Harry Potter and the Galator
Chapter 14
The Moment of Truth
All the activities gave Harry little time to fear about being alone with Hermione. He was enjoying her company along with Ron and Lavender and thought how stupid he was to miss out on her company because he was scare of ruining their friendship. He'd been alone with her a few times, but they would talk about their progress with their animagus training, quidditch for Harry and how Hermione's free reign of the library was going. Of course, those times were brought on by their official prefect duties, but neither of them minded. They felt connected again and it was mostly due to Harry's non-involvement with any female, until one faithful night the awkwardness began again.
Harry was getting back from quidditch practice and stayed later that everyone else. It was passed curfew and he should not have been out on the grounds, but he wanted to practice for the upcoming quidditch match against Slytherin. He didn't want to give Malfoy any satisfaction of winning. He arrived at the common room splattered with mud and drenched from the rain. There were still a few stragglers in the common room trying to catch up with homework or just taking a study break, but no Ron, Hermione, Lavender or Ginny. Ginny had been quite busy with her friends. He suspected she was out to meet her mysterious boyfriend most likely from a different house; Ron and Lav were probably in their private room and Hermione probably asleep or still reading at the Library.
Harry decided to take a bath in the prefect's bathroom. He was so tired, he could barely keep his eyes open, but he was determined to get cleaned up. When he arrived at the boy's prefect lavatory, there was an out of order sign. He cursed but was baffled. The only lavatory he knew off that was out of order was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, but it was because people avoided Myrtle not because it was inoperable. He decided to go into the girl's prefect bathroom. He didn't feel like going back down to the regular boys' bathroom and since he knew the password to the girls' bathroom, he went there.
Hermione was in her dream world as she soaked in the oversized roman tub in the prefect's bathroom. She wasn't aware that Harry had just stepped in and started stripping his clothes off until she heard a slight clinking sound from one of the buttons hitting the tile floor. She looked up then at Harry's bare chest. The sight of his muscularly defined body entranced her. She was feeling hot and could feel the water almost boiling around her from the heat emanating from her own body. She wanted to look away, but found it hard to take her eyes away. She had to say something but her mouth was not cooperating.
"Harry!" she practically screamed as he was unbuttoning his trousers.
Harry stopped dead. He looked at Hermione and saw her breasts just below the water and a fuzzy outline of her naked form under the water until he turned his head away from her. He was affected instantly. He was straining and hard as he tried could not erase the image of a naked Hermione from his mind. Damn!
"Sorry, 'Mione. I didn't think anyone would be here."
She stepped out of the tub after he turned and put a towel around herself quickly as she drained the water from the tub. She still felt flushed and knew that if she didn't get out of there quickly, she would do something stupid like throw herself at Harry.
"What are you doing here?" she tried to ask calmly.
"The boys bathroom is out of order, I didn't think anyone would be here and I was too tired to go back down to the other boys' bathroom" he answered fighting the urge to turn around and look at her again.
"Oh, okay then. I was finished anyway. Let me get out of your way so you can get cleaned up. You're a mess."
"Thanks."
Hermione dressed quickly as she kept an eye on Harry. She knew he would not turn around and sneak a peek at her. He was too much of a gentleman, but she couldn't keep her eyes off of his exposed flesh. Even his back looks sexy, she thought. Merlin, I really have it bad.
"Good night," she told him and walked out of the bathroom. She didn't trust herself to give him a hug or even a peck on the cheek.
"Good night, 'Mione," he almost whispered as he watched her retreating form. He was a little relieved she didn't decide to give him a hug or a kiss on the cheek. He was sure if she had, he would have gone mad and kissed her thoroughly.
That event created another strain on their friendship. The week that followed was truly hard on Harry. He kept seeing Hermione's naked body when he closed his eyes. That didn't help his disposition. He kept snapping at people and Ron couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He didn't want to talk about it and he avoided Hermione like the plague.
Their animagus training had been put on a temporary hold because Professor McGonagall was busy and Sirius had to go on a mission for Dumbledore. Harry was glad for the most part, but it freed up more time for daydreaming even when he'd found a solitary room accidentally.
He'd found the room accidentally after he'd stubbed his toe near a portrait in the prefect study room. He'd cursed (bloody idiot) and the portrait moved to reveal a hidden room. There was a hearth at the far end for heat and a small red and gold couch in the center of the room. It had become his hiding place as well as his practice place for animagus and other skills he wanted to hone. What puzzled him is that the room was not displayed in the Marauder's map.
Hermione noticed Harry's actions. Every time she wanted to ask him, he would find a way to get out of having a conversation with her. He would avert his eyes each time she approached him. She was getting sick and tired of it. She would try to ask Ron and he was no help at all. She was determined to get to the bottom of Harry's strange behavior. An opportunity came up a few days before they were leaving for the Holidays.
"Argh!" screamed Hermione as she stepped into the Gryffindor common room wiping her lips out profusely.
"What?" asked a baffled Ron who was sitting with Lavender on the couch trying to get some homework done.
"Justin!" she told them as if they would understand.
"Hermione, that doesn't say much. You'll have to elaborate on the answer."
"He kissed me!"
From the bottom of the stairs Harry heard the last statement and to him she sounded excited. He was seeing red. He was furious. He wanted to find Justin and beat him to a pulp. Since he had his broom, he just walked straight towards the portrait hole almost knocking Hermione down on his way.
"Harry!" Ron shouted after him. "Come back and apologize."
"It's okay Ron." Hermione tried to calm him down.
"What is his problem?" asked Lavender.
"I don't know, but this has gone on long enough. I'm going to find out." She'd forgotten about her exasperating experience with Justin.
"You want us to come with you?"
"No, you and Ron stay here just in case he comes back before I find him."
Harry flew his firebolt around the Quidditch pitch as fast as he can not even caring to find the snitch he'd release before he took to the air. He couldn't believe Hermione and Justin kissed. He was still angry, but it was ebbing away slowly as he flew. Then the depression started to set in. He had lost his chance with Hermione and it was entirely his fault.
He spotted the snitch and decided to catch it and call it a day. He'd worked out most of his frustrations and anger. He was glad it was Friday. He'll get more practice with the team later that evening. He was ready to beat the Slytherins in the upcoming game next week. He would beat Malfoy. Now there was something to wonder about.
He had noticed how Malfoy had been civil to everyone lately. He had his suspicions about the changes in him, but doesn't want to dwell on the conclusions that are forming in his head. Not yet anyway. Not until he sees valid proof of his concerns.
After the brief interlude, Harry's thoughts wandered back to Hermione. He was back on the ground now and just sitting in the middle of the quidditch pitch with his arms around his knees. He wondered how someone could get under his skin so bad. He still couldn't get her out hard as he tried. It didn't help that he saw her in the bathroom naked. Lost in his thoughts he didn't hear Hermione approach.
"Harry?" she started hesitantly. Harry started to get up and leave. "Don't you dare move!" He heard the warning in her voice. "If you move a muscle I will hex you.!"
She went in front of him and kneeled so that she could see him eye to eye. She looked into his eyes briefly before he lowered his gaze back to his knees. She saw a myriad of emotions - hurt, confusion, passion, and anger. She wondered what was causing all of them at the same time. She placed her hand on his arm.
"Harry, why won't you tell me what's going on?"
He couldn't trust his voice so he remained silent.
"Why have you been avoiding me? Please tell me what's bothering you?"
He looked up then and saw the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. He felt horrible. He was the one causing all the pain she was going through. He wanted to just gather her in his arms and tell her that everything would be all right. But he couldn't. He just kept staring at her.
"Does our friendship mean so little to you?"
"Don't. Don't you dare use guilt on me."
"Then stop being so stubborn and tell me what's wrong. You know you can tell me."
"Do you really want to know?"
She choked back an answer and nodded. She suddenly felt a small amount of fear from his voice and didn't trust her voice to answer calmly.
"First, answer a question."
"Okay."
"Did you let Justin kiss you?"
"Oh Merlin, don't bring that up."
"I need an answer first before I can give you an answer to your question."
"Fine, he caught me by surprised and I slapped him. It was a big misunderstanding on his part. He thought I was sending him some signals. Your turn."
He was debating with himself. Should he just kiss her or explain first.
"This is what's wrong," he started and then grabbed her and pulled her into a kiss.
She was shocked. Does that mean he felt the same as she did? She was quickly losing her mind. His kiss was making her feel like jelly. She put all the emotions she'd been bottling up inside her in the kiss afraid that she may never get another chance. She opened her mouth to receive his tongue. She wound her hand around his neck and moved closer to him.
He'd never in his dreams ever thought kissing her would be like heaven. He quickly losing all his control and then she opened up to him. She tasted sweet. He felt her shudder at the first onslaught of his tongue. He felt his control slipping. He had to stop.
"That's why," he whispered out of breath.
"Harry."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
"Don't. Don't you dare apologize for kissing me."
"'Mione."
"No. You listen. That was the most incredible thing I just experienced. Don't you brush it off like it meant nothing to you or to me. I have been waiting for you to do that to me for a while now." He was at a loss for words. He let her continue. "I've been bottling all of my feelings up for so long. Maybe it's time you know."
He kept his hands comfortably around her waist. She kept her hand around his neck. He was listening now. He didn't want to miss anything she would say. Her reaction to the kiss was overwhelming for him, but he had to make sure of what it meant to her.
"What should I know?"
"That for a while now, my feelings for you have gone beyond friendship. That I think about you constantly."
He was smiling. He brushed his finger on her cheek where a single tear had fallen. He gently cupped her face in his hands and pulled her closer to draw her into a gentle kiss. The kiss deepened almost immediately. He stopped and placed his forehead on hers and smiled.
"I guess you've noticed that I had been avoiding you a little lately." She snorted. "Okay, a lot. I didn't know how to handle my feelings for you. You sort of crept up on me. One day we were just best friends, the next I was seeing you differently. I was thinking of you differently. I was dreaming of you differently. Frankly, it scared me to death. I tried hard to get you out of my system and each time I tried, I failed miserably. So I just kept busy with school, training and quidditch. Then I had to see you naked." She flushed when she remembered that night.
"Why didn't you just tell me?"
"I was scared. I was scared of what it might do to our friendship. I was scared you wouldn't feel the same. I could ask you the same thing."
"I didn't tell you because for one, you and Ron didn't treat me like a girl. I didn't even know if you'd noticed I was a girl. And I was scared too. I was scared of losing you as a friend and losing Ron as a friend. I'd known about Ron's crush on me and until he found Lavender, I couldn't jeopardize what we all had together."
"So, it's been that long?" She just nodded. "I was either blind or just a fool."
"Just a fool," she giggled.
"Hey!" She kissed him playfully. "'Mione, I noticed you were a girl."
"Oh?"
"Uh-hmm. Ever since we met I knew you were a girl."
She had to kiss him again. She had to feel his lips against hers if only to validate that it wasn't a dream. He kissed her back fervently.