A/N - Thanks once again for the reviews and encouragement - I'm glad this story has been so well-received! Please keep those reviews coming, and I'll try my best to get the chapters out a little more regularly - stupid real life
Harry sat in the Transfiguration classroom, bored out of his skull. The class around him had long since lapsed into silence as they fell head-long into the long essay assignments they were continuing to work on. Amazingly, Harry had already all-but finished his - the advantages of ignoring Valentine's Day. Well, most of it anyway…
Not for the first time, his eyes wandered around the classroom. Every time he did, he was reminded of the same simple but obvious fact, and something inside him dropped. Hermione wasn't here.
Where the hell is she?
About ten minutes after class had started, Harry had whispered to Ron next to him, "Where is she?"
"Where's who?" Ron said.
Harry gave him a double take, "…Ron, who do you think I'm talking about?"
"…Hermione?"
"Erm…yeah."
"Oh, dunno mate."
Lot of help, you are.
Professor McGonagall had sat atop her perch in her owl form, keeping silent but watchful eyes upon the class. Apparently, she must have switched back as Harry's eyes scanned the back of the classroom, "Is there a problem, Potter?"
Harry's head snapped back round, "No Professor, sorry I was just…"
"He was pining for his girlfriend, Professor." Seamus piped up from the back of the class with a cheeky grin, as several others snickered.
"That will do, Finnegan, let's not have any of that talk here."
As the class fell back into silence, Professor McGonagall approached Harry's bench, speaking in a quiet voice, "In the event Potter, Miss Granger was excused from class today. Apparently she has several assignments to finish for this week."
Harry nodded, not really knowing what else to do, "…Okay, thanks."
The professor lingered over him, a hesitant look on her face.
"Is everything alright, Professor?"
Her voice became even quieter, "Is it true that you and Miss Granger are actually…"
Ron's hand shot up beside Harry, "Professor, can I ask you about this…?"
Seeming to remember herself, Professor McGonagall straightened and walked across, "Of course…"
With her back to him, Harry shook his head in amazement.
And remembered he needed to get Seamus back somehow.
* * * * *
Harry didn't see Hermione at dinner either, nor in the Common Room directly after classes or dinner, not even later on that evening as he gave Neville a much-deserved thrashing at chess - well, he was getting a bit mouthy about his imagined prowess at the game.
The later it got, the more Harry began to worry - was this about him? Was Hermione avoiding him? Did she suddenly regret what they were doing?
No, Harry decided. Think about it; Professor McGonagall said she had a lot of work to catch up on. She was probably holed up in her dorm getting it all done.
But that image troubled Harry. Why did she suddenly have mountains of work to finish in so short a time? This was Hermione…she never allowed herself to get into such a hole as this. She must've been tired, Harry thought…and hungry, for all he knew she hadn't eaten, at least within the last few hours. No way did she deserve that…
Harry sat around as the hour became late, and students began to head up towards their dorms, then ducked out the portrait hole.
* * * * *
Nearly half an hour later, Harry was on the latest of many stops on his way back from the Great Hall towards the dormitory. He leant against the staircase handrail, breathing heavily.
It wasn't that he was suddenly unfit; it was the groaning weight of the reed basket he was carrying.
In Harry's mind, his request to the house elves in the kitchen was very clear - just something nice for Hermione to eat while she catches up on her homework. It was then of course that Harry realised he made the mistake of saying her name. The speed, vigour and enthusiasm at which those little elves went about their cooking made Harry wonder if they had secretly made Hermione their queen in some secret coronation.
He could have made the basket weightless, or near enough, but Harry worried what that might do to the food. And so he struggled on, hoping that somehow, in some small way, this self-inflicted ordeal would somehow be worth the…
Ron appeared at the top of the staircase, "Alright mate?"
Harry looked up at him disbelievingly, "How do you always know where I am?"
"Oh," Ron said, "I stopped by the kitchens. The elves ratted you out."
"Right, so you're here to give me a hand?"
"…Actually, did they happen to make you any of those chocolate…"
Harry gripped the basket handles together and hauled it up off the stairs, "I don't believe you."
"What?" Ron said, moving out of the way.
"Forget about it."
"I thought you ate, anyway."
"I did," Harry said, grimacing as they walked slowly down the corridor, "but Hermione didn't. You heard what McGonagall said, she's been cooped up in that dorm all day doing homework."
"…And so she asked you to nip downstairs and get enough food to feed an army?" Ron said.
"No, that was my idea." Harry said.
"You've never done that for me," Ron said, as he veered off down a different corridor towards the bathrooms.
"You've never kissed me," Harry said under his breath as he soldiered on.
"I can always start!" Ron shouted back, his voice bouncing off the walls.
* * * * *
Finally, Harry reached the portrait hole. Quietly pushing his way through, he set down the basket beside the entrance…and saw one of the most heartwarming, and yet heartbreaking, sights of recent memory.
Hermione was sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the fireplace, books and papers spread out all around her. Facing off to Harry's left, she hadn't noticed him come in.
As Harry edged slightly closer, he wondered if she was noticing anything at this point; even from here, with the flickering fire casting light and shadow over her features, Harry could see the pale complexion, the bags under the eyes, the more-unkempt-than usual hair. And yet, through all that, she still looked…beautiful.
Hermione - she looks like Hermione! Snap out of it! A little voice inside his head screamed.
Oh shut up, another voice said.
Harry coughed gently as he picked up the basket.
Hermione looked up with a start, trying to blink the aching out of her eyes, "Harry…you startled me."
"Sorry," He said sheepishly.
"No, don't worry about it," Hermione said, craning her neck to glance at the clock, "I didn't realise it was so late."
Harry looked down at her assorted work, "Yeah, can't think why."
Hermione rubbed at her eye, "I'm sorry I wasn't in class earlier today, Harry, I was just…I fell a little behind with some of my assignments."
Harry carefully put down the basket and sat down on the floor facing her, "That's not like you."
"I know," Hermione said, "and I'm a little annoyed with myself, too. I just…I got a little carried away with…"
"…Valentine's Day?" Harry said.
Hermione yawned and nodded, "I know, it was stupid. But I wanted to…"
"Hey," Harry said, "come on, don't beat yourself up."
"But," Hermione said, throwing down a piece of paper, "now I've got all this work to do, and I'm so behind. I mean, three of these essays are due in tomorrow, and I…"
Harry scooted over to Hermione's side, "Hey, what did I just tell you?"
Hermione's head slumped down, her eyes closed.
Harry put an arm round her shoulder, "Come on, don't panic. You're not falling behind, I'm not gonna let you. I'll help you get all this done."
"Don't make me feel bad, Harry, I don't want to keep you up too."
"Tough," Harry said, trying to grin.
Hermione raised her head and looked at him, blowing out a frustrated breath, "I'm not talking you out of it, am I?"
Harry shook his head.
Hermione leaned over and pressed her cheek against Harry's, "Thank you," she whispered into his ear.
Harry managed to smile that time, "You're welcome."
"What's in that basket?" Hermione said.
Harry pulled away from her just enough to flip open the basket lid, "What do you normally find in a picnic basket?"
"Harry, where did you go to get…"
"Where do you think?"
Hermione seemed to instantly revive, "Harry, have you been taking advantage of…"
With the speed of a cheetah, Harry shoved a cream cake into Hermione's mouth, "Shut up."
It had to be the most random picnic ever recorded by man, but as far as Harry was concerned it could not be beat - not that he had a whole lot to compare it to. He made Hermione eat her fill before she could even touch her work - at this point she was too tired to put up a fight.
She was smiling now, though, between bites of her food. Harry found it heartening, like his best friend was coming back to life.
Yeah, it was worth it.
It took them both another hour and a half to clear through the rest of Hermione's outstanding work. Despite the constant bickering from Hermione, and the jokes that Harry would probably be more hindrance than help, it was an oddly enjoyable homework session - certainly more fun than trying to work with Ron. Mainly because he'd usually end up copying Harry's work anyway…
As Hermione gathered her completed scrolls together, she beamed at Harry for maybe the millionth time, "Harry, I can't tell you how much you've helped me. I mean it, you're such a sweetheart."
Harry grinned back at her, "You're just about worth it."
Hermione pouted, "I'm too tired to hit you."
"That's good."
"I'm also too tired to move," Hermione said, "I could fall asleep right here, sitting up."
"That'd be funny…come on, bed time." Harry said, moving to get up.
He offered Hermione a hand; she seized it and hauled herself up with great difficulty…only to collapse onto the nearest sofa.
"You know that's not your bed, right?" Harry said.
Hermione poked her tongue out at him, patting the cushion next to her.
Harry crossed his arms, "So, you think you doing that will make me sit down?"
Hermione gave him a narrow-eyed look.
"Okay…"
Harry fell back against the sofa himself, fighting the urge to close his eyes. Hermione had no such qualms, dropping a cushion onto Harry's lap and lying down, resting her head on it.
"Comfy there?" Harry said.
Hermione looked up at him with a bashful smile, "Yes, thanks."
"Good."
"I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?"
Harry shook his head, "Why would you be?"
It was Hermione's turn to shake her head, "No reason."
Silence passed between them for a moment, both still looking at each other. As tired as Harry was, or maybe because of that, he didn't find it awkward or tense. Not even when Hermione took his hand in hers and started playing with it, stroking and pulling on his fingers. It just felt…natural.
"Can I ask you something?" Harry said, breaking the silence.
"Mm?" Hermione said, looking back up at him.
"How did you let yourself end up in this state, pulling an all-nighter?"
Hermione shrugged, "Harry I told you, all that planning that went into…"
"That still doesn't sound like you," Harry said, "you would have thought of that."
Hermione looked down at their intertwined hands and sighed deeply, "I know…"
"I'm not criticising, it just…I worry, ya know?"
A faint smile formed on Hermione's mouth, "I know you do, Harry. It's just…yeah, I suppose I have been a bit preoccupied."
"With what?"
"With you," Hermione said, her eyes finding his again.
"Me, what did I do?"
"You kissed me."
"Well, you made me!" Harry said in protest.
Hermione pouted up at him, pulling a sad face.
Harry sighed, "Okay, I suppose I still did…what about it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why has that preoccupied you?" Harry said, "I mean, we kiss each other a bit more nowadays, but other than that…"
"This coming from the same boy that spazzed out when I kissed him in public," Hermione teased.
Harry shrugged, trying not to smile, "I'm getting over it. At first it was…hang on, back to you."
"Well…I know the circumstances aren't ideal, Harry, and I know people are talking, but…I've kind of liked it."
For the first time that night, Harry didn't know what to say, "…Really?"
Hermione nodded, her thumb stroking the back of Harry's hand, "Harry you may not have noticed, but this…doesn't happen to me terribly often. It may sound superficial and girly, but…I guess I've liked the attention a little bit."
"Huh…"
"And…I like being kissed too, you know? It gives me something else to look forward to." Hermione said.
Harry gave her a little smile, "Yeah…I know what you mean."
Hermione beamed up at him, looking visibly relieved, "Maybe I just needed to say that."
"Well now that you have, do you reckon you could go to bed?"
"Why?"
"So I can go to bed," Harry said.
"Harry, we were having a nice moment there," Hermione moaned.
"Yeah, but that ended." Harry teased back.
"Killjoy," Hermione said, "I suppose you must be tired as well."
Harry nodded, "Yeah, and you're on top of me and keeping me from my bed."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Don't you like me on top then, Harry?"
Harry nearly laughed, pushing Hermione's head off his lap, "What is wrong with you?"
Hermione sat up and gathered her things, "It's just the exhaustion, I promise you."
Work bundled under her arm, Harry walked Hermione to the bottom of the dorm staircase. They both stopped without a word to the other, and Harry turned to face her.
"Are you gonna be alright?" Harry asked.
"I'm just going to bed, Harry," Hermione said with a playful smile.
"I meant in the morning," Harry said, "if you're still exhausted have someone come tell me, I'll make sure…"
Hermione put a finger to his lips, "Enough worrying about me, Harry. I'll be fine."
"I know…"
"But you are really sweet to care so much," Hermione said softly.
Harry's face edged closer, "Yeah, I know…"
As did Hermione's, "Aww, and I'm getting a goodnight kiss too…"
"Yeah…I wasn't prompted or anything…" Harry whispered.
"You're too good to me…"
"Shut up…"
Eyes closed, their lips met gently. Harry didn't want to pull away, no matter how tired he was. Her mouth, soft and wet and warm, produced the same wonderful sensations in him at any hour of the day, and never lost their appeal. At least now he knew Hermione liked it, too.
A good five seconds passed before Hermione reluctantly pulled back. She sighed at Harry with a smile, and squeezed his hand as she started to climb the stairs, "Night, Harry."
He watched her go, almost draped over the banister, before hauling himself up too, "Nice one, Harry…"
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