Hermione sighed, "As much as I would LOOOOVE to go out drinking with you Harry, you know we're out catching werewolves tomorrow. I remember the last time I went out drinking with you" she smiled and Harry grinned mischievously.
"Hermione watch out!" Ron shouted in warning, but it was too late, Hermione had been splattered. "Oh fu-" Another three paint balls smashed into her now bruised shoulders. "Bloody hell" Hermione cursed as she rolled into cover, wand in hand. "You need to learn to handle your fire whiskey better 'Mione" Harry grinned, and Hermione groaned. "You need to get me less drunk. Seriously, how do you not have a hang-over?" She complained, and Harry chuckled, "I know a spell or two..." he bragged subtly and Hermione shot up, "You must tell me Potter" she asked but he shook his head. "Hermione watch out!" Ron warned Again but it was too late again, Hermione had been splattered again. Harry just fell about laughing, since they were training she may as well practise her wordless magic, she thought as she hexed him. "Ouch, that stung!" Harry complained and Hermione wore a look of innocence, "What hurt best friend?" She asked, barely able to contain the laugh the begged release. "You hexed me!" He said and Hermione mocked hurt. "I can NOT believe, you would accuse me of such a thing. How many times have I saved your arse?! Not to mention the fact that I didn't utter a word." Harry raised an eyebrow, "You didn't need to 'utter a word' Hermione, you and I both know you've been doing wordless magic since before 7th year!" He snapped and Hermione felt as if she'd been stung by a wasp. "Well done smart ass. But so have you" She smiled, "Well, I did have the worlds best teacher..." Harry smiled and Hermione raised and eyebrow, "Snape?" She asked and Harry smiled, before getting splattered by at least 10 paintballs "I wasn't ready!" He shouted.
"Maybe if you'd tell me the spell..." Hermione smiled knowing he'd never give it up, "Mmm, I could, but then you'd be less easy to annoy the next day" Harry smiled back, knowing she wasn't going to get drunk with him. "I almost failed that training exercise. If Ron hadn't been worse then I was then I definitely would have failed!" Hermione laughed, knowing her gangly best friend was listening in on the conversation. "Hey I dived in front of you! I'm a hero!" He bragged as he flexed, "Save it for your boyfriend!" Harry chuckled. And Ron blushed, "I can't come out tonight either Harry, me and Draco are going out on a... I guess it's a date." He smiled, blushing even more. And Harry waved him off, "I guess I'll just spend the night alone... By myself... All By Myself" He said as dramatically as he could. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't act. "That is what alone means, yes, Harry." Hermione giggled. "Well, do you want to come round for something to eat then Hermione?" Harry asked, not wanting to part with her, if he didn't have to. "I really can't sorry, I've got to meet with Ginny, Luna" She apologised and Harry jumped up, "Invite them too! They can come!" Harry said excitedly, "I'm sorry Harry, we're going out, they're insisting on finding me a man, and you jut scare guys off" She laughed, he could be VERY scary when he wanted to.
"But you don't need a man!" Harry moaned, thinking up quick and simple ways off assassination on the girls, whilst getting away with it. "I tried to tell them that, but they wouldn't have it" Hermione sighed at the memory.
"Please come out with us! You go out with Harry and Ron!" Ginny pleaded and Luna nodded in agreement. "Yes well, they don't try to set me up with random strangers, they do quite the opposite actually" Hermione answered, "It's just Harry that does that, we've asked Ron to be your wingman, he finds the random stranger and tries to hook you guys up but Harry threatens them and scares them away!" Luna answered in her usual distracted manner. "You did what?! I don't want to hook up with a random stranger!" Hermione complained, slightly mad at their behaviour. "Because you're in love with Harry" Ginny shot back, "For the last time guys, I am NOT in love with Harry" Hermione groaned as her head fell on the table But I AM in love with Harry. "Either you come out with us tomorrow, or you admit to Harry how you feel." Ginny smiled, knowing she didn't have the guts to admit how she felt. "Fine! I'll go out with you girls, but I'm not promising to sleep with some random stranger." She answered exasperated.
"Tell me where you're going! I'll rescue you" Harry grinned, he was prepared to kidnap her, if it meant she wouldn't sleep with a random stranger. "It's not worth the hassle, they'll keep badgering on at me, and if not them then Draco and Ron." Hermione answered as she pulled him in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head, and saw Ron nodding and making gestures. Harry just shook his head, sighing at the memory.
"We'll keep going on at you guys until you just admit that you're in love, so either you say something or she's going to get with someone else." Ron said, bored of this conversation. "But Ron you don't understand, Me an-" Harry started but Draco cut him off, "Lemme guess, Me and Hermione aren't in love, we're just really close friends. She doesn't need a man. I don't need a girl. I don't love her. She doesn't love me back. Or perhaps you'll go with my personal favourite 'It's complicated." He shot at him and Harry sighed. "I prefer, 'now's not a good time for us'" Ron jumped in. "Look, I'm only 20, I'm sorry if I don't want to get married straight away. I want to live some of that life I had robbed off me. We've done some healing, now it's time to do some living. And for the last time SHE DOESN'T LOVE ME" Harry shouted. But I love her. I want to start living, I want to start living with her. I do want to get married straight away, but only with her. I just wish she felt the same way. He thought as he apologised for losing his temper. "Can you at least try out this dating anonymous website M.I. finished developing last night please? If the great Harry Potter can find love through it, or at least a one night stand, it'd be great advertisement. You'll be in my debt?" Draco asked and Harry nodded, "I'll think about it, cheers for putting me and Hermione together on the were-wolf assignment tomorrow by the way" Harry smiled. "Just tell her" Ron tried a final time. And Harry sighed "It's complicated."
Harry watched as Hermione walked away. "DUDE! That was your chance, Chase her, tell her you love her! Ginny said she's almost 100% certain she likes you back" Ron said in confused at why he hadn't just proposed to her there and then. "Ginny also said that she's 'almost 100% certain' that you weren't gay. Now that, THAT is a conversation I don't enjoy going back too. Especially the sight I saw that led to that conversation. I have not opened a broom closet since." Harry said dramatically changing the subject. "WOAH! Where else could we go? Both dorms were filled and we were both firmly closet!" Ron laughed, Harry just shuddered. Before disapparating.
"So this website, what's it like?" Harry asked suspiciously and Draco put his phone down smiling, "Heard of knocking, or even texting? Do you want a repeat of the broom closet incident?" he asked and Harry shuddered again. "But seriously, I mean I get that it's anonymous and all, but can you see who you end up dating, not me I mean the person in control?" Harry asked and Draco shook his head. "I'll do it then." Harry agreed and Draco smiled evilly, "And as for your debt, I need to find out where Hermione and the girls are at." Draco's smile dropped. "That's, that's a suicide mission. God knows Ginny will kill me!" He complained and Harry shrugged. "Those are the terms" he smiled. And Draco nodded, his smile more on the evil side again. "And there's no catch, nothing sneaky about this website? It's just regular dating? Nothing... sneaky?" Harry asked, and Draco shook his head, "Of Course Not! I'm appalled that you even consider accusing me of 'sneaky" Draco smirked before apparating Harry to the club.
"Harry what are you doing? I was, I was having fun with that guy Harry!" Hermione complained as he apparated her to his bedroom. "I was rescuing you. I know how much you hate clubbing. And besides, you can't get drunk because Merlin knows you'll have a hangover tomorrow and it could jeopardise the whole mission." Harry snapped. "I can get drunk with you and have a hangover then, but not if you're not getting drunk with me?! This has nothing to do with me getting drunk has it?" Hermione demanded and Harry shook his head, "Of course it does! As if I was going to let you get that drunk!" He shouted and she shook her head, "You did last time!" She shouted back, "There was no danger last time Hermione! It was a training exercise! Not fucking about with were-wolves!" Harry shouted, and Hermione shrunk back. Harry had never shouted so loud, so venomously. "Hermione I'm sorry it's just I lo-" He tried to apologise but Hermione shook her head. "I get that you were just trying to help Harry, I'm sorry, I won't get that drunk..." Hermione cut in as she prepared to apparate. "Get as drunk as you want Hermione, I'll always have your back. If you've got a hangover tomorrow, I'll give you the spell." He said solemnly and she apparated back to the club. Harry just sat on his bed. I almost did it, I almost admitted, proclaimed my love for her. But I didn't. And now she's going to sleep with some random guy. Harry shouted as he punched the wall in anger.
"Did you get him?" Ron asked excitedly, "Yes, and he's going to be tried... do you think you can get Bill to testify against him?" Harry asked and Ron nodded, "In a heartbeat." He smiled as he punched his fist in the air. "Anyway, I gotta go, I made a deal with Draco" Harry mumbled as he apparated away. It had been a good mission, with zero casualty but Hermione seemed off with him.
"Oh wow. Draco set this up didn't he?" Hermione asked as Harry sat down. He had no idea who his date was as he apparated to the restaurant Draco had assigned the date to take place at. "I bet there isn't even an anonymous dating website is there?" Harry asked, as he sat there awkwardly. "Is that what he told me? I heard he was 'setting me up on a date with a friend' hmmm" Hermione answered as she played with her napkin. "Well that should have given it away, he hasn't got any friends, at least the lie he told me was believable" Harry chuckled. "Well we're here now, we may as well enjoy the free date" Hermione smiled as she picked up the menu. Harry nodded and picked up his own. TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL was wrote across the pages off the menu and Hermione blushed slamming it shut suddenly. Harry raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his own menu, flicking through the pages it read "Tell him how you feel? What do you OH! Does it say that in yours as well?" Harry asked confused and Hermione nodded, "I think Ron may have printed these" Harry smiled, as he placed his menu down - a lot more careful than Hermione. "Or Neville, who knows if Luna's got him working against us" Hermione smiled. "Yeh, it couldn't have been Draco, no he's far too elaborate and, well, lets be honest, too clever." Harry admitted. "How do you feel about me?" Hermione blurted.
"Well, upon discovering you're secretly a man, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't trust me with that little bit of information..." Harry grinned. "No but siriusly. Because I. It just doesn't make sense, you always 'rescuing' me from dates with other guys, and I don't believe the whole 'I'm doing it to protect you' cover story" Hermione said, turning the conversation a little more sirius. "I think I'm in love with you. I try to let you go out and have a fun time with other guys but I can't. It makes me sick. I don't want to live without you, but you've never shown that you like me in return. I guess I was just jealous those guys are worthy of your affection and I'm not" Harry admitted, not daring to look up at her. Hermione put her hand over his. And here comes the rejection. Harry thought as he stood up. He didn't want to here it. So he turned to walk away, only stopping when Hermione grabbed his arm. "I love you too." She smiled as she pulled his tie, bringing his lips more level with her own and kissed him.
They apparated upon contact, but didn't break the kiss. They had waited too long for this, and nothing is going to ruin this moment. "Yep it worked." Draco smirked from the sofa, after hearing the distinct 'POP' of apparation and having turned round to see a shirtless Harry Potter with a breathless Hermione Granger wrapped around his waist. "Your place?" Harry offered and Hermione nodded, apparating them again.
A/N: Prequel - Broom cupboard. Feel free to review :)