Gifts and Curses
Chapter 1: Questions and Confessions
Harry Potter sat in the seventh year boy's dormitory thinking about her. The one girl who made his heart stop when she entered the room; the one who made his heart melt whenever she shot him one of her perfect smiles; the one who remained at his side for the past 6 years. Yes, it's true; Harry Potter is in love with Hermione Granger.
But, unfortunately, being the Boy Who Lived, he had to wait until he finally defeated Voldemort before he could confess. It was no easy task though. Keeping his love for her a secret was eating him up. If he didn't do it soon, he feared he might explode or that would march right up to good old Tommy Riddle and beg him to put him out of his pain and suffering. Harry knew that was not an option for Voldemort lived to see others suffer.
After many moments of debating with himself, Harry slowly made his way down to the common room.
And there she was. Her nose was buried in a book, her finger fidgeting with the left corner of the page. To Harry, she was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on.
He walked up to her, his legs suddenly feeling like led, and his stomach feeling like there were a thousand hippogriffs in there flying around and doing the hustle.
"H-Hermione?" he stammered. She looked up at him, her cinnamon eyes lit by the firelight.
"Yes Harry," she asked him.
"Could you er- do you wanna um- `Mione will you come take a walk with me?" he pleaded.
She nodded, but her eyes were questioning. They walked silently down to the grounds. Hermione was looking at Harry through the corner of her eyes.
I wonder what he's thinking about. Maybe he wants to- no. I can't be. Harry Potter does not like me! She thought to herself. Aw come on, you know you want it to be true Hermione, said a voice in her head that sounded very much like Ginny Weasley's.
As they reached the grounds, Harry turned towards her.
"Hermione, there's uh, something I want you to know. Something, that I think I should have told you a long time ago," he said without looking in her eyes.
" Go on Harry, you know you can tell me anything," Hermione said, trying to catch his eye.
"Well you see, the thing is, I'm uh, I-I'm in uh," he stammered. "Damn it Potter just spit it out! Stop being a stuttering prat and just tell her!" he thought to himself.
"Hermioneminlovewithyou" he said in a rush.
"W-what did you say Harry," she asked, trying to look confused. Oh my god! Oh my god! Harry bleeding Potter just told me that he's in love with me! She screamed in her head.
"I said," he started this time with more confidence, "That I'm in love with you Hermione," he finished, although somewhat shakier than when he had begun.
Hermione smiled. Taking it as a good sign, Harry lowered his lips to hers. This was certainly not like the kiss he had shared with Cho, back in the day. It was chaste, but sweet. Not sexual, like some crazy erotic make out session, but it was enough.
It was Hermione who had broken the kiss first. "Harry," she said breathlessly, "I love you too," she finished.
With that Harry leaned in again, but suddenly remembered why he hadn't told her before. "Hermione, I can't-we can't do this…not yet," he said, his eyes looking into hers for forgives.
"Harry, I don't understand," she asked. The happiness, that she had felt seconds before seemed to have evaporated.
"I'm so sorry Hermione, I was going to wait until after the battle to tell you but…I just…I couldn't handle it anymore. I'm sorry. Maybe…maybe we should forget what happened," he explained.
"But why do we have to wait until after the battle, Harry," she questioned him.
"Because, well Hermione because of the prophecy. You remember what I told you last year?" he asked her.
"Harry, if you're going to put this off because of some prophecy well then- I mean you know that you're going to be the victor. I'll wait for you…but not for an eternity." With that she walked away towards the castle.
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