Chapter 9
Hermione felt as though a thousand knives had pierced through her heart. For a brief moment she had been ecstatic thinking that Harry loved her and they could be together but Harry's last sentence had dashed everything. She wanted to run away but her legs wouldn't move. Harry hadn't seen Hermione's reaction. He kept on speaking.
"Do you think she loves me back? Let's try once. You act as if you are Caroline. I'm going to come and tell you what I feel. Okay?" he said. Hermione nodded automatically. Harry walked away and the came up to her.
"I wanted to tell this to you for a long time. Ever since I first saw you I couldn't think straight. Our friendship brought us even closer. Today I can't keep this inside me anymore. I've fallen in deeply in love with you. Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked dramatically. Hermione tried to smile. Harry threw his arms around her.
"I love you, Caroline. I really do", he said softly.
"I love you too. With all my heart", replied Hermione. Tears were freely falling from her eyes now.
"You think she'd say that?" asked Harry still hugging her.
Hermione tried to nod against his shoulder but couldn't. As soon as Harry let go of her she ran towards the school. Harry was a bit confused but thought that Hermione probably felt shy because of the whole incident. He didn't follow her. After a while he too started walking back hoping that the common room would be empty so that he could ask Caroline. Luck was on his side. As he entered the common room he saw that Caroline was the only one sitting there. She was reading a book.
"Hi Caroline", he said sitting down next to her.
"Hi", she replied, not looking up.
"Caroline I need to talk to you", said Harry, feeling a bit nervous.
Caroline put her book down and looked towards him. "What is it Harry?" she asked.
"I wanted to tell this to you for a long time. Ever since I first saw you I couldn't think straight. Our friendship brought us even closer. Today I can't keep this inside me anymore. I've fallen in deeply in love with you. Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked. She looked at him with her eyes wide. It took her a while to digest what he had said.
"Oh Harry! I'd be glad to. I've felt about you the same way for a long time", she replied happily. She moved closer to Harry. Harry brought down his face as their lips met. It started slowly but soon became very passionate. Their hands were running up and down each other's backs. They were so engrossed with each other that they did not see someone entering the common room and immediately turning back.
Hermione had rushed back to her dormitory as soon as Harry had loosened his grip on her. Fortunately for her it was empty. She had jumped onto her bed and started crying helplessly. The tears would just not stop. After half an hour she thought that a glass of water would help her. She had made her way to the common room but stopped dead at the sight that she saw. Harry and Caroline were snogging passionately. Seeing that they hadn't noticed her arrival she turned back.
She started crying again. A tiny hope for her had been Caroline would not feel the same way about Harry. But even that was dashed. She had always felt that Harry had something for Caroline but hadn't imagined it to be love. Unlike Ron he had not distanced himself from other friends. After the chat with Hagrid she had been very hopeful. She could not face Harry anymore. The sight of him made her want to cry. All her dreams were spoiled. She had to get away. All classes had finished at Hogwarts. She took out a piece of paper and scribbled a short note to Dumbledore. She wrote that her father was unwell and she needed to go home at the earliest. She used Lavender's owl to send it. She got the reply from Dumbledore within minutes. He had said that she could catch the Knight bus from Hogsmede at ten in the morning. She packed her things and went to bed, for the last time at Hogwarts.
Harry woke up late next morning. He was very happy. He walked down to the common room where he was greeted by Caroline with a kiss. Suddenly he remembered that he hadn't told Hermione about Caroline and him. As the two of them made their way to the great hall, he met Ron.
"Hi Ron, have you seen Hermione?" he asked.
"Blimey Harry! Don't you know? Hermione left this morning. She says her father is not well. She's catching the Knight bus at ten", Ron replied. Harry looked at his watch. It was almost ten. He couldn't help feeling that there was something more to this. He tried to apparate to Hogsmede but remembered that couldn't be done. He ran at full speed. Caroline followed him trying to keep up. When he got to Hogsmede he was relieved to see the Knight bus. He rushed inside and found Hermione quite easily.
"What's the meaning of all this Hermione?" he asked panting.
"My father is not well", replied Hermione, not looking at him.
"Hermione I've known you for seven years. This excuse can be good enough for Ron or Dumbledore but not for me. I can see through you and I know that you are not telling the truth", he said.
"I wish you could see through a little better Harry. Anyway, I'm needed at home", she replied evasively.
"Okay fine", said Harry defeated, "So next I'll see you at auror training?"
"I've changed my mind. I won't take up auror training", she said shortly.
"So you are abandoning me. Didn't you say you'd be my shadow", he asked. His voice was shaking now.
"You now have Caroline Harry. You don't need me anymore", she replied in an equally shaky voice.
"Go Hermione, I don't care!!" shouted Harry in frustration, getting down from the bus. He started to walk away with Caroline not knowing what was going on. He heard the bus start. Then he heard a small voice.
"Goodbye Harry"
This brought him back to reality. The bus had started moving. He ran after it.
"Come back Hermione. Please!! I need you. I need you more than anyone else", he cried. His vision was blurred by tears.
"Bye Harry. Take care of yourself", cried back Hermione. She had craned her neck out of the window to get a last look at Harry. The distance between them was increasing by the second. Harry stopped chasing. At that moment Hermione took off the red scarf she was wearing and threw it towards Harry. The bus moved out of sight. The wind carried the scarf over Harry's head and it landed right on top of Caroline.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Hermione White Potter wiped her eyes. She had watched everything in the penesive. It was now blank. It was time for her to read he second letter. She picked it up and tore it open. She started reading what her mother had written.
That was the day I felt that I had come between Harry and Hermione……
-->