True Love's First Kiss

Harry had never been allowed to watch television at the Dursleys', but he could listen to it. Vernon Dursley's hearing was slowly going bad, so as the years passed, the volume on the television got louder and louder.

Now, Petunia Dursley was fond of fairy tales, though she never told Vernon that. While Vernon was at work and Dudley at his preschool or at Piers' house, Petunia would watch her favorite fairy tales.

Harry would press his ear to the cupboard door and listen as carefully as he could.

Harry had never known that magic was real before Hagrid told him, so he had no preconceived notions about supposed limitations to it. As such, after Hermione was Petrified Harry had, what seemed to him, a brilliant idea.

Like most brilliant ideas that come from boys in the midst of puberty, it was an idea that would make any female, no matter her age, groan at the stupidity of it.

Professor Dumbledore really should have known not to give a preteen boy an Invisibility Cloak. But like most adults, the Headmaster had long ago forgotten the temptations of youth.

Harry crept through the shadows. Luckily for him, tonight Snape was at a poker game hosted by Lucius Malfoy, and not in the castle.

The teenage boy slowly pushed open the door to Hospital Wing, hoping with everything in him that it wouldn't squeak.

He walked down the aisle past people lying like statues.

Harry finally made it behind the curtains surrounding the last bed. Hermione was lying there, staring up at the ceiling.

Sure her hair was bushy and she had big front teeth, but this was Hermione… Hermione, who glowed whenever she was researching something… Hermione, whose eyes would widen just before she ran off to prove something she suspected, like when she remembered the book that had Nicolas Flamel in it… Hermione, the first person to ever hug him… Hermione, who always believed in him…

His favorite line from the fairy tales popped into his head. "True love's first kiss," he murmured. Harry wanted love more than anything. It probably wasn't going to work, but he had to try.

He stepped up to her side and leaned forward. Gently, he touched his lips to hers.

He stood up and stared at her. Nothing.

"Well, that's anticlimactic," he muttered. "'Night Hermione," Harry said as he pulled his cloak on.

- - -

"So, Hermione… Did you dream of anything while you were Petrified?" Ginny asked.

Hermione turned pink. "Once," she said.

"Do tell," one of the twins said.

"I dreamt I was a princess in a fairy tale and…someone kissed me to wake me up," Hermione was even pinker now. "It was quite nice actually."

Harry struggled not to blush.

"Was the 'Prince' anyone special," Ginny asked eagerly.

"Umm…no comment," Hermione said at last. For the remainder of the trip to King's Cross she had to endure the twins' teasing…at least, until they found out about Percy and Penelope Clearwater.

I will be updating my other stories soon. Sorry about the wait.