Hermione walked down to the Common Room to see Matt sitting on couch in front of the fire. There was no one else in the room and it was eerily silent and well past dark.
"Matt?' she asked as she approached him. He turned to look at her and he smiled. She saw it in his eyes. Just like Ginny said, there was a light there that had not been there a moment ago, the minute he turned to her, saw her, it was there.
"Hey 'Mione." He spoke. She blushed furiously. No one called her that.
"Hey yourself." She said and sat down beside him. He did not react to the fact that she was only in her sleepwear, which consisted of a thin tank top and a pair of underwear. He was only in a T-shirt and boxers himself. "Looks like neither of us could sleep."
"Not really. It was quite the first day, huh?" he said looking over her. She felt his eyes roaming over her body and she felt little butterflies in her stomach and a feeling lower than that, a sensation heating up.
"Not like any I've had before." Hermione admitted.
"Well, you didn't have me before, either." Matt said.
"This is a typical first day for you?" she asked.
"No, no, it was not." Matt turned to her. "I've never had quite so much talk of being in broom closets with pretty girls before. And whether I ought to be in a real relationship with said pretty girl just to shut up some asshole bullies. Not that I would mind being in a relationship with said pretty girl regardless of bullies and that it would feel good to not be so alone anymore and…"
Hermione felt her cheeks burn; this was something she herself did. Ramble on when she was nervous about something, her feelings especially. Hermione was surprised to see herself reflected in the boy sitting across from her on the couch.
"Aren't you going to stop me before I say something we'll both regret?" Matt asked her as he drew her out of her own head.
"Like what?" Hermione asked.
"Like that I really really like you and that I want to be in a relationship with you?" Matt said as he scooted closer to Hermione. She did not think that her cheeks could burn any brighter than they were. Her passions gave in and suddenly, there was no gap between them. Her lips were crashing into his. His hands were on her stomach and moving up her body as she pressed into him.
Matt was suddenly laying on his back, Hermione straddling his hips, her tank top discarded, as was his T-shirt. She could feel his arousal beneath her as leaned up to kiss her lips, his mouth trailing kisses down her neck, moving lower on her chest. Hermione rocked on his lap just as mouth closed on her-
Hermione yelped as she felt herself falling and landed face down on the floor of her dorm. Groaning, she pushed herself up and moaned. It was either too early or too late for this and she was not sure which. Hermione moved to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. Again. Was this going to become a nightly routine? She hoped not as she crawled back into bed. She was not as comfortable as she was before…
Hermione looked down and felt herself and moaned into her pillow. Her underwear was soaked. Wet dreams. She had not had one of these in several years and now this one felt like it was real. As she pulled the covers over herself and tried to snuggle in to sleep, Hermione could not help but analyze herself. Of course, today's events had to have influenced her.
Ginny's rant did not do anything to assuage her feelings. In fact, it only made them worse. She had to admit, while the previous night she told herself that her feelings for Ron died when he hurt her in the Great Hall over summer, that was not entirely true. Ginny was right. Their relationship had been dying well before that. The numerous fights ever since the Battle of Hogwarts and her confession she wanted to return to get her N.E.W.T.s and then go try to find a way to lift the memory charm on her parents. Ron was amicable towards the second goal, but he was convinced she was wasting her time on her education.
It was so important to her that she had to admit, despite her disbelief at his thoughts on it, it was not surprising or even out of character. He wanted things his way, the all-magic way. They had even fought once when Molly and Arthur had gone out for the evening, and it was only her and Ron in the Burrow. She had made dinner, as Ron called it, the Muggle way. He hated it. She loved it. It was a horrible fight.
Deep down, she knew their relationship had failed when he left her and Harry on the Horcrux hunt and she was foolish enough to take him back. It was more out of respect for Harry and her long-standing relationship with Ron that she was even ok with it. But things devolved and eventually culminated in his abuse of her.
Hermione sighed, she felt better. Admitting that her relationship was on the rocks to begin with and then identifying the true breaking point and admitting she kept it going for longer than she should have felt releasing and cathartic. And it made other things make sense.
She had latched onto Matt because he was genial. He treated her with respect, he was funny but not stupid. He could make her laugh, and he would stand up for her in a heartbeat. He took Pansy down a notch in the train car for her. No one else was a Muggleborn in that compartment. He did not act until Pansy made the mistake of attacking her specifically. Her attraction to Matt was not unusual when you knew what she knew. And it suddenly no longer mattered what anyone thought of her. She knew what she wanted.
Matt was once again lying awake in bed. He found sleep eluding him again. Suddenly there was a noise. Soft but distinct a creeping sound. Matt pushed himself up to look around and there in the doorway was a distinct petite figure with bushy brown hair and wearing only a tank top and underwear.
"Hermione?" he whispered. She nodded and padded over to his bed sitting on the edge of it. "You, ok?" he asked.
"Not really." She replied. "Can't sleep and after today…well…I just…" she looked over at him, biting her lip.
"You…what? Wanted to…?" He looked down at the bed for a moment and Hermione nodded. Matt smiled at her and moved over. She climbed in next to him, facing him. He looked into her chocolate brown eyes and smiled. "It was kind of rough, wasn't it?" Hermione nodded.
"But I thought of something that might make it better…" she said. Matt felt her hand on his chest slowly move lower. Her fingers played at the band on his boxers before slipping inside. Her warm soft hand was suddenly wrapped around his member, and he moaned.
Unable to help himself he pressed his lips into hers, moaning as her hand worked up and down his shaft. His own hand slipped under her top and she moaned. He felt himself easily giving in to her advances and he wanted to, so badly, desperately. He slipped one arm under her and rolled…
Matt slammed into the floor and let out a soft moan. The landing hurt a lot more than it should have, there was more pain than usual. As he peeled himself off the floor he realized why. The dream had an effect on him. Slowly he rolled back into bed, ignoring the tent in his boxers.
He pulled the blankets around him and sighed. That was a dumb thing to say to Hermione earlier. That they should go into a broom closet together. He kicked himself mentally. How could he be so stupid as to say that? He really wanted to, and he knew it. And this dream just now had only proved that point to him.
The idea of him being with Hermione was all he wanted. And right this second, he wanted her sans clothing in his bed sans his own clothing. The idea of slipping off and doing things to each other was overwhelming. This was worse than just a childish crush, this was desire and longing, and other complicated feelings wrapped up in one grotesque taco.
Matt rolled over again and tried to find sleep. It was not working. Eventually he gave up and put on sweatpants and a T-shirt, grabbed his pillows, and moved to the Common Room. At least here he might be able to find sleep next to the fire.
He stoked the logs still in the fireplace and curled up with his pillows on the couch and turned over. The change in sleeping arrangements was oddly helpful. He was able to quiet his mind somewhat and sleep finally did overtake him.
The following morning there was a gentle voice and a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Matt…" came the voice. "Is everything ok?" it was a light caring voice one belonging to a certain girl…Matt startled awake and rolled over and off the couch for the second time in twenty-four hours. "Are you alright?!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, I'm-I'm ok…" Matt groaned and looked down. At least this time he had not been in the middle of the hottest dream he had ever had about the girl standing next to him offering him a hand up.
"Why were you sleeping out here?" Hermione asked.
"I had dreams…about…" he stopped mid-sentence. He almost told Hermione that he had a very sexual dream about her.
"About what?" she asked, amusement in her voice.
"About y-nothing! It was weird." Matt tried and nearly failed again.
"Nothing huh? Well, you best get ready, breakfast starts soon." Hermione said as Matt collected his pillows and returned to the dorm to get changed.
At Breakfast both Hermione and Matt appeared tired from lack of sleep. Luna and her friend Rolf had taken to sitting with them at the Gryffindor table. Although it was against the normal procedure, none of the staff, least of all the Headmistress ever said anything about people from different houses sitting with one another.
Matt had resumed his usual spot, sitting at the end of the table facing the back of the Hall and eating sideways. It looked incredibly uncomfortable, but he seemed more at ease when doing this.
"Hey Hermione?" he asked as they ate.
"Yes, Matt?" curiosity was laced in her voice.
"Your birthday's coming up soon, isn't it?"
"It is! It's on the nineteenth!" Ginny piped up before Hermione could answer.
"How did you know?" Hermione asked.
"I didn't. But I know how old you are, the papers weren't shy about revealing that. And based off that information, I deduced your birthday had to fall between September second and June thirtieth. And with a simple question, I now know exactly when it is." He smirked and was mentally patting himself on the back for a job well done.
"Why would you want to know anyway? It's not like I've ever made a big deal about it in the past." Hermione replied.
"You'll see." Matt replied cryptically, still smirking.
Neville and Ginny exchanged looks between them when talking with Matt and Hermione. Hermione seemed more well rested than Matt, but still looked tired. Neville knew Matt had not slept in the dorm in his bed. They were even late getting to breakfast compared to the rest of the Gryffindors. Something was off, Neville could feel it. He poked Ginny and nodded to the back of the room. The pair moved off, leaving Matt and Hermione to sit quietly after the birthday talk.
"What is it, Neville?" Ginny asked as they slipped out of the Great Hall and spoke quietly.
"Somethings not right with those two." Neville said as they slowly walked through the corridors heading for their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson with Harry.
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, worried.
"Well, last night, I heard Matt up in the middle of the night and he slept out in the Common Room. That's unusual." Neville replied.
"I heard Hermione up too last night, but she was still in her bed this morning…" Ginny looked guilty as they walked.
"Gin, what did you do?" Neville asked.
"Nothing! It's just…yesterday…Hermione and I talked…well more argued…" Ginny admitted.
"You and Hermione had a row? About what?" Neville was confused, Ginny and Hermione virtually never fought. They were usually two peas in a pod around each other.
"About Matt. And her feelings and his feelings. They fancy each other, don't they? You can tell. She felt like I was pushing them together." Ginny said.
"And you think that made them both sleep poorly?" Neville was all but incredulous. They lived in a magical world but even some things were beyond magic.
"No! Well maybe. If they were you know…fantasizing about each other? Unless Hermione didn't entirely go back to bed, without, you know…sneaking off…to the Common Room?" Ginny said.
"I don't think they slept together last night. Matt looks like hell. If they did anything, I'd expect him to feel a bit better or look happier." Neville replied. Ginny looked at him inquisitively. "At least that's how it's been for me when me and Hannah…" Ginny gasped and grinned.
"Shut up! You and Hannah have been fooling around?!" She was both stunned and happy for her friend.
"Well…you know…there's some really cozy broom closets…and the Room of Requirement…" Neville trailed off as they arrived at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"We've only been back for a day!" Ginny scolded playfully.
"Who says it was yesterday? We had to do something while Voldemort had control of the school, didn't we?" Neville replied. Ginny turned scarlet as the realization hit her that Neville had formed a relationship with Hannah during the war while he was rescuing other students. It was oddly endearing. "I'd offer to tell you which ones, but you've got an office don't you?" Neville said playfully back. Ginny blushed darker red than her hair.
"Neville!"
"Hey guys, you sure took off in hurry. Couldn't wait on us?" Matt said as he and Hermione joined them. Draco and Luna both appeared shortly after, with Pansy scowling at them from across the hall.
"Sorry mate! Couldn't wait to get to class." Neville said.
"It'll be just like old times!" Luna piped up, looking between Hermione, Neville, and Ginny.
"Sure will!" Neville said with a smile.