Disclaimer: JKR owns.
Lies for Love
[AN] This is the first of a trilogy- maybe even more if it's successful. The story is slightly- a teensy bit- AU, but it still follows what happens in DH. Honestly, I think the only thing that's AU is Teddy's middle name which I changed to John.
Summary: They are not in love; rather they just found solitude and comfort in each other after the night Ron had left the tent. Wanting to avoid hurting the ones closest to them, Harry and Hermione keep the facts of their passionate nights together a secret. But it could only be kept a secret for so long…
Chapter 1: One Last Time
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All Harry wanted to do at this moment was get away from these people. The Weasley's, Hermione, the remaining Order who didn't have to be at the ministry right now sorting through paper work, most of the professors who weren't too badly banged up from the battle, Hagrid, and a fair few of Dumbledore's Army who had decided to prolong going home to their families to stay at Hogwarts, were all sitting around a large table placed in the room of requirement, feasting on food that the surviving house-elves had quickly cooked up.
Smiles and laughter were being shared with everyone despite the deaths that had made such an impact that previous night, despite the fact that most of the castle is being held up by feeble stone pillars that had taken their fair share of hexes and curses within the past seven hours.
And Harry just wanted to get away.
"I'm going to go find Winky and thank her for the feast," said Harry standing up from the table, leaving a full plate of food behind.
"I'll come with you!" said Ginny as he got up, also standing. Harry was afraid this might happen. Not that he didn't think Ginny might be a good choice to get back together with, but because right now he just wanted to be away from the ogling pairs of eyes and he was sure that if he let Ginny come with him, that's what would end up happening. That and then her shoving him in a broom closet and he really didn't want that from her any time soon.
"No, Ginny. I kind of would like to be alone," he said making it clear to the whole room that he wasn't interested in celebrating right now.
"Oh... um okay," she said dejectedly sitting back in her spot. Mrs. Weasley sent her a pitying look.
Without another word Harry turned and left through the door and headed down the still glorious moving staircase.
He decided to head out by the lake for some time alone. He would thank Winky at a later time, but he didn't want to be reminded of the death of Dobby so soon by seeing all those house-elves slaving over them.
Taking his dad's invisibility cloak out of his pocket he pulled it over himself and headed through the battered oak doors. There was a proudly shining half moon outside the castle, shining down upon all the dreariness of the world. Harry could feel the tears trailing down his face as he thought of the last remaining connection to his father- Remus. The werewolf and his wife now lay dead in marble stone coffins inside the great hall.
It wasn't supposed to be this way, little Teddy was supposed to grow up with parents... he thought as he slumped down on a rock by the lake. He let a sob escape his throat and quickly wiped his tears away, scolding himself for being so weak. Good thing I've got the invisibility cloak on... the world really wouldn't take a fancy to seeing their hero crying for the dead after his glorious defeat of the Dark Lord.
He let another stubborn sob escape him as thought of Tom Riddle and all the people he had murdered. And for what? To be murdered himself in the end?
My parents, Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Dobby, Fred, Colin-
"Harry?"
He should have figured. His eyes wandered up to meet those of his best friend staring down at him with concern. Oh, how he didn't want to be looked at with concern right now...
He seen his invisibility cloak laying in a heap at the floor of the rock. Rolling his eyes he asked, "What part of 'I kind of would like to be alone right now' didn't you understand?"
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered as her head hung in shame. "I just didn't want to be in there either- I, um, I'll go-"
"No wait."
She turned around and stared at him with hopeful eyes and watched as Harry shrugged and muttered, "You might as well stay then."
She smiled softly and came over to sit next to him on the rock.
"What a day, huh?" she asked, not expecting to get an answer back.
Harry scoffed and remained silent.
She stared at the side of his head for a few minutes before asking quietly, "Are you mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?" he asked hurriedly.
"For kissing Ron?" She didn't look at him, afraid of what his reaction might be.
"Why would I be mad about that? You can do whatever you want, you don't belong to me." He again rushed through his sentence continuing to stare out at the open lake, bathing in the early morning darkness.
"You know... it was just, just sort of... the heat of the moment..." She was turning redder and redder as she tried to explain herself.
Harry scoffed again, "It always is," he mumbled.
Hermione's head jerked up at his comment, "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked fiercely.
Harry looked at her for the first time that early morning. He was surprised in what he found in her eyes; irritation, pain, devotion...
"I don't know... just when-"
"I thought we already talked about that. I thought we both came to an understanding and were okay about it."
"And I am okay about it!" he said returning her stern gaze.
"Then act like it," she said standing up and beginning to walk away.
"Wait-" he said also standing and catching her arm, "Do you fancy him?"
"I don't know-" she said with an uncertain shake of her head, "after everything that's happened with... us... I don't know. I just need some space to think if I want a real relationship with someone so soon..."
Harry leaned down to whisper in front of Hermione's face, "Hermione, I still need you. After tonight I just, just-"
"Harry we talked about this and we agreed. We're back in the real world now-"
"So then what do you call the past few months?" he asked starting to get angry with her.
"A nice get away to all this," she said quietly, "And it was nice, Harry. I don't regret it. We're best friends and we both did it to help each other-"
"Then help me now," he said matching her tone and moving his hands up to grip her shoulders.
"Shouldn't you be asking Ginny for this?" she asked hesitantly, slowly giving in.
"She doesn't understand me like this- and Ron doesn't understand you this way… not like I do," he told her taking a step closer.
"Well we haven't exactly vented our emotions in the most appropriate of manners- that might have something to do with them not understanding," she said wisely.
"Hermione? Just one more time? We both need it. And then tomorrow we can forget about it like always," he whispered leaning his head on her forehead. He added the last part just to reassure her. She didn't need to know that he never forgot about their times together. He didn't want to give her false hope of something, something that he didn't know he could give her.
Hermione was thinking the exact same thing as they looked into each others' eyes. Slowly he leaned forward and captured her lips in a sweet kiss full of need and desire.
"Get the cloak," she whispered against him. He obeyed, leaving her to grab it and throw it around them.
"The boy's dormitory should be empty don't you think?" he asked leading the way back to the castle.
"Yeah, it'll be nice to have a real bed for a change."
Harry snickered as they notoriously walked up the stairs, leading all the way to the seventh floor. Before long they were standing in front of an empty portrait that lead to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady had obviously abandoned her post.
"Great… what do we do now?" Hermione asked.
Harry concentrated hard on what he wanted to happen and curled the fingers of his right hand into a strong fist. The portrait swung open immediately and Harry ushered them both forward.
"Harry how-"
"I don't want to talk anymore," he breathed kissing the side of her neck and quickly pulling her up the boy's staircase. The entered the fairly clean room and noted that Harry's bed was still clean and not collecting dust as if someone had slept in the bed all year.
Harry threw the cloak off them and spun Hermione around to kiss her. She responded immediately, unfastening the clasp of Harry's dirty cloak and roughly pushing it off. When she was backed into Harry's bed he quickly did away with her blouse and cast a locking and a silencio charm over the door.
She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled it over his head and then started unbuttoning his trousers and pulling them down while Harry ripped open her bra and tugged down her jeans in a similar fashion.
Within seconds Hermione was laying on the bed, Harry on top of her, both completely nude, and both feeling complete satisfaction as Harry moved in and out of her in a practised fashion.
The two of them let out a final cry of climax before Harry collapsed on top of her breathing heavily.
"Merlin Harry... you must've had a lot on your mind," Hermione breathed with a sly smirk.
Harry poked her in the side playfully as he moved a bit off her so she could breathe more easily. They both lay there in a content and comfortable silence before Hermione whispered, "The others are probably worried about us..."
She got up and started reapplying her clothes and fixing her hair.
"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said quietly, just loud enough for Hermione to turn and give him a bewildered look.
"You don't have to thank me Harry, I wanted it too or I wouldn't have let it happen, brainiac."
Harry smiled at her, wanting to laugh but unable to find the energy, "You're so great Hermione. Best mates forever, right?"
She smiled back, "Forever."
"Good. You know when you do decide to get into a real relationship with a bloke... well, he's gonna be one lucky bastard," he finished quietly.
Hermione smiled as tears came to her eyes. This is why you're my best friend Harry Potter... you make me feel so confident... you would never do anything to hurt me...
She turned to leave the dormitory but a last second impulse made her turn back, "Harry... don't be so quick to turn Ginny down. I mean, we both know she comes on a bit strong but you know... she just... well, I'm here if you ever need to talk or anything." She gave him one last smile before leaving through the door, closing it behind her to give Harry his much wanted 'alone time'.
Harry sighed as he lay back in his bed thinking about what she had just said. Hermione... she's always been such a good friend to me...
He thought back to the first night they were together physically. It was a night after Ron stormed out, extremely cold, and both Harry and Hermione were in right foul moods. Harry didn't know exactly how it transpired... he remembered going over to Hermione to ask her to conjure more blankets and then they ended up in one of the deepest conversations of their lives, talking about Ron, Ginny, how stressful their current situation was, their impending fears...
Both had admitted to being scared of dying as virgins. Of not being able to experience a proper dating life and note being able to explore the world and find who they truly are. And then it just sort of happened... they were both each other's firsts, providing warm bodies on a cold night. It was a way for them to vent, to alleviate their stress even if it was for a short period of time, and to experience something that was so wonderful and at first a bit painful for Hermione.
It was an understanding of each other- both were comfortable with it and neither expected a romantic relationship to follow. They still thought of themselves as just Harry and Hermione, best mates. And a good best mate was always there for their friend in a time of need. If anything, it brought them closer.
And over time those 'times of need' became more frequent to the point that it was happening every night as if it was routine. But then routine was thrown off when Ron decided to show back up. And then the snatchers found them, and of course Hermione was almost killed, with Dobby actually dying.
Finally when Harry thought that it was going to happen again Hermione told him remorsefully that they had to stop because things were just too hectic now with Ron, the residents of Shell Cottage, and plans to break into Gringotts.
Harry had tried to stubbornly ignore her after that night, but she was his best friend and even if he thought she was trying to move on with another member of the trio, he would just sit back and support her. She had already given up so much for him.
And then when she kissed Ron today- that was a whole different thing completely. At the moment he didn't have time to stop and ask himself what he thought about it because they were in the middle of battle. But now thinking about it...
"Harry mate?"
Ron poked his head through the door just after Harry had pulled the covers up to his neck.
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Kingsley's made us a portkey to get to the Burrow for tonight and we're about to leave."
"Right, I'll um, be down in a second," he said moving his eyes over the floor to locate his clothes.
"Alright, see you back in the Room of Requirement." Ron turned and left leaving Harry free to push the covers off and wander around naked for his clothes.
The one question he couldn't seem to answer himself was what would happen if Hermione did decide to be with Ron? Would he feel guilty for being with her like that before anyone else or would he feel jealous?
No... not jealous... Hermione's my best friend and I just want what's best for her and I just don't think Ron fits that description... he's always making her cry, they don't like any of the same stuff except for me, they fight all the time... Hermione needs someone more mature... Someone who has a better understanding of her... Someone like-
Harry shook his head to clear the rampant thoughts away. He didn't have time to be pondering over silly things like that right now, and quite frankly he didn't even want to think about it. Everything's simpler when you just stop thinking.
Harry walked into the room just in time to squeeze in between Ginny and Hermione, also placing a finger on the old cracked platter that served as the Weasley's transport home.
"Feeling better Harry?" asked Ginny with a small comforting smile.
"Yeah, loads..." Harry replied with a smile of his own making Hermione blush.
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Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my new fic. I've been planning this for a while now, therefore the whole story is completed already. I will be updating regularly ever Saturday.
Please, please, please REVIEW and let me know how I did.