A/N ~ Back by Popular demand… After the overwhelming response to Bookworms Revenge and the many, many requests for a sequel I have finally caved to peer pressure. So here it is for your reading pleasure, I hope it answers all your questions and I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer ~ I do not own Harry Potter and I make no money from this
Bookworms Revenge 2 ~ Harry's Story
For the first time ever Harry was not looking forward to spending Christmas at the Burrow. Ever since he'd broken up with Ginny spending any length of time with her had made him feel awkward and uncomfortable. He always felt like he had to explain himself and after the first few times, where she had talked to him about it and he had tried to explain, she made it abundantly clear that she was not interested in what he had to say. In fact she made it abundantly clear that she was not interested in spending any time in the same room with him. It was difficult because although her attitude left him feeling guilty and miserable he really didn't regret his decision at all and had no desire to change his mind.
It did however make the prospect of spending Christmas at the Burrow decidedly unappealing. He had been hoping that if he just didn't mention it he would be able to spend Christmas on his own unnoticed, he should have known better. About a week before the day, Ron had broached the topic.
`So what time are we getting to the Burrow on Christmas day?' He asked one morning over breakfast, `or are we going to go over on Christmas Eve and spend the night?'
Ron seemed to just assume that Harry would be spending Christmas at the Burrow and Harry didn't know how to tell him that he didn't want too.
Thankfully Hermione came to his rescue, she must have seen his hesitation and realised his reluctance to spend Christmas at the Burrow.
`Oh' she'd said sounding disappointed, `I really wanted to spend Christmas with my parents this year and I was hoping that you guys would come with me, I know my parents would love to get to know you.'
Ron swallowed his mouthful of food and replied, `Mum would kill me if I didn't come home for Christmas, seriously, my life would not be worth living.'
`Oh,' Hermione then looked up at Harry, `Well what about you Harry? You could spend Christmas with me this year.'
He'd never been so grateful to anyone before in his life, `You're sure your parents wouldn't mind?' he asked desperately hoping to be re-assured.
`Of course they won't' she said and smiled.
Harry wanted to kiss her, `Ok sure, I'll spend Christmas with you this year then.'
After her amazing rescue effort Harry couldn't help but think how many times Hermione had gotten his arse out of the fire, starting with the time she lied to get them out of trouble back in first year. The more he thought about it the more he realised she really had done an awful lot for him over the years and he'd never really said thankyou for it. With that in mind he'd decided that he wanted to get her something really special for Christmas this year. He searched high and low and the only thing that he found that he really thought she'd like and that would show his appreciation was a diamond solitaire pendant on a fine gold chain. Unfortunately it was also hideously expensive and he wasn't sure it was entirely appropriate.
In the end he didn't buy it but he couldn't stop thinking about it. He went back to the store about five times just to look at it and leave again, unsure of what to do. He was still thinking about it the morning of Christmas Eve as he packed to go to Hermione's house. He knew that he had to make a decision, it was either the necklace or a new book on arithmancy, but he couldn't decide which to get her. The necklace was perfect but might be a bit much, and the book he knew she'd love it but it didn't seem like enough. He was in the process of convincing himself that the book would be fine, an argument he seemed to be loosing, when Hermione knocked on his bedroom door.
At first he panicked thinking it was time to leave already, and he hadn't even bought her gift yet, but as soon as she opened the door he knew that's not why she was there to see him.
`Hey Hermione' his brow furrowed, `What's the matter?' he asked concerned, she looked scared as hell.
Hermione hesitated before speaking, `I need to ask you to do me a favour, but it's a little embarrassing and I'm scared you'll be mad at me.'
Harry turned and sat down on his bed and Hermione sat next to him, he was pretty sure that at this point she could ask him to do anything and he would without hesitation.
`You shouldn't be embarrassed, you know I'd do anything I could to help you.' He said.
`Well, you're going to think I'm so silly.' She said hesitating further.
He was really curious now. Maybe if this was a good enough favour the book would be fine as a Christmas present.
`I promise I won't, just tell me.' He said.
`Ok,' she paused and took a deep breath, `My next door neighbour, Mellissa, thinks that we've been dating since fourth year.' She blurted in a rush.
Whatever he'd been expecting it wasn't this, `What? Why?' he stuttered incoherently.
`Well, she was always going on about her boyfriends and the parties she went to and everything and she always made me feel like I wasn't good enough. Then she saw a picture of you one day and she said you were hot and she wanted me to set her up with you and I just blurted out that you were my boyfriend and it snowballed from there. I couldn't ever think of a way of getting out of it without looking like an idiot and I didn't see her that often so I didn't think it was a big deal.'
Harry didn't know whether to be flattered that Hermione had chosen him to be her pretend boyfriend or angry that this Mellissa girl had made her feel bad enough about herself that she thought she needed one.
`So you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend when she's around then is that it?' He asked slowly, realising a bit belatedly the favour that she must be after.
`If you don't mind.' She replied in a small voice.
`No, I don't mind, I guess it's the least I can do after everything you've done for me over the years.' He spoke coherently but his mind was whirling.
`Oh, thankyou Harry!' she said flinging her arms around him, Harry squeezed her back, Hermione gave the best hugs.
`Alright I'm going to go and pack and then we'll leave.' She said disengaging herself from the hug.
`Ok then.' Harry replied still in shock, as Hermione rushed from the room to start packing.
He sat on his bed for a minute and just let this unexpected development sink in. She wanted him to pretend to be her boyfriend and she'd said that she couldn't think of a way out of the situation without looking like an idiot. He looked at the door through which she had recently departed, what crap. Since when has Hermione Granger not been able to think of a solution to a problem? The only possible reason she would be maintaining this lie is because some part of her, even if she won't admit it, wants it to be true. Harry stood up full of fresh determination, well if that was the case he was going to be the best pretend boyfriend any girl had ever had and by the time he was done she would have to admit that she wanted him as her boyfriend for real. Suddenly the decision over what to get her for Christmas was so clear and easy. Harry could see now that he'd really been trying to decide whether to stay just friends or whether to try for something more. After the conversation he'd just had with Hermione he knew what he had to do.
Without giving himself time to doubt his decision he apparated to Diagon Alley, withdrew the money from his Gringotts account and went straight to the jewellery store and bought the necklace. When he got back to Grimmauld Place he quickly finished packing and went down to the garage where Sirius motorbike was stored. They had planned on apparating, but Harry wanted to make an entrance, he wanted to make this Melissa girl so jealous of Hermione that she wouldn't be able to see straight. Now that his shock had worn off Harry was fuming that this Melissa person had made Hermione feel like she wasn't good enough and he wanted revenge. The type of revenge he was after needed impact, it needed to be cool and it needed to be desirable, in short, it needed the motorbike.
He donned the leathers and started up the engine, he'd never been so glad that he'd gotten his motorbike licence and given the machine a tune up when he'd come of age. Hermione must have heard the noise of the bike because she appeared in the driveway bag in hand.
`I thought we were apparating.' She said
`I thought this would be more fun.' Harry replied.
Hermione grinned, `Do you have a spare helmet?'
Harry returned the grin, `For you? Of course.'
When they got to Hermione's house the timing couldn't have been better if they'd planned it. She was standing in front of the house, Harry had a feeling she knew that he was coming this year and was there on purpose to see what he drove. It was not a good sign for things to come that this girl was already reminding him of the Dursleys. His premonition had been right as the first words out of her mouth seemed to be flirtatious and provoking him at the same time. He knew that she wanted him to either admit that he wasn't Hermione's boyfriend or fall head over heals for her and ignore Hermione so he decided to do the exact opposite.
He focused on Hermione and dropped every kind of confirmation he could think of that he was Hermione's boyfriend and had been for a long time. Melissa seemed to get it but at the same time was determined to make Hermione feel bad about something. When she let the subject of their relationship drop she immediately started to try and tell Hermione off for being late or something. Harry couldn't stand her and wanted to get rid of her, he also wanted to make Hermione feel better or at least distract her from feeling bad about something that was probably crap. At least that's what he told himself were his reasons for kissing her.
The second he did kiss her however he had to admit that it was all just an excuse. Her soft lips underneath his were the real reason he kissed her, but he did succeed in getting Mellissa to go away at least. After they kissed, Hermione had never looked so shocked and Harry found himself thinking how cute she was when she was shocked. He did notice though that she wasn't angry.
`You kissed me.' She whispered, Hermione never whispered when she was angry.
`Well I thought since we'd been dating for three years I'd be allowed.' He knew it was a cheeky thing to say but he couldn't help himself.
`Well I…' Hermione answered lost for words.
He knew all of his theories had been correct, `I thought so.' He said and kissed her again.
After that it was pretty clear that they weren't just friends anymore, but even so Harry couldn't help but feel his nerves rise on Christmas morning when they all gathered by the tree to open presents. He had debated whether he should put the necklace under the tree or not, he almost wanted to give it to her in private. But when he heard that Melissa's parents were great friends with Hermione's parents and that the two families always got together on Christmas morning to open presents he decided that it would have to go under the tree.
The package was small though and amongst all the bigger gifts it got a bit lost and Harry getting a bit caught up in all the excitement of opening presents didn't realise that Hermione hadn't seen his that is, until Melissa pointed it out.
`Oh Harry didn't you get Hermione anything?' she asked the spiteful tone in her voice.
Harry looked up from his book on broom making, disguised as a book about motorbikes, `Of course I did, haven't you got it?' He asked Hermione.
Hermione shook her head, `it's ok if you didn't get me something Harry,' she started sounding disappointed.
Harry cut her off, `since when have I ever not bought you something for Christmas? It's here, it's just small.'
He started searching under the tree, `There's nothing else under there' Melissa said a note of triumph in her voice.
He found it sitting in some of the lower branches of the tree, it must have been pushed up there by some of the larger presents. `I've got it' he said unnecessarily handing it to Hermione. All of his former nerves and doubts about this present returned to the surface, `if you don't like it, we can take it back, I can get you something else.'
Hermione glanced at Harry as she removed the bow, `I'm sure I'll love it Harry, you've always gotten me great presents.' She opened the box and looked down, her mouth opened but nothing came out. Melissa leaned over behind her and had a similar reaction, then Mrs Granger and Melissa's mother did the same thing.
Mr Granger turned to Harry, `What on earth did you get her that's got them all gaping like codfish?' he asked sounding amused.
`It's just a necklace' Harry said feeling a bit overwhelmed by their reactions. Mr Granger looked confused, `What kind of necklace?'
At his question all of the women looked up waiting expectantly for his answer, `Um, diamond.'
`Oh dear lord,' Mrs Granger whispered and closed her eyes. Melissa's mother's eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she looked back at the necklace in Hermione's hands again. Melissa began to squeal, `Oh my god, it's real! I can't believe he got you a real diamond!' Hermione just continued to look at the necklace in shock.
Mr Granger laughed, `Just a necklace hey? How big is it?' Once again the attention of all the women was focused on Harry.
`It's only one carat, but the three carat one looked too big and I didn't think Hermione would like something that big.' All of the women seemed to stunned to speak, except Hermione.
`It's perfect.' She said softly speaking for the first time since she'd opened the box, `Will you put it on for me?' she asked handing him the chain. Harry nodded and she turned around and lifted her hair. He clasped the chain and she looked down at the stone now hanging around her neck.
`It's beautiful' she said softly.
`It reminded me of you.' He replied
Then she kissed him and Harry couldn't help but think that some things are much sweeter than revenge.
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