Day by Day

Chapter Ten: "The One Where Harry Cooks Sunday Dinner, Pre-Dinner Shagging Is On The Menu And Ginny & Dean Make An Announcement"

Sunday

Hermione put the finishing touches to the dining table then hurried back to the kitchen to see how Harry was going with the food. He was standing at the stove, stirring the contents of a large pot. Hermione walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle, giving a little wiggle as she pressed herself against him.

Harry nearly dropped the spoon into the pot, groaning. 'Hermione, you can't do that when I'm cooking!'

'I knew it,' said Hermione, glee in her voice, 'I told you that you'd regret saying I could put my hands all over you anytime I want.' She had a definite "see-I-was-right" note in her voice and a matching look on her face which Harry saw when he turned in the circle of her arms, putting his around her.

Harry shook his head, laughing. 'I don't regret it,' he told her, kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose. 'Don't ever stop groping me, all right?'

'I won't if you won't,' she retorted, smiling

'I guarantee I won't,' he told her, one of his hands moving up to gently squeeze her breast through her top as his mouth covered hers, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. Hermione opened her mouth to him with a soft moan. They were so engrossed in each other they didn't hear the sound of someone Apparating into the loungeroom, or the sound of them heading for the kitchen where they knew their hosts would be, preparing dinner.

'Woo-hoo! Get a load of this!' came Ginny's voice from the kitchen doorway. Dean was right behind her and let out a rather piercing wolf whistle.

Harry and Hermione quickly draw apart, looking rather startled as they turned to Ginny and Dean.

'So, when did you two decide you were made for each other?' asked Ginny as she studied them with a very knowing look.

Harry recovered his composure and taking Hermione's hand, raised it to his lips, turning it over and softly kissing the palm of her hand. 'Oh, I knew a long time ago she was the one for me; just took me a while to get around to telling her.'

Hermione looked as though she was glowing as she gazed at Harry, her eyes full of love.

'Okay, okay, enough of your mushy story. We have one of our own.'

Harry and Hermione turned simultaneously to look at Ginny, their gazes both questioning.

In answer, Ginny held out her left hand, smiling up at Dean beside her. 'Dean proposed last night over dinner.'

Hermione let out a high pitched cry and dived for Ginny's hand while Harry and Dean smiled at each other over the heads of their ladies. Closing the distance between them with a few steps, Harry shook Dean's hand warmly as he said, 'I take it she said "yes" - congratulations mate.'

'And to you also it seems,' Dean replied, winking at Harry.

Hermione and Ginny were hugging and laughing, pulling apart when Dean and Harry tapped their shoulders; Ginny was then engulfed in a huge Harry hug while Dean was treated to one of Hermione's very enthusiastic and almost dangerously suffocating hugs.

Harry rescued a grateful Dean who laughingly told Hermione her hugs should be listed as potential health hazards.

Harry dutifully admired Ginny's ring since such things were, for the most part, far more exciting to women than men, moving on to get their guests a drink. Ginny, Dean and Hermione then settled themselves on stools at the bench with glasses of wine while Harry checked the contents of various pots and saucepans. Hermione smiled to herself. Was it really such a short time ago she'd sat here looking at Harry, the expression on her face that night probably not very different to the one on her face right now. Harry turned and caught the look, his eyes darkening with a matching desire. Their little exchange was interrupted by Ginny sniffing appreciatively and commenting, 'Harry, do you know Dean is a much better cook than I am and I'm not actually too bad but you seem to have a real knack for it.'

'Hey!' complained Dean, giving her a hurt look.

Ginny leant over to her right and stroked his cheek, winking at him. 'You're still my number one chef sweetheart,' she told him.

'Just as well,' he told her sternly. Then laughed and bent forward to kiss her lightly.

Hermione rolled her eyes, catching Harry's eye and sharing a smile. Then he watched as Hermione's eyes slowly dropped from his, moving down the length of his body and on reaching his feet, she tilted her head back a little so he could easily see the expression in her eyes as they travelled slowly back up to once again meet his; then she made a small movement with her glass indicating a toast and winked at him. Harry's eyebrows rose at the memory of that other time she'd done this, then his eyes narrowed as he tried to signal her with a look that this was not the place and time to do that when it did to him what Hermione could do so easily to him - make him bloody hard! Shit! he thought to himself as he turned slightly so that the Hermione-induced bulge wouldn't be noticeable to their guests. He looked over at Hermione, groaning inwardly. Why the hell did she have to wear that top tonight? he thought to himself although he knew the answer to that. That afternoon, she'd tried a few different things on, asking his opinion of each outfit. When she'd walked into the kitchen wearing a white top made of some silky looking stretchy material that left her shoulders bare the look on his face was all Hermione needed. Becoming aware that Hermione was watching him with amusement, Harry gave her a half-serious glare as he cleared his throat; he needed a change of focus desperately and turned his gaze to Ginny and Dean, asking, 'So where are Ron and Luna? Any idea? I mean, we changed this from lunch to dinner for them.' Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a positively wicked smile on Hermione's face as she watched him, but for the sake of his dignity and composure he had no choice but to ignore it.

'Nope,' answered Ginny, shrugging her shoulders. 'Probably having a pre-dinner shag knowing those two.'

'Ginny!' cried Harry and Hermione together.

She looked at them innocently. 'What?'

Dean poked her gently in the side. 'And we didn't?'

Ginny looked at Dean as though shocked.

'Don't give me that,' he told her, laughing. 'Little Miss Innocent you aint!'

Ginny returned the poke in the ribs. 'Dean Thomas, you take that back!'

Dean just laughed harder.

Harry and Hermione were laughing so much they once again missed the sound of someone arriving.

'What's so bloody funny?' came Ron's voice from the doorway, Luna by his side looking equally bemused.

Their total ignorance only served to make the others laugh even harder and it was a few minutes before two more glasses of wine were poured and Ron and Luna had joined the others at the bench watching Harry, having been filled in by Ginny on the cause of their mirth, their ensuing refusal to confirm or deny the "pre-dinner shag" comment only convincing everyone it was so.

'All right, all right, pre-dinner shagging aside, let's move on to more important things like - Ginny and Dean's wedding!' stated Luna happily.

'We haven't even thought about a date yet,' Ginny told her.

'You should,' Luna told her in an uncharacteristically efficient manner. 'You can't have it clash with other events and it takes a lot of work to organise a wedding. You need to give yourselves plenty of time so you don't have to rush and then maybe suffer disappointment and stress. It's a bit like a magazine deadline.'

Ginny looked at Luna with a new respect, then at Dean. 'She has a point,' she told him and he nodded as he said, 'So when is a good time?'

'Well,' said Luna, straightening on her stool, 'do you want it to be this year or next? Does it matter to you what month or season? Do you want intimate or the whole hog? '

Ginny and Dean had a rather glazed look by the time she finished. 'We haven't really had time to think about it yet,' Dean told her, but you've given us enough food for thought to last us for a month!'

'So it won't be in July, at any rate,' said Luna with a smile.

Ginny groaned. 'Maybe we'll just stay engaged indefinitely,' she said.

Dean shrugged. 'Whatever you want, honey,' he told her a twinkle in his eye.

Giving Hermione a rather sly wink on the side, Ginny asked Dean whether it would make any difference if she was to say that all shagging was now off until after the wedding to at least make an appearance of upholding old traditions?

The look on Dean's face was enough to send everyone into gales of laughter including Ginny.

Dean leaned forward and in a voice only audible to Ginny said, 'You are joking, aren't you?'

Ginny turned her head and kissed him. 'Do you think I'd last any longer than you?' she asked with a smile, which turned into a rich chuckle at the look of relief on his face.

Then Ginny gave Dean a wicked look as she sat back and raised her glass. 'A toast,' she said, drawing everyone's attention. It was hard containing her laughter but she managed to do so long enough to say, 'To our newest shaggers, Harry and Hermione, pre-dinner and otherwise,' before she was unable to do anything but laugh.

Ron looked completely stunned, his glass still suspended in the air for the toast. Luna smiled, not looking too surprised. Harry and Hermione groaned in unison.

'Ron! You of all people should've known!' Ginny scolded him. 'After all, you were in on the ground floor of matchmaking.'

Ron looked very sheepish. 'Well, yes, but - when? How? Did we manage to-' pulling himself up short.

Then it all came out and after Ron got over his embarrassment at being so transparent, he toasted his friends' togetherness.

Harry, to Hermione's great amusement, was still avoiding catching her eye; she knew he was feeling a little...uncomfortable. For Harry's part, it didn't help that he could feel her eyes on him and just thinking about her thinking about what he knew she was thinking about was driving him crazy. And she knew it. As he came to the bench with a bottle of wine to top up everyone's glasses, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, 'If you don't cease and desist from this form of torture right now I will not be responsible for my actions.'

She smiled sweetly at him and turning her head whispered in his ear, 'Since we didn't have a "pre-dinner shag" I have to say I'm not responsible for mine either.'

'What's all this whispering about then?' inquired Dean having seen their exchange.

'Absolutely nothing of course,' said Hermione quickly, Harry nodding behind her.

Dean muttered something that sounded like, 'Yeah, sure!' before returning his attention to Ginny.

The kitchen was filled with chatter, the gentle chinking of glasses and the sounds of stirring, the oven door being opened and a myriad other noises until Harry announced all was nearly ready; the roast simply had to "rest" for twenty minutes before carving and they should all move to the loungeroom. As he and Hermione managed to herd their friends into the loungeroom, Harry grabbed her hand and drew her towards his room calling to Ron, who was entering the loungeroom last behind Luna, saying that they'd only be ten minutes, they needed to get something. Taking her into his room, Harry locked the door, turning to lean on it and pulling Hermione into his arms and kissing her deeply.

Drawing back she looked up at him, surprise evident in her eyes as she realised his intentions.

'Harry, we can't possibly!' she whispered fiercely.

He gave a low laugh. 'You don't have to whisper and of course we can.'

Hermione knew Harry had a permanent Silencing Charm in place around his room but nevertheless couldn't believe he was seriously considering making love while their friends were sitting in their loungeroom waiting for dinner!

Harry's face became serious, his voice gruff as he told her, 'I meant it when I said I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. You obviously don't fully appreciate the effect you have on me, Hermione.' Then he kissed her again, bringing one hand up to curl around the back of her neck, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and using the hand he'd wrapped around her waist to pull her as close as he possibly could. But he felt the desperate need to push so he spun them around, grinding his aching erection against Hermione, pressing her into the door. Hermione turned her head sideways to escape his lips, gasping.

'Harry, you have just as much of a devastating effect on me but you're mad! We can't make love now!'

'Who said anything about making love,' murmured Harry as he grasped her hands and pulled them behind her, holding them there with one hand as he dropped his head to trail soft, wet kisses on the soft exposed skin of her bare shoulder, working his way up until he reached that sensitive spot behind her ear, then down across her cheek to her lips, thrusting his tongue into her mouth once more. His free hand roamed from her waist up to her breast, gently kneading it, feeling for the nipple and carefully pinching it when he found it. She felt her heart rate increase rapidly and even though she was physically smaller than and definitely not as strong as Harry, she felt as though she held some unnamed power over him; it was an intoxicating feeling and only increased her lust for him.

Finally, Harry lifted his head, his voice a hoarse whisper as he told her, 'We don't have to make love, there is also just plain ...' he hesitated, then, his voice sinking so low Hermione was sure she could feel her body vibrating from it, he continued in a whisper, '...fucking. I need you now, so badly, I can't wait...'

Hermione drew her breath in sharply as she looked into his eyes, her tiny nod letting him know she understood. She felt the same, although she hadn't been able to put it in words, just knowing that her need and desire was so strong, she desperately wanted the relief of release - from the only man who could give it to her, the only man she wanted it from.

Without another word, she pulled her arms free and reaching for the bottom or her tight stretch top pulled it up and over her head, reaching behind herself to quickly undo her bra; then she unzipped her jeans and pushed them down, taking her panties with them, kicking them off, along with her shoes, to stand there naked, her look almost challenging Harry to be as wanton. Not bothering with any complicated undressing manoeuvres, Harry simply waved his hand, muttering under his breath and he too, was naked. Her eyes were drawn down to his straining erection, his to her breasts which he swiftly cupped with his hands, his thumbs rubbing provocatively cross her stiff nipples. As he raised his eyes to hers, she saw in them such intense lust it caused her to moan softly, putting her arms around his neck and pressing against him, pulling his head down so that their lips met again; being able to arouse someone to this level held its own eroticism.

Harry bent down to pick her up, cupping his hands strongly around Hermione's backside, she immediately wrapping her legs around his hips as he lifted her; Hermione felt an insanely desperate need to have him inside her.

'Now Harry! Please! I want you inside me now!' Hermione's fierce, husky whisper drove any thought of making it to the bed from Harry's mind. He lifted her a little higher so that she was able to sink down over his rock hard erection. Hermione could only groan at the sensations she was experiencing, her head thrown back. Harry didn't know how the hell he was going to remain standing as he felt himself surrounded by Hermione's tight, wet depths and a deep growl was torn from his depths.

Hermione brought her head forward to look at Harry through half-closed eyes, thinking how incredibly sexy he looked at that moment, tilting her hips forward to create the friction she craved against her swollen nub and that stimulating contact, together with the pent up desire of the last few hours, produced those longed for waves of ecstasy, Harry's name escaping her lips over and over, aware that he too was experiencing his own orgasm as she felt the heat of his release, her name coming to his lips in feverishly whispered bursts in time with his movements.

They gazed at each other as they slowly came back to normality, the look in Harry's eyes becoming gentle and loving again; he was aware that he felt grateful to this gorgeous creature and a little awed by her willingness for what they'd just done. As her legs slid down his so that she was only just supporting her own weight, mainly being held up by Harry leaning on her and keeping her upright against the door, he cupped her face with his hands and kissed her lingeringly on the mouth, pulling away only slightly to say, 'I love you more than life itself Hermione.'

'So you know how I feel, then,' she told him, pulling him back for another kiss.

Harry signed. 'I think our ten minutes are up; we better get back or they'll be talking about us,' he said.

'I have a feeling they probably already are anyway,' said Hermione with a smile.

As Harry and Hermione walked into the loungeroom together, Harry carrying a small, blue box, all talking ceased and four heads turned in their direction, indulgent smiles on all their faces.

'Took two of you to unearth that, did it?' said Ron, trying to look as though he wasn't speaking tongue-in-cheek.

'Of course,' said Harry smoothly, placing the box on the coffee table. 'Dinner first,' he continued, 'you lot go and sit down and I'll be back before you know it.'

Hermione led them to the dining table, seating Ron and Luna with their backs to the window, Dean and Ginny opposite them, herself at one end of the table while Harry would be sitting at the opposite end to her. The five of them sat and chatted for about ten minutes then looked up as they heard footsteps.

Harry walked into the room followed by six dinner plates, laden with food, a very full gravy boat and a baking dish of Yorkshire pudding. Luna clapped her hands together in delight; Ginny, despite having witnessed Harry's abilities before, never ceased to be amazed and simply said, 'Wow!'

Dean and Ron exchanged rueful glances; Harry didn't even have to think about doing this but for most wizards it would be quite a feat as normally any objects - or people, for that matter - that were being levitated were always in front of, or at least in the line of sight, of the wizard doing the levitating. Hermione simply enjoyed the sight of Harry, in tight blue jeans and fitted shirt, walking towards her. Surely, she groaned to herself, I won't always feel this bloody randy always! God help me! Harry caught her eye, his eyes widening in mild surprise at what her expression told him. She simply shrugged helplessly and smiled at him, suddenly thinking of Priscilla, her friend at work - she'd be uncontrollably impressed decided Hermione. After she said "I told you so!" that was, thought Hermione with a smile.

As their plates landed gently in front of each of them, Harry went to his chair but instead of sitting, picked up his glass for a toast.

'To my friends and past comrades-in-arms,' he looked around at all of them, his eyes settling on Hermione as he said, 'and to the most important person in my life: past, present and future.'

As they all raised their glasses, Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears, but was determined not to cry so she smiled at everyone, her gaze coming back to Harry as she sipped her wine.

Ron broke the solemn mood with, 'All right you lot, two, four, six, eight, tuck in, don't wait!'

Luna and Ginny groaned in unison, everyone else laughing. Ron waggled his eyebrows at all of them, popping food into his mouth and grinning.

After they finished, Harry simply waved his hand and cleared the table, feeling comfortable enough in front of his closest friends to do such a thing as he knew they would see it for what it was - something he could do - and not as "showing off".

'Harry,' said Ginny wistfully, 'don't tell me you've cleaned the damn kitchen up from here as well.'

Harry shrugged. 'I don't mind spending the time cooking, but I hate cleaning up afterwards so...'

'Oh, if only you could teach us how to do that!' said Ginny, shaking her head.

'Well, it's not too hard, Ginny,' he started, but when she held up her hand to ward off his explanation he laughed. 'You'll just have to invite us over to dinner, won't you?' he joked.

'We'll be doing that, don't worry!' Dean told him. 'In fact, I think before the wedding we should perhaps have some sort of pseudo-engagement party and get everyone together, especially now that you're here in London as well, Harry. All the old Gryffindors - and others, of course,' he finished, looking apologetically across at Luna.

'Pseudo-engagement?' asked Ginny archly.

Dean rolled his eyes before looking down at her beside him. 'You know what I mean my sweet! We'll have our friends and family over and our excuse will be that it's to celebrate our engagement which will guarantee their attendance and we will be celebrating our engagement, but also our friends and family!'

Ginny sighed, a woeful expression on her face. 'I'm stuck with a wonderful, brilliant, clever, gorgeous, loving, sexy, perfect man who can cook almost as well as Harry Potter. Woe is me.'

When everyone finished laughing and Dean stopped tickling Ginny in retaliation for her "cook almost as well as Harry Potter" remark, Harry asked if anyone was interested in dessert.

'Depends on what it is,' said Luna.

'Whatever it is, count me in,' Ron told him.

'Just apple pie and ice cream,' said Harry.

Everyone ended up having some, enjoying the simple dessert immensely.

'Coffee on the lounge!' announced Hermione, walking back in from the kitchen carrying a pot of freshly brewed coffee. As everyone settled themselves on the lounges, Hermione poured them each a cup, then went to sit with Harry.

Ginny had told Dean about her two meetings with Malfoy and although he was annoyed that she hadn't trusted him, he agreed that he wouldn't have let her meet him alone so understood why she hadn't told him until afterwards. Nevertheless, he'd extracted a promise from her that she would always tell him such things in the future only after he'd promised he would trust her judgement in such things.

While Hermione had been making the coffee, Harry had been telling them that he'd been there that night to protect Ginny, something which pleased Dean no end.

'And I felt like such a prat for recommending the Dragon's Lair when I was taking Luna that night when in fact I did a good thing!' said Ron, before continuing while glaring at Ginny, 'Although if I'd known you were there that night with ferret-face Harry would've had to protect him, not you!'

Ginny rolled her eyes, but smiled at her brother as she said, 'I had no idea any of you were there! I can't believe I didn't see at least one of you!'

Harry then explained the arrangements he'd made knowing Ron couldn't know Ginny was there with Malfoy (for obvious reasons) and that he really didn't want his own night there with Hermione ruined by running into Malfoy because the sight of Malfoy was enough to turn his stomach. Luna commented that she thought it was rather hilarious they'd all been there on the same night and not seen each other except for that short interlude in the bar when they'd arrived to find Harry and Hermione there.

After a second cup of coffee, everyone was beginning to feel tired and as they were all getting ready to leave, Ron suddenly asked, 'What's in the box?' pointing at the small, blue box Harry had carried in earlier.

'An excuse,' said Luna, sharing a smug smile with Ginny.

Hermione had the grace to look a little embarrassed while Harry simply smiled and said, 'Have a look.'

Ron picked up the box and removed the lid, pulling out something white, soft, satiny and lacy with ribbons and bows on it.

Ginny, Luna and Hermione knew immediately what it was and Hermione asked Harry who it belonged to.

'Originally, my mum,' he told her, 'but I got it from Remus. He caught it at my parents' wedding and he's had it all these years. He gave it to me last Christmas. Said he thought I might like it.'

Luna was busy explaining to Ron, who'd never been to a wedding, what a wedding garter was, while Harry was telling Ginny that if she liked she could borrow it - if she was doing the traditional "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue".

Ginny was highly delighted and extremely touched, throwing her arms around Harry and hugging him.

'You keep it here until I need it - I couldn't bear if anything happened to it,' Ginny told him as she placed it back into the box which was lined with tissue paper.

Once everyone had left, Harry pulled Hermione to him and hugged her, then kissed her on the cheek.

She couldn't help but laugh at the memory of all those nights they'd followed this little ritual.

'What I love the most,' he told her, 'is that now I can do this,' and he covered her mouth with his, Hermione melting into him.

When the kiss ended, Hermione told him, 'And what I love the most is when I say "goodnight, let's go to bed" - we end up in the same one!'

Harry laughed, leaving one arm around her as they turned and walked towards his room, turning his head to bury it in her hair; he loved the smell of her hair.

'We'll have to redecorate my bedroom for us,' Hermione told him. 'It's much bigger and far nicer than yours.'

'I'll do it tomorrow,' he murmured into her hair.

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

Not too far away, Dean and Ginny were also getting ready to go to bed. Dean had turned out the light and moved to their bedroom window, intending to draw the curtains, his gaze wandered randomly over the park that was situated next to their block of flats. He froze when he saw the figure of a man sitting on one of the park benches and despite the fact that the man was wearing wizard robes with the hood up, he would swear he was looking at the window in which he stood. He quickly drew the curtains, feeling tendrils of fear curl around his heart.

'What's wrong love?' asked Ginny.

'Just someone sitting on the bench down there. Gave me the creeps for a second. It's a bit late.'

He slid into bed next to Ginny, putting his arms protectively around her.

Tomorrow he was going to talk to Harry. He'd swear on Ginny's life that was Draco Malfoy he'd just seen on that park bench two floors below.

TO BE CONTINUED...