Disclaimer: Not mine. You know how it would have ended if it was, right?
A/N: My response to the "Kissing Santa" Challenge by leochick, which can be found here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26200. Hope you'll enjoy it, and please leave me a comment if you read, so that I know what you think of it.
Kissing The Wrong Santa
Chapter Ten: A Date
A week had passed since Sarah's arrival at the Ministry. Hermione was extremely confused over her feelings for her raven haired friend. All day she had to see Harry and the younger girl flirt with each other, as Sarah had started flirting back a couple days ago. Possibly deciding that since Harry was making his interest so blatant she could do the same.
Both of them seemed oblivious about how that was affecting her, but she knew she had no right to say a thing. After all, it was her who had rejected Harry.
"And for a good reason" she kept repeating herself while going home that night. "Ron doesn't deserve his heart to be broken like that"
But she was less and less convinced of that herself. Ok, Ron didn't deserve to be heartbroken, but did she deserve it after all the times she had been by Harry's side?
Sighing, she relaxed on the couch, a cup of tea in her hands, staring into the fireplace, lost in her thoughts.
She was startled by a sudden green flame cracking, and Ron entering her living room.
"Hi" he grinned at her.
Hermione forced a smile on her lips. "Hi Ron" she said, standing up to greet him. She knew all too well that Harry would have noticed her smile was a fake one. Still, she let Ron kiss her and did her best to get involved in the kiss.
She must have succeeded or Ron didn't notice, because he said nothing.
"So, sweetheart, are you ready?" the redhead asked then. They had plans to have dinner out that night.
"Sorry Ron, I still need to prepare. You can wait here or have a snack in the kitchen" she said while walking to her bedroom, knowing very well Ron would be kept occupied long enough if he had something to eat.
More or less an hour later, she emerged from the bedroom wearing a nice black dress, nothing too bold, but still it looked good on her.
"Whoa, Hermione, you're smashing" Ron complimented her and she nodded with a smile. "You're looking good too, Ron"
And with that they left.
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Harry was growing more and more nervous, since Hermione had left and he was alone with Sarah. That girl really attracted him, and since he already knew of Ron's plans for the night with Hermione, he knew he would have the time to make his move today. Now that he had to do it, though, he was scared.
"Harry, are you listening to me?" Sarah said, nudging him on the shoulder.
"Sorry, must have spaced out a bit" he grinned at her.
"I'd say you did, I've been calling you for a minute or so without a reply" she retorted with a radiant smile. She had become more and more at ease with Harry in the last days and now she felt completely comfortable being in the same room with him, even if they were alone.
She had also started to dress just a tiny bit bolder. Heck, he was flirting with her so often, it couldn't be bad if she played that game too. And it had definitely worked. More than once she had caught him staring at her, making her blush, at which, realizing he had been caught, he blushed too.
At first she had thought he and Hermione were an item, but after he had explained her that she was with his best friend, she relaxed a bit.
"Hey, anyone there?" she heard Harry call with a smile in his voice.
"Sorry" she said, blushing.
"I guess we are even now" he teased her. Then he grew serious again. Sarah wondered why he suddenly seemed so nervous.
"I…I was thinking" he started, gulping, "if you'd like to have dinner together tonight" he finished, hoping he didn't make a fool of himself.
"Are you asking me out, Mr. Potter?" she flirtatiously replied.
"Actually, yes, that's the idea" he retorted, catching her off guard. She didn't expect him to be so direct with his answer. There was still lots she had to discover about the man.
"We-well, in that case…yes, I'd like to have dinner together" she stammered, blushing. She was going on a date with him!
"What do you say we go now then? I'm quite famished, I must admit" he said with a grin, and she melted in his green eyes.
"It's fine for me" she said softly, barely above a whisper. He nodded, and lead the way out of his office.
"So, where are you taking me?" she asked as they left the building.
"You'll see. It's a nice Muggle place, you'll love it, I'm sure" he said, then took her hand and Apparated them away.
As they entered the restaurant, Harry asked for a table for two, and the couple was led by a waiter to their table. Scanning the menu, they made their orders ("Lasagne and a steak with chips for me" Harry said, "and a Caesar's salad for her")
As the waiter left, he grinned. "You on a diet?" he teased her.
"I've got to keep my beautiful figure" she smugly replied, and he chuckled.
"And who ever said you have a beautiful figure?" Harry teased her again. She mockingly scowled at him.
"So why did you ask me out, Mr. Potter, if I don't look beautiful to you?" she challenged him. He laughed.
"Touché" he said, admitting defeat.
They ate quietly, chatting about little nothings, now and then Harry would ask her something about her past, how was life in France, if the Ministry was any better there, if she had known Fleur Delacour.
She was still laughing after his last joke when she spotted someone behind him, at the entrance.
"Look, there's Hermione with her boyfriend, what was his name again?"
"Ron" Harry said, turning and seeing that indeed, his two best friends were walking toward the same part of the saloon they were in.
He should have known Ron would bring Hermione there, it was her favourite restaurant after all. He had unconsciously chosen Hermione's favourite place for his first date with Sarah.
"Just great" he thought to himself, inwardly groaning.
The redhead was the first one to spot them.
"Hey, luv, look! There's Harry with a girl there!" he said, showing them to Hermione, who followed his gaze, surprised, but even more so when she realized who was there with Harry.
The four of them exchanged polite greetings, then Ron and Hermione reached their table, but Harry knew with just a single look that something was troubling his female best friend. Her expression had clouded since she had spotted Sarah, and he had noticed it.
Making a mental note to talk with her about it in another occasion, he concentrated on his date, and managed to enjoy the end of their meal.
As they left they wished Ron and Hermione good night, then Harry volunteered to accompany Sarah home.
"Really, I can go myself" she said, with a smile. "I'm a big girl"
"I know you are, but I'll feel better knowing I've been the perfect gentleman" he joked, at which she relented.
"Ok then, grab my hand, Mr. Potter" she said, and Apparated them to the front door of her flat.
Once they landed, Harry knew parting from her would be difficult.
"Good night, then" he said, a bit dejectedly.
"Good night" she replied with a smile. She started fidgeting with her keys, searching for the right one, when Harry called her.
"Sarah" he whispered. She turned, and he kissed her.
Her keys fell to the floor as her arms immediately circled his neck, while their tongues met for the first time and started a rhythmic dance inside their mouths. The only sound to be heard was a little moan coming now and then from Sarah's throat.
After some time, they parted for lack of hair.
"Good night then" he grinned goofily, at which she replied with a whispered goodnight. Then, finally opening her door, she moved backwards inside her flat, never stopping to look at him till her door was completely closed.
He then Apparated to his own house, and sat on the couch replaying the events of the night in his head with a contented smile.
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