A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg, although he knows that you are slightly cracked. Bernard Meltzer
At Grimmauld Place that night, Hermione took a bite of the honey-baked chicken cutlet in surprise.
"This is good!" she said.
He held up a cookery book. "Your mum let me use it."
"I'll be sure to thank her," she said and took another bite.
"Did you get new wallpaper in here?" she asked.
"Yeah, decided to brighten up the place a bit. Some of the other rooms too."
The Blacks had kept a rather dark and gloomy home, and if Hermione ended up spending as much time there as he hoped, he wanted it to be a bit more cheerful and colorful.
"Oh, by the way, I got this today," he said and gave her an elegantly adorned envelope.
"I think I got one of those too, I just haven't looked through my stack of posts yet," she said.
He opened it and read:
Join us if you dare for an All Hallows scare!
Ghoul's Night Out will be undertaken
at Nine P.M. on October 31, 2009
Malfoy Manor, North Wiltshire, UK Costumes encouraged
"I got an invite last year, but I was in hospital," she said.
"And I was on an investigation," he said. "Ron and Ginny went, said it was a smashing party."
"I'll think about it," she said and continued her supper.
"Want to stay and watch EastEnders? It's almost time," he said.
"Absolutely, I haven't been able to see it the past two weeks," she said.
When they went to the library, she gasped in surprise.
"Wow, you really refurbished this room! It's very welcoming! That bookshelf looks great by the bay window!"
While she made herself comfortable on the couch, he offered her something to drink.
"Hmm...do you have any of that sweet dandelion wine?" she asked.
"Dark or light?" he asked.
"Dark," she said and he poured her a cup. He poured himself a bit of whiskey and sat with her.
"This is good," she said.
"Only the best spirits in this house," he said.
During the opening credits of the programme, the lights flickered and went out.
"Be right back," Harry said and tried the lights around the ground floor.
"Electricity's out," he said. "Old house, old wiring. Next thing to get repaired."
She flicked her wand and candles around the room lit and the fireplace came to life. She scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I like this," she said and shifted.
When her elbow nudged his side, he winced but said nothing. She pulled back.
"What? Did I hurt you?" she asked.
"Got a little banged up this morning in Wales," he said and lifted his shirt.
She gasped. "That bruise is as big around as a quaffle! Have you had it looked at?"
She ran her fingertips over a large bruise that covered his left chest and side. He shuddered.
"Sorry," she said and made to move her hand away, but he gently grasped her wrist.
"I forget about the pain when you do that," he said and laid her hand where it was.
"When I do this?" she asked and ran her fingertips around the bruise again.
"Yes," he whispered, his voice shaking.
Hmmm...She moved her hand to caress his sharply cut abdomen muscles. Very nice.
His stomach twitched in response. She cocked her head to the side when she noted that he wore jeans that rode low on his hips, exposing the patch of hair that trailed below the waistband. When she gently raked the fine hair, he groaned. His chest was heaving and he was clutching a couch pillow.
"Tease," he whispered and drew her closer, not at all shy about his intention to once again snog her senseless.
Like last night at her parent's house, she didn't want to stop. Harry felt good, smelled good, and caressed her perfectly, as if he read a book beforehand titled "Where To Touch Hermione." If this is how good he's at kissing, I can only imagine just how good he is at--
All rational thought happily vacated her brain when he pulled her onto his lap and his mouth moved to her neck. She didn't care when he tore open her shirt, buttons flying every which way, and buried his face between her breasts. The passionate interlude was broken when they were startled out of their wits by breaking glass and a voice that called "Lumos!" at the library door.
"Oh bugger! Sorry, you two!" Ron blurted and a feminine voice behind him giggled.
The lights flickered and came back on. Harry quickly covered her with her shirt and the two glared at him, Hermione in particular. The hair on the back of Ron's neck rose when he saw the look on Hermione's face. The last time she looked at him like that was the day she broke up with him, when he told her that "a wet fish could kiss better than you!" It wasn't true, she was quite good at it, but a bloke has to say something useful to save face when he's being dumped.
"I-thought-you-said-that-you-were-going-to-be-gone-for-a few-days," Harry ground out.
"Change of plans," Ron mumbled, looking everywhere but at the couch.
"Yeah, us too," Harry said and took Hermione's hand. "Come on, love, let's go back to your place."
"Gladly," she said and summoned her cloak to the library, smirking when the inkpot in the pocket knocked Ron on the back of the head. The force of their Apparition was so strong that the candles around the room were extinguished.
Later that night...
"Ginny, I'm going to murder your brother," Hermione declared and flopped down on her bed, telephone in hand.
Ginny sighed in exasperation. "What did he do now?" she asked, knowing that Hermione could only be talking about Ron. She would never call and say that she was going to murder Bill or George.
Hermione explained what happened at Grimmauld Place and Ron's unexpected appearance.
"Classic Ron," Ginny said.
"Ginny," she whinged, "we were so close to shagging right there on the couch! It's been over a month since I've had any sex! It would have been so good!"
"Hermione, I know that we're the best of friends and we talk about men a lot, but I feel uncomfortable talking to you about sex with my former boyfriend. You sound frustrated, so the best thing I can tell you is..."
There were a few moments of silence on the other end.
"...I don't know what to tell you."
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I am frustrated, about everything; I just can't seem to catch any kind of break lately."
"I think even your cat can tell that you're frustrated. Take a sleeping draft and get a good night's sleep."
"A sleeping draft is the only way I'll get any sleep, I'm so keyed up."
"Must go, crying baby."
"All right, tell the babies good night from me."
"I will, bye."
The next morning, an owl arrived at her flat instead of Harry.
Love-
Sorry I couldn't see you to work this morning, I had to take a team back to Wales. You'll probably hear more about it today when we bring in the suspects. Despite the untimely interruption, I thought that last night was fantastic. Again, I'm going to be honest and tell you that you're the sexiest thing to come into my world and that I wanted you so bad last night. Ron's been kicking around the idea of getting his own place for a while, and I think last night might have convinced him.
Did you have a hard time getting to sleep as much as I did? When I say hard, I mean it literally. Was that funny? I'm not sure, because I don't think I'm that funny in letters. Hell, am I funny in anything? Anyway, do good things today and hopefully I'll be through in time to take you home.
Yours,
Harry
"No Potter escort this morning?" Katie asked as Hermione was hanging her cloak.
"No, he had to take a team to Wales first thing this morning," she replied, smiling at the "Potter escort" comment.
"Hermione, I know that we were only acquaintances at Hogwarts, and that you've only been here in Legal for a year, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here," Katie said.
Hermione sighed and sat down at her desk. "I'll probably take you up on that offer, I spend more time with you than anyone else, did you know that?"
"You poor thing," Katie said.
"Don't say that! You're perfectly lovely to be around," Hermione said. "Tell you what, today we'll take an early lunch and talk about something other than work, what do you say?"
"Sounds great," Katie said.
**
They went to lunch at The Leaky Cauldron, where Hermione was surprised to learn from Katie that Hannah Longbottom had bought the pub two weeks prior.
"That's why it looks different, not so dodgy," Hermione said. "This stew tastes better too."
She was also surprised to learn that Katie was an only child of only children, much like Hermione had been until a year ago.
"I have a one year old sister," Hermione said and took a picture from her clutch.
"She looks just like you," Katie said. "How old are your parents?"
"53 and 51."
"Still at it at their age? Good for them," Katie said with a grin. "Do you spend much time with her?"
"Yes, when I can pry her away from mum and dad. I kept her last weekend when they went away to a dental convention. She terrorized my cat and tossed my mobile into the toilet."
"Any magic?" Katie asked.
"Doesn't look like it, mum says I was doing odd things when I was her age, but not Evelyn."
"Pretty name."
"It was my grandmother's name, a normal name, thank goodness. What were they thinking with me?"
"Come on, you've got a unique name," Katie said. "You wouldn't be you without it. Can you imagine anything other than Hermione J. Granger on your chocolate frog card? When people ask you to sign their cards, do you write out the entire name?"
"God no, I just write H. Granger. I still can't believe that I'm on one of those cards and that people ask me to sign them. My parents think it's priceless. They went with me to Diagon Alley once and a little girl ran up to me and asked me to sign her card. My mum was shocked and asked me just how famous I was."
As if on cue, a boy approached their table and held out a chocolate frog card for Hermione to sign.
"What's your name?" Hermione asked.
"Alastor," the boy replied.
Hermione paused and looked at the boy. "Really? I knew someone named Alastor."
"Is it true that you rode on a dragon?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes, and it was very scary," she said.
"Wicked!" the boy exclaimed.
"Yes...well...of course," Hermione said and gave the autographed card back to him.
"Bye, Miss Granger!!"
The boy scampered away and a server brought their pudding.
"Enough about me, what about you? Why aren't you playing Quidditch? You were quite good," Hermione asked.
"The beginning of my seventh year, a scout from the Holyhead Harpies contacted me. Do you remember that try-out, the one with Ron and McClaggen? The scout was in the stands and I was so excited! That is, until I learned that the offer was for an undetermined amount of time on the reserve squad."
"Would that have been so bad?"
"Oliver Wood was on the reserve squad for Puddlemere for four years. Yes, it's that bad. However, that unfortunate event my seventh year changed my mind about what I'd do with my life. I only have one regret, but I still have some time to work on it."
She took a bite and waved at someone that walked in.
"And?" Hermione asked.
"And what?" Katie returned.
"The regret you're still working on?"
"That I've put my work ahead of my personal life. I don't know how much more I can take of my mum harping me about it."
"My mum was on me about it for a while too, until she got pregnant. Their own baby helped to curb the grandbaby harping."
"I can just imagine what my mum would say if I suggested she have a baby," Katie mused and returned to the conversation. "You do want babies, don't you?"
"Oh yes, very much. I really thought that Trace was the one for that. Guess I was wrong."
Katie looked at her watch. "Damn, we're so late! Lunch ended over a half hour ago!"
By the end of the day, Harry hadn't returned from Wales. She closed her office and picked up some fish and chips on the way home. By nightfall, Harry never called. Odd, he always calls. She started to worry and called Grimmauld Place. Ron answered.
"Hey, I'm sorry about the other night," he said.
"Ron, I don't care about that right now. Have you seen or heard from Harry?"
"No, but sometimes his missions last a while. Don't fret too much."
"Okay, good night."
"Night, Mione."
After a shower, the doorbell sounded. She slipped on a dressing robe, went quickly to the front door and looked through the peephole. It was Harry. She opened the door and was almost tackled with a hug. He pulled back and she noticed a fresh cut on his forehead and a forlorn look in his eyes.
"What happened?" she asked.
He pulled her close again and buried his face in her hair.
"I lost an Auror today," he said, his voice choked. "We were ambushed...came so close to not seeing you again, touching you..."
She pressed her face against his chest and hugged him harder. "I'm so sorry, what can I do?"
"You're doing it," he said and took her face in his hands. "You're doing it by being alive and well and beautiful and looking at me with those big, gorgeous eyes," he said and took her breath away with the intensity of his kiss, moving to suckle on her neck while fumbling with the tie on the dressing robe.
"Want to feel you...need to feel you," he gasped and slid his hands inside of the robe.
"Yes, feel me," she urged, as breathless as he was.
He slipped off the robe to reveal her in a black satin cami and thong.
"Perfect," he whispered and carried her bridal-style to her bedroom.
**
Chapter End Notes:
Isn't the internet a wonder? I'm am American living in Germany, but I can go on the internet and find the television schedule for BBC One and see that yes, EastEnders played on Thursday nights in October. I love Merlin, by the way.
