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All she knew was one second, she was about to taste what flavor lip balm this boy wore and the next she was looking out the windows of the third-floor exterior windows. Huh?
SMACK !
The distinct sound of meat pounding meat.
SMACK !
SMACK !
Head swiveling and what? Is that Harry?
“Harry what are you? Stop!”
And he did mid swing. “What on earth?! What is happening? How did you get here? What did he do to you? Steal your broom?!”
Terry gasped.
Out of fear.
Not shock.
So, she took a step closer. Looked closer. That's when she saw it. This wasn't Harry. Not really. Someone else was driving.
She waved her hands and verbally called the discarded bags, moving Harry away from Terry. Distance. Yes. Distance.
“We were having a well enough time until you showed up.”
Wedging herself in between the wizards, the bags bumped into her while her attention was diverted. Making sure Harry was at least semi in control; she pivoted and pitched Terry his surprising very muggle looking bookbag. Not sure if he caught it or not because before she could think straight Harry had her by the elbow. Steam rolling back the other direction.
Thoroughly stunned by all of this, she just let him lead her up to the seventh floor.
By the fourth-floor landing Harry was Harry again. She could tell by how gentle his hand on her elbow had gotten. So-
“What was that? How dare you interrupt my date over something so so.” stomping her foot “so prepubescent.” shoving a finger into his chest.
Using his hand still on her elbow he hauls her into his chest.
Simmering.
Yeah, he was pissed.
“No” no high-pitched voice like her. No excitement in his delivery just, “No” he repeated.
“You don't get to do that. You. No.”
“What do you mean no?”
Tah-HA
“I mean no Hermione. No. Not you and not this.”
“Use your words Harry.”
“My words? Use your brain. We aren't normal. You aren't normal. And I don't mean vine woods and moving staircases. I mean even amongst our peers we are outcasts.” stopping to take a breath but really, he is just breathing her in.
Sometime in the last twenty seconds he had maneuvered them both further into the fourth-floor landing. His free hand came up to cup her check. He ran his thumb across her still kiss swollen mouth. His forehead against hers.
Pulling her closer.
She let him. This was somehow more intimate than the times they fell asleep beside each other.
Safe.
He made her feel safe.
Whatever it was that was happening right now would get sorted out because no matter what they were best friends.
“Talk to me please Harry”
“Then listen. Don't just bat what I say away just because it isn’t in one of her harlequin books.”
“Ye-”
“No. Don't talk, listen.” the growl in his voice was doing things she wanted to explore. “I hope you got that out of your system because it will not be happening again. A supply closet? Really? Like that slag in Gryffindor? Just giving out handsies without anything in return? Huh? No. You don't get to have normal teenage interactions like that. Sorry but you should’ve caught on by now.
“There is a war coming. It’s at the gate and it ain’t gonna knock Love. The time for notes is gone. Do you understand?” she would’ve nodded had the hand that was on her face not been gripping the hair at the back of her head keeping her skull from cracking when he slammed them into the wall.
Yeah pissed.
She should be too but she was still kind of turned on from the earlier and well this was doing her no favors.
Oh wait he was still talking.
“You are the very embodiment of magic herself. A walking talking blooding Patronus charm. You don't get to sully that for one offs. People need to be lining up with offers to court you properly. Some tosser in a supply closet. Be for real. Wanna have a good time? Do that but be smart about it. Brightest witch in an age and you are hell bent on being like every other doof. Use it to your advantage.” At this point he was speaking with his lips against hers.
They were sharing air at this point. He had her on her tiptoes and neck craned so he didn’t have to bend over as much.
When did she put her hands on his arms, and why was she pulling him closer? Could he get closer?
“Right now,” he took the moment to lick his lips. Lick their lips? “I’m taking you back to Lion Tower because this is not happening. Sorry I know. Trust me, if there is anyone on this island that gets it it is me.”
All took quickly to realize it, his hands were at his side; fingers flexing like it caused him pain.
Serves him right.
“Pear” Smirking at the Fat Lady. Even a good foot behind him I can tell he’s flirting with the portrait.
“He gave you the password, wrap this up.”
“Well I never” portrait swings open. “Maybe if you were out having fun instead of at a study group on a Saturday you’d be nicer Miss.” portrait swings closed behind us.
I really should have been an Eagle. Their portrait doesn’t gossip.
“Hey” Harry caught my hand while I was still on the second step into the girls’ side of the dorms. “Let me” sigh “I should apologize. I'm normally better at this thing when it comes to you.”
“Then do it”
“No.”
“You keep saying that.”
“And I stand by everything else I have said. We aren't normal. Normal experiences are not for us. Now take your bag please.”
SNATCH
“Lunch is still going. I’ll stop by the kitchen and ask one of the elves to bring you something. By this point I need to reach out to Snape and make penance for my actions.”
“No. Don't worry about it. I’m not particularly hungry right now.”
“Okay. Well, I will see you later Love. Be safe.” squeezing my hand. He was out of the door before I could think of another snarking retort.
I could feel him.
The storm.
Harry.
I wasn’t hiding but honestly after this afternoon I needed space to think. Space to figure it out. All I had time to do was rub one in the shower, then get to the library for my other study session with Draco. O.W.L.S were really doing a number on our nerves this year.
“You didn’t eat today?” he had the decency to ask.
“I had breakfast this morning, Harry. Now if you don’t mind, we were in the middle of something. Unless you have an issue with me with your housemate as well?”
“Lower your eyebrow Hermione. It has nothing to do with whom you bump uglies with. It has everything to do with the circumstances in which you do.”
At this point he was standing up behind me, pulling my chair back like a true gentleman. Assisting a lady from the table. And why was Draco just going along with it? Magiked my things into neat little piles, then magiked them into my satchel.
“Now you could shag your way through the entire castle. Peers and facility. But they must be vetted first. We don't dive first question later. Yes, that sounds odd coming from me. Yes, I know. But you’re better than me. You’re better than all of us.”
“Why are you smirking?”
“Because I am right. You are better.”
Humph. “I can't really deny that. You have me between a table and a hard place.”
“HA! You have no idea.” Draco. Here I thought we were friends. “I’ll see you?”
“Yeah. Just walking Her up.” Harry didn't even take his eyes off of me. And I could feel myself getting we from that alone.
“No thank you. I'm a big girl. The literal embodiment of magic some say. I can for sure handle a couple of stairs.” Harry backed away but I could still feel him on me like we were thigh to thigh from earlier. Maybe it was because his eyes were still on my face. I could make him bow. Bend the knee and what nots.
And as if he was reading my mind; he does it. All frill and prettiness. Bloody bows to me. Ugh.
“Same time Monday?” I've decided to ignore the knight in front of me and speak to the prince beside me.
Draco just barely resists the urge to confirm OUR plans with Harry before he nods. Really?
CLUNK
Just getting back from a quick bathroom break and there is a tall head of jet-black hair in the walkway. Harry effectively shut off the sound of teenage boys joking around by closing the cart we were all sharing.
“Neville is still doing rounds with Hannah. Susan’s still with them and” he squints as if there’s sun in his eyes, “Drake and Theo wanted some time together alone before summer got in the way.”
“Oh.”
“Plus,” rocking back on his feet “you were taking long than expected so I was headed out to catch you anyways.”
“Not this again. Catch me what exactly Harry hmm” it had been two weeks. We were now on the train back to King’s Crossing. “Truly thought you'd outgrown whatever it is. All that extra detention.”
“Never. I could literally never outgrow you.” casting a quick muffliato on the door as to give the illusion Draco and Theodore weren’t getting reintroduced. “You know I love you right?”
“Yes. I love you too.” Why did that sound like a question when he said it?
“Well, I want you to be in love with me. I want you to be in love with whoever you decide to shag. Because of the cost. You should crave them. And They should be willing to move mountains to see you. Stop the night to get next to you.” standing toe to toe. Fists on either side of my head. “That lousy motherfucker was just filing a bet. You were already doing his school work. Why not do him?” Harry started shaking his head no like he had a bad taste in his mouth.
“It’s not about who you sleep with. You come off better sleeping with McLaggen. At least his bed mates aren’t saying how rubbish he is. No it’s about being smart with our choices.” deep inhale “Your choices.” exhale
“The exchange should be for the joy of it. Just to be in your presence. Hell, to be inside you. Not a joke, Love. They should make you weak in the knees.” Loud and quiet. This new Harry was loud and quiet. “Should make your back band with absolute need.” and like a marionette my back bowed towards him “the tosser should have your toes curl and leave you feeling whole” but my toes were curling. Right here right now.
“You”
“Yeah me Hermione. But I want you to want me the way I want you. And if by magic you somehow don't want me, the one you do want should thirst for you. Wholey. Deeply. Without pause.” I could feel his prick against my stomach while I grinded my snatch against his thigh. “So if you’re going to sow your wild oats, please do so with all” rock “that” rock “in” rock “mind.”
“Now that’s hot.” Hannah clearly didn’t care that I was chasing a nut.
Wait. Were we just?
In the middle of the Hogwarts Express walkway?
Oh no. oh no!
“I’d take points but we just pulled into the station.” Hannah smirked like she caught the full monte.
And so the summer went on this way.
With Harry not touching me.
Longing looks from me.
Knowing looks from everyone else.
Straight up cackles from Sirius.
Inquisitive looks from him. Like he didn’t know the lack of skin to skin was putting me on edge.
Solo pleasure did not do it for me. Not like it did before. She knew what she was doing. She wasn’t a virgin, not alone and not with a partner.
And with that thought I reached back out to Chase. Cute muggle from my before neighborhood. He had still remembered the first time and was more than willing. So, when I paged him, it was with one goal in mind. To get over one guy you have to get under another. Or whatever Lavender had said.
But that’s not what happened.
Metaphorically and in actuality.
I was on top and I could see were brown eyes and hands that were too gentle.
Fuck.
I’d fallen for the best friend.
No one asked me if that was even what I wanted to happen.
Well..
“You okay there Queenie?”
“Hmm?”
“Damn, I knew I hadn’t gotten you off this time but I didn't think I had bored you that much. Off in never neverland.” Chase looked nervous.
“Oh. Sorry I just had a thought. It wasn't you. Which I guess is the problem.” sigh “I just realized I'm in love with someone else and I was using you to get over him but it didn’t work. You were a great lay though. Just don’t think we should do this again.”
That was that.
Soon enough everyone was at Potter Manor to celebrate Harry and Neville’s birthday. Harry kept doing that thing were he would touch me but never long enough for me to enjoy it and no skin to skin contact. I was on punishment.
I was craving him.
My magic was reaching out for him and I wanted that.
How his hands could guide me without thought.
How his eyes would be on me even from across the room when he was clearly supposed to be in a conversation with someone else.
How he would sit so close, our thighs would touch my skirt would ride up.
How he purposely didn’t open my gift as to say he controlled this.
Whatever this was.
Summer continued.
And when everyone was packing up to leave the birthday celebration, I cornered him
Hell, let's be honest.
He let me corner him.
“Harry. I-” straighten your shoulders girl. You’re a daughter of Hecate. “I would like to try you out for size. All of this teasing is really unnecessary.”
“It’s really not. I’m considering it foreplay.” cocky bastard. “And I’m not done.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. I want you as consumed as me. I plan to court. Properly.”
“Isn’t necessary.”
“It is. And I will be by later to ask your sisters and mother.” The part about my grandpa being dead was left unsaid.
“I’ll let them all know to expect you. Happy Birthday Harry.”
“Thanks Love.” and with that I was through the floo.
BOOOM!
I had just put the brush down and was plaiting up my hair when the vanity shook.
CRACK!
One of the elves was in my room and made a reach for me but my wand was in her face.
“Lena? Are we under attack?”
“No Mistress but the island is now under wards. And you must come.”
Side long apparating into the ritual room Harry was there being tended to.
“There was an attack. Sirius pushed me through the Floo. They knew our wards would be down.” He was in hysterics. His life. His family just went up in flames. And he was forced through the floo. Because of course he wanted to fight next to his pseudo dad. But we couldn’t go back to help. This place we were in didn't exist. Myth. Legend.
Harry was right
War was here.
It didn’t knock.
Mother Magic save us