Love and Laughter--Chapter 8
Harry lay awake looking at Hermione sitting on the balcony drinking tea in a pair of his boxers and a t-shirt. He wondered why she had not woken him up. He sat up trying to see what time it was. "Nine-forty," he said to himself. He put on his glasses, stretched and got out of bed. He walked to the door. "Good morning, sunshine."
"Hi, Harry. Good morning. You look rested," she said smiling.
"How long have you been out here?" he asked.
"Not long. I made tea in the electric kettle. The water is probably still hot," she said. "Want some?"
"Sure, I can get it," he said. "Relax."
"Can you believe the weather the past few days?" asked Hermione. "We couldn't have asked for better if had gone to the Mediterranean or some other warm place. It's amazing."
"It's warm this morning, too. That's why I was surprised to see you outside and even more surprised the door was open and I wasn't freezing," he said smiling.
"It's too bad for you, huh? No reason for snuggling," she teased. "All kidding aside, I slept really well. I couldn't believe it. This annoying guy kept sticking this roll quarters in my backside though."
"Ha ha," said Harry. "Well, if you could just make yourself unattractive, I'd just pay you to sleep in your own bed."
Hermione laughed. "It's my fault you're oversexed, I see," she said. "I was so comfortable, Harry. I saw you were too, so I came out here to think. It is so peaceful up here. I think we could sit out here naked tonight. What do you think of that?"
"Hey, I'm all for anything that gets your knickers off," said Harry trying to mask his concern for why she seemed to going out of her way to do things like that.
"I hear a `but' coming, Harry," said Hermione looking at him warily.
"I worry that you think you have to be a wild child for me," said Harry. "I love you and it's not necessary."
Hermione smiled. "Have you ever thought about skinny dipping, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Seriously, taking a girl out to a lake or the ocean and jumping the water stark naked just for the thrill."
"I'm not sure I have, but it would be fun," said Harry.
"That's it, Harry. What's wrong with it if I think it would be a thrill to stand out here like that? Especially, when I think feeling the warmth of your body next to me," said Hermione. "It's about living versus wishing. I wish I had had the nerve to let you touch me the way you did night before last when we were in that room last week. Instead of experiencing that rush of sexual energy and letting myself go with the way I wanted to return it, I ran away. Never again, Harry. That's all."
Harry looked at her carefully. "Hermione, that makes sense. It`s still a little bold, but hey if it doesn't hurt anyone else."
"That's how I feel too, but some things are only truly good when you share them with someone," she said smiling holding her hands out to Harry.
He set down his tea and they hugged. "I love hugging you," she said. "It's the most enjoyable feeling in the world to touch someone you love."
He felt her against him and it was sweeter than a kiss. It was just him and the girl he loved together. The words `I love you' were not even necessary. He felt like a wimp. He felt emotional no reason at all. He loved her and that's all he could think about. Somehow, that moment became two moments and then a gentle sway together. Then it became a light kiss. Her hands went in his shorts to his bum and squeezed.
"Why don't we make love now, Harry?" she asked. "Doesn't this seem like the right time? I feel your heart beating. I feel so close to you."
Harry put his hands to both sides of her face. "I want to, but are you sure?"
She took his hands and led him inside. She kissed him and pulled his t-shirt over his head and hers too. "Harry, don't be shocked but I want to do this." She kissed his chest his stomach and knelt before him dropping his boxers. He felt her hand first but then the softness of her lips enveloped him; he shivered. He looked down to see her staring up at him. He closed his eyes as he felt himself swell in her mouth. He could feel her nervousness and uncertainty. She wanted to please him and that alone made him more aroused. Her hand worked him. "Is this okay, Harry?" At first, he thought she was teasing, but he saw the look on her face. She was asking if she was doing it right.
"Hermione, it's awesome," he said as the sensation continued to grow. "Let me see you." He knew if she continued he would reach the point no man could stop. He needed to touch her and feel her too.
He took her by the hands and led her to the bed. He unfastened the hook on her bra and admired her in broad daylight for the first time. At first, she covered herself. He could see how she might be more bashful as opposed to in a darkened bedroom with the lights low. She relaxed after a second or two. "You're gorgeous, Hermione." He cupped her breasts in his hands briefly and then kissed her. Slowly, he moved from her lips to her neck and then her breasts, kneading with his left hand and kissing the other softly. He looked up to see her expression. She smiled and closed her eyes. He lingered there until he heard her voice her pleasure softly.
He moved his left hand to her pelvis and slowly put it under her panties. He felt her take in a breath and hold it as his hand ran through her pubic hair. He spread her legs with his hand and touched her soft waiting womanhood. His own loins burned at the feel of her. He continued to kiss her chest and neck as his fingers worked softly below. Her legs spread further as he let his fingers find the velvety opening. He slowly placed one finger inside and the second only until he wasn`t hurting her. She let him know it was okay. "It's okay, Harry. I won't hurt."
Her stomach tensed as her legs closed over his arm to hold him right there. He kissed her neck, her hands found his back. He kissed her as her mouth probed his as the tension in her legs released and he moved his fingers slowly. He felt her gasping in his mouth as he kissed her. "Ha," she moaned every few seconds. He moved slowly kissing her all the way to the edge of her panties. He pulled them down revealing her coarse, neatly groomed mound. He spread her flesh and kissed her where his thumb had caused her to moan. "Oh, Harry…." Her hand pulled his head into her. He couldn't breathe until he found the right angle. He nearly laughed at her insistence for more.
He continued as his own excitement grew. He felt the power of her legs over his shoulders. She shuddered once, then twice. "Harry, put it inside me. I want to feel you inside me." Her expression was one of half-smile and half-cry leaving no doubt that he had done something right. He stood at the side of the bed with her legs open and inviting him. He felt the nervous tension. He placed himself near her wet softness and slowly moved inside as the look on her face changed to a smile and a gasp.
"Harry, quit teasing and do it," she begged. He took a small step forward and as he did, his hips moved forward also burying himself inside her smoothly but forcefully. He wasn't sure which of them gasped louder, but he was definitely and undeniably caught off guard by her warmth. Her heels dug into the top of his buttocks as she tried to pull him inside with each stroke. Moment after moment, their guttural, primordial noises urged one another to new heights. Harry ignored the burning in his backside from the movement of his hips. His legs ached as he moved into her. His arms shook as he balanced himself over her to kiss her. He found his heart pounding so hard he thought it might burst. He had never imagined anything so amazing. "Hermione, oh shit," he said as he slowed to avoid letting go inside her. He knew it was only moments away if he moved. "Hermione?"
"Harry, I want you. It's okay," she said. "Harry, it's okay."
He surprised himself as he drove himself inside her again and again feeling the rhythm of her muscles making it harder and harder to keep from exploding. Her fingernails tore into his back. He gasped and then growled as he released his love inside her. She smiled as she moved her hips and squeezed the muscles of her pelvis as if some primal force inside her knew how to get every drop from him. "Oh shit," he said. He could only take the intensity for seconds until he collapsed on top of her while still inside her, spent and perspiring.
He felt her hand on the back of his neck as she kissed his forehead. She found a corner of the soft top sheet and wiped his brow. "Wow," she said. "You look exhausted." She giggled.
He didn't know if he wanted to try to talk or not. He was so drained. "Hermione, unbelievable. What has that muscle thing you did at the end there?"
"I have no idea," she admitted. "It felt so good I just did what came naturally."
Ten minutes or more, it took Harry to understand what had just happened to him. He smiled. "A dream will never match that."
They talked sexily for a few minutes exchanging teasing tickles that their lovemaking almost made painful still as the nerves in every part of them begged for rest. "I'll never forget how it felt when you came inside me, Harry. It's so natural to want to feel that."
"You're not afraid of getting pregnant?" he asked.
"No, not really," she said. "I'm not as naïve about how to protect myself as you might think Harry. But you are the only one I would trust if I did get pregnant."
He slid up in the bed and pulled her to him face to face. "Why?"
"Because you really do love me, Harry. I've known it since that night in the Hospital Wing even before I asked you," she said. "I don't want to be pregnant, but I wanted to be with you more."
"I'm sorry," said Harry feeling sick that he was too thick to understand. "When did you have time to get protection?"
"Harry, I should have told you I took precautions. My parents made it a big deal to go to the doctor when I said I was going to spend the week with you. They called in a favor and he gave me a prescription. I just didn't want you to think that I was too eager. Just to be sure I waited until after my period to let this day happen," said Hermione. "I wanted it all and as few worries as possible."
Harry laughed. "Like we were hiding our intentions all week, right?"
She laughed. "I know, it was vanity. It's just another step I need to take with you. I need not to be afraid to tell you anything. Like giving oral sex, I had to do it first while I was excited or I would have chickened out." She said touching his loins. "You are a horny bastard Harry. You are almost ready again."
"I told you to look out and that you were in trouble," he teased. "Believe me, Little Harry is readier than I am."
They lay there talking about what was good and how it felt for a long while. They made love again and again.
***
Finally by late afternoon, Hermione looked at Harry with a sarcastic grin. "I am so going to be sore and it's your fault," she teased. "Thank you for making this so enjoyable and taking care to please me too. I mean it Harry. It was so different than I expected."
"I never thought we would tear the room apart like this," he chuckled as he looked at the sheets half off the bed. "We know we can do it standing up now too."
"Ooh, that's a worry, Harry. Could come in handy in a dark corner of the castle though," she said teasingly. They laughed.
"Are you ready to get dressed for dinner, Hermione?" he asked.
She looked at him lovingly. "You still want to take me to dinner?" she asked. "I thought you'd want to keep me locked up here all day."
"Hey, you said you bought a dress for tonight and I still want to enjoy the evening. Now when we come back there won't be any holding back if we want to be together. We can fall into bed together and do whatever. Or, we could do something sexy on the balcony," said Harry.
"I'd like to go to dinner," said Hermione. "Let me go change to get ready." She kissed him and stood up. "If anyone asks, we went horseback riding. I feel like I'm walking funny." She giggled.
"You're not. Don't think I don't have my aches and pains too," he said. "I'm just willing to suffer to make you happy that's all." He winked.
"Oh, yeah. You suffered, you prat," she said smiling as she zipped her jeans. "I suppose I could have Apparated, but I think the walk will do me good. I love you, Sweetie. I'll see you in a bit." She walked over and kissed him.
"Love you too," he said as she left. He ached all over. They had wrestled and made love to the point where Harry's arms, abs, legs and bum felt as if he had been in the gym for hours. He took a shower and dressed.
He called the concierge. "Do you have the flowers for Miss Hermione Granger?" he asked.
"Yes sir, we were waiting for your call," he said. Harry had ordered flowers several days in advance to be delivered before they went out. He had no idea that things would have turned out this way then. He changed his mind and would deliver them himself.
"I'll be down to get them." Harry looked in the mirror wondering if he was the same guy who woke up that morning.
"Very good, sir," said the concierge.
He hung up and continued to look at his reflection. "You're a very lucky guy, Harry. Let her know you think so."
He called her. "Hello," said Hermione. "Oh, Harry, it's you."
"Hi, beautiful. Are you almost ready?" he asked.
"Give me a few minutes. I need makeup for my neck, you randy git," she said giggling. "I have to get dressed still, Harry. Twenty minutes?"
"Sure, I'll see you then," he said. "Love you, Hermione."
"You too, Harry."
Harry walked down to the elevator in a daze. He thought about how it felt to be with her. He tried to think of what the best part was. He excluded the obvious moments of orgasm. He knew it was seeing her face smiling and giggling as they played between rounds of lovemaking. He would see her laughing eyes and smile everywhere they went. It was the thing that would make him remember making love to her when they laughed in potions or when they sat at the table in the Great Hall listening to a funny joke. It was their moment together and no one else would know what he saw when he looked at her.
"Sir, you've come up and down twice. Are you all right, sir?" asked the bellhop.
"I was daydreaming," he said. "Thank you." He couldn't believe he had just ridden the elevator from the 23rd floor to the lobby and then back up to wherever and back.
He walked over to the Newsagent and got a card for the flowers. He wrote, "We came here friends, hoping to be lovers. Now we are lovers planning to be partners for life. Love and friendship always, Harry."
He liked it. It was simple and honest. He wanted her forever, but they had miles to go to be ready for that commitment. Love, he remembered from a song, was not always enough.
He tipped the concierge for the six red roses and headed for her room. He wondered about the dress. She had been so excited to look good for him. He knew she would look great. He stopped at the long mirror on the wall in the corridor and made sure he had the flowers looking nice for her. He didn't want to show her the greenery and not the flowers. He knocked.
What he saw before him when she opened the door took his breath away. The expression on her face seeing the flowers was part of it, the other was she looked more stunning than he had ever seen her. The sand V-neck, silk dress with flowing skirt, ruffled hem and delicate bow belt at her ribcage above her waist made her glow. Her skin was soft and smooth from her neck to the hint of cleavage he had kissed so lightly. The curve of her breasts and the lines of her waist made him melt. "Hermione, you're stunning. Just absolutely beautiful." Her makeup was flawless as her eyes were accentuated with soft gold tint. Her eyebrows, normally very bushy, were delicately thinned. He looked at his watch. "How did you do all this so fast?" He had not even taken second to look at how silky her hair was.
"I hadn't planned on being ravaged beforehand so, I just enchanted the makeup table and leaned back. It's still me though," she said giggling.
"Wow, you look awesome, Hermione," he said. He kissed her hand so he wouldn't smudge her makeup.
"Sit for a minute, Harry," said Hermione. "I have to cut these and put one on my dress." She took a pair of scissors out of her bag and cut the flower. She found a safety pin and enchanted it to pin it perfectly to her left shoulder just above her breast. "I would have let you put it on, but you're restricted from touching me until after dinner. It's the penalty you get for making me horny." She giggled again.
He smiled. "I'm evil like that, aren't I?" he kidded. "Ready?"
"Yes," she said. "Pizzazz, for pizza right?"
"Where, the pizza place, right? Pizzazz?" he asked.
"That's the name of the place," she laughed. "You didn't see the sign, the drink napkins and coasters, and the little logo on the shirts. Harry, I know you saw at least one waitresses chest that night."
Harry smiled. "I swear, Hermione. I thought it was a clever gimmick to just call the place `Pizza'. I never paid attention close enough to recognize the `Pizzazz' part," he laughed. "Really."
"Okay, I`ll believe you. This time," she teased. "Ready?"
He suddenly remembered the card. "I have one more thing."
She looked at it and said, "I think you should save it for after dinner, Harry. Every emotion I have is on the surface and if I cry, I'll have to redo my make up."
"Okay, fair enough," he said. "It's nasty though with a whole list of things I want to do to you."
"Better reason to leave it here," said Hermione with a grin. "Ready?"
They popped out to their little landing spot near Pizzazz. After a short walk, they stood at the hostess station waiting for a seat. Harry felt slightly strange holding her hand now that he had touched almost every part of her. He thought about kissing her feet to complete the entire adventure. He laughed because literally, it was the only place left.
"Okay, what now?" she asked. "I'm afraid to hear."
He whispered in her ear that his next goal was to start at her little toe and kiss every inch of her up one side and down the other. "Front and back, mind you." He added in a whisper.
She smiled and squeezed his hand. She whispered back that she would do the same if he kept his promise. They giggled.
The hostess looked at them with a smile. "You two look so happy. I love the rose by the way," she said. "Follow me."
They followed and sat down across from one another. "So what are we having tonight?" asked Hermione.
Harry was still in a playful mood. "I thought the veggie was good, but can we get another topping?"
She smiled knowing he was up to something, "What would that be?"
"I want Hermione bits on my pizza," he said quietly.
"Harry," she said blushingly just before the waitress came over. Suddenly something must have struck her funny because she was laughing.
Harry had to ask the waitress to come back.
"Harry, I'm not going out in public with you again. I will either pee my pants laughing or end up killing you for embarrassing me," she whispered as he regained control. "Harry, I thought of us sitting here putting food on each other licking it off. You have me perverted now."
A few minutes later, the waitress returned with no further incident. Hermione smiled at Harry. "I sincerely hope we get this incredibly horny period of our lives under control before we go back to Hogwarts."
Harry smiled. "Yeah, I've been a little over the top lately and it will get old, I'm sure. I'll watch it."
"Harry, it is fun, but things like that can make us crazy too. I mean we'll be really restricted for the next month and a half or so. It's going to be terrible after today."
"You know I was thinking that, but we can sneak away somewhere on weekends. Professor McGonagall will let us go for good reasons. We can find some I'm sure. Looking for a place together after graduation is the one I was thinking. That's three weekends there."
Hermione's eyes glassed over. "You want to get a place together--a real flat or house?"
"I think we can handle it," said Harry. "All kidding aside, I think we would be good together Hermione. Not just romantically, but as friends. It's going to be hard to get through school and an internship, but we'll know our best friend is home waiting to hear how things went. I have wanted that in my life forever."
Her eyes began to water. "Damn it, Harry. I asked you to keep the card so I wouldn't cry and then you make me cry anyway. You mean a two bedroom place right? Roommates?"
"Yes," said Harry. "We can take it one step at a time, but one day we`ll be married Hermione, I know it," said Harry.
"You are trying to get me to cry, aren't you?" she said catching herself but still very emotional. "That's a wonderful way to look at it. That's what I thought of when I wondered what it would be like to live with you this past week."
"We talk a good game, but we have a lot to learn, right?" he asked.
"Not so much that we don't know love and that there is hard work to do," said Hermione. "We're going find the way together though Harry. I feel it." Hermione smiled and let a tear go. "I'll be back. I have to stop the waterworks right now before my face runs off onto my dress." She laughed through the tears.
He wiggled his finger for her to come close. "You are stunning tonight, but you are beautiful without the makeup so if it comes off I won't miss it," he whispered. He kissed her cheek.
She smiled. "Thanks darling, that's sweet. I'll be back."
She came back just in time for dinner. The mood returned to a more festive one until they began talking about Transfiguration and the other classes. They were not in all the same classes now that they returned from Break. He would go back to Gryffindor Tower and the dorm.
"Wow, that's right," said Harry with a long face.
"But you are in all of Ron's classes, Harry," said Hermione.
"That will be fun now, won't it?" asked Harry.
"Harry, I told him there was a possibility that you and I might date," she divulged. "I didn't tell you until tonight because I didn't want you anticipating problems the whole time we were together."
"Ah," said Harry. "So, beware of ex-best mates bearing gifts." He shook his head. "Ron will be angry, but I think he'll get it out of his system pretty quick. We should just be careful of showing our affection in front of him before we tell him."
"Exactly," said Hermione. "Finding someone you care about with someone else is horrible. I know I remember Ron and Lavender."
"First thing, when we get back, agreed?" asked Harry.
Hermione nodded. She took a deep breath. "I know you want to know why I told him, don't you?"
"No, not really. I trust you. It's enough that he suspected before we left, now he'll just suspect even more. I do wonder how he's handled it this week though," said Harry.
"Yeah, I suppose. I think he was planning on staying in Dublin with a couple teammates," said Hermione. "I hope he did for his sake. They`re partiers and not likely to let him get all torn up about it."
They finished dinner and left Pizzazz. "Harry, do you want to just walk through my neighborhood. It`s still nice."
The quarter moon gave them enough light to find their way through the houses and trees on the bike path and into the country club grounds. They followed the cart path on the golf course.
"I love the quiet out here, Harry. That's why I liked the Burrow at night. We should find a place like that one day." She paused and smiled. "Well, not like the house, I meant the surroundings--a river or a lake, trees and open spaces."
Harry wrapped his arms around her from behind and rocked her gently. "I agree. This is beautiful. Hermione, it's not easy being with me sometimes. I know you know that. I get moody and quiet. As funny as I can be, I get just as sober," he admitted. "I just want to let you know how much it means that you still love me anyway."
"Harry, this is why. I know underneath the sadness is this great guy who loves his friends like they were the family he never had. I never took things personally. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to go. And then, I will kill you to keep anyone else from having you," she said sniffling.
He smiled and just held her. Her waist was so small when he thought about it. He wasn't a huge guy, but she was more petite than he'd realized. He loved the feeling of being with her. "Let's walk some more, Hermione." He knew he was getting too comfortable holding her and they needed to keep moving.
"Harry, don't let me drive you crazy, okay?" she said. "I don't want you having to tune me out like you said the other day. I need to learn how to relate to you differently, not change so much as be aware when I do it. I'm already trying."
"There is only one time I tune you out. That is when you get that voice that says you will listen to me because I am smarter than you. You don't do it a lot and in some cases it saved us, but that's annoying," he said. "But eating crackers or potato chips in bed is annoying too and I would kick you out for either of those two things. So don't worry. If it gets bad, I'll tell you," he said.
She smiled. "Really? I sound like that?" she asked without looking hurt. "So, it's not what I'm saying as often as it is the tone."
"Yep, you are brilliant, but it's like seeing a pretty girl who knows she's all that. No matter how pretty she is you want to see her embarrassed some how so she'll come back to earth. With you, it's pretend not to hear you and it drives you mad."
"Wow, you're a jerk," she said laughing. "All this time I though you weren't listening at all, ever."
"Nope, I listened and that's how I learned to love you. I learned that under all that bluster was this compassionate, warm girl. I knew that before I thought of you as a girl-girl, does that make sense?" he asked. "You mean when we were kids still and had puppy love crushes on anyone who smiled at us. Before you knew girls had parts you wanted, I mean." She giggled.
"Exactly," said Harry. "Do you want to go back and sit on the balcony?"
"Hmm, naked or in winter parkas," she asked. "If it's winter parkas, we keep walking here. Those are the only two choices."
"I don't have a parka and the offer still stands," he said turning to her. "It will be nice to be together again."
"Yes, it will," she said. "Ready?"
"Yep." They popped back to Hermione's room at the hotel. "The sheets are clean here," she giggled. "The question is will they be by morning?"
"Not a chance," said Harry. He kissed her and pulled her to him.
"That's nice, but you're not ruining this dress," she said. "I'll be back in a minute. Strip. That's an order."
He smiled and waited outside the door stark naked. She opened the door and laughed. "Oh, Harry." She was still in her lingerie. "Good job."
"Bad Hermione. Naked means no clothes," he said pulling the waist band of her panties out while she wiggled them off. He undid the bra and let it fall. He hugged her.
"Wow, I'll never get used to this," she said. "I love feeling you near me. Of course, it's still new and you haven't woken me up at 3AM to screw yet either." She laughed.
They walked to the balcony and looked out. The moon was directly ahead. Harry opened the blind completely and looked back. There was a very light silhouette of their bodies on the floor. If it had been a full moon there would have been a clear shadow. "You first," he said.
She stepped out and he followed. He hugged her from behind as he had at the golf course earlier. "See, this is nice."
He had to admit the faint sound of the cars beneath them and the breeze made it quite exhilarating. He thought it was the soft warm bum against his genitals too, but she was happy. They stood swaying in the night for several minutes. "Harry, I have a little fantasy to play out. Get the desk chair there inside and bring it out."
He looked at her and did as she asked. "This is supposed to be erotic not just sex," she said. "Sit."
He sat. As he looked at her standing in front of him, he became harder. Then it dawned on him what she was going to do. She straddled him and sat on him. He was buried inside her. "This is a test to see who can go longer before begging."
Harry said, "Okay, I lose. Was this your plan all along?"
"No, but I thought of it one time. Not on a balcony. I wondered about being in a classroom with my skirt up and no panties when someone came in. We had to act as if it was an innocent kiss. But I worked you like this," she said.
That same sensation he remembered made him catch his breath. The muscles in her pelvis squeezed him he felt her bum clinching on his thighs to do more. "So, what are you thinking, Harry?" she teased. "I'm thinking about you starting at my toes and working your way around."
From there, Harry had no choice but to give in. They made love well into the morning, but much more slowly and tenderly. Neither of them could take the abuse they had dished out that afternoon. At two o'clock, Hermione reminded him that they needed to be on the Hogwarts Express by ten o'clock.
"I know," he said tracing his finger across her tummy. "I love you and this part is over for a while. We can't take a chance on being caught by the younger kids."
"Yeah, I thought about that. We went this long on teasing and snogging. We know what's waiting for us though. We will sneak away I'm sure, but don't be angry if I feel awkward and say no. Okay?" she asked.
"I wouldn't do anything to embarrass you or put our reputations at risk. They can talk, but we can't let them have evidence," said Harry.
"I love you, Harry. Now get some sleep. We need to be up early," she said.
He went to sleep thinking that this was her room. She had him in her bed. She was remarkable. He dozed off and woke to the alarm at eight o'clock.
"Oh, Hermione I feel like I fell of my broomstick again," he said aching.
"I feel like I fell on your broomstick," she quipped with a giggle. "Now stop whining for sympathy and get dressed."
He got in the shower first while Hermione hired a car to take them to King's Cross Station and ordered room service for breakfast. She was finishing her toast and tea as Harry came out. "What was that, Harry? You were in there for a half hour."
"You didn't tell me you had a massage showerhead," said faking pain in his back. He winked.
"You are such a prat, Harry. We're going to be late," she said angrily.
He noticed the angry tone and the lack of a smile or giggle. She was anxious about getting to the Hogwarts Express. He knew it was for their own good. The more normal things looked the less the rumors would fly. Some girls wore being sexually active like a badge and so did the guys. Hermione was not embarrassed but private about her sexuality and he needed to remember that, always. The innuendos and jokes would be a real problem if he got carried away. He switched the channels on the TV absentmindedly.
She came out smiling. "I'm sorry for being so crabby, Harry. I just don't want to start off on the wrong foot today," she said.
She dressed in her jeans, plain white blouse and sweater. "Harry, you need to get your things too. Please hurry." She went into the bathroom again.
Harry didn't hear her, so he turned down the sound on the TV and walked toward the bathroom door. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't hear you."
"I said, you need to get your things from your room. We need to pay for both rooms and get a move on. Will you turn off the TV for me. I'll meet you downstairs in the lobby," she said.
Harry turned off the TV with the remote before he turned the corner and shut Hermione's blinds. He Apparated to his room, collected his belongings and met her in the lobby twenty minutes later.
"Well, off we go," she said. "Maybe we'll get lucky and see Ron before he sees us."
Harry nodded thinking that it would be nice to be rid of the anxiousness he hid from her about confronting Ron. He took a deep breath and smiled. "Yep, off we go."
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