There were moments after that night. Moments that could have changed their minds about it. That kiss meant nothing, but meant everything. Harry and Hermione are both now in their sixth year. School was only getting harder, and there was more pressure. The wizarding world now knows that Voldemort is alive.
If Harry and Hermione thought about it, they knew it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord made a mistake and revealed himself. Which he did. He let his ego get the better of him and thought he could destroy Harry by possessing him.
But after finding out about the prophecy, Harry now knew that he had the power to vanquish the Dark Lord, and he had an idea of what the power was. He had everything Voldemort never received. Loyalty, love friendship. Harry was given it, he never had to take it. And that's where the Dark Lord will fail. He manipulates his followers. He tortures them, bribes them. If only Voldemort had it in him to learn of the failings of past tyrants then he would realise that you cannot force yourself into power. Too many people will fight for their freedom. He will never have the love of the people. Voldemort may not want it, but to succeed, loyalty, love and friendship is everything.
And now Harry knew that Harry could defeat him. If only he had a little courage in himself.
There was too much pressure behind being the boy who lived, and Harry could feel that pressure. It was overpowering him. He felt like he wasn't enough.
It was a fluke that he managed to beat Voldemort that one time in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. It hit him like a wave of clarity as he looked at the people that had surrounded him with love and happiness. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville - all his friends - his family kept him alive, kept him going. And that's what propelled Harry to fight. He beat the Dark Lord that night because of the power of love that he had in his life.
And he can do it again.
Now he just had to believe it.
Harry thought that he knew who the person was that he would want to spend the rest of this life with. She was everything he wanted. Pretty, smart, encouraging...brave. Ginny Weasley was it for him. He had plans.
But then it happened.
The kiss between himself and Hermione, changed everything for him. He didn't know about Hermione, but he was seeing things more clearly. He said to himself when it happened that it meant nothing but meant everything. Now he is starting to think that it just meant everything.
Hermione might be feeling the same way but he couldn't tell. But, there were moments he would look up and catch Hermione looking at him before turning away. Sometimes he would even catch a slight red tinge to her cheeks.
Before sixth year, Harry and Hermione were eating dinner with the Weasley's. It was a couple of days before they were due to start their sixth year at Hogwarts. It was also a few months after 'it' happened. So it was still fresh and vivid in their memories. They never spoke of it. They didn't really need to. They knew that whatever happened then can never happen again and no one could know about it. So, as a result, it was their little secret. One that forever stays that way. But that wasn't to say that they thought about it often whenever they were alone.
The duo sat at the table in the Weasley's home, Hermione next to Harry and Ron next to Harry, with the Weasley's surrounding them. It was a happy time. It may have been difficult the year before. Harry had lost his Godfather, Sirius Black, but Harry knew that he would not want him to wallow in self pity and think of ways that he could have changed what happened. What's done is done and there's no way of changing it. So Harry lived with it and it didn't stop Harry from living happily with his family.
So he joined in with the laughter at the Weasley table as Fred and George demonstrated whatever magical concoction they had come up with next.
There were tears of laughter throughout the house as Fred gave some kind of chewy sweet to George, and he ended up sprouting rabbit ears and a pig nose. The laughter only grew as George could only communicate through the language of a cat, making him look incredibly cute. Everyone was so distracted that they didn't notice that two sounds of laughter had ceased.
Harry turned to Hermione who was not looking at him but pointedly looking out of the widow opposite her, determinedly keeping her eyes away from Harry.
Under the table, wake from prying eyes, their hands, Harry's right and Hermione's left had sat idly by on their legs, unmoving, when the joke caused Harry to shake with laughter that his hand brushed Hermione's. Everything stilled between them. The Weasley's with their laughter, Ron being the loudest with a barking laugh, drowned out around them.
Hermione had still committed to staring out of the window, as Harry watched her features. They were unmoving and unrecognisable. Tentatively, Harry moved his hand a fraction further to the right, until it was lying on top of Hermione's faced down hand. Harry continued to watch her features, but the only movement that gave her away was the opening of her lips in a slight gasp.
The Weasley's were still oblivious to the actions of the duo, too caught up with Fred who now looked similar to his twin but with dog ears and a duck's nose, so Harry tightened his hold on Hermione's hand and was surprised that she was turning it around to lace their fingers together.
They didn't know what they were doing, they didn't know why they were doing it, but they couldn't seem to stop.
Hermione still made no movement to remove her eyes from the window and Harry was quite content to keep his hand where it lay and watch her. Things are changing for the both of them and they are not ready.
For teenagers it was confusing thoughts. And those confusing thoughts led to struggles.
One of them struggles being the Weasley's. Harry wants Ginny and Hermione, he thinks, wants Ron. It was perfect. Safe. But maybe they were just childish thoughts in the middle of a war and they had subconsciously decided that it wasn't worth the risk between them.
That had to be it. Wasn't it?
They didn't know. It was all too confusing.
Harry and Hermione suddenly separated at the sound of a coughing fit at the end of the table. Ron had decided to speed through his food and choked on a potato that he hadn't chewed correctly. It was a common thing for him but everyone laughed anyway.
Harry turned back around to Hermione to find she was no longer there. He looked around and found her retreating back walking around the corner. He didn't follow. Harry wouldn't know what to say if he did.
That was just one moment and the year hadn't even begun.
The next moment was just after one of Slughorn's monthly Slug Club dinners. Horace Slughorn was still up to his old tricks trying to find important Wizards and Witches that would make the cut when it came to him finding out information. He was a slimy bastard but Dumbledore had given Harry the job of finding out information from Slughorn himself. Harry was finding it quite the difficult task.
The dinner itself was a rather boring affair, the usual chit chat of how classes are going and what the parents are doing - obviously, Harry felt out of place - but he stayed. He had a job to do. It was after the dinner when Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room with Hermione at his side.
They were quiet, but it wasn't awkward. They were just comfortable being in each other's presence. Neville, who was one of the regular Slug Club attendees, was walking up just ahead of them, so it wasn't like they could do or say anything about what was going on between them. They were content as it was.
As they reached the portrait door, they let Neville in first before Hermione started to follow. Before she could fully step through, Harry grabbed her wrist and halted her movements. Hermione stopped and turned to face Harry, stepping back towards him with a question on her lips.
"We need to talk, Hermione." Harry answered her question before she could utter it.
Hermione just smiled and walked closer towards him, placing both of her hands on his shoulders and whispered, "Not tonight, Harry." Before she leaned forward and softly kissed his cheek, lingering just a bit longer than necessary. She then disappeared through the portrait door, leaving Harry to his thoughts. He eventually did follow but they never did end up having that conversation they so desperately needed.
The next and final one of the year was a memorable one to say the least. It was a moment that really changed everything. Where they finally admitted that they had been fooling themselves. They didn't admit it to each other, no that would be too much too fast. The war was fully raging outside and they wouldn't let their feelings get in the way. They still couldn't tell if it was in the moment feeling or this is it for them. Are they 'it' for each other.
They had to be certain and by doing that they had to let it be.
They had just won the quidditch match, therefore winning the quidditch cup for the year. Excited yells could be heard in the dungeons all the way from the Gryffindor common room if only someone decided to listen to it. The party was in full swing. Butterbeer was passed around with the occasional snuck in fire whisky. Couples snogging in corners, thinking they were out of view but really in full view. Nearly every person in the room was singing - more like shouting - the 'Weasley is our King' song. It was dreadful, but it was also heartwarming to see everyone come together for something so trivial.
Harry and Hermione watched on as everyone congratulated the team, especially Ron, who had saved the goal that could have lost them the game. It was a spectacular scene, one that Ron would never forget. He was finally getting some attention that didn't involve the Boy-Who-Lived. It was horrible to think, but he needed something of his own and quidditch gave him that. He was completely distracted as Lavender Brown, a resident Gryfindor, grabbed his shirt and smashed her lips against his. Ron never noticed Hermione disappearing into the shadows and out of the common room.
But Harry did. So...he followed.
It wasn't difficult to find her. He could hear her soft sobs coming from down the stone steps. It was difficult to hear someone you loved - whether that be friendship or love...love - cry. It was heartbreaking. Especially for Harry, who had no idea how to deal with it.
He found her sat on the bottom step, hugging her knees to her chest. Tentatively, he sat down next to her and reached for one of her hands, grasping it in one of his own. They sat for a moment in silence, sobs from Hermione, being the only thing to break it. It was only a few moments before Hermione sat up straight, wiped her tears away and smiled over at Harry who had a very concerned look on his face.
"I'm okay, Harry." She said answering his unasked question. "I just...I saw it and thought are we," she paused and looked over to Harry, hazel eyes meeting emerald, she sighed, "are we ever going to get that? A chance to have a silly teenage romance?" Harry was still frowning, he didn't understand. Hermione can have a silly teenage romance, it was only him that couldn't for fear of putting that person at a high risk from an attack from Voldemort. Hermione noticed his silence. "Silly isn't it? Look at me." She huffed out a laugh. "Acting like a teenage girl."
"But you are a teenage girl, Hermione."
"I can't have that, Harry, and I accept that. I just had a moment where I wanted to cry at the thought that would never have that."
"What makes you think you can't have that?" Maybe it was a stupid question. Either way it made Hermione laugh.
"Because we are in a war, Harry!" Hermione replied exasperated. "At the very centre of it. Ron can get away with whatever it is that he is doing up there," she gestured up the stairs where Harry gave a brief glance, "because we - me and you - carry the burden just that little bit more than he does. Sure! He knows what is at stake but he doesn't take it as seriously as us. I can't lose you Harry." She stated, turning her body to fully face him, placing her hands on his shoulder, staring into his eyes with determination. "And so I must help you defeat him. Destroy Voldemort. It is the only way that we will be able to get any kind of normal life, silly teenage romance. I can't lose you to him Harry. So, I am giving that up to help you." She said defiantly.
"But I want you to have a normal life, Hermione." He didn't know how much she was giving up for him and it hurt. He couldn't let her do it. "The war is getting worse, and yes, you are in the middle of it, but you don't have to be, you can leave. Leave it to me to figure it out. I want you to survive." He grabbed a hold of her cheeks in the palms of his hands, firm but soft. "I need you to survive."
"I'm not going anywhere, Harry Potter, and if you try to push me away after everything we have been through, I will never forgive you." It wasn't a romantic statement, but it said so much, with so little words. He and Hermione had been through so much together, stuck by each other no matter what. Harry was incredibly stupid to suggest that she leave and he knew it.
They went silent. The argument was over. Hermione won, she always did, and she knew it she smiled a goofy smile that was so stunningly beautiful that Harry was taken aback by his thoughts.
"What?" Hermione frowned. She squealed as Harry didn't answer and instead crashed his lips against hers, moaning at the contact. Hermione was so startled that she didn't react. Harry sensed it and started to pull away, but crushed himself against her as Hermione grabbed a hold of his shirt and pulled him towards her. The force of it pushed her back and she ended up laying on the floor with Harry on top of her.
The contact of the cold stone floor made her squeak again and she pulled away, looking up into his eyes. The swirls of emotion she saw there made her gasp. Lust and desire. However, before Hermione could ponder it any further, Harry sat up, grabbed her by her jumper and yanked her towards him. Their lips crushed together once again and it felt like they were floating in air. It was magic, the way that his lips fitted so snugly against hers. His mouth was warm and the caress of his lips softer than Hermione could have ever imagined. So soft that she ended up moaning.
Harry stilled.
"What are we doing, Hermione?" Harry exclaimed, standing up and pushing himself away from Hermione, stumbling to the opposite wall. "I know that something has changed between us, but what are we doing?"
Hermione slowly stood and looked at Harry. "I don't know, Harry." Hermione said, "It's nice though, isn't it?" Harry frowned. "Did you not feel like all your worries evaporate like a summer shower on a hot car?"
"We can't do this Hermione. Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because if this happens...if this evolves…" He answered, gesturing between the two of them. "He'll come after you. I can't put you through that." Hermione started walking towards Harry, but he stood his ground. "I can't, Hermione. Not yet." Hermione paused in her steps, a meter away from him.
"Okay." Harry frowned. He thought she would fight. "Just once." Harry then realised that that was her fight as she lunged for him and pressed herself against him, smashing her lips against his in a bruising snog. Harry didn't fight, but instead grabbed a hold of hips, much like their first kiss, and spun them around until her back slammed against the wall that he had previously leaned against.
"Just once." Harry repeated, leaning back to cup her face in his hands. He leaned down and softly kissed the tender area at the base of her neck. Hermione's body went rigid with surprise at the tenderness that Harry showed. Who knew he could be soft? Hermione was breathless with delight as he showered her with gentle, soft kisses, each with its own flicker of warmth. Harry leaned back and took a moment to look at her as she gazed up at him. "Just once." He repeated, placing his hands back on her waist, as he spent a moment studying her face, he then tilted his head to the side and kissed her, his lips demanding. Hermione felt a smouldering heat deep within her as Harry's grip tightened around her waist, crushing her body to his, gentle yet firm. He tilted his head further, deepening the kiss, causing Hermione to moan. Harry smiled into the kiss, an experience he won't forget any time soon. Harry felt her hands brush up his chest to his neck to play with the ends of his hair. A smile grew on his face as it started to tickle. Finally they pulled apart, gasping for air. Harry's kiss stole the words Hermione didn't need to say. In that silence all their secrets were laid bare, all of their missions and the spark of love that existed between them. In that moment, in their mutual love for each other - platonic or not - they were strong. One kiss and they felt like they had the courage to do what needed to be done.
To finally end the war.
But for now, it was their little secret.