Hermione Granger leaned against the passenger door of the car her parents bought her for her 17th birthday staring at the set of buildings across the street. The sky was overcast making everything more noticeably grey and dull. The grey sky, the grey road, the grey buildings, her grey car, her grey mood. The cool breeze grazed the skin of her arms. She scoffed and folded her arms over her chest as she ignored the people and cars passing in front of her range of vision.
Her parents used to bring her here every year for her birthday before she attended Hogwarts. A playground used to sit here. It had a large red spiral slide, a green paint-chipped seesaw, and her favorite, a gigantic tire-swing which her father would spin her around so fast until she was squealing with excitement and thought she couldn't hold on any longer.
Now those days were gone, everything had changed. Hermione was no longer an innocent child anymore; she had grown up and was now a young woman with responsibilities. She had joined the Wizarding World and faced the most evil of evils the world had ever seen. She had played a big part in the destruction of Voldemort. She honestly believed if Voldemort hadn't taken her captive and threatened Harry with her life, then Harry wouldn't have been able to pluck up the rage to destroy that evil bastard. Unfortunately, the evils had left its scar on a part of her soul.
Her beloved playground, now gone, replaced with new office buildings was only further proof of how things had changed and could never be the same again. She glanced down at her watch and saw the time. It was only two O'clock, and Harry wasn't expecting her at his flat until four. She glanced across the road at the office buildings of where her playground used to stand and sighed sadly. She had nothing else planned for this afternoon and decided to go to Harry's early.
She walked around to the other side of her car and slid inside. She started the engine and routinely reached for the radio to switch it to her favorite station only reminded by the fuzzy static that like her playground it too was long gone. She groaned and flicked off the radio. She pulled onto the road and began to drive in the direction of Harry's flat.
Most would find it unusual for a Witch with the ability to apparate to any inch of the world with only a single thought would reduce herself to relying on the inferior muggle transportation, like a car. But not to Hermione, this was where she came from, the muggle world. In her opinion it was good to go back to your natural roots sometimes.
After many turns and stoplights, Hermione found herself only a block away from Harry's flat. She found a parking space within walking distance and slipped out of the car. She walked around the corner and into Harry's building climbed onto the lift and pressed the button to the sixth floor. When the doors opened again she walked along the shoddy burgundy carpet and pushed open the fourth door to her left.
Inside she dropped her keys on the counter which landed with a loud clang. Hermione spotted Ron looking up from his spot on the couch and glance at her; he was playing a muggle video game.
"Hi, Mione," he mumbled, eyes returning to the television. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks," she mumbled half-heartedly eyes scanning around the flat for Harry. "Where's Harry?"
Ron didn't have time to answer because Harry wandered out from the hallway wearing only a white towel wrapped around his hips while he towel dried his hair with his left hand. "Oh, hey Mione. What are you doing here so early?" he asked. "I was wondering who could be coming in at this hour. Happy Birthday!"
"You always greet your unknown guests wearing only a tiny towel?" Hermione asked dryly as she plopped down next to Ron, who didn't seem to notice.
Harry looked down and frowned as if he only now realized what he was wearing. "Oh…um…sorry," he murmured. "I'm uh going to change. Excuse me."
Harry returned a few minutes later wearing jeans and grey sweater. He leaned against the counter and peered down at Hermione. "So what are you doing here so early?" he asked. "You said you had other business to take care of first."
"There was a change of plans."
"Still driving that old car?" Ron interrupted, not lifting his eyes from the TV.
"Of course."
"Never going to let me drive it, are you?"
"Nope."
"You know, in second year I did drive the flying car to Hogwarts. And I was twelve then, so I am sure I could drive your car now if you would give me the chance," Ron said.
"No, you flew the flying car to Hogwarts and you nearly took out the Great Hall and the Whomping Willow in the process," Hermione corrected. "And may I add there are fewer pedestrians in the sky for you to hit!"
Harry sniggered.
"Oh well I have to go anyway," Ron said shutting off the game and standing up. "I owe Ginny a favor and she said I have to help her pick out a dress for the party tonight. I'll see you two later."
Ron marched over to the door and opened it up to leave.
"Oh, Ron?" Hermione said.
"Yeah?" he asked, ducking his head back in the door.
"You're still twelve," she replied with a smirk.
Ron stuck out his tongue mockingly at her and smirked before exiting the flat.
Hermione sighed and fell back against the couch.
"So…what was this other business you had to do?" Harry asked.
"Oh, Harry," Hermione sighed. She leaned forward and noticed all the dirty dishes scattered around the flat. "Merlin, Harry, don't you ever clean up?" she asked ignoring his previous question.
She got up from her spot on the couch and collected all the dishes bringing them into the kitchen ignoring Harry's protests and repetitious inquiring of his earlier question.
"Hermione will you just answer the question?" he prodded further as he watched her gather up more dishes and head towards the sink. "Hermione, will you just stop?" Harry pulled out his wand and with a quick flick the dishes had vanished in Hermione's arms.
Her arms dropped to her side and she lowered her head and sighed.
"Hermione, what was--"
"HARRY, FOR GOD SAKES WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" she screeched, spinning around. "JUST DROP IT!"
"It does matter."
"Why?"
"Because I see there is something bothering you," he replied. "So please tell me what you were planning on doing."
"Nothings bothering me."
"Yes there is.
"No, there isn't
You're flustered," he said. "What happened?"
"You'll laugh," Hermione told him.
Harry walked around the table to throw and arm around Hermione and guide her back over to the couch. "Hermione, you can tell me I won't laugh. I promise you," Harry assured her.
"It's just this old playground my parents used to take me to every year for my birthday before I started Hogwarts. I loved it; it was always the highlight of my birthday. Well I went there today to clear my head," she frowned and looked up at Harry.
"Yeah?"
"It's been torn down and replaced with office buildings. I know it's only stupid playground but it was my stupid playground!" she said glancing back at Harry.
"Oh," he said. "Things have changed."
"Yes, the one place where I could find pure happiness and it's gone," Hermione sighed.
"The only place?" Harry questioned. "I am sure there have been other places that have brought you happiness."
"Oh yes, there have been many places," Hermione informed him. "But nothing like that. It was an innocent happiness before all the wickedness…before Hogwarts."
"Are you telling me that you regret Hogwarts?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"No, I could never do that," Hermione said. "But ever since we fought this war I have felt different. Like apart me died for every funeral or memorial we attended after it was all over. Or watching you bear the burden of it all day after day."
"Hermione, the war changed everybody," he told her, sympathetically rubbing her back.
"I can't feel anything anymore, Harry. I can't feel joy, happiness, or even sadness. I am dead inside. I feel as if a Dementor has sucked my soul out of me!" she said looking into Harry's eyes. "Why do I feel this way?" she asked as more tears sprung to her eyes.
Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in, allowing her to cry freely into his chest. He ran his fingers up and down her back and into her brown curls to try and make her feel better.
"Shhh it's okay," he whispered soothingly, rocking her back and forth. "It's okay, Mione."
"I don't want to feel this way anymore," she sobbed. "I want to feel something!"
"You will, Hermione," he told her. "I will make you feel something!"
Before he knew what he was doing, Harry tilted Hermione's chin up with a finger and placed a kiss on her lips. He pulled away seeking her eyes for concurrence to go further. She whimpered with a nod and grabbed the back of his neck pulling him down for hungry kiss that she so desperately needed.
Harry groaned and forced his tongue into her mouth, which she happily accepted. She encouraged him further when she reached for his sweater and struggled to pull of his sweater. Sitting up, Harry pulled off his sweater for her and tossed it on the floor. Playing professional Quidditch for the past eight months had done wonders for his body. He pushed her down on the couch nestling himself between her legs and claimed her mouth again with his own.
"Hermione…" he groaned into her mouth.
She responded by grinding her hips against his making him growl in response. He reached down to hike up her skirt and to remove her knickers. Moving down for his lips to meet her womanhood, Hermione stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder.
"No, Harry," she gasped. "Let's just do it."
Harry didn't need to be told twice, he moved back up and kissed her fiercely, as his hand snaked down between their bodies to unfasten his jeans. He pulled them down to his knees along with his boxers and his hard cock sprang free from its barrier.
Feeling the tip of his cock brush against her wet folds, she gasped and found herself eager for him to enter her.
Harry positioned himself at her entrance and plunged into her in one hard thrust. She cried out in pain and dug her nailed into his shoulders. Harry lay still, with himself still buried inside, and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Hermione are you a virgin?" he asked apprehensively.
"Yes," she replied.
"Oh, Hermione," he sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I thought…you and Viktor had before when…I didn't know - Oh, I didn't want to hurt you!"
"It's ok," she whispered.
He leaned in and kissed her hungrily again as he began to move with in her. Hermione gave a relieved sigh and began moving her hips to his rhythm. The intense pain that filled her with every thrust from Harry gradually dulled to a minor throb as her orgasm slowly began to build.
"Hermione!" Harry cried out.
He plunged into her deeper and faster. Hermione gave a guttural grunt with every thrust he gave. The dull pain always there at the beginning of each thrust.
Harry wrapped his fingers in Hermione long brown curls and panted heavily in her ear. "Oh, Mione, you're so beautiful…so bloody beautiful!" he grunted.
Hermione responded with a soft moan and kissed him again, her tongue delving into his mouth, swirling about with his tongue.
Harry plunged into her a dozen more times before he felt Hermione clench tightly around. She began to moan lightly. Harry knew this wasn't going to last much longer. Crying out her name loudly, Harry thrust into her a few more times, he could feel tingling ecstasy rising in his groin. He groaned loudly as he pumped into her one final time spilling his seed.
Harry collapsed on top of her, panting heavily. He took a few more deep breaths before he pulled out of her and sat up. Hermione pulled herself up fixing her skirt in the process; she leaned against the arm of the couch not knowing what to say. Harry fell back and sighed contently and glanced over at Hermione and grinned awkwardly.
They sat together in and awkward silence. Hermione was hit with a sack of mixed emotions that she couldn't comprehend. She wanted to sink contentedly into Harry's strong arms and soak up blissfulness of the moment, yet at the same time she wanted to curl up and bawl her eyes out.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked trying to break the awkwardness.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied politely, hiding her emotions. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm good," Harry replied. "Did it hurt?"
"A little bit," she admitted.
Harry leaned forward and sighed. "Hermione," he said. "Where do we go from here?"
"We get ready for the party," she answered. Hermione pulled herself off the couch and exited the room without a thought, leaving Harry alone and confused.
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