Thanks again everyone who took the time to review! I'm really pleased you're all enjoying this. This is a quick update, I'm almost out the door to go see Return of the King tonight, but I'll be back with the thank yous in the next chapter.
I had to leave this one off where I did otherwise the next chapter would be REALLY short. It will be up on Friday or Saturday!
A question I've been asked a few times: How old are Harry and Hermione in this fic? When I started writing it I had them to be about 23 or 24 in my head… it just seems like a perfect age for what they're doing ;)
Again, thanks to research_dome for brit picking, and to all of you for reading!!!
"Well what do you want to know?" Hermione suddenly seemed testy. "There's not much to tell."
Harry shook his head. "I don't know. If there's not much to tell then tell me everything."
"It's all very boring you don't want to hear it," Hermione waved her hand.
"Yes I do," Harry countered.
Hermione sighed. "It's not something I really like to talk about but…" she pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "When I was in school, there was this guy I really, really cared about," she began. "We were interested in the same things, and both of us were study fiends, so we spent hours in the library." Hermione began toying with her paper napkin. "Anyway, one night Jean-Philippe -that was his name- took me out to our local wizarding town. We had been friends for a long time, but both of us had recently confessed to one another that we wanted to be more."
Harry said nothing, but put his hand over hers on the table top. Hermione looked up at him for a moment and went on.
"Well that night was wonderful. It was starry, warm so we didn't need cloaks, and Jean-Philippe couldn't have been more attentive. I finally thought I would be like other girls, I'd be able to identify with my roommates because they all had boyfriends and I never had one." Hermione paused for some water. "So when we started kissing, I decided it was all right. I really liked him and he had gone on all night about how much he liked me as well.
"After awhile, though, it started to be more than just kissing. I had a new dress robe on, and he was putting his hands beneath it and touching me. I tried to push him away but he pulled his hand out of my robes and apologised. I figured he just got caught up in the moment so I let it go and our evening continued."
"Was it okay after that?" Harry asked.
"I'm getting to that," Hermione replied. "We went to dinner and that was quite lovely, and after that he suggested going for a stroll in the nearby park. I was a little hesitant but after a moment I agreed; I figured he wouldn't try doing that again.
"At first, he was so polite, just holding my hand and we were talking. Then I could tell he wanted to start kissing again, and I wanted to start kissing again… so we did. It was nice, just like the first time, and it stayed that way for awhile. But then, he started to put his hands in my robes again, and this time he wouldn't stop when I asked him to. I smacked the side of his head and he sat back and sneered at me, then told me to shut up and do what I was meant to do.
"I asked what he was talking about and he laughed and told me that I must really be stupid to think he and I were friends and that he was only doing this because he wanted to shag a virgin." Hermione got angry thinking about it all over again.
"What a bastard!" Harry exclaimed quietly. "If he was here now I'd kill him!"
Hermione had to smile. "Thank you, Harry." She squeezed his hand. "I mean, I'm all over it now, it's been several years since it happened but… I don't know… I really don't trust a lot of guys because of it.
"I can't say I blame you," Harry replied. "What made you decide that I was so trustworthy then?"
"I'm still trying to figure that out," Hermione said jokingly as Harry laughed. "No, I don't know exactly what made me decide to do this… you just seemed so nice and dare I say… normal… when we were talking. I was having a nice time with you at lunch," Hermione looked down at her other hand, which was resting in her lap. "Well now you've heard my sob story, what about yours?"
Harry smiled. "I don't really have a sob story, unless you count that one I told you earlier, but that's more frightening," he rolled his eyes. "I've had a few semi serious girlfriends, but the one girl I was with the longest was back at Hogwarts.
"Her name was Cho Chang, and we didn't actually get together until our fifth year. I had a huge crush on her that started my third year. Do you remember the Tri Wizard Tournament that took place? If you were in the same year as me it would have been your fourth?"
"Yes, I remember, but I didn't go along to Hogwarts," Hermione replied. "Wish I had now," she smiled and Harry grinned back.
"Well, I'm sure you know what happened during it, right? With me as a fourth champion and everything with the third task involving myself and Cedric Diggory?" Hermione nodded and Harry went on. "Cho and Cedric were dating at that point when he was killed.
"When I went back for my fifth year, Cho cornered me, wanting to talk about what happened. I didn't… but I still liked her so I sort of went along with it." Harry was slightly embarrassed as he ran his free hand through his hair. "We had one date that was a complete disaster because she suspected me of liking another friend of mine, and so that was about it."
"So what happened then? Hermione asked, pulling her hand out of Harry's as their food arrived. Harry waited until the waitress had gone before continuing.
"Well we pretty much avoided one another for the rest of the year, until the train ride back at the end. She called me into a compartment and we just sat and talked the rest of the way to the station." Harry took a bite of his fish. "We didn't get back together then but we at least parted as friends. All summer long we wrote back and forth to one another, but when we got back to Hogwarts in September, I wanted more and so did she.
"This time around things were so much better," Harry said. "She was finally over Cedric, even though we talked about him from time to time, but it was more about us now than anything." Harry smiled. "We dated from then until about a year out of Hogwarts for me, and two years out for her."
"Why aren't you still with her?" Hermione asked, having some of her chips.
"We're on opposing Quidditch teams," Harry said. "Our schedules apart were too hard, plus we were constantly being watched and Oliver was completely paranoid that she was spying on our team." He shook his head. "Oliver's great but he's abnormally obsessed with Quidditch. Anyways, Cho and I broke up, but we're still friendly with one another. We owl back and forth on occasion when we're both not playing."
"That's nice you keep in touch with her," Hermione said. "Most guys don't care to talk to their exes."
Harry shrugged. "I'm not most guys," he replied.
"Thank goodness for that," Hermione joked. They ate in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. "Do you see her often?"
"Nah, not really," Harry said. "I think the last time I saw her we were at a Quidditch Benefit and she was dating Roger Davies, her team captain… that was about a year ago."
Hermione nodded. "That's nice," she replied. "Any other horror stories about fans you'd like to share?" she asked.
"Nothing worse than the one I told you about," Harry made a face. "I mean we have plenty of them hanging around the stadium when we practise, but we don't pay them any mind. They usually show up when we have a party hoping to get shagged, but we avoid that by coming with dates," he grinned at Hermione and she started laughing.
"Is it usually that easy to get away from them?" she asked.
"Bloody hell- no," Harry answered, shoving the last of his chips in his mouth. "They're like leeches if you don't tell them off right away." He reached for her plate. "Can I have some?"
"No they're mine!" Hermione possessively pulled her plate away. "You had your own!"
"But I'm still hungry!" Harry gave her his pout.
"Should have ordered more," Hermione grinned back.
"Please," Harry pleaded.
"What's in it for me?" Hermione tipped her head to the side.
"What?" Harry asked.
"You heard me," Hermione answered. "If I give you my chips, what are you giving me?"
"Something you've always dreamed about," Harry leaned back against the vinyl seat.
"Oh and what might that be?" Hermione asked sarcastically.
"Well, not that I've seen it yet," Harry flicked his eyes down to her chest for a moment and grinned. "But how about a nice pat on the back for a well written article about me in the Daily Prophet tomorrow?"
"Oh HONESTLY!" Hermione cried. She tossed one of her chips at his head and watched it hit him and fall to the floor. "What I've always dreamed of, honestly!"
"Hey!" Harry protested. "I told you what I'd give you!"
"You boys only think of one thing don't you," Hermione still hugged her plate.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, trying to figure out the best way to get her chips. "I was trying to compliment you!"
"Bollocks," Hermione replied. "And don't give me that face Potter, it's not going to work."
"What face?" Harry asked. "This one?" he stuck his lower lip out and gave her puppy dog eyes. Hermione would not budge. "Okay… how about I snog you later?"
"You were going to snog me anyway," Hermione pointed out, putting one of the chips in her mouth and chewing slowly and quite deliberately.
"Dammit," Harry muttered. "Please?" he asked again. When she continued to chew on her food and not reply, Harry looked down on the floor. "Maybe I can find the one you threw at me."
"Oh honestly," Hermione replied. "Open!"
"What?" Harry asked straightening back up.
"Open your mouth," she said, holding out one of her chips. He did as he was told and Hermione smiled and stuck it between his lips. "Now close and swallow like a good boy."
"Thank you," Harry grinned and leaned over the table. He gave her a quick kiss and when he sat back Hermione noticed that most of her chips had suddenly gone missing.
"Hey!" Hermione cried out as Harry grinned.
"All's fair in love and hunger you know," Harry said in a smartass tone.
"You'll pay for that Potter," Hermione glared at him as he greedily stuffed most of the chips in his mouth.
"Oh I'm really scared now," Harry said with his mouth full.
"Can I get you two anything else?" the waitress had returned.
"Yes, could I have a hot fudge sundae please, with vanilla ice cream?" Hermione asked immediately. "And some cherries too,"
"Anything for you?" she asked Harry. He shook his head and the waitress left again.
"Honestly," Hermione muttered, crossing her arms as Harry stuffed the last of her meal in his mouth.
"Come on, Hermione, don't be in a strop," Harry grinned as he swallowed. Hermione averted her eyes and would not look at him. She hummed softly to herself and ignored Harry. He tried to play footsie with her again but she pulled her knees up to her chest and determinedly looked past him at the other patrons of the restaurant.
The waitress was soon back to collect the now empty plates and deposit Hermione's sundae. "Thank you," Hermione said, smiling at her as she took up the spoon, dipping it into the sundae and lifting it to her lips.
She was going to have some fun.
Licking her spoon after taking in the ice cream, Hermione allowed her eyes to rest on Harry once again. He was leaning back in the booth, sulking because she was ignoring him, but still watching her. She swirled her finger into the hot fudge, then placed said finger in her mouth and sucked the chocolate off.
Harry gulped as he watched. He'd learned back in the pub how flirtatious and… naughty… Hermione could be if she truly wanted, and it seemed as if he was about to be treated to another show. He watched her tongue jet out and swirl around the spoon (and he wanted desperately to be that spoon at that exact moment) and her soft chuckle as some hot fudge dripped on her lip.
But the worst, the absolute best part, for Harry, was when she took the cherry off the top of the sundae. It was put between her lips and he could almost feel her tongue jetting out at it from behind, and she never actually ATE the blasted thing.
Hermione watched Harry from the corner of her eye as she ate her ice cream as sensually as she could. She had to admit to herself she knew absolutely nothing about what she was doing and so therefore the fact that Harry was nearly drooling on the tablecloth meant she was good at this.
Without practising.
"Want some?" she finally spoke, offering him a large quantity of the ice cream on her spoon. Harry grinned at her and she leaned forward, sliding it into his mouth. Hermione licked off what he had left and dug the spoon back into the sundae.
Harry swallowed his spoonful and watched as she took in another. 'I want this woman so bad,' he thought, watching her lips form as she licked up more ice cream. He reached over and grabbed the cherry, much to Hermione's sudden protest, and popped it in his mouth.
"I love cherries," he said, licking his lower lip. He slipped his foot from his shoe and moved it up and with a very charming and slightly evil grin, thrust it between her legs.
Hermione gasped and choked on her mouthful of ice cream as she felt Harry's foot go directly into an area of her body that had been growing increasingly warmer since they'd begun eating the sundae. "Harry you…"
"Charming Quidditch player?" Harry asked, still grinning evilly, refusing to move his foot. Hermione shot him a wicked smile of her own and discreetly began to move herself against his foot, feeling his big toe rub against her jeans.
"Hermione!" Harry shouted in a whisper as he yanked his foot away.
"What?" Hermione asked, licking the last bit of ice cream from the spoon.
"You are sneaky and devious… and I really like it." Harry said in a low voice.
"What, you didn't believe me back at the pub?" Hermione asked in the same low voice.
"I think we need to get out of here," Harry said.
"Sounds good to me," Hermione swiped a bit of melted ice cream from the glass dish and brought it to Harry's lips. He pulled her finger into his mouth, sucking the cream off as he brought out his wallet.
Harry pulled about 25 GBP out and dropped it on the table, knowing it was covering their meal and much more… but he needed to get out and do… something… he wasn't sure what yet, as long as it was with Hermione. He grabbed Hermione's hand, her hair and bag flying out behind her and dashed out the door.
Once outside, he walked them quickly down the street until he saw a dark alley. Pushing her into it, he soon had her back pressed against the wall and was kissing her so hard he thought could taste blood. He could hear her squeal of approval as her arms wound around his neck and his hands went under her jumper to touch her bare hot skin.
Hermione pressed her body back against Harry, feeling so wanton and free at the moment she was about ready to scream. She rubbed her tongue along the roof of his mouth and let out a moan that went straight down Harry's spine.
"Hermione," he pulled his mouth away after several more minutes, drawing in many ragged breaths. She was breathing heavily too, her eyes glazed over as she looked up at him. "Dammit," he leaned against her and felt her arms go around his waist.
"What?" she asked, still short of air.
"I shouldn't be saying this…" Harry pulled away and ran his hands through his hair, pulling on the strands hard.
"Say what?" Hermione asked, tracing the curve of his jaw.
Harry leaned against her again, kissing her more gently this time. "I just… I want to make love to you so bad…" he kissed her again.
"What's stopping you?" Hermione asked, her eyes half closed. She could feel Harry's gaze on her. "I mean… I want to."
"You… you do?" Harry asked in shock.
"Yes," Hermione answered, leaning up to kiss him again. "Let's go to… a nice hotel or something," she brushed her lips over his.
"All right," Harry managed hoarsely. They kissed again and left the alley, pressed tightly together as they walked down the street.
They arrived at a white panelled hotel about ten minutes later, with golden lights spilling outside onto the pavement. Harry noticed it was about midnight and was surprised that there was still a doorman outside. "Thank you," he said to the man who opened the glass panels for them and they stepped into the lobby.