Day by Day

DAY BY DAY

By Lady Jane

Chapter Six: "The Second Rather Short One Which Is Still About Tuesday"

Tuesday Night

Her hand came forward, palm up and open. 'Come to bed with me Harry...'

He brought his own arm forward and stumbled a little, but he took her outstretched hand and she pulled him towards her...

'Harry? Harry!'

'Hermione?'

Harry opened his eyes feeling completely disorientated, finding himself half lying on the lounge. Hermione was sitting beside him - with her clothes on! But, weren't they just in her bedroom? She was taking him to bed, he was finally going to...he groaned. Loudly. Shit! I was dreaming!

'Harry? What's wrong?'

He realised the way he was looking at her was probably a little weird. He pushed himself up, straightening his glasses.

'I was having this dream...' he managed, and damn it, he couldn't help himself, he groaned again.

'Dream? Harry-' Hermione's voice was full of concern.

Shaking his head, a crooked smile on his face, he reassured her it was a perfectly normal dream, not one of his old nightmares. Normal dream? Holy shit! It had been amazing - and so bloody real! In fact, definitely the best dream this head had ever held!

'We both fell asleep - can you believe it? I remember you pouring the last of that lovely red into our glasses and you were telling me something - I can't remember what - then - nothing! Probably due to wiping out that whole bottle between us. And I thought I'd never drink too much again after those bloody Pina Coladas!' Hermione was shaking her head.

Harry, his elbows on his knees, was cradling his head in his hands. Holy mother of Merlin! The dream had seemed so real he was almost tempted to ask Hermione what colour her bra and knickers were...

Hermione put her hand on his shoulder. 'Are you all right, Harry?'

'Oh yes, just still waking up, I think,' he told her. Why is it you had to choose THAT moment to wake me? Extreme cruelty to a really randy wizard is what that was! Then again, if she hadn't woken him up then, what would he have ended up doing? Better not to think about that...

Hermione stood up, urging him to do the same with a hand under his arm. He followed suit, glad that he'd had a few minutes to "calm down" so that at least when he hugged her - for real, this time - she wouldn't come up against what he was sure had been the biggest erection in Harry History.

He still felt a little unsteady and wrapped his arms around Hermione to help with his balance. This goodnight kiss-and-hug thing had been so wonderful to start with but had moved from being a "warm and fuzzy" ritual to being a form of nightly torture for Harry. Hermione, who had always been an enthusiastic hugger from way back, was no longer a young girl throwing her arms around the neck of her best friend. This was a woman hugging a man, a man that loved her and wanted her, so when she wrapped her arms around him he could feel every part of her pressed against him and it felt so damn good he wanted to keep her there, just like that, holding her...but then she'd look up at him, waiting for him to drop a kiss on her cheek and so he'd do that, savouring the softness of her skin, always closing his eyes, absorbing the feeling of her in his arms, his lips against her skin and her delicious perfume.

Lost in reverie, he realised Hermione was speaking to him, moving within his arms. He opened his eyes and looked down at her.

'Harry! You're falling asleep again! Come on, you need to get to bed now.'

'Sorry, I just can't seem to...' Get rid of the picture of you standing in front of me, nearly naked, holding out your hand and asking me to come to bed with you! He'd closed his eyes again, moaning softly.

'Harry!' Hermione sounded a little exasperated as his eyes flew open again.

'Right! To bed!' He was definitely having trouble getting that dream out of his head. And holding Hermione, hugging her - he felt as though he was starting all over again...

Then he felt Hermione's hand on the back of his neck, pulling him towards her... The feeling of déjà vu was intense. Christ! Am I asleep or awake?!

He felt her lips softly graze his cheek and he realised she'd kissed him because he hadn't kissed her.

She moved out of his arms and took his hand, pulling him gently behind her, walking him to his room and telling him to go to bed and get back to sleep. As he stripped off and fell into bed he hoped he'd pick up where he'd left off in that damn dream because he really wanted to see what Hermione would look like without that gorgeous underwear...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As she pulled Harry's door closed, Hermione let out a long breath, leaning against the wall. Bloody hell! Falling asleep on the lounge - in Harry's arms! Great way to help keep your composure Hermione!

She'd woken up to find herself tucked up against Harry, under his arm, both her arms around him, her head resting on his chest. She'd come to slowly, opening her eyes and realising she was looking along the length of Harry's body; he had one leg stretched out on the lounge, the other bent, his foot on the floor. She was between Harry and the back of the lounge. She'd sat up very gingerly, not wanting to wake him just yet, not until she had a chance to extricate herself from this - then she saw it. Oh, fuck. She'd closed her eyes. She knew it was more usual than not for men - especially younger ones - to have erections when they were asleep but - It's all right Hermione, it's just that you've never seen Harry like this before. Not that you haven't wondered of course. She opened one eye - oh, that was big, all right! She opened both eyes. What the hell - how often did you get a chance to check out the man you'd dearly love to shag without him knowing? She glanced quickly up at Harry's face, not wanting to be caught. He was still definitely asleep. She took her eyes back to that bulge in his jeans. Well, I must say Harry I'm impressed. A small smile played about her lips. How does it feel, I wonder? It looks so hard... She'd brought her hand up, hovering - but no, that wouldn't be right. Tempting, but not right.

Hermione sighed as she pushed herself off the wall beside Harry's door, shaking her head to try and clear it. Just go to bed, she told herself, get some sleep and try and put Harry out of your mind for now. Walking into her room, she took off her blouse and skirt, draping them over the small lounge chair in her room...thinking about Harry. Sitting on the chair, she took off the stay-up stockings she favoured...still thinking about Harry. She walked to the cupboard and took out a short, silky nightgown that she slipped on over her caramel-coloured bra and matching French knickers and settled into bed...thinking of nothing else but Harry...

TO BE CONTINUED...