Sorry people, but I had to change the ending of the last chapter! It fits a lot better with the story! So, you might want to read the ending of chapter 4!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to Harry Potter. Everything belongs to the magnificent genius J. K. Rowling
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Chapter Five:
Harry knew by Ron's snores that it was well past the wee hours of the morning. Lying on his back with his arms casually folded behind his head, his thoughts strayed back a few hours. Harry sighed and unconsciously touched his cheek where Hermione had kissed him previously that night…
- Flashback -
Harry had managed to eat his dinner, concentration solely on his chicken to hear anyone talk, or more radically, think. But this resulted in him finishing quickly and having to wait on Ron to finish eating and talking; lucky for Harry, Ron would do both at once.
Hermione ended her conversation with Ginny and turned to Harry.
"Harry, are you alright? You seem a bit distant tonight?" Hermione enquired. "Well he did get a T in Potions today…"
Harry fought the urge to reply to her observation about his potions mark.
"Uh, yea, I'm fine. I, er, just don't fell very well."
"Oh? The flu is going around, you should go to Madam Pomfrey after dinner for a Pepper-up Potion."
"And walk around Hogwarts with steaming ears for a week - I think not…" Harry thought. Aloud he said, "Thanks, I'll think about it if I feel worse."
Hermione smiled knowingly. "Okay, that's code for `thanks, but no thanks'. Honestly boys are like books!"
Harry stared at her. "How is it that girls seem to understand us but when it comes to girls, practically every guy is useless? And does she relate EVERYTHING to BOOKS?" he thought. "The world may never know… Unless…!"
"Hermione, I'll go get some now. I'm finished eating." Harry told her; half because he wanted to leave the Great Hall and half because he wanted Hermione to think that he had proven her wrong, which of course she hadn't.
While talking with Seamus, Ron saw Harry get up. He quickly shoved another bite of mashed potatoes into his mouth and hurried after him.
"Hey Harry!" Ron yelled as he caught up with him and walking back to the common room. "Hey, you never answered my question."
"What question?"
"What have you heard already? Are the girls just a dirty minded as the guys in the quidditch locker rooms?"
Harry thought about Ginny and almost laughed aloud. "Well, some of them are."
Ron looked interested. "Really? Who?
Harry hesitated, "You really don't want to know!"
"Oh come one mate! You're supposed to use this gift of yours for the good of man! Or at least this man!"
Harry actually laughed this time. "Since when have you been such a man?"
"Since I shagged Padma in the broom closet outside the Great Hall last week," Ron said smugly.
Harry paused, "After you broke up?"
Ron nodded, not looking at Harry and talking with wild hand motions. "She said she really missed me, but I bet she says that to all the guys."
Harry had to bite his tongue to keep from saying too much.
Ron continued, "Anyways, we're off subject."
Harry thought fast, "Pansy."
"Ron frowned, "Wha-?"
"Pansy has a pretty naughty mind - "
Ron looked slightly disappointed, "Oh, that's old news!"
They had reached the fat lady and stepped inside the Gryffindor common room. They simultaneously sat in their usual armchairs by the fireplace and pulled out their homework.
"Heard anything else?" Ron asked, looking for his Potions book.
"Oh, half of Hogwarts wants to sleep with me," Harry answered, copying the ingredients for tomorrow's potion.
Ron made a noise that Harry couldn't decipher without looking up from his parchment. Harry saw Ron looking back at him like he didn't really need to know that, but Harry couldn't really tell from Ron's expression.
"Oh. Well that's enlightening," Ron commented.
"Yup," Harry agreed, returning to his potions book.
They worked in silence until nearly everyone had gone to their separate dormitories. The portrait swung open and Hermione sat down in the third armchair, also getting out her homework.
"Oh," she said, looking up from her pile of books. "You started Potions without me." "That's a first…"
Without looking up, Ron said, "Well we only had to copy from the book. Notice we haven't done McGonagall's 30 inch essay yet."
After copying the three potion's ingredients and instructions, Ron stood up, stretched, pronounced that all his homework was making him `weary', and went upstairs. By this time, Harry and Hermione were the only ones left in the common room.
Harry laughed to himself and shook his head, reading his transfiguration book.
"Merlin he can be such a prat sometimes!"
Harry laughed again, out loud. "Yea," he agreed with Hermione.
"Yea what?" Harry heard her ask.
Harry's head snapped up and he panicked. "Oh Christ, quick lie, Harry, quick lie!'
"Uh, yea - so," he glanced down at the open book in his lap. " - so have you started the Trans essay?"
"Oh, no I was going to do that next…"
"Oh." "Smooth, Harry. Real smooth."
They stared awkwardly for a moment before Hermione gave a small smile and pulled an unfinished wooly house elf hat with knitting needles and blue yarn. Harry watched her charm the needles to knit the hat.
"You've gotten a lot better at that. They're really nice hats." "You aren't actually still making those to `free' house elves?"
Harry could see a hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Thanks! You want to help? I promised I'd make Dobby two by this weekend."
Harry shrugged. "Sure, it doesn't look that hard."
Hermione gave him a broad smile and pulled out another set of needles and more yarn - red this time. "Sorry, but you have to actually know how to knit before you can charm them."
Hermione tried to show Harry how to hold his needles facing him to no success. She walked around him and stood behind him, leaning over his shoulder. Harry was suddenly very aware of her presence as she touched his shoulder slightly with every breath she took.
"And slip knot around the needle, knit one stitch and purl the next one…"
Harry watched his hands and listened to Hermione's thought-up instructions as Hermione placed his hands and got him started on his first stitch.
By the third attempt, Harry turned to tell Hermione he wasn't so sure he could do this, not knowing how close she really was. His face turned and was millimeters from hers when his brain nearly shut down. Harry's eyes widened slightly and he turned back to face their paused hands, Hermione's slender hands against his own broom-calloused ones.
Harry finally managed to get his words out. "Um, Hermione… I don't think I can do this."
Harry heard, almost felt, her swallow. She straitened up. "Maybe with more practice?" She took the red yarn and bent over her bag. "Jesus Hermione, what were you thinking?! That would never happen… he's your best friend!"
Harry watched her back as she packed up her books. When she turned around, Harry pretended to be reading, though his eyes weren't moving. She slowly walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Harry's eyes straightened, looking at the floor.
"Thanks for helping me. Goodnight Harry."
He gave her a weak smile. As she walked away, Harry listened to her argue with herself.
"Good grief, Hermione! Just tell him how you feel!"
"No way! I couldn't jeopardize our friendship for something that may never happen! Besides, he doesn't think of me like that!"
"How do you know?"
Hermione paused and looked back at Harry very briefly before she disappeared behind the stonewall leading to the rounded staircase, her hand on the frame. Harry noticed her pause and his eyes looked up, his hair almost blocking his view. As soon as he layed eyes on her, she was gone.
Harry eyes didn't move from the entrance to the girls' dormitory. "What the hell? Hermione…? Shit, well that's new!"
But the more Harry thought about it, the more he questioned what was really going on in Hermione's head. The girl argued with herself for God sake! Harry thought, well if she did … have feelings for him, then that made him think about his feelings on the matter, which were … well …
Harry groaned at the empty, quiet room and shut the book that he never actually read in his lap.
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Sorry about changing the last chapter! I'll have the next chapter soon - it's going to be a good one!
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