"Harry-" she paused, watching his eyes search hers curiously, almost expectantly. She smiled and placed her hand to his cheek. "Thankyou." Harry smiled as she placed her hand in his and fell into a peaceful slumber. It was almost six o'clock, and Harry found that his stomach was growling in earnest. He sighed and carefully extracted his hand from hers, pulling the covers further up her body and tucking her in loosely.
He stood and walked the few paces to the kitchenette, running his hand over the counter he marvelled at the sheer volume of dust that suddenly adorned his finger tips.
He raised his wand and muttered a cleaning spell, deciding that he would clean the entire place. With a flick of his wand invisible cloths began to scrub the hardwood surfaces, the tile, any tarnished spot until it gleamed with albeit simple but grandeur.
If life at the Dursley's had taught him one thing, it was to be a cleaner… and a cook for that matter. Truthfully, he had not cooked in years, not since his fourth year summer at his relatives, was he concerned; naturally.
Simple…. Simple… maybe a few sausages, some mash and- bag beaded bag…. Where are you? Harry moved to Hermione's side and using his wand, accioed her beaded bag, pleased that it arrived swiftly into his outstretched hand, but noting to himself to ask her why there were no accio repelling charms on it.
He reached into the small opening and rummaged around searching for the grocery bag he was certain was in there. What he found was three potatoes, two apples, a pumpkin and random pieces of vegetables. Well that's depressing. He thought aimlessly, fiddling with a potato whose face was beginning to be adorned by protruding growths.
She woke to the smell of cooking, the certain warmth and moisture that comes with the noble art. She stretched, eyes closed, a grin on her face as more scents reached her nose. She sat up, grasping the sheet to her chest to hide her bareness. Her clothes were in a neatly folded pile at the end of the bed, obviously cleaned of the remnants of the previous 'incident'. She wondered how late it was, it mustn't be that late, it only felt to her as if she had been asleep for a few minutes not several hours.
Rubbing her eyes she opened them to see Harry placing something hot into two separate bowls, she watched as he slowly spooned each serving, meticulous in his endeavour not to spill anything.
Standing, still grasping the sheet tightly to her chest, she spun in a circle gathering the soft material around herself. She approached him just as he was turning, bowls in hand. "You're awake." He stated. "Stew?" he queried and she nodded the corners of her mouth curving upwards slightly in thanks.
With one hand still gripping the front of her makeshift toga she took the offered bowl from his hands and sat on the edge of the bed.
She wondered if he was angry with her. He didn't seem to be giving much away, his eyes however kept drifting downwards, as if looking through her coverings to her thigh beneath.
"What is it?" she asked in a quiet voice and he looked up, meeting her eyes darkly.
"Was that a severing curse, is that why I couldn't heal it?"
"Yes it was. Normal healing spells do not work." She murmured in response.
"Has it scarred?" he questioned suspiciously and Hermione frowned.
"Yes."
"Hermione did Snape cast that-"
"No, Severus would never do such a thing unless it was absolutely necessary." She said crossly and watched as he frowned.
"I don't know how you trust him so explicitly, he seems… suspicious." Harry said and watched as she rolled her eyes.
"He knows some of my darkest secrets."
"Secrets?"
"Yes, secrets."
Silence followed her statement and she immediately began eating not willing to speak anymore on the subject of her friendship with the bat of the dungeons.
"Does it hurt?" he asked awkwardly once she had finished and set her dish aside. Hermione smiled slightly and shrugged her shoulders.
"A bit. But nothing I can't handle." Silence fell between them, a good silence? No. An awkward one? Somewhat. A silence that needed to be broken? In time.
Hermione reached into her beaded bag and took out a large leather tome, fingering through the already well worn book she reached a page in the centre and became immersed in its contents.
It was like she was swimming in an ocean of knowledge, with each dive into its depth a new look of wonder would adorn her face, and Harry was enthralled by it, he always had been. Now that, Harry, is sad. Gazing all dreamy eyed, you are totally whipped. He quickly stood and walked toward the bathroom, not knowing what else to do he washed his hands and face and stared at him self in the mirror, for what seemed like hours, thinking about everything yet nothing at the same time. Had she heard him? Probably not, correction, hopefully not, was he a coward? When it came to her yes. More importantly, what was Voldemort's sudden interest in her? It was almost animalistic the way he seemed to pursue her, Hermione had yet to tell him all that had occurred, all he knew was that she had not been violated, physically that is, was that a relief? In a way yes, for him anyway, but her mind, was it scarred? Was she plagued with the same worries as him? He groaned in frustration and leant heavily on the basin, head bowed in sudden fatigue.
Some time later he looked up once more upon his drawn face, and there, like a small angel in a dream, she was, looking upon him, worry etched upon her pale face. "Harry, you've been in here for over an hour. Come, sleep." Like a dutiful child he followed her and made himself comfortable on what he knew would have been her bed as a child. She continued to watch him as he slipped into what she hoped would be a peaceful slumber.
Hermione dived under her covers, wand in hand under her pillow, heart hammering as she listened to the wind howling outside the small house. Every creak in the roof, every whisper of leaves, brought a cold shiver down her spine, the feeling of his red eyes bearing down upon her. Would he show himself again within Harry? Or come after her again in person? Well 'person' as a definition is a stretch.
But her biggest fear, the thing most troubling her, was how much time she had left, with him… before she killed him. He loves her, yes. I love him. But should I pursue it further, knowing that it will end in pain. But if I pursue it, this feeling, perhaps his last few years will be full of joy, a joy I will provide. What a shameful act.
"no matter what, I will hurt him." she whispered to herself as she fell into a restless sleep, a slumber interrupted by violent images of pale skinned reptilian men and green eyes burning.
When Hermione Granger woke the next day, she had one thought, today she would allow herself to become receptive to Harry's advances, the few there were. With that new resolve in mind, she rose from her bed and stretched gingerly, the cool air hitting her skin like a bucket of iced water. His dark figure was dangled haphazardly over the small bed. His frame six inches too big from most directions.
No food… shopping? She pondered whilst surveying him curiously. She quickly changed, grabbed her wand, cast a quick charm on her features and crept from the small house.
Hermione entered the house an hour later her hand clenched around her purchases. Harry's stern face greeted her, still in his night pants he had his strong arms crossed over his chest, the sight making Hermione chuckle.
"Where were you? Why didn't you wake me?" he asked accusingly. Hermione sighed and withdrew her wand, enlarging her purchases. Harry looked over the small mountain of goods and looked back at her. "You could have woken me you know… I would have liked to have been woken."
"Yes well, you looked peaceful." She whispered and began sorting through her bags. She had only purchased a few perishables, the rest, mainly canned food, nuts or dried fruit; she placed immediately into her beaded bag. "I am going to make the assumption we will stay here for a little while, maybe another day. So we might as well make the most of all of this." She motioned to the cooking and washing equipment and he nodded in agreement.
"I still haven't forgiven you yet." He said, his back to her, a bemused smile on his face.
She approached him slowly and placed a hand in the centre of his bare shoulder blades. "Hmm.. now are you sure about that?" she queried in a much deeper voice than what was her usual.
He shivered in response and turned, eyes looking over her appraisingly.
"Let's eat" she offered immediately and he smirked.
She was reading again, some book with runes Harry couldn't understand, he was bored, his only entertainment watching her as she flipped page after page. Firelight was dancing across her face the heat warming their chilled bodies.
"Hermione." She looked up at him curiously and he continued. "Do you remember a few years ago when you walked straight into an order meeting uninvited and Mad-eye almost spear tackled you?" Hermione immediately blanched and Harry smiled innocently.
"Harry I do not see the relevance of this?" she stated firmly and turned back to her book, eyes unfocused.
"I do." She looked up expectantly and he smirked. "because you were so engrossed at a book at the time that you walked into the kitchen in search of a late night snack whilst reading it." She let out a noise of indignation and buried her nose further into her text. "I don't even know how mad-eye even managed to move that fast."
He leaned back against the couch she was lounging on and smiled triumphantly.
A soft laugh interrupted the victory celebrations in his head when she placed her book on the small table and pointed a finger at him amused. "But do you remember when you walked out of the bathroom at headquarters starkers! And you tried to convince the boys to bring you some clothing but they refused and the Molly came in to see what the commotion was only to have you standing in the hallway hands firmly covering your lower region."
"You saw that?" he queried in horror and she nodded giggling hysterically. "But they said you girls were in your room!" he exclaimed and Hermione shook her head.
"No, I was, but I had walked down to the kitchen to grab a few things and on my way back there you were surrounded by a lot of guys who were all laughing at you and you .. why Harry I've never seen you quite so.. red." She teased and he frowned.
"You liked it." He countered and she froze, their playful banter finally hitting a note. Harry raised an eyebrow in confusion and she bit her lip, tugging on the soft flesh with her teeth.
He sat on his haunches beside the couch as her eyes fell upon his lips. Her tentative hand reached out and gently stroked his lower lip curiously, the sensation sending shivers down his spine. "Yes, I did." She trailed off still running her fingers over his lips.
"Kiss me." she whispered and his eyes widened in shock and she simply nodded. He moved closer, gently cupping her face in his hands. His thumb gently traced the outline of her bottom lip, the lip he had watched so intently moments before when her teeth had bitten into its soft surface.
She closed her eyes feeling his hot breath wash over her face, the first touch of his warm lips against hers was tantalisingly light. He rested his lips against hers for a moment as if frozen in place. Hermione gently caressed his lower lip which immediately led to his sudden exploration of new territory.
He couldn't stop himself from deepening their kiss, exploring the inside of her mouth with his tongue. It was when his hands firmly grasped her hips that he felt her hands gently, but firmly push against his chest. He broke away and opened his eyes, seeing a shy smile on her face. She troubled her bottom lip once more and this time he growled when she did it, leaning forward once more, only to have her fingers press against his lips. He pouted in his best puppy dog eyed impression, which merely elicited a barely concealed giggle.
"Goodnight Harry." She whispered and moved toward the unmade bed she had only just recently occupied.
"'Night 'Mione." He said and collapsed onto the lounge a smile gracing his features.