A/N: Thanks to the hosts for putting this together! It'll be a while before we get to the prompt in the story. Also, this will be a closed-door story. Sex will be mentioned, but I'm not going to describe any of it in detail. My skills are not at that level. In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the HarmonySummertimeMadness collection on ao3. Prompt: Hermione, Isn't it getting harder to sleep without me lying next to you? To ignore your magic telling you I should be there? Harry

Prologue: December 1995

Hermione avoided any prefects with her disillusionment charm as she snuck back through the castle. Charming the Fat Lady to open the door for an empty hall was something all Gryfindors had perfected after their third year. Firmly in her sixth year, Hermione slipped into the Common Room and sighed quietly.

As the foundation for NEWTS, her coursework was kicking her arse. Just before she canceled her charm, she spotted Harry and Ron talking by the fire. Harry was lying on the couch and Ron was sitting on the floor in front of the armchair.

Due to the later hour, the Common Room was deserted. Approaching cautiously, Hermione planned to edge around them and go to bed without alerting/bothering them. Frankly, she was too exhausted to talk to anyone - even Harry and Ron.

"So things are going well with Lavender?" Harry asked. Ron blushed.

Oh, Merlin. She shouldn't. She really shouldn't. But her feet refused to move.

"Yeah, they are actually. How about you? Has anyone caught the 'Chosen One's' eye?" Ron teased.

Harry groaned. "Ugh, I wish. Everyone just wants to be with me for that famed title. It's like I'm not a person outside of that."

"Does that mean you're not going to date anyone?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I just want to be with someone who wants to be with me - not because of some special thing about myself that I can't change." Harry sighed.

"What about Hermione?" Ron rubbed the back of his neck. Hermione's heart rate sped up.

Harry jerked up to a seated position. "What about Hermione?"

She really should not be here for this. But there's nothing in the world that could make her leave now.

"You know she doesn't see you as anyone other than 'Just Harry' as you keep saying," Ron said.

"But … that's … you know … Hermione's different. We're all best mates," Harry said, haltingly.

Wow - she wasn't sure what she had wanted to hear in response to Ron's question, but that was definitely not it. Hermione turned to go to bed and walked towards the girls' stairs.

"So, we can cross her off any list for you?" Ron asked.

"Yeah …" Harry trailed off.

Hermione shook her head and walked up the stairs. Whatever else they said, she wouldn't hear it. Any hopes that she might have had a shot with Harry were dashed that evening. Time to put it out of her mind as he clearly didn't feel that way about her.