Disclaimer: It all belongs to JK Rowling, except the bits you don't recognise, which are probably mine.

A/N: This story has an M rating largely because of what happens in this chapter. You have been warned!


Chapter Two: Memories

Two days later, Harry and Ron were sat in a pizza restaurant near Diagon Alley. The pair usually met at least once a week for beer, dinner and an evening's chat. Harry had intended to steer the conversation around to Hermione, but Ron had started with the topic and didn't seem to want to talk about anything else.

"She should concentrate on being a mother!" exclaimed Ron, earning a dirty look from a smartly dressed woman dining at a nearby table.

Harry made a shushing gesture at Ron, then concentrated and cast a silent Muffliato charm that would make their conversation almost impossible to overhear.

"Ron, this is Hermione we're talking about. She's quite capable of doing eight things at once and doing a better job of them than either of us could if we did that alone."

"But being a mum is different, though. You can't do it part time."

"She wouldn't have to be there the whole time."

"Of course she would! You can't leave a baby on its own!"

Harry sighed mentally. Hermione was right about Ron - the idea of anything other than a mother spending morning, noon and night with their children wasn't something Ron seemed to be capable of grasping.

"Ron, the baby doesn't need the mother in attendance 24/7 because he or she will have another parent."

Ron looked blankly at Harry.

"You, Ron! You'd be the other parent!"

Ron's look turned to one of incredulity.

"You're mental!" he said, "I'm working in a shop. I can't look after a kid!"

"You, Angelina, and George can easily watch over a kid. Those two will love it! Anyway, let's talk about something else. We keep having this discussion and you never change your tune. Hermione isn't going to change hers either, though"

"Have you seen her recently?" asked Ron.

"She came over yesterday evening."

"Oh yeah she said she helped you with that internal dating."

"Internet dating. And yes she did." replied Harry.

"How did that go?" asked Ron.

"Well I asked a girl out. Turns out she's called Claire Anderson, she's 21 and she's studying for a degree in economics at the LSE. That's the London School of Economics", he added at the sight of Ron's blank look. "She replied to my note and said she liked my picture and wanted to meet. I'm going to take her out for dinner on Wednesday."

"What does she look like?"

"Long wavy brown hair, brown eyes, nice smile. You'll have to come over at some point so I can show you the photo."

"Do you think it's going to work?"

"I have no idea!" laughed Harry. "I haven't met her yet. From what I know about her so far, she seems nice." He shrugged. "She might just be good at writing brief profiles."

"And you're happy with her being at university?"

"Ron, I like clever women!"

"Yeah I know you do. Sometimes I think you and Hermione should get together."

Harry choked on his beer and looked up at his friend, but Ron continued shovelling pizza into his mouth, oblivious to his friend's moment of discomfort.

"No. We're just good friends." said Harry. "Always."

.oOo.

Back at his flat later in the evening, Harry remembered the event that had caused him to choke.

It had been a Friday evening just over a year ago. Harry was stretched out on his sofa, nursing a beer and reading Madame Bovary in an effort to take his mind off Ginny when there was a crack and Hermione appeared in his living room and collapsed to her knees. Harry took one look at her appearance and leapt to his feet. She was wearing blue jeans with a grey T-shirt but no shoes or socks. Tears were streaming down her face, soaking the front of her shirt, and she was sobbing loudly.

"Merlin! What's wrong, Hermione? What's happened? Are you okay?" Harry was nearly panicking at the sight of his friend. He knelt down in front of her and put a hand tentatively on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Harry! I didn't know where else to go!", sobbed Hermione and fell into his arms.

"No problem. Come over here. Tell me what's happened." replied Harry, helping the young woman to her feet and leading her over to the sofa.

Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest while he stroked her back and hair.

Her voice was muffled by Harry's shirt but he could still understand her well enough. "I think Ron and I just broke up."

"You think? What happened"

Hermione was beginning to calm down. She was still crying a bit but her breathing was under control now.

"He said... we both said some really hurtful things. I don't know if we can come back from this."

Harry winced. He knew how hurtful the two could be when they were in the mood. "Hey. You'll be fine. You've always been able to wind each other up but you're still obviously in love. You wouldn't be this upset if you weren't so fond of him deep down." He stopped stroking her back, shook his wand from his sleeve and silently summoned a box of tissues. "Here."

Hermione sniffed, looked up and managed a watery smile. "Thanks."

She blew her nose, dried her eyes and finally began to look a bit better.

Harry helped her to her feet and the pair moved over to his sofa.

"It was another argument about me having a career", said Hermione. "Ron wants me to be a new version of his mum - wife, mother and nothing else. I love Molly to bits, but that's not me."

"I know that, Hermione. Ron will get it too, eventually. You know he can be... " Harry searched for a polite way of putting it, "resistant to change."

"The trouble is that he's resistant to change in the same way a ten ton block of granite is resistant to change." sniffed Hermione.

"Even that will wear down eventually. And Ron's not quite that bad."

"Oh, Harry, I'm such a bitch. I'm piling all my problems on to you and you're probably still trying to get over Ginny. I'm so sorry!"

"Shh. I'm fine," he replied, causing Hermione to raise an eyebrow and look into his eyes questioningly.

"Well okay, no I'm not fine, but I'm always going to be here for you."

Hermione raised a hand and stroked Harry's cheek for a moment before moving it higher and running it through his hair.

"I know you will. You always look out for me."

Suddenly, Hermione moved forward and pressed her lips against Harry's. Before he could do anything the hand in his hair pulled him even closer and her tongue was pushing into his mouth. Something inside Harry broke. He started to return the kiss with passion, pulling Hermione even closer to him with one arm and moving his other hand down to hold and squeeze her bottom through her jeans. She gave a muffled moan, pulled the front of Harry's shirt out of his trousers and slid her free hand up, running it over his chest. He let go of her bum and moved his hand to her left breast, massaging it softly while running his thumb over her hardening nipple.

Hermione finally broke the kiss. "Ah! Fuck, that's nice." She lowered her face to Harry's neck and began alternating between kissing it and gently nibbling on his skin, causing Harry to groan in pleasure. He attacked her neck in return, and put both hands on her backside, pulling her even closer and grinding her groin into his own. Hermione threw her head back and groaned loudly, then pitched forward, both hands on his shirt lapels. "Get your fucking clothes off right now", she spat, before pulling the shirt apart. Buttons flew in all directions and Hermione lowered her mouth to his left nipple, licking and biting at it. Harry pulled Hermione's T-shirt over her head leaving her clad in a dark blue cotton bra, while she fought to free his arms from his shirt. He unsnapped her bra with one hand and quickly removed it completely.

"Beautiful" was the only word for which he had time, before first one breast and then the other experienced his lips and tongue. Mewling and gasping, Hermione managed to undo the button and zip on Harry's jeans and began pushing them down his legs. Harry did the same for her, before the pair fell to the thick carpet in a tangle of limbs. Panting and giggling, Harry quickly took off his socks, enjoying the feeling of skin on skin as Hermione slid over him as she went after his boxers. Finally, Hermione lay on the floor and raised her hips while Harry slid her panties down her pale legs. He spread her legs and knelt between them, then lowered himself over her. Hermione was flushed with desire, her hair fanned out over the carpet. She looked down their bodies then up into Harry's eyes, and bit nervously on her lower lip. Harry watched her eyes move then fixed her gaze with his own. He paused for one final moment... and then rolled away, turning onto his back to lie next to her.

The pair were silent as their breathing returned to normal.

Finally, Hermione spoke. "That was close".

"Couldn't have been much closer", agreed Harry.

Another few seconds passed as the pair let their passion subside.

Suddenly, Harry grinned, rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow. He let his eyes roam over Hermione's body.

"So this is what you look like naked, huh?"

Hermione tried not to blush but it was a losing battle.

"Like what you see?" she asked.

Harry raised his eyebrows and glanced down past his chest. Hermione rolled onto her side so she could follow his eyes, and blushed again. It was pretty clear that Harry appreciated the view she was affording him.

"What about you?" he asked her.

She let her eyes take in the whole of his body, then smiled softly. "Very nice, Mr Potter. Very nice indeed."

Harry rolled away for a moment while he gathered some clothes, then rolled back throwing Hermione her T-shirt and panties. He pulled on his boxers and the remains of his shirt while Hermione got into her own clothes. When they were both vaguely decent Harry stood and helped Hermione to her feet. He pulled her into a tight but entirely chaste hug.

The pair were quiet for some time. Finally Harry whispered "Thank you", and stepped away.

Hermione looked genuinely puzzled.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"For showing me I can still feel passion, and that someone can feel it with me." He smiled and stared into the brown eyes before him. "I think it's fair to say we had a bit of passion going there."

Hermione smiled back. "Yeah. In that case, thank you too."

"Just before we stopped... the way you looked right then... I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life."

Hermione's eyes dropped for a moment.

"I think we just proved you're safe from me, but keep coming up with lines like that and the rest of the world's female population won't treat you so lightly."

She planted one last kiss on Harry's jaw.

"Can I sleep with you tonight, Harry? We can trust each other and I really don't want to be alone."

"Of course you can..." Harry paused. "But you should go and talk to Ron. If you leave it until the morning it'll be harder to sort things out."

"I don't know what to say to him any more."

"Then just tell him you're sorry for what you said..." Harry raised his voice over Hermione's immediate bluster "...and that you'll call him to work out a time when you can talk properly."

Harry took Hermione's hands in his and looked into her eyes again. "I know what you were going to say, but you are sorry. I'm sure Ron's sorry too, although it would probably take veritaserum to get him to admit it. Be the one to make the first move, Hermione."

Hermione sighed and let go of Harry's hands to pull out her wand. She conjured her patronus and concentrated on it for a few moments to give it a message, then the otter leapt away and disappeared from view.

"It's done. Now take me to bed."

Harry smiled, and the pair headed to the bedroom.

.oOo.

Back in the present, Harry got ready for another night on his own. He was glad he and Hermione had shared that moment; it brought them closer together and ended any "will we, won't we" thoughts either one of them might have ever had. He just hoped Ron never found out it had happened, because he knew his friend wouldn't understand.

Harry's last thoughts before he fell asleep were about his coming date with Claire and the growing tension between his two best friends. "I'm going to have to do something about that", thought Harry, and fell asleep.


A/N: Thanks for reading.

A/N: Thank you for the faves, follows and reviews - I'm glad some of you liked my first chapter! The reward is posting this one earlier than I planned. From now on it's probably going to be one per week - I have a full time job and other hobbies to pursue too. I already had most of this written, as the flashback was one of the first ideas I had - it's been sat around for well over a year.