All I Want for Christmas

A/N: This is my first attempt to write fan fiction of any sort. Plus, I don't have the knowledge that most of you do about Harry Potter, as I've only read fan fiction and seen the movies. I've tried to be as true to the series as I can considering my knowledge, but the story may be slightly AU. Please be constructively critical of my work. Thanks in advance for your kindness. Maybe I'll write more of these in the future if this one goes well.

I continue to be amazed at how many people are reviewing my story. It means a lot to me to know that you are enjoying my first fan fiction of any sort. Thanks a lot to everybody who's reviewed my story so far.

If any of you want to try to figure out where I'm going, you might want to read my replies to people's reviews, as I will occasionally drop a hint in there. However, be wary, I have been known to toss out some red herrings too. Speculate at your own risk.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. All characters belong to J. K. Rowling.

All I Want for Christmas

Chapter 4: Woman-to-Woman

Well at least I don't look like I was crying a few minutes ago. Hermione told herself as she looked at herself in the mirror. I don't want my mum asking me about why I was crying.

Hermione left the bathroom and went down the stairs to the living room, where Harry was waiting for her, so they could go help her mum with dinner. Where is he? She wondered as she entered the living room. He was supposed to wait for me here. I don't think he brought his invisibility cloak with him, so he can't be hiding under that. Besides, I would have heard him come upstairs to get it. He must have gone into the kitchen to help Mum. Boys can be so impatient at times, especially when it's in regards to food.

Hermione made her way to the kitchen, where she found her mum working by herself, while humming a Christmas carol that she didn't recognize. Where the blast is he? “Mum,” Hermione called as she entered the kitchen, “have you seen Harry recently? By the way…what's the name of the Christmas carol you're humming?”

“No, I haven't seen Harry recently. The last I knew, the two of you were talking in the living room,” her mum told her. “And the song, that's `All I Want for Christmas is You',” her mum told her with a bit of an embarrassed smile.

“Strange. He was supposed to wait for me in the living room while I went to use the bathroom real quick, but when I came back, he was gone.”

“Were you two going to do something that you might have regretted later?” her mum asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What are you suggesting, Mum?” Hermione asked in shock.

“Nothing, sweetheart. It's not that I don't trust you and Harry by yourselves. It's just that the two of you are getting to the age where lots of guys and gals realize that there are certain things that they can do together that they didn't have the desire to do before.”

“Mum!!! Harry and I wouldn't do anything like that! We're just platonic friends. Neither of us are interested in each other romantically or sexually.”

Her mum raised a suspicious eyebrow, “And when is the last time that the two of you talked about how you feel towards each other?”

“We don't need to discuss it. We can read each other like an open book. If either of us were romantically interested in the other, the other one would know.”

“He's a guy, Hermione. They can be very slow to pick up on things like that. Fortunately, your dad is not like most guys. He caught on very quickly that there was more than a friendship between us.”

Ron is definitely like that. He wouldn't catch on to the idea that somebody fancied him until they snogged him. I don't think Harry's that dense, but I haven't given him a chance to test that theory. “Enough with the nonsense, Mum. What are you getting at?”

Her mum smiled, “That's the Hermione I know. Straight to the point. No beating around the bush.” Hermione couldn't help but to smile sheepishly and turn red as her mum continued, “What I'm saying is that from watching you and Harry interact with each other this afternoon I have to wonder if your feelings towards each other have grown beyond platonic best friends into love.”

Hermione dropped the wooden spoon she had picked up to stir the sauce for the pasta they were having for dinner. “WHAT??? How could you say something like that?” Have you gone mad? Harry and I will never be more than platonic best friends.

Her mum smiled one of those I-know-something-you-don't grins that Hermione was well-known for at Hogwarts. “It looks like he quite enjoys the love taps that you give him, just like your dad enjoys the ones that I give him, and you clearly enjoy his company, like I enjoy your dad's. I've noticed that during the summers since you started at Hogwarts, that hearing from Harry or spending some quality time looking at a picture of the two of you together has made your day. Even more so than when you find a really good book.”

Hermione's eyes grew as wide as saucers. “Really?” she asked. “Do I really act like that?”

“Indeed you do, sweetheart,” her mum confirmed. “I may have even been understating your reaction a bit.”

Hermione's face went into one of her contemplative looks. “Wow,” she muttered to herself, “I never realized I did that.” I wonder if that means anything.

“I wonder, sweetheart,” her mum continued thoughtfully, “if your feelings for each other have grown into love, and with all that the two of you and Ron have had to do, that neither of you has had time to think about how the two of you feel towards each other. You should try to take some time while your home to think about that before you two go back to school and get back into whatever it is that you do there.”

“Maybe I should,” muttered Hermione. “Thanks, Mum. I'll try to find some time to do that.”

“I'll try to help you by trying to find a way to distract Harry so you can go off and have some time to think. Does that sound good to you?”

Hermione smiled at her mum in gratitude. “Yes it does. Thanks Mum.”

Her mum smiled back at her daughter, “You're welcome, sweetheart. You know that your dad and I would do anything for you.” Her mum paused for a moment, listening intently. “It sounds like we finished this conversation just in time, cause it sounds like the men are coming.”

As soon as she finished saying that, in walked Mr. Granger with Harry right behind him. “Hi, Hun,” Mr. Granger said, kissing his wife on the cheek. “Need any help with dinner?”

Mrs. Granger smacked him, which caused Harry to smile in amusement, which Hermione couldn't help but notice. “It's actually almost ready. No thanks to you stealing Harry and worrying our daughter half to death.” Harry and Hermione shared a private, knowing smile, which didn't go unnoticed by her folks, who smiled knowingly at each other as well, which did go unnoticed by Harry and Hermione. Mrs. Granger continued, “You and Harry go set the table, while Hermione and I finish in here.”

Hermione watched Harry and her dad leave. I wonder why Harry is so amused by seeing my mum smack my dad…

A/N: Again, not really a cliff hanger, but this chapter didn't really lend itself to one. The whole shape of the story is now becoming more clear in my mind, so hopefully it will turn out well. I still have a fair amount to write, as there are several more conversations to be had before this story ends. I'm already getting ideas for a sequel to this story that I won't say anymore about, because it may give away how this one ends. Yes, I realize that I may come across as bashing Ron in this chapter, but have no fear Ron fans, he is presented in a much better light later in the story.

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