Chapter Thirteen
They sat in relative silence throughout the film, disturbed only by requests for the ice cream tub, cookies or butter beer to be passed back and forth, and laughter and comments on the film both had seen several times. They sat, Hermione leaning against Harry, her head on his shoulder, his arm around her shoulders, playing with her hair.
Only when the credits began to roll across the screen at the end of the film did Harry turn to his best friend with an enquiring look in his eyes.
"Ok, I'm ready to talk about it now." She conceded, sadness in her eyes.
"He wasn't there when I got back home, he had gone out with a friend of ours, and was getting drunk as Dave tried to control him, we managed to get him back on soft drinks, and then I drove him home, but we just sat talking in the car outside his house for hours. It just seemed easier somehow, like neutral territory…I'd been thinking before I'd gone to find him…I knew things weren't right between us and that I couldn't marry him, but I'm not sure I thought we'd break up…but, well, he really couldn't handle the whole magic thing obviously. He's a better actor and liar than I ever imagined, apparently he was pretty horrified with everything I've told him and shown him about the magical world. It's just too much for him to understand, too overwhelming…and, well, he was never exactly nice about you and Ron, but I figured he was just saying those things to cope with the fact that I lived with you two…I guess it just got to be even more than that when he knew the truth, but he still couldn't understand what the three of us have, why we're so close. I guess if you didn't live through the war you're never going to really understand…"
Harry nodded sympathetically.
"He tried to start to ask me to choose between the Muggle and the Wizarding world, which I would never do. I could never live in just one world; I'm part of both of them. It's who I am…but things really ended when he then asked me to see less of you and Ron…at least he knew me well enough not to ask me to cut you out, but honestly, like I'd ever want to see less of my best friends. Well, I'd already come to that realisation earlier, before I even spoke to him, that I could never give you two up, especially you, but I could cope with giving Jack up. How terrible is that? My fiancée was dispensable to me. I'm such a horrible person for convincing myself that I was so in love him, and that I wanted to marry him. I just got caught up in everything, and it seemed like everything was perfect. I mean, he really is a great guy, a perfect guy, but not for me. We talked for ages and I think he knew it was coming, I think he knew all along I didn't love him in that way. We're not going to speak for a bit, but hopefully after a while we can pick up our friendship. I've known him for so long I wouldn't want to throw that away because we almost, well, we sort of got engaged by mistake." Hermione said. Letting out a long sigh, grateful to get everything out in one long go. Harry kissed her on the top of the head.
"You really love me and Ron more than him?" He asked her teasingly. She looked at him and laughed.
"You are so annoying." She said with a grin.
"But you love me anyway."
"Yeah I love you anyway. Now, give me more ice cream before I tickle you!"