Unofficial Portkey Archive

Summer Writing Series Challenge
Challenge: Harry & Hermione go on their first date. Harry or Hermione initiates the goodnight kiss.
Title: A Comfortable Sign.

Thanks to me wonderful Beta ~ Another

"Ron, if you leave, I'll...I'll...."

"You'll what Harry?" Ron remarked an amused glint in his eyes, Harry composed himself and tried his hardest to look intimidating.

"I'll make Lord Voldemort look like Neville Longbottom!" Ron couldn't help but laugh in Harry's face

"Look mate, I'm getting sick of all your prancing about; it's about time you spent some time together! Alone!"

"Please, Ron, don't--he disapparated right before his eyes--go," Harry sighed and turned around and headed back into the main chamber of the three broomsticks making his way over to her table.

"Potter," Hermione said, nodding with an affectionate grin.

"Granger," he replied equally as charmingly, "Ron said he was, erm…feeling under the weather, so he went back to the flat."

"Oh, okay, so it's just you and me then?" Hermione asked him, secretly reminding herself to thank Ron. Maybe I'll get him that cannons book he wanted, she pondered

"Hello! Earth to Hermione!?!" she was pulled out of her thoughts when Harry flapped his hands in front of her face.

"Hmm…what?" she asked as she snapped out of it.

"I asked, if you minded it being just me and you?" Harry said with a warm smile

"Of course I don't," she answered feeling her stomach tie in knots as she thought about spending time alone with Harry and those lips…smile!

"Come on then lets get out of here," he said, grabbing her coat and pulling her from her table. Harry headed for the exit with Hermione close behind him.

They decided that it was too beautiful a night to be stuck inside a pub or theatre as they had previously planned, so they wandered the streets of Hogsmeade, bathed in the moonlight while conversing in friendly manner. He had gotten over his original dread of Ron leaving them alone quite quickly when he realised that he was comfortable with Hermione in every aspect. After all, she was the one person in the world who knew exactly who he was; sometimes he wondered if she knew him better than he knew himself.

"What are you thinking," she asked after a lengthy silence. He turned his head slightly and looked to her eyes as he continued walking.

"How comfortable and content you make me feel," he replied as they carried on. He reached out for her hand and intertwined their fingers, enough said.

Neither of them really had a plan but they found themselves walking around the lake at Hogwarts, while they amused each other with their discussion and musings. They sat for a while in silence, nothing else was needed, he could hear the sound of her breathing and he sought that alone.

The night swept away at a great pace. Harry had been charming and funny, making Hermione giggle and beam, while she was as graceful and witty as ever. Harry found himself wishing that it wasn't so late; he was having a simple but content night with his best friend. Harry had admired Hermione for a long time but had only recently realized his true feelings for her when Ron had weaselled it out of him one night at their flat. It was simple and effortless; he wondered why he had never seen it before: he was in love. He loved Hermione.

"Tonight was fun, Harry," Hermione told her best friend as they made the way up the stone steps outside her flat, "despite the fact that we didn't really do anything...actually you're really quite cheap," she added, smiling broadly to herself.

"Watch it, Granger," he said, while chuckling to himself "It might be the last romantic night you ever have under the stars with your strapping and ever so charming best friend." She snorted sarcastically at his comment; he gave her the hurt puppy dog look as they reached the stop of the stairs.

"Stop it!" she ordered, while lightly taping him on the arm, "you know I can't stand that look!" They smiled broadly at one another.

"Come on lets get you inside before you hurt my feelings some more and leave me an emotional wreck." He walked her all the way up to her door and waited as she roamed around in her purse looking for her keys in a huff, he thought she looked cute when she was frustrated. Giving up on her, he took the key he had to her flat out of his pocket and opened the door for her.

"You know, I don't think you should have a key to MY flat," she said, glaring at him

"Fair Hermione, if I didn't posses such an item, then I and others like myself would spend hours of our lives around your door!" he told her with a cheeky lopsided grin. She rolled her eyes as a strand of her hair broke loose from her grip; he automatically stepped closer to her and pushed it back behind her ear, delighting in the sheer touch of her skin. "Night, `Mione," he whispered in a soft voice into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her. She didn't respond and didn't snap out of her daze until he was half way down the corridor.

"Hey!" she called, making him stop in his tracks as he turned around to face her, "That's it? After a night like that you just…." She stopped, unsure if she should continue. They stood in the corridor staring at one another. "Never mind….goodnight, Harry." She turned and was about to step foot into her flat when she felt his arms slowly encircle her waist. He leaned close and whispered into her ear yet again,

"I was looking for a sign." He smiled against her.

Hermione turned in his arms and he closed the inches between them, it was slow, soft and tender, but the feeling it imparted was indescribable. It was everything either of them could have wished for, it was just right. Comfortable.

"If I had known you would kiss me like that, I would have told Ron to beat it months ago," she said, smiling coquettishly at him. Before he could have pretended that he was bothered, her lips were once again upon his. He was in a blissful heaven.

A/N: The very first one-shot or fic I ever wrote!! This is still quite new to me!!

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