The common room was unusually quiet. Ron, Neville, Ginny, Seamus, and Dean were all sitting around the fire enveloped in quiet conversation.
"I know they're headed this way. I saw Harry leaving the great hall and he was pissed. I mean, just smoking at the ears. Hermione just sat there, staring at him, like she didn't know what he was saying."
Ron was of course referring to the fight which had just occurred between Harry and Hermione in the Great Hall.
Harry had been trying to drop subtle hints to Hermione all through dinner about how much he cared for her. Unlike true fashion, Hermione simply ignored or disregarded his advances for conversation. Harry eventually got so angry, he fled the dinning hall. Ginny smiled gently as a thought crossed her mind.
"Maybe Hermione really has no idea that Harry is in love with her. I mean think about it. Hermione is extremely smart and when she doesn't have the answers she consorts with her books. Well love isn't explained in a book. Maybe its one of those things she can't see because she's never read about how to recognize the signs."
Everyone nodded in agreement and all heads turned as the portrait hole flew open and in burst Harry. He looked completely peeved off. His face was flushed with color and his eyes were burning with a mixture of anger and sadness. He didn't even seem to notice the group of his friends who were sitting around the fire.
Just as Harry turned to head toward his dorm, Hermione came bustling into the common room. The group of spectators remained quiet and tried to make them selves unseen. They all knew that they were about to see quite a show.
Hermione stalked right up to Harry and glared at him. Harry was breathing slowly and deeply like he was trying to calm himself. The two stood about four feet apart and simply stared at one another. Hermione finally drew a breath and spoke.
"Harry, I have no idea what has gotten into you, but there is no reason for you to take it out on me. I'm only trying to help you but you keep jumping down my throat every chance you get."
Harry looked enraged even further by Hermione's comments. He threw his arms into the air and laughed.
"You want to help me Hermione? Then open your damn ears and listen to what I am trying to tell you!"
"What is it exactly that you are trying to tell me Harry? If it's so bloody important, then out with it!"
Harry snorted in disgust. How can the brightest fucking witch in our year be so daft? I know she must know, so why is she acting like she doesn't?
"What is it going to take for you to get it Mione? I just don't understand. I know that you know already so stop playing these bloody ridiculous games!"
"Playing what games Harry? I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about."
Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared even harder at Harry. In one swift motion he grabbed her by the arms and pushed her backwards until she was back to back with the wall. She was frightened but tried to hold her ground. Harry had never, ever, been so aggressive with her. In an odd sort of way it turned her on.
Harry threw his glass to the ground and glared deeply at Hermione. He shook her gently once and took a deep breath.
"Look me in the face, in these fucking eyes that everyone is always on about, and tell me that you don't know that I love you. Tell me that when you look at me you don't see that I am head over fucking heals in love with you Hermione. If you can tell me that honestly, then I will let you go and never bring this up again. But if you can't then tell me now. Tell me that you know how in love with you I am and that I have never, and will never, love anyone this way ever again."
The grip Harry had on Hermione's arms was tight and beginning to ache. She continued to stand firm, blank and expressionless.
"Harry, I…I don't know what to say."
Harry dropped his head and stared at his feet for a moment. When he finally looked back to Hermione, there were tears in his shocking green eyes. He loosened his grip on her and moved back a step.
"Then that's all you have to say. I should have known that you don't love me that way. But please know something Hermione; you are my world. I wake up just so I can see you. My favorite parts of the day are the parts I get to spend with you. I love you from the freckles on your hairline, to the bottoms of your jeans. You have my heart Hermione Granger, and no woman will ever have it but you."
Harry turned and had gotten halfway through the common room when Hermione jumped on him from behind. She knocked him to the ground and turned him over so that she was straddling his hips. She looked wild and untamed and the look in her eyes was charged with passion and anger.
"How dare you! You stand there and tell me all of that without giving me chance to finish what I wanted to say?!"
She got up and waited as Harry clambered to his feet. They stood less than a foot apart and both were breathing heavily. Then Hermione reached out and slapped Harry across the face. The group of onlookers gasped as Harry's head slung to one side and he brought a hand up to nurse his injured jaw. Before she could give him time to respond, Hermione began speaking.
"You stand there and tell me that you love me and expect me to not be a little flabbergasted? Harry, sometimes you are insensitive and thoughtless. Telling me that you love me is NOT small news. You have to give me time to process, damn it! And you know Harry, the funny thing is, I love you too. I have loved you since third year but I never thought that you returned my feelings." Hermione finally broke a little and a few tears streamed down her face.
Harry closed the distance between them so that they were nose to nose. He brought his hands up and placed them firmly on either side of Hermione's face. She closed her eyes as more tears made their way down her cheeks. Harry kissed the tip of her nose gently.
"Hermione, I do return your feelings. I love you too much for words. I had hoped that you knew that. And now you do."
Harry's joy was short lived as Hermione slapped him once more. He stumbled back a little and grabbed his sore jaw.
"What the fuck woman?!?! Why do you keep bloody hitting me?!?"
Hermione was sobbing now and her speech was barely understandable.
"Because it took you so FUCKING long to tell me that you love me as much as I love you."
Harry grabbed Hermione by the arms again and kissed her fiercely. The two pawed and clawed one another in their attempt to calm their raging passions. Anger had turned to intense desire and they both knew that all they wanted was each other.
The onlookers watched as Harry and Hermione fought their way up to Hermione's private Head Girl chambers and heard the door slam shut.
Ron turned to look at the rest of the group. Neville and Ginny were smiling broadly, Seamus and Dean sat looking absolutely pleased with them selves.
"Well that was interesting. I never knew Harry had it in him. He was fierce like a wild beast or something. I bet Hermione's gonna take a beating tonight" Seamus mused
"Yea, I hope they remember to use a silencing charm. We don't Dumbledore bursting in here to reprimand them because the whole castle can hear their sex-capades." Sneered Dean
Ron laughed and smiled brightly.
"I'm just glad that it's finally out in the open and there will be no more ridiculously overwhelming Harry/Hermione sexual tension. Well I should just say tension, because we all know that there will be a lot of things of the sexual variety."
Everyone laughed and silently celebrated the huge victory that was Harry and Hermione.
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