MOI chpt 4

A/N Thanks again to all my lovely reviewers. Keep 'em coming guys they're fuel for the fire!

Suddenly the lookout for HMS Harmony, who is miraculously the same person as the author of this story yells 'Awkward and disturbing scenes involving bathrooms ahead!'

Seriously, I'm not just referring to the shower here thankfully it's only a couple of paragraphs long. I just have to say though that if it makes you feel awkward skip over that bit cause you'll want to read the end of the chapter. I'm not entirely happy with the way this has turned out though. I'm always open for suggestions and constructive criticism so let me know what you think.

BTW I'm not JK Rowling (I wish) I don't own anything relating to Harry Potter except for some poorly made movie merchandise.

The next morning when Harry woke up warmer and more comfortable than he could ever remember being. He didn't want to move and it took him a moment to realise that he was actually sleeping curled around another person. It took another couple of seconds for him to realise that it was Hermione. He opened his eyes and looked at her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful that he was loath to move her but he suddenly realised that he had woken because he was desperately in need of the bathroom. Panic overtook him as he remembered that he and Hermione were joined at the hand. If they were going to decide not to go through with this marriage then it would need to be decided quickly before Harry exploded.

With that in mind Harry set about trying to wake Hermione as gently as possible. Stroking her hair softly back from her face he whispered,

'Hermione, wake up. It's morning. We really need to talk.'

Nothing happened.

'Please Hermione I'm busting. Please wake up.'

Still nothing happened. Harry decided it was time for drastic measures. He leaned over her sleeping form and gently blew in her ear. Her eyes popped open in alarm.

'Oh god Harry, Don't scare me like that!'

'Sorry Hermione,' Harry said grinning slightly, 'but you've got to wake up, we need to decide what were going to do, and quickly cause I really need to pee!'

Hermione giggled and sat up. Harry sat up as well and looked at her.

'So now that you've had a chance to sleep on it what are your thoughts do we go through with this or not?' Harry asked eager to sort this out quickly so that they could get on with life. Hermione bit her lip her forehead creasing. She looked down at her floral comforter and smoothed out a wrinkle.

'I'm sorry Harry but I still don't know what to do.' She said in a small voice.

'Look the last thing I want to do is pressure you but I just don't see the point of subjecting either of us to shared bath rooming if we're not going to go through with this.'

Hermione sighed, 'Well what do you think Harry, I'm not the only one who's going to be a part of this.'

'You're right I'm sorry, I just, I want it to be your choice. I mean it'll mean loosing our virginity if we go through with it. I know that kind of thing generally means a lot to girls. I'd hate to feel like I'd talked you into something and have you regret it later.'

'So you think we should then?' Hermione asked looking up at him and meeting his eyes.

Harry swallowed before answering, he was about to put it all on the line, but he supposed that it was the chivalrous thing to do.

'We don't know that there is another way, and if there is we don't know how long it will take us to find it. Also I,' Harry paused and ran a hand through his hair, 'On a personal note, I don't like the idea of not ever being able to marry you again, I mean you never know what'll happen in the future, I just don't like the idea of that not ever being an option. Another thing of course, is that we'll if I'm going to be in a situation like this I can't think of anyone I'd rather be here with. You're my best friend, we should be able to handle this.'

Harry laughed and scratched the back of his head.

'Ok so now I've bared my soul, what do you think.'

'I think you're right.' Hermione said simply. 'I agree with everything you just said, but I didn't have the courage to actually say it. Also we can make it special if we want. You are my best friend, I trust you completely, if you don't mind we can still try and make it special. You know get more comfortable with each other physically before we jump straight to it.'

Harry smiled, 'That sounds like a great idea. I think we should start with the bathroom, cause I'm busting!'

'Alright but your using a silencing charm and I'm going to close my eyes AND face the other direction.'

'I should hope so!' Harry said laughingly half running down the hall to the bathroom and practically dragging Hermione along behind him.

With the silencing charm was cast and Hermione facing in the other direction Harry was amazed at how much the bizarre situation didn't bother him. He would've thought it would be really awkward, but it really wasn't that bad. That was until it was Hermione's turn. Standing there with his back to her knowing what was going on behind him was truly bizarre.

Finally it was over and they moved on to brushing their teeth. This proved to be more difficult than Harry would've thought. It turned out that brushing one's teeth was a two handed operation and again they were forced to take turns. Brushing their teeth was probably the least awkward of all the bathroom activities they would have to do together. It actually turned out to be quite fun, Hermione told him he wasn't doing it properly and showed him the correct way to brush his teeth. He had to admit that when he was finished they did feel cleaner than normal. He supposed that since her parents were dentists they'd probably taught her from an early age how it was supposed to be done.

When they were done with brushing their teeth they moved to the most awkward part of shared bath rooming yet, showering. They couldn't use silencing charms this time because they would need to be able to ask each other for help. That is how Harry came to be standing outside the shower cubicle while Hermione showered, his eyes firmly closed. She had to get him to help her open the shampoo and conditioner, and pour it into her hands so that she could massage it into her hair. During all of this Harry found it very difficult not to open his eyes. Not just due to a burning curiosity to look but also to make it easier to pour the shampoo and conditioner accurately. When it came his turn to shower however he had never been more glad that he washed his hair with soap. He felt like he would've died from embarrassment if Hermione had seen him naked in the shower. He'd never been more conscious of his body flaws.

When they were both finally clean and dressed, they'd used Diffindo and Reparo to get their shirts over their joined hands, they wandered downstairs for breakfast. It was easier the second time around to prepare food together. Though Harry supposed it didn't hurt that they'd decided to stick to cereal. It was only after breakfast that the decision they'd made together that morning came back to them. They sat in the lounge room on the squashy sofa and faced each other properly for the first time since their conversation that morning. Harry marvelled at the realisation that it was still possible to avoid someone even when you were attached to them.

'So Hermione,' Harry said clearing his throat and hoping to Merlin he sounded casual, 'When you said this morning we could take it slowly, what did you mean exactly.'

'Well I meant there was no reason we had to jump straight into having sex, we can work up to it.' She said in a matter of fact tone. She'd used this tone on him several times over the years but this was the first time that Harry had been close enough to her when she'd used it to notice that it was actually a cover for feeling really insecure.

'Right, work up to it. So you mean starting by just kissing and stuff?' Harry asked his mouth suddenly dry.

'Yes exactly,' Hermione said sounding slightly breathless.

'So should I kiss you then?' Harry asked feeling slightly breathless himself.

'I suppose so.' Hermione said.

Harry looked into her eyes and found that he didn't need to remind himself of why he was doing this. He scooted closer to her and slipped his free hand around her tiny waist. Here he was with a beautiful woman in his arms, and it was his duty to kiss her. Harry thought fleetingly that kissing Hermione wasn't a terrible duty at all. Her eyes fluttered closed as he drew closer to her. He raised his hand and stroked the soft skin of her cheek with his thumb and then his own eyes closing he kissed Hermione for the first time.

As soon as his lips touched her warm and soft mouth he knew it wasn't going to be their last kiss by any stretch of the imagination. Their kiss was gentle and slow and sweet like an ideal first kiss should be and Harry knew he could easily become addicted to kissing Hermione. They pulled back and looked at each other their eyes wide as though they were both surprised at just how good it was to kiss each other. Without thinking Harry lent in for another kiss and just as his eyes closed and their lips met for the second time a thought flittered through his mind. A man is supposed to enjoy kissing his wife, and that's all he was doing, enjoying kissing his wife.