A Bohemian Visit to the Lake

A Bohemian Visit to the Lake
by
Christabell

The first time he saw me, I’m sure he got a horrible impression. Actually, scratch that. I’m sure that he did. There he was, sitting on the train in all his glory, not even noticing how wonderful he was, feeling relieved to have found his first friend, Ronald Weasley. And in I marched, all businesslike and bossy, trying to cover up the unexplainable joy of finally meeting him. My excuse that still stands is that I was eleven, not capable of knowing how to deal with something as great as that. Meeting the boy that I had read about forever. I knew his story, I thought I would know him. And I was so wrong. What I didn’t know then was that the real Harry Potter was so much more, so much less two dimensional than the fictional Harry Potter that I had read about could ever be.

Hermione Granger sat on a bench, head in her hands, elbows on her knees, not thinking about anything in particular, just sitting and trying to enjoy the warm sun baking her with its warmth. This, was a rare occurrence indeed. Usually, whenever she had a free second, out would come a book, and there she would be, absorbing all its contents, letting the information seep into her mind. But not today. Today was different. She had finally had enough of Lavender and Parvati’s constant blabbering about how much she like Harry, and how she should tell him. Which wasn’t true. The two girls just didn’t understand the concept of having two male best friends. They were convinced that either Hermione liked Harry or Ron, or just had major crushes on both of them. So she got so fed up with the two friends, that she couldn’t take it anymore, and ran out to the lake in search of some peace and quiet. As she sat on the bench, she felt the presence of somebody walking over, then they dropped down next to her. Without looking up, she knew exactly who she was. Harry.

“Hello Harry,” she said softly. She inhaled quietly, taking in his scent. It was hard to really describe what he smelled like. It was a combination of new clothes, freshly cut grass, happiness, and something else that she couldn’t quite put a finger on it. Something so uniquely Harry.

“How’d you know it was me?” Harry questioned. Hermione glanced up at him, grinning at him for a moment before answering.

“I just did. I’ve been one of your best friends for seven years now, Harry. I just know you. I know how you walk, I know how you smell, I know how you would feel in every circumstance and what you would do. I know how you sound when you approach me, and without even seeing you, I know what you want. That’s what friends are for.” She looked back, smiling.

“Ron doesn’t notice those things,” Harry pointed out, “but then again, maybe that’s just Ron for you.” The two laughed at how true that statement was. Ron, sweet as he was, could be horribly dense at times. “But I know what you mean. I think I know you just as well,” he agreed. They glanced at each other, and they both got up and started to meander around the lake. As they walked in silence, Hermione began thinking about their relationship. Why was it that she was so close to Harry? It wasn’t that she was not close with Ron, it just was... different.

“Harry, what did you think of me when you first met me?” she asked suddenly. Surprised by the question, Harry slowed down, and looked at her quizzically.

“Depends how you define meeting you. The first time I saw you, on the train that first year, I wanted to be friends with you, but it seemed like you didn’t like me very much or something. Then I actually met you, and began to know you, when we fought that troll with Ron. I just remember thinking that you were one of the nicest, most gracious person I knew, taking the blame Ron and I.” He continued, “I knew that I wanted to always be as brave as you had been that day. You forgave Ron and I for our rudeness and immaturity, and saved our little arses. I don’t think I would have been able to do that if I had been in your place.” She stared at him for a little bit, shocked that he had felt so much for her, even at eleven.

“Wow,” was all she could say. Spurred on by the moment, Harry decided to add to his statement.

“I’ve grown to admire you even more over the years. The more I know about you, the more I love about you. You are such a fabulous person, beautiful inside and out, and I’m incredibly lucky to have you. Even though Ron is also my best friend, it’s different with you. I can talk to you about absolutely anything.”

“Harry, you are so sweet!” Hermione exclaimed. She leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek. At the same moment, Harry turned his head to her to say something, and their lips met, with what resulted in a short but sweet kiss. Hermione blushed immediately, and started apologizing.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry about that. I was just going to give you a kiss on the cheek for being so sweet, I’m so sorry...” Harry interrupted.

“Don’t be. What makes you think that it was a bad thing?” he asked. “I didn’t think it was. Maybe we should try again, just to make sure?” he questioned slyly. Without hearing the answer, he pulled her in close to him, and gave her a real kiss, much longer than the former one had been. When they parted, Hermione just smiled at him.

“I take it that you don’t object, Ms. Granger...” Harry teased

“Most certainly not, Mr. Potter,” she teased right back.

“Then, Ms. Granger, I have one thing to ask you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Of course I will, Harry,” she replied, her happiness evident in her voice. They sat down by the lake, and he wrapped his arms around her, content to just sit there, blissfully in their new found love.

And somewhere, up in Gryffindor Tower, two giggly girls sighed happily at the sweet sight below them, knowing that they had been right all the time.

El Fin