Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith.
A/N: M'ok m'dears. This story was born out of my Ancient History essay… ironically the essay was about Greece, not about Egypt… Ancient reminds me of Egypt, I love Egypt and I own many novels set in Ancient Egyptian times or talking about that time period… and I remembered my wonderful book, the Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith… and this oneshot was born out of it :D I hope you like it… and I would recommend you to read the Seventh Scroll. Or River God or Warlock. :D I love Wilbur Smith… not because of the naughty scenes he's famous for (although those are amusing) but because he's such a great author. And because his books are set in Northern Africa :D. Anyway.
The title is there because… hids and I were in a silly mood. :D hehehe. Oh, and this was put on ff.net a while ago… so if you've already read it, it's from there.
Please read and review! I hope you like!
I Could Have Read All Night
Hermione smiled satisfactorily as she lay her feet up on the couch next to her, leaning on the arm rest and opening one of her rather thick novels on her lap, beginning to read where she'd left off the night before. She was lounging in the common room, in front of the pleasantly warm fire. It was her favourite place to read, especially when it was raining or snowing outside. She loved feeling warm when it was cold outside.
She was reading one of her favourite books, that her parents had bought her in the summer before her seventh year. The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith provided her with a wonderful escape into the adventures of Royan and Nicholas as they discovered an Egyptian tomb down the south end of the River Nile in Ethiopia. Each time she opened the book she felt as though she was Royan, understanding Royan's need to solve the puzzle of the tomb and understanding her attraction to Nicholas, for he reminded Hermione of someone she knew very well.
"What are you reading?" A wonderfully familiar voice broke her concentration and she looked up from her book at Harry, smiling happily.
"The Seventh Scroll," she said, showing him the book cover.
"You're always reading that book," he said, picking her legs up from the couch and sitting down, laying her legs back down on his lap.
"Because it's good," she said defensively, smiling and going back to her reading.
"Are you ever going to let me take a look at it?" he asked, peering over the edge of the book and down at the words curiously.
She glanced up at him and back down at the scene she was reading, "Not at the moment," she said, biting her bottom lip slightly.
"Why not?" he asked, making a grab for it.
She laughed and moved the book out of his reach, "Because you should go and buy your own books," she said, poking her tongue out at him.
"But I want to know if it's any good before I buy it," he protested, grabbing at it again. "Must I tickle you so I can steal it?"
Hermione grinned at him and said playfully, "Don't you dare."
"Aww," he pouted, sitting back and crossing his arms.
"Good boy," she said, relaxing and moving the book back to her lap, reading again.
But, before she could stop him, he grabbed at it again and yanked it out of her hands. She cried out in surprise and tried to take it back, but he just grinned a very silly grin and fended her off with one arm.
"Now, what's so interesting about this book?" he asked thoughtfully, catching both her wrists in one hand as she grabbed at it again.
"Harry!" Hermione whined, kicking out with her legs and trying to yank her wrists away from him.
"Shh," he said, moving his other arm down to press down on her legs so she couldn't move them.
She was now paralysed, slightly amazed at how easy it was for him to stop her from attacking him.
"Alright," he said thoughtfully, beginning to read.
"If you don't let me go immediately I'll hex you," Hermione said warningly, struggling again.
"You don't have your wand in your hands smarty-pants," he said, glancing up at her and grinning again. He looked back down at the book, ignoring her protests now. He suddenly grinned again and looked up at Hermione, almost disbelievingly. "'Slowly, voluptuously, he worked her lips apart, and her protests died away as he probed her mouth deeply with his tongue'. My dear Hermione, I had no idea you read this sort of thing!" he said in mock outrage, laughing softly as she began to struggle again.
"Give it back!" she exclaimed, reaching out for the book in vain.
"'He slid his other hand up between their bodies and unhooked the buttons of her shirt down as low as her belt. She leaned back slightly in his embrace to make it easier for him. With a delicious shock he discovered that her breasts were naked under the thin cotton shirt'." Harry stopped reading, now smirking very cheekily at Hermione.
"Don't you dare," she said warningly, reaching for the book again.
"No wonder you love this book so much," he said, winking at her. "Fantasizing about what they're doing Hermione?"
She glared at him, "Harry, just give the book back."
He stopped grinning, realising he'd crossed a line. "Sorry 'Mione," he said, letting go of her wrists and giving her the book back.
She nodded and swung her legs off him, standing up and beginning to make her way to the girls' staircase.
"Hermione!" Harry called out in alarm, standing up too and catching her arm as she walked past him.
"I'll be down at dinner time," she said stiffly, trying to jerk her arm away from him.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, not letting go of her.
She bit her lip and looked up at him, "I know."
"So stay down here," he said, glancing back at the couch, "I won't tease you anymore."
She couldn't help but smile weakly as he pouted at her. "Alright," she gave in, moving back to the couch and sitting down next to him.
"Can I read with you?" he asked, glancing at the book as she opened it again.
She rolled her eyes, smiling, "I suppose, since you've already read some of it."
He grinned apologetically and moved closer to her and began to read with her. She held the book up with slightly trembling hands, knowing very well how much she would love to do what Royan and Nicholas were doing with Harry.
"Do women like that?" Harry asked suddenly, frowning slightly.
"What?"
"Sucking on nipples," he said, in a matter-of-factly voice.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh softly at him. "It depends," she said, still giggling at him.
"On what?" he asked, one of the corners of his mouth uplifting in a small smirk.
"On whether or not the woman in question is sensitive on that part of her body," she said, looking back down at the book.
"Are you sensitive on that part of your body?" he asked cheekily.
Hermione laughed softly and slapped his thigh, "I refuse to dignify that question with an answer Harry."
He smiled, nodded and looked back down too.
"Are these two good friends?" he asked a moment later.
Hermione sighed, slightly irritated, "I suppose so."
"Is this what good friends do?" he asked, looking a little confused.
"Well… not all good friends. I mean, you and I don't do this."
He nodded, looking very thoughtful. "Why are they doing it then?"
Hermione shrugged slightly and said, "Royan's husband was killed at the beginning of the book and she met Nicholas a little further in. I think he was the support she needed to overcome her anger and the loss she felt. It helps that he's apparently an attractive man," she said with a small smile. "And they've been through so much together. He carried her up the cliff, along a path mind you, when she sprained her ankle and couldn't walk. Before that he'd pushed her out of the way when part of the cliff collapsed on the path in front of them."
Harry smiled and nodded, looking back down at the book, not really reading. "You like the idea of this Nicholas then?"
"Any hopeless romantic would," she said with a small grin. She looked back down at the book again. "He reminds me of someone I know," she remarked tentatively.
"Who would that be?" Harry asked, looking decidedly defensive, "If you intend on going out with him then I'll be forced to let him know what would happen to him if he hurt you."
Hermione laughed and slapped his arm lightly, "As if I'd tell you who."
"Oh, come on Hermione," he protested, slapping her back.
"No," she said, very firmly but still smiling at him. "I don't intend on telling him anyway."
"Why not?" Harry asked in surprise. "Where's that Gryffindor courage 'Mione?"
She laughed and rolled her eyes at him, "It's got nothing to do with that. He just doesn't feel the same way."
"How do you know that?" he asked immediately.
"He doesn't look at me the way I look at him," she said, fixing him with her brown-eyed stare.
"The way you're looking at me now?" he asked, a small smirk finding it's way onto his face.
Hermione smiled and shook her head, breaking eye contact.
"Look at me the way you would look at him," Harry said, turning his body on the couch so he was facing her.
"Harry, don't be silly," she said, not looking at him. She felt his fingers on her chin urging her to look up him and submitted, allowing him to lift her chin up. Her eyes met his and she began to chew on her bottom lip.
"You have beautiful eyes," he said softly and thoughtfully, raising a hand to her cheek to cup it.
She smiled and leant into his hand, "So do you," she whispered, finding that he throat was constricted with anticipation.
He smiled back and said, "Who does Nicholas remind you of?"
"You," she said automatically, blushing slightly as she realised what she just confessed.
His smile widened and he said, "They remind you of us, don't they?"
Hermione nodded, closing her eyes and wishing she had never agreed to stay down in the common room with him. She expected him to move his hand off her cheek and move away from her.
But, to her surprise (and joy) she felt a pair of soft and warm lips cover hers. She smiled into the kiss as he opened his mouth to hers, their tongues touching and sliding over each other. The kiss lasted for a moment while they savoured the taste of each other's mouth, Harry marvelling at how good she tasted and how warm her mouth was.
They stopped kissing, Harry moving back slightly and opening his eyes to gaze into hers.
"That was… interesting," she whispered breathlessly, bumping his nose slightly with hers and she shifted her body on the couch.
He smiled and leant forward to kiss her lips again, "I liked it," he murmured.
"Mmm," she murmured back, kissing him back.
"So, you fantasized about me when you read that part of the book?" he asked, grinning a very silly grin at her.
She laughed softly at him, "Ruin the moment, why don't you?"
He smiled, "I'm being serious."
Hermione moved her head back slightly so she could see his face properly, "I suppose you entered my mind whenever I read that scene."
He grinned, "Me too."
"Harry, you only just read it for the first time today," she said reasonably, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Not really," he said, grinning apologetically again, "I borrowed it a month ago when you fell asleep on the couch. I spent the next three nights reading it in my dorm."
"So it was you who stole it!" she exclaimed, slapping his shoulder lightly.
"I wanted to see why you loved it so much," he said defensively, catching her arm as she raised it to slap him again. "And I realised that Royan reminded me of you when I finished it. She and Nicholas reminded me of the relationship we enjoy."
Hermione was silent, looking as though she wasn't quite sure she heard Harry properly.
"Well, we don't enjoy all of the aspects of their relationship but I suspect we will, in time," Harry added cheekily, winking at her.
Hermione gasped, now grinning back at him and slapped his other shoulder with her other hand, "Naughty Harry."
He caught her other hand and leant forward to kiss her again, making her giggle softly in the back of her throat.
"I still can't believe you made me feel so embarrassed for having this book," she remarked as the kiss ended.
He grinned, "Isn't that a good thing?"
She smiled, "I suppose so."
The End
A/N: yeah, the title is almost completely irrelevant... because obviously, Hermione had something more interesting than reading to do that night ;-) lol. Please review guys! love you all!
Alex