The Price of a World
Chapter Ten
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"RON! Get the hell out of my way! What the hell has gotten into you?" Harry yelled as he pushed Ron aside. He was finally able to push through into the small clearing. There before him was Hermione. At first he didn't know what to think. Anger? Confusion? Jealousy? Heart Break?
There before him was Hermione, in the arms of Draco Malfoy. And what was worse was they were engrossed in sucking the lips off each other. Harry felt as if he were about to be sick.
"You slut." Harry choked out. Hermione heard Harry's voice instinctively, screamed and pushed Draco off her. Hermione whipped around to face Harry. Draco was standing directly behind Hermione just smirking at her friends.
"H-Harry…" Hermione stuttered.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Hermione!?" Ron yelled going red from ear to ear with fury.
"I- I…" Hermione stuttered. This is where Draco's charm and wittiness came into play. Draco laughed cruelly.
"Please Potter; don't tell me you think your mudblood girlfriend and I are having a relationship?" Draco sneered. Harry's face reddened and Draco laughed once more.
"She'd be so lucky…" Draco scoffed. Ron's hands scrunched into fists and he advanced on Draco. Ginny ran forward and held him back.
"Then what, were you doing kissing my girlfriend?" Harry said stiffly. Draco stopped smirking; he was obviously out of ideas.
"He was harassing me again Harry. He tried touching me but I wouldn't let him." Hermione's eyes filled with crocodile tears. Harry softened immediately and held out his hand. Hermione ran to Harry's embrace. Hermione continued the act and began crying some more. Ron watched Hermione crying and he genuinely believed his best friends story. By now Ginny's hands were also in fists and she looked ready to pounce on Draco.
"If you'd never have a relationship with Hermione; why'd you kiss her?" Ron scowled. Draco smirked.
"Haven't you heard of kiss and run? It was all just for fun."
"Fun?" Harry scowled. He set Hermione aside and advanced on Draco. Within an instant Harry pulled his fist back and punched Draco in the nose. Draco having fast seeker reflexes dodged the punch and managed to punch Harry in the cheek. Hermione screamed for both Harry and Draco to stop. The blow didn't affect Harry's balance in anyway but it sent him into a spin, which backfired on Draco. The spin giving Harry's next punch an advantage of force. Draco wasn't expecting Harry to return a clout straight away so Harry got Draco full blown on the cheekbone. Knocking him sideways and onto the cobble stone sidewalk. Hermione screamed and ran over and stood between Harry and Draco. She turned to Harry, here eyes red from crying.
"Harry stop this. He isn't worth it. Please!" Harry scoffed. Secretly Hermione prayed Harry would stop because it was killing her standing by as her boyfriend got into a fistfight; she felt totally useless.
"You know; you're right Hermione. Malfoy isn't worth my time. Come on, we have to meet Lupin and Moody. They'll be worried." Harry turned and began to walk back towards the Leaky Cauldron. Ron and Ginny began to follow. Before Hermione followed her three best friends she turned to Draco. She mouthed the words 'I'm so sorry. I'll see you at platform 9 ¾' Draco smirked back at her and blew her a kiss. Draco got up from the pavement and darted off into the crowd. Hermione sighed and followed Harry back to Lupin and Moody at the Leaky Cauldron.
** * **
It was nearly 3am on the morning of first day back after the Christmas break. Ginny and Hermione were fast asleep in their beds. On the floor below Ron was fast asleep in his bed and his loud snoring echoed through out the house. The bed next to Ron's however was empty. Harry; dressed in his pyjamas crept up the staircase and into Hermione and Ginny's room. He went over and sat on Hermione's bed and watched her sleep. She looked so innocent and fragile. Movement came from Ginny's bed and Harry looked over at Ginny. She too was fast asleep. Harry watched Ginny for a long time.
'Wow; Ginny has grown. She used to be a scrawny little girl in first year at Hogwarts. Now she has grown into a beautiful young lady right under my nose. And I only just noticed her now…' Harry thought to himself.
Ginny's sleeping body shifted slightly and her silky, long crimson ringlets slid slightly over her face. Harry was about to go over and move Ginny's hair out of her face when Hermione moved and sat up slowly. Her eyes slightly open. She half yawned and sighed as she rubbed her eyes. When her chocolate brown eyes opened completely and they came into focus, she smiled.
"Harry…" Hermione said sleepily. "What are you doing up here?" Harry smiled and took Hermione's hand and kissed it gently.
"I couldn't sleep." Hermione looked at him with concern and moved over in her bed. She patted the space next to her. Harry climbed up the bed and slid under the covers with Hermione.
"Is something troubling you?" Hermione said lying back down and resting her head on Harry's chest. Hermione closed her eyes and listened to the beat of Harry's heart. Harry thought about whether he was going to tell Hermione what was on his mind.
"Harry?" Hermione asked as her body tensed from being put slightly on edge with Harry's uncomfortable silence.
"I'm… sorry if I've been neglecting you lately. And; you know that I love you. I love you so much. You know that right?" Hermione relaxed and fiddled with one of the buttons on Harry's pyjama top.
"Of course I know that you love me. And I love you very much too. Harry you haven't been neglecting me. You've had more important things to worry about and you know that I'm here for you." Harry smiled and stroked Hermione's hair.
"I promise you that you will be my main priority once we get back to school. I'll be finished my training here and I'll be able to concentrate on you." Hermione lifted her head and reached up and kissed Harry softly on the lips. Harry caressed Hermione's thigh as he rolled on top of her and kissed her soft lips. Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's neck pulling his body closer to hers. Harry planted soft kisses down Hermione's neck and down her chest, moving closer to her breasts. When he reached the top of her pyjama shirt her unbuttoned it slowly. Placing soft kisses as he went. Hermione ran her nails slowly over Harry's back sending chills across his body. He increased the passion by thrusting his pelvis slowly against Hermione's. Their bodies moved together in the thrusting rhythm, both Hermione's and Harry's sexual urges grew to near bursting point. Hermione unbuttoned Harry's pyjama top hurridly and threw it onto the floor as Harry slid Hermione's top off her shoulders and threw it over his head. He continued to kiss her bare skin. Harry's lips were cold against Hermione's hot skin, and Hermione's skin burst out in goose bumps. Harry pulled himself back up and snogged Hermione hungrily on the lips. His hands started to venture down Hermione's torso. He went lower and lower, eventually sliding his hand into Hermione's pants. His fingers were fiddling trying to get into her undies when Hermione's hand shot down and grabbed his wrist. She wriggled out from under Harry, sat up and looked him sternly in the eye.
Hermione was still a virgin and so was Harry. She still felt uncomfortable being so intimate with Harry since they had been best friends for nearly 6 years, and Harry was Hermione's first real boyfriend. Harry groaned.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I couldn't help myself. You do things to me; and I cant control myself…" Hermione sighed.
"Harry you do this every time. You're making me feel really pressured into taking our relationship a step further. But I'm not ready to go further…" Harry got off the bed and collected his clothes.
"Harry… I'm sorry." Hermione said beginning to get out of bed and go over to him.
"No Hermione… I'm sorry." Harry said slinking out the door and going back down to his own room. Hermione huffed and got back into bed. She looked over at Ginny's sleeping body. Slowly Hermione drifted back into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
** * **
Draco was getting ready to go to bed when a knock came from the door to his chamber.
"Come in." Draco called out. Lucius entered the room and closed the door. He turned to face his son.
"Draco," Draco wasn't in the mood for his father's lectures so he took on a sarcastic attitude.
"Father," Lucius pursed his lips, took a deep breath and began to speak.
"Listen boy, this task you have been given by the Dark Lord is very important. You must not screw it up like everything else in your life!"
"If I recall correctly it is you who has screwed up everything in your life." Lucius advanced on Draco and gripped him by the front of his shirt and shook him roughly.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that Draco! All you have to do is watch Potter carefully and report back to the Dark Lord once you know Potter's greatest weakness…" Draco stared at his father, realisation swarmed over him. Draco already knew what Harry's greatest weakness was, but Lucius and Voldemort did not. Lucius tossed his son onto the floor harshly.
"Get to bed, you have a tough term ahead of you." Lucius turned, his cloak swishing out behind him, and stalked out of the room. Draco spent half the night pacing his room thoughts churning through his head about the following term.
** * **
"Come along, everyone through the barrier." Lupin said as Ron, Ginny, Moody and Hermione ran through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. "In you go Harry." Harry took the barrier at a run, with Lupin close behind him. Once through the barrier the smell of smoke met his nose. Before him was the scarlet, steam train that took him and his peers to school. The platform was filled with students, parents, trunks and cages of owls, cats, toads and rats.
"Harry! Over here! I got us a compartment!" Ron was already on the train, hanging out the window. Harry turned to Lupin and Moody.
"Thank you for training me over the break. I really appreciate it. I'll keep in touch while I'm at school."
"Aye ya will lad." Moody smiled at Harry, shook his hand and went to talk to Mr Weasley.
"Harry… I know I'm not Sirius. And I'm not trying to be. But if you have any problems, or if something you feel is not right, you'll tell me straight away wont you?" Harry sighed and smiled at Lupin.
"Yes Lupin." Lupin sighed and seemed to relax instantly. He stood up straight to his full height and shook Harry's hand.
"Hurry up Harry. The train will be leaving soon." Harry stored his trunk in the luggage carriage and went to join his friends in the compartment. The Hogwarts Express blew its whistle and slowly the wheels began to turn. All the students ran to the windows and waved goodbye to their family on the platform. Once the train had disappeared around the corner and out of view of the station the students went back to their seats.
"It's good to be going home again…" Ginny said cheerfully.
"Yeah…" Hermione sighed. She looked across at Harry who was resting his head against the window, his eyes closed. A loud groan echoed through out the compartment. Hermione looked towards the source of the noise and Ron flushed bright red.
"It's my stomach. I'm starving!" He moaned. Ginny laughed.
"Do you want me to come with you to find the trolley lady?" Ginny asked her brother. They both rose out of their seats and were about to open the compartment door when it flew open. Outside in the hall way was Draco. Harry's eyes flew open and he stood up abruptly.
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry said maliciously as he pushed in front of Ginny, Ron and the now standing Hermione. Draco smirked.
"Well aren't we all on edge today."
"Piss off Malfoy…" Ron muttered. Draco smirked again.
"Calm down Weasel, Scar-head. I'm just delivering a message." Harry advanced slightly on Draco. Hermione leapt forward grabbing the back of Harry's clothes, not wanting Draco to get hurt again.
"Spit it out Malfoy before I pummel you." Harry said through clenched teeth.
"The message isn't for you Potty. Or either of the Weasel's…" Harry turned around to face Hermione, and gave her a suspicious look.
"Granger. You and I, being Head Boy and Girl; have to go to the Prefects Compartment now, for a meeting." Hermione nodded and Draco left. Hermione turned to Harry and looked at him.
"All that fuss for nothing." Hermione whispered to him.
"Hermione you don't have to go if you don't feel comfortable with him…" Ron said firmly.
"No I'll be fine. Thank you for standing up for me though…" Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and left the compartment.
** * **
//AN- Well well well. Over the writers block for all of my stories now!!! Yay!!! And I'm on holz so I have so much time on my hands! Anyways how'd you like that chappy? Interesting? Sorry for the bad twist at the beginning but Harry can't find out about Hermione and Draco… Yet!
Yes a little bit of intimacy between Harry and Hermione… hehe… I really liked the line "No Hermione; I'm sorry." Isn't it harsh? I can just imagine Harry saying it though.
Yes and Draco delivering a message to Hermione? Wonder what that is about… Oh yeah, I sorta made a mistake earlier in the story, like chapter two or something. They aren't in 6th year; they're in 7th year. Ginny is in 6th year though. Just had to sort that out :D
I wasn't going to put this chappy up till later in the month but I couldn't resist! Thanks to everyone for reviewing you're all wonderful! *huggles* //