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 Fifteen: Finally Together
Breaking the kiss for a moment, Harry spoke. "Considering your attire though, a nice night in wouldn't be bad too" he smirked.
She giggled softly before claiming his lips again in an heated kiss.
As he woke up the next morning, in Hermione's bed, with her body spooned against his own, Harry couldn't help but grin goofily.
"It was about time we got together" he thought, caressing her honey-coloured hair.
Then he got an idea, and inwardly chuckling he slowly and attentively disengaged himself from her, trying to not wake her up, eliciting some noises of protest from the beautiful girl on his side. He smiled while walking toward the kitchen.
As she woke up some minutes later, Hermione recalled the previous night. However, searching for Harry in her bed, she didn't find him, and panicked, thinking it had all been just a dream. Hastily slipping her robe on, she went to the kitchen, guided by a nice smell of breakfast being prepared, and there he was, working on some bacon, his upper half naked. She couldn't resist the sight and went to hug him from behind, sliding her arms around his waist.
"Hey" he said softly. "You're awake"
"Yeah, the bed felt cold without you there" she replied, resting her head on his back.
"Sorry about that" he grinned. "I had this nice idea of surprising you with breakfast in bed, but now that's ruined" he gave her a mock scowl.
"You're quite cute when you do that, you know" she teased him.
"Granger, men are not cute. Handsome, in my case, but not cute" he retorted sticking his tongue at her while pouring her some coffee.
"Ok, I think we should open doors and windows to give space to your oversized ego" she said, deadpanned.
"Is that so?" he smirked, sipping his coffee. "Then you must like my ego very much, Miss Granger, from what I recall of last night"
She blushed scarlet red and he laughed merrily.
Then they ate their breakfast quietly, before Harry had to Apparate back to his flat to get dressed.
"I'll see you at the Ministry in half an hour then" he said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.
Hermione enjoyed her coffee a bit longer, girlishly giggling upon remembering the events of the previous night, before heading to have a shower.
-------------
Some days had passed, and Sarah was finally coming back to the office after having completed her recovery. Harry had not heard from her since the break-up, so he was happy to see her being there before him, as usual. He found her and Hermione quietly chatting. He and Hermione exchanged a look which both understood perfectly and which meaning was "no funny business from now on in the office". It was out of respect for the other girl who had just recovered from a serious injury and had had to endure also the pain of the break-up.
They resumed their old routine of going to have a coffee together before starting to work, then busied themselves in some paperwork activity regarding the captures that had been done on the raid, and time flew. Soon enough, Sarah asked Harry if he could excuse her because her mother had invited her over for dinner, and she still needed to get ready.
"Don't worry, me and Hermione will be able to go on on our own from here. You go and enjoy a nice night with your relatives. You shouldn't put a strain on you so soon after the injury anyhow, so it's ok if you leave early for some days" he reassured her with a smile.
She might take some more time to be completely ok after the break-up but things were going to be ok between the three of them, of that Harry was sure.
--------
It was Sunday, and as it had by now become usual, Harry woke up snuggled to Hermione. Even if they still lived in their different flats, it was Hermione's idea to keep them, just in case anything got wrong in their relationship, while Harry would have loved to have her move in with him, they had made it a routine to sleep together, as both seemed to not be able to sleep alone anymore. At times it would be at Hermione's flat, other times they would spend the night at Harry's but always together. Most of the time it just involved innocent sleeping, but at times things got naughty and the previous night had been one of those.
Looking out of the window, he saw it was sunny, and smiled. He loved sunny weather. He then looked down at the girl in his arms and wondered how could such an amazing witch be in love with him. He knew he probably didn't deserve her but he was glad she felt like him because he knew he couldn't live without her. Not anymore.
Inhaling deeply, he grinned. The vanilla scent of her hair filled his nostrils, and it always made him feel at home.
Kissing her forehead, he tried moving out of the bed but she wouldn't let go of him. Inwardly laughing, he decided some emergency measures were needed, and started tickling her.
As she woke up, not pleased by how he had managed that, he smirked.
"A bit possessive, Granger?" he teased her.
Hermione stuck out her tongue at him and left he bed, walking toward the bathroom, giving him a good view of her back side, which had him groaning.
"Not fair!" he called while moving out of bed himself and going to prepare breakfast. Minutes later, as they sipped their coffees, Harry suggested they go to have a nice picnic in a Muggle London park.
Hermione liked the idea lots, so they prepared some sandwiches, not without some flirting on both parts while they worked together in the kitchen, put them in a picnic basket Harry had conjured, then shrunk it to fit their pockets.
Since they were at Hermione's, they chose to head to Hyde Park, which was nearer.
As they were leaving, Harry had the great idea to go and check with Andromeda if they could bring Teddy with them, and the older witch eagerly agreed, thinking it was a nice suggestion. His godson was also ecstatic at the idea of passing the day with the two of them.
The couple walked hand in hand, enjoying the view of Muggle London, Teddy being now and then shifted between the two of them as it would be too tiring for him to walk all the time. They rarely spent time in the Muggle world anymore, although being both raised in Muggle environments, and they liked to go there now and then.
As they strolled through the paths in the park, Harry pulled her close, putting an arm around her shoulders, and they kept walking that way. Hermione contentedly snuggled near him, feeling she was the happiest woman on Earth at the moment.
Finally, they stopped to have lunch, settling under a nearby tree which provided them some shadow. It was quite an hot day, in fact. Checking that no Muggles were around, Hermione restored the picnic basket to its original size, and they tucked in eagerly. Walking made them famished, in fact.
Harry couldn't help beaming at her. It was the perfect day, with the perfect company, and he felt his wish of having a family of his own was somewhat starting to get real.
---------------------
Hermione woke up alone in bed that morning. Wondering where Harry had gone, as he was there the previous night when she had fallen asleep, she checked every room of his flat, but to no avail. Finally she found a note in the kitchen saying he had gone to the office early.
She was a bit put out. He never left without having breakfast together, and to do that on that particular day, which was her birthday, made her a bit sad.
Shrugging, she drank her by now cold coffee, had a shower and went to the Ministry herself. She checked his office, and found him and Sarah already at work.
"Good Morning" Hermione said, and both looked up.
"Oh, hi, Hermione" Harry said almost business-like, then almost dashed out of the room mumbling something about having to go see Lupin. Sarah then properly greeted Hermione, giving her the best wishes for her birthday.
"At least someone remembered about it" Hermione bitterly thought as she retreated to her own office.
All day Harry avoided her and never he stopped to give her his wishes for her birthday. Nor he had a present for her. It was like he had completely forgotten about it.
Finally Hermione confronted him at lunch.
"Harry, do you know which day is today?"
"Of course I know, Hermione. It's September 19th!" he said, looking at her like she had grown a second head. "Sorry but I've got to go now" he said and ran away.
All afternoon Hermione was pestered by Sarah asking her questions and thus delaying her in finishing what she was currently doing, which resulted in her leaving the Ministry later than usual.
"What a great birthday" she sarcastically thought while leaving. "My own boyfriend doesn't even remember it and I got full of work to do"
As she reached her flat, she switched the light on, only to find it didn't work. Suspicious, she took her wand and cautiously walked toward the living room. As she stepped inside it, the lights suddenly switched on, and soft music started to play. There were rose petals on the floor directing her to the table, where she found a note by Harry directing her to the bathroom.
As she walked, rose petals kept appearing on the floor in front of her. Finally entering the bathroom, she found the bath already running, the water at the perfect temperature, and relaxing music filling the room.
She relaxed into the hot water, and wondered what else was expecting her as it was clearly something Harry had planned really well. Going to her room to get dressed she found a brand new black dress, with spaghetti straps and a quite deep V-neck. It was satin, and when she slipped it on, she felt perfectly comfortable in it. It made her also look very sexy, she noted while checking herself in the mirror.
Fixing her hair in a ponytail with just few tendrils adorning her face, she applied just an hint of make up, then went to grab her purse, imagining Harry would be there any minute. Instead, she felt the familiar tug on her navel as she was transported away by Portkey.
As she graciously landed, she looked around and gasped. She was on a Caribbean island, particularly on the beach, and she could see a table for two there.
Harry watched her, and had to force himself not to drool. She was breathtaking with that dress! When he finally managed to recompose himself, he moved from his hiding spot.
"Welcome, my beautiful lady" a voice startled her and she turned to see him dressed very elegantly, walking toward her with a dazzling smile.
"Oh, Harry!" she said, lacing her arms around his neck and kissing him thoroughly.
"I was so angry at you when you didn't mention my birthday at all today, and now I feel like a fool, seeing what you planned!" she said then.
Harry chuckled. "Well, believe me it wasn't easy to plan all of that, especially avoiding you all day and asking Sarah to keep you busy till late at the Ministry. Now, if you want to follow me…" he said with a slight bow.
"My, of course" Hermione playfully replied with a slight bow of her own.
"You look quite smashing in that dress, by the way" he casually commented, making her blush. "You look really handsome too" she replied.
He grinned, pulling back her chair like a perfect gentleman.
As the ate quietly chatting, beautiful soft music accompanying them through the meal, Hermione couldn't stop herself noticing that he had prepared all her favourite dishes. He knew her very well, she must admit. When the dessert arrive, she just had to clap an hand over her mouth in surprise.
It was a modified version of the Sacher-torte, with white chocolate icing instead of the normal dark chocolate one and the writing "Happy Birthday Hermione" on top. It also had strawberry jam on the inside instead of apricot one.
She looked up at him, and whispered, "How?". No one knew about that, if not her mother and father who always had it for her on her birthday before she started Hogwarts.
"I asked your mother" Harry said with a sheepish grin, just moments before Hermione flung herself at him, placing her lips on his own, tears of joy leaving her eyes.
As they finished eating, Harry produced a wrapped box and gave it to her. "Your present" he said, and she looked at him.
"Really, Harry, you already got me this dress, and this wonderful night…"
"Open it" he gently said, cutting her protests.
She did, and the real waterworks started. It was an album of photos of the two of them through the years, since first year to now.
"I know it's not much" he said, but she stopped him.
"It's the most thoughtful gift I ever got" she said softly, hugging him tightly, wetting his shirt with her tears of happiness.
"This is really the best birthday ever" she whispered into his ear.
"I'm glad you feel this way" he said kissing her sweetly, no raw passion but just love poured into it.
When they finally parted, Hermione took his hand.
"So…where tonight? Mine or yours?" she naughtily asked.
"Actually, I have arranged it for us to pass the night here" he said, leading her to a secluded space just behind the beach, where a comfy bed was placed, heating charms to keep them warm through the night, and the spectacular view of the Caribbean sea lapping the white sand with lots of stars shining over it to wish them goodnight.
Then, he circled her waist from behind, kissing her neck as she gazed at the scenery.
"You know, as good as that dress looks on you, I think I'd much see you without it" he huskily whispered into her ear then, sending shivers through her spine.
"Take it off yourself then, Mr. Potter" she seductively winked at him, giving start to the last part of a night they would always remember.
-->