Hiya! This is my first ever try at an H/Hr or Harry Potter fanfic. I got hooked on HP fanfics just recently and I thought I would give it a try. I'm currently working on a much longer story so this is like a preview of things to come. Okie dokie, you know the drill R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own HP or any of JKR's characters as they are obviously hers. If the were mine I would never allow such nonsense as H/G going on. Ginny should go back to wherever she was during books 1-4. Anywho, I'm borrowing them just for a little bit and I'll return them unscathed. (*mostly*) LOL.
On with the story!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Best Friends
CHAPTER ONE
"As we all know, today is the first anniversary of the end of the Second War," the young witch smiled as the crowd before her cheered loudly. "It was on this day that the Dark Lord was finally vanquished by our one and only, Harry Potter."
The cheer that followed that last statement was deafening and the subject of it appeared from behind a door looking anxious. The brunette witch turned and met his emerald gaze as she smiled at him. He grinned forgetting the strange fear he felt. He could vanquish Voldemort but he couldn't get rid of his stage fright, but he knew it was going to be okay. After all, Hermione was here.
"Come on up, Harry," she said extending her hand out to him. The crowd cheered even louder as they now could see him perfectly. He walked up to her and she took his hand. He felt the warmth of her fingers fill him up inside and he felt safe as always. She turned to the crowd again.
"I met this man when he was just a little boy and he's been saving the world ever since. He has given each and one of us more than we could ever ask of anyone and he did so by choice. Once, I accused him of having a 'saving-people-thing', I know he hated me for a while then, but he really couldn't help but have that huge heart of his."
Hermione stopped as the crowd clapped and laughed lightly, and she felt Harry squeeze her hand gently. She nodded understanding that he could never hate her.
"I'm glad he didn't listen to me so much," she said with a smile. "Today is not only a day to celebrate what Harry did for us, but it is also a day to remember what all those who are no longer with us died for. They died so that their love ones could see the day when all the Magical World would unite once more and raise their glasses in rejoice for what the future holds for us, and may those who come after us remember that we are stronger together than apart."
The crowd cheered and whistled loudly as they raised their glasses after Hermione raised the one that had magically appeared in her free hand. Harry raised his own and she stepped back to let him finish the speech. He grinned at her as he stepped to the podium and the crowd fell silent.
"I've never figured out how on earth you do all that," Harry said as his voice was magically magnified instantly. Hermione looked confused for a second and he turned to the crowd. "Did you see those glasses appearing out of nowhere and her wand is still tucked safely away? Geesh, and all you guys accuse me of being the most powerful wizard around."
The crowd laughed easily and Hermione blushed slightly.
"I'm glad you could all be here today," Harry said and the crowd fell silent again as if to not miss a single word. "Yeah, I beat Voldemort but I always had help. Some things I did do on my own, I'll admit before Mione hexes me, but my point is that everything Mione has said tonight is true and it proves just how bright she is. We are, and will always be stronger together."
"I remember when the Sorting Hat sung that song on our fifth year warning us to unite instead of fighting one another. I thought it was crazy, remember, Ron?" Harry asked glancing at the crowd where his best guy- friend stood next to the rest of the Weasleys. "Remember what you said?"
"Oy, whatcha calling on me for?" Ron answered and Hermione smiled.
"Well, let's just say that if it meant joining the Slytherins, well, you know what I meant," Harry said seeing the admonishing look in Hermione's face. He cleared his throat and grinned at the crowd. "We were still kids back then and we were wrong. Mione told us we should try and once more she was right. So long as we stand apart we are nothing."
"Now, Mione, here once told me that I was a great wizard, remember?" he asked as he went on. She nodded and smiled. "I told her I could never be as good as her. She won't admit it but I was right. She told me that books and cleverness weren't everything. She said that 'there are more important things- friendship and bravery and'- and then she told me to be careful. Yet, in saying this she proved herself wrong for the first time, you see, she was only a kid, and she already knew what was more important in life. So, you see Mione, you always been better than me, but you never did say the last thing did you?"
"No," she whispered and he smiled.
"The last thing was love," Harry answered. "I learned what love was for the first time in my life when I was here. Professor Dumbledore always told me that was the greatest magic in the world, and she was only eleven years old and she knew. So, let us all raise our glasses for Hermione Granger, brightest witch of the age," Harry said and the crowd cheered in agreement. "And for my other best friend, Ronald Weasley and all my other friends and those who loved me not because I was the 'Boy-Who-Lived' but because of who they helped me become. To Albus Dumbledore, the greatest and wisest man that ever lived. To Minerva McGonagall, who has always stood by my side even when I didn't know, love ya Professor."
McGonagall smiled and wiped an almost unnoticeable tear away quickly. She smiled and clutched her fist over her heart and Harry understood instantly. She loved him too.
"To Molly Weasley, who has been a second mother to me and to all the Weasleys who took me in as one of their own, I love you guys," the Weasleys all cheered loudly and Molly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. "To Remus Lupin, who has been like another father to me. To Sirius Black, who was like an older brother, a friend, and a father to me. To the Order of the Phoenix!"
The crowd broke into a thunderous cheer and Harry drank his champagne to the bottom before turning to Hermione as the party finally began. She smiled widely as he grinned.
"See, you're a natural," she called to him through the noise. He shook his head and in a move that took her by complete surprise he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Harry …"
"I love ya, Mione," he said pulling away from her a bit unwillingly. "Thank you for everything you've ever done for me."
"Oh, Harry," she said hugging him back. "I love you, too, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. You have nothing to thank me for. What are best friends for?"
"Now, now, what's all this?" Ginevra Weasley, better known as Ginny, called loudly to them as she, Ron and their entourage made their way to them. She smiled in a way that Hermione noted was clearly not amused at all as she and Harry pulled away quickly. "I'm gonna think you're trying to take my man, Herm."
"I would've thought the world would come to an end before I saw Ginny Weasley jealous of her boyfriend's bookworm friend," Hermione said with an amused smile as Ginny tried to hide her glare by forcing a fake little laugh. "I've been trying for years to make Harry to tell his girlfriends how ugly he thinks I am."
"But I don't think you're ugly," Harry interrupted easily wiping the smirk out of Ginny's beautiful face. "I think you're very…"
"So, Hermione," Neville cut in before hell broke loose. He wasn't as dim witted as he'd been back in school. "I heard you got another promotion."
"What?" Lavender asked goggling at Hermione as she nodded to Neville. "Another one?"
"That's the third one in the last two months," Parvati said looking amazed. Then she smiled wickedly and raised her eyebrows suggestively. "You got something with the boss, Hermione?"
"WHAT?" Harry and Ron said both looking more scandalized then Hermione, as they glared at Parvati.
"My boss is Madam Liandroz, Parvati," Hermione answered calmly as she instinctively grabbed Harry's and Ron's hands as she stood between them. "So, no, I've been promoted by my work."
"Sorry," Parvati said looking apologetic. "Oh, Herm, you know I meant no harm!"
"It's alright," Hermione said and then she noticed the cold look she was receiving from Ginny. She let go of Harry and Ron who didn't seem to even notice that they've been holding hands like back in school.
"Her-mione?" a deep familiar voice with a Bulgarian accent called making everyone including the girl in question turn around so fast she cringed her neck. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands without being able to believe it was him.
"Viktor?" she asked and he smiled looking more handsome than ever. He was taller and judging by the way his clothes hugged his body he had gained more musculature. Lavender, Parvati, and even Ginny were almost drooling. Luna who had surprisingly not said anything yet merely glanced at him curiously. "Oh, Viktor! How good it is to see you!"
"I've wished I could've come sooner," he answered way more fluently than the last time they had seen him but his accent was still there which made his words sound even more sexier than the fact that they were coming from him. He hugged Hermione tightly and she held on to him easily.
They embraced each other far longer than necessary Harry noted feeling a strange sudden dislike toward the Bulgarian and judging by the look on Ron's face he was right- see?- nothing wrong with disliking his best friends ex, Ron didn't like him either.
"Has my tal-king gotten better?" he asked as he held on to Hermione's hands. "I've been practicing just for you, Her-mione."
"Much better, Viktor," she agreed kissing his cheek. "Thank you."
"Awww, isn't he sweet?" Ginny asked as she clutched Harry's arm. Lavender and Parvati giggled and Luna looked at them disgustedly.
"Charming," Harry answered sarcastically as he felt a strange urge to punch 'Vicky' to a pulp. Ginny glared seeing the annoyed look in Harry's face.
"So, Herm?" Ginny asked and Hermione turned in Viktor's arms as he seemed reluctant to let go and she wasn't complaining either, Harry noticed feeling his insides begin to boil. "Aren't you gonna introduce us to your - friend?"
"Wha- oh, I forgot, how silly of me, Viktor these are my friends," Hermione said pulling the tall Bulgarian toward them. Viktor shook hands and to Ron's and Harry's disgust he kissed the girls' hands as Hermione introduced them making even Luna blush. "This is Neville, Luna, Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, and of course you know Harry and Ron."
"Yes, you are Her-mione's best friends," he said smiling as he shook Ron's hand. Ron shrugged and glared as Viktor turned to Harry. "Potter."
"Krum," Harry said straightening to his full height which was slightly taller than Krum. He no longer had to look up at the Bulgarian. "Vee, I mean, we are very honored to know you in person. Back in Bulgaria all of us from Durmstrang, you know."
"Uhmm, thanks," Harry answered scratching the back of his head messing up his hair more.
"You look beau-ti-ful," Krum said turning his attention back to Hermione who had just leaned against the wall slightly to rest.
She blushed instantly and Harry couldn't help but agree. Hermione was the prettiest girl in all the party and he had already checked. She was wearing a black dress that hugged her in all the right places to have a man's blood boil. She had her hair up but she had deliberately left a few curly strands loose around her face making her looked amazingly alluring. And as far as make up went she only wore some lipstick and a trace of eye shadow. She didn't really need anything. She had grown up to be a gorgeously, sexy woman without needing to be voluptuous, but petit.
Even Ginny with her gorgeous smooth red hair and her seductive red dress that was skin tight, or Parvati's voluptuous bosom almost peeking out of her dress, or Lavender's curved figure in her slutty pink dress, much less dear Luna who was wearing a silver dress that like Hermione had turned out to grow petit could never compare to that inner seductiveness that seeped out of Hermione unconsciously. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't know her beauty existed and that she wasn't conscious of the reactions she caused in the male population that made her much more beautiful.
"Vould you honor me vith a dance, Her-mione?" Krum asked bowing slightly to her. She was still blushing and after unconsciously glancing first at Ron and then at Harry she nodded. Krum extend his arm to her and they left with a wave.
"Merlin, if I could have that girl's luck," Parvati said with a sigh. "That accent had me wetting myself."
"Eww, Parvati!," Ron said covering his ears while Neville blushed and Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Do not ever say that again!"
"She's right, you know," Lavender put in looking dreamily toward the party. "That Bulgarian only got sexier. Someone's gonna sleep very happy tonight, if you know what I mean."
"I'm going to find Susan," Neville said looking at his watch. "She went to say 'hello' to Professor Sprout and I want to say 'hi' too. I'll meet you guys later at our table."
"Let's go find Dean and Seamus," Ron said kissing Luna's cheek before turning to Harry. Harry nodded and followed him without even glancing at Ginny.
"Ginevra, Ginevra, you're loosing that man," Parvati said conversationally as all four of them made their way to their reserved table. "I'm surprised you've had him so long."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.
"Don't act like you don't know," Lavender answered. "He never paid attention to any of you for real. It was always hormones and crushes. Parvati was an act of desperation, Cho a crush that left him for the same reason we are having this conversation: Hermione Granger."
"Fuck off, Lavender," Ginny snapped but Lavender merely shrugged. "I know Harry in ways no one else does including, Hermione."
"Is that so?" Parvati said. "Who says he's never been in her bed, too?"
"What?" Ginny asked looking stupefied. "I…"
"She lives with him and Ron," Parvati continued. "Who says nothing has ever happened?"
"She went out with Ronald," Luna said calmly, " but they could never stop arguing long enough for things to go further than snogging and if that. They never worked. Harry on the other hand never fights with her. If they argue they make up instantly. She knows him better than he knows himself."
"They cuddle when they watch movies," Parvati said and Ginny was ready to explode. "Well, when you aren't there. I've never seen you two cuddle."
"HE IS MINE!" Ginny hissed and the other three shrugged. "I know him ten times better than she does!"
"Prove it," Luna said simply. "When they come back we'll start a game to see how much you know him."
"That's genius!" Parvati said. Ginny glared dangerously but she nodded. Parvati rubbed her shoulder encouraging and smiled. "I'm sure love will win, Ginny."
"I'm betting on Mione then," Luna whispered and she smiled to herself noting that the other three had not heard. She might be a bit loony but at least she wasn't a bitch about to lose her man.
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