Her soft hand rests against his scruffy cheek. "I love you, Harry," she whispers, then meets her lips with his.
Her soft hand rests against his scruffy cheek. "I love you, Harry," she whispers, then meets her lips with his.
Against his chest, he feels her breath catch, and finally, when her eyes fall on his, her lips crane into a broad grin. "I knew it," she boasts.
Against his chest, he feels her breath catch, and finally, when her eyes fall on his, her lips crane into a broad grin. "I knew it," she boasts.
When she's flush against him, he can see the heavy beat of her pulse through her neck; still, her eyes refuse to meet his. He grabs the sides of her chin and tilts her head toward him.
When she's flush against him, he can see the heavy beat of her pulse through her neck; still, her eyes refuse to meet his. He grabs the sides of her chin and tilts her head toward him.
"What?" she huffs, seemingly annoyed that he's cut her off.
"Anyone tell you, you talk too much?"
"Harry!"
Her feet shuffle back, creating more space between them, space Harry has never wanted in the first place, but he catches her hand.
"What?" she huffs, seemingly annoyed that he's cut her off.
"Anyone tell you, you talk too much?"
"Harry!"
Her feet shuffle back, creating more space between them, space Harry has never wanted in the first place, but he catches her hand.
She stops to catch her breath and looks at him with a tentative glance. Harry nods, urging her on, as his stomach churns with nerves.
She stops to catch her breath and looks at him with a tentative glance. Harry nods, urging her on, as his stomach churns with nerves.
Harry grins. "Come again?"
Hermione huffs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled at you, and I'm sorry I ignored you after.
Harry grins. "Come again?"
Hermione huffs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled at you, and I'm sorry I ignored you after.
“Hermione?"
The leather duffle in her hand plops to the ground. "Gods, I missed you."
"What are you doing here?"
“Hermione?"
The leather duffle in her hand plops to the ground. "Gods, I missed you."
"What are you doing here?"
He thinks he's still dreaming when he opens the door and sees his curly-haired best friend.
"Hi." Hermione waves awkwardly and bites her lip.
He thinks he's still dreaming when he opens the door and sees his curly-haired best friend.
"Hi." Hermione waves awkwardly and bites her lip.
"I miss you most. Happy Christmas, Hermione."
When he lays his head down that night, he taps the ornament, but no light emits back.
"I miss you most. Happy Christmas, Hermione."
When he lays his head down that night, he taps the ornament, but no light emits back.
“That's what I love about you, Harry. You know everything about me." Harry can practically hear the smile in her voice.
“That's what I love about you, Harry. You know everything about me." Harry can practically hear the smile in her voice.
"No." Harry puffs a small laugh. "I already know."
Harry knows how much Hermione hates to apologise, hates to admit she's done anything wrong. Harry's the same, but unlike Hermione,
"No." Harry puffs a small laugh. "I already know."
Harry knows how much Hermione hates to apologise, hates to admit she's done anything wrong. Harry's the same, but unlike Hermione,
There's a moment of silence, only the steady sound of her even breaths through the line. He slows the rise and fall of his chest to match hers, like maybe it will make him feel closer to her.
There's a moment of silence, only the steady sound of her even breaths through the line. He slows the rise and fall of his chest to match hers, like maybe it will make him feel closer to her.
"Yeah?"
"Yes! We—" she pauses, and he hears a low thud and the noises melt away. "Well, we left our last conversation—"
"I'm sorry," Harry rushes out. "I shouldn't have yelled."
"I started it."
"Yeah?"
"Yes! We—" she pauses, and he hears a low thud and the noises melt away. "Well, we left our last conversation—"
"I'm sorry," Harry rushes out. "I shouldn't have yelled."
"I started it."
He takes his phone from his pocket and dials her number without a second thought.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice breaks from the line.
"Course."
"I'm so glad you called!" She yells, but an abundance of background
He takes his phone from his pocket and dials her number without a second thought.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice breaks from the line.
"Course."
"I'm so glad you called!" She yells, but an abundance of background
And jealousy had always kept them apart.
On Christmas Eve, as Harry is getting ready to leave for his visit with Teddy, his ornament glows. At first, he thinks it's a fluke, the sun
And jealousy had always kept them apart.
On Christmas Eve, as Harry is getting ready to leave for his visit with Teddy, his ornament glows. At first, he thinks it's a fluke, the sun
Harry knew he never should have mentioned her at all. He had broken the unspoken rule they'd long established (never mention romantic relationships) because in the past,
Harry knew he never should have mentioned her at all. He had broken the unspoken rule they'd long established (never mention romantic relationships) because in the past,
His hadn't emitted the gold hue in six weeks.
Six weeks (and two hours ago if Harry was counting), they had an explosive fight after Harry admitted
His hadn't emitted the gold hue in six weeks.
Six weeks (and two hours ago if Harry was counting), they had an explosive fight after Harry admitted
A snowflake, because they had both loved the snow, and enchanted, because Hermione had wanted a magical way to stay connected.
A snowflake, because they had both loved the snow, and enchanted, because Hermione had wanted a magical way to stay connected.