Gentle Rain

Chapter 3

On Saturday morning Hermione woke up early enough to see the most beautiful shimmering white frost covering the grass and leaves on the ground. What an enchanting morning, she thought, and it's all mine. I can do whatever I please. After a house-elf's kind services, she climbed back to her cosy bed with a large, steaming cup of herbal tea and few freshly baked rolls. Old Croockshanks purring at her feet, she summoned a heavy old book labelled "The Greatest Transformers Ever" to land smoothly at her lap and turned the first pages with pleasure compared to a kiss of a long lost lover. After three hours of passionate reading, she sipped the last cold drops of her tea and closed the book. Something was knocking at her window. Amongst the frosty flowers on a window pane, she noticed a familiar pair of green eyes.

"Harry, what do you think you're doing?" she screamed after using few powerful spells to get the old, icy and stuck window open. Harry was swaying to and fro on his broom, smiling mischievously.

"I just didn't want to wait for you anymore. We agreed to go to Hogsmead this afternoon, remember?"

"Of course I remember. Come on in, I'll be ready in no time," Hermione lied as she frantically searched for her out-door clothes.

"Yeah, right. I'm not coming in, just grab your cloak and get on board instead."

"Not in a million years! It's me you're talking to, Hermione, bushy hair, loves to read, hates to fly..."

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. It's just a short trip, and as you know, I am a very steady flier. Think rationally, five minutes, and you'll be sipping warm butterbeer in Three Broomsticks with me, instead of a long and freezing walk. Not bad, huh?"

"Okay, you have a point there." Harry had said the magic word rationally, so Hermione didn't have any other choice, than to agree. "Let's go, if you promise to be extra careful with that Firebolt of yours."

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After a few hours of hilarious Christmas shopping with prankish Harry, who seemed to be on an unusually good mood, they finally arrived at the Three Broomsticks. Brisk air and wandering in almost every shop in Hogsmead had made them tired and thirsty. In no time they had emptied many glasses and a light-hearted mood sparkled between them.

"I had forgotten how extraordinarily delicious Madam Rosmerta's butterbeer tastes," Hermione sighed, smiling ecstatically. "It's been too long since I was last here. I have to admit that I work too much and enjoy too little of my life. I can't even remember when I last laughed so much as today. It's such a pity, since it feels so good and it's so relaxing. It's awful how good things are soon forgotten, if one doesn't do them often enough."

Harry squirted sip of butterbeer out of his mouth laughing wildly. "It sounds like you were meaning something totally different than laughing or a taste of butterbeer." He said with an insinuating tone in his voice.

"Harry please, I didn't say it, you just have a dirty imagination." Hermione blushed lightly, but was eager to take advantage of the situation to tease Harry a little bit back. "It seems you have been too long without it, if you hear hints everywhere. Maybe you should ask Rosmerta out, she's so... delicious, and I'm sure she just adores you."

"Does she?"

"I'll bet she does, besides, who wouldn't be drooling after such a handsome and courageous young superhero as you are."

"You, for example," Harry replied smiling impishly.

"Yes, but that's only because I know what an insufferable scamp you are deep down." Her voice was full of tender fondness, so there wasn't a possibility to misunderstand this little mock.

Harry took a horrified and offended expression on his face and yelled, trying not to laugh, "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"D2."

They were laughing like two half-grown maniacs, without even knowing what they were laughing at or talking about anymore. Suddenly three loud and clear beeping sounds broke the air. Startled Hermione yanked a little something from her pocket.

"Do you have a sneakoskope in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" Harry asked, mumbling slightly and smiling like an idiot.

"Oh gods, the level of your jokes is starting to get so low..." Hermione answered, but couldn't help giggling. "This is a Youfinder. Madame Pomfrey gave it to me when I promised to take care of Professor Snape's healing process. We agreed she could use it to reach me in a matter of emergency."

"So you mean you have to go to pamper that slimeball and leave me here to get drunk all alone?" Harry said with a faked misery on his face.

"I don't know about that slime and balls part, but I can tell that you are already drunk."

"And you are not? Are you sure it's a good idea to go to that snake's nest so late in the evening, when you are in so vulnerable and in a need of..."

"Shut up!" Hermione interrupted him laughing. "I don't know why Madam Pomfrey needs me, I'm not drunk, I never am, and... what did you say? Oh Harry, you are impossible!" She had already put on her cloak and was heading to the front door. "Bye Harry, thank you so much for this day, promise me you won't fly tonight, and don't forget to take your purchases with you, and go ahead and ask Rosm... I mean delicious out..." Harry couldn't hear her last words anymore, since she had already apparated away.