Author's Note:
Well, here's the second chapter. If you're a big fan of Hermione/Ron, this chapter may be a little upsetting. Hope it's not too long, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters, so please don't sue me.
Chapter 2 – Moonlight and Passion
Some of the trees on the Hogwarts grounds still had deep green leaves on them, and they shivered one by one in a breeze. Leaves on the ground stirred up under Buckbeak as he came down on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. His grey wing tips brushed the grass on the down-strokes of his flapping, and the strokes quickened until his hooves touched the ground. He shook his speckled wings and folded them back.
Trying not to make too much noise on the fallen leaves, the two students ran across the lawn. Buckbeak trotted forward to meet them, but Harry slowed suddenly. He held Hermione back with his arm.
"What?"
He froze and looked at Buckbeak, standing up straight and keeping silent. Confused, Hermione wanted to ask Harry what was happening, but she kept still and didn't say a word, listening to the wind. Buckbeak had stopped too and was now standing noiselessly, inspecting Harry without flinching. The hippogriff's amber eyes gleamed in the unobstructed moonlight, focusing on Harry's green ones.
After a tense, motionless minute that was hushed except for soft night noises, Harry made one slow step forward, then bowed his head to Buckbeak. The beast did the same without hesitation. Harry reached forward with a slender hand, and Buckbeak trotted forward to touch his shining black beak to it.
Hermione let out a long breath. Buckbeak turned to her, but she didn't dare to put her hand out. Somehow the long moment of silence had made her remember he was still a dangerous creature, even though he had done no harm to anyone except Malfoy. At the same time she felt impressed by Harry. He seemed to have a special connection with all animals, while Hermione only had grumpy old Crookshanks.
"What's this?" Harry knelt down to get a better look at something tied to Buckbeak's front leg. The creature didn't move as Harry carefully pulled at it. It wasn't a note, but instead a long, flat package.
Sitting on his knees, Harry untied the string around it and folded back the brown paper. He lifted the edge of the lid of an unmarked box, leaving an opening less than an inch wide that only he could see into. Moonlight shone over the object inside, and he immediately shut it.
Hermione, who had been leaning over him, said, "What is it?" She tried to look at his face, but his expression was unreadable. She thought whatever was in the package had to be from Sirius - he sometimes sent Buckbeak to Hogwarts to deliver things - so she stopped at that. Perhaps it was something personal. She knew Harry was feeling more troubled than anyone lately, and decided not to bother him.
Harry stood up quickly, shoving the small package in his pocket.
"It's from Sirius." He looked at Hermione. "Oh, sorry. You must know that."
Hermione nodded, waiting to hear what Harry's godfather had sent him. Looking up and shrugging dismissively, he said, "It's nice to see you, Bucky." He ruffled the feathers on the hippogriff's neck, and Buckbeak made a low warbling noise and stamped on the leaves. Hermione looked into his shining amber eyes again, and they were staring right into hers knowingly. They looked like they could see right through her, right into her soul. Harry didn't seem to notice; he only continued to stroke Buckbeak.
Hermione coughed.
Harry took his hand away and put it in his pocket, then looked at the moon. There were no clouds that night; the moon cast its soft light over the castle and grounds. Though it was much darker than daytime, the moonlight seemed to reveal much more about this place, giving everything a beautiful, delicate feel and illuminating the smallest details for only night-dwellers to see. Every pane of each intricate window in the castle glimmered; ripples on the lake all caught the eerie light.
The scene gave Hermione a strange sense of power; it made her feel feminine and mature. She realized she had grown up a lot in the last few years, both mentally and physically. She felt tingly all over. Staring into the motherly moon, it seemed as though this was the first time she felt like a real woman. The moonlight made her more confident than she could ever remember feeling, and she wanted to throw her robes off and wander through the night in her most natural state, free to absorb all the wonderful, pure sights the night revealed. She felt positively brilliant.
Then she realized Harry was still standing behind her, and felt profoundly embarrassed, even though none of these thoughts had left her head. She turned quickly back to Harry. "Shouldn't we be going?" she said, barely speaking above a whisper. Harry didn't hear her. He was still gazing at the moon. Hermione thought he must be thinking very deeply, because his emerald pupils didn't move at all until a soft flapping could be heard as Buckbeak flew past the moon and over the forest's treetops. Both Harry's and Hermione's eyes followed him out of sight.
When Hermione turned back around, Harry had moved closer. He looked straight at her, seeming to have had snapped out of his trance.
"You look even more beautiful in the moonlight," Harry said, smiling in a sweet way Hermione had never seen before. She now felt like she was dreaming, and Harry's sentence floated around in her head for a minute before she registered what he had said.
Hermione didn't blush or look away like she would normally have done. She instead studied his face.
Lit up by the full moon behind Hermione, his face looked familiar but unusually handsome and perfect. Looking into his eyes, she could see every beautiful shade of green she could imagine in this light. A little startled by her own thoughts again, and feeling that she was getting too mushy, she focused on Harry's hair. The black shocks stood up everywhere. Hermione had never done anything but criticize it and tell him to use a comb on it. Now she looked at the mess and found herself thinking … it was really … cute. She wanted to look away to stop these ridiculous thoughts from coming into her head, but she found she couldn't. Then suddenly she blurted out something that surprised both herself and her friend.
"I love you, Harry." She hadn't been even thinking to say it, but it felt perfect and true coming out of her mouth.
Harry took her hands and pulled her even closer. She didn't pull away. Harry's hands were a little warmer than hers. His eyes were gleaming more than ever - whether from happiness or sadness Hermione could not tell.
"I love you too."
Then he pulled her into a hug. Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder. Tears came to her eyes, she didn't know quite why. Their embrace tightened without their realizing it, their bodies pressed together. Hermione was crying into Harry's shoulder quietly, but he didn't do anything, just held her tighter. Then she felt him lift his head, and she did so too. Both of them at once leaned into a gentle kiss.
When their lips touched Hermione felt electrified. Then the excitement melted into extraordinary warmth, and she leaned in more. Harry placed his hand on the back of her head, and the kiss got deeper and more passionate. They sank down slowly until they were on the soft grass, still in their sweet embrace.
Well, there it is. I've never written anything even slightly romantic in my life, so chances are this is not the most smoking-hot scene you've ever read. I hope it gets the point across though. Chapter Three coming soon! Please please please review!
