Bittersweet

"Please Mum? Please! I promise I'll be careful," Hermione begged as her mother continued to stare at her apprehensively.

"I know you will be, but still...Wouldn't it be easier if your father and I take you to a doctor?" asked Mrs. Granger, quickly running out of options.

"No mum. The potion works more quickly and effectively than a doctor. All I have to do is drink it and the bruise will heal completely. I've used it before. I assure you, it's completely safe," Hermione pleaded, She was currently trying to convince her mother to let her use a potion instead of normal Muggle medicine to heal her bruise. But it was proving to be very hard indeed, because for the last fifteen minutes her mother had dodged every single one of her valid points with concern and doubts. Hermione was starting to lose hope as well as her patience. Her mother could be so stubborn sometimes.

"Let's say I agree with this Hermione. Just how are you going to go about procuring such a potion? I doubt that the Dursleys have it laying around," Mrs. Granger countered, sighing with satisfaction. She actually thought she would get her way.

"The Dursleys may not have it, but their nephew does," said Hermione smugly, "Madam Pomfrey got so sick of having to heal all of the bruises Harry acquired during Quidditch and...stuff." Hermione sighed, knowing fully well what that other 'stuff' meant. Actually, Harry had never had Quidditch bruises that didn't have something...supernatural behind them. "So she gave him a vial to keep. The school nurse brewed it herself for situations such as mine. It seems almost silly not to use it."

"The school nurse, hmmm?" Hermione nodded vigorously knowing her mother's respect for medical professionals. She was a dentist herself after all. "Well...all right then," said Mrs. Granger reluctantly, "but if anything goes wrong..."

"I know," Hermione cut her off, "I'll tell you or dad right away. But seriously mum, you have nothing to worry about. It's a very simple potion, just as normal as taking Tylenol for a headache." Her mother merely nodded. Hermione got up, kissed her on the cheek and headed out of the room with a happy pace.

She was nearly sprinting to Harry's room, grinning like a maniac on her way. This would be the first time she would see him after their night together. She couldn't help but feel a little giddy as she opened the door and walked in. Her eyes scanned the expanse of the room as she sat down in dismay; Harry wasn't there.

"Probably off doing some ridiculous chore,"

she thought bitterly as she turned to his truck and began searching for the potion.

After a couple of minutes of rummaging she came to the conclusion that Harry wasn't a very organized person. She began taking things out of his trunk and setting them aside when she came across her own clothes. She blushed as she remembered that she had never actually put them back on. After noticing the bruise on her back she had practically left Harry's room in a bed sheet, her clothes probably still strewn around the floor.

After a complete and thorough search, Hermione (very neatly) replaced Harry's belongings back into his trunk, reluctantly deciding that the potion wasn't there.

When she came across her clothes once more, her faced illuminated with a mischievous smirk as she replaced only her lacy white bra back into the trunk with a little note thanking Harry for "his company" two nights ago. She laughed out loud as she pictured just how red her shy boyfriend would turn when he found it. She stood up, ready to leave, when her eyes fell upon a purple vile on the ledge of the window sill, slightly behind Harry's bed frame. The potion...

Hermione tugged it out from its tight hiding spot, calculating that she would probably need to drink at least one sixth of it to completely heal her bruise. Seeing no glass nearby, she brought the bottle to her lips, drinking it slowly. Hmmm, tastes like grape...

She slumped into Harry's desk chair as the dizzying effects of the potion took over her body. Her eyes wandered out the open window as she dimly stared out through her potion induced stupor. What she saw, however, caused her to suck in a sharp breath as she attempted to sit up for a better view.

Harry was kneeling on the edge of the roof while cleaning out the rain gutters with a garden hose, completely drenched in a combination of sweat and water. Hermione watched in fascination as Harry stood up, his soaked cotton shirt leaving very little to the imagination, and bent down to place the hose securely under his foot.

"What is he doing?" Hermione breathed.

Her question was soon answered as Harry grabbed the back of his collar and tugged his shirt up over his head, throwing it in the general direction of his window. Hermione watched with her mouth slightly open, suddenly realizing how hot it was. She just wasn't getting enough air. Marveling at the sight before her, her mouth curled up in a smug smile.

" He really is gorgeous," she surmised. She felt something akin to pride knowing that that half-naked and glistening body was all hers.

Harry reached for the hose once again, bringing it up to his face just milliseconds before Hermione realized what he was going to do. Her smile quickly faded as she grasped at the corners of the desk and tried to steady herself.

"Oh please no, I can't take this..."

Harry turned the head of the hose towards his face and chest, letting the crystal water cascade down his shirtless form with not even an inkling of what he was presently doing to his now hyperventilating girlfriend. He screwed a spray fixture to the end of the hose, hence causing the water to stop and let the hose drop down the side of the house. Turning around, he unknowingly gave Hermione another unobstructed view of his toned chest. Hermione's breath now came in short ragged gasps as she watched the remnants of water stream down his body, coming down in enticing rivulets between the contours of his muscles.

Harry, completely oblivious that Hermione was now clawing her way through his desk, stood at the end of the roof and looked over his work. He figured that as long as the draining system ran smoothly his uncle wouldn't complain. He seriously doubted that Uncle Vernon would actually climb onto to the roof himself to inspect (or that the roof would not cave under his weight).

Glancing over the newly cleaned rain gutters he frowned as he looked at the bend on the edge of the roof. He couldn't tell if it was just plain sunlight or if there was actually something stuck there.

"Well, better go check,"

he thought and he carefully made his way over to the opposite edge of the roof.

He tried to keep as close to the peak as possible so that in case he fell he would have space to catch his footing. He was so intent on trying to make it across the roof alive that he nearly let out a scream as a small hand shot out his window and brought him crashing into his room by the waistband of his jeans. Harry slid wildly across his desk before landing unceremoniously on his bed. He quickly turned around, flailing his arms blindly as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of his bedroom.

"What the...? Hermione! What are you doing here?" he asked , surprise evident in his voice, as Hermione's very flushed face came into view.

The rest of Harry's questions were abruptly cut off as she crushed her lips against his in a desperate searing kiss. After a moment of wide eyed shock, Harry began to kiss her back as his mind continued to race with a thousand thoughts a minute.

"What is going on? Why is she kissing me like she hasn't seen in me in years?"

he questioned himself, " On second thought, who cares...," he concluded as Hermione kissed down his jaw line murmuring something about "No shame." "Without a shirt!" and "Honestly!" She went back to his lips as Harry momentarily went back to his thoughts "I should enjoy this as much as I can now. Who knows when we'll get a chance to do this again with Ron coming tomorrow. OH NO, RON!!"

Harry reluctantly pulled back from Hermione's lips as he sat up to face her, causing Hermione's eyes to widen in disbelief as she looked back at him.

"Wha-what is it? What's going on?" she stuttered with worry when Harry refused to meet her eyes.

He decided to postpone his intended topic of conversation (Ron) for a moment and just smiled at her.

"Actually, that's something I'd like to know as well. Do you do this often? Drag unsuspecting guys through bedroom windows and start kissing them?"

"That was a bit unexpected, wasn't it?" she mumbled, as a deep blush pervaded through her cheeks.

"I'll say."

"Well, I came looking for some of your bruise healing potion. I found it nudged behind the bed frame and I was sitting in the chair, waiting for the dizzy spells to stop when I saw you..." she trailed off sheepishly.

"And? You just realized how much you missed me or something?"

"You have no clue, do you?" Hermione stated incredulously. "Walking around in that soaked shirt! Taking it off right in front of me like that. All sweaty and hot and... and that little scene with the water hose was just cruel!"

"I was cleaning out rain gutters Hermione! You make it sound like I was purposely strutting around trying to get your attention or something. Besides, I'm all sweaty and gross, how is this in anyway...you know, hot or whatever!?" Harry gave her a puzzled look and she just smiled at him.

"You really have no idea how good looking you are, do you?" Harry blushed at her comment.

"Me? Good looking? I don't think so, Hermione."

"Oh you don't, do you? Well why don't you take a peek outside that window over there? I wasn't your only admirer. Go on, look."

Harry gave Hermione a quizzical stare before peering his head out the window. Sure enough, he sighted two girls sitting in the balcony across his room, a woman in gardening clothes frantically jumping over her fence and, to his horror, scanning the roof of his house, apparently looking for him. Not to mention a rather old woman two houses down, sitting on her roof and waving at him completely unabashed. Harry waved back more out of fear than anything else. He then, grinned shyly at the girls across from him, causing them both to flash him million watt smiles and burst into high pitched giggles. Harry slowly brought his head back in and stared at Hermione in total shock.

"Still don't think you're good looking?" she questioned with a hint of smugness, her eyebrow arched in amusement.

"Well, honestly, no. But I'll be gardening in oversized jumpers from now on, that's for sure," he answered while his eyes fearfully peered out his window. Hermione burst out laughing.

"Oh poor baby, did all those dirty girls scare you?" she cooed.

"Girls? There were only two girls out there! The other two were old enough to be my mum!" Harry exclaimed in horror. "It's not funny!" he remarked as Hermione clutched her sides; practically howling in laughter.

"I'm sorry Harry." She wiped tears out of her eyes. "You just look so cute when you get all indignant like that. I thought it was adorable."

"Well good for you."

"Yeah, I think it was." Harry frowned at her. "Anyway, I have to go and pack, you know were leaving tomorrow."

"Wait. I wanted to talk to you about that."

"What about it?" Hermione questioned with a puzzled expression. She definitely didn't expect what he told her next.

"Well, Ron and Mr. Weasley are coming to pick me up tomorrow at noon. I figured you'd probably be gone by then, since the drive is long enough, so no problems there. But what about when you and your parents arrive at the Burrow? They will undoubtedly talk to Mrs. Weasley and they'll have to mention that you stayed here. Ron will find out that we lied to him." Hermione paled slightly at Harry's statement. He did have a point.

"Oh no. I hadn't thought of that..."

"Really? And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. I mean I'm already the "hot one" in the relationship, I can't be the smart one as well Hermione. It's just too much," Harry grinned.

"Oh shut it. This is serious." Hermione smiled as she swatted at his arm.

"What's serious? We knew we couldn't keep this from him forever. He would have found out eventually."

"I know Harry, but I didn't think it'd be so soon. I wanted more time to prepare. He's going to be so hurt."

"I know," sighed Harry, "but at least he'll know. It's better than if he finds out by other means, if you know what I'm saying."

"Alright, but don't tell him anything until you get to the Burrow. We should tell him together. Explain everything and then let him decide what he wants to do about it."

"What do you mean "wants to do about it?" Harry questioned fearfully. He didn't like the sound of Ron dictating his future with Hermione.

"What he wants to do about our friendship, Harry. If he still wants us to be his friends or if he thinks it's better that we keep our distance from him," Hermione explained.

"Of course he'll still be our friend Hermione. I mean, this is Ron we're talking about. He wouldn't just stop being our friend over something like this. I know he's going to be angry, very angry, but he'll come around. He always does."

"Yes Harry, but we betrayed his trust this time. We've never done that before. And as loyal a friend as Ron is, even he has his limit; I just hope we haven't crossed it." Hermione sighed. She got up and kissed him before quietly exiting the room.

Harry slumped back into his bed. He knew that Ron would be angry, that he might not talk to him for a while, but not be his friend...well, he'd never considered that. Ron had always been his friend, ever since that train ride on their first year. Always there to make Harry laugh, follow at his side without question, share his family and his home without the slightest bit of hesitation.... Harry remembered how Ron would quietly wake him up from his nightmares and never mention them again, so that he wouldn't feel embarrassed. Ron was the best friend any one could ever hope for and Harry had taken him for granted. He felt his stomach twist as a sickening dread came over him, suddenly realizing that he could lose his best friend, forever.

*****

Harry sat at the dining table, watching in stunned silence as his cousin shoved bite after bite of his dinner into his mouth, not once stopping to chew. He knew Dudley had the disgusting ability to chew food faster than a garbage disposal, but tonight, even he seemed to be outdoing himself. Harry cast a shocked glance at Hermione, glancing at Dudley again afterwards, who, unbeknownst to him, had started finishing off Harry's dinner as well. Hermione merely stifled a giggle as she quietly munched on a celery stick, watching in amusement.

"Dudley, you're eating my food!," Harry exclaimed after he reached for his dinner roll, only to notice it was already in Dudley's mouth.

"Yeah? Well, I don't like to see food go to waste," he grunted before turning towards Hermione and smiling, his voice taking a Gilderoy Lockheart sort of tone. "I mean we shouldn't overlook how lucky we are to have so much when children around the world are starving. It breaks my heart," he ended sadly, returning afterwards to stuffing his mouth.

"They're starving because you're eating all the food!" Harry yelled. Dudley gave him a menacing look, but continued eating.

Currently the entire household, with a plethora of guests, were in the backyard enjoying dinner. Because it was the Grangers' last night at Privet Drive, Uncle Vernon had invited some of his friends over for the evening and Aunt Petunia had cooked up a rather extravagant dinner.

Harry, and, at Mrs. Granger's request, Dudley, had spent the afternoon setting up many small tables around the backyard for the night's festivities. Harry had not minded as it was relatively easy compared to his regular chores, but Dudley had been huffing and puffing after bringing out a single chair.

Now at dinner, Harry, Hermione, and to both of their disgusts, Dudley, found themselves at the same table. It hadn't gone unnoticed to Harry that his cousin had a bit of a crush on Hermione, but as he knew it was highly unlikely that Hermione returned this affection, he found the afternoon rather amusing.

Dudley had been thoroughly embarrassing himself all evening by trying to impress Hermione. He had nearly taken out Uncle Vernon's eye when he tried to place Hermione's napkin in her lap after a grand flourish in the air. Harry had had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing out loud.

"Here Harry," said Hermione, sliding her chair and plate closer to him, "you can share with me while Dudley saves the children." Harry smiled triumphantly at his cousin, who just narrowed his eyes in return.

Hermione, of course, noticed this little exchange and after cutting off a piece of chicken, turned to Harry and held the fork up to his mouth. "Here," she smiled at him, "I think you'll like this." Harry accepted the food, practically bursting with joy at the look on Dudley's piggy face. Hermione playfully dabbed at Harry's mouth with a napkin before feeding him another piece of chicken.

Dudley stopped eating and suspiciously glanced between Harry and Hermione.

"Why are you feeding him?" he asked.

"Well, he can't very well feed himself now can he?" Hermione replied in her matter-of-fact tone.

"And why not?" Dudley inquired once more.

"Well, quite frankly, because you've left him with no food to do so," she retorted as Harry felt himself falling for her all over again.

"He was finished eating. I only cleared what was left. As I said before, there are children starv-"

"Oh just take your noble concern and shove it!" Hermione shouted angrily. Both Harry and Dudley gasped out loud. Hermione never used crude language.

"Dudley's in for it now,"

Harry thought as he sat back and watched the chaos unfold.

"You're absolutely spoiled rotten you know that, you big oaf? Just because your parents think you're wonderful doesn't mean it's true! You are nothing but a naughty little boy, stuck in an obscenely large body if I do say so myself!" she finished, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Naughty, eh?" Dudley smirked. "Sure you don't want to do anything about that?" he added in an attempted suave voice.

Harry and Hermione visibly cringed in disgust. Dudley however, didn't seem to notice. Harry willed himself not to throw up as he stared at his cousin's delighted doughy face. He couldn't believe Dudley had actually said that. The implications of such a statement were...well, sickening to say the least. "Well, time to repress another memory..."

Hermione opened and closed her mouth, obviously trying to find words to convey her deep and utter loathing for Dudley.

"Are- are you hitting on me?" she questioned incredulously.

"Well...yeah," Dudley replied dumbly, his moment of witty repartee now over. "Come on, you're flirting with Harry and he's retarded. I'm loads better than him." Hermione just eyed him angrily as Harry felt her tense up beside him. Dudley obviously lacked the common ability of reading facial expression, because he continued to stare at Hermione, completely unaffected by the looks of death she was currently shooting him. "So, what do you say then? Go out with me?"

Harry knew Dudley was dumber than he was round but this level of ignorant audacity was clearly a new low.

"It must have been the work this afternoon that rattled his brains,"

Harry pondered briefly, " that chair was kind of heavy."

"Excuse me?" Hermione said, "You're asking me out on a date?" Dudley nodded. "With you?" Dudley nodded again. The revulsion was so thick in Hermione's voice that it was nearly tangible.

"It's definitely a step up from where you are now," Dudley stated, indicating Harry with a sneer.

Harry watched Hermione so closely that he noticed a slight gleam cross her eyes as her posture relaxed simultaneously. She leaned back into her chair and looked back at Dudley, a peculiar expression on her face. She seemed to be considering it! Oh Dear God Almighty, she actually looked like she was contemplating going out with Dudley Dursley; a boy so repulsive that the only thing attracted to him was gravity.

"No, this can't be happening."

Harry stared at Hermione while she pushed her chair back and put her hands on the table, leaning forward towards Dudley.

"Come here Dudley," she commanded seductively. Harry was forced to put his own weight on Hermione's end of the table so that Dudley wouldn't flip her clear across the yard as he nearly scrambled onto the table to comply.

"Yeah?" he grinned in nauseating glee.

"If you want me to go out with you, I think you should at least ask properly," she whispered in a very un-Hermione sort of way, batting her eyelashes.

"Oh, sure." Dudley gave Harry an arrogant grin before turning back to Hermione. "Hermione?"

"Yes?" she purred.

"Would you please do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?" He smiled widely, giving both Harry and Hermione an unobstructed view of a rather large piece of chicken lodged in between his two front teeth. If Hermione noticed this, she made no mention of it.

"Well Dudley, to be quite honest, I'd actually have to ask my boyfriend first. You understand, don't you luv?"

"Sure. Do you need me to bring you the cordless so you can ring him right now?" Dudley jumped out of his chair, totally unperturbed by the fact that his "date" had a boyfriend.

"Oh, no need. He's here tonight. I can ask him right now." Dudley stood completely perplexed.

"Here?"

"Yes, here," Hermione tilted her head to indicate Harry.

"Harry? But that...He can't be your boyfriend." Dudley snorted.

"And why not?"

"Because he's Harry. You don't even know him, he's a freak! He's just a poor orphan that has been living off my dad's hard earned wealth his entire life!"

"Hard earned wealth?" Hermione laughed, her voice dropping a bit lower as she continued, "If your father's so wealthy, then how come he's been practically falling over himself to get my parents' money?" Dudley shut up instantly. "And as for Harry being a freak...well, if you're referring to the fact that he's a wizard, then he's no more a freak than I am," she hissed.

Harry sat completely speechless as he watched Hermione's words sink into Dudley's thick head. It was like finally scratching an itch that had been bothering him for his entire life.

"I love Hermione! Ha! What do you say now Duddy Duddkins? Not so high and...wait. Did I just say I love Hermione?"

Hermione, completely unaware of Harry's current revelation, took in Dudley's confused look at her last statement and proceeded; enjoying absolutely every minute of it. "That's right Dudley," she whispered so that only he could hear her, "I'm a witch. I go to school with Harry at Hogwarts. I have a wand, and I do spells and charms and all sorts of magical things. I could hex you from here to the South Pole if I wanted to and you couldn't do a damn thing about it!" Hermione thought she was getting a little carried away, but damn it felt good.

"B-but you don't l-look or act..."

"A witch is not endowed based on her looks Dudley. If I could fool you so easily, then think of all the other witches and wizards you've come across in your life without even knowing so." Dudley visibly trembled at this.

"I'm going t-t-to tell my p-parents about this," Dudley stuttered, backing away slowly.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Witch or not, your parents still need my parents' money. If you went and told them now, think how angry my parents would be. You wouldn't want your father to blame you for losing such wealthy investors now would you?"

It was obvious that Dudley understood the meaning of Hermione's words, because, without so much as a backward glance, he scurried into the house, holding his bottom as he ran.

Harry grinned so widely he was scared of popping a vein.

"That was brilliant Hermione! I mean...Wow! Just amazing."

"I've been dying to do that since I met him. Do you think I was bit harsh though? I got slightly caught up in the moment," she blushed.

"Slightly caught up in the moment Hermione? I'd say you were totally submerged in it. When did you become so sinister? Dudley was white and shaking when he ran from here."

"Well, I just can't stand the way he treats you. I know you can't do much about it but it doesn't mean that I can't!"

"My knight in shinning armor has finally arrived." Harry pretended to swoon but failed miserably as both he and Hermione burst out laughing. They got a lot of questioning looks from the two tables nearest to them, but they didn't care.

Harry tugged Hermione's hand as he led her around the house and to the front yard, still giggling madly the entire way. Their giggles subsided as they walked in amicable silence down the sidewalk. Eventually they ended up at the park. They walked over to the bench and sat down; Hermione in Harry's lap.

"We're leaving around six tomorrow." Hermione interrupted the silence. "You'll probably still be asleep."

"Yeah, but I'll see you at the Burrow for dinner, given that Ron hasn't kicked us out."

"I'm so worried Harry. What if he never talks to us again? I don't think I could handle that." She leaned her head into the crook of his shoulder and sighed sadly.

"I really wish we had told him. At least then we could say we were being honest. Even if he had gotten mad at us, it would have still been a lot easier to convince him, to make him understand. I can't believe I betrayed him like this," Harry's voice laced with self-disgust and regret. Hermione cupped his face.

"Don't beat yourself up about this. I was there too remember? You know, the girl that pulled you in through a bedroom window to snog you silly on your bed," she grinned. "Either way, what's done is done. Tomorrow Ron will find out the truth and we'll just take it from there."

"Yeah, you're right. I really hope he doesn't send us packing though. I don't fancy spending any more time with the Dursleys than I have to."

"Oh, Harry, I hadn't even thought of that." Harry grinned at her statement.

"Yet again Hermione, I can't be the smart one and the hot one. You're going to have to take over one, you know?"

"How can you joke about this? The Dursley's are horrible! They'll work you to death before the summer is over. I'm so sorry about this whole mess," her eyes filled up with tears, "It was my stupid idea not to tell him and now you're going to have to pay for it. It's not fair," she sniffled.

"Don't worry." Harry kissed her lips softly. "It was worth it." Hermione swallowed the sob that was threatening to escape and kissed him back.

At first they kissed gently; chaste little closed mouth kisses, just happy to be in one another's arms. Slowly, their kissing got a bit more daring and passionate as Harry leaned Hermione back on the bench, kissing her thoroughly and deeply. Hermione moaned as he kissed down the center of her chest, blowing gently into the hollow between her cleavage; his breath hot and intoxicating. Her hand came to tangle with his hair as she led him back up to her lips and captured him in explosive kiss. She ran her tongue along his lower lip before sucking it gently. Their hands raced over one another, touching and feeling greedily. Hermione arched up into him, firmly pressing her body against his. Harry's hands reached for the shoulder straps of Hermione's dress and slid them off, tracing her arms with his finger as he did so. Hermione was so lost in his kisses, that she didn't even noticed that Harry had lowered her dress until she felt the cool night air rush pass her exposed chest.

"Harry," she breathed, "we should stop."

"Wh-why, what happened?" he questioned, trying to catch his breath.

"Well for starters, we're in a park where anyone could see us. Not the most romantic setting if you ask me."

"Oh, right," he grinned a bit sheepishly, "I kind of forgot. Sorry." She smiled at him.

"I'm not. Just wanted to make sure you were aware of our surroundings. Now take me! Right here, right now!"

"Hermione?" Harry stuttered in shock. "Did she just say...?" Hermione laughed out loud at the look on his face.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," she giggled. Harry relaxed.

"You know, you shouldn't say things you don't mean," he waved a finger at her, "I mean, how's a guy to know if you're really joking or not?" Hermione giggled again. "In fact, I'm not all that sure that you were joking." He pretended to be in deep thought before forming his next statement. "Nope, I've come to the conclusion that you weren't joking, so now you must pay the consequences. Come here!"

His lips began to tickle her mercilessly along her neck. Hermione pushed him back, giddy with laughter, as she ran towards the gate. Harry chased her all the way down the street and into the house, laughing the entire way, carefree and happy for once.