Threats and happiness

Part 29

Harry's pov

The winter sun shone into the room of requirement lighting the surprisingly empty room. We had walked into a small space occupied by two comfy looking armchairs, a table with wizards chess set up in the middle of said chairs, a small unlit hearth to the side of them and a front facing large glass window looking out onto the grounds (which couldn't be seen from outside).

"Sooo....?" Ron drawled as he sat down, drawing out the long vowel sound, matching it by wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, his stare aimed directly at my face.

"Soooo what?" I copied knowing full well what he was on about.

He huffed loudly, "Come on mate, I'm your wingman! "

I chuckled slightly shaking my head, "I don't need a wingman" he glared at me, "I'm the chosen one" I added cockily.

He scoffed, "And yet you were scared to kiss a girl"

"It was Hermione! And anyway I wasn't scared!" I lied through my teeth.

A light laugh came from my red headed friend as quiet settled between us and, in an unspoken agreement, we began playing chess. The space was light and airy. The large window made me feel as though I was outside and high up near the castle's turrets, flying. After about a minute of quiet I could tell Ron was itching to ask me, so I answered for him. Ordering my knight forward, I spoke,

"Yes, I kissed her"

He turned to me grinning. "What happened? I want details"

I bit down the urge to compare him to a character in a muggle chick flick (possibly from mean girls)  and replied, "She came up to me, angry about earlier at breakfast. I think she was worried too, that we were going to get in trouble again"

Ron laughed, "I don't blame her, we do that quite a lot"

"Anyway, she came up to me arguing, I said I was sorry she wanted to know what was going on, I decided to just go for it and I grabbed her and I kissed her" I said plainly.

But in reality it was anything but plain, my head was still swimming after that kiss. Her anger, the fight, then, then... that. The intoxicating feel of her, smell of her, everywhere. It made me feel lightheaded, adrenaline coursing through my veins, the rush was addictive. She was addictive. I had longed to do that for what felt like years, I was just blinded by my own stupidity. "The-" I nearly chocked on my own thoughts "the passion...the love I felt in that kiss" it shocked me, in the best way.

But what happened next made my blood pump faster than even the kiss did, her voice was hoarse and she was a little bit out of breath, but as she replied to my declaration my heart beat skyrocketed. Her breathing hitched as I wove my fingers through hers. I cupped her cheek with my free hand relishing the flushed heat radiating from her as my friend possibly became more.

"Is that all your going to say?" Ron huffed annoyed at the lack of "details". His voice pulling me out of the perfect daydream.

I thought about it for a second before answering. "Yes", our words after the kiss, I decided I wanted to keep between us, our secret, for now at least.

"Fine, checkmate."

How?!! I scanned the board, he definitely cheated. (I think) "Wha?"

"we better go and find everybody now anyway" Ron added smirking at my confused stutter, "Luna said to meet near the kitchens so we can grab some food and head down to Hagrid's"

I nodded watching as the chess board folded into the table, my attempts at puzzling out how he won in vain, we picked up our bags and left the room.
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Meanwhile ...
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Hermione's pov