Hey guys! Long time huh? Good news though! I got a new laptop for my birthday and I just got internet connection! Also, I've been writing a lot while I was waiting so my first update back is a long and GOOOD one. I felt so bad for you guys having to wait, I'm definitely making it up to you with this. ENJOY!
OH! I decided to go ahead and make my sneak preview a chapter. So this is actually chapter 27, not 26
CHAPTER 26
The days seemed to fly by for Harry and before he knew it Christmas break was drawing near. He hardly saw Hermione unless it was at a meal or one of their shared classes. She was cramming as much information as she could before Christmas break to get ready for her NEWT.S.
"I need to study as much as I can," Hermione told him one day as she was rushing out of their common room. "I plan on actually enjoying Christmas and not opening one book this year."
Harry let out a laugh. "You're kidding right?"
"Well, I'm going to try at least," she said as she shouldered her bag. "So I need to be prepared. See you at dinner."
Although everyone was planning on going back to Headquarters, including himself until he found out he had family. He wanted to spend his Christmas with Emma and although she was welcomed at Grimmuald place it was too risky and the safest plan was just to stay at Hogwarts. He'd miss being with his friends, but Emma had spent ten Christmases by herself and he wouldn't let there be an eleventh or any more for the rest of her life.
The morning everyone was heading home, Harry got dressed and went down to the front gates to say goodbye to all his friends and wish them a Happy Christmas. "I wish you were coming with us," Luna said as she gave Harry a hug. "But I know why you have to stay."
He smiled. "Have a good Christmas, Luna. Take care of Ron, will ya? You know he's going to need it."
"Hey," Ron scowled.
Luna giggled. "Don't worry, we will." She then turned to Ron. "I'll go save us a seat."
"Happy Christmas, Harry!" Ginny said giving him a hug. "Have fun with Emma."
"I will, see you after the holidays." He then shook hands with Draco. "Have a good one."
"See ya, Potter."
"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked Ron as he looked around in the crowd.
He shrugged. "Don't know, maybe she's already on the train."
"Oh," Harry said disappointed. "I was hoping to say goodbye."
"Don't worry, I'll tell her for you," he said as he clapped his shoulder . "Have a good summer."
"Yeah, you too," he said as he shoved his hands in his jean pockets. As he watched his friends walk away he was puzzled on why Hermione didn't say goodbye. It wasn't like her. Was she mad at him? Did he do something wrong to upset her?
He sighed as he turned back around and made his way back to his empty common room. He had planned on getting some breakfast but now he was too upset to put anything in his stomach. Maybe she just forgot? Or didn't have enough time? He really wanted to say goodbye to her, he had missed her the last couple of weeks. After her friendly kiss in the stands a short month ago, he had a hard time getting her out of his mind. He knew it didn't mean anything more than a congratulations, but it didn't mean he didn't notice the feel of her lips against his and how soft they were. Or he didn't fail to realize how much he wanted to kiss her again and that scared him more than anything else.
"I've got to get her out of my head," he muttered to himself as he walked through the portrait hole. Maybe he'd go get his broom and fly around the pitch for awhile to get his head straight He wasn't suppose to meet Emma until later today, they were planning on going to visit Hagrid in the invisibility cloak.
He trotted up the stairs to his room, taking two steps at a time and then opened the door only to be surprised by the sight of Hermione lounging on his bed petting Crookshanks who was curled up at the foot of it. "Hermione?"
She looked up and smiled. "Hey, Harry."
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked as he closed the door behind him. "You missed the
train."
"Well," she said as she got up from the bed and soothed out her blouse. "I decided to stay here for the holidays."
Harry pushed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Really?" he asked as he gave her a small smile.
She giggled at his shyness. "Yeah. I know you want to spend it with Emma and I won't get in the way, but.."
"Are you kidding?" he asked as he stepped towards her. "You won't get in the way at all, you're my family too, you know."
Hermione smiled brightly before launching herself at him in one of her famous hugs. "Oh Harry, we're going to have so much fun!"
He grinned as he hugged her back then playfully picked her up from the floor, causing her to laugh. "So this is why you've been cramming," he said in her ear. "You knew you were staying here."
"I wanted to surprise you," she said as she leaned back to look at him. He still held her so her face was slightly higher than his. "Were you surprised."
"Very." He then kissed the tip of her nose and settled her on her feet. "I thought you were mad at me. I couldn't understand why you didn't say goodbye."
"I'm sorry. I told everyone not to say anything. I really wanted to surprise you."
"I'm really glad you're here." Harry sat on the edge of the bed and Crookshanks got up to greet him. He rubbed his face against Harry's hand, urging him to pet him. Harry obliged as Hermione sat next to him. "Crookshanks and I have bonded while you've been studying."
"I know. Other than me you're the only one he really likes. He despises Ron."
Harry chuckled. "I don't blame him. I wouldn't like the person who accused me of murder either."
Hermione smiled and then patted Harry's leg. 'Have you eaten anything yet?"
Harry shook his head and realized his stomach started to growl. "No, not yet. But I am hungry. I was going to go for a quick ride on my broomstick though." He grinned at Hermione. "Wanna tag along?"
"Ha, I don't think so," Hermione said as she got up from the bed. "But let's go eat and if you still want to ride I'll watch."
Harry stood up. "I think I can live with that," he said and then unconsciously grabbed her hand. "Let's go."
XXXX
"I'm so excited about going to visit Hagrid," Emma said who was walking closely in front of Harry and Hermione as all three of them were squeezed under the invisible cloak. "Is it true that he has all sorts of creatures inside?"
Harry and Hermione shared a smile. "With Hagrid you'll never know," Harry said with a slight laugh.
"Our first year we witnessed a dragon being born," Hermione told her.
"A dragon?" Emma asked. "Do you think he'll have one today?"
"Merlin, I hope not," Harry laughed. "Norbert was quite a handful."
"Norbert?"
"Hagrid named him Norbert."
"Doesn't he still have the dragon?" she asked as they walked across the grounds and headed towards the
hut.
"Are you kidding? Norbert would have swallowed the hut whole by now. Or just burned it down."
"Harry and I actually had to sneak it up to the Astronomy tower in this cloak. Ron's brother works with them and agreed to take him."
"Wow," she said as Harry reached over her and knocked on Hagrid's door.
Hagrid opened the door and filled the whole doorway. "Harry?" he whispered. "That you?"
"Yes."
"Well come in, come in," he said as he opened the door for them.
Once the door was closed the three emerged from the cloak. "Hi Hagrid!" Emma beamed as she ran to him, wrapping her tiny arms around him as much as she could.
" 'Ello, Emma," he said patting her little head. "Good teh see yeh. How's school treatin' ya?"
"Fine, I got an 'O' on my Transfiguration essay."
"Well done, I knew yeh'd do well. Now come…sit down, just brewed up a pot of tea."
The three of them sat down as Hagrid poured them a cup of tea as he asked how Harry and Hermione were doing. "Fine Hagrid," Hermione said with a smile. "We're excited about the Holidays."
"Hermione's actually going to try and not study all break."
"Oh hush," Hermione said.
Hagrid laughed. "He do have a point, 'Ermione."
Harry chuckled. "See?"
The three of them stayed at Hagrid's for over an hour as they talked about school and other stories. Everyone laughed as Emma talked about when Jayce accidentally blew up a harmless potion in Snape's face. "He got a detention of course, but I told him it was worth it seeing Snape covered in pink goo."
Once three cups of tea were consumed and two pieces of rock cakes were forced down, the three of them finally said good bye. Harry and Hermione dropped off Emma at Gryffindor common room and told her they'd see her later tonight at dinner.
XXXX
The next morning Harry slept in, sleeping till close to ten before finally crawling out of bed. He shuffled his way to the window to see they were in the middle of a downpour and he could hardly see outside. He shook his head in puzzlement. It was Christmas Eve tomorrow and not one drop of snowflake had fallen yet. It was definitely a late winter.
He turned his back on the window and slid on his bedroom slippers before heading out to see if Hermione was up yet. He was dressed in a plain white shirt and a pair of red and gold plaid pajama bottoms. He didn't even bother to fix his hair, he knew it was a mess but it wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway. His hair did whatever it wanted and he had no say in it.
When he made it to the common room he saw Hermione hunkered down in their overly large squishy chair that they always playfully fought over since it was the most comfortable. She was sitting sideways with her feet dangling over one arm of the chair and her back nestled against the other. Hedwig was perched on the back of the chair while she snoozed happily with her face buried in her feathers while Hermione casually stroked her with her free hand. She also had a book lying open on her lap and her brown eyes were traveling back and forth. Busted. "Well good morning, Hermione." She gasped and looked up from her book. Hedwig whipped her head alarmingly and when she realized it was him she gave him an annoyed hoot and buried her head once more. "Doing a little…studying?"
She sighed as she gave him an impatient book. "No," she said as she held up the book. "It's a Muggle fiction book my mother sent me."
"Really?" he asked as he walked over to her. "I didn't know you read fiction."
"I started last summer, I was bored and found one of her books and started one."
Harry lifted the paperback cover and read the title. "Good in Bed? Honestly, Hermione just what exactly are you reading?"
"It's not about that," she huffed as she tore the book away from his fingers. "It's about a woman who's slightly overweight struggling with it and finding love. Quite funny actually."
"Sounds like it," he chuckled as he watched her get back to the book. "You going to ignore me?"
"Until I'm at a stopping point."
"At least your honest," he muttered as he sat down on the couch.
"You can look through the package she sent me. Hedwig brought it to me. It's sweet that she goes by my parents to see if they need her."
Harry reached over and pulled the open package towards him. "She just realizes that your parents don't have an owl so she's helping you out."
"And I love her for it," Hermione said as she continued petting her.
Harry rummaged through the books which mostly looked like books that girls would read, but finally picked a paperback cover called The Donovan Legacy by an author named Nora Roberts. He flipped through the book to realize it was three stories in one book about cousins who to his astonishment, were witches. "Hey, this is about witches," he said holding up the book.
Hermione looked up and smiled. "Oh yeah, my mom sent me that and thought I'd get a kick out of it. Apparently, she writes a lot of stories about modern day witches. Nothing like us according to her, but interesting to say the least."
His brows rose as he looked at the book than shrugged and stretched out on the couch. "Got nothing else to do, might as well," he said as he got situated opening the books to the first page and began to read…
She was born the night the Witch Tree fell. With the first breath she drew, she tasted the power--the richness of it, and the bitterness. Her birth was one more link in a chain that spanned centuries, a chain that was often glided with the sheen folklore and legend. But when the chain was rubbed clean, it held fast, tempered by the strength of truth…
Okay, first paragraph kind of draws you in, he admitted. Might as well read some more.
An hour into it Harry was hooked and totally fell in love with Morgana Donovan, the passionate witch who sounded very hot by Nora Roberts excellent descriptions. Nash Kirkland. The poor Muggle didn't know what he was getting himself into. Course, he wasn't called a Muggle in the story. A guy who makes a living writing horror movies and interviews Morgana because she's rumored to be a witch. Man, he's going to be shocked when he finds out she is one, he thought as he turned the page and kept reading.
"When did you decide you were a witch?" Nash Kirkland asked.
"Probably when I levitated out of my crib," Morgana mildly, and watched laughter form in his eyes.
Harry chuckled under his breath. "Sucker," he muttered.
"Enjoying yourself, Harry?"
"Huh? What?" he asked as he looked up at Hermione as if she had just appeared.
"You must be into it, I said your name twice."
"Oh. Sorry." He sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. "I just got hooked is all."
"Really? I'll have to read it when your done."
"I want to have Morgana's children," Harry sighed.
She let out a laugh. "Excuse me?"
"Witch in the story. She's great." He settled back down and started to read again only to be interrupted when Hermione tore the book out of his hands. "Hey."
"I think we both need a break from reading," she laughed as she helped him to his feet. "It stopped raining and we still haven't had breakfast. Let's go eat and maybe go for a walk around the lake. We haven't done that in awhile."
"Maybe your right, some fresh air sounds good," he said as he stretched his tired body. "I'll meet you back down here."
"Sounds good."
XXX
After breakfast Harry and Hermione made their way outside. Even though it hadn't snowed yet, it was still very cold outside so they were bundled up in their winter clothes. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand as helped her over a large puddle and together walked on the soft wet ground around the lake. Their shoes squeaked and the wind slapped against them, whipping through their hair as they trucked on.
"I probably won't make our usual three laps," Harry said as he pulled a shivering Hermione closer to him to keep her warm.
"Tell me about it. I love the cold though. I always get so excited when I first see my breath. I know it's silly but it puts me in a good mood."
"Not silly at all," he said as he squeezed her tight.
"Oh, look Harry a rainbow!" Hermione exclaimed as she pointed to the sky where the arch of colors streaked over the lake.
They stopped to look at it and Hermione walked towards the edge of the lake. "It's so beautiful. I wonder if there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
"I wouldn't be surprised if there was," he said with a grin.
Hermione turned and headed back towards Harry but unfortunately wasn't looking where she was going and slipped on a puddle of mud. Hermione yelped as she fell backwards flat on her back right in the mud and looked up to see an amused Harry looking down at her. "Are you okay?" he asked as he tried not to laugh.
She scowled up at him. "I'm lying in a pit of mud and I'm freezing. Does it look like I'm okay, Harry?"
Harry shrugged in amusement. "Just thought I'd be polite and ask."
"Well, why don't you be polite and help me up instead?" she asked crossly as she held out her hand
He grinned as he gripped her hand planning on helping her up, but to his surprise Hermione yanked hard on it, causing him to slip and fall face first into the mud. Hermione cackled with laughter next to him as Harry lifted his face out of the mud. "I should have seen that coming," he muttered as he straightened his crooked glasses back on his nose.
Hermione was still laughing hysterically. "Oh Harry, you should see your face…it's covered in mud. You look…"
She didn't get to finish her sentence because a handful of mud smacked against her face. She gasped as she felt the cold mud stream down her nose and cheeks as Harry's white teeth flashed beneath his mud covered face. "Oh, you did not just do that," she whispered.
"Oh yeah I did," he said as he held his stomach in laughter. "And if I look as ridiculous as you do, I now know why you were laughing."
"You think this is over?" she asked as she grabbed a handful of mud and plopped it right on top of his head. "Think again."
Harry's mouth dropped as he looked at Hermione's smug face in shock. "You want a war, Hermione?" he asked as he flung chunks of mud off his face. "You got one."
Hermione yelped when Harry lunged for her tackling her right in the mud. "Harry!" she shrieked as he pressed her head into the mud as far as he could. "You are dead!"
They rolled together in the mud, both laughing without a care in the world as mud was pushed into faces and hair. Hermione even managed to sneak a handful of mud down his shirt causing Harry to retaliate by finally pinning her down on her back. He grabbed her muddy hands and pressed them into the mud above her head as he laid his whole body on top of her.
They were out of breath and their faces were inches apart. "Give up, Granger?" Harry asked with a wide grin.
Hermione huffed out a breath. "For now I suppose." She shook her head in delight. "You have mud all over your face."
"Hermione, I've got mud places I didn't think mud could reach," he pointed with a breathless laugh.
Hermione giggled underneath him. "I can't believe we just wrestled in the mud."
"That's definitely a first for us," he teased.
Hermione bit her lips as she looked up at him. "We're definitely doing a lot of firsts lately, aren't we?"
Harry's smile dropped slowly at her words, but his heart dropped in a dead weight at the pit of his stomach. What did she exactly mean by that? Oh, he knew she was talking about the kiss, but did she want it to happen again? He got his answer when noticed her eyes shifting to his lips as she continued to bite her lip nervously. "Hermione," he murmured as he dipped his head an inch closer to hers.
Hermione slipped a hand behind his head, gripping strands of mud caked hair as she pulled him down to her. They were a breath away from each other when the sound of thunder roared through the sky, causing them both to jump apart. Seconds later rain came pounding down on them both as Harry tried to shield her as best he could. "We better get inside," he yelled to her over the rain and started to get up.
Before he could get up, Hermione yanked him back down on top of her and framed his face with her hands. "I like it just fine here thanks," she said before she pulled him down for the kiss they've been wanting for weeks.
Harry muffled a moan of surprise as he felt his wet lips rub against her own, causing heat to spread throughout his body warming him from the freezing rain. He let all his weight back on her when he finally got over the shock and kissed her back exactly the way he wanted to that night on the balcony. He bit her bottom lip gently, causing her to gasp which he took advantage of and plunged his tongue into her awaiting mouth.
She groaned as she gripped handfuls of his hair, reaching out with her own tongue as it sensuously rubbed against Harry's. It made her whole body quiver and it had nothing to do with the cold. His breath was hot as he breathed against her lips between quick breaks and his tongue stabbing into her mouth over and over again made her body ache with wanting. What she wanted she didn't exactly know, but she did know kissing Harry in the rain was absolutely delicious.
They rolled together in the mud as the rain still pounded and their lips were still glued together. Harry was now on his back and Hermione was draped on top of him as their lips flirted and their tongues touched. This was heaven, Harry thought as he framed her face gently and let her take the lead into the kiss. That night on the balcony he got a tiny taste of her but right now he got the whole serving and he ate it up greedily as if she were a Christmas feast. She was a fantastic kisser, which probably shouldn't surprise him. His Hermione was good at everything. She was sweet, gentle and passionate all rolled up in one and he knew he could easily share all his kisses with her for the rest of his life.
"Hermione…we should…probably head…" He moaned when she kissed him deeply. Did she just roll her tongue in is mouth? "Inside," he finished on a gasp when Hermione finally led up.
"Why?" she whispered against his lips. "It's a beautiful day."
He smiled and kissed her as he nipped at her lips gently. "Definitely agree with you there," he said as he looked up at her in adoration. "But I don't want you to catch a cold and I think we'd enjoy this much better next to a fire."
"Really?" she asked intrigued as she took a quick nibble on the tip of his chin. "Well, you got a point there."
"Let's go then before things get out of hand again," he said as he sat up and helped her to their feet. He grabbed her hand and together they ran to the castle. "I would cast a protective bubble around us, but we're already wet enough not to make a difference."
They laughed together as they busted through the double doors of the castle and made their way to their room. They held hands and sometimes even stopped long enough to share a few quick kisses along the way.
"What in the bloody hell do you two think your doing!?"
Harry and Hermione both stopped short and let out a silent gasp. "Mr. Filch," Harry said as he tried so hard not to laugh. "Er…we were just…"
"You are tracking mud on the floor!" he bellowed angrily.
"Oh…we…didn't realize," Hermione said as she too was biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"What were you two doing? Rolling around in the mud?"
And that finally did it. They both busted out laughing, bending over as they held their stomachs in delight. "Yes," Harry managed to get out. "That's exactly…what we've…been doing."
Hermione's vision was blurred through the tears her eyes were forming from laughing so hard as Filch muttered and cursed as he stalked away. She held onto Harry as they stumbled towards their room still laughing at the whole situation. They finally managed to control themselves when they walked into their common room, but still laughing breathlessly.
Harry smiled at Hermione as he felt the happiness that rarely came out fill him up completely. She was covered in mud, her hair was out of control, but her smile was radiant and to him she never looked more beautiful. "C'mere," he said as he reached out for her and pulled her close. He cupped the side of her face and bent his head for a kiss as he snaked his other arm around her waist.
She smiled against his lips as she leaned up on her toes and circled her arms around his neck. He smiled back but kept on kissing her until he finally slid his tongue between the seam of her lips. She moaned as she held him tighter and when he lifted her up she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist.
That excited Harry more than anything so he turned the kiss up a notch as shuffled his way towards the nearest wall and backed her up against it. He still couldn't believe this was happening. Just this morning they hadn't crossed that line and now they were going at it like a couple of horny teenagers that they were.
"Harry," she gasped and pulled away but groaned when he moved his lips to her neck. "Harry, wait…"
"What?" he asked as he leaned back to look at her. "What's wrong?"
"Harry, look at us," she said with a laugh. "We're nasty."
"Huh. Well, not that nasty yet, but that can be arranged"
"Harry!" she laughed as she pushed him away and put her feet back to the floor. "I meant we're dirty."
He grinned. "What's your point?"
"The point is, now that we're inside and not in the rain, I need a shower."
"But Hermione," he pouted. "What about the whole lying by the fire plan?"
"We will." She kissed him quickly on the lips. "After my shower."
Harry watched her walk towards the stairs and then ran after her. "Hey, want to save water and shower together?"
If Hermione didn't realize Harry was teasing she would have been insulted. "Maybe some other time," she said as they made it by their rooms. "See you in a few."
Before she could leave he yanked her back to him causing her to yelp. He kissed her long and hard until they were both breathless. "Shower fast," he said breathlessly then turned and headed to his own room.
Hermione stood there stunned as she started to fan herself. "Wow. I was definitely right. He's a damn good kisser."