Excuses, Intentions & Consequences by JanieB

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Humor
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 31/10/2005
Last Updated: 31/10/2005
Status: Completed

Not a lot of time on your hands? Into Harry/Hermione? Feel like a nice, totally fluffy,
uplifting one-shot? Then I’ve got just the story for you… Their excuse was…they didn’t want to
bother with relationships just yet - they were too busy with their careers. Their intention was…to
help each other out and prevent annoying attentions from others getting in the way. The
consequences were…inevitable.




1. Excuses, Intentions & Consequences
-------------------------------------



Author's Note

And because I can, I've chosen to ignore any relationships that may have made their way into
canon. *grins*

And any similarities in this story to the “universe” of “Day by Day “ and “Four Weddings” are
entirely deliberate - but are few and far between…

This was an idea which popped into my (thankfully) deluded head yesterday and I decided to go
with it to save my sanity…what's left of it, that is…

Dedication

*To my lovely friend and beta, Kirsti, who is never too busy (despite the fact that she never
stops!) to run her eagle eye over my stories and not only is she brilliant at picking up
grammatical errors and omissions, she inspires me with her gentle suggestions and makes me laugh
with her humorous comments! She also provides a cyber-shoulder upon which I can have a “cry” and
puts up with my emails which are really longwinded waffles in disguise! Thank you dear - you are
truly a gem and I hope this story puts a smile on your face! Janie xoxoxo*

*And having said all that - any errors**,* *omissions* *and holes* *in
this story are solely mine as I didn't want Kirsti to beta her own “surprise”!*

EXCUSES, INTENTIONS & CONSEQUENCES

By JanieB

When: Their fourth year out of Hogwarts. A week before Christmas.

Where: London, England.

What (Current situation):

Hermione's working as an Assistant Researcher for the General Research Into Everything
Department at the Ministry of Magic and doing very nicely, thank you. Harry is, of course, an Auror
(first year) although Dark Wizards are in rather short supply since he defeated Voldemort during
his Seventh Year at Hogwarts.

Hermione found her dream flat when she first moved to London (lucky witch!) after leaving
Hogwarts. At her “flat-warming”, Harry expressed an interest in renting the spare, third bedroom
and Hermione happily agreed; Ron, being a bit of a “party animal”, preferred to have his own place
(Harry and Hermione preferred he did too) and he did so, just a short walk from Hermione's
(which came in handy when they didn't want him and his bad jokes and snores at their
place…)

Not long after Harry moved in, he and Hermione discovered they both had the same “problem”:
unwanted attention from the opposite sex, mainly at work. They both wanted to concentrate on their
careers for the next couple of years and weren't interested in getting involved with someone
just yet. They came up with a brilliant solution and made a pact to help each other out of this
predicament - they would tell anyone from whom they were receiving the unwelcome attention that
they were already taken, thank you very much. By each other.

Aside from forgetting who they were (ie, Harry Potter, Drop-Dead Gorgeous Saviour of the World
and Hermione Granger, Saviour's Right-Hand Very Clever Pretty Witch), there was one other
little thing they'd overlooked as they'd gloated over their brilliance…*Their friends and
other people would* *invite them* *out* *as a couple and expect them to* *act
like* *a couple…**in fact, most people couldn't wait to see Harry Potter and Hermione
Granger, Couple Extraordinaire….*

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

`Not again!' groaned Hermione as she dropped onto the chair Harry had pulled out for her.
She'd just rad the parchment Harry had handed her before sitting at the kitchen table. Two
freshly made cups of tea were before them to help brace them meet Monday morning at their
respective offices.

`Yep,' said Harry.

`Can't we say no?' asked Hermione as she picked up her cup and gingerly sipped at the
hot tea.

`Nope,' said Harry.

Hermione blew gently across the surface of the hot liquid, a frown crinkling her forehead.

`Are you sure? Didn't we go last time?'

`Yep and yep,' said Harry.

`Harry! You're not helping!'

`Nope,' said Harry.

Hermione put her cup down and laughed - Harry could always make her laugh.

`So, you and me, to another of Lavender Brown's Cheesy Hogwarts Reunion Parties.'

`Yep,' said Harry.

`That's enough of the monosyllables, Harry Potter! We need to plan…'

`Never mind, Hermione,' said Harry as he gave away the monosyllables with a lopsided smile,
`I've already got it worked out. This time, if we need a cover story, we can say we've had
an argument about something and *that's* the reason we're not “hanging off each other”
as Ron so descriptively puts it.'

`You don't think we've used that excuse too often, do you?' asked Hermione, her
expression worried.

Harry shook his head. `I've been keeping track of our excuses so we don't double up too
often.'

Hermione reached over and patted Harry's hand. `I can always count on you, Harry.'

Turning his hand over, Harry gave Hermione's hand a gentle squeeze. `And I can always rely
on *you,* Hermione.'

`We're quite a team, aren't we?' Hermione remarked, smiling across at him.

`Yep,' said Harry.

So the following Friday night found them at The Burning Broomstick, a wizard pub which Lavender
Brown had booked out for her annual reunion which, although she called them “Hogwarts Reunion
Parties” were mostly just Gryffindors from their year with some former students from the years just
below and above as well.

As they stepped out of the fireplace and began brushing themselves down, Harry and Hermione gave
each other a “here-we-go” smile and set off towards the courtyard (covered for winter because real
snow, unlike magical snow, was rather tiresome, not to mention cold and wet). They knew this was
where they'd find most of their friends, Harry taking Hermione's hand in his as they
walked.

`Here they are at last!' they heard Ron call and spotting his waving hand, headed towards a
large, long table at which sat Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, Seamus, Neville, Dean, Colin Creevey
and Parvati Patil.

Ron moved over, pushing at Fred and telling him to make room, leaving a spot for Harry and
Hermione between himself and George.

As they sat down, replying to all the calls of “hello”, two glasses of butterbeer appeared
before them courtesy of Neville who was closest to the bar, for which they smiled their thanks.

George Weasley, sitting beside Hermione, leaned over and nudged her with his shoulder.

`So, Hermione, how's life with the wizarding world's wonder boy?' he asked cheekily,
winking.

Hermione swiped him playfully on the arm before easily distracting him by asking about the
latest inventions of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

Beside her, Harry was having an in-depth conversation with Ron…well, not really, he was just
listening to the details of Ron's latest conquest.

`Ron, don't you ever want to settle down with the one girl?' asked Harry, rolling his
eyes.

`What? Like you and Hermione?'

Harry coughed, his hand over his mouth to hide his smile.

`Yeah, like me and Hermione!'

`One day - but not yet - too many pretty girls out there to sample!'

`You make them sound like ice cream flavours!' laughed Harry.

At that point, Lavender stood up in front of the doors into the courtyard, now closed, and
clapped her hands to gain everyone's attention. Harry noticed Dean and Seamus stand up and walk
around the outside of the room towards Lavender.

`Hello, everyone! Thank you for coming!' she started. `Now, as usual, we're going to
have dancing - which is why the centre of the courtyard is empty, in case you were wondering!
Seamus and Dean are going to look after the playing of the music and just to spice things up a
little, beware the spotlight once more! Enjoy and just to let you know, dinner will be served in an
hour. Have fun everyone!'

As Lavender finished speaking they heard the strains of the latest Weird Sister's
offering.

`What does she mean by “beware the spotlight”?' asked Colin Creevey; this was his first
reunion.

`It means,' Ginny began explaining, giving Neville a look that caused him to blush beetroot
red, `that if the spotlight hits you while you're dancing, you have to kiss your partner then
and there.'

Colin's eyes widened. `What if you're dancing with someone who's not your
partner?' he asked.

Ginny shrugged. `Doesn't matter - you have to kiss them! That's what makes it
fun!'

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances as Ginny spoke. They knew what the spotlight meant.
They'd managed to avoid it at last year's reunion as they weren't “officially” a
“couple” then and both had declined any other offers to dance. Leaning down to whisper in
Hermione's ear and avoid being overheard, Harry said, `We'd better dance, don't you
think? I think I saw Colin eyeing you off and Parvati's been smiling meaningfully at me. Unless
you'd rather risk kissing Colin.'

Hermione laughed softly. `You're just terrified of kissing Parvati!'

Harry looked a little flustered. `Well, there's that too…'

Hermione stood up and held out her hand, smiling. `Come on Oh-He-Who-Saved-The-World but is too
afraid to kiss a girl, let's dance!'

And as they danced, the Weird Sister's strident tones were replaced by a slower number sung
by Celestina Warbeck (`Is that Seamus and Dean's idea of a joke?' asked Ginny, rolling her
eyes, who was beyond enjoyment of anything sung by Celestina since it was about the only music ever
played at the Burrow that she could remember and she was heartily sick of it.)

As the slower music took over, Harry drew Hermione to him and they automatically moved together,
something they did easily these days having had regular practise as a “couple” the past eleven
months. Harry found himself pondering Hermione's comment, that he was “too afraid to kiss a
girl”.

*I think perhaps Hermione's right -* *maybe* *I am* *a little* *afraid
of kissing a girl! How did that happen? Post-Cho Trauma Syndrome perhaps?* Harry smiled to
himself. *Aside from a number of sessions in various Hogwarts broom cupboards and a rather
memorable evening in the Astronomy Tower with that Fifth Year - what was her name? -
h**e'd never* *really* *met anyone he* *desperately* *wanted to kiss -
well, not so much that he was prepared to go through the agony of asking them on a date and such. I
turned twenty-one this year and* *the only really* *serious snogging* *I've done
was at Hogwarts,* he thought, surprised. *I guess my training and work has taken up all my
time and energy…*

Whilst Harry pondered his lack of snogging, Hermione was busy thinking about the report she
hadn't managed to finish that afternoon, wondering if she should pop into the office for a
couple of hours the next morning.

It was Harry, whispering rather loudly, that brought her back to herself.

`Hermione! *Hermione!*'

She looked up, wondering what on earth was up.

*Bloody hell. The spotlight.* *It was on them!*

She glanced up at Harry who looked a lot like a hippogriff that'd had his flight feathers
cut and was trying to escape from a hungry Horntail.

Hermione forced a smile. *Kissing Harry can't be too bad,* she thought bravely. *I
mean, it is just Harry!*

`Harry! *Harry!*'

Harry's blank gaze moved to hers.

`Oh, for goodness' sake, Harry! You won't *die* if we kiss - come on, quickly!
Everyone's watching and waiting!'

Harry found himself looking down at Hermione's exasperated, although still smiling,
countenance. *Kiss Hermione? Me? Hermione? Can't be too bad - she's right - I won't
die. At least not physically. Why am I thinking of dying? This is weird. And strange. And very,
very peculiar. All right. She has a rather nice looking mouth. Actually, a very nice mouth - her
lips look nice and soft and shiny - quite delicious actually. Delicious? Had he just thought that?
About Hermione's lips?* *That he was about to kiss - because Hermione had obviously given
up on him taking the initiative and he could suddenly feel a warm, small hand curling around the
back of his neck - were they shivers down his spine? - and he felt his head being pulled down and
his eyes suddenly left those soft, delicious lips and met a pair of dancing, soft brown eyes…Merlin
help me!* he thought, wondering what lay on the other side of this moment…

It was the longest, and shortest, and most softly delicious, absolutely wonderful moment of his
life to date. Definitely.

*This,* he'd thought a little drunkenly as their lips met, *is why people spend ages
- hours! - snogging! Oh, to feel like this all* *the* *time!* From the point in time
when their lips had met he felt as though some strange magical force was spreading throughout his
whole body, lighting up a lot of unused nooks and crannies.

But the magic receded when Hermione's lips left his and he felt suddenly horribly bereft. He
wanted to cry out and demand that she keep kissing him - that the way he'd felt was too
wonderful to give up! He gazed down at her, oblivious to the catcalls, whistles and clapping going
on around them.

`Hermione?' he whispered, not knowing what he was asking.

Hermione, to his relief, looked as dazed as he did. He wasn't alone. That was good.
Wasn't it?

`Harry?' She didn't know what she was asking either. Neither of them knew anything,
obviously.

Then Harry felt a slap on his back, followed by the jovial tones of his best mate.

`Harry, mate! Didn't think I'd ever get to see you two kiss! You sure made up for it
though, well done!'

He couldn't look away from Hermione. *Well done? What the hell was that supposed to
mean?!*

`Thanks, Ron, it was a moment, wasn't it?' Hermione's voice was strangely
breathless, but at least she'd been able to speak.

*Good old Hermione - she'd come to his rescue once again!*

Thankfully the spotlight faded and the music continued and everyone kept dancing. They were left
alone, unmoving, in a sea of people.

`Let's go,' she whispered, and that's the only encouragement he needed.

They ran. No, actually, they *bolted.*

They needed to escape for they both felt confused and embarrassed. Aside from other
unmentionable emotions.

Harry was feeling rather disorientated as they walked along. They'd left the pub and had
mutually agreed to make the twenty minute walk home rather than Floo or Apparate; they needed to
think.

Harry was feeling his inexperience with girls rather keenly and didn't know whether his
reaction to kissing Hermione was the usual one when you kissed a girl - or just when he kissed
Hermione? *Would it happen the next time he kissed her? Next time? What was he thinking? Well,
for one, there was no way he wasn't going to try and experience that sort of feeling again*
*- it was just too amazing! But how?* His mind spun around - he didn't know what to do or
what to think and he was really quite afraid of what might come out of his mouth if he dared to
speak right now…

Hermione was basically in shock.

*What the hell was* **that***?* she asked herself ferociously. Her analytical mind
was in overdrive in an attempt to explain why she was suffering from palpitations and loss of
breath - and loss of brain! *Because Harry had kissed her? Harry? Kissing? What the hell?*
Oblivious to what lay ahead, she'd pulled Harry's head down so that they could kiss, that
bloody spotlight on them, and hey, it was only her, and him - so what? Keep up the charade,
Granger. So what-the-bloody-hell! The second Harry's lips had touched hers she'd felt as
though she was melting - in places she'd rather not think about at the same time as she was
thinking about Harry - just Harry, only Harry… who had reduced her to some sort of melted,
mindless, delicious, wonderful nothingness just by kissing her!

They were walking very slowly, reluctant to arrive home and have to face each other while at the
same time needing to think about what had just happened.

They snuck the occasional quick, surreptitious glance at each other, hoping the other
wouldn't notice, both wondering hopelessly what the other was thinking.

Harry had just risked a sideways glance at Hermione - she of the soft, delicious lips - and
realised that sometime in the last few years she'd fulfilled her promise and become an
extremely intelligent, clever, brilliant witch…and she didn't look half bad either…

*She didn't look half bad? What sort of thought was that?!* *Which stupid,*
*unused part of his brain was he accessing now?*

Suddenly, Harry stopped dead in his tracks, overcome by his own thoughts. Hermione had continued
walking before realising he was no longer beside her. He watched as if it was in slow motion:
Hermione walking on, finding himself thinking how *great* she looked in her tight jeans, how
long her legs looked and how small her waist was, how her hair looked - she'd put it in a high
ponytail which was swaying gently, catching the now meagre light. Then she stopped and turned,
smiling quizzically at him, her head slightly tilted to one side, putting her hands on her hips as
she looked back at him.

And that's when it happened. It wasn't even remotely romantic - it hit him with the
explosive power of an “expelliarmus” and “stupefy” combined and he did in fact feel as though he
had been the victim of both those spells. Because he found himself imagining kissing Hermione again
- long and hard - *wanting badly* to kiss her long and hard. And he could imagine a lot more
than that. *Wanted* to imagine a lot more than that?! *Holy* *Mother of Merlin**!
What the hell was going on?* *How could* *he feel like that? How had it happened?* He
felt more confused than at just about any other time in his life. Then he realised Hermione was
speaking to him.

`Hello? Harry? What's up?' she asked, for the second time (although he wasn't aware
of that), wondering what on earth was wrong with him. Just as well Harry didn't tell her what
was *up.*

`Oh, um, nothing, I just realised - I mean I just remembered - something,' he finished
lamely, not having any idea of what he could say that may sound remotely “normal”.

Hermione walked back to him and taking his hand, started tugging. `Come on, Harry! What's
wrong?'

`Hermione, what was that, back there?'

Hermione looked very flustered. And wouldn't look at him. `What was what?' she asked
shakily.

His finger under her chin brought Hermione's gaze to his and Harry's green eyes looked
straight into hers. Hermione felt herself blush. She knew exactly what he meant - but she
wasn't sure about it herself. It had been a huge shock to kiss “good old Harry” and find
herself suddenly wanting to rip his clothes off and - well - she wasn't going there right
now…it was hard enough dealing with the reality…

The damned reality that *wasn't* going away…

`Hermione, look at me.'

Harry didn't let go of her hand - she'd taken his, after all - and then his other hand
found itself under her chin, tilting her head so that her reluctant gaze was forced to meet his.
The sight of Hermione so unsure and so *affected* seemed to act on him as a spur - and he felt
a surge of pure, masculine power. It was all rather heady and charged with such a force that, while
a lovely, albeit confused, woman was looking at him so - so - helplessly! - he surrendered to
instinct and kissed her again.

Which turned out to be an excellent move. Go Harry.

`Harry?'

`Yes, Hermione?'

`What's going on?'

`You don't know?'

`I - I don't *think* so!' Even Hermione could meet her match.

`Don't think, that's important. Just kiss me again.'

`That doesn't sound right…'

`On this, Hermione, you'll have to trust me.'

`Well, I always have before…'

`Don't stop now. Kiss me. P lease.'

So she did. And Harry discovered that kissing Hermione *always* produced that lovely,
wonderful, magical force that was spreading throughout his whole body, lighting up even more unused
nooks and crannies. And Hermione knew that her desire to rip his clothes off - that really
*naughty* desire to rip his clothes off - was destined to eventually be fulfilled. Thank
Merlin.

And did they live happily ever after? You bet your broomstick they did!

THE END

Author's Note

Written in an afternoon and NOT subjected to my usual obsessive compulsive revision procedures
so please forgive any mistakes (of which I'm sure there are MANY!!)

Hope you enjoyed it and have a smile on your face as you finish.

xxxx Janie xxxx

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