A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews!!! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!!!!
Hermione took a few steps outside the library and stopped. She faced the library's door and let out a sigh.
`Harry didn't mean it.' She thought to herself. `He's just nervous.' She thought a moment longer and tapped her foot on the floor. Once she mustered enough courage, Hermione marched back through the library door. She immediately noticed Cho sitting with Harry. For some odd reason, she immediately felt a pang of jealousy sweep through her body. Then she noticed it… Harry was about to drink something!
"Harry!" Hermione called out. Harry stopped just as the glass touched his lips.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. She sounded as if she was calling from the other side of the room! If she was there, then… who was sitting across from him?
"Damn!" Cho said under her breath. She stood up quickly and prepared to run out when Hermione caught her arm. It was just then that Professor Snape walked in.
"Miss Granger!" He called out. "Is there a problem?" He crossed one arm over another and awaited her response. Hermione let out a frustrated sigh for Snape's bad timing. If he had come in just a few seconds later! Her eyes met Cho's and Hermione gave a harsh glare.
"I sure hope not!" Hermione scowled. Cho took a step back, nervous by the sternness of the Gryffendor's tone. She proceeded to the door.
"Professor." She nodded her head to Professor Snape, and left the room. Snape kept his gaze fixed on Hermione. She looked at the Professor for a moment, expecting him to say something. When he did not she turned around and brought her attention back to Harry.
"Hey." She whispered sympathetically into his ear.
"Let's just get out of here."
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Ten minutes later, Harry and Hermione were sitting in Harry's "room." Each sat on the bed and were facing straight ahead. Hermione just couldn't look at him.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Harry said, finally.
"It's alright." Hermione said, shyly.
"No, it's not! You've done so much these past two weeks. And I repay you by talking to you like that…"
"You're nervous." She said sympathetically as she shifted position so she was looking at him. "I don't blame you. I'm nervous too."
"It's amazing how much people take for granted. Seeing…. colors, seeing friends." He paused for a moment. He reached his hand up and ran his fingers through her hair.
"I wish I could see you." He breathed; she could barely hear him. "What do you look like right now? What are you wearing?" The question was completely innocent and Hermione knew it. She sometimes put more comfortable muggle clothes on while she studied. Still, she couldn't resist the opportunity. She shifted herself so she was sitting behind him. She leaned close to his ear and whispered her answer in low, husky voice.
"Nothing." Harry let out a grunt, reached his hand back and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Not… Nice, Hermione!" He spun around and began tickling her stomach. "That was just mean!" He said, they fell over with Harry on top of her, still tickling her stomach. Hermione let out a large shriek.
"I'm sorry!" She said, still laughing. "Stop it! Stop--" Suddenly the curtain whipped open.
"Hermione are you alright?" Harry and Hermione looked up to see Ron with a worried look on his face. Behind him were Dean, Seamus, Neville, and Ginny. They all smirked when they saw Harry and Hermione's positioning.
"We heard Hermione screaming." Ginny said with rosy cheeks. "We thought she was hurt."
"Boy, were we wrong!" Dean cut in with a mischievous smirk.
"This is not what it looks like!" Hermione blushed. She pushed Harry up and they both sat on the edge of the bed.
"She- she was t-teasing me." Harry explained, nervously stumbling over his words. "And then I was t-tickling her… And then y-you walked in."
"Didn't look like tickling to me!" Seamus chuckled. Ginny quickly elbowed him.
"Ow!"
"Grow up!" She spun around and walked towards the girl's dormitories.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, nervously. "When you uh- have a minute… I could use help on that Potions Essay."
"I'll be out in a minute." She replied, attempting to keep her composure. Harry fidgeted next her, trying hard not to laugh. With that, the boys closed the curtain, all snickered and muttering to each other, and went about their business. Once they were sure everyone had gone, Harry leaned his forehead against the side of Hermione's head and they both let out bursts of laughter.
"I'm sorry, I--" Harry tried get out, still laughing.
"No! No!" Hermione replied, still laughing, herself. "It's fine!" She got up and walked to the curtain. "It's fine!"
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Several nights later, Hermione was making her final prefect round of the night. She was nearly back to the common room and was relieved there had been no one to write up. It was just so much paperwork! But it was her duty as a prefect and she was more than proud to do it. It was then that she walked around a corner and bumped into another student. Hermione's eyes widened with anger when she saw Cho's face.
"And just what do we have here?" Hermione asked smugly. Suddenly, the idea of extra paperwork didn't bother her at all. Cho let out a long, exasperated sigh.
"I'm going back to the common room. Just write me up and let that be the end of it." She said as she pushed past Hermione. Her voice was sad. She had been beaten; she lost Harry. And she certainly wasn't in the mood to converse with her defeater.
"Fine." Hermione shrugged. Her distaste for the Ravenclaw was common knowledge and it had doubled that night in library. She had nothing to say.
"I know you hate me." Cho said, causing Hermione to stop in her tracks. The two girls were still standing with their backs to each other. "And I know you like to think you're above the rest of us because you know everything. But there are some things you'll never know." She said sadly. "In fact, there is one thing that every girl in this school knows, except for you. They know what it's like to see someone perfect, and know that they could date him… But he'll never theirs. You don't have that problem… He's already yours." Cho breathed out the last sentence. Hermione felt a brief pang of guilt run through her body. "You judge me for my actions but you'll never know what I'm going through. You'll never know what that feels like to lose him to someone else because he'll always… choose… you. No matter who else he appears to be with, he'll always be with you. And the part that kills me…" Cho turned around slowly, walked over to Hermione, and stood as close as necessary to whisper into her ear, causing the Gryffindor's entire body to tense up. "You'll never know what it feels like to not… be… his." Her voice shook as she struggled to get out that last sentence. All throughout her speech it had been low and bitter. It was as if she poured all the anger and hatred she could muster into a few simple sentences. After Cho had turned and walked away, Hermione tried, but couldn't remember even Malfoy talking to her in such a cruel tone.
Speechless, she slowly walked back to the common room. The room was dark, everyone had gone to sleep. She peered over and noticed a candle burning on the other side of the curtain dividing Harry's room. She walked over and slowly pulled the curtain back.
"Knock, knock." She said, poking her head in. Harry was buttoning the top button of his nightshirt and smiled at the sound of her voice.
"Big day tomorrow." He said nervously. "Finally get this blasted thing off." He said, motioning to the bandage.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice cracked as tears flooded her eyes. She needed to talk to him about what Cho said to her.
"Please don't do that." Harry stepped towards the sound of her voice. He could tell she was about to cry. She stretched her hands out so he could find her and when he did, he placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. "Don't cry." He pleaded. "I'm nervous enough." Hermione bowed her head in embarrassment. It was selfish of her to talk to Harry about this now. It could wait until morning.
"I suppose we should get to sleep." Hermione said softly. She lifted her head back up, leaving her face very close to his.
"You could stay." His voice was low, very powerful and, although not his intention, very seductive. Hermione's mouth quivered as it was dangerously close to his.
"I'm not sleeping in that chair again." He leaned in closer, so his lips were almost touching her ear.
"I didn't mean for you to." Hermione took a deep breath. Together, without even realizing it, they moved up next to the bed. "Hermione," Harry said, pulling her closer. "Just lie with me." Without a word, Hermione leaned forward, gently forcing them onto the bed. Still in his arms, she lay down. Still in his arms, she fell fast asleep.
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Early the next morning, Hermione awoke in Harry's arms. She jerked away at first, needing to give herself time to register what had happened the night before. Once she had, she smiled and snuggled closer to him. It felt so good to be with him… So warm. There was no need for her to get out of bed yet.
"Good morning." She heard him whisper. He felt her smile against his chest.
"How long have you been up?" She asked dreamingly, her eyes still closed.
"Around half an hour."
"What have you been doing for half an hour?" She laughed.
"Holding you." He answered, pulling her even closer. There was a comfortable silence between them for a few minutes. She hated to break it, but now seemed like as good a time as any.
"Harry?" She began slowly. "Do you… Cho got me thinking yesterday."
"Cho?" He asked, sounding very surprised. "How so?"
"I'm yours." Harry was somewhat taken aback by her response.
"Uh huh. Isn't that kind of common knowledge?" He meant it as a joke.
"Actually, apparently it is. You and Ron are mine. No matter who else I meet, you and Ron are always going to be the two most important guys in my life. One no more important than the other; but so much more important than anyone else."
"And you'll always be the most important girl to Ron and me."
"I know." She paused. "But how can we expect any romantic partner we may have, to except coming second? Or in my case, third! Would you want someone who couldn't put you first because of another guy?"
"Ron doesn't see it that way." Was all Harry could think of to say.
"I love Ron." Hermione said comfortably. "But I don't think he'd ever think to look at it that way. I don't think he'd ever put you and me, and romantic intentions in the same mind frame." Harry smirked. Hermione obviously was unaware of Ron's crush on her forth year. That's alright. He understood what she meant. "But you didn't answer my question." Hermione said, rolling over onto her stomach. "How do you feel about it?"
"How do I feel about it?" Harry repeated. "Well, I suppose it makes sense. Krum and Cho both felt… threatened by us being such friends. As preposterous as I thought that was at the time, I get it now. I'd feel threatened too." He paused for a moment and let out a long sigh. "No one is ever going to accept our situation." He shrugged. "Who needs them?"
"What are you saying?" Hermione suddenly felt her heart beat faster.
"I'm saying… Why look to other people for something only we can give each other?" Hermione felt her jaw drop. He was really going to do it. He was going to suggest that they--"
"GOOD MORNING!" A cheery Ronald Wesley chose just that moment to whip the curtain open. His grin changed to mischievous smirk when he saw Hermione. "And just why are you two always lying together when I do this?"
"Because your timing is horrendous." Hermione whispered so only Harry could hear. He laughed at her statement, causing Ron's ears to perk up.
"Now, now, just because you're sleeping together doesn't mean you get to leave me out of the jokes!" Hermione and Harry laughed even louder at their friends comment. Hermione rolled out of bed and gave Ron a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I'll change be right back down." She told them. "Then we'll go see Madam Pomfrey."
"Don't be long." Ron called after her. Ron then turned his attention to Harry. "You alright, Mate? Little nervous?"
"Ron." Harry said, only half kidding. "You have got to work on your timing."
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