Bit of a shorter one this time, but it does have smut ;) Enjoy and review!
Hermione suddenly remembered what had happened last night in Paris with the photographer. With a heavy heart, she took the pillow off of her head and sat up in bed.
"Is there a picture?" Hermione asked.
"Oh you'd better believe there's a picture," Lavender snapped the newspaper in front of her.
Hermione took the paper and felt a surge of relief when she saw a picture of Harry holding his hand out to block the photographer. The only image of her was the back of her head over Harry's shoulder.
"I want to know who she is!" Lavender burst out.
"The article doesn't say?" Hermione asked.
Lavender snatched it back from Hermione. "The identity of the mystery woman remains unknown. A waiter at the restaurant commented that they seemed to be very much in love and that they held hands and kissed throughout the meal."
"He probably just wants it to stay private," Hermione offered weakly.
Lavender momentarily forgot about Harry and looked at her roommate. She felt bad for thinking that Hermione was dating Harry. Obviously she wasn't since she was out with her parents while Harry was wining and dining some girl in Paris.
Hermione took Lavender's silence as disbelief. "Perhaps he's worried something would happen to this girl if everyone knew who she was, you know?" she babbled.
"Are you sure it's not that Megan person?" Hermione asked.
"I doubt it," Lavender replied. "Megan Jones would have jumped in front of Harry to get her mug in the papers."
Hermione let out a nervous laugh.
"I'm going to bug him about this tomorrow until he tells me who he's going out with," Lavender vowed.
"Lavender," Hermione cautioned. "Maybe that's not such a good idea---"
"Why not?" Lavender asked.
"You don't want to alienate him," Hermione covered. "Remember the last time you asked him?"
Lavender crossed her arms. "I just want to know who's making him so happy."
Hermione pulled on her dressing gown. She wished she could tell her friend, but she knew Lavender wouldn't understand.
"You don't know anything, do you?" Lavender tried.
"Why would I know anything?" Hermione lied. "I barely know him."
"You just seem a bit chummy with him sometimes," Lavender was frustrated.
"I do?" Hermione asked keeping her back to Lavender.
"Sometimes," Lavender twisted her hair into a large knot.
"He's just been really nice," Hermione said. "You know making me feel included since all of you went to school together and I didn't."
"I guess you're right," Lavender flopped down on the bed. She decided to let this go for now. "Did I tell you Charlie already wrote me back?"
"Really?" Hermione asked, relieved at the change in subject.
"He is so positively dreamy," Lavender smiled.
"And in two more weeks, you'll get to see him at the ball," Hermione said smiling back at her.
"You have no idea how much I can't wait for that," Lavender said fervently. "And speaking of the Ball..."
"What about it?" Hermione asked.
"Justin is really looking forward to going with you," Lavender said coyly.
Hermione was making her bed and she stopped at this and looked at her friend. "Lavender, Justin and I are just going as friends."
"That's not what he thinks," Lavender replied in a sing song voice.
Hermione shook her head. "Lavender..."
"He's such a nice guy," Lavender said. "Why won't you give him another chance?"
"He is a great guy," Hermione agreed. "But there's just no sparks."
"But there could be..." Lavender hinted.
"Drop it, Lavender," Hermione said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go work out."
"But you just got up!" Lavender protested.
"What do you want me to do?" Hermione asked.
"I thought we might go get breakfast together," Lavender replied.
"Oh," Hermione said. "Okay."
"If you want to..." Lavender replied.
"I do," Hermione replied. "I just need to get dressed."
"Great," Lavender said.
Hermione changed into track pants, a tank top, and a hooded jacket. She was planning on going to the gym right after breakfast.
"I was going to go but then I saw the newspaper and I got too worked up to eat anything right away," Lavender chattered as they headed to the cafeteria. "But tell me, how was your dinner with your parents?"
"It was nice," Hermione said.
"Just nice?" Lavender asked. "Where did they take you?"
"Oh you know," Hermione said, wishing she'd thought of all of this ahead of time. She should have known Lavender would ask.
"I'm always looking for new places to eat," Lavender replied. "Especially now that I'm seeing Charlie."
"The Four Seasons," Hermione said thinking of the first posh restaurant that came to mind.
"Wow," Lavender said enviously.
Hermione and Lavender walked into the cafeteria and Lavender looked around to see if by any stroke of luck Harry was there. She grinned when she saw him sitting in the corner with Neville Longbottom.
"I'll be right back," Lavender told Hermione.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.
Lavender ignored her and made a beeline for Harry and Neville.
"Lavender," Neville said standing up when he saw her.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lavender said dismissively. "Nice to see you, Nev. Harry---who is she?"
Harry sighed. "Lavender--"
"I tried to get it out of him, too, but he's not talking," Neville said sitting back down.
"It's no one's business but mine who I'm seeing," Harry said firmly.
"It's not Cho Chang, is it?" Lavender asked. "I know you two had that really bad kiss and she was always talking to you about Cedric. Not to mention the fact that her best friend sold out the D.A...."
"I've got a meeting in an hour," Harry said, looking at his watch.
Hermione suddenly remembered that Harry had planned on bringing them lunch around half past one.
"It is Cho Chang!" Lavender exclaimed. "Harry!"
"It is NOT Cho Chang!" Harry exclaimed. "Merlin!"
Lavender smiled. "Thank God! She's really pretty and all, but what a basket case!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "I have to go."
"It was nice running into you, mate," Neville said shaking his hand.
"You too," Harry said, his eyes fixated on the brunette across the cafeteria.
"Did he tell you anything?" Lavender asked Neville when they were alone.
"I already told you," he said. "Nothing."
Lavender slumped down in her chair.
"This is driving me crazy!"
Neville shrugged. "He'll tell us when he's ready."
Harry walked past Hermione in the queue and gave a slight wave of his hand. She looked down at her tray and saw that a note had appeared.
She balanced the tray with one hand and casually peeked at the note with her other.
"Can you meet me in 10 minutes?" the note read. "Usual place."
Hermione smiled and tucked the note into her pocket before setting her tray aside and hurrying out of the cafeteria.
Harry was sitting in his office looking at that morning's paper when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he called.
"Hi," Hermione poked her head in. She saw Lupin coming down the hall. "You wanted to see me sir?" she pretended to be there for business reasons.
"Yes, Miss Granger," Harry said standing up.
"Good afternoon Professor Lupin," Hermione said to the older man as he came closer.
"Good afternoon, Hermione," the older man replied. He smiled at Harry who stood in the doorway. "Nice to see you on the front page again, Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes. "It's always something."
"I'll see you later," Lupin said. "I have to meet with Kingsley."
Harry nodded. "Miss Granger," he held open the door and Hermione went past him as Lupin disappeared from sight.
Harry closed the door behind her. "So, you saw the paper?"
Hermione nodded. "You can see my head, but nothing else."
"Personally," Harry said pressing her up against the door. "I like seeing all of you."
Hermione put her arms around his neck. "I like you seeing all of me too," she said with a grin.
Harry pressed his lips to hers.
Hermione forgot all about going to the gym as she kissed him back.
"I told you we had nothing to worry about," he told her in between kisses.
"I'll have to listen to you more often," Hermione said, her eyes closed.
Harry grinned. "I am always right."
"Don't push it," Hermione smiled back at him.
"Speaking of pushing it," Harry said. "Your friend Lavender is about to drive me insane. I swear she's relentless."
"Suddenly she's MY friend?" Hermione asked with a grin. "She was giving me the third degree this morning as well."
Harry took her hand and led her over to the sofa. "She's not going to need much training in interrogation techniques."
"She's definitely not," Hermione agreed. "What's for lunch?"
"Brunch, you mean," Harry corrected.
"Well then what's for brunch?" Hermione laughed. "I'm starving here!"
"Okay," Harry said. "I stopped off at the bakery on my way in..."
"Something smells delicious," Hermione answered.
"We have coffee, juice, sweet rolls, and éclairs," Harry said. "Did I do good?"
"Absolutely fantastic," Hermione said, kissing him.
Harry opened up the bags and Hermione eagerly took one of the sweet rolls.
"What made you so hungry?" he teased her.
"Oh, I don't know," Hermione said coyly.
Harry paused to kiss the side of her neck.
"You should try one of these," Hermione said laughing as his breath tickled her neck.
"You're much sweeter," Harry murmured.
Hermione broke off a piece of her roll and held it out to him. "Try it."
Harry took it and held it up to her mouth. "Open."
"I was trying to give you a bite," Hermione protested.
"And that's how I'm going to take it," Harry said with a grin.
Hermione grinned before opening her mouth.
Harry placed it between her lips and then leaned in to kiss her.
Hermione looped her arms his neck and kissed him back.
"Mmmmm..." Harry said. "You are delicious."
Hermione laughed and broke off another piece of the roll, putting it in his mouth. "This is even better than a posh French restaurant."
"That it is," Harry replied. "Because I can do this and not worry about who sees it..."
"Do what?" Hermione asked, but her words were cut off when he kissed her again.
"Snog you within an inch of your life?" he asked when they pulled apart.
"Mmmhmm," Hermione said dreamily.
Harry nudged her neck with his nose and closed his eyes.
"I love you," Hermione murmured. "So much."
"I know," he said softly. "I love you too. I can't imagine being without you."
Hermione smiled at him. "I had a really nice dream last night about Christmas."
"You did?" he asked. "Me too."
"You still want to spend it together, right?" Hermione asked.
"More than anything," Harry said, letting her hair loose from the ponytail she'd pulled it back in.
"Two whole weeks with each other," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"And no one else," Harry replied meaningfully.
Hermione leaned in to kiss him, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Oi, Harry!" Ron called out trying the door. "You in there, mate?"
"What the hell," Harry rolled his eyes. "Maybe he'll go away if we stay quiet."
"I know you're in there," Ron called out. "I can smell pastries. Come on---"
"His bloody nose," Harry groaned.
Hermione stood up. "It's okay. We can pick back up later."
"I'm sorry," Harry whispered as she crouched down behind his desk.
Harry sighed and opened the door. "Something smells fantastic----Ooooh, sweet rolls!"
"Hands off," Harry said crossly. "What do you want?"
Ron produced the paper from his back pocket. "Who is she?"
"No one," Harry snapped.
"Come on," Ron said reaching for a pastry. "I'm your oldest and best mate. If you can't tell me, who can you tell? Odds are it's Cho..."
"Merlin," Harry rolled his eyes. "It is NOT Cho."
"Come on," Ron said with a laugh. "I remember her taking you to Madam Puddifoots Tea Room. That French restaurant here sounds like it would be up her alley. Froufrou and all that."
"Leave it alone," Harry said. "Both the pastry AND this."
"Cho's hot and all, but she was a little too emotional," Ron said with his mouth full. "I would have thought you'd have known better, but---"
Ron's voice trailed off when he noticed there were two cups of coffee on the table and an elastic hair band. Ron grinned. "She was here, wasn't she?"
"No," Harry snapped. "Ron get out!"
Ron picked up the hair band. "Well, I hope you were nicer to her than you were to me. No wonder she didn't stick around."
Harry snatched it away. "I found that on the floor, and I'm meeting with Lupin, that's why there's two cups there."
"Right," Ron said shaking his head.
Harry just glared at him in response.
"You know we are friends," Ron reminded him. "I told you when I started to fancy Luna...."
"I know," Harry answered.
Hermione's knees were starting to cramp and she wondered when Harry last straightened up around here. It really was quite dusty. Before she could stop herself, she sneezed.
Ron's head spun around. "SHE IS HERE!" he crowed.
Harry put his head in his hands. "Ron---"
Even though Ron wasn't the smartest person in the world, Hermione knew there was no getting around this. With a heavy sigh, she slowly climbed out from under the desk.
Ron's eyes widened. "What the--"
"Ron," Harry said. "You can't tell anyone."
"Granger?" Ron asked still in disbelief.
Hermione raised her eyebrow at him.
"Uh, can someone please tell me what's going on?" Ron asked looking back and forth between them.
"Isn't it obvious?" Harry asked with a sigh. "Hermione and I are seeing each other."
"Shagging?" Ron asked, his eyes large. "Her?"
"What's wrong with that?" Hermione asked, her hands on her hips.
"Uh, well nothing's wrong with that," Ron stammered. "You're----you're kind of pretty in a way...."
"Look, can you please keep this a secret?" Harry asked him. "If word gets out, I could lose my job and Hermione could get kicked out of the program."
"This is serious then?" Ron asked.
Hermione looked at him. "Would we risk everything if it wasn't?"
"Wow," Ron shook his head.
"Can we trust you to keep quiet about this?" Harry asked. "Ron?"
"Yeah," Ron replied. "Yeah... I won't say anything."
"Thank you," Hermione said quietly.
Ron grabbed another pastry before heading out the door.
"I'm sorry," Hermione apologised.
"Why are you sorry?" Harry asked.
Hermione shrugged. "If I hadn't have sneezed---"
Harry sat down and patted the spot on the sofa next to him. "I trust Ron," he said. "I didn't want to tell anyone because I figured the less people that knew, the better, but Ron's no snitch."
Hermione hadn't known Ron for very long and they hadn't seen eye to eye on much of anything. She wasn't so sure that she could trust him, but if Harry could, she supposed that was good enough for her. She sat back down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"He's been my best friend for ages," Harry reassured her.
"And he isn't too crazy about me," Hermione said.
"That doesn't matter," Harry said firmly. "He'll learn to like you. You're a part of my life now."
"Absolutely," Hermione said giving him a kiss.
Harry ran his hand through her hair. "What a weekend it's been, right?"
Hermione laughed. "Never a dull moment, eh?"
Harry shook his head. "Not with me."
"So that dream you had about us at Christmas?" Hermione asked. "Tell me about it."
"Well," Harry said. "It involved you... and me... and this really nice penthouse hotel room..."
Hermione grinned. "And what were we doing?"
"I think you know what we were doing," Harry replied in a husky voice.
Hermione moved over to sit on his lap. "Well, I imagine in that penthouse, there was a really big bed..."
Harry shook his head. "A really small bed. We had to lie extremely close together..."
"Oh," Hermione said nuzzling his neck.
"Then..." Harry continued as he pulled at her shirt. "We weren't wearing anything..."
"Clothes are overrated," Hermione said pulling away from him so he could lift her tank top over her head.
"Yes they are," Harry said, dropping it to the side as he kissed her bare shoulder.
"So much for my workout," Hermione said softly.
"Oh you're going to get a workout," Harry replied. "Just not the one you planned on."
Hermione grinned. "Am I?"
"Uh huh," Harry said, shedding his own clothing. He lay down on his back and pulled her on top of him.
Hermione looked down at him. "We always seem to end up like this."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," he replied.
"I've no complaints," Hermione said grinning at him.
He grinned as he waved his hand behind her back, causing her bra to unsnap.
Hermione laughed. "Harry!"
"You love it," Harry said devilishly.
"You were just showing off," Hermione said pressing against him.
"Impressive, isn't it?" he asked smugly.
"I've seen better," Hermione said trying to keep a straight face.
Harry poked her side. "I beg your pardon?"
"Well," Hermione said. "There was this one bloke I met in a pub...."
Harry scoffed. "What sort of bloke picks up a girl in a pub?"
"He was quite handsome," Hermione said. "And he knew just the right things to say..."
"Such as?" Harry nipped at her lower lip.
"I forget," Hermione said closing her eyes. "But he was a really great kisser."
"I bet I'm better," Harry sealed his lips over hers.
"I don't remember him being as arrogant," Hermione said.
"He probably didn't feel so arrogant at the time," Harry replied.
Hermione looked at him. "He made me feel beautiful and he made me feel safe. That's all that mattered."
Harry smiled at her. "And she made him feel loved."
"Definitely loved," Hermione kissed his neck, working her fingers into his hair. Harry ran his hands up and down her back as she worked her way down across his chest.
"How's that feel?" she asked, feeling more seductive.
"Amazing," Harry managed as she rubbed her lower body against his. "If you keep doing that-"
"What?" she teased.
"That," Harry groaned as his back arched. Hermione kissed him again as she pushed herself onto him.
"Harry…" she whimpered softly.
Harry was breathing too hard to say anything; he put his hands on her hips and began to guide her.
Hermione rose up and down on top of him, sweat breaking out across her brow. Harry pulled her down to him and kissed her as he drove up into her repeatedly.
She muffled her cry into his mouth as he lifted his body one more time before they both fell back, panting. "Wow…"
"That was absolutely incredible," Harry said. "You… are absolutely incredible."
Hermione gave him a kiss and after that, neither of them spoke for a long, long time.
"Harry," Hermione murmured after a long while.
"Yeah?" Harry asked.
"If Ron knows... I think I should tell Lavender about us." Hermione said quietly.
"Hermione---"
"I know," she said quickly. "But... she's become my friend, Harry. A good friend. And she cares about you."
Harry was silent. He wasn't so sure that Lavender would handle this well. Parvati was her best friend.
"Harry," Hermione raised her head.
"She's----she might react the way you think she will," Harry said choosing his words carefully.
"I think she'll be happy for us," Hermione ventured.
"If you want to tell her," Harry said. "You can."
"You don't' mind?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head. What he was worried about was how Lavender would react to this.
"Maybe we should tell her together," Hermione brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"Is that what you want?" he asked her.
Hermione nodded.
"Okay," Harry said giving her a kiss. "We can tell her."
Hermione hugged him. "Thank you."
Upstairs, in the dorms, Lavender was just finishing up a letter to Charlie. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she'd asked him to send her a photograph. It wasn't as good as the real thing, but she'd make do.
She'd decided to send him one of her, and hoped it was the perfect one. She was looking back over her shoulder and winking at the camera.
The door opened and Lavender smiled when she saw Hermione. "I was just taking a photo for Charlie. Oh---hi, Harry."
"I'm glad you're here," Hermione replied. "I um... I need to talk to you."
"I had a talk with Neville," Lavender reassured Harry. "I promise not to give you a hard time about Cho."
"That's what we wanted to talk to you about," Hermione wiped her sweaty palm on her trousers.
"Oh?" Lavender asked, setting her camera down.
"Um...." Hermione swallowed and looked at Harry. She suddenly felt quite nervous about this. "The girl Harry's been seeing..."'
Lavender looked eagerly at Harry. She couldn't understand why he was here with Hermione, but...
"You?" Lavender asked looking at her friend. "It's you, isn't it?"
Hermione bit her lower lip and nodded.
Lavender was at a loss for words. Hermione was the girl Harry had been seeing. Hermione. Hermione had stood here and listened to her drone on and on about the identity of the "mystery woman" and she'd never said anything.
Lavender shook her head. That wasn't right. She had said something. She'd asked her questions about Harry and his life---his friends, his relationships.
"Lavender?" Hermione asked uncertainly. "Please--say something."
"You've been lying to me?" Lavender finally uttered. "All this time?"
"No," Hermione shook her head. "We just... I just..."
"You used me," Lavender said angrily. "You used me to get information about Harry. I poured my heart out to you---"
"Lavender---" Harry finally said.
"No!" Lavender said angrily. "I've been nothing but a friend to both of you and you've just been laughing at me behind my back!"
"No, it's not like that at all," Hermione said, wondering where this had all gone wrong. This wasn't how she thought this would go.
Lavender shook her head. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"We couldn't tell anyone," Hermione tried to tell her. "If someone found out that we were involved--"
"I wouldn't have said a word to anyone," Lavender replied. "Not in a million years!"
"We couldn't take that chance," Harry said. "Look, Hermione hated lying to you, Lavender."
"Could have fooled me," Lavender said bitterly.
"It's not like we wanted to keep this a secret just from you," Hermione said. "That's why we're telling you now."
Lavender didn't know what to say; didn't know how to react to this. She just kept thinking about all those opportunities Hermione had to come clean and didn't.
"Lav please," Hermione begged. "You're a good friend to me. That's why I wanted to tell you about this."
Lavender grabbed her book. "I'm---I can't deal with this right now. I'll---I'll see you later."
"You won't tell anyone?" Harry asked, standing up.
The fact that he had to ask that hurt her even more. She didn't respond or look back at them as she left the room.
Hermione shook her head. "I shouldn't have told her."
"Come here," Harry said opening his arms to her.
Hermione buried her face in his shoulder.
"She just needs some time," Harry said. "She'll realise that you are her friend and you hated lying to her."
"I hope so," Hermione replied quietly.
"It's going to be okay," Harry said.
Hermione nodded. "Well... now two people know. It sort of feels like a bit of a relief, in a way."
"We have to make sure no one else finds out," Harry said.
"We won't let anyone else find out," Hermione replied.
"I need to get to my meeting," Harry said. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'll be all right," Hermione answered. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bright and early," Harry said giving her one last kiss. "Love you."
"Love you," Hermione smiled at him. "Be careful leaving here."
He nodded and Hermione sank back down on her bed after he'd left. She'd been so sure that Lavender would have been happy for them. What had gone wrong?