Fool in Love

Hermione stood in front of her mirror, trying to figure out what she was going to tell her best friend. She was in her bedroom at home, packing for her final semester at Hogwarts. Clothes were thrown around the room and the radio was playing softly in the background. However, she had more important thing to do - like figure out what to tell Harry when she saw him in a few hours. She had gone home for Christmas, her family was insistent. Voldemort was still wandering around, and Hermione really hadn't minded being at home. Ron had been wrapped in Lavender Brown, his girlfriend, for the past month and Harry had been distant ever since his break-up with Cho Chang at the end of last year. With my luck, neither of them even realized I was gone, she thought wryly to herself. However, she knew she had to break Harry out of the depression he seemed to have settled into...

"Harry, I know that Cho broke your heart last year, but I want you to know that not everyone looks at you as a trophy to win. I know I don't..." She shook her head. That won't work. He won't believe that in a million years. He'll think that I'm just trying to be nice. She tried again. "Look, Harry, Cho is just one girl. There are millions of witches who are just dying to go out with you..." Including me... "That won't work... what about, 'Harry, you need to move on. Cho obviously has. Living in the past isn't good for you..." Hermione laughed at herself. "Oh yes, now I REALLY sound like his mother." Which is exactly what I DON'T want him to think of me as...

She shook her head. All Harry will ever think of me as is a friend. Maybe a best friend, but a friend nonetheless. Sometimes she wanted to throttle Cho Chang. How could she have broken Harry's heart so, well, heartlessly?

Something made Hermione stop for a second, and listen to the radio. She really just had it turned on so her mother couldn't hear her talk to herself as she packed. Her mother loved to snoop in her daughter's life, especially since she didn't get to see her for most of the year. Hermione had taken to turning the radio on, just to keep her privacy. She had learned to tune out useless noise a long time ago -- how else could she do homework in the Gryffindor common room? However, something made her listen intently to the song that was currently pouring out of the radio.

You don't know me

But I know who you are

Mind if I sit down

Do I look familiar

If I don't, well I should

I'm sure you've seen me around

I know you've probably heard my name

Though we've not been introduced

I'm the fool in love with the fool

Who's still in love with you.

Hermione had never actually been introduced to Cho Chang, even when she was going out with her best friend. Actually, she hadn't really seen Harry much while he and Cho were going out. However, she was confidant that Harry had talked about Ron and herself while he was with Cho. At least, I HOPE he did... She sighed, and sank onto her bed. Admit it, Hermione; you hope he talked about you. If only for the simple reason that you're in love with him. She turned her attention back to the song.

If you've got a minute

I'll buy you a drink

I've got something to say

It might sound crazy

But last night in his sleep

I heard him call out your name

This ain't the first time

He's done it before

And it's hard to face the truth

I'm the fool in love with the fool

Who's still in love with you.

Hermione was sitting in the common room, studying at her usual table. After all, NEWTS were coming up in less than seven months. She really hadn't studied as much as she should over the summer, and she was trying to make up for it now. She glanced up as the clock chimed one o'clock. I really need to go to bed. The common room was now empty except for a raven-haired boy sleeping in a chair by the fire. Hermione sighed. Harry seems to be taking up residence in the common room at night. She walked over to wake him up and shoo him to bed.

She was about to lean over him and wake him up when she saw the tears running down his face. Pausing because she thought he was awake, she gazed down at the agitated boy with worry and sympathy shining in her eyes. Suddenly, he cried out, "No! Cho! I love you!"

Hermione could only stare down at the boy. Does he think I'm Cho? But Harry was still yelling, "Please don't leave me, Cho! I thought I meant more to you than that!" Oh... he's dreaming about her again...

She touched him on the shoulder. "Harry, honey, it's time to wake up." He snapped out of his dream, his green eyes staring into Hermione's brown ones.

"Hermione? What are you doing in the guys' dorm?"

"Harry, you fell asleep in the common room. I was going to bed, and thought you should probably head up too." I don't want to lie to him, but I don't want to embarrass him by telling him that he was talking in his sleep. She smiled down at him, then said teasingly, "Doesn't your bed sound like a better place to spend the rest of the night than a chair in the common room?"

He nodded ruefully at her, and stood up. Hermione quickly gathered up her books and headed towards the girls' stairs to the Head Girl's room. Just as her foot touched the stairs, Harry called, "Hermione?" She turned to look at her best friend. "Did, er, did I say anything in my sleep?" He looked anxiously at her.

She simply smiled at him and said, "Of course not, Harry," then turned and walked to her room.

I know love is a fragile thing

And I'm trying hard to make it last

But it ain't easy holding onto my dream

When he's holding on to the past

Just one more thing before I go

I'm not here to put you down

But you don't love him

And that's a fact

Girl I seen you around

But you hold his heart in the palm of your hand

And it's breakin' mine in two

Cause I'm the fool in love with the fool

Who's still in love with you.

Since that first night, she had spent many nights in the common room, watching over Harry. Many times, she'd wake him up from his 'nightmare' on one pretense or another. She had never told him that she knew what he was dreaming about.

Yes, I'm the fool in love with the fool

Who's still in love with you.

As the song ended, Hermione sighed. Why does it have to be this way? A bitter smile crossed her face, and she sang the final words to herself again. " 'Yes, I'm the fool in love with the fool who's still in love with you.' Damn you Cho. Damn you for being there for him to fall in love with, damn you for breaking his heart, and damn you for being the one he loves instead of me." Sighing one final sigh, she turned back to her packing.