Hey, sorry for those who read the update right away, I goofed up. So I had to repost. But I'm gllad you like it. Here's more. Also, I've had a crappy day today, so I probably won't be up for writing more Four of Hearts, but I don't really know yet. Look out for it though, just in case.
Chapter 2
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Harry walked lazily down the sidewalk of Privet Drive, not really paying attention to where he was going. He was spending his last summer with the Dursleys and the summer couldn't have ended any sooner for his sake. At the end of the summer, he would return to his finally year at Hogwarts where he would finally graduate from Hogwarts and be on his own. He couldn't wait.
He shoved his hands in the pocket of his old rutty jeans as he turned the corner of his block. He past a walking neighbor and smiled politely at him, but the man avoided his eyes and walked quickly past him. Harry rolled his eyes. Thanks to the Dursleys, everyone in the neighborhood thought he was a delinquent. Besides his friends in the wizarding world.... he had none. It didn't bother him though, he was fine with the way things were. He only had to tolerate a couple of more months of it.
He looked both ways before trotting across the street towards the neighborhood park and went straight for the swing set. It was almost dusk, so the park was pretty much deserted and he had it all to himself. He plopped down on one of the swings with a sigh and gripped the chains as he casually pushed himself back and forth with his feet. It was the day after his mysterious dream. The dream about Hermione. Definitely in a...NON-friendly way.
He let out a breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. It was nothing, he thought as he forced himself to laugh. You love Cho...your girlfriend.... you love Hermione too, but only as a friend. You've never thought of her that way.... have you? He shook his head firmly. NO..... you haven't. It was a silly dream; just forget about it. He didn't know why he dreamt it. It was probably just because he had talked to her right before he went to bed on his mobile that Sirius had given him on his 16th birthday.
Sirius didn't know much about cell phones, but he had connections with a certain Muggle friend and he knew that cell phones were some sort of communication. He also knew that with the Dursleys he could never use the phone to talk to her friends.... so he gave him a cell phone. He told him that all the payments were paid for and not to worry about anything but enjoying the phone. He didn't use it when he went to Hogwarts his 6th year, but he planned on using it during the summer. Since Ron was incapable of using a phone and since he had no Muggle friends, the only person who would call him on his cell was Hermione. She had called that night just to chat. They talked for a good while...for at least an hour anyway, so that must have been the reason he dreamt about Hermione and not Cho. What else of a reason would there be?
Before he could even think of another reason, his cell phone went off in his pocket. He leaned back in his swing and fished it out quickly before answering. "Hello Hermione," he said with a smile.
She laughed in his ear. "Hi Harry, am I disturbing you at all?"
"Course not, I've just been walking around the neighborhood," he told her as he stood up from his swing and began to walk back to his house. "What's going on?"
"I'm bored," she said with a sigh.
He let out a laugh. "Join the club. And to think that it's only been a week since we've been home. I don't think I'm going to make it this summer."
"You will Harry, just like you do every summer, " she said.
Harry heard something slam. "What was that?"
"Oh, I was just closing my trunk," she said with a sigh. "I'm going to visit Victor tomorrow. I just finished packing."
He smiled. "Ooooh and how are you and Krum Dumb?"
"Harry," she said in a warning voice. "Knock it off."
He chuckled. "Sorry Mione, I'll behave...promise."
She sighed. "I swear you two fight more than you and Draco."
Harry shrugged as he walked up to his house. "Not my fault that he doesn't like me."
"He likes you," she said in a unsure voice. "He's just...jealous of you."
"Guy has no self esteem," he muttered and walked through the hall.
"Just where the devil have you been?" Mr. Dursley yelled as he put his hands on his wide hips.
"A walk," he mumbled before walking past him and up the stairs, completely ignoring his glare. Since this was Harry's last year, he seemed to have felt less threatened by the Dursleys. They knew that after this year, he was able to do Magic whenever he wanted. And that was a wonderful power to use against them. He surely didn't let them boss him around as he use to. Once he was safely in his room he collapsed on the bed with a sigh. "Well Herm, you have fun with your beau.... call me sometime if you can."
"I'm sure I will," she said with a laugh. "He won't be at his house during the day most of the time because of Quidditch practice. I have a feeling I'll be calling you out of boredom."
Harry smiled into the phone. "Anything to help out a friend. You take care, Herms."
Hermione smiled at the nickname he gave her their fifth year. "You too, Harry. Bye."
Harry clicked off his cell and looked up at the ceiling with a sigh. He finally pushed his dream out of his mind once and for all. Hermione is your friend...and your friend only.
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Harry perched up in his bed one afternoon, leaning his back against the headboard with his knees drawn up. He had a pair of headphones on his ears, which happened to be another present from Sirius. He knew that The Dursleys never got him any kind of possessions, so Sirius gave him as much Muggle entertainment as he could to keep him sane during the summer. He smiled when he looked at the over at his entertainment center that was equipped with a brand new TV and a Playstation 2, which was a game that Muggles played. AT first he didn't get it, but now.... he was addicted. Dudley was quite jealous of his PS2; he only had the first Playstation. The Dursley's only allowed him to keep it because it was from his godfather. They were terrified of him. It worked out quite nicely for his sake.
Harry finally tore of his headphones and then leaned over his bed to pull out a brown leather sketchpad that Hermione had given him for his 16th birthday. During his 5th year, Harry discovered another thing he was good at; besides Quidditch.... he loved to sketch. He didn't even know he was good at it until one day in Transfiguration; Harry was doodling instead of taking notes. Hermione was the first to notice...
Hermione glanced over at her friend during class and did a double take when she noticed he wasn't paying attention. He had his head propped up on his hand as he scribbled something on the margin of his notes. Hermione sighed and leaned towards him. "Harry, pay attention, stop doodling and...."
Harry had lifted his head from his hand when she spoke and waited for her to continue, but she was now looking at what he drew. "Harry, did you draw that?" she whispered softly as she glanced up to make sure McGonagall wasn't looking.
"Yeah...I was kind of bored, I didn't realize I was doing it..."
"Is that Buckbeak's head?" she asked as she pointed to it. When he nodded she looked back at his sketch and was blown away. It was incredible. "Harry, that's really good.... you have talent."
His ears turned pink. "I don't know, I just...."
"Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class Potter and Granger?"
They both turned their heads to the strict Professor and slouched in their seats. "No Professor," the mumbled quietly.
Ever since then, Harry sketched when he was bored. He sketched his friends, Hagrid, Dumbledor, he even one time sketched Crookshanks and Hedwig one time when he was lounging in the common room one day. Hermione obviously paid attention to this, because he gave her the magical sketchbook for his birthday. As soon as he was done with the drawing, it would move and come to life. Just like the photographs in the wizarding world.
He flipped through the pages one by one, studying each one of them. He smiled at the one of Hermione studying by the fire in the common room. He had sketched her without knowing. The Hermione in the drawing had her legs draped over the chair as she sat sideways, bopping her legs up and down. The fire made of ink moved and flickered like a real one and Crookshanks, who was perched up on top of the chair was bathing himself. She still had no idea he drew her.
He then turned the page and his smile dropped when he saw the gorgeous sketch of Cho he did one day last year. He missed her. He missed the days when she was carefree and fun. Now, he hardly ever saw her, since she got a job at The Daily Prophet. She graduated this past year and was immediately offered a job there as the new advice column for witches. She was supposedly very good at it; her boss hardly ever let her off. He was happy for her, but.... lately she seemed a little distant. He was a year younger than she, so he had to be still in school. A part of him thought that she looked at him like he was still a kid.
He continued to think about Cho sadly and just when he was about to push it aside her voice echoed through the room. He looked up from the book and jumped when he saw his girlfriend standing in his room. "Cho," he said breathlessly as he put a hand on his heart. "You scared me to death, I told you not to apparate to me without me knowing."
"So I wanted to surprise you on my lunch break," she said as she walked over to him and then sat on the edge of his bed.
Harry sat up so he could sit next to her, forgetting that his sketchbook was there and it fell to the floor. Harry quickly tried to pick it up, but Cho beat him to it and unfortunately the picture of Hermione that no one knew he had was facing up. "What's this?"
He shrugged as he tried to play it off. "Just a sketch I did, no surprise there."
"Of Hermione?" she asked with a slight hint of hostility in her voice.
"Yes, Hermione...my best friend?" he reminded her and then took his sketchbook away and shut it firmly.
"I know Hermione quite well, thank you," she said with a roll of her eyes. "The girl is everywhere."
"Why do you two fight all the time?" he asked with a shake of his head. 'Everyone likes Hermione fine, but you...Hermione tried to befriend you at first but you totally ignored her."
"Oh, so now you're taking sides?" she snapped and then got up. "Sorry I decided to come see you."
"Cho, wait," he said quickly as he stood up before she could disappear. "I'm sorry, it's just that.... Hermione is my friend and the sooner you realize that the better. I love you, you know I do...but I care for Hermione too, she's my friend."
She sighed as she looked out the window. "I'm sorry if I overreact when it comes to her, but...I'm just scared that she'll steal you away from me."
His heart dropped when he remembered his dream. "Cho," he finally said. "You don't have anything to worry about. I'm with you, not Hermione.... YOU."
She gave him a reassuring smile as she finally nodded and then hugged him. "I have to get back to work," she said as she leaned back. "But how bout a kiss before I go?"
He smiled slightly. "I can handle that," he said and then leaned down and kissed her lips softly and again the image of him kissing Hermione in his dream came flooding back to him. Almost angry with himself for thinking of another woman besides the one he was kissing, he pulled Cho to him and kissed her deeply, hoping to prove to not only Cho, but also himself that he loved her and not Hermione.