Shadow Master Normal Shadow Master 1 1 2003-08-16T04:40:00Z 2003-08-16T04:41:00Z 1 2232 12728 Home 106 29 14931 10.2625 Clean Clean 0 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Chapter 12: Love's Game
It was October 1st. Harry was surprised to be even passing his classes. His scar had hurt for the first time since last June a week ago, witnessing one of the Weasley's getting initiated into the Death Eaters, and Hermione's sister giving up one of her aunts. He had told Dumbledore about what Hermione's sister had done, but he couldn't tell Hermione. He didn't know why, he just couldn't. Then his training with Cho was tiring him so much it took Hermione nearly punching him in the ribs to keep him awake.
Right now, Harry was practicing a combo Sirius had taught them earlier. Dumbledore had told Sirius to change from magical combat to hand-to-hand guerilla tactics. Sirius would teach offensive combos or half the class, and defensive combo to block the previous offensive one for the other half.
Harry got the defensive combo down, but the offensive one needed someone's help. Luckily for him, Hermione had walked in at that moment.
"'Mione, could you help me with this?"
"What is it?"
"The offensive combo Sirius taught us today."
"Can't seem to get it down can you?" she said, her face glowing.
Harry grinned, "No, I can't."
"You know the defensive one?"
"Perfectly.
"Alright, get into stance."
Hermione walked over to Harry and pulled her hands up, covering her face. They stepped toward each other with their left foot, and looked at each other.
"Alright, you do defense, and I'll show you the offense so you can get it down, ok?"
"Fine with me."
"First, I swing my left arm at you." She did the motion as she was explaining it to Harry. He ducked the swing at his head.
"Then I bring my right arm up into an uppercut." She swung her right arm up. Harry flung his body backwards, and hooked his right arm around hers, stopping the motion.
"Then I swing my left arm again." Hermione then swung her left fist at Harry's head again. He let it fly over his head, and grabbed her fist, pulling it back to both of their bodies.
The room suddenly felt hotter to him. Their bodies all of a sudden got closer than they should have. Harry didn't know what was happening, but he didn't want it to stop. Harry was feeling a heat through every part of his body. He wanted to do things he never thought to doing to any woman.
Harry leaned his head down toward Hermione, who was leaning her head up toward him. Their breathing was becoming very heavy, making the entire common room feel like it was an inferno.
Their lips brushed quickly, but grew more passionate as the seconds ticked by. Their arms let go of the other's and started moving on their own. Harry's wrapped around Hermione, and hers went to Harry's face.
They were lost in the moment. Nothing mattered but the other person they were holding onto.
Harry's mind was racing. Thoughts were going through his head so fast, it seemed like there were a million voices in his head.
You shouldn't be doing this!
Who cares? You like it, she likes it, what's wrong here?
Look, I don't care what happens except that this keeps on!
Ron is going to care. She's his ex-girlfriend, and best friend to both of you.
I know that already!
Well, you know that you will not be able to keep this a secret, and if Ron finds out, he'll have your head!
He'll understand!
Are you so sure?
Hermione couldn't think anything put pleasant thoughts. Things were going through her head that wanted so much more. She was fully enjoying what was feeling. Her hands glided over his face, and coming to rest on the back of his head, pulling his face closer.
They broke apart only for breath, looking at each other, their eyes showing so much emotion, they were impossible to read. They drew each other in again, kissing with a passion that they had not felt for Ron or Cho.
Harry backed Hermione into the wall, kissing her with a fiery passion he had never felt. He pulled back for another breath, and realized what was going on.
"Oh god." he whispered. Harry started to pull back, wondering what he had done.
"Harry," Hermione said, stepping closer. She put her hand on Harry's shoulder, who shrugged it off. She spoke again, "Harry, what's wrong?"
"I- I can't do this." he said, his voice raspy and hoarse. The feelings of pleasure still flowing through his veins, "I can't do this, to any of us." Harry then turned and ran out of the common room.
He ran down the hall, along the path to the room of requirement. Things weren't making any sense to him at the moment, and he needed to sort things out. He finally got far enough from the common room, and slowed to a brisk walk.
He was on the way to the room, when Ron ran into him coming from the library.
"Harry, what's going on?" he asked, running after Harry.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Harry said, his voice betraying his actions and tone.
Ron looked at him for a second, "Harry, what happened?"
Harry knew he would keep going until he got the answer out of him, and lying wasn't an option.
"I kissed Hermione."
Ron didn't look to happy. In fact, he looked hurt and infuriated.
"WHAT?!"
"I didn't try to. It just sort of happened. I'm not exactly happy about it."
"Well, why not? Why aren't you happy for making out with my girlfriend?!"
"RONALD WEASLEY!!"
Ron turned around to see that Leah York standing to his right.
Ron saw Leah and gave her a thumbs up behind his back. She was playing her part very well.
"You know that Hermione was not your girlfriend anymore!"
"I'll get her back and you know it!"
Harry had started to run away before a massive fight broke out between them. Ron and Leah saw it, and stopped fighting. She smirked a little bit, and looked at Ron.
"Nice acting, although I would've added a touch more anger into it."
"Ginny's plan is working better than expected. I wonder how far they went."
"From what Ginny said, it was like they had done it before. With our luck, they'll be going to the ball together."
Ron chuckled, "You and Ginny were right. I am happy about this."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm Hermione's ex boyfriend. I should be angry at her and Harry getting together, but I'm not. It took you and Ginny to make me realize that see didn't see anything more than a brother in me."
"Well, we're glad for that."
Harry was thinking about what had happened in the common room when he got to the room of requirement.
What possessed me to do that? Why did I have to kiss her?
Because you like her!
No, I liked Cho, this is much different. Much more than that.
Much deeper you mean.
NO! That is not what I mean.
You know it is.
I am not going to have these thoughts! I can't think like this!
But you want to, you have to. You know more about her than anyone else, you are the one she comes to for comfort.
You can see it, can't you?
What is there to see?
You like her, she likes you.
No she doesn't!
She does.
How could you say that? She has no interest in me, what so ever!
Then why did she kiss back?
She didn't!
She did. And I must say it was quite good to.
Sod off!
It's the truth.
She would never like me in that way! She knows that I would never be more than a brother to her.
But she threw that out the window, and so have you.
Hermione was still in the common room, wondering what happened, and what went wrong.
Why did Harry pull away like that?
It's because you are his friend, nothing more. Or so he thinks.
You picked that up too, huh?
Who couldn't?
What do you-
You know what's stopping him. He doesn't want to get too attached to anyone, for the fear that they might get killed. Even though his pain about Cho dying is gone, the memory is still fresh in his mind.
Point, set, and match. I'm going to find him, he's got to find out that I am not afraid to face the dangers that I would if I'm with him.
She walked out of the statue entrance, looking for Harry.
Ron, Ginny, and Leah were sitting under a tree near the forbidden forest. It seemed like only yesterday that they had hatched the plan to get Harry and Hermione together, and now they were making out in the common room.
"Ginny, how did you know that this would work?" Leah questioned
"Well, I could see the want and need in their eyes, as well as the fear and love for the other."
"Fear for the other?" Ron asked.
"Fear of losing the other. You guys have been friends forever, basically. And if any of you were killed, the remaining members of the trio would be devastated. But with them, I could see that it would be escalated if the other died."
"Escalated?"
"Jesus, and some people wonder why women think most men are incompetent!"
"Hey, little sister, I am a year older than you! I know more about-"
"To another person's feelings, I mean, you dipshit! You men think about nothing but Sex and Alcohol!"
"That is not true!"
"Guys! Guys! Stop this! Jesus, you two are bickering like an old married couple."
"Fine, but Ron, shut up for a moment. You wanted to know how I knew that this plan was going to work, and I was telling you, but your tiny male mind couldn't handle it. Now, as I was saying, if one of them died, they wouldn't be able to live on. They wouldn't be able to accept it, and the other one would wither away."
Ron nodded in understanding. Leah couldn't help it, "You nod like you actually know what she is talking about."
"Well, I do."
She smirked. He really is cute. She thought. And his ability to be that clueless makes him even cuter.
"Come on, Harry went to the room of requirement, and Hermione is probably looking for him, let's go see what envelops."
Harry was pacing in the room of requirement, wondering what he should do. Should he forget all about what happened? Should he explain why he did it? How could he do that though, he didn't even know why he did that himself.
All he knew is that he felt something for her. A want, a need. Something that attracted him to her. He didn't know what happened over the years to make him feel that way, but somehow it formed in his mind. He could understand if it happened because of how she looked. She does look really beautiful, I wonder if that's why I want her. Any guy would.
Hermione had looked everywhere. She had been to the library, the great hall, even Snape's dungeon, and she still couldn't find him. Where could he be? Trelawney's tower? Probably not. She continued walking through the school, opening every door she came across, trying to find Harry.
She was heading toward the library again, when she saw a door that she recognized. The Room of Requirement? Could he be in there? She opened the door slowly, to see Harry pacing inside the room. She walked in and closed the door silently, locking it behind her.
Harry turned his head towards her, and looked as scared as he had ever been. He didn't know what she was going to do as she walked to him. Was she going to hit him? Kill him? Kiss him again? What was she going to do?
"Harry, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not mad at you."
"How could you not be?"
"Because I enjoyed it. I wanted it to happen."
"What? I'm like a brother to you, that shouldn't have happened."
"Harry, you are more than a brother to me. I'm more attached to you than anyone else that I have ever known. More attached to than Ron, than my parents, than anyone else that exists. You understand me better than anyone, you always know how I feel. Harry, you can't just sit here and say that I am only a sister to you."
"I can, and I am."
"Why are you afraid of a relationship with me? Can't you see that I am not afraid of what could happen?"
Tears were falling down both of their faces. Hermione didn't care about hers, but put her right hand up to Harry's face, trying to wipe away the wetness falling down. Harry turned his head to his left, and kissed the palm of her hand.
"I'm not going to lie to you, I do want a relationship with you. I don't know why I want it, but my heart wants me to have one. But everyone I've gotten close to has died, everyone that I've shared my fears, my sadness with, my pain, my worries, my heart with, has died. I don't want to lose you to."
He wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face into the crook of her neck. The leftover tears that weren't shed at Cho's grave came out, relieving Harry of the last parts of pain that he had.
"Hermione, this world is the coldest place I've ever lived in. It hurts, seeing people getting murdered in front of your eyes, or hearing about it on the wireless. It hurts to see innocent people dying, and the only person he is really after is you. I don't fear a lot of things that could happen. But the one thing that I fear, above all else, is waking up, and realizing that I wouldn't be able to see you again. That I would be able to see you smile again, hear you laugh again. Never again be able to enjoy all of the things that you do."
"Harry, do you really want to be with me?"
He nodded against her neck, unable to pull away from the spot he was standing in.
"Then, ask me to be your girlfriend. I'm not afraid of what could happen, because If-" She was trying to choose her words carefully, remembering how Cho got killed.
"If what?"
"If it came down, to making a choice, whether you or me, I would gladly die for you." Harry cried harder than ever, not wanting to remember, not wanting to go back.
"Do you really want me to?"
"Yes."
Harry pulled back, just enough to see her face. He cleared his throat, and asked, "Hermione Granger, will you be my girlfriend?"
She brought her hands up to the sides of his head, and engrossed him and a deep kiss. It was slow and passionate, letting the other feel every inch of the other's mouth. They just stood there, oblivious to the world around them, not caring who entered, not caring who saw. They had to pull away from the bliss, but just to get air.
"I would love to be your girlfriend, Harry Potter. I would love to." She brought his head down again, bringing him into another long, powerful kiss. Neither of them wanted this moment to end, not wanting to ever have to leave the room for anything else.
Ginny, Leah and Ron were standing outside the door, listening to what was happening in the room. When they heard Harry ask Hermione to be his girlfriend, Ginny almost jumped up and down in joy. Her plan was a success. They were together.
"This is awesome." Ginny said, "Let's get out of here before they start to leave the room."
"You're right, we don't want to be tied to this." Leah said. They all walked away, smiling at the thing that they created.
Harry pulled up, losing his breath. He looked into Hermione's eyes for the millionth time that day, "Do you want to have dinner with me on Friday?"
"Do you mean, like a first date?"
Harry nodded, "Yeah, like that."
"Harry, I would love that. Where would we have dinner though?"
"How about, in here?"
"Well, Harry, I think I'll say yes."
He put one arm around her shoulder, feeling a little awkward, and softly kissed her on the lips.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"
"For you, just being you."