Sneak Back In

Harry and Hermione laid down side by side as each struggled to catch their breath, the warmth of each other's bodies both soothing and helpful against the cold air in the room. Hermione was the first one to break the silence, after several tentative glances in Harry's direction.

"Well... That was fun, though I'm all sticky," She said with an almost hysterical giggle, as she used magic to clean herself up.

Harry laughed back, feeling relaxed and content in a way that he wasn't sure he ever had before. When he saw Hermione reaching for her robe, he quickly intercepted, giving her a tight hug.

"Thank you for trusting me, Hermione. I know that got a little intense, but I really enjoyed it," Harry whispered in her ear, making her shiver at the feeling of his warm breath tickling the back of her neck.

Hermione allowed herself to relax into him, nuzzling closer to leech more of his warmth. "Well, you are my best friend, so why wouldn't I?"

"Not Ron, Luna, or Ginny?" Harry asked with a smile.

Hermione giggled again. "I love Luna, but she can be a bit much sometimes, and Ron... Well," She paused, looking down. "He's a bit much in a different way. I guess I just feel bad for him sometimes."

Harry nodded, understanding what his friend was getting at. Ron could definitely be a handful, between his jealousy issues and the constant desire to succeed without putting in any effort.

"I know what you mean. I was raised by some less than loving people and I'm still not as off as that bloke," Harry replied, as he rubbed his head. He wasn't proud of the way he felt about his closest male friend, but it was the truth.

The two finished cleaning up and getting dressed, when Harry made a split-second decision and handed the completed book to Hermione.

"Here's the original one. I think you can put it to better use than me, though I would love it if you let me take a look at it with you on occasion," Harry told her with a smile on his face.

Hermione's eyes shot open when she read the title, but she seemed to shake it off as she put the book in her pouch.

"Thank you for trusting me, Harry," She gave him a tight hug, and as they both pulled away she planted a kiss on his cheek.

The two walked up the path to the Whomping Willow, before both seemed to split off naturally. In reality, the two had both used the Mind Control spell to will that there would not be anyone watching them on the way back, which in turn affected each other, due to some poor planning.