Chapter Ten
Take Your Time
"So guys, what do we want to do today?" George asked later that evening.
"This sucks," Katie said. "No offense guys, but there's not really anything interesting for us to do." The Gryffindor's looked at each other thoughtfully.
"I've got an idea," Emily said.
"This isn't Truth or Dare again is it?" Hermione asked.
"Nope, better," Emily grinned. She ran up the steps to the second year's dormitory and brought something back with her, a bottle. In fact it was a Muggle Coke bottle.
"What are we going to do with that?" Fred asked.
"Spin the bottle," Emily said. The Gryffindor's looked at her confused. "It's a Muggle game."
"I know what this is," Hermione said. "Actually it has always sounded fun, the girls at my Muggle school played it all the time at their parties."
"Okay so here's how it works, we all sit in a circle. We take turns spinning this bottle and whomever it lands on, as long as it's not a member of the same sex or a sibling, we have to kiss. Let's sit on the floor and sit boy girl. Katie, Neville, Lavender, umm Ron, Parvati, Harry, Ginny, George, Hermione, Fred, and then me, Dean, Katie, Seamus…and just so no one gets embarrassed, we'll use the boys staircase so no one can see," Emily explained. They all took their seats, Harry sat wished that Emily had placed him between Ginny and Parvati. They both had crushes on him and kept sneaking glances at him, it was making him nervous. Harry noticed that Emily had placed Fred next to her and not George, probably a good idea on her part.
Emily smiled and put the bottle on the floor between all of them. "All right, whoever the opening of the bottle is facing is who you have to kiss," Emily said. They all nodded, and Harry felt nervous excitement flutter through him. He had never really kissed a girl before. He guessed that it was better this way than any other. If he made a blunder, than it was just a silly game. It wouldn't really matter.
"Neville, you go first," she prodded. Neville blushed and spun the bottle. It landed on Ginny. He blushed even redder.
"Off you two go," Emily said grinning. Harry watched as an even redder faced Ginny and Neville headed towards the staircase. Fred caught his eye by looking between Hermione and Ron and mouthed, "they have to". Harry tried not to laugh. Ron kept sending glances at Hermione and dirty looks at Fred. It was all too amusing. George trying to look as if he wasn't looking at Emily and Emily was smiling and talking with Katie. Hermione actually looked as if she was having fun as well. She was leaning over Fred to try and listen in on Emily and Katie's conversation and Parvati and Lavender were talking as well. Finally, Ginny and Neville, both redder than when they had left, sat back down in their respective places.
"All right!" Emily said. "Now since Lavender is on Neville's left, its your turn to go now." She spun and it landed on George.
"All right, let's go," George said practically dragging Lavender to the staircase. Harry saw Emily scowl for a minute but then quickly she changed it back into a grin when Fred began whispering into her ear. She looked from Ron to Hermione and back to Ron and began to giggle.
"You're kidding me, right?" Harry heard Emily asked. George and Lavender came back down to sit.
"Ron it's your turn now," Emily said stifling a laugh. Ron sent Fred a dirty look, while a look of innocence befell Fred's face. George snickered.
Ron spun the bottle and it kept going around. Fred and Emily smiled at each other and Harry noticed that Fred has his wand poking out his sleeve. Suddenly it stopped on Hermione and Fred, George, Emily, and Harry shook with laughter.
"Ron, Hermione," Emily managed to say. Ron sent them dirty looks and headed up the staircase with Hermione. Harry couldn't help but noticing that Ron's ears had changed into a very lovely shade of red. After about 5 minutes they came back down.
"Stay for a bit of extra snogging?" Fred asked. Ron shot him a dirty look.
"Pavarti's next, right?" Ron asked, trying to change the focus off of him. Harry looked at Hermione to see that her face was a bit flushed. Maybe Ron's little crush wasn't so one sided. Parvati went and the bottle landed on Dean. They headed up the steps and were back quickly. It was then that Harry realized that it was his turn to spin.
"Harry, go," Emily prodded. Harry realized that his palms were sweaty and he was shaking. Fred gave him a smile and Ron looked encouraging. Harry spun and out of half anticipation and half out of fear he couldn't take his eyes away from the bottle. It landed on Dean.
"Try again Harry," Emily said. He spun again, still keeping his eyes on the bottle. It finally stopped this time. He looked up to see whom it had landed on, and it was Emily. He felt butterflies in his stomach. He had a bit of a crush on her, he knew that, but suddenly he really wanted to kiss her. Emily stood up started up the steps. He looked behind him to see George scowling. He followed Emily up the steps. Emily was leaning casually up against the wall.
"You ready?" she asked raising her eyebrows. Harry didn't move for a minute, and Emily nodded. "You've never kissed a girl before, have you?"
"No, not exactly," Harry said, wiping his palms on his robes.
"Well, I won't bite," Emily teased. She stepped towards him. She was a good two inches taller than he was. She leaned down a bit and kissed him softly. Harry felt warmth fill him from head to toe and to Harry's amazement he felt himself kissing her back. He put his arms around her, hoping that she wouldn't mind. Harry hoped that this moment would last for quite sometime. There was a loud crash and he and Emily jumped apart from him and back into the wall. Like Harry, her face was a bit flushed and she was breathing heavy. Had she felt the same thing too?
"We better head down," Emily said. She grinned again. "We wouldn't want them to think we'd got some extra snogging in, as Fred called it, now would we?" Harry shook his head and followed her down the steps. They took their seats back in the circle.
"Ginny, its your turn," Emily said. Harry thought that he caught her looking right at him, but he wasn't sure. Ginny turned and it landed on Ron. She respun and it landed on Seamus. They headed up the steps and in no time flat were back again.
George spun next and was matched with Katie. They took a longer time upstairs than he and Emily had, and Emily seemed to notice. Fred was whispering something in her ear. Emily grinned.
"That's perfect," Harry heard her say. George and Katie came down the steps grinning at each other. Emily scowled at the two of them.
Without Emily saying anything Hermione spun the bottle and it landed on Harry. He and Hermione walked up the steps.
"How was your kiss with Ron?" Harry asked. Hermione blushed.
"Promise you won't tell," Hermione said.
"Promise," Harry said, already knowing the outcome.
"Wonderful. Yours and Em's?"
"Interesting."
"Interesting?"
"Good interesting."
"Well, I suppose you better kiss me," Hermione said. Harry grazed his lips with Hermione and they headed back down the steps. Ron sent Harry a questioning look and Harry mouthed "don't worry". Ron grinned.
Fred went next and spun Emily. They went up the steps and spent quite a long time up there. So long that George yelled, "Quit snogging and get back down here".
"Someone's jealous," Ron said just loud enough for Harry to hear. Finally Emily and Fred came down the steps. Emily took the bottle and spun Katie. She respun and it landed on Harry. Harry caught Hermione's eye and she smiled. Harry followed her up the steps again. Before Harry knew what was happening, Emily was kissing him and the warmth spread through his body once again and he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want to stop kissing her. Finally Emily broke away, flushed, still in Harry's embrace.
"We need to go back," she said.
"Why were you and Fred up here so long?" Harry asked.
"We were talking," Emily replied. "Believe it or not, Fred is a great friend. He's a really good listener, but don't tell anyone that we were up here doing that. Let them think otherwise." Emily grinned. Harry leaned in and kissed her again. They finally broke apart and headed towards the steps.
The played the game for several more hours. Harry ended up having to kiss Emily four more times, Ginny once, Lavender once, and Hermione twice. Hermione ended up kissing Ron two more times, George twice, Neville once, and Dean once. Ron ended up kissing Hermione two more times, Emily once, Lavender once, Katie once, and Parvati once. The common room cleared out.
"Let's play again," Hermione said, once it was just Harry, Ron, Emily, Fred, and her. George had gone to bed quite huffy. The only two people Emily had kissed were Harry and Fred.
"I don't think that George's heart could hold out," Fred said. "I thought he was going to kill Harry and I. And to think all we were doing with Em was talking to her, isn't that right Harry?" Harry looked at Emily and she prompted him to say yes.
"Yes," he lied. Hermione shot him a look.
"Well, I think I'm off to bed," Emily said winking at Harry. Harry looked confused. She mouthed the word "pocket".
"So am I," Fred and Ron said at them same time.
"I'll be up in a minute," Harry said. The two of them headed up the steps. Hermione shot Harry a look. He dug something out of his pocket.
Harry-
Meet me down here at 1am.
-Em
Hermione grinned at Harry. "I think someone likes you."
"Em, nah, she probably wants to tell me what an awful kisser I am," Harry said.
"Right Harry," Hermione said. "I don't believe you. Make sure you're down here though."
Harry waited until 1 am to go back down to the common room. He found Emily sitting in an armchair with a book in her lap. He hair was pulled up, and she was in her pajamas.
"Er, what did you want?" Harry asked nervously.
"Sorry, I gave Fred that bull story about us just talking, I just wanted to tell him alone," Emily rushed. "I wanted to be down here alone with you actually. Harry did you feel anything when I kissed you?"
Harry nodded. "It was like I went warm all over."
Emily grinned. Harry sat down on a couch and she moved over next to him. Suddenly she was kissing him again.
"You don't mind if I kiss you do you?" she asked, biting her lip. Harry kissed her back as a reply. It felt like they were kissing for days, when suddenly a light flickered on.
"Really, Em, sneaking down here," a male voice said. They jumped in surprise and broke apart. Harry looked to see Fred's grinning face.
"Fred you scared me," Emily replied. "You knew I was going to be down here." Fred grinned and shrugged.
"Just wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything I wouldn't do," Fred said.
"As if," Emily replied.
"Now that's a lovely little American phrase, do teach me more Miss Stephen-Spane," Fred bantered.
"Well Mr. Weasley I would love to, but right now, I am entertaining Mr. Potter," Emily countered. Fred grinned. Emily got up and sat back in her armchair. The three of them stayed up for another hour talking and then Harry went off to bed, leaving Fred and Emily still downstairs to chat. Harry stopped in the staircase when he heard his name.
"You like Harry don't you?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, but Fred, I like George too, I mean you know how I feel about George, maybe Harry is just a little crush, I'm not sure," Emily replied.
"Yes I do, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Fred replied. "I won't even tell George. But for now, have your fun with Harry. George is being stubborn. I just wouldn't have your fun with Harry out in public. Tell me when you're going to meet Harry and I'll keep George away. In the mean time, have your fun and take your time deciding, don't rush."
Take Your Time
"So guys, what do we want to do today?" George asked later that evening.
"This sucks," Katie said. "No offense guys, but there's not really anything interesting for us to do." The Gryffindor's looked at each other thoughtfully.
"I've got an idea," Emily said.
"This isn't Truth or Dare again is it?" Hermione asked.
"Nope, better," Emily grinned. She ran up the steps to the second year's dormitory and brought something back with her, a bottle. In fact it was a Muggle Coke bottle.
"What are we going to do with that?" Fred asked.
"Spin the bottle," Emily said. The Gryffindor's looked at her confused. "It's a Muggle game."
"I know what this is," Hermione said. "Actually it has always sounded fun, the girls at my Muggle school played it all the time at their parties."
"Okay so here's how it works, we all sit in a circle. We take turns spinning this bottle and whomever it lands on, as long as it's not a member of the same sex or a sibling, we have to kiss. Let's sit on the floor and sit boy girl. Katie, Neville, Lavender, umm Ron, Parvati, Harry, Ginny, George, Hermione, Fred, and then me, Dean, Katie, Seamus…and just so no one gets embarrassed, we'll use the boys staircase so no one can see," Emily explained. They all took their seats, Harry sat wished that Emily had placed him between Ginny and Parvati. They both had crushes on him and kept sneaking glances at him, it was making him nervous. Harry noticed that Emily had placed Fred next to her and not George, probably a good idea on her part.
Emily smiled and put the bottle on the floor between all of them. "All right, whoever the opening of the bottle is facing is who you have to kiss," Emily said. They all nodded, and Harry felt nervous excitement flutter through him. He had never really kissed a girl before. He guessed that it was better this way than any other. If he made a blunder, than it was just a silly game. It wouldn't really matter.
"Neville, you go first," she prodded. Neville blushed and spun the bottle. It landed on Ginny. He blushed even redder.
"Off you two go," Emily said grinning. Harry watched as an even redder faced Ginny and Neville headed towards the staircase. Fred caught his eye by looking between Hermione and Ron and mouthed, "they have to". Harry tried not to laugh. Ron kept sending glances at Hermione and dirty looks at Fred. It was all too amusing. George trying to look as if he wasn't looking at Emily and Emily was smiling and talking with Katie. Hermione actually looked as if she was having fun as well. She was leaning over Fred to try and listen in on Emily and Katie's conversation and Parvati and Lavender were talking as well. Finally, Ginny and Neville, both redder than when they had left, sat back down in their respective places.
"All right!" Emily said. "Now since Lavender is on Neville's left, its your turn to go now." She spun and it landed on George.
"All right, let's go," George said practically dragging Lavender to the staircase. Harry saw Emily scowl for a minute but then quickly she changed it back into a grin when Fred began whispering into her ear. She looked from Ron to Hermione and back to Ron and began to giggle.
"You're kidding me, right?" Harry heard Emily asked. George and Lavender came back down to sit.
"Ron it's your turn now," Emily said stifling a laugh. Ron sent Fred a dirty look, while a look of innocence befell Fred's face. George snickered.
Ron spun the bottle and it kept going around. Fred and Emily smiled at each other and Harry noticed that Fred has his wand poking out his sleeve. Suddenly it stopped on Hermione and Fred, George, Emily, and Harry shook with laughter.
"Ron, Hermione," Emily managed to say. Ron sent them dirty looks and headed up the staircase with Hermione. Harry couldn't help but noticing that Ron's ears had changed into a very lovely shade of red. After about 5 minutes they came back down.
"Stay for a bit of extra snogging?" Fred asked. Ron shot him a dirty look.
"Pavarti's next, right?" Ron asked, trying to change the focus off of him. Harry looked at Hermione to see that her face was a bit flushed. Maybe Ron's little crush wasn't so one sided. Parvati went and the bottle landed on Dean. They headed up the steps and were back quickly. It was then that Harry realized that it was his turn to spin.
"Harry, go," Emily prodded. Harry realized that his palms were sweaty and he was shaking. Fred gave him a smile and Ron looked encouraging. Harry spun and out of half anticipation and half out of fear he couldn't take his eyes away from the bottle. It landed on Dean.
"Try again Harry," Emily said. He spun again, still keeping his eyes on the bottle. It finally stopped this time. He looked up to see whom it had landed on, and it was Emily. He felt butterflies in his stomach. He had a bit of a crush on her, he knew that, but suddenly he really wanted to kiss her. Emily stood up started up the steps. He looked behind him to see George scowling. He followed Emily up the steps. Emily was leaning casually up against the wall.
"You ready?" she asked raising her eyebrows. Harry didn't move for a minute, and Emily nodded. "You've never kissed a girl before, have you?"
"No, not exactly," Harry said, wiping his palms on his robes.
"Well, I won't bite," Emily teased. She stepped towards him. She was a good two inches taller than he was. She leaned down a bit and kissed him softly. Harry felt warmth fill him from head to toe and to Harry's amazement he felt himself kissing her back. He put his arms around her, hoping that she wouldn't mind. Harry hoped that this moment would last for quite sometime. There was a loud crash and he and Emily jumped apart from him and back into the wall. Like Harry, her face was a bit flushed and she was breathing heavy. Had she felt the same thing too?
"We better head down," Emily said. She grinned again. "We wouldn't want them to think we'd got some extra snogging in, as Fred called it, now would we?" Harry shook his head and followed her down the steps. They took their seats back in the circle.
"Ginny, its your turn," Emily said. Harry thought that he caught her looking right at him, but he wasn't sure. Ginny turned and it landed on Ron. She respun and it landed on Seamus. They headed up the steps and in no time flat were back again.
George spun next and was matched with Katie. They took a longer time upstairs than he and Emily had, and Emily seemed to notice. Fred was whispering something in her ear. Emily grinned.
"That's perfect," Harry heard her say. George and Katie came down the steps grinning at each other. Emily scowled at the two of them.
Without Emily saying anything Hermione spun the bottle and it landed on Harry. He and Hermione walked up the steps.
"How was your kiss with Ron?" Harry asked. Hermione blushed.
"Promise you won't tell," Hermione said.
"Promise," Harry said, already knowing the outcome.
"Wonderful. Yours and Em's?"
"Interesting."
"Interesting?"
"Good interesting."
"Well, I suppose you better kiss me," Hermione said. Harry grazed his lips with Hermione and they headed back down the steps. Ron sent Harry a questioning look and Harry mouthed "don't worry". Ron grinned.
Fred went next and spun Emily. They went up the steps and spent quite a long time up there. So long that George yelled, "Quit snogging and get back down here".
"Someone's jealous," Ron said just loud enough for Harry to hear. Finally Emily and Fred came down the steps. Emily took the bottle and spun Katie. She respun and it landed on Harry. Harry caught Hermione's eye and she smiled. Harry followed her up the steps again. Before Harry knew what was happening, Emily was kissing him and the warmth spread through his body once again and he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want to stop kissing her. Finally Emily broke away, flushed, still in Harry's embrace.
"We need to go back," she said.
"Why were you and Fred up here so long?" Harry asked.
"We were talking," Emily replied. "Believe it or not, Fred is a great friend. He's a really good listener, but don't tell anyone that we were up here doing that. Let them think otherwise." Emily grinned. Harry leaned in and kissed her again. They finally broke apart and headed towards the steps.
The played the game for several more hours. Harry ended up having to kiss Emily four more times, Ginny once, Lavender once, and Hermione twice. Hermione ended up kissing Ron two more times, George twice, Neville once, and Dean once. Ron ended up kissing Hermione two more times, Emily once, Lavender once, Katie once, and Parvati once. The common room cleared out.
"Let's play again," Hermione said, once it was just Harry, Ron, Emily, Fred, and her. George had gone to bed quite huffy. The only two people Emily had kissed were Harry and Fred.
"I don't think that George's heart could hold out," Fred said. "I thought he was going to kill Harry and I. And to think all we were doing with Em was talking to her, isn't that right Harry?" Harry looked at Emily and she prompted him to say yes.
"Yes," he lied. Hermione shot him a look.
"Well, I think I'm off to bed," Emily said winking at Harry. Harry looked confused. She mouthed the word "pocket".
"So am I," Fred and Ron said at them same time.
"I'll be up in a minute," Harry said. The two of them headed up the steps. Hermione shot Harry a look. He dug something out of his pocket.
Harry-
Meet me down here at 1am.
-Em
Hermione grinned at Harry. "I think someone likes you."
"Em, nah, she probably wants to tell me what an awful kisser I am," Harry said.
"Right Harry," Hermione said. "I don't believe you. Make sure you're down here though."
Harry waited until 1 am to go back down to the common room. He found Emily sitting in an armchair with a book in her lap. He hair was pulled up, and she was in her pajamas.
"Er, what did you want?" Harry asked nervously.
"Sorry, I gave Fred that bull story about us just talking, I just wanted to tell him alone," Emily rushed. "I wanted to be down here alone with you actually. Harry did you feel anything when I kissed you?"
Harry nodded. "It was like I went warm all over."
Emily grinned. Harry sat down on a couch and she moved over next to him. Suddenly she was kissing him again.
"You don't mind if I kiss you do you?" she asked, biting her lip. Harry kissed her back as a reply. It felt like they were kissing for days, when suddenly a light flickered on.
"Really, Em, sneaking down here," a male voice said. They jumped in surprise and broke apart. Harry looked to see Fred's grinning face.
"Fred you scared me," Emily replied. "You knew I was going to be down here." Fred grinned and shrugged.
"Just wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything I wouldn't do," Fred said.
"As if," Emily replied.
"Now that's a lovely little American phrase, do teach me more Miss Stephen-Spane," Fred bantered.
"Well Mr. Weasley I would love to, but right now, I am entertaining Mr. Potter," Emily countered. Fred grinned. Emily got up and sat back in her armchair. The three of them stayed up for another hour talking and then Harry went off to bed, leaving Fred and Emily still downstairs to chat. Harry stopped in the staircase when he heard his name.
"You like Harry don't you?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, but Fred, I like George too, I mean you know how I feel about George, maybe Harry is just a little crush, I'm not sure," Emily replied.
"Yes I do, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Fred replied. "I won't even tell George. But for now, have your fun with Harry. George is being stubborn. I just wouldn't have your fun with Harry out in public. Tell me when you're going to meet Harry and I'll keep George away. In the mean time, have your fun and take your time deciding, don't rush."