As always, the works belong to J.K. Rowling and E. L. James. I'm just taking their brilliance and tweaking it to my own liking a bit. =) I'm also using a quote or two from Jane Austen's Emma in this chapter. Thanks to everyone who added this story to their favorites or to their alerts! And a special shout out to pawsrule, albrkic, and HarryHermioneBellaEdwrd for being the reviewers.
One more thing before we start chapter four… I'm not sure how often I'll update—I work forty plus hours a week, go to school for twenty, and then have all the homework that comes with those college classes… I'm lucky to get five hours of sleep a night. I write in the not-so-spare time, so it all just depends. I'll try for at least once a week, if not more…Sometimes it might be less. It really all just depends. I do plan on covering all three 50 books in this verse, though, so hopefully you'll stick around for each of them. Now for chapter four! Chapter title goes to Placebo.
50 Shades of Harmony
Chapter 4: Running Up That Hill
How clumsy can one person be?! I ask myself as again I open up my eyes to be staring into his emerald eyes while being wrapped in his arms. I really wish the man would just kiss me so maybe I could get these thoughts out of my head. I bite my lip, trying to bring his attention to that part of my anatomy. Potter's breathing harder than he normally does. As if answering my question, he shakes his head at me and stands me back on my feet, still holding on to my shoulders.
"Hermione, you really should avoid me. I'm not the man for you. You deserve someone more than I am," he says softly, looking into my eyes as he warns me. I actually glare at him, thinking of Luna's words to me earlier. Do these people not realize that within a few weeks I'll be graduated from Hogwarts, top of my class? I'm seventeen-years-old—a legal witch in this world! Can I not make up my own mind and decide exactly what I want? Evidentially not in their minds.
"Are you all right?" he asks.
I roll my eyes which seem to make his go darker. I nod my head. "I'm pretty sure for how much I've been falling on my face recently; I've got this, Mr. Potter…and thank you."
"For what?" he asks. He still hasn't removed his hands from my shoulders.
"For saving me."
"Saving you?"
"How many times could I have seriously hurt myself, Mr. Potter, if you hadn't been there to catch me as I fall? Thank you for doing the photo shoot. Luna will be gushing about it from the moment she sees me, I'm sure." I've never heard my voice sound so harsh towards someone who hadn't actually done anything directly to me. It's not like Harry Potter knew he was breaking a part of my heart by not kissing me, by not wanting me. Why would he want someone as plain as me? I was stupid for ever thinking that he could actually like me.
"Hermione…I…" he can't finish his words. His voice sounds as broken as my heart is so I look back up into his eyes. His eyes are very light now as he takes his hand and runs it through his unruly raven hair. I have to wonder what happened to the man that was so put together…the one who always had to be in control. The man standing before me seems nothing like him right now as it seems like he's fighting an inner battle between two demons.
"What, Harry?" I finally snap. He doesn't deserve my pity. He's put me through hell these past few days. If it isn't obvious that I like him, I don't know what is any more. I need to collect my Gryffindor pride as I walk away. I am Hermione Granger after all.
"Good luck on your NEWTs," he says softly.
Really? That's all he has to say to me after this? "Thanks," I say as I turn to walk away. I hope he can hear the sarcasm in my voice that I've never really been good with. I start walking back to Hogwarts, not letting myself look back towards him, even though I can feel his eyes following me until I've finally disappeared over the hill.
When I reach my tree, I collapse against it finally allowing the tears to fall from my eyes. I hate crying. I think it's one of the most useless things a person can do. If you're sad, you should do something about it, not sit around crying over it. Look how far it got me in my first year… I'm so lucky that I had Luna and Neville with me. I try to convince myself that I'll be okay in the end. Right now, though, I feel so small, so rejected. I sit staring at the lake, hugging my knees to my chest. How can I be crying over something that I never even had? An owl flies across the clouds. It's such a beautiful sight that I have to close my eyes as the tears finally cease.
I've felt rejection before from my peers. Throughout primary school I was always the last person picked for teams. No one wanted the bookworm who was horrible at sports. I've been picked on since I can remember for using my knowledge as a shield. Whenever I get nervous, I can't help but blurt out the answers. I knew it wouldn't make me friends being the know-it-all, but it's a trait that I had to work very hard to break myself of. When it comes to romance, though, Luna is very right. I've never put myself out there. I've never wanted to. I've always been the one rejecting others, but a hell of a lot nicer than Harry Potter did to me. I explained to Neville how I thought of him only as a friend and told him that I never wanted to lose his friendship. Draco, for each time that he's hit on me, knows that I could never see him that way. Okay…so maybe I'm not as nice to them when it comes to that as I like to think I am. I really sure work on being nicer about it, especially if they feel like I do each time that I close that alley.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I'm not sure if I'm ready to face Luna just yet, but I know that I have too. I need to study. Studying will help my thoughts. If I get so lost in my notes, maybe Harry Potter will finally not be at the front of my mind.
50505050
"What's wrong?" Luna asks the second that I take a step into the common room. She hasn't even turned her head from her parchments, but somehow, in a true Luna fashion, she knows.
"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to steady my voice.
Luna looks up at me, her finger marking the spot she was reading. "You've been crying. What did that git do, Hermione?" She's angry. Luna's a very scary person when she's angry because it's so unlike her. She's always happy-go-lucky. I can remember when her fellow Ravenclaws use to hide her shoes from her and she would say the nargles must have needed them more than she did and at that at one point, they'd return to her. If anyone can take that with such bliss…well, like I said, angry Luna is scary.
"Nothing, Luna," I say, trying to give her a smile. That really is the problem—I'm left with nothing of Harry Potter.
"Then why are you crying, Hermione? You never cry," she scoots over on her couch and makes me sit down next to her, pulling me into an embrace. I have to give her something, even if she's not going to believe me.
"I about bashed my head into the ground numerous times today. I guess it's just getting to me."
"Really, Hermione? Are you okay?"
I nod. "Each time Harry caught me," I whisper, looking into the fire place.
"He likes you, Hermione," she says as she releases me from the hug.
"Not anymore. I won't be seeing him again besides graduation." I manage to say this without letting the tears that are threatening to escape from my eyes fall.
"Really?"
Damn it. Now she wants to know more, just like Luna always does. I really should have thought about what I was going to say to her rather than letting myself cry by the tree earlier. I knew she'd want to know the story behind this.
"Yeah…he's a little out of my league, Luna," I roll my eyes. Didn't she tell me that she thought I should stay away from him? Shouldn't she be happy about this?
"What do you mean?"
"Really, Luna? It's kind of obvious, don't you think?"
Luna shakes her head. "Not to me. He's got more money than you, sure. He's defeated a dark lord, sure. He's ridiculously good looking, sure. But still…"
"But still what, Luna? You've mentioned some pretty good things there. I'm just plain Hermione while he's the famous Harry Potter. What could he possibly see in me?"
"You're amazing, Hermione. You've got so much to offer any one who's willing to take the time to get to know you. You're beyond smart. You're a great friend. You're very beautiful…"
I raise my eyebrow at her.
"You are, Hermione. You just don't see it. When you look in the mirror, you see this 'plain Hermione'. When everyone else looks at you, they see what beauty is really about. You've got these dark eyes that…"
"I really need to study, Luna," I say as I stand up and grab my bag that is sitting next to my chair where I left it. I'm in a deep need of sitting at the desk in my room and absorbing myself in my books.
"Whatever you say, Hermione. Do you want to read the article? It's finished. Neville added in some amazing pictures." She's got the completed work sitting on her lap, beckoning me to read it.
"Sure," I manage a smile as she hands me the papers and suddenly I'm staring into those emerald eyes. I can see his gaze shifting between the waters and off to the side. The side where I just happen to be standing outside of the picture. What could he be thinking? Is he wondering how he's going to get me off his back since he finally realized that I was slowly becoming obsessed with him? I really try to read the article like I know I should. Luna's always been a good friend to me. I should read her words. But I can't bring myself to read it. I'll be able to hear his voice telling me I should stay away from him. Him rejecting me. I'm suddenly aware of how opposite Harry and I are. He's so perfect and I'm so…not. I'm like a bird trying to fly against the wind to catch up to something that I can never truly have. It almost makes his rejection a little easier to handle once I've realized exactly how out of my league he his. He'll be perfect for someone if he'll ever have her….he'll just never be perfect for me. I hand the papers back to Luna and give her a true smile.
"It's wonderful," I say to her. "I really do need to go and study now, though." Luna gives me a nod as she takes the papers back and sit them on the table, drawing her knees up to her chest and she starts to hum to herself.
I walk into my room and sit out my desk, bringing out all of my notes. I'm not going to think of Harry Potter for the rest of the night. I'm going to study my arse off so I can make him pay eight hundred galleons for every O that I'm going to get on my NEWTs.
50505050
I set my quill down. I'm finished. My final NEWT, Charms, is complete. My practical exams are done. My written parts are all done. I don't know whether I'm excited or sad. For seven years now I've been working towards this moment. I smile. It's the first true smile I've had on my face all week. I stand up and see Neville tapping his quill against the desk. Luna is sitting behind him, her feet moving to a beat she must have going on in her head and she writes away. My smile spreads to more of my face as I realize we'll be celebrating tonight, so I must be excited over being sad. I don't like to drink very much. I'm more of a social drinker who will likely be the one to apparate others to where they need to go because of how drunk they are. But tonight I've decided to hell with it, I want to get sloshed. I think I deserve it. I've never truly been drunk and what better time than now? The end of my academic career—the true beginning of my adult life. I'll never have to sit in a classroom where other students aren't paying attention. I'll never have to another lecture where I have to take notes—even though I know that with whatever job I get, I'll still probably do something along those lines…but it won't be for a grade. I'm actually done! After I bring my parchments up to the front of the room, I see Luna look up from her own. She gives me a Luna smile as she too stands up and begins to walk to the front to hand hers in. We walk out of the Great Hall and immediately turn to each other.
"We did it!" we both say at the same time. We laugh. We walk back to the common room, Luna swinging her arms as she twirls around. I almost want to join her because her happiness is spreading.
As we enter what I've finally decided to call our common room, there's a package sitting on the in-table in front of the fireplace. Luna walks up to it and hands it to me. "It's for you," she says.
"It doesn't say a name on it." I'm turning the package upside down to see if maybe it was placed on the wrong side.
"That's because there's a card sitting here, too," Luna holds it in front of me. Sure enough, it's addressed to Miss Hermione Granger in an almost chicken scratch writing. I've never seen the writing before. I open up the envelope for it to turn into a small letter that reads…
Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing! but I have never been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall. And, without love, I am sure I should be a fool to change such a situation as mine.
I blink as I stare at the paper. What the hell could this mean? I know the quote—I've read Emma before. Jane Austen is my favorite muggle author…but who, besides my parents, would send me something with a quote from my favorite book. I open up the package that came along with and my eyes go so wide they feel like they're going to pop out of my eye socket. Inside are three books: Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility. Of course, I own these books. They're sitting on one of the bookshelves in my room right now. When I open the front cover of Emma, though, I feel my knees go weak. This is a first edition copy. I quickly look to the other two only to see that they are too. I think I'm going to faint. I know who sent these now and I'm suddenly pissed. The quote, the fact that these books are worth more than I'll probably ever see in my lifetime…just mainly the fact that bloody Harry Potter sent them to me right after my exams are done has me reeling.
Luna picks up the card that I've dropped in the process of losing my mind over the books. She's seen me reading the books before and tilts her head to the side, knowing that I've got my own copies in my room.
"First editions," I say.
"Wow. Really. Who…Potter?"
I nod. "Who else would be able to afford these that I know? In the muggle world, I'm sure that these book run for £180,000, a piece. That's 36,000 galleons a piece for these books!"
"What does the card mean?"
"I think that's kind of obvious… This is his more formal way of rejecting me. He'll never fall in love with me because it's how he is. He doesn't do the whole girlfriend thing. I don't know why he had to send these to me, though. It's not like I'm at his office every day trying to get in to see him. It's been over a week and I'm just fine where I am, without him."
"I know you don't want to talk about him, Hermione, but he's seriously into you. Warnings are no. You've got to be crazy about someone if you're willing to spend that much money on them getting them something that they'll quite possibly love more than they love their own best friend."
"It won't matter, Luna, because I can't accept these. What kind of person would I be if I took them from him? No…I'll find some way to send these back to him and boggle his own mind. Sending them back by owl will never do. I think I'll use my own Emma quote on him… 'I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.' Yeah… That sounds good to me!" I'm pretty sure that Luna's caught on that I'm angry but at the same time I'm torn inside.
She hands me a glass of alcoholic butterbeer that she's had chilling out all day for us to finish our exams. She holds up her bottle and motions for me to do the same. "To the end of our exams and to our new life outside of the Hogwarts walls—without Harry Potter in it!" she says, smiling at me.
"And to every single person getting straight O's on all of their exams," I grin as we click the bottles together and we drain the bottles.
50505050
The bar is extremely loud and completely full. Luna, Neville, and I were not the only seventh years who decided that a Friday night out after their exams was exactly what was called for. Muggle drinks, wizard drinks, possibly even house elf drinks are going all around the tavern. I'm sure that Aberforth has no idea who owes him what for all the alcohol being consumed tonight. I'm pretty sure at one point I told him to bill Harry Potter for all the drinks…I'm pretty out of it right now.
Neville and I sit at the counter. Luna has wondered off. She loves to dance and I'm pretty sure that's exactly what she's doing right now. As I turn around, my suspicions are confirmed as I see her leading Justin, a fellow Ravenclaw, off to dance with her. His eyes are completely on her right now. Luna is wearing something that she picked up from a muggle mall when she came to visit me over the summer—tight black skirt, tiny baby blue camisole, and high heels that match her shirt. Luna never looks like this. No Hogwarts female ever looks like this. I'm even out of place in the black leggings and an off-the-shoulder green shirt she practically dressed me in tonight. I still don't compare to Luna in the looks department, though.
"So where to now, Hermione?" Neville asks as he takes a swig of whatever he's drinking.
I run my finger across the top of the margarita I'm drinking and shrug. "Luna and I are moving to Diagon Alley. She's going to be working for her father and I have no idea what I'm going to be doing yet. Luna's father bought us a small house on the skirts of town to live in till we can pay him back. What about you?"
"That'd be nice…I'm going to rent a flat in London, probably. My Gran said I can have what's left in my trust vault to start out with but 'I need to learn the value of a galleon' so after that I'm completely on my own. I figure I'll try getting a job at St. Mungo's or something to I can even afford the flat. Do you want another?" he asks, motioning down to my now empty glass.
"Why Neville Longbottom, are you trying to get me drunk? I think it might be working," I giggle. "I think I'd better go with butterbeer on this round. I'll go get us some."
Luna manages to make her way over by us while still dancing. "More drinks, Hermione!" she says in a very sing-song voice. Luna drunk brings out the best in all her dreaminess. She basically floats away as I laugh at her and I set off to try to find Aberforth. When I stand up, my head starts to spin. I decide that while I'm at it, I better go to the bathroom. Of course there's a line. Drunken people always seem to need to pee. Alcohol goes right to the bladder. As I'm standing there I see the backroom and figure I need to sit down for a moment since my head is still spinning.
When I walk into the room, there's a long couch sitting in front of a fireplace. I'm sure there's been making people in here tonight with all the hormones floating around. Fireplace… Hmmm… Before I realize what I'm doing, I've got my wand out calling out 'The Palace' and fumbling over 'Lily Flower'. The same voice from before starts to talk, but I don't even let her finish before I start to speak my mind.
"How dare you send me those books when you know that they're my favorite… You bloody pompous, arrogant prick!"
"Hermione?"
Harry's head is suddenly in the fireplace, scaring me so much that I fall back on to the couch laughing.
"Why did you send me books?"
"Hermione, are you okay?"
"Why do you always got to ask the questions? I thought I was supposed to be interviewing you, Mr. High-and-Mighty-I-Killed-Voldemort."
"Have you been drinking, Hermione?"
"What's it to you? Remember, you don't want me. You don't do the girlfriend thing. I'm just Hermione—I'm no one to you."
"I'm just curious, Hermione. Where are you?"
"In a tavern. That's where people normally get drunk unless they're shelled off people like you. You probably do all your drinking in your own little bat cave, don't you?"
"Which bar, Hermione?"
"A bar…somewhere. Maybe in one of those bloody expensive books that you sent your rejection note with."
"How are you getting back to Hogwarts?"
"I'll probably walk. I've gotten a bit better at that without you around."
"Which tavern are you at, Hermione?"
"Why did you send me the books, Harry?"
"Hermione, where are you? Tell me now." He's in his control-freak mode. I start giggling as I imagine him with a military buzz cut directing out orders to tiny mice. I really must be too drunk for my own good right now.
"You're so…domineering," I'm still giggling.
His breath goes very sharp. So sharp even in a drunk state I notice. "Hermione, so fucking help me. Where the hell are you?"
Harry Potter is swearing at me. It makes me laugh even more. "Maybeeee I'm in a tavern in Sense and Sensible. That wouldn't make much sense though, would it? I've never been very sensible since I meet you I guess."
"Hermione…"
"Good night, Harry."
"Hermione!"
My wand snaps around and shuts off the connection. He didn't tell me about the books like I wanted him to, but right now I really don't care. I think I'm too drunk and I'm glad that the line to the bathroom has gone down in my little talk with Mr. Potter. I'm pretty sure this is the last time I'm going to get drunk. As I'm walking out of the bathroom, a white stag patronus is suddenly in front of me, backing me up against the wall. Can anyone else see this or are they also too drunk to realize it?
"I'm coming to get you, Hermione," the voice of Harry Potter says as the stag speaks to me. My eyes go wide and suddenly I'm giggling again. I don't even remember giggling this much before in my life. I pat the stag behind the ear and whisper to it, "Good luck with that one, Potter. There's no point in coming to get someone you don't even want to be around." I know from reading that Potter will never get my side of the message. Sending a patronus like this is one-way communication. I guess he got tired of arguing with me in the backroom.
I make my way back to the actual bar part of the room and see Luna sitting down next to Neville and Justin as I order butterbeer for us. When I make my way over to the table they're now sitting at, Luna is giving me a tiny glare.
"You've been gone for ages, Hermione!" she says as she pours some of the butterbeer into her glass.
"Bathroom. That line just keeps going and going," I say as I try to pour some of it into my glass that Neville has brought over to this new location with him. I look over at Neville and see that he and Justin are deep in conversation over something Quidditch. I look back to Luna. "I think I need to go outside and get some fresh air."
Luna nods. "You're a lightweight."
"I'll be back in five minutes."
I manage to make my way outside of Hogshead. My head falls back against the wall as I try to steady myself. This is worse than my normal clumsy-self. I feel like I have no feet. I'm starting to see double of everything. I think I'm going to be sick. Why did I let myself get this drunk?
"Hermione," Neville's beside me now. "Are you okay?"
"Besides being completely sloshed?"
"Me too," he says. His eyes have narrowed in on me. "Do you need help back inside?" His arm is suddenly around my bare shoulders.
"I'm okay, Neville. I got this," I try to move his arm.
"Hermione, please," he pleads with me. He's got both of his hands on my shoulders now, making me look him in the face. I can see him moving closer to my face—even if I'm seeing two of him.
"What are you doing, Neville?"
"You know how much I like you, Hermione. Why can't we just do this?" He's leaning down towards me, his lips inches away from mine. He's really going to try to kiss me!
"No, Neville. No—stop." I try to push him away, but he's not budging. I'm either too weak or Neville's too strong and with the state of mind I'm in right now, I really don't know which is which.
One of his hands has slipped into my hair and the other is now at the small of my back. I'm being held in place as he just seems to be getting closer and closer.
"Please, Hermione…" he whispers. His breath smells too sweet—too much like butterbeers and margaritas. He's kissing my jawline now. I'm really going to be sick now.
"Neville, no," I plead with him. I don't want this. You're my friend—just my friend. And I'm going to throw up.
"I believe the woman said no," a dark voice says from somewhere where I can't see the face of the speaker. But I know who it is. I've heard this tone before. Harry Potter is actually here, just like he said he would be. How did he find me? Neville lets go of me.
"Potter," he says, tensing up. I glance up at Harry. He's sending glares at Neville that if looks could kill, Neville would have already died a million deaths. My stomach can no longer take it. I'm doubled over, making sure that Aberforth's flowers are being thoroughly drenched in vomit.
"Damn it, Hermione!" Neville yells, jumping away from me. I'm pretty sure I've hit his shoes since he was still standing so close to me. Harry's now next to me, holding my hair up for me. He's leading me over to the edge of the building more towards the darkness as I'm still puking.
"It's okay, Hermione. If you're going to throw up again, do it here. I've got you," he whispers to me. He's got one arm around my shoulder and the other still holding my hair back for me. I go to shove him away from me, but once again I'm over with the contents of my stomach emptying out of me. Even when my stomach is empty, I'm still trying to vomit. This is why I don't drink. Ugh. Finally, it stops.
My hands are against the cold wall of the building as I steady my breathing. I'm barely standing up. If it weren't for Harry and the wall, I'd be face-down on the ground. Potter's holding out a handkerchief that has HJP etched on the bottom. I didn't even realize that people still had these around. I take it and wipe my mouth off. I can't look at him. After what just happened, it's worse than asking him if he's gay. It's worse than tripping over my own feet in front of him. I'm beyond embarrassed to be standing in front of this man. When I look towards the entrance of Hogshead, Neville's still standing there, watching. I groan. Today has to be the worse day of my life. As I try to remind myself that it's not—Harry's rejection was worse than this—but this is such a different case of humiliation that I have to wonder if these two memories can even be counted together when it comes to comparing them. With thinking of how much he hurt me, I take a peek up at Harry. He's staring down at me, his face giving away no emotions. I glare over at Neville. I've got a few chose words for my 'friend' that will be better delivered when I'm sober.
"I'll…see toy inside," Neville mumbles as he quickly goes back through the doorway.
And just like that, I'm left alone with Potter. Well, crap. What should I say?
"I'm sorry," I mumble, fumbling around with his handkerchief,
"What are you sorry for, Hermione?"
Damn it. He's going to make me say this.
"The floo call, mainly. I shouldn't have done that. Being sick. The list kind of just goes on," I say as I start to blush. Can I just die now?
"Everybody's been there, Hermione. Some just not to the same degree that you went to tonight," he says. "It's all about limits. I'm all for pushing your limits and testing yourself to see how far you can go, but this is a little much. I take it that you're not a big drinker."
I shake my head, making myself dizzy by doing so, so I stop. I wonder why he's here. He sounds like a parent yelling at their child for doing something wrong. Part of me wants to remind him that I'm a grown woman and I can do what I want, but my Gryffindor side has disappeared with his presence here. Why doesn't he leave?
"No," I say. "I've never been drunk before and right now, I don't think I'll ever do it again. Lesson learned."
"Come on, I'll take you home."
"I need to tell Luna." He's wrapped his arm around my shoulder again.
"My brother can tell her."
"What?"
"Ron came with me tonight. He's in there talking to Miss Lovegood now."
"Why?"
"He was with me when your head popped up in my fireplace. He followed me in to my study when I was alerted to your call."
"How did you find me?"
"I traced the call. When I thought about it, you did just finish your exams. There are not many taverns around Hogwarts. If I hadn't traced it then I would have just came to Hogsmeade and walked around to the few of them till I found you."
Magic is a truly wondrous thing sometimes. I hadn't even thought about him doing that, but I really should have. I'm sure that if I wasn't so drunk my logic would have kicked in.
"Do you have a cloak?"
"Yeah… Listen, Harry, I really need to tell Luna myself. She'll be worried sick if I don't tell her."
His lips go in to a straight line and I can tell he's seriously thinking about telling me no, but he still nods his head. "If you must," he says as he leads the way inside.
It's too crowded and too loud. My head that's already pounding starts pounding even more. I look to where we were sitting at before I had to go outside and the only person sitting there is Justin. I lead Harry over to him.
"Where's Luna?" I shout, trying to make sure that he hears me above all this noise.
"Dancing," he shouts back, pointing towards an area. He's pissed. He's sending glares towards Harry like somehow it's his fault. I grab by grey cloak and Harry's there to help me put it on. I look towards where Justin pointed.
I lean up to be right next to Harry's ear, "She's dancing," I say. Being this close to him, on my own will, has me feeling even more intoxicated—but it's completely different this time. This time I'm drunk on Harry Potter. He smells of aftershave; he's got such a clean smell, so fresh. There's a hint of something Quidditch—it reminds me of being at work. All the feelings that I've been trying so hard to push away are swimming around again. The fairies are taking dives with the empty contents of my stomach. My cheeks heat up and somewhere deep inside of me my muscles are clenching deliciously.
He rolls his eyes at me and takes my hand again and leads me to the bar. He's given a glass without even asking. I think back to when I was standing here not very long ago and it took me forever to get a pitcher of butterbeer. He doesn't even have to ask for his drink, which he hands to me.
"Drink," he shouts his order to me.
I can feel his gaze on me as I take a tiny sip of the chilling water.
"All of it."
He's so controlling. He's frustrated as his hand starts to run through his unruly raven locks. Anger is being spoken by volumes through his eyes. What's wrong with him? Am I not drinking the water he didn't even have to ask for? I apologized for being so stupid tonight. It's not like I'll forget any time soon that I basically drunk called him then got violently ill right next to him. My conscious is sitting at a bar in the back of my mind, shaking her head at me. I roll my eyes and continue to drink the water. When I'm finished, he's placed the cup down and taken my hand again, leading me to a different location. Where are we going? Dance floor—well nargles. He can feel me tense up which makes his amused smile appear. He pulls me close to him and he starts to move, making me follow along. Maybe it's because I'm drunk that I'm able to not fall flat on my face—you need to be graceful to dance, something that is completely not me. Maybe it's the man who I'm dancing with. His tight body against mine, holding me close to him. So close I can feel every curve of his chest. So close that if I wanted to, I could unbutton his green shirt that matches the one that I'm wearing beneath my cloak even further than it already is. If he wasn't holding me, I know I'd be on my face.
He moves us through the crowd till we're beside Luna and a man with red hair. He's very tall, taller than Harry. This must be his brother. Which one is it again? The music is starting to get to me. I can barely think. I notice how Luna's dancing with Ron and realize that she's hitting on me—like actually flirting with him. Damn, Luna must like him. There will be four people in our common room come tomorrow morning—three if Neville decides to go to the Gryffindor tower instead. Wait! Wasn't there something that I was supposed to tell Luna?
Harry leans over and shouts something at Ron. I can't hear what he's saying. Ron's pulling Luna into his arms, where she's giving her beautiful smile which he seems to be sharing with her. She's only just met him but she fancies him so bad that it almost hurts to see the look in her blue eyes. She nods at whatever Ron's just whispered in her ear and then waves at me with that dreamy look. In less than a second, Harry and I are next to the door instead of on the dance floor.
I never got to talk to Luna. Harry did all the talking for me. Does she know that he's taking me back to Hogwarts? What's up with Ron? I really need to remind her that she's got a supply of her contraception potion in our bathroom. It's too warm in here. My head's spinning. The next thing I know, I'm collapsing into Harry's arm, not being able to see straight. The last thing that I hear before I pass out is Harry's dark voice, "Fuck!"