Watching Harry

Author's Notes:

Here you are, third and final chapter. I hope it's worth it! Many thanks to all reviewers so far - thanks to: Alexis Moore; taramudblood; acoustics1220; luckystar 666; Rigel L.; Penelope Weaselby (haha, glad you liked it); slytherin heiress; Kalani; and XxMookinexX.

I now have a special fanfic site! Fanfics that aren't allowed on FictionAlley, Recced Fics, sneak peeks at upcoming fics, and a Wall of Shame - idiotic emails and guestbook entries. There's also an Email link for your questions, or you could rec me a fic that you wrote - it could end up in the recommended fics section! All at http://www.freewebs.com/daniel_rowan_fanfictions/

Watching Harry, Chapter 3 - Found You

Hermione looked up, surprised. There was the sound of muffled voices. A muttered charm, and then a very faint smell of smoke wafted through the door of the Room of Requirement. Then someone stamped the smoke out. She should have gone to the door, and looked to see, but she was actually feeling rather sleepy from the always refilling box of chocolates and cups of mint tea. There was no way that Harry could find her in here. Absolutely no way at all ......

*

'Ok, wait for me here, I won't be a minute.' Ron, Dean and Seamus gave Harry a silent thumbs up, and settled down to wait. Harry took a deep breath and opened the door.

He scanned the room, expecting either a vicious jinx while Hermione made her getaway (he certainly wouldn't put it past her - he still remembered her full body-bind charm on Neville in the first year), or a brown-haired figure dashing for the door. But nothing happened. There was a quiet sound - what was that?

Snoring! Hermione had actually fallen asleep! Harry carefully tiptoed over to her, fully ignoring the Quidditch Supplies Cabinet. He sat down next to her on the squashy sofa. She was just so beautiful, was curled up, leaning slightly to Harry's side. She was perfect, except for one thing ...

Chuckling to himself, Harry gently shut Hermione's mouth. She stopped snoring. Then, to Harry's intense embarrassment, she snuggled up against his chest, her head just a few inches from his throat. All of a sudden, his nose was filled with that ever so slightly tangy scent mixed with fresh parchment that he had smelt so much recently. To make it worse, she breathed, 'Harry...'

Now Harry was in a bad position. What on Earth am I meant to do? He thought desperately. Moving Hermione would wake her up, and he couldn't stay here forever. Could he? No, that was completely out of the question. He imagined the looks on the boys' faces if he stayed in there for more than half an hour, they would probably end up thinking that he and Hermione - well they certainly weren't. So that wasn't good; the only other option was to very gently wake her.

Harry very gently shook Hermione by her shoulders. Harry flushed to a colour that Ron would have been proud of as she entwined her arms around his waist, and locked her fingers on the other side. This was getting out of hand.

'Hermione...' she did not move. 'Hermione, wake up...' the hand that went over his stomach moved and trailed down towards his legs, and then - 'Hermione!'

She woke with a start, jerking her hands away from Harry, and as she pulled out her left arm from underneath him, Harry toppled onto the floor. What - a - complete - mess. This was getting worse and worse.

'Harry! Are you alright?!' She crawled over to the edge of the sofa and looked down to where he was sprawled on the floor.

'Ok ... I guess ... just a little bruised ... but Hermione, really! Never do that again!'

'What?' Hermione looked completely innocent. Harry expected that she either did know what she had been doing, and he wasn't going to complicate things by letting on that she knew, or she really didn't know.

'Just don't,' Harry said. There was an awkward silence. Hermione's eyes darted to the door, and then the window, searching for an escape.

'Um. So.' Harry pondered what to say. Then he came up with something. Harry's Inner Self cackled gleefully - Hermione was not getting off the hook lightly. 'I see you like how I polish my broom.'

Hermione squeaked, and Harry's Inner Self roared out with laughter. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a flesh coloured bit of string poking out from under the door. Not this time, this time, this time I want to be alone. He stamped on it and heard a chorus of 'aaww's coming from outside.

Meanwhile, Hermione had gone from white, to pink, then red. Her face had settled on a deep beetroot colour.

'Do you want me to show you how? It's very easy,' he said. His Inner Self roared only louder.

'Umm, no, I'm sure I can manage without, thank you.'

Harry sat back down on the sofa. He beckoned to Hermione. 'Come over here and sit down,' he called, for Hermione was at the far corner of the room. She nervously came over, and sat on the very far edge of the sofa. Harry scooted along the sofa, until he was so close to her that he could smell that tangy scent again. It was wafting from her hair. He took a deep sniff, then launched into a conversation.

'You've been quite a distraction, recently, Hermione,' Harry said. 'I've been getting bad grades. Worse and worse. I pay attention. Not to the teachers. To you.'

Hermione paled, and then went through her little system of colours. Again she settled on beetroot. She turned to face Harry and stuttered, 'I - er - I have? Well, that is ... you see, the thing is ... well ...'

Harry's heart melted at the sight of her. The time for being evil was over. He stopped the words pouring out of her mouth with a long, warm kiss. It warmed Harry, right down to the very insides of his beating heart. It sent jolts of electricity shooting up his face, through his hair, then down to his feet, and back up into his mouth. And, for that moment, he wished more than anything that he could have her forever.

After a few moments of fruitless struggling, Hermione returned the kiss, and Harry thought, to Hell with what the boys think. We're staying in here.

Author's Notes:

I absolutely loved writing that, and at the end I was listening to very dramatic music. Might have had an effect on the outcome! You may use your imagination from then on. I will not write more chapters. I think it's just fine there. Sorry it's a bit short. Thank you, though, to all the reviewers who made me turn it into a chaptered fic and not a one-shot, you were right, it is much better. Thanks - don't forget to visit my site!

--Dan