Harry Potter AUS

Day 1; Hermione Granger; Under the Mistletoe

 It was a cold winter night, but Hermione and I were warm, cuddling together under a blanket in the Gryffindor common room. We were curled up in a nook by a window in the corner of the room, watching the snow swirl down outside.

"I love you, you know," I whispered in her ear as she curled up closer against me.

"I love you too, y/n," she replied, kissing me on the cheek.

It was late and the common room was finally growing quiet. Hermione and I were alone, besides a few students studying in a corner and Fred and George whispering about some prank at a table on the other side of the room.

There was less than a week until Christmas, and the common room had been properly decorated. There was a beautiful tree in the corner of the room, decked out in Gryffindor red and gold, and garlands were hanging all around. Stockings lined the blazing fireplace and presents were already piling up. There was even mistletoe in the corner - the same mistletoe that Hermione and I had kissed under for the first time last year.

I could hear the clock strike twelve in the background, but I was too distracted to really think about it. Hermione Granger was in my arms. She loved me.

I had had a crush on her since the start of fifth year. She was the smartest witch in our grade, and beautiful. It had taken me ages to work up the nerve to talk to her, but eventually, in Transfiguration, I had asked her for help on a spell. She had shown me how to do it, and offered to tutor me. Of course I couldn't turn her down.

It was only a few weeks later that we found ourselves making out under the mistletoe.

I twirled a strand of Hermione's long, chestnut coloured hair around my finger as I thought about that night. It had been a cold, snowy night very much like this one. I was lost in my thoughts, but I couldn't help but notice when she pressed herself back, even closer to me, and I felt my pulse speed up.

"Hermione?" I asked quietly.

"Hmm?" She replied sleepily.

"Remember our first kiss? Under that mistletoe over there?"

Hermione mumbled, "How could I forget that?"

I smiled briefly at the memory, and then said, "come on," practically dragged her off the window seat, then wrapped the blanket we had been sharing around her.

"y/n, you didn't honestly just make me get out of my comfortable seat so we could kiss under the mistletoe!" Hermione protested as I led her over to the corner. "We could've kissed over there, you know."

"Yes," I sighed, "I know, but it wouldn't be the same. I wanted to remember the way it felt to kiss the most beautiful girl in the world for the very first time."

"You're ridiculous," she said, a small smile growing on her face, "But that's why I love you."

I couldn't help but pause a minute before kissing her. She was dressed in her old flannel pajamas and her hair was a mess, but there was a sparkle in her eyes and to me, she looked more beautiful than ever.

Hermione leaned in, and our lips met.