Betrayal

Chapter 6

In the next three weeks Ron had left her alone and aroused at least a half a dozen times. She had fantasized about Harry at least two dozen times. In her favorite fantasies...he would sneak up to her dormitory (she knew this was physically impossible due to the spell on the girl's staircase) and slip into bed next to her. He would then stroke her leg up to her thigh, pulling up her nightgown as he did so. She would stir and turn towards him.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Hermione, I just couldn't wait any longer. I've wanted you for so long..." He would lean down and kiss her passionately while slipping her panties off. Then he would-

"Hermione!" Ron was yelling in her ear, trying to get her to notice that class was over.

"What? What's-oh, is class done?"

"What were you thinking about so intently?" Ron looked genuinely curious.

"Nothing, I mean, transfiguration...er, my transfiguration essay." He looked at her skeptically.

"But we turned those in yesterday..."

"Oh, I know. I was just thinking about a few more details I could have put in it," she replied quickly.

"Hermione, it was already two feet longer than any one else's! Honestly!" She was relieved that Ron had bought her story. If he had been able to peek insider her head at that moment he would have seen how much she was turned on by the thought of Harry's touch.

She tried to tell herself that she was fantasizing about Harry so much was because Ron was not giving her what she needed. But then why didn't she fantasize about Ron doing those things to her? He was her boyfriend, after all. Why did she think about Harry so much? Just as she asked herself this question she bumped into Harry from behind. She had been following him and Ron without even looking up to see where she was going. "Watch it, Hermione, I don't want to have to take you out." Harry flashed her a smile over his shoulder.

"Are you threatening my girlfriend, Potter?" Ron's face was filled with mock anger and he sounded exactly like Malfoy.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, Weasley."

Ron immediately looked unconcerned. "Oh, carry on then."

Harry laughed. "Why are you so distracted lately, anyway?" Hermione looked up into Harry's green eyes.

"Oh, you know, N.E.W.T.s and all..." She gave him a feeble smile.

"Hey, relax Hermione. You're going to do fine. If you want extra practice, though, you could always do my homework for me," said Ron as he slipped his arm around her waist. She leaned into his embrace and replied,

"Nice try, but no thanks."

The trio continued to make their way through the crowd towards the common room. Once they reached the entrance Harry said, "Butterbeer," and the porthole opened.

The common room was crowded with people who had just finished classes and were about to make their way to the great hall for dinner. Harry noticed Dean, Seamus, and Neville huddled in a corner in deep discussion and headed in their direction. Hermione looked up at Ron thoughtfully, as though she were contemplating something very tricky. "What?" He smiled and she looked into his eyes. She loved his eyes. Even though they weren't the brilliant shade of green that Harry's were, they were still quite lovely.

"What are you doing after dinner? I could help you with your Charms homework, if you want. I have to go over mine to see if I forgot anything."

"I have quidditch practice, but maybe afterwards..." He looked over at Harry, who was now making his way back to them.

"Okay," said Hermione brightly, smiling to her self. She was tired her love life consisting of being constantly let down by Ron and guilty fantasies about Harry. It was time to take drastic measures. Her mind was working a mile a minute on a plan to "loosen " Ron up, but it required them being completely alone.

"What's up, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry was grinning devilishly.

"Dean, Seamus, and Neville are planning to sneak out to the kitchens later on tonight, nick some food, and have a little party down by the lake. You guys in?" Hermione's heart sank.

"When are you going?" Ron asked, beginning to smile rather devilishly himself.

"They are meeting us by the locker room after practice. We'll go straight from there. We figure we can get lost in the crowd on the way back." Ron looked at Hermione and then glanced skeptically back at Harry.

"Sorry mate, I already made plans for after practice. Maybe I'll catch up with you guys later on."

Harry threw up his hands and said, "Fine with me." He walked away seething with jealousy. He knew exactly what those plans entailed and was glad he wasn't going to be anywhere near those two that night.

"What's up with him?" Ron looked slightly surprised at the sudden negative energy he felt from Harry.

"Who knows," sighed Hermione as she leaned in to hug Ron. He won't be meeting you guys later if I have anything to say about it, she thought to herself. She smiled wickedly into Ron's chest. This was perfect; Ron's dorm would be completely deserted, possibly for hours.

Dinner was uneventful, except for the howler Ginny received from Mrs. Weasley. Apparently she had been caught with Terry boot at the astronomy tower the night before. She had intended it to be a very private and very romantic evening, but thanks to the howler the whole school knew what they had been doing. Her cheeks were flaming red and she buried her face behind a large book that happened to be upside down. Ron's cheeks were also flushed as he began to scowl intently at the back of Terry Boot's head.

"Oh, how embarrassing for her!" Hermione was craning her neck to catch Ginny's eye.

"Stop looking at her; it only makes it worse, Hermione," Harry snapped. She looked at him sternly.

"Touchy, touchy. What's up with you tonight?" Harry had been short towards Hermione and Ron since the beginning of dinner and Hermione wanted to know why.

"Nothing," Harry said defensively, and looked quickly down at his plate. He was finding it particularly difficult to hide his jealousy since he found out about their after-dinner plans. As far as he knew, they were sticking to just kissing, but still...he could not stop wishing it was him who was going to spend the evening lip-locked with Hermione. He felt guilty for this, but it was not enough to put a stop to the flood of erotic thoughts that filled his head whenever he was close to her. Harry wondered if he was in love with her. He certainly loved her; she was one of his best friends. And he was immensely attracted to her; she was all he could think about. But he didn't know if this meant that he was in love with her. It doesn't matter anyways, he thought bitterly. She's in love with Ron and he's in love with her and I'm alone. Even Ginny has someone. He resisted the urge to look up and scowl at her, because Hermione was still watching him. Instead he stabbed irritably at his buttered carrots.

"You're just so snippy tonight. Ron, stop giving Terry death looks. They have been going out since last year, for Merlin's sake." He grudgingly turned his gaze away from Terry, but now focused it on Ginny. When he noticed how mortified she looked, his face softened considerably, and Hermione sensed that he really felt sorry for his little sister. He got up, went over to her, gave her a huge one-armed hug, and then whispered something in her ear. Ginny nodded and smiled sheepishly up at her brother. He hugged her again.

"I thought she was in for a real telling-off for a second there," Hermione said to Harry as they both watched the loving exchange between the two Weasleys.

"No kidding, I thought it would be worse than the howler," said Harry, grinning at her. Seeing Ron acting like a positively wonderful older brother erased the feeling of cold jealousy that had consumed him since the beginning of dinner.

"He can be really understanding when he wants to be, can't he?" Hermione added thoughtfully. Maybe her plan would actually work. She already knew what she was going to do, but the timing had to be just right.

"So, excited about your big night?" Harry asked and Hermione dropped her knife loudly on the plate.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Ron told me you were going help him with his charms essay. Sounds exciting." Harry knew that they wouldn't only be doing homework, but it still had seemed like such an incredibly dull excuse for declining a late night party that he had to tease her about it. He frowned at the startled look she was giving him, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Oh, right, I had to do some more work on my own, so I just figured..." She trailed off as Ron rejoined them and began to shovel large spoonfuls of mashed potatoes into his mouth. After a moment he looked up to see both Harry and Hermione staring at him with amused expressions on their faces.

"Wha'?" He mumbled through the mouthful of food. Hermione smiled fondly at him.

"Nothing, I mean...you handled that so maturely. You're such a loving brother; Ginny's really lucky to have you, that's all." Harry nodded in agreement and Ron's ears went pink.

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