Happy New Year! I want to say thanks to everyone who has read, favorited/followed, and commented on this story. You made my 2019 all the more brighter. You've all definitely given me a boost of confidence and I'm glad I decided to publish this story (and not leave it in the dark corners of my WIP folders).

Our friends are back in England and as we wind down this story, I hope you're looking forward to Part II, coming at the end of January.

Week 21

"You look happy, Hermione."

Hermione glanced away from the jigsaw puzzle she was assembling with Ginny. Well more like she was assembling herself, while Ginny drank all her hard lemonade.

"I am happy."

Ginny lifted a brow. "Does it have anything to do with that romantic weekend in Paris?"

Hermione blushed. "It wasn't a romantic weekend!"

Ginny stared at the photos spread out on the coffee table. "It seems pretty romantic too me. I don't think I've seen Harry this relaxed in a long time." She took a sip from her bottle. "Being an Auror puts a lot of stress on him. Even Ron is and does the oddest things to relieve that stress. Like woodworking. Who does that?" She muttered the last part.

Hermione picked up the photo of her and Harry posing in front of the Eiffel Tower. It turned out really well. It wasn't overexposed and lucky for them everything was in focus.

She picked up another photo - this one at the Louvre. Waking up that morning was the most embarrassed she'd ever felt around him and that fact left her feeling odd. She had drooled all over her pillow, her hair was a rat's nest, and her dress had ridden up.

Harry's seen her in worse conditions! So, why did this particular morning still resurface in her mind and make her face heat up?

Well, she couldn't forget Harry's hold around her, which was firm and heavy and the way he snored into her ear. Or the fact that one of the first things she felt as she woke was - good Godric she couldn't even think about it.

She placed a cool hand against her cheek.

But their photo in front of the Louvre didn't display any of that shared embarrassment. It showed two friends laughing and having fun. Not a single care in the world.

Ginny hummed and moved her attention to another photo.

"What is it?" Hermione snapped open her own bottle of lemonade.

"You're cute together, that's all."

"There's nothing going on."

Ginny shrugged. "I know. Why is that?"

Hermione shivered as the cold lemonade went down her throat. "What do you mean?"

Ginny leaned against the sofa. "Why aren't you and Harry dating? Or dated?"

Hermione opened and closed her mouth. "I don't know. We're just friends."

Ginny hummed again. "Well, there's nothing stopping you from being more than friends."

Hermione shook her head. "It's not like that. I don't think it could ever be like that."

"He's fit," Ginny said in between giggles.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know that." She sighed. "I don't want to even try thinking of Harry like that. He's my best friend."

Ginny examined another photo. This one had Harry and Hermione in front of the Eiffel Tower again, but this time in the daylight. They both looked beyond content and there was no space between them.

Ginny turned to look at Hermione, who had resumed her puzzle. Was it odd to believe that there could be something more between her two friends?

Tonks thumped harshly against Harry's back and ruffled his hair. "Paris did you good, didn't you?"

He waved her off. "It sounds weird when you say it like that."

"You should take breaks more often," Tonks slumped against the dinner table, luckily the boxes of pizza had been moved to the counter. "It's good for the soul. That and sex, but I'm not going to talk to you about that."

Harry hid his face in his hands. "Please don't. That's the last thing I want to hear!"

Tonks laughed loudly. She stumbled around the table and met Remus at the counter.

Harry peeked through his fingers and caught Sirius rolling his eyes. His godfather was flipping through the photos from the Paris trip, dividing them up into separate piles.

"What are you doing?"

Sirius briefly looked at him. "I'm picking out the ones I want to be framed."

"What? No." Harry reached over and tried to snatch the photos away, but Sirius was too quick and slapped his hand.

"These are mine!" Sirius whined. "I want to see my godson and his best friend happy and smiling around the house."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled.

"You did have a good time right?" Sirius gathered up the photos. He placed the night and day Eiffel Tower photos side by side. "I didn't force you to do something you didn't want to?"

Harry shook his head. "We both had a good time."

Sirius nodded. "I'm glad." He tapped his finger against the photo. "You two look really good here."

"Thanks?"

Sirius chuckled under his breath and shook his head in disbelief.

"What?" Harry leaned forward.

"You can be dense sometimes," was all Sirius said before he picked up the photos and stepped out of the kitchen.

Harry glared at the back of Sirius's head. He slid the few remaining photos toward him. The photo in front of him showed Hermione sitting on the ledge of a pool of water, in front of a large glass pyramid. She smiled brightly at the camera.

Her delighted appearance gave no evidence to the embarrassment they experienced that morning. His face heated just thinking about it. Honestly, it wasn't every day his best friend had to feel his morning erection, not to mention being practically felt up.

They both blushed from head to toe. But, he couldn't forget the feeling of her soft warm skin or the curve of her hip. Consciously, for the first time, he thought of the possibility of her being more than just a friend.

She's pretty, attractive. He'd always known that, but now he wondered what it would be like to hold her like that again. What if they had gone a little further? Taken more clothes off? Or if he had given in to the urge to trace his finger over her lips and -

He slammed his hands over his face. Now what he was supposed to do?

Was he going to be able to push these thoughts away? They both decided to not do relationships. No. None. Zip. But, what if? He shook his head. No way. She would never consider it. Sex with a sort of acquaintance was straightforward, but sex with a friend, let alone his best friend was a different story altogether.