Your Intentions

It was their last year at Hogwarts and suddenly Hermione realized that she wouldn't be going back to the castle in the horseless (and yet actually horseful) carriages again. She wouldn't take the train to Hogwarts, either, and she definitely wouldn't have to tell Ron to do his homework for another year after that one was over. Everything was ending so quickly, but she knew that there were other things that should have been on her mind. For instance, Hermione, Harry and Ron had to figure out a way to defeat Voldemort. She couldn't quite understand how one could just put it in a sentence like that. Defeat Voldemort. In two words she could say it like a command to herself, but it was too simple through words. It was like the words mocked the situation. Defeating Voldemort wasn't as simple as saying the two words themselves. It was complicated and they had to do it right this time. Of course, Harry was the only one who could actually do it. Hermione didn't expect that she could do anything except help Harry with the Horcruxes before he finally faced his arch-enemy. Even though it sounded not quite as important, though, she knew that her part in the plan was important. She had a lot of responsibility, looking through as many books as she could for something, anything, that could tell them about the Horcruxes.

On top of that all, she also had to go to Hogwarts for a last year. Harry finally agreed to go with them, or at least for the beginning of the year. Now that Hermione was at Hogwarts, though, she didn't want him to be there. She found that he could be very distracting.

On their first day of classes, Harry and herself bumped into each other during Herbology. Hermione nearly dropped her pot, but thankfully she didn't. But she found herself blushing. Blushing! Over Harry? It didn't make any sense, but she found herself getting nervous around him all week due to things that she never thought would make her nervous before. Well, nothing ever made her nervous in front of Harry before, but now things were starting to make her embarrassed just by being around him. Hermione found herself getting lost in his dark, messy hair...his deep, emerald eyes... No, Hermione. Stay on task. Hermione couldn't let herself get this distracted, even in her classes. She was always focused and always took great notes, but now she found herself trailing in History of Magic just in time for herself to realize it and get back on topic.

What's wrong with me? she asked herself. No. This can't happen. It just can't... Despite Hermione's sudden realization of her feelings for Harry, she didn't realize that it was already too late.

One night, in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione, Ron and Harry were all sitting by the fire like they usually did. They didn't discuss if anyone had found some research involving You-Know-Who's You-Know-Whats. It wasn't the proper place to do it with so many people crowded there and they were all very tired after their first week of classes. Later, perhaps, they would discuss what they had found out (if they found out anything), but for now they enjoyed just relaxing with each other by the fire.

"Well, I'm off to bed," Ron said, standing up and stretching his legs. "See ya, mate," he said, looking at Harry. "Good night, Hermione." Ron smiled at her and then turned to go upstairs. Hermione smiled back, but it wasn't the same smile that he gave her. There was something different in his eyes when he looked at Hermione. Unfortunately, Hermione didn't have the same twinkle in her eyes when she looked at him. He was her best friend and she cared about him deeply, but right now she found that her mind was always somewhere else...

Hermione looked over at Harry and found that she never really saw him the way she did now. His eyes, they were so green! Why didn't she notice that before? Hermione knew that they were green, but not that green. There was an innocence to them that she never saw before, yet there was also experience behind his eyes. He clearly had a tougher life than most of the people at Hogwarts and suddenly Hermione had the urge to hold him tight and to never let him go. Why did they have to defeat Voldemort anyway? Couldn't someone else like Moody do it? Alastor was much more experienced in fighting than Harry, Hermione or Ron. What chance did they really have against him?

"Hermione? Are you okay?" Hermione found herself getting pulled from her thoughts by the very person she was thinking about. Harry sat there, smiling at her. Oh, how she loved that smile. He rarely smiled now and suddenly Hermione found herself craving his smile even more than she craved his safety. He was so great when he was happy, even if it was only for a moment.

"Erm, yeah... I'm fine," Hermione lied. If she had told him the truth... Well, that just couldn't happen. Harry couldn't know how she felt about him. Hermione could barely explain it to herself at the moment. Where did the sudden feelings come from? They were never there before. Why did Hermione suddenly have such a big attraction to Harry, one of her best friends? It was sure odd, but Hermione knew she couldn't control her feelings. Well, she could try, but she knew that they were stronger than her. After all, love was a very deep magic. But this isn't love! she thought to herself. No, it's just... a very strong... feeling of... something, Hermione concluded. She couldn't even explain what it was to herself!

"I think I'll go to bed too, Harry. Good night." Hermione stood up without looking at Harry. She couldn't bear to look at him while feeling the things she felt. If she looked at him, may be he would figure it out. May be he would see the look in her eye when she looked at him: the same look that Ron had given Hermione earlier that night.