"I'm going to bed," said Harry. "Quidditch practice was really tough tonight."
"Oh good, if you're going, I can too without it seeming bad," Hermione chimed. "I want to make some more hats tomorrow before we head into Hogsmeade. Listen, Harry, you can join me if you like. It's more fun than you might think. And I'm getting pretty good now. I can do patterns and bobbles and all sorts. So, what do you think?"
Harry looked at Hermione, her expression earnest and hopeful. His instinct was to turn her down, but something in his chest made him hesitate, and a warmth that was born in his heart changed his words on the way to his mouth.
"Yeah, alright. I'd love to," Harry heard himself saying. Stranger still, he found that meant every syllable.
"Okay, great!" Hermione beamed, her eyes bright and flushed in her surprise. She clearly hadn't expected Harry to want to do this with her, and was simply elated that he'd stunned her by accepting the offer. The meaning behind that didn't sit well with Harry at all, so he was determined to be the best knitting partner Hermione could ever have wanted.
"What time?"
"Er, how does eight sound?" Hermione chanced.
"Early. But I'll be here," Harry smiled. "Night, then."
"Night, Harry," Hermione replied, her voice cloud-soft.
Perhaps it was knowing he had to get up so early, or perhaps it was his desire to not be a total dunderhead in the morning, but Harry slept only fitfully. He got out of bed at six-thirty, was dressed by seven, then decided to go down at quarter past before his restless pacing woke the other boys in his dorm.
To his surprise, Hermione was already up and waiting for him.
"You're up nice and early," Hermione smiled. "I didn't expect you for another hour."
"I couldn't sleep for some reason," Harry explained.
"Me, neither," Hermione quirked, cocking her head in a manner so cute that Harry actually ached a bit as he saw it. "That's strange, isn't it?"
"Very," Harry agreed. "Have you had breakfast? Shall we go down before we start?"
"Already thought of that," said Hermione brightly, gesturing to a stack of toast and a vat of pumpkin juice with two goblets. "I've been practising a Warming Charm on the toast, so it should still be, well, toasty! Juice?"
"Please," Harry grinned, sitting cross-legged next to Hermione.
They didn't speak much as they ate, and both seemed oddly keen to keep their crunching and chomping sounds to a minimum. As Hermione polished off her last slice of toast, Harry spotted a few crumbs clinging to her lips, which he noticed she had delicately glossed with a subtle pop of colour. It suited her, giving her lips a plumpness and moistness that Harry found he liked very much.
"You've got something … just there," Harry pointed out, gesturing to the rogue crumbs.
"Oh, look at me! Can't take me anywhere!" Hermione laughed, licking the crumbs away. Harry's eyes were drawn to the momentary flash of pink that was her tongue, and the sight made him wet his own lips, but he had no idea why.
"All finished?" Hermione asked, whisking Harry's plate and goblet away. "Shall we begin?"
"Alright, what do I do?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Well, we have plenty of colours and shades," Hermione replied, pulling dozens of balls of wool from her bag. "Which would you prefer?"
"I think that we should follow the First Rule of Knitting," Harry cut across, thumbing through a number of already-crocheted hats and admiring Hermione's skill in making them.
"And what's that?"
"That you should 'Always Wear a Bobble Hat Whilst Making a Bobble Hat'."
"There is no such rule!" Hermione protested with a laugh. "But I will if you will."
"Okay, but you first," Harry smirked. "What colour would you like? Pretty in Pink, or Gryffindor Scarlet? Or maybe even Slytherin Green?"
"I think it's more of an emerald green, like your eyes," Hermione mused, blushing as she realised what she'd said. She added quickly, "So maybe you should have that one."
"I can't imagine you in Slytherin," Harry pondered. "It wouldn't suit you."
"And why not?" Hermione asked in mock indignation. "Not evil enough for you, am I?"
"Oh, you're evil enough for me, but you're an amateur compared to the likes of Malfoy and Bulstrode!"
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione laughed. "If they are your idea of evil we are quite safe from danger! But, come now, this is a terrible way to knit."
"Then pick a hat."
"You pick one for me," Hermione challenged in a shy voice. "Which … which looks cutest on me?"
"I've always liked you in blue," Harry told her without ceremony. "So this one would look best."
He held up his selection as if to illustrate his point. Hermione blinked meekly at him.
"I … I never thought that … that'd you'd notice enough to have a preference."
"Well … I did," Harry mumbled, turning his eyes down bashfully. "So blue it is."
Harry looked up and carefully pulled the woollen hat over his best friend's head. It was slow, delicate work, not least because of the dense mass of Hermione's hair. Finally, Harry got the hat fully on, though he did pause to brush a stray strand of hair behind Hermione's ear. She drew in a sharp breath at the contact, as his fingertips brushed across her white-hot skin.
"Sorry. It was in the way," Harry apologised.
"Oh, no, it's fine. My hair's always been a nightmare," Hermione replied somewhat breathily.
"I like it. Always have. You wouldn't be you without it."
They held a gaze, for a second that might have been a lifetime. Something was happening, something terrifying, but they were both quite desperate for the moment to arrive. Hermione curled her eyes across his face as though searching for the answer to a lifelong riddle.
"Now it's your turn. It has to be the green one."
"Alright, but what about these, too?" Harry grinned. "Close your eyes."
"Why?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Just do it, will you?"
"Alright, but I'm warning you that this better not be some sort of trick."
"It's not, I promise."
Then Harry pulled the bobble hat over his head. But he noticed that Hermione had knitted a matching pair of mittens, so he slipped them on, too … not over his hands, mind you, but over his own ears. He had to trap them beneath the arms of his glasses, making him look very silly indeed. He hoped nobody but Hermione would see.
"Okay. Open your eyes."
So she did … and promptly fell about laughing.
"What do you think?" Harry asked goofily.
"You look ridiculous!" Hermione hooted, tears streaming from her eyes. "Adorable, but utterly ridiculous!"
"Then you'd better get a pair on too!"
Harry reached for another pair of mittens and tried to force them over Hermione's ears. She shrieked and laughed and tried to pull away, but only succeeded in falling against Harry. He found his right arm suddenly around her shoulders, cradling her almost. His left hand was somehow on her waist.
Then they came to a complete stop and just looked at each other.
Hermione was breathing heavily, flushed pink from their playful wrestling. Her chest rose and fell sharply, and Harry's eyes were drawn to the movement. Hermione's gaze searched Harry's face hungrily, wantonly, and his looked right back, wondering what was happening ... but he was frozen a moment about what to do next.
Then Hermione turned away, sighing in disappointment. Harry reacted swiftly, raising his hand from her waist to the boiling heat of her cheek, turning her head gently back to his and pressing his lips softly to hers as he bent down to meet her. She moaned in surprise, a moan that rose from her throat, a moan of utter contentment. Her arms curled around his shoulders and she tugged him close until they were flush together.
After a minute, they broke apart breathlessly.
"What just happened, Harry?" Hermione asked, smoothing his cheek and looking deeply into his face, just as stunned as hers. "Why did you do that?"
"We were having a moment … and I feel we've missed so many of those," Harry breathed back. "Weren't we having a moment?"
Hermione laughed and tugged him close again. "Yes, we were! The very best moment! I hope we have many more of them, too!"
"We will, we will," Harry crowed vehemently. "There are plenty of elves in need of your hats, after all!"
"You know, I never thought of knitting as a romantic endeavour before!" Hermione giggled. "I couldn't ever have guessed that this would be how it started between us!"
"Let's just see it as another one of your quirks … and I absolutely love all those things about you! You wouldn't be you without them."
Fin.