Hey guys! Thanks for the positive reviews! As for the not-so-positive ones, I know I'm not the greatest writer ever. I'm 14, please give me some slack. I've never had a boyfriend, and I tend to write Hermione a bit Ooc. But from here on, her denial starts to fade, so please stay with me? Thanks!
Pink_ish_Camo
~*~Best Friends- Chapter 3: I Won't Say I'm in Love~*~
I was awoken by girlish screams and someone yelling my name.
Twisted in my sheets, I tried to get up, but only found myself lying face-down on the wooden floor. "You just hate me, don't you?" I mumbled, pushing myself up. Once I got into a sitting position, I sighed and looked at the two excited girls in front of me. "Now, what is so thrilling that you had to wake me up in that way?" I asked, them, rubbing my eyes and yawning.
Lavender pushed Parvati forward, obviously too excited to say it herself. Parvati, who was changed, like her friend, into her school robes, took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "You have a visitor!" she said, her voice breaking with excitement. I gave her a strange look.
"Alright..." I said, looking at her cautiously. Why were they making such a big deal out of me having a visitor? I figured it was most likely someone from a Wizarding college, I had applied to many. Figuring that appearance didn't really matter all that much when you were applying for an academic scholarship, I stood up, went to shower, and changed into a white fitted T-shirt and some hot pink sweatpants. I pulled my hair into a messy low bun, and put on just a bit of makeup before sliding on my pink flip-flops and heading down the stairs. I looked around, there was no one that seemed to be from a college there, so I walked over to Harry and Ron.
The day after what had happened in Hogsmeade, Harry had come to me while I was studying in the library. I had ignored him at first, thinking he had come up with some clever argument to oppose my saying that we should just be friends. Boy was I wrong. After heaving a frustrated sigh when I was not looking at him, he whispered to me that I was right, and that we should keep our relationship as friends. I had smiled at him, nodding, no matter how much my heart was breaking as he said those words.
"Hey guys," I called over to them, my flip-flops hitting my heels as I walked. They looked up from there conversation, seeming a bit surprised at how I looked. "Do you two know where the scholarship interviewer is?" I asked them curiously, looking around
I saw the two boys look at me curiously. "What? What scholarship interviewer?" Ron asked, cocking his head to the left.
"I was told I had a visitor," I said, my voice questioning. I looked to Harry, hoping he would have an answer to for my confused mind. He nodded.
"You do, but its not a scholarship interviewer," he told me, both amused and...what was that other emotion...annoyed? At my look telling him to go on, he continued. "Its-"
"Her-my-own-ninny!" I heard someone exclaim from behind me. Already knowing who it was, I turned, around, plastering a smile on my face.
"Viktor!" I exclaimed, the same tone in my voice as there was in his. I walked towards him, giving him a hug, as he did to me. As we pulled apart, he gave me a kiss on the lips. I blushed a bit, but that was it. I did not feel anything in the kiss. No sparks, no magic, no fireworks, no compassion. Nothing.
"Come vith me," he said, taking my hand in his after he had broken the kiss. I followed him, looking back at the Common Room as I did so. Many of the girls were staring at me admiring, and by many, I meant all. I looked towards Harry and Ron, hoping for a thumbs-up of some sort, and received one from Ron. Harry's reaction surprised me. He was glaring at Viktor, looking sour at the prospect of me going somewhere private with him.
As puzzled as I was by my friend's reaction, I obeyed my old flame, and followed him out of the Common Room and through the castle. It was silent as we made our way to the lake, since I was thinking of what Harry's reaction could've meant, and Viktor was staring hard into the depths of the ocean, the light breeze forcing his blood red cape to billow with it.
As we neared the lake, the breeze picked up, making me shiver a bit. Viktor must have noticed this, because before I knew it, he draped his cape around me.
"Thanks," I said, smiling at him. After a moment of awkward silence, I decided to strike up a conversation. "So...what brings you back to Hogwarts? I got the impression you didn't like it that much," I said to him.
He looked out at the lake, his brow furrowed. "It's alright," he spoke, his Bulgarian accent strong and prominent. "But that's not the reason I came back," He said, his gaze turning towards me. I shifted a bit nervously.
"Err...really?" I asked, hoping my nervousness wasn't showing in my voice. I looked around, seeing that we were the only ones by the lake.
The Lake.
I hadn't been within a fifteen foot distance of the lake since that day... It seemed so long ago, when really, it hadn't even been a month. I could remember that day so well. But why? It was in the past. Viktor continued speaking.
"I have been drafted onto the best Quidditch team in the vorld," he said to me. I congratulated him and he went on. "But in order for me to join, I must move to America, across the vorld," I nodded as he paused. "And that's vhat brings me here today. I know that I haven't visited you much since the Tri-Visard Tournament, but I have kept in touch, you must admit. You have been keeping me vell informed of what has been going on in your life, and I feel as if I really know you, and that ve made a connection.
"I know that this is sudden and unexpected, but, Her-my-own-ninny, vill you marry me?" Viktor finished, getting on one knee and looking up into my hazel eyes with his fierce sapphire ones.
I stared into them, my heart beating wildly. What should I say? Viktor was a nice guy, honestly, he was, but was he the guy? Yes, it was true that we had kept in touch, but for Merlin's sake, I hadn't seen the man in three years! I could feel the back of my neck get hot as he looked at me questioningly. Alright Hermione, just make a list of pros and cons.
Pros:
* He's hunky.
* He's a sweet guy.
* Your wedding would be the public affair of the year.
* That engagement ring is HUGE.
Cons:
* He's not very intellectual.
* You'd have to move across the world.
* You'd have to move across the world in the middle of your seventh year.
* You'd be the center of media attention 24/7.
* You wouldn't have a career of your own, due to your dropping out of school.
* You haven't seen him in three years.
* You don't know him that well anymore.
* He's not the guy you've pictured yourself with.
* You don't love him.
That settled it. I was going to say no. The number of cons doubled the number of pros. I couldn't marry someone based on a physical attraction, and also someone I didn't love. That wasn't me. I shook my head, smiling sadly at the kneeling figure in front of me.
"That's really sweet and all, Viktor, but...I just have a lot going on in my life right now. I need to concentrate on my N.E.W.T.S. and just need to figure some things out. I'm really sorry, but I'm just not looking for anything more than friends right now," I said to him. I hoped I wasn't being too hard, and that he understood.
He nodded as he stood up. "Alright, Her-my-own-ninny. I understand, and I accept your friendship," he said, putting the ring back into his breast pocket. I stood up, my head coming to just underneath his chest. I looked up, my eyes reflecting the apologetic feeling I had expressed earlier.
"I wish you the best of luck in America, and hope you find someone who loves you as much as you do them," I told him, smiling. I gave him one last hug muttering things such as, "Good Luck," and "Keep in touch," As we broke apart, he kissed my cheek.
"Good-bye, Her-my-own-ninny. I hope you do well on your tests, and find a vonderful boy who deserves you much more than I do," he said after he kissed me. "Remember to vrite!" he called as he walked across the grounds, heading towards the gates leading to the magical world outside of Hogwarts.
As I walked back up to the Common Room, I thought of my lists that I had made before responding to Viktor's proposal. The last two cons I had thought of was troubling me. What is love, exactly? Is it the feeling you get when you watch your favourite movie? Is it the feeling you get when you cuddle up with your pets? Is it the feeling you get when you're with your best friends?
And who was the guy I pictured myself with? It wasn't Viktor, Cormac, Seamus, Neville, Dean, Malfoy, Ron, or Zacharias Smith, so who could it be? As I neared the portrait hole, my stomach seemed to drop as I realize that I hadn't included my other best friend on the list- Harry.
But Harry wasn't the one I pictured myself with, was it? Of course not! He's my best friend! I've just been trying to push him from my mind so much, that it's starting to work. Yeah, that's it.
"Bumbletrut," I stated to the Fat Lady as I came to the Portrait Hole. The portrait swung open, allowing me to crawl through to the Common Room. I was glad to see that there wasn't a truckload of people inside Gryffindor Tower asking me what happened. As a matter of fact, there were only a couple of people, Ron, Harry, myself, and about four other second-years. I saw Harry nudge our red-haired friend as he saw me come in.
I walked over towards the window, where they had been sitting. Ron turned around, and once I got closer, asked how things with Viktor went. What was I supposed to say? That he had proposed to me? No, I thought I'd leave that out.
"Oh, fine," I said. "You know, he just wanted to catch up, see how I'd been and stuff," I lied. I spared a quick glance at Harry, knowing very well that if I looked at him, my lies would fall apart. As I looked at him, I saw him raising an eyebrow as if he didn't believe me.
"That's cool," Ron said. He looked at me as if wanting more information, something Quidditch-related. I sighed and told him about Viktor being drafted onto a team in America. "Whoa! I've got to tell Dean and Seamus," he said, running off and out of the Common Room.
"So," Harry said, once we were alone, and Ron was out of earshot. "Anything interesting happen?" he asked, a note of annoyance in his voice. As I shook my head, he raised his eyebrows to where they disappeared behind his bangs. "Nothing? Nothing at all?"
I looked at him curiously, wondering why he was so prying. Then I realized it. "You were spying on me!" I shouted, my eyes widening, my voice accusing. Of course! He was sitting at the window that looked over the lake! He must have saw Viktor propose! I was furious.
Evading my accusation, Harry went straight to pushing my buttons, making me more furious. "So, when's the wedding Mrs. Krum? Can I see your ring?" he asked, his eyes narrow. He grabbed my left hand and brought it up to eye level. I could see his expression soften, his entire body relaxing, as he looked at me. "You didn't accept?" He asked in a whisper. I saw his eyes fill with guilt and relief.
I shook my head, still mad at him for spying on me. Why did he care? "No," I said curtly. "I'm not going to throw away my life by marrying at this age," And with that, I turned on my heel and began walking towards my dormitory, only to be stopped by Harry calling my name.
"Hermione!" he said, running towards me as I turned around. "Hermione. You know the real reason you said no to him," he was staring down into my eyes, something that made chills run down my spine.
"I said no because I'm not going to throw my life away."
"You said no because you remembered what I said about being married to the wrong people. You said no because, no matter how much you deny it, you still love me," Harry said softly, looking at me with caring and compassion reflecting in his eyes.
I shook my head lightly, not breaking the connection of our eyes. "You're wrong," I said quietly. His eyes were searching mine, he was trying to see if I was lying. Not knowing what he'd fine, I broke the connection as I stormed off. "I know what you're trying to do, Harry!" I said, my temper hot. "And let me save you the time. You're wrong, I don't love you! Why is that so hard for you to understand!" The remaining second years looked a bit frightened and scurried out to the corridor.
"Because I know that you're wrong. You do love me. You just don't want to admit it for some reason," he spoke, his voice calm. He was still looking at me. It was unnerving how calm he was.
"Well, Harry, it looks like you don't know anything, cause you're wrong, not me." How many times did I have to repeat myself? "And let's say that I did love you," I started, "I couldn't possibly tell you! Do you know what that would do to our friendship? I'll tell you; destroy it. But you know what? We never have to worry about it, because I don't love you!" I said again, nearing hysteria. Seeing Harry shake his head, I became a bit more angrier. "Harry! I'll prove it to you!" I shouted, striding over to him.
For some reason unknown to me, whether it was the hysteria, the thought of touching Harry, or just the desire to prove to him that I didn't love him, I took his head in my hands. Without warning, I pulled his head down, seeing as he was a good foot taller than me, and pressed my lips against his, closing my eyes. To my horror, I realized what I had done...and what I felt. Pulling away, I dropped my hands and shrugged as I looked him in the eyes. "N-nothing," I said a bit shakily, hoping that he didn't realize the blush that was creeping into my cheeks. "See? You were wrong. So just let me go," I said, shaking my head as I turned and walked to the girls' dorms, leaving my shocked friend behind.
As I flopped on my bed, I put my hands over my face, holding in the hot tears that threatened to escape.
That was the stupidest mistake I could've possibly made.
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