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Harry looked in the mirror and adjusted his tie, done all the way up to his top button today. His cap was seated firmly on his head, the tassel to one side. With a last tug to straighten his robes he left the Head Boy’s room and descended the stairs into the shared Head’s suite. Finding it empty, he grabbed a drink from the small kitchenette and stood awkwardly, not wanting to sit down and crease his robes.
“Hermione, are you almost ready?” he called in the direction of the Head Girl’s staircase.
“Coming!” came the reply, followed a few moments later by the witch herself. She looked radiant. Her neat cap was set upon chestnut curls that had been specially tamed for the occasion and framed her delicate face. Her graduation gown was clean and crisp, cut to her knees at the front before ending just above her heels at the rear. The red and gold trim brought out the auburn tones in her hair and the slight colour in her cheeks. Harry could tell she was nervous, but it was an excited, infectious kind of nervous that made you want to run or dance.
“My parents sent a note to say they’d arrived, and I’ve got the backup cards for my speech in my robes but I was up most of the night practicing so it should be okay, and I’ve put an extra impervious charm on my dress just in case.” She was talking a mile a minute. It reminded Harry of her pre-exam energy.
He stepped towards her and placed a reassuring hand on her elbow. “You’re going to be brilliant Hermione. You look phenomenal, you could recite that speech in your sleep, trust me I know, and everybody wants to see you up there. There is nobody more deserving.”
She smiled at him but broke away to pace nervously. “Urgh, there’s going to be hundreds of people. I wish they hadn’t opened it up to the public.”
“McGonagall kind of had to. It’s the first ceremony since the war.”
“I swear, if George heckles me I’ll curse his other ear off!”
Harry chuckled. “Relax, Kitten.” He froze. Hermione froze, then turned slowly to face him.
“Harry- “
“It slipped out!” he stammered.
“Did you- “
“Don’t say it.”
“-just call me- “
“You’re saying it.”
“…Kitten?” Harry’s cheeks flushed as Hermione fixed him with an amused stare, one eyebrow raised.
“I-“ He drew a blank. There was no way to deny it or pretend she’d misheard him. She stalked towards him, reaching out and gently pulling on his tie.
“Kitten, is it?” she said in a sultry tone as she pulled him closer, reeling him in by the silk noose around his neck. “Is it because you’d like to see a fluffy tail peeking out from under my gown?” She pushed her butt out and looked over her shoulder, swishing an imaginary tail. Harry’s throat was dry and it was oppressively hot beneath his robes.
“Or perhaps some cute little ears?” Her eyebrows disappeared under her fringe as she looked up to where her pointed ears would be.
“Or maybe,” they were close now, pressed against one another, Hermione’s lips brushing his ear, “you like to hear me purr.”
Harry just about fell over. He wasn’t sure whether to be ashamed or aroused but was experiencing a healthy amount of both. They hadn’t had an opportunity to share a bed for days now, what with the ceremony and fighting off people that seemed hell-bent on Harry or Hermione working for them the minute they graduated. He groaned and leaned into her body, hands beginning to dip inside her robes.
The door to the suite banged open. “Are you two ready yet? It starts in ten minutes. You okay Harry? You look like you’re about to faint,” asked Ron. Hermione had nimbly stepped away as Ron had entered and was adjusting her cap nonchalantly.
“Fine!” Harry squeaked, then cleared his throat and tried again. “Fine.”
“Hi Ron! We’ll just be a couple of minutes. Would you like a drink?” Hermione gestured to the cool-box. “Your new robes are great, you look like the cat’s pyjamas!” Harry’s head whipped round at her remark. There was the barest hint of a smirk at the corner of Hermione’s lips but otherwise she made no acknowledgement of her choice of phrase.
“Erm, sure.” Ron replied. Harry reckoned Ron had never even heard of the phrase ‘the cat’s pyjamas’ but clearly thought it better not to ask. Ron cracked open a butterbeer and took a swig. “Ginny’s sulking. I think graduation has brought back her annoyance at having to re-sit sixth year.”
“She only missed the pass mark by a whisker, didn’t she?” Hermione asked. She was fiddling with the straps on her heels, head down, so she didn’t see the glare Harry shot her way.
“Yeh, and most of her friends are re-sitting anyway so I’m not sure what she’s complaining about.” Ron replied, oblivious.
“Ron, don’t be so catty.” Hermione chided. Her facade cracked as she caught Harry’s eye and she burst into giggles.
“What’s up with you?” asked Ron, staring at her with confusion.
Hermione slowly regained control of herself and stood up straight, beaming. “Not a thing! Let’s go graduate.” She pulled Harry close and kissed him on the lips.
“Urgh, I’ll meet you down there!” Ron said, tossing his bottle and striding from the room before he saw more than he could stomach.
“We’ll be down in two shakes of a cat’s tail!” Hermione called after him, collapsing into another fit of giggles against Harry. His initial panic had faded and he had to admit it was quite funny.
“You’re a menace” he laughed, holding Hermione up while she composed herself.
She smiled up at him and planted another quick kiss on his mouth. “Let’s go.”
Harry hung back, admiring her from behind as she crossed the room. She paused at the open door and looked back, catching him ogling her. “We can finish what we started later,” she said with a wink. “Come on, Chipmunk.”