As the summer passed by, Harry kind of just passed by with it. Most of the time he sat outside under one of the big trees in the Weasley's yard. He couldn't stand being inside anymore; all there was to do was watch Ron follow Hermione around like a lost puppy dog. It made Harry want to scream at Ron to quit acting so pathetic. Instead, he took comfort in the fact that Hermione didn't seem to like all the extra attention Ron was giving her. At times, Harry would look up and notice Hermione watching him. When he caught her, she'd smile at him and go back to what she was doing. 'Maybe she doesn't have feelings for Ron' he thought. Then he'd remember the prophecy and the reason he was trying to distance himself from her in the first place.
"Harry?" Hermione said interrupting his thoughts "How come you're sitting outside by yourself? Is everything ok?"
'She's cute when she's worried' he thought, then checked that line of thinking immediately. "I'm alright. Just enjoying the peace and quiet of the outdoors. What about you, are you enjoying your summer?"
"It's been alright so far" she replied "but have you noticed that Ron's acting rather strangely lately?"
"A little" he admitted "have you asked him about it?"
"Yes, but when I do his face turns red and he all but runs away from me. I thought maybe he had said something to you."
Harry looked at Hermione and wondered whether he should tell her what Ron had told him. It really wasn't his place, but maybe it would help his friends finally get together.
"I'm not sure" Harry started "but I think he may fancy you a bit."
When he turned to look at Hermione, she was looking back at him with a surprised look on her face. "He WHAT?!"
"Shhh" Harry said quickly "I don't want him to hear you. He may have mentioned something about it; I don't really know Ron's true feelings. Besides, is it so bad if he does fancy you?"
"Well, yes" she replied "I don't have any feelings for Ron. I love him like a brother, nothing more. I could never consider him a boyfriend. Besides, I kind of like someone else."
At this, Harry's heart skipped a beat. 'There is someone else?' he thought. "Do you still have feelings for Krum?" he asked.
"No, no Victor and I are just friends. We still write occasionally, but that's all. You really don't know who it is Harry?" she asked while moving closer to him.
"Um, should I?" he asked, not really knowing what to do at this point in the conversation.
"Well Harry" she said as she moved her face closer to his "it's you." At this, Hermione leaned in the rest of the way and gently placed her lips on his. Harry's eyes grew wide, he was so shocked at her revelation that he just sat there.
She pulled back and looked at him with hurt in her eyes. She was afraid of this, that she would confess her feelings and he wouldn't return them. "That's ok Harry; I just wanted to let you know how I feel. I've hidden my feelings for two years now, ever since the Tri-Wizard tournament. After I got hurt in the Ministry, I realized I could have died and never have told you. I decided not to keep my feelings secret anymore. I just want to be with you Harry."
Harry, who had been staring at the grass, looked at her face. His heart broke as he saw tears in her eyes. 'I put those there' he thought 'I find out that she feels the same way I do and instead of telling her I lose it and make her cry!' His brain and heart were warring with each other. His heart wanted to confess how he felt right now, but his brain kept reminding him of the prophecy. A prophecy Hermione didn't even know about yet. 'Should I tell her?' he wondered. It might change her mind, but she deserved to know.
He took both of her hands into his and started rubbing his thumbs across the tops of them. "Hermione, I have something I need to tell you." He looked up and saw her staring back at him "Remember the prophecy that Voldemort was trying to get in the Department of Mysteries?" She shook her head yes, urging him on. "Well even though it broke, I know what it said."
Hermione sat there for a second stunned. "Harry, how could you know what it said if it was broken and that was the only record?"
"It wasn't really the ONLY record." replied Harry "Dumbledore heard the prophecy when it was given. He put it in his pensieve and showed it to me when he called me into his office at the end of term."
Harry then went on to tell her the prophecy word for word, and when he finished he laid his head back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. He was afraid to look at Hermione's face; he didn't want to see her reaction. Then he felt her finger under his chin as she turned his face towards her. Before he could open his eyes, he felt her lips on his once again. It was a tender kiss, a brushing of lips and it felt wonderful to him. They pulled apart and he finally looked her in the eyes. She sat there looking at him with a mixture of emotions on her face. Harry couldn't help it, he reached over and wrapped his arms around her hugging her to him. It felt so good to feel her in his arms.
"Hermione..." he started. "Harry" she said interrupting "please don't say anymore. Yes, it's a little frightening to even think about what the prophecy could mean. But I can't imagine sitting by and letting you deal with this alone. I have always helped you with everything you've gone through, and I will help you through this too."
Harry couldn't stop himself; he leaned over and placed his lips on hers. He put all of his feelings into that one kiss, and it quickly turned passionate. He had secretly harbored feelings for her for longer than he could remember. This girl, this woman, had helped him through heaven and hell. After what she had just said, he couldn't keep it in anymore. He...
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" shouted Ron all of a sudden.
Harry and Hermione separated quickly. "Ron, uh, listen..." Harry said trying to come up with something to pacify his friend.
"No Harry, I won't listen. How could you do this to me after what I told you?" Ron asked with a look of hurt and betrayal in his eyes, hidden by a blazing fire.
"Oh? What did you tell him Ron?" asked Hermione, trying to keep her own anger in check. "It wouldn't have to do with why you've been following me around all summer would it?"
Ron stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. Then there was no emotion there at all. "Yeah Hermione, it has something to do with that. I've been trying all summer to find a way to tell you I fancy you, but every time I tried I just couldn't do it. I told Harry how I felt when you guys got here, but obviously he didn't care that I liked you as long as he got what he wanted, as usual!!"
"You know what Ron" said Harry, getting up off the ground and standing toe to toe with him "I've had it with your jealousy. I didn't plan this. We were out here talking and it just happened. I didn't do it intentionally to hurt you. I've been avoiding her as much as possible. I didn't want something like this to happen!"
All of a sudden, Hermione shoved her way past them, slamming the door as she ran into the Burrow. 'Oh Merlin, what did I just do?" thought Harry as Ron ran after her. 'I just lost both my best friends.'