Author's Note: Thanks in part to your awesome reviews, and the chapter already beta'ed (give props to Laura for her work; without her efforts, this chapter would not be up), I'm putting this Chapter up earlier than I normally would. And for those who vomited and gagged at last chapter's ending, this will feature more H/H for ya'.
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Wednesday, May 27, 1998 - 7:56 PM
The Forbidden Forest - Hogwarts
It had been two and a half weeks since the night around the fire at The Burrow. Throughout that time, the trio had floated about from Hogwarts, to The Burrow, and to Grimmauld Place. Having decided it was their duty to help repair the broken castle they called home for six years - and for Harry, the first place he ever called home - much of their time was spent at the castle. Whether it was repairing statues and portraits, helping remove rubble from the battle, rebuilding walls, washing away stains of blood, or searching the Forbidden Forest for rebel Death Eaters and dark creatures, their days - and many times their nights too - were exhausting. However, the work they did gave one plenty of time to contemplate the on-goings in his or her life.
There are always certain spans of time when a person could question their life, and for Harry Potter, this was one of those times. Despite Harry giving into his lust with Ginny Weasley around the campfire, he had since regretted it. He was doing well at resisting her, but a memory burned into his mind right before he gave into his lust. Well, not really a memory, he recalled, but an image. Harry had no idea why this image had played in his mind, but it drove him crazy. The image was of Hermione and Ron walking through the woods at The Burrow, snogging up against a tree. He thought to himself, Am I jealous? That was a question he wasn't sure he had a definite answer for. Sure, he was irritated and annoyed when Hermione and Ron threw themselves at each other at Hogwarts, but that was when they had a battle to fight. And yes, he was irritated when Ron and Hermione walked off to the woods to snog, but that was only because it was clear Ron and Ginny set it up so each Weasley could be with their mate. Right?
"Mate," Ron said, snapping Harry out of his reverie, "you alright over there?"
Harry blinked his eyes several times, scanning his surrounding environment. He, Ron, and Hermione were in the Forbidden Forest, having just finished another sweep of a portion of the Forest for dark creatures. They were reaching the very end of their sweep, now almost back to the Hogwarts ground.
"Oh, sorry," he mumbled. "I guess I just spaced out and all. We finished with our round?"
Hermione smirked and shook her head in amusement at Harry. However, it was hypocritical for her to laugh at Harry for zoning out when she'd done it multiple times as well. "Yes, Harry," she said, "we've finished sweeping the Forest; we're about finished for the night."
Ron looked at his watch. "Yeah, good thing too," he said as his stomach grumbled. "I'm starving, and I already missed Mum's dinner at The Burrow. Hopefully she'll have leftovers for me."
The three reached the end of the trees, and stepped back onto the "official" Hogwarts grounds. Ron took a deep breath and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. "I don't know about you lot, but I can't wait for this `rebuilding' to be over. This is ridiculous."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron. "Oh, what? Don't want to understand the plight of a house elf? Whatever happened to caring about the house elves, Ronald!?"
Ron gulped and raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa now, Hermione," he started, "calm down. You know I respect house elves, I'm just not a fan of this work."
Harry studied the two, watching Hermione glare at Ron while the Weasley boy looked completely bemused. He hadn't been expecting Hermione to snap at him like that, clearly. Hermione must have seemed to think she was being a little too snappy, as her gaze softened. "I'm sorry, Ron" she apologized. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that; I'm just a little tired, I guess."
"Don't worry about it," he said softly. "I am going to head back to The Burrow, though. Mum will be worrying that I'm not home by now, and well, I'm hungry."
Ron shrugged his shoulders, while Harry and Hermione both chuckled. "Bye mate," Harry said as Ron clapped him on the left shoulder. Ron then turned his attention to Hermione, and grinned goofily. The two embraced, and Hermione pecked him on the cheek as she tried to pull away from him. However, Ron had other thoughts, tightening his grip on her right arm as he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Hermione's eyes showed discontent as Ron kissed her, and she did not return his kiss, simply letting him kiss her. Ron pulled away, grinning, and then turned on his heel to walk towards the gates, the point where he could Disapparate back to The Burrow. Throughout the entire ordeal, Harry narrowed his eyes at the two, not the least bit happy with his two friends kissing - well, one friend kissing the other. However, that spike of jealousy shot through him again; no, it's not jealousy, he thought.
As Ron walked away, Hermione looked at Harry, whose look of irritation had been replaced by one of skepticism. Hermione knew why Harry was looking at her like that, but played dumb anyways. The two started walking in the opposite direction as Ron, and Hermione looked at him quizzically. "What was that look about?" Hermione finally asked him.
Harry looked down at Hermione in irritated disbelief, knowing that Hermione knew why he was looking at her like that. "You know exactly why, Hermione," he said flatly. "I do believe it was your complete lack of enthusiasm as your boyfriend kissed you."
Hermione glowered at Harry, but didn't respond with anything. Instead, the two started walking towards the lake, Hermione now looking irritated herself. They walked in silence for several minutes before Harry brought the subject up again. "Hermione," he began cautiously, "do you want to explain to me why you looked so… unmotivated, to kiss Ron?"
"No," she said flatly, "not really."
Hermione sped ahead, not wanting to talk about it. Harry sped up his pace in return, catching up with Hermione. He brought up the topic again, "Come on, Hermione. We're friends; you can talk to me about this."
Hermione eyed him suspiciously, and Harry couldn't help but think he already knew why. They were both wondering why Harry was being so forceful about this. The two stopped walking, and after staring at him for several more moments, she finally said, "Harry, it's really not that important. Everything will be fine in time."
Hermione continued walking, and Harry glared at her from behind. Almost running to catch up with her, he grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around, so they were facing each other. Looking right into her eyes, he said, "Look, I am your friend, Hermione. Whatever it is that's troubling you, you can confide in me. I won't tell Ron, whatever this is about, and remember, I talked to you about my problems with Ginny. You were helpful for me, so maybe I can be helpful for you."
Harry smirked crookedly at her, and she couldn't help but smile in return. "Alright, fine," she said, "you win, Harry." The two kept walking on, still in silence, until Hermione finally started to talk. "It's…" she began but sputtered off. "Well… Ron and I," she sputtered off again.
Hermione looked at Harry, now looking embarrassed. She was on the verge of tears. Not wanting to make Hermione talk right now, but still wanting to know what her problem was, he tried to piece the problem together himself. "It's okay, Hermione," he said softly. "Let me guess, you aren't… uh, satisfied… when you and Ron kiss?"
Hermione crinkled her faced together, "It's not that, I'm just…" she sputtered off again. "It's complicated."
Harry looked at her, and then at a tree by the lake. He nodded his head at the tree, and the two walked over to it. When there, they each sat down against the tree. Once they both settled in, Harry tried to get Hermione to open up again. "So it's not that you're not satisfied with kissing Ron, but… you guys just aren't…" he sputtered off, not really knowing what to say. Instead he looked at Hermione, hoping she would.
"…clicking," she finished for him as she lowered her head in shame.
Harry looked at her, confused. "Clicking?" Harry asked her. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but you're going to have to explain that." He couldn't help but laugh a bit at the situation, totally confused by Hermione's answer.
Hermione sat up against the tree, a look of disdain on her face because of Harry's comment. "I don't mind Ron and I kissing, not at all; I'm not some snooty prude you know, Harry." She frowned at Harry for thinking that way about her.
Harry looked puzzled, both because Hermione thought Harry automatically considered her to be prudish, and because she seemed to care so much of Harry's opinion about her on the topic. "Uh, Hermione," he said still puzzled, "I never said you were at all. I'm just confused by your problem."
Hermione looked at him, a sense of pride about her. "Good," she said simply. She then started to speak again, not making eye contact with Harry this time. "Ron always thought that way about me, you know," she said in a soft whisper. "He said that he never tried to kiss me when we were on the run because he thought I wasn't, `like that,'" she finished as she rolled her eyes and glared out at the lake, still irritated by her past with Ron.
Harry still was confused. He didn't know how the topic of Hermione and being prudish had anything to do with the topic at hand. It seemed to have no relevance, especially for Harry's thoughts on it. However, he pressed on. "So, uh, does this have anything to do with you and Ron?"
Hermione took a deep breath, and swatted the hair out of her eyes. "Eventually, yes, but for right now, no."
"Okay," Harry said. "Then the `clicking,' what do you even mean?"
Looking off into the distance, Hermione still seemed irritated with the topic. "When Ron and I kiss, we just don't… click. At first, I didn't recognize it, but now, especially since the night at The Burrow around the fire, whenever he kisses me, it just doesn't… feel right."
She looked at him, pleadingly, hoping he'd understand what she meant. Thankfully, Harry nodded his head. "I understand what you mean," he said sincerely. "That's what I felt when Cho kissed me fifth year. Then again, she was crying as she did it," he finished with a laugh.
Hermione snorted in laughter, the comment catching her off guard. However, she also looked incredibly relieved. "Oh good," she said happily. "I was hoping you would understand, Harry; I felt so foolish when we started talking about it."
Smiling, Hermione hugged Harry, showing her relief. Harry smiled in return, and then continued to press on about the topic, curiosity getting the best of him. "Do you, uh… do you like kissing Ron?"
Hermione released herself from their hug, and looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked him, smirking slightly. "I fancy blokes, if that's what you're revving up too."
This time it was Harry's turn to snort in laughter. "No, not that," he explained chuckling. "I know you fancy lads, Hermione; you dated Viktor Krum for Merlin's sake! I just mean with Ron; do you like snogging with Ron?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Harry" she said simply. "Like I said, Ron and I aren't clicking when we snog. However, that's something that I'm sure will be fixed with time. If Ron wants to snog - which trust me, he does want to, at great lengths, which is also quite obnoxious - then I'm open to being with him. Couples snog, and Ron and I are a couple," she finished plainly.
Laughing, Harry said, "Why am I not surprised that Ron, ex-boyfriend of `Lav-Lav' Brown, likes to snog excessively?"
After realizing what he said, Harry closed his mouth in horror, realizing what he had said. Mentioning Lavender so easily in regular conversation, despite her death, did not seem right, at least not to Harry. Hermione placed her hand on Harry's arm, "It's not your fault, Harry," she said soothingly. "Lavender fought bravely, and I know her; she wouldn't want anyone to act odd when her name was mentioned. In fact, just the opposite; she'd want us to talk about her in great length."
Harry chuckled, and Hermione moved her hand down Harry's arm, squeezing his hand in comfort before releasing it. "However, you are right," she said matter-of-factly. "Ron's constant snogging with Lavender in sixth year could definitely have something to do with him wanting to snog so much. Maybe I wouldn't mind Ron wanting to snog so much if we, you know, `clicked.' Instead, it's rather overbearing."
Hermione sighed, and the two sat in silence for a lengthy amount of time. Hermione seemed deep in thought about her relationship with Ron, and Harry did not want to disturb her. However, he eventually did snap her out of her thoughts. "Speaking of Ron, Hermione" he began, "have you talked to him about the Quidditch World Cup yet? Did he say he'd go to Australia to get your parents instead?"
"No," she said dully.
Hermione went to answer the question further, but Harry cut her off. "What do you mean `no?' Hermione, you can't mean he chose Quidditch over you!"
She shook her head sideways. "No, not that," she said bluntly. "I mean, I haven't even gotten around to asking him yet."
Harry looked at her incredulously. "Hermione, it's been over two weeks since we first talked about going to Australia! What's holding you up?"
"Well," she began, "I'm nervous. I'm afraid that Ron might decide to go to the Quidditch World Cup instead. I know he went to the Finals last time, but this is different. This is a month's holiday, doing nothing but watching Quidditch around France. For Ron, that's a dream come true!"
Harry shook his head at Hermione. "Hermione, you're off it. Ron wouldn't choose Quidditch over you and Australia. And if he does, he's sodding crazy."
Hermione beamed at him in return. "Thank you," she said happily. "Harry, thank you so much. That means a lot to me."
Harry smiled in return, although he didn't think it was that big of a compliment. To Harry, it was the simple truth for him.
"It's not a problem, Hermione," he said humbly. "However, you do need to ask him about it already. I want to tell him I'm not going also, but I can't mention why I'm randomly turning down the Quidditch World Cup if you don't tell the Weasley's you're going to Australia to get your parents. Let him know you're going to Australia, and you want him to come with you."
Hermione nodded her head in agreement. "I know I do, Harry," she said. "I have tried to talk about it to him, but whenever I get onto the subject of the Cup, he keeps mentioning his delight to be going, hence my anxiousness to finally ask him. However," she said breaking off to stare right at Harry and nod at him, "next time I do talk to Ron, I will ask him about it, right away."
"Oh what, like when you and Ron fancy another `walk?'" he asked jokingly.
Hermione blushed. She didn't say anything in response, but instead went back to a previous topic. "Do you think it'll change, Harry?" she asked him hopefully, her voice returning to a soft whisper.
He looked at her, confused. "What in the world do you mean, Hermione?" he replied in question.
"From earlier," she stated matter-of-factly. "Do you think Ron and I will be more in sync over time? We probably just need some more time together, right?"
Harry ran his fingers through his hair before answering. "I don't know, Hermione. I mean, Ginny and I never had that problem."
Hermione frowned, looking both sad and irritated. "Really? You and Ginny never seemed out of sync when you first got together?"
Harry shook his head. "Not really," he recalled. "Sure, there were, and are, minor things that I don't like when we snog, but really, my relationship with Ginny has always been based on physicality," he added thoughtfully. After saying that, he scratched at his jaw line, coming to a conclusion on him and Ginny. "Wow, that really is all Ginny and I have ever had: lust."
"That's not true," Hermione explained quickly. "Your relationship with Ginny is about more than just simply lust."
Harry eyed Hermione skeptically. "Hermione," he began, "it's the truth. Ginny and I were never together long, and when we were, we were out together in secluded areas of the Hogwarts ground. When I was on the run with you and Ron, it wasn't my conversations with Ginny I was remembering. I remembered snogging; I remembered moments of lust."
Harry closed his eyes and shook his head sadly, Hermione watching his actions the whole time. The two stayed in silence for several minutes, before Hermione spoke. "Harry, if that's what you really think, then I think it's obvious your feelings for Ginny are diminishing; and if that is the case, you need to stop having those snog sessions with her. That's not fair: not fair to Ginny, nor is it fair to you."
Hermione looked at him pointedly, and Harry nodded his head in agreement. "I know, Hermione, I know," he said. "When we were at the campfire, I tried resisting Ginny's advancements, and I did for a while. However, she's very pretty and I do still fancy her, at least a bit, so it's hard to resist her."
Hermione half-smiled, only to then notice Harry smirking. Eying him up, she asked, "What's funny, Harry?"
"You," he said honestly.
"What?" She asked him, having no idea what about her was so funny.
He laughed and shook his head. "You're telling me not to snog Ginny because I'm unsure of my feelings for her, when you go around snogging Ron when you don't even like it when it you do!"
Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him; she was furious. "Don't you patronize me, Potter," she growled. "How dare you!?"
Harry couldn't believe how quickly Hermione snapped at him, and had to deal with her throwing her arms at him, shoving him in the chest. Hermione shoved Harry once, and then a second time, almost sending Harry onto his back. Hermione went to shove Harry a third time, but he caught her wrists in his palms.
Hermione flailed her arms, trying to escape his clutches, but Harry refused. "Hermione," he said softly, "calm down… please. I was only taking the mickey, honestly. I didn't mean anything by it."
Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, and noticed the sincerity in his words. She closed her eyes and nodded her head, calming herself down. "Sorry for snapping at you, Harry," she sighed. She then opened her eyes and fixated them directly on Harry, and regained her matter-of-fact tone. "For the record, I never said I didn't like snogging Ron; I only said that we lacked chemistry right now. I am of the opinion that a couple can't just get together and have a great snog right away."
Hermione continued to stare at Harry, and Harry returned her stare, looking deep into her eyes. "All you need is the right mate," he said softly.
The two teens stared deep into each other's eyes, something stirring deep in them. Harry, his hands still around Hermione's wrists, released her left wrist, moving his right hand up to Hermione's face. And then, Harry felt it. That spike of jealousy Harry felt every time he saw Hermione and Ron kiss, filled him yet again. It couldn't be jealousy then, could it? Harry had nothing to be jealous of, not right now, in this moment.
Temptation filled the air. Harry cupped Hermione's face in his hand, her wrist held firmly in his other hand. The challenge to prove all one needs for a great snog is the correct mate was in the air; was Harry was going to determine if he was a better mate for her than? Hermione stared at Harry, first looking at his eyes, her gaze then slowly shifting down to his lips before darting back up to his eyes, her breath all of a sudden hitching in her throat. Their respective eyes caught onto each other's again, the heat of the moment encompassing them, forcing them to act. Harry leaned his head towards Hermione, who slowly parted her lips in anticipation…
"`Ello `Arry, `Ermione," came the booming voice of Hagrid the half-giant, in the distance.
It was over before it ever began. Harry and Hermione jumped apart from each other, and quickly turned to the direction of Hagrid. Hagrid was walking back from the castle towards his hut, Fang by his side. Harry and Hermione each took a deep breath, and Harry ran his hand through his hair in frustration while Hermione answered Hagrid.
"He-Hello Hagrid," she said shakily. Hermione cleared her voice, and then spoke again, her voice returning to her fully this time. "How are you?"
Hagrid smiled at the two from a distance, although it was lost to the duo sitting by the tree in the dark. "I'm great," he roared. "I'm `eadin' over to me hut for a cuppa'. You lot care to come along?"
Harry and Hermione didn't even look at each other, instead both hastily getting up to their feet and trotting over to Hagrid. After their near-kiss, their moment that never was, each wanted to diffuse the situation; having a third party such as Hagrid would be a great help to diffusing said situation of a near-kiss. The two joined Hagrid on their walk back to his hut, each on a separate side of the half-giant. Neither Harry or Hermione made eye contact with one another, but no glance was needed, no words need be said. They both knew what almost happened, what they both wanted to happen. Why it almost happened, however, why they almost let it happened, was the question that they each need to figure out. Needless to say, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger each had a lot of reflection to do in the near-future.
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