A/n: please! Please forgive me! As I told you I was shocked by the whole thing…but I can't tell you if he lived or not cuz that would ruin the whole bases of this story. This chapter slaps on to what went on with Hermione, Kat, and Ste…
Onward to Chapter 3!
Chapter 3
The Truth About Pain
~**~
Kat and Ste walked into the Kitchen to see if Hermione needed any help with anything. As long as they were going to be staying there they mine as well make them selves useful. They were walking into the kitchen and at the same time Hermione came walking out, she walked into Ste and almost fell over. Ste grabbed her arm before she fell to the ground.
"Aunt Hermione are you ok? I'm SO sorry." Ste asked obviously worried he done something wrong.
"Yes, Ste I'm fine and don't be sorry, it was my fault anyway I walked into you." She said walking over into the living room.
She sat down on one of the chairs and was looking at the fireplace that wasn't lit. Ste and Kat both knew something was wrong and walked over to her and sat on the couch. There was a silence for a few moments then Ste spoke up, "Aunt Hermione… Is there something wrong?"
It took Hermione a while before she answered him, "Ste, you know what's wrong." She said looking at him.
Ste nodded, "Want to talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Could I ask you something Mrs. Potter?" Kat asked speaking up.
"Of course." Hermione said.
"How did you know you loved Harry?"
Hermione took her gaze off Kat and looked at the ground, and then smiled, "I knew exactly when I loved him."
(~**Flashback**~)
It was my seventeenth birthday and Harry, Ron, and Ginny planed a surprise party that I was oblivious to. And it was in the Gryffindor common room. Music was playing and Ron was dancing with Pavati and Harry was sitting down in the corner drinking a glass of soda. At the time there was a fast song on the WWN and I was dancing with Dean Thomas. We were all having a good time, but for some reason when I saw Harry sitting there something seemed out of place; Of course I knew he didn't know how to dance. As the song ended I gave Dean a hug and I walked over to where Harry was sitting…
"Hey!" I said walking over to him and sitting next to him.
"Aw the birthday girl!" He said suddenly getting a big smile on his face.
"Why are you sitting here by your self?" I asked him.
"Well I was waiting for you, I have a few things I need to give you." He said smirking.
By now the music stopped and people were sitting down catching their breath. Harry then stood up and looked over at Ron who was sitting next to the Radio and he nodded to him for some reason. Ron stood and asked for silence, "Everyone, at this time we would like it if you could see the Birthday girl and Harry share a little dance."
When I heard that I went totally red, I had everyone looking at me. Harry reached for my hand and I took it. As we walked out into the middle of everyone I told him, "Harry, you don't know how to dance."
He smiled and bent down and whispered in my ear, "How little you Hermione, how little you know."
A song came on and slowly we started to dance, it was a beautiful song. He looked right into my eyes and I looked into his, they locked on the moment that was made, I was scared with everyone looking at me, but when I looked into his eyes and I left the common room, I was on a dance floor with just him and I, we were gone from everything.
"I guess I do know very little, a month ago you couldn't even get close to me without crushing my foot." I whispered.
"Well this is one of your gifts." He said softly
"Were did you learn?" I asked him with curiosity.
"Well, Ginny taught me some, and Padma Patil, and Pavati and Lavender." Harry looked at me with the sweetest smile as I looked at him with the widest eyes and a toothy smile, Then we both started to laugh.
I put my head on his shoulder as we danced to the song still it was like nobody was there. I was in the heavens and I didn't want to go back. The song ended and I looked back up at him as we re-entered the real world. Everyone was looking with little smiles and then they started to clap as we looked around and smiled. As we walked back to the table Harry was sitting at everyone looked at us know that something was comeing. Then I realized we here holding hands, this made me blush again.
As we sat there everyone went back and danced to some more fast songs. I felt Harry move closer to me and put his arm around my waist. I looked at him and he asked me, "Wanna go for a walk?"
"What a charmer!" Ste said suddenly laughing a bit.
"STE!" They both said in unison looking at him. Then Kat hit him playfully.
"Hey! Fine, I'll go into the kitchen and get something to drink. Do you girls want anything?" He asked quickly.
They both shook there heads 'no', "Ok, good, this story is getting a bit too mushy for me, so I'll just stay in there." With that Ste walked into the kitchen.
"Just like your father!" Hermione yelled to him as he walked into the kitchen, with him waving his hand to them as a 'whatever' sign.
Hermione turned her attention back to Kat, "As I was saying."
He asked me if I wanted to go for a walk and I said yes. We both stood and walked out of the common room.
"Harry won't we get in trouble for leaving the common room after hours?" I asked him.
"No, I asked Professor McGonagall if I could walk around tonight so I could talk to you, and she said just tonight."
I looked up at him he looked so cute, and yet so serious. We walked all the way out on the grounds to the edge of the lake Harry was looking out far away like I could see beyond the lake into another world. I put my hand on his arm and I felt him get a slight shudder.
"Harry, are you ok?" I was a little worried.
He looked down at me, he never said a word he just bent his head to mine and pressed his lips to mine. I was caught off by surprise and I accepted it. I was lost in his world, I never felt a feeling like this before, and I felt safe and content. The reality smacked me in the face, I got scared and I pushed him away I realized I was just kissing my best friend; the weird part was that I enjoyed it and wanted it more and more. He looked at me he didn't smile but he didn't look upset all's he did was look at me.
"Do you wanna sit down?" he asked, "Over there by the tree."
The tree is where we would both go to just talk or we would go there by our selves and just sit there and think. We walked over to it and I sat on a large root and Harry sat in a little opening by the tree. We sat there for a few seconds not saying anything and Harry spoke up.
"Hermione I'm sorry for that kiss I caught you off guard…"
"No don't be sorry I just got scared and it happened so fast-"
"Yes I know and I'm so sorry for it, I should have never-" I stopped him in mid sentence.
"Harry, I don't want you to be sorry you have no right to be."
"What's going to happen? I mean with you and me." He asked a little scared.
"What do you mean? Harry you're my best friend I wouldn't want anything to change that."
"Hermione, I really care about you a lot and I would do anything for you, I think you're the most intelligent and most beautiful girl I ever met, only I was to blind to see it. But I'm scared that if you do or don't have those feelings I don't want to lose you as my friend…my best friend, and I…" he trailed off.
I looked at him, he was like a small child looking for his lost dog, I reached out and took his hand and I looked him in the eye, "Harry, I care about you just as much maybe more, but I need time to think… is that ok?"
"Yes, But I want you to know… Out of all the girls ive seen you always came first."
He stood up and then helped me up, and we began walking again. We walked back up to the common room and everyone had just finished cleaning up and going to bed the left the WWN on and soft music was playing giving the common room a very peaceful feeling. Harry walked over to the couch and sat on it looking at the fire that was dieing down. I walked over to him and gave him a little kiss on the cheek, 'goodnight' I said in his ear. He looked up at me and smiled.
"That's it, that's how you knew you loved him?" Kat asked.
"No, there's a lot more to it."
"Don't leave me in a dilemma!" Kat said playfully.
"Ok well…."
The next few days we hadn't really talked and Ron was getting the idea that we were mad at each other. We even had him trying to get us to make up. But any way, more days went by and we still hadn't really been talking until we were on our way to Care of Magical Creatures class when he pulled me behind a tree and looked me in the eye.
"Hermione, I really need to talk to you."
I looked at him and wondered what was going on, "What are you talking about your talking to me now." I said.
"Be serious… it's been almost a week since I talked to you at all… I mean…you know, you said nothing would change that…"
In a way he was right but in another way he was wrong, he'd been avoiding me just as much as I was avoiding him. I was about to say that when he took my hand, "Hermione, I know that you don't want to hear this but I truly and honestly have strong feelings for you, I would never do anything to make you sad or angry, I would care for you like you would never have know in a lifetime were seventeen and I know that it's young for feelings like this but I have to say that a day hasn't gone by since I've known you that I haven't dreamed about you or want to beat Malfoy to a pulp for teasing you…" He was totally out of breath.
I lowered myself to him on the soft grass, "Harry I know that but you have to understand… you can't just tell me this and have a girl return the feelings right away… it's happening too fast and I'm getting confused as to what to think about my own feelings."
Harry stood up and helped me up as well, "ok," He said simply yet he sounded a bit hurt, "We better get to class we don't want to be late." He let go of my hand and started walking toward our class. I followed him wondering if I upset him in some way but then he shoved me into a tree and started laughing his head off. I knew he was ok with that.
It was late in the year now and things seemed back to normal, Harry and I were talking normally and joking around with each other just like it used to be. This day was a day that stays in my mind forever. I was leaving transfiguration class, Harry and Ron had to stay late because they transfigured Malfoy into a squeaky pincushion with flower patterns on him. I told them I would meet them for lunch, so I headed back to my room when I saw your father in a corner waiting for someone; I figured it was Harry and Ron he was waiting for. He looked at me and smirked.
"Hey Mudblood, where's your sex?" He said to me.
"What are you talking about Malfoy?" I said to him.
"You know what I mean." He said walking towards me.
"Obviously I don't if I'm asking you what you're talking about." I took a big step back
"Where's Potter, your shag buddy?" he said with a drawled voice, taking another step towards me.
"Why, you want to ask them if they could fix your appearance again? God knows it helped both times…. Once when Moody turned you into a ferret and what they did today." Again I moved away a bit further than I should have. I was at the railing but the stairs and I couldn't move anymore and Malfoy came right up to me and said,
"I just wanted to know if he would be here to save you…" He trailed off and clipped me righ in the nose and over the railing.
"MY FATHER DID THAT TO YOU!" Kat exclaimed.
"Unfortunately…yes."
"Bastered!" Ste yelled from the kitchen, "I think he should Die, Die and burn in hell!" Both girls laughed, "No affecce Kat!" He added
"Anyway…."
I fell off the railing and I was screaming for my life that someone would catch me, then it happened, I felt someone caught me and squeeze me for dear life… I looked up and I saw two people there when I blacked out.
I woke up in the hospital wing of course and I looked around… it was night and there were some candles lit in the far corner of the wing just enough to case a soft glimmer around the infirmary. I looked around to see it there was anyone in the room besides me and that's when I saw him. Ron was sitting by my bedside half dead, I gave a soft smile and I flicked his hand with my figures and watched him jump in surprise.
He looked down at me and smiled, "Thought that was funny huh?" he said softly.
"He, he, yea I did." I said very soft.
"Well it wasn't…but I'll let it slide this time only cause I like ya." He said.
"Thank you… where's Harry?" I said.
"Talking to Dumbledore…" he said.
"How did I get here?" I asked.
"Well you should be preying to the heavens that we came out of that room as soon as you fell into Harry's arm's." Ron said.
"Oh, stuff it Ron." I said
"Yea well it's true… Harry caught ya and saw Malfoy leave… he handed you to me and shot up the stairs after the stupid git… the next thing I heard was 'you're…you're… your gonna pay…' and I saw Harry come back down and take you up here. The next thing I know Dumbledore came looking for him and he hasn't been back since." Ron explained to me.
At that same moment Harry had just opened the door and came over to my bed, he saw that I was awake and had a huge smile on his face, "Sleeping beauty awakes." He joked softly.
"Yea, but she didn't get the kiss from the prince." I said to him.
"What the bloody hell are you two talking about?" Ron asked.
"Nothing…" Harry said.
"Well ya know what… I'm going to go…Harry you better tell me later what Dumbledore talked to you about…" Ron said as he closed the door behind him.
Harry turned back to me and gave me a smile that showed all emotions… he put his hand on my cheek and at that moment I felt a shock run threw my body, 'this boy… my best friend in the world… loved me…and I love him back!' I said to myself. I put my hand on his and looked him in the eye.
"Harry I…" I never got to finish, Harry had lowered his head to mine and gave me a sweet and soft kiss; I accepted it without complaint. He licked my bottom lip with his tongue asking for my acceptance of it. I gratefully opened my mouth for him. And that is when I knew I was head over heals for this man that I call my husband.
Kat looked at Hermione in awe, "Wow, that sounds so romantic!" Kat said.
"Yes, I know… I felt so safe with him…and still do. That's why I didn't object to you comeing here. I know Harry wouldn't let your father take you from us."
At that moment the phone rang, Hermione yelled to Ste if he could answer it while she picked up the dishes from the living room that the boys left. Kat helped her and they both made there way into the kitchen. When they got there Ste just hung up the phone and looked at Hermione and Kat. The girls put the cans and paper plates in the trashcan and looked at him.
"Something wrong Ste?" Hermione asked, "Or did your father call?" She joked.
Ste looked at her with a heart-crushing look. Kat knew that look; she saw the same look when Ste's grandfather died in there fourth year. Something was really wrong.
Hermione caught on and asked him, "Ste what happened?" Hermione even looked worried this time.
He gulped trying to hold back tears, "Ssss….sssss…"
Now there was defiantly something wrong, Kat and Hermione both knew that when something bad happened he would stutter.
"Ste what happened?" Hermione was getting a bit panicky now, "Did something happen to you father? Your mother?"
"Nnnnooo…. Sss….sssomme…ssssommmething…hhhhaa…" Kat cut him off.
"Ste just nod to my questions if it right or wrong…ok…?" Kat said. Ste nodded, "Ok, something happened to your dad?" He nodded no, "Your mother?" 'no', "Chris?" She said another 'no', "Brandon or his friends?" another 'no'. Kat got nerves when she said the last person she could think of…."Harry…"
Hermione had just gotten to the warehouse and saw that Chris was by Harry's car waiting for his mother to arrive.
"MUM!" He yelled when he saw his mother jump out of the car running after her son. Tears where streaming down her face as she pulled Chris into a life-shattering hug.
"Wha…What…Happened!" She said threw sobs.
"Will you guys go find my brother and his friends….bring them all here and then only let Brandon out so I can talk to him." Chris turned to his mother, "Mum come with me, Paul would like to speak with you." Chris was so content, Hermione thought he must be in some sort of shock from what he just saw.
Hermione was pulled aside by Paul and a few paramedics and took her away from Chris out of fear that he might not need to hear what he already knew, again. Kat and Ste got in Hermione's car and drove to find Brandon and his friends. Chris looked around at the firefighters around still fighting the blazing fire, he walked over to his fathers car and got in the drivers seat. He turned on the car and put in his Good Charlotte Cd in and blasted it at maximum sound and laid on the steering wheel and cried.
Chris sat in the car thinking about his father and what had just happened, 'how could he have been so stupid as to do something like that!' 'he was doing his job you git' 'but without protection!' 'yea that was a stupid move.' His head was aching as he argued about it. Then he went into a flashback.
(~**FLASHBACK**~)
Chris was only three, he was sleeping when his newborn brother Brandon started crying. Chris hated this part about it because it meant he lost sleep. He climbed out of bed and walked into his brother's room. When he got there he covered his ears from the waling of his brother.
"Stupid baby…shut up and go to bed I want sleep I going to the football game tomorrow." Chris whined, "And I don't want to fall asleep in the middle of it!"
Chris picked out a small bear that was on the floor and dropped it in the crib… it didn't stop but made it worse. Brandon must have gotten scared from the bear suddenly appearing in the crib.
Chris heard footsteps comeing down the hall and saw his father enter the room. Chris ran over to him and tugged on his gray sweat pants that he was sleeping in, "Dad, make him shut up! I need sleep too!" he said to his father.
Harry gave him a sleepy smile and grunted as he picked Chris up and put him on the changing table, "How's about you help me change your brother so we could both get some sleep." Harry said.
"As long as I don't have to touch it." Chris said.
"No, but you can get me a fresh diaper from that drawer under you there."
Chris looked at the drawer and opened it and took out a diaper with magic dragons and wands around the brim of the diaper. He handed it to his father as he cleaned Brandon up. After Harry put the new diaper in he set Brandon in his crib he took the diaper and handed it to Chris, "Throw that away…" He said sleepily.
"EEEEEEEEWWWWWWW! No WAY!" Chris yelled as he covered his nose and pushed the diaper away from his face.
"Heh, heh, heh." Harry laughed as he threw the diaper in the garbage by the changing station. Harry lifted Chris in his arms, "Happy now?"
"Yup, yup, yup!" He said hugging his father.
"You thirsty screwball?" Harry asked.
"Screwball?" Chris made a weird face with his eyebrows and looked at his father, "I don't know what a screwball is but I'm tirsty!" (a/n: Chris had good vocab for a three year old don't ya think?)
Harry laughed and carried Chris down to the kitchen. When they got there Harry put Chris in his BIG boy Booster seat and the table and walked over to the stove and magically boiled some water. He grabbed to mugs and put two spoonfuls of coco mix into them and poured the hot water in them. He handed Chris his mug with a straw in it and pulled out a small plate of sugar cookies Hermione had made the day before.
"Dad…you know I like milk instead of water in my coco!" Chris said to his dad taking a cookie and taking a big bite out of it.
Harry snapped his fingers under the table and said to Chris, "Just drink your hot coco." He said taking a sip out of his mug.
Chris sipped the coco slowly threw the straw so he wouldn't burn his mouth and when he had a good amount in his mouth he smiled at his father, "It's not water anymore!"
Chris was too young to understand magic so when something weird happened around him Hermione or Harry would tell him it was normal. Harry took a cookie and took a bit out if it like Chris had trying to make a simple joke, unfortunately Chris hadn't noticed and just teased him about making a mess.
"Don't tell mum about this… she'll have a house!" Harry whispered whipping up the crumbs he had made on the table.
"Ok… our wittle secret."
Chris took another sip out of his mug and looked at his dad, "Dad… is our lives gonna change since Brandon is here… I mean… will you and mummy forget about me and think only about him?" Chris asked looking down at his cookie with the bite taken out of it.
Harry looked at his son, "Chris, we would never forget about you! Your out first son… we will always love you just as much as we love Brandon. Where did you get a crazy idea like that?" Harry asked wondering where his son heard such and absurd idea.
"Mark Anthony… he told me that when a new kid comes in your life your parents forget about you.
"Who's Mark Anthony?" Harry asked.
"Ste's cousin from Ireland."
"Well don't listen to him… you're my little screwball and nothing will change that….no matter how many brothers or sisters you may have."
Chris nodded, happy that he wasn't going to be left to himself now that Brandon was born, "What's a screwball?"
(~**End Flashback**~)
Chris came back to the present when he heard a knock at the window of the car. He looked out it and saw that it had started raining and that Ste was back with Brandon. Chris got out of the car and saw that Paul was sitting with his mother calming her down. He looked at Brandon, he was still so young and had so much to learn, and he had to experience the truth…even if it did mean telling him about his father and that he was dead.
Brandon looked at Chris, "What's wrong Chris? Why am I here?"
"Come on… come with me." He looked at the ground and took his little brother over to a tree that was still dry. They sat down and Chris looked at Brandon.
"Brad… Something happened and I need to tell you this. It's not going to be easy and your gonna be very upset…So I think it would be best if you waited till after I'm done to say anything…ok?" Brandon nodded, "Good… now buddy there comes a time in a persons life when God decides it there time to come with him… and today was a certain persons day…" He stopped trying to find the right words, "Brandon… God decided that today was dad's day to become an Angel and go with him to help him."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Brandon…dad…well dad…He died today Brandon."
Brandon was shocked he didn't know what to think or say, all he could do was lean on Chris and cry. Chris patted him on the back telling him it's ok, but silently Chris himself was crying.
After Ste left Chris and Brandon he went back to the car Kat was in and got in the passengers seat. And looked at Kat, she had obviously been crying while he was gone. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder; she looked at him and gave him a hug.
The boy's in the back seat were silent knowing something was up but they didn't want to say anything… but Nick wanted to know and volunteered to ask, "Ste what in blazes happened out there? Was someone hurt?"
"Nice wording Nick!" Boomer said hitting him in the arm hard
"Hey!" Nick said hitting him back, "I just wanted to know." He said getting a softer tone. He looked at his brother, "Well…?"
"I can't tell you yet…I'll tell you in a bit." Ste said turning on the radio. The song 'Last Breath' by Creed came on and Ste couldn't stay in the car, "I'll be back…I'm going to find Chris." He said getting out of the car.
Kat looked at him knowing he was just as upset as Chris and Brandon; he walked over to Harry's car and looked around to see if he could find Chris. He saw Hermione over by a fire truck wiping the tears from her eyes. He walked over to her and looked down at her, "Iiiiii… Iii'm Rrreeallly ss…sorry." He stuttered out.
Hermione looked up at him with red swollen eyes, "Thank you" she said, barley a whisper escaping her mouth. She stood and hugged Ste very tightly, "this shouldn't have happened." She cried out crying on his shoulder.
"I kknow…bb..but ii..it dd, did." Ste said trying to control his stutter. After a few moments he spoke again, "Aunt Hermione, what- w..What about myyyyyy father and mother?" He had finally been able to control it a bit.
"Oh My God! I forgot about Ron!" Hermione said shocked, "I need to get a hold of him…. I can't use and owl that would be to long…."
"Call his cell, mum taught him how to use one… he doesn't yell in them anymore." Ste said.
"Oh good, I better call him… could you find Chris and Brandon… Brandon has to be devastated he needs someone to talk to besides Chris. You mine as well tell the other boys they'll have to find out sooner or later." Hermione turned and left toward a phone booth by her car.
Ste stood and followed her until they got to the car, Ste climbed in and closed the door. He sat there then looked at Kat and turned off the radio.
"Ste put it back on!" Nick said to him, he reached for the knob but Ste grabbed his hand, "STE!"
"Nick will ya sit down I need to tell you guys something!" Ste snapped. Nick sat back in his seat, "Guys im not gonna lie to ya's you need to know the truth about pain and I'm gonna tell you."
"What happened?" Nick said
"Guys, before I say anything I need you guys to promise me you'll help Brandon and James threw this time." They all nodded, "Guys Brandon's father died today, in that fire over there… and there all upset… now I don't mean to tell you all this and just leave but I need to find Chris and Brandon… Nick Aunt Hermione is contacting dad so he might be comeing to the back." Ste looked at Kat who was crying silently in the drivers seat, "I'll be right back with Brandon and you guys could come see him for a while and I'll find out what were gonna do tonight … So just sit tight and I'll be back ok."
Ste got out of the car, it had started to rain a bit more heavily, and he went looking for Chris and Brandon.
Chris and Brandon were sitting on their log Brandon was crying for a while and Chris was just rubbing his back, and soon enough he had silently fallen asleep in Chris's arms. Chris decided to take him back to the car so he wouldn't get cold. He lifted Brandon in his arms and started walking to Harry's car. When he got there and had Brandon laying down in the back seat he heard Ste yelling his name.
"Chris! Chris!" Chris turned around and saw his friend running towards him, "Chris your mum is looking for you." Ste said.
"Ok, I just had to put Brandon in the back here, he cried himself to sleep." Chris gave a small sniff.
Ste clapped him on the shoulder, "It'll be all right mate… we're here for ya." Chris grabbed him into a hug and started crying freely, Ste stood there and squeezed his best friend and cried himself.
From Hermione's car Kat saw the two standing there and once more cried
For her friend and her boyfriend… she looked at the boys in the back seat, they were as quiet as could be and Nick himself was crying knowing that it couldn't be possible. Kat took his hand and squeezed it.
A/n* Wow! I'm so0o sorry about the lateness of this chapter… I'll try harder to get the next one up faster…for those who got REALLY pissed off for the last chapter I couldn't help it….but if you keep reading I'll be grateful… please r/r!