The Good Ship Lollipop

By: Patricia Khuu

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

"Oh, it can't be! No, no, NO!" Hermione broke out in a cold sweat. She frantically flipped through her agenda and stared at her neat writing.

Transfiguration Review June 16th 9:30am-11:30am

A panicked glance to the clock in her room told her it was already 11:15. Hermione grabbed her books, threw them into her backpack and rushed down the stairs through the Head's common room and out into the corridors.

But for once in her life, Hermione was too late.

"Oi! Granger!" called Draco when she came around the corner and slowed down just in front of the Transfiguration classroom, her hair now a shapeless mess on her head. "Missed you in class. You didn't forget did you?" he sneered. A small strange green object protruded ever so slightly out of Malfoy's robes, but it went unnoticed by Hermione.

"Oh, shove off, Malfoy!" She tried to smooth out her hair while turning her back on Draco. She caught her breath before making her way into the classroom.

Professor McGonnigal was no where in site. Hermione let out a sign and left. Might as well get some independent studying done then, she thought as she walked towards the library.

She couldn't believe that she'd missed the review class. It didn't matter that it was not a mandatory attendance; she was Hermione Granger for goodness sake! The mere thought of such simple mistake of forgetting to double-check her schedule the night before made her want to scream out in frustration. But seeing as how she was in her beloved library, she opted to clench her fists and stomp to her familiar table instead.

"Hermione!" she looked up. A young man with unruly black hair and emerald green eyes framed by a pair of simple wire glasses sat in front of her, gleaming in delight.

"Harry! What are you doing up? It's not even noon yet!" Hermione was genuinely taken aback, but Harry's smile turned to a look of mock annoyance.

"Actually, I woke up early and went to McGonnigal's review class along with everyone else. A class that would not shut up about the whereabouts of the Head Girl," at that she blushed scarlet.

"I overslept," she mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear it," Harry teased.

"Hmmp. You heard me. I overslept, no need to rub it in Harry," Hermione pulled out a seat beside him. "So, where's Ron, then?"

"It's not even noon yet, where'd you expect him to be?" replied Harry. Hermione let out a laugh.

Now in better spirits, Hermione inquired, "So, did she give out any extra sheets or notes?"

"Oh yeah. Loads," he handed her a stack of paper half an inch thick and she gladly took them because while she would've normally turned to other sources for more elaborated notes, Hermione wasn't in the mood to face anyone else right now.

"Thanks. Hey…where did you get that!" cried Hermione as Harry took a red lollipop from his robes. He promptly removed the plastic wrapper and plunked the lollipop into his mouth.

"McGonnigal," he slurred, twirling it around now.

"She handed out muggle candy? But why?" Hermione was now standing over him. Harry simply shrugged.

"Guess she thought today's turn out was once in a lifetime," he winked. Hermione groaned and sat down, putting her face into her hands. A hand patted her back gently and moments passed before Hermione looked up at her friend of four years. "Want some?" Harry offered. She glanced from the moist shining red lollipop in his hands to mouth which it had come from. "What? I don't have cooties or anything," he urged it towards her.

Hermione reached out and took it.

She rolled it over and over in her mouth, enjoying its sweetness.

"Good isn't it?"

"Um hmm," came her reply.

"Okay, now give it back," she looked at him. "What? I didn't say you could have it all to yourself," to which Hermione replied by taking out the lollipop and sticking her bright red tongue at him.

Harry got up from his seat and headed towards her. Hermione quickly plopped the lollipop back into her mouth and shielded the protruding end from Harry's hands. He was practically on her lap now, wrestling for the candy. Both were now finding it extremely difficult to keep the smiles of their face.

"It's mine Harry!"

"Oh, really?" Harry urged forward once again and sent the two of them over Hermione's chair.

"Oof!" cried Hermione as the back of her head hit the floor and Harry fell on top of her.

"Are you going to give it back now?" Harry asked quickly straddling her waist and then bending over to press each of Hermione's wrists to the floor above her head, rendering her helpless.

"No," Hermione stubbornly panted. Harry felt quite restricted too, now that both his hands were occupied, so he bent over her chest so that he met her eye to eye, mouth to mouth, but stop for a moment when Hermione's breath caught. Their eyes locked and a realization of their positioning hit them. Harry smirked playfully, still focused on one goal and one goal only. Harry tilted his head so that his teeth could grab a hold of the plastic stick at the base of where it met the candy, brushing her lips with his, and tugged. Over estimating Hermione's grip, Harry lost his hold and it sailed through the air, landing beside them on the carpet.

Harry looked down surprised at Hermione and was even more surprised when he discovered her gaze transfixed on his mouth. Mere inches apart, Hermione had no problem lifting her head and meeting her soft lips with his. A sweet cherry favour intermingled as Harry responded, gently pressing her head back onto the carpet and releasing her hands. Now free, they traced his jaw and raked through the famous untameable Potter hair.

When they broke apart, warm brown eyes met intense green ones. Harry climbed off Hermione and offered her a hand.

"If you wanted your own, all you had to do was ask you know. I took an extra one. I just wanted the red one," he stated, unable to hold back a smile. Hermione looked ready to slap him Malfoy-style, but the simply shrugged instead. "I like red ones too," she admitted, lifting her lips to his once again.

The End