Chapter 3:
The Date
Harry arrived back in the common room, and as Ron had predicted Hermione was there waiting for him. She looked as she had the night before, which in and of itself was… nice, but it was not her usual look, which Harry greatly preferred to this new one.
He walked over to her, "Morning Hermione. No breakfast today?"
Unfortunately her stomach answered for her and she turned and sent an evil glare at Ginny.
Harry smirked, "Guess not huh?"
"No, I was…..unavoidably detained."
"Well then, are you ready to go? We can get you something to eat in Hogsmeade if you like."
Hermione nodded and smiled slightly.
Ginny then piped up, "Wait just one second. I've arranged a little…Colin, come here and take a picture of the happy couple for me will you?"
Both Harry and Hermione began to object but Ginny waved them away.
"No, no, if you're gonna do this, then do it right. Let's go Colin, hurry up. Hey, come on you two lovebirds, get closer."
They both blushed.
"Now Harry, you put your arm around her waist, yeah like that, that's good. Now Hermione you lean into Harry a little bit….yeah, that's perfect."
"Ginny, is this absolutely necessary?" Hermione asked.
"YES it is! Good, now stay that way. Okay Colin, take the picture." After the flash, the pair began to separate.
"Wait, not yet, one more."
After the second flash they held where they were before separating in case Ginny had any other objections. When none came they separated and turned to leave.
Harry put one hand gently on the small of Hermione's back to usher her toward the portrait and as he did so he notices Ginny motioning to him that he should hold Hermione's hand. He rolled his eyes and was glared at fiercely by Ginny for doing so, but he did it as she commanded. The couple then headed out to begin their date.
Upon arriving in the village Harry thought it best that they get Hermione a little something to eat, seeing as how she had missed breakfast that morning, and not because her stomach had growled long and loudly all the way to Hogsmeade, to her mortification. As they were about to be seated Hermione excused herself to, check her makeup.
In her absence, Ginny rocketed to Harry's side with advice.
"Hey, it's going well," and she gave him the thumbs up, which he frowned at.
"Order for her while she's gone."
"What?"
"You heard me, order food for her."
"What should I order her?"
"Get her a salad you idiot, order her the salad, she's a girl, that's what we eat, especially when we're dating."
"You sure? I've never seen her order a salad before?"
Ginny glared at him furiously, "Just do it, and a diet butterbeer!"
Harry shrugged and did what she said.
A couple of minutes later Hermione made her way back toward the table, A few feet from their booth she stopped dead. Harry was in his seat eating an ice cream sundae and in what was her place there was what looked to be a salad and diet drink.
Hermione stood there unnoticed by Harry positively boiling.
'So…he thinks I'm FAT does he? Of all the nerve! Who the hell does he think he is? Am I just some stupid twittering slag who can't even order for herself? How dare he!'
At that moment he looked up and noticed her, and smiled.
Hermione took a deep breath in an attempt to get her anger under control. As she did so Ginny walked by, looked at the salad, and rubbed her back soothingly for a second before whispering, "He means well…the insensitive git," and then she continued on her way.
Hermione sat down and smiled.
"Oh, is this for me?" she asked gesturing to the plate before her.
Harry nodded.
"How nice of you to order me a salad, us girls have to watch our figures don't we?"
Harry was a little taken aback. She was smiling, but he sensed a little tension.
"Oh, so you like it? I'm glad. I hope you don't mind that I ordered it for you?"
She smiled at him again.
"No, thank you, it was very…..thoughtful of you. By the way, how is your sundae?"
"Oh it's wonderful," he beamed and went right back to eating his ice cream, not noticing the steam coming out of his dates ears as she raised her fork and began poking at her salad.
'Bloody git orders me a salad! If it wasn't starving to death I'd tell him exactly where he could put this salad.'
Harry and Hermione's date didn't get much better from there.
Ron bounded over and hovered for a few minutes. He made a few sexually suggestive comments while staring at Hermione's cleavage before telling Harry not to do anything he wouldn't do, and then thank God, he left.
That unfortunately was only the tip of the iceberg.
Dean stopped by, and wondered out load if he'd have more trouble finding an empty broom closet now that Harry and Hermione were dating. Then he winked at them and headed off.
The couple felt they needed some fresh air after that comment and decided to walk around the town a bit, but that experience was no better for them.
Hermione to her frustration was positive that she heard the phrase 'gold digging slag' at least three times on their walk. She couldn't be sure who said it as they were practically followed everywhere they went, but there were other derogatory comments made about her outfit and her hair as well.
They did find a moment's peace to be just friends again as they wondered through the book store searching for the book they had spoken about the day before.
But as seemed to be the case all day, someone sidled up to them with a comment. This time it was Ginny whispering in Harry's ear, "Have you kissed her yet?"
That comment killed his mood for the next hour or so.
They were two very relieved teenagers when they were informed that it was time to start heading back to Hogwarts.
The Finish
For the next few days it was pretty much the same thing. He'd walk her to class holding her hand. He was carrying her books as Ginny had advised and he could not believe how heavy her bag was. When he first picked it up on Monday morning he did a double take as he actually had trouble lifting it at first. He looked over at Hermione in shock. She asked if he was okay, and he said he was, but damn her bag was heavy.
Separately they were both being bombarded with kissing questions. Have you kissed yet? How was it? Is he a good kisser? Have you been to a broom closet yet? How far have you guys gone, and many, many others. Ginny and Ron seemed to be spearheading the inquisition.
It all finally came to a head at dinner on Wednesday. They were just sitting in the Great Hall eating when it started….The clinking of the glasses, the custom of tapping a glass with a knife to make a couple kiss. Someone at their table started it, they had no idea who, but someone began hitting their glass with a knife and in seconds it spread from table to table throughout the entire hall. Everyone was clinking their glasses and staring directly at Harry and Hermione.
Hermione was mortified as she looked around the room. To his credit Harry looked just as embarrassed as she did. When she could take it no longer, Hermione dropped her fork, rose from her seat, and ran from the Hall in tears. The sound of clinking glasses followed her all the way to the door.
Harry angrily glared at their table and then followed her out.
He found her sitting on a window ledge in the Divination tower.
He approached her and asked softly, "Hermione, you okay?"
She was sitting with her elbows on her knees and her hands covering her face. She just shook her head no.
He sat on the ledge beside her.
"I'm sorry about all this. This whole thing hasn't really gone…." And he trailed off.
She said through her sniffles, "No it hasn't." When her tears had stopped she lifted her head. Her makeup had run and her face was tears stained but she looked determined.
"I wanted you to be happy, but this isn't working out at all. I'm sorry Harry, I do care about you a great deal, you know that….but I can't do this anymore."
Harry looked startled.
"You're breaking up with me? Really?"
He then let out a relieved breath.
"I'm sorry too Hermione. I tried to make you happy too, but everything I did turned out wrong."
For the first time in days Hermione gave him a genuine smile.
He smiled back.
"Hermione, can I tell you something? Without you getting mad at me?"
She chuckled, "Sure Harry, go ahead."
He hesitated for a moment.
"I….I hate your hair like that."
She looked truly surprised.
"You do?"
"Yes….absolutely. I much prefer it the old way."
Then he watched as she stood up, shook out her hair and then mussed it all up with both hands before looking back at him with a smile on her face, and wild hair everywhere.
He chuckled and gave his approval.
"That's much better."
'So…Are we sharing now?" she asked tentatively.
"Yeah, I guess so."
He then nodded, "Go ahead."
"Your hands are clammy."
He laughed at that.
"Well what do you expect? I was so nervous the whole time we were dating, it made my hands sweaty."
She laughed as well.
"I also wanted to hex you for ordering me a salad you stupid plonker."
"Really? Well YOU damn near gave me a double hernia lifting that freaking back pack of yours. What do you carry in there, cement?"
Hermione was overcome with laughter, but just managed to get out,
"You mean I didn't make you feel good about how strong you are?"
The startled look on his face only made her laugh even harder. Her sides began to hurt she was laughing so hard and tears began rolling down her face.
It was a much needed release.
Harry just stood before her still totally aghast at her question.
"You know, that's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! Were did you get a crazy idea like that?"
When Hermione had finally managed to bring her laughter under control she smiled at him.
"It doesn't matter." Then she looked into his eyes, "Can we go back to the way things were?"
"In all seriousness Hermione, nothing would make me happier. So… are we officially broken up?"
"Yes Harry, I think we are. Are you still hungry? Do you want to go back and finish dinner?"
"Yeah I'm starving."
"You're starving! I've been eating salads all week."
He then flashed her a mischievous smirk.
"Well you do look good!"
She looked affronted.
"I thought you hated me looking like this?"
"No, I said I hated your hair that way, I never said anything about the outfits."
She tried to smack his arm but he moved and she missed.
"You're such a git."
He just laughed at her, "Come on lets go eat."
He then stuck out his arm for her to take, which she did, and then she leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment and hugged his arm as they walked.
When the Great hall doors opened and Harry and Hermione stepped through all conversation stopped completely.
Ginny seeing them looking so happy quickly ran over to them.
"You guys okay? Is everything all right?
Harry answered for them.
"Yeah Gin, everything's great, we're back to being friends."
Ginny was beside herself with joy. Her plan had worked! Just as she thought it would. She was beyond ecstatic.
Until….
Some idiot started clinking the glasses again.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then he asked, "What do you say? Do we seal our breakup with a kiss?"
Ginny stood by and watched as Hermione smirked up at him.
"That seems fitting to me," she replied and she turned to face him.
He smiled down at her.
"You ready?"
She shrugged, "Guess so."
"Okay then, here's to our breakup."
Then he stepped toward her and tentatively placed his hands on her hips. She looked up at him as he held her and then slowly raised her hands up and rested them gently on his chest.
Neither one said anything but they each felt a spark of excitement at this new, more intimate contact between them. And very quickly, everything changed.
Harry stared at her for a moment, and then slowly leaned in and kissed her.
The clinking of the glasses around them reached a fever pitch but neither Harry nor Hermione noticed it.
The first thought to strike him was, 'WOW, her lips are so soft!'
It was nice kissing Hermione. Harry was enjoying it so much in fact that he decided to keep right on kissing her.
Hermione found herself caught up in the moment as well and made no effort at all to pull away and end their kiss.
'Bloody hell he's a good kisser!' was her only thought.
'I could definitely get used to this!'
Before he was even aware of what he was doing he'd wrapped his arms around her and then very gently used his tongue to open her mouth.
Hermione gasped at the feel of his tongue probing for hers but then immediately opened her mouth to him.
She brought her arms up and wound them around his neck and pressed herself against him as tightly as she could as their tongues tangled ever so slowly.
The entire hall stared at the pair in disbelief as their kissing session continued on for what seemed like an eternity.
'If I had known how good he was at this, I would have begged him to kiss me as soon as they started pestering us about it'.
'My God she's absolutely amazing. I'm snogging Hermione, please, please don't let this end!'
Ginny could not believe what she was witnessing.
Her plan had worked perfectly but the whole thing was falling apart right before her eyes. Harry and Hermione were practically mauling one another.
Totally oblivious to everyone around them Harry pulled his lips free from Hermione's and began aggressively kissing his way down to her neck.
She heard a muffled, "Hermione?" come from him between kisses.
Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back to give him better access to her neck as she breathlessly whispered back.
"Yes Harry."
He continued all along her neck and up to her ear. When he got there he nipped and sucked lovingly on her earlobe.
He smirked when he felt her whole body shiver.
'Bloody hell!' Her eyes shot open, and she turned and found his mouth again.
Harry had never been so turned on in his life. His entire world at the moment revolved around kissing Hermione.
"Do you want to get back together?" he abruptly blurted out.
When Hermione tried to scream out 'YES', nothing but a shuttered moan escaped her lips.
She focused and tried again, and this time managed to answer him.
"Yes Harry, I do! Are you're sure you want me back?"
He nodded enthusiastically as he continued trailing hungry kisses across her neck and around to her other ear.
She squeaked when he finally got there.
"Harry?
"Hmmm'
"Aren't you hungry?"
He stopped and pulled back. He looked at her with lust filled eyes, took her hand and nodded.
"Yeah I am. It's time to go!" and he headed for the door.
A tremendous cheer went up throughout the great hall at this. Everyone was thrilled, everyone except for Ron and Ginny, who could only stare in stunned silence.
Epilogue:
Ginny and Ron sat side by side in the Gryffindor common room glaring at Harry and Hermione who were cuddling on the couch by the fire.
Ginny was beyond pissed.
An annoyed Ron elbowed his sister.
"This is entirely your fault, you know that?"
He then mimicked his sisters' voice.
"I have a plan. It's gonna work. I'll get Harry and you'll get Hermione. All we have to do is force them to date!"
"Shut up! My plan did work. Everything went just as I said it would."
"Yeah? Then why am I sitting here with YOU, while she's over there snogging HIM!"
Ginny turned on him. "You want to know why? Because some IDIOT started clinking the glasses when they came back, THAT'S why."
She was beyond furious.
"They were done, finished, ours for the taking, and then the clinking started up again and they kissed. So help me, if I ever find out who started that infernal banging when those two came back I'm gotta bat-bogey the living hell out of them. There'll be no place for them to hide; nowhere where they'll be safe from me. Life as they know it will cease to exist!"
She then turned her head and stared down her brother.
Ron wilted completely under her furious gaze.
"Uhh, yeah well…. maybe I'll just go see if I can find Dean to play a game of chess or something." He then got up and hurried toward his dorm, peaking back over his shoulder at Ginny as he went.
Ginny turned to her left, and there sat Dean, not two feet away from her. Her brow furrowed as she thought for a moment, and then she shrieked,
"RON!!"
She turned toward her brother, blazing with anger and saw the fear in his eyes before he turned and bolted up the stairs as fast as he could.
At the sound of Ginny's scream Harry and Hermione untangled themselves from one another and looked up from their position on the couch. They watched for a moment as Ginny flew up the stairs after Ron. They looked at each other…. then shrugged. Then Harry raised an eyebrow suggestively at her. She dropped her eyes in embarrassment at the look on his face, but then slowly peaked back up at him and smiled back. Then the two went right back to what they had been doing, snogging each other senseless.