Platonic Love is From the Neck Up

Hermione sat in her chair holding an almost empty glass of champagne. The night had gotten cooler, but the pixies still sparkled in the trees. A gentle breeze blew through her wavy hair and made her silk dress flutter against her calves. She let out a sigh and took in the damage.

The lanterns still hung from the tent, most still alight. The plates were stacked on a table in the corner. The food had all been cleared off and shipped out with the barrage of relatives. The September night could not have been more perfect.

Downing the last of her champagne she smiled to herself. The Weaseleys always did throw one hell of a party; and the wedding had been no exception. She heard footsteps on the grass behind her and knew instantly who it was. She could always tell the difference between their footsteps. He sat down beside her, his tie undone and his jacket in his arms. He ruffled his hand through his jet black hair and sighed.

"Have fun?" She asked, keeping her gaze in front of her. He glanced at her cheek and raised his eyebrow.

"Of course, I love weddings." She snorted and caught his gaze.

"Since when?"

"Since always! I'm not pessimistic about love like you."

"When you've seen as many bad relationships as I have, first hand for many, you don't have as much faith in the sanctity."

"You're just bitter because you're always the bridesmaid and never the bride." She shook her head with exasperation.

"Whatever you say Mister Potter." She said rolling her eyes and looking back up at the pixies.

"I mean honestly Hermione, we're all a little weird and life's a little weird, but if we can find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love." She looked back at him with a small smile on her face.

"I never really knew you to be so…oddly sweet." He smiled back. "So where'd you steal the line from?" He opened his mouth in feigned shock.

"I am really hurt that you would think that Hermione. Why on earth would I steal a line like that? It came from the very deepest and darkest places of my soul. A place that you can only dream…I found it in a book when I was writing my best man speech." She laughed, which made him smile more.

"But with all candour Harry…I'm glad their weirdness has found its mutual weirdness." She smiled in reminiscence. "And to think I once imagined myself marrying him." Harry looked over at her in disbelief.

"You thought of marrying Ron?"

"Well…everyone always thought we would get married."

"I didn't."

"Well you're one of the few. We didn't date for very long and realized after that our compatibility as friends was sometimes scarce, let alone our compatibility as more." He put his arm around her shoulder.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't marry the Weasel or else I would never get the chance to ravage you myself." He growled at her and flashed his pearly whites. She broke into hysterical laughter.

"That'll be the day Potter." He pulled his arm back quickly.

"I'm offended by that. I'll have you know that Witch Weekly has rated me as the second most desired bed-mate in all of Magical England."

"Don't be pompous, your head's big enough as it is." She stood up, kicked her heels off and started to walk away.

"Come back her Granger." She shrieked and started to run, he chased after her. He leapt forward and caught her by the waist, bringing her down with him, she squealed again. A battle for dominance had begun and soon they were in fits of laughter. She finally got on top and he was too tired to do anything about it.

"Pinned ya." She whispered grinning. She pushed herself off and lay down beside him on the cool grass. He had his eyes closed with a smile on his face.

"You know you only win because I let you." He said cockily. She swatted him across the chest.

"Prick."

"Bitch."

She sat up and looked at him evilly, before they both broke down into giggles again.

"God I can't believe they're married." She said quietly after a bout of silence.

"About fucking time."

"Harry!"

"Oh come on Hermione. We all knew it was coming. Luna's been in love with Ron forever, it's about time he noticed it." She nodded in agreement.

"Well I'm glad it's over."

"Where are they off to now?"

"Egypt I think. Luna wanted to meet a real Sphinx and Charlie made some good contacts while he was there." She said sighing. "So…How's the girl?"

She was referring to Harry's most recent escort…a young lady by the name of Sophie. She had been nice and polite when meeting Hermione and Ron. She was gorgeous, or 'sexy as hell' as Ron would say, but Hermione thought she lacked the 'umpf'. In fact most of the girls that Harry dated seemed to be umpf-free.

"The girl is gone." Harry said, without any remorse.

"Oh I'm sorry; what happened?" Hermione didn't try and force sympathy, Harry knew she hadn't liked Sophie.

"It just didn't work out. I mean, when you know you know; right? And I just didn't know." Hermione now did feel sorry. If anyone in the world deserved the happiness of a family it was Harry.

"I am sorry. I know you really want to get married and have a family; but you can't rush it. The harder you try to push it, the longer it will take. When you know, you'll know." She put her hand gently on his chest, not in a sexual way but in an intimate way that comes with years of friendship.

"How about you…any prospects?"

"Well…the last guy I dated was uhh…six months ago." Harry looked over at her in shock.

"Six months? You've gone six months without sex?"

"I love how that's the first thing that comes to your mind you pervert."

"I grew up with Fred and George."

"Not to mention Ron."

"Oh and him too. But really Hermione! SIX MONTHS? I don't get it, you're smart, independent, can totally support yourself. And I have heard you're fantastic in the sack…so why aren't you out there playing the field?"

"I've gotten rather sick of the same old field. And it's not like I haven't been doing anything, I see you a lot."

"I don't count."

"I've been working a lot."

"That's worse than seeing me!" Harry groaned. "You need to get out of here."

"Thanks for the observation but this independent girl has to go and totally support herself."

"I bet you'd get vacation pay, I happen to know you didn't take your two weeks last year."

"Well…it's just wishful thinking Potter." She stood up and looked back at the house. "We should probably be getting back to say our goodbyes…help Molly clean up."

"I guess so." Harry said, reluctantly joining her. "But look into the vacation thing. I've been thinking of taking some time off myself. We could go together." Harry's face lit up as he though of the possibilities. "We could go on a road trip or we could go fishing!"

"If I'm going on vacation for two weeks it's not going to be to go fishing." Harry laughed and pushed her forward towards the lights of the house. They started to walk.

"What would you suggest then?" They were stride for stride as they walked.

"I would say a nice all-inclusive resort…"

"…To allow for maximum alcohol intake."

"Naturally. And there would have to be a beach…"

"…On which to toast your fair English skin."

"I'll have you know that I tan quite well. And all I really need to make it perfect is a good book..."

"…Or a few hundred." They laughed together as they walked.

"Something like that." She replied.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and the vacation conversation soon faded out of Hermione's mind. She, once again, immersed herself in her work. Working for the Ministry hadn't been Hermione's ideal when she'd decided to go into magical medical researching, but until she could fund her own company it was all she could do.

Her days were long and hard but she found the work rewarding. Knowing that the dream of her own lab was approaching everyday usually made the monotony worthwhile. But not now. Her boss had made a mistake when filing the last successful experiment she had done and in doing so she needed to do the whole thing over again. The team that had been working on it was put on something else and Hermione was left to do it herself. She was livid…and she was cratering.

"Hello gorgeous." She heard when she picked up her mobile. She laughed and shook her head.

"Hey Potter."

"You need to get your butt over to my flat as soon as you can after work."

"I don't know if I'm ever going to get off tonight. There was this big misunderstanding and I'm paying for it now…just because Todds screwed up; I'm left to clean up the mess."

"Well too bad for him. I'll talk to the minister if you want."

"That's alright. But I might be late."

"Cheers." He said as he hung up the phone.

Just as she had anticipated; she was late. It was quarter to two before she stood in the hallway to knock on Harry's door. She lifted her hand to rap her knuckles but found that it was opened before she got the chance.

"Uh…hi?" She said looking with uncertainty at Harry's grinning face. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, nothing, nothing."

"Yeah right."

"Okay, so, you remember Ron and Luna's wedding?"

"I seem to have something in my memory to that effect."

"Do you remember how we talked about a vacation?" She stared at him blankly for a minute until the rusty cogs in her brain started moving again.

"Yea…what are you getting at?" Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket and accioed two suitcases from the closet.

"We're going to Cancun!"

"What?"

"Well…not Cancun exactly, but a little town about an hour's drive from there. They have miles of white sand beach and surf to play in. We can go snorkeling, we can swim with the dolphins, and we can drink excessive amounts and let ourselves fry like bacon. What do you say?"

"I say thank you, but no. Harry; I have way too much work to go to Cancun."

"…A little town just outside Cancun." Harry interjected a smile still wide on his face.

"I have way too much work to go to a little town just outside….you know it doesn't matter where it is, because I can't go."

"Yes you can."

"No. Harry, unfortunately for me, I am not independently wealthy and can't traipse off to Mexico as I please."

"I already spoke to Todds."

"What?"

"He had you finish the experiment today because he knew you were leaving tonight." Hermione stood there in shock. "Look, I rented us two rooms in a beautiful hotel and I have full intention of putting them to good use. Close your mouth because you're attracting flies, grab your suitcase and let's go."

"I haven't packed."

"I packed for you." He passed her the handle of her suitcase. She was still stunned. "So take my hand." He held out his hand and she took it, trying to smile.

Hermione didn't travel like this. Hermione planned…Hermione had travel agents…Hermione didn't know what the hell she was getting herself into.

"Grab onto this umbrella." Harry said as he held onto the other end of it. "It's just about time." She looked at her watch and it hit 2am and she felt that familiar pulling at her bellybutton.

A/N Well this is sort of random. The title is a quote from Thyra Smater Winsolow. This is just for fun to get me back into writing since after the summer. People who like my other stories…things are coming, just give me time. And the usual of I don't own anything. Cheers

K