Disclaimer: I don't own HP. JK bowling does, and we saw that in DH…
A/N: My take on the "Secret Admirer" challenge by BloodyRegrets that you can find here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26225 . Hope you'll enjoy this fic, I'm sure I'll enjoy writing it! And if you read, please review, it makes me happy and it just takes you few moments! *laughs* Ignores the epilogue.
Harry is not going to like what happens here…
The Stalker
Chapter Three: Date
Dearest Hermione,
I think the time has come for
us to meet in person. Meet me at
"Merlin's Garden" Tuesday night
at eight o clock, and don't worry
about my identity. I'll recognize you,
and I'll make myself known in due time.
Love,
Your admirer
Harry crumpled the parchment in his fist. He couldn't believe the audacity of this man, whoever he was, asking Hermione out!
He felt his blood boil, and willed himself to calm down, with little result.
"You're not going" he barked then.
Hermione looked surprised for just a moment, then glared at him, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"And why not?" she icily drawled.
"It's too dangerous, Mione" he said, but she snorted.
"Come on, Harry! That restaurant is one of the most famous in the Wizarding World. There are reporters at every hour, would he really be so stupid to try something there, even if he was dangerous, which I seriously doubt?"
"It would be the perfect chance to show the world that even the Golden Trio can be harmed" Harry said, although he didn't completely believe it himself.
Hermione raised her eyebrows at him, and he finally crumbled.
"I'm…I'm just not comfortable with you going, ok?" he finally half-admitted. He never said why he wasn't comfortable, after all.
Hermione, however, was a smart witch and didn't miss that detail. "And why aren't you comfortable then, Harry? Some would think you're jealous…" she teased him, her anger suddenly vanished, as she saw the chance to get what she wanted, which at the moment was to go on this date, but also having the chance to evaluate his reaction at her mentioning him being jealous, something that had been coming in and out of her mind lately, seeing how he reacted at her receiving those letters and flowers.
Harry knew he was not going to win that argument, once the words left her mouth. After all, he wasn't going to tell her he wasn't comfortable with her going on a date because he wanted to be the guy she dated.
"Fine" he snapped. "Go to this blasted date, but at least let me "chaperone" you under my cloak. You won't even know I'm there. I just want to see who this man is and make sure he treats you well"
Hermione's expression softened, as his last words warmed her heart. There was a special sweetness in them that was so…Harry, and she found herself agreeing.
"Ok, you can come under the cloak. But, you won't make a sound, whatever way the date goes. You're allowed to intervene only if my personal safety is in danger, which I seriously doubt anyhow, understood?" she said, giving him a pointed stare. He nodded, and suddenly saw her face break in an huge grin.
"Come on then, help me choose what to wear!" she said, taking his hand in her own and dragging him to her bedroom. It took them barely over an hour, but in the end Harry had to admit she was gorgeous, and this mystery man was a lucky bloke to have a date with her.
She had finally decided for a peach dress, which left her shoulders and good part of her back bare as it was tied around her neck, and the v-neck allowed a good view of her cleavage without being too provocative. Overall, the dress made her look sexy without being vulgar, and Harry felt his blood head in a direction he didn't want it to go. Trying to picture Hagrid in a tutu to calm himself, he closed his eyes, sighing, while Hermione was in the bathroom taking off that dress, as not to stain it before she had to actually prepare herself for the date.
Hermione was watching him closely during that afternoon, as she tried dress after dress. Every time she would come out of her bathroom with a different one, she would evaluate his reaction, but with years he had become very good at hiding his feelings, even from her. However, his gulp when he saw her in that peach dress sent a jolt of electricity down her spine, and she knew she wouldn't choose anything else. For one night, she wanted to feel sexy and forget her work-related troubles.
As Harry left to go fetch his cloak, after all he didn't expect to be on "duty" when he had come to say hello so he hadn't it with him, Hermione stepped into the shower. She had to be quick if she wanted to be on time.
When she came back to her bedroom, Harry was already back there, placing his wand in his forearm holster.
"You don't really expect to have to use that, right?" she said, with an hint of annoyance in her voice.
Harry smirked at her. "Constant vigilance, Granger!" he barked then in his best Mad-Eye Moody imitation. She playfully rolled her eyes at him, and he heard her mutter something like "the old crazy man has finally rubbed off on you" while she retreated to the bathroom to change. Moody was dead in the war, in the summer after Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, but Hermione knew his "Constant Vigilance" policy was by now almost embedded in the walls of Auror Department at the Ministry, Harry being one of those who more strongly believed in it, if not the first one at all.
He then sat quietly on the bed, waiting for her to get ready, and letting his thoughts wander like he rarely did.
It had been a long time since he had let his feelings for Hermione bubble to the surface. First, there was the fear that Voldemort would target her even more, then after the war, he had thought she fancied Ron, plus he had Ginny, didn't he? But those romances had lasted few months before they all agreed they were better as friends. Molly, surprising everyone, told them she had always wondered if they were really happy in those relationships, as they were obviously ill-matched. Harry was shocked, he had always believed her to be one of those who believed "one big happy Weasley family" was what expected the teens in their future, and instead the older witch didn't think Ginny and Ron were suited for him and Hermione!
"Oh, it's not like I don't think high of my two youngest, Harry" she had explained him when he had voiced his surprise. "It's just that even if I think they are great kids, I can't help noticing that Hermione and Ron are bickering more than they are talking normally, and you and Ginny…well, let's say I can see when two people don't aim for the same in a relationship. So, better realize it and call it off now than later, when you are married already, maybe with kids"
Harry couldn't help agreeing with her on that one.
After that attempt at dating the Weasleys, there had been his fear of rejection, and what that would do to their friendship. Honestly, she had never given him signs she was interested, did she? And Harry knew he was far better having her as just a friend than not having her at all.
At times, things slipped through his guard, like the other night when he had pecked her on the lips, but he was overall doing a good job in keeping his feelings in check. And now, this admirer ordeal had made him jealous, and he didn't know what to do. Act on his feelings, or not?
It seemed that the choice was out of his hands now…
His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Hermione's appearance. He thought that having seen her in that dress already, he wouldn't be much affected, but he was sorely wrong. Apart from the dress itself, Hermione had done a wonderful job with her hair, collecting it behind her head an leaving just few tendrils to frame her face. Then, she had applied a tiny bit of make up.
"You…you're stunning" he choked while standing up from her bed. A rosy blush coloured her cheeks, and she smiled warmly at him.
"Thanks, Harry. Shall we go, then?"
"Of course" he said, draping his cloak over himself and vanishing from sight. Hermione felt him gently grasp her elbow, and only then she Apparated them both to the restaurant.
As they arrived at the place of the appointment, Harry scanned the crowd trying to guess who her date was.
He spotted a tall man, with brown hair, walking toward them. Well, technically toward Hermione, since he couldn't be seen.
When the man finally approached them, Harry took a long look at him. His eyes were blue, and he had the hint of a stubble. Dressed casually but yet elegantly enough for such an expensive restaurant, he bowed to Hermione, taking her hand in his own, and kissing it gently. "I'm honoured that you came, Ms. Granger" he said. "I'm John McTrish"
"Nice to meet you, John" Hermione said with a warm smile and an hint of a blush at his chivalrous gesture. "And please, call me Hermione. We're out on a date, aren't we?" she said with a smile.
Harry knew there was a reason why he didn't like this man, and his cheesy manners proved it. Rolling his eyes, he followed them inside, Hermione's arm laced through John's one, trying to not bump into anyone, otherwise he would give away his presence. All dinner he watched them from afar, having hid in a corner where neither clients or waiters would bump into him, just near a plant, and he often found himself narrowing his eyes when John would say something that made Hermione laugh, and wanting to strangle the man when he placed his hand on Hermione's on the table.
He, however, was too far to hear what they were talking about.
Hermione thought she had rarely met such a charming man. He was great company through their meal, and more than once had made her laugh. He was also chivalrous, something that tended to be forgotten these days. For example, he pulled out her chair and had her seat before he went to get comfortable himself. They amiably chatted while eating, ("Chicken breast flambé for me, and roasted fillet of grouper for the miss" he had ordered for them both), now and then taking a sip of the dry white wine they had chosen, which would match perfectly both their dishes, and she had found out he was from Scotland, and worked in the Ministry as one of the lower grade Unspeakables, which fascinated her quite a bit. He more than once paid her compliments, which made her blush a tiny bit, and so she was more than happy to continue the pleasurable evening going to have a bit of ice-cream.
As she exited the restaurant with her left arm laced with John's right one, she felt a small tug on her other hand, and remembered Harry was there.
"So we're going to Fortescue's then?" she said, letting him know where they were directed, and John nodded. "The best ice-cream I've ever had, and I couldn't offer you less" he said with a dazzling smile that would have made Lockhart proud.
Harry gagged under the cloak, then Apparated away to Diagon Alley just after they did.
As they strolled around, Harry was sulkily following them, his hands in his pockets, glaring daggers at the man's back. He then leant on a building, sighing at how childish he was acting about the whole thing, while they sat at the parlour quietly sharing a sundae.
He knew Hermione deserved happiness, and if she was to find it with this guy, he would never dream of disrupting it. He knew he had waited too long, and now that he was building up the courage to finally reveal her his feelings, he might not get a chance.
Seeing that they were leaving, he stealthily moved closer, after all he was Head of the Auror Department, he must know a thing or two about following someone without being spotted, don't you think?
"Hermione…I've enjoyed this evening very much" John started, and Hermione smiled.
"I did too, John" she said, just a bit coyly. He glanced sideways at her, nodding, and took her hand in his own. Then, he slowly stopped, turned toward her, and cupped her cheek with his free hand.
He slowly moved closer, till his lips brushed her own. He stood there, waiting for her to pull back if she wanted.
She didn't, although she had to admit it didn't feel even half as good as when Harry had pecked her on the lips that other night. But Harry wasn't the one kissing her now, and he had never really given her reason to think he was interested. Soon, she felt John deepen the kiss, and she kissed him back.
After a couple minutes, Harry, who was positively seething by now, and had to use all his self-control to restrain himself from punching the guy in the nose, heard him whisper the words the raven haired wizard had dreaded would come.
"Why don't we go back to my flat?"
Hermione nodded, knowing she was being quite more adventurous that her normal self, but it felt good, plus John had been the perfect gentleman all night, she felt she had nothing to worry.
Harry barely managed to cast a silent tracking charm on the man before they Apparated away, leaving him alone in the middle of Diagon Alley.
He sighed, and then located them on a map he had the Ministry make for all Aurors, it worked exactly like the Marauders Map, only it didn't show Hogwarts but whatever part of the world you wanted it to show. Harry called out, "England", then zoomed in to the zone a red dot was pulsating in.
He spotted the dot labelled John McTrish, glowing red because of the tracking charm, and then Apparated to the other man's flat.
He managed to arrive before the couple had entered, so as soon as the door was open, he slipped inside unnoticed.
Hermione, in the mean time, wondered where Harry had gone, since she didn't feel him grab her arm when they had Apparated away from Diagon Alley. She figured he had finally understood John was not dangerous and left them to enjoy the end of their date alone, but of course she was wrong.
Following John inside, she stepped into the living room, and taking a look around, she gasped.
"What the…"
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