A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and suggestions. I've been awfully busy as of late so this update's a bit tardy. Thanks to MushyPeas for beta-ing as always. Here's the third part of the story. I welcome all cheers and jeers and suggestions you may have.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of JKR's wonderful creations. I am just borrowing some ingredients to mix up a new kind of drink. A mojito perhaps? Cheers!
If You Believe - The Appetizer
Hermione Granger walked into the room with a huge smirk on her face. Ginny, with a quizzical look, stepped aside and let her good friend into the living room.
"What are you so mighty cheerful about?" Ginny plopped herself down on the sofa.
Hermione took her coat off and hung it on the coat rack. "Well, I've got you your stripper for the do! And trust me, I had to fight tooth and nail for this fellow."
Ginny's right eyebrow shot up. "Oh? Do tell who got conned to this event? And I'm assuming Draco knows nothing about this." A small smile crept up on her lips.
"Well, that's a surprise obviously," Hermione walked to the kitchen to prepare tea, "but believe me, he'll be giving us a good time that night." At least he better be, she thought to herself.
Flipping through stations on the tele, Ginny called out, "Oh really now?"
Hermione rejoined her redheaded friend on the couch; the same smirk was plastered on her face. "I'll tell you this much...He's got the body that women fawn for."
Ginny snickered. "I'll take your word for it. So anyway, do you know if the boys will have their own stripper at their party? I'm a little anxious as to who Ron or Harry will get for Draco."
Hermione coughed nervously. She wondered now if Harry would be able to make it to the men's bachelor party since she was stealing him away for Ginny's party. "Er...I'm sure Ron will be the one in charge of that. Harry doesn't seem to be the type to do that stuff." She took a sip from her teacup.
"Oh? Maybe you're right. Speaking of Harry, has anything changed?" Ginny asked.
"What do you mean?" Hermione shot her friend a skittish look. She knew exactly what Ginny was referring to but as much as she could, she would rather avoid the topic of Harry, her, and a possible romantic relationship.
"Come now! You know what I speak of! It's been what? Eleven years? Well in truth, only six that you've pined for him. What are you waiting for?!" Ginny gave Hermione an exasperated look. "I don't know what's taking you both so long. Draco and I are got together and will be getting married before you two!"
"I...I...don't know what you're talking about," Hermione stood up and walked up to a window to watch the rain fall against the glass panes. She bit her lip and sighed sadly. It's true. She and Harry have been the best of friends for about eleven years. About half of that, Harry became something else to her. He was no longer just a best friend. He had become someone she had grown to love deeply beyond the boundaries of friendship.
"So tell me, Herms, what are you waiting for exactly?" Ginny raised her legs and tucked them underneath her. She took a sip of her tea and watched her friend carefully.
"Nothing at all. I just don't think that kind of stuff should happen between Harry and me. I mean, he's so famous and all. Why would he even spare a glance at me for something like that?" Hermione walked back toward a couch and sat. She grabbed a magazine and started ruffling through the pages, hardly noticing that the mag was upside down in her hands. "And we're too much of friends to ever cross that line."
Ginny raised her right eyebrow once again on her friend. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing after noting the upside down mag. "You know better than most of us that Harry isn't like that. If I didn't know any better, he's done his share of pining for a certain curly haired girl I know."
"Right. Uh huh," Hermione continued her lopsided magazine reading. "Honestly, I don't feel like that for Harry anymore. I stopped since he started dating that that girl from France last year. It's a hopeless matter." Hermione faintly heard Ginny's attempt at a cough. "Anyway, I think I've got my eye on someone else now. Really handsome fellow too, if I might add."
"What's that I hear? Did I hear that someone's finally gotten under Hermione's skin?" A familiar voice disrupted their conversation. Both Hermione's and Ginny's eyes flew toward the direction of the hallway entrance. In walked Ron, removing his drenched jacket. Following him was the subject of Ginny's and her conversation.
Harry ran his fingers through his hair, trying this best to rinse the wetness out. "I told you that we should have apparated earlier! Now look! We're both drenched like we just got out of the shower!"
Ginny stood up. "Do you want some towels? Nevermind. I'll get you both some anyway before you both drown us all in this flat."
"I'm right behind you! Lend me a hair dryer too. My hair's as wet as a mop can be," Ron followed his sister down the hall, leaving Harry and Hermione alone with each other in the living room.
Hermione didn't fail to notice what the rain has done to her green-eyed best friend's stature. As Harry removed his cloak, she noted that he was soaked to the bone as the shirt clung to his frame rather…well. She could distinguish the ridges and muscles on his abdomen. Hermione bit her lip and reprimanded herself. Harry is definitely the perfect choice for Ginny's party. Without any doubt.
"Is there something on my face?" Harry discovered Hermione's enraptured stare on him. Well he noticed her eyes on his chest area to be more specific and it made him uncomfortable.
"Oh, no no no! I just…I just blanked out for a second and didn't realize I was staring at your chest…I mean…-"
"Hey, Hermione!" Ron reappeared back into the room, tossing a towel at Harry. "So tell us. Who's this new fellow you're seeing? Ginny said that you were about to talk about him when we popped in."
Harry took his glasses off and used the towel he caught from Ron to dry them. "Oh? Hermione's dating someone right now? How come we haven't heard about this before? Is he from the magical world? A Muggle, perhaps?"
"Slow down a bit there Harry," Ginny spoke from behind Ron. She handed him a cup of warm tea. "We all want to know."
A pinkish hue flooded Harry's face. "I…no…that's not what I meant…You know…like…" Ginny laughed and turned towards Hermione's direction, whose face mirrored Harry's very closely, giving her a quick wink.
Hermione didn't fail to miss it. She swore under her breath and promised herself that she'd make Ginny pay for that later. "What are you two doing here by the way? Don't you have a Quidditch practice today?" she asked Ron.
Ron plopped himself on the leather couch and reached for the tele's remote. "Nah. Coach Andersen gave us the day off pending the bad weather outside. Besides, our next match won't be until two weeks from now."
Harry took a seat next to Ron. "My team had practice already yesterday so my weekend is free. Hey Ginny, do you still have some scones from Mulberry's? I've had a craving for those since you had me try them last week."
Ginny rolled her eyes on him. "Right, right. I'll be right back then." She turned and left the living room and headed for the kitchen, muttering something about a pig, instead of a boy, who lived.
Ron, not wanting to waste the opportunity, turned his attention to Hermione and hurriedly whispered. "So, what did you offer Harry that he had no choice but to agree, Herms?"
"Ron! It's none of your business," Harry's eyes widened as he protested.
Hermione took the seat adjacent to the couch and just shrugged. "As Harry said, it's none of your business. But it's a worthwhile trade, if you're curious to know."
"Uh huh, I'm sure. Well just make sure you don't keep Harry for long. He's still got Draco's party to attend. I want my best mate to enjoy our stripper's entertainment," said Ron with amusement.
"Ron!"
Hermione rolled her eyes on him. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he gets there. I'm sure Harry wouldn't like it if he missed out on the stripper you're getting for Malfoy."
Harry made a noise. "You both do know that I'm still in the room, right? You could talk to me or ask me directly." The both turned to him and gave him an odd look. "What?"
"Did I miss something?" Ginny rejoined them and handed Harry several scones before setting the rest down on the coffee table for everyone else to enjoy.
Ron grabbed one and popped one into his mouth. "Orm...Nothen weally...Juft asking 'arry 'bout kwid-itch." He reached for another one before Ginny swatted his hand away.
"Make that two pigs. Swallow first, will you? Mum will have your head if she saw you eating like that," she gave him a frown. "Besides, if you choke to death, it wouldn't be flattering to put 'Death by Choking on a Scone" on your tombstone, now would it?"
Ron grabbed Harry's cup of tea and took a big swig. Harry gave him a dark stare. "You're welcome, Ron"
"Thanks mate. All better now, right?" Ron lowered Harry's cup back down. "Anyway, When's the rehearsal dinner again, Gin? I seem to have mixed up the dates and I can't find my invitation and all."
"You're hopeless, you know that? Clearly, you'd have a hard time making a lady happy someday," Ginny huffed.
"Oh hey now! I do make ladies happy!" Ron appeared indignant. "One night at a time, I say! Mind you, no one complains about Ronald Weasley's machi-Hey!"
The pillow that Hermione threw hit Ron dead middle in his face. "Shut it, Ron. We don't want to hear about it. Certainly not about you and little Ron's escapades."
The tall Weasley boy grinned from ear to ear. "Right, right. 'Lil Ron and I. Lil Ron…I like that name!"
"Oh Hermione," Harry interjected, "before I forget…I need to talk to you about…uh…yeah…that arrangement we made." Harry avoided Ron's and Ginny's gazes. "Could I have a private moment with you?"
Hermione's face colored again. "Sure…Let's go into the den. We can ta-"
"Oh you can't use the den. There's an unimaginable mess there. Sorry!" Ginny remarked, trying to feign innocence.
The brown haired girl gave Ginny a hard stare. "Fine. Let's go use my bedroom then." She stood up and motioned Harry. Hermione swore under her breath and mentally added another notch to Ginny's numerous misgivings about Harry and her.
Harry followed his best friend down the hallway. Hermione had her hair tied up in a knot and slightly raised above her shoulders, giving him full view of her neck. He didn't know why but he found it delicately alluring.
That bare curve of her neck.
The pale, creamy looking skin.
The-
'Get a grip!' he muttered silently. He clenched his fists to refrain from reaching out to touch her. What's wrong with him? Ever since he caught her staring at his…chest, his insides have been restless. He can't possibly pine after her still, can he?
She turned left and stepped inside a room. Her bedroom, he guessed. After following her in, he slid the door to close, but not completely. She sat on her bed and motioned for him to sit in a chair by her study desk.
"You're not gonna weasel, pardon the pun, out of our arrangement are you? Because I'll make you regret it, Harry…That I really will." She was looking right at him with her hands on her hips.
Don't look at me like that, please, he pleaded silently. "Erm no…But…Could I at least…take some polyjuice potion to mask myself? My scar and my eyes are dead giveaways. I wanted to ask you if you could make me a draught to use for that night."
"Polyjuice will make you look like someone else, meaning some other person. Won't a mask do for you?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well no. I'm worried that it'll get torn off or something. If not polyjuice, could you just mix up some sort of facial altering potion? Something that will give me brown hair and gray eyes at least?" he beseeched.
Hermione stood up and paced for moments. "I've been working on something. But I haven't tested it yet completely. It will alter some of your facial features, but it won't change the color of your eyes."
"What do you mean not completely? Have you tried it on a frog or raven? I want to be able to get my own face back after that thing, you know."
"Well yes, I definitely know it's temporary. And yes, it's safe. I've tried it several times, mind you. Not on myself of course..." Hermione grabbed a stool and walked to a tall shelf by her desk. "I'll have you try a wee bit right now and we'll see. It will only last for a few minutes so you can leave like Harry again."
Harry stood up to make some way for her. Hermione set the stool down and climbed up, reaching for a brown wooden box. It looks mighty suspicious, he thought. And heavy. "Listen, why don't you just use an Acci-"
Too late.
The box was heavier than it appeared as it soon appeared to pull Hermione with it, causing her to fall to the left. Her eyes widened and she shrieked in panic, trying to reach for something to regain her balance.
She expected to fall flat on her face on the floor.
She expected to land on something really hard and in turn have a painful feeling spread across her body.
She expected to hear the box crash and the vials inside to break.
But, none of her expectations came to pass.
Instead, she found herself staring down at the most intense green eyes she's ever seen. His eyes held her own, unblinking, yet surprised at she was. His chest was heaving heavily, yet it was a comfortable position for her. Oddly, she very much liked it. And his arms were around her, holding her down against him. Dammit, part of her wanted those arms to hold her tighter.
"Are you…are you alright?" he faintly whispered. She felt…great…in his arms...on top of him…like that. He didn't want to let go.
Nodding her head, she made a move to place her hands on his sides and push herself up. She wasn't sure it was a good idea to be in this position with the green-eyed wizard. Her best friend, for heaven's sake. "The…box…the vials," she was stuttering.
"They're fine. They fell on your bed," Harry breathed deeply as she moved against him. "Luckily."
"Oh…um…good." She can't think properly around him! The faint scent of his aftershave was driving her crazy! And she could feel those abdominal muscles against her stomach. She had to get off from him…Soon won't be fast enough.
If her eyes weren't wide before, they're wide now, she was sure. His arms…they won't unwind themselves from around her. She gave him a questioning look but she didn't get the answer she was looking for.
In its place was a look of…want? Hey…is he leaning up? He's closing his eyes and his mouth was getting closer…right? She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes, waiting for contact. She can feel his breath against her lips now…And one more seco-
"Are you two, alright? What happened in here?"
It was Ginny's voice, she knew. She also heard the door sweep open completely.
Damn.