Day Twenty-One
“Are you sure we can do this, Mi?”
She had woken him up bright and early, tugging him out of bed like a kid on Christmas. Once he was awake and dressed, she dragged him to the end of the driveway, apparating them to a muggle mall before he could even question it.
“Don’t worry, I got it cleared,” she rolls her eyes. “And by cleared, I mean I threatened Kingsley within an inch of his life if he tried to say no,”
“How long have you been planning this?” He laughs, wrapping an arm around her, though his eyes still dart around nervously. “I’ve never been here,”
“I used to come here all the time,” she explains as they walk in the front doors. “With mum or friends,”
“You had muggle friends?” he asks in surprise.
“Not good ones,” she shrugs. “But a few girls from my street would politely hang out with me every summer. The sort of friends that you get together with because you played together when you were five,”
“I see,”
“Come on, let’s go here first,” she grins, dragging him into a clothes store.
“Wait, Mi, what about money?” he asks softly.
She blushes. “I sort of went to Gringotts with Percy this morning before you got up. I already exchanged it and put it in my muggle account. I didn’t think you would mind,”
“No, of course not,” he grins. “You think of everything,”
She stops in front of a clothes rack, flipping through a line of shirts. “Reading your dad’s letter yesterday about your mum and our talk the other day gave me the idea. Ron will never appreciate the muggle things I enjoy like you will, though I know he’ll try. But I thought maybe it could be our special thing, like you two have Quidditch. I know you don’t always get them either, but you at least understand what it’s like to live in a world without magic,”
“I do,” he assures her. “I appreciate this. I’m excited, I really am,”
“Good,” she giggles. “What do you think about this?”
“It’s a bit big for you, isn’t it?”
“No, silly, it's for you,” she laughs. “This is the men’s section,”
“Oh,” he frowns, suddenly realizing his surroundings. “I was just paying attention to you,”
She blushes. “That’s very sweet,”
“I don’t know anything about clothes, Mi,” he admits.
“Well here, feel this and see-”
He’s surprised at how much effort she puts into teaching him. Sometimes, Hermione could just bulldoze right over and do things herself, which is what he expected. Instead, she takes the time to show him different cuts and fabrics and teaches him how to look at sizes and figure out what fits him. It’s all a bit overwhelming, but she’s patient with him. In the end, he gravitates to things similar to what he’s used to, though they admittedly fit much better and are much nicer. They even pull a few things for Ron and Harry makes sure none of it is short-sleeved.
They wander from shop to shop, Harry mostly following Hermione’s lead. His favorite is the record shop, where they pick out a few interesting records, intent on playing them in the player in the library. The whole place reminds him of Sirius.
“We can go in,” Hermione encourages when he stops suddenly in front of a store.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course, we probably need this stuff anyways,” she smiles, guiding him in. “Plus, I love these fancy kitchen stores,”
“I used to dream about coming into a store like this,” he laughs, looking around in amazement. “The few times the Dursleys brought me with them to the mall. Of all the chores I had to do, cooking was my favorite, so I wanted all the fancy things,”
“You like cooking?” she asks, surprised. “Even after?”
“I love it,” he admits. “It was the first thing I was good at before I learned magic. I haven’t really done it in a while, though,”
“Well, go on then!” she laughs. “It’s your money, you know. Go nuts!”
“Oh no, I- it’s fine,”
“Harry,” she says insistently. “We are not leaving this store until you buy at least three things. Nice things, big things,”
“Are you sure?” he asks nervously.
“Come on, I’m sure you’ve already seen something you like,”
He nods nervously and pays more attention to the things they are passing. It takes some more encouragement from Hermione, but he finally starts to pick things up. The whole time, he’s bracing himself, waiting to be told that something’s silly or they don’t need it, but it never comes. It seems as if Hermione is determined to pick up every item he so much as pauses at and by the time they walk out, they have enough things for a kitchen and a half.
“How are we getting all this home?” he asks, laughing at the stack of boxes he’s carrying.
“Here,” she whispers, pulling him around a corner. She checks that the coast is clear before pulling out her trusted beaded bag and stretching it open so they can load their purchases inside.
“You’re brilliant, you know,” he smiles at her appreciatively as they set off again.
“Oh, stop,” she blushes.
“You are. You’re brilliant and amazing, and I love you,”
“I love you too,” she grins, reaching up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Come on, I’m hungry,”
They stop for lunch before heading to their last stop, the bookstore. Predictably, they spend ages there. Harry keeps his promise, holding his arms out for every book that Hermione picks up, murmuring a quiet feather-light charm when they get too heavy. He even picks up some cookbooks that she points out from popular muggle chefs she’s heard of. She finally relents when the tower of books is taller than his head, and some muggles give them an odd look.
“Oh, that was the most fun I’ve had in ages,” she laughs as they walk back up the driveway to the house.
“Me too,” he grins.
“Are you going to make us dinner with all your fancy new toys?” she teases as they walk into the house. They start unloading everything in the kitchen, making use of all the counter space.
“I’d love to,” he smiles. “I guess we probably should’ve gotten groceries though,”
“Haven’t you seen the pantry?” she asks.
“No?”
“Oh, you’re gonna love this,” she laughs. She walks over to a panel in the wall and pushes on it before stepping back so he can see. He peers in to see a small room with floor-to-ceiling shelves full of food.
“What on earth?” he gasps. “But I thought you couldn’t conjure food?”
“You can’t! I’m not quite sure how it works, but it’s endless, must be old magic that keeps it renewing. The fridge is like that as well. It’s fascinating, I can’t wait to study it,”
“Harry? Hermione? Is that you?”
“We’re in the kitchen!” Harry calls back.
Ron strolls in a minute later with a nervous look on his face. “You gave me a right scare, you two,”
“Are you okay?” Harry frowns, noticing the way his hands are shaking.
“Yeah, I got back a while ago, but you were gone a little bit longer than I thought you’d be,”
“Oh, Ron, I’m sorry,” Hermione gasps, throwing her arms around his neck. “That was my fault we were in the bookshop,”
“It’s okay,” he murmurs into her hair. “Just got nervous,”
“We’re okay,” Harry assures him, stealing him from Hermione’s grasp. “We’re home,”
Ron collapses into the hug a little, and Harry can tell he’s still shaken. “Hey, come see what we bought,” he says, leading him back out into the main area so they can show it all off. Hopefully, the distraction can soothe his nerves.
“You got me stuff?” Ron grins when they show him the clothes. “Who’s all the kitchen stuff for?”
“Uh, me,” Harry blushes. “And Dizzy, I suppose if she wants to use it… where is she anyways?”
“She said something about working out back? Apparently, there’s a garden… but wait, you can cook? We’ve been friends for seven years, and I had no idea you could cook?”
“That’s what I said!” Hermione giggles. “He’s gonna make us dinner,”
Ron looks at him in wonder, grinning stupidly. “What did I do to get so lucky? Both of you,”
Harry feels a little somber at the thought, especially at the answer that pops into his head. “You were really good at chess,” he says softly.
Ron sighs and wraps an arm around him, also drawing Hermione into the hug. They stay like that for a minute, all tangled up in each other, remembering everything they’d been through. Then Hermione lets out a soft giggle. “You had dirt on your nose,”
“Oi! You are never going to let me live that down, are you?” he laughs.
“Nope!” she grins.
Harry rolls his eyes at their antics and pulls away. “You two finish dealing with all of that. I’ll start dinner,” Then he throws them a smirk. “Then you should sit and look pretty while I cook,”
He’s very satisfied with the way both their cheeks turn pink.
✦✦✦✦✦
“I think that was the best food I’ve ever had,” Ron says happily, leaning back in his chair.
He takes a sip of his drink, feeling embarrassed. Getting back into cooking had taken him a moment, especially in a magical kitchen, but eventually, he found a dish he felt he could pull off and fell into a familiar rhythm. Hermione and Ron had come and sat at the island, chatting about their days and stealing kisses whenever he came close. It was everything he had hoped for when he had first seen the kitchen, and the results weren’t half bad either.
“Really, Harry, it was amazing,” Hermione agrees.
“Well, glad you like it,” he blushes. “It was nice,”
Harry rises from the table to start clearing dishes, but Ron waves him down. “I’ll do it, you cooked,”
“Thanks, love,” he says, tilting his head back for a kiss as he walks by.
Hermione stands from the table as well, and the sleeve of her shirt dips down, revealing a thin red strap. He stares at it curiously as she walks away. Not that he knows the entire extent of Hermione’s wardrobe, but he’s pretty sure she doesn’t wear red bras, at least not normally. “I left something upstairs that I got for you today. I’m going to go get it,”
“Alright,” he says, frowning slightly in confusion. He thought he knew everything they had bought, but apparently not. Once she’s gone, he turns to Ron, who’s standing at the kitchen sink. “She’s totally up to something, right?”
“Oh, definitely,” he nods, setting the dishes to wash. “But I’m not going to tell her she’s being obvious, are you?”
“Course not,” he grins. “But what do you think-”
“Hey!” Hermione’s voice comes drifting in from upstairs. “I actually need your help. Can you both come up?”
“Are you okay!?” Harry asks, panicked, already on his feet.
“I’m fine! Don’t panic!” she laughs. “Just come up when you can,”
Ron looks just as confused as he is as he dries his hands on a towel. “What on earth-”
“Dunno,” he shrugs. “Want to find out?”
“Yeah, let’s go,” he nods. Harry follows Ron up the stairs, not missing the way his steps seem as quick and anxious as his own. When they get to their room, the door is slightly cracked, and it doesn’t look like the light is on. Ron shoots him another confused look before pushing at the door slightly. “Honey? You okay?”
He pushes the door further open, and they both suck in a sharp gasp. The whole room is lit with floating candles, and the soft sounds of one of their new records are playing. The bed’s been made with the new sheets that Hermione had picked out, and in the middle of it all is the girl herself, dressed in some very strappy and very Gryffindor red lingerie that finally makes his head kick into gear.
“What do you think?” she asks, wringing her hands nervously.
“Mi, honey,” he says in wonder, stepping into the room. “You look incredible, baby,”
She blushes but doesn’t say anything, instead fixing her gaze over his shoulder. He follows her line of sight to Ron, still standing in the doorway, looking stunned. He realizes they’re both looking at him and shakes his head a little like he’s trying to clear it.
He swallows thickly, and his voice cracks when he tries to speak. “Mione… you didn’t have to do all of- this is- look at you,”
Harry steps back towards him and grabs his wrist, pulling him into the room and shutting the door behind him. With the light from the hallway gone, the room feels even more magical, the moment all the more special. He gives a little push to Ron’s back, and he finally regains use of his limbs, stepping forward to kiss Hermione. Harry doesn’t think he’ll ever get over the sight of them together, but now isn’t the time for looking. He steps behind her, bracketing her between their bodies, and starts to kiss her shoulder.
“I haven’t even- I was going to say things!” she protests in between Ron’s kisses.
“I think we get the message,” he murmurs against her lips. “Unless I’m totally reading this wrong,”
“No, no, you’re not,” she says. “I’m ready. I want this,”
Harry spins her around and pushes her against Ron’s steady frame to kiss her. She wraps her hands in his shirt to bring him closer, and he slides his hands down her hips. He groans appreciatively at the way the lace hugs her body. “Fuck, when did you get this?” he growls against her mouth.
“Today,” she gasps as his hands make his way over her ass. “I saw it while you were trying things on, snuck it in the middle of the pile,”
“You sneaky witch,” he laughs. “I had no idea,”
“That was the point,” she giggles. “I wanted to surprise both of you,”
“Well, consider us surprised,” Ron snorts. “I think you broke me, sweetheart. I can’t even think,”
Harry laughs and steps back a little so Ron can spin her around for another kiss, giving him a chance to take his shirt and trousers off. When she’s returned to him, she gasps as she falls against his bare skin, then giggles. “You two are going to make me dizzy,”
“Sorry,” he grins. He kisses her harder this time, walking her backward until her knees hit the bed. She falls onto the bed, and he follows her, trailing his hands all over her body. The bed dips next to him, and he feels a warm chest against his side and fingers sliding into his curls. He turns and is met with Ron’s mouth, lips smashing against his until he’s also panting for breath.
He can feel the anxiety in the kiss, the silent plea to be steadied. “I got you,” he murmurs, hoping Hermione won’t hear. “I got you, baby, just relax,”
Ron sighs and nods, turning his gaze back down towards their girlfriend.“You’re so pretty,” he says fondly, making Hermione blush below them.
“Our pretty girl,” Harry agrees, sitting back on his heels to appreciate her. “Part of me doesn’t even want to take this off of you. I could stare at you all night long,”
“Oh, please don’t,” she pleads breathily. “I’ll be really cross if you do that,”
“Don’t worry, princess,” Ron teases, giving Harry a playful push. “I’ll take it off if he won’t,”
He laughs and allows the push to knock him off her lap, giving Ron the opportunity to step in. Hermione looks up at him with anxious eyes, clearly nervous. “Hi,” she says softly.
“Hi, baby,” he murmurs. There’s a reverence in his eyes and a burning need in Hermione’s, reminding Harry how long these two have been dancing around each other. He almost fears to breathe, not wanting to ruin whatever moment is passing between them. But then they both look at him, eyes equally reverent and equally burning, and he remembers that he’s been dancing around them, too.
Something in him must change at the thought because they both swallow hard. Hermione reaches a hand out for him. He takes her fingers and brings them up to his lips, kissing them softly. “You sure you’re ready?”
“Please,” she breathes out. “I’ve been thinking about it all day, please,”
“Scoot up then,” he nods. “Get comfy,”
Ron leans back to let her get comfortable, and Harry takes the opportunity to kiss him. He grabs him by the back of the neck and presses their foreheads together. “You sure you’re okay with this?”
“Mhmm,” he nods. “I… I’d be too nervous,”
He nods and kisses him again. He takes his time, knowing Hermione likes a show, making it hard and hungry until they’re moaning into each other’s mouths. They finally part at a needy whine from Hermione. “Harry,” she begs. “You’re teasing me,”
He laughs and looks over at her. “I thought you like watching, honey?”
She pouts, and Ron quickly steps up to the defense. “Oh, come on baby, look at that face,”
He rolls his eyes playfully, giving a teasing slap to Ron’s ass. “Go on then,” While Ron indulges her, he stands off the bed so he can take off his boxers. He then spots a bottle on the nightstand and swipes it before joining them on the bed once more. They don’t even notice they’re too engrossed in each other’s mouths. “Oi!” he laughs. “Think you can put your hands to use while your mouths are going?”
Hermione laughs, breaking their kiss. Ron shoots him an eye roll before pointedly hooking his fingers in Hermione’s waistband and tugging, pulling them down her legs in a single motion.
“Oh!” she yelps.
“Sorry,” he mutters sheepishly before diving back in.
Harry snorts and settles between Hermione’s knees. The click of the bottle cap makes Hermione freeze, and he rubs her thigh soothingly. “You’re okay,” he says softly, drizzling the lube over his fingers. “Look at you both being so good for me,”
They both moan in tandem, and he grins. When he presses the first finger in gently, Hermione’s back arches off the bad in surprise. “Fuck,” she gasps in Ron’s mouth. He hums back and slides a hand into her bra, making her curse again.
“You want more, baby?” Harry asks. She nods eagerly, and he adds another finger, slowly working her open. “There’s our good girl, look at you,”
Ron manages to pull away from her mouth for a moment to glance down, swallowing hungrily at the sight. “Fuck, honey, you look so pretty,”
Harry adds a third finger, moving a little faster now and she keens. “Oh, please. Harry, please, I want you,”
“Okay, baby, just give me-” He’s starting to feel the nerves a little, but he tamps them down. He moves quickly to lube himself up before leaning over her.
Ron moves out of the way a little to give him room, putting a hand on his back soothingly. He appreciates the grounding touch as he lines himself up and pushes in, watching for any sign of discomfort.
Her eyes go wide as he starts to sink in. “Oh,”
He pauses, giving her a moment to adjust. “Good, oh?”
“Tight, oh,” she murmurs.
“Breathe, baby,” Ron tells her, brushing her curls off her forehead. “You’re not breathing,”
She takes a big inhale, and as she lets it out, he pushes in a little more, making her eyes go wide. “Oh, that was better,” she moans. She reaches her arms up towards Ron, and he follows, kissing her deeply, though his hand never leaves Harry’s back.
“Mi, honey, can I move?” he asks.
“Yes!” she gasps. “Yeah, please,”
He pulls back just a little before he pushes in, eliciting a deep moan from the both of them. He keeps up that pace, out a little in a lot more, until he’s comfortably inside her. Then he starts pulling out and pushing in longer strokes, gently fucking her.
“Does he feel good, baby?” Ron murmurs. “He looks good, bloody hell,”
“Yeah,” she whines. “Oh god, it’s so good,”
“Fuck, you two, I’m not going to last long if you keep that up,” he growls.
Hermione’s eyes suddenly go hungry. “I did a spell. You can- you can, please, Harry,”
“Shit, did you really?” he moans. “Fuck, you first, baby. Ron, can you-”
“Yeah, I got her,” he says. The hand on his back disappears and instead slides between their bodies. Hermione arches up into him, moaning. It only takes a moment for her to come unraveled, her hips thrusting up to meet him, making him moan in pleasure.
“Your turn,” she mumbles hazily.
“Come on, baby,” Ron murmurs in his ear. “You did so good taking care of our girl. Cum for me, baby, let it go,”
‘Ah! Ron!” he gasps, the words tipping him over the edge. He tangles his fingers in Hermione’s hair as he finishes, desperately trying to get closer to her as his hips slow to a stop. She wraps her arms around his neck and holds him close as they both breathe heavily.
“Fuck,” she pants into his skin. “Wow, that feels intense,”
“You okay?” he asks worriedly. “I can-”
“No, stay,” she sighs, pulling him to relax on top of her. “Feels nice,”
“You two look wrecked,” Ron laughs, rubbing his hand up and down Harry’s back.
“Oi, you wait til it’s your turn, mister,” he half laughs, air still coming out in heaving breaths. “I feel wrecked, bloody hell,”
Hermione’s breathing quickens and he props himself up slightly, looking down at her in concern. “You okay, honey?” She’s not listening to him, though. Instead, she’s looking at Ron with wide eyes. He laughs in understanding. “You want me to move?” he asks softly, dipping down so he’s speaking in her ear.
She looks back at him and nods, swallowing hard. He laughs softly and presses a quick kiss on her forehead. He pulls back slowly, giving her time to adjust to the change before rolling to the side.
“What are you-”
“Your turn,” Hermione says heatedly.
Ron’s eyes go wide. “What? I thought- Mi!” he yelps as she drags him down into a bruising kiss.
“Want. You,” she says pointedly, all her previous shyness completely gone. “Unless it’s too weird or you don’t want-”
“No, fuck baby, of course I want to,” he murmurs. “I’m just nervous,”
Harry steps in quickly, leaning over to kiss him. “Nothing to be nervous about,” he assures him, pulling him closer to both of them.
Hermione runs her hands up his arms, kissing whatever she can reach. “Please,” she whispers.
“Okay,” he says shakily, moving between Hermione’s legs.
Harry immediately grabs the lube that had been tossed aside, intent on helping, but she stops him, holding out her hand instead. He pours some out onto her fingers, and she exhales shakily, so he still puts some in his own hand.
“Like this,” he murmurs in her ear, reaching down to grab Ron’s shaft and stroking it firmly. Her hand follows, slightly shaky, repeating his movements. “That’s it, good girl,” he praises.
“Ah,” Ron moans. “Easy, love,”
Hermione feezes. “Did I hurt-”
“No, no,” he laughs. “Just trying not to be embarrassing,”
Harry smirks and reaches down to join her hand. “Oh? Poor baby, are you on the edge?”
“Harry!” he complains, pulling away from them a little. “Yes, I am, you two are… yeah, I am, alright?”
Harry chuckles but pulls his hand away, and Hermione follows. He leans down to kiss her in case Ron feels like he’s being judged and doesn’t want to be watched. He blindly reaches his hand out to rest on Ron’s back, just like he had for him.
Hermione pulls away suddenly, breath quickening once more. “Fuck,” she whimpers. “Oh, you feel so different,”
“Bloody hell,” Ron pants. “You okay, baby?”
“Yes, move. God, please move,” she begs.
Ron nods shakily, and Harry brushes his thumb across his back encouragingly. When Ron starts to move, he moans in appreciation. “Oh, I get it now. Fuck, look at you two,”
Hermione whines and circles her arms around Ron’s neck, pulling him down to kiss her. They both groan at the change in angle. Harry kisses whatever he can reach: an arm, Hermione’s neck, Ron’s wrist. “Think you can cum again, baby?” he murmurs in Hermione’s ear.
“Yeah,” she says breathily. “Please, Harry,”
“I got you,” he says softly. He mimics Ron’s technique, sliding his hand between their bodies to play with her clit. It takes a second to figure out a rhythm that doesn’t clash with Ron’s thrusting, but once he does, they both shudder.
“Fuck, ‘Mione,” Ron groans. “Can you cum for me, baby? Please, honey, you feel so good,”
“Course she can,” Harry murmurs, since Hermione has definitely passed into ‘too gone to speak’ territory. “She’s our good girl, right sweetheart?”
“Close,” she manages to say, her voice muffled in Ron’s neck. It’s only a few seconds later that her back arches, and she gives a soft moan. Rom emits a half shout, half moan, hips stuttering in a familiar pattern.
“Oh shit,” he pants, body going limp. “Wow,”
“Oh my god,” Hermione gasps beneath him.
Harry resists the urge to laugh in favor of being more soothing. “You okay?”
They both give an affirmative groan, limbs slowly untangling from each other. Harry strokes arms and murmurs praise until they both come back to reality.
“Off,” Hermione finally begs. “Love you but off,”
Ron laughs and rolls to her other side, arm resting on his forehead. “Understandable,”
Harry grins and rolls on his back, his own body protesting at how much energy he’s used. “That was…”
“Wow,”
“Yeah,” Hermione agrees. After a minute of silence, she starts to giggle.
“What?” Harry laughs, turning to look at her.
“I just-” she can hardly talk for giggling. “Just never thought that would happen. I mean, didn’t you two just save me from a mountain troll?”
They both groan. “Don’t bring the troll up in bed?” Ron pleads.
She laughs harder. “I’m sorry. I think I’m a little loopy,”
Harry chuckles and sits up, pushing himself off the bed. He goes into their bathroom and cleans himself up before returning with two warm clothes for the both of them. He hands one to Ron before using the other to start cleaning up Hermione.
“We didn’t even get the bra off,” he laughs.
“Probably for the best,” she hums. “Too complicated. I could barely get it on,”
Ron gives her a dubious look. “How hard can it be?”
Harry snorts softly, and Hermione gives him an indignant look. She huffs and sits up, turning to present her torso to him. “Go on then, take it off,”
Ron looks at him, panicked, and Harry laughs. “You walked right into that one, babe, I’m not helping,”
It ends up taking five minutes, several curses, Harry’s help in the end, and a very smug reveal of a hidden clasp from Hermione before he gets it off. They all pile into the shower together afterward. It’s bigger than the one at the burrow but still cramped, and Hermione immediately starts making plans for how to get a bigger one. They both have to stop her from getting her wand to start taking measurements right then and there.
“You can start renovations in the morning,” Harry snorts, pushing her back towards the bed. “Cuddle time first,”
“Don’t deny the man his cuddles, ‘Mione,” Ron says with mock seriousness. “You know how he gets,”
She laughs softly as she climbs under the covers. “You say that, but he’s actually quite grumpy in the morning without them,”
“I am not!” he huffs.
“Sure, honey,” Ron says in amusement, draping an arm over his waist and pulling him close. Hermione snuggles up to Harry’s chest, tangling her legs into a pile with theirs.
“Yeah, okay,” Harry sighs at the comfort of it all, admitting defeat.
“These sheets are really nice,” Ron murmurs sleepily. “Forgot to say that earlier,”
Hermoine laughs. “You were going to compliment the sheets during sex?”
“Well, no, clearly not because I never did, now did I?”
Harry chuckles and tucks his nose against Hermione’s hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. He can already feel himself drifting off. “I love you,” he murmurs softly, eyes falling shut.
“Love you too,”
“Love you both,”
Their breathing evens out on either side of him, and he has the distant thought before sleep claims him that the memory of this moment would make for a very effective patronus.