Chapter Four
Hermione grinned as she hugged her book to her chest. She had no idea she had it in her to flirt like that. And it was so much fun!
She was practically skipping into the Entrance Hall, but she caught herself and walked calmly into the Great Hall.
She spotted Ginny and went to sit by her.
"Hey Gin, how's it going?"
The young girl poked at her food with her fork, staring at it aimlessly.
"Alright, what's wrong with you?" Hermione helped herself to dinner, hoping her eyes weren't as large as her stomach.
"Nothing." She sighed.
"Ginny, you're not fooling anyone." Hermione watched her.
"I can't tell you. You'll kill me. Ron will kill me."
"Now, now. The worst we could do is disown you." Hermione grinned, but stopped when the young redhead didn't respond.
She sighed again.
"Alright. Promise not to say anything?" Ginny finally looked up at her with big brown eyes.
"Of course."
She glanced toward the Slytherin table, and Hermione followed her gaze and was suddenly confused. She seemed to be staring at Malfoy who had the same saddened look upon his face.
"Ginny…"
She suddenly squealed as she was poked in her ribs on either side. Her heart as leapt, and she knew who it was.
"Hello Harry."
"Hi there." His cocky grin was in place again, as he sat down next to Hermione, and Ron took a spot on Harry's other side.
She turned back to Ginny, and realized she was gone. Looking around quickly she noticed her leaving the Hall. And when Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table, she noticed Malfoy watching her.
How peculiar…
Hermione didn't think on it, she just enjoyed her meal.
She was about to take a bite of mashed potato when she felt a hand slide onto her knee and rest there.
Staring straight ahead, she tried to calm the butterflies that had just filled in her stomach. The fork was halfway to her mouth, and it just sat there as well. She took the bite, finding it hard to swallow.
Sneaky bastard, she thought.
He was talking to Ron, and Ron was responding enthusiastically. `Must be talking about Quidditch.' She thought with a mental eye roll.
She went stiff as his thumb started to move. Gently, he was rubbing the inside of her knee, setting off her nerves.
She stared at the jug of pumpkin juice, concentrating on her heart rate.
"What's wrong Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong? You're staring at that jug like you want it to explode."
She wouldn't look Harry in the eye, but out of the corner of her own she could see him thoroughly enjoying torturing her. Worst of all, he knew how it affected her, and was using it against her. To drive her crazy…on purpose.
"Oh, I'm fine." She managed a smile.
"Are you sure Hermione?" Harry asked.
She looked him in the eye, and she could tell he could read her like an open book.
"I'm fine. I'm just going up to the common room now. See you."
She rose, feeling his hand slide off her knee, grateful it was gone, but now she felt suddenly alone.
What the hell was he playing at? She wondered as she stalked toward the common room.
He wants to play that kind of game. Well two can play it. Her pace slowed as she realized she had no idea what she was doing. She was slammed with questions that filled her mind.
What was she getting herself into? What if this game went to far? What if it went terribly wrong? She stopped in her tracks and leaned on a cold stone wall.
She stared at the floor, her breathing uneven. The butterflies were still there, and they weren't leaving anytime soon.
She liked him. She had feelings for him.
Oh no.
What had she done?
Nothing, said a voice in her head. This is the way it's supposed to be. Plus, it's perfectly okay to have a crush.
But what about the friendship? It couldn't ruin it.
What's life without taking a risk?
But was she ready to take that kind of risk?
What if it was worth it?
She was starting to think she was thinking too hard.
But what if it *was* worth it?
She looked up confidently.
"Why not?" she said to the empty hall. "Why the hell not?"
And she walked up the stairs toward the common room.
But the second she stepped into the common all her confidence was lost. Butterflies reappeared.
She took a deep breath and wandered toward the fire, where Harry and Ron where sitting, talking over weekend homework.
"Hey," she said cheerfully.
Harry looked up at her, and smiled, his eye's twinkling in triumph from spooking her at dinner.
"Hermione, I don't understand this potion. Will you help me?"
She smiled sweetly and bent to help him.
Harry watched her helping Ron. She was so patient. Her smooth hair fell over her shoulder and grazed the table as she bent over, pointing things out to Ron. He found it oddly sweet as she tucked that beautiful hair behind her ear. When she looked up and met her brown eyes, he realized just how gorgeous she'd become. It knocked him backward, so to speak.
"What are you looking at?" She raised her eyebrows with a smile.
"Huh? Nothing." He bent over his own homework, trying to concentrate, but only seeing her face in his mind.
Hermione hid a smile. Had she just thrown him off? No way, she wasn't capable of that. He was the teasing one. Or had the tables turned? So suddenly? She might be able to use his against him, and she silently chuckled as Ron got her attention again with another potions question.
After a few hours of diligent homework, the three gave up.
"I'm-" Ron was caught off by a sudden yawn, "so tired."
"Thank God this is done." Hermione closed her text and rolled up her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. She'd overdone it by a few inches, but she didn't think Lupin would mind. It was so great having him back at school. It was his second year in a row teaching, and all three of them had excellent marks in that class.
"I'm going to bed." Ron said tiredly, gathering up his things. "See you."
And he left.
How convenient, Hermione thought.
Harry and Hermione sat in silence as Harry finished his last few words on his DATDA essay.
Hermione's confidence was back, and she was bound and determined not to let it go.
"That was quite a mean trick you played at dinner." She said.
He looked up to see a very different Hermione. She looked…cocky. Her eyebrow was raised delicately, and a smirk covered her lips, and her eyes were very cool.
"Trick?"
"You think you could just throw me off like that?" It was time to get mean, and despite her shaking hands, she moved toward him.
To Harry's astonishment, Hermione sat herself down right on his lap. All thoughts of homework fled his mind.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked.
She leaned in, faming his face with her hands and staring him straight in the eye.
"Two can play this game you started Harry." She whispered.
Her lips were so close…so close… Why couldn't he just move in an inch and make that contact?
Because he was too nervous. Hermione Granger was making him nervous. Oh great.
"Game?" He was starting to regain himself, slowly.
"Yes game. You think you can just touch me like that and get away with it? I think not." She said seductively as she could. She now had her hands where his neck met his shoulder.
"So what are you going to do about it?" He brought his hands to her waist, and rested them there.
It was a challenge.
She cocked an eyebrow again.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She looked down at him and wet her lips.
His eyes flashed dangerously, and it almost made her want to abort her mission.
"Of course I'd like to know." He ran his hands up her sides.
Her nerves were screaming, and she was trying not to shake. But she kept her eyes cool and calm. She wouldn't let him see what he was doing to her.
He saw it anyway, no matter how much she tried to hide it. Was she ever going to learn that her eyes told him everything?
She stared at him softy, wetting her lips again and moving in closer.
"I think you'll have to wait. I'll show you later."
She held in a chuckle and started to get up.
Before she could get to her feet, she'd been pulled back onto his lap, and his mouth crushed to hers. He heard her sharp intake of breath.
Her eyes flew open, and her heart raced. He pulled her closer, softening the kiss. She relaxed and found the energy to bring her hands to his neck.
He parted from her, letting her breathe only for a second when he kissed her softly again.
Her breathing had evened and slowed, and she opened her eyes to see him looking down at her, a smirk firmly placed on his face.
"That's about what I had in mind." She whispered.
"Really? Me too." He bent and kissed her again.
She loved how wonderful kissing was. She had no idea. No clue at all. His lips where soft and gentle and warm, and it just made her crave more.
He pulled back and looked at her in silence, the light from the fire playing shadows on his handsome face.
Surprising them both she famed his face and pulled his mouth to hers again.
Sensations she never imagined swirled inside her. Inside her brain, and her stomach, and most of all, her heart.
She was slowly making her way toward a cliff that fell straight down a jagged edge. She wasn't sure if she was ready to make that fall…Not yet anyway. Not yet.
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