For You I Will

Authors Note: (skip it if they bore you, is nothing important.)

**shuffles back into the room**

Uh..hello. I haven’t posted on Portkey for a few months, I’ve been travelling. For anyone who’s interested, (which may very well be no one ha ha), I almost abandoned Something About You. (I’m scared of the reviews. Lame, but true. Thinner skin than I thought! Hah, who knew). But I’ve decided it’s too sad to leave it where it is and so I will finish it. Soon!

Anyway – this is a little peace offering. I’ve got lots of stories I’ve been writing but my new rule is to finish a story before I post it. I get thrown off by reviews otherwise. This is a light hearted story that’s three chapters long and complete(daily updates from now kids). It’s kinda fluffy I think, similar to my other short, Favourite Girl. I’ve got something more angsty in the works but it’s a few weeks off yet.

Hope you enjoy, if you review be gentle! I’m a sensitive soul...

Warnings: Strong language, alcohol use and slightly OOC.

Disclaimer: Everyone’s always getting drunk in my stories. This is one of the many ways you can tell I’m not JK Rowling.

For You I Will

By gg (also posted on ff.net as Wrong for Me under scarlett and gold.)

She’s always been wrong for me.

She’s picky, a perfectionist. It would’ve driven me crazy.

See even now, it’s a party for Christ’s sake and she’s trying to make sure all the shot glasses match. What difference does it make? No one’s going to be able to tell in a minute.

I watch her from the other side of the kitchen as she carefully measures out Midori into each glass, then grabs a teaspoon from the top drawer -and makes sure it’s clean- before using it to pour the Baileys on to, so it sits perfectly on the top layer of the shot.

I roll my eyes.

It’s a Quick Fuck. That’s the name of the drink. It’s not supposed to be perfect. She’s taking so long with these shots I actually check out her ass in those tight dark jeans. Now that’s a first.

I’ve never checked her out before.

Well not really anyway. I know she has nice skin – she looks good in a strapless top like what she’s wearing now. Her shoulders are smooth and her arms are slim and toned. But I don’t really notice. When we get ready to go out somewhere, it’s like she’s one of the lads. In fact she mostly has drinks around at mine and Ron’s before she comes out with us somewhere.

I give a short derisive snort as I realise it’s never occurred to me to mind yet. It’s usually me, Ron, Seamus, Ernie and sometimes Dean, though he’s a bit under the thumb now he’s with Lavender, and Hermione. I look over at Ron who’s trying to chat up some brunette girl that’s come to Ernie’s party; I’ve never seen her before. Hermione glances over and shakes her head. I wonder if she ever actually minds. I see a small smile on her face as she moves around to the other side of the glasses and I suppose not – I guess she’s just glad Ron was honest with her from the beginning that he was nowhere near ready to settle down yet.

I’m glad too – only because I couldn’t have gone on lying for him. He was practically asking me to choose between them when he’d sneak around, seeing all these different girls behind her back. When he finally called it quits I thought Hermione would be furious. Funnily enough, she took it in her stride.

I watch her as she carefully places the shot glasses on a circular tray and gets out her wand, casting a spell so none of them would spill. Typical. She does everything the safe, measured way. God it probably bored Ron to death.

She takes the tray to Ernie and Seamus who turn around to her and cheer, Seamus looping an arm around her and bringing her into the circle. She grins and starts handing out the little glasses, watching her hands carefully so as not to spill. I’d roll my eyes again but I think it’s starting to give me a headache.

They go to drink and she stops them, bossing everyone around as usual. They turn to her and she makes them lift their glasses in the middle to make them clink then leads them in a chorus of ‘They tried to make me go to rehab I said no no NO!!!” They shout the last word and down the drink, as per her instructions at the beginning of the night. Always making us play her drinking games, do things her way.

She’s smiling as she starts to move away until the boys grab her and pull her back, complaining that she hasn’t had a drink yet. Now it’s her turn to roll her eyes but it’s good natured as she lifts the glass, her arm up straight and sings the line again, loudly. She throws back the drink to a round of cheers and I laugh at the grimace she makes afterward.

She brushes off the boys praises and moves on to the next group which includes Ron. He hangs his arm around her neck too and the same process begins before she moves on.

A group of guys by the door are watching her as she makes her way around the room, giving shots and having laughs. She has no idea. When she reaches them I can see something in their eyes as they watch her, talk and laugh with her, and it unsettles me for some reason. I frown and watch them over my drink.

Just then I catch a flash of red in the corner of my vision and fight back the urge to groan. I plaster on a smile and turn to Ginny who’s walking towards me with her friend Trina. A cute brunette who’s attached herself to Ginny lately, a little stalker-like if you ask me.

“Hi Harry.”

It’s funny how you can be enamoured by someone for years, then only months later, their very voice can irritate you. I give her a kiss on the cheek hello though, and smile at Trina who grins back idiotically. Just then I hear Hermione laugh loudly across the room and look over to see her in the middle of the group of guys, them watching her every move.

I tear my eyes away to focus back on Ginny. I mean yeah, she is still hot. But god – what a nightmare.

I’d thought I was getting this low maintenance, easy going girl who’d be a friend to me too – but with ...benefits. No, no what I got in fact was a girl that once we were going out again after the war, tried to never let me out of her sight. All her insecurities came out and I found myself making excuses for the fun I was trying to have to forget the ordeal we had all just been through. I thought she would understand. But really, I mean who could. I guess only Hermione was there for the whole thing, and other than her, no one else really knew everything that went on. I couldn’t be bothered explaining to Ginny, especially once I realised the most important thing to her was the latest styles of robes in Witch Weekly. I lost count of how many times I sat in the lounge room, waiting with Ron and Hermione for Ginny to get ready. She’d come out and go back in to get changed so many times that we were often already drunk by the time we’d go out. I don’t know why she needed that long. Hermione was always ready not long after me and Ron and she always looked fine.

The guys weren’t letting Hermione move on yet, insisting she had another shot with them. I could tell she was trying to think of an out now. I started to think about how I could help her out when I felt Ginny’s hand on my thigh.

She was leaning in close to say something to me, her glass of wine dangerously close to tipping.

“What?”

“I said – are you going anywhere after this?”

I wasn’t concentrating though, I was just about to walk over to Hermione who was looking like she was really trying to get away now but just then she gave one of them the tray and plucked the last two shot glasses off it. She turned away laughing as a few called her back and then she was headed straight for me, raising her eyebrows.

I smiled at her, inviting her over. It looked like we could both help each other out here.

“Help!” She shook her head and laughed again as she handed me one of the shots. “Hi Ginny!”

Ginny smiled at her; a smile that -I knew her well enough to know -was fake. Funny how Hermione had chilled out a lot over the years and Ginny had got more...uptight. She’d always seemed to have a problem with Hermione since we left school. I don’t know why and I don’t know if Hermione didn’t realise or if she just did a good job of playing dumb to it. Who really knows with girls I thought, and went to knock back the drink.

“Waaaait!” Hermione put her hand on my arm, stopping me. “The song, Harry. You know you gotta sing the song...”

I screwed up my face. “I’m definitely not singing the song.” I tried to stop the corners of my mouth tugging as she stared at me incredulous.

“You so are!! Everyone has to sing the song, it’s the rules. And you know I’m all about rules.” Ernie and Seamus were watching now and Ernie called out ‘Yeah right’ to which Hermione turned and shushed him. She turned back to watch me intently and I couldn’t help but smile.

I rolled my eyes. “Shit. Alright.” I held my glass up, then glanced sideways at her. “You’re singing it with me.”

Her eyes glinted brightly. “Of course.”

“They tried to make me go to rehab I said...”

“NO NO NO!!” Everyone but Ginny and Trinia joined in and I laughed before taking the shot. I handed the empty glass back to Hermione who was trying to pass the last full shot on to Ginny -who was refusing. She and Trinia moved off to the other side of the kitchen.

“Looks like it’s yours then.”

“God no, I can’t do another, seriously. You do it for me.”

I frowned at her but decided to help her out. She passed me the little glass, then brought her hand to her face to lick off the sticky liqueur that had spilt on her thumb.

No there was no denying it, tonight she definitely looked hot. I could actually see how guys that aren’t her mate might notice her, she’s nice and slim and her hair, long and still curly but much tamer than when we were at Hogwarts - it falls down to the middle of her back now. It’s soft and bouncy and she unconsciously tucks it behind one ear a lot. It’s kinda cute I guess.

I decide to tell her.

“You look hot tonight you know.”

Her eyes grew really wide for a moment then she shoved me. “Shut up.”

I shoved her back. “You do, idiot.”

She smiled then, and nudged me with her elbow. “Ta. No I’ll take that as a compliment, coming from you!”

“What do you mean by that?”

She looked at me quizzically. “Well you only date models and that. High standards!” She grinned and reached past me up to the cupboard behind my head for a tumbler. I get a face full of great smelling hair.

“I don’t!”

I turn to help pass her ice and the ingredients for her cocktails.

“Uh...yes you do. ” She raised her hand at my accusatory gaze. “I’m saying that’s good!! It means you know hot when you see it! And so, I’m flattered.”

“Blah blah.” I throw some ice at her and she giggles. “Last compliment I give you, kid.”

She grins. “Actually, it’s the first compliment you’ve ever given me.”

She spins away from me then, back over to play games with Seamus and I’m left staring after her. That’s not true is it? I’ve given her compliments before haven’t I? Surely. I rack my brain and a sort of dread comes over me. I think she might be right.

It bugs me for the rest of the party.

I’ve given her compliments before, I know it. About her spell work, about her quick thinking – I mean she’s saved my life, so many times. I guess that’s her point. It’s always been about her brains.

Never about her, physically. Or emotionally I guess.

I drain another glass and stare at the empty bottom. I’ve lost count how many that is now – for some reason I’ve found myself sat in a corner, drinking myself into a coma.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. There’s a room full of people, over half of them beautiful witches and I’m sitting in a corner lost in my thoughts. Luckily enough of my mates come over and chat to me that I don’t think anyone can tell.

Which leaves me alone with my thoughts for the most part.

I’m sure there was one time... my memory is even blurrier than usual thanks to the alcohol.

That’s it! After my first date with Cho in Hogsmeade back in Year....whatever it was, I came to her for advice. And she said... What did she say?

‘You should’ve mentioned how ugly you thought I was too’

That’s right. And so I told her she was pretty then. Didn’t I?

‘But I don’t think you’re ugly.’

Not the same thing Harry you genius.

Ahh right. Okay so she’s right. I’ve never complimented her before. But so what? Ron doesn’t compliment Ginny – it’s a brother and sister thing. So she’s like my sister – like I’ve always said.

But I’m positive that Ron has NEVER checked out Ginny’s ass in her tight jeans – no matter how briefly. Argh this conversation with myself was giving me a headache.

God where’s another drink when you need one.

“Are you alright?”

Of course she notices. For not the first time in my life, I wish she didn’t know me so well.

“No I’m ridiculously drunk and finding it difficult to say big words.”

She snorts with laughter and dumps herself unceremoniously down next to me.

“Come and dance.”

I grimace at her. “Since when did I ever dance. Geez, call yourself my best friend. I thought you knew me by now.”

“Ah I live in hope.” She grins at me. Then her face turns serious. “No actually, I really need to shake one of these guys. Stalker alert.” She shifts her back to the room so no one else can see and makes a stabbing motion with her hand with her eyes wide, making an accompanying noise. She makes me laugh.

“So what, are you just going to use me for my body.”

She leans forward and squeezes my bicep. “Shameful, but true. “

Hang about – I think I’m flirting. With Hermione.

It’s like an out of body experience. So much so, that my mouth starts speaking without me.

“Why don’t I just snog you. They’ll get the message then.”

Her face completely changes to an expression I’ve never seen before. She stares at me and I grab a drink – hers I think – and drain it.

Shit , stop stop STOP flirting with Hermione.

I grab her around the neck, rougher than I mean to, and pull her in close, kissing the top of her head. I’m thinking of kind of a big brother type thing I’ve seen Ron do a few times, but I don’t count on the fact that she’s drunk too and when she turns her face up to me, she’s now a grand total of 2 inches away from my lips.

“Just...stay here for a bit. They’ll take off soon.”

All she does is nod sleepily and I’m suddenly and uncomfortably aware of her body tucking itself into mine, her arms winding around my waist. None of the people who know us look at us strangely but casting an eye to the lads in the corner I see one of them gesture over and turn to talk to his mates.

Alright then, mission accomplished. You can let her go now Potter.

Hmmm her hair smells really good.

I almost push her to the other end of the seat, disentangling myself. “Right then! Good?”

She laughs at me, then kisses me on the cheek. “Good.”

She bounces off to talk to the dark haired girl that’s been locked on Ron all night and at that moment I realise it’s bloody Luna. What the hell?

I’ve definitely drunk too much.

The rest of the night blurs until I pulling my t shirt off and falling face down on a bed. Next thing I know, I’m waking up with a mouth that feels like a desert and a finger in my ear.

I push myself up slowly and a small, definitely girlish hand falls off my face and down onto the bed.

I wasn’t THAT drunk... was I?

I can smell a perfume I recognise. Oh shit.

Pushing myself up a bit further I groan. Red hair. Ginny.

And I’m against the wall. My jeans are still on and I’m pretty sure I’m in the same position I passed out in. So she must’ve come in afterward. I shrug mentally, then start to manoeuvre myself over top of her, trying not to wake her up. She stirs and I freeze, squeezing my eyes shut until she rolls over. I pull my arm away just in time before she grabs it in her sleep and jump up to land on my bare feet.

Ouch, jumping ...not so good for the head. I gotta get some water.

I pad out of the room, rubbing my fingers through my hair which I can feel is sticking up in every direction. Dodging sleeping bodies in the lounge I make it through to the kitchen and grab the last clean glass left to fill and drain it three times with water. Searching the cupboards I find some bread and butter, and chuck two pieces in the toaster, stretching into a big yawn while I wait for it to cook.

“Oooooh shhhhhit!!!”

I turn around mid stretch to see Hermione hopping in the room, one leg in her jeans, the other bent in an effort to get it in the other leg. She’s got a shirt on, but it’s half unbuttoned and I can see her black bra underneath as she nearly falls over, then finds her balance against the door jamb. Her thighs are slim and tanned. For some reason, although I’ve seen her in her underwear a few times I think, I turn away; and even weirder – I bring my arms in quickly making a pointless effort to cover my bare chest. She doesn’t notice.

“Shit! So late!! So...late...for...work...”

I’m busying myself buttering the toast, and I can hear she’s right behind me putting shoes on now I think. She must almost lose her balance again because she grabs on to the waistband of my jeans to steady herself. The pattern on the tiles in front of me is really intricate, circles and squares I think. Or is that triangles? I study it.

Then her hands are on either side of my waist as she peers around me to the toast I’m buttering.

“Ooh please?”

I look down at her face by my elbow and see her looking up at me, all chocolate brown eyes. I can’t help but smile and I place a piece of toast in her mouth.

She gives a muffled thank you and lets go of me, thank god. I put the other piece in my mouth as I turn around and watch her cross the room, buttoning her blouse.

“Alright, I’m ready. Respectable?”

I’ve got my arms folded, leaning against the bench and taking her in. I smile crookedly and gesture with my toast at her pants.

She looks down. “Oh, god!” She cracks up laughing as she puts her toast back in her mouth while she does up her button fly, jumping up and down while she does. Finally she puts her arms out in a wide shrug, asking for my approval again.

I nod and smile. She grins back.

“Thanks. See you later?”

I nod again and watch her as she turns and apparates away.

I turn and chuck my toast back on the counter, leaning forward on my hands and resting my forehead on the cupboards.

Oh crap.

I’m falling for Hermione.

For You I Will

Chapter Two.

I’ve been acting strange. Even Ron’s starting to notice.

That’s saying something. If Ron notices you’re in trouble.

He says to me, the other night, what’s going on? I squint at him, confused.

“Whadya mean?”

“You. You’re weird.”

“Yeah great, thanks.”

He sighs. “You know what I mean. You’ve been strange lately. Quiet.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Is it about me and Luna?”

I can’t help but smile, and shake my head. “No, god no. I’m happy for you guys. The only thing about Luna is that I wish she’d keep her bloody hair one colour. It’s freaking me out. Ever since she learnt that illusion charm I haven’t seen it a normal colour since.”

Ron grins this dreamy smile that he gets every time anyone talks about Luna now and I make dry retching noises. He throws a cushion at me, hard.

“No but it’s like...you’ve got a secret. Even Hermione asked me if you were seeing someone on the sly.”

I shrug, shake my head, and appear nonchalant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ron scoffs at me. “Yeah. And Hagrid doesn’t want a baby Unicorn for Christmas. Shit Harry, admit it, something’s going on.” He grins conspiratorially. “You’re getting some aren’t you.”

He studies me for a moment and his eyes grow wide. “Natalie! Brunette, big ass – receptionist for Kingsley! It’s her isn’t it!”

I throw the cushion back at his head.

But I don’t put him straight. He seems to think he’s come up with the answer so he’s walking around all proud of himself now, like he’s solved the world’s biggest riddle. I can tell he’s bugging Hermione, -they haven’t said anything in front of me but I know that she must be pissed that he knows something and he’s not telling her. And she’s frustrated that she can’t figure it out when she usually knows everything.

Good. See, always wanting to know everything, having to have control. She’d be a nightmare to live with.

And I know she thinks she should be able to figure it out. And that she’s maybe a little hurt because I’ve always come to her for advice about girls.

But that’s precisely my problem. This is one girl situation I definitely can’t ask her advice on. I wish I could to be honest. I know she’d know exactly what to do.

So I just keep hoping that I’ll get over it. Like it’s just some phase I’m going through, a silly crush that came about somehow but that I’ll get over soon.

I keep thinking that I’ll stop noticing things like how long and dark her eyelashes are – even though I’m sure she doesn’t wear make up on them. Or how she bites her bottom lip when she’s sitting cross legged on our floor, watching TV.

But she’s not making it easy for me.

She touches me all the time, as if she doesn’t know how it affects me. Which is probably because she doesn’t. But I don’t remember if she used to do it before.

She leans on me, grasps my arm or rests her chin on my shoulder. She comes up behind me when I’m sitting in a chair and puts her fingers into my hair. She plays with it while she talks and I have to pretend it annoys me and swat her hand away.

The worst is when she stays in my bed.

When we’ve been out in town, we always end up rolling out of a black cab and onto the pavement in front of mine and Ron’s flat. I always wish she would just take the cab on to her house, but I know she won’t, it’s too far and too expensive. I’d pay for it, no problem, but I know it would make them suspicious if I suggested it.

And we’ve always had too much to drink for anyone to apparate or floo.

So it’s inevitable. Ron and Luna go straight to his room. If it’s just Hermione she’ll sleep on the couch. But if any of the other boys are there, she seems to see me as the lesser of two evils to spending the night in the lounge with drunken boys so she slips into my bed.

It’s happened twice now. She doesn’t even ask me. It’s dark, I’m lying staring at the wall and I hear her bare footsteps as she trots across the hall and pushes open my squeaky door.

Luckily it’s a super king sized bed so I don’t have to touch her. If I knew a charm to make the bed bigger, I still would.

The last time I woke up though, she was curled up against my back. Her small hand was lying on my side.

I almost laughed. It couldn’t get any more ridiculous.

I tried to extract myself quietly, without waking her, much like I did with Ginny the night I realised how I felt about Hermione. Except this time I wasn’t desperate to get away, I was forcing myself to move before I did something I’d regret.

Because I would wouldn’t I? I mean, both of us would -regret it. Our friendship would never recover.

But hell it wasn’t easy – especially when at my first movement the hand she had on my ribs moved unconsciously to my stomach. I actually turned to look at her then, to check she wasn’t awake. But her eyes were closed and her breathing still even. Her face was so relaxed and her lips slightly parted.

I was dying to kiss her.

But I can’t be thinking like that. I got out of bed and had the proverbial cold shower.

Maybe I should actually go on a date with Natalie from Kingsley’s office. Anything to get me thinking right again.

Anything’s worth a shot.

So that’s why I invited her tonight.

She’s fitting in quite well actually. I look around the room. Typical really, what started out as quiet Friday night drinks has turned into an impromptu party. I can tell Dean is trashed because he’s playing all his cheesy muggle music that Ron moans about all night and that I secretly like. Natalie’s muggle born so she doesn’t seem to mind, we even share a laugh at some of the tracks he comes up with. She puts a hand on my arm and flashes me a smile. She has a nice smile.

Hermione comes in finally, she had to work late. I try to pretend I haven’t noticed her enter the room.

She’s wearing a black singlet and her hair up in a pony tail.

When she comes around to me I introduce her to Natalie and she barely flinches. Though because I know her, I can tell she’s curious. She manages to wait a whole hour before she hits me up.

I’m sitting on the arm of the couch with a beer in my hand. She falls down into the couch beside me and puts her hand on my thigh.

“So – Natalie is it? She’s nice.”

“Mmm.”

“Very pretty.”

I nod. In fact she’s not as pretty as you. I laugh to myself to think that that’s one compliment she wouldn’t be expecting.

“Well...I’m happy for you Harry. You know...you know I don’t mind right?”

I search her face then, wondering what exactly she means. Is she trying to kill me? Slowly at that.

“Why would you mind?”

She looks flustered then and I congratulate myself on it – especially because she takes her hand off my thigh to play with her hair.

“No, I mean, of course I wouldn’t it’s just...well...”

I take another drink, not looking at her.

“...that you haven’t told us and so I thought you might...I don’t know...think I was angry at you. But really, I understand that you don’t need to talk to me anymore. About ...that kind of stuff.”

I glance down at her despite myself and she looks kinda sad. I nudge her with my elbow.

“Hey.”

She looks up with a shaky smile.

“I’ll always wanna talk to you. I’ll always be your friend.”

She jumps up and tackles me with one of her flying hugs and I smile, breathing in her hair. I pull the hair out of my mouth and keep my hand on her back, looking up I see Natalie watching us curiously from across the room.

Hermione pulls back to look at me then grabs my face and kisses me on the cheek in such a platonic way that I feel ridiculously depressed for a moment.

I lose my appetite for...well , everything that night. It takes forever to say goodbye to Natalie and I can tell she’s waiting for me to invite her to stay. God knows what’s wrong with me but I don’t. I don’t even want to go out with everyone when they catch a cab to town. Hermione tries to talk me into it but I brush her off, feigning a headache. She looks disappointed but she accepts it and hugs me roughly before she’s off out of the door with Luna.

I fall into bed and try to go to sleep.

Only to be woken up by her straddling me.

I’m on my side and she has one leg either side of my hip. She’s leaning down and whispering loudly in my ear.

“Harry, you gotta see this. C’mon wake up...it’s so funny.”

“What time is it?” I squint at the clock and it reads a blurry 4.30am.

“I don’t know. But come – Seamus is dancing with Dean and...”

“Get off Hermione. Seriously.”

I roll onto my back to push her off but it’s worse because she falls on me then, our bodies in line now. And she’s giggling.

“Hermione, don’t.”

She just keeps laughing, her face buried in my neck and I’m getting desperate now. I grab both her upper arms and push her up so I can see her face.

“Don’t. Don’t do that.”

She’s still grinning and I’m too aware of how close her face is to mine. She finally answers me.

“Why?”

In one motion I turn her on to her back and kiss her. With all the frustration I’ve been harbouring over the last few months, I kiss her, my hand under the back of her neck, my body pressing into hers. I think she responded. I can’t remember. I just couldn’t stand it anymore.

I stop and look down into her face.

“That’s why. Okay? That’s why.”

Her eyes are wide and shocked and I push up out of the bed, bending to pull my jeans on and to get a shirt off the floor. When I look back, she’s still in exactly the same position but her hand has come up to her face and her fingers are resting lightly on her lips.

I give her one final glance and pull on my t shirt as I stride out, ignoring the boys who call out to me when they see me pass. I grab my jacket from the hook in the entrance way and yank open the front door, apparating straight to work from the hallway.

The clock in my office says 4.40am.

It’s going to be a long day.

A/N: Third and final chapter, I hope you enjoy it..! Chap 1 was longest to lay the foundation, this chap is the about same length as chap 2. Hope that’s ok but length was never the aim of this story... I just sometimes get hit with these quick ideas for lighter stories (a bit of escapism from all the angst!). I did contemplate posting as a one shot but it was a bit long. So I hope you’re happy with the outcome. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing everyone xxx

For You I Will

Chapter 3.

I spend the day hiding in the dungeons of the Ministry.

Auror Clayton has been wanting someone to clear out a cluttered room downstairs for ages and today I suddenly get the urge to volunteer for the job.

Hiding in the bowels of the Ministry is pretty lame, but there it is. So what. I’m a coward, I don’t want to face any of the boys, Natalie, and most of all Hermione. The whole day I stall, using the Ministry gym, having a long shower afterwards until finally at 8 o’clock I can’t think of any more excuses.

I have to go home.

Besides I’m bloody tired now. All this angst is exhausting. Not to mention my early wake up call.

My stomach actually flips when I think about the kiss. I almost think it’s worth the explaining I’m going to have to do because I can still remember how impossibly soft her lips were.

God it was good to kiss her.

Anyway, get it over with Potter. I stand close to our front door, listening hard. A couple of guys voices. Ah well, here we go.

I walk in and Ron and Luna are sitting on the couch, Seamus and Ernie on the other chairs. Great. Their heads whip around immediately and I don’t know which is worse – the gleeful smiles on the lads faces or the caring concern on Ron and Luna’s.

“Hi.”

Silence.

“Ok! Well, goodnight!”

“Wait, Harry!” It’s Ron. He doesn’t know what to say when I turn around, he just looks at me. The lads are watching us like a particularly engrossing TV programme.

Finally Luna speaks up and rescues me.

“Hermione’s here. For you. “She smiles serenely. “In the kitchen.”

I smile and it feels like it’s cracking my face.

“Thanks.” I feel like such a twat.

I look at the lads and they grin, raising their eyebrows. I try not to smile at them but I can’t help it and I can hear them laugh as I turn to walk through to the kitchen.

Seamus helpfully calls out.

“Dead Man Walking!”

I give him the finger without looking back and they all laugh.

So I’m smiling when I enter the kitchen.

And she’s leaning against the bench.

Her hair is down tonight and she has on a great cream coloured top, faded jeans and no shoes. She’s eating with her fingers from a plate behind her. One foot is standing on the other and she tilts her head to look at me.

“Hi Harry.”

“Hi.”

Silence again. God this sucks. I walk to the fridge and pull out something alcoholic. I look at her and gesture to the fridge, but she holds up a glass of red wine I didn’t see earlier and I nod.

I take my time taking the top off the bottle of beer. I could’ve done it with my wand but it would’ve been too quick so I spend ages looking for an opener, taking it off, putting the cap in the bin. Finally I make my way to the bench diagonally across from her and lean against it like she is, looking at the kitchen tiles.

She speaks up first.

“How was your day...”

“I kissed you.”

“Yeah...I noticed that.”

I look up at her and she’s smiling, and I do too.

“Look, I’m sorry. I thought...I thought it was just a passing thing and I’d get over it. But it got the better of me last night. This morning. Whenever it was.”

I’m watching my foot as I kick at a mark on the floor. I notice her toenails are painted blood red. Since when did she do things like that?

I look slowly up the length of her body.

She really has changed. Since school. Well of course she has really.

She’s become more girly. Less annoying. In fact, she’s the least annoying girl I know. She can hang out with all of us and it’s just...easy. Would it be like that if we were...like Ron and Luna...

My thoughts are interrupted as she comes to stand in front of me. I put my beer down, make my hands stick to the counter behind me and watch her as she chooses her words.

Her eyelashes really are long. And why does she always smell that good. How do girls do that.

I notice how much shorter she is than me now. Especially with no shoes on. She’s folding her arms and biting her lower lip, her eyes somewhere on my chest.

Finally she looks up at me.

“Harry I’m sorry I didn’t say anything this morning...didn’t stop you leaving. I was just, shocked, and well...”

She stops because I’m kissing her again.

Slowly, gently, just to check that her lips really are that soft and it wasn’t just my imagination.

I keep my hands firmly on the bench, just leaning forward. When I stop she’s still closing her eyes, standing still.

“Okay so you’ve really got to stop doing that.”

“Sorry” I mutter.

She looks up at me.

“But... I never knew you felt anything like this. You don’t know... I thought we were friends – that was all we were ever going to be...so I resigned myself to it. You don’t know how this turns everything on its head for me.”

“Mmm. Well, yeah I think I know what you mean.”

She places her palms on my chest and stares at her hands, thinking of what to say next.

“It’s just...nothing could change the way I feel about you, you know. But if this IS just a phase for you, or whatever...I don’t think I could take that.”

She looks up at me now and I hate that her eyes are filled with tears. I don’t want to cause her pain. Ever.

“I wouldn’t do that to you.”

She watches me for a moment then smiles, and I smile too. She speaks again and I just wish she’d stop.

“We could just...take it slow?”

I smile wider and bend to kiss her again. She fully responds this time, winding her arms around my neck. It feels so damn good.

I bend and pick her up and she twines her legs up and around my waist, still kissing me. I smile against her mouth.

“No.”

She pulls back and looks at me questioningly.

“No...what?”

I start to walk out of the kitchen, still carrying her.

“No I don’t think we should take it slow. We should take it fast. Really fast.”

She throws her head back and laughs. I take the opportunity to kiss her neck but I’m laughing too.

She puts her hands out to stop our progress through the door and makes eye contact, looking serious again.

“What about...Natalie?”

I press my lips together in thought. “Smokescreen. Did I fool you?”

She’s laughs again and wraps her arms right around me, burying her face in my neck.

“No” she laughs, muffled into my shoulder. “I didn’t buy it for a second.”

I’m smiling as I carry her out of the door, managing to give the finger again to our audience in the lounge who cheer and laugh as they catch sight of us. Hermione buries her face further into my shoulder but she’s laughing too and I can’t stop myself grinning.

Finally I get to my bed. Laying her down I shuffle us up the bed till we’re face to face on the pillows, clinging to each other. I glance to the door and sit up, leaning across to kick it shut, raising another cheer from the other room. I come back to lie in the same position.

She’s still smiling and she runs her hands over my face.

“This is too...I can’t believe this.”

“Yeah.” I kiss her again.

“I love this bed.”

“I’ve noticed. You don’t know the hell you’ve put me through.”

She laughs. “Me too. I’ve thought about charming it smaller.”

I smile. “You can do what you want to it. It’s yours now.”

She kisses me, slowly, with promise.

“Good. Because I’m not gonna leave it. For quite a while.”

I pull her on top of me. She’s looking down, all long eyelashes and chocolate brown eyes. I smile.

“That’s just what I was thinking.”

And I kiss her.

THE END.

Final note... I borrowed a line from the movie Sliding Doors for this chapter. (‘I kissed you.’ - ‘I noticed.’) Also, after I wrote this, I heard this song and thought it suited the story, so I named the story after it.

So here’s the lyrics to it.

"For You I Will (Confidence)"
By Teddy Geiger

Wandering the streets, in a world underneath it all
Nothing seems to be, nothing tastes as sweet
As what I can't have
Like you and the way that you're twisting your hair
Round your finger
Tonight I'm not afraid to tell you
What I feel about you.

I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have
and cannon ball into the water
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have
For you I will
For you I will

Forgive me if I stutter
From all of the clutter in my head
Cause I could fall asleep in those eyes
Like a water bed
Do I seem familiar, I've crossed you in hallways
A thousand times

No more camouflage
I want to be exposed, and not be afraid to fall.

I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have
And cannon ball into the water
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have
For you I will
You always want what you can't have
But I've got to try
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have
For you I will
For you I will
For you I will
For you

Thanks for reading and all the reviews xxx