This is Love

disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I own nothing. If I did, there was no way in hell Hermione would end up with Ron.

Harry had had enough. He was tired of Hermione getting pissed off at him for using the Half-Blood Prince's Potion Book. Hadn't she been on him since first year to take potions seriously? And now that he was finally finding potions interesting, she gets all pissy at him. He was tired of it. She had been going on the past five minutes about how he needed to turn that book in and get a proper potions book.

"Hermione! stop it. That is it, we need to talk and not in front of the peanut gallery." Neville and Ron had been playing chess nearby.

"Hey! Low blow Potter." yelled Ron.

"Sorry Guys, me and Hermione are going to have a little chat." Harry said.

"What makes you think I want to go anywhere with you?" Hermione stated, looking defiant.

"Because I am hoping that you value our friendship enough to come with me and try to fix this. I know I do." Harry said. Hermione blushed and nodded her head.

Harry and Hermione walked out of the Gryffindor common room and went to the Room of Requirements to have their 'Discussion'.

"All right, Hermione what is the real reason that you are upset? I know that there is no way in hell that you would get upset over a book, otherwise you would be pissed off at Ron for him reading 'The 12 fail safe ways to charm witches.' It is just a book, it is not evil, it is not going to possess me and make me kill students. So what is the real reason?"

"But Harry...Wait, Ron has a book on how to charm witches? Where did he get it and how come I am only finding about this now?" Hermione glared at Harry.

Harry winced. "Well, I thought you already knew that the Twins gave it to him. He even gave me a copy, but I haven't even opened it. I think he wanted me to use it on his sister. EWWW. She is a nice girl, but come on, she looks a lot like my mother. again EWWW and besides your trying to change the subject. I will give you my copy later and you can yell at Ron then. Now answer my question. Are you mad, because I get the same grade as you in potions?"

"Noooo."

Hermione was torn. She didn't know what to tell Harry. Did she tell him that she was afraid? That ever since hearing the Prophecy, she was so terrified of losing him that she had begun to distance herself from him. Harry getting the potions book had been the perfect opportunity and weather consciously or subconsciously, she had slowly pushed Harry away.

Or did she try to lie to him? The problem though was that Harry knew her better than anybody and she had never been a good liar. She decided to come clean. Harry deserved to know the truth.

"I'm Afraid", she whispered, barely audible.

"What?"

"I said that I am afraid"

"What are you afraid of? You are the bravest person I know" Harry stated.

"I am not, your a lot braver than I am" Hermione said, while her face turned red. Harry thought she looked really cute just then.

"Hermione, who is the braver person? the person who rushes into reckless situations without thinking, or the person who follows him, knowing that it is a reckless situation? believe me, there is not a braver person in this castle than you"

Hermione continued to blush beet red and mumbled "Thank you"

"So what are you afraid of, besides bad grades?" Harry asked quietly. "You know that I will always be there for you, no matter what."

"I know Harry, but I am afraid for me, I am afraid for you"

"What me? Why would...OH, the damn prophecy. I knew I shouldn't have told you guys about that." A look of sorrow flashed across Harry's face.

"Oh Harry, I am so sorry. I know that you have this huge thing over your head and instead of talking to you about it, I tried to push you away and now you won't be my friend anymore." Hermione cried. Her eyes began to water.

"Why would you think that I wouldn't be your friend? You have been the best friend a guy could ever have" Harry asked sadly. "I know now why you don't want to be my friend, I mean who would want to be friends with someone that is going to die?" He started to turn slowly away toward the door. Hermione could see the deep pain in his eyes.

"Harry James Potter! You are NOT going to die!" Hermione yelled and ran and gave him a huge hug.

Harry looked into her chocolate brown eyes and said sadly, "Hermione, I know that I am going to die. There is just no way to beat Voldemort. I mean come on, I am 16 years old. He has like 50 years experience on me. How am I going to beat him?"

"I don't know...yet, but I promise that I will stand by you and I will find a way. There has to be something that will destroy him. " Hermione cried fervently.

"But I thought you were afraid?" Harry said with a confused look on his face.

"Yes, I am. But I am not going to let that stop me. You are too important to me to let go."

"I am?" Harry asked.

"Yes, you are Harry Potter" Hermione said and looked him straight in the eye.

Harry continued to look into her eyes and realized something. He would do anything for this beautiful, vibrant woman that he was lucky enough to know. She had always stood by him through thick and thin and even though they had a minor setback for a couple months, he knew that this was the woman that would continue to stand with him. Not Ron, Not Dumbledore, Not the blasted Order of the chicken, not even Hagrid. Hermione would be the one by his side. For the boy that had never known love, He realized in his mind, 'This is Love'. Without even thinking about it, He slowly kissed her on the lips.

To say that Hermione was shocked, would be an understatement. She couldn't believe it. Harry had kissed her. She had never thought that Harry would ever kiss her. However, the shock slowly faded away as she realized that she really enjoyed it and began to kiss him back. It was only with great difficulty that she was able to pull away. Harry was a great kisser. Where did he learn that?

"Harry? not that I didn't enjoy it, but why did you kiss me?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Harry just smirked and said, "Because I have been wanting to do that since the Yule Ball in fourth year and I came to realize something just now. I am deeply, completely in love with my best friend, and it is not Ron Weasley."

Hermione smiled at him. "Really? I have been in love with you since third year, when we were saving Sirius, but never thought you would be interested in me that way. I always thought you were attracted to the athletic women, not a bookworm. That is why I was so afraid the past couple months. And I am so glad that you are not attracted to Ron, I would have to take you to Madam Pomfrey to check for love potions."

Harry laughed out loud. "Hermione, I know that you find this hard to believe, but you are one of the most beautiful women I know. And I know others see it too. Why do you think Krum and Neville asked you to the Ball? And I am sure that there were others that wanted to. they saw what I saw and see, a young vibrant beautiful woman, who looks really adorable when she is blushing a beet red." He said this, because Hermione had started to really blush when Harry was complimenting her. "And intelligent women are what really turn me on" He whispered in her her.

"Shut up Harry and kiss me."

"My pleasure."

AN: just a little oneshot, that I thought should have happened in Half Blood Prince. R&R.