Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
A/N: Okay, this is a random idea that popped into my head… and it wouldn't go away until I wrote something down. Anyway, I do hope you like it and sorry to Andrew because I didn't give it to him to edit… (cute grin) sorry sweetie but I wanted to get it out there immediately… if you find any mistakes email me or tell me on msn.
Strawberries and Cream
Chapter One: Matchmaking Part One
You know, the problem with being Harry's best friend is that you have to watch each girl he dates come and then breaks his heart. You're just the homework marker, the best friend. The person he comes to, to ask advice about girls; I swear Ron and Harry are two of the thickest boys I've ever met. They are so oblivious to girls feelings (although I must say that Harry has been getting better) it's not funny.
Anyway, back to Harry.
Probably the worst thing about being his best friend would be that I have a crush on him. Jeez, I sound like one of his crazy stalkers who think they're his best friend. I can't believe how stupid I've been. I promised myself this wouldn't happen. I made a vow to myself that I would never fall for either of my two best friends. So much for that.
I've fallen for Harry-bloody-Potter. Fantastic.
"Hey Mione," Harry said, reaching around behind himself to poke her waist.
She flinched and said, "Don't do that Harry! You know how ticklish I am!"
He grinned and said, "Sorry."
They were sitting on the floor in their private common room, back to back, their Charms homework on their knees.
"What did you want?" she asked, finishing off a sentence with a flourish.
"Are you finished?"
She could hear the pout in his voice and smiled as she began her concluding paragraph, "Almost. You?"
The pout was still in his voice as he said, "No."
"Alright. I'll just finish this off and I'll help you," she said, still smiling as she began the last sentence.
"Thankyou Hermione," Harry said, now with a grin in his voice.
Hermione shook her head and smiled to herself; it didn't matter that he didn't know that she loved him. All that mattered was that she was with him and she made him happy, whether or not it had anything to do with helping him with his homework.
"Okay Harry," she said, sitting up and turning around to face him. "What's wrong?"
"I don't understand," he said, pouting again as he shoved the parchment from his knees.
"Come on Harry," Hermione said in a soothing voice. "It's alright. You understood it in class."
"Yeah, but now I don't," he said, looking so miserable that Hermione just wanted to plant her lips on his and never let him go.
She closed her eyes and said to herself, 'Don't think like that Hermione. You'll do something stupid.'
"Mione," Harry whined.
She laughed softly at the look on his face and said, "Give me a look at what you've written."
He passed her the scroll of parchment and she quickly skimmed through it.
"Not bad," she remarked thoughtfully, chewing slightly at her bottom lip and frowning. "Not bad at all Harry. Why are you so worried?" she asked, looking up at him.
He smiled and said, "I wasn't sure if it was right."
Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Harry, this is completely and utterly right. You don't need me to proof read it."
He grinned and said, "So, it's alright?"
"Yes," she said, rolling her eyes at him. "Why were you sulking?"
"Because I wasn't sure if it was right," he repeated.
"Alright," Hermione said, not believing him at all. "Well, since we've finished our homework we should go to bed."
"Yes, we should," Harry said the grin still in place on his face. "Or we could go down to the kitchens to get something to eat."
Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Do you just think with your stomach?"
Harry chuckled and said, "No, you're thinking of Ron."
She laughed and said, "Alright, sorry. But Harry, it's ten thirty. It's too late to go and get some food now."
"No its not," Harry said, still grinning stupidly at her. "We're Head Boy and Girl. We can just say we're making our rounds if we run into Filch."
"Oh fine," Hermione said, relenting and rolling her eyes at him.
"Come on Mione," he said, standing up and grabbing her hand and pulling her up with him.
She ignored the tingle she felt at the touch of his hand and said, "Look, we should have the invisibility cloak anyway Harry. Just in case."
"Alright. I'll go and get it," Harry said, letting go of her hand and running over to his room and searching it for the cloak.
Hermione sighed and sat down on the couch, rubbing her temples and closing her eyes. 'Gah, I hate lying to him,' she thought to herself. 'I HATE it. Stupid feelings. I should be able to bury them,' she thought furiously. 'But I can't,' she thought, almost beginning to cry.
"Back!" Harry said happily, bounding over to her with the cloak over his arm.
Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at him and smiled.
"You alright Mione?" he asked, immediately worried something was wrong with her – she looked as though she was about to cry.
"I'm fine," she said, standing up. "Come on. The sooner we get there, the sooner you have your food and the sooner we get back here."
"You sure?" he asked, still with that worried look on his face.
She almost melted into a big puddle of goo when she saw that expression on his face. He looked so concerned about her. 'Oh god, I really should stop thinking like that,' she thought to herself. "I'm sure," she said, regaining her composure. "Let's go Harry."
"Alright."
Harry pulled Hermione close and she almost let a gasp escape her lips as she felt his hard chest up against herself. He draped the cloak around them both and they exited their common room and began to make their way down to the kitchen.
They walked in silence, Harry's arm tight around Hermione's shoulders (something which she was very happy about), until Harry accidentally tripped over one of the feet of a suit of armour, in turn making the armour fall to the ground with a loud crash.
The crash reverberated throughout the castle and Harry and Hermione were very sure that Filch was already halfway on his way to them.
"Harry!" Hermione squeaked.
Harry clamped a hand over her mouth and he flattened his body over hers against the wall as he heard Filch coming around the corner. Hermione made an indignant sound behind his hand but he looked at her and shook his head very slightly. She nodded and he removed his hand.
'Oh shit, he's pressed up against me. Oh my god he feels good … gah! Stop it!'
"Ah, my sweet, it seems that Peeves has been making a nuisance of himself again. PEEVES!" Filch roared as he found the collapsed suit of armour. "YOU'RE DEAD PEEVES!"
When they were sure Filch had disappeared off down another corridor they set off again. "Considering he's not even alive, I'm not sure how Filch will kill him," Harry muttered to Hermione, grinning at her.
"You, Mr Potter, are an ass," she said, scowling at him.
Harry chuckled as he could almost sense Hermione itching to cross her arms. He slid one of his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Come on," he whispered, "I bet Dobby has some of the strawberries and cream lollies you love so much."
She couldn't help but grin when he turned away.
They quickly made their way down to the kitchens and Hermione reached up and tickled the pear that marked the entrance to the kitchens when they reached it. It giggled and twitched for a second and then formed a door handle. She turned it and they walked through the doorway and into the kitchen.
"Harry Potter sir!" Dobby said cheerfully, coming forward and hugging Harry's legs.
"Hi Dobby," Harry said patting the elf's head awkwardly; no matter how many times the little elf did this Harry would never get used to it.
"And Harry Potter's Miss!" Dobby exclaimed, switching from Harry's legs to Hermione's legs.
"Um, Dobby, Hermione's not mine," Harry said, blushing slightly and running his fingers through his hair uncertainly. Hermione smiled; she loved this side of Harry. Bashful and adorable.
"Of course Harry Potter's Miss is Harry Potter's! Dobby has heard that Harry Potter and his Miss have gotten together at last!"
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry before saying, "Uh, Dobby, Harry and I have never been 'together'."
"Who'd you hear that from?" Harry asked suspiciously.
The elf stepped back looking very guilty.
"Who told you Dobby?" Hermione asked in a kinder tone of voice.
"Why, Professor Dumbledore sir!" Dobby said, not meeting their eyes, his fingers going to twist at the shrunken maroon jumper Ron had given him two years before.
"Why did he tell you that?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Well, if Dobby must tell, Professor Dumbledore said that the time was near for Harry Potter sir and his Miss to be getting together and Professor Snape told him it wasn't ever going to happen. So, Professor Dumbledore said they'd have a bet."
"They're betting on us?"
Dobby nodded and said, "The teachers bet on who is going to end up with who. Professor Snape has been losing lately – he thought that Harry Potter's Wheezy would end up with …"
"No, don't tell us," Harry said shuddering. "I don't want some mental image of Ron doing some random Slytherin girl."
Hermione smiled and looked down at Dobby. "Well, Dobby, could we get some food?"
The elf's face lit up and he grinned broadly. "What can Dobby get for sir and miss?"
"Could we get some of those strawberries and cream lollies you gave us last time? They were so good," Hermione said, licking her lips.
For some strange and odd reason, at the moment when Hermione began licking her lips right up until her pink tongue went back into her mouth, time had almost stopped for Harry. Her tongue darted out of her mouth to run slowly, oh so very slowly, across her bottom lip before moving up to lick her upper lip. Oh god, they looked inviting. They glistened slightly in the candlelight and Harry suddenly had the urge to throw himself upon them and start kissing them madly.
'Whoa, where the hell did that come from?' he wondered, shaking his head slightly.
"Harry, you okay?" Hermione asked, frowning at him slightly.
He smiled and said "I'm fine."
"What else do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms and smirking at him.
'Sexy smirk,' was his immediate reaction to this and upon thinking it he mentally slapped himself as he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. 'No more stupid thinking about Hermione that way,' he said to his mind. 'Oh God, I am crazy. I'm speaking to my mind,' he thought, stupidly.
"Harry!" Hermione said slowly, waving a hand in front of his face. "You okay?"
He blinked and shook his head slightly again before saying, "Sorry, I'm alright."
Hermione raised an eyebrow and said, "Maybe we should go back now."
"No! No, it's all good Hermione," he said quickly. When she continued to look disbelieving he pouted and used his puppy dog eyes.
"No! Do not use the puppy dog eyes!" Hermione said loudly, immediately looking away and crossing her arms again.
"Aww come on Mione," Harry said, still pouting at her as he stepped forward and put his hands on her elbows.
"I hate it when you do that," she said, scowling and pouting as well.
He grinned and said, "That's why I do it."
"What else does Harry Potter and Miss want?" Dobby asked, looking up at the two teenagers with a knowing look in his eyes.
"Um, could we get a couple of meat pies Dobby?" Harry asked, looking down at the elf.
"Of course! Anything else?"
"No, we're fine now," Hermione said firmly.
"Okay. Dobby will be right back," he said, before running off.
Hermione looked away from Harry and said, "So, the teachers betting about us getting together, eh?"
Harry laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair uncertainly again. "Yeah. Pretty ridiculous."
"Yeah … ridiculous," Hermione said softly, staring into the kitchen fire.
"Dobby has your food!" Dobby said cheerfully, carrying a tray over to them.
"Thanks Dobby," Harry said, taking it from him.
"We'll go now," Hermione said, very close to tears.
"Um … could Dobby speak to Miss?" the elf asked uncertainly.
Hermione nodded and said, "Harry just wait for me outside."
Harry nodded and left the kitchens.
"Miss?" Dobby asked, stepping forward and looking up at Hermione.
She looked down at him and felt the tears escape her eyes. "I'm so stupid," she whispered, wiping them away.
"Miss is not stupid. Miss could never be stupid," Dobby said kindly. "Miss, if Dobby may, Dobby thinks that Harry Potter feels something more for Miss than Harry Potter is saying."
Hermione gave him a watery smile and said, "Dobby, you don't have to say anything like that to make me feel better."
"No, Miss, Dobby is serious. Dobby is thinking that Professor Dumbledore may win his bet after all," the elf said, smiling and tapping the side of his nose knowingly.
Hermione laughed softly and said, "Thankyou Dobby. But I should be getting back to Harry now."
"Alright Miss. Have a good night."
"You too."
Hermione took one moment to wipe the rest of her tears away before she stepped outside the kitchens.
"Well done Dobby," Professor Dumbledore said, smiling as he stepped out of the shadows near the fireplace.
Dobby grinned happily and said, "Dobby does whatever he can for Professor Dumbledore sir."
"I think Professor Snape will owe me my ten galleons within the weekend," Dumbledore said smiling still.
"Dobby thinks that Professor Dumbledore will have his galleons tomorrow."
"I hope so. I don't think the teachers can take anymore of this sexual tension surrounding those two."
A/N: heehee u like? Or you hate? Lol. This is only a short little fic which will probably be only three chapters. Goodbye for now and please review!
Alex