Chapter 1
Sixth year was going to kill him, he was sure of it. Dumbledore had told him about Horcruxes, he was trying to figure out who the Half Blood Prince was, and find out what Malfoy was up to. Hermione and Ron were having issues because Ron was a moron and was seeing Lavender Brown who insisted on calling him "Won Won." Ugh. Why couldn't his life be simple?
Harry was sitting in the common room, staring at nothing, just trying to be still and not think for once. His poor brain really needed a rest. His green eyes took in the scene around him – friends playing wizard chess or Exploding Snap, a few couples snuggling together, a small group of girls giggling about something, and a few responsible people who were actually studying. He smiled softly looking for his best friend. Wait, where was Hermione? She wouldn't have gone to the girl's dorms without saying goodnight, but he didn't see her. She returned from dinner in the Great Hall with him.
He stood up to look around better. No, she wasn't here. Probably in the library. Harry shook his head slightly at how studious his friend was – did she even know the meaning of the word fun? He began to search for his best mate Ron, but didn't see him either or Lavender. Suddenly, he began to feel like something wasn't right. The love triangle was missing. Nothing good could come from that.
He sprinted up to his room and grabbed the Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said. Yep, not good at all. Ron and Lavender were huddled together in a corner and Harry had a pretty good idea what they were up to and Hermione was just down the hall from them. Any moment she would round the corner and see them. "Mischief managed!" The map became blank as Harry shoved it into his pocket and flew out of his room, through the common room and to the hallway where he was sure everything was going to go to hell.
The first thing he heard when he got close was yelling. He couldn't make out the words because they sounded slightly hysterical. He turned the corner just in time to see Hermione send an angry mob of birds directly at Ron's head. The redhead yelled something and ran off. Once he was out of sight, Hermione began quietly crying and Harry's heart broke to see his friend looking so lost. She was always so strong for the boys, he honestly didn't know what they would do without her, and seeing her in a moment of weakness shifted something inside him.
Hermione was too distracted to hear his footfalls, so she jumped slightly when his arms gently turned her around and pulled her into his chest. It only took her a second to realize that Harry was holding her. She would know his smell anywhere, like grass and Ivory soap and something distinctly Harry. Hermione loved that he still used Muggle soap like she did because it always made her feel less like an outsider in the wizarding world. They had a lot in common since they both came from Muggle backgrounds, much of the time Harry understood her on a level that even Ron could not. It's one of the reasons they were best friends.
His Quiddich rough fingers were gently running through her hair as he held her and Hermione admitted to herself that it felt nice. She had learned over the years how to somewhat tame her curls to be more relaxed, so they flowed down her back instead of looking like a bush around her head. Unconsciously, she snuggled closer to him as he calmed her and Harry hugged her more tightly. After an undetermined amount of time, she began to pull back and Harry reluctantly let her go.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I don't know why I let Ron get to me." Hermione looked at her friend and gave a watery smile. He smiled gently back and took her hand to lead her over to some stairs so they could sit.
"He's an idiot. He deserved it. Ron may be my best mate, but so are you and you shouldn't have to see them, erm, like that." He blushed slightly at his own awkwardness. Hermione chuckled and patted his knee.
"Thanks Harry. Really, you are a great friend to both of us. I hate that we have kind of put you in the middle of all this. It's ridiculous, honestly." She bit her lip nervously, trying to hold back a few traitorous tears.
Before he even knew what he was doing, Harry reached out and brushed the tears from her cheek. Hermione looked at him slightly surprised at his gesture, but there was some unnamed emotion in her eyes. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at her – really looked at her. Her large brown eyes were like windows to her soul and her perfectly, pink mouth was rounded in surprise and he could see her trembling ever so slightly at their proximity. It was the second time in one night that Harry saw her as Hermione The Girl and not Hermione The Best Friend.
For her part, as Harry was studying her, Hermione was drinking him in, as well. She had always thought his eyes were beautiful, but now she knew they were stunning in their intensity. His disheveled hair gave him a roguish air that she liked, and she could see the hint of stubble along his jaw that made him look older. When had Harry grown into such a handsome man and why had she been so distracted by Ron's immaturity to notice? I'm in trouble, she thought to herself.
Without realizing it, they had slowly closed the distance between them, leaving only a hair's breadth between their lips. Before she could change her mind or lose her nerve, Hermione lifted her face upwards and whimpered when her lips met his. Harry wasted no time in responding. He pulled her close to him as he kissed her gently, but with feeling. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to tell her through his lips that his feelings for her were no longer black and white. Hermione's mind was swirling at the sudden change of events. Just a little while ago she had been crying over Ron, but now she was lost in the taste and feel of Harry Potter and she was pretty certain that she never wanted to go back.
Their kisses deepened and turned more passionate, more forceful and soon hands were trailing where they would never have dared to travel before. Hermione gasped when Harry rubbed his thumbs across her nipples giving her a thrill in her stomach she had never experienced. Harry groaned when she responded by tangling her lithe fingers in his hair and tugging hard enough to be pleasurable. Only once Harry took one of her breasts in his hand and began to caress it did Hermione wake from her lust-induced stupor.
Gently removing herself from his embrace, and sadly, from his lips, she looked into his face to see his brilliant emerald eyes sparkling and filled with desire for her. Oh Merlin, he feels it too! "Harry, we need to stop. I don't want to, but we must. We need to figure this out, because I can't take losing you, too." Hermione was barely holding herself together with the mixture of emotions – remembering the loss of Ron, the potential to lose Harry, the sudden, deep feelings she had for her best friend…it was too much. She needed to think.
Harry looked at the beautiful witch in front of him with her lips swollen from their kisses, her chest heaving with desire for him, and found it very hard to concentrate on stopping when all he wanted was to keep going. He sighed and ran his hand through his messy hair, "I know you're right 'Mione. I sometimes wish you were wrong, but you haven't been wrong yet." He smiled and was pleased to see her smile in return. "I'm sorry if I took advantage of you when you needed a friend."
Hermione laughed, "Oh Harry! I kissed you! You would never take advantage of me and even if you had made the first move, it's not taking advantage if the other person wants it." She blushed and looked away. Harry's heart was doing a happy dance in his chest with the realization that she wanted to snog him all night. Taking her chin in hand he turned her to face him again.
"Hermione, look at me." His heart nearly stopped when her chocolate eyes met his again. "I know you need to think, we both do, but I want to tell you something before we go to bed. Tonight, something changed between us and I like it. When I saw you crying over Ron, I wanted to punch the stupid git for hurting you and I wanted to be the one to make everything better for you again."
"Thank you Harry. I'm glad it was you actually. When you were holding me I felt safe and secure again. But…what about Ginny?" She bit her lip a little before continuing. "I mean, everyone knows that Ron and I don't exist, but –"
Harry waved his hand airily. "Don't worry about that Hermione. I saw her making out with Dean in the common room tonight. I think it's safe to say she's moved on." He ran his thumb over her lips and smirked. "I'm glad she did, too." Hermione blushed and nodded.
She stood up and said, "Let's go back then. It's getting late and I'm actually tired." He jumped up and walked beside her on the way to the common room, every now and then brushing his hand across hers. And she didn't stop him.
