Abundant Skies
Chapter Three: Common Room Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well, just to let you guys know, my other fic, `wonderwall,' is not finished yet.. Not yet. One more chapter, maybe two. I just.. I've been trying to gather up some more ideas, and stuff.. Might be a while, but I'm hoping that it'll be good. But I still will be updating this fic.
So, I have NOT abandoned wonderwall, it is just not finished. I REPEAT, I HAVE NOT ABANDONED `WONDERWALL.' Thanks, and thanks for all your wonderful reviews.
And, no, I am sorry, Draco will not be playing a role in this fic.. sorry. But, I will be writing another fic, the DM/HG/HP love triangle, shortly after Wonderwall.
Thanks.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The trio sat in the common room, Harry and Ron doing their Transfiguration homework, while Hermione was reading on the couch, totally oblivious to Harry and Ron's hushed conversation.
"When are you going to tell her?" Ron whispered, looking at Hermione. He was amazed at how she didn't see how Harry felt towards her. Ron had talked about it to Neville, to Dean and Seamus, to his brothers who he had owled..
`Harry Potter and Hermione Granger? Now I can't say that was quite unexpected," the letter had said, from Fred and George. `Besides, she's quiet grown, with the pictures she sent you during the summer.. Not just the little Gryffindor smarty pants, anymore. We're not surprised Harry would fall for her.'
Seamus and Dean had agreed, and had said they had seen him, too. Neville just shrugged and said, "Harry and Hermione? Well.. That's quite alright I guess. They'd make a good couple."
Harry concentrated on his assignment, scanning the text in the textbook.
"Tell her what?" He said, distracted. He wrote down notes in the book, to remind him. Writing in the books weren't allowed of course, but with a simple ink-erasing spell, they surely wouldn't notice.
"You know, tell her you're taken with her." Harry's eyes halted when he heard `taken with her.' He put down his book, and glared at Ron.
"You're still going on about that?" He said, irritated.
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there's nothing to tell." Ron snorted. Harry scowled at his friend.
"You've got to fast, Harry. What if someone else courts her? Like, Neville.. Or.. Or ugh what if Malfoy does?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Harry said. But he was already worried about that same thing, although he would never admit it to his face.
"No, Harry, mate, listen to me. I know lots of guys who are interested in her. I can only hold them off her for so long."
"Shut up, please," Harry sighed.
"Go after her.. Go, go." Ron`s grin got wider. He leaned in closer to Harry, so that Hermione couldn't hear.
"Or, um, I could tell her."
"Tell her what!?" Harry said, his whisper harsh and quick. "There's nothing to tell her!"
"Oh stop it, Harry! Seamus and Dean have noticed, and Neville has, and you know how slow Neville is-"
"You've told them about this?!"
"They've all noticed! She's bound to find out, and you should tell her before she does!"
"I can't believe you told them about this!"
"It's not confidential, since you're being such a chicken about it." Harry glared at him, and Ron only smiled. Ron's eyes darted over to Hermione, who was deep into her book, and stood up. Harry watched him, horrified at not knowing what he was going to do.
"Well, I'm going to head up to bed, I'm quite spent," Ron said, looking at Harry, grinning. Hermione put down her book, and looked at her red haired friend.
"Are you finished?" She asked him.
"No," he said, quickly. "But rest assured, I'll get it done tomorrow." Harry snorted. Hermione sighed, putting her book down on her lap.
"Well.. Alright.."
"Harry's not done," Ron said, gathering up his stuff. Harry glowered at him. Ron turned to Hermione.
"Maybe he needs some help, eh?" He said to her, before walking past, and up to the stairs.
"Night," he called out to them, before they both heard the door close. Harry sighed, shaking his head. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her raven-haired friend, and then turned her gaze to the closed door of the boy's dormitories. She looked at Harry again, and felt that weird tingling, fluttery feeling in her stomach again. It was as if someone had released millions of rapid winged insects that bounced off her insides. She watched him, as he concentrated on his work.. How determined he seemed to be, his eyes scanning the book rapidly, his fast scribbles on the parchment. His black hair fell across his forehead, still tousled and as untamed as before. She couldn't see his scar, for his bangs covered it almost completely, but she didn't think it made him more than what he was, or less. Maybe some girls liked scars, but she didn't care. It wasn't such a big deal to her. Harry was just Harry. And scar or not, she was sure to still love him. He had that warm, glowing personality, a good heart, a good sense of humor, and.. He always made her weak in the knees, not to mention her heart pound harder and faster. And well, she wasn't an expert on romance, or relationships, but she knew that what he made her feel was always a good thing, well, if they were to ever move on than being just friends. But that was just wishful thinking.
She sighed, taking one last look at him, before returning to her book.
Harry looked over at Hermione, and felt his heart beat fast, being alone with her in the room again… His wrist was aching, his fingers slippery and sweaty. His focus and concentration was gone, now that Ron had intentionally left them alone together. Harry nervously looked down at his assignment, his writing scribbled and almost impossible to read, towards the end, for his wrist had been in awful pain. Surely enough the Professor could still read it.. Harry sighed, putting down his parchment. He picked up his quill again, and dipped it in ink. He tried his best to finish it, but of course it was harder and slower than before. His mind kept skittering back to the brown haired girl reading on the sofa, the object of his affection.
Hermione looked back at Harry, and she was puzzle at what she saw. His eyes were hard, almost squinted as if he couldn't see the words right. His fingers gripped the book tightly, and as he put it down, his hand was shaking, but even from afar she could see how hard he was writing. He seemed to be having.. A hard time concentrating. He hadn't been like this before. She wondered if it was because Ron was gone.. Maybe he didn't want to be alone with her. Maybe he just didn't feel comfortable. She felt her heart become heavier, but she looked over at him, and decided it was best if she just left. She really didn't want to give him a hard time, and if being alone with her bothered him, then.. She closed her book, and gathered her things.
Harry looked over at Hermione, when he heard rustling and noticed her movement. Was she leaving? He felt a heavy load place upon his heart.. She couldn't be leaving.
"Hermione?" He said, silently pleading for her to stay. Even if she distracted him, or made him nervous or made those annoying butterflies erupt in his stomach, he really didn't want her to leave. Being with her made him feel.. Well, at ease and insanely nervous at the same time. But it wasn't all that better if she wasn't here either; all he could think about was her, wishing that she was still here with him.
He saw Hermione sigh, the light and shadows playing across her back. She turned to him, and smiled faintly.
"It's quite late," she said, her voice quiet. "I thought I'd head up, you know, get some sleep."
"Oh," he said, sounding slightly disappointed. "Oh alright then," he said, turning back to his work. She smiled slightly at him, a sad sort of smile, and gathered all her books into her hands.
"Good night, Harry," she said to him, and he looked up and smiled.
"Good night, Hermione." She nodded, and walked past him to the stairs. She stopped when she heard Harry's voice, halfway up.
"You don't have to go, you know," he said. She smiled, happy that he would say such a thing; maybe he did want her to stay.
"I'm quite nearly done," she heard him say.
"Thanks, Harry," she said, his back still turned to her. But he was still, quill in his hand but not writing. "But it really is late."
He nodded, sighed, and got back to work. But he listened attentively, as Hermione took one last look at him, and started up the stairs. She closed the door behind her, silently.
Harry looked in the fireplace, the flames seemed to be licking the top, and bouncing off the sides. He smiled, as he started reading the textbook again.
It just amazed him what Hermione could do to him, did to him.