Chapter 8 - The Gift
Hermione and Blaise had confused looks on their faces.
"What's going on Harry?" Hermione asked looking at Blaise who had an identical look on her face.
Harry was fidgeting with the gift in his pocket. He finally felt it and turned to Hermione.
"Um… Hermione, I wanted to get you something so you can remember our first date. So can you close you eyes?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded.
Harry pulled out a small blue velvet box. Harry had bought her a sliver ring engraved with a message.
"Okay Hermione, open your eyes," Harry said softly and opened the velvet box.
"Oh Harry, it's beautiful," Hermione said in shock. Harry took the ring out of the box and asked her to read the message. Harry and Hermione forever the ring read, and at each end were hearts outlined in diamonds. Hermione started to shed tears. He placed the ring on her right ring finger.
Perfect fit, Harry thought to himself. "I'll be with you forever. I love you Hermione Malfoy."
"And I love you Harry Potter and I will always be yours."
Harry could have sworn that Draco had tears coming down his face. He quickly wiped them and leaned over to give his sister a hug. Blaise was in tears the entire time. Hermione quickly showed Blaise her ring. Draco turned to Blaise and asked her to close her eyes as well.
Draco also bought a ring for Blaise. The ring was the same as Hermione's but it was engraved with something else. He turned to Blaise. "All right sweetheart open your eyes."
"Oh my god, Draco it's beautiful!" Blaise shouted.
Draco showed her the engraving that was on the ring - Always forever Draco and Blaise. She burst into tears. They hugged each other and began make-out. They were like that the entire way back. Hermione and Harry looked at the couple and smiled. They turned to each other and stared in each other eyes. Harry could always get lost in her dark chocolate eyes. She too could get lost in his bright emerald pools. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Hogwarts.
No one was surprised when they saw Harry and Draco stroll into the castle carrying Hermione and Blaise's numerous bags of clothing. Harry walked Hermione to the Slytherin dorm and was about to go in with her. Hermione turned to and told him to come back in about three hours for dinner. Harry agreed and gave her a quick peck and was off to the Gryffindor Common Room. When Harry arrived no one was in there. He sat down on the big couch, stretched and got comfortable. He was about to take a nap, saying to himself, "Wow, it's been a long day. At least Hermione was happy about the gift that I bought her."
Then someone came through the portrait hole. It was Ron. His face could have matched his hair.
"Oh great, and I was having a good day too?" Harry said to himself.
Ron stood right in front of him. Harry could feel the rage coming off of his ex-best friend.
"You little son-of-bitch," Ron said in rage and punched Harry in the face.
Harry's lip began to bleed. He got up and started fighting with Ron. Harry got Ron by the collar of his shirt and threw him up against the wall before punching Ron over and over. All the anger that Harry had kept inside about all the comments that Ron and Fred said about Hermione and Draco came out and and he kept punching Ron. Harry had the full advantage since he was stronger. When he finally stopped, Ron collapsed on the floor and started coughing. Ginny and Parvati had come in when Ron had fell to the floor. They both stared at Harry and looked back down at Ron. Harry was still breathing deep and just was looking at Ron. He wiped his bloody nose and lip. Ron managed to take a few hits at Harry. Ginny and Parvati ran over to Ron. Ginny was trying to see if her brother was alright while Parvati went up to the boy's room to get Dean or Seamus.
"How could you do this Harry?" Ginny shouted, tears streaming down her face.
"He's your best mate," Parvati shouted when she came down the stairwell.
"He's not my best mate," Harry snapped back.
"I can't believe you did this to him. We all treated you like family," Ginny said beginning to cry.
"I found new friends and a new family. They treat me more like family than you ever did. They actually care for me, not like you guys just cared for me out of pity," Harry said hotly.
"Who, the Slytherin table? The Malfoys? There are not you family. They're not even your friends. They're all dark wizards!" Ginny shouted.
"They understand things that people like you could never understand. You don't even know them. You shouldn't judge people by their first impressions. I did and I was wrong." He looked at Ron before adding, "Apparently."
"How could you say that?" Parvati shouted.
"What happened to you? You used to be nice and caring and a good friend," Ginny said still in tears.
"I still am. But I'd rather be with friends who still know that," Harry argued back. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to go be with my girlfriend and my best mates."
"I guess the Sorting Hat was wrong. He should have put you in Slytherin," Ginny said as Seamus and Dean picked up Ron and brought him to the hospital wing.
~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry went back to the Slytherin dorm where he saw Draco and Blaise leaving the portrait hole.
"Hey Harry. What the hell happen to you?" asked Draco.
"Oh, I got into fight with Ron again," Harry said simply.
"Why?" Blaise asked.
"I really don't know. I was sitting in the Common Room and he just came toward me and punched me in the face. I fought back and I guess all the anger that I had about all the comments Fred, Ron and the other Gryffindors said about you guys and Hermione just came out. I beat him up pretty badly," Harry said, his guilty conscience finally speaking up.
"The prat deserves it," Draco said assuringly. Harry knew that Ron deserved it, but a little part of him was still sad that it had to come to this.
"Well, why won't we go to the Hospital wing to get you cleaned up? You've got blood on your clothes. Hermione is expecting perfection."
"Thanks guys," Harry said.
"Hey, what are friends for?" Draco patted Harry on the back.
Draco waited outside the hospital wing while Blaise took Harry in and helped him get cleaned up.
"You know Harry, Draco is really grateful that Hermione finally found a guy like you. He never acted like this with any of Hermione's boyfriends." Blaise said while she was wiping his dry blood off of his nose.
"I'm glad. How would he act?" Harry asked curiously.
"Well, he was always asking questions, and always watching them when they did something or went somewhere. He would never let them kiss in front of him. He cringed when he saw them holding hands. He still thinks that Hermione is innocent even though he knows that Hermione is not a virgin. Believe me, he knows. He caught Hermione and that McAlester guy more than once." Blaise said as she was throwing away the dirty napkin, not noticing how uncomfortable Harry was about her talking about Hermione's past sex life.
"So he's really protective," Harry said as he stood up.
"Yeah, but for some reason he really trusts you and he knows how much you care for Hermione. He also knows how much Hermione loves you. She is seriously in love with you," Blaise said as she smiled at him.
"Thanks Blaise," Harry said cheerfully, "You know Draco is really lucky too."
When they opened the door, Draco was singing a Mary Poppins tune. Harry and Blaise burst out laughing. Draco pale skin went a dark shade of red.
"What the hell are you doing singing that song?" Harry asked still chuckling.
"It's a good song! Besides, I was bored." Draco glared at Harry. "If you tell anybody, I swear I will kill you."
"Don't worry mate, I won't tell. If you guys can keep a secret - I sometimes sing some of the Little Mermaid tunes when I'm alone or when I'm in the shower," Harry said in attempt to put Draco at ease.
This made everybody burst into laughter. Harry shook his head - he had to go back to Gryffindor house to get ready.
"Well I'm off. I'll see you two later," Harry said and gave Draco a wink.
"Alright mate, and remember you and Hermione better behave yourselves," Draco said and gave a wink back.
Harry was about go into the portrait hole when Draco shouted, "Don't forget Potter, you better use some protection." He laughed and Harry saw Blaise playfully hit Draco. Harry shook his head and headed to his room. He ran up the stairwell to avoid anybody. He found a black polo Calvin Kline shirt, khaki dress pants, and dress shoes. He wanted to look nice for Hermione and he didn't think that his skater clothes were sensible for this occasion.
Harry took a shower, got dressed, and decided not to spike up his hair this time. He took some spearmint with him and headed down the stairwell. The Common Room was packed tonight. Most of his "friends" looked at him in disgust. He was about to leave the room, when someone yelled out "traitor!"
Harry turned to see who shouted it but then he thought it wasn't worth the time. He left and was on his way to see Hermione when he bumped into Padma Patil.
"Oh I'm sorry," Harry said apologetically.
"Don't talk to me," Padma growled.
"What did I do?" Harry asked confused.
"How could you do that to Ron? How could you be so mean to Fred and Ginny? They treated you like family?" Padma told him.
"He shouldn't have called my girlfriend a slut. The Malfoys understand me, and they care for me. If the Weasleys really cared, they would have accepted that I care for Hermione. They wouldn't have called her a slut. What would you do if the person you loved was called a slut not only in their face but in yours?" Harry argued back. He knew he struck a nerve and for a second, Harry thought that Padma was about to talk to him nicely.
But he was wrong. "They're right - you are snob. I can't believe I ever called you my friend." Harry was so tired of everybody telling him that he changed. He sighed and gave her a look that she couldn't read.
Padma turned around and headed towards the Ravenclaw common room. She couldn't forget that look that Harry gave her. It looked like determination, sadness and anger all in one. Maybe everyone didn't get it. No one really knew Harry Potter. No one knew what he went through. His own best mate was angry with him when his name was called out of the Goblet of Fire. She hung her head in shame. He's finally found someone who understands him and everyone gives him shit for it. I thought the Slytherins were bad. At least they've somewhat accepted Harry. Now more than ever, Padma Patil was envious of Hermione Malfoy. Even though she didn't like the girl, she was very lucky.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
As Harry made his way to dungeons, he tried to remember the passwords. He said the first password that gained access to the Slytherin Common Room ("Sliver serpent," he chuckled). He headed to the Head Boy and Girl's room and froze. What was the password? He snapped his fingers and said, "Serpent pride."
The portrait opened and Harry stepped in. The Common Room was really nice. It was larger than the Gryffindor room (by help of Hermione's family, of course). There was a rug in the shape of a snake on the floor and two stairwells, one that led to Draco's room and the other that led to Hermione's room.
Harry went up to his girlfriend's room. He knocked on the door and Hermione answered, "Who is it?"
"Um... I… me. Harry?"
"Harry? How did you get in?" She asked surprised.
"Draco told me the password," he answered back
"He did," she said a surprised voice.
"Yeah, I was surprised too."
"I thought I told you I would be ready in three hours."
"I know, it's just I missed you so much," he said in a loving voice.
"Really?" She thought it was cute that Harry wanted to see her so badly. "Oh Harry that's so sweet, but you're going have to wait because I'm not ready."
"Hermione, I don't care how you look. You always look beautiful to me," Harry said and thought to himself, smooth Potter, real smooth.
"I know that Harry, but I just want to look even more beautiful for you."
"Alright Hermione, I'll wait if it makes you happy." Harry said going down to the Common Room. He sat down and made himself comfortable. He knew it was going be a while.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione picked out the perfect outfit. She had something special planned and she wanted to look her best. This was the night it seemed she'd been waiting forever to come. She didn't want to wear a dress because it was going to be a bother to take care it off. Instead, she wore a long silk black skirt with a slit that went all the way up to her mid thigh. She wore a black spaghetti strap shirt and left her long curls down with two black butterfly clips on each side. She put on some vanilla perfume and took a deep breath, looking at herself in the mirror. As usual, she thought she looked great.
Hermione walked down the stairs and saw Harry talking to himself. She stopped halfway and wanted to hear what he was saying.
"Okay Potter, she'll be here soon. Just play it cool and relax. Remember your speech you're going to say to her before you give her your gift," Harry said.
Hermione didn't realize that Harry was going to give her more gifts. She looked at the ring he had given to her. It was so beautiful. It must have been so expensive. She took off her ring and looked at the engraving - Harry and Hermione forever. She knew they were going to be together forever and she knew that Harry was going to always be there for her.
When Harry saw her, his heart stopped. She was so beautiful. She looked like an angel, even though she was wearing all black. He saw that she was wearing his ring. It looked perfect on her. The necklace would make her look even more perfect.
"Wow Hermione, you look so beautiful. I think I died and went to heaven," he said in amazement.
"Thanks Harry. You look handsome yourself," she told him as she walked into his embrace.
"I know I do," he said in a cocky voice.
"I think Draco has rubbed off of you," she chuckled.
"How could I be so lucky? I have a beautiful girl and best friends that care about me. I am the luckiest wizard on earth," he told her.
"I am so lucky," she said
"Yes you are." he said
"Shut up and kiss me Potter," she said and kissed his soft lips. It was long and sweet. There tongues gracefully played with each other. Hermione moaned in his mouth. This kiss was making him excited. He felt his pants getting tighter. Hermione felt his excitement and was pleased to see the pleasure she was giving him. Her right hand left the back of his head and down to his manly area. She rubbed it and Harry moaned even more. He knew they had to stop. He pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Hermione, maybe we can continue this later," Harry suggested as he was trying to catch his breath.
"Yeah, we could wait." she said as she tried to catch her breath. "What do we do about that…" she said as she looked down at his pants.
"Oh!" he said and turned around and started to adjust himself, "All better. Shall we?" he asked as he grabbed her waist.
"Harry, I thought we were going to Hogsmeade. Where exactly are we going?" She asked as she leaned her head on his chest.
"You'll see," Harry said with a mischievous voice.