A/R: This one’s got a big message. About love. Figure it out.
When I was writing this, the quote just kept running through my head because it fit so well. At least, it did at the time. This story got a mind of its own when I sat down to finish it. I think I actually like it much more than how I had planned on it turning out. Also, Callie may be appearing in a fic to come, because I didn’t get to use her like I wanted to in this one. Besides that, I’m not quite satisfied with her name, and I may change it (Callie just doesn’t sound as Asian as Cho, now does it?). Don’t sue me; nothing is mine except Callie, blah, blah, blah… ENJOY!
*~*~*~*
“Love is a language that only the blind can see and the deaf can hear.”
Love Can Wait
Harry sighed. Hermione… we’re meant to be together… Why can’t you see that?
Hermione was in her normal place on Ron’s lap, and Harry couldn’t bear to watch. Since they got together, he found himself distancing himself farther and farther away from them. He couldn’t stand looking at her and realizing that she wasn’t his because he was too chicken to ask her out, so Ron got there first.
Got there first… it’s like Hermione is a prize to be won, Harry thought. That startled him because Hermione was, after all, a human being. She wasn’t a possession.
How could I have let her slip away? We were so close… but that doesn’t matter now. Harry stormed out of the common room and up to his dorm, not looking back to see the looks on their faces. They might not have even noticed, being so wrapped up in each other.
He flopped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. What could I do to make her love me? He mentally slapped himself. You can’t make anyone love anyone else… Or can you?
What did Hermione see in Ron, anyway? She was hopelessly devoted to him now, but before, he had been very much just a friend to her.
At this point, it was painfully obvious. Ron had to have used a Love Potion. Love Potion #14.
Harry smiled. There was a catch to Love Potion #14. If one person wasn’t really in love with the other, the potion would wear off in three weeks. Ron and Hermione had been together for two. All I have to do is wait.
All he had to do was wait.
It was only a week, but it seemed like eternity to him. Everything went by as if it were being carried on the back of a snail. Time went by so slow, and the time spent in Potions class was no exception. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they were covering Love Potion #14, but they had done that last week. That’s how Harry recognized it so easily.
The Gryffindors had Potions with the Ravenclaws. That wasn’t really all that bad, considering that they used to have it with the Slytherins. Not many of them knew any Ravenclaws very well, but they were starting to get to know them because of having this class together. There were also the exchange students who didn’t come until this year (fifth) that no one really knew.
Snape was picking out partners for the next potion that they’d be making, and everyone was crossing their fingers that they wouldn’t be paired up with Neville. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws all agreed that he was a nice guy, but they wouldn’t want to be stuck on a school assignment with him. What can we say; he’s a walking disaster!
“Harry Potter… you can work with… Callie Chang.”
Chang? Wasn’t Cho Chang a seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team? She was kinda cute… Harry looked up to see a shady faced girl smiling while walking towards him. He started to return the smile, but then a Ravenclaw boy put his foot out and she fell flat on the floor, face first.
Harry rushed over to her, and held out his hand to help her up. She nonchalantly flashed a smile that said “I’m fine by myself, but thanks for offering,” brushed her hair back in place with her fingers and sauntered over to the seat next to where Harry was sitting. Harry was amazed that she wasn’t like all of the other girls who flipped out at meeting him – the famous Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived! He had always wished that he wouldn’t be treated like that, but since this was one of the first times that the person didn’t, it was awkward for him. He didn’t know what to think of it.
“Hi,” Harry said, as he couldn’t think of anything better to say. He thought that Callie was even more beautiful than Cho.
Callie was engrossed in reading the textbook and didn’t notice Harry talking to her.
“Callie?”
She was still looking down at the textbook, giving no indication that she heard Harry at all. That ignorant little… Harry yanked the textbook away from her, and she finally looked up at him, her dark brown eyes piercing into his forested green ones.
They continued glaring at each other, both angry - Harry at Callie for ignoring him, and Callie at Harry for taking away her textbook. She silently took the book back and eagerly pointed at the first ingredient for the potion. Harry was aghast. She wanted him to do the work all by himself.
He crossed his arms, indignant. “You do it.”
She shook her head.
Harry wanted to complain to Professor Snape about his partner that was impossible to work with, but, of course, you just can’t complain to Snape. If there was an equivalent to the Ten Commandments at Hogwarts, one of them would be “Thou shalt not whine to Professor Snape.” Or, maybe it would even be “Thou shalt not speak to Professor Snape unless spoken to.”
I’ll just do this and get it over with. I won’t have to work with her again. At least, I hope. He gave her a final defiant stare, narrowing his eyes, and started shredding the carapel root.
*~*~*~*
“I saw that you were getting along so nicely with Callie today in Potions.”
“Ron, shut up.”
“Jeez, Harry! Why so defensive?” Harry was getting annoyed by Ron. Ron must have felt like he was at the top of the world, since he had succeeded in getting Hermione to fall in love with him by means of Love Potion #14. He must think he’s so smart. Well, he’s not.
“Did she seem to be not listening to you?” Ron probed further.
Harry didn’t answer. It was one of those times he wished so hard that he didn’t share a room with Ron.
“Mr. Harry Potter isn’t used to people not listening to him so he won’t admit it, eh?” God, he had gotten arrogant.
“Shut up.”
Ron paused. “You did know that she’s deaf, right?”
Harry, who was distractedly polishing his beloved broom, jerked up to stare blankly at Ron. No way. Why didn’t I realize it? Great… just great…
Ron laughed. “You didn’t know!”
“How was I supposed to?” Harry snapped.
“It’s a well-known fact.”
“What’s a well-known fact?” Neville had just walked into the room, catching what Ron had last said.
“That Callie Chang is deaf,” Ron pronounced.
“Who?” Neville questioned.
“Callie Chang. Cho Chang’s sister. Ravenclaw. Our year. You know her… right?”
“Nope.”
Harry grinned defiantly.
*~*~*~*
After Harry found out that Callie was deaf, he felt really bad about the way he had treated her. He was so intent on trying to think of a way to make it up to her that he didn’t even realize that the week had passed by already.
He was in the library that day writing an assignment for History of Magic about Muggle myths that actually have a basis of fact in the wizarding word. This should have been for Muggle Studies, not History of Magic, he silently complained.
Just at that moment, Hermione ran sobbing into the library, heading straight for Harry. He stood up and went over to her to catch her before she’d fall apart.
*~*~*~*
They had since relocated to the common room, where Harry held Hermione close, trying to comfort her. I hate to see her like this… What could have happened?
“Harry… Ron and I broke up,” Hermione choked, as if in answer to Harry’s thoughts. She was trying to compose herself to tell the rest of the story.
“I should never have said that I loved him. He couldn’t say it back to me, and it scared him.” She stopped to jam her palms in her eyes for a moment and then reflected softly, “I scared him away.”
“Oh, Herm,” Harry said, holding her as close as he could. He wasn’t even thinking about how much he loved her. He was thinking about how she was feeling right now and that he had to be there to comfort her. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re in love.
The scene was almost picturesque, the kind of thing that would win the actors an Oscar award and would be the defining moment of a movie. But they were no actors, and what was happening was not a scene from a movie. It was as real as the tears that were quickly dampening Harry’s robes.
“Harry, I feel terrible.” Hermione whispered brokenly, “We’re only fifteen. We don’t know what love is. I can’t believe I thought I did.”
“Sometimes it’s okay not to know everything.”
Hermione slightly smiled through her tears. “I guess so.”
*~*~*~*
Harry lay awake in his bed thinking about the events of the day. He hadn’t yet had a chance to talk to Ron, because Ron had slipped into the room once Harry was asleep. At least, that’s what Ron thought, so he hadn’t bothered to say a word.
If Hermione had loved Ron, after all, how could this have happened? And what is the explanation for the way she went from being just a friend to being devoted to him like the way she was?
She probably just finally got up enough courage to ask him out. She was the one who asked him out, not the other way around. Because of that, she was finally able to show her true feelings, that’s all. The rational side of Harry’s brain was speaking.
Ron must not have used the Love Potion. I can’t believe I suspected him of that. I shouldn’t go jumping to conclusions.
I guess this should teach me a lesson. Love takes time. I can’t just go ahead and say I’m in love right now. I’m only fifteen, just like Hermione said. I’ve got plenty of time, and my whole life ahead of me. I don’t even need love right now.
With that, he turned over, and finally fell asleep. It was the first time he had been able to do so for a long time.