The Way You Looked At Me

"Was I a fool to think

The way you looked at me...

I swear you did

But you looked away too quick."

-"Was I a Fool?", Dave Matthew Band

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For the life of her, she could not figure him out.

Hermione glanced around the common room once more, her eyes just momentarily resting in the form of a tall, black-haired, green-eyed boy who sat a little ways away, chatting animatedly with his friends.

Boy? She shook the thought out of her head. If there was anything Harry deserved, it was to be known as a man. His defeat of Voldemort last year had at least given him that much. He was also graduating next week at the top of the class. Hermione smirked to herself at that thought. For once she had gotten to torment him about working too hard. Everyone had been so surprised when Harry had not only made head boy, but also got accepted into the Auror training. Hermione, however, wasn't surprised the least bit. She knew how much Harry wanted to be an Auror.

She allowed her eyes to drop back down to her book, trying to keep the blush off her cheeks. If someone found her staring at Harry again, she knew she wouldn't have an excuse this time.

Hermione Granger was falling for him. She was falling for The Boy-Who-Lived. She was falling for Harry Potter.

She hated it when she admitted that to herself. She had even admitted it to Crookshanks the other day, but she doubted her understood what she was saying. People were talking though. She hadn't been keeping up with her studies as diligently as she usually did. Even Harry had asked is she was alright...

"Of course I'm alright!" she snapped back at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Whoa, calm down Hermione, it was just a simple question!"

"Well next time keep your questions to yourself!" She snapped an about face and stormed away from him, fuming at his arrogance...

Arrogance? No, Hermione thought. He was just being himself again. He was just being his nice, perfect, wonderful, caring, compassionate self. And she had blown him off.

She looked back up toward him as she heard his laugh through the room. Ron had obviously just lost at Exploding Snap. His eyebrows were smoking and Harry and Dean were having a good time laughing with him.

"Hermione?"

She jerked her head around quickly, the blush rushing to her face. Lavender raised an eyebrow towards her.

"Harry-watching again?" Lavender smirked and dropped down on the armrest of Hermione's chair.

"No," Hermione said quickly, digging her eyes back into her book.

She turned even redder as Lavender laughed aloud.

"Quit it, will you?" Hermione shot a hurtful look towards her friend and spared a glance around the room, hoping that no one else had heard.

"When will you admit it, girl?"

"Admit what?"

"There you go again, Hermione! You've got to stop denying it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Hermione waved her away with one hand, forcing Lavender to stand.

"Well I'll tell you one thing, Hermione Granger. Harry sure isn't denying it."

Hermione's eyes flashed and she looked up to question Lavender's statement. But when she looked up, Lavender was already climbing out the portrait hole.

Hermione stared after her for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had said.

Harry isn't denying it...

She slowly turned around to look one last time at Harry and his companions. She stopped short as she saw Harry's green eyes connect with hers. She firmly held his gaze as she felt her heart speed up. She saw a flash of something cross his face, and his expression changed. But as soon as it had come, it was gone. He blinked once before flashing her a smile, and turning away again.

Hermione's gaze didn't drop till a moment later, but her mind and her heart were still moving fast.

She smiled to herself. Maybe it didn't mean what she thought, but the fact that he had smiled at her was enough for now.