Sorry it took me so long guys! I got wrapped up doing things for work and didn't have much time to do this….*sigh* I also started a new fic that will probably be posted soon, when I get enough chapters written to be ahead of the game - so to speak. Well here you go! Hope you like this update…again, I apologize for even taking this long. Anyone who knows me can testify that I update at least once a day…
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Hermione reached the bottom of the stairs and remained silent. Harry was sitting on the sofa with his back to her. All she could see was the back of his head and his usual tousled black hair. He kept repeating something out loud over and over. Hermione couldn't fully grasp what he was saying, but his actions were telling her a lot. The feel of the cold floor on her feet gave her goose bumps but she tolerated it long enough to fully comprehend the situation.
"Evanulus!" Harry said quietly. The coffee table disappeared. Hermione's eyes widened in curiosity as she stood there and watched. "Exortulus!" He said, and the coffee table reappeared.
Hermione cleared her throat. She imagined what sort of look Harry could have on his face, being snuck up on like that. He put his wand gently on the table and stood up to look at her.
"Hermione! I didn't know you were up yet!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione smiled as her cheeks flushed a deep red color.
"Well obviously." She said, turning her eyes away from his and staring at the wall off to the side.
Harry had forgotten one little detail, the reason why Hermione was trying not to look at him. Harry laughed at her shy behavior but felt embarrassed himself. He walked into the bathroom and snatched his shirt off the towel railing, then came back out. His feet automatically stuck to the floor.
"How did you sleep last night? Well I hope?" Hermione asked, looking him directly in the eyes.
"Um…yeah…yeah I slept…fine." Harry choked out, jerking his eyes back to hers. Hermione smiled.
"Good!" She said happily, and then turned the corner to go into the kitchen. Harry's eyes followed her until she was out of his line of sight. He picked up his feet again and followed her.
Hermione stood over the kitchen sink with her hands to her face in hidden embarrassment as she put some dishes away. She heard the sound of Harry's gentle footsteps as he entered the kitchen, pulling his shirt on as he walked. Hermione caught herself staring at his muscular chest. She turned away to close the cupboard beside her and felt her cheeks get a little warm. Harry had a seat on one of the stools at the counter. He leaned his elbows on it and fiddled with his wand.
Every now and then Harry would feel his face get hot at seeing the cute clothes his best friend was dressed in.
"How long did it take you to learn all that anyway?" Hermione asked as she reached into another cupboard and pulled down some things to eat.
"Oh, right. The-uh-disappearing thing. It's really not that hard." He replied simply. Hermione nodded and smiled at him, leaning one side of her body against the counter.
"Oh. Well are you hungry?" She asked, grabbing some glasses out of the cupboard over the island countertop while looking at him for an answer. He shrugged his shoulders.
"I could do with something to eat but I'm not that hungry." He answered back. Hermione struggled with her thoughts for a moment.
"Alright, well how about something to drink?" she said disbelievingly, knowing that when a man says they could do with something to eat, that usually means they're starving.
"Water's fine for me, thanks." Harry answered calmly, playing with his wand again. Hermione silently agreed with him and handed him a glass of water as she ate her toast.
The minutes passed in complete silence. But sooner or later, one of them would break it.
"So, uh where are you working now?" Harry asked. Hermione put her toast down and looked at him.
"At a bookshop in town. I need to go there and pick something up today. You should come with me. I want to show you something." She answered back as she stepped out from behind the counter and walked into the other room. Harry's eyes were on her as she left the room but he remained seated as she talked to him from a distance.
"What did you want to do today?!" She called out from the living room. A moment later she came back in, holding something in her hand. She walked past Harry and went to the back door and opened it. She jerked the doorknob back but it didn't budge.
"You know, for a house that was a little pricy, you'd think the doors would work properly!" Hermione said as she pulled on the doorknob with every bit of strength in her. Harry watched her in amusement, the faces she made trying to open that door.
SNAP!
The door flew open and Hermione stumbled backwards. Harry jumped up and caught her around the waist just before she hit the floor. For a moment she stayed there, embarrassed and relieved at the same time. He stared down, and imitating her actions. Harry lifted her back to a standing position and felt rather stupid. His hands slid up her silky smooth arms, giving him the jitters. Her skin was probably the softest he had ever heard of.
"Thanks Harry." Hermione said, bringing him out of his trance as she rubbed her knee from the door smacking her hard there.
"You should really get that door fixed." He said with a grin on his face. Hermione smiled then pushed the door open some more and propped it with a rock. She stepped outside for some fresh air then briefly came back in.
"Do you want to sit outside? It's quite a nice day today." Hermione stated with her hands on her hips, turning to go sit on a chair out on the porch. Harry followed and had a seat on the bench beside her.
"Oh, I'm sorry Harry. What did you want to do today?" She asked him again. Harry stretched out on the bench and laid down on his back to look at the bright blue sky.
"I was thinking we could hang around here for a while, in Hogsmeade. But I don't want to see anyone in particular just yet. It's supposed to be a surprise."
"Oh, alright. That's fine. I just need to stop at the shop for a few minutes and then we can do whatever." Hermione said happily. Harry moved his head so he could see her face and he smiled, noticing how she was sitting in her chair with her elbows rested on her knees. Her one knee, however, was still quite red from the door smacking it.
"Hermione, are you cold?" Harry asked, looking at the goose-bumps on her legs. She turned to look at him.
"Not really. Why?" She asked. Harry felt his face flush a bit before he answered.
"Oh, you just had goose-bumps on your arms is all." He answered back. Hermione smiled at him. "Is your knee okay?"
Hermione looked down at it and sighed. "It still stings a little."
Harry sat up in his place and straddled the bench, facing her in her chair. "Here, let me see," he said, holding out his hand. Hermione wrinkled her forehead.
"Alright," she agreed, lifting her leg up into Harry's hand.
Just that little motion sent shivers down his spine. She had incredibly toned legs and softer skin than on her arms. He felt himself slip into a daze again but was brought out by the task at hand. He touched her knee very softly, mumbling a few things and the pain went away.
Hermione was enjoying the feeling of Harry's fingers trailing up her leg to her knee, and back down again. It was quite the dizzying thing if you've ever experienced it. Harry let her leg down and smiled at her as she bent it back toward her, observing how much better it felt and how the redness went away. She blushed the same color her knee had once been and smiled at him. He smiled back and they stared at each other for a few seconds too long.
"Thanks, Harry. You know, you're going to have to let me in on what you learned while you were away," she teased. Harry smiled a drop dead gorgeous grin that Hermione felt made her weak in the knees all over again, but this time in a good way.