Unofficial Portkey Archive

Story by: Silver Dragon
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Here's a little something that's semi-cliché but oh well, it's still good. This version, done on 06/13/09, is slightly different from the original; mainly in something Ron does and the response to it.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, characters, and all related names and phrases are either copyright and/or registered trademarks of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. and/or their respective owners. This is a fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended.

Ron looked towards the portrait hole as it opened and audibly gulped just as his knight took out one of Harry's castles. One of the few things that truly inspired fear in him stormed into the Gryffindor common room at that very moment, Hermione in one of her rare and highly feared 'get the hell out of my way or you'll be wishing you were serving detention with Professor Snape right now' moods.

Harry sighed in resignation at being defeated yet again by Ron, why he still bothered to play chess with him was something he'd probably never know, and smiled at Hermione. "Hey Hermi-" But before the words were even out of his mouth she had walked straight past him and through the entrance to the small common room he shared with her seeing as how they were head boy and girl.

"What's got her knickers in a twist?" asked Ron after the door closed behind Hermione.

"I don't know," replied Harry. "And don't..." Ok, he couldn't tell Ron not to talk about Hermione's knickers. Or rather he could. It was just that he wasn't sure how that would sound. Hell, he wasn't even sure how it sounded to himself! With a light blush he cleared his throat and said, "And don't bother setting up the board again after this one. Five losses in one night is enough for me."

"What are you talking about mate? I haven't won this game yet."

"Yes but, ah ha!" Harry grinned as he put Ron's king in check. This was the closest to victory he'd been in a long time.

"Oh that's rotten luck there mate," said Ron as he shook his head at the chess board.

"Why's that?"

"Because now I can do this and…"

"Checkmate…" Harry muttered in defeat before rising from the table; his seat was swiftly taken by Dean.

The fellow Gryffindor rubbed his hands together and smiled confidently, "I'm feeling lucky tonight, Weasley. You're goin' down!" Harry chuckled, Dean had yet to beat Harry at a game of Wizard's Chess let alone Ron, as he headed towards the door Hermione had gone through moments before.

"You're not gonna go in there are you?" asked Ron upon noticing Harry's destination.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because Herms is in a frightful mood that's why!"

"Better not let her hear you call her that," replied Harry as he opened the door to his and Hermione's private common room. Ron had called her that once during sixth year and had instantly found himself spitting out slugs. Needless to say, after that Ron hadn't said it since. Or at least hadn't said it in Hermione's presence. In fact, he had been told, in no uncertain terms, that he was to only call her Hermione.

"Hermione?" Harry called to the girl rapidly pacing back and forth before the fireplace; but she didn't seem to notice. As he watched her he could see Hermione's brow furrowed in concentration and her eyes narrowed in anger. With a flurry of robes she turned around and walked back the other way. She was definitely in a frightful mood.

"Hermione?" he called again. And again he got no response. With a light chuckle he moved into her path and got a response he had not expected. Hermione walked straight into him, looked up with confusion evident on her face, before her eyes grew large as saucers and she took several steps back, nearly tripping over the footstool next to one of the chairs.

"H-Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, a hand covering her suddenly wildly beating heart, as her face reddened. "Don't you know it's not polite to sneak up on someone like that!"

Harry chuckled at her, "I didn't sneak up. I called your name twice but you didn't seem to notice."

"Well I err..." Hermione's cheeks flushed a little more. "Just…just don't do that again ok?"

"Sure," Harry raised an eyebrow as Hermione resumed her pacing, "no problem, 'Mione."

It was the first time that Harry could remember ever seeing Hermione as riled up as she was at the moment. And judging by the fact that she was working on wearing a trench in the floor in front of the fireplace it was something big. "What's got you so worked up?" he asked after propping himself on the arm of one of the overstuffed chairs.

Hermione, biting on her lower lip, glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Nothing," she said as she turned to go back the other way.

A rather loud scoff escaped Harry before he could squelch it but Hermione didn't seem to notice. "I hope you don't honestly think I believe that."

"It's nothing," she replied with a glance and wave of her hand. Back and forth. Back and forth. Hermione had to be approaching her fifteenth lap and it was starting to get to Harry. "Really. I'm fine."

"No." Harry stood and grabbed her arm. "You are not fine. If you were fine then you wouldn't be pacing. And might I add that I have never seen you pace. Not once!" Hermione tried to move away from him but Harry did not release her. "Now tell me what's wrong."

"I…can't," Hermione replied, finding the rug beneath their feet very interesting at the moment.

No, she most certainly couldn't tell him what was wrong. She couldn't tell him that while using the bathroom she had overheard a group of girls talking about how they were going to get Harry. She couldn't tell him that he had a group of no less than six fan girls after him. She couldn't tell him that said group of crazed girls was planning to seduce him. She couldn't tell him that she had seen the girls draw straws to determine the order in which they would get their shot at getting him into bed. She couldn't tell him that. No. Certainly not. No way. No how. Not ever.

After all, what would Harry think if he knew that that was what had her at wits end? Sure it was something to be upset about; but it certainly wasn't something that 'normal' Hermione would let fluster her so badly. Especially since it wasn't uncommon for him to be propositioned several times a week, or more around certain holidays, by girls. He had had everything from a simple request for a date to girls saying they want to bear his child or marry him.

But if she told him what was wrong and he got to thinking then that might lead him to think that she, Hermione, his best friend, had feelings for him. And while that would not be an altogether untrue deduction on his part it was most definitely not something she wanted him to confront her about right now. Then there was the possibility that he would think her no better than those crazy girls asking him to do unspeakable things in some unused classroom. Of course she knew he wouldn't think that. She just didn't want to deal with that now or in the near future.

Now of course there's a chance he could feel the same way about her. But Hermione had never been one to see the glass as half full. At least not in situations where her heart and mind were at odds with each other. And that, more often than not, happened every time her thoughts and feelings turned to Harry. So when she had allowed herself to think on the matter of Harry finding out about her feelings for him her mind filled with images and thoughts of him laughing, or being disgusted, or saying that he no longer wanted to be her friend.

"Don't you trust me?"

Before she could stop herself she looked up and into his eyes. It wasn't how the question was asked but simply that it was asked. "Harry, I…I trust you with my life. But I just can't tell you. It's complicated." She could see in Harry's eyes that he wouldn't let this drop. "Ok. I'll…I'll tell you." Harry smiled slightly and opened his mouth to reply only to be silenced by Hermione pressing a finger to his lips, causing them both to blush. Hastily, Hermione removed her finger. "I'll tell you if, and only if, I can't figure this out on my own by the end of next week." She could tell by the look on Harry's face that what she had just said had only fueled his curiosity as to the situation Hermione apparently found herself in.

"Ok," he replied after several seconds of quiet contemplation. In truth he didn't like it. But he trusted her enough to give her the time she requested.

"I should just tell him what I overheard," grumbled Hermione as she stared at the blank piece of parchment before her and absently chewed on the end of her quill. The only light in her room was that of a few candles on her desk.

"I've only got ten days to come up with some way of stopping them." Why couldn't she think of anything? She always seemed to be the one to come up with plans to help them solve whatever new mystery presented itself. But now… Then she realized what was wrong. Her thoughts weren't in order. She needed to sort out everything before should could concoct a scheme to straighten out this particular mess.

And so, she set about writing everything down. Her thoughts and feelings about the girls' planned actions, her feelings about Harry, her thoughts about what would happen if she couldn't think of something, thoughts of what could happen if she succeeded.

At first she thought that, perhaps, she could merely confess her feelings to Harry. That he would thus become her boyfriend and be off the market. But then what would she do if he didn't feel the same in return? Or what if the girls weren't deterred merely by him having a girlfriend? She was sure that even Harry wouldn't resist them all for too long. He's a healthy teenage male after all.

But if I tell Harry how I feel… If she did that and he didn't return her feelings not only would she be embarrassed and heartbroken but their friendship could very well come to an end. Could she really risk all that they had, all that they've shared, just so some trollop wouldn't get the chance to sink her claws into Harry? Hermione stared into the silently flickering candles on her desk. Yes. She could do it. If only to keep him from being scandalized she would do it unless there was someway better.

Then it hit her. A sure fire plan to keep Harry of out the clutches of those girls. And all it would take was her doing something she had thought wouldn't happen until her wedding night, or at least not until she was engaged.

Now to say that the idea hit her like a ton of bricks would have not only been inaccurate but inadequate as well. It felt like she was falling, drowning, flying, freezing, burning, queasy, light headed, breathless, and dizzy all at once. Quickly, before she lost the nerve to consider such an idea, she jotted down several ideas on how to carry out the plan. The only way to prevent those girls from succeeding was to make sure Harry had no reason whatsoever to give in to them. And that meant that he had to be totally, completely, and undeniably off the market.

Dragons and hippogriffs and birds and butterflies and all other manner of winged creatures took flight within her as she read over the last four words on the piece of paper, "I must seduce Harry."

I must seduce Harry…

The words buzzed in her mind like dozens of tiny nats. She'd occasionally give a mental swipe at them, sending them scattering only to return an instant later.

I must seduce Harry…

They seemed to mock her, teasing her at every turn.

I must seduce Harry…

They wouldn't let her sleep.

I mu- With a groan of resignation Hermione threw off her covers and climbed out of bed. It was rather obvious that sleep would not come easily this night.

Crookshanks raised his head and meowed in indignation at her when she slammed her hands down on the table next to her bed.

"Sorry," Hermione muttered while forcing a smile onto her face. She shuffled over to where her cat lay and sat down next to him before proceeding to scratch him behind the ears. "I-I just can't do it Crookshanks." she stopped scratching him and proceed to gently run her hand down his back, petting him softly. "I just…can't do it…"

Crookshanks looked up at her, his head cocked to the side slightly.

"No, it's not because it's Harry," said Hermione as though her cat had said something. "I just can't do…that. Not before I'm…I always pictured myself waiting until I was married. You know?" Hermione stared at Crookshanks for several seconds before blinking and laughing lightly.

Crookshanks licked her hand and meowed. Hermione smiled and scratched him under his chin before resuming her train of thought.

"Not that I don't find Harry attractive. Or that I'm not attracted to him."

Crookshanks meowed again and rested on paw on her hand as if to say 'I told you so.'

The action caused Hermione to laugh again as she said, "Yes, I admit it now. I, Hermione Jane Granger, am attracted to Harry James Potter!" She had spent many a night talking to Crookshanks since she had gotten him just before third year and she had told him many times that Harry and herself were 'just friends.' Of course even though the cat couldn't speak, and probably didn't understand a word she said, he seemed to know that his owner was lying.

That, however, was before she realized that the crush she had had on him since their first meeting had blossomed into something more. And until now, when she had overheard those girls, she had not realized just how deep those feelings ran.

"But I-I guess if I'm going to…then at least…" Crookshanks meowed and, if Hermione didn't know any better, she'd have sworn that the cat smiled. "Then it's settled. I'll seduce Harry!"

Suddenly, just as the words left her mouth, her desk chair skidded across the floor and knocked over a stack of books for no apparent reason before the door to her room flew open.

Hermione stared at the chair and fallen books for a second before scowling and, leaning down so that only Crookshanks could hear, she whispered, "Go get Harry."

In a flash the cat was up and out the door. But instead of hearing Harry cry out in pain as Crookshanks' claws dug into him she heard silence.

Grabbing her wand from beside her bed and dashing from the room, Hermione was just in time to see her cat jump onto Harry's bed and Harry, who had rather obviously been asleep up until then, sit up in surprise.

"Wha's goin' on?" muttered Harry as he fumbled for his glasses.

"Someone has your invisibility cloak and was just in my room!" replied Hermione from the other side of their common room before pointing her wand at the only exit from their quarters and casting a locking charm on it.

"What are you on about 'Mione?" asked a rather groggy Harry as he walked out of his room, running a hand through his hair.

"I was….studying and my chair moved on its own!"

Harry raised an eyebrow, even in his sleep fogged condition he caught the slight pause that signified a lie, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, he simply raised his wand, "Accio invisibility cloak!"

An instant later a person came into view as the cloak soared through the air towards Harry.

But who was standing before them, hands still outstretched from reaching for the invisibility cloak as it slipped from his grasp, was the last person they expected to see and, yet, it was also the one they expected it to be.

"Ron!" screeched Hermione, causing Harry and Ron to both cringe. "What are you… Why were you… You were in my… I… I can't believe you Ron!"

"Err… Hi?" Ron grinned very sheepishly and waved ever so slightly.

"Ron," Harry was much calmer than Hermione but was still visibly upset with the situation. "What were you doing in Hermione's room?"

It seemed to Harry and Hermione that Ron's face just about matched the color of his hair. "I was err…" The icy death glare that Hermione was giving him said that he'd regret trying to weasel his way out of this. "I umm…" Ron gulped and decided to tell the truth. "I was watching you sleep," he said to Hermione.

At first Hermione just stared at him. She stared for many long seconds. She stared until Ron thought that, perhaps, Harry had silently cast a full body bind on her. But Hermione did something that neither of her friends expected. She marched over to him and slapped him. And not just a little slap either. She had brought her hand as far back as possible, putting every bit of strength she could muster into it.

"How dare you sneak into my room and spy on me Ronald Weasley!" said Hermione, her voice a dangerous whisper as Ron clutched at the very red and very painful handprint on his cheek. "What the bloody hell made you think you had any right to do that?"

Ron, never one to back down from a fight and also hurt in more ways than one by her reaction, pulled himself up to his full height and glared down at her. Various replies ran through his brain but he rejected them all as too nice or too immature. That is until he remembered what he had overheard. With a wicked smirk on his face he calmly replied, "And what gives you the right to set about seducing Harry?"

For a second Hermione looked like a fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing but making no sound. Ron hadn't just said that in front of Harry had he? One quick glance from the corner of her eye confirmed her newest nightmare.

"Get out!" screeched Hermione as she started shoving Ron towards the door while casting an unlocking charm on it. The redhead happily complied since, as much fun as it would be to stay and see the fruits of his labor, he had a full day of classes in the morning.

Hermione closed the door and leaned against it before sliding down to sit on the floor with a soft thump. She drew her knees up to her chest and rested her head upon them as tears started to slowly fall from her eyes.

It was all over now. Nearly seven years of friendship down the drain, washed away by her stupidity. If only she had made sure she was alone. If only she had done something…

"Hermione?" Harry's voice was soft, gentle, and to Hermione's ears, painful, as he sat down in front of her. This was it. He was going to tell her that he no longer wanted to be friends with her. But why did he have to speak like that? Why did he have to try and sugar coat it? Was he afraid she couldn't take it like an adult? "What did Ron mean by you seducing me?" The calm tranquil tone of Harry's voice was so much different from what she expected, from what she thought he should sound like right now.

Hermione, her words muffled against her legs, muttered, "What's not to understand?"

"Well for one thing, why would he say that? It's definitely not something he'd come up with on his own. And judging by how you're acting I'd say his words aren't some-"

"I said it," Hermione interrupted as she looked at him. "I didn't know he was there."

Harry cocked his head to the side slightly as his brow furrowed. "Why would you say that?" If anything, he found Hermione saying that even harder to believe then Ron saying it.

"Because I… I am…was going to…" The last few words came out as little more than a whisper that Harry couldn't make out. Before Harry could ask her what she had said Hermione continued. "Yesterday I overheard some girls talking. They were going to take turns trying to seduce you and I-I-I couldn't let that happen."

Harry snorted, rather amused by the situation, and asked, "So in order to stop them you were going to do the exact thing they were going to try?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply but closed it. Now that she heard it from someone else it did sound truly bonkers. A deep blush tinged her cheeks as she nodded her head, "I guess it was a rather stupid idea."

"Absolutely nutters," replied Harry as they both laughed lightly.

Slowly their laughter died and an uncomfortable silence settled over them until Harry spoke a few minutes later. "Do you honestly think I'd," Harry blushed, "have sex with just any girl?"

"You are a teenage boy," scoffed Hermione, making Harry chuckle.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"All any of you want is sex. You'd probably have given in to each and every one of them."

"You're right. I would," replied Harry, causing Hermione to glare at him. "In their dreams! Jeez Hermione! Give me some credit! If I wanted to have sex then there's plenty of girls who would gladly sleep with me!" Light laughter escaped from Hermione as she smiled weakly. "But I don't want to have sex and I would have resisted them," he added before a comfortable yet awkward silence settled over them.

A minute or so later Harry broke the silence, "Hermione?"

"Yes?" she replied, not bothering to look at him.

"Would you really have gone through with your plan to try and seduce me?"

Hermione blushed deeply at his tentative question. "I don't know. I didn't really have a plan before Ron… I don't know, Harry."

"What if I said that," he cleared his throat and tugged nervously at the collar of his shirt while blushing, "I wou-wouldn't have resisted you?"

Hermione, who had been in the process of brushing a lock of hair from in front of her eyes to behind her ear, froze as though she had suddenly been petrified. Had she just heard him correctly? Surely Harry hadn't just said that! Tiredness must have caused her to hear him incorrectly for surely Harry hadn't just said that he would not have resisted her efforts to seduce him. "Come again?" she asked while staring at him oddly.

"I said that… Ummm… If you r-really wanted to…err…you know. Then I wouldn't have…protested…m-much." As broken and hesitant as Harry's words were they certainly didn't mean less for it.

"Why not?" asked Hermione without thinking.

Harry chuckled at her. From the tone of her voice it almost sounded like Hermione was angry that he wouldn't have resisted her advances. But, instead of admitting anything he was not yet entirely sure about, he settled to answer her with a question of his own. "Is there a reason you would not want me to give in?"

"No!" Hermione practically yelled at him in reply. "I mean yes. No. I mean…mean…gah!" Hermione dropped her head into her hands in confusion and embarrassment. Harry laughed at her before, as his laughter faded into the night.

Silent glances and aborted attempts at speech lasted for several agonizing minutes before Harry found himself able to speak. "So, how do you wanna do this?" he asked with a playful smirk, earning a quizzical look from Hermione.

"Do what?"

"We could go to my room, or yours. It doesn't really matter to me. Or, if you prefer, we could just do it right here," he added while forcefully chuckling to cover his embarrassment with the situation. "The rug in front of the fireplace looks pretty comfortable."

Hermione's brow furrowed in an uncharacteristic lack of understanding towards Harry's words. "What… Oh!" she turned beet red as realization dawned on her.

Harry laughed and replied, "I'm only joking Hermione."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort with biting sarcasm only to change her mind at the last moment and say, "I'd like to do it in front of the fireplace. I think it'd be really romantic."

"Yea, I- What?!" Harry stared wide eyed at her.

"Shhh," cooed Hermione as she crawled towards him on her hands and knees, her eyes sparkling with what Harry hoped was amusement. "There's no need to shout. I'm right here."

Harry stared at her, his mind boggled as to what Hermione was playing at. A few seconds ago she was all blushes and embarrassment and now she was crawling towards him like a lioness stalking her next meal. Harry gulped and found himself blushing and his palms sweating. The thought of Hermione stalking him as a 'meal' made his blood pressure skyrocket and that red nectar of life known as blood rush southward. His problems only intensified, however, as he noticed that, at this particular angle, he had a clear view down Hermione's pajama top and could readily tell that she was without a bra.

"What's the matter Harry?" asked Hermione in a voice that, if Harry had been thinking clearly, would have made it obvious to him that she was only playing. "Are you afraid of li'l ol' me?"

"I err uh I umm I-I-I-I-" Harry's face felt numb, his lips incapable of making the sounds his brain commanded, not that those sounds would have been understandable anyway, as he stared at a sight he never knew he desired so much until now.

Hermione stopped when her face was scant inches from Harry's. It felt surprisingly good to have the power to turn one of most powerful wizards of all time into a blubbering idiot at a mere display of feminine wiles. But then, as she stared intently at him, Hermione realized that Harry wasn't staring at her face but at a location just below her chin. She dismissed it however since she really didn't mind if Harry could see down her shirt. Her bra was covering…

No bra! Hermione's mind screamed at her a second later, causing her face to redden as she sat up and covered her chest. Ok, she didn't mind him looking down her shirt as long as he couldn't see too much.

Harry seemed to snap out of his flesh induced daze once Hermione was covered. "S-sorry," Harry stuttered as he brought a hand to his eyes, covering them. How could he do that? How could he stare at Hermione as if she were some piece of meat! And the thoughts! Oh how horrifically wonderful they were…

"It's ok," replied Hermione as she stood up. "We should umm…go to bed."

"Y-ea." Harry stood and wiped his sweaty palms on his pajama pants. "Separate beds right?" he asked as a joke, earning a tiny smile from Hermione though neither really found it all that funny.

"Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight 'Mione," he replied as they continued to stand there.

"See you in the morning."

"Right." Harry nodded and ran a hand through his hair and again neither moved to leave.

After several seconds Hermione sighed and, with a look of determination and uncertainty, took a few steps towards Harry, closing the gap between them. Curse it all. I'll just kiss him and get it the bloody hell over with! she yelled within the confines of her mind. But then, when she was less than an inch away from kissing him and could feel his warm breath washing over her, her resolve crumbled and she just stood there.

Harry looked down at her, realizing for the first time that there was a difference of several inches in their height, and wondered what to do now when, suddenly, a loud clap of thunder from outside caused Hermione to jump, closing the gap between her lips and Harry's.

Neither had expected the kiss to happen and for a second they stared at each other with wide eyes before welcoming it openly.

"Mmmm…" Hermione smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. Now that she was actually kissing him she couldn't remember why she had hesitated.

"Thank you," said Harry when they pulled apart a few seconds later.

"For what?"

"For not smacking me for kissing you."

"Well I was going to kiss you but then I… If that thunder hadn't scared me I wouldn't have kissed you," replied Hermione, causing Harry to chuckle at her.

"That's twice in one day you haven't followed through with something you were going to do. That's not very courageous. Perhaps you shouldn't be in Gryffindor?" Hermione playfully smacked him on the arm before wrapping her arms around Harry's waist a resting her head on his chest.

"My courage only falters when I'm going to do something naughty with you."

Harry, unable to help himself, burst into a fit of laughter. The way Hermione had said that was just too funny.

Hermione pulled back slightly to glare at him, "Are you laughing at me?"

Somehow he managed to stifle his laughter and reply, "No. Well…yes. But what you said was just too funny!"

"Well I don't think it was funny," replied Hermione as she shoved him away and turned her back to him

"Come on Hermione. It's not a bad thing. It's just how you said it. I mean there's tons of words you could have used to describe what you were thinking but you said naughty. Like you're a little kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar," said Harry. "And besides, if kissing you is naughty then I don't wanna be a good little boy," he added while wrapping his arms around her.

Hermione turned in his arms and grinned that mischievous grin again, "Who said you'd ever get the chance to kiss me again?"

Harry smiled and shrugged before stealing a kiss.

Hermione mock glared and smacked him lightly on the cheek when they broke apart nearly two minutes later. "How rude of you Mr. Potter! Kissing a girl without her permission."

Harry chuckled at her and replied, "You didn't seem to mind."

"Yes. But that's besides the-"

"And I'm pretty sure it was your tongue I felt in my mouth," interrupted Harry.

Hermione's eyes widened as her face became red. She had been more lost in the kiss than she thought since she didn't mean to do that. Though in truth she didn't know what she was doing since that was only her second kiss. With a shake of her head she giggled at him, "Are you going to be this childish about every part of our relationship?"

"It depends. If you say yes then I'll probably be this childish and if you say no then I'll lock myself in my room and never come out." Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes to what?"

Harry grinned and replied, "Going with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow of course."

"But we always go to Hogsmeade together, Harry," said Hermione, causing Harry to once again chuckle at her.

"Yes, we do. But not as boyfriend and girlfriend," Harry's cheeks flushed as he started to stumble over his words. "T-that is if you want to be my girlfriend. I mean I'll understand if you're sickened at the thought of d-dating me. What with-"

"YES!" Hermione blushed at her own overly jubilant reaction. "I mean yes. I'd love to accompany you to Hogsmeade as your," a large smile took shape on her face, "girlfriend."

Harry's shoulders slumped and his head sagged in defeat. "That's what I thought. We can still be friends if you want. I didn't really think you'd say y-"

"Harry?" said Hermione, interrupting him.

"Yes, Hermione?" he asked, glancing up and finding himself unable to look away from the site of a huge amused grin on her face.

"I said I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you as your girlfriend you stupid git."

Harry stared at her, his eyes seeming to go in and out of focus, as a smile ever so slowly crept onto his face. "I… You… We…" Hermione giggled at his rather inarticulate response before kissing him briefly.

The kiss seemed to break Harry out of his stupor and placed a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So is snogging the only naughty thing we're going to do or do you still want to seduce me?"

Hermione stared at him, slacked jawed at the casual manor with which he asked that, before smiling. "I think that I might just have to not kiss you any more if you're going to talk like that."

"Aww…" Harry stuck out his bottom lip and gave her the best impression of a lost little puppy he could manage. "You wouldn't deny a starving man his food would you?"

Hermione grinned and patted him on the head. "No. But you are not a starving man. And for right now all you're getting from me is kisses. Goodnight, Harry," she said before giving him a quick kiss and heading off to bed.

"Goodnight, 'Mione," said Harry several seconds later after Hermione had closed her bedroom door. With that silly grin still on his face, Harry shook himself and headed to his own room.

Several minutes later as he lay there thinking about what had just happened he suddenly realized what Hermione had said just before she left. "What's she mean I won't get anything more than kisses from her? What else is there?" All of a half second later Harry could have smacked himself for being so stupid. Of course he knew what she meant! With a smile and contented sigh at the possibility that, if he were lucky, he would get some more kisses in the morning, he drifted off to sleep.

"Don't look now, but here comes Ron," Harry whispered to Hermione upon seeing their red haired friend enter the Great Hall for breakfast. Part of him felt sorry for Ron since he was his best friend. But that was easily shoved aside by the remembered fact that Ron had not only taken his invisibility cloak without permission but he had used it to sneak into Hermione's room without her permission and spy on her.

Hermione glanced at the doors with narrowed eyes. She couldn't believe the impudence of what Ron had done last night. Surely he knew it was wrong! With a displeased twitch at the corner of her mouth, Hermione turned her attention back to her breakfast.

Why did I do that last night? thought Ron. He had been in Harry's room, chatting, when he had spotted the invisibility cloak sitting on top of the stuff in Harry's trunk. It had seemed like a good idea up until the point at which he was caught. And it had been going splendidly up until Hermione had said that which had startled him into giving away his presence. The only thing that would have been better would have been was if he had managed to get into her room before she was already in bed. Part of him was hoping he would have gotten the chance to see her in less than the robes and relatively form hiding clothing she wore. But then again, if he had seen that, he would probably be at St. Mungo's right now while Harry and Hermione would probably be on the next train back home for putting him there.

As he walked down the aisle between the tables he took a deep breath and braced himself for what was to come only to stop abruptly when someone jumped in front of him.

"Hello Ronald," said Luna as she smiled up at him.

"Err… Is there something I can help you with, Luna?" asked Ron upon recognizing the blonde Ravenclaw.

Luna grinned at her housemates, sending them into a fit of giggles and whispered conversation, before nodding her head.

"Umm… What do you ne-" Ron found himself suddenly unable to speak do to Luna's lips being firmly pressed against his.

All around the Great Hall conversations seemed to cease as all eyes turned to the kissing teens. For the space of several seconds the only sound was that of two cameras as the Creevey brothers snapped several photos of Ron and Luna. Up at the head table Severus Snape made to interrupt the two teens only to be shoved back into his seat and silenced by professors Sprout and McGonagall.

Harry and Hermione stared wide eyed at Ron and Luna. This certainly wasn't what they had expected to happen this morning after the events of last night. Of course when they would look back on it later they would realize that, where Luna was concerned, there was no way to accurately predict what might happen.

"Wha-wha-wha-what?" stammered Ron when Luna broke the kiss.

Luna smiled at him before sitting back down to finish her breakfast as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Ron stared at the back of her head for several seconds before rushing over to his friends.

"What the bloody hell just happened?!" exclaimed the red head as he dropped down on the bench beside Harry.

Harry and Hermione stifled their own laughter at the situation since, as much as they wanted to be mad, they just couldn't find it in them to be so after witnessing that kiss. Or rather, Luna's actions provided a much more entertaining way to exact their revenge.

"I didn't know you and Luna were dating," said Harry, smiling as he took a big bite out of a cinnamon roll.

"We're not!"

"Oh really?" asked Hermione. "From the looks of that kiss you two have had some practice."

"I've never kissed her be-"

"When did you and Loony hook up?" asked Seamus, interrupting Ron.

"I said we're not-"

"Way to go Ron!" said Dean as he slapped him on the back. "I knew you'd find a girlfriend eventually!"

Ron glowered at his housemates. What was wrong with them?! "Loony Lovegood is not my girlfriend!"

"Careful mate. I wouldn't let her hear you say that," replied Harry before glancing behind them. "Oops, too late for that." Ron gave him a bewildered look before turning around and seeing Luna Lovegood standing behind him, her arms crossed over her chest, and a frown on her face.

"Even after that you still won't go out with me?"

"Err… I… We… You…" Ron sat there, stunned, unable to find what he wanted to say for a moment. "Why did you kiss me?!"

Tears shimmered in Luna's large blue eyes. "You don't remember your promise?"

Ron's brow furrowed as he asked, "What promise?"

"The promise you made when you saved me of course."

"I don't remember ever promising you anything." Ron's tone was one of perplexed annoyance.

Luna stared at him for several seconds, her lip quivering and several tears rolling from her over large eyes, before turning and running out of the Great Hall.

It seemed like all eyes watched Luna until she disappeared through the doors before snapping back to look at Ron, causing him to blush. All around the Great Hall you could hear whispers of "what a git" and "how could he do that" and many more unpleasant things wafted about the tables.

"Uhh…" Ron turned to Harry and Hermione, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "What did I say?"

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other before turning back to their breakfast. Ron would have to figure this one out on his own.

"Lot of help you two are," grumbled Ron before straightening his robes and heading off to find Luna.

"So then he said…" Lavender trailed off suddenly as she and Parvati came to a halt just inside the Gryffindor Common Room. Both girls' mouths were hanging open in surprise as they stared at what was happening on the couch a few feet away.

On the couch sat, or rather lay, with lips crushed together, hair mussed, hands roaming, and breath coming in ragged gasps, were Harry and Hermione. And it wasn't until Parvati and Lavender let out squeals of surprise and joy that the two teens noticed them and shot apart faster than what one would think humanly possible.

Twin smirks settled on Lavender and Parvati's faces as they approached their now beet red housemates. "Well who'd have thought that Harry and Hermione would be snogging each others brains out?" asked Parvati.

"Why I do think that was us," replied Lavender as she and Parvati grinned at Harry and Hermione.

"Err… It wasn't what it looked like?" said an extremely embarrassed Hermione.

"Yea! We-we can explain!" added Harry as he and Hermione both cringed at realizing there wasn't any reasonable, let alone believable, excuse for what they had just been doing.

"Oh really? This should be good," said Parvati as she and Lavender settled into two overstuffed chairs next to the couch.

Hermione opened her mouth to reply but closed it a second later without saying a word. Several seconds later she managed to get out, "Well umm… You see it's uh…" before words failed her completely.

"Hermione had something in her eye."

"Yes! I mean yea. I had something in my eye and Harry-"

"Having something in your eye required Harry's tongue shoved down your throat?" asked Lavender, laughter bouncing freely in her voice and sparkling in her eyes. Harry and Hermione blushed furiously and looked like they wanted to disappear into the couch.

"Of course it does, Lavender," said Parvati as if it made perfect sense. "But what about the hand Hermione had under Harry's shirt?"

"Hmm…" Lavender flashed a cheshire grin at her flustered housemates. "Perhaps Hermione was checking to see if he had a fever?"

Parvati shrugged and replied, "I'm sure they're both rather…warm," she grinned at them while barely suppressing a giggle. "Maybe he had an itch he couldn't quite reach?" Harry shifted uneasily at seeing both girls' eyes glance down at a lower part of his body.

"Seems like quite a large…itch," said Parvati as she grinned, causing Harry to try and hide his condition.

"So when did you two start sneaking off to shag?" asked Lavender, purposefully saying shag instead of snog.

"We haven't shagged yet!" Harry and Hermione protested without thinking before both turned as red as the couch they were sitting on. Lavender and Parvati giggled at them and none of the four noticed the portrait door open or someone enter the room.

"We've only been a couple since last night," mumbled Hermione, her voice quiet but not quiet enough.

"WHAT?!" someone shouted from behind them. Harry and Hermione jumped before turning around in their seats to see a very shocked Ronald Weasley.

"Ron…" whispered Hermione.

"Ron, I…" Harry trailed off, noticing Ron's disheveled appearance. "What happened to you?" Ron's hair was mussed, his clothes wrinkled, his shirt untucked, and there seemed to be something, lipstick perhaps?, on his cheeks. Lavender and Parvati studied him for a second before their eyes widened as they realized what it was.

"I'd say he and Luna made up," said Parvati. "Or at least she snogged him good."

Ron blushed as he seemed to go into a daze, no doubt remembering what he and Luna had just done. "Yea, we snogged," he said as he shook off the little daydream to glare at his two friends. "Now what the bloody hell is this about you two being a couple?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Both knew that Ron would have found out eventually and this was at least a little better than some of the possible ways he could have found out. The thought of what would have happened if he had been the one who had walked in on them snogging wasn't too pleasant.

Harry took a deep breath then said, "I know you're angry with us but-"

"I'm not angry," interrupted Ron, surprising all those present. "Why would you think that?"

All four present glanced at each other. "Because you've had a crush on Hermione for years," said Parvati.

Ron's shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked at scuff mark on the floor while his ears burned red. "I was that obvious?"

"About as obvious as a Harry and Hermione here getting together," replied Lavender, much to the consternation of Harry and Hermione.

"Well I think I'll turn in," said Hermione as she rose from the couch.

"Me too," said Harry as he quickly followed her out of the room.

"Separate beds you two!" called Lavender and Parvati as Harry and Hermione practically got stuck in the doorway to their private chambers in their haste to get out of the room. "We don't want you setting a bad example of us students!"

"Do you think they realize it's only 8 o'clock?" said Ron as he chuckled.

"No. But I'm sure they'll realize it before they get to their rooms," replied Parvati before she and Lavender turned their attention to Ron. "Now spill. We want all the details."

"Huh? Oh… Umm… Wow. Look at the time," said Ron as he looked at his watchless wrist. "I need to get to bed. Goodnight." He had barely made to the stairs to his dorm when his owl, Pigwidgeon, flew in through one of the windows and began to excitedly fly around Ron's head, a red envelope tied to his leg. A cold chill ran down his spine as he grabbed the tiny Scops owl out of the air and untied the howler from his leg. Seconds later the enveloped opened and the unmistakable voice of a very angry Molly Weasley filled the room.

"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU…"

In the confines of their private common room, Hermione turned and smiled at Harry. "Sounds like Mrs. Weasley got our letter about what Ron did last night."

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