Chapter one: A job for the summer

"Come , sit down over here" Harry was holding a brunet girl with bushy hair by the hand, leading her to a nearby chair. To Hermione's annoyance, he couldn't stop giggling while she held her head high, looking at the ceiling and holding her bleeding nose. Nosebleeds were common for Hermione, but Harry never ceased to feel amused. She stumbled and reached with both hands for Harry's arms, before finally settling on the chair, sighing. Harry tried to look concerned instead of amused, but failed miserably.

"Oh Hermione..Doesn't watching men put on thongs grow old eventually?" he patted her on the shoulder and she gave him a threatening look, then he turned away to rearrange a display of handcuffs in the front shelf.

"You would think so, wouldn't you?! Why don't you persuade my stupid nose for a change!" but despite her desperate tone, she sounded amused herself.

"And here I was, thinking nosebleeds were only seen in Japanese muggle comics!" he held up a pair of pink furred cuffs and looked around absent-minded.

"Come on Harry!Don't tell me he wasn't a complete hunk!And he was giving you some funny looks as well! Merlin! Are all gorgeous men bound to look at you??" she raised her hands in the air and dropped them on her lap again. Her nose had stopped bleeding.

"I wonder how Ron's doing..." Harry let his voice drift playfully.

"Oh cut it out. You know I love Ron. But I have eyes!! I'm starting to believe you don't though..."

"He wasn't that gorgeous. Too much muscle if you ask me" he added, leaning over another shelf, as if pretending to be busy would make his friend stop this bugging.

"That's so NOT true!" she gasped, accusing.

"You know it is..." Harry's voice came from somewhere among the shelves and she stretched her head to take a look at him

"Is not!!And what about you, you are not so skinny yourself!" Harry wasn't too muscled. He exercised enough to keep a perfectly firm stomach and a toned back, but he wasn't lean since his 5th year at Hogwarts. Lean was what Draco Malfoy was. That's what he kept saying when Hermione brought up that argument. Draco Malfoy was unnaturally lean. He could never be that slender. He made his friends wonder if the emotion in his voice was jealousy, approval or attraction. Or perhaps all those. However, he decided against mentioning Malfoy to Hermione again. He had the feeling she was getting some funny ideas lately.

"That's fine. I wouldn't do me" he merely shrugged.

Since they had accepted this muggle job for the summer,she had been going on and on about how emotionally unfulfilling one night stands were. She had never liked the idea of one night stands. Not that Harry could blame her. She and Ron were in love for like forever.

Ron was against her taking this job. The "Sway" was the biggest sex shop in England, and was quite notorious. Harry was the only reason Ron had not pushed the point further. He trusted her in his friends hands. It was a whim that Ron did not quite appreciate, but could tolerate.

So Harry looked out for Ron by keeping an eye on Hermione, and he looked out for Hermione by not telling Ron she got nosebleeds by looking at gay men's butts. Oh well, he loved them both too much.

"You hold on to those thoughts and you will end up cranky and loveless, you fling maniac." but she was giggling when Harry turned,ready to answer, brows furrowed. Then the curtains of the changing room could be heard being flung open, and Hermione shushed Harry as the footsteps of a tall, brunet man were heard approaching.

The man stood when he approached them, smiling and looked at Harry, who returned a casual smile. "Have you made up your mind on something?" he asked politely and stood up to take his position behind the counter. The man beamed at him and nodded "Yes I think I have. I'm sorry it took me so long"

Harry had to admit, the man was attractive. Still not his type, but notably beautiful. His eyes were a deep green, and gleamed with interest when their eyes met. "I really prefer blue though" he couldn't help but think what Hermione would say about a certain someone with blue eyes if he ever told her that.

"Not at all, that's what we're here for. Anything you need" he smiled while putting some thongs and handcuffs in bags and giving back a receipt. The other took it and smiled mischievously. "Anything at all?" he added, and Harry saw Hermione move away discreetly. He noted to scold her for that later.

"The people of the Sway will help you with what you need" he answered in a noticeably colder but still polite tone. The other wasn't let down.

"I'm Frank. Perhaps we'll see each other again then" he smiled, holding out his hand. Harry, seeing no way out, took in and shook it.

"I'm Harry. Perhaps we will. Here is your stuff. Thank you" he handed over the bags and Frank took it as a hint to leave, so he nodded and turned away.

Hermione came rushing when the door closed behind him.

"You turned him down! You! Harryyyyyy"

"What?"

"He was drop-dead-beautiful!"

"Not my type" murmured Harry, looking out the window at the street where people were passing by and chatting under the warm early summer sun. Frank was crossing the road to the alley behing the video club. He was far from gracious. Harry looked away from him again.

"I'm going to kill you one of these days"

"I'm just waiting for the right one, Hermione"

Hermione's eyes softened and she looked suddenly understanding and approving.

"Really, love?" she touched him on the back and Harry turned

"And they say these lines never work!" he stuck out his tongue playfully but got a slap on his back as an answer.

"Stupid-loveless-piece of scum!" Harry kept laughing while Hermione landed hit after hit on his poor back. She could be painfully adorable. He stilled her and kissed the top of her head, moving away and leaving her alone behind the counter.

The shop was empty. Mondays weren't busy days for a sex shop. Harry vaguely thought about sweeping, when Hermione spoke again.

"I saw Malfoy yesterday..." Harry turned too fast, and cursed himself inwardly.

"Oh did you?" he added with a fake casual tone. Why did he still get so worked up about Malfoy? Three years had passed, and the git had changed to a quite polite young man. He treated Harry with nothing but respect, but still there was something there when they met, a spark, a tension, a challenge. Harry preferred not to think about it too much. Or him. Whatever.

"Yes. He's looking good, more laid back than ever, and he even bothered to talk to me for quite a while"

"Did he?" he bend under a few shelves in order to hide his annoyance. Why was it always other people who happened to meet the damn Slytherin? He hadn't seen him in months.

"yes, he asked about you as well" Harry turned suddenly and banged his head. "are you okay over there?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded

"so I told him we work at the Sway. He was quite amused, said he never thought you had it in you. He even asked if you are gay, though very cautious not to insult. I told him that's something I cannot answer for someone else, so he backed off. Do you think I should have told him?"

"No!Certainly not!!" he walked towards her, shaking his head.

"You still don't trust him then"

"And you do?" he crooked an eyebrow.

"Well he's changed. Since he moved out of his parent's house and saw the world for himself...I think he's ok. Wouldn't trust him with my life, once a Slytherin always a Slytherin. But luckily no one is trying to kill us these days..."

"So he's living alone now?"

"yes, as a matter of fact he told me his house is near this place, said he might drop by..."

But Harry's mind was drifting away, and Hermione's voice was nothing but a distant whisper. For the rest of the day, he thought every man who entered the shop possessed the faintest shade of golden hair...

So there. I couldn't resist myself. Another story begins. I'm getting confused. If you like it review for me, and I'll try and update regularly!! :D Kisses!