dontpokeelmo~ Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. I'm sorry I
haven't updated sooner, I've just been so busy. I've also had a bad case of
writers block. Any way, if any of you have any ideas for future twists or
turns in this story, or you want to tell me who you think Hermione should
end up with, e-mail me at dontpokelmo@hotmail.com, or you can reach me on
my aim screen name: dont poke elmo. Any submissions will be most welcome,
really they would help tremendously. Please continue to read and review,
and remember that future chapters are based on the contents of reviews, but
if you don't like the story, just tell me. Also a special thanks to my
wonderful BETA Shel.
Oh, and on the point of advertising...and few friends any myself have started up a Hogwarts role playing site: and in order to get up and running we need students, and in needing students we need YOU! Check out the site and become a student.
*Harry's Point of View*
Harry jerked awake as the portrait door to the common room slammed shut, the sound of the fat lady's muffled curses at being awoken in the dead of night occupying the once resounding silence. The fire had been extinguished, and the only source of light was now the narrow beams of moonlight flowing through the icy glass in the windows.
It took him a few moments to remember that he had stayed here to waiting for Hermione to return from. . .well. . .wherever it was she had gone. He must have fallen asleep sometime after one, when the common room had finally emptied of the last Gryffindor stragglers finishing homework that had been put off far too long or having a evening game of wizard's chess. His eyes narrowed in the darkness, searching for the intruder when a thud emitted from an armchair close to him, and a stream of curses sounding much like the fat lady's came from a dim shadow of a figure at his feet.
'You might watch where you're going, it's a bit dark, you know,' Harry whispered into the darkness, and the shining light from the end of his wand revealed Hermione on her backside, flushed, and looking rather cross.
'What are you still doing up? I thought everyone would be asleep by now,' she replied rising and dusting herself off.
'I was just waiting for you. Why weren't you at dinner?'
'I was in the library, Harry. Why? Is it a crime to do one's homework at mealtimes now?'
'You weren't in the library, I checked.' Why was she lying to him? If she was with Malfoy she could just come out and say it, he didn't think he could stand waiting in anticipation much longer.
'So you're checking up on me now, are you?' She shifted agitatedly crossing her arms in defense.
'I was worried about you, I'm still worried about you.' He noticed her eyes were swollen and red from crying. 'Oh, Hermione,' he sighed and rose from the armchair to embrace her. It felt so good to take her into his arms. No, he couldn't think about this now, he had to comfort her. He had to tell her how horrid Malfoy was, and how she should be with him, Harry, instead. 'What did he do to you?' Well. . .he'd get around to telling her eventually.
She melted against him, wrapping her arms around him. 'He kissed me, Harry.' He could feel the tears falling onto his shoulder as she spoke.
'Did he. . . force himself on you?' Harry choked out the words as anger swelled within him. He would beat the shit out of Malfoy, make him pay for making her cry. Make him regret the day he hurt her.
'No, but he said some awful things. You were right, Harry, he does only want to sleep with me. How could I have thought he cared about me? That he would ever care for me. . .'
'He deceived you, as he's done to millions of other girls. Don't be too hard on yourself. How do you think he got his reputation anyway?' He pulled away and pointed his wand towards the fireplace, flames suddenly erupting and springing to life, dancing merrily in the grate. Taking her hand, he led her to the couch nearest the fire and they both sat down. It was awhile before either of them spoke, both letting the heat wash over them, and watching the flames flash now orange, now red, now yellow. She was so close to him, he could feel her breath. The heat from the fire was augmenting, and Harry's mind was becoming a bit clouded.
'I should have spotted it. How thick could I have been to think he desired any of my inner attributes,' she whispered hardly audible.
'Just because he doesn't notice them doesn't mean others don't, Hermione. I've noticed them.' Bloody hell. He hadn't meant to say that, it had just come out. He glanced over at her to see her reaction, but found that her eyes were upon him, her expression unreadable. 'Just about every boy in this school has noticed them.' He tried to hopefully cover up his slip of tongue.
'Everyone here just thinks of me as a bookworm, a studious girl who's only worth is to help write a potions essay, or copy history of magic notes. No one notices me. I'm always in the back, visible only when someone needs help.' She looked beautiful, the light from the fire playing across her face, her eyes bright, her lashes still damp with tears, her hair falling in wisps from her attempt to tie it back.
'Hermione, there could be hundreds of guys that are just too shy to say anything to you.' She snorted and shook her head, the curls now falling freely from their restraints.
'Name one.' She said with a laugh, as though the idea were utterly absurd.
'I've noticed you,' he said, and before he could stop himself, or even think of the consequences, he pulled her into his arms again and brushed his lips against hers before passionately capturing them again in a deep consuming kiss. He had often dreamed about kissing Hermione, doing things that made him wake up staining the sheets, and fighting for air, but it was nothing compared to reality. He felt as though a fire was running through his veins, a heat and desire so intense it would surely burn him, scorch him alive, but as he felt her running her hands through his hair, he didn't want it to ever stop. He was growing harder by the second, his pants now becoming most uncomfortably tight, and he longed to rid himself of them, but he knew he couldn't. A part in his brain registered that Hermione was hurt, venerable, confused. It couldn't happen like this, he was taking advantage of her. He pulled away slowly, reluctantly, instantly missing the lack of warmth on his lips. 'I'm. . .sorry, Hermoine, I don't know what came over me.' Her face was so close to his, her ragged pants for air torturing him as they blew across his face.
'It's. . . my fault too, I didn't. . . try and stop it.' She blushed and looked at the fire, deep in thought.
'What are you thinking about?'
'About you, about. . . Malfoy. . .'
Harry felt a knot tighten painfully in his stomach. 'Is he all you ever think about,' he said angrily. 'Didn't you hear a word I just said to you? Do you think it was all a lie? Well, it's not, I really do-'
'Stop,' she interrupted him sternly. 'Don't make this anymore confusing then it already is.' She rose to her feet and swiftly made her way to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories, but before ascending, she turned to face him. 'About what happened tonight, it was just the atmosphere, the conversation, that made us cross the line. The situation just made us think there was something more going on, you're my best friend, of course you're supposed to notice me. Besides, it was hot.'
'You're telling me,' he replied his eyes glazing as he recalled the intense kiss.
'That's not what I meant, Harry. The fire was making the room hot, I could hardly think, my thoughts were all muddled together.' She made to leave, but turned around once more to address him. 'Don't worry about Malfoy hurting me,' her tone was softer. 'I can take care of myself. Thanks for looking out for me all the same. You're a wonderful friend, Harry, and I'd be lost without you.' She turned and climbed up the steps, trying to make as little noise as possible, and Harry watched her until she was out of sight.
'Friend,' he muttered disdainfully. "Always a friend.' He sat staring into the flames an hour more before he willed himself up to bed, telling himself he needed the sleep, though he lie awake for hours with his arms tucked behind his head staring at the canopy. Unbeknownst to him, in the dormitory on the other side of the tower, sleep was evading Hermione that night as well. Sometimes, she was just too stupid for her own good, Harry thought sourly, bringing the pillow over his head attempting to drown Ron's snores a bed away.
Oh, and on the point of advertising...and few friends any myself have started up a Hogwarts role playing site: and in order to get up and running we need students, and in needing students we need YOU! Check out the site and become a student.
*Harry's Point of View*
Harry jerked awake as the portrait door to the common room slammed shut, the sound of the fat lady's muffled curses at being awoken in the dead of night occupying the once resounding silence. The fire had been extinguished, and the only source of light was now the narrow beams of moonlight flowing through the icy glass in the windows.
It took him a few moments to remember that he had stayed here to waiting for Hermione to return from. . .well. . .wherever it was she had gone. He must have fallen asleep sometime after one, when the common room had finally emptied of the last Gryffindor stragglers finishing homework that had been put off far too long or having a evening game of wizard's chess. His eyes narrowed in the darkness, searching for the intruder when a thud emitted from an armchair close to him, and a stream of curses sounding much like the fat lady's came from a dim shadow of a figure at his feet.
'You might watch where you're going, it's a bit dark, you know,' Harry whispered into the darkness, and the shining light from the end of his wand revealed Hermione on her backside, flushed, and looking rather cross.
'What are you still doing up? I thought everyone would be asleep by now,' she replied rising and dusting herself off.
'I was just waiting for you. Why weren't you at dinner?'
'I was in the library, Harry. Why? Is it a crime to do one's homework at mealtimes now?'
'You weren't in the library, I checked.' Why was she lying to him? If she was with Malfoy she could just come out and say it, he didn't think he could stand waiting in anticipation much longer.
'So you're checking up on me now, are you?' She shifted agitatedly crossing her arms in defense.
'I was worried about you, I'm still worried about you.' He noticed her eyes were swollen and red from crying. 'Oh, Hermione,' he sighed and rose from the armchair to embrace her. It felt so good to take her into his arms. No, he couldn't think about this now, he had to comfort her. He had to tell her how horrid Malfoy was, and how she should be with him, Harry, instead. 'What did he do to you?' Well. . .he'd get around to telling her eventually.
She melted against him, wrapping her arms around him. 'He kissed me, Harry.' He could feel the tears falling onto his shoulder as she spoke.
'Did he. . . force himself on you?' Harry choked out the words as anger swelled within him. He would beat the shit out of Malfoy, make him pay for making her cry. Make him regret the day he hurt her.
'No, but he said some awful things. You were right, Harry, he does only want to sleep with me. How could I have thought he cared about me? That he would ever care for me. . .'
'He deceived you, as he's done to millions of other girls. Don't be too hard on yourself. How do you think he got his reputation anyway?' He pulled away and pointed his wand towards the fireplace, flames suddenly erupting and springing to life, dancing merrily in the grate. Taking her hand, he led her to the couch nearest the fire and they both sat down. It was awhile before either of them spoke, both letting the heat wash over them, and watching the flames flash now orange, now red, now yellow. She was so close to him, he could feel her breath. The heat from the fire was augmenting, and Harry's mind was becoming a bit clouded.
'I should have spotted it. How thick could I have been to think he desired any of my inner attributes,' she whispered hardly audible.
'Just because he doesn't notice them doesn't mean others don't, Hermione. I've noticed them.' Bloody hell. He hadn't meant to say that, it had just come out. He glanced over at her to see her reaction, but found that her eyes were upon him, her expression unreadable. 'Just about every boy in this school has noticed them.' He tried to hopefully cover up his slip of tongue.
'Everyone here just thinks of me as a bookworm, a studious girl who's only worth is to help write a potions essay, or copy history of magic notes. No one notices me. I'm always in the back, visible only when someone needs help.' She looked beautiful, the light from the fire playing across her face, her eyes bright, her lashes still damp with tears, her hair falling in wisps from her attempt to tie it back.
'Hermione, there could be hundreds of guys that are just too shy to say anything to you.' She snorted and shook her head, the curls now falling freely from their restraints.
'Name one.' She said with a laugh, as though the idea were utterly absurd.
'I've noticed you,' he said, and before he could stop himself, or even think of the consequences, he pulled her into his arms again and brushed his lips against hers before passionately capturing them again in a deep consuming kiss. He had often dreamed about kissing Hermione, doing things that made him wake up staining the sheets, and fighting for air, but it was nothing compared to reality. He felt as though a fire was running through his veins, a heat and desire so intense it would surely burn him, scorch him alive, but as he felt her running her hands through his hair, he didn't want it to ever stop. He was growing harder by the second, his pants now becoming most uncomfortably tight, and he longed to rid himself of them, but he knew he couldn't. A part in his brain registered that Hermione was hurt, venerable, confused. It couldn't happen like this, he was taking advantage of her. He pulled away slowly, reluctantly, instantly missing the lack of warmth on his lips. 'I'm. . .sorry, Hermoine, I don't know what came over me.' Her face was so close to his, her ragged pants for air torturing him as they blew across his face.
'It's. . . my fault too, I didn't. . . try and stop it.' She blushed and looked at the fire, deep in thought.
'What are you thinking about?'
'About you, about. . . Malfoy. . .'
Harry felt a knot tighten painfully in his stomach. 'Is he all you ever think about,' he said angrily. 'Didn't you hear a word I just said to you? Do you think it was all a lie? Well, it's not, I really do-'
'Stop,' she interrupted him sternly. 'Don't make this anymore confusing then it already is.' She rose to her feet and swiftly made her way to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories, but before ascending, she turned to face him. 'About what happened tonight, it was just the atmosphere, the conversation, that made us cross the line. The situation just made us think there was something more going on, you're my best friend, of course you're supposed to notice me. Besides, it was hot.'
'You're telling me,' he replied his eyes glazing as he recalled the intense kiss.
'That's not what I meant, Harry. The fire was making the room hot, I could hardly think, my thoughts were all muddled together.' She made to leave, but turned around once more to address him. 'Don't worry about Malfoy hurting me,' her tone was softer. 'I can take care of myself. Thanks for looking out for me all the same. You're a wonderful friend, Harry, and I'd be lost without you.' She turned and climbed up the steps, trying to make as little noise as possible, and Harry watched her until she was out of sight.
'Friend,' he muttered disdainfully. "Always a friend.' He sat staring into the flames an hour more before he willed himself up to bed, telling himself he needed the sleep, though he lie awake for hours with his arms tucked behind his head staring at the canopy. Unbeknownst to him, in the dormitory on the other side of the tower, sleep was evading Hermione that night as well. Sometimes, she was just too stupid for her own good, Harry thought sourly, bringing the pillow over his head attempting to drown Ron's snores a bed away.