Tell Me

A/N: Sorry for the lengthy delay. I'm a senior in college, and have a very busy life, so I don't get much time to write for fun these days. I have every intention of finishing this story and the sequel to “All I Want for Christmas”, but I have no timeline on the conclusion of those stories, or what I'll write beyond that.

Those of you familiar with my work won't be surprised to discover that I leave an evil cliff-hanger at the end of this chapter (I'm generally good for at least one of those per story…you have been warned!). Hopefully that will lead me to getting the next chapter up as soon as possible to satisfy your hunger for what comes next.

Please read and review. More reviews encourage faster updates (real life permitting, of course).

Disclaimer: I'll refer you back to Chapter 1 to save space and simplify things for those whom have already read it.

Tell Me

Chapter 2: Need to Talk

Harry sighed as he landed back on the ground at the end of a very soggy quidditch practice. The practice had gone really well, considering the conditions, but Harry's mind at the moment was elsewhere.

He loved Ron. Really he did. But he was becoming increasingly frustrated that Ron wouldn't come out and admit that he loved their mutual best friend, Hermione Granger.

Okay. If I'm going to be perfectly honest with myself, then I'd like for Ron to admit that he loves Hermione the same way he loves Ginny—like a sister.

Then again…maybe it would be good for them to get together, Harry thought, because then I wouldn't lose her completely, like I would if she ended up with someone else. After all, there's no chance that she'll ever love me in that way.

He turned and addressed the team. “Good practice everyone! Go get cleaned up and we'll see you back out here at the same time tomorrow. Hopefully in a little bit drier conditions,” he mused, earning some chuckles from the rest of the team.

The rest of the team started to clear out, but Harry grabbed Ron's arm and told him quietly, “don't wait for me in the locker room. I'm going to do some extra flying.”

“I'll wait for you anyway, mate,” Ron told him. “I've got some plays I want to diagram out to see if they look as good on paper as they do in my head.”

“You mean there's actually something in that head of yours?” Harry teased playfully.

Ron did the mature thing and stuck his tongue out at Harry. “Git,” he mumbled before strolling off to the locker room.

Harry watched him go into the locker room and looked around to make sure nobody else was around before kicking off the ground and rising up 50 feet, to the same height as the hoops before slowly starting to circle the pitch, giving him time to think.

Why do we need new plays if we're sure to beat Slytherin and this is our last match at Hogwarts? They'll need different plays next year to take the new players into account. Or was he trying to cover for something else he was going to do?

Harry thought for a moment, then had a disgusting thought cross his mind, and his face scrunched up like he was going to be sick.

I don't know if I want to know what Ron's doing right now.

Why does the thought of Ron and Hermione together disgust me so much? They're my best friends. I should be happy for them if they get together. So why does it bother me so much that they fancy each other?

Wait a minute, he thought to himself as he slowed down, I don't actually know if Hermione fancies Ron or not. She acts like she does at times, but she also said I'm “more fanciable than ever” last year. That's not something you'd say to the best mate of the guy you fancy. Is it?

One thing's for sure. Ron has it bad for Hermione. He proved that at the Yule Ball.

So even if I did fancy Hermione, I'd never admit it because I won't hurt Ron like that. Not when he's fancied her for so long.

That's all irrelevant because I don't fancy Hermione anyways.

Do I?

Harry shook his head and sped up a little bit to try to get that thought out of his head.

No! Bad Harry! She's Ron's girl, so she's off limits.

Or is she Ron's girl? If Hermione doesn't like him back, then isn't it a little hard for her to be his girl? They argue an awful lot to work as a couple, anyways.

She might not even fancy him, and as rough as that idea may be to him, he'll have to learn to accept it.

Then again…Ron's never actually admitted to fancying Hermione either, even though it's painfully obvious that he does, so maybe he hasn't realized it yet.

That's nutters. I figured it out at the Yule Ball. There's no way that he's gone three years without catching on.

Harry did a couple of loops in frustration at how confusing things had become.

Okay, let's allow me to entertain the thought for a moment that Ron doesn't fancy Hermione, making it fair game for me to ponder if I could ever fancy Hermione.

What could possibly make me fancy Hermione?

For starters, she's bloody beautiful. She may not be conventionally beautiful like Ginny or exotically beautiful like Cho, but she has a beauty of the spirit that radiates from within and enhances her natural beauty. She doesn't need to wear a lot of make-up or revealing or tight clothes to be beautiful, she already is—without even trying.

Besides the superficial—she has a lot of the qualities that are very important to me in a girlfriend.

She's willing to challenge me when I'm wrong or am going to make a rash decision. when I get like that, she's the only one who can get through to me.

Harry smiled fondly as he remembered Hermione coming up to get him at Grimmauld Place during Christmas of their fifth year with snow still in her hair.

She sure is a stubborn witch when she sets her mind to something. I am too, but my stubbornness is impulsive, whereas hers is well thought through.

Harry's train of thought paused momentarily as a realization hit him.

She's been at her most stubborn when it's concerned my safety. Maybe there's something to that…

She's been more and more affectionate recently too. I had never really been hugged before she gave me a hug that I'll never forget at the end of our first year. Then you have to put together the kiss she placed on my cheek just before we parted fourth year and when she hugged the stuffing out of me when I got to Grimmauld Place that summer.

Maybe she fancied me then and I didn't realize it because I was being hard on myself for Cedric's death and I was still hung-up on Cho at that point.

If she did, that must have broken her heart—knowing that she fancied me, but I was too focused on Cho to give her a look in that way.

Harry did a couple more fast loops in succession for having possibly hurt Hermione like that.

“Okay, no more of that,” Harry muttered to himself with a fond smile. “Hermione wouldn't like it if I fell off my broom and broke my neck.”

She's an amazingly smart witch. “The brightest witch of our age,” as others have told her. You'd think she knows about her and Ron's feelings; maybe that's why she doesn't act like she fancies me. That's if she fancies me in the first place.

Harry sighed heavily and slowed down again.

Still, wouldn't you only tell somebody they're “more fanciable than ever” only if you've fancied them for a while? If that's the case, then when did Hermione start fancying me and does she still?

Wait a minute…if she fancies me or not is irrelevant if I don't fancy her.

Maybe I'll get further if I try to figure out why I wouldn't fancy her, because I've thought of several reasons why I could fancy her.

The big drawback that comes to mind immediately is that we've been best friends for seven years. Of course, the same thing would apply to Ron and Hermione. I think we'll be able to work through that fact.

We might lose our friendship if we got together and things don't work out. I really don't want that to happen. I need her in my life, even if it's only as a friend.

I don't know that I can find the words to express how much she means to me. There may not be words adequate to describe how I feel.

She's always been better with words than I have, but she's the one person who really can't help me this time.

Who could I get help from in figuring out my feelings?

That's a good question. I sure can't ask Ron or Ginny because they have too much of a personal interest, and I need somebody neutral. Lavender and Parvati would inform the whole school of my feelings (whatever they are) by suppertime. Dean and Seamus only have one thing on their minds, and I'd want more than that with Hermione if I do have feelings for her.

Harry sighed deeply in frustration.

Who can I turn to then? Luna? She's a bit strange, but she can say really insightful things at times. Neville? He may seem innocent and unintelligent, but he's smarter than he comes across. Not to mention, he has more courage than I do when it comes to dealing with girls. Remus? He'd be a good choice, but I don't know when I'll get a chance to talk to him, and I need to talk to somebody soon or I'll go crazy!

Harry threw his head back and cried out, “arrrrgh!” in frustration.

Why is it so hard to figure out who I should talk through my confusion with? You'd think it'd be easier to think of someone I could turn to for advice about this!

Harry flew 15-feet lower and continued slowly circling the pitch.

He raised his gaze to the heavens and said aloud, “I wish you were here to help me figure this one out, dad.”

A soft, warm breeze suddenly blew reassuringly in his face, causing Harry to smile. “Thanks, dad. I know you'll always be with me and help to guide me as best you can.”

After a couple more laps, Harry flew about 20-feet lower and took some deep breaths.

Okay. I'm going to try to avoid stressing out about this. I'll find someone to talk to eventually. Besides, Ron's probably wondering why I'm flying for so long, and Hermione's sure to be worried sick, knowing that I ended practice an hour and a half ago.

Harry flew a couple more slow laps before landing gently on the ground. Sighing heavily, not looking forward to the questions Hermione was sure to ask when they got back to the common room, Harry slowly walked to the locker room.

As Harry entered, he saw Ron was sitting with his back to him and his head in his hands.

Harry walked over to Ron and gently touched his shoulder. “Are you alright, mate? Do we need to get you to Madame Pomfrey?”

Ron shook his head. “I'm okay, mate.”

“Why'd you have your head in your hands then?”

Ron stood up and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry couldn't remember seeing a more serious expression on Ron's face, even during the final battle.

“Mate, we need to talk.”

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