Harry Potter and the Guardian of Magic
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This is purely fan-fiction, and I, in NO way, take credit for the character or places, except those that are my own, but I DO take credit for the ideas, because I've spent my personal time writing these and then typing these, so no flames or anything, or you won't get anymore (well..except for those people who want more, I'll type it for them, but the others can go and just drive off a steep cliff that have jagged rocks at the bottom!)
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This story takes place after Order of the Phoenix
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Chapter 2: Accidental Feelings
As they sped along invisibly through the air over Surrey, Harry first watched Hedwig glide along behind them before dropping out of sight for food, then he started to look at Hermione.
She looked beautiful. She hadn't changed since the end of term, but Harry had been too preoccupied to notice, and although he still missed Sirius, he couldn't ignore her any longer.
As Harry began to say something to her, Ron turned around and asked Harry how he'd been doing since the accident.
"Well," started Harry, "I've been doing fine, as fine as to be expected anyways.. it just seems.. different, without him here, you know.."
Hermione reached over and lay her hand comfortingly over his, making him almost jump before he relaxed back into the seat.
"Do the Dursley's know?" asked Hermione softly, looking into Harry's eyes.
"I haven't said anything to them, but I guess Dumbledore might have.. they don't seem to be any different, but they're always like that. I don't think they care about anything that happens outside their own little world.." Harry said, a slight trace of sarcasm, along with a hint of bitterness, in his voice.
Hermione's hand tightened over his own, clasping hers around his, making the blood in his cheeks burn slightly, luckily able to hide it in the dark.
They rode on in silence for another thirty minutes until Fred's voice broke through, telling them that they were a few minutes away from the Burrow.
After landing in the front yard and unloading the back of the trunk, Hedwig swooped down to land on Harry's shoulder, clearly happy to have been out and gotten some fresh meat.
"Harry!" a familiar voice cried from the doorway.
Turning to look, Harry saw Mrs. Weasely, along with Ginny and Mr. Weasely, standing at the door with smiles on their faces.
Harry smiled back at them and waved before helping Ron get his trunk out of the trunk of the car and carry it to the door.
"Harry, dear, how have you been?" asked Mrs. Weasely, patting him on the shoulder and shooing them inside the house, reminding them to wipe their feet on the rug before going into the kitchen.
After a few minutes of stowing Harry's stuff in Percy's old room, they were all back in the kitchen as Mrs. Weasely cooked them an early breakfast, telling Harry about all the newest news from the wizarding realm.
"Dumbledore issued a warning to everyone, that if anyone tried to harm you, he or she would be severely punished. He contacted us late yesterday and said that anytime we were ready, we could come and get you."
Harry grinned and imagined the Dursley's surprise, and happiness, after getting Dumbledore's letter today, and imagined his own happiness at being here, away from them.
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"Well," said Fred after finishing off his breakfast, "I guess I'm going to go get back to the shop, since we're due to open in about an hour."
"Okay, dear, be careful. And don't forget that you and your brother promised to stop by tonight for dinner!" said Mrs. Weasely as Fred got to the door.
"Okay mum, we won't!"
"I'll be going, too, Molly dear." said Mr. Weasely, standing up from his chair and kissing his wife.
"Okay, Arthur. Have a good day at work." she said, kissing him back.
Harry watched and, in a pop, Mr. Weasely had disapperated from the kitchen, leaving the five of them alone.
"Harry, you can go on up to bed if you want.." said Mrs. Weasely as Harry yawned and stretched.
"No thanks, I'm okay." said Harry, looking around the kitchen before looking back at Hermione.
"Where are you staying?" asked Harry, wondering if there were room shortages since he had came.
"I'm in Fred and Georges old room," she said, looking at the steps, "They have apartments now, so I can use their room, and since Percy.. moved… out.. you can use his."
Harry nodded, remembering the feud between Percy and his parents.
"Well, if you aren't sleepy then, do you want to.. study spells or something?" asked Hermione, at a loss of something to do since it had already started to rain outside again.
Harry smiled at her apparent awkwardness and nodded, moving up the steps to get a few books.
After two or so hours of working on spells, and copying down a few to put in the DA notebook he had started, Harry and Hermione were laying in front of the fire while Ron and Ginny rode broomsticks in the temporary weather break, reading a new Quidditch book that Ron had given him as an early birthday present, when Hermione feel asleep, her head on his shoulder.
Harry smiled at her and turned back to reading his book, not wishing to wake her, when Crookshanks bounded down that stairs and started to sniff around Hermione and himself.
"Shoo!" he whispered, trying to scare the cat away before it woke Hermione, shaking his hands at him to no avail.
Crookshanks crept up to Harry, sniffing at his fingers and rubbing up against them while Harry tried to bat the cat away, accidentally dropping the shoulder that Hermione had her head on lower, waking her up as she jerked her head back up before it hit the ground.
"Hermione! I'm sorry.. I was trying not to wake you up, but Crookshanks.." Harry began, looking into her deep brown eyes, his face moving closer to hers.
Before he knew what had happened, Harry had pressed his lips up against Hermione's in a kiss, his eyes shut, and lips slightly parted.
Harry pulled away from Hermione awkwardly, looking down at the book, his cheeks turning red from what had just happened.
He remembered his thoughts from earlier, in the car, and blushed deeper. Had he been wanting this to happen the whole time? Is that why he agreed to study rather than do something more exciting?
After a few tense moments, Harry dared to look up into Hermione's surprised eyes, a blush creeping along her cheeks as he looked at her.
"Er.. Hermione.. I'm.." Harry stammered, not really sure what to say.
"It's.. that is.." Hermione began, becoming flustered at not being able to finish, or even start, a sentence.
They looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say, when Ron and Ginny walked in, slightly damp from not making it all the way back before it started to rain again.
"Hey mates!" Ron said cheerily, clearly oblivious to the tension in the room.
"Hi.." they each managed to stammer out, casting weird glances at each other.
Ginny, thankfully recognizing that something was up, told Ron that they better get cleaned up before their mum had their heads, and they went upstairs to change.
As Ginny walked out of the living room into the kitchen, she shot Hermione a clear look: "Tell me what=s going on later."
Left alone again, Harry turned to Hermione and mumbled something to her about changing before lunch, clumsily getting up and following the other two up the stairs, his neck glowing red from embarrassment.
Hermione picked up Crookshanks and look at him, muttering about thick headed boys as she petted him on the head, retrieving Harry's Quidditch book from the floor before heading up the steps her-self.