Harmione - The Truth

Chapter Eight

Everyone that witnessed the burning of the Burrow were pretty shaken up, and most of them also yearned for Romilda Vane to be punished for successfully using a love potion on Harry. However, Romilda was merely given a week's worth of detention, and that made Harry want to call Dumbledore out, but he couldn't - given the current, fragile status of their relationship.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry slyly strolled behind Malfoy, desperately trying to uncover what he was hiding. However, all he was presented to was a wall. He gulped, his fists curling up into tight balls, as he frowned. Meanwhile, Malfoy had uncovered the Vanishing Cabinet once again, placing a white bird in the cupboard. He closed it and stared sinisterly at his hand, dropping the excess feathers. He opened the cupboard once more... the bird was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Half-Blood Prince's book sat smack in the middle as Ginny, Hermione and Ron all stared intensely at Harry, though Hermione more noticeably than the rest of them. She then proceeded to walk over and sit next to Harry, who was engulfed in his book.

"Harry, you know you have to get rid of it..." Hermione softly mumbled, rubbing Harry's arm soothingly. Her voice was so melodic, that Harry couldn't help but smile. He nodded, peering over at Ginny and Ron.

"T-Take my hand, Harry." Harry looked unsurely at the brunette.

"Hermione-"

"Take my hand, Harry Potter." She said this time more firm than the last. He did so, their fingers interlocking and them both finding their cheeks flushing with red.

They entered the Room of Requirement, their hands still connected; although they could have previously separated them.

"Wow, you love holding my hand, don't you, Hermione?" Harry teased, rubbing circles on her palm.

"Maybe..." Hermione blushed, turning her attention back to the completely cluttered room. "Anyway, Harry, we need to hide the Half-Blood Prince's book. Nobody can find it - it's gotten you in enough trouble as is."

There was a brief sound of rustling as the two teenagers turned to look for where the noise came from. They shook it off as the rustling continued.

"What's this?" Harry asked, opening the cabinet to find a bird, which narrowly missed his head.

He looked behind him to see Hermione, sighing as she walked ineptly toward the jet-black-haired boy. There was a tear falling down her cheek, which Harry quickly wiped away with his thumb. She smiled at him before softly taking the book out of his reach, their hands touching again at one point.

"You should close your eyes. That way you won't know where it is." Harry nodded, closing his eyes gradually. Hermione walked over to place the book in an unknown location.

The brunette walked back over to Harry, gaining a wave of confidence that she didn't have before. Slowly, she leaned in, her lips brushing against his; almost as if she was still debating on fully kissing him or not.

However, judging by the smile on Harry's face, she fully connected their lips. Hermione's tender lips touched Harry's as he held his arms around her waist. The kiss lasted for about ten seconds before they pulled apart. Harry's eyes were still closed, hoping it wasn't a fantasy.

"I-I'm sorry, Harry..." Hermione gasped, stepping away from Harry before he gently pulled her in by the waist. He pulled her tender lips towards him once more, sweetly kissing her again.

"No, Hermione, don't be-" Harry muttered, opening his eyes when he pulled away. Their faces were barely an inch apart, and he couldn't help but grin, watching the nervous expression on her face. He had just kissed Hermione...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did you and Hermione do it, then?" Ron asked, making his way toward Harry. Harry gulped; how did Ron know?