A/N - Thank you very much for your continued support and positive feedback, keep it coming! I'm very much enjoying writing this story, and just trying to keep things as playful and in-character as I can. I read a great review comment that compared Harry and Hermione to characters from The West Wing which I largely agree with, except that I had Harry start as a kind of Toby-like curmudgeon in regards to Valentine's Day, but he is now turning into Sam because he is naïve, bewildered and has no idea what's going on! Enjoy!
Every few minutes Harry had to look up and around, just to remember where he was. He could have been on the beaches of Normandy, but still in such a daze as he was that nothing around him would register.
Yes, Hermione was a girl. He'd always been (just) smart enough to figure that out, and that she was quite a good-looking one, her understated cuteness developing more and more throughout their time at Hogwarts to the point where Harry could have considered her very attractive, if he didn't already know her so well and think of her along those terms. But, and this was the big `but' in Harry's mind right now, he had no idea Hermione was capable of that.
His head had been spinning since that kiss; now a couple of hours ago, apparently, and he could have sworn his mouth was still tingling. It was just…wow! Harry had wanted to close his eyes, try and remember the feel of her mouth against his; warm, soft, moist, the fireworks and the tingling, the smell of her breath…and then decided that wouldn't be doing him any favors.
All rational thought had been suspended, too. It was like Harry's mind was like the front-facing side of a bank, all twelve counters closed up with the sign `Sorry Harry, we've got nothing'. And, according to Hermione's flipping enchantment, he still had nine to go.
Not that he was dreading it, per say, but…oh, just kill me now.
It was the height of afternoon when Harry returned to the grounds of the castle, taking the long way round to avoid passing near Hagrid's shack. It wasn't that he was now afraid of Hermione; he'd just spent so much time with her earlier, it wouldn't really be fair on her if she was trying to win this thing. Even if it meant kissing other boys…
Heading along the walkway towards the Great Hall entrance, Harry tried not to glance down at the grounds…and failed. He caught sight of Hermione sitting at her desk pretty far off, seemingly reading from a book that he hadn't noticed earlier. For some reason, the fact that she was alone was a little bit of a relief for him, though he did feel for her, sitting outside all day on her own. Maybe he should go down and…no, just…no.
Other than some random padding around and looking in a few shops, Harry had done very little, other than stopping for lunch. Feeling the need to concentrate on something important, Harry had half-decided to go back to his dorm and tackle one of the homework essays he'd been set the previous week - something he had never envisaged doing on a Saturday, but desperate times…
And so he headed back to the common room, where soon enough…
"Hi Harry," Lavender said cheerfully.
How did I forget about that?!
A Knut changing hands, a forced smile and a lingering peck on the cheek (which wasn't exactly unpleasant) later, Harry collapsed onto his bed. For several minutes he just laid there, unthinking. He wanted…he wanted Hermione, which was perplexing at best since she was the source of all his consternation. But, she was still his best friend, and understood him better than anyone.
So why does she have to go and be such a damn good kisser?!
Harry became happily lost in his homework, and didn't notice the sky begin to gradually darken outside. A couple of hours of hard writing later, satisfied with his work, Harry got up and headed for the door down to the common room…
Ron burst into the room, very nearly knocking Harry down in his bluster. He was half into a new set of dress robes as he hustled about his bed looking for his shoes.
"Sorry mate," Ron mumbled, as if just remembering that Harry was there.
"Nice robes," Harry said, a growing look of confusion on his face.
"Cheers."
"…What's the occasion?" Harry asked, gathering up his writing materials from his bed.
Ron turned and gave him a puzzled look, "Erm…Valentine's Day…?"
Harry's face was, for two seconds, so blank it looked as if he was confronted with ancient Muggle history. And then… "Oh yeah, the ball…"
How'd I forget about that?
"Yeah," Ron said with a grin, "you probably missed it because you buried your head in the sand every time it came up."
Huh, that's how then.
"Fair enough," Harry said, "who are you going with?"
"Lavender…we patched things up. Well, enough for one night, anyway. You?"
Harry shook his head, "Probably not going."
"Really?"
Harry shrugged, "Yeah."
"Nothing wrong with going stag, you know."
"What's that?"
"When you go without a date."
"Oh," Harry said.
Ron finally found his shoes, and hopped about the room trying to get them on.
Harry flopped back down onto his bed, "So, who's Hermione going with, anyway? Could've sworn she…"
Hermione burst into the room.
"There ya go," Ron said, "you can get it from the horse's mouth."
Hermione gave him a dirty look.
"So to speak," Ron finished, quickly turning back to his trunk.
Harry looked up at her for the first time, "Hey, what's…blimey…"
She looked beautiful. Hermione wore her hair long, longer than normal as she had it magically straightened. Her chestnut brown locks bounced about her pretty face, shaded with a minimal level of make-up. She wore a dark blue and silver full-length dress, the plunging neck line tasteful and at the same time figure-flattering, to say the least.
Hermione suppressed a grin at Harry's speechlessness…which only made her seem more attractive.
Harry cleared his throat with a cough, "So, um…can I help?"
Hermione wrung her hands together, "Harry, I need a favor…"
"Here we go…" Ron said, under his breath from across the room.
"Well…" Hermione said, suddenly finding interest in her own heeled shoes, "…my date cancelled on me, and I need…"
"Wait…" Harry said.
"I know you didn't really want to go, Harry, I just…"
"Who did you ask to go with you?" Harry asked pointedly.
"Oh," Hermione said, "what's-his-name from Ravenclaw…Terry Boot."
"Why would he cancel on you?"
"He's come down with a nasty virus, he says."
"That timed out well…" Ron muttered.
"You're not helping, Ronald!"
Harry stood up, "So, you need a date."
Hermione nodded, "They're announcing the winner of our kissing booths tonight…all the other girls have dates, I just didn't want to be the…"
Harry held up his hands, "Okay, fine, I'll get dressed."
Hermione threw herself at him, nearly hugging the life out of him, "Oh, thank you Harry!"
"Don't worry about it," Harry struggled to get out. His face full of Hermione's hair and everywhere below his neck suddenly deprived of air, that was about the best he could do. Not that he was complaining about Hermione hugging him…it felt quite nice, actually…
Hermione let him go, "Okay, well, we need to leave in about five minutes, so…"
Harry made straight for the bathroom, "Alright, I'm going, I'm going…"
With a demure smile to herself, Hermione turned and headed out the door.
Ron just rolled his eyes.
* * * * *
By the time Harry got down to the Great Hall, Hermione's arm linked into his, the ball was in full swing. It was hard for Harry to know where to look first; there was just so much going on. The bands, the dancing, the buffet tables; the boys in suits and robes, the girls in gowns and dresses. Harry had been here before, of course, but never really found himself enjoying the Valentine's Ball at Hogwarts. Now he was here, for the first time, he hoped tonight could be different.
His grand master plan basically involved staying around Hermione all night. She didn't seem to mind that; in fact, she seemed to quite enjoy having someone familiar to talk to. They ate together, grabbed some punch together, talked and laughed and chatted with other people and their dates together. It was good for Harry to have the company; he'd normally be lost or bored by now.
When Professor McGonagall called for quiet to make a few announcements from the band podium, Hermione basically dragged Harry by the hand onto the dance floor, where the other contestants seemed to be congregating. She was visibly tense but also excited; after all, this was a competition, but it was for charity. Professor McGonagall ran through the final totals, all of them higher than Harry would've thought. Thinking about how many boys they had to go through to get these amounts, he was thinking that maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if Hermione didn't…
"And in first place, with twelve Galleons, eighteen Sickles and twenty-seven knuts, Miss Hermione Granger!"
…Okay, never mind.
The applause was loud and mildly enthusiastic as Hermione buried her face in Harry's shoulder. He gave her a hug, whispering `well done' into her ear with a smile. This was her moment.
The smile didn't leave her face, even as the music started up again with a slow number. Harry made to leave the dancefloor, but Hermione tugged him back by the hand.
"What?" Harry said.
"I want to dance," Hermione said.
"Okay, have fun."
"Oh, come here…" Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and stepped in close to him.
Harry tried not to appear uncomfortable, failing miserably, "What are we doing?"
"It's a slow dance, Harry."
"…Okay."
"Is it making you uncomfortable?"
"…I'll be fine."
"Good." Hermione said.
The silence was allowed to linger for a moment as Hermione led the way, Harry's hands on her waist.
"I'm glad you won," Harry said with a grin.
"Thanks," Hermione said, "but that was probably down to you."
"Well…not all of it."
"No-one else managed twelve Galleons, Harry."
"Yeah…"
"What?" Hermione asked.
"…Who gave you the other two…?"
"No need to be jealous…" Hermione teased.
"I'm not!"
"Sure you're not." Hermione said, poking out her tongue.
"That's right…"
"Speaking of which…" Hermione said.
Harry was hoping this wasn't going where he thought it was, "Yeah…"
"I still owe you nine…"
"You don't have to…"
"Do you want to be cursed?" Hermione asked pointedly.
"No."
"I didn't think so…" Hermione said.
Harry paused, "…What, now?"
Hermione smiled, "Why not?"
Harry glanced around them, "Oh, there's only a few hundred people in here…"
"Who cares what they think?"
"…Me?"
Hermione's face was inching closer to his.
"It's not working, is it?" Harry said.
"No," Hermione whispered, closing her eyes.
Before Harry could respond, her lips were on his. Her mouth felt firm and insistent against his, not pulling away. He couldn't help but feel elated; like some huge weight was lifted from him whenever she did that. He knew he shouldn't enjoy it this much as he closed his eyes, yet he found himself returning her kiss, and part of him hoping it would never end…
Alas, ten seconds later it did. As soon as Harry caught sight of those hundreds of pairs of eyes on him, his face turned red.
Hermione stifled a giggle, "That wasn't too terrible, was it?"
"No, it was nice…"
"Nice…?"
"Okay, very nice…" Harry said, "But…you know…can you see everyone staring as well?"
Hermione waved it off, "Oh Harry, half the school already thinks we're seeing each other."
"Yeah, and the other half have just joined the cult!"
"You need to relax," Hermione said, taking his hand, "Come on, let's take a walk."
Trying desperately hard not to make eye contact with anyone, Harry followed her out of the hall.
* * * * *
The two of them look a long walk around the castle grounds, Hermione carrying her heels and walking bare foot. The conversation came in drips and drabs between periods of awkward silence. It was the last thing Harry wanted, to make things awkward, but there were times he just couldn't help it.
By the time they were heading back towards the common room, the chat came a bit easier. Between talk of Quidditch, exams and homework, both had plenty to contribute. Hermione had no qualms linking her arm with Harry's again, even as by now the ball was coming to an end and more and more others were heading back to their common rooms.
They stopped outside the portrait hole. Hermione turned to face Harry, the smile back on her face.
"Thank you for tonight, Harry," She beamed, "I'm so glad you could come with me."
"Me too," Harry said, grinning.
"So I guess it wasn't quite the Valentine's Day you'd hoped for…"
Harry shrugged, "No…but it was still pretty good."
"…Pretty good?"
"Can you stop fishing for compliments?"
Hermione smiled, "I am a girl, Harry. We like those."
Harry nodded, "Yeah, fair enough."
Pause. Awkward pause.
"So…" Hermione said.
Harry was starting to develop a sixth sense for this kind of thing, "Yeah…"
"Do you think a goodnight kiss would be in order?" Hermione said with a slight smile.
"Oh, not again…"
"You act like it's such a pain to kiss me," Hermione moaned.
"It isn't," Harry said.
"I know it isn't," Hermione said, "I think you actually enjoy it."
"Well…it's not the worst feeling in the world, is it?"
"Thanks for the high praise."
"You know what I mean," Harry said.
Hermione wrapped her arms round his neck, "You know the next time, I'm not going to tell you in advance."
"Brilliant…"
Hermione leaned in and closed her eyes; for the first time, Harry met her half way. As his mouth pressed more hungrily against hers, Harry found that the more he kissed her, the more he wanted to kiss her…
And then he felt something wet probe against his closed mouth.
Harry pulled back sharply. Hermione gave him a wicked smile, "Goodnight, Harry."
As she disappeared through the portrait hole, Harry cursed her silently.
Dammit Hermione, no tongue!
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