Make Like Strangers - Part 2 by 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.




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….

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

**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!

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

**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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