Awakening || Harry & Hermione

Chapter 3.1

Harry was playing a game of chess with Ron when he realized he had yet to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball.

Despite Ron's abandonment of him after his name was announced and despite what Harry had told Hermione about only wanting real friends, Harry couldn't find it in his heart to cut Ron out of his life. The redhead sitting across from him was still the same boy who had similarly sat across him on the Hogwarts Express, who had fought in the tests to the Philosopher's Stone, who had faced giant acromantulas, stood on a broken leg to defend him...He was still Ron. He was still his friend.

When he had hesitantly approached Harry and asked for a game, Harry had silently acquiesced, but the carefree feeling he had felt before in Ron's presence was gone now.

Harry just wasn't sure if he was still his best friend, someone who he could unconditionally trust, someone who he could rely on above all else, someone who would care as deeply for him as Harry did for them. No excuses. No strings attached. Harry had learned that the number of people who fit that bill were alarmingly few.

"I won!" Ron slumped back on the sofa. "Blimey, Harry, this is the fourth time. Where's your mind wandering at?"

"Huh?" Harry startled. "Oh. Just...you know. Thinking about the second task."

Ron waved his hand impatiently. "You still have plenty of time to work on the task, but the Yule Ball is close by and all the pretty girls are being snatched up. That's what you should be worried about."

"Mhm."

"Don't tell me you already have a date." Ron eyed him suspiciously, "It's not Hermione, is it?"

Harry stared at him.

Ron groaned. "I can't believe it. You had all the girls in the school to pick from and you asked Hermione of all people, didn't you?"

"It's not—I haven't asked—what do you mean 'Hermione of all people?'"

"I mean," Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione: bushy haired, know-it-all, a pain in the ass when it comes to making us do work. She's our friend so of course I like her. But, she's not exactly the first girl who comes to mind when you think, 'pretty, fun girl to take to the ball.'"

A whimper sounded behind them and Harry and Ron turned around to see Hermione standing at the entrance to the common room with watery eyes.

"Well," She said, angrily blinking back tears. "I wouldn't have gone with you even if you had asked. So, it's rather pretentious of you to even consider me, isn't it?"

She strode out of the common room and Harry was frozen for a moment, before he snapped out of it and ran after her.

"Hermione!" He caught sight of her turning at the corner of a hallway and reached out to grab her hand.

"I'd like to be alone right now, if you don't mind."

"You know that what Ron was saying was utter garbage, don't you? I don't know what the hell he was talking about."

"Don't you?" Her voice was frosty. "I didn't hear you disagreeing with him."

"Hey," He took hold of her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "You know that I would never think of you that way. In fact, Ron's little speech there just reminded me. I never did ask you to the ball, did I?"

"Oh, Harry." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry for lashing out on you because of Ron. There's no need for you to go and be noble to try and make me feel better—"

"I'm not trying to be noble, I just realized that I'd always assumed we'd go together and somehow forgot to outright ask—"

"Besides, I was already asked to the ball by someone else, so there's really no need to play the hero. I'm not exactly some pitiful girl—"

They both stopped and stared at each other, realizing what had just been said.

Hermione looked like she had no idea what to think. "You assumed that we would go together?"

Harry's throat went dry. "Someone already asked you? Did you say yes?"

Hermione mumbled something about needing to sit down and Harry, who was feeling a little wobbly himself, helped her on to the floor and they sat with their backs against the wall.

"You first." She said, having found her voice again.

"It sounds really bad when I say it like this, but hear me out." Harry pinched his nose. Ugh. Terrible start. "I think after we found out about the egg and started using the Room, I've been so busy, the ball issue was thrown to the back of my head considering its level of importance. Not—not that I think asking you isn't important. I mean, the ball itself! As for asking you, somehow I hadn't even considered it? I think deep down I had already decided we would go together.

"Who else would I ask? Who else would I want to spend an evening with besides my best friend, someone who can make me smile and laugh, and turn even the worst of days into something bearable?" Oh, no. He was rambling now. Get to the point. "It was always going to be you in my mind, Hermione. I think I actually just realized that when I was talking to Ron right now—talk about terrible timing. I'm just so daft I hadn't even bothered to consider that you're not a mind reader and wouldn't see it that way."

"Oh, Harry." Hermione sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised to hear that was the case, when I think about it. You really are sort of slow when it comes to these things."

Harry made a sound of indignation but Hermione simply raised an eyebrow up at him. "Still, it is a relief to have it out in the open. Viktor asked me in the library a few days ago while you were speaking to Madam Pince and I told him I'd give him an answer soon. If you hadn't said something by today, I'd have to ask you myself!"

"Viktor? Viktor Krum?" Harry's mind spun. "Is that why he's always been staring at you like you owe him money?"

"Ooh!" Harry thought that the slight blush on her face was rather endearing. "Forget about that, you still haven't done it!"

"Done what?"

"Asked me to the ball properly, you dunce!"

They stared at each other and burst into laughter.