Guilty Love: Year 7
Chapter Two: On Duty
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Brown eyes. Brown eyes were staring into green ones. Harry Potter tried to control his grin and peeled his eyes away, returning them to his book. Next to him Ron flipped furiously through the pages of his Potions book, trying to finish the last of the essays he'd been putting off all break.
"Leave it to Snape to give us the worst essay," he muttered. "Lousy git…"
Harry looked up again. Brown eyes met his again. Even though a large book was covering the rest of her face, Harry could tell she was laughing at him.
Hermione sat in another armchair across from Harry. She was reading out of a large volume she had brought back from Africa, about magic. It wasn't real magic, but the local people didn't know that. She found it funny.
But she wasn't reading at the moment. Instead, she was enjoying teasing Harry from afar. Hermione loved being at the Burrow, she felt at home there. The only downside to the Burrow was that there were so many people there. More people meant having little time to be with just Harry.
She missed her 'just Harry' time.
Finally, Ron gave a great yawn and snapped his book shut, shoving it unceremoniously off of the table where it fell to the floor with a loud thump.
"Finished?" Hermione asked briskly, tearing her eyes away from Harry's.
"Yes…well, sort of…I'm headed in that general direction anyway," Ron replied, putting his feet up on the coffee table, clearly thinking he was going to relax.
Hermione sighed, "Ron, we go back to Hogwarts in two days! You've got to finish."
"I'll do it tomorrow."
"Do you really want to spend your last day of vacation on homework?" Hermione wheedled.
"No," Ron groaned, grabbing his book off the floor. "But I'm going to work upstairs, I'm tired of trying to ignore you guys trying to ignore each other." Ron stood, grinning at the pair of them. "Night."
No sooner than Ron had disappeared around the corner than Harry was kissing Hermione. He couldn't help it; this was the effect she had on him. She drove him totally nuts.
Without breaking the kiss he took her hands in his and pulled her out of her armchair and over to the couch. They hadn't been alone since those few minutes on her first night at the Burrow. Harry couldn't help feel that he hadn't welcomed her properly.
Hermione placed one hand lightly on his jaw, the other in his hair, pulling him closer and kissing him harder. Harry slipped one hand underneath her shirt, running it up her back, pressing her against his torso. Hermione whimpered softly before breaking the kiss.
"Harry…"
"Sorry, Hermione," Harry murmured sheepishly. "You just do that to me," he added, pressing his forehead to hers. They were both breathing hard, their warmth breath mingling between them.
Hermione flushed lightly, "I know…but we're in Ron's house…"
Harry nodded, kissing her once more, softly on the lips. Then he leaned back on the couch, taking Hermione with him. She rested her head on his chest, curling her legs with his, breathing deeply. She loved the way he smelled. Soon they were both asleep.
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In the dark silence of the Burrow, somebody was having a nightmare, but this time it wasn't Harry Potter.
'Running as fast as she could Hermione leapt over obstacles as they came at her. They were tombstones, hundreds of them, each with the same name on them. 'R.I.P. Harry James Potter,' 'Here lies the Boy Who Lived, Harry James Potter,' 'Beloved friend, Harry James Potter.' Hermione sobbed but sped up, the sound of running feet reaching her ears. "He's not dead," she told herself over and over. Finally, she reached a clearing. Panting, she stepped out from the cover of the trees, she saw him, tied to another, much larger, tombstone. "Hermione, go back," he whispered hoarsely. "Save yourself. Do it for me, go back." Harry's emerald eyes pleaded with hers. She felt frozen, she ordered her legs to move, but they would not. Footsteps surrounded her, men in black all around, they're masks covering their faces but not their voices. Finally, Lord Voldemort made his appearance. "I see we have a guest," he said, gesturing at Hermione. "She joins us tonight to say goodbye to her beloved." He turned his cruel red eyes on Hermione, "Tell Harry you love him," Voldemort ordered. Hermione opened her mouth but nothing came out. Harry's eyes were begging her for reassurance. He was moments from death and she couldn't find her voice to tell him how much she loved him. "Nothing?" Voldemort cackled wickedly. "So be it." He raised his wand, bellowing, "Avada Kedavra!" The green light flew towards Harry, hitting him in the heart. "HARRY!"'
"HARRY!" Hermione jolted awake. She opened her eyes and found Harry next to her, worry creasing his face.
"Hermione, are you ok?"
"Yes, I just…" A tear fell from her eye, "It was horrible," she whispered.
Harry sat up and wrapped his arms around her. "What happened?" he queried softly.
"I had this dream, Harry, Voldemort, he was going to kill you…" she stopped. How could she tell him that she hadn't said she loved him?
"There's more," Harry said matter-of-factly. "Tell me, Hermione," he said, hugging her tighter.
Hermione dropped her gaze to the floor, speaking quietly, "He told me to tell you I loved you, because you were about to die. I couldn't speak. I wanted to, but I opened my mouth and nothing came out…" She didn't look at him. She was ashamed.
After a moment, much to her alarm, Harry laughed.
"Harry! It's not funny!" she cried, a fresh tear falling from her face.
"No, it's not," Harry said, kissing her tears lightly, but then he started laughing again.
"What?" Hermione cried, frustrated.
"It's nothing," Harry chuckled, "I just," he started to laugh harder. "It's probably the only time you've ever opened your mouth and had nothing come out," Harry said, laughing hysterically now.
Hermione smacked Harry in the ribs, causing him to double over, laughing even harder. Unable to help herself, she began to laugh too. Even she had to admit that it was a little funny.
After a few moments they calmed down. Harry replaced his arms around Hermione and kissed her lightly. "I have bad dreams too," he whispered. Then he added, "If that day ever comes…I know you love me."
After a quiet moment, Hermione hugged Harry's arms to herself and then whispered, "Let's hope that day never comes."
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Mrs. Weasley offered to go to Diagon Alley and do everybody's shopping since Ron had opted to fall asleep last night, rather than finish his essay and thus needed to do his homework. Harry and Hermione sat and played wizard chess in front of him, much to his annoyance. Whenever he shot them a glare, Hermione merely scolded him, "Well, Ron, you should have done it sooner…" causing him to fume in her direction.
After a few such incidents, Hermione sighed, picked up Ron's paper and began correcting it, crossing out mistakes and filling in gaps for him. She handed it back, Ron tapped it with his wand, changing it to his own handwriting, and sat back, finally relaxed.
"Thanks, Hermione," he said sheepishly.
"Just don't put your homework off again. This is our last year, so that means the N.E.W.T.S. are closer than ever," Hermione said briskly. Harry couldn't help smiling, all these years and she was still the same Hermione.
When Mrs. Weasley returned from Diagon Alley Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny all came and collected their packages and then went to pack their trunks.
Harry used his wand to fold his robes, match his socks, and stack his books, and then sent them all floating neatly into his trunk. Ron, on the other hand, took the approach of waving his arms about wildly, flailing his wand all over the place, in an attempt to get his possessions to do something, or anything…or, move at all.
After watching Ron prance about the room in an attempt to pack his trunk, Harry offered his help. "No, no, I'm a Prefect, I can handle this," came the response. After a few more gallant efforts Harry pointed his wand when Ron's back was turned, hovering Ron's stuff into his trunk.
Ron turned around, smiling widely, "See? I told you I could do it."
Harry snorted and went back to feeding Hedwig.
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That evening Mrs. Weasley treated them all to a superb farewell dinner. Seven courses, followed by four different kinds of dessert. By the end of the night, nobody wanted to so much as look at food. Then, one by one, everyone drifted off to bed.
Finally, only Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were left.
Stretching, Hermione got to her feet, stooping to kiss Harry lightly. "Night," she said, straightening up and waving to Ginny.
"Night," they both called after her.
For a moment, both Harry and Ginny watched the fire, and then Ginny spoke. "I'm happy for you, Harry. You've found the right person." Ginny frowned, "You're lucky."
"Did things not work out with Dean?" Harry asked. Ginny shook her head, her red hair falling forward onto her face. "You'll find the right person, Gin. You deserve the best," Harry told her, smiling.
"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Harry said. "Ask away."
"Are you scared?" Ginny asked, her blue eyes fixing on his powerfully.
For a moment Harry considering asking her 'Scared about what?' But he knew the answer. She was asking the question that he did not even ask himself. That's why Harry respected Ginny so much. She never tried to sugarcoat her problems.
"Terrified," Harry answered solemnly.
Ginny nodded. "We're all rooting for you, Harry," she said, getting up and shuffling towards the stairs.
Harry liked the fact that she hadn't asked to be there, she hadn't offered help; all she did was give some hope. Hope was what Harry needed most, in the end.
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The next morning the Weasley house was, as expected, in uproar. People running up and down the stairs, bits of toast and biscuits in hand, stumbling in and out of the bathroom, searching for last minute toothbrushes and mittens; Harry loved it.
Eventually they all got into the car and made it to King's Cross Station. For the first time in Weasley history, they were twenty minutes early. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny took their time saying goodbye to the Weasley's. Mrs. Weasley got teary-eyed when she hugged Harry goodbye.
"I'll be ok," Harry murmured to her, and then when everyone else was talking, he whispered, "You've been a mother and more to me, Molly. Thank you for everything." She gave him another hug, and then the four students boarded the train. Hermione gave Harry's hand a quick squeeze and then headed after Ron to patrol the corridors.
Harry found a seat in a trunk with Neville and Luna. They spent the first hour of the ride chatting about their summers as the countryside flew by. Eventually Ron and Hermione joined them, and they started a very intense game of Exploding Snap in which one of Luna's pigtails caught fire.
Hermione put the fire out with her wand, but the smell of burning hair filled the compartment.
"It smells like Cornish Slock-Pigmys in here," Luna complained, opening the door to let fresh air in.
Of course, Malfoy had to come by. "This entire section of the train smells like mud and shit," he complained, then pretended to notice the inhabitants of the compartment. "Oh, that's why. The Mudblood is down here."
Harry and Ron both jumped to their feet. "Miss me, Potter?" Malfoy sneered, putting his face close to Harry's.
"Of course," Harry snarled back, pulling his wand from his pocket. "I'm not putting up with your shit this year, Malfoy," he added.
"I wouldn't expect you to," said Malfoy. "Especially since I doubt you'll live through the year at all," he added vindictively. "See you around, Potty," Malfoy finished, brushing him off.
Harry slammed the door of the compartment, throwing himself back to his seat. For a moment he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, but Hermione touched him lightly on the arm and he blinked. "New game?" he asked, motioning to the still smoldering cards on the floor.
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"Lucius…" The voice called him awake. He stumbled out of his bed, pushing his scraggly black hair out of his eyes. He had one thought: Lessons.
Lucius Riddle entered a wide room that was chilling-cold, but for a fire in the grate. "Yes, Father?"
Lord Voldemort rose from the chair he'd been waiting in. He pulled a picture from his robes. It was the Boy. He had been memorizing every feature of this Boy since his birth. In this particular picture the boy was hiding a girl behind him, attempting to jab his wand out at Lucius. He looked angry. He looked angry in every picture.
"Who's the girl?" Lucius asked, jabbing Harry out of the way with his finger. The photographic girl turned her back, trying to edge out of the frame.
"She," Voldemort answered, "Is the key to bringing Harry Potter down."
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The feast had ended and Harry had opted to stay up on Prefect duty with Hermione.
The halls were quiet, dark and empty. Perfect for a couple like Harry and Hermione, who had had little time alone lately.
Hermione giggled as Harry moved from her lips to her neck, nibbling lightly here and there. After a moment, she pushed him back. Harry had her pressed against the wall where he was leaning over her, breathing hard. "Harry, I'm supposed to be patrolling," she laughed as he pouted at her.
When she leaned back up to kiss him again Harry pulled back. "You better get going on that patrol," he teased in a would-be serious voice. Hermione then grabbed his tie and used it to pull him back to her, kissing him hungrily.
'If I wasn't on duty…' she thought to herself.
'If you weren't on duty, what?' Harry thought back, slipping his hands under her shirt, tracing lazy circles on her cool skin.
In response, Hermione kissed him harder.
"Potter! Granger!" A voice scared them apart. "Fifty points from Gryffindor for being out of your Common Room, Potter." It was Snape. "And fifty points from Gryffindor for shirking your Prefect duties, Granger. I'll be speaking with your Head of House about this," he added with an evil sneer. Then he turned and left.
Hermione bowed her head. "Shit," she muttered. Harry wanted to laugh at the thought of Hermione cursing, but thought better of it. She leaned up and kissed him lightly. "You better get back to the Common Room."
Harry nodded. "I'll wait up for you." He squeezed her hand and walked away.
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As hard as he tried, Harry did not manage to stay awake until Hermione got back. It was early morning when Hermione returned to the Common Room and the only person left was Harry, curled up in a chair by the fire.
Moving slowly, Hermione crept up to him and knelt down in front of his chair.
"Harry," she whispered softly. "Harry…"
He stirred slightly, but did not wake. She leaned forward and brushed his hair off of his forehead and placed a soft kiss on his lightening-bolt scar. When she moved back, his eyes were open, watching her.
"Hey," he whispered. He sat up and pulled her onto his lap. Hermione wrapped one arm around his shoulders, placing the other on his chest, and leaned her head against his. After a little while, Harry turned his face and kissed her lightly. "I love you," he told her, kissing her again.
"Harry?"
"Mm?"
"Let's always do this, ok? Let's always be here, just like this."
Harry nodded, "There's nothing else in the world I want, Hermione, more than this."
Hermione smiled and kissed him again.
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A/N: Ok, it's shorter than the last chapter, by a little. These first two chapters have been mostly fluff, so beware; the plot is going to speed up from here. Anyway, back to regular school tomorrow, so keep reading, review if you want, I love to hear from you! As always you can find me on AIM as WritingHarry182 ! Thanks guys!