HARRY POTTER AND THE MARK OF GRYFFINDOR
By Geena
Chapter 14: Can you feel the fluff tonight ?
A/N: indeed, my fluffiest chapter ever, and yes,
I decided to turn the Yule Ball into a New Years Eve party, just to fit my
story. Sorry about that.
When Harry removed his lips from Hermione's and finally snapped out of his trance he saw her looking inquisitive at him.
"Er… happy New Year." Harry stammered, hearing the midnight
chimes from the large grandfather clock in the entrance hall.
"Are you going to kiss everyone like this when we get back ?" She held her head slightly to one side, eyeing him sceptically.
"N-no." Harry stared at his feet, face growing hotter by the second.
Hermione clasped her hand over his and he regained enough courage to look her in the eye.
"Do you want to talk about it ?"
Harry looked back down again and sighed. "I guess it's obvious I'm making a gigantic fool of myself here."
"Don't say that. I only want to know why you kissed me, that's all." Hermione sounded genuine.
"I-I really like you. I mean, I feel weird when you're around and I think it's because I … well, because I'm in love with you." He looked at her from the corner of his eye, afraid she was going to laugh, but she did no such thing.
"Oh." For once Hermione looked lost for words, but as always in her case it didn't last very long. "I gathered as much, but I wasn't sure."
"You don't feel the same then." Harry stated, unable to keep his disappointment hidden.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it's not that I don't feel anything for you Harry, because I do, very much actually. But it's just that it's not as easy as it looks. Not with Ron and everything."
Harry's head snapped up. "You'd forgo on a relationship with me because of Ron ?"
"No no, as I said, it's just one of many things. But as his friends we do have to consider his feelings."
"I suppose." Harry wasn't convinced about this at all and it seemed Ron was enjoying himself quite well without them, so it couldn't be that big of a deal anyway.
"My biggest concern is that we're still so young." She interrupted his thoughts.
"You mean you think this is just a crush and we'll end up hating each other ?"
"I don't think we'd ever hate each other Harry. But yeah, what if it were just a crush ?"
"If we both believe this is only a crush, then what harm can it do if we were to go along with it ? Maybe it will go away after a while and we'll go back to being friends again. Maybe it will grow to be something more, who knows ? We can try, can't we ?" Harry said, eagerly.
Before Hermione was able to say anything, Harry continued: "But you don't really believe this is just a crush, do you ? I'm sure as hell don't. I think it's much more than that, and I really want to see where we could end up together. I feel good in your company and I know you like being with me too. Those feelings I've been having lately are a tad confusing, but I do believe I'm finally figuring them out. Can't we go on together ?"
"You know as well as I do that we're about to enter a vital stage in our education. I really want to be able to concentrate on my studies for now and any distraction, positive or negative might make me feel guilty if I didn't get the results I was aiming for." Hermione answered his passionate plea. "I also think we'd be incredibly young to commit ourselves. We're wizards, we'll live longer than muggles do. We're going to have plenty of time for all of that later on. Frankly, I think I want to develop my own personality first before I get into a relationship."
That last bit made Harry think. She did have a point there. Harry knew he was still in the process of discovering things about himself and maybe Hermione was right in thinking it might be more complicated if he were in a relationship at the same time. But complicated wasn't necessarily bad, was it ?
"I see what you mean and I agree, but does it mean we have to hold out all romance until we've found ourselves ? That could take ages !"
The despair in his voice made her smile. "You're right of course. Maybe … maybe we can figure something out that would allow us to have both. I mean, hold off the major commitment but still being more than just friends. Would that work for you ?"
"Does this mean we'd have to date other people ?" Harry asked with a horrified expression on his face, an image of Hermione standing close to Ron flashing before his eyes.
"Well, I wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to, but I don't think I could. As I told you, I really like you Harry, and I do have certain feelings for you. But as for now, I don't know how they're going to develop. So I think it would be best if we take things as they come, one at the time, don't rush into it."
Harry sighed. "I think I can live with that… for now."
Hermione gave him a smile and brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. Then she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. All of a sudden Harry was wondering why he was worrying himself so much. The bottom line was that Hermione liked him back and that was definitely an improvement of the situation he had found himself in earlier that day. Relieved he took her hand and led her back inside. They returned to Gryffindor Tower in silence. Right before she disappeared towards the girls' dormitories he pecked her lightly on the cheek, making them both blush.
Harry didn't sleep much that night, but it wasn't a terrible wake. He felt like he still had a long way to go, but as always he would follow Hermione's lead, knowing she'd probably know best.
*
Everyone slept in late the following day. Classes would start on Monday and they all wanted to postpone that moment as long as possible, students and teachers alike.
Harry decided to pay another visit to his godfather, this time with Ron and Hermione in tow. Sirius greeted them warmly and he had presents for the three of them. When they walked back to the castle, they saw Professor Palmer taking a stroll towards the lake. Harry told his friends he'd meet up with them later on, saying he needed to talk to their professor. He knew they would be visible from afar, but if he could convince her to walk towards the Quidditch stands, they'd have more privacy.
"Good morning Professor." Harry said cheerfully.
"And a very good morning it is, Harry." She smiled back at him, following his gesture towards a more secluded area of the Hogwarts grounds.
They engaged in idle chit-chat, talking about the ball, avoiding the dance-manoeuvre Harry and Hermione had pulled on their professors. When they were out of sight their conversation turned more private. Harry told his aunt about what had happened with Hermione and she smiled and said she thought Hermione was being very mature. This convinced Harry that he was on the right track and his day couldn't have gotten any better. That's until his aunt came up with her request.
"Harry, Albus told me you don't like being with the Dursleys and knowing how Lily's relationship with her sister was I can very well understand. I was wondering if you'd like to spent the summer with me at Snape Manor, I've already checked with Albus."
For a moment Harry was too stunned to speak. Then he thought about two more months of Snape and the attractiveness of the proposition seemed to diminish quite a bit. However, Jessica Potter was no fool.
"I've talked about this with Severus and he would also feel more comfortable if he knew you were with me this summer."
When she saw the dumbstruck look on his face she chuckled. "Severus always goes on a field trip to collect fresh potions ingredients during the first weeks of July. He doesn't want to leave me alone this time with the baby …"
"Baby ?!" Harry exclaimed.
"Yes, the baby. I'm pregnant. The baby will be born near the end of July and you can imagine how protective Severus is being right now."
"You mean, *the * baby ?" Harry asked, eyes widened in awe.
"Of course, you know I'm only going to have one child, so naturally it is *the * baby, as you put it."
"I – I'd love to keep you company !" Harry's eyes shone with happiness. He tried to steal glances at his aunt's stomach, but of course there was nothing visible there yet. She did notice however.
"I'm going to use a glamour charm to conceal my condition. Not that we fear anyone would guess who I am, but people would go wondering how I ended up pregnant at Hogwarts. There aren't much candidates you know." She smiled again.
"So I can really stay with you ?" Harry needed confirmation, after all he had been close to being rescued from the Dursleys once already and he didn't want to think about what had happened then.
"Yes. Like I said, Severus and I would be more than happy to have you there. You can invite your friends for your birthday if you like and I believe it is customary for you to spend the last two weeks of the holidays with Ron Weasley' family, that won't change."
Harry couldn't believe his luck and before he could prevent it he had launched himself at his aunt to hold her in a tight embrace. When he let go of her he thought he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye, but since it had been somewhere far away along the outskirts of the forest he wasn't quite sure. Nevertheless, he didn't want to risk exposure and hurriedly said goodbye to his aunt.
He now saw himself faced with another challenge: he'd have to tell Ron and Hermione where he was going to spend his summer and why. He'd also have to confess he'd been keeping secrets from them.
Once again complications were invading his
life and he fully realised he had caused this one himself. Oh well, better
not putting it off any longer and he resolutely headed for the Gryffindor
common room.
TBC
