Life As It Is

EmilyPotter

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 10/10/2004
Last Updated: 14/10/2004
Status: in_progress

Hermione and her five-year-old son Aidan return to England after almost ten years. Awkwardness ensues. Will Harry and Hermione be able to be the friends they were before? Will they become more? And why is it that monkeys can't fly?

Chapters

1. Home

2. Getting Adjusted

3. Differences

1. Home

Life As It Is

Chapter 1, Home

A/N: Here's a random fic that came to me while reading the BEST book of all time (after HP) Pride and Prejudice, and listening to the Aida soundtrack. (And who knows how I got THIS idea from doing THAT.) Anyways, please read and review, if ya don't like it, please don't flame, and I'll continue with it if I get a positive response. (Not that I'm blackmailing you guys or anything…*wink*)

“Mommy? Are you awake?”

Hermione Granger slowly opened her eyes and managed a slight smile at the little boy in front of her, tousling his brown hair before pulling him onto her bed and tickling his stomach. The boy giggled heartily before escaping from her grasp and running out of the room, yelling, “Catch me if you can!” The 28 year old woman sniffed once and smiled slightly, before getting up out of her bed and walking to her closet, pulling out some jeans and a comfortable sweater and laying them on the bed.

She put them on while yelling, “Aidan! Can you come here please?” She was brushing her long curly locks as the five-year-old boy walked into the room. He sat on the bed and she smiled at him, coming closer and straightening out his shirt before taking a comb from her dresser and brushing it through his light brown hair. She stepped back,

“Well, aren't you a handsome boy?” He smiled slightly before standing up and hugging her around the waist, before looking up into her warm brown eyes and whispering, “Where are we going Mommy? I saw plane tickets.” Hermione sighed and sat him down on the bed again, kneeling in front of him.

“You're a smart guy, I know. So try to understand this. You know how Mommy's been out of work for a while?” He nodded gravely. “Well, I can't seem to find a job. So we'll have to move. Do you understand?” Aidan's bottom lip trembled a bit before he said,

“We're leaving Georgia?” She nodded slightly before he whispered “I understand.” Hermione hugged him to her before sniffling slightly and saying,

“I've been offered a job back in England, where I grew up. And I accepted it.” The boy knitted his eyebrows before saying,

“Is England the place far away where they have accents like yours?” She nodded and he smiled.

“We can go there.” His mother picked Aidan up and spun him around before they both fell back onto the bed with an `oomph' from Hermione.

“We'll be leaving in two days, sweetie. We should get our bags packed. Now can you go put in some toast for us while I make a phone call?” He nodded and ran out of the room as Hermione walked to her dresser with her lips pursed. She took her phone from the cradle and picked up a piece of paper, slowly pressing the numbers of the phone # listed and waiting as it rang. That dreaded ring seemed to go on forever, and then there was another, and another, before she heard the click and that low voice she knew so well saying, “Hello?”

Silence.

Again, “Hello?” Hermione breathed in a shaky breath before saying “Hi” in a hoarse voice, clearing her throat, and saying it again.

Then she heard that voice again, and it said, “How may I help you, miss?” She smiled wryly and said,

“Has it really been that long, Harry, that you can't even recognize my voice?” The woman heard him suck in a breath before whispering, “Hermione?” She laughed nervously.

“Alive and in person. God, this is harder than I thought it would be. Listen, I know I've been gone for a long time, almost ten years, but, I need a favor.”

Silence.

“Uh…well…er…yeah, whatever you need.” She sighed, relieved, and said,

“Can you pick me up from the airport in two days?” Again, silence. `Whoa, this is awkward', thought Hermione.

“You're coming home?” Harry asked in an amazed voice. She nodded before thinking and said “Yes, it looks that way.” They talked for not too much longer, both felt the awkwardness, before Hermione said goodbye and they both hung up their phones. The woman sighed, and sunk into her bed, whispering to herself “How will I do this if I can't even talk to Harry?”

*Two Days Later*

The house had been already sold, Hermione got all her belongings together and prepared them to be shipped over to London. So two days later, the woman and her son were in a cab, headed to the airport. As they approached it, Aidan looked up thoughtfully and said,

“I wonder where they're going?” Hermione was broken out of her thoughts as she said, “Who, sweetie?” He pointed up to a plane heading out of the airport and said “Them.” She smiled slightly at him and whispered,

“I don't know, Aid. Where do you think they're going?” He tilted his head slightly in contemplation before replying, with all the serious a five-year-old boy can muster,

“Home.”

Many hours later, and after many failed attempts of sleeping with the hard airplane pillows and the course blankets, and eating the not-so-good food, their plane arrived in London. Hermione looked around the airport as they walked out, remembering a day almost ten years ago. And Aidan was in awe. She walked forward holding Aidan's hand firmly in hers as he looked around gaping, before she saw him.

He was standing leaning on a pillar, both hands in the pockets of his jeans and looking almost the same as he did the last time she saw him. When he turned his emerald eyes to the pair, he smiled slightly and waved. Hermione walked toward him nervously, Aidan was wondering who this stranger was. When they reached him, Harry stuck out his arms as Hermione let go of Aidan's hand and rushed into them, giving him a bone crushing hug like she used to, and forgetting, in the moment, that ten years had passed, and many things had changed. For now, she just wanted to be home.

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2. Getting Adjusted

A/N: Thanks a bunch to my reviewers! Keep reviewing! Well, I found time after watching the best reality show there is (Extreme Make-over, Home Edition) and writing a fun essay (not) to start writing the next chapter. I've thought about it a lot, and I find myself liking this story. So please read and review, and ENJOY!

Chapter 2

Getting Adjusted

They both pulled out of the hug quickly and looked at anyone but each other. You can't just hug someone who used to be your best friend and yet you haven't seen them in ten years and have everything go back to normal. Harry had not registered the small boy yet, but did when said boy pulled on his mother's shirt and said,

“Mommy? Who's that?” She kneeled down beside him and smiled, saying,

“That's Harry Potter. He's picking us up from here.” The boy nodded and smiled slightly with an uneasy look towards the tall messy-haired man. Hermione ruffled Aidan's hair and stood up again, taking his hand.

“Harry, this is my son, Aidan Brightman.” The surprised look on Harry's face as he registered what she had said disappeared as soon as it had come, and he kneeled down and stuck out his hand towards the boy.

“Harry Potter. Nice to meet you.” The boy nodded slightly and didn't take Harry's hand. The man stood up and brushed off his pants with a lopsided smile. Hermione bit her lip, embarrassed, and said,

“Sorry, he's a bit shy around strangers. We better get our bags.”

Soon they were all walking out of the airport and towards Harry's car as he said,

“Where to, then?” Hermione pursed her lips and thought, before saying, “Well, since we're not moving into the new place until a little before September, I suppose we'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron.” Harry raised an eyebrow at that and said,

“The Leaky Cauldron? Nonsense, you'll have to stay with us.” Hermione's raised her eyebrows at the `us', but thought `You've been gone for ten years, Hermione! He probably IS married by now, or at least has a girlfriend!' She shook her head as they got into the small car, before saying,

“We couldn't just force ourselves upon you, Harry! We'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron, and that's…that.” She closed her eyes and breathed in a deep breath as they backed out of the parking lot. It seemed quite awkward; the way things were going between the two of them. Aidan had been quiet through all of this, afraid to say things in front of this stranger, but now, sitting next to his mother, he whispered in her ear `I wanna stay with Harry.' Hermione looked at her son in confusion. Always shy and afraid of strangers, and yet he wanted to stay with this one? He looked at her with pleading eyes and, as Harry was looking at them through the rearview mirror with a questioning expression, shrugged, saying,

“Well, um…I suppose we could stay with you Harry. If its not too much trouble.” He smiled at her, almost smirking, and replied with “No trouble at all.”

*************

They arrived at his house soon after, and Hermione was surprised that it was a house. As they walked towards the front all with bags or suitcases in their hands, Harry looked at Hermione, amused.

“Thought I would still have the apartment?” She shrugged with a `guilty as charged' expression and mumbled,

“You loved that place.” He laughed slightly, before seeing the hurt expression on her face and saying earnestly,

“Aye, I did. It was too crowded for us, though.” Again, with the `us' reference. The suspense was killing her! Harry quickly opened the door and held it open for Hermione and Aidan as a big Labrador bounded forward and jumped onto the woman. She jumped in surprise before setting down her bags and kneeling to pet the large black dog while getting licked like crazy.

“Oh, you're a sweet puppy, yes you are.” She said to the dog in baby talk as Aidan knelt down to pet it too. Harry smiled at them before saying,

“Yep, the apartment was way too crowded for the likes of Miss Amy here. Also, they didn't allow pets.” Harry smiled as Hermione looked up, bewildered.

“This was the `us' you were talking about?” She asked as she continued petting the dog.

“What else would I be talking about?” Harry asked, confused. She just shook her head and smiled quickly before picking up the suitcase and bag she was carrying and saying, “So, where can we stay without being too much trouble?”

Harry shook his head and sighed, “I already told you. It's no trouble at all.” He started walking and the party followed him as he continued. “That's the good thing about a big house with one person. A lot of room.” They reached a children's bedroom complete with bunk beds and fun kid stuff. “Aidan can stay in here, it's where the um…the children that visit here…stay. Ron's kids and…stuff.” Hermione nodded and pursed her lips before whispering to him,

“It's been ten years Harry. I can talk about it without crying, you know.” He shrugged and forced a small smile as Aidan ran into the room and sat at one of the tables to read. “Will you be all right in here, Aid?” Hermione asked as he nodded and waved a hand, as if to say `shoo'. She shook her head and laughingly said, “Five years old, and as avid a reader as I am.” Harry smiled at her and led her a little ways down the hall to a big empty room with blank white walls and a concrete floor. The man smiled at her and gestured into the room.

“This is my favorite guest room. It's where you'll be staying.” Hermione looked at him, puzzled, and said,

“Is this some sort of a joke, Harry? You never had much of a sense of humor, ya know.” He laughed slightly and said,

“I get that response from most people that stay in this room. I took a lot of time casting spells in this place. Now, you simply imagine what you want it to look like, and it appears. For instance:” He screwed up his face in concentration and a big mahogany bookcase filled a whole wall. It was filled with all the books he knew Hermione loved, and the ones she might love, too. She smiled and walked over to it, running her fingers over the book covers and looking at him with glee.

“I'm going to have fun with this room. Thanks so much for letting us stay here. I swear, if it gets to be too much of a hassle, just tell me, and our bags will be packed.” She said in earnest. He shook his head and started to walk out, leaving Hermione to her amusements. The woman rubbed her hands together in excitement, before concentrating as a plush red carpet appeared on the floor.

*************

A few hours later, Harry walked into Hermione's new room in amazement. She had kept the bookcase and now had a room with plush red carpet and dark wooden paneled walls. Her bed was a four poster mahogany with patterned dark warm colors on the comforter and many fluffy pillows around it. There was now a dresser with a large mirror, also mahogany, and lots of comfortable looking furniture. Harry found Hermione on the window seat she had created to look out on the scene she chose, reading a book from his bookcase, Pride and Prejudice, and eating a piece of pizza.

She marked her spot with a bookmark, and looked up at Harry.

“Pizza's on the dresser if you want some. It's crazy, I found myself craving pizza, and all of a sudden, there was a box. This room is spoiling me.” Harry smiled slightly and said,

“You can reverse some of the spells if you need, so if you find yourself wanting to go swimming, a whole beach doesn't appear.” He walked over to her and looked out at the view of clear blue water and a sandy beach. “Where is this?” Hermione looked out with a slightly wistful smile.

“It's the view of our backyard, in Georgia.” Harry looked at her sad and wistful expression and whispered,

“Why'd you come back?” She shrugged and smiled slightly at him.

“I felt it was time.” She turned back towards the view. “I loved this backyard. I remember, growing up, we had a tiny backyard, fenced in, it almost felt like a prison. With this yard, it's never-ending, it gives you a feeling of…freedom, I suppose. It was beautiful.” Harry nodded slightly, wondering so many things and yet not being able to ask, for fear of the answer. He only smiled, and whispered,

“It's beautiful.”

*************

A few hours later, and after eating pizza and drinking pumpkin juice, Hermione was found in Aidan's room.

“What do you want to hear tonight, Aid?” She asked as she tucked the boy into bed. He thought for a moment, before saying,

“Shostakovich, Prelude.” Hermione smiled as she kissed him on the head and whispered `I love you', turning off the lights and walking into the living room. Harry was on the couch, drinking some tea. She turned to him awkwardly and asked,

“Do you have a piano?”

Harry smiled and gestured towards a corner of the room. Hermione walked over to it while whispering, “Aidan likes to fall asleep to piano music.” She took the sheet off the big black instrument and tried a chord. She turned to Harry with a grimace and cast a spell, trying another chord.

“Don't you ever play it? It's terribly tuned.”

“Well, I don't exactly know how. It's just there because it was my Mom's.” Hermione nodded and sat down, starting the slow minor music of the song.

“I didn't know you could play.” Harry said softly, turning his body to watch Hermione's nimble fingers move about the keys.

“Started about nine years ago. Played ever since.” Harry listened quietly as she continued with the song, and smiling as she finished.

“He's a unique boy.” Harry noticed. Hermione smiled and nodded.

“Does he know, about…the world you came from?”

“He knows…that I'm different than most people. I've explained some things to him, and he understands.” Hermione walked over to a chair in front of the fireplace and sat down, sighing slightly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Harry asked quietly from the couch. Hermione turned her head to face him and whispered,

“About what, Harry?”

He shrugged.

“Everything, I guess. Why you left, why you've been gone so long. Everything.”

Hermione nodded slowly and said,

“Well, I suppose we'll get into it sooner or later. Go ahead, ask me any question, and I'll answer best as I can.” She turned her body to face him and looked into his emerald eyes that she had been avoiding for the whole day. He slowly contemplated her face before quietly saying,

“Why'd you go?”

The woman slowly breathed in and out and smiled wryly.

“You know part of that, Harry. I first considered going after Ginny's death. I just couldn't handle the pain. I got mad at everyone, at Dumbledore, Ron. I got mad at you because you couldn't save her.” She said the next part in a quiet, almost whisper voice. “I got mad at myself because I couldn't save her.” She looked down at her hands before looking up again. “That was part of why I had to go. The other part was…I was just, sick of it, of everything. My parents marriage was failing, I could feel you and Ron slipping away from me.

And I hated myself for being sick of it. Here you were, and you couldn't leave it all. And all I wanted to do was what you couldn't. I couldn't bear it any longer, I just had to get away.” A silent tear slipped down Hermione's cheek and she wiped it off as quickly as it came. “God, and here I thought I was completely over it.”

“Hermione, you don't have to continue if you-“

“I have to get this all out eventually, Harry. I suppose you want to know why I was gone so long?” He nodded slowly, slightly afraid of the answer.

“Well, at first, I suppose I always thought I'd come back eventually. Maybe be gone a year or so and then come back. I went all over the world, the rest of Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America. I finally went to America, traveled the states. In Georgia, I met Henry.” She smiled slowly and got a far away look on her face, before shaking her head slightly and continuing. “He was…funny, sweet, devoted. We weren't soul mates, or meant to be together. But I was comfortable with him, and I grew to love him.

We got married about 6 years ago and had Aidan. He was a marine biologist, a muggle. He knew about my past and who I was, I couldn't keep anything from him. He died a couple years after Aid was born.” She said the last part of this in a small voice and got a pained look in her wide cinnamon eyes. In a strangled voice, she said, “Um…could I tell you more of what you want to know t-tomorrow?” He nodded and Hermione stood up shakily, as if about to faint.

Harry quickly jumped up and steadied her.

“You okay?”

She tried a slight smile and a hand fluttered to her forehead.

“I'm fine, just…stood up a little too fast.”

He looked at her and nodded.

“I…never really talked about it to anyone. It's hard.”

Harry nodded again and wrapped her up in an embrace.

“I missed you.” He whispered quietly as Hermione buried her head in his chest. She pulled away slowly and smiled quickly.

“I missed you too. I should get to bed. Night Harry.”

“Goodnight Hermione. Sweet dreams.” She walked out of the room quickly and Harry collapsed onto the couch as Hermione fell into her bed, tears streaming silently down her face.

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3. Differences

A/N: Wow, thanks to all you reviewers out there! Keep doing it please! And some of you had a lot of questions pertaining to Hermione leaving and what Harry and Hermione's relationship is going to be now. There were some other questions too, and don't worry, you'll find out all about it soon enough. Well, my life is COMPLETELY crazy and busy right now, so I'll try to update these chapters whenever possible, but there could be long intervals of time between them. So don't hate me if they are! I will try to update, it's on my daily to-do list, I promise. And without further ado, I present to you chapter three of Life As It Is!

Life As It Is, Chapter 3

Differences

Hermione woke slowly and had to think for a second to remember where she was. She quietly got up and walked over to the window seat, watching the waves of the water that wasn't really there move gently up to the sand. She closed her eyes tightly and thought for a moment.

What happened last night? Oh, God, what's going on with me? I come back here, after ten years, and expect everything to turn out okay, and my old best friend to comfort me? I can't even imagine what he, what everyone went through when I left. I have to talk to him.

She was drawn abruptly out of her thoughts when Aidan walked into her room and up to the window seat.

“Hey Sweetie, how'd you sleep?” Hermione asked, pulling him onto her lap and running her fingers through his soft hair as he looked out the window.

“Good. I dreamed about Georgia.”

“Oh, Aid, I was terribly horrible for bringing you over here, wasn't I?”

He smiled slightly and turned his head to look at her face.

“I don't mind, Mom. I told you I understood.”

Hermione laughed and nuzzled the back of his head playfully. “You're the best child a Mum could ask for, Aid!” He giggled and jumped down.

“I think I'll go wake up Harry.”

She looked at him with a slight smile. “You seem to have taken to him.”

The boy shrugged and smiled with a twinkle in his warm blue eyes, before running out of the room as Hermione laughed. She hugged herself, thinking Oh if you could see him now, Henry. You'd be proud. She took one last look at the waves of the ocean before getting up and walking to her suitcase, pulling out a pair of jeans and a blue jumper and putting them on. She took a binder from her wrist and pulled her long hair into a ponytail.

After she brushed her teeth and such, Hermione walked out of her room barefooted and into the kitchen. Harry looked up from reading the daily prophet and silently greeted her.

“Where'd Aidan go?”

He put the paper down and said, “He's in his room. Reading, I think.” Hermione nodded and looked towards the table, deliberately avoiding Harry's eyes.

“French toast? Num.” She grabbed some and ate as quickly as she could still using manners. When she was done she dabbed her mouth with a napkin and folded her hands on the table.

“Listen, Harry, I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about last night, about just coming back.”

He tried interrupting her but she put her hand up and continued.

“I can't imagine how all of you felt when I left. Bloody mad, probably. And then there was not contacting any of you. At first, I just couldn't bear the contact. I suppose I felt too guilty about leaving, afraid you would be mad at me. Merlin, you wouldn't believe how many letters I started to you, or Ron, or Molly. I couldn't think of what to say, and each time it got harder to try. After a certain amount of time, I pretty much gave up. And then when I married Henry and had Aidan, I pretty much figured I was done with this life. And god knows that that doesn't excuse any of it. I was just hoping that you could…forgive me?”

Harry furrowed his brows and looked down at his hands. In a silent voice he replied, “We're not best friends anymore, Hermione.”

She looked at him, a bit taken aback.

“I-I know.”

He looked at her with a bit of anger in his eyes.

“Do you know, Hermione? Do you really know? Because you have no idea what I, what all of us went through when you left. You weren't the only sad one, Hermione. You weren't the only one that was grieving. Everyone lost someone in that war, you know. You were the only one that left. And you have no idea what I felt when you left. I was sad, hurt, and angry. That was one of the hardest times in my life, and you deserted me! I've tried to hold this all in, yesterday I was just happy that you were back. But you have to hear this! Not only was I sad when you left, the `Daily Prophet' had to parade it in my face every damn day after for at least two months. Imaginary sightings of you, articles with names like 'No Signs of 'the heart' of the trio'. It was hard for me, and we aren't best friends anymore! I don't know if we're even friends! You can't know, Hermione. You just can't.”

“And Ron! Ron stayed by me all that time, he was the one that lost his sister! He was, if possible, even more depressed when you left. We moved on, Hermione. We all moved on. So you can't just parade back here and think everything is going to be all right again.”

Throughout this speech, Hermione had opened and closed her mouth, trying to say things but not being able to. After a bit of silence as Harry breathed in and out, she looked up determinably as her lip quivered.

“You're right. I didn't know. I didn't want to know. I cried myself to sleep so many nights after I left. And I know that I'm really making this about myself. How many times have I used the word `I' so far? You're right. I was weak, I couldn't bear it. And I don't know how I'm going to make it up to you. I could say sorry, promise you I wouldn't leave again. I could use a time-turner, go back and contact you after I left. Would that make anything better, Harry? Here we are, can we both get over it all? Try to be friends again? Just work slowly?” She looked up at Harry, her eyes half-determined and half scared.

He nodded slowly, and said,

“I need some time to think about this, is that okay?”

Hermione nodded, as he continued.

“I think I'll take Amy for a walk. I'll be back pretty soon.” At the word `walk' the big dog came bounding in and started jumping up and down followed by Aidan.

“Can I go with, Mom? Please?” Hermione smiled at him.

“Sure Aidan, have fun.” Harry put Amy on her leash and they all trooped out of the kitchen and out the front door. Hermione sighed and leaned back in her chair.

“This is going to be harder than I thought.”

************

A few hours later Harry was teaching Aidan wizarding chess in the living room. Hermione had gone back to her room with a headache.

For a while she had read, but thoughts plagued her head, so reading just made her headache all the more worse.

“I wonder if Harry has any migraine potion in stock.” She groaned, standing up from her bed and walking over to a phone on her dresser. She picked it up and dialed numbers before sitting down in a chair and waiting as it rang. A child's voice came on saying,

“Weasley Residence! How may I help you?”

Hermione bit her lip before saying in a quiet voice, “Is your Mum there?”

The young girl answered “Not at the moment, would you like to leave a message?” Hermione thought for a second, before she declined the offer, said goodbye, and hung up the phone, sighing.

God, when am I ever going to be able to be back?

She got up to go ask Harry if he had any migraine potions, and smiled while looking into the living room. Harry was smiling at Aidan as he jumped every time one of the chess pieces demolished another.

“How do they do that?” Aidan asked exasperatingly.

“My little secret, Aid.”

Hermione smiled larger, Aidan was taking to Harry faster than he had ever taken to a stranger. He hadn't been like this with a man since his father! She walked in as Harry looked up, and immediately avoided his eyes, ruffling Aidan's hair and observing how the chess game was going as she asked Harry if he had migraine potions.

“I'm winning, Mommy! And Harry won't tell me how the chess pieces do that!” Hermione laughed and Harry replied,

“There should be one in the kitchen cabinet, Hermione. And I told you, Aidan, it's my secret!” Hermione nodded with her lips pursed, still not able to look into Harry's eyes. She brushed back Aidan's hair.

“I'll tell you the secret, Aid.” She said, bending down and whispering in his ear, “It's magic.”

Aidan looked up at her confusedly.

“How am I supposed to believe in magic if I've never seen it happen?”

Harry looked at Hermione questionably and she nodded silently while Harry took out his wand and, with a swish and flick, said `wingardium leviosa' towards a book lying on a table. It floated up into the air and Aidan jumped with wide eyes. Hermione smirked at him and said,

“Well, Aidan, now you've seen it!”

Harry laughed and gestured with his wand as the book floated down, Aidan still staring at it with his mouth and eyes wide open. Hermione excused herself and left into the kitchen to get her migraine potion. She reached into the potion cupboard and looked for a vial labeled `migraine'. Finding it, she drank it in one gulp as the label instructed, and winced at the taste.

Why do potions have to taste so terrible?

She smiled as the potion worked its magic and the terrible headache went away. There were still a million thoughts whirling around in her head though. It just didn't ache from it anymore.

Hermione started walking to her room, pausing to look into the living room, where Harry, alone, was sitting on the couch reading some quidditch book. She walked in and Harry put his book down, straightening his glasses and saying,

“Aidan's outside with Amy, is that okay?”

Hermione nodded and moved to sit down on a chair by the couch.

“Listen Hermione, I know I was really angry with you earlier. I'm sure it's hard to be back and I'm sure I just made it all worse. This will be awkward with us for a while, and me being mad won't make it any better. If we could just forget about it?”

Hermione shook her head and sighed, turning her head to face Harry's and looking into his eyes for a second before turning it away.

“Harry, I don't blame you for being mad. I expected you would be mad, and all of what you said was true. We don't have to forget about it. I'd rather like us to forget about something else.”

Harry looked at her questionably.

“I just wish we could forget that there was awkwardness between us. I know I shouldn't expect it to be all right again, but I'm selfish, and I want it to be. I'm not saying we have to be best friends or anything. I just want to be able to talk to you without awkwardness.”

Harry smiled slightly and said, “It's done. All of the awkwardness is gone.”

Hermione laughed slightly, knowing that it really wasn't.

“So…Harry, I've told you about my life, time to tell me about yours!”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“You get the door, I'll start tea.” Hermione said, leaving into the kitchen as Harry got up to answer the door. Hermione quickly filled a teapot up with water and breathed shakily, scared of who was at the door. What if it's Ron? Or Molly? Oh, God. She bit her lip and continued making the tea, not able to hear anything until Harry yelled out,

“Hermione, come in here for a moment! I'd like you to meet someone!”

Hermione furrowed her brows, wondering who it could be. She left the water in the teapot and went into the living room, seeing a woman with short brown hair and bright hazel eyes, smiling at Hermione nervously.

“Hermione, this is Isabel White. My girlfriend.”

A/N: And that's the end of the chapter! Hehe, I know you're going to hate me…some people just can't help it! There needs to be cliffie somewhere in the story! (Or…ya know…a few…) hehe, don't hate me! I'll update with more ASAP. Review, please!

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