From Friendship, True Love Springs

Harry Potter fanfic 5

"Have you seen Hermione?"

Harry looked up from his dinner, which he was eating fast with the hope of not having to see Ron. Unfortunately Ron had spotted him.

After discovering Hermione and Draco's secret, Harry had decided to eat dinner without waiting for Ron. He didn't know if he could face him. But now Ron had found him.

Harry tried to shrug nonchalantly, as if nothing was wrong.

"Haven't you seen her then?" Harry asked, staring down into his dinner. What on earth was he meant to tell Ron? Should he tell him the truth, or should he lie to try to save his feelings?

Ron's voice cut into his thoughts.

"Yes, but she just "disappered" if you know what I mean. I was talking to her, she got in a huff about something and left. I haven't seen her since."

"Did you tell her about the way you feel about her."

Ron stared at him. It was the first time Harry had admitted he knew about Ron and Hermione. Then he nodded slowly.

"I thought so." Harry took a deep breath and decided to tell him all he knew.

"Ron, after Quidditch practice, I was passing a classroom, when I heard..."

"Hi!"

It was Hermione. She was red in the face as if she had just been running.

"I'm sorry, I'm late," she said, taking a seat.

Late was an understatement. People were slowly leaving the dining room in twos and threes. The bell was about to ring any minute.

"You haven't got time to eat anything now," Ron said.

Harry felt like he'd lost his appetite. He played with his food until he heard the bell ring.

"Come on, Harry," called Ron. "Don't want to keep Snape waiting."

Harry groaned. It was Potions.

In Potions, Snape put them all in twos. Harry was put with Hermione. Usually he would feel pleased with this but now he felt disgust.

They worked in silence. After a little while, Hermione stopped chopping up pondweed and put her knife down on the table.

"Harry," she said, turning to him, "why aren't you talking to me?"

Harry continued to grind his Brazilian nuts. He didn't respond to Hermione's question straight away.

"Malfoy," he said quietly, after a little while, and then went back to his work.

"Malfoy!" said Hermione, aghast. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Hermione," said Harry, still quiet but very angry. "I know all about you and him."

"What about us, Harry?" Hermione tried to sound confident but Harry could see the blood draining from her face.

"You know!" screamed Harry.

"What?"

"Hermione," he said, quieter this time as people were looking at him. "I know that you have been having a relationship with Malfoy and that you've been using Ron."

Hermione looked furious, "First thing, Harry, I have not been having a relationship with Malfoy and the second thing is that I have not been using Ron!"

"Okay, maybe you haven't been using Ron but you can't deny that something's going on between you and Malfoy. And if you didn't want to lead Ron on, why didn't you put an end to this whole thing from the start."

Hermione stared at Harry desperately. "I tried, Harry, " she said, in a voice that made Harry almost feel a twang of pity for her. "But you, you don't know what it's like with Ron. He makes me feel so sorry for him. And you are wrong. His feelings are not completely unreturned."

"What!"

"Shh, be quiet, people are watching us. What I mean is, it's not all one-sided."

"You mean-"

"I've liked Ron for ages, Harry," said Hermione, "I was so happy when I found out he liked me. The only problem was Malfoy."

"Is Malfoy, you mean." Harry twisted around in his seat and looked Hermione straight in the eye. "You have a choice Hermione. Now I hope the answer will be obvious to you but of course, I'm biased. You can have either Ron or Malfoy. It's up to you Hermione. It's your choice."

It was in Arithmancy that afternoon that Hermione contemplated her decision. Draco or Ron. Ron or Draco.

I can't believe I'm doing this thought Hermione. Who would've thought that a day would come when she, Hermione Granger, would have to choose between Draco Malfoy, a pureblood who constantly derided her for being a muggle, and Ron Weasley, with whom she fell out with almost on a daily basis.

But what was she going to do? Draco came into her mind. Draco Malfoy. Blond hair, grey eyes, pale face and that malicious smirk. Hermione would be the first to admit she hated that smirk. But she had seen the boy behind that smirk. The boy who was lonely, unhappy and despised being surrounded by people not of his intellect. That's why he liked her. Because they were two of a kind. And Hermione would have to admit, giving up Malfoy would be giving up decent conversation, something that was in sparse supply around here.

But then there was Ron Weasley. His image floated into her mind, replacing Draco. She liked him for entirely different reasons. He was funny without meaning to be. He was genuinely a warm and extremely nice person. He seemed vunerable and totally devoted to her. And there was something else about him that endeared him to her. Everytime she thought of him, she felt butterflies in her stomach. And if she was dropped Ron, she was certain to lose Harry as a friend as well.

On the board, Professor Vector started scribbling something. Hermione flipped open her book onto a fresh page, unscrewed the lid on her pen and started to copy it down. But her mind was on something else entirely.

By the end of the lesson, after staring endlessly into space and being reprimanded by Professor Vector for the first time in her life, Hermione had reached a decision. As she cleared up her pens and books, she just hoped it was the right one...

TO BE CONTINUED...