AN:I want to thank all of my reviewers. But I want to send a big thank you to those who review faithfully. This is only my second fan fiction and it's made me really happy that you guys have been receptive to my stories.
Just so you know this story is about to get more angsty because the Harry/Hermione is going to be on and we all know that not everyone is going to be down with it. There will still be lightheartedness and fluff and some future lemons but angst is on the menu too.
Enjoy.
Harry walked into his room. He shook his head trying to get the image of a nearly naked Hermione Granger out of his mind. He felt a familiar twitch in his pants. "No!" he yelled and he hit the wall. He pulled his hand away and saw he bruised his knuckles. He didn't care.
This couldn't be happening to him. He was trying so hard to fight it but he was failing miserably. If he acted on these feelings and Ron found out- Harry shuddered, he didn't want to think about that. Not to mention how horrifying it would be for Hermione to reject him. Could their friendship recover from that?
She said you were sexy.
She was drunk.
A drunk man's word are a sober man's thoughts. Or woman's as it may be?
We are just friends.
Friends don't get a hard on from seeing their friends in their knickers.
SHUT UP!
Harry needed to get out of here. He stripped out of his dress robes and walked out of his room. He found Kreacher in the kitchen. "I am going out. Could you listen out for Hermione?"
"Of course," Kreacher bowed.
"if she wakes up looking for me tell her I am at Luna's," Harry said. He went to the fireplace and grabbed a hand full of floo powder. He hoped Luna was back from the wedding.
"Luna!" Harry called as he stepped out the fireplace in her flat. "Are you back-Oh, what the fuck!"
Luna was on her couch. Half naked. With Draco Malfoy. Snogging.
"What the-Why the-?" Harry covered his eyes. "What the hell is going here?"
"Well, when two people are attracted to one another-" Draco started.
"Harry knows about shagging. We used to shag all the time," Luna told Draco.
"Oh, this day keeps getting weirder and weirder," Harry muttered.
"We're decent now," Luna said.
"Speak for yourself Lovegood," Draco joked.
Harry lowered his hand and saw that Draco and Luna were dressed and no longer wrapped in a passionate embrace. "I am sorry. I should go-"
"Are you ok?" Luna asked. "Is this about Hermione? I saw you two dancing. You almost kissed."
Draco threw his head back and laughed, "Oh Merlin. No. Tell me you haven't fallen for Granger? The prophet got something right for once?"
Luna frowned at Draco, "It isn't funny."
"No, of course not. It's too cliché to be funny." Draco said. "Oh, Weasel is going to shit himself."
"That was crude and unnecessary."Luna said. She looked back at Harry. "What happened?"
"We were dancing and she leaned in- No, I leaned in- No, we both leaned in- We almost kissed," Harry said. Right now he didn't care that Malfoy was there.
"Did she get mad? " Luna asked.
"No, we both played it off. But then when we went home-" Harry ran his hand through his jet black hair. "She was drunk. I went to get her some potions when I came back she was half naked and moaning."
Draco's eyebrows shut up so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. "Really?" he asked. "And did you-?"
"No," Harry yelled. "I can't. it's wrong."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"She's like my-" harry started.
"-Sister, yes , we have all heard," Draco sighed. "Apparently not though. Not if you have these feelings for her."
"It's a mistake," Harry told him.
Draco rolled his eyes, "You're worried about Weaselbee, aren't you?"
"Of course I am," Harry said. "he is my best mate. This would kill him."
"So, your going to miss out on something that could be amazing to spare the Weasel's feelings?" Draco hit his forehead, "Fucking Gryffindors!"
"Harry," Luna said gently. "it's obvious this isn't going away. I think you need to confront it."
"What if she doesn't feel the same?" Harry asked.
"She took her dress off," Draco said. "What more do you need? A written invitation?"
"I saw you two on the dance floor," Luna said. She stood up and touched Harry's arm. "She feels it too. I can see it."
"I don't know," Harry said. " I don't know what to do."
"Follow your heart," Draco said.
Harry looked at him, "Really?" he said. "Talk about cliché?"
"Is this better, Follow your cock," Draco waggled his eyebrows.
"I agree with Draco," Luna said. "I meant about your heart but the other works too."
Harry sighed, "I guess I should get back in case Hermione wakes up."
"Good luck," Luna said.
Harry nodded. "Thanks. You two can get back to whatever this is," Harry shuddered as he walked back to Luna's floo. She followed him.
"Don't be too hard and yourself. And if you decide to pursue something with Hermione you need to talk to Ron. It will make things easier."
"Thanks," Harry said. he leaned and kissed Luna's cheek. "Do I need to remind you to be careful?"
Luna shook her head.
"I am here if you need me," Harry told her.
"Same to you," Luna said.
Harry stepped into the fireplace and threw the floor powder and shouted, "Grimmauld Place."
Harry stepped out into an empty house. He went into the kitchen grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey and a glass. He walked up the stairs and chuckled when he saw Kreacher asleep on the floor in front of Hermione's room.
Harry knelt down on the ground beside the elf. "Kreacher," he said gently.
The elf jumped and looked around with bleary eyes. "Master?"
"Yeah, it's me," Harry said.
"Kreacher fell asleep," the elf said. "I am sorry."
"it's fine. Go on to bed now. I will be here if Hermione needs me," he said. "Thanks for looking out for her."
"Anything for master." Kreacher croaked.
*Crack*
Harry put the bottle of whiskey and the glass on the ground. He stood up and opened the door and peeked in. Hermione was asleep. She was still in her bra and knickers and had one slender arm thrown across her face. Her wild hair was spread across the pillow underneath her.
Harry opened the closet and found a blanket on the top shelf. He threw it over her. "Sleep well Hermione," he whispered. He turned off the light and closed the door behind him as he left the room.
Harry picked up his whiskey and his glass and trudged on to his room. He had a long night ahead of him. He knew it would be hard to fall asleep with the images of Hermione in his head.
The next morning Harry woke up earlier than usual on his day off and went downstairs to cook breakfast. He was almost done when he heard someone coming down the stairs muttering swear words.
"Language," Harry scolded Hermione as she came into the kitchen. He smiled at her to let her know it was a joke.
"You're funny Potter," Hermione snapped as threw herself into a seat at the table.
"And you're hung-over," Harry replied. He put the food on plates and Hermione made a face.
"You can't expect me to eat that?" she said.
Harry pulled a vial from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of her. "Take this and you will feel better." He said.
"Hang over potion?" Hermione asked. When Harry nodded she smiled, "Thank Merlin." She uncorked the vial and drank the whole thing greedily. "How long does it take?"
Harry shrugged ,"Just a few minutes."
Hermione put her head on the table and Harry sat across from her to eat. About 10 minutes later Hermione sat up and started picking at her food.
"Feeling better?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Hermione smiled at him. "Much better." She reached out and touched Harry's hand. "Thanks for taking care of me last night. " She giggled, "Sorry about the getting naked thing. I was just so hot in that dress."
Yes, she was.
Shut up, Harry growled at the voice in his head. He smiled at Hermione, "It's fine. I understand."
"I just didn't want you to think I was trying to seduce you or something. Because I wasn't." Hermione said.
"I know," Harry replied. He cleared his throat trying not to think about Hermione seducing him. "You said something about painting your room?"
"Yeah, it looks like I am going to be here a while unless you want me to find my own place which I would understand-"
"No," Harry practically yelled. Hermione jumped. Harry adjusted his volume, "Sorry. You don't need to leave. "
"Ok," Hermione looked relieved. "Well, since I will be here a while I want to personalize my space."
"That's fine. Did you still want to paint it the muggle way?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I know it's silly but it's just what I want, you know?" Hermione told him.
"I don't mind. Did you want my help?" Harry asked.
"I would love your help," Hermione told him. "After breakfast we can go to the paint store."
"Sounds like a plan," Harry said.
After they ate and changed clothes they went to the paint store and got what they needed. Harry had paint supplies because of the work he had been doing on Grimmauld Place. Hermione chose a light blue for the walls and a slightly darker blue for the trim.
They started when they got home. They were having a lot of fun. They had turned on the radio. Harry thought it was adorable when Hermione started singing and dancing to a Beatles song that came on. He loved seeing her like that. When she let herself go and didn't care what anyone else thought. She seemed so carefree.
"Why are you staring at me?" Hermione asked looking over her shoulder.
"No reason," Harry blushed and looked away.
A few minutes later he felt her eyes on him. "Now your staring," Harry said.
Hermione had a mischievous look. She approached Harry and said, "You have something on your face."
"Where?" Harry asked.
Hermione giggled and brushed her paintbrush on his cheek. The wet paint felt cold. "Right there," she said and nearly collapsed in giggles.
"Think that's funny do you?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded, "I really do," she said.
"Then you will think this is hilarious," Harry told her and he brushed his paint brush right down the middle of her face.
Hermione screeched and then came at him again. They chased each other around like little kids wiping paint all over each other and making a mess. But they were having a great time.
Until.
Harry came at Hermione with his paint brush. He backed her up against the door. Her hands went to his shoulders. Harry was suddenly very aware of their proximity. Their faces were inches apart. Hermione was grinning and her face and clothes were covered in blue paint. Her chest was heaving due to the running and the giggling. Harry was awestruck by how beautiful she looked right now. It was one thing to find someone attractive when they were all done up but she looked even better like this- natural and just Hermione.
It was at that moment it hit him. This wasn't some passing attraction. This wasn't going to go away. He full on fancied her and might possibly be falling in love with her (though it was too soon for that quite yet.) He had feelings for Hermione and they weren't going to go away.
Hermione had stopped smiling. She also seemed affected by their closeness but she didn't try to move. She just said, "Harry?" her voice was breathy.
Harry leaned in. Hermione leaned in. Their lips were almost touching.
Hermione turned her head. "No, Harry. We can't." She pushed him away from her. Then she threw open the door and ran out into the hallway.
Harry stayed there for a moment trying to process what had just happened. They had almost kissed. Hermione seemed to want to kiss him. Did that mean she felt something for him too? And why did she pull away?
The another thought hit him. A terrible thought. Was this going to make things awkward? Would their friendship recover? He couldn't imagine his life without Hermione.
He put his paintbrush and down and ran out to find her, "Hermione!" he called and ran down the stairs.
