AN: My last chapter for the next two weeks, and since my laptop's hard drive just died (It's one of the few computers that can actually remember the early 90's) it seems I wont be able to write while I'm gone.
Harry looked down at the ground and saw a small cellophane bag of Mugsfoot. Thinking Hermione would need that for the potion he grabbed it and went for the girl's lavatory.
He could hear voices, Moaning Murtle probably struck up a conversation with Hermione. Smiling at the thought of Hermione in a deep discussion over whether assault was really assault if you were dead, he opened the door.
"Ron, no." Hermione said unwrapping herself from Ron, whose hands were around her waist.
Harry went white, he felt as if all his blood had drained away. He then felt the anger rise in himself, he just stood there with clenched fists.
"Oh my god, Harry." Hermione said, finally seeing him.
He couldn't stay there with these people who were supposed to be his 'friends,' he had to get out. As soon as he walked outside he almost got singed, Norbert seemed to have a tummy ache.
"Sorry 'bout that Harry!" Hagrid yelled from his hut.
"Geeze 'Arry, what's wrong with you?" He said as he got closer.
"Nothing. I'm just, not feeling well."
"You're probably jus' nervous, big ball tonight."
"Sure." Harry said walking away.
* * *
The rest of the day Harry did everything in his power to avoid Hermione and Ron. He ended up staying in the Room of Requirement for most of the day, requesting a room where Ron and Hermione couldn't find him. He went up to outside Dumbledore's office and grabbed his cloak, then went to the uncommon room so he could get his dress robes. He did not see anyone there; they were probably looking for him out in the castle. It was okay if he saw them at the ball, it was too public a place for them to try to talk to him. Maybe if he just kept dancing with Ginny, he wouldn't have to talk to them all night.
He waited until he heard the music play in the Great Hall, then went to the Gryffindor table, snatched up Ginny, and brought her to the dance floor.
"Harry! Where have you been?"
"Trying to avoid your brother and his girlfriend." He said as they started to move to the music.
"Girlfriend?"
Harry pointed to Ron and Hermione entering the Great Hall.
"What happened?" She asked sneering at her brother.
"I went to the girls bathroom to give Hermione some Mugsfoot, saw them together... forget it, let's just dance."
Hermione sat down at a table and made a 'humph'ing noise.
"You want something to drink?" Ron asked.
"Yes, it is lovely." Hermione said as she watched Harry and Ginny dancing. Ron took that as a `yes' and went over to get them some pumpkin juice.
Harry saw Ginny roll her eyes and looked over his shoulder to the offending sight. He spotted Luna laughing at something Neville said that was apparently very funny.
"You wanna make him jealous?" Harry asked with a Cheshire grin on his face.
"I don't know what you're talkin-"
At that moment Neville put his arm around Luna and Ginny practically slammed herself into Harry.
"Dip me Potter." Ginny said.
Harry chuckled and did as he was told.
Harry then spun her out, where she bumped right into Lupin and Dr. Sam.
"Sorry Professors!" she giggled.
Ron stomped his way through the dance floor to his sister.
"Ginny, would you stop that! You're-"
"Oh shut up Ronald. Just get along back to your girlfriend, me and Harry have some snogging we have to do," Ginny said hanging on Harry like they were attached at the hip.
"Fine, get in trouble, I don't care." Ron stormed off and back down at the table.
"Do you want to dance?" Ron asked as he sneered over at Neville.
"How could she even... That girl is crazy she is... It's just Neville for god's sake, they're both absolutely bonkers... I could try to get it out of her... Would you mind Hermione if I went to..." Ron asked pointing at Luna.
Hermione nodded and watched as Ron almost sprinted off. She saw them talking and Luna nodding sheepishly to Ron, then she saw them go to the dance floor where Harry and Ginny were dancing.
"Harry and Ginny seem to be having fun, it's about time too, I was wondering when those two would... well, you know..." Hermione overheard Lupin say to Dr. Sam.
At that moment Hermione felt the room get smaller, if that was at all possible for the Great Hall to do, she crossed the dance floor and went outside.
Harry watched as Hermione stomped off, he then turned his attention to Neville who was standing at the perimeter of the dance floor watching them. Harry spun himself and Ginny to where Neville was.
"You seem to be down a date." Harry gestured to his best friend and Luna.
"This one," Harry said tickling Ginny's side, "Is too much for me to handle. You think you're up to it?"
Neville nodded and took Ginny's hand in his. Ginny turned into Neville and mouthed 'Thanks Harry.' Harry took Neville's spot and stood there for a moment, and only a moment, until Draco Malfoy 'bumped' into him and spilled pumpkin juice all over his robes. Harry didn't want to loose his temper, so he calmly walked off into the night.
"Harry?" Hermione asked behind him.
Harry turned around and faced her.
"Do you want something, or are you just taking a break from your boyfriend?"
"I could say the same about you."
"Ron's not my boyfriend." Harry shrugged.
"He's not mine either." Hermione crossed her arms in front of her and walked over to Harry.
"You could have fooled me." Harry began to walk, when Hermione didn't follow he jestured for her to come with him, she almost jogged to him and started to walk with him.
"It wasn't... You had Cho, and Ginny... well she's had just about every guy in our class save Ron... and you." She watched Harry intently, when he didn't correct her she felt a weight she couldn't explain lift from her.
"I don't understand-"
"Your first kiss... That's what Ron was... asking me to do in the bathroom when you caught us."
"I'm sorry to have interrupted."
"I'm not." Hermione smiled, and Harry smiled back at her.
"Ron's one of my best friends, and I'll love him till doomsday, but... I don't want to kiss him. Besides, I think he has a thing for Luna."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"He kept asking me why I didn't put my wand behind my ear." Hermione explained.
Harry tried not to laugh as best he could, but at the same time he felt some of the knots from his stomach unravel.
"So..."
"So..."
They both faced each other and looked at the ground intently.
"Do... Harry would you mind if..."
"What?"
"Nothing." Hermione said stopping herself.
Harry felt his stomach tighten, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She didn't pull away, she did put her hand on his shoulder. When she felt his tongue touch her lips she opened her mouth to say something, but felt his tongue inside her own mouth which was not at all unpleasant. Harry was the one to pull back, apparently needing to breath.
"Where did you-"
"You're not the only one who reads Hermione Granger." Harry smiled, and was granted a smile in return.
Hermione stumbled a bit, tripping on an unforeseen object but once Harry's arms went around her waist she seemed to gain her footing.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, it's these heels," Hermione lied. She paused a bit then added, "We should get back."
"Yeah, don't want them to send a search party." Harry nodded.
'Not to the ball,' Hermione thought, but nodded all the same.
"I left Neville with Ginny, want to see if he's unconscious yet?"
"Sure." Hermione said, unsure of what just happened.
The rest of the ball was rather uneventful, that was at least their impression before they left early. Sleep seemed to be a more productive way to spend the evening. Ron and Luna left before Hermione and Harry came back so they assumed they came to the same conclusion. Ginny and Neville promised they would come up after the last dance.
* * *
"Hermione," Harry said under his breath, "Are you awake?"
"No," Hermione whispered back.
Harry sat up in the bed and ran his hands through his hair.
"I'm just too nervous... "
Hermione nodded, "We just have to do something to take our minds off it... We could do some Potions homework."
"I want to be less nervous Hermione, not frustrated and pissed off."
"Really Harry, you're as good as anyone in the class, now that Snape isn't breathing down your neck."
Harry flopped back down on the bed, "I'm not as good as you."
"Oh come off it, so you aren't the best at Potions, you can't be good at everything." She said.
"I'll have to be if I want to be an Auror."
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?"
"What?" Harry asked.
"Well, I just thought after all this with Voldemort I thought you'd want a break. I'm not saying you wouldn't make a great Auror, just that --er-- you don't have to do what you're good at just because you're good at it."
"So... What do you want to do?" Harry asked.
"I'd love to teach at Hogwarts..."
"But?"
"I don't... I'm not sure I'm good enough. This is the best wizarding school... ever, it's one thing to be a student here-"
"Are you saying Snape is a better teacher than you could ever be?" Harry interrupted.
Hermione didn't say anything to that.
"Who is the reason everyone is learning to become Animagi so fast? And who is the only one responsible for me getting O's in Potions last year? They'd be lucky to have you." Harry said
"Thanks," Hermione blushed.
"You tired?" Harry asked.
"No, you?"
"I'm wide awake... I was tired at the ball."
"So what do you want to do?" Hermione asked.
"I just need to do something to tire me out." Harry picked up his glasses.
"What?"
Harry threw some of her clothes at her then went around a curtain to get dressed.
"Harry, what-"
"Just get dressed, I'll show you."
* * *
They stood outside the Quidditch pitch with two brooms in hand.
"Harry, what if we get caught?"
"We'll get punished."
"I'm serious."
"Then we'll just tell them I'm training you, you want to try out for one of the chaser spots..." Harry almost shoved Hermione's broom in her hands.
"I don't like to fly, I can just wait down here for you."
"Are you a Gryffindor or not Miss Granger?" Harry asked.
"There are times I just hate you Harry."
"You and everyone else. Come on, just get on."
Hermione lifted up off the field about six feet and stayed that way the entire time they were there. Harry would do just about everything he could, then fly with her a bit, then go back up to do some loops.
Once Harry finally landed he saw Hermione on the ground using her broom as a pillow fast asleep.
He shook her lightly and said, "Wake up, we have to get back up to the castle."
She mumbled something and turned, but did not wake.
"Hermione, you can't sleep out here, you'll freeze to death... Up in the castle there are fires..." Harry shook her again.
She started to wake a little, "Fires?"
"And nice warm beds with pillows."
She sat up, Harry took her arm, and put it around his shoulder. He then, with little help from Hermione, stood her upright and made their way up to the castle.