A/N: Yes, I said that the sequel to “All I Want for Christmas” was going to be my next story, and I have been working on it (though it's still untitled at this point). This story came about when I had some spare time before my shift at work started and just randomly started this story. I do plan on continuing to work on the sequel as I work on this as well.

You know as well as I do where this story is going. I have no notes or anything written for this story, I'm just going with the flow and letting this story come out without having planned anything. Obviously, we'll get our Harmony ending, but I don't know much more than that right now. I'll have fun finding out where this story leads along with the rest of you. Hopefully, it will help keep you tided over until I get the sequel finished.

Please read and review. More reviews encourage faster updates (real life permitting, of course).

Disclaimer: IT'S MINE! Harry Potter is all mine!!! *laughs evilly*

*I get tapped on the shoulder and turn around, finding a couple of cops*

Random Cop #1: Did you just say that Harry Potter is your's?

Me: Yes, sir!

Random Cop #2: I'm afraid I'm going to have to place you under arrest, then.

Me: What for? Harry Potter's mine!

Random Cop #1: Stealing from the legendary, though potentially infamous J.K. Rowling.

Me: I'm not stealing! Harry Potter's mine!

Random Female Voice: No, Harry's not your's.

Me: How would you know?

Random Female Voice: I am her GREATEST creation!

Me: *scoffs* And just who are you?

Random Female Voice: Ginny Weasley, of course, you arrogant, self-serving prat.

*I laugh*

Me: Her greatest creation? Try the most insignificant and worthless character in the series! Mr. and Mrs. Granger are even more important than you!

*Ginny slaps me across the face*

Random Female Voice/Ginny: You bastard! There's no way that the little bookworm's parents are…

*Ginny is cut off mid-rant by a Silencing Charm, and we both look to see who cast it, to find Harry and Hermione*

Harry: I'll not have you talk about my girlfriend's parents like that again, Ginny.

Hermione: Thomas, Harry really doesn't belong to you, you know.

Me: He doesn't?

Hermione: No, he doesn't. The cops aren't pulling your leg.

Me: I must really be Delusional then. People already think I'm Delusional for thinking that the two of you are going to get together.

*Harry and Hermione smile secretly at each other*

Harry: You'll just have to wait and see how J.K. Rowling gets us together in her last book then.

Me: I can't wait!

Harry: Neither can I! Then I can do this all I want.

*Harry grabs Hermione and they start wildly snogging in front of me*

Me (to the cops): Okay, I can admit that Harry's not mine. He belongs to J.K. Rowling, whom the rest of the world will soon witness putting the finishing touches on one of the greatest love stories of all-time by bringing Harry and Hermione together in her last book.

Random Cop #2: You're free to go, then.

Dedication: I made a point of getting this up today in honor of our favorite bookworm's birthday. Happy Birthday Hermione!

Tell Me

Chapter 1: Not Officially

Hermione was hunched over her Ancient Runes text and scribbling down notes in the crowded Gryffindor common room one rainy May evening when Harry strolled in soaking wet, after one of their last quidditch practices at Hogwarts, chatting excitedly with Ron.

“Hiya, Hermione,” Ron said with a mysterious smile on his face as he made his way to the stairs up to the boys' dormitories and disappeared up them.

Hmm…I don't remember having seen Ron smile like that before, Hermione thought to herself.

A moment later, her thoughts were interrupted as Hermione felt a wet pair of arms wrap her up from behind, making her white blouse damp.

“Harry James Potter!” she chastised him. Don't you have enough sense to cast a Drying Charm on yourself before giving me a hug? Especially when I'm wearing a white blouse!”

The head of every male in the Gryffindor common room turned her way, Harry's with a silly grin on his face.

“What's so funny, Harry?” Hermione asked calmly.

Harry's grin only widened as he said, “you might not have wanted to say that so loud.”

What? Hermione thought to herself. Then her eyes widened as his comment made sense and she looked down to see that it was possible to see part of her modest, white bra where her blouse was wet.

“Oh!”

“Do I need to escort milady to the base of the ladies' dormitory stairs to protect her honor?” Harry asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

“That won't be necessary, because unlike some people, I remember how to cast a Drying Charm,” she told him while doing the charm on both of them. “However, you could use a shower.”

“Besides the one I took on my way into the castle?” he asked with a wink.

“Yes, you dork,” Hermione said sweetly, slapping him lightly on his arm.

Harry grabbed his arm like it hurt, earning a chuckle and an eye roll from Hermione.

“I didn't hurt you that bad, Harry.”

“Not yet,” Harry said softly, suddenly turning serious. “Am I really that repulsive?”

Hermione gave him a puzzled look. Why did he ask that? she thought to herself.

“Your body odor may not be the most appealing right now,” she replied cheekily before smiling sweetly up at him, “but you're even more fanciable than before.”

Harry's face broke out in the biggest grin that Hermione had ever seen.

“I'll be back in a few minutes then,” Harry said before kissing the top of her head and disappearing up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

What was that all about? Hermione pondered as Ginny came rushing over.

“What's going on between you and Harry?” Ginny demanded.

“Nothing. Why?”

“Then why did he kiss you on top of your head?”

“I don't know. I was trying to figure that out myself.”

“I'm going to have to talk to my boyfriend about kissing other girls, even if it is only you,” Ginny said snottily.

“I didn't know that you had got back together, Ginny,” Hermione responded.

“Oh, we haven't officially gotten back together yet, but I'm sure he's going to ask me out any day now,” Ginny said airily.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the girl she thought was her best female friend, wondering why she had turned into a snotty, arrogant little brat, especially after she got together with Harry during his sixth year.

“If you're not officially together, then you have no business calling him your boyfriend,” Hermione said calmly.

“You don't want me to call him that because you want to call him it,” Ginny accused bitterly.

“I do not!” Hermione said as her face flushed red.

“Yes, you do,” Ginny snapped. “You fancy him and can't stand the fact that you know that he'll never look at you like that because you're not the sort of girl he goes for, a girl like me.”

Ginny walked around in front of Hermione. “You're nothing more than a jealous little bitch,” Ginny said angrily before slapping Hermione across the face.

Ginny then turned on her heels and stormed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

I never should have helped her land Harry, Hermione thought to herself as she rubbed her cheek while watching Ginny's retreating form disappear from sight.

I don't like Harry, anyways, so she doesn't have to be worried about plain, little me trying to steal him away from big, bad her. Besides, Ron fancies me and neither Harry nor me would ever do anything to intentionally hurt him. Harry deserves somebody far better than Ginny. She's like one of those teenage fangirls that crush on muggle actors, like Daniel Radcliffe…now he's cute, Hermione thought to herself with a soft giggle, but I can admit that it's never going to happen because he's with Emma Watson, even though they haven't publicly admitted it, everyone can see that they're together, but even if I did get with Daniel, I would never be as possessive of him as Ginny is with Harry.

It'd be different with Harry if I actually fancied him. I'd stand more of a chance with Harry than Ginny thinks.

Of course, there would be the slight problem of us having been best friends for the past seven years, but I'm sure that Harry and I would be able to work through it.

Harry is certainly a handsome bloke, Hermione smiled to herself. He's also a lot like the man I hope to find for a husband some day—kind, brave, willing to challenge me when I need to consider other possibilities, a good friend…

Maybe the idea of a relationship with Harry isn't as mental as I first thought. We spend a lot of time together too. Now wonder Ginny thinks I fancy Harry.

Even if I did fancy Harry, he'd never ask me out because it's painfully obvious that Ron fancies me, and Harry'd never hurt Ron's feelings by asking me out while Ron has feelings for me.

Why does Ron fancy me anyways? It's not like we have much in common. Harry's really all we both care about, and we won't even have to worry about Harry's safety as much with Voldemort gone.

Ron and I argue too much for us to potentially be more than friends. If he thinks that he's showing me how much he cares for me by arguing with me, then he's got another think coming, Hermione huffed.

As if on cue, Ron came down the boys' dormitory stairs with a wet red mop on top of his head.

“Honestly, Ronald,” Hermione huffed, rolling her eyes at him, “don't you remember how to cast a Drying Charm on yourself either?”

“I remember, but I didn't think it was necessary since we're just going to be sitting around the common room,” Ron told her as she cast the charm on his hair.

“So how'd practice go?”

“Smashing! We're sure to pound that git Malfoy and his mates,” Ron said with a big smile on his face.

“Have you figured out what you're going to do after graduation yet?”

“Nope. I'm not good enough to play quidditch professionally and my grades aren't high enough to become an auror. Maybe I'll work with my dad at the Ministry or help Fred and George in their shop.”

“You'd better figure it out soon, because we graduate in a couple of weeks.”

“What about you?”

“Me? Oh, I'm going to be working in Flourish and Blotts to start off. Maybe I'll teach somewhere some day.”

“Or take Madame Pince's job when she retires in a couple of years,” Ron needled her, nudging her in the side with his elbow.

“Where did you hear that? I hadn't heard that rumor yet.”

“Oh, mum mentioned it in her last letter. Said dad heard it from McGonagall at an Order meeting a few weeks ago.”

“Why didn't you say anything?” Hermione demanded.

“I figured you already knew, since you spend so much time in the Library and you know bloody everything.”

Hermione glared at him. “I certainly do not know everything!” she snapped.

Unfortunately for them, Harry picked that moment to come down the stairs from the boys' dormitories.

“Are you two at it again?! Please give it a rest already!”

Hermione blushed and looked away to keep herself from checking out how scrumptious Harry was.

Wait a minute! Since when do I think Harry looks scrumptious?

Ron's face went flush with embarrassment, saving Hermione for the time being. “Sorry mate, I should've known better after that talk we had earlier.”

Harry glared at Ron as Hermione looked back and forth between them with a puzzled look on her face, since her color had returned to normal.

After the talk they had earlier? When did they do that and what did they talk about? Hermione pondered. Harry must have been advising Ron about how to get on my good side before asking me out, since he obviously doesn't like me like that. I'd be better matched with the Giant Squid than Ron. I thought Harry knew me better than that, she thought to herself as tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes.

The boys both noticed this, causing Ron's face to turn snowy white.

“Mate, I'll leave this one to you. You know how good I am at handling crying girls. I'm sorry for what I said earlier, Hermione. Night you two,” Ron said before making a beeline for the stair case to the boys' dormitories and disappearing from sight.

Harry crossed over to Hermione and knelt in front of her chair and cupped a cheek in one of his soft hands.

“What's the matter?” he asked softly.

Hermione sniffed. “Oh, nothing. Just me being silly, that's all,” she answered as smoothly as possible.

“You and me both know that's bullocks,” Harry responded firmly.

“Harry, please. It's nothing,” Hermione pleaded.

“You don't break down and cry over nothing, and you know I know that,” Harry said helping her out of the chair and leading her over to the couch and sitting down next to her. “Now, what's bothering you, and don't try saying it's our N.E.W.T.'s either.”

“You know me too well,” Hermione muttered, leaning back between Harry's legs and putting her head on his shoulder.

“No I don't,” Harry countered. “If I did, I'd know exactly what's bothering you and we wouldn't be having this conversation.”

“If you knew me that well you'd be a stalker, and that'd be downright scary.”

“You're right. That would be scary.”

“I don't want to talk about what's bothering me, because it's not something that I can discuss with you.”

“Why not?” Harry whispered in her ear.

“Never mind,” Hermione said snuggling up against Harry's neck.

“I'll be here when you're ready to talk about it,” Harry said softly.

“Okay,” Hermione murmured just before her eyes closed in sleep.