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 Three: What Will Happen Now, Harry?
As pleasurable and filled with dreams of the other Harry and Hermione's sleep was, morning brought them back to the hard reality. Hermione was still Ron's girlfriend, and she and Harry still needed to talk about what had happened the previous night.
Breakfast confirmed that a certain awkwardness had established between them, especially on Hermione's side, since it was her who had started the kiss, and the fact that she had been quite drunk at the moment didn't lessen her embarrassment every time she would meet those green orbs of Harry's.
The raven haired wizard, for his part, couldn't stop remembering how soft her lips had felt on his own when he would look her way, which led him to look at her quite often through that meal, in fact. He barely touched his food, and suddenly excused himself and left, claiming to be in need of some fresh air.
His feet crunched the snow that had fallen that night as he strolled toward the pond behind the house, deep into the forest. He had found that spot a couple summers ago and had loved it since, so it was just natural he would head there to think.
Huffing, he charmed away enough snow to sit at the base of a tree without wetting his clothes, then plopped himself there. He sighed deeply, running his right hand through his hair, a gesture typical of his father that he had unconsciously picked up while growing.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly, wondering how the hell was he supposed to look at Hermione from now on and forget what she was capable of doing, and how good it felt.
Deep in thought as he was, he never heard someone approaching.
"I knew you would be here" Hermione said softly, smiling slightly. He looked up, startled, and grinned back sheepishly.
"You know me too well" he teased her. "If I were to commit a crime and you were in charge of the pursuit, you'd locate me in no time" he joked.
"Harry! Don't even say such a thing!" she scolded him. The mere thought of him in Azkaban was giving her shivers. "I think we need to talk" she seriously said, after a while, sitting near him.
"Yeah, that we do" he agreed, although he had hoped to be able to avoid that particular conversation.
"Believe me, I'd like to avoid the topic too, Harry" she sighed. Moving from the breakfast table to go after him had been difficult, as she knew what expected her if she did, but she also knew she had to, and Hermione Granger had never backed away in front of something that had to be done.
"Why didn't you stop me?" she suddenly asked, then, almost angry.
"Well…I didn't want to let you know of your mistake. I hoped you'd never know and that would spare us lots of embarrassment. I'd still think about that kiss all the time, but at least you'd be ok"
Hermione's expression softened. "Always the gentleman, Harry" she teased him, nudging him on his shoulder.
"I shall take that as a compliment, right?" he laughed, and she did too. Harry grinned at her. He had always loved her laugh, it was so crystalline, so heart-warming, so…Hermione.
After some minutes, they calmed down. "Harry, what happened last night…I thought about it a lot, after going to bed" she admitted. "And, I have to say it's been quite pleasurable. I'd always known you were a great kisser" she smiled at him, at which he puffed out his chest in triumph.
"Hey, maybe your ego didn't need another boost, uh?" she teased him.
"Ouch, that hurt, Granger" he spat back, feigning to be wounded.
"Big baby" she shushed him. Then she was once again serious. "But, seriously, Harry…I'm dating Ron, so we should label it as a mistake and forget about it altogether"
Harry suddenly stiffed, and kept looking ahead of them, toward the village. He had expected that of course, he wasn't stupid, but hearing the words actually uttered, well, that was all another thing.
Hermione noticed that, and raised her eyebrows. "What did you expect, Harry? Me coming here and declaring my newly found, undying love for you, after the wonderful kiss we shared?" she sarcastically said, just to widen her eyes seeing he was still silent.
"Harry…it's me and Ron we are talking about! You know him, he would be devastated by such a thing, if it was ever to happen!"
Silence.
"Harry, please…say something…" she was pleading now, holding his hands in her own. Tears were starting to pool in her eyes, as she thought that a mistake had managed to destroy a friendship of years, the strongest she had ever had, the only one without which she might not be able to go on.
Suddenly Harry moved, freeing his hands from her grip and cupping her face. He leaned in, and stopped just inches from her lips.
"Hermione…I'm gonna kiss you, and after this kiss, if you tell me you felt nothing, then I'll step back and leave you and Ron live your happy life" he said, then claimed her lips.
He gently asked for entrance with his tongue, and Hermione, after a moment of hesitation, let him in. In a matter of seconds, her arms were tight around his neck, while their tongues battled harshly in their mouths, fighting for dominance, in frenzied rhythm of assault and retreat, Harry's right hand coming up to her head to loosen her hair, which she had been holding in place with a clip, his other hand roaming on her back, while the little moans from her throat were the only sounds to be heard.
In the heat of the kiss Harry pulled her on his lap, and sneaked one hand under her sweater, making her breath hitch. He kissed her harder, giving her some of her own medicine, as he gently nibbled on her lip, mirth but also desire evident in his eyes.
As they finally broke the kiss, Hermione still on his lap, Harry cupped her face to look at her directly in the eyes.
"So. Can you tell me that you haven't felt anything?" he asked, waiting for her reply.
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. When she opened it again, it wasn't for speaking, but for kissing him once more, which was all what Harry needed as an answer.
Some minutes later, they finally parted for lack of air, and Hermione let him pull her even closer. She rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered into his hear.
"What will happen now, Harry?"
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