Beware of the Slash

hChapter 2-Hermione's ride to reality

Hermione paced the Astronomy Tower, waiting for him to arrive. Him. After all these years, she was finally going to tell him everything, show him how she felt. The Boy who Lived. Here she was, entwining her fingers, running her hands through her hair, shuffling her feet. Where was he? Now she was becoming worried. What if he wasn't coming? What if he didn't care? Hermione forced herself to think of happy thoughts, content thoughts...

Damn, where were those fluffy bunnies when you needed them?

Suddenly, the knob on the Astronomy Tower door rattled. Then it opened. It was Harry, looking quite smug at that. Hermione jerked her head up.

"Harry, I didn't think you'd come," said Hermione, running her hand one more time through the net that was her hair.

"Why wouldn't I? Why would I let you down, Hermione?" asked Harry, his brow arched, walking smoothly to the middle of the room. He stumbled slightly and Hermione grinned. He was nervous.

She stood up and walked over to him, stopping only to fold her arms over her chest. Then she smirked.

"Is Harry Potter a bit nervous?" she asked him, trying to sound haughty herself.

Harry gazed up at her, his glasses slipping down his nose.

"I'm not nervous," Harry said. He was quite serious, but Hermione failed to notice the obvious.

Then there was an awkward silence, in which Harry walked to the window and looked out, thinking deeply. Hermione stood rooted to that one spot, and when she turned, she nearly fell over. What was she going to say now? After all, she couldn't just come out with it all and end asking him to marry her...

"Harry, we really need to talk," she said instead, trying to take things slowly.

"All right then. What have you got to say to me?" Harry said, sticking his hands in his pants pockets.

"Well...what do you want to know?" Hermione asked, stalling, as she usually did.

"Why'd you want to meet you here?"

Hermione shuddered, as cold entered the tiny room, and engulfed her completely. Suddenly, she was scared. Why was he being so forward?

"Well, you already know that I like you....rather, love you...and I wanted to know...if you loved me too?" Hermione said, breathlessly.

At this, Hermione noticed a sudden change in Harry's attitude. He was a bit preoccupied with something that had appeared out the window, or anything besides Hermione. He began to shuffle his feet and pace.

"Is something the matter?" Hermione asked, stepping toward him and grabbing his arm. A grip, she noticed, that was rather nice.

Harry suddenly stopped and stared at Hermione, longing for her.

"I do, Hermione. I love you," Harry said, grabbing hold of Hermione and forcing her lips onto his. A kiss with only an exterior, and she wished he would deepen it. She would herself, but it seemed he was constricted for some reason.

And then, Harry deepened it, exploring all sides of her mouth, making her quiver and wish the moment could continue...could draw on...day...after day...after day. It was perfect...his lips against hers. His tongue splashed up and down, nearly choking her, but Hermione wouldn't let him stop. Nothing could stop this moment...nothing...

But finally Harry pulled away, sure he had satisfied her needs. Her eyes were still shut tight but she knew the kiss was over, and insisted on dwelling in the past.

"Oh Harry, don't..." she said, hate lingering in her voice. "I need more," she said.

Harry stood back, his face apparent with a grotesque sort of smile, like he didn't enjoy kissing Hermione. She wasn't bad at it, he just didn't enjoy it.

He stepped back. "I think we'd better leave before someone comes up."

****

Three days later, Hermione decided to take her usual trip to the Library, Harry being at Quidditch practice. He was the captain. She made her way down the mediocre corridor to the Library, only stopping to inhale the fresh air that was brought into her from an open window near the Library door. Everything seemed so perfect, so right. She had gotten what she had wanted for six years.

What really got her started was the fact that the feelings were returned.

"What'll it be, Miss Granger?" Hermione jumped. She had been so enraptured in all her own feelings that her feet had led her to the library without her consent! She quickly said "Hello" to Madam Pince and made her way to a certain chair that had been her sanctuary so many other times, when she had been feeling low.

She looked to her right to see a mass load of books that hadn't been read yet. She picked up one labeled, "The Ever Fickle Muggle" by Claudius Nott

She had barely began reading it when laughter struck her.

"Harry, really, you're not that bad at Potions," a voice was saying. This voice sounded a lot like Seamus Finnigan.

"Snape thinks so," said another voice. This voice, Hermione was sure, belonged to Harry.

"All right, all right."

"Can I talk to you...about..." Harry stammered.

What? Hermione found herself muttering. The two voices were quiet. But it wasn't because they heard her. Seamus broke the silence with a question.

"What?" Seamus asked. There was another moment of silence, in which, Hermione heard, Seamus scratched his sandy hair. Then he clapped his hands and it was apparent that he was going to say something but Harry cut him off.

"Hermione," Harry said flat out. Hermione heard Harry sigh and the sound of him scraping his foot on the carpeted floor. She caught herself before she became visible and told Harry off.

"Is everything all right," Seamus asked, revealing a self that Ron found "creepy."

"Yes, yes, everything's all right, Seamus. I just...I feel so detached from her lately. I...I don't think I should be with her. It seemed right," Harry shifted, "at the time, but now...I just don't know. I feel like I need some alone time all of a sudden. When I first kissed her, there were no fireworks...there wasn't any sort of being that said we belonged together. But I don't want to break her heart...she really loves me...and why shouldn't she?" Harry said, Seamus smiling in recognition.

"I understand," said Seamus.

"NO SEAMUS! That's just it..."

"Shhh," cooed Seamus, bringing his hand to his lips and placing another one on Harry's leg.

"Look, your gay." Harry said flatly. "You don't know how it feels to think you love someone...of the opposite sex for that matter, and then feel...like you would love them more if they were...," Harry trailed off, looking over a bookshelf suddenly. He knew Seamus probably understood the part where he would like someone more if they were of the same...

"Wait, are you saying..."

"NO! Don't say that! I refuse to believe that. I'm straight," Harry said reassuringly. He brushed Seamus' hand off his leg and stood up. "I'm straight," he said again, walking out of the library.

Hermione, on the other hand, closed her book, shocked. She couldn't believe who she had fallen in love with. Why hadn't she seen the signs before...well, he hadn't seen the signs before either...

He can't be...