AN: Many thanks again to C-dog… you are the best beta a person could ask for. You're too quick. Also this is dedicated to all my fellow harmonioans. Josh, Misti, harry_mione_love, Rick, Crazy and all of my other friends at harmonypodcast forums and my live journal. Its been a wild ride but we still will sail on. No stupid book could stop us!!!
The deal is I don't own it but if I did it would have been much different.
Roll the credits and enjoy the show
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The breeze was cool, but not cold on his face. It was gentle and soothing. It reminded him of her, but now everything reminded him of her. He could never stop thinking about her. She clouded his days and haunted his nights when he was without her. His fingers longed to touch her; his lips yearned to feel hers, to kiss every inch of her. All he wanted was to be with her mind, body, and soul.
The old movie theater was basically deserted, a few people had come from inside. Some walking hand in hand smiling and talking happily about the movie they had just seen. His heart ached as he watched an older couple strolling past him down the street. The older man whispered something in his wife's ear and she just smiled and leaned her head into his arm.
They both smiled and nodded at a young woman who passed them. She was smiling sweetly at them as she stepped to the side to allow them to pass by more freely. He smiled widely as he caught her eye. She looked stunning, he always thought she did, but right now she took his breath away. She was wearing a cream colored jacket and a white shirt underneath that was short enough to expose a small amount of her stomach. Her brown skirt was shifting around her legs, her boots clicking softly on the cement as she walked up to him.
A small smile curved on her lips as she adjusted the collar of her jacket. He could hardly stand just watching her slowly and seductively approach him. She put her arms out to her sides as she walked into his welcoming arms. To any other person this would look like any other embrace shared by two friends, but the words and soft spoken whispers told a different story.
"Oh, Harry." She breathed her lips gently touching his ear sending shivers down his spine.
"God, I have missed you Hermione." Harry said touching her ear the same was she did to his. He squeezed her tightly to his body. He was sure she could feel his heart pounding, trying to escape from his chest.
They ended the "innocent" embrace. Harry could see a slight blush creeping into Hermione's cheeks. Her honey colored eyes sparkling and shining in the dimming light. He smiled sweetly as he placed a gentle hand on her lower back and escorted his best friend into the small theater. The inside looked old and grand just like it did when it opened decades ago. The golden stars and intricate patterns of flowers surrounding them accented the maroon carpet still bouncy under their feet and the velvet-covered walls.
As they walked, their hands touched slightly, their fingers curving around one another for a brief moment then was released. Harry couldn't help but steal quick glances at the beautiful woman walking with him. He felt a slight twinge of regret for what he was doing to himself, to her, to everyone else. But her smile, her voice, her heart, everything made it all right. Made all the pain, all the jealousy, all of the tears, made it all worth every minute.
They took their seats at the rear of the theater that they shared with maybe four or five other people. The dim lighting hiding more deliberate movements and touches. They sat looking deeply almost longingly into each other's eyes. Their hands now intertwined. Entire sentences shared with a single look, whole conversations in the blink of an eye. Hermione spoke first.
"Why can't it be different?" She asked her face inching closer to Harry's
"It could be," Harry, whispered his free hand coming up to cup Hermione's cheek lightly. His face now just an inch from hers. "If you want it to."
Their lips met gently and softly, there was no rush to the kiss, but there was still passion, unconditional passion and love. Moments like these were when they became one and the rest of the world fell away to nothing. It was just Harry and Hermione, not best friends, but lovers. No other boyfriends or girlfriends, no attachments to anything but each other. This was the way they had always wanted it to be, but could never grab on to.
As the lights dimmed and the music began to play, Harry and Hermione's arms wrapped more tightly around each other and the breaths and light gasps became more frequent. Harry pulled Hermione gently onto his lap.
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The credits began to roll and the lights came back up. Harry and Hermione were back in their own seats they had taken at the beginning of the movie. No signs that anything had occurred. If the lights were slightly brighter the other moviegoers might have noticed the redness in Hermione's cheeks. They might have noticed that they were both breathing harder than one should be at the end of a movie. They might have even noticed the bruising on Harry's neck.
They were the last to exit; they talked quietly about the movie. Harry commented on the car chase as Hermione scoffed the so-called "romance" in the movie. They left the main entrance and waved at the young man in the ticket booth.
"See you next week Melvin." Hermione called over her shoulder as her and Harry walked down the darkened street. They remain quiet for a while, talking only about little things. They had been making small talk the whole way as they approached Harry's apartment.
"What are we doing Hermione?" He asked taking off his black denim jacket as they entered the small apartment.
"I don't know," She replied removing her own coat exposing her bare shoulders and the curves of her breasts barely peaking out from her tank top. She turned to face Harry, her chest heaving as she looked deeply in to his eyes. "But I don't want to stop."
"Herm-" Harry began his voice faltering as she placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"Harry" She said as she shushed him placing a finger on his lips. "I decided."
Harry's green eyes grew wide at this confession. His hands began to shake and his stomach began to do summersaults in his throat. He had dreaded this conversation since Hermione had told him three weeks ago that she needed to stop fooling herself, and make a decision.
"Oh", Harry spoke to Hermione's leather clad feet. His head hung low in defeat. "I-I understand, it was f-fun while it-"
He couldn't finish his sentence before Hermione was pressing her lips forcefully on his. His back was quickly against the wall, her hands underneath his shirt gently raking her nails over his muscular chest. Harry's hands were instantly tangled in her hair. He could smell the sweet scent of vanilla, the same scent he had fallen in love with so many years ago. Hermione tugged at the hem of Harry's shirt, trying to pull it over his head causing him to break the kiss.
"I love you Harry." Hermione breathed her voice raspy and sultry. "I always have, I always will."
"I love you too." He said as he pulled Hermione's tank top over her head. "I always will, I don't think I could stop even if I wanted to."
Hermione embraced him again lifting her leg up to his hip. Harry ran his still shaking hand up her thigh and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms tightly around his neck. He carried her, kissing her neck, into his bedroom laying her gently on his bed. He sat back and just starred at her, his eyes taking in every inch of her skin almost like this would be the last time he would ever see her in his bed again.
"Marry me?" He said leaning down to place gentler kisses on her neck. "Be with me forever, become my wife?"
"Of course," Hermione gasped as Harry continued torturing her by trailing kisses along her jaw line. "Yes, Harry. Oh yes."
Harry captured Hermione's lips again while pulling the covers over their entwined bodies.