Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish it were so we would have had HHr, but alas it's JK Rowling's.
A/N: My reply to the challenge issued by PJ, you can find it here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26635 . This story will start right after fifth year, and it will involve sex, some blood, and such, so this is why it is rated NC17. I hope you'll enjoy it, I think this is the most complex challenge I've ever dared to reply to, so I sincerely hope I'll be able to pull it off well.
I warn you, there's a bit on angst here. I don't think their relationship would be totally realistic without fights and such, after all.
Thanks to my beta Gingercat!
Harry Potter and His True Sixth Year
Chapter Twelve: A Fight and a Night-time Encounter
Saying that Harry was moody after having discovered that he wouldn't be able to bring his godfather back was an understatement.
For days he was unapproachable, snappish and gloomy. While Hermione could understand his disappointment, she was also tired of him snapping at her every time she tried talking to him.
"Harry, will you please just talk to me?" Hermione pleaded with him again.
"Leave me alone" he hissed through gritted teeth.
The brunette huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Harry! Stop wallowing in your self pity!" she shouted at him, and he glared at her, his gaze murderous. Suddenly, he stood up, and shouted.
"What do you know about what I'm going through right now? Uh? Thought it would be fun to make me think I could have Sirius back, and then watch as my hopes got crushed?" he shouted, advancing toward her.
"Harry, I…" she stammered, tears prickling at her eyes. Did he really think she had enjoyed giving him false hope? How could he?
"Shut the hell up!" he growled, and for the first time in her life Hermione was truly scared of him.
Letting her tears fall, she spoke again.
"I-If you think of me this way, then maybe we shouldn't be together anymore" she stammered, before running away from the common room, almost knocking Neville down in the process, as the boy was entering the portrait hole at that moment.
Harry let himself fall back into the armchair, sulking.
"Why was she running like that?" Neville asked, puzzled.
"Probably went to entertain herself with the books she loves so much" Harry spitefully said. Neville sighed, and sat in front of him.
"Harry, mate, I know you don't want to hear me saying this now" Neville started. "But you really screwed up big time, whatever you said to her"
And with that he left too, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.
--
It had taken him several days, but finally Ron was confronting his sister. She had often manage to avoid him, but not today.
"What are you doing, Gin?" he spat, glaring at her.
"What do you mean?" she said, annoyed.
"You very well know what I mean!" he shouted. "You're always hanging out with Malfoy!"
"Maybe I found myself someone who really cares about me, something I can't say of you" she retorted, glaring back.
Ron scoffed. "Malfoy doesn't care about anyone that is not himself, you know that" he said.
"He's changed" Ginny said. "Now, if you were so kind to let me go, I've somewhere else where I need to be" she haughtily said, making her way past him.
"I see. You've become his whore then" he said, and his sister spun on her heels faster than you can say Quidditch, slapping him with full force, and leaving a red mark on his cheek.
"I thought you had more respect for me, Ron. Especially since those two…those two betrayed us! We need to stick together, and what do you do instead? You call me a whore! Why don't you call Hermione that? She deserves it much more than me!" she cried, tears spilling on her cheeks, and ran away.
"Bloody Hell" Ron muttered, massaging his cheek. "Maybe she truly feels something for the ferret" he mumbled under his breath as he made his way back to the common room. On his way, he spotted a mane of curly brown hair, which he immediately recognized as Hermione, and by the way her shoulders were shaking, she was crying too, while going into the library.
"What's up with girls and crying tonight?" he mused, scratching his head, and keeping going up the stairs. He had a feeling Harry had hurt her somehow, and he felt he wanted to punch his former best friend for that.
Harry, however, was nowhere to be seen when Ron entered the common room, and he wasn't in the dorm either, so the redhead tried to get to sleep, still angry at Harry for making Hermione cry.
--
It had been a few days since the fight and consequent break-up, and Hermione kept avoiding Harry like the plague. Neville and Luna kept themselves away from him too, most of the time, and he knew they were probably comforting her.
He knew he had been a jerk to her, and now that he had cooled down a bit more since the disappointment of finding that ritual, he realized his accusations were completely unfair.
She had done nothing else than trying to help him, and what if she had given him false hope? She hadn't meant to do so, she truly believed Sirius could be saved.
Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair, lying on his bed, and wondering how could he beg for her forgiveness. The few days that had gone by had been hell for him, and he knew that he was nothing without her.
Deep in his thoughts, Harry was startled by the door of the dorm opening. He looked that way just to see Neville sheepishly poking his head in.
"Harry, are you awake?" the boy asked, and Harry nodded. Neville approached him, and nervously sat on the bed too.
"Uhm, Harry…I need to ask you a favour. Since today is Luna's birthday, I'd like to sneak into the village with her, so…"
Harry grinned for the first time in days. "You need the cloak and the Map, right?" he asked his friend, who nodded.
"Take them, they are in my trunk. Just, don't lose them, ok?" the raven haired boy said, and Neville nodded, taking the two objects and then walked away. As he was closing the door, Harry called him back.
"Neville…"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Do you know where Hermione is?" Harry asked, hopeful.
"I think she is in the library doing some research. She was there half an hour ago" Neville said.
Harry nodded. "Good luck with Luna" he winked at Neville who blushed. "Good luck to you too, Harry" the other boy said before leaving.
Harry sighed, and ran his hand through his hair again. It was time to stop being a git.
--
Neville nervously led Luna by the hand through the grounds, till they reached the Whomping Willow, the Invisibility Cloak draped over their forms and the Map having made sure that they met no one during their trip there, especially not Filch or some prefect doing the rounds.
As they emerged in the Shrieking Shack, Luna was most interested in exploring it, but Neville had other plans for the evening, so he gently led her away from it and to the heart of the village.
They ate quietly at the Three Broomsticks, and there Neville gave her a wrapped package that was her gift. Well, the second gift he had given her that day, to be truthful.
She quickly unwrapped it, and was amazed at the finely crafted necklace. It had a silver radish pendant, and she had to wipe away a couple tears, as she realized he had had it made only for her.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him soundly on the lips, engaging in a battle of tongues with his own.
"I love you" she told him, her big blue eyes full of emotion.
"I love you too, Luna. You're an amazing girl and I'm so lucky to be with you" he said, pulling her close for another kiss, even more heated than the first one.
As luck was on his side that night, Luna suggested they spend the night there, and he didn't protest. Madame Rosmerta winked at them as she directed them upstairs, where a few bedrooms were, knowing exactly what would take place there.
She knew it was against school rules, but everyone had been a teenager in his/her own time, and she knew young love was something extraordinary. So what if the two teens spent the night together out of school grounds once in a while?
It took them few minutes to have all their clothes thrown in a pile on the floor, and Neville soon started kissing Luna's neck. He might be shy around others, but he and Luna had a deep understanding and he felt completely comfortable around her.
Sliding one hand between her legs, he was surprised but pleased to find she was already wet, as he started caressing her clit with his thumb, eliciting high pitched moans from her. Luckily the room was soundproof, bless Rosmerta for that he briefly thought, but couldn't continue down that line of thought as Luna's hand wrapped itself around his erection, stroking him, and making him grit his teeth as a wave of pleasure hit him.
"You like that?" she purred and he nodded.
"God, Luna, you're going to be the death of me" he hissed, as he pulled her on top of him for a passionate kiss, while his hands played with her hardened nipples, making her writhe against his crotch.
Then he took one in his mouth, flicking his tongue at it, grazing it with his teeth, and sucking. She kept pushing his head toward her bosom, and he dutifully exchanged nipples, not wanting one to feel less loved.
Then he trailed kissed down her abdomen, before he moved back upwards, sliding into her.
"Oh, Neville!" Luna gasped when she felt him filling her, and slowly starting to move, his rhythm quickly gaining speed. Her hips instinctively matched his strokes, her muscles clenching as her release neared.
"Nevilleeee!" she finally cried into the night as wave after wave of pure bliss hit her, and at the same time she felt his seed spilling inside her, and the boy collapsing on her side, spent but happy.
For the first time, they were free to cuddle as long as they wanted after having sex, and Luna sighed contentedly as she rested her head on his chest, his arm wrapped around her naked body, before both fell asleep.
--
Harry tentatively stepped into the library. He knew where she would be, at their usual table in the back. He hoped she could forgive him, although he knew he wouldn't forgive himself, if he were her.
Sighing, he made his way to that table, and there she was, scribbling furiously. He smiled warmly, albeit a bit ruefully. He knew there was a good chance that he had screwed up the best thing to ever happen to him.
Gathering his courage, he approached the table, and sat down in front of her. She looked up, startled, and gasped in surprise as she saw him smiling at her.
She hastily made to pick her things up, but he gently stopped her, holding her wrist.
"Hermione, wait" he said, his tone a bit pleading.
"What do you want, Harry?" she said coldly, glaring at him. Honestly! After what he said to her, he had the nerve to show up and want to talk to her?
"Hermione, I screwed up, I know that. I'm sorry for what I said the other night, I was so upset that we couldn't find a way to bring him back, but I had no reason to take it out on you" he admitted, and from his eyes she could see he was truly sorry.
Still, he had hurt her badly.
"I know I probably don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry, Hermione, and I know now that I can't live without you. I guess when they say "you don't know what you have until it's gone" they really know what they are talking about" he attempted a joke, and albeit she was doing her best to keep glaring at him, he spotted her lips turning up in a half smile, and his heart soared.
Maybe, just maybe…
Hermione was confused. She wanted to stay mad at him, but his lost expression, the hollow in his eyes told her he had probably berated and punished himself enough as it was.
After a couple minutes of absolute silence, she made up her mind.
"Harry, I believe you. Just, you hurt me really badly. I think I need some time to fully forgive you, so I'd appreciate it if you left me alone now. I need to be by myself to think"
He nodded, if he was honest with himself he had expected nothing less from her. She was a very strong person, and wouldn't run back into his arms just because he said he was sorry. He appreciated that in her, he truly did.
Standing up, he walked back to Gryffindor Tower, leaving a pensive Hermione behind, staring at his retreating back.
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