Chapter Three:
The day was Secret Friday. Harry and Hermione were sequestered in their secret rooms. Harry, having finished all his current assignments, laid on the bed in his pajamas reading up on werewolf history. He wanted to know as much as he possibly could about the challenges Remus faces. After a while, Hermione entered the bedroom and hopped into bed next to Harry. She was in her nightgown.
"Remember the first time we slept in here together?" Hermione asked as Harry put his book down. "It was after our first Secret Monday."
"I tried to sleep on the floor," Harry laughed, getting comfortable and laying on his back. "And you weren't having it."
"You would have wrecked your back sleeping on a stone floor three times a week," Hermione said, putting her head on his shoulder and her hand in his chest. "I'm glad you saw reason and slept in the bed with me."
"I was so afraid I'd touch you by mistake while we slept and you'd get offended," Harry recalled stroking her hair absentmindedly.
"As I recall, you were also afraid I'd misinterpret your morning erections," Hermione giggled.
"I know you've woken up with that thing poking you more times than I can count at the moment," Harry laughed. "Thanks for not being weird about it.*
"You're far too noble, Harry," Hermione laughed, beginning to draw circles on his chest. "Do you remember how I convinced you neither sleeping together nor getting morning wood was no big deal?"
"Honestly, no, I don't remember what you said specifically that for me into the bed," Harry said, his arm pulling her into a sideways hug of sorts. "What I do remember is you put your head on your pillow and I put my head on mine and then we just talked. We talked about classes and friends and quidditch and Voldemort… We talked about everything and anything until I suddenly realized nearly two hours had passed and nothing bad or weird had happened. And at that point I realized I could be vulnerable with you… and that you trusted me… so I finally relaxed and fell asleep."
"We slept in until noon that day and had to go back twenty eight hours to make it to class on time," Hermione laughed. She stopped drawing on Harry's chest and settled into a comfortable position in which she could sleep in the crook of his arm. "I also remember that we both tried really hard to stay on our side of the bed all year last year… until that night we saved Sirius."
"Yeah, after that night we started cuddling like this," Harry said, also relaxing. "Do you remember the look on Ginny's face this summer at the burrow when she saw you greet me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek?"
"Oh my Gods, she had a full scale panic attack over the course of two seconds," Hermione giggled.
"Yeah, after you let me go she hugged me and then kissed me on, like, the ear," Harry recalled reaching over and turning out the light. The room fell into a comfortable darkness. "You know, I could get used to more kisses on the cheek. From either or both of you that is." The light from the window allowed them to still see each other's faces well enough.
"Harry, she really likes you," Hermione said.
"Er, yeah, I know," Harry replied awkwardly.
"Are you ever going to address that?" Hermione asked.
"I was kinda hoping she would grow out of it," Harry admitted.
"That's not likely, Harry," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Boys. "You saved her life when she was a first year."
"I wish Ginny could just talk normally to me instead of staring and blushing and hiding all the time," Harry shared. "She's smart and funny and fun. You know, we had so much fun messing around at the burrow with her and Ron this summer I nearly forgot she doesn't hang out with us at Hogwarts."
"So if she stopped being such a fangirl, you'd date her?" Hermione asked. "Maybe you could take her to Hogsmeade now that you've got a permission slip to go there."
"Slow down there, Hermione, I'm not dating Ron's sister," Harry said. "Not unless we develop a real connection. She needs to be my friend first."
"I'll let her know she needs to try harder to be normal around you," Hermione said. Harry gave her a look. "And I'll do it in a way that doesn't make it sound as if doing so entitles her to a date."
"Right, now that my love life is all sorted," Harry said sarcastically, "what's this about Ron fancying someone?"
"Oh gods, I'd hoped you'd forget about that," Hermione admitted. "I really shouldn't have said anything."
"Spill it Hermione, who's this mystery girl?" Harry demanded, giving her a little shake. "Or is it a bloke? I can see him being embarrassed by that. He needn't hide that from me though."
"No, it's not a bloke. Okay, just to be clear, I've only observed him interacting with her in class," Hermione started. "It's just the way he looks at her and how they interact. I got a hunch he liked her. Instead of saying no, he told me to shut up when I asked if he liked her. That was enough confirmation for me to know I'm right."
"Right, it must be Muggle Studies seeing as he only interacts with me and you in all his other classes."
"Uh… maybe," Hermione said suspiciously. Hermione was a terrible liar. Harry knew he'd hit the nail on the head
"You're not going to tell me who, are you?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head. Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll sus it out myself… it's not you, is it?"
Hermione burst into laughter. "No, Harry, no, I don't suspect he fancies me. I don't suspect anyone fancies me."
"And why not?" Harry interjected. "You're quite fanciable. You're very smart and clever and kind and helpful. You're cute too. I reckon half the blokes in our year fancy you even if they won't admit it. They'd have to get past me, mind you, so that might be why they won't approach you. Sorry about that."
Hermione blushed. Thank Merlin Harry couldn't see how red her face was in the dark. Harry thinks I'm cute? Why do I find that embarrassing?
The two fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes. It looked as if they might fall asleep. "So what are your plans for your date with Fleur Delecor?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"Date?" Harry panicked. "It's not a date… is it?"
"If you don't know then I definitely don't," Hermione laughed. "Just don't kiss her unless you're sure she wants that."
"Fleur can't possibly find me attractive. She's three years older than me," Harry said quickly. "She just wanted to meet a famous wizard. I only said yes because I couldn't think of an excuse to say no."
"Right, well just know all the other boys in the school are jealous of you," Hermione said knowingly.
"So nothing's new then," Harry quipped.
…
Saturday night Harry sat in the common room and shared the details of his excursion with Fleur earlier that afternoon. Harry repeated several times, mostly for Ron's benefit, that he didn't fancy Fleur nor did he believe she fancies him. She had genuinely just wanted to meet a famous wizard and see the school.
After a tour of the grounds on foot, Harry and Fleur had taken another tour of the grounds, this time by broom, followed by a race around the quidditch pitch.
"We'll go on then, who won the race?" Ron asked.
"Like I'd tell you," Harry said.
"I think that means she did," Hermione concluded.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Perhaps."
"So she's on the Beauxbatons quidditch team then?" Ron asked.
"Yep," Harry said. "She said she played seeker previously but is playing chaser now the rules have changed."
"I think it's bloody brilliant that the other schools get to play quidditch against the Hogwarts teams this year" Ron grinned. "Each team will play five games instead of just three. That's fifteen games this year instead of just six. That's quidditch every other weekend!"
"Yeah imagine if they canceled quidditch or something stupid like that due to the Triwizard Tournament?" Harry joked.
"Ron, if you like quidditch so much why didn't you try out?" Hermione asked.
"Like I could out perform Harry as keeper," Ron laughed.
"Oh, Harry, you're playing keeper this year? I thought you'd play chaser!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I tried out for both," Harry said. "Katie Bell is captain this year. Katie said I was a brilliant chaser but she preferred me in the goal over everyone else who tried out. Ginny got the chaser spot."
"Well good for her," Hermione smiled. "I heard Victor Krum is playing beater this year," she added.
"Really?" Ron exclaimed. "How on earth do you know that? Yet another reason I'm glad I didn't try out. That bloke's one of the best flyers in the world. He'd knock me off my broom no matter what position I played. I'd rather watch him from the stands."
"I was really impressed with Ginny when we played this summer at the burrow," Harry said. "She'll be a great addition to the team."
"And just where are you going, Ron?" Hermione asked. Ron had stood up and began collecting his things. Usually they would spend the evening together in the common room playing games or studying.
"You'll be proud of me, Hermione," Ron said. "I'm off to go study for Muggle Studies."
"Oh with…er, with your friend?" Hermione course corrected lamely.
"Ron, whoever she is, you don't have to hide her from me, whether you fancy her or not," Harry said. "Is there a reason you hadn't mentioned her despite apparently sitting with her all year last year in Muggle Studies?"
Ron sat back down. "Harry, promise me you won't get mad," he said. "And whatever you do you can't tell Fred and George."
"Go on then," Harry said. "I promise."
"She's a… she's in Slytherin," Ron started. "Her name is Tracey Davis."
"She's friends with Daphne Greengrass, right?" Harry asked.
"That's right," Hermione offered. "Tracey is the only Slytherin in muggle studies in our year. Ron was kind enough to see she doesn't sit alone."
"Ron, did you think I wouldn't like you spending time with her just because she's in Slytherin?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, maybe," Ron admitted. "Fred and George definitely wouldn't like hearing it."
"I don't hate all Slytherins, Ron," Harry said. "Just the ones that are stuck up and full of themselves. I'm guessing if she's your friend then she isn't either of those things."
"Yeah, Tracey's really pleasant to be around really," Ron said.
"You know, we won't think poorly of you if you fancy her," Harry said.
Ron sighed. "Fine, I fancy Tracey," he finally admitted.
"Yes, I knew it!" Hermione said a little too loudly. Some other nearby Gryffindors look over at Hermione briefly.
"Keep it down, Hermione, I don't want the whole school to know," Ron complained.
"Well she should know at least," Hermione said. "I was certain you fancied her and I'm equally sure she fancies you too."
"Come off it, Hermione," Ron said. "Who'd like me when there's blokes like Harry about."
"Plenty of girls in our year like Harry, that's true, but several like you as well, Ron," Hermione scoffed.
"Go on then," Ron challenged. "Who?"
"Yeah, Hermione, who?" Harry asked.
"I shouldn't say," Hermione blushed. "Perhaps you should both start paying attention to who smiles when they speak to you versus who keeps their face neutral."
"What, is that all it takes to tell?" Harry complained. "By that logic, nearly every girl I speak to fancies me."
"You're not far off," Hermione said. "And before you complain, Ron, I know for a fact of at least three girls who are interested in you. Four if we count Tracey, which we won't, as she hasn't told me as much."
"You're saying three separate girls in our year have told you they like me?" Ron said gobsmacked.
"Yes," Hermione said. "But that's not important. What's important is that you like Tracey. Now go and tell her already."
"Yeah mate, worse that can happen is she say no and then we can start working out who the other girls are," Harry said.
"Fair enough," Ron said, standing to leave. "Anyway, thanks for the pep talk, Hermione… you too, Harry." Ron exited the common room with a red face.
"Boys are so oblivious," Hermione laughed.
"You know, Hermione, you smile at Ron quite a bit," Harry poked.
"Yes, because we're friends," Hermione said. "Smiling isn't the only indicator someone fancies you. If it was then I must fancy you as well."
"I thought you'd never admit it," Harry laughed. "I like you too, Hermione. Want to sleep together three times a week?"
They both laughed.