Falling for a Muggle

She had surely changed. But then, it seemed that everybody else had changed too. There was a strange feeling in the air now that it was their last year at school. Somehow every unpleasant thought had simply vanished, leaving behind only cheery, vivid memories of the fun and happy times in their lives. They didn't want this to end after all and they were all anxious about the "so, what's next?" issue. Somehow a single summer had had a tremendous effect on them! They didn't feel like screaming school kids any more, as they quickly approached adulthood now and somehow that had liberated them. Even Neville had stopped chasing runaway frogs and had started showing great interest in girls. Well, he did have a great sense of humour after all! Someone would surely appreciate it! But he was so distracted with a red haired beauty that he didn't even notice Hermione, who passed right in front of him. But she was in such a hurry that she didn't stop either. Well, they would see each other throughout the year after all. It was Harry and Ron she craved to see. Or was it Ron and Harry? Gosh, she had surely missed them! But, somehow, she had spent more time during summer thinking of Ron...

Hermione had changed and she wanted to make sure everybody noticed that. All these years she had been quite indifferent to everything else but studying and having dangerous adventures with her two best friends that she seamed to have lost a great deal of things. She had never had a boyfriend. Not that she never had the chance! She had been quite a catch for years now, but she didn't seem to care at all. In her opinion, boys were boring and immature. Well, Harry and Ron were fascinating, she had had the time of her life when she was with them, but they were just friends, well, at least they had been just friends, until now. But now she had started to feel bad about it. Not regret it, of course. Her grades wouldn't have been as high if she had fooled around with boys. But now she really wanted to make up for all the lost time, she wanted someone to notice her. Someone to care. Someone to see just how special she really was!

Could it be Ron? She somehow knew he wanted her. It had been obvious since their second year that he fancied her, even if he never showed... She knew that he cared. So did Harry of course. They would do anything for each other, like the three musketeers! But Ron would always do so much more. And he was always bragging in front of her! And she had even caught his jealous glance at times that she had been closer to Harry. No, Harry might have been an extraordinary guy, but maybe he was too perfect. Everyone was talking about him and he had always reached everyone's great expectations. But Ron, he was more... hum... Well, whatever it was that attracted her, she surely couldn't explain! But she had spent some time during the summer thinking of him. She even missed him, in a not so friendly way. In her complex brain Ron had changed, from a childhood friend to an interesting young man. She couldn't tell if she was just imagining it or it was a fact and this was intriguing her even more. Was it her mind playing games? What could she except from him? And even if he was interested in her, he hadn't said something in all these years. Sure, she had some hints, but that was all. What if he cared but was too timid to express himself? What if he considered her too distant to approach? It was true that she was pretty smart and she had more than grades to prove it. Could this have scared Ron away? Most boys would feel threatened by a very smart girl.

Whilst pondering that, she reached the library. And only then she realized that she felt more anxious now that she would face them. Happy of course, but with an unexplained fear, or stress. "Oh, damn!" She had finally realized how beautiful their childhood years had been. Simple and true! And how different the new reality would be... They would never come back there and by no magical way could she relive them. It was gone for good now and she would have to go on.

With those mixed feelings she pushed the heavy wooden door open and entered the library. Her eyes searched for her friends, but all she could see was school faces, some of them pretty familiar. It seemed that almost every last-year student had arranged to meet in the library. Maybe the last-year-thing was pretty obvious to everyone now and they had started to feel comfortable with their "temple of knowledge" And she did catch some eyes fixed upon her. The mini skirt and the lipstick had definitely made quite an impression! But now, somehow, she felt embarrassed by that. There were boys looking at her at that made her feel bad. She had been wrong. She didn't want to be noticed by anyone. Just a certain someone... And now she was almost feeling naked!

She wandered around, covering her legs with her wizard cloak, searching for them. If she wouldn't find them in a minute, she would... well... leave!

"Mione!" she heard and turned immediately. It was Harry. Boy, was she glad to see him!

"Harry!" she shouted filled with joy to see her friend and fell into his arms, not noticing that she had been heard by everyone else in the library and everybody was looking at them now.

"Well, where's Ron?"

"Where's Ron? Hey, am I invisible here? I haven't seen you all summer and now the only thing you're asking me is where's Ron?" and then he smirked, the same boyish grin he had when she had first met him.

"Hey, Hermione, if I didn't know you any better I'd say you really..."

"Say what? I'm sorry Harry, it really is good to see you but, well, I thought you'd be stuck on each other, as usual! I mean, the picture of you alone is quite strange! You always appear as a duo!"

"...missed him."

"I missed you both, you nagger! Can you believe it, Harry? It's our last year!"

"Yea... Last year indeed..."

She noticed some depression on his face. What a blunder! Harry hated the idea, that was pretty obvious! Well, that was natural, of course. Harry's only family was Hogwarts and his friends. Well, apart from the Dursleys, but who would count those as family? He would hate to leave Hogwarts. She had to cheer him up.

"Well, I suppose you've had enough of Ron all summer huh? So, no wonder you don't feel like being around him all the time!"

She had definitely fixed it. Harry's face lightened up immediately. Even thinking about his holidays back at Ron's house made him happy! He popped up in a second!

"Well, you know, I spent all summer at the Burrow so, you're right! I've had enough of him" he joked. "You know, he's started snoring... Gee, you wouldn't want to live with that. Maybe you wouldn't live through that! It was hell. I was lucky to survive!" He laughed as he spoke. It was the one thing, other than his smile, that he had kept from his childhood.

She laughed at him, but deep down she still searched. Where was he anyway?

"Hey you two! Thought you could avoid me for ever?"

Whatever she had imagined about him was nothing compared to what was standing in front of them now. Gee, she didn't remember him being so tall! And he looked like a man already! He gave her a big smile before she was lost in his arms. "Herm! You've really grown!"

Everything she had been thinking came back to her mind in a flash. He was holding her tight, but was he doing that on purpose? Was he trying to make a point? Or was it just physical strength? She had prepared herself for anything he might have said, but all he said was... that she had grown? Was that the best he could do? She raised her glance into his, smiling in her most innocent, friendly way, trying to figure if she could find another emotion hidden into his eyes. But there was nothing there, except great joy! Well, that was something!

"Herm, we do have some catch up to do! You didn't send a single letter that last month! Hey, Harry! Take a look..."

A group of Hufflepuff girls passed them giggling. "Check this out! Well, it is our last year after all! We should get to know well... new people! What about you Herm? Any romance during the holidays?" he questioned, in a teasing voice.

Stupid! Stupid! How could she have been so wrong? How could she have thought he cared for her in that way? Gosh, was it all in her head? Maybe there wasn't anything there from the start!

"Well, nothing big... really! Anyway, we do have to catch up! Why not leave it for later though? It's been a long journey and I'm shattered!"

She wasn't tired, she was exhausted. She had come here with such expectations and this disappointment had finished her off. She had worn the mini skirt for Ron. And the lipstick! All for Ron... And she had walked through the school so arrogantly, like she was heading for a big date! It had all been in her head and her head only. And now she felt so stupid! Luckily she was able to hide everything behind friendly chitchat. After all she couldn't blame him for not falling in love with her in a second! Anyway, friendship was a better thing to have... or at least that's what she would try to convince herself...

"See you later!" she said and left them.

She headed to the Gryffindor dorm, looking down, counting the floor carvings. She wouldn't allow herself any more thinking. Enough of this! So what? She'd get over it! Now, it was her who didn't see Neville waving at her. She entered the dormitory and stayed there.

Her invitation had been open to Ron. She didn't know it yet, but there was someone else who accepted it...