Hermione slammed the door as she entered the flat. Throwing her coat and purse on the floor and kicking off her high heals.
"Damn Ginny I thought she was a friend" She steamed under her breath. Severely pissed off she stormed into the kitchen.
She failed to notice Harry leaning with his back against the counter. Watching her over his mug with eye brows raised.
"Bloody Ginny, always pushing the envelope seeing where I will snap." Pulling the milk out of the fridge, she raised the carton to her mouth, took a swig, and saw Harry for the first time. And the milk ended up all over Harry's sweater.
"God Harry don't stay quiet like that you scared the shit out of me." Then seeing what she had done she gasped. "Christ Harry I'm really sorry ill get that dry cleaned for you tomorrow."
"Hermione relax." Harry said trying to contain his laughter as her put his coffee down. And grabbed a dish towel, to dab at the milk running down his front.
"This evening just keeps getting better and better." Hermione moan as she sank to the floor, putting her head in her hands.
Harry having managed to dry off a bit, sat down next to her.
"Hey what happened tonight that's got you all riled up, because last time I checked Ron and I are the only one's who can get you this mad." he said giving her a nudge and a gentle smile.
Hermione said something rather muffled.
"what was that I didn't quite catch it." Harry asked.
" I said Ginny took me out to dinner and then she said she had a surprise for me." Hermione huffed. "I thought oh isn't that sweet. Stupid gullible me. She took me to that club in the middle of London. The new one that just opened." Harry nodded knowing which club she meant.
"Well you know I hate dancing, but Ginny said that she wanted to go make reservations for Luna's hen night. So I said fine and followed her in." Hermione's face contorted at this point. "Well turns out the whole gang was there and they had invited Victor. You remember him right?" she looked at Harry. He bent his head solemnly. " Well they shoved me towards him and said dance." At this point Hermione got up off the floor, no longer being able to contain her anger, and started pacing up and down the kitchen. "You have never seen me move so fast, I left so quickly that you wouldn't have been able to say Snape." She finished and stood looking down at Harry with her hands on her his, looking defiant.
Harry who had been silent while she told her tale, pushed himself up off the floor, and went to fetch his coffee. He was thinking over what she had said. He saw no crime in what Ginny had done apart from give Hermione a good time. He turned to look at her, contemplating the best way to ask his question.
"Hermione, if you don't mind me asking why do you have such an aversion to dancing." Seeing that she was about to yell at him he continued quickly. "I mean it's great fun, it's healthy for you, you like the music and your with friends. It can't be that bad. I personally love dancing, and with a bit of alcohol in the system it's even better."
Her face went through many expressions, first anger then contemplation, then confusion and finally embarrassment. Harry having watched her, and being able to read her like a book, wonder what in the world she would be embarrassed about.
"So…" he pressed.
Hermione said something so quietly, Harry was unable to hear.
"Come again?" this time with a smirk on his face.
"Idontknowhowtodancelikeeveryoneelse." She spat out.
"One more time, and I'll understand" unable to suppress he grin.
Hermione looked at her feet and mumbled. "I don't know how to dance like everyone else."
"Ah ha so we have found the root of the problem, Hermione Granger can't do something. Well there's a first time for everything." he said teasing.
" Thanks Harry that makes me feel loads better." She huffed glaring at him.
" So how are you going to solve this problem of yours" giving her a questioning glance as he drank his coffee.
" I don't plan on solving it. I plan on avoiding it like the plague." She stepped closer trying to stare him down.
Harry looked astonished" Well I'll be damn! Hermione Granger backing away from something for the first time in her life."
"I wouldn't be, if I was able to learn how but that's not possible." she turned to fetch the kitchen towel, to clear up the milk. But Harry caught her wrist.
"What do you mean you can't learn?"
" There is no way that I can learn how to dance like everyone does theses days." She said blushing a dark shade of red.
"Oh I get it now you mean the hip grinding, dry hump, sex with clothes on kinda dancing."
She gave a slight nod.
"That's the best kind!" Harry gave her a cheeky look. Hermione glared and smacked his shoulder.
"Look here Potter just cuz you got everything going for you, doesn't mean this rest of the world is as blessed as you" poking his chest.
She turned and stormed out of the kitchen. Making her way past Ron and Harry's rooms, and going into hers. She sat on the bed, going over her crap evening in her head, and being angry about her own incompetence
About ten minutes later when she had changed into her flannel pants and tank top. She heard a knock at the door.
"Bugger off. Potter."
"Hermione come out here. Please." Harry's voice called from the other side of the door.
She sighed rolling off her bed to open her door.
She saw Harry standing on the other side in his jeans and a clean sweater.
" Hermione I want to help you learn how to dance. It's so much fun, you shouldn't miss out. I hope that you trust me enough and are comfortable enough with me to let me help."
Hermione looked at Harry and saw that her friend was just trying to help. And she knew that if anyone could get rid of this fear. It would be Harry.
"Ok." she said rather reluctantly.
"Great. Come one" Harry grabbed her hand.
"What now. At this time of night?" she said as he dragged her into the sitting room.
"Yes now, because if I wait till the morning you will have figured out away of avoiding this." he grinned at her. "Ok." he said moving over to the stereo. " this is how we are going to do this, I will turn the lights off, the music up…"
"Harry we will wake Ron up. And why do we need the lights out?"
"Ron is over at Luna's so no need to worry there. And the lights will stop you from being embarrassed, it simulates a club to an extent and it makes you feel, not see."
She nodded at him nervously.
Harry turned the music on. Letting the sound fill the room. Then made his way over to the light switch, and flipped it off. It went pitch black. Hermione tried to relax, to give in to the music, but somehow he just couldn't.
"Come here." Said a voice from behind her, pulling her back against his chest.
"Sway with me" Harry said in her ear. "Good" he said. After she relaxed a bit and did as he asked. "Now bend so you feel like your sitting on my lap." He felt her hesitate. But she followed his directions. "Now just move with me and the music."
They worked well together. His arms around her waist holding her close. Her arms resting on his. She sometimes lost the beat, but manage to sink up again.
"Ok" he said in her ear "This is where it may become uncomfortable. In order to make the dance more interesting, apply different pressure to that ummm… area." Harry thanked Merlin It was dark, or she would have seen how red his face had gone. "Also you need to move your arms, and I will move mine, It's part of the experience."
"Um hum" was all he got in return. So she moved her hand so it ran up and down his arm
Harry ran his hand from her stomach and up her side, just grazing the side of her breast. He felt her gasp and jerk back into him. "There you go that's the way to do it."
"Harry we are best friends, this doesn't feel right." trying to push his arms away from her.
Harry held her tight to him. It was now or never.
"Hermione have you ever thought that I may feel more than just friendship for you" He flipped her in his arms, pulling her front flush with his. " Have you ever thought that I want this physical contact with you, want more than this I want to spend my life with you. Wake up with your bushy hair all over my chest. Have children with you. We've known each other forever. And no woman I have ever gone out with has compared to you. Please just give us a try." she gaped at him like fish out of water.
"Harry I…umm I . Harry…" she stuttered. So stunned that he felt that way about her. She had always dreamed but for him to reciprocate the feeling, was beyond the stretch of her imagination.
"Hermione please say something." Harry said ruffling his hair in the back and stepping away thinking she was rejecting him.
Hermione still scrabbling around trying to form a coherent sentence. Realized that this moment could make our break any chance of something more than friendship between her and Harry.
"Harry, will you do me a favor?" Harry stared at her confused at the turn of the conversation, but let out a slow "Yes"
"Will you take me dancing tomorrow night?" Harry realizing what she was implying picked her up off the floor and span her around, and gentling set her down, cupping her neck, lowered his to give her a completely heartfelt kiss.
Hermione's breath rushed out of her, this felt so right, so perfect.
They pulled apart and Harry looked down at her.
"Yes I'll take you dancing, do you want me to invite Ginny and Neville."
"That would be nice, dancing is fun when you have the right partner." she gave cheeky smile. Stood on tip toes to give him a quick kiss. said "Good night Harry" and disappeared to her room.
Harry sat down on the couch with a grin on his face. Finally he had her. Hermione was his, he was going to have to thank bloody Ginny for her help.