Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 2

"Hey what are you doing? Ginny asked coming into the kitchen with a handful of plates.

"I'm washing up." Harry said turning slightly; his hands still emerged in water.

"Harry you don't have to do that, go back in there and enjoy yourself."

"I don't mind." he said smiling at Ginny "It's the least I can do after you and Hermione cooked dinner for us all, plus it's your dinner party, you should be enjoying the company." Ginny smiled putting the plates down, she kissed Harry on the forehead.

"You're too sweet Harry, but please leave it for now come on and have some fun." Ginny didn't let Harry answer before pulling him into the front room, his hands still dripping.

Hermione and Ginny were throwing a rather large dinner party for their friends at their flat in Kent to catch up on old times. It had been four years since they had graduated Hogwarts and there was rarely a time when they all got chance to be together but the girls had planned this evening well in advance The group had just finished Dinner and were now crowded into the living room reminiscing.

Ron sat on an armchair with his arms around his girlfriend Luna. Dean, Lavender and Seamus were on the couch talking animatedly to one another, Neville and Parvati were squashed together on another armchair talking to Hermione who was sat crossed legged on the floor smiling up at them. As Harry and Ginny entered the room Dean let out a huge laugh.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked tearing his eyes away from Luna.

"Lavender was just telling me how terrible Seamus' first kiss was!" Dean muttered out between laughs.

"Shut it Dean." Seamus barked over the laughter, Ginny came up behind him putting her arms around his neck smiling slyly.

"Well he definitely seemed to have mastered it when he was kissing me." she spoke making Seamus sit up smugly.

"Wait Ginny, your first kiss was Seamus?" Ron asked.

"Erm no it was Michael Corner, but then there was Seamus" she answered blushing.

"Oooo who was everyone's first kiss?" Lavender asked reverting back to her 5^th year counterpart. Harry had pulled up a chair for himself next to where Neville was sat, his stomach lurched thinking about this topic. Hermione squirmed nervously playing with the rug on the floor she had always dreaded someone bringing this up. She continued playing with the rug even thought she could feel those striking emerald eyes upon her.

"Oh fun!" Ginny retorted clapping her hands together "Well considering I told mine I get to pick who goes next."

"Gin, you should tell us who with and where." Parvati added equally as excited about this, Harry assumed it must have been a girl thing.

"Fine, Michael Corner, Behind the Three Broomsticks and Lavender you're next."

"Ronald Weasley." she said looking over to Ron with a large playful grin "Quidditch stands at school - Ron you might as well go next." Ron rolled his eyes at her as his answer was obvious.

"Lavender Brown - Quidditch stands at school." he said mimicking her tone "Neville mate."

"Ginny." he replied coyly.

"Bloody hell Ginny you get around." Ron interrupted heatedly.

"Sod off!!"

"- erm at the Valentines Day dance." he added before picking Luna.

Luna answered Ernie McMillan then picked Dean who answered Parvati and visa versa, Parvati picked Seamus who answered Lavender and picked Harry.

"Cho Chang - Room of requirement." Harry answered with a grimace "Wasn't exactly a great experience." he added as his friends laughed at his expression. After he had answered everyone rounded on Hermione knowing she was the only one left. She just kept her head down and tried to avoid all the eyes.

"Oh come on Hermione." Ginny encouraged, "We're all grown up now, you can tell us, was it Krum?" Hermione's head shot up.

"No, it was not Krum, why does everyone always think that?"

"Don't try to change the subject Hermione." Parvati interrupted "Who was it?"

"Well…It's …erm…kind of embarrassing." She spoke quietly, Harry choked on his beer nearly spitting it out across the room.

"Bloody Charming!!!" He spat playfully at Hermione ignoring the fact that everyone were staring at each of them in turn.

"No! No! I didn't mean that you were embarrassing, just the way it happened…."

Harry stood up quickly holding his hands up, still clutching his beer; he began to back away from the festivity with grin.

"If I'm such an embarrassment Hermione, then I'll be happy to leave the room so you don't have to feel ashamed." he said chuckling as she leaped up after him trying to grab him and keep him still. He kept moving out of her grip pretending to be offended. "No Hermione, it's too late you've emotionally wounded me and I can't go on." He said as she tried to hug him.

"I can't believe you never told me!" Ginny scolded Hermione from across the room.

"It's because I'm embarrassing." Harry shouted over the laughs as Hermione tackled him, pinning him to the ground. He dropped the beer to the floor and wrestled Hermione.

The young adults got progressively giddier as the night continued, this was probably something to do with the alcohol consumption. There were lots of laughs and stories told about episodes back at Hogwarts, the night was a roaring success.

***

"Oy you, come on, you can't stay there all night." Harry told Hermione attempting to peel her off the couch. The last of the party had just left by floo and Ginny had skulked off to bed, it seems she may have had too much wine.

"Why can't I?" Hermione asked with a defiant grin.

"Because, you'll be cold and uncomfortable and you look like you need a good night's sleep." Harry argued collectively, Hermione stuck her tongue out as a response.

When she refused to co-operate with him, he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom, throwing her on the bed without any delicacy.

"Ever such the gentleman Potter" she sneered at him reaching for the covers, wrapping herself up.

"And why should I be gentleman-like to you?" Harry asked sitting down on the edge of her bed. "You'll just get embarrassed."

"Oh shut up." she said swatting him playfully on the arm, he grabbed hold of the spot she had struck with his other arm and winced dramatically. She rolled her eyes at him before smiling fervently.

"You know I'm funny." he said quietly, smiling back at her.

Hermione stared up at him with a strange expression on her face, as if she was trying hard to find answers to a test.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Oh come on Hermione, What?"

"You're just sweet."

"Nothing new there then." he said in a sarcastic tone.

"No really I mean it, you are. You're my best friend in the whole world, you know that right?" Harry raised his eyebrows at Hermione perplexed.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Oh, never mind" she said rolling over.

"No, carry on." he lay and arm across the blanket and pulled her back to face him.

"I was just thinking about that first kiss, that really was sweet you know?"

"Ah, the dreaded kiss" he said looking away.

"Dreaded? Who's ashamed now?"

"Not Me." he replied "It's just that kiss has gotten me in a lot of trouble in the past."

"How so?"

"Well." he said plucking up some courage "I always erm...compare…my first kiss with girls I meet with that one you and I shared."

Hermione smiled warmly at him tilting her head on her pillow "Why?"

"Why? Well because…it was probably the erm…best first kiss I've ever had with a girl and I err…have a habit of thinking about it quite a bit."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she knew he was telling the truth, she could tell by the way his eyes were twinkling.

"Harry?" Hermione propped herself up on her elbows in order to get closer to him.

"Hmm?"

"You never gave me the test?" Harry turned and looked at her bewildered.

"What?"

"Well erm…you taught me the material…but you never…gave me the test." Hermione said in a raspy voice inching closer to him with each set of words. Harry's eyes widened and his breathing became heavy, she was getting closer and closer and he wanted more than anything to reach forwards and kiss her once again. For all these years he had never experienced a kiss with anyone that made him feel the way he had that day in the common room all those years ago. Harry swallowed hard looking Hermione directly in the eyes mere inches away from her face.

"Have you been revising?" he smiled roguishly, she breathed out a laugh before running a hand around the back of his neck pulling him to her. Tingles shot down his spine as her hand ran through his hair the intensity increased as she leaned in and kissed him slowly. His heart rate picked up and his mind was racing with thoughts.

This kiss was a lot different from the last they had experienced together. It was deeper, passionate and hungry, they had both waited so long for this moment and were both determined to enjoy it. After a few moments they pulled apart gasping for air.

"Wow" Harry managed to breath out "That was…..Wow! You definitely pass" he added cheekily.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to re-take the exam? You know, just so you're sure?" Hermione smiled before they both reached pulling the other in.

Shortly after Hermione fell asleep in Harry's arm, it was very late and Harry could tell that she was tired. He felt content just holding her close to him and breathing her in. At that moment he couldn't help but feel as if his five years waiting for her had been incredibly worth it.

A/N: Why they waited all those years was their business! Not mine!

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