-The characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling-
Ron had left her in tears, and she was beside herself. He had to watch as Ron turned his back on her, had to watch as she cried and curled herself into a ball before him. They had been silent since he left, both of them sitting there in the tent. Neither knew what to say to the other, as they were equally upset for themselves, and for each other. After several long moments, she looked up, her deep brown eyes settling on his. They held their gaze for mere moments before she looked away again. Deciding he had had enough of her sadness, he stood and brought himself in front of her. Reaching a hand out, she took it tentatively. She waited for him, completely at a loss as to what he wanted from her. Slowly, he walked backwards, keeping her hand in his, and watched her questioning gaze on him. The radio had been playing, but only now did she seem to notice, as her eyes seemed to gain understanding. Though she still appeared hesitant, he brought his hand around her waist, and brought the hand that had been lightly clutched in his own, to his shoulder. He began to sway lightly, and felt her relax some as he did. Spinning her, he brought her back up to him, their foreheads touching. It was a common thing for comfort between them, and he caught a small smile on her lips as their faces parted.
Releasing herself from his hold, she backed away. He watched her as she crawled into bed, and he couldn't imagine how he looked right then, as he realized that she was crawling into his bed, not her own. Without saying a thing aloud, he slowly got into bed beside her, careful not to touch her.
"Harry?" she breathed, her back turned to him.
"Yes?"
"Would you mind… holding me…tonight?"
Noting the nervous tone of her voice, he thought it best not to respond with words. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her side, not moving any closer to her body. He felt rather than heard, the exhale of breath that he wasn't aware she was holding. He kept his position for a few moments more, not sure what to make of the situation. She was his closest friend apart from Ron, and surely she only needed comfort after he had left them both there to face the dangers ahead, alone.
When he woke, he noticed that Hermione had moved closer into him during her slumber, her back flush with his bare chest, and the rest of her body had followed suit. His second observation was the smell of her. Earthy and a little floral, he breathed it in. It comforted him, having her there with him. He was glad she hadn't left, he knew he would have been lost without her. He ran a hand through her loose tendrils, appreciating the feel of them before she was awake to notice. Her hair was soft and untangled, and made her scent even more prominent.
Laying there with her, he recalled the first moment that he had seen her as more than a friend. It was the evening she was attacked by the serpent that once resided in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Feeling helpless, he was forced to see her still and unmoving figure, like a statue. It killed him to think that it could have all been avoided if he had only killed the damn thing sooner. Although he was too young at the time to truly consider dating, let alone love, he nevertheless found a draw to her that had confused him for a long period afterward. Even now, he found himself confused. Not in his feelings for her, but more of her feelings for him. Hermione was not a girl that would lay in bed with just any man, let alone ask to be held too. Thought they had always shared certain physical closeness over the years of their friendship, it was never on this level.
Forcing himself away from her, he slid out of bed slowly, careful not to wake her. He got dressed, then turned back to her, making sure that she was undisturbed. He left the tent and appreciated the good weather that awaited him. He thought he could find some berries to prepare for breakfast when Hermione woke. Deciding to take the trail due South, he took off with a bucket in hand. Walking through the deep green grass and passing thick oak trees adorning the forest, he finally came across some bushes with ample berries, and began to collect them.
"Shit" he muttered.
He had just scraped his arm on some branches in the Bush. That would need mending when he returned to the camp.
"Harry!?"
It was Hermione, yelling from the campsite. His heart raced, and he lurched upward from his crouched position, grabbed the collected berries, and ran back to her. She sounded alarmed, scared. He didn't like her tone. Once back in her sight, he saw her relax.
"Harry…I was so worried something happened… I woke up and you weren't there and I thought…"
"Shhh….I'm fine. Everything is fine. I went for some food, I'm sorry I worried you." Placing the bucket down, he moved closer to her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. She stayed there a second longer than was typical for her, and Harry noticed it immediately. "Come. Let's eat before we move the camp." He looked down at her, still nuzzled into his chest. In that moment, she felt so fragile. She looked back up at him, meeting his gaze.
"Yes…let's eat." She replied, a small quiver in her voice.
He returned to the bucket and they walked to a nearby stream together. Rolling his sleeves up to rinse the berries, the rough material sliding against his skin reminded him that he was cut. In the same moment, Hermione noticed the blood.
"Harry! You're hurt!"
"Its nothing, just a scrape."
"Well, we can at least clean it. Come here." She said. Sitting beside him, she turned to face him and stretched out her arm over her lap. Obeying, he gave her his arm. She took a small cloth from her bag, dipped it in the cool water, and lightly dabbed at the now drying blood on his forearm. From the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him. Looking up to meet her eyes, he told her, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt. Much." Her mood quickly lifted, and she smiled at him. Unexpectedly, his heart started to beat just a little bit faster. Surely, he couldn't be seeing a change in her…but there was definitely something different between them the last few weeks, something charged and electric.
As if she could sense it, she dropped her gaze. "There. That should be decent enough for now." Leaving his wandering thoughts, his attention returned to his arm. He was shocked to find it wrapped in a white fabric. When had she done that? He hadn't noticed her wrapping it.
"Right…well, let's head back then."
After moving the camp to a site farther up the mountain, they set a fire for warmth as the sun started to set. They sat facing each other on opposing sides of the fire, the radio playing softly in the background. Harry sat there, thinking about last night. As if she could read his mind, Hermione spoke through the silence for the first time in the past ten minutes.
"About last night…" she began, unsure where exactly she was heading with this.
" Thank you, for being there. If it wasn't for you, I know I wouldn't have slept last night, after…well, after everything that happened." She looked across the fire at him then, awaiting his response. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, as the fire illuminated her eyes and highlighted her thick brown hair. The image of her in that instant, completely took his breath away.
"I...I…" he stuttered for a moment. " I'm glad you let me help. I'm always here for you" he finished.
She smiled at that. "I know."
He stood, watching her keep his eyes locked on his as he did. He walked around the fire and seated himself next to her. Taking her hand in his, they both sat together in silence. After a moment, she laid her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in any touch she could share with him. She never felt as close to him, or anyone else for that matter, as she did in that moment. She traced small circles on the inside of his palm, noting the goosebumps that raised along his arm as she did. She felt his breath quicken for a moment before he regained his composure.
"Harry?"
"Mm?"
"How are you feeling, about all of this?"
"What do you mean?" He asked, moving his shoulder so that they faced each other.
"About Ron leaving, of course. Surely you can't be taking it well…"
"Oh. That. Honestly? I think he's crazy for leaving you. I never would have left you, let alone the way he did it. I'm quite pissed, actually." He noticed something in her eyes then, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was.
"He left you, too, you know?" was all she said. He was quiet then, not thinking it in that way before that moment. Her head had laid back on his shoulder, and he placed a kiss to the top of her head as his only reply.
"What did you think I was talking about?" she asked suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"Before you answered- you said, 'oh. That.'… what else did you think I was talking about?"
Shit. She had noticed. He wasn't entirely sure how to answer, he was terrified of scaring her away.
"Oh, nothing."
"Tell me…" she said, her head now lifted again and she met his eyes.
"Well, just that… we've sort of… grown closer these past few weeks. I don't know."
She was quiet and unresponsive.
"We should uh…head in. It's getting late." Harry told her, taking her still clasped hand, and bringing her to her feet. She lost her balance for a moment and her hand pressed into his chest for support. The simple contact had him stiffen.
"Sorry." She said, pink with embarrassment. He slid his arm around her waist and guided her into the tent.
"You're welcome to sleep with me again tonight if you need to…" He started, unsure how she would respond.
"I'd like that." She replied, her face bent downward, unable to meet his eyes.
"Okay…great…" he said awkwardly, as he turned his back to her to undress for bed.
Harry was completely unknowing as Hermione watched him. First, his shirt was pulled off, exposing the thick muscles in his back and the dip right above his pant line. She blushed and turned around, deciding that he would judge her if he knew how she felt, especially with Ron leaving only a few days prior. However, she couldn't help but wonder what he had really meant about his comment, the two of them becoming closer. It was true that they had, she wasn't blind.
Her back to him, she heard the zipper of his jeans followed by the sound of them sliding off of his body and being discarded. She waited, hearing him settle into the bed that they would share that evening….and many more evenings to come…at least, she had hoped. After all, he was her one escape from the pain. When he was with her, it was all so much easier to handle.
She began to undress, slipping her shirt off over her head, and discarding her pants with his. Still facing away from him, she removed her bra and slipped into her cotton t-shirt she used for sleep. She jumped slightly, hearing an intake of breath behind her. She realized that he had been watching her. For how long, she wondered. The thought itself didn't make her uncomfortable, actually, it pleased her. Not that she wanted it to, but it did.
Turning around, she walked to the bed and settled into her place. Instead of turning her back to him, however, she faced him. When they hugged, she found comfort being buried into his chest, and decided that's how she wanted to fall asleep. At first, she caught a confused expression adorn his face, then settle into a soft smile as she lowered herself in the bed to be even with his chest. Wrapping an arm around his side, she pulled herself closer into him. He stiffened slightly and she wondered if she had made him uncomfortable in some way.
"Is this okay?" she asked.
"Yeah…yeah, it's fine." And then she felt him exhale. The arm that she used to bring herself closer to him, now rested between them, leaving her hand against his toned chest and her elbow right below his pant line.
Trying to gain sleep, she lightly touched his chest, tracing the muscles that rested below her fingertips. Now dark, she couldn't see a thing, but she could feel his growing erection against her lower abdomen. The feel of him against her made her warm inside. She got a reaction from him that she never expected. She didn't know that she had ever affected Ron the same way, not that they'd ever been this close. She felt him breathe in deeply, then heard him sigh.
"Same question." He suddenly asked, hoping to distract himself in efforts to lower his erection, and to distract her from noticing if she hadn't already.
"W-what?"
"Same question." He said again. "How are you doing? With Ron leaving?"
She shut her eyes, hard. She didn't want to think about it.
"I'm…okay. Better now than I was."
"Good." He said, softly brushing her hair with his fingers. The feel of him touching her soothed her, and he was beginning to see that now. She brought her face upward, then nuzzled into his neck. She felt a low vibration in his throat before hearing his soft, low moan that escaped his lips.
"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked.
"Not at all."
She smiled at that, knowing that he was fully comfortable with her physical closeness to him and hadn't bothered him like she thought it might. As they lay there together, feeling each breath from their counter, they both fell into a deep, comfortable, sleep.
Waking before he did, she found him spooning her, tightly. His legs were bent into hers, making her own legs hug his. His left arm was draped around her tightly, his hand resting just under her chest. For a moment, she traced the veins along his hand, trailing down his arm. She enjoyed the feel of him. At that, she noticed more of him. His pelvis was pressed into her, and she felt every inch of him. She gasped, not expecting this response from him so early , especially with him still appearing to be sound asleep. She slowly turned, careful not to wake him. His lips we parted slightly, his eyes closed, his breathing still even. He was definitely still asleep, she decided, and brought her finger tips to his mouth. She traced his lips with her fingers, wondering how he would respond if she kissed him. Not now, though, she thought, deciding that he would be awake if she ever tried it. Removing her hands from his lips, she started as his hand reached back out to hers and brought her hand back to his lips. He kissed her knuckles softly before holding her hand in his at the base of his throat, still sleeping. She decided then that she would not get up until he did.
When Harry woke an hour later, he found Hermione's hand in his, and she was curled into him, leaving hot breath against his throat. He internally groaned at the feel of her breath on him.
"Good morning" he said softly, not wanting to startle her.
"Good morning" she replied, her head lifting to meet his eyes, a small smile on her lips.
"Sleep well?"
"I did."
He kissed her forehead softly, then forced himself out of bed to start the day.
"How about we do something fun today?" she asked.
"Fun?" he said, confusion in his voice.
"Sure…I mean, everything has been so hectic lately. Why don't we go for a swim in the lake through the clearing?"
"Okay…sure. Couldn't hurt" he said, smiling at her. He watched her as her eyes traveled down his body. It was then that he remembered what he was wearing. He was in only his boxer briefs, standing there before her. Fuck, he thought. He had a hard on too. Surely she'd seen that from the way she was looking at him. He blushed. "Sorry…uh…I'll go get dressed now…" he said, quickly turning away from her and grabbing his clothing.
After they were both dressed, they headed out to the clearing. It was still early, and the sun left a low light that filtered through the trees, illuminating the lake before them. It was beautiful. She had been right to suggest a swim, it would give them a moment of peace. He turned then, finding Hermione undressed to her bra and underwear, both black in color and could easily be seen as a bathing suit if it weren't for the lace traveling up her lower abdomen.
She looked up at him, bent from removing her pants.
"Well? Are you going to get undressed and jump in?" she asked, smiling at him. She knew he had noticed her. She seemed to have upset his thoughts considering he jumped slightly and began to stammer.
"Y-Yes." He replied, removing his shoes, pants, and t-shirt. She was still smiling at him, before turning her back to him to head into the water.
The water was luke warm, surprising in their current altitude. He swam to her, finding her not far from shore. She was facing away from him, admiring the view of the heavily wooded forest and large plants scattered within it. She heard the movement of water behind her, and knew that he was approaching her. She turned herself around to face him, finding him only about a foot away.
"Nice, isn't it?" she asked him.
"Definitely. I'm glad we came out here." He replied, noting her wide smile and her curious eyes, distracted as she looked at the scene around them. When she looked back at him, he saw the sun reflected off the water, leaving a white shimmer of light across her face. The light cast on to her had made her eyes appear even more incredible to him.
"I never noticed the rim of gold before…" he said, with a nervous chuckle.
"What do you mean? Where?"
"In your eyes. I've never noticed it before."
Her eyes widened.
"Oh- " she began, her voice a tone higher than what could be considered normal.
"I can't say that I've noticed it myself…I guess that's just what happens, with us spending so much more time together."
"I suppose that's true.." he said, laughing again. "Can I… ask you something? It's sort of personal. " he asked, his voice deeper and more cautious.
She locked her eyes on his, now entirely focused on him. Curious, she said,
"You can ask me anything, Harry."
His eyes seemed to lighten with that, and she saw that the corner of his mouth had lifted slightly.
"Why did you choose to sleep with me when Ron left, and every night since? I didn't know you were that comfortable with me."
Damn, she thought. She really didn't want to have to talk about this. Being with him was natural for her, but talking about it was something entirely different. What if she made him uncomfortable, and back away from her? The feeling that gave her was painful.
"Can you promise me that…well, that nothing will change between us, no matter what I say?..." she asked, and the one question alone even made her pale. She could not imagine how she would feel after telling him.
Harry kept his posture, and he kept his expression the same. He wanted no part in making her uncomfortable.
"Hermione, of course. No matter what, I will always love you." Although Harry hadn't felt any different in saying it, Hermione couldn't help but feel the warmth rise in her belly again. He loved her? Surely he always had as a friend, he had just never said it. The words on his lips made her feel so much more at ease with him in that moment, and she pushed herself forward.
"Please…don't judge me for this. I know that Ron just left we're both hurt. I enjoy sleeping with you because, to be honest, I enjoy having you near me. You make me comfortable. You make me feel safe. You always have." She said, shrugging.
"There must be more… things have been…different. You know that."
She sighed.
"I've…had feelings for you ever since the day in the hall. When I came out of the hospital? It was minor then, and I think over time I had convinced myself that you wouldn't risk any of our friendships, Ron's included."
"And now?" he asked, immediately realizing that she was specific in the past tense. "How do you feel about me…now?"
He waded closer to her, his fingertips brushing across her lace covered hip. Her eyes closed briefly, before she began speaking again.
"Can I answer that later? It's…hard to focus right now." She said, not indicating exactly what she was distracted by.
He smiled and moved away from her, enjoying the feel of the water on his body, not knowing when the next opportunity to relax would come. She smiled, seeing him relax. It was unfair to her, how much Harry had to go through in life without a moments peace, and she was glad to be there with him to experience it.
After a few hours, they dried by a fire they had set and redressed. Looking up, Harry found the entrance to the path. They followed it back to the camp and got under cover just a few minutes before the rain began. It came in like a wave, the drops drumming down onto the canvas of their roof . They both enjoyed the weather, and for a moment, they just sat at the table together enjoying the sound.
"So, about the question I asked…" he began, his voice only slightly louder than the rain.
"Right…well…do you remember coming to check on me the night of the dance, after Ron and I fought about Victor?"
This surprised him.
"Well, sure. What about it?"
She sighed then, and stood from the table. Harry sat there, confused, watching her pace the length of the tent with what little light they had. Suddenly, she stopped. Slowly turning to face him, she walked over to him, sand stood directly in front of him.
"This, " she said, bringing her hands up to cup his face, "is how I feel about you now." And cautiously, her lips found his. He tasted musky and warm, and she noticed that his response to her was immediate. He had kissed her back, then parted his lips to give her more access. Her tongue found his and their movements together were relaxed and easy. She pulled away from him, heavily blushed. Looking down at him, she asked, " Does that explain more?" she asked. He nodded. Continuing, she said, " The night of the dance…is when I began falling for you. " She bit her lip and met his eyes, searching for something that would put her at ease.
Harry stood and looked down at her. Grasping her waist and pulling her into him, he bent down to her ear and whispered, " I've fallen in love with you, Hermione Granger. I did that a long time ago." He tilted her head with his free hand, and brought her lips back to his. Her arms wrapped lightly around the back of his neck, and kissed him back feverishly. After a few short moments, they parted, their foreheads touching. They both gave a small smile and laughed.
"I think it's my turn." She said.
"For what exactly?" he responded with a small laugh.
"To ask a question." Her eyes beamed she looked outright giddy. He smiled at her.
"Okay, ask away."
She pondered her question, trying to decide exactly how to word it. Blunt would have to be the only option, she thought to herself. As curious as she was, her desire for him still scared her.
"Can I….touch you?" she asked, bringing her hands to his chest as an example. His eyes darkened and he gave a stiff nod. Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, she heard his breath hitch when her fingertips touched his skin, and she smiled.
Having reached the last button, she pulled his shirt off and disposed of it near the bed. Snaking one hand behind his neck, she pulled him down to her and she kissed him. As they kissed, she ran her free hand across his chest, then his lower abdomen, and trailed to his hip bone. Being this close to him, she could feel him pulsating where her stomach was pressed between his legs and he groaned.
"Sorry…" he said ruefully, noticing her pause.
In reply, she pressed further into him, letting him know that she wasn't bothered in the slightest. The contact made him groan again, but this time, he was entirely unapologetic. Grabbing her hips, he pushed her backward until the backs of her legs hit the edge of the bed and she fell down onto it. She let out a quick yelp of surprise, then laughed at herself, covering her mouth with one hand.
The wind had blown out the last of their light, and neither of them minded. They both found that it made it easier for them to focus on touch alone, and the idea of not knowing precisely where the other person was, enticed them. Still standing, Harry unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off of her, discarding them wherever Hermione had put his shirt. He felt her tense and relax several times before he had even touched her, and the thought made him smile.
With one hand, he propped himself above her and kissed her lips, her neck, and back again. With the other, he slowly slid up her inner thigh, resting just below her sex. Grabbing her leg there, Hermione's body began to move with him, encouraging him to truly touch her.
"Can I-"
"Yes!" she said immediately, keeping him from finishing his question. With that, he found his way beneath her underwear and found the core of her. He could feel the heat coming from her. He had to feel her, to taste her. He wanted all of her.
Circling her clit with his thumb, he moved lower against her, bringing his mouth to the hem of her shirt. He nudged the fabric with his nose, and placed his lips against the bare skin above her panty line, trailing kisses across the low of her abdomen.
Wanting more, he pulled her underwear past her ankles and discarded them on the floor. The lack of lighting left him able to feel and smell her more. Her skin was soft, almost like silk, and she smelled sweet to him. He brought his mouth to her, his tongue enveloping her. She squirmed and brought one hand down, feeling it's way through his hair, then grabbing at the back. He groaned loudly, forcing vibrations from his mouth against her.
"Please, Harry. I need you…" she moaned, and that was it.
Harry brought himself up and kissed her lips once more. Guiding his length to her sex, he found her entrance and eased into her. She gasped as she took him in, and she felt herself opening up to him. When he was finally fully inside of her, she winced from the pain, but it quickly subsided, leaving behind nothing but pleasure. Realizing that she was fully comfortable again, he increased his rhythm within her, her tightness and her moans making it nearly impossible to stay within her. It was only a few moments more before she pushed him off and turned him so that his back was against the bed.
"Hermione, what--" he began, but her mouth on him was a quick enough response that he didn't need to finish asking what she was doing. She had taken the tip of him into her mouth, the heat of her breath making him pulse even harder within her. Sucking the tip, she found herself enjoy the taste of her on him, combined with the saltiness of his precum.
Gaining more confidence from his responses to her, she brought him in fully, until his tip rested against the back of her throat. He moaned loudly as she flicked her tongue against his length. Placing her hand against his base, she picked up her rhythm, sucking him harder than she had initially.
"Hermione, I can't—too much more and I'll--" and then she was on top of him, bringing him to her opening once more. He immediately grabbed her hips and moved her against him until her responses had told him that he was in the exact spot he needed. He lifted his hips from the bed, plunging deeper into her. His eyes were more adjusted to the darkness of the tent and he could see her head falling back, and her hands went to his shoulders, gripping him for support.
"Oh, god, you feel good…" she moaned. She bit her lip and could focus on nothing but the feel of him inside of her. The heat within her rose, and she could feel herself coming close to climax.
"Harry, I'm going to--" and with one last thrust, she came.
He pulled out of her immediately, and began stroking himself.
"No, Harry. I want to taste you."
She brought her head down, and brought his tip into her mouth once more. With her hand, she stroked the length of him, and within no time, he had filled her entirely.
Note: a part 2 will be coming soon Please comment and let me know what you would like to see in the future.