That Night & the Next Morning
By the Barmy_old_Codger
One Shot (for now)
I apologize that I can't seem to focus on Black, White and Red or my 'other story'. This idea has been bugging me for a while and I hope if I post it, it will leave me alone.
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Introduction:
Books 1 to 4 compliant … up to the end of chapter 36 of GoF.
This story starts out after chapter 36 of Goblet of Fire. Harry is in bed in the Hospital Wing after returning from the graveyard and is about to get his second dose of Dreamless Sleep potion, Ron, Hermione, Padfoot and Molly Weasley were near his bed. As a memory refresher, the last few paragraphs of 36 follow, note Hermione's apparent actions:
Quote From GOF page 620, hardcover Canadian edition printed by Raincoast Books:
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'It wasn't your fault Harry,' Mrs Weasley whispered.
'I told him to take the Cup with me,' said Harry.
Now the burning feeling was in his throat, too. He wished Ron would look away.
Mrs Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet, bent down, and put her arms around Harry. He had no memory of ever being hugged like this, as though by a mother. The full weight of everything he had seen that night seemed to fall in upon him as Mrs Weasley held him to her. His mother's face, his father's voice, the sight of Cedric, dead on the ground, all started spinning in his head until he could hardly bear it, until he was screwing up his face against the howl of misery fighting to get out of him.
There was a loud slamming noise, and Mrs Weasley and Harry broke apart. Hermione was standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.
'Sorry,' she whispered.
'Your potion, Harry,' said Mrs Weasley quickly, wiping her eye on the back of her hand.
Harry drank it in one. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy, irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over him, he fell back onto his pillows, and thought no more.
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End of Chapter 36 titled 'The Parting of the Ways'. As Monty Python might say, 'Now for something completely different ...'
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GoF Chapter 36½ - That Night & the Next Morning
Hermione looked down at her right hand ... it was dripping blood on the floor. She wished she had been allowed to hug Harry and give him his potion … and a kiss … or two … or three ….
The glass vase she had picked up from a nearby table had shattered when she slammed her fist into the stone wall. She had done a right good job of skinning her knuckles as well; she could feel most of the hundreds of blood soaked glass shards in her still closed fist. Most of the glass was now on the floor, using her left hand, she flicked her wand towards the floor muttering evanesco and the mess was no more. Hermione then picked up a bedpan that was beside the vase, and holding it under her dripping fist she marched resolutely towards Madam Pomfrey's small office. Looking at her hand again she thought, at least this is an excuse to try to get the bed beside Harry. She hoped she wouldn't be sent back to her dormitory, she desperately wanted to be here when Harry woke up. In the end Hermione had to pretend dizziness and nausea to get a bed. She didn't really think the Nurse believed her story, but at least she would be here when Harry woke up.
Poppy led Hermione by her un-bandaged hand, over to the bed beside Harry, pulled a set of pyjamas out of a nearby cabinet and dropped them on Hermione's bed. Then Poppy pulled the privacy screens closed as she went over to check on Harry. Madam Pomfrey flicked her wand towards the four corners of Harry's bed muttering something under her breath before she noticed a scowl on Ron's face. She then herded the remaining Weasleys and a few other strays out of her Hospital Wing and locked the doors. The grim black dog remained on the floor between the two occupied beds. If a dog could be said to have a smirk on his face, this one certainly did.
After the Nurse closed the curtains around her bed, Hermione got up on her bed and watched the goings on over the curtains. She saw Poppy set an alarm charm around Harry's bed that would alert her if something crossed the boundaries around the edge of the bed, essentially keeping her out, not that she had planned to climb in with him anyway; she did want to hug him, but not in front of Ron ... maybe in the morning. Shortly after all the lights had gone out, Hermione shifted her bed next to Harry's. She was determined to be there for him whether he knew it or not.
Sirius shuffled his shaggy black hide over to the girl's bed hoping to have a private word with her. Sirius thought back to his days in school, remembering several of his girlfriends and the antics they got up to. He wondered if any of them would have hurt themselves just to stay in the hospital with him ... probably none. He was definitely going to have a talk with Harry about 'girls' and Albus about the summer accommodations. Damn lucky pup, too bad he didn't have a clue about girls, and this one in particular. He knew very well how it could happen ... at eleven years old when they met, neither one had any interest in romance ... well, not an eleven year old boy anyway. Hermione was probably very lucky that Harry or Ron paid her any attention at all at that age, now they seemed to think of her as 'one of the guys' and that was it.
Hermione climbed back into her bed, then, after looking around, she shuffled over as close to Harry's bed as she dared and slipped her left hand under Harry's covers, feeling around for his hand. She was fairly certain that the alarm charm wouldn't trigger if only an arm crossed the boundary otherwise it would be a nuisance and be going off all night if Harry was restless, it turned out she was right. She found his hand, pulled it closer, and managed to lace their fingers together. It almost seemed too easy, as if Harry was consciously helping, she didn't think he could though, being in a dreamless sleep.
Hearing a soft bark, Hermione turned her head away from Harry in time to see Sirius Black transform from the shaggy black dog and extend to his full height beside her bed. It was a little unnerving, he was still quite mangy looking, in need of a shave, a haircut and some sort of decent clothes. She had seen him earlier in the evening as both man and beast, so the sight of him, or simply his presence, wasn't a particular shock. She was actually expecting he would have some kind of comment on her method of remaining at Harry's side. She was about to be proven right.
"Well enough executed Miss Granger although you could do with some lessons on pranking so you wouldn't actually need to hurt yourself." Said Sirius. He looked introspective for a moment before continuing, "You kids have better care here than you realize. That old Witch back there," and he pointed with his thumb towards the Nurses Office, "She has probably forgotten more about healing than most of the Healers at St. Mungo's know. She used to teach all their Healer trainees in everything except Dark curses. By the end of the last war, she had seen too much death and had to get away from it, Albus offered her a position here. I've been told that St Mungo's had to hire three Trainers to replace her." Hermione glanced over to the office where Madam Pomfrey had disappeared. "Yes, her … that Nurse that you all take for granted is one of the greatest Healers in Britain.
Hermione turned her head and looked towards Harry. Sirius spoke again, "Yes, him too … another person with amazing potential, along with yourself. He lacks confidence in himself that comes from the home in which he was brought up." Hermione looked back up at Sirius with a sad expression on her face, thinking about 'those damn Dursleys' when Sirius continued speaking, "Look kiddo, he's fourteen now and I know he's figured out what girls are … at his age I had, but I was still afraid of scaring off the one I really wanted. I think that's also his problem. I don't think he could scare you off, but I also don't think he could survive without you." Hermione's eyes lit up a little though it was barely discernable in the near darkness. "I think you two should spend the summer together, the old man is very set in his ways," she knew he meant Dumbledore, "But I will persuade him somehow, this old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve … failing that I can put some dung bombs in his office."
Hermione actually giggled for a moment at the thought of sacrilege in the Headmasters office, then spoke, "I need to spend some time with my parents too, they've been getting short changed the last few summers."
"Hmm …" Sirius thought for a moment, "That can probably be arranged too, the Black's have a seaside home on one of the Channel Islands, do you think your parents would agree to that?"
"What about their work? They would need to go back and forth to Oxford five days a week for half of the summer?" Asked Hermione, then she stated. "They may already have something planned for summer holidays."
"In the morning, send an owl to your parents, I know it's short notice, but if they agree then we can save them a trip to Kings Cross and we'll join them at your home later in the evening to explain everything including how we'll get them to work and back." Said Sirius.
"This all sounds great Sirius, but do you really think Harry will want me for a girlfriend?"
"Look, I wasn't at your Christmas Ball, but I have it on good authority that you struck him dumb when he first saw you." Stated Sirius. "I'll have a talk to him tomorrow about living his life, I know you don't flaunt yourself Hermione, and you may find this embarrassing, but you should consider using your wonderful … ummm … assets … to your advantage." Hermione blushed almost as red as a Weasley though you couldn't see it in the dark. "Drive the poor boy's hormones crazy until he makes the connection. I'm going to do my best to keep the Weasleys out of your way this summer because I know Molly has her heart set on seeing Harry getting together with Ginny. It's obvious to me that it's not right, not a good match … Molly just won't listen to reason so now you know why she and I don't get along." Sirius pulled out her wand from under her pillow, aimed it at Harry's bed and whispered, 'finite incantatum' removing the alarm charm from Harry's bed.
Hermione raised her bandaged hand and Sirius held it loosely. "Thank you Sirius …", Merlin I hope this works out, Hermione thought as a lone tear escaped from one eye.
"Thank you Hermione, for being there for Harry, you have done what I cannot." Sirius said as he shrank from sight and returned to being a shaggy black dog. Padfoot crossed under both beds to the other side of Harry's bed and while snickering, he lay down, placing himself between Harry and the door.
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Hermione's thoughts:
Thanks to Sirius reminder, Hermione thought back to the look on Harry's stunned face as he recognized her standing beside Krum. Over the last six months she had been flip flopping on what that look meant, at first it seemed obvious, he liked what he saw and realized that she was definitely a girl, always the first step. Damn those school robes. Days, weeks, months later, she had gradually returned to her own self doubt. If only Harry had said something. Harry never followed it up by saying anything. Sirius thinks he's scared, if so it makes perfect sense … from his point of view … I guess. He knows he could have any girl in Hogwarts, I've told him that, and he doesn't even try, he doesn't want to try, he has me at his side most of the time. If he didn't want me there, he could have had Cho … or Ginny … or anyone else … and he didn't. I'm just as dense and scared as him, thought Hermione.
Hermione lay there thinking for quite a while before charging her courage up. She released his hand and rolled over to be partly on his bed. His right arm and hand were under her, but nowhere she would object to if he was awake. She knew he wouldn't wake up for another eight hours at least. She bracketed his face with her hands and gave him a kiss before resting her head on his chest. She intended to remain like this for only a few minutes while listening to his breathing and heart rate. Something she had never had the undisturbed opportunity to do before … it was … quite enjoyable … and relaxing …
The next thing she knew, something was wriggling beneath her. In the pre-dawn greys of light before the sun came up she opened one eye and immediately realized she was still partly on top of Harry. DON'T PANIC!, she thought as his left arm clumsily wrapped tightly around her torso. She realized that he was coming out of his potion induced sleep,
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She waited a few moments, then looked up, her eyes locked onto his green orbs that were starring back in confusion. His mouth opened … closed … opened again, and closed when she placed her bandaged right hand over it to keep him quiet.
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She knew that his right arm was mostly trapped under her torso, and where her breasts were squashed into him, if he hadn't figured out she was a girl by now … there was no hope, thought Hermione. With a smile on her lips she turned her face back down and rested her head on his chest again while he loosened his one armed death grip on her back. He didn't actually move his arm away, he just stopped squeezing. Hermione jumped with a start when Harry started wiggling the fingers of his buried right hand … it had been cupping her, comfortably, so very close to her … most private place. Her startled jump landed her back on her own bed with a very sheepish and embarrassed look on her face.
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Harry's thoughts:
Still groggy from the potion, Harry started to wake up, yesterday afternoon and evening still very fresh in his mind. Thinking Cedric's body was on top of him and he needed to hold on to it, he wasn't sure why he couldn't move his right arm, but it felt warm and comfy if not a little numb. Harry wrapped his left arm tightly around the body that lay over him. Not until his eyes opened, could he look down to find a familiar mop of fuzzy brown hair. It looked wrong, too much hair, not the right colour, this is Not Cedric! His panic stopped when she looked up and he recognized her familiar chocolate brown eyes. Hermione? He was definitely confused.
Harry had no exact idea where his right hand and fingers were, his whole arm was tingling. He tried to wiggle his fingers, they seemed to push against something soft and squishy. He wondered why as Hermione let out a startled 'Eeep' and jumped back away from him. Harry looked down to his right hand, then over to Hermione, now on the next bed, then he looked down to his hand again before realizing where it had most likely been.
The blood flow resumed and feeling slowly returned to his right arm and hand. Curiosity caused Harry's right hand to move towards his face under the covers. Using the guise of rubbing his nose, in case Hermione was watching, he breathed in long and hard to enjoy her aroma. This was an even stronger and headier sensation than her late evening smell, he thought. He didn't get hugs from her every day, not that he would mind. When he did get 'hermyhugs', as he called them, her morning hugs smelled soapy clean with a hint of vanilla and roses, a nice smell, but not really Hermione. The mid day hugs, which were rare, still had traces of the vanilla and rose mixed with the more female, Hermione smell. The bedtime hugs over the last year or so had been his favourite, the real Hermione smell came through, or so he thought. Harry now lived for those hugs. The memories of those smells fuelled his more recent wet dreams, when old Mouldyshorts would leave his mind alone. This new smell was even headier, erotic, even more Hermione, he moved his fingers down to his mouth to lick them in hopes of tasting her. The taste was exotic, but less than satisfying, having rubbed most of it off on the sheets and his nose.
The-Boy-Who-Was-Confused lay there, half way between PANIC! and wonder, trying to figure out what happened to his carefully pigeon-holed life. His mind had completely forgotten about Cedric, Voldemort and the Mad-eye Moody who wasn't. The more he thought about Hermione, the more he decided he liked this and had to figure out how to keep it happening. Scenes of broom closets and otherwise empty classrooms passed before his eyes.
It took a few minutes, his mind still clearing from the effects of the potion, until he remembered her hand was covered in bandages. Harry looked over and down, spotting the bundle of white, he moved his arm and started to reach for it. They both heard two soft barks and Hermione quickly pulled back and looked away, she lay back down on her own bed. Harry groaned at the loss, looking down, he saw where Hermione's gaze had been, the bulge in the sheets half way down to his toes. It was Harry's turn to blush, though his wasn't as showy as Ron's red face, Hermione noticed and giggled, almost inaudibly, causing Harry to become even pinker.
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Reality returns:
Madam Pomfrey, in her night robe, came bustling up to the pair of beds shaking a finger at both blushing faces. Intending to keep Harry for observation for most of the day, she unwrapped Hermione's hand. Proclaiming it healed, she sent Hermione to the washroom with her clothes and told her she could go down to breakfast when she was ready.
When Hermione returned from the loo, she sat down beside Harry's bed and refused to be kicked out by Madam Pomfrey. Harry left next, taking a fresh set of pyjamas with him. When he returned, he was ushered back to bed and under the covers. Knowing Hermione wouldn't leave him for anything, Poppy summoned a House Elf to bring them breakfast then went down to the Great Hall herself.
Over the next several hours, through lunch and into early afternoon, when they weren't interrupted by Weasleys and others, she tried to help Harry come to terms with Cedric's death, Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort, Fudge, the fake Moody (aka Barty Crouch) and the year as a whole. It was a tall order and Hermione knew they needed much more time. Harry never mentioned anything about waking up this morning, and Hermione was too embarrassed to speak.
Ron had brought Harry a change of clothes after lunch and when Harry was finally allowed to change and leave, Hermione told him about her conversation with Sirius the night before. Both Hermione and the Grim Mongrel walking beside them was pleased to see the smile on Harry's face when he realized he could almost have Hermione all to himself for the summer.
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A/N: Now what to do with JKR's chapter 37 … it still fits … mostly … including the kiss Hermione leaves him with at Kings Cross. If I do a sequel to this, then Sirius's plans will come into play.
Thanks for reading
Barmy