Hidden Meanings

Ruddy_Brilliant

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 4
Published: 08/01/2005
Last Updated: 08/01/2005
Status: completed

After a long, weary day at work, Harry and Hermione return to their flat to relax. They didn't think they would discover each other's true love! A very sweet and very classic story.

Chapters

1. Chapter the Only

1. Chapter the Only

Disclaimer: Fanfic is mine. Characters are not. =D

I wrote this last night; I had sudden inspiration! =D

“Oh, my, God.”

Hermione Jane Granger leaned back in her seat with a tired sigh. A brand-new load of papers had just been delivered to her desk, and she was burned out. And with good reason, too, since it was already eleven PM.

The deliverer, Susan Bones, looked at her sympathetically. “I know, I know,” she said. “But this work’s just got to be done, and soon, too.”

Hermione sighed. “I know,” she said, “but I’m just so, dead, tired. All I want to do right now is go home, get into some comfy clothes, and curl up on the couch with a good movie.”

Her work partner, Harry James Potter, looked over at her and smiled. “Hey, that’s exactly what I’m looking forward to,” he said. “Why don’t we go and do it, then?”

Hermione gave him a weak smile. “Oh, but Harry, I’ve got all this work to do,” she sighed. “I can’t possibly leave now...”

“Oh, come on, Herm,” said Harry. “You come in every morning at seven o’clock and usually work way ‘til midnight. That’s why more and more work keeps arriving. Why don’t you just take a break once in a while? Leave those old papers. You can sort through them on Monday.”

“Harry’s exactly right,” proclaimed Susan. “You have been working really hard, Hermione. Come on, take a break, please?”

Hermione looked from one’s face to the other’s, before letting out a resoluted, yet happy, sigh. “All right, all right,” she agreed, not without a small grin, however. “Let me just get my briefcase; then we’re gone.”

Harry grinned and got up from his chair, reaching for his coat and briefcase. Susan smiled at his eagerness.

“Well, have fun, you two,” she said with a grin. “I’ve got one more paper to fill out, then I’m off to the house. Neville’s putting the kids to sleep and then we’re going to have our own little movie night.”

“Ooh, sounds nice,” replied Hermione. “Wow,” she sighed. “I still can’t believe you and Neville are married and have three kids already, and you guys are only in your early 30’s.” She sighed. “Time sure goes fast.”

“It sure does,” Susan agreed. “But what I can’t believe is that neither of you two are hitched yet! What happened?!”

Both Harry and Hermione shrugged.

“Well?” prompted Susan. “Anyone going to offer their tragic story, or do I have to probe?”

The two laughed at that. “Well,” said Hermione, “I...” she faltered, then started again, “I... did fall in love, a very long time ago. And... I still am,” she said softly. “But... I never... pursued... things with this person, I guess. And I never... told him how I felt.” She sighed, and looked weary. “I guess... I guess that’s why I’m like this, now.” She closed her eyes and sighed in defeat.

Susan’s mouth was open with sympathy for her. She glanced over at Harry and saw that he was staring at Hermione with the oddest expression on his face. Hermione opened her eyes, blinked, and noticed Harry.

“Er...” she said. “Harry? Are you okay?”

Harry blinked and nodded, casting his eyes downward. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Yeah... okay.”

Susan looked at him. “Harry...” she said. “What’s your story?”

Harry looked up at her. “I... don’t know,” he said in a near-whisper. “I guess- I fell in love a long time ago but... never realized it. And now...” he whispered, looking down again, “...now it’s too late.”

Susan looked at him with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Harry,” she said with a sad sigh.

Harry nodded. “Yeah, thanks,” he murmured. Susan glanced at Hermione, who was looking at Harry with tears in her eyes.

“Hermione?” she half-whispered. “Are you... all right?”

Harry quickly looked at her. Hermione lowered her head and quickly wiped her tears away. “Yeah, yeah... fine,” she responded. “I’m... fine.”

“Well...” said Susan softly. “Well... I better be going, then. Bye, Hermione. See you, Harry.”

“Bye, Susan,” whispered Hermione. Harry nodded at her. “See you,” he replied. Susan quickly left the office.

Hermione looked up to see Harry looking at her with a mixture of sadness and sympathy on his face. “Harry...” she said softly, “what’s wrong?”

Harry shook his head quickly and turned away. “Nothing... nothing,” he murmured quietly, but Hermione knew something was up.

“Hey,” she said softly, “you don’t have to keep secrets from me, you know. Harry... I’m your best friend. And-”

She quickly cut herself off, frightened that she had almost said “And lover.” Harry, however, had quickly turned to look at her.

“And?” he asked. “And, what?”

Hermione shook her head, looking away and blinking back tears. “Nothing, nothing,” she murmured. “And, nothing.”

Harry sighed and came over to her. “Come on,” he said, putting his arm around her. “Let’s go home. We’ve done enough for today.”

Hermione nodded quietly and bent to retrieve her briefcase from under her desk. She slipped on her coat and, with Harry, left the office.

*~*

The two quickly made it to the Apparition spot and Apparated together to the flat that the two of them shared. Them sharing the flat had been entirely coincidal, because they originally hadn’t planned to share at all. They both had been, also coincidentally, named as work partners, and were very happy to be able to see each other during the work day. They had not planned on being able to see each other everytime else! What had happened was, they both had turned up at the same apartment complex, on the same day, at the same time, and requested a one-bedroom one-bathroom apartment. However, that particular apartment complex had all its rooms occupied at the moment except for one two-bedroom one-bathroom apartment. Since the receptionist had seen that Harry and Hermione already knew each other, she suggested that they share an apartment. This idea, at first foreign to both the two of them, had soon proved to be a wonderful one and they had accepted. Since they were also work partners, they both had the same hours, and they could keep the apartment up nicely. So saying, they took the flat, and it certainly had worked out very nicely so far.

When they both appeared in their apartment, they both headed to their respective bedrooms to change and get comfy. Hermione put on some fuzzy pants, a big t-shirt, and some squishy lounge slippers. Harry pulled on sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

Hermione headed into the kitchen to find Harry making some hot cocoa for the two of them. She smiled as he turned around, carrying two steaming thermoses of the chocolately stuff. He knew she liked it extra hot, and he was just the same.

“Hey,” he said, his voice husky from tasting the steaming hot chocolate. “I made some hot cocoa.”

Hermione happily accepted the frothing thermos. “Thank you so much, Harry,” she said. “You always know exactly what I need.”

Harry grinned and motioned to the den. “Right through there,” he said, smiling. “We’re going to relax, drink hot cocoa, watch a movie, and have fun together.”

Hermione smiled at him. “Sounds perfect to me,” she replied, leading the way out of the small kitchen.

Once they were both settled on the couch, Harry picked up the remote and flicked on the TV. The beginning screen of Dr. No appeared on the screen. Hermione gasped.

“Oh, Harry!” she exclaimed. “How on Earth did you know I love James Bond?!”

Harry grinned at her and pressed play. “Let’s just say... there’s a lot I know about you that you don’t know I know,” he responded.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him. “Right,” she said. “That sentence was sure easy to figure out.”

Harry laughed and punched her lightly on the arm. “Drink cocoa,” he said, “and watch movie.”

Hermione happily obliged. She felt happy, to just be sitting there with Harry, watching James Bond movies and drinking hot cocoa.

Soon, however, she began to feel cold. Their apartment complex didn’t have a very good heating system, and she had forgotten to bring a sweater down. She didn’t want to run all the way to her bedroom right then for one, however. Plus, they were all in the laundry getting washed. Soon, she began to shiver from the cold.

Harry immediately looked at her, worry creasing his brow. “Hermione!” he said. “Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it too cold?”

Hermione nodded, her teeth chattering. “I’m f-f-freezing,” she shivered. “And- and- I think all my sweaters are in the wash.” A few tears rolled down her cheek from the extreme cold.

Harry, noticing the tears, immediately wrapped his two strong, warm arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth. “There,” he said softly, cradling her gently in her arms, “there, is that better?”

Hermione stared at him, wide-eyed. “Yes...” she whispered, “yes... that’s so much better... I feel... warm...”

Harry tightened his arms around her. “I don’t want you to be cold,” he said. “Are you sure you’re warm now?”

Hermione nodded, settling herself into his arms. “Thank you, Harry,” she said softly. “You always know exactly what I need.”

Harry chuckled softly. “Nice cliche,” he said with a grin, then ducked as Hermione playfully swatted him.

*~*

As the movie went on, Hermione began to grow more and more accustomed to having Harry’s arms around her. Harry never once removed them from her, obviously wanting to make sure she was never returned to her previous state of coldness. It was pretty nice, Hermione realized, to have the man you love’s arms around you. She didn’t think of the fact that it might be nice for Harry, too, to have his arms around the woman he loved.

When the movie ended, Harry switched off the TV with one push of a button on the remote and then just sighed, relaxing into the couch with his arms still wrapped warmly around Hermione.

Hermione sighed, too. She knew she’d have to get off of him sometime... yet she really didn’t want to. Harry seemed to not want her to go, either, by the way he suddenly tightened his hold on her.

Hermione sighed contentedly and settled deep into his arms. The silent aura was penetrated suddenly by Harry’s asking her, “Hermione... what do you think of love?”

The question was so sudden that Hermione didn’t think of what he had just asked her. When she did realize... she let out a small sigh and thought about it. “Love...” she said softly. “Love... something I should have sprung for a long time back... when I was still at Hogwarts. Something... I should have confessed to someone... a long, long time ago. Though that someone’s still around... I doubt that he thinks of me in the same way that I think of him.”

Harry again tightened his arms around her. “So the guy you love,” he said quietly, yet quite forcefully, with a hint of jealousy, “he went to Hogwarts, now did he? And he was in our year?”

Hermione looked back at him. “He was,” she replied, “he was. But why, Harry? What do you think of love?”

Harry sighed, letting his hold on Hermione lax. “Love...” he said, “well... something I’ve probably lost forever. True love, that is. Because I know the one I love is in love with someone else.”

Hermione looked at him quickly. “Did she- did she also go to Hogwarts?” she asked, and there was more of a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Harry looked at her in surprise. “Yes,” he answered, “she did.” And then, suddenly, something in the way they were both looking at each other... the way their faces were so close together... brought them together and their lips brushed ever so slightly in a gentle kiss. Then, as quickly as it had happened, they had broken apart, and were looking at each other in astonishment.

“Hermione,” said Harry suddenly, in quite a forceful voice. He launched himself forward and gripped her hands tightly. “Hermione... who’s the guy you love?”

Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Harry,” she whispered softly, “oh, Harry, don’t you know? It’s you, Harry, it’s you.” The tears spilled over, and she buried her face in her knees, silently crying.

Emotions were flooding through Harry at that time. Love, however, took over at that moment. He gently lifted her head and looked her in the eye. “Hermione...” he said softly. “Hermione... it’s you in my book, too.”

And, masking the expression of joyous shock which had appeared on her face, he drew her in for a long, meaningful, and... beautiful... kiss.