Disclaimer: Don't own em.
Author's Notes: Takes place during the trio's 6th year at Hogwarts. This is probably just going to be a one chapter story but we'll see… As always, please review.
It was a Saturday night, in the middle of January, and all of the sixth year Gryffindor girls were fast asleep in their beds. The complete darkness of the room was disturbed, however, when the door cracked open ever so slightly, letting in some light from the hall. Crookshanks, Hermione Granger's loveable cat, came slinking in and quickly pounced on his owner's bed. He walked up to her face and began to purr against her cheek until she began to stir.
"What?" She said, very drowsily. She sat up ever so slightly and patted her cat on the head. She then realized a note attached around his collar and sat up to read it. It was from Harry. "Good boy." She whispered to her cat as she patted him on his head. She got up and walked down the stairs. She didn't bother to put anything on over her night gown. It was only Harry after all- he had seen her in it a million times at the Burrow.
She reached the top of the stairs and looked down into the common room to see Harry sitting on couch. He was gazing into the fire, but looked up when he heard her approach.
"Hey, Beautiful." He said with a smirk.
"Ooh!" Hermione said, walking down the stairs. "What are you buttering me up for?" She asked as she sat down next to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I take offense to that Hermione!" Harry told her. "All I did was to tell my best friend in the whole world that she looked beautiful! Because she does! Is that a crime, Miss Granger? Is giving compliments to those you love a crime?" Hermione smirked, but still did not believe him.
"I'm sorry." She lied as she snuggled next to him on the couch. "I guess I'm just used to Ron causing trouble all by himself!" Harry chuckled lightly and stayed silent for minute… Only a minute…
"How was your date tonight?" He asked as nonchalantly as possible.
Hermione had gone to Hogsmeade with a rather attractive seventh year in Ravenclaw. Harry couldn't for the life of him figure out what was so great about this guy… Not that he invested any time or worry into the issue. He didn't care that Hermione went on a date with some guy… As long as he treated her properly… Nope, other than that he didn't care at all…
"Harry, don't you dare!" Hermione scolded, her eyes still closed and her head still resting comfortably against his chest. "I've been spending the last few hours trying to forget about it. Don't make me start thinking about it now!"
"That bad, huh?" Hermione shrugged. It actually hadn't been that bad. Well, at least it could have been worse. It's not that anything went wrong exactly. It's just that… nothing went right, either. `He wasn't Harry.' Hermione thought. `Whoa! Where did that come from?'
"How about you and Lavender?" Hermione teased, trying to change the subject.
Lavender had liked Harry for quite a while now. So much so, in fact, that she had been driving Ginny mad talking about him all the time. So as a favor to Ginny, he agreed to take Lavender out… once! Unfortunately for Harry, Lavender kept wanting to go out again. And again. And again. And again. Harry was just too sweet a guy to say no.
"So are you two, officially an item now?" Hermione asked with a mischievous grin on her face.
"You think you're funny don't you?" Harry asked causing Hermione to laugh. "I'm in a pretty tight bind you know. I've told her I'm not interested but she just won't hear it!" Harry continued. "But I have a plan. Only thing is, I kind of need your help." He added nervously. Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head and she shot straight up.
"I knew it! I knew you were buttering me up for something." She pretended to be offended.
"My plan will fix your problem too! With that guy from Ravenclaw. You won't have to go out with him again." Harry said quickly, hoping to get Hermione on his side.
"Well, let's hear this brilliant plan of yours then." Hermione said, settling back down next to Harry…
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The next day, directly after lunch, Hermione and Harry were walking back to the common room.
"Does Ron know?" Hermione asked.
"I couldn't get him alone to talk to him." Harry replied regrettably. "But he won't be back to the common room for hours so we'll tell him about it afterwards."
"It's probably better that way." Hermione thought out loud. "He'd probably try to talk you out of it."
"He probably should."
"Hey, do you want Lavender off your case or not?" Harry sighed.
"I guess this is the only way to do it, huh?"
The pair walked through the portrait hole and into the common room. Dean, Seamus, and Neville were on the couch talking, while Lavender and Parvati shared the oversized chair by the fireplace. The two girls giggled as soon as Harry walked in. Hermione turned her back to them and rolled her eyes at Harry before sitting taking a seat in an available chair. Everyone gave their greetings, but then immediately went back to what their own conversations. Harry was sitting next to Hermione who was reading her potions book. Harry took a deep, nervous breath before putting their plan into action.
`I still can't believe Hermione agreed to this!' He thought.
"How did your date go last night?" He spoke soft enough for everyone to think it was a private conversation, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone instantly perked up their ears, waiting for her response.
"Honestly Harry!" Hermione responded in an angry tone. "Haven't we already had this discussion?"
"What are you getting so defensive about?" Harry's tone just as bitter as hers. "I was making small talk. I'll never ask about it again."
"Yes you will. Because you asked about it when I got back. And you asked about it later that night. And you asked this morning. And you asked after lunch. I don't know what your problem is Harry, but whatever it is- cut it out!" Dean, Neville, and Seamus eagerly repositioned themselves in their seats to face the pair directly, getting a good view of the fight. Lavender and Parvati seemed to lean in too.
"My problem!" Harry asked incredulously. "My caring about you is a problem?"
"Caring about me! You don't care about me! If you did, you wouldn't have let me go out with him in the first place!"
"I tried to tell you not to go out with him! And you yelled at me then too because I was being controlling!"
"You were." Hermione stated bluntly. "You really just don't get it do you? Just because you're my best friend doesn't mean you can dictate the terms of my life! Honestly Harry, this is so unlike you! When did you turn into Ron?"
"This is just like you Hermione! Every time someone tries to get close enough to care about you, you just push them away!"
"I can't push them away! You and Ron always scare people off before they get to that point." She took a deep breath before screaming out. "You are so infuriating!" She stood up in a huff.
"I'm infuriating?" Harry stood up next to her. He began to unconsciously move closer to her as he continued shouting. By now, they were both were breathing heavier than usual from all of the shouting. Their lips were just inches away from each other.
"You're the one who's infuriating!" He instantly tilted his head down and passionately kissed Hermione before she could respond. She didn't hesitate to return it. The boys stared at them dumbfounded. How come such a direct approach never worked for them? Parvati worked hard to hold in a shriek and Lavender… Lavender was mad. Sure he had mentioned once or twice that he didn't think they should get involved. That he didn't think it would work out. Still, that didn't mean he had to go around kiss other girls in front of her! One thing was for sure, Hermione's date was certainly going to hear about this! She was brought back to reality when Harry and Hermione finally broke the kiss.
`That wasn't part of the plan!' Hermione thought.
`Wish I knew what to do now!' Harry thought. They just stood there, staring at each other. The others began to look around the room, uncomfortably.
"I think we're off." Neville said, motioning to Dean and Seamus.
"Yeah we got…" Dean stumbled over his words. "We got stuff to do." At the same the time they got up, Paravti took Lavender's hand and led her away from the common room. Harry and Hermione continued to stare at each other until they were sure the others were gone.
"Well, I think it worked." Hermione breathed.
"Yeah… Yeah." Was all Harry could get out. His hands were still resting on her waist and couldn't stop gazing into her eyes. Hermione could feel herself moving even closer to Harry. She was going to kiss him now. She could feel it. Why would she do that? He's her best friend!
"I'm going to go find Ron!" Hermione said quickly. She brushed Harry's hands off of her waist and ran to the door, not giving him time to argue. Once she was gone, Harry took a deep breath and frustratingly ran his fingers through his hair.
`Kissing her wasn't part of the plan!' He thought. `You should always stick to plan!' Harry plopped himself back down on the chair and sighed. At least he had solved his Lavender problem. Now he had a Hermione problem! That was probably worse. And that's not all. He learned something new that day… His best friend is an amazing kisser.
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