If You Believe

DiezeL

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Humor
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 13/01/2004
Last Updated: 02/08/2005
Status: in_progress

Hermione has asked Harry to grant her a very "special" favor. Apparently, Harry's the only one who can do it for her. No one else will do. Rating may go up later. The real Chapter 7 added!

Chapters

1. The Favor

2. The Music

3. The Appetizer

4. The Experiment

5. The Normalcy

6. The Confession

7. Author

8. The Gryffindor Roar

1. The Favor

A/N: I debated for awhile whether or not I’d bring this fic to PK. I haven’t finished it yet and several of my readers have been e-mailing me about it. For now, the rating is PG-13 as I haven’t made my mind up yet about several things that will happen later. Ah well, here it is anyway. Again, many thanks to Michelle, my beta-reader.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of the JKR’s wonderful creations. I am simply borrowing a few ingredients and mixing them up for a new kind of spirit, hopefully done in good taste. Cheers!

If You Believe – The Favor

“Could you run that by me again one more time?”

He was absolutely dumbfounded to say the least. How can she ask him this? He backtracked a little in his train of thought. Why is she asking him this? Why him? Why can’t it be Ron or Seamus?

“You know and understand very well what I just asked you, Harry.” She was maddeningly red already, she was sure of it. “Please, will you do this for me?” She hated pleading to say the least. Too proud of a lady she was to do any of it. But this was an important request. She really needed him to do this for her.

“Hermione,” he sighed in frustration, “what you’re asking me…it’s…it’s…so…I don’t even know the word for it!”

She knew that it wouldn’t be easy to convince him of it but she had no choice. She could only turn to him about it. It was embarrassing enough as it is. “Harry, I have never asked you for any favors. This is the only time I’m ever going to ask you to do something for me.”

“Preposterous, yeah! That’s the word I was looking for!” Harry ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He gritted his teeth. He wondered if their friendship was worth this much. They’ve been the best of friends for about eleven years now, through thick and thin. He would do anything for her because she’s always been there for him. Anything, he told her before. That is, until now when she came to his home and asked for this special favor.

“Harry, it’s just one night. Just one Saturday night. On October 15th.” Hermione held her hands firmly clasped in front of her. “I know it’s crazy. But I just need one night. A couple of hours. That’s all. I’ll even come by here at you’re place to pick you up. We’re doing it at this place that I reserved. A well known hotel. I think that would be the best place for it.”

Harry walked out to the kitchen, got a glass, filled it to the brim with cold water, and drank it all in three gulps. He walked back into the living to find his best friend still there, looking down at the floor. He knew that it was extremely hard for her to ask him for such a favor. It was absolutely unheard of. It was also the last thing he expected to hear from Hermione Granger. Who would have thought that she’d ask him to grant her such a favor?

“I don’t plan to leave your flat until you say you’ll do it by the way. Even if it takes all night, with lots of begging, I’ll do it.” Hermione raised her face to meet his and held his eyes in hers. “You’re the only one who can do this, Harry. No one else will do. Certainly not Seamus. He’s not….qualified…for this. And even more so Ron!” She blushed again.

“Did you ask him already? Seamus, I mean? Maybe he’d be more willing to do this favor. In fact, he might actually jump at the chance to do this for you,” Harry frantically explained. He was worried that Hermione’s begging would wear him down soon and he might actually agree to her….her….sensual…proposition.

“NO!” Hermione returned quickly. She got up from her seat and walked up to Harry. “Look, Harry. I want it to be you. It can’t be anyone else. It wouldn’t be good otherwise. No offense to Seamus, and Ron even, but…well…they aren’t you. And this is the first time that I’ll be doing this.”

“I can’t. I don’t want to!”

“Why must you be so stubborn? A lot of men would jump at a chance like this!” Hermione knew that her voice was rising but she didn’t care. She needed this and no one was going to deny her. Not even Harry Potter. “And…and…if you do this for me, I’ll really make it worth your while. You have my word on that.”

“Oh really, now?” Harry didn’t even bother to mask the sarcasm behind it. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“Er…well…I know that your Wizards & Witches card collection is missing Merlin’s Pre-Arthurian limited edition card…and that there were only ten copies printed of the card…” Hermione now had a wicked gleam on her lips. “I have a way of getting you one of those ten printed copies. Authenticated copies.” She held a smug look.

“…” Harry gave her a deadly gaze. “You are an evil woman. Even worse, you’re my mortal enemy disguised as my best friend.” He narrowed his eyes on her.

She was finally getting somewhere! Hermione gave him an innocent smile. “I can feel the love there, Harry.”

Harry plopped down soundly on the couch and closed his eyes. “Just one night, right?”

Hermione sat opposite him on a sofa chair. “Right.”

“For how long are we gonna do it?”

“Two hours, tops.” She smiled sweetly at him.

A frustrated sigh escaped his lips. “You sure that’s it? No other strings attached? No other favors like that after that night?”

“Just that one night, Harry. At the hotel where I made my reservations at.”

“Fine.”

Hermione squealed. “You’ll do it? You really will? This is so great, Harry! You have no idea what this means to me!” She got up and jumped him on the couch, hugging him tightly. “I could kiss you right now.”

“Argh! Save it for Saturday night! No need to be that excited about it. It’s going to be my first time too, you know!” Harry couldn’t believe he actually agreed to do this for her. “First and ONLY time.”

“Right, right.” Hermione got up and reached for her coat. “Well, my job’s done. I have to get going now. I’m already late for work.” She slipped her coat on. “For a minute there, I was actually worried that I’d have to stay over here, to beg you all night to do this for me.”

Harry, like his best friend, or maybe soon to be ex-best friend, stood up and opened the door to show her out. “Don’t mention it. And I mean that. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

Hermione walked toward the door and before she exited, she pinched his right cheek. “Thanks so much, Harry. I knew I could count on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Harry muttered. “You’ll pick me up, right?”

“I’ll give you a call. I think it would be around 7-ish that night. Is that okay?”

“I guess. What do I need to wear?” He ran his right hand through his hair anxiously. He must really be crazy to have agreed to this.

“Oh. I don’t care. So long as you take it all off on Saturday night, Harry.” She winked at him mischievously. “The more clothes you have to take off, the more sensual and amusing it will be. Oh and make sure it’s sexy, ‘k?”

“Sexy. Right. I’ll remember that.” Harry grunted his displeasure. “I’ll wear whatever I want to wear. Sexy or not. It’s all getting removed anyway.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll call you and see you Saturday night then, lover boy!” Hermione walked through the door and down the stairs, leaving Harry’s flat.

As soon as she was no longer visible from his sight, Harry shut the door loudly in frustration. He looked around his now empty apartment and proceeded to his bedroom. He opened his closet door and started rummaging through his wardrobe.

“What in the bloody hell kind of clothing am I supposed to wear as the stripper at a bachelorette party?”

- To be continued…

2. The Music

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I was a bit worried about how the fic would be received here but I’m glad that a lot of you like it. Once again, thanks very much to Michelle for beta-ing my writing. Anyway, here’s the second part. I hope you enjoy it just as much as the first chapter.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of JKR’s wonderful creations. I am simply borrowing a few ingredients and mixing them up for a new kind of spirit, hopefully done in good taste. Cheers!

If You Believe – The Music

“YOU WHAT?”

Harry muttered under his breath. Ron didn’t have to react like that. It’s bad enough that the situation is embarrassing. Ron needn’t make it worse by making a scene in public over it.

Ron got up, leaned forward and placed his hands on the table and gave Harry a hard stare. “Have you gone bloody mad? How the hell did Hermione manage to convince you to do that?”

“Quiet down, will you? I don’t need the whole place listening to our conversation!” Harry hissed his displeasure. He’d hit Ron on his head right now if he could. Several wizards and witches were making curious glances toward their table because of his outburst. It's bad enough that it was hard for him to go out in public without someone recognizing him. Harry didn't need the extra attention.

“Excuse me, sirs.” Their waiter was back. “Your drinks...Hibiscus ice tea,” he set a tall glass in front of Harry, “and Dirty Martini for you, sir,” the waiter set the other drink in front of Ron. “Are you ready to order?”

Ron calmed a bit and sat down. He, however, shook his head in disbelief. Harry didn’t miss it. “Yeah. I’ll have Sirloin Steak with potatoes and corn on the cob on the side, please.”

His red-haired best friend ended up ordering the same entrée. After the waiter left, Harry leaned forward on the table. “Listen, Ron. Don’t make it sound like I went ahead with this willingly.”

Ron grabbed his martini and took a huge gulp. After taking a deep breath, he turned to Harry. “Fine. I get that. But Harry, this is my sister’s bachelorette party! I…I can’t imagine you doing something like that for her. It’s…It’s just so wrong!” he winced. “I don’t even want to begin imagining a scene like that. That would be traumatizing.”

Harry growled. “Hey, Hermione made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. And I just wanted to get her off my back already. A measly two hours. Besides, I have no intentions of letting Ginny know that I’d be the one doing it!” He drank some of his tea. “Don’t you dare tell Malfoy about this! He’ll have my arse if he knew I’d be taking most of it off for his future wife!”

“You must be bloody mad if you think I’d go tell Malfoy, much less Ginny, that you’d be doing this. Malfoy would have both of our arses. Yours because you're stripping for Ginny, and mine because you’re my best friend.”

Harry leaned back on his chair and looked around. Several people stole glances every now and then at their direction and were probably trying their best to eavesdrop on the conversation. He’d hex them all now for being gossipers if he could. Then again, he was Harry Potter. He ought to be used to all the hoopla that came with his repute.

“Look here, mate,” Ron said in a hushed voice, “I have no intentions of telling anybody else about this because you’re my best friend and frankly, I don’t want every tabloid reporter knocking on my door for an inside scoop. So you don’t have to worry about any leaks coming from my end.”

Harry clenched his fists. Tabloid reporters. He’d never live it down definitely if they caught wind of this…this…venture. “Thanks. I know I can trust you on that.”

No words were spoken for several minutes. Soon, their waiter reappeared with the food their ordered and professionally set it in front of both young men. “Is there anything else I can provide for the sirs?”

“No, thanks. That will be all for now,” Harry replied casually. And the waiter left.

Both Ron and Harry started on their entrees without waiting another moment. Harry thought it was eerily awkward that they ate in silence. The beef was quite good, he’ll admit, but he can’t seem to bring himself to discuss that with Ron. He guessed Ron’s still pretty hung on his revelation regarding Ginny’s bachelorette party.

“You know,” Ron suddenly spoke up, “I guess this means you won’t be able to join us for Malfoy’s bachelor party.”

The green-eyed young man froze. “It’s…It’s not on the same night, is it?”

Ron looked at him thoughtfully. “Actually, it is. What will you tell Malfoy? If I recall right, we were both invited. I heard Dean was in charge of getting a stripper. You don’t suppose…Hermione?”

Harry almost choked on a piece of steak. He hurried grabbed his tea and drank several gulps. After setting the glass down, he stuttered, “She…she…she wouldn’t! Not Hermione! And besides, I know she’d be at Ginny’s party. She’s the one who’ll be picking me up.”

Ron snorted. “I thought so. I’m not too sure how I’d feel if she um…started taking it off…you know…”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of it either…,” Harry’s voice trailed off. “Speaking of which, did Hermione ask you to do it? I mean…to strip dance for this thing…She mentioned something about Seamus too and—”

“You must really be crazy if you think that for a minute I’d consider doing that for my sister. That would just be so wrong, Harry.” Ron ate another bite of his steak. “I love my sister to death, but I don’t love her that much. And Seamus? That’s a funny one.”

“Have you ever done anything like it before? I mean…dancing…and stuff.” Harry pushed his plate away from him.

“Er…strip dancing? Once. I was bloody drinking spirits like there was no tomorrow one time at a party. Seamus was with me. He showed me photos of myself trying to congregate the ladies with my body. That was an awful sight,” Ron winced at the memory. “Thankfully, we were somewhere in America at that time, for a match. Apparently, I was so out of it that no one could really recognize it was me. And then there was...”

Harry gazed off to his right while Ron continued on about his drunken escapades. He's heard it all before. He had no interest in hearing about it once again. It's one of the things that Harry disliked about Ron, which were very few. Ron always wanted to try to impress someone else with his tales of adventure and danger. Harry, for his part, was likelier to keep mum about the stories of his life. He believed that the things he's done, his supposed heroics, were merely end results of the need to survive Voldermort.

"...There was also the time when I was in Germany when we had a keg drinking contest," Ron rapped on, "I was with Juli-"

"Ron, Ron! I've heard it all before. You won against Julius by half a keg but spent the rest of the weekend pretty much wasted, I know. I've heard it all before," Harry interrupted with exasperation. "Look, just...just...help me out here. I don't even know the first thing about...about...er...that S word," he worriedly looked around him.

"Oh, right, right. I guess I'll help you out. But I'm only doing this for Ginny. I want her to have a good...er...show. No funny business, Harry." He narrowed his eyes on the raven-haired boy. "I really don't want Draco after my arse. Well, not to mention that Mum would kill me if she found out that I didn't dissuade you from this."

Harry reddened. He damned Hermione silently. Who knew she could twist his arm like that? Those cards are worth it, those cards are worth it, he chanted that reminder in his mind. He also knew that Hermione wouldn't ask him to do it unless she was extremely desperate. Right?

Their waiter came back for their plates. “Do the gentlemen want any dessert?” Both Ron and Harry declined. After paying for their meal, Ron agreed to go back with Harry to his place to see what kind of clothing he’ll be able to wear for Ginny’s party.

“Well,” Ron crossed his arms across his chest, “let’s see what you’ve got then.”

Harry gave him a confused look. “Just what exactly should I show you?”

“Let’s talk about top clothing for starters…The tops…the ones that get removed first…,” Ron said without blinking an eye. “You know, a suit…a tie…blazer…shirt…that kind of thing.”

"Er...I've got some...Actually, I own a tuxedo. How's that?" Harry scratched the back of his neck.

"Alright. Get it out and put it on. Let's see if that'll work," told Ron. He left his best friend's bedroom and waited for him in the living room. "While you're at it, moist your hair up a bit. I want to see if that slick look will work for ya," he added.

“Right, right,” Harry muttered faintly.

Ron headed for Harry’s stereo system and started looking through Harry’s CD collection. Frowning and shaken his head, he stepped back and muttered a summoning charm. Seconds later, there was a CD in his hand. He opened the CD player and placed the CD on the tray just as Harry stepped out of his bedroom.

“Alright, I’m set. Tell me what you think.” Harry stood up straight and presented himself before Ron. “Verdict?”

Ron narrowed his eyes. “Not bad, Potter. It suits you well.” A black, peak double breasted coat, black pants, white mandarin collared shirt, a dark vest. “Looks like you got the outside part down, mate.”

“Outside? What do you mean?” Harry’s right eye brow rose. “And what are you doing there by my stereo?”

A devilish grin fashioned Ron’s lips. “Elementary, my dear friend. For you to strip dance you would need suitable music. And I have the perfect song for you.”

“Song? What song?” A wave of panic and mistrust overcame Harry. This is Ron. If he wasn’t worried earlier about asking his friend for help, his attitude was surely changing now.

Ron turned around and pressed the Play button. “It was a Muggle song that Julius had me listen to while we were on an away game. I think it would be perfect for you. Those crazy Muggles! This song is bloody fantastic.”

The music that started to play made Harry shiver and cringe all over.

‘No, no, no, no, no, please no!’ he chanted to himself. ‘There is no way in Hades that I will dance to this song!’

I'm too sexy for my love too sexy for my love
Love's going to leave me

I'm too sexy for my shirt too sexy for my shirt
So sexy it hurts…

Harry knew this Muggle song all too well. Dudley danced horridly enough to it with just his knickers on when he thought nobody would see, Harry unpleasantly recalled during the summer of twelfth year. The sight had traumatized him.

It was Right Said Fred.

The song was called I’m Too Sexy.

‘Oh Merlin, what have I gotten myself into?’

- To Be Continued

A/N to Signed Reviewers (first time I'm doing this and only time): Essense of Angels – Ginny’s bachelorette party. Sakura1287 – Thanks! I’m glad that you found it that hilarious. VanillaPuF – Who was it that said expect the unexpected? RonRoxLover - Thanks. MaidenMasherV - I'm still debating on the props. John - Thanks. Jhonny - Embarassed is an understatement. Sarmi - I've got more diet coke here; I hope that pc is okay. Muirnin - A lot of people thought it was something like Just One Night and thanks for the suggestions; I'll keep it in mind. Katakali - Dialogue was fun to write. Jradcliffe - They're coming, they're coming! The real HOPE - More is on the way. Hermionepotter24 - Glad to know you liked the surprise. WonkyKris - I hope you keep thinking that it's great as I put more parts up. Chaosblades - Not quite like JON. KypDurron - No more the Boy who lived. Tristen - Thanks! Loudmeggaphone - Thank you, thank you, thank you! Fiona - It's kinky in its own way. DanaKM - Coming, coming! Sakuno - Thanks! Mary_sintome - Your laughter is a great compliment. Ren - Nope, she isn't to both questions. Very harmless favor indeed!. Kryptonite - A lot of folks were fooled and I take that as a compliment. Surprise is a great element.

3. The Appetizer

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.

4. The Experiment

A/N: It wasn’t hard to notice how anxious some of the reviewers were for the next chapter after the cliffhanger I placed. So here it is. I just had to work out some kinks. Chapter five might take me another week or two because I’ve decided to re-write it. Again, thanks for all the reviews and support. I hope you enjoy this chapter as you have the previous ones. I welcome all reviews whether they be cheers or jeers as well as suggestions. Much thanks once again to MushyPeas, my ever vigilant beta-reader.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of JKR’s wonderful creations. I am simply borrowing a few crayons and experimenting with them for a new kind of color. No money is being made in doing this activity.

If You Believe – The Experiment

“Oh.”

The arms that kept her pinned down quickly unraveled from her back. Hermione didn’t waste another second and hastily rose up from her compromising position. “Um, yes we’re alright.” She tried fixing her hair, which had gone awry after the fall, to distract herself.

Ron, who appeared behind Ginny after she swung the door wide open, didn't miss a beat. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth, ”What happened here? We heard Hermione shriek.”

Harry got up and adjusted his jumper. “She was trying to get a box from the top of the bookshelf. I don’t know why she just didn’t use a levitating spell or a summoning charm. She ended up losing her balance, and well sorta fell on me.”

Hermione glared at him. "Pardon me for not wanting to use magic all the time. Thank you for 'sorta' catching me then."

"Are you alright then? Both of you?" asked Ron. Harry and Hermione nodded at the same time.

"What's in the box anyway?" Ginny stepped into the room and headed for Hermione's bed where the box filled with vials lay.

Quickly, Hermione reached and grabbed for the box, clutching it against her chest. "Um...Just some of my Potions experiments."

“Potions?” Ron asked doubtfully.

“Yeah…you know…stuff we learned about in Snape’s class?” Hermione gave Ron a cross look.

"Oh. So what did Harry need from you? A potion for what?" Ginny sat on the bed, eyeing the box that Hermione held.

"I...uh..." think, Harry, think, he ordered himself nervously. "It's nothing special really. I need it for…a…I have to…um…" He turned to Hermione for help.

“Virility," Hermione kept her composure and finished his sentence off. Inside, she was grinning evilly.

Harry's eyes widened tremendously. “I what?!?!” He gave Hermione a contemptuous glare.

"WHAT?" Ron, who now stood right next to Harry, gave his best friend a wide-eyed look. "But mate! I thought you were still a virg—oomph!"

Harry gave Ron a strong elbow jab in the ribs. Oh he was definitely going to have Hermione pay for that 'virility' remark.

"Oh Merlin! Harry!" Ginny exclaimed with widened eyes, "I never...I never imagined...Wait...so who's the lucky witch? Or a Muggle maybe?"

"Ginny!" Harry hissed. Keeping his eyes trained on Hermione, Harry regained his composure and spoke calmly, "You haven't met her yet actually. I'm planning to maybe take her as my date to your wedding. If you don't mind that is." He smiled and ignored the confused look on Ron's face.

"Oh of course not, Harry," Ginny forced out. 'This definitely twists things a bit.' She carefully avoided Hermione's murderous looks.

Clutching his left side where Harry landed him a blow, Ron still had an incredulous, dumb look on his face. “Blimey…Harry, I—”

Hermione made a sound. "Well, as you can see, Harry and I are perfectly all right. Could you and Ron leave so we may finish our business? Harry and I have...arrangements to make." She ushered Ron, who still had a dumbstruck look on his face, out of the room.

“But…”

Ginny frowned but relented nevertheless. As she was passing Hermione by the door, she whispered, "Virility potion huh? Gather you want him to test it on you?"

"Out now before I hex you with warts on your face that will stay on to your wedding date. And you know very well that I'm perfectly capable of doing that," Hermione replied coolly.

The red headed Weasley witch just giggled and closed the door on her way out.

'One.'

'Two.'

'Three.'

After counting to three, Harry quickly walked up to Hermione face to face (well, almost...Hermione was at least four inches shorter than him) and fumed, "Virility?!? What in the bloody hell? Couldn't you come up with something else? Did I do something to really get on your bad side?"

'He's too close!' she thought. Hermione leaned slightly away from his face...or lips. "I'm sorry!" No she wasn't really, but she had to sate him. She fought hard to keep an implicating grin from forming in her mouth. "That was the first thing that came up to mind. It didn't look like you could give them a good answer. And there's nothing wrong with—"

"Nothing wrong? How can that not be wrong? I'm not even twenty-five yet and I already have an impotence problem?!" Harry retorted.

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry. Really! Can we drop the subject now?" His eyes get greener when he's agitated, she observed. She took a few steps back and turned away from him, moving to a desk to settle the box of vials down. "That altering potion. I have to drop in the hues of the elements you want changed.” She tried her best to steer the conversation towards a different direction.

Harry grunted and shook his head. He will have to get back at her later. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Brown hair and blue eyes. No scar either. And make my jaw...a little longer," Harry said grimly.

"What's wrong with...Oh no matter." She turned her back to him for a minute and picked up several vials from the box.

“Two hours. Nothing more and definitely nothing less. I want to be in and out of there as fast as I can. No funny business,” Harry insisted.

Hermione gave him a sweet smile. “Funny business? Of course not, Harry. Of course not.”

“I don’t like that tone. Even more so that smile. What have you got up your sleeve?”

“Oh knock it off, Harry. I’ve got nothing up my sleeve. Promise.”

Harry eyed her cautiously and then finally shrugged, taking a seat on Hermione’s bed and watching her work on preparing a draught for him to use on Saturday. Without her knowledge, he observed her as she busied herself over the seemingly complicated experiment. Her figure, lithe and graceful, captured his attention. She definitely has aged and grown over the years. For the better, too. Harry wondered how come no wizard (or Muggle) has swept her off her feet yet. Then again, part of him was glad that no wizard or Muggle has done so either.

“Why are you staring at me? Are you trying to think of hexes to use on me?” she asked without emotion as she gave him a quick glance.

“No,” Harry replied with an annoyed tone. “I can think of other ways to get back at you without using magic.”

“Uh huh,” Hermione replied nonchalantly. She turned her back to him once again to continue working on the potion.

“So,” said Harry after several minutes of silence passed.

“Hm?”

“You mentioned earlier that you’re seeing someone new?”

She almost dropped the vial she was holding and spilled potion on her desk after hearing him ask. “Um…we…I met him…" Hermione bit her lip as she struggled to think of something to say to him. "We met at a conference recently...He's...He's a wizard." Nice little hole you dug yourself into, Hermione.

“Are you taking him to Ginny’s wedding?”

“No.” Stop asking already!

“Why not?” he asked quickly. Too quickly.

“What’s with the questions, Harry? You’re suddenly interested in my love life?” Or the lack of it, she added silently.

"No! I mean...I'm your best friend. I'm just curious, 'Mione," Harry replied. "I'm just concerned. That's all." Greatly concerned, he added silently.

"Well since we're on the subject, what about your love life? You said you're bringing a date to Ginny's wedding? Ron seemed surprised when you mentioned it so I'll assume that he didn't know about any ladies in your life until now. You're seeing that girl from France again?" Hermione asked, trying to sound only half-interested.

"No. Not her. Actually, I just hadn't asked the girl I’m interested in to go with me." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Er...not yet, that is."

Ouch. So he does have someone in mind. Hermione bit her lip and carefully poured some liquid into another vial she was holding, trying to steady her hands as much as she could. "Um...Why haven't you?"

Harry leaned back and lay down on his best friend's bed. He stared at the ceiling and clasped his hands behind his head. "I...I'm not sure. I think she's going to the wedding already so what would I need to ask her for?"

"Ah, I see." So it's someone we already know, Hermione thought to herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied him lazing around on her bed. Pink hued her face as she turned away from the tempting site of Harry Potter on her bed. Her devilish side wondered if she could perhaps convince him to do that without his clothes on after the bachelorette party.

"Um, Hermione," his voice interrupted her overactive imagination. "Your potion...it's overflowing you know."

"What?" Hermione blinked in surprise. "Oh oh oh!" She lowered the vials she was working on and started to clean up some of the spilt draught. Way to go, Hermione.

Harry got up and muttered some quick spells to help Hermione clean up the mess. "You all right? You seem quite distracted at the moment. I'm not sure then if it's a good idea that you work on that potion right now."

Hermione moved away from him. "Oh don't worry, will you? I'll get it right. Just stop looking over my shoulder." He's wreaking havoc on my concentration, she thought. And what aftershave is he wearing? It's awfully intoxicating for her senses right now.

His right eyebrow shot up. “I wasn’t looking over your shoulder.”

"Right. If you say so."

Harry chuckled and settled back to seat on her bed. "So."

He's trying to drive her out of her mind, she was sure of it. "Isn't there anything else more intelligible coming out of your mouth while you wait?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

“We could talk about your love li—“

“Drop it, Potter,” she cut him off sternly.

Harry chuckled. “It’s so easy to tease you, you know? How’s that potion coming along by the way?”

“It would come along faster if you’d stop bugging me, Harry,” she replied without looking at him.

Reluctantly, Harry took the hint to heart and spent the quiet time wandering his eyes around her room. It was simply decorated, with pale yellow walls that seemed to brighten more when light touched the room. There was an exotic capiz lamp by her bedside which he guessed she might have gotten during one of her many summer vacation trips to who knows where. Harry spied the latest edition of Hogwarts: A History on her bedside table. Next to the small bedside table stood a tall shelf filled from end to end with books about wizarding and witchcraft history. Next to the massive shelf, there was another shelf filled with books about Potions and Charms. A few feet away stood Hermione’s dresser, which was meticulously neat. Harry wondered if she had a charm for that since his dresser needed it badly. Regardless of the many times that he had tidied it, it never stayed in that state for too long.

Harry paused for he just realized that he hadn’t been in Hermione’s room before, much less any other witches’ rooms. He didn’t make a habit of making trips to many of them either. Ron, on the other hand, made frequent overnight stays at several witches’ homes, he knew. Part of him wished that he was able to do what his best friend did but he just couldn’t picture himself spending the week with different witches (or Muggle women) every night. Then again, he himself knew the reason why he couldn’t be like his redheaded best friend. Harry moved his eyes towards Hermione again. He had realized awhile back that there was only one witch that he’d want to spend every night with for the rest of his life; too bad that she didn’t seem to return the feelings.

Harry sighed and got up from her bed and paced toward the shelf that had books on Charms and Potions. Scanning her library, he asked “You don’t happen to have any Defense books around do you so I may keep myself entertained?”

Hermione paused her ministrations and gave him a quick look. “There’s a handful there. The heavier ones are under my bed or I’ve lent them to you already and you just haven’t returned them back.”

The green-eyed wizard smirked pulled off a small book from a shelf. “I have several at my flat. I’ll return them to you next time I stop by.” Harry looked at the book he held. It was Defense for Dummies Volume 5. “Hermione, why do you have a Dummies book?”

Without looking at him, she replied, “I had free time between conferences once and had no book to read. The wizarding souvenir shop only had that book.”

Harry flipped through the book lazily before putting it back in the shelf. He browsed the shelf once more for another book to read. Unfortunately, nothing really caught his interest. Turning around, he stared at her back while she busied herself on the seemingly delicate experiment. “How’s it going?”

She didn’t’ answer him immediately, as she was finishing up on pouring some sort of oil into the draught mixture. After several more seconds of no response, she turned around to face him, holding out a vial of potion for him. “Care to give it a try?”

He gave her a doubtful look. “Is that safe?”

She frowned at him in return. “Of course it is. Do you doubt my abilities?”

Reaching for it, he looked at the vial apprehensively. “I don’t. But…”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked at him directly. “Well, what are you waiting for then? Drink up!”

“If you’re so eager, why don’t you try it out first?” Harry prodded and raised an eyebrow.

“You must be insane. That potion is infused with male hormones. If I drank that now, I’d have a stubble to shave by tomorrow morning. That and several other things. Now quit delaying and drink already, Harry. I haven’t got all day you know.” 'More like I don't think I can stand to spend another minute with you alone in my bedroom,' she thought.

Taking a deep breath, he repeated a mantra in his head, psyching himself for the seemingly scary task.

I trust her.

'Right?'

I trust her.

'Of course, I do.'

I trust her.

'Then drink up, you bloke!'

“Harry!” she said impatiently.

Without another word, he raised the vial to his lips and took a huge gulp.

-TBC

5. The Normalcy

A/N: As promised, here’s part five of the story. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get six out because I can’t seem to have two minutes to myself as of late. Too many deadlines at work and too few hours to rest when I’m home. Thanks for all the feedback as always. Also, many thanks to MushyPeas, my ever vigilant beta-reader. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of JKR’s great works. I am just borrowing a cup of sugar to help make a new kind of pie. No money is being made whilst I do this activity.

If You Believe -The Normalcy

Harry glanced at his wristwatch. 6:30 PM. Ron was now fifteen minutes late.

As usual.

"Ron, you bloke! You better show up soon or I'll find some way to hex you wherever you are right now," he muttered to no one in particular as he paced anxiously in his flat.

As soon as he said this, a poofing sound came up behind him. Turning around, he saw his disheveled-dressed best friend of almost eleven years with an apologetic look on his face. "It's about time! Honestly, can't you somehow apparate on time for once?"

"I'm sorry! I had a hard time getting rid of Greta or Gretel or whatever her name is," Ron explained, a lopsided grin crept up his face. "I was really going to be on time today but she didn't want to leave."

"Right, Ron. That's what you said last time too," said Harry unconvinced. Harry shoved his hands into his pockets as Ron fixed his red hair and attempted to straighten out his clothes. If he didn't know any better, Ron probably had allowed himself one more 'quickie' before meeting him. It must be nice to have a sex life, Harry thought to himself.

“Aye, mate. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again really. Promise,” Ron muttered another apology.

“You better hope Ginny is too preoccupied with other things to notice us showing up late. This is her rehearsal dinner for Merlin’s sake! And your parents are hosting it!” Harry reached for his coat and slipped it on. “Are you ready yet?”

Ron flashed him a smile. “Ready as I’ll ever be. By the way, remind me to give you something before the night is over. It’ll be useful for uh…tomorrow night.”

Harry only muttered something unintelligible as held up the portkey, which happened to be the rehearsal dinner pass, in his right hand, and as soon as Ron touched it, they both felt the pulling sensation that meant that they were now being teleported.

*****

“It’s got to be Ron’s fault,” Ginny muttered unhappily. “Harry is in no way as irresponsible and inconsiderate of time as my stupid git of a brother is.” She paced impatiently by the central platform on which she would be reciting vows in less than 48 hours.

Hermione sighed as she slouched by one of the lawn chairs that were set up for this wedding rehearsal. As Maid of Honor, she was in charge of coordinating plenty of the wedding rehearsal activities, including the rehearsal dinner. Thinking about it now, she could hardly wait to get to that part because she had been running around all day making sure things were in order for the wedding that will happen soon. Food had been the last thing on her mind up until now. Her reluctant avoidance for sustenance was hounding her mercilessly.

Her stomach growled loudly once again. If Harry and Ron didn’t show up soon and get this bloody rehearsal going and over with, she’d make them both pay. Painfully.

“I’m sure they’ll be here shortly, Gin,” she muttered without much conviction. Fifteen minutes late now, they were. It has got to be Ron’s fault. Harry always showed up fifteen minutes early in any event he attended.

Harry...

It’s been over a week since they had that awkward bedroom encounter, she recalled.

Awkward?

To say the least, yes.

Let’s see…Two weeks ago, she asked Harry that special favor of hers. She never expected him to consent to such a proposal, but after some heavy duty begging and expensive bribing, he relented. Then just last week, she almost found herself giving into her long time desire of finally...err. Finally what? Well, she was in his arms in a romantic manner! But noooooooooooooooo! Ron and Ginny had decided to—

Hermione paused and groaned. Bloody Hades! What was she thinking? What has gotten into her? She had lasted years without giving into her whims. There is no way in hell that she’d lose all that resolve she spent years building up. Especially not over the image of an almost-naked Harry Potter gyrating his hips to the musi—

Oh hell.

Harry hasn’t even gone and done anything yet and here she was already having vivid images of him in nothing more than his skivvies to cover him. What has she gotten herself into?

Before she could spend more time reproaching herself, a poofing sound was heard not too far from where she was sitting. The idiots, yes idiots, of the hour had finally shown up. Based on her initial observation, it seems that her guess on the cause for the lateness was indeed correct. Harry was obviously fuming at Ron as it was obvious how generous he was with the icy glares shooting from his emerald green eyes. Ron, on the other hand, seemed quite oblivious to his best friend’s unkind assault. He just walked away from Harry and darted toward his sister who seemed equally ready to kill him.

“Ginny, my dear sist—“

“Don’t you ‘my dear sister’ me, Ronald! You are twenty minutes late for Merlin’s sake!”

“Erm…,” Ron muttered, “I was unavoidably detained. But I’m here already so let’s get it going. I’m absolutely famished.”

“I bet you are,” Harry remarked as he walked up to Ron and Ginny. “I’m sorry we’re late, Gin. If it wasn’t evident yet, it was your brother’s fault that we’re tardy.”

Ginny batted Ron’s arms away as her brother attempted to hug her. “Back off, Ron. I already know why you were late. That wrenching stench of womanly perfume you’re emitting is indication enough.” She turned to Harry. “I know it’s not your fault, Harry. Now could we please get it going? I’m afraid that if we delay any further, Draco might get impatient enough to whisk me away to have an obscure elopement. And that simply won't do. I swear he’s more eager to get married than I am!”

Hermione stood up and walked on over to join the trio. “If not for Draco’s sake, do it for mine. If you delay this rehearsal any further, I’d personally strangle you both and hex you with modified, non-illegal version of the Cruciatus Curse. At the moment, my appetite for food is greater than that of Ron’s, I’ll tell you that,” she gave Ron a scolding look.

Ron blinked and stared. "Who are you and what have you done with our Hermione?"

"Ron! Shut it! My head's already formulating the ways to do that curse!" Hermione growled.

Harry's right eyebrow shot up as he spied what seemed to be smoke coming out of Hermione's ears.

"Bloody Hell! Will you look at that, Har–" Ron started.

Before he could finish, Harry smacked Ron behind his head and muttered, "Let's get a move on now, shall we? She's quite serious it seems."

They were led by Ginny toward the platform where the wizarding minister stood chatting animatedly with Arthur and Molly Weasley. Ginny called out to Draco who was sulking by a nearby tree while Hermione summoned the rest of the rest of the bridesmaids which consisted of Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, and Angelina Johnson-Weasley. The groomsmen, who included Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, and Blaise Zabini, had already gathered by Harry’s side. Once the whole wedding entourage was assembled, the wedding rehearsal began…

*****

One hour and fifteen minutes later…

“Are we done yet?” Ron exasperatedly asked. He clutched his stomach as it growled yet once again.

“I second that!” Hermione weakly muttered with her eyes closed. “Are we done yet? My stomach will consume itself soon if it doesn’t digest food anytime soon.”

Harry chuckled as he sat next to Hermione. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for his two best friends as they sagged on the chairs in pitiful fashion. “Look at you both. You look like you haven’t been fed for days the way you’re begging for nourishment.”

Observing them with their withered expressions, he was vaguely reminded of Edvard Munch’s The Scream painting. It was quite comical. “The rehearsal wasn’t that bad or that long.”

Hermione was about to open her mouth to retort when her stomach growled loudly. “Ugh…No more energy to banter. This is really bad. Repeat that comment later, Potter. I’ll think of a clever retort by then.”

“Harry!” he heard Molly’s voice call him. Dinner time, he was sure. “Get Ron and Hermione! We’re ready for dinner.”

"Thank Merlin!" Hermione managed out.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley! We'll be there in a second!" Harry belted back.

Without another second to spare, Ron was up and about, and hurriedly running to where the tables were set and food was about to be served. Harry shook his head and laughed. There were only three things that could make Ron that quickly energized: food, sex, and Chudley Cannons quidditch.

Turning to Hermione and offering her his hand, he helped her up and wrapped his right arm around her. She looked extremely exhausted and Harry wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it to the tables without crawling on all fours. As much as he’d find the sight amusing, Hermione might react to his amusement negatively.

Walking slowly side by side with each other, Harry took the opportunity to breathe in inconspicuously her wonderful scent, the scent that was distinctly Hermione.

Jasmine and apples, he thought.

They were faint scents but they assaulted his sense of smell regardless. He wanted more of it because it was mercilessly addicting. Closing his eyes for a moment, he wondered how much longer he’d be able to keep her at a far distance when it comes to how he felt about her. For a long time, he’s harbored feeling of love and desire toward his best friend. It was because of these feelings that he’s managed to stay chaste all this time. He couldn’t look at any other girl much less want any other girl because of Hermione Granger. True, he’d been tempted countless times. But no witch had entirely convinced him that she was worthy of getting into his bed.

No wonder Ron enjoyed teasing him. He recalled the new rhyme that Ron fashioned for him, deriving from the special Ronald Weasley song that the Slytherins composed for him back at Hogwarts…

‘Harry cannot manage a fling,

He cannot get a girl to cling.

That’s why all the lonely wizards sing

Harry Potter is our King!’

Harry thought for a moment and groaned inwardly. Maybe this was Voldermort’s way of exacting revenge on him from the grave: Denying Harry of what he desired the most, tantalizing him with something that he can’t have because she was his best friend. Tormenting him with her motherly care when what he desired was her womanly love. Oh how he can hear his greatest foe cackle with evil laughter now.

'This must be what karma is,' he thought bitterly. 'I take his life, he continuously makes mine hellish in return from the grave.'

“Harry? Did you hear what I said?” Hermione’s voice interrupted his pathetic attempts at soul-searching and self-examination.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

Hermione pulled slightly away and looked up to him. “I said I need you to stop by my place tonight to pick up the potion for tomorrow evening. I have a vial with your name on it waiting at home.”

The black-haired wizard reddened. He almost forgot about the task that he had to accomplish tomorrow night. Merlin, could his life get any more adventurous? “Um…Yeah…After the dinner then?”

“You’re not having second thoughts, are you? Because if you are…” Hermione started in a threatening tone.

“No, no! I…I guess it just slipped my mind until you mentioned it. Don’t worry. I’ll do it.” He didn’t know how he'd manage it, but he’ll do it because she asked him to. Zues knows that he can’t really deny Hermione Granger anything. Then again, there was also that Merlin card that he was going to get after performing the deed. “I’ll apparate with you back to your flat and pick it up later.”

She gave him a smile that made his heart skip a beat. “Thanks, Harry. For doing this. I…don’t know…well, never mind. Thanks again.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Harry gave her a small smile in return. “So, Hermione…what do you think of all this? Ginny’s getting married before any of us. To Draco of all people.”

Hermione sighed. “Well, I’m not thinking about it as her getting married before any of us. There was no race to the altar in the first place. And you don't see any wizard beating at my door, rushing me to the altar, do you?" She looked toward Ginny and Draco who were busy talking to some of Ginny's relatives.

"To me, it’s a speck of normalcy almost. We’re finally moving on from Hogwarts. From the past. From Voldermort. From your prophecy.” Without realizing it, she had clutched onto his arm more tightly. “It’s a good feeling to see them get married. It’s…normal. It's...eventful but also uneventful at the same time. Am I making sense?”

Harry nodded in agreement. Hermione was right. It was a glimmer of normalcy that has evaded him for more than twenty years. Granted that what he was bribed to do tomorrow night wasn’t exactly normal, at least he wouldn’t have to look over his shoulder all the time or worry about his scar throbbing immensely.

Those days of nightmares, constant vigilance, impending prophecies, and unknown destinies have passed.

Here come the days of weddings, Quidditch glory, vomit-flavored beans, and The-Boy-Who-Shall-Strip.

The wizard with emerald eyes smiled ruefully. Frankly, he didn’t mind being called the The-Boy-Who-Stripped after tomorrow night. It had a much nicer ring to it than the current stigmata he carried as the The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Bring it on, he said to himself chuckling as he and Hermione reached their destination and joined the rest of the wedding entourage at their tables. He glanced quickly at Hermione before letting her go to join Ginny's bridal group.

‘Tomorrow, I shall become Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Stripped. Fear me, Voldermort.’

-TBC

6. The Confession

A/N: Thanks to MushyPeas for beta-ing this fic. Thanks also to those who waited patiently for this next bit. It’s almost done. As always, reviews (whether they be cheers or jeers) are always welcome. Ash, I know how much you wanted me to update. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: All HP stuff like characters, books, and movie plots belong to JKR and WB. I make no claims at all and even more so not making any money from this. This is just my own blend of margarita.

The Confession

7:00 a.m.

Harry stared up at his ceiling, bug-eyed. In about twelve hours or so, he would have to perform what had to be the most challenging task of his life after defeating the Dark Lord. And it wouldn’t even require the use of his wand. Well maybe a different kind of wand.

How in Merlin’s name did Hermione convince him to do this again? Oh, that’s right. Merlin did have something to do with it. A very expensive and rare Merlin card had plenty to do with it.

“I’m out of my mind,” he stated simply. “I’m officially out of my mind.”

Harry blinked several times and looked to his right where his alarm clock was.

7:10 a.m.

Harry grabbed the pillow from under his head, placed it over his face, and groaned.

*

8:00 a.m.

“Harry? You up, mate? Are you alone or indecent?” Ron cautiously walked through his best friend’s flat, checking rooms for his friend. Ron wasn’t sure Harry would make it to his bedroom since he was so wasted away by spirits last night. He wondered if it had anything to do with what he had to do today.

“I’m in the shower right now, Ron! I’ll be out in a minute!” Harry bellowed from the bathroom.

Ron steered his way to the kitchen and looked for something to eat. After finding nothing consumable in the near-empty fridge, he settled for a bowl of cereal and milk. He took his bowl to the living room and went to the CD player. Grinning, he slipped a CD in and pressed PLAY.

I’m too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love,

Love’s going to leave me

I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shir

So sexy it hurts

And I’m too sexy for Mil–

“Incendio!”

Ron jumped back and looked at the now decimated stereo. “Blimey…”

“I do NOT need to hear that right now,” said Harry. He put his wand away and walked to the kitchen. “What the devil are you doing here so early, Ron? Weren’t you entertaining a woman last night or was ‘little Ron’ out of commission?” he asked as he put two pieces of bread in the toaster.

“I bought that CD in America too,” Ron mumbled as he joined Harry in the kitchen. “You owe me for that. And as for entertaining, you don’t remember how wasted you were last night, do you?”

“Wasted?” Harry closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “That would explain the headache. What the hell happened to me last night?”

The toaster made a ‘Ding!’ sound and out popped two lightly browned pieces of toast. Ron quickly reached for one before Harry could get both. Ron ignored the glare his best friend threw at him and started putting some butter on his toast.

“After the rehearsal dinner, you and Hermione excused yourselves. You told me that you had to pick up something from her flat. An hour later, you popped back and told me to go with you to Tom’s for some drinking. Though you wouldn’t tell me what for,” Ron recounted.

“Drinking? How much did I have to drink?”

Ron took a bite from his toast. “Hrm…Well…I think…Three bottles of Firewhiskey? And three shots of Muggle vodka. That’s at least, mind you. I’ve never known you to be a drunk. But last night, you drank like a fish, mate.”

Harry grunted and lowered his head down on the counter. “Three bottles of Firewhiskey, Ron?” he asked in disbelief. “What was I ratting on about?”

Ron took the seat opposite Harry. “You wouldn’t tell me. You said you just wanted to drink, drink, and drink. I tried getting an owl to Hermione but I couldn’t find one handy last night. So you tell me.”

Harry raised his head and thought for a moment. “I only stopped by Hermione’s to pick up something. Then…Oh geez, Ron!”

Ron cocked an eyebrow. “What?” he asked as he put another spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

“Where did you get milk for that cereal?”

“From your fridge. Where else? You know bloody well that I don’t grocery shop.”

Harry frowned. “That’s been expired for over two weeks now. Don’t you have working taste buds? Better yet, don’t you read labels?”

“Bloody hell!” The red-haired wizard stood up quickly and made a dash for the bathroom. Harry took his friend’s bowl and disposed of its contents. Harry faintly heard his friend trying to regurgitate his recent consummations.

“I hope he remembers to clean up.”

“Why in the Bloody Merlin do you keep expired milk in your fridge?!” he heard Ron belt out from the loo before throwing up again.

*

9:00 am

“So are you ready for tonight?”

Harry cocked an eyebrow as he bit off another piece of Danish. “If I say no, does that mean I don’t have to do it tonight?”

“I don’t know. Let’s owl Hermione and see what curse she could come up with to use on you for screwing her over,” Ron thoughtfully said.

“Blah. That’s not helping me, Ron,” Harry remarked. “Merlin, why the hell did I agree to this bloody thing? Why, why, why?”

Ron reached for another Danish pastry. “You know it’s your own fault too. You could never refuse Hermione anything. You’ve got it bad for her, mate.”

The black-haired wizard groaned. “Okay, okay, I get that. I’m head over heels in love with Hermione. Happy now? Good. Now leave me alone to my breakfast.”

-THUMP-

Ron’s and Harry’s heads both pivoted towards the source of the sound by the entrance to the kitchen. To Harry’s horror and utmost embarrassment, there stood a shocked and wide-eyed Hermione Granger. At her feet haphazardly lay what seemed to be a Defense book.

Ron spoke first. “Urm…Good morning there, Hermione. We…uh…didn’t hear you Apparate in.”

Harry racked his head for something to say. Maybe something like ‘Hi Hermione. That was a joke. I was being sarcastic. I don’t think of you that way. I mean, I like you but not in that sense. What I mea–‘

“I…just came by to see…Harry. I…had this book that he might be interested in reading,” Hermione mumbled, her face beet red. “I thought…I thought you guys heard me.”

Still Harry had nothing to say. One of his greatest secrets has just been revealed and Hermione had to hear it. ‘Merlin, your card better be damn worth it after all the grief it has brought upon me.’ He hoped that she thought he was joking perhaps but her reaction wasn’t convincing. Also, he was now reconsidering his anti-Apparition spells. True that he only wanted Ron and Hermione to Apparate without needing permission. Now, it didn’t seem like a good idea.

“Um, do you want some…breakfast?” he managed to squeak out. “I…picked it up this morning from a nearby bakery.”

Hermione, who seemed to have remembered that she dropped her book, quickly picked it up. “I’ve…I’ve had breakfast already, thank you. Ginny…I have to meet her for some more wedding plans. I just came by to drop off some books…and I’ll see you both…later.”

Without another second to spare, Hermione Apparated out. The minutes of silence between the two friends stretched on before Ron finally spoke.

“Harry, are you still breathing?”

Harry blinked several times. “No. I think I’ve forgotten how to.” He wanted to stop her and clarify what he said. But despite his intentions, he had no idea what to say.

“Well you ought to. Blue’s not your complexion. It clashes with your eyes.” Ron busied himself once again to another Danish pastry. “Don’t worry about it, mate. She probably thought it was a joke.”

“How can you say that? I…I’m not even sure what she would think. This is Hermione that we’re talking about! She’s probably over analyzing what I said right this very moment, wherever she might be.” Harry buried his face in his hands.

“And that’s bad how?”

“What? It’s bad! She’s not supposed to find out like that!” Harry protested.

“Frankly mate, you did yourself a favor. Knowing you, you’d probably never be able to come out and say it if you planned it out.” Ron bit off a piece from his Danish.

Harry frowned at him. “You’re not helping.”

Ron stood up and finished the pastry. “As far as I know, I didn’t need to help. You did it yourself. But enough of this. I have to meet someone for lunch and I have to look my best.”

“Another witch to shag? You need time to get ready for that?”

Ron feigned shock. “You think so little of me. Another witch to have lunch with first and then possibly shag. That sounds a lot more proper, don’t you think? I refuse to shag on an empty stomach!”

“Whatever, Ron. Now if you don’t have anything else helpful to say, could you get out of here now so I may sulk in peace and try to figure out what to say to Hermione?”

“Glad to oblige, mate. I’m running late anyway. If you need help with Hermione, I could always stop by her place and tell her you’re still a bit drunk from last night. Just let her know that your drunken state extended to this morn–“

Harry rubbed his temple and closed his eyes for a moment. “No thanks, Ron. I’d rather you not intervene on my behalf. Knowing you, the situation might worsen. Now out you go.”

“Suit yourself, mate. You know how to reach me if you need my help.” Without wasting another second, the youngest Weasley wizard Apparated out of Harry’s flat.

Harry groaned and lowered his head on kitchen counter. He’s gone and done it. He’s admitted out loud that he does have romantic feelings for Hermione. In an unfavorable fashion too. Then again, she wasn’t supposed to hear that. He could go up to her and deny the whole thing by passing it off as lunacy and madness caused by spirits as Ron suggested though.

Hedwig choose that moment to make an unpleasant sound.

Harry looked up to his owl perched by the kitchen window. “I know, I know. That would really be crass of me. And it’s a worse excuse than giving none at all.”

With that, Hedwig seemed to have hooted in approval.

*

12 Noon

Harry paced in his bedroom, debating whether or not he should owl Hermione and chance a talk with her to clarify what he said. On his bed lay the selected ‘costume’ for tonight’s party. He paused and looked at it for a moment and decided that now might not be the best time after all to discuss it since he had other pending matters to deal with.

Harry glanced his bedside table and looked at the photograph perched by his lamp. It was a picture of him, Ron, and Hermione on Graduation Day at Hogwarts. He recalled that day as the day that he came extremely close to telling her how he felt about her. He remembered inviting her for a private meeting just after the ceremonies but unfortunately, neither was unable to meet because of the day’s numerous festivities. Before he realized it, it was time for Hermione to leave from Platform 9 ¾ and leave with her parents. Soon after that, Harry found out that she went on a vacation with them to Greece for several weeks.

He sighed. Time after time, he always found an excuse to not tell her or something always came up to prevent the occasion from happening. He wondered if maybe Voldermort indeed had decided to exact revenge on him in this manner. From the grave, he denied Harry of what could possibly grant him eternal happiness. That and possibly keep him a virgin for the rest of his life.

And that, to Harry Potter, could possibly be his worst nightmare. At least that’s what Ron might conclude.

*

6:30 pm

Harry stood in front of the mirror and looked at his face. Disbelief, anxiety, and fear reflected back to him. He closed his eyes for a moment and reminded himself that he was doing this for her. Always and only for her. For Hermione, he would put himself in utter humiliation or face the world’s greatest evil. He would do anything for her. Well, save for running around the Wizarding World stark naked, of course.

Resigned, he walked out of his bathroom and started to put on his clothes for the night. He anxiously looked at the skimpy underwear that Ron supplied as his last piece of defense from utter nudity at this event.

He wondered how the hell can a piece of clothing called a thong cover his most prized jewels. Also, how can he wear that thing comfortably without endangering a very essential male function? It looked very…painful and constricting.

*

7:15 pm

Harry Apparated into Hermione’s flat and looked around nervously. He pulled on the collar of his shirt which seemed to be doing its best to choke him out of breathable air.

“Harry?” Hermione’s light voice called him from behind.

Harry turned and smiled nervously. “H…Hi. I guess we should get this over with, huh?”

Hermione pinked a little as she gave him a once over. She knew he looked handsome but with the suit on and the pending removal of his clothing, he looked damn good and ready to eat. She wondered how she’d be able to calm and restrain herself from enjoying him when he starts taking his clothes off. And then there was that surprising confession earlier at his kitchen. What was that all about?

‘Ginny. This is Ginny’s night. It’s Ginny who’s supposed to be enjoying the show. Not you,’ her mind reminded her.

She bit her lower lip and slightly shook her head at the reminder. “Yeah. Are you ready? Oh where’s the potion? I need it for a moment.”

Harry took the bottle out from his jacket and handed it to her. “This will work, right?”

“Yes, but wait here for a moment. I have to make a final adjustment to the draught.”

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. “What are you going to do with it? I thought you said it was ready.”

Hermione smiled nervously. “Well, I thought of adding something that might…subdue your inhibitions for a bit. To help you out, you know. So you won’t be so awkward when you do your…thing.”

Harry blushed slightly. “Oh. You’re right of course. I’ve never done anything like this before and I never will again, may I remind you.”

She nodded. “I’ll be right back then we can Apparate to the hotel. Thanks again for doing this for me Harry.”

Harry tugged on his shirt collar again and avoided her eyes. “You’re welcome. Oh and Hermione? About what I said earlier…”

Hermione turned away from him. “Later, Harry. We can talk about it later.”

-To be continued…

7. Author

Author's Note: I'm making an A/N to hopefully placate the many fans/reviewers of this fic. I am working on it (heck I took a sick day today from work and here I am writing some of it). I appreciate the fact that you love this fic so much that making you wait hardly seems fair. Just try to be patient. The way I'm going right now, part 7 could be out before the end of this month, if not sooner.

Here's a cookie in the meantime…Or is it a crumb? Well, I hope that sates you for now…I know I'm evil but I promise I'll rectify that evilness soon.

If You Believe - The Dance, Cookie Crumb Version!

Harry nervously smiled and tried to move in tune to the music that was playing as best he could. It was hard to dance and think about stripping his clothes at the same time. If he had a choice, he'd just dance the night away without shedding a thing. Then he saw Hermione's blushing face.

`I have no idea what the hell I'm doing.'

And yet, for some odd reason, his body did. He realized that as he strode out purposely with great confidence in front of the witches with seemingly lecherous faces. `They're going to eat me!' his mind panicked.

Harry, or his body rather, soon found its way to Ginny and he found himself leaning over her and bracing his arms on each of her sides. `Oh what the freaking hell am I doing now?!' He didn't have to wait long for the answer as he soon felt his body dip lower and playfully arch forward, as if submitting itself to her, like a cat aching to be stroked by its master. `Oh geez, oh geez, oh geez!'

“Groooowl...,” a deep male voice said demurely against Ginny's ear. Or was that him? `Oh dear God…Hermione, I'm going to make you pay for this!'

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

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8. The Gryffindor Roar

Author’s Note: The show’s almost over. Just a couple more chapters and this baby will be done. And I’m wondering if I’ve lost my beta reader. MushyPeas, where art thou? This is an un-beta’ed version so please pardon any grammar issues and the like. Thanks to those who waited so patiently. I only hope that this chapter is satisfactory that you will continue your patronage. Enjoy! Feel free to leave your cheers and jeers in the review section.

Disclaimer: HP belongs to JKR. I’m just borrowing some ingredients to make my latest version of Bloody Mary. Cheers!

If You Believe – The Gryffindor Roar

7:30 pm

Harry and Hermione both Apparated to the reserved hotel room at the same time. Harry sat on the massive bed that lay in the middle of the room against a wall and nervously looked around.

“Wait here a moment again while I go see how things are going on the other room. I’ll tell everyone that the stripper is here and I’ll come back to get you when we’re ready,” said Hermione.

“I… how long before your call me?”

“Err… Not long, so don’t you even think about disappearing on me. I’ll hunt you down, Harry,” she threatened.

Harry nodded as he watched her leave. When she was gone, he let himself fall back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He took several deep breaths as moments passed. It was definitely now or never. And he had no way of backing out now.

He closed his eyes and strained his ears to hear what was going on in the other room. He heard an odd mixture of giggling, fawning, shrieking, and other gibberish that he could only associate with women talk.

More moments passed by and Hermione still wasn’t back. He wondered if perhaps she had forgotten about him and decided to forego his assigned task and moved on to something else for entertainment.

But it was too much to hope for, he soon realized, as he heard the door connected to the other room, slowly open. Hermione’s red face peeked from behind it and she smiled nervously.

“Um… Hey… We’re ready for you.”

‘But I’m ready for the rest of you lot,’ Harry thought to himself. He got up nervously and walked to the table where the bottle of potion lay. He popped it open quickly and gulped the liquid swiftly down his throat. He closed his eyes for some time as he anxiously waited for it to start taking effect.

After thirty seconds, he opened his eyes and looked at the mirror directly in front of him. An oddly familiar face stared back at him and his body felt like it was ready to dance and strip for the world. He saw himself and yet he felt like he was seeing someone else.

“I’m screwed. By Merlin, I’m utterly screwed,” he mumbled.

*

Hermione quickly retreated back to the room where the other women were gathered. She motioned for Luna to get the music started as she took her seat next to Ginny. Ginny grabbed her hand and leaned over to her, whispering, “So who is it, Hermione?”

She blushed and kept her gaze down on her hands. Meekly she replied, “It’s a surprise, Gin. It’s…a good surprise.”

Ginny just looked at her questioningly but soon directed her gaze toward the door that was slowly opening. The music was getting started and she felt herself unable to wait in finding out who Hermione procured as her stripper.

She gasped as the door opened fully and a tall man dressed in a sexy tuxedo strode out purposely. He looked like…like…Harry? It can’t be! Ginny immediately turned to Hermione who incidentally was busy turning red and looking down at her shoes. “Hermione…Um…Harry? I mean…It can’t be him. Polyjuice, right? It can’t be because he has no scar either.”

Hermione fidgeted and smiled nervously at Ginny. “Don’t ask silly questions. Just enjoy the show, Ginny.”

The music soon began as the hoots of the gathered women chorused. They definitely appreciated the piece of wizard that Hermione had gotten. He hasn’t even taken off his shirt yet and most of them wanted to take him home already. If he was fashioned after the famous Boy-Who-Lived, the very same one who has graced the covers of Witches GQ several times (quite reluctantly, Hermione remembered), who were they to complain? Besides, it’s not like they weren’t eager to see what the prized wizard might have underneath pieces of cloth, even though he’s not the real thing.

‘Women and their rabid imaginations.’ Hermione reddened as she realized that Harry cocked an eyebrow at her direction then started fingering the collar of his shirt. ‘I hope Ginny enjoys this as much as I do. Just let them keep thinking it’s someone else other than Harry.’

Harry nervously smiled and tried to move in tune to the music that was playing as best he could. It was hard to dance and think about stripping his clothes at the same time. If he had a choice, he’d just dance the night away without shedding a thing. At least, he’d still be dignified somewhat.

Then he saw how his hips were moving. They were gyrating.

Dignified flew out the window.

He dared a look and found Hermione’s blushing face.

‘I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.’

And yet, for some odd reason, his body did. He realized that as he strode out purposely with great confidence in front of the witches with seemingly lecherous faces. ‘They’re going to eat me!’ his mind panicked.

Harry, or his body rather, soon found its way to Ginny and he found himself leaning over here and bracing his arms on each of her sides. ‘Oh what the freaking hell am I doing now?!’ He didn’t have to wait long for the answer as he soon felt his body dip lower and playfully arch forward, as if submitting itself to the engaged redhead, like a cat aching to be stroked by its master. ‘Oh geez, oh geez, oh geez!’

“Grooooooooooowl…,” a deep male voice said demurely against Ginny’s ear. Or was that him? ‘Oh dear Merlin… Hermione, I’m going to make you pay for this!’

Despite the tumultuous thoughts his mind had, his body betrayed no hints of panic or reluctance. His body carried on as if it had its own will. Harry figured out that this was the modification that Hermione was talking about.

Instead of Polyjuicing him, Hermione thought it best to go as the Harry Potter, where she deduced that every witch there would believe that it was anyone but him and just assume it was Polyjuice. Although he seemed very reluctant after she explained it to him while they were at her flat, he finally relented. After all, who was he to argue with the brightest witch that Hogwarts has had in ages? It was clever of her, after all. Plus, he and Ron knew better really than to argue with Hermione. That, and she also dangled the rare card he sought.

‘Damn her.’

Harry decided that he could curse her later. Right now, the only thing he could think of doing was possibly never speaking to her ever again. The downright embarrassment he felt was quite overwhelming and enough to last him a lifetime.

Suddenly, he noticed that his hips were coiling quite a bit more than before. His eyes bulged as he felt himself rub a bit closer against Ginny’s body. Better yet, the middle part of his body against hers! He was surely redder than any apple now!

Hermione’s eyes opened wide as she noticed how close Harry was against Ginny and Ginny did nothing to dissuade him. In fact, Ginny seemed more than welcoming at the gesture. Horrified, Hermione could only gasp as she saw Harry’s tongue snake out from his mouth and lick his lips slowly as he lecherously looked over the bride to be. That same tongue darted out playfully over Ginny’s nose, almost touching it before it drew back inside Harry’s mouth.

“Oh my God, Ginny!” Parvati squealed.

‘Oh my God, Harry!’ Hermione mentally screamed.

“Ginny, share some of that hunk, will you?!” Alicia whined from across.

Ginny reached up and playfully ran her hands over her stripper’s broad shoulders and then down over his chest. “Hermione, it’s too bad I’m only getting married once. Loverboy here shouldn’t have to perform for me only once in my lifetime.”

Hermione gulped and bit her lip, fighting the sudden wave of jealousy that washed over her. Ginny liked her stripper a little too much and Hermione couldn’t really do anything about it except watch. Even though she was jealous, Hermione couldn’t turn her eyes away from Seductive Harry. Neither could the rest of the suddenly seemingly wanton women in the room. Her eyes felt like they were permanently glued to his fixture.

Harry slowly retreated back from his alluring position and placed his hands back by the flaps of his tuxedo coat. Gingerly, he slid the flaps of his coat open and slowly splayed the coat off his shoulders and then over his arms. With playful carelessness, he tossed the coat over to Hermione before sauntering (yes, sauntering) back to the middle of the room.

‘Mum, wherever you are, I’m so sorry that you had to see your only son in this sorry state.’

The rest of the women reacted quite favorably as he settled on a wooden chair in the middle of the room. He slouched down really low on the chair and palmed his hands upwards from his tapered pants to his chest in a very deliberate motion. His hands met at the top of shirt where they started unbuttoning the crisp white top he wore. A minute later, the shirt was completely unbuttoned and parted to reveal a lean, sculpted chest.

“Merlin! If Harry’s chest is anywhere near that beautiful, I’m afraid I’ll be tempted to ravage him next time I see him!” Angelina managed out.

“You’re married!” Alicia shot back.

“So are you and you’re drooling!”

Laughter rang out in the room but soon dissipated as Harry parted his shirt completely open, revealing the breadth of his chest. Carefully the shirt slid down over his shoulders, down his arms, and finally got caught on his wrists were the cuffs remained buttoned.

“I sure hope you have a business card, ‘Harry’!” growled another female spectator. “Do you take GalleonExpress?”

“Are you busy after this? I’d like to schedule a private session once Ginny’s done with you!” exclaimed another.

Hermione was now slowly regretting her decision to ask Harry to do this. Greed and wanton emotions flooded her as her eyes stared shamelessly at her best friend’s chest. She suddenly wanted everyone else to disappear and wanted him to herself. Forget entertaining Ginny. No one else should be seeing him in this manner.

Except her.

A hand touched Hermione’s arm and she blinked back to her senses. Ginny leaned close to her with a wide grin on her face. “Hermione, if I was you and if the real Harry’s anywhere as ravenous looking as this wizard you got for me, I’d forget all my ‘best-friend’ notions of him, drag him to the nearest private place I can find, and let him have his way with me.”

Hermione couldn’t have stopped the blush that overcame her again even if she tried. “Um…hot, isn’t he?”

“Let’s just say that Draco should be thankful that he already got me to say ‘Yes’ to him.”

Hermione was about say something when Greek-god-Harry-with-the-sexy-chest stood up and danced his way to where she and Ginny sat. He then extended a wrist to Ginny and the other to her, silently pleading them to un-cuff the shirt off him. With excited glee, Ginny grabbed the right wrist and did as asked in a second. Hermione, on the other hand, was so nervous with her task that it took her almost ten seconds to get it unbuttoned.

Just as Hermione drew her hands back, warm strong hands captured hers and pulled them forward. Hermione’s eyes widened as Harry drew her up and placed her hands over his now sweaty chest. Hoots rang around her as Harry guided her hands in exploration over his chest.

“Can I be next?!”

“You go, Hermione!”

Hermione felt her heartbeat race as her suddenly uncontrollable hands glided over the toned flesh under her palms. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and directed her eyes upward to meet his. There she saw only one emotion so brazenly evident: Lust.

Kate howled, “Hermione, you lucky wench!”

Hermione found her eyes bulging as her hands roved over a solidly muscled stomach. And then lower. “Oh, my,” she breathlessly managed out.

“Hermione, you can plan my bachelorette party!” Sandra, Ginny’s coworker exclaimed. “And don’t forget to bring him!”

“Here, here!”

Hermione blushed furiously and tried her best to calm her rapidly beating heart. Unfortunately for her, half-naked Harry was quite overwhelming. Pitter patter heartbeats kept getting louder and beats rang faster. She was surprised that no one else heard the thumping sounds her heart made.

Harry, with his mind racing, forced his rebellious body to let Hermione go. He took several steps backwards, only to run against several grope-happy monsters… er ladies. His eyes bulged as he felt his posterior get the massages of its life. His head whipped back and his face rewarded the guilty parties with a very flirtation grin. “Careful, ladies,” his posterior flexed for them. “I just might get used to this.”

A wildly-grinning Katie Bell licked her pointer finger and then traced it over Harry’s right butt cheek slowly. “Do you make house calls, ‘Harry’?” she winked.

Hermione stopped herself short of doing wandless magic and cursing Katie Bell right there. No one ought to touch Harry that way. ‘Well, no one else but me,’ she thought selfishly.

Harry ambled his way away from the dangerous hands reaching for him and once again found himself in front of Ginny, the lady of the night. The potion kicked in again and soon Harry found himself grasping Ginny’s hands and pulling them toward the middle of his body. Hermione’s potion was working too well for his liking.

“Now, does the bride-to-be want to start unwrapping the other half of her pre-wedding present?” he heard himself offer lasciviously. His hips lurched forward in anticipation. “You won’t regret it,” he huskily added.

Hermione now had a new person to dislike.

Before Hermione could do anything drastic, Ginny unbuttoned Harry’s slacks and slowly started lowering the zipper. Just as she was about to lower Harry’s slacks as well, he backed out from her grasp, and danced himself towards the middle of the room. He summoned the chair from earlier and sat on it. With a mischievous gleam in his eyes, he thrust his hips upwards in the air and started to pull his slacks down from his legs.

‘Red,’ Hermione fought off the dizzying sight that was revealing itself before her. ‘He’s wearing something that’s Gryffindor Red!’

Sooner than she realized, the rest of his slacks have been slid off. The lack of clothing revealed some sexy, lean muscled legs. Moving her eyes upwards to where they met (she tried so hard not to look, but again, her eyes are once again glued), she saw his hands were cupped over the middle of those awfully sexy Gryffindor Red briefs.

‘Briefs?’ Hermione’s mind kicked in for a moment. ‘Didn’t Ron say that he’d be giving Harry a thong?’

By the time the anomaly registered completely in her mind, Hermione realized that Harry was now staring directly at her with the wickedest look in his eyes.

“Love, feast your eyes on this!”

‘Oh, my God! Don’t tell me he’s going to ta—“

The hands that covered over Harry’s groin brief area were moved away.

To Hermione’s horror and every other witch’s insane glee in the room, a small lion’s head shot out from the groin area of Harry’s briefs, proudly roaring its Gryffindor might.

In Harry’s shocked state of mind, he could have sworn he heard Voldermort turn over his grave, laughing maniacally.

-To be continued…

Post Author’s Note: I’m hanging my ‘Looking for another Beta-Reader’ sign. I need a second beta-reader (for another work). Contact me via Portkey if you’re interested.