Summary: Harry and Hermione are married and despite the fact they have left school, they are doing what they used to do at Hogwarts. It's their "thing".
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Hermione wrapped her hair in a bun and grinned at her reflection. She rubbed at the bit of pink lip gloss that had stained her tooth and plucked a strand of hair to pick at the chicken stuck between her two front teeth.
Harry raised the shot glass to his lips and stop short, watching Hermione dig furiously at the piece of meat.
"Uhh, Hermione?"
Hermione started and turned to face him. She winked.
"I can't kiss you with food stuck between my teeth now can I?"
Harry snorted laughter and winked back before chugging down the rum. He blanched and coughed.
"Tell me why we're messing with muggle alcohol again…?"
Hermione cleaned up her eyeliner and moved from in front of the mirror to join Harry on the bed. She leaned back on her elbow, unbuttoning the two top buttons of her blouse and fanning herself.
"Because we're celebrating."
Harry frowned as he tipped the glass towards her lips and she drank.
"What are we celebrating again?"
Hermione eyed him appreciatively, licking her lips and sighing.
"Your promotion," she said seductively.
Harry raised an eyebrow and a knowing smile graced his face.
"Ah yes," he muttered. "I'm Head of the Auror department now aren't I?"
Hermione grinned and snaked her hand down towards his crotch. He inhaled and held his breath as she felt for him and rubbed and caressed…
"Ahh, you know…" he said, taking her inquisitive hand and placing it on his chest, "You are awfully sexy when you try to be a bad girl."
"Is that so?"
She sounded unimpressed.
Harry pressed his face against her neck and chuckled. Hermione felt the vibrations of his laughter against her skin.
"You are a hard woman to please," he whispered in her ear.
She flinched at the ticklish sensations and rose off the bed to stand before him. Harry ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh which caught in his throat as she lifted her leg and placed it on his lap, right near his package.
"Guess what I've got," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Harry ran his fingers up and down her leg. "Tell me."
She walked over to the desk, followed by Harry, and emptied the contents of her handbag. He gasped.
"Blimey Mrs. Potter. Where did you get all of that?"
Hermione shrugged. "Luna hooked me up."
There lay a can of dip, a packet of cigarettes and two cans of beer. No matter how rough life at Hogwarts was that made these lovers turn to the smoking, Hermione was never able to bring herself to actually buy the stuff.
Harry and Hermione first started smoking back at Hogwarts. They used to sneak behind the Quidditch stands and share a whole pack as they waited for Voldemort's other shoe to drop. The final battle was approaching and there seemed to be no other way to relieve the stress of life. As time went by, they found that they actually enjoyed spending time together this way. Even though they had discovered their shared love a year before, this was their secret to indulge together without anyone knowing.
"Hermione…are you sure?"
Hermione turned to glare at her husband.
"Well…? Are you going to stand there and bitch or are we going to celebrate the old way?" She questioned, her voice taking on that air of authority she had back in her Hogwarts days.
Harry placed his hand on the small of her back.
"Of course we're going to…it's just…"
Hermione faced him fully and wrapped her arms around her waist.
"Just what?"
"You are so sexy when you try to be bad."
Hermione laughed and kissed him.
An hour later found Harry dressed in his oxford shirt and boxers with his tie hanging around his neck and Hermione in her underwear and stockings. They were leaning out the window of their one storey flat.
Hermione inhaled deeply and exhaled, watching the puff of grey smoke leave her lungs and out through her nose. She placed the cigarette between Harry's lips and he squinted as he took a drag and exhaled.
"This feels so good," he said.
"Mhmm," Hermione responded. "I know."
Harry grinned and lightly slapped Hermione's bum. She bumped her hip against his in return and inhaled again.
"This is great." Harry said. "Twenty-two, great jobs and rebels without a cause."
"Hey!" said Hermione. "I'm a rebel with a cause!"
Harry smiled and kissed her nose. "Really? And what's that?"
Her face turned serious and she combed his hair back behind his ear with her fingers.
"You're my cause. I rebel just for you."
Harry kissed her neck and smiled. He moved behind her so that his body was pressed against hers from the back. He reached in front of her and took the cigarette from her mouth, inhaling one last time before throwing it out the window.
"No more," he said.
"No more what?" she asked softly.
"Rebellion."
Hermione leaned her head back against his shoulder, angling her neck towards the night.
"What are you saying?"
Harry placed his lips against her throbbing pulse.
"It's nice to do the things we used to do. But it's time to close that chapter and move on."
Hermione breathed in and out deeply.
"You're right." Her voice was hoarse. "Time to grow up."
They moved away from the window and Harry closed it while Hermione scooped the remaining pieces of their past as radicals, into the rubbish bin. She straightened up the table and picked up her HOGWARTS: A HISTORY off the floor. Her fingers traced the lettering before she put it neatly back on the shelf.
"Welcome back Hermione."
Hermione looked up at Harry and saw the pride shining through his eyes, mirroring her own.
She took hold of his hand and placed it against her lips.
"I love you."