Hiya there! I know its felt like years since I've updated but it hasn't really being that long now has it?...Anywho, I hope you guys liked your Christmas/Hanukah/Fill in the blank present…I actually had this planned to be your present but I was kind of busy sooo….
I wanted to thank all of you who have taken the time to review. Thank you. You guys don't know how happy it makes me to get feedback. It feels great so keep it coming. LOL. R&R.
Disclaimer: If these characters were mine, I would be a genius. I'm not JKR so who am I kidding? They aren't mine. Go ask JKR if you don't believe me.
Best Friends
Chapter 6
By Rodare
"Oh, Merlin," Harry said taking in a deep breath as if he was facing the Dark Army once more. He closed his eyes for a second before he moved over next to Hermione again.
Wait a minute, Potter. What if she wakes up and curses you to hell and back? She won't. Will she? It's not like you can leave her like that anyway... Why not? She sure looks damn well in it. FOCUS, Potter! What about a spell?
"That's it," Harry whispered pulling his wand out of his sleeve with a flick of his wrist. He pointed at Hermione and whispered a spell that would have her sleeping through a thunderstorm without so much as twitch for at least two or three hours. "I'm a bloody genius."
He sheathed his wand once more feeling awfully good about himself before his eyes focused on Hermione once more. His heart sped up and his throat went dry but he finally moved next to her. He sat on the bed and leaned over her as he caressed her cheek.
"When did you get so bloody beautiful?" he asked her. He pushed a strand of her away from her face gently. "I'm not supposed to feel like this, Mione. You're my best friend, and my girlfriend is Ron's little sister. How could I be so bloody stupid to not see it before? I don't know how long I will be able to stand being next to you without jumping you. Ha, if you were awake I would snog you senseless right now. What on earth am I going to do, eh? You know all the answers, not me, but I'm a coward and this is the one thing I won't ask you. I'll figure this out on my own. I'm Harry Bloody Potter, aren't I? Too bad I'm the one person that doesn't believe in me."
He sighed kissing her forehead gently wondering in the softness of her skin. Harry, being the gentleman he was, managed to put the clothes on Hermione over her dress as quickly as he could. He didn't trust himself touching her so long. Once he managed that, he pulled his wand out, stood up, and focused on his next spell.
"Ablego vestitus," Harry muttered focusing all his will on only removing the clothes he wanted to. He grinned as her dress and her underclothing, he noticed with a gulp, disappeared and then appeared in a neat pile at the end of the bed.
He pulled the cover over her and fussed with it until he was sure she was warm and comfortable like she liked. He bent over her and could not stop himself from kissing her forehead again before he stood and drew the curtains closed. It would be so easy to just lay down with her as he had done countless times, but he couldn't. It wouldn't be the same, not with the way un-platonic thoughts running through his head this time. He sighed and made his way down to the Common Room. He pulled his tie and his suit jacket off as he sat down in the couch before the fire.
"I…I want you so bad it hurts," Harry whispered as he stared at the fire once more. "How the hell did this happen without me noticing? Am I so bloody dense?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"That better be your wand, Malfoy," Ginny muttered as she pressed her back against Draco. The beat of the music had swallowed her up, but not enough not to notice the reaction Malfoy was having as bodies pressed, rubbed, and moved together.
"It's one of them, Red," he answered with ease in that careless drawl of his.
"Now, what would dear Narcissa say if she knew her only son gets turned on by a measly Weasley?" Ginny whispered not able to keep herself from smiling.
"So long as it's the one standing in front of me and not one of the thousand spread around this room, I doubt that she would have a problem at all," Draco answered. "She sure would not appreciate it if her only son would not continue the family name."
Ginny laughed and turned in his arms to face him. She moved her hands to wrap around his neck as she pressed her body against his. She had too many firewhiskeys and was so overwhelmed by all the clashing emotions running through her mind to realize just how inappropriately close she was against Malfoy for someone who had a boyfriend. She stared at his unwavering gray eyes and felt her gaze drawn to his lips.
"What?" Draco asked snapping her gaze back to his eyes as he pulled her a little tighter against his hips. She gasped feeling his arousal hard against her stomach.
"I…I just thought that hell must be freezing over," she managed trying with all her might to keep from whimpering. She could already feel her drunk, traitorous body responding to Draco. "Draco Malfoy making jokes."
"Yes, indeed," he answered as his eyes went a little dark. She licked her lips unconsciously as her throat went dry. "Are you staying in the castle all weekend?"
"Yeah," she managed closing her eyes for a second to clear her head. How could he look so bloody calm when his own body was telling her otherwise? "Hermione managed to get us some days off. Her influences mixed in with Harry's name sure work wonders. She and McGonagall arranged all this."
"Yes, I know," Draco answered calmly. "I dropped by the Ministry a week ago and everything was in chaos, and Granger just kept popping out of nowhere with piles of documents for the Minister to sign. I heard she got another promotion."
"Yeah," Ginny answered with a half shrug. "Draco…"
"Yes, Ginny," he answered and a shiver ran down her spine as they moved in rhythm with the music.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. He raised one of those perfect eyebrows.
"I believe I'm dancing with you," he answered.
"Why?" Ginny asked moving closer against him. "Why…do you get like this every time you dance…?"
"Because I felt like it and you agreed," he said calmly. "And, no this doesn't happen to me over a simple dance. Guess I had one too many firewhiskeys…or perhaps it's the current company. Does it bother you?"
"I…yes, no, it's just…" Ginny said watching his lips again. "How…I mean, how can you be so bloody calm?"
"If Lucius was your father you would have learned to keep what you were feeling inside too," he answered and even through her daze, she felt the coldness and hatred seep into his voice as he spoke of his father. "Call it, knowing how to survive."
"Gin?" a joyful voice said behind her making her jump. She turned pulling unwillingly away from Draco.
"Charlie," Ginny said putting on a smile for her older brother when all she wanted was to be melted against Draco again.
"Sorry to interrupt but I wanted to cut in and get a dance with my favorite sis before we gotta leave, you know?" Charlie said talking to Malfoy as he wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulder.
"Of course," Draco answered with a slight nod as he adjusted his impeccable robes and Ginny noticed just how handy they came. She made to say something but Draco took her hand and brought it to his lips as he kept his eyes locked on hers. "It was a pleasure, Ginevra. Enjoy your evening."
"Yes," Ginny said as if hypnotized by the unreadable expression in his eyes. "Thanks."
"Weasley," Draco said nodding at Charlie who was grinning widely.
"Malfoy," Charlie answered nodding happily. Ginny watched Draco walk away without another glance before Charlie pulled at her hand. She turned to her brother and answered his smile.
Merlin's beard, what on earth was going on with her? First, she is jealous of Hermione and Harry, and then she is ready to jump Malfoy? DRACO MALFOY!
She sighed as her brother chatted happily away and she rested her head against his chest. What on in Dumbledore's name was she going to do?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione opened her eyes and blinked in the darkness. She sat up a bit, trying to place her mind to figure out where she was and why. She squinted a little and spotted the other three beds around the one she was currently in and the events of the evening came crashing back into her mind. She groaned and dropped back down on the pillows.
Why did she break down like that? Did she have no bloody backbone? Since when was she such a damn…girl? She sighed and threw the covers of herself as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. She blushed as she realized that the clothes she was wearing weren't the ones that she had when she fell asleep in Harry's arms. She bit her lip and pulled on all of the Gryffindor courage that had been eluding her all night long to go find the man in question.
She winced feeling the coldness of the stone floor as she reached the door and made her way out of the boys' dormitories. She saw what appeared to be the back of Harry's head. She smiled as she saw how messy his hair was.
"Harry?" she whispered as she made her way down the stairs. He didn't move or respond and she frowned wondering if he was mad at her. Her worries were erased as soon as she reached the couch in front of the fireplace. He had his neck extended backwards in a painful angle and his body was slumped as he breathed deeply. She smiled as she reached him and she sat next to him gently.
"Harry," she whispered as she reached over and caressed his cheek softly. He smiled goofily in his dream and she grinned wondering what he was dreaming.
"Mione," he murmured and she froze her hand over his cheek.
"Harry?" she asked a bit louder than she intended to and his eyes jerked open. He blinked at her as he tried to focus on her and she removed her hand from his face.
"Hey, there," Harry said smiling gently at her.
"Hey, yourself," Hermione said unable to keep from matching his smile. "I didn't mean to wake you up."
"Is alright," Harry said sitting up a bit more comfortably. "You feeling better?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry I just …you know…I, I mean…," Hermione started looking down at her hands.
"Hush, Hermione," Harry said cupping her chin with his hand. He made her look up as he ran his thumb in small circles on her cheek. "Don't worry about it. What do you think you have me for if you can't even cry on me when someone makes you angry? Eh?"
"I…" Harry stared at her and she shut her mouth before she even managed to say one apology. Harry grinned and she hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Harry."
"You're very welcome," Harry answered softly while he enjoyed the feeling of her pressed up tightly against his body. She smelled so nice that he wondered why he had not notice it before. He wondered how he could've been so stupid.
Hermione pulled back with a slight blush in her cheeks that made Harry's heart do a back flip. Harry grinned in that crooked smile that could melt her heart and her mind and everything that made her sensible.
"Do you want to talk about tonight?" Harry asked taking her hand. Hermione shook her head wondering if she really looked that pitiful to have Harry holding her hand. After growing up with the Dursley's, he had never really gotten down the thing about casual touching. She shook her head and he nodded. "You sure you're fine?"
"Yes, Harry. I just don't know why I broke down like that," Hermione said softly. You know exactly why you broke down like that, Granger. You're in love with your best friend and the impotence of the whole situation is eating up your insides bit by bit. This time the books you clutch so desperately to will not help you. It's bloody divination once again. "I feel so embarrassed. I was supposed to…Oh, Merlin!"
"What?!" Harry asked almost in a panic as Hermione jumped to her feet.
"I was supposed to give an ending speech for the guests that are leaving and for the ones that are staying," she gushed out without a single breath. "Oh, Merlin, and then I were supposed to help with the room arrangements. I had to check on the security and Owl the Ministry. I was to…"
"Hermione!" Harry snapped loudly as she paced around the room. There was so much authority in his tone that she froze on her way to the portrait hole. "Hermione Jane Granger, hold your Hippogriffs for just one bloody second."
"What?" Hermione asked with a hint of impatience. She turned and jumped back in surprise not expecting him to be so close to her.
"When exactly were you supposed to sleep and rest after working so hard for the last bloody month or two that it took to get all this done?" Harry asked spreading out his arms as if to emphasize the room that they were standing in.
Hermione shrugged looking down and away from his hypnotizing eyes. He smirked as he saw just how bloody adorable…and enticingly sexy she looked in his clothes and with that guilty look in her face. He sure had always loved that look in her face when they did something that broke the rules, he realized, and then there was that glint of defiance that came after. He grinned more when she looked up to meet her gaze and sure enough, there it was. He saw it and then the annoyance started to work its way to her pretty little face.
"Well, who else was supposed to do it if not me to assure that there would be no bloody reporters crowding around the station or trying to break in into the damn bloody castle?" she snapped and Harry grinned more. She turned bright red and turned around with in a huff crossing her arms around her chest tightly. "Stop grinning at me, Potter."
"Well, who am I supposed to grin at if not at the feisty, beautiful, bookworm standing in front of me, eh?" Harry asked wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind as he leaned his head on top of hers. "I had no idea it took that much work. I'm sorry for not helping you. Thank you for doing this."
"We all needed closure," she whispered not wanting to break the spell. God, it felt so good to have him holding her like that. She leaned against him and he lowered his hands to wrap them around her stomach. She lowered her own hands to set them over his relishing every second of this moment. "Where else to get it then in the place where it all started? This will always be our second home. This is the place where we all will always feel safe. I had to make it work. For us, for me, for you…"
"You're too good to me," Harry whispered making her laugh gently. He moved his head to nuzzle his head against her neck softly making a shiver run down her spine. "I would be stupid to ever let you go."
"Was the thought running through your head or something?" Hermione asked. Harry laughed turning her around in his arms, but keeping his arms around her waist, which made her be much closer than was natural for just two friends…even if they were best friends. Hermione had to press her palms against his chest. Feeling every single taut, well-defined muscle of his chest made her heart beat up faster.
"Now, why would I do such a thing?" Harry asked with that charming smile of his in place. "I'm not that dense, you know?"
"That's good to know," Hermione answered almost in a daze. Harry laughed and he began to rock them from side to side slowly. Hermione frowned and laughed as he grinned. "What in Dumbledore's name are you doing?"
"Well, I never did get a chance to dance with the most sought after witch of the dance, you know?" Harry answered and she laughed merrily.
"Oh, yeah?" Hermione asked with a smile, leaning her head against his chest as they moved together. "If I remember correctly you never did like to dance, Mr. Potter. Oh, and since when am I, Bookworm-Granger, a sought after witch?"
"Yeah, well, maybe I hadn't found the right partner to do it with," Harry answered easily with a smile. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a great dance partner, Granger?"
"Viktor has," Hermione said with a matter of fact tone. Harry scowled and pulled back to look at her, and saw the way she was biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Well, he has, you know?"
"Arghh!" Harry said with a groan as he pulled Hermione back into his arms a little tighter as she laughed. "Have I ever told you that I don't like Bulgarians at all?"
"No," Hermione said with a disbelieving tone of voice. "All Bulgarians or just one?"
"Do you have to be such a know-it-all?" Harry asked with a laugh, as Hermione slapped his back. "Here I am trying to charm you into feeling better and then Viktor Bloody Krum has to come and mess it all up for me."
"Just by being here with me is more than enough," she answered sincerely. "You never did answer my other question?"
"Nothing ever misses you, does it?" Harry asked laughing. You did, she thought. "Well, to answer your question…maybe you didn't notice but four very prominent wizards were chasing you down tonight. I, Mr. Harry James Potter, the Bulgarian bon-bon, Viktor Krum, the distinguished Ronald Bilious Weasley, and even the high-flying Draco Malfoy. Hey, what's with you and Malfoy by the way?"
"All four of you ran after me?" Hermione asked and felt Harry nod. "Oh, Harry, and then we all wonder why all your current and ex-girlfriends hate me. I can't believe you guys did that. Oh, Merlin, what am I going to do with you?"
"You can start by sending Krum back to Bulgaria," Harry answered with a laugh realizing just how right she was. "What you do with Ron and Draco, so long as it involves something painful, its fine with me."
"Is that right?" Hermione asked laughing. They stopped moving and she pulled back to look at him. Harry noticed how her chocolate brown eyes seemed to glitter under the firelight and felt a sudden desire to give in to every single feeling that was running through his body, and just take her right there and now. Hermione saw how his eyes seemed to turn impossibly dark and wondered if it was the light playing tricks on her tired mind. That strange look couldn't possibly be…lust? "And what exactly am I supposed to do with you, Mr. Harry James Potter."
"Whatever you want to do with me, Mione," Harry answered in a voice that she barely recognized. They were so close that they could see every separate eyelash of each other's eyes. The need and the tension were so big that the air crackled with the magic contained within their bodies. They both moved in slightly so that they were but a breath away from each other.
"Harry, Hermione," someone called to them a bit loudly. They both jumped and released each other faster than you could say Quidditch. Hermione turned even as Harry fought to bring himself back from his daze. Luna wanted, for the first time in her life, to hex herself. Ron's bad timing was rubbing up on her.
"Luna!" Hermione said spotting her coming in from the portrait hole. "I …"
"Hey, you feel better?" Luna asked in that dreamy voice of hers interrupting Hermione as if she had not notice the scene to which she had just walked in on. Hermione nodded but knew that there was no way that Luna had not seen them about to…Bloody hell, she had been about to kiss Harry! Luna smiled and then noticed what Hermione was wearing. "Is that Harry's shirt?"
"What?" Hermione asked and then looked down at herself as Luna pointed at her clothes…or rather Harry's clothes. She blushed and nodded. "Yes…I …"
"Mione fell asleep on the way to the tower," Harry answered quickly. He turned to Hermione and blushed seeing the questioning look in her eyes. He met her gaze for a second and she gave a small nod as if knowing that he'd much rather prefer explaining the rest to her in private. "I let her borrow something to change in."
"Hmmm, well, I just came up to tell you not to worry," Luna said dismissively as she turned back to Hermione. "McGonagall is taking care of everything as we speak. Ron and the others are coming up in a few minutes. Everyone's staying in their old rooms. Guess, we all felt like this is our last chance to experience Hogwarts as we should have without Voldemort's threat around."
"Yes, we do," Hermione answered with a smile. "Thank you, Luna."
"You're welcome," Luna answered. Both girls looked at each other then without preamble, they hugged each other quickly. They pulled apart blushing a bit and Harry wondered if anyone but him had ever seen both these girls blushing of all things at the same time. "Well, evening you too…I'll just let you guys get back to …talking. I'll go say bye to Ron and the others. I'll see you two tomorrow. Night."
"Night, Luna," Harry said with a wave as she nodded.
"Goodnight, Luna," Hermione answered as Luna turned and climbed out of the portrait hole quickly.
They both stood there for a few seconds then they turned at the same time to look at each other. Harry scratched the back of his head a bit nervously and Hermione looked down at her feet. In that moment of silence there seem to be an agreement to ignore the fact that they had almost kissed minutes before.
"Guess, you want me to explain how you're wearing my clothes, eh?" Harry asked. She nodded, not really caring about that, but at a complete lost as to what else to do to break the awkwardness between each other. "I thought you'd be more comfortable if I …I mean, if you got out of that dress and those killer heels, you know? I swear to Merlin that I didn't look or anything. I cast a sleeping spell on you so that I wouldn't wake you up. I didn't want to disturb you and I didn't want to be hexed if you woke up with me changing you. So, I put on the clothes over your dress and then I cast another spell to take the rest off. I didn't look, Mione."
"Stop apologizing, Harry," she said taking his hands and making him look up. She smiled up at him and he realized that there was just no way for anything awkward to be between them. "I believe you, Harry. Thank you for being so thoughtful of me."
"Apart from Ron," Harry said smiling as he tighten his hold on her hands. "You're everything I have."
"You have Ginny," Hermione answered a bit bitterly but the tone was lost on Harry who felt as if a bucket of ice had suddenly been dropped on his stomach. For the last few hours, Ginevra Weasley had not crossed his mind. As a matter of fact, he had not thought about much else but the gorgeous brunette in front of him.
Before he could answer they heard what was unmistakably Fred and George's booming voices and what, judging by the noise they were making, the rest of their fellow Gryffindor's who had been invited to stay at the castle for the whole weekend. Hermione gave his hands one last squeeze before she let go of him and she sat on the couch. Harry watched her for about a second before the portrait burst open and their friends spilled into the room.
"HARRY!" Fred and George said loudly as they spotted him. Harry grinned as he saw how both twins were incredibly drunk and barely hanging on to Katie and Angelina, their respective girlfriends. Fred pulled away from Angelina and stumble his way toward the couch where he dropped beside Hermione. George did the same dropping on the opposite side of Hermione with a wide grin in their faces.
"Hermione, you look… (hiccup) absolutely… (hiccup)" Fred said as he threw and arm around her shoulder. Ron walked over to Harry and stood by him laughing at the look in Hermione's face.
"Dashing…(hiccup)," George finished for him. "My, if I had known how (hiccup)…"
"Gorgeous…(hiccup)" Fred added helpfully. "You would (hiccup) grow up (hiccup)…"
"Aye, (hiccup) mate," George said. "I would have snatched (hiccup) you(hiccup)up before Harry had(hiccup) a chance."
"I thought she was (hiccup) dating (hiccup) that bloke Krum?" Fred interrupted leaning over Hermione's lap to 'whisper' to George in rather failing tones.
"Wasn't it (hiccup), Ron?" George asked. "Or (hiccup) Malfoy?"
"I can't (hiccup) possibly…" Fred continued.
"Keep (hiccup) up," George said with some finality. "Aye!"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Angelina snapped pulling out her wand. Katie followed suit although she looked a tad bit more amused than Angelina or Hermione. They pointed it at their boyfriends and both fell instantly asleep. There was a flash as Colin snapped a picture with the fuming Hermione in the middle. Then with a flick of their wrist, both twins began to float up the stairs to their dormitories as they led them away. Another flash of light and those that were still standing around drinking and laughing burst into applause.
"Oy, Colin!" Ron called through the noise. "I want copies of those pictures, eh?"
"I don't know whether to be insulted or complimented," Hermione said. Harry and Ron grinned at her and they sat in the seats that the twins had vacated. Harry and Ron dropped their heads to lean on each of her shoulder and she sighed wrapping an arm around each of them.
"Are you feeling better now?" Ron asked softly so that their conversation would not travel farther then only the three of them.
"Yes," Hermione answered letting her head fall unconsciously on top of Harry's. "Harry let me take a nap, and we talked. Let's forget about it. Did you have fun?"
"Sure did," Ron said cheekily and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
"We don't want to know how good of a snogger Luna is," Harry said with a chuckle.
"Whatever," Ron answered as all three of them watched the fire. Colin jumped out of nowhere and snapped their picture with a flash. "Oy!"
"It's one of the best yet," Colin said in his defense as Ron sat up. Hermione pulled him back down and he settled down again. "Come on, one more! I got to get some of the Famous Trio, too! You three make quite a picture!"
"We a band now or something?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione laughed but they all smiled without moving from the unconscious pose to which they had all settled comfortably into, as Colin flashed away. "Jeez, you'd think he would grow out of it but…"
"Shut up, Ron," Harry answered and Hermione laughed. Ron rolled his eyes and they settled into a comfortable silence that comes from knowing a person for nine years.
"Where are Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny?" Hermione asked as the room began to empty out.
"They went to accompany Luna," Ron answered with a yawn.
"Why aren't you with them?" Harry asked matching his yawn.
"Did they send you up to help with your brothers?" Hermione asked unable to contain the yawn that followed Harry's. "Excuse me."
They could only stop it for about one second before all three of them burst out laughing. They managed to stop after a while and they settled back down into the couch once more.
"About your question, yes they did," Ron said after they caught their breath once more. "I think you could actually give Trelawney a run for her money. You know every bloody thing that goes on."
"That is actually a step up from Trelawney," Harry answered relishing the light weight of Hermione's head on his.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione answered. She yawned and it didn't take long before the other two followed. They chuckled, too tired to have another laughing fit. "We should head over to bed."
"Yeah," Harry answered even as he closed his eyes. "You guys want to move?"
"Hell, no," Ron answered with another yawn as he closed his own eyes.
"Language, Ronald," Hermione managed as her own eyes shut close.
In a few minutes, the Famous Trio were asleep. Colin had been right; together they made quite a picture. Hermione in the middle was the bond that held them together. Both boys leaning on her shoulders as she held them in her embrace, but even the strongest pillar needed something to hold it up, and Hermione had rested her head over Harry's comfortably. In that instant they were the symbol of the good that came come out of the worst times. In that instant they were the symbol of the peace and strength that we can find in a true best friend.
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I'm very sorry it took so long to update but it took a while to get everything down the way that I had it planned. I hope it's not too bad. I wrote the last part at two in the morning so feel free to point out any mistakes and I'll try to fix them as soon as I can.
Thank you again for taking the time to review my work. (MAJOR HINT!!!)
Anyhow, thank you for your patience and please bear with me!
I'll try to have the next update sooner but I won't make a promise I can't keep…so…
THANK YOU ALL!!! OH, AND R&R BEFORE YOU GO!!!
~~RODARE