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Chapter 6: Down By The Lake
Harry looked out the window. It was dark, and the moon overlooked everything, casting its' eerie glow on everything.
  "Hermione, c'mon." Harry said, and grabbing the invisibility cloak in his left hand and Hermione's hand in his right.
     "What do we need that for?" Hermione asked him.
  "Guys? Hermione? Harry?" They heard Ron's voice on the stairs.
    "Thats why." He said in a low voice and he draped the cloak around them.
   The door opened and Ron came in, looking around. They were invisible, of course, but Hermione squeezed Harry's hand as Ron looked in their direction. Harry's cheeks flushed.
   "Must be in the common room or something..." Ron mumbled, and went off, out the door, and they took off once they heard his footsteps disappear.
          Going out the great oak doors, they walked down the path in a heavy silence.
   Once by the tree by the lake, Harry and Hermione sat down, leaning their backs against the cold tree bark.
          "Harry, I'm sorr-" Hermione started, and was stopped by Harry's finger being pressed against her lips, in a shushing motion.
         "No, don't be. I've always wanted to tell you this, since the time we met up on the train. Hermione, I love you." Harry said, and then looked away. "And, I will, always."
   Hermione looked at him, surprised.
       "Harry, why didn't you tell me before?" Hermione asked.
     "Because, I didn't want to trouble you. I didn't want to be Ron's Seamus." He said and looked at the ground. "And now, I am. And I don't feel bad about it, Hermione. Ron truly doesn't deserve someone like you." Harry said, and looked at her and she frowned at him.
      "You're saying Ron doesn't deserve me? Why? Because hes not that smart? Because hes not famous like you?!" She said shrilly.
           "No! No! Not at all! Its just, I've never understood why you fell for him in the first place! In first year, he was practically a bully to you, second year he still kinda ignored you... third year," Harry began, but Hermione got up and moved closer to the lake side.
     "Harry, thats not the point!" Hermione said, still just as shrill but now her cheeks were slightly pinkend.
        "But it is! And, I've always been there for you! When you were called a Mudblood, I almost cursed Malfoy!" Harry said.
          "But you weren't in love with me then."
         "But I am now!" Harry shouted, his feelings overwhelming him.
           "And now its too late!" She said, standing up.
      Harry could see the moonlight, how it reflected perfectly on her face, how her brown eyes were oh so chocolate-y. How her hair smelled, still like Cherry Blossoms. And he couldn't take it anymore.
            He walked over to her and smiled. Oddly, after that arguing, she smiled back.
         He slipped his hand behind her head, and leaned down. Their lips met, and Harry felt as though he could kiss Hermione forever. He wished, then and there, that he could.
     "Hey! What the-" They heard someones voice from up on the trail. Someone had spotted them. They were so far away, from that distance he would not be able to see who it was, just their shadows.
            He grabbed the invisibility cloak and dragged Hermione behind the tree, and underneath the invisibility cloak, holding hands, they made their way back to the school.
    "Do you really think Cedric would have dated Cho if she hadn't used that potion?" Hermione asked suddenly.
       "Do you see how crazy she is? Cedric was a good man. No way he would have if she hadn't turned him mental with that potion." Harry told her laughing.
  In his room, they laughed some, until 11'oclock, and she gave him a goodnight kiss on the cheek. He smiled and she left, going to her own bed.
     Harry looked once again out the window in his room, at that tree down by the lake.
                                   The tree where he had first kissed Hermione Granger.