Author's note: Um... this is a short chapter. I apologize in advance but... Yeah.
On another note, I'm really surprised at the popularity this fanfic is gaining. O.O I am so used to after a few days of getting maybe one or two good reviews and then one bad review. A bad review I still don't agree with even after tons of time. So basically I'm on edge when it comes to reviews. Anything that may sound negative I automatically take negatively. I don't want you guys to censure yourself... but just understand that I may jump to conclusions about what you're saying. However, I want to thank everybody for their love of this fanfic.
It is pulling to a close. I imagine that there will be... three more chapters after this. I'm really sorry for those who may be dissapointed with how quickly I plan on ending this... but this fanfic hadn't actually been meant to be more than a chapter. It just grew in my mind. In fact, the first idea wasn't even a Harry/Hermione fanfic. But it turned into one as I started planning it out.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! As always, read and review. Thank you much.
Disclaimer: Oh boy... no, I don't own any of this.
Lesson Five: Intimacy on a Couch, or Snuggling
The next day Hermione slipped a note into Harry's pocket in between classes. He gave her a grim look as she scurried off because Ron had just caught up. The two were simply avoiding each other and it was annoying. Especially since it wasn't as if they had gotten into a fight. In fact, Harry would quite like it if the two would fight! Then this avoidance would be reasonable and there wouldn't be any false hope.
"Bugger'd off again, has she?" growled Ron, eyes watching Hermione's bushy brown hair weave through the hallways. "I wish she'd just say it to my face. We deserve to stay friends, doncha think?"
"She'll say yes eventually, Ron," said Harry, clutching at the note in his pocket.
But of course the Weasley was sullen for the rest of the day. Ron seemed to have turned bipolar. At one moment he could be laughing about something that wasn't really that funny and the next he was poking a pea around his plate and looked about ready to cry. It was the most pathetic thing Harry had ever seen. He was about to have one of his mood swing angst attacks at the red head. There was no way he could handle Ron's moodiness and Hermione's silence for much longer.
He was the one having weird dreams connected to Voldemort and having to deal with Umbridge. Not to mention the fact that Dumbledore still wasn't talking to him and nobody really believed that Voldemort was back, claiming Harry to no only be lying but off his rocker. Yet his two best friends were stuck in their own eternal teenager dramas.
Some days Harry wished he could just forget about the outside world and focus upon Cho just as much as Ron and Hermione seemed focused on each other.
The note had been details for the next Snogging lesson. Harry was almost tempted not to go, his brain scheming to send Ron instead to surprise Ron. Almost tempted though. Apparently the teenage boy won out and Harry found himself quite eager as she walked through the hallways to the empty classroom.
It had changed quite a bit since that first day. All of the desks had been cleared out, the dust and cobwebs magicked away. Instead of plush red couch took up almost an entire wall and somehow Hermione had managed to bring in a… television? Though he had never read "Hogwarts, A History" Harry had heard Hermione say several times that muggle items didn't work on school grounds.
What was the television for?
"Welcome to Lesson four," said Hermione, popping up from behind the television and settling down on the couch. "I mean, lesson five. Intimacy on a couch. Or snuggling."
"Still no kissing?" said Harry. He had meant it to be teasing but somehow it escaped as a whine.
Hermione gave him a grin and for just a second the drama of the last week and a half disappeared from Harry's mind. He took one step forward, ready to plop down on the couch… then paused, crossing his arms.
"Listen, Hermione," said Harry forcibly. "You're driving Ron mad! You can't do this forever to the guy. Besides, we're all friends. I'd like to be able to continue to hang out… you know, in public."
The whine returned as Harry continued. He felt so pathetic, like he was begging Hermione to spend time with him again. In fact he had this very vivid image of them walking down the hallways hand in hand… Ron right next to Harry of course.
No, that was wrong. Ron should be holding hands with Hermione. As well. Yes, all three of them holding hands.
That was wrong too. Harry's mind just didn't like him today.
"I wasn't lying to him when I said I wasn't sure," said Hermione with a frown. "I've had a crush on him for quite some time, Harry. But then I dated Victor and… well, now I think I've got a crush on somebody else."
"Who?" said Harry, frowning.
"If I tell you, you'll tell Ron," said Hermione stubbornly. "Then somebody would get hurt and I don't want that."
He didn't like the explanation but the teenage boy was getting frustrated. Hermione was sitting all alone on that couch and Harry was picking a fight with her instead of snogging… snuggling with her. Plus his curiosity really wanted to know what was up with the television that by all rights couldn't belong on Hogwarts's ground.
"What's up with this?" asked Harry, jerking a thumb at the television as he slowly walked over to the couch.
"Dumbledore gave me permission to watch a movie," said Hermione, a smile spreading across her face. "So with a few good spells the muggle apparatus ought to work in here. They worked in Muggle Studies after all."
"Oh."
Harry was strangely excited at the idea of watching a movie. After all while living with the Dursleys the only time he had managed any television time was when they actually left him alone at the house. That wasn't very often. From what he understood television was a wonderful thing and he had quite missed out on it. But part of his mind was more interested in the fact that Hermione was wearing that tank top and skirt number again. She really didn't dress up like that often. Actually, except for maybe one hot summer day, Harry didn't think she dressed up like that at all.
"So what are we watching?" Harry asked.
"First," said Hermione, turning to face Harry. "We're going to talk about snuggling. This is the gateway to snogging. Do you remember what you learned in the first lesson?"
"You mean all about where to touch you and where not to?" Harry asked, frowning slightly as he thought.
"Precisely. Well most of those rules still apply," Hermione said, before flipping back part of her skirt to reveal most of her white thigh. "Except now that we're sitting down, not standing up, the legs are open."
Harry swallowed. Hard. He had never been much of a leg sort of guy. He liked hair, faces, and eyes. Those were what had attracted him to Cho. But now that Hermione was practically flashing them in front of him, Harry really couldn't help but notice the soft curves of her thigh and calf. He could practically imagine the feel of her velvety skin under his warm hand.
"Pay attention," said Hermione, smoothing out her skirt again. Harry blinked and focused upon her face again. "Good. Now, unless the plan is to snog the key to good snuggling is less. A gentle touch here, a small kiss there, a little squeeze…" As she said this Hermione pointed out first her far shoulder and arm, then the nape of her neck, and finally her hip and thigh. Harry was about ready to pass out and he hadn't actually touched her yet.
What would it be like with Cho?
"Harry!"
"What?" blubbered Harry, his eyes focusing. He felt his cheeks turn a little pink.
"Are you ready to practice before I start the movie?" Hermione said, as if repeating. Had he really lost that much focus? This could be dangerous.
"No…" Harry said, his heart pounding. "But I suppose if I don't now I never will."
A sly smile on her face Hermione leaned back into the couch as if pretending watch a movie. Slowly Harry slipped his arm across her shoulder, leaning her in toward him. Her head tilted and brown hair cascaded over his shoulder. Tentatively, Harry kissed the top of her head, paused, and finally reached down to rest his hand on her thigh. His hand trembled as he met flesh but Hermione grabbed his wrist and forced him to stay there for just a little while.
Finally, feeling it was too much, Harry pulled away breathing heavily.
"You were doing fine, Harry," said Hermione, flicking her skirt so it lay straight again. She wasn't looking at him and continued to stare at her lap. "Pretend like I'm Cho. Remember, that's the purpose of these lessons…"
Harry's hands clenched in his laps a couple of times and he bit at the inside of his cheek. Yeah, that damned purpose. Just like the purpose of Fred and George's had been to get Ron to ask Hermione out. Well, they had done that but the two weren't actually going out. Like the purpose of the DA was to learn defensive magic from Harry and though they were doing that it was mostly to rebel against Umbridge.
The purpose of these lessons was so that Harry could successfully kiss Cho! That's all it had ever been and Hermione was practically training him to be the perfect boyfriend. Maybe in some strange hope that if she made one in the world Harry could help turn the others into Mr. Right. Well, it was stupid. These were snogging lessons, not dating lessons, not touching lessons, not etiquette lessons! Snogging.
"And what if I don't want to pretend that you're Cho?" snapped Harry. He could feel that anger that was always just below the surface bubble up. But he pushed it down because he didn't want to get angry at Hermione. "I mean, what is that comment supposed to bloody mean, anyways? That you're not as good as Cho?"
"No," said Hermione, looking up with a perplexed frown on her face. "I simply meant it so that you didn't feel awkward with me."
"But I'm not," said Harry exasperatedly. "I have never ever been nervous around you Hermione! You have no idea how many times I really was just about ready to grab you and kiss you. I didn't because I liked Cho."
There was, of course, that failed almost non kiss that Harry had forced on her the other day. No nerves about that. None. Really, Harry was so comfortable around Hermione it was shocking.
Hermione's eyebrows knit together. "Liked?"
Harry's mouth dropped open as the full reality of what he had just said hit him. He was still… attracted to Cho Chang. That was certainly true. But knowing just how nervous he got around her any true relationship with the Ravenclaw seeker was insane. On the other hand, there was Hermione.
"Yeah, liked," Harry mused.
"I liked Ron, too…"
Harry looked up and met Hermione's eyes where a small wild fire was slowly beginning to form. He gaped at her for a moment as she slowly reached out and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. He too reached out, cupping her waist, his body having an entire mind of its own. Though his actual mind didn't rebel much against it.
Then gripping her thigh and a hand in her hair, Harry pushed Hermione backwards on the couch and pressed his lips against hers.
*cough* Sorry, leaving you hanging there. Originally this chapter wasn't going to have the kiss in it but... Then it sort of happened. Anyways, hope you like. And I also hope that so far Harry and Hermione's attraction to one another has made sense even though I've been very subtle about it. I like subtle. I dislike fanfics that blatantly put out there "Oh, he always was attracted to this person but they were this... but now..." No, no. I want this to make a certain amount of sense.
Please review if you liked it ^_^ Or if you just want to get mad at me for not going into more detail XD I'm not a big fan of writing make out sessions. I've been in plenty to have enough experience but... I haven't quite gotten good at writing them yet.