Okay I just finished writing this and it is REALLY short. It's going to go up as a chapter, but it's just a little snippit to close out the last one before the next part continues. Think of this as more as a part two of chapter ten. I mean, I'm just warning you….it's VERY short, but I needed to get this out before moving on to the next. Hope you enjoy it though!
Chapter 11
Hermione was just finishing up with her project when she heard the door open and close. Hermione looked at her watch to see that it was just close to midnight and Harry had only left three hours ago. "Harry?" she asked walking down the stairs to see Harry leaning over greeting Daisy. "You're home earlier than I expected."
"Well," he said giving Daisy one last pat and walked to her. "I expected to either be home earlier or early tomorrow morning."
"Oh," Hermione winced. "I take it you kissed?"
Harry chuckled shaking his head. "We had a great time at dinner, just like we always do. Talking to each other and hanging out was never a problem, but then came the time where I walked her to the door and well…I took your advice and got it over with."
"Was it that bad?"
"We both stood there perfectly still with our lips still locked and then we both stared at each other and next thing I knew we were both laughing."
"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione sighed. "I was really pulling for you two."
He shrugged. "Well, what can you do? At least I got a new friend out of it and you got a new drinking buddy."
"That's true," she said with a grin. "Well, now that you're home come see what I did on the stais."
Puzzled, Harry followed her towards the bottom of the stairs. "Just what can you do on the…oh…wow, Hermione!"
The once blank wall that traveled up with the stairs was now scattered with framed pictures of their times at Hogwarts. Hermione even started with the pictures from their early years at the bottom of the stairs and the older they were the higher the picture went.
"Where did you get all these pictures?" Harry asked taking a few steps up to look more closely.
"Collin mostly," she said beaming. "I've had a box full of them for years, but never got around to putting them anywhere."
"It's perfect," he said going further up the stairs. Some pictures were of the entire trio, some were of just Harry and Ron, or just Ron and Hermione and just Harry and Hermione. Harry smiled and touched the picture of the entire D.A. that was taken during their fifth year. "This is so cool."
"I'm glad you like it," she said walking up with him. "This is one of my favorites of course."
She pointed of the picture Mrs. Weasley had taken during Bill's wedding of the three of them. Harry remembered posing with Hermione in the middle of them and Mrs. Weasley had told him and Ron to give Hermione a kiss on the cheek. The picture clearly showed how embarrassed they were at first, but then all three of them had laughed afterwards.
"That's a good one," Harry agreed then pointed to the one where he was dancing with Hermione. "Remember that? I had just figured out a clue that could lead us to the locket and I needed to talk to you right away. You were dancing with Ron and I made him step aside while I cut in. He was fuming."
"I was relieved actually," she said laughing. "He's a horrible dancer and he had already stepped on my foot at least three times."
Once Harry got to the stop of the stairs, he turned to Hermione with a smile. "I can't believe you did all this, it's terrific. Ron's going to love it once he sees it."
"I hope so," she said looking at all the pictures. "I really miss him."
"Me too," he said and then sat down on the top of the stairs and pulled her down next to him. "I went by to see him this morning. The Healer in charge of him said he was getting a lot stronger. It's a good sign, Hermione."
Hermione nodded. "I know. It could be any day now."
Harry gave her a little hug and then kissed her on her temple. "Let's head to bed. You have a big day tomorrow."
"Aw yes," she sighed letting Harry pull her up on her feet. "No going back now."
"Nope. Don't worry, it'll be great. I have practice tomorrow morning, but should be done by the afternoon. Leave me a note at the house on where to reach you and I'll help out."
"Okay, good night Harry," she said kissing him on the cheek. "Sorry again it didn't work with, Maggie."
"Don't worry about it," he said with a wink. "She's out there somewhere. I just have to stop looking, then she'll pop right in front of me. Don't you think?"
Hermione smiled as she opened the door to her room. "I think you're absolutely right. Sleep well and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night," he said and watched her until she was in her room, before making her way to his bedroom. Daisy was at his heels and followed him into his room and jumped on the bed. "Sleeping with me tonight, are we?"
Daisy's tail thumped against the bed as she looked at him adoringly.
"You just want to sleep with me, because as Hermione puts it, I'm a softy and let you sleep in my bed."
Daisy let out a soft woof.
Harry sighed and then shook his head. "All right," he said getting into bed. "But no hogging the covers. And no snoring."