WARNING: A sexual situation a present at the start of this chapter.

Love & Betrayal

Chapter 4 – Surprises & New Faces

Harry's dreams were permeated with a faceless female, who wandered around him, and then Hermione would appear and stand next to the faceless girl. As if silently asking him to choose between them. He started to move towards Hermione, but the faceless girl pulled him closer to her. "But I want to be with her!" he protested. The girl just shook her head, and pointed at Hermione who was now locked in a passionate kiss with Ron. He felt his temper reaching boiling point, but before he could get to Ron and beat him to a bloody pulp, Harry opened his eyes.

The sunlight shone in through the large window situated to the right of his bed. Bleary eyed Harry got out of bed and grabbed some underwear and socks on his way to the bathroom. As he opened the door in his room that led to the bathroom, the sound of the shower didn't register with him. Harry moved closer to the shower, wondering why the curtain was drawn, the water hitting the floor still not registering with his weary mind. He reached forward to grab the curtain when a thought stuck him. 'What's that noise?' Harry looked around, finally realising that the shower was on, and that the only person who could be in the shower was Hermione. Harry couldn't stop himself from imagining the very wet and very naked form of Hermione washing herself in the shower. 'Should I leave? YES YOU SHOULD!' His mind screamed back at him, at least the part that was determined to focus on other girls instead of the very naked and wet Hermione that was separated from him by only a thin sheet of plastic. Harry was about to turn and leave when the shower stopped and the curtain was pulled open. In front of him stood exactly what he had imagined. Hermione, very naked and very wet. He noted that her breasts were a very nice size, not overly large but not too small, perfect to cup and suck. Hermione had turned very red, and Harry had to admit the way she flushed made her breasts look even better. Her eyes flicked downwards, and now it was Harry's turn to be embarrassed. He was only wearing some thin night shorts, and Hermione could see every inch of his aroused state. Hermione broke the silence when, looking into his eyes, she said very calmly, "Could you pass me a towel Harry?" Harry turned, grabbed a fluffy towel and handed it to her, averting his eyes from her glorious body. "Thank you." Hermione wrapped the towel around herself and quickly left the room locking the door to her bedroom behind her. Harry looked down, silently asking his penis why it had to wake up right now. After a few minutes of his penis not answering his silent question, or standing down, Harry got into the shower, turning the water to very cold.

After he was washed and dry he dressed in his room before leaving to go to the common room, where he would inevitably have to face Hermione. Harry's resolve to go for a different girl was now being tested to the maximum. Hermione was sat in the chair closest to the fire. Harry approached her, his hands in his pockets. "Hermione," she looked up from the book she was reading and looked at him expectantly. "I-I-I'm really sorry about earlier, I was still half asleep. The noise of the shower didn't register, and you know, when guys just wake up, they..er, well another part of them is awake too." Harry said all of this very fast, in an attempt to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. Then Hermione did something very unexpected.

She smiled.

"That's quite alright Harry." Harry nearly fell over in surprise.

"W-What?"

"It's okay Harry, I'm not angry at you."

"Oh, well..err..thanks Hermione." Harry sat down on the squashy sofa and stared into the fire that seemed to be eternally lit.

Hermione took the fluffy towel from Harry and proceeded to wrap it around herself, and walked past him, into her bedroom. Locking the door with her wand she began to pull on her clothes.

'I can't believe Harry just walked in on me. And the way he stared at me, and he had an erection. That must mean that he at least finds me attractive. I wish he had taken off his shorts though, it is only fair. He's seen me naked, so I should get to see him naked. Right?'

As Hermione allowed her thoughts about a naked Harry to slowly trail out of her mind, she moved down to the common room, where she took up her book again and settled in her favourite chair. Harry came downstairs, his hair still wet from the shower. Out of the corner of her eye he watched as he approached her, hands in his pockets.

"Hermione," She tried not to jump out of her chair, desperate to hear what he had to say. Instead Hermione slowly lowered her book and looked at Harry.

"I-I-I'm really sorry about earlier, I was still half asleep. The noise of the shower didn't register, and you know, when guys just wake up, they..er, well another part of them is awake too."

Hermione was trying very hard to not laugh at Harry as he almost tripped over his words, he was talking so fast. But eventually she had to smile at him. Especially as he had been brave enough to come straight out and apologise to her.

"That's quite alright Harry." Hermione watched in amusement as Harry nearly fell over at her words.

"W-What?" 'Does he really think I'd be angry at him? He's not Ron.' Thought Hermione.

"It's okay Harry, I'm not angry at you."

"Oh, well..err..thanks Hermione." He relaxed and sat down on the sofa, staring into the fire.

Watching him from over her book Hermione began to think of all the things she wanted to ask him. 'I should ask him what he thought of me. Actually that's obvious, he was hard. But he said that was just natural. Maybe he was covering up. Harry isn't usually one to lie.' As Hermione slowly worked up the courage to ask Harry the burning question within her mind, the portrait swung open and Ron walked in.

'I really need to change the password.' Thought Hermione, making a mental note to change it as soon as possible.

Harry was brought back from the depths of the fire when Ron entered the common room.

"Hey Harry, you should get down to breakfast soon," Harry looked quizzically at Ron, wondering why on earth he should get down to breakfast so early. When Harry didn't move or reply, but just looked blankly at Ron, the redhead continued, "Quidditch trials Harry, we have quidditch trials. Today." The mental image Harry had been projecting inside his head of his best friends naked girlfriend, had completely driven the thought of quidditch trials out of his mind.

"I totally forgot about trials. Sorry Ron." Said Harry, jumping up off the sofa, and walking over to the portrait hole where Ron was still standing. "How could you forget quidditch trials?" Asked Ron, his tone incredulous. Harry began inventing widely and said, "Just had a bad dream," Ron looked at Harry and frowned, obviously concerned about Harry. "Don't worry about it mate, I'll get over it." With that Harry strode out of the door, leaving Ron alone with Hermione. Looking at his feet, and shifting them slightly, Ron muttered, "Will you be coming to watch trials Hermione?" Hermione once again lowered her book, and waited for Ron to be looking at her before replying. "Yes Ron, but I'll be down after you've started." Ron hadn't seemed to expect Hermione to be so calm with him, and smiled at her. He cautiously moved forwards and placed a kiss on Hermione's cheek. To his relief she didn't recoil from him or push him away, but accepted the kiss and smiled at him. "I'll see you in a bit then Hermione." She nodded at him, still smiling until he left her alone.

If Ron had been that bit more observant, he would have noticed that his girlfriends smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Harry's parting words had bothered her. 'What did he mean when he said, "Just had a bad dream", did he think that I was ugly. And then he said he would get over it. Oh no...' Hermione thought.

Ron had only allowed Harry five minutes for breakfast before ushering him out of the castle towards the quidditch pitch. Harry had passed Ginny and some of her friends as he had quickly grabbed some toast and a downed a glass of orange juice.

The sun was still shining when Harry and Ron ventured out of the castle towards the quidditch pitch. Once they had arrived, changed into their quidditch robes and collected their broomsticks, Harry had bought a new Firebolt whilst Ron had a new Nimbus, they walked out onto the pitch and waited a few minutes for the hopefuls to assemble on the pitch before them. Harry had stood next to Ron as his spot as seeker on the team hadn't been challenged.

In front of them were an assortment of teenagers. There were some fifth years and sixth years, including Ginny Weasley and some of her friends. Harry scanned the group, as Ron outlined some of the trials that would be taking place today. "Okay, chasers on the left and beaters on the right." Harry heard Ron say in the background. The teens separated, there were five hopefuls for the position of beater, and seven for chaser. Once everyone was standing in the right place, Ron turned to Harry, "Harry there isn't actually much point you being here mate, you may as well go and sit in the stands or something." Harry pulled a face at Ron and said, "Naa, I'll just fly about. It'll do me good to get up into the air." Ron shrugged in agreement and turned back to the hopefuls. As Harry mounted his Firebolt he heard Ron say, "Okay, chasers first. You'll take it in turns to take shots at me..." But Harry couldn't hear anymore of Ron's words as the wind whipped through his hair, and all he could hear was the familiar rush he had missed so much.

After flying around for a little while Harry decided to go and meet the hopefuls. The chasers had formed a line and were taking ten shots each at Ron, who had miraculously improved since the last time Harry had seen him play. He was even pulling off the Sloth Grip Roll intentionally. As Harry neared the end of the line, he noticed the girl right at the back. She seemed familiar to him, and he faintly remembered her as one of Ginny's friends. Harry slowed his Firebolt, and hovered next to the girl.

"Hello, I'm Harry Potter." He said, smiling. The girl turned to Harry, and he was pleased to find she was also smiling. "Jess Volpes," (Vol-Pes) "I was wondering when I would get to meet you Harry."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Where you?"

"Yes, Ginny has told me all about you." She said with a smile that was slightly too seductive for it to go unnoticed by Harry. Usually Harry was very humble, but his recent dealings with Hermione and all the feelings that came with her made Harry act selfishly.

"Oh yeah, what has she told you?" Jess just shrugged and casually said, "Just that you're a very good kisser." With that she flew off to take her turn shooting with the quaffle. Harry didn't move from were he was hovering. He stared after the raven haired beauty that had just said she would like to kiss him. 'No, she didn't say that. She said that Ginny had told her I was good...' Harry's thoughts trailed off, until he realised: 'Oh my God. This is who I need to focus my attention on. I can't keep thinking of Hermione, she's Ron's girlfriend. Anyway Jess Volpes is gorgeous.' Harry smiled at the thought of getting to know Jess a little bit better. He noticed her celebrating with Ginny. They had both obviously got into the team.

What Harry didn't notice was the bushy-haired girl, sat alone, in the stands.


Authors Note: Hermione's POV next, what did she see? What didn't she see?

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