A/N: This ficlet is from a drawing I asked Phoenix Blue to draw for me. You can find the picture here: http://media.portkey.org/details.php?image_id=157&s=13c5973b4725c13d8f0bd0bee6673f52
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it, and please review when you're finished. Thanks :)
Harry Potter came through the portrait door, dropping his Firebolt and the rest of his Quidditch gear on the floor. He ran his muddy hands through his hair and sighed. He was tired, he was dirty, and all he really wanted was to take a long, hot shower and go to bed.
Quidditch practise had become quite gruelling lately. He had passed up the privilege of becoming Captain in favour of becoming Head Boy, and he was extremely glad, as being in N.E.W.T level classes (including Potions), along with playing on the team and his duties took up most of his time.
Harry rested against the wall for a few more seconds then picked up his things, heading toward the stairs and his private Head Boy quarters, in which he shared a common room with Hermione, who was of course the Head Girl. He took a quick look around the common room, not seeing Hermione anywhere. Ron was still back in the locker rooms, doing Merlin knows what with Luna Lovegood.
They had started seeing each other around the middle of their sixth year, much to the surprise of all their friends. Harry liked Luna, and thought she and Ron made a good match. Hermione had been slightly harder to convince, but the two girls were now friends.
Shaking his head, Harry made his way up the stairs and dropped his belongings in his room. Stripping off his Quidditch practice uniform, he rushed into the bathroom and took a fast shower, then drew on a grey school jumper and a random pair of trousers. Grabbing one of his textbooks and quills and parchment, he headed back down to the common room.
He settled down at one of the sofas by the fire, piling his parchment on his lap, opening his textbook, then began to make notes. Harry was so absorbed in his work, he didn't notice Hermione approach him from behind until she put her hand on his shoulder.
"Hey!" Harry jumped a mile. He looked up and saw his best friend come around the side of the sofa and sit next to him. "Where have you been?"
Hermione looked at him, her normally bright brown eyes dark. She shook her head wordlessly.
"What?" Harry asked, concerned.
Hermione pointed to her throat and shook her head again. When Harry still didn't understand, she widened her eyes impatiently and patted her throat.
"You can't speak?" he finally asked and she nodded vigorously. "But why not?"
"Malfoy," Hermione mouthed.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked, suddenly furious. "When did he do it? I'm going to find him right now and…" Hermione pulled on his arm and he looked at her. She curled her fingers into circles and put them up to her eyes, making it look like she had glasses. Then she moved her hands up in a shape like she was wearing a pointed hat, and gave Harry a disapproving glare.
"McGonagall?" Harry guessed. "She caught Malfoy?" Hermione nodded again, holding up 5 fingers. "She took away 50 points?" Harry was pleased.
Hermione nodded again and then stared down at her feet. Rubbing the back of her neck, Harry noticed how miserable she looked.
"How… how long will you not be able to talk?" he asked, not wanting to make her more upset than she already was.
Hermione grabbed his quill and wrote out a word; Harry turned the parchment back so he could see. "Until tomorrow?" he asked in disbelief. "Surely there's something McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey can give you…."
Hermione shook her head and bent over the parchment again. "McGonagall took me, nothing she can do, have to wait it out…" Harry read aloud. "I'm sorry Hermione, I wish there was something I could do."
She shrugged. "It's okay," she wrote.
Harry nodded. He had to admire Hermione, she was certainly a tough character. He was willing to bet Malfoy would be watching his step once Hermione regained her power of speech.
For now he gave her a one armed hug. "I guess this saves me one night of listening to a homework lecture," Harry joked and she gave him a glare. "Just kidding, I swear!"
Hermione gave him a stern nod, then moved closer to him as he turned back to his homework. She pulled open her bag and retrieved a large book, worn by so many readings. Harry smiled to himself as she opened it to a page, held by a blue cloth bookmark. Hermione loved "Hogwarts, A History", he knew, as she could quote from it at length and she probably had it memorised.
They sat in silence for ten minutes or so, until Hermione started to fidget on the seat next to him. "What's wrong?" Harry asked, looking up from his notes.
Hermione looked over at him and patted her throat again, then pointed to the book. Harry remembered that she often liked to mutter aloud to herself while reading "Hogwarts, A History". She looked so troubled that Harry put aside his homework and took the large novel in his hands. "Want me to read aloud to you?"
Her eyes brightened so much in that moment that Harry got a warm feeling that he was sure had nothing to do with the fire. Hermione smiled up at him, pointing at the place where he should start.
Clearing his throat, Harry began to read aloud. The book wasn't something he'd read on his own, no matter how many times Hermione bugged him to, but it wasn't as bad as he and Ron had originally thought. He'd never admit that to Ron though.
He had been reading for twenty minutes when Hermione let out a soft sigh and leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his. Her touch made him stop mid sentence and stiffen slightly. She sighed again and closed her eyes, and when Harry looked down, he noticed a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.
He gulped, and choked on a few words as he stumbled through the next few sentences. Hermione didn't seem to mind; she hugged his arm tighter and smiled.
Harry read for what felt like an hour when he noticed her grip start to loosen; he looked down to see that Hermione had fallen fast asleep on his shoulder. Closing the book, he set it on top of his homework, then turned so that he could slip one arm underneath his sleeping best friend. Picking her up, he was surprised to see she was actually quite light.
Carefully carrying her up the stairs, he kicked open the door with his foot, and brought her over to her bed. He laid Hermione down, making sure her head was on the pillow. Harry sat down on the edge, admiring for a moment how pretty she had become. Her hair was still as bushy as ever, and spread across the pillow. He ran his fingers through it briefly, surprised at how soft it was. She also had a few tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose, and her lips were slightly puckered, as if she were dreaming of kissing someone.
Harry leaned closer to her, not really realising what he was doing. Tipping her face gently back with his fingers, he pressed his lips to hers in a caressing kiss.
Hermione awoke with a start, feeling a pressure on her mouth. Her eyes snapped wide open as she realised that Harry, Harry, was kissing her. With shallow breaths, she moved her hand up around his nape and pushed her lips harder against his. Harry gasped into her mouth, both sets of eyes wide open and staring into each other's, before closing and completely surrendering to the kiss.
Harry moved his hands down, curving his arms around her waist; he pulled her up so they were both sitting. He gently used his tongue to run along the seam of her lips, which parted immediately, allowing him to taste her for the first time.
Some time later, Harry wasn't sure how long, they finally pulled away breathing hard. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, then remembered her situation.
"It's okay," Harry put a finger on her swollen lips, leaning in to kiss her quickly once more. "I know."
Hermione smiled at him while moving her fingers through his hair. "Thank you," she mouthed.
"Maybe we can do this again, you know, when you can speak," Harry said, a bit shyly.
Hermione nodded enthusiastically as Harry grinned at her. Forgetting about his homework and her book downstairs in the common room, he slid into bed beside her as she moved over into his arms.
A/N: Hope you all liked this- it helped restore my muse somewhat, who has decided to take yet another unplanned vacation without me. Ill hopefully have a nice update for you all soon.