Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 16)
Challenge: Hermione twists an ankle and Harry helps her
Title: A Twist of Rain
Word Count: 1,000
Hermione's eyes fluttered open in surprise to share the gaze of the man who had just kissed her.
"Um ... Was that ok, Hermione?" Harry asked nervously. He could feel a sense of rejection starting to course through his veins as Hermione sat in silence, staring at him. He was about to turn away when Hermione took both sides of his face and pulled him into her reply. Whatever feelings of rejection he'd started to feel quickly retreated to where they came from as the woman he'd been in love with for so long slid her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair.
Was that her tongue? Harry thought with surprise. He was embarrassed to say anything and he didn't want to stop kissing her but when he jumped at the contact, Hermione did it again. Remembering a few films that he was able to spy from his cupboard that his Aunt watched on the telly, Harry opened his mouth and felt Hermione's tongue slide between his lower lip and teeth.
The feelings he got with just kissing with his lips were amazing, this new experience, however, drove him insane. He quickly followed suit and slid his tongue into her mouth as well and found himself in a wrestling match with Hermione's. The end to their date couldn't be better.
A cool breeze blew over the both of them and a small, cold, splash on his face told Harry that the scene on the park bench was about to come to an end. Hermione didn't seem to notice and with a great force of will, Harry pulled out of their kiss.
"Harry? Why'd you stop?" She asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"It's started raining, Hermione." Harry said quietly. She looked to the sky for confirmation and was rewarded when the clouds seemed to dump a bucket of water on the two.
"So we're a little wet." She said with a playful grin, trying desperately to keep her hair out of her eyes.
Harry laughed and stood, offering a hand to help her to her feet. "I'd rather we continue at home where it's warm and dry ..."
She took his hand with a laugh and they began to run the last few blocks to Hermione's flat. They weren't far when Hermione yelped and Harry felt her weight pull on his arm. He stopped suddenly and turned to see her sitting on the sidewalk.
"Are you ok?" He asked concernedly and bent beside her.
"I'm fine, Harry, my heel broke." She retrieved the heel of her shoe and sighed. "These were my favorite pair too."
"Can you walk?" Harry asked quietly as he took her arm to help her up.
"I think so. I'll just have one leg that's shorter than the other." She said with a slight grin. Harry helped her to her feet and Hermione winced as her weight returned to her foot. "Ouch! On second thought, I think I twisted my ankle."
Harry bent quickly and after a few prods and painful reactions from his date he sighed. "It's starting to swell." He didn't stand straight away and when he did, it was with a squealing Hermione in his arms.
"Harry! Put me down!" She demanded as her arms wrapped around his neck.
"I'm not going to drop you, Hermione, I'm only carrying you to your flat ... Not that big, deep, puddle over there." He took a step towards the rapidly deepening pool of water and Hermione started to struggle. He laughed and turned back down the street, carrying her easily the rest of the way.
"If you had dropped me back there ..." She said threateningly from her sofa.
"I know ... I would be joining Trevor in a dreary conversation about fly cuisine." Harry said with a grin. "Believe it or not, I am a bit smarter than that."
"I wonder sometimes." She said with a huff and a wince as Harry expertly wrapped her ankle with a bandage. "They taught you muggle first aid in Auror training?"
"No, I learned this in primary school after one too many scuffles with Dudley and his gang." Harry replied absently as he put on the finishing touches. "The school nurse could swap quite a few stories with Madam Pomfrey, let me tell you." He smiled and looked up to find Hermione looking at him sadly. "What's wrong? Is it too tight?" He bent to loosen the bandages but Hermione caught his arm.
"You've never told me everything that happened, Harry." She said quietly. "I mean, I knew Dudley and his parents were cruel and about the cupboard, but I didn't know he beat you up at school ..."
Harry shrugged. "I know most people don't go through what I did." He admitted quietly. "But there really isn't much to tell." Hermione winced as she turned to him. "Hold on." Harry gently placed her swollen ankle on a pillow and scooted to her other side so she didn't have to move to talk to him. "Is that better?"
Hermione nodded and cupped his cheek. "Harry, I'm sorry we couldn't get you out of Privet Drive faster those summers, if only I'd known how bad it was ..."
Harry cut her off with a finger pressed to her lips. "The past is the past, Hermione. I've forgiven them already." He explained quietly. "It's true that nobody deserved what I went through but now that I'm away from it all, I don't really care any more. My life changed when I met you and Ron, that's when I first realized the lies they'd told me were just that, lies." He looked into her eyes and smiled softly. "And now, I'm here with a beautiful woman and I'm only paying attention to the future ..."
For the second time that day, Harry found himself drawn to the moist, soft lips of Hermione's. The storm raged outside, pelting the windows with sheets of rain.
A/N: So ends part 3. I hope you enjoyed the three part mini-fic! New challenge starts tomorrow :)