(Hermione's Perspective)

FRUSTRATION AND CONFUSION bubbled inside Hermione as she sat at the steps of the Astronomy Tower. Away from the festivities, away from Ron and Lavender.

She felt frustrated because she didn't know her feelings anymore. Confusion, because she couldn't understand the difference between her feelings for Ron and her feelings for Isaac.

She sighed as silent tears came falling from the corner of her eyes. She stared straight at the wall, hoping for someone to come and help her. Someone to entangle the messy knot of emotions she was feeling.

Footsteps echoed from the top of the steps, Hermione noticed this and hastily wiped the tears out of her eyes. She looked up, eyes meeting Harry's emerald eyes.

She cleared her throat, trying to fade the sob stuck in her throat. "Charms spell. Just practicing."

Pathetic excuse, seeing as he already noticed her clearly hoarse voice. She sighed and scooted over, making way for Harry to sit.

"Well they're really good." Hermione gave a small giggle, glad he went with it. She sighed as she leaned her head in his shoulder, his arm going around her shoulders bringing her into a side hug.

"So... is this about Ron kissing Lavnder? Or is this about you and Isaac avoiding each other?" Hermione's breath hitched at his sudden question. She lifted her head up from his shoulder, giving her a view of his knowing grin.

She huffed and corssed her arms ontop of her knees and leaned her head on them. "So you know?"

Harry chuckled softly and nodded, releasing her from his embrace. "You're not exactly that subtle Hermione. Seriously even Ginny could tell you were having a dilemma."

Hermione sighed as she tilted her head a bit to the right. She looked to Harry, trying to see if he was teasing her or was actually serious. Seeing him looking at her with a blank face was enough for her to know that she could talk to him.

"Well... honestly its both..." Harry nodded his head in understanding. He motioned for her to go on, she hesitated a bit but knew this was exactly what she needed.

"Well, I honestly don't know what's wrong with me! I feel as if I fancy two guys but I can't help but wonder who I should choose!"

Harry chuckled lowly and sighed, turning towards her. He gave her a small smile and moved closer to her. "Now the thing is, you can like two guys. The only problem is, which one do you actually love."

Hermione looked at him, confused at his statement. She then looked down to her hands and thought about it. She didn't exactly know how strong her feelings were for the both of them. She didn't even know if she loved one of them.

Harry noticed the look of conflict in her face. He cleared his throat, gaining her attention back. "Are you... thinking about it?"

Hermione sighed and looked back to the flying birds she enchanted. "I am... it's just... how am I supposed to know who I love?"

Harry contemplated this. He wasn't exactly that wise enough like Dumbledore to give the right words of advice. But he remembered seeing something in an old muggle movie.

So he tried it out on her. "Umm... Why don't you try describing what you like best about both of them? Or describinng why you think you like them is fine too..."

Hermione sighed heavily and closed her eyes, focusing on the feelings that clouded her mind for the past school year. "Well, I know I like Isaac. A lot. He's just so... caring. He's been such a great friend since our fourth year. He's...."

"He's what, Mione?" She pursed her lips, thinking of how she should describe her feelings.

"He's imperfectly perfect." Harry looked at her, bewildered at her explanation.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean imperfectly perfect?" Hermione giggled a bit at him and she tapped her chin in thought.

"Well, he isn't exactly flawless. Now a days he has secrets looming around him. Things he says he can't say. But overall he's perfect. He's super kind, very loyal, always knows how to cheer me up, Isaac's just always there for me. I get worried whenever he is facing danger, and I love how brave he is even though he is in Hufflepuff." Harry smiled at her and gave her a stern look when he saw her saddened look.

"But...?"

"But I can't be with him. Not because of our blood status, since he is a pureblood and I'm a muggle-born." Harry looked at her, surprised to know Isaac was a Pureblood. For a moment, Hermione paused. She sighed and faced him again.

"Well it's somehow because of our blood statuses. Since I'm a muggle-born witch, I'd most likely be targeted by a lot of Death Eaters. I just, don't want him to go through that pain of losing someone again. He's lost a lot of people Harry." He nodded in understanding and looked at her with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Is that the only reason you won't be with Isaac? Because you don't want him to feel the pain of losing someone once again?" Hermione nodded hesitantly, not knowing where Harry was going with this.

He pursed his lips, lost in his thoughts. After a minute or two of awkward silence, he spoke again. "Well what about Ron? What are your feelings for him?"

"I... honestly don't know. I just feel so disgusted when I see him with Lavender Brown. It infuriates me, I don't know I thought it was jealousy. There are times where I think he's cute and kind of amazing..."

Harry hummed in reply, not fully knowing if she understood why she was jealous. He somewhat had an idea on why, but she looked as if she had more to say.

"I don't even know why I'm jealous. It's not like I actually like Ron, impossible!" He chuckled a bit, shaking his head in disagreement.

"I don't think so Hermione. I think you do like Ron." She looked at him with a frown, giving him a hard blare.

"And what makes you think I do? How would you describe what I feel for Isaac then?!"

Harry laughed heartily, earning an even harder glare from Hermione. "I'm being serious here Harry!"

He adjusted his glasses, still laughing a bit, before looking at her with a knowing smile. "I know, it's just hilarious to see you so... clueless!"

Hermione huffed at him and hit the back of his head. He flinched as he rubbed his head, giving her a frown. "Alright alright, here this is what I understood."

Hermione looked at him, expecting great results. She gave him a small smile. "Well? Go on then! Spit it out."

He inhaled deeply, looking at her with a suddenly serious look in his eyes.

"You like Ron."

...

Hermione looked at him with a blank look, almost thinking he was joking. When she looked into his eyes and saw how genuine he was being, she gasped in shock. Not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm sorry? I think I heard you wrong. You said I like Ron?"

"Correct." Hermione looked at Harry, baffled at his bluntness. She blinked owlishly at him and managed to stutter out a response.

"But then.. w-what about how I feel for Isaac?" Harry then fully faced her, his emerald eyes shining with knowing. He took her hand and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb, like a brother would.

"As I said earlier, you can like both of them. But there always will be that one guy between them that you love."

Hermione looked at their hands, trying to understand what he was trying to tell her. If she like Ron... and that she should love one of them more. Then that means-

Harry chuckled at her face that glowed with realization. She gaped at him, at a loss for words at what Harry was implying. Her mouth opened and closed, still shocked with the sudden revelation.

When the right words came to her, she ran her free hand through her hair.

"So what you're implying, is that I..."

Harry noticed her hesitation at the confession, he moved closer to her. Trying his best to help her say the words. "That you?"

Hermione breathed in deeply, exhaling after a few seconds. She looked at Harry dead in the eye, a new determination settling deep inside her.

"I have to talk to him! I can't believe I didn't think of this! Oh my goodness, what would Isaac say? I've been avoiding him for a week! Maybe more... oh no.. oh Merlin."

Harry laughed at his friend's nervousness, seeing her like this for the first time made him feel very amused. Well she was nervous, once in a while.

But this situation was different. She wasn't nervous because of her N.E.W.T.S. She wasn't anxious about any dangers or any of their adventures.

She was simply still in the stage of her life where in a new chapter has been written

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longest chapter yet!!! 1518 words guys!

i hope you enjoyed this chapter, Hermione finally realized her true feelings!!!