Chapter 8.
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Bittersweet
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I'm giving up the ghost of love
In the shadows cast on devotion.
She's the one that I adore
Creed of my silent suffocation.
Break this bittersweet spell on me,
Lost in the arms of destiny.
Bittersweet.
I won't give up, I'm possessed by her.
I'm bearing the cross, she's turned into my curse.
Break this bittersweet spell on me,
Lost in the arms of destiny,
Bittersweet, I want you (I'm only wanting you)
And I need you (i'm only needing you)
Break this bittersweet spell on me,
Lost in the arms of destiny.
Break this bittersweet spell on me,
Lost in the arms of destiny.
Bittersweet - Apocalyptica [Featuring Ville Valo & Lauri Ylonen]
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The next morning, Harry joined Hermione and Ron for breakfast, but Vicky was no longer with him. Hermione had had a rough night and had woken early. She had made a very large breakfast; toast, eggs, sausages, pancakes, fruit, bacon, muffins, tea, coffee, and three different freshly made juices.
"Nice," Harry stated and sat down.
"Where's your new girlfriend?" Ron asked, grinning widely.
"She is still sleeping," Harry answered while stuffing his mouth full of pancakes.
"Busy night?" Ron looked like he was hoping for details and Hermione put the tea kettle hard on the table.
That's the last straw, there is absolutely no reason to stay here and put up with Harry's torture. I'm moving out! she decided. She went back to the stove and turned a couple of sausages in the pan. Tears were burning the inside of her eyelids, and she desperately tried to keep them in their place.
Harry must have felt how uncomfortable she was. "Shut up Ron. Nothing happened. I was to bloody drunk and tired, and I fell asleep immediately," he answered.
Ron nodded and rolled his eyes as if saying "sure". Hermione sat down next to Ron. "This breakfast is brilliant. You should do this every morning," Ron patted her back.
"Do it yourself. I'm not your bloody maid," she snapped and threw her fork on the table. She stormed out of the front door, slamming it behind her. Ron gave Harry a perplexed look.
"What did I do?" he asked.
Harry watched her leave and felt kind of bad for her. He had seen how uncomfortable she had been when Ron went on about Vicky. He had told the truth, nothing had happened. But what he hadn't told them was that Vicky had been so upset at Harry for not being in the mood that Harry had had to escort her out of the house.
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Harry hardly saw Hermione that whole week. She was so busy at work, that when she came home she just went straight to bed. But Ron was leaving to go play two matches in Ireland, and he would be gone a whole week…. leaving them alone. When Harry came home from work on Friday afternoon he was surprised to hear music from the backyard. He walked outside and saw Hermione lying in a bikini on her stomach on a blanket reading a book. She looked up a little surprised and embarrassed.
"Oh, hi, Harry, you're early. Do you mind the music? It's just that the weather was so lovely, I just couldn't resist."
"No I don't mind, what are you doing home already?" He couldn't help himself stealing a few glances of her body while she wasn't looking.
"Malfoy didn't come in at all today, so I left. I mean I've done about three weeks work this week; I don't fell at all bad about it. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to get me some water. It's quite hot out here." Harry went into the kitchen and filled two large glasses with water and ice. When he got back out he sat down on one of the chairs. Hermione sat up and drank her water. Harry looked at her body, she looked practically naked.
"You really do have a nice tan," he said more to himself than to her.
She blushed a bit, and when Harry pulled of his t-shirt she blushed harder. She hadn't seen his body since he was naked in her bed. She put the cold glass against her cheek and the cold almost hurt her face.
"So tell me about Malfoy," Harry leaned back in the chair.
"Well he is as foul as ever, the little ferret. He loves to torture me at work, but don't worry. I am doing great, as if giving me more to read is a punishment," she joked. They both stole hungry glances at each other. Harry sat down on the blanket next to her. Hermione could hardly breathe. Don't be such a silly little school girl! It's just Harry for goodness sake, she told herself.
"It's my blanket," he joked, as if knowing that his presence there beside her made her uncomfortable. "I should be able to get some sun as well." He lay down on his back, and Hermione lay next to him on her stomach. He put his arm under his head and looked up at the sky. He took off his glasses and carefully put them beside him.
"Can we talk?" Hermione asked carefully. She really didn't want to spoil this moment, but Harry seemed willing to spend time with her at the moment, so she might as well ask.
"About?" he inquired, but he knew what she wanted to ask him.
"Last week, Ginny said she was a virgin…"
"So?"
"Well I was just wondering. When we… you know. Well, was that… Were you… or had you…" she just couldn't complete any of the sentences.
"Yes, that was my first time," he answered calmly.
Hermione just wanted to throw herself on top of Harry and kiss him. She had been his first…Harry Potter's first lover. What he had felt with her, he had never felt with anyone else before.
"I know it wasn't your first time," he blurted, in a rather rude tone.
"No, it wasn't," she answered and looked at him. He was still staring at the sky. I wish it had been though, she thought.
"No, you were sleeping with Ron at the same time," he snapped defiantly. Hermione looked hurt and Harry couldn't understand why he had said that…maybe to keep his pride.
"I never slept with him again after you and I made love," she answered honestly. Harry rolled over onto his side and was now so close to her. He laid his head against his elbow and looked into her eyes.
Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, Hermione thought.
"Hermione…" he said in a hoarse voice.
"What Harry?" she looked into his eyes. You have the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen, she thought
God, I love your eyes, Harry thought. He didn't answer; he just moved a strand of hair away from her face with his finger.
"I missed you so much Harry," she couldn't stop herself.
"Then you shouldn't have left," he answered and sat up.
"Do you still not see how I had to?" she asked with a weak voice. She knew that she had ruined that wonderful moment they had just had. He decided to drop the subject; he didn't want to spoil this weekend by having another fight with her.
"So what are the plans for the weekend? Got a date with some cute girl?" she asked trying to sound casual.
"Well I am supposed to go dancing tonight, but I don't really feel like it at all. It's a whole bunch of people going." Hermione raised herself so she was leaning on her elbows, laying on her back. She could still not see his face because he was sitting up.
"Oh, you should go Harry, you'll have fun. Dancing is lovely. Besides, won't Vicky be disappointed at the last minute cancellation?"
"Who? Oh, no, this is another girl. But a bunch of us going so I guess I have to. Why don't you come?" he lay back down on his side again.
"Well actually," she stammered "I also have a date." She tried to read his expression, he mostly looked surprised.
He looked down at her cleavage and said, "Bring him." She playfully gave him a light push on the elbow and he fell back.
"Why, so you can scare him away?" she smiled. He rolled back over onto his side.
"Is it someone I know?" he tried to sound calm, but he felt jealousy burning inside of him.
"Well, he works at the ministry, his name is Thomas."
"Oh you mean Tiny Thomas!" Harry laughed when she pinched his side. "I'm just kidding…I don't know any Thomas. But seriously, you should bring him."
Was Harry flirting with me? she thought.
Was Hermione flirting with me? he thought. She gave him a teasing smile.
"So how was it, your first time I mean? Was I O.K., or were you disappointed,"
"I guess you'll never know." He gave her a sexy smile. "I have to take a shower." He got up and left her out on the grass. Hermione's insides were bubbling, it felt as if she was the one having the date with Harry. Had he been flirting?
Harry watched her from the window in his room; she looked so wonderful on that blanket. What he wouldn't do to be that blanket and have Hermione on top of him. Maybe he should make that shower a cold one?
Hermione made up her mind. That night her date would take her to dinner at a fancy muggle restaurant and then they would meet up with the others at the dancing club. She had to look hot, tonight was all about Harry. She wasn't quite sure what had gotten into her, but Ron wouldn't be there tonight, no one she knew would be there. Harry had flirted with her, and she was sure he had checked out her body when she was in the bikini. She needed to see tonight, if there was still something between them. She wore a black skirt and a red top with an open back; she straightened her hair and put it up in a tight ponytail. During dinner she was very nervous, she could hardly concentrate on Thomas and his boring discussions about work. Soon she would see Harry, and Harry would see her in her hot outfit.
What am I doing? I am setting myself up for a big disappointment, that's what I am doing! He won't care what I look like… Yes, he might, because he did flirt with me. But then again, he might act like that to all girls around him nowadays, she thought.
She walked into the club hand-in-hand with Thomas, immediately Hermione started scanning the room for Harry. It was a rather small club and in the middle was a big, circular bar, and on one side of it there was dance floor, and the rest of the space was filled with booths and long tables.
Harry saw her the second she walked into the room. He saw that a lot of the male customers had noticed her to. She looked so hot. She showed her gorgeous legs for once, and she even had high heels. He glared at the guy holding her hand. Harry thought about hexing him right there, but figured it might not be such a brilliant idea. He stood up and waved them over, Hermione gave him a big smile. When they came closer he realized that he knew her date.
"Tom?" he asked surprised.
"Harry?" Thomas asked, just as surprised.
"Do you know each other?" Hermione looked at Thomas.
"Of course Hermy," Thomas smiled widely. "I work for the Wizengamot Administration Services, you know. It is a very important job; naturally the Aurors see us often. Harry, it's such a pleasure to see you." He reached over and shook Harry's hand.
They sat down and Harry whispered in Hermione's ear, "Nice skirt, Hermy."
"Shh…" she giggled, "I just can't bring myself to tell him that I hate that nickname."
"I still can't believe you are on a date with Tom, he is like a blonde version of Percy," Harry teased and gave her a playful push. Hermione scanned the table, she didn't know anyone there, but it was easy to see who Harry's date was. Tonight he was escorted by a black haired girl who kind of reminded Hermione of Cho Chang. She was glaring at Hermione, obviously jealous at the loss of attention.
"I think I'll go and get a drink," Hermione stood up. Harry tried his best not to turn around and look at her as she was walking away, but he couldn't help himself.
Hermione ordered a drink called a "Bikini", thinking that it was fitting for the day. She looked over at Harry, their eyes met and she could swear that he smiled at her. Her blood was getting hot. Keep your cool, she told herself.
The night was coming along great; Hermione really liked all the people around the table. She was especially pleased that Harry hadn't sat down next to his date, apparently named Zoya, after he had been in the men's room.
"Thomas, do you want to dance?" she asked Thomas who was deep in conversation about Muggle toasters with one of the Aurors.
"Oh Hermy, I'm not really much of a dancer," he confessed.
"I'll dance with you," Harry gave her a sly smile.
"What about me?" Zoya made a sulky face.
"Yeah I'll dance with you later," he said without taking his eyes of Hermione. He reached out for Hermione, she gave him her hand and they walked over to the dance floor. The song of the summer was playing, the huge Muggle top seller, "It Feels So Good" by Sonique. Harry and Hermione danced playfully, spinning around each other. Hermione felt happier then she had felt in a very long time. She could see that Harry was really having fun, maybe he felt just like her, that when Ron wasn't there they didn't have to worry about anyone figuring out the history between them. No one knew them at this place, they could do anything. The muggle D.J blew out a huge cloud of smoke and the song "Blow My Whistle" by D.J Alligator came on.
"Oh no, I hate this song," Hermione shook her head.
"Come on, let's go to the bar and get a drink," Harry said and put his arm around her shoulder. It was as if he just realized that he had put it there, because he quickly yanked it away. "What are we drinking?" he turned to Hermione.
"You choose," she said and bobbed her head to the music. Harry looked at the huge chart with drinks. Hermione sang a long with the music, "Blow my whistle, bitch."
"Excuse me?" Harry started laughing.
"Oh stop, I was just… you know the song!" she laughed.
"For that I think we'll have to order two Temptations," Harry said to the bartender. "One for me and one for the whistle blowing Hermy." They zipped their drinks while watching some of the people on the dance floor.
"Thanks for my Temptation." Hermione gave him a mischievous smile.
"Anytime," he bit his lower lip.
"Promise?" she teased.
He shook his head and laughed. "Porcelain" by Moby started playing. Hermione clapped her hands, and dragged Harry back to the dance floor.
"Are we being rude, avoiding our dates?" she asked while they were dancing.
"What?" he yelled. He pointed at his ears. The music was too loud. She leaned as close as she could, placed her hand on his back and repeated,
"Our dates!"
"Forget them." He placed his hand on her waist. She turned around and pressed herself against Harry. After that song, it was time for a slow one; "With or Without You" by U2.
Harry put his arms around Hermione's waist and pulled her close. She placed her head comfortably at his shoulder and Harry leaned his head against hers.
They had danced a mere few seconds when some one tugged at Hermione's shoulder so hard that she was whirled around. Zoya was smiling widely at Harry. "My turn!" she stated
.
"Actually…" Harry began but Hermione cut him off.
"It's fine Harry. Dance with her, I'll go over to the bar."
She walked over and ordered another Temptation. She had her back against the dance floor; she didn't want to see them. As the song ended she felt a hand on the back of her thigh and she felt him press against her from behind. She smiled but didn't turn. When she felt a tongue lick her ear she spun around - that did not feel like Harry.
"Who the hell are you?" she yelled at the guy standing close to her.
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