Harry Potter and the Forgotten Secrets

Ch. 2 ~ Confessions ~ Part 1

Hermione's POV

I yawned and slammed my book shut. I rubbed my eyes. I had never had this much work to do at Hogwarts, but it was challenging and refreshing. Though I was tired, I was enjoying this. I looked over at my roommate, Lara LeDieux. She was sitting quietly on her sofa bed reading a book. We hadn't had much time to talk since school started. Somehow we always seemed to miss each other. I backed away from my desk and sat on my bed. "So, Lara," I said to her. "It seems for once we might actually get a chance to chat and get to know each other." She looked up from her book with a smile.

She closed her book and set it aside. "You're right. What do you want to talk about?"

"Tell me what school you went to. I remember you telling Harry at one point that you were glad to be back in the U.S." I tipped my head at her, waiting for a response. It was kind of a dangerous question, because she could easily ask me that, and I couldn't really tell her.

She nodded, starting to look a bit nervous. She shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat. "I...I uh, went to one of those fancy private institutes overseas. What about you?" I nodded.

"Yeah, me too. I kind of miss it. Mum and Dad wanted to go there to, but they didn't get accepted." If only she knew why. But, as far as I knew she was a muggle, and I couldn't let her know. Though, if Ron wasn't more careful, he'd spill the beans to her. "What was your school like?" I asked her. She looked at me, shifting yet again uncomfortably.

"Well, it was a bit too...." she paused, obviously searching for the right words, "a bit too rich and geeky. I guess that's the right way to describe it." She stood up and pulled her bed out all of the way, making herself more comfortable. She looked at me, looking me straight in the eye. It made me a bit nervous to be perfectly honest. "Hermione, can you keep a secret?"

I nodded at her, a bit surprised. "Yes, of course. What is it?"

"Well, I'll tell you the name of the school, but it never leaves this room, promise?" I nodded. "Okay, it was Durmstrang Institute." She looked at me, worried about what my reaction would be.

Suddenly it hit me. Of course she was a witch too. Suddenly all of her actions and personality began to fit, and she was an equal. "Of course!" I said, startling her. "Oh, sorry, but I'm a former Hogwarts student!" She smiled in relief. This was going to be a night of reminiscing of teachers and comparison of the two schools.

* * *

I smiled, setting my pencil on my desk. Finally, after thirty minutes I had finished my first biology test. Looking around the room briefly I realized I was the first one finished. I put my things together in my bag and took my test to the front. I whispered to Lara, who was in the nursing program as well, that I would wait for her outside. She had made a few schedule changes and ended up in all but one of my classes. So, we could study together, when she wasn't with Harry. I chuckled to myself at the thought of Harry and Lara. Not that I didn't think they should be together, but so far all they've done is go out. Ron and I hadn't seen them touch each other at all, except for a quick hug before going to our own rooms.

My thoughts were interrupted as Lara came out of the room. "Well, one test down. How'd you do?" she asked me.

"I think I did just fine," I told her, grinning. "What about you?"

"I think I did well enough." She looked at me as we headed for the dining hall. We were meeting Harry and Ron for lunch. "Hermione, can I ask you a personal question?"

I nodded. "Of course."

"What's the deal with you and Harry?" she asked me.

I was a bit surprised at her question. Where had it come from. This was not something I really wanted to get into with anyone, but she had the right to know. "Wow. Wasn't expecting that."

"Sorry, but I got to know."

I nodded. "No, it's all right. Harry, Ron and I met on the train on our way to Hogwarts for our first year. I mean, it was a rough start but we eventually became friends. It was our seventh year before we ever started going out. It was good times of romance, but something just came between us. But, our past relationship doesn't get in the way of our friendship. If he's happy, I'm happy." I just couldn't tell her everything, it was still too painful.

She smiled at me as we entered the dining hall. "Good, because I think I like him."

We giggled and walked up to where Ron and Harry were standing. I was happy for the both of them, and I was anxious to see how it was going to turn out. But I was telling Lara the truth. If Harry was happy, I was happy. We were friends and nothing more.

"What are you two going on about now?" Ron asked. We shook our heads, trying to hide the smiles on our faces.

"Nothing," I said to Ron. I don't know why, but I turned him around and slid my arm around his. I was leaving Harry and Lara together I guess, but somehow it felt good to be on Ron's arm. "Hermione, are you trying to tell me something?" Ron teased. I just smiled at him. "Cos, you know, it is a bit depressing being in my room by myself while Harry and Lara go out every weekend."

I nodded. "Yeah, it is rather boring, isn't it?" We met eyes, and for some reason my heart jumped. What was going on with me? I couldn't like Ron Weasley, could I? We were just friends.

Ron reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out some money. "Let me buy you lunch today, 'Mione." He looked back to me, meeting my eyes.

"What is this? A bit of decency in the youngest Weasley boy?" I had always given Ron a bad time about being the youngest of five boys with only a younger sister. He shrugged his shoulder at me and I smiled. "I would love for you to buy me lunch. Are you sure you have enough?" I didn't want to break him. He nodded. "Okay then. Buy me lunch."

Lara turned to look in the mirror and ran a brush through her hair. "I hate these curls," she said, throwing her brush on the dresser. "Harry mentioned that you had curly hair. How do you keep it so straight?" I smiled at her, taking a seat on my bed.

"It's a thing I like to call my wand." I looked at her, and she had just turned at me in surprise. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you never used your wand to bewitch your hair to make it look better?" If she hadn't, she'd better start.

"No, I haven't, I never even thought about it."

I smiled. "Try it." She nodded and I watched as she straightened and brightened the red in her hair. She smiled. "See, told you."

She nodded. "Thanks, you're the best. So what are you going to do while I'm gone?" She turned to her closet to pull out her jacket.

"Oh, I'll probably just lounge around here tonight." I wasn't about to tell her that Ron and I were going to go out. Honestly, I really didn't want to hear the guff from either one of them. "Don't worry about me, you go out and enjoy yourself and I'll see you in the morning." She nodded and left the room. I would give Harry and Lara fifteen minutes to have a good leave. The plans originally were for me to go to Ron's room, but five minutes after Lara left, there was a knock on the door. I jumped, and ran to the mirror. What was I worried about? I was perfect. I opened the door to Ron's smiling face. He looked so good and groomed. "Hello there."

He swallowed nervously. "Hello," he squeaked. I smiled. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm so nervous."

I shook my head. "Don't fret over it. So, what do you want to do?"

He grinned. "Well, there's a horse stable about fifteen minutes from here. I got a hold of a friend's car. I thought we'd go for a sunset ride near the lake." I smiled and nodded. It was perfect and romantic, a bit surprising considering Ron had thought of it. However so, I was genuinely excited and couldn't wait to get there. He slowly extended his hand and I took it with a smile. "I hope you enjoy it, 'Mione."

"I'm sure I will."

I smiled as Ron walked up to me, a horse at each side. "I don't know how I did it, but I talked them into letting us take the horses on our own, without a guide. They agreed, but we only have two hours." I smiled.

"Okay, let's go." I took the horse standing at Ron's left side. It was black. I pulled myself into the saddle easily. It was nothing new for me. Ron just stood there, watching. "What's the matter, Ron? Come on, let's go."

He shook his head. "You make it look so easy." I grinned. "You make everything look easy." I chuckled as he struggled to get into the saddle. He made it eventually, and turned his red-freckled face towards me. "Well, that was fun."

I smiled. "Come on, let's go."

It was about a thirty minute ride to get to the lake. We had an hour before we had to head back to the stables. Ron looked down at his watch. "We have thirty minutes before sunset." I nodded and stared across the lake. It was a great view from here. The oranging sun glistened off of the still lake water. The reflections of the mountains were beginning to overtake the lake, making it darker by the minute. "Hermione, I have a confession to make," Ron's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up at him, a bit nervous about what he was going to tell me. I could see him clear his throat awkwardly. I turned my horse so that my back was to the lake and I was face to face with Ron. He looked up at me. His freckled cheeks were getting redder by the second, and I smiled. "Hermione, I don't know what happened, but somewhere through all of this madness between you and Harry, I started liking you."

I smiled weakly at him. My heart ached with the thought of Harry, but looking into Ron's sincere eyes I somehow forgot about it. "Go on."

He took in a deep breath and eased his horse forward a couple steps, putting us even closer together. "I don't know what else to tell you. Every time I think about what you went through, I only wish that I had been there more for you. But at the same time, I'm glad it wasn't me, because who knows if we'd still be here spending this time together." I nodded. He was right. Harry and I were strong through this, and we were moving on. It was time. "Hermione, would it be bad for me to ask you to marry me without us ever dating?"

I widened my eyes at him. Was this a joke? Did he really just ask me what I thought he had? What was I going to tell him? Did I want to? I was so confused, but I said the first thing that came to mind. "No." Where had that come from?

Ron looked at me, surprised. "No? Will you then?"

I stared at him, speechless. Ron and I had made it a point to tease and torment each other. Where had all of these feelings and emotions come from? I turned my horse slightly so I could get a view of the lake behind me. The sun had begun slipping behind the mountains and only a small sliver of it could still be seen. Vibrant colors of orange and red caressed the sky and glistened off of the water. It was perfect. I turned the horse back to face Ron. I was still speechless, but I could let me head talk for me. I gave him a small, simple nod.

He smiled at me. The color of the sunset reflected off of his eyes, and leaned over the edge of his horse. His free hand, that wasn't holding his horse steady, slowly moved forward and he rested it on the shoulders of my horse to brace himself. "I love you, 'Mione," he said quietly.

I began to lean closer to him. "I love you, too." Our lips met in a warm, slow kiss. The longer he stayed the more I gave to him. Regaining his balance, he brought his hand up and I felt it stroke the side of my face. I took in a deep breath threw my nose, not wanting to break the kiss. It was so perfect. He had been everything I wanted and needed, especially now. He was right in front of me all of those years, and I never gave him a chance. But not now. From this moment on it was all going to change. I was finally going to be happy.