Here Comes the Harry Potter
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After Harry stopped the car in front of the Granger's house, Hermione quickly got out of the car and made her way to the front door. Harry simply chuckled at her behavior.
'It's going to be an interesting evening.' He thought smiling inwardly.
"Sorry for her behavior. I'll take you inside." Romilda said shyly, getting out of the car.
"No problem." Ron said, as he too, got out of the car.
Harry parked his car, where few other cars were parked, outside the house. He got out of the car and made his way towards, where Romilda and Ron were standing, waiting for him.
"Let's go inside." Ron said. Romilda and Harry nodded in agreement.
Romilda led them inside, through the front door, which was already open. Harry found the house, pretty big. It had some kind of, an old but elegant look to it and felt very cozy. Romilda led them to living room, where Jane was talking to someone on her cell phone. When she saw Romilda coming in with Ron and Harry, she cut off the line.
"Hello. I am Jane Granger and you must be Harry." She said looking towards Harry.
Harry smiled and nodded "Hello Mrs. Granger. I am Harry and my best friend, Ronald Weasley." Harry replied, gesturing towards Ron.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Granger. I am sorry I came here, without any invitation." Ron said uncertainly.
"Don't feel sorry. It's a family time, you are most welcome here. Now come on, quickly move to the backyard or the entire foodstuff would be finished. Romilda, you take them to backyard. I'll be there in a few minutes." Jane said and hurried back to the kitchen.
Romilda gestured Harry and Ron, to follow her.
"She looks really hot. Doesn't she?" Ron whispered to Harry, gesturing towards Romilda, who was walking in front of them.
"Yeah" Harry replied absentmindedly, looking around the house, as they made their way to the backyard. They reached to the backyard, which was already full with the people.
"Wow. It's a very big family, almost beats my own." Ron said with awe.
"Yeah, but not all of them are Grangers. Some of them are Thompsons, Aunt Jane's family before marriage." Romilda said, giving a quick glance towards Harry, who was looking around the backyard. She was getting a bit frustrated. From the time when she had met Harry, he didn't show even a little bit interest in her.
"So Harry, what do you think?" Romilda said, trying to catch his attention.
"Huh…Oh it's a very big backyard and the family. And Romilda, thanks for bringing us here. If you don't mind I would like to go and meet my parents." Harry said amiably, giving her a charming smile.
"Y…yeah sure" Romilda said, looking flushed.
Harry nodded and looked around for his parents.
"C'mon Ron" Harry said, as he noticed his parents, sitting on a table and talking to a man.
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Lily saw Harry and Ron, coming towards them and got up from her seat, to greet them.
"Harry" Lily said, acknowledging his presence.
"Mum, Dad, Merry Christmas" Harry said with a genuine smile, as he reached to the table and hugged his mom.
"Same to you Harry." James said with delight, as he too, stood up, to greet his son.
"How are you Ron and rest of your family?" he asked his son's best friend.
"I am fine Mr. Potter. And they all are fine as well." Ron replied awkwardly.
"Robert, this is my son Harry and his best friend Ronald Weasley." James introduced. Robert stood from his seat.
"Hello Harry, Ron. I am Robert Granger." Robert introduced himself.
"Hello Mr. Granger." Harry said politely, with a quick bob of his head.
"Why did it take you so long, to come here?" Lily asked sternly.
"Mum, we were at Seamus' place. He was insisting us to stay a little longer." Harry said in a calmer voice, to hide his annoyance.
"Okay" Lily said with a look which said 'We will talk about it later.'
Jane joined the table, that moment. "What took you so long?" Robert asked.
"Nothing, we were just running short on cookies here, so I just went to refill it." Jane said.
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"I just don't believe; Harry Potter is here." Luna said dreamily, looking towards Harry Potter, who was sitting with his parents now.
"Believe it Luna. And I didn't know you were his fan." Hermione said a bit irritatingly.
"Oh no, I am not. But you have to agree, he's quite hot." Luna said "But I am liking, that redhead, more and more." She added unexpectedly.
Hermione almost fell from her seat, at her friend's declaration. They both were sitting in the corner, away from the others.
"Luna, are you alright? If I am not wrong you were interested in the guide, whom you met at the states." Hermione said, feeling confused at her best friend's, way of thinking.
"Oh no, I wasn't. Also he was not my type. And he was 20." Luna said frivolously.
Hermione stared at her friend for a moment, before bursting out with laugh.
"What?" Luna asked, looking completely surprised at her friend's outburst.
Hermione tried to control her laughter. "Nothing too serious, it's just that if I didn't know you any better, I would have thought that you were exactly like Romilda." Hermione said in laughing voice.
"He was not my type" Hermione said flippantly, mimicking Luna's tone and started laughing again.
Luna hit her playfully, on the arm. "You should not mock me Hermione Granger. It's known as the bad manners. Hey look there, Romilda is talking to Harry. She doesn't waste any time. Does she?" Luna said gesturing towards, where Harry was sitting.
"Of course she doesn't." Hermione said rolling her eyes. Next, she saw Harry, taking Romilda's hand and guiding her to, where others were dancing.
"What do you think, who would have asked whom, to dance?" Luna asked Hermione.
"Who? Whom? What exactly, are you talking about?" Hermione asked feeling a bit puzzled.
"I am asking you that do you think Harry asked her to dance or she asked Harry to dance. She definitely seems, desperate enough to ask him. I am sure she has put all her efforts into her dress and her make-up, just to impress Harry Potter." Luna said bitterly.
Hermione was surprised at her tenor. "I have never heard you, talking like this, about anyone before." She said with wonder.
Luna was a soft spoken girl and never held any kind of grudges against others, even if they hurt her. Usually she was good with everyone, but then perhaps, that was the beauty of being a human; being unpredictable.
Luna turned red, due to the embarrassment. "Well I have seen how she has treated you, since childhood days. I don't like it all. There are very few people in this world, that I really don't like and she is one of them." Luna said defiantly.
Hermione smiled at Luna and squeezed her hand.
"Thanks Luna. You are a great friend, but you don't have to worry about me. I am already over all those things." She said.
An idea appeared in Hermione's mind.
"So what would you say if I introduce you to that redhead?" Hermione asked Luna in suggestive manner.
Luna looked at her friend with a wide smile.
"Oh Hermione, you would really do it for me. Please introduce me to him. May be, then he would ask me to dance with him." Luna said with giddy voice.
Hermione was happy to see her friend in high spirits. She was just worried about, what if that Ronald boy broke Luna's heart. She just hoped that he wouldn't.
Both Luna and Hermione made their way towards the table where Potters and Grangers were sitting.
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"Hermione, Luna. Come join us." Jane said, as she saw her daughter approaching them with her best friend.
"So Luna dear, are you enjoying the party?" Jane asked in motherly voice.
"Yes Mrs. Granger. I am glad, I came here." Luna said pleasantly. Her eyes flicked towards Ron, just for a fleeting moment, only to find that he was looking back at her. She gave him a small smile, which he returned with a smile of his own.
After a brief introduction between Potters and Luna, Hermione looked towards Ron.
"Hey Ronald, would you like to join us on our table?" Hermione asked Ron.
"Yes Ron, go ahead. I am sure you have been getting bored, sitting here without Harry." Lily said.
Ron felt a little awkward, with the idea of sitting with 2 unknown girls, but then, it was better than sitting, with only parents for the company.
"Okay" he said and got up from his seat.
Three of them went back to, where Hermione and Luna were sitting earlier. Ron pulled up a chair for him and sat with them.
"So Ronald, you also go to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked to start the conversation.
"Um…Yeah and call me Ron." He said, feeling uncomfortable.
"But I like Ronald. It suits you. Can I call you that?" Luna said, looking at him with dreamy eyes.
"Yeah sure" Ron said in perplexing manner.
"Ronald, I am Luna Lovegood. And you have very nice blue eyes." Luna said languorously, staring at Ron with wide eyes.
"Err…Thanks." Was all, Ron could say.
"Would you ask me to dance Ronald?" Luna said dreamily, leaning a bit forward, towards him.
"Huh…." This time Ron was really getting worried. He looked at Hermione, with panicked look in his eyes. Hermione just gave him a small smile.
"If you don't mind, I would like to talk to Luna for a minute." Hermione said and without waiting for his reply, she pulled Luna out of her seat, dragging her away from the table.
"Luna, this is not the way to talk." Hermione said sternly "What the hell were you thinking?"
"I forgot everything when I looked into his eyes. He has such beautiful eyes." Luna said innocently, still looking at Ron.
"Luna, if you behave like this, you would scare him away." Hermione said, trying to make her friend understand that, she wasn't taking the right approach. Luna looked sad at this.
"OK I'll try. But do you think he would like me? I mean he's from Hogwarts. You know boys there, like the girls like Cho, Lavender. I am nothing like them." Luna said in worried tone.
"Luna, you are a beautiful girl. If he can't see that, it's his loss." Hermione said, trying to cheer her friend. Luna gave a lopsided smile to her friend.
"Now c'mon, we should not make him wait any longer." Hermione said.
They went back to the table, where Ron was waiting for them.
"Is everything alright? You look a bit sad." Ron asked Luna.
Luna gave him a cute smile and said "Yeah, nothing to worry about."
Ron nodded "It seems like Harry is having a good time with your cousin." Ron said to Hermione, while looking towards Harry and Romilda who were dancing together, on what appeared to be their third song.
"Yeah, she's quite charming." Hermione mumbled. Luna giggled at this, while Ron was again baffled.
"Luna would you like to dance?" Ron asked, out of the blue.
Luna gave him a bright smile "Of course Ronald." She said brightly. Ron just grinned at her and pulled her from her seat and leading her towards the other dancing couples. Hermione felt happy, that Luna was getting her wish.
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Hermione got up from her place, to get herself a glass of pumpkin juice. She got her glass and came back to the table, sitting all alone and looking at Luna and Ron. Luna was practically glowing and was laughing at something, Ron was saying in her ear. Hermione was lost in her thoughts about them, when somebody tapped her on the shoulder. She jerked out of her reverie and looked up.
Her chocolate-brown eyes met a pair of beautiful emerald-green eyes. She stared into the eyes and felt like she was drowning in them. She shook her head lightly and blinked twice, before focusing her mind, on the person, right in front of her.
"Can we sit here?" Harry asked Hermione. He had come to sit on her table along with Romilda.
"Yeah" Hermione said distractedly.
"I'll go and get something to eat and drink. Would you like to have something?" He asked Romilda.
"No Harry. But thank you." She said fondly.
'As though if, she had known him all her life' Hermione mused.
She saw towards Harry who was saying something to her
'Great! I am again getting lost in my thoughts. Pull yourself up, Hermione' She thought and again shook her head, to clear her mind.
"Sorry, lost you there. What were you saying?" Hermione asked civilly.
"I was saying that would you like to have something." Harry said with an amused look in his emerald-green eyes.
"No, thanks." Hermione replied.
Harry just shrugged his shoulders and left to get something for him.
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As soon as Harry left, Romilda turned towards Hermione.
"Hermione, before Harry comes back, you just leave and find yourself, another place to sulk." Romilda said haughtily, flipping her hair, over her shoulder.
"Why should I leave? I was already sitting here." Hermione said angrily.
"Well Harry and I, want to spend some time together, ALONE. So leave." Romilda replied arrogantly, making herself, look superior.
Hermione gave her a smug smile "Really. Don't you think if he wanted to spend some time together, alone with you, he would have taken you to some other table? There are still some empty tables." Hermione said, acting innocent.
Romilda glared at her and then smirked "You think he is interested in you, that's why he came to sit on this table." She said smugly.
"C'mon Hermione, his taste would surely be better than, going after an ugly bookworm. Don't you think? Or are you trying to compete with me? You are definitely bound to lose." Romilda continued with haughty tone in her voice and then started giggling at Hermione.
"Tell me Hermione, did you really think that he would be interested in you? Because, if yes, then it would be the funniest thing I would have ever heard of." Romilda said pompously.
Hermione didn't say anything, but was getting angry with each passing minute.
'How dare she? Who the hell is she, to talk like this about me?' Hermione thought fumingly.
But slowly her anger faded and sadness filled her heart. She knew what Romilda said was right, no boy, had ever showed any interest in her. Usually she didn't let these things affect her. But sometimes, it still hurt to hear those things.
All the fight was gone out of her. She slowly got up from her seat, to leave. She was about to leave when Harry came back with a plate, filled with sandwiches, in his hands.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked, putting his plate on the table and sitting on an empty chair.
"She has some work." Romilda answered quickly.
Hermione just rolled her eyes, at the desperateness of her cousin, to be with Harry Potter alone.
Harry gave a bizarre look to Hermione and said "You know it's rude to leave your guest alone."
"Well Romilda is here to look after you." Hermione said in uncaring voice.
Harry looked at her. "And what does that supposed to mean?" He asked coldly, narrowing his eyes at her.
'Here I am trying to be nice to this girl and she's biting my head off.' Harry thought, getting annoyed with Hermione.
"Err…nothing. Hermione just sit down. You can do your work later." Romilda said immediately.
"No, I have to go." Hermione said adamantly. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible. But unfortunately for her, Jane decided that time to come and join them.
"So are you guys enjoying?" she asked.
"Yes. Mrs. Granger. Party is great." Harry said courteously. Jane smiled at him.
"Thank you dear. I hope girls aren't giving you a hard time." Jane said lightly, looking towards Hermione and Romilda.
"Oh no, not at all, Mrs. Granger. In fact they are proving themselves to be a very pleasant company." Harry said, throwing a quick glance at Hermione.
"Ok then, I'll leave you three to enjoy." Jane said and left to meet the other guests.
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Hermione sat back in her seat, grumbling to herself.
"What's your problem? I am just trying to be nice to you." Harry said lividly.
He didn't know why, but this girl was getting on his nerves, which was very surprising, knowing that today was the first time, he had met her.
"I didn't ask you to be nice to me. And why would you be nice to me? You don't even know me." Hermione said, getting furious.
Harry was about to retort but was interrupted when, this time James decided to come to their table.
"Harry, where's Ron?" James asked.
"He's there, dancing." Harry said pointing towards where Ron was dancing with Luna.
"Did you ask him if Arthur and Molly are back from Romania?" James asked.
"Yeah dad, they would be back by tomorrow." Harry replied.
"Ok then, I'll talk to them tomorrow. So did you show Ms. Granger, your dancing abilities?" James asked with a teasing look in his eyes.
James knew, from Harry's expression, that Hermione Granger was really getting to his son. He wasn't going to miss the opportunity to tease his son.
"Dad!" Harry exclaimed. Last thing he wanted was to dance with this, all high and mighty, Ms. Granger.
"Oh yes Mr. Potter. I saw his dancing abilities when he was dancing with my dear cousin, quite a dancer he is." Hermione spoke in almost acerbic tone looking towards Harry.
"Oh really, then come dance with me." Harry said mockingly, extending his hand towards Hermione. Hermione felt like, she was trapped in her own words. She didn't know a thing about dancing and here was this Potter, asking her for a dance.
"Hermione don't dance." Romilda said ostentatiously. Hermione glared at her.
"That will be no problem. You just follow my lead." Harry said looking at Hermione, provoking her with his eyes, to retort.
"Yes Hermione. Say Yes." Romilda said in an insulting manner.
Something snapped in Hermione, at this.
"Ok. Lead the way Harry." She said taking his hand.
Romilda was taken aback at this. She hadn't expected Hermione, to accept the offer.
"That's settled then. Romilda, why don't you join us on our table till Harry and Hermione dance?" James said, looking at Romilda.
"Yeah sure Mr. Potter" Romilda replied sweetly, while throwing daggers at Hermione. Hermione smirked at her and stood up from her seat.
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Harry was a bit disgruntled, at being stuck with Hermione. He glared at James who gave him a wink and said "Have fun you two." and left, with a scowling Romilda, following him.
Harry got up from his seat and almost dragged Hermione with him, to the dancing area.
They both were quiet as they reached to the dance floor. Harry turned around to face Hermione and pulled her in his arms without any warning, his hands on her waist.
A wave of shock passed through Hermione's body, being in the close proximity with a boy for the first time. She had never felt anything like this, ever before, in her life. Hermione was feeling very self-conscious and wasn't very confident about the dancing either. She didn't know where to keep her hands.
"Umm...where should I keep my hands?" Hermione asked nervously.
"So you really don't know how to dance, huh?" Harry asked with a teasing manner. Hermione frowned at him.
"No. And I think Romilda already answered that." Hermione retorted.
Harry smiled at her amusedly and took her both hands, to put them on his shoulders. And then both of them started to sway on the music or more like that Harry was dancing and Hermione was trying, not to step on his toes.
"I have heard a bit about you, from Cho. I think you know her." Harry said with a knowing look.
"And what exactly, has she told you about me?" Hermione asked with a scowl on her face.
'Trust that Cho, to spread the praises about you.' Hermione thought angrily.
"Not much. She said that you never look out of your heavy books. And that you like to fight with others, without any reason." Harry said in laughing tone, enjoying the teasing.
Hermione glowered at him. She didn't know why she was getting so angry at him. She just wanted to get away from him, yet, at the same time she was finding it difficult, to take her eyes off him.
"And assuming that you believed her, you must be expecting me to fight with you." Hermione said in bored voice, though inside, she was seething.
"Well. You are already fighting with me." Harry said, looking pleased with the teasing talks.
It was a very rare occurrence for him, when a girl wouldn't throw herself at him. And definitely, this Hermione Granger was one of those rare occurrences.
Hermione was trying to pull back from Harry. Sensing that she was pulling back, Harry pulled her back to him, a little more close, than earlier, so that their faces were just inches apart. Harry stared into her chocolate-brown eyes, with his piercing emerald-green eyes. Hermione tried to avert her eyes, but failed to do it, as his eyes were entrancing her.
Suddenly, Harry blinked and looked away. Hermione sighed with relief, almost too softly to be heard. All these sensations were so new to her. She didn't know what to do or how to react.
Hermione looked towards where Ron and Luna were sitting. They were not dancing anymore but were talking and eating. Harry followed her gaze "Who's that girl, Ron is sitting with?" he asked "Is she, your cousin?"
"No, she is my best friend. Luna Lovegood." Hermione said fondly.
"Ron is certainly enjoying her company." Harry said thoughtfully. Hermione looked at Harry "Well yeah, I guess, he is enjoying." Hermione said.
Hermione was looking everywhere but at Harry. She could see Romilda looking towards them with anger. Hermione almost laughed at this. She never thought that she would be dancing with none other than most popular guy Harry Potter. Not that she was going to tell him this, but she was enjoying the feel of his arms around her. He was holding her firmly yet gently. She tried to keep her face empty of her emotions but was almost failing to do so. Luckily Harry too was avoiding, looking at her, so he missed the pleasing look, which passed through Hermione's eyes at his touch.
They both were quiet for rest of the dance. When song ended, Harry let go of Hermione. They both looked at each other for few seconds. Then Hermione quickly said her thanks and almost ran back to the house without looking back. She never came back for the rest of the party.
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Later that night, after the party was over, Hermione found out that Potters were going to have a New Year Ball at their place on 31st December and they had invited Robert, Jane, Romilda and Hermione for the ball.
'Great! Another encounter with the Great Harry Potter' Hermione mused as she was in her bed, to turn in for the night. That night she went to her dreamless slumber thinking about, none other than, a boy with messy hair and beautiful emerald-green eyes.
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A/N: - Hope you like this chapter. Read and Review.
Disclaimer: - Don't own any character from Harry Potter series.
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