Make Like Strangers - Part 2

Make Like Strangers

Rating: NC17
Genres: Romance, Humor
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 17/03/2005
Last Updated: 04/04/2005
Status: completed

This is Part 2 of the Series entitled "It Can't All be About Sex, can It?" Harry has a lunch date with Sandra, and Hermione gets an offer from Luna she just can't refuse.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

2. Chapter 2 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

3. Chapter 3 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

4. Chapter 4 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

5. Chapter 5 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

1. Chapter 1 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

DISCLAIMER: The beautiful and talented JKR owns Harry…what a lucky lady! *sigh* Oh yeah…she owns that other lucky lady, Hermione, and the rest of the gang too! We are just thankful for the opportunity to play in their world once in a while!

A/N: HA HA!! We caught you all off guard!! Actually, we just didn't feel right about posting any part of this story on Easter Sunday, so we decided to post a day early...however, we will not be posting Chapter 2 until Tuesday, which would be our regular post date.

This is Part 2 in the series, entitled — It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?, which will pick up where the last one left off. Here you’ll enjoy a surprise lunch, a bachelor party, and a few other surprises a long the way….

A couple things…hope you don’t mind.

First, the support we’ve received for this story has been phenomenal! We knew that our collaboration would be great, but there was no way for us to know that it would be so greatly received. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who left comments for Part 1! The time that you’ve taken to leave reviews is appreciated more than many of you could know. Many of you expressed to us how much you loved the plotline of Part 1. We want you to know, that while that part of the story may be over, it will be revisited. Any questions that you might have will most likely be answered by the time we’ve finished.

Second, I would like to make a recommendation. Many of you made mention of adding our story to your favorite stories. That is absolutely amazing to both of us and there’s no way we could thank you enough for that. However, if you’d really like to be notified when our chapters are posted, I would recommend adding us to the author notifications list (not necessarily favorite authors…although that would be an honor) as opposed to the story list because we will be changing the stories every 5 or so chapters…depending on how much writing we decide to do! Once we are done with the introduction, then the real fun begins and we’d love to have you all join us for it. *note: being on both lists is fantastic too! 8--]

Okay…enough babbling!

We here at Make Like Strangers (MLS) would be most honored if you would join us on a special date….

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Chapter 1

With their third day of shooting complete, Harry and Hermione were preparing to go back to their respective hotels for the evening. Harry had become a little less distant in the past 12 hours or so since their tryst Monday night, but it was still far from what Hermione would have liked. She was very confused as to why he was acting like nothing had happened.

“Well, goodnight then, Hermione,” Harry said as he pulled his coat on and headed for the door.

She stood there and watched him, then she decided that she wasn't just going to let him leave like that. “Harry?”

Stopping with his hand on the door handle, he didn’t turn around. “Yeah?” He felt her behind him. He could feel her warm breath against the back of his neck. She was way too close for his comfort.

“How about dinner?” She asked, sliding a hand up his back and over his shoulder to get him to turn and face her.

Closing his eyes and steadying himself, Harry let out a determined breath and turned. “Can’t. Have things to do,” he stated matter-of-factly. “And tomorrow I’m meeting Sandra for lunch right after the morning shoot so....”

“But we need to talk,” Hermione said, hoping her voice hadn’t relayed the disappointment she was feeling.

Harry just looked at her. He hoped that she couldn't see the confusion and guilt in his eyes. "I, um," he cleared his throat, "I don't...I can't. Not right now, Hermione."

After considering him for a few seconds, she gave him a tight smile. “Good night then, Harry.” He forced a grin and quickly turned away from her, nearly walking into the door before he had it opened all the way.

She watched him walk hurriedly down the sidewalk but noticed he wasn’t going in the direction of his hotel. Wonder where he’s off to? Suddenly, she was struck with a brilliant idea. An evil grin appeared on her face. “Lunch with Sandra, uh?” She asked aloud to no one.

Without another thought, she stepped outside and ran across the street. Fortunately, she was in good shape and the two block trot she had picked up was hardly taxing her. She arrived at his hotel and went up to the 6th floor. As the elevator door opened, she peeked around to make sure she was alone, and then dug out his keycard from her purse. “Good idea, Harry, to make sure we had each other’s keys in case something happened,” she mumbled, as she slid the card into the lock. The green light flashed, and she pushed the door open.

The lights were still off. He obviously hadn’t been there yet. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t just show up any second. “Where is it?” She wondered aloud, going to his suitcase. Being careful not to disturb anything so he wouldn’t notice she’d been there, she looked through his clothes for the object of her search. Frustrated, she let out a sigh and as she turned towards the bed, she noticed a black bag hidden between the nightstand and the bed.

Approaching it slowly, she bent down to pick it up and quickly looked inside. “There you are,” she said fondly, slipping her hand inside the bag to feel the silkiness of Harry’s invisibility cloak. “You never do leave home without it, do you Harry?” She asked aloud; she knew him too damn well.

She pulled the cloak from the bag, then shoved a folded up bathroom towel inside and replaced the bag where she had retrieved it from. She was so excited about putting her plan into motion that she didn’t hear the lock on the door unlatching until it was almost too late. She quickly pulled the cloak over her and backed into the furthest corner of the room. Harry walked in, looking flustered and obviously upset about something. The door slammed shut behind him and he dejectedly sat down on his bed.

But he was up in a second. "What the bloody hell am I going to do?" He asked aloud, pacing back and forth in a space of about five feet. If he wasn't careful, he was going to tie himself up into a pretzel. "This can't be happening. I don't feel like this about her, do I?" He paused, sat down, and then stood up again. "I can't be in love with her. I can't. No way...." And in typical Harry Potter fashion he ran his hand through his untidy black hair. "It didn't mean anything, right? It was just one night." He sighed deeply and rubbed his hands over his face.

And a morning, that annoying voice in his head interjected.

"Okay," he said standing still, "she's beautiful," he started pacing again, "brilliant, funny, a great friend," he closed his eyes and touched a finger to the sore spot on his throat that she had ravaged the night before, "and incredibly hot." He literally fell back on his bed this time and just laid there, lying his arm over his eyes, as if trying to shield himself from the truth.

Hermione stood absolutely still watching him. Her eyes widened in surprise as she watched his hand slowly slide down his broad chest and finally come to rest on the bulge between his thighs. I did that to him! Hermione thought excitedly. He gets hard just by thinking of me? And before she could stop it, a gasp escaped her lips. Harry stopped his self-ministrations and raised his head to look around the room. There was no one there, of course. Hermione closed her eyes against her rising panic, but when she opened them again, she could have sworn Harry was looking right at her. Hermione swallowed another gasp she felt rising in her throat. Does he know I'm here?

“Great. Now I’m bloody hearing her,” he said quietly, laying his head back down. Then a realization hit him. He looked down at where his other hand was resting. There was now a very prominent erection straining against his trousers and it was getting painfully uncomfortable as his hand continued to slowly work up and down over it. “Bloody hell,” he huffed, pulling his hand away and sitting up. Disgusted with himself, he got off the bed. “I’m acting like a ruddy teenager. Guess it’s time for another cold shower.”

Keeping her hand clamped tightly over her mouth to prevent any more sounds from escaping, Hermione watched as he pulled his shirt over his head and kicked his shoes off. As he was undoing his belt, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

As she heard him turn on the shower, a tiny part of her thought about going in and joining him. She actually had her hand on the handle but then thought better of it. As much as she wanted—needed-to be with him again, this was her chance to escape. Giving the bathroom door a longing look, she quickly ran to open the front door and slipped out into the hallway, making sure to close the door quietly. Once it was secured, she ran down the hall and got into the elevator, only then did she take the cloak off of her.

***********************************

The next morning when Hermione arrived at the studio, Harry was already there and ready to shoot. He was talking with the director in a very heated conversation. She stood by her chair smoothing out her wind-blown hair watching them intently. Harry was upset about something.

As he was making a point with the director, his eyes drifted away from the man in front of him and landed on Hermione. He stopped talking immediately, looked at the director and mouthed something like “thank you,” then turned and walked across the room. He sat in a chair wringing his hands nervously in his lap.

The director approached her and smiled. “Good morning, Miss Granger.”

“Good morning, Julio,” she said pleasantly. “Um, is Harry all right?”

Julio looked over at him. “Apparently he’s having women problems,” he chuckled, "and he’s not feeling very well today." Hermione felt a sense of victory, but at the same time, was silently cursing herself for putting him through all this. He was upset because of her. “Anyway, we’re going to shoot his scenes first, then he’s going to have the afternoon off.”

Hermione smiled. “That’s fine,” she said. “I don’t have much to do today either.”

Julio nodded. “In fact, you should both be done by lunchtime.”

Hermione nearly burst out laughing. Perfect. Done in time for lunch. Today is the day I put my plan into action. He will love me. “Thanks, Julio.” She sat down and crossed her legs as the director smiled and walked away from her. As she was glancing around the room looking for the make-up girl, she caught Harry staring at her. She gave him a gentle smile, but he looked away quickly.

Just keep playing at it, Harry, she thought. I heard you talking to yourself last night. Julio came out of another room and motioned to Harry. Without looking in her direction, her raven-haired friend—lover thank you very much whether or not he wants to admit it—stood up and walked purposefully into the second studio and disappeared behind the door. Yep. Just keep playing the confusion role, Harry. It does suit you, but you’re not that confused. You know exactly what you want. You’re just too afraid to go for it.

***************************************

12:30 finally arrived and both Harry and Hermione were excused after finishing their limited scenes for the day. Fortunately for Harry, none of their scenes had involved being with each other so he hadn’t had to face her. After getting his shooting schedule for next week, Harry quickly grabbed his jacket and hurried from the studio.

Little did he know that Hermione had already been excused, had her schedule, and was waiting for him just outside the studio door—hidden under his invisibility cloak. He quickly crossed the street, then stopped and looked around, presumably to see if she had spotted him. Poor deluded man. He has no idea what’s in store for him, she thought with a laugh.

Satisfied that Hermione hadn’t seen him leave, Harry relaxed a bit and walked down the sidewalk, hands stuffed in his pockets. His strides were long and determined; he was obviously in a hurry to get where he was going. Hermione had a bit of trouble keeping up with him. He was, after all, nearly a foot taller than her and she was trying to move under an invisibility cloak. And he was all legs. Strong, powerful legs that felt so good between.... Focus, Granger! Don’t lose him!

After following Harry for nearly two blocks, he finally disappeared inside a posh Italian restaurant. Hermione grinned. So this is where we’re going to play, uh? She had to wait for someone else to enter before she could slip inside. A very tall blonde woman was walking down the sidewalk towards her and to Hermione’s relief was going inside. She got as close to her as she could and followed her inside before the door closed behind her.

Once inside, Hermione silently made her way towards the dining area of the restaurant. You always did have excellent taste, Harry, she thought, impressed at his choice of restaurants for his date.

She stood off in a corner out of the traffic area where there was little to no chance she would be discovered. And she waited. She scanned the large dining room but hadn’t spotted Harry yet. Bloody hell! What if he went into the bar! She made to turn around and head towards the bar when she suddenly spotted him coming out of the men’s restroom at the back of the restaurant.

And then she watched him approach a corner booth where the same tall blonde woman she had followed inside stood up and greeted him with a kiss. So that’s Sandra! Isn’t that ironic? She let me in here, Harry! No wonder he’s never introduced her to me and Ron. She’s so not his type! What is he thinking?

They sat down across from each other in the booth and a waiter appeared immediately to take their drink orders. Hermione shrank back into the corner and waited for the right moment to make her move. A few minutes later the waiter brought their drinks and they sat talking quietly. When the waiter appeared again several minutes later to take their orders, they both waived him off; apparently, they were in no hurry to order. Good. More time to think about my plan.

The restaurant was filling quickly with a late lunch crowd. Hermione was actually feeling a bit nervous. If she was found out, there was no telling what trouble she could get in. Firstly, she was hiding under a magical cloak in Muggle London. Try explaining that one to the local bobbies! Second, if she was caught doing what she was going to do, she-and probably Harry, too-would get thrown in jail for indecent exposure or something! Third, there’s no telling how angry Harry could/would be! But she was willing to take the risk.

Harry and Sandra had finally ordered and as soon as the waiter disappeared, Sandra got up. Harry politely stood then sat back down as she walked away. Hermione watched her. She had a cigarette in her hand. She’ll be gone for at least five minutes. That’s enough time to get in position. She moved forward, carefully making her way between the tables towards Harry’s.

She stood not five feet away from him. You have no idea I’m here, do you, Harry? Well, that’ll change very soon. She backed against the wall beside the booth and waited. Patience was one of her strongest virtues. I’ve got all day, Mr. Potter. Sandra came back and when Harry stood up at her approach, he nearly brushed against Hermione. Dammit! Almost blew my cover! She stepped a few more feet away.

She stood absolutely still for the 30 or so minutes it took for them to eat their lunch. Sandra was done first and she again got up to smoke another cigarette. Harry didn’t rise this time. In fact, he looked quite agitated that she was even leaving to smoke. Just as I thought, Harry! She’s not your type!

Hermione watched her leave the restaurant and go outside. She took a deep breath and let it out quietly. Here we go. She got down on her knees and carefully crawled under the table, thankful that the table cloth hung nearly all the way down to the floor. Harry had his head back against the booth’s backrest so he hadn’t noticed it lift slightly when she snuck beneath it.

Once under the table, she was relieved to find that there was more room than she thought there would be. Hermione lifted the cloak off of her and smiled when she realized she was on her hands and knees with her face between Harry’s knees. Suddenly his foot moved and kicked her arm. She bit back the yelp and froze. Is he going to look under the table? After a few seconds when he didn’t move again, she surmised that he had just assumed he’d kicked the table leg and didn’t give it another thought.

Okay. No more wasting time. Time to go to work. Hermione got as close to him as she could without touching him, then slowly ran her hand up his left thigh. She felt him tense up. She could just imagine him opening his eyes and looking down in surprise. Did he know it was her? Did he know her touch? He bloody well better by now!

Her other hand moved up his right leg and when it came in contact with the soft bulge in his trousers she heard him inhale a sharp hiss. “Can I get you some dessert, sir?” She heard the waiter ask and she felt Harry's entire body stiffen even more.

She stopped her seduction momentarily for his sake. “Um, just coffee for now, please,” he said, his voice slightly trembling. She saw the waiter’s feet walking away and went back to rubbing him through his trousers. “Oh, bloody hell,” he whispered tightly.

As one hand continued to tease him, the other reached up further to find and pull down his zipper. She scooted closer between his legs and to her surprise he opened them for her, giving her better access. Thanks, Harry! Although she was quite sure it was his body’s automatic response to the stimulation it was receiving and nothing he did voluntarily.

Hermione slowly pulled the zipper down and pulled his trousers open. She heard a groan from above her when she reached inside his boxers and took him in her hand. "Why?" He asked hoarsely. "Why here?"

She smiled as she stroked him slowly, feeling his cock harden almost instantly in her hand. She wasn't about to answer that. She wanted to keep him guessing if she could. Was he even sure it was really her? Could have been just some nut fan of his. Merlin knows he had plenty of them. Even in Muggle London the girls seemed to know of Harry Potter. And even if they didn't know of his significance in the wizarding world, he was a very attractive man with stunning green eyes, a gorgeous bum, and charm that could sweep any girl off her feet. So yes, it could have been any of them.

Now completely hard, Harry's erection was right there for her. She scooted a bit closer and darted her tongue out to tease the head. "Oh, shit," he moaned above her, suddenly his hands appeared and were gripping the edges of the booth.

And without warning, she took the whole of him into her mouth, holding it as deep in her throat as she could. Harry let out a quiet yelp and she couldn't help but smile as she slowly pulled her mouth off him. She reached up and gently caressed his balls while she plunged her mouth onto him again. She swallowed him until she felt him at the back of her throat. She moaned softly and his body shook as the vibrations shot through his every nerve ending.

She pulled back all the way and ran her tongue up and down his length, sucking the head into her mouth and milking it hard, like she could pull his soul out of him through his hard-on. "Mione...." his voice was strangled and weak, his breathing hard and erratic.

She stopped and opened her eyes. Okay. He knows it's me. Good. She pulled back and took a deep breath, then kissed the tip of him. She noticed that his knuckles were turning white. "No...don't...." she heard him whisper down to her, "please...don't stop...."

Smiling, Hermione swallowed him again and after a few passes of her tongue along his length, she released his balls and began to stroke him with her hand, gripping it firmly while pumping him up and down. He was making noises that she hadn't heard the other night. Perhaps it was because he was trying to keep himself quiet. They were, after all, in a public place.

Suddenly, feet appeared beside the table, and another set of legs were sliding beneath it. "Harry, darling?" Sandra's voice was shrill and heavy, almost masculine sounding. Hermione stopped. She knew Harry was in a right state and was probably looking very peculiar at the moment. She removed her hand and sat still for a moment.

"Um, what?" He asked, his entire body jerking, either from the sudden absence of Hermione's warm, wet mouth on him, or the shock that his girlfriend had actually come back to the table while he was getting the most amazing blow job of his life.

Sandra looked at him oddly. "You look pale. Are you feeling all right?"

Harry took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly, attempting to calm himself down. He brought his hands back up to the table and reached for his coffee cup. "Fine," he said tightly, trying to keep his hand from shaking while he raised the cup to his lips.

Sandra eyed him suspiciously. "Harry, there’s something we need to discuss," she said flatly.

Harry bit his bottom lip as he felt the pressure of a hand return to his cock. I swear I am going to hex you, Granger! "Oh?" He asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Sure, Sandra! We can talk about anything you like! As long as you don't mind the fact that I'm getting a blow job from my best friend under the table as we speak!

Sandra sipped her coffee. "I'm breaking up with you, Harry," she said without preamble. She watched him carefully for a reaction. She got one, all right, but it wasn't what she was expecting. Harry had closed his eyes and was wringing his hands together so hard she was sure he was going to break them. "I'm sorry. It's just not working out. We're just not right for each other." Her voice was hesitant as she watched him curiously. With a great amount of effort, Harry opened his eyes to look at her, and the only thing he could do was nod. "You don't seem too upset about this."

"Um," he was starting to perspire now, "um, yeah. Um...su...sure. You're, ah, probably right." He fought down the groan he felt rising in his throat. You are SO dead, Granger! He bit down on his lip hard as he felt her mouth enveloping him again. She was sucking hard on him this time; he was quite sure she was trying to swallow him whole.

Sandra looked at him strangely. Giving him a soft smile, she rose from her seat. "I'm just going to use the ladies’ room. I'll be right back."

Harry just nodded and the minute she turned her back, he put his head back against the booth and choked back the groans in his throat. He was unsuccessful at keeping completely quiet, however, and a few people turned to look at him. He quickly smiled at them, then laid his head down on his arms. "Mione, please...." he whispered down to her. "I know...you...oh Merlin...can he...hear me."

After a second, and after the wet warmth had been so rudely taken away from him, he heard "what do you need, Harry?"

"You," he whispered hoarsely. "Please...just...fin...shit...finish...please."

No more words were needed. The warm wetness returned to him and after a few more strokes with her tongue and two more hard sucks, Harry exploded into her mouth. The glorious pain reverberated through every cell in his body and he jerked with spasms. His hands balled into fists beneath his head and his mouth closed tightly in a grimace as he tried desperately to conceal the vocalization of his rapture.

After what seemed like an eternity, his body began to relax as he felt the lethargic numbness of the after affects creeping over him. He felt like a pile of goo. All he wanted to do was drift off to sleep. He didn't even pay much mind to the fact that Hermione was still gently stroking him, and that she’d put his now-soft cock back into his trousers and zipped them up. "Thank you," he breathed softly.

He felt her hands give one of his legs a gentle squeeze then he heard "my pleasure." He smiled as he felt her presence moving away from him. He lifted his head and sat up straight, and looked around to see her. But she wasn't there. He carefully kicked his feet under the table but he felt nothing. She was gone. How the...oh bloody hell. My cloak. That means she must have been in my room. Oh, shit! Did she hear me last night? Did she...did she see me?

These horrific thoughts were pushed from his mind momentarily as Sandra approached the table, again looking at him oddly. As she sat down he grinned at her. "All right, Harry?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he said with relief, thankful that it was all over. I am going to kill her, I swear to Merlin. How could she do that to me? "I'm just not feeling very well." And the drowsy look on his face likely confirmed that fact.

"You do look a bit peaked," Sandra agreed. "Perhaps this movie thing has you working too hard."

He nodded. "Perhaps."

"Listen, about what I said...."

Harry held up a hand. "It's all right," he said calmly, "I'm not upset. And you're probably right. It wouldn't have worked. We're just not right for each other." What luck! I arranged this lunch to break up with her, and she beat me to it! Brilliant! Saved me the trouble…

Sandra nodded and looked down. "I have had a good time with you, don't get me wrong."

"Me, too."

She looked up at him and smiled. Looking at her watch, she gasped in surprise. "Oh, goodness. I'm late for an appointment. Here, let me get lunch...."

"Absolutely not," Harry said, refusing her money. "I've got it."

She smiled at him and then stood up. He stood with her, hoping to Merlin, or whatever higher power existed in the universe, that Hermione had cleaned and straightened him up properly. Sandra smiled coyly as she noticed a stain on his leg. "Looks like you spilled some soup," she said quietly. Harry felt his face flush. Now you really are going to get it, Mione. Thanks so much for humiliating me like this.

His anger was pushed to the back burner for the time being as Sandra stepped closer to him and put her hands on his shoulders. She leaned in for the last kiss they would ever share. "Take care of yourself."

He smiled. "You too. And good luck with your modeling. I hope it works out for you."

"Thanks. Good bye, Harry." She picked up her purse and turned her back to him, walking out of his life forever.

Once she was gone from view, Harry sat back down and picked up his napkin. He sat there silently staring off into space while the busboy came to clear away the remaining dishes. Then the waiter returned. "More coffee, sir?"

Harry shook his head and the waiter turned to leave. "Wait. You know what? Can you bring me a shot of whiskey, please?" The waiter jotted something down on his order pad. "You know what? Make it a double."

"Certainly, sir," the waiter said. "I will be right back with it."

Harry had balled up the napkin then threw it across the table. "Damn you, Hermione," he whispered tightly. "Why? What are you trying to prove? Was it so necessary for you to do this to me? Do you enjoy torturing me? Embarrassing me?"

"Sir?" The waiter had returned to the table with Harry's drink. How long has he been standing there? Harry wondered. He probably thinks I'm a nutter, talking to myself like this.

"Thanks," Harry said, emptying the glass in one gulp. The waiter stood by patiently, obviously having seen this type of behavior before. "Can I just have the check, please?"

"Certainly," the waiter replied, going through his book and pulling the correct receipt out. "I'll take this whenever you're ready, sir. Thank you for coming."

Harry had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Yeah, thanks! Great service you have here! Invisible girls that go crawling under tables and giving the patrons blow jobs. I'll have to recommend this place to all my mates! They'll love it! Instead he just replied, "thank you."

Merlin, how do I face her now after this? There's no way I can possibly look at her again. I'm such a bloody coward. He slowly got up and pulled out his billfold. He threw a couple large bills on the table to cover the lunch tab and tip and walked from the restaurant.

The minute he stepped outside into the fresh air, he felt even drowsier. He had to get some rest. His world had completely been turned upside down all in the space of four days. Between the stress of the movie shoot, the craziness of what he and Hermione had done, Ron's bachelor party tomorrow night, and then the wedding Saturday afternoon, he was going to go mad if he didn't get some sleep. Because sure as the world he wouldn't be getting any sleep this weekend.

Stepping into the street to cross it, he nearly got run down by a fast-approaching car. The driver honked his horn loudly as he passed. Startled, Harry jumped back to the curb and stood there. Imagine that, he thought bitterly, the bloody Boy Who Lived defeats the Dark Lord and becomes a hero, but gets killed by a Muggle vehicle. How funny would that be?

You are nutters. You need to get some sleep, mate.

Yeah, I'm working on that. Harry answered himself silently as he crossed the street quickly, and headed back in the direction of his hotel. Once in the elevator, he put his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. Ah, yes. An elevator. Such fond memories I have of elevators now.

He jerked himself out of his reverie when the elevator doors opened. He walked down the hall to his room, opened the door, slammed it shut behind him, and fell onto the bed, quickly falling into a deep, restful sleep. And it was then that the dreams came...hard and fast, Hermione whimpering beneath him, his eyes rolling in the back of his head, his cock sheathed in her tight wetness, her soft lips on his, his mouth full of her voluptuous breasts, her nipples hard against his tongue....

RING RING RING

Harry almost felt physical pain as the dream slipped away from him.

RING RING RING

As consciousness came back to him, Harry opened his eyes and looked around through the now-askew glasses that rested on the end of his nose. "The bloody phone...." He reached over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Harry?"

"Hi, Ron," he said, groggily.

"Hey, just checking to see how it was going, you know with the movie shoot and all. And, to make sure you're still coming tomorrow night. Have to have my best man there."

"Of course I'll be there," Harry said, checking his watch for the time. It's 8:30? Have I really been sleeping since 2:00? "I wouldn't miss it," he told Ron.

"Cool! How's the movie coming along?"

You wouldn't believe me if I told you. "It's fine. Sort of wish I hadn't done it, but you know. Can't back out now."

"Not fun?"

Harry grinned. Oh, it's fun all right. No one told me I’d get to shag my co-star! "Yeah, it's fun. Just not what I thought it would be I guess."

"Bummer. Hey, you've seen Hermione right?" Yeah, all of her in fact. "She hasn't answered any of Ginny's messages and she's starting to panic."

"She's been busy," Harry managed. Bloody hell, she's been busy. Ron, did you know that our best friend gives amazing blow jobs? Makes me wonder where she learnt it...maybe I don't want to know. "But I'm sure she hasn't forgotten anything. It'll be fine."

"I know. Luna is just beside herself with worry that nothing will go right."

"A bride's prerogative, I guess," Harry mused.

"Yeah. Hey, listen, speaking of brides, mine has just arrived so I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow night! Can't wait!!"

"See ya," Harry said, then hung up the receiver. He sighed heavily then sat up. His room was pitch black. He managed to find the light switch without bumping into anything and he squinted his eyes from the brightness. "Shower," he said, and then stopped. He scanned the room then thought how silly he was being. But I'm not. If she's here.... "Accio cloak," he said out loud. Nothing came to him. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and grinned. He shook his head at his own foolishness and smiled. "Thank Merlin we've got the day off tomorrow," he mumbled, "I really need to get it together before the bachelor party tomorrow night." Satisfied that he was really alone, he went into the bathroom to shower, locking the door behind him.

2. Chapter 2 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

Chapter 2

Harry no longer knew what to think, how to feel, or how to act. Hermione had consumed so much of him in the last few days that he couldn’t quite fathom any longer how to function without some conscious thought of her invading his mind.

He wanted to be angry with her for what she’d done to him during his lunch with Sandra. He never actually saw her because she was hiding under the invisibility cloak, but his lack of fear at the feel of her touch had been all the confirmation he’d needed. The moment her hands touched him under the table he knew it was her…no one else could burn him the way she could.

He’d tried all week to avoid her. He knew he wasn’t ready to give her what she needed or deserved. She wanted—she deserved—all of him and after all these years, he still didn’t know how much of him there was left to give. He wanted to talk to her and at the same he didn’t. He wanted to hold her and at the same time he didn’t. He vacillated back and forth to such great extremes that he literally could no longer tell whether he was coming or going.

He’d been reminded four times in the last two days that tonight was Ron’s bachelor party. If Harry wasn’t the best man he would’ve found a way to bow out. He needed seclusion. He needed to think. And damn it - he needed her.

He still didn’t know if it was love. It was definitely something…but love? He’d always loved her—that’s the one thing he knew for fact, but it’d never been the kind of love a man has for a woman. She’d been his best friend for ten years, and they’d seen damn near everything in all the time they’d been together. He’d never considered what they hadn’t seen…it had never seemed a viable option. Until now.

Sex with Hermione had been so far beyond anything he’d ever thought imaginable. If sex could get any better than it’d been the few times he’d had it with Hermione, he’d be envious of the guy having it. But there had to be more to it than just sex. He could see himself getting addicted to it with her and that’s what frightened him the most. He already longed to feel himself inside her again…to burn her with his kisses the way she did him…to trail is hands down the sensuous curves of her body…to make her cry out his name in ecstasy…to trace the line of her collarbone with his wet, hot tongue…DAMN IT Potter! It can’t be all about the sex!

But sex is a good starting point.

But it’s not enough!

Why not? You like it. She likes it. She hasn’t asked you for any more than you’re willing to give emotionally. Tell me what’s wrong with that.

She deserves more.

Why?

Harry froze for a moment as he contemplated the reasons why she deserved more. “There are too many reasons to list,” he answered aloud.

Try.

“Because there’s never been anyone like her,” he said.

Never?

“Never.”

What else?

“She’s always been there for me; even when I wasn’t there for her. She’s stood by me through everything. She fought back when I was angry, she never hid in the corner and she never backed down until she knew that I was ready to listen to reason. She’s been my rock. She’s…” he paused.

Yes?

“…been my everything,” he said quietly.

What now?

Harry fell heavily upon the bed and slammed his hands against the mattress. “I don’t know,” he said shaking his head slowly. “Damn it! What now?”

Do you love her?

“Yes…no…I don’t know,” he shouted, running his hands feverishly through his hair.

What do you know?

“She’s driving me in-bloody-sane,” he said sharply, articulating every syllable. “I’m talking to myself. I can’t think straight. She haunts my dreams. I can’t put two thoughts together without some tiny thing…the smell of her hair…the way she looks while she sleeps…the way her hair tickles my nose when she’s lying in my arms…”

You’ve got it bad.

“Bloody hell,” he said as he finally conceded victory to whomever it was that lived inside his head. “I can’t even win an argument with myself,” he muttered.

Who’s arguing?

Just shut it!

Harry glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Ron’s party would be starting in just a few hours. He set the alarm for one hour, placed his glasses on the table, and lay down on the bed with his arm across his eyes. It didn’t take long for sleep to overcome him.

“Harry, what are you doing?” she asked, her laughter filling the room with the light, airy sound of music.

“I’m dancing,” he replied with a serious look of concentration on his face.

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” she teased.

He stopped moving and placed his hands on his hips in mock frustration. “You know, if you don’t stop making fun of me, I’m not going to dance for you ever again,” he warned.

“Okay, Harry,” she replied, trying valiantly to refrain from giggling.

“Okay what, Hermione?” he asked. His eyebrows were raised in question as he stood in all his naked glory, staring at her with his penetrating green eyes. “Okay you’ll stop making fun of me or okay that I don’t dance ever again?”

“I’m not making fun of you Harry. I love to watch you dance,” she said rising from the bed. She stood before him and placed her hands on his hips. “But I love dancing with you even more,” she said provocatively as she slowly began to sway her hips back and forth.

Harry’s hands were at his sides and he stood stock still as he watched her, mesmerized by the sight of her fluid movements. Her eyes were locked with his as she began to move her arms, forcing his hips to move in time with hers. She rotated their hips in slow, small, languorous circles. She pulled him closer and his hands went automatically to her hips. He exerted little pressure on her as he set her pace…their bodies gently bumping against each other as their hips began to rotate in larger circles. Harry raised one hand to the side of her head. She closed her eyes and nuzzled his hand as their bodies continued the dance without them. He watched her closely. He could see the longing in the lines of her face and in the way her eyes closed as she moved her head slowly against his palm.

Without opening her eyes she licked her lips and turned her head to kiss his palm. The kiss was followed by an affectionate nip with her teeth. Harry felt the affects of it throughout the entire length of his body before it settled in his knees and he stumbled slightly. She opened her eyes and turned slowly to face him, her smile seducing him…making him forget everything but her and the feelings she aroused in him. He waited, briefly, for a sign from her. This was her dance now…he was merely a willing participant.

Once more she pulled him closer until his hips were flush against her torso. He could feel his erection against her lower stomach and the increased intensity of her movements. Swing it left…Swing it right…Circle left…Circle right…

Every now and then her breasts would rub against his ribs causing her nipples to harden further with each contact. Her hands remained on his hips with an occasional detour to squeeze his arse. The hand he had on her hip had moved lower to knead the soft skin between her hip and her arse. Up and down his hand went as he slowly, gently massaged her. The hand he’d placed behind her head was massaging her with a little more intensity. The more she moved her head or licked her lips or breathed heavily of the air around them, which caused her chest to rise higher against him, the more intense the kneading became.

His breathing was becoming shallow and deep breaths had become a thing of the past as he watched her. She was swaying in his arms, her eyes closed and her head back, resting heavily against hand. The arm near her hip gave an involuntary lurch and she stumbled slightly when he pulled her nearer, forcing her instantly back to reality.

She raised her head and opened her eyes, looking longingly at his lips. Without raising her head her eyes traveled upward to meet his, seeking his permission. She licked her lips in anticipation as she stared into his eyes. He nodded nearly imperceptibly and pulled her to him. Just before their lips met, he licked his own. The effect of his wet, hot lips against hers caused her to stumble against him once more. Her knees were weak and she wrapped her arms around him, spreading her palms against arse.

The intensity of the kiss grew exponentially in a matter of seconds until they were leaning against each other for support. He moved his hand from her hip to the middle of her back where he continued his ministrations. The hand on her head pulled her harder against him. Together they opened themselves up to each other. Their tongues caught in the dance their bodies had been in only a moment ago. Hermione released his lips with a loud, gasping sigh and placed her lips against his collarbone. She quickly kissed her way up his collarbone and his neck to the base of his ear where she stopped and briefly suckled his earlobe. “Sweet Merlin that feels good,” he breathed heavily. She smiled against his ear and kissed her way along his jaw line until she reached his chin. She pulled her head back and looked into his eyes, heavy with desire. He pulled her head once more and claimed her lips in a desperate, fiery kiss. He grabbed handfuls of her hair and let it cascade from his fingers, occasionally he pulled her tighter against him to deepen the kiss.

He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her away from him gently. She was breathing heavily, her eyelids nearly closed from the weight of desire, and her parted lips were red and swollen. Slowly she raised her questioning eyes from his lips until they locked with his. He leaned down to within an inch of her and kissed her cheek on his way to her ear. She could feel his hot breath as it trailed along her cheek and settled in her ear as he whispered, “Are you ready?”

Her body collapsed against his as his words weakened her limbs. “Yes,” she replied breathlessly, “take me.”

In one swift movement he picked her up and carried her limp body to the bed. He laid her down gently then walked to the end of the bed and stood watching her. Her body was trembling with need for him. Without the warmth of his body she shivered, and as she watched him stand above her a small, soft whimper escaped her.

He looked at her as though he were contemplating where to start. His eyes slowly traveled the length of her body and again she shivered, although this time she remained silent.

Harry knelt down on the floor and grabbed her foot in both his hands. He gently massaged it and planted a kiss on each of her toes before he moved to the next foot and did the same. Hermione’s back was arched and she was holding tightly to the blanket as the sensations he was causing traveled up her body. Next he placed his tongue at the top of her foot and slowly slid it upward until he reached her knee, while his hands massaged along the same path up the back of her calf. Her body was his and she was at his mercy. He followed the same pattern with her other leg.

When he finished, he spread her legs and kneeled between them on the bed. Gently he raised one leg and placed a kiss behind her knee. Her sharp intake of breath and the moan that escaped her confirmed for him that he was providing her with the pleasure he’d wanted for her. He lowered her leg and turned slightly to raise the other. He placed a kiss behind her knee and followed it with a light trailing of his fingers down the length of her thigh. She bucked at the feel of his touch on her arse. He lowered her leg and placed a hand on each thigh and slowly, intensely, kneaded his way up until his thumbs met near her throbbing core. Her body trembled uncontrollably and she moaned louder. “Please,” she begged breathlessly.

Harry placed his forearms beneath her knees and spread her legs further apart until she lay wide open before him. Her hands still clutched the blanket tightly. She alternated between raising her head to look at him and slamming it back down against the bed as the effort became too much for her to bear. He lowered his head and kissed each of her inner thighs in turn and her legs quivered uncontrollably against his face. She was on the brink of coming and he hadn’t yet touched any of her more sensitive places.

His hands were still under her thighs and he raised his arms until her thighs and arse rested heavily atop them; his hands next to her sides. He straightened his legs and lowered his head until his mouth came in contact with her aching, wanting sex. He kissed and licked and suckled her for only a brief moment before she grabbed his hands and held on tightly as wave after wave, pulse after pulse of her orgasm screamed through her. Her body was trembling uncontrollably and Harry licked and suckled her harder and faster as her cries echoed throughout room. At last her hold on his hands loosened and she lay spent against the mattress, the occasional shudder causing the muscles in her thighs to contract.

Harry pulled his arms from beneath her and crawled up her body. He shifted his weight to one side of her and lay down heavily against her so he could watch her. Her face was flush and her breathing. He smiled gently at her and raised his hand to caress her cheek.

He’d never forget the look in her eyes. Pure ecstasy…bliss…contentment…love.

She opened her mouth to speak, “Harry that was…”

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

“What?” Harry yelled. “It was what?”

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Harry began to struggle against imaginary bindings as the image of him and Hermione began to fade away. “Wait!” he yelled, trying desperately to cling to whatever piece of it he could. “What the hell is that?” He placed his hands to his ears in an attempt to block out the offending noise. Unable to do so, he flung his arms out and immediately felt the contact with the alarm clock. The sound of it banging against the wall finally brought him out of the dream, and back into the harsh reality of a lonely hotel room.

He lay staring at the ceiling for a moment as the last vestiges of his beautiful dream slipped away from him. Slowly he swung his feet over the side of the bed as he rolled around sideways, his back still against the mattress. He began to sit up slowly when he felt the raging hard-on pressing tightly against pants. He looked down and saw a small, wet stain on his trousers.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered, still not fully recovered from his dream haze. He wiped his hands over his trousers in disgust, then stood up and pulled his clothes off on the way to the shower. I need a good, cold shower right about now anyway, he thought as he pulled back the shower curtain and turned the water to freezing.

He needed to hurry if he was going to make it to Ron’s bachelor party on time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had had a long tiring day. She’d finally returned to her hotel room where she’d received a desperate message from Luna practically pleading with her to dance at Ron’s bachelor party because she didn’t want other women ‘tempting her man’. Hermione had to laugh at that. Ron was cute, but hey…he was no Harry Potter.

Her heart sank briefly at the thought of Harry as she sat down heavily on the bed. What she’d done the day before may have been a bit extreme, but sometimes desperate times called for desperate measures. She certainly hadn’t intended to embarrass him. She’d only wanted to *remind* him…or at least that’s what she insisted upon telling herself. Truth be told, after the first time in the elevator, she needed to feel him again. She’d been finding herself longing more and more for the taste of him—any taste. His lips, his skin, his cock…it didn’t matter. All of it lingered in her memory and she nearly salivated whenever she thought about it.

She’d been dreaming about him more than she ever had. She’d been in love with him for at least the last four years, and he’d been a part of her dreams long before she’d ever realized she was in love.

At the time, Hermione had reluctantly sent a reply to Luna, accepting the request for her to dance. Now, as she thought about it, she realized it must have been fate intervening with their lives. Luna didn’t want strange women tempting her man and neither did Hermione. Oh, Harry may not be her man in the ‘let’s be together always’ sort of way that Ron was Luna’s, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to just hand him over to some floozy either. She was convinced that Harry was just as in love with her as she was with him, but he was, after all, still a man. After what’d happened with him the day before when she could’ve been anyone under that table, she wasn’t about to take any unnecessary chances. Oh yes, she’d dance…better than she ever had in her life.

Initially the reason she’d said yes was because Luna had told her that Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati had agreed to do it as well. She laughed now because she could clearly picture Luna telling each of the girls that the others had already agreed so that none of them would hesitate to say yes! No worries. She’d be there to watch Harry and for that she owed Luna big time.

The girls were to meet in a few hours in one of the rooms of Malfoy Manor to get ready. Apparently there was a seldom used side entrance where they would be entering unseen by the all the young gentlemen in attendance. Hermione had no idea what kind of costumes they were wearing or anything else. She only knew she had to be there by 7:00 because they were dancing at 9:00. Two hours to get ready? She sighed. What on earth does she have planned for us?

Of the guys, only Draco knew the truth of where the girls were coming from. Ordinarily that would've been left up to Harry since he's the best man; however, with Harry away shooting the movie, the party preparations had been left up to the others. Luna had told her in the message that Draco thought the guys’ reactions to discovering who the dancers were would be a ‘superb way to get a little light-hearted revenge on those Gryffindor gits’.

Hermione smiled at the thought of having the party at Malfoy Manor. It wasn’t long ago that Ron would’ve rather hexed himself into oblivion then to have anything to do with Draco Malfoy. But something happened with Draco about a year after they’d left Hogwarts. Something none of them had been able to explain or to thoroughly understand. It was right around the time that Ginny completed school. Her final year had done amazing things for her socially and mentally…as well as physically. She was quite stunning and well-liked by many. To the best of everyone’s knowledge, none of this went unnoticed by Draco Malfoy. He’d always sought the best and he’d gone after Ginny with a vengeance. When he realized that she wouldn’t give a man like him the time of day no matter how much money he had or how luxuriously he could spoil her, he decided to become a different man. His transformation was slow in coming, but somewhere along the way Ginny realized how much he really did love her and she helped him to become the Draco Malfoy they all enjoyed today. He was gracious and unselfish most of the time but most importantly, he took amazing care of Ginny. Realizing that a leopard can’t truly change his spots, he wasn’t totally trusted by everyone in the Weasley family—or by Harry—but he was well on his way to being.

When he and Ginny became an official couple, Draco began his new quest to marry her. Hermione remembered clearly the day that they were all gathered at The Burrow and Draco had asked yet again. Ginny put her hand in the air with her fingers splayed. “Five years Draco. Five,” she’d said with a patient, affectionate air. “I don’t want to get married until we’ve been together five years. I’ve told you that.” Draco smiled and pulled her into his arms and loud enough for all of them to hear he said, “It doesn’t mean I’ll stop asking.”

That was a little over a year ago and Ginny was still holding firm although they did practically live together at Malfoy Manor. It was the reason the bachelor party was being held there. Draco and Ginny both wanted the family to understand, and to see, just how happy they were. Hermione was glad for it since it meant she wouldn’t have to dance in any place public. In this more private setting, although surrounded by friends, she could relax a little more and have fun with it.

She jumped up from the bed, suddenly feeling restless and excited. I wonder what Harry would do if I went to see him, she wondered. “I do need to return his cloak.”

She had a couple of hours to kill before she had to jump in the cab to The Leaky Cauldron. From there she would apparate to Malfoy Manor. She grabbed Harry’s cloak, folded it neatly, then placed it in a bag and proceeded out the door. She wasn’t sure when Harry had to leave to make it on time to the party, but she was sincerely hoping he’d be there when she knocked on his door.

Why didn’t they just put us up in the same place? She wondered frustratingly as she walked the distance to Harry’s hotel. Damn low budget movies anyway! For the most part it didn’t take long; the studio where they were filming was placed strategically between the two hotels. Hermione vaguely remembered the director mumbling something about how dangerous it was to have co-stars spending too much time together. He liked to keep his actors apart outside the set as much as possible. The separation builds up sexual tension, or some such nonsense…build that up anymore and that movie set is likely to explode, she thought with a laugh.

She entered his hotel and headed straight for the elevator and the 6th floor. As she was stepping out she caught sight of Harry closing the door to his room and heading toward her. His head was down and he didn’t see her standing there. He looked delicious in his snug fitting black jeans and dark gray shirt. The sight of his well-sculpted shoulders, the outline of his chest, and the narrowing of his hips nearly took her breath away as he walked toward her with long, purposeful strides. His messy black hair had seemed to get more unruly through the years and her fingers twitched as she yearned to run them through the luxurious softness.

She shook her head and managed to pull herself out of her Harry-induced stupor. “Hi Harry,” she said in as calm a voice as she could manage considering she wanted to jump on him right then and there. Harry stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her, momentarily lost for words. Hermione held up the bag and said, “I wanted to return this.” Her face was flush and her head and eyes slightly downcast as she held the bag up to him.

“Oh,” he paused to clear his throat, “um…hi…uh thanks,” he stammered reaching to take the bag from her. Like hers, his cheeks were flush as memories of the last time that cloak was used flashed through his mind. He started to turn to walk away from her before he realized he should say something else. He turned his head back to look at her standing close to the elevator door with her head down, like a child who’d just been punished. A part of him wanted to go to her but he knew there was no time, so he said, “I’d um…I’d ask you in but…um…” he paused and laughed nervously, “but…uh…I really have to…have to get going. Ron’s um…Ron’s bachelor party is tonight and if I don’t leave soon I’ll be late,” he hurriedly finished.

Hermione smiled inwardly, oh yes, Harry, she thought, I know all about that bachelor party tonight. She cleared her throat before she replied. “Oh, well um, all right then. No worries. I’ll just um,” she pointed toward the elevator, “I’ll just go back to my hotel then. Have fun, Harry,” she added before she pressed the down button on the elevator.

“Well, all right then,” he said sounding relieved. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

Hermione nodded and offered him a half-smile. She turned to face the elevator doors and watched him from the corner of her eye. I’ll be seeing you much sooner than you think Harry. You can count on it!

3. Chapter 3 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

Chapter 3

Hermione returned to her hotel room feeling more restless then she had before she’d left for Harry’s. She quickly surmised that she’d drive herself crazy if she sat around any longer waiting for the time to come for her to leave. She walked back out and decided to take the stairs from the 8th floor down to the lobby in hopes of relieving some of her pent up anxiety.

She got to the bottom floor and opened the door abruptly. Not feeling as though the stairs had done her the least bit of good, she quickly walked toward the front of the hotel, checked that she had money for a taxi as well as her wand, and then walked briskly out the door.

It was normally a twenty minute cab ride to the area near The Leaky Cauldron. She didn’t want to sit in a cab quite yet either so she headed off in the direction of the wizarding establishment. She tried to take deep, calming breaths as she walked, clearing her mind of the task before her. She had no idea what was going on really. She didn’t know what her costume would be, or whether things were going to be choreographed, or if they would dance by themselves, or if they’d do their own thing but with all of them together. The more she thought about how much she didn’t know, the more anxious she got about it.

She’d walked about three miles before she realized that her pace had quickened and she was beginning to tire. No point wearing myself out too much before I get there, she thought as she stopped and looked around for a cab. Much to her amazement it only took a couple of minutes for a cab to appear. She gave the address and sat back for the ten minute ride. Once there, she paid the fare and jumped out of the cab almost immediately when it rolled to a stop. “Thank you,” she called out quickly, dismissing the driver with a wave.

Once the cab was gone, she entered The Leaky Cauldron and apparated, without preamble, to Malfoy Manor. Upon arrival she was immediately ushered to the side entrance by an old sneering house elf. His expression was a remarkable impression of the one she remembered seeing on Draco’s face for the seven years they were at Hogwarts and she laughed out loud at the comparison. The house elf looked at her oddly then led her down a long, quiet hallway and pointed her toward a room on the right. He never spoke and Hermione decided it was probably for the best, so she didn’t question him as she walked the remaining steps and entered the room.

The moment she entered she could feel the excitement in the air. Hermione had shown up a half an hour early and all of the other girls were already there, along with Luna.

Ginny ran up to her and hugged her tightly the moment she heard the door close. “You made it!” she squealed. “Isn’t this exciting?”

“Uh…yeah,” Hermione stammered, taken completely off guard. She looked at Ginny and immediately smiled as the younger girl’s energy and excitement seemed to seep through to her. She nodded her head, her eyes shining and replied, “Yes! It is exciting. I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“Well I still can’t believe you’re making that movie,” Lavender said laughing as she approached them and pulled Hermione into a hug.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it,” she muttered, laughing with her. “This is so wonderful, I haven’t seen you guys in so long.” She walked forward to give Parvati a hug and then looked woefully at Luna who was smiling brightly and looking quite of this world. She stepped toward her and gave her a huge hug. “I have something to tell you one of these days,” she whispered in Luna’s ear.

Luna pulled back and looked at her questioningly. Hermione nodded her head and blushed slightly. Luna tilted her head and stared at her a moment longer. “Very soon I hope,” Hermione answered the girl’s silent question.

Luna nodded and raised her arms to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you girls for agreeing to do this. I know it won’t be easy, but I will be forever indebted to each of you. A few of you have a guy out there of your own so I’m sure you understand how I feel about all of this.”

Everyone, including Hermione, nodded their head in agreement. Then, realizing what she’d done, Hermione quickly caught herself and looked around at the other girls. Ginny and Luna were both watching her questioningly and she merely shrugged her shoulders and raised an eyebrow. “Caught up in the moment,” she muttered softly.

Ginny watched her closely for another second then cleared her throat. “Okay, Draco got the costumes we’ll be wearing for the evening. He’s the only one who’ll know who we are although he’ll not recognize you because he doesn’t know who’s wearing what costume. The costumes are charmed so the person wearing them is unrecognizable to others. UNLESS,” she emphasized, “you want them to know it’s you. Which is how we’ll be able to recognize each other once we’re dressed.” She pointed to a large bed about 15 feet away from them and they all walked over to find the costumes spread out beautifully atop the blankets.

“Take your pick,” Ginny said, grabbing the bunny costume from the bed. “This is the one Draco picked specifically for me,” she explained.

Luna picked up the lion costume, Parvati picked up the cat costume, and Lavender picked up the tiger. The material covering their legs and arms was see-thru in the colors of the animals they’d chosen. The main body of each costume was a two piece bikini with a thin stretch of the same clear material covering their stomachs. The costumes covered their entire bodies but managed to leave very little to the imagination. To top it off, each costume had a tail. “Once you’re dressed, we’ll pull your hair back into a slick ponytail and sprinkle glitter into it that will play against the lights Draco has set up on the stage,” Luna said.

“Then we’ll do makeup and a little easy choreography and we’ll be ready,” Ginny finished.

Hermione walked over to Ginny and touched her shoulder. “Uh, Ginny?” she asked. “Where’s my costume? There aren’t anymore.”

Ginny smiled brilliantly at her and looked around at the other girls who were openly smirking. “You know Hermione,” Ginny said conspiratorially, placing her arm around Hermione’s shoulders, “since you’re the only one without a guy out there, we have something special for you.”

Hermione’s hands began to wring nervously as she felt, more than saw, the other girls closing in around her.

“You know what would be really funny,” Lavender piped in, a little too enthusiastically. Hermione felt a nervous twitch in her stomach as she realized she was being set up. She shook her head nervously from side to side. “I think you should dance for someone out there. You know, someone in particular. Anyone really,” she added nonchalantly.

“Like Seamus,” Parvati said eagerly.

Ginny shook her head. “Seamus would start sweating so badly and his accent would get so heavy that he wouldn’t even be able to understand himself,” she said.

The other girls began to laugh while Hermione stood frozen where she stood.

“What about Neville?”

“No, he might pee on himself,” Lavender said laughing. “No offense to Neville, but he’s not exactly the type of guy who would react well to a lap dance.”

“Harry,” Luna volunteered from somewhere behind the small crowd gathered around Hermione. The girls all turned to look at her and stepped back a little as Luna stepped forward. She stared right into Hermione’s eyes. “How about Harry?”

The other girls quickly agreed. “Yeah, Hermione,” Lavender said loudly. “We dare you to give Harry a lap dance.”

“Come on guys,” Hermione said in mild protest. Truthfully, she thought the idea was brilliant, especially knowing that Harry wouldn’t be able to recognize her. “I can’t give Harry a lap dance. He has a girlfriend. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Not according to Ron,” Luna interjected. “They broke up yesterday.”

Hermione looked at her in surprise. Maybe I should’ve hung around a little longer yesterday, she thought. “Well…I….” she stammered.

“There’s no point in protesting too much Hermione,” Ginny interrupted. “There’s really no excuse not to do it. Unless of course, there’s some other reason why you don’t want to do it? Is there something you’re not telling us?” she inquired.

“No,” Hermione answered quickly. “I don’t have any excuses or reasons. I’ll do it.” All of the girls exchanged knowing glances and Hermione looked at them all suspiciously. “Why do I have the feeling this is all a setup?” she asked to no one in particular.

Ginny placed a hand on her shoulder and winked. “Never Hermione,” she said with a chuckle. “We’d never set you up on purpose.”

“Hmph!” Hermione muttered. “So where’s my costume?”

Ginny walked over to a closet next to the bed and pulled down a long black robe with a high collar. It looked like something Hermione had seen vampires wear in the old movies her mum used to watch.

She stared at it in disgust. “What is that thing supposed to be?” she asked hesitantly.

“This is just the cover,” Ginny answered amiably.

Hermione eyed her suspiciously, almost afraid to ask the next question. “For what?”

“For this.”

Hermione’s eyes went wide and she gasped. Her hands went instinctively to cover her mouth and she began to giggle uncontrollably. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she somehow managed to choke out between hysterics.

Ginny smiled wide. “Nope.”

“You want me to give Harry a lap dance wearing that?” she asked, still totally bewildered.

“He won’t recognize you Hermione,” Ginny said trying to reassure her.

She looked at Ginny with wide eyes. “Are you sure? What about Draco?”

“I told Draco that Luna would be wearing it to dance for Ron. So, since he’ll be expecting to see her in it, he won’t recognize you,” she said firmly. “Trust me. The only woman Draco Malfoy will be recognizing out there is me.”

Hermione laughed and slowly nodded her head. She’d lost the battle and she had no choice but to concede victory to the girls surrounding her…although she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this had been planned from the beginning. “All right.”

All the girls screamed and together threw their arms around her in a tight embrace.

“I can’t believe it,” Lavender squealed. “Hermione-Bookworm-Granger giving Harry The-Boy-Who-Lived Potter a lap dance! Thanks Luna.”

Luna looked at her in surprise. “For what?”

“For allowing me to be here for this,” Lavender replied as though answering the most stupid question she’d ever been asked.

The other girls laughed and Luna raised her hand and brushed them all aside. “Sure,” she said as she walked away smiling.

The girls got ready quickly after Hermione finally agreed to wear the outfit Ginny had specifically picked out for her.

“Okay, this is how the stage is set up,” Ginny said pointing to an area on the floor around them. For the next 45 minutes they practiced the opening part of the act. They would start out with a short routine and after that they’d be on their own.

Hermione was shaking with nervous anticipation. “Ginny?” she called to her friend.

“What is it?” Ginny asked, rubbing Hermione’s shoulders in an effort to help calm her nerves.

“Are you sure he won’t know it’s me?” she asked nervously.

“Not unless you want him to,” Ginny confirmed. “Since you and Harry haven’t been intimate, I doubt that anything you do will make him recognize you. You have nothing to worry about, I promise. No one will know it’s you. Why do you think I’m doing this? I’m Ron’s sister, Hermione. How many sisters do you know who dance at their brother’s bachelor party?”

Hermione looked at her questioningly. “What do you mean, ‘since Harry and I haven’t been intimate’?” she asked, ignoring Ginny’s question and suddenly feeling anxious.

“Well, think about it Hermione. If you and Harry were intimate and you did something to him that maybe only you’ve done, he’s likely to get a clue, don’t you think?”

Hermione nodded slowly as she tried to process this new information. I really need to be careful out there!

“You have nothing to worry about. Won’t it be neat though to see how he reacts to you?” Ginny asked. “You know, he may not recognize you as Hermione but however he reacts, he’s still reacting to you. Only he won’t know it! Sounds kind of cruel doesn’t it?” she added with a whisper and a devilish grin.

“Yeah,” Hermione replied distractedly, “cruel.” He’s not going to know it’s me. I can do anything I want to him and he won’t recognize me. This could be a great time to tell whether or not he really is in love with me or if he’ll latch on to anything that comes his way. This could get really interesting!

A few moments later the girls were ushered out to stand behind the stage where they would be performing the first part of their act. The entire act came together surprisingly well and there was nervous excitement crackling in the air.

The four girls stepped up to their places and Hermione followed behind to hers. A large black curtain surrounded the stage and the girls giggled nervously one last time before they heard Draco speak.

“All right all you horny blokes,” Draco began. “Now is the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Everyone settle down in those seats,” he said pointing to a long row of chairs lined up around the stage. “The two in the middle are for Potter and Weaslebee,” he added quickly. “And now, gentlemen, prepare to be entertained.”

Everyone sat down quickly and stared eagerly at the stage. The room went dark and Draco pulled the curtain back slowly. The stage was dark and the silhouette of at least four girls could barely be seen by the faint light that shone from behind the row of men. The stage was round and Lavender, Ginny, Parvati, and Luna were lined up around the front with Hermione standing alone in the middle and to the back. They were holding onto poles and the circles they stood on rotated individually around the stage. With the push of a button the stage could rotate all the way around as well.

Together the four girls in front raised their arms and dropped them simultaneously. Brilliant colored lights, like fireworks, lit the dance floor. Together they raised their heads and looked out at the audience as the colors faded and the stage turned dark once more. The lone figure in the middle of the stage raised her arms and abruptly dropped them causing fluorescent lights to light the stage, bathing each of the five figures in their own personal spotlight. The girls in front rotated around their poles and kicked their legs high into the air, giving the men a small taste of what was to come. The boys hooted and hollered until the figure in the middle raised her arms and abruptly dropped them once more. The stage went completely dark and silently rotated until the lone girl standing in the center back was now standing at the front. She raised her head and a spotlight shined down on her. She was dressed in the black cape with the high collar, her face the only visible flesh.

She stood there silently, her eyes focused on the man sitting directly in front of her. Harry shifted in his seat though his eyes never left hers.

“Get on with it,” Seamus shouted from a few seats away.

Hermione shook her head and took a deep breath. She raised her arms in front of her, the cloak rising with her. She threw her arms apart and the cloak flew to the back of her body, the clasp at her throat keeping it from falling to the floor. A collective gasp filled the room as her body was displayed for all to see. She was the seductress. She wore a tight, black leather bustier and tight, short leather bottoms. Unlike the others, she’d been left bare. Nothing covered her legs, torso, or arms. She wore high-heeled, calf-length leather boots and a leather collar. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and attached to her hip was a leather whip. Shouts and whistles echoed around the room. She reached up to unclasp the cloak and pulled it magnificently around to the front of her. She eyed Harry once more and whipped it toward him. Without removing his eyes from hers he caught it and pulled it onto his lap.

Ron smiled and clapped him on the shoulder while a few others protested, shouting, “he’s not the guest of honor!” And “What’s going on here? Why’s she looking at Harry? This is Ron’s night!”

Ron stood up briefly and told them to all pipe down. It wasn’t like he cared if this woman wanted Harry. He had Luna after all. Hermione smiled as she thought about how wonderful Luna must be feeling at that moment. She’d have to remember to kiss Ron later for that.

Hermione raised her arms again and the rest of the stage lit up. As she dropped her arms the poles disappeared to be replaced by barstools which appeared next to each of the girls. They placed their hands on them and turned in slow, sensuous in circles, their arses high in the air. The men began their hooting and hollering again.

The dance routine went on for about ten more minutes then the stage went black again. Next, a dim trail of lights lit the stage down the center and across the floor to where Harry sat. Hermione walked onto the stage and followed the trail until she stood before him. She grabbed the cloak and flung it unceremoniously across the room. Slow, seductive music began to play loudly, the bass pulsating around the room. She placed a booted foot on his chair between his legs. At that moment the other girls entered and began to dance seductively around the other men as Hermione concentrated solely on the man before her.

She stomped down on his chair to ensure she had his attention. When she was sure she did, she inched her foot forward until it made contact with his crotch. She smiled provocatively as she lowered her foot to the floor and raised her arms into the air. She slowly lowered her body as she swayed her hips from side to side with the rhythm of the music. When she was nearly eye level with him she leaned forward to shake her breasts.

Harry felt himself begin to grow hard almost instantly. He’d always kind of prided himself on his self-control but there was something about this girl that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He’d only discovered in the last few days that there was one woman—only one—who could make him lose his self control before he even realized he needed it. Hermione. He watched the woman before him closely and although he could see no visible sign that the woman was Hermione, he couldn’t keep himself from wondering.

Knees still bent she turned herself around and began rotating her hips again slowly, seductively as she raised herself up. Without realizing what he was doing, Harry reached up and placed his hand on her arse. For a moment she was taken aback. She was confident that he didn’t recognize her and she couldn’t believe that he would actually touch a stranger in that way just because she was dancing was for him. She turned back around and strutted purposefully behind his chair, determined to find out just how far he’d go. She ran her fingers through his hair and trusted that if he didn’t recognize her looks, he wouldn’t recognize her voice. “What do you want?” she whispered.

Harry turned his head back towards her, his hot breath tickling the side of her neck. “What do you have to offer?” he whispered back. He reached up and touched her face and she instantly closed her eyes at the feel of the gentle contact.

Her heart spoke before her mind had a chance to register her words. “Everything you’ll ever need,” she replied softly.

“Dance for me,” he said hoarsely. She hadn’t done anything yet…not really. But still the passion burned in him. She leaned forward and closed her eyes, gently touching his lips with hers. Tears filled the corner of her eyes as he tried desperately to pull her closer and deepen the kiss. He doesn’t even know it’s me! She thought angrily. All right Mr. Potter, you want me to dance? I’ll dance.

Still enjoying the feeling of his hand against her cheek and his lips pressed to hers, she reluctantly pulled away from him. Before she stood, she looked into his desire-filled eyes and resolved to make him suffer for it.

“Give me your hands,” she said demanded softly. “Down here.” She pressed her hands against his arse and for reasons unknown he gave them to her. She pulled the whip from her hip and tied his hands behind his back. His cock twitched at the anticipation of what was to come. He was sure now that it was her and as far as he was concerned, she could torture him all she wanted. He’d just have to be sure she didn’t find out he knew the truth until it was over. He could just imagine her jealousy and he began to smile as he anticipated the sex that was sure to come later when she thought she’d have to prove to him that she’s the one he’s wanted all along. Oh yes, Hermione, let’s do this.

When she finished tying him up she stood behind him and raked her fingers down his chest and roughly over his nipples. His body convulsed of its own accord. She nibbled on his earlobe then ran her finger down the side of his cheek as she moved back to the front of him.

“Do you like what you see?” she asked.

“More than you know,” he replied.

She raised her eyebrows at him and started to rub her hands across her stomach and down her thighs as she began to dance once more. Harry licked his lips when her hand ran slowly up between her legs and up her stomach until it reached her breasts. She moved forward, straddled his lap, and pressed up against him as she continued the slow movements of her hips. Harry laid his head back and sighed heavily. His breath coming in short gasps as she reached around behind him to rub his back and as much of his arse as she could reach. Her breasts were in his face and he nipped at the place where they swelled above the bustier. Harry began to fight at the whip that held his hands, desperate to feel her skin, to rub his hands all over her body. To take her right there in that semi-darkened room. He didn’t care that all of their friends were there or that none of them would recognize this sexy seductress as Hermione. They’d all think he’d gone mad…and in all honesty, that wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Hermione found that sensitive spot at the base of his throat and began to suckle it until Harry was worked into a frenzy. Anxious to get out of his bindings, he closed his eyes and concentrated as much of his magical ability as he could into breaking them. When at last his hands were free he grabbed her. His hands were on her back, pushing her shorts down slightly as his hands searched for the soft flesh of her arse. Unable to get his hands as far as he would have liked, he moved them to the front and teased her hardened nipples through the bustier. She threw her head back and moaned loudly as the sensations coursed through her and settled in her core.

She pressed harder against his erection, desperate for any feel of him. She needed him inside her. She took his hand and placed it between her legs and began rubbing it back and forth across her clit. He grabbed her head forcefully and pulled her into a burning, searing kiss as his hand rubbed her harder and harder through the leather shorts. She moaned into his mouth as she moved her arse up and down with the rhythm he’d set with his hand. Harry halted his movements when he felt something…something different. Slowly he moved his fingers back and forth between her legs until he found it again. The shorts she was wearing had a zipper that ran from halfway up the back to halfway up the front. Frantically he reached for the end and slowly he unzipped it, freeing her, opening her to his touch. His fingers entered her immediately and she cried out against his shoulder. By now she’d forgotten all about being angry with him for going so far with a stranger and gave herself over to him completely.

“Ah!” she cried in ecstasy. She began pumping up and down against his fingers and her head fell back, exposing the skin on her chest. Harry kissed the silky smoothness of her breasts where they swelled through the top of the bustier. He nipped and licked and kissed every part of her that his mouth could reach and she writhed against him in pure ecstasy…their friends long since forgotten.

Her orgasm was coming fast and she leaned forward into his shoulder as the first wave hit her. Harry pumped her harder and she bit his shoulder to keep from screaming too loudly. He could feel the vibration of her screams against his shoulder and through his arms, down his chest and stomach until it settled in his already throbbing cock.

“Oh my God, Hermione,” he whispered unthinkingly.

She raised her head and looked questioningly into his eyes. The smile that dawned on her face hit him square in the heart. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him with the most passionate, intense, fiery, unforgettable kiss imaginable.

When she finally stopped clenching around his fingers, he slowly pulled them out of her and zipped her shorts carefully. He wanted to take her right there. It would be so easy to unzip his pants and slide right into her. But he didn’t. He gathered every ounce of self control that he could muster and made sure the zipper on her shorts was closed all the way. He placed his still wet fingers against her chest then licked behind them, unable to control his desire to taste her. He put his fingers in the air and looked at her questioningly. She smiled then sucked them into her mouth, much like she had his erection only the day before. He knew the power of that mouth and although they were his fingers, he couldn’t help but to be envious on behalf of his cock.

Hermione moaned as she tasted herself on his fingers. She sucked his fingers into her mouth once more while she stared deliberately into his eyes. She released him with a little bite to his fingertips then their mouths crashed together in a Hermione-flavored, endorphin-inducing kiss.

Reluctantly they pulled away. “That was quite a performance,” he whispered next to her ear.

“It’s too bad it has to be the last,” she whispered back miserably. She stood up from his lap and walked away quickly.

She practically ran back to the room she’d been taken to upon arrival. When she got inside she slammed the door and leaned heavily against it. She placed her hands over her face and slid down the door until she landed with a thump on the floor. “Ow!” she groaned, leaning forward so she could rub her back. “Bare skin on wood…not too bright there Hermione.”

She folded her legs against her stomach and laid her head down on them with her hands crossed at her ankles. She began banging her head against her knees. “Stupid,” she muttered. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”

She raised her head and intentionally banged it against the door. “I’m getting myself in too deep,” she said aloud to herself. “God I love him. All I want is to be with him. I don’t know how he knew it was me, but do I really want this to be all about sex if he can’t offer me more?” She banged her head against the door again then dropped it heavily to her knees. She raised her hands to her hair and yanked out the elastic holding her ponytail and threw it as hard as she could across the room. She put her hands back to her hair and fluffed it out. She hated the feel of it plastered to her head that way. She abruptly stood up and grabbed her clothes. There was a shower in the room and she was determined to use it before she left. She wondered briefly what would happen to leather if she were to take it in the shower with her. She was pretty sure she couldn’t return it to Ginny in its current state.

She shrugged her shoulders and headed for the shower. She turned on the water and the moment she stepped into the tub her body fell limply against the shower wall. She didn’t cry. There were no tears to be shed for anything that had happened. If nothing else, Hermione Granger was tough. She’d never cry out of self pity and right now there was no one else to blame for what she was feeling. If for only a moment, the feel of the water pelting softly against her skin soothed her spirit. She stood up tall and resolved herself, for now, to whatever fate had in store for her. She loved Harry and she realized now that the dangerous games she’d begun could potentially be her own undoing. Trying to ‘make’ Harry want her was the wrong way to go about things, and it was time to take a big step back and put some distance between them.

**************************************************************

Hermione stood in the doorway and looked back at the costume she laid neatly upon the bed. Her smile was tender as she thought about Harry and the way she'd walked away from him. They either needed to talk or she needed to find the strength to walk away before she got in any deeper. She could no longer bear to think their relationship would work on only a physical level. She needed more.

She stepped through the door with tears stinging the corners of her eyes and closed it softly behind her.

"Hermione," Harry said quietly from where he stood barely an arm's length away.

Hermione looked up in surprise. "Harry, I..."

He didn't wait for her to finish. He stepped forward quickly and grasped her hand. "Hermione, don't," he said tenderly. He placed his hand gently against her cheek and pulled her close.

She tried half-heartedly to pull away from him. So much of her wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and lose herself in all that he had to offer…no matter how little it might be. The logical part of her, the part she needed to listen to now, told her that if she allowed herself to get lost in him this time, there was a chance she'd never make it back. "Harry I can't do this," she said firmly, determined to put some distance between them before it was too late.

She raised her hand to pull his away from her cheek. She looked into his eyes and he could see the heartbreak...and an overwhelming sense of guilt swept through him. Why do I feel guilty, he wondered. She started this. She put us on this path.

But do you want to stay on this path? His inner voice questioned.

Yes! Harry thought after only a brief moment’s hesitation. He grabbed Hermione and before she could react he pulled her into a fiery kiss.

He wasn't prepared to tell her he loved her, but he wanted her to feel through his touch, through his kiss, that he wanted to try. That he wanted to be more than just her friend.

She fought against him and he pulled her in tighter and deepened his kiss.

Hermione moaned and for a brief moment relinquished herself to him...as the world around them disappeared.

4. Chapter 4 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

Chapter 4

The world disappeared when Harry apparated them from Malfoy Manor. When they "landed", they fell to the floor, Harry coming to rest on top of her. As he moved to kiss her again, Hermione pushed up on his chest and he rolled off her, falling to the floor with a thud. "What?!?" He demanded, thoroughly confused. Had we not just been going at it? Didn't she want it? After that dance, it sure as hell seemed like it!

Hermione took several deep breaths while she paced back and forth before him. "We need to talk, Harry."

He got up quickly and wrapped his arms around her, needing to taste her again, needing to feel her softness in his arms. "Later," he breathed into her face as his lips barely brushed against hers before she pushed him away again.

"I mean it!" she shouted at him. "And besides, I think after the cold-shoulder treatment you've been throwing my way since Monday, I think you deserve a bit of it yourself. I need to step back and assess this."

"We're not bloody potions experiments, Mione!" he said desperately, his hands aching to touch her, his throbbing erection needing to be sheathed inside of her. "What's to assess anyway? You want me, I want you," he stated confidently. "Why does this have to be so bloody complicated?"

"Because it is!" She exclaimed. "Look. We're not going anywhere else with this," she waved her hand between them, "until we talk about it." She looked deep into his eyes. "I have to know where we're going from here. I have to know what there is between us." Her voice was quiet, almost meek. This was something that was going to change the rest of her life, and in typical Hermione Granger fashion, she needed to examine it from every angle.

Harry looked into her eyes and realized she wasn't going to back down. His erection was getting painful, but it was clear to him that there would be no release anytime soon. His shoulders slumped in defeat. He had conceded...as usual. "Fine. So let's talk."

She nodded, grateful that he was understanding. "Let's go back to my hotel." Harry smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but her cold gaze shut him up. "And we'll talk in the bar."

He rolled his eyes, but just nodded. Ugh! I'm going to explode if she keeps yanking my chain like this! Then again, her yanking my chain is exactly what I need right now! He held out his hand towards the door. "After you."

She straightened her dress, then walked from the room. Curious glances were cast their way as they came down the rickety stairs into the main lounge area of the Leaky Caldron, but they said nothing to no one. They quickly went outside where Harry hailed a cab.

*******************************

“The Holiday Inn on High Street, please,” Hermione said quietly to the cabbie as Harry climbed into the cab after her.

“Yes, ma’am.” The driver replied and started the cab off down the street.

Harry noticed that Hermione was sitting as far away from him as she could. He frowned. This is not good. “What’s the matter?” He asked quietly.

She wouldn’t look at him. Instead, she just shook her head in a “we’ll talk later” gesture.

Harry sighed and looked out at the passing London streets. The pressure in his groin had subsided quite a bit, but he was still terribly uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat and tried to inconspicuously adjust himself. Ah, that’s better. Well, not really, but I’ll have to deal with it, won’t I?

He looked over at her and studied her profile. She looked so sad. Ever since this situation had started Monday, she had had the look of a woman overcome with lust and desire…and love. Where was it now though? All of those emotions he had seen on her beautiful face were gone. And he knew was the cause, at least indirectly. Isn’t it always my fault? “Mione?” She sighed, and then looked at him. He returned her gaze, then scooted a bit closer to her. He rested his hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. “What is it?”

She looked down at his hand where it was now slowly stroking the inside of her knee and then back up at him. Without answering him, she looked back out the window. Harry sighed and removed his hand. He scooted back across the seat and looked outside again. This talk is not going to go well.

*******************************

Hermione was already walking into the hotel by the time Harry had paid the driver. He ran up the sidewalk and had to pull the door open, which had already shut behind her. “Wait up,” he said running up behind her. As they walked into the bar, they were a bit unnerved that it was so full. Then again, no one would look twice at them as they blended into the crowd. The bartender looked up at them and politely nodded. “You want a drink?” Harry asked into her ear.

“Yes, please. Something strong,” she said without looking at him, and went off to select the booth in the farthest corner.

Harry pursed his lips. “Okay,” he said, then approached the bar. “Hi. Can I have two double shots of whiskey, please?” The bartender nodded and turned away. Harry faced away from the bar, resting his back against it. He studied Hermione sitting in the booth on the far side of the room. She had her cheek resting in her hand. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Here you are, sir.”

Harry turned back to the bar and threw a large bill down to cover their tab. “Keep the change for now. We’ll probably want more.”

“Very good, sir,” the bartender said, taking the bill.

Harry took the two glasses to the booth and slid in across from her. “Here you go,” he said, setting a glass down in front of her.

“Thank you,” she said, downing it quickly.

“Hey, take it easy,” Harry warned, concerned. Hermione had never been one to drink, much less throw back a double shot like she’d been doing it for years. He, however, had done that on several occasions. The first few times he’d done it, it had been to dull the emptiness he felt after Voldemort was defeated. His destiny had been fulfilled. Great. Wonderful. What had there been for him then? What was he supposed to do with the rest of his life? He hadn’t thought he’d ever live long enough to figure something out for a future. Fire whiskey had been a wonderful means of escape for a while. Then it had become a habit, and Harry had forced himself to stop turning to it for comfort.

Then when he entered the dating game, drinking every now and then was a way to numb the pain of a broken relationship. And he’d had several of them. So he knew exactly that look in Hermione’s eyes now. He’d had it himself before. But to see it in those beautiful brown orbs unsettled him.

She shook her head. “I need it to get through this.”

Harry scowled at her. “Is talking to me that difficult?” She looked up at him and he gave her a gentle smile. “It didn’t used to be.”

“Yeah, well,” she began quietly, “’used to be’ doesn’t exactly qualify here, does it?”

Harry took a sip of his drink and sat back, his arms lying out across the back of the booth. “We’re still friends, aren’t we?”

This question took her by surprise. Were they still friends? “Are we?” She was desperately afraid of his answer. Having had him had fulfilled her inner-most desires, but in doing so, they had crossed that damned line. The line that had been drawn for them years ago by some unseen force—be it destiny or fate or whatever—that neither one of them acknowledged, but it was there nonetheless.

Harry frowned at her response. “I’d like to think so,” he said quietly, his eyes not leaving hers.

She looked down at the napkin she now found scrunched up in her hand. “But now?” She hesitated, her voice cracking as if she was on the verge of crying. She was unsure if she was really ready to truly open her heart to him. But hadn’t she already done that…through her actions more than words? She had told him the first night they were together that she loved him. But his response, even though she had said she was happy with whatever she could get, had vexed her and pierced her heart the second he’d said it. It affected her so much, she had thought about little else all week. He hadn’t responded to her words the way she had hoped, so every time they’d been together since had been simply from some intense need of hers to try to show him that she loved him.

It was not until tonight as she danced for him that the thought of him only participating in these trysts with her had been for merely physical pleasure. She hadn’t let herself think of that possibility…that Harry would only be interested in sex and nothing else from her. But the reality of it had hit her hard when he had gotten her off during the party. She finished the dancing feeling used and dirty and ashamed. She had thrown herself into this full force, hoping to get him to want and need and love her as much as she did him. But it appeared now that it was backfiring because all he seemed to want and need and love was sex with her….

“Hermione?”

She blinked at the sound of her name and looked up at him. “Sorry.”

He sat up and reached across the table, gently resting his hand atop hers, slowly moving his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand. She refused to feel the shivers that ran up and down her back. His touch was fire. It was like lighting a match to a candle wick. He burned her. She slowly removed her hand from beneath his and frowned. “We have to stop this, Harry,” she said quietly, the bitterness of the words striking her in the heart as if someone had thrown the killing curse at her.

Harry felt the color drain from his face. He really thought he’d heard her wrong. “What? Why?” He was confused. “I thought this is what you wanted.”

“Yes,” she looked up at him, “it is.” The desperation in her eyes was like a physical thing Harry could reach out and touch. It made his stomach tighten. “But this isn’t just about me,” she continued. “It’s about you, too. About us.” Harry just looked at her, hoping she would go on because his mouth felt like it couldn’t form any coherent words at the moment.

Hermione suddenly reached forward and grabbed his hand, holding onto it for dear life. She felt frantic, like if she let go of him now, she’d lose him forever. This was it. This was the ultimate crossroads for them. This night, this conversation would shape their relationship—in whatever form it took after this—for the rest of their lives.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I need,” she swallowed, feeling her throat going dry, “I need to know what you’ve gotten out of all this, Harry.”

Harry couldn’t believe she had just asked that. What had he gotten out of this? That was easy! The most incredible sex of his life! Feelings of rapture he never knew existed. Yeah, but that’s not the answer she’s looking for, you dolt! “Um….”

She closed her eyes. “Look,” she said quietly, looking at him again. “I have to know,” her eyes bore into his, “was it just sex? Did it mean anything to you at all?’

“Of course it did,” he said firmly before he had chance to even formulate his response. His brain seemed to be on automatic pilot. Or maybe it was that irritating inner-voice thing answering for him. Because if it was left up to him, he’d be answering with his head…and not only the one that sat atop his neck. His heart needed to answer now, and if that meant that he let that aggravating inner-self speak for him, than so be it.

His eyes lowered and he grinned timidly. “It meant more to me than you’ll ever know, Mione.” He shrugged. Oh, here come the insecurity issues. “I never dreamed that you’d ever want me like this. That you’d ever look at me as more than your friend.”

Is he really saying what I think he is? “Harry….”

He held up his hand to silence her. “Remember what I told you that first night?” She nodded silently. “I still feel that way, I truly do. I’m just,” he paused, letting out a shaky breath, “I can’t say it. Not yet. I’m just not ready.”

She looked down to hide the tears filling her eyes. He really did love her. Now she knew it without a doubt. She knew of his insecurities about love and closeness and tenderness and emotions better than anyone. He had been denied all of it for so long, that when he had finally been free to let himself experience it all, it terrified him. The thought that he wasn’t worthy of love and affection was always foremost in his mind when he was in relationships. That’s why they never lasted. This one was no different. But, it was. This wasn’t just a casual relationship. This was a relationship that could forever change his life.

That’s what he was facing right now. The barriers of fear and insecurity had to be breached before he could make the commitment to her with those three little words. She felt he was close, but she was also afraid that she may have pushed him too far too fast. And if that was the case, she would never forgive herself.

Hurting Harry was something that Hermione would not tolerate. Anyone who dared hurt him would have her to answer to…including herself. She just prayed that wasn’t the case with him now. She hoped that what all this had done was to let her get close enough to him that he was ready to allow her into his heart, to protect it, to nurture it. To keep it safe forever.

Seeing his look of panic, she scooted in the booth to sit beside him and put her hand on his face gently, pulling it around so he was looking at her. “Tell me what you want,” she whispered. "I'll give you whatever it is you need. Space, time to think, anything you want. Just…"

"Us," Harry said quietly, interrupting her.

"What?" she asked softly, praying she'd heard him right.

"Us," he repeated. "I want us."

"Us?" she questioned once again. Her mind seemed to have stopped functioning the moment he said it the first time, and she was having trouble believing what she thought she was hearing.

"I want to give us a try," he said as he closed his eyes and laid his forehead gently against hers.

Hermione felt like her heart was going to jump right out of her chest. If that isn’t an admission of his love, then I don’t know what else it could be! The smile she gave him reached her eyes and tears were building up—she wasn’t going to stop them. “Me, too,” she whispered.

Harry smiled, relief washing over him. He never took his eyes from hers as she leaned closer to place a gentle kiss on his lips. When she pulled back, both of them had tears in their eyes. “You do realize what this means, don’t you?” he asked. She shook her head. He smiled, brushing some hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. “It means you will be the girlfriend of the bloody Boy Who Lived.” She smiled. “Think you can handle the pressure?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said quietly, gently tracing his bottom lips with a finger. “That’s an awful lot of pressure to put on a girl.”

Harry chuckled. “I’m quite sure the extraordinary Hermione Jane Granger can handle it.” She felt herself blush at his compliment. “We’ll have to make sure Rita Skeeter gets an exclusive. I know how much you love talking with her.”

Hermione huffed. “Oh, please,” she said, leaning against his shoulder as he put his arm around her, pulling her close. “She’d better make sure her broom is in good working order.”

“Why is that?” Harry asked, his hand slowly trailing up and down her arm.

“Cause if she gets within 1,000 light years of you I’ll have to hex her. And it won’t be pretty.”

Harry had to laugh. The very last person he wanted to see was Rita Skeeter. Although, it could be quite fun to watch Hermione hex her a time or two. A devilish twinkle entered his eye as he looked at her. "So," he said raising his eyebrows seductively, "when do I get to see that aggressive side of you again? I have to say I like that take-charge attitude of yours, Granger."

Hermione chuckled softly as her eyes dropped to gaze at his lips. "Oh, do you now?" she asked, raising her eyes and moving her lips closer to his.

His heart started beating wildly as he looked into her eyes. He smiled, further closing the distance between her lips and his. "Yeah," he said as he licked his lips. "Yeah, I do."

She grinned, her eyes still focused on his lips. Harry sighed and she looked up at his eyes. “What?”

“I’m having a thought here,” he said, kissing her forehead.

“Oh? Should I move back?” she asked, laughing and scooting back from him playfully.

“No,” he said, grabbing her and pulling her even closer. He looked down at her and grinned slyly. It was a grin that sent shivers up and down her spine and made that aching warmth settle between her legs. “I’m thinking that we really need to go upstairs and discuss this ‘you and me thing’ further.”

She grinned, then reached up and kissed him quickly. She scooted around the booth, then stood up and grabbed her purse. He just sat there with a silly grin on his face, wondering what she was doing. She leaned closer to him, making sure he got a good shot of her cleavage. “I’ll race you,” she whispered, leaning in as if for another kiss. Instead, she caught his bottom lip gently between her teeth and gave it a tug as she pulled back slowly. Then she turned and walked swiftly out of the bar towards the elevators.

Harry chuckled and stood quickly, trying to keep himself from literally running after her. She was walking into their elevator and the doors were closing just as he skidded to a stop in front of it. He shoved his hand between the closing doors and they automatically opened again, allowing him to enter the lift.

He pushed the “door close” button and turned towards her, advancing on her as a lion approaches its prey. “Why, Mr. Potter. What do you think you’re doing?” she teased as he slowly began to press her body into the wall.

“I’m testing out this ‘you and me thing’,” he said, bending down to place a kiss on the side of her mouth, followed by wet kisses on her throat.

“Oh,” she breathed, her body shuddering with anticipation. This time, the sex they were about to share would be different. A lot different. It wouldn’t have any of the doubt and “we can’t do this” feeling to it. Now it was just about them. She closed her eyes as she felt his lips against her neck, nipping gently at the skin over her collarbone. “And how is that working out for you then?” Her leg came up on its own and wrapped around his hip.

Harry ran his flattened hands down her arms, then moved them to her waist, pulling himself tighter against her. “Very…well…thank you,” he said between kisses.

Just as the elevator reached another floor, it slowed and stopped. The car beeped just before the doors opened. Someone was getting on. Harry pulled away from her and stood beside her. As the doors opened, Harry and Hermione saw an elderly couple standing there.

“It’s going up, dear,” the old lady said to her husband, pointing to the light on the outside of the elevator indicating that the car was going up, and in the wrong direction.

“So we’ll go for a ride,” the old man said, pulling his wife into the car behind him. Harry and Hermione shared a frustrated glance as the doors closed and the car began to move upwards again.

Harry scooted along the wall towards her and took her hand, holding it tightly, giving it a little squeeze. She smiled up at him. The old man turned around and looked at them both. He had noticed their flushed faces when he and his wife got on. He raised an eyebrow at Harry, then grinned. Harry just grinned back.

Finally, the car stopped at the 8th floor and the doors opened. “Excuse us, please,” Hermione said to the elderly couple and she and Harry stepped around them. As Harry stepped out of the car, he caught the old man’s eyes. He winked just as the doors closed.

Harry turned toward Hermione and he couldn’t withhold the chuckle that escaped him after seeing the older man’s wink.

She couldn’t resist laughing with him as she looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “What are you laughing at?” she chuckled.

Harry pointed toward the elevator. “That old man,” he said shaking his head. He laughed a little louder and looked at her with a look of total amusement. “He just winked at me.”

Hermione looked at the elevator in surprise. “Are you kidding me?”

“No,” he said grabbing her by the waist and pulling her in the direction of her room.

“How funny,” she chuckled as she stumbled after him with one last amused look at the elevator.

“He obviously knows I can’t keep my hands off you,” Harry said near her ear as they reached her door. “This ‘you and me’ thing is about to get really, really good.”

5. Chapter 5 - It Can't Be All About Sex, Can It?

A/N: Well, we've made it to the end of Part 2!! Hope it's lived up to everyone's expectations. Thank you all SO much for the wonderful reviews!! It's very inspiring!!

Be sure to join us for Part 3, It's Not Rocket Science. The first chapter will be posted Wednesday with a new chapter every other day, just as it is now.

Time for some shameless promotion! For all who might be interested, Make Like Strangers has a Yahoo Group that you are all welcome to join. Here we will post occasional glimpses into upcoming chapters and give you the opportunity to vote on future stories. The site is new but we are working on building it up. Any recommendations are most welcome. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makelikestrangers. We hope to see some, if not all, of you there! Thanks for your continued support!

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Chapter 5

She took the keycard from her pocket and opened the door quickly. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her through the door as she giggled and struggled against him. “Put me down before you hurt us both,” she said through her laughter.

“If you'd stop struggling against me you wouldn't have anything to worry about,” he replied laughing with her. She instantly stopped struggling and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pushed the door closed with his foot. The minute the door closed she tossed her keycard to the floor and turned her head to kiss him. He slowly released her legs and held tight to her as her body slid down the length of his until her feet touched the floor; their lips never parting.

The feel of her body pressed against his as she slid down him was enough to start the fire in him burning. How is it I never knew it could be like this? He wondered.

He withdrew from her kiss and searched her eyes. “What is it, Harry?” she asked softly, worry etched into the fabric of her words.

“I just,” he began as he contemplated how best to formulate his words.

“What?”

He raised his hand to her hair and dropped it to her cheek and then her chin. He raised her head and studied her face. “I just don't understand how I didn't see this before,” he replied in quiet awe. “How could I not know it could be like this?”

Hermione smiled tenderly and placed her hand to his cheek and gently caressed his face. “You of all people should understand that not all good things are shown to us right away, Harry,” she said softly. “They say that good things come to those who wait. Well, I've been waiting a very long time. Your time just came a little later, that's all. All that really matters is that you're here with me now.”

Harry looked at her questioningly. “How long have you known?”

“Forever,” she replied softly as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest.

Harry's heart leapt in his chest and he sighed deeply as he put his arms around her and hugged her close. “I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner,” he said with a hint of regret in his voice.

She looked up at him and to his surprise, she laughed. “It wasn't our time yet, Harry,” she said reassuringly. “Don't ever be sorry.”

Harry laughed back softly. “I don't suppose you'll ever let me be, will you?” he said raising his eyebrows at her playfully.

“No way,” she replied flirting back. “And one of these days I'm even going to get you to admit you love me,” she added matter-of-factly.

“You think so, Granger?” he asked.

“I know so, Potter” she replied confidently.

“We'll just have to see about that won't we?” he dared.

She raised her eyebrows and her eyes shone brightly. “Is that a challenge, Mr. Potter?”

“Take it how you want it, Miss Granger.”

“You have so asked for it,” she said shaking her head in warning.

“Bring it on,” he challenged with a determined grin.

Hermione stepped closer to him and pulled him down into a deep, penetrating kiss that shot through every nerve cell in his body. Holy shit, he thought in a brief moment of lucidity, I am in so much trouble.

“I think you're wearing too many clothes, Mr. Potter,” she said sulkily, tut-tutting as she began to pull his shirt from the waist of his pants. “Nope, this will never do,” she added as she pushed it up roughly over his head. Her hands headed straight for the buckle on his belt so she could rid him of his perfect snug-in-all-the-right-places black jeans. Harry watched her hands at work as he kicked off his shoes and pushed them to the side with his foot. She deftly undid the buckle on his belt and before he knew it his button and zipper were undone and his pants hung open. She put her hands on his hips and started to push his pants down when he stopped her. She looked up, silently questioning him.

“My turn,” he stated gruffly as his hands sought the buttons on her shirt. He started with the top button and slowly worked his way down, caressing her through her shirt and bra as his fingers reached the buttons at her breasts. Her sharp intake of breath at the touch of his fingers over her now hard nipples caused a stirring in his boxers. He pulled the front of her shirt from her pants as his fingers trailed down the row of buttons. The front now undone, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed it caressingly down her arms until it hung from the waist of her pants. He reached for the buckle of her belt and in a matter of seconds had it undone and pulled from its holdings.

She raised her eyebrows. “Done this before, have you?” she teased.

“Never when it mattered,” he replied looking into her eyes.

She bit her bottom lip as his eyes penetrated hers.

His hands worked their magic on the button of her pants and before she knew it her shirt fell to the floor and her pants were down around her ankles. She stepped forward out of them and her shoes simultaneously. She placed her hands back on his hips and pushed his jeans down to the floor. He stepped backward out of them and kicked them to the side without ever taking his eyes off her. She reached behind her and unsnapped her bra, lowering it slowly down her shoulders and arms as she watched him watching her. She dropped it to the floor and kicked it aside. She placed her fingers in the strings of her barely-there g-string and pushed it down as she swayed her hips back and forth rhythmically. As she reached her calves she pulled down her socks and removed them together. When she finished she stood before him naked, vulnerable, and aching with desire, her body trembling in anticipation.

Harry simply stood and stared at her. Unable to believe he was there with her and unwilling to believe that he'd been so stupid as to let this pass him by for so long. The things she did to him with just a look absolutely amazed him. It just didn't seem possible that for all these years she'd never melted him this way before.

Hermione watched him staring openly at her and a part of her felt nervous at the intensity with which he did it. She needed to do something to bring him out of his apparent daze so she stepped forward and placed her hands on his lower back, sliding them down over his bum, taking his boxers with her. She pushed them down and he instinctively stepped sideways out them, taking her with him.

“Harry, you want to leave those on?” she asked pointing toward the floor.

Harry shook his head to clear his mind and looked down at where she was pointing. His black socks stood out in dark contrast to his lightly tanned skin. He smiled at her and shook his head before he reached down to remove them. Before he could stand up all the way again she pushed him in the direction of the bed.

“I believe you set forth a challenge, Mr. Potter,” she said as she continued to push him. He stumbled backward until he bumped against the bed and fell with his back against the mattress. She stepped forward quickly to stand between his legs…he found himself completely at the mercy of Miss Hermione Jane Granger, best-friend and seductress extraordinaire. “I intend to meet that challenge,” she added looking intently into his eyes as her fingernails grazed up the length of his thighs.

Harry was rendered speechless as his body reacted violently to the feel of her touch. Every cell in his body screamed for more. He tried to reach up to touch her and she playfully smacked his hands and shook her head. “Uh-uh,” she said quietly, “no touching.”

“But…” he stammered in protest. She shook her head and leaned forward to place her finger on his lips. Reluctantly he nodded and kissed her finger, trying to draw it into his mouth.

She smiled teasingly and stood above him once again. With the tips of her fingers she traced the lines of the muscles on his stomach. It clenched beneath her touch and she smiled, relishing in the power she had over him. “Scoot up,” she told him as she pushed his knees forward. Harry slid his body onto the bed and Hermione crawled between his legs. She kissed her way up the inside of his thigh until she reached the base of his cock. She made sure her hair brushed across the top of his erection as she moved to the other side to kiss her way up his other thigh. He hissed as he drew a shallow, ragged breath through his teeth. His arms ached as he fought against the urge to reach for her.

She teased his belly button with her tongue, then licked down the small trail of hair that descended south to where he anxiously awaited the feel of any part of her surrounding him, sheathing him in hot, delicious wetness. She stopped before her lips reached his erection. Without raising her head she raised her eyes to look at him, gauging his reaction. His eyes were closed as he anticipated the feel of her mouth around his cock. Too easy, she thought, smiling wickedly.

She straddled his hips and slid up and down along his length, being sure not to allow him entrance. She leaned forward and caught his nipple between her teeth and gently pulled it upward.

“Hermione,” he hissed.

“Something wrong, Harry?” she asked with wide, innocent eyes.

“Do something,” he said, his voice coming out in another hiss.

She leaned forward and captured his lips roughly. Immediately their tongues sought each other and the frenzied way they moved together caused their breaths to quickly become short and ragged.

Hermione pulled away from him and immediately set to kissing and suckling the tender spot on his collarbone she'd found the first time they'd been together. Harry's breaths shortened drastically and he grasped the blanket tightly beneath him as he fought hard against his urge to grab her and pull her tighter against him. “Please,” he begged.

Hermione stopped her ministrations on her favorite spot so she could look at him. His eyes were pleading with her to offer him some form of release. She smiled as she realized he was exactly where she wanted him to be. “Okay, Harry,” she said softly as she slowly backed down his body until he could feel her hot breath on his erection. She kissed the tip and ran her tongue one time up his length before she released him and climbed back up to capture his lips. “Hermione please,” he pleaded against her lips, “you're killing me.”

When he opened his mouth she sucked his tongue into hers and he moaned loudly. His chest began to heave against her. She pulled away and stood above him with her feet on either side of his hips. “What do you want Harry?” she asked looking down on him.

“You,” he whispered hoarsely. “Anything. Just please…” his words faltered as he tried to catch a breath, “please make it soon.”

Hermione put her fingers to her clit and slowly pressed against it, rubbing it in hard, fast circles above him. “Sweet Merlin,” he whispered breathlessly, his eyes wide open in disbelief at what she was doing to herself. She bent her knees and squatted above him giving him a better view of her self ministrations.

“You like that?” she asked, her own voice husky with desire.

“Yes,” he replied heavily. “Let me touch you. Let me do that.”

She shook her head. “Not yet,” she replied as she lowered herself to where her sweet, hot opening lay just against the tip of his erection. Slowly she lowered herself until she was sheathed all around him. She rose up slightly then slowly lowered herself once again.

“Faster, Hermione,” he begged. “Oh dear god…”

"Say you love me, Harry," she said unrelentingly, as she slowly buried his erection deep within her and ground against him in an agonizingly slow, teasing rhythm. Back and forth, up and down, she moved in the same slow, painful cadence.

Harry was panting heavily and beads of sweat were dripping endlessly from his forehead. "Not...not yet, Her...Hermione," he breathed heavily.

"Come on, Harry," she urged. "It's just three little words."

"NYUH!" Harry screamed, biting his lip as she ground harder against him, moving her arse in slow, sensuous circles. "Bloody…hell woman. NYUHH! oh...my...ohmygod...ohmygodohmygod...Her...mione.....AHH!"

"What's wrong, Harry?" she asked grinning mercilessly.

"Hermione please," he begged hoarsely. "You're killing me." He tried bucking his hips to force her to quicken the pace.

Hermione raised her finger and shook it slowly back and forth, keeping time with her head, telling him without words that she was in charge and that she would not allow the pace to quicken until she was ready—and she was nowhere near ready.

“Wha…” he croaked, “whaddya…OHMYGOD Hermione…whaddyawantfromme? PLEASE,” he nearly screamed.

“You know what I want Harry,” she said. Slowly, precisely, deliberately she allowed him deeper access. Her arse was bumping and grinding against his balls and she leaned backwards onto her hands to allow him a better view of what was happening. He watched as she slowly slid upward to expose more of his cock then back down as she appeared to swallow him whole. It was the most erotic sight he'd ever seen. For a moment he forgot about the torturous feeling as he watched in silent fascination the way her body swallowed him again and again.

Hermione's eyes were closed and she was biting the tip of her tongue as she rode him. Her breasts were begging to be touched, her flat stomach begged for the caress of his tongue. He could see the bottom of her ribs and he imagined himself licking and nibbling along its curve and up to the valley between her breasts. He wanted to reach for her but his body felt spent from all the wondrous torture she'd been inflicting. Unable to reach her waist he made a quick decision to catch her off guard. He lifted his hand and fingered her clit the moment it made contact with the base of his cock.

She inhaled a sharp hissing sound and paused in her movements. Harry took advantage of her momentary lapse and fingered her again, pushing and pinching her sensitive nub as she made the most spine tingling, sensuous moaning sounds he'd ever heard. If the feeling of being inside her didn't make him come soon, the noises she was making most certainly would.

“Ah…ahh…ahhh…” she moaned, her voice trembling as it rose louder and louder until she was nearly screaming. Another sharp hiss escaped her as she tried to take a deep breath. His thumb was pressed firmly against her as he moved it in fast, frenzied circles. “Harry, stop,” she yelled when her mind finally wrapped around the fact that she was no longer in charge.

Harry smiled devilishly at her. Her arms were on the bed behind her back making her arch upwards, her breasts high in the air, crowning her chest. He watched again in fascination as her chest moved up and down heavily as the tension within her built. He stopped when he felt her soft insides clench tightly around him, sucking him in further.

“Ahh!” he yelled throwing his head back against the bed. His hand fell away from her and he clenched his fingers around the blanket that lay bundled beneath them. His hips were lifted slightly as the pressure within him began to build. Hermione clenched tighter and raised her arse, pulling his member with her. The pain that shot through him was numbed by the sheer pleasure of the feeling and he breathed deeply through clenched teeth. The hissing sound he made sent chills up her spine. She looked at him, his eyes were closed tight and the lines on his face were clearer then she'd ever seen them as he scrunched his features into a glorious mask of pain and ecstasy.

“Say it Harry,” she said again when she knew for sure she'd regained control.

“Iloveyou,” he muttered nearly incoherently, “Iloveyou…Iloveyou…” he repeated over and over uncontrollably.

Hearing his words for the first time, she was finally ready to end this torturous game. She knew that she'd have to hear him say he loved her in a quiet moment to truly believe them, but she was content for now to once again accept what he'd given her.

Hermione sat up straight and pounded down against him, harder and harder, faster and faster, using her knees as a springboard as she bounced up and down above him. Her arse slapped hard against his balls, and he groaned from the feel of her slamming mercilessly against him. He grabbed her waist to steady them both and she relinquished control to him as his hands on her waist took over setting the pace. Her legs were tiring. She'd been so close to falling over the edge so many times, but she'd learned how, to a certain degree, to control that final moment, and through sheer will that's what she'd done.

Harry pulled her down against his chest and wrapped his arms around her until her breasts were trapped firmly against him. Their movements stopped as he grabbed her head and kissed her until the world became blurry and all else seemed to fade away into oblivion. His tongue sought hers and their lips parted. Their tongues danced lightly together until their lips met again and his tongue dove deeper into her mouth. He licked the roof of her mouth and all around her tongue and as far back into her mouth as was possible to go. Lick for lick, dive for dive, suck for suck, she kept pace with him, her tongue stretched to its limit and beyond.

She pulled away from him breathlessly and stared at him until the haze disappeared and she could see his dark, passion-filled, emerald eyes looking back at her. “I love you, Harry,” she said headily. “Finish this.” Giving up the nearly impossible task of trying to control her breathing she gave control over to him again. They were sure their moans could be heard for miles and that the thunder racing through them would be enough to level any building.

In one fluid movement Harry flipped them over without breaking contact. He wrapped his arms behind her knees, raising her legs up into the air as he pumped into her hard and fast, over and over again. He felt her clench around him once more and she screamed as she felt the buildup within her just prior to her release. “Let go…Her…mione,” he said between quick shallow breaths.

She tightened around him once more and threw her head back hard against the bed as he continued to pound into her. Her head thrashed from side to side as the tension continued to build to a point where there was no other option but for her cry out as her release came hard and fast. Harry slammed into her twice more before he, too, felt his long awaited, glorious release. He dropped her legs and fell heavily against her, unable to support his weight with his arms. He shuddered as he continued to move up and down inside of her. He felt her tighten and squeeze him as the last vestiges of their orgasms coursed through them and slowly died away.

When at last they lay spent, Harry fell to the side of her, reluctantly pulling out from her warmth as he felt every inch of the cold that began to replace it.

“Looks like you lost Harry,” Hermione said laughing breathily beside him.

“You don't play fair,” he replied in the same breathy way. He lay with his right hand across his chest and his left above his head as tried to catch his breath through his laughter. “I thought you were going to kill me.”

“I don't think you can die from that,” she replied teasingly. “Besides,” she said rolling over on her side to prop her head on her hand to look at him, “I wouldn't have let you die.” With her free hand she began to play with the sparse hairs scattered across his chest.

Harry turned to face her. “I'm quite sure that you could've killed me with that,” he said sounding serious, although she knew he was teasing. “The Boy Who Lived Again killed having the best sex of his life with his best friend Hermione Granger. Can't you see the headline? Rita would have loved that one.”

“Best sex of your life, huh?” she asked half teasing, although she anxiously awaited his answer.

“Well,” he said contemplatively, “there was a dream I had just before I had to leave for the bachelor party.”

Hermione smacked his chest and giggled nervously. “You had a dream?” she asked, trying hard to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah, but I don't know,” he said looking just beyond her as he appeared to be comparing the two, “it was a pretty intense dream but…”

“What were you dreaming about?” she asked casually as her fingers began to pull at the hairs on his chest.

“Just a girl,” he replied vaguely, watching her from the corner of his eye. Hermione's hand jerked and she pulled a couple of his chest hairs out. “Ouch,” he cried as he rubbed his hand over the now sore spot.

“Sorry,” she muttered as she pulled her hand quickly away. “I didn't mean to do that.”

Harry chuckled. “If the sex didn't kill me, that won't either,” he replied. “And don't worry,” he said placing his fingers on her chin and forcing her to look at him, “the dream was about you.”

Hermione couldn't stop the grin that spread wide across her face. “Really?” she asked with childlike glee. Her eyes were shining brightly and Harry laughed openly at her expression.

“Really,” he confirmed softly. “And this,” he said waving his hand between them to indicate what they'd just done, “is far better than any dream. Even that one.”

“Will you tell me about it?” she asked anxiously.

Harry leaned forward and kissed her gently. “Someday,” he said softly against her lips. Hermione nodded as she continued to kiss him for a moment longer.

She dropped her head to the pillow and lay still, quietly reflecting on the events of the past week. Next to her Harry had begun to do the same. She turned her head to look at him. “Can you believe we're here?” she asked, pointing between them. “Like this?”

Harry turned his head to look back at her. “After all that I've seen, all that I've been through, I thought there were no real surprises left in the world, you know?” he replied thoughtfully. “But yeah, this,” he said waving his hand between them just as she'd done, “this surprises me.”

“I hope it's a good surprise,” she said turning her head to look up at the ceiling.

Harry followed her gaze, unknowingly resting his eyes upon the same spot she had. “Surprises don't come any better than this, Hermione,” he replied. “This is the best thing to ever happen to me. The way I felt after defeating Voldemort is nothing compared to the way I feel right now. I never thought it possible to feel like this.”

Hermione wanted to ask him if he really meant it when he said he loved her. Instead, she rolled to her side to face him again and asked, “how did you know it was me? Dancing tonight. How did you know?”

Harry rolled on his side to face her, his eyes holding tightly to the words she longed to hear him say. “Don't you know you can't hide from me Hermione?” he replied as he reached up to gently caress her cheek. “I always know where you are. Who you are. And usually even how you are. I'm not going to lie here and say that I've always loved you and that I've had some sort of epiphany this week. The truth is I still don't know how I feel, not really. I want it to be love, I really do. I just don't know. But no matter what Hermione, I have always,” he paused for emphasis, “always, felt you right here,” he said pointing to his heart. “For ten years you've lived here and that's something that has never, ever changed. No matter what we were going through.”

Hermione turned her face into his palm and smiled tenderly as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. “You may not know yet how you feel Harry, but I do,” she said softly. She opened her eyes and looked at him lovingly, “And I can wait until you realize it for yourself. In the meantime I'm going to keep on loving you so that you know, when the time is right and you're ready, that I'm right by your side waiting. I'll never leave you. Trust in me, Harry. Trust in you. And most importantly, trust in us.”

“Right now there's nothing more that I want than all of those things Hermione,” he replied. “You know that love is not something that's ever come easy for me. Recognizing it for what it is can't possibly come easy either. That's why I need you to be patient with me until I sort it out. I promise you that I'll figure it all out as quickly as I can. You deserve so much more than a guy who can't tell you what you need—what you deserve—to hear.”

Hermione closed her eyes and kissed his palm where it still rested against her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked directly into his, “I have the only man I've ever really wanted,” she whispered as a lone tear fell from her eye.

Harry gently wiped it away and pulled her to him. “And right now, and for perhaps always, I have the only woman I'll ever want,” he whispered. “You deserve so much more than me, though. You really, truly do.”

She smiled at him and said in a teasing voice, “sometimes we don't get what we deserve. Sometimes we just get what we want. And right now I'll take what I want over what you think I deserve if it's all the same to you.”

“And just exactly what is it you want?” he asked as he felt his cock growing hard once again.

Hermione reached down to wrap her fingers around it then raised her eyebrows and smiled. “Right now I want you for sex. And then, when you're ready, I want you for life,” she replied as she gently caressed his erection and watched in awe as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her hand on him.

He opened his eyes and gave her a devilish grin. “Let me tell you about my dream,” he said as he rose from the bed to stand before her. He began to move his hips back and forth and he raised his arms in the air above his head.

“Harry, what are you doing?” she asked, her laughter filling the room with the light, airy sound of music.

“I'm dancing,” he replied with a serious look of concentration on his face. Living out the dream, he thought silently. Just living out the dream…

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