In Front Of Me

Harry reacted to Hermione spontaneously. He shoved her away from him hard. Hermione gasped when he did. It wasn't that Hermione was a bad kisser, it was just that she was more like a sister to him than anything else.

"I'm really, really sorry Harry," Hermione said, her face redder than Ron's hair.

"Hermione, what's gotten into you?" Harry asked, concerned. Now he could definitely tell something was wrong. Hermione had just kissed him.

"It's just that...I don't know," Hermione started. Harry put his hand on her arm."

"Hermione, you know you ca n tell me. I'm just trying to help," Harry said, reassuringly.

"It's just that...I...love...you Harry," Hermione said, feeling awkward.

"What? I...uh...what?" Harry asked, confused. Hermione began pouring her heart out to him.

"Harry, I love you. I have since I met you and I can't help it," she said, her heart thumping loudly.

Harry narrowed his emerald eyes at her and said, "Hermione, is this about Ron? Because...if it is, it's ok, you two will still be friends. He's not going to abandon you."

"But you don't get it Harry. I love you," Hermione said, slightly surprised at what he'd just said. Was this because of Ron?

"Hermione, you know I'm your friend, but that's all I can be. I'm behind you nine hundred percent in anything you do, but I couldn't be with you like that. I love you too, only as a friend. I hope you understand," Harry said, pitying the way she was acting. Hermione looked as though he'd slapped her in the face.

"But I don't understand, Harry. I don't understand any of it," she said, crying silently.

"Hermione, you're a smart girl. I'm sure you'll figure it out," Harry said, leaving her in the hall where she stood. She watched him go, heartbroken. Now she neither had Harry or Ron. What she wouldn't give to relive the past. Maybe then she could have told him how she'd felt. But Harry was right, and she was a smart girl. She knew that, in love, there are no second chances.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry walked away from the situation he'd just been in. Hermione Granger, the girl he'd known for most of his life, was having a crisis. She told him she loved him, but he knew the truth. She loved Ron, and he saw it. She only told him that because she had no one, although Harry would always be there.

"Where's your friends Potter?" Draco echoed down the hall. Harry froze.

"Sod off Malfoy. I don't need you to..." he stopped when he turned around to look at Draco. He seemed different somehow. His hair was perfectly slicked to his head, his smooth milky skin reflected the light coming through the window. His slivery eyes focusing on Harry's jade ones when he didn't finish his statement. At that moment, Harry felt something strange come over him. At that very moment, Harry couldn't resist Draco Malfoy. Draco stood casually, his robes hanging off his body just the right way.

"Well Potter? Have you gone dense?" he scoffed.

"N-no. I just...er...I...was...thinking," Harry said, feeling his cheeks turning red. What was happening?

"Are you sick or something? You look like you might have some kind of virus," Draco said stepping back from him slightly.

"N-no, I'm f-fine," Harry said. He was thinking that Draco certainly was also.

"Well then why are you babbling like an idiot?" Draco asked. He ran a hand through his hair, and Harry felt his body jolt. He couldn't move. He only stared at the god-like boy who stood before him. Harry began thinking things that he'd never thought before, and he shook his head sharply. Draco saw this and stepped further back.

"Ok Potter, either you have lice, or you are very disturbed. Either way, I don't have the time or patience to stand here any longer," he said, walking off past Harry. It took all of Harry's willpower to not turn around and look you-know-where. He failed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What is your deal?" Kat shouted after Draco. He was walking unusually fast the next morning, and he was supposed to be showing her to History of Magic. She ran in front of him to halt his furious pace.

"Get out of my way," he snapped, glaring at her.

"Not until you tell me why you're acting like such a prick," Kat said.

"I don't know why you bother still asking me to show you places, now that you're with the Weasel," Draco said harshly.

"Well, in case you forgot, I kind of have to. And I would appreciate it if you didn't call him that," she said.

"Oh yeah, that's right. You have to defend your little boyfriend," Draco said resentfully.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kat asked, confused by his sudden change of character.

"It means that you...ugh...forget it. You don't understand," Draco said.

"Why don't you help me to understand? If you don't talk to me then..." she stopped. He was staring at her strangely. He'd never looked at her that way before. Why did he seem so upset that her and Ron were together all of the sudden? Why was he being so cruel towards her? Why wouldn't he tell her what was wrong? Her eyes went wide. She figured it out.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Draco asked nervously.

"I...uh...have to go," she said, hurrying in the opposite direction.

"No, wait. Tell me what that was all about," he said, catching up to her.

"I can't believe you," Kat merely said. His insides were pitching as if he were on a boat.

"W-what?" he asked.

"Just stay away from me," she said, getting away from him, and disappearing down the hall. He just stood there, not able to move or speak. Frozen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After a long cry, Hermione sat up on her bed. It was already dark out, and she wasn't hungry. She was neglecting her usual nightly routine, but she didn't care. She couldn't explain what her feelings were doing to her. They were eating her from the inside, and she couldn't take it. Hermione had always been an emotionally sound person. She never let her heart do the talking, but she had today. She knew Harry probably felt really bad for her, and it made her feel even worse. In the beginning, it seemed so right to get Ron together with Kat, but now she wasn't so sure what she wanted.