When Lies Become a Reality

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione felt really awkward around Harry. She did not really understand why she felt that way, she just kind of did. He was her best friend, after all, so she didn't have a reason to feel awkward - but she did anyway.

After breakfast, Hermione said goodbye to Harry and Ron as she went to her first class of the day - Arithmancy. Ron and Harry had Divination. As they climbed the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom, Harry could smell her exotic perfume wafting down to him, and he already felt sick, without even being inside the classroom.

That class they were having a test on what they had mostly recently been doing: handwriting analysis. Harry sat alone at the table while Ron was called up to be tested.

Parvati and Lavender got up from their own table and sat down at Harry's. He looked up to ask what they wanted, but Lavender spoke first.

"Harry, do you like Hermione?"

He was caught off guard at what she said. "I, well, er, maybe...."

"Because she likes you," added Parvati.

Harry perked up. "She - she does?"

"Yeah, she told us," Lavender told Harry. "She likes you - a lot."

Harry thought about it for a moment. "Well, that would explain he weird behavior this morning at breakfast," Harry said to himself, yet also aloud.

"See? We told you...." Parvati said as she and Lavender got up when Ron came walking back to reclaim his seat.

After the two girls were back in their seats and Ron in his, he asked what that was all about.

"Oh, nothing," Harry replied.

"Don't tell me it was nothing. You're all red in the face! C'mon spill the beans!"

Harry proceeded to tell Ron what Lavender and Parvati had just told him.

"Well, that explains why she was acting strange all of a sudden. So do you like her?"

"Well, I've never really thought of her in that way before."

"Well, you'd better if you go out on a date."

"Date? Who said anything about a date? I don't know if she even really likes me or not!"

"Well, it's not that hard to tell if you like someone or not. See - you're blushing! I think you are just nervous about asking a girl out."

"So what if I am?" Harry said defiantly.

"Well, then you two will never go out."

"Well, um, how did your test go?" Harry said.

"Oh, fine then, change the subject, I see how it is... Well, of course, it went horrible...." Ron went on about how he misinterpreted Trelawney's handwriting, but Harry was only half listening. He was too busy thinking about Hermione.

One table over, Lavender and Parvati had been listening in on Harry and Ron's conversation.

"Ohh, it's working!" giggled Parvati.

"See. I told you we didn't need a plan. The best things come from very little planning."

Next was Charms. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their usual seats at the back of the classroom. Harry found himself repeatedly looking over at Hermione, who was perfecting her Shrinking Charm. She's so clever, thought Harry.

Hermione looked up because she felt someone staring at her. It was Harry.

"What?"

"Nothing," Harry replied.

Ron then piped up. "Don't be daft. He has something to ask you."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. He had to ask her something....

"Um, yeah, I was uh wondering if, er, you could - help - me - with - this. I can't seem to get it right."

Ron rolled his eyes and returned to shrinking the pocket watch he was using.

The next few days were just as awkward as the first. By now Parvati and Lavender had told quite a few people that Harry like Hermione and she heard he was angry about it. Parvati and Lavender started asking Hermione everyday if Harry had asked her out yet. She always had the same answer for them - no.

Hermione was starting to wonder if the whole thing really was just a joke. Instead of wondering, she decided to find out herself. Hermione looked around where she was sitting (the common room) and saw Neville. She would ask him about it.

"Neville, I heard Harry likes me. Is that true?"

"No, and he's really mad at Parvati and Lavender for telling everyone he does."

Hermione's face fell.

"Why do you ask?" Neville questioned. "Do you like him?"

Hermione sighed. "Not before, but now I do."

Three floors down, Harry, Ron, Dean and Seamus were all talking.

"Don't you think Hermione likes Harry?" Ron asked Seamus and Dean.

"Hmm, well she could, I mean, come on who wouldn't?" Dean said, who then received strange looks from his friends. "No, I mean, you are Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived!"

"Yeah, but Hermione's not like that," Harry replied. "She wouldn't like me just because I'm famous."

"Yeah, I guess," Dean said.

"Then of course, we don't even know if she does like me. I mean, before any of this started, I didn't like her, but then I thought about it, and now I think I do. And I'm too afraid she'd turn me down."

Neville then burst in. "Harry!" he said all out of breath. "Hermione just told me she likes you! But now she's really disappointed...."

"What, you mean she just came out and said 'I like Harry'?" Harry asked. "And what do you mean by 'now she'll be disappointed?'"

"Well, no she asked me if you liked her, and when I said no -"

"WHAT?!" Ron shouted.

"Shh, let him finish!" said Dean.

"And when I said no, she told me she liked you now and she was all sad."

"You didn't happen to tell her that Harry was mad at Parvati and Lavender were spreading rumors, did you?" Seamus inquired.

"Um, yeah I did," Neville replied.

"That was then!" Harry said with a groan.

"Neville," Ron said slowly, "I think you may have just thwarted Harry's chance to go out with Hermione."

"Oh, so you do like her!" Neville said spiritedly with a smile.

Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean all rolled their eyes as they got up to go to dinner, leaving Neville behind them.

"What? What did I do? Is it something I said?" Neville called out cluelessly to the backs of the four other boys, who were now out of sight.