A/N: Ok! Let's hope these two can talk it out. Woo woo! Machine again…this will be the third chapter today! Hehe. See what I mean? I stopped writing for a little bit because OOPT depressed my creativity for a while…but I tried to work around it. Cho was a real mess during the entire book though, wasn't she? LoL. Why the freak would she want to talk about Cedric with Harry? I'd rather not talk about his death over and over again as she obviously spent all summer thinking about it. I could understand her wanting to know what happened…but why would she bring Harry to a café and all? And then during Xmas she was all up on him. WTF she needs therapy.
Chapter Nine"Well, Hermione…about our fight earlier…I meant what I said, but you didn't understand. You asked me to explain it to you…so that's what I'm gonna do now."
"You said it hurt you to be with me," Hermione whispered, looking at the ground.
"Because it did." Hermione winced.
"Why?" she asked. "I still don't understand what I did."
"That's because you didn't do anything. It was all about me…and my feelings," Harry said with a blush. "I-I didn't want to have to hold back anymore." Hermione looked up at him.
"I was holding you back?"
"No, no not you. I had to hold myself back."
"Hold yourself back from what?" Hermione asked softly.
"From you…" Harry whispered, blushing even deeper. "I didn't want you to know…"
"Know what?" Hermione asked, hope sparking in her heart. She quickly extinguished it, telling herself that he secretly hated her or something.
"I didn't want you to know how I really feel…"
"Well how do you feel?" Hermione closed her eyes as she braced herself for the bitter rejection, the hate, the repulsion, whatever he had in store for her. But nothing came. She felt strong hands on her shoulders and she opened her eyes.
"Let me show you," he whispered, leaning in closer. His lips were barely touching hers, yet they burned like fire. Her eyelids fluttered shut, eyelashes tickling his cheek. Then he kissed her. It was no different from any other of their kisses, except now, neither of them held back, and it was the best feeling in the world. His arms snaked around her slender form as her arms encircled his neck. There was no space between them, in body, mind and soul. Harry poured his love and anxiety into this kiss, showing her what he had had to keep from her for all this time. Hermione's walls of control broke and her own feelings emptied out into this kiss as well. They didn't know how long they were kissing, but it sure did take a long time to let go of all those feelings. When they broke apart, both were gasping for the air that they had been denied during their kiss.
"Harry," Hermione said quietly. He was staring at the ground, she could tell he was blushing even though she couldn't see his face.
"I-I'm sorry, I understand if you want me to leave," Harry said, reaching for his cloak. He obviously hadn't noticed Hermione's feelings being poured out into the kiss, apparently he had been too wrapped up in his own feelings to pay attention to whatever else was happening…typical male. Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed. Harry looked up at her looking hurt and confused. Hermione smiled and answered his questioning gaze by connecting her lips with his once more. This time he paid more attention. He felt her own frustration and confusion through the kiss…and he felt her love like it was raining out of her. He didn't care how corny it sounded, it was what he felt. They smiled brightly at each other as they broke apart this time. "You know…I guess I still need a date to the Autumn Dance," Harry said with a laugh, "Could I interest you in a piece of the action?" Hermione laughed with him and smiled up at him once more.
"I dunno…I heard some other guy might ask me," she said, looking at her nails with fake interest. Harry pretended to pout. She laughed again then pulled his face down to hers. The answer was obviously yes. When they broke apart a time later, Hermione remembered something that had been on her mind for quite some time. "Hey Harry, I have a question for you." He quirked his eyebrow in interest. "Lavender didn't buy that story about how you ended up spending the night in my bed…and I must admit, it is kind of sketchy. Were you telling the truth?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged and sat on a desk.
"You asked me to stay," he said. Hermione's face turned bright pink.
"I asked you to?" she asked incredulously. "And you actually listened to me?" Harry nodded nonchalantly. "Why didn't you tell me the truth in the first place then!?"
"I didn't really think anything of it, and I guess I forgot for a while too. I mean, come on, it was 5:30 in the morning, my brain doesn't turn on until at least 7:00."
"Well didn't it at least give you some sort of hint that I liked you?" Hermione asked.
"Well…I thought you were delirious or something…well I don't know!"
"Men…you're all so thick-headed," Hermione said, leaning towards him once again with a smile splayed across her lips, "but its an attractive thick-headedness," she finished before closing the distance between them once more.
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A/N: Really short! I know! But I mean…it must be stretched to 10 chapters! Don't ask me why, its just what I want. Short and fluffy. Next chapter will be basically the same thing. Autumn dance and that'll be the end. Anyway! Review! Don't flame!
