A/N: Oh, for Pete's sake, I get it, you don't like it when they fight, but seriously, would it be as interesting without the fights, and for now, you just need to trust me when I say, it's imperative to the plot. Okay, now I'm gonna start leaving little teasers at the end of the chapters, keep in mind it may not happen all in the same chapter, but it will happen soon! R & R, it makes me feel special!
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"We're what?" Hermione asked.
"Through," Harry said firmly, "I don't care about how much you think you were saving me, the fact that I died, is a pretty big deal to me, and definitely not something that should be kept from me." Harry said, "Don't make this harder than it already is!"
"Oh, I'm sorry…" Hermione said, unsuccessfully trying to hold back the tears. "I'm so terribly sorry this is hard for you." She said turning away from him. "I was just trying to protect you!"
"What is it that you are always telling me, don't try to save you, you don't need it, why did you think it would be any different for me, the door swings both ways." Harry said. Hermione sat down.
"I don't know what I was thinking!" she said quietly and then looked up at him, "But what about us? We love each other, why can't we work through this?" Harry looked down. "You can't even answer me, what can't think of an excuse why you need to cut yourself off from the world this time?"
"Lashing out won't make it stop hurting!" Harry said
"Really, because I fell a whole lot better lashing out than I do keeping it all inside!" Hermione said.
"Why are you angry, I'm the one who has been kept in the dark about this, I should be the one angry, tell me what other deep, dark secrets are you keeping inside, got a family, a child? Is that why you were so hesitant to talk about your summer, are you still seeing Viktor, was I just there for you when he wasn't?" Harry said harshly. Hermione stood up and slapped him.
"How dare you!" she said, "I gave you everything and you are just throwing it away. Okay, so I lied about one little thing, it's not worth throwing away what we have over it." Hermione said, "Please!" Harry stood there, not moving, then after a while he walked towards the door and opened it.
"Maybe, its not the right thing to do…but if we're meant to be together, then we will be, but right now it's hard for me to look at you, knowing you kept that from me, so please, just leave and we'll see where things take us through Christmas." Harry said sadly "We can't go back, but maybe we can move forward, just not now!"
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The next week was not easy for either of them, Lavender spent all night trying to comfort Hermione, while Harry distanced himself farther and farther from everyone. Everyone noticed and the day before Christmas break, Sirius couldn't take it anymore.
"Harry," Sirius said, stopping him from leaving the classroom, "I need to talk to you!" Harry walked to him and sat down in front of him.
"Yeah?" Harry asked
"Mind telling me what's going on between you and Hermione?" Sirius asked, getting to the point. After a long pause, Sirius sighed, "Typical teen…"
"What did you and Hermione talk about that day she got out of the hospital wing?" Harry asked quietly.
Sirius stared at Harry and knew instantly that he knew, "Harry…"
"How could you…." Harry said standing up, "How could you keep something like this from me?"
"Harry you have to understand…" Sirius tried.
"No, no I don't not on something like this!" Harry said stepping away.
"Listen Harry it's not like you were the only one left in the dark on this…" Sirius said, "I mean your parents don't even know, only me and Hermione, and maybe Dumbledore, you know you can't always tell if he knows or not." Sirius tried with a laugh.
"How could you keep this from me, I mean if it was about you," Harry began
"But it isn't about you!" Sirius interjected
"I'd be more understanding…" Harry continued.
"It's not about you…" Sirius said again
"I WAS THE ONE WHO DIED!" they both shouted together. Their eyes never left each others, "What?" they said in unison.
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Hermione couldn't find him, and as much as her pride told her that she didn't want to see him, she was
aching inside. She was in her room packing her things up for Christmas. Dumbledore had told her to take everything, not
knowing how long she was going to be gone. Lost in thought she didn't hear the door open and close, until she felt
a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, surprised to come face to face with Lavender.
"What are you doing?" Lavender asked looking at Hermione's trunk.
"I'm packing, for Christmas!" she said walking over to her dresser.
"Rubbish! Why would you be packing this much if you were just packing for Christmas!" Lavender said crossing her arms over her chess.
Hermione turned to look at her, "I have to make the arrangements, for my parents." She said quietly.
"Oh, Hermione…I'm so sorry!" she said taking a step towards her, only to have Hermione move backwards.
"I don't need your sympathy!" Hermione said turning back to her dresser.
"Hermione, where are you staying?" Lavender asked, "You know, for Christmas?"
"Well, I have to stay at my house, because that's where the funeral is being held!" Hermione said carrying her clothes to her trunk and closing it, "Why?"
"Because, I'm coming with you!" Lavender said turning to her dresser and pulling out her clothes.
"What? You were going to Ron's for Christmas! You can't ditch him!" Hermione said, but when Lavender wouldn't stop Hermione walked over to her.
"Hermione, Ron has a big family, you have no one, and I won't let you spend Christmas by yourself, sad!" Lavender said packing ridiculously fast, "I'll be damned if I let Harry Potter ruin your Christmas!"
"Fine!" Hermione sighed in defeat, "But I have to go talk to Dumbledore, I'll meet you in the common room." She said turning towards the door only to be stopped by Lavender's voice.
"By the way, Hermione?" Lavender said watching Hermione open the door and step out, "I know about Harry!" she said before Hermione closed the door.
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Hermione was walking down the hallway from Dumbledore's office to get Lavender and her trunk when she heard voices from Sirius' office, and letting curiosity get the best of her she looked inside.
"You have got to be lying!" she heard Harry say.
"No, but it does make sense. Not the you-dying part, just the her-being-the-one-to-bring-you-back thing. I mean you would be the fourth person she's brought back, whether she knew it at the time or not." Sirius responded.
There was a long pause and Hermione wondered just how much the both of them knew, "Do you think I'm overreacting?" Hermione wanted to scream `yes' but kept it inside her.
"Well, Harry, it doesn't matter what I think because what I feel isn't gonna change what you feel." Sirius said, "Harry, what you have to ask yourself is if this is a big enough thing to throw away what you have. Now don't get me wrong, this is huge and not to be taken lightly, but that doesn't mean that it's worth that."
"So you do think I'm overreacting!" Harry said downcast. "You think I'm throwing away the best thing that ever happened to me, that I'll regret this if she finds someone new?"
"No!" Sirius said simply, "I don't think any of that…I know it! I know your throwing away the best thing you have, and I know you'll regret it WHEN she finds someone, not if. You two love each other, but your young, you have your lives ahead of you, you can't think she'll wait for you, can you?" Hermione didn't need to hear any more. She walked away and headed towards the Gryffindor common room, deep in thought. It was obvious Harry still loved her, and she did too, but, did she want him back. It wasn't fair to make him wait for her to get over he parents. She wasn't watching where she was going and ran into someone. When she looked up she came face to face with Draco.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco asked, "I was saying your name, but you just kept walking." Hermione mumbled something and continued walking like nothing had happened. Then, suddenly she stopped.
"Draco?" she asked. He looked at her, "You were evil!"
"So much for beating around the bush!" Draco said.
"That's not what I meant…" Hermione said, "I mean, you were mean, evil, you name anything bad, you were it, but you aren't now," Hermione said still looking at him, "what made you change?"
Draco paused before saying anything, "What brought on this question?"
"It's just always bothered me," she said, "it was implied that we were supposed to trust you, without ever given a reason why!"
He paused in thought, "I realized that I couldn't spend my life hating the world or I would end up bitter like my father." Draco said looking down, "I didn't want to become my father!"
"So that was the only reason?" Hermione asked
"Isn't that enough, I mean you've met my father…"
"Yes and he's a terrible man, but no that's not good enough, mean doesn't run in the family, Draco!" Hermione said walking past him and sighing deeply, "I'm sorry, today's just not a good day.
"Yeah, I heard about you and Harry, when are you two gonna give it up and get back together." Draco said with a smile.
"It wasn't my choice to leave him…" Hermione said
"Yeah, but I don't see you trying to hard to get him back." Draco said.
"He left me!" Hermione screamed, "That's what no one seems to realize, I didn't break up with him, I didn't want him to leave, but he left, and there was nothing I could do about it."
"Hermione, you kept the fact that he died from him, how did you expect him to react?" Draco asked, "Did you think it would all be all right?"
"No, but I didn't think he would break up with me!" Hermione said, tears evident in her voice, "I mean how could he do this to me, now when the realization of my parents' deaths are hitting me." When Hermione didn't get an answer she looked up at Draco, "I'm leaving, you know?" when she saw Draco's question in his eyes she continued, "For my parents' funerals, then I have to work out finances." Hermione looked down, "My family sold the house and transferred the funds, Dumbledore's been in contact with them and they switched the money over to my name, and I have to move out and into…well, I'm not sure." Hermione stood up, "But I've got to get back, Lavender's waiting."
"Okay, but just remember!" Draco said beginning to walk away.
"Remember what?" Hermione asked.
"Love conquers all," when Hermione just gave him a look he continued, "You're a smart witch, you figure it out!" Draco said disappearing down the hall.
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Hermione leaves to attend her parents' funerals, Lavender and her move out, and into some new place. Christmas Holiday begins at Hogwarts, and Harry spends Christmas with his parents. When they return, Hermione's absence worries Harry and he finds out some news from his parents about where she is, and who she's staying with.
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