Author's note: Well, I said I'd have one more chapter up before I left on vacation! Here it is. I hope you like it. The next chapter will be little D.J. Malfoy's birthday party and Hermione will see Ginny for the first time in a long time. Should be interesting, huh? And how will Hermione react to Harry having a date? These questions will be answered in the next chapter of Sweet Home London…lol please read and review!
Chapter Eight
Why Don't You & I?
"So I'll say 'why don't you and I get together and take on the world
and be together forever
Heads we will and tails we'll try again'
So I say 'why don't you and I hold each other and fly to the moon
and straight on to heaven
Cause without you they're never going to let me in'
When's this fever going to break?
I think I've handled more than any man can take
I'm like a love-sick puppy chasing you around
ooo and it's alright
Bouncing round from cloud to cloud
I got the feeling like I'm never going to come down
If said I didn't like it then you know I'd lied"
("Why Don't You & I?" by Santana)
After a particularly grueling day in court, Andrew Keegan was looking forward to getting some much needed sleep. This case was talking a whole lot out of him and it was bound to get worse before it got better. He stopped off at the office to pick up some files and was nearly to the elevators when his secretary called him back.
"It's your father," she said apologetically. "I told you were almost out the door, but he insisted that I come and get you."
Andrew rolled his eyes and quickly walked back to his office. He sat down in his chair and picked up the telephone.
"Dad?"
"Andrew," Joe Keegan said. "I'm glad I caught you."
Andrew sighed. "What's up, Dad?"
"Well, your mother wanted to see if you and Hermione could join us for dinner on Sunday."
"Dad," Andrew said. "I thought I told you that Hermione's in London visiting her family."
"Oh," Joe said. "Well, that's nice, then. What did you say her parents did?"
"They're dentists, Dad," Andrew said impatiently. He wondered why his dad was suddenly so interested in Hermione's family history.
"Andrew," Joe said, a few seconds later. "What do you really know about this girl anyway?"
"I know that I love her very much," Andrew retorted. "And that should be good enough for you, because it's sure the hell good enough for me. Don't do this, Dad."
"Do what?"
"If you're thinking of looking into her past to find some skeletons in your closet, you can just forget it, okay? You won't find anything there. She's as straight arrow as they come."
"Andrew, we are a very high profile family," Joe said slowly. Andrew was trying hard to keep his emotions in check. It was hard to do when his father insisted on treating him like a three-year old child. "We're not the average family. I have high hopes for you and your future. Getting mixed up with some girl that you don't really know is only going to derail what you've worked so hard for."
Andrew fumed. "Dad, you have nothing to worry about with Hermione, okay? She makes me happy. She's smart, and sweet and funny. She's a school teacher for heaven's sake! It's not as if I'm dating a prostitute."
Joe didn't respond.
"Just leave it be," Andrew said. "For me. Just let it go."
"Alright, Andrew," Joe said. "I trust that you know what you're doing."
"Thank you," Andrew replied. "I'll see you this weekend, then?"
After a few more pleasantries were exchanged, Andrew hung up the phone and hoped for once his father would let this go.
******
Harry insisted on carrying Hermione's luggage back to the cottage. She'd said he needn't, but he'd insisted. Now, as they walked back into the cottage to the welcome delight of Sam, Hermione couldn't help but wonder what she'd been thinking when she'd agreed to stay with him.
"I'm proud of you, you know?" Harry said, as he sat down beside her on the sofa.
"Proud of me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "For what?"
"Visiting your parents," he said. "They really missed you, Hermione. I know it wasn't easy to see them, but you really handled it well."
Despite herself, Hermione smiled back at him. "Well, I handled that better than I did seeing you walk in to the house. You could have picked my jaw off the floor."
"Why is it so strange to you that I'm friends with your parents?" he asked her, laughing as Sam jumped up on the couch and perched his head on Hermione's leg. Hermione smiled down at the dog and petted him lovingly.
"Um, maybe because they were so against us getting married," she said sarcastically. "Come on, Harry. They never let us forget that they were against it."
"Well, they came around," Harry said. "You know they were just as excited as we were when the---" his voice trailed off.
Hermione's smile faded as she caught on to what he was about to say.
An uncomfortable silence followed as the two of them were unsure of what to say.
"So, what's this Andrew like?" Harry asked finally.
"Well, there's not much to tell," Hermione said uncomfortably. "He's a nice guy."
"Nice can be boring," Harry said, looking away from her.
Hermione laughed. "Nice can be boring? Well, there are certain people who would call you nice and I would hardly call you boring, Harry."
"Yeah, well there's nice and interesting and then there's nice and boring," Harry said. "Which category does your Andrew Keegan fall in?"
"Andrew is nice, period, okay?" Hermione asked, shifting in her seat. Sam looked up at her in surprise, but lay his head back down in her lap just the same.
"I take it he's a Muggle?" Harry asked.
"Yes," she said with a laugh. "He's about as Muggle as they come."
"And does he know who he's marrying?" Harry asked probingly. "Or better yet what he's marrying?"
"A woman with a stubborn soon to be ex-husband, you mean?"
"Well, that," Harry said, looking at her. "But, does he know everything else? Who you really are? Where you came from? Does he know about me? Does he know why you're really here?"
"Once an auror, always an auror," Hermione snapped at him. "Why do you have so many questions?"
"Well, if I'm giving my wife away, I want to know what sort of character she's getting herself involved with."
Hermione sighed. "Okay, to answer your questions. No, he doesn't know I'm a witch. No, he doesn't know I was married. He doesn't know why I'm really here, satisfied?"
Harry stared at her for a moment and then shook his head. "You're marrying this guy and you've not told him the truth?"
"Well, there hasn't been a right time to tell him the truth," Hermione said quietly. "And I plan on doing it."
"When?"
"When I think its best," Hermione said crossly.
"Uh-huh," Harry said, not at all sounding convinced.
Hermione wasn't about to tell him that she'd struggled with these same questions herself. She knew it wasn't right to keep secrets from someone she cared about.
"I just left that life behind, Harry," Hermione said looking away from him. "That's not who I am, anymore."
He stared at her and his gaze was so penetrating, Hermione had to look away.
"What?" she asked.
"Who are you?" he asked her, his green eyes focused on her, willing her to look at him. "I feel sorry for Andrew because he's missing out."
Hermione looked up at him them, a confused expression on her face.
"He doesn't know you, Hermione," Harry continued. "He doesn't know the life you led. He doesn't know about your childhood. He doesn't know how smart and amazingly brilliant you really are. He doesn't know about the prejudices you faced while we were at Hogwarts just because you weren't 'pure-blooded'. He doesn't know how amazingly strong you were to withstand the pressure you were under. He didn't see how you stood up to your parents and everyone else when they told you to stay away from that Harry Potter kid. He doesn't know how much your love and courage and friendship meant to me. He doesn't know how it feels when someone as amazing as you walks out of his life. He doesn't know how special you really are, Hermione."
A tear fell down Hermione's cheek as she listened to Harry. She didn't dare move.
Harry's eyes never left hers as he leaned closer to her. Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat as their faces were inches apart.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Harry pulled back abruptly at the sound of a ringing coming from Hermione's purse. She pushed back a strand of her hair as she pulled her mobile telephone from her bag.
"Hello?" she said hoarsely into the phone.
"Andrew!" she exclaimed, getting to her feet. "What are you doing calling this late? I know the time difference, but still."
Harry sighed and got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. He didn't know this Andrew at all and couldn't help thinking that the bloke had crummy timing.
"Come on, Sam," he called to the dog and went over to the cupboard to pull out a tin of dog food. He opened the can quickly and poured it into Sam's dog dish. He tried not to conspicuously listen to Hermione's end of the conversation as he watched Sam tuck into his food.
"Well, I'm going to be a little bit longer than expected," he heard her say. "My friend Ron's getting married in a few weeks and I'd really like to be here for it."
Harry suppressed a smile at this news.
"No, well term ended last week so I don't think it'll be a problem," he heard her say. "How's your case?"
Harry walked back into the sitting room and saw that Hermione was now sitting back down on the couch.
"Well, get some sleep, then," she said a few minutes later. "Okay, I love you, too."
She hung up the phone and looked sheepishly at Harry.
"Sorry about that," she said.
"No need to apologize," he said.
"So, where am I sleeping?" she asked.
"Why don't you take the bedroom?" he asked her. "I'll just crash here on the sofa."
"I can't do that," Hermione said quickly. "This is your cottage now, not mine. You should sleep in the bedroom. I can crash here on the sofa."
"Nonsense," Harry said, walking over to the closet and pulling out a blanket and a pillow and setting them down on the sofa. "If it's my house and you're my guest, I say you get the bedroom and I being the ever genial host will take the sofa."
"Okay," Hermione said, with a slight smile. "If you're sure."
"Positive," Harry said. "I told Luna and Ron we'd meet them tomorrow afternoon for lunch."
"Okay," Hermione said walking over to the door and pulling her suitcase behind her as she made her way to the bedroom. She turned back to see Harry laying the blanket out on the sofa and wanted to say something to him about what he'd said earlier and how they'd almost kissed, but she didn't think that was a subject she should broach now. "I guess I'll be going to bed now."
"Me, too," Harry said, fluffing the pillow before putting it down on the sofa. Sam came barreling into the sitting room just then and jumped happily onto the sofa to Harry's chagrin.
"Sam!" Harry said. "That's not your bed!"
Hermione laughed. "I think he'd disagree with you, Harry."
Harry gave her a mock scowl. "Take his side, why don't you?"
"You're on your own with this one," she said, laughing as Harry tried to nudge Sam from the sofa. Sam was not moving one muscle and seemed to be relishing in Harry's impatience.
"This dog is a test of my patience," Harry said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Ron swears up and down that Crookshanks spirit was reincarnated into Sam here. I'm inclined to agree."
Hermione laughed. "Well, good night, Harry. Good night, Sam."
Harry watched as she pulled her suitcase into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
"Welcome home, Hermione."
*********************
Ron and Luna arrived at The Three Broomsticks at just after noon. Ron had a practice later with the team, and Luna was on assignment for The Quibbler, which meant she was going to do some wedding shopping after lunch.
They found a quiet table near the back and placed their orders with Rosmerta who congratulated them on their engagement. When they were alone, Luna looked at Ron and said, "Now, don't take this the wrong way, but don't say anything stupid when they get here."
"How can I not take that the wrong way?" Ron asked, taken aback. "Besides, I do have some sense of decorum."
"You?" Luna asked.
"Me!"
"Just don't go shooting off at the mouth," Luna said. "I know how you like to get into little rows with Hermione and all, but just keep cool. The last thing she and Harry need is for you to have a major blowout with her, okay?"
"Alright," Ron said. "But, you know those little rows that Hermione and I have? They're part of who we are. If we didn't have those, we wouldn't have much of anything. It's part of our charm."
"Uh-huh," Luna said, looking at her menu. She looked up to say something to him, but stopped when she saw Harry and Hermione approaching their table.
"Hi!" Luna exclaimed, getting to her feet to give Hermione a hug.
"Let someone else have a hug, too, Luna!" Ron exclaimed, getting to his feet and giving Hermione a big bear hug.
"Where the hell have you been?" he asked when he let go of Hermione. At this, Luna smacked him over the head with her menu.
"Ow!" Ron said, rubbing his head.
"See, Hermione," Harry said, taking a seat beside Ron. "I told you, they're already acting like an old married couple as it is."
Lunch went well. They trio plus Luna shared details of their lives---career, family, details about old school friends. When time came for Harry to talk about his career, he was tightlipped to Hermione's surprise.
"Working on something top secret, then?" she asked conspiratorially.
"No," he said, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"Well, then why aren't you divulging any details of your dangerous lifestyle," Hermione teased.
"Maybe because he's left all that behind," Ron chimed in.
"What?" Hermione asked, taken aback by this news. Harry loved being an auror. She never in a million years would have thought he'd walk away from that.
"I quit," Harry said simply.
"But why?" Hermione asked. "You never mentioned anything to me."
"Well, you didn't ask," Harry responded. "And it's not as if I had your telephone number in the States to tell you."
Hermione frowned. "So, what are you going to do now?"
"Well, that's the twenty-thousand galleon question," Luna said. "Harry's been sort of secretive about that."
Hermione looked at Harry and touched his shoulder. "What are you going to do?"
"I have something in the works," he said evasively.
He needed to get the topic of conversation away from this. He wasn't ready to share his plans with anyone, least of all Hermione, at the moment. Looking for help, he kicked Luna under the table. She jumped, startled and caught Harry's eye and nodded.
"Hey, Hermione?" Luna asked. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor since you're going to be staying for the wedding and all. I was hoping you'd do me the honor of serving as my maid of honor."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed "Thank you!" to Luna.
"Me?" Hermione asked, staring at her friend.
Luna nodded. "You can't very well be Ron's best man and I don't really have a best girl friend, so I
was hoping you'd save me the embarrassment and stand up with me."
Hermione smiled warmly at her. "I'd be honored."
"Fan-bloody-tastic," Luna said.
"Here, here!" Ron chimed in. "The best man, the groom, the bride and the maid of honor."
"I prefer the term better man," Harry said as Ron scowled and the two girls laughed.
"For once he's going to be second banana to his sidekick and he's worried about terms," Ron said. "If it makes you feel any better we can call you 'The Best Man Who Lived'."
This time it was Harry who scowled and he threw a roll at Ron.
"Hey!" Ron said in protest. "You can call me any name you want. You can insult my wife to be and my best female friend, but if you waste good food, I'll be forced to flatten you."
Luna leaned in and whispered to Hermione, "I've got my hands full with this one, don't I?"
"Yes, you do," Hermione whispered back. "But, he needs someone like you. You can handle him."
"I hope so," Luna said with a laugh. She got to her feet and motioned for Hermione to do the same.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked in surprise.
"I'm taking my maid of honor dress shopping," Luna said breezily. "That is if she doesn't have anything planned?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'm free all afternoon."
"Great," Luna said, grabbing her purse. "Well, let's get a move on, then."
Luna walked over to Ron and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"We'll meet up with you later for D.J.'s birthday party, right?" Luna asked. "You did pick your nephew up a present, didn't you?"
Ron looked sheepishly at his fiancée. "Of course!"
"Uh-huh," Luna said. "Stop by the Toy Menagerie on your way."
"Yes, ma'am," Ron said as he watched Luna and Hermione head out of the pub.
"I completely forgot about D.J.'s party," Harry said. "I'm supposed to meet up with Lisa!"
"Oh," Ron said. "Well, use it to your advantage. Make your wife jealous!"
"I can't do that, Ron," Harry said, shaking his head. "That wouldn't be fair to Lisa."
"Well, what are you going to do then?"
"I have no bloody idea!" Harry responded.
*****