Harry woke up the next morning momentarily disoriented. Slowly, everything that happened yesterday came back to him as he sat up in his bed. Harry and Hermione had returned to the common room around 2 a.m. after sitting and talking in the empty classroom.
FlashBack to Last night
Hermione was cuddled around Harry's arm. They were sitting in the empty classroom, having just confessed their feelings for each other.
"I don't want to go back yet, is it okay if we stay here a little while longer?" Hermione asked.
"We can stay here as long as you want Hermione. I'll stay with you anywhere." Harry replied. "Plus I didn't want to go back yet either."
"Are you going to be okay?
"I will be, but it may be a while. I like you Hermione a lot, and so I don't want you to get the wrong idea but I also had very strong feelings for Ginny and she just broke my heart."
"It's okay Harry, I don't expect you to be completely fine after you just caught your girlfriend cheating on you. I'll be here with you the whole time, I know it won't be easy but you'll get through this."
"Thanks Hermione."
End of FlashBack
They had talked a little afterwards but for the most part they just enjoyed the quiet, peaceful night, and each other's company. Harry still wasn't sure what they were, he just knew they had kissed and said they fancied each other. One thing Harry did know, until they knew for sure, they couldn't tell Ron.
Hermione waited for Harry in the common room before breakfast. As she saw him walking down the stairs from the boys' dormitory she broke into a huge smile.
"Ready to go?" Harry asked returning the smile.
"Yes." She replied happily.
They exited the common room and began walking towards the Great Hall. As they reached the main floor, they saw Ginny talking to one of her friends. Harry slipped his hand into Hermione's as he saw her.
Hermione began walking very quickly towards Ginny while pulling out her wand.
"Slugulus Eructo!" she cries sending the spell hurtling towards Ginny. It misses her barely but Hermione doesn't miss a beat, "Furnunculus!" and this spell does hit Ginny.
Ginny is stunned for a minute before she breaks out in boils. She screams and runs towards the Medical Wing as boils continue to appear all over her face and body.
"Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall yells,"What on Earth are you doing? 50 points from Gryffindor and a week of detention for using magic on another student."
"Yes Ma'am."Hermione replies quietly while looking down at the floor.
"No, Professor give me the detention. Hermione was just trying to defend me, please don't let her be punished on my account." Harry interjected.
Hermione and Professor McGonagall both study Harry for a moment.
"Very well Mr. Potter. My office 8 p.m. Do not be late." McGonagall replies.
"Harry what are you doing? I deserved those detentions!"
"What was I doing? What were you doing? You just attacked Ginny in front of everybody! You're lucky it wasn't Snape he may have had you expelled!" Harry shot back.
"I don't know, I just saw her and I felt your sadness and a rage just overtook me. I'm so sorry!". Hermione began sobbing.
"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down, it's okay. You were trying to defend me, which is kinda crazy that you did that for me. That night be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Harry said with a chuckle.
Hermione began laughing and hugged him tight. They hugged for a moment before realizing people were staring. They quickly broke apart.
"We need to be careful until we tell Ron." Hermione said.
"What is it we would tell him? That we kissed and said we fancy each other? Harry asked.
"We can talk about this later." Hermione said gently as they neared Ron who was sitting with Lavender. "Um Ron, I may have just cast a jinx on Ginny that caused her to be covered in boils." Hermione squeaked.
"You did bloody what? Why the bloody hell would you do that?" Ron asked outraged.
"She cheated on Harry for two months Ron! You're sister cheated on you're best mate! I was standing up for him!" Hermione yelled back.
Ron just stared dumbly at Harry. "She did what mate? I had no idea man, I'm sorry."
Harry just nodded in response, "It's alright mate, I just found out last night myself. Caught her in a classroom with Dean after the match."
Ron shook his head, "Blimely, I dunno what got into her. Still, I better go check up on her. Mum will have a fit if I don't."
He gave Lavender a quick peck and got up, heading towards the hospital wing. Harry and Hermione moved farther down the Gryffindor table as word began to spread throughout the Great Hall that Hermione Granger had been in a duel with Ginny Weasley.
They ate their breakfast trying to ignore the whispers and stares Hermione was getting. As they got up to leave Harry suggested, "Why don't we grab our homework and go outside to work on it. That way we can get away from everybody."
Hermione lit up, "That's a great idea!"
So they grabbed their books, parchment, and quills and walked out the castle and down to a tree by the lake. Hermione cast a spell that caused a blanket to appear on the ground and they sat down. They spent hours working on all the homework that was due Monday morning.
When Harry was 3/4s of the way through his last essay he looked over at Hermione. He admired the way the sunlight caught her hair, her beautiful eyes, and her soft lips. It was then he realized she had caught him staring was starting to blush.
"Hermione," Harry started " I've been thinking. I like you a lot, and you said last night that you liked me. But I can't help but wonder if you just said it in the moment."
"Harry Potter, I have had feelings for you probably since first year, you were kind to me when other's weren't. Even though I may not have known it or fully realized it, I have always fancied you I just didn't realize it until last year. But why me? I have buck teeth, and wild hair, I'm so ugly and you could have any girl you wanted."
Harry studied Hermione for a moment. "Is that really how you feel about yourself? Hermione you are the most brilliant person I have ever met beyond Dumbledore and you're a close second. Your buck teeth were fixed in fourth year, and your hair is beautiful. You are beautiful. Plus who else in this school has stood by my side as much as you have? If not for you I would be dead. You are the reason I keep fighting."
Hermione was blushing hard now and tears were steaming down her face. "Oh Harry!" she exclaimed and pulled him in for a deep passionate kiss. He leaned into her and she pushed back. Finally, after several minutes of kissing, they pulled apart.
They laid down on the blanket side by side, hands interlaced. They watched the clouds go by.
Quietly Harry asked, "Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?"
Hermione responded, barely above a whisper, "Yes."
"You were right," Harry remarked "we will have to keep this from Ron for a little while. Until we figure out how to tell him."
"He's going to hate us." Hermione stated.
"Yeah, but he'll get over it. Plus, he broke your heart."
Hermione giggled, "You're so protective already."
"You mean a lot to me, always have."
They stayed that way a while longer, before reluctantly getting their stuff together and returning to the castle. When they arrived at the common room, it was empty. They bade each other goodnight and Hermione gave Harry a brief kiss on the cheek before heading up to the girl's dorm.
When she entered the room, Ginny was sitting on her bed. The boils had been removed for the most part, though her skin was still very red in places.
"So, you're back." Ginny said with a snarl.
"I have nothing to say to you Ginny." Hermione replied.
"You jinxed me! We're supposed to be friends!"
"You cheated on Harry! You broke his heart! You deserved it you skank! I'm surprised you aren't with Dean right now snogging!" Hermione shouted.
Ginny now had her wand out, " He means nothing to me! I made a mistake! I love Harry, and once I go apologize we'll fix it and get back together! Why are you even apart of this? It's none of your business!"
"He's my bloody best friend! It is my business! And I wouldn't be so certain about him getting back with you!"
"Why wouldn't he? He loves me! He said so himself!"
This caused Hermione to stop. He said he loved her? No, he did love her. But he doesn't anymore.
Ginny was now crying. "I really messed up, I didn't mean to hurt him. It was only supposed to happen once, Dean put me under a spell which forced me to sleep with him. But I kept going back to him and I don't even know why. Is Harry okay?"
Hermione shook her head and replied. "He won't admit it, but he's broken. It destroyed him to lose someone else he loved. He's never been the same since Sirius died. But he puts up such a good front."
Ginny broke down, "Oh God, what have I done?"
Hermione couldn't help herself anymore, she went over to Ginny. She held her and tried to comfort her. When Ginny had finally drifted to sleep, Hermione made her way over to her own bunk.
As she drifted to sleep that night, she thought about how Harry had looked the night before, and when he saw Ginny, and she vowed to never hurt him. That night she dreamed of a boy with a lightning bolt scar.