Sonic Stillness

"Are you kidding? Krum is so much better than Lynch!" Harry said, staring at his best friend Ron Weasley as though he were insane.

Ron seemed to lose his appetite a bit at the mere mention of Viktor Krum, pushing his dinner away. "He isn't! Now that I really think about it, his tactics are really underhanded. I dunno, mate...he seems a bit cagey, I reckon. Lynch would've annihilated him if Krum hadn't pulled the Wronksi Feint--"

Harry looked heavenward at the dark, cloudy skies above before giving up and bursting out laughing. "Underhanded and cagey? Ron, have you been sniffing Floo Powder or something? That's what Seeking is all about! Everything he did was in the rules, anyways. Lynch was complete rubbish against Krum!" he snickered, helping himself to some treacle tart.

Ron opened his mouth to reply angrily but the words caught in his throat as his other best friend, Hermione Granger walked through the doors to the Great Hall. Everyone paused in their chatter to stare at the completely transformed girl. No, woman, Harry thought to himself.

The only thing that had remained the same during her remarkable transformation was the way she wore her socks--knee high--and buckled shoes. A flowing, short white skirt and a pink, girly, sweater hugged her in a way that was very un-Hermione-like. But the thing that shocked everyone was not her clothes, but her face. It was painted over with scarlet lipstick and far too much blush to look natural. Her hair was so stiff with hair potions that it threatened to crack at the touch of a quill.

A long moment of utter silence descended upon the Great Hall as she began making her way to the table, using exaggerated, swaying steps. Ron broke the sonic stillness, saying loudly, "Hermione! What are you wearing? Halloween isn't for days yet!" The Hall erupted in laughter and catcalls.

Only two people did not laugh. There was Ginny, who was busy trying to shush her friends up, and Harry. He sat, speechless, fork suspended in midair, as Ron howled with laughter beside him. He alone saw Hermione's face crumple and the tears spill from her eyes as the object of her affections humiliated her, in the split second before she turned tail and ran out of the Great Hall. The students laughed all the harder at her retreating back.

It took several moments and loud explosions from her wand for the Headmistress to calm everyone down. Even the staff had been chortling, for crying out loud. Which Hermione probably was, Harry reminded himself. He felt a sudden surge of anger towards Ron. Couldn't he see that she was trying to impress him? He stood up suddenly and ran out onto the grounds, ignoring Ron's calls to come back and the uproar behind him.

It took Harry a while to locate Hermione's pink clad figure in the heavy downpour. He jogged towards her, khakis and blue turtleneck getting soaked in the process.

"Er, Hermione?" he called. She sat huddled against the willow tree the trio had so often done their homework under, staring out at the lake with vacant brown eyes. The lake itself was dark and stormy now, reflecting the skies and the turmoil Hermione felt inside. Drops of water squeezed through the thick gathering of leaves and branches above to splatter harmlessly on the ground.

"Hermione."

Harry put out a hand to touch her shoulder and she finally lifted her face, tears mingling with rain in her grief. He could see the pink on her hands and knew she had rubbed her face raw to get the makeup off. The downpour had long since washed the hairspray away, and she finally looked herself...beautiful, bookish Hermione.

"Hermione, don't listen to them," Harry said quietly, taking her hand and pulling her up so she was at level with him.

"They're right, Harry," she sobbed into his shirt, "I look hideous! I was just trying to impress Ron--I don't know why I bother!" Her tears felt hot and warm against his chest.

"I don't know why you bother, either." He didn't feel awkward comforting her, as he had with Cho. It felt so natural to cradle her head against his chest, stroking her hair gently.

"You look beautiful enough without going to extra lengths. You don't need to impress anyone," he said, so softly that Hermione almost didn't hear him.

She jerked back, but his arms wouldn't let her go. "What did you say?" she whispered, staring at him through startled brown eyes.

Harry's face flushed as he realized that she'd heard him, but he did not brush it off as 'nothing.' Emerald eyes glittered as he quietly repeated himself.

"Oh, Harry," she said with a soft smile. Her hand went up to trace his cheekbone, and suddenly she was aware of how close they were; pressed up against each other. He realized at the same time, his breath catching his throat. "I really am silly, aren't I?"

"For doing this, with me?" Harry's heart was pounding against his chest, so hard he feared she would feel it, close as they were.

"For not doing it sooner," she whispered.

He smirked a bit, looking at her mischievously, all traces of vulnerability gone. "I don't know if I can forgive you just yet," he murmured.

"Oh, Harry," she said again, but this time there was a breathless, sensual quality to her voice. Hermione's hand traveled further up to tangle in his hair, tugging gently, and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

"Blimey, you two!" a familiar voice exclaimed from behind them. Hermione grinned against Harry's mouth.