A/N: Hey Guys, this one's a little shorter than the others mainly because I wanted it to be central to Harry and Hermione. I was going to put a bit of Ron and Ginny but decided to save that for the next chapter. There will probably be one or two more chapters before we reach the end. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 4
Hermione groaned as she felt the sunlight pelting her face. She tried to roll over to avoid the sunlight but felt a male arm grasping her against his body, preventing her from moving.
Hermione opened her eyes (which caused a pounding sensation in her head) and almost jumped at the realisation that she was not in her Leaky Cauldron bed alone. In fact, she realised by looking around the messy room, this was not her bed.
She looked down at her underwear-clad body and wondered what she had done last night. She tried to remember but kept drawing a blank.
Hermione felt Harry draw her even closer to him, if that was even possible as she could already feel every part of his hard body including his toned abs and hard… No! Hermione thought, she was not going to think of Harry that way!
But her resolve was weakening as she fought the desire within her to kiss him awake.
She rolled over, ignoring her pounding head to find him staring straight into her face.
"Morning" Harry said, staring straight into her eyes, not breaking his tight grip on her body.
"Umm… morning Harry." Hermione stammered as she tried to break away from Harry who was ignoring her plight and holding her just as tight.
"Umm Harry? What happened last night?" Hermione said as she stoped struggling to get away to enjoy the closeness.
"You know what Hermione? I have no idea." Harry said, smiling.
Hermione frowned at this. "Did we… did we… well… you know…"
"Have sex?"
Hermione nodded, looking away from his gaze.
"I don't think so Hermione, I would have remembered something wonderful like that." Harry said, trying to seise her eyes with his green gaze again.
Hermione looked back into his eyes that were so intense without his glasses.
Harry tried to read her emotions through her eyes. He thought he saw hope, amazement and maybe even love. He hoped he saw love.
Harry drew her closer to him and pecked her on the lips. It was a chaste kiss; he just wanted to see how she would react.
And react she did, she drew him back to her lips and gave him what he thought was the best kiss of his life.
He wouldn't have said that fireworks or any of that bollocks went off but he sure felt a damn sight more than he did when he kissed Ginny.
He kissed her back and tried to fight her for dominance while pouring his new found love into the kiss.
Finally, in what seemed like hours they broke for air with both of them flushed red from the intensity of the kiss.
"That was…" Hermione began
"Amazing" Harry finished for her, hugging her towards him as close as their bodies could be, amazed at the new turn of events.
"Well I was going to say mind-blowing but I suppose amazing covers it too." Hermione giggled before pecking him on the lips. She finally got to kiss Harry like she had wanted to for a very long time and she had to say that he was a much better kisser than Ron.
They both lied there for a few minutes, wrapped up in this new development in their relationship. It had all happened so quickly, where do they go from now?
"Harry, what does this mean?"
Harry looked at her for a while before answering. "Well, id really like to try to take our friendship to a new level."
"You do?"
"Yeah Hermione. I like you very much; I think I may even love you. I really don't know, as I don't think I've ever felt proper love in my whole life. All I know is that I feel a lot more for you than I ever did for Ginny." Harry said before kissing her.
When they broke again for air Hermione suddenly remembered Ron. She knew she loved Ron, but could she have more with Harry. What would Ron think if she chose Harry over him? Would he be hurt? Angry?
Harry saw her frown and started to worry. He loosened his grip around her waist. Maybe he had confused her emotions that she saw in her eyes. He had just bared his soul, the most emotion that he had ever shown any of his few girlfriends.
Harry took her silence as regret. "But I understand if you don't feel the same way… I mean… I know that you are still engaged to Ron and that… that you… love him. I just wanted you to know how I felt." Harry said as he separated himself from Hermione to stop himself from snogging her senseless so that he would not hear the rejection come out of her mouth.
"Harry" Hermione said. "You really think that id kiss you if I didn't love you?"
Harry stoped trying to disentangle himself from Hermione to listen to what she said.
"What did you say?" Surely he couldn't have heard her correctly.
"I said that I love you, you git." Hermione laughed. "I have for a very mfflf…" Harry cut her off with his mouth.
Hermione broke Harry's eager kiss by softly tugging at his bottom lip. "But Harry, I love Ron too. I don't know what to do. I think I love you more, but how can I be sure? I'm engaged to be married, Harry!"
"Hermione, don't worry." Harry said softly. "It's your decision, and I will respect you either way. Though I really do hope that you choose me." Harry said with a smile.
Hermione smiled and went to kiss him on the cheek but Harry moved his head so that she got him on the corner of the lips.
"Well I've got 5 days to decide haven't I?" Harry nodded. "And I've had a romantic relationship with Ron, so id really like to see how well we are together Harry."
Harry smiled hopefully. "Really?"
"Really." Hermione smiled before kissing him again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Hermione didn't get out of bed until noon. It was Sunday so the Leaky was very quiet as most witches and wizards were at home having Sunday lunch at home.
Harry and Hermione sat very close at the bar eating their roast.
Every now and then Harry would brush her thigh as if he was reassuring himself that this was real and she would smile in return.
"Harry?" Hermione broke his thoughts.
"I need to go back to Ron and my flat to get a few things for work tomorrow. Do you want to come?" Hermione asked.
"Hmm, you know that id like to see Ron, I haven't seen him in ages… but I actually have to go to Ginny's and get some of my stuff… when I left last time I didn't really get the chance to grab anything…" Harry trailed off.
"Harry, do you want to tell me what happened?"
"I'm sorry Hermione but I really don't want to relive it again. I see what happened in my head over and over again."
"Okay if that's what you want." Hermione said feeling a bit rejected that he wouldn't tell her. She had taken a step and told him what had happened between her and Ron, why couldn't he do the same? Surely it wasn't that bad?
"Hermione please look at me" Hermione looked up. "Its not that I don't want to tell you. I do, but I cant. I just can't force myself to."
Hermione grabbed his hand. "That's okay Harry, I want you to tell me, so that I can help you… and maybe even make sure that it doesn't happen again. But if you cant tell me, that's fine."
Harry kissed her lightly on the lips. "Thanks Hermione"
"Well i've really got to go if i'm going to go to Ron's. You sure that you don't want to come? Or me come with you to Ginny's?"
"I would have you come to Ginny's but i'm not sure how she'd take it if you were to come with me. She'd probably assume that id told you everything and get angry or something. " Harry paused, thinking. "No, I think it's best if we go separately."
"Okay Harry, your probably right. Meet here for dinner?"
"Sure, id love to have dinner with you. But we should go somewhere special. How about a muggle restaurant and then a movie at the cinema?" Harry suggested hopefully.
"Sure Harry. Can't wait, see you at 6?"
Harry hugged her to him as she stood. "Sooner, I don't want to be away from you that long" Harry said with a cheesy grin.
Hermione giggled. "Well, I suppose we can make it 5 and see an early dinner."
Harry was about to open his mouth to say something when Hermione cut him off "No Harry, no earlier… I need to get ready. Did you like that red dress last night?" Hermione said saucily. Harry nodded. "Well wait until you see the one I have to wear tonight."
Harry's eyes widened and she apparated away with a wink.
Oh boy was he in trouble. Hermione was already teasing him and it had only just begun.