Author Notes: Cute fluffy Harry/Hermoine love! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: Hey don't take my idea! The rest belongs to the wonderful J. K Rowling! :)

Rated: PG for fluffiness and sweet kisses.

Enjoy!

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Before Dinner but After Love

By: Simplicity

Rain droplets fell down onto the earth in unorganized patterns. Splattering upon the fields into group that formed millions upon millions of watery speckles. And Hogwarts was never so .. dreary. You might think by the fact that flowers blooming in the rain might make some more cheerful, but it was the exact opposite.

Gloom was the focus around Hogwarts; perhaps it was because it was just another dull day. Or the fact that they couldn't go outside for their Magical Creatures class; but no one really wanted to try and tame baby fire-breathing dragons with Hagrid. Well they honestly really didn't!

Of coarse throughout the corridors of the school, everyone was crammed into their classes learning loads of interesting new stuff (please do note the sarcasm). And down three halls, to the right was located Harry, Ron, and Hermoine's least favorite class.

Potions. Professor Snape taught this class, but of coarse, the trio had to be in that class on that day. Those days of all gloomy days. Why today they all casually asked their selves between taking notes and trying to stay awake. But of coarse, the soft, yet deep words of professor Snape warning the Gryffindors that he would take away points always kept them slightly awake.

"Potter." Snape said in a monotonous voice that drifted the class into a further need and desire of sleep. "Potter, please do tell me, what would I get if I added Frog Bladder, and a White Dragon scale together."

With his last name read, Harry looked up to his Potions teacher, rubbing his eyes slightly, a clueless expression 'pon his face. "Uh, I don't know sir." But as quickly as Harry said those words, Hermoine threw her hand up in a gingerly manner to try and get the Professor's attention.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for Harry's inability to answer a simple question." Snape snarled under his breath. His eyes quickly flashed to Hermoine, who was just feet over from Harry. "And another ten from Gryffindor for Hermoine's ability to try and get my attention."

Hermoine slowly withdrew her hand from the air and music player. Well, not necessarily music, but the closet thing, the bell. Which was their gateway to freedom for the evening, plus it made a speedy get away from the land of boredom.

-

"You know Harry, Snape really has it out for you." Ron said as he tugged his books by his side; moving around the crowds but still trying to talk to Harry, failing a tad bit.

"Ron, honestly, do you think I'm that stupid?" Harry grinned before making his way to the front of the portrait that held a much needed rest; the Gryffindor tower.

"Password?" The image said, it was like an echo, it always said that--did it perhaps other feelings?

"Twiddle Doe." Hermoine sighed as the portrait opened leading them down a hall before they entered the common room of the tower. Resting, well, more like tossing, their books aside (minus Hermoine books who were nicely stacked 'pon a desk), they all bundled on the couch, closing their eyes.

"You know, we need to make more of this situation then we are already." Hermoine sighed as she looked out the window to the tears that heaven leaked (raindrops if you didn't get that!). "I mean we can go to the library and study -- or do some homework!"

"Oh Hermoine, I don't want to make my day more down! Blimey, it's already worse that I have a stack load of work from Potions." Ron said as he reached for his Potions book and flipped through its one thousand and forty-nine pages in a fast rate.

Harry grinned at the two, his cloak waved along his uniform as he stood up and reached for an umbrella. He then made his way out to the corridor that led to the exit (and entrance) to the Gryffindor tower. The umbrella swung somewhat as he turned back to face the two, looking rather smug.

"Where on bloody earth do you think you're going Harry?" Ron asked as he looked at him, well, mostly the umbrella.

"Ron's right, where are you going? I mean it's almost dinner and it's raining owls and frogs outside!" Hermoine said as she stood up and looked at Harry in disbelief.

"Going for a little walk. Can't be scared of a little rain now can, we?" Harry smiled as he rested against the wall with a smirk on his lips, but the smirk was falling into a smug grin, "Any want to come?"

"No way, Harry! You must be out of your blimey mind to go out in weather like that!" Ron said as he struggled to go through his other potion book. Figuring out where exactly to start. "Plus dinner's soon Harry, I'm hungry!"

"I'll go." Hermoine smiled to Harry. There was a weak accent of blush drifting along her cheeks, but it wasn't noticed, "That's if you don't mine sharing the umbrella."

"Not 'tall." Harry smiled as he looked back at Ron momentarily, "We'll be back in a tad bit, before dinner. Don't worry--well just about your homework."

With that, Hermoine and Harry made their way out the doors of the Gryffindor tower and past the ever-changing staircases. They were stopped once or twice in their tracks by Professors asking 'What do you think you're doing?'; but they gave their almost unbelievable excuse of going to go for a walk.

"Bloody madness. It's really raining owls and frogs out here 'snt it?" Hermoine grinned as she watched Harry open the black Umbrella hovering it over his and Hermoine's head. He only nodded before pulling Hermoine closer to him so he could fit both of them under the coverings.

Drops of water splattered on their umbrella causing an awful noise; not to say the least about the ends of their cloaks getting soaked in water that it gained from sweeping across the grass. Also to mention the mud that covered the bottom of their shoes. It wasn't that bad? Was it?

"Harry. I know it's only been about two minutes but things, we'll their not so good Harry." Hermoine said as the walked around the pond looking onward, "We'll catch a cold if we stay out in this weather."

"Y'know Hermoine, you can go back inside if you want. It's fine by me, but I do enjoy your company; but still, I'm going to stay and walk. Too much can be done besides peek out the room's curtains waiting for sunshine." Harry smiled as he looked up at the sky for a second, "It's nice out here anyways."

Hermoine looked at Harry for a moment; she knew her answer but couldn't get the right words out, so she stuttered. "Uh, I'll, uh, stay. It's not that bad, Harry."

Every now and then Ron peered out of the window to see Harry and Hermoine walking in the grass under the umbrella. He only left off a small chuckle murmuring random things to himself before continuing to still do his homework.

They made their way along the uncut, wet, dew covered grass, and still they only noticed a few times the amount of water that had stained their cloak. And they already forgotten how filthy the soles of their shoes were.

But in a dodgy move, Harry took the protection of the umbrella away from atop of their heads and threw it to the side before smiling at him. Pebbles of water fell on their hair, body, clothing; everything. Hermoine just stood in shock at what Harry had done, her jaw dropped. Speechless to say the least was the only action she could do. If that was even an action.

"Harry! What on earth did you do that for?! Blimey Harry! Now we will catch a cold." Hermoine said as she reached for the umbrella but was intercepted by Harry's hand holding onto her right arm that she used to try and get the umbrella. "Harry! Let go of my arm! I don't want to get any more wet than I already am!"

"Hermoine, it's not that bad 'tall." Harry smiled. That sweet smile that enchanted her eyes and heart. She was stuck watching him, and she knew she was making a complete fool of herself by just watching him; but did she care? No, not one bit at all. After all, it wasn't that bad 'tall.

"Harry we're going to get sick by just standing here in the rain." Hermoine uttered under her breath. They were both now drenched in the rain that fell upon them from the sky. From their cloaks to their skin, they were drained.

"It's not that bad at all Hermoine." Harry grinned as he pushed her down on the ground. Her body immediately fell onto the muddy dirt and sot that nature provided. Hermoine, of coarse was in shock. She looked at him with a frown on her face and stern eyes.

"It is bad when you go pushing me around, Harry!" Hermoine said as she tried to work her way up from the sitting position. Her back half of her cloak was now dirt covered. But of coarse, the Harry Potter was not finished with what he was doing.

"Not so bad at all.." Harry murmured before, sneaking his hands around her and then, he began to tickle her furiously. Her eyes closed with shock and glee wrapped into one emotion. Her hands began to try and push his hands away but still she laughed, giggled in complete bliss.

"Harry! Cut it out! That tickles!" Hermoine stuttered to get out from the echo of laughter's that filled her mouth. But she didn't want it to stop. Not 'tall. "C'mon Harry! That tickles so much! I'll blimey hurt you!"

Harry finally stopped before hovering over her some. They were both no sot and dirt covered. Drained with water, and yet still it wasn't that bad. Harry moved his eyes to hers before smiling, he whispered softly to her, "It's not so bad at all."

"Was the Harry Potter being romantic?" Hermoine thought to herself. Raindrops that fell from Harry's head fell onto Hermoine's own before drizzling off to the ground below. But did that matter now? No. Did it matter that they both had more laundry to do this week? Not one bit.

And did it matter that it was raining? Not for one bloody second.

"Harry.." Hermoine whispered as she watched him lean down, more closely to her face was his. His hands clung to the grass blades that lay under their bodies. He never took her eyes off hers, and he never took that gentle smile off his lips. Until he pressed his lips against hers. Then that smile turned into two.

He shared his smile with her. It was a tender kiss, was it. One's that the world no longer sees. Those kind that dreams are made of, and wishes were built upon. Ones that Neville would do on his pillowcase at night, but, that's another story.

Hermoine smiled behind the kiss in return. It lasted only seconds before Harry pulled away. Taking in every essence of her. Building with his own. And in return, like a lady, Hermoine did the same. Her eyes flickering, softly as the rain continued to dribble on their forms.

Harry was now Hermoine's umbrella.

He was there to keep the rain from her. To protect her so she wouldn't get more wet. And much the same would he do for as long as he would know her. And deep inside he wanted that to be forever. With that, how could Hermoine blame him for throwing away the black umbrella in place with one such as Harry?

"I'm sorry if you didn't want that." Harry grinned to her. He was being a gentleman. Courage, bravery, romantic. Blimey, why couldn't there be a Harry Potter for every girl in Hogwarts? Because he was Hermoine's. And he knew that.

"I loved it Harry." Hermoine whispered before lightly brushing her lips against his cheeks, "but as much as I'd like to stay out here with you forever." She paused at the word before blushing lightly, she had some control over her blushing; a good thing at that. "We better get in before Ron gets worried."

Harry agreed as he stood up and pulled Hermoine up along the way. He reached for the pushed away umbrella that lied to the side. Using that now as protection for their heads, but Hermoine much rather preferred Harry as a cover.

And as they walked, arm in arm. They couldn't help but share one more kiss on each other's cheek. And they couldn't help but laugh at each of them. Those little pecks that were engraved in hearts everywhere.

And up in the Gryffindor Tower, Ron was still doing Potions homework.

.:end:.

Love it? Hate it? Rate! Just please don't discriminate it! :)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

As always, love always,

- Simplicity