How to Win a Guy in 10 Days

meg2089kul

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 22/02/2005
Last Updated: 04/05/2005
Status: in_progress

Hermione Granger had once suffered from having her heart torn viciously apart by a boy to whom she had confessed her love and who didn’t return it. Now, her only fear is to tell a guy what she really feels for him. No matter how hard she tries, she has to leave it to him to make the first move. Unfortunately for her, things are about to take an interesting twist as she must find a date for Ginny’s wedding within ten days to prove her true Gryffindor bravery, and, at the same time, a certain Boy-Who-Lived makes a bet with his gang that make things a little difficult for Hermione. Sometimes, ten days can be longer than it seems.

Chapters

1. Runaway Train

2. The Bet

3. Day 1: Invitations

4. Day 2: The Game (Part 1)

1. Runaway Train

A/N: If you haven't seen the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, then shame on you because it is one of the best comedies of all time, in my opinion. This fan fic follows up on some of the general ideas of the chick flick, only, of course, it is in the Harry Potter universe and things are a bit twisted around, situations are different, and so on, but you get the picture. I hope you like it and please review!

How to Win a Guy in 10 Days

Chapter 1 - Runaway Train

"Hermione, would you hurry up?" yelled Ginny.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Hermione mumbled to every single witch and wizard that she bumped into as she made her way toward Ginny, who was already on the train that was just about leaving.

"Watch it!" a witch mumbled as she pulled a small girl out of Hermione's way.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she gasped as she turned back to apologize.

No sooner had she done so than the train started up and several hands grabbed her from behind and she was lifted up and into the wagon. Harry and Ron had grabbed her aboard just as the London Express was about to pull out of the station and they were now laughing hysterically after tumbling over each other on to the floor from the force of the departure.

"Thanks....for that..." Hermione managed to muffle between her laughs as Luna and Ginny helped her up and Ron and Harry slowly followed in the lead.

"What kept you?" asked Harry as he brushed the dirt from the floor off of his hands.

"Er....I don't think that I want to discuss it at the moment," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron. "Weren't you just saying goodbye to that bloke you were going out with? He didn't take you dumping him too well, did he?"

"Uh." said Hermione, turning slightly pink. "Actually, he - he didn't even realize that I was trying to be more than his friend. It's stupid. You see, we weren't actually going out, we were just, you know, hanging out - "

"Hermione!" said Ginny. "I can't believe you didn't even tell him that you felt that way about him!"

"Yeah, well...that's in the past anyway," said Hermione briskly and made her way toward their cabin, sitting next to the window and resting her cheek on her hand.

"I don't buy that," said Harry who had followed her inside and sat opposite of her. "I know it's really bothering you."

"No, duh! Genius!" said Ginny loudly, who sat next to her. "Come on, Herms, you can talk to us, you know."

Hermione didn't respond, but instead, a single silent tear slid down her face, which she quickly whipped off and turned to face them with a smile. Ron and Luna had already entered the compartment and had just settled themselves alongside Harry when she spoke, "Look, just let's forget about it, okay? I just....didn't make my move sooner and I...I regret it, but oh well. It wasn't meant to be anyhow. I guess what I was afraid of more than anything was that he didn't feel the same way and I just didn't want to be rejected again.” Hermione briefly looked up at Harry and lowered her head once more, which bore a flushed face. Ginny gave Harry a deadly stare while Ron looked amused by something on the ceiling of the cabin and Luna held an anonymous look.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again, scratching the back of his head and looking at the floor so that he wouldn't have to endure watching everyone's expression at the awkward silence.

“I - let's just forget it,” said Hermione, looking out of the window once more and not meeting Harry's eye.

"Okay," said Ginny sweetly, taking her eyes of Harry, which he felt had been eating into him with anger. "Luna, you mind ordering us a couple of Butterbeers?" she asked as she patted Hermione on the back.

"No problem," said Luna, winking, and waved her wand so that several bottles appeared on their table, alongside a tip.

“How about we get a day off tomorrow? Just for fun?” suggested Ginny with a grin. Ron and Harry looked rather pleased at the idea, but Hermione turned her head toward her sharply and said, “Are you mad? Jean will be furious with us! Besides, I bet you anything Brown, Patil, and Chang will be all in his face about it. You know how they can get. One flaw and zoom! They're on about you like you're the dung of a therstral!”

“I guess you're right,” sighed Ginny, looking put out.

“Well, at least we can meet for lunch,” proposed Luna.

“Hey, that's an idea!” said Harry. “Why don't we do that? I heard there's a great new place open on Diagon Alley called the Morning Sun. How about it?”

“The Morning Sun? That sounds like a newspaper,” said Ron, making a quizzical expression.

Ginny giggled and Hermione stiffened a laugh as Harry said, “Like you care, as long as you can get something to eat.”

Ron shrugged in agreement and lay back in his seat.

“Maybe we can even go and see the twins. I'm sure Fred and George have cooked up some new merchandise,” Harry continued.

“Urgh, not more pranks,” Hermione whispered under her breath.

“What was that?” asked Harry, raising his eyebrow.

“Oh, nothing,” said Hermione, brushing off the comment.

“Are we not liking pranks today, Miss Granger? I thought those always made you laugh,” said Harry with a grin.

Hermione looked at him rather pityingly and said, “Some things aren't what they used to be, Harry. Things change and people change. I would have thought you could realize that by now...but...I guess not.”

Hermione said those words in such a cold tone that even she regretted it once she saw the look on Harry's face in reply, but felt satisfied with herself as she turned her head again to the window.

“I don't think you've changed,” said Harry in an almost silent whisper that only Hermione seemed to hear.

She swallowed before turning her head to him slowly opening her eyes. “Do you?”

“No, I don't,” said Harry defiantly, slightly shaking his head.

“Well,” said Hermione, “that makes one of us.”

Her head returned to the same position, watching the forest trees pass to the rhythm of the train as a long silence filled the cabin.

“Oh!” Luna suddenly exclaimed. “You guys aren't going to believe this. I mean, not like you'll care, but the Quidditch finals are in town. Bella gave me four really great tickets. Wanna go?”

“You're kidding!” said Ron.

“Am not,” said Luna. “I have them here - “ she pulled out four purple tickets from her robes and showed them to him.

Ron reached for them, but she pulled them from his grasp. “No way, Ronald! You'd lose them even if you did go!”

“Oh, it's too bad,” said Ginny. “Neville and I were going to Ireland to look at someone to caterer our wedding. I heard Fleur got veelas for hers. Ha! As if! My wedding is going to be so much better! And every one of you better come!”

Harry, Ron, and Luna all made approving nods and exclamations. Hermione smiled. Another wedding she would be going to without a date. She guessed it didn't even matter that she caught the bouquet nearly every time, she felt as if the first time that her heart had been broken, it lasted her a lifetime.

“Hermione, you all right?” asked Harry, staring at her from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah...fine...” she said in a small voice, wrapping her arms around her.

“I...er...Look, I'm sorry about - “

“You don't have to...apologize, Harry,” said Hermione. “I've heard it all.”

A/N: And that would be the end of the first chapter. I realize that I haven't explained everything yet, but that's what keeps `em reading. Pretty please review! I want to know how you like it so far so that I can update sooner! Thankies!

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2. The Bet

Chapter 2 - The Bet

“Can I hold them now?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"Well, all ri - No!"

"Aw, come on!"

Luna had given the Quidditch tickets to Harry in trust that he would keep them out of Ron's reach, although he wasn't sure what good that would do. Ron kept asking to hold them every now and then and Harry was sure that any brink from now he would snap and let him have them.

"Just cool it, Ron. They're only tickets,” said Harry, sounding annoyed.

"But they're really good tickets. Can I just look at them?"

"Fine! Here." Harry took the tickets and waved them before Ron's face before pocketing them once more.

"Too fast! I only caught a glimpse of them."

"Oh, just shut up," said Neville.

"My thoughts exactly," said Harry, looking around the shops they passed on Diagon Alley.

"Hey, you better watch it, pal," Ron said angrily to Neville. "You're marrying my sister, just remember that."

"I think I can remember who I'm about to marry, thanks, and that doesn't mean I have to endure her brother's stupid rants."

Ron thought about it for a moment and then said, "Fair point. But I warned you!"

Neville had just joined them that morning from his business traveling and they were just heading over to have lunch with Ginny, Hermione, and Luna before they ran into Weesley's Wizard Weezes and decided to invite Fred and George along as well.

"Life treating you well, mates?" said Fred just as he locket up the store so that they could head over to the Morning Sun.

"You sure you should lock it for now? Won't the customers complain?" asked Ron.

"Business is a virtue, bro. However, we need to spare us a couple of minutes for a time out. You need to learn how to take a break, Ronnie."

Ron sniffed and slumped as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

"So what's new with you, Potter?" said George.

"Any lai-days you wanna introduce us to?" said Fred, snickering.

"I don't think so," said Harry smugly.

"Oh, come now, you know we don't by that, mate."

"Yeah, you've got 'em creepin' up and down your sleeves every minute of the day. Now tell us, who's the lucky girl for today?"

"That, right there, is offensive," said Harry, grinning, as they made their way toward the restaurant. "I do not have women handing on to me like I'm some sort of - "

Fred and George burst out in such a loud snort that a majority of the people in the restaurant jumped at the commotion.

"Y-Yeah," said Fred. "And we're the spawn of You-Know-Who. Come on, Harry - "

"Hey, Potter," said Jill in a silky voice as she passed them. She was a very pretty blonde girl who worked as one of the secretaries for Harry's boss. "You doing anything tonight?"

"Er," said Harry, trying to ignore a cracking Fred, George, Neville, and Ron behind his back.

"No, I don't think so, but...I'll probably will be too tiered to even think, right guys?" he finished quickly.

The four of them stopped laughing as Jill turned her head toward them.

"Oh...er....of - of course you will be!" said Neville, chuckling.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know," said Jill, winking and walking over to her table.

"Yeah," said George, "'let me know, Harry.' You'll probably be too tiered from turning down all of the other girls that will ask you out today. Come on, man! You're like a freaking sex magnet!"

"The hell?" said Harry. "You know that's only because I'm famous."

"You know that's only because I'm famous," Fred mimicked. "You couldn't keep a girl off of you if you tried."

"Oh yeah?"

"I should think so," said George, cracking up.

Harry turned to face them with a serious look on his face and said, "Wanna bet?"

***

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"Jean! What a surprise!"

"Afternoon, ladies. And what might we be waiting around for, ah?"

"The boys," said Ginny.

"Now, now. I know my daughter didn't do that until she was married. Had them running after her like dogs. You girls should be a bit more independent. Like that bunch over there. Say Chang, Brown, Patil, park them over here!" he screamed.

Jean was a middle-aged wizard who worked for one of the top spy agencies in the Ministry of Magic and also happened to be pretty much everybody's boss. He had seemingly moved from the United States a couple of years ago and was already busy in the government.

"Oh, great," Hermione whispered in an exasperated tone to Ginny and Luna under her breath. "Just what I need to spoil my appetite."

"Hello, Jean," said Cho as she sat next to him, followed by Lavender and Parvati.

"You ladies are looking rather radiant this evening. Not waiting around for more boys are you?" he said, pulling out three chairs with his wand.

"Actually, we were just thinking of lassoing a couple, but you'll do just fine to make up for it, Jean," said Lavender, emitting a rather high-pitched laugh.

Ginny rolled her eyes and Hermione had the feeling as if she had something rather unpleasant in her stomach.

"So I was just about to ask how the tour went with Granger, Weasley, and Lovegood, here." Jean motioned Cho, Lavender, and Parvati to the other side of the table where the three of them sat. “I hope your survey of New London went fine. I trust the use of wand was limited?”

“Yes, sir,” said Ginny proudly.

“Good. Which reminds me, Luna, I need you and Ron to go to Prussia for me during this next week. I think we can get a very neat deal with the minister on some account. He kept going on about some tunnel below a muggle mansion that he wanted our government to investigate. Seemed as if it contained evidence of the old queen of England herself or somewhat.”

Luna smiled serenely and nodded her head. “I hope to be on that as soon as possible, Mr. Jean.”

“Right...Now, let's start with you, Hermione. I heard you even got yourself involved in a bit of a romance, there, eh? How did that go?"

Hermione's heart sank as Jean addressed her with an overenthusiastic face. She watched as Cho and the other two shifted in their seats as if they were about to hear something extremely juicy. Ginny bit her lip and looked slightly worried and Luna seemed to simply stare at Hermione with no notice of comprehension whatsoever.

Clearing her throat, Hermione pulled up the courage to say something. "I'd...rather not speak of it, sir," she responded, sinking in her seat.

"Oh, don't give me that rubbish!" said Jean. "Come on, Hermione, you're a professional. If we're trying to connect the muggle and wizarding wold and you won't let me in on how we may have better relations with them, well, you're just not doing your job very well - "

"All right," said Hermione, suddenly sitting up. "I...It didn't go very well. There. We just...we... didn't....click."

"You mean, you lost another one," said Cho in a nasty tone, smiling to herself.

"No. No - I didn't lose him, I just - "

"Said the wrong thing? Peppered him with too many questions? Told him you loved him?"

"No!" Hermione screamed.

"Well, it's all right, now, love," said Jean. "If it didn't go well, it didn't go well. I'd like to see you find some nice lad eventually, though. It's a shame that a sweet girl such as yourself can't find herself a man."

"That is not true!" said Ginny defensively. "Of course she can find herself a man. Maybe she just doesn't want to!"

Jean looked rather surprised at this information and raised his eyebrows.

"Or maybe, you should stay out of this, Gin," Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"I'm just trying to help," Ginny whispered under her breath.

"Well, we can't have that, now!" said Jean vibrantly.

"Yes, Hermione," said Parvati. "I think it would be rather entertaining to see you find a date some time soon."

"She can too!" said Ginny, standing up.

Hermione's heart pounded at Ginny's comment and she felt as if she didn't get her to sit down soon, she would say something that would go against her own good. However, as she pulled at her sleeve, Ginny nodded and slowly sat back down.

"I think it would be neat to see her prove that, don't you think?" Luna said out of the blue.

"Luna!" Hermione said.

"What?" Luna shrugged.

"How about it, Hermione?" said Jean. "You are our head of International Muggle Relations. I think it would be a good idea for you to take a hit on this. We need a girl who knows all about serious relationships and, frankly, is in one herself. Weasley, you're getting married March 14th, are you not?"

"Er...Yeah, but what does that - ?" said Ginny.

"Why don't we see Hermione, here, hook herself a boyfriend by that date? That should be, what, a week and something?" said Cho, grinning broadly.

"Look...I...I don't think - " said Hermione, nervous at where this was getting at.

"Ten days? Ten? That's, like, nothing!" said Ginny.

"So you're saying that she's incapable of it?" asked Lavender.

"I'm saying that that's too soon for her to just grab some random guy out of the blue and invite him to her best friends' wedding!" said Ginny, looking rather unnerved.

"Fine. We'll choose a guy," proposed Cho.

"Choose a guy?" said Hermione, her voice shaking.

"Excellent!" said Jean.

"But Jean - "

"Not butts! This sounds intriguing. Go on, why don't we have a random draw."

"Ooh, I'll write out the names," said Parvati. "How about a choice of all of the guys at work.

"But - " said Hermione miserably.

"There!" said Parvati as she waved her wand and several small papers appeared out of thin air and contained themselves in the air.

"Well? Ready, are we?" said Jean, rubbing his hands together.

"No, I don't think - " said Hermione, pleadingly, but it was too late. Parvati had already jabbed her wand and the tiny pieces of paper began to spin in mid air. In a moment, she jabbed it once more, stuck her hand in the middle of them while holding her eyes closed and looked at the sheet that she had pulled out.

"Robert Thatcher."

"No way! He's married!" protested Ginny.

"He is? Whooops," said Parviti, shrugging and throwing the paper away.

She repeated the process and read the name "Gillian Sweeney" from a second paper.

"He's been going out with that girl, Amy, for about six months. That's definitely a bad idea," said Hermione, now anxious as to who's name was going to pop out next.

"Oh well, it's your loss," said Parvati and set the pieces of parchment on a spin once more.

She took the next paper in her hands and her eyes widened just as the grin on her face. Cho and Lavender looked over her shoulder and let out a satisfied gasp.

"What?" said Hermione, curiously. "Who? Let me see!"

"Harry Potter," Lavender read out loud with a smile.

Hermione felt as if all of the blood had just been drained from her body. Next to her, Ginny's eyes widened dangerously and she seemed to have bitten her tongue extremely hard.

"Well, that shouldn't be too bad," said Luna dreamily.

"Are you kidding me?" said Hermione in a deep and cold voice, slowly turning her head toward her. "That is terrible. No, I...couldn't possibly."

"Please don't make her do this, sir," said Ginny.

"I don't think you can weasel her out of this one, Ginny," said Jean. "It's set."

"But sir - Harry's...my best friend...It wouldn't be right."

"You can't tell me that you've never been attracted to that young man. Come on now, Hermione, you're a grown woman. Now, can you prove yourself or not?" he said seriously.

Hermione slouched. "I...I can't..."

Ginny patted her arm sympathetically.

"What, it's not like he's ever rejected you, has he?" Cho laughed.

Hermione felt such a large burst of anger in her chest that she sprang to her feet and said, "Fine."

"What?!" said Ginny.

"I said I'll do it," said Hermione stiffly.

"Herms - "

"I will and you have my word that I'll have him there at the wedding, sir."

"As your boyfriend?" said Parvati, her eyebrows raised.

"As my boyfriend that is very much in love with me!"

"Hermione!" said Ginny.

"Good, that's what I like to hear, Granger!" said Jean, smiling broadly at her towering figure.

There was a moment of pause while Cho, Lavender, and Parvati giggled amongst themselves, Ginny sat back in her seat clutching her chest and Jean looked rather pleased with himself while Hermione couldn't put her finger on what where the consequences of what she had just done.

“Er, you can sit down, Hermione,” said Jean finally when she remained standing for quite a period of time.

Hermione regained consciousness and was suddenly aware of the fact that she was still up from her seat and, blushing deeply, sat back down.

“So what are you going to try on him?” asked Cho.

“Er...” said Hermione, still very red and feeling over-heated. “I'm not sure.”

“Herms, you don't have to do this,” Ginny whispered to her, taking her hand.

“Well, you better think of something soon or else he just mind find himself too absorbed in someone else. You know what a ladies' man he is,” said Lavender.

“Damn!” Hermione said to herself. It had just dawned on her just how difficult this was going to be. She had not only tried to keep as little contact with him as possible for the past several year, but he was constantly dating someone. How in the world was she supposed to even attempt to do something like this?

“I need a break,” said Hermione. “I'm sorry everyone, I'll see you later. Jean, do you mind if I don't report for office?”

“No, not at all, Hermione. I'm afraid we were going to have the rest of the meeting here anyway,” said Jean. “You go ahead and you...plan your big ten days. Go on! And keep us updated! I want to hear all the details.”

“So do we,” said Lavender, laughing.

Hermione turned around and could not believe what she was listening to. Plan! She was supposed to plan on how to win Harry's heart! Ha! That was worth a million embarrassing laughs.

Walking away from their table, she saw something that made her stop dead in her tracks.

It was Harry. He was together with Ron, Neville, and the twins.

No, she couldn't possibly run into him at a time like this. She couldn't' even think straight. Jean was right; she needed a plan in the least.

Instead, she concentrated hard on being home and, within seconds, she had Apparated to her flat where she could finally not be taunted about her love life.

“Why do I get the feeling like this can't lead to anything good?” Ginny said to herself.

“What was that?” asked Jean, interested.

“Oh, uh...I just said, `I think we should order some food.'”

“Splendid idea!” said Jean, looking hungry all of a sudden. “Waiter!”

***

Harry, Ron, Neville, Fred and George were supposed to have joined Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, but just as they saw Jean and some others join their table, they realized that it would perhaps be better if they chose to sit at their own table.

“A bet, eh, Potter?” said Fred.

“Don't do it Harry!” said Neville urgently, looking stern.

“Yeah, mate, you know those two. They've never lost to anything,” said Ron.

“I don't care,” said Harry bravely. “You wanna see me keep my hands of a woman, you got it.”

“Hmm,” said George, considering it. “How about...for a week?”

“A week?” said Harry. “All right.”

“But no bloody contact whatsoever. You've gotta really stay off of it. No kissing, making out, flirting, and absolutely no sex.”

“Strictly platonic, mate,” said George.

“Can I hug her?”

“We prefer no hugs,” said Fred, looking at George, who nodded his head.

“I duuno, Harry,” said Ron. “Sound pretty risky. You sure you wanna be in on this?”

“Oh, I'm sure,” said Harry. “Look, I'm a big boy. I can keep my arms and legs to myself.”

“And other appendages, I hope,” said George, laughing.

“Er...right,” said Harry.

“So it's a done deal, eh?” said Neville.

“Yup,” said Harry.

“Wait,” said Fred. “We still didn't get our side of the bet. What if you lose. Then what?”

“Um...I don't know,” said Harry. “You choose.”

“Oooh, feisty,” said George. “How about...we use you as a product tester for a month?”

“Nah,” said Fred, “we've already got people volunteering for that, we don't need extras.”

“Hmm,” said George, looking curiously at Harry. “I wonder...”

“What?” asked Ron.

“Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Fred?” asked George.

Fred grinned and said. “Why, you know, George, I think I am.”

“Harry,” said George.

“If you blow this bet...“ said Fred.

“- then you must - “

“ - marry the - “

“ - very next - “

“ - girl you date.”

“Say what?” said Harry.

“You heard us. And we don't mean no silly Vegas fling. This is a life time partner, you hear.”

“That's insane!” said Ron.

“Nope. That's life,” said George.

“Take it or leave it mate,” said Fred.

“And if I win?” asked Harry.

“Well, then we'll never bother you about it again.”

“Seriously?” said Harry.

“Dead serious,” said Fred.

Harry looked around the restaurant in search of an answer. If he backed out, he was practically putting a label on himself that read “Playgirl: come and get me.” If he didn't, he'd have to make some really difficult decisions. One of them would be how to explain to someone why he couldn't date anyone and yet wasn't gay at the same time.

He watched Jean's table, packed with girls. Was that what he was going to look like for the rest of his like? Just some famous rich chum who couldn't even settle on a woman? Just then, he saw as Hermione suddenly sprang from the table and, after sitting down, in moments, turned to leave. He caught her eye for an instant in time and she Disapperated within seconds.

What in the heck was wrong with him?

“Well, Potter?”

Harry turned his focus back on the twins, who bore anxious expressions to hear his answer.

“Done,” he said.

“Done?”

“Done.”

A/N: I just want to clear a few things up.

First of all, I know that I haven't explained their professions too well, but I promise that I'll get to it. All you need to know for now is that Jean's the big guy since he's their boss and they pretty much work on finding ways to connect the muggle and wizarding worlds as much as possible. I'll get into it more later.

Second, I promise that Harry is not a player. I don't want you to have the impression of him that he grew up to be the kind of guy that sleeps with a different girl every night. The only thing is that he's famous and he happens to have good looks and tons of money, so he's pretty much flooded with girls that constantly want to go out with him. Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad guy.

As for the bets, Hermione has to get Harry into a serious relationship with her within the next ten days and Harry has to stay away from any sort of contact with the opposite sex that is anything but platonic for a week, so things should get interesting since they might as well be driving each other mad.

I hope that helped and you'll see more next chapter. Please review!!!

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3. Day 1: Invitations

A/N: For my earlier readers, there is something that I want to clear up before you begin reading this next chapter. I believe, and I know that it bothered me when I first wrote it since I had speculated quite a bit about placing that sentence, that I had earlier stated in a paragraph that Hermione had debated how hard it would be to win Harry over because he had told her that he didn't feel the same way about her. If you remember that line, please scratch it out of your heads now. Ready? Okay, now you can proceed. Lol.

Chapter 3 - Day one: Invitations

It was raining.

Only days before had Harry returned from battling Voldemort, and Hermione wanted to do anything but see him again because that night, the night that he had left, she had told him how she felt. No, not just the “I love you,” but everything. She told him how her world depended on him, how she would break if he didn't return. But she broke sooner.

He told her to stop, that he couldn't take it because they should protect their friendship, and each other. But Hermione couldn't understand, she would never understand. He told her that he had a reason, but she didn't believe that. She would never believe that. She had lived in the hope that he never knew the way that she cared for him, but he did. She knew he did. She knew that he had planned what to say to her in case her feelings ever came out. And they did. And he still had the gut to say them....

However, what made her even more unnerved was the fact that he had the gut to come back and tell her otherwise.

“Hermione, please...” Harry pleaded, grabbing her wrist.

“I never want to see you again, Harry, I thought I made that clear! I never want to see you, speak to you, anything, so just let me GO!” she screamed, not meeting his eyes. She wanted to hit him, hurt him, do something to make him feel the same pain that he had caused her.

“No, you don't understand - “

“Understand? That's right, Harry, I will never understand, and I'm not sure that I want to right now,” said Hermione, now looking straight at him. “You know what you did, don't you? Well, do you? You broke my heart! You stabbed it several times first, and then, you broke it into a million pieces that will never come back. Never! You lost me, Harry Potter. Forever.” Hermione knew that she had streams of tears running down her face as she had said each word with so much confidence that she was sure that she could never go back on them.

“But I love you!”

She had began to storm away and stopped dead in her tracks just as Harry called out to her. She turned her head and said, “What?” silently.

“I said...I'm in love with you, Hermione,” Harry replied, taking a step toward her.

For a moment in time, Hermione wanted to do anything but believe those words, but the heart, the very feeling with which he had said them could not make her think that for the world, and so she laughed. “You know, it's funny, because now it's my turn, Harry....It's too late. You just had to wait, didn't you? Lesson learned here, huh?...Goodbye, Harry.”

“But, Hermione - “

She stopped once again.

“Once a heart is broken, those pieces get lost in the wind, Harry. You can't have them back.”

And, with that, she Dissapperated to a place where she knew he would not follow.

***

Hermione had just Apparated in her flat and took a heavy sigh as she slumped herself onto her couch.

“What have I done?” she said, sniffing. “Harry hates me,” she said to herself. “I can't just walk up to him and try to get him to fall in love with me again! That's insane. He would never forgive me for what I did....then again, I promised myself that I would never forgive him either...”

She sighed again, shaking her head. “This is crazy,” she noted. “I think...I have finally gone insane! Well, done, Granger! Just what you need - “

“Talking to ourselves, are we?” came a voice.

“You really need to stop doing that, Ginny,” said Hermione, laughing, as she looked at her through the magical mirror that resided on her wall. It was her way of communicating with Ginny since she had a similar one at her flat.

“You all right?” she asked her.

“Yeah...can't complain,” said Hermione. “Oh, wait! Yes I can! I've just been fooled into making the one man I despise fall in love with me!” she said in a sarcastic tone.

Ginny shook her head silently. “You don't despise him,” she said quietly.

“Yes I do,” Hermione said miserably.

“No,” said Ginny, “you don't. It's that kind of attitude that won't win him back. Tell me, Hermione, do you still love him?”

She looked up at Ginny, feeling absolutely empty inside. “I had ceased loving Harry Potter the day that he died and I began to hate him the day he came back.”

“Then why did you agree to do this?” asked Ginny, raising her eyebrows.

Hermione though about this for a moment and then said, “Because I'm a pride-sucking idiot who can't see what is worse for her own good.”

Ginny laughed. “I don't think that's it.”

“Then what is it?” asked Hermione.

“I think you're still in love with him.”

“And Luna still thinks that the Ministry has an army of heliopaths, but that's not entirely true either.”

“Hermione - “ she protested.

“Look, we've been over this before, Ginny. Nothing - and I mean nothing - will make me feel that way about him again!” she said, pulling her legs up onto the couch and covering them with a blanket as she summoned herself a butterbeer with her wand.

“You are such a hopeless case,” said Ginny, exasperated.

“Better a hopeless case than a lovesick fool,” said Hermione, taking a drink from her bottle.

Ginny watched Hermione for a minute and then said, “Well, the others have told me to remind you that this is day one, so you technically have to go and see him.”

“Oh, so that's why you called, eh? You're their little messenger now, are you?” said Hermione.

“Of course I'm not, Hermione! Look, I'm just saying, do something, okay? You don't have that much time - “

“I have a century,” said Hermione.

“What is wrong with you!” Ginny yelled. “Hermione, this is not like you! I feel like I'm talking to a wall instead of you, I mean, come on! I know you love this man, no matter how much you try to hide it, and, you know what, it is your pride that keeps you from admitting it.”

Hermione looked up at her and said, “I think I've heard enough, Ginny” bitterly.

She looked back at her, rather hurt at the words. “Right...right...well, um...I guess I'll - I'll talk to you later, Hermione. Er...tell me - tell me how it went.”

“You and the rest of the world!” said Hermione raising her butterbeer to her, and she saw Ginny disappear in the mirror, shaking her head.

“She has no idea,” Hermione said. “She has no idea what I've been through, what he's put me through. Love him? I can't love him again. Ever. Maybe I can just tell Harry about this whole thing and he'd come along just to help, but that would be cheating. No, I'm never one to cheat. When have I even considered cheating?...Ginny's right. This isn't me. Now, I've gotta get up, pull myself together, and do something about this! I have to win Harry back no matter what and I don't care what it takes!”

Hermione put her butterbeer down on her coffee table and took off the blanket that covered her as she stood up and walked over to the table where she kept all of her paperwork. She took out a parchment and a quill, dipped it in some ink, and began to write.

Dear Harry,

I am so lost right now. I do not know what has gotten into me. I really need you. I'm sorry for the way that I have been acting toward you lately and, well, most of the time anyway. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I don't think I can say that enough. You have been such a great friend to me for so many years and I have just been wasting away our friendship, which is the opposite of what I should be doing. If you can ever forgive me, look me up. If not, well, I would perfectly understand.

Love from,

Hermione

She read over the letter and felt as if every word had come out so naturally that she didn't feel as if she needed to fix a thing. She didn't even know where that had come from, but she held the letter tightly to her chest before placing it in an envelope and tying it to her owl, sending her out the window to find him as soon as possible.

But what if he decided not to forgive her? What if this didn't work? She needed to see him. Yes, that was it. Hermione grabbed her cloak and Dissaperated from the building.

***

Harry had just arrived minutes before to his flat. It was a great apartment that he very much admired since it was right next to the ocean and on about the hundredth floor.

He took off his cloak and went to wash his hands just to pass by the balcony and see that it was raining.

Every time it rained it reminded him of that dreadful day. One of the two most dreadful days in his life. The first was when he heard Hermione tell him that she loved him and he had to turn her down, and the second was when he told her how he felt and she walked out of his life forever. Not that he still didn't see Hermione every so often, but their conversations were so limited that is was as if he never knew her at all.

If he could only have another chance...he would set things right. He would tell her he loved her and would never even go back on his word. And it was not that he did not feel that way. Harry had loved her forever and had not stopped, but it's not like that made any difference. Hermione hated him and he knew it. No matter how much he had considered going up to her flat and knocking on her door, telling her that all he wanted to do was spend the rest of his life with her, he knew that she would slam the door in his face. And he deserved it. After what he had said and done to her, he deserved every bit of it.

Just then, he could have sworn that he heard a soft knock on his own door. He hesitated, shaking his head awake, thinking that it was probably just his imagination. Harry had just began to walk away as there it came again. The soft knock.

He turned around and slowly approached his door. As he opened it, he felt his jaw loosen slightly as he saw a very wet Hermione standing there in what was almost a puddle and meekly smiling at him.

“Hi,” she said, breathlessly.

“Hi,” said Harry, his mouth still slightly agape.

“Er...” said Hermione, “you know, I have no idea what I'm doing here. I was just...walking and I thought I'd, you know, drop by. I should...probably go...”

“No!” said Harry, reaching a hand out to her as she turned to leave. She raised her eyebrow.

“I mean...you should - you should stay,” he said.

“Really?” said Hermione, smiling.

“Definitely,” said Harry, nodding his head and standing aside so that she could walk in.

Hermione grinned and stepped into Harry's apartment, looking around as she was intrigued by how tall the ceiling was, since she had never really had the chance to see it. She had absolutely refused to come when he had invited her and everyone else just as he had bought the place.

“This place is nice,” Hermione said to him. “It reminds me of something, I just can't remember what....”

“Probably Hogwarts,” said Harry, taking her wet cloak off her and hanging it on the coat rack with his wand. “That's why I decided to buy it. It sort of reminded me of the Gryffindor common room.”

“Oh,” said Hermione. “Yeah, I guess it sort of does.”

There was an awkward silence as Harry waited while Hermione kept looking around.

“Harry - “

“Hermione - “

They had both spoken at the same time and smiled to themselves. “You first,” said Harry.

“Harry, you know, I don't even have any idea why I'm here. It's just that...I miss what we used to have. I miss our friendship...and I want it back...”

Harry's smile slightly fell. She wanted to be friends again. But...nothing more.

“Right,” said Harry, grinning. “I...I think so too.”

“You do?” said Hermione, looking pleased.

“Yeah, I mean, it's been pretty crazy what we've been putting ourselves through all because of - well - “

“Yeah,” said Hermione quickly, looking away. She walked over and sat on his couch, patting the cushion next to her so that he would too sit down. Harry walked over and took the seat.

“Did you get my letter, by any chance?” Hermione asked, wrapping her arms around her, still slightly wet from the rain.

“No, I - I haven't had the chance to check my mail - are you cold?”

“Er - “

“I'm being stupid,” said Harry. “Of course you are, you're wet. Hold on just a minute - “

Harry summoned a warm blanket and wrapped it around Hermione.

“There,” he said. “Better?”

“Better than ever,” Hermione whispered. There was a quick moment where both of them stared into each other's eyes and then looked away as Hermione tightened the blanket around her and sniffed.

“Now, let me get that letter - “ said Harry.

“Oh, no, Harry, I'd rather you - “ said Hermione, but he had already gotten up and walked over to where she guessed his owl post regularly arrived and picked up the letters. Hermione fumbled with the blanket as she watched him pick one out that she guessed was from herself and read it intensely. Hermione bit her lip as she watched his mouth slightly open while reading the letter as he walked back to sit on the same spot on the couch. He finished reading and finally looked up at her.

“Do you - d'you really mean this?”

“Every word,” said Hermione.

Harry looked at her, uncertain. “I don't get it, one day, on the train, you don't want to speak to me, and then the next you -“

“It's like I said, Harry,” said Hermione gently. “I'm sick of us being like this and I'm sorry. I am just so sorry because it shouldn't be this way. It just has been, what, five years that we've been this way toward each other?”

“Five years, seven months, and ten days,” said Harry quietly.

“What?” said Hermione.

“Er, nothing,” said Harry, who put the letter down on the table and looked at her. “So you need me, huh?” he said, grinning

Hermione laughed. “Well, some of the time. I mean, you are still Harry and there's a plenty lot of things that I find rather excessive about you sometimes.”

“Like what?” he said.

Hermione grinned. “Well,” she said, tilting he head to the side, “like the fact that you have the tendency of choosing Quidditch over a civilized conversation, or the fact that you hate to lose no matter what, or the number of women that hang on to you every day of the week, or - “

“All right, Miss Smarty pants, I think we've heard enough. What about you? You're not that innocent nor perfect either.”

“And that's a bad thing?” said Hermione, smirking.

Harry laughed. “All right, all right, all right. I get it. You came here to pester me, did you?”

“No, actually, I came to ask you something,” said Hermione.

Harry gave a quizzical look. “Shoot.”

“Ginny was going to go to Ireland to look for that caterer and Luna was going to Prussia soon with Ron so I'd really have no one to hang out with for the next, what, ten days? You think it'd be all right if I hang with you?” she said sweetly.

Harry looked at her, surprised. “Well...yeah...that'd be fine, I mean, Neville and Ron, actually, will be with them, so yeah. Yeah, that's...great actually. I guess we won't be all by our lonesome selves after all.”

“I guess not,” said Hermione, smiling. She tightened the blanket around her and turned her head to Harry once more. “Do you - Harry, do you - I know this is a stupid question, but do you ever...still, you know - think about that - that day when I - when I told you - ?“

“The day I told you that I loved you?” said Harry morbidly.

“Yeah,” said Hermione, feeling a lump in her throat.

“All the time,” said Harry truthfully, looking at the fireplace.

“You - you do?” said Hermione, nervously.

“Yeah, I do,” Harry whispered.

“Oh,” said Hermione. She seemed satisfied with the answer, and yet there was something that was really bothering her about it.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

Harry looked at her. “So am I,” he said.

Hermione smiled tentatively and suddenly sprang up. “You know, I think I'd better go. I, er - you probably have things to do and I'm just taking up your time - “

“Hermione, you know that you could never take up my time,” said Harry, standing up after her, “and even if you did, I'd prefer it to anything else.”

“Anything?” said Hermione, grinning.

“Just about,” said Harry with a smile.

“Did you want to have dinner, then?” said Hermione. “I'm kind of hungry seeing as I didn't have lunch.”

“Sounds great,” said Harry enthusiastically. “My treat?”

“I was hoping it would be,” said Hermione, smiling.

Harry looked at Hermione and then asked, “Er, are you dried off and everything?”

“Yeah, yeah I'm fine,” said Hermione, beaming.

“All right, then, where d'you wanna go?”

“Well, I was thinking we'd go someplace simple, so - “

“What, is this like a date?” said Harry, laughing.

“I prefer to call it a friendship reunion,” said Hermione.

“Whatever floats your boat,” said Harry. “So where to?”

“Well,” said Hermione. “How about we head down to the Bucking Broom and grab something there?”

“Whatever you wish,” said Harry, opening the door. “Oh, I almost forgot - we can Apparate.”

“You always did have your wits about you, Harry.”

Harry and Hermione both laughed and, within seconds, Apparated in the restaurant.

“Oh, it has been so long since I've been here,” said Hermione, taking in the smell of the firewisky, spices, and fried food.

“Yeah, me too,” said Harry in a small voice.

“Liar,” Hermione accused him, smiling. “You've probably been here about ten times in the past several weeks.”

“All right, so maybe I've gone here a couple of times, but not that much, I swear!” said Harry as they made their way toward a table and Harry pulled a chair out for Hermione.

“You really are a ladies' man, aren't you, Potter?” she said as she took her seat.

“Well, I try,” said Harry, grinning.

Hermione laughed. “So, Hermione, you've been asking me questions all night. Mind if I ask you some this time?”

“Sure,” said Hermione, sounding curios.

“All right,” said Harry, scooting up his chair to the table. “When was the last time you were in love?”

Hermione's grin fell. “Oh...uh...well,” she said. “I - you know, it just, it's hard to...tell...”

“Yeah, I know. Stupid question,” said Harry.

“No, it's not,” Hermione said quickly, reaching across the table and taking his hand. “It's not - it's - I just...don't know.”

“Yeah...yeah, me neither,” said Harry, staring at her hand, which was gently placed on top of his own. For some reason, he felt as if it gave off a certain heat that was only so comforting that it made the temperature of his own feel just right.

Hermione saw that Harry was staring at her hand which was on top of his own, and slowly removed it.

She smiled as he met her eye and said, “We should probably order our food.”

“Yeah,” said Harry in a low whisper. He was just realizing how beautiful she looked that night. She wasn't wearing any make up and her hair was slightly frizzy from being wet from the rain, but the way that the light hit her just as she was sitting across the table from Harry made it absolutely perfect.

“Harry?” she asked, looking curios, “Aren't you listening? What did you want to eat and drink?”

“Oh, right,” said Harry. “Er, I'll have a butterbeer and...a steak, probably.”

“All right,” said Hermione, who's food was already on her plate. Moment's later, Harry's food appeared on his plate as well.

“So what have you bee up to for a while?” she asked him, breaking her bread and buttering it.

“Well,” said Harry, “I have been in the Auror's watch, as you know. Recently, I needed to clear some things up in a conflict with some Muggles. I believe the reign of the Death Eaters hadn't stopped with Voldemort and, you know, they now call themselves the Reform of Death. Kind of pathetic if you think about it.”

“I do know that much,” said Hermione. “But, I mean, what's been happening with your life?”

“Just about the same thing that has been happening with yours, which is nothing,” said Harry, looking at her.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. “You really think nothing has happened in my life?”

“Well?”

“I'll just tell you, Potter, that you don't know me half of the way you think you do,” said Hermione.

“Then I suppose that this is precisely the reason that we're taking this time to find out,” Harry said and began to cut his steak.

After Harry and Hermione had finished eating their food and having a rather lengthy conversation that they had been lacking for a long while, they walked back to Hermione's place instead of Apparating so that they would have the chance to talk a bit more and have a chance to get out in the night air.

As they reached the door to her apartment, Harry and Hermione stopped and turned to face each other so that they could say good night.

“That was really fun,” said Hermione. “I missed that.”

“So did I,” said Harry, looking into her eyes, which were shinning.

She still loves me...

Harry watched as Hermione's eyes closed slowly and his followed suit.

He was leaning closer and closer until he could feel her breath on his face and he couldn't remember ever feeling so dizzy in his life when he suddenly rmembered something that hit him like a bludger. I dunno, mate, sounds pretty risky. You know those two, they've never lost to anything.

Harry immediately turned his head toward her ear and whispered, “Good night, Hermione.”

She revealed a questioning look at him as he drew back, but all he did was smile.

Hermione felt like kicking Harry. She was right there! She could have kissed him! She would have kissed him but - urgh! What was that?

“Good night, Harry,” said Hermione and walked inside her appartment.

Harry watched the door close and felt his leg twitch angrily to hit the wall. Nine more days? That was day one and he nearly cracked. Harry turned to leave, reminding himself that he had to be more careful. Hermione was his friend and it had to stay that way. He just hoped that he had a good explanation for what almost happened between the two of them.

Inside her appartment, Hermione smiled to herself. “So we didn't kiss. Big deal! This is only the first day, after all. He'll be back in love with me before I even know it!”

She walked over to the mirror that resided on her wall and watched her reflection, which seemed both very tiered and confused. “But then,” she thought, “what would that make me?”

***

Back at his flat, Harry walked over to pick up the blanket which Hermione had used to warm herself when she had been soaked from the rain. Harry lifted it from the cushion and smelled the sweet scent that it had captured and suddenly reminded himself to snap out of it when he realized something. The coat which humg on his coat rack was not his own, but Hermione's, which meant that she must have put his on by accident when they were leaving, which also meant that she had possesion of the Quidditch finals tickets.

“Oh, no,” said Harry. He had promised to give Luna back the tickets that morning since her and Ron were leaving to Prussia, but were still going to Apparate over to the stadium the night of the game. Which meant that he had to remind himself to call Hermione extra early the next morning so that she would remember to grab the four tickets for him.

“I just have to control myself for a few days. No problem,” Harry said to himself, remembering the past couple of hours and sinking his face into his hands.

***

“Looks like I'm going to need to take things up a notch,” said Hermione, holding the tickets I one hand and tapping them against the other.

A/N: For those of you who have not yet watched the movie, and for those of you who have, it's good to refresh your memories. On the first date, it seems as if everything pretty much goes by plan for both of them. They both think that they'll be able to pull off whatever they're scheming and...it sort of goes downhill from there.

And another thing that I wanted to make sure to clear up was that Hermione doesn't really believe that she has feelings for Harry yet. So far, she's just in this to get him into a relationship with her and bring him to the wedding. So, yeah, she is using him, but that would be understandable considering the fact that she is still a bit angry for what he did to her.

-->

4. Day 2: The Game (Part 1)

A/N: I feel as if I must apologize for not updating for such a while, but my hardrive recently crashed and this entire chapter got lost along with the rest of my files, so I had to write it all over, although I must say that I rather favor this draft over the previous. In order to spare you some time and because of my late update, I've decided to split day 2 into two chapters so that you guys don't kill me. However, perhaps it may even be better this way since the chapter would have been extremely long anyhow. All the same, I updated in the least so please read and review!

Chapter 4

Day 2: The Game (Part 1)

“There's just something about him that I don't quite understand, but I swear, if I'm up to it, you know I'll dig deep enough to uncover whatever Harry Potter has become. But honestly - what's up with you?”

Hermione stared at Ginny as she looked at her through an enchanted crystal ball that had recently been invented for the wizarding world's more advanced communication purposes.

The red-haired woman that looked back at her seemed uncertain, worried, and, what's even more, somewhat bluntly panicked.

“Gin, are you okay?” Hermione asked her, placing her piece of toast on a plate that resided on the coffee table.

Ginny sighed, looking at her rather pathetically and said, “Herms, there's something you have to know - this thing that you're doing....the bet....I don't think it's going to work out...I - “

“Hold that though, Ginny,” said Hermione, who had not been listening to a word that she was saying and got up to pick up her telephone, which was now loudly shouting, “Pick up the phone! Don't you hear the damn thing, it's enough to wake up the bloody neighborhood! You honestly are a deaf one, aren't y- “

“Stupid phone! I should have never let Fred and George talk me into buying it from them - Hello?” said Hermione into the receiver just as she grabbed the phone, only to hear a very familiar voice on the other line belonging to none other than her best friend.

“Hi,” he said briefly.

Hermione smiled to herself and said, “You know, for two friends who have just renewed their relations, we should probably make our greetings somewhat more interesting. How about, from now on, whenever we talk to each other, we say, `Hi Hermione, how've you been? What's new with your life?'”

Harry laughed at the comment as Hermione grinned into the phone and said, “All right, I admit that was pretty lame, but you can't blame a guy for trying.”

“To say `hi?'” Hermione laughed.

“Something like that,” said Harry more seriously.

Hermione smirked to herself and said, “All right then, what exactly is it?”

“You know that cloak that you wore home yesterday?”

“No,” said Hermione, trying to sound clueless. “Something wrong with it?”

“Well, it - “

“Oh, you're right!” said Hermione sarcastically. “I almost forgot about that. You must
be dying to get the thing back what with all the papers, keys, and the...Quidditch final tickets! You must really be missing it, I bet! Either that, or you really care for the raggy old -”

“Hey,” said Harry defensively, “I happen to love that coat, and I do need those tickets back as well.”

“But you won't mind if I keep them for a while, Harry, after all, you don't expect me to believe that you didn't put the wrong coat on me on purpose, do you? I mean, you just had to invite me to that game, didn't you? And how did you know I'd agree?”

There was an awkward silence on Harry's part as Hermione laughed to herself and he finally said, “I, er, didn't.”

“And is that the kind of attitude that's going to persuade someone - “

“Actually, Hermione,” said Harry suddenly, “I wasn't...planning on going in the first place. The coat thing...it...really was an accident.”

For a fragment of a moment Hermione felt somewhat hurt by the remark but then shrugged of the feeling and reminded herself that this was precisely what she had to be ready for. If Harry wanted to be friends, then fine, so it would be, but no rules said that it had to remain that way for too long, and as soon as she had him within a zone close enough to reel in, she would take full opportunity of the chance and she knew that she'd have him at her feet.

“There's no way that I'm buying that, Harry. I don't care what's gotten into you sick little mind, but I know that you wouldn't miss a game like this for anything, so don't expect me to think anything of it. However, I will play along and pass you the tickets if you agree to meet me for coffee at the Leaky Cauldron this morning.”

There was another pause as Hermione knew that he was considering it, yet could not turn down the offer and then replied, “All right then. Eight o'clock?”

“Sounds good to me, I was just heading out anyway,” she said sweetly, looking down at her pajamas and acknowledging the fact that this definitely wasn't so.

“See you there?”

“You can count on it,” she replied, winking to Ginny, who was staring at her with a concerned expression.

“Bye, then,” said Harry, his voice now suddenly more relaxed.

“Goodbye, Mr. Potter,” said Hermione in a sing-song voice and put down the phone.

Turning around, she saw Ginny bitting her lip.

“Well, it's settled then - what is wrong, Ginny?”

She sighed even more heavily and replied, “Nothing,” as if dreading the very word.

“Are you sure? Because if you've had a fight with Neville or something's not working out with the wedding, you know I'm the first person to - “

“No, no, it's nothing of the sort,” said Ginny quickly. “It's just that - I have to go, Herms. And...by the way, Jean wants to see you at lunch pronto. Apparently so do the three who dare not call themselves virgins.”

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, sitting down, and said, “What d'you think they want?”

“Judging by the sound of it, I'm guessing an update on how it went with Harry,” said Ginny, shaking her head. “But I really have to go, Herms, tell me what happens later, though - “

“You can count on it - “

“I'm sorry about this, Hermione. Forgive me,” she said rather miserably.

Hermione raised her eyebrow and said, “You haven't - “

But Ginny had already disappeared from the crystal ball and Hermione found herself not only wondering what she was going to wear, but what Ginny was hiding from her.

***

“I couldn't tell her!” said Ginny as she stormed into the hotel room and found Neville unpacking some more of their things.

“Couldn't tell her?”

“No! I just couldn't!” said Ginny dramatically and plopped herself on the bed, sinking her face into her hands. “She's going to kill me if she ever finds out.”

“Ginny, this isn't your fault,” said Neville comfortingly, gently placing his arm on her shoulders.

“No, it's all Fred and George's faults! They're the ones that had to settle on the stupid bet! They are both such prats! What I wouldn't give if I'd have accidentally spilled the rat poison on the both of them instead of dropping a bottle of humor elixir when I was five. Oooh, it would have done them a lot of good!”

“Exactly, so it's not your fault, Gin. I already told you, we tried to convince him from not going through with it, but Harry was really determined. He was actually the one that started the whole thing.”

“Then it's all his fault too!” said Ginny as if finding the resolution and folding her arms stubbornly just as Neville patted her arm.

“Oh, what am I saying! Poor Harry! She'll drive him half insane! I know I've blamed him for a lot, but I also know that this hasn't been the easiest on either of them. What have we done?” she whined, cradling her head in Neville's shoulder as he pulled her into a hug.

“Gin, relax - “

“All right, I will, but what will we do?!”

“Nothing yet - “

“Nothing?!”

“Let's wait and see where this goes shall we?”

Ginny drew away from him and stared into his eyes with an uncertain expression.

Neville exchange a knowing look and said, “Let's just see where the wind blows them. Perhaps this can turn out to be a positive thing for them after all. I mean, just look at them, they're properly talking to each other for the first time in years, and they're spending time together when they actually getting along - “

“But you don't understand,” said Ginny, sniffing and shaking her head, “Hermione's only pretending. She's been horrible, really. If only you heard the things she says behind his back. I'm not so sure she can love him again. I mean, all this time I thought she still did, but not anymore. She's looking for revenge, not companionship.”

“I think you don't have much faith in them, Gin, but if things get out of hand, I promise we'll both step in and do something about it. We both know that they belong together, so there'd be nothing wrong with nudging that a bit, would there?”

Ginny smiled slightly and said, “No, I suppose not.”

“There's my girl.”

“I just hope that it's rather sooner than later...”

***

“I can't understand what's gotten into her!” Harry told Ron, whose head was floating in his fireplace, while pacing up and down the living room.

“You know Hermione can have her mental mood swings. You just can't let her have the better of you. D'you know what I mean? You know her - “

“No, no, I don't,” said Harry, stopping and facing him. “I thought I did, but...not anymore. She's changed, Ron. And something really strange is going on.”

“Oh, please,” said Ron, rolling his eyes. “She's probably just havening one of her moments. Hermione hasn't changed a bit. It's only her stupid ranting about having changed that sound abnormal - “

“Yeah, you say that, but you weren't there last night. And now she wants to go to the game with us. A day ago she wouldn't be seen with me in public! Yet now it's...different. Now she's being nice, and flirty, and somehow absolutely strange - “

“Uh-oh,” said Ron, raising his eyebrows.

“What?” said Harry, looking at him.

“Flirty? Just how flirty, Harry? You know you have a bet to win? And judging by Fred and George's usual, I'm telling you, you haven't heard - “

“Damn it, Ron, I don't care about the stupid bet! I care about her!”

Ron sighed and looked at him, a simple smile occupying his face. “You still love her, then?”

Harry felt a horrible pang at the back of his throat and somewhere at the bottom of his stomach, but still replied, “Yeah...yeah, I do. More than ever.”

“Then what's the problem?” he asked.

“Us,” said Harry. “Her and I - we're on horrible terms.”

“Not anymore you're not,” Ron corrected him.

“Something's going on with her, Ron, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it as sure as I would die for her.”

“Would you tell her about it, then?” said Ron, scowling.

“I...don't know,” said Harry, looking away.

“Well...Harry, if you love her...you know, you should...”

“Yeah...I know...I should've...”

There was a pause as Harry looked out his window and Ron suddenly changed his tone and said, “But, hey, mate, you just do what you gotta do, and if you love her, and she loves you, there's no way that she won't understand. So, listen, I'll see you tonight, but stay off the ladies, okay?”

“You don't have to worry about that, Ron, I've got it covered.”

“Oh, but, by the way, if she tries any more of that flirty stuff on you, just do some of the things that drives girls away.”

“Beg pardon?” said Harry, raising his eyebrow.

“You know, like taking on a very boring subject or...talking about all the misery that you've had in your life and getting to upset to go on with the night or...when there's physical contact, just get all tense and - “

“What am I, freaking gay?”

“Course not, but if you don't want me to go on - “

“Please, spare us the irony!”

“Fine,” Ron sniffed. “I was only trying to help you out, mate.”

“Yeah...see you later, Ron,” said Harry just as he saw his head nod and disappear with a `pop' in the fireplace.

Harry glanced at his watched and, sighing, grabbed Hermione's coat, Disapperating to the diner.

***

As soon as had Harry appeared the restaurant, he heard Hermione calling over to him from a small table at which she sat sipping from her cup.

Harry caught her eye and grinned at her, memorized at how much more beautiful she had somehow appeared to him recently every time he saw her.

Just as he was making his way over to the table, he passed a lady that caught his eye and he felt his arm being tugged as he proceeded so that he had to turn and face her. She looked extremely familiar, but he just couldn't put his finger on who she was.

“Hey, Harry, long time no see,” she said seductively.

“Er, right. Hi,” said Harry, looking to Hermione, but the woman pulled at him once more and said, “You haven't called me in a real long time, you know. I didn't know that you were with someone else now,” glancing icily at Hermione.

“Oh, no,” said Harry, shaking his head. “I'm not with her, she's my best friend.”

“I see,” the woman said, smiling warmly. “Well, if you ever get the chance, look me up, Harry,” she said and began to walk away.

It suddenly dawned upon him that in no chance was he going to remember who she was and so he called to her, “I'm sorry, what's your name again?”

The woman looked as if he had just slapped her and furiously yelled, “It's Charlotte, you idiot!” turning her heel and walking in the direction opposite of him.

Harry knew that his face was burning as he heard Hermione giggling behind him at her table and he turned around slowly with his head down, walking toward her table and sitting opposite her.

Still laughing, she said, “Does this happen often?”

“You have no idea,” said Harry, shaking his head.

He looked up at her and noticed that she was watching him adoringly, as if waiting for him to say something.

He looked down at the tall cup that was in her hands and said, “I see you got your coffee already.”

“Oh, no, it's a milkshake. I hate coffee.”

Harry raised his eyebrow, frowning, and said, “I thought you hated milk shakes.”

“Things change,” said Hermione humbly, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, aren't you going to order?”

Harry took his eyes off her for a moment and suddenly remembered that he simply sat there dumbfounded and said, “I'll have my usual.”

As soon as his coffee appeared on the table within moments, Hermione took in the scent, closing her eyes and opening them once more, and said, “Wow, that smells really good. What's in it?”

Harry blinked. Hadn't she just said that she hated coffee? But then she...what?

Harry took hold of his cup nervously as he watched Hermione follow the sent and move her chair over so that she could be closer to him.

“Erm...two spoons of sugar, some lemon, honey, and - “

“I thought that's how you liked your tea?” said Hermione, puzzled.

“Right,” Harry said, waking himself up and taking a sip. “I meant to say two spoons of sugar, a drop of vanilla, and whipped cream.”

“Mmm,” said Hermione, now sitting only several inches away from him. “Sounds perfect,” she whispered.

“Maybe,” said Harry in a high-pitched tone and cleared his throat. “Maybe,” he repeated in a deeper voice, bringing the cup back up for another sip as he noticed that it began shaking within his grasp and slightly rattling against his teeth.

Hermione make a small chuckle and her attention returned to her drink as she began to stir it.

“You know what I would like, Harry?” she said, looking up at him.

His eyes traveled to her face and he lowered the cup, saying, “What's that?”

“To finally settle down.”

Harry chocked.

“I mean it just seems as if I've been wondering around aimlessly for...ever, don't you think?” she said, wrapping her arms around herself and slightly shrugging her shoulders.

Harry cleared his throat once more, this time from having some whipped cream travel down the wrong part of his throat.

“I mean, if I could just find that special someone! Oh my - “

Hermione had unwrapped her hands so violently in exclamation of what she was saying that the entire milkshake went flying off the table and onto Harry's clothes.

“Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, Harry!” Hermione screamed, bitting down on her lip.

“That's all right, don't worry about it,” said Harry, reaching for his wand, but she had already grabbed a napkin and began wiping off Harry's shirt and pants, at which she saw him turning an unnatural red color from the corner of her eye.

“Um, Hermione?” he finally croaked.

“Yeah?” she said briskly, looking up at him, holding a stained napkin.

She noticed that he was looking in a different direction and she followed his gaze toward an elderly waitress that was standing above them with her eyebrow raised.

“Is everything all right here?”

“Oh, yes,” said Hermione, going pink. “It's just that this spilled and - “

Harry quickly pulled out his wand and cleaned the mess in the matter of a wave.

The waitress sniffed and said, “Muggles,” walking away from their table.

Hermione sat up properly, still slightly pink, and placed the napkin back on the table.

“Sorry about that, Harry,” she said innocently.

“Anytime,” he replied, “I - I mean, no problem.”

This time it was difficult for her to fight back a smile, but she did so nevertheless and knew that she was getting very obvious, yet it was extremely entertaining all the same. After all, Harry would figure out what was going on soon enough, if he hadn't already, and if he was still in love with her in the way that she had believed him to be, then all she had to do is let him do the rest. She wouldn't even have to do any more confessions or anything of the sort. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she even felt anything extremely strong for Harry. He was her friend and always will be. So she had loved him once...that...had been a long and dreadful time ago...

“So you're sure you want to go to the game then?” said Harry.

“Yeah,” said Hermione as they exchanged coats, exiting the Leaky Cauldron.

Hermione stared at the ground for a while and waited for him to say something.

“I'll, er, see you later then, I suppose,” said Harry.

“Yes, later,” said Hermione, looking up at him and smiling.

For a moment frozen in time, she half-expected something to happen as she stared into his glistening eyes, yet when nothing did, she smiled once more, nodded, and turned to leave, wishing him goodbye.

Taking once last glimpse at him before Disapperating and hugging her cloak, Hermione couldn't help but feel as if an old part of her was returning along with Harry, and she had missed it somewhat of a great deal.

A/N: I understand that this is only an introduction to day 2, but believe me, I will bring about the conclusion in part 2. In the mean while, please review!

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