Bittersweet

The next couple of days were jam packed with outings and other little "family oriented" facades by the Dursleys. Most days Hermione wasn´t even home. The Dursley´s took her family out sight seeing, to picnics in the park, expensive lunches, etc. Basically anything to remain on the good side of the Grangers (and their money).

Doug Granger had been very close to his father; an investment banker with a deep love for his line of work. Doug´s father had loved the whole number game and had instilled this love into his son as well. Though Doug had chosen dentistry over banking, he still believed in investing his money into small businesses and such as a hobby. So naturally, when he heard that Vernon Dursley and his drill company were looking for some investors he decided to look into it.

Through mutual friends and acquaintances, the possibility of an investment was hammered out. Doug had heard much of the company and it´s excellent quality drills. When he inquired as to why the company had no investors, he was informed that the couple who had wished to invest decided not to after having dinner with the Dursleys. This considerably lessened Doug´s excitement, but he tried to keep an open mind.

When Vernon Dursley found out about the wealthy Grangers´ investment inquiries regarding him, he was overjoyed. However, he learned that they may change their minds due to what had happened with his previous potential investors. So he took the initiative and approached Doug Granger at his office. There he explained to Doug that the only reason the previous couple had not invested was because his disturbed nephew had dropped a cake on the investor´s wife and they had left before the Dursleys had had a chance to explain or apologize. Doug had been very touched by the fact that the Dursleys took care of their mentally handicapped nephew; it had warmed his heart. When he told Vernon Dursley of this, Vernon did nothing to correct his mistake in assuming Harry was mentally disturbed. He merely pretended that talking of his nephew´s "condition" was difficult and Doug left it alone. Suffice to say, the pity card had won Mr. Granger over. He had instantly decided he wished to invest but his wife, Claire Granger, was still reluctant. That´s when the Dursleys had suggested that the Grangers come and spend some time with them, get to know them and their "family oriented" life. Basically allow time for Vernon and Petunia to trick them into thinking that they were good people and deserved the financial aid the Grangers were offering. So of course, albeit hesitantly, Mrs. Granger agreed, and so they ended up visiting the Privet Drive for two weeks.

However, they were yet to see or hear of this nephew the Dursleys supposedly took care of. Every time they brought it up, either Vernon and Petunia would change the subject, or get all teary-eyed and say it was difficult to discuss. So, of course the Grangers were instantly suspicious. That´s when Hermione stepped in and corrected her parent´s assumption.

"It´s Harry, Harry Potter. He´s their nephew," stated a frustrated Hermione for the umpteenth time.

"No, it can´t be," rationalized Mr. Granger. "Vernon told me his nephew was mentally handicapped, that he had dropped a cake on the head of one of their previous investors."

"Dad, remember how I told of you of the house elf that had tried to keep Harry from going back to Hogwarts in second year?"

"Yes, Dumpy or something wasn´t it?" replied Mr. Granger.

"Dobby dad, he´s the one who dropped that cake so Harry would get in trouble and not be allowed back. Being mentally handicapped was just Mr. Dursley´s made up excuse. Harry´s not retarded, there´s nothing wrong with him!" Hermione knew her father could be thick at times but this was just getting to be too much.

"Do you mean to say Harry´s been living in this same house, the entire time we´ve been here and we´ve yet to see him?" asked Mrs. Granger in an skeptical tone.

"Yes mum."

"But he´s what...fifteen? Almost sixteen now, there are only so many places you can a hide a grown sixteen year old boy Hermione. I´m sorry dear but this story is not making much sense."

"They´re not hiding him mum, at least not in the sense you´re implying, they´re working him," answered Hermione, her voice dripping with malice.

"What do you mean "working him" dear?" asked Mrs. Granger, concern rising in her voice.

Hermione then proceeded to tell her parents of how horribly Harry was treated. She told them of her first encounter with him when they had just arrived. Of how Petunia had threatened him, called him names, and told him to go to bed with no meals. Hermione went on about the photo album and how much Harry´s parents had loved him. She also informed her parents on how much the Dursley´s hated magic and what they thought of Harry for it. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had always known that their daughter´s best friend, Harry, lead a rather unfair life, but today they realized the full extent of it. By the time Hermione was done catching them up to speed on everything, Mrs. Granger, along with Hermione, was in tears.

"He´s been treated this way since he was one?" sobbed Claire.

Hermione nodded, unable to find her voice. She had always felt sorrow for Harry´s predicament but she never knew how much until she had just said it all out loud. She was once again overcome by a powerful urge to comfort him; to hug him and kiss him and tell him everything was going to be fine. For the past couple of days, since "it" had happened, she had found Harry everywhere. He was in her dreams, her day dreams, her thoughts, her wishes, everything and she couldn´t figure out why. At first she had tried to reason with herself, scold herself for having such thought of Harry. She knew it would never work. He was Harry; Harry Potter, defender of good, savior of the world, the boy-who-lived! But then again, he was Harry; sweet, gentle, shy, adorable Harry. The same Harry that had looked at her with those intense green eyes just days before; not at her body, or her wealth, or any of those other superficial things that other boys looked at, he had looked at her and she had contented him. She never realized how much it meant to her that Harry accepted her so openly. In her life long pursuit of perfection, Hermione had been called every nerdy name in the book; know-it-all, book-worm, overachiever, gosh, the list went on forever. But Harry never called her any of those things. Instead he told her she was smart, kind, and at the end of last year he had thanked her for being the best friend he could have ever asked for. It melted her heart when she thought of the pure honesty and openness with which he confided in her. He was so sweet, noble, caring and he deserved better than this horrid life. Apparently, her mother agreed.

"We have got to take him out of here Doug," Claire complained to her husband. "We can´t just let him stay here while those horrible people work him to death!"

"I know dear, but we can´t," answered Doug in a defeated voice. "You heard what Hermione said, this is the only place he´s safe."

"Safe?!" retorted Claire. "You call this safe? A place where he isn´t even fed or cared for properly?"

This argument went on for a good while. Mrs. Granger growing more outraged and angry by the second. After what seemed like an eternity, the combined efforts of Hermione and Mr. Granger were able to calm her down. They finally reasoned out that it would be in Harry´s best interest to not mention their new found knowledge to the Dursleys, they would probably take out their anger on him anyway. Also, they decided that they would stay the remainder of their visit for two reasons: one, to keep on eye on Harry and make sure the Dursleys´ weren´t able to do anything too cruel to him, and two, even though they already knew they weren´t going to invest, the Dursleys didn´t, no sense in skipping out on all the free outings they were getting out of it. After all, it was because the Dursleys had allowed Mr. Granger to assume that Harry was mentally ill that they had agreed to come here in the first place, so why couldn´t the Grangers allow the Dursleys to assume that they still were going to invest and let them waist their money on a fruitless endeavor?

****

"Mrs. Granger, your dress is simply gorgeous." cooed Petunia as she stared at Claire Granger´s elegant dark blue gown.

"Oh, thank you," replied Mrs. Granger, "Doug and Hermione gave it to me for my birthday." The conversation continued like this for a couple of minutes.

Harry, who was in the kitchen, heard the compliment and opened the door just a sliver to peek into the foyer. Aunt Petunia was wearing a rather nice pale-green dress. The dress would have looked quite pretty on any other woman but it just gave Petunia´s already pale skin a sickening glow. And Petunia was right, Mrs. Granger´s dress was gorgeous. She simply screamed out rich and elegant in her clearly expensive gown. Just then Doug Granger came in through the front door.

"Here you are dear," he said as he slipped an expensive looking white fur shawl over his wife´s shoulders. She had apparently forgotten it in the car. Harry watched his aunt very closely. He thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head with jealousy. It was quite amusing really.

"Ready to go then?" asked Uncle Vernon as he came down the stairs with Dudley loudly clomping behind him. Harry had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing out loud as Dudley came into full view. He was wearing a dark blue pin striped suit that looked like it was about to rip in half. How are those buttons staying closed? wondered Harry as he noticed the indents the pressure of the buttoned buttons caused on Dudley´s pudgy stomach. But the real joke was Dudley´s jacket. It looked like it belonged to Mrs. Dursley more than to him. It was a large, furry, light-brown trench coat which instead of wearing completely, Dudley had draped over his shoulders. He looks like a pimp reject thought Harry as he mused over how ridiculous his cousin looked.

"Hermione," called Claire upstairs, "hurry up love, we have to leave."

"Coming mum!"

Harry felt his heart rate accelerate as Hermione came into view. She was wearing a beautiful lavender cocktail dress that appeared as if its sole purpose was to cling and hug every enchanting curve of Hermione´s delicate frame. The dress was composed of a light chiffon covered by a sheer slip of glimmering lavender fabric. The dress was strapless and therefore held up by being snuggly fit around Hermione´s bosom. The rest of the dress cascaded down as it framed Hermione´s hips and then flowed around her legs. The left side of the dress swished against her calf while the right side ascended in a diagonal line to reveal the soft skin of her of her thigh in a sexy salsa dress design. She was wearing strappy stilettos that gave her legs a very defined and feminine look, and as for her jewelry, a simple choker embedded with a single diamond and earrings to match. Her hair was up in a loose twist with gentle brown ringlets framing her radiant, though lightly make-up-ed face. Basically, she looked like a princess as she gracefully descended down the stairs causing all talking to cease.

"Oh Hermione, you look beautiful," sighed Mrs. Granger initiating a string of compliments headed towards Hermione.

Hermione blushed a little bit as her mother and father went on about how grown up and pretty their daughter looked. She had been very nervous getting ready, unsure about if she had the looks to pull of a dress of this style. Even though she had brought it along, she had not intended to wear it at the "Durmly´s." Her actual intend had been Ron; she was going to knock his socks off. She felt a slight pang of guilt as she thought of Ron. Hermione and Harry had decided that when Harry wrote back to Ron, he shouldn´t mention that she was there. But why? Hermione couldn´t help question herself. What would be the harm in him knowing? Though she refused to admit it, she knew the answer and it was in the form of green-eyed sixteen year old boy who, in her dreams, had been doing some rather naughty things to her. Hermione smiled unconsciously as she thought back to her favorite one...

WHAT THE F---?!!!!

"Huh?"

"Do you like chicken?" repeated Petunia Dursley in an annoyed voice. She had attempted to ask Hermione this question at least three times while the teenager had stood in front of her with a stupid grin on her face.

"After the show we are going out for dinner and Vernon wants to go to this restaurant down-town where their specialty is chicken. I just wanted to make sure nobody had anything against it." Petunia explained.

"Oh, um...sure. I like chicken." Hermione answered pathetically. Oh my God, Oh my God...I can´t believe I just did that thought Hermione. You will stop this now she scolded herself. You will not think of Harry like this. Harry is your friend, nothing more. Just your friend. JUST YOUR FRIEND; NOTHING MORE she shouted in her mind to convince herself. She then turned to take her shawl off the coat rack and looked straight into Harry´s green eyes as they peered over the side of the door. She froze, not knowing what else to do, and just stared back. Oh gosh, he probably thinks I look ugly she concluded from his unwavering stare. I feel so stupid! I´m much too skinny and flat to wear this dress. Honestly Hermione, you should have known better! she yelled overcome with anger at her own stupidity in thinking she, bookworm Granger, could ever wear a dress like this. She turned around to follow her mother and father out of the house with unshed tears shining in her eyes. Hermione didn´t know why, but she looked back at Harry one last time before departing. She only caught a three second glimpse at the most, but it was enough. He gave her the sweetest smile and mouthed a single word that dismissed all of her concerns:

`Beautiful´

*****

Harry lay in the backyard, staring up at the stars. He had been sitting there for nearly two hours, thinking. Thinking of how horrid life was with the Dursley´s, thinking of where Sirius was at this exact moment and if he was safe, thinking of Voldemort´s growing power, and thinking of how when he was around Hermione it all seemed to go away. Just the mental image of Hermione did something to calm his nerves. She was so soft, so affectionate and open, and she let him be the same. He never had to act around her, he could just be Harry.

When Cedric died last year, even though everyone told him it would be okay, it was Hermione that made him believe it. He still remembered those nights before the end of the term, and how scared he was to go to sleep, be alone, or even in the dark. He knew it was childish, but he couldn´t help it. Of course he would never admit that, but with Hermione, he never had to; she just knew. Every night she would sneak into the boys dormitory under the protection of the invisibility cloak. She would stay there, whispering reassurances and holding his hand until he went to sleep. If he was crying, she would cradle him in her arms, hugging him tightly until he felt better. Harry knew for a fact, that had Hermione not been there, he would probably would have become seriously depressed. He was so lucky to have her.

Harry laid his head back on the grass and fell into a peaceful slumber in the warm summer night with, of course, thoughts of Hermione dancing through his mind.

*****

"Harry! Harry, are you okay?!"

"Hmmmm?" was all Harry could get out. He turned his head and opened his eyes to see who was talking to him. It was Hermione. She looks so beautiful he thought as he watched the soft glow of the moon illuminate her tanned skin. Her deep brown eyes, full of concern, searched his. Her full glossy pink lips appeared slightly parted as if ready to ask a question.

"Harry, you´re scaring me. Why are you looking at me like that?

"Oh, sorry," mumbled Harry as he propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her. She was kneeling next to him, still in her cocktail dress, slowly beginning to smile as she realized he had just fallen asleep. "I was out here, just looking at the stars, thinking, and I fell asleep. Thanks for waking me."

"Oh, sure," replied Hermione as she sat down beside him. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"Everything. Next year, Sirius, Voldemort, trying to stay alive. You know as well as I that Voldemort is growing stronger, it´s only a matter of time before he comes after me again. I still don´t understand what he´s trying to prove, even if he does kill me, it´s not like he´ll have won. There are so many other witches and wizards that could defeat him yet he continues to fight me. Like defeating me will insure his win or something. But then again, I´d rather fight Voldemort any day then stay here with the Dursleys, at least it with him all I have to fight, not rake the yard, or do the laundry or any of these other insufferable chores," Harry joked. His jovial expression sobered as he realized Hermione was crying.

"Hermione, what´s wrong?" he asked as he leaned over to pull her into a hug. "Why are you crying?"

"I´m just thinking about you Harry, and all this rubbish you have to endure," she sobbed into his shoulder. "It just makes me so angry that you have to go through all this. I know I shouldn´t have, but when I was up in your room that night, I looked through your album and saw the picture of you with your mum and dad. It was just so sad Harry; they loved you so much that they died for you. And for what? So that you could live with these horrible people that treat you like trash? Or so you could only get away from the Dursley´s long enough to go to Hogwarts, where the entire future of the Wizarding World is placed on your shoulders? Or stay up worrying about Sirius and if he´s alive? Or..." she trailed off as her sobs overcame her. Harry hugged her as tightly as he could, partially to console her, but partially to console himself as well. He knew exactly what she had meant, he had thought these things too but had never brought them up. He always figured that if others never said anything about them, then it must be wrong of him to think of such things. Now he knew better. Hermione was here and she understood. He let his tears stream freely as she embraced him even tighter than before.

They stayed like that for nearly fifteen minutes, just crying and hugging. When they finally broke apart Harry looked up to see Hermione´s tear stained face giving him a gentle reassuring smile. He smiled back.

"Sorry," she sniffled, "I didn´t mean to make you cry too. Some great friend I am, waking you from a peaceful nap just to upset you."

"No, it´s okay," answered Harry, "I actually feel much better." And in fact he did. He felt a lot lighter and calm. Who knew all that rubbish about having a good cry was true? he questioned as realized how much happier he felt.

"Really?" Hermione asked in a meek voice.

"Really, that cry did me a lot of good. I feel much happier, calmer now. But then again it could just be because you´re here," Harry answered as he smiled sheepishly at Hermione.

"Don´t do that Harry."

"Don´t do what?"

"Don´t say such nice things about me, I don´t deserve them."

"What?" Harry was shocked. "What do you mean you don´t deserve them Hermione. You deserve every compliment I can think of. How could you even think otherwise?"

"I´m just so confused Harry," admitted Hermione. "I don´t know what going on any more, I don´t know why I´m feeling this way about us. Just every time I see you I...It´s just that...It´s so unfair, Ron´s always been so sweet and..."

Harry cut her off. "Say no more, I know what you mean. I still can´t for the life of me figure out why we decided not tell Ron you were here. I feel so guilty about it."

"I know, me too"

"Listen," Harry began, "I know how Ron feels about you, and I also know the feeling is mutual. About that night, I don´t know what came over me, I was just being stupid. I could never do that to you and Ron. You´re my best friend Hermione, you deserve better. I´m sorry for my actions. Forgive me?"

Hermione was stunned. Oh, he´s so sweet, the way he thinks this is all his fault. He sorry for what he´s done Hermione thought to herself. But are you? questioned her mind. Yeah, sorry he didn´t finish what he started answered her body. Oh my gosh, I´m falling for Harry Potter!

"Hermione? Can I guess by your silence that you aren´t accepting my apology?" Harry asked in voice filled with worry.

"Huh, what?" Hermione was brought out of her train of thought.

Now realizing what he was asking she started again. "Harry, what happened was not your fault alone. I was there too, remember? I am equally responsible; if I had wanted you to stop I could have walked away, I could have asked you to stop, I could have done so much more than just stand there, but...but I didn`t," she ended quietly.

"Why?" questioned Harry. "What happened to us? Why didn´t one of us stop or ...or say something or, step back at the very least?"

"Because..." Hermione started, with the full intention of saying something reasonable, something that would logically explain what had nearly happened, but just then her eyes fell back to those soft, innocent lips of his and all sense of rationality left her mind. "Because, I don´t think I wanted you to stop."

The silence that ensued started to becoming deafening to the two teenagers, whose minds were flying with about a thousand thoughts a minute.

"Hermione, ummm...what do we do now?"

Though her mouth said, "I don´t know." Her body was screaming kiss me you idiot!!!

They continued to stare at each other with that intense awkwardness that can only be found in those unforgettable years of adolescence. Hermione fidgeted with the her dress, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles, while Harry nervously ran his fingers through his hair. They both tried unsuccessfully to break the awkwardness by saying something but both of their voices failed them. Hermione, realizing this was going nowhere, looked up Harry to say good-bye when his eyes locked with hers. Hermione knew Harry had green eyes, but exactly how green she didn´t realize until this very moment. They´re not too light, but they couldn´t be consider dark either. Though emerald is beautiful description, it´s not very accurate. They´re much deeper than emerald. Like jade almost.

That look was just too much. Harry´s feeling overcame him as placed his hand under Hermione´s chin and brought her face towards his. Her heart rate accelerated when he brought his head toward hers, her lips now eagerly waiting his arrival. Harry gently brushed her mouth with his as he initiated the kiss. Gently at first but then he pressed a little harder when he felt her respond. Little shivers passed through both their bodies while the kiss deepened. Harry passed his tongue between Hermione´s lips as she opened her mouth to his. He tastes so sweet mused Hermione; her tongue sliding against his. She placed one hand around his neck and the other on his leg as she leaned in towards him. Harry took his hand away from her chin and placed both of them on her waist, easily lifting her and placing her on his lap. Their hands now started to move all over one another. He felt her hand slid in through the back of his collar while the other one rubbed against his chest. He nervously slid his hand up and down her side, unsure of what he was permitted to touch, while the other stoked her back. Sensing his hesitation, Hermione took Harry´s hand and placed it just under the swell of her chest. They stopped kissing momentarily as Harry realized what she was allowing him to do. He gently slid his hand alongside her breast before reaching the strapless neck line of her dress. Harry then brought his lips down to the bare skin and brushed the entire bust line of her dress with them. A low moan escaped Hermione´s lips while Harry gently laid her down on the grass and began kissing her neck. His hair tickling her a bit. She gasped when Harry placed a hand on the back of her thigh and slowly swept it upwards and until his hand reached her buttock. He then, with one hand on her back and the other on her rear, pressed her against him, her cheeks began to burn as she felt him against her. The feeling was so intoxicating, she had to keep reminding herself to breathe. Then, he stopped abruptly and looked back into her eyes.

"Wha- what is it?" Hermione stuttered.

"What about Ron, he´ll never accept this."

"Oh no, Ron. I...I had forgotten..." Hermione trailed off.

"Yeah, Ron," Harry stated, "You know, our best friend, the guy who has a gigantic crush on you? I can´t do this to him, I can´t hurt him like this."

"Oh, and I can?!!" cried Hermione. "Is that it Harry? Do you honestly believe that Ron´s feelings don´t matter to me?"

"No, no you just misunderstood me. It..It´s a guy thing. You just don´t go around kissing the girl you know your best friend has a crush on. Besides, it`s wrong," Harry replied as he reluctantly pulled away from Hermione.

"It´s really sweet that you care so much about him Harry, but what about you. What about what you want and who you have a crush...I mean...You have to consider your own feelings as well. All this self sacrificing is going to catch up with you on of these days."

"Hermione, I´ve never really had a family, I´ve never known what is like to feel at home or loved and accepted, the way I do at the Burrow. Ron and his family have given me so much, I just can´t hurt him," answered Harry sadly.

"Oh, but you can hurt me?" asked Hermione, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I care about you Harry, and I know I should get mad at you right now for considering Ron´s needs before mine, but I just can´t. This is just the type of person you are, always thinking of others before yourself, never complaining about the hardships life has handed you, always managing to remain so strong and happy on the outside when on the inside you´re broken, waiting for someone to mend you. Let me be that person Harry, let me take care of you, listen to your problems, kiss away your fears. I know I´m not much when compared to all the other girls you could have, but I promise if you give me a chance there will be no one that will love you more."

Harry was blown away to say the least. Was this the same Hermione, the same girl he had always deemed as his best friend and nothing more. Where were these feeling coming from? Did she always feel this way or had something changed? Suffice to say, he was bit confused, though happily surprised to find out he felt the same way.

"I know Hermione, I know there´s no one in this world that could understand me better than you. And as far as those other girls go, they`re nothing compared to you. When they look at me all they see an image, a façade of heroics and fame, but when you look at me, none of that stuff even comes up. You accept me, the real me, flaws and all. I could never ask more. In fact, asking for you seems like too much already. I don`t know if I can do it; I don´t know if I deserve you?"

Hermione knew she was blushing all shades of red at the moment but she didn´t care. That was the sweetest thing anybody had ever said to her and the fact that Harry said with pure honesty and love made it so much more significant. I think I´m falling in love...

"But, we still have to deal with Ron," said Harry, breaking into Hermione´s thoughts. "You know his temper, there is no way to tell him without him getting angry."

"Well, we just won´t tell him." answered Hermione.

"But we can´t lie to him"

"I know," admitted Hermione, "but we can´t stop this either Harry. I don´t think I´ll be able to pretend this never happened."

"I know, me neither... You know all this is your fault?" teased Harry.

"My fault?! How is this my fault?" questioned Hermione.

"Your just too beautiful for your own good. You can´t honestly blame the guy for falling for you, now can you?" smiled Harry.

Hermione giggled as Harry smiled at her with those gorgeous lips. Those lips are all mine Hermione thought happily.

"Harry, I don´t want to hurt Ron anymore than you do, but I can´t change how I feel. I want to be with you."

"I know Hermione, I want to be with you too. I guess we have no other alternative then, we just won´t tell Ron."

"Yes, but you know what that means don´t you?" smiled Hermione seductively. "We have to make the most of the time we have alone."

Though Harry was obviously shocked at this new sexy side of Hermione, he couldn`t help but agree.

"Good thinking," chuckled Harry as he jumped on top of Hermione and started kissing her neck. She giggled like crazy while pretending to fight him off. Both of them couldn´t remember the last time they had felt so happy; so complete.

They stayed outside for a while longer, just talking and kissing (which Harry though was brilliant addition to their friendship), both of them marveling at their new relationship. After a while they decided to head of for bed, it was a miracle that no one had discovered them yet. Maybe things are finally going my way? thought Harry as he drifted off into another peaceful night filled with dreams of Hermione.