Happy New Year everyone ! I'm back :) Sorry for the long wait, holidays and kids at home and then work... you know how it is...

I hope you like this chapter. This one is a bit shorter but some very very big things are coming in the next chapters. Enjoy!

-O-

On the fourth day of January, after a very intense physical training with his newest trainees, Harry went back to his office, his body feeling terrible. He thought the exercise would help him ease the tension but far from it, now he was just as tense and in pain.

He didn't register the intra-ministry note flying around his head until it painfully cut across his cheek.

"Ouch!" cried Harry, finally catching the note and opening it.

"Harry,

I think we need to talk,

Do you mind coming to my office before leaving tonight?

Hermione"

He knew that would happen. Knew he would have to face her eventually. He had accepted the idea that the kiss was just a mistake induced by poor choices and Firewhiskey but he still felt anxious about finally meeting Hermione. Would she be mad at him? Would they be alright? He certainly could not imagine not having her around in his life. This thought filled him with dread and he shook his head, reaching for his quill.

He wrote a quick note to accept her invitation and tried to resume his work.

At 6 o'clock, Harry left his office, his stomach tied in a knot and walked towards the Department of Justice.

He took the stairs, his body still felt tense but that small exercice did not help him to relax. He knocked on Hermione's office door and heard her say "Enter!".

He pushed the door open and saw her, standing behind her office, looking very impressive in her formal robes, as Head of Justice Department.

She was looking at him full in the eyes, clearly determined to talk.

"Thank you for coming, Harry. Take a seat" She indicated the seat facing her office.

"Such formalities?" Harry tried to joke, uncomfortably.

"Yes, I figured some... distance... would be a good idea…" she answered timidly.

Harry's face split into a grin. Despite all his anxiety about seeing her, despite his own fucking mess of thoughts, it felt oddly satisfying to see her blush. Empowering.

Her rosy cheeks made all his concerns fly out the window.

"Why? Are you afraid you might kiss me again? I don't see any mistletoe..." he teased, looking over his head innocently.

She blushed and looked away.

"Hum…" she cleared her throat, "That's what I wanted to talk about, actually... " she seemed nervous, very nervous.

"Relax, Hermione, it was New Year's Eve, we were drunk and below the mistletoe" Harry said in what he thought was a reassuring tone.

She looked hopefully at him.

"You're not mad?" she asked, "I was afraid you'd be mad at me because, clearly, it was all my fault…"

"How did you get to that conclusion?" he asked, surprised. "I was the one to start it…"

"Yes, that's true, but… " she tried, hesitant.

"But what? You pounced on me?" Harry smirked, unable to stop himself.

And she is blushing again...

"Well, I did kiss you back, but you were the one to pounce on me…." she defended herself.

Harry laughed. Humor might be the way.

"You had your tongue all over my mouth… I guess I just followed your lead…" he said, trying to look unconcerned.

She looked affronted.

Harry was still laughing at her but stopped abruptly when he saw how distressed she looked.

Why am I being such an arsehole?

"Just look at it this way" he said calmly, reassuringly "I kissed Cho and Lavender that night. Kissing you was just another mischief of that evening" he lied, more easily than he thought he would.

She seemed to relax but Harry could see something else in her eyes.

Is she... disappointed?

Harry sobered up instantly.

"So, are we okay?" she asked impatiently, her face red.

"Sure. Just forget it." he answered, trying to sound casual, with an attempt to a small smile.

"Good. Because I was feeling terrible…" she said, faintly.

"Don't. It was nothing." he answered seriously, trying to read her eyes before she looked away. She was doing quite a big job of hiding her face from him, fumbling with papers on her desk.

He let out a long breath and watched her for a moment, silently.

Her shoulder seemed tense, like she was carrying an enormous weight. She was reflecting him his own physical painful state. He leaned towards her and took her hand. She finally turned back to him and he felt his stomach drop when he saw her face. She looked flushed, her lower lip was between her teeth, her eyes were dark. In an instant he felt his entire body fill with the utmost, overwhelming desire.

And then it hit him. Hard. He had been wrong, so wrong to label that kiss as a stupid mistletoe incident. He wanted more, so much more. It was like a veil was being raised over his eyes. Something had shifted in the way he was seeing her. It was terrifying.

He tried to find clues in her eyes, if she felt it too. She was avoiding his eyes again.

His heart suddenly beat faster and he stood up. He walked around the office to get closer to her, clearly denying her the distance she had first asked for when he had arrived.

She was still on her feet and took a step back when he was right in front of her. She looked a bit fearful and did not meet his eyes. He knew he should step back too. He found out that he could not. Or really didn't want to. His body so tense it hurt. Shocked by his sudden overwhelming realization he heard his low and deep voice ask:

"You want more, don't you?"

She shivered, but did not answer, her eyes still focused on the floor. He watched her lips. Desire rushed through him. He remembered their kiss and felt excitement rise into his stomach. If she would only look at him…

Just tell me...

"I think you should leave now, Harry." she finally said, in a faint voice.

He took three steps back, the rush of desire in his body suddenly replaced by icy fear.

He silently turned back and went for the exit in silence. He shot a last glance at her before closing the door and saw her looking at him, her eyes as dark and sparkling as the night they had kissed.