Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Just this fanfiction.
Draco groaned as light suddenly flooded his room.
He had arrived in France three weeks ago and his routine was practically the same as in Boston: going from bar to bar trying to mitigate the pain he felt with alcohol.
"Time to wake up Draco"
"Mother?" The boy sat on the bed and looked in amazement at the stylized figure of his mother by the window.
"Get up and clean yourself. I'll be waiting for you at the restaurant", said his mother before leaving the suite.
Mumbling a curse Draco managed to shake off the mess of sheets and headed for the bathroom.
Like every morning the headache was starting to bother him, but he ignored it and got into the shower, knowing that it was better not to keep his mother waiting and wondering what the hell she was doing in Paris.
After dressing he went down to the hotel restaurant. Narcissa Malfoy was waiting for him sitting at a table at the other end of the room.
"Mother", he approached and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, "I didn't know you were here and certainly I wasn't expecting your visit, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked as he sat in front of her.
"This situation cannot continue Draco", she answered staring at him and probably taking note of the deep dark circles under his eyes and his pale face.
"What situation are you referring to exactly?"
She raised her eyebrows before sighing and ordering breakfast for both of them. Narcissa waited until the food was in front of them before continuing, "I've tried to be patient with you Draco. I was hoping that you would communicate with me and open up about whatever is bothering you, but I see that that is not going to happen", she sighed again, "I don't intend to force you to trust me but I can't let you keep drowning in a cycle of alcohol, parties and women."
"There are no women involved", he replied sharply
And it was true. Draco had visited different nightspots in the city and of course there had been no shortage of women trying to get something else from him, but he just had no desire to be with those girls. Not when that had been the slip up that cost him relationship with Hermione.
"Mmm", his always perceptive mother seemed to have read something in his answer, "Well, what is your plan, anyway? Drink to death? Let me tell you something you must have already realized about getting drunk Draco, it does not solve anything. And I certainly do not plan on having an alcoholic son".
"I do not plan to become an alcoholic, Mother"
"Then what is your plan?" Narcissa asked again, "You left everything behind in Boston, and believe me your father is not at all happy with your sudden trip. He would have come here himself the day after you left if I hadn't intervened by telling him that I was going to take charge of the situation, and that he needed to stay away. I don't usually see you too much Draco and I think it's a good opportunity to..."
"Well mother if we don't see each other often it's certainly not by my decision"
"That is beside the point now", Narcissa drank her tea before continuing, "You clearly left Boston running away from something, as you always do, and you came here to forget whatever is bothering you. But what else do you intend to do apart from spending my money with excessive hotel bills, alcohol, and...?"
"Ah, it's about the money again!" Draco hissed glaring at her, "It's always about money with you and Father, right? I'm sick of the damn money and the inheritance from the Malfoy family. I don't give a damn if you don't want to continue paying my bills Mother! But don't meddle in something you don't understand."
Narcissa didn't reply immediately, but watched him until the boy's breathing returned to a normal pace.
"I am not interested in money more than you are", she said, "I just wanted to make you understand that you should take responsibility for your actions. You can't just run away from problems every time something bothers you".
"Sometimes there are problems that simply cannot be fixed no matter how hard you try"
Draco looked up at the familiar crying sensation rushing through his eyes. Narcissa didn't push him and he appreciated that, so he took a couple of deep breaths and focused on his food, realizing how hungry he was.
"When was the last time you had a proper meal?" Her mother wanted to know. He shrugged. He used to order room service but he usually just had a bite or two of the food they sent, "Feeding yourself properly was clearly not your priority".
Against all odds Draco smiled and Narcissa gently squeezed his hand.
"I would like to show you a place", she asked
"Is it something related to your job?" He wanted to know
"It is, in part, yes", she nodded, "We would have to travel, I had planned to do so in a couple of days. Of course you can choose to stay, I don't want to pressure you on doing anything Draco, but I would like you to accept."
His mother hardly ever asked him for anything, the boy thought. And this was a good opportunity to spend more time with her. And above all, as Narcissa had pointed out, the alcohol was clearly not helping him, it was only making Draco hate himself more, and that the pain he felt for his break up with Hermione grew.
Maybe it would be nice to travel with her and do something different for a change, "Okay, I'll go with you"
Narcissa smirked.
Breakfast continued as they caught up and then his mother left, not without telling him she would be stopping by in a couple of days.
Once he was alone, Draco asked to have his room cleaned and walked through the streets near the hotel. A bookstore caught his eye along the way and memories flooded him. Despite the pain of the reminiscences, he entered the place and was lost among the shelves, touching the spines of the books as his ex-girlfriend used to do.
"Are you looking for a title in special?" Asked the saleswoman
Draco was going to tell her no but eventually an idea came to his mind, "Treasure Island"
"R.L. Stevenson. I will bring it to you"
The woman went for the book and Draco smiled wistfully when he held the copy in his hands, remembering those past afternoons of tutoring lessons with Hermione. Since he couldn't be near her, he would at least have a piece of her world to remember her. Draco bought other books that he knew were the girl's favorites and returned to the hotel.
He spent the next few days reading the books until his mother picked him up. Narcissa's driver took them to the airport where they boarded the family's private plane.
"Where exactly are we going, Mother?" Asked Draco
"You will see"
They landed after what seemed like an eternity.
"Welcome to Bali", his mother announced with a smile.
"Bali? Indonesia? What are we doing here?"
They got into the car that was waiting for them at the airport.
"A year ago we opened a resort here", Narcissa explained, "The business is doing well and I thought it was a good opportunity for you to know the place."
Narcissa said no more and Draco started to watch the city through the window. The place was clearly beautiful, and his mother's resort probably was too. Narcissa's family owned a chain of hotels that she now managed. Draco had been in several of the ones she had in the US and even the suite he had used in France belonged to the Black Corporation.
Like he had imagined the resort was a mini paradise inside the island. His mother went out the car and he imitated her
"Draco darling, I have been thinking a lot about our last conversation in Paris", she started talking as they were walking to the resort entrance, "I was very surprised with your statement about money and being the heir of the Malfoy family, so of course I made some inquires with your father. Now, he did not give me much details but I have a clear idea of the situation"
"Mother…"
"Let me finish, darling", she asked, "Lucius wants you to go back to Boston immediately and to continue to studying those ridiculous subjects but I believe that here lies a better opportunity for you to grow and become a mature man. You see, I do not usually agree with Lucius but I think he had a good point when he told you that you depend too much on us. I admit that both he and I were born into wealthy families, but there was a time Draco when our ancestors had to build what we have now from scratch. Therefore you could do the same. You could take more responsibilities and learn to value what we possess"
"You want me to work here at the resort?" He asked
"I do"
"But Mother, I don't know anything about this business. I don't think I can contribute too much, all I have learned has always been about Father's business. I don't think I'm ready to run a hotel".
"Run the hotel? Who said anything about that?" His mother laughed, "No, Draco, to manage a company like this you have to know every aspect of it. So you can work here, yes, but you will start out as a bellboy or maybe cleaning the rooms, whatever the staff needs you for".
"What? Are you serious?"
"I am", she nodded, "But I will not force you to do anything Draco, I've already told you that. I originally wanted to bring you here because I thought that you could benefit from the peace that one finds in this place. But as I also told you, I think that this idea of starting from scratch working here would be an excellent opportunity for you to prove to yourself that you are self-sufficient, that you can depend only on your work, on your abilities. I trust it would do you much good to take this challenge, Draco."
Draco considered his mother's words without letting the irony of the situation escape him. Until a few weeks ago he had been terrified that he would ever find himself in a situation like the one his mother now proposed to him to experience. And once again she was right, it was quite a challenge.
"If I stay here, I'm on my own right?" He asked
"Yes, no special treatments or benefits".
Could he do it? Could he live abroad, in a place where he didn't know anyone, without any kind of support? A few weeks ago he thought he would have to make a decision, either Hermione or his inheritance. But before he could give his father an answer, Draco himself had managed to remove Hermione and the prospect of a future together out of his life.
Draco no longer had anything valuable to lose. But he did want to prove to Lucius that he didn't need him, that he could swallow his threats and his money.
"I'll do it. I'll stay here and work for you, Mother"
His mother smiled and hugged him for a moment before calling a short boy that was sitting at the front desk in the lobby
"Good afternoon Mrs. Malfoy. Welcome back" greeted the boy
"Good afternoon Mark", she greeted, "This is my son Draco. Draco, darling, this is Mark. He will be your guide in Bali and will be the one to help you adjust to the work in the hotel. Mark will show you where you can stay while you work here. Now, I have paid the first month of rent but then you will be on your own, so I suggest you be a good worker because you will not have special treatments. Mark," she turned to the boy, "Remember my recommendations."
"I will Mrs. Malfoy"
"Now, if you allow me, I must go to take care of other matters. I'll see you later darling"
Narcissa kissed her son on the cheek before walking back to her car and out of sight.
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
There was no doubt that Viktor Krum was quite a gentleman. The boy stood up as soon as he saw her enter the restaurant where they had arranged to meet that night, and pulled the chair back to allow Hermione to sit down.
"I am sorry Viktor, my class took longer than expected", she said smiling as she opened the cloth napkin and placed it on her lap, "Did you order already?"
"Do not worry Hermione", he replied in his strong foreign accent, "I haven't ordered anything yet"
Viktor reached out his hand to lightly brush her fingers and gave her a sincere smile. Hermione looked at him and suddenly regretted having accepted his dinner invitation at seeing his expression of genuine interest.
She liked the boy. She had met him several months ago thanks to Harry, and he was funny, kind, and also she couldn't denied that he was very attractive with his 6'5'', black eyes, bushy eyebrows and muscular body as expected from a guy with a sports scholarship.
But she still wasn't sure if she was ready to be more than friends, which judging from the restaurant's dim lights and piano music, was what he was looking for.
Hermione slowly withdrew her hand and turned her attention to the menu, "How was your training?" She asked while pretending to read the food list.
If Viktor was bothered by the sudden movement, he didn't show it. The boy started to tell her about his football practices and she listened attentively, grateful that he didn't try anything else.
"Do you think you have a chance to win the following games?"
"I think so", Krum agreed.
Hermione didn't understand football at all and honestly didn't find it interesting, but he spoke with a lot of passion about it so she didn't dare ask him to talk about anything else. It was not necessary however, "Harry commented that you have a new job"
She smiled, "Yes, I just started working in the public relations area of an international NGO. We help children in vulnerable situations, it is very rewarding".
"I can imagine. Last semester I helped Harry with his charity work as a way to give back how well this country has treated me", he explained, "But this semester the training is too demanding, I haven't had much free time to do it".
The waiter arrived at that moment with his orders and then they resumed the conversation by talking superficially about the university or their friends. The truth is, Hermione didn't have much in common with Viktor, but it had still been pretty good getting ready for a Friday night out.
"Would you like to share a ball of ice cream with me?" Hermione asked when the waiter took away their empty plates
"Sure"
Hermione ordered her favorite mint and chocolate ice cream and the conversation resumed. After a while they left the restaurant and walked towards Viktor's car, "I wish I could take you somewhere else Hermione, but I must rest because of my early trainings" said the boy.
"It's okay Viktor, I'm a bit tired anyway", she shrugged, "It's been a very busy week"
Viktor opened the door for her and then walked around the car to get inside. They made their way back to campus and to the girl's dorm in silence. When they arrived she got out of the vehicle and he joined her.
"I had a good time tonight", he said intertwining his fingers with Hermione's.
She fixed her gaze on their joined hands before looking up at him. Hermione had learned to recognize the interest she could produce in men, especially since she had put more effort in her personal appearance in recent months. Viktor was clearly interested in her and, on top of that, there was desire in his dark eyes. The boy raised his free hand to caress Hermione's face, for she was still looking at him without saying anything.
"I would like to kiss you Hermione"
She took a few steps toward him and the penetrating, masculine scent of his lotion reached her. Viktor wrapped his arms around her waist and their bodies brushed together. Hermione closed her eyes and an instant later felt the boy's lips on hers. It was a surprisingly slow and kind kiss, and he seemed to be testing Hermione's reaction.
And she wanted to feel something.
She wanted to feel that warmth in the pit of her stomach again, the heat flooding to every part of her body, the ravishing passion that made her forget the responsible attitude with which she managed her life. But there was none of that. It was nice, yes, to feel lips on hers after a long time, but Hermione felt nothing else.
"I should probably go back to my room", she whispered when he broke the kiss, "Good night Viktor"
"Good night Hermione," he replied with a sigh. Hermione gave him one last smile before entering the building.
Her room was strangely quiet. Hermione kicked off the heels she'd worn for the date and flopped onto the bed, feeling disappointed. What had she really expected from that date? Hermione was sure that although she felt attracted towards Viktor, the feeling wasn't even remotely enough for anything else to happen. So why was she suddenly hopeless about how the night had ended?
"You are here already?" Alicia was on the door sill with her toiletry bag in hand, "I didn't expect you to come back so early"
"Hi Ali", Hermione sat down and watched her friend put down her toiletry bag before sitting next to her
"So what happened?"
"Nothing", she shrugged, "That's the thing Ali, nothing happened"
Alicia took Hermione's hand and squeezed it gently.
"It's ok", she said nodding, "It was your first date in a long time, just the first attempt. I'm sure you will have better experiences because you don't lack of suitors".
Hermione laughed. If she was honest, Alicia was right.
Her life had changed a lot in the last eight months. After she left the sorority, the brunette had dedicated to change her life for the better. Hermione gave herself the opportunity to actually meet and go out with her career colleagues, she had gotten a new job -first as an assistant in a clinic near the campus and recently in something related to her major- and also, following the advice of her mother, she had improved her wardrobe and style. It seemed silly but such a banal action had helped her feel more confident, especially since she was now surrounded by well-meaning people and friends she could really trust. Harry, of course, had played an important role in that change. The green-eyed had introduced her to his closest friends and Hermione had found in them sincere and refreshing company, especially in Luna and Susan.
Alicia had also become a very important person to her. She was not just someone who was easy to live with, but the girl had listened and advised her in the moments following her breakup with Draco. She was the one who had comforted her after she had arrived in the room as a mess after that last talk with her ex-boyfriend.
"Hey, are you nervous about tomorrow?" She asked, trying to keep her thoughts away from that person
"Very nervous", Alicia nodded, "But I put all my effort into those paintings so, regardless of the result, I did my best".
"I'm sure everyone will love your paintings. I love them, for what it's worth"
"It's worth too much and you know it", Alicia briefly hugged her.
Her paintings had been selected to be display in a gallery on campus and Hermione and Harry would be attending the exhibition tomorrow.
"So, have you already decided where we will go to celebrate what I'm sure it would be a successful exhibition?"
"I have a place in mind", Ali smiled, "Hermione, I know you're not a big fan of pubs but Julian and I read about this one and it actually has a dance floor! And I want to dance so badly"
Hermione shrugged, "It's fine Ali, it's your night. Plus it will be fun to torture Harry on the dance floor"
Alicia laughed, "I'm going to say something that I know you will find amusing but I must say it sometime"
"What is it?" Hermione asked curiously
Alicia looked at her with amusement in her eyes, "You should go out on a date with Harry"
This time it was Hermione's turn to laugh, "Harry is my best friend! He's like a brother to me and…"
"But he is not your brother", Alicia interrupted her, "And you know what they say, best friends are the best boyfriends"
"No one says that Ali" Hermione replied
"I just think you guys complement each other very well", Ali shrugged, "Anyway, it's just an idea. It is up to you to follow it or not".
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'll go to put on my pajamas and when I return we will see romantic comedies while you tell me more about your exhibition tomorrow"
"And you can tell me about your new job", said Alicia, "This week I've been so busy with my paintings that I haven't heard anything about it"
Hermione smiled and stood up to grab her toiletry bag, "I'll be back in a minute"
The brunette went to the bathroom and took a cold shower before changing her clothes.
As she brushed her hair the girl seemed to realize, for the first time, how much she had changed in the eight months after the break up. The physical aspect was the most notorious: her hair no longer fell to the lower part of her back, but had been cut to the height of her shoulders and had golden highlights in her natural dark brown. Also, Hermione rarely went out without makeup these days, and she always wore heels and clothes that were comfortable but rather tighter than what she used to wear.
And emotionally she also felt stronger and more mature. She had no reservations about expressing her opinions; she talked confidently during her classes and had even participated alongside Harry in some of his oratory exercises. She had even dared to go out on a date with Viktor Krum, who was considered something of a celebrity on campus, without really thinking too much about it. And not once that night had she questioned why he had noticed her or felt insecure about her clothes or physical appearance.
Yes, it was a new and renewed Hermione. And she liked the change, at least most of the time.
A new message on her phone brought her back to reality. Hermione finished putting on her pajamas and walked to her room while reading Harry's text, a normal goodnight message, a tradition between them. But for some reason Alicia's words came back to her mind, "You should go out on a date with Harry."
"It's your turn to choose the movie Hermione, "The Holiday" or "My best friend's wedding""
"Mmm the first one", she answered without thinking while answering Harry's message
Hermione settled down next to Alicia and forgot the silly idea the girl had put into her head as she focused on the all too familiar story.
The smell of sweat and bath lotion filled the locker room as Harry entered to take a shower. He had spent the entire morning playing basketball with his friends and they had decided to stop so they could go to lunch together.
"It's a shame it didn't work out between you two, Viktor"
Justin's voice reached him as Harry approached his friends who were already changing their clothes, "What didn't work out?" He asked curiously as he opened his locker to get a clean towel
"My date with Hermione", Krum replied with a frown
"That was yesterday, right?" Harry closed his locker, "I'm sorry Viktor".
"I'm sorry too", Justin added, "I wish Hermione would accept to go out on a date with me. Have you noticed how hot she looked when we went to...?"
"I would be very careful on how to finish that sentence if I were you, Finch-Fletchley", Harry cut him off
"Oh come on Potter! You are not going to tell me that you have never seen Hermione as anything more than a friend", Justin smirked, "She's very sexy, and she's with you practically all the time. It isn't possible that you haven't realized how beautiful she is".
"Of course I've noticed", he snorted, "But Mione is much more than a sexy body, she is good, affectionate, intelligent..."
Justin chuckled, "You sound like a man in love"
Harry stopped talking and noticed Krum's gaze on him. Annoyance and jealousy painted his expression.
"Shut up Justin", said Harry, "I'm going to take a shower. I'll see you both in the usual restaurant".
Harry put on clean clothes after his shower, and went to his car. Lunch with his friends passed without major problems and without any other mention of his best friend.
When they parted, Harry returned to his bedroom and carried on with his pending work until it was time to pick up Hermione as they would go together to Alicia's painting exhibition. The brunette was leaving her building when he parked his car.
As Harry watched her walk towards him, clad in her heels and an eye-catching black mini dress, he thought that his friends had been right about Hermione. She was very beautiful. And she deserved someone as good as her by her side. For a brief second Harry was glad that someone wasn't Viktor Krum.
"Hello Harry", she greeted him with a smile as she got into the car
"Hello Mione", he answered her smile and cleared his throat, "Ready to go to the gallery?"
"Ready", she nodded
The gallery was packed with students and guests who walked the corridors looking at the paintings, sculptures, and other art forms. Hermione linked her arm through Harry's and they pushed their way through the crowd to search for Alicia's paintings.
It didn't take long to find them. A nervous Alicia was standing near her work, glancing from side to side, clearly aware of the guests' reactions.
"She's good", said Harry looking at the girl's work
"I know. I loved her previous landscapes paintings but I must admit that these are even better", Hermione observed the faces that her roommate had managed to capture, the very vulnerable expressions of the people she had decided to portray.
Harry and Hermione continued to observe the exhibition until Alicia approached them saying that they could go and celebrate. Alicia went to find Julian, her boyfriend, and Harry turned to his friend, "Where exactly are we going?"
"We're going dancing, of course", Hermione answered, giggling at Harry's miserable expression, "Come on, you know Ali. She wants to have a little fun"
"Just show me how to get to the place", he sighed and Hermione laughed
They arrived at the place a few minutes later and found Alicia and Julian inside.
They sat at a table and ordered drinks while chatting about the exhibition. After a while Alicia and Julian went dancing and Hermione took Harry by the hand and dragged him onto the dance floor.
The place was gradually filling with people to the point that it was unbearable to be on the dance floor. Harry took Hermione by the hand and they returned to the table they had occupied, but Alicia and Julian were gone. They tried to stay for a while but then decided that since their friends were gone and there were too many people, they could go to a quieter place. Hermione asked Harry to wait for her as she needed to go to restroom, and he told her he would wait for her outside. She agreed and Harry watched her get lost in the tide of girls queuing to enter the bathroom.
Harry made his way out of the pub and walked to his car. He leaned against the vehicle, pulled a cigarette out of his jacket and lit it.
Even though summer was not yet that close, the night was warm, so Harry took off his jacket and threw it inside the car. About fifteen minutes passed and Hermione still didn't appear. The boy considered going in to look for her but at that precise moment his car alarm went off. He turned his head to find out what was going on and came across a group of guys who were laughing loudly and seemed to be having a lot of fun. One of them, a slim and tall girl, had collided with the side of the car and that had caused the alarm to go off.
"Ops, sorry, I didn't…." She raised her face to him. It was Ginny.
She was speechless when she recognized Harry. He didn't say anything either, but stared at her for before examining her face and appearance, finding her considerably thinner and paler than before.
Ginny took a step towards him and opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly strong arms embraced her waist and she startled, but she didn't push them away.
"Hey gorgeous, will you come in with us or what?" A boy with dark and wavy hair asked as he tried to kiss Ginny's neck.
Harry felt an unexpected wave of jealousy at the scene, but held himself back mentally repeating that it was silly to feel like this when they were no longer together.
Ginny jerked away from the man and gave Harry an almost desperate look, but he cocked his head and he could swear he heard her sigh.
"Let's go", Ginny's voice whispered and, after taking the man's arm, she walked away in the opposite direction.
Harry kept an eye on them until he saw them enter the bar with the other members of their group. Harry kicked one of the tires on his car, and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and stop thinking about that guy and Ginny in some hotel, adoring the body of the girl who had once been his, but those images didn't seem to want to get out of his head.
Harry finished smoking his cigarette as he leaned back against his car. An instant later, Hermione with a huge expression of shame in her face, approached him, "Harry, I'm so sorry; it's just that there were so many people waiting to go to the bathroom." She sighed and bit her lips, "Is something wrong?" - She asked when she didn't receive an answer from him, "Harry? Are you ok?" She placed her hands on his shoulders.
Holding her this close, with her chocolate eyes resting on his and that genuine expression of concern on her pretty face, Harry felt his heart skipped a bit. And then remembering Justin's words and feeling a sudden impulse, he took her face in his hands and kissed her.
He wasn't sure what led him to do it. Maybe it was the recent encounter with Ginny and the need he had to forget all that she still made him feel or maybe it was that Hermione looked so pretty and there were already mixed feelings that seemed to start to surface. Maybe it was simply that this is how things should continue between them, but Harry just dedicated himself to kissing her and catching her soft and sweet lips.
Hermione was taken by surprise and she was about to push him away, but Harry's lips were so inviting that she simply let herself be guided by the greedy kiss his friend was giving her. Hermione felt Harry's hand move up her bare arms and an electric sensation ran through her body. She sighed against his mouth and he thrust his tongue inside her, deepening the kiss.
After a few seconds he cut the contact and they slowly opened their eyes, observing the other's expression, seeming to be aware of what had just happened. Hermione jumped up and looked away as she felt the colors rush to her head. Harry, on the other hand, stood very still as he wondered what the hell just happened.
"I think it will be better to go back to campus" he said after a few minutes of awkward silence
Hermione nodded at his idea and quickly got into the passenger seat. Harry started the car without daring to look at her and drove as fast as he was allowed to until reach the building where Hermione lived.
Once he parked the car, Hermione whispered a nervous "goodbye" and tried to unbuckle her seat belt, but it got stuck. She tried a couple more times to undo it, but with how eager she was to get out of there her hands were only shaking and hindering her attempts.
Harry turned to her and their hands brushed as he tried to remove the clasp, but Hermione quickly withdrew them and he struggled a few more times, however the clasp didn't budge.
Harry settled into the seat so he could help Hermione, but she had the same idea and their heads collided. She gave a small groan of pain and he hurriedly raised his head to her. And somehow their faces were very close again and Harry felt the urge to kiss her again, but it was Hermione who this time took the initiative and kissed him.
Harry wasted no time in answering the kiss and pulling her a little closer to him by passing his arm around her waist. They kissed twice more before she whispered, "Harry what are we doing?"
He seemed to be thinking about her words and slowly walked away from Hermione. She took a deep breath and struggled again with the belt buckle, which this time gave way, leaving Hermione free to get out of the car, "Well, I... I'll leave now", she said with a broken voice, "I guess…we'll talk later"
Harry nodded and she got out of the car, rushing into her building moments later.
Hermione undressed in an instant and, after putting on her pajamas, she snuggled between the sheets, mentally grateful that Alicia was not in the bedroom as she needed to think about what had just happened with Harry and put all her ideas in order.
She had always thought of Harry as a friend, a great friend who had become her greatest support in college. Harry had always been there for her, had helped her overcome Draco's betrayal and had taught her to feel more secure, to trust herself more, and to enjoy her time in the university. In recent months they had always been together and there had been some people who took them for a couple, but they used to laugh at those comments before clarifying that they were just friends.
"Just friends" she said aloud, but immediately the sensations she had experienced when he kissed her came to her. It had been such a different kiss than the one she'd shared with Viktor. She had felt nothing while kissing Krum, but with Harry… with Harry the once familiar spark of desire and excitement had returned to her. But they were friends, just friends right? Hermione moaned and shifted between her sheets.
"Do I have feelings for Harry?" she wondered as she nibbled at the skin around her nails, like she did when she was too anxious.
Unable to avoid it, she stood up, walked to the shelf and, after removing a couple of her books, took the little black velvet box that she had hidden many months ago. Although she had had the intention of giving it back to Draco, she had run away so suddenly that last time she saw him that she hadn't realized she still carried the box until she got to her room.
"Draco" she thought as her heart skipped a beat. "What happened to you? Where are you right now?" Those kinds of questions used to invade her mind more often than she wanted. Although several months had passed and she had met new people and had a couple of dates, Hermione hadn't been able to remove Draco from her mind. Not from her heart. Sometimes she even wondered if he thought of her wherever he was, but she quickly dismissed those ideas, forcing herself to remember that horrible night and put the armor she had forged back on.
"Maybe it's time to really leave everything behind," she told herself as she put the box in its place. "Maybe Harry is the one and I didn't realize that before"
And on impulse, Hermione took her phone and dialed Harry's number.
Harry had parked his car in front of his building but he knew he didn't feel like going into his dorm, so he grabbed his jacket and walked around the quiet campus while trying to clear his mind.
"I kissed Hermione" he thought hardly believing it, but his swollen lips were proof of what had happened between them.
And although a part of him felt disgusted for having used her to release the frustration he had felt at seeing Ginny with another man, the other part couldn't help but feel attracted toward his friend.
"Damn it," he muttered as he took a deep puff on his cigarette. The least he wanted was for things to get weird between them for he hated the idea of losing Hermione because of a stupid impulse. She was one of the most important and loved people in his life. "But do you love her only as a friend or as something else?" asked that unwelcome voice in his head.
Harry had always felt comfortable around Hermione and loved spending time with her. In the last few months they had spent a lot of time together and the girl had even met his friends, but he had never thought that there could be something more than friendship between them.
Still her kisses had felt unexpectedly good. Her body pressed against his had made him imagine, albeit briefly, the possibility of having something else with her.
Harry sighed and continued walking until he came close to a karaoke bar. A melody leaked from the scene and he concentrated on listening to the lyrics that, obviously, spoke about love.
Harry sat on the edge of a sidewalk and thought inevitably about Ginny and how easy she had got on with her life without even looking back. "I, on the other side, I'm stuck by my feelings for her" he thought and smirked. Her phone started ringing at that moment. Harry pulled it out of his jacket and read the name on the screen. It was Hermione.
"Can we meet?" She asked as soon as he answered
"Should I go to your dorm?" His voice sounded more nervous than he intended
"I'll wait for you outside", she accepted and hung up
Harry got back to his car and drove to Hermione's building. She, as promised, was sitting on one of the outer walls of the building.
"Hello", she waved when he sat next to her
"Hello", he tried to smile sideways
"Harry, I think... we better talk about what happened," she said, biting her lips.
"Mione I..." he cocked his head, "I don't know why I did it, but if I made you feel upset or bothered you with my actions, I really sorry"
"It was also my fault", she added sighing, "I kissed you too"
Harry stared at her for a moment without saying anything, and she looked back at him. And she looked so pretty in the moonlight
She continued, "I don't know why this happened but I think..."
"Maybe it could be a good idea if we give it a chance, don't you think?"
The comment came out of Harry without his being able to help it, and although he hadn't planned on proposing something like that to Mione, he knew it was time to let Ginny go. And there was no one else he was willing to start anything serious with other than Hermione.
Hermione widened her eyes but didn't seem scared at the proposition. She nodded in response and a determined glow settled in her eyes.
"But we will take things slow, please?" She asked in a soft voice
"Of course", he accepted instantly taking her hand
Hermione smiled and Harry leaned a little closer to her, brought their lips together in a gentle brush that lasted just a few seconds, and then settled his head on Hermione's shoulder.
This chapter took me a week to translate and I apologize for that. Truth is, I wrote this story about six years ago and I never thought it would be interesting to someone to read. Because of the pandemic and the extra free time I had I decided to published it, but there are some parts that doesn't make much sense so I've been editind/writing, so I ask you for a bit of patience from now on.
Thank you for your comments on the previous chapter, I hope you enjoy this new one. Please let me know!
Also I'm sorry for the lack of accent in Viktor's dialogues. Truth is I have no idea how to write that in english so I decided to just omit that part.