Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did, so HBP would have been more pleasant. For me at least…
A/N: My take on the challenge "Harry to save the day". Hope you will enjoy this, if you read please leave me a review so that I know what you think of it.
Developing an attraction
Once dinner was finished, they set for a walk under the starry sky. Of course, being in the middle of London, the lights of the town didn't let them see the stars that well, but still it was lovely.
While walking, he again took her hand, and she smiled at him.
There was something about him that made her feel at ease, not at all the nervous wreck she thought she would be if she ever met the great Harry Potter. And now here she was, walking hand in hand with him!
They reached Hyde Park, and set for a walk in there, it was quieter, and they could chat freely.
"So, you told me you attended Beauxbatons. I guess you know very well Fleur Delacour, then" he said, while steering her to a bench.
"Well, not really well, but who didn't know her? She was the queen of the school, and she had boys all around her" Hermione said, scowling a bit.
"If I didn't know you, and I don't very well, I would think you are envious" he teased her.
"Me envious of that cow? I think you should change glasses, hero" she teased back, underlining that last word.
"So you like playing like this eh? My revenge will be terrible" he said, a spark in his eyes, as he started tickling her.
"No, no…Harry…please…stop it…" she said, and after some moments he did, the two of them laughing madly. Both realized the compromising position they were in, she lying on the bench and he over her, their faces just inches from each other.
She gulped at the closeness, and at the intense look in his eyes. But soon, too soon, he broke the moment, clearing his throat and resuming the previous position, sitting near her, but leaving a bit more distance than before. She felt cold envelope her, at the missing contact, and shivered.
Chivalrously, he put his jacket around her shoulders.
"However, Fleur is now married" he said nonchalantly, resuming the topic they were talking about before the tickling incident. "To one of the brothers of my best friend Ron Weasley"
"Oh, I see" she said.
"Did you come to Hogwarts the year of the Triwizard Tournament?" he asked then. "No, I don't think so" he added. "I would remember such a beautiful girl"
She blushed and swatted him lightly on the arm. "Will you stop saying I'm beautiful? I'm not"
"You are, instead. It's just you're too modest to admit it"
"Whatever. But no, I didn't come. I know all of what has happened though. It was really brilliant how you defeated that dragon, I would never have used a broom. I hate flying"
"What? It's the best feeling in the world! I love to soar up in the air, I feel free like I've never really been" he said, a bit wistfully.
"I'm sorry for your fate. Growing up without parents, I can't imagine how it would be" she said sympathetically, squeezing his hand.
"I don't even remember them…just bits of my mother screaming when the Dementors come near me" he said, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He felt at ease with this girl, and felt himself wanting to open up with her, and tell her things he had never revealed to anyone. Things of which he was a bit ashamed.
He emitted an hollow laugh. "Hero of the Wizarding World. If they only knew that their hero was kept locked in a cupboard for ten years, and beaten by his cousin and his friends for the same period, and not to talk about how bad his relatives treated him, just because they despised magic…"
She gasped. "I knew your childhood was bad, but not this much. I'm really sorry" she said, and she meant it. She felt a bond constantly growing between the two of them.
"However, I'll bring you flying one day of these. And I'll bring you to Hogwarts, and Hogsmeade. You have to see them" he said enthusiastically, grinning again.
She knew then that his grin was infectious. She couldn't help to grin back, and accept eagerly his offer. Later in her room she would think back to it and realize she had agreed to go flying, something she hated, but at the moment she was overwhelmed by his enthusiasm.
A while later, he accompanied her back to her hotel.
"Good night, Hermione" he said, kissing her just on the corner of her mouth.
"Good night, Harry" she said, a bit dazedly, and kissed him on the cheek too. Both of them, walking to different locations, kept touching the spot where the other had kissed them.
That night Hermione kept dreaming of Harry and her together as a couple, and in the morning she took a decision. Packing her things, she shrunk them to fit her pocket and paid the hotel, then she left.
"Now how can I contact him?" she asked herself, cursing that she had not sent an owl to him first.
Then she remembered. "Of course, he's at the Ministry for the training!"
So she walked toward the building in which the Ministry of Magic was located.
Entering the phone boot, she said, "Hermione Granger, searching for Harry Potter"
A little badge came out and she pinned it on her robes, before the boot moved downstairs. Once in the atrium, she walked to the desk to have her wand checked, then she moved to the lifts.
Going to the Auror Department floor, she hoped she would not be disturbing him.
Hermione kept walking here and there, not knowing very well where she should go, and some looked at her suspiciously.
"Sorry, madam, what are you searching for here?" a deep voice startled her.
"Don't worry, Kingsley, she's here for me" another voice she by now had come to think about as familiar said a moment later. The older Auror nodded to Harry who was walking her way, and left them alone.
"Sorry for that, but at least he stopped questioning you. Now, what are you really doing here?" he asked her, smiling.
"I was searching for you, actually, so you got it right" she smiled back.
"And why would you search for me?"
"I…I decided to take up your offer" she said, looking down. He lifted her chin, and looked directly in her eyes.
"I hoped you would. Maybe we could meet for lunch, I've got to go now"
"Oh, ok. Lunch it is then" she said.
He nodded, and started walking away, then turned.
"Oh, by the way, if you want to settle your things in the meantime, here's the address" he said, passing her a note. "I'll meet you there at noon, more or less"
She agreed, and left to go to his flat.
Once there, she wondered how could she enter. He had not given her keys, and probably he had wards up too.
So, nearing the door, she was ready to be sent miles away with a magical shock wave. Instead, the door clicked open softly.
Bewildered, she entered, and as soon as the door closed, Harry's voice welcomed her, although he wasn't there.
"He must have expected I would accept soon or later, and prepared for the occasion" she thought, shaking her head with a smile tugging at her lips, and started to work on settling her things.
The flat practically screamed it was occupied by a single man, and she worked on cleaning it a bit too.
When Harry arrived at noon, he grinned sheepishly. "I guess the flat was a bit of an hell, sorry" he said, blushing.
"Yes, it was. But it's normal for single men. I've settled my things as you said, but I hope I won't disturb you too much. I hope I'll find a flat for myself soon" she said.
"Nonsense. You stay here as long as you need, there's no hurry. I, for one, am sure I'll enjoy your company"
She blushed, and then they walked to a nearby fast food to grab something to eat.
"Sorry, but I don't have so much time at lunch. They really exploit us, at times I wonder if it wasn't better to enter the ranks directly, skipping all of this" he said, and she could see he was really exhausted already. That gave her an idea.
That night, when Harry came home, he found a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Entering there, he saw her finishing to set dinner on the table, and stayed just on the threshold of the room, leaning on the wall, looking at her moving, admiring her beauty and elegance.
"What?" she said when felt his gaze on her. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Not at all. It's just I love watching you" he said. "And I have great news for you too"
"And what would that be?" she asked, while both sat in front of their plates and started eating.
"I've found a job for you" he said.
"What? You shouldn't have bothered, really…" she started, but he cut her off placing a finger on her lips. That caused reactions in both of them. He marvelled in their softness, and wondered how would it be to kiss her. Not the first time he thought about that, but now he had the softness of her lips to tempt him too. As for her, she felt shivers running down her spine at his gesture.
"Let me explain. It's not much, but it is a start. You dream to become Minister, what better way to do that than start working in the Ministry? So I found you a spot in the Department for Relationships with other Magical Beings"
"Harry, I appreciate your gesture, and that you look out for me, but really, you shouldn't have"
"Well, if you don't like it, there's no problem, I'll talk with the director tomorrow and cancel your hiring…" he said, but she cut him this time.
"What I meant is that I like it, and I thank you, but you shouldn't have worried for me. You've got enough things to worry about with your training"
They chatted some more through dinner, then they sat in front of the TV for some time. Hermione almost forced him to see one of those chick flicks, and exhaustion took him. He fell asleep near her, and she giggled. Turning the telly off, she shook him awake.
"Hey, Harry" she said softly. "It's better if you head to bed, tomorrow you'll have another hard day"
"No way. You take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch" he said.
"I can't do that! This is your flat, I can't kick you from your bed!" she protested. After a quick discussion, it was settled they would enlarge the bed and sleep there both.
Hermione felt awkward at entering the bed with him. She had never slept in the same bed with a man before. However, she knew Harry enough to know that he would try nothing. Apart for the fact that his tiredness would not allow him to anyhow.
She giggled softly when heard his breath regular and deep just moments after he entered the bed, and relaxed. Minutes later, she was asleep herself.
Next morning he woke up first, and rolling to his side bumped on something that resembled a body. Recalling the previous day, he grinned, and putting his glasses on he looked at her angelic face, still sleeping.
He pushed a tendril behind her ear, and quickly kissed her on the forehead, at which she smiled.
Later, she woke up with the delicious smell of coffee and pancakes, and opened her eyes. She wondered where she was for a moment, then smiled, and walked to the kitchen.
There Harry was, sipping his coffee.
"Good morning, beautiful" he greeted her, and she sat near him.
"Good morning" she greeted back, pouring coffee in her cup, and taking a couple pancakes and some jam.
"I would wait for you and we could go together to work, but I've got to hurry. Early field practice, today" he said, standing up and kissing the top of her head, then he Apparated away.
She stayed there, a dreamy expression on her pretty face, the cup of coffee forgotten in her hand for some moments, then she shook herself from her reverie and finished her breakfast, then went to have a shower, and dress. She then Apparated to the Ministry herself, and asked for the director of her Department.
After a quick chat with him, she was assigned to her office, and started reading the files on her desk, busying herself with work.
It was Friday, so in the fields around London Harry was already thinking about enjoying a whole weekend with her. Then an idea struck him to make it perfect.
He couldn't wait for the day to end, and he was sorry he could not see her at lunch, but their practice kept them busy till late in the afternoon without a pause. Tonks kept telling them they should get used to that, because it often happened to be on the chase for a dark wizard all day, but that didn't lessen his desire to see her.
That night, at dinner, he told her his plans for the weekend.
"I thought we may head to Hogsmeade, so I can show you around, and then we may walk to the castle…"
"I would love to, Harry. Seems pretty good, since you keep talking about it" she teased him.
"Well, it was my real home for seven years" he said dreamily.
After dinner they relaxed in the living room, snuggling close as it had become natural to them, and Harry proceeded to tell her something more about his friends, as she was really eager to know them.
Then, around midnight, they walked to their bedroom and this time Hermione felt much more at ease being there with him. She almost felt like they had known each other forever.
So, next morning, after breakfast, he Apparated them both to the village, hugging her maybe a bit too close than needed for double Apparition.
Moments later they were in front of the Three Broomsticks.
"Here I used to come with my friends, Ron, Neville and the others, to have a Butterbeer. I have to make you meet them soon or later, I'm sure they will love you" he said, taking her hand. It had become an habit by now.
He showed her all the shops, and she eagerly entered the small library, and the quills shop. He followed her in, although he would have preferred to enter Zonko's or Honeydukes. But then he dragger her in them too, and she had to admit the sweets were really good. She immediately developed a taste for Sugar Quills.
They then walked in front of Madam Puddifoot's, and Harry winced.
"What's so bad about this place? It seems nice" she said.
"It is nice. The memory I have of it isn't though" he said. "See, my first girlfriend, if we can call her that, brought me there on Valentine's and there were those little angels throwing confetti and candies and couples kissing, and I was a bit uncomfortable. She kept asking me about her previous boyfriend, who was killed by Voldemort under my eyes, and started crying again…so, long story short, it was a disaster, and the end of our relationship"
"No wonder you don't like it, then" she said, chuckling, and a bit relieved it didn't work out.
They then went back to the Three Broomsticks to have lunch.
"Harry! It's a long time I haven't seen you!" Rosmerta greeted him. "And she is…"
"She's Hermione Granger, a friend of mine" he said, and the two women shook hands.
"I'll be to you in a moment" Rosmerta said then, and they sat at a table.
After a quick meal made of fish and chips and Butterbeer, Harry led her up to the castle. A stop by Hagrid's hut was needed, and the half giant welcomed them.
"Come in, we can have tea. Blimey, `Arry, it's been months from the last time I have seen you. Actually, it was the day of the battle, the last time we met. As for you, Hermione, any friend of Harry is a friend of mine too" he said, patting her on the back and sending her sliding on the floor.
Once they left him to his duties, the two of them walked to the Quidditch Pitch.
"Here's where I learned what Quidditch was" he said, while they sat on the stands. "I got on the team my first year, and every one kept praising me for that, but the truth was, I had simply helped Neville taking back a thing of his from Draco Malfoy. He was…well, we can define him my nemesis, here at Hogwarts. He was in Slytherin, and his family one of the most active supporters of Voldemort. But he changed, in seventh year. He fell in love with Ginny Weasley, and turned to our side in the battle. Sadly, he got killed in a duel with his own father. Ginny was devastated, and killed Lucius herself. But I digress"
"It's ok. I like to hear about your past. Makes me feel a part of it too" she said, moving closer to him, and he draped an arm around her shoulders.
"I thank Merlin you weren't here. I'm sure I would have got you hurt or killed if you were" he said.
After some more chat, he led her to the lake. Students were in class, so it was quiet. They sat under a tree, looking at the beautiful scenery.
"It's awesome" she said.
"Sure it is" he sighed. "I wish I could stay here forever" he admitted.
"I'm sure you would be qualified to be a teacher, if you wanted" she said him.
"Me? A teacher? No way! I would be the joke of the school. I mean, how could I pretend from the students to respect rules when I broke all of them in my years here? Or to do their work when I used to wait the last moment to do it?" he said, smiling and reminiscing the carefree moments he had in the castle. Often accompanied by dangerous adventures, though.
"I still wish I could have shared it with you" she said.
"You're with me now, and I plan to never let you go" he said, leaning in. She gulped, and closed her eyes.
His lips met hers in the sweetest of kisses, and she laced her arms around his neck, kissing him back.
She felt in Heaven, as he did too.
"Wow" he said, breaking the kiss. "I've never felt something like this before"
"Nor have I" she breathed, before claiming his lips again, this time in an hungry and passionate kiss.
He freed her hair, letting it fall on her shoulders, and pulled her on his lap, still kissing her.
She moaned slightly in her throat, while their tongues kept dancing around each other, now battling together, now exploring the other's mouth.
Then they parted, and no words were needed. Both knew what the other was feeling, and cuddled together under the tree, hoping that moment would last forever.
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