A Beautiful Mistake

dumbles

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 17/06/2007
Last Updated: 17/06/2007
Status: completed

After the war, a lot of things changed in Harry Potter’s world. One of those was his friendship with Hermione after a one-night stand. Was it just a mistake or the beginning of something wonderful? One-shot.

Chapters

1. A Beautiful Mistake

1. A Beautiful Mistake

Title: A Beautiful Mistake

Rating: PG-13 for adult themes

Summary: After the war, a lot of things changed in Harry Potter’s world. One of those was his friendship with Hermione after a one-night stand. Was it just a mistake or the beginning of something wonderful? One-shot.

Authors Notes: This is probably the longest one-shot I’ve ever written, but I couldn’t figure out where to split it or anything to take out. Just a warning that it goes into what happens to most people after the war. It takes place roughly five years on from the war.

Now I have one thing I’d like to say, though it might come off as a bit bitchy, but I don‘t care. Lately, I’ve been getting some very rude reviews to several of my fics. I don’t mind constructive criticism, IE if you tell me what you think it wrong with it in a nice way, for example ‘it was ok- maybe a little less focus on the others and more focus on what happened between H/HR‘. I’m a big girl, I can handle it. What I don’t like is people who only say ‘it’s stupid’ or something to that effect. If you think it’s stupid, tell me why! Give me a chance to better myself. I can’t correct what’s wrong when all I know is that you think it’s stupid. And if ‘it’s stupid’ is all you can think of to say, please don’t review. As I said, this may sound bitchy, but I’ve had enough of lame reviews. I want to know what you really think. I promise I won’t get mad.

Now, onto the story!

**

Harry let go of the bottom of the scroll of parchment, feeling very satisfied as it rolled up tightly. He tapped it with his wand so that it would bind and sat it back down on the desk in front of him and gave a contented sigh. He’d been working like crazy to get his work done on time, as he wouldn’t be back in the office for a week. He knew it was going to fall apart without him, but it was something he had to risk. He needed the break and the wedding was the best time.

He swung a coat over his shoulders as he headed out and locked his door with his wand. He waved to the people on his way out, and somehow resisted the urge to give them all 100 instructions. He hated leaving the office and they all knew it.

It was strange, he thought to himself as he rode in the elevator to the Atrium, that he could get so entwined in his work. For most of his younger years he had yearned to be an Auror. But after his defeat of Voldemort, the Ministry underwent a complete overhaul. People like Fudge who had been with the ministry their entire adult lives were thrown out and fresh blood was bought in. Aurors were still a part of that shuffle, but Harry suddenly had no desire to be one. After the final battle with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Harry really didn’t feel the need to fight the Dark Arts for the rest of his life.

Three years after the defeat and after the shuffle, Kingsley Shacklebolt approached Harry. Kingsley had only very recently been voted in as Minister of Magic and Harry knew that he was the best man for the job. It was the job that Kingsley had in mind when he sought out Harry. The newly formed Department of Magical Corrections needed a new head. Someone who knew the history of all the people on trial for Crimes of Dark Arts. And Harry was the only one Kingsley felt he could trust.

So now Harry spent his days organising trials for those accused, ensuring that punishments were fair and making sure Azkaban ran smoothly. Since the eradication of the Dementors and the installation of human guards, the prison was a lot better and the prisoners actually stayed sane to serve out their sentences, which to Harry was more of a punishment than being shut away with the Dementors.

He waved to a few more people in the Atrium as he made his way to the telephone box entrance. He was the only employee to travel in the normal muggle fashion every day and he didn’t care. The flat he shared with his two best friends was a muggle flat and it was quite easy to get there by the Tube and Harry actually found it a relaxing way to travel.

The Tube ride was uneventful, as always, and he called in at the small shop down the road from the flat and picked up the milk and bread that Hermione had asked him to get on his way home. He nodded politely to the doorman on his way in and caught the elevator to the top floor, where he unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The flat they shared was pretty decent. Harry had sold Grimmauld Place after the end of the war. Even though it was Sirius’s house, he couldn’t set foot inside it. Once it had sold, he had exchanged the galleons for pounds and bought the flat. Ron had objected at first, saying it wasn’t right for him and Hermione to live with him, rent free. But Harry didn’t care. He enjoyed living with them and they were the closest thing to a family he had. And at the time he didn’t want to be apart from them. Now he couldn’t imagine what it was like to not live with them.

He slung his coat over the back of the lounge and had a quick flip through the mail Hermione always left on the hall stand. Realising they were all bills, he left them where they were and headed down to his room, flicking lights on with his wand as he went. He magicked his suitcase down from the top of the wardrobe and slowly started to pack. He would be at the Burrow for five days, and he knew from experience that he didn’t need to pack much. Molly would insist on washing his clothes for him and the less he packed, the better.

The front door slammed shut and he knew it was Ron, from the footsteps. You could never hear Hermione enter- she would always just appear somewhere. A second door slammed moments later and he could hear the sound of water running. The first thing Ron always did was shower. Though, Harry could hardly blame him. After the end of the war, Ron had started playing Quidditch for Puddlemere United. Oliver Wood, who had been injured badly in the war and could no longer play, had become coach and he worked his team into the ground every day that they weren’t playing an actual game. But despite his constant complaints, Ron loved being a Quidditch professional. He had managed to get Oliver to let him out of that weekends match for the wedding, though he had confided in Harry that he hadn’t really wanted to get out of it anyway. The England selectors had been coming to matches recently and Ron was trying for Keeper on the English team. He was the hot favourite and it was a bad time to miss a game, but he had admitted that he really had no choice- he’d be killed if he missed the wedding.

Harry finished packing his suitcase and magicked it out to the hallway. He changed quickly into a pair of sweats and headed out into the kitchen, almost having a heart attack when he walked in. Hermione had, as always, slipped into the flat unnoticed and had unpacked a variety of food onto the benches.

‘I figured take out would be easiest,’ she said, handing Harry a plate full of Chinese food. The smell was intoxicating and Harry didn’t say a word, just headed into the lounge room and switched on the television.

Hermione joined him moments later and they ate in silence. They could hear Ron banging around in the kitchen and they ignored him, as they did most nights- Ron couldn‘t seem to do anything without making a lot of noise. Harry looked out of the corner of his eye across at Hermione and smiled into his dinner.

Hermione was the person most people had been surprised in after the war. Job offers had flooded in, but she had rejected them all. Instead, she opened up a small bookstore in Diagon Alley, where she spent her days immersed in selecting only the right books. She also ran small classes, educating people on little known subjects. She had just finished running classes for Muggle parents on adjusting to their child being magical and what it entailed, which had been a great success. Harry knew that she was happy with what she did, and that she didn’t care what other people thought. And he was proud of her for that.

The night turned into the same thing as every other night- Harry and Hermione lay on opposite ends of the lounge, whilst Ron lounged over one of the armchairs. They talked through the ads of their favourite TV shows and retired to bed at the same time.

Harry had only just hopped under the covers of his nice, warm bed, when there was a soft knock on the door. He looked up and Hermione was standing in the doorway. She was in her nightgown and her hair was out, softly flowing over her shoulders.

‘Hey,’ she said, leaning against the door. ‘What time are you heading off to the Burrow tomorrow?’

‘Whenever. Probably first thing, not long after Ron,’ Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. Hermione just nodded.

‘Oh, ok,’ she said, turning away, but then turning back. ‘I’m going a bit later. I’m opening the shop for Emma before I go.’

‘Do you want me to-’

‘Oh no, you go ahead. I’ll catch up,’ she said cutting in over the top of him. ‘Goodnight, Harry.’

‘Goodnight, Hermione.’

He heard the door shut and he flung himself onto his bed and sighed.

**

Harry apparated from the flat to the front yard of the Burrow and immediately felt at home. It had been too long since he had visited here. From his spot on the front yard, he could see the gigantic marquee that had been erected in the backyard for the wedding the following day. He could also smell Molly Weasley’s delicious cooking and it was that more than anything that drew him inside.

The Burrow was in complete chaos. Harry made his way through the piles of wedding things into the kitchen, where the entire Weasley clan was gathered around the kitchen table, enjoying a late breakfast feast.

‘Harry!’ Molly Weasley exclaimed, coming over to give him a hug. ‘You look too skinny.’

Harry laughed- Mrs Weasley had been telling him that for years. She immediately started to make a fuss of drawing an extra chair up for him, next to Ron and across from Ginny. The plate that she put in front of him soon became filled with two of everything and Harry ate silently as he looked up and down the table.

Arthur Weasley was sitting at the head of the table, looking proudly at his family. Arthur had been appointed as the Minister for Muggle Liasons, meaning that he spent most of his time dealing with Muggle head of states and he couldn’t be happier.

Next down from Arthur was Bill and Fleur. They had shocked everyone when they announced that they were having a baby in the middle of the war and very quickly after their wedding, but once Sasha was born everyone fell in love with her. Both Bill and Fleur still worked for Gringotts in London, and although Bill often said that he missed Egypt, he was happy to be in London with his little family. Sasha had just turned five and whilst she had a head full of Weasley red hair, she was the mirror image of Fleur.

Across from Bill was Charlie, who had stayed in Romania right through the war and still only came home for special occasions. Ron was convinced that he had a secret girlfriend and that was why he never came home. Charlie insisted that he just couldn’t get away from the Dragons for too long. Harry believed it to be a bit of both. He and Charlie had become good friends over the past few years, and Charlie had actually spent a bit of time trying to convince Harry to move to Romania and work for him. But Harry just couldn’t see himself leaving London.

Percy Weasley was sitting next to Charlie. In the dying days of the war, he had made amends with his family. At first Harry hadn’t trusted him again, but Percy was a changed man. It was only last Christmas that they had found out what had made him change- his Hogwarts girlfriend Penelope Clearwater had been murdered towards the end of the war. Percy revealed that they were planning to elope and had been days off doing it when she died, at the hands of the Ministry who had believed that she was a Death Eater. He was a lot quieter since he had returned and was nothing like the Percy of old. He had all but left the wizarding world. With his fathers help, he found a job in a muggle accounting office and was very happy, as far as they could tell.

The grooms to be were sitting opposite Percy. Fred and George didn’t do anything apart and that included getting married. After the war they had been reunited with Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell and the four of them lived in the flat above Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, which had moved twice since opening and now occupied one of the largest stores in Diagon Alley. They had also opened up shop in Hogsmeade and things were going incredibly well for them. The brides-to-be hadn’t arrived yet- Fred whispered to Harry that they would be arriving that night with their families.

Across from Harry was Ginny. At the end of the war, they had tried to start their relationship again, but Harry found that the feeling just wasn’t there. They tried for six months, but then ended it mutually. He hadn’t seen her in a few months- she had met the bass player in the band Whizzard, and had spent the last few months touring the world with them. And as he looked at her now, she seemed happy.

A flurry of motion in the doorway told him that Hermione had arrived and she was greeted in the same way as Harry. Mrs Weasley had come to regard her as her second daughter, but often lamented that it was a shame things never worked out with her and Ron.

The late breakfast turned into an early lunch and it was mid afternoon before the conversation started to die down.

‘Now,’ Molly said, standing up and looking down the table. ‘We’ve had to do a few room adjustments to fit everyone in.’

Everyone groaned.

‘Ron, Harry, you’ll be sharing the den with the two girls. The sofa will fit two of you and then I’ve put two cots in there as well. I don’t care who sleeps where, as long as you all sleep.’

Harry couldn’t argue with the arrangement- it wasn’t as if they’d never all shared a room before. With the Weasley family growing rapidly, they’d been forced into similar arrangements in the past. Though, it was the first time that Molly hadn’t specifically said who was sleeping where. Harry looked over to Ron, who shrugged his shoulders.

Harry excused himself from the table and headed out into the backyard. He looked around and smiled.

He was home.

**

Harry put his toothbrush back into the holder and headed out of the bathroom, doing up his bathrobe as he went. It was late- the arrival of the brides and their families had launched into a late dinner and after dinner drinks. He had no idea what the actual time was, only that it wouldn’t be long until he was getting woken up to get ready. Fred and George had asked all their brothers and Harry to be groomsmen. Katie and Angelina had asked Ginny and Hermione to be bridesmaids.

He tip toed down the stairs, knowing that he was one of the last people awake. Jumping the last few squeaky stairs so as not to wake anyone up, he reached the den door at the exact same time as Hermione, who had been changing in the downstairs bathroom. He opened it and stepped aside for her to go in and she looked at him.

‘We have a problem,’ she said and he looked at her curiously. She nodded her head towards the door and he walked in and saw immediately what she meant.

Ron and Ginny had beaten them in and had taken both the cots. The only bed that was left was the double sofa bed.

‘Oh,’ was all Harry could say.

‘If you want, I can apparate home and apparate back in the morning,’ Hermione suggested. Harry shook his head.

‘You know Molly, she’ll know. She knows everything.’ And she’d read too much into it, he wished he could add.

‘I’ll go sleep on the other lounge, pretend I fell asleep reading.’

‘Hermione,’ Harry said, putting up a hand to stem the flow of suggestions. ‘I’m tired, and I know you are. Let’s not debate this and just go to sleep? It’s just one night.’

‘You’re right,’ she said, walking around to the other side of the bed. ‘One night can’t hurt anyone.’

She climbed under the covers and lay facing away from Harry, as far over on the bed as she could get. Harry took off his robe and did the same. He wanted to laugh at how pathetic they must look- three people could easily fit in the gap between them.

‘G’night,’ she said softly.

‘G’night, Mione.’

**

Fred and George snuck into the den shortly before sunrise and shook Harry and Ron awake.

‘Come on, before mum notices,’ Fred said, pushing Ron towards the door. Harry, still rubbing sleep from his eyes followed, not entirely sure why he was up.

It was when he reached the door that he realised that he had been on the only one in the sofa bed. But he couldn’t say anything, not in front of Fred, George and Ron. Especially Ron.

They snuck into the kitchen and eased out the back door. The cool morning air hit Harry’s face and woke him up much better than Fred’s jabbing. He saw that Fred and George were already dressed in their dress robes and he, Harry, felt silly crossing the back lawn in his bathrobe (which he’d thankfully grabbed on his way out).

They left the backyard and followed the well marked path up the hill towards the Weasley’s small orchard. Harry smiled, remembering the hours he and Ron had spent here playing Quidditch, back in the day. He was saddened to see how overgrown it was getting- with no kids at home using it at a Quidditch pitch, Molly and Arthur had let it go. The grass was up to Harry’s knees and tree branches littered the edges.

In the middle of the orchard stood Bill, Charlie and Percy, all looking the same as Ron and Harry. Almost the same, anyway- Charlie was only in a pair of underwear and looked very cold.

‘Obviously Fred and George only knew about this,’ Ron muttered to Harry, crossing his arms over his bare chest to keep warm.

‘Alright, what’s going on?’ Bill said, yawning. ‘I could’ve had another hour sleep before Sash wakes up.’

‘Well,’ George started. ‘Since today is our wedding day, we thought it might be good to start the day of with a bit of male bonding.’

‘So standing around in the cold in our jocks is bonding now?’ Charlie said through chattering teeth.

‘This might warm you up,’ Fred said, bending down and picking up a bottle of orange liquid. ‘Rum.’

George waved his wand and seven glasses appeared. They all caught one and Fred poured them generous amounts and raised his glass.

‘I’m not going to toast myself,’ he said, looking at them all mock sternly.

‘To Fred and George,’ Ron said, lifting his glass even higher. ‘May getting married make them less gits than they are at the moment.’

‘Here, Here!’ the others chorused as they drank their rum in one go.

They headed back to the house after several more toasts, each getting sillier and sillier, and once Charlie had conned Fred and George into giving him part of their robes to cover himself up with. From the hill they could see that the house had burst into action. Decorations were being bought outside, people were running around everywhere. Harry could even hear Molly shrieking at Arthur because something wasn’t right.

‘Come on, before mum get’s real mad,’ Percy called from the edge as Charlie finished fixing himself up.

They headed back down in single file and went the long way around the house to avoid Mrs Weasley, who was sounding like she was about to explode. Entering through the front door, they crept upstairs and locked themselves in Fred and Georges room.

The dress robes that Ron, Harry, Bill, Charlie and Percy would be wearing as groomsmen hung on the outside of the wardrobe door and they changed in silence. Harry was starting to wish he hadn’t had the sixth cup of rum, when the bottle appeared again and made it’s way around the room.

He was very happy when it reached him and it was all gone.

‘Why is the rum always gone?’ Fred said, looking very downcast. George laughed. Harry was glad it was gone- he didn’t think it would look good if the grooms were drunk before the wedding even started.

It was 2pm exactly when Molly banged on the door so hard that it flung open. The look on her face could almost kill, but when she saw that they were dressed and ready, she smiled.

‘My boys,’ she said, starting to cry softly. ‘All grown up.’

Percy, who was closest, patted her on the shoulder.

‘Well, come on! Hurry, hurry!’

The backyard had been completely transformed. The aisle split it perfectly in two and a waterfall had been erected at the end. Flowers lined the sides, sending off a heavenly smell. Harry felt slightly funny walking up the aisle behind Ron, feeling as if everyone’s eyes upon him. He stood between Ron and Percy and felt even stranger- he was the only groomsmen who wasn’t a Weasley.

But he had no time to dwell on that. The band at the back, lead by Ginny’s new boyfriend, struck up a tune Harry knew to be one of Celestina Warbucks. Everyone stood up and looked towards the back.

Ginny was the first bridesmaid to come down the aisle, wearing dress robes of shimmering silver. She didn’t look nervous at all, which wasn’t surprising since this was her fourth run at being a bridesmaid. She took her place on the other side to all the men, and even managed a wink at them.

Hermione was next and Harry felt his breath catch. Her robe was the same as Ginny’s, yet on her it looked… he couldn’t even think of the word. Her hair was pulled back off her face and she was smiling nervously. Harry was instantly struck by the memory of the Yule Ball, but that vision slowly faded into something else…

He was standing where he was now, looking down the aisle at Hermione, with Ginny next to him. Only Ginny’s robe was a pale blue and Hermione’s was white.

‘Don’t,’ Harry muttered to himself as Hermione stood next to Ginny. ‘Don’t.’

Alicia Spinnet was the third bridesmaid, and then there were four girls that Harry knew by face, but not by name. He had seen them hanging around with Katie and Angelina at Hogwarts and assumed that they were friends.

The music changed into a traditional bridal march and Harry watched as the two brides came down the aisle. They walked together, looking very calm and composed. Harry looked over at Fred and George, and for the first time ever, he saw them look nervous.

He smirked at looked at Ron beside him, who was smirking as well. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hermione, and his stomach did a flip.

**

The sun was setting as Harry slipped out of the marquee and headed back over to the waterfall, balancing a Butterbeer and a piece of wedding cake. He summoned one of the now empty chairs over and sat in front of the waterfall and just listened to the soft noises of the waterfall.

‘Hey.’

He jumped and looked over his shoulder. Ginny was standing behind him, holding a champagne glass. She summoned her own chair over and sat beside him and smiled.

‘Don’t do that,’ he said and she laughed.

‘I like doing that.’

Harry took a sip of his Butterbeer, and Ginny stole his fork and ate some of his cake.

‘Can I ask you something?’ she said suddenly and Harry nodded, his mouth full of Butterbeer. ‘What’s the deal with you and Hermione?’

Harry spat the Butterbeer out and started to choke.

‘What do you mean?’ he said, very quickly, still choking.

‘Why was there a problem with the bed last night?’ she laughed at the look on his face. ’I was still awake. And what was the deal with the look you gave her when she came down the aisle?’

Harry sighed. Ginny was too good with stuff like this. He knew he couldn’t lie to her. And he also knew that Ginny wouldn’t say anything to anyone.

‘Something happened,’ he said gingerly. She gave him a look that said ‘I told you so’.

He pondered his cake for a moment, wondering how to explain. He hadn’t really allowed himself too much time to dwell on what had happened. Until coming here that was.

‘Well?’ Ginny prompted. Harry looked at her.

‘You can be quite pushy sometimes.’

‘I know. Just tell me. I might be able to help.’

‘Only if you can change the past,’ Harry said, looking at his cake again. ‘We slept together.’

It was Ginny’s turn to choke on her drink.

‘Not what I was expecting,’ she said, wiping her chin.

‘Not what I was expecting either,’ Harry said with a sigh.

‘When?’

‘A month ago,’ he paused and looked over at her. ‘Wasn’t planned.’

As he looked at her, he felt his mind going back to that night…

Harry was sitting in the lounge room when he heard the front door open and then close. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Hermione as she took off her coat and came in to join him.

‘I’ve had the worst day,’ she said with a sigh. ‘Nothing went right. Nothing!’

Harry turned the volume of the TV down and patted the seat next to him. She sat next to him and then laid back, laying her legs across his lap.

‘All my deliveries were late, and Emma called in sick. I was supposed to have lunch with Luna, but forgot. And then I went to Gringotts and ended up stuck with the slowest Goblin ever. I burnt my lunch, and my finger,’ she held up one of her fingers to show him the red mark. ‘And I got halfway home before realising that I’d left my house keys in the shop.’

‘Could’ve been worse,’ Harry said and she looked at him strangely. ‘We could’ve had to go to Ron’s game in Italy. Imagine travelling after a bad day.’

‘Ugh, you’re right. And now we have to think about dinner.’

‘I’ve got an idea for dinner,’ he said, putting her legs back down on the floor. ‘Go get dressed into something Muggle.’

‘I think I know what you’re doing,’ she said with a laugh and headed towards her bedroom. She came out minutes later, dressed in simple jeans and jumper. Harry himself had changed into something similar, and he grabbed his wallet and keys and they headed out the door.

The Muggle pub was only a two block walk from their flat and had some of the best food that Harry had ever tasted. They ate dinner and shared a couple of bottles of wine, getting louder and louder as the night progressed.

They walked home, stumbling into each other and laughing. It took Harry several goes to get the key into the flat door and they fell inside laughing. Like a gentleman, he walked Hermione to her bedroom door, where she clutched the wall and giggled.

‘Thank you,’ she said, looking him straight in the eye. ‘You really know how to fix a bad day.’

‘You’re welcome.’

And without planning or thinking, he lent towards her, closing his eyes. He felt their lips collide and felt like he was being reborn. She hesitated slightly, but then kissed him back with almost as much passion as he kissed her.

Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was many years of pent up tension, but they found themselves fumbling through the bedroom door, hands grasping for buttons and zips.

‘Oh Harry,’ she moaned as they fell back onto the bed.

The sun was starting to come out as Harry woke up. His head was sore and the bed felt stranger than normal. He looked around and saw the trail of clothes leading from the door, and to Hermione laying beside him, naked like he was.

‘Hermione?’ he shook her shoulders and she slowly woke up. He watched her face as the realisation of what happened sank in.

‘We… we can’t tell anyone,’ she said, pulling the sheet up to cover her body and sounding panicked. ‘We were drunk. This never happened.’

‘You can’t just say it never happened,’ Harry said in disbelief. ‘Maybe it was meant to-’

‘Don’t give me that,’ she said fiercly, standing up and picking up his clothes and pushing them into his arms. ‘Nothing is ever meant to happen. We were drunk. And that’s why this happened. Even thought this never happened. Please, Harry, just…’

She turned away from him and sat back down on the bed.

‘I can’t do this.’

Harry nodded. Without even putting his clothes on, he backed out of the room and closed the door.

Harry finished explaining the story to Ginny, who stared thoughtfully at the waterfall in front of them.

‘You’ve never mentioned it to her again?’ she said finally and Harry shook his head.

‘She very clear that she wanted to think that it never happened,’ Harry said, still shaking his head. ‘It’s just ever since then-’

‘You’ve felt differently towards her?’ Ginny said softly and Harry detected a hint of sadness in her voice.

‘Ginny-’ he started, but she shook her head.

‘Don’t. I’m fine. Just,’ she stood up and looked at him. ‘Just don’t leave it too long until you tell her. Because you’ll regret it if you don’t.’

She started to walk away. Harry watched her go and then at the last moment, followed her.

‘Has she said something to you?’ he called as Ginny reached the door of the marquee. She turned and faced him and started to say something, but at that moment, Lee Jordan’s voiced echoed around.

‘Ladies and gentleman, I invite you to join the brides and grooms in their first dance.’

A soft song started up and Ginny went inside. Harry stood where he was for a moment, took a deep breath and went back inside. Across at the bridal table, he saw Ginny asking Ron to dance, which left Hermione on her own. Standing up tall, Harry crossed the room to her.

‘May I?’ he asked, offering her his hand. She looked up at him nervously. ‘Please?’

She took his hand and they walked slowly out on to the dance floor.

‘You look beautiful today,’ he whispered into her ear as they started to dance. Her body tensed in his arms, but he didn’t let go. ‘Hermione.’

‘We can’t do this Harry,’ she whispered, putting her head on his shoulder.

‘Why?’

She lifted her head and stared at him in disbelief.

‘Are you that stupid?’ she hissed. ‘Ron! Ginny!’

‘Are you that stupid?’ he said back. ‘Ginny is madly in love with the bass player. Ron is sleeping with three cheerleaders. Yeah, I think they’d mind.’

He rolled his eyes and she bit her lip.

‘It’s weird,’ she said finally. ‘It feels wrong.’

‘What feels wrong?’

‘To be thinking of you like I do,’ she was blushing as she said this. ‘I haven’t been able to think of anything but you since that night.’

‘You don’t know how that makes me feel,’ Harry said, letting out a sigh of relief. ‘You’ve been on my mind constantly.’

The song ended and everyone applauded. A much faster song started, but Hermione cast a quick glance around. She took hold of Harry hand and led him towards the door, back outside to where he had only just been moments before with Ginny.

‘So,’ she said nervously. ‘What happens now?’

Harry took hold of her other hand and held it tightly.

‘I hate the way things have been between us,’ he said honestly. ‘Trying to avoid being too close, trying to make everything seem normal.’

‘I’ve hated it too,’ she stepped slightly closer to him, sending electricity coursing through his entire body.

‘And sometimes… sometimes you have to test the water,’ he said, letting one of her hands go and allowing his arm to sneak around her waist.

‘What if it doesn’t wor-’

‘Let’s not think about that,’ Harry interrupted. ‘Let’s just enjoy the moment.’

Both of his arms were now wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer and closer. He bent his head slightly and kissed her gently on the lips.

‘Mmm…’ Hermione whispered as he pulled away. ‘Do you… do you think they’d notice if we…’

‘Went home early?’ Harry finished for her and she gave him a cheeky look. ‘No, I don’t think they would.’

She winked at him and disapparated. He stared at the spot where she had just been and then suddenly heard a giggle. He looked to the side and saw Ron and Ginny peeking out of the marquee, both giving a thumbs up. Harry laughed, returned the thumbs up and disapparated.