Chapter Fifteen:
(Hermione)
As I walked along the street towards the one place I knew I shouldn't be, I couldn't help but think what his life was like. The flats in this area of London were extremely nice and probably very expensive. I guess life as an Auror pays well.
I looked down at the piece of paper in which Ron scribbled down Harrys' address for me. His chicken scratch handwriting made me smile, then I remembered the conversation, which led up to him reluctantly giving me the address, and I frowned.
Words could not describe how upset I was with Ron right at this moment. Not caring what he was doing I apparated to his home, which was down the way from his childhood home. When I appeared there he was nowhere in the kitchen or the living room. I searched all the bedrooms and bathrooms and was close to giving up when I heard a squeal in the backyard. Moving very swiftly out the back door I spied him about fifty feet in the air brushing up on his Quidditch skills.
"Ronald Weasley!" I shouted. The smile he had on his face moments ago disappeared when he looked down and caught my eye. He flew down slowly, and landed a few feet from me.
"Yes?" He answered sheepishly as if he knew he had done something horribly wrong.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked him searching his eyes for an answer.
He looked utterly clueless.
"You can't possibly be that dense Ron!" I shouted at him. "Harry, Ron. Why didn't you tell me you were speaking with Harry again." I demanded.
His shoulders tensed and he hung his head.
"Listen 'Mione I'm really sorry, but I didn't think you would like it very much if I was…"
"Well that's it then isn't it? You thought for me! Did you ever stop to think maybe I could possibly think for myself?" I interrupted him, anger boiling inside of my veins. "No probably not. Poor little Hermione needs everyone else to protect her." After spitting that last bit at him, I turned on my heel and retreated back into the house. I could hear Ron coming after me but I didn't care.
"Hermione let me explain. He told me things, things we never stopped to consider."
I turned on him again. The whole idea of perhaps being friends with Harry again fled my mind. I was too pissed off with both of them right now that I didn't want anything to do with Harry.
"I don't want to listen to anything that backstabber has to say now or ever again!" I walked into the sitting room and threw myself into a lounge chair. Ron sat in front of me on the floor.
"It's not what you think Hermione." Ron said soothingly reaching for my hand. I reluctantly let him have it. This must have given him the confidence he needed because he continued speaking. " Harry and I have been speaking for about four years now, but only seeing each other for two. Talking with him cleared things up quite a bit. There are things you don't know about what happened when we were at Hogwarts Hermione."
I could see he wanted to tell me, but he wouldn't go on. I tried to usher him on, but he declined.
"I can't say anything until Harry decides he's ready."
At that comment I could feel myself getting perturbed once again. I let go of Rons' hand and went to stand up.
"Ron I want to know what is going on now. So either you are going to give me his home address of I'm going to storm the Ministry of Magic and make a scene in front of everyone." I said looking him right in the eyes.
He hung his head then led me into the kitchen and over to a pad of paper.
So here I stood in front of Harrys' flat with a piece of paper giving his address and his days off from work. I stared at the door leading into the building and I could feel butterflies going crazy inside of me. Deciding that only a ninny would be standing here felling the way I was, so stepped towards the door. I looked at the door and realized I had to be buzzed into the building. Here we go, it was now or never. I pushed the button.
(Harry)
I had just put some water onto boil when I heard the buzzer sound letting me know someone was here to see me. Feeling slightly confused as to who it could be, I walked over to the talk box. I pushed the button as I got my wand ready, just incase, you can never be too careful.
"Hello?" I said into the speaker.
It was silent for about thirty seconds and for a minute there I thought someone was pulling my chain when I heard the sound of someone pushing the opposite button, and then the sounds of the street below. Suddenly I heard a very familiar female voice come over the intercom.
"Harry? It's Hermione. We need to talk." Was all she said.
To be blunt I fucking flabbergasted. This was the last person in the world I expected to show up at my house. I must've taken forever because she hit the button again and spoke into it.
"If this is a bad time, I can just go."
Faster than I have ever been I hit the button.
"No, no, don't go." I pressed the button to let her in. I heard a loud buzz then the front door opened. The line had gone dead. She was on her way up to my flat. I began frantically running around my home magicing the rooms clean. Suddenly I heard the doorbell ring. My blood ran cold. I was a nervous wreck. How could she just show up at my house without any prior warning? Didn't she think that it would give me a coronary to even hear her voice?
I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my still unruly hair, and moved slowly towards the door. I couldn't will myself to open the door or to even look through the peephole. Finally thinking she might leave I lifted my head and looked through the hole at her.
Suddenly I was short of breath. She was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her hair seemed as if it were tamed some how, it now fell to mid-back and curled into soft ringlets. Her eyes were still a bright beautiful brown that I could get lost in, though right now she seemed a trifle nervous. I thought it better if I just put her out of her misery, and mine. I unlocked the door slowly, and swung the door open.
(Hermione)
Oh Merlin he's unlocking the door. I don't think I have ever been this nervous. I had come here to the man I used to love house to fully understand what had happened between us. My hands were shaky and sweaty, and I couldn't get them to stop so I just folded them in front of me as the door swung open.
Harry Potter stood in front of me, much taller than I had last seen him. His hair was still messy and unkempt and his eyes still the same striking and mesmerizing green. He was trying to hard to keep a goofy smile on his face, but his true nerves were showing. He was as nervous as I was. This knowledge made me feel better. He looked me up and I down as I had done to him a few seconds before hand, then finally invited me in.
He led me into his house, which was surprisingly clean, and I followed him into the sitting room where we took seats opposite each other. For a few minutes we sat there looking at each other, not sure of what to say, or how to start up a conversation. I secretly wondered if it was this hard for him and Ron.
"Er…you look good Harry." I said deciding that if I didn't start the conversation then we would be sitting there for a while.
He smiled a very genuine smile at me. "You look good to 'Mione" I felt a warm sensation spread through my insides at his compliment. I didn't think it was going to be this easy for Harry to get under my skin, but apparently I was very wrong.
I didn't want to get right to the point, but I wanted to know what happened before I even thought of pursuing a friendship with him again.
"Harry…" I started, feeling very nervous. "…I need to know what happened."
His facial expression changed to one of understanding, and then sadness. He took a deep breath.
"I figured that's why you came here, and I do owe you an explanation, but its not going to be easy, or short." His piercing green eyes looked deep into mine, for a minute there I thought I felt him touch my soul, but realized it was impossible. "Would you like some tea?" He asked me quietly. I nodded my head and muttered. "That would be nice."
Then he got up and disappeared into the kitchen.