Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I would have done HBP different, if I did.
A/N: My response to the "Answer me this" challenge. Hope you will enjoy it, and if you read, leave a review, even if it is bad. It will make me happy anyhow, and maybe constructive criticism will help me improve my skills…
Hermione's Turn
Next morning, Harry woke up in his room, a smile on his face. His night had been utterly pleasant, although, if you think of it, a bit disturbing too.
Because it is not everyday that you dream of holding your female best friend in your arms and snog her senseless for hours…
Chuckling, he went to have a quick shower, and dressed. Then, stepping into their little common room, he knocked softly on her door.
"Hey, Mione. Wake up, so we can get a bit of breakfast, and then we have that quiz to finish…" he said.
"I'm coming, just give me some minutes" came the muffled reply.
Sitting on the couch, he waited, and true to her word, not even five minutes later, she was there.
"Good morning" he greeted her. "Ready to see if you really know me so well?"
"Of course. But right now my stomach needs something to fill it. Let's head to breakfast, so that we can also say hello to Ron and the others, then we will come back here"
He agreed, and soon they found themselves sitting at the Gryffindor table.
"What does it mean you are not coming?" Ron asked them, when they told him they would stay back at the castle.
"Really, Ron, the weather is not this good, there are lots of dark clouds in the sky, and since I've got some essays to finish, I think it's better this way" Harry said. "After all, this leaves you free to snog Luna all day, you should be glad" he then added nonchalantly, teasing the redhead.
All of them started laughing apart from Ron, who muttered something resembling "git" and stood up to go meet his girlfriend and head for the village.
Harry and Hermione instead, after looking at the crowd of students walking out of the castle, without the minimum remorse walked back to their quarters, to enjoy a day in company of each other.
Once there, they sat like the night before, Hermione lying on the couch, her legs on Harry's lap, who would now and then caress them, and her head resting on a cushion.
"So, you ready?" he said, taking the magazine.
"Of course I'm ready. Shoot the first question, Mr. Potter" she said challenging him.
He stuck his tongue at her and nodded.
"When was the last time I was really mad?"
"Ah, this is easy. Although, quite painful to remember. When Voldemort put me under the Cruciatus in front of you. I swear, I've never seen you more frightening, your hair was literally floating eerily and magic came in waves from you…"
"Yeah, the bastard really pissed me off. Although, Malfoy made me upset too, last week when he kept badmouthing you. But "really mad" qualifies for what you said, I think" he nodded with a chuckle. "What's my all-time greatest fear?"
"Well, Lupin would say you fear the fear itself, but I know it is not being able to have a family" she said softly.
"And right you are" he admitted softly. "You started well, Granger. Let's see how you go on, then. What's my favourite kind of weather?"
"Easy one, this. Quidditch perfect condition, clear sky, bright sun and just a bit of chill in the air to not suffer too much hotness"
"Perfect" he agreed. "That's the best day. I can soar up in the air, and fly, fly, fly…" he said with a sort of dreamy look.
She giggled.
"What was that for?" he asked narrowing his eyes.
"You were so cute right now, when saying that" she answered, still laughing.
"Granger, men are not cute. Handsome, maybe, and I surely am, but not cute" he said, puffing out his chest in triumph.
"Deflate your ego, Potter, and read the next question"
"What would I choose, falling in love or doing well in school?"
"Not even a doubt. Falling in love, because you never were so attentive to schoolwork, and that would lead maybe to your deepest desire, building a family"
He smiled, nodding. "My first kiss was with…"
"Cho Chang. Fifth year, after a DA session, you were utterly shocked when you came back. And, you defined it…"
"Wet" he completed for her. "Not the best definition for a kiss, but being my first, I was not so experienced, back then" he remembered.
"Well, I wasn't with Viktor too, but never thought of it as wet" she retorted.
"But Viktor wasn't resembling a broken pipe while kissing you, was he?" Harry retorted back.
She shook her head, amused. "No, he wasn't"
"Good. Now, what foods constitute my perfect meal?"
"Let's see…I would say roast, Caesar's salad and pumpkin pie. And a Butterbeer, or pumpkin juice. And treacle tart too"
"You know me pretty well, milady. You never missed one till now, I'm impressed" he said, nodding.
"I told you. I bet I'll never miss one" she said, proudly.
"That we will see. What Charm do I use more often?"
"I think it's Accio, as you're a lazy pig" she said jokingly.
"Actually, that is true, but there is also the Conjuring Charm I use quite often. But you're right, I think Accio is the first on the list"
"See, I got another one right" she stated matter-of-factly. Harry smirked at her.
"You're way too satisfied with yourself, Granger" he said, forgetting the magazine and starting tickling her.
"Harry…please, stop…" she said through her laugh.
"Beg for mercy, and I will" he said, continuing his ministrations.
After a couple minutes, she surrendered. "That was mean" she said, regaining her breath.
"Do you really think so?" he asked, faking innocence. "I can already see the titles on the "Prophet", "The Boy-Who-Won is a mean boy"" he said, rolling his eyes and taking Witch Weekly again.
"They write only rubbish, Harry, you should not worry of them" she reminded him
"I know, I know. Let's read the next, shall we?"
She nodded, and waited.
"How many children do I want to have?"
"Two, I would guess" she answered immediately. "That would make a good family"
"Yes, that would. I think two would be perfect, especially if they were a girl and a boy. Of course, that would be the base, you can always increase the number, but I think two is good" he agreed, thinking about it. "What would their names be?"
"James or Ron for the boy, Lily for the girl"
"And right you are again" he said, clearly annoyed that she had not missed one yet. If she kept it up, it would result she knew him better than he knew her, and that upset him. He had lately come to admire anything that related to her, and her every gesture, but it seemed she still knew him better. However, there were still lots of questions…
"What's my favourite piece of clothing?" he asked, and his eyes lit up. He knew she couldn't get that right.
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe your Quidditch robes?"
He shook his head. "First mistake, Granger. It's a plain white shirt I nicked from you this summer. I wear it every night to sleep"
She looked outraged. "You nicked one of my shirts! Why?"
"Well, I had mines all being washed, so I needed one, and took it, intending to give it back the next day, but it came out it smelled of you, and it relaxed me, like I was safe because you were near, so I kept it" he said, blushing. The fact was, he wanted to wake at morning at feel her scent, like if she was there, in his arms.
She softened her expression, and nodded. "You can keep it then. I don't want it back, I'm sure it smells really foul now" she added then, teasing him.
He looked at her in shock. "I don't smell!" he protested. "Well, maybe after Quidditch, but I use to shower, you know!"
"Calm down, I was joking!" she said, reaching and mussing his hair gently.
"Right" he said, before resuming reading.
"I would choose Floo Powder, Portkey or broom?"
"Broom. You hate both Portkeys and Floo, especially after the incident with it that brought you in Knocturn Alley"
"Yes, that's right. Pity those things are faster than brooms, and they come in handy when long trips are needed" he mused.
"Well, there's always Apparition" she corrected him.
"Oh, yes. Now, that is fun" he smiled. "Although, learning it has not been that easy, all those lessons…" he remembered sixth year.
"Yes, but once you got it, you never forget how to do it. Now, if you will read next question, we can continue this quiz…"
"Of course. What's my dream job?"
"Being an Auror. Or playing Quidditch, but that would put you too much in the spotlight"
"Exactly. So, Auror it is. Well, that was easy, wasn't it? It's been my choice since fifth year…"
"Yes, it was. And the nerve of that Umbridge to say you're not suited for it…" Hermione remembered angrily.
"Well, yes, but after all, what is she suited for? Nothing, I would say, so her opinion doesn't count this much, does it?" Harry joked, and she nodded, snorting. "How many times we have downed a Butterbeer together?"
"Well, you said it yesterday, it's ninety-five"
He nodded, and passed to the next. What position in Quidditch I would be more qualified for?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Those are too easy, though"
"I think you would be a great Keeper" she joked. "No, really, it's obvious, you're the best Beater on the earth" she said deadpanned, just to break in a fit of giggles.
He chuckled with her. "Are you going to give me the right answer, or shall I count this as wrong?"
"Ok, ok. Seeker"
"That's it. Now, what's my favourite hex of choice?"
"Well, in the war you used pretty often that Sectumsempra spell, but that is more a curse than an hex. So, I would say Expelliarmus or Impedimenta"
"Impedimenta it is. Although, I'm not sure, it's really close with Expelliarmus. I'll count this right, then, as I don't know it myself. What Animagus form would I be, if I could be any?"
"A stag, like your father"
He shook his head. "No, my dear. Second mistake for you"
"No? And what would you be?" she asked, curious.
"A phoenix. Or, at least, this is what I would choose, although I dunno if it suits me"
"Oh, of course it does. You're pure and brave and the best representation of light against darkness. A phoenix is the purest animal, well, maybe apart the unicorn, but still it symbolizes the light, so yes, I think it suits you well. After all, it rebirths from its ashes, and more than once you have come out alive from very strict death situations, one for all the Killing Curse you survived at one"
He nodded thoughtfully. "Well, next question, then. Is there something in my room I hide from everyone?"
"Don't think so, but after all, if you wanted it hid, just you would know about it, I reckon. So, really, I don't know"
"No, there is nothing. So you got this right"
"The end of the quiz approaches, Mr. Potter, and I'm still at two mistakes, when you did four yesterday" she said smugly.
"Ah, but you can't know what you'll do in the next three questions…what's my favourite thing about you?"
"My brain so that I can help you whenever you need it" she said, without even thinking about it.
"What an horrible thing to say!" he retorted. "No, that's completely wrong. I don't know what would I choose, it could be your eyes, that I feel myself drowning into, or your angelic face, or your hair, that I love to stroke" he said, reaching out and doing just that, "but surely it's not what you said" he ended, looking her straight in her eyes, and she saw he was sincere. She saw something else there, a deep emotion, like…love…
Gulping, she nodded. "Ok" she squeaked, while his gaze lingered on her, and his hand softly caressed her cheek.
After a couple minutes, he shook himself from the daze, and cleared his throat. "Ok, do I have any birthmarks?"
"Apart the scar? No, I don't' think so"
"Right you are" he said, smiling warmly at her. "And the scar itself can't be considered one, as I got it at one, not at my birth…"
"That's true" she agreed.
"Ok, now, for the last question, what's the most spontaneous thing I have done?"
"Well, that could be going to the Department of Mysteries to save Sirius, or try to save all of us in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament…" she said, but was cut mid sentence by his lips crashing on her own, and the tip of his tongue gently asking for admittance.
She opened her mouth, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back, tongues searching each other, and duelling in their mouths, soft moans coming from both of them, while he pulled her on his lap, and they continued kissing.
After a good snog, they parted for lack of air.
"Wrong again, Granger. This is the right answer, so now we are even" he said, before kissing her again, the magazine soon forgotten on the couch, as their hands roamed on each other.
"I love you, Hermione" he said then. "I have for some time now"
"I love you too, Harry" she said before kissing him hard again. "Have since fourth year, in fact" she added when they parted.
He grinned, and taking her hand led her into his room, locking it so no one would disturb them while showing their love for the other.
"That quiz has definitely been fun" Harry thought while attacking her mouth again. "And useful too. Who knows when I would have told her, if it wasn't for it."
For once, Harry Potter was glad to have a friend who read Witch Weekly.
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