Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Harry and Hermione shared an intense look. Harry broke their eye contact and looked down at the grass, seemingly trying to collect his thoughts. I read her mind…wow…how in the world did I manage that? thought Harry amazedly. He looked back up at Hermione, who was still staring at him.
"Wow…I must be paying WAY too much attention in Trelawney's class," said Harry, a grin forming on his face.
"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione with a giggle as she shoved Harry's arm playfully. He laughed with her.
Her laugh is so cute, thought Harry as he smiled at her.
Hermione returned his smile as she put her quill back in her robe pocket. He's cute when he smiles, thought Hermione. Suddenly, her smile dropped. OH NO!!! I wonder if he knows what I just thought! Oh, how embarrassing! I better not think along those lines again…, panicked Hermione, her cheeks reddening. She averted Harry's eyes and stared down at the grass nervously. Now he probably knows that I think he's cute-OH NO!!!, Hermione gulped. I better not think AT ALL!!!
"Penny for your thoughts," said Harry as he lowered his head to see Hermione's face. Hermione, cheeks reddening even more, looked up at him. A devilish little grin formed on her face.
"Why PAY when you can read them for free?" giggled Hermione. Harry laughed at her remark, and the two of them shared a wide smile.
"Seriously, though, I wonder how this works…," pondered Hermione, looking back at Harry.
"Well…why don't we try it out? Go ahead - think of something and I'll see if I get anything," said Harry. He looked intently at Hermione.
"Okay, good idea. Here goes…," answered Hermione nervously as she looked out over the lake. Just then, Hermione's stomach growled, loud enough to break the silence. She quickly turned her head back to Harry, and they burst out laughing.
"Well, as an INTELLIGENT GUESS, I'd say that you're hungry!" exclaimed Harry between laughs. Hermione nodded as she continued to laugh. Harry looked down at his watch and saw that it was now 11:00. Lunch would be served in a half hour, and he figured that it would take about that long to walk back to the castle. He got up off the grass and reached his hand down to Hermione.
"Help up?" offered Harry as he smiled down at her.
"Thanks," replied Hermione, blushing slightly as she put her hand in his. He nodded in reply as he helped her up. As they walked around the rest of the lake, they talked about their classes and how Snape was bound to give them a rather large assignment on the usefulness of snake venom any day now. "The better to poison us Gryffindors with," joked Harry on the matter as Hermione giggled.
But for one reason or the other, they hadn't let go of their hands since Harry had helped Hermione up, and they were walking towards the castle hand in hand.
Her hand is so soft, like velvet, thought Harry as he looked down at their hands. He lifted his gaze from their hands to Hermione's face, and he smiled when he saw that she was looking down at their hands, too.
His hand is so warm, thought Hermione as she looked up, her gaze meeting Harry's smiling face. She smiled back as she felt Harry squeeze her hand gently. She squeezed back as she looked ahead at the castle, which was only steps away now.
"Oh! I've just realized - I left my broom out in the pitch!" exclaimed Harry as he stopped abruptly. Hermione stopped walking a second after Harry had, and their hands broke apart. She looked back at him as realization hit her too.
"Oh! I left the broom I was using out there, too! I'll go with you," said Hermione, as she motioned towards the field.
"No, that's alright - you go on ahead, I'll take care of the brooms," said Harry. "Save a seat for me?" he asked, a smile playing on his face.
"Who could say 'no' to you, Harry? Of course I will," replied Hermione with a smile, as she stepped closer to Harry and did something that she had done before, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for that walk, and for being you." And with that, Hermione turned on her heel and hurried up the castle's stairs.
Harry stood there outside of the castle, staring at the doors where Hermione had just disappeared. He brought his hand up to his cheek and touched his fingers to the very spot where Hermione's lips had been.
My heart's racing! Hermione just kissed me on the cheek! Funny…she's done that before, but it didn't feel quite the same last time. This time…this time it left me with my heart pounding and my cheek burning, contemplated Harry. He smiled to himself as he headed towards the field - with a spring in his step - to retrieve his broom and put Hermione's back in the locker room.
***
Just as Hermione turned the corner into the Great Hall, she was taken aback by what she saw. The whole hall went silent at her entrance, staring at her, waiting for some kind of response. But that wasn't the whole of it.
Floating in front of her was a rather large photograph of her and Harry as they were a few hours before, hugging out in the Quidditch field.
Trying to hold back any facial expressions, Hermione walked around the four-foot long photograph in a huff and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny. Hermione could feel the stares of the students as she took a goblet and began to pour herself some pumpkin juice. She heard a rumble of laughter erupt from the direction of the Slytherin table as she set the pitcher back down on the table. Looking over to her right on the other side of the table she caught Ron glaring at her icily. He turned his eyes back down to his plate as he twisted his fork in his food, rather uninterestedly.
Hermione turned her gaze back down to her goblet as a shrill voice broke through the silence.
"Where's your BOYFRIEND, there, Granger?" said Malfoy with an evil grin.
Hermione turned in her seat and looked menacingly at Malfoy.
"Ooh, tsk, tsk. Don't screw your face like that, Granger, it makes your features even MORE unpleasing to the eye," spat Malfoy as a round of laughter at the Slytherin table followed.
Hermione turned back around in her seat, with a look of disgust written on her face. She took a sip of pumpkin juice and looked back over at Ron. Well, he can't avoid me FOREVER. I might as well try to mend things sooner rather than later, thought Hermione, as she set her goblet back down on the table. She got up and walked over to where Ron was seated. Ron looked at her incredulously as she sat down in front of him.
"Ron - look, this isn't what it looks like. Harry and I-" whispered Hermione, but she was cut off abruptly by an outraged Ron.
"-are going out!!! You don't have to rub it in my face!!! How could you, Hermione, HOW COULD YOU!!! We JUST broke up, and you're dating again ALREADY-and with my BEST FRIEND, OF ALL PEOPLE!!! How SHALLOW!!! You've turned into-into…A SCARLET WOMAN!!!" sputtered Ron indignantly, as he slammed his fist on the table in anger.
Hermione's eyes welled up with tears as she shot up from the table. She put her hands over her face as she ran out of the Great Hall, sobbing. She passed someone on her way out, nearly knocking them over.
It was Harry.
He had just arrived from putting his broom away in his dorm when he caught the tail end of Ron's flare-up. He glanced backward and saw Hermione heading up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower, still sobbing violently. He turned his eyes back to Ron.
Harry's face was twisted up in anger for what Ron had said. Words couldn't convey the contempt he had for Ron. Harry had never been THIS mad before - EVER. His mind was racing. HOW DARE HE!!! shouted Harry's thoughts.
Harry moved his glare from Ron to the four-foot photograph in front of him. He reached his hand out and grabbed it, scrunching it up in his tight grip. He cast one last contemptuous look at Ron, and then turned on his heel, running up to the Gryffindor Tower after Hermione.
A/N - YAY! The tenth chapter! This chapter has the promised angst, along with little sparks of the romance. I really enjoy writing this fic, and I hope that you all have as much fun reading it as I do writing it. ALL of your wonderful reviews keep my writing spirit alive. Without you, there wouldn't be a reason to write. H/Hr is in the beginning stages! Stick around to see a beautiful romance unfold! I plan on this story having a VERY happy ending! Ron will straighten up…eventually. In the meantime, enjoy the angst he provides! But remember, YOUR REVIEWS INSPIRE ME!!! I LOVE your reviews, so please LEAVE them!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!