"Harry?" said a soft voice. "Harry, wake up."
"Hmm?" Harry opened his eyes and was suddenly blinded with large amounts of light now pouring into the common room. He sat up and squinted his eyes enough to see that it was Hermione who had woken him up. "Waz the madder?" he said groggily.
"Harry," Hermione began, "we have an Occlumency lesson this afternoon. We need to practice now, because we won't have any other time this week."
Harry was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Do we have to?"
"Yes we have to! I didn't spend all last year learning Legilimency just so you could sleep through our lessons. Besides, it will give us some more time to talk."
Still half asleep Harry said, "Talk about wha-" Just then Ron came out of the boy's dormitory. He didn't look sick any more- just really agitated. He barely looked over at Harry and Hermione before leaving to common room. "Oh…that," finished Harry.
Harry stood up and looked over at the mirror above the fireplace. His hair was even messier then usual, his glasses were askew, and he was still wearing his clothes from the day before. He quickly went up to the boys' dormitory to get changed and cleaned up for his Occlumency lesson. He was grateful that Hermione takes the time out of her schedule to help him perfect his Occlumency skills. He was getting better, but he was still amazed that it only took Hermione one year to master Legilimency. It probably took Snape even a few years before he had it down. Harry finished getting dressed and headed back down to the common room to find Hermione waiting for him.
"Ready?" said Hermione.
"Yeah," replied Harry. They quickly gathered their things and headed to the empty classroom on the sixth floor where they usually practiced. They did, however, take special precaution to make sure Ron didn't see them. Although he knew about the Occlumency lessons, seeing them sneaking around together would probably put different thoughts into his head.
They entered the room quietly and shut the door behind them. Harry put his bag on the ground and removed his wand. Hermione was already busy pouring her thoughts and memories into the Pensieve located on a vacant desk.
"So," said Hermione, "I think we should get our lesson over with before we talk about last night. That way you'll be able to concentrate more." Harry nodded his head. "Ok, ready? Legilm-" Hermione was cut off when the large door behind Harry suddenly burst open. At first Harry couldn't tell who had come barging in. All Harry saw was a blur of red hair. Then he realized the only other person who know they were practicing in that room was…
"Ron!" shouted Hermione. "Ron, what are you doing here?"
Ron had a sort of dazed look on his face. He cheeks were flushed and his hair was slightly damp. Harry figured he must have been walking around outside. He started walking in circles around the room. In a very sarcastic tone, Ron said, "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all! Just check that you're actually practicing. You know, making sure you two are snogging in the corner instead."
"Ron...." Hermione said. She went over to grab his arm, but he quickly pulled it away.
"Don't!" yelled Ron. A look of shock and horror was now on Hermione's face. "Don't touch me! How could you? You knew how much I liked you! I told you! How could you??" The look of shock on Hermione's face now turned to one of panic. She quickly glanced over to Harry, who standing a few feet away, extremely confused. She then turned her attention back to Ron.
"Ron, calm down!" she said. "Come on, we're going outside to talk. I knew I should have been there with you two last night!" Hermione started pulling on Ron's arm, and he reluctantly followed her. "Harry, stay here. We'll be back in a little while." Hermione was slowly urging Ron out the door, and finally was able to shut it behind them.
Harry was left standing alone in a dusty room, utterly confused. Hermione knew that Ron liked her? She had seemed so shocked when he had mentioned it before.
Slowly, Harry went and sat down in the desk the Pensieve was sitting on. He stared at the shimmering silver memories swirling around. Harry then remembered the same situation two years ago when Snape was teaching him Occlumency. Maybe the answer to Ron's strange outburst was in the Pensieve. Harry took out his wand and gave the silver mist a slight poke, and saw a very familiar room. There were two dusty looking beds in a room with a very high ceiling. Harry recognized it as the room he and Ron had shared when they stayed in Grimmauld Place. He then saw two figures sitting on a bed talking. He squinted his eyes and saw that the figures were Hermione and Ron. His stomach gave a slight jerk. Harry knew this was the answer he was looking for. He quickly looked over his shoulders, took a deep breath, and then plunged into the large Pensieve.
Harry felt an unpleasant coldness rush through his body as his head began to spin. Suddenly, he was standing on solid ground, facing Hermione and Ron. They weren't talking much. In fact, they seemed to be caught up in one of the awkward moments that often plagued Harry and Hermione's conversations.
"So…" said Ron as he started to rub the back of his neck. "Hermione, um…there's been something I've been wanting to mention for awhile now." Ron moved a little closer to Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be leaning backwards a little bit.
Harry was starting to get anxious. He could only imagine what Ron was about to do, and he wanted to get it over with.
"So listen, 'Mione. We've been friends for awhile now, right?" Hermione gave a meek smile and nod. "Well, I know you and I always bicker and fight about stuff, but I don't even mean anything by it. Truth is, a lot of the time I start arguments with you just to…well, talk to you." Hermione's eyes widened. "It's just --… I've had these feelings for awhile, but I've never done anything about them. I've always been to shy and quiet. But now I'm going to change all that. I'm going be brave and assertive."
"Ron, I-" But before Hermione could finish her sentence, Ron was lunging toward her. Hermione turned her head, just narrowly avoiding his lips.
"What are you doing??" said Hermione as she stood up.
"Well…trying to kiss you." Ron looked up at Hermione with almost pleading eyes.
"Why??"
"Because…I fancy you. And I'm trying to be romantic and spontaneous for you."
"But I don't want you to!"
"Well we don't have to go so fast. We could take it a little slower."
"Ron," said Hermione a little out of breath, "I think you're a wonderful person, and a fabulous friend…but I don't like you like that."
Shock swept both Harry and Ron's faces. "B-but…" started Ron.
"Ron, I value our friendship more than anything. I think if we started to date, it would ruin what we have."
"But all those times when you hugged me, or held my hand, or even kissed me!"
"Ron I don't think I would necessarily say 'all those times'. It happened a few times, yeah, but it was only out my love for you as a friend."
Ron looked very depressed. He stared at Hermione for a little bit and then looked down at his feet.
"Besides," continued Hermione, "what would we do about Harry? I mean, I'm sure he's already upset with us for not saying much in our letters…" You got that right, thought Harry. "…so how do you think he's going to feel if he found out his two best friend started going out? That would send him off the edge!"
Ron was still staring at his feet when he managed to say, "Fine."
"Ron, don't sulk! It would never work between us. We're too different. Besides, our friendship is stronger then other romantic relationship could ever be."
Ron looked up; his ears were now bright red. "Alright. But can you do me a favor and not tell Harry about this?"
"Oh of course not! No, I think we should just pretend that it never happened. That way the three of us can go back to being best friends!"
Ron gave a slight smile. Hermione went over to him and gave him a little hug, causing his whole face to turn red. "I wonder when Harry's getting here, anyway," said Hermione. She got up to look out the smudged window. About a minute later, the large door swung open, showing Harry's past self standing in the door way. Hermione gave a little shriek (probably out of surprise) and ran over to hug him.
"HARRY! Ron, he's here, Harry's here!" Ron had composed himself, and walked over to Harry with a smile on his face. "We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you alright? Have you been furious with us?"
Harry didn't need to see any more. If Hermione had known Ron had liked her this whole time, why did she pretend like she didn't? Why did she feel the need to lie to him? All of the thoughts were buzzing through Harry's mind as his body started rising up through a cold darkens. Within moments, Harry's feel were placed firmly back on the ground in the classroom.
Harry took off his glasses and started to rub the bridge of his nose. When he looked up he saw a blurry brown figure. He replaced his glasses to see that brown figure was Hermione's bushy hair. She was standing in the corner, her hands up to her mouth. She was whimpering a little bit.
Harry didn't know what to say. A million mixed emotions ran through his head. Was the love he had for Hermione enough to change what he had just seen? Before Harry could finish his thought, Hermione ran over to Harry sobbing. She grabbed him in a tight embrace, and Harry genially pulled his arms around her.
They stood there for a moment just holding each other. Then, without thinking, Harry said quietly, "Why did you lie to me?"