Bewitched Senses

Prologue: Suitors

Hermione hurriedly wolfed down her steak and kidney pie drained the last of the pumpkin juice from her goblet and summarily rose from her seat at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry exchanged puzzled glances. They had barely been in the Great Hall for ten minutes and already Hermione was leaving. Seeing the questioning look in the eyes of her best friends Hermione spoke in a rush as she swung her bag onto her shoulder.

“Going to the library”.

Having said that she turned on her heel and strode out the door. Hermione exited the Great Hall and headed towards the stairs. With most of the students at dinner the library was sure to be quiet enough to get some work done. Between her Head Girl duties, classes, the DA, and keeping Ron and Harry on their toes and out of trouble Hermione had fallen behind in her preparations for the upcoming NEWTS. She hadn’t told Harry and Ron her reasons for going to the library as they would no doubt remind her that NEWTS were a full seven months away but Hermione was a firm believer in the premise that there was no such thing as being too prepared. Hermione had just made it to the second landing when she simultaneously heard hurried footsteps behind her and someone calling out her name. Turning around she found herself face to face with Serena Chambers a pretty seventh year Ravenclaw who sat two rows behind her in Ancient Runes. As Serena drew nearer Hermione caught sight of the nervous smile hitched on her face; Hermione groaned inwardly as that look gave her a fair idea of why Serena had sought her out. Serena came to a halt in front of Hermione still smiling anxiously; when she spoke she was a bit out of breath.

“Hello Hermione…I saw you leaving the Great Hall and…and as I fancied a bit of a chat I followed you…that is if you’ve got a moment”.

Hermione knitted her brows together and replied.

“Well I was on my way to the library to do some stu…”

Serena cut in.

“Oh I don’t want to keep you…it’s just a quick little thing really”.

Hermione nodded and said.

“Alright”.

Serena smiled and began to speak.

“Well you are good friends with Harry Potter aren’t you…”

Serena stopped and waited for Hermione to give some recognition that she and Harry were indeed friends. Hermione nodded dutifully, she knew exactly where this conversation was going. Serena bobbed her head up and down and continued.

“I was hoping I might ask a favor of you…”

Hermione smiled faintly as she thought to herself here it comes.

“…I was wondering if you might pass this along to Harry for me…”

Serena held out a sealed bit of parchment that smelled vaguely of roses.

“…I’d do it myself but you…you know how hard it is to corner someone outside of your own house…and as you two are housemates and such close friends and you and I are acquainted…so to speak…I…I thought it might be easier for you to catch him in a spare moment and pass this along”.

Serena’s voice trailed off as she proffered the note to Hermione. Hermione extended her own hand and retrieved the note. You are good friends with Harry Potter aren’t you…honestly everybody knew that she and Harry and Ron were best friends, had been since their first year at Hogwarts…really one expected much better from an allegedly intelligent girl like Serena. And this business about seeing her leaving the Great Hall and fancying a chat was a load of rubbish. If Serena had really seen her leaving the Great Hall that meant she had been at dinner at the same time Hermione had been there with Harry and Ron. Had she really wanted to give the note to Harry herself it certainly would have been easier to walk over to the Gryffindor table and drop it in his lap than to chase someone else halfway down the hall to the library to ask them to do it for you. Honestly whom did she think she was fooling? Who did any of them think they were fooling with their pitiable excuses? Hermione nodded and replied simply.

“I’ll make certain he gets it”.

Hermione dropped the note into the pocket of her robes. Serena’s face burst into a relieved grin.

“Oh Hermione thank you…thank you so much…I really do appreciate this…really I do…and I honestly would have done it myself but…well seeing as you are such good friends with him…and you being Head Girl and his being Head Boy and all you’re bound to…”

Hermione interjected with a curt nod.

“I understand…really I do…its no problem at all…I’ll give it to him as soon as I see him…but I really need to get to the library just now”.

“Oh yes…yes…of course…I didn’t mean to keep you”.

Serena smiled and Hermione returned the gesture then turned to go when Serena suddenly called out.

“Oh…Hermione…hang on…I’ve just thought of something else…could I ask one more tiny little thing of you…if you wouldn’t mind terribly…would you make sure…that when you give it to him…that…that…”

Serena paused and Hermione coolly supplied.

“I’ll be sure and give it to him in private”.

Again Serena’s smile shone brightly.

“Thanks ever so much Hermione…this is so nice of you…I really appreciate it…honestly I do…if there’s ever anything I can do for you just ask…anything at all…I’ll be more than happy to help…”

Hermione nodded.

“I’ll keep that in mind Serena but I really must be getting on just now”.

“Oh yes well I’ll see you in class then”.

Hermione nodded affirmatively mumbled a goodbye and moved in the direction of the library. She had barely made it up two flights of stairs before she looked up and groaned as she caught sight of Parker Benton Wesley strolling towards her. Parker Benton Wesley was the newest addition to Hogwarts. The son of one of the Ministry of Magic’s top Ambassadors Parker and his family had just returned to England following several years in Kazakhstan. The tall, blond haired, blue-eyed, muscular seventh year had been sorted into Ravenclaw and had instantly become one of the most sought after wizards in the castle. It seemed as though most of the young witches in the castle found Parker to be charming and handsome and would have happily gone with him to Hogsmeade, the Astronomy Tower or anywhere else he asked them to but Parker had no interest in any of the witches who were queuing up to get his attention. No Parker Benton Wesley had his eye on the one witch in the entire castle who had no interest in him whatsoever, Hermione Granger.

Hermione had returned for her final year at Hogwarts as a striking beauty. The bossy know-it-all, bushy brown haired, skinny girl with big front teeth was no more. Oh, to be sure she still annoyed her classmates with her penchant for always knowing the answer to every question explicitly, verbatim from the text, and she still made Harry and Ron study schedules and told them off for not having done their homework properly or for getting into needless scrapes with Filch and Snape, and she was without question the cleverest witch in the entire castle with the exception of the professors perhaps, but the little girl they had all first met on the train to Hogwarts had grown into a stunning young woman. Her once untamable mass of brown hair now hung just beyond her shoulders in silky flowing curls, the skinny body had been replaced with slender voluptuous curves, a dainty waist that could be encircled with one arm and an amazing pair of shapely, well-defined, sculpted legs. The long, thick curling lashes that covered her warm chocolate brown eyes, the cute little upturned nose and her full, pouty appetizing lips had nearly every boy in the castle falling over themselves to get a second look at her. Hermione had become a much sought after companion by those young wizards daring enough to brave Ron and Harry’s looming presence and volatile tempers. The two had become very protective of their best friend of late…so protective in fact that they were known to have threatened more than a few of Hermione’s admirers.

To be sure Parker Wesley would have no problem declaring his intentions in front of either of Hermione’s over protective best friends but unlike her female counterparts Hermione would not be inclined to respond favorably as she felt Parker’s good looks were overshadowed by his pompous, conceited big-headedness. She found his attentions completely undesirable as he reminded her strongly of Draco Malfoy; beyond their shared hair color, though Malfoy’s was more of the platinum variety, the two shared a penchant for thinking themselves superior to their peers as well as an air of privileged arrogance that was sickening. Hermione silently prayed that he wouldn’t notice her as she ducked her head and hurried up the stairs. Suddenly her name rang out and she cursed under her breath that her prayer had gone unanswered. Pretending not to have heard the summons she kept walking until she found her way barred by a smiling Parker Benton Wesley.

“Hello Hermione”.

Hermione frowned as she responded dryly.

“Parker”.

Parker continued to smile as he reached out and plucked the Ancient Runes text Hermione was holding from her hands.

“Off to the library to study Ancient Runes I see…I would be more than happy to help you sort through anything that’s giving you trouble…I’m quite well versed on the subject you know”.

Hermione snatched her book back and stuffed it into her schoolbag as she replied icily.

“No thank you I have a well enough understanding of the subject by myself”.

Parker nodded and took a step closer to Hermione.

“Of course…you being so intelligent I should have guessed you’d have Ancient Runes all sussed out. Well no matter perhaps you’d like to help me with my Astronomy then…seems there is one heavenly body I’ve yet to discover”.

Parker arched his eyebrow suggestively at Hermione as he licked his lips in what he evidently thought was an enticing manner. Hermione’s stomach gave a lurch…she’d sincerely thought no person could eclipse the level of revulsion Malfoy had attained in her mind until this very moment. Hermione chose not to respond to Parker’s tasteless comment. Instead she squeezed past him and continued walking down the corridor. As she hurried on her way she heard him chuckle and call after her.

“Some other time then”.

Hermione contemplated going to the library and endeavoring to get some studying done but by now the library was bound to be far too crowded for her tastes not to mention that she had early evening patrols soon. Heaving a defeated sigh Hermione adjusted her course and took a shortcut to Gryffindor Tower instead. Several minutes later Hermione tetchily scuttled through the portrait hole and into the comfortable familiarity of the Gryffindor common room. Glancing around Hermione spoke quickly to a few of her housemates who greeted her as she strolled across the room and up the stairs. Hermione mounted the stairs to the dorms walked to the end of the hall and delivered the password “Sugar Quill” to the portrait of a regal looking lion situated before her. Suddenly the lion inclined his head and the portrait swung open revealing a smaller better-appointed version of the common room she had just traipsed through a few moments earlier. Hermione strode into the small common room she shared with Harry and found him sitting on the couch his nose buried in the latest edition of Which Broomstick. Harry looked up and upon seeing Hermione asked.

“How was the library…did you manage to get any studying done”?

Hermione shook her head no and reaching into the pocket of her robes withdrew the sealed and perfumed note Serena had given her and tossed it onto Harry’s lap as she walked pass. Harry glanced down at the note covering his lap then back up at Hermione and asked.

“What happened”?

Hermione called over her shoulder crossly.

“Oh nothing I just ran into that git Parker ”.

Harry scooped up the note and nimbly vaulting over the back of the couch trudged after Hermione a frown marring his face as he fumed.

“What did he say to you…did he touch you? If he touched you I’ll kill him”!

Hermione walked into her room and dropped her schoolbag onto the floor beside her desk before turning around and responding to her best friend of seven years.

“He didn’t touch me Harry he was just his usual arrogant self”.

Harry nodded.

“All right then what did he say”?

Hermione responded evenly.

“Nothing worth mentioning”.

Sensing that a change of subject was in order Hermione pointed to the note she had given Harry when she’d walked in and said.

“Serena Chambers asked me to give that to you”.

Harry stepped across the threshold into Hermione’s room and glanced at the scented parchment clutched in his hand briefly before grabbing Hermione about the waist and falling backwards in a sprawl onto the bed. Hermione landed beside Harry whose arms swathed loosely about her waist as she rolled over onto her side and laid her head on Harry’s broad chest; he caught a lock of her chestnut brown hair in his fingers and began twirling it absentmindedly as he spoke.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you want to tell me about what that git Parker said to you”?

Hermione shook her head. Harry asked again.

“You’re sure he hasn’t said or done anything that I’d need to have a word with him about”.

Hermione chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully as she thought of what may happen if Harry attempted to have a word with Parker about his constant and unwanted advances. Hermione could vividly imagine Parker being pummeled by Harry and Ron. Her two best friends had become extremely protective of her since their return to Hogwarts. Harry more so than Ron. Hermione’s thoughts shifted and she began to reflect on the changes the summer had wrought in her friend of seven years. Harry had not arrived at platform 9¾ as the skinny, knobby-kneed boy-who-lived that his schoolmates remembered. No he had returned as a very mature, very attractive young man who turned quite a few heads. Six years of Quidditch and two summers of intense Dark Arts Defense training had transformed his body from that of an underfed youth who’d grown too much to one that was lithe and exceptionally well muscled. His chest and shoulders had broadened enough so that when he rose to his full six feet two inches (he’d also had a growth spurt over the summer) he cut an astonishingly imposing figure. The boyish face had matured into that of a man, developing a strong angular jaw line. Even his voice had deepened to a rich velvety baritone that was the envy of most of his male counterparts and had caused more than a few of the female residents of Hogwarts to swoon at the sound of it. Add in his skill on the Quidditch pitch, those striking emerald green eyes of his, his adorably tousled hair and what had to be the most kissable looking lips ever attached to a man it was no wonder he had nearly every witch in the castle vying for his attention.

Harry peered down at Hermione, she had yet to answer his question, wondering what had her so lost in thought he reached down and hooking a finger underneath her chin tilted her head upwards so her beautiful chocolate brown gaze met his as he articulated his thoughts.

“Hermione…”

Hermione shook herself out of her ruminations.

“…are you going to answer my question”?

Hermione stammered out a reply.

“Ummm…sorry…mind wandered a bit”.

Harry retorted sarcastically.

“So I noticed”.

Ignoring his cheek Hermione asked.

“What were you saying”?

Harry repeated his earlier inquiry.

“I asked if you were sure that I didn’t need to have a word with Parker”.

Hermione sighed and answered back.

“I’m sure…I can handle it”.

Changing the subject again Hermione nodded to the note clutched in Harry’s outstretched hand. Harry’s eyes traveled to his outstretched hand and then back to Hermione’s gaze and asked.

“What”?

Hermione replied.

“Are you going to even read it”?

Harry shook his head.

“No need to really…it’ll just be some stammering bunch of rubbish about me being such a nice bloke, so brave and attractive and would I like to go for a walk around the lake sometimes or maybe into Hogsmeade or some other such nonsense”.

Hermione quizzed.

“And why is that nonsense”?

Harry shrugged as he answered.

“Dates are not my top priority at the moment”.

Hermione scooted farther up on the bed so that she and Harry were eye level. Looking up at him was causing a crick to set up in her neck. Harry rolled over onto his side so that he was looking directly at Hermione as she spoke.

“Well of course you’ve got loads of things on your mind with schoolwork and Quidditch, your Head Boy responsibilities and your training for…well you know. But you could make time for someone you really liked couldn’t you”?

Harry shook his head as he responded.

“No…and who’s to say I like Serena Chambers…besides dates are strictly forbidden it says so plainly in the handbook”.

Hermione frowned and asked.

“What handbook”?

Harry replied with a sincerely candid expression.

“Why the Hero’s Handbook of course”.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow at Harry as he elaborated.

“In chapter one, Elementary Heroics and Daring Deeds for the Beginner, it clearly states that heroes haven’t the time for trifles such as dating and the like as all of our time is to be spent saving and protecting the world and the people we care about from harm. While we are permitted to fall in love eventually we must love from afar as our heroic commitments are much too much of a burden to place on anyone’s shoulders but our own. Only sidekicks are allowed the luxury of falling in love”.

Hermione raised her brow higher and asked.

“Sidekicks”?

Harry nodded.

“Uh huh…that would be you and Ron”.

A horrified expression crossed Hermione’s countenance.

“Hang on this handbook of yours says I have to fall in love with Ron”.

Harry chuckled amusedly.

“Well not exactly with Ron…just that you can always give this hero stuff up and lead a normal life considering that you’re not the actual hero. The theory is you wouldn’t be missed, except by me of course. So if there was someone you fancied you could leave all this behind and go off with them”.

Hermione shook her head and inquired.

“And what about when your hero days are over…are you free to date then”?

Harry shook his head.

“A hero never really gives this sort of thing up now do they”?

Hermione acquiesced to that point with a nod of her head and said.

“So according to this Hero’s Handbook you are not allowed to date or fall in love because you are much too busy saving the world…”

Harry interrupted and said.

“I can fall in love but the object of my affections can’t ever know. I have to pine you see. Sacrifice my own desires for the greater good”.

“Oh so you can pine for someone…”

Hermione paused as Harry indicated his agreement with a waggle of his head before she added.

“Well you better save that then, the witch you’re meant to pine for forever could have written it”.

Harry’s fingers stopped twirling Hermione’s hair as he pinned her with his most austere expression.

“She wouldn’t write me notes”.

Hermione stared back at him pointedly and asked.

“And why not”?

Harry replied.

“Because she’s locked up in some bloody tower of course. Heroes great loves are always damsels in distress you know”.

Hermione gnawed her lip and furrowed her brow as she considered what Harry had just said.

“That doesn’t make sense. How can you pine for someone and love them from afar if the object of your affection is some twit locked in a tower that you’ve got to rescue. Who can’t contact you at all…what’s the point…”

No longer able to keep up the charade of seriousness Harry burst into riotous laughter. Hermione paused mid-sentence and recognizing how foolish she must look and sound trying to suss out Harry’s ridiculous invented handbook burst out laughing as well. After gaining a modicum of composure Hermione smacked Harry with a pillow as she rolled over towards the edge of the bed and swinging her legs over the side stood to her feet and sauntered out the door calling over her shoulder as she went.

“We’re due for patrols in ten minutes. I’ll meet you down in the main common room in five”.

Harry rolled off the bed smiling and headed for the door.

Chapter 1: Star Crossed

It was an unusually warm fall day. The sun shone brightly and a warm breeze blew rustling the remaining leaves that hung on the trees as thick white clouds rolled languidly about the clear blue sky. It was the kind of day that begged to be enjoyed to the fullest and as it was probably the last day like this the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where likely to see for quite sometime they happily obliged by leaving essays unwritten and chapters unread as they wiled away the hours sitting by the lake or for those made of stronger stuff going for a dip in it. Here and there students lazed about the grounds chatting to one another or playing games of exploding snap, gobstones, and wizard's chess, others read or just laid out sunning themselves.

Hermione took in the scene with a smile as she strolled across the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch with her friends and housemates Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown and Pavrati Patil. The foursome had just finished having lunch in the Great Hall and noticing the curious lack of Gryffindor males present they had headed to the kitchens and procured a supply of sandwiches, cauldron cakes and pumpkin juice from Dobby and Winky to take to the boys who they wisely guessed had forgone even food to take part in one of their favorite activities…flying. The quartet attracted quite a bit of attention as they made their way across the grounds past a cluster of Ravenclaws that included Harold Dingle, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstein, Stephen Summers and Parker Wesley. The six boys smiled appreciatively as the shapely Gryffindor quartet strolled by. Stephen Summers let out a low whistle and said to his housemates.

“Lucky blokes those Gryffindors getting to look at that lot all the bloody time”!

Anthony Goldstein nodded his agreement and added.

“Hey Corner bet you're wishing you'd hung on to Ginny Weasley eh”.

Michael gestured rudely with his hand as Parker ran his hands over his already perfectly smooth golden mane. Terry eyed him strangely and asked.

“Parker what are you doing”?

Parker replied matter of factly.

“Just making sure I look all right before I go and say hello to Hermione”.

The five other boys stared at Parker in amazement. It was common knowledge that Parker was smitten with Hogwarts Head Girl, as were countless other young wizards in the school, but it was also common knowledge that Hermione had no interest in Parker whatsoever. Truth be told she seemed to despise him. The five boys exchanged questioning looks with one another as Harold asked quietly.

“Ummm…Parker…exactly why are you going to go and say hello to Hermione…she doesn't seem to like you very much”.

Parker waved his hand dismissively and replied.

“Don't you lads know it's the chase that makes it interesting…she's just playing hard to get is all”.

Michael piped up and said.

“Chased is exactly what you'll get if Weasley and Potter…especially Potter…think you're annoying her. Andrew Ringgold said something Potter thought was uncomplimentary and nearly got his head handed to him for his trouble”.

The other boys nodded and began calling the names of other young wizards who had incurred Harry's wrath over some comment they'd mistakenly made to Hermione. Parker waved his hands at them flippantly as though shooing flies and said.

“Potter's no concern of mine I can handle him if need be”.

With that Parker stalked off after Hermione. Michael called after him.

“As you like it…its your funeral”!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny, Lavender, Pavrati and Hermione strode onto the pitch and raised their faces skyward. Dean and Seamus were taking it in turns charging around the pitch throwing the quaffle at the hoops Ron was defending while Harry zoomed effortlessly about them. Even from her vantage point so far below Hermione could make out the serene expression on Harry's face and the upturned corners of his smiling mouth; flying had always had that effect on him. Ginny called out to the boys letting them know that they had brought them lunch just as Harry went into a series of complicated spins and spiraling dives. Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville, who had been sitting on the ground nearby, ambled over to poke their noses into the basket Lavender was holding. Harry had leveled off and pulled up at the first row of seats ringing the pitch. His performance had elicited a chorus of cheers from a group of girls who happened to be sitting there watching. The prettiest girl of the group, a dark-haired ebony-eyed beauty purposely by accident dropped one of her dangling silver earrings. Harry who had been turning around to join his friends saw the flash of the bauble as it slipped from the young woman's hand and reflexively scooped it up before it had scarcely fallen an inch. Pavrati smiled as she watched the incident and said.

“Looks like Harry has found another use for those lightening quick reflexes of his”.

All the Gryffindors turned as one to see what she was referring to and caught sight of Harry, who appeared to be in the throes of a deep conversation with Serena Chambers. She was holding the hand that Harry had used to retrieve her earring in both of hers and was absolutely gushing about something. Seamus smiled wolfishly and said.

“He does get the pick of the litter doesn't he”.

Ron, Dean and Neville all laughed scandalously at Seamus' remark. Hermione narrowed her eyes to near slits and folded her arms across her chest and replied in a rather annoyed fashion.

“Honestly, does she ever give it a rest”?

Ginny, Lavender and Pavrati turned their gazes to Hermione as Ron asked.

“Does who ever give what a rest”?

Hermione replied.

“Serena Chambers. I swear she's stalking him. She turns up everywhere Harry happens to be…the halls outside his classes, his Quidditch practices, the library when we're studying, whichever corridors we happen to be patrolling…its maddening…and you would honestly think she was the clumsiest, most helpless witch to ever walk the earth the way she's constantly dropping something or needs some heavy object lifted whenever Harry's within a mile of her. You'd think a seventh year Ravenclaw would have mastered a simple levitation spell by now. I mean really how desperate can any one person be”!

Hermione finished her rant and cast malevolent glares at Serena. She seemed to be unaware of the seven bewildered faces that looked at her slightly confused over her obvious irritation with Harry's most recently acquired flirtation. Hermione spoke over her shoulder to the female portion of the group.

“I suppose I'd better go and get him before this lot eats everything we brought”.

Ron started to protest her last statement as neither he nor Dean, or Seamus or Neville had so much as laid a finger on a single solitary item in the picnic basket Lavender held but Ginny trod on his foot heavily as Hermione set off across the pitch to collect Harry. Ron grimaced and wiggled his foot as he frowned down at Ginny and asked.

“What'd you go and do that for”?

Pavrati interjected before Ginny, who was watching Hermione's progression across the field intently, could answer and said.

“My, my, my…seems the Head Girl's a tad jealous of all the attention being showered on a certain green-eyed seeking Head Boy”.

Lavender giggled.

“A tad, I'd say it's a hell of a lot more than a sodding tad”.

Ginny nodded and Ron looking bemused chimed in.

“What are you birds on about…what's Hermione got to be jealous about”?

Ginny shook her head and stared at her brother in mystification.

“Oh honestly Ron use your eyes…can't you see that Hermione's got her knickers in a knot over all the attention Serena's paying Harry”.

Lavender and Pavrati nodded sagely at Ginny's words while Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville exchanged perplexed glances and uttered a collective “What”. Shaking their heads at the rather slow acuity of their male cohorts the Gryffindor females set about enlightening the boys on the nature of the situation playing out before them. Lavender began.

“With whom does Hermione spend most of her time”?

Dean replied.

“Harry and Ron…well mostly Harry now that they are Head Boy and Head Girl”.

Pavrati inquired.

“And who is the one person she'd drop whatever she was doing to help”?

Neville answered.

“Harry”.

Ginny asked.

“And who is the person she worries over the most”?

Ron quickly supplied the answer.

“Harry of course”.

Lavender queried.

“And what is the quickest way to tick Hermione off”?

Seamus quipped.

“Having a go at Harry. Remember last year during the Potions final when she hit Pansy Parkinson with that tripping hex and made her dunk her face in that Petrification Solution all on account of her calling Harry a bloody sodding wanker”.

Pavrati nodded agreeably.

“A girl only does something that drastic when she fancies a bloke”.

Lavender piped back up and said.

“And unless I'm way wide of the mark…and I'm usually not on these things mind you…I'd say Harry fancies Hermione as well”.

Ron shook his head.

“Now I know you're nutters…Hermione does not fancy Harry like you lot think…and I know for a fact that Harry definitely does not have the slightest interest in Hermione in that way”.

Ginny snorted and replied.

“Oh really…Harry has no interest in Hermione whatsoever…”

Ginny paused and Ron nodded his head affirmatively before she picked up her thread of speech again and said.

“If Harry doesn't fancy Hermione then why does he hold her hand and interlace their fingers when they walk through the hallways on patrols…and why does he insist on whispering in her ear when he needs to have a word with her? Oh and do enlighten me as to Harry's sudden fascination with caressing the small of her back and rubbing her neck when they're studying? And for the love of Merlin would you be so kind as to explain to me why he threatens every boy who comes within a foot of her”?

Ron never got the chance to answer Ginny's questions as Pavrati let out a squeal of delight and said.

“Oooooh look”!

Ron, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Lavender and Ginny turned back to stare in the direction Pavrati was pointing in to see what she was on about. They looked up in time to see Hermione halfway across the pitch being intercepted by Parker Wesley.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione gritted her teeth as Parker Wesley materialized in front of her wearing that arrogant grin of his that she so loathed. It boggled her mind how he managed to turn up at the most inopportune moments. Heaving an annoyed breath Hermione squared her shoulders and mentally prepared herself to deal with whatever it was that Parker wanted. She looked up into his aristocratically handsome face and waited for him to speak. Parker merely stood there his eyes greedily drinking in the sight of Hermione's softly curved body; the cropped midriff bearing top coupled with the form-fitting jeans she was wearing accentuated her womanly attributes quite nicely. Parker's smile grew as he imagined the areas concealed by her clothing. Hermione frowned as she caught the look covering Parker's features. While she had no idea what sickening thoughts were running through his perverted mind she suspected she would be quite justified in slapping him for having them. Infuriated, Hermione ground her teeth together and articulated.

“If you're done leering at me I'd appreciate your standing aside as you're blocking my way”.

Parker lazily ran his fingers through his immaculate hair and replied.

“Well I actually just wanted to say hello but you're looking so bloody cracking I lost myself”.

Hermione rolled her eyes .

“Well now that you've recovered and said your bit you'll have to excuse me as I have to…”

Parker hastily interrupted.

“Hang on now…every time I see you you're hurrying off to study or go on patrols or some other such thing. Surely if you're working that hard through the week you need to spare time to yourself on the weekends. It's a lovely day, what's say you and I take a stroll around the grounds…hmmm…get to know each other a bit better”.

Hermione replied coolly.

“I would rather mug down with the giant squid”.

Parker was completely unaffected by Hermione's response. In fact he smiled again and took a step closer to Hermione and spoke in a low voice.

“Oh you do love the chase don't you…as you wish then my dear…”

Parker paused and wet his lips with his tongue, Hermione stared up at him in utter bewilderment as she attempted to sort out what the devil he'd meant by that last statement. Parker began speaking again and as he did he reached out his hand as if to trace his long elegant fingers up Hermione's bare arm. However at that precise moment on the other side of the pitch Harry, who was still trying to extricate himself from Serena's grasp, turned around and glanced over his shoulder. His gaze focused on the center of the pitch where Hermione was on the verge of being pawed by that pompous git Parker Wesley. In less than the time it took to blink an eye Harry had gripped the handle of his Firebolt and was pelting across the pitch towards the spot where Hermione stood leaving Serena standing in the stands a horrifically stunned expression on her face. Harry halted the Firebolt and nimbly hopped to the ground right next to Hermione. Harry pretended not to notice Parker's presence as he stepped between Parker's outstretched hand and Hermione and said.

“I was wondering where you got off too…about ready for that go around the grounds”?

Harry nodded towards his Firebolt. Hermione threw him a grateful smile as she inclined her head. Harry returned the gesture as he took her hand in his and guided her footsteps in the direction of his waiting Firebolt. Parker cleared his throat and called out.

“Ahh…Harry Potter…I don't believe we've had the pleasure…Parker Benton Wesley”.

Parker extended his hand to Harry. Harry released Hermione's hand and turned to face Parker. Slowly and quietly he retraced his steps and came to stand directly in front of Parker. The five-inch disparity in their heights, Harry's impressively broad shoulders and the angry scowl marring Harry's usually genial countenance caused Parker to take a few awkward steps backward. Harry's voice was menacingly low when he spoke.

“Unless you want to find yourself in Madame Pomfrey's care I suggest you leave Hermione alone”.

That said Harry strode back to Hermione caught her about the waist, vaulted onto his broomstick and disappeared into the clear azure blue sky before Parker had a chance to articulate a single sound in reply. Across the pitch Pavrati and Lavender burst into excited giggles as Ginny turned to her brother and exclaimed.

“Now then Ron, what was that you were saying earlier about Harry and Hermione not fancying one another”?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been two weeks since Harry had threatened Parker Wesley out on the pitch and in the ensuing days Ron had paid close attention to his two best friends and how they interacted with each other and he had come to realize that the girls had been right. Harry and Hermione did fancy each other. Ron was stunned that he had never noticed their behavior for what it was before now. All the giggling and touching and whispered conversations…how could he have missed the true meaning behind those actions? Then there were the longing looks they bestowed upon each other when they thought no one else was watching. Ron honestly had no idea how he could have been silly enough not to realize what was happening under his very nose. But what was more troubling than his own cluelessness as to the obvious attraction his two best friends harbored for each other was their cluelessness to their mutual attraction to one another. Here they were shooting each other love-struck glances every chance they got but doing absolutely nothing about it. What the bloody hell was keeping them from admitting how they felt? Ron peeked up from his Transfiguration essay to see Harry drumming his fingers on the table as he pondered what to write next; Hermione reached out and stilled his hand by covering it with her own. Instinctively Harry intertwined their fingers as he slid his half written essay across the table for Hermione's perusal. They stayed that way; holding hands, long after Hermione had returned Harry's scroll of parchment, in fact they remained that way until Hermione began gathering up her things to go to her Arithmancy class. Ron shook his head and thought to himself “And they say I'm the bloody thick one” as he returned his gaze to his own homework. Hermione swung her schoolbag onto her shoulder and said.

“I'm off to Arithmancy. I'll see you two at dinner. Oh and I'd start on those Potions essays if I were you”.

Both Ron and Harry nodded as Hermione pushed her chair up to the table and strode out of the portrait hole. Ron watched Harry's expression soften as he watched Hermione's retreating figure. Seeing the longing look in his friend's eyes Ron blurted out what he was thinking.

“You like her don't you”?

Harry shook his head as if to clear it and muttered.

“What”?

Ron repeated his question.

“I asked if you liked Hermione”.

Harry stared at Ron wholly confused.

“Of course I like Hermione…we've only been friends since we were eleven years old…”

Ron shook his head and cut in quickly.

“No I mean do you like her…like her”?

Ron ogled Harry intently as the impact of what he'd just been asked washed over Harry. Harry raised an eyebrow as he answered.

“Ron are you asking if I'm interested in Hermione as something more than a friend”?

Ron nodded.

“Yes”.

Harry ran a hand through his messy hair and asked

“What would make you think something like that”?

Ron retorted.

“Well I've been looking at the two of you together…and…well…you act more like a couple than a couple of friends. I mean just now…we're sitting here working on our essays and you two are holding hands while she corrects your work…sure she corrects my essays too but she's never held my hand”.

Harry laughed quietly and inquired.

“Would you like for her to hold your hand while she checks your essays Ron? I could put in a good word for you”.

Ron made an appalled face and hastily exclaimed.

“NO”!

Several heads turned to see what the commotion was about. Ron's cheeks turned a bit pink as he lowered his head. Harry chuckled again and said.

“Ron you're reading too much into this. Hermione and I are just friends that's all. We're just really close…what you see and think is me fancying Hermione is just how we are with each other. She and I hold hands and you and she row like mad. Its just how we interact…she understands without judging so I reckon I'm a touch more comfortable with her than I am with most other people. The three of us have been through so much together…its just easier for me to be Harry with you two…that's all there is to it”.

Ron nodded a vague unreadable expression on his face…but as he often wore such looks Harry paid him no mind. Satisfied that Ron's question had been duly answered Harry suggested they get in a bit of flying before dinner. Ron readily agreed and the two packed their things and hurried upstairs to grab their brooms and headed to the pitch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was sitting in one of the study rooms adjoining the library with Ginny, Lavender, Pavrati, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Ron and Harry. All nine were working on Potions essays for Snape. The boys had excused themselves from the table and gone to the shelves to procure more books to rummage through for assistance. Snape's Advanced and Newt level Potions classes were brutal to say the least add to that his hatred of any student who happened to be housed in Gryffindor and the need to go the extra mile meant the difference between an Acceptable and a Dreadful mark on one's assignment. Hermione was frowning as her attempt to cross-reference the various uses of sneezewort in One Million Uses for One Million Plants was turning up nothing. She raised a hand and massaged her neck as she expelled a frustrated sigh. Ginny looked up and was about to ask what was wrong when Harry appeared behind Hermione's chair. He gingerly replaced Hermione's hand with his own and dropped another book on top of the one Hermione had been reading through. Its title read: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Nettles, Lovage and Sneezewort. Harry whispered.

“Thought you might be able to use that”.

Hermione smiled brightly as she leaned her head back and looked up at Harry, who returned her smile with one of his own before tilting her head back up and massaging her neck with his nimble fingers. Hermione closed her eyes and moaned appreciatively as he found the offending spot and after several minutes of intense massaging did away with it. Hermione squeezed his hand in silent thanks when he'd sorted her out and Harry dropped a kiss on the top of her head before he disappeared among the shelves once again. Opening her eyes to began searching through the book Harry had found Hermione felt three pairs of eyes on her and looking up asked.

“What…is there ink on my nose”?

Her three companions shook their heads negatively. Ginny was the one to speak.

“You two look rather cozy”.

Hermione frowned as Lavender and Pavrati chimed in and asked.

“Very cozy indeed”.

“Anything you want to tell us”?

Comprehension blazed across Hermione's face as she realized they were referring to her exchange with Harry. Shocked she asked.

“You think that there is something going on between Harry and I”?

Pavrati and Lavender nodded eagerly. Hermione turned to Ginny who raised an eyebrow and responded.

“Well…you two are rather close and well…you look quite cute together…”

Hermione cut off Ginny's words with a loud “tut” and replied.

“Honestly you three have gone round the twist. Harry and I are nothing more than friends. How you could possibly think there is more to our relationship is beyond me”?

Pavrati jumped in.

“How could we think there is more to your relationship than just friendship…how could we not”!?

Hermione's eyes widened as Pavrati continued.

“The way you two are with each other is enough to make anybody think you're shagging…for Merlin's sake Hermione when he was rubbing your neck just now I thought we were going to have to leave the bloody room”!

Hermione flushed and stuttered in an embarrassed tone.

“Well…well…we…we're just close is all”.

Lavender snickered and Hermione's voice regained its certainty as she ignored their skeptical glances and went on.

“There is absolutely nothing untoward about Harry's and my relationship. You lot are just looking at it all wrong! Our closeness seems strange to you because you think people only get that close when they have romantic feelings towards one another and that simply is not true…you can develop the same type of closeness with someone when you've known them a long time and shared a great deal with them. And considering that Harry and I have known each other for a fair amount of our lives and have been through quite a lot in that time it stands to reason we'd be unusually close. Honestly I'm shocked that the three of you could even think such a thing”!

Ginny was about to voice her thoughts on the matter when she caught sight of Parker Wesley coming to a halt just behind Hermione's chair. Hermione looked at Ginny and noticing the startled expression on her face turned and saw Parker as well. Parker spoke.

“Hello Hermione, might I have a word with you in private”?

Hermione was more than a bit surprised to see Parker; he hadn't approached her since Harry had spoken with him that day on the Quidditch pitch. Reluctantly she replied.

“Whatever it is you want to say to me you can say in front of my friends”.

Parker nodded.

“Very well then…I was wondering if you'd given anymore thought to my tutoring request”?

Hermione's brows knitted together in consideration as she searched her memory to bring to mind what tutoring request Parker could possibly be referring to. Suddenly Hermione's face glowed scarlet as she recalled Parker's veiled suggestion from several weeks before that they sneak off to the Astronomy tower to do Merlin knew what. She turned to face Parker who was leering at her suggestively and was about to call him every awful name her vocabulary could muster when Parker unexpectedly was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall. His feet dangled helplessly and his arms flailed wildly as he struggled to free himself of the invisible force pinning him to the wall. Hermione whirled around and saw Harry emerging from the stacks flanked by Ron and the others, murderously glaring at Parker's struggling form and said.

“Harry let him go”!

Harry replied hotly.

“I told him to stay away from you”!

“I know that Harry but you could really hurt him”!

“I plan on hurting him”!

“Harry please”!!

Hearing the pleading note in Hermione's voice Harry snapped his fingers, effectively packing away all of Hermione's, and his things. He then strode over to the wall Parker was pent to and released him from the spell that had been holding him. Parker slid down the wall and came to rest in a heap on the floor at Harry's feet. Harry glared at him and ground out in a furious whisper.

“Look at her like that again and I'll bloody kill you”!

In a swish of robes Harry turned grabbed Hermione by the hand, snatched up their belongings and stormed out of the study room leaving Ron and the others staring wide-eyed at their diminishing backs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry's angry little display of wandless magic in the library earlier that evening had prompted Ron to call a strategy meeting of sorts with Ginny and his fellow seventh year housemates to discuss what should be done about what Ron now termed as Harry and Hermione's thickness.

“If we don't do something soon Harry's liable to land himself in Azkaban for murdering that Wesley bloke”.

Seamus mused.

Dean agreed.

“I don't think I've ever seen Harry that mad before. Did you know he could control his wandless magic like that”?

Dean directed his query at Ron who shrugged in reply.

“He's been training a lot since You-Know-Who came back. I reckon there is a whole load of stuff Harry can do magically that he's kept to himself”.

The group grew quiet as they thought of the task facing Harry in the not so distant future. Shaking his head to rid it of thoughts of his best friend doing battle with Voldemort Ron said.

“There has to be something we can do to get those two together. I mean it's obvious to everyone how they feel about each other…they just need to admit it”!

Neville inquired.

“And how are we supposed to get them to admit it exactly”?

Dean jokingly quipped.

“We could hex them”.

Seamus laughed loudly and said.

“Never work…Harry's way too quick to get caught with some hex and Hermione's so smart she'd just perform some spell to counter it. What we need is some sort of love potion…get them all arse over tit about each other so they'll go off and shag themselves senseless”!

Lavender smiled.

“Why Seamus…that's an excellent idea”!!

Seamus looked around a stunned expression on his face that mirrored the rest of the faces in the room with the exception of Ginny, Pavrati and Lavender who all seemed quite keen on the idea. Ron shook his head.

“Hang on…you can't really be considering that…I mean a love potion…that's ridiculous”!

Lavender replied.

“It is not ridiculous…its brilliant. Don't you see…if we leave them on their own they'll be star-crossed lovers forever because neither one of them is willing to admit how they really feel about the other. And as Seamus pointed out any spell we could think to try Harry can dodge and Hermione can counter…so that leaves us with only one option and that option is a love potion”.

Ron scratched his head.

“Okay you're right that we'd never be able to hit either of them with any sort of spell…but a love potion…isn't there something else…anything else…that might work”?

Pavrati heaved an exasperated breath and said.

“Oh and what else can we do…lock them in a broom closet until they snog each other senseless or hit them over their heads and tie them to a chair until they admit they fancy each other”.

Ron scrunched up his face and considered the possible effectiveness of both those plans. Realizing he was actually considering them Pavrati lobbed one of the pillows from the couch at him.

“Stop being a git Ron and be reasonable…we need something to push them to each other and confess how they feel and the only way to do that is by altering their usual state of mind just a bit”.

Dean and Neville nodded their heads as if they were beginning to see the merit of the idea. Seamus muttered something about the girls having a point. Ron sighed and made one last attempt at dissuading the whole love potion idea.

“And where are we to find a recipe and the ingredients to brew an illegal love potion? Not to mention the means to brew it...I mean what if something goes wrong or worse we get caught what then”?

Sensing victory Lavender smiled and said.

“Don't worry about a thing Ron we'll handle all the details…won't we ladies”.

Ginny nodded and added in.

“We'll find the potion and get all of the ingredients. And we can brew it in Lavender and Pavrati's room…now that Hermione is head girl there's just the two of them so there's loads of space”.

Pavrati chimed in.

“It'll be simple…we'll brew the potion and slip in into their morning pumpkin juice and they'll be together by dinner time”!

Lavender smiled enthuastically and concluded.

“See Ron no need to worry everything will be just fine”.

-->

Chapter 2: Corridors, Empty Classrooms, Study Rooms and Common Rooms

Ron tapped his foot and leaned against the wall outside of the Ancient Runes classroom where he and Harry were waiting for Hermione. Harry had been in a foul mood all day biting off people's heads for the slightest infraction or disturbance. He'd told off a group of fifth year Hufflepuff girls for giggling in the corridors and he'd threatened to turn Draco Malfoy back into a ferret after the two had their usual pre-breakfast row. Malfoy had made a rather nasty remark to Harry about his love of mudbloods. Harry had responded by threatening Malfoy with ferret-dom then whipping out his wand to make good on his threats. And although Ron would have dearly loved to see Malfoy scampering about as a ferret again he'd stopped Harry, the look of terror on Malfoy's face had been enough to make Ron's morning.

Ron chanced a glance at his best mate of seven years. His head was bowed as he searched for something in his schoolbag, his messy black curtain of hair swathed his face obscuring it from view. With a sweep of his hand Harry brushed back his dark locks revealing a look of annoyance covering his face. Actually Harry had been in his present mood for several days. That same annoyed expression had been etched on his face for the past three days…since Hermione had taken him to task about what he had done to Parker Wesley in the library study room. Not that she had been per se upset that he had hexed Parker; from what Lavender, Pavrati and Ginny had told Ron later Hermione was a step away from doing that very thing to him herself. No it was not what Harry had done but the means by which he had done them that had Hermione so upset. Hermione considered Harry's little exhibition of his magical abilities to have been extremely dangerous. As they were not entirely sure who was fighting against You-Know-Who and who wasn't Hermione felt that Harry's allowing his temper to get the better of him could have given You-Know-Who an idea of what possible weapons Harry had in his arsenal therefore making You-Know-Who more treacherous to Harry in the future. Not to mention the fact that Hermione felt that Harry could have gotten himself expelled for attacking a fellow student. Thankfully the only people to have witnessed the incident were all Gryffindors and as Parker was no doubt too embarrassed to tell anyone what Harry had done to him, Harry had easily avoided any punishment that he might otherwise have received.

Following reading Harry the riot act about his foolhardiness in regards to his own safety Hermione had laid into both Harry and Ron about their over protectiveness of late. Hermione had informed them both that they had to stop their incessant coddling of her and their threats of anyone who approached her. While assuring them that she appreciated the obvious affection they felt for her she also informed them that she was more than capable of taking care of herself and to back off. Harry had of course defended his actions vigorously, reminding her of the many times she'd raged to both he and Ron about how she hated to be objectified as well as how she detested Parker and his disgustingly lascivious behavior. Harry went on to say that he'd only done what he thought a proper friend should have done to protect another but that if she'd rather be pawed and objectified who was he to stand in her way.

And so Harry had reluctantly agreed to be on his best behavior from then on and the two had scarcely spoken two words to each other since; a quite unusual occurrence as the two never rowed and when they did disagree it never lasted more than an hour or so. Because of the prolonged amount of time that he and Hermione weren't speaking to each other Harry had gone into a silent rage in which he walked around the castle upbraiding any and everyone that annoyed him the tiniest bit. His tetchy behavior was causing everyone else in the castle to walk around him on tenterhooks for fear of being hexed or worse. As his behavior was slowly but surely beginning to remind Ron of Filch's behavior during their second year when he had been separated from his beloved Mrs. Norris Ron had suggested very carefully mind you that Harry try talking things out with Hermione to put everything back on an even keel. Now Harry stood with Ron outside Hermione's Ancient Runes class scowling while they waited for her to appear. Harry had finally located whatever he had been searching for and raised his head just as the door to the classroom swung open and the students began to file out. Ron and Harry pushed themselves off the wall and craned their necks to watch for Hermione. Suddenly a voice called out and said.

“Hello Harry”.

Harry and Ron turned around at the same time to see to whom the voice belonged. Their eyes settled on Serena Chambers; her long dark locks curled prettily about her face and her coal-black eyes seemed to sparkle as her perfectly bow shaped mouth curved into a sultry smile. Harry nodded his head in her direction as he mouthed a casual “Hello”. Serena's robes were undone revealing a shorter than regulation mid-thigh length skirt and an extremely form-fitting jumper and blouse. Serena drew close to Harry and said.

“I haven't seen you around much lately”.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly.

Serena pressed on.

“How've you been”?

Harry replied flatly.

“Alright…and you”.

Hermione exited the room at the exact moment that Serena smiled and walking right up to Harry slipped both her hands into his drawing their bodies flush up against one another and pressed Harry's back into the wall as she continued their conversation at a low whisper in his ear.

“I've been hoping to catch you really…I have a favor I'd like to ask”.

Harry responded in a lower than normal tone of voice as Serena rubbed her curvaceous body against his.

“And what would that be”?

Serena continued in that enticingly low whisper.

“Well I've been having a spot of trouble in Defense Against the Dark Arts and seeing as you're so good at it…running the DA and all…I thought you might be able to sort me out on a few things”.

Serena had pressed her body completely against Harry's now and was running her hands through his unruly tresses. Harry responded.

“I suppose I could give you a hand”.

Serena beamed up at him and said.

“I'm free tomorrow evening. Can you meet me in the Room of Requirement at seven”?

Harry inclined his head slowly.

“Alright…Room of Requirement…seven o'clock”.

Serena whispered her thanks in Harry's ear and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, just grazing his lips before stepping away from him and releasing his hands saying.

“I'll see you tomorrow night at seven”.

Harry nodded as Serena sauntered off brushing past Hermione as she went. Ron watched Hermione's expression and saw the barely discernible, momentary look of annoyance that registered there; shaking her head she set her jaw rigidly and ground out.

“We best get a move on otherwise we'll be late for Potions”.

That said she turned and stalked off towards the dungeons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time they reached Snape's dungeon Hermione was in a terrifically bad temper. She was deathly quiet and instead of sitting in her usual seat between Ron and Harry she opted to sit at the table with Lavender and Pavrati. Thankfully Snape was not setting them a potion to prepare that day. As an alternative he was introducing the next chapter of potions that they would be working on: Mind Altering Potions and Solutions. Presently Snape was droning on about something called the Scintillatus Solution; a highly advanced potion that when administered to an individual made said individual's mind more readily susceptible to ideas that they would have normally been adverse to. Ron was hardly paying attention, as he was engrossed in watching Harry shoot furtive glances across the room at Hermione who although she saw him perfectly well was pretending not to notice. The students spent the double period taking notes on the various plants used in the creation of mind-altering potions and at the end of the period Snape assigned yet another essay. This one was to be a minimum six-feet on the types of plants primarily used in mind-altering potions and it was to be handed in during the next class! Having just handed in one perfectly horrid essay the class responded less than enthusiastically. However, their groans were suppressed by Snape's declaration that if they preferred he would gladly double the minimum. Everyone wisely kept mum until they were dismissed. As the students filed out of the dungeon Lavender sidled up to Ron and said.

“We're headed to the library to get started on this essay want to come”?

The slight lilt in her voice and the twinkle in her eyes told Ron that the research she and Pavrati where planning had nothing to do with the Potions assignment they'd just been handed and everything to do with their little secret project. Ron cleared his throat and looking to his two best friends replied.

“Ummm…sure…Harry…Hermione…want to join us”?

Hermione shook her head.

“I have a meeting with Professor Vector and I need to be getting on otherwise I'll be late”.

Without another word Hermione turned and hurried out the door. Harry watched her go and heaving a sigh replied.

“Sorry mate I've got Dark Arts Defense training…I'll catch you up later”.

Harry turned and loped up the stairs. Ron turned to Lavender and Pavrati and said.

“Well let's go”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was walking along the corridor to Professor Vector's office when all of a sudden she was forcibly grabbed about the waist and hauled into a nearby classroom where she found herself pressed into the wall just behind the now closed door by a very strong muscled male body. Instinctively she gripped her wand and was about to hex whomever had seized her when a familiar baritone washed over her ears.

“Hermione it's me”.

Looking up Hermione found herself staring into Harry's emerald green eyes. Heaving a sigh of relief she released her grip on her wand and slipped it back into her robe pocket. It abruptly occurred to Hermione that Harry had nearly scared her witless with his caveman antics, quickly she raised her voice and ground out angrily.

“Harry what in the bloody name of Merlin are you doing…you nearly gave me a heart attack…honestly skulking about like some bloody Neanderthal snatching unsuspecting people into darkened rooms…what has gotten into you”!?

Harry frowned and replied.

“I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you…I just wanted a word with you in private…so I took a shortcut I know to head you off”.

Hermione rolled her eyes and said.

“A simple may I please have a word with you would have sufficed”.

Harry stepped back and asked.

“And if I had would you have done as I asked”?

Hermione eyed Harry questioningly and asked.

“What do you mean would I have done as you asked”?

Harry stepped away from Hermione and responded snidely.

“Oh and I suppose I'm to pretend that you haven't been angry with me for the last three days”.

Hermione exclaimed.

“What makes you think I'm angry at you”?

Harry gave a derisive snort and answered hotly.

“You've barely said two words to me in three days and today in Potions you sat with Lavender and Pavrati and not with me and Ron…and when I tried to ask you about it you ignored me”!!

Hermione quickly replied.

“I am not angry at you Harry. Yes I was a bit narked at you for your thoughtless behavior in the library the other day with Parker but you're the one whose been walking around in a snit for the past few days. Grunting at me every time I enter the room…threatening people with hexes and scowling all the time! Simply because I asked you and Ron to stop being so over protective. And I can sit with my other friends if I want…”

Harry interjected forcefully.

“And why did you ignore me when I tried to ask you about it”!?

Hermione replied.

“I was taking notes”.

“So you didn't know I was trying to talk to you”?

Hermione averted her eyes and quickly said.

“You know how Snape is…he would have loved to take a round fifty points each off the pair of us and set us scouring out bedpans in hospital if he had caught us chatting in the middle of one of his lectures”.

Harry responded skeptically.

“So your only reason for not answering me was fear of Snape's reprisals…”

Harry paused and trapped Hermione with a penetrating emerald green gaze and asked.

“Your actions had nothing to do with my little chat with Serena Chambers outside your Ancient Runes class”?

Hermione gazed unflinchingly back at Harry and answered his query with one of her own.

“And why would you chatting with Serena make me not speak to you”?

Harry considered his words carefully as he answered.

“Serena is not exactly your favorite person and her…ummm…er…little display in the hallway seemed to set you off”.

“I assume you are referring to Serena draping herself all over your body like some sort of a cheap robe…though I indeed found it highly distasteful I certainly wouldn't stop speaking to you over it. I would think that if it bothered anyone it would be you”.

The last words tumbled out of Hermione's mouth more acerbically than she had intended. Harry quirked an eyebrow and suppressing a grin at Hermione's tone of voice asked.

“And why would it bother me”?

Hermione clucked her tongue and replied.

“Honestly Harry she follows you around and throws herself at you every chance she gets…I thought that you preferred women who were more dignified and not so…so…gaggingly desperate”.

“Gaggingly desperate…keep talking like that and folks will think you're jealous”.

Hermione laughed.

“Oh ho…and why would I ever be jealous of a twit like Serena”?

Harry answered with a mocking grin.

“Well…she is smart and very, very pretty…I may be persuaded to take a liking to her…and if that happens…well as there is only room for one girl in this trio…I reckon I'd have to replace you”.

A smile touched the corners of Hermione's lips.

“So I'm to be replaced am I”?

Harry shrugged his shoulders and said.

“Possibly”.

Hermione nodded and replied.

“Oh I see so Serena is going to take my place…she's going to help you write all of your essays for every single one of your classes along with helping you find spells for and conduct DA meetings and assist you with your training for the final battle…”

She paused for effect. Then smiling mischievously she slipped her arms around his waist ran her delicate fingers up his spine and stopping midway she began kneading the muscles in the center of his back and added.

“I suppose she's going to give you back rubs after your Quidditch matches as well”?

Harry sucked in a breath of air threw back his head and groaned.

Hermione smiled and queried.

“Harry am I really so easy to replace”.

Harry leaned his forehead against Hermione's and pressing her supple form into the wall with his own huskily answered back.

“I was only teasing and you bloody well know it. Nothing and no one could ever replace you in my life. I'm sorry I've been such a prat the last few days…forgive me”?

Hermione nodded.

“Of course I forgive you Harry. Do you forgive me for being an overbearing nag”?

Harry smiled a relieved smile as he replied.

“You're not a nag and as I can't stay angry at you for more than a second there's nothing to forgive”.

Satisfied that order had been restored to their world Hermione removed her hands from Harry's back and said.

“I think you should be careful with Serena…”

Harry cut in.

“Hermione it's only a spot of tutoring…I'm just helping her with her Defense Against the Dark Arts”.

Hermione sighed and continued.

“She's quite keen on you and considering that her feelings are not being reciprocated I think you would best serve the situation by leaving well enough alone”.

Harry quizzed her by asking.

“Who's to say her feelings aren't being returned”?

Hermione retorted smartly.

“The Hero's Handbook…considering that she writes you notes and she is not locked up in some dark tower awaiting you and your galloping steed to come and rescue her she's off limits”.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Weren't you the one who suggested I throw the handbook out and enjoy myself a little”?

Hermione frowned and replied.

“I asked if you could make time for a girl you truly liked to which you informed me that Serena was not that girl”.

Harry changed tactics.

“You don't like her very much do you? And because you don't like her you're trying to put me off her as well”

Hermione replied.

“She's not my favorite person no. Quite frankly I think she's a bit too obvious, but if you like her then by all means go out with her. I just don't think you should lead her on”.

“Lead her on…how could a bit of tutoring lead her on”?

“Serena fancies you! In case you didn't know girls don't generally send perfumed notes to boys they only want to study with. She may think that your agreeing to help her is a sign you fancy her as well. And if that's not the case someone could get hurt”.

Harry replied.

“I take it back you are a nag”.

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued.

“I am simply saying that you shouldn't go out with her if you have designs on someone else”.

Harry inquired.

“What makes you think I've got designs on someone else”?

Hermione averted her eyes and answered in a whisper.

“It just seemed to me that when we discussed all of this a few weeks back that someone else had caught your eye”.

Harry replied with a simple “Oh” before he added.

“I thought perhaps there was something more to it”.

An awkward moment of silence enveloped them before Hermione spoke.

“I have to go”.

Harry nodded. Hermione smiled and raised herself on tiptoes and kissed Harry lightly on the cheek.

“I'll see you later back in the common room”.

She ducked under his outstretched arm and strolled out of the room. Harry stood for a moment absently fingering the spot on his cheek that Hermione's lips had touched before he turned and strolled out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron sat surrounded by books in the study room he, Lavender, Pavrati, Dean, Seamus and Neville had commandeered. The six friends had been searching through what had to be every book on Potions the Hogwarts library held in search of a suitable love potion to use on Harry and Hermione. So far their combined efforts had turned up next to nothing, apparently the Hogwarts library didn't carry books on love potions. Ron spoke to the group at large.

“This is a sign”.

Pavrati asked.

“What do you mean a sign…a sign of what”?

Ron rubbed his eyes wearily and responded.

“We've been at this for hours and we haven't found one single thing worth trying. It's a sign from Merlin to give up this wonky idea before something horrible happens”!

Seamus nodded in agreement.

“Ron's got a point. I mean we should have found something by now shouldn't we”?

Lavender calmly replied.

“We've already been through this…there is nothing wrong with this plan and this is not a sign from Merlin. Clearly we're looking in the wrong place for what we need. There has to be a potion that fits our specific requirements we just need to figure out where to look for it”.

Before anyone could respond to Lavender's pronouncement Hermione's voice asked.

“Where to look for what…what are you lot up to”?

Startled the group cast worried glances around the table, the last thing they needed was for Hermione to find out about their little plan to get her and Harry together. Lavender was the only one not affected by Hermione's presence, she smiled as she responded to Hermione's question.

“Thank Merlin for you Hermione you're just the person we need. We've been trying to get a jump on Snape's essay and as we've run into a bit of a roadblock and we need a bit of direction”.

Hermione took a seat and inquired.

“What exactly do you need help with”?

Lavender replied.

“Well we've been attempting to research some potions that affect the mind but we haven't been able to find anything specific…so I figure we're looking in the wrong place”.

Hermione nodded.

“Mmhmm”.

Having caught on to what Lavender was doing Pavrati added in.

“We also need a little clarification on what exactly constitutes a mind altering potion”.

Hermione was nodding her head vigorously as she dug their potions text and her class notes out of her schoolbag. She consulted her notes briefly before whipping out her wand and muttering two quick spells. Instantly four of the books in front of them flipped open to pages concerning various types of potions, the other books flew off back to their respective shelves while a completely different set of texts came zooming towards them and dropped open on the table before them. The boys whispered in amazement.

“Bloody hell”!

“How'd you do that”?

“Blimey”!

“Have I told you recently how scary you are sometimes”?

Hermione ignored the shock being verbalized by the males at the table.

“Now then all mind altering potions fall into one of three categories…potions that create false emotions…potions that feed off of existing emotions…and potions that create false emotions and then heighten said emotions so that they can feed off the emotions. An example of the first group would be the Draught of Befuddlement…the Scintillatus Solution fits into the second group…and an example of the final group is the Elixir of Infinite Passion…”

For the next hour and a half Hermione explained the finer potions of mind-altering potions answering every question that Lavender and Pavrati asked her. Occasionally Ron, Dean, Seamus or Neville would ask a question following a sharp kick to the shin from one of the girls. By the time Hermione finished her impromptu discussion of the topic Lavender had a stack of notes in front of her and a bright smile on her face. Hermione packed away her potions text, her class notes and the notes she'd taken while skimming the books she'd found in the library. Once her things were safely tucked away Hermione looked around the table and asked.

“Did that clear things up a bit”?

Pavrati chorused gleefully.

“Hermione you are a genius”!!

Lavender added equally happily.

“You've sorted us out alright…we know just where to go from here”.

Hermione smiled.

“Glad I could help”.

She turned to the boys and asked.

“And what about you lot…did I manage to help you at all”?

Neville, Dean and Seamus nodded quickly and hurriedly mumbled a refrain of.

“Sure”.

“That was loads of help”.

“Thanks for sorting me out”.

Hermione looked and Ron who had remained quiet and said.

“And what about you Ron…did that help you any at all”?

Ron blinked before answering in a measured grunt.

Hermione swung her schoolbag onto her shoulder and said.

“Well if you've got any other questions you can ask me later but right now I've got patrols…I'll see you guys later”.

Hermione disappeared through the door and Lavender burst out excitedly.

“We've got to find Ginny and get to work as soon as possible because thanks to Hermione I've got the perfect solution to our problem”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron arrived in the Great Hall the following morning to find Pavrati and Lavender animatedly talking with his sister Ginny, he guessed that the pair was filling Ginny in on what she had missed the day before. Following Hermione's unknowing assistance in helping move along their plot to pair her up with Harry, Lavender had informed the group that the best potion to use to accomplish their goals was the Scintillatus Solution. According to the reading they'd done the potion, which was not exactly a love potion, caused a person to act on feelings they had been attempting to hold back. Lavender felt it was perfect as that was what she believed Harry and Hermione were doing. Ron took a seat mumbled good morning to the table at large and began loading his plate with kippers, eggs and toast. The Gryffindors in the immediate vicinity, including his three cohorts replied in kind. Lavender looked over at him and said in a low undertone.

“Glad you made it to breakfast before Harry and Hermione…we wanted to fill you in on what we've sorted out so far…”

Lavender paused and Ron nodded to show that he'd heard her while he slathered marmalade on his toast. She picked up the thread of her thoughts and went on.

“We've been talking and as far as we can tell it'll take about three or four days to get the ingredients for the potion and then another week to make it…its lucky for us that the potion calls mostly for fresh plants. I reckon Neville can get most of it for us from Professor Sprout seeing as how he helps out in the greenhouses. The other ingredients are powdered and we have those in our own potions stores. What we didn't have I sent off for this morning by owl”.

“Sent off for what by owl”?

Ron looked up and saw his three dorm mates taking seats. Dean had been the one asking the question. Lavender quickly filled them in on the progress she'd made concerning their little project so far. Neville agreed to get the fresh plants they needed and Lavender handed him a rather long list. Glancing at it Ron saw that it was much longer than the list of plants he remembered the book calling for.

“Hang on…that's more than what the text said isn't it”?

Lavender chewed her lip nervously before saying.

“Yes…well…I did some more research for alternative ingredients to use…in case we couldn't find something or wanted to make it differently…you know less potent than the one in the text”.

Neville eyed the list and questioned her.

“And how do you know these substitutes will work”?

Pavrati supplied the answered.

“The same way we found out about the potion in the first place…we checked their uses with Hermione after she got in from her patrols last night”.

Neville nodded and said.

“Oh alright then…I'll start collecting these today”.

Lavender's smile returned.

“Good then we should be all set for now…”

She abruptly broke off what she was about to say and called out good morning as Hermione and Harry walked up to the table and took two seats beside Ron. Harry and Hermione exchanged good mornings with their friends and filled their plates. Silence reigned as everyone present concentrated on filling their stomachs in lue of talking. As Harry was taking a sip of pumpkin juice a voice called out good morning from behind him, he turned and saw Serena standing behind him.

“Hi Harry I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget about our meeting tonight”.

Harry set his goblet down and answered.

“I haven't forgotten”.

Serena smiled.

“Alright then I'll see you tonight at seven”.

Harry replied.

“I'll be there”.

As Harry turned his attention back to his breakfast Seamus asked.

“You've got a date with Serena Chambers”?

“Its not a date. I'm just helping her out with some Defense stuff that's giving her trouble”.

Ginny chimed in.

“Well if it's not a date somebody should tell Serena cause I'm not to sure she knows it”.

Hermione snorted into her napkin and Harry shot her an annoyed glance before answering Ginny.

“She knows what it is”.

Ginny eyed him skeptically. Harry was about to say something else when Professor McGonagall strode up to the table and said.

“Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter I'll need to see the both of you once you've finished your breakfast…there are some changes we need to go over concerning your duties”.

Hermione replied.

“We'll be along directly Professor”.

McGonagall inclined her head and said.

“Very well I'll be waiting for you in my office”.

She turned then and exited the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione bolted down the last of their breakfast and scuttled off after her. Once they were gone Pavrati pronounced.

“We've got to do something about Serena before she ruins everything”!

Dean uttered a perplexed “Huh” as Pavrati continued.

“If Harry starts up with Serena before we get a chance to make him admit how he feels about Hermione he'll just bury his feelings for her that much deeper”!

Lavender nodded in agreement.

“You're absolutely right”.

Neville piped up.

“But Harry said he was just helping her, what's the harm in that”?

Lavender reasoned.

“Harry may not have any other intentions but Serena certainly does”.

Ron cut in.

“I'll say she does. She was all over him yesterday…it's a wonder he could even move after the treatment she gave him”.

Pavrati interjected in a huff.

“Trollop! Ron you've got to stop Harry from meeting her”.

“Me…how in the name of Circe am I supposed to do that”?

Pavrati shook her head from side to side.

“You're his best mate surely you can think of a way to keep him away from that conniving wench until we've got this potion brewed”.

Ron's eyes bulged in their sockets and his mouth flapped open in stunned disbelief. How in the name of all that was holy did they expect him to keep Harry away from Serena for two weeks. Seeing the expression on his face Ginny reached across the table and patted his hand reassuringly and with a glint in her eye worthy of Fred and George said.

“Don't worry Ron I've got an idea”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry trudged through the portrait hole wet, bleary-eyed, tired and hungry. The only thing he wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep but considering that he had to write a six foot essay on mind altering potions for Snape by morning he reckoned sleep was not an option. The day had started off normal enough. He'd gone to breakfast and gotten through the whole of the day with no problems then he'd gone to Quidditch practice and everything had fallen apart. Ginny and Ron for some reason still unknown to him had been unable to grasp the simplest of moves during practice. Their performance was so bad that Harry had been tempted to call off practice as he had other places he needed to be but the Weasleys had insisted on sticking to until they got things right. Consequently, practice had run three quarters of an hour over and the entire team had gotten drenched in the torrential downpour that hit just as they started back to the castle. Harry had rushed up to his room and changed thinking he'd just catch the tail end of dinner before he set off to meet Serena at the Room of Requirement but Professor McGonagall had cornered him in the hall and informed him that several prefects had come down with a particularly virulent and unknown aliment that had them alternately vomiting, having chills and running insanely high fevers. Madame Pomfrey was stumped and as it was prefects that had been affected; it was suspected that the illness was some sort of deliberate retaliation, those remaining in good health would have to pull extra patrols, which meant the patrol free evening the Head Boy had wrangled for himself was now gone. That in and of itself would not have been so bad if he hadn't been paired with Filch all evening. He'd gotten soaked to the bone a second time after Peeves had locked him out on the Astronomy Tower while he was doing his last set of rounds. Harry expelled a breath as he made his way across the room, he was shocked by Hermione's voice.

“You should really get out of those wet things”.

Harry looked over at the fireplace and saw Hermione sitting in one of the chairs that were reserved for their fireside chats in the main common room. Harry walked over to where she was sitting and said.

“Its after one in the morning what are you doing up”?

Hermione grinned as she waved her wand. A blast of warm air swept over Harry instantly drying his clothes.

“What does it look like I'm doing…I'm waiting up for you of course”.

Hermione patted the chair next to hers and Harry gratefully dropped into it. She questioned him.

“Bad day”?

Harry grunted out his reply.

“Only thing missing was me going a round with Voldemort”.

Hermione winced.

“That bad”?

Harry nodded.

“Worse…and seeing as I have yet to finish this bloody essay for Snape its not over yet”.

Hermione asked.

“Have you started it yet”?

Harry sighed.

“Yeah but its only about two feet and I don't think its very good”?

Hermione patted Harry's leg and said.

“Well let me see what you've done so far…I'll look over it while you eat and see how much work we've got ahead of us”.

Hermione inclined her head towards the table where a plate of roast chicken, runner beans, mash and steak and kidney pie sat waiting. Beside it was a jug of pumpkin juice and a huge slice of pumpkin pie covered in whipped cream. Harry looked over at Hermione and grinned broadly.

“What would I ever do without you”?

Hermione smiled and replied.

“Pray to Merlin you never have to find out. Go on and eat. I'll get started on that essay of yours”.

Harry rose from his seat and planted an affectionate kiss on Hermione's cheek before taking a seat at the table and digging into the meal awaiting him. Hermione retrieved Harry's essay from his bag and taking the seat across from him set about reviewing his essay and making notes.

Ron and Ginny surveyed the scene and smiled conspiratorially at one another before quietly creeping up the stairs to their beds.

-->

Chapter 3: The Scintillatus Solution

As Harry and Hermione had spent most of the night working on Harry's potions essay they slept through breakfast and would have missed their morning classes altogether if Ron hadn't come and roused them. The pair plodded to their classes that morning with red-rimmed eyes, stifling yawns, barely able to concentrate on the simplest of tasks. For the second time during his years at Hogwarts Ron had been forced to take notes in History of Magic because Hermione had taken a seat in the rear of the class propped her text open in front of her and promptly gone to sleep. Harry was no better Ron had spent most of Charms elbowing him in the ribs to keep him awake. Then during their mid-morning study break Harry found a quiet corner in the back of the library and fell off to sleep as soon as his bum touched the seat.

As Ron shook him awake so that they could make their way to the Ancient Runes corridor to collect Hermione before heading off to Potions he felt a pang of guilt over what he was doing to his best mates. While Ron was certain that Harry's feelings for Hermione were deeper than mere friendship and yes he was equally certain that Hermione cared far more for Harry than she was willing to admit, he was beginning to question the wisdom in trying to get the two of them together. Maybe the reasons they had for not perusing a relationship with each other were valid…or…maybe they really were just closer than the average friends.

They had been through an awful lot together that Ron knew for certain as he had been there for most of it. And in those times when he wasn't there; Ron's thoughts drifted briefly to the time in fourth year when he and Harry had stopped speaking, Hermione had been the one who had stood by Harry believing in him when no one else would. Even when they were narked with one another they found a way to be supportive of each other. And while for most that seemed to be the perfect reason to pair the two off Ron knew that those same rules applied to his friendship with Hermione as well and he certainly didn't have any feelings that ran deeper for her than friendship. But Ron also accepted that there was a difference…something that made Harry and Hermione's friendship deeper and far more intimate than the one he shared with them. What was it that made Harry and Hermione so close? And was that something strong enough to build a romantic relationship on? Ron was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of an opening door. Somehow they had made it to Hermione's class without his being aware of it. Ron looked up just as Serena Chambers walked up to Harry; there was a slight edge to her voice as she spoke.

“Harry where were you last night? I waited for nearly an hour but you never came”!

Harry rubbed his eyes as if to focus and spoke in a sleep tinged rasp.

“Serena…I'm sorry…I got landed with extra patrols after some of the prefects came down with some flu or something and wound up in hospital. I tried to come by and let you know what happened but Filch was in a mood and I had to deal with him as well. It was late by the time I was done and I had Newt level Potions to finish”.

Upon hearing the low rasp edging the normally velvety smooth baritone that was Harry's voice several young witches in the environs looked as though they were near to dissolving into puddles right then and there at his feet. Ron suspected from her shifting posture that Serna was doing a bit of melting herself. Serena took in his red eyes, slumped shoulders, his untidier than usual hair and the palpable air of exhaustion about him and arranged her face into a sympathetic pout and said.

“Oh you poor thing…you look absolutely knackered…of course it's alright that you missed our date…”

Ron's ears perked up at the word date Harry however seemed not to notice as Serena continued cooing at him.

“We'll just reschedule. I know you have your extra studies this evening…so how about we try tomorrow evening? Same time same place”?

Harry seemed to be mulling the time over in his head when Ron jumped in.

“Ummm…er…ummm…tomorrow's no good mate. We've booked the pitch for practice to get caught up on those new moves you wanted us to learn…first match is next Saturday we've gotta be sharp”.

Harry scratched his head, he didn't remember booking the pitch for practice but then again he was so worn out he barely remembered what day it was. Harry nodded and said.

“Yeah…thanks mate…I'd forgotten all about that…sorry tomorrow's no good…”

Ron made a mental note to book the pitch for a Gryffindor practice session and to tell the rest of the team as soon as he saw them. Harry thought for a moment then continued.

“Saturday and Sunday are no good either…hang on let me think…we set the new patrols schedule on Sundays. Once that's done I'll have a better idea of how my week is going to look. What's say I let you know then what day will be good for us to get together next week”?

Serena beamed and replied.

“Alright then”.

Serena sauntered up to Harry and hugged him close as she whispered a thank you and once again kissed him, this time full on the lips. Hermione who had been having a chat with the Ancient Runes teacher, Professor Kilkenny, walked out the door just in time to see Serena wrapping herself around Harry like a second skin and kissing him. She knitted her brow together in consternation but before she could muster the energy to be further annoyed by this latest exhibition of Serena's a voice sounded in her ear and Hermione whirled around to see Parker Wesley standing just behind her.

“Well…well…well…looks like Potter has a new plaything…”

Hermione gritted her teeth and glared at Parker as he persisted.

“I dare say they make a smashing couple don't you. Well now…seeing that Potter has other things to occupy his…ummm…er…time…what do you say about you and I finally getting to know each other a bit better…hmmm…”

Parker paused and leered at Hermione momentarily as he skimmed his hand up her side, making certain to nudge her breast in the process before he finished off his sentence.

“I assure you…I can do things with that delicious little body of yours that Potter never dreamed of”.

Hermione trembled with rage at Parker's disgusting insinuations and his blatant groping of her in the center of the hallway. She spat out angrily.

“PARKER WESLEY YOU ARE A DEPRAVED, OVERSEXED TOSSER. AND REST ASSURED IF YOU EVER COME ANYWHERE NEAR ME AGAIN I'LL BLOODY WELL SEE YOU DISEMBOWELED…PERSONALLY”!!

Ron and Harry's heads snapped up simultaneously at the sound of Hermione's shrieking voice. They saw her as she turned and flew off down the hall. Harry disentangled himself from Serena's grasp and moved towards Parker who slunk back against the wall. Ron put a steadying hand on Harry's shoulder and whispered.

“Hermione needs you. I'll see to this one”.

Harry nodded slightly and glared venomously at Parker before striding down the hall in the direction that Hermione had disappeared. Ron walked up to Parker, leaned close and said menacingly.

“Up until now we've only threatened you but you crossed the line here today. So consider this a promise…you stay away from my friend or your mum and dad will be scraping what's left of your slimy arse off the bloody walls”!

Ron turned and stalked off down the hall after Harry and Hermione.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry caught up with Hermione halfway down a side corridor that led to Gryffindor tower. Harry could see her shaking in fury as he approached her; he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Harry's intent was to ask her what had happened back there in the hallway with Parker but as his hand touched her shoulder Hermione whirled around and bellowed “Expelliarmus”. Harry was lifted into the air and thrown through the door of a deserted classroom with a resounding crash. Realizing that she had hit Harry Hermione rushed inside the room to find Harry lying spread eagle among a pile of broken old desks and chairs. Hermione chewed her lip in horror as she rushed over to Harry's side.

“Oh God Harry…I'm so sorry…I didn't know it was you…I thought you were…oh goodness are you all right…”

Hermione knelt down beside Harry and he opened his eyes as a pained groan escaped his lips. Hermione's wand clattered to the floor and she reached out to help Harry into a sitting position. She mopped his now sooty black tresses out of and away from his eyes and hastily asked in a rush.

“Can you sit…here let me help…oh Harry…”

In his dazed state of mind Harry allowed Hermione to tug his limp prostrate form into a half sitting position in which part of his upper body was supported by Hermione's lap while his head and shoulders were cradled against her chest. Hermione was incoherently speaking to him in a panicky sort of voice that alternated between concerns for his well being, asking if he were hurt and profuse apologies for having hit him with the spell in the first place. Her hands were roaming over his head, face, chest, arms and shoulders in an attempt to determine if he was injured. Harry was swiftly brought back to his senses by the jolt of feeling one of Hermione's slender hands gliding down his abdomen and lightly brushing across his upper left thigh; curiously at that precise moment he became acutely aware of the soft round curves that were supporting his shoulders. With the reflexes born of his talents as a seeker Harry caught Hermione's fingers deftly in his own; he'd prefer her roving hands not to drift any lower at that precise moment, and squeezing gently answered the query of her hands by saying.

“I'm alright”.

Hermione squeaked out the words.

“Are you…really”?

Harry pulled himself up into a full sitting stance and massaged the back of his head, hissing in pain when his fingers touched the lump that was forming there. Harry nodded slowly and said.

“Remind me never to get you pissed off…bloody hell…I reckon I know how Snape felt when we hit him with that disarming spell eh”.

Hermione's voice was quiet as she spoke.

“It only had that affect because you weren't armed and because I was so angry when I said it…you know the more emotional you are when you perform a spell the more powerful it is…”

Harry grunted and replied.

“Yeah well try and contain your emotional outbursts when I'm around from now on would you”.

Harry had meant the comment teasingly but Hermione somehow missed his intent a fact that Harry became conscious of as soon as Hermione's trembling voice filled the empty room.

“Oh Harry I'm sorry…I didn't know it was you…I would never ever hurt you…you know that…it was just that you grabbed me…and…and…I thought it was Parker…”

Harry's head snapped up as he processed the meaning of the words that had just come out of Hermione's mouth…she'd tried to hex him when he grasped her shoulder because she thought he was Parker…which could only mean that…he'd touched her…that git Parker had touched Hermione after Harry had cautioned him not to. Parker Wesley was a dead man. Harry was livid, he was about to leap to his feet and go and give Parker Wesley the walloping he so richly deserved but in the midst of his rising to his feet he caught sight of Hermione and froze. Her beautiful chocolate brown eyes were brimming with a waterfall of tears that were cascading steadily down her cheeks, her lower lip trembled uncontrollably as she continued to apologize for hurting him. Her hands shook as she wound them in the fabric of her robes. Parker Wesley's imminent demise would have to wait Harry had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Harry gently pulled Hermione into his arms and stroking her back he whispered to her soothingly.

“Shhh…its alright love…its alright…I'm here…I've got you…everything is alright now”.

Hermione buried her face in the crook of Harry's neck and sobbed. Harry held her close to him and continued stroking her back and whispering softly to her until her tears were spent and she was calm enough to speak. She asked him quietly.

“Are you sure that you're alright…I really didn't hurt you”?

Harry replied quietly.

“I'm fine honestly…you're the one I'm worried about…I've never seen you like this before…want to tell me what happened”.

Hermione hiccupped as she took in a deep breath and replied.

“It's nothing Harry…really…I'm just knackered is all…and I guess I just let Parker get to me more than usual…”

Hermione quickly broke off. Harry knew she was trying to keep him from finding about what Parker had done to her and for the moment he'd let it go as his main concern just now was making sure she was alright. Harry wrapped his arms about Hermione's waist and gently rose to his feet pulling Hermione along with him.

“Come on…let's get you back to the common room”.

Hermione stared at him in amazement and replied in a small voice.

“But we've got Potions…Snape will have our hides if we skive off and don't turn in our essays”.

No sooner than Harry had opened his mouth to respond to Hermione's statement Ron rushed into the room and drew up short at the sight that greeted him. Harry and Hermione were covered in dust and dirt; Harry's hair stood about his head in more disarray than it had when he'd seen him just a few minutes before and Hermione looked as though she'd been crying. Ron opened his mouth to speak but clamped it shut when the words he'd formed in his mind came out in Professor McGonagall's voice.

“Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger…what on earth is going on here”?

Ron turned his gaze away from Harry and Hermione to Professor McGonagall and back again. Harry quickly spoke up.

“Hermione isn't feeling well Professor…think she might be catching that flu or whatever is going around…I was just trying to coax her back up to the common room at least as she won't go to hospital”.

Professor McGonagall took one look at Hermione's disheveled appearance and her flushed tear streaked face and said.

“Ms. Granger perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey”.

Hermione still spent from her bout of weeping replied in a croaky tone.

“I'm fine Professor honestly and we really should be getting to Potions”.

Hermione let go of Harry and attempted to make a step but her tiredness combined with her run in with Parker and her exasperation over having been reduced to a sobbing wreck on Harry's shoulder had left her more than a little disoriented. Her foot caught the hem of her robe and had it not of been for Harry and his quick hands she would have wound up on the floor again. Professor McGonagall spoke crisply.

“Mr. Potter you will escort Ms. Granger to see Madam Pomfrey straight away…”

Hermione interjected.

“Oh no that's not necessary really I'm fine “.

Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes and began again.

“I repeat…Mr. Potter you are to escort Ms. Granger to see Madam Pomfrey straight away…Mr. Weasley will inform Professor Snape of your whereabouts and hand in any class work that is due. I'll write a note explaining your tardiness Mr. Weasley”.

That said Professor McGonagall waved her wand and produced a quill and parchment that immediately set to writing. Harry summoned both his and Hermione's essays from their bags and handed them to Ron who took them and the note Professor McGonagall had written and headed for the dungeons. Harry then grabbed his and Hermione's schoolbags and swung them onto his right shoulder as he slipped his left arm about Hermione's waist and under the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall set off for the hospital wing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron, Ginny, Lavender, Pavrati, Neville, Dean and Seamus were once again ensconced in the study room adjoining the library. Their frequent use of the area in recent days had given it the distinction of being the “Gryffindor” study room a situation for which Ron was thankful at the moment. He had been filling the others in on the events of the morning and hadn't wanted to be overheard. Ron told the group about Serena's brazen attempts to seduce Harry and Parker's lecherous advances towards Hermione. He also informed them about Hermione's having nearly hexed Harry and her having cried over whatever Parker had done and/or said to her…that bit had Harry presently planning how he was going kill Parker Wesley without Hermione knowing what he'd done.

Ron had gotten the rest of the story of what had gone on that morning when he had zipped up to Gryffindor Tower right after Potions. Harry had told him about Hermione hitting him with the disarming spell and her slip that Parker had groped her during her crying spell. After McGonagall had seen them off Harry had convinced Hermione to see Madam Pomfrey who'd fixed his bruised head up quickly enough and given Hermione a Calming Draught to settle her jangled nerves. Harry had then taken her back to the Heads dormitory and put her straight to bed. Dean and Seamus had laughed at the idea of Harry and Hermione in bed together; their behavior earned them each a reproachful stare from Lavender and Pavrati. As Ron finished his story Ginny spoke up.

“We're really going to have to work double time to keep Serena from getting her hooks into Harry”.

Lavender nodded in agreement. Ron snapped his fingers and spoke directly to Ginny.

“That reminds me…we've got Quidditch practice tomorrow”.

Ginny frowned and asked.

“Quidditch practice…when did that happen”?

Ron replied.

“Well I had to do something to keep Harry from seeing Serena tomorrow night didn't I”!

Ginny frowned but Lavender beamed at him and said.

“Well done Ron…very quick thinking on your part”.

Ron grinned at the praise being heaped on him for his mental responsiveness and said.

“Thanks Lavender”.

Dean spoke up.

“What about the next time…Serena isn't going to give up you know”.

Pavrati smiled and responded happily.

“I think Parker is going to help us with that little problem”.

Seamus stared at Pavrati as if she'd gone mad and said.

“Make some bloody sense woman”!

Pavrati eyed Seamus evilly as Neville and Dean nodded in agreement to his pronouncement. Ron spoke.

“I think what Seamus is trying to ask is how and why would Parker help us keep Harry away from Serena”.

Pavrati turned her gaze from Seamus to Ron and answered.

“I didn't mean that Parker was actually going to give us a hand…what I meant was that his conduct may have given us a way of keeping Harry and Serena away from each other”.

Neville cut in.

“How”?

Pavrati continued.

“What happened between Parker and Hermione this morning must have really upset Hermione to make her angry enough to cry…that's not something she normally does…”

Pavrati paused as six heads nodded and six voices mumbled their agreement. She went on.

“I'm guessing that the only reason Harry hasn't used Parker as practice for some of the nastier defensive spells he knows is his concern for Hermione…”

Again Pavrati paused and watched as her associates agreed before pressing on.

“So all we have to do is make sure that Harry stays worried about Hermione”.

Ginny chimed in.

“Its simple but brilliant…as long as Harry is worried about Hermione he'll stay close and that won't leave any time for Serena to get her claws in him”.

Seamus asked.

“But how are we supposed to keep him worried about her…all Hermione has to do is say she's fine and Harry'll back off”.

Ginny answered.

“Parker's advances got out of hand today and he managed to get away without having the stuffing beaten out of him…I'm guessing his ego is so big he'll try again…”

Dean finished off Ginny's thought.

“And when he does Hermione'll do her nut and Harry'll go charging after Parker”.

Pavrati smiled again.

“Exactly”.

Ron added in.

“Still we should keep to our plan to have Harry too busy to spend time with Serena just in case Parker backs off for a while…Ginny I think we should get some of the prefects to help us muck up the patrols schedule and I'll tell Harry we need to cover some new moves in Quidditch practice to stay on top of things”.

Ginny nodded and replied.

“Good idea…I'll call in a few favors. Now then where are we with brewing this potion”?

Lavender spoke again.

“Let's see…we've got all the powdered ingredients and about half of the fresh plants we need. I'm still waiting for the owl order ingredients but the apothecary I ordered from assured me they'd be here by Saturday at the latest. Neville how soon can you get us the rest of the plants we'll need”?

Neville dug into his bag consulted his list and responded.

“I can have the rest by Monday”.

Pavrati nodded.

“Excellent…Lav and I have everything set up to brew the potion in our room. Once we have all the ingredients it'll take three days to brew and another two to simmer. So we should be able to give them the potion next Saturday”.

Ron frowned and exclaimed.

“Hang on…next Saturday is our first Quidditch match…we can't have our seeker acting all wonky on account of some bloody love potion”!

Ginny jumped in.

“The Scintillatus Solution won't affect his normal abilities or thought patterns Ron…all it'll do is make him more open to the idea of dating Hermione…he'll still be able to catch the snitch”.

Ron responded gruffly.

“So long as you're sure it won't ruin our chances”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione rolled over in her bed and collided with something warm and solid. Blinking furiously she opened her eyes and found Harry lying beside her. Slowly the events of the morning wound their way through her psyche and Hermione groaned and smacked her hand to her forehead as images of Parker Wesley fondling her breast invaded her mind. The memory was so vivid she shivered as she ground her teeth together and whispered the words.

“Bloody arsehole”!

“I assume that comment is directed towards Parker and not me”.

Hermione's eyes shot up at the sound of Harry's voice.

“I thought you were sleeping”.

He shook his head.

“I woke up a while ago but I didn't want to disturb you”.

“Oh”.

The room went silent then and Harry tried to figure out the best way to get Hermione to open up to him. Finding no gentle or tactful way of asking what he wanted to know he decided to just ask.

“Hermione what happened”?

Hermione attempted to compose her face into an expression of perplexed innocence and said.

“What do you mean”?

Harry sighed.

“What happened between you and Parker”?

Her reply was a rush of words.

“Harry I told you earlier that I was just knackered and I let Parker get to me more than I should have”.

Harry clenched his jaw and asked in a quiet voice.

“Where did he touch you”?

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

“Wh…ummm…er…what makes you think that…that…that Parker touched me”?

Harry reached out and stroked her cheek and replied.

“When you were explaining why you hit me with that disarming spell you said you'd done it because when I touched your shoulder you thought I was Parker…you wouldn't have done if he hadn't touched you at some point before”.

Hermione smiled faintly at Harry's use of deduction.

“Well spotted Mr. Potter…you've finally mastered the art of deductive reasoning”.

Harry nodded and grinned a bit.

“I did learn from the best”.

Hermione smiled in earnest then and Harry couldn't help smiling as well. Hermione spoke.

“Harry its sweet of you to be so concerned it really is but this is something I need to deal with on my own”.

Harry nodded and breathed out his reply.

“Alright…I'll let you handle things on your own…but please remember I'm here if you need me”.

Hermione smiled brightly and brushed a kiss across the corner of Harry's mouth and said.

“I know Harry, I know”.

Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around his friend of seven years, though he wished she would trust him enough to tell him what Parker had done he'd allow her to handle things her own way for now and he'd be there when and if she needed him. He'd also be watching Parker Wesley's every bloody move. As Harry held Hermione close to him something inside of him seemed to shift and he realized that so long as he drew breath nothing and no one would cause her a moment's pain ever again. Harry was yanked from his musings by Hermione's voice.

“If we hurry we can just make dinner”.

Harry shook his head.

“I'm not really all that hungry just now…I think I'll lay here a bit longer if that's alright with you”.

Hermione stared at him with a worried expression and asked.

“Aren't you feeling well”?

“I'm fine…just tired and I want to get in a little more rest before we start our patrols”.

Hermione responded with.

“If you are sure”?

“I am”.

“Alright then…we'll skip dinner…we can always stop by the kitchens and ask the house elves for something later ”.

Hermione summoned up her Advanced Transfiguration book, flipped to the chapter they where currently reviewing and laying her head on Harry's chest began to read. She was so involved in her reading that she missed the smile that turned the corners of Harry's mouth as he closed his eyes and sleep claimed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lavender and Pavrati stood looking at the bubbling and swirling orangey concoction that was simmering in the cauldron before them. Lavender exhaled and said.

“Well this is it…all that's left to do is to add the Lotusroot, the Betony, the Lovage, the Gingerheart Root, the Flaxseed Yarrow and the powdered Essence of Mussel and the potion will be ready”.

Lavender looked down at the dish in her hands and slowly began to tilt it towards the cauldron. Pavrati's hand shot out and stilled the movement of the dish.

“Lav are you sure about this…adding these extra ingredients? I mean we're sure that Harry and Hermione fancy each other…maybe if we just give the Scintillatus Solution a chance to work on its own things will work out”.

Lavender pinned her best friend with the sternest stare she could muster and replied.

“Pavrati we've been through this…Harry and Hermione are not your typical witch and wizard, they have much stronger constitutions than most…adding these ingredients to heighten the senses will increase the chances that Harry and Hermione admit how they feel about each other”.

Pavrati nodded.

“I know you're right. I guess I'm just a bit nervous about it that's all. I mean honestly if those ingredients work like we hope they will we really will have made a love potion”!

Pavrati paused then spoke again.

“And you're sure we shouldn't tell the others”?

Lavender shook her head.

“There's no point really…Ron would have a conniption, Neville would start stammering some nonsense about us getting into trouble over what we've done, and Dean and Seamus would only gape at us and make idiotic comments like they always do…Ginny's probably the only one who'd see the sense in it but she wasn't to keen on the idea when I asked her about it hypothetically; she thought it was too risky…”

Pavrati cut in

“And you don't think it's risky”?

Lavender sighed and said.

“No I don't…the Lotusroot, the Betony, the Lovage, the Gingerheart Root, and the Flaxseed Yarrow are only going to heighten their senses. And as the senses are affected when a person is in love, adding these plants will only make Harry and Hermione more aware of each other and therefore more likely to be susceptible to their hidden feelings”.

“But the powdered Essence of Mussel is an aphrodisiac”.

Lavender giggled.

“Well…a little snogging is always a good thing don't you think”.

Pavrati joined in the giggling momentarily before Lavender said.

“If you're seriously having second thoughts we can stop right now”.

Pavrati smiled and replied.

“We've come this far may as well go all out”.

Lavender nodded and without another word tipped the contents of the dish into the cauldron. She then stirred the potion counter clockwise then clockwise three times each as the recipe instructed before stepping back and standing beside Pavrati to watch the mixture simmer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay let's go over the plan once more”.

Ron groaned and retorted with.

“Merlin Lavender…we've got it already…give it a rest”!

Lavender rolled her eyes and replied.

“We have to make certain we are all on the same page…we can't leave any room for errors here…now…once more”!

Ron sighed a second time and said.

“Once they come down to breakfast the rest of us will distract them while you slip the potion into their morning juice…then Ginny will make some remark to Hermione about Harry and I will make some remark to Harry about Hermione”.

Lavender nodded in reply. Dean piped up and asked.

“I still don't get this bit about saying something about one of them to the other…what's the point”?

Pavrati supplied the answer with a barely repressed sigh.

“The whole point of the Scintillatus Solution is that it works on the desires a person has but does not want to admit to…you have to say something about whatever they're repressing in this case it's a person…”

Seamus interposed.

“Shut it you two here they come”!

Everyone quieted down until Harry and Hermione took seats alongside Ginny and Ron. The group exchanged good mornings and engaged in a few obligatory minutes of random small talk before everyone seemingly drifted into their prior conversations. Ginny and Ron then drew Hermione and Harry into separate conversations. Ron started in on Gryffindor's chances against Ravenclaw with Harry while Ginny filled Hermione in on the latest gossip about her present crush. Once she was certain they were too involved in their discussions to notice her actions Lavender poured a generous dollop of the Scintillatus Solution into both Harry's and Hermione's morning goblet of pumpkin juice. She then alerted Ron and Ginny to the completion of her task by clearing her throat and coughing loudly. Hermione looked up and asked.

“Lavender are you alright”?

Pavrati came to the rescue.

“She's fine…something went down the wrong way…here Lav…have a sip of juice”.

Lavender nodded and took a sip of her own pumpkin juice. Satisfied that Lavender was fine Hermione returned to her breakfast. Pavrati motioned for Ginny and Ron to move ahead with the plan. Ginny nodded in return and picked up her conversation with Hermione; Ron merely sat there as Harry ate his chipolatas and eggs. Lavender, Pavrati, Dean, Seamus and Neville spent the intervening minutes collectively holding their breaths and stealing sidelong glances in an attempt to see what was happening. Suddenly, Harry and Hermione both reached for their goblets…it was now or never. The group watched as Hermione gracefully sipped from her goblet. Ginny leaned close and waited until she'd set her goblet down and asked.

“So…how are things with Harry…is he still asking about what went on with you and Parker”?

Hermione shook her head and replied.

“He's let it go for the moment”.

That said she dove back into her bacon and waffles. Meanwhile further down the table Ron watched as Harry took a long swallow of his pumpkin juice and whispered to Harry.

“Hermione still keeping mum about that git Parker feeling her up”?

Harry grimaced as Parker's name floated past Ron's lips and touched his ears. His response was a terse “Yes”. Harry then drained the remainder of his juice before rising from his seat and calling to his team.

“Alright you lot…let's go”.

Ron and Ginny rose from their seats and shuffled off after Harry and the rest of their teammates shooting confused glances back at Lavender and Pavrati. Seamus whispered quietly to Pavrati and asked.

“Wasn't something supposed to happen”?

Before Pavrati could respond Lavender jumped up and said.

“We should be getting down to the pitch as well, otherwise all the good seats will be gone”!

The rest of the group rose from their seats and made to follow the Gryffindor Quidditch team, as Hermione rose from her seat the barrette she'd used to hold her hair in place came undone and slipped down towards the floor at the exact moment that Harry was walking past her. Hermione muttered “Bugger” as her long chestnut tresses cascaded down around her shoulders. Harry stooped to retrieve the barrette at the same time as Hermione. Her hand scraped the back of his as his fingers closed around it. They laughed briefly at the situation before Harry hooked a hand under Hermione's elbow as they both rose from the floor. Harry handed the barrette back to Hermione.

“Here you go”.

Hermione looked up at him and smiled and Harry was temporarily stunned into muteness by how radiantly beautiful Hermione looked with her long hair hanging freely about her shoulders. Hermione spoke.

“Thank you”.

Instead of replying with the customary `You're welcome' Harry said.

“You look very pretty with your hair like that”.

Hermione furrowed her brow and smiled faintly.

“What”?

Harry answered.

“You look really pretty with your hair like that…you should wear it loose more often”.

Hermione blushed. It was then that Harry noticed she was carrying her schoolbag. Pointing to it he asked.

“You are coming to the match aren't you”?

Hermione had to force herself to stop staring at Harry's lips and process what he had just said…something about a bloody match. It dawned on her that he had to be referring to the day's Quidditch match she then saw that he was pointing at her schoolbag and replied.

“Of course…this is for after the match…I wanted to study up on that new charm Flitwick gave us and I have some Transfiguration to look over as well”.

Harry nodded.

“I could stand to do a bit of studying myself…would you mind if I joined you”?

Hermione smiled vibrantly.

“That would be lovely”.

Harry was about to say something else when his beater Christopher Askew called out.

“Oy Potter…get a move on or we're gonna be late for the match”!

Harry threw an annoyed glance at Askew for interrupting him as Hermione interjected softly.

“You had better go. I'll meet you outside the changing rooms after the match”.

Harry smiled and said.

“It's a date”.

He then turned and strode out of the Great Hall grinning broadly. Hermione stood there smiling to herself at the prospect of spending time alone with Harry. She was so lost in her thoughts that Neville had to prod her with his shoulder to get her attention.

“Hermione…we're going to the pitch now…are you coming”?

Hermione nodded and running a hand through her hair slipped the barrette that Harry had picked up off the floor into her bag as she headed out the door. Lavender and Pavrati exchanged delighted glances at the fact that their plan was working before they too headed for the pitch.

-->

Chapter 4: Noticed

Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw; the first match of the season for both teams turned out to be one of the hardest fought matches Hogwarts had seen in some time. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw always put on an excellent showing, as they were unquestionably the two most skilled house teams, whereas Hufflepuff was a bit of a pushover and Slytherin was a bunch of cheating wankers. Today however the entire school was in for a huge shock as the match had gone on for a full two hours with neither team scoring a single goal. Harry had seen the snitch five minutes into the match but hadn't been able to grab it as his dive for the elusive golden entity had been disrupted by a combination of the Dopplebeater Defense by Ravenclaw's beaters and the Hawkshead Attacking Formation by their chasers. His only solace had been that in the crush of bodies their own seeker had been unable to see how to get to the snitch either.

It looked as though the third hour would pass them by scoreless as well until Ginny pulled off an amazing Reverse Pass that resulted in the first score of the game. Following Ginny's goal the Gryffindors regained a bit of their fighting spirit and scored twice more before Ravenclaw was able to score at all. At the start of the fourth hour of the match Ravenclaw tied Gryffindor with a score and a penalty. Not a single goal was scored for the next thirty minutes of the fourth hour until Harry went into a spiral to avoid being hit by a bludger and caught sight of the snitch. He continued his downward spiraling descent until he caught up with it and closed his fingers around it. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and her voice rang out declaring Gryffindor the winner with a final score of 180 to 30. Three and three quarters of an hour had passed; both teams were sweaty and exhausted as they touched down and congratulated each other on a well played match.

As both teams made their way to the changing rooms the stands began to empty as well. There was a great deal of animated chatter going on about the level of skill displayed by both teams during the game, however, most of the talk was concentrated on Harry's seeming infallibility as a seeker. With the exception of the time in his third year, when he had been besieged by Dementors, Harry had never failed to catch the snitch. No one other than those who knew him best appeared to have noticed Harry's preoccupation while he was on the pitch that day. Everyone else was so impressed by his spiraling catch of the snitch they failed to realize how long it had taken him to find the blasted thing in the first place. And even when he had finally seen the coveted snitch it seemed that it was more dumb luck than practiced ability and keen reflexes that allowed him to catch it. As the students continued to file out of their seats and spill onto the pitch Seamus turned to Dean and asked in an undertow.

“What'd you reckon got into Harry…I mean why'd he take so long to get to the snitch…its like he was preoccupied or something.”

Dean shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in reply as he muttered a whispered “I dunno”. Upon hearing this Lavender and Pavrati exploded in a stream of giggles that lasted the duration of the journey from the stands to the changing room They too had noticed Harry's preoccupation but unlike Dean and Seamus they knew exactly what had caused it.

Throngs of people were at the entrance to the Gryffindor changing room congratulating the winners on their victory. Harry was surrounded by a group of eager looking witches from every house; each vying for his attention, at the front of the pack was Serena Chambers.

“Well, well Mr. Potter that was an impressive bit of flying you did out there today.”

Harry looked down at Serena who was gazing up at him smiling seductively; he nodded and answered with a slightly inattentive air.

“Ummm…nothing special really…just a bit of luck is all.”

Harry scanned the crowd; he appeared to be looking for someone. Serena stepped closer to him and placing a hand to his cheek directed his gaze back to her as she spoke.

“I was torn between whether to cheer for you scoring or cry over our losing…”

She paused and Harry made an indistinct mumbling reply as he resumed his searching of the swarm of students passing by. Serena wondered what in the world could possibly have Harry so turned around that he was almost ignoring her. Serena sighed in irritation before she ventured again to engage Harry in conversation.

“I was thinking seeing that the match is over…you've probably got the evening free…I thought maybe we could go someplace quiet and work on those Defense spells that have been giving me so much trouble.”

Harry shook his head.

“Sorry I've got other plans.”

Serena frowned and said.

“Oh…well maybe …”

It was at that exact moment that Harry saw Dean, Seamus, Neville, Pavrati, Lavender and Hermione weaving their way through the crowd towards the changing rooms. A jovial smile curved the corners of his lips as his eyes settled on Hermione. Without glancing back at Serena Harry replied offhandedly to Serena's unfinished statement.

“Excuse me Serena…but can we talk some other time I've got to shove off just now.”

Without waiting for an answer to his question Harry strolled off to meet Hermione leaving Serena staring dumbly at his back. Ron and Ginny who had been standing nearby heard the whole exchange. Ron had to clap a hand over Ginny's mouth to keep her from laughing out loud. He whispered roughly in her ear.

“Come on let's go and say hello to our friends shall we.”

Ron and Ginny made their way through the crowd and caught up to Harry just as he joined Hermione and their partners in crime who immediately began congratulating them on their win over Ravenclaw. Hermione hugged Ginny first as she commended her on being the first to score. She then hugged Ron and praised his excellent ability at holding his opponents nearly scoreless. Finally she moved over to Harry who was standing a bit off from the rest of the group a rather annoyed expression on his face. As she wrapped her arms around Harry Ron, Ginny and the others had to strain to hear what they were saying as the tone of their voices inexplicably lowered. The seven tried not to be too obvious about their ogling and eavesdropping. Hermione hugged Harry tightly and seeing the look on his face attempted to cheer him up by saying.

“Brilliant catch as usual.”

Harry replied.

“Hardly brilliant that was…more like I got bailed out by that blasted bludger!”

Hermione snuggled a bit closer to Harry and breathed in his present scent of fresh air, grass and musky sweat though it should have been a bit odious Hermione found she didn't mind it much at all. She looked up at him and said.

“Well it looked brilliant whether it was or not.”

Harry smiled. Hermione always knew exactly what to say. Right now she was so close to him he could feel every inch of her body pressing into his. She was so deliciously warm and soft and she smelled absolutely heavenly…like citrus and vanilla. Harry felt a stirring begin in his nether regions and it was then that he became aware of the fact that he and Hermione had been embracing much longer than was considered proper for two friends. Reluctantly he set her away from him and breathed a sigh of relief as thankfully no one seemed to have seen how long the embrace had lasted. Harry raised his voice and said in what he hoped was a natural tone.

“I'm getting you all sweaty.”

Hermione hadn't minded the sweat at all as she was more focused on other things at the time. It occurred to her that there were far better ways for him to get her all sweaty if he wanted to have a go at it. She froze for a second wondering where such an illicit thought had come from. She squeezed her eyes shut and willed her thoughts back to more neutral ground and answered Harry quietly.

“That's alright.”

Harry nodded awkwardly and said.

“I had better go and get changed if we plan on getting that studying done…that is if you still want to?”

Hermione's response was a simple nod of her head. Harry grinned and said.

“Alright then…I'll meet you in the library in twenty minutes.”

Hermione nodded again. Harry smiled then turned and headed for the changing rooms. Seeing his departure Ron and Ginny excused themselves as well. Lavender, Dean, Neville, Seamus and Pavrati turned and started towards the castle. Pavrati turned to ask Hermione a question and saw that she was not walking with them. She looked back and saw that Hermione was making her way to one of the benches near the changing rooms. Puzzled Pavrati turned back to her and asked.

“Hermione aren't you coming?”

Hermione shook her head and replied.

“You lot go on ahead I think I'll sit here for a while.”

Pavrati nodded and smiled the biggest brightest smile Hermione could ever remember seeing on her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the Gryffindor changing room Ron watched as Harry showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. Ron was lacing up his own trainers when he realized that Harry hadn't swapped those muggle contraptions that he stuck into his eyes for Quidditch practice and games for his standard black round-framed glasses.

“Ummm…Harry…where are your glasses?”

Harry turned to stare at Ron a puzzled expression marring his face as he yanked the red jumper Ron's mum had made for him that past Christmas down over his gleaming head of tousled black hair, plastering the damp strands to his forehead and retorted with.

“What are you on about?”

Ron replied.

“You haven't taken those whachamacallits out of your eyes!”

Harry queried him.

“You mean my contacts?”

Ron nodded.

“Yeah those…you're still wearing them and the match is over.”

Harry replied.

“Yeah well I reckon it doesn't matter how I see so long as I see.”

Ron threw a confused glance at Ginny who leveled a gaze at him that said leave it. Ron eked out an “Oh” and returned to his own dressing. Harry picked up his Quidditch robes and stuffed them into his Quidditch bag alongside his shoes, pads and gloves. He picked up his Firebolt hoisted it onto his shoulder and called out to his teammates.

“Excellent match today…you all looked quite sharp out there!”

They all nodded genially at Harry's praise of them and replied with good-natured remarks about his impressive catch of the snitch. Harry bristled a bit at the praise as he knew that his mind had been focused elsewhere during the match and that the bludger that had nearly hit him was the only reason he'd seen the snitch at all. Shaking his head Harry congratulated them all again and remind them of when practice for their next match against Hufflepuff was to begin. Harry then turned back to Ron and said.

“I'll see you back at the castle mate.”

Ron who was slipping his bag onto his shoulder said.

“Hang on I'm done I'll walk out with you.”

Ginny called out to the pair of them.

“Wait for me!”

Harry and Ron waited for Ginny to gather up the rest of her things before the three of them walked out of the Gryffindor changing room and into the late evening sun. The wind had picked up since the match had ended and the temperature had dropped several degrees. Ginny looked up and caught sight of Hermione sitting on one of the benches outside the changing room with a book on her lap staring at the setting sun. She nudged Ron in his side with her elbow and threw her head in the direction in which Hermione was sitting. The siblings shared a momentary look before Hermione looked in their direction and waved to the three of them. Ginny was the first to speak.

“Hermione what are you doing out here?”

She pointed to her Charms text and offered a one-word explaination.

“Studying.”

Ron cut in and asked.

“But why are you out here instead of in the library?”

Hermione shrugged and replied.

“I was waiting for the crowd to thin out so I decided to get in some reading. Next thing I knew I looked up and the sun was setting. Its quite spectacular.”

Ron and Ginny mumbled a collective “Oh”. Harry followed her gaze and asked.

“Would you like to see it a bit closer?”

Hermione smiled then nodded as Harry dropped his Quidditch bag onto the bench and held out a hand to her. Ron and Ginny struggled mightily to keep their faces impassive. Hermione slipped her small hand into Harry's larger one as he steered her over to his hovering Firebolt. She mounted the broomstick and waited as Harry climbed on behind her. As they lifted off the ground and soared up into the air Ginny looked at Ron and said cheekily.

“I thought they were studying Transfiguration…not Astronomy.”

Ron grinned and replied with.

“Considering that they've got no books I reckon they'll most likely be studying Anotonmy.”

Snickering the two pelted off towards the castle to tell the others about what had just happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione felt as if a thousand butterflies had been let loose and were fluttering about madly in her stomach as Harry wrapped his arm firmly about her waist and pulled her back snuggly against his chest. He circled the pitch once then veered off and flew over the lake before heading to the tallest tower of the castle. He hovered there, and they watched as the sky seemed to explode in shades of orange, red, pink and purple. Hermione expelled a breathless sigh as she said.

“Harry, isn't it the most beautiful sight you have ever seen in your entire life?”

Hermione was so focused on the sight before her that she hadn't realized that Harry was looking at her as he replied in a low whisper.

“Yes it is.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry raised his head and looked across the room at Hermione who was sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace in their shared common room engrossed in, what else, a book. She was in lounging attire, gray sweats and a white tank top. She sat with her legs tucked daintily underneath her body. Her silky chestnut locks were pulled up in a ponytail exposing the length of her graceful neck, the low cut top accentuated the swell of her full firm breasts. Even the loose fitting gray sweats she wore hugged the womanly contours of her tiny waist and her softly rounded hips and derriere. Harry watched as Hermione ran one of her hands up and down the column of her throat absently. He watched the movement of her hand and he wondered what her skin felt like and what would it taste like beneath his lips. He imagined that her skin would taste warm and sweet like honey…or perhaps it would carry the same taste as the smell that perpetually rose from her …citrus and vanilla…DAMN…DAMN…DAMN…DAMN…he was doing it again after he'd promised himself he wouldn't think of her in that way again! HERMIONE…GRANGER… IS…YOUR…BEST…FRIEND!!! Harry as good as screamed the words to himself for the one-millionth time in hopes of forcing his brain back to a state of normal thinking. He closed his eyes and laid his head on the back of the chair he'd been sitting in for the past hour.

Seven years…that's how long he'd known her…that's how long they'd been friends. And in all that time he'd never once detected that she was a girl…Brilliant Potter…very well spotted. Of course he knew she was a girl…in the strictest sense of the word. He knew she had all the parts that other girls had…but she was his friend…one of his very best friends…and so he'd never really looked at her like he looked at others of the opposite sex. Somehow their friendship had blinded him to the fact that Hermione was indeed a girl. No actually Hermione was a woman…a beautiful young woman…a beautiful young woman with gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, full pouty lips, long shapely legs and a deliciously sexy walk that would drive even a eunuch mad enough to want to explore every inch of her voluptuously curved form…BLOODY HELL! He'd done it again…yes Hermione was a drop dead gorgeous young woman…who also happened to be his best friend…a fact he kept having to remind himself of lately.

The fact that Hermione was such a stunning young witch was something that he'd been happily blind to for seven years. In all that time he had been content living in his world where Hermione was as sexual in his eyes as Ron was…Harry shivered at the thought. But all that had changed yesterday at breakfast when Hermione's hair had come undone and he had suddenly become extraordinarily aware of the fact that every inch of his beloved best friend was enchantingly, warm and soft and sexy and hot and…SHITE...there he was again thinking impure thoughts about Hermione. The longer he stayed shut up in this dorm with her the more likely he was to go bloody mad. With that thought in mind Harry abandoned his Charms work and went quickly to his room to retrieve his cloak. As he came striding back into their shared common room Hermione looked up and asked.

“Finished with your Charms already Harry?”

Harry fastened his cloak and replied.

“Er…no…but my brain's a bit fuzzy…thought I'd get some fresh air…want to come along?”

Harry could have smacked himself. Why in blooming hell had he asked Hermione to come along when he was trying to get her out of his thoughts in the first place? How thick was he? Harry beseeched Merlin to make her say anything but yes. Hermione smiled then opened her mouth to speak.

“Thanks but I'm a bit behind on my NEWTS study schedule so maybe next time.”

Harry nodded somewhat stiffly and replied.

“Alright…I guess I'll see you later then.”

Harry turned and nearly ran out the door. Hermione watched his receding form and let out a breath of air she'd been holding for the better part of an hour. Ever since Harry had come out of his room and sat down to finish the Charms and Transfiguration that they had not got around to completing the day before. For some reason that Hermione had yet to figure out, since yesterday morning she'd been acting like every other simpering twit in the castle around Harry. Well not exactly. Thankfully she had not descended into uncontrollable giggling accompanied by endless longing sighs and rampant clumsiness…but she had caught herself ogling him unnecessarily and having the most wicked thoughts imaginable.

On more than one occasion in the past twenty-four hours Hermione had found herself upraising her friend of seven years in a more than friendly way. Of course Hermione thought Harry was an attractive bloke what girl in her right mind wouldn't…with those arresting emerald green eyes of his and that sexy low rumbling baritone and Merlin that gorgeous smile and those sculpted lips that could cause any girl to swoon. And she hadn't even started to cover that leanly chiseled six foot two inch frame and his broad chest and shoulders, his washboard abs or his tight bum and muscular legs and thighs. This morning she had bumped into him in the hallway and the sight of him in just his boxers had very nearly sent her to her knees! Hermione shook her head to clear it of the image that was fast causing her cheeks and another spot to grow warm. What in the name of Merlin had gotten into her? Honestly she and Harry were friends…had been since their first year of Hogwarts! Why was she suddenly seeing him in this new light? Leaping off the couch Hermione decided that Harry had been right to get out of their dormitory. What she needed was a distraction. Perhaps a visit to the main common room to chat with her other friends or a stroll around the grounds would do the trick. Hermione went into her room and changed into a pair of jeans, a fleece and her favorite pair of trainers and sauntered out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had gone to Ginny's room first but her roommates said she'd gone down the hall to Pavrati and Lavender's room. So Hermione went down the hall to the room she had shared with the two girls for six years. Hermione knocked on the door and called out for her old roommates and Ginny. When she received no answer she knocked a second time…still no answer. She thought of sticking her head inside the door but she reasoned that if anyone were there they would have answered. That done she turned and headed down the stairs. She walked through the common room and seeing no familiar faces headed out the portrait hole. As soon as the portrait swung open Hermione found herself face to face with Ginny. They smiled at each other and exchanged hellos.

“All right Hermione…where are you off to?”

“Hello Ginny…I was just heading out for a stroll around the grounds…care to join me?”

Ginny nodded and replied.

“Sure.”

Ginny stepped back out of the portrait hole and the two young witches started down the corridor that led to the Great Hall and the main entrance. As they walked down the hall Ginny asked Hermione.

“So what pulled you out of your dorm today? You haven't been socializing much these days.”

Hermione replied.

“Boredom I suppose. I stopped by your room but your dorm mates said you were down the hall visiting Lavender and Pavrati. I stopped by there as well but no one answered so I was on my way to plod around by myself when I ran into you.”

Ginny responded by saying.

“Oh yeah I did stop by to see Lavender and Pavrati earlier…we went to the owlery to send some post. But they had some work to do so they headed to the library and I came back to the common room that's when I ran into you.”

Hermione nodded. By now the two had made it out of the front doors and down the stairs of the castle. Hermione turned towards the lake instead of the customary path they took around that led around past the Quidditch pitch. Ginny noted the detour and attempting to sound casual asked.

“Where's Harry? Normally you two are joined at the hip.”

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and mumbled.

“He went out a while ago not sure where.”

Ginny studied Hermione's face and noticed the pink tinge that covered her cheeks. Ginny smiled a bit as she asked her next question.

“Hermione are you alright?”

Hermione nodded quickly and replied with both an answer and a question.

“Yes I'm fine…why do you ask?”

“No reason…its just…you seem a bit distracted…as if you've got something on your mind…want to talk about it?”

Hermione worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she considered whether or not to tell Ginny what was going on. It was probably nothing at all just one of those weird things that happens when your best friends in the world happen to be both attractive and male. Hermione giggled at her own stupidity and responded to Ginny's inquiry.

“I think I've been studying too much.”

Ginny quirked an eyebrow and said.

“Studying too much?”

Hermione nodded.

“It's the only logical explanation for my behavior of late.”

Ginny stopped walking and gazed at Hermione.

“What behavior?”

Hermione motioned for Ginny to sit. The two girls sat down underneath a tree on the banks of the lake and Hermione took a deep breath and told Ginny exactly what had been roving through her mind of late.

“Well…you see…yesterday I caught myself…er…ummm…admiring Harry.”

Again Ginny quirked an eyebrow and asked.

“Admiring Harry…what do you mean you were admiring Harry?”

Hermione stared intensely at Ginny and replied.

“I mean I was admiring Harry…”

Hermione paused took a steadying breath and added.

“And his attributes.”

Ginny frowned for a second trying to suss out what Hermione meant; she covered her mouth with her own hand and giggled when she realized what Hermione was referring to when she said “attributes”. Giggling Ginny smacked Hermione's shoulder as she said.

“Hermione you've been checking Harry out!!”

Hermione covered her face with both her hands and bobbed her head up and down. Ginny leaned over and pulled Hermione's hands from her face and flashed an impish grin.

“Well he is quite sexy.”

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed.

“Ginevra Weasley!”

Ginny waved a hand and replied.

“What…he is…you bloody well can't deny that considering you've been sizing him up yourself!”

Hermione blushed and Ginny patted her knee.

“What I was trying to say is that it's nothing to be ashamed of. Harry is a fine specimen of a young wizard…its only natural that an attractive young witch such as yourself would find him appealing. Merlin knows when we started Quidditch practice back at the start of term and he whipped his shirt off for the first time I nearly fell off my broom…poor Janice Arnold took a quaffle to the head she was so dumbstruck. There's nothing at all wrong with admiring a nice looking bloke even if he is a friend!”

Hermione smiled. Ginny was right there was absolutely nothing strange about her appreciating Harry's muscular physique. It was perfectly normal behavior…nothing for her to worry over. Hermione looked over at Ginny and said.

“Thanks.”

Ginny nodded.

“No problem…we better head back…dinner's about to start.”

As they started back towards the castle Ginny quizzed Hermione.

“So…exactly which of Harry's attributes do you like the best?”

Hermione playfully shoved Ginny.

“Shut it you!”

Ginny laughed.

“I was just curious about your personal preferences about wizards…what you appreciate about Harry you'd appreciate in any male…its not like you're fantasizing about him or anything.”

At Ginny's last words Hermione's head dropped and her cheeks flamed as bright red as the fleece she was wearing. Ginny pretended not to notice her friend's reaction as they trudged the rest of the way up to the castle in silence.

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It was two in the morning when Harry entered the common room in Gryffindor tower. He expected everyone was already in bed so it came as quite a shock to him when he caught sight of his gangly red-haired friend Ron sitting at one of the tables scribbling furiously. Harry walked over to where Ron was sitting and said.

“All right Ron.”

“All right Harry.”

Harry plopped down in the chair next to Ron's and asked.

“What are you still doing up?”

Ron replied with.

“Astronomy chart.”

Harry nodded; his mind drifted to the Charms and Transfiguration work he had yet to complete. Harry was about to get up and make his way to the heads dorm and spend the night catching up on his assignments when Ron asked.

“Where've you been…I didn't see you at dinner”

Harry sighed and said.

“Hagrid's…the lake…the Quidditch pitch…the Owlery…the Astronomy Tower.”

Ron looked up from his chart and laid his quill aside.

“Something on your mind?”

Harry sighed again as he thought of the reason he'd fled the confines of the castle. Running a hand through his hair he stared into the dying fire and spoke.

“What do you think of Serena Chambers?”

Ron frowned and asked.

“What?”

Harry repeated his question.

“What do you think of Serena Chambers…I mean…do you think she's good-looking?”

Ron nodded and said.

“Yeah…she's really pretty…a bit transparent…but definitely pretty.”

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

“She is rather obvious…alright what about Pavrati and Padma Patil?”

Ron smiled.

“Two of the best looking birds in our year…lovely curves on the pair of `em…but one's too flighty and the other's way too serious.”

Harry nodded again and tossed out another name.

“Lavender Brown?”

Ron smiled.

“Hmmm…very nice…very nice indeed.”

Harry wondered briefly if Ron fancied Lavender but instead of querying him about it he tossed out another name.

“Luna Lovegood?”

“Loony!”

“Other than that.”

Ron screwed up his face as if he were in deep thought then responded with.

“She's got pretty eyes and a nice enough figure…but she's effing mental!”

Ron pinned Harry with a questioning glance and asked.

“Is there a point to this…or are we simply discussing the highs and lows of the witches of Hogwarts?”

Harry's answer was another name.

“Pansy Parkinson.”

Ron's immediate reply was a sound.

“Urgh!! Harry what are you trying to do make me ill…what in the name of Merlin are you going on about?”

Harry held up a hand and uttered a final name.

“Hermione.”

Ron thanked Merlin for the dim light in the room as he bit back a smile and lowered his eyes to hide the delight that he knew to be showing in them over Harry's adding Hermione's name to the list. Harry drummed his fingers on the table as he waited for Ron to speak. When nothing was forthcoming Harry prodded him.

“Well!?”

Ron took a deep breath and answered truthfully.

“Hermione's Hermione. I mean she's cute enough…got a nice figure near as I can tell…but being that she is my friend I try not to look at her like I look at other girls.”

“But you have looked at her that way?”

Ron heard the slight desperation in Harry's voice as he posed his question. Ron knew the nature of Harry's feelings for Hermione but more importantly he knew Harry and asking him straight out if he liked Hermione as he'd done before would lead to another series of denials and excuses. Using that knowledge and taking the plan he and the others were in the midst of executing into consideration Ron decided for the second time that evening to be truthful.

“You know I've looked at her that way considering the fact that I told you I used to have a bit of a crush on her when we were younger. And before you ask yes I have noticed how she has…ummm…developed over the years.”

Harry cut in.

“Then you've found yourself checking her out?”

Ron nodded.

“Well…yes…I mean when she arrived at the burrow this summer it was a bit hard not to see the change in her with her running around in those tiny shorts and tops of hers…”

Ron paused as a scowl formed on Harry's face. No doubt he was imagining Ron drooling over Hermione's half clad body. Ron hurriedly picked up his thread of speech.

“And even though I noticed her as a well…as a very attractive girl…I look at her and feel the way I feel about Ginny…like I need to watch out for her and make sure nothing happens…keep the rift raft away…you know…I see her more like a sister than as a girl I'd try for.”

Harry nodded.

“Yeah I understand.”

Ron posed another question.

“Is something going on with you and Hermione?”

Harry shook his head.

“No nothing like that. I'm not sure what happened…it just all of a sudden hit me how beautiful Hermione is.”

Harry paused then added.

“But I guess that's normal when one of your best friends is a girl eh.”

Ron replied with a vague “Hmmm”. Harry stood up and stretched then turned to Ron and said.

“I'm heading up.”

“Oh alright then…goodnight Harry.”

“Goodnight Ron.”

Ron watched as Harry disappeared up the stairs that led to the dormitories.

-->

Chapter 5: Senseless

It had been one week since Ron and the others had enacted their plan and began slipping a dose of the Scintillatus Solution to Harry and Hermione in their morning goblet of pumpkin juice. Ron and Ginny had relayed the incident with the broom ride as well as their conversations with Harry and Hermione to group about their rather suddenly taking note of each other's attractiveness. Lavender and Pavrati had sighed and tittered so much about that bit that Ron had nearly regretted telling them. The episode had also prompted the girls to come to the conclusion that another dose of the potion was needed. So they had continued sneaking a hefty dose of the potion into their morning juice for the past week with mixed results. The results were viewed as mixed because it depended on who was interpreting them whether or not they supported the notion that the two where any closer to being a couple than they had been before.

For example, Pavrati had pointed out on Monday that the two were spending an awful lot of time together. Dean reminded her that they had always spent a lot of time together. Several days later, on Wednesday to be precise, Ginny had attempted to help Pavrati's case by reminding everyone how Harry had been steering clear of Serena Chambers since he'd drank the potion. Everyone agreed that he did seem less keen on her than he had been before but then Seamus had pointed out that Harry seemed to have also given up his over-protectiveness of Hermione's honor and person. Seamus told them that he had witnessed Ernie McMillan asking Hermione out in full view of Harry and that Harry hadn't uttered a single word nor had he made any threatening gestures. Neville tried to brighten the low mood of the group on Friday by reminding them all that Hermione had taken to wearing her hair down and true though that was it did very little to improve their low spirits.

It was then that Lavender announced that perhaps a stronger dose of the potion was needed. Lavender said that she had anticipated that something of this magnitude may happen and that she had planned for just such an eventuality by getting enough ingredients to make the potion at least four times all the while increasing the amounts of plants used to make it stronger. At this suggestion Pavrati's eyes had quite curiously swelled to three times their normal size and looked as though they were threatening to pop right out of their sockets. The rest of the group however took Pavrati's shock as her being impressed by her best friend's thoroughness as they were. Lavender informed them that all she had to do was add the last ingredients to the fresh batch of potion and it would be ready for consumption the following morning. After praising her well organized well thought out plan the comrades in arms parted ways as Lavender set off to complete the latest batch of the potion.

And so it came to pass that next day; it was a dreadfully cold Saturday morning, that the entire team watched covertly over goblet rims, through lowered lashes and around morning editions of the Daily Prophet and letters from home as Harry and Hermione once again unwittingly drank a more generous than usual dosage of the new and improved and hopefully more powerful Scintillatus Solution. Harry took a swallow of his juice then set down his goblet and frowned.

“Does the pumpkin juice taste a bit off to anyone else?”

Everyone quickly shook their heads or murmured that theirs had tasted fine. Hermione however was taking a drink from her goblet as Harry raised his question and as such she could not respond at the exact moment the question was asked. However, as she lowered her goblet to the table she too frowned in that manner she had when she was considering something, she then licked her lips and replied.

“It does taste quite a bit different than usual.”

Harry had intended to look up when Hermione began speaking but the sound of her voice was different than it usually was. At least he supposed it was different…he couldn't ever really recall having paid attention to what it sounded like before this moment. He could tell you what she sounded like when she was angry or in a huff about something. He could even tell you if asked how she sounded when she was in deep contemplation but he couldn't honestly remember the sound of her everyday, everything is perfectly normal voice before this very moment. A fact that he was sorely berating himself for. Eyes still lowered he waited knowing that Hermione was attempting to suss out what was different about the taste of the pumpkin juice. His patience was rewarded shortly thereafter when she spoke again.

“It's neither sweet nor bitter it's more earthy…I can't place it exactly…but it's very familiar…”

She paused and took another sip frowning in concentration as she attempted to force her brain to produce the information she needed. Harry was sitting with his eyes closed waiting for Hermione to speak again. He couldn't explain it but Hermione's voice was different than usual…it was soft and calming and if he listened carefully enough he imagined he could tell whether she was smiling, laughing, frowning or gnawing her bottom lip just by listening to the slight variances in the intonations. Suddenly his thoughts about Hermione's voice were interrupted by the very sound he had been contemplating.

“Its ginger! That's what's different…there is the tiniest hint of ginger in this pumpkin juice!”

Hermione smiled triumphantly at her own cleverness then she frowned as she wondered how she had sussed that out. The taste was barely perceptible yet she had managed to pick it out. Harry meanwhile continued to sit with his eyes closed marveling at the wonderful melodic sound of Hermione's voice as she articulated her puzzled thoughts in a barely audible whisper.

”Hmmm…I wonder why I never noticed that before.”

At that moment Ron looked over and seeing the rapturous expression covering Harry's countenance. He shook him by the shoulder roughly and asked.

“You okay there mate?”

Harry frowned at the sound of Ron's brash voice replacing the more melodious tones of Hermione's. He replied stiffly.

“I'm fine.”

As Harry's voice drifted across the table Hermione sat up straight in her seat and peered at him from beneath her long dark lashes. Had Harry's voice always sounded that low and sexy? Of course she was aware that his voice had changed. So had Ron's and Neville's and Dean's and Seamus' and all the other boys that she knew but none of them sounded like that. None of their voices sounded deep like slow rumbling thunder then poured out of their mouths smooth and thick like warm honey. None of the other boys' voices caused the skin on her neck and arms to rise and prickle. Nor did any of the other boys' voices cause her to squirm in her seat as she was currently doing either. Hermione froze as she realized the rather lurid turn her thoughts were taking. What in the name of all that was decent was going on with her?

Glancing across the table Ron noted the rather rigid manner in which Hermione was sitting in her seat starring at Harry. He was about to ask her what was wrong but Harry beat him to it.

“Hermione is something the matter?”

It took Hermione a second to process the fact that Harry was speaking to her. Shaking herself she responded unevenly.

“Ummm…wha…what was that you asked?”

Harry stared right at Hermione and replied to her inquiry as he thought to himself that it made perfect sense that Hermione had such a lovely sounding voice, as Merlin certainly wouldn't have made a creature as exquisite as she was without giving her a voice to match her beauty.

“ I asked you if something was wrong…you're staring.”

Hermione blushed as she replied.

“Nothing's wrong. I just remembered that I left my cloak upstairs…I'll need to fetch it before we head off to Hogsmeade.”

Hermione excused herself from the table and rose from her seat quickly and darted off to Gryffindor tower. Hermione `s mind was racing along nearly as fast as her feet were carrying her as she ran up the flights of stairs to the Gryffindor common room. By the time she entered the tranquil sanctity of her bedroom Hermione was out of breath and confused. Why in the name of Merlin was she acting so strangely about Harry? She had heard his voice more times in the past six or seven years than she could count and it had never had this kind of an affect on her before. Honestly she was acting like one of those daft groupies of his. She needed to take a moment and figure out what in the name of Merlin was going on. Unsteadily she crossed the room and collapsed onto the bed. Her mind floundered about for a moment then she realized that for the past week she'd found herself looking at Harry and having the most inappropriate thoughts. It had started last Saturday; at the time she'd thought it was nothing more than a passing notion. But the involuntary reactions her body had just performed in response to Harry's voice made it clear that whatever was happening to her it was decidedly more than a passing notion. Hermione was brought back to the present by a knock on her bedroom door. She unthinkingly called out for the person to come in. She bit down on her bottom lip and drew blood as Harry strode into the room.

“Gin sent me up to see what was taking you so long.”

Hermione cried out in pain.

“Ouch!”

Harry looked down and saw Hermione holding then wiping at her mouth. In two seconds he was crouched before her gingerly pulling her hands away from her face.

“What happened?”

His voice was low and awash with concern and sexier than she ever remembered it being. Hermione felt the hairs on her arm prickle as she replied breathlessly.

“I bit my lip.”

Harry slipped his left hand into Hermione's hair and slightly leaned her head back. With a snap of his fingers he conjured a handkerchief in his right hand and softly dabbed at her bleeding lip. His sexy baritone swept over her in a whisper as he muttered the words.

“That'll leave a bruise.”

He removed the handkerchief and carefully ran his thumb across Hermione's bruised lip and mumbled the incantation.

“Healatus Portentious.”

Harry didn't remove his thumb from Hermione's lips even after the healing spell had been cast and taken effect. He simply stayed where he was kneeling in front of her staring into her gorgeous chocolate brown eyes as he asked.

“Better now?”

Hermione who was likewise immobilized simply nodded her head unable to speak. The close proximity of Harry to her was causing a rather strange sensation in her body. She felt simultaneously dazed and confused as well as acutely focused and aware. She was dazed and confused in that she was unable to move or form a coherent thought or phrase, yet she was hyperaware of every detail concerning Harry. The scent of his soap, the feel of his Quidditch roughened palms against her skin, the startling intensity of his eyes…had they always been that precisely perfect shade of dark jade. Again Hermione was startled out of her ruminations by Harry's deep velvety tones.

“We should get going.”

He was standing now, extending his hand to her. Hermione placed her hand in his and slowly rose to her feet. As their hands touched a pleasurable jolt seemed to run through Hermione's body but was lost all too soon as Harry let go of her hand. He walked the short distance to the door and stepping aside waited for Hermione to pass through ahead of him. Hermione retrieved her cloak from the back of her desk chair and taking a deep breath strode out the door with Harry close at her heels.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron, Lavender, Ginny and the others were waiting for Harry and Hermione near the large oak front doors of the castle. Lavender glanced around the vicinity to make sure no one was listening then said to the group.

“I've been thinking…”

She paused and glanced towards the stairs presumably to look for Harry and Hermione, seeing no one she continued.

“Since we've revved up the potion a bit I think it might be a good idea to give Harry and Hermione some time alone while we're in Hogsmeade.”

Neville spoke up.

“But they think we're all going to be spending the day together…won't it look strange if we all suddenly remember we have other plans?”

Dean and Seamus nodded in agreement.

Lavender replied in a patient tone similar to the one Madam Pomfrey used when speaking to someone who'd suffered an injury to the head that had addled their brains.

“Well yes I imagine they would get suspicious if they come downstairs and we all suddenly have other plans but I was thinking something more subtle than that.”

Ron cut in.

“Like what?”

Lavender sighed.

“I was thinking more along the lines of each of us running into someone we must talk to, or seeing something in a shop that catches our eye, running some sort of errand that we just remembered or anything else that we can come up with that will give them some privacy but not seem like we're trying to get them off alone together.”

Ginny smiled at Lavender and said.

“Good idea…”

She was about to say something else but paused as she caught sight of Hermione and Harry coming down the stairs towards them. She whispered to the group.

“Here they come.”

Lavender lowered her voice and whispered in a rush.

“Alright we all stay together for an hour or so then we start to slip away one maybe two at a time but not all at once we don't want to be obvious or get them wondering what's going on.”

Everyone mumbled their assent and turned to greet the last of their little party. Lavender smiled as they all set off for Hogsmeade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Dean, Lavender, Neville, Pavrati and Seamus had all come into Hogsmeade together. It was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year and everyone was happy to be free from thoughts of NEWTS and anything school related. The group's first stop had been Honeyduke's, where they tested out the latest sweets the shop had to offer as well as some of their tried and true favorites from the samples bin before loading up on a supply of their favorite treats to last them until their next visit. As they exited the shop Harry noticed Hermione chewing on a cinnamon flavored licorice wand and lost his train of thought as he watched the undulations of her mouth as she sucked the candy into her mouth and ran her tongue across her sticky lips. Harry couldn't help thinking to himself that it must be nice being a licorice wand. When Harry realized what he was thinking he quickly averted his eyes but not before Ginny and Pavrati caught the look of out and out yearning mirrored in them. Shortly after leaving Honeyduke's Pavrati caught sight of her twin sister Padma and ambled off to say hello.

The rest of the group headed over to Schrivenschift's after Hermione mentioned needing to buy some parchment. Their advanced classes were taking a bit of a toll on their regular school supplies so they all trooped in and restocked themselves with parchment, ink and quills. They all had a good laugh when the clerk at the counter attempted to interest Hermione in a mood-deciphering quill that supposedly changed ink color according to how the writer felt. Seamus had guffawed and said it was more the silly type of thing that Lavender or Pavrati would buy. That cheek earned him an evil glare from Lavender. Hermione of course declined she was eyeing the handsome set of black and silver phoenix feather quills that had just come in. Phoenix feathers were not only useful for wand cores they also made excellent quills add to that the extreme rarity of finding a black and silver phoenix let alone coaxing it to donate its prized plumage for a quill explained the exorbitant amount of galleons being asked for the set. In the end Hermione had settled on a more practical set of quills before the group walked out of the shop. As they made their way up the high street Seamus remembered that he needed to send an owl home and set off for the post office. Dean accompanied him as he thought it would be a nice treat to send an owl to his younger siblings; none of whom possessed any magical ability but loved anything to do with the wondrous world their older brother inhabited.

The group of nine had now dwindled to six. Ron, Ginny, Lavender, Neville, Hermione and Harry did a bit of window shopping before heading to the Three Broomsticks for a bit of refreshment. The girls found a booth while the boys went to the bar to get butterbeers for everyone. The six friends chatted and laughed about the various “adventures” they'd had during the week. Ron told a remarkably funny anecdote about Peeves stringing Mrs. Norris up to one of the moving model planets in the observatory of the Astronomy tower and spinning her about the room as Filch ran around after them trying to catch her and pull her to safety. Once they had settled their tab the sextet ambled back onto the streets of Hogsmeade where Ginny caught sight of Luna Lovegood talking with Allison Roper a Hufflepuff six year who happened to be a Herbology buff and who thought Neville was quite cute, a fact that had been unbeknownst to him until that moment when Ginny let the information slip. Ginny hailed the two girls and drug Neville off to introduce him to Allison properly.

The remaining foursome set off in near hysterics over the horrified expression on Neville's face as Ginny led him off to what he was certain would be his doom. They walked the streets in silence for a few minutes after their laughter subsided until they reached Gladrags Wizard Wear. Lavender turned to Ron and said.

“Ron I wonder if you could help me out with something?”

Ron eyed Lavender openly and replied.

“Depends on what it is.”

Lavender nodded and responded.

“Well next month is my older brother's birthday and I wanted to get him something really nice. I was thinking of a new set of dress robes or something like that…you're about his size…I was wondering if you would mind trying on a few so that I could get an idea of what size to buy.”

Ron knew full well that Lavender was only asking such a thing to give Harry and Hermione some private time but the dumbstruck look on his face was genuine, he had never expected something so clever. Blinking rapidly Ron nodded dumbly and said.

“Ummm…okay…I guess I could do that.”

Lavender smiled and said “Thank you” to Ron before she turned to Harry and Hermione and asked.

“Would you two like to join us? I could certainly use some secondary opinions.”

Harry shook his head hurriedly in refusal.

“Sorry Lavender but we need to stop by the apothecary and pick up a few things we're running low on.”

Hermione nodded in agreement with Harry's declaration. Lavender replied.

“Oh alright then…I suppose we'll catch up to you two later.”

The four friends said their goodbyes and Harry and Hermione set off up the street towards the apothecary as Lavender and Ron went into Gladrags. Ron looked down at Lavender and asked.

“What made you pick shopping as our way out?”

Lavender looked up at him and grinned as she replied.

“Well I've yet to meet the bloke who actually enjoys shopping so I took a chance that in that respect Harry would be like every other boy I know. As for Hermione, I shared a room with the girl for six years…I can't tell you the number of times I've watched her get all glassy eyed when Pavrati and I have discussed shopping so I figured she'd want to shove off as much as Harry would.”

Ron grinned broadly at Lavender bowed dramatically and said.

“Oh the cleverness of you Ms. Brown the cleverness of you!”

They both burst into ringing peals of laughter as Ron swung the door to the robe shop open and the two of them gleefully waltzed inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Hermione stepped outside of Swenson's Bakery munching on buns. Harry carried a large white bakery bag loaded with buns, donuts, cauldron cakes, jaffa cakes and Swenson's special mince pies. The jaffa cakes and mince pies were for Ron who had a deep fondness for the homemade orange jam and chocolate Mrs. Swenson used in her jaffa cakes and the fact that the old witch made her mince pies year round and not just during Christmas had made Ron one of her most loyal customers as he said that next to chocolate a good mince pie was the greatest delicacy known to mankind, wizard and muggle alike. Harry and Hermione walked along eating their buns in silence until they found a bench to settle themselves on.

By the time they finished the buns and donuts they'd treated themselves to they found that they were sitting in front of the Shrieking Shack. Hermione looked over at Harry uncertainly as he gazed up at the old dilapidated structure. A purposely-vacant expression was covering his strikingly handsome face. She knew without question that he was thinking about Remus. It hadn't yet been a year since their former Dark Arts professor had died at the hands of Voldemort's Death Eaters. Remus had used himself as a diversion to allow Harry the chance to get back to safety after they had been set upon by a group of Death Eaters sent by Voldemort to capture Harry. He had been hit by the killing curse in the ensuing struggle that had taken place before the other members of the Order and the Ministry's Aurors had arrived to contain the situation. Hermione knew that as Harry's mind drifted from thoughts of Remus it would venture to thoughts of Sirius and his parents. She reached out a hand and laced her fingers through his and squeezed his hand reassuringly. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and returned the gesture. When he opened his eyes they were wet with his unshed tears, a cheerless smile turned his mouth as he said.

“They're all gone…all the family I had in this world is gone now. That's what Sirius and Remus were you know, my family. Remus was all I had left…and now I'm alone.”

He paused and steeled himself against the tidal wave of emotion that washed over him. He looked as though he wanted to say more but couldn't. Hermione tightened her hold on his hand and using her free hand turned his gaze to hers and said.

“That is complete and utter rubbish…and if Molly and Arthur Weasley heard you repeat that I dare say you'd get the walloping of your life…”

She stopped and released his hand and raised that hand to his face as well, framing his face and forcing him to look into her eyes.

“Molly and Arthur couldn't love you any more than if you were their own flesh and blood…Bill and Charlie think the world of you…and Percy though he'd be loathed to admit it respects you a great deal. You know that Fred and George are crazy about you…and Ginny absolutely adores you, she always has. And Ron despite his envious moments and his inability to articulate his emotions would be lost without you. So there you have nine people who love you like family and would do anything for you. Then there's Hagrid and Dumbledore…they love you…they would and have done the unthinkable just to keep you safe…what's that if it's not what family does…”

Hermione paused again and Harry noticed how bright her eyes had become and when she spoke there was a ferocity in her voice that hadn't been there before.

“And you have me. If you believe nothing else I've said Harry believe that I love you and know that I'm not going anywhere…so you're not nor will you ever be alone!”

Harry raised his hands and cupped Hermione's face; his voice was hoarse with emotion when he uttered the word.

“Promise.”

Hermione smiled as she replied.

“I promise.”

Hermione leaned close and gently brushed her lips against Harry's before she stood to her feet and said.

“It's getting late we better head back.”

Harry rose to his feet and lacing his fingers through Hermione's set off down the street towards the castle. Ron and Lavender exchanged excited smiles as they watched the duo stroll off down the street hand in hand.

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It was well past midnight and Ron and Lavender had called the team together to discuss the progress of the plan. The seven conspirators sat huddled together in the farthest corner of the common room. Ron spoke.

“I think we made some progress today with this new batch of the potion and the idea to get Harry and Hermione alone…”

Seamus cut in.

“Did something happen?”

Ron and Lavender exchanged glances then nodded a “yes” to the group. Pavrati let out a squeal of delight and asked.

“What happened?”

Lavender sighed contentedly and replied.

“Well after you lot disappeared I made an excuse about my buying a birthday present for my brother and needing Ron's help so that Ron and I could skive off. Harry and Hermione went off on their own, we watched but at a safe enough distance away so that they wouldn't see us. Well anyway they walked around a bit and after stopping off at Swenson's they ended up in front of the Shrieking Shack. They got into an intense conversation…we don't know what about we were to far away to hear…but it looked serious. Ron reckons it was about our old Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin. They were doing a lot of holding hands and caressing faces and staring into each other's eyes…then Hermione leans in and kisses Harry…”

Dean interposed in an excited whisper.

“Was the snogging intense…I mean were they groping each other?”

Pavrati wrinkled her nose in distaste and frowned in Dean's direction.

“You disgusting pervert!”

Dean raised an eyebrow and replied.

“Like the rest of you weren't wondering the same bloody thing!”

Ginny giggled as Seamus muttered.

“You're right there mate I was wondering that very same thing.”

Lavender raised her voice to continue and called an end to the back and forth chatter.

“It wasn't exactly a snog.”

This time it was Ginny who butted in.

“Well then what was it?”

Lavender answered in a patient tone.

“It was more along the lines of a peck.”

Ginny frowned and said.

“And how is that progress? Hermione gives Harry little pecks all the time.”

Seamus added.

“Bloody hell I've seen her give Ron a peck on the cheek a time or two myself.”

Again Lavender raised her voice to be heard.

“Yes Hermione does give Harry and Ron little pecks on the cheek…but this peck was on the lips…and if you'd seen them in the moment like we had you'd know it was something more than just a friendly peck. Wouldn't they Ron?”

Ron chimed in.

“Yeah. I mean they were touching each other an awful lot and the looks on their faces were like they were the only two people in the whole blooming world!”

Ron's pronouncement was greeted with a bunch of mumbling. While the team debated among themselves Lavender spoke again.

“This incident proves that we're on the right track. We just need to keep giving them the potion every morning and pushing them together as much as possible.”

Five sets of eyes turned to Ron and waited for his assessment. Ron looked at Lavender and nodded.

“I agree. I feel good about the progress we're making and I say we go full steam ahead.”

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Their lips met in an intensely passionate kiss. Her hands caressed his bare chest as he dipped his head and rained a trail of kisses down the smooth column of her throat and across her bare shoulders. She gasped as he turned his attentions to her bared breasts lavishing her erect nipples with his tongue. Her moaning grew louder and she knotted her hands into fists in Harry's hair as he journeyed slowly up and down her body kissing and licking and nibbling and caressing everywhere his lips, tongue, teeth and hands could reach. Harry kissed his way back up her beautiful body reveling in the feel of her smooth warm skin. He brought his mouth down to hers and traced the seam of her lips with his tongue seeking entrance. She granted his request and entwined her tongue with his while her slender hands roamed and caressed his back and shoulders. As the kiss deepened her legs wrapped around his waist of their own accord and drew him closer to her as she whispered breathlessly to him “Make love to me Harry”. Harry groaned in pure pleasure as he honored her request and slipped inside her warm wet welcoming folds. She clung tightly to him kissing his neck and chest, wrapping her legs tighter around him pulling him closer to her body. She whimpered and moaned begging and pleading with him to love her harder and deeper. He thrust into her over and over again loving the feel of her wrapped tightly around his member. Suddenly her cries increased in volume and intensity, her back arched off the bed and his name became her mantra as she chanted it over and over again…Harry…Harry…Harry. He screamed out her name…Hermione…as they both exploded in unison and allowed ecstasy to overtake them.

Harry opened his eyes, sat bolt upright in bed and groaned loudly as he threw back the covers and stomped into the bathroom that adjoined his bedroom. He turned the cold water on full blast and stepped inside the shower letting the cold-water pulse over him. He'd had that sodding dream again! The one where he was with Hermione. Her exquisite body naked and writhing beneath him. A moan escaped his lips as he imagined her soft lips on his bare skin. Harry banged his fist on the shower wall then sighed as he struggled to concentrate on something other than Hermione in order to subdue the towering erection his dream had caused. As the frigid water pulsed over his body Harry asked himself for what had to be the one billionth time what in the world had gotten into him. For the past few weeks his thoughts had been focused on Hermione. It seemed that she had taken over his senses. Everything about her drove him to distraction; the sound of her voice, her smile, the way she smelled…everything. Anytime Hermione touched him, looked at him, spoke to him or walked past him he was thrown into complete and utter confusion. And then as if that weren't enough the dreams had started and Harry found that try as he might he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her in his waking or sleeping moments. He was at a loss for what to do other than to greet each day with a freezing cold shower. Shaking his head Harry reached down and gripped his erection in his palm and allowed the Hermione from his dreams to appear in his minds eye. After several furious minutes he let loose a guttural moan and slumped back against the shower wall. Once his breathing returned to normal he reached for his soap and begin to shower in earnest. Harry was certain that he was losing his mind. He never suspected that across the hall Hermione was suffering from a similar difficulty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione sucked in a breath of air as she felt Harry's hands begin to glide across her body while his lips dropped kisses across her neck and shoulders. Hermione drew his mouth back to hers and their lips met in a fiercely passionate kiss their tongues entwined in the sweetest and most intimate of dances as her hands caressed Harry's bare chest. The kiss deepened and Harry disposed of the few articles of clothing separating them. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist and drew him closer to her body. Harry groaned as his hardened penis brushed against her wet and throbbing center. Hermione instinctively knew that he wanted her so badly he was near to going mad with desire. She understood his need because she felt it herself. Hermione lifted her hips welcoming the feel of his hardness as he slipped inside her and she and Harry became one. His hands found hers and they intertwined as he moved above her. The rhythmic undulations of their bodies caused Hermione to tighten her hold on Harry as she gave herself over to the passion coursing through her body, urging him deeper inside her. As their ecstasy neared its peak Hermione's breathing came in quick shuddering gasps, the room began to spin and a million pinpoints of light seemed to explode in her head. Her body writhed in the most deliciously excruciating pain as she felt Harry tense above her; the room filled with moans both masculine and feminine reverberating about the four walls. Hermione's back arched off the bed as she cried out in ecstasy, quivering Harry joined her in release. Harry lovingly gathered Hermione's trembling body in his arms and kissed her fervently.

Hermione awoke with a start. The covers of her four-poster were tangled about her waist and legs, her pajamas and hair were plastered to her damp skin, her breathing was labored and her heart hammered against her chest violently. She lay still for a few minutes as she attempted to collect herself. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After repeating the process twice more she raised herself up and untangled herself from the snarl that was her sheet and duvet. Hermione trudged glumly to the shower and stepping out of her night's attire hopped into the rather chilly spray of water. For the past five days Hermione had been having the most lurid fantasies about Harry. It seemed that she was tuned into all Harry all the time. She had always been acutely aware of his moods and thoughts that was nothing new. But she was now so in tune with him that she was constantly aware of everything about him; his voice, his eyes, his laugh, his smile, the scent of his soap, the rough yet gentle feel of his touch and all of it was driving her absolutely mad. She couldn't concentrate when he was anywhere near her and when he wasn't she still couldn't think straight for imagining his hands and lips all over her body. She had to get a grip on herself and she had to do it soon.

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Hermione stepped out of her bedroom and headed down the hallway in the direction of the small common room she and Harry shared. She was so absorbed in her last minute reviewing of her Transfiguration notes that she didn't see Crookshanks or the engorged rubber cork he was rolling madly about the floor. Hermione trod on the cork and lost her footing. She let out a loud yelp as her feet flew out from under her. She shut her eyes and braced herself mentally for the jarring impact of her body slamming into the hard floor but the collision never came. Instead of hitting the floor Hermione found herself being pulled into Harry's arms. As Harry pulled her into a standing position Crookshanks streaked between his feet after the cork. Harry did a sort of wild dance to avoid stepping on the cat and in the process lost his balance. He staggered and wobbled from side to side, Hermione still clasped in his arms. To prevent them both from crashing to the floor Harry spun around and leaned towards the wall. Hermione felt a slight jolt as her back connected with the wall behind her, however it was Harry's body pressing her more snugly into the wall that made her gasp. Harry reached down and pushed Hermione's hair from her eyes and asked in a low whisper.

“You alright?”

Hermione replied weakly.

“I'm fine.”

Harry asked.

“I didn't hurt you did I?”

Hermione shook her head and whispered.

“No.”

The hand that Harry had used to shove the hair from Hermione's eyes was resting on her cheek; the other hand was at her waist, fisted in her robes. Hermione's hands were splayed across Harry's rock hard chest, which was rising and falling rapidly. Hermione was likewise breathing erratically. They stared into each other's eyes neither moving so much as an inch though there was no reason for them to remain so close together. Harry leaned a fraction of an inch closer and inhaled the scent of her hair. Of their own volition Hermione's hands snaked up Harry's chest and wound around his neck. Harry shifted slightly and Hermione felt his arm tightening about her waist and drawing her body closer to his as the hand that had been resting on her cheek slipped into her hair at the nape of her neck and angled her head back slightly. Harry knew that he needed to step away from her before he did something he couldn't take back but the desire to feel her lips against his own was stronger than his desire to maintain their friendship or anything else at that moment. Hermione ran her tongue across her bottom lip and that simple gesture was Harry's undoing…his only coherent thought was that he wanted…no needed to taste her. Harry lowered his head and for a moment Hermione wondered whether she should stop Harry from kissing her but as soon as the thought entered her mind it was gone…she wanted this and by Merlin she was going to have it. He was so close to her now that she could feel his warm breath on her lips. Harry could smell the mint of her toothpaste mingled with the cinnamon dental floss she was fond of using. He breathed out her name at the exact moment she whispered his then suddenly the portrait hole sprang open and the sound of Ron's booming voice replaced that of their ragged breathing.

“Oy you two…get a move on…otherwise we'll be late for McGonagall's quiz!”

Harry and Hermione launched away from each other as if they had been burned. Both their faces were flushed and their breathing was labored. Ron surveyed the scene before him and asked.

“Everything all right?”

Harry nodded awkwardly and said.

“Everything's fine…Crookshanks just nearly knocked us both on our arses.”

Ron raised an eyebrow slightly and inclined his head in reply. Hermione grabbed her wand and pointed it at her scattered notes that littered the floor and fired off two rapid spells “Papyrus Collectus Sortus” followed by “Accio Notes”. The stack of papers covering the floor reassembled themselves in a neat stack and flew into Hermione's outstretched hand. Hermione shoved them into her schoolbag and strode out the door. Ron noticed how she deftly avoided looking at either he or Harry. Harry hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and ambled off in Hermione's wake also avoiding making eye contact with his best friend. It was clear to Ron that he had interrupted something. A huge smile covered his face and Ron chuckled softly to himself and as he set off after his friends he thought, “Today is going to be an interesting day”. As he sauntered out the door the portrait hole swung shut behind him.

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Chapter 6: Blind Bloody Nutters

“Interesting. I’ve just asked a question and our resident know-it-all has refrained from tottering on the edge of her seat to provide me with an answer. Could it be that the Head Girl is not paying attention in class…Ms. Granger would you be so kind as to answer my question or shall I have the pleasure of taking a nice five points from Gryffindor House.”

Snape’s malicious voice rang throughout the dungeon as he pinned Hermione with a smug evil little grin. Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherin flunkies giggled delightedly at Snape’s insult and the possibility that Little Miss Perfect-Head Girl-Hermione Granger would lose Gryffindor valuable points. Ron eyed Hermione nervously. She had been off kilter all day long. She hadn’t been taking notes or responding to any of the teacher’s queries. She hadn’t even nagged he and Harry about how they thought they’d done on the Transfiguration quiz they’d had earlier. She seemed wholly preoccupied and despondent about something. Hermione was also avoiding Harry, she was taking great pains not to sit near him in any of their classes let alone look at him or speak to him. And unlike the last time they’d been at odds Harry was making no attempts to reconcile whatever misunderstanding had occurred between them. In fact he seemed as determined to stay away from Hermione, as she was to stay away from him. Ron and the other Gryffindors all sucked in breaths of air as Hermione cleared her throat and replied.

“Aconite also known as monkshood or wolfsbane is the principal ingredient in the Wolfsbane Potion used to render werewolves harmless during their monthly transformations. Belladonna known also as nightshade is highly poisonous and though it has been found to cause persons to hallucinate it is most commonly used to induce sleep. Hellebore is used as a sedative and is the central ingredient in the Draught of Peace”

As Hermione finished her answer the self-satisfied smile Snape had been wearing disappeared and was replaced by his characteristic scowl. It was obvious that he was extremely put out by the fact that Hermione had in fact been listening. His lips curled nastily as he responded curtly.

“Correct…”

The bell sounded and whatever foul thing Snape had been about to say or do was stopped. Ron was certain that the ringing bell had saved Hermione from having points taken; the fact that she had answered his question correctly didn’t matter to Snape so much as harassing any member of the trio did. As they packed their belongings and trooped out of the dungeon and up the stairs into the corridor that led towards the Great Hall and dinner Ron who was walking between Harry and Hermione turned to Hermione and said.

“Brilliant Hermione, it was absolutely brilliant the way you showed up that git Snape…imagine him trying to take points off you for the one time you aren’t answering a question when that duffer Goyle hasn’t answered a single question since he came to Hogwarts!”

Hermione gave a half-hearted sigh and replied.

“I’m not the one you should be congratulating.”

Ron eyed her curiously as he said.

“Huh…what are you talking about…you answered the question so who else would I congratulate?”

Hermione answered.

“Harry. I wasn’t paying attention. If Harry hadn’t told me what the question was I never would have been able to answer it…”

Hermione paused and directed her voice to Harry though she didn’t look at him and said.

“Thank you.”

Harry kept his eyes trained on the floor as he mumbled.

“No problem.”

Ron turned to Harry and asked.

“Hang on…how could you tell Hermione the question when I was sitting between the pair of you and I never heard you say one bloody word?!”

Ron waited for Harry to speak. He very nearly fell over when he distinctly heard Harry’s voice inside his head utter the phrase “I used Legilimency”. Ron shook his head as if to clear it of Harry’s voice. Eyeing him in a perturbed fashion Ron opened his mouth to ask Harry how long he’d been able to read people’s minds and if he’d been using it on them without their knowing when his head was suddenly filled with the sound of Harry’s voice again. “I’ve been able to do Legilimency and Occulumency for about a year now…and no I haven’t been using it on anyone as no one is supposed to know I can do it”. Ron could tell from the sound of Harry’s voice that he was narked so he decided to leave well enough alone. As Ron searched for a topic of discussion he noticed that Hermione had walked a bit ahead of he and Harry and was taking the passageway that lead back to Gryffindor Tower. He called to her and asked.

“Aren’t you coming to dinner? Smells like they’re having roast pork and lamb chops…I bet they’ll have that raspberry sauce you like so much.”

Hermione shook her head and replied.

“I’m not very hungry right now Ron.”

Ron could have sworn that her eyes flitted in Harry’s direction as she said those words but she turned away so quickly that he couldn’t be sure. By now Ron and Harry had made it to the stairs that led to the Great Hall. As they descended the stairs and neared the doors to the Great Hall Ron asked the question that had been plaguing him all day.

“Did something happen between you and Hermione?”

Harry eyed Ron suspiciously and answered quickly.

“No…why do you ask”

Ron shrugged.

“Well the two of you have been acting awfully strange since this morning…I just thought maybe you’d had a row or something.”

Harry shook his head.

“We haven’t had a row Ron I’ve…”

Harry paused. Could he actually tell Ron that for the past few days he’d been having erotic dreams about Hermione and that he’d very nearly kissed her this morning? Harry looked at Ron’s expectant face as he waited for him to finish what he had been saying. Harry decided it was best to keep his near miss with Hermione to himself.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind is all.”

Ron nodded.

“Want to talk about it?”

Harry shook his head.

Ron nodded again and turned towards the Great Hall.

“Alright then let’s get some dinner.”

Harry shook his head a third time.

“You go ahead I think I’ll head out to the pitch and fly for a spell.”

Ron regarded Harry with a raised eyebrow as he asked.

“Are you sure?”

Harry replied with a nod.

“Yeah…it’ll help me clear my head.”

Ron shrugged and replied.

“Suit yourself then…I’ll see you in the common room later on.”

Harry echoed a portion of Ron’s statement as he headed for the front doors of the castle.

“Yeah…I’ll see you in the common room later.”

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Ron strolled into the Great Hall and plopped down at the Gryffindor table beside Ginny, Pavrati and Lavender. He immediately began filling his plate with roast pork, lamb chops and raspberry sauce, aubergines, beetroots, courgettes, runner beans, jacket potatoes, rolls, and heaping spoonfuls of sheperd’s pie and Yorkshire pudding. Ron was mumbling darkly under his breath and grousing about “Blind bloody nutters”. Lavender and Pavrati looked at Ron, then turned to face each other before finally looking to Ginny who hefted a sigh and asked.

“Is something wrong Ron?”

Ron stopped shoveling food into his mouth and answered without bothering to swallow the mouth full of food he’d just placed there.

“Oh nuffhings wong cepting ‘ve ooo blooomin ankers fa riends!!”

Pavrati frowned and asked.

“Would you mind speaking English please Ron.”

Ron opened his mouth wide and shifted the partially consumed contents of his dinner to one side. Lavender pressed her eyes closed and Pavrati’s frown blossomed into a look of utter disgust. Ginny patted her older brother’s arm reassuringly and said.

“Chew and swallow.”

She then directed her gaze and interpreted Ron’s words to Pavrati and Lavender.

“He said that nothing is wrong except for his having two blooming wankers for friends.”

Pavrati stared at Ginny in amazement.

“You understood that?”

Ginny nodded.

“When you’ve grown up listening to it all your life it becomes fairly easy to decipher.”

Ron scowled at his younger sister and Pavrati over the rim of his goblet. Lavender raised her voice and looking up at Ron asked.

“Did something happen with Hermione and Harry?”

Ron nodded and mumbled a yes as he resumed eating. Lavender, Ginny and Pavrati waited several minutes for Ron to say what had happened but he merely continued eating. Finally Pavrati burst out.

“Are you going to tell us what bloody happened or not?!”

Ron held up a hand asking for their continued patience as he forked the last bit of food off his plate into his mouth. Taking another drink from his goblet his eyes scanned the dessert offerings. He loaded his plate with treacle pudding, spotted dick, tarts with double cream and a stonking slice of gateau. Pavrati laid down her knife and fork and said.

“You keep eating like that Ron and you won’t be able to get off the ground on your broom next Quidditch match!”

Ron grunted at Pavrati’s comment as he took his first taste of spotted dick. Ginny shook her head and answered.

“Whatever happened it must be awfully bad Ron only ever eats this much when he’s truly annoyed with or about something.”

Lavender patted Ron’s back sympathetically.

“Tell us what happened.”

Ron having already finished off his spotted dick popped the last of the tarts with double cream into his mouth and eyeing his slice of gateau longingly sighed as he recounted the events of the day with Harry and Hermione starting from the strange scene he’d witnessed that morning right up to their departures and declining to have dinner.

“So I expect right now Harry’s off brooding as he’s flying around the bloody pitch narked as all hell and Hermione probably has worked herself up into a right state and buried her nose in Hogwarts A History! They’ll both be right stroppy with anyone who so much as breathes loud in their presence!”

Ron ended his story in an agitated voice and attacked his slice of cake with gusto. Pavrati sighed.

“I wonder what happened between those two?”

Lavender chuckled gleefully and answered.

“Isn’t it obvious what’s happened…”

Ron cut in and ground out his reply in a harsh tone.

“No it isn’t obvious what happened…its obvious that they’re both gits…”

Lavender shook her head and smiled.

“Really you lot are being nearly as dense as Neville, Dean and Seamus…”

She paused a moment and allowed her words to sink in before she went on.

“Harry and Hermione have spent a good bit of time convincing themselves that they are just friends and nothing more. Now thanks to our little Scintillatus Solution they are beginning to have to face the fact that the feelings they’ve been touting as friendship are much deeper than they’ve wanted to admit…”

Lavender paused again cocking her head to the side as if she was pondering something.

“The mind is a powerful thing you know. Once you’ve convinced yourself of something it’s hard to accept a completely different reality from the one you’ve imagined. I’m guessing that this morning Ron may have inadvertently interrupted Harry’s and Hermione’s moment of truth.”

Ron who was halfway through his gateau put his fork down and emitted a soft slow whistle.

“Blimey they were gonna kiss!”

Ginny whirled around and said.

“Kiss…what makes you think they were going to kiss?!”

Ron rubbed his hand across his face and replied in a quiet awe struck voice.

“I don’t know why I didn’t see it before…its so damned clear to me now that I think back on it. They jumped away from each other like something was after them, they were both breathing hard and they were blushing something awful and they each had a dazed expression on their faces. I’ve seen those expressions on their faces before too. Harry had that look the first time he and Katie Bell snogged and Hermione spent half the summer after our fifth year looking like that when she was going around with Krum!”

Pavrati clapped a hand over her mouth and Ginny’s jaw dropped open. Ron sat shaking his head from side to side whispering “Bloody Hell” over and over again. Lavender was softly tapping her index finger to her cheek as she contemplated Ron’s assessment of the situation.

“If Ron is right and I absolutely believe that he is then Harry and Hermione are going to try everything they know how to distance themselves from each other.”

Pavrati laughed as she cut in and added.

“I think they’ve already started that business!”

Ginny and Ron mumbled in agreement. A steely glint appeared in Lavender’s eyes as she looked to Ron, Ginny and Pavrati and said.

“Then we’ll just have to put a stop to that then won’t we.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry sat motionless on his broom as he hovered above the pitch watching the evening sky darken. The last time he had done this Hermione had been with him. Harry heaved a sigh as his mind drifted to the reason for his perplexed and sullen mood…Hermione. Over the last few weeks Hermione Granger had been the focus of a great deal of Harry’s thoughts. If the truth were told Hermione had been the focus of Harry’s thoughts for far longer than that. It had begun in their fourth year following the Yule Ball. Harry and nearly every boy who’d seen Hermione that night had been floored by how truly stunning she was. None of them had ever seen her look that way and more than a few of them had expressed interest in her after that. But Hermione being the practical sort found the whole idea of make-up and hair gels and potions too much work for the everyday and chose to regulate such accoutrements to special occasions only.

Once she’d gone back to her usual self the fawning attention of the other boys had dissipated. Harry however, had continued to watch her quietly and came to realize that his best friend was actually a very attractive girl. He found he rather liked looking at her and was glad that most of the boys preferred the flashier more done up girls. He supposed that he would have mentioned his attraction to Hermione at some point had it not been for Ron’s declaration that he fancied her; not that it hadn’t been obvious from the start how he felt. But once Ron had confided in him he’d refrained from saying anything about it and contented himself with his quiet watching and the closeness that their friendship afforded him. By the time Ron had gotten over his little crush Hermione had started dating Viktor Krum and Harry had lost Sirius and found out about the prophecy. Over the next year or so Harry had become preoccupied with other things and though he had a brief albeit wonderful liaison with fellow Gryffindor and Quidditch teammate Katie Bell for the most part all thoughts of girls had been pushed to the back of his mind.

And then they had returned for their final year of school and what Harry had known for years had suddenly become apparent to everyone else as nature and time conspired to reveal Hermione to the entire world as the beautiful witch he knew her to be. From the moment he saw her at Platform 9¾ Harry had been enthralled by her loveliness. He’d been shocked to no end when he received the Head Boy badge from Dumbledore, a last minute announcement that had been made at the start of term feast, but he was equally overjoyed at the fact that he would be so close to Hermione.

It had only been within the past few weeks that Harry’s thoughts of Hermione had turned from admiration of her beauty to those of want and desire. Over the past several weeks he had started to be obsessed with everything about Hermione from the scent of her soap to the feel of her body pressed close against his. She was a constant fixture in his dreams and their activities in those dreams were far from tame. At first he’d thought he was going mad but then he’d noticed the way she stared at him when she thought he wasn’t looking and the way she seemed to lean into his touch whenever their bodies were in close proximity. It was that sensation that had caused the incident this morning. He had nearly kissed her. Would have if Ron hadn’t interrupted them. Harry sighed as he realized that the truth was, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, that he wanted Hermione and if her actions were any indication she wanted him too. He pointed his Firebolt towards the ground. Harry needed to have a talk with a certain brown-eyed witch.

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Hermione sat on the couch in the small common room she shared with Harry; her back pressed against the armrest, surrounded by her texts and heaved a sigh. She could scarcely believe what had gone on between she and Harry that morning. She had no doubts that Harry had been about to kiss her before Ron had come to fetch them for class and worse than his blatant move to kiss her had been was her own willingness and longing for him to do just that. Hermione sighed a second time. For years she had tried to convince herself that her strong feelings toward Harry were a result of their close friendship and the many harrowing experiences they had shared. And she had chalked up her physical attraction to him as nothing more than normal teenage hormones. After all it was only natural to find someone who you spent over half your time with attractive. She thought Ron was a handsome chap, though not nearly as handsome as she found Harry to be. Hermione slammed her Charms text shut and banged her fist on the cover in frustration. Deep down she’d always known that her feelings for Harry were far more intense than she had been willing to admit but she was certain that he had no such interest in her.

In all honesty Hermione had secretly harbored a small crush on Harry from the moment she had set eyes on him. Hermione had learned all about Harry from her reading and considering the feats he’d accomplished she had expected him to be more brazen and self-assured than he had been when they first met. She was pleasantly surprised by his humility. As they were not friends initially it took some time before Hermione became aware of all of Harry’s story…how he’d been lied to about what his parents and he truly were and the vindictive meanness of his aunt, uncle and cousin. The more she learned about the messy raven haired, green-eyed Boy-Who-Lived the more enamored of him she became. As their friendship grew Hermione’s crush was all but forgotten as she grew to love and cherish Harry as a friend. That was not to say that those feelings completely disappeared but they seemed to have turned into something all together different.

Harry had become Hermione’s ideal…something like a friend and lover rolled into one. Here he was a good-looking, charming, famous wizard who despite his trysts with Cho Chang and Katie Bell said there was no other witch more important to him than she was and lavished her with all the male attention any female could ask for. Harry had a way of always making her feel as though she was the prettiest witch in the room, consequently she’d never felt the need to seek other male companionship beyond her short-lived summer romance with Viktor. However, she had long ago put away any thoughts she had about Harry in a romantic way out of her mind. So why was she suddenly, out of the blue having erotically arousing dreams about him and nearly kissing him. Hermione gritted her teeth together and grabbing the first thing within reach flung her Charms text across the room as she spat out the words “Damn bloody hormones”. She folded her arms across her raised knees and laid her head on her folded arms and groaned. Her head was starting to pound and her shoulders were developing excruciatingly tense knots. She needed to get her mind off of Harry…absently she reached up with her left hand and began massaging the aching spot at the base of her neck.

A soft thud reverberated in her ears just before she felt two familiar hands on her shoulders, removing her hand and beginning to knead the tension from the afflicted area she was attempting to relieve herself. The touch was firm yet gentle and instinctive, knowing exactly where to apply the most pressure and which spots only warranted a soft caress. Hermione knew she should pull away as such close contact could only lead to disaster but the stroking caresses felt so good she ignored the voice in her head screaming at her to make those hands stop.

Harry had intended to sit down and have a talk with Hermione about what had happened between them that morning but when he’d walked into their common room and found her groaning in pain he had automatically removed her hand to massage the tension from her neck and shoulders as he had done countless times before. As he worked his hands down the slender cord of her spine Hermione leaned forward and moaned pleasurably. Harry felt a tugging sensation in his groin but ignored it forcing his mind back to the task at hand. He raked his fingers down her spine and back up again where he concentrated on her shoulders once more.

Hermione moaned and rotated her neck giving Harry better access to the tense points he hadn’t soothed. Merlin this felt good. Harry applied a bit of pressure to the tops of her shoulders and she knew that he wanted her to lean back and allow him access to the area just above her breasts. Hermione complied and Harry adeptly unbuttoned the three topmost buttons on her white oxford shirt and slipped his hands inside as he worked on the area across her collarbone. Hermione’s eyes closed and her head drifted back and came to rest on the raised arm of the couch. A sigh of utter contentment blew past her lips.

He shook his head and tried to think of something to quash the rush of desire building within him. Another moan escaped Hermione’s lips and Harry felt his knees wobble as his caresses drifted from her collarbone a bit further south. Harry’s touch softened as his fingers dipped down into Hermione’s shirt and neared the rise of her breasts. Hermione expelled the faintest of whimpers. Harry stopped and slowly withdrew his hands from the confines of Hermione’s top. Hermione’s eyes flew open at the loss of contact. She sat up and realizing what they been doing redid the buttons on her shirt as an awkward silence engulfed them. Harry walked around and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch and spoke in a low husky voice.

“You’re pretty tensed up.”

Hermione nodded and replied faintly.

“A bit.”

Silence consumed them once again. Hermione’s gaze drifted to the coffee table and she saw her Charms text lying there atop the others. Harry must have picked it up when he entered the dormitory. Panic set in as she wondered how long Harry had been there and if he had any idea as to what she’d been so tense about. She chanced a glance in his direction and saw a deep scowl covering his face. He was biting his bottom lip and alternately running his hands up and down the side of his face or through his hair. All thoughts of her own problems vanished as Hermione concentrated on Harry. Clearly he was worrying over something. Hermione swung her feet off the couch and shuffled over to Harry’s side. Running her hand through his hair she asked.

“What’s wrong Harry?”

Harry turned to look at Hermione. There was genuine concern shining in her eyes, her lips were pursed and her brows were furrowed in wonder. No doubt her mind was clicking a mile a minute preparing every possible answer to any question or problem he might have. The fingers threading through his disheveled hair were gently massaging his scalp…a move that she knew always calmed him down. Merlin she was beautiful. How could he have gone so long without ever realizing how much she truly meant to him? And were his suspicions correct…did she really feel the same feelings he was feeling or had this morning been his imagination? Hermione repeated her query.

“Harry, what is it? Tell me what’s wrong.”

Harry sat there saying nothing. Hermione’s frown deepened as she removed her hand from Harry’s hair and raising the other grasped his face and turned him to look at her as she called his name.

“Harry.”

Harry gazed down at Hermione’s exquisite face and was instantly mesmerized by the undulations of her full pouty lips he had no idea that the word Hermione’s beautiful mouth was giving birth to was in fact his name. The compulsion to kiss her overcame him for the second time that day. Harry planted his hands firmly about Hermione’s waist and pulled her against his chest. Hermione gasped as Harry pressed his mouth to hers running his tongue along the crease of her bottom lip. He kissed her mouth lightly grazing his lips over hers before he pulled her lower lip into his own sucking and nibbling, instinctively Hermione responded by opening her mouth to him. Harry’s tongue slipped inside her mouth and hungrily caressed hers. She tasted vaguely of mint, cinnamon and something uniquely Hermione.

Hermione buried her fingers into Harry’s hair pulling him closer as she frantically returned his kiss entwining her tongue with his, pressing her body into his. Harry moaned as he snaked his hand up Hermione’s back and into her thick brown curls; angling her head back, he deepened the kiss and ravaged her pliant mouth. Their hands roamed each other’s backs and shoulders wildly as they struggled to get closer to each other. The need to breathe forced their mouths apart but Harry was unwilling to part with the warmth and softness of her body or the taste of her so he directed his attentions to her beautiful throat. As he pressed his lips to the column of her throat Harry inhaled deeply allowing the trademark scent of citrus and vanilla that perpetually enveloped Hermione to fill his nostrils. He opened his mouth and flicked his tongue across the delicate skin of her throat…Merlin she tasted even better than he had imagined. Harry slowly kissed his way up Hermione’s neck to her jaw and then to her ear licking, sucking and nibbling…his hands had shifted back down her spine and underneath her shirt and he was caressing her flat stomach just below her breasts eliciting the most delicious moans and whimpers from Hermione as he went. Harry felt his pulse quicken as the blood rushed to the lower regions of his body swelling him with arousal. He whispered breathlessly in her ear.

“Merlin Hermione, you’re driving me mad!”

It was then that reality came crashing in. Hermione’s eyes flew open as she realized what was happening. She was on the couch with Harry whose hands were underneath her shirt massaging the underside of her breasts. While he was presently kissing her neck moments before they had been locked in a heady mind blowing kiss. Quickly she tore herself away from Harry’s warm hands and unrelenting lips. She scrambled off the couch and dashed down the hall to her bedroom slamming the door behind her.

Harry simply sat where he was on the couch savoring the taste of Hermione that lingered on his lips.

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Harry sat crouched on the floor outside of Hermione’s bedroom door hidden beneath his invisibility cloak; he was waiting for Hermione to step outside her door so that they could talk. It had been a full two days since they had kissed on the couch of their tiny common room and ever since she had fled the room that evening Hermione had gone to great pains to avoid being anywhere near Harry. She was up and out of their shared dormitory before the sun rose and she never returned until well after Harry was in bed or occupied elsewhere. She’d rescheduled their patrols so that they no longer patrolled together; as a matter of fact she fixed it so they never patrolled during the same time of the day. If he had morning duty she took afternoons, if she took evenings she gave him nights and so on. She had even gone so far as to make sure that her mealtimes coincided with his Quidditch practices or his extra Dark Arts Defense classes. She had even stopped sitting at the same tables he sat at during classes.

Obviously their little interlude had her a spot frazzled. Harry hadn’t been to steady since the incident either. Immediately after it had happened he’d had to rush off to his room to relieve himself he’d been so aroused. It was that fact that stopped him from going to her later that night; he hadn’t wanted to go groping her again. He’d wanted to give her time to process what had happened between them and suss out how she felt about the whole thing. But when he’d tried to speak with her the next day he’d found that Hermione was gone. By lunchtime it was evident that she was avoiding him. Naturally Harry had tried everything he could think of to get Hermione to talk to him but all to no avail. And now people where starting to notice that something was up Ron and Ginny were asking questions and Pavrati and Lavender were giving him strange looks. Several times he’d considered just blasting her door open or tossing her over his shoulder and dragging her off but he was always stopped by the memory of the day she had hit him with that disarming spell. Hermione was a very powerful witch and Harry didn’t relish the idea of being on the receiving end of a hex from an angry Hermione when she was trying to hurt him.

Suddenly Harry heard the smooth turn and click of the lock on Hermione’s bedroom door. The door opened just wide enough for Crookshanks to push through. Harry froze fully expecting the squished face little monster to start yowling and alert his mistress to Harry’s presence but Crookshanks merely looked at him as if he were the most pathetic sight he’d ever seen before strutting off down the hall. Harry sat crouched on his haunches waiting for the door to close and relock itself but it never did. Knowing Hermione she had it charmed to open and close to allow the bloody cat to come and go as he pleased. If that were the case then the door would close as soon as Crookshanks came back. If he wanted to talk to Hermione then he was going to have to get inside before the cat did. At that moment Harry looked up and found that Crookshanks was back staring at him in askance, as if he was waiting for Harry to go inside. Harry looked between the door and the cat before standing to his feet and stepping forward through the door; he saw Crookshanks regarding him thoughtfully before the door swung shut. Harry heard the lock as it clicked back into place. Quietly Harry raised his wand and whispered “Accio wand” and Hermione’s wand flew from her nightstand to Harry’s outstretched hand…better safe than sorry. Harry divested himself of his invisibility cloak just as the bathroom door creaked open and Hermione strolled out dressed in a powder blue silk bathrobe that flitted around her thighs. The robe was undone revealing a matching set of see-through rose-colored bra and knickers that left very little to the imagination. Harry averted his eyes and cleared his throat.

Hermione froze as she processed the sound of someone clearing their throat; she looked up and saw Harry standing by her bedroom door. His eyes were fixed to a spot on the floor and she noticed he was twirling her wand between his long nimble fingers. Heat rose up and colored her cheeks a flaming red as Hermione cinched her robe tightly closed and ground out.

“What the bloody hell are you doing in here?!”

Harry replied.

“I wanted to talk to you…”

Hermione cut in.

“Couldn’t it have waited until I was dressed!”

Harry sighed.

“No it couldn’t have waited…its waited far too long as it is.”

He lifted his eyes to Hermione then; she had her back to him rifling through her dresser drawers. She pulled out a pair of jeans and stepped into them. As it was Saturday they had no classes so students were free to wear whatever they chose. Hermione picked out a white hooded jumper and Harry again averted his eyes as he started speaking again.

“Hermione…about the other night…”

Hermione turned around and stared at Harry. He was talking about the kiss they had shared on the couch two nights ago. She had been trying to put that kiss out of her mind for the past two days and here he was attempting to discuss it rationally. Hermione bit down on her bottom lip as her senses were assailed by the memory of that moment. She could recall every detail of the moment, his Quidditch roughened hands grazing over her skin, the scent of the evening air that clung to him, the soft warmth of his lips and tongue and the all consuming desire that he’d set burning inside her. Hermione shook her head to clear it and sighed heavily as she drove the memory of that night from her mind. She forced her attentions back to the words Harry was saying.

“I didn’t mean to upset you…you’re my best friend other than Ron…and I’d never want to jeopardize that…”

Harry was worried about ruining their friendship, Hermione inserted herself into the one-sided conversation.

“Harry you needn’t worry about our friendship…everything is fine…I’m not upset with you…as for that kiss it was nothing…we’ll just chalk it up to stress and over active hormones…”

Hermione paused and forced herself to walk across the room. She took Harry’s hand in her own and continued.

“It’s natural to get a bit carried away with a close friend…it was bound to happen between us sooner or later. We’ll just pretend it never happened like Ron and I did.”

Harry’s head snapped up, eyes wide in shock and asked.

“You kissed Ron?!”

Hermione nodded. Her kiss with Ron had been nothing at all like what she had shared with Harry. It hadn’t amounted to anything more than a rather dry pressing together of the lips…she hadn’t had to run off and assuage her own desires afterward as she had with Harry. But considering the fact that Harry seemed mortified at what had gone on between them she felt it best to keep both experiences on equal footing.

“Yes I’ve kissed Ron. It was last year after my breakup with Viktor. We got caught up in a moment.”

“Ron never mentioned it.”

“He was quite embarrassed about it after…worried he’d ruined the friendship…”

Hermione paused and eyed him pointedly as she said that part.

“We talked about it and decided that it wasn’t a big deal. We never mentioned it because at the time people were still hung up on us as a couple so we thought it best not to say anything.”

Harry nodded and responded with a simple “Oh”. Hermione squeezed his hand and said.

“The point I’m trying to make is that I know that the kiss meant nothing and I’m not angry or upset and you shouldn’t be either.”

Harry nodded again. The kiss meant nothing to her; he’d been wrong about everything horribly, horribly wrong. Hermione let go of Harry’s hand and swung her schoolbag onto her shoulder.

“Are you okay now…I hate to run but I’m meeting Susan, Hannah and Padma to study Arithmancy and I wanted to grab a bite before breakfast ends.”

“Oh…yeah…sure…I’m fine…glad we cleared things up.”

Hermione smiled and wrapped Harry in a warm hug. They squeezed each other tightly before stepping away from each other both smiling more brightly than usual. Harry stepped out of Hermione’s bedroom door and waited as she too exited the room then handed Hermione her wand. Hermione took the wand and dropped in into her bag as Harry said.

“I’ll see you later then.”

Hermione nodded and then set off down the hall. Harry was just stepping into his own bedroom when Hermione turned back to him and said.

“Oh and Harry , I don’t know what Cho was on about back in fifth year but it definitely wasn’t your being a bad kisser.”

That said Hermione winked at Harry and disappeared through the portrait hole.

Author's Note

I was going to hold off on loading this chapter. But you guys…my faithful readers have made me feel quite bad for keeping you in suspense. I can honestly say that I have never in my time of doing this been moved to upload a chapter before I was ready to.

But you have all been so devoted and so encouraging to me that I feel it would be wrong of me to keep this from you any longer. So I'm giving in to the pressure and I hope its what you want.

I don't know what's happening to me…you lot have me considering sequels I otherwise hadn't intended to write and loading chapters just to make you happy…Man is this fun!!!

Can't wait to see your reviews for this chapter!!

Happy Reading….Searcy :D

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Chapter 7: Pretending

Something was amiss with Harry and Hermione and Lavender wanted to know what it was. Their little plan to get the two reluctant lovers together had been moving along quite nicely over the past two weeks despite its slow beginning. Hermione had taken to wearing her curly mane of golden brown curls loose and free flowing and Harry had stopped hiding his gorgeous green eyes behind those dreadful black-framed glasses he usually wore and taken to using his contacts on a regular basis. On more than one occasion the pair had been seen openly staring longingly at each other and had even gone so far as to kiss on the lips instead of the forehead or cheek. And then disaster had struck! Ron had accidentally interrupted a moment between the two several days before that he was certain would have been a full-blown snog had it not of been for his untimely arrival.

Following that incident the two had avoided each other as if the other had a touch of the 1852 Medieval Andorran Negratic Plague; they had dodged and evaded each other like Quidditch players getting out of the way of a bludger. That had lasted for two days then things had gone back to the way they were before…and that was the troubling part. Harry and Hermione had resumed their pattern of behavior from before the devising of the plan to get them together and the administering of the Scintillatus Solution.

Hermione had gone back to spending every spare waking moment with Harry doing homework and patrols, helping and defending him when necessary and tutting at every witch who looked at him with the least amount of interest or had the gall to actually speak to him. Harry had also reverted back to form; holding her hand and interlacing their fingers when they walked through the hallways at night on patrols, whispering in her ear when he needed to have a word with her, giving her spur-of-the-moment massages when they studied and threatening every boy who so much as sighed in her direction. Even though the group had stuck to their plan and mixed up the third more potent batch of the potion and were liberally doling it out to the pair nothing was happening. In fact they seemed to be regressing instead of progressing; a detail that had Lavender thoroughly confounded. A frustrated sigh erupted from Lavender's throat as she buried her face in the crook of her arm and banged her fist on the table rattling her goblet of juice.

“Lavender is everything alright?”

Lavender jerked upright in her seat and found she was staring into the eyes of one of the reasons for her confusion and frustration. Hermione lowered herself into a seat at the Gryffindor table across from the one Lavender had taken. A concerned expression covered her face. Lavender's brain ticked frantically for a reason for her outburst but none came readily to mind. Then inspiration struck, and she remembered the last time she had been at a crossroads over what to do about Hermione and Harry…hadn't Hermione shown up then and provided her with the answers she needed. Was it possible that Hermione could help sort her out now as well? Lavender held back a smile as her mind clicked furiously as she developed the perfect ruse to get the information she needed.

“Lavender?”

Hermione called her former roommate's name a second time as she helped herself to some porridge. Lavender gave a half-hearted forlorn smile and replied as Hermione ladled treacle over her porridge.

“Hi Hermione.”

Hermione cocked her head to the side to observe her friend and asked again.

“Is everything alright?”

Lavender nodded weakly.

Hermione was not convinced.

“Are you sure…you seem a bit down.”

Lavender answered back.

“I'm alright just a lot on my mind at the moment.”

Hermione laid down her spoon and replied

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Lavender shook her head.

“I don't want to be a bother.”

Hermione pursed her lips together in a fashion reminiscent of Professor McGonagall and answered back.

“Don't be silly, needing help does not a bother make. We're friends and friends help one another. Now then what's wrong?”

Lavender gave Hermione a grateful smile and said.

“Well…its kind of hard to explain.”

Hermione offered a suggestion.

“Can you give me an example?”

Lavender nodded.

“Take you and Harry for example…you two've known each other for seven years now and you're really good friends right…”

Lavender paused as Hermione inclined her head in agreement then continued.

“What if you went to bed one night mates with Harry like always then got up the next morning came down to breakfast took a sip of your morning juice and suddenly saw your good ole pal Harry in a whole new light?”

Hermione blinked as she stared at Lavender in absolute wonder before clearing her throat and asking.

“Lavender is this your way of trying to tell me that you fancy Harry and want my help.”

Lavender shook her head vehemently.

“No I…no…me and Harry…no…no…no…no…no…I…I just fancied an opinion on this subject from a girl whose two best mates are blokes. I thought you may have some insight the rest of us are lacking. I would never dream of asking you to help me pursue Harry…not that I ever would pursue Harry!”

Hermione smiled; her relief evident. Lavender took notice of Hermione's momentary flare of jealously but said nothing. Hermione reached across the table and patted Lavender's hand reassuringly.

“I didn't mean to make it sound like something was wrong with you fancying Harry…its perfectly fine if you do or if you don't. I'm just sick of being the go between for Harry and his endless myriad of fan girls!”

Lavender nodded again. Hermione went on.

“So then you have a friend who has become a little more than just a friend eh?”

Lavender thanked the gods that she was able to blush on command. Had she not possessed that particular ability she doubted that she would have looked half as convincing as she did when she lowered her lashes and muttered a bashful.

“Yes.”

Hermione smiled then resumed her inquiry.

“And you want to know how to go about telling him how you feel?”

Lavender nodded.

Hermione chewed her lip thoughtfully then asked.

“You mentioned Harry is your bloke's behavior similar?”

Lavender said the first thing that came out of her mouth.

“Somewhat…he's shy about matters to do with the opposite sex like Harry is…but he's a bit more goofy and fun loving than Harry.”

Goofy, fun loving, and completely clueless about girls, Hermione chuckled as she looked at Lavender and said.

“Lav I think the best way to handle this would be to tell Ron straight out that you fancy him.”

Lavender's eyes bugged out of her head as she processed what Hermione had just said. Hermione thought she fancied Ron. Not to say that there was anything wrong with Ron he was a quite attractive bloke with his impressively broad shoulders and barrel chest, his handsomely chiseled features and his well-muscled body. All of that along with his quick wit, bawdy sense of humor and his lively, sparkling blue eyes had made Ron a much sought after companion by a large preponderance of the female inhabitants of Hogwarts. And though Lavender appreciated the fine specimen of a wizard that he was and whole-heartedly agreed that he was one of the most shaggable blokes in the school she had never seriously entertained any thoughts of herself with him as a couple. Still if this was how she got what she needed so be it. Taking a deep breath she whispered.

“How did you know?”

Hermione smiled.

“Well the first clue was that you asked my advice about boys…no one ever asks me about boys if it's not to do with Harry and/or Ron. Second there was your description…goofy, fun loving, and completely clueless about girls…who else do we know that fits that sort perfectly other than Ron. But the biggest hint was the way you two have been acting lately…all the studying you've been doing together, the intense conversations in the corner of the common room with your heads pressed together made it fairly obvious that something was going on with you two. Although that little stunt you pulled in Hogsmeade a few weeks back was a bit of a giveaway…”

Lavender cut in a confused look etched on her countenance and asked.

“What stunt?”

Hermione pinned her with a wily stare and replied.

“Asking Ron to try on dress robes for your brother's birthday gift…”

Hermione paused as Lavender nodded in agreement and gave her a look as if to say what is wrong with that, then went on.

“Lav I was your roommate for six years I know your brother is as muggle as your parents are, he has no use for robes other than the bath variety!”

Lavender emitted an embarrassed giggle as she responded.

“Should have known you'd have caught that one.”

Hermione shrugged.

“Well I'm a bit more observant than most people…and Ron has to be hit over the head with a stone tablet that has what you wanted him to know carved into it…otherwise he'll never catch on.”

Lavender stared at Hermione and said.

“So you think I should just tell him?”

Hermione nodded.

“It's the only way with Ron.”

“But isn't he going out with that sixth year Hufflepuff, Heidi Pittman?”

“Snogging in a broom closet doesn't count as dating.”

“Oh.”

Hermione heard the distress in the single syllable that Lavender had uttered and attempted to clear up the impression she'd just given Lavender of her best friend.

“Not to say that Ron is some type of unabashed cad…his status as such a fine keeper and his role as Harry's best mate and sidekick in all his adventures draws girls to him in droves and sometimes he gets caught up with the wrong sort. Personally I think he'd do well to find himself a more permanent relationship.”

Lavender sighed and nodded then asked.

“If it were you Hermione what would you do…like I asked you earlier…what if you woke up one morning and suddenly saw Harry as the wizard of your dreams? What if he occupied all your thoughts…even your dreams? What if every time you looked at him you got lost in his eyes and could think of nothing besides snogging him senseless…what would you do?”

Hermione swallowed perceptibly and averted her eyes. Lavender had done an amazing job of describing exactly how she'd been feeling about Harry the past few weeks, if Hermione hadn't known any better she'd have sworn that Lavender knew what was going on. Shaking her head Hermione took a steadying breath and shakily replied.

“Well Lav…I…I think it would be a little different if it were Harry and I considering that we are such close friends…but that is neither here nor there as that is something I'll never have to worry about…Harry doesn't see me that way at all. I'm sure he'd be mortified to no end if he ever had so much as lain an inappropriate hand to me.”

Hermione dropped her gaze down and retrieving her spoon began aimlessly stirring her porridge. Lavender noticed that Hermione had said “Harry doesn't see me that way at all” and “he'd be mortified to no end if he ever had so much as lain an inappropriate hand to me”. Something had happened between them but what? And what had Harry done that led Hermione to believe he wasn't interested in her? Lavender needed to speak to Ron as soon as possible. She needed him to find out what had gone on with his two best friends. Lavender and Hermione were both roused from their private reveries by the sound of Harry's voice.

“Morning Hermione, morning Lavender.”

Harry plunked down in the seat next to Hermione and began filling his plate with thick slices of grilled liver sausage, bacon, black pudding, eggs, tomatoes and sausages, fried potatoes and toast as Hermione and Lavender greeted him with rather dry hellos. Harry looked up at the pair of them and asked.

“Have I interrupted something?”

Hermione shook her head slowly from side to side in answer to his query. Harry nodded and turning his attention back to his breakfast he doused his potatoes with ketchup and dove into his food with gusto. Lavender spotted Hermione discreetly watching Harry out of the corner of her eye when she thought he wasn't looking. She also noticed Harry eyeing Hermione when her focus returned to her bowl of porridge. Lavender couldn't fathom what the pair of them thought they were hiding. Deciding to take a chance Lavender spoke.

“Hermione you never finished answering my question…if you were to wake up suddenly and find yourself in my shoes what would you do?”

Hermione raised her head slowly and taking a deep breath whispered.

“I have no idea.”

Lavender nodded and took a sip from her goblet of juice. Harry meanwhile had lain down his cutlery and was staring between the two girls he was about to ask what was going on when Hermione reached out and touched his cheek.

“Harry you have ketchup on your face.”

Lavender looked on in shock as Hermione took her middle finger and wiped the dollop of ketchup from the corner of Harry's mouth; as her ketchup covered finger drifted from its extreme propinquity to his face Harry leaned forward and slowly sucked Hermione's finger into his mouth. Hermione looked as if she was about to pass out when Harry opened his mouth and said.

“Ummm salty and sweet…someone put treacle on their porridge.”

Hermione nodded and returned to her now cold porridge her hands quivering ever so slightly. Lavender was none to steady herself! That little act of Harry's had her near the point of swooning as it was positively oozing unresolved sexual tension! Dear Merlin if it had that sort of effect on her and she was just an idle bystander with no amorous feelings toward Harry imagine what it must be doing to poor Hermione. Lavender stood to her feet and saying two quick goodbyes bolted out of the Great Hall. Harry looked at Hermione and asked.

“What was that all about?”

Hermione followed his gaze and watched Lavender scurry out the door, turning back she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

“I have no idea.”

Harry posed another question.

“What was Lav talking about when she asked you what you would do if you woke up one morning and found yourself in her shoes?”

Hermione sipped her tea daintily and said.

“Oh she was just asking my opinion on what to do about this bloke she's interested in.”

Harry picked up his knife and fork and began cutting his liver sausage as he said.

“I guess Ron hasn't made a move then.”

Hermione set her cup down and asked.

“Why would Ron make a move on Lavender?”

Harry held up his left hand as a signal for Hermione to wait until he'd swallowed then said.

“Ron and I were talking one night a few weeks back and the subject of girls came up…Ron made a comment about Lavender that got me thinking maybe he fancied her.”

Hermione smiled.

“Well if he does fancy Lavender that will certainly make things easier for her considering he's the bloke she has her eye on!”

Harry turned to Hermione and they both burst into amused laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“YOU DID WHAT!!!!”

Lavender flinched and an unsuspecting first year yelped and ran back up the stairs as Ron's voice boomed about the Gryffindor common room.

“I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TOLD HERMIONE THAT YOU FANCIED ME…”

Lavender interjected.

“I didn't say I fancied you…Hermione assumed it was you and I elected not to correct her as it got her a bit chatty about herself and Harry…and would you please stop screaming or do you want the whole school to know what we're up to!”

Ron flumped down on the couch and hissed.

“I don't believe this.”

Lavender sat down beside him and patted his leg reassuringly.

“I know this wasn't part of the original plan but this little bit of subterfuge got Hermione to open up a little and I'm certain that Harry and Hermione finally got around to finishing that kiss you interrupted.”

“Did Hermione tell you that?”

“Not in so many words but something happened and whatever it was it gave Hermione the impression that Harry isn't interested in her that way.”

Ron looked at Lavender incredulously.

“What could've given her that idea?”

Lavender shrugged.

“I don't know but whatever happened there's still enough heat between those two to melt the polar ice caps!”

Ron raised an eyebrow and asked.

“What'd you mean?”

Lavender relayed how Hermione had used her finger instead of one of the thousands of napkins lying on the table to wipe the spot of ketchup off the corner of Harry's mouth and how Harry had then sucked her finger into his mouth. After hearing Harry's salty and sweet comment Ron slumped back against the couch slack-jawed. Seeing his stunned state Lavender went on.

“That's why I think this pretending to be a couple could work to our advantage…it would give us more inside information about what's happening with those two…”

This time Ron cut in.

“How?”

Lavender sighed and replied.

“People are always more forthcoming when they are sharing their wisdom and expertise…we'll make Harry and Hermione our relationship coaches and use that to push them closer together so they admit how they really feel.”

Ron sighed.

“You really think this will work?”

Lavender replied by asking a question.

“Have I led you wrong so far?”

Ron nodded and sighed again as he said.

“Alright what do we have to do?”

Lavender smiled brightly took Ron's hand and asked.

“Ronald Weasley would you like to be my boyfriend?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione trooped into the Gryffindor common room and quickly made her way up the stairs that led to the dormitory stairs and headed straight for the portrait of the majestic Gryffindor lion. She was about to say the password when she heard a voice behind her screeching her name. Hermione knew without looking that the squealing voice belonged to her former roommate Lavender Brown. Sighing Hermione turned around and watched as Lavender pelted down the hallway towards her. As she came to a stop in front of Hermione, Lavender immediately launched into a very one-sided conversation.

“Oh Hermione…I'm so glad you're here…actually I've been listening for you to get in…I've decided you were right…I should tell Ron I fancy him!”

Lavender paused. It took a few seconds for Hermione to realize she was waiting for her to respond.

“That's great Lav good luck…not that you'll need it. I'm sure Ron will be more than happy to go out with you…the pair of you can tell me all about it later.”

Lavender smiled.

“Oh that's so sweet of you to say…but you won't have to hear about it second hand as you'll be there!”

Hermione stared at Lavender slightly mystified.

“And exactly how is it that I am to be present for this event?”

Lavender grinned sheepishly.

“Well right now Ron is down at Quidditch practice and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to tell him…but I don't want to go down there and look like one of his fan girls which I definitely would as I haven't got any other reason to go down there other than to look at sweaty Quidditch players! And then I thought of you…since you are the best friend of the captain, co-captain and the star chaser of the team no one would find it strange you being down on the pitch! And if I happened to be with you then no one would say I was one of those awful wannabe Quidditch bints!”

“Lav I don't believe anyone would dare categorize you as a wannabe Quidditch bint for showing up at one team practice.”

“They may not say it out loud but they would definitely think it.”

“Honestly Lavender I really just wanted to put my things away and grab a bite to eat before I get started on my Arithmancy and Ancient Runes homework.”

“Hermione please!! It'll only take a few minutes…I'm sure practice is almost over and dinner will be going on for another hour…you'll have plenty of time to eat before you get started on your work!”

Hermione heaved a sigh and fifteen minutes later found herself strolling onto the Quidditch pitch with Lavender. Predictably a section of the lowest rows of seats were filled with twittering girls from various houses gushing about the males flying overhead; although Hermione suspected that most of the attention was directed towards Harry who was putting himself through his paces by dogging the snitch around the stadium but purposely not catching it in order to give himself time to work on his moves. Ron was vigorously defending the goal posts against an assault by the Gryffindor chasers Ginny, Janice Arnold, and Leslie Mangrove. In addition to attempting to get the quaffle past Ron the three chasers were also trying to deftly avoid the bludgers being furiously whacked at them by beaters Christopher Askew and Jason Cartwright. Being that her three closest friends and her former boyfriend were all avid Quidditch buffs and players Hermione had picked up a lot of understanding of the sport since her entry into the wizarding world and she had to admit that the Gryffindor squad looked superb. Not since the days of Oliver Wood had she seen a team this good. She made a mental note to tell Harry that he should be very proud of the team he'd put together.

Suddenly Hermione was jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of Lavender gasping noisily. Hermione focused her attention in the direction Lavender was pointing just in time to see a blur on a broomstick barreling towards her. Before she had the time to react Hermione found herself sideways astride Harry's broomstick zooming through the evening air while Harry looped the pitch fist raised triumphantly in the air grinning like an idiot. Christopher and Jason whooped loudly while Ginny lead Janice and Leslie in a round of applause, Ron was alternately yelling, “Way to go Harry” at the top of his voice and giving off very loud catcalls and whistles and Lavender could be heard below squealing with delight as she too applauded and congratulated Harry on his wonderful flying. Though they applauded as well the section of wannabe Quidditch bints looked decidedly dejected especially Serena Chambers who was standing with her arms folded across her chest tapping her foot with an angry scowl contorting her otherwise lovely countenance. Hermione suppressed the urge to smile and instead leveled a stern gaze at Harry and asked.

“Why on earth did you do that?”

Harry merely grinned as he replied.

“Well as seeker it's my job to catch the snitch…and as the snitch just so happened to be circling your dainty little waist at the time I considered it was mocking me and daring me to catch it…so I accepted the challenge and caught it.”

Hermione maintained her affronted stare and said.

“Well you could've bloody warned me!”

Harry straightened momentarily and replied

“But love that would've scared off the snitch…”

He paused to look directly into her eyes then continued saying

“Besides you have to admit it was an excellent bit of flying. You know, I could add you to the team roster as an alternate and we could try this move out in our next match. Or you could just stand there on the sidelines and when the snitch rings your tiny little waist I'll make my move!”

Hermione shook her head.

“No thanks I'd much rather cheer you and the rest of this lot on from the stands thank you.”

Harry grinned impishly.

“Awww…c'mon it'd be great fun…we could use an alternate at the chaser spot…the snitch seems to like you…and I'd love having my best girl on the team.”

Hermione flushed slightly at his last words.

“No this was a one time only performance. Now if you please I'd appreciate it if you put me back on terra firma.”

Harry smiled and nodded as he simultaneously pointed his broom towards the ground and signaled to his teammates that practice was over. Harry halted his broomstick a couple of feet off the ground and gripping Hermione tightly to his sweat soaked chest agilely jumped to the ground. Harry released his hold on Hermione and there was an awkward pause as they stood looking at each other uncertainly, unsure what to say and what to do with their hands as their hearts thumped wildly in their chests. Hermione broke the silence.

“The lot of you looked really good up there. You should be quite proud of the side you've assembled…you're in for an outstanding season.”

Harry beamed.

“You really think so?”

Hermione nodded. Just then the team landed and amassed themselves around Harry and Hermione. Harry looked away from Hermione and gave his complete attention to his squad.

“Excellent practice…all of you looked really good out there…so good in fact that I'm giving you Friday off…”

Harry's teammates looked at him in shocked astonishment; he quickly added.

“Don't get beside yourselves next week we're back on schedule…now get out of here!”

Not needing to be told twice the team raced off to the changing rooms. Christopher Askew and Jason Cartwright paused long enough to whisper excitedly to Hermione.

“Whatever it is you're doing to him keep it up!”

“Yeah…don't let up on him one little bit!”

Hermione flushed as they scurried off. Harry noticed the pink tinge in her cheeks and scowling asked.

“What was that about?”

Sensing his ire rising Hermione waved a hand dismissively and replied.

“Nothing…just complimenting me on my side-saddle riding skills.”

Harry replied with a rather snappish “Oh”. He then linked his fingers with Hermione's as they too headed towards the changing rooms and asked.

“What brings you down to the pitch anyway?”

Hermione chewed her lip as she thought of a suitable explaination.

“Oh Lavender and I fancied a walk before dinner and when we saw that you lot were still practicing we thought we'd stop and have a look.”

Harry nodded. By now they had reached the spot where Lavender was standing talking to Ron and Ginny. Harry and Lavender exchanged hellos. Ginny pointed to the change rooms and said.

“I'm heading in for a quick shower…if I hurry I can catch the last half of dinner.”

Harry chimed in.

“Good idea…”

He turned to Lavender and Hermione and said.

“Why don't you two wait on the girls side while we get ready?”

Lavender smiled and said.

“Corking idea Harry…you lot go get cleaned up and Herms and I will sit here until you're done!”

Fifteen minutes later Harry emerged from the boy's side of the changing room freshly scrubbed, hair still damp from its shampooing, Quidditch bag slung over his shoulder. He frowned when he saw Hermione sitting alone.

“Where are Ron, Ginny and Lavender?”

“Gone.”

Harry's frown deepened.

“I thought we were all heading to dinner together.”

Hermione shrugged.

“Yes well Ginny was in a rush something about meeting some bloke or another after dinner to study…and as Lavender wanted a private word with Ron they headed off as soon as he came out of the showers.”

Harry grunted in an annoyed fashion.

“So they all just scattered and left you here to tell me they were leaving?”

Hermione waggled her head from side to side and answered.

“That about sums it up…yes.”

Harry looked down at his watch and saw that judging by the time they had roughly five minutes to make it to the castle and it'd take that long to get there provided they walked. And while he had his Firebolt, and flying would reduce their time considerably, they would still be reduced to consuming the scraps their fellow schoolmates had left behind. Suddenly he was struck with an idea. He dropped his bag and mounted his broom; he then turned to Hermione and said.

“I'll be right back.”

It was Hermione's turn to frown.

“You'll be right back, where are you going?”

Harry lifted off the ground and replied.

“It's a surprise…just wait here until I get back. Don't move!!”

He flew off into the night before Hermione had a chance to respond. Hermione sat there for ten minutes wondering what was going on before Harry returned grinning from ear to ear. For the second time that evening Hermione found herself careening through the air as she sat side-saddle on Harry's broom. They landed on the banks of the lake where a sumptuous picnic supper of lamb chops with raspberry sauce, roast chicken, runner beans, potatoes and carrots with parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, steak and kidney pie, treacle pudding and pumpkin pie, butterbeer and a large vacuum flask of hot chocolate was spread out on a tartan blanket. Hermione looked at Harry and uttered her question.

“What is all this?”

Harry shrugged.

“Well seeing as how I'm the reason you missed dinner in the first place I figured I at least owed you something better than the scraps and crumbs left by our fellow Gryffindors. So I zipped down to the kitchens and got Dobby to fix your favorites.”

Hermione walked over to Harry and said.

“As I recall steak and kidney pie and pumpkin pie are two of your favorites.”

Harry grinned sheepishly.

“Well I couldn't let my best girl eat alone could I?”

Hermione turned her head as she felt the heat rising in her cheeks.

“We'd better tuck in before it gets cold.”

Harry nodded in agreement as he sat down and fixed himself a plate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Hermione arrived at breakfast to the sight of Ron and Lavender sitting side-by-side giggling and making eyes at one another. As they took up seats across from the new couple they heard Seamus and Dean's confused banter. Dean was looking at Ron and saying.

“But I don't get it! When did you two start to fancy each other, let alone start this dating thing?”

Seamus cut in.

“Yes Ron, when did you start to fancy Lavender? As I recall you always thought she was too much of a big girl's blouse for you!!”

Lavender clutched her chest and gasped as Ron eyed Seamus with a look that clearly stated he was presently of a mind to knock Seamus on his arse for repeating his past thoughts on Lavender to Lavender. Somehow Ron mastered his baser impulse and replied smoothly.

“I really don't see how my thirteen year old opinions have anything to do with the present moment…as I was obviously a dunderheaded lad who didn't know a good thing when he saw one.”

Lavender smiled brightly and kissed Ron on the cheek. Harry took one look at the dumb expression on Ron's face and snorted into his pumpkin juice. Ron and Lavender turned to look at Harry as though they wanted to throttle him Hermione promptly interjected and said.

“I take it Ron was agreeable to your proposition then Lavender.”

Lavender looked away from Harry to Hermione and answered.

“Very agreeable. I waited for you but you never showed up at dinner. What happened?”

Ron nodded to Harry as he chimed in.

“Yeah mate we thought you were coming up after you changed?”

Harry responded amid a mouthful of toast.

“Well after you lot ran off and left us it was too late to catch dinner so I got Dobby to whip up a little something and we had a bite down by the lake.”

Lavender looked up and said.

“You two had a bite down by the lake last nigh!”

Harry and Hermione nodded as they simultaneously sipped their Scintillatus Solution laden juice. Lavender eyed them both sharply as she said.

“Exactly how did you eat by the lake?”

Harry replied cheekily.

“With cutlery and our mouths.”

Seamus, Dean, and Ron howled with laughter at Harry's cheek as Lavender drummed her nails on the table in utter annoyance.

“Ha Ha…very funny Potter…right old comic you are…”

Lavender paused and directed her query to Hermione.

“Herms would you please tell me how did it come to pass that you and laughing boy ended up having a moonlight supper by the lake…when I was the one who landed a boyfriend last night…you aren't holding out on me are you?”

Hermione gulped down the rest of her pumpkin juice and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin as she opened her mouth to speak she was cut off by Harry who was apparently in a playful mood and was greatly enjoying taking the piss out of Lavender and Ron.

“Its simple Lav you picked Ron and that's what you get with Ron, leftover table scraps. Hermione on the other hand had the good sense to pick the one of us with some chivalry and courtliness about him and so she gets moonlit dinners by the lake.”

Seamus and Dean guffawed with laughter and Harry grinned cheekily as he bit into his oozing bacon and egg bap. When Ron caught on to what Harry was implying he grabbed a roll and tossing it at his friend bellowed.

“HANG ON, THAT'S NOT FUNNY!!!”

Hermione knocked Harry's shoulder as she said.

“Stop giving them a hard time Harry!”

She paused then and directed her words to Lavender.

“No one is keeping anything from you Lavender. We just missed dinner and Harry felt a tad guilty about it so he got Dobby to whip us up a little something that's all. There's nothing going on between us I assure you.”

Lavender nodded as the warning bell sounded alerting the students that classes were due to begin in the next ten minutes. The six Gryffindors finished their breakfast and set off for their first classes of the day. Dean and Seamus waved goodbye as they headed off for Divination. Lavender had Divination as well; Ron told Harry and Hermione he'd catch up to them later as he was walking Lavender up to the North Tower. The trio had long since given up the subject of Divination, Hermione in their third year and Harry and Ron in their fifth after failing their Divination O.W.L.S. abysmally, instead of a regular class the three had a morning study period. Harry and Hermione nodded and told Ron they'd meet him in the study rooms off the library where they were going to work on their Care of Magical Creatures essays. The pair had been walking along quietly for about two minutes when Harry suddenly spoke.

“Why are you so adamant about there being nothing between us other than friendship?”

Hermione stopped and looking at Harry queerly asked.

“What in the devil are you talking about?”

Harry responded.

“Back there at breakfast when Lavender implied that we were carrying on you said…there's nothing going on between us I assure you!! Why did you say that?!”

Hermione frowned slightly and responded in a somewhat confused voice.

“Because there isn't anything going on between us.”

Harry glared at her incredulously.

“Oh I see, you kiss every bloke you know with that kind of enthusiasm!!”

Hermione flushed crimson as she replied hotly.

“Harry Potter what are you insinuating?!”

Harry rejoined with a terse.

“I'm not insinuating a damn thing!”

Hermione fired back with.

“It sure as hell sounds like you are!”

Harry grunted in frustration. He stopped in front of the nearest empty classroom and pushed the door open. Grabbing Hermione by the arm he hustled her inside. Turning back towards the door Harry placed both a locking and silencing charm on the room. He then directed himself back to Hermione and stalked towards her. Within seconds he'd backed Hermione into the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom and captured her mouth with his own.

Harry crushed his mouth against Hermione's, kissing her with all his pent-up passion and longing, pillaging her mouth with his lips and tongue. He grabbed her head in his hands, his mouth bruising hers in his rush to claim her. It seemed as if he couldn't kiss her hard enough, he wanted her to know just how much he had been wanting to do this during the last few weeks. Hermione moaned as Harry continued to kiss her over and over, murmuring incoherently. She wrapped her arms around him pressing her body wantonly against his returning his kisses heatedly. She felt the hardness of his manhood pressing between her legs as she enthuastically returned his kisses. She wanted him to understand that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her!

Harry deepened the kiss as Hermione's hands roamed across his back and shoulders pulling him closer to her. Breaking apart for air Harry pressed his mouth against Hermione's neck tracing its contours with his tongue while his hands tugged her robes open. Pushing her tie aside he deftly undid the topmost buttons of the thin white blouse Hermione was wearing and slipping his hand into her white lace see-through bra he cupped her firm warm breast in his hands, Harry bowed his head and lavished her nipples with his tongue. Hermione moaned appreciatively at the combination of the attention Harry was paying her and his obvious arousal, which was pressing, incessantly against her where Harry stood between her parted thighs. Harry whispered to her passionately as his right hand wandered down her supple, yielding form and dipped into her knickers and ran his fingers between the dampness of her folds.

“God, Hermione…I want you so badly…I can't stand this pretending anymore…that kiss wasn't just nothing to me…I want to be with you…I need to be with you…you're driving me bloody mad!!”

Hermione bit back an ardent moan as she felt her own arousal assailing her under Harry's wonderful ministrations. Nodding eagerly she reached out for Harry and pulled his body back to hers as she crushed her lips to his, putting every ounce of her soul into the kiss she bestowed upon his lips. Harry enthusiastically returned her kiss as he pushed her skirt up her legs and caressed her smooth thighs. Hermione tore her mouth away from Harry's to catch her breath and placing her hands against his rock hard chest she pushed Harry away from his present task of making her heart pound and her knees weak. Harry stumbled backward and frowned down at Hermione and said through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse with passion.

“Hermione…what's wrong?”

Hermione sweetly as she stepped closer to him and pushing her full luscious lips against Harry's whispered through the soft kiss she placed there.

“Not here.”

That said she waved her wand and righted both their tousled clothes. She then twined her fingers with his, opened the door and headed in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

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Chapter 8: The Sneak In The Stacks

It took Harry and Hermione nearly ten minutes to make it back to Gryffindor tower despite their brisk pace; they kept stopping at intervals to kiss and touch each other. Several times they had to duck out of sight of a passing teacher or student ambling through the hallways. By the time they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and stumbled into the main Gryffindor common room they were nearing the point of exploding so strong was the need coursing through them. Walking briskly, hands clasped together, fingers entwined they had just made it to the stairs leading to the dormitories when they heard Ginny's voice.

“Harry…Hermione…where are you off to?”

Harry and Hermione whirled around to stare at Ginny. Harry smiled lopsidedly and ran a hand through his hair. Hermione squeezed his hand as she spoke.

“Hi Gin…bit of a late start for you isn't it?”

Ginny nodded.

“Yeah I am running a bit behind. I was just on my way to Herbology.”

Harry chimed in.

“Oh…well…don't let us keep you!”

Ginny narrowed her gaze as she said.

“I thought you two'd be studying in the library with Ron as per usual.”

Hermione nodded and answered.

“That's where we're supposed to be but Ron had to walk Lav to Divination and Harry forgot his Transfiguration text and my notes, so we came back to get those before we meet him at the library.”

Ginny nodded again but she was still eyeing Harry and Hermione rather suspiciously as she said.

“I'm off to class then. Guess I'll see you two later.”

Harry and Hermione said goodbye in sunny cheerful voices and waved to Ginny as she exited through the portrait hole. Gripping her hand in his Harry tore up the boy's side of the dormitory stairs and raced down the hall dragging a rather breathless Hermione along in his wake, they turned the corner and before them loomed the stately portrait of the Gryffindor lion that led to their secluded dormitory. Upon reaching the portrait of the Gryffindor lion Harry barked the password “Sugar Quill” and grabbing Hermione about the waist hauled her inside. As an afterthought he stuck his head back out the portrait hole and instructed the lion that the new password was to be “Cinnamon Licorice Wand”. Hermione was about to ask Harry what had possessed him to do such a thing but she never got the chance as she found herself pressed up against the portrait hole, staring up into Harry's gorgeous green eyes. As she gazed into their emerald depths Hermione saw a look of pure unadulterated desire that quicken her heartbeat and left an unmistakable dampness between her thighs.

Harry shrugged out of his robes and tossed them over his shoulder. Turning back to Hermione he reached up and ran his right hand through her hair; releasing it from the ponytail she'd pulled it into that morning. With his left arm he pulled her body flush against his own. Hermione's arms snaked their way up his chest and her fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck as Harry lowered his head. Hermione felt rather than heard him mutter the word beautiful as his warm breath skimmed across her neck. She tilted her head to give him better access. Harry lightly pressed his lips to the throbbing pulse at the base of Hermione's neck and heard her moan his name. A faint smile flickered across his face as he began to trail kisses along her neck. Hermione allowed her hands to trail down Harry's back and slid them up underneath his shirt. She gently raked her nails up the cord of his spine eliciting a hot-blooded moan from low in Harry's throat. Raising his head from his nuzzling of her throat Harry skillfully moved his hands to the front of Hermione's robes and quickly unbuttoned and tossed them aside. Harry quickly removed Hermione's tie, jumper and bra until he stood gazing at her perfect breasts. His gaze lingered for a moment before he lowered his head and captured one of her erect nipples in his mouth as his hand covered the other. Hermione arched her back giving Harry better access to her aching breasts. After several minutes of torturous pleasure Harry raised his head and once again claimed Hermione's mouth with his own.

Hermione was so consumed with the ministrations of Harry's mouth that she hadn't taken notice of her surroundings thus she was very surprised when she felt her back being pressed into the mattress of Harry's bed. She gasped slightly as Harry lowered his head and began kissing her neck as his hands began to glide across her body softly caressing her skin. Hermione moaned and drew his mouth back to hers and their lips met in a fiercely passionate kiss. Hermione's hands raked across Harry's broad chest and shoulders their tongues tangled together passionately exploring and tasting each other fully. As the kiss neared the point of no return Harry paused just long enough to remove all his remaining articles of clothing save his boxers he then turned his attentions back to Hermione kissing her with possibly more eagerness than before. Hermione responded by peppering his exposed chest with kisses and wrapping her wondrously long and shapely legs around his waist drawing him closer to her. Harry groaned he wanted her so badly he was certain he'd go mad if he weren't inside her soon. Harry quickly relieved Hermione of the burden of her skirt and her extremely tiny white see-through lace knickers. Harry stared down at Hermione, her body bared to his roving eyes, and as he took in the elegant curves of her shoulders, the narrow waist and the sexily curving hips that led down to those supple shapely legs that had been such a distraction to him of late; Harry expelled a throaty sigh and whispered.

“Merlin you are so beautiful.”

Hermione blushed as Harry leaned back down and covered her bare chest with his own as he kissed her exposed throat passionately and ran his hands up her legs, caressing her with his expert, nimble fingers. Hermione whimpered as Harry's attentions brought her closer and closer to falling over the edge. She half moaned half whispered the words.

“Ha…Harry please…I…I…I need you now!”

Without any further discussion Harry stripped off his boxers and thrust his throbbing member into Hermione's warm welcoming heat. He was motionless for a moment enjoying the feel of her around him and then as if overcome by lust and desire he began to move sliding in and out of her with deliberate steady strokes. The rhythmic undulations of their bodies caused Hermione to tighten her hold on Harry as she gave herself over to the passion coursing through her body, urging his body closer to her own, moaning his name and kissing every inch of him she could reach. Harry focused every ounce of his being on showing the woman before him how much he wanted her. He kissed every inch of her his mouth could reach, his hands caressed her, adoring her as best he could.

As their ecstasy neared its peak Hermione's breathing came in quick shuddering gasps, the room began to spin and a million pinpoints of light seemed to explode in her head. She moaned and pleaded with him to go faster, deeper and harder. Harry complied with her wishes as best he could, increasing his pace as he thrust deep inside the heaven that was Hermione. He felt her arms and legs fold about him and tighten, Merlin he loved how she clung to him, loved how good being with her this way felt. Hermione's body writhed in the most deliciously excruciating pain as she finally gave in to the passion coursing through her body and let herself go. She cried out Harry's name in pure pleasure. The sound of her moaning his name pushed Harry over the edge and quivering in unbelievable ecstasy his own voice leapt to a cry as he joined her in release. The room was suddenly filled with moans and shouts both masculine and feminine as their passions overtook them.

After they drifted back down to earth they lay there panting for some time before Harry lovingly gathered Hermione's spent and trembling body in his arms and kissed her temple tenderly. Hermione smiled and turned around to face him. She snuggled against his chest and wrapped her arms around her best friend of seven years. She wanted to say something at that moment, tell him how she was feeling but words failed her. Instead she contented herself with the feel of his body next to hers. Harry reached down and pulled the scarlet duvet that was hanging off the side of his bed up and over their naked sweaty bodies. Neither of them spoke a word as they lay cradled in each other's arms and drifted off into the most pleasant sleep either of them had had in ages.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She stretched her body languorously and sighed contentedly when she felt a pair of warm soft lips pressing a light and soothing kiss to her bare shoulder. Hermione allowed herself a moment to take in the full measure of the moment; she was lying naked in Harry's bed, his bare broad chest and leanly muscled frame was firmly pressed against her back and his arms were wrapped about her; one around her waist the other underneath her torso, gently stroking her bare arm. They had just spent the better part of their morning break making mad passionate love to one another. Hermione smiled as she felt Harry's lips plant still more soft kisses across her shoulders and up the back of her neck. She settled more closely against him and heard him utter a contented sigh. Harry's low sexy baritone was just a shade above a husky whisper as he leaned down to her ear and said.

“You're awake…I thought you were drifting back off to sleep.”

Hermione sighed again as she snuggled closer to Harry and replied in a rather throaty whisper of her own.

“Yes. I'm awake…it's a bit hard to sleep with you kissing me like that.”

“Sorry.”

“Its really quite alright actually.”

Hermione turned over in Harry's arms and stared up into the emerald green sea of his eyes. Harry was propped up on one elbow; his perpetually ruffled hair stood about his head at odd angles presumably from the countless times that she'd run her fingers through it, a besotted grin was etched across his face as he encircled her slender frame with his free arm. Hermione rested her head against his chest and they lapsed into silence. After several moments of silence Hermione spoke.

“I never figured you for one to cuddle.”

Harry lightly stroked her back with his fingertips and answered.

“Usually I'm not…must be the company.”

His words settled in the pit of Hermione's stomach and she felt a fluttering there that had nothing to do with desire. Rearing back she looked up at Harry and asked the question that she had been avoiding since she had opened her eyes.

“Harry what did we just do?”

Her question was greeted with silence as Harry sorted out what she was really asking him and posed a question of his own.

“Do you regret it?”

Hermione answered without pause.

“NO…I wanted it…I…I wanted you…so much…I still do.”

Harry looked at her then, shock evident in his voice as he said.

“You wanted me?”

Hermione frowned.

“Yes of course I wanted you. You think I would do this with just anyone?”

Harry shook his head.

“No I don't think that…could never think that of you…but you…you said that like this…”

He gestured to their naked bodies.

“Like this is something more than just some bizarre one time occurrence…like there is something more than just sex going on here.”

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and bit her lip nervously before answering.

“I suppose it sounded that way because there is something deeper going on…at least I think there is. You and I have been dancing around it for ages now and I've hoped for some sort of amicable resolution for all of this sexual tension between us but this…this is so unexpected…oh god I'm so confused!”

Hermione averted her eyes and attempted to turn her head away from Harry's piercing gaze but his hands, which had moved from their previous positions, were cupping her face and prevented her from doing so, he leaned in and gently kissed her lips as he responded.

“I know you're confused so am I but I can't deny what I've been feeling. And what I'm feeling at this moment is that I'd rather be more than just your mate!”

Hermione pulled back and looked askance at him.

“You would?”

Harry nodded.

“You've been driving me crazy for weeks now…you're all I've been thinking about…”

Hermione cut in.

“That's why you kissed me that night.”

Harry nodded.

“I'd planned to talk to you about what I was feeling but you looked so worn out and then you started making all those sexy noises and I just couldn't help myself. I kissed you. Then afterward you ran away and I didn't know what you were thinking and I didn't want to push you into something you didn't want. I just didn't know how to tell if you wanted to kiss me or if you just responded on reflex…then when I finally got up the nerve to talk to you about it you said it was nothing and I thought you didn't feel what I felt.”

Hermione shook her head.

“Harry I lied! I'd been thinking of you too and when you came to talk to me that morning I thought you were upset about having kissed me so I pretended that the kiss was no big deal so you wouldn't feel awkward about it.”

She paused and stared up at Harry in wonder before continuing.

“All this time I've been dreaming of you like this and you've been thinking of me as well. How could we have been so bloody stupid?”

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he kissed her lips lightly and replied.

“I take it that this means you've no objections to our exploring the depth of this situation and seeing where it goes.”

Hermione smiled and asked.

“I thought your Hero's Handbook strictly forbid any such entanglements.”

Harry grinned.

“Nothing in that Handbook is remotely important to me at the moment.”

Hermione replied.

“Oh I see…well what about all your fan girls…won't they be terribly disappointed if you start saving all those gorgeous smiles of yours just for me?”

Harry answered back.

“Don't care what they think. You think my smile is gorgeous eh?”

Hermione's tone turned suddenly serious as she asked.

“Wait, what do we tell Ron and Ginny and all our other friends who think that something's been going on between us?”

Harry smiled cheekily and answered.

“That they were right.”

Hermione pursed her lips and gave him a stern look. Sensing that she was indeed serious he replied.

“We don't have to tell them anything if you don't want to. We'll just act like we always do.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow and glanced at Harry appraisingly. Harry saw the expression on her face and thought she was without question the sexiest witch on the planet. When she spoke there was a clear-cut invitation in her voice.

“Exactly how am I supposed to conduct myself like normal now that I have seen…and er…felt…the Splendid Harry Potter in all his majestic glory!?”

Harry smiled naughtily as he lowered his head and kissed Hermione slowly and passionately nibbling and licking her bottom lip before gliding his tongue into the sweetness of her waiting mouth and encircling her tongue with his. By the time they parted they were both breathing heavily and their eyes were darkened by passion and desire. Harry groaned as he pulled away from Hermione and lay on his back.

“I suppose we'd better stop seeing as how we've got History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons soon.”

Hermione rolled over on top of Harry and began to kiss him gently as her delicate hands caressed his biceps and abdomen and whispered.

“I think we can stand to miss at least one lesson.”

Harry's wicked grin broadened as he captured Hermione's mouth in an electrifyingly mind-blowing kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron stared around the Great Hall with a confused expression. He headed over to the Gryffindor table and dropped down in a seat that was next to Lavender and directly across from Ginny and Pavrati. Ron stared at all three girls in turn and asked.

“Have any of you seen Harry or Hermione?”

Lavender and Pavrati answered in unison.

“No.”

Ginny however answered in the affirmative.

“Yeah I saw them.”

Ron stared at her with wide eyes and asked.

“When?”

Ginny spooned a mouthful of stew into her mouth and chewed it a frown marring her face as she answered.

“This morning. I was on my way to Herbology and they were going up to the heads dorm to get their books and notes for Transfiguration…they said once they got their things they were going to meet you in the library.”

Ron raised his eyebrows.

“Really well I haven't seen them since breakfast. And why would they need Transfiguration notes when we don't have that till after lunch. Neither of them were in History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts today…and no one I've talked to has seen hide nor hair of them. I wonder where they could have gotten to…you don't reckon something happened to `em do you…”

Pavrati interrupted Ron's rambling thread of speech and answered his last question.

“What could possibly happen to them in the school Ron? They probably just skived off. Merlin knows I could've done with missing out on Binns and his monotonous droning for two hours of my life!”

Ron shook his head.

“Harry might skive off Binns' class but if that was it he would've told me and we'd have done it together…it's just not in Hermione's nature to miss any class no matter how boring it is…she actually enjoys lessons that one. No it definitely wasn't just skiving off…neither one of them would miss Defense no matter what. I'm telling you something is up!”

Ginny interjected her thoughts.

“Maybe they had some Head Boy and Girl duties to take care of.”

Ron scratched his chin thoughtfully.

“That could be it…but if it was something that had lasted through two double lessons don't you think we prefects would have heard about it by now?”

Ginny shrugged and replied.

“Beat's me.”

Ron banged his fist on the table and said.

“Something's up and I bloody well am going to find out what it is!”

That said Ron jumped to his feet and started for the door. Lavender called after him.

“Ron where are you going?”

Ron stopped and turned back just long enough to answer Lavender's query.

“I'm going up to Gryffindor Tower to the heads dormitory to find those two and see what the bloody hell is going on!”

Ron turned back around and clomped out of the Great Hall. Ginny, Lavender and Pavrati looked at each other for a second before jumping up from the table and hurrying after Ron.

Just as Ron, Ginny, Lavender and Pavrati were about to give the Fat Lady the password the portrait hole swung open to reveal Neville, Dean and Seamus. Ron immediately began interrogating them.

“Have any of you seen Harry and Hermione?”

Ron's three dorm mates sung out a chorus of “No”. Ron frowned and made for the staircase that lead to the dormitories. Lavender, Pavrati and Ginny were dead on his heels. Seamus, Dean and Neville exchanged confused glances. Dean called after the foursome.

“Hang on…why are you lot looking for Harry and Hermione?”

Pavrati replied without looking back.

“Seems the pair of them have gone missing…no one's seen them since breakfast…Ron reckons something is up.”

Neville, Dean, and Seamus stared at each other again momentarily before following the other four up the staircase and down the hall to the portrait of the Gryffindor lion. Ron cleared his throat loudly and said the password.

“Sugar Quill.”

Nothing happened. He tried again.

“Sugar Quill!”

Still nothing. Ron frowned as Ginny realized what must have come about and said.

“The password's been changed!!”

Ron pounded his fist on the wall by the portrait and commenced to saying the name of every sweet he, Hermione and Harry had ever consumed.

“Chocolate Frog…”

“Peppermint Toad…”

“Fizzing Whizzbee…”

“Acid Pops…”

“Ice Mice…”

“Cockroach Cluster…”

“Lemon Drop…”

“Drooble's Best Blowing Gum…”

“Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans…”

“Licorice Wand…”

“Canary Cream…”

“Ton-Tongue Toffee…”

Seamus cut in.

“Give it a rest mate!”

Neville supplied what he hoped was a helpful suggestion.

“Maybe it's not a sweet this time.”

Ron considered this while Pavrati stated matter of factly.

“Who knows what it is…it could be anything…and we could stand here all day and never figure it out…we don't even know that they're in there…”

She glanced at her watch and noting the time said.

“I don't see much point in waiting here considering that we have no idea where they are. I say we go back and finish our lunch and wait for them there…they've got to eat haven't they…”

Ron opened his mouth to speak but Pavrati waved him off and continued speaking.

“And even if they don't come to lunch we've got Transfiguration and Potions after and they wouldn't dare miss McGonagall's and Snape's classes would they?”

Lavender nodded as she patted Ron's arm and said.

“Pavrati's right we should head back down they're bound to turn up soon.”

Ron allowed himself to be steered away from the portrait and mumbled.

“All right but when they do turn up I'm getting to the bottom of this!!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Hermione did not turn up at lunch and Ron was on the verge of panicking again when they weren't in the queue outside the Transfiguration classroom waiting for McGonagall to open the door. Ron, Lavender, Pavrati, Neville, Seamus and Dean trooped into the classroom and took their usual seats one row from the back. Ron drummed his fingertips on the desk as he watched the door. The final bell rang and McGonagall closed the door and called the class to order. Ron turned to Lavender who was sitting beside him in Harry's usual seat and hissed.

“Now I'm worried!”

But before she could fashion a response the door swung open and Harry and Hermione skidded to a halt next to McGonagall's desk. McGonagall raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips together as the pair breathlessly apologized for their tardiness. McGonagall waved off their acts of contrition and handed Hermione the essays from last week and told her to pass them out, she then directed Harry to pass out the supplementary advanced Transfiguration texts. Ron tried to get Hermione's and Harry's attention but they seemed to be avoiding looking him in the eye. Once they finished the tasks McGonagall set them they dropped into a desk in a corner at the back of the room completely circumventing the empty desk next to the one in which Ron and Lavender were seated.

As soon as the double Transfiguration period ended Ron quickly piled his belongings into his bag and headed for the back corner where Hermione and Harry had spent the class sitting. Harry was saying something in Hermione's ear and she was giggling. Ron frowned. It was a very rare occurrence for Hermione to ever do something as girly as giggle. As he drew closer to the desk the duo occupied he also noticed that Harry's hand was riding very low on Hermione's hip and she was leaning into him with her open palms splayed across his chest and there was scarcely an inch of space between their bodies. Ron couldn't ever remember seeing them so overtly touchy-feely, but at the moment that was the least of his concerns.

“Where the bloody hell have you two been?!”

Harry looked up at the same time that Hermione swiveled around and rested her back against Harry's chest. Harry gazed up at Ron and replied with a strangely innocent expression on his face as he uttered.

“Ummm…what's that Ron?”

Ron was about to say more but McGonagall's voice rang out.

“Granger…Potter…Weasley…a word if you please.”

Ron stepped aside as Harry and Hermione stood up and directed their attention to McGonagall's approaching figure. When she was directly in front of them she continued.

“Seems we have a situation that requires immediate attention. Peeves has apparently let loose three swarms of Billywigs in the third floor corridor. Considering the penchant the three of you have for these type situations I expect you'll find this right up your alley…hurry now wands out and mind you don't get stung…you'll be of little use to me hovering about the ceiling along with the rest of your schoolmates.”

McGonagall stood aside and chivvied the threesome out the door ahead of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry, Ron and Hermione staggered into the Gryffindor common room and slumped down onto the nearest couch exhausted. They had spent the early part of the evening fighting Peeves' swarm of Billywigs. Once they'd captured the lot of them they had to run around the castle rounding up the unlucky students who'd been stung by the Billywigs and were hovering and levitating all over the castle and get them to the hospital wing for treatment. After they had accomplished that task Peeves, who was apparently in a more mischievous mood than normal, had set off a case of Weasley's Wildfire Whizbangs that needed to be corralled. And though Harry, Ron and Hermione had extensive knowledge of this particular brand of fireworks being that they had watched Fred and George create a great deal of it, suppressing the creations of the irrepressible Weasley twins proved to be even more daunting than any of them had expected. Certain spells caused duplication in one instance and mutations in others. Several times Harry and Hermione had had to extinguish Ron's robes after they had burst into flames. After a good two hours they managed to subdue the fireworks. But that was not the end of Peeves' malicious fun.

Once the fireworks were in hand the annoying prig of a poltergeist had gone down to the kitchens and terrorized the house elves by destroying their carefully ordered kitchen and throwing food everywhere. They trio rushed into the kitchens and found themselves ambushed by an inundation of flying cakes, pies, pots of stew and jug upon jug of pumpkin juice. Hermione had become so frustrated by then that she used a freezing spell to halt the assault then she cleverly employed an entrapment spell to imprison Peeves in a stockpot. With the potted Peeves safely in the care of Professor McGonagall and the Bloody Baron and unable to cause anymore mischief the trio helped the house elves repair the kitchens and gulped down a quick dinner the elves had gratefully prepared before it was off to perform their regular nightly patrol duties.

Ron cast a weary glance over at Harry and Hermione. Harry had laid his head back on the couch and closed his eyes while Hermione was sitting with her head in her hands massaging her temples. Though they were not touching Ron again noticed how closely the two were sitting to each other. Ron recalled their strange behavior in Transfiguration and asked.

“Where were you two earlier today? You missed History of Magic and Defense…and that's not counting our morning break and lunch!”

Harry replied to Ron's question with a question.

“What are you on about Ron?”

Ron replied in a tetchy voice.

“I'm asking where you two got off to this morning! After breakfast nobody saw hide nor hair of you until Transfiguration. We came looking for you at your dorm but we couldn't get in seems the password's been changed…now then I'd like an answer to my question…where were you?”

Hermione heaved a tired sigh and said.

“I got called into a meeting with Professor Vector about some options I may want to consider after graduation and Harry had an unexpected Dark Arts Defense training session.”

Ron turned to Harry who had yet to move a muscle and said.

“You never mentioned anything about a Dark Arts Defense training session set for this morning.”

Harry replied without ever opening his eyes.

“Well I couldn't very well tell you about something I had no idea was happening until it happened now could I.”

Ron scratched his head as he attempted to sort out what Harry had just said. Hermione rose to her feet and said.

“I'm exhausted…I'm going up to bed.”

Harry stretched and said.

“Hang on…I'm heading that way myself.”

Just as Harry got to his feet Lavender came bounding down the stairs in a pink silk camisole top and matching pink silk pajama bottoms. She walked over to the trio and after surveying their bedraggled appearances she said.

“You three look an awful mess!”

Harry stifled a yawn and watched as Lavender turned to Ron and kissed him sweetly on the lips then answered Lavender's pronouncement with.

“And you two look like you want to be alone…good night.”

Hermione mumbled her good nights to Ron and Lavender and ambled up the stairs with Harry…her head on his shoulder his arm about her waist. As Lavender settled down beside Ron and asked what he'd found out it occurred to him that neither Harry nor Hermione had given him the new password to their private quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a full week since Harry and Hermione had first slept together and though they had somehow managed to keep their newfound activities a secret from their friends, the septet had definitely detected some changes in the behavior of the two.

“I'm telling you something is going on with those two.”

Ron shook his finger emphatically as he made this statement to the persons assembled in the Gryffindor study room.

Seamus chortled as he replied.

“Hasn't there always been something going with those two…that's why we cooked up this plan in the first place…remember!”

Pavrati rolled her eyes at Seamus and said.

“True though that may be I agree with Ron…they certainly look as though they're up to something. I saw them coming out of the Room of Requirement the other day and they had the most naughty expressions on their faces I've ever seen. I swear to you when they saw me they looked as though I'd caught them at something they shouldn't be doing!”

Ginny nodded in agreement.

“And they've taken to doing all their patrols together in places most widely used for illicit goings on like the Astronomy Tower and the empty dungeons in the Potions corridor.”

Ron eyed Ginny suspiciously as he asked.

“What do you know about illicit goings on in the Astronomy Tower and the dungeons?”

Dean mumbled under his breath.

“A lot more than you'd think.”

Ginny and Dean shared a wicked smile. Ron gaped at the pair of them bellowing.

“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL HAVE YOU TWO BEEN DOING IN THE ASTRONOMY TOWER!?”

Seamus cheekily added.

“And the dungeons don't forget the dungeons!”

Ron's face seemed to swell as it reddened. Seamus burst out laughing at the affronted look covering Ron's face. Lavender quickly inserted herself into the conversation.

“We're getting off topic here…we're supposed to be discussing Harry and Hermione…”

Ron glared at Dean and grunted.

“You stay the bloody hell away from my sister!”

Lavender patted his shoulder and said.

“Ron I need you to focus, you can kill Dean later but right now we need to figure out our next step with the potion.”

Pavrati spoke again.

“I keep telling the lot of you we don't need the potion anymore. Those two are shagging…probably as we speak!!”

Ron pulled a face and shook his head.

“That's a mental picture I'd rather not have thanks.”

Seamus cut in.

“I could do without the image of Harry of course but I think I'd rather like seeing Hermione in the altogether.”

Dean and Neville heartily nodded their agreement to that particular suggestion and Ron chimed in with.

“She is rather shapely at that isn't she…”

The rest of Ron's sentence was cut off as Lavender smacked him hard in the chest with her fist. Ron clutched the abused area and staring wide-eyed at Lavender asked.

“What'd you go and do that for?”

“Hermione's rather shapely…exactly when did you come to that little determination!?”

“Its just an observation.”

“And why are you observing Hermione's figure in the first place!?”

“Love I wasn't observing her figure I was making an observation about her figure.”

“What's the bleeding difference…in order to make the observation you had to observe her didn't you!?”

Neville scratched his head as he watched Lavender and Ron row: he then turned to the remaining four members of the group and said.

“But I thought those two were just pretending to fancy each other so that we could get stuff on Harry and Hermione.”

Seamus leaned close and said.

“So do they at the moment.”

Neville frowned and resumed scratching his head as Ginny spoke loudly to the room at large.

“Could you two leave off your lovers spat till later…not that we don't love these gritty details…its only we haven't sorted out what to do about Harry and Hermione yet!”

Lavender abruptly broke off what she'd been about to say to Ron and turned to look at her partners in crime and said.

“Considering that Harry and Hermione seem to have gotten so much closer I suggest we move ahead and administer the last, most potent batch of the potion and see if we can't get those two to openly admit their feelings for one another.”

Pavrati nodded.

“I suppose you're right. Using this last batch of the potion will push those two right into a public declaration!”

Ginny, Neville, Dean and Ron all chorused their agreement. Seamus banged his open palm on the table and said.

“Corking everybody's in agreement…dose `em with the super-charged love potion and watch them snog in the Great Hall…now that that's all sorted can we get some dinner…I'M STARVING!!”

Chuckling good-naturedly the seven friends rose from the table and trooped out the door towards the Great Hall and dinner. As they turned the corner and headed down the corridor Parker Wesley emerged from the row of books directly behind the table the seven Gryffindors had just been sitting at a smug smirk covering his handsome face.

-->

Chapter 9: The Room Of Requirement

Harry glanced over at Hermione; they were conducting their nightly patrols of the castle, checking to make sure every student was safely tucked into their dormitories and that nothing was amiss in any of the corridors or classrooms. As Hermione stopped to inspect a partially open broom cupboard Harry noticed that she was looking especially enchanting. Her hair was hanging loose about her shoulders, her cheeks held the faintest twinges of a rosy pink hue that haloed her face with a warm soft glow. Her deep chocolate brown eyes were sparkling beautifully in the lamp light and those full pouty lips of hers that he so adored carried a hint of shiny gloss that he was dying to know the flavor of. Distracted to no end by Hermione's closeness Harry ended the lackluster search he'd been doing of a classroom across the hall, and looked up and down the corridor. Seeing no one he walked over to where Hermione was now checking the neighboring classroom making sure no students were lurking about and that everything was secured Harry slipped his arms around her waist and began slowly kissing the back Hermione's neck. Hermione expelled a small whimper of pleasure before she wriggled out of Harry's arms. She shook a finger at him in a reproachful manner despite the small smile turning the corners of her beautiful mouth and said.

“Harry what in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing? You know we can't do that…not here! What if someone had seen us?”

Harry smiled devilishly and replied.

“If you expect me to keep my hands off you shouldn't walk around looking so bloody enticing!”

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and asked.

“And exactly what have I done that's so enticing?”

Harry stroked his chin thoughtfully and said.

“Let's see…walking…talking…breathing…pretty much anything you do entices me.”

Hermione threw her head back and laughed merrily. Harry cocked his head to the side and said.

“We can add laughing to that list.”

Hermione shook her head and said.

“You are completely incorrigible!”

Harry grinned again and replied.

“I try love…I try.”

Hermione shook her head again as she giggled. Harry watched her for a moment then quickly covered the distance she'd put between them and backed her against the wall. Placing his hands on the wall at either side of her waist he leaned close and whispered huskily.

“How about we call it a night, wrap this patrol up and adjourn to our dorm?”

Hermione licked her lips with the tip of her tongue and responded in an innocent mocking tone.

“Harry we've got two more corridors to check. We can't just leave off in the middle of our duties.”

Harry took a step closer and Hermione could feel the heat coming off his body as his warm breath fluttered against her ear.

“You're killing me you know that don't you.”

Hermione smiled coyly.

“I don't mean to.”

“Oh yes you do!”

Hermione chuckled wickedly as she said.

“All right maybe I do…but it's your own fault…you're so damned sexy when you pout!”

“Sexy am I? Well then tell me…is pouty Harry sexy enough to warrant a taste of those delicious lips of yours?”

Hermione let out an audible moan as Harry sculpted his mouth to hers and kissed her ardently. She looped her arms about his neck and opened her mouth in invitation to allow him greater access. Harry eagerly accepted the invitation and snaked his tongue into her mouth hungrily and deepened the kiss, pressing his body fully against hers making sure to feel every inch of her. Just as Hermione was about to haul Harry into the empty broom cupboard to their left Harry abruptly halted the kiss and leaned away from Hermione. She opened her mouth to protest and question his actions but Harry held up a hand to silence her. He then tapped his ear with his forefinger signaling for her to listen. Hermione complied and she heard the soft padding thud of footsteps. Harry stepped away from Hermione entirely and slowly drew his wand out of his pocket. Hermione raised her wand as well as they heard the footsteps draw closer. The moments between their hearing the approaching footsteps and the instant the would be intruder turned the corner seemed to last for ages when in reality it was only a few seconds. Just as the owner of the feet turned the corner Harry stepped out of the shadows and uttered the incantation “Lumos”.

Parker Wesley sauntered around the corner and was temporarily blinded by a blast of light from a wand. He threw up a hand to block the offending light as he sputtered.

“What the devil…who's there?”

Hermione caught the haughty note in the voice and recognized it immediately. She reached out, and grasping Harry's arm, lowered it as she asked.

“Parker what are you doing wandering about the corridors at this hour?”

Parker blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit hall and replied in that annoyingly pompous manner he possessed.

“Hermione is that you? Well isn't this my lucky night…I never would have imagined I'd be running into you. What has brought your lovely personage down from your ivory tower this evening?”

Harry growled menacingly. Parker turned and looked up at Harry in imitation surprise as if he'd just become aware of his presence.

“Potter…my…my…our resident hero in training! What brings you here…some covert mission or are you simply testing your tracking skills…wait…hang on…I haven't interrupted anything have I?”

There was the sound of wood hitting against metal as Harry tapped his wand against the Head Boy badge pinned against his robes and answered back in a deadly tone.

“See this badge here…this badge says I'm Head Boy and that means I don't have to answer your questions…”

Harry paused and leveled his wand at Parker's chest and continued.

“But this wand says you have to answer mine…so why don't you tell me what you're doing skulking about the corridors like some blooding skiving sneak past curfew!!”

Parker smiled the smile of someone posing for the front page of the Daily Prophet and replied smoothly.

“No need to get all testy. I simply fancied a quiet moment in the loo. I was headed back to the Ravenclaw common room but obviously I got turned around somehow…still learning my way around the place I'm sorry to say…”

Hermione who had been silent since first recognizing Parker broke her silence as she cut in and said.

“The staircase on the next corridor should get you back on familiar ground. In future you might want to make your trips to the loo a bit earlier as no students are allowed out of their common rooms after midnight.”

Parker inclined his blond head and flashed his picture perfect smile for the second time as he said.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

Parker paused and nodded politely to Harry before saying “Good night” and setting off back down the corridor in the direction he'd come from. Hermione tugged at Harry's hand and began pulling him in the opposite direction.

“Come on let's get back to the common room.”

Harry nodded and entwining his fingers with Hermione's set off for Gryffindor Tower all the while wondering why Parker had gone back the way he'd come if he'd been lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry and Hermione entered the Great Hall in the throes of an intense discussion. As they sat down at the Gryffindor table Hermione poured herself a cup of tea while Harry added bangers and waffles to his plate and said in a decidedly perturbed manner.

“I'm telling you that git Wesley is up to something.”

Hermione added milk and sugar to her cup of tea and replied with a sigh.

“Harry, you think he's up to something because you can't stand him.”

Harry retorted rather heatedly.

“I've got good reason not to like him…always sniffing around leering at you, saying inappropriate things and pawing you…”

Hermione cut in.

“No one has been pawing me…”

She added in an undertow.

“Unless we count what you were doing to me last night.”

Harry raised an eyebrow and replied in an affronted whisper.

“I didn't hear you complaining then.”

Hermione rolled her eyes.

“All I'm saying is that you are worrying over nothing…”

Harry interjected.

“Nothing…I'm worrying over nothing am I…well how do you explain the past three days then eh!! That smarmy little prat following us around all the time…turning up wherever we happen to be and looking at you like a starving man eyes a full course meal!”

Hermione heaved a frustrated sigh and answered with.

“Harry you know full well that Parker has been doing that since the start of term.”

“You said he'd backed off!”

“He stops for a while then starts right back again.”

Harry's eyes widened as he stared at Hermione.

“You lied to me!!”

Hermione frowned.

“What?!”

Harry repeated his earlier statement.

“You lied to me. I asked you if Parker had left you alone and you said yes.”

Hermione shook her head.

“I did not lie to you…when you asked me that Parker hadn't said a word to me in weeks.”

“But you knew he was likely to start up again!”

“How am I supposed to know what Parker is or is not going to do?”

“You just said he leaves off for a moment then starts up again…he's got a pattern…you never told me about any bloody pattern!!”

Harry pounded his fist on the table in his anger, rattling the dishes and cutlery. Hermione rubbed her eyes wearily and said.

“I'm done discussing this with you Harry…you're not being rational. I mean honestly we bump into Parker in a corridor during patrols and he says hello to me twice in your presence and you've got him trailing us and hatching foul plots against us. Personally I could care less about Parker Wesley and his strange behavior and I wish you would do the same!”

Harry glowered at Hermione as he replied.

“Right then…you don't want to talk about it…that's perfectly fine with me…just don't come crying to me when the git corners you in an empty classroom and tries to snog you! I won't mention the ruddy prat again!”

Having said that Harry resumed eating with a furious scowl on his face. Hermione gave an agitated humph and turned away from Harry and began spreading marmalade onto her buttered toast. Neither of them spoke another word until Lavender, Ron, Ginny and Neville joined them for breakfast.

“Morning you two!”

Lavender called brightly to Harry and Hermione as she and Ron sat down across the table from them, Neville and Ginny took up seats at their sides. Hermione mumbled a terse hello from beneath a furrowed brow while Harry merely grunted and scowled. The four newcomers exchanged bemused stares before Lavender asked.

“Everything alright?”

Hermione answered back evenly.

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

Ron answered.

“Oh nothing…just that usually when a person mumbles, frowns or grunts it's a sign that something's wrong.”

Ron's cheeky remark was met with silence as Hermione pushed her uneaten kippers and eggs around on her plate and Harry stared darkly into space. No more attempts at conversation were made until after Lavender slipped a measure of potion into Harry and Hermione's goblets of untouched juice when the morning post arrived. As soon as the owls cleared off Harry began guzzling his juice, Lavender looked to Hermione and asked.

“Herms are you sure everything is okay…you haven't touched your breakfast.”

Hermione nodded.

“I'm fine Lavender I'm just not very hungry this morning.”

Lavender wheedled.

“But you really should have a little something…breakfast is the most important meal of the day you know.”

Hermione shook her head.

“I'll be fine.”

Lavender tried again.

“Just a kipper or two?”

Hermione frowned.

“I'm really not hungry.”

Ginny chimed in.

“Not even a bit of toast?”

Hermione shook her head. Ginny tried again.

“But you've got to get something in your system…otherwise you'll make yourself sick…at least have some juice.”

Hermione sighed.

“Alright! If it'll stop the pair of you from nagging!”

Hermione picked up her goblet and drained it in three mouthfuls. She then picked up her schoolbag and stood to her feet.

“I'm off to Arithmancy…I'll see you all later.”

Harry watched as Hermione quickly walked out the door. Suddenly he too rose from his seat and snatched up his bag. He muttered a round of hasty goodbyes and headed for the door also. Ron called after him and asked.

“Oy mate, where you heading off to?!”

Harry replied saying that he had an errand to run and dashed out the doors of the Great Hall leaving the foursome smiling at his withdrawing back. He sprinted down the corridor and caught up to Hermione just as she was turning the corner. Grabbing her hand he tugged her into a deserted side corridor and stepped into a curtained alcove that led to the Charms corridor. Hermione was about to apologize for snapping at him earlier about Parker but before she had the chance Harry was kissing her madly. When they broke apart she had to lean against the wall to support herself as her legs seemed to have turned to jelly. Harry rested his forehead atop hers and whispered.

“I'm sorry.”

Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him close.

“I'm sorry too.”

Their lips met again and they resumed their heated kisses. The sound of the bell signaling that it was time for morning classes to begin drove them apart. Breathlessly Hermione said.

“I have to go…I can't miss class.”

Harry nodded blindly as he lowered his mouth to hers for a third time and kissed her. Hermione's fingers sank into the hair at the nape of Harry's neck as she forcefully returned his kiss. They savaged each other's mouths as their hands roamed wantonly over each other's bodies. The need to breathe finally forced them apart. Harry dropped his mouth to the smooth column of Hermione's throat and lavished her with kisses from her collarbone to the sensitive bit of flesh just beneath her ear. As she felt his hands disappear up her skirt Hermione regained control of her senses and stilled the frenetic movements of both she and Harry.

“Harry…sweetie…we can't not here…and definitely not now!”

Harry's voice was so low and husky when he spoke that it sent a thrill of desire down Hermione's spine.

“But I want you so bad! I can barely think straight!”

Hermione caressed his face and replied in a throaty murmur.

“I know sweetie…I want you too…but we can't just now…I can't miss any of my classes and neither can you.”

Harry nodded glumly.

“I know.”

Hermione kissed his cheek softly and said.

“Tell you what…I'll meet you in the Room of Requirement as soon as dinner starts…and we can pick things up then.”

Harry smiled.

“Six o'clock…Room of Requirement…it's a date!”

Hermione returned Harry's smile as he stepped away from her. They hastily righted their clothes. Once she found her appearance presentable Hermione stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across Harry's lips as she whispered.

“See you tonight.”

Harry nodded and replied.

“Yeah…tonight…see you then.”

Hermione hurried out of the corridor and up the hall. Harry waited a minute or two before he too emerged from behind the curtain and walked off towards the main hall. Neither one of them saw Parker Wesley lurking in the shadows behind a suit of armor.

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Serena entered her dorm and dropped her schoolbag and cloak onto the blue duvet trimmed in gold that covered her four-poster bed. She toed off her shoes and walked to the wardrobe that held her clothes; she'd just left Herbology and her jumper and skirt had gotten splattered with soil and dragon dung fertilizer thanks to that dolt Anthony Goldstein who'd knocked the pot of Draconic Bellabors she had just replanted into her lap. Thank goodness she had Herbology right before lunch other wise she wouldn't have had the time to wash up and change. As she collected her change of clothes and toiletries she noticed a brown owl perched on her desk with a scroll of parchment tied around its leg. Walking over she tugged the scroll off the bird's leg and it immediately took flight out the open window. Curious as to who would be sending her an owl at midday she quickly tore open the scroll.

Dear Serena,

Sorry we never got around to having that date…seems I got a bit busy and lost track of time. I'd really like to make it up to you. Meet me in the Room of Requirement tonight at six. I'd really like to see you…who knows we may even get in those Defensive spells that have been giving you trouble.

Can't wait to see you.

H.P.

Serena read the letter through three times to be sure she wasn't imaging it. All her hard work had finally paid off. And to think she'd nearly given up on account of his being so indifferent the last few weeks. Grinning happily she tucked the note away safely in her desk drawer and grabbed her shampoo and conditioner out of the wardrobe before she hurried off to wash her hair and take a long hot bath. As she strolled along to the loo Serena decided to skive off Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, she wanted to look her best. No tonight she had to look perfect, after all it wasn't everyday that a girl landed a date like this! Serena could hardly believe it! Tonight she was meeting Harry Potter and it wasn't to study some silly old spell. It was going to be a night that neither one of them was likely to forget…she'd make certain of that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day was proving to be longer and more difficult to get through than Harry could have imagined when he had gotten out of bed that morning. First he and Hermione had had an awful row over Parker Wesley's renewed attentions. Though he knew there was no need to be Harry was insanely jealous at the amount of attention the Ravenclaw showed Hermione. While Hermione insisted that she found him to be an egomaniacal dim-wit of a boy there was still the matter of his being handsome (in a useless pretty boy way), smart (he had been sorted into Ravenclaw hadn't he) and fantastically wealthy (upon first arriving at Hogwarts Parker had often been heard saying rather loudly that he came from two very old, very wealthy pureblood families and everyone knew his father was a Ministry Ambassador a very high paying job in itself). Logically he knew that none of those things mattered to Hermione…she didn't possess one superficial bone in that beautiful body of hers. But considering the fact that the pair of them had always claimed to be nothing more than friends and now they were shagging like bunnies every chance they got it was a bit obvious that people could change their minds about such things.

And there was also the incredibly critical matter of Parker not having some meglomaniacal Dark Lord waiting to murder him. Yet more than anything the fight between them had been because anytime any other boy so much as looked at Hermione Harry went into a murderous rage. He just could not stand the thought of her being with anyone other than him. In his past dealings with girls the prospect of them with someone else while not a pleasant thought was not one that incited violence in him. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why he was suddenly so possessive of Hermione. He hadn't acted this way when she'd dated Krum. He had been perfectly fine with that. Harry sighed. In all actuality he had not been fine with Hermione dating Viktor Krum. He'd hated every second of it but at the time he was aware of Ron's crush on Hermione and so he'd kept his own feelings to himself not wanting to ruin things with the two people closest to him.

Harry sighed. He was more confused than he had ever been in his life over a girl. One minute they were simply friends, the next minute they were shag buddies, the minute after that they were rowing like she and Ron usually did, a minute after that they were hold up in a deserted corridor going at each other like their lives depended on it. What in bloody hell was going on with him? He needed to get a grip on his emotions. Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Ron nudged him in the side as if to ask what was wrong, Harry shook his head slightly and redirected his attention to the dais in the Great Hall.

All the seventh years had been called into the Great Hall for a career intent meeting. They were all seated at their house tables listening to a string of speakers tell them about the various requirements and procedures for applying for various careers upon graduation. Ron stared at Harry's profile and wondered at what was preoccupying his best friend. Most likely it was the brown-eyed witch sitting to the right of him. It had been fairly obvious to anyone with eyes that Harry and Hermione had been in the midst of a row at breakfast. However the Scintillatus Solution seemed to have cleared that up right away. As soon as they drank it they were both out of the doors like a pair of bludgers being whacked by Fred and George. When Harry had turned up in the library twenty minutes later he looked a right mess, his hair was more of a mess than usual and his lips were red and swollen. He looked like he'd just had the hell snogged out of him. For the rest of the morning he'd been alternately fidgety and lost in his own thoughts.

Then the bell had sounded telling them it was time for Magical Theory and Harry and bolted out the door so fast that Ron had to run to catch up to him. Harry and Hermione had taken a seat near the back of the class; apparently Hermione had gotten their first and saved the spot for them. Ron took a seat with Lavender two rows ahead and though he couldn't see what they were doing he suspected something very naughty was happening underneath that desk. Once they broke for lunch Ron couldn't help having a bit of fun. He made a point of sitting between the two of them and talking non-stop to Harry about Quidditch. Lavender had really let into him about that one! Still it had been good fun to watch Harry attempt to act normally and chat like Ron's sitting there wasn't driving him nutters while Hermione seethed over the fact that he had spoiled their little under the table fun.

Ron glanced around the room and noticed Parker Wesley staring at Harry and Hermione with a strange look on his face. The git had a pleased look about him that was very much like the look Crookshanks wore when he was feeling particularly pleased with himself for having caught something foul like a spider. Ron leaned towards Harry and was about to point out Parker's strange behavior when he noticed Serena Chambers raptly staring at Harry with a visibly adoring look.

Hermione was very uncharacteristically not paying any attention to the witch standing before them discussing medical careers in the magical world. Not that she was particulary interested in a magical medical career but it was only polite to pay attention during a lecture. She imagined that the witch was wrapping up her presentation as she had been up speaking to them for quite sometime. Normally Hermione would have been listening diligently and taking notes but her mind was occupied with other thoughts at the moment. Truth be told only one thought consumed her these days. Actually it wasn't even a thought it was a person…it was Harry. Ever since they had ummm…discovered each other Hermione had been unable to think of little else other than Harry. Not that it bothered her to think of him, she always had, now her mental wanderings were more along the lines of what they'd actually done than what she'd like to do to him.

Harry scooted closer and pressed his thigh against hers. Hermione resisted the urge to smile and instead wrapped her leg around his underneath the table. Hmmm…perhaps she could slide her shoe off and run her stocking clad toes underneath his trouser leg…yes that seemed like an excellent way to pass the time. Hermione looked up to at least give the appearance that she was listening before she embarked on her planned torture of Harry, and as she did she glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Serena Chambers. She was staring at Harry. No doubt she was plotting some tawdry way of getting Harry alone so she could throw herself at him again. A small furrow creased Hermione's brow as she directed her gaze back to the wizard who had taken over presenting and was speaking to them about careers in Magizoology. Without consciously thinking what she was doing Hermione reached over and slipped her hand into Harry's and entwined their fingers as she simultaneously leaned back against Harry all thoughts of playing footsy with Harry beneath the table departed.

As Ron moved his gaze from Serena watching Harry, he still wanted to tell Harry about Parker, they fell upon Hermione who was gazing at Serena as well. She turned away and as she did she grabbed Harry's hand and slipped her fingers between his and leaned against him. Seeing what Hermione had done Ron nudged Lavender and showed her Harry and Hermione's joined hands and closer than usual seating arrangement. As the two shared a smile over the fact that Harry and Hermione were finally letting their inhibitions fall away Ron completely forgot about what he'd been about to tell Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seemed to Harry that it had taken much longer than usual for dinner to roll around. More than likely that was because he'd spent the whole day imagining the moment he'd be able to be with Hermione. His pace quickened as he made his way to the Room of Requirement. No doubt she'd requested this particular location because she had some deliciously wicked scene planned for him. By the time Harry reached the door to the Room of Requirement there was a noticeable bulge in the front of his trousers (thank heaven for robes) and his breathing was slightly erratic in anticipation of what was soon to come.

As he stepped into the Room of Requirement the sight that greeted him took him aback. Hermione was unquestionably in a playful mood. A great Victorian era four-poster bed was situated back against the wall, complete with gauzy lace hangings and mountains of fluffy white pillows. Candles blazed all about the room giving off a delicate scent of roses, and a fire burned low in the fireplace. Harry blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. He shrugged out of his robes and schoolbag as he strolled across the room to a settee and sat down. There on the table before him was a bottle of Elderflower wine and two glasses along with a bowl of strawberries dipped in chocolate. Harry sat down and popped one of the chocolate covered strawberries into his mouth and closed his eyes. He was just beginning to wonder where Hermione was when he felt a wonderfully warm female body straddle his lap rubbing against him wantonly. Harry smiled as he slipped his arms around her slim waist, he was about to ask Hermione where she'd been hiding when her mouth descended and closed upon his. As she slipped her tongue into his mouth Harry noticed something different about her kisses. There was a tentativeness and a clumsiness that hadn't been there before and she didn't taste the same as she usually did either. Harry gripped her hips and was in the process of pulling away from the kiss; he wanted to ask what was wrong, when the door to the Room of Requirement burst open. As the light from the hallway flooded the room Hermione's outraged voice reached Harry's ears.

“HARRY…WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!”

Harry started, how was it possible that he was hearing Hermione call his name from across the room if she was sitting on his lap kissing him just now? Slowly Harry's eyes opened and widened in shock as he took in the dark flowing curls and coal black eyes of Serena Chambers. He wretched his mouth away from hers and leaned back against the settee, staring dumbly back and forth between Serena's confused expression and Hermione's angry one. Serena looked over to Hermione and asked.

“What are you doing here?!”

Hermione looked about ready to start throwing hexes as she stalked across the room towards the settee that held Harry and Serena's compromised forms and spat out in a scathing tone.

“Funny you asking me what I'm doing here when you're the one whose sitting on my boyfriend's lap with your tongue down his bloody throat!!”

Serena's jaw flapped open and she stared at Hermione incredulously as she stuttered.

“B…b…b…boyfriend…”

She paused and stared back and forth between Harry and Hermione and said in an awe struck voice.

“Harry is your boyfriend!!”

Hermione leveled a furious glare at Serena but she didn't utter a single word. Harry had never heard Hermione use the word boyfriend in reference to him before and her use of it now brought him out of his stunned stupor and hastily he jumped to his feet, dumping Serena, who was still straddling his lap, unceremoniously to the floor. Harry turned pleadingly to Hermione and opened his mouth to speak.

“Hermione…hang on…this is all just a big misunderstanding…I…I…I thought she was you!!”

Hermione's tone was profoundly icy and deadly quiet when she spoke saying each word precisely.

“You…thought…she…was…me!”

Harry nodded he was about to speak but was cut off.

“WHAT?!”

Serena's voice cut through the air angrily. She'd gotten to her feet and was staring daggers at Harry.

“Harry Potter that's a lie and you know it…you knew perfectly well who I was…how could you not when you invited me here!!”

Harry looked at Serena as if she were mad and replied.

“I did no such thing!!”

Serena stalked over to the corner and retrieved a small scroll of parchment from her schoolbag she hurried back and shoved it under Harry's nose.

“If you didn't invite me here then what the bloody hell is this?!”

Harry snatched the parchment from Serena's hand and read the note a frown marring his face.

“Where did you get this?”

Serena sneered exultantly as she answered.

“From the brown owl you sent up to my room at lunch!!”

Harry shook his head.

“I don't own a brown owl, Hedwig's a snowy…”

Serena cut across his unfinished sentence.

“So what you could have borrowed one of the school owls!!”

Harry shook his head and said.

“I didn't do this…this isn't even my handwriting!”

Serena blinked as Harry turned to Hermione and handed her the note.

“You know full well I couldn't have done this…we were in Magical Theory right before lunch and we went down to the Great Hall together after…I was with you and Ron all through lunch and at that blasted assembly after that…I never left your sight…there's no way I could have done this! Plus you know my handwriting Hermione…and you can very well see that this isn't it. And considering the fact that we'd made plans this morning to meet here I'd have to be a real idiot to have made two dates with two different girls at the same time in the same place!!”

Hermione took the note Harry offered her and gazed at it intently…it wasn't Harry's writing. He hadn't planned a rendezvous with Serena but Hermione found little comfort in that considering that when she'd walked in Harry had been clinging to the overly made up trollop kissing her like there was no tomorrow. The note may have been a fabrication but that kiss certainly wasn't. Harry's voice intruded in on Hermione's itinerant thoughts.

“Hermione.”

At the sound of Harry calling her name Hermione shook herself, raised her gaze to stare at Serena and replied in a quiet voce.

“This is not Harry's handwriting.”

Serena looked at the pair of them in unreserved disbelief.

“I don't understand…who would…if Harry didn't send this…how could…why would anyone want to do such a thing to me?!”

Hermione rolled her eyes…honestly the daft twit thought the world revolved around her and her alone. Hermione opened her mouth to inform Serena that she doubted that this particular transgression was directed to her but she never got the chance as Serena's questions were answered by the condescending voice of Parker Wesley.

“Serena I wasn't after you…you were just the rather convenient means to an end.”

-->

Chapter 10: With Friends Like You

Harry, Hermione and Serena all turned around at once and stared at Parker's smiling face standing in the doorway they all spoke at once.

“You…I should've known!”

“Parker what are you doing here?”

“Parker, you sent the note.”

Parker walked fully into the room and shut the door behind him. That pompous smile he was wearing never faltered. As he came and stood at the back of the settee he answered Serena and Hermione's questions.

“Yes I sent the note. I knew you fancied Potter, and I correctly surmised that you'd jump at the chance to be alone with him…and seeing that I was going to need proof of my claims to Hermione I used you. As to why I'm here its to set the two of you straight.”

He pointed to Harry and Hermione. Harry bristled and ground out.

“Here to set us straight are you? I think you'll find that a bit hard to do once I've snapped your bleeding neck in half!!”

Parker grinned hugely as he held up a hand.

“You may want to save that violent energy until after you've heard what I have to say as I'm certain you'll want to channel it in…er…different directions.”

Harry narrowed his eyes and bellowed.

“LIKE I GIVE A RAT'S ARSE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!!!”

Parker shrugged.

“Perchance you don't care about what I have to say but I'm sure Hermione wants some answers as to why her boyfriend was so eagerly kissing the lovely Ms. Chambers just a few moments ago.”

“BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE WAS HERMIONE THANKS TO YOUR MEDDLING!!!”

Harry roared. Parker smiled indulgently as he clucked his tongue admonishingly and answered back.

“Shame on you Harry! How many girls do you go round kissing that you can't distinguish Hermione from the rest?”

Harry's face flamed with seething rage as he watched Parker's smirking face. He'd had enough of the prat's games and he told him so.

“I'M DONE LISTENING TO YOUR RUBBISH… YOU'RE AFTER HERMIONE…YOU JUST WANT TO CAUSE TROUBLE IS ALL!!!”

Parker shrugged again.

“I won't deny that I find Hermione very appealing…”

He paused as he gave Hermione an appraising look then continued.

“As do quite a few other wizards in this castle, yourself included…but unlike you my attraction to Ms. Granger is genuine…and not the sort produced from a potion.”

Harry frowned and was about to knock Parker somewhere into the middle of the next millennia when Hermione spoke.

“Parker just spit it out…whatever it is you have to say, say it and be done!”

Parker raised an eyebrow and inclined his head courteously.

“Very well then. I orchestrated this little encounter between Harry and Serena because I knew you'd never take my word without proof…”

Harry cut in.

“Of course no one would take the word of a self-serving little shite like you…what were you trying to prove, eh…how big a bastard you are!?!”

Hermione replied in a terse annoyed fashion.

“Harry you're not helping…”

She then turned back to Parker and in the same voice asked.

“Exactly what would I need proof of?”

Parker intoned sanctimoniously.

“That Potter's feelings for you aren't genuine…and neither are yours for him…all this time the two of you have been carrying on it's been a farce from the very beginning.”

Silence fell upon them and lasted a full minute. Harry looked at Parker in stunned disbelief. Hermione looked askance at him and queried.

“How do you know what's been going on between Harry and I and further to the point what makes you think you know anything about what either of us feels?”

“I've been following the pair of you for the last week…”

Harry yelled out “I KNEW IT” but Parker ignored him and continued on with his tale.

“I have seen you kissing during your late night patrols…ducking into empty classrooms groping one another…sneaking off to meet here…”

Hermione interposed.

“Why…what possible satisfaction could you gain from spying on Harry and I?”

Parker replied matter-of-factly.

“I needed to verify if the statements of your friends were true.”

Hermione frowned.

“The statements of our friends…what statements?”

Parker continued.

“The week prior to my beginning my watching of the two of you I was doing some work in the library. While there I heard your friends and housemates…Ron and Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown, Pavrati Patil, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom discussing what their next move should be in regards to the love potion that they'd been giving the two of you!”

Harry burst out laughing.

“What…a love potion…is that the best you can come up with Parker…a love potion…honestly!!”

Parker was non-pulsed by Harry's categorization of his declaration. He proceeded.

“I assure you that what I'm saying is true…they were sitting there…bold as brass laughing about getting the chance to see you two snogging in the Great Hall in front of everyone.”

Hermione shook her head.

“Really Parker this is low even for you.”

“I knew you wouldn't believe me…that's why I sent that note to Serena to prove to you that something was wrong with this whole thing. Surely Potter wouldn't kiss some other girl if he was in love with you?”

Hermione went rigid at those words. Harry could tell from the expression on her face that she was considering the validity of Parker's last statement. Quickly he spoke.

“Hermione I told you that I…”

Parker's voice drowned Harry's voice out.

“Think about it Hermione. How did all of this start…did you suddenly find him irresistible…did you look at him one day and just want to snog him senseless? Did you both start to feel this way around the same time? He hasn't been able to keep his hands off you has he and you've wondered why haven't you? Why just this morning you two were having a right nasty row weren't you…then right after breakfast you're holed up in an empty corridor nearly ripping each other's clothes off! You always seem to want him most after breakfast don't you!”

The last few weeks flashed through Hermione's mind as though they were on film set to play at top speed. She recalled the moment she'd looked at Harry and thought how handsome he was…it'd been at breakfast the morning of the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. Parker was right it had been extremely sudden that they'd developed this attraction to each other…and both she and Harry had admitted to wondering why things had changed so quickly. Hermione swallowed convulsively as her thoughts drifted to the events of that morning. She'd been livid with Harry and he had been furious with her as well, then they'd left the Great Hall and literally jumped each other's bones. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth as she whispered.

“Bloody hell!”

Harry who had been watching her intently said.

“Hermione you can't be taking this seriously…HE'S LYING!!”

Parker spoke again that smug smirk sneering at Harry as he said.

“No I'm not and Hermione knows it and deep down so do…”

Parker never finished his sentence because Harry had hurdled over the back of the settee and slammed his fist into Parker's mouth. Harry then tackled Parker to the floor pummeling him relentlessly. Harry was vaguely aware of a female voice screaming at him to stop but he didn't care the only thing he cared about was killing Parker…something he should have done ages ago. Harry tuned out all other sound he was only aware of the moans and grunts of pain his punches elicited from Parker. Suddenly Harry felt his body being thrown to the floor, he heard scrambling and Serena's face swam into view above him. She had her wand drawn, apparently she was responsible for halting his assault on Parker. Harry had forgotten Serena was even in the room he glanced around and saw Parker was crouched in a corner behind the open door, blood spurting from his nose and mouth, bruises beginning to show around his eyes and cheeks. Harry glanced about the room and realized that Hermione was no longer there. He clambered up from the floor and ran out the door without a backward glance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron was sitting on the couch in the Gryffindor common room idly watching Dean and Seamus playing a game of wizard's chest. Neville was sitting nearby pruning one of his charges from Professor Sprout. Ginny and Pavrati were talking and giggling about something that Ron was sure he'd rather not know the particulars of. Lavender was snuggled up next to him her head resting on his shoulder, reading the latest issue of Young Witch Weekly. Settling back against the couch Ron was about to ask Lavender what she was reading when the portrait hole burst open and Hermione strode through a murderous look on her face. She stared at them all in turn then shrieked.

“HOW LONG…HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT IT!!!!”

Several gasps and thuds could be heard around the room as the few Gryffindors not at dinner jerked about in surprise to see the cause of the commotion. Ron and Lavender sat up at the same time and Ron, running a hand through his flaming red hair responded.

“Pardon my asking but what are you talking about?”

Hermione narrowed her gaze and wailed.

“HOW LONG HAVE THE LOT OF YOU BEEN FEEDING HARRY AND I YOUR BLOODY LOVE POTION!!!!”

Dean and Seamus stared uneasily about the room. Ginny averted her eyes and Pavrati covered her open mouth with her hand. Neville trembled and whimpered audibly while Ron opened and closed his mouth uselessly. Lavender was the only one who seemed to remain composed. She got to her feet and went to stand by Hermione. She placed a hand on her arm and asked.

“Herms are you all right…”

Hermione snatched away and practically spat her words out.

“Don't touch me and don't you dare pretend you don't know what I'm talking about…I know that the lot of you cooked up a love potion and have been feeding it to Harry and I every morning since the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw…what I don't know is why!!!”

Seamus expelled an awe-struck breath and said.

“Bloody Nora she's even sussed out the day we started…OUCH!!!”

Pavrati whacked Seamus in the back of the head with Neville's Herbology text and hissed.

“She hadn't sussed out a bloody thing for certain until you opened your fat, stupid mouth!”

Ron scrubbed his face with his open palm and rose to his feet he took a tentative step towards Hermione and said.

“Hermione I don't know how you found out but it technically wasn't a love potion…we didn't alter your emotions or anything we just got you to act on them…”

“You what?”

Eight heads swiveled around at the sound of Harry's quiet voice as he stepped through the portrait hole into the common room. Ron gulped, he much preferred angry bellowing Harry to angry quiet Harry, you stood a much better chance of survival with the former as he generally tired himself out with all the ranting and raving he did. Harry continued in that maddeningly calm tone.

“You've actually been giving us a love potion…why?”

Ginny scrambled to her feet and jumped in.

“It was not a love potion…”

Ron cut across his sister and said.

“We could look at you two and see that you cared for each other as more than friends but for whatever reason you were too scared to act on your feelings. So we made a potion to get you together…it was the Scintillatus Solution…it only made you do what you already wanted to do!”

Hermione shook her head forcefully.

“Rubbish…whatever you've been giving us was no Scintillatus Solution…it can't have been…if it had been Harry certainly wouldn't have been snogging Serena Chambers just now!!”

At those words Lavender gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Ron looked at her and immediately recognized the expression on her face as one of guilt. Gritting his teeth he asked.

“Lavender Camille Brown, what did you do?”

Lavender flinched at the sound of her full given name. She bit her lip and replied in a small voice.

“I changed the recipe a bit…I…I added some other things to the potion.”

“What other things?”

“Just some other plants to heighten the senses…so they'd be more aware of each other and…and…an aphrodisiac.”

“An aphro-what?”

“An aphrodisiac.”

Ron frowned.

“What's an aphrodisiac?!”

Hermione supplied the answer.

“An additive to get someone all hot and bothered!!”

Ron stared incredulously at Lavender.

“You mean to say that all this time we've actually been giving them a love potion!!”

Lavender nodded weakly. Ron flew into a rage.

“AFTER WE EXPRESSLY SAID WE WOULDN'T MESS WITH THEIR EMOTIONS YOU WENT AND DID IT ANYWAY!!!!”

Lavender bowed her head and whimpered.

“I only wanted to push them along a little!”

Ron bellowed.

“OH REALLY…A LITTLE PUSH WAS IT…”

Hermione gulped in huge breaths of air and stumbled blindly into a chair as she backed away from Ron and Lavender. Harry rushed to her side and attempted to steady her but she batted his hands away and said.

“No…Harry…don't…”

Her mind reeled as she accepted the truth of what had really gone on between she and Harry…it hadn't been real…none of it. An image of she and Harry together in the throes of passion exploded across her brain…it hadn't been real…he never would have wanted her if it hadn't been for that damned potion. A quivering sob erupted from Hermione, Harry reached for her again softly calling her name but she shook her head adamantly as she turned on her heal and dashed up the stairs tears coursing down her cheeks. Ron and Lavender had fallen silent. They all watched as Hermione fled the room leaving Harry standing in the middle of the common room with his head bowed and his fists clinched. Ron called to him.

“Harry I'm sorry…I never meant for this to happen…I never agreed to adding those things…I never agreed to making any out and out love potion…”

Harry interjected coldly.

“Oh you never agreed to making an out and out love potion but you had no trouble feeding us some solution that was designed to push us into doing something we didn't want! Never lost a moment of sleep over that did you!!”

Ron who was still attempting to explain went quiet and hung his head. Harry glared at the others and ground out.

“With friends like you lot around to ruin my bloody life who the hell needs Voldemort!!”

In the ringing silence that greeted his words Harry turned and stalked out the portrait hole.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron and Lavender were sitting in the common room talking quietly and waiting for Harry when the portrait hole opened. It was just after midnight when Harry returned carrying what looked like one of the doomed serving platters that covered the house tables in the Great Hall; a large basket was dangling beneath the platter. Upon seeing Ron and Lavender lying in wait by the fire Harry quickened his pace and lengthened his stride. Lavender jumped up from her seat and hurried over to stand in front of the boy's staircase effectively blocking Harry's means of escape. She looked up into his emerald eyes pleadingly and said.

“Harry…please…I know you're upset…you have every right to be…and if you never speak to us again you'd be more than justified…but could you at least let us explain.”

Harry shifted on his feet as if considering what Lavender had just said. After several moments of tense silence he replied.

“I really don't see what more there is to explain. The lot of you thought it'd be great fun to watch Hermione and me run round like a pair of love struck twits. What more is there to it than that?”

Ron had gotten to his feet and joined them at some point, though when Harry wasn't sure.

“It wasn't like that mate…we weren't trying to take the mickey…we were trying the help.”

Harry shifted his gaze to Ron and inquired.

“Help, you were trying to help. Tell me how does drugging us and altering our perceptions of reality help us…hmmm…exactly how does that work?”

Ron answered quickly.

“It wasn't supposed to alter your perception, that's not how the potion works. It only makes you more open to things you normally wouldn't want to do…”

Harry cut in angrily.

“How the hell is making me susceptible to doing something I don't want to do not messing with my perception of reality?!”

Ron opened his mouth but failed to produce a reasonable answer to Harry's question. Harry continued ranting.

“I mean you all had no idea what effect that potion could have had on us and you still gave it to us without one bit of concern for our safety or our sanity!!”

Ron shook his head and said.

“That's not true we checked and double checked everything before we made it.”

Lavender reinserted himself into the conversation.

“Harry we really did think we were helping you two. We never meant to hurt anyone.”

Harry sighed and spoke in a soft wounded voice.

“Well you didn't and you did.”

Harry brushed past Lavender and disappeared up the stairs leading to the dormitory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry strode through the portrait hole and drew up short at the sight that greeted him. Hermione was sitting on the couch before the blazing fire wrapped in a scarlet and gold Gryffindor afghan, a scroll of parchment perched on her lap. Hermione looked up from the letter she'd been reading and softly said.

“Hello.”

Her voice was low and croaky and sounded as though she'd done a good bit of crying he reckoned all the yelling she'd done earlier had contributed to it as well. Harry replied awkwardly.

“Ummm…hi…how…how're you feeling?”

“All right I guess.”

Harry nodded.

“You didn't come down for dinner. I thought you might be hungry so I brought you something up. I wasn't sure what you wanted so I brought a little of everything…Sheperd's pie, stew and rolls, roast chicken and potatoes and parsnips, apple pie and…”

Harry was rambling mindlessly about the food he'd brought…a sure sign that he was nervous. If his hands weren't full he'd be running his fingers through the thick untidy locks of raven hair that adorned his head. As Hermione watched him a sudden vision of she and Harry locked in a passionate embrace greedily lapping up the tastes of each other's mouths; their hands tangled in each other's hair rose to the surface of her mind unbidden. She quickly shook herself to clear her head of the lurid thoughts parading around in her psyche and said.

“Thank you that was very thoughtful of you.”

Harry halted his recitation of the food items he'd brought and nodded again. He set the platter and basket down on the coffee table and lifting the tops of each he went about placing the items he'd brought for Hermione onto the table. When he finished he straightened himself up and heaving a cross between a sigh and a grunt said.

“Well I'll leave you to it then.”

Hermione stared at the food on the table and took note of the fact that there was far too much food for her to eat alone. She took a deep breath and called out to him.

“Harry, have you eaten?”

He stopped and answered without turning around.

“No.”

Hermione closed her eyes and took another deep breath and said.

“You're welcome to join me.”

She paused then quickly added.

“I'd appreciate the company.”

Harry turned around then and with his third nod of the night slowly walked back into the small common room they shared and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. Hermione busied herself by loading two plates with a bit of everything on the table before her. She handed one of the plates to Harry and they sat in silence eating their way through the delicious meal that Harry had undoubtedly procured from the house elves in the kitchens below. After they had eaten the last of the apple pie and washed it all down with a butterbeer each Hermione cleared away the dishes while Harry produced a bottle of meade and poured two glasses of the amber colored liquid handing one to Hermione. She accepted and took a generous sip; Harry did the same. As Hermione raised her glass to her lips a second time Harry said.

“I'm sorry.”

Hermione stared at him perplexedly.

“What are you sorry for?”

Harry sipped his drink and responded.

“For this afternoon. That whole thing with Serena and Parker…and…and for what Ron and Lavender and the rest of that lot dragged you into.”

Hermione set down her glass and said.

“Harry you have no need to apologize. You were just as much a victim in all of this as I was. You couldn't help what happened. You didn't even know it was happening!”

“Still I feel like its my fault you've been put through all this and I…I…I just don't know how you feel about what we've done or if we're still friends or not…”

Hermione cut across him.

“Of course we're still friends. As for what we've done…th…that was the potion…so…”

Her voice trailed off and Harry nodded to show he understood. Following a few moments quiet he asked.

“Its hard for you being around me now isn't it.”

Hermione nodded.

“Yes, I imagine it's a bit awkward for you too.”

Harry took another swallow of meade.

“Yeah…I keep wanting to…to…to touch you…”

“That'll be the after affects of the potion. It'll take some time for it to run out of our systems considering how long they plied us with the stuff.”

Harry nodded absently as he stared into the fire.

“So long as we're alright.”

“We are. And don't worry Harry, things will get back to normal soon enough.”

Harry nodded again as he refilled both their glasses of meade and resumed his staring at the fire. Hermione studied his profile for a moment before turning her gaze to the letter on her lap and staring blankly at the words looping and swirling across the parchment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The days following the revelation that their amorous behavior of the past month and a half had been the result of a potion-induced haze were difficult for Harry and Hermione. True to Hogwarts fashion by breakfast the next morning the entire castle knew about what had happened in the Room of Requirement and that Harry and Hermione were said to have been given some sort of a potion by their friends. Hermione had expected to endure a great deal of questioning stares and whispered accusations but that was not the case. Draco Malfoy had made the grievous error of shouting out something unflattering about Hermione and had landed himself in hospital in a bed next to Parker Wesley after Harry hexed him viciously. Harry went on to make it abundantly clear that anyone…male or female who so much as gave the impression of discussing the subject would have to answer to him. With two people already in hospital after broaching the subject no one else brought it up within earshot of Harry or Hermione.

Quite naturally Harry and Hermione were not speaking to Ron, Ginny or any of their other friends. They were both still extremely angry over what'd they done. However that didn't stop the seven from trying to make amends. Ginny, Pavrati and Lavender had cornered Hermione in the loo the morning after and explained in detail what they'd done. They told her how they'd done it and how sorry they were for having done it. Hermione stopped listening after she found out that she had been the one to sort the daft bunch of twits out on which potion to use and why. She'd been so angry that she had unhinged the stall door and blasted it across the room with wandless magic. Despite nearly being involuntarily hexed the girls continued their attempts to make peace.

Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville were not as lucky. They too had cornered Harry in the main common room and attempted to talk with him. Harry however never let them start. He magically sealed their lips and stuck them to the ceiling with a sticking charm before heading off to breakfast. They'd been stuck there until Ginny, Lavender and Pavrati had come downstairs and freed them. Following that debacle Neville, Seamus and Dean had steered clear of Harry but Ron had continued to try and get through to both he and Hermione with no luck. Hermione and Harry stopped spending time in the main common room and they refused to sit with Ron and the others during mealtimes and in lessons. They even refused to speak to them. To ensure that she needn't speak to Ron and Ginny when assigning prefect duties Hermione had resorted to handing out memos; whereas during Quidditch practices Harry referred to them in surly tones as “the keeper” and “the chaser”.

Outwardly the duo seemed to be carrying on as usual. They still patrolled together, sat together in lessons and generally behaved as they always had though without the familiar touching that had once been a regular occurrence between them. There was a distinct air of uneasiness in their relationship now. Besides their inability to touch one another there was also a clear strain between them as well. Their conversations were few and when they did happen they consisted of monosyllabic responses and long awkward pauses. They rarely looked each other in the eye and spent most of their free time cloistered in the bedrooms of their shared dormitory.

Apparently the after affects of the potion hadn't fully worn off as they often found themselves gazing longingly at each other. On one occasion Hermione had walked out her bedroom door and run right into Harry, who had just come from Quidditch practice. He was shirtless and drenched in sweat, wearing those rather form fitting Quidditch trousers that hugged his bum perfectly. She apologized then ran off to take a cold shower to rid her body of the intense reaction of finding itself once again wrapped in Harry's arms and pressed against his well-sculpted body. Harry was having similar difficulties. He was finding it difficult to live in such close quarters with Hermione nowadays. He wondered if she'd walked around since the start of term exposing so much skin. And if she had how in the name of Merlin, Circe and Morganna had he stood it? Most nights Harry found himself lying in bed thinking of how he'd much rather be across the hall curled up next to a certain witch than sleeping all alone in his own bed.

Harry was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of the bell signaling the change of classes. Harry collected his things and stowing them in his bag headed for Potions. More out of habit than a desire to do so Harry ambled into the Ancient Runes corridor and took up his usual spot besides the door and waited for Hermione to appear. Harry allowed his mind to drift again as he waited and was shocked to find Serena Chambers tugging gently on the sleeve of his robes.

“Hi Harry.”

Harry inclined his head and said quietly.

“Hello.”

“I haven't seen you much this past week.”

Harry shrugged.

“Been busy.”

Serena nodded.

“I'm sorry about hexing you the other day but I was afraid you might kill Parker if you went on and I didn't want you to get into trouble.”

Harry grunted in reply. Serena took that as a good enough sign to continue and kept speaking.

“I'm also sorry about causing problems with you and Hermione…I just thought that the note was from you and…”

Harry cut in.

“Don't worry about it you didn't know.”

Serena nodded.

“Good. I'm glad you're not angry with me.”

Harry grunted again and Serena took a deep breath and asked.

“There's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up soon. I thought that maybe if you're not busy we could go together?”

At that precise moment Hermione walked up and there was an anxious moment as her eyes connected with Harry's. Serena turned around and upon seeing Hermione barely concealed her displeasure. Hermione smiled weakly and said.

“Hello Serena.”

Serena replied in a falsely sweet voice.

“Hello Hermione.”

Hermione turned her eyes to Harry again and said.

“I'll save you a seat in Potions.”

With that said she turned and rushed down the corridor towards the dungeons. Serena smiled in earnest as Hermione departed and turning back to Harry asked.

“So what do you think about going into Hogsmeade with me?”

Harry ran a hand through his hair then responded.

“Ummm…look…Serena you're a nice girl. You're smart and really pretty…and any bloke would be lucky to have you on his arm…”

Serena's smile brightened.

“But you're wasting your time where I'm concerned…”

Serena's face fell.

“I'm just not interested…sorry.”

Harry inclined his head as a farewell then strode off down the corridor after Hermione. He caught up with her about halfway along. He called out her name and she turned around. When he was standing right in front of her he asked.

“Are you all right?”

Hermione nodded shakily and said.

“Of course why wouldn't I be?”

“Well you seemed a bit off kilter back there.”

“Oh…I just thought you and Serena might fancy a bit of privacy.”

Harry nodded.

“Oh that…you didn't have to leave it was no big deal.”

It was Hermione's turn to nod.

“I just thought…it was a bit awkward…so I thought it best to leave…”

Hermione paused then asked.

“So are you going to go with her to Hogsmeade?”

Harry shook his head.

“Told her I wasn't interested.”

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and asked.

“You were nice weren't you…you kept her feelings in mind.”

Harry chuckled.

“I told her she was smart and pretty…in that order…and that any bloke would be lucky to have but that bloke wasn't me…nice enough for you?”

Hermione chewed her lip and answered back.

“I suppose.”

Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and linking his fingers through hers said.

“Come on otherwise we'll be late for Potions.”

And with that said they ran pell-mell down the corridor to Snape's dungeon hand in hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Harry declined Serena's invitation to Hogsmeade things seemed to really return to normal between he and Hermione. They got over their awkwardness with one another and silently agreed to put their actions of the last six weeks out of their minds. By the end of that first week it was almost as though nothing had happened at all. They had even made the first attempts at reconciliation with their friends. While they weren't quite ready to forgive and forget they were speaking to them in civil enough tones and they had refrained for exiting any room they entered. Ron and the others took this behavior as a very hopeful sign and where careful not to do anything that may create a regression. Midway through the second week Harry and Hermione was seated at a back table in the library working on their latest Transfiguration essay when Ron and Lavender appeared. Ron cleared his throat and spoke.

“Hi…ummm…we don't want to disturb you two or anything but we need someplace to sit and work on our essays and everywhere else is full.”

Neither Harry or Hermione looked up. Harry lazily raised his wand; Ron flinched, and summoned his and Hermione's schoolbags from the chairs across from them and resumed his writing. Lavender hastily sat down and gestured for Ron to do the same. There was a moment when the sound of Hermione and Harry's scratching quills was overshadowed by the sound of scraping chairs, texts thudding on tables and the soft unfurling of rolls of parchment. Ron was fumbling around in his schoolbag a harassed expression covering his face, he muttered under his breath.

“Where's my bleeding quill?”

Hermione reached into her bag without looking up from the page she was reading and tossed him one of the extra quills she always carried in her bag. Ron looked up and picked up the quill lying atop his essay and said.

“Thanks.”

Hermione replied easily.

“You're welcome.”

Lavender eyed both Harry and Hermione intensely then asked.

“Why are you two being so nice to us?”

Harry replied with a question of his own.

“Would you rather we hexed you?”

Lavender responded quickly.

“No! I just thought that you weren't ready to forgive just yet.”

Hermione looked up and said.

“There isn't much point in holding out is there. What's done is done. However misguided you were, we honestly believe you thought you were helping. And as being angry isn't doing any of us any good we've decided to forgive you.”

Ron piped up.

“Really?!”

Harry nodded.

“Yes really, but if you ever do something stupid like that again I'll kill you.”

Ron grinned hugely and replied.

“Don't worry I'm done with matchmaking and I'll see to it that Ms. Brown stays shut of it as well!”

Hermione smiled.

“Good.”

Ron smiled in return then picked up his essay and Transfiguration book and shoved them towards Hermione and said.

“Now that we've properly made up could you please explain to me what the bloody hell all this rubbish McGonagall's been going on about means!!”

-->

Chapter 11: Magical Theory

Harry was sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace in the small common room he and Hermione shared. Normally he would have been in the main Gryffindor common room enjoying the early evening with his friends playing wizard's chess, exploding snap or setting off some of Fred's and George's more tame creations. Ever since he, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus had made up they seemed to have been a bit more exuberant in their carrying on than before. Hermione and the girls had likewise been sticking closer together. Several times he'd come up to the heads dorm to find them sitting around the fire pouring over magazines, doing each other's hair and giggling.

However, tonight had been devoted to their schoolwork. Everyone was off working on something. Ron, and Ginny were downstairs in the main common room, Neville was in the greenhouses helping Dean and Seamus with some extra Herbology, Lavender and Pavrati were working on some advanced Divination with Professor Trelawney, Hermione was doing some research in the library for Arithmancy and Harry was shut up in the heads dorm catching up on his reading for History of Magic, Transfiguration, Charms and Magical Theory. Between the extra Quidditch practices (there was a match against Slytherin the coming Saturday) and his extra Dark Arts Defense sessions Harry had fallen behind in the required reading and was therefore struggling with some of the concepts. He was presently reviewing a passage in his Magical Theory text that made absolutely no sense. He read the words again to ensure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

Strictly speaking there is nothing magical about magic. We tend to think of magic as something that is mystical, unexplainable and completely spontaneous. In all actuality magic is none of these things. If magic were as we imagine it to be it would not be possible to reduce it to a series of words on a page, or a collection of steps to be followed or ingredients to be measured. No if magic were indeed magical it would not nor could it be concentrated in any form that was teachable. The fact that magic can be and is learned from a book is proof that it is just another component of science. Magic is merely another force that can influence the matter and energy around it but it is still governed by said laws of matter and energy, as is everything else. And while it is true that one must possess a certain aptitude to fully grasp and understand how magic works and to perform it admirably the same could be said of some other less mystifying muggle vocations such as muggle medicine and muggle building. And while neither of those is anywhere near as fanciful to imagine as magic I dare say you would not want to run the risk of having a muggle builder attempting to heal you or a muggle healer constructing your home.

Harry stared at the words on the page staring back at him. According to this passage Magic wasn't really magic it was science and that just didn't make any sense at all. Of course magic was real! If it wasn't how did the idiot who authored the text explain that the subject of his book, Magical Theory, was being taught to a bunch of underage witches and wizards at a school for witchcraft and wizardry. Where was Hermione when he needed her? No doubt she'd be able to set him straight about the meaning of the words he'd just read. Harry was jolted from his thoughts by the opening of the portrait hole; Ron's head emerged around the opening.

“Budge up mate…we need a hand in the loo…seems the Creevey Brothers got themselves hexed into a toilet by three members of the Slytherin Quidditch team…if we can catch them we may be able to get them suspended for Saturday's game!”

Harry hopped off the couch and pelted after Ron all thoughts of schoolwork momentarily forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was wending her way down the main corridor from the library towards Gryffindor Tower. She had just checked out about a dozen or so books for the Arithmancy project she was working on. She was levitating the stack ahead of her as she finished reading the chapter she'd began reading back in the library before Madam Pince shut down for the evening. Hermione was so absorbed in her reading that she paid no attention to the person coming down the intersecting corridor and was very unpleasantly surprised when she trod on someone's foot and looking up to apologize came face to face with Parker Wesley. She hadn't seen him since that fiasco in the Room of Requirement two weeks prior. Parker stared down at the book in Hermione's hand and drawled haughtily.

“Researching the magical principles and properties of the number seven, I see.”

Hermione snapped her book shut and continued on past Parker making sure to trod brutally on his foot before brushing past him. The string of expletives Parker sung out brought a smile to Hermione's face. However, her joy was short-lived as she soon caught the sound of hastily shuffling feet coming behind her.

“Hermione…hang on just one minute…obviously you're still a bit upset about that little stunt I pulled but you can't honestly tell me that you're not glad that I told you the truth.”

Hermione whirled around a furious glare in her eyes.

“And exactly what truth was that Parker?”

“Why the truth about your relationship with Potter of course. If it hadn't have been for me you would still be walking around deluding yourself by thinking that Potter was snogging you of his own accord and not because of that potion your so called friends fed you. I would have thought you'd be grateful.”

Hermione stared at him incredulously.

“Grateful…you thought I'd be grateful!”

Parker nodded his arrogant blond head.

“I mean I wasn't expecting you to throw yourself into my arms and snog me senseless but a thank you would have been more than appropriate.”

“And why would I thank you for ruining my life?”

“Ruining your life…how can you say that? All right I'm sure finding out that Potter's feeling were less than genuine was a nasty shock but I thought it was appalling what your friends were doing to you! What I did I did out of sincere concern for you!”

“Oh bollocks!! What you did had nothing to do with concern for me…it was just you being vile and loathsome. You couldn't stand the fact that I wanted nothing to do with you! The idea that I wasn't fawning all over you like the rest of the twits in this castle drove you mad, and the fact that Harry's better than you in every way in my eyes made you lash out and try to hurt us both. No none of this was about concern for me or my feelings it was all about your ego!!”

Parker's face contorted in an ugly sneer as he drew himself up to his full height and spat at her.

“You're so pathetic pining over Potter when he could care less! It took a bloody love potion to get him to notice you…and even then all it took was a second to get him snogging someone else! You should be happy someone like me even gave you a second glance…at least I was freely willing to work that sweet little body of yours over without coercion!!”

Hermione whipped out her wand and blasted Parker with the strongest hex she knew before she'd had time to think what she was doing. The stack of books she'd been levitating thudded to the floor. Hot salty tears leaked from Hermione's eyes as the reality of Parker's vicious words hit her. The only reason Harry had been with her was because of the potion and as soon as the affects of it had worn off he'd carried on as if nothing had ever happened. Hermione's wand clattered to the floor as she covered her face and sobbed.

Pavrati and Lavender turned the corner chatting animatedly about their private Divination lesson with Professor Trelawney and were quite shocked to hear someone crying. They were even more shocked when they found Hermione standing in the middle of the hallway crying, her wand at her feet, a dozen library books scattered about the floor around her and Parker Wesley lying at the end of the corridor covered in tentacles and slime. Without pausing the two girls rushed over to Hermione and standing on either side of her asked.

“Hermione what happened?”

“What did Parker do?”

“Herms why are you crying?”

“Tell us we want to help!”

Hermione shook her head profusely muttering incoherently as she shrugged away from Pavrati and Lavender and sprinted off down the corridor and around the corner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron was holding court in the Gryffindor common room recounting the tale of the Creevey Brothers being wedged in the toilet by the Slytherin chasers.

“So were running down through the dungeons…dead on the heels of those berks. Harry reckoned it'd be easier to catch `em if we split up so he took a shortcut and I kept on the way they'd gone. Just as I caught them up and got within hexing range Harry comes barreling out of this side passageway and BANG…they never knew what hit `em!! We told Filch we found them that way…didn't know what happened…and couldn't get `em down. He ran off to get Snape and we did a little oblivaration charm! By the time Snape sorts them out the Quidditch match'll be over and they can't even say who hexed `em. It was bloody brilliant…I mean you should've seen `em floating in the air upside down…robes hanging over their heads…warts, boils and hair sprouting all over… trousers down around their feet…pants out for all the world to see…”

The Gryffindors hooted and whooped with laughter at Ron's imitation of the Slytherins expressions as they revolved in mid-air, when suddenly the portrait hole burst open and Lavender and Pavrati came running in. They skidded to a halt in front of Ron and Harry. It was obvious from the look of them that something was wrong…they'd clearly run all the way to the common room, their faces were flushed and their breathing was erratic. They were panting and clutching at stitches in their sides. What was more they were both carrying an armload of books. Harry wondered if the Slytherins were already trying to retaliate when Lavender gasped out.

“Ron…Harry…come…quick…have…to…find…Her…Her…mione!!”

Ron grabbed Lavender by the shoulders and steered her towards one of the over stuffed armchairs closest to the table and said.

“Lav…sweetie calm down…take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong!”

Lavender inhaled and exhaled hugely then said.

“We found Hermione…crying in the corridor…”

Lavender took a deep breath and Pavrati picked up the story.

“Parker was a ways away covered in hex marks…we asked what was wrong…but she just ran off…”

When Pavrati gave out of breath Lavender resumed speaking.

“We went after her but she'd disappeared…so we grabbed her stuff and got here to fetch you as fast as we could!”

Lavender paused and Pavrati finished off.

“She dropped her wand.”

Pavrati handed the wand to Harry. As he gripped it tightly in his fist his knuckles whitened. Ron stood up and said.

“We best go find her…she's out there without a wand with Wesley after her…and the Slytherins would just love to get their hands on her after what's happened. Reckon we need the map Harry? Harry!”

Ron stared around at Harry for an answer but was treated to the sight of his best mate running across the tabletops and a few fifth years' heads as he hurtled himself through the portrait hole. Ron mumbled, “Guess not” and took off after him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione sat under the Beech tree near the lake trembling as tears streamed down her face. Whether it was her anguish or the evening chill that was wracking her body she neither knew nor cared. As she sat utterly woebegone she at last admitted to herself what she had been denying for years…she had feelings for Harry…very strong, very deep feelings. She laughed mirthlessly as she thought that that had to be the greatest understatement of all times. How could she have been so stupid as to believe that Harry had truly wanted to be with her? If he had really wanted to be with her he could have and would have done long before now. She'd believed it because she'd wanted to of course. Parker was right, she was pathetic.

She'd wanted Harry so desperately for so long that she was willing to overlook the obvious signs that his feelings and behavior were not customary just to have a piece of him. All those times she'd scoffed at the girls who threw themselves at Harry, taking the slightest nicety on his part as proof that he fancied them and here she was the worst of them all, sleeping with him when all the time she knew deep down that something wasn't right! She buried her face in her hands and wept even harder. She knew something had been wrong when they got together…it had been too easy…too perfect. But having wanted to be with him for so long she chose to take what was being offered her rather than question it. But Harry didn't see her that way…he never had and not even a potion could make him want her permanently. Sighing dejectedly she buried her face in her hands again and let her grief overtake her.

How Harry knew that Hermione would be by the lake he wasn't sure but as soon as Lavender and Pavrati had told the story of how they'd found her and she'd run off he'd instantly known where to look. As he drew near Harry unfastened his robes and slipped them off his shoulders. It was bitterly cold out tonight and he knew she had to be freezing with only her robes for warmth. Carefully he draped them around her shaking shoulders as he knelt beside her and asked.

“Hermione, what's wrong?”

At the sound of Harry's voice Hermione looked up and burst into a fresh torrent of gut wrenching sobs. Harry quickly dropped down beside her fully. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her slender sobbing frame to his chest. He hauled her into his lap and leaned his back against the tree. He stroked her hair with one hand as he whispered soothing words in her ear and stroked her arm reassuringly with his other hand.

“What's wrong love? If that shite Parker laid a hand to you again I swear nothing'll stop me from killing him this time!”

Hermione sat up erect in Harry's arms and took in the angry glower covering his face and asked in a small voice.

“What does it matter what Parker did?”

Harry's grimace turned to a frown as he answered.

“What does it matter? It matters because its you Hermione. If he's done more harm to you by Merlin he'll answer to me!”

“I hexed him just fine by myself…there's no need for you to worry yourself.”

Harry eyed her strangely.

“I'll decide who and what I worry over thanks. And right now I'm worried about you…its not like you to cry unless something is really wrong. Lavender and Pavrati told us that Parker had done something to set you off kilter…would you please tell me what he did?”

Hermione dashed away the tears glistening on her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“Parker didn't do anything to upset me.”

Harry snorted contemptuously.

“Oh you're out here in the freezing cold crying for no reason then!”

Hermione sniffed. Harry cupped her face in his hands and spoke softly.

“If you won't tell me I'll look for myself.”

At the threat of the use of Legilimency Hermione replied.

“Harry…don't.”

“Then tell me.”

Hermione took a deep breath.

“I bumped into him on my way from the library and he started going on about how he did what he did out of concern for me. I called him a liar and told him that he did it out of jealousy and then he…he said that I should be glad that someone like him really wanted me…be…be…because you never would without someone feeding you a damn love potion!”

Hermione had turned her head as far away from Harry as she could as she spoke. He only had a view of her profile but he saw the fresh tears as they tumbled down her cheeks and splashed on the front of his robes. They sat that way for a moment…Hermione staring out at the still, motionless lake crying…Harry watching her face intently trying to suss out exactly why the tears were there. He replayed her words in his mind and then suddenly, out of the blue he caught on. He reached up and gently touched her cheek. She allowed him to direct her gaze back to his own. Harry softly wiped away the tears glistening in her eyes and on her cheeks as he whispered.

“You're upset because you think the only thing that could ever make me want you is a potion.”

Hermione smiled and choked back a sob.

“Pretty dumb, eh…getting upset with your best mate because he doesn't see you as just a pretty face.”

Harry rubbed the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks.

“Do you want me to see you as a pretty face?”

Hermione blinked and chewed her bottom lip as she asked.

“When you look at me do you see a pretty face?”

Harry shook his head and replied.

“No I don't…”

Hermione averted her eyes but couldn't turn her head as Harry's hands were firmly holding it in place. He studied her face intently during his pause then said in a fierce whisper.

“I don't see a pretty face at all…I see the most beautiful face in the world.”

Hermione's eyes flew back up and locked with Harry's for an instant before he captured her mouth with his own and kissed her passionately. His hands snaked up into her hair and he held her there as his tongue caressed hers and tasted every corner of her mouth. Hermione moaned as she allowed her body to melt into Harry's. She threw her arms around Harry's neck fervently returning his kisses, knowing she shouldn't but enjoying the feel of being in his arms again nonetheless.

Ron stopped dead in his tracks as he progressed across the lawn. He'd been trying to catch up to Harry and make sure that Hermione was all right…judging from the scene before him…he'd say she was about as good as one could get. Not wanting to interrupt the moment Ron quickly turned on his heel and legged it back to Gryffindor Tower.

When Harry could no longer ignore his brain's plea for oxygen he reluctantly pulled his lips away from Hermione's. Merlin how he missed kissing her and touching her. He licked his lips, she tasted as good as she ever had. Harry leaned in and nuzzled her neck, reacquainting himself with her divine fragrance; he was about to kiss Hermione a second time when she abruptly jumped up and scrambled off his lap as if someone had dropped a pot of boiling water on her. She was mumbling inarticulately and backing away from him, her eyes wide and disbelieving. He distinctly heard her murmur the words “Not again”. Harry rose to his feet as she flung off his robes and threw them at him before she turned and flew off full tilt towards the castle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry was roused from sleep by the sound of the portrait hole banging open. Startled he sat up on the couch and ran his hands over his face as he hopefully called out.

“Hermione?”

The voice that replied was not hers.

“No such luck mate.”

Harry blinked and focused his eyes intently. Ron had just lumbered through the portrait hole already dressed for classes a sly grin on his face. Harry swung his stiff legs off the couch onto the floor and tiredly massaged the crick in the back of his neck. Ron glared at Harry his grin sliding off his face and said.

“You look a fright.”

Harry replied tersely.

“Yeah, well you try sleeping on this damn couch all night and see how you look.”

Ron scratched his chin.

“Why were you sleeping on the couch?”

Harry stood up and stretched.

“Well obviously I was waiting for Hermione wasn't I?”

Ron frowned as he asked.

“She didn't come back with you from the lake last night?”

Harry gave Ron a sideways glance. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since Lavender and Pavrati had burst into the common room the night before and told them about Hermione. For Ron to know that he and Hermione had been at the lake he'd have had to see them. And if Ron had seen them wouldn't he have said something? Surely he'd been worried about her as well. The only reason Harry could think of that Ron could've seen them and not called out to them would have been if he'd seen them kissing. Harry's expression darkened. Choosing to ignore Ron's query he asked.

“What time is it?”

Ron glanced down at his watch and answered.

“Seven thirty…I was about to head down to breakfast, I didn't see you downstairs so I came up to see where you were.”

Harry nodded.

“I'm gonna get a shower and I'll catch up to you before classes start.”

He turned and walked down the hall and disappeared into his bedroom. Ron stared after him for a moment before heading back downstairs in search of Lavender; he suspected he was going to need her expertise to sort this one out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry emerged from his bedroom twenty minutes later freshly showered and dressed. He walked into the common room of the heads dorm and found Hermione standing in the middle of the floor packing her schoolbag. A wave of relief washed over him at the sight of her; he'd been worried that something had happened to her when she never made it back to the common room. However, his relief was quickly followed by an equally powerful surge of anger at her for causing him to sit up half the night in worry. Therefore his voice was low and harder than normal as he said.

“Where've you been all night?”

Hermione reeled around in surprise.

“Harry…I thought you…you'd gone to breakfast with Ron.”

Harry shook his head.

“I begged off.”

Hermione nodded absently and turned back to the task of packing her bag. Harry repeated his question.

“Where were you last night? I searched the castle looking for you after you ran off and I took a kip on the couch waiting for you to come in. I was worried.”

Hermione took a deep breath and replied.

“You needn't have troubled yourself…I'm fine as you can see. I just didn't think it was a good idea for us to share such close quarters so I slept downstairs in my old dorm room with Pavrati and Lavender.”

Harry clinched his jaw tightly and ran his fingers through his mop of untidy curls.

“You stayed away because we kissed down by the lake.”

It was a statement of fact, not a question. Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Harry I'm sorry…I…”

Harry cut in.

“What have you got to be sorry about?”

Hermione quickly responded.

“I shouldn't have…last night I was upset…”

Again Harry interjected.

“You think the kiss was a mistake…you think it was like before?”

“We agreed not to talk about that!”

“All right we won't talk about before…we'll talk about last night.”

Harry strode across the room and turned Hermione around to face him.

“Last night you asked me if I wanted you and I think I satisfactorily answered your question, then you ran away from me…why?”

Hermione looked up at him an unbelieving look on her face.

“Why…why…after everything that's happened you have to ask why! The mere fact that you don't know…that you can't see it…tells me I was right to leave!”

“What's wrong with you? I thought you'd be all right about the kiss!”

“Why did you kiss me Harry?!”

Harry made a confused sound that was a cross between a groan and a chuckle.

“I kissed you because I've been dying to for the past two weeks! I miss being with you…touching you…kissing you…hearing you moan my name…”

Harry broke off and pulled Hermione snugly into his arms. She could feel the familiar heat emanating from his body. Closing her eyes she asked.

“You miss the physicality of us…our being together… making love?”

Harry nodded and replied in a raspy whisper.

“Yes.”

Hermione pulled away from Harry and said.

“You miss my body…but not me…Parker was right…the potion gave me you but only on the basest level! I want more from you than a good shag Harry! I want all of you…and I want you to want all of me!!”

She snatched up her bag and stalked to the portrait hole. Grasping the handle she wrenched it open and flew through the opening in a swirl of robes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Harry slid into the seat next to Ron at the start of Magical Theory Ron immediately knew something was wrong. His face was covered in a scowl and he kept shooting furtive glances along the table to where Hermione was sitting. Hermione was staring resolutely ahead at the blackboard awaiting Professor Thompkins to start classes. Ron turned back to Harry and throwing his head in Hermione's direction asked.

“You two have a row?”

Harry grunted in response. Before Ron could ask what the pair had been rowing about Professor Thompkins called the class to order.

“All right you lot settle down. Before we begin are there any questions about last night's readings?”

Ron was nearly bowled over out of his seat as Harry raised his hand. Magical Theory was one of those classes that you never paid attention in. It was a lot like History of Magic that way. Ron and Harry simply showed up and copied Hermione's notes before the tests. They never really paid attention much less asked questions. The rest of the class was as shocked as Ron, half of them were staring at Harry as he said.

“Yeah Professor…I've got a question.”

Professor Thompkins turned and smiled at Harry and said.

“Yes Harry…what is your question?”

Harry pointed to his text and replied.

“This Anderson bloke doesn't make any sense. I mean he's a wizard and he thinks magic isn't real. He goes on and on about how magic isn't magic…what's he playing at…how can he be a wizard and not believe in magic?”

Harry finished and stared at Professor Thompkins, several of their other classmates were nodding and mumbling in agreement with Harry's assessment of the author of their text. Professor Thompkins smiled and said.

“It's not that Mr. Anderson doesn't believe in magic Harry he simply has a more practical view of how it works.”

Harry quirked an eyebrow and asked.

“How so?”

Professor Thompkins stared around the room and asked.

“Does anyone understand Anderson's explaination of Magical Theory and want to take a stab at elucidating Harry and the others who are a bit confused?”

As Professor Thompkins continued to look around the room Hermione slowly raised her hand into the air. Professor Thompkins smiled brightly and said.

“All right then Hermione, have a go at it.”

Hermione took a deep breath and turned her gaze to Harry and began speaking.

“Anderson isn't saying that magic doesn't exist, he's simply saying that like everything else in the world magic has to obey all the same laws of science…its just another force that can be manipulated to suit the situation or the circumstances.”

Hermione paused briefly and looked to Professor Thompkins who nodded for her to continue.

“If you look at magic from a logical more objective position as Anderson obviously has you'll see that magic truly isn't magic in the sense of it being something spontaneous. Nothing is created out of nothing…the conservation of mass and energy rules apply the same in the wizarding world as they do in the muggle world. Any spell or enchantment we do only works for a set amount of time…Leprechaun gold and other magically conjured objects disappear after a time and potions eventually wear off. Magic isn't spontaneous it just conforms to fit the constraints of the situation in which it was used.”

Hermione finished her explaination and averted her eyes from Harry back to Professor Thompkins who was positively beaming as she said.

“Very good Hermione!”

Harry spoke up again.

“So he isn't saying magic isn't real just that our perception of what magic is isn't real.”

Professor Thompkins nodded.

“Exactly Harry! The abilities that we all posses, our magical abilities are much like any other gift or talent. Its rather like your natural acumen for Quidditch as opposed to someone else's natural skills in Potion making or Herbology, its not that you can't do those things its just that you have to work at them harder than some others may have to.”

Harry nodded his head as he considered the information that had just been imparted to him then a cunning look stole over his countenance as he asked.

“Professor I understand how Anderson's theory works in regards to spells and enchantments but how would his theory on magic apply to say a potion?”

Hermione who had been writing something in her notes looked up at Harry in astonishment. Professor Thompkins turned back to Harry and asked.

“What do you mean Harry?”

“Well potions employ a whole lot of different ingredients to create a specific effect don't they? According to Anderson the effect you get depends on the circumstances so how can one potion affect any two people the same? It seems like potions would make Anderson's theory a load of rubbish.”

Professor Thompkins answered.

“Ordinarily that would be true but the magical properties of plants and the like are set so that they produce the same reaction in any person so long as the individual who prepared the potion is a competent potion maker.”

“So you're saying so long as it was made properly the potion would have the effect it was intended to have no matter what.”

Before Professor Thompkins could answer Hermione interjected.

“That would be true if the basic composition of the potion hadn't been tampered with. Otherwise you'd be dealing with an unknown substance that would undoubtedly have effects not anticipated.”

Harry looked to Hermione and shot back quickly.

“But if the added substance created the effect that was desired within its context within the potion then said potion would still conform to the rules by which it was made thus serving the purpose it was meant to serve.”

Hermione replied heatedly.

“Precisely, the added ingredient caused the same behavior in one person in regards to two entirely different subjects the potion did exactly what it was supposed to do.”

Harry jumped out of his seat and yelled.

“I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU!!!”

Hermione jumped to her feet as well and fired back.

“IF YOU'D BEEN ACTING ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN A JUMPED UP POTION YOU'D HAVE KNOWN THE DIFFERENCE!!!”

“I KNEW THE DIFFERENCE LAST NIGHT!!”

“OH, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IMPRESSED BECAUSE YOU GET RANDY ANYTIME YOU SEE A SOBBING FEMALE!!!”

The room issued a collective gasp and Professor Thompkins stormed over to the table where Harry and Hermione stood raging and glaring daggers at one another. Red faced and waging her finger Professor Thompkins told both Harry and Hermione to pack their things and head straight to Professor McGonagall's office. Ron watched as the pair collected their belongings and flounced out the door with Professor Thompkins. As the door closed after them he turned to Lavender and asked.

“Any idea how to sort this one out luv?”

-->

Chapter 12: A Hogsmeade Saturday

Harry and Hermione's out in the open row during Magical Theory was the talk of the castle for several days. This was mainly because of the fact that it confirmed the rumor that had been buzzing round the castle that Harry and Hermione had in fact been a couple of some sorts. As a result of this Parker Wesley and Serena Chambers, who it was rumored were at the heart of the apparent break-up between Harry and Hermione, had become somewhat of minor celebrities round the castle as people were curious to find out what had gone on among the improbable foursome. However, Parker and Serena were unusually tight-lipped about the entire affair choosing to keep mum about their roles in the Harry/Hermione saga. They kept themselves quite distanced from the pair as well as any talk about them. Ron suspected Parker's quiet was fueled by a strong desire not to end up in hospital again. Clearly Hermione's hexing and Harry's poundings were taking a toll on him. As for Serena's reason for remaining quiet Ron had no idea. Although Pavrati had heard from her twin sister Padma who was in Ravenclaw that a week or so before the incident between Harry and Hermione in Magical Theory Serena had come back to the dorm in tears and that for days afterward the mere mention of the name Harry would send her into floods.

Professor McGonagall had been beside herself with rage when Professor Thompkins had traipsed into her office with the Head Boy and Girl in tow and recounted how they had behaved in the middle of the lesson. While McGonagall tactfully refrained from mentioning the rumors bandying about the turreted fortress that was Hogwarts she made it clear to both Hermione and Harry that the Head Boy and Girl were expected to set better examples for the rest of the student body than what they were presently doing. She also informed them that any further such behavior on either of their parts would result in the unprecedented stripping of badges. McGonagall hinted that if this were to occur the badges would be given over to Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. This proved to be a highly distressing thought to Hermione and Harry who would rather shag Filch and Madam Pince respectively than allow the Slytherins to gain the heads positions.

As punishment for what she termed their `outlandishly unacceptable behavior' McGonagall set them extra patrols after midnight to be carried out together. She reckoned they needed to learn how to get along whatever their differences. To make sure there was no repeats of their previous screaming performance they had to conduct the patrols along with Filch. McGonagall also required them to make themselves available to any teacher or staff member who needed their assistance during their unoccupied time. Snape was particularly nasty about calling on Harry during his breaks between lessons. He'd call him down to the dungeons and make him muck out cauldrons and pickle slugs and whatever other slimy task he could think of. On several occasions Filch had even summoned Harry to assist him in cleaning up the disarray caused by Fred and George's latest creation Mischief Maker's Marvelous Magical Mess…which unfortunately for Harry did exactly what it promised…made a spectacular mess that could only be removed by thoroughly muggle means i.e. no magic, the latter only served to spread the mess around. As a result of this Harry had threatened anyone caught using Magical Mess with a private consultation between he and his wand in the Room of Requirement (a move that pleased Filch to no end). Needless to say the use of the stuff plummeted immediately.

Hermione faired much better than Harry in the detention department, most of the staff seemed to think McGonagall's treatment of her was a bit harsh (they all saw Hermione as the perfect student, they knew nothing of her exceedingly explosive temper). The most unpleasant task she received were the added patrols with Harry and Filch. The most she was ever asked to do by a teacher was to help out a little with essays and such. Professor Vector the Arithmancy witch had her to help prepare lessons for the lower level Arithmancy classes and Professor Flitwick sought her assistance in reading over essays for errors. To be honest it seemed more like she was just sitting in the teachers offices on her own and asking questions about things from class to add to her already voluminous collection of study notes she'd been compiling for NEWTS since first year as she got in a lot of questions about the goings on in her NEWT level lessons. By the end of the week when the detention was lifted it appeared as though Harry was the one who'd been punished most severely whereas Hermione appeared not to have suffered very much at all. Needless to say this put Harry in a tremendously dark and surly mood. Dean and Seamus constantly made jokes about now being the perfect time for Harry to meet up with You-Know-Who as in his current state he'd finish him off in no time. They made sure however, to say these things when Harry was well out of earshot.

Harry and Hermione were not speaking to each other any more than necessary. During classes and patrols they were polite to the point of insanity…you'd have thought they were casual acquaintances and not two people who'd been friends for seven years and had very intimate knowledge of one another. The pair had also taken to using their shared dormitory as a place to shower and change. They'd both taken to sleeping downstairs in their old rooms with their friends. But the subject of their current relationship was strictly out of bounds. Ron had now taken up the mantle that Harry had once had and sat between the two during classes and mealtimes making forced conversation. Their behavior was making Ron nutters and as it was seriously cutting into his spending his free time leisurely with his two best friends he decided to do something to put a stop to it. As he and Harry were leaving the pitch following their Quidditch practice before the next day's game Ron asked.

“Why don't you just apologize?”

Harry eyed Ron but said nothing. Taking that as a sign that he was open to suggestions Ron continued on.

“I mean it's obvious you're miserable without her and from what Lav says she's just as unhappy not talking to you…if you just apologized for yelling at her in Magical Theory you two could get back on track.”

Harry shook his head.

“Its not that simple Ron.”

“Why not?”

“Because she's narked about more than our row in Magical Theory.”

Ron scratched his chin and taking a deep breath asked.

“Is it something to do with you two snogging down by the lake the night before?”

Harry laughed humorlessly and replied.

“So you did see us.”

Ron nodded.

“I wasn't spying or anything. I was just trying to catch up to you after Lav and Pavrati told us what happened. I was halfway across the lawn and saw you two going on and I just turned around and left…I didn't want to intrude.”

Harry nodded his head.

“Yeah well…maybe you should've intruded…then I never would have made such a prat of myself!”

Ron queried.

“She wasn't too chuffed about the kiss then eh.”

Harry grunted and replied.

“She was fine with it at first then she went all wonky about it. Seems she thinks it's just the potion that's got me going on about her.”

“But you haven't had any of that stuff for a few weeks now…you can't have kissed her from it.”

Harry sighed.

“That's the same thing I said. But Hermione reckons I'm only keen about her because of some of the…ummm…er…side affects of the potion.”

Harry averted his eyes and flushed a telltale shade of red that clearly implied that he and Hermione had done a bit more than just snogging. Ron digested this new bit of information and asked.

“Er…exactly what do you mean by side affects?”

Harry replied.

“Well Hermione's got it in her head that my present attraction to her is because of my…intimate knowledge of her.”

Ron frowned and asked.

“Is it?”

Harry looked at Ron in wonder and demanded.

“You really think I'm that shallow?”

Ron shook his head hastily.

“No…no…of course not! I just wondered if your…er…intimate knowledge of Hermione was egging you on a bit.”

Harry sighed again.

“Not that my new knowledge of her isn't helping the matter along but its not the reason why. Truth is I've been having feelings for Hermione for a while now I just didn't think she felt the same way.”

“Well sure she does its you innit…famous Harry Potter and all that…”

Ron paused and waited for Harry's response, which turned out to be just a shrug, before continuing on.

“Still I don't suppose it'd hurt to apologize…she might change her mind if you do.”

Harry ran a hand through his hair tousling it even more and changed the subject.

“So what's up with you and Lavender?”

Ron quirked an eyebrow.

“What do you mean…what's up with me and Lav?”

“I mean are you two a couple now?”

Ron scratched his head.

“A couple what makes you think we are a couple?”

Harry chuckled to himself and replied.

“Well beyond your use of the pronoun we to describe the pair of you…there's your calling her Lav all the time instead of Lav-en-der. And there's the studying with your heads together and all the kissing and snuggling on the couch in the common room. That's what makes me think you two are a couple.”

Ron answered.

“Oh you think all that is because we fancy each other. You've got it all wrong…we only ever did all of that to try and get you and Hermione together.”

“Really…”

“Yep…Lav reckoned that if we were a couple you two might let your guard down and have a go at each other.”

Harry stroked his chin.

“So all that kissing has been for Hermione's and my benefit.”

Ron nodded as Harry continued.

“Then why are you two still at it?”

Ron stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Harry as if he'd never seen him before as he realized that Harry was absolutely right. He and Lavender had still been carrying on as if the ruse they were perpetrating had never been discovered. Harry smiled and said.

“Its clear that you fancy each other. So why not make it official and stop all the foolish pretending.”

“You really think she'd go out with me?”

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Of course she would you dolt…she has been for two months now hasn't she!”

Ron grinned sheepishly and nodded as he said.

“You're right! I'm gonna ask her out.”

Harry patted Ron on the back and nodded as he said “Namby-pamby” the Fat Lady inclined her head before swinging open the portrait hole and admitting them to the Gryffindor common room. As they passed through the portrait hole Harry caught sight of Lavender sitting at a table with Ginny, Pavrati and Hermione. Grabbing Ron by the arm he steered him in the direction of the girls.

“No time like the present.”

“What now?”

“Yes now.”

“But I haven't sussed out what to say!”

“It'll come to you.”

With that said Harry shoved Ron into the end of the table closest to where Lavender was sitting. As the table jostled slightly Lavender looked up to see a red faced Ron glaring over his shoulder at Harry who seemed to be mouthing the words “Go on”. Lavender was about to ask what was wrong when Ron spoke.

“Lavender I've been thinking…”

Pavrati cut in cheekily.

“Oooooh…taking up a new past time Ron.”

Ginny snidely added.

“A dangerous past time more like.”

Dean and Seamus snorted loudly as they attempted to hide their laughing faces behind the tower of cards they were constructing. Ginny and Pavrati giggled openly at their little joke. Ron glared at the four of them and was about to say something decidedly unflattering when Lavender gently patted his forearm and said.

“What was it you were thinking about sweetie?”

Ron directed his attention back to Lavender and said.

“What…oh right…I've been thinking about us and this pretending we've been doing…”

Lavender interjected.

“Pretending…”

Ron cut across her sentence.

“Yeah…all this pretending to fancy each other to get Harry and Hermione together…well its got to stop…”

Lavender's face fell and her eyes seemed to curiously fill up with water as Ron continued though he for his part did not notice.

“I mean those two aren't any closer to being a couple than they were before so I reckon we can quit pretending and just get on with things.”

Ron paused and waited for Lavender to say something. Lavender's reply was soft and there seemed to be the slightest tremor to her voice, which again seemed to go unnoticed by Ron.

“Well if you feel that's best I…I suppose that's what we should do.”

Ron beamed and looked over his shoulder at Harry who mouthed the words “Ask her out”. Ron's mouth formed a huge “O” as he nodded and turning back to Lavender asked.

“So are you busy right now?”

Lavender nodded her head and said.

“I've got this Divination essay to finish.”

Ron sighed as his face took on a crestfallen look.

“Oh…I was going to ask if you fancied a snog but I guess I should leave you to it…can't have my girl falling behind in her stu…”

Ron never finished his sentence as Lavender had launched herself into his arms and was apparently divining for some heretofore-unknown substance that could only be found down Ron's throat. After several minutes of furious snogging Lavender unglued herself from Ron and grinning like idiots the pair disappeared out the portrait hole to a litany of catcalls and whistles by the occupants of the common room. Feeling optimistically buoyed by Ron's strangely successful conversation with Lavender Harry dropped into the chair that Lavender had just vacated as it happened to be right next to the chair Hermione was occupying. Ginny and Pavrati suddenly ceased their giggly discussion of the things Ron and Lavender were probably doing at the moment and unconvincingly turned their eyes to the latest edition of the Quibbler that was lying on the table before them. Harry took a deep breath and allowed Hermione's name to pass over his lips.

“Hermione…”

She neither looked at him nor answered verbally but the scratching of her quill ceased so Harry knew she was listening.

“About the other day…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said those things…”

He reached over and placed his hand atop hers.

“I was a prat…can you ever forgive me?”

Hermione glanced at Harry's hand covering her own and with a sigh and a much less rueful smile than he'd seen in the past few days replied.

“Yes you were a prat but as I wasn't much better…I forgive you…”

She paused and looked directly into his enchanting emerald green orbs and said.

“Oh Harry I'm so sorry …I was horrible to you…and I had no right to be…am I forgiven as well.”

Harry flashed her his handsomest smile, she felt her stomach take a rather dizzying flip, and said.

“If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times I can never stay mad at you…of course you're forgiven.”

Hermione smiled brightly and squeezed Harry's hand. His stomach swooped and jolted pleasantly. Emboldened by the sudden show of affection Harry swiveled in his seat and raised his hand from atop Hermione's hand and placed it on her cheek. He then pulled her gently forward and kissed her forehead sweetly. As he drew back he stared into the depths of her warm chocolate brown eyes and murmured.

“Gods you are so beautiful.”

He stroked the pad of his thumb across her cheek softly muttering how stunning she was as he leaned in a second time and kissed her cheek lovingly. Instead of pulling back as he'd done before he nuzzled her cheek and whispered breathlessly.

“I've missed you, you know…I miss us…”

Hermione stiffened and drew away from him; the look in her eyes pleading with him not to say anything more.

“Harry…please don't…we've been through this…”

Harry interjected.

“No we haven't…we haven't been through anything because you won't listen to me. You've made up your mind without even considering the other possibilities.”

“What other possibilities?”

Ginny and Pavrati were no longer feigning preoccupation; they were out and out staring at Harry and Hermione intently listening to every whispered word. They were not the only ones listening either. Dean and Seamus were quite attentive as well having left off their game of exploding snap to see what was going on. As a matter of fact a good two thirds of the common room was now raptly staring at the pair listening and waiting to see what transpired. Harry oblivious to the audience he and Hermione had garnered responded to her query.

“The possibility of us being together.”

Hermione chewed her lip momentarily and asked.

“Is that what you want?”

Harry sighed.

“I'd thought that was fairly noticeable but yeah its what I want?”

Hermione's heart gave a joyous leap in her chest. Was this really happening? Did Harry really have feelings for her? Mentally she shook herself and fought off the urge to imitate Lavender and throw herself into Harry arms…that could wait right now she needed to be sure this was real that she was not imagining it. Her voice was tentative when she spoke.

“You're sure?”

Harry withdrew his hand from her cheek and taking his free hand clutched both her hands in his own as he said.

“You said it yourself…this tension has been between us for ages…and even though it was that damned potion that brought us to the realization of what we want I don't see any reason for us not to pick up where we left off and just carry on from there…”

Hermione's brow knitted together in a frown and her back suddenly went ramrod straight. She quickly withdrew her hands from Harry's and began to shake her head. Harry noticed the abrupt change and was about to ask what was wrong when Hermione calmly asked.

“You want to pick up things were we left off?”

Falsely relieved by the steady calmness of her voice Harry nodded.

“Of course I do.”

Shaking her head harder Hermione replied.

“I knew it was too good to be true.”

Harry gazed at Hermione in surprise.

“What?”

Hermione replied in a louder more heated tone.

“I knew something was wrong…I knew it was too easy…”

Harry cut in the exasperation in his voice evident.

“What…Hermione…what…what's wrong…what's too easy?”

Hermione slammed her open palm on the table and shouted.

“THIS…US TOGETHER…THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG…THAT'S WHAT'S TOO EASY!!”

Harry glared at Hermione completely and utterly at a lost and retorted angrily.

“WHY…WHY ARE WE SO WRONG…WHAT REASON COULD YOU HAVE POSSIBLY COME UP WITH NOW?!”

“ITS ALWAYS THE SAME WITH YOU HARRY…YOU JUST DON'T SEE…YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND…EVEN AFTER I'VE TOLD YOU WHAT I WANT…”

Harry cut across her.

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT AS IF I HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENING TO YOU…YOU JUST ASKED ME PLAIN AS DAY WAS I SURE AND I'M BLOODY WELL POSITIVE MY ANSWER WAS CLEAR ENOUGH EVEN FOR YOU!!!!”

Hermione fired back.

“OH YOUR ANSWER WAS CLEAR ENOUGH ALL RIGHT…BUT APPARENTLY I'M THE ONE WHO ISN'T BEING CLEAR SO LET ME SORT IT OUT FOR YOU SHALL I, I…DON'T…WANT…TO…PICK…UP…WHERE…WE…LEFT…OFF…”

Harry cut in for the third time.

“YOU DON'T WANT TO…WELL THAT'S FINE BY ME GRANGER…JUST FINE!!!”

Harry turned and stormed to the portrait hole; it flew open of its own accord without him so much as touching it, with such a thunderous resounding crash that the Fat Lady squealed in startled shock. Two other voices also cried out in shock as Harry brushed past them in a rage and shouted.

“GET OUT OF IT YOU TWO!!”

Ginny got to her feet and started around the table towards Hermione but before she'd barely made three steps in her direction Hermione had disappeared up the stairs her eyes full of unshed tears. Ron and Lavender stepped into the noiseless common room and looked at the astonished faces staring out the portrait hole and up the staircase. Ron looked at Ginny and asked.

“What happened?”

However, it was Seamus who responded in a sort of dazed tone, as Ginny appeared to stunned to speak.

“I think its over mate…I think its over.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seamus' words seemed to be prophetic. Any thoughts that anyone had harbored about Harry and Hermione being a couple were now irrevocably shot to hell. Truth be told it would be considered quite a stretch to even salvage their once solid friendship considering how horribly things stood at this point. Ron sat morosely at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall along with Lavender, Ginny, Pavrati, Neville, Dean and Seamus. Ron was staring blankly at the contents of his cereal bowl that had not been touched. Lavender wrapped her arm around Ron's and implored.

“You really should try and get something down sweetie…you're going to need something in your stomach before the match.”

Ron sighed and shook his head.

“Its no good…I couldn't keep anything down if I tried.”

Lavender affected her sweetest voice and snuggling closer to Ron said.

“Just a little juice and a bite or two of toast…please sweetie…for me.”

Ron rolled his eyes but took the piece of buttered toast Lavender slid towards him. Seamus snorted mirthlessly and said.

“Well at least our little foray into matchmaking produce one couple!”

Neville chimed in.

“Yeah but it's the wrong couple.”

Dean added in.

“How's that for luck eh…we brew up a love potion and the people we give it to end up hating each other while their mates get together.”

Pavrati laid down her fork and said.

“I just don't know what happened. I mean they seemed so perfect together. I can't believe Harry was so cruel to Hermione last night!”

Seamus stared at Pavrati.

“Harry was cruel to Hermione…you've got that all wrong you have…Hermione was the one who was bang out of order not Harry!”

Pavrati put down the goblet of juice she'd just picked up.

“What?! You can't be serious Seamus…Hermione wasn't out of order in the least! Harry was the one not listening and raging at poor Herms like she was wrong to say what she said…”

Dean cut in.

“Poor Hermione…more like poor Harry…there he was apologizing and trying to express his feelings and Hermione just throws it back in his face telling him she doesn't want him!”

Ginny's mouth flew open and her eyes widened appreciably.

“She did no such thing! She was only trying to get him to see her side of things…but oh no Harry just had to have everything his own way…”

Seamus interposed.

“Come off it Gin…Hermione…”

Neville spoke up.

“Is coming this way!”

Lavender looked towards the entrance to the Great Hall and there was Hermione making her way to the Gryffindor table. Lavender turned to the group and hissed.

“Shut it the lot of you! Herms has been through a horrible ordeal…so no matter who you think was right or wrong be mindful that she's sure to be upset so be careful what you say. On second thought keep your mouths shut all of you!”

No sooner than the words had left Lavender's mouth was Hermione slipping into the empty seat between Ginny and Pavrati. With a subdued voice she greeted her friends and tipping eggs and bacon onto her plate began to eat in silence. Lavender nudged Ron and nodding her head in Hermione's direction indicated that he should say something to her just as Ron was opening his mouth to say whatever happened to tumble out Harry strode up to the table and said.

“Ron, Ginny…as soon as you and the rest of the team are done with breakfast head on down to the pitch…I want to go over some last minute tactics before we play.”

Harry turned and made for the door. Lavender called out after him.

“Harry don't you want some breakfast?”

Turning back he glanced at Hermione briefly before focusing on Lavender and replying.

“No thanks…I haven't got much of an appetite.”

He turned again and strode purposefully out the door. Following Harry's departure Hermione gave up her fruitless attempts at eating and rose from her seat. As she did she mumbled.

“Ron…Ginny…good luck out there today.”

Ron looked at her inquiringly.

“Aren't you coming?”

She shook her head.

“I've got a lot of studying to do…”

Ginny cut in.

“But you've never missed any of our matches before!”

Hermione replied as if she hadn't heard Ginny's statement.

“I'll see you all later…”

She paused then added with a sad little smile.

“At the victory party.”

Hermione turned and walked out of the Great Hall before anyone could say anything else. Ron threw his napkin down onto the table and rising from his seat said.

“Well this is a right fine mess this is!”

He turned and looking down the table at the rest of the Gryffindor team yelled.

“Oy…you lot…Harry wants us at the pitch…NOW!!”

Ron turned again and brushed a kiss across Lavender's cheek before stomping off out of the Great Hall with Ginny and the rest of the team following in his wake apparently unaware of Lavender's calls of “Good luck”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry opened his eyes blearily and was greeted by the stark white walls and blinding bright light of the hospital wing. He knew instantly upon opening his eyes where he was having spent a significant amount of time on his back staring up at the ceiling of this same room. In the seven years he'd been a student at Hogwarts there had not been a single year in which he had not graced the hospital wing with his presence. He winced as a shooting pain shot through his head when he'd tried to raise it from the pillows he was lying on. A groan slipped past his lips and Madam Pomfrey came bustling over saying.

“Good, you've finally come round! I was beginning to think you were seriously hurt this time…drink this.”

She shoved a cupful of something purple and foul smelling under his nose and against his lips before he had a chance to say anything. Knowing the futility in refusing Harry grabbed the cup and drank its contents down in one swallow. He pulled a face and coughed violently for a few seconds before asking.

“What happened?”

Madam Pomfrey looked into his eyes, ears and down his throat; she then prodded his abdomen and extremities with her wand. She was apparently checking him for previously unseen injuries, she then replied by saying.

“Took a bludger to the face resulting in a broken nose. It knocked you unconscious and you fell from your broom about ten feet or so from the ground. Do you have any memory of the event?”

Harry frowned as his mind drifted back to the match against Slytherin. They'd been up by two hundred and fifty points when he'd seen the snitch. He hadn't seen the bludger though. It caught him square on the nose just as his fingers had closed around the snitch. Harry looked up at Madam Pomfrey, the frown still marring his countenance and asked.

“Did I hang on to the snitch? Did Gryffindor win the match?”

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes as she turned away and answered.

“Yes you hung on to that infernal snitch. And you'll be pleased to know that your skull and its contents are intact! I'll be back in an hour to check on you and don't even ask about any victory celebrations.”

Madam Pomfrey marched down the halls towards her office mumbling something about “Dangerous sports and delicate constitutions”. Harry smiled and let the remark pass. They'd won the match soundly nothing else mattered. His smile grew even brighter when he imagined what the expression on Malfoy's face must have looked like as sleep claimed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry strolled down the main corridor leading from the hospital wing and headed towards the Great Hall in the best mood he'd been in for several weeks. When Madam Pomfrey had come back to check on him she'd pronounced him fit as a fiddle and dismissed him from hospital. He'd been shocked to say the least but he didn't wait around to give her the chance to come to her senses and change her mind. He'd set out for the Great Hall and dinner straightaway. No doubt the Gryffindors had thrown a corking do over their obliteration of Slytherin and Harry reckoned that seeing him out of hospital so soon would get them carrying on again. Fred and George had sent he and Ron a case of Prescott's Smoldering Atomic Ale and they'd been looking for a reason to crack it open, he reckoned this was as good a reason as any.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lavender looked up from her half eaten bowl of stew and spoke to the table though her query was directed at Ron.

“Sweetie have you been to see Harry?”

Ron bit back a chuckle at how heavily his girlfriend emphasized his best mate's name. She'd done it for Hermione's benefit of course. Obviously she wanted Hermione to worry over Harry being hit in the face by that bludger enough to rush up to hospital and see him. Ron nodded his head and heartily chewed the chunk of fillet steak he'd stuffed into his mouth and deciding it was as good a plan as any to get the two speaking again replied.

“Yeah I went up to see him but he was still out cold. Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let me stay long though said he needs rest to mend.”

Lavender shook her head and answered back.

“Oh my…I do hope he's going to be all right…it was so horrible his getting hit like that…he fell from so high up I was certain he'd broken every bone in his body!”

Ginny and Pavrati who were sitting nearby cottoned on to what Lavender was doing and decided to egg the situation on. Pavrati added in.

“What was really horrible was the way blood was spurting everywhere and the way he careened to the ground in a lifeless heap…oooooh it gives me chills just thinking about it!”

Ginny offered her two cents.

“You think seeing it was bad…imagine if you'd been close enough to hear it. That sickening crunching sound as the bludger connected with his face and the grunt of surprise that came out of his mouth when he went soaring off his broom…and the even more stomach-turning sound of him hitting the cold hard ground below…”

Ginny broke off her vivid description of Harry's fall when she caught sight of Hermione's face, which was deathly white and clearly horrified. Hermione rose from her seat and scurried across the Great Hall and out the door and made a hard right towards the main staircase and the hospital wing. Lavender smiled and turned her attentions back to her plate of stew.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry was one floor above the Great Hall when he turned the corner and ran smack dab into Hermione. She seemed to have been in as great a hurry as he was; the combined impact of their running headlong into one another sent them both crashing to the floor. Instinctively Harry had wrapped his arms around Hermione and turned so that his body and not hers absorbed the brunt of the impact from the fall. Harry groaned loudly as his head connected with the floor. Hermione emitted a squeak and scrambled off of Harry and kneeling at his side cried out.

“Oh Harry are you all right…I'm so sorry…I didn't see you…oh goodness your head…”

Harry shook himself and rose to a sitting position and said.

“I'm all right…head's still a little sore from that bludger but other than that I'm fine.”

Hermione sat back on her legs and asked if Harry was sure when he assured her that he was indeed fine she seemed to fully recognize the fact that Harry was out of hospital. Looking at him queerly she asked.

“What are you doing out of hospital?”

Harry got to his feet and reached down to help Hermione up as she took his extended hand he replied.

“Madam Pomfrey discharged me.”

Hermione gazed at him in astonishment.

“She did what…why?!”

Harry scratched his head and said.

“Because there's nothing wrong with me.”

“But there has to be.”

“Why does something have to be wrong with me?”

“They all said how horrible it was…the sound of your bones breaking…blood gushing everywhere…you falling from such a dangerous height…”

Harry cut in.

“What…bones breaking…gushing blood…falling from a dangerous height…all right I did break my nose so of course there was blood but it certainly wasn't gushing…a little spurting maybe but not gushing. And what's this about a great height I fell from…I was barely ten feet above the ground.”

Hermione shook her head and said.

“But they were going on about how terrible it was…”

Harry queried.

“They who?”

Hermione kept on having not heard his question.

“And Ron said you were unconscious when he came to see you…”

Her voice died away as she realized that her so-called friends had set her up once again. They'd made Harry's accident sound ten times worse than it was in hopes that she would be frightened and go running off to see him. And damn them it'd worked. Harry came to the exact same conclusion at the same moment.

“That lot made it sound as if I were near death to get you to come and see me.”

Hermione nodded.

“Seems they're smarter than I give them credit for…that or I'm getting a bit dimwitted.”

Harry smiled and said

“You're not anywhere near being dimwitted.”

Hermione just looked at him and asked, concern evident in her tone.

“So you're really all right then?”

Harry nodded.

“As I said head's a bit sore but other than that I'm perfectly fit.”

Hermione nodded and silence fell between them. They stood there awkwardly avoiding each other's eyes until Harry unable to stand the silence anymore asked.

“Were you really worried about me?”

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked up at him and answered without hesitation.

“Of course I was worried. I would never want anything horrible to happen to you.”

Harry nodded.

“I know you wouldn't wish me or anybody else any harm, except maybe Malfoy and Wesley…but…well considering the way we left things I didn't think you'd much care that I got my face caved in.”

“No matter how badly we row I'd never want your face caved in. Look at all the times I've rowed with Ron, I've never been happy that he was hurt. Why would I feel any differently about you, regardless of what's happened?”

Harry nodded again and once more silence blanketed them. This time it was Hermione who broke the silence.

“You should be getting on if you plan on making dinner.”

Harry responded mechanically.

“Yeah I suppose I should.”

Hermione turned towards the corridor leading to Gryffindor Tower as Harry turned towards the Great Hall; Hermione had began to walk away when Harry whirled around and said.

“You were coming to see me just now…”

Hermione stopped and turned around.

Harry quizzed her.

“What were you going to say to me?”

Hermione looked away and whispered.

“I just wanted to hold your hand and let you know that I was there.”

Harry closed the distance between them and cupping her face in his hands tilted her head back slightly so that their eyes met and asked.

“Why…after everything that's happened…why would you do that…why would you even care?”

Hermione smiled faintly and answered.

“Because its you Harry, because its you.”

Harry stared at Hermione as if he was seeing her for the first time. At last he understood why she'd behaved the way she had since finding out about the potion. He suddenly became aware that he needed to tell Hermione what he'd been feeling. He needed her to know just how much he cared for her. Without giving the matter anymore thought Harry opened his mouth and spoke what he felt in his heart.

“Hermione I know the past few weeks have been confusing and painful and I know I've been the world's greatest prat and I'm truly sorry for that. And if I had a time turner I would go back and change all the awful things that have happened with one exception…and that exception would be our being together…that I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change that because potion or no potion…that's what I want… to be with you. I know you think I just miss being with you…and I do but not in the way you think. I don't miss making love to you anywhere near as much as I miss just being close to you. Seeing you smile that beautiful smile of yours just for me…feeling your hand in mine…holding you in my arms and never wanting to let you go…that's the us I miss. I want to be with you Hermione…I always have… and if you'll let me I'll prove it to you…”

Harry paused and took a deep breath before continuing on.

“Next Saturday's a Hogsmeade Saturday and if you don't already have other plans I'd like you to go…with me.”

Hermione spoke for the first time since Harry made his declaration.

“You mean on a date?”

Harry nodded.

“Yes I mean on a date. Just you and me…no Ron and Lavender or anyone else…just us…will…will you go out with me?”

Hermione smiled through the curtain of tears that were falling down her cheeks and said.

“Yes, Harry…I'd like to go with you to Hogsmeade on Saturday…I'd like that very much!”

-->

Epilogue: Finally

The portrait hole swung open and Lavender and Ron stumbled through it into the Gryffindor common room holding hands, bright eyed and pink-cheeked from their jaunt around the lake. Lavender's knitted cap and her long blond locks were heavily dusted with snow; the wind had been whipping about swirling the flakes like mad and the temperature seemed to have dropped at least ten degrees since that morning when the pair had gone out shortly after breakfast. They'd wanted to spend sometime alone before they left for the Christmas holidays the next day. With lessons ended for the term most of the inhabitants of the castle were letting off as much steam as possible. Raucous laughter and exuberant chattering voices could be heard wafting through the corridors from vacant study rooms and empty classrooms. When the weather permitted the snow covered grounds were peppered with people trudging around and pelting one another with snowballs. If not the house common rooms and the Great Hall were filled with students enjoying the respite from work before heading home for the holidays. It having been too cold outside for their liking Ron and Lavender were hoping the common room had emptied out enough to afford them a modicum of privacy so that they could cuddle by the fire. As they hurried into the warmth of the room they were quite relieved to see that the common room was in fact empty. Ron was pulling Lavender towards an empty armchair when she of a sudden nudged him in the ribs sharply and pointed to the couch in front of the fireplace.

There on the couch were Harry and Hermione; obviously Ron and Lavender were not the only ones who wanted a bit of time alone. Harry was sitting with his back against the arm of the couch, Hermione was nestled snugly between his legs her back pressed to his chest. Her knees were drawn up and a book lay forgotten across her lap. Harry was holding her left hand in his left, his right was slowly running up and down her right arm softly caressing the bare skin. Hermione's head was thrown back onto Harry's right shoulder, her right hand tangled in his windswept ebony locks. Her eyes were closed and a rather wicked smile was playing about the corners of her lips as Harry kissed and nipped at her exposed throat intently. Ron surveyed the scene before him and exchanged a smile with Lavender.

It had been a month since Harry and Hermione had started dating and it would have been a gross understatement to say that they were a little enamored with each other. Following his taking a bludger to the head during the last Quidditch match Harry had finally figured out that Hermione was as barmy over him as he was about her only she needed to know his feelings were sincere and that he wanted more from her than just sex. Harry told her how he felt and to show that he was being honest he asked her out on a real date, which Hermione accepted. What followed was the single most amazing courtship in the history of Hogwarts. Harry who had always shied away from revealing his true feelings to anyone made it abundantly clear to anyone with a solitary brain cell how he felt about Hermione. He escorted her to and from lessons, held her hand whenever she was near, complimented her endlessly and he openly showed his affections for her both verbally and physically (they were now expressly forbidden from doing their evening patrols together as McGonagall had caught them committing infractions they were supposed to be preventing; using empty classrooms to snog in, one time too many).

Their relationship had created quite a bit of talk as most people had apparently thought that the school's star Quidditch player, resident hero and Head Boy had ruined all chance of making a go of things with the rather bookish albeit beautiful Head Girl. The female population of Hogwarts was still reeling from this latest scandalous turn of events and it was commonplace to hear such quips as “Lucky girl that Granger” and “What's she got that I haven't”. The males in the castle weren't much better and on more than one occasion they had been heard muttering things like “Damn that Potter” and “Besides the whole hero thing what could she possibly see in him”. Ron shook his head and with a significant look in Lavender's direction said very loudly.

“I don't see why you two are down here hogging our couches to snog on when you've got a private one of your own upstairs!”

Hermione's eyes flew open. Startled by Ron's voice booming through the quiet of the common room she turned her head towards the door to see who had entered the room. This move gave Harry better access to the sensitive pulse point of Hermione's neck, which he took full advantage of by alternately nuzzling and licking the spot passionately. Hermione had been about to say something but Harry's abrupt change of tactics caused her to close her open mouth and bite down on her slightly red and swollen, thoroughly kissed lips as a moan rose from her throat. Lavender stared at the pair openly admiring Harry's technique. Ron winced at the sounds coming from Hermione and upon seeing the envious look on Lavender's face whipped out his wand and said.

“That's enough…you two cut it out or I'll hose the pair of you down!”

Hermione turned back towards Harry and untangled her hand from Harry's hair and stroked his neck adoringly as she whispered something in his ear. Harry nodded; their lips met briefly in a chaste kiss and Harry raised his head a decidedly happy grin on his face. Hermione scooted back closer to Harry and laid her head on his shoulder again, he in turn wrapped his arms about her and pressed a kiss to her temple. Ron frowned as he said.

“Urgh…”

Hermione rolled her eyes and replied.

“Oh honestly Ron you're being childish…its nothing you haven't seen before…or done for that matter.”

Ron dropped down into the chair facing the couch. Lavender lowered herself onto his lap.

“You've no idea what I've seen Hermione and you certainly have no idea of what I've been doing.”

Harry looked up and replied.

“Ron you spent the summer trying to peek at Bill and Fleur snogging and the first official action you proposed to Lavender as her boyfriend was I believe to go and have a snog. So I think its safe to assume that you've both seen and done this enough not to be grossed out by it.”

Ron retorted.

“Well those two instances are entirely separate. First off with Bill and Fleur how could I not see them, they used every bloody surface and area of space in the Burrow to snog in. As for Lav and me, I have to show my affections for her don't I.”

Lavender beamed at Ron and planted a kiss on his lips. Ron smiled smugly, pleased that his answer had engendered such a favorable response. Harry laughed loudly and replied.

“Are you trying to take the piss Ron? You know bloody well that you were peeking at Fleur and Bill because you fancy that one-quarter Veela and you snog Lavender constantly because…well because she lets you!”

Ron shot Harry an affronted look and answered back.

“Whether those two things are true or not is beside the point. The point is I don't want to see you two carrying on like bunnies!”

Harry smiled evilly.

“Then I suggest you look away.”

Harry lowered his head and resumed his earlier assault on Hermione's throat, which elicited a fresh batch of moans from Hermione. Lavender's eyes widened as she watched Harry's tongue dance and swirl across Hermione's skin. A breathy “Oh my” slipped past Lavender's lips and Ron seeing the flushed color of her cheeks asked.

“What are you oh my-ing about?”

Lavender turned and was about to answer when they heard the soft muffled sound of feet hitting the carpet. Both Ron and Lavender looked up to see Harry and Hermione heading towards the stairs though how they were managing was a mystery considering that their lips were still connected and their hands were roving all over each others bodies. At the base of the stairs they stopped and Hermione raised her wand towards the portrait hole and muttered two quick spells. Ron looked askance and said.

“What are you doing?”

Hermione smiled and replied.

“Taking your advice and adjourning to our private quarters. I charmed the door so that anyone who comes back to the common room will develop a sudden urge to go elsewhere. It should give you about an hour…I also added a silencing charm just in case.”

Harry added.

“I'd try the couch…its loads more comfortable than that chair you're in and the mistletoe above it adds quite a festive touch don't you think?”

That said Harry waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Ron turned around scooped Hermione up in his arms and disappeared up the stairs with Hermione's laughter ringing through the air. Lavender looked at Ron and said.

“Well now that we're alone what do you want to do?”

Ron wrapped his arms around Lavender and standing to his feet started walking towards the couch and said.

“How about we make good use of that silencing charm eh!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stepped into the main Gryffindor common room looking for all the world as though she was the cat that'd swallowed the canary. She was dressed in a pair of baby blue sweatpants and a matching zippered jacket with a hood; the jacket was unzipped an underneath it she wore a white tank top. Her mass of brown curls was pulled up into a ponytail atop her head. As she made her way to the corner couch where she saw Ginny, Lavender and Pavrati sitting several fifth and sixth year boys stared after her longingly. Hermione however was oblivious. She sat down beside her friends.

“Hello…what are you ladies up to this evening?”

Ginny looked Hermione up and down, taking in the self-satisfied smile and the soft scent of citrus and vanilla floating on the air surrounding her and said.

“My don't you look content.”

Pavrati looked up from her magazine and did her own appraisal of Hermione and added.

“Very content indeed…where've you been hiding yourself all day? I don't recall seeing you since before lunch!”

Hermione shrugged and replied as she took a seat next to Lavender.

“Oh I've just been upstairs in my room.”

Pavrati nodded.

“In your room eh…hmmm…come to think of it I haven't seen much of Harry this afternoon either. You wouldn't happen to know where he is would you Herms?”

Hermione shrugged noncommittally and glancing around the room answered.

“I don't see him around here anywhere…maybe he's up in the boys dorm…or he could be roaming round the castle getting into some mischief or other…”

Ginny tossed a pillow at Hermione, which she narrowly avoided, and rejoined with.

“Oh stop acting as if you have no idea where he is! He left here not half an hour ago with Ron…hair still damp and reeking of your citrus and vanilla soap…wearing a smug little smile on his face that's identical to yours!”

Pavrati let out a squeal of delight.

“Oooooh…what have you and Harry been up to…you haven't been…”

Pavrati raised and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Hermione's face remained impassive. She had spent a delightfully leisurely afternoon in bed with Harry cuddling and snogging. Then Harry had topped it off by treating her one of his incredible massages and drawing her a long hot relaxing bubble bath; during which he'd gotten carried away and caressed her more intimate bits so thoroughly that she'd hauled him into the bath along with her as she'd kissed him. She had wanted to do far more than kiss him but they'd agreed when they began dating not to rush into anything more until they were sure things would work out between them. So she'd reluctantly settled for snogging the hell out of a still fully clothed Harry. Sighing Hermione came out of her wandering thoughts and saw three expectant pairs of eyes watching her waiting for her to tell them everything, which she of course had no intentions of doing. Hermione smiled and said demurely.

“What may have or may not have happened between Harry and I is just that between Harry and I… a lady never tells.”

Ginny and Pavrati opened their mouths to protest but were stopped by Lavender who intervened and sagely said.

“Herms is absolutely right…the goings on between her and Harry are private.”

Hermione grinned and said.

“Thanks Lav.”

Lavender returned her smile and retorted.

“Unless you happen to stumble into the room that they're holed up in while snogging each other senseless!”

Pavrati and Ginny squealed and giggled like banshees. Hermione threw the pillow Ginny had lobbed at her earlier at Lavender.

“I thought you said what Harry and I did was private!”

Lavender shrugged.

“It is private when you do it in your common room but when you do it in this common room its open for discussion.”

Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and responded cheekily.

“Well that's the last time I charm this common room to give you and Ron a moment alone.”

Pavrati squealed yet again, Ginny's mouth dropped open and Lavender blushed scarlet. Pavrati shook Lavender's arm and asked.

“You and Ron had the common room all to yourselves…what happened?”

Lavender quickly retorted.

“That's private…”

“What's private?”

The four girls turned to see Ron, Neville, Dean, Seamus and Harry weaving their way through the scattered chairs, tables and bodies to the couch on which they were seated. Ron reached over the back of the couch and lifted Lavender into the air. He then proceeded to cram his large gangly form into the space she'd just occupied as he placed Lavender on his lap. Neville took up a chair to the right of the couch. Dean dropped down in front of the chair to the left of the couch that Ginny was sitting in. Seamus took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of the couch while Harry perched himself on the right arm next to Hermione. Ron restated his question.

“What's private?”

Pavrati spoke quickly before Lavender had a chance to reply.

“What were you and Lavender doing alone in the common room this afternoon?”

Ron flushed and unconsciously tightened his hold on Lavender as he stammered out a reply.

“We…were…ummm…er…ummm…ahh…well…its like Lav said…its private!”

Dean smiled and said.

“Looks like somebody's been carrying on!”

Seamus nodded.

“I believe you're right mate.”

Pavrati's voice sang out again.

“Those two aren't the only ones!”

Seamus nodded again and said.

“We know…we just saw Neville here snogging that Roper bird from Hufflepuff!”

Lavender took up Pavrati's squealing and said.

“Really?!”

Dean nodded his head vigorously as Seamus elaborated.

“Yep…really going at it they were…that…what's her name…”

Ginny supplied the answer.

“Allison.”

Seamus snapped his fingers and went on.

“Right…that Allison was all over our Neville…said she was going to miss him something terrible over the holiday break!”

Ron whooped and bellowed.

“Way to go Neville!!”

Pavrati giggled madly.

“Why Neville I never would have guessed!”

Lavender chimed in.

“Its always the quiet ones.”

Neville blushed and tugged at the collar of his jumper. Ginny quipped.

“Speaking of quiet ones…you've been keeping mum through all of this Harry.”

Pavrati added.

“Yes Harry you have been very quiet… and I thought you'd have something to say on this subject considering you and Hermione had your own little interlude today.”

All eyes turned to Harry who was absently stroking Hermione's hair that he'd released from the ponytail she'd pulled it up into earlier. His only reply was a lazy grin. He turned his attention from the group to Hermione and standing to his feet and extending his hand to her said.

“Ms. Granger, I fancy a stroll about the castle and as you're leaving first thing in the morning and I'll be without your charming company for three full weeks I was hoping you'd join me.”

Hermione smiled and sliding her hand into Harry's said.

“Why thank you for asking Mr. Potter I would love to accompany you!”

Hermione rose gracefully from her seat and slipping her arm through Harry's they strolled out the portrait hole without saying another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry was roused from sleep Christmas morning by the feel of soft warm lips pressed against his own. His eyes fluttered open and he caught a flash of curly brown hair and warm chocolate eyes. Unsure of whether or not he was dreaming or outright hallucinating he pulled his lips away from the lips assaulting his and in a sleep-tinged rasp called out.

“Hermione is that you?”

Hermione's tinkling laughter filled the room and Harry rubbed his eyes and opened them widely. There kneeling above him on the bed was Hermione dressed in a heavy red cloak, the hood and cuffs of which were trimmed in white fur. Harry sat up in bed and running a hand through his messy mop of hair.

“What are you doing here?”

Hermione answered airily.

“Well I've come to give you your Christmas present of course!”

“But you were supposed to be spending Christmas with your family…you said your grandparents were coming and that you hadn't seen them for ages.”

Hermione nodded and replied simply by saying.

“That's right.”

Harry scratched his head and asked.

“Then what in the name of Merlin are you doing here?”

“As I told you before I've come to bring you your Christmas present…are you not pleased to see me?”

“Of course I'm pleased to see you! I just thought that you wanted to spend the holidays enjoying your family.”

Hermione smiled.

“I did and I was with one exception.”

Harry quirked an eyebrow and asked.

“And what pray tell was the exception?”

Hermione bit her lip and answered.

“I missed you terribly! I couldn't stand the thought of you here at school all alone with just the teachers for company…so I talked to my parents and my grandparents and explained things and instead of having Christmas on Christmas day we had it on Christmas Eve and well here I am!”

Harry grinned.

“You did that for me?”

Hermione nodded. Harry crooked his finger and beckoned to her.

“Come here I want to thank you.”

Hermione shook her head.

“Not until I give you your present.”

Harry noticed the gleam in her eye; he sat up straight in bed and said.

“All right then let's have it.”

Hermione took a step backwards from the bed and slowly unfastened her cloak. As the cloak fell from her shoulders and poled at her feet Harry's eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. There at the foot of his bed was Hermione dressed in nothing more than a see-through red lace teddy that clung to her curves and left absolutely nothing to the imagination and a pair of red stiletto heels. Harry muttered.

“Merlin, Morganna and Circe!!”

Hermione smiled sexily and asked.

“You like it then?”

Harry nodded slowly and dumbly. Hermione's smile grew wider continuing in that same sexy tone she asked.

“Well aren't you going to unwrap your present Harry?”

Harry grinned wickedly and beckoned for Hermione. This time however she felt her feet leave the floor as she floated over to the bed and into Harry's arms. Just as their lips were about to meet in a searing and passionate kiss Harry stopped and asked.

“Are you sure about this…we don't have to…”

Hermione softly kissed his lips to stem his words and whispered.

“I'm sure Harry. I want this…I want you…haven't you figured out how in love with you I am?”

Harry smiled, kissed her gently and replied in a low raspy whisper.

“I love you too Hermione…I love you too!”

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