It's You

It had just started to rain outside. Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement as the year came to a close. Harry and Ron sat in the Gryffindor Common Room playing chess, discussing how glad they were that exams were over. Various other students were scattered about chatting about the end of the year ball that was being held that evening.

"Checkmate!" Ron exclaimed. "Really, mate, I don't know why you bother."

"I'm not going to give up," Harry said. "One of these days, I WILL beat you in a game of chess."

"Fat chance, Harry," said a voice from behind. It was Ginny. She leaned on the back of Ron's couch. "You know how stubborn he is, Ron. Besides, no one can beat my dear brother," she added, ruffling Ron's hair.

"That's right," Ron said arrogantly, crossing his arms.

"Ron, I don't think Ginny is ever that nice to you when she doesn't want something," said Harry. Ron's look of dignity slowly vanished.

"Okay, Gin, what do you want?"

"That hurts me inside...where my heart is. But you're right; I was looking for Hermione. Do either of you know where she is?" she asked, standing up.

"I knew it," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Nope, haven't seen her. Why don't you go ask Lav or Parvati?" Ron said.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The grass was getting more and more sodden as the rain continued to fall. Hermione walked towards the Quidditch pitch, letting the rain slowly soak through her clothes. She was feeling unusually miserable. She did fine in her end-of-the-year exams. In fact, she had the highest marks in the class. She was chosen to be Head Girl next year; Professor McGonagall had told her early. Isn't this what she had always wanted? Shouldn't she be extremely happy? She was so out of it; Hermione didn't realize she had already reached the Quidditch pitch. Not knowing where else she had to go, she opened the gate and walked towards the center circle of the field.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ugh!"

Hermione fell down onto the grass, not caring about her robes getting muddy. Aggravated, she buried her head in her hands and let out another frustrated groan.

I just HAD to go there, didn't I? she thought. Why couldn't I just have pushed those stupid ideas out of my head? She sighed, her head still down.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Please, those two are so busy discussing the color of their robes that if Hermione told them that she was a Mage, they probably wouldn't notice," Ginny said. "Harry, are you sure you don't know where she is? Harry?"

"Harry!" Ron screamed. Harry seemed to be spacing out.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Anyway, I'm going looking for Hermione," Ginny said. "It's really important, so I suggest that you two help me. I'll cover the top three floors and you two can fight over the lower floors and outside." With that, Ginny disappeared outside the portrait hole.

"I'll take the inside," Ron said before Harry could even open his mouth to speak.

"That's not fair. It's raining outside," but before he could continue, Ron too, had left the Common Room. Harry sighed and made his way down stairs and outside.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione heard squishy footsteps behind her and felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Since when did you like getting down and dirty in the mud?" the voice joked. Hermione looked up and saw Harry's dripping wet, smiling face looking down at her. He sat down behind her and they both leaned on each other's backs for support.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked casually. Hermione didn't answer. She just leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and let the rain fall on her face.

Harry slowly stood up and Hermione was forced to sit up for a lack of Harry as a backrest. He walked in front of her and extended both his arms out to Hermione. She took his hands and he helped her up.

"C'mon, Hermione, smile!" he whined, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. She couldn't help but smile.

"Honestly, Harry, you aren't a second year anymore," she said rolling her eyes and pushed Harry's arms off her shoulders with her arms. He took a step back and stumbled onto the mud. At this point, Hermione was doubling over with laughter.

"You think that's funny, do you?" Harry said with a scowl. "Help me up!" Harry extended his hand and Hermione took it thinking she was going to help him stand. Instead, he took the opportunity of catching her off guard and pulled her down to join him. The two of them just lay there, side by side, laughing as the rain continued to fall.

"Harry! Look at us! The ball is tonight. How are we supposed to go when we look like this?" Hermione asked in between laughs.

"I guess we just won't go then," Harry said, sitting up.

"Won't go? Wouldn't that count as walking out on your date?" Hermione asked, also sitting up.

"It would if I actually had a date," Harry answered, nonchalantly.

"I thought you had a date," said Hermione, brushing strands of wet hair out of her face.

"Sadly, no," Harry answered, looking up towards the sky.

"Aww, you poor little famous wizard," Hermione said in a mocking tone.

"It's not like that," Harry said, turning towards her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione tensed, sensing his sudden serious tone.

"Have you ever had feelings for someone and you didn't know how to tell them?" Harry asked, avoiding her eyes. She didn't reply and he continued. "You always felt that there was something there but you didn't want to say anything because it might ruin your friendship with that person. I just can't take it anymore. I really want to tell them, but what if they don't feel the same way?"

"I know exactly what you mean" Hermione said, immediately regretting it.

"What would you say to him?" Harry asked, out of curiosity.

"I want to tell him...I want to tell him how much he means to me. I want to tell him that he's the best friend I've ever had. I could always tell him everything and I could always count on him." Harry and Hermione turned to look at each other. Harry's eyes sparkled with envy towards her subject of conversation while Hermione was desperately trying to stop herself yet unable to suppress the urge to tell Harry everything. "I love the way he seems to always know what's on my mind and what's bothering me. He knows exactly what to do to make me feel better, even if sometimes it's just to do nothing at all and just stay with me for a while. I want to tell him that I melt every time I look into his green eyes. I love the way he just sits with me in the rain and ends up making me laugh, even if it involves 'getting down and dirty in the mud.' Harry, it's you."

Harry didn't say anything. He took Hermione in his arms and pulled her in for their first kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they both sunk into the kiss. If at all possible, the rain soaked them even more. They parted, both a little out of breath.

"No, Hermione, it's you."

"Harry, you're adorable when your hair is all wet," Hermione said bring a hand up to his cheek, leaving a mud handprint.

"Apparently, I'm cute with mud all over me too," he said, touching the tip of her nose with his muddy fingertip.

"Does this mean we really aren't going to the ball?" Hermione asked.

"Not if you don't want to." They both stood up.

"I suppose we can't go like this," Hermione said, looking down at both of them.

"Do you really want to go?" Harry said.

"Not especially, but I really wanted to dance with someone tonight."

"I hope by someone, you mean me," Harry said.

"Of course! Oh wait, I think I know a spell that can clean us up," Hermione said, pausing for a moment. She took out her wand and muttered the spell. She and Harry glowed a bright white and were soon both extremely clean and dry. The rain seemed to repel right off them now.

"Well, trust my Mione to know every spell existing," Harry said wrapping his arms around Hermione and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Your Mione? That makes you my Harry."

"I've always been your Harry. May I have this dance?"

The two of them swayed in slow circles both knowing that their lives had just changed. It had changed from the greatest friendship into so much more.