A/N: Chapter four for you! Enjoy! I don't have time for individual responses, so I'll catch up on those when I post the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own the concept of Harry Potter. The only thing I own is the plot. So, don't sue! Oh, and since the plot is mine, don't steal it!
Chapter Four: Friends With Benefits
As Harry and Hermione were eating breakfast the next day, something they could actually manage to cook, there was a knock on the front door.
"It's probably Tonks," Hermione said. "I'll get it."
Sure enough, with plum-colored hair and heart-shaped face, Sirius's cousin Nymphadora Tonks stood on the threshold.
Hermione led her into the kitchen, where Harry was just finishing up the last of his pancakes.
He stood up to greet Tonks and shook her hand.
She winked at him in return, and said, "Wotcher, Harry!"
They walked into the dusty living room and sat down. There was an awkward silence in which Harry began to twiddle his thumbs and Hermione fidgeted with the hem of her navy-colored t-shirt.
"Well, gee, if I'd have known you wanted privacy," Tonks began, grinning, "I wouldn't have shown up in the first place."
Harry and Hermione's faces reddened simultaneously, and Hermione was the one who spoke. "No! Tonks, it's not like that. It's simply the fact that... that..."
"No one's visited us and we haven't been out in two days so it's just strange to have physical outside interactions," Harry finished.
Tonks eyed him with a do-you-really-expect-me-to-believe-that? look.
"So why are you here?" Hermione asked after another moment of silence.
"I was told to come here and explain a few things to the two of you," she began. "First thing is that no one knows the Weasleys have gone to Australia... so should you come into contact with someone not in the Order, then don't tell them where Ginny and her family are, got it?"
Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Then, Remus has been called off on a trip to Japan," she said. "He won't be back for about three weeks."
They nodded again.
"And I was also told that the two of you might have some trouble cooking... I take it by your silence that the answer is yes. That's the only reason why I came; I would have just written a letter, but I had to drop some stuff off too," she continued. Out of her robe pocket, Tonks then pulled out six miniature boxes each the size of acorns.
"Engorgio!" she casted, and the boxes swelled to sizes of small shoe boxes.
Tonks began to open them one by one to reveal various assortments of food and ingredients, though in the last box she opened, there was different papers and books. There were cakes, pies, everything and anything sweet.
"Food and recipes," she explained. She looked at her watch and her eyes grew larger. She dashed out of the room, calling out various goodbyes and things as she left. "Oh no! I was supposed to help Kingsley! I'm dead! I've got to run, I'll drop by again later! Bye you two and behave!"
Once the Tonks tornado had subsided, Harry let out a breath and he and Hermione said at once, "What a character, that one."
-:-:-:-:-
The blasted thing wouldn't clip. The stupid necklace was being as stubborn as Hermione was.
She could neither get the necklace secured nor would she call Harry to help her.
"Fine, dammit," she mumbled. "HARRY!"
"I'm right here, Hermione. No need to yell," Harry grumbled.
He walked into the room where Hermione was spinning in circles trying to put her necklace on.
Harry couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his throat.
Hermione glared at him menacingly. "Have you ever tried putting one of these things on before?" she asked him.
"No, but that makes it all the more funnier," Harry laughed in return.
Hermione sighed, her hands leaving the base of her neck. "Just help me put it on, would you?"
She lifted the hazel curls which rested upon her back, and revealed what looked to Harry the most beautiful neck ever known to man. Not forgetting himself, he wrapped necklace around and clasped the clasp.
The silver chain fell swiftly around the neck to which it belonged, but Harry made no move to leave.
Instead, the next sensation Hermione felt was warmth and wetness at the back of her neck.
His arms wound their way around her waist, and she couldn't help but put her hands on top of his.
It was Harry — she knew that much — but was he...? Was he really kissing her neck?
A low moan escaped Hermione's lips, which she quickly covered with her hand. Through it, she said, "H-Harry... wh-what are you d-doing?" but it came out quite muffled, so she removed her hand and repeated the question.
"You have a very nice neck, Hermsy," he mumbled. He moved her hair out of the way.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You'd know just how to ruin a sexual escapade — if you ever had one, that is — you would call the girl some name like Hermsy and she would retch right then and there," she managed to gasp out.
"You wound me, Hermione," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, and finally stepped away. "What the hell were you doing... we're best friends! That's... not best friend... why are you looking at me like that?"
Harry lips grew into a smirk. "I'm looking at you like this because I know you liked it."
Hermione bit her lip nervously. "I never said I didn't... but we can't possibly... no, Harry! I won't allow it!" she replied confidently.
Harry took a seat on the edge of her bed. She went to step over him, but he grabbed her wrist and forced her to fall into his lap, straddling his legs.
His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, coherent ones as well as incoherent.
You want her, don't you? She's looking real good in that tank... oh, and those jeans... my my my. I didn't know Hermione had so many curves!
I can't possibly... she's Hermione! No way! She said so herself, and I'll say it too, I won't allow it!
But you want her, so go for it! Go all out!
I don't want her, she's Hermione. She's like my sister! I can't... no! No way.
But it was obvious that his resolve was crumbling, and as these thoughts were charging through his mind, his mouth was doing other things to Hermione's neck.
"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Harry!" It came out louder that time. "HARRY!"
And finally, he released her. She took this opportunity to shift in his lap and figure out what to do next.
"I..." she began. "I um..."
Harry put a finger over her lips. "Don't worry about it. It was me who was out of line, and I'm sorry."
With this, he lifted her into his arms, and set her back down on the bed, he himself leaving the room.
Hermione's hand went to her tingling neck, she fingered her necklace as her thoughts went out of control.
-:-:-:-:-
They avoided each other the rest of the day. Hermione spent her hours in Sirius's extensive library and Harry passed the time cleaning his Firebolt and reading through the recipes Tonks had left them.
Harry and Hermione bumped into each other for the first time in hours in the kitchen.
Harry had been sitting at the dining table looking through the recipe box, and Hermione had just walked in for some coffee.
She stopped short, and leaned against the table at which Harry was reading. He looked up from a piece of paper with a weary expression on his face.
They spoke at once.
"Listen, I'm sorry for reacting so stupidly," Hermione began.
"I'm sorry for acting so stupid. I shouldn't have done what I did... It was way out of line," Harry said.
They laughed off the awkwardness and Hermione sat down.
"And, Harry?" she said. He looked up, just in time to see Hermione pull back some of her hair.
At the side of her neck, there was a red mark. Harry drew in a deep breath.
"You gave me a hickey," she said.
He dove right into apologies.
"I'm so sorry, Hermione! Really! I didn't mean to do that, are you alright?" he ranted.
Hermione smiled calmly. "It just goes to show... you're really good at snogging," she said.
Harry relaxed a little bit. "Oh..."
"Harry?"
"Yeah..."
"This never happened... okay?"
Harry nodded.
"Are you sorry that it did?" he asked her.
Hermione shook her head.
"Opened up a whole new door!" she breathed.
Harry nodded.
"So..." Hermione asked. "What are we now?"
"Friends... with benefits," Harry answered grinning.
Hermione looked at the papers that were strewn about the large wooden table.
"Find anything good?" she asked, picking up one that was title Andromeda's Magical Chocolate Mousse Cake.
"They're all family recipes from the Black family," Harry explained. Hermione looked at him with a 'Naw... really?' expression on her face. "I think we can manage making the spaghetti and meatballs... Tonks dropped off a pumpkin pie too, so dessert's taken care of."
"Sounds good to me," Hermione said.
So, they set about making dinner, this time without any mishaps.
Harry was lounging on the couch after dinner while Hermione finished up the dishes.
The day had been long with a few mishaps along the way. Now it was time to just relax and forget all about it.
"Here," Hermione said. Harry sat up and she handed him a plate with a slice of pumpkin pie and whipped cream on it.
She sat down next to him and watched as he ate his pie. Finally, she could take it no more and grabbed the fork out of his hand. She took a piece of pie, dipped it in whipped cream and stuffed it in her mouth hungrily.
Harry laughed. "You could've just asked, and I would've said yes."
"It's too much fun to surprise you instead, though," said Hermione, and she pouted.
Harry grinned. "Yeah, I can't believe you take pleasure in tormenting me."
"I love it. Besides, that's my job, as your best friend," Hermione continued.
"Oh, right. And mine is to make you laugh, right?" Harry asked.
"Yep," said Hermione. "And I love ya for it, you know."
Harry blushed slightly. "Thanks," he muttered.
Another half-an-hour or so later, they climbed the rickety stairs which led to their bedrooms.
"Goodnight, Hermsy," Harry said jokingly, to which he received a sharp glare.
"Goodnight, Potter," she said. To his surprise, she put her hand behind his neck and pulled him toward her.
She gave him a small peck on the lips then turned and walked swiftly toward her room muttering something that sounded distinctly like, "Friends with benefits..." followed by a giggle.
Harry must have stood on the landing for about ten minutes, before he realized that the world had started turning again and that his bed was calling to him.
On his way, his thoughts roamed wildly. Hermione Granger had just kissed him — not the peck-on-the-cheek-cause-you're-my-best-friend type of kiss, not an I-feel-sorry-for-you kiss on the forehead... a real kiss...
The words 'Friends with benefits' swirled through his mind and that was his last coherent thought before dreamland captured him.
A/N: Didja like? Didja think it was too corny? Didja think it was WAYYYY out of line... gee, I hope not. I put a lot of thought into this chapter, and didn't really know how else to do it... believe me when I say I'm going with the flow and I'm writing all of this on the spot... not planned, or anything. Soooo, please leave a kind review! Don't flame me, please and thank-you! I'll get the review responses next chapter! OH! By the way, the pumpkin pie scene was taken from one of my other stories called Sovereignty that I never posted on FanFiction.
-:- Wicked Dreamz -:-
Next Chapter: The ride gets bumpier as Ron and the Weasleys come into the picture. The burning question is... are they staying? Plus, poor Harry dear is majorly confused as to Hermione's late night peck... could this mean...?