A/N: As I was surfing the 'net today, I stumbled on this really beautiful piece of fanart, and it spawned this. Warning: In all likelihood, this will be fluff.
Harry arrived at Hermione's flat five minutes late. It had just been one of those days, and to top it off, the rain was coming down in sheets outside. He had a very good inkling he looked like a wet rat.
He knocked on the door, which was immediately thrown open and a pair of arms shot themselves around his neck as a body launched itself at him. He staggered back, unprepared for Hermione to be so enthusiastic in her greeting.
In typical Hermione fashion, she began to babble. "Harry! I'm so glad you're here. I thought something had happened! When you didn't show up, I started thinking of all the horrible things that could have happened… I saw you run over by a car, captured by…"
"Hermione. It's okay. I'm here. I'm only five minutes late." He stopped her before she could work herself up anymore than she already had.
She blushed, and lowered her head briefly. She quickly recovered and her head popped back up with a grin on her face. "You're all wet, come inside, we'll get you dried off."
~*~*~
An hour or so later, Harry and Hermione sat at the dining table, drinking tea.
"And then, whoosh! The wind blew all the papers right out of my hands, and all over the ground." Harry looked to Hermione for sympathy, yet all he found was a smile struggling to be released. "It's not funny!" Harry protested as Hermione broke into laughter. Soon after, the infectious sound persuaded him to join her.
They couldn't stop. It felt so good to laugh again. When finally they had both calmed down, at least enough to speak, Harry said quietly, "Thanks."
Hermione looked at him and knew instinctively what he was talking about. There had been precious little laughter since Ron's death, and indeed, it was a relief to laugh. Just as softly she replied, "I needed it too."
Silence stretched out - seconds, then minutes. It was not uncomfortable. They were both lost in their private memories.
Finally Hermione spoke up. "You do realize that we've missed the movie?"
Harry spun his head to the small clock on the wall. "So we have. Well, what should we do, then?"
"I'd say we should go for a walk, but it looks as though that option is not probable."
"Let's just stay here and watch one. That way, we don't have to go out at all."
And so, ten minutes later, they found themselves in front of the screen with a bowl of popcorn, and huddled under a blanket.
Not long afterwards, they drifted off to sleep, Hermione resting her head on Harry's shoulder.
~*~*~
They awoke to snow on the screen, and still more rain outside the windows. Harry grumbled a bit before making the declaration, "I'm hungry!"
Hermione rose from the floor rolling her eyes. "Why does that not surprise me?"
"It's all about the food."
She chuckled as she said, "Come on, help me clean this up, then we'll find something to eat."
Harry stood, bringing the blanket with him. They began to fold it, each taking a side. His stomach growled, which got him a good round of teasing.
At the same time, they bent to pick up the empty popcorn bowl. Harry's hand closed over Hermione's, and they both felt a current run through them. He looked up into Hermione's eyes. In that moment, everything became perfectly clear. He loved her. He wasn't sure why this particular revelation came from an empty bowl, but it didn't matter.
Hermione turned and fled. She burst out the door, into the street, completely oblivious of the rain pouring in torrents around her.
Harry, shocked and immobile initially, shook himself, and tore out the door after her - determined not to let her get away. Not after what had just happened.
Desperately he called out, "Hermione!"
She froze, just on the opposite side of the street. She did not turn back, but just stood there.
Harry jogged over and stopped no more than six inches behind her, yet he did not reach out.
"Hermione."
The simple way in which he said her name, felt so deeply, pulled at her heart. She turned around slowly, not quite sure if she should. Keeping her head bent to avoid his eyes, her hair formed a curtain around her face.
They were both drenched at this point, but neither noticed nor cared. As he gently put his hand under her chin to lift her face to his, she kept her eyes closed. Despite this, she was entirely focused on this one moment in time. Harry simply stood there, waiting for her to open her eyes.
At last she did, and found herself drowning in a sea of clear, deep emerald. Her hand, of it's own volition, reached up to entwine itself in his hair.
In response, his other hand brought itself up to rest on her hip. They stood there for several moments, poised to tumble off the cliff of all they had known before.
Slowly, they drew closer together, until at last their lips touched. It was the most gentle of kisses, yet the light touch seared itself into their hearts.
They drew together once again, and they stood there, on the side of a Muggle street, locked together as if the world were to end tomorrow. The rain poured over them, and an old woman shook her head out her window at the young couple, a slight smile on her face.
Finally breaking apart, both turned their faces to the sky, seeming to remember that it was raining. He brought his focus once again to the woman in front of him. She too dropped her gaze. Huge grins broke out on their faces, and then they took off running for the safety of the flat on the other side of the road.
*~*~*
A/N: *jaw drops in shock* Did I really just right that? That piece of unashamed, blatant fluff? *looks around* Yep, I guess I did, no one else here. Hehehe… my first piece of pure fluff!!! Yeah, I'm definitely not feeling well. Darn fever… Sorry if it's a little OOC, I don't write much HP fiction.
Please review!
Disclaimer: Harry, Hermione, and the term Muggle do not belong to me. JKR is rich – I don't even have gas money right now. See the difference?
Nadja