A/N: And now I present the answers to all of your questions. Unfortunately, I have lost a few readers because these questions were not answered right away. Well, they have little patience and I thank those of you who stuck by me through this fic. And now for the finale. Enjoy.
Lots of Love,
HpFreak2
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Chapter Fourteen
She sat silently on her bed, listening only to the beating of her heart, and the hum of the air conditioner.
She'd just returned from the meeting with Harry, and she was unable to do anything but sit, stare, and think.
She began to line up the things he'd done wrong.
One, he ignored me. Two, he lied to me. Three, he cheated on me.
Wasn't it bad enough that he'd stop talking to her? Why did he have to go and lie? Why did he have to…
She didn't want to think about it. The thought of him having his hands on Ginny, hugging her, kissing her…it was just unbearable. And the one, true painful thought that she couldn't leave alone… Those same arms and lips that had once caressed her, and seemed to have loved her… now were no longer hers. Another thought… why in bloody hell would he get together with Ginny?
She rose to pace.
And anger suddenly flowed through her like boiling lava at the thought of Ginny. She'd betrayed her most of all. She broke her trust. She fucking took the love of her life right out from under her.
Everything that had ever made her happy was pulled out from under her like a second hand rug. And by someone she trusted no less.
She sat down again on the bed with a small sob she hadn't realized was coming. So what was she supposed to do now? She was flat on her arse in pain, and no one was coming to help her up.
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She woke up the next morning with a scratchy throat and itchy eyes. The results of crying herself to sleep, she thought.
But there was something odd. A sweet smell crept into her nose, making here eyes blink open. She sprang into a sitting position, suddenly breathless. Her hotel room was full of roses. Dozens and dozens of roses.
She stared around her, wide eyed. Vase after vase was filled with bright red roses, sitting everywhere around her room. She climbed out of bed slowly, and padded over to the little table by the window, where a single white rose sat innocently in front of another vase full of red roses.
She picked it up and brought it to her nose, then touching the perfect pedals gently. Then she noticed the little card.
I'm sorry
She stared at it a moment, frowning. Had Harry really done all this for her? She put the white rose back where she found it, and turned to look at the rest of her room. Her heart melted as she stared at all the buds, each one perfect as the next.
She jolted as a knock sounded at her door. She frantically put on her robe, tried to tame her hair just a little as she made her way to the door. She peeped through the hole, and her breath caught.
There he was, standing outside her door, with yet another rose in hand. She wasn't going to give in this easy. What did he take her for, some kind of romantic fool? He knew her too well.
She opened the door carefully, stoning herself.
"Good morning Hermione." He said simply, with a bone-melting smile.
"What do you want?" Despite all the roses behind her, she was still as pissed at him as ever, and her heart was still broken. Flowers couldn't fix that.
"I just came to see how you're doing." He held out the rose, and continued to smile.
Manners got the better of her, and she took the rose. "I don't know how you found me here, but I really don't have time-" she tried to close the door, but his foot stopped it. "Harry-"
"Hermione, come on, just let me talk to you."
"You are talking to me."
"Let me come in and explain myself."
"There's no explaining necessary. You lied, you cheated. End of story." She tried to force the door closed again, but his foot held steady. Fury rose in her. "Harry James Potter, I don't have time for this."
He pushed open the door all the way, making her stumble backwards and drop the delicate rose. He strode into the room, and shut the door behind him with hard click.
"Do you really think I'd let you go that easy?"
"Let me go? What the bloody hell are you talking about?" She retied her robe in tight jerks as it had fallen open in her stumble. "Let me tell you something. I don't appreciate you forcing your way into my room in the middle of the morning, and then getting this attitude with me. Do me a favor and just leave me the hell alone! Don't you think you've done enough damage?" She yelled, and poked him in the chest. She scowled up at him as he stared calmly back down at her.
"I said I was sorry." He said simply.
"Sorry doesn't fix all the pain I've been through." She said defiantly, deciding telling him the truth about her feelings would be the only way to get rid of him for good.
"What do you want me to do then Hermione?" He said angrily. "What can I do?"
"Can you reverse time, and take back all those promises?"
"I meant those." He said quietly.
"No, you didn't. If you truly cared about me, you wouldn't have ignored me. No, excuse me, you wouldn't have `protected' me. You wouldn't have gotten together with Ginny."
"Who said I was with Ginny?"
"You did!" She yelled. Pain and anger swirled in her, making her words easier to yell.
"I never said anything. You assumed."
"You let me assume." She snapped.
"No I didn't."
"Would you just stop it already? I asked you to leave. Go." She pointed furiously toward the door.
"No." He said it so simply, so, blankly, that she was suddenly aware of his height and stature.
She did the only thing she could think to do. She pushed and shoved at him, trying to get him to go to the door. She reached behind him, opened the door and tried to push him out.
"I don't think so." He snapped the door shut again. And to her utter surprise, he picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder.
"Put me down you great buffoon!" She kicked, screamed and hollered as he made his way calmly to the bed. He dumped her on the bed and straddled her, pinning her flailing arms above her head.
"Now listen to me Hermione Granger," he growled, too close for comfort.
Her breath caught and her heart pounded, and she was suddenly aware of how warm it was in the room.
"I'm listening." She growled back, clenching her teeth.
"Either you let me explain myself, or I walk out that door and you never hear from me again. And you know that's a mistake. You know you don't want me to leave."
"You don't know me as well as you used too Harry." She squirmed.
"I may not, but those big brown doe eyes tell me things your mouth doesn't."
She just blinked up at him. "Let me go."
"Do you promise to listen to me?"
"I can't promise you a damn thing." She squirmed harder, trying to shake him loose.
"Tell me you'll hear me out then."
She just scowled up at him, knowing in her heart she didn't want him to leave. But she was risking her heart again. Would it be worth it the second time around?
He moved his face closer to hers, and stared intently into her eyes. "You don't want me to go." He said huskily. A strange feeling was tingling between her shoulder blades and down her spine, and a low heat was balling in her belly.
He softly touched his lips to hers. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the hurricane of warmth in the pit of her stomach. He drew away and looked down at her again, sitting up, and releasing her wrists.
"Fine." She tried not to croak. "I'll listen."
"Good." He got up off her, and sat on the bed next to her instead.
She gulped and sat up too, not knowing where she got the strength to do so.
"So?" She said, straightening her robe.
"So, I don't know where to start." He said simply.
"You came to me to explain what the hell happened between us. So start somewhere."
"Fine. I'll start with the false alarm on Voldemort." He took a deep breath. "Now, when I told you that I stopped talking to you because I wanted to protect you, that's the truth, you have to believe me. Even though that it wasn't a true sighting, it really made me think. I'm putting you in danger by being with you, and I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if something happened to you."
"Why couldn't you just tell me this as you were thinking it?"
"Because owling you seemed like a huge risk. You don't know how much I regret that Hermione." He scooted closer to her and took her hands in his, staring intently into her eyes.
"You left in such a hurry last night that I didn't get to tell you about me and Ginny." He felt her hands stiffen in his. "I have no excuse for any of that. She was upset, terribly so. She was crying all over the place because Dean broke up with her. And the kiss…just…happened. It didn't mean anything, I swear."
She narrowed her eyes at him. She decided he wouldn't be stupid enough to lie to her more than once. Allowing herself to trust him wasn't something she'd planned on, but the sincerity in his eyes was making it too easy.
"It didn't mean a thing to me." He squeezed her hands. "I talked with Ginny about it. She knew it was a mistake too. She was so worried about you."
"And you weren't?" She said scathingly.
"I was terrified to face you, much less talk to you. I knew what had happened was wrong. I couldn't bring myself to tell you. But I am now, and you have no idea how sorry I am about it."
"Thank you for telling me." She said quietly. "I may not know how sorry you are, but you don't know how much you hurt me."
He watched her pleadingly for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered, letting go of her hands and hanging his head.
She watched him for a moment before speaking. "Trusting you isn't something I want to do. I don't want to be hurt again."
"I understand." He said, looking back up at her.
Forgiveness was filling her, unexpectedly. Oh a whim, she reached up and framed his face in her hands.
"Harry, I don't think you understand. You don't know how many nights I worried about you, or how many times I cried, wondering if you were alive or if you cared, or if what we had was joke."
"No," he said suddenly, gripping her wrists. "It was not a joke. I cared. Perhaps too much."
She frowned. What was he talking about? He kissed the palms of her hands, and then leaned over and kissed her softly on the mouth. She didn't pull back… she wanted it as much as he did.
"Hermione," He said, quietly, resting his forehead against hers and rubbing a thumb along her cheekbone. "I'm so sorry."
"I know," she answered, now hanging onto his wrists. She looked into his green eyes, and felt that thick emotion flood over her again. She was falling in love with him all over again, and she was allowing it. She didn't know why, but she just let it happen. It just couldn't be stopped.
"Hermione," he said again, staring harder into her eyes. "I love you. I always have. I should have told you a long time ago."
She felt the sting of tears with the swirl of emotion in her heart. She let out a harsh breath she realized she'd been holding for too long.
"Oh my god," and threw her arms around his neck, unable to stop the tears now. She clung to him for dear life. "I love you too Harry. I love you too."
He squeezed her too, breathing deep. He felt something hot in his pocket. He pulled back from her, giving her a curious look. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the little silver ring. It was shining as if it was brand new, and all the beautiful etchings were glowing back to life. Her breath caught as she stared at the unusual glow.
"I guess I should end with this." He said with a smile. She followed the movement of his hand as he took her left hand in his.
"Hermione," he said, slipping the ring partially on her finger. She instantly was covered in warmth as the band touched her knuckle. "My life wasn't the same this summer. I missed you more than you can even imagine. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry it took me this long to realize you're the only one for me. I love you, Hermione. Marry me."
He breath hitched as he slipped the ring fully onto her finger. She finally looked up at him, her breathing still uneven. Tears still slid peacefully down her cheeks. He was waiting for an answer, she realized…so where was her voice?!
"Yes," She said quietly, and then the broadest grin split her face as she said it again. "Yes, I will!" She cried and threw her arms around him again, laughing and crying in pure joy.
And among the roses and morning sun spilling into the hotel room, Hermione realized true happiness, and true love. She didn't know how she could ever live without it.
The End
All right, and now the inspiration. I always get ideas from songs, and this one actually came to me midway through the fic. Here are the lyrics.
I was lost in darkness and sinking sand
Well I was barely nothing, a broken man
But you picked up the pieces of my heart in your hand
Then you came and showed to me love's second chance
[Chorus]
Shine on, shine on, shine on me
Whenever something's missing
You're exactly what I need
Your love has shown me the light and now I finally see
So shine on, shine on, shine on me, yeah
Lord knows that I'm not perfect but I sure do try
And I see the man that I can be in your eyes
Well there are times I still get lost in yesterday
But you put the past behind me and you light my way
[Repeat Chorus]
Shine on (let your love shine)
Shine on (on me)
Shine all your love on me, yeah
(Your love on me)
Shine all your love on me, yeah
[Repeat Chorus]
Shine on, shine on, shine on me
Won't you keep on shining, yeah
Won't you keep on shining your love
Down on me, baby
Won`t you keep on shining, yeah
Won`t you keep on shining your love
Yeah, you're exactly what I need, baby
Yeah, you are
Thanks again everybody for reading!!!!
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