Thin Pages
The blanket sheets around her helped warm her up after her recent run to grab lunch for her and Harry. They sat beside each other as their food was baking in the oven, Harry clicked on the remote changing the channel on the television to something more his liking. Hermione was heavy on a book, reading for the past fifteen minutes without stopping, usually Harry would have said something to get her mind of it but he knew that the book she was reading was the one she had waited for about a month. So there was no way she could be torn from that book without turning into a demonic beast and murdering Harry for doing so.
Her eyes followed the last remaining words of the page and ran her hand up to the top edge of the page to turn it but she was quickly overwhelmed by a sharp pain "Ouch!" she cried out as her finger started to radiate pain. Harry having heard her glanced at her once and then quickly sprung to action "Hang on Mione." he ran to a nearby closet sifting through their things until he found the box labeled first aid and jogged back to Hermione by the couch.
Harry squatted in front of her and opened the box moving things about; he quickly examined the damage and gave a sad smile seeing Hermione grasping her finger which was bleeding slowly. But a chuckle couldn't be helped seeing what it was "A papercut huh? To think all the time you spend with books you would gotten one sooner." His hands put away the wrappings and lollipops, setting his materials near him. Hermione wasn't amused by his joke as she was in pain squirming at the sight of her finger bleeding "Harry this isn't funny… it stings!"
"Sorry… here stop messing with it." Harry said softly before kissing her finger briefly on the cut, while it was brief Hermione's body tensed up and her cheeks burned at the contact. Many questions filled her head as she questioned herself why does she always tense up when he does things like that. Harry took advantage of her distracted state and poured some disinfectant onto the bandage before applying it to her finger. She quickly winced at the pain from the medicine touching her exposed cut but then the pain slowly went away.
Hermione breathed slowly allowing the pain to leave her body with every exhale; she closed her eyes as she did so. "Alright better?" his voice caused her to open her eyes only to find his beautiful green eyes piercing her waiting for an answer "Loads…" she said with a gentle nod. Harry smiled at her answer "Good, can't have my best girl in pain… no way." he said not grasping the effect his words had on her as he started to pack up.
His words made her heart beat faster and fill with hope "Harry?" she asked somewhat fragile and nervous confused from how her body was reacting. He replied calmly closing the box, clamping the locks tight "Yep?" when he turned to her she felt her breath hitch as she struggled but somehow managed to get out her words "What do you mean by that? You're best girl?"
A smile appeared on his face as if she had asked the world's most simplest question to him "Of course you're my best girl Mione, between all the girls in the world you'll always come first to me." At that she could feel her chest tighten around her heart as if ready to explode, but her mind tried to find logic in what was happening sending many thoughts about. "Even to Ginny?" her question seem to take him aback not expecting to hear her name "Well yeah, Ginny was more of a schoolboy crush than anything serious besides she doesn't know how I like my coffee like you do." he said chuckling once again referring to the many times she made him coffee after a stormy night or a long day at work "Two percent milk with two cups of sugar, Harry you really need to cut down on your sugar."
He shook his head in protest "Come on Mione, being a daughter of dentists doesn't make it necessary to make you question my decisions besides my teeth are squeaky clean." He grinned at her showing off his teeth which resembled pearls in his mouth, but Hermione knew the real reason he brushed more than three times a day "Well that's because you ate dragon balls that one time instead of the cupcake which was not my fault your eyes were wandering about."
Harry smiled once again still not believing that she didn't notice that his eyes were on her, it just seemed that he was looking about when she nearly caught him. "There were so many things going on in that party how could I not?" he told her referring to the loud music and cheers that went along with many of their friends getting drunk, Hermione could remember after returning from the bathroom the sight of Harry laughing along with Ginny and Neville her heart ached at the sight and even now at the memory. She bit her lip but couldn't stop herself from asking "Harry, why didn't you leave with Ginny?"
"Well just like you with your schoolwork I've finally moved on." She quickly gasped at his comment only catching the first part and not the overall meaning "Tosser, but seriously you could have given her another shot." Hermione only wanted him to be happy in any way he could even if it meant not having her in his life which would utterly shatter her. She looked at him holding her heart by a thread awaiting his reply "Mione, I'm with you remember…"
Normally hearing those words would be everything to her but she was quickly reminded of the situation they were "As flat mates, you help pay rent for this flat and that's about it." She said rationalizing with him that was all to their current relationship other than being life-long friends of course. Harry smirked at her "Well that's up to you." his body stood tall in front of her as he returned the box back to the closet at the other side of the room.
"Harry?" she asked hesitantly following him with her eyes "What do you mean by that?" her heart beating faster with every step he took towards her. He leaned over and turned off the television with the remote and returned it to the table, turning to Hermione he leaned over to her and in a soft whisper that made her skin chill he said "Think it through, clever girl." a simple kiss on the cheek made her whole world explode and froze her on her spot.
Harry smirked walking away from her and heading up the stairs to his room to change into his coat and scarf. The book that she was waiting to read for so long had fallen onto the floor to the beginning page which was empty but filled with so much potential.