Never Yours

A/N: Thursday night just as I said. Thank you for all of the many reviews! I appreciate all of them, really! I feel the need to remind you that while of course you know the ending to this tale (Harry and Hermione in love) you'll have to endure the…problems…they face before reaching “the end”. So yes, you'll have to deal with Ron and you'll have to deal with Ginny. Just a reminder.

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The next morning Hermione woke to discover she was shivering.

She had fallen asleep just after midnight, forgetting to cover herself with her blanket.

Hermione sat up, yawning, and looked over at the clock on her nightstand table. It was halfway past eleven; she had fallen asleep for almost twelve hours.

She rose from her bed and headed for the bathroom to take her morning shower. She was surprised she hadn't yet received an owl or some sort of contact from Ron; normally he would have been bugging her nonstop about why she had left him last night.

She picked up her toothbrush and the tube of toothpaste, and slowly splayed the gel onto her toothbrush. As she brought it to her lips her eyes rose, too, to the mirror and she stared at her reflection.

How utterly miserable she looked…

Once she finished brushing her teeth, she turned on the hot water and pulled off her nightgown. Perhaps a good, hot shower would improve her spirits.

Thirty minutes later she left her bedroom, changed into a nice lounging-around outfit: a pair of white sweats with a plain pink t-shirt.

She magically set to making some coffee and breakfast, the loneliness still an empty feeling inside of her.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Hermione, open up!”

Her initial thought was that it was Ron, but then she soon realized the voice couldn't belong to a male; it was Ginny's voice.

“Okay, Ginny!”

She hurried to the front door of her flat, opening it and watching wordlessly as Ginny rushed inside. Ginny took off her cloak and threw it on Hermione's couch, settling down there herself.

“What happened?” Hermione asked, spotting the expression on her friend's face.

“What do you mean what happened?”

“Well, something obviously happened, look at you! You look breathless!”

Ginny twisted her hands in a fidget. She looked like she was just bursting to say whatever was on her mind.

“I made some coffee and eggs, would you like some?” Hermione offered politely since Ginny said nothing.

“Hermione, last night…I have to tell you something!”

“What?”

“Oh Merlin,” Ginny moaned, putting her face into her hands.

Hermione looked sympathetically at Ginny. “I'll get you some coffee.”

She hurried into the kitchen and poured two steaming cups of coffee, hurrying back into the living room, and handing Ginny a mug.

“Thanks,” Ginny said. She took a sip of the coffee as Hermione settled down into the armchair across from her. “I guess I should just come out and say it. After - After the Patil's New Year Party…Harry and I went back to his place, and well…we did it.”

Hermione sputtered, choking on her coffee. She forced it down her throat, it burning as it made its way down, and put a hand to her chest, gasping for air.

“You - You…what?”

“I know, I know!” Ginny groaned, looking torn on the subject. “It was great, don't get me wrong, but - but what would mum and dad think? They always wanted me to save myself for marriage! And Harry and I've only been together for a week and we had sex! We were both so drunk…”

“Ginny, Ginny calm down.” Though Hermione should have been calming down herself; she could feel her heartbeat thumping madly against her chest.

She couldn't believe it…why was Ginny telling her this?

To brag, to shove it in my face! She thought savagely. But then a second later she felt sick with herself; Ginny and she were friends, friends told each other things like this. Obviously Ginny was confused, as her friend she should have been helping her, not being sour.

“I just…when around Harry I can't control myself, you know!”

She knew the feeling…

“So where's Harry now?” Hermione questioned.

“I dunno. I suppose he's with Ron talking about it,” Ginny replied, sighing.

Hermione felt awkward and out of place, useless in this situation. How could she give Ginny advice on something she'd never done?

I'm surprised she was still a virgin…I mean she snogged half of Hogwarts, she found herself thinking sulkily before beating those thoughts away.

“What should I do now?” Ginny asked. “Does this mean we're in love or at least serious?”

“I think it means you're now in a serious relationship, yes,” Hermione remarked, and she tried her hardest to sound like her bookworm-self. “I think you should take a day off from Harry, possibly two. This way you have some time to…think about what happened between you two.”

Ginny grinned.

“Thanks, Hermione. You're a great friend,” she said, setting down the mug of coffee. She stood from the couch and walked over to the front door.

She paused before opening it.

“What is it, Ginny?”

“Oh nothing. Only, I finally really did find out last night,” Ginny said vaguely.

“Find out what?”

“…That Harry never did get that Hippogriff tattoo on his chest,” Ginny finished, that grin still on her face.

Hermione didn't have a chance to say anything else, because Ginny left right after, leaving her alone once more. Hermione's eyes rested on the door where Ginny had been standing seconds before, and she didn't know what to think.

Why had Ginny said that? What was it to her if Harry didn't have that Hippogriff tattoo on his chest? Why had Ginny felt the need to inform her?

“I'm paranoid,” Hermione muttered quietly. “That's it. It's Ginny, Ginny as in my friend. She's not trying to - to - to throw anything in my face. She came for advice, that's all.”

And as with most of everything else these days, Hermione convinced herself that was the case.

&

“…And another Golden Trio movie night now begins,” Ron said through a mouthful of popcorn.

Hermione scrunched up her face in slight disgust; even after all these years Ron never did learn to chew properly with his mouth closed.

“What are we watching tonight, folks?”

“Last time you promised we'd watch Titanic,” Hermione reminded, holding up the video box.

Ron and Harry both exchanged dreading glances.

“Hermione, that isn't a movie for men! It's a movie for - for little boys!”

Chuckling, she said, “I think you think too much of yourselves. We're watching it, and that's final.”

Ron sighed, rolling his eyes. “Why couldn't I get a girlfriend that was less bossy?”

“Ron!” Hermione picked up one of the pillows and threw it at him, hitting him right in the chest, knocking his bowl of popcorn to the floor. “Now look what you've done!” she told him, pulling out her wand and fixing the mess.

“Geez, Hermy! A little grumpy tonight, are we?” Ron asked, rubbing his chest.

Truthfully she was, but that wasn't any of Ron's business even if he was her boyfriend.

She dropped down onto the sofa, right between Harry and Ron, just as the movie began.

“Hermione should get to hold the popcorn, shouldn't she?” Harry asked Ron. “I mean, she is in the middle.”

Ron looked disgruntled as he handed over the bowl to Hermione.

“Thank you, Harry,” Hermione said pleasantly, in a voice you'd use to address a professor or a boss, or someone you've just met; this wasn't the tone you'd use with a friend you knew for almost half your life.

“You better keep it right in the middle, too!” Ron complained. “I want to be able to reach it!”

“Shush. The movie's starting.”

Ron gave Hermione a displeased glare before he stood and said, “I think I need to use the toilet anyway.”

He left the living room without another word.

“He's so unbearable sometimes,” Hermione muttered, hardly realizing she said this aloud to Harry.

Harry cleared his throat, completely uncomfortable with Hermione complaining about Ron. He hated always being in the middle, even nowadays, and he would always try to avoid taking sides.

“Well, you two belong together. I suppose that's why you've fancied each other since what, fourth year?” Harry asked, shrugging.

“Harry!” Hermione frowned at him. “I never liked Ron in fourth year. Or fifth. I barely began fancying him in sixth, and it was more of a revenge thing than anything else.”

“Oh. R-Right.”

Hermione looked away from him and back at the television screen.

The two remained in silence for a good two minutes. They both couldn't help noticing just how close they were sitting. Hermione could feel the warmth of the blush on her cheeks. She sneaked a glance at Harry, only to discover he looked just as uncomfortable as she was.

“So - So how are things with Ginny?”

Harry's eyes left the screen and fell onto Hermione, and he looked as if he'd rather eat slugs than answer her question.

“They're better than ever,” he answered finally. “Yeah, I really care about her.”

“That's wonderful, Harry!”

A good part of her really meant it; as long as Harry was happy, she was happy for him, despite the fact that he was with someone she felt he didn't belong with.

“Thanks Hermione. You're always so supportive.”

Neither realized that they were sharing a smile, and that from afar this smile could have been seen as enticing, but to these two clueless friends either hardly noticed.

What Hermione really did consider a little “moment” was interrupted a split second later.

“Guess who's here!?” Ron called happily as he entered the living room again.

Ginny entered just behind her older brother, and both Harry and Hermione looked away from each other, their little mutual smile ending.

“I heard you were watching that Muggle movie Titanic! Well, I've always wanted to see it!” Ginny said as she rushed over to the sofa, forcing herself right between Harry and Hermione, making Hermione scoot over.

“How nice,” Hermione lied; she was tempted to scowl.

It's Golden Trio Movie night for a reason! Trio not quad! She thought angrily.

Ron sat down next to Hermione, smirking as he put his arm around her.

Hermione couldn't help but notice how Harry and Ginny were snuggling close, Ginny smirking just as Ron was, maybe more so.

It felt as if ever since she could remember, ever since the days of first year whenever Harry and her were on the verge of having a full “moment” it had always been interrupted by darker things or by Ron or someone else.

Perhaps, she thought miserably, It's a sign that Harry and I don't belong together…perhaps that's why fate always pulls us apart before we share a special bonding moment. It's fate, fate's against us.

&

A/N #2: Thank you for reading! You can expect the next update Saturday night or Sunday night at the very latest. Please review and check back Saturday/Sunday for the next installment.

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