Alright all the Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowlings, except for the plot, Zara, Jewel, Enrique, Jasmine, Ulrich, Torrin, Alina,, Leelee, Kai, Finley and Orvin. Those are mine. So please don't sue me because I don't have anything
Chapter 9 -- Fifth Year Reminiscing, Scandalous Hermione?
"How many minutes till midnight?" Cho asked with a smile.
Harry lifted up his wrist, "about fifteen." He turned, looking at her. He saw Hermione come outside talking with Ginny. He saw her wave with a smile and he waved back.
Cho turned to see what he was waving at, she narrowed her eyes in his friend's direction, she did not like that girl at all. She felt a bit relieved when Ron came up and started talking to the two girls.
Ginny smiled and left Hermione to talk with her brother.
Ron and Hermione walked over to where Harry and Cho were sitting, "hey you two." Ron nodded with a smile.
Cho smiled trying to control her anger when she looked at Hermione, how I hate you She thought to herself. "So what brings you two out here? The party is inside." She said to Hermione.
"I know that party is inside it was just getting too stuffy, we needed some air." Hermione replied.
"Well I didn't think that you would find anything worth while doing here, um. I can't ever seem to remember your name." Cho smirked up at Hermione.
"I have no problem remembering yours," it reminds me of dog food Hermione thought to herself with a smirk creeping across her face as well.
"Well I see you didn't bring a date to the party."
"Actually I came with Ron." She smiled patting him on the shoulder.
"Oh that's right, well I mean since you're doing him you might as well show up in public with him." Cho grinned feeling she had cut her down. She heard Ron cough and Harry warning her to stop it.
Hermione folded her hands in front of her looking down at Cho not even phased by what she said, "oh Cho how funny you think you are. I happen to know you started those very interesting rumors about me since you are a big gossip. And I know why you did," Hermione leaned down close to her ear so that only Cho could hear her, "In those rumors you started you have me also sleeping with Harry, and you must really think that's true. You are intimidated by the fact that I have a better, stronger friendship with him then you will ever have." She stood up straight, "I would advise you not starting any more rumors about me, it could blow up in your face."
Cho's glare was downright evil as she saw the smug look on Hermione's face, knowing that she was probably right. She watched with pure hate as Hermione and Ron walked away from her and sat down on the next bench available.
Harry looked at Cho with disappointment, "Cho can't you at least try to get along with Hermione?"
Cho just ignored him and looked out at the stars. She heard Ron start a conversation with Hermione.
"So now that you and Justin have parted ways, you have no one to give that famed New Years kiss to."
Hermione turned and looked at him, "Yep, it sure looks that way."
Ron thought a moment, "you know there's always me." He smiled.
A loud cough came from within her, she tried to cover it up with laughter. "What, Ron are you serious?" She looked away.
"Yes," He was offended, "well it's not entirely a disgusting thought is it? I mean we have been friends awhile and you don't have anyone, and I don't have anyone. And it would only be this once since it is New Years."
She turned and looked at him "well, alright. I don't see why not."
Cho lifted Harry's wrist and looked at his watch, she tapped him on the shoulder and he looked down at her, "it's almost time. If you want we can start a little early."
Harry smiled, his arms went around her and he pulled her close. He had been waiting all day to kiss her, she never let him in public. He wondered what was up with that. But it didn't matter he would get to do it now. His lips came down against hers, her mouth was soft and gentle as she opened it slightly. It was as if she didn't want to put all her heart into it. If she had feelings for him then why didn't she want to express them when there were other people around? Feeling slightly board Harry couldn't resist the urge to open his eyes. He did. Still kissing her Harry saw a sight that made him feel ill. He broke the kiss and simply held her watching his other two friends. He was going to loose his dinner and whatever else he might have eaten that night.
Hermione felt Ron's hands intertwined in her hair, her mouth was pressed up against his opened and receiving him, she was surprised his mouth was warm and firm. Their tongues tested, deepening. But she felt no passion like she had with Justin, probably because she never even wanted to kiss Ron at all. It isn't a bad kiss, it's actually quite nice. It's not rushed or frantic, but calm and soothing. He is very good at this. Her mind said. But she still didn't ever want to do it with him again.
Ron almost forgot it was Hermione he was kissing, but he didn't. His mind told him that although he was getting much pleasure from her kiss there was no heat between them, no desire. This was all right because he really didn't want anything more than friendship from her. He was getting over his curiosity about her, and without even realizing it Hermione helped him.
Hermione pulled away looking at him, "well I can honestly say that I felt nothing in that, how about you?"
"That's what I was thinking too." Ron smiled briefly.
"Now don't let this go to your head. But you are going to make a woman very happy one day, you have one gifted mouth." She praised.
"I thought you felt nothing?" He smirked.
"Hey I still know when someone is a good kisser or not, even if it is you." She grinned, getting to her feet.
"I take that as a compliment, I think?" He smiled up at her and she turned around to walk back into the party.
Cho pulled out of Harry's arms looking up at him, he was looking down at her but there wasn't that happy expression he usually got after holding her. Instead he looked violently ill. "Harry what's the matter?"
"I'll be right back." Harry dropped his arms from around Cho. Standing he walked over to Ron.
Ron looked up at him "Hey."
"Hey." He didn't know what he was going to say, so he would start small "what were you just doing?"
"Oh you mean Herm and I, it was nothing."
"If it was nothing then why did you do it?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Harry you look like you want to rip my head of or something." He chuckled a bit.
"You shouldn't have been doing that, Hermione is not yours to play with. You really sh-" Harry was interrupted by Ron standing abruptly.
"Listen to me Harry, she wanted to. I asked her she agreed. It was just a New Years thing."
"You shouldn't have done it at all!" His clinched fists lost all color
Ron shook his head back and forth, "Why are you flipping out? It was just a meaningless kiss. I'm not going to hurt her. You don't have to protect her from me, I am not the bad guy here." Ron started to walk towards the doors into the party he stopped half way and turned back towards his friend, "Harry after you have calmed down we can talk about this some more if you want. I don't see why you would get so upset over a little thing like this?" He walked into the party.
Harry stared as Cho came up behind him. He felt her arm against his and he turned looking down at her. She was so not happy.
"Green is a horrible color on you Harry." Cho was sarcastic.
He didn't understand her meaning at all, Cho simply walked away from him into the party leaving him staring straight ahead.
****
It was New Years day as Cho sat with Harry in the library, she was so quiet it was disturbing. Harry looked at her, she appeared to want to say something. "Cho is something bothering you?"
She nodded, "yes." Cho looked him right in the eye, "I have some concerns Harry."
"Concerns about what?"
"Is there something going on between you and what's her name?"
Harry knew who she was talking about and that Cho didn't like saying Hermione's name at all. He shook his head, "no, what makes you think that there is?"
"Well it's a lot of things, like I always see you staring at her whenever she comes into any room that you are in. She always has all your attention."
"I think you're seeing things." Harry said closing his book.
"Am I?" She thought a moment, "I saw you and her during the Yule ball." Cho's eyes narrowed.
"She needed me, that's what friends do. We are there for each other."
"Yeah well you always do that, you always run after her. Half of the time you're constantly talking about her." She looked down at her fingers, "every time she gets close with someone you practically throw a fit, you are constantly angry and if I didn't know any better I would say jealous."
"Like I said you're seeing things Cho." His eyes narrowed slightly.
"No I'm not, when you saw your friend Ron kissing her last night I could have sworn you actually turned green."
"He shouldn't have been doing that." Harry immediately regretted saying that.
"And why not? It was New Years Eve. Everyone kisses someone on New Years and he even asked her. I overheard the conversation just like you did. You wanted to hurt him didn't you?"
Harry so did want to hurt his best friend, but he wasn't going to admit it, "Cho drop this, you don't know what you're talking about?"
She looked him directly in the eye, "I will never ask you about this again if you do one thing for me?"
"What?" He leaned in closer to her.
"End your friendship with her."
He leaned back in his chair in disbelief as Cho continued to speak, "Harry listen to me. If you don't end your friendship with her, we're through. I will not be second best."
Harry didn't want to loose Cho, but she was being very unreasonable. She wasn't going to tell him who he could be friends with, it wasn't her place. He didn't order her around and tell her who she could be friends with. Yet he was actually considering it. He has had the biggest crush on Cho forever it seemed, and now she was finally with him. He didn't want to give that up. At that moment Hermione walked into the library with Lavender, he couldn't help but notice her, she walked towards one of her favorite sections laughing at what Lavender had said to her. She was so involved in looking for a book.
He thought for a moment what his life would be like if Hermione was no longer in it. Harry could already feel the emptiness in the room without her around, no more laughter from her. Her smug know-it-all look she would get when she proved others wrong and herself right. Whenever she got excited about a good grade she would always jump up and down excitedly.
Looking up, Harry saw Hermione opening a book and scanning though it. She flipped through all the pages, her eyes lit up with happiness when she found what she was looking for. She started dancing around in a little circle. Lavender started laughing, "Herm, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm doing my happy dance." And she continued. Watching Hermione, Lavender almost fell over with fits of laughter.
It was true that the first smile he saw every morning was hers, and she always seemed really happy to see him except for when they had an argument, which wasn't very often. She even tried teaching him to dance and no matter how many times he stepped on her toes she never got mad or upset, she would just laugh about it paying it no mind. Besides he would always make it up to her by holding ice against her toes for her. Hermione fought mostly with Ron which was really funny to watch and listen to she was always so clever.
All that would be gone.
He looked at Cho "I'm sorry, I'm not going to do that. Hermione is my friend and I will not stop our friendship because of your jealous notions."
"So you're choosing her over me?" Cho stood, "this is really sad Harry." She leaned in closer to him. "You don't even realize it."
"Realize what?"
"If you don't know, then I'm not going to tell you." Cho turned and walked from the library.
He just stared, his mind went blank, he was just dumped by the most beautiful girl in school. He doubted he would ever get over it.
****
She decided she was going to tell him today, she just had to. Hermione rounded the corner and saw a sight so horrible that she just stared, she couldn't move. It was as if a basilisk came in and petrified her again. Ginny and Harry. Her mind shouted, no wonder she told me not to say anything to him. Yesterday they had discussed it, Ginny said to give him some more time. Cho was a big heartbreak. Hermione told her that it had been months and that Harry wasn't depressed over her anymore. And that no matter what happened, she was going to make her feelings known.
Hermione breathed in deeply, her legs able to work again. Hermione turned and walked in the other direction, she never wanted to talk or see that backstabbing little witch again.
She would not be able to handle this very well at all, she had to get away from this school and everyone in it. For a little while anyway. Hermione was relieved that spring break was less then a two and a half weeks away, if she could just submerge herself in her studies until then she would be fine. She would go home. Hermione stood in a line waiting for it to move, she picked up a quill that was sitting in pencil holder and wrote her name on the list for who was going home during that time.
****
Hermione went up to the girl's dorm and started packing up a few of her clothes and things, She heard the door open and turned to find Ginny coming in.
"Hermione you can't keep ignoring me it's been two weeks since we've talked, and we have to talk about this."
Hermione turned from Ginny and continued packing up her things, "I have nothing to say to you."
"I know you're upset-" She was cut off by Hermione turning and glaring.
"When I talked to you about what I was going to do you told me not to say anything. And now I know why. I had no idea you had a plan of your own, it was as if trying to beat me to it."
Ginny sighed, Hermione was right but she wasn't going to admit. "Look I saved you from a broken heart, you would have ruined your friendship and then things would never be the same." She said almost smugly.
"Ginny, just leave me alone." She placed her last shirt into her suitcase and closed it.
Ginny left the room and Hermione soon followed. Ginny went right down the stairs and sat down next to Harry who was reading something, Ginny looked down and smiled at him as if she were trying to make Hermione miserable.
Hermione acted like nothing was bothering her and that nothing was different as she went looking for her book, she lifted up the chair cushion that she was sitting on last night while she was reading. Her hands found her hips wondering where that blasted book was "has anyone seen my book? I left it down here last night."
"Hmm, I didn't know you read stuff like this?" Harry said his head bent over a small muggle novel which he was reading.
Hermione was caught, she did in fact read really steamy love novels and well she felt slightly embarrassed that her friend who was a guy had found it. She walked over to him and Ginny looked up at her. "Alright Harry hand it over," She held her hand out for it.
He looked up at her with a smirk, "I'm not finished with it yet."
"Yeah well neither am I, so give it up." Hermione tried to grab it from him, but he held it away from her.
Harry got to his feet, "If you want it you're gonna have to take it from me."
She reached for the book still not able to get it back.
Harry held the book behind his back "you should just give up, you're no match for me." He stuck his tongue out at her.
"Okay you asked for it." Hermione poked him in the side with her finger, "give it back."
He bent over slightly with a tiny laugh, "never."
She poked him in the side again he bent slightly trying not to laugh, "one last chance to hand it over willingly, or I'm gonna make you suffer."
Harry shook his head, "What are you going to do bore me to death?" He started backing away.
"That's it." She started towards him and he moved away only slightly faster. She moved towards him at his same speed, he broke into a small run, running backwards watching her running after him. He then turned running from her. He ran towards the exit to the common room and out of the tower, with Hermione following after him.
Ginny looked up at her brother, "why didn't he just give her book back?"
Ron shrugged, "not sure. They're always doing things like that."
"Really, how come I never noticed before?" Ginny stood and started towards the portrait hole.
"You are either asleep, or somewhere else. You never hang around us anymore, so you miss a lot."
Ginny stepped from the tower, she walked down the stairs and noticed the front doors to the school were wide open. "They went outside." A voice said coming from the great hall. Turning, Ginny found Cho Chang coming towards her,
"How do you know where they went?"
"I saw them." Cho smiled pleasantly, "your name is Ginny right?" She was friendly.
"Yes," Ginny nodded and headed out of the school standing at the top of the stairs watching Hermione chasing Harry all over the grassy lawn. She saw her finally catch him by lunging at him grabbing him by the ankles. Harry fell to the ground and before Ginny knew it Hermione was sitting on him trying to reach for her book.
Even though he was underneath her, he still held the book away from her. Hermione continued to reach for it, She was getting so close but it he would rip it from her fingers nearly a second later. Hermione looked down at him, "come on give it to me."
That one was too easy; he almost couldn't resist but he bit his lip holding back his comment "No way, it's my book now." He grinned.
Hermione started poking him with her fingers in all his ticklish spots, making him scream with uncontrollable laughter, "do you give up, huh? Or do you want more?" She said with a smirk continuing her tickling torture.
"Alright-alright, I give up." He held the book to her.
"Ha I win," She took it from his hands, getting off of him she stood up with a triumphant smile.
He looked up at her still smiling, "that was not fair." He teased.
"I told you I would make you suffer." She said smugly.
"Yeah we'll I'm gonna get you back one of these days, and you're not going to know, when or where. But I'll get you." He got to his feet.
"Uh-uh and Malfoy will become your best friend." She grinned.
Harry looked at the book in her hand and then at her "why do you read stuff like that anyway?"
She shrugged, "To get away from reality. True love like this is only in story books. It doesn't really happen" Hermione looked down at the cover of her book. "Although sometimes I wish it did."
Ginny felt strange, Harry just totally and heavily flirted with her, Ginny was staring.
"I wouldn't get too attached to him if I were you." Cho said standing behind her.
"Why not?" Ginny turned to face Cho.
"Because of her" Cho pointed towards Hermione as she saw her walking with Harry.
"What do you mean, they are just friends. Harry said so."
Cho shook her head, "yes Ginny keep telling yourself that."
"I don't know why I should listen to you? You obviously couldn't handle your relationship with him. But I started out as his friend so it'll be different with me." She said trying to sound sure of herself.
"She will always be between you and Harry, that's just the way it is. I told him to stop being friends with her, but he refused. Look you don't have to listen to me, you'll find out for yourself. And I could be wrong, you might very well keep his full attention."
"Well I'll have a week to prove that I am the only one, Hermione is going home during the holiday. So that should be enough time for me to work my magic over his heart."
"Good luck then Ginny, tell me how it pans out." Cho said with a smile and she walked back inside the school.
****
Hermione sat between Ron and Harry, Ginny on Harry's other side. She noticed that the three of them were in heavy conversation. Ginny felt like she didn't fit in here. But she had to try. "Harry are you staying for the Easter holiday?"
"Yes, I really don't want to go back to the Dursleys for them now, it will be another couple of months before I can go and stay with Sirius. Possibly by the end of summer if all goes well." He smiled briefly. "What about you?"
"Yes we all are staying this time." Ginny said with a nice smile, "well all of us except Hermione."
Harry turned his head looking at Hermione's profile, "you're going home?"
Hermione nodded turning to face him, "yes, my parents are going on their second honeymoon and they need me to watch the house for them. I was going to go home anyway so it really isn't an in convince for me. Plus I want to get a summer job, so I owled a few businesses in Diagon Alley and I have a few interviews set up for that week."
"Hmm, that sounds good." He really didn't like that idea of her going home, but oh well what could he do? He turned and looked at Ginny. He at least he had Ginny and Ron staying so he wouldn't be too lonely.
****
"Ginny, we need to stop." Harry sat up, he looked straight at the wall.
"Why?" She looked at him.
He looked down at her, "you don't think we're moving just a tad too fast, I mean it's been what three days since we started dating?"
"Not really," She glanced down at her hands, "I can understand if you don't want to."
"It's not that at all, I just feel I'm taking advantage of you. And I don't like that feeling."
"Well you're not; I mean I've liked you for a really long time, since I first met you. Doesn't that count for something?" Her gaze held his.
"It counts a lot, but this just isn't the right time. I feel it's too soon in our relationship."
Ginny smiled, "you are really considerate of a young woman's feelings aren't you Harry?"
Harry blushed.
"Can I ask you a question about Cho?"
Harry thought a moment then nodded "sure what do you want to know?"
"Were you in love with her?"
"Love?" He thought a moment, love is such a strong word one that should not be used everyday and tossed around like a baseball. "You know I don't think I did, I mean I really liked her. It was almost love I think?" He looked at Ginny.
"How do you know what love feels like? How do you know if you're in it?"
"You know I have no idea," He said completely confused by what the meaning of love was. He looked around the room over at Ron's bed and mess he had made on the dresser. It sure looked like he was looking for something important. "Hey Ginny, do you want to be a snoop?"
"What do you mean?" Ginny was unsure.
"Since you are Ron's sister you can go through his things he won't kill you for doing it. Find me something interesting to torment him with. He's always getting the last word, I want one for once."
Ginny's face lit up, "oh you want me to go through his things, and find something really juicy on him don't you?"
Harry smirked, "yes."
She couldn't resist, "alright." She got up off the bed and went over to Ron's messy dresser, she found all kinds of things, lots of inappropriate reading material which she was shocked to find, with young ladies in very steamy positions. "Ugh" she was disgusted and tossed those under the bed away from her sight. Ginny heard Harry laugh at the face she made. "I can't believe he reads those things." She looked up at Harry with suspicion. "You don't read them do you?"
"No Ginny of course not." He grinned, watching Ginny rolled her eyes and shake her head. He watched her pull another skinny drawer out, looking under a bunch of writing supplies. She found a few letters addressed to Ron, there was something familiar about that writing. They had been opened, she pulled one of the letters from its envelope. "Harry I think I found something."
Harry stood and walked over to Ginny sitting next to her on Ron's bed. "What did you find?" He saw the letter in her hand, immediately recognizing that handwriting. And he snatched the letter from Ginny's hand. The scent coming from the paper was definitely "Hermione's writing" He said out loud.
"How do you know?"
Harry looked at Ginny, "I know her handwriting anywhere, and the letter it has her scent."
"Really, I didn't even notice any smell coming from it, are you going to read it?"
"Probably not, it's to Ron so it can't be that important." He smiled.
"Then let me have it back." She plucked the letter from his hand, and she started to put it back in the envelope when a particular word caught her eye. She started reading it, half way down the letter she felt her cheeks flushing beet red.
Harry noticed her getting really flushed, "Ginny? Are you alright?"
Ginny looked up at Harry, then down at the other two letters in her lap that were from Hermione as well.
"Ginny? You're starting to worry me."
She finally snapped out of her daze. "Uh, I'll be fine in a moment." She went back to reading the letter her heart started hammering "oh great heavens." She said quietly, breathy.
But Harry heard what she said, "what?" he tried to reach for the letter but she held it away from him. "Ginny what is it?"
"These letters from Hermione are well kind of, unbelievable. I doubt she did any of this and told Ron about it."
"Did what? Let me see." He reached for it but she held it away.
"I can't let you see it, she's asking Ron why he still wants to know and why you would flip out if you ever heard what was said? But she still continues on and it's pretty-um-" She was interrupted by Harry snatching the letter roughly from Ginny's hand. "Oh please don't read that it's really none of your business."
Harry stared at the letter, those words. "What the hell!" He shouted. Harry turned to Ginny, "give me the rest of those letters please." His voice straining to keep calm, he held his hand out for them.
"I really don't think-" She was interrupted by Harry simply glaring at her.
"Ginny." He said firmly.
She sighed and handed him the last two letters, "Harry you shouldn't even be reading them, she wrote them to Ron not to you."
Ignoring her, Harry opened the second letter, it was worse than the first. "Is she out of her mind?" He looked over at Ginny. Then he scanned the letter some more.
The door opened and Ron came through he was whistling, he saw Ginny sitting on his bed and Harry reading something. "Oh man." He said. Ron walked up to Harry and snatched one of the letters from his hand glaring at him, "why are you reading my personal letters Harry?"
"Oh yeah they are personal all right, why is she telling you all of this?"
Ron looked over at his sister "Gin you should go."
"But I want to know why she's writing to you like this, this is disgusting." Ginny pointed to the letter in her brother's hand.
"I'm sorry if you don't approve Ginny, but I wanted to know."
"Why?" Harry glared.
"She had written me the first day of her spring break telling me that her neighbor finally noticed her, and that they were going to be spending time together while on vacation from school. She said some things were not going in the right direction here at Hogwarts and that Carlo was going to try and help her through them."
Ginny sucked in a breath knowing exactly what Ron was referring, "Yeah but she's letting him do all that-" She was interrupted.
"Ginny, stop okay." Harry said, "I know what the letter said I read it." He turned to Ron "This guy is just using her, you know that. You've read the letters."
"It's both ways Harry, Hermione is not the innocent in this. She's just as bad."
"No she's not, and if you were a good friend you would not say that." He crumpled the paper in his hand.
"Harry, no body is innocent when it comes down to sex." And he was going to prove it "did you get to the part where she -" The crumpled paper flew hitting Ron in the forehead.
"I read every thing you don't need to recap for me."
"Harry settle down you are blowing this way out of proportion, no pun intended of course." Ron referred to the letter that was thrown at his head.
"I don't even want to think about her doing that with him." Harry snapped.
Ron turned to his sister, "Gin I really think you should leave. Harry and I need to have this out. Some things might come out that you don't need to hear or worry about."
"Ron, Harry you guys shouldn't keep secrets from me." Ginny pleaded.
"Let her stay Ron, she wants to know, she wants to hear. And why shouldn't she?" Harry was bitter.
"Fine, why are you the only one extremely angry about this? I'm not, Ginny's not? It's not really unusual that Herm would want to be involved with someone who makes her feel nice. I mean is it? Is she wrong to want-"
"Ron, it's not wrong far from it. But she just can't go around and do those things, with-" This time Harry was interrupted.
"With someone who actually likes her?"
"No, with a guy who's just going to end up tossing her aside when she gets pregnant."
"She's not going quite that far yet, she even admitted that it probably won't be for awhile before she even gets that serious with anybody. These are just little fun games to play while she's waiting. She even said that. Did you read that part or were you just so blinded by fury. Or is it something else that you're blinded by?" Ron looked at Ginny, who looked back at him.
Harry sighed long and deep, he stared at the floor. "I just don't want her to get hurt, I hate to see that look on her face. It breaks my heart to see her in pain like that. The way she looked at the Yule Ball, it was pure torture."
Breaks his heart? Ginny thought, she so hoped Cho wasn't right. Please don't let Cho be right, please don't Cho be right. She begged her brain to stop thinking that.
"Yes Harry it breaks my heart too to see her like that, but we can't keep her sheltered from it. She's going to make friends, she's going to make lovers and she's going to make mistakes. It's just called life."
Ginny felt relief, oh good Ron has the same feelings. Well why shouldn't they? Hermione is their best friend. It would be heartless not to care about her. Ginny nodded she had nothing to worry about.
****
The portrait door swung open and Ron came inside carrying a suitcase, Hermione followed. "Geeze Herm what did you bring back with you, everything in your room?"
Hermione chuckled, "nope just the necessities."
"I was right, everything in your room."
Her eyes rolled, she saw the boys dorm room door open and Harry came out followed by Ginny. She felt sick. Spring break was over far too soon for her taste.
Harry saw her and it seemed like she had been gone longer than a week. "I thought I heard a familiar voice."
Hermione turned around looking for someone, "really, who's?"
Harry threw her a sarcastic look and walked down the stairs to her, Ginny watched from the top of the stairs. "You know it was really different around here without you."
"Really? I didn't think you would notice."
"Yeah Herm" Ron started, "there was no one to lull us into a blissful sleep when trying to listen to you explain Hogwarts a history to us."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, and let you off the hook without beating you down with my superior intellect."
Ron shook his head back and forth and continued up the stairs towards the girl's dorm.
Hermione turned slightly to find Harry staring at her, "Um, Harry what are you staring at?"
"Nothing really, it's just you look a little different?"
"I do?" She looked down at herself, "I don't see how, I've looked this way well pretty much this way for awhile now."
"Oh never mind I don't know what I was thinking."
Hermione walked up the stairs, "well I should go unpack my things now."
"Do you want some help?" Harry asked as he watched her go up the stairs.
"Well I don't really need the help, but I guess if you want to you can." She smiled and then turned and walked back up the stairs, Harry raced up after her. Hermione passed Ginny on the landing, "Ginny." Hermione greeted cold and unfriendly and went into the fifth year girl's dorm. Before Harry went into the girl's room Ginny stopped him with a gentle hand. He looked into her eyes smiling.
"Harry are we going to take that walk you promised me?"
"Yes, we can go as soon as I'm done helping Hermione."
"But she said she really doesn't need help."
"I know, but I want to. So give me ten minutes and I'll be right down."
"Okay, ten minutes." Ginny said with confident smile.
****
In the common room Lavender sat on the sofa, while Hermione was sitting on the floor brushing out her wet hair from the shower she had just taken. Yep no more bushy hair for me she thought to herself, it seemed that ever since she had grown in more ways than one, her hair seemed to settle considerably.
Lavender looked over at Hermione, "so tell me about spring break."
"There's nothing to tell." Hermione said looking back at Lavender.
"Oh yes there is, come on Herm. I won't say anything. I'm not Cho, I don't spread many rumors. I mostly just listen."
"Oh alright." Hermione stood and sat down on the floor against the sofa looking up at Lavender.
Ginny and Harry came through the portrait hole, they walked in saw Lavender braiding Hermione's hair as she was talking to her. Both of their faces seemed flushed. "Oh my Hermione, you really did that?" Lavender replied taking out the braid and then brushing Hermione's hair straight.
"I couldn't believe a person could feel that way with doing so very little." Hermione looked down at the fingers in her lap. "I mean all I did was-" She stopped in mid sentence seeing both Ginny and Harry, "I'll tell you later Lavender, okay." She whispered.
"Okay but I want a full report when you come up to bed, is that clear?" Lavender teased.
"Yes ma'am." Hermione saluted.
"Herm don't move, you'll mess up your new braids."
"Sorry." She sat still.
Ginny turned to Harry with a smile, "well I'm going up to bed now, I'll see you in the morning." She stood on her tip toes and was going to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but he turned catching it on the lips, holding her there for a moment.
After she pulled away Harry smiled down at her, "well good night then."
She started walking up the stairs, Ginny turned one last time to look at Harry. She saw him standing by Lavender talking to her.
"Lavender, why don't you let me do that for awhile." He wanted to talk to Hermione about what he had discovered.
Lavender stared, "you? Do you even know how?"
"It doesn't matter just hand me the brush and let me try, that is if it's alright with you Hermione?" He looked down as Hermione looked up at him.
Hermione shrugged, "I don't care, whatever."
"Okay then." Lavender handed Harry the brush and stood up from the sofa, Harry took Lavender's seat.
Lavender stretched up, "well I'm going to sleep, I'll catch you guys later."
"Night Lavender." She smiled.
Lavender went up the stairs and saw Ginny staring down, "Ginny, what are you doing?"
"Nothing, I was just wondering when do you know you're in love with someone?" Ginny started walking all the way up the stairs with Lavender.
"Well from my experience, I'd say when you feel love, everyone else around you always comes second. The one you love is always first on your mind when you wake up and last before you fall asleep at night. You always feel the need to protect the one you love from anything that would cause pain or suffering. There's so many things that you can describe to say if your in love or not. Why do you ask, you're not in love are you?"
"Not really I was just testing, and seeing if I was. But I have a suspicion of who very well could be." She smiled. Ginny looked down at the back of Harry's head, she could see him taking out those silly braids that lavender put in Hermione's hair. She then turned and opened the door to the fourth year girl's dorm. Lavender went into her room and closed the door behind her.
Harry brushed out those silly braids, her hair was soft and the brush glided through the strands smoothly.
Hermione's eyes closed feeling very content, Harry was sitting with her like they do every night. Nothing was different, Ginny was in bed, Ron was in bed too. She knew no matter what she did and who she was with, she would never get over him. She will be miserable for the rest of her life.
"Hermione, I don't know exactly where to start." He said.
"Start with what?" She was snapped from her daze when she heard his voice.
"Okay I'm just going to say it, I found those letters of yours to Ron."
She turned facing him, "you did?" Hermione was horrified, she felt the chunks rising up in her throat.
"I just want to know what was going through your mind, why would you do that with a person you really didn't care that much about?"
That was a fair question, "well I do care about him a little. He's been my neighbor for a long time. I was always trying to get his attention somehow. I guess it finally worked."
"Well I personally think you got a little more than just his attention."
Hermione looked to the floor, her cheeks flushing. "yeah I guess so,"
"I suppose I was shocked when having read those, which I can't believe you even wrote, and to Ron. Why did you do that?"
"Ron is a very typical guy, he wants to know anything and everything. I first wrote and said that I was going to spend time with my neighbor Carlo, he wrote back to me saying, what like dating? And I wrote back yeah I guess so." Hermione looked up at Harry, "He said well if you do date him I want to know every little thing that goes on, especially the hot stuff. So I wrote back asking you want me to tell you everything, hold nothing back? Which he said, of course. So I wrote exactly what happened in a way that would shock him senseless and that he would never ask me something so personal ever again."
"Yeah well it backfired you have Ron waiting for the next installment while having shocked me senseless."
"Sorry the letters really weren't intended for you, especially since Ron wrote saying that if you did hear about my spring break that you would flip out, I never got an answer on why he said that though."
"Well you know Ron always exaggerating." He lied hoping she couldn't tell that he was. She seemed to always know when he was telling a fib.
Hermione searched Harry's eyes for the truth, liar. She thought to herself. "Well I'm glad you accepted it like a friend would, and not jump down my throat with all that stuff you pulled with Justin, even though I admit I made a horrible mistake with Justin. Still you didn't interfere and I appreciate that." She glanced down for a moment.
"Oh believe me I wanted to interfere, but I didn't."
"And that's a good thing." She smiled.
"Did I tell you yet today that it's kinda nice having you back here? It just wasn't the same without you."
Hermione nodded, "yes I think you already said that, a few times today in fact. When I first got in, also while you were helping me unpack my things. So yes you pretty much covered the welcome back Hermione." She smiled.
Yes there was something slightly different about her, but he couldn't place his finger on it.
-"Harry, Harry are you okay?" Hearing his name being called Harry was immediately brought back to the present his fifth year memories of Hermione were gone. And she was now was standing above him waving her hand in front of his face to get his attention. He looked up at her, her brown eyes twinkling. She smiled.
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You all just knew it didn't you J, well stay tuned for Chapter 10 - Dream Away Please Read and Review thanks, Ryoko