A/N: Thanks for checking out the first chapter for my rewrite of A Curious Thing! I had some amazing reviews on the original story that made me want to do better and expand the relationships/world more. I won't include trigger warnings on this story as to not spoil some plot lines, just be aware it can get dark. If you're interested in the playlist I had on repeat while writing you can find it on dotcom/playlist/6WMF9hgz3xEln5wllcNlNP?si=E6gi6g_RRQ2dhCGeORfXeQ
Enjoy!
Alley
Should I buy some new tea while I'm here?
Hermione exited her Muay Thai class into the humid night. She started walking down the street towards the deserted alleyway she always used to Apparate back to her flat. Sucking her teeth, she turned on her heel and walked back toward the Muggle tea shop two blocks away.
Might as well.
The streets were nearly empty as she made her way back to her Apparation point alley, vanilla oolong in hand. The silence made Hermione's adrenaline prickle behind her chest, down her fingertips. Her eyes darted towards every movement in the windows lining the street. No doubt it was simply people opening the windows to let a draft through. The summer air was stuffy and choked her as she picked up her pace. Her fingers itched to pull her wand out of her purse.
Don't be ridiculous. There's no one here. Just get to the alley. She began jogging. She let out a hot breath as she rounded the corner to her Apparation point. Her skin was slick with sweat and her heart was trying to burst from her ribcage; not from the light jog. As she reached into her purse to grasp her wand for the Apparation she was pushed from behind. Her cheekbone connected sharply with the warm cobblestone ground.
"What's a pretty lil' thing like you doing out alone?" a voice purred from behind her.
Hermione cursed herself for not hearing a Muggle follow her but her anger quickly turned to panic when she felt a hand slide over her buttocks and between her legs. She kicked her legs hard and pushed herself up. Just as she got her bearings, she was thrown against the rough wall lining the tight alley. Her attacker pressed his forearm tightly against her throat. A panicked snarl ripped through her lips as she struggled to breathe and fumbled with her charmed purse, desperately trying to find her wand. She'd only just started attending boxing classes, she scolded herself for her naivety in believing she needn't have to utilise them so soon. Hermione scrambled through her panicked brain to remember her training, coming up empty.
Another man appeared next to her and ripped the purse off her shoulder. The first man licked up her neck and pushed his body against hers. His breath smelled like rotting flesh. The adrenaline kept her from retching. They cackled at her panicked struggling. Her purse was turned out and the men were momentarily stunned by the amount that vacated the small bag. She saw a figure pass across the street. She screamed hoarsely. He covered her mouth. She couldn't breathe.
"Oi! What're you doing?! Get off her!" The man came running to the scene.
"Fuck!" They released Hermione and she fell to the ground. Her knees wobbling from fear and the intense class at the gym far too much to support her weight.
"You alright? Did you know them?" The young man huffed. He reached down to help her up as the two men disappeared into the night.
She smacked his hand away. "Does it look like I fucking knew them?"
She crawled over to her pile of possessions and scooped them into her bag, clutching her wand with a death grip.
"Okay… Do you want me to walk you home?" He asked as his eyes strayed to where the two men escaped.
"No," she replied evenly, despite her heart threatening to choke her. "Go away, I'm fine."
The man wrinkled his nose at her ungratefulness. "Fine. You're welcome by the way." Then continued on his way, muttering to himself.
Once he was out of sight Hermione Apparated to her sitting room. She took two steps towards her kitchen before she stumbled to the ground. She could feel the sting of panic blinding her and cutting off her airways. She touched her forehead to the cool floor. She gasped for breath erratically. Crookshanks brushed against her. She could barely register it. Her skin was on fire and unfeeling. She felt her eyes leak but couldn't feel the urge to cry. The quiet flat echoed with the sounds of her gasps and moans.
An eternity later, she lay on the floor in a ball, sticky from the cold sweat. She couldn't bring herself to be angry. She couldn't bring herself to hold onto the feeling that she wished Hannah was here to comfort her. She was four years too late. She couldn't bring herself to feel anything.
Three years later, Hermione lay on her bed, in her room, sweaty and tangled with a familiar snoring, smelly man. She wrinkled her nose as she came down from her elevated state, fully noticing his stench and rolled away from him. Annoyed that he fell asleep almost immediately, she looked down at her skin, blotchy and pink from exertion and thought about how far her lover had come from when their arrangement began.
There was utter blackness and crippling silence aside from the crackle of a distant fire. Hermione laid in the too stiff camping bed and felt rage burning in her chest.
How could Ron be so bloody obtuse? She fumed.
She was worried about the Weasley family too but that doesn't excuse leaving their mission because of some row with Harry. She could feel her frustration leak out of the corner of her eyes again. She angrily brushed her tears away and sniffed loudly.
"Hermione?"
"I'm fine Harry, do you need to switch off and take a rest?"
Harry had been keeping watch over the camp for at least three hours. Sleep evaded her but she couldn't keep laying here hoping Ron would somehow find them.
"No that's alright, I wanted to check on you… I'm worried about him too." The voice sat next to her on her cot.
"I'm so angry that he would actually leave. I know he won't be able to find us and leaving a trail would be too dangerous. I just can't believe him." Hermione sat up to face the direction Harry's voice came from.
"I shouldn't have provoked him. I know how much more he's affected by the Horcrux but I let my temper get the best of me. Now it's just us and it's my fault. I'm so sorry, Hermione, I made this impossible task that much harder." Harry's voice dripped with self-pity and guilt.
Hermione reached out into the darkness and pulled him into a hug to console him knowing he was right but blowing up at him wouldn't fix the situation.
In the midst of pulling Harry in Hermione's nose bumped against his lower lip. He paused to gently kiss it before settling into her embrace. Maybe it was the fact that their best friend just walked out on them, maybe it was the crushing pressure that was now on their shoulders alone or maybe it was because they were teenagers and it was dark. Harry's mouth moved against Hermione's neck in a gentle, questioning kiss.
The feeling sent jolts of electricity down Hermione's spine. This behaviour was new for Harry even though they were an affectionate bunch. She hadn't had any private time to feel any sort of release in months. It wasn't as if Harry was an unattractive boy but she hadn't thought about him in that way before.
"Harry… wait…" she hesitated. She had lost her virginity to Viktor last summer but she wasn't sure if Harry had been with anyone before, "I've already… with Viktor… But-"
Harry cut her off, "Yeah, it's alright. It's just getting harder and harder to not get beaten down by everything. We could bloody well die tomorrow! I don't want to force you into anything though. I just thought it could ease some of the stress?"
She pulled back, feeling rotten about even considering this when Ron had left only mere hours ago. "Harry, what would this mean for us? I don't fancy you… " Hermione nervously twisted the blanket over her lap.
"Yeah, right, I don't fancy you either, sorry I don't mean to hurt your feelings but don't worry I haven't been, y'know… I don't want you to think I'm being a prat," Harry quickly assured her.
Hermione smiled in the darkness, amused by Harry's awkward nature.
"I just feel like a little closeness could help," he sighed.
Hermione lightly chuckled, "I understand. I just didn't think this sort of thing was something you did. What with Ginny and all."
He shifted his weight, "Yeah, I know. I don't plan on asking her what happened while I've been away. I up and abandoned her. I wouldn't be surprised if she took up with Dean again."
"Well, if you're sure about this, I think this is a mutually beneficial arrangement," she paused. "Just, please don't tell Ron. I'm absolutely furious at him but this would destroy him." A tear slid down her nose, she sniffed and wiped it away.
Harry fumbled his hand around the bed until he found hers. "I know," he whispered, "It'll be our secret."
She nodded and for the first time kissed Harry's lips.
It was awkward. Both with not being able to see him in the dark and to get past the idea she was essentially kissing someone she thought of as her brother for most of her life. But the thought left her mind as quickly as it came when Harry pushed her back onto the cot and positioned himself over her without taking his mouth from hers. It was an uncomfortable fumble of getting clothes off. Hermione jumped slightly when he touched her bare midriff.
"Are you alright? Do you want to stop?" He whispered.
She shook her head, "No, it's alright. I'm just getting used to this."
Harry laughed, "I know. This is a bit odd."
"It sometimes is at first, but, erm, it generally passes as things progress," Hermione awkwardly explained.
Harry nodded in acknowledgement and continued kissing down her body and undressing her. Once down to their knickers, Harry's mouth moved down her throat to her shoulder to gently bite and suck. Hermione gasped and moved her hand down her body. The combined sensation of a mouth moving across her body and her hand working in its usual motion between her legs made her audibly moan.
Her sounds sent Harry into high gear. He tore at their knickers and felt if she was ready for him. She pointed her wand at her belly and whispered the contraception charm.
"Oh right, good idea. You'll have to teach me that later," Harry whispered before he kissed her deeply.
As their bodies joined they both let out loud moans.
Thank Merlin for those wards, Hermione thought.
His pace wasn't entirely smooth but after forced celibacy of nearly a year, it didn't particularly matter to her. She took one of her hands from Harry's back and rubbed circles over her groin. She worked herself with calculated vigour as Harry continued to erratically thrust into her.
Harry panted, "Do you need to change? Is this working for you?"
She nodded. "It's good, keep going." She wrapped her legs around his waist to change his angle.
He gasped harshly and did what he was told.
She could feel the clench of her orgasm building in her belly and couldn't stop the sounds slipping past her lips. Her climax hit and for the first time in over a year, she felt elation, like nothing mattered, not the war, Ron, her family. Nothing but the loss of control. During her climax, Harry had finished, but she'd hardly noticed.
He kissed her temple, still on top of her. "Thank you. I know that's weird to say right after sex but I just needed…" He grappled for the words.
"Me too," Hermione agreed.
He huffed a relieved sigh, "Yeah. You're brilliant, and that was brilliant!"
Hermione smiled then grunted, "Alright yes, now will you get off of me? You're not exactly light."
What was a tumble in a tent became a tradition for the two. Hermione and Ron didn't work out as a couple after their quick snog in the Chamber of Secrets. She didn't feel any passion or excitement with him. Perhaps it was because he left her when she needed him most. Hermione had never given it much thought and certainly couldn't be bothered to now, nearly ten years later.
Harry and Ginny picked up right away and it didn't bother Hermione. It was right around the time that nothing seemed to bother her anymore.
Harry became an Auror after they won the war. He and Ginny moved in together after Ginny completed her eighth year. They played quidditch together when he was back in town and would have Ron and Hermione over for dinners.
But when he was 23 years old, Ginny moved out of Grimmauld Place. She had said she was tired of him being constantly away hunting Dark Wizards and hearing about how risky his cases were. When he refused to stop or slow down after Ginny's many attempts to reason with him, she left.
After Ginny, whenever he came back into town, maybe once or twice a month, Harry would go over to Hermione's flat for tea, discuss the scenery of his latest trip and shag in her room. Just like this visit.
Even after all this time of sharing her bed with him, she had never felt romantic inclinations towards Harry and she assumed the same from him. It was easier to have someone she already knew when her hand wasn't enough and who didn't require constant emotional support.
Harry woke suddenly from his postcoital nap with a snort to see Hermione at the far edge of the bed. "Hey. Alright, Hermione?"
Hermione got off the bed and pulled her silk dressing gown on. "Yeah, I was just thinking. How was your nap?"
Harry moaned and yawned as he stretched his cracking joints. "Good. Thanks for letting me rest. Do you want to Floo call Ron and see if he wants to grab dinner tonight?"
"Sure, but get out of my bed. You smell absolutely minging," she wrinkled her nose. "Did you even bother to shower before you came over here?"
Harry frowned. "No, sorry, I came straight here from Cairo and I leave for Bosnia tomorrow morning so I didn't want to waste any time before I saw you and Ron." He made for the shower when she left the room without a response.
Harry was a little worried about Hermione. He hadn't noticed anything was different about her while he was with Ginny, but now, she was distant when they were together. He'd asked her if she wanted to end their arrangement at one point and ended up getting an eye roll and sarcastic comment about him being a worry.
Hermione had always been a workaholic and ambitious but as far as he knew her only social interactions were with himself and Ron when Harry was in town. He knew better than to confront her about something she didn't want to talk about, especially as her temper had become more volatile as the years went on.
Besides, what could he possibly do? He wasn't even in the country enough to watch her any closer. Ron was out of the question, he had a two year old and Romilda was pregnant again, so needless to say, he had his hands full.
"Ron will meet us at Launceston Place in thirty minutes, so hurry up," Hermione called through the loo door, yanking Harry from his troubled thoughts.
Harry quickly dried off and Scourgified his clothing before entering Hermione's room to see her smoothing her long hair with Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. She had grown into her looks and was quite pretty now, not that he'd tell her for fear of her taking it the wrong way.
She was wearing a charcoal grey knee-length wool dress that hugged her entire body. If he dwelled too long on how good she looked, he'd want to pull her right back into bed. He didn't know how she stayed in shape but she was certainly fit.
"Do you need something? I'm almost done," Hermione smirked at Harry's reflection in her vanity mirror.
Harry coughed and began fruitlessly fiddling with his untameable hair in the mirror. "No, you look really nice and I look like I just got in from the desert," he huffed and gave up on his hair.
Hermione snickered as she put on her cloak. "Well, that'll teach you to not show up unshowered next time." She held her elbow out to Harry to side-along Apparate.
He took her arm. "Is that why we're going to such a nice restaurant?"
She gave him a devilish grin before Apparating to their meeting spot with Ron.
Hermione and Harry sat down at their table and ordered their drinks shortly before a tall redhead came barrelling through the restaurant.
"Sorry I'm late, guys! Freddy wouldn't go down and Romilda is exhausted." Ron pulled Hermione up into a tight hug. "You look great! How was tea?"
"Fine," Hermione replied. "Harry got his wizard and received only one black eye this time."
Ron pulled away from embracing Harry, "Are you going to take it easy anytime soon?" He scolded.
Harry chuckled as he sat back down, "Nah, it wasn't as big of a struggle as I thought it would be. Tomorrow though, I'm tracking a Dark Wizard who might have… Is that Luna?" Harry cut himself off as he stared at a pale woman with long blond hair and little turnips as earrings.
"I suppose she somewhat looks like Luna, but anyway you were saying about this Dark Wizard?" she prompted barely glancing up from her menu. Hermione knew full well that was Luna Lovegood but she just hadn't seen her in years. She felt no desire to awkwardly ask what was new or how things were going and pretend to be interested.
Harry had already gotten up and approached Luna's table. He spoke a few words to the blonde woman and pulled her up into an excited embrace. He turned and pointed to Ron and Hermione and waved them over. Hermione inaudibly heaved an angry sigh, this was supposed to be a quiet dinner between the three of them. Ron excitedly bound across the restaurant as if Luna was about to disappear.
As she approached the table she saw Harry embrace Neville Longbottom then stop cold as he stared at a man with short blond hair. Hermione could only see the back of his head and despite her irritation at Harry, she couldn't imagine who would cause such a reaction.
"Hello, Ron. Hello, Hermione," Luna's airy voice pulled her eyes from Harry's tense stance, "It's been a long time. You look very well."
"Very fit indeed," a warm drawl came from the corner seat, Hermione's eyes snapped to the owner of it, "Hello, Granger."
"Malfoy?" Hermione's shocked brain raced to catch up. What. What the hell? What are Luna and Neville doing here with Draco Malfoy? "Uh, hi Luna. Nice to see you again, Neville," she nodded politely across the table at the tall, dark-haired man.
"Hi, guys! What a coincidence-" Neville started excitedly, obliviously pulling away from an embrace with a tense Ron who was sharing Harry's piercing gaze on Malfoy.
Harry finally found his voice and cut off Neville's greeting, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Relax, Scarhead," Malfoy sneered and rolled his eyes. "Neville and I are mates from work and we're out to dinner. You're interrupting here, not me." His posture slouched slightly and he smirked at the three newcomers. "Now, what brings about the reunion of the Golden Trio?"
Ron, now bright red and sputtering on a tirade of abuses, was interrupted by Luna. "Well based on Harry's appearance it looks like he's back from his travels. Where were you this time, Harry?"
Luna's calm demeanour broke the tension effectively as Harry stuttered, "Er, Cairo. I was there on Auror business."
There was a beat of silence and Hermione took advantage of it to make an escape. "Well, we won't keep you. Enjoy your dinner. Neville, Luna, lovely to see you." She purposefully ignored Malfoy's shitty smirk and turned to Harry and Ron. "Shall we?"
"Nonsense, Hermione!" Neville reached across Luna to grab her arm, "Please sit with us and we can all catch up! It's been far too long."
She quickly moved her arm out of his reach. Neville's hopeful smile might at one point had pulled on Hermione's heartstrings but they were long since severed. "No, I don't think so, thank you."
Ron gave Hermione a suspicious stare, "Uh, no it's alright, we wouldn't want to be rude and let a slimy ferret ruin our night," he shot a glare at Malfoy, who was intently watching Hermione. "We would love to eat with you. Thanks for the invitation, Neville." As everyone grabbed seats to pull up to the table, Ron gave Harry a worried questioning look. Harry nodded knowingly; they would have to talk in private.
Harry sat at the far end of the table between Malfoy and Neville. Ron had taken the head of the table next to Luna which only left a spot between him and Malfoy. The discomfort on Hermione's face was not lost on Malfoy.
"Come cozy up Granger, lots to chat about, lots to catch up on," he grinned wickedly at her.
Hermione's eyes blazed with rage as she sat next to him. "Yes, why don't we? How was Azkaban?"
The jab didn't seem to phase Malfoy at all as he tsked, "Granger, you know I didn't get thrown in thanks to Potter. Thanks again for that," Malfoy clapped Harry's stiff shoulder. "Now that you know all about me, what about you? How are you so fit?" He rested his elbow on the table to support his chin in mock wonderment at Hermione.
There was another beat of awkward silence as Hermione attempted to burn through Malfoy's skull with her glare.
Neville broke the silence. "How is Romilda doing, Ron? I hear she's pregnant again. Congratulations!"
Ron visibly relaxed and smiled, "Yeah, she's seven months along now. She's good, just tired, you know. Freddy just turned two so he's quite the handful."
"Wow! Isn't it mental how quickly time passes? What do you think Hermione? Does he look more like Ron or Romilda?" Neville enquired.
"Uh, I don't really know. He looks like a little Weasley, red hair, freckles already. I'm too busy at work to visit often. I'm sure Harry would be better equipped to answer that one," she replied, not feeling a shred of guilt. She was too busy with work, plus Freddy was only two, it's not as if he'll remember her not being around.
Silence.
Malfoy eyed Hermione inquisitively with a smirk as if he were eyeing a challenge. It infuriated her. Luckily for everyone's discomfort except Hermione and Malfoy's, the waiter approached the table and took everyone's orders.
"So, Neville how did you end up working with," Harry cleared his throat, "Malfoy?" He watched Nevill intently looking for any sort of evidence of the Imperius curse. Why the fuck else would Neville agree to work for that bastard?
"Oh, well, I was at Hogwarts teaching Herbology but erm, I left and Draco offered me a position the next day as head of the Herbology branch in the Potions Sector. We focus mainly on improving potions for people who are still struggling after the war," Neville coughed and glanced at Luna. She rubbed his back lovingly and his blush faded.
"How very noble," Hermione muttered quietly to herself, her voice thick with sarcasm.
"Everyone has to do their part. Besides, potions are highly lucrative for this new generation of fucked up veterans. Draught of Peace sells so quickly we can barely keep up. I'm richer than my parents ever were," Malfoy murmured back and glanced at her. His eyes briefly lingering on her eyes before dropping to her waist.
To his surprise, she chuckled, keeping her eyes forward.
"Good point. Very clever, Malfoy," she replied before she sipped her butternut squash soup.
The brief interaction was unheard by everyone at the table. Luna and Ron were engrossed in their own discussion on how to keep spiders out of the storeroom at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Ron was managing the shop with George but kept running out of the storeroom screaming while he retrieved the product. He suspected George was somehow enchanting them to terrorize Ron.
Outside the restaurant, Hermione kissed Ron and Harry on the cheeks, gave Luna and Neville stiff hugs and nodded at Malfoy before Apparating home.
Malfoy Apparted away shortly after.
Before Luna and Neville left, Harry asked a big favour. "As you probably noticed, Hermione is… different from when we were in school. Ron and I worry about her but are busy with kids and work. Would you two be able to, I don't know, have her round for dinner or tea sometime? I'm pretty sure she only sees us when I'm in town."
"Of course, Harry," Luna gave her trademark distant smile. "I suspect it may be Wrackspurts but I can't be sure without further investigation. We'll take care of her."
Neville warmly smiled in agreement.
Feeling as though they've done their due diligence as Hermione's closest friends, Ron and Harry thanked them for a lovely evening and Apparated to Ron's home.
"So, that was odd with Hermione, right? She used to adore Neville, couldn't say no to him after she petrified him in first year," Ron enquired handing Harry a beer.
"Yeah, but is it though? She's definitely not the same since school but I guess I never really noticed until recently that she's so different." Harry sat on the sofa next to Ron.
"I suppose. I feel like shite not noticing before," Ron grimaced.
"But you're busy at home with your family and keeping the shop up. Don't be daft," Harry pat Ron's shoulder.
"Well yeah and you too. You're hardly ever in the country… At least she's got Neville and Luna now," Ron absently took a sip of his beer before he suddenly remembered the other guest at their dinner. "Oh! Bloody Malfoy?! What the fuck is Neville thinking?!"
Freddy peered around the doorframe interrupting Ron's anger. "Bad dream Daddy," he cried before throwing himself into Ron's lap with tears in his eyes.
"It's alright, love. Hey? I'm here, it's alright." Ron loudly kissed Freddy's cheek until he screeched with laughter. Ron stood with his son in his arms, "Sorry mate, duty calls. You're welcome to stay in the guest bedroom. We'll continue this later."
"Thanks, I think I'll go home tonight though. Goodnight Freddy," Harry stood and loudly kissed his godson on the cheek to elicit another giggle.
Freddy reached from Ron's arms to hug Harry around the neck, "Nighty, Uncle."
Once they left the sitting room, Harry Flooed home. His thoughts were still heavy about Hermione before a final dismissal.
She'll be fine.
A/N: Thanks for checking out the first chapter of my rewrite for A Curious Thing! I'm finished writing the whole thing but I'm just deciding on what sort of upload schedule to do. This rewrite focuses more on character building and relationship development than sexxxy time like the original. So if you're in the mood to get your hornies out, that might be the story for you. Thank you, everyone, who left reviews on the original story! You challenged me to be a better writer!
I'm currently working on another Dramione fic that I'm hoping to get out by this summer!