Chapter 6
Just as their lips were about to touch…
"Tap…tap…tap."
Hermione moved her head away, slightly hitting it on Harry's shoulders.
A very put-out Harry said, "I'm so going to kill whoever is sending this owl…"
"Not if I beat you to it. Come on, let's go get the letter," said Hermione heading toward the other room.
"Yeah…and find out who the victim of our wrath will be," Harry replied following Hermione's lead.
"Tsk…tsk…tsk…the great Harry has a dark side…"
"Doesn't everyone?" laughed Harry.
"I guess so."
When you feel all alone
And the world has turned it's back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore
Hermione had reached the window, and removed the owl's burden. The owl flew off quickly, and Hermione opened the letter. She read it to herself, but upon reading it sat down on the floor from disbelief and pain.
"Hermione, what's wrong?"
She couldn't get the words forming in her brain to come out, so she simply handed Harry the letter.
Harry read,
Dear Hermione,
Look, ever since the trip, I can't stop thinking about you, or how I treated you. I really didn't mean what I did…well, I guess I did at the time, but I was a jerk then. And I swear I've changed! Honest! Well, I'm writing to see if you'll give me another chance…so, will you? Please write soon…
With love,
Viktor Krum.
"What did he do to you?!?!"
Hermione couldn't answer, much less look at Harry. But Harry knew the answer already…Krum broke her heart.
"Oh, Herm, I'm so sorry." Harry said immediately sitting down next to her to take her into his arms. Hermione let Harry wrap his arms around her and pull her head down into his lap to comfort her. As Hermione continued sobbing, Harry just kept saying words of reassurance to soothe Hermione from her pain.
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone
As Hermione wept softly in Harry's arms, a knock sounded at the door, and voice called out, "Hermione? Are you in there?" When neither Harry nor Hermione answered, Mrs. Granger opened the door softly and looked in on the two. When she saw Hermione crying, she opened her mouth to say something, but Harry quickly shook his head, "No." to warn her not to. Although she was still concerned about Hermione, she smiled softly and thought, "She'll be okay…he'll take good care of her." And with that thought, she quietly left the room, shutting the door behind her.
A few minutes later, Hermione's sobs had somewhat calmed down.
Harry softly said, "What did he do to you, Hermione?"
Hermione took a deep breath and through her tears, she said, "Remember how Krum invited me to go to Bulgaria with him?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, I went…and it was fun…the first couple of days. And then…I don't know…he just changed. He started trying feel me up…he would kiss me, but he wouldn't stop there…I told him to stop, but…he never would. And then, I'd pull away from him, and he'd get angry. At first, he'd just yell at me…"
When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face the day
As Hermione was talking, Harry felt tears coming into his eyes. "How could Krum treat her like this? Can't he see how sensitive she is? How there's so much more to her than her body? She's the best person I know and she doesn't deserve to be treated like that!" Harry thought that him trying to feel her up was bad, but her next words shocked Harry beyond reason.
"…But then, just before I was going home, he tried one last time. And said no…it's like…he just lost it. He told me that I could forget about ever seeing him again, and then…he hit me…" After Hermione got this out, she fell silent again.
Harry looked into Hermione's eyes, full of grief and pain, but this time he looked past the chocolate-colored coating, deeper and deeper until he felt like he had reached her soul. Hermione returned this stare just as intensely through her tears. Unconsciously, the two moved towards each other. When their lips were about an inch apart, Hermione stopped herself and pulled away.
"I can't do this…I'm sorry, Harry."
"Shhhh, it's okay. I'm not going to pressure you into anything."
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone
"Listen to me Hermione…what Krum did…that was him…not you. You did nothing to deserve that. Krum was, is…a jerk. And he probably always will be. He does not deserve a woman like you. He proved that when he treated you like you didn't matter…like you were just there to service him and his needs. That was, is and will never be true. You deserve to be treated like a princess…"
Hermione looked into his eyes as she listened to him and she could tell that he meant every word. Softly, she said, "Thanks, Harry…"
Harry just smiled sweetly at her and pulled her into the most meaningful hug of their lives thus far.
Because there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again
You'll breath again
Later on, Hermione had fallen asleep on the floor with her head resting on Harry's lap. Harry was softly stroking her hair when he had an idea to make Hermione feel better. He gently picked Hermione up into his arms and carried her to the bed. Then he left the room to go talk to Mrs. Granger.
Harry walked into the living room of the main house where he found Mrs. Granger sitting on the couch reading a book.
"Err, Mrs. Granger…?"
"Harry…where's Hermione?"
"She fell asleep…"
"Ahh, I see. Is she okay?"
"Honestly…no. But I have an idea that might make her feel better…"
***A/N: HAHAHAHA….cliffie!!!!***
***A/N: Oh, all right…I'll have some pity on you…***
***Keep going…***
***Ok, fine! Enough already!***
Mrs. Granger smiled, "That sounds like a good idea, Harry. You have my permission."
"Thanks, Mrs. Granger! You won't regret this!"
~*~*~*~
Dear Hagrid,
I need a favor…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Sorry…but you'll find out soon enough!)
Dear Harry,
Okay, it's all set up! It didn't take too long thanks to my trusty umbrella…*winks* Send Herm my love, won't `cha?
Love,
Hagrid
Harry smiled to himself and walked toward Hermione's bedroom.
Hermione was still peacefully sleeping on her bed when Harry entered the room. He walked over to the side of her bed. He watched her quietly for a few minutes before waking her up gently…
"Herm…Herm…wake up…"
Hermione stirred from her sleep… "Mmm…Harry?"
"I'm here, Herm."
When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please
To tame your wild, wild heart
"Good…" she said, sitting up to pull him into a hug.
Harry returned the hug, smiling… "This feels so right. After tonight, I'll never have any doubts about whether or not I'm in love with her. Whoa…did I just think that? Yeah…I did." Harry held on to her even tighter, as if he was scared to death that he'd lose her.
A few minutes later, Harry finally broke the hug, "Hermione…I have someplace I'd like to take you…"
"Okay," Hermione softly whispered.
Harry led her outside where he had placed his Firebolt. Hermione froze at the sight of it.
"Harry, no!"
Harry turned and looked into her eyes, "Herm…trust me?"
Hermione couldn't help smiling, but she let herself give in to him, "Okay, just…don't let anything happen to me, okay?"
"Hermione, I will never let anything happen to you…" he smiled and carefully pulled Hermione onto the broom with him. He rose slowly into the starry night sky…
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone
~~~~~~~~
A/N: The Song is "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden.