Chapter One - At the Burrow
It was the last week of the summer holidays and Hermione sat beneath the large tree in the back garden of The Burrow, a book in her lap, watching Harry and the Weasley children fly around on their brooms in the nearby orchard. It seemed now that there would only ever be six Weasley children as Percy refused any form of contact with his parents and had all but divorced them. He claimed to have no parents or siblings and all attempted contact had ended in tears on the family's part.
Hermione sat and thought about this; it felt to her like everything was breaking up. Sirius had been dead for over a year now yet a hole still remained, Percy was never seen anymore, Fred and George rarely put in an appearance now they owned "Weasleys Wheezes" in London, and now she too felt as though she was slipping away from the group.
She felt there was something missing in her life, something she greatly needed but the more she tried to put her finger on what would complete her, the more happiness seemed to elude her. There was a time when she thought Ron would make her happy and would be all she ever needed, but Hermione had soon learnt that this was not the case. They were far too much alike, always bickering, even when in each other's arms, and the whirlwind romance had lasted all but three months in sixth year.
It was now the summer before their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Hermione had received an owl that morning, informing her that she had been chosen to be Head Girl, yet she had not mentioned it at breakfast, or dinner, or tea. It was now Nine O'clock and the letter had still not been declared. The sky was turning from dusky pink to velvety blue as Hermione closed the unread book and began a walk over to the orchard.
"Hey Hermione." She heard Harry yell from above her head, hovering his New Firebolt 5000 above her.
Hermione lifted her head and waved to him, grinning happily to see her friend so content for once. The last year had been hard for him; coping with Sirius' death then having to face Voldemort again, only a few months ago, at the end of their last school year. The stress and exhaustion had almost killed her best friend and she had rarely seen a smile upon his face. But the worst was now over with and only life lay ahead of them as Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, resulting in not only the demise of the Dark Side but also in the death or capture of many of his followers, including Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Now his green eyes shone with freedom and happiness and he looked forward to everything; no matter how small.
Harry flew down next to her and Hermione linked her arm through his.
"You OK?" She asked him.
"You know what Hermione, for the first time in what seems like forever, I am. I can finally get on with my life, doing what normal seventeen year olds do, without having to forever wonder what Voldemort's got planned for me next. What about you though? Are you OK? You've been very quiet ever since we got here."
Hermione sighed;
"Oh Harry, I don't know what it is. I feel different somehow. I have done for a while. It's like there's something not in my life that really should be there, but I don't know what."
"You're probably just missing the danger and adventures we used to have all the time." Harry laughed.
Hermione gave him a weak smile;
"I think I need someone in my life. A guy."
"Well, I'm out of ideas to help you there Hermione."
"I thought you might be." Hermione said gloomily.
"Tell you what." Harry smiled mischievously, "by the time we're thirty and old and wrinkly, if neither of us are married we'll get hitched to each other."
Hermione smiled;
"Pinkie promise?"
"Pinkie promise."
The pair linked little fingers and shook, smiling; there are some things you never grow out of.
"There's something else too. Harry, I got a letter from Hogwarts this morning; I'm the new Head Girl."
"Well done Hermione." Harry beamed, giving her a huge, long, hug, "Of course, we all know it would be you. Did it name the Head Boy?"
"Draco." Hermione bluntly.
"Draco Malfoy?"
"No Harry, it's one of the many other Draco's we know. Of course Malfoy."
"Well, how do you feel about that?"
"I honestly don't know." Hermione confessed. "I mean, he might have changed, after everything that happened at the end of last year."
"Yeah or he might still be a self-centred git." Harry spat.
Hermione punched his arm lightly, unlinking from him as they entered the clearing in the orchard. Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Ron were having a heated debate over something Hermione didn't understand. Her eyes darted around and settled on Ginny who was leaning against one of the apple trees, looking very pale. Hermione rushed to her side;
"Ginny," She gasped, feeling the younger girl's cold, clammy forehead, "are you OK?"
"Not really." Ginny responded before wavering slightly and falling into a dead faint.
Everyone immediately flew, literally, to their sides. Harry scooped Ginny up into his muscular arms and began walking slowly back to The Burrow. Hermione followed anxiously, noticing how kindly Harry watched the youngest Weasley; "almost like he were her older brother; he's so affectionate," Hermione found herself thinking, "and cute too."
However all thoughts of Harry's attractiveness were pushed form her head when Mrs Weasley came running out of the kitchen, wiping soapy hands on her apron.
"Oh my dears, what's happened?"
"We don't know Molly," Hermione answered honestly, "one minute she was playing with the others then she suddenly collapsed."
"She hasn't been right all summer; pale with no energy. I don't think she should have come with us to Diagon Alley yesterday; it must have really taken it out of her. And playing Quidditch today won't have helped."
"But why has she been like this? It doesn't make sense; she's always been fit and healthy." Harry spoke up, the worry openly apparent in his eyes.
"She's been like this since the battle." Hermione pointed out; "it may have something to do with that. She's never killed before and whacking Bellatrix Lestrange with the Avada Kedavra shook her up a lot."
"That's true. We must get her to bed; it's an early start for all of you tomorrow, we will be heading to the station at Nine; please make sure you're up."
Harry and Hermione nodded their agreements before making their way upstairs, Harry carrying Ginny all the way to her bed.
Once they knew Ginny was settled and safe Hermione made her way to Harry's room. She knocked softly before going in; he was in the middle of getting changed and Hermione let her eyes wander his semi-naked form. His chest was large and toned, his shoulders broad and his muscles strong through the years of Quidditch training. "I bet the rest of him is alright to." Hermione found herself thinking before mentally slapping herself for even contemplating such things about her old friend.
"Oh Hermione, come in." Harry was beaming. Hermione blushed to think she had been found staring at him openly. She sat, somewhat uncomfortably, on the bed.
"Ron still playing Quidditch?" She asked.
"Yep, he really wants us to win the cup this year."
"You will; you've got the best team Gryffindors ever seen."
"Thanks. Um...is there something specific you wanted?"
Hermione panicked slightly, she wasn't sure what she'd wanted; to talk to him, to see him, be with him; anything.
"Not really, I just wanted to see you. I don't know how much I'll get to see you once we're back at school, what with me having my own rooms and everything."
Harry sat down next to her on the bed; he was so close Hermione could feel the heat of his leg through the thin cotton of her skirt. Nervously she began twiddling with a loose strand of hair, her eyes flitting around the room.
Harry watched Hermione; she was so beautiful he couldn't help it. She had matured into a beautiful witch; her breasts were full, her hips round, her stomach flat, and although her hair hadn't quite yet grown out of its busyness it still suited her and gave her a look of innocence that he adored. Right now she was fiddling with her hair like she always did when she was nervous. Harry couldn't help himself, slowly he moved towards Hermione. She turned her large brown eyes to him in start, but soon they relaxed and closed as she too leaned towards her best friend.
A lust that had been built up over what felt like a lifetime was released in that one kiss and Harry's hand found her cheek, gently began to caressing it as Hermione let her hands roam the unexplored flesh of the boy who lived. Slowly, Harry pushed Hermione backwards until she lay on her back beneath him. They continued to gently caress each other, Hermione wrapping her fingers on Harry's soft hair, whilst his hands pushed up beneath her skirt. She opened her eyes suddenly, shaking her head;
"No Harry." She said firmly but so as not to offend her friend, "not that; it's too far too soon."
Harry was confused; she'd been sending him all the right signals and now was turning him down. Ah well, he wasn't going to argue with her.
"Where are we then?" He asked, stroking a loose strand of hair form her face.
"I honestly don't know Harry, I'm sorry."
"Do you want me?"
"I'm not sure. I love you like a friend; that much I know, and maybe it could develop further but we would have to give it time. We can't rush things."
With a shrug and sexy smile he backed off her body, instead rolling to the side and opening his arms to her. Gratefully, Hermione wriggled into the warm, comforting space of her friends hug and they held each other until they heard Ron coming upstairs. There was a rapid scramble to look relaxed and innocent, and when Ron opened the door the two old friends looked as nonchalant as ever in each others company; nothing had changed.
It was the last week of the summer holidays and Hermione sat beneath the large tree in the back garden of The Burrow, a book in her lap, watching Harry and the Weasley children fly around on their brooms in the nearby orchard. It seemed now that there would only ever be six Weasley children as Percy refused any form of contact with his parents and had all but divorced them. He claimed to have no parents or siblings and all attempted contact had ended in tears on the family's part.
Hermione sat and thought about this; it felt to her like everything was breaking up. Sirius had been dead for over a year now yet a hole still remained, Percy was never seen anymore, Fred and George rarely put in an appearance now they owned "Weasleys Wheezes" in London, and now she too felt as though she was slipping away from the group.
She felt there was something missing in her life, something she greatly needed but the more she tried to put her finger on what would complete her, the more happiness seemed to elude her. There was a time when she thought Ron would make her happy and would be all she ever needed, but Hermione had soon learnt that this was not the case. They were far too much alike, always bickering, even when in each other's arms, and the whirlwind romance had lasted all but three months in sixth year.
It was now the summer before their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Hermione had received an owl that morning, informing her that she had been chosen to be Head Girl, yet she had not mentioned it at breakfast, or dinner, or tea. It was now Nine O'clock and the letter had still not been declared. The sky was turning from dusky pink to velvety blue as Hermione closed the unread book and began a walk over to the orchard.
"Hey Hermione." She heard Harry yell from above her head, hovering his New Firebolt 5000 above her.
Hermione lifted her head and waved to him, grinning happily to see her friend so content for once. The last year had been hard for him; coping with Sirius' death then having to face Voldemort again, only a few months ago, at the end of their last school year. The stress and exhaustion had almost killed her best friend and she had rarely seen a smile upon his face. But the worst was now over with and only life lay ahead of them as Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, resulting in not only the demise of the Dark Side but also in the death or capture of many of his followers, including Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Now his green eyes shone with freedom and happiness and he looked forward to everything; no matter how small.
Harry flew down next to her and Hermione linked her arm through his.
"You OK?" She asked him.
"You know what Hermione, for the first time in what seems like forever, I am. I can finally get on with my life, doing what normal seventeen year olds do, without having to forever wonder what Voldemort's got planned for me next. What about you though? Are you OK? You've been very quiet ever since we got here."
Hermione sighed;
"Oh Harry, I don't know what it is. I feel different somehow. I have done for a while. It's like there's something not in my life that really should be there, but I don't know what."
"You're probably just missing the danger and adventures we used to have all the time." Harry laughed.
Hermione gave him a weak smile;
"I think I need someone in my life. A guy."
"Well, I'm out of ideas to help you there Hermione."
"I thought you might be." Hermione said gloomily.
"Tell you what." Harry smiled mischievously, "by the time we're thirty and old and wrinkly, if neither of us are married we'll get hitched to each other."
Hermione smiled;
"Pinkie promise?"
"Pinkie promise."
The pair linked little fingers and shook, smiling; there are some things you never grow out of.
"There's something else too. Harry, I got a letter from Hogwarts this morning; I'm the new Head Girl."
"Well done Hermione." Harry beamed, giving her a huge, long, hug, "Of course, we all know it would be you. Did it name the Head Boy?"
"Draco." Hermione bluntly.
"Draco Malfoy?"
"No Harry, it's one of the many other Draco's we know. Of course Malfoy."
"Well, how do you feel about that?"
"I honestly don't know." Hermione confessed. "I mean, he might have changed, after everything that happened at the end of last year."
"Yeah or he might still be a self-centred git." Harry spat.
Hermione punched his arm lightly, unlinking from him as they entered the clearing in the orchard. Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Ron were having a heated debate over something Hermione didn't understand. Her eyes darted around and settled on Ginny who was leaning against one of the apple trees, looking very pale. Hermione rushed to her side;
"Ginny," She gasped, feeling the younger girl's cold, clammy forehead, "are you OK?"
"Not really." Ginny responded before wavering slightly and falling into a dead faint.
Everyone immediately flew, literally, to their sides. Harry scooped Ginny up into his muscular arms and began walking slowly back to The Burrow. Hermione followed anxiously, noticing how kindly Harry watched the youngest Weasley; "almost like he were her older brother; he's so affectionate," Hermione found herself thinking, "and cute too."
However all thoughts of Harry's attractiveness were pushed form her head when Mrs Weasley came running out of the kitchen, wiping soapy hands on her apron.
"Oh my dears, what's happened?"
"We don't know Molly," Hermione answered honestly, "one minute she was playing with the others then she suddenly collapsed."
"She hasn't been right all summer; pale with no energy. I don't think she should have come with us to Diagon Alley yesterday; it must have really taken it out of her. And playing Quidditch today won't have helped."
"But why has she been like this? It doesn't make sense; she's always been fit and healthy." Harry spoke up, the worry openly apparent in his eyes.
"She's been like this since the battle." Hermione pointed out; "it may have something to do with that. She's never killed before and whacking Bellatrix Lestrange with the Avada Kedavra shook her up a lot."
"That's true. We must get her to bed; it's an early start for all of you tomorrow, we will be heading to the station at Nine; please make sure you're up."
Harry and Hermione nodded their agreements before making their way upstairs, Harry carrying Ginny all the way to her bed.
Once they knew Ginny was settled and safe Hermione made her way to Harry's room. She knocked softly before going in; he was in the middle of getting changed and Hermione let her eyes wander his semi-naked form. His chest was large and toned, his shoulders broad and his muscles strong through the years of Quidditch training. "I bet the rest of him is alright to." Hermione found herself thinking before mentally slapping herself for even contemplating such things about her old friend.
"Oh Hermione, come in." Harry was beaming. Hermione blushed to think she had been found staring at him openly. She sat, somewhat uncomfortably, on the bed.
"Ron still playing Quidditch?" She asked.
"Yep, he really wants us to win the cup this year."
"You will; you've got the best team Gryffindors ever seen."
"Thanks. Um...is there something specific you wanted?"
Hermione panicked slightly, she wasn't sure what she'd wanted; to talk to him, to see him, be with him; anything.
"Not really, I just wanted to see you. I don't know how much I'll get to see you once we're back at school, what with me having my own rooms and everything."
Harry sat down next to her on the bed; he was so close Hermione could feel the heat of his leg through the thin cotton of her skirt. Nervously she began twiddling with a loose strand of hair, her eyes flitting around the room.
Harry watched Hermione; she was so beautiful he couldn't help it. She had matured into a beautiful witch; her breasts were full, her hips round, her stomach flat, and although her hair hadn't quite yet grown out of its busyness it still suited her and gave her a look of innocence that he adored. Right now she was fiddling with her hair like she always did when she was nervous. Harry couldn't help himself, slowly he moved towards Hermione. She turned her large brown eyes to him in start, but soon they relaxed and closed as she too leaned towards her best friend.
A lust that had been built up over what felt like a lifetime was released in that one kiss and Harry's hand found her cheek, gently began to caressing it as Hermione let her hands roam the unexplored flesh of the boy who lived. Slowly, Harry pushed Hermione backwards until she lay on her back beneath him. They continued to gently caress each other, Hermione wrapping her fingers on Harry's soft hair, whilst his hands pushed up beneath her skirt. She opened her eyes suddenly, shaking her head;
"No Harry." She said firmly but so as not to offend her friend, "not that; it's too far too soon."
Harry was confused; she'd been sending him all the right signals and now was turning him down. Ah well, he wasn't going to argue with her.
"Where are we then?" He asked, stroking a loose strand of hair form her face.
"I honestly don't know Harry, I'm sorry."
"Do you want me?"
"I'm not sure. I love you like a friend; that much I know, and maybe it could develop further but we would have to give it time. We can't rush things."
With a shrug and sexy smile he backed off her body, instead rolling to the side and opening his arms to her. Gratefully, Hermione wriggled into the warm, comforting space of her friends hug and they held each other until they heard Ron coming upstairs. There was a rapid scramble to look relaxed and innocent, and when Ron opened the door the two old friends looked as nonchalant as ever in each others company; nothing had changed.