Those Three Words

I have seen enough movies with my parents to realize that nothing works out like in the movies. At least that is what I thought until I got my Hogwarts letter. I was eleven at the time, starting my first year of seven at an amazing school. But now I am a fourth year and nothing could prepare me for what I was going to go through this year. As my two best friends begin to bite each other's heads off, I became quite close to one of them and not the one people thought I would. I have come to love him. I don't know when I truly realized it, but I do. However I have learned that even if I told him, he would either: one, not believe me; two, ignore me; or three and the worst of them all, never talk to me again. But then again I would love for him to at least know how I feel about him. However that will never be the case because he has his eyes on someone else, a certain girl I know he will never have.

And now that I have said all of this you probably want to know who I am, and who I am talking about.

My name is Hermione Granger, and I am in love with the one and only Harry Potter! I know, of all boys I can have a major crush on, I choose him. Well I didn't really choose to fall in love with him, it just sort of happened. I only started noticing my feelings this year. It is now December and our transfiguration professor just announced that there is going to be a ball.

The Yule Ball. Christmas Day.

But there is only five days left and he still hasn't asked me to go with him. Well I guess I don't really expect him to ask me, it's more like I was hoping he would.

"Hello," said a low voice from behind me.

I was enjoying a nice book about some charms I thought would be helpful in the next few months, but this boy had to come and ruin my perfect afternoon. I look up from my book to see a very tall boy in a brown coat.

"I vas vondering if you vould go vith me to the ball," he said as he bowed.

I can hear a group of girls gasp after he said this but I don't acknowledge their presence in the row of books next to me. I looked at him with a stunned look on my face.

"Vot?" I said before shaking my head, "I mean, what?"

"Please go to the ball vith me."

"Sure," I said with a weak smile.

The girls all make a sound of frustration as he turns and walks away quickly with a big sigh of relief.

That was the worst decision I have ever made! I yell in my head.

Now I have to go with him with no chance of going with Harry. I may be the top of my class but I'm not that smart sometimes.

I stand up and leave the library. The common room is full of students talking lively about the upcoming dance. I only just sit down when a group of students shuffle quickly into the room from the portrait hole. The group disperses a little as the boy in the centre sits in an armchair. It is only then that I notice that it is Ron.

"Ron, what happened?"

He mumbles incoherently his whole body shaking.

"He just asked Fleur to the dance," Ginny said to me.

"She was walking by and it just sorta slipped out," he whispered.

"It was more like screaming," Ginny said to me.

"What did she say?" I asked more to Ginny than to Ron.

Ron began to mutter incoherently. Ginny looked down at her brother sitting in the chair.

"Did she say no?" I asked him as I knelt in front of him, he shook his head, "She said yes?"

He shook his head again. At this point I was very confused. She didn't say no or yes? How does that happen?

"So what happened?" I asked him.

"What else?" he muttered quietly, "I ran for it!"

His voice squeaked a little as he said this. I had to force myself not to laugh. At this point Harry had walked into the common room from the stairway to the boy's dormitories. He didn't acknowledge us hanging around his best friend and left the common room through the portrait hole.

I turned and ran after him. He wasn't too far down the corridor when I caught up to him.

"Harry," I said as I grab his arm at the elbow, "did you hear about what happened with Ron?"

"What?" he said looking straight ahead, "are you going to the dance?"

"Yes," I look down at the floor as I let go of his arm, "why?"

"I'm still looking for a date," he told me as he looks down at me, "but if you are going already."

"If you said something an hour ago," I told him, "then I wouldn't have a date."

"Who are you going with?"

"Ummm," I stuttered, "does it matter?"

"I guess not," he told me, "I guess I was just hoping you would go with me. I have been quite nervous about asking you. But I guess I am too late. Can you do me one favor though?"

"What?"

"Please save me one dance."

He turned around left and I wonder where he is going, but I don't dare follow.

Ginny helped me get ready for tonight. She has always been better at this kind of stuff than I have. She pulled my hair up elaborately, a few strands hung around my face in small ringlets. I pull the zipper of my dress closed. We stand in front of the full length mirror to look at ourselves.

My blue dress hugs my waist, with elaborate beading on the bodice and around the bottom edge. It is floor length and is almost like a princess dress because the bottom of the dress is much wider than my tiny waist.

Ginny is wearing a floor length pale green and yellow dress. There is a bow at the back of her waist with green and yellow ribbon hanging down from the bow. The front is simple and plain. But she looks amazing in it, with its many sheer layers making the dress puff out.

We leave the Gryffindor tower to meet our dates in the Entrance Hall. Ginny is the only person I told who my date was. And over the past few days I have told her about how I feel about Harry.

"There is Viktor," Ginny told me pointing toward the front doors.

"See you inside," I told her as I started to make my way through the crowd of students.

"I vas vondering vhen you vould be getting here," he said as I stop in front of him, "you look beautiful."

He smiled at me as he bowed. He stood back up and held his arm out for me to take. He leads me into the Great Hall. The room is a winter dreamland, Christmas threes lined the walls and icicles hang from the arches that disappear into the sky ceiling.

I can hear the murmurs of students as they see us walking into the room; "is that Hermione Granger with Viktor Krum?" one girl asked her date.

The champions and their dates started to dance and slowly everyone joined us. Viktor and I danced for a fair few songs when I decided that I should sit down for a short while. He walks me over to where Harry, Ron and their dates are sitting, he bows to me before leaving to get us some drinks. I sit next to Harry with a smile on my face.

"Hot isn't it?" I say looking over at the two boys.

"I'm surprised he hasn't asked you to call him Vicky," this comment surprises me when I realize Ron had said it.

"What has your wand in a knot?" I said before looking at Harry.

Luckily Harry realizes what I am thinking and he stands up.

"Dance?" he asks holding his hand out for me to take.

I take a short glance at Ron before saying, "Yes."

He leads me out into the crowd to where Ron won't see us dancing. Only now do I realize that the song is much slower than the previous ones. We stand motionless looking at each other for a short while. Then a huge smile breaks out on his face.

"May I have this dance miss?" he says as he bows low, he looks up at me as he begins to laugh.

"I would love that," I said as I giggle taking his hand.

We dance for about half of the song before we say anything else. I'm happy for it actually. Not because I want him to be quiet, but because I enjoy being with him.

"Harry," I say quietly.

"Yes," he says this quickly as if he has been waiting to break the silence but glad I did it first.

"The other day you said you were nervous about asking me to the dance."

"Oh, that," he pulls away a little bit and takes a deep breath, "just forget about it."

"That's the thing," I tell him, "I can't."

He looks down at me, "what do you mean?"

"I can't stop thinking that if I said no to Viktor, then I would be at the dance with you."

"You are with me now."

I smile and realize that he is too. I don't have time to think or brace myself for what is going to happen before I feel his hands come up to my face, holding me still as his lips come down to meet mine. Instinctively I close my eyes. Is this really happening? I think as he pulls out of the kiss. My eyes stay closed for a few seconds longer and I can feel him looking at me. I open my eyes slowly and see his eyes leave my face.

I turn around to see what he is looking at. It's Viktor Krum. He is standing over by where Ron is sitting his finger pointed at us. Viktor's eyes had followed Ron's finger to where Harry and I stand. Then without saying anything Viktor turns and leaves the Hall, a sad look plastered on his face.

"I'll be right back," I say to Harry, "I can't just ignore him. He is my date."

I know this isn't what Harry wants to hear, but he understands all the same. He nods for me to follow Viktor. I kiss Harry's cheek before pushing my way toward the door.

Viktor is standing at a fountain looking at the surface of the water.

"Viktor?" I say unsure of what to say to this boy who obviously in pain.

He turns to me, "Herm-own-ninny," he says making me smile, "do you love him?"

I have never heard him speak clearer English, "what?"

"Do you love him?" he says again, "The Potter boy?"

"Viktor," I say but he quickly cuts me off.

"I von't be mad," he sells me, "I just vant to know."

"I do," I tell him as I look away from him, "I love him."

"Just be happy," he says before starting to walk toward the lake, "I vill alvays have feelings for you."

And with that he leaves me standing near the fountain. I take a deep breath, surprised at how well it went with Viktor. I turn around and find Harry standing in the doorway.

"Is it true?" he says quietly, "Do you love the Potter boy?"

I smile as I run to hug him.

"I love you," I tell him simply as I pull back to look up at him.

"Those three words are said too much," he tells me, "They're not enough."

"Then what shall you have me say," I ask, "I will do anything to prove it to you. I know this won't sound convincing but please let me finish before you judge what I say. I have loved you for as long as I can remember, although I only truly realized it early this year. But as I have watched you go through the tournament so far and as I have helped you with the spells and charms we thought you would need, I have realized that that day I met you on the train our first year was when these feelings started. And each year they have grown. At first I just thought it was because we were friends. But when I realized I wanted more with you, when I realized I wanted to be more than just friends, I realized I would do anything to get you."

"Hermione," he says but I hold a hand up.

"Let me finish," I tell him, "I want to be with you and to this day I never knew how to tell you. The simplest way I can tell you is, I love you Harry James Potter."

He stands still and for a moment I think he isn't listening.

"Hermione," he says, "I love you with all of my heart."

He pulls me closer and kisses me tenderly but with full passion. I pull away looking up into his eyes, I bury my face in the front of his robes. He wraps his arms around my waist and we stand like that for what feels like the rest of the night.