Chapter 11 "The Beginning of the End"
December came quietly in its snowy and sleepy way. I decided not to go home for winter break, having too much coursework to catch up on. Besides, there was that whole-I'm-a danger-to-myself-and-others Dolohov curse hanging over my head, and I just as well not put my parents through that over the holidays. Though, now I think better of it. I wish I had gone home. Or at least planned to. Would've been a nice parting gesture from the world's most negligent daughter.
My friendship with Ron was meanwhile on the road to repair. Maybe because he'd matured into an extra emotion or two (maybe even the facial expressions to go with them). Or maybe he realized the inevitability of the upcoming war. Or maybe Lav had threatened to withhold sex unless he started speaking to me. Seems she needed help with her Muggle History course and thought playing the mediator would curry favor. I appreciated the gesture but told her that Ron would come around on his own. Which, of course he didn't, only managing a quick "hey how are you" at the height of his sexual frustration.
So things seemed close to fine by the weekend before break. Couple Dune and couple Mauve let Harry and I tag along to the Three Broomsticks for the last Hogsmeade trip. We shared a booth, playing the happy little circle of friends, drinking butterbeers and laughing like old times.
All right…maybe it wasn't so difficult to pretend things were going well. I had Harry's friendship, Ron was nice enough, and Drake and Luna were, well, Drake and Luna. I remember drinking and merrily discussing our holiday plans. Drake was staying on with me at Hogwarts, but Luna and Lav were visiting their families, and Harry and Ron were off to the Burrow.
--------------
"Is Ginny going home too?" Hermione asked as Harry handed her a butterbeer.
"Yep," said Ron, as he slipped an arm over Lavender's shoulders. "Be the first time I get to see her off the Quidditch pitch for more than five minutes. Wonder if I'll recognize her."
"Well," Lavender chuckled, "if it helps, she'll be the only other girl besides your mother."
"Hmm," said Ron as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "that should make it easier."
"Why are you staying behind Granger?" Draco asked. "Frighten your parents into taking a second honeymoon?"
"What?" Hermione replied, "Instead of just frightening everyone around me like a certain Slytherin?" She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, trying to ignore the fact that her shoulder was brushing against Harry's.
"Granger, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Draco said with a dreamy look he'd obviously picked up from Luna.
Hermione shook her head. "I did say I didn't want to maim you that one time during Quidditch."
"Oh, yes," Draco put his hand over his heart and sighed. "Heaven…"
"You played Quidditch?" Harry asked, casually shrugging an arm behind her chair. He shifted in his seat as thoughts of a windswept Hermione darting around the field flitted through his mind. Whoa, down boy…er…and littler boy…
"Yeah," Draco answered for her. "Granger's not half bad. Might've recruited her for a Beater if she weren't stuck in Gryffindor."
"You'd probably do more than recruit her," Lav said with a smile and a wink.
Draco ignored Harry's dark look and replied with a flashing smile. "You know it love." He returned the wink before turning to Luna, who was shaking her head and grinning.
"Hey, there would be no recruiting of any kind," Hermione said, motioning for Ron to defend her, or just wipe that sick grin off his face.
"Sorry Hermes," Ron said, nuzzling Lav, "I like it when she talks dirty about other girls…hey!" He yelped as Lavender elbowed him in the ribs. He pouted a bit as he rubbed his side. "Well, I do…"
"Yeah," said Draco, "I like it too." He wiggled his eyebrows and took a swig from his drink.
"Luna?" Lavendar gave a put-upon sigh and turned to quiet blonde. "How do you put up with him?"
Luna smiled sweetly and patted Draco's cheek. "He's pretty."
"Awwwww." Everyone at the table gave a sentimental moan and laughed at the reddening Draco. Bar goers turned round to see what the noise was and shook their heads at the youngsters in the booth.
"Pretty obnoxious," Ron corrected with a grin.
Lavendar groaned at his insult.
"Boo," Hermione said, giving him a thumbs-down.
"Pretty… pathetic?" Lav offered.
Hermione and Harry looked at each other and shrugged.
"Better," Harry nodded.
"What?" Draco motioned towards Lavender, "As opposed to being pretty clingy and high maintenance?" Ron spit his butterbeer across the table as he burst out laughing.
"Ron!" Hermione cried, wiping away his mouthful of butterbeer from her shirt.
"Hey!" said the offended Lav to her insensitive beau, "you are not allowed to laugh at that." Ron, however, was too busy coughing to answer.
"Come on Hermione," Harry took the sputtering Hermione's hand and led her away. He reached into his pocket for his wand and uttered a quick cleansing spell as they neared an empty corner of the bar.
"I can't believe I have Ron's spittle on my shirt," Hermione moaned.
"Yeah," Harry smiled. "People might start mistaking you for Lavender."
"Oh, gods…" she said shaking that rather disturbing visual from her thoughts. She rolled her eyes. "I should've known by now not to eat or drink anywhere near Ron."
"Yes," Harry said mournfully, "yet another casualty to his table manners."
"Hardly the way a Griffindor should go," she agreed knowingly.
"Such a shame…" He sighed. "Oh well, she'll be missed."
"Oh, I doubt that," she said lightly. "Completely replaceable, wouldn't lose a beat in the conversation if she…" Hermione trailed off as she felt Harry grip her hand.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned. Things were going so well and now, gods what did I do…
Harry lowered his eyes and forced a chuckle. "Nothing's wrong. I…I just wouldn't say that Mione," he said as he tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear.
"What?" Merlin we're close, she thought as Harry's hand brushed her cheek. Just a little closer and our noses would be touching. Mmmmm, she bit back a sigh. Touching Harry.
"You're not replaceable," he whispered as he closed the distance between them. "Quite the opposite
in fact."
He awkwardly pulled her to him, pausing to read her reaction. But uneasy hand placement and bumped noses aside, she thought it the sweetest, most romantic kiss she'd had in, well, ever. Sure, maybe it wasn't what she'd had in mind when he offered to dry her off, but who cares? Gods it felt so bloody good to finally hold him… like that dream she'd had of the Burrow. She leaned forward, melting against him, her mouth moving under his as he gathered her tightly to him.
Something was building between them; pain pleasure, burning and rising. It started in her sides and rose to her chest as he nipped and bit her lips and held her to him like she'd break if he let her go. Which was fine since for the first time in months, it felt like she wasn't being torn in half. Gods, it's like he was healing her just by holding her.
He broke away and started a trail of whispered kisses along her neck, his hands moving on her and over her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into the old cloak room behind them.
She found herself pinned against the far wall by Harry's welcomed weight, moaning his name while leaving open kisses along his neck. Don't stop oh please oh my Harry was all she could manage as his hands found their way under her shirt and along the soft skin of her back.
As if Harry could stop. She was killing him. There was no doubt about that as she hooked a leg over his hip. Not that he'd mind. He'd gladly face death as long as she kept doing those amazing things with her tongue and pressing the soft planes of her stomach against his now not-so-softer parts.
Hermione groaned and brought him impossibly closer. He lifted her and she wrapped her other leg around him as he they began moving against each other, desperate for friction and release and each other.
That strange feeling was again rising and falling, but had now settled down into her chest. The sensation suddenly became a sharp pain that made her cry out and push Harry away.
"Harry, I-I…" She doubled over from the pain and clutched her throbbing DM wound, waiting for the waves of agony to pass. She uttered a luminous spell and glanced down at her now blood-stained shirt. Her wound was reopening and gods she nearly screamed then.
She looked up at Harry, only to find him holding a hand to his bloody forehead, his face twisted in a similar pain. He drew her to him, his bloodstained hand covering his own as he held her tightly and whispered assurance in her ear. But she knew what was happening. It was coming. The war had started. Voldemort had become human and was taking Hogwarts by storm.