Disclaimer: I do not own HP nor any of Shakespeare's works!
A/N:A whole bunch of you got really mad at Harry! I didn't expect that! Remember, he is just a guy, and all will be put right! Also, the 10-15 reviews thing was experimental, I wanted to see if you guys really cared enough...and it looks like you did. Please continue to respond...it's really the only reason I updated so soon. My show opens tomorrow...wish me luck!
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Chapter 9: Really?
The next morning, when Harry woke up and put on his glasses, he noticed his amulet glowing. Quickly he picked it up and flipped it open. The ring around Hermione's photo was gleaming. Not knowing if she was in trouble, or sad, he swiftly opened his door, crossed the hall and knocked on Hermione's door. A few seconds later, she flung open the door with a tear-streaked face. Her eyes got as big as saucers and she quickly slammed the door in Harry's face. He stood there blinking for a second, before the door opened again and Hermione was quickly wiping at her eyes.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly, "The ring around your face in my amulet was glowing."
"Oh--- I--uh, was--..." she stuttered.
***
"I was reading," she finished lamely. 'Boy, he must think I really am a dork."
"Oh what?" he asked.
"Uh, "Romeo and Juliet"," she replied, "It's so sad at the end. They die and I felt so horrible and I just started to cry, thinking about what if it happened to one of us and..."
"Oh, Hermione, that'll never happen," Harry replied soothingly and he pulled her into a hug. He rubbed her back and she felt herself fold into his arms. It was as if her troubles and worries just simply dissolved away, about Harry and Lavender, the O.W.L's and her relationship with Harry, sitting there with his arms around her. Her tears stopped flowing and she knew that although everything had not turned out all right for the star- crossed lovers of Shakespeare's famous play, she would be okay. She gazed back up at him dazed, their eyes locked. Unfortunately, Lavender Brown chose that moment to come popping into Hermione's room with a big hi and hello there, stopping in the middle of the sentence seeing Harry in Hermione's room. She stood gaping from one to the other, and then it dawned on her and a smile spread across her face.
"Hey you two. It's 9:00. You better get dressed so you can get some breakfast before you leave."
"Okay, I'll be leaving now," Harry stated, exiting the room.
"Meet you downstairs at ten!" Hermione called after him.
"All right!" he yelled back.
Lavender grinned at Hermione's looking at Harry's retreating back. Hermione noticed this and gave her a questioning look, before tossing her towel over her shoulder and heading towards the bathroom. As she showered, and washed up, Lavender sat in the bathroom and the two girls chatted while Hermione dressed. While she applied makeup, Lavender smiled a wondered why the studious girl had taken to the habit. When Hermione pulled out a hair straightener, Lavender's convictions were confirmed.
"Dressing to impress?" Lavender asked.
"Not particularly, why?" Hermione replied.Even under her foundation, Lavender could see the traces of a blush.
"Not even Harry?"
"Why would I try to impress Harry? He's my friend. He's seen me in worse conditions than this."
"Oh, come off it, Hermione. I've seen you two look at each other and you like him. And he likes you too! I can tell!"
A glimmer of hope flashed in Hermione's eyes. "Really?" she asked, but quickly shook the notion saying, "But we're just friends!"
"Uh-huh. Sure. But if both of them like you, you'll have trouble!"
"Both of who?"
"Oh my gosh, can you really be this clueless? Ron likes you too! Ever since last year, everyone could tell! You are going to to have one heck of a time getting yourself out of this one."
Hermione frowned and shook her head. "I think you are imagining things Lavender..."
"Why? Isn't it possible for you to be attractive?"
"Well....no. No one ever has before,"Hermione said, tucking the straightener back in the drawer, abandoning any hope of actually straightening her hair successfully. "Let's head downstairs," she said, wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible, as she pushed a headband into her hair and the two girls headed off.
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After meeting Harry downstairs, the three teens had a leisurely breakfast, before getting their trunks and hailing a taxi to King's Cross. As all three got on the platform, Lavender saw a girl from another House, called a hasty goodbye and ran to join her friend. Harry and Hermione boarded the train and took their trunks to an empty compartment.
"I'm gonna go look to see who the other prefect is for Gryffindor," Harry said. Hermione nodded and pulled out a book. Sgrinning and shaking his head, Harry headed out and soon found Dean Thomas.
"Hey Harry, where's Ron?" Dean asked.
"Romania. But he didn't make prefect anyway. He was disappointed," Harry replied.
"That stinks. I bet Hermione made it though, d'you know?"
"Yeah, she did, I've been at her house for the past few weeks."
"Oh, really now?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, puzzled, "Why?"
"Well, then Lavender was telling the truth. So do you like her?"
"Who, Lavender?" Dean shook their heads. "Hermione?" They nodded. "Er--" Harry could feel a flush rising in his cheeks. In truth he didn't really know.
"You do, don't you? Hey everyone, Harry li--" Harry clapped his hand over Dean's mouth.
"Look I don't know if I do or not. She's my best friend. Maybe it's just a new stage in out relationship..." Harry told him quietly.
"But, why? You all like each other!"
"I never said that and how would you know if she liked me or not?" Harry whispered. Dean burst out laughing.
"Are you serious? Of course she does! Everyone knows that!" Dean said.
"Really?" Harry replied.
"Of course," Dean said, "You should tell her."
"Maybe I will, but I'll have to see for myself. In the meantime, not a word to anyone, not even Ron because he likes her too. I'm going back to my compartment, we're about to leave."
"Okay," the other boys replied in unison.
"Have fun in there! No monkey business!" Dean called and his laughs followed Harry down the hall, while Harry shook his head and grinned.
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When he opened the door to the compartment, he saw Hermione lying, fast asleep on a cushioned seat, her copy of "Romeo and Juliet" dangling out of her hand. Her long hair was fanned across the seat behind her and a look of great contentment, had spread across her face. Harry smiled. Pulling out his wand, he conjured a fluffy blanket and tucked it around her. Picking up her book, he sat down next to her. For the next few hours, he sat there, peacefully stroking Hermione's ever-bushy hair and reading the tragic (and slightly boring) story of Juliet and her Romeo. He felt as though he had never been more content.
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A/N: Well I hope that was longer for you. We should be moving on to more meaty storylines in the next few chapters, although I do enjoy this love thing going on. It will continue to flow throughout the story. :) And I know that Romeo and Juliet is really cliche and I hate it, but it doesn't matter really in the long run, so deal with it, because I didn't have time to change it!