A/N: I feel as if I must apologize for not updating for such a while, but my hardrive recently crashed and this entire chapter got lost along with the rest of my files, so I had to write it all over, although I must say that I rather favor this draft over the previous. In order to spare you some time and because of my late update, I've decided to split day 2 into two chapters so that you guys don't kill me. However, perhaps it may even be better this way since the chapter would have been extremely long anyhow. All the same, I updated in the least so please read and review!
Chapter 4
Day 2: The Game (Part 1)
"There's just something about him that I don't quite understand, but I swear, if I'm up to it, you know I'll dig deep enough to uncover whatever Harry Potter has become. But honestly - what's up with you?"
Hermione stared at Ginny as she looked at her through an enchanted crystal ball that had recently been invented for the wizarding world's more advanced communication purposes.
The red-haired woman that looked back at her seemed uncertain, worried, and, what's even more, somewhat bluntly panicked.
"Gin, are you okay?" Hermione asked her, placing her piece of toast on a plate that resided on the coffee table.
Ginny sighed, looking at her rather pathetically and said, "Herms, there's something you have to know - this thing that you're doing....the bet....I don't think it's going to work out...I - "
"Hold that though, Ginny," said Hermione, who had not been listening to a word that she was saying and got up to pick up her telephone, which was now loudly shouting, "Pick up the phone! Don't you hear the damn thing, it's enough to wake up the bloody neighborhood! You honestly are a deaf one, aren't y- "
"Stupid phone! I should have never let Fred and George talk me into buying it from them - Hello?" said Hermione into the receiver just as she grabbed the phone, only to hear a very familiar voice on the other line belonging to none other than her best friend.
"Hi," he said briefly.
Hermione smiled to herself and said, "You know, for two friends who have just renewed their relations, we should probably make our greetings somewhat more interesting. How about, from now on, whenever we talk to each other, we say, `Hi Hermione, how've you been? What's new with your life?'"
Harry laughed at the comment as Hermione grinned into the phone and said, "All right, I admit that was pretty lame, but you can't blame a guy for trying."
"To say `hi?'" Hermione laughed.
"Something like that," said Harry more seriously.
Hermione smirked to herself and said, "All right then, what exactly is it?"
"You know that cloak that you wore home yesterday?"
"No," said Hermione, trying to sound clueless. "Something wrong with it?"
"Well, it - "
"Oh, you're right!" said Hermione sarcastically. "I almost forgot about that. You must
be dying to get the thing back what with all the papers, keys, and the...Quidditch final tickets! You must
really be missing it, I bet! Either that, or you really care for the raggy old -"
"Hey," said Harry defensively, "I happen to love that coat, and I do need those tickets back as well."
"But you won't mind if I keep them for a while, Harry, after all, you don't expect me to believe that you didn't put the wrong coat on me on purpose, do you? I mean, you just had to invite me to that game, didn't you? And how did you know I'd agree?"
There was an awkward silence on Harry's part as Hermione laughed to herself and he finally said, "I, er, didn't."
"And is that the kind of attitude that's going to persuade someone - "
"Actually, Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "I wasn't...planning on going in the first place. The coat thing...it...really was an accident."
For a fragment of a moment Hermione felt somewhat hurt by the remark but then shrugged of the feeling and reminded herself that this was precisely what she had to be ready for. If Harry wanted to be friends, then fine, so it would be, but no rules said that it had to remain that way for too long, and as soon as she had him within a zone close enough to reel in, she would take full opportunity of the chance and she knew that she'd have him at her feet.
"There's no way that I'm buying that, Harry. I don't care what's gotten into you sick little mind, but I know that you wouldn't miss a game like this for anything, so don't expect me to think anything of it. However, I will play along and pass you the tickets if you agree to meet me for coffee at the Leaky Cauldron this morning."
There was another pause as Hermione knew that he was considering it, yet could not turn down the offer and then replied, "All right then. Eight o'clock?"
"Sounds good to me, I was just heading out anyway," she said sweetly, looking down at her pajamas and acknowledging the fact that this definitely wasn't so.
"See you there?"
"You can count on it," she replied, winking to Ginny, who was staring at her with a concerned expression.
"Bye, then," said Harry, his voice now suddenly more relaxed.
"Goodbye, Mr. Potter," said Hermione in a sing-song voice and put down the phone.
Turning around, she saw Ginny bitting her lip.
"Well, it's settled then - what is wrong, Ginny?"
She sighed even more heavily and replied, "Nothing," as if dreading the very word.
"Are you sure? Because if you've had a fight with Neville or something's not working out with the wedding, you know I'm the first person to - "
"No, no, it's nothing of the sort," said Ginny quickly. "It's just that - I have to go, Herms. And...by the way, Jean wants to see you at lunch pronto. Apparently so do the three who dare not call themselves virgins."
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, sitting down, and said, "What d'you think they want?"
"Judging by the sound of it, I'm guessing an update on how it went with Harry," said Ginny, shaking her head. "But I really have to go, Herms, tell me what happens later, though - "
"You can count on it - "
"I'm sorry about this, Hermione. Forgive me," she said rather miserably.
Hermione raised her eyebrow and said, "You haven't - "
But Ginny had already disappeared from the crystal ball and Hermione found herself not only wondering what she was going to wear, but what Ginny was hiding from her.
***
"I couldn't tell her!" said Ginny as she stormed into the hotel room and found Neville unpacking some more of their things.
"Couldn't tell her?"
"No! I just couldn't!" said Ginny dramatically and plopped herself on the bed, sinking her face into her hands. "She's going to kill me if she ever finds out."
"Ginny, this isn't your fault," said Neville comfortingly, gently placing his arm on her shoulders.
"No, it's all Fred and George's faults! They're the ones that had to settle on the stupid bet! They are both such prats! What I wouldn't give if I'd have accidentally spilled the rat poison on the both of them instead of dropping a bottle of humor elixir when I was five. Oooh, it would have done them a lot of good!"
"Exactly, so it's not your fault, Gin. I already told you, we tried to convince him from not going through with it, but Harry was really determined. He was actually the one that started the whole thing."
"Then it's all his fault too!" said Ginny as if finding the resolution and folding her arms stubbornly just as Neville patted her arm.
"Oh, what am I saying! Poor Harry! She'll drive him half insane! I know I've blamed him for a lot, but I also know that this hasn't been the easiest on either of them. What have we done?" she whined, cradling her head in Neville's shoulder as he pulled her into a hug.
"Gin, relax - "
"All right, I will, but what will we do?!"
"Nothing yet - "
"Nothing?!"
"Let's wait and see where this goes shall we?"
Ginny drew away from him and stared into his eyes with an uncertain expression.
Neville exchange a knowing look and said, "Let's just see where the wind blows them. Perhaps this can turn out to be a positive thing for them after all. I mean, just look at them, they're properly talking to each other for the first time in years, and they're spending time together when they actually getting along - "
"But you don't understand," said Ginny, sniffing and shaking her head, "Hermione's only pretending. She's been horrible, really. If only you heard the things she says behind his back. I'm not so sure she can love him again. I mean, all this time I thought she still did, but not anymore. She's looking for revenge, not companionship."
"I think you don't have much faith in them, Gin, but if things get out of hand, I promise we'll both step in and do something about it. We both know that they belong together, so there'd be nothing wrong with nudging that a bit, would there?"
Ginny smiled slightly and said, "No, I suppose not."
"There's my girl."
"I just hope that it's rather sooner than later..."
***
"I can't understand what's gotten into her!" Harry told Ron, whose head was floating in his fireplace, while pacing up and down the living room.
"You know Hermione can have her mental mood swings. You just can't let her have the better of you. D'you know what I mean? You know her - "
"No, no, I don't," said Harry, stopping and facing him. "I thought I did, but...not anymore. She's changed, Ron. And something really strange is going on."
"Oh, please," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "She's probably just havening one of her moments. Hermione hasn't changed a bit. It's only her stupid ranting about having changed that sound abnormal - "
"Yeah, you say that, but you weren't there last night. And now she wants to go to the game with us. A day ago she wouldn't be seen with me in public! Yet now it's...different. Now she's being nice, and flirty, and somehow absolutely strange - "
"Uh-oh," said Ron, raising his eyebrows.
"What?" said Harry, looking at him.
"Flirty? Just how flirty, Harry? You know you have a bet to win? And judging by Fred and George's usual, I'm telling you, you haven't heard - "
"Damn it, Ron, I don't care about the stupid bet! I care about her!"
Ron sighed and looked at him, a simple smile occupying his face. "You still love her, then?"
Harry felt a horrible pang at the back of his throat and somewhere at the bottom of his stomach, but still replied, "Yeah...yeah, I do. More than ever."
"Then what's the problem?" he asked.
"Us," said Harry. "Her and I - we're on horrible terms."
"Not anymore you're not," Ron corrected him.
"Something's going on with her, Ron, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it as sure as I would die for her."
"Would you tell her about it, then?" said Ron, scowling.
"I...don't know," said Harry, looking away.
"Well...Harry, if you love her...you know, you should..."
"Yeah...I know...I should've..."
There was a pause as Harry looked out his window and Ron suddenly changed his tone and said, "But, hey, mate, you just do what you gotta do, and if you love her, and she loves you, there's no way that she won't understand. So, listen, I'll see you tonight, but stay off the ladies, okay?"
"You don't have to worry about that, Ron, I've got it covered."
"Oh, but, by the way, if she tries any more of that flirty stuff on you, just do some of the things that drives girls away."
"Beg pardon?" said Harry, raising his eyebrow.
"You know, like taking on a very boring subject or...talking about all the misery that you've had in your life and getting to upset to go on with the night or...when there's physical contact, just get all tense and - "
"What am I, freaking gay?"
"Course not, but if you don't want me to go on - "
"Please, spare us the irony!"
"Fine," Ron sniffed. "I was only trying to help you out, mate."
"Yeah...see you later, Ron," said Harry just as he saw his head nod and disappear with a `pop' in the fireplace.
Harry glanced at his watched and, sighing, grabbed Hermione's coat, Disapperating to the diner.
***
As soon as had Harry appeared the restaurant, he heard Hermione calling over to him from a small table at which she sat sipping from her cup.
Harry caught her eye and grinned at her, memorized at how much more beautiful she had somehow appeared to him recently every time he saw her.
Just as he was making his way over to the table, he passed a lady that caught his eye and he felt his arm being tugged as he proceeded so that he had to turn and face her. She looked extremely familiar, but he just couldn't put his finger on who she was.
"Hey, Harry, long time no see," she said seductively.
"Er, right. Hi," said Harry, looking to Hermione, but the woman pulled at him once more and said, "You haven't called me in a real long time, you know. I didn't know that you were with someone else now," glancing icily at Hermione.
"Oh, no," said Harry, shaking his head. "I'm not with her, she's my best friend."
"I see," the woman said, smiling warmly. "Well, if you ever get the chance, look me up, Harry," she said and began to walk away.
It suddenly dawned upon him that in no chance was he going to remember who she was and so he called to her, "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"
The woman looked as if he had just slapped her and furiously yelled, "It's Charlotte, you idiot!" turning her heel and walking in the direction opposite of him.
Harry knew that his face was burning as he heard Hermione giggling behind him at her table and he turned around slowly with his head down, walking toward her table and sitting opposite her.
Still laughing, she said, "Does this happen often?"
"You have no idea," said Harry, shaking his head.
He looked up at her and noticed that she was watching him adoringly, as if waiting for him to say something.
He looked down at the tall cup that was in her hands and said, "I see you got your coffee already."
"Oh, no, it's a milkshake. I hate coffee."
Harry raised his eyebrow, frowning, and said, "I thought you hated milk shakes."
"Things change," said Hermione humbly, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, aren't you going to order?"
Harry took his eyes off her for a moment and suddenly remembered that he simply sat there dumbfounded and said, "I'll have my usual."
As soon as his coffee appeared on the table within moments, Hermione took in the scent, closing her eyes and opening them once more, and said, "Wow, that smells really good. What's in it?"
Harry blinked. Hadn't she just said that she hated coffee? But then she...what?
Harry took hold of his cup nervously as he watched Hermione follow the sent and move her chair over so that she could be closer to him.
"Erm...two spoons of sugar, some lemon, honey, and - "
"I thought that's how you liked your tea?" said Hermione, puzzled.
"Right," Harry said, waking himself up and taking a sip. "I meant to say two spoons of sugar, a drop of vanilla, and whipped cream."
"Mmm," said Hermione, now sitting only several inches away from him. "Sounds perfect," she whispered.
"Maybe," said Harry in a high-pitched tone and cleared his throat. "Maybe," he repeated in a deeper voice, bringing the cup back up for another sip as he noticed that it began shaking within his grasp and slightly rattling against his teeth.
Hermione make a small chuckle and her attention returned to her drink as she began to stir it.
"You know what I would like, Harry?" she said, looking up at him.
His eyes traveled to her face and he lowered the cup, saying, "What's that?"
"To finally settle down."
Harry chocked.
"I mean it just seems as if I've been wondering around aimlessly for...ever, don't you think?" she said, wrapping her arms around herself and slightly shrugging her shoulders.
Harry cleared his throat once more, this time from having some whipped cream travel down the wrong part of his throat.
"I mean, if I could just find that special someone! Oh my - "
Hermione had unwrapped her hands so violently in exclamation of what she was saying that the entire milkshake went flying off the table and onto Harry's clothes.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, Harry!" Hermione screamed, bitting down on her lip.
"That's all right, don't worry about it," said Harry, reaching for his wand, but she had already grabbed a napkin and began wiping off Harry's shirt and pants, at which she saw him turning an unnatural red color from the corner of her eye.
"Um, Hermione?" he finally croaked.
"Yeah?" she said briskly, looking up at him, holding a stained napkin.
She noticed that he was looking in a different direction and she followed his gaze toward an elderly waitress that was standing above them with her eyebrow raised.
"Is everything all right here?"
"Oh, yes," said Hermione, going pink. "It's just that this spilled and - "
Harry quickly pulled out his wand and cleaned the mess in the matter of a wave.
The waitress sniffed and said, "Muggles," walking away from their table.
Hermione sat up properly, still slightly pink, and placed the napkin back on the table.
"Sorry about that, Harry," she said innocently.
"Anytime," he replied, "I - I mean, no problem."
This time it was difficult for her to fight back a smile, but she did so nevertheless and knew that she was getting very obvious, yet it was extremely entertaining all the same. After all, Harry would figure out what was going on soon enough, if he hadn't already, and if he was still in love with her in the way that she had believed him to be, then all she had to do is let him do the rest. She wouldn't even have to do any more confessions or anything of the sort. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she even felt anything extremely strong for Harry. He was her friend and always will be. So she had loved him once...that...had been a long and dreadful time ago...
"So you're sure you want to go to the game then?" said Harry.
"Yeah," said Hermione as they exchanged coats, exiting the Leaky Cauldron.
Hermione stared at the ground for a while and waited for him to say something.
"I'll, er, see you later then, I suppose," said Harry.
"Yes, later," said Hermione, looking up at him and smiling.
For a moment frozen in time, she half-expected something to happen as she stared into his glistening eyes, yet when nothing did, she smiled once more, nodded, and turned to leave, wishing him goodbye.
Taking once last glimpse at him before Disapperating and hugging her cloak, Hermione couldn't help but feel as if an old part of her was returning along with Harry, and she had missed it somewhat of a great deal.
A/N: I understand that this is only an introduction to day 2, but believe me, I will bring about the conclusion in part 2. In the mean while, please review!
-->