Hermione sat at the Gryffindor breakfast table in the Great Hall. She had her books and parchment spread out before her, reviewing for her upcoming Charms exam. The hall was bustling with activity as the other students made their way to their morning classes.
"Morning, Hermione," Harry greeted as he slid into the seat beside her.
"Good morning."
Harry studied the array of objects scattered across the table. "Exam prep?"
Hermione nodded. "Just making sure I've covered all the material."
"Looks like you've got it under control. How are you feeling about the test?"
"I think I'll be okay. It's just a refresher course, but Professor Flitwick can be unpredictable sometimes. What about you?"
Harry grinned. "I think I'm ready."
Hermione smiled. "Great. Well, let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to help."
As the meal continued, the conversation between them flowed easily, as it always had. Despite her initial reservations, Hermione felt more at ease, knowing that Harry was taking things seriously. She glanced over at him and noticed that his tie was loose, the top button of his shirt undone.
Hermione leaned over, reaching for his tie. "Here, let me help."
Harry froze, his cheeks flushed. As she fixed his tie, he fumbled with his buttons. When she finished, he cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Thanks," he murmured.
Hermione watched as he finished the last of his eggs. "You're welcome."
"Right, um... I should go, I have Divination in a few minutes," Harry said as he collected his things. "I'll see you after class?"
Hermione gave him a smile. "Sure, we can study together."
As Hermione watched Harry leave, she noted the slight tension between them. She tried not to read too much into it, chalking it up to the usual nerves and excitement that accompanied a new relationship.
Relationship, is it? That remains to be seen, she thought.
Meanwhile, Ron, who had been watching the exchange with interest, approached her. "What was that all about?" he asked.
"What was what about?"
"You and Harry, being all chummy this morning."
Hermione frowned. "We're friends, Ron. We can be 'chummy' if we want to."
"Yeah, but..." He leaned in closer and whispered, "What if someone gets the wrong idea about you two?"
Hermione sighed. "Ron, that's ridiculous. No one is going to think anything about us being friendly. Now, let's get to class before we're late."
Ron grunted his acknowledgment and they headed to History of Magic, a class where they knew Harry wouldn't be there.
Later, during the lunch hour, Hermione caught up with Harry and they walked to the library. Hermione pulled out her Transfiguration textbook and notes, as they'd planned to work on an upcoming essay together.
As they sat at the table, the mood between them was quiet and slightly strained. Harry nervously cleared his throat and broke the silence first. "So, uh... how do you want to do this?" he asked.
Hermione looked up from her book. "Hmm?"
"How do you want to proceed with the, erm... physical aspect of this, uh... situation?"
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't considered that detail. "I haven't really given it much thought," she admitted.
"You haven't given it much thought? You're the one that brought it up!" Harry countered, incredulous.
"Yes, and I did so in the heat of the moment," she retorted, frustrated.
Harry was silent for a moment as he digested this information. "Why did you even bring it up then?"
Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I wanted to protect you."
"Protect me? From what?"
"From yourself," she whispered, looking down at her hands.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry pressed, clearly irritated.
Hermione sighed. "It means that I've seen what happens when you're faced with impossible odds, when you don't think you can win. You sacrifice yourself. And I couldn't bear the thought of losing you because of it."
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Hermione interrupted him. "Harry, you need to live for yourself. You can't keep throwing your life away for others."
He sat in stunned silence, processing her words.
Hermione gazed at him with pleading eyes. "Promise me you'll stop trying to martyr yourself?"
He paused. "I can't promise that."
Hermione frowned. "And why not?"
"Because it's my choice, Hermione. I can't control whether I live or die, but I can make the decision to protect the people I care about. If that means sacrificing myself, then so be it."
Hermione gazed at him, feeling a sudden ache in her chest. "Harry..." she whispered.
"Don't give me that look," he scoffed. "I can handle this. I know what I'm doing. So please, can we drop this conversation?"
Hermione closed her eyes, sighing softly. "Okay, we'll talk about something else, then." Hermione went silent for a moment, her eyes flickering around in thought, "We should discuss boundaries," she blurted.
Harry furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Boundaries?"
"Yes, for our..." She gestured between them, "arrangement."
"Ah. Right. Erm, okay. Where do you suggest we start?"
Hermione pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and set down her quill. "Well, for starters, what kind of physical affection are you comfortable with?" she questioned, feeling her face flush.
Harry shrugged, his cheeks equally red. "Erm... I dunno. Whatever you're okay with, I guess."
Hermione arched her brow. "That's not helpful, Harry," she chastised.
"What, you expect me to have a list of desires all laid out?"
"Well, no, but surely there must be something you enjoy, right?"
"Oh, yeah, like what?" he challenged.
Hermione lowered her gaze, embarrassed. "I... I don't know. Like, uh, kissing...?" she offered sheepishly.
Harry snorted. "Kissing. Okay. Fine. Sure. Kissing sounds good. Anything else?"
Hermione scowled. "This isn't a joke, Harry. We need to be able to communicate openly about this."
"Fine. Sorry. I'm just nervous. This is all new to me, remember?"
"Me, too," she replied quietly. "Okay, moving on. What about other, more intimate acts? Are you open to those?"
"Erm, what do you mean by 'intimate acts'?" Harry asked, his voice breaking slightly.
Hermione pursed her lips, mentally preparing for the conversation she was about to have with him. "Well, I mean, if we're going to do this, it may involve some sort of, erm, physical release," she explained, stumbling over her words.
Harry blinked several times, his jaw slack. "Oh. Um, well, yeah, I suppose. I mean, if it's necessary. Yeah. I can do that."
"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione questioned. "We don't have to go all the way, you know."
"No, no, I'm good with whatever. Just... tell me what you want me to do."
Hermione tilted her head to the side, considering his statement. "Really?"
"Yeah. You're in charge, remember?"
Hermione took a deep breath, weighing her options. "Okay. Well, for starters, you could kiss me."
"Right now?" Harry squeaked.
She nodded. "If you're ready."
Harry stared at her for a moment, then slowly leaned in. He pressed his lips against hers, softly at first, then more firmly. Hermione parted her lips slightly, inviting him in. Before they could go further Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back, breaking the kiss, their lips separating with a soft smack.
"Wait," she breathed, her cheeks burning. "We're still in the library."
Harry glanced around the room, suddenly remembering they weren't alone. He chuckled nervously. "Yeah, probably not the best place for this, is it?"
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "Probably not. Maybe we can continue this somewhere private?"
Harry nodded eagerly. "Where would you like to go?"
Hermione hesitated. She didn't want to appear too forward, but she also didn't want to miss the opportunity.
"I know a spot," she declared, taking his hand in hers. "Follow me."
Harry trailed after her as she led him through the halls of Hogwarts, eventually ending up outside of the Arithmancy classroom. She grinned at him mischievously, pulling out her wand. "Homenum revelio," she cast.
"What was that for?" Harry asked.
"Making sure no one else is around," she answered as she waved her wand at the door. A faint click indicated it was unlocked. She pushed the door open and led Harry inside, closing and locking it behind them.
"How long until the next class?" she asked, glancing at a nearby clock.
"About half an hour," he responded.
Hermione beamed. "Excellent."
Harry gaped at her. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"
"Aren't you?" she repeated.
Harry nodded. "Well, yes, but..."
"Then what's the problem?" she interrupted.
Harry rubbed the back of his neck, anxiously. "I guess there isn't one," he relented.
Hermione cupped his face in her hands. "Then let's make the most of our time, shall we?"
With that, she closed the space between them and kissed him again, this time more passionately. Her tongue explored his mouth, hungrily devouring him. Harry responded in kind, wrapping his arms around her waist. They stayed like that for a while, exploring each other's mouths, tasting and teasing.
Finally, Hermione broke away, gasping for air. She glanced at the clock, noting that they'd been kissing for almost fifteen minutes.
"We should stop, we've got less than ten minutes left," she panted.
Harry looked dazed, his green eyes clouded with desire. "Are you sure?" he rasped.
Hermione bit her lip, conflicted. "We shouldn't risk getting caught."
"Right," Harry agreed, still reeling from their passionate exchange.
They composed themselves and made their way to the door, unlocking it and exiting the room.
"That was... different," Harry commented as they walked toward their next class.
"It was, wasn't it?" Hermione smiled. "But it was fun. I enjoyed it."
"Me too," he admitted, grinning.
Hermione reached over and interlaced her fingers with his. Harry glanced at her, his expression softening.
"You're going to be late for Charms," she told him.
"Oh, bugger!" he cursed, rushing off.
Hermione stood in the hallway, watching him run off, her heart fluttering. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
You can do this, Granger. Don't overthink it. It's just a physical relationship. Nothing more.
Hermione returned to her classes and focused on her studies. By the end of the day, she was exhausted and barely had the energy to make it to dinner.
As she approached the Great Hall, Hermione saw Harry talking to Ginny and Luna. He spotted her and waved, flashing a crooked smile. Hermione couldn't help but return the gesture.
I've got a lot to think about, she mused as she made her way to her seat at the Gryffindor table.
The rest of the evening passed without incident. Hermione completed her homework and headed up to her dormitory early, feeling drained from the events of the day. As she lay in bed, unable to sleep, Hermione thought about her decision to pursue a physical relationship with Harry.
Am I making a mistake? she wondered. Does it matter?
Hermione knew that what she felt for Harry went beyond physical attraction. She'd cared for him for years, and their friendship meant everything to her. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it. But was that enough to justify such a risky course of action?
And what about Ron? she pondered. He's already jealous of Harry's attention. If he found out about this, he'd be crushed.
Hermione sighed. She hadn't intended to hurt anyone. She just wanted to help Harry move on from his grief and give him an outlet for his emotions. But the stakes were higher than she'd anticipated, and Hermione found herself torn between her feelings for Harry and her loyalty to Ron.
"I won't let it get in the way of our friendship," she promised as her eyelids grew heavy, finally giving into sleep.
The next morning, Hermione woke up feeling refreshed and determined to focus on her studies. She brushed her hair, washed her face, and changed into her uniform. Then, she gathered her books and headed to the common room to meet up with her friends.
Ginny was sitting by the fireplace reading a Quidditch magazine, while Ron played chess with Neville. Harry was nowhere in sight.
"Morning, everyone," Hermione greeted cheerfully.
"Mornin'," Ron mumbled, distracted by his game.
"Good morning, Hermione," Ginny said with a yawn. "You're in a good mood."
"I am," she confirmed as she plopped down beside her friend.
"Care to share why?" Ginny teased.
"I'm just feeling well-rested today," Hermione deflected. "Ready to take on the day. Speaking of which, where's Harry? I expected him to be up and ready by now."
"Dunno, haven't seen him this morning," Ron replied absently as he moved his rook. "Checkmate!" he exclaimed, triumphantly.
"Bugger, you beat me again, Ron," Neville grumbled. "How about a rematch?"
"Maybe later. Right now, I'm hungry."
The group gathered their things and made their way to the Great Hall. Going to their usual spots at the table, Hermione made a detour and sat herself next to Ginny.
"Hey, I have a question about something," she whispered to conspiratorially.
"Oh?" Ginny inquired, raising her brow. "What is it?"
"Have you ever... erm, done anything with Dean?"
"Done what, exactly?" Ginny replied with a smirk.
Hermione lowered her voice even further. "You know... fooled around."
"Of course, we have!" Ginny snorted. "We're dating, didn't you know?"
"I'm just wondering how far it's gone."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why so interested about my relationship, all of a sudden?"
"Sorry, it's not personal. I'm just... curious."
"Fair enough," Ginny acquiesced. "To answer your question, we haven't done anything too crazy yet. Some kissing and touching, but nothing below the belt, if you catch my drift."
"Interesting," Hermione remarked.
"So, are you gonna tell me why you're suddenly interested in my sex life?"
Hermione considered her response. "I've just been thinking about stuff like that lately."
"You have someone in mind, then?"
"Perhaps."
"Anyone I know?"
Hermione was saved from answering by Harry's sudden arrival.
"There you are, mate," Ron exclaimed, slapping Harry on the back. "Where've you been?"
"Got held up with the Headmaster," Harry explained as he took a seat. "He wants to see me tonight."
"What for?" Ron wondered.
"Not sure. He didn't say. Just asked me to drop by after dinner."
"Sounds a bit dodgy, don't you think?"
Harry shrugged. His eyes flew to hers, and Hermione felt her cheeks warming.
"Morning, Harry," she murmured.
"Hi," he muttered.
An awkward silence stretched between them as they avoided eye contact. Hermione noticed that Ginny was staring at her intently, clearly suspicious of her odd behavior. She coughed nervously.
"So, what's on the schedule for today?" Hermione asked, trying to break the tension.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," Harry sighed.
"Joy." Ron groaned.
"At least it'll be entertaining, right?" Hermione suggested.
Ron scowled. "Slughorn's a rubbish teacher."
"That's not true, and you know it, Ron," Hermione protested. "He's just... eccentric, is all."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
The rest of breakfast was spent in relative quiet, with only occasional small talk. Hermione was grateful when it was time to leave for class.
As they walked down the corridor, Harry fell into step with her.
"We need to talk," he whispered, casting a glance at Ron and Ginny, who were walking ahead of them.
"What about?" she questioned.
"About last night."
Hermione stopped, her heart pounding. "What about it?"
"It was... interesting," Harry stated, his face betraying his discomfort.
"Did I push things too far, Harry?" she probed.
Harry shook his head. "No, I... It was good. Really good. I just wanted to make sure we're still on the same page."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Harry. We're still on the same page."
"Okay. Good," he affirmed.
They continued walking in silence.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron interjected, glancing over his shoulder at her.
"Fine! Everything is fine." She blurted, her cheeks turning red.
"Right, well, we've got to hurry or we're going to be late for class," he informed her.
Hermione nodded and quickened her pace, eager to put some distance between herself and Harry.
As she entered the classroom, the morning sun poured through the windows of the dungeons as Hermione Granger, accompanied by her fellow Gryffindor classmates, settled into Professor Slughorn's inviting potions classroom. The aroma of bubbling cauldrons and simmering ingredients filled the air, blending into an amalgam of peculiar yet strangely delightful scents.
Hermione set her book bag on her table and watched Slughorn with anticipation as he introduced the day's task in their potions class. The assignment was a challenging one – brewing Felix Felicis, the coveted and incredibly tricky luck potion.
Slughorn's face beamed with enthusiasm as he explained the importance of this potion and its limited use. "Felix Felicis can make you lucky, folks! Brew it right, and you might find yourself having the best day of your life," he exclaimed with a twinkle in his eye.
The class set to work, carefully following the instructions in their textbooks. Hermione, as usual, was engrossed in her own cauldron, measuring the ingredients precisely and stirring with the utmost care. Harry, on the other hand, had a habit of glancing at Hermione's notes to ensure he was on the right track.
In the midst of their brewing, Slughorn decided to step away to help another student. Harry, who had been struggling with the potion's tricky instructions, looked around the room for a solution and noticed a worn, tattered looking textbook sitting idly on one of the nearby desks.
Hermione watched suspiciously as Harry couldn't resist. He grabbed the book and discreetly placed it on his desk, hiding it behind his cauldron.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione hissed, glaring at him. "Do you honestly think that's a good idea?"
"What? It's just a book," Harry retorted defensively. "Besides, it looks like no one's using it."
Hermione pursed her lips and pointedly returned her attention to her work, attempting to ignore the blatant rule-breaking occurring mere meters away from her. Harry, unfazed by her disapproval, began skimming the worn pages of the borrowed textbook.
Hermione, however, sensed something amiss. She had been keeping a close eye on Harry, aware of his tendency to cut corners in potions. As the brewing continued, Harry followed the book's instructions meticulously. Hermione watched in silence as she realized the instructions from his book were vastly different than those in their textbook.
"Harry, what did you do?" she whispered worriedly.
"I found a better recipe, Hermione," he declared smugly.
She leaned over, examining the tome's contents.
"This is an outdated text, Harry! You can't brew this potion according to these directions. They're completely inaccurate!"
Harry scoffed dismissively, unconvinced by her concern. "Relax, Hermione. It's fine. I've got everything under control."
"You need to switch back right now," she insisted, her voice growing more anxious.
"Absolutely not," Harry retorted.
Hermione, frustrated with Harry's stubbornness, decided to take matters into her own hands. She stood up from her chair in an attempt to snatch the textbook away from him. However, before she could grab it, she lost her footing and stumbled forward.
Before she could fall onto the floor, Harry instinctively reached out and caught her, placing his hands on her hip and waist to support her. Hermione, flushing in embarrassment, quickly regained her balance and stepped back from Harry, breaking his grip on her body.
The class continued to brew their potions in silence, and like her potion, her anger began simmering to the surface.
As the minutes passed, Hermione stewed in her annoyance with Harry. The class was halfway finished with their batch, and her irritation with her friend was reaching a boiling point. Harry, as always, was oblivious to her frustration.
Finally, unable to hold her tongue any longer, Hermione spoke up, her voice laced with contempt. "So, Harry, how's the luck potion coming along?" she inquired sarcastically.
Harry, taken aback by her venomous tone, furrowed his brows in confusion. "Er, fine, I suppose. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just curious," she replied, her expression betraying her genuine curiosity.
Harry, sensing Hermione's agitation, furrowed his brows.
"Is there something wrong?" he questioned curiously.
"Wrong? Oh no, Harry. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using notes from an old and outdated text to brew a potion," Hermione spat.
With that, she turned her attention back to her cauldron, effectively ending the conversation.
The remainder of the class period passed by uneventfully, with Hermione and Harry continuing to work in silence until the bell rang, signifying the end of their lesson.
When Slughorn arrived to inspect their work, he was beaming and incredibly impressed by Harry's potion. "My boy, you've done it! That's a perfect Felix Felicis!" he exclaimed, placing Harry's potion on the desk as an example for the class.
Ron looked astonished, while Hermione seethed. It was one thing to cut corners in the art of potions making, it was another to take credit for someone else's work.
After class, Hermione couldn't contain her frustration any longer. She cornered Harry in the corridor. "What the hell was that, Harry?" she demanded angrily.
"What the hell was what, Hermione?" Harry replied defiantly.
"Your bloody luck potion!" she snapped, exasperated.
"Ah, you mean my brilliantly brewed Felix Felicis?" he declared confidently.
"You used someone else's research, Harry. You plagiarized it!"
Harry shrugged dismissively. "So?"
"It's dishonest and unethical!" Hermione fumed.
"Hermione, it's just a stupid potion. Who cares?" he said, pushing his self off the wall, "besides, look what I have now!" he told her, pulling a tiny vial out of his pocket and presenting it to her with a broad smile.
Hermione eyed the small vial warily, knowing the implications of such a substance.
"This isn't some sort of game, Harry. This is serious! How do you expect to get into Auror training if you can't even be bothered to follow the rules?" she implored, desperate to make him see reason.
Harry smiled and shook his head before leaning in and pecking her softly on the lips.
Hermione was flabbergasted. She looked in both directions to make sure no one saw them, her cheeks burning up. "What was that for?" she stammered, embarrassed.
"Because I'm feeling lucky." Harry stated simply. He then tucked the vial into his robes and walked past her down the corridor, leaving Hermione in a state of stunned silence.
