Chapter 25
"Are we almost there?" Hermione asked after awhile. They have been down long corridors, up flights of stairs and she still had no idea where they were going.
"Almost," Harry said with a smile as he looked down at her. "Just through these doors."
She heard Harry push the doors open and immediately felt the cold chill brush over her skin. The cloak kept them invisible but it did a lousy job of keeping the cold out. "We're outside."
"You bet," he said as he walked a little further than took off the cloak.
Hermione welcomed the cold as she took in a deep breath. "It feels good to be outside." She turned blindly to Harry. "Where exactly are we?"
"You don't know?"
"I…no, I don't have a clue. Can you take the scarf off now, please?"
He chuckled softly. "I guess so." He stepped behind her and loosened the knot on the scarf and pulled it away from her eyes.
Harry watched her blink in her surroundings and then noticed the look of recognition on her face. "Harry, we're on the Astronomy balcony."
"Yeah," Harry said as he rocked back on his heels. "How bout that?"
"It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" she asked as she placed her hands on the rail of the balcony.
"Yeah…I can see why you pictured it happening here."
Hermione looked over at him. "Picture what?"
Harry stepped next to her, copying her with his hands and gripped the railing. "Your first kiss. This is where you pictured it."
Hermione blushed as she looked down. "Yes. Just like this, at night time when the stars are out." She sighed as she looked up. "Romantic, isn't it?"
Harry looked up at the twinkling stars, but every other sense was aware of Hermione standing right next to him. She smelled of peaches, just like the night he had took her on his broom. Her body was close next to his and he had the biggest urge to pull her to his side. "Hermione?"
She turned to look up at him. "Yes?"
"That day in Three Broomsticks…right before the attack?"
"Yes?"
"You were about to say something…something else about how you pictured your first kiss."
"Oh," she said softly as she looked away. "Yes, I…was about to tell you who I imagined my first kiss with."
He swallowed the lump in his throat and found it difficult to speak. "Who did you imagine?"
Her eyes cast down for a moment as she felt her heart begin to race. She took a shaky breath to try and calm her nerves before finally looking back up at him. "You," she whispered. "I pictured it with you."
His heart leapt in his throat, but on the outside he remained calm. "Why?" he asked with a cock of his head. "Why me?"
Hermione blew out a breath. "At first I didn't know, Harry. It's not like I meant to, it's just that your face was always there in my mind." She turned fully towards him and took a step closer. "I think it's because out of all the guys I know, I trust you the most."
He reached up and touched the tips of her hair softly. "You do?"
She smiled and nodded. "Of course. I trust you, Harry. More than anyone."
Harry's mouth tilted up as he cupped the tip of her chin. "Than I guess it's fair for you to know that you are the person I trust the most."
"Even more that Ron?" she asked as she tried not to notice how nice the pad of his thumb brushing across her cheek felt.
"Definitely more that Ron." He dropped his hands and shoved them in his pockets. "Don't get me wrong, I trust him. Just that ever since fourth year…He should have believed me no questions asked and he didn't. You did though, Hermione. You believed me whole-heartedly and it's something I will always remember and be grateful for. As for Ron…Ever since then, he's lost a little bit of my trust. Not a lot…but enough to not make me forget."
"I understand."
He shook his head and reached out for her hand. "Hermione," he said as he tugged her to him. "I brought you out here for a reason."
Hermione let herself be pressed against Harry and she looked up at Harry's green speckled eyes. "What would that be?"
He swallowed hard as he tried to form the words. "I wanted to…fulfill your…er…fantasy I guess you could say and…make it a reality."
"Fantasy?" she asked in a daze and then blushed when she realized what he was talking about. "Oh, Harry…you don't have to do that, you said you'd wait till our last night."
"Hey, no better time like the present, right?" he asked as he tilted up her chin. "I found myself not wanting to wait, especially after seeing you lying on that hospital bed for three days and not knowing when or if you were coming back to me."
Her eyes shimmered with tears. "Harry…"
"Then I found myself kind of liking the idea of me being your first kiss." He flashed her a grin as he swept his thumb across her bottom lip. "I became selfish and decided I didn't want another guy up here with you…that all right?"
She smiled softly as she looked down. "Yes," she said burying her flushed face in his chest. "It's all right."
Harry smiled at her embarrassment. It was rather cute. "I want to do this for you, Hermione. I promise it won't mess our friendship up and become awkward between us. I won't let it."
She looked up at him then and smiled. "One kiss…between friends?"
He cupped the side of her face as he bent his head slowly towards her. "Between the best of friends," he whispered against her lips seconds before they touched.
Hermione's eyes fluttered close at the feel of Harry's warm lips absorbing against hers. Her body shivered but it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with Harry. She sighed softly as she laid her palms against his chest and Harry pulled her tight against him with one arm around her waist.
She was so soft and so warm that Harry had to fight the urge to press her up against the railing and devour her senseless. He couldn't do that. This was Hermione. Sweet and innocent Hermione who he adored and cherished. It was just suppose to be a favor. Just one little kiss to make her happy and that was it. But Merlin he had the biggest desire to taste her Just one taste.
On a soft desperate moan and pulled away from her lips and rested his forehead against hers. He could feel her breath fanning his lips and had to close his eyes to fight back his desire when she reached up and touched his mouth delicately with her fingers. "Hermione…"
"That was perfect, Harry," she said as she looked up at him. "Perfect."
Harry felt his heart warm when Hermione snaked her arms around his waist and held him tight. He hugged her back in return, placing his lips on top of her head. "It was perfect," he agreed and held her close. So perfect in fact that he wanted to kiss her again. Instead, he kissed her cheek and pulled her back gently. "I better get you back."
Hermione hid her disappointment with a smile. She wanted nothing more than to stay up here with Harry until the sun came up over the horizon. "Okay," she finally said as he picked up the cloak. "Do I have be blindfolded again?"
He laughed and smiled at her. "No, not this time." He wrapped the cloak around them both securely and gave her another grin. "You ready?"
"Yeah," she said with a soft smile. "Ready."
XXXX
A little short I know, but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging. So, what you think? How long will Harry and Hermione pretend to ignore what happened on the balcony? When will they finally crack and go at each other like…ahem…well, you get the idea. Stay tuned for more!