Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the plot. =)
Chapter 3
"I can't believe her!" Hermione exclaimed as they made their trek back to the castle. "It's that article, I swear it is! First all the students hate me, that I can handle, but now the teachers too! I was reprimanded, I lost points, I was assigned extra homework! And it wasn't even from Snape! This is all that reporter's fault! Who is she? I'll find out. I'll find her and do the same thing I did to Skeeter to her!" Hermione cackled loudly.
Harry and Ron looked at her from the corners of their eyes, extremely weirded out.
"Er, Hermione?" Ron prodded, timidly.
Hermione suddenly stopped cackling and blinked once. "Oh, sorry about that guys. Anyway, let's get to class." And with that she quickened her pace towards the school, leaving Harry and Ron to hurry and follow after her.
Next was History of Magic, or in other words; naptime!
It took Harry all of five minutes to fall asleep; he was slouched low on the bench, his head lolling back. Hermione was amazed he could mange to fall asleep like that.
Within five more minutes Ron was beginning to doze off as well. Hermione flicked him in the ear and he woke with a start. He blinked and then glared at her. "What was that for?" he hissed at her.
Hermione just motioned to his desk where there lay a piece of parchment with her writing on it. "Notes?" he questioned, glancing back up at her.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just read it."
It read:
I think he's asleep.
Ron looked at her in amazement before quickly scribbling his reply:
Who? YOU'RE WRITING NOTES!!!
Professor Binns, I think he's talking in his sleep. Listen, it sounds more like mumbling than real words. And yes, I'm writing notes.
When does he not sound like mumbling? I can't believe you're writing notes!!!
It's worse today, like he's teaching us in his sleep. And why is it really so difficult for you to believe that I'm writing notes in class. It's not as if I can pay attention, he's teaching us in his sleep for crying out loud!
But you're always Miss Perfect, you never write notes in class, you always pay attention and take notes, this is so weird.
Get over it Ron, I'm writing you a note in class. I'm pretty far ahead in this class anyway, I can afford it.
Wicked!
Ugh. So what do you think of this whole situation so far?
The whole you writing notes in class thing? I think it's great! You never used to do normal stuff like this. It's like you're finally loosening up and everything, maybe next you'll try and get on a broom again. Me and Harry'll teach you if you wanna try it again.
Gr. Not the me writing notes situation! And no, I do not want to try and fly a broom again, I like my feet planted firmly on the ground, thank you. What, do you want to get me killed? No, the whole article/rumor situation, what do you think of that?
Oh, that.
Yes, that.
Gr?
Ron!
Okay fine. I dunno what I think of that right now, It's all pretty weird. Me and Harry sure are getting lots of sympathy votes though, that's weird within itself, especially since everybody pretty much thought Harry was nutters last year and now they're all like, oh poor Harry, we understand, blah, blah, blah. I guess it's really not fair to you though, you didn't do anything wrong and everybody's against you anyway. And I don't think they'll really believe me or Harry if we try and tell them it's not true. It's like they don't want to believe it. But I guess we should try and come up with a way to show them they're all wrong, but I can't think of one. Unless you just want to let it all blow over. Do you have an idea? Maybe we should wake Harry and ask him.
And I still think you should try and fly a broom again.
No, I don't have an idea right now, but I don't think I want to just let it blow over this time. There's been too many stories like this before so I don't think people are going to let it go too easily this time. Oh I really wish Lavender hadn't told everyone in Gryffindor about her little theory. That's probably where the reporter got the idea. Maybe we should wake Harry.
And if you can find a way to fix all this and get things back to normal then, yes, I will let you and Harry teach me how to fly a broom.
Wicked! Wake Harry.
Hermione flicked Harry in the ear. He grunted, shook his head and then relaxed back into the bench. Unfortunately he moved to far to the right and slid down, his head landing painfully onto Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione winced slightly moved her shoulder underneath him. This caused him to move forward down the front of her until his head was resting on the pillow of her breasts. Hermione looked decidedly uncomfortable.
Ron snorted.
Hermione glared at him.
Harry started to snore.
Ron laughed and reached over and flicked Harry again.
Harry just snored louder.
Hermione tried to move from underneath Harry but he had scooted closer to her, making it impossible unless she wanted to knock Ron off the bench.
Ron was trying very hard not to laugh too loudly.
It wasn't working.
Hermione sighed. "Let's talk more about this later, then."
Ron nodded, still trying to calm himself.
"Oh just go back to sleep." Hermione whispered with a yawn before placing her head on the back of the desk and soon drifting off to sleep.
Ron blinked at her before shrugging to himself and quickly falling asleep as well.
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Harry woke to Dean and Seamus poking him in the ribs.
"Ugh." he said eloquently while cuddling closer to his pillow.
Dean and Seamus snickered loudly.
Harry really wished they would just shut up and leave him alone. He was tempted to throw his pillow at them like usual, but today he didn't want to, it was so warm and soft and…breathing? Pillows don't breathe.
Reluctantly Harry opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was in Professor Binns classroom and most everyone was gone. Dean and Seamus were looking at him with knowing grins.
Harry became increasingly aware that what he was holding was most definitely not a pillow, but a warm, softly breathing, sweet smelling person. And definitely a female, he noted, as he realized exactly where his head was laying on said person.
Harry sat up quickly, adjusting his glasses that had stuck to his face in his sleep. He glanced towards the girl. It was Hermione. Harry let out a breath of relief. It was only Hermione. Of course, she was the one that always sat next to him in class.
Harry then blinked. Hermione? He had just been cuddling with Hermione!
Dean and Seamus smirked at him once more before turning and leaving the room as well.
Hermione yawned widely and mumbled something to herself about suddenly being so cold.
Harry turned back to her. She had her head propped on the back of the bench, one of her hands resting in her lap, and the other on her stomach. Ron's head was resting on the side of the bench and he was snoring slightly. Harry shook her lightly. "Hermione, wake up."
Hermione's eyes fluttered open. "Wha?"
"Class is over, Hermione, wake up."
That woke her up. "Class is over!" She shot up in seat and looked around her wildly. "What time is it?" she asked to herself while glancing at her watch. "Oh my goodness, we've got two minutes to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts!" She turned to Ron and shook him roughly. "Ron! Wake up!"
Ron just grunted and pushed her away.
Hermione wouldn't have any of it, however, as she forcefully shoved Ron off the bench. He landed unceremoniously onto the floor. "Bloody hell, Hermione! What'd you do that for?" he shouted angrily as he stood to face her.
Hermione hardly paid him any attention as she quickly gathered up her things. "Come on you two, we're going to be late!" With that she grabbed both of them by the wrists and tugged them towards the door. They barely had time to grab their own bags as they allowed her to lead them away.
They were right outside the classroom door when Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione's arms and stopped them both in their tracks.
"Shh! They're talking about us," he whispered, pulling them against the wall to listen.
Loud voices could be heard from the open classroom door.
"They fell asleep together!" someone exclaimed.
"Maybe the article made them realize that they're meant to be together always…all three of them!" another voice shouted.
Laughter followed that comment and many others were made before Ron was fed up.
"That's it!" he exclaimed walking into the room, while Harry and Hermione stayed in the doorway. "You are sick! All of you! The article wasn't even true, damnit! You all sit here and go on like a bunch of gossiping old ladies and it's just a stupid rumor! Do you all have such boring lives that all you have to do is talk about ours? And you all like you suddenly don't know us anymore, like you don't know better than to think that maybe it's not true. This is all so bloody ridiculous and you all are too." He glared at them all coldly, just daring them to say something. "Stupid bloody idiots." Ron mumbled the last part as he stormed through the class to the back of the room, where he sat down angrily and slammed his books on the desk with a bang.
Harry and Hermione followed at a much more subdued pace, while everyone else just stared at them in stunned silence.
Professor Wonka raised an eyebrow at the scene. "Well if you are all done, I'd like to get started with class." he began before going into a long lecture about vampires.
Ron brooded throughout the entire lecture.
Hermione studiously took notes and ignored everyone else as usual.
Harry tried to pay attention, but found his attention wandering. He still couldn't believe he had cuddled Hermione! This article must be doing something funny to him. They sat next to each other so many times before and nothing like that had ever happened. He was sitting next to her right now for Merlin's sake.
She had been rather comfortable, though. Harry couldn't remember the last time he'd had such great sleep. She'd been so warm, and her skin was so soft. And what was that she smelled like? Like a mixture of vanilla and coconut, and a little like that musty smell of old parchments and scrolls from the library.
Harry snapped out of his thoughts instantly as he realized he had unconsciously moved closer to Hermione and started smelling her. What was happening to him? Since when did he smell his best friend? He quickly jerked away from her.
Hermione glanced up at him and gave him a quizzical look.
Harry just shrugged. "Sorry."
Hermione eyed him a second longer before shrugging herself and turning back to her notes.
Harry let out a small sigh of relief. It was the article; it had to be. It was clearly messing with his mind. They really needed to come up with a plan, and fast.
A/N: Soo, what do you guys think? Please REVIEW!! =)