Thanks to my reviewers!
Disclaimer: Do I really have to repeat it? :-)
~*~
Harry flung himself down onto the bed. He felt both ashamed and embarrassed. Why did he do that? Hermione had just lost her boyfriend, and here he was, kissing her! What, in all that was good and heavenly on earth, had posessed him to do that? Then it came to him. He had kissed Hermione, in hopes that it would make her feel better, as well as himself. But far from making Hermione feel better, she had left the room in a torrent of tears.
Harry was now starting to feel the beginnings of guilt. He was starting to wish he hadnÕt kissed Hermione. SheÕd probably ignore him for the rest of the summer, Harry thought to himself. Oh well. Only time could tell.
~*~
"Harry, wake up! Mum says itÕs time for dinner."
Harry immediatley woke up from his sleep. "Ron?"
"ItÕs me, Ginny. Mum sent me up to wake you."
"Oh, well, tell her IÕll be down in a minute," said Harry.
Ginny left the room, closing the door behind her. Harry got up. It had been two weeks since heÕd kissed Hermione, and sheÕd been ignoring him. Everytime Harry, entered a room where Hermione was, she looked down, and hurried out, and the same thing happened whenever Hermione entered a room where Harry was. Ginny always looked curiously at Harry or Hermione when this happened. Harry went over to his trunk, and changed his shirt, and headed out the door; he decided that heÕd talk to her after dinner- he was tired of all the awkwardness between him and his remaining best friend.
As he passed the stuffed house-elf head, and then Mrs. BlackÕs portrait, he pondered over what he was going to say to Hermione when he got a chance to speak with her later that night. He decided that heÕd leave at the same time as her, and then pull her into the drawing room on the first floor, and speak to her then. All these thoughts stayed in HarryÕs mind as he opened the door into the kitchen.
"Harry, dear, hello," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Good evening, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and led Harry over to the only remaing seat, which was right besides her own; on HarryÕs other side was none other than Hermione. Harry sat down, and ignored the awkwardness of the situation, and the smirks that Fred, George, and Ginny were sending his way.
HarryÕs Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin was there. Harry was beginning to think of Lupin as almost a brother; and the only adult Hary had felt this way about was his late godfather, Sirius. Harry just hoped with all his heart the Lupin wouldnÕt get taken away from him, too. He was the only connection to the school life of James Potter he had.
"Harry, are you all right?" It was Mrs. Weasley.
Harry realized that his eyes were getting misty, but he nodded his head, and summoned the jug of pumpkin juice towards him; he was now 17, and could use magic outside of school. He poured himself some of the juice, and, seeing that HermioneÕs glass was empty, poured her some.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said quietly.
"YouÕre welcome," Harry replied quietly.
Harry remained quiet throughout the entire meal, and when dinner was over, and Harry had finished with his steak, Mrs. Weasley got up from her seat and started to clear off the dishes.
"Harry, Ginny, Hermione, ItÕs getting late, and I want you three to go to bed."
"But Mum!" Ginny protested, "IÕm not even tired!"
"Fine, then, you can help me clean up."
"Good night, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione. She got up and left the room.
"Good night, Hermione."
Harry stayed in his seat for a couple seconds more, and them remembered that he wanted to talk to Hermione.
"Night, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry as he hugged her.
"Good night, Harry dear," she replied.
Harry hurried out of the room, up the stairs, and through the door that opened into the ground floor. Harry saw Hermione halfway up the staircase that led to the first floor. He ran to catch up.
"Hey, Hermione," Harry said, once he had caught up to his friend.
"Oh, Harry, donÕt talk to me just now." Hermione sounded distressed.
"Hermione, please-"
"I want to be left alone!" And she ran the rest of the way to the first floor, and was a quarter of the way up the staircase that led to the second floor when Harry again caught up to her.
"Hermione, please, I-"
Hermione turned to him. "DidnÕt you hear what I just said, Harry?" she asked dangerously.
Harry noticed her tone of voice, but was not perturbed by it. "Hermione, I wanted to apologise! I know I shouldnÕt have kissed you that night-"
"Oh, now youÕre apologising," Hermione snarled.
"Hermione-"
"DonÕt talk to me!" Hermione ran the rest of the way to the third floor, where she now shared a room with Ginny, with Harry right behind her. "Why canÕt you leave me alone!?" shouted Hermione, when she had stopped at her bedroom door.
Harry was taken aback a little. "Hermione-" he began, but she interupted him.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"NO!" Harry yelled. "IÕm not going to leave you alone until you tell me why youÕve been ignoring me for the past two weeks!"
Hermione didnÕt answer.
"ItÕs because I kissed you, isnÕt it," said Harry in a calmer tone of voice.
"Yes," Hermione answered. Her voice was croaky, and when she looked up at Harry, he was startled to find that she was in tears. Harry pulled her into a hug, and she burst into tears.
"Shh..sh, Hermione, please donÕt cry," he whispered. He opened the door, and led Hermione in, who was still crying. "Which bed is yours?"
Hermione nodded her head towards the bed that was closest, and Harry led her over to it, and sat her down on it. Harry sat down beside her, and again pulled her into a hug.
"Hermione, whatÕs wrong? Please, donÕt cry!"
"IÕm sorry, Harry," she sobbed. "ItÕs just that, well, I feel...guilty...kissing you...when he...Ron...was my-"
Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, and tried to settle down. Harry pulled her closer, and put his hand on her head, and ruffled her hair lightly.
"ItÕs ok," said Harry soothingly. "I think Ron would have wanted us to get on with our lives,. He wouldnÕt want us to mourn over him for the rest of our lives, heÕd want us to enjoy them, and be happy."
Hermione sniffed. "YouÕre right, Harry,Ó she said, then after a pause, ÒYou always know just the right thing to say."
"I practiced in my head what I was going to say to you," said Harry, smiling. Hermione laughed.
They sat like that, for some time, until Harry realized that Hermione had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Harry shook her gently, and she awoke.
"Oh, Harry, IÕm sorry-" she began.
"ItÕs all right," said Harry. "Why donÕt I leave you, so you can get some sleep."
"But I donÕt want you to leave!"
"I know, but I need to go to my room to get some sleep, too."
"Please?" Hermione looked at him pleadingly.
"Tell you what," he said. "IÕll go down to my room, get dressed in my pyjamas, and then come back up here. I donÕt know where IÕll sleep, though. I canÕt sleep in GinnyÕs bed, because sheÕs going to be sleeping there..."
"You can sleep with me."
Harry went red, but said, "All right, 'Mione."
He headed out of the room, and down the stairs, and into his bedroom on the second floor. Harry opened his trunk, took off his robes, and put on just his blue pyjama bottoms, and headed back up the stairs. He reached HermioneÕs and GinnyÕs room, and knocked at the door.
Hermione opened it, wearing her pyjamas, which consisted only of a very form-fitting, barely sheer, red silk night dress. Harry stared at this for a couple seconds, then, realizing what he was doing, gave his head a little shake, and looked at HermioneÕs face. It suddenly struck him just how very beautiful she was. Hermione smiled.
"Come in." She held the door open, and Harry walked through. Hermione closed the door, walked over to her bed, and pulled back the covers; she got under them, and motioned for Harry to do so, also. Harry, who was still standing by doors, went over to her.
"Um...is it all right if we pull back the covers a little...?" he trailed off.
"Yeah, all right," said Hermione, and Harry pulled back the covers a little, just enough so that their legs would be covered, and they wouldnÕt be too cold.
Harry climbed into bed next to Hermione; Hermione snuggled up close to him and rested a hand on his chest, just below his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arm around her, and kissed the top of her head. Hermione fell asleep within a few minutes; Harry felt HermioneÕs breath on him, and was comforted by it, and within a few minutes, he, too, fell asleep.
It was like this that Ginny found them, about an hour later, when she came up to her room. She smiled to herself when she saw them sleeping together.
~*~
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Disclaimer: Do I really have to repeat it? :-)
~*~
Harry flung himself down onto the bed. He felt both ashamed and embarrassed. Why did he do that? Hermione had just lost her boyfriend, and here he was, kissing her! What, in all that was good and heavenly on earth, had posessed him to do that? Then it came to him. He had kissed Hermione, in hopes that it would make her feel better, as well as himself. But far from making Hermione feel better, she had left the room in a torrent of tears.
Harry was now starting to feel the beginnings of guilt. He was starting to wish he hadnÕt kissed Hermione. SheÕd probably ignore him for the rest of the summer, Harry thought to himself. Oh well. Only time could tell.
~*~
"Harry, wake up! Mum says itÕs time for dinner."
Harry immediatley woke up from his sleep. "Ron?"
"ItÕs me, Ginny. Mum sent me up to wake you."
"Oh, well, tell her IÕll be down in a minute," said Harry.
Ginny left the room, closing the door behind her. Harry got up. It had been two weeks since heÕd kissed Hermione, and sheÕd been ignoring him. Everytime Harry, entered a room where Hermione was, she looked down, and hurried out, and the same thing happened whenever Hermione entered a room where Harry was. Ginny always looked curiously at Harry or Hermione when this happened. Harry went over to his trunk, and changed his shirt, and headed out the door; he decided that heÕd talk to her after dinner- he was tired of all the awkwardness between him and his remaining best friend.
As he passed the stuffed house-elf head, and then Mrs. BlackÕs portrait, he pondered over what he was going to say to Hermione when he got a chance to speak with her later that night. He decided that heÕd leave at the same time as her, and then pull her into the drawing room on the first floor, and speak to her then. All these thoughts stayed in HarryÕs mind as he opened the door into the kitchen.
"Harry, dear, hello," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Good evening, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and led Harry over to the only remaing seat, which was right besides her own; on HarryÕs other side was none other than Hermione. Harry sat down, and ignored the awkwardness of the situation, and the smirks that Fred, George, and Ginny were sending his way.
HarryÕs Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin was there. Harry was beginning to think of Lupin as almost a brother; and the only adult Hary had felt this way about was his late godfather, Sirius. Harry just hoped with all his heart the Lupin wouldnÕt get taken away from him, too. He was the only connection to the school life of James Potter he had.
"Harry, are you all right?" It was Mrs. Weasley.
Harry realized that his eyes were getting misty, but he nodded his head, and summoned the jug of pumpkin juice towards him; he was now 17, and could use magic outside of school. He poured himself some of the juice, and, seeing that HermioneÕs glass was empty, poured her some.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said quietly.
"YouÕre welcome," Harry replied quietly.
Harry remained quiet throughout the entire meal, and when dinner was over, and Harry had finished with his steak, Mrs. Weasley got up from her seat and started to clear off the dishes.
"Harry, Ginny, Hermione, ItÕs getting late, and I want you three to go to bed."
"But Mum!" Ginny protested, "IÕm not even tired!"
"Fine, then, you can help me clean up."
"Good night, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione. She got up and left the room.
"Good night, Hermione."
Harry stayed in his seat for a couple seconds more, and them remembered that he wanted to talk to Hermione.
"Night, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry as he hugged her.
"Good night, Harry dear," she replied.
Harry hurried out of the room, up the stairs, and through the door that opened into the ground floor. Harry saw Hermione halfway up the staircase that led to the first floor. He ran to catch up.
"Hey, Hermione," Harry said, once he had caught up to his friend.
"Oh, Harry, donÕt talk to me just now." Hermione sounded distressed.
"Hermione, please-"
"I want to be left alone!" And she ran the rest of the way to the first floor, and was a quarter of the way up the staircase that led to the second floor when Harry again caught up to her.
"Hermione, please, I-"
Hermione turned to him. "DidnÕt you hear what I just said, Harry?" she asked dangerously.
Harry noticed her tone of voice, but was not perturbed by it. "Hermione, I wanted to apologise! I know I shouldnÕt have kissed you that night-"
"Oh, now youÕre apologising," Hermione snarled.
"Hermione-"
"DonÕt talk to me!" Hermione ran the rest of the way to the third floor, where she now shared a room with Ginny, with Harry right behind her. "Why canÕt you leave me alone!?" shouted Hermione, when she had stopped at her bedroom door.
Harry was taken aback a little. "Hermione-" he began, but she interupted him.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"NO!" Harry yelled. "IÕm not going to leave you alone until you tell me why youÕve been ignoring me for the past two weeks!"
Hermione didnÕt answer.
"ItÕs because I kissed you, isnÕt it," said Harry in a calmer tone of voice.
"Yes," Hermione answered. Her voice was croaky, and when she looked up at Harry, he was startled to find that she was in tears. Harry pulled her into a hug, and she burst into tears.
"Shh..sh, Hermione, please donÕt cry," he whispered. He opened the door, and led Hermione in, who was still crying. "Which bed is yours?"
Hermione nodded her head towards the bed that was closest, and Harry led her over to it, and sat her down on it. Harry sat down beside her, and again pulled her into a hug.
"Hermione, whatÕs wrong? Please, donÕt cry!"
"IÕm sorry, Harry," she sobbed. "ItÕs just that, well, I feel...guilty...kissing you...when he...Ron...was my-"
Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, and tried to settle down. Harry pulled her closer, and put his hand on her head, and ruffled her hair lightly.
"ItÕs ok," said Harry soothingly. "I think Ron would have wanted us to get on with our lives,. He wouldnÕt want us to mourn over him for the rest of our lives, heÕd want us to enjoy them, and be happy."
Hermione sniffed. "YouÕre right, Harry,Ó she said, then after a pause, ÒYou always know just the right thing to say."
"I practiced in my head what I was going to say to you," said Harry, smiling. Hermione laughed.
They sat like that, for some time, until Harry realized that Hermione had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Harry shook her gently, and she awoke.
"Oh, Harry, IÕm sorry-" she began.
"ItÕs all right," said Harry. "Why donÕt I leave you, so you can get some sleep."
"But I donÕt want you to leave!"
"I know, but I need to go to my room to get some sleep, too."
"Please?" Hermione looked at him pleadingly.
"Tell you what," he said. "IÕll go down to my room, get dressed in my pyjamas, and then come back up here. I donÕt know where IÕll sleep, though. I canÕt sleep in GinnyÕs bed, because sheÕs going to be sleeping there..."
"You can sleep with me."
Harry went red, but said, "All right, 'Mione."
He headed out of the room, and down the stairs, and into his bedroom on the second floor. Harry opened his trunk, took off his robes, and put on just his blue pyjama bottoms, and headed back up the stairs. He reached HermioneÕs and GinnyÕs room, and knocked at the door.
Hermione opened it, wearing her pyjamas, which consisted only of a very form-fitting, barely sheer, red silk night dress. Harry stared at this for a couple seconds, then, realizing what he was doing, gave his head a little shake, and looked at HermioneÕs face. It suddenly struck him just how very beautiful she was. Hermione smiled.
"Come in." She held the door open, and Harry walked through. Hermione closed the door, walked over to her bed, and pulled back the covers; she got under them, and motioned for Harry to do so, also. Harry, who was still standing by doors, went over to her.
"Um...is it all right if we pull back the covers a little...?" he trailed off.
"Yeah, all right," said Hermione, and Harry pulled back the covers a little, just enough so that their legs would be covered, and they wouldnÕt be too cold.
Harry climbed into bed next to Hermione; Hermione snuggled up close to him and rested a hand on his chest, just below his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arm around her, and kissed the top of her head. Hermione fell asleep within a few minutes; Harry felt HermioneÕs breath on him, and was comforted by it, and within a few minutes, he, too, fell asleep.
It was like this that Ginny found them, about an hour later, when she came up to her room. She smiled to herself when she saw them sleeping together.
~*~
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