A/N: We're so sorry for the late update! We only just got off from school, so know it's Christmas break. Although, we don't know if we can update faster, since we're loaded with projects. So, for now this will have to do. We have a feeling that you'll like the ending of this chapter! ;) Don't forget a review! You know how much we need them! : D
Chapter Three: Mardy Bum
And I can't be arsed to carry on in this debate
That reoccurs, oh, when you say I don't care
But of course I do, yeah, I clearly do!
– Arctic Monkeys, Mardy Bum
Harry lay slumped on his couch, nursing a beer. (Yes, he'd gotten back into alcohol ever since the break-up.) It was nearly four in the morning. He'd been trying to explain to Hermione for the past three weeks about the kiss, but she'd never let him. Apparently, three slaps on the face and arm can't get him to give up. It was when she completely ignored him that he realized she wasn't going to budge.
He needed some company, but everybody on the team was busy. Draco was off with Ginny, Ron with Luna, Dean still with Mary, Oliver with Katie Bell, Andrew with Eloise Midgen, and so on. So that left Harry all alone in his flat, staring blankly at his television, reliving his days with Hermione in his head. The weather was no help either. It had been never ending rain for the past two days, and it only made him sink into more remorse.
Finally, he turned his television off and turned his face down on the sofa, trying to suffocate himself. Suddenly, a knock on his door lifted his head from the corduroy textured couch. Pulling a shirt on, he hobbled to the door and rubbed his eyes rather sleepily.
When he opened the door, his eyes widened. He would've been expecting anyone but the person standing at his door.
"I'm sorry."
Harry stood speechless, looking at Hermione. She was soaked to the bone in rain. Her messy brown hair was no longer puffy and was sticking to her face. Her black tank top and white jacket clung to her gentle curves, showing an outline of her lacy black bra. Her sneakers were wet as well, making squishy, wet sounds. Harry's mouth had suddenly gone dry.
"Her—Hermione," said Harry hoarsely.
"I'm sorry," repeated she. "I sh-shouldn't have g-gotten so mad at y-you."
"You're cold." Harry had finally found his voice. Hermione noticed it wasn't very angry, but it wasn't very welcoming either. It sounded more like a statement for the sake of knowledge.
She shook her head softly, staining Harry's glasses with droplets of water. "It doesn't matter."
An awkward silence stretched on for who knows how long until Hermione spoke again. "I really am sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you. It was only one kiss, and—and—" She cut herself off, not knowing what else to say.
"Was that all you came here for?"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She was apologizing to him, when he was the one who had kissed another woman. And yet, here he was questioning her irrational and spontaneous behavior with a certain edge of annoyance in his voice. Her chest tightened. Had she screwed things up permanently with him?
"I—I'll go then." Hot tears pricked the back of her eyes. She willed herself not to cry in front of him.
Turning around, she started to walk away when something warm gripped her upper arm. She spun around and looked at Harry.
"Stay for a while," He whispered so softly, Hermione had to strain her ears to hear amidst the pouring rain. Hermione willingly went into his arms, which wrapped around her small body instantly. She had started sobbing into his shoulder. He knew his shirt would be drenched, but he didn't give a damn.
"Shh, it's alright, Hermione," murmured he into Hermione's ear while squeezing her tightly in an attempt to make her warmer. Closing the door with his foot, he led a freezing Hermione into his living room. He let her sit on his sofa. "You're such a nesh girl. Get warm, okay? I'll be right back." He left her for a while, grabbing a towel, a shirt, and a pair of pajamas from his closet.
He wrapped the towel around her, embracing her as she leaned her wet head on his already sopping shirt. "You alright?"
Hermione nodded, sniffing a bit. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry too," said Harry. "I should've thought about you first—"
"It's fine."
Harry smiled at her. "So. Does this mean we're back together?"
Hermione grinned back at him impishly. "I certainly don't recall ever breaking up with you at all."
He gave in. The seductive grin was all the encouragement he needed to finally press his lips to hers. After a few minutes, Harry broke away. He was lying down on the sofa, with Hermione underneath him. Hermione's arms were around his neck. On the floor, beside the couch was Hermione's jacket, so her top was dressed only in her black tank top. "You should change your clothes," said Harry reluctantly.
She nodded, getting off of him. "Where's your bathroom?"
"In my room. It's the only door there, so it shouldn't be too hard to miss."
Hermione laughed, a sound he didn't know he missed so much. "I won't be long."
When Hermione came back, she was dressed in his favorite sleep shirt and his Gryffindor pajamas. She had all of her clothes in her arms. All of her clothes, including her underwear. Harry suddenly felt very warm as the lacy black pair of underwear was laid over her blue denim jeans. "Thanks."
"No problem," Harry managed to choke out. "D'you still want to go back to your dormitory?"
"No," said Hermione. She glanced out of one of the windows to see the pouring rain. "I think that possibility is out anyway."
"Well, you could always stay on my bed and I could just crash on the sofa."
"Nonsense," admonished she. "I can stay on the couch."
"Aren't women all fragile and stuff?"
Hermione twisted around to glare at him, her brown hair swishing with moistness. "I'm not made of glass, Harry." She hissed vehemently.
Harry held his hands up in defense. "Never said you were, tiger."
She rubbed her temple. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just a bit tired."
Harry stood up from the couch and embraced her lovingly. "I love you, Hermione."
She smiled up at him shyly, wrapping her arms around his middle. "I love you too." She peered at him with questioning eyes. "Will you stay with me? On the bed, I mean?"
He didn't hesitate. "Of course."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "No funny business, you hear?"
Harry grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."
~*~*~
"You didn't come back last night."
Hermione looked up from her notes on her Charms lessons and at her roommate and friend, Cassandra. "Pardon?"
"Don't 'pardon' me, Hermione Granger. Where did you go last night?" She demanded, her long ginger hair flaring along with her temper.
"Well calm down, temper, temper. You shouldn't get so annoyed. You're acting like a silly little boy," sang Hermione, grinning like the proverbial cat that got the cream.
"And don't chide me with your band songs either. Come on, Hermione, tell me where you went," said Cassandra, her demand turning into a whine.
Hermione hid a smile behind her glass of orange juice as she took a sip. It was rather strange, now that she thought about it. She and Cassandra had just been lying down on their beds, talking. Well, Cassandra was anyway. Hermione was thinking about her treatment towards Harry, when all of a sudden, she sat up and slipped on her white jacket, telling her roommate she had to go somewhere. Hermione didn't even care that it had been raining cats and dogs.
She focused back on Cassandra, who was now looking at her strangely. "What is it?" Hermione asked. "Is there something on my face?"
"There's something different about you," observed the redhead. "You seem . . . happier. In fact, you smell different."
"I smell different?" Hermione asked, casting her friend a curious glance.
"Mmm-hmm," replied Cassandra. "There's a strange scent hovering around you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Hermione said rather defensively while blushing.
"You smell like—like aftershave," Cassandra gasped, grinning widely. "Hermione, you skank!"
"I didn't do anything!"
"You went to some boy slag's house! What happened to you, Hermione?" Cassandra exclaimed overdramatically.
"I didn't go to any slag's house! Honestly, I went to Harry."
"Oh." Cassandra visibly deflated and then she perked up. "You made up, yeah?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes. He was so sweet about it."
"And you bathed yourself in his aftershave to make a point or something?"
"NO! What kind of person am I to you? I was cooking breakfast and he had just shaved."
"So I assume you did something together at close proximity that his aftershave stuck to you?"
The brown-haired witch turned scarlet. "Well, yes, technically."
Cassandra laughed. "Oh, Hermione, it's great that you two are back together."
"Please don't noise it around."
"I wouldn't do that," said Cassandra sincerely. Suddenly, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, God, don't look now, but Colin's making his way over here." The redhead knew all too well about his crush on Hermione.
Hermione turned around to find a lanky, black-haired man slip on a wet part of the cafeteria, spilling his breakfast. Cassandra laughed good-heartedly. "He's so ridiculous."
Hermione paid no heed to her but immediately stood up to help Colin. "Honestly," she muttered, helping him clean up his scrambled eggs and spilled milk, "they should at least put up a warning sign."
Colin remained silent, cleaning up. When they finished, Colin was scuffling his feet. "Thank you, Hermione." He said.
"It's fine. Why don't you sit over at my table with Cassandra?"
"No thanks," declined the blue-eyed boy politely. "Cassandra isn't fond of me around her anyway."
"She'll come around soon, Colin," said Hermione, mistaking his hesitance for a fancy.
"Oh, it doesn't matter. Just as long as you've come around." With a quick smile, he left for an empty table.
Hermione sighed, sitting back down at her own table. "I wish people wouldn't treat him so horribly."
Cassandra rolled her eyes, pushing some of her ginger hair off of her shoulders. "Honestly, Hermione, I don't see why you associate with people like him. He's so—so—"
"Don't even finish that sentence, Cassandra." Hermione warned, casting a glance at Colin, who was miserably picking at his eggs. "I just hope his day gets better."
~*~*~
Music pulsed around the bar as people danced underneath the flashing lights. It was one of P. United's famous after-parties. They had recently won a game against the Wimbourne Wasps, and they were celebrating. Draco and Ginny were dancing along with Ron and Luna. Harry was standing by the food table with Hermione. Many of the team's fan girls were in attendance, hoping to bag a few of them.
"See that blonde back there?" Harry asked Hermione, pressing his mouth against her ear.
His hot breath tickled her ear. "Which one?" She asked with a smile at her boyfriend, before turning around and scanning the large crowd.
Harry followed her actions, looking around, and then turned away from the crowd again. He leaned his mouth over her ear again. "Blonde one at two o'clock, wearing the skimpy red dress."
Hermione sipped her punch while letting her eyes roam around the crowd until she spotted a blonde in a red dress that didn't cover much of her. She had spiky red heels and her make-up was caked on. Hermione caught the hungry look in her eyes as they roamed all over Harry's body. "I see her. What about her?"
"She's the team's biggest fan. She's attended every single one of our games, whether it's in England or not."
The bushy haired girl let out a low whistle. "Wow. I'm guessing she's into one of you lot?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Harry nodded. "Guess who the lucky bloke is."
"Hmm," said Hermione, tapping her chin. "I'm guessing a certain black-haired, green-eyed Seeker is what she's lusting after?" She grinned up at him.
"You know, most girlfriends would be jealous," stated Harry.
"Well, seeing as you're over here, standing beside me with your arm wrapped around my waist, rather possessively might I add, I don't have a lot to be jealous of."
Harry opened his mouth to retort but Hermione interrupted him. "Don't look now, Harry, but she's coming over here."
"Oh, God, save me." Harry groaned. He dared to look at the blonde's direction and found her staring straight at him, squeezing herself through the crowd.
He pulled Hermione closer to him. "Dance with me," He whispered huskily into her ear.
"Don't use me to make her jealous," admonished Hermione.
Then the mood of the party changed from fast and energetic to slow and relaxing as a slow tempo song came on.
Harry looked at her with pleading eyes. Hermione finally relented. "Fine, but only because it's this song."
He grinned at her before whisking her away and to the dance floor, wrapping his arms around her waist. Hermione, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck. The blonde who had been making her way to Harry pouted at the sight of them.
When the song had ended, Harry let Hermione go and get something to drink while he caught up with some old schoolmates. Hermione, however, did not expect Draco Malfoy to be leaning against the refreshments table, gulping down some beer.
"Granger!" He exclaimed, looking at her appreciatively.
Hermione nodded politely, holding in her grimace at the stench of alcohol in his breath. "Hello, Draco."
"Why don't you save me a dance for later?" Draco slurred, leaning closer to her.
Hermione quickly filled her cup with punch, and stepped away from the blond. "No, thanks. I owe Harry so many more anyway," replied she, placing a hand on his chest to push him away. "Where's your girlfriend? Weren't you dancing with her awhile ago?"
"Ginny had to leave," replied Draco with no hint of disappointment. "Come on, Granger, I promise to keep my hands where you can see them," He came closer, trying to wrap his arms around her.
Hermione pushed him away. "Draco—"
"Come on," he slurred, "you know you want to,"
She could only do what she was forced to and dumped her punch all over his feet. He yelped and quickly jumped away from her.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled from behind her pleasantly. "Where've you been?"
Hermione allowed him to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. "You missed a song I really wanted to dance with you," he whined, nuzzling her neck affectionately.
She laughed a bit and pushed his face away from her neck but pressed her forehead against his. "You're drunk, aren't you?" She asked teasingly.
"Not one bit," replied Harry, hiccupping.
She laughed again and kissed him gently. "We should take you back to your flat."
"Never!" He exclaimed, twirling her around.
Hermione merely shook her head, laughing. She placed his arm around her shoulders and started to leave the party.
"Take care of him, Hermione!" Ron said, dancing around with Luna.
She nodded and headed out of the bar. Once they were out on the street, Hermione glanced at her watch. It was nearly three in the morning. "Cassandra is going to kill me," she whispered.
"Hermione," he said softly, tilting her chin up to look at him, no longer in his drunken stupor, "stay with me tonight."
"I—I can't," Hermione stammered, not meeting his gaze.
"I need you," said Harry with urgency. "I want you. So much, it scares me."
"Harry—"
"Please,"
Hermione bit her lower lip, not sure what to say. So instead, she leaned up and kissed him. Harry snaked his arms around her, nearly carrying her off of the ground.
A few minutes later, Harry stumbled into his flat, pulling Hermione along while still firmly attached on their lips. Together, they hobbled into the flat. Harry led Hermione to his bedroom, and they fell on the bed. It was only then when Harry pulled his mouth from hers.
"A-are you sure you want this?" He asked, nervous all of a sudden.
Hermione laughed, looping her arms around his neck. "Now you ask me?"
He gave her a lazy grin. "I love you so much."
Feeling bold, Hermione tugged on his shirt. "Show me how much."
~*~*~
Hermione woke up in a daze, thinking everything that happened last night was all a dream, but her doubts were cleared when she opened her eyes and saw his sleeping face. There was a welcoming soreness coming from her lower regions, but she ignored it. Her legs were tangled with Harry's, and his arms were wrapped possessively around her.
She started to trace her finger on his face, stroking his cheek in the process. Harry suddenly woke up, his face breaking out into a wide grin at the sight of her. "Good morning," she whispered softly.
"Did I hurt you at all last night?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
"No," said Hermione, "you were perfect."
He nuzzled her neck. "You sure?"
"Mmm-hmm, how many—?"
"Four," replied Harry, pulling away from her neck, and grinning at her.
"Four?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"You certainly know how to get it on, Miss Granger. Every time I tried to go to sleep, you climbed on top of me, arousing me all over again."
Hermione blushed, and swatted him playfully. "Liar."
"I am not," replied Harry indignantly.
"We should probably take a shower. Merlin knows how much we sweated last night," said Hermione, sliding out of the bed.
"Would you mind if I join you?" Harry asked huskily.
Hermione gave him a naughty grin. "I don't see what's stopping you."
~*~*~
