The End Of The Beginning

CHAPTER-6

A/N: Okay, I have some explaining to do, which I'll do at the end.

As for the update itself, you'll notice some similarities to what had been posted before, but it's definitely being used differently. It was easier to retain some of the thing I liked than to start completely over from scratch.

Stole a line from the end of The Sorcerer's Stone. Not mine, that's Rowling's. As is everything else Harry Potter.

Hope you enjoy some of the changes!

P.S. I'd like to think that Harry has been around the Weasley's long enough that, now that he has the chance to loosen up, his sense of humor will have lightened up a bit. Little nugget for those who notice the little things. 

~

It had been three days since Hermione had accidentally kissed him and Harry was just now getting his thoughts into some semblance of order.

Classes had started right away, so he had been forced to put his brain to work on something other than the giant elephant in the room between himself and his best friend. He spent most of his free time that he wasn't doing homework trying to sort through why exactly a harmless accident had turned his mind into a circus.

It bothered him that he had been so affected by it. It had been hard to get the feeling of her soft lips against his out of his brain, no matter how hard he tried. It made being around Hermione awkward, which was a feeling he had never before associated with her. Hermione and Ron both had always been his comfort zone, the one place he always felt sure of himself. Now the sight of her bushy hair sent his stomach into his throat. The worst part was that he wasn't even sure why.

"Well, have you ever thought about kissing her before?" Ron asked during a private chess match in Harry's bedroom.

"You really want me to answer that?" he gave his friend a skeptical look. He didn't want to tread on sensitive territory.

"Yeah, come on. Me and Hermione are ancient history now, you can tell me." Ron's knight began pummeling one of Harry's pawns.

"There was once, it was when we were in the tent after you had gone. The radio was on and this song came on, I was being stupid and we started dancing. I just wanted to see her smile. When the music ended, we were standing there....and it was only for a moment....but it was just us, I thought about it."

"Then what?"

"Well, nothing happened. We went back to business as usual, until we went to Godric's Hollow." For some reason the mention of his parents' home made the corners of Ron's lips twitch just enough for Harry to catch it. "What?" Harry gave his friend a questioning look.

"It's nothing Harry. Why don't you just talk to her about it? What's the worst that could happen?"

"I know I need to talk to her about it." Harry added lamely. "I just lose my nerve every time I try."

"What exactly are you afraid of?"

"I guess I'm just afraid to make it worse."

"Harry, don't you know you can trust her by now?"

"Of course I do."

"Then trust her. Trust that she wants to sort this out just like you. I think you're blowing this a bit out of proportion. Both of you really. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time."

"Come on Ron, it was a kiss! With Hermione! While I'm with your sister at that!"

"An accident Harry. Unless there's something about this you're not telling me, then it's a simple accident. No harm, no foul."