Revelations
Harry awoke, unsure of where he was for the moment. It was darker than normal and the bed was different, especially with someone curled up against his side. He heard a far off echo of a door closing and realized he was in Hermione's hotel room. He had crashed when they had finally came back around ten that night…his body was telling him it was three in the morning and he figured he was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Now, as he glanced at the clock, it was almost seven in the morning. No wonder Hermione was tired…five hours time difference could really screw with you.
Slowly, he extracted his arm from under her head and quietly picked his way to the bathroom without managing to ram any toes into the wall. When he climbed back into the warm bed, she had turned onto her side, still breathing deeply. Knowing he wasn't going to fall back asleep he stared at the dark shadows on the ceiling, thinking about the cylinder in his basement. He was still trying to come up with a way to get it out of the niche.
He and Hermione had yelled at it, cursed in its general direction; each had tried to touch it, only to hit an invisible barrier. Charlie had even taken a look and was as clueless as Harry was. Bill said there might be some old magic in one of his books, but he would really have to dig for it…Hermione's advice was to try Nigellus again. So, Harry heeded her advice while he was renewing the wards and found Nigellus in the Headmistresses office. However, Nigellus refused to speak to him, agitating Harry. He had even appealed to Dumbledore's portrait. But, all that Dumbledore had to offer was just `be patient and the answer would come'. Harry had sighed and turned away a bit angrily. He wasn't sure what made him more mad…being ignored by the very person who knew what it contained or being told to be patient like he was twelve.
He decided to turn his thoughts to the past day he had spent with the Grangers. Once they had gotten over their initial shock of seeing Harry, they had welcomed him warmly. Hermione made no secrets about what kind of relationship was going on between her and Harry now. They held hands while walking through the inside of museums; they posed for pictures with the goofy grins on their faces for her parents. He could see, at first, her parents weren't sure what to make of it, until finally her father asked if they were exclusively seeing each other. After each of them had said "yes" in unison, Harry swore he saw her mother wipe a tear away. He guessed she was happy that Hermione had finally found someone…and Harry was very happy it was him.
"Harry?"
Harry jerked a bit, being startled out of his thoughts. He thought Hermione was still asleep; she hadn't moved from her position on the bed, where her back was to him.
"Yeah?" he slid down onto his side and propped up his head with his arm, draping the other one over her waist. She shifted a bit until she was snug against him, yawning then stretching.
"I was just making sure you were still there…you were awfully quiet."
"I was just thinking…I thought you were still sleeping." He felt her take his hand and pull it towards her chest, tucking it under her chin.
"I'm awake now. Are you leaving today?"
"Probably. I had promised I'd go to Molly and Arthur's for dinner tonight and also promised Fred and George a game of Quidditch Sunday morning. Why?"
Hermione shook her head, then turned onto her back, letting go of his hand and staring up at him. He had his glasses on
so he could clearly see her watching him in the dim light.
"I wonder if it would hurt my parent's feelings to much if I left, with you, a week early," she finally said, gathering her hair which had spread all over the pillow and tucking it down and over one shoulder.
"That's something you'll have to ask them…but why do you want to come back? I thought you were going to Baltimore tomorrow, then leaving for Florida on Monday?"
"I know," Hermione sighed. "I just…I don't really have any desire to go there…and…now that I've seen you it'll be harder to not see you. Does that make any sense?"
Harry nodded, slightly amazed that her thoughts were identical to his. He knew it was going to be hard to leave her after lunch, he just didn't know how hard until he remembered she was to have another week here, in the States.
Hermione excused herself and headed towards the bathroom and Harry was left alone with his thoughts for a moment. He remembered the few times Ginny had to go on business trips…trying to find certain deals on dragon hides or shimmering cloths. She loved going with Lavender and would often be gone over a weekend. Harry never really missed her to the point where he thought about her all the time. It was nice seeing her when she came back, but they would fall into the same old routine. However, from the moment Hermione had left, Harry felt alone that night…and that first night she was only at her parents; still in England. He heard Hermione open the bathroom door and watched her walk to the bed, perching on the end next to him. Sitting up, Harry moved over giving her some room. He noticed she was looking away from him, down at her hands which meant she was hesitant in asking something.
"What is it?" Harry asked gently. She fiddled with the hem of her nightgown before answering.
"I'm going to tell my parents I'm coming back. I'm almost twenty two, I shouldn't need to ask their permission…but since I did promise to come with them I should talk to them about it."
"I understand that," Harry said slowly. "But, why are you so hesitant in event talking about it?"
"I don't want to intrude on any of your…time," Hermione answered. Harry finally understood that she thought he must be having a grand time by himself, when in actuality he was miserable when he came home to just her cat and his owl.
"Hermione," Harry reached out and turned her face towards his. He kept his palm cupped against her cheek and continued, "I get up a bit before six, I work out with Charlie, go to Hogwarts and don't come home until five. Most nights I'm asleep on the sofa, in front of the TV or with a book in my lap, before nine at night. But, when I do come home for the first few moments I anticipate seeing you, then remember you are here. I would love it if you came home early, but I understand if you want to stay with your parents. The decision is yours but, remember, it's your home, too."
"Actually, it's your house," Hermione gave a small smile watching Harry give a shake of his head.
"It's yours also, like I said," he said earnestly, trying to make her understand that this was something he wanted to share with her. And he knew that this was only the start on what he wanted to share with her.
"Harry," Hermione turned towards him taking his hand in hers. "I appreciate that, but you bought it, you chose it, it's yours. I just live there with you for the time being."
"I don't want it to be `for the time being'," Harry blurted out, shocking himself as much as he shocked Hermione. Her mouth opened in shock then shut again, her brown eyes wide as understanding dawned quite quickly.
"Harry…I-," her voice was drowned out by a knock on her door.
"I hear you two are awake in there…do you want to go get breakfast in a few?" Dr. Granger's voice floated through the door. Hermione was still staring at Harry, and nodded in response, then realized her father couldn't see her agreeing.
"Sounds good dad," Hermione uttered sitting back a bit as Harry removed her hand from hers and grabbed his clothes.
"I'm going to get a quick shower," he said and quickly walked into the bathroom. He leaned his head against the closed door, silently berating himself for not controlling what was coming out of his mouth. It looked as if he scared her and that was the last thing he wanted to do. That was precisely the reason he hadn't told her he had fallen in love with her.
As he adjusted the shower spray, he vowed to not bring it up again unless she did, or if the moment felt exactly right…and knowing Hermione she was going to analyze everything he said which would take days. He did entertain the idea that he was an adult and it was silly to play childish "I wonder how she/he feels about me games", so he tried to figure out a way to find the appropriate time to tell her.
It was time he called upon that Gryffindor courage he supposedly had and act upon it.
----
One week later…
Harry still hadn't acted upon his Gryffindor courage. In fact, he managed to push it back into the deep recesses of his mind and pretend he didn't say anything. He couldn't really talk to her with her parents hanging around. As it turned out, she had stayed a few more days with her parents and after they had taken off for Florida, Hermione had floo'd home five days earlier than planned.
Harry had met her at the International Floo Center and twenty minutes later they were stumbling around her bedroom, yanking off each other's clothes, crashing their way through suitcases and bags to her bed, which they ended up falling onto sideways. It was him, this time, that was demanding her in a way he never knew existed. It was as if all his crazy thoughts that had been running around screaming "you love her" (in his head) were coming out in physical form. Afterwards, Hermione told him that it seemed they had become greedy. Harry just agreed, which got her to laughing. The house seemed, fuller, warmer and happier with her in it.
Now, he relished in the fact that it was his last day of renewing the wards…he only had to go over the entire Hogwarts grounds and double check everything. And as lunch time approached, he got the feeling he was being watched.
Nothing scary.
Nothing that was making him anxious to pull out his wand and crouch down in the bushes and wait. Just that fact that, once in awhile, he'd hear a soft noise or feel like someone was watching from afar. He knew Hermione was supposed to come into the school around lunch time; she said she would bring a picnic lunch and insisted on seeing him in his uniform. He felt very self conscious in it and always changed at school after the gym; then changed before he came home. So, she never saw him in it, but he had promised her if she came to see him and brought him lunch, then he'd have to be in it because he was working.
And that was what he was doing at the moment. He had gone around the grounds…four hours of checking, double checking then registering the spell he used into his wand. He realized, just from how the sun was positioned in the sky that it was close to noon and he was hungry. He had told Hermione he would meet her in one of their classrooms for lunch, since she couldn't come down to find him-- secrecy and all that. He pocketed his wand in the special holster on his leg and took a glance over his shoulder…he swore he saw movement.
But, again, nothing was there.
---
Ron peered out from behind a tree, knowing that Hermione was just up the hill in her classroom. After their lunch, he thought maybe he'd pop in and surprise them. Professor McGonagall knew he was there, but he had sworn her to secrecy. She said she had too much on her plate to go around telling her teachers that there was a new ghost, so she said she'd just pretend she didn't know.
So, he settled himself down behind a tree and figured he'd give them an hour for lunch, then pop in as they were cleaning up…he couldn't wait to see their faces!
---
Hermione sat at the top of the stairs, fiddling with the buckle on her sandal when she caught sight of something moving out of the corner of her eye. Looking up she squinted into the sun, then lowered her sunglasses over her eyes.
That couldn't be Harry…could it? She squinted and as he walked closer she realized it had to be him. He was the only one out on the grounds, besides Hagrid, and this tall figure taking long strides up the hill wasn't him.
"Bloody Hell," Hermione whispered, watching him get closer. She could now see he was dressed entirely in black with long sleeves and he had on plain, black, leather boots that stopped a bit below his knee. Something glinted in the sunlight and Hermione realized he had on mirrored shades; and knew he saw her because he raised a hand in greeting. She told her hand to lift and wave back, which thankfully it did because her mouth was to busy gawking at him. The black top, which she could see ended at his hips, stretched over his torso much like a muggle wet suit, showing every defining muscle and ripple as he walked. His pants were slightly form fitting but were a bit looser and the bottoms disappeared into his boots. The waist seemed to be connected to the shirt somehow. He had on black gloves which he began pulling off as he started up the stairs and stopped in front of her, raising his sunglasses and setting them on his head.
For a moment they just stared at each other, until Hermione realized she needed to breathe. She grabbed the wall feeling strange pulsations beat through her body.
"Hermione?" he questioned, folding up his gloves and tucking them into a pocket in the back, that she
didn't know he had. "Are we…are you alright?"
Hermione nodded as the realization hit her. For the first time, she was turned on by someone in a uniform. Sure, the Quidditch uniforms were great, but she had been to busy worrying about Ron getting hit by a bludger or Harry falling and cracking his skull again to truly appreciate them.
"Yes…I'm fine. Holy Merlin's Beard, Harry, why didn't you tell me the uniform was like-," Hermione gestured towards him wordlessly, as he began walking towards the door.
Harry put his hands out to the sides and looked down as they walked side by side to her classroom. "Like what? It's awful, I know." He gave her a sheepish grin. She shook her head vehemently.
"Not awful, no…not at all awful," Hermione murmured reaching out and touching his arm. The material was soft, almost like silk.
"It repels spells, most of them, or absorbs them, depending on how deathly they are. Doesn't work on the Avada one, of course. The sunglasses protect my head…etcetera," Harry explained quickly, feeling her hand run down his arm, then back up again. He looked down at her, as he held her classroom door open for them to walk through. Hermione just stood there momentarily forgetting her picnic lunch and watched him walk over to the table and set down his sunglasses, then take out his gloves and set them down next to his wand.
Every movement he made brought her closer to the feeling she just wanted to launch herself at him and snog him senseless. Peeking into the basket he looked over his shoulder and asked her something, but she couldn't hear anything through the roaring in her ears. Then, the pull she was feeling towards him was incredible…she wondered if his suit absorbing all that magic combined with just his magic was making it impossible for her to think straight.
She watched him walk back to her, concern on her face and she knew if he asked if she was feeling well. She just nodded, then reached up and pulled his head down towards hers. She could tell she took him by surprise when he seemed to hesitate on where to put his arms. She curled her arms around his neck and leaned into him, feeling him respond hesitantly at first. She knew he was thinking anyone could walk into her classroom at the moment and see them like this, but she didn't care…her mind had shut down and all the energy she felt went into them.
"Hermione," Harry managed to whisper against her lips. "You sure you're alright?"
"Yes, Harry," Hermione smiled at him, her arms still wrapped securely around his neck. "It's you in that uniform…," she started, seeing understanding finally cross his face.
"Really? Damn. I would've worn this every night at home then," he joked before kissing her softly.
"If you only had shown me earlier," Hermione whispered, tilting her head back as he nipped at her jaw bone then under her chin. "I'm really not in the mood for lunch right now."
Harry's laugh tickled her ear. "We're in your classroom, not the best place to be snogging each other."
Hermione pulled one of her arms back from his neck, found her wand in her shorts pocket and flicked it towards the door. Locking and silencing the room, she turned back to Harry.
"This is my classroom and you need to do what I ask you to do," Hermione said playfully tossing her wand onto her desk.
"What happens if I don't? I am kind of hungry," he kissed her ear, then let his lips slide down her neck.
"Ummm…detention." She gasped as he kissed her collarbone, letting his hand slide up her back and into her hair.
Harry hummed an amused reply in his throat and captured her lips again, pressing her up against the wall, feeling his control slipping as her hands pressed and massaged over his chest and back.
"How does this thing come off?" Hermione tugged at his collar looking for a zipper. Gently he reached up and guided her hand to the back of his neck where she felt a metal slide for a zipper. Pushing into her, as she pulled the zipper down, Hermione couldn't help the shudder that ran through her body. Moaning, when he did it again, made his hands move faster over her, sliding her shorts down, letting his fingers brush against her knickers. Crying out, she jerked against him, tugging at his uniform so it slid down over his hips…she needed him…NOW. He must have sensed it because she felt him hold her tighter, pulling one of her legs up to his hip, one hand pressing against her bum and she felt her knickers fade away.
"Harry! How?" She gasped as she felt the full length of him against her. He just shook his head slightly and pulled her other leg up so she was now pressed against the wall but being supported by him. Never in all her dreams did she ever think she would have sex against the wall of her classroom…especially at this frenzied place. She wanted him…like what had been their first time. No control had by any of them.
"Please…," Hermione moaned pushing against him. "No control…," she gasped feeling Harry move under her.
"But," he whispered thickly against her neck, imagining chaos in her classroom.
"Charmed," she gasped, meaning she had sticking charms on everything so her students wouldn't accio something over that wasn't theirs and play a trick by transforming it. Harry nodded in comprehension, not holding anything back as he pushed into her, sighing against her chest with every movement of her hips.
Hermione didn't think being with Harry could get any more sensual than their first time, but she was wrong. Everything melted away except him, but this time everything came faster as she started to reach her pinnacle. Lights swirled behind her eyes and she swore she heard him say something with her name at the end.
"What?" she gasped, crying out as his mouth captured hers and his hands pulled her hips towards him…faster and more roughly than she had ever known him to be. Heavy pants, jumbled thoughts, sounds of chimes, colors of gold and sliver swirled around her and she suddenly felt a piercing warmth penetrate her. She heard, or maybe she read his thoughts, either way "I love you, Hermione" echoed in her head until she arched against him, crying out as she hurdled down to a solid ground, hearing his name echo off the walls. His tender cries were muffled in her neck as she held onto him, until they both stopped trembling. She wondered how he had the strength to hold her up.
She didn't have the willpower to stop the thoughts that tumbled out of her mouth, ranging from: "Oh My God, that was brilliant" to his comment of "Fuck, yeah". He grinned as she lightly slapped in on the arm, reprimanding his use of language.
Then as if someone flipped a switch he pulled his face from her neck and kissed her, leisurely and deeply, holding her as tightly as he could. Slowly , he pulled away and their eyes met and locked.
"I love you," he said quickly as if he thought that the words might not make it out of his mouth if he didn't say them fast enough. Hermione smiled at him, her eyes filling with warm tears as she leaned over and kissed him lightly.
"I love you," she whispered, feeling his arms wrap around her tighter, if possible, and heard a sharp intake of breath. "I think I always have…and always will."
Harry's breath hitched in his chest as her tears spilled over her cheeks and wet his shoulder. He was at a loss for words, and was sure that what started out as a fun, spur of the moment lunch ended up being so serious, and so heart-felt he was sure he didn't want this moment to end.
But, hunger had it's own plans. Someone's stomach growled, which led them to straighten up, get dressed, all the while quietly looking at each other. Reaching over he touched her cheek and felt the need to tell her again.
"I've never felt this way about anyone Hermione…you're…you're so deep inside me that I truly can't imagine life without you," Harry began, feeling Hermione's hand zip up his uniform. Her arms went around him and she hugged him, hard, silently telling him she felt the same. If she spoke, she was sure a sob would escape and she wasn't going to cry…again.
----
"That was one of the best lunches I've ever had," Harry complimented Hermione, as they whisked away the crumbs from their sandwiches.
"Thanks…having dessert first was the best, though," Hermione grinned and winked at him. He laughed, leaned over and kissed her cheek and as he pulled away he saw something float down from the ceiling.
Immediately his hand went to his wand and he jumped back from Hermione who looked up at him in surprise.
The form turned around and Harry's mouth dropped. Hermione's heart sped up as she looked up from her spot in the chair. Harry's face had suddenly gone pale and his wand clattered to the table. Spinning around in her chair she saw a familiar face with red hair and screamed, her hands flying up to her mouth. Harry's hand gripped her shoulder, more to steady himself than anything.
"Hullo mates…how was lunch?" Ron's familiar voice echoed through the room.
"What the fuck?" Harry questioned in a hoarse whisper, his hand slipping off Hermione's shoulder as she sprang to her feet and pointed a finger at him.
"Ronald Weasley, you little prat…you scared us to death. What the hell do you think you're doing!" Hermione's hand shook as she pointed at him, but all Ron did was laugh.
"Merlin, it feels great to hear you yell at me, Hermione." Ron smiled down at her and Hermione stared at him trying to get all her thoughts in a sensible row. She saw his eyes flick to Harry, who was strangely quiet. Turning her head, she saw Harry staring at Ron with a mixture of expressions flying through his green eyes.
"Don't worry, mate," Ron floated closer until he was floating on the other side of the table, causing Harry and Hermione to turn ninety degrees to look at him. "I'm really dead-."
"I can see that," Harry said quickly, his voice lower than normal.
"And," Ron continued placing his hands behind his back, "I know about you and Hermione and I'm glad…Ginny's glad…no one else deserves each other more than you."
Hermione felt tears prick the back of her eyes, cleared her throat and suddenly bowed her head---totally overwhelmed that the three of them were standing together once more. Also, that her former boyfriend had immediately given them his blessing.
"Thanks," Harry whispered still floored by his best friend's form in front of him. Hermione nodded, her hair forming a curtain around her face as she kept her eyes trained to the floor. She felt Harry's arm come around her shoulders.
"I didn't mean to make you cry," Ron said gently to Hermione watching her run a hand through her hair, then look up at him. Their eyes met and the feelings that Hermione thought she would experience-confusion, guilt, anger---were not there. Happiness, took their place. She gave him a small smile.
"I've missed you," she said honestly, feeling Harry nod in agreement. If the way his hand was gripping her shoulder was any indication of what he was feeling, she knew he was just as overwhelmed as she was. She curled an arm around Harry's waist and held him tightly.
"I know you have a job to do, Harry, but…when you guys want to I'd like to get together and talk. I have loads to tell you," Ron said carefully, a bit confused by Harry's silence.
A second ticked by and then his confusion slipped away.
"Yeah," Harry whispered thickly, wiping the back of his eyes quickly with his free hand. "I'd like that." Harry gave Ron a watery smile, then buried his face in Hermione's hair, kissing the top of her hair trying to compose himself.
"Maybe tomorrow?" Hermione suggested. Ron nodded in agreement.
"And, if you don't mind…can you let my family know I'm now an official Hogwarts ghost?"
"Haunting the dining hall?" Harry questioned his voice a bit steadier. Ron grinned widely.
"You got that right! I'll see you sometime tomorrow," Ron winked at them and disappeared through the ceiling, leaving his two best friends staring up at the heavens in silent wonder.
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