Wow, tough crowd *pulls at shirt collar* :) Again, I want to thank all the reviewers, good and bad. Although I may not agree with some opinions I have decided to keep my mouth zipped, so thanks to all!
alleyeinstein123, I know what you mean about typo's, I am unfortunately a typo queen :) I'll try my best and catch them. Thanks for the review.
Chapter Nine
The Aftermath
Her whole body felt like it was floating in mid air while her heart was pounding so rapidly she thought that it would explode through her chest at any moment. The touch of his hand on the side of her face sent shivers down her spine and that's when reality hit her. What was she doing? This was Harry!
Pulling her lips apart from his, she stumbled off the couch, her eyes wide with panic. " W-What was that!?"
Harry, who seemed to be in a state of shock as well, still sat dumbly on the couch. " Well...I think it was a kiss..."
Rubbing her hands through her thick hair she let out a frustrated sigh. " I know it was a kiss, Harry! I'm not completely daft!" she shouted out in anger.
" There's no need to start shouting at me" he shot back defensively" now jumping to his feet as well.
" Merlin, how could I be so careless?" she asked, more to herself than to Harry who was looking kind of pale at the moment.
" Look, you-you've had a long day. You....you need-" he fumbled.
" No, Harry!" she snapped, " Don't you see? This changes everything! Everything!"
Tears were beginning to form in her brown eyes as she turned her gaze to the stucco ceiling above in hopes to stop them from falling. Inhaling a heavy breath she managed to look back down at him.
" Why would it change everything, Hermione? It was a kiss, we were....well....we both weren't in our right minds." The tone of his voice didn't sound so convincing to her and she knew that he was freaking out just as much as she was at that moment.
" It changes everything because.....because I liked it, OK? I liked it and that scares me, Harry. It scares me because I care about you so much and I don't think I could stand loosing you the way I lost Ron. I know I couldn't.
The tears she was trying so hard to stop were now flowing softly down her pale cheek as she confessed this. Months of jealousy and anger towards Ron and her job that she was holding inside came pouring out like a flood. Flopping back down onto the couch, she burried her face into her hands to hide her tear stained face.
" Look Harry," she mumbled, feeling the couch sink beside her, signaling that he had sat down as well, " I don't know what I'm saying, I'm a horrible mess with the whole Ron situation and- and everything else that's going on in my mixed up life and-"
" What if I told you I liked it as well?"
Her head shot up like a quaffle. Eyes wide, she tried to make sense of what she had just heard. Did she even hear him correctly?
" What? Harry...."
" No, listen Hermione....I'd be lying if I told you that that kiss didn't shock me as well, but I'd also be lying if I told you that I didn't feel anything because I did.."
She really couldn't believe she was hearing this. This wasn't what she was expecting him to say! She was expecting for him make a joke or laugh it off and tell her that it was all a mistake....he shouldn't be looking at her with those big green eyes and telling her the total opposite. What was she to say? Obviously she knew that there was no way she could pursue these new feelings that had suddenly overtaken her, he was her friend, her best friend and there was no way she wanted to make the same mistake she did with Ron and lose him. It was then that a new thought entered her mind...what if these feelings weren't true? Maybe she just thought she felt this way because she was upset about Ron.
" Harry, I think it was a mistake. Look, I don't know what I am doing or feeling these days! I was upset about Ron and maybe that kiss was just all the hurt and jealousy coming out of me....I...I love Ron and this kiss should never have happened, it was a mistake." she said firmly, crossing her arms tightly to chest.
Harry sat silent for a second, mouth moving up and down as if he as trying to say something. Finally, turning to her, he looked at her with a serious face.
" How can you continue to love someone who doesn't love you back?" he asked honestly.
" It isn't like that..it's complicated" she replied, " He loves me, I know he does...."
" Hermione, he's getting married in two days! Yes, he may love you but as a friend. He loves Luna and it's time you realize that! He loves Luna!" he stopped shouting, seeing the look of sadness that was developing on her face. Sighing he placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.
" I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that.."he apoligised.
" No," she replied sniffling, " You're right, Harry, he loves her and I need to realize that and move on. I guess I'm just scared to do so....I just don't want to make that same mistake again, especially with you.....I don't want you to leave me as well."
Lifting her head that was currently rested on his shoulder, she slowly moved her gaze upwards to his face and felt something she had never felt before. It was almost as if all time had stopped and it was just her and him in their own little world.
" You don't have to worry about me leaving you....." he said, taking the side of her face in his hand, "...... Hermy"
A small smile escaped his lips before touching with her own. She didn't care if what she was doing was a mistake because at that moment it sure didn't feel like one anymore.
* * *
Confusement filled her as the bright sunlight pounded down upon her face through the back window. Squinting her eyes open she was surprised to find herself still in Harry's living room and that's when the previous night events came rushing back to her. They must have fallen asleep there together since his arm was still entangled around her waist. Sitting herself up she couldn't help but laugh at the sight that she saw before her. She never thought Harry's hair could ever be more out of control than it was but she was proven wrong. Pieces of hair were sticking up in every direction and his glasses weren't even on his nose anymore but falling halfway off. With his mouth hanging wide open it allowed for a heavy startling snort to escape.
She didn't know why but the feelings she had at that moment weren't those of panic, regret or shock but that of happiness. She couldn't even remember how long it had been since the last time she had woken up with the same feeling. The only thing she knew was that it had been a long time.
Her joyful ponderings, however, were interrupted by several loud knocks coming from the front door which caused Harry to snap awake.
" Harry, mate! Open up!!!" came Ron's loud voice followed by several more knocks. " You there?"
Hermione's heart dropped. Ron was here? what was he doing here?
" Oh my god, it can't be two o'clock already" Harry mumbled, jumping up off the couch.
Looking over at the clock Hermione was shocked to see that it was indeed already two o'clock. How could they have slept in so late?
" What's Ron doing here?" she asked, watching him as he frantically ran up the stairs. He returned several seconds later with a clean shirt in his hands.
" Ron's bachelor party..and aren't you suppose to be at the Burrow for Luna's?" he asked, throwing the clean dark blue t-shirt on over his head.
" Harry!" came Rons impatient voice as he again knocked. " Open up, it's Ron."
" Uhhhh, yea just a second!!" he called frantically.
" Oh my god, you're right! What am I going to do? Ron can't see me standing here like this! I was suppose to be at the burrow by now....he'll suspect something."
" Ok, calm down. Just go upstairs freshen up and dissapparate to the Burrow, that's all. "
" You're a genius!" she laughed, giving him one last smile before heading for the stairs. Her foot had just reached the first step when his voice had stopped her.
" Hermione?" he asked, walking towards her.
" What?"
Stepping right infront of her he planted a soft kiss on her lips. " Have fun"
Her heart did a little jump as she watched him give her that teasing smile of his and make his way towards the door. Looking at him one last time she made her way up the stairs and as she reached the top step she could hear Ron's voice enter the house.
" What took you so long!"
* * *
Later that afternoon Hermione found herself at the Burrow sitting in the living along with Ginny and Luna's cousin, Melanie, for Luna's bachelorette party. Hermione was quickly seeing that it was more of a girls gossip session than a party, and she never really was into gossip. In her Hogwarts days she'd rather sit and play wizards chess with Ron and Harry than hang out with Lavendar or Parvati...I guess you could say she always was one of the guys.
Her mind then drifted back to Harry and the kiss he gave her before he greeted Ron. It had shocked her for a moment because she really wasn't sure that when he woke up he'd feel the same way he did the night before. Apparently, she had nothing to worry about.
" Hermione?"
Snapping out of her fantasies she looked up to see a grinning Ginny.
" Hmmm? Sorry, what was that?"
" I think Hermione's daydreaming about something...." Luna piped up.
" Or someone perhaps?" Melanie added, tossing her long blonde hair out of her face.
She looked remarkably like Luna, Hermione couldn't help but notice. Except she was a little less spacey and had smaller eyes that were green, not blue. Other than that you would swear the two were sisters and not cousins.
" Care to share?" she asked, grabbing another slice of pizza.
" Nothing is up? Can't a girl be smiling?" she asked innocently. Her cover didn't work because a second later a loud shriek erupted from Melanies mouth.
" She's blushing, it is about a boy!"
Ginny who had remained oddly quiet throughout all this looked at Hermione with a concerned look before grabbing another slice herself.
" If Hermione says nothing is up than nothing is up" she stated, casting Hermione one more glance before looking away. " So Luna, are you excited for tomorrow? I still can't believe you are marrying my prat of a brother."
Luna gave Ginny a dreamy smile. " He's fantastic. He always knows just what to say or do to cheer me up. I don't think there is a more caring, compassionate or intelligent man out there than my Ronald." Letting out a sigh, a small smile played on her lips as she finished speaking.
" Are you sure this is my brother you're talking about?" Ginny laughed, " The same guy that likes to blow farts from his armpits!."
As Ginny and Melanie chuckled Hermione had gotten struck with a new feeling. The jealousy and anger towards Luna was washing away and being replaced by true happiness, happiness and a new sense of knowing that Ron was indeed happy with her. In turn Hermione was surprised to find that she could finally accept and be happy with this news. How did she know this? It was simple. The only face Hermione was invisioning throughout Luna's whole speech was not that of Ron's..... but that of Harry's.
* * *
" Good party huh?" Ginny asked later that evening as she took a seat at the kitchen table beside Hermione. " Im glad you decided to spend the night here with us girls."
Hermione laughed and gave a slight shrug. " You think I wanna go back to Harry's? Boy Central? Merlin knows what they are all up to."
Ginny sniggered at this.
" True....." she grinned. This was followed by a short silence before she asked, " Who were you daydreaming about earlier? And don't deny it...it was obvious!"
Not ready to confess her new feelings she shook her head and took a sip of her tea. " No one...honestly" she assured.
" It wasn't Ron, was it?"
At this comment Hermione almost spit out her tea.
" What?!"
" Look, Hermione, I'm really worried about you! You can't go on like this...it isn't healthy and-"
" It isn't Ron, Gin." Hermione said, cutting her off.
A relieved look came upon Ginny's face which was shortly followed by an apologetic one. " I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume, it's just that you've been so upset about it lately and with what happened the other night..."
" I understand and it's Ok, really. I just...well....I guess you can say someone made me open my eyes lastnight."
" Well, who was it? Come on give me details" Ginny asked, eagerly leaning closer.
Debating on whether not she should tell Ginny she finally came to the conclusion that she was dying to tell someone and she knew she could trust Ginny with this.
" Ok, but you have to promise not to tell anyone....not your mum, not Luna and especially not Ron."
" Ok....I promise" she replied cautiously.
Inhaling a deep breath she decided to make the plunge. This was it...no turning back.
" Harry and I kissed lastnight."