Love is Strong

Chapter 2 – Is this burning, an Eternal Flame?

From last time: - "Well, I’m in love with...with..."

"...With you, Harry."

"Oh no Herm, you’ve got the wrong guy. It’s Ginger Spice here that’s the one for you." Harry was backing away along the seat towards the door, away from Hermione, as if she was a time bomb.

Ron, who was looking around for "Ginger Spice", because he had never seen the Spice Girls and had no idea, suddenly blushed and said; "Oh, you meant me. Erm, well, yes. I had best leave you two alone. And he bolted.

Harry returned his gaze to Hermione. She had moved from her seat opposite to next to him. Softly she said; "Come on Harry...do you love me too?" Harry seemed to be hypnotised by the light in her eyes as she spoke.

"Herm, please get off my lap, no, don’t kiss me, please!"

"Why?"

"I don’t love you. I love Cho."

"WHAT? You bastard! After all the homework I helped you with, friendship we had, and times I helped you again and again, THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!?!"

"Ron loves you, have him, he’s a sensible guy, Voldemort wants to kill me and, and so do a lot of his followers...it’s not safe! Harry whined. "Please get off me!"

"Why, I like it here, and I like guys with the sense of danger. Krum was one. The Wonky Feint etc. You know."

Before this conversation could continue Draco Malfoy walked in.

"Hey Potty, what’s wrong with Weasel? He looked a bit...ooh this is an interesting situation."

"Malfoy, a little help here?"

"Oh no, don’t mind me, carry on!"

"Ok," said Hermione, and kissed Harry passionately on the lips. Fireworks exploded in his head, and made him feel giddy, but it couldn’t hide Hermione trying to undo his shirt or the feeling of Malfoy watching. He pushed her off. "No!"

She emitted a squeak when she hit the floor. "Fine, just fine, Harry Potter!" And she ran out.

Malfoy remarked from the safety of the corridor; "Great tack, Potty, oh, hey, if you don’t want her, I’m free, twenty-four seven." And he strolled off in Hermione’s direction.

"Yuck!" said a voice from the passageway. "Imagine Herm and Malfoy! Sounds like a pop band." Has Herm gone? Can I come in?"

"Yep, Ron." Harry sighed. "We’re in a right mess, what will we do?"

"I suppose we could sit it out," said Ron glumly. "Could be girly hormones!"

"What do you mean ‘could’? Hopefully it is!"

As he said this, footsteps were heard in the passage outside. Hermione entered, and picked up her luggage. She had been crying, her mascara had run. "I know you two are talking about me, and I’m not staying here. Ron Weasley, I could never love you, so go and find someone else. I was your friend, both of you but now, I’m going to Parvati and Lavender’s compartment. I shall be spending this year hanging with them. You, Harry Potter, shall be sorry you ever refused me. I’ve had enough of boys treating me as a tomboy. I’m a girl with ‘taste’."

With a disgusted look at Ron, and a longing look at Harry, Hermione Granger shuffled begrudgingly out of the compartment.

"Well," sighed Harry. "This takes the biscuit."

"What biscuit?" asked Ron looking puzzled. "Can I have one?"

"Muggle saying, Ron. No ‘real’ biscuits. I suppose I’d better apologise to Hermione."

"What, kiss and make up?" sniggered Ron.

Harry gave him a warning glance, rose and walked out to the passageway.

"Psst, Harry!" An arm dragged him to one side.

"I’ve not got much time, they think I’m in the loo." It was Parvati. "Hermione’s sobbing in our compartment. What did you say to her?"

"She loves me, but I don’t. I told her Ron did."

"Well, if I was you, I’d have taken her. She’ll be gone now, snapped up by another boy."

"So? I’m not bothered with her. She was my closest friend, along with Ron. She hates my guts now, and besides, my heart’s for someone else."

"Oooh, who? Is it me? Or Lavender? Or..."

"Piss, off, Parvati."

"Hey what’s going on?"

"Piss off, Ron. I’m gonna apologise to Herm."

"There’s no time. I popped out to say we’re here. Say sorry at the Sorting Feast. Come on!"

Sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Harry could not see Hermione. After scanning the faces for a fifth time, he grumbled, "Where is she?"

"She’s probably at the other end, don’t worry!" soothed Ron. "Look, there’s Dumbledore!"

"Before we begin the sorting, welcome to a new year of Hogwarts. Professor Lupin, who was a teacher two years ago, has returned to teach Defence against the Dark Arts." Everyone cheered. "For you new pupils, Professor Lupin is a werewolf. Do not panic. He takes Wolfsbane Potion every night near the full moon and is harmless. For precaution, we forbid access to the grounds at night at the full moon. The professor will teach you the history of werewolves and how to defend yourselves. And on that cheerful note, let’s begin the..."

Dumbledore cut off as the doors swung open to reveal; "Hermione! And Cho!" gasped Harry.

Hermione had Cho in a headlock with her wand pressed against Cho’s throat. A silence filled the hall except for Cho’s whimpering and Hermione’s voice racked with sobs.

"This, Harry Potter, this ‘girl’ is who you refused me for. I said you would regret it, and so you will. I’ll kill this, this bitch so you have to have me!"

"Herm, stop, you don’t know what you are doing. Cho has done nothing wrong. It’s me at fault. But I can’t help whom I love. Put Cho down. Please?"

Hermione’s answer was inaudible as she sank to the floor, racked by sobs, and allowed Hagrid and Lupin to remove Cho.

Dumbledore spoke; "Miss Granger, and Mr Potter, follow me please. Professor McGonagall, continue without me please."

They followed him to the stone gargoyle that Harry had often visited. "Chocolate frog." They followed him to his office, and sat in chairs. "Now, Mr Potter, please tell me what happened from the start. As Miss Granger seems to be in no state." Harry explained about the incident on the train, Ron and Malfoy, and how he didn’t love Hermione, he only viewed her as a good friend, with the occasional nod from Dumbledore and sob from Hermione.

"Ah, well, I remember this happened to my brother Alberforth, you know, the one I told you about, whom did ungainly magic on a goat. Miss Granger, please explain why you did that episode in the Great Hall, and what you feel about Harry and when this started."

"Well, it only started as being good friends firstly. Then last year in the first task I was so worried about Harry, but I thought it was natural, because we were friends. Then at the Yule Ball, I was disappointed that Harry didn’t ask me, so I went with Krum. At the second task when Harry was late out of the water, I thought he’d drowned and I was crying in the third task when Harry disappeared. I thought he wasn’t coming back, I knew somehow he was with You-Know-Who, and I thought Cedric had brought his body back not vice versa, because I knew Cedric had had experience with duelling, and I thought he’d have survived. Harry hadn’t, only in the second year with Lockhart. Something inside me broke, and I knew what I felt wasn’t friendly love. It was proper love. When Harry refused me, said he loved Cho and pushed me away, I felt angry. Didn’t know what I was doing..."

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said kindly. "Please wait outside. I must talk to Harry."

Hermione rose, and as she did, Harry reached to hold her hand. He didn’t know what made him, he just did. She sniffed, looked at his hand, burst out crying again, and left the room.

"Now Harry, Miss Granger thinks a lot of you, it is plain, and she definitely loves you, no doubt about that. Think of your relationship with her and think. Do you want her as your girlfriend or friend? Give yourself as much time as you want. She is a good friend, no point in losing her. Go now and tell her you want more time, and apologise. Miss Chang is fine, just shocked, but do not mention her in Hermione’s hearing. Go, now."

Harry rose, and exited the room. Hermione was waiting outside shuffling her feet.

"Herm, I’m sorry, I need time to think about it. Can we be friends until then, please?"

Hermione smiled, sniffed, and nodded.