Disclaimer: If you recognize anything, it belongs to someone else. I own
nothing. ~*~ Sigh ~*~
Summary: After Hogwarts, Harry becomes a professional Quiddich player and spends his days on the road. Ron and Hermione find a flat together and live happily as roommates. What happens when Harry gets a flat across the hall and reincorporates himself into their lives? H/H of course!! R&R!!
A/N: Here is Chapter Four!!! Thanks for all the reviews so far; you guys are great!! Some aspects of this chapter get a little racy, but it's nothing graphic or particularly serious. Please (with cherries, sprinkles AND chocolate chip cookies) review!!
~*~*~ TOGETHER AGAIN ~*~*~
~*~ Across the Hall ~*~
Early the next morning Hermione dragged herself into work. It was six a.m. and she hadn't gotten to sleep at all the night before; the last of the hardcore partygoers had left only twenty minutes earlier. Hermione busied herself with starting the coffee and turning on the espresso machine. As much as she wished she were warm in her bed right now, Hermione adored the peace of the Coffee Sanctuary first thing in the morning. Every morning she was the first to arrive and she relished the few moments of reflection she got while being physically occupied with mindless chores.
Her mind drifted back to the party the night before, specifically dancing with Harry. She remembered their first dance to the pounding music, with her body against his and their legs entangled. She remembered her heart beating with such force that she was sure it would burst from her chest, and the way she swooned at his every touch.
When the music ended neither of them had moved, or rather neither or them had stopped moving. They kept dancing to the next song and the next, not willing to remove themselves from whatever it was they were doing, whatever it was that they were feeling. When, plagued with exhaustion, they had finally stopped for drink, Hermione had lost Harry in the crowd.
Now, away from the overwhelming music and rushing emotions, Hermione could think about what had happened. Their dance had been so . . . sensual that Hermione didn't know what to do with it. Could she really be falling for Harry? The Harry that she used to scold for not doing his schoolwork? The Harry that she had spent endless hours joking, working and talking in the Gryffindor common room with?
Hermione sighed as she realized that the real question wasn't whether or not she was falling for him, it was whether or not she was ready to admit that she had already fallen. She realized with a jolt that on some level, he had always been something more than a friend to her, something more than even a best friend. Her coffee mug clunked down onto the counter.
"Great Merlin, I like him. I like Harry." She said the words out loud unintensionaly, unable to control her great epiphany.
Jessica arrived a few minutes later, still wearing her leather pants from the night before with a sweater thrown over her tube top. It was apparent that she had attempted to remove her eye makeup without magic, and had failed miserably. Hermione smiled slightly and muttered an incantation under her breath to remove it for her.
"No more parties on work nights." Jessica said darkly while pouring herself a huge mug of coffee.
"You say that now." Hermione said knowingly, "But just wait until next time." Jessica let out a sarcastic laugh.
"No premonitions until after my coffee, luv. Did you have a good time?" Hermione smiled.
"I had a great time. Did you?"
"Mm Hmm." Jessica nodded as she drank deeply from her coffee. "Oh!" she tore her mug from her mouth with shocking speed, "I met someone! He's absolutely wonderful! His name is James Grant and he works for the Ministry in the Department of Magical transport; he's Assistant Minister!" Jessica smiled and looked dreamily over her coffee mug; Hermione was sure she could see their monogrammed towels in a thought bubble over her friend's head. "Cor," Jessica said, snapping away from her future tutor home in the suburbs, "I can't believe I almost forgot!"
"Staying up all night drinking and parting will do that to you." Hermione chuckled.
After her first mug of coffee and satisfactorily awake, Jessica fluffed pillows on the comfy chairs, set out the daily newspapers and laid out a few choice board games. Once Hermione had set up all the coffee, she went out the back entrance to meet the pastry deliveryman, Skip. Usually, this was one of Hermione's preferred tasks because Skip was stunningly attractive, but today she spent her few moments in the ally thinking about Harry.
Was he feeling the same way about her? Was there a future between them? What if he didn't like her? The questions raced around in her mind, but even as she thought of their possible answers her thoughts drifted back, again, to the dance last night: their bodies, their movements, their proximity, his touch. She leaned her head against the brick wall and smiled widely. This was going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"You'll never guess what I just bought!" Harry shouted as he burst into the apartment around two o'clock that day. Ron was sitting in an easy chair reading the paper. Harry looked around, "Where is Hermione?"
"She's at work, loverboy." Ron teased.
"Oh yeah. Wait, why aren't you at work?"
"I'm horribly ill, can't you tell." Ron smiled, perfectly healthy. Harry did an amazing impression of Professor McGonagall peering over her glasses.
"You don't look sick to me, young man." Harry said with a fake (and terrible) Scottish accent.
"Yes, I do now, Professor." Ron played along. "You see, I've just taken the antidote, but this morning I was extremely sick." Ron nodded sincerely. Harry laughed.
"Hey, speaking of which, have any of the teachers found out about the Skiving Snackboxes yet?"
"No, it's still working. You'd think they would've noticed that something was up! I wish we had them when we were taking Divination." Harry nodded wholeheartedly.
"Trelawney would have been more than pleased to see me ill. It would've made her predictions even more possible!" The two friends laughed.
"Wait, what was your news, mate? What'd you buy?" Ron reminded Harry.
"A flat! Right across the hall!! The team will be around for a while, so I needed a place and the one across the way was for sale!"
"Harry, that's fantastic!!!" Ron jumped out of his seat to give his friend a backslapping hug.
"I'm going down to the coffee shop to tell Hermione." Harry headed for the door once they broke apart. He turned back once he reached it. "Oh, and dinner is at my place tonight!"
"Have you got any furniture?"
"No."
"Any food?"
"No."
"I'll tell you what, mate. Minnie and I are taking you out on a celebratory dinner!" Ron declared.
"Sounds good, although take-out on the floor would have been good too." Harry added defensively, causing Ron to laugh.
"Have fun groping Minnie. Oh, sorry, I meant telling her." Ron joked, and after throwing a couch pillow at him, Harry left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry burst in the door at Coffee Sanctuary a few minutes later, his cheeks flushed from the walk.
"Hey you!" Hermione calls upon seeing him. "Is it cold out? You're all red."
"It's colder than this morning, must have dropped five degrees." Harry responded.
"Here, let me get you some coffee." Hermione, who had never made Harry coffee before, poured him a mug. "Let me guess . . . black?"
"Spot on." Harry said as he took the coffee; Hermione smiled at how well she still knew him, despite their years of separation.
"No practice today?" Hermione asked. She was visibly jealous that he had had the chance to sleep in.
"Nope." Harry grinned, noting Hermione's expression. "Cor, I slept well last night. You?" Harry's arm quickly shot out to catch the tea rag that Hermione had chucked at him, a triumphant look on his face.
"Damn your reflexes." Hermione said jokingly.
"Well they'll be around for a while yet." Harry said cryptically.
"I should think so, you're only 23. " Hermione quipped.
"I mean me, well, and my reflexes."
"Again, I should think so." Hermione looked curiously at Harry. What was he getting at? "That is if you're careful playing Quiddich." Hermione added, forever worried about the dangerous sport Harry spent all his time playing.
"I mean around you." Harry said softly. Hermione's heart began to race, even faster that it had the night before. Was he saying what she thought he was? Could Harry really be declaring his love for -
"Isn't that great?" Harry interrupted her thoughts, looking expectantly at Hermione. She was vaguely aware that he had added something after 'around you' but she had been too occupied with her own reflections to listen. Oh bugger, Hermione thought.
"Er, yes!! That's absolutely wonderful!! Imagine!" Hermione cried, hoping that he would repeat his good news.
"I know, and right across the hall too! You wouldn't believe how excited I was when I found out it was available. And now it's mine!!" Harry grinned.
His? He had bought the flat across the hall? Cor, that is great news, Hermione thought. Before she even realized what she was doing, she ran around the counter and gave him a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. However unlike Hermione it was to be this forward with a man she was interested in, this was Harry and she didn't need to play games with Harry. She was sure that she would fret over and analyze this move for hours later on, but for now she was just happy to be with him, be comfortable with him, and have him permanently across the hall.
A/N: Did everyone like it? If so, or if not, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! I'll give out candy if you do!!! Thanks for reading!
Summary: After Hogwarts, Harry becomes a professional Quiddich player and spends his days on the road. Ron and Hermione find a flat together and live happily as roommates. What happens when Harry gets a flat across the hall and reincorporates himself into their lives? H/H of course!! R&R!!
A/N: Here is Chapter Four!!! Thanks for all the reviews so far; you guys are great!! Some aspects of this chapter get a little racy, but it's nothing graphic or particularly serious. Please (with cherries, sprinkles AND chocolate chip cookies) review!!
~*~*~ TOGETHER AGAIN ~*~*~
~*~ Across the Hall ~*~
Early the next morning Hermione dragged herself into work. It was six a.m. and she hadn't gotten to sleep at all the night before; the last of the hardcore partygoers had left only twenty minutes earlier. Hermione busied herself with starting the coffee and turning on the espresso machine. As much as she wished she were warm in her bed right now, Hermione adored the peace of the Coffee Sanctuary first thing in the morning. Every morning she was the first to arrive and she relished the few moments of reflection she got while being physically occupied with mindless chores.
Her mind drifted back to the party the night before, specifically dancing with Harry. She remembered their first dance to the pounding music, with her body against his and their legs entangled. She remembered her heart beating with such force that she was sure it would burst from her chest, and the way she swooned at his every touch.
When the music ended neither of them had moved, or rather neither or them had stopped moving. They kept dancing to the next song and the next, not willing to remove themselves from whatever it was they were doing, whatever it was that they were feeling. When, plagued with exhaustion, they had finally stopped for drink, Hermione had lost Harry in the crowd.
Now, away from the overwhelming music and rushing emotions, Hermione could think about what had happened. Their dance had been so . . . sensual that Hermione didn't know what to do with it. Could she really be falling for Harry? The Harry that she used to scold for not doing his schoolwork? The Harry that she had spent endless hours joking, working and talking in the Gryffindor common room with?
Hermione sighed as she realized that the real question wasn't whether or not she was falling for him, it was whether or not she was ready to admit that she had already fallen. She realized with a jolt that on some level, he had always been something more than a friend to her, something more than even a best friend. Her coffee mug clunked down onto the counter.
"Great Merlin, I like him. I like Harry." She said the words out loud unintensionaly, unable to control her great epiphany.
Jessica arrived a few minutes later, still wearing her leather pants from the night before with a sweater thrown over her tube top. It was apparent that she had attempted to remove her eye makeup without magic, and had failed miserably. Hermione smiled slightly and muttered an incantation under her breath to remove it for her.
"No more parties on work nights." Jessica said darkly while pouring herself a huge mug of coffee.
"You say that now." Hermione said knowingly, "But just wait until next time." Jessica let out a sarcastic laugh.
"No premonitions until after my coffee, luv. Did you have a good time?" Hermione smiled.
"I had a great time. Did you?"
"Mm Hmm." Jessica nodded as she drank deeply from her coffee. "Oh!" she tore her mug from her mouth with shocking speed, "I met someone! He's absolutely wonderful! His name is James Grant and he works for the Ministry in the Department of Magical transport; he's Assistant Minister!" Jessica smiled and looked dreamily over her coffee mug; Hermione was sure she could see their monogrammed towels in a thought bubble over her friend's head. "Cor," Jessica said, snapping away from her future tutor home in the suburbs, "I can't believe I almost forgot!"
"Staying up all night drinking and parting will do that to you." Hermione chuckled.
After her first mug of coffee and satisfactorily awake, Jessica fluffed pillows on the comfy chairs, set out the daily newspapers and laid out a few choice board games. Once Hermione had set up all the coffee, she went out the back entrance to meet the pastry deliveryman, Skip. Usually, this was one of Hermione's preferred tasks because Skip was stunningly attractive, but today she spent her few moments in the ally thinking about Harry.
Was he feeling the same way about her? Was there a future between them? What if he didn't like her? The questions raced around in her mind, but even as she thought of their possible answers her thoughts drifted back, again, to the dance last night: their bodies, their movements, their proximity, his touch. She leaned her head against the brick wall and smiled widely. This was going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"You'll never guess what I just bought!" Harry shouted as he burst into the apartment around two o'clock that day. Ron was sitting in an easy chair reading the paper. Harry looked around, "Where is Hermione?"
"She's at work, loverboy." Ron teased.
"Oh yeah. Wait, why aren't you at work?"
"I'm horribly ill, can't you tell." Ron smiled, perfectly healthy. Harry did an amazing impression of Professor McGonagall peering over her glasses.
"You don't look sick to me, young man." Harry said with a fake (and terrible) Scottish accent.
"Yes, I do now, Professor." Ron played along. "You see, I've just taken the antidote, but this morning I was extremely sick." Ron nodded sincerely. Harry laughed.
"Hey, speaking of which, have any of the teachers found out about the Skiving Snackboxes yet?"
"No, it's still working. You'd think they would've noticed that something was up! I wish we had them when we were taking Divination." Harry nodded wholeheartedly.
"Trelawney would have been more than pleased to see me ill. It would've made her predictions even more possible!" The two friends laughed.
"Wait, what was your news, mate? What'd you buy?" Ron reminded Harry.
"A flat! Right across the hall!! The team will be around for a while, so I needed a place and the one across the way was for sale!"
"Harry, that's fantastic!!!" Ron jumped out of his seat to give his friend a backslapping hug.
"I'm going down to the coffee shop to tell Hermione." Harry headed for the door once they broke apart. He turned back once he reached it. "Oh, and dinner is at my place tonight!"
"Have you got any furniture?"
"No."
"Any food?"
"No."
"I'll tell you what, mate. Minnie and I are taking you out on a celebratory dinner!" Ron declared.
"Sounds good, although take-out on the floor would have been good too." Harry added defensively, causing Ron to laugh.
"Have fun groping Minnie. Oh, sorry, I meant telling her." Ron joked, and after throwing a couch pillow at him, Harry left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry burst in the door at Coffee Sanctuary a few minutes later, his cheeks flushed from the walk.
"Hey you!" Hermione calls upon seeing him. "Is it cold out? You're all red."
"It's colder than this morning, must have dropped five degrees." Harry responded.
"Here, let me get you some coffee." Hermione, who had never made Harry coffee before, poured him a mug. "Let me guess . . . black?"
"Spot on." Harry said as he took the coffee; Hermione smiled at how well she still knew him, despite their years of separation.
"No practice today?" Hermione asked. She was visibly jealous that he had had the chance to sleep in.
"Nope." Harry grinned, noting Hermione's expression. "Cor, I slept well last night. You?" Harry's arm quickly shot out to catch the tea rag that Hermione had chucked at him, a triumphant look on his face.
"Damn your reflexes." Hermione said jokingly.
"Well they'll be around for a while yet." Harry said cryptically.
"I should think so, you're only 23. " Hermione quipped.
"I mean me, well, and my reflexes."
"Again, I should think so." Hermione looked curiously at Harry. What was he getting at? "That is if you're careful playing Quiddich." Hermione added, forever worried about the dangerous sport Harry spent all his time playing.
"I mean around you." Harry said softly. Hermione's heart began to race, even faster that it had the night before. Was he saying what she thought he was? Could Harry really be declaring his love for -
"Isn't that great?" Harry interrupted her thoughts, looking expectantly at Hermione. She was vaguely aware that he had added something after 'around you' but she had been too occupied with her own reflections to listen. Oh bugger, Hermione thought.
"Er, yes!! That's absolutely wonderful!! Imagine!" Hermione cried, hoping that he would repeat his good news.
"I know, and right across the hall too! You wouldn't believe how excited I was when I found out it was available. And now it's mine!!" Harry grinned.
His? He had bought the flat across the hall? Cor, that is great news, Hermione thought. Before she even realized what she was doing, she ran around the counter and gave him a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. However unlike Hermione it was to be this forward with a man she was interested in, this was Harry and she didn't need to play games with Harry. She was sure that she would fret over and analyze this move for hours later on, but for now she was just happy to be with him, be comfortable with him, and have him permanently across the hall.
A/N: Did everyone like it? If so, or if not, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! I'll give out candy if you do!!! Thanks for reading!