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Hermione Granger woke up with a pounding head-ache. 'This is my room,' went through her mind as she stared at the ceiling. It was a nice ceiling, as far as Muggle homes went. A little plain, with a single light bulb hanging there, otherwise just white plaster.
Carefully she turned to one side, seeing only a pillow. A nice pillow, looking – and feeling – very comfortable. The entire bed was comfortable in fact, except for one slightly annoying fact... she wasn't alone in it.
Carefully she turned over to her other side, and saw a mop of black hair on the other pillow, and beneath it the face of her oldest friend, Harry.
'Let's see, shall we? Yesterday we went out drinking to celebrate my graduation...'
–-
"Congratulations Hermione!" Harry stood next to his friend, looking rather dashing in his Trainee Auror uniform.
"Thanks Harry," Hermione beamed. "You know, you could've joined me this year, I'm sure Minister Shacklebolt would have kept your spot at the Auror Academy if you wanted to complete your Hogwarts studies first."
"That's all right," Harry handed her a mug of butterbeer, "I'm taking night classes to get my NEWTs. It may take me a bit longer, but in the end I'll have the same pretty paper you've got there."
Hermione beamed proudly at her friend, as she began quizzing him on how he liked his Auror work so far.
–-
'Hmm, after that all I can remember is chatting with Harry and somehow the drinks kept coming... and I doubt we were drinking just BUTTER beer,' her present-day mind interrupted the reminiscing.
–-
"So, Miss Granger, now that you are no longer a proper schoolgirl, what will you do?" Harry's voice was slightly slurred, but all his attention was focused on her.
"Maybe I won't be a proper girl at all any longer," Hermione laughed, sounding a little off herself. "Can I get a refill anyone?"
–-
In the present, Hermione slowly reached down, as her left hip was feeling something unpleasant... and her hand came up with an opened condom wrapper that had been in the bed with them.
'Oh sheesh... looks like I was not proper at all,' she chided herself. 'At least he thought of protection.
'What can I say when he wakes up? Oh Merlin... what do we tell Ron and Ginny?'
As thoughts ran through her mind she gazed over at Harry again. He was deeply asleep still, and it took her a while to realise why he seemed so alien: 'He is relaxed! He is actually smiling in his sleep!'
Very gently she raised her hand, and brushed away a bit of his hair.
'He looks so handsome like this... why doesn't he smile more often?'
Harry's eyes opened. "Oh? Mione." He smiled, and she felt his arms wrap around her, covering her against his chest, the blanket half covering her face.
Hermione was unsure what to do, and was content to just lie there in his embrace for now...
"Whaa?! Hermione?!" Harry shot wide awake, and fell out of the bed as he jumped away from her, hitting his head on the wall.
"Yes Harry?" Hermione stared at him, wondering if he had hurt himself.
"For Merlin's sake, put on some clothes!"
"I will if you will," she dryly remarked.
"Oh... right."
–-
"I'm sorry for freaking out," Harry said, staring in his tea cup. Hermione made a tea pot ready for them when they arrived in her kitchen. She had moved back into her parents' house in Crawley, at least for now. Picking them back up from Australia was planned for this summer... she had managed to contact the Australian ministry, and they kept an eye on her parents for her. Part of her was definitely not looking forward to the inevitable confrontation.
"No no, it's my fault... let's just drink our tea," she comforted him.
"Oh... okay. Yes. Thanks," Harry mumbled. Uncomfortable silence followed, as both sipped their cups.
"We drank a lot last night, and not all of it butterbeer," Hermione commented.
"Y– yes, we did..." Harry agreed. Their eyes met for a moment, then both looked away once more.
"Do you have a hangover? Did you bump your head hard earlier?" she asked him.
"Erm, no, I'm okay."
"Good, good."
"Erm Hermione, um..."
"Don't worry Harry. It seemed we used a condom last night.
"I'm glad you remembered, despite being so drunk."
"Well, we both were."
"We can just forget last night ever happened," Hermione gave him a small smile.
"No..."
"Hmm?"
"No, that's not okay." Harry said a little louder.
"Harry, but what about Ginny?"
"What about her?" Harry huffed.
"Aren't you two dating?"
"No! We broke up before the Hunt, remember! Dammit Hermione, last night was my... It was my first time!"
"Oh..." Hermione blushed, looking away. She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry Harry... I didn't mean to steal your first time. I'm sorry it had to be with me..."
"That's not what I meant!" Harry stood up, and began walking in circles.
"I... well... you know a bit about what my childhood with the Dursleys was like, so I never was able to make friends," he began monologuing. "And at Hogwarts, the only date I ever went on were with Cho, and you know how that went –"
"I'm still sorry I ruined that for you," Hermione interrupted.
"Not what I meant," Harry shot her a weird look. "Well then there was the Slug Party with Luna, but I ruined that by ignoring her, and otherwise I only really talked with you."
"And Ginny Harry."
"No, I mean... I was always so nervous around girls. Either they confused the hell out of me, still do, or they were only after the Boy-Who-Lived... but with you, I could be my normal self. I didn't have to pretend to be anyone I'm not.
"At first, that was enough for me... But then, somehow, it changed. I started feeling weird when I was talking with you, and then we started fighting over the Prince's book so I thought you didn't like me any more and I allowed Ginny to kiss me, but then in the tent, we danced, so I... I guess I am trying to say..."
A loud, shrill whistle interrupted them. "Oh! The water!" Hermione realised. Harry got a pained look, and closed his eyes.
"Harry! What is it! Not your... not your scar is it?" She almost panicked, at the too familiar sight of Harry in pain.
"Not... not that. It's the kettle, and my shouting, and my hangover..." Harry mumbled. She guided him to her sofa, then went to get some hot water and lemon juice as a makeshift detox for him.
–-
"I'm sorry," Harry looked away from her face. They were sitting on her sofa, the lights somewhat dimmed.
"I didn't mean to cause all this trouble."
"Oh Harry," Hermione looked at him, a soft expression on her face.
"Please, forget anything I said. I'm sorry for just talking about my own feelings the whole time.
"I'll leave once I feel a bit better."
"Really Harry?" Hermione took his hand. "You're just dismissing me like that? It is okay for you to talk about how you feel, without even listening to me?"
"I know Hermione... I know how you feel," Harry sighed.
"You think you know? Can you read my mind?"
"I'm not Snape," Harry sounded a little bitter. "I... I guess Ron can make you happy. I hope I didn't ruin any thing permanently for you..."
"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed, clasping his hand against her chest. "When... when you said all that stuff earlier, do you know how it made me feel?
"Confused at first, but then I realised something... I only went for Ron, because you were taken. And I guess, I never considered you as more than a brother..."
"Oh..." Harry sounded crestfallen.
"But no more!" Hermione suddenly hugged him, crushing him against her. "Harry... maybe after you get some rest... we can attempt to redo last night instead?"
Silence reigned... until it was broken by an enthusiastic "Yes!"