Sudden Realizations

Chapter Three.

Dinner that night was....interesting. Hermione's parents were very nice, although her father was a bit... overprotective. Hermione's parents came home that night at around eight, as she had anticipated.

Three hours before dinner Harry and Hermione sat in the family room downstairs, in a fit of giggles after talking about their first year, how Ron had tried to clean his face after Hermione had told him that he had dirt on his nose.

" I think that dirt you saw on his nose was actually a trace of chocolate," Harry said.

"Don't be daft Harry! That was definitely dirt!" she spat back.

" Did you just call me what I think you did?"

"Oh no!" Hermione tore out of the living room, Harry running full speed after her. She ran upstairs into her room and locked the door.

" Alohamora!" Harry said, his voice now a deep baritone. He threw the door open, to find Hermione trying to hide under her bed. He pulled her from under the bed, as she screamed,

"OH NO!!"

"Oh no is right," said Harry.

He got on top and straddled on her as he began to tickle her mercilessly. Then, Harry realized the compromising position they were in and looking down at his best friend he could see that Hermione was thinking the same thing. Harry could feel Hermione's warm breath on his lips. They inched closer, before either of them knew what they were doing...

Suddenly, they heard a crash downstairs. Harry and Hermione sprang apart from each other, both too embarrassed to say anything. Then they heard multiple footsteps and Harry snatched his wand up.

"Stay here. I'll be right back," he commanded

"I'm coming with you."

"Yeah, right! I can't lose you. Better me than you."

"Harry!" She tried to reason with him but he was gone. "Stubborn git!" Hermione left the room, wand in hand, and walked downstairs. She peered from around the corner and saw Harry trying to fight three men in black cloaks that surrounded him, for he had two of them already lying unconscious on the ground. Hermione jumped behind one of them and hit him with a lamp.

"Three down, two to go," said Hermione loud enough for Harry and the two Death Eaters to hear her. They turned around and looked at her.

"Hermione, what the...." Harry tried to say before one Death Eater grabbed him by the shirt. He ripped it off to avoid choking.

Hermione was awestruck. She just stayed there, eyes wide. Quidditch had done scrawny little Harry good. He was no longer the skinny, underfed boy she had met on the train. His arms were muscular and those abs! They were like....wow. Suddenly she snapped back to reality, seeing Harry coming straight at her.

"What the..." she tried to say before Harry took her with him face first to the ground and a spell missed them by inches. Harry stood up immediately.

"Rictusempra!" he shouted, sending a Death Eater crashing onto the wall. Seeing that he was the only one left, the remaining man tried to run for it but, as Hermione was still on the floor, he tripped with her. Harry took the opportunity.

"Stupefy!" The stunned Death Eater collapsed. Hermione got up and went to Harry's side.

"Harry, how..." she tried to ask but in that moment a Death Eater stood up, grabbed the other ones and apparated, leaving just the two of them.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked, panting.

"Y-yes, I'm fine. I was just worried that you would be hurt, but I can clearly see that you can take care of yourself. Where did you learn how to fight like that because it sure wasn't in the Defense against the Dark Arts lessons!"

"Well, it's a long story."

"I got all the time in the world, seeing as we got to tidy up the living room before my parents arrive."

"Right," Harry answered and together they began to get the living room back to its original state.

Harry also began to tell her how he had been secretly training with Prof. Lupin. He knew that Voldemort wouldn't leave him alone for too long, so he was prepared. After Harry mastered the patronus, he spent his sessions training with Lupin. Harry trained so hard that he could beat Remus's werewolf form in combat.

For the past two years he had been studying and training at school between lessons. He had mastered many fighting styles and a lot of powerful magic. He could even perform wandless magic.

"Well, that seems like all, don't you think?" Hermione asked her best friend, while looking around the room. They had done an amazing job cleaning and organizing the living-room and it finally was back at its original state.

"Looks like nothing happened." Harry sighed, sinking into the couch.

"Harry?" came her voice after she too had seated in the couch.

"Yes?"

"What did you mean when you said 'I can't lose you'?"

" Well... um... I guess I should tell you now then..."

"Tell me what?"

" Ihavefeelingsforyou."

"Excuse me?"

" I love you."

"Harry, that's the b...." she tried to say but he ran off before she could finish. Hermione tore after him.

She threw open the door to find Harry lying on the garden ground, eyes closed. She silently bent down and kissed him. It was a sweet innocent kiss, but it made Harry's eyes snap open and sat up.

" Hermione, does this mean..."

"I love you too, stupid git. I've loved you since first year."

" I thought you loved Ron!"

" Yes, I know he has feelings for me but that doesn't mean I love him back. It was always you I loved!"

" W-" She put a finger to his lips and pushed him back down to the ground. She kissed him again, but much more passionately. Thunder shot through Harry's body and the only thing he could feel was Hermione's body against him. Harry was on cloud nine. His heart soared higher and higher and then, she stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Save the best for last," she said seductively. She flashed him a smile and went back inside the house, leaving Harry in a daze.

"Merlin, am I head over heels or what?" Harry thought.

Meanwhile Hermione was back in her room, trying to swallow the night's events. First, they had been attacked and then, Harry had confessed that he had feelings for her.

" Wow," she murmured as she sat on her bed. All she could remember was lying against his muscular stomach and his strong arms holding her. And those eyes, those emerald green eyes. They were brighter than any gem she had ever seen.

Harry was still as a stone. His mind was on Hermione's curvaceous body and how it felt against his. She had a nice tan from China and she had changed. Harry remembered her full lips, shapely body, long legs, and her eyes. He felt like he could stare into her eyes all day and never get bored. Yes, he was definitely in love. He left the garden and decided to go back in. He passed by Hermione's room.

"Hey Hermione! What's for dinner?"

" I don't know. Mom and dad are bringing take-out. You better get ready. They could arrive any minute now."

" I love you."

"Love you too, now go get ready for dinner."

"Yes, mother." Hermione threw a pillow at him as he ran out the door.

Twenty minutes later, the door unlocked, and Hermione's parents burst in. Harry and Hermione went downstairs to greet them.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay with you! I wouldn't be able to bear another summer with the Dursleys!"

" Your very welcome, son. I'm Chris." came the voice of Hermione's dad.

" Nice to meet you sir."

" I'm Ivy."

" Nice to meet you."

"None of that sir and miss stuff, you can call us by our first names."

"Er... thanks, Chris and Ivy."

"Come on, let's eat."

All through dinner, Harry half listened to the conversation and stared at Hermione. She smiled at him and he felt like he was going to melt. They were playing footsie under the table until she began to talk.

" Hey Harry, I got these great jobs at a camp for next month. What do you think?"

"What? Oh, sure."

" Great. It's called Camp Clearlake. We have to be there five days early, so we will leave tomorrow."

" Okay."