Chapter 28
Hermionie woke up the next morning very satisfied. She got up with a yawn, and then got dressed. She looked over at Emma's bed before she left the dorm, and remembered why she was in such a good mood. With a smile, she descended the stairs. She almost always found someone in the common room before she was, but this morning, no one was around. 'They must be sleeping in.oh well.' She thought. She went back up to her dorm for her book bag. She had some books to return to the library. So she exited the common room, heading toward the library.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry awoke much earlier than was normal for him. Rolling over, he tried to go back to sleep. That didn't work, so he just got up and got dressed. Harry wandered down the quiet stone steps to the common room. He half expected to find Hermionie by the fire with a book, but she wasn't in sight when he arrived. 'Oh well.' He thought. He checked his watch. Breakfast was about to start. Of coarse, being a weekend day, not many people would be there this early. So he decided to go down to breakfast.
As he was turning a corner to descend another staircase, he saw a bushy haired girl with a bag slung over her shoulder, turn the corner.
"Hermionie, wait up!" He called. He half ran down the spiral staircase but found no one, until he came to the bottom.
"Hey." She said, from a few feet away.
"Hi. Going to breakfast?"
She checked her watch. "Sure, why not." For some reason she was more comfortable around Harry than before, and she didn't know why. Was it because he'd given up on trying to tell her he loved her? Sure, Hermionie thought about love, but never actually thought she was in it. She thought she was falling in love with Harry before that incident with Emma. Hermionie would always remember that, because that was the night Harry broke her heart into pieces.
The two of them walked into the hall, only seeing a few Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins. They were the only two at the Gryffindor table besides a few prefects and 7th years. Hermionie set her bag down on the other side of her seat, and helped herself to some toast and jam. Harry had some cereal with pumpkin juice.
"You know Hermionie," Harry said with half a mouthful of food, brandishing a spoon at her, "you never told me if you forgave me or not." He started eating again, but Hermionie stopped. He was right, but she didn't know what to tell him. 'Forgive and Forget.' A voice said in her head. 'Forgive, maybe, but never forget.' She thought.
"Well," she said, helping herself to another slice of toast, "Do you think I should?"
"Seeing how I apologized and called myself stupid for it, yes." He answered.
"Alright, I'll give you points there." Hermionie said. There was silence. Harry just kept eating, waiting for and answer. Hermionie took a bite of jammed toast and thought over it. She could forgive him, but that doesn't mean she has to go back out with him. Good thinking. "Okay," She said after a few minutes, "I forgive you." Harry stopped a spoonful of cereal mid way to his mouth, the spoon dripping with milk. He turned his head at her.
"Really?"
"Really." She said, with another bite of toast.
"Great!" he said
"Now do be getting any ideas Potter." she said. She had no idea why they were on last name terms, but it seemed to fit her attitude, "Just because I forgive you, doesn't mean I trust you, and therefore, doesn't mean I'll go out with you again." She said, and then decided to tease him, "Well, in the near future anyway." Harry cleaned out his bowl and then looked at her.
"I'll win you back Granger, I will." He said.
"You just go ahead and try." She got up, picked up her back and slung it over her shoulder.
"Don't you worry about that," he said, "I'll try."
"Key word: try." Hermionie pointed out.
"I will get you back," Boy he sounded confident, and that scared Hermionie. If he set his mind to it, he could get her back, "one way or another." He smiled at her and got up also. He walked forward, leaving her behind. She caught up with him.
"Oh? How will you manage that I wonder." She said.
"You'll see," He said, "you'll see." Hermionie didn't know what he was going to do, but if he wanted her back, damnit he was going to do his best. And Hermionie knew she couldn't resist him forever. She'd give into him one of these days. But first, she wanted to see how he was going to try to get her back.
"Want me to carry that?" He pointed at her bag. It was rather heavy, because she picked out a few more books to study from.
"Part of your plan Potter?" she said.
"No, it just looks heavy that's all."
"No thanks, I got it."
"Suit yourself." Hermionie shifted the bag from one shoulder to the other. She'd almost wish she'd taken him up on that offer. They both entered the common and found no one there. "Guess we'll have to sit here all by ourselves." Harry said, wandering over a couch. He lay down on a couch and stretched himself out. Hermionie set her book bag down by the couch and went over and stood by Harry. She had her hands on her hips, and Harry had his hands behind his head, and his eyes were closed. He opened an eye. "What?" he asked.
"Oh nothing." She said. She turned around to make it look like she was walking away, but the second Harry closed his eyes again, Hermionie sat, right on his stomach.
"Oof!" He said, bringing his hands from behind his head. "Jeez!" Hermionie giggled.
"Oh, was that you?" She smiled down at him.
"Believe it was." He said. He sounded like he was having a hard time breathing. Hermionie knew he was faking it. There was silence while each of them looked at one another. Hermionie was getting lost in his green eyes and that terrific smile, when he reached around and poked her in the side. She half screamed half laughed. Harry laughed at her, "Nice squeak." He said.
"That wasn't a squeak!" she said, "You scared me, and it tickled."
"I didn't know you were ticklish." He said. 'Uh oh' "So, are you going to get off me, or am I going to have to poke you again?" She didn't budge. He poked her and she laughed.
"Don't do that." She said.
"Then get off me." He poked her again.
"Okay! Okay!" She got up and squatted down on the floor near Harry's head.
"You don't have to sit on the floor." He sat up.
"Oh, thanks." She got up and sat by him. Not near enough to feel his leg against hers though. Hermionie looked into the fire. She so wanted to go back yesterday and be that close to him. She knew very well hot dangerous that would be.
"Hermionie?" He said.
"Huh? What?" she realized while she was daydreaming he had scooted closer to her, and their legs were touching again. 'This isn't good.' She thought. She wasn't stupid enough to move away from him.
"You looked like you were a thousand miles away. You alright?" His voice was calm, quiet, and soft. This gave Hermionie goose bumps considering how close he was to her.
"Yeah, fine." She answered. She looked at him with a smile. He was looking seriously at her. He took his hand and brought it to her face. He ran his fingers along her cheek and jawbone.
"What's the matter Hermionie? I can see it in your eyes, don't lie to me." He said. She looked at him. He knew her too well.
"You broke my heart." She said simply. She looked down, and at her knees. She didn't want him to see her crying. How embarrassing. He lifted her chin up, and she looked into his brilliant green eyes. There was caring and worry there. So he wasn't fibbing when he said he cared. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"I know," He whispered, "I know." She sniffed as another tear leaked out of her eye. "Please don't cry." He said.
"Can't help it." She replied. And as another tear escaped her eye, he leaned forward and brought his lips to hers. He moved his hand to her neck as he kissed her, and she kissed back. It wasn't peck, but they weren't making out either. Time had just stopped for the both of them, and they were living the moment. When he pulled away, and her eyes came open, the first thing she saw wasn't Harry's face. She had looked past him, and on the bottom stair stood Emma, zit faced and all, staring at Hermionie like she could kill her. Hermionie looked quickly back at Harry. She licked her lips, and closed in for another kiss. This one wasn't as long, just a peck.
"Harry," she whispered as she drew apart from him, "Emma is standing on the staircase. She looks like she's going to kill me." Harry just grinned.
"Don't worry about it." And he stood. "Morning Emma." He said after faking being surprised to see her there.
"Hi." She said coldly. Hermionie knew she could handle herself, but she stood behind Harry, a little frightened.
"What are you doing up so early?" Harry asked.
"Came looking for you." She said, "Thought you might want to go to breakfast with me." She stepped off the stairs and walked towards him. She stood a few feet away from him now.
"I've already eaten, thanks anyway." Harry said, almost politely. Emma looked at Hermionie, peeking over Harry's shoulder. She gave an evil grin, and stepped closer to Harry, wrapping her arms around his neck. He stood like a statue.
"Well, I'm sure we can find something else to do." She said seductively. She stepped closer, Harry's body pressed unwillingly against Emma's. Hermionie stood about a foot behind them, wondering what Harry was going to do. Hermionie's heart started to beat faster when Harry put his arms around Emma's waist. He leaned down to what looked like was a kiss, but he stopped, an inch from her mouth. She was all puckered up, and opened her eyes, surprised by the pause.
"I'd rather eat a slug." He whispered closely to her mouth. Then he suddenly pushed her away.
"But Harry-" she said.
"No." He said. He turned around, stood next to Hermionie and put his arm around her waist. "No." He repeated.
"But-" she stammered, looking hurt, "the kiss?"
"Meant nothing to me." Harry said, "Spur of the moment. I was with Hermionie at the time, and what I did was wrong. Don't you get it Emma? I don't like you." Harry said. Emma just gaped at him and then ran out of the common room, through the portrait hole. Hermionie laughed at her. She spun to look at Harry.
"That was good." She said.
"I know." Harry said, with that grin of his. He put both hands around her waist. She snaked her arms around his neck.
"Was that kiss part of your plan Potter? You lured me here didn't you?" She said with a smile.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Harry said coyly. He let go of her, after giving her a kiss on the cheek. Harry smiled coyly at her still, and then Ron came down the steps, to join them.
Hermionie woke up the next morning very satisfied. She got up with a yawn, and then got dressed. She looked over at Emma's bed before she left the dorm, and remembered why she was in such a good mood. With a smile, she descended the stairs. She almost always found someone in the common room before she was, but this morning, no one was around. 'They must be sleeping in.oh well.' She thought. She went back up to her dorm for her book bag. She had some books to return to the library. So she exited the common room, heading toward the library.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry awoke much earlier than was normal for him. Rolling over, he tried to go back to sleep. That didn't work, so he just got up and got dressed. Harry wandered down the quiet stone steps to the common room. He half expected to find Hermionie by the fire with a book, but she wasn't in sight when he arrived. 'Oh well.' He thought. He checked his watch. Breakfast was about to start. Of coarse, being a weekend day, not many people would be there this early. So he decided to go down to breakfast.
As he was turning a corner to descend another staircase, he saw a bushy haired girl with a bag slung over her shoulder, turn the corner.
"Hermionie, wait up!" He called. He half ran down the spiral staircase but found no one, until he came to the bottom.
"Hey." She said, from a few feet away.
"Hi. Going to breakfast?"
She checked her watch. "Sure, why not." For some reason she was more comfortable around Harry than before, and she didn't know why. Was it because he'd given up on trying to tell her he loved her? Sure, Hermionie thought about love, but never actually thought she was in it. She thought she was falling in love with Harry before that incident with Emma. Hermionie would always remember that, because that was the night Harry broke her heart into pieces.
The two of them walked into the hall, only seeing a few Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins. They were the only two at the Gryffindor table besides a few prefects and 7th years. Hermionie set her bag down on the other side of her seat, and helped herself to some toast and jam. Harry had some cereal with pumpkin juice.
"You know Hermionie," Harry said with half a mouthful of food, brandishing a spoon at her, "you never told me if you forgave me or not." He started eating again, but Hermionie stopped. He was right, but she didn't know what to tell him. 'Forgive and Forget.' A voice said in her head. 'Forgive, maybe, but never forget.' She thought.
"Well," she said, helping herself to another slice of toast, "Do you think I should?"
"Seeing how I apologized and called myself stupid for it, yes." He answered.
"Alright, I'll give you points there." Hermionie said. There was silence. Harry just kept eating, waiting for and answer. Hermionie took a bite of jammed toast and thought over it. She could forgive him, but that doesn't mean she has to go back out with him. Good thinking. "Okay," She said after a few minutes, "I forgive you." Harry stopped a spoonful of cereal mid way to his mouth, the spoon dripping with milk. He turned his head at her.
"Really?"
"Really." She said, with another bite of toast.
"Great!" he said
"Now do be getting any ideas Potter." she said. She had no idea why they were on last name terms, but it seemed to fit her attitude, "Just because I forgive you, doesn't mean I trust you, and therefore, doesn't mean I'll go out with you again." She said, and then decided to tease him, "Well, in the near future anyway." Harry cleaned out his bowl and then looked at her.
"I'll win you back Granger, I will." He said.
"You just go ahead and try." She got up, picked up her back and slung it over her shoulder.
"Don't you worry about that," he said, "I'll try."
"Key word: try." Hermionie pointed out.
"I will get you back," Boy he sounded confident, and that scared Hermionie. If he set his mind to it, he could get her back, "one way or another." He smiled at her and got up also. He walked forward, leaving her behind. She caught up with him.
"Oh? How will you manage that I wonder." She said.
"You'll see," He said, "you'll see." Hermionie didn't know what he was going to do, but if he wanted her back, damnit he was going to do his best. And Hermionie knew she couldn't resist him forever. She'd give into him one of these days. But first, she wanted to see how he was going to try to get her back.
"Want me to carry that?" He pointed at her bag. It was rather heavy, because she picked out a few more books to study from.
"Part of your plan Potter?" she said.
"No, it just looks heavy that's all."
"No thanks, I got it."
"Suit yourself." Hermionie shifted the bag from one shoulder to the other. She'd almost wish she'd taken him up on that offer. They both entered the common and found no one there. "Guess we'll have to sit here all by ourselves." Harry said, wandering over a couch. He lay down on a couch and stretched himself out. Hermionie set her book bag down by the couch and went over and stood by Harry. She had her hands on her hips, and Harry had his hands behind his head, and his eyes were closed. He opened an eye. "What?" he asked.
"Oh nothing." She said. She turned around to make it look like she was walking away, but the second Harry closed his eyes again, Hermionie sat, right on his stomach.
"Oof!" He said, bringing his hands from behind his head. "Jeez!" Hermionie giggled.
"Oh, was that you?" She smiled down at him.
"Believe it was." He said. He sounded like he was having a hard time breathing. Hermionie knew he was faking it. There was silence while each of them looked at one another. Hermionie was getting lost in his green eyes and that terrific smile, when he reached around and poked her in the side. She half screamed half laughed. Harry laughed at her, "Nice squeak." He said.
"That wasn't a squeak!" she said, "You scared me, and it tickled."
"I didn't know you were ticklish." He said. 'Uh oh' "So, are you going to get off me, or am I going to have to poke you again?" She didn't budge. He poked her and she laughed.
"Don't do that." She said.
"Then get off me." He poked her again.
"Okay! Okay!" She got up and squatted down on the floor near Harry's head.
"You don't have to sit on the floor." He sat up.
"Oh, thanks." She got up and sat by him. Not near enough to feel his leg against hers though. Hermionie looked into the fire. She so wanted to go back yesterday and be that close to him. She knew very well hot dangerous that would be.
"Hermionie?" He said.
"Huh? What?" she realized while she was daydreaming he had scooted closer to her, and their legs were touching again. 'This isn't good.' She thought. She wasn't stupid enough to move away from him.
"You looked like you were a thousand miles away. You alright?" His voice was calm, quiet, and soft. This gave Hermionie goose bumps considering how close he was to her.
"Yeah, fine." She answered. She looked at him with a smile. He was looking seriously at her. He took his hand and brought it to her face. He ran his fingers along her cheek and jawbone.
"What's the matter Hermionie? I can see it in your eyes, don't lie to me." He said. She looked at him. He knew her too well.
"You broke my heart." She said simply. She looked down, and at her knees. She didn't want him to see her crying. How embarrassing. He lifted her chin up, and she looked into his brilliant green eyes. There was caring and worry there. So he wasn't fibbing when he said he cared. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"I know," He whispered, "I know." She sniffed as another tear leaked out of her eye. "Please don't cry." He said.
"Can't help it." She replied. And as another tear escaped her eye, he leaned forward and brought his lips to hers. He moved his hand to her neck as he kissed her, and she kissed back. It wasn't peck, but they weren't making out either. Time had just stopped for the both of them, and they were living the moment. When he pulled away, and her eyes came open, the first thing she saw wasn't Harry's face. She had looked past him, and on the bottom stair stood Emma, zit faced and all, staring at Hermionie like she could kill her. Hermionie looked quickly back at Harry. She licked her lips, and closed in for another kiss. This one wasn't as long, just a peck.
"Harry," she whispered as she drew apart from him, "Emma is standing on the staircase. She looks like she's going to kill me." Harry just grinned.
"Don't worry about it." And he stood. "Morning Emma." He said after faking being surprised to see her there.
"Hi." She said coldly. Hermionie knew she could handle herself, but she stood behind Harry, a little frightened.
"What are you doing up so early?" Harry asked.
"Came looking for you." She said, "Thought you might want to go to breakfast with me." She stepped off the stairs and walked towards him. She stood a few feet away from him now.
"I've already eaten, thanks anyway." Harry said, almost politely. Emma looked at Hermionie, peeking over Harry's shoulder. She gave an evil grin, and stepped closer to Harry, wrapping her arms around his neck. He stood like a statue.
"Well, I'm sure we can find something else to do." She said seductively. She stepped closer, Harry's body pressed unwillingly against Emma's. Hermionie stood about a foot behind them, wondering what Harry was going to do. Hermionie's heart started to beat faster when Harry put his arms around Emma's waist. He leaned down to what looked like was a kiss, but he stopped, an inch from her mouth. She was all puckered up, and opened her eyes, surprised by the pause.
"I'd rather eat a slug." He whispered closely to her mouth. Then he suddenly pushed her away.
"But Harry-" she said.
"No." He said. He turned around, stood next to Hermionie and put his arm around her waist. "No." He repeated.
"But-" she stammered, looking hurt, "the kiss?"
"Meant nothing to me." Harry said, "Spur of the moment. I was with Hermionie at the time, and what I did was wrong. Don't you get it Emma? I don't like you." Harry said. Emma just gaped at him and then ran out of the common room, through the portrait hole. Hermionie laughed at her. She spun to look at Harry.
"That was good." She said.
"I know." Harry said, with that grin of his. He put both hands around her waist. She snaked her arms around his neck.
"Was that kiss part of your plan Potter? You lured me here didn't you?" She said with a smile.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Harry said coyly. He let go of her, after giving her a kiss on the cheek. Harry smiled coyly at her still, and then Ron came down the steps, to join them.