Title: Bringing Back You
Author: Lady Refa
Disclaimer: its all mine…*not*.
Summary: When Hermione was seventeen, Harry broke her heart and left. Five years later, he returns to find a totally different woman than the one he left, one who is independent, glamorous, and breaks men's hearts. Will Harry be able to bring back the real Hermione and teach her the true meaning of love? R&R please!!! J
A/N: Wow!! You peeps at Portkey rock!!! I don't think I've ever gotten so many reviews for one story like ever!! And they were all very helpful…made me feel very happy, and inspired me to come up with the second chapter of this. Special thanks to one anonymous reviewer who caught my mistake of the whole lead/led thing. Now I'm just hoping people won't kill me from disappointment over this chapter or anything…please please review…they are so much fun to read!!! J
Chapter Two: Seeing is Believing
Five years.
It had been five years.
Harry glanced at Ron, who sat calmly beside him, stuffing his face with hors d'ouevres. Apparently he didn't understand that they were just appetizers.
Five years, Harry, a voice whispered. Sure, he'd had Ron with him all along, but it still had been five years since he saw his other best friend. The other best friend who happened to be the one person who was the foremost person on his mind all those years.
And she was going to walk in through that pretty glass door any moment. Harry held his breath, counted to ten, heard girly voices, and looked up. So did Ron.
Ron spat out his hors d'ouevre.
Harry just blinked and shook his head. Then he opened his eyes and blinked again.
"Hey," Ginny said, smiling brightly. Her eyes looked a little teary though. "Don't I get a hug?"
"Hug?" Said Ron in a strangled voice as he stood up and strode toward his sister, shrugging out of his jacket as he walked. "NO, you don't get a hug, you get a jacket. Tie this around your waist now."
Ginny made an odd noise and just wrapped her arms around her brother. He might be just another overbearing male protector, but she sure had missed him.
Hermione eyes glistened as she hugged Ron too. He hugged her back, and then paused mid hug and snatched back his jacket from Ginny.
"Hermione," said Ron in a voice pitched much higher than usual. "Where is the back of your dress?"
Exactly what I was thinking, Harry thought. Who was this woman in front of him? No, that was the wrong question. He knew this was Hermione. The question was, what had happened to her?
Hermione just laughed and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron, don't be so ridiculous. Its backless."
As Ron sputtered some nonsense, she and Ginny walked over to Harry, allowing him to finally observe his best friend.
But then again, his best friend had never seemed so glamorous before. She'd never worn backless white evening dresses that showed off her flawless, creamy legs and well toned body. Her body had never been so alluring, and her hair had never been in such glossy curls.
Harry realized belatedly that he had gotten up, and was staring down at Hermione. She was looking up at him out of her cinnamon eyes that were framed with long, brown eyelashes and her perfectly pink lips were saying something.
"Its been a long time, Harry," her voice was low when she said this, and Harry felt a shiver run down his spine as her arms came around him in a friendly hug.
He hugged her back swiftly before he let go. The feel of her chest against his was certainly doing unwelcome things to his pulse.
As chatter broke loose immediately, Harry realized that the other three were already sitting down. Slowly, he made his way to a chair beside Hermione.
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"Goodness, Ron, can't you eat just a little bit more slowly?" Hermione's light voice cut through the fog that currently passed for Harry's brain.
As he and Ginny laughed, and Ron pretended to be affronted, Hermione smiled.
Inside, she seethed.
Life really had a way of getting at you just when you thought things were all right, Hermione thought viciously. She was going to kill Ginny for this. In cold blood, and with no second thoughts. Of course, Ginny had no idea of the full extent of the rage she'd caused, but right now that didn't matter shit to Hermione.
What mattered was that Harry was sitting right beside her, looking more edible than chocolate ice cream.
Over six foot tall, still slightly shorter than Ron, Harry Potter was simply hotness incarnate. There was a reason why his dark green button down shirt sat so perfectly on his chest and why she could almost feel his muscles ripple underneath it as he moved. Those childish glasses had long ago disappeared to be replaced by new, rimless ones, and the deep emerald of his eyes was almost the exact same shade as his shirt. But his hair was still the same, such a messy, silky black, but at the same time so downright sexy.
It was really sad. She was supposed to be over him by now. No stupid feelings, no more hidden swoons every time he looked at her, and certainly no more thoughts of Harry naked.
That last line of thought brought up an unbidden memory that made Hermione blush.
Much, much more edible than chocolate ice cream.
"Hey, Hermione, you okay?" Harry's voice was warm as he glanced at her. She felt a pang of bitterness at what he had done to her, and his cluelessness to what he was still doing to her.
"Yah, just fine." Harry flinched inwardly at the cool tone of her voice, which changed as she turned back to Ron. "So, how much longer are you two going to keep me in the dark about your lives? What happened to chasing Death Eaters and killing monsters in Africa?"
Ron gave Harry a look telling him to handle this, as he was far too busy eating.
"All the Death Eaters are dead," Harry answered smoothly. "And the monsters as good as. There will never another rising of Voldemort or his followers in our lifetime. If we can cull all the wizarding prejudices now, there may never be any in any lifetime."
"If you're here to fight prejudiced magical zealots, get in line," Ginny answered, smiling proudly at Hermione. "Hermione's gotten more equality laws passed than any official in the history of the ministry."
"We read about how Hermione got Crabbe behind bars," Harry replied with a smile. "Wish I could have been at that trial."
Just before Ginny could reply, Hermione cut in. "Really? I was under the impression that you wanted to get as far away from me as possible."
Ron's fork fell to his plate with a clatter, and Ginny leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh. She should have known something like this was going to happen. Hermione continued on regardless.
Avoiding her eyes, Harry managed a "What do you mean?"
Hermione smiled cynically. "What do I mean Harry? Hmmm, let's see, what can I mean? Maybe, I, like the rest of the wizarding world, am simply wondering why the hell you and Ron have decided to return now?"
Don't do it Harry, Ginny thought silently, don't give her the fight she wants.
Harry's infamous temper rose as he faced Hermione, emerald green eyes burning. "Oh yeah? Go on wondering, Mione, because I can return or leave whenever I want."
Ginny groaned loudly. Ron sat looking like a man who knows he has to do something, but has no idea what that something is.
"Of course you can, Harry," Hermione said sweetly. "I mean, you sure have no problem whatsoever in leaving without a word to go rid the world of evil, do you? No letters, no visits, not even any bloody goodbyes. After all, who can you have worth writing to back home, any way, right? Its not like-"
Harry was standing now, and so was Hermione. "You know very well that that was a top secret mission for the-"
Hermione just started speaking more loudly over Harry. "Its not like it matters, does it? Cuz you can just come waltzing back five years later and-"
"-the Order so I had to leave the way I---"
Harry and Hermione both paused as a good-looking young waiter stood beside them. He looked very nervous and stepped back a few steps when he saw the pure anger etched on both their faces.
"Would anyone like a drink?" If the pretty youth's voice came out a little too high, it wasn't his fault. The two people in front of him looked murderous.
"One vodka please," Hermione said quickly.
Harry frowned. "Vodka? You don't drink Hermione."
"How would you know? Maybe I started five years ago." Hermione shot back.
Before Harry could reply, the waiter did.
"Um, a certain Mr. Potter who made the reservations requested that no alcoholic beverages be served."
Harry smirked.
Hermione turned to the waiter. Stepping closer, she ran a hand lightly up his arm, almost caressing it. "Really? Are you sure I can't change your mind?" Her voice lowered, taking on a catlike purr. "Why don't you go see if you can get that vodka for me now?"
"Y-yes, I'll go get it at once." The waiter left breathlessly.
Ginny frowned, Ron stared, and Harry blinked.
Hermione looked at Harry and smirked.
Angrily, Harry stepped forward and grasped Hermione by her wrist. "Why don't you sit down?"
Ron decided his moment had come. "Look, you two-"
Hermione glanced at him calmly. "Shut up, Ron."
Ginny threw up her hands exasperatedly and stood up. "Hermione, this has gone-"
"Excuse me, your vodka." The good-looking server was back.
As one, Ginny, Ron, and Harry all moved toward the stupid waiter, ready to kill the interfering git.
"Thank you so much," Hermione murmured as she grabbed the vodka with her free hand and drank it in one gulp.
Turning back to Harry, Hermione wrenched her hand out of his grip. "You have a lot to catch up with, Harry."
Then she grabbed her purse and left Harry looking at the woman he thought he loved walking away from him.
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She couldn't believe it.
She really couldn't.
For five years, the only news she'd had about Harry had been through Ron. Not once had she received a letter or a card or anything from Harry. In fact, Hermione realized with a start, tonight was the first time that they'd actually met and talked face to face since when she'd foolishly confessed her love to him.
But he'd been so calm. So perfectly capable of pretending that the last words she'd said to him before tonight didn't even exist. Maybe he'd even forgotten.
That was what had made her so furious. Watching as he calmly discussed the events of the last few years, stuff she already knew through Ron, and knowing very well that Harry was leaving half the information out, Hermione just couldn't take it anymore.
They used to be so different, she thought. So trusting and happy. He'd tell her everything and expect her to give advice, and she'd help him even if he pushed her away. She'd been the first one he told about the Prophecy in sixth year.
What did you expect, a little voice whispered cruelly as she fumbled with her keys and wiped her wet cheeks, him to fall all over you when he saw you wearing a pretty dress?
But while she sat there beside him, she'd wondered. Wondered what it would feel like to have Harry grin at her with something more than friendship in his dazzling eyes, for him to wrap his arms around her body and hold her close.
The door opened with a click, and her trembling hands pushed it open. Once inside her dark flat, Hermione leaned against the door and let the rest of the tears fall.
It had taken her a long time to survive rejection. Slowly, she'd made a new Hermione, a new life. All those things helped her forget about Harry. She'd gotten over the stupidity of loving someone.
She just didn't know if she could survive again.
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