Chapter Two - Day One: Preparations and Portkey Revelations
I was still packing my bags when Lavender entered my bedroom, smiling and flushed. I took one look at her and rolled my eyes, though inwardly I sighed. "Fun morning at Dean's I presume - how did you get in here by the way?"
Lavender grinned dreamily. "Correct as usual," she sighed throwing herself down onto the bed on her back. "I apparated to the yard and walked in - your door was unlocked." She giggled like a little schoolgirl and Crookshanks jumped into her lap. She pet the cat with a bleary look in her eye. I looked at her as I zipped my bag shut and hoped she didn't see the pained look on my face. At least one of us is in a happy relationship…
Lavender sat up and fleetingly caught the look on my face and gave me a grin - a grin I have come to call the Evil Lav Smirk. "So, what are you going to do this weekend about Potter and Weasley?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows.
I groaned. She just had to bring that up hadn't she? Just when I stopped thinking about the disasters that were my crushes (after all, what else is a crush if it didn't…well…crush you?) she had to go and make me think about them…ugh - sometimes I really hate that girl. "What about them?" I asked nonchalantly, playing it cool. She only knew that I liked both of them - she didn't know how deep my feelings really ran. With Ron, it seemed like nothing more then something that was a little more then friendly, but with Harry…the feelings ran so deep that I could feel a tugging at my heart every time I saw him pass me in the halls, a feeling in the pit of my stomach so strong it feels like I'm falling if he merely brushes up against me. When he kisses me on the cheek, I still feel tingling for hours after, and when he hugs me…it's just me and him.
It was becoming more and more obvious that my emotions were going to lead me on a fast road to disaster, especially when one Harry Potter was concerned…
"Hello, Hermione? Earth to Hermione - you alive in there?"
Lavender's sudden proclamation brought me back down from Cloud Nine and I shook myself, pretending I hadn't just been lost in a fantasy where I was going out with my best friend. "Yeah - yeah I'm fine." I went over to Crookshanks and scratched him behind the ears. "You be good for mum, you hear? No biting at her fingers this time if she takes away a mouse." Crookshanks looked at me with a look that could only be described as exasperation as if to say 'I'm a cat - chasing mice is what I do.' I glared at him slightly and pet him some more. "No biting. Got it?" His response was a reluctant purr. Crookshanks leapt down from Lavender's lap and she stood up and stretched as I threw my bag over my shoulder.
"Ready to go?" She asked a knowing smile on her face.
I ignored it. "Yup." I grabbed my keys from their hook by the door and shut it. "Just let me lock the front door and we can meet everyone at the back."
"Why doesn't your mum do it?" She asked, readjusting the bag on her shoulder as we walked down the stairs.
"She and my dad are at work already. I said goodbye this morning and she just asked me to make sure everything was still locked." Everything looked okay so I continued to the back of the house where, to my complete shock, Harry and Ron were already waiting. Lavender went over to say hello as I locked the door, heart racing. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. They're your friends, I thought hoping it would be of some comfort. But of course, it wasn't.
I jumped as a set of arms made their way around my waist and I spun around to see a set of green eyes looking down at me shining with laughter. "I didn't scare you did I?"
I glared playfully up at him - he was a full foot taller then me, but I didn't mind. My shoulder made a good leaning post, or so he said…not that it mattered, no not at all… He just grinned at me and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "How are you?"
"Tired," I answered honestly. He still hadn't loosened his grip on me, and the feeling of his hands against my hips was making my knees weak.
"Still not sleeping?" He asked, truthfully concerned. He knew I hadn't been getting much sleep lately. What he didn't know was that it was thoughts of him and my love life (or lack-there-of) that were contributing to my insomnia.
"No," I answered looking up at him. If I stood on tiptoe and he leaned down a bit more, I could almost brush my nose against his. Those lips were just so kissable. I could easily - stop stop stop stop STOP! I scolded myself.
Ron shot me a look over Harry's shoulder, one that clearly said, 'stop now before you get hurt.' And he was right - although Ron was in the deep throes of denial about my pending (but dimming) crush on him, he was not spared any details about my apparent "love" for our mutual best friend. Is it love? Well - that seems to be the sixty-two galleon question isn't it?
Slowly, I moved away from Harry whose hands lingered a little longer then necessary - or maybe it was just my imagination - on my hips before kissing me on the cheek and walking over to where Neville was standing talking to Lavender.
"Hey 'Mione." I glared at Ron but gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek nonetheless. He had started calling me 'Mione (a nickname I can barely stand coming from anyone but Ginny who started calling me that back in Sixth Year) when he heard Ginny slip and call me one day in the library. He never let me live it down. Well, I suppose it's better then "little sis" - as if I need reminding that he thinks of me as nothing more then a sister…sigh…
The two of us walked over to where Neville and Lavender were standing. Harry put his elbow on my shoulder. I glanced up at him and he smiled. I smirked and rolled my eyes playing off the clenching in my stomach. Ron put his elbow on my other shoulder, only making matters worse. I didn't have the heart - or the strength - to tell them to stop because they were killing me. Especially Harry…
"So," I said, shifting slightly so that I could take the portkey we would be using - an old scarf - out of my bag. I saw Ron's eyebrow arch and I glared at him, daring to comment. He held up his hands and Harry bit back a laugh. "We'll portkey to the house and then I'll show you guys around. I stocked the kitchen full yesterday and the bedrooms are ready for use, so if everyone's ready…" I held the scarf out and each of them grabbed hold. Harry had to reach around me and I felt a familiar tingle as his arm went around my shoulders and it wasn't from the pull of the portkey…
I hated myself then because I realized something that I swore I never would.
Ron was right, I thought my heart beating wildly. I'm in love with Harry!
…Oh shit…