A/N: Ha ha! I broke 100 on the reviews!! Yay! Lol. God, I've been bored all day and I try to finish/update my other stories, but I cant help it. I keep getting drawn back to this one! Its addicting. I have some of the ending mapped out already and I'm psyched to write it! This is definitely NOT the last chapter though! Haha!! Hope you love it!
*I spoil you.* **But I'm also spoiling myself!!! Haha!!**
~
Damn him for being so irresistible. Hermione was watching him smile and talk to one of her co workers, Sara Fairchild. She had to do a double take on what she just said. Irresistible? No, very resistible.
She tore her eyes away from him as Ginny approached her. "See something you like?" She asked, amused.
"Hmm?"
"You were staring over there. I mean I know Sara's pretty, but…" Ginny said, sitting on the edge of Hermione's desk.
Hermione finally cracked a smile and laughed. "Yea."
"So." Ginny said, returning to being serious. "Are you sure nothings going on between you two? Luna told me about yesterday…Hermione, I wont say anything. I swear. Just tell me what's been going on in that office in the past few days."
Hermione took a deep breath. "I kissed him." She said quietly.
Ginny's eyes looked as if they would come tumbling out of her head. "You KISSED HIM!" She whispered frantically.
Hermione nodded. "More than just kissed." She whispered. "I mean we, REALLY kissed."
Ginny covered her mouth in shock. "You didn't…"
"No!" Hermione exclaimed a little loudly, causing a few heads to turn. "No." She said quieter.
"Luna said she caught you two snogging." Ginny chuckled. "Told me not to tell anyone."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter because nothing is going on between us anymore. I told him that he was my boss."
Ginny smirked. "Lets just see how long you can go without staying away. I know you, Hermione. I see the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him. There's more than just lust there, if ya know what I mean." She walked away leaving Hermione in shock.
More? She didn't mean…love, did she? Sure, she'd admit to herself that she was the tiniest bit attracted to him, but love him? No. She couldn't.
"Hermione?" She heard Harry call, only a few feet away from her, she looked up.
"Er, um, yes?" Hermione asked as business like as she could.
"Hey." He said. "Could you get me Headmistress McGonagall on the phone from Hogwarts?"
She weakly smiled and nodded.
"Good. I need to talk to her…" He said, like he was talking to himself.
"Okay." Hermione said, struggling to find a voice within her.
"Thanks." Harry said, walking away to his office.
Hermione dialed the familiar number and waited until she heard a out-of-breath voice. "Hello?"
"Hello, Professor McGonagall, its Hermione Granger from Harry Potter's office." Hermione said into the phone.
"Oh, oh yes dear, I'm sorry. I'm still trying to get used to this…telephone thing that we have now. Odd. So many buttons." McGonagall chuckled.
"That's just fine, Professor. I'm calling because Harry wanted to speak to you. Should I put you through?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, yes of course. Thank you." McGonagall said.
Hermione hit a button and spoke into it. "Harry? I've got her on the phone."
"Oh." Harry said back. "Thanks Mione, really."
"No problem. Line 1." Hermione said.
She hung up the phone once she saw he connected and was met by a bumbling voice. "Helloooo…I get to go meet Ronald in his office!" Luna exclaimed.
Hermione laughed. "Good luck."
The blonde nodded. "Hmm…you seem to be avoiding Harry all day. Something wrong?"
Hermione shook her head. "He's my boss. I don't have to constantly see him."
Luna shrugged. "Whatever. See ya later."
Hermione sat there in thought. Why did everyone keep bugging her about it?!! It's over.
~
Harry hung up the phone from talking to McGonagall and walked out of his office, not taking his eyes off of Hermione even as Cho approached him. She was so beautiful. She wasn't plain at all. How anyone could think that was beyond him.
"Harry…did you hear a word I said?" Cho asked, annoyed.
"Um, yes…" He lied.
"Good. So you agree? Muggle for lunch? I'm tired of all the reporters." Cho said.
"Yea, sure, whatever." Harry replied, as he looked at Hermione. Just then, she looked up and met his gaze, and instantly whipped her head back down. He looked away and walked out with Cho.
~
She felt his eyes on her. Where ever she went, if it was past him, she knew he was watching her. Just as she had watched him this morning. But they were over, whatever they had, it was over. There relationship now was simply platonic. Black and White.
Hermione buried herself in work until she saw him return, Cho still attached to his arm. As they walked by her, Cho made a point of looking at Hermione when she said. "So, Harry. Want to come by my place tonight?"
Jealously. It sprang through her again. It shouldn't have. She had no feelings for him, she told him so. Viktor was the only person she would be kissing from now on. Him and him alone.
Hermione would resist him if it took all her will power. Which, it did.
She returned to her work until it was time to leave and left without another word to Harry.
~
Harry was staying late at work tonight. He didn't have any work to finish, but he was avoiding Cho. For some reason he couldn't stand the sight of her clinging to him, saying she loved him. He had told her that he couldn't be with her tonight because he was working late, which was obviously a lie. He knew Hermione was just now leaving and couldn't bring himself to even say good bye to her. How could something like this have started so fast, and then ended so fast?
His life was being played with like a string puppet. One minute he felt one way, the next he felt another. All he knew was that he definitely didn't have his mind cleared of Hermione. It was all he could think of day and night. He infested her mind like bees in a hive. He almost craved for her. A deep, intense, insane feeling always ran through him whenever he saw her or talked to her. It wasn't just lust. It wasn't. He felt something deeper. Love? How could it be? He had just realized his strange yet barreling feelings toward his assistant and now he was falling in love with her? It actually wasn't that much of a stretch when he thought of it.
He decided that he was just going to push everything aside and focus solely on work, and try to find some comfort in Cho, even though Hermione had been there for him. He remembered one in particular night where he was upset, and even though she had only known him for a couple months, she was there for him.
"Something the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked as she walked in the office.
Harry turned to face her. "There's been another attack." Hermione covered her mouth in shock. "It's funny, you know. He's gone. Voldemort's gone and some of his followers are still seeking revenge. Why do they keep turning up? Why? As if all the deaths they've caused aren't enough! They have to cause more pain!"
"Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry. Was it someone you knew?" Hermione asked, stepping closer to him.
Harry nodded. "Dean Thomas. He was muggle-born. He was my roommate at Hogwarts."
"Oh, Harry." She said, hugging him.
He was surprised at her, but hugged her back. "I just don't understand."
"Me neither." She said. "Me neither."
But only a few months later, about two months ago, he had been there for her too. He had been there when her world came crashing down.
"Hermione?" Harry asked when he saw her head on her desk, in tears after work. "What's wrong?"
"It's…" She said through tears as she looked up. "Its…my…dad. He's…he's…gone."
Harry had no idea how to handle this conversation, but took a stab at it. He walked over to her and helped her up, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "I'm so sorry."
She continued crying. "I…I never…got to say good bye."
They had talked a lot that night, in fact, he learned a lot about her that night. They had been there a few hours after closing time and just…talked. That was the night when they crossed the thick line between employee and friend. It didn't take much.
And now, what the hell were they doing? Messing around with their friendship? He knew it was worth it, she was worth it. And if he had to give her up…he'd be damned if he did it without a fight. He almost worked up the nerve to do something today, but decided that he would respect her wishes, no matter how insane he thought they were.
~
1:00 am. That's what the clock read in Hermione's bedroom. She stared at it. Why couldn't she sleep?
What was so distracting that she couldn't sleep?
Oh yeah. Him.
They hadn't been friends a real long time, but she had felt as if she'd known him forever. She knew that if she ever needed anything, he would be there. Even after all this. She knew. She just hoped that she could return the favor.
Work yesterday had been…weird. She decided that just because she didn't have feelings for Harry didn't mean that it was time to stop trying to get rid of Cho. Yep, Cho Chang was definitely trying to ruin her life along with all of her friends' lives. Something had to be done. But Hermione wasn't sure what to do; she wasn't alone in hating Cho. All Cho Chang had ever tried to do was ruin every single one of her friends lives, putting the spotlight on Hermione.
Maybe she could convince Harry that his girlfriend was nothing but trouble. Maybe she could make him realize that the only reason she loved him was because he was the Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, Old Star Quidditch Player, take your pick. But why did she care? As long as they could stop Cho from coming into the office, they were fine. Harry was her friend, though, he deserved to have his eyes opened.
The next morning Hermione awoke and left all the negative feelings for Cho and all her feelings for Harry in her bed. It was over. She had to stop dwelling on the past.
Just as Black and White as they rest of her life was, she made her way to work, and started the truckloads of paper work that had been placed on her desk.
"Sorry for so much work." Harry said smiling, as he walked over to her.
Hermione laughed. "S'alright. It's my job."
"Yeah." Harry said, interrupted by the phone ringing.
"Hold on a sec." She told him as she picked up. He watched her intently as she said. "International Magical Corporation. Harry Potter's office."
He smiled and she continued to speak. "Yes…oh! Yes, of course…yes, yes of course, sir, I'll put you through!"
Harry looked at her questioningly as she put the unidentified caller on hold. "Who was that?"
Hermione looked at him excitedly and exclaimed, "Harry, Harry! It's them! The…The Asian Company…whatever they're called!! They called…they want to talk to you!"
Harry smiled. "You think?" She nodded. "That's amazing! Thanks, I'll go take it in my office."
"Show them no mercy!" She called after him as he ran away.
He turned around and winked at her. "That's what I plan on."
She laughed and watched him walk into his office and shook her head. "What was that?" Luna asked from across the way.
"The Asian company! They called back! Harry's in there talking to them right now!" She gestured towards his office.
"Ohhh!!" Luna jumped up and down. "Lemme tell Ron!!!"
Hermione laughed. "Go, tell him."
Luna ran off and sprang through Ron's door, kissing him soundlessly.
"Luna, what the-" Ron started, wide eyed but Luna cut him off.
"The Asian company called, whatever the gits' names are!! Harry's talking to them!" She exclaimed, kissing him again.
"Uh…Luna…" Ron started. "Why are…you, kissing me?"
"Because you silly nargle! You're cute and adorable, Ronald!!" Luna exclaimed and ran out of his office.
Ron's jaw was dropped and he muttered to himself. "Not half bad…"
~
Hermione saw that Harry's line was dead, so he wasn't on the phone with them anymore. She was so happy for them, they needed this deal. Their company was new, and every little bit of business helped.
She walked up out of her seat and towards Harry's office and knocked. "Come in." She opened the door and she smiled. "They took it."
"They took it?" She said mouth agape.
"Yep. They did. Merlin, I can't believe it." He said, pacing in front of her.
She stopped his pacing and hugged him. "I'm so happy for you guys!"
He hugged her tightly. "Thanks."
They backed away from each other a little and stared into each others eyes. Oh my god those eyes. How was I supposed to stay away from him?
He knew what he was about to do, and he didn't care. He was going to do it anyway. Hermione knew it too, and she didn't even try to stop him. Yeah, this whole `resisting' thing, not working so well either.
He moved closer to her and kissed her lightly and softly. They pulled back before Hermione willed him on by looking at him again and pressing her lips against him again. He returned her kiss deeply, getting further and further lost in her.
They were pulled apart abruptly at a gasp. They turned from each other to see Luna standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and her hand over her mouth in shock.
Cho was standing right next to her, hands on her hips. "What the HELL is going on here?!!"
~
A/N: Sorry, couldn't help myself with the cliffie!! Love you all! Review!!
-->