Warming Up
Saturday morning arrived and by noon, all of Harry's personal items and a few pieces of furniture had been moved into his new house at seventy-three-and-a-half Hogsmeade Lane. Luna and Neville helped him push furniture around trying to figure out where to put his large sofa, while Neville tried to figure out how to get a signal to the TV, which occupied most of his time. Hermione was still working with the movers, packing up items and said she would apparate over a bit before they delivered her furniture, all shrunk down, but in one huge, heavy box.
"Harry, want to come up and see if your bedroom is to your liking?" Luna called from the stairway. Harry draped the towel over the sink he was using to wipe down the counter, and sprinted up the stairs.
"Luna, you didn't have to move stuff around in my room," Harry told her as he walked to the end of the hall and opened the door.
"I just levitated a few things…you need to achieve harmony with your environment and having your bed over here, across from the window, will help bring you peace." Luna's arm swept through the bedroom and Harry's eyes followed the arc.
"I see. And is there a reason my dresser is under the window instead of to the side?" Harry asked, grinning at Luna; he knew she had an answer.
"That way when you get up to grab your clothes in the morning, you can look out the back of the house to the peaceful rolling lawn and feel relaxed. Who wants to look at a white wall anyway? Hence, the reason they are a now a sage green color. I also changed the color of your bed covers, just a bit; they now have some gold in it. That'll help you in the romance department," Luna spouted, finally stopping for a breath of air.
Harry stared at her, taking in the serious note in her blue eyes, then looked around at his room. He struggled not to
break into an amused grin seeing how serious she seemed.
"Luna…you truly amaze me sometimes," Harry complimented her, patting her shoulder a bit awkwardly.
"Well, the gold…I figure you and Hermione might need some support."
"What? Me and Hermione?" Harry was visibly surprised Luna brought that up now of all places.
"Yes, Harry," Luna sighed as if they had this conversation a million times already, "It's in the stars; you two were meant to be together. Didn't you pay attention in Astronomy?"
"Sometimes," Harry answered, glancing at the picture of him and Ron in their Quidditch robes on the top of his dresser.
"Well, it's out there. You and Ginny made the first step together into the relationship world, and now Hermione is your landing," Luna told him, watching him look at the picture on his dresser.
Harry thought about her words for a minute, thinking about what they could mean to him.
"So, you're saying, even if Ginny lived, she and I wouldn't have lived happily ever after?"
Luna reached out and touched the frame of the picture as Harry watched. She seemed to be struggling with emotions he
hadn't seen in her before.
"Not with each other, no. If you combine everything that I saw in the stars, the charts and my own…sights…it was supposed to be you and Hermione, Neville and Ginny, me and Ron. Two thirds of that will never happen, so I need to see the other third happen."
Harry stared at her, his mouth agape in surprise, trying to process what she just said. She simply stared down at the picture of the two sixth years in their Quidditch robes, playfully jostling each other out of the picture.
"Luna?" he touched her shoulder softly and she turned towards him, her hands gripping the frame tightly.
"I love Neville, I really do. I loved him before I even knew I was going to be paired with Ron. I found that out looking at charts a few days before he and Ginny died. So, maybe all that was meant to happen. If those Death Eaters never came and took our friends lives, then what I said earlier was to be the outcome. Nothing is written in stone, but I truly think you and Hermione are the best pair this world could ever have."
"Yeah? I never ever thought that way until a week ago you know," Harry told her truthfully, watching Luna now place the picture back on the dresser. She had been looking at it a bit wistfully as she spouted off her theories.
"I know," Luna smiled her dreamy smile towards him, but was stopped from saying anything else as Neville yelled that Hermione was in the house.
Harry couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he walked out his door, Luna at his heels. He peered over the top of the railing down to the foyer. He could hear Hermione directing the movers where to set her furniture, but couldn't see where she was.
"I'm thinking we should move so they can bring her bedroom up here. We don't want to be in the way," Luna told him, moving him along down the stairs.
The next few minutes were a flurry of movements. Hermione smiled and waved at Harry where she was standing in the kitchen. She was busy manually sorting her plates, utensils, and food into piles as the movers hovered around her and then moved upstairs, Hermione leading the way to her bedroom.
Harry had insisted she take the one with the bathroom, so she could have privacy. Of course she refused so they resorted back to the old fashioned Muggle game: rock, paper, scissors. With Luna officiating, she confirmed Harry had won. He made his decision to sleep in the bedroom at the end of the hall, which was right next to the hall bathroom. He didn't feel the need for privacy and thought that Hermione might like the fact she didn't have to leave her room to take a bath or shower.
"Harry…I can not figure out your TV…you're going to have to do it. I'm sorry," Neville sighed emerging from the hall bathroom.
"Not a problem. If I can't get a signal, I can't get a signal, no big deal. Thanks for trying," Harry thanked him as he made his way through the kitchen and back into the library where boxes of books were waiting to be sorted and placed on the shelves.
"Need help with these?" Neville asked opening a box and removing some Quidditch manuals.
"No…I've got it. Why don't you and Luna go get your things ready to move? You've helped tremendously," Harry told him, standing back and looking up at the shelves trying to figure out if anything needed to be rearranged or if shelves needed to be removed.
"You sure?"
"Yes…take Luna and go to your new flat. We can catch up later; if not this week then after school is out." Harry bid Neville good bye and began working on unloading the boxes.
He lost track of time opening box after box and placing Hermione's piles in orderly stacks on the floor. He levitated his books to a middle shelf and found that all the books he owned, not counting the ones in his school bag or in his classroom, took up just half a shelf across.
Crookshanks came to investigate, sniffing around the boxes and books. When Harry crossed the room to open the window, and lifted the screen to get rid of the stuffiness, Crookshanks leapt through and took off across the back yard. He watched the tail end of the cat disappear under a bush and he couldn't help smiling at how roomy the backyard was for flying. He hadn't flown for fun in ages and he was itching to get on his broom and just take off leaving all the past year, except for yesterday, behind him.
Drawing his head back out of the window, he took a step back and felt a hand touch his back.
"What're you looking at?" Hermione asked softly, letting her hand drop as he turned around.
"The yard; thinking about flying and such. I let Crookshanks out," Harry told her letting his eyes travel along the bookcases, until they rested on Hermione.
She was standing in front of him, hands in her back pockets looking out the window. He wasn't sure what to do with her now that they finally decided to take their new level of relationship slowly; he wasn't certain what the next move was. He really just wanted to hold her and (he finally admitted to himself) kiss her, then maybe follow through on dusting off the books and putting them away. Briefly, he wondered if she was going to hold him to his "in the heat of the moment" comment about reading to her. Nothing interrupted his train of thought and he realized for the first time, since arriving at his house bright and early that morning that it was quiet; they were alone. His heart skipped a beat when she looked up at him and smiled.
"I'm glad you finally found yourself a home, Harry," she said quietly reaching for his hand and holding it with both of hers.
"Me too," he answered, covering her hands with his own. "Whatever you want to do in here decoration wise is fine. I owe you so much for being-," he began but was silenced when her finger settled on his mouth.
"You don't owe me anything."
"My life pretty much, Hermione," Harry mumbled gently removing her finger and his hand from hers. He hesitantly placed his hands on her hips and drew her closer, sighing as she hugged him, nestling her head under his chin.
"I don't think so, Harry. Ron and I were…are…your friends. Friends watch out for each other; we've had this discussion before," she answered rubbing her hands up and down his back, letting her short nails scratch his back ever so lightly. No one ever scratched his back before and next to kissing Hermione and maybe other things he had yet to experience with her, this was the next best feeling.
"I know but I still feel that way and after all that we've been through, I owe you everything," Harry whispered kissing the top of her head.
"No you don't…well, maybe more of that shoulder rub you're doing," Hermione sighed and Harry moved his hands slower across her shoulders, not even realizing he had been doing it.
What started out as a nice, slow rub, ended up with Harry cupping her face and slowly kissing her. This time, he kept himself in check so he could enjoy how her hands ran up his arms and over his shoulders. She in turn, pressed herself closer to him, and Harry noticed the soft curves under his hands and against his him. Staying in control didn't help Harry however, knowing what the outcome of what being close to Hermione would be. The way she kissed him back, unhurried and almost leisurely, made him wonder how long he'd be able to stand here clasping her hips so she wouldn't move away.
Hermione knew as soon as his lips touched hers that this was going to last awhile. Something about him, the library, and the way his lingering kisses all mixed together made him the only thing on her mind at the moment. Forget all the boxes that were still packed; forget her unmade bed upstairs…she just wanted Harry.
That thought frightened and excited her at the same time. After all these years, she felt a connection with Harry she
never had with anyone else and her body was telling her "more". Pulling him backwards, she fell back against
her sofa, which they had decided looked better in the library, bringing him down with her.
After some awkward movements of arms and legs, he finally settled himself down between her thighs. She felt his kisses become more urgent, his tongue teasing hers, running along her teeth, finally her lips then down her neck to where she remembered his mouth being yesterday. Her hands tangled in his hair as blood pounded throughout her body, loving the heaviness of him; the unfamiliar hardness of him slowly removing all sense and control from her mind and body.
Pressing his lips to the nape of her neck, she arched against him helpless to his soft kisses. One arm supported his weight and that hand was snaked under her neck, gently rubbing his fingers in small circles, sending shivers down her spine. The other one was free and roaming around her thigh causing her to squirm against him, desperately seeking completion to what he started. The fire that burned deep in the pit of her stomach, and the pulse she felt throughout her body, confirmed her heavy feelings for him. This whole new side of Harry, one she had never known was fascinating and scorching all at the same time. Quiet, moody, powerful and endearing Harry had a side she had never seen; Ginny had mentioned this part to her but her words didn't do Harry justice. To fully experience it was exhilarating.
Her hands tugged at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against hers; her blouse was now unbuttoned and she felt a bit embarrassed as he sat up and whipped off his shirt then stared down at her. His glasses had came off with his shirt, revealing dark, jade green eyes and she could see him look at her chest, covered only in a light pink shirt that was open now down the middle, then come up to her eyes. Nothing was said, only the sounds of their breathing and the creaking of the sofa as he lowered himself towards her, brushing her blouse to the side.
Hermione gasped, feeling his warm, smooth skin against hers. As his lips claimed hers she felt her control slipping even further as he pushed into her and she answered his movement, sighing against his lips. She wanted to feel his hands on her bare skin so she hoped her hands traveling the valley of his back then the ridges of his shoulders would give him the hint to move his hand from her hip. His back was firm with muscles she never knew he had and slowly, she felt his hand slid up her ribs, then up further, his thumb tracing the curve of her breast and coming to rest on her neck.
"Hermione," he whispered against her ear, where he had just kissed her.
"Hmmm?" she wrapped her fingers through his hair, then relaxed them feeling him move so he could see her. For a moment he let his gaze run over her face until she was forced to ask him, "What?"
"This is…you're sure this is what you want? I mean…us doing this. You're the most important thing in my life and-," he began but was silenced this time by Hermione's finger over his mouth once again.
"Harry, I'm sure. I…we know each other on every other level imaginable and I think once we realize that our friendship will never falter and we move on, we will realize that this is right."
"That's what I'm scared of…it suddenly hit me that this feels, sounds and looks," his thumb caressed her cheek softly as he smiled tenderly at her, "so right. It took a long time to realize that…well, part of that… with Ginny, and now all of a sudden we go from comforting each other as friends to the point where I can barely keep my hands and mind off you."
Involuntarily, a happy smile curved over Hermione's lips as she heard his last words. She wondered what he meant by only part of what he said applied to Ginny, but that was quickly pushed back in her mind for another day; another conversation. His words were by far the sweetest thing she had ever heard him say and her throat closed up realizing how hard he worked to get his thoughts out and in the open for her to hear.
"We've done everything else Harry," Hermione managed to choke out, her hands resting on either side of his neck.
"And more…defeating villains, riding Hippogriffs…I know. But, I still feel that once we cross that line that separates friends and…lovers…our friendship will never be the same." Harry watched his hand run through her hair, oblivious to the goose bumps that raised up on her arms from the feel of his fingers skimming over her scalp. "That sex thing will be in the way, just like that movie." He looked sheepish as he let his eyes rest at a point above her head. "That was a bold statement; it just kind of came out."
"That's okay Harry. I think we are on the same wavelength…sex wise," Hermione said quietly smiling as his head bowed down and kissed her forehead, not responding aloud. But, she could tell he was happy they were both thinking that at some point, they would both like to go further.
Hermione watched him thoughtfully, feeling him shift slightly, settling deeper into her. She draped a leg over his, planting her foot between his knees and he looked up from his hand, still in her hair, down to her as she moved her stockinged foot between his knees.
"Gradually we'll get there, Harry, that's all I can say. Sex isn't something I take very lightly you know. I'm sure Ron complained about how long THAT took---but with you I want it to take us past that plain of just friends and into something deeper. I'm not sure if that ever happened with Ron, so I'm not sure if what I want is even out there. Does that make any sense?" Hermione trailed her fingers down his spine, feeling the flicker of his muscles under her fingertips. "And," she continued before he could answer with much more than a nod, "you're so important to me, so much a part of me that I would do anything for you-," Hermione felt his finger come to her lips this time and she smiled at his gesture.
"I know and you have-," he began but Hermione shook her head so vehemently his eyebrows shot up. Now he pushed himself up on both forearms and looked down at her, still not moving off of her, quite content with his comfortable position at the moment.
"There's still so much more…," she whispered then fell silent, afraid of revealing her deepest thoughts that had been taking root and growing over the past few weeks.
She finally pinpointed the date her thoughts of Harry slowly started turning from being friends to a curious flutter in her stomach whenever she saw him. It was Mother's Day. Ever since he had hugged her mother and quickly, awkwardly, kissed her on the cheek almost six weeks ago, these thoughts of hers had been growing slowly, almost unknowingly to her. And now they seemed to blossom in front of her eyes, in the form of a dark haired, green eyed man.
"What? What else could you possibly give me? Don't say your life either because I won't allow that to happen." His voice took on a rough edge and she knew him well enough to not take that path. He took a deep breath and let it out his nose, bent over and kissed her forehead then rested his cheek on it. "What else is there, Hermione? I believe it's MY turn to give you whatever you want, as repayment for what you've done for me…and Ron."
"No, you don't need to give me anything but…yourself. I-I can't say now, what more I have. But I will, I just need to figure out how to word it," Hermione breathed, smelling the same shampoo she always smelled whenever she hugged him. Her thoughts were whirring in different circles, not in their usual organized pattern.
Part of her thoughts left her feeling unnerved for actually not having the words to describe what she wanted to give him. The other part was aching for him to touch and kiss her again, surprising her with the forcefulness of her own wants.
Tentatively, she kissed his neck, arching up to move her lips from his collar bone to the hollow under his ear. She heard him exhale slowly and took to his sigh to mean that he liked that, so, experimentally, she flicked her tongue as her lips trailed a line of kisses around his jaw towards his mouth. Her heart was beating painfully, the thought heavy in her head that this was Harry she was kissing; and managing to turn on quite successfully, if the way his hands were cupping her head and his breath was fast against her cheek was any indication.
Her mouth finally met his and she felt him kiss her hard, fast, and wanting. Her hands gripped his back tightly as his hand finally brushed over her chest testing that it was okay for him to touch her in a place he'd never seen. His touch was perfect, and she pushed up into him, a small moan escaping her, telling him he could do more, move more and he did. The thin material of his shorts left little to her imagination. The gentle rocking of his hips against her spurred her towards the edge so quickly she couldn't do much more than wrap her arms around him, sliding her mouth to his cheek, taking in big gulps of air. His hand trailed quickly down her side, over her hip and cupped her bottom, holding her still as he pushed against her. His fingers were so close to touching her right where he was moving against her, that she shifted and moved erratically against him trying to get more of him into her. She wanted him…all of him and he sensed the change in her movements as they become insistent. Her hands moved, grasping his lower back and pulling him towards her, pushing up her hips to press harder against him. His fingers grasped the inside of her thigh, harder increasing the pressure throughout Hermione's body.
His name fell off her lips as if trying to release the pressure building up, wanting to explode yet wanting it to last at the same time. They moved harder and faster they moved against each other; his breaths were coming unevenly against her ear and she squeezed him hard, loving the intimate noises he was making because of her…because of them.
Harry recognized the small pants against his neck, and felt truly amazed that he could bring her to the brink so easily, so wonderfully he lost himself in their movements, feeling closer to her than he ever had before. Her arms enfolded him against her, tight as ever, holding on to him as if she was afraid she'd fall.
Hermione possibly needing him, the way she was sharing this side of herself with him was the undoing for him; he buried his face in her neck hearing her husky but quiet cries echo off the wall; feeling her arch and freeze against him bringing his movements to a sudden, satisfying release. He groaned and thought he said something, though he had no idea what. Her hips rocked against his gently, slowly as if trying to sustain the sensation then slowly stopped as her arms went slack and rested lightly on his sides. For a few glorious moments they rested and caught their breath, hands stroking his hips; his fingers stroking her shoulders.
"You know," Hermione began softly, almost wistfully, her voice sounding miles away, "that you are the only person who has ever called me 'Mione?"
"I called you that just now?" Harry asked not remembering what he said, or how loudly, or if he said anything at all.
"Yes, you did." She kissed his jaw, feeling the rough unshaved Harry against her lips and loving it.
"I'm sorry-," Harry began not sure if she was trying to tell him not too say her name like that. It truly had been unconscious on his part.
"No…I kind of like it…something that's…ours," she whispered, watching him raise his head to peer down at her.
"Ours…," he repeated as a slow, almost mischievous smile came over his flushed face. He could see that Hermione recognized his smile and she began smiling back, waiting for him to finish his thought. "I would really like to think that 'Mione is mine, or on the way to being that."
That comment draped over her like a soft blanket and she lovingly stroked his cheek with her finger tips and could only nod, for fear she'd break into tears if she opened her mouth.
---
"So tell me, what did Nearly Headless Nick finally say?" Ron settled down next to his sister, watching students study diligently for the final exams happening in the next few days. "I take it you finally caught up with him?"
"I did. I asked him, you know, why I feel something when Draco touches me and he said something very interesting…," Ginny started then fell silent. She was still trying to process everything and wasn't sure she could tell Ron what was said. "I…you just need to hear for yourself…let's go find him." Ginny stood up suddenly and Ron had no choice but to follow her, not used to seeing his sister at a loss for words. After a few inquiries and finding Draco along the way, who decided to see for himself what was going on, they finally found Nick in one of the kitchens, staring longingly at the food being prepared for lunch.
"Nick, can you explain to Ron what you told me earlier today? I…I'm still…," Ginny just waved her hand in his direction, asking him to tell the story.
"Alright…why don't we go up to the library? Less distractions," Nick said and they followed him through the floors to the library and situated themselves on a bench in the back of the hall. Nick looked down at the young group in front of him and began his speech for the second time that day, knowing Ginny needed to hear it again.
"Once in awhile, usually hundreds of years actually, a few people that choose to be Light have another option besides going onto the next 'great adventure', or in my case becoming a ghost or in rare instances a Poltergeist like Peeves. This other option is another world, entirely parallel to the real world, almost mirroring it but you are still dead. Not breathing, not able to reproduce like the real world, not needing much sustenance to live, but other than that you look, feel and can interact much like other live people can. I've only seen ten people, in my time here, that fit the criteria for being able to cross over to this world, which we call so eloquently," Nick gave a wry smile as Ron just stared at him and Draco's eyes flicked back and forth between Nick and Ginny, "Echo."
"Shouldn't it be Echo Echo?" Draco drawled, as he interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as much as he could.
"Ha ha," Ron intoned making a motion for Nick to continue.
"Anyway…Echo is what we call it, plain and simple. When Ginny came to me asking why she could feel things that Ron and other Light, ghosts etcetera can't feel, I realized that she is the eleventh person I have known that has the option of moving onto this world. Apparently, Draco has this option too since together they can feel something. You'd be the twelfth."
Ron swung his gaze to Ginny, his eyes wide, then slid to Draco who looked calm and collected as if he knew this would happen.
"So, what you're saying is that she can choose to go to this parallel world and Draco can too just because they can feel each other?"
"Yes, Ron. But it's not an easy choice. She'd be living there with other people like her; there are hundreds of them from all different points in time. Some are old, some are young. Time is pretty much like it is here, you grow older and when you choose to leave the world there are ways to do that. Nothing we need to get into here, now. But when you do decided to leave, then you become a ghost or go on further. She could work, have a family…." This time Draco interrupted.
"How can she have a family if…she's dead? Nothing could grow inside her and I'm pretty sure no male would have anything growing inside them either," he said matter of factly, "if you know what I mean."
"Good question and there is an answer. Babies that don't make it, whether they die in the womb, are miscarried, or can't live for the first few days beyond birth for whatever reason become small points of light. I'm sure you all have seen them, especially Ron and Ginny. That small point of light you sometimes see floating around then winking out is their little soul, making its way to Echo. Sometimes they look like specks in front of your eyes then they are gone. They move onto that world and when there is a couple that is ready to have children, they go to one of the magical doctors there and a charm is cast upon them."
Ginny took over at this point, her voice growing stronger by the minute.
"There's a charm enables the mother to get pregnant. Technically speaking, you go through the motions and whatever speck of light happens to be the closest is absorbed into the mother and is able to start a life. They are entirely self-sufficient in the mother for the first month. Then, once you know you are pregnant, you go every week to the doctor to get a nourishment charm cast upon you until the baby is born. This is only needed for the baby to grow and once he or she is born, they are pretty much the same as us. They will continue to grow with the appropriate charms and supplemental nourishment. It's a whole other world, Ron, one where you can technically live but you aren't alive. I also found out on Halloween anyone can visit. So, you could come visit or I could leave and visit you or any other friend I wanted to see that wasn't an Echo. So, we wouldn't lose contact at all."
"Bloody hell, Ginny. From what you're saying it sounds like you want to do this! Are you sure?" He spun around to Draco, not waiting for his sister to answer.
"What about you Draco? Sounds like you can go there too," Ron asked directly.
Draco shrugged and looked thoughtful for once.
"I have no idea. I just wonder why she and I can do this but he can't," he nodded to Nick, "and neither can you. What makes us so special?" Draco asked the question pointedly and felt Ginny shift next to him as she looked at Nick too.
Nick thought for a moment then began slowly, "Something awaits you there that is bigger than us here. It may not be there now, or next year. But something is there. I'm not a seer so I couldn't tell you what it is. Just that you two were meant to go. It could be anything from finding a new charm to a magical incantation that can be passed on to the live magical world, that will change the way we live. Anything along those lines could be your contribution. You don't have to go, but the option is there. Once you are ready, you just need to let me know."
"How do they get to this other world?" Ron asked standing up and staring at Nick, still trying to absorb everything that was said.
"We'll get to that later. It's a ritual, painless and all that, but nothing we need to get into now."
Everyone was silent, processing all the information that was just thrown at them.
"I have to go. I'll see you all later; we can chat then. Now, I have a meeting with the Headless Society," Nick bobbed his head and Ron mumbled "good luck" to him and a moment later the three of them were left alone.
"What're you going to do?" Ron asked Ginny who still seemed a bit shocked. She wasn't sure if it was from everything she had learned about Echo that day or from the fact that Draco's arm was touching hers and that one spot was very pleasurably warm.
"I first need to make sure Harry is happy so I can rest assured he'll make it," she whispered and turning around she fled towards the Gryffindor Common Room, leaving Ron and Draco staring at each other, wondering what decision would be made.