Rendezvous, Revelations and Rows
Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione exited The Pitch and stepped onto the crowded street that was Diagon Alley. Ron patted his overly full stomach and looked around at his sister and two best friends.
"I just had a bloody brilliant idea…Gin how bout you skive off work this afternoon so you and Hermione can bum around for the rest of the day with me and Harry"
Ron smiled his come-on-you-know-you-want-to-smile.
"It's been ages since the four of us did that"
Ginny looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione attempting to gauge their reactions to Ron's proposal before she replied.
"Sorry big brother…but I've got to be getting back to the office…got a meeting with a client"
Ron nodded and turned his gaze towards Hermione and Harry.
"All right then I guess that means it's the golden trio then…just like old times, eh"
Hermione bit her lip then responded.
"Sorry Ron but I've got some errands to run and then I have to stop by my parents…I promised I'd check on things about the cottage while they're off at their dental convention"
Hermione looked down at her watch.
"As a matter of fact I should be getting on, otherwise I simply will not have time to get everything done"
Hermione said a quick round of good-byes and headed off down the street; Ginny hastily said her good-byes and trotted off after Hermione.
Ron sighed and turned to Harry.
"Guess it's just us then mate, let's stop in at Quality Quidditch Supplies…I need to see if they've got those new dragon hide Keepers gloves…"
Harry nodded and trudged after Ron but not before looking back down the street and catching a glimpse of Hermione and Ginny as they eyed each other rather warily then headed off in opposite directions. Just as Harry began to wonder what their rather odd exchange had been about Ron called after him to hurry up. Harry shrugged mentally and strolled off after Ron towards Quality Quidditch Supplies.
What was supposed to be a quick stop had turned into forty-five minutes of Ron trying on and testing out every single new piece of Quidditch equipment in the store. Harry thought to himself that this was worse than the time he and Ron had gone shopping with Hermione and Ginny and they'd been forced to follow around after them carrying all of their shopping. At least then Harry'd had Ron to stand awkwardly to the side and commiserate with now he was left to his own imaginings. He was pondering what Ginny and Hermione had been going on about. All during lunch Ginny had been pelting the two of them with piercing looks and he'd practically had to eat one handed, as he had to keep patting Hermione's leg reassuring her that their activities from the night before had indeed gone unnoticed. Harry was stirred from his thoughts by the screech of a large barn owl that had settled itself on a rack of Quidditch robes directly in front of him. Realizing that the owl was holding out its leg to him Harry retrieved the note and upon opening it immediately recognized Hermione's elegant script. Focusing intently Harry read the note.
Meet me at my parents in twenty minutes.
Hermione
Harry crumpled the note up in his fist and quickly walked over to where Ron was sitting trying on the newest playing boots.
"Er…Ron…listen I've gotta shove off…"
Ron stood to his feet and inquired.
"Everything all right"
Harry nodded.
"Yeah…I just need to meet my estate agent…seems that thing with the Glynnmoor property can't wait"
Ron smiled.
"Well if you wait a second I can come with you, just let me…"
Harry quickly interjected.
"No, no you don't have to…I've no idea how long this will take…we've got to meet with the people selling the property…some old bloke and his wife…seems they're a bit star struck…huge Arrows fans you understand…and they just have to meet me…can't believe the-Boy-Who-Lived wants to buy their manky old pasture…it's going to be bad enough as it is without bringing along another professional Quidditch player for them to gawk at…we could be there all afternoon…I'd hate to ruin your day off"
Ron looked stricken at the thought of spending an untold amount of time with some old doddering couple pretending to be interested in their rambling remembrances. He nodded to Harry and told him to pop by if he got free at a decent hour. The two said their good-byes and Harry headed off to Hermione's parents' house in Cambridge.
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The lounge of Thaddeus and Olivia Granger's home was somewhat of a shrine to their greatest accomplishment, their only child, Hermione. The mantle above the fireplace held an anthology of Hermione's existence with pictures of her from infancy right up through adulthood. The mantle also held framed school certificates that touted the brilliance of the Grangers' only daughter. Harry smiled to himself as he gazed at the Head Girl badge resting beside Hermione's Hogwarts graduation photo and thought how truly lucky he was to have her in his life.
Hermione walked out of the kitchen, up the hall and into the lounge, she thought that she had heard someone come in. As she stepped around the corner she saw Harry standing at the mantle looking at the myriad of photographs her parents had placed there. She called out to him.
"Harry"
The smile on Harry's face broadened at the sound of Hermione's voice. He closed the distance between them in a single stride, pulled Hermione into his arms and kissed her softly on the lips. Stepping back he pulled her down on the couch and pulling her note out of his pocket asked.
"Is everything all right"
Hermione sighed and launched into a recount of how Ginny had seen her wearing Harry's shirt and what she had heard Ginny say at the booth in The Pitch when Harry had joined them. Hermione went on to tell Harry that she was certain Ginny had sorted out that he was the person she'd gone out with last night. Harry ran a hand through his jet-black hair and expelled a breath that fluttered the stray lock that perpetually seemed to obscure his left eye.
"Mi, love are you sure about this…I mean did she say anything other than my name…its possible she was just shocked to see me"
Hermione shook her head vigorously.
"I'm telling you she knows…I saw the look on her face…she's sorted it out…what are we going to do now"
Harry replied.
"Nothing we can do except hope that Ginny keeps her mouth shut about what she knows…"
Hermione interjected quickly.
"And if she doesn't"
Harry returned.
"If she doesn't we'll deal with it when it happens"
Hermione buried her face in her hands and sighed forcefully. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and stroked her back gently. Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and allowed herself to enjoy the comfort of his embrace. After several minutes she whispered.
"Harry…what are we doing"
Harry grinned to himself and offered.
"Cuddling"
Hermione leaned away from Harry and looked up into his eyes.
"No I mean what are we doing…"
Hermione gestured at her and Harry's position, cuddled up on the couch in her parents lounge while they were on holiday.
"What is happening between us"
Harry stared at her a bewildered expression on his face. Hermione stood up and walked towards the mantle as she continued speaking.
"Harry in the space of four days we have gone from being purely platonic friends celebrating my birthday to clandestine lovers covering up our liaisons…I'm just confused Harry I don't know what's happening"
Harry walked over to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her close to him as he spoke.
"I remember the very first time I saw you…not when we first met on the train to Hogwarts…but the first time I really looked at you and realized that something was different…it was in our fourth year we were in the common room and you and Ron were having it on about Krum or something like that…you two were having a blazing row…and I looked up and looked at you really looked at you and I thought to myself Merlin she's beautiful…and just like that I wanted to be Krum…I want to be Ron…I wanted to be the person who you wanted to be with more than anything in this world…that feeling never went away after that…I guess I never wanted it to really…I thought it was a crush at first…but it just got stronger and stronger until I realized that it was more than just a crush…it was more than just friendship…it was me wanting to be the somebody in your life…but I thought you only wanted to be friends and I accepted that you just didn't have those same feelings for me…and I never told you…Kept it inside all this time…then we kissed and I finally had no choice but to tell you that where you are concerned my feelings run much deeper than friendship…"
Hermione turned to look at Harry as he paused and he gently framed her face with his hands. For a moment their eyes locked and she attempted to decipher the emotion that clouded his beautiful bright green eyes. Harry looked away from her then, suddenly dropping his hands and turning around he cast his gaze out of the window across the room. Hermione quietly walked over to where he was standing and slipped her small hand inside his larger one. Instinctively Harry interlaced his fingers with hers as he began to speak again.
"Hermione I can't give you the answers you need…I can tell you exactly what's happening between us…and I can't even begin to guess what Ginny's going to say or do…all I can do is tell you that this…"
He held up their entwined hands.
"this…feels right…this feels absolutely…completely…wonderfully right…and I'm not too bloody keen to let it go just yet"
Hermione slipped her hand from Harry's grasp and looped both her arms about his neck pulling him close. As he wrapped his arms around her she whispered.
"Neither am I Harry, neither am I"
Harry pressed a tender kiss to Hermione's forehead before tilting her head up to meet his gaze.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine, I promise"
A smile crossed her lips as she nodded her head. Harry returned her smile and glancing around the room his voice came out as a throaty whisper.
"Blimey, would you look at that"
Hermione quickly scanned the room to find the object of Harry's interest, seeing nothing unusual she asked.
"Look at what…I don't see anything"
Harry lowered his head and murmured seductively in her ear.
"Here we are all alone in a deserted cottage with nothing to do all afternoon"
Hermione gasped as she felt Harry's lips and tongue on the skin just below her ear. His hands had wound their way up and around her waist; goose bumps rose on her lower back as Harry had begun to lightly trace the exposed skin there with his fingers. In a trembling whisper Hermione responded.
"Ha…Harry…we…we can't…ummm"
Hermione's feeble protest was cut off as Harry's lips covered hers in a tremendously heated kiss. As they sank to the floor all other thoughts and concerns were driven from Hermione's mind.
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Hermione walked into her flat with an enormous smile on her face. She and Harry had spent a considerably pleasant afternoon together at her parent's cottage; she'd never be able to sit normally in the lounge again. She was on her way upstairs to take a nice long bath when Ginny spoke.
"Lovely afternoon with Harry, eh"
Hermione spun around so quickly she very nearly toppled off the stairs. Ginny was seating in Hermione's favorite armchair, a steaming cup of tea by her side.
"Gin…Ginny what in the name of Merlin are you doing here"
Ginny ignored Hermione's question and launched into an angry rant.
"I DON'T BELIVE YOU HERMIONE…I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS…NO SECRETS, NO LIES BETWEEN US…I THOUGHT WE KNEW EVERYTHING THERE WAS TO KNOW ABOUT EACH OTHER…I TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT ME AND DRACO EVERY SINGLE DETAIL…AND HERE YOU ARE CARRYING ON WITH HARRY AND YOU HAVEN'T SAID ONE BLOODY WORD TO ME…NOT ONE BLOODY WORD"
Ginny's usually cheerful face was furrowed and marred by an irate scowl. Her face, neck and ears seemed nearly indistinguishable in shade from her glowing red hair, her fists were clenched at her sides and her chest was heaving madly from all the yelling and screaming she'd done. Ginny stopped to catch her breath and Hermione seized the moment and fired back at Ginny hotly.
"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME…YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME…HOW DARE YOU SIT HERE IN MY VERY OWN FLAT DRINKING MY SODDING TEA AND ACCUSE ME OF KEEPING THINGS FROM YOU…JUST BECAUSE WE ARE FRIENDS DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE TO TELL YOU EVERY SINGLE THING THAT GOES ON IN MY LIFE…FRANKLY ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHO I CARRY ON WITH AND I'LL THANK YOU TO KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF MY DAMN BUSINESS"
Hermione turned and stormed up the stairs without so much as a backwards glance in Ginny's direction.
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