O.O.S: So, first off, I apologize for the belatedness of this chapter. Things have been quite ridiculous for me for the past two months or so. But I swear I have not forgotten about you and I am going to try to be consistent again on the updating of my story… If I have time. J

Ok… On with the story.

B.I.S:

Disclaimer: I own nothing created by J.K. Rowling. And yes, I have run out of witty things to say.

Rating: Tish-M

Stolen

Chapter 14:

Love Game

Hermione's P.O.V:

I am often labeled as the girl who knows everything.

I receive knowledge, keep it there and am able to use it on a whim.

Call it being a 'know it all' or just being intelligent but whatever it is, I am known for being right at least 99% of the time.

This time, for instance, was no exception.

As I watched Harry Potter's strong bare chest rise up and down the morning after Angelina's and Oliver's wedding, I discovered two things.

One, he was much better to watch than my alarm clock and two…

I had been right.

Harry was great at sex.

It was unlike anything I had felt before.

I almost fell apart at all my hinges from his power and passion.

His strong hands caressed my skin and kissed every private part I had.

I showed him everything and I didn't feel strange about it at all. Sure he was my best friend, but that made things almost… Easier.

We knew each other, trusted each other.

Although we have never participated in this game before. Everything felt… Magnificent, not awkward.

From the moment his lips touched my own to when his firm member pushed into me I felt as if I was on a cloud. Perhaps this sounds like a romance novel, but it wasn't like normal sex, it was gentle, respectful, beautiful.

I hadn't believed in love until that point.

I loved Harry.

I loved every inch of him.

Every part.

Everything…

"Hermione?" he murmured to me in a sleepy tone.

"Yeah?" I took a gentle hand and trances my finger tips across the skin of his torso.

"Stop watching me sleep." he said, letting a soft laughing sigh come out of his mouth as he wrapped and arm around my back.

I laughed a little as well as he pulled me closer so I was leaning against his chest.

"Sorry, it's interesting."

"Interesting?" he opened an eye and allowed a smirk upon his lips. "You are one strange girl Hermione Granger."

"You are one interesting boy Harry Potter."

Rising up to his face I connected out eyes in a stare, before I leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

"You look beautiful." he said, taking a piece of my hair and playing with it in his fingers.

"You don't look too bad yourself." I teased.

"So I've heard."

As he laughed, his body shook my own for I was practically lying on top of him. Placing a hand on his face he smiled and put a hand of his own over it. Gazing into my eyes he smiled.

"What?" I asked.

" I-… Nevermind." he looked away from me, but there was no escape.

"Tell me."

Suddenly, I felt his heart beat quicken underneath me, causing mine to as well.

"Harry-?"

He moved his hand away from my hair to my face, starring into my eyes he smiled once more.

"I just thinking about something I guess…"

"What?"

"It's-… It's nothing."

"Yeah it is."

My face grew hot in frustration. Another part of my nature was to hate not knowing something that someone else knew.

Watching his every move, I observed his eyes grow darker as they held a serious stare with my own.

"I was just thinking about how in love with you I am." he said.

I did not know that it was possible to feel so happy from hearing such a simple phrase.

Immediately my face formed a beaming smile upon my lips and looked away for only an instant.

"I am in love with you too, Harry."

Gazing up at him from behind a curtain of my eyelashes, I found a smile on his face as well. Taking my chin in his hand, he pulled my face closer to his for a kiss.

My body tingled all over in pure happiness.

Nothing could take this away, nothing at all.

Three weeks earlier…

For three weeks after the wedding, Harry and I found ourselves taking part in a charade. A secret 'Love Game' is what I liked to call it. We had managed to fool everyone, even Tony Puccini who was staying with Harry in his flat. Though, over these two weeks, him and Katie had been seeing each other… Meaning he was mainly at her apartment and far too busy thinking of her to notice that I spent most of my free time at Harry's flat.

Our lie was far too great, far too controlled.

Even Ron seemed oblivious to the lies I told. It was not necessarily out of my character to avoid him in our relationship. Though, I was not sure why we were still together. Perhaps I was afraid to accept what I was doing.

The illusion was strong, undisrupted until…

Suddenly, the opening and closing of a door was heard from down stairs.

"Harry?" a voice called out.

Thrusting our eyes open, we both turned to his bedroom door. Glancing at the clock, I realized we had over slept after our actions from the night before. My heart beat quickened as I glanced to Harry's stunned face.

"Who is that?" I whispered, hearing an unsteady tone to my voice.

"I dunno."

That instant, I rolled off the bed and claimed my clothing from the night before. Harry too moved to his cupboards to retrieve clothes. Snatching my wand off the floor I muttered a charm and Harry's robe flew into my arms, I threw it on so I would no longer be completely in the nude.

Foot steps climbing up the stairs were heard as I hurried about the room.

Once all my possessions were in hand, I gazed up at Harry in fear. His expression was of the same nature.

The person was right outside the door. I couldn't Apperate, it would be too loud of a noise. Suddenly, we both looked to his closet and had the same idea. Running over to the small room, Harry shut the door behind me just as his bedroom door opened.

"Hey. Morning dude."

"Tony… Hey-…" Instantly, my heat beat slowed. It was just the annoying American, not anyone of importance.

"You ok man? You seemed a little shook up or something."

"Um, yeah, just thought you were someone else." Harry explained. There was a strange tone to his voice, almost a guilty one.

"Like who?" he laughed a little.

"Erm…"

"Someone you don't want to see? Or someone you didn't want to see who's hiding in your closet?"

With a snap of his fingers, the door was thrust open and I was revealed.

"Oh shit!" Tony exclaimed, smiling at Harry, then back to me. "Harry? No way!" he chuckled a little pointing to me in disbelief. "Well good morning Ms. Granger."

"Morning Tony." I mumbled, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear with my free hand.

"I have to admit, I really didn't expect this. Boy do I feel stupid..." Tony laughed a little, sitting leaning against the bedroom door frame. "How long has this been going on, since the wedding I am guessing?"

"Look Tony, you can't tell anyone about this-…" Harry began.

"Harry, dude, who am I going to tell? The only person I have any contact with is Katie-…"

My throat nearly closed up thinking about Katie. I had sworn to her that I wasn't in love with Harry and now I was down right lying to her.

"But I wouldn't tell her anyway…" Tony continued. "Man, she's really great by the way… We might have to stay a little longer Harry. I don't think we are ready to go back to the states yet."

"Wait, go back?" I turned back to Harry with a questioning look.

His face was unreadable.

"Tony, could you give us a minute."

"Yeah man, of course." he backed out of the door and smiled at me. "Good to see you again Hermione."

Once the door shut, I starred at Harry again.

"What was he talking about?" I demanded walking towards him.

"Hermione…" He stepped up to me a put a hand on my arm. "when I was staying with Tony for the Aurror assignment, he offered to let me stay there with him, for well…. As long as I wanted to stay."

"And?"

"And… I was thinking about taking him up on the offer."

"So, you'd be moving to New York?

Everything stopped, my breathing, my heart, even the world it seemed.

"Yes, but now that you are here, that makes things a little different."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I loved New York…" The lightening bolt scar on his forehead seemed dull to the lightening shining in his eyes as he thought of the foreign city. "The life style, the people… And the fact that I was almost a normal person there is too good to describe. But…"

Suddenly, his dream ended and he turned back to the reality of the situation.

"Being without you would be… Unbearable. I couldn't do it now. I am in far too deep." his hand went to my face. I put one of my own against his and kissed his wrist.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked shutting my eyes, unable to pin point what I was feeling.

"I don't have to go back… I could stay."

"Stay?" My eyes shot open and looked up at him quizzically. "Why would you do that?"

"Because, I want to be with you Hermione." He said, removing his hand and my hand from my face, his green eyes dancing with light.

By face grew hot as I felt a smile grow on my lips.

"You mean that?"

"Yes. That is what I want more than anything…"

He was willing to give up his own normality, something I knew was always a wish in the back of his mind, for me. I couldn't accept that, it was too much…

"But you love New York Harry. I can tell."

"It wouldn't be worth it if you weren't with me."

This was a big step, a very big step, but I couldn't hold back.

"Then I'll have to go with you."

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief and protest.

"Hermione… What about your job? Your friends? You can't-…"

"None of that is as important to me as you."

I starred into his eyes with all the seriousness I could manage.

"Wow, you are really not kidding?"

"Not at all."

"Are you sure that is what you want?"

"I want you Harry."

Smiling, he kissed me softly on the lips. We had given up so much for each other and I would give up so much more. Harry was all I needed.

"Fine, well, when Ginny comes back for Christmas I am going to end it with her. Then we can go. You, me and Tony."

Ginny… I had almost forgot about her.

How selfish could I get?

I was lying to everyone I knew… Everyone who cared about me.

I was being shone the ugliness of my pleasure and I wasn't sure what to think.

"Are you going to tell her? About us?" I questioned.

He seemed hesitant about the question, but nodded after some thought.

"She deserves to known. And so does Ron, 'Mione." he began carefully it seemed. As if to make sure he would not upset me. "You have to tell him."

"I know." I replied. Turning away from him I crossed to his bedroom window. Looking out at the street I watched a few cars go by before I found words again.

"We're going out to dinner tonight… I'll tell him." I looked back over my shoulder at Harry and sighed. "You're right, it isn't fair. I bet he thinks everything is just fine." I laughed an uneasy laugh, looking back out the window. "Love makes you do crazy things."

"That it does." Harrry came up behind me and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Can't say that I can complain much though." Lifting one of his hands, he traced the line of my jaw and clasped my chin then tilted my face up to place a kiss on my lips.

"I will forever love you Harry." I said, gazing into his eyes.

"Is that a promise?" he teased, moving his hand behind my neck.

This was no longer a game… It was turning into something else.

Into something… Real.

"Yes."

Kissing him once again, we found ourselves leaving trances, illusions and games and moving onto something much greater.

Reality.

O.O.S: Sorry if it is a little short. Hope this isn't too cheesy... Needed a stepping stone to the next part of the story. Well, hope you enjoyed! Review pleeeeease. :]