Chapter 16 - The Truth
Harry's mouth dropped to the ground because the sight that he saw was one that he did not expect. Hermione stood before him, smiling and blushing furiously as the necklace Harry had given her was glowing very brightly. Harry walked over to her, squinting his eyes from the blinding light and looking down at the necklace with a quizzical look.
"Oh gosh," Harry said, scratching the back of his head. "I'm terribly sorry Hermione, it's broken. I should've known that the guy that sold this to me was ripping me off."
Hermione let out a groan of impatience.
"Harry," she said, putting her hand under his chin to make him look into her eyes. Those eyes, thought Hermione, its been so long since I've seen them. They've gotten so much more gorgeous these past few months. Hermione swallowed before continuing. "What did you tell me this necklace is supposed to do?"
"What?" he asked, feeling a bit awkward that Hermione was holding his face to make him look at her… into those eyes… I miss you so much Hermione, he thought.
"What's this necklace supposed to do?" she repeated. "You said something about giving it to…"
"The person you love," finished Harry. "And if the person loves you back, then its supposed to glow."
"Well?" said Hermione, motioning toward the item around her neck. "Don't you see anything Harry?"
"Yeah I know it's glowing Hermione," he answered, thinking that she thought he was stupid. Not only was she already with someone else, but now she had to rub in the fact that Harry couldn't have been anymore cheap by giving her an out of order gift. "But its broken."
"What makes you say that?" she asked, waiting anxiously for an answer.
"Well…" muttered Harry, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and scratching is head again, "its not supposed to be glowing."
"Why?"
"Because…" Harry muttered something that wasn't very audible.
"What was that Harry?"
"Because… you… don't… love me… anymore," he replied in a very soft whisper. "It's only supposed to glow when you give it to the one you love and he or she loves you back." There was a long silence before Hermione spoke.
"The necklace isn't broken Harry," she explained, stepping closer to him. "I still love you Harry, and the glow on this necklace proves it." Harry felt a shiver go down his spine as his ears registered what Hermione had said. His face was filled with mixed feelings of bewilderment and happiness. Hermione knew this, because Harry's emerald green eyes never lied.
"But what about…"
"Never mind that Harry." Hermione interrupted by putting a finger to his lips. "Forget the past. Forget about the cheating. Forget Serine, forget Xavier, forget the fights, forget the misunderstandings,… and forget that I ever broke up with you…"
"What?"
"I was the foolish and stupid one Harry," she admitted. "I was stupid for ever thinking that you would ever cheat on me. But now I know the truth, and I'm sorry." Harry was feeling happier by the minute, much happier than he had ever felt in the past few months. But there were still some things that didn't make sense.
"Why the change of mind all of a sudden? I mean, what made you change your mind?" he asked.
"Well," started Hermione innocently, putting both her hands on his shoulders and rubbing them subtlety, "how does… 'Irrisistol!' sound?" It took Harry a few seconds before he realized what she had done. His eyebrows dropped and suddenly, he felt very disgusted.
"You read my journal!?" he shouted, his voice echoing the secret common room.
"I did," she said nonchalantly.
"What did you do that for!?" he asked, the same intensity in his voice. Hermione removed her arms from his shoulders and took a step back as a reaction. She was shocked at what his reaction was. Sure she knew he was going to get mad, but not like this!
"I didn't think you'd mind…" she said in an apologetic way, her voice in a soft whisper.
"DIDN'T THINK I'D MIND! OF COURSE I'D MIND! HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF I READ YOUR DIARY!? READ ALL YOUR SECRETS AND DESIRES!?"
Hermione didn't answer. It was her turn to be on the receiving end as she bowed her head and tried hard not to cry.
"I don't believe this," Harry said, shaking his head. "I'm out of here." He wanted to turn around and get out of the room, feeling too appalled with Hermione to even look at her, when suddenly… he couldn't. He stood there a few moments, feeling very stupid.
"I thought you were leaving?" said Hermione scornfully, not lifting her head up.
"I was," retorted Harry. "But as stupid as this may sound as much as I look, I… can't."
Immediately, Hermione's head shot up to him. She remembered what she had said a few moments ago… "Irrisistol"…
"What are you smiling at me for?" Harry asked, seeing the small smile on Hermione's face. "Help me!"
"You can't leave Harry," she explained.
"And why not?" he said, in a way that Hermione would say it.
"You're under a spell Harry… I accidentally used Serine's spell on you ," she said, walking closer to him.
"This is just great!" said Harry angrily. "Do you know the counter-curse for this?"
"I want to give you something too Harry," she replied, ignoring Harry's question and coming so close to him that Harry could properly examine her face. It was wet from fresh tears he had not seen Hermione shed.
"I don't need anything from you in return Hermione," said Harry. "Just keep the necklace as a token."
"You want nothing from me?" she asked, pressing her forehead to Harry.
"No Hermione. Nothing."
"Not even… me?"