Authors Note: Hey everyone! I wrote this for a challenge on the forums.
The link is here http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=23558&st=0
I hope you all enjoy it. I know it isn't much but it's just a little fluff :P
DISCLAIMER: None of it belongs to me. No copyright infringement intended. All the characters involved below are the property of JK Rowling. :D
Hermione flipped her crepe over in the pan causing her elbow to knock over a bowl and splattering batter over the front of her new blouse. "Oh bloody hell." She said exasperated, and blotted it off with a wet rag. What a lovely day this was going to be. She had been looking forward to this weekend and she didn't need to start it off badly. She planned to take them to a little park that she used to visit when she was a girl. It was a place her parents used to take her to play. She was certain Harry at least would appreciate the small glimpse into her childhood. He had been asking about what she did when she was little. This would be the perfect opportunity to share a little of her life before Hogwarts with the boys.
Just when Hermione was placing her slightly misshapen crepes onto a plate she heard Harry and Ron galloping down the stairs. The three of them had bought the house together several years ago and even though it was a little rough learning to live with two young men they had adjusted well to each other. Or at least she had adjusted well to Harry. She still wanted to throttle Ron sometimes, but fighting was what they did and they were good at it.
"I was wondering when you two would be up. It's nearly nine o'clock." She looked up at Harry and he grinned making her face burn and her heart tumble heavily inside her breast. I can't feel this way! I will not let this happen!
Ron filled a large bowl with Shreddies cereal then looked at the box scowling. "What happened to the frosted ones?" He asked innocently, and stared unhappily into the interior of the box.
Hermione smiled. "I thought we would give the unfrosted ones a chance. They are better for you than all that sugar Ron."
"Who are you my mother?" He stood and walked over to the counter and began pouring sugar by the spoonfuls into his cereal. Hermione rolled her eyes and spread some fresh fruit over her crepe before rolling it up into a nice little pie.
Harry buttered a piece of toast and wondered if Hermione would be mad when he told them about his change in plans. Saturday was usually their day. It was a day they chose to always spend together whether it was going on a picnic or ice skating, or even just preparing a quiet dinner together. The point was the three friends always made it home on Saturday. When Ron returned to the table Harry cleared his voice uneasily causing his two best friends to look up expectantly.
"You have something you want to say Harry?" Hermione didn't miss the guilty look in his eye and she frowned wondering what could be troubling him.
"It's Nothing. Well, Trish wanted to go over to her place today. We have an exam on Monday and she wanted some help with curse breaking." He didn't even look up to see Hermione's reaction to his announcement, choosing instead to stare at his half eaten piece of toast. He had to put some distance between them before his heart shattered from loving her so much.
"Okay Harry. See you later." Ron said as he wolfed down another spoonful of cereal before rising from the table. "Hermione, I don't think I'll go either." He said merrily. "I've been meaning to buy a new broom and you hate that shit.
Hermione felt her plans for the day unraveling right before her eyes. "But…you can't go! I've been looking forward to this all week!" Her voice was high and screechy. "What happened to spending Saturdays with each other?" The question came unexpectedly from deep inside of her. She didn't want to be needy. She really didn't, but if Harry chose the beautiful, intelligent, perfect, young "study buddy" over her one more time she would crack. As a matter of fact, she was certain that if Harry talked about Trish this and Trish that one more time she would hurl up a lung. Ever since he had started his Auror Training this girl he had met seemed to be pulling him away and her heart pounded with a dull ache. What if Harry felt something more than friendship for Trish? Hermione didn't like jealousy in any form and to feel this way made her want to scream.
"Fine then! Go off with Trish!" Why couldn't she just tell Harry how she felt? Some Griffindor she turned out to be. Hermione pushed her plate away and stood up to leave the table. "It doesn't matter." She said quietly, giving Harry a pointed glare. "It doesn't matter to me at all how you spend your time." Harry stared at her. His expression was a mixture of confusion and something else that she wasn't quite sure of.
She teetered on the edge of insanity. Ron's eyes widened and stared at them both, obviously wondering if he had missed an important part of the conversation. Quietly he picked up his glass of pumpkin juice and slipped unnoticed out of the house. "Today is not a day to be hanging around the house," he said to himself before apparating to Diagon Alley.
"Don't be mad." Harry's tone was calm and gentle reminding her how much she loved him. For the past few weeks he had been drifting away from her. Her stomach quaked and rolled nervously.
"I'm not mad…Harry." Green eyes searched Brown ones and became trapped within each other. Neither of them knew how to move forward or backward. How did their friendship change so much in the past few months? Harry took a deep breath breaking their hold on each other. Hermione exhaled not realizing she had been holding her breath. Why did she always feel exposed whenever he gazed into her eyes like that? If she didn't know better she would have thought he was soul gazing.
"I'll be home around 3 o'clock." He said cautiously.
"Fine." Her voice sounded oddly high pitched. She hated being illogical. She turned to clear the dishes and he apparated away with a loud crack.
He wanted her to tell him to stay and for a moment he thought that she would. If only he could have told her. If only he could open his heart completely to her. He loved how she allowed him to lose himself within the starry depths of her eyes. He didn't even think she knew how easily he could see the core of her spirit. For Harry the eyes really were the windows to the soul. It had been a skill he acquired after his fight with Voldemort. Somehow when he woke up he could look people in the eye and see their spirit and sometimes if he knew the person he could see a lot more. This he kept to himself though. He had been waiting months for Hermione to realize her feelings for him. He knew that she loved him. He had seen it drift into her eyes slowly shortly after they moved in together, but unless she was willing to acknowledge it he had vowed to remain silent. He wanted her to want him completely with not only her heart but her mind as well. Unfortunately, he was giving up hope.
He found his study group already deep into discussion about curse breaking. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't even concentrate enough to explain how a Triple Cast Spell uncrosses a Black Curse.
Meanwhile…
Hermione charmed the dishes, cleaned her bedroom and tidied up the lounge before realizing that only two hours had elapsed since Harry had left. She imagined him and Trish pouring over old tomes of magic and instantly felt dreadful for her behavior that morning. She was being stupid and unreasonable. To make herself feel better she decided to make a nice dinner for the three of them. Cooking for the boys always made her feel better and she might even work up the nerve to tell him how much she cared for him. This thought pushed her into action.
"I'm going to make a wonderful dinner for us Crookshanks." She said enthusiastically. This new plan almost made her giddy with excitement. A fine meal was always a good way to open the door for a tête-à-tête. At least she could be honest with him about why she was acting so strange this morning.
It wasn't long until she was busy chopping vegetables and mixing up a marinade for the steaks she was planning on cooking out on the grille. By 1 o'clock she had most everything prepped and ready to go and was feeling quite confident about her choice to tell Harry how much she cared. The last thing that needed doing was the onions and she grimaced with dread. Hermione hated cutting onions. She could have used her wand of course, but something her mother always told her rang true. Food made by hand was special and made people feel warm and appreciated. Using magic to do the onions simply wasn't going to happen. So she started and the more she chopped the blurrier things seemed to get. She was soon completely engrossed in her tears and didn't hear the kitchen door open or the footsteps that seemed to stop right behind her.
He watched her at first and saw her wipe the tears away from her eyes. His heart leaped into his throat. She is crying because of me. The guilt he felt for leaving her today had been eating away at him all morning and then all afternoon until he left the study group a little early. Seeing her crying so desperately made him want to comfort her. He couldn't let her believe that he would ever choose anyone over her. She was his sun and moon. She was his everything. He heard a small sniff and he was thrown into action. He hated it when she cried.
His arms wrapped around her before she even knew he was there. He turned her around and pulled her intimately against him. He felt so good and warm and she felt his heart beating steadily beneath the soft cotton T-shirt that was currently soaking up her warm tears. He was softly petting her back and she suddenly realized that he thought she was upset.
She raised her eyes to his and started to explain. "Oh Harry, It's the on…"
"No don't say anything Hermione." He said soothingly. "I'm so sorry for upsetting you." He looked down into her eyes once again and she was captivated. "I shouldn't have left you like I did." She felt the heat from his intent gaze and she couldn't speak another syllable. She caught a whiff of onion from her hands and a fresh wave of blurry eyed tears issued from her eyes. He touched her face and wiped her tears away with his handkerchief. "Don't cry. Please don't cry anymore Hermione." He said tenderly and Hermione wanted to curl up in his arms forever. She could get used to the lovely way her insides melted like this.
Her heart was thumping and her blood was pumping excitedly. This was the time to tell him. He saw something within her eyes change. Her eyes were shining more brightly than they ever did and suddenly without any other warning she rose up on tip toe and kissed his lips. It was wonderful. It was lovely. Time stood still, shattered and then began again. He kissed her as ardently as a man starving for affection. He wanted her. He loved her. She felt it within that first kiss. His tight embrace, his complete loss of control was all and more than she could ever ask for, and she thrilled that it was all because of her.
She pulled away slightly and he held onto her preventing an escape he was certain she would attempt. He was falling into her eyes once more and before long he knew he would be forever hers.
"Harry, I've fallen in love with you." She said hesitantly. Her mind was swimming with uncertainty but happy that she had at last told him. Even if he didn't return her love he was her best friend and he deserved her honesty.
He smiled and leaned his forehead against hers. "I know Hermione. I love you too." His words surprised her. Her eyes widened and her lips parted invitingly. She couldn't believe it. He leaned in for another kiss but she stopped him.
"Harry…I think I should wash my hands. You see it was the onions…that well…" She paused and looked at him embarrassed.
"It was the onions that made you cry?" He said a little hurt. She nodded and he grinned. "Well who would have thought that it would be the onions?" Hermione laughed. Harry leaned down to nuzzle her neck. The strong aroma engulfed him and soon they both were crying and laughing in each other's arms.
Ron landed on the patio right outside the kitchen with his new Ultra Nimble 400 and gave a proud nod. "Harry is going to flip over this new broom." He said happily. He dismounted and looked up to see Harry and Hermione through the nearby window. They looked like they were crying. "Oh bugger! I might have come home to early." He frowned and sighed before taking the plunge and opened the French doors to the kitchen. There they were both of them crying for Merlins beard!
"What is going on in here?" Ron shook his head sadly. "I go away for a few hours and you make each other cry? That is supposed to be my job."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other contentedly with tears still streaming down their faces.
Hermione found her voice first. "Don't worry Ron. We are just crying over…onions." She looked up at Harry who was gazing down at her sweetly. His eyes were the most brilliant she had ever seen them. He leaned down to gently kiss her and this time she let him. It was a long and leisurely kiss, which made Ron grin from ear to ear at his two best friends.
"Leave it to you two to end up together in the weirdest way possible." He said pleasantly. When they didn't break apart he turned to go give his new broom another go. Harry and Hermione eventually finished preparing their dinner even if it took a bit longer between kisses and tender touches that promised many things to come. Hermione would never hate onions again. Ron was right; Sometimes things work themselves out in the strangest of ways.
The End
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