Five Days, Six Years

"-Honestly, Ron, one would think you never-"

"-just a bit of fun, Her-"

"-you're a Prefect, or have you for-"

"-just needed to fly for a bit-"

"-should have been revising for exams anyway-"

"-completely obsessed with sodding exams-"

"-after curfew-"

Harry, lounging on one of the battered burgundy couches of the Gryffindor common room, didn't bat an eyelash at the heated words being passed between his best friends. He flipped a page of his Advanced Transfiguration text, reading about the wand movement required to turn a table-lamp into a tortoise.

Ron and Hermione were again thoroughly embroiled in one of their now-famous arguments, and even the first years, by this point, failed to be alarmed by it. Everyone simply continued packing up their books and heading up to the dormitories in the warm firelight of a still-chilly April evening, sidestepping the tall, redheaded boy and the bushy-haired girl waving her arms emphatically at him.

Yawning dramatically, Harry unfolded himself from the couch and said, to no one in particular, "Well...I think I'll be off to bed. Double Potions is tomorrow morning, after all." He stretched languidly and put his book under one arm.

Ron and Hermione didn't even lower their voices. They acted as if he didn't exist...which was by this point, admittedly, becoming rather more commonplace than Harry wanted to admit.

As the last of the fifth years revising for their OWLs, Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey among them, trickled out of the common room, Harry headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, leaving his two best friends to continue their argument, for the fifth time in as many days. Every evening, it was routine for them.

"Think they'll kill each other before the year ends?" Colin asked him as they climbed the winding staircase. Colin's arms were filled with textbooks, and Harry gave the books a nod.

"At least we'd be able to study in peace," the green eyed wizard commented with a grin. He remembered the torture of OWLs all too well.

Back in the common room, Ron and Hermione were still shouting about flying and exams. However, as soon as they heard a door, presumably to the sixth year boys' dorm, shut with a secure-sounding "click", all argument ceased abruptly.

Hermione flew at Ron, tackling him backwards onto the same couch Harry had just been sitting on. They collapsed onto the threadbare upholstery in a complicated tangle of arms and legs, Hermione's arms twining around Ron's neck to draw him towards her.

They were kissing; carelessly, as if they couldn't possibly have waited a moment longer. Bushy brown hair and threadbare robes seemed to be everywhere.

"Ron..." Hermione mumbled against the tall boy's lips.

"..mmm?" he replied, inarticulate.

"One of these days, they're going to figure it out," she whispered unsteadily, becoming rather absorbed in Ron's mouth on her neck.

From his vantage point sitting at the top of the Gryffindor boys' staircase, Harry just smiled. It had only taken him six years, after all.