Author's Note: This is an extremely AU story. The song is from S Club 7, if you don't already know that. Please read and review. (P.S. I'm having a bit of writers block on `Under Your Spell', I'm working on it but it's not getting very far very fast. I'm also wraping up the next chapter for `Enemy of My Enemy'.)
I Really Miss You
Twenty-year-old Hermione Granger sighed and threw herself backwards onto yet another Hotel bed. Tonight's stop was in Colorado Springs, Colorado in the United States. She'd been out of the U.K. for almost six months on her American Tour. Her newest album had only been out for a week when her manager and good friend, Ginny Weasley, insisted she start her tour.
She laid on her back staring idly up at the ceiling for several minutes before standing back up and taking her night things out of her overnight bag that lay next to the small dresser provided by the beautiful hotel. Sighing inwardly, Hermione made her way to the bathroom and turned on the water for what she hoped would be a relaxing bath.
She'd been on the bus for several days in a row, tonight would be her first night in over a week in a half to sleep in a real bed rather than the bunk. She'd done five shows within that time, and now, she was nothing short of tense and exhausted.
Turning around and making her way back out into the main room, she pulled out her own stash of bath salts, oils, and bubbles. Hermione had a show in the tomarrow afternoon, but tonight, she was just going to pamper herself. She hurried back into the bathroom to put in the proper amount of each into the tub.
As the large tub filled with hot water, Hermione ran her brush through her long, once extremely bushy, brown hair and examined her reflection. Over time, the bushy hair had given way to the smooth and sleek style she now had. Her hazel eyes were probably her favorite physical feature. They were a honey color, yet they had mixtures of greens, blues, and golds as well.
With a small frown, Hermione slipped her tshirt over her head and let it fall to the tiled floor. She was a little bit on the thin side, but not overly skinny. All her excercising to get in shape for this tour had certianly paid off, her abdominals were well toned. As were her arms and shoulders. She had never been a terribly curvacious girl, but she filled out quite well in the appropriate places.
She quickly tied her hair up into a messy bun, and then proceeded to undress fully. The girl turned off the water as the level reached a few inches below the rim, and slipped into the tub. She hissed slightly at the momentary sting of the hot water. That was quickly over came as the heat reached her knotted and tense back and shoulders.
Giving a sigh of relief, Hermione rested her head back against the wall and her eyes fell closed. As soon as she allowed them to do so, however, she regretted it. That was because when she closed her eyes, she could see a pair of emerald green eyes staring back at her. She gave another sigh, this one of dispair.
Her left hand lifted out of the water to reveal a small diamond encircled by a ring of deep blue sapphires-her birthstone, placed on her ring finger. Hermione barely noticed the stream of tears that now streamed down her face.
He had proposed to her not two weeks before she was due to leave for the States. "I'll wait as long as it takes, I promise you that," he said their last night together. As long as it takes.
`He', of course, was Harry Potter. He and Hermione had known one another since they had been eleven and met at school. She had admired that boy from the first time they met. It took Harry and their mutual friend Ron (her manager, Ginny's older brother), a bit longer to think anything of her. She and Ron had made an attempt at dating. After about a month, they had both agreed that it was just too awkward, Ron was closer to a brother than a lover, as far as Hermione had been concerned.
It had been about six months later that Hermione and Harry decided to give dating a chance. That had been during their sixth year at the boarding school they had attended together, they were both sixteen-Harry just slightly older than she. They'd been together ever since.
Hermione sighed heavily as her hand dropped back beneath the water. They talked on the phone as often as possible, and she wrote him a letter at least once a week, receiving them just as often, but she missed being able to see him, hold him, kiss him. She just missed him.
It was about a half an hour later that Hermione pulled herself from the cooling water, dried off and slipped into her night cloths. She released her hair from the tie and brushed it out before putting it back up in a neat ponytail, as she did everynight before bed.
She pulled a notebook and a pen from her bag and nestled herself between the covers of the bed. Pulling a phone card from the notebook before setting it aside, Hermione pulled the telephone towards her and dialed the Calling Card number, then the password, then the international calling code, and finally the telephone number.
The line rang four times before there was an answer, "Hello, this is Harry Potter. I'm not in right now but if you leave a message I'll be sure to call you back."
Before the beep, Hermione dropped the phone back on the cradle and leaned back against the headboard. She pulled the notebook onto her lap and began her letter to Harry, telling him about her week.
As she signed her name at the bottom of the paper, Hermione glanced at the clock, it was almost eleven o'clock. She sighed and put the book on the bedside table, set her alarm, and turned off the light.
~*~
The next morning came way too soon. Hermione turned off her alarm and went through the circit she went through everytime she had a show. She took a shower, dried her hair, and slipped into a pair of comfortable sweats before meeting with Ginny and her Guard.
She grabbed a quick cup of coffee as she was hurried to her bus and to the World Arena, the collusium in Colorado Springs in which she was to perform later that afternoon. The stage was set up, as was the backstage dressing areas, and Hermione did the proper routine for sound check. She went through her streaches and an easy work out set up for concert days.
After she'd taken care of her workout she headed toward the costume/hair/makeup room, where she underwent the transformation. Her costume, luckily, was `trendy' but left her comfortable as well. It consisted of custom fit dark denims, a scarlet corset top, and heeled boots.
That was when the nerves began to come forward. To ease the jitters Hermione went to her `room' and pulled her Calling Card from her bag and dialed the proper numbers. There were four rings and then, "Hello, this is Harry Potter. I'm not in right now but if you leave a message I'll be sure to call you back."
Hermione sighed heavily and dropped the reciever, at that exact moment there was a knock on the door. Ginny slipped in and latched the door behind her. "Hey, they're letting everyone into the collusium now, we need to get you to the stage."
"Oh, alright, I was just trying to call Harry again," Hermione said, turning toward the door.
"I see, well we've got to go, `Mione." Ginny said, hurrying the singer toward the stage.
Not even fifteen minutes later the Arena was packed and Hermione was on the lift to be taken to the main stage. The lights went up, "Hows everyone doing this lovely afternoon?" There was a resounding cheer from her audience. "Good to hear! What do you say we get this party started?" The cheer was almost deafening as the band started up and the concert began.
Two and a half hours later the concert was coming to a close, "Alright, I'm sorry to say, that this is our last song for this evening. This is one that's not on my newest album, and one I've written my self. Enjoy!" The music was significantly slower and softer as Hermione began to sing:
I called you today just to hear you say
You were not around
When the message was through, though I wanted to
I couldn't make a sound
I wanna tell you the things I've seen
I wanna take you to where I've been
And I wish you were here with me
Don't you know
I really miss you - yes I do - yeah
I really miss you
Ohhhh yeah I do
I'm writing to say I had a wonderful day
Hangin' with my friends
But the memory dies as the sun reach the skies
I'm alone again
I wanna tell you the weather is fine
When the night comes around you were on my mind
And I wish you were here with me
Don't you know
I really miss you - yes I do - yeah
I really miss you - yes I do - I miss you
I really miss you
Ohhhh yeah I do
I wanna tell you the things I've seen
I wanna take you to where I've been
And I wish you were here with me
Oh, don't you know
I really miss you - yes I do - yeah
I really miss you - I miss you
I called you today just to hear you say
You were not around
When the message was through, though I wanted to
I couldn't make a sound
I'm writing to say I had a wonderful day
Hangin' with my friends
But the memory dies as the sun reach the skies
I'm alone again
Hermione grinned as applause echoed through the Arena. "Thankyou! I'm happy to have spent my afternoon with you!"
She waved as she was transported back down beneath the stage. "That was great `Mione," Ginny grinned. "I love that last song, I really do."
Hermione smiled and gave her friend and manager a hug. "Thanks, Gin."
She turned and started back to her room, running her hands through her sweat dampened hair. She looked forward to the shower that would fallow this concert. With a heavy sigh she turned the doornob and entered her private room, only to gasp and fall back against the door. "Harry!" she whispered.
The man that she'd been trying to get ahold of for the last week was standing right infront of her, emerald eyes dancing in amusement. "Hey, `Mione. Great show."
Once she regained herself, she broke into a grin and threw herself into his arms, "When did you get here?" She said, not removing herself from his hug.
"Right as you went on stage," He said softly.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Hermione asked.
"I wanted it to be a surprise," he replied.
Hermione rested her forehead against his, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, love." He smiled. "But guess what?"
"What?"
"I'm allowed to stay with you during the remainder of the tour."
Hermione's eyes widened and she let out a squeal as she pulled him into a hug even bigger than the first. She pulled back again. "I'm staying in Colorado Springs for another night, we leave early tomarrow morning. I'd love to go for diner or something tonight, but I need a shower."
Harry nodded, "Well then, lets get you back to the Hotel so you can get all cleaned up and out of your stage makeup."
She grinned and linked her arm with his as they made their way out to the bus that would take them back to the Hotel in which they would both be staying that evening.
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