Campfires and Cramped Tents REVAMPED

OLD A/N: This is an AU challenge set by my dear friend Kate. We've started what will be a series of cute one-shots and our stories must fit the challenge! So be on the lookout for fluffy one-shots! And here's to the first-ever challenge! Oh yea, and they are a little OOC…but it's fluffy all the same.

NEW A/N: Well hello, my darlings! I am back, with an alternate-non-rushed ending! WOOHOOOOO. And slight editing. Wot.

Enjoy!

Professor Dumbledore stood up, silencing the Great Hall. He smiled warmly. "As you all know, the school year is quickly ending," he paused as a few murmurs emitted from the silent hall. "And now that the testing is over with, the teachers and I have found a way for you to…celebrate. We have scheduled a camping trip for tomorrow night. None of you will be able to get into your dorms…even you, Miss Granger, and you will all be assigned to a tent. Two people per tent, and I expect all of you to be responsible about it," he finished through narrow eyes. "Now, enjoy your dinner."

Hermione looked at the aged headmaster in shock. "A camping trip? How ridiculous! This is the most immature thing he's ever done! And he's done a lot of immature things," she cried, her cheeks growing red in frustration.

Both boys looked at her. Harry sighed. "Hermione. Love. Life. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill," he said calmly, but sarcastically.

She frowned. "Don't make fun of me, Potter! I will not go on this…this…this stupid…adventure!"

Ron, who was clearly avoiding the situation, stuffed his mouth with mashed potatoes. Harry stuck his bottom lip out. "Please?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Oh come on, Hermione. It's one night!"

"No! I will not sleep outside in the lumpy wet grass and be eaten by all sorts of unnamed insects all the while listening to the entire student body sing sappy campfire songs. Which, in fact, will be completely off-key and none of them will finish on the same note."

Harry looked at her with wide eyes. "Wow…you've thought a lot about this, haven't you?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "I've had…a lot of experiences with camping."

"Bad ones?" he said sympathetically.

"Yes."

"Do you need a hug?"

"No."

He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed. "Get off me," she muttered grumpily.

Ron and Harry exchanged knowing glances. They smiled mischievously. Harry pulled her up by her elbow. "Come on, Hermione. You wouldn't want to miss Charms, now would you?"

"No."

"Good," he grabbed her arms and led her out of the Great Hall, Ron following behind. "Oh, and by the way, you are coming with us to the camping trip."

"No, I'm not"

"Yes, you are."

"No."

"Yes."

"No! And that's final!"

XXX

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms. "I can't believe you guys talked me into this. I could be reading a fabulous book right now-."

"-Ahh…the sounds of nature. Oi, Ron, do you hear that faint buzzing sound?"

"Why yes, Harry! It sounds like a very annoying bee. Maybe I should swat it away."

"-Actually, I just read an outstanding book…it was…it was…you're talking about me, aren't you? Why you little-!"

"Now Ron. Don't infuriate our little honey bee."

Hermione rolled her eyes and stomped her foot. "Honestly! You two are so immature! What has gotten into you both?"

The boys shrugged. Ron shaded his eyes and looked around. "Well, it seems like most of the Gryffindor seventh years have showed up. Us, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, and…and Lavender!"

Harry and Hermione turned to find Lavender in a very muggle-cliché-hiking outfit. She wore hiking boots, denim shorts, an "I Heart Camping" shirt, a waterproof watch, a fanny-pack on her waist, a scarf tied on her neck, her hair in pigtail braids, sunglasses on her head, and she was chewing a rather large amount of bubblegum.

She smiled and waved. "Hey Ron. Ready for a hike?"

"Uh…um…sure…yea, I'd like that," he stuttered. She walked over toward them and Hermione caught a strong whiff of bug spray. Harry coughed beside her, and she closed her nose. Lavender narrowed her eyes at them and stalked off.

Hermione attempted to hide her smile, but she caught Harry's eye and they shared a grin. Ron blinked a few times and turned back to them. "So uh…who do you think will be sharing tents? They most likely will be placed by year and house…right?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. I wouldn't want to be put with Malfoy." They all shuddered.

"Students!" Everyone turned around to find Professor McGonagall walking up to Harry and Hermione with a piece of parchment in her hands. "As Head Boy and Head Girl, I expect you two to lead the rest of the Gryffindor house to their assorted activities. The prefects of the other houses will do the same. And as for the tents, you two will have to read off of the list. Have a great day!"

Hermione groaned and took the parchment. "Thanks, Professor," she turned to the Gryffindors. "Let's go for a hike in the Forbidden Forest!" she received a lot of groans. "Move it!"

XXX

"If you're magic and you know it wave your wands.

If you're magic and you know it wave your wands.

If you're magic and you know it and you really wanna show it, if you're magic and you know it wave your wands!"

As predicted, the Gryffindors were very off-key and when the song ended, a few people were still singing. Hermione winced and looked over at Harry, who was roasting his fifth batch of marshmallows. He caught her eye and grinned. She returned the gesture, and hoped he didn't notice her warm cheeks.

"Harry! Hermione! Look! I made schmores!" Ron glowed happily as Lavender clapped for him.

Harry chuckled. "It's pronounced 'smore'."

"Who cares? Look!" he held up a nasty-looking concoction in which he called a smore.

Hermione grimaced. "Yea, you go Ron."

Harry smiled at her and checked his watch. "Alright! Tent arrangements!" he called out. Everyone groaned.

"Aw come on Harry…already?"

"Are you bloody serious?"

"I wanna share a tent with you, Lavender."

"Ugh, sod off."

"Guys!" he yelled. They grew silent. He took out the parchment and read off the assignments for year's first to sixth. He paused at the seventh years. His eyes grew wide.

Hermione stood up next to him as he read them the order:

"Tent 1: Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown

Tent 2: Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas

Tent 3: Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom

Tent 4: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger"

Her jaw dropped. "This…this is a joke, right?" she breathed as Lavender and Parvati started bursting out laughing. She narrowed her eyes at them and they instantly shut up.

"Ew, I have to be stuck with Neville?"

"Hey!"

Harry laughed awkwardly. "Well, this is clearly insulting our gender," he laughed, but ended up blushing under her stare.

"Professor!" she called out. Professor McGonagall rushed over.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"You…you…this list must be a mistake!"

"How is it a mistake?"

Hermione gaped at her. "You put and Harry and I in the same tent!"

She folded her arms. "Yes, I understand that, Miss Granger."

"But…but it is a violation to the school!"

"I have put you two in the same tent because you are Head Boy and Head Girl, and I expected you to be mature about this," she eyed them both. "There is an uneven amount of seventh year Gryffindor girls as well as boys. Like I said before, I picked you two because you are both mature and the best of friends. I know what you are thinking Miss Granger, and no, you can't have a tent each. Goodnight Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," she walked off, leaving a dumbfounded Hermione and a blushing Harry.

"Well, this will be an interesting night," Ron said sarcastically.

Lavender and Parvati made their way to Tent 1, but not before Lavender leaned in and said, "Take advantage of it, Hermione. I heard he's a great kisser," she and Parvati giggled and walked off.

Hermione blushed. "Honestly!"

XXX

"Ow! Harry, that was my leg!"

"I'm sorry. We'll hold a funeral for it tomorrow. Merlin! Hermione I think you broke my glasses!"

"I did not! Did you hear a crunch?"

"No."

"Then it didn't break," Hermione groaned and shifted. "I told you camping was a bad idea," she muttered. She and Harry were lying opposite of each other inside their very, very small tent. She glared at his sock, which was about two inches away from her face. "Lucky your feet don't smell."

She could almost hear him grin. "Well, I have socks on, remember that."

She sighed. "This is very uncomfortable."

"Yea, I know what you mean. Hold on, I'm going to shift."

"Oh honest-OW!" she groaned, cradling her nose. Almost instantly, Harry pulled her up into a sitting position.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, trying to pry her hands away from her face.

"You hit my nose with your foot," she whimpered. She let him examine it, his face right up to hers. Too close, Potter.

He grinned cheekily. "Wow, I certainly have a hard kick," he laughed at her cry of frustration. "It's alright, 'Mione. I didn't break it and it's not bleeding. Hell, it's not even swollen!"

She watched him with baited breath as his grin faded and his eyes met hers. His hands slid from her cheeks to her shoulders. He leaned forward and closed his eyes.

Eyes wide, she pulled out of his grasp. "Uhh, it still hurts."

He opened his eyes and looked at her like she had three heads. "Well, what--?"

"It's fine. Just…let it be."

"I--"

She lay back down and shifted so her back was to him. "Just let it go," she whispered.

After awhile, she heard him slide back into his sleeping bag. She closed her eyes in frustration.

XXX

"What was that about?"

Hermione looked up from the ashes of the dead fire. "Pardon?"

Harry, still disheveled from sleep, walked over and sat down next to her. "Why did you freak out like that?"

She sighed and looked down at her feet. "It's…complicated."

He raised his eyebrows. "Complicated?"

She frowned. "Yes."

He looked out into the silent morning. They were the only ones up. "So…you won't kiss me…because it's…complicated."

She blushed. "Stop it."

"What did I do?!"

"You're mocking me."

"Hermione, of course I'm not mocking you," he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'm just confused, is all."

She raised her gaze to meet his. "I--I just…I had a plan t-to not let boys get in the way of my Hogwarts career," she cried, "and you're ruining it!"

"I…er…I'm sorry?"

"Oh, don't blame yourself!"

"I--okay."

She put her head in her hands. "This is all so bloody confusing."

He shifted so that he was on his knees in front of her. He pried her hands away from her face. She looked at him warily.

"Are you willing to face this confusion together? You know…as boyfriend and girlfriend? I-I won't get in the way, I promise," he whispered.

She took a steady breath. "I…suppose."

He grinned and stood. He held out his hand and pulled her up. She gave him a nervous smile as he let go of their hands.

"So…"

"Er…"

"Want to go for a walk?'

"Sure!"

Harry took her hand again and led her off into the forest. "Uh…Harry?"

"Yea?"

"Now that…you know…we are, you know…can we not do broomstick rides? I mean, I know you love it and all, but I'd rather be--"

"At campfires and in cramped tents?"

"Exactly."

A/N: I apologize. This still isn't up to my standards, and I don't know how to make it different. This thing is such a bugger to write! I imagined it being awkward, and I guess it is, but yea. So if you think it sucks, don't worry, I think it does too. There you go. Done. Fini. The final editing of this story. Ba

QuidditchGirl30