Author notes: Disclaimer can be found at the first chapter.
This is an edited and reposted chapter.
Title : Interludes
Chapter 4 - Affirmation
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Hermione finished her part of the castle and was on her way towards the Astronomy tower where she promised to meet Harry. He was done checking the other side of the castle and waited for her at the foot of the stairs.
"Come, let's get out of here," he said when she arrived. He took her hand and led her away from the stairs.
She was abashed by the sudden change of plans, "I thought you want to go up there."
"I do, but someone got there first," he answered. "Let's go outside."
Hermione stopped on her tracks, "Who's up there anyway, and why didn't you reprimand them?" When Harry did not answer and got a forlorn look on his face, something dawned on her. "Ron - " she said, "Ron is up there, am I right?"
Harry shook his head, "No. It's Anthony Goldstein and that Ravenclaw sixth year he's been dating for almost two years." He paused and turned to her, "Ron? What made you think it was Ron that I saw? I thought you're over him." His face hardened and he looked the other way so that Hermione couldn't catch the change.
Hermione continued walking following Harry's lead. "Harry, Ron and I were history, and it was ages ago. I couldn't care less whom he dates."
They walked across the Hogwarts lawn towards the lake. Harry finally stopped when they reached the beech tree at the edge of the lake where usually do their revising on a fine, warm day. He sat down and Hermione did the same.
"Why are you suddenly so silent?" she asked. Harry hasn't completely heard her; he was so deep in thought looking at the calm water. "Harry is there anything wrong?" she asked again anxious to know what's bothering him.
"Hermione," he at last uttered, "do you think there's someone out there for me?"
She was quite surprised with what he just said. "I thought those kind of things don't matter to you so much? What was it that you said a couple of nights ago? - " she tried to remember their conversation at the Great Hall, "you have more important things to think of than your mundane love life. Did I get that right?"
Harry smiled, "I said stupid not mundane." He looked at her for a second and turned back to the lake. "It was just something that I saw tonight. There's something in Anthony's eyes… something different… something in the way he held that girl in his arms, which I can't seem to fathom."
"Oh," Hermione sighed.
"Do you think there's someone for me?" he asked her again. "Like my mom for my dad. Someone to die for, someone to die with?" Silence was all he got from her, a deafening silence. Harry chuckled, "Did you know that my dad had a huge crush on my mom when they were still on their fifth year?"
"No, who told you that?"
Harry exhaled, "I guess I should tell you now the real reason why I stopped my Occlumency lessons with Snape." Hermione gaped at him, astonished to learn that he kept something from her. He swallowed and proceeded, "Do you remember that time when they discovered Montague jammed inside the toilet? Fred and George did it when they shoved him at the Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor?" Harry laughed quietly then stopped when Hermione didn't find any humour in it.
"Malfoy called Snape for help so I was left in his office. I was supposed to go, but I saw this Pensive, with Snape's thoughts whirling on it. Well, you know, being the curious young lad that I am…"
"Nosy, should be more like it," Hermione corrected him.
"Okay, nosy it is," Harry relented and told her how he plunged into Snape's memory and what he saw. "Those letters 'L.E.', it was only later did I understood what they meant. My mom, she had this dark red hair and astonishingly green eyes," he sighed.
Hermione's chest fell. The wind blew on her face, but she did not felt its chilliness, her heart was pounding so hard like it's about to break apart. He just described his dream girl. Harry, why are you doing this to me?
"I - I know a lot of pretty girls who fancy you and would gladly go out with you," Hermione swallowed hard and bowed her head. "You're famous in our world; you're a great guy, with all of the things you've done…"
"You're not talking about fans, are you?" Harry sniggered. "Those girls are just fascinated with what I've been through. They would love to unveil the mystery that is Harry Potter. I've dated pretty girls," he added softly.
Hermione, still staring at the grass beneath them, asked, "So what kind of girl are you looking for anyway?" He really just sees me as a friend. All I had was just a fool's hope.
She didn't notice that Harry turned and was staring at her. Her beating heart was so loud that she almost did not hear him say, "Oh, just somebody who will accept me for who I truly am. Who accepts my flaws and brings out all the best I can do." Harry went on never taking off his gaze upon his friend, "Someone I can be comfortable with and be able to cry and laugh with. Knowing what's ahead of me, I need someone, whom I can trust, with an unwavering loyalty and would be willing to go through the fire with me."
Hermione felt like there's something lodged on her throat, "That's quite hard to find, isn't it?"
"Well, my dad found my mom here at Hogwarts," he replied. "I think I have found her here, too." His eyes were still fixed on her, waiting to meet her gaze.
Her heart sank even lower, her body felt numb, there's something throbbing on her ears. She felt like she's going to cry, but tears just can't seem to flow. But then something touched her hand which she had completely forgotten where she placed. Harry was lacing his fingers with hers. He tilted her chin so she could see his face in front of her. Her eyes, they were beginning to water. No, I can't, I mustn't.
"You know, Hermione," he whispered. "For the intelligent witch that you are, when it comes to your love life, you're pretty dense."
"What?"
"I found her, Hermione. She's that frightened little girl cowering at the toilet when the troll came when I was on my first year. She was the girl on the hospital bed petrified on our second year. She turned back time and helped me rescue Buckbeak and Sirius." Hermione's tears now freely flowed on her cheeks yet Harry went on, "She helped me learn all the charms, spells, jinx and hexes I could possibly use for the Triwizard tournament. She fought by my side at that Department of Mysteries fiasco, and scared me to death when she was hit by a curse."
Harry tried to wipe away her tears but they seem to keeping on falling, though they were mixed with silent chuckles. "I don't know how to thank you, Hermione… for saving me from an early death, for pulling me out of my madness. Is it enough to promise you that I'll love you forever?"
"I -" she nodded and finally found her voice, "I'll accept that." Hermione then pulled Harry into a tight embrace.
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A/N: Thanks to Raven for the help in proofreading.
Although I have already posted this story as completed, I was thinking of adding more H/Hr moments.
What do you think? Give me ideas and if anything catches my fancy, you might see a new chapter in here. Don't worry; I'll give credit to where credit is due.