Harry Potter and the Galator
Disclaimer: I thought I should just put this again. Harry Potter and company are owned by J.K. Rowlings. The Galator and any references to Merlin are owned by T.A. Barron. I own everything else.
Chapter 11 And the Fun Begins
Harry grabbed a piece of cake nearby that Dobby and Winky hadn't gotten around to picking up yet. "Um, 'Mione. There's something on your face."
"What? Where?"
"Oh, just about here!" he took the hand with the cake and smeared it on Hermione's cheek.
"Harry Potter! You will pay for that." He got up and ran away from her. She grabbed another piece of left over cake and went after him. As soon as she came close to him, she threw the cake at him, but he ducked and the cake hit Dobby smack in the face.
"What is the meaning of this miss?" he asked perplexed.
"Sorry, Dobby I meant to hit Harry." Then Dobby had a playful smile and mischievous glint in his eyes. He grabbed a piece of unfinished cake.
"Dobby? You wouldn't dare?" He nodded and smiled. Hermione squealed and ran. Dobby chased and threw the cake at Hermione, but missed her and hit Winky who was standing by cheering him on.
"Dobby, you is paying for that!" That was the beginning of the great cake/food fight between Harry and Dobby on one side and Hermione and Winky on the other. In between throws Dobby would comment on how much fun he was having. Then the portrait hole opened and the four of them froze with cake in their hands and more on their faces and clothes.
Ron and Lavender walked in and saw the mess. When Harry realized they weren't professors he yelled "Attack!" and all four of them started throwing cake at Ron and Lavender. Lavender ran around screaming as Ron tried to follow her to protect her to no avail.
"Stop it, Harry!" yelled Ron laughing nonetheless. They did not stop until Ron found a piece of cake and threw it at Harry. The fight continued for another ten minutes or so until the portrait door opened again and they all froze when Professor McGonagall walked in.
"What is the meaning of this?!" she tried to sound stern and angry, but she couldn't help herself. They looked ridiculous and messy, she almost laughed if it wasn't for her great self-control. "I see the party is over."
"Yes, professor," answered Harry who was feeling guilty since he had asked permission for the party, but was the one that instigated the food fight.
"Well, I made you a prefect, Potter. Don't disappoint me." With that she left. Outside the portrait hole she let out a chuckle. My how they reminded me of Lily, James, Sirius and Remus she thought.
Inside the common room, the six of them let out their laughter when they looked at each other.
"Lav," Ron whispered so that the others wouldn't hear. "If we go back to our secret place I can clean all that cake off your body with my tongue."
"Ron!" she blushed and playfully hit his arm. She was being turned on again especially since their first time together happened only moments ago. Ron just chuckled and kissed her.
"Why don't you three go on up to bed. I'll stay here with Dobby and Winky." Harry offered.
"Is it okay if Lav and I go out for a moment?" Ron asked winking at Harry. Harry knew Ron planned to finally consummate their relationship, he just wasn't sure when or if it had already taken place. So he understood the wink.
"Ron!" Lavender reprimanded.
"I'm just asking permission so that they won't take points away." Hermione looked at Harry and smiled.
"Maybe you should tell them," Hermione told Harry. Harry smiled. He knew what Hermione meant even with the simple statement. It was as if he could read her mind, but he knew it was because he knew her so well.
"Oh and miss all the fun of them trying to sneak past us?" she playfully hit him on the arm. "Oh, okay. Keep Dobby and Winky occupied. I'll go show them. Hermione nodded.
"Okay you two. I know where you want to go, but if you go out the portrait hole you are sure to break the rules and risk being seen by Filch or other prefects on duty."
"So, you'll lend us your invisibility cloak?" asked Ron. Lavender discovered the cloak at the end of their fifth year when Ron and Harry had to use it for their protection.
"No. I'm going to show you a different way to get to your "place" without leaving the common room."
"Harry, you knew all along how to get there and you didn't tell me?" asked Ron a little miffed.
"Well, you didn't exactly tell me where you were sneaking off to did you? I found out by accident?" Ron's small angry state subsided immediately. He knew Harry didn't know where he and Lavender had been sneaking of to because he never told him; he concluded he probably just found out because of the Marauder's Map. That was a useful gift from Fred and George, but was originally created by the Marauders, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter - Harry's father, godfather, ex-professor and a traitor.
"Sorry mate. Lav do you want to know?"
"Yes, it will lessen the chances of me having a coronary every time we sneak out and almost getting caught by Filch."
"Follow me then." Harry took them to the far side of the common room near the prefect's study area. He stopped near of the tapestries, the picture of a unicorn, and tapped at the picture twice and said "argentums cruor". A small passageway opened in back of the tapestry.
"Okay. You two have fun." Harry chuckled. Lavender and Ron blushed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He walked back to the common room and found it spotless, even Hermione who was covered in cake was clean and he caught his breath. Get a hold of yourself Potter, he thought.
"Hey, how did you get cleaned up so fast?"
"Harry, you're so silly. Dobby and Winky of course. I haven't perfected the cleaning spell yet, so I didn't want to try, but Dobby and Winky are experts with their own cleaning spell." She beamed at him.
"But a while ago they weren't that fast."
"Oh, sorry Harry Potter sir," Dobby answered. "Winky and Dobby like to do things without magic sometimes, we do."
"And other times Winky and Dobby use magic," Winky added. Dobby demonstrated by snapping his fingers. There were no trace of cake left on Harry's body or clothes. He was cleaner than before.
"Thanks Dobby."
"It is my honor sir, it is."
"Would sir or miss need anything else?"
"Would you be able to clean Ron and Lavender even if you can't see them?"
"Don't worry about them. I think they're cleaning each other perfectly fine right now." Harry added. Hermione's eyes widen realizing what Harry meant by that comment. Harry chuckled at her expression. Hermione hit his arm.
"Ouch. What was that for?"
"For giving me a Ron and Lavender visual that I would rather not be thinking about." He laughed this time and Dobby and Winky just stood very confused.
"Is Harry Potter happy sir?"
"Oh, yes Dobby. Thank you both. The food was great, especially the cake." The house elves blushed and put on their biggest smile.
"It is Dobby's honor to serve you sir."
"And, Winky's honor to serve you as well, sir."
"Why don't you both go on and get some rest."
"Thank you sir," he paused and looked at Harry. "Sir, what do you call the battle with the cake?"
"Oh, that. It is traditionally known as a food fight. But one does not do it too often or in front of authorities. There could be grave consequences if caught or if food is wasted." He just pictured 100 house elves having a food fight in the kitchens. Dumbledore would have his head.
"Thank you sir" With that Dobby and Winky snapped their fingers and disappeared. Harry turned to Hermione.
"Why don't you go and get some rest too," He spoke softly. She didn't want to leave him alone, but she knew that she may do something stupid and out of character. She gave in and nodded. Harry sighed with relief. He didn't think he had enough control left that night especially since they were alone.
"Good night then," Hermione practically whispered as she stood facing him. She looked into his emerald eyes and was lost. She willed her feet to move away, but she couldn't.
"Good night 'Mione and Happy Birthday."
Then Hermione did something she had never done before, she quickly kissed him on the lips.
Hermione practically ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Her heart was beating fast and her face she knew was flushed if not crimson. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she got cold feet at the last minute. Her thoughts were full of words that she'd rehearsed in her mind a million times, but her tongue just did not cooperate. She berated herself for her lack of courage when it came to her feelings about Harry. She just lay there and cried herself to sleep.
Harry sat on the couch replaying the moment again. He wanted to deepen the kiss. Her lips looked so sensual and she looked so beautiful. He couldn't believe he almost lost all of his control a minute ago. It took all of his will power not to kiss her fully on the lips and keep her there. He no longer trusted himself alone with her. He had to figure out how to keep people around when Hermione was around so that it wouldn't be too obvious that he didn't want to be alone with her.