Dedicated to: Rayn. Wow I don't think I have ever received that many reviews from one person in one day. I'm flattered!!! snoogles Yay!

For everyone else: my MSN is or, but I use the first one more often.

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Hermione heard the distinctive splash of Harry jumping into the filled tub. She turned around. He was up to his neck in warm water and bubbles. She cracked a grin at him. The poor guy. He had obviously never been so uncomfortable. Naked in front of a girl who didn't want anything from him, and was struggling with the concept.

"Turn around." Hermione instructed. She was tempted to climb in, clothing and all, but had decided against it and was going to strip down to her under garments, for dignity's sake. Harry did as commanded, but Hermione wondered afterwards if he had peeked.

Crossing her arms over her bra and slipping into the water near Harry, Hermione nestled into a large bunch of bubbles. Harry quirked an eyebrow at her, trying to mask his un comfort. Surely he must have been naked with a girl before. Hermione thought, parting the bubbles enough to see his upper chest and face.

"Close your eyes. And don't get any ideas Harry." She said calmly, her own stress building up inside of her. She reached out in the water, towards him, her finger tips brushed his knee. "Give me your hands."

Her hands clasped against his, slippery in the soapy water and warm from the heat made her all the more uncomfortable. She slide to the edge of her seat on the submerged bench and pressed her knees against his.

"Think of something relaxing."

"You just said don't get any ideas."

"You know what I meant."

Hermione shook her hair from her face and slouched a little, lessening the tension in her back. She sub consciously rolled her shoulder back and forth, still holding Harry's hands.

"Don't do that! It makes me horny." Harry opened his eyes. Hermione started.

"What?" He itched his chin lazily on his shoulder, still looking at him. Hermione smiled at the sight. It was utterly attractive.

"Roll your shoulders like that. God. It makes me want to pounce on you." He grinned at her, giving her fingers a squeeze. She raised her eyes brows in a scowl.

"There is to be no pouncing." She scolded him. "Close you eyes."

"What about some slinking. Or how about hopping. Or ravishing." Harry added the last word with a flick of his tongue across his top teeth. Hermione had to admit. She would mind it that much...Seamus. She reminded herself. She could like anyone. Not yet. It's too soon.

"None of the above, or any synonyms." Hermione shut him down. Harry look disappointed. He couldn't understand what is up with her. One minute she was unwillingly flirting and the next she was closing off like a cold clam. He couldn't figure her out. "Close your eyes."

This time Harry complied, closing his eyes without so much as peeking. Neither of them said anything and the silence drifted between them. Harry forgot he was sitting there, naked with an attractive well bosomed young woman and wandered into his own thoughts.

He wondered about the life he could have had if he had stayed at Hogwarts. From what he had heard it would have been incomparably more dangerous, maybe his friends there would have been just as trouble making as his ones here, and they would have together, actually defeated Voldemort. Suddenly he felt a tickle in his mind. Whatever thoughts had subconsciously formed were now jolting through his mind. He could tell Hermione was seeing it by the way her muscles tensed, and her fingers tightened around his.

He ripped his fingers from her grasp as the thought of him with Kate flashed into his mind. He remembered the night well. Last Christmas, almost one year ago, the two of them had gone to do Christmas shopping and done just a tad more. He clasped his hands together, peering at Hermione through the bubbles.

"And I thought it was all talk." She flirted, rubbing her temples. Harry could help but crack a grin in her direction. "Sean wont be happy." She simpered maliciously in his direction. The smile faded.

"Hermione you've got to promise me not to ever. Ever. Tell Sean about. "He trailed off. "That." He finished, coughing. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

Hermione shook her head, scoldingly. "Harry, maybe you cant see it, but everyone else can. Kate likes you. A lot. What you did probably damaged her. She wasn't ready for such an intimate joining. And now you just flirt with her. Along with hundreds of other girls out there."

Harry blinked at her, looking confused.

"You Mr. Potter. Are an asshole." Hermione got out of the tub, crossing one arm over her exposed stomach, she offered Harry a hand. He stared at it. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. Harry grabbed her hand and stepped out of the bathtub. It's odd how uncomfortable they were holding hands out of the foamy water than in, Hermione thought, stepping away, moving to let go of her hand. Her foot found another step and she fell backwards, grabbing Harry's arm for support. They both toppled into an uncomfortable heap.

"Don't open your eyes!" Hermione screeched, trying un successfully to disentangle herself from Harry. "Ah!" She yelled, recoiling. Her leg had touched something she really didn't want to feel.

"Hey." Harry whispered. Hermione ignored him. "Your boobs feel bigger than they look." He continued, completely calmly. Hermione opened her eyes and stared at him. His hands were pinched onto of her chest between them. She made a face and grunted, trying to crawl from underneath him. She couldn't let go of his hand, it was stuck between them.

"Roll off, you pig." Hermione whimpered, aware of how muscled his stomach and chest were beneath her hands. Harry moved to do so, but her knees were in the way. Suddenly the steam parted and they both caught sight of the door swinging open. Their eyes went wide and they both tried to sit up at the same time. Harry's back arched, cracking uncomfortably. Hermione yelped as He fell back onto her.

There was a small gasp from the door and Hermione turned just in time to catch Mercy sprinting full out from the bathroom. Sighing exasperatedly and wiggling from underneath Harry, Hermione dressed. Without so much as a backwards glance at Harry, she ran to the Liondragon Den, hoping to find Mercy.

"Mercy!" Hermione panted, launching herself up the ladder, into the den. Mercy grinned at her from the couch beside Leon and Sean.

"We were just talking about you." She responded, coolly, but she put up a tough front. Hermione knew she was mad. She thought something happened between her and Harry. Hermione knew Kate liked him. This made her a bad person in Mercy's books.

"Nothing happened. " Hermione emphasized the word 'nothing'.

"If you call that nothing, I'd like to see your something." Sean quipped, grinning playfully as he got to his feet.

"Not now Sean." Hermione shut him off, stepping towards Mercy. "I was teaching him, and we fell. That's it."

"What were you teaching him?!" Mercy fumed, letting her feelings out. "What Pray-tell exactly?"

Leon grabbed Sean's arm. "Girl fight!" They both sat down, as Mercy stood. They stared, eager grins on their faces. Hermione gave them a look, which they chose to ignore.

"Occlumency. To protect his mind from Voldemort." Hermione explained, thankful that there was at least some diplomatic reactions in the argument. She had never been through so many mood swings. She missed Seamus a lot, but he was gone. And Harry was here. But Kate was the closest thing she had to a friend in this wacky school.

"Maybe you should teach him to protect himself from whatever you're carrying." Mercy snapped, stomping away. Hermione remained, flabbergast. She was hurt that Mercy wouldn't listen and that she had been called a slut for the first time in her life, and had her offender mean it in its literal term. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Oh. Hun. Don't worry, me and Sean wont tell anyone we know your secret." Leon whispered, smiling at her. Hermione took one step towards him and smacked him hard across the face. He stared at her, his cheeks turning red with temper. Hermione had been warned about his temper.

Sean rested a hand on Leon's chest. "Chill man." He said, calming his friend down. Hermione nodded a thanks to him and turned to leave. "Hermione!" Sean called. She stopped, looking at him curiously. "If Harry doesn't do you well, come to me." He shot her a luscious wink and opened his text book on his lap. Hermione jumped down the trap door to the landing. She was famished.

Suddenly Harry stepped into her vision. She jumped back. He was dressed and a single rose was held delicately between two fingers. "A rose?" he asked her, offering the flower. Hermione glared at him.

"I'm afraid it will cost you a lot more than that." She brushed by him. He stopped her with light fingers on her shoulder.

"Please don't make me say anything out loud that I could have turned against me." He said in a low voice. Hermione blinked up into his green eyes, aware of his fingers still on her shoulder. Her eyes were questioning and her head was cocked to the side. "Such as, I like you, Hermione." He elaborated, waving the rose in the air.

"Err." Hermione looked away, she didn't take the rose. Her eyes brimmed once again. "Don't say that Harry."

"I just did."

Hermione brushed his fingers from her and walked away, not looking back, a single tear dripping down her cheek.

"So I guess that means I'm not getting laid tonight?" Harry called, ever so charmingly after her. Jake appeared beside him, shaking his head wistfully.

"That is some ass." He added, information of his rare insight. Harry didn't move for a moment.

"How much of that did you see?" Harry asked Jake, turning to look him in the eyes.

"I'm not going to lie to you buddy. It was bad." He blinked solemnly at Harry. Suddenly his face cracked into a grin. "I cant WAIT to make fun of you with the guys." He sprinted away, Harry close on his heels chanting at the top of his lungs "Harry got shot-DOWN!!!!!"

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Hey, I added a bit more seriousness in this chapter, tell me how it was.

I hope it lived up to your expectations???