A Week with Hermione
Chapter 4: Tuesday
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Chapter 4: Tuesday
The morning broke, yet Harry and Hermione still slept.
bothering the bed sheets. Harry’s pillow
found its way to Hermione’s feet; the comforter became a crumpled pile under
Harry’s head; and the sheets gathered round Hermione’s body, which was still
wrapped in just a bikini. Yet her head remained
on Harry’s chest and his arm held faithfully to her shoulder.
that the two finally woke.
Fully rested, Harry was stirred from his sleep by a warm
weight on his chest. Opening his eyes
slowly, he saw Hermione’s matted brown hair laid out under his neck and her
deep peach-colored body resting comfortably alongside his.
before Hermione woke to avoid an awkward situation, and relaxing, enjoying the
touch of Hermione’s warm body against his.
He had never held anyone so close before.
protect her, to save her from the world, to kiss her.
Harry began feeling dizzy, like when he would fly too high on his broomstick.
Mentally shaking away the tendrils of such thoughts from his
mind, Harry nervously and slowly tried to ease his arm out from under
Hermione’s bare shoulders. It did no
good, for with the slightest movement Hermione’s eyelids fluttered open, and
soon a look of confusion found its way to her face.
as she looked into Harry’s face. Her
cheeks turned red and Harry, transfixed, knew that she realized they were both
still in his bed.
“I’m sorry,” Hermione whispered, getting up quickly and
folding her arms across her chest. She
cleared her throat and said “I’m sorry” again, this time more controlled.
Harry got up after her as she walked down the hall to the
bathroom. “No wait,” he called.
on her shoulders reassuringly. “It’s
okay. We were both tired and you were
upset. You worried me.”
Hermione looked sadly into Harry’s eyes.
“Hermione,” Harry said, but paused, trying to decide what to
say and how to say it. “I care about
you, and it hurts me when you’re hurt,” Harry stumbled through the words,
hoping they sounded platonic enough. “I
want you to know that I’m here for you.
That it’s okay to cry and to be upset around me.”
of a smile worked through the corners of her lips.
With a sigh and a more prominent smile, Hermione leaned
forward and hugged Harry. As they pulled
away she kissed him on the cheek and said, “Thank you.”
Hermione turned and, stepping lighter, made her way to her
parent’s bathroom, no doubt to change.
Harry stood in the hall with the specter of Hermione’s lips still
clinging to his cheek. Feeling giddy and
lighter himself, he went into the hall bathroom to take a shower while still
entertaining thoughts of magically healing Hermione’s grandfather.
else would wizards still walk around missing a leg or a finger, or die from
very common ailments like heart attacks?--but still it nagged him.
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After showering, Harry put on his boxers and jeans, and
opened the bathroom door to air out the residual steam as he prepared to
shave. It had been a few days and he was
getting scruffy. He took the bottle of
shaving cream from his toiletry kit and sprayed a good-sized dollop of the
white fluff into his hand. As he
finished lathering up his jaw, Hermione shocked him by coming around the corner
with a smile. She was fully dressed now,
wearing a tight pair of blue jeans and a maroon halter top.
what Hermione wore, she looked good. The
sight of her was beginning to make his heart ache.
“You’re shaving!” Hermione said, a giggle flitting around
the back of her throat. She certainly
had her spirits back. In an ocean of
dark tidings, there were still small moments of happiness that stayed afloat.
“Um, yeah,” Harry replied, still startled and a little
embarrassed. “I need to.
white beard of shaving cream on his face and neck.
“Much better, thank you.
Can I watch?” Hermione rang with
glee. “In elementary school I got up
early enough to see Daddy do it and it always just amazed me.”
"Um, okay, sure," Harry said with a hint of
uncertainty in his voice. Even though he
was just missing a shirt--and wore even less when they swam--, he felt like he
was exposed for some reason, the way he would probably feel if his swimming
trunks accidentally came off while jumping in the pool.
simply glad that Hermione was feeling better.
"You're certainly brighter," he said with a smile.
"Yeah, while you were in the shower my parents
called. They say Grandpa is actually
doing better. Can you believe it?"
Relief lingered in her throat.
"Wow!" Harry couldn't believe it.
in desperation. Whatever good fortune it
was, Harry just hoped it would last.
"Yeah, I said the same thing," Hermione
continued. "The doctors still don't
want to get our hopes up, though."
Harry wished he could hug her again, if only his face wasn't
covered in cream.
"No come on, shave!" Hermione ordered, laughing.
Feeling suddenly flirtatious, Harry replied with,
"Okay, but I get to watch you shave next."
"Ew, no!"
Hermione cried, suppressing a smile.
"I keep my hairy legs to myself.
Besides, I can only do that in the shower."
At that Harry turned his head, looked Hermione straight in
the eyes, and grinned. Hermione's eyes
widened and pinkness crept into her ears.
"Uh, and any . . ." she stammered.
"Aww," Harry said in exaggerated disappointment as
he picked up his razor. Seeing
Hermione's reflection in the mirror, she was still blushing.
the motions with his razor, deftly gliding the blade down his jaw, around his
cheeks, and along his neck. Hermione
hung in the doorway all the while.
After Harry finished shaving, he cleaned off his jaw with
water, showing a nice smooth face. Hermione
came up to him and without warning placed her hand on his cheek, rubbing it
softy.
"Good job," she said, but she didn't pull her hand
away. Instead she slid it down Harry's
jaw line and neck, fingering gently at Harry's throat.
and his knees felt weak; he started to sway.
He looked into Hermione's brown eyes, eyes that he'd never really looked
into before, not like he did now. She
returned the gaze, looking just as focused, just as entranced.
Harry lost his balance and fell backwards, but caught himself
on the bathroom sink in time. It was enough
to bring them both out of their daze, though.
Hermione started clearing her throat as she helped Harry straighten.
"Good job," Hermione said again, fumbling.
today?" She put on a smile too wide
to be naturally.
"Um," Harry decided to glance at the floor.
books." Did he just suggest that?
What was wrong with him!
"Oh that's right!" Hermione said with renewed
vigor. "I think they're all still
spread out on my bed." Harry
wondered if his subconscious was starting to sneak out.
like more than just indiscriminate attraction.
With more on his mind than just studying--no matter how hard
he tried to ignore it--Harry followed Hermione through the hall and into her
bedroom. Keeping knees on the carpet and
heads propped over wizarding books and manuals on the bed, the two read.
glances at Hermione now and then.
Hermione did the same, and when their eyes would meet, they would turn
away blushing.
Taking liberal breaks in-between studying to eat, watch TV,
and even have a tickle fight that end awkwardly, Harry and Hermione passed the
time. The two were getting somewhat used
to being alone in the house most of the day, having a summer long to practice,
but when the evening came it grew uncomfortable again.
They occupied themselves with making dinner.
stove with a healthy blot of butter while he helped Hermione thaw and season a
couple of steaks. Hermione was impressed
with Harry's cooking skills.
"It's nothing," Harry said, after smiling at
Hermione's praise. "When I lived
with my aunt and uncle, they had me do quite a bit of cooking.
really. If I did the slightest thing
wrong, 'whap!'"
Getting out clean plates and silverware, Harry fixed two
plates of food and set them on the dining room table.
and as an added gesture Harry pulled out Hermione's chair for her to sit in.
"Quite the gentleman!" She said, laughing.
Amid talks about the school books, both agreed to actually get
out of the house tomorrow and go out on the town.
even the mall, wherever they felt like.
Harry felt content, realizing that he was enjoying Hermione's company
more and more, and thankful that they would return to Hogwarts together.
When they finished their meal, they cld thd their plates and
headed back to Hermione's room to continue their readings.
their bodies and stacked in front of their eyes, Harry and Hermione read into
the night. They read to each other until
their voices became sore, until their eyelids grew heavy and stiff, until their
heads nodded lower and finally rested on the piles of books beneath them.
up, the two feel asleep, dog-eared pages mingling with long brown hair mingling
with wild black hair.