is okay?"
Harry raised his eyebrow in question as he stared blankly at the boy. Neville frowned nervously as he waited for him to answer. " What do you mean?"
He blinked and his face fell as he realized he had not given any lead up to his question. "Sorry, it's just I realized that you have not been spending as much time with Ron lately, and now you are no longer in Divination."
Harry smiled and nodded. "I see," he shrugged with a sigh. "While neither have anything to do with the other, I am somewhat upset with Ron."
Neville nodded, "I see."
Harry was about to elaborate when they were joined by Hermione, who was brimming with excitement. Harry smiled brightly as she began to pull food onto her plate, humming quietly to herself as she settled in.
"You look happy."
She smiled softly, " Yes, I just received some rather good news."
"Let me guess," a voice said, with the sound of someone standing up. "You got the highest score, let alone most perfect score in the school?"
All eyes turned to look at Ron, he gazed back at them dully and shrugged. Staring pointedly at both Harry and Hermione he huffed, "Sorry, I am glad you have managed to obtain good grades yet again." He said, surprising everyone as he kept an even head and tone. "But could you please not discuss anything educationally related until lunch?"
Harry felt his jaw quiver in surprise to the way that Ron had managed to diplomatically construct his request. He looked between the two of them, noticing that she seemed at a loss for how to respond before turning to look at him. Their eyes met only briefly but he noticed again something that made him feel her confusion and many other things.
She quickly turned back to the redhead and smiled. "Yes Ron, I can wait until lunch," she replied politely.
Ron seemed just as stunned by the civility in her reply as everyone else had been at his sudden use of manners. "Thank you," he said with a nod, as he quietly returned to his breakfast without further ado.
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Harry and Hermione sat quietly on the banks of the lake studying as they quietly enjoyed their afternoon break. Luckily they had managed to find a spot that was well secluded from others and provided them safety from distractions. They had been down under the shade of the oak tree for nearly an hour.
"Wonder if it's time for Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she asked, looking up from her Divination book.
He stretched as he pulled himself out of his translation homework for Ancient Runes. "Not quite," he said, looking down at his watch to confirm.
She sighed and began to gather up her books, stuffing them into her bulging bag. Again he wondered briefly how she was managing to take so many subjects at the same time. He shook his head and joined her.
"Ready to head back?"
She shook her head, "No, I just want to be ready when the bell rings."
He smiled and leaned back against the oak, resting his back against the trunk. It had been a while since they had found a moment to relax between classes- with Ron, homework, and catching him up on his new subjects, it had been very busy.
She leaned back, pulling her knees up under her chin as she settled. He smiled again and watched her momentarily before she turned to look at him. There was a brief flash of an unreadable emotion on her face and in her eyes that seemed to draw him out of himself and towards her, however it faded almost as soon as it began.
He struggled internally with himself for several seconds before being pulled from his thoughts by the one who he had been thinking about. "So, I was thinking..."
He smiled, "What about?"
She frowned, "I was thinking about what to do with Ron," she stated pointedly; he knew that she had been nearly speechless at his behavior this morning.
"I am going to have to speak to him about that," he said; it was not like Ron to be so cordial and almost formal.
She nodded and fell silent again, returning to her inner reverie as she gently leaned against him. He smiled and lightly wrapped an arm around her as they cuddled against the tree. Again, he found himself wondering if there was the possibility that she would like him too, if she would go out with him and be his girlfriend.
The idea was both awe inspiring and, as always, frightening. He was sure that if they did go out they would be happy, but he was too afraid of losing his best friend, if she didn't share his feelings. He inwardly growled in frustration as he pulled himself back out of his thoughts.
She was watching him again, this time though she didn't hide or turn away. He smiled and her lips turned up at the corners before she bit her lip and looked away.
"Hermione..." He began, slightly startled as she sharply turned her head back to look at him.
"Yes?"
He froze as she turned her gaze at him, something playing on her face quickly before hiding itself again. He sighed inwardly, he was tired of trying to figure this out, it was time to make a move.
"Hermione," he said again with a little more certainty.
"Yes?" She asked again, raising an eyebrow as she did so.
He felt his palms begin to sweat and his knees felt shakey, but he was resigned. "Hermione Granger." He said again, smiling softly as he did so. "Will-will you go out with me?"
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She froze at his question, she couldn't believe he had asked. She felt so many feelings all at once. Joy, she was beyond happy that he liked her back, that he felt the same way for her that she felt for him. Nervous, she had never been with anyone before as anything other than a friend. She had never liked or dated any of the muggle boys she had gone to school with.
Lastly she felt fear, fear that if they should end badly she would lose him as a friend. She knew that Harry would never force her away, not without her having done anything so horrible that he could never forgive her. Fear that she could be used against him as a weapon should Voldemort or any other enemy choose to do so. However, above all else she knew that this was her chance at happiness and to provide Harry with a love that he could always remember, whether it lasted or was simply a moment of joy together.
Choosing to live a thousand life times having had the chance for a moment of happiness with the boy she admired and loved, rather than a lifetime of possibly never being happy, she chose the only answer she could. Smiling brightly as she flung herself into his arms, kissing him softly as she felt his hands around her waist.
Pulling back to take a breath, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her in amazement, his mouth slightly open in shock. She giggled as she watched him and sighed happily as she continued to gaze into his emerald eyes.
"Are you sure?" He asked as he came to his senses.
She nodded. "I know there are dangers, I know things will not always be easy." She said softly, as she took a breath. "But, I'd rather spend a lifetime having had at least a moment of happiness with you Harry James Potter, than spend the rest of my life always wondering what may have been."
He smiled at her words and nodded softly, "As would I." he agreed quietly, leaning in to kiss her again.
As his lips touched her's he could feel tears streaming down her cheeks at her joy. She softly whispered through the kiss in her own special way.
"I love you..."
"I love you too Mione."
As they continued their kiss she felt something stirring deep within herself, not just hormones but something stronger, deeper, something that felt as if it was part of her very being. She opened her eyes and was surprised as she jumped back looking between herself and Harry, golden streams of light were intertwining between the two of them, dancing and joining. It was beautiful and scary to behold as if something were joining the two of them together.
"Harry?" She asked as she looked to see if he was seeing the same thing.
"What is it?" He asked, looking between her and the streams of light joining and dancing between them.
As they continued to watch the lights and each other the strands began to swirl and join together forming a cocoon around her and Harry though they were able to see through the shimmering barrier between them and the outside world. As they watched, there was a sudden flash of golden light and many others began to join as several figures were summoned before them.
She and Harry watched as the figures stood around them, watching in wonder and shock as they experienced the spectacle that was happening before their eyes. The group consisted of people that they both knew, as well as people that neither of them had ever seen before, based on the looks she saw on Harry's face as the group continued to watch.
Finally, as they waited, two figures from the group began to approach them, stopping as they reached the barrier. The old man with the silver hair and beard they knew all too well, as did they know the much shorter man beside him who they knew much more commonly as their Charms Professor.