Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Alrighty-o. This has been written over the course of… two days. As a celebration of the end of my trials! Woohoo! My first major exams are over! I think I failed half of them but meh. Lol… I'll be right.
Anyway, I've actually left my USB with the beginning of the next chapter of The Return at school… it's in my locker, I just forgot to pick it up when I left to coach tennis on Friday. I should have it back on Monday night and then I'll get straight to work on writing the next chapter. But this has been written to tide you over.
Thanks are due to the wonderful dark_spyro again for simply being there for me and inspiring me. And for reading it through for me… thanks hun! *Hug*
I really hope you guys like it… Hermione's feelings have been based on mine for a certain someone who shall remain nameless. I actually had the conversation Harry and Hermione have a little further down.
So yeah… nothing else from me, just that I really hope you like it! Please remember to review at the end! The title is the same as the Norah Jones song Feelin' the Same Way… it's a great song ;-)
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Feelin' the Same Way
Lately, I've been feeling rather out of the ordinary… I'm not quite sure how to describe it.
It's kind of like my chest is going to explode. But… it's a good feeling. I am happy but there's something stopping me from being completely happy.
I'm not entirely sure what it is though.
I think the last time I felt like this was watching Harry play Quidditch… well, maybe I feel like this every time I see him on that silly broom of his. And, I suppose, whenever I see him grinning like a naughty child.
And when I see him dozing on the couch in the common room late at night, after we've all gone to bed.
And when he's working terribly hard on his homework. He pouts slightly and furrows his brow… it's terribly cute.
And when he sneaks down to the kitchens and brings me back food… with such a devilish, cheeky grin, it makes me forget that I'm annoyed that he interrupted the house elves.
And…
…
I only feel this constricted feeling when I'm around him… when I see him smile, frown… when I hear him talk, laugh, make any noise of any kind… when I feel him touch me softly, and it makes my stomach jump and my heart skip a couple of beats.
What on earth is this feeling?
Why am I only feeling like this around Harry of all people?
Don't I feel like this around other people?
Watching Ron play Quidditch… hmm, no, I don't feel constricted. I'm a little worried when he lunges for the stupid Quaffle, but my chest doesn't feel like it's going to explode.
Ginny certainly doesn't make me feel constricted… well, only when she used to start talking about Harry when they were going out. But not since they broke up… about two months ago.
I don't get it… why is Harry making me feel so trapped? A simple smile can send my heart into overtime and my ribcage just wants to… explode to let my heart flutter out.
I swear; it grows bloody wings each time I see Harry.
Even his name makes me want to drop everything to go find him and give him a giant hug. And a kiss on the cheek…
A kiss on the cheek…
Just thinking about our lips being anywhere near each other makes my heart start throbbing again. It's beating so loud… I swear the rest of the common room must be able to hear it. God… now I'm looking at his lips and wondering… wondering what they would feel like…
---
"Hermione, are you okay?"
Harry's voice startled her out of her thoughts and her eyes snapped from his lips up to his eyes. They were creased at the sides in amusement, watching her blush slightly.
"Fine," she said stiffly, shifting in her seat to start writing her homework again.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"You were just staring off into space. Thinking really hard?" he asked, grinning cheekily at her.
She couldn't help but smile back, "Yeah. Sorry."
"No worries! Are you done with your Arithmancy homework yet?"
"Almost. Why?"
"We're on rounds together, remember?"
Hermione closed her eyes weakly and sighed heavily, "Damn, I forgot."
"Don't worry Hermione, we'll go as soon as you're ready," he said reassuringly.
"The perks of being Head Girl and Boy," she remarked, flashing him a weak grin and pushing her homework aside. She stood up, "Let's go now. We should have been gone five minutes ago."
"Alright. We'll be back later Ron," he added to his other best friend, who was running his fingers through his hair furiously and glaring down at a blank piece of parchment, which was meant to have the words of a two foot long essay for Transfiguration.
"Fine," he said through gritted teeth, not looking up as they left.
"He should have had that done last week," Hermione muttered, shaking her head resignedly.
"Oh, you know me and Ron. Procrastinators to the very end," Harry said with another wide grin. He held the portrait open for her and she smiled and thanked him as she exited the common room.
"So where do we want to start?" he asked as they began to walk very slowly away from Gryffindor Tower.
"Oh, I don't mind. Maybe around the Charms corridor. Remember what we caught last time?"
Harry laughed, "A couple of fifth years doing naughty things."
Hermione fought hard to keep her smile under control, "It's not a laughing matter Harry. What if there was an emergency and we needed a head count?"
He snorted and nudged her with his hip as they walked, "Oh please Hermione; don't tell me you've never snuck out of Gryffindor Tower."
"Only when you made me," she retorted, nudging him back with her hip and trying desperately to ignore the sudden rise in pace of her heartbeat.
"Didn't you like coming with me to see why the third floor corridor was locked in first year? Or the other night when I showed you the view of the lake from my broom?"
"There was a great big three headed dog behind that locked door, I haven't forgotten how bloody scared I was Harry," she poked him, "Did I ever tell you how scared I was?"
He smiled, "I don't think so."
"As for the other… occasion, I still don't understand why you had to wake me up at two in the morning to go and look at the moon reflecting off the lake. On your broom," she added, shuddering slightly. "You know I don't like riding that thing."
"Yes, well, I like keeping you safe. I like protecting you. Remember, I have a 'saving people thing'," he said with a wink.
Hermione grinned apologetically, "Heroes don't put their best friends in danger just so they can save them."
"I'm no hero though," Harry said thoughtfully.
She frowned slightly and slid an arm through his, her hand finding his, "You are," she softly reassured him, "You're the reason I'm here, remember?"
He smiled and looked sideways at her, "You returned the favour."
She smiled back at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek softly, "Come on, we should be checking on those classrooms."
They made their way through the castle to the Charms corridor in silence, Hermione trying to keep her heart at least to a low thump as she realised Harry hadn't let go of her hand.
"I wonder what's behind door number one," Harry remarked, grinning cheekily at Hermione and finally letting go of her hand to walk to the first classroom, resting his hand on the doorknob.
She smiled, noticing how her stomach seemed to slump when he let go of her, "Oh, I wonder. Be a dear and do open it," she said, grinning cheekily at him.
He laughed and opened the door, "Aaand… there's no one," he pouted, "Damn. I wanted to find Malfoy or someone."
"We have a whole corridor left Harry," Hermione said reasonably.
"Oh yeah," Harry grinned as he looked up the corridor.
They slowly moved up the corridor, opening one door after the other and always coming up with nothing.
"This is getting stupid," Harry grumbled as they reached the last door. "You open this one; I can't take being disappointed again."
Hermione laughed softly, "Baby," and opened the door, "See there's no… Luna!" she exclaimed, gasping as she noticed a dirty blonde haired figure pressed up against the back corner by a dark brown haired boy.
"Where?!" Harry exclaimed, jumping forward into the classroom and grinning very widely as he saw the very guilty-looking boy step away from Luna. She was looking as she always did - rather vague and dreamy. "Gotcha!"
"Oh Harry," Hermione scolded him, slapping his shoulder lightly, "Luna, what on earth are you doing in here?"
A dreamy smile spread across her face and she focused her eyes on Hermione after looking sideways at the guilty-looking boy next to her, "Doing what you should be doing," she said in that odd mystic way of hers.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.
---
Doing what she's doing? Me? Hermione Granger, Head Girl and resident bookworm of Hogwarts? Who on earth would I have a good snog with in an empty classroom?
God… I can't think of anyone. I don't think I like anyone.
But then, what is this odd constricting feeling I feel suddenly? I look sideways at Harry to see him grinning and licking his lips slightly. My eyes immediately snap away from him as I fear my heart really will break free from the confines of my chest.
Do I want to kiss Harry?
Do I… God forbid, like Harry?
No… no, I can't like Harry. At least, not in the way that requires me to do whatever Luna told me to do.
What about those staring competitions I've held against his lips? Or… oh my God, I've snuck looks at his backside.
This constricting feeling… unexpressed love maybe?
Love… for Harry?
God… I want to smack myself. How on earth could I miss something like this? Of course it's love… Hermione, you silly girl! Who do you think about most? Who do you worry about most? Who do you watch for hours on end in the common room…?
It's always been Harry, hasn't it?
It always will be…
What am I going to do?
He obviously doesn't feel the same way. So… maybe I'll just admit it to myself, and I'll move on. Yes, that's what I'll do…
---
"Are we going to get in trouble?" the boy asked in a timid voice, stepping forward.
"No, I just like catching people in the act," Harry said, laughing at the nervous boy, "You can go back to your dorms now guys. Just don't do it again."
The boy breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed Luna's hand, dragging her towards the door of the classroom. "Good night Hermione!" Luna called over her shoulder, a grin spreading across her face.
Hermione glared after her and muttered, "Doing what I should be doing, indeed."
"What's wrong Hermione?" Harry asked cheerfully, grinning very happily.
"Cheeky Luna," she replied, turning back to glare at Harry. "Suggesting I should be doing what she is."
"Well, you know, it wouldn't hurt you to have a nice snog Hermione," he said reasonably.
Hermione glared at him again and asked, "And who, might you suggest, should I have a 'nice snog' with?"
Harry shrugged, "Whoever you want to."
"Yes, well, if I had my way," she muttered, turning her back on him and leaving the room to go into the corridor, "I'd have you flat on your back," she continued, when she was sure he couldn't hear her.
"Hey, Hermione!" Harry called after her and running to catch up to her, "If you had your way what?"
"Never mind Harry," she said, sighing and turning down a different corridor, taking great care to inspect every nook and cranny along there.
"No, I want to know," he said, catching up with her and touching her shoulder, "Do you want Ron?"
Hermione shuddered slightly and made a face.
Harry laughed softly, "I'll take that as a no."
"Just don't worry Harry," she said, continuing on her way down the corridor.
"Come on Hermione, you obviously want someone, otherwise that remark from Luna wouldn't have bothered you!"
"Stop being right," Hermione muttered, walking briskly away from Harry.
"So I am right," he called after her, jogging up to grab her arm. "Hermione, stop."
He said this with such authority that she simply stopped to look up at him in surprise.
"Good girl," he said, looking down at her and frowning slightly, "Hermione, what's wrong?"
"Nothing!" she said, wrenching her arm from his hand and glaring up at him. "If there was something wrong, I'd tell you!"
"So you're okay?"
"Absolutely fine. Peachy keen Harry! So happy that I could just dance all the way back to Gryffindor Tower," she burst out, breathing slightly harder after that small outbreak of sarcasm.
"Where did that come from?" Harry asked, frowning at her.
She sighed heavily and looked up at him, chewing on her bottom lip, "I'm sorry. You're right."
"Something's wrong?"
Hermione nodded and crossed her arms, sighing again.
"So… are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, touching her arm tentatively.
"I don't know if I can," she said softly, looking up at him.
"You can tell me anything, Hermione," he said, just as softly and looking down, very intently, at her.
"Not this time," she half whispered, her bottom lip trembling slightly.
"Come on Hermione," he murmured, pulling her into a very tight hug.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as his wonderful scent filled her nostrils - she never fully realised how good he smelt before now…
"Why are you crying?" he asked, pulling back to find tears sliding down her cheeks silently.
"Because I know what's wrong and I'm scared," she whispered, closing her eyes in an attempt to hold her tears in.
"Hey, don't be. I'm here," he pulled her back in for another hug, "I'll protect you, remember?"
She sniffed and slid her arms around his waist, holding him very tightly, "I don't know if you can this time."
"What are you so scared of?" he asked, pulling back to look down at her face, and not removing his arms from around her.
She didn't answer and looked away from him, biting down very hard on her bottom lip to stop herself from answering.
"You're going to have to tell me sooner or later," he added softly.
She sighed before answering, "Rejection, Harry. I'm afraid of rejection… and I don't know why."
"From who?" he asked, frowning slightly. "If they reject you they're either really stupid or they want me to hunt them down."
Hermione smiled slightly and said, "I don't think you can hunt this person down, Harry."
"Why? Don't they go to Hogwarts? Is it… Hermione, is it Krum?" he asked, suddenly looking very serious.
Hermione laughed softly and shook her head, "No, don't worry."
Harry nodded, a look of relief spreading across his face. "Alright. Apart from him, I can't think why you'd be afraid that he'd reject you… it is a guy, right?" he asked, suddenly looking slightly embarrassed and curious at the same time.
Hermione laughed again and rolled her eyes, "Don't look so curious, Harry. And yes, it is a guy."
He grinned apologetically, "I'm sorry, but you know, I had to ask."
She smiled and sniffed slightly, wiping away her tears.
"Are you going to tell me who it is?" he asked softly, placing his hands on her shoulders and gazing down into her eyes.
She sighed and stared straight back at him with a pained look on her face. "I don't really want to."
"It's better to just say it Hermione. Then you won't be lying to yourself… or to me," he said, trying to recapture her gaze as she looked away from him.
Hermione frowned, "Do you have an idea of who it is?"
He shrugged, "Maybe."
"Are you going to guess?"
"What if I'm wrong?"
"Does it really matter?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because my thoughts hit a little close to home."
She raised an eyebrow, "Meaning?"
Harry sighed and looked away from her, "Nothing."
"No, tell me."
"You tell me first."
"Are we going to have this argument?"
"Yes."
"Harry," she said warningly.
"Hermione," he mimicked her.
"You are absolutely infuriating."
"Why are you grinning when you say that?"
"Because… I can."
"Tell me."
"No."
"I think I know who it is."
"Who?"
"You tell me."
"I can't."
"Yes you can."
"No, I can't."
"You wouldn't have brought it up if you didn't want to tell me, Hermione."
"I hate it when you're right," she muttered, dropping her gaze and glaring at the ground.
"Is it someone I know?"
"Someone you know very well."
"It's not Ron… Seamus?"
"No."
"Dean?"
"No."
"Neville?"
"God, no."
Harry chuckled, "Well, I can't think of anyone else I know really well… unless…" A look of comprehension dawned on his face and he looked down at Hermione.
"You know," she said knowingly, sighing heavily.
"I'm not sure," he said slowly. He smirked slightly, "Does Ron know him really well?"
"You know," she repeated, the corner of her mouth hinting a smile. Then she sighed, "We should be getting on with our rounds Harry."
"Not until we clear this up," he said firmly, looking rather serious. "You have to tell me now."
"No, you tell me who you think it is."
"Why don't I fill in the blanks then?"
"What do you mean?"
"You start to tell me who you like and I'll say a name, okay?"
Hermione bit her lip, "Alright…"
"Okay."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes."
Hermione sighed and looked away from him, "I like…"
He didn't say anything, hoping she'd tell him instead of him having to fill in the blanks. She threw him a look and he grinned apologetically.
"You like…"
"I like…"
Harry opened his mouth to say who, but closed it, 'What if she doesn't like me?'
"Come on Harry, you suggested this."
"Why can't you just say it?"
"You know who it is," she grumbled, crossing her arms, "I don't think I should have to."
"Alright. I'll surmise - he's good friends with Ron and I know him very well. There's only one person I know who's like that Hermione."
"See, you do know."
"So tell me."
"But you already know!"
"Alright… I really will fill in the blanks this time."
She sighed and glared at him, "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you."
"Come on Hermione, one more time."
"Fine," she grumbled, "I like…"
"… Me," Harry said softly, closing his eyes slightly before opening them to look straight down at Hermione's.
She bit her lip and looked away from him.
"It's not me?"
"It is," she whispered, glaring down at the ground. Her stomach seemed to have fallen out of her bottom, and her heart had ridden all the way up to her throat, making it feel very tight.
"Me," Harry repeated, almost disbelievingly.
"You," Hermione replied, chewing on her bottom lip and looking up at him with another pained look on her face.
"Are you sure it's me?"
She nodded. "How could I not be sure?" she asked softly, tears finding their way to the corners of her eyes.
"It could just be infatuation. To be honest, if it were then I'd be rather disappointed," he replied very seriously.
"Why? Do you like knowing when people like you Harry? Do you like knowing how terribly insane I'm going from these unexpressed… feelings?!" she exclaimed, glaring up at him.
"Hermione, calm down."
"Why? You obviously don't feel the same way!"
"Weren't you listening to me? I'd be disappointed if it was just infatuation!"
"So what are you saying then?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.
He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, a sign he didn't feel completely comfortable with what he was about to say, "Hermione… look, for a while now I've been… seeing you in this different light. I only want… to talk to you, to see you. I'd rather be sitting in the library with you than with Ron playing chess or something. I would prefer to stay up late studying with you than sleeping. I think about you almost constantly… and lately I've been… having these… dreams."
He finished his small speech at a whisper and Hermione frowned again, "Dreams?"
Harry glared at her and she opened her mouth to form a small 'o' and nodded. Then she grinned slightly,
"What did these dreams entail, Harry?"
He grinned sheepishly, "I don't know if they're… appropriate for civilised conversation, Hermione."
She gave him a small smile and nodded, "So… where does this leave us then?"
"Where do you want it to leave us?" he asked, "I'm fine with whatever you want."
Hermione bit her lip and looked back towards the corridor where they'd found Luna and her male friend. She looked back at Harry and then glanced at the door behind him.
"How would you feel about doing what Luna suggested?" she asked, biting her bottom lip and suddenly looking nervous and excited.
Harry grinned, "That's not a bad idea. But what happened to our rounds?"
"To be completely honest, I don't care," Hermione murmured, moving towards Harry to slip her arms around his neck and pull him down into a kiss. He smiled into the kiss and tentatively probed her mouth with his tongue, sliding his own arms around her waist and pulling her closer. With a small moan, she allowed him entry and they began to move blindly towards the door behind Harry.
They broke apart briefly to open the door, and then stumbled in, Harry hurriedly closing and locking the door behind him before turning around to find Hermione launching herself on top of him again, her mouth resolutely attached to his and her tongue busily playing with his. They moved towards the teacher's desk, Hermione squeaking slightly as she felt herself bump into the edge of the desk. She easily slid into a sitting position on it and spread her legs, pulling Harry closer so his thighs were up against the desk.
She quickly pushed his robes off his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist, her lips leaving his to trail to his neck. She unbuttoned the front of his shirt while sucking the skin on his neck in softly and making him groan softly as she tentatively ran her fingers across the sensitive skin of his belly.
Moving back, she gazed at his well-defined abdomen and then looked back at his face. Grinning, she said, "Nice."
"Why thank you," he murmured, moving back to her and kissing her lips softly, beginning to undo her shirt. He parted it and watched her chest fall and rise as she breathed, noticing how her breasts seemed almost perfectly round beneath the soft material that was her bra. He moved one hand up her stomach to her breasts, cupping one softly and noticing how the nipple seemed to harden instantly through the cloth.
"You too," he said, smirking at her, raising his eyes to look at her.
She grinned nervously and pulled him closer, kissing his mouth again and pushing his shirt fully off his shoulders. After having shaken the shirt from his arms, Harry did the same to Hermione, making her shirt fall back onto the desk beneath her.
The kiss was broken again as Hermione moved her arms around her back to unhook the clasp holding her bra together.
"You sure?" Harry asked in a tense voice, his eyes widening with anticipation.
"If I wasn't then I wouldn't be here with you," she replied, unhooking her bra and letting it fall from her body.
Harry grinned as he watched her slip the bra off from around her arms and lean back, placing it on the desk behind her, along with her shirt. He noticed his first thoughts at her breasts being very round were right; as she leaned back they perked up slightly, her nipples hardening even more as they came into contact with the cool air of the classroom.
"You are…" Harry trailed off, watching her breasts rise and fall and feeling quite breathless himself, "beautiful."
She smiled nervously and sat up slightly, watching his hands inch towards her body. Taking his hands in hers, she guided them up her body, from the base of her belly, to her breasts, allowing him to caress her. He ran his thumbs around her nipples and then across the smooth skin around her nipples, grinning slightly as she made a small strangled moan.
They began to kiss again, tongues entwining together and pulling each other closer, Hermione pressing her naked chest into his and laughing in the back of her throat as she noticed a rather large presence pressing into the inside of her thigh.
But, quite suddenly, there was a loud knocking on the door, and a loud and clearly irritated voice called, "Mr Potter?! Miss Granger?!"
Harry and Hermione stopped what they were doing immediately and looked to the door.
"Crap," Harry muttered, moving back from Hermione to pick his shirt up from the ground and quickly put it back on.
Hermione did the same, first putting her bra on quickly and then her shirt, before they both slipped their robes on.
"I'm coming in!"
The door burst open to reveal Professor McGonagall in her tartan dressing gown, and her hair securely rolled up, as per usual, her brow and thin mouth set into a straight line.
"What are you two doing in here?" she asked stiffly, raising one eyebrow at their swollen lips and the dishevelled appearance of their clothing.
"Oh… uh, Peeves, Professor," Harry said quickly.
"Yes Professor, Peeves locked us in here after chasing us with flour and water bombs," Hermione added, taking Harry's cue, "We ran in here, hoping he'd move past, but he jammed the lock and we haven't been able to get out."
"Oh," McGonagall said, nodding slightly. "I will have a word to Dumbledore about him then. You two should get back to your dorms - it's time you were in bed."
"Thank you Professor," Hermione said, beginning to walk out of the classroom.
Harry followed her, but before he left the room, McGonagall caught his arm.
"Yes Professor?" he asked innocently.
McGonagall's frown softened to a small, knowing smile, "Next time, Mr Potter, might I suggest the Room of Requirement? I doubt you would want someone like Peeves barging in on you."
Harry's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but the Professor cut across him,
"Or maybe your own dorm would be more appropriate," she said, now smirking slightly.
"Oh… uh, thank you Professor," Harry said in a small voice, avoiding eye contact with her.
"And - congratulations, Potter," she added, letting go of his arm.
Harry grinned sheepishly, "Thank you Professor," and turned to follow Hermione, who had disappeared around the next corner back to Gryffindor Tower.
He found her waiting there, leaning against the stone wall with her arms crossed, and looking slightly worried, "Is everything okay?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him as he came back, a disbelieving grin on his face.
"Sure," he said, grinning happily at her.
"What did Professor McGonagall want?"
"Just to… ask me if we were ready for the final Quidditch match," Harry lied. 'She'd be terribly embarrassed if she knew that McGonagall knew what was going on in that classroom,' Harry reasoned with himself.
"Oh, okay."
"Now, I do believe I have some unfinished business with you, Hermione," he said, suddenly smirking and advancing on her.
She grinned cheekily and moved out of his reach, waving a finger in front of his face, "No, no Harry, you must be patient."
He laughed softly and moved closer to her, reaching out to tickle her sides, "Come on Hermione."
"No!" she exclaimed, giggling and beginning to run in the direction of Gryffindor Tower while Harry followed her at a jog, laughing heartily.
When they arrived back at the Tower, Hermione paused at the portrait of the Fat Lady, breathing hard and watching Harry jog coolly back to her, grinning very widely.
"That was a nice bit of exercise," he remarked, stopping in front of her and grinning happily.
"Yes, very nice," she remarked sarcastically, leaning against the wall. "Did you really have to chase me back here?"
"Well, unless you wanted me to take you into another vacant classroom," he said, leaning in to kiss her lips softly.
"Mmm," she murmured happily, kissing him back.
"Did I make up for it?" Harry asked cheekily.
She grinned dreamily, "You can make up for it even more if we go up to your dorm now."
He laughed softly and kissed her again, lingering for a moment longer, "Then let's go up there," he murmured, taking her hand in his and giving the password to a very sleepy Fat Lady.
---
The constricted feeling is gone now. Well, it's gone whenever I'm with Harry.
As I lie here, looking up at his sleeping face, I feel my heart wanting to escape from my chest to simply flutter around happily. I'm so terribly happy this has happened…
It just feels so right.
It was always meant to be Harry and I… and it will always be like that.
---
The End