Hahahaha, I am LOVING the reviews this story has been getting!!!!!! Since they are so awesome, you get the chap TODAY!!!
So, this chap is dedicated to all my enthusiastic reviewers!!!!!
Last Chapter…
…Hermione hopped off his lap and practically sprinted into the bathroom. Harry leaned back into the sofa and crossed his feet on the coffee table. He was going to have fun when Hermione got back…
Part 2
Hermione locked the door to the bathroom and leaned against it for support. She could hear her heart pounding against her chest. Her hands were damp with sweat, and she felt dizzy. Hermione stood up on shaky legs and turned on the sink. She splashed water on her face and stared at herself in the mirror
"Get a grip on yourself, Granger. It's only Harry. It's not like you've been in love with him since you saw him on the Hogwarts Express all those years ago…oh bloody hell!!!" Hermione swore at her reflection. Those were not the words that were supposed to come out. `Another slip up like that, and I can kiss any friendship I have with Harry goodbye.' But her heart argued,
`What ARE you TALKING ABOUT? HE came on to US, so we shouldn't worry about slip ups. I say we snog, we shag, and we all go home happy.'
`And That's the kind of thinking that will lose Harry for us!!!'
`Oh, sod off. You have a wand so far up your…'
"ENOUGH!!!!" Hermione shouted at herself, then giggled not just a little hysterically.
"I've completely gone off the deep end!" But before she could argue with herself more, there was an insistent knock on the door.
"Hermione? Are you alright?"
Harry sat there for a few minutes before he heard shouting coming from the bathroom. Thinking the worse (Death Eaters, Paparazzi, Hermione got flushed down the toilet), Harry rushed to the bathroom door, only to find it locked. He began banging on the door
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Harry couldn't hear anything on the other side, so he stepped back, pulled out his wand, and was about to blast the door open when Hermione opened it and stepped out.
"Harry, why are you pointing a wand at me?" she asked calmly, but there was a glint in her eye. Harry looked down at his feet and mumbled something incoherent.
"What was that, Harry? I didn't quite catch it," Hermione asked again.
"Thought you…..fell down the toilet," Harry muttered, a blush creeping up his neck. Hermione stifled her laughter, but a chuckle escaped. Harry looked at her fiercely.
"Hey! I'll have you know that lots of people die from being flushed down toilets," Harry cried indignantly, but there was a grin on his face. Hermione giggled.
"Whatever you say, Harry. Now, let's get back to the quiz. It's your turn to quiz me," they walked back into the living room, and after Harry sat down in an armchair, Hermione plopped right on his lap. Harry's earlier panic returned. He sat absolutely still until Hermione poked him in the arm.
"Come on Harry, quiz me," she whined.
"Fine then. When was the last time I was really mad?"
"Ha! When Chang called me a slut."
"Correct. How did you know?" Hermione smirked.
"Because you and Ron are ridiculously protective of me. Well, you are, anyways," Harry smiled at her.
"Me? Protective of you? Why Hermione, that is preposterous. The only way I could ever be protective of you is if we had been friends for at least a decade, but that hasn't happened…"
"Haha Smart Arse," Hermione dryly commented, "Less cheek, more questions."
"Alrighty then," replied Harry in his imitation of Ace Ventura, "What is my greatest fear?"
"Failure," Hermione automatically answered. "Failing school, yourself, other people. Especially other people. When it's just you, you know that you can make it up to yourself. But when it's somebody else, you're afraid that they'll lose all faith in you, or will want nothing to do with you, and you'll be alone, which is your other greatest fear," Harry digested all of this slowly.
"You're wrong, Hermione," `Well there's something I've never had to say.' Hermione felt the same way, and turned to look at him, a `What-the-hell-are-you-talking-about-i-know-all-about-you' look on her face.
"I'm not afraid of being alone anymore; I learned that that was an irrational fear since I've got the Weasleys as friends, and they breed like rabbits. What I am truly afraid of is…disappointing you," Harry said the last in such a small whisper that Hermione thought she had imagined it.
"Why would you ever be afraid of disappointing Me, Harry? It's not like I'm anything special," Hermione said quietly. Harry turned her around till he could look her straight in the eye. His eyes were dark with rage and an unidentifiable light.
"What. The. Bloody. Fuck. Are. You. TALKING. About?" Harry said in a low and dangerous voice. "You, Hermione Granger, are the most important person in my life. More important than the Weasleys, Remus, Sirius, and my parents!!! You always know the right thing, the most logical thing to do in any situation, whether it's professional or personal. It's you that I come to for advice on anything, from what socks I should wear to should I AK this Death Eater. Whenever I've done something wrong in your eyes, I feel dirtier than Wormtail. I feel like I don't deserve to live, to be anywhere near you. That is why I am so afraid of disappointing you, Hermione," Harry was shaking. His greatest fear had always been one of his greatest kept secrets. Harry had always been afraid that dark wizards would use this secret against him. But his other most guarded secret…if anyone knew it, it could be the end of him and Hermione both.
Hermione was shaking. This confession, which looked like it had caused Harry physical pain to admit to her, was, in a way, what she had always wanted to hear. Hermione looked up and saw tears streaming down Harry's face. She hugged him tight and stroked his hair.
After a few minutes, the tears had stopped. Hermione looked up at him uncertainly.
"Are you sure you want to keep doing this? If it's going to make you like this, we really don't have to," Harry gave her a smile.
"It's fine. Let's keep going," Hermione nodded, "What's my favorite kind of weather? And if I could choose between good grades in school or falling in love, which would it be?"
"Those are too easy," answered Hermione breezily, "any kind of weather that you could play quidditch in is your favorite. And you'd choose falling in love, because after so many years with the Dursleys, you have this need to give and get love any chance you can."
"Of course, Hermione. How else would I get all those girls?" Harry joked. Hermione swatted him on the arm.
"Love, not lust, you git. Next questions."
"Sure. First kiss, most spontaneous action, favorite meal, and favorite charm?"
"Cho Chang, any adventure we've ever had, anything non-Dursley, preferably anything Weasley, and Accio, because you're too lazy to get off your arse."
"Yes, no, yes, and yes. I think my most spontaneous moment was when I punched Malfoy for standing in the hallway." Hermione chuckled at the memory
"You know, you're probably right. More questions."
"Geez, we sure are bossy today. But, I suppose I must. Number of kids, names, favorite piece of clothing, and Floo, Portkey, or Broom?"
"Two. For boys Ron, James, Remus, and Sirius. For girls Lily, Hermione, Ginny, Molly, and Ariana. Favorite article of clothing…..anything Dobby or Mrs. Weasley made for you, and broom, or course," Hermione finished with a roll of her eyes. Harry poked her in the side and she yelped.
"And I'm the Smart Arse? Good answers, though. Onward! Dream job, number of times we've had butterbeer together, quidditch position I'm suited for best, and favorite hex."
"DADA Professor, or Unspeakable, because you want to help others learn, but you also want to help the Wizarding world. One hundred and thirty-one, Seeker, and Petrificus Totalus," Hermione responded quickly. Harry raised his eyebrow at the last one.
"What makes you think Petrificus Totalus is my favorite hex?" Hermione shrugged.
"No idea. Just a guess. Was I right?"
"Nope. Expelliarmus, because it makes things more interesting. Now, if I had something to hide in my room, what would it be?"
"My stolen magazines."
"Witch."
"You'd be dead without me." Harry shut up after that. How true that was.
"Moving on. If I could be any animagus, what would it be?"
"Dog or stag, so you'd feel closer to your family."
"Ok. What's my favorite thing about you?" Hermione had to think long and hard about this one. Harry's favorite thing about her? She had no idea.
"Umm….my ability to keep you alive?" Harry laughed at loud at this one.
"Sort of. I can't think of one thing I don't like about you, `Mione," Hermione blushed at this, but Harry wasn't done.
"You're gorgeous, you're intelligent, you have a wonderful heart, and you care so much about everyone who really deserves to be cared about…" Hermione's heart soared a little higher with every word he spoke. She decided to cut him off before it flew right out of her chest.
"Wow, Harry. I am loving what you are saying, but if you don't stop soon, I'm going to get all Percy-headed," Harry guffawed at the insulting joke.
"Whatever you say, mademoiselle. Last question: Where are my birthmarks, if any? And not my scar; technically, it's not a birthmark," Hermione huffed; he always wanted things done the hard way.
"Fine," Hermione turned around and carefully inspected Harry's face. She turned his head to one side, then the other. Then she smiled at him.
"You have a mark on your neck, right below your ear," she spoke triumphantly. But, before either of them knew what was going on, Hermione leaned in and kissed Harry's birthmark.
`Oh my fucking gosh, what in the bloody hell did I just do?' Hermione sat there on Harry's lap, unmoving, wide-eyed with shock.
"Harry, I am so sormmph," Hermione was cut off in the middle of her apology by a pair of lips brushing against hers.
An instant and an eternity later, the pair separated for air.
"Wow, Harry. I mean….wow," Hermione spoke with pink, swollen lips. Harry grinned boyishly at her.
"I know what you mean. I…I….I…I love you, Hermione," Harry spoke nervously. Hermione smiled and kissed him again.
"I love you too. Wait!" Harry's exploration of Hermione's neck halted as she reached over and grabbed the issue of Witch Weekly.
"We have to check our scores. Hmm…we both got three wrong so….we got So Cute, It's Creepy: You and your friend know a lot about each other, and if you are a boy and a girl, it's so cute it's creepy. We here at Witch Weekly say you should snog, shag, and go home happy," Harry grinned devilishly at Hermione.
"I say we should listen to Witch Weekly," Harry whispered huskily. Hermione bit her lower lip and nodded. And as Harry carried Hermione off to his bedroom, her heart said smugly,
`Told ya so.'
Haha, that's the end of that. Sorry I couldn't write more snogging; I just don't have it in me to write so much of that. Oh, and one smart reviewer caught a terrible error in the first chapter with the Potions. That, and I realized that I was missing a question in the first chap. But, unfortunately, I cannot remove the chapter, because it means losing all those wonderful reviews. So, I will just post the 1st chap a second time, and this one.
Thanx slayerrr!!!!
-- Sage
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