Harry collapsed on the sofa upon entering the Grangers' living room. It had been a long day. Harry had heard about Boxing day sales from Hermione, but he had never been to one before; his aunt had never gone shopping on Boxing day, so Harry had never been conscripted to act as a bag carrier.
For the Grangers however, it seemed to be not just a tradition, but bordered on being a military operation.
Out of bed by 6AM, out of the house by 7; they were waiting outside the first shop waiting for it to open.
What followed was a long day of more shops and clothes than Harry had been able to keep track of. Mostly, it was clothing for the three women, but Harry and Dan had, unfortunately, not been able to escape being dressed up and ogled. Harry was now the owner of a new pair of black leather shoes that were, in his opinion, ridiculously shiny, as well a waistcoat in a colour Hermione called aquamarine, though Harry opted greenish-blue.
Hermione had said he would look good in the colour and had rushed off with Emma somewhere, leaving Dan and Harry unable to find them again for forty-five minutes, at which point Hermione was carrying a bag she hadn't been when she'd disappeared.
When he'd asked her what she had gotten, she became oddly evasive, though Harry had soon forgotten about it while he was being dragged around what felt like a thousand other shops.
All Harry wanted now was to keep off his feet. Hermione collapsed next to him with an audible groan, leaving a number of bags on the floor in front of her.
"I thought your mother wanted you to put them away, not leave them on the floor," Ms Richards said, as she took the last spot on the sofa on Hermione's other side.
"I don't think my feet can handle the stairs just yet," Hermione all but whined.
It was weird seeing Hermione with her family sometimes. It hadn't happened over the summer as much, but since they had arrived back for Christmas, Hermione seemed to act younger than the Hermione he was used to. Harry didn't understand it but he figured it was one of those family things that he just didn't get.
Hermione curled into her nan. Harry understood why she didn't hug against him like she usually would; Ms Richards was going home tomorrow morning and Hermione wanted to be close to her while she could.
What Harry didn't understand though was when Hermione swung her feet up onto his lap, "Haarrrry," Hermione dragged out his name in the way she did when she wanted to ask him for something that she shouldn't, "Can you take off my shoes, pleease?"
Harry looked at her blankly for a few seconds before he replied, "if it was anyone else."
He left her to interpret the sentence in her head as he untied the laces on her boots. One part of wizarding fashion that Hermione had latched onto was boots instead of the wildly impractical shoes he had seen a lot of Muggle girls and women in over the years. Luckily, current trends in witches' boots really didn't look out of place with a pair of jeans.
Harry slipped the boots off her feet and sent them on the floor, "Happy now, your highness?" He teased.
Hermione shot back, "You can give my royal feet a massage, if you like," She waved one of her feet at Harry.
"You know 'Mione, walking around all day with your feet in those boots doesn't leave them smelling like roses," Harry said as he pushed her feet back onto his lap, as Ms Richards laughed at the two of them.
Over the next few minutes, Dan and Emma came in from the car, bringing more of their own shopping in. They shot Hermione a look for being on the sofa instead of putting her new clothes away, but didn't say anything.
Harry got the impression that the only reason they let her get away with it was because Ms Richards was leaving tomorrow and this was likely to be the last chance Hermione had to spend any time with her until the summer. Hermione hadn't discussed it with Harry yet but, they tended to stay at Hogwarts over Easter.
For Harry there had never been a choice, but Hermione had always chosen to stay. That Easter was the point at which the professors started pushing that the end of year exams were coming up was probably why; Hermione wouldn't want to lose access to such an important resource as the Hogwarts library at such an important time.
Hermione broke the silence by asking, "Do you really need to leave tomorrow Nan?"
"Sorry love, but you know I do. I have things to do at home," Ms Richards sounded genuinely sad to be leaving tomorrow.
"But I won't see you again for so long."
"You could always come visit at easter. I have a guest room, you can come stay; just me and you if you like."
Harry saw the look Hermione gave him, but before she could reply Harry jumped in. He wouldn't let himself get in the way of Hermione spending time with anyone and that went double for her family, "Don't worry about me 'Mione. I can stay at school and you can visit whomever you like. I think I can survive two weeks without you."
Ms Richards flashed him a smile from behind Hermione. Apparently she thought Harry had said the right thing. Hermione however, disagreed, "I have to stay at school over Easter, that's when we need to start preparing for our exams. I can't leave the library for two whole weeks during revision time."
Harry sighed, causing Hermione to glare at him, "Don't you sigh at me, Harry James Potter, you know I won't risk my exams like that. And, you will be following the revision timetable I set for you as well. You have done so much better so far this year, and I will make sure that it's reflected in your exams."
Ms Richards was trying not to laugh as Harry received a scolding from Hermione, as she laid out what was expected of him in regards to studying, "Whatever you say," he reminded her, "just remember, Wood is going to have a few words about how I spend my free time. He is obsessed with winning the tournament this year."
"I will budget time for you to run around and get all sweaty Harry, don't worry. And, if Wood goes overboard, I will remind him that the twins are sitting important exams this year," Hermione obviously seemed to have it all worked out in her head.
"Yes...but I doubt the twins will care about their exams anyway. You know what Fred and George are like."
"Don't they care at all about their exams?" Ms Richards asked.
"Not really," Harry answered, "They aren't stupid or lazy, they just seem more focused on other stuff."
"I'll just set Percy on them," Hermione grinned.
For Ms Richard's sake Harry explained, "Percy is the twin's older brother, and current head boy. He's a bit of a stick in the mud, but a good sort if you play it straight. He will push his brothers into studying."
The conversation continued for a while until Harry went to get an early night. He made his excuses and left the two women on the sofa, heading to bed while taking his new clothes, and a good portion of Hermione's, up with him.
He was asleep before Hermione got to the room.
--- ϟϟϟ ---
Harry was getting ready for the new year's party, which he was attending with the Grangers. He was back in the guest room, but only while Hermione used hers to get ready for the night.
When he had brought up moving back into the guest room the day after Ms Richards had left Hermione had just kicked him in the shin. Her message was clear enough she wanted Harry to stay right where he was.
Harry checked his reflection in the mirror that was attached to the back of a dressing table. The teen that looked back at him was quite a bit better looking than Harry thought of himself. He was wearing a black shirt and trousers, along with his new aquamarine waistcoat and shiny shoes, that Hermione called patent leather.
Dan had come in a few minutes ago and had done something with Harry's hair. While it wasn't anything like neat or tidy now. it did look as though it was meant to look that way, rather than the 'I just got out of bed and found that a bird had made a nest in my hair' look that he normally sported.
Emma, who was already ready, had stopped by and offered to cover up Harry's scar with make-up, as during conversations they had had over the summer, Harry told her how much people staring at his scar bothered him. His male pride had battled with his desire not to be the centre of attention, but as the party was a Muggle one and in the Muggle world his scar was just an interesting curiosity of his appearance, and not the focal point of the end of the war, his male pride had won out, leaving him with the scar that always stood out, no matter what he was wearing.
Harry did one last check of his appearance, making sure that he had everything he was taking with him. He almost forgot the pack of mints that Emma had left him, but she had said that Harry would find a use for them before the end of the night, so Harry, though confused, had made sure to bring them.
Harry made his way downstairs and collapsed on the sofa. Dan was sat in one of the chairs, the two of them just waiting for Hermione and Emma. Emma may have been ready a while ago, but she was helping Hermione get ready.
Harry didn't understand why it took women so long to get ready. He understood that they had extra to do with the hair and makeup, but he didn't get how those things seemed to take so long.
Harry didn't have to wonder for too long, as soon he heard footsteps on the stairs, with Emma coming down first, soon followed by...
If it was a cartoon, Harry's mouth would have it the floor.
Hermione was wearing a dress that ended just above her knees, and was a very close match in colour to his waistcoat. She had done something with her hair, aswell. It was just as curly and bushy as ever, but the randomness had been ordered so that it fell with itself instead of against itself. The new style left a lot more of her neck exposed, revealing that she was wearing the locket that Harry had given her for Christmas. Add to that a touch of eye makeup and lip gloss, meaning that she looked absolutely amazing .
"Hermione...uh...wow."
"I think that was a compliment," Hermione smiled at him, waiting for him to find his thoughts again.
"Complement. Yes . You look...just, wow ."
Hermione glowed at Harry. It wasn't often that she felt attractive.
She wasn't insecure about her looks, at least, not anymore. She still had self-esteem issues over her cat ears, and she hadn't really ever felt attractive. That her boyfriend was stumbling over his words at how she looked was a big boost to her self image.
Harry was just about to kiss Hermione when a flash dazed him for half a second.
Dan had taken a picture of the two of them.
In that half a second Hermione had also put her hand out and stopped him, "Not now Harry. I don't want to mess up my makeup just yet." Harry was a little disappointed, but he sort of understood, so instead he took her hand and kissed that instead.
The camera flashed again.
After that Dan had Hermione and Harry pose for a few shots. He then handed Harry the camera and had him take a few shots of him and Emma. He wanted a few shots of the four of them together, but as his camera didn't have a time function, it would have to wait until there was someone else to take the photo.
Once the photos were done with they all climbed into the Grangers' car and Emma set off to some other part of London. Harry was better at navigating London now than he was when he first 'moved in' with the Grangers, but in a city like London, that just meant that he was only terrible, rather than abismal .
Harry had no clue where they were when they pulled into a car park that was next to a building, which was old enough that style was as much a consideration as function, rather than the square blocks of concrete and glass that were more common now.
Inside the building was a large hall that had been decorated for the party; there were balloons and banners with 1994 and 'Happy New Year' in big colourful letters.
One side of the hall was dedicated to food and drink. There was even a temporary bar set up. The opposite side was taken up by the DJ, who had lights, speakers and a few other things on a scaffold frame around where he had set up his equipment.
The speakers looked like they weighed more than Harry, they were that big.
The rest of the hall was split into two sections. The half of the hall closest to the music was apparently a dance floor, judging by the few who were already using that part. The other half was for the food, and had a number of tables and chairs set out where people could sit.
Hermione looked around to see who was there already.
Since she had met a lot of people before, Harry was relying on her for introductions. He was quickly paraded around the people there as they met doctor after doctor and their wives and husbands. It was one of those polite boring things nobody really wanted to do.
Harry thought that most of them were boring adults who wanted to talk about things he had little interest in, and he was sure that their opinion of him was that he was just some childish teen who knows nothing about how the world works.
Soon they were done with the adults. Dan and Emma had been drawn into a conversation with a Doctor Jones and Hermione had taken the opportunity to pull Harry over to a group of teens that had claimed a spot at one side of the hall. They had pushed a few tables together and they were all chatting.
One of the girls, a blond about the same age as him and Hermione, saw Hermione coming and waved, "Well, well, well, look who's home from her fancy boarding school.
How are you doing Hermione? Last time we saw you was two years ago at that New Year's party. You were all chatty about some boy you met at that school of yours. Speaking of a boy, who is this friend of yours?"
All of that was asked in such quick and rapid speech that Harry thought would just turn into a hum if she had a cup of coffee. Hermione walked over and gave the girl a hug, "Mandy, oh, I missed you. Yeah, I'm back for Christmas this year. I was too busy to leave school last Christmas. I meant to call you over the summer but there just wasn't time."
"Just what could you have have been doing last year that left you too busy to come home for Christmas?" The energetic one asked.
"Well...you remember the guy I told you about?"
"You mean your ' mister perfect' that you talked about for an hour non-stop? Nope, don't recall."
"Mr perfect? An hour!?" Harry asked
A pink glow spears on Hermione's cheeks, "Uh...well, meet...Mr perfect," She indicated Harry who's cheeks suddenly matched Hermione's, "Or, as he prefers, Harry. We have been together for a year now."
Harry waved at the group, who were all focusing on him now, "Hi...as Hermione said, I'm Harry."
"Hi Harry, I'm Mandy," the energetic blond introduced herself.
"I'm Lewis," the tall guy, who looked a couple of years older than Harry, said.
"I'm Beth," she was a shorter, dark-haired girl whose age seemed to split the difference between Lewis and Hermione.
"And I'm Tina. It's a pleasure to meet you both," A black girl, who looked about 13, introduced herself to both Harry and Hermione.
"It's nice to meet you all," Harry finished off the introductions.
Mandy pulled Harry and Hermione into a couple of seats. Harry managed to not flinch at being pulled around by a strange girl. She sat next to him, putting her arm around him in what she evidently thought was a friendly manner, but it just made Harry uncomfortable, "So, Mr perfect ; you and Hermione. What's the story. What's the gossip ?"
Harry didn't know how to respond. Mandy was trying to be friendly, but she seemed to have just run full force into everything that Harry had issues with. He didn't like that she was so close, let alone that she was touching him.
He was doing better with the whole touching people thing. It had surprised him when he had come home from Hogwarts that he accepted a side hug from Emma.
The second problem was that Mandy was looking for gossip about him. Harry hated being the topic of gossip, yet, in this case, the gossip wasn't some outrageous rumor or a tale of Harry trying to devise some horror that had been twisted into an unrecognisable epic of adventure and daring.
"Uh Mand, can you undrape yourself from my boyfriend, please?"
"Oh sorry Hermione, I didn't think you'd take it like that," Mandy looked a little upset.
"It not that Mandy. I don't really like being touched by people. Hermione is just trying to help." Harry explained, trying not to make it sound like a big deal.
"Don't take this the wrong way," Beth said, quickly continuing on, " But, if you don't like being touched, how are you with hug-Zilla over there?" She indicated Hermione, who stuck her tongue out at her friend.
"Hermione is different. I don't have a problem with her...hugging me," there was a pause after Harry spoke, the first thing coming to Harry's mind wasn't hugs…
"So what you are saying..." Lewis, the tall, older guy, joined in, "...Is that the power of boners heals your touch problem?"
Harry and Hermione both spluttered at the bold statement, each turning redder and redder as the group around them laughed. Through the spluttering and blushing, Harry was quick to deny the allegation, "No! It not like that...Hermione was hugging me before we even become a couple. It was, well...it just takes time for me to be comfortable having someone that close."
The conversation continued for a while, with everyone having fun at harry and Hermione's expense. Harry had thought it a little cruel, until they started in on Lewis and Beth, who were also apparently a couple, even if both of them had been brought separately by their own fathers who were the dentists in their families. Once they had finished embarrassing the couples, everyone got their own turn in the 'spotlight'.
Harry wasn't sure about the other teens.
While they were funny and the ribbing was friendly, Harry didn't think he could ever relax around them. The last thing he wanted was for the topic of the Dursleys or his parents to receive that kind of treatment.
Soon the buffet was opened, drinks were served and the music picked up. Lewis, who said he was 18, had brought a small bottle of vodka with him and had offered to spike a drink or two for each of them. Harry was tempted but followed Hermione's lead and turned it down. Emma and Dan had been so good to him he wasn't going to risk that for a drink that he didn't even know if he would like.
Before long the various couples started to the dance floor as the adults used the excuse of the new year to let off a little steam. It wasn't long before Hermione tried to pull Harry to go dance.
"Come on Harry! let's dance for a bit," Hermione called over the loud music, tugging on his arm as she attempted to pull him into the mass of dancers.
Harry however, pulled back with a shake of his head, not even trying to be heard over the music. Hermione glared at him and gave his arm a light tug, asking him again but without words.
Harry shook his head a second time and gave Hermione a tug, pointing his head at the door as he tried to indicate going outside to talk.
Judging by Hermione's confused expression, she hadn't a clue what he was trying to say. He tried a few more gestures, but it just made it worse. In the end, Harry had to resort to shouting over the music.
"Let's go outside a minute! To talk where the music is quieter!"
Hermione winced at Harry shouting in her ear, but nodded and led them outside.
The two of them weren't the only ones outside, but it seemed they were the only ones who weren't smoking fags*.
The chill of the December, or very-nearly-January, air was a relief after the stuffy hall. With fifty or so people, most of whom were dancing, combined with a few heaters for some hot menu items at the buffet, and a lack of any fans led to the hall being almost oppressively hot and humid.
The teenage couple picked a spot that was a little away from the smokers and the smell of burning tobacco. The odour was a lot better than a lot of what they had to deal with in Potions class, and even a few of the plants they had encountered in Herbology, but there was no need to stay so close to the smell.
"What's wrong Harry? Why don't you want to dance with me?" Hermione asked as soon as they had relative privacy, the hurt audible in her voice.
Harry hesitated, a little embarrassed, "It's not that; I do want to dance with you, I really do. It's just…" Harry's next words were too quiet for Hermione to hear through her hairband.
"It's just what Harry?"Hermione pressed.
Harry swallowed his pride and said, "I don't know how to dance."
Understanding flashed over Hermione's face, "Oh."
But she then grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him over to a window that looked back into the hall, "Harry, look at the people on the dance floor and tell me what they are doing," Hermione had switched to her lecture voice and Harry almost instinctively followed her direction.
"Um...dancing?" He didn't understand what she wanted him to notice.
"Harry that's not dancing, not really. All they are doing is cuddling while swaying to the music," Hermione declared.
Now that Harry looked again, there was nothing of the complicated movements that he'd seen on the TV shows his aunt had watched on occasion. In fact, cuddling while swaying to the music was a good description of what most of them were doing.
"It's not real dancing, and it's not hard. Here, let me show you," She stepped right in front of him so that she was almost touching him. She took his left hand and placed it on her hip, "that hand goes there, while mine goes here," She put her hand on his shoulder and then took his other hand in hers.
Harry was sure it had just gotten suddenly hotter, as his face reddened and his collar became sweaty.
"This is better for the faster dances, where we move a bit more and this…" she took both of his hands and pressed her body against his, placing his hands just above her arse. Harry froze for a second and Hermione took the opportunity to put her arms around the back of his neck, "...Is more appropriate for the slow dances."
Harry's brain was still rebooting from having Hermione pressed right up against him. He leaned forward a little bit, only to hide just how much he liked that Hermione was so close, and he was just glad she hadn't noticed.
Hermione arms, which were still around his neck, pulled his head forward and down a little, resulting in Harry looking right at Hermione's eyes. It was weird, but in a good way, normally if they were this close they were curled up together.
Usually, in that circumstance, Hermione was using his chest as a pillow, or they were kissing. Harry was a little surprised to realise that even without the kissing, that feeling of just being close to Hermione was just as strong, but it was more relaxed than the intense fiery need that accompanied the kissing.
"Just add a little swaying and there you go, we're dancing," Hermione added a little movement in time to the music they could hear from inside and Harry's body naturally followed her lead.
The two of them 'practised' slow dancing for a few more minutes until the chill of the winter night began to rob them of their body heat. Hermione dragged Harry back into the hall and onto the dance floor, just in time for a slow song.
Hermione grinned as she wrapped her arms back around his neck, with Harry hesitating before putting his hands where Hermione had instructed, as he suddenly became very aware that Hermione's parents were also in the room, even if he didn't know exactly where they were at that moment. But, as Hermione pressed against him, he soon lost focus on everything else.
Before Harry knew it, everyone was getting ready for the countdown. Harry was just finishing a drink of lemonade* as he considered how he was going to kiss Hermione at midnight, when he remembered the pack of mints that Emma had made sure he had, as he would 'find a use for them'.
He definitely would be finding a use for them, and he quickly put three in his mouth. He debated offering some to Hermione, wondering if she would think he was insulting her breath, but before he could reach a decision she came up behind him and took the mints out of his hand and, after grabbing a couple, she slipped the pack back into his pocket, then dragged him back onto the dance floor.
They got in one last dance before the DJ quietened down the music as everyone made their way outside.
The air bit at Harry's nose and fingers; it had gotten colder since they had come out here earlier. He put an arm around Hermione, who's dress left her shoulders rather exposed, and to some it would look like a sweet gesture to keep her warm, but Harry knew that Hermione would know that he was just as glad at the sharing of their body heat. His skinny frame lost it's own heat rather quickly, probably quicker than Hermione's.
"Ok everyone, one minute!" Someone called out.
The crowd waited in bated silence until the countdown began, and Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder as he pulled her in closer.
The same voice called, "Ten!"
"Nine!" this time the voice was joined by about half of the crowd.
"Eight!" most of the crowd said in unison.
"Seven!" all of them were now counting down.
"Six!" Harry turned to Hermione.
"Five!" He pulled her in close.
"Four!" She leaned into him as he wrapped his other arm around her.
"Three!" He was suddenly very aware of Hermione's breasts as they pressed against his chest.
"Two!" He realised that he hadn't actually made his decision on how he would kiss her. Should it be short and sweet, or a deeper kiss?
"Harry." Hermione got his attention.
"One!" Harry was waiting on what Hermione wanted to say.
"I love you." All concern for the new year coming disappeared in an instant. His arms tightened around his girlfriend as he pulled her into the deepest kiss he had ever started. His tongue even finding its way into her mouth. She moaned appreciatively as she totally gave herself over to moment, pressing herself impossibly closer to Harry.
They were both so caught up in the moment that neither of them noticed what was going on around them.
Everyone called out "Happy New Year!" A good number of them started to sing 'Auld Lang syne' and Dan who had been watching the two of them, had pulled out a camera and started to take photos of the two of them with a big smile on his face.
Harry broke the kiss off. He wasn't sure how long it had lasted but Hermione obviously thought it wasn't long enough as she tried to pull him back into the kiss. Harry resisted, he had something to say first, "I love you too 'Mione."
If Harry thought that she was smiling before, it was nothing to the absolutely radiant one she now had.
But that smile was soon gone as Hermione's mouth was quickly occupied with their previous task.
As the fireworks started going off to celebrate the new year.