Never Yours

A/N: Wow! I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed last chapter! All of my reviews made me smile. =)

& - 6

Their eyes opened and they discovered they had fallen asleep next to each other, one of Harry's arms swathed over her waist protectively. For a moment neither of them moved as the pounding on the door continued and Ginny's voice continued to shout Hermione's name.

They didn't move because they didn't want this to end.

It was sheer solace like this, together, falling asleep with the warmth of each other.

Hermione couldn't remember a night when she'd slept so well and felt so safe.

And it was with the greatest regret that they sat up on her bed, and Harry's arm left her and she instantly felt disappointment rise up into her chest.

“Is that Ginny?” he asked confusedly. His hair was even more ruffled than usual; it was adorable.

Hermione knew she had no real right to be upset with Ginny, but she was. She was bitter and she resented Ginny for ending the tranquility between Harry and herself.

“I suppose it is,” Hermione said regretfully. She made to stand from the bed when Harry's hand closed around her arm to stop her.

Surprised, she twisted her body to look over at him, her heart beating frantically against her chest.

The way Harry was looking at her…she couldn't put it into words. It was intense and it was affectionate both at the same time.

“Harry…” she began and trailed off.

“I want you to know,” he told her quietly, “That I really am going to bring them to justice, Hermione.”

She was touched by the promise in his words and in his voice, and she nodded.

“I know you will, Harry.”

“A-And I want you to know that if - if they had…” he seemed once again to be struggling with his words. He looked annoyed with himself before he tried again. “Hermione, I'm just so glad you're safe.”

She was melting. She loved this man so much, and she loved the way that even though he never did tell her the exact words she wanted to hear, he still always made her feel…he always made sure she knew she meant something important to him, even if he was usually vague about it.

Hermione turned fully around and she crawled slightly back onto the bed, tossing her arms around him in a hug. He held her back, as if assuring himself one last time that she was real and that she was okay.

She looked up from his shoulder and their eyes locked, their faces an inch apart, and if you were watching from afar you would have thought they were about to kiss.

She wanted it and she was sure he did too.

Kiss him, she told herself. Go on. Kiss him. This time for real.

Her eyes closed and his did too as they slowly inched forward and their lips brushed against each other so gently, so softly as Hermione quickly came to her senses.

No. I can't. Ginny is my friend. I can't do this to her. I won't.

Quickly she backed away, stammering to her feet, a flustered look about her.

“Hermione…”

“Harry, I think you ought to go,” she said shakily, crossing her arms in front of her. “Ginny's outside and - and imagine what she'd think if she found you here.”

Harry gazed at her for some five seconds, like he was tempted to disagree, but he eventually caved in and stood from her bed. With a loud pop he was gone, and the moment that he was Hermione felt like crying out in frustration.

She wanted him so badly and the thought that she'd never have him was killing her.

“HERMIONE!” Ginny barked from outside the front door. “HERMIONE, OPEN UP! NOW!”

Her frustrations were put on hold as she left her bedroom, hurried down the hall, and entered the living room. She stepped to the door and pulled it open to come face to face with a red-faced Ginny Weasley.

She looked livid.

Ginny marched inside without a word to Hermione, looking in every direction as if she expected to find something there. She continued across the living room, nearing the hallway.

Hermione shut the door, turning back around to watch Ginny search her apartment.

“What are you looking for, Ginny?” she asked. She forced herself to sound casual and not irritated.

“What took you so long answering?” Ginny asked in return, completely ignoring Hermione's question.

“I was asleep, Ginny.”

“Really? Well, I don't remember you being that heavy of a sleeper.”

“Some things change,” she said matter-of-factly.

Ginny stopped right at the hallway entrance and she turned around to glare at Hermione from across the room.

“I spoke with Ron,” she said as if this was supposed to mean something to Hermione.

“Oh.” That was all Hermione said. She really wasn't interested in the slightest. In fact, she wanted Ginny gone as soon as possible.

“He told me you broke up with him.” Ginny sounded cold and loutish-like.

“Ginny,” Hermione said, dropping down onto her sofa. “I broke up with Ron weeks ago. It was mutual, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. But I also remember you telling Ron you wanted him back just the other day.”

“How can you remember that? You weren't even there.”

The tension was growing thicker between them and they both felt it. It kept escalating and escalating, soon to explode.

“I know I wasn't there, thanks!” Ginny snarled, her fists to her waist. “But Ron told me what happened! He asked you to get back together and you said - ”

“Maybe. I said maybe, Ginny. And in fact I should've said no, because I didn't want to get back together at all,” Hermione interrupted with pure bluntness. “The only reason I didn't say no was because I didn't want to hurt Ron's feelings.”

“Oh, I get it. So you pity him now?”

“Ginny, please don't put words into my mouth. I don't appreciate it. You weren't there, so I think you should shut your gab about it,” Hermione suggested.

Ginny's eyes narrowed; Hermione wondered with bitter amusement if she were going to “threaten” her with her Bat-Bogey Hex.

“So you're going to just leave Ron in the dust like that?” Ginny asked after a short pause.

Hermione frowned and nodded her head.

“No, I'm not leaving him in the dust. I just think we don't belong together.”

“You don't want to give it another try?”

“No, Ginny. I don't.”

“Why not?”

“Why are you trying to push us back together?” Hermione questioned suspiciously. “Why do you want Ron and me back together so badly?”

So that I'll be out of the way from Harry, right? Oh Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…

She really was beginning to pity the girl.

“Ron's hurt,” Ginny replied with restraint. “I don't like to see my brother hurt. I don't think that's a crime, you know.”

“Ginny, really, why are you here?” Hermione asked her when Ginny peeked down the hall, craning her neck to see into Hermione's bedroom.

Ginny looked back over at Hermione.

“You want to know something I found strange?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Harry didn't come home last night.”

“Home? I didn't know Harry and you shared a home together.”

“We don't. But he didn't come back to his flat last night. I was there. I waited for him.”

“Really?” Hermione said uninterestedly. “Well, that's quite strange, Ginny. You are right.”

“Cut the wit, Hermione!” Ginny yelled suddenly. “Where was he? Was he at Ron's? Was he here?”

“Why would Harry be here?” Hermione asked. “Go ask Ron now, all right? Nothing fishy is going on.”

Ginny nodded her head in complete aggravation and she spun on her heel and started down Hermione's hallway as if to really make sure Hermione wasn't lying. Hermione stood from the sofa and followed Ginny down the hallway and into her bedroom.

“See?” she said when they entered the empty bedroom. “Are you satisfied now? Or do you want to check the drawers and cabinets? He could be hiding there.”

“Hermione, I know you! I know when you're lying!” Ginny growled, spinning back around to face her. “Harry was here last night you liar! Ron told me he was coming to visit you!”

Hermione shifted on her feet. She hadn't been expecting Ginny to say that. Indeed they were caught, sort of.

“Well, he did come visit me,” Hermione admitted sincerely. “But he didn't stay long.”

Ginny laughed loudly. “Do you think I'm an idiot? Tell me the truth - the WHOLE truth!”

All right. Why not? She thought uncaringly.

“Okay, Ginny, you're right. That isn't the whole truth. Harry came over to see me about - about why I'd been acting odd lately. We had a good chat. It was late and we both fell asleep. That's all,” Hermione explained without much detail.

Ginny looked angrier than Hermione had ever seen her to be in all of the years she had known her.

“You both fell asleep? Where? In your bed?”

Hermione sighed. “Yes, but - ”

She didn't get to finish her sentence. Ginny slapped her across the face so hard her head automatically snapped to her right. Hermione turned her head back, her hand coming to her cheek as she gaped at Ginny with her jaw-dropped.

She couldn't believe Ginny had slapped her.

“Stay away from my boyfriend!” Ginny warned. “I always knew you'd try to take him away! Ever since my fifth year I knew! You want Harry it's so obvious…it's written all over your face whenever you're around him. You want to be me. You want to be the one that he kisses and holds and makes loves to! You want to be the one he cares most about. You want that! I've always known!”

Hermione lowered her hand from her cheek, her throat hurting and her eyes stinging.

She didn't know why, but she wasn't furious. She should've been…Ginny had slapped her and was now shouting right in her face. She supposed she couldn't be angry with her when all that she said was true, for the most part anyway.

“You should know!” Ginny said cruelly, “That Harry'll never NEVER like you as more than his bookworm friend. You're friends. Get that through your thick, book-obsessed skull! He likes funny, witty, athletic girls like me. That's what he likes.”

Say something…anything. Defend yourself! Don't let her tell you off!

“You don't know Harry as well as you think you do,” she told her. “Yes, maybe it was wrong for Harry to stay overnight, and yes it was even more wrong for him to fall asleep in my bed. But nothing happened, Ginny. I'm your friend. I wouldn't - ”

“You wouldn't,” Ginny interrupted with a laugh. “As if you could. Hermione, for your own good Harry adores me. Stop acting as if he's interested in you; you'll only make a fool of yourself. He and you are friends…he wouldn't have ever - ”

“Get out,” Hermione interrupted in return. She wasn't this childish. She didn't want to argue anymore. “Just go, Ginny. If you dislike me so much stop coming over so much, please. Thanks.”

“Okay. I'll leave,” Ginny said, shrugging. She left Hermione's bedroom and headed back into the living room.

Hermione followed her as she walked, glad that she was finally leaving.

Ginny pulled open the front door, pausing slightly.

“Remember, though, I better not catch you anywhere near my boyfriend, Hermione,” she warned one last time.

Hermione tried to stop from scoffing, but she couldn't help it. She scoffed in amusement.

“Ginny, he was my best friend long before he was your boyfriend,” she pointed out. “So please stop referring to Harry as `my boyfriend'. He has a name. Bye.”

She ushered her out, shutting the door and locking it.

Once alone Hermione sighed, leaning against her front door, and she closed her eyes as she tried to think straight.

Perhaps Ginny is right. Maybe I should lie off of spending so much time around Harry. As much of a wench as Ginny is being, I'm not going to betray her. Harry is her boyfriend and I have to accept that and respect it, she concluded rationally.

&

She couldn't handle the lonely silence of her flat. She tried to sit by the fire and finish the novel she had been reading over the past few days, but she couldn't. The silence was too loud and she needed to see people.

And yet the people she was usually around - her friends - weren't very available at the moment.

She was trying to stay away from Harry. Ron and she were on rocky terms. She and Ginny weren't seeing eye-to-eye at the moment. And Luna - well, she couldn't frankly imagine herself and Luna spending quality bonding time together.

Hermione grabbed one of her cloaks and Apparated from her flat to the very entrance of Diagon Alley.

She walked cautiously down the sidewalk, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as she silently repeated over and over again that it was all right to be here. It was Diagon Alley, not Knockturn Alley. As long as she stayed away from - from that place she'd be okay.

It started to sprinkle that dreary January afternoon and the streets of Diagon were emptying as everyone tried to get out of the coming rain.

Hermione didn't. She put the hood of her cloak up, and continued walking down the sidewalk as if she knew where she was going.

She just wanted to be around people; she didn't want to feel that great, big void inside of her any more.

“Hey Hermione!”

She stopped and looked over her shoulder to see Neville waving through the light rain. A smile came to her face as she slowly walked towards him, feeling so stupid for forgetting about Neville! Neville was her friend. How could she have forgotten about Neville?

“Neville,” she said as he met her halfway.

“How are you, Hermione?” he asked. He still did have that goofy smile.

“I'm - I'm,” she said, pausing. She didn't want to lie. She was terrible. “I'm not so good. How about you?”

He shrugged. “I've been better! But there isn't much of a good reason why I should be complaining. Well, I better go. I came to pick up some things for Gran. Bye Hermione.”

The smile left her face as her friend turned away and left. She had felt good for those five seconds…

She sighed shakily and turned back around to continue down the sidewalk. Only, she stepped right into someone a few inches taller than her.

Instant fear came to her as she fumbled for her wand inside her cloak pocket.

”Stay away!” she said immediately, and she felt quite ridiculous when she saw that it was Harry.

He hadn't moved since she had walked into him.

“Harry,” she gasped. “I'm sorry. I'm…still a bit…”

“Jumpy? Scared? Traumatized?” he offered.

“Well, yes. I don't think that'll be going away any time soon.” She pocketed her wand. “What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have Auror training?”

He shrugged. “I didn't go today.”

“Why not?”

“Because I visited Knockturn Alley instead.”

“What? Harry, don't you ever go over there!” she said worriedly. “Please, really, don't! They're dozens of dark wizards and witches over there, Harry. I know - I know you want to pay them back, but just forget it…”

“Forget it? How can you say that? The Hermione I know wouldn't let the opportunity to get justice slip away!”

“Fine! You want justice go to the Magical Law Enforcement!” she countered. “Don't go trying to fight them on your own.”

He looked down at her, like he was considering her words.

“I found Malfoy,” Harry said. “We had a little chat about the other night.”

“What did you say to him? Harry, he rescued me!”

A spark of jealousy flashed in Harry's emerald eyes before it vanished a second later.

“I know he did, but he also knew who your attackers were.”

“Stop.” She looked at him with disappointment. “Stop trying to play the hero, Harry!”

She grew timid suddenly when the look Harry was now giving her made her cheeks go warm and red. He was looking at her with this deep sort of scrutinizing gaze and she wondered what he was suddenly staring at.

“What?” she said bemusedly.

His hand came to her cheek and she thought she'd faint; she thought he was going to kiss her.

So much for `staying away' from Harry, she thought dazedly. She had lasted a full seven hours…

“Where did you get this?” Harry asked her, referring to the faint red mark on the side of her cheek from where Ginny had slapped her. “I - I don't remember that from last night.”

She quickly tried to think of something to tell him, anything but the truth. She didn't want to tell him Ginny had slapped her. She knew it would only cause trouble, and really, she didn't want anymore trouble…

“It was,” she lied. “It was there last night.”

Harry nodded his hand still on her cheek.

“No, it wasn't. Who slapped you?”

Why does he have to know me so well? She sighed in thought. It was annoying sometimes.

Harry knew her just as well as she did him, and they both could usually tell when the other was lying.

“Why do you have to know everything?” she asked.

“Was it Ginny?” he guessed.

Yes.

“No!”

“It was, wasn't it?”

Those damn captivating emerald eyes of his burned into her light brown one's as he searched for an answer.

She sighed. There wasn't any use in keeping it from him any longer. She barely became aware that the rain was now coming down harder and faster; the streets were mostly abandoned by now as most shop owners decided to close up early for the day.

“Yes, she did. But - But don't go making a big deal about - Harry! Harry, where are you going?”

He had turned around in the middle of her sentence and began to walk away.

She started after him, careful not to slip on the watery cobblestone sidewalk.

“Harry, where are you going?”

“I'm going to have a nice chat with Ginny,” Harry said, and then with a pop he was gone, and Hermione was left staring at nothing but the falling rain.

&

A/N: Thank you for reading. Of course, now it'd be extremely nice of you to review. I think you guys have caught on with the updates of this story, right? Well, in case you haven't: expect the next part to come Friday night/Saturday night. Thank you again and have a good day.