The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 15

Harry POV

Morning came all too quickly, after the night at Hermione's. We had spend most of the night catching up, and joking about silly things. Spending time with her is always a crucial part of my all too regular, after breakup ritual.

First, there would be the anger, then the sadness, and sometimes jealousy. Secondly I'd get drunk, be it alone or with a friend, mostly with Ron. And lastly, I'd have my night of 'getting it all out', with Hermione, where we'd just talk and laugh and I can be free to be 'just Harry'.

"Get up, lazybones, we're going for a jog before work!", Hermione calls out from the hall of her apartment. As per usual on nights like last night, I had spend the night and was currently draped across her living room couch. People often found it weird but we're just friends but as long as we and the ones close to us know, nothing sordid ever happens, we didn't pay too much attention to what the rest of the population believed.

"Okay, I'm awake, no need to shout" I reply not really getting up yet. "I'd be up and ready in 15mins", "No, Harry, you're getting up now. Come on, we'll be late for work if I let you sleep any longer and you still need to go home and change afterwards." I hear her nagging in her 'professer-like' voice. "If you don't get up right now, you're getting ice water on your head, or would you like it on, little Harry, instead" at that thread, I roll off the couch, not having any desire to be doused in ice water, anywhere on my body.

"That was rather uncalled for." I say, getting up off the floor and putting my glasses on. She just laughs and hands me a smoothie. "And just so you know, there ain't nothing 'little' about him." I jestingly retort, handing her back my glass. "Oh, that's what they all say," says Hermione, waving her hand dismissively. I pull a face to look mock offended, "now stop wasting time, your clothes are on my bed, I took the liberty to scorify, the ones you had on last night. And you can thank me by hurrying up." I just laugh and go to get ready.

We leave her apartment on foot and find our usual route, for our jog. The morning air was crisp, but filled my senses with a refreshing feeling. Jogging with Hermione is much better than when I take the trainees out, she keeps us, and actually challenges me. That's the one thing you can't take away from the girl, she might not be too good on a broom, but she sure is fast on her feet.

By the time we were on our way back, I had almost completely forgotten my issues with Ginny, and we were now racing to see who will reach the apartment complex first. It was close, but she managed to reach the door ahead of me. "Yes! Been a while since that happened, you're getting slow, old man." She jests, sticking her tongue out at me. "Old man? You're a year older than I am.", "All the more reason to relish in my victory." She says, going up the stairs, a head of me, and for a brief moment I allowed my eyes to move over her well formed and rather firm, backside.

"Well finishing behind you holds its own victories." I say, smirking at my brazenness, not that I'll actually let her in on my joke. "Like what, exactly? Eating dust?" Hermione says, as we enter her apartment. "Uhm...like...seeing you smile" I say, still inwardly amused. She looks like she wanted to say something but I stop her, "I'll have to get going, thanks for last night and the jog," I grab my bag from last night that I left close to the door, and gave her a hug "see you around, 'Mione" I say before apperating back home to shower and get ready for work.
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Hermione POV

"Is that the last of the empty vials. I think we need to order some more for the stabilising draught, that would be done by this afternoon. Also while we're at it, I notice some of these cauldrons bottoms are starting to wear thin, maybe some new ones are in order." I say to one of the interns, Garrison, he's really part of an exchange program from the ministry is American, but he's been proving himself to be one of the more valuable candidates of the group.