That keychain

[A/N: An episode of Ed and a short romance novel by Betty Jo Schuler called Heartthrob were the inspiration for this fic, but my plot [Er, non-plot ::blush:: ] is completely different to both of them.

Since everyone who reads my ficlets probably think of me as this sad, sad, morbid person (because it might seem I take pleasure in killing main characters *whistles* ), here's proof I can do angst without death :D ]

That keychain

September 19, 1992

`Here, Hermione. Happy birthday,' said a twelve year old boy, grinning widely. He gave her a small box. They were alone in the Gryffindor common room because their friend had gone ahead to have his breakfast.

`Ooooh, what is it? You shouldn't have!' said Hermione Granger. She took the box and opened it. It contained a miniature hardback book of Hogwarts: A History attached to a keychain.

Hermione giggled.

`Awww, this is sooo cute! Thank you, I love it. I really do, it's adorable!' She gave her friend a hug. He smiled awkwardly.

…

5 years, and some months later…

`Gah! Where is it?' Hermione shrieked, looking violently around her four poster bed. `Where is it?'

`Where's what?' said a confused Lavender. Hermione ignored her. `Hermione, if you could just stop harassing your bedcovers, tell us what you're looking for, and maybe we can help.'

`N-no, it's okay. I'll find it. It's in here somewhere, I'm sure,' she said hastily. `Ugh, I just wish I knew where-'

`What is it, anyway?' Parvati asked, checking under their beds, not really knowing what it was she was checking for.

Hermione bit her lip. `Um… nevermind, it's not really important.'

Lavender scoffed.

`Well, if you're alright looking for it by yourself…' she said, heading for the door.

`Yeah, Hermione. I'm kinda hungry, so I'll see you at the Great Hall.'

Hermione nodded, checking the drawers of her bedside cabinet.

How could I lose it, she thought. I've never lost it, not once! And of all the things… ugh.

She started to feel incredibly frustrated moments later, and deciding to continue searching after dinner, Hermione finally joined Harry and Ron at the Great Hall. Upon seeing her, Ron jumped.

`Wow, is it just me, or is steam coming from your ears?' he said.

Hermione ignored him.

`What's the matter, Hermione?' said Harry.

`Nothing,' she said, sighing. `I just… I've lost something, and it's driving me insane!'

`What did you lose?' Ron asked, before drinking from his goblet.

`Oh, it's no use, Ron,' said Lavender. `She won't tell. Believe me, we tried.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry raised his eyebrow.

`What is it?' he said.

She stared at him for a moment, then, sighed.

`Oh, it's nothing. Just something… personal.'

`Must be reeeeeeeaaally personal, if you end up looking like you've been mugged,' said Ron. She glared at him, but she knew he was right. She had forgotten to comb her wavy hair, making it even wavier, and she didn't bother to fix her clothes after wrestling with the bed sheets, and going through everything she owned.

`When was the last time you saw it, then?' Harry asked. Lavender looked very bored, and so turned away from the three of them to talk animatedly to Parvati Patil.

`Erm… After lunch, I think. Before I went to Transfiguration, I had it with me, and then …' she trailed off.

Ron mumbled something, but his mouth was so full, Hermione found it very hard to understand him.

`Yeah, you're right. We should look in the Transfiguration classroom,' said Harry. How he had understood Ron, Hermione will never know. Must be a male thing, she thought to herself.

`Hmmm, okay, but, I was certain it was somewhere in my dormitory. I mean, I never just misplace things like that, especially in classrooms!'

`Is it really that important to you?' said Harry.

`Yes!' said Hermione.

`Was it - was it a gift from somebody, or something you bought?' inquired the bespectacled boy with green eyes. Lovely green eyes, Hermione never failed to notice.

`… A gift. It's irreplaceable!'

`How big is it, exactly?' said Ron.

`Er, small,' said Hermione.

`…. And?'

`What do you mean, “And?”?' she asked him.

`Well, you're getting all worked up about this “thing”, and somehow made Harry and me offer to help you find it, and all we know about it is that it's a gift that is small,' Ron told her. `So I think we could use a lot more to go on. Can you even describe it for us?'

Hermione could have roared.

`I never made you offer to help me!' she said angrily. `Look, I don't even need your help. I'm going to find it myself!'

And she stormed out of the Great Hall.

`One of us better follow her,' said Harry immediately. `She doesn't normally do that. She just stops talking to us, usually.'

`Well, I'm not doing it. She made us offer, didn't she? Didn't she?' said Ron. Harry somehow felt he shouldn't agree or disagree to that comment, so instead he said, `I'll do it, then.'

As he got up, Luna sat next to Ron.

`I don't think that was very nice of you, Ronald. I overheard you offer your help,' she said dreamily. He looked at her incredulously. She smiled innocently.

Harry was laughing in his head as he left the Great Hall.

***

Harry knew Hermione would be in the Transfiguration classroom. If she wasn't there, he would go to the library. Fortunately, he didn't have to go to the latter. He found her looking under the desks.

`I'm guessing you haven't found it, still,' he said, calm-like.

`What are you doing here?' said Hermione.

`Helping you find whatever it is you're looking for,' he replied.

Hermione sat on the floor.

`I'll never find it,' she whimpered.

`Awww,' said Harry sympathetically, sitting down next to her. `I'm sure it's here somewhere…'

`But… but you don't understand! It's very important to me, and there's nothing like it in the world! And… someone important gave it to me.'

`Well, then,' he said gently. `maybe you should tell me what it is, and I can actually start helping you find it.'

After a moment's pause, Hermione spoke.

`You might think this is silly but, I'm, as Ron would put it, “all worked up about” a keychain. My keychain.'

`A keychain, huh?' said Harry. `I haven't seen you with one at all, what does it look like?'

`Well, it's this tiny version of Hogwarts: A History, and it's the most adorable thing I possess.'

At these words, Harry clasped one of his robes pockets.

`Oh!' he said. `You're not talking about this, are you?' He held out a small book, that was attached to a keychain, with the fading words “Hogwarts: A History”.

`Yes!' she exclaimed happily. `That's the one! Oh, Harry, how did you find it?'

`I, er, saw it on the floor at the common room. I didn't know it was yours. I was supposed to let you have it, since you love the real thing so much,' he said, scratching his head absent-mindedly.

Hermione was almost tearful, and immediately launched herself unto Harry, and pulled him into a hug.

`Aw, come on, Hermione,' Harry laughed awkwardly. `It's not like I'm a hero, or anything. I mean, it's just a keychain.'

`But it's my keychain. My lovely, lovely, keychain,' she said blissfully, letting go of him.

There was silence for about a second, but not at all awkward. Hermione was smiling at Harry gratefully, and he was smiling back.

`If, er, if you don't mind my asking, Hermione,' he said finally, breaking the silence. `What makes that keychain so special?'

`Well… it's sort of a secret,' she said, blushing.

Harry laughed.

`Come on,' he said. `I found it, you have to tell me.'

Hermione thought about it for a nanosecond.

`Okay, but -'

`But nothing, Hermione,' said Harry.

`Oh, alright. See, this keychain was-'

The door opened and interrupted Hermione before she could even really begin explaining about her beloved keychain. It was Ginny.

`Harry, there you are. Ron said you might be here. Hi, Hermione…' She saw that Harry and Hermione were sat down, and quite close to each other. `Er, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?' she added, a teeny, tiny bit coolly.

Harry stood up.

`No, not at all,' he said. `I've just helped Hermione find her keychain.'

`Right. I was wondering if you guys wanted to play exploding snap with Ron, Luna, Neville and me. We're playing in the Great Hall. And Ron said you didn't make him offer his help,' he added to Hermione, rolling her eyes at the thought.

`Sounds great,' said Hermione. `But you two go ahead. I have to put the desks back to their places.'

Harry shrugged, and left with Ginny, taking her hand in his. Hermione saw him give her a kiss, because naturally, that's what boyfriends do to their girlfriends: give them kisses.

When the door closed, she sighed inwardly.

She looked at her keychain. She smiled uneasily as she remembered the day Harry had given it to her. He's forgotten he did, obviously, she thought to herself. It was her birthday.

Truthfully, the reason her keychain was so special to her was because Harry had given it. It was something she could carry around anywhere and everywhere, that reminded her of him. She took great care of it, too. In fact, she was so careful with it that no one's even seen her carry it.

Harry wasn't even friends with her for two years, and he gave her something she truly cherished, aside from his great friendship. She doubted he realized just how important the keychain was to her. No one would understand.

She stood up with mixed emotions; happy that she finally got her keychain back, and sad she had to be reminded that Harry's heart was not hers to keep.

About two months or so ago, when Harry once again had stopped being single, Hermione had figured that since Ginny had him in her arms, she, Hermione, would have a part of him in her pocket. A precious memory.

She slowly put the desks back to their original places, and then left the classroom.

Finally reaching the Great Hall again, the first thing she saw was Ginny's arm around Harry's neck. Sighing for the billionth time that day, she joined the small group that was playing Exploding Snap loudly. Every now and then, when Ginny or Harry did anything “couple-ish”, Hermione would clutch her tiny keychain for support.

If not for that keychain, Hermione wouldn't know how she would handle her secret feelings, and Harry's relationships. This was the reason she was, as Ron so originally put it, “all worked up about”.

***

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any of the characters mentioned hereafter. They belong to the incredible JK Rowling. I am not making a single cent out of this. I wish I did, and was.

[A/N: I thought I had included an explanation of why Harry didn't recognize the keychain at once (yes, he will recognize it :D ) You might not realize it, but 5 years is a very long time, and you wouldn't naturally keep track of everything you give, or remember it for that matter. Unless you were reminded. However, you do remember the things that were given to you, and most of the time, the person who gave it.

Anyway, here ya go. Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter. Enjoy :)]

Harry and Ginny were at last, the only ones sitting in the common room. Ginny noticed this.

`So, Harry,' she said, grinning mischievously. `What do you think we should do now?'

Harry grinned back sheepishly.

`I don't know, but I have I feeling I'm about to find out,' he teased, as she came closer to him, leaning in for a kiss.

But before their lips could touch, Harry turned his head to the left, and exclaimed, `I gave it to her!'

Put out, Ginny hung her head.

`How could I forget it? It was her first birthday gift from me!' Harry continued, shaking his head, and standing up.

`Whose?' Ginny asked uninterestedly.

`Hermione's!' he replied, chuckling now.

But Ginny wasn't laughing.

`You were thinking about Hermione before we kissed?'

Harry stopped laughing, too.

`Yeah. I mean, no! Not like that,' he added, seeing the look on her face. `I just happened to remember it at that moment.'

She didn't look amused, or convinced.

`What? Are you jealous?'

`Well, I don't know, Harry, this wasn't the first time you were thinking of her - '

`So I'm not allowed to think of Hermione now?' said Harry, irritated.

`Not when we're about to kiss!' shouted Ginny.

`We weren't kissing last week, when you got all jealous again!' yelled Harry back.

`But you just had to see Hermione, right?'

`I told you I promised!' said Harry loudly. `I can't believe you're bringing all this up again, Ginny.'

`I wouldn't, if I only understood the “friendship” between the two of you!' said Ginny, standing up as well.

`And just what do you mean by that?'

`Oh, and I suppose it's normal for a girl to be overly worried about a boy, constantly be there for him, and not at all be attracted to him?' scoffed Ginny.

`Yes, Ginny. It's called “being friends” with somebody,' said Harry coolly.

`So why isn't she like that with Ron?'

This question silenced him. He wanted to argue back, but what was there to argue? What she said was true. Hermione isn't like that with Ron. She doesn't over-fuss, and he can certainly count on her for her loyalty to him, on anything, in spite of her better judgment sometimes.

`Look, Ginny,' he said finally. `Hermione and I are friends. That's all there is to it.'

`Then how come you don't look like you believe that?' said Ginny coldly, turning on her heel and heading to the direction of the girl's dormitory.

Harry collapsed into one of his favorite armchairs near the fire. `Women,' he muttered.

***

Saturday morning dawned on the Hogwarts grounds pleasantly. Birds were singing cheerfully, the sun was shining brightly, and there was a promise of a wonderful day. But Harry thought otherwise.

His fight with Ginny last night had left him thinking. As he got up from his bed, he tried to recall his thoughts.

He hardly ever has fights with Ginny, only when it comes to Hermione, which is strange because the two of them seem to get along perfectly. Ginny's never angry with Hermione, either. It's always his fault, somehow. It's not like he could ask Hermione to be less of herself around him. She's not doing anything wrong at all. She's been like this since they were 11. What was it that Cho and Ginny saw about Hermione that he didn't? And how could he forget he had given her that keychain?

Harry went down for breakfast with Ron, talking about Quidditch strategies, and not what had happened last night. Hermione was already at the Gryffindor table, reading the Daily Prophet when they joined her.

`Good morning!' she said brightly. `Lovely day, isn't it? I think we should do our homework outside today.'

`That reminds me,' groaned Ron. `I haven't done Flitwick's 12 inch essay yet!'

`How am I not surprised?' said Hermione dully.

Harry remembered what Ginny had said, and on impulse, decided to see if it was true.

`I haven't done mine, either,' he lied in what he hoped was a casual tone. In truth, he had done half of it, after Transfiguration yesterday.

`But you had time yesterday, Harry!' cried Hermione quickly. `You were free after Transfiguration. And before dinner. How could you not do it?'

A dull sentence for Ron, and a scolding for Harry. Ginny was right: Hermione does treat them differently.

At that precise moment, Ginny sat down next to him, and held his hand.

`Can I talk to you in private?' she asked quietly.

`O-okay,' agreed Harry.

As he left the Great Hall with Ginny, he caught Hermione's questioning eyes. He shook his head slightly to let her know nothing was wrong. Ron didn't seem to notice a thing.

`I wanted to apologize for yesterday,' stated Ginny, once they were out of the Great Hall.

`Yeah, me too,' he admitted.

They went through the oak doors, and sat on the steps outside.

`Look, Harry, I really like you, but I'm not so sure you feel the same way about me,' she declared, making him turn his head to look at her.

`But you're with me, aren't you? That pretty much says a lot, Ginny,' he argued.

She suppressed a scoff. This was like talking to a year old for the obvious.

`Okay, I'll ask you another question that will make you doubt your feelings towards me, like yesterday.' Harry opened his mouth to arguer further, but she put up her hand to stop him from doing so.

`Now,' she continued. `who's more important to you, Harry, me or Hermione?'

Harry refrained from answering for a while. On the one hand, saying Ginny sounds wrong, even in his head. On the other, Hermione has been there for him from the very beginning, and it made no sense living his life without her. The obvious answer was…

`Hermione, I knew it.' Ginny smiled almost gloatingly, before standing up.

`Wait,' he protested. `I didn't even say anything-'

`If it was me, Harry, you would have said so the moment I finished my question,' she informed him.

`So you're breaking up with me?'

Ginny bent down to kiss Harry on the lips. Pulling away, she said, `I believe, Harry, that due to the lack of feelings from your kisses, this shouldn't surprise you.'

`But Hermione and I are best friends!' he insisted.

She patted his head.

`Yes, Harry. Keep telling yourself that.'

Ginny left Harry on the steps, wondering exactly why she was so certain he had feelings for Hermione. If he did possess more-than-friendly feelings for her, why is it they've never gone out on a date-date?

Standing up and heading for the oak doors, Harry thought aloud, `Why indeed?'

***

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any of the characters mentioned hereafter. They belong to the incredible JK Rowling. I am not making a single cent out of this. I wish I did, and was.

[A/N: Okay, I know I said it would be angsty… and the first chapter was, hopefully. Anyway, I've decided to change the direction from angst to, well, you'll find out *wink*

Just so you know, I considered making this a different fic, but as I got to writing half of it, I couldn't help but make this the third chapter of the story.

Hope you like :D ]

***

It had weeks, even months, after Harry and Ginny had broken up. He was glad Ginny had gotten over it quickly, and remained to be friends with him. Though, he wondered why she got over the two of them so fast. Then he found out she was interested in somebody else.

Harry still hadn't asked Hermione about her keychain. Not that he didn't have the chance to. He just couldn't, for some reason, bring himself to ask her about it. How embarrassing would it be to admit to your friend you had forgotten to give her the gift she loved so much, he had asked himself several times.

`He must be thinking about someone very special if he turns that ugly thinking about her,' he heard Ron say.

`Huh? What?' said Harry.

There were several bursts of laughter.

`What?' he said again.

`It's your turn,' Ron informed him.

`Oh. Right.'

The Gryffindor boys, Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville, wondered what girls and women got out of talking about boys and men. So, Dean had suggested they try talking about girls and women. He was called several embarrassing names after his suggestion, but when he gave them reasons why it would be “fun”, such as `Well, the girls talk about us all the time, it's high time we return the favor.' and `It'll help us find out who we want to ask to the Graduation dance, I'll bet-', the other Gryffindor boys gave in eventually.

It was Harry's turn to reveal what he looked for in a girl. Either that, or reveal what he liked most about girls.

`One, or two, mate. Choose wisely,' advised Neville, patting him on the back.

`Er, one,' said Harry.

Ron and the rest of the occupants of the boys' dormitory leaned forwards in mock interest.

`Well,' he began. This had to be the dumbest thing he'd done so far, sharing these kinds of things with his guy friends. He somehow felt like a girl. `I guess I'd look for someone who's listens to me, and won't mind the stupid title I grew up with. I'd want her to be compassionate and independent, who just happens to be someone I can be myself with. Yeah, I think that's what I'd look for in a girl.'

Ron pretended to blow his nose.

`That was beautiful,' he said, dabbing non-existent tears on his eyes. `You should put that in your diary, Harry.'

`Ha,' said Seamus. `You can talk, Mr I-want-her-hair-and-neck-to-smell-like-orchids.'

`Like you can talk yourself, Seamus “I-like-it-when-she-smiles-with-her-eyes” Finnigan,' said Dean almost seriously.

Neville was laughing. Ron quickly turned to face him.

`What are you laughing at, Love-me-with-all-her-heart-and-soul?'

Neville stopped laughing, that is, until everyone started laughing, too.

`Let's never speak of this again,' said Seamus.

`Deal.'

`Like I would!'

`Of course!'

`Never speak of what?' asked Harry, shrugging. He checked his watch. `I've gotta go. Head Boy rounds.'

He stood up, and ran to meet Hermione, the Head Girl, in the common room.

***

'You're 12 seconds late, Head Boy,' said Hermione, pointing at her watch. `Don't make me report you.'

`You're not going to report me,' Harry told her, grinning.

She narrowed her eyes.

`I could report you.'

`Oh, I know you could,' he said, nodding. `I'm just saying you wouldn't.'

`Yeah, well, you're not helping,' she mumbled.

`What?'

`Nothing, nothing. Let's get started, then.'

Hermione turned around, and walked to the portrait hole. Harry grinned. In fact, he understood what she had said, and this is why he was grinning.

Several minutes into their usually quiet rounds, the thought of the keychain popped into his head again. This is so stupid, he thought, I should just tell her and apologize.

`Er, Hermione?' he uttered.

`Hmmm?'

`I'm, er, sorry about forgetting I gave you the keychain,' he replied hurriedly.

He looked at her, and saw that her cheeks were slightly flushed.

`Oh. That's- that's alright. It had been 5 years, and I've never shown it to anyone. Completely understandable,' she said, in the same speed as Harry.

It was quiet for a moment, and it was rather unusual of Hermione to be so quiet.

`Can I ask you something,' said Harry finally..

`You already ha-'

`I mean, aside from the question I've just asked you, obviously.'

She looked at him from over her bright green scarf.

`Shoot.'

`What's so secret about your keychain?'

Hermione looked taken aback.

`Sorry?'

Harry smiled. Truthfully, he had been wondering about it for a while, and he told himself that he'd ask her about it after he had apologized for forgetting.

`You said it was a secret, when I asked you what made it so special weeks ago,' he reminded her.

`Oh. Oh yeah, I remember,' she laughed.

`Knew you would,' he smirked.

Hermione's cheeks were turning rosy again.

`Well?' said Harry, egging her on. He checked one of the classrooms for students out and about at 11-something.

`Er, the reason it's so important is, it was the first present you ever gave me, and it was the most adorable one,' she lied. She thought he'd buy it, too.

`Liar,' grinned Harry.

`What? How dare you call me-' she began, but he interrupted her.

`The first present I gave you was your Christmas present.'

Harry was finding Hermione lying very funny for some reason.

`Oh, of course! The box of pumpkin pasties you ordered from Diagon Alley,' she pretended to recall, trying to giggle innocently.

`So what's the real reason?' he asked, checking another classroom.

She took her time to answer him this time.

`I can honestly say, Harry,' she grinned widely, `that the one of the reasons my keychain is so special to me is because you gave it.' She said all this without blinking, too.

`Right. And what are the other reasons?'

`Oh, I don't think they concern you,' she lied again, successfully this time.

The sentence was followed by another moment of silence in which Harry remembered what he told the other Gryffindor boys earlier that night:

`I guess I'd look for someone who's listens to me, and won't mind the stupid title I grew up with. I'd want her to be compassionate and independent, who just happens to be someone I can be myself with. Yeah, I think that's what I'd look for in a girl.'

He smiled. The person he was talking about wasn't any random girl. It was Hermione.

And it had been Hermione since forever. I've just been to blind to see it, he had reminded himself constantly.

But it was there. He knew it, he could feel it. He loved Hermione.

`Hermione?' he said, not entirely sure of what he was doing.

`Hmmm?' She was busy checking the classroom to her right for any rule-breakers, her back was facing Harry.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, and a step closer to her.

`Hermione, I love you.'

`What?' she asked, turning around. `I thought you just said you-'

Hermione never got to finish her sentence, because Harry did something he had never done before, and kissed Hermione… gently on her lips.

He pulled away biting his lips, scratching his head guiltily, looking anywhere but at her.

`S-sorry, I just… I've been wanting to do that for - for a while, and,' he began explaining.

He had taken Hermione by surprise, and she stared, touching her lips. She looked like she couldn't put two and two together.

`… and I can't stop thinking about you, or how you smell so great in the morning, and the whole day, in fact, and…' Harry wasn't finished explaining his “criminal actions” yet, so didn't notice the grin that was slowly forming at the tips of lips he had just kissed.

`… So, I'm really sorry I kissed you, and I hope you're not angry with-'

Harry never got to finish his sentence, because Hermione had done something she had wanted to do for years, and pressed her lips unto his, wrapping her arms around his neck. He gladly wrapped his hand around her waist, as they both forgot they had another 15 minutes of rounds to do.

The hallway that Harry and Hermione had been expecting soon became empty, as a random empty classroom filled with two “unidentified” persons.

Meanwhile, back at the 7^th year girls' dormitory, one four poster bed was left vacant. In the middle of the bed was a keychain, attached to a tiny book with the fading words, Hogwarts: A History.

Someone had purposely left it there.

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