Chapter 4 - A Little Tension?
Damn! Thought Harry. Why now of all times?
A doorbell rang and then, "Ron? Hermione? Anyone home?"
"Ginny…" Hermione muttered.
The doorbell rang again. "Coming!" Hermione shouted and ran past Harry.
When she opened the door, Ginny Weasley stood, with her long red hair tied in a high ponytail. "Hi!" she said, but raised one eyebrow at Hermione when she saw that Hermione was a bit flushed. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Harry leaning over the kitchen counter with the same expression as that of Hermione's.
"Oh! You seem… Busy. I came at the wrong time I guess huh?" she asked hurriedly.
"Too right you are…" Harry mumbled following Hermione to the door. "Hey Ginny," he said with less enthusiasm.
"Hi, Harry," Ginny said grinning at Hermione when Harry was not looking. Hermione ignored it and gestured for her to come in. "Ron around?"
"No." they both said in unison.
"He went out for a stroll with Luna," Hermione explained.
"Oh, Mind if I stay around to wait?" Ginny asked, plopping down on the couch.
"No," said Hermione.
"Yes," said Harry at the same time.
Both Ginny and Hermione turned to look at Harry, still standing by the front door. He just shrugged.
Ginny tried to stuff in her giggles while Hermione looked on curiously at Harry. Ginny stood up finally, and walked over the front door.
"Alright. I guess I'll just be taking my leave then, right? I told Dean that I'll be a couple of minutes, So…" she said still ogling the two.
She passed Hermione on her way out and whispered, "You have a lot to tell me, missy. The next time we see each other." Then she grinned and started her leave.
"Bye, Harry! Hermione!"
"Bye," Harry replied dully, his gaze still fixed at Hermione. They heard the door close and the sound of someone disapparating.
"What did you say that for?" Hermione asked snapping Harry out of his trance.
"Say what?"
"That you minded Ginny around," said Hermione. Not that I didn't as well.
Harry just shrugged. "I don't know what came over me. And well, she ruined what I wanted to do…" he said the last part softly, not really wanting Hermione to hear.
Hermione stood there, in the middle of their living room, a bit shocked. She knew that Harry didn't want her to hear what he said last. But she can't help but take notice of the disappointment in Harry's voice as he said that.
Without saying anything, Hermione turned on her heel and tried not to run to her room. All the while, she felt someone watching her back. So he really was going to kiss me down there had Ginny not barged in. Hermione mused when she reached the confines of her room. She sighed, took out a book from her large bookshelf, laid on her stomach on her purple fluffy bed and tried to read, but couldn't. Her mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else. And then what? What will happen to us then? What is he trying to play at?
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Good going, Potter. Now, you really did it. You ruined it. Harry thought glumly.
He retreated back to his room and laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to relax. He then remembered the look of revolt on Hermione's face when he told her the reason why she minded Ginny in their house that night. He knew then that she heard the last bit of what he said before she marched up to her room.
Harry had a sudden urge to go through the bathroom that adjoins their room, knock on her door and apologize.
But for what? He thought. And he might be thrown out for all he knows. He sighed once more. He then heard a soft click on the other door in his room leading to the bathroom, meaning his door to the bathroom has been locked and Hermione must be using it. He then heard the shower being turned on and thoughts of Hermione taking a shower crossed his mind, enough to have all the blood in his brain travel south.
STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT, POTTER! Why do they even have to share a bathroom? Ron gets one all to himself. I should have taken that farthest room when we bought this place. But he never thought about that before. He wanted to have the room nearest the stairs because he never knew when he's going to be called for work. He usually has to run towards the front door to the only apparition point in their house. Hermione has the same reasons and for that, he has to room next to Hermione and share a bathroom with her.
They didn't mind this before. But now…
Damn it!
He had wanted to kiss Hermione on the counter a while ago. And was it because of this that Hermione looked at him like some sort of a maniac? Why did he have to act like that? Why then all of a sudden did he want his best friend to be more down there in the kitchen?
Frankly, I didn't know what came over me. Both in the kitchen and in the living room with Ginny there.
`Well, one thing's for sure. You're already harboring feelings for her, mate,' his conscience answered, curiously sounding like the voice of Ron.
Am I?
`Yeah.'
Why do you sound like Ron?
`Because it's how you want me to sound, you prat.'
Oh.
`And like I said, you've already got feelings for her.'
No I don't, she's my best friend. Why would I be feeling that way towards her?
`Yes, you do. You already have feelings for her.'
No, I don't.
`Yes, you do.'
NO, I don't.
`Yes -`
"Oh, shut UP!" Harry said aloud. "Great, now I'm having a fight with my own conscience. I'm going mad. What is wrong with me?"
Harry rolled to his side, turned off his bedside lamp to succumb to the darkness and started to drift off into an uneasy sleep.
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Hermione steered clear of Harry during the next few days, both at home and at work. She wakes up earlier than the two boys and goes to work as such. At work, she tries to never leave her office unless she has a very important meeting to attend. Otherwise, she locks herself in, coming out only to use the loo and eat. She goes home earlier than Harry, eats by herself and then locks herself in her room once more, only going out when she's sure that Harry and Ron are asleep on their own beds.
Hermione's not sure why she's doing this. But something's telling her it's the right thing to do. She doesn't want her friendship with Harry to be ruined, right? And that `thing' that almost happened in the kitchen is a step to ruining their friendship. She doesn't want things to be like that anyway, or does she? Is she doing this to refrain from ruining what they had already for 11 years? Or is she just afraid to take the next step in their relationship?
But why can't I stop thinking about him? Hermione thought, frustratingly trying to work on a report she took home to finish. He's my best friend for Merlin's sake! It only took that one little encounter at the kitchen for me to be having these thoughts all of a sudden. Ugh! I am so hopeless!
But Hermione can't stop picturing Harry in her mind. Harry in his Auror robes, defining his well-toned muscles. Harry with his messy jet-black hair and tantalizing emerald-green eyes. The way he runs his fingers through his hair trying to fix it. The way Harry pouts and gives her a puppy-dog look when he's asking for a favor. The way he smiles, showing off his cute dimples. The way he laughs, his booming voice infects others around him. The way he -
All right, that's ENOUGH, Hermione! He is your best friend. Stop thinking of him in that way! Hermione thought angrily. She threw down her parchment and quill, feeling it's useless to try and write her report when there are other thoughts plaguing her mind. She walked over to their adjoining bathroom (the bathroom she shares with Harry) and started to fill the bathtub with water. A nice warm bath could ease this stress I'm feeling.
When she's satisfied with the depth of the water, she poured in her favorite vanilla bubble bath, undressed and slipped in the warm bath.
"Ahh… Now that's better," she said to herself, a little smile playing on her lips. She reached for her wand, waved it and soft music started to play. She closed her eyes, drifting off.
After a little while, she realized that she's been in the tub for quite some time that she decided to dry off already.
"Now, isn't this relaxing?" she asked to nobody in particular, trying to stand up.
"Yes, it definitely is."
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