Chapter 3
"Harry?" she whispered again as she took a step closer to him.
He stiffened as he took a step back and then swiftly turned and walked away from her to the edge of the balcony. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths as he tried to control his raging emotions swirling through him. He wanted nothing more than to say the hell with it and finish what he started. He couldn't do that though, he thought he was kissing Nicole. That was bullshit, a part of him knew all along it wasn't Nicole he was devouring against the castle wall, yet he continued to do it anyway.
He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he jumped suddenly but still didn't move. He saw her come up beside him, her face glowing from his still lit wand and he noticed…thankfully…that she had pulled up her gown. "Harry, what is it?"
Harry gripped the stone railing and leaned against it as he avoided looking into her eyes. "Why didn't you stop me?" he asked in barely a whisper.
"What?" she asked as he placed a hand on his arm. "What do you mean?"
He pushed himself up and turned to her sharply. "You knew it was me the whole time and you did nothing to stop it? Why?"
She cocked her head to the side and looked up at him in awe. "Why would I want to stop you?"
"Hermione," he groaned as he turned away and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to keep his cool. "I attacked you in the dark."
"Well, I wouldn't call it attacking, really," she said in her snooty informative voice he knew all too well.
"Hermione, I kissed you!" he said as he grabbed her arms and shook her.
She blinked up at him. "Yes, Harry, you did. That and a whole lot of other things."
"Hermione, you're my best friend. We don't do things like that." He looked at her deeply and repeated his question. "Why didn't you stop me?"
She sighed. "I don't understand what is wrong with you, Harry, you're the one who initiated in the first place."
"I didn't know it was you!" he yelled as his grip on her shoulder tightened.
Harry saw her eyes widened and he immediately regretted his words. She deserved to know the truth, yes, but it didn't need to be said so harshly the way he just done so. "What…what do you mean?" she said in barely a whisper as she stepped back. "I saw the message Dobby gave me."
Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Hermione. I told Dobby to give the note to my girlfriend."
"I see," she said shakily. "So, you thought I was Nicole the whole time."
But I thought of you the whole time.
"I see," Hermione said again as she shook her head. "Well…don't I feel like a fool."
"Hermione," he said gently as he took a step closer.
"Don't," she said firmly as she held up a hand and he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. The sight was unbearable. "I don't want any pity from you, Harry."
"No," he said shaking his head. "Hermione, you've got it all wrong, I…"
"Dammit, Harry!" she yelled all of the sudden, surprising him as he stumbled backwards. "You've kissed Nicole, how many times and you can't even tell the difference in kissing a completely different person?"
"I did notice!" he blurted back. "I noticed tons of things that were different, okay? At times, I thought about pulling away, but why the hell would I want to stop kissing a woman?"
"But you sure as bloody hell stopped once you figured out it was me, didn't you?" she said in a harsh whisper. "The thought of kissing me must really disgust you."
"Hermione," he said in awe as he shook his head. "No, I…"
"I don't want to hear it, Harry," she said as she walked away from him. "I want to forget this ever happened."
Harry just stood there as he watched her walk away, wishing he could pull her back into his arms and kiss the life out of her. Was she really that oblivious? Did she actually think she disgusted him? He'd never been so turned on by anyone the way he was tonight when they kissed.
This wasn't over, he told himself as he walked back inside the castle. Sooner or later, he was going to get her alone tonight and make her know how truly desirable she was.
XXXX
"Nicole, I need to speak with you."
Nicole, who was still talking to her ex-boyfriend, spun around giving him a dazzling smile. "Oh, there you are baby," she said and leaned up to give him a kiss. "I've been wondering where you wandered off to."
Funny, her kisses had always had somewhat of affect on him, but that did nothing for him whatsoever. "We need to talk," he said again.
"We can dance why we talk," she said as she dragged him to the dance floor.
"Er…this really isn't the place for…"
"Nonsense, whatever it is I'm sure you can tell me why I dance with you," she said as she pulled him into her arms.
Harry sighed as he shook his head. "I really don't know how to say this." His eyes wandered for Hermione and saw her sitting at a table with Ginny and Draco. He wanted to talk to Nicole in private so he could quickly end it and have a clear conscious when he went to talk to Hermione. Luckily though, he didn't think she saw him.
"Harry, what is it?" she asked a little impatient.
"Huh?" he said directing his focus back on her. "Oh. Right. Listen, Nicole…you are a great girl, you really are and…we had fun together these past few months, you really helped me get my mind off of things when I needed to."
"I'm not going to like this, am I?" she said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry," he said as they stopped dancing. "I really am, I don't want to hurt you, but…I just don't think it's going to work out?"
"Why not?" she asked a little too forcefully.
"Well, for one thing you still have one more year to go in school and I'll be traveling. It will be too hard and…"
"Luna still has another year and she got married tonight," Nicole pointed out. "If they can do it, surely we could?"
"Nicole, that's different," he said looking seriously into her eyes.
"Why's that?"
"Ron is madly in love with Luna…and Luna is head over heels in love with Ron." He gave her an apologetic smile. "I have no doubt in my mind they can get through it."
"I see," she said as she took a step back. "So you're saying you don't love me."
He hesitated before finally shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Nicole. I can't love you the way you want me, to, it wouldn't be fair to you if I stayed with you."
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Is there someone else?"
His first thought was to say no, but he found himself not saying anything at all, and his silence answered her question perfectly.
"It's Hermione, isn't it?" she said as her eyes narrowed.
Harry sighed before nodding his head. "I'm sorry, Nicole, I didn't know how I felt until recently and…"
"Oh, I think you did. You were just too much of an idiot to realize it until now."
His jaw dropped. "Ouch."
"I didn't like Hermione for a reason, Harry. I knew deep down she was meant to be with you, and I hated it."
"Nicole," he said as he took a step towards her.
"No, don't," she said as she started to tear up. "You're not going to make me cry, Harry Potter, so just get the hell away from me before I crack."
Harry smiled as he touched her cheek. "You're going to find someone, Nicole."
"Yeah, yeah," she said as she batted his hand away. "Just go, I want to start my single life right away, all right?"\
He laughed. "Okay." He gave her a quick hug. "Thanks."
She gave him one last wobbly smile before turning around and disappearing into the crowd. After she was gone, he turned around to see if Hermione was still in her seat. She was and she was staring right at him. She gasped when they made eye contact and then after a moment, darted out of her chair and quickly exited the room.
Harry grinned as he watched her run off. "You can run, Hermione…but you sure as hell can't hide."
XXX
Okay, that was a filler chapter…I know, but the next chapter will be the last and it will be good….I hope!