Falling into Your Eyes

"Checkmate," Ron announced, analyzing Hermione's face. She flinched under his gaze, shifting her weight on the heavily padded train seat. "You okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, more confidently than she felt. "Just a little sad that school's over. Another lonely summer. Well, last year was only lonely until I went to stay with you guys." Her mind strayed back to the summer, spent with Ron, Ginny, and most importantly of all, Harry.

"Harry and you will both be coming for the holidays," Ginny volunteered, with a nervous grin at Harry. Thankfully, he seemed to be unaware, intent on a game of exploding snap with Fred. "It'll be so different without all of the Durmstang and Beauxbaton students next year," the redhead girl sighed. "But at least we won't be caught up in the Triwizard cup, and there'll bound to be Quidditch again."

The conversation rattled around Hermione, but she could only think about what had happened less than two hours ago, at the train station.

"Hermione, this vill not vork," Krum had muttered sullenly, having just pulled her away from Ron and Harry "Us, I mean."

Hermione stared, open-mouthed. "Just because we won't see each other every day, it means that we won't be able to work this out?" She couldn't find words. She had become so used to Krum and his rough ways. Rough ways turned soft, like at the Yule Ball. When he had tried to kiss her, and she turned away, telling him the reasons why. Mainly that she didn't want her first kiss yet. How he had understood, and left her free to find her two best friends for comfort. Except that she hadn't been able to find them. Upon not finding Parvati, either, she put two and two together and ran from the ballroom, bursting into tears once inside the empty common room. How Krum had backed away and given her the time that she needed to recover.

He had shaken his head as Hermione had continued to demand a reason. "You love 'im. In vays that you love no von else."

Krum did not have to say who "he" was- Hermione had known it all along, deep inside. She was in love with Harry. Not just as one friend loved another, and not the silly "love" that girls confessed to their boyfriends, but something much deeper than that. Something that she had never felt for Ron or Krum- just Harry.

"'Mione, are you sure that you're okay?" Harry's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she composed herself. "You were kind of zoning out there for a second, and you didn't look right." His forehead was furrowed in concern.

"'Looking up into heaven'," she quipped, laughing and hoping that he wouldn't read too much into what she had said, and just take it as a line from a Weird Sister's song. But staring into his eyes was what looking up into heaven had to be like, she was sure.

Harry just chuckled softly, a grin creeping over his features. "Wasn't that from the Yule Ball?"

Gods, he looked good when he smiled like that. Did he know it? Of course he did- but she hadn't noticed until just a moment ago. No doubt Parvati and Lavender had seen it ages ago. "I think so. I dunno." Hermione wanted to bang her head against the wall of the compartment, Hedwig's cage, a suitcase, or anything else in the vicinity that was hard.

Instead, she settled down on the cushion, smiling as much as she dared when Harry traded seats with Ron, so that Ron and Ginny could play chess. And that, of course, meant that Harry was sitting next to her.

"Starin' up into heaven

Just can't help myself.

How long has it been, boy,

Since I really looked at you?

Seems like never

Seems like forever."

All too soon after the disposal of Malfoy and his two goons, the train pulled to a stop. At least another month until she saw Harry, and oh, how the days would drag on. She could wait, though, just so long as Harry didn't get there first and Ginny try and make a move... She felt rather guilty for being upset with Ginny for liking Harry- it wasn't like it was Ginny's fault. Ginny certainly didn't dislike Hermione for having feelings for Harry. Or had she not figured it out yet?

Hermione's thoughts paused for a moment- had anyone figured it out yet? Other than Krum? After all, it had taken her four- no, five years- to realize that she saw Harry as more than a friend. Perhaps the feelings had only started recently, after the Triwizard cup. When she realized that she could loose him forever, just like Cho had lost Cedric.

Forever.

Harry was grinning at something- her? 'Yeah, that's it,' Hermione thought to herself. 'I've got /two/ Quidditch Seekers both falling head over heels for me. That's it.' She chided herself mentally.

Forever. Never seeing Harry again- forever.

She took a deep breath, a step towards Harry, and kissed him lightly on the cheek, hoping desperately that her face wasn't too red. Harry looked stunned, but not upset. Ron was staring, open-mouthed, realization dawning on his face. Yes, he knew.

How long would it be until Harry knew? Too long from now, and nowhere near long enough, Hermione decided.

"Boy, staring into heaven,

Fallin' into your eyes."