Since you all have been wondering about the H/Hr action, I decided to post this today. So here it is....
Chapter Eight
Dinner and a Kiss
She tried to compose herself as she made her way downstairs for dinner. With her hand gripping tightly to the rail she walked in an almost shocked like trance. What had she just seen? There had to be a reasonable explanation for the picture. Surely Ginny and Draco weren't....well, together. She was going out with this Greg fellow, or so Ginny had said. Not only that but she looked positively glowing each and every time she had spoken of him. If that were true though, then why was a picture of her and Malfoy laying on her endtable? From the look of it, it appeared to be taken quite recently but where it was taken was still a mystery to Hermione. All she gathered from it was that they appeared to be in a sunny, wooded area.
" There you are" a voice said, breaking her from her thoughts.Jumping slightly, she looked down to see Harry standing at the bottom of the stairs.
" I thought you might have gotten lost on your way down or something" he joked. His smile soon faded though when he noticed that Hermione wasn't laughing along with him. Casting her an odd look, he watched her take the last few steps down to the bottom. " Are you OK? You look kind of pale..."
" What? Oh, yea...I'm fine. I just feel kind of woozy all of a sudden" she lied, forcing a smile onto her face. She hated lying to him but she knew that if she told him what she just saw he'd react rashly and that would only end up upsetting Ginny, and not to mention the rest of the family who detested each and every Malfoy. Besides, she didn't even know the true story behind it. For all she knew the picture was meaningless and she was getting herself all worked up over nothing, or so she kept telling herself.
Giving him another short smile she brushed past him and headed to the kitchen where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Luna were already seated. Hermione was also quite surprised and pleased to see Bill, and his wife of three years, Fluer, seated at the table as well.
" Hermione! It's good to see you again" Bill smiled, standing up and giving her a warm hug. " Haven't seen you in ages."
" Yea, I know. I've just been...well, quite busy" she fumbled, making sure to avoid all eye contact with Ron, who she knew was staring her down at the very moment.
" You always were too 'ard working, 'ermione" Fluer piped up, giving her a pleasant smile as she reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes that was placed down infront of Bill.
" That's Hermione for ya," Ron began, " Always hard working."
She couldn't help but notice the sarcasticiness that dripped from his voice as he said this. However, it went un-noticed to the others with the exception of Harry who had given her a sympathetic stare as she sat down between Ginny and him.
" That I am" she replied sternly, putting on her best brave face.
As dinner proceeded, the awkwardness that filled her stomache seemed to be multiuplying like some sort of contagious disease. Every so often she'd glance across at Ron, who in turn would quickly advert his attention anywhere but to herself. When the ordeal was finally over she quickly excused herself and headed outside.
The moment she stepped out of the house a released a heavy sigh which she never realized she was holding. A cool breaze whipped through her hair as she crossed her arms tightly around her chest and began walking towards the big willow tree that stood several feet away.
" Hermione! Wait up!" a voice called from behind. Turning around she spotted Ginny jogging towards her. " Are you Ok? You left pretty eruptly back there..."
Hermione then stopped walking and turned to face her friend. " Yea...uhhh....just have alot on my mind, it's nothing honestly."
Ginny gave her a skeptical gaze. " You sure?"
" Yea, don't worry about it!"
She let out a small laugh as if to reasure the worried looking red head that was infront of her. She knew Ginny wasn't buying it but she was thankful that her friend didn't push the subject any further. It was at this moment that Hermione's mind went back to the picture back in Ginny's room. Her mind raced quickly as she tried to think of a casual way to bring the subject up without letting on that she snooped and found the picture. Guilt ran through as she thought about this. She snooped...she actually snooped into her friends personal space and discovered something that wasn't her business at all! On the otherhand if Ginny was involved in some way with Malfoy then it was her business. Everyone and their owls knew that the malfoys meant trouble. Of course ever since the war had ended they had lost all credability in the wizarding world. Lucius Malfoy had not survived to see the end and Hermione could only imagine how his poor little son was handling this. She wouldn't be surprised if the stupid git was reforming some of the death eaters as she thought this.
" Well, if you say you're alright then-"
" Hey, um, how's Greg anyway?"
Ginny's head shot up.
" Oh! great! he's such a sweetie, you'd really like him."
Hermione nodded. Maybe she really did have nothing to worry about. Maybe everything was just how it appeared, Ginny was in love with Greg...not Malfoy! But the image of the two would not escape her mind and her curiousity had got the better of her.
" I'd love to meet him,will he be attending the wedding?"
Unfortunatley for Hermione, Ginny was spared having to respond by the sight of Harry approaching the pair, a sheepish smile covering his lips.
" Hey Gin, your mum wanted me to get you, she wants your help with some wedding stuff" he stated, doing air quotations with his fingers. Ginny gave a relieved smile towards Hermione and practically threw herself in the direction of the house door.
" Are you ready to head home? You can stay if you like, I need to head back though, early day tomorrow."
Rolling her eyes, she gave him a playful smile.
" Do you honestly think for a second that I want to stick around here if you're not?"
Raising his index finger to his chin, he pretended to ponder the question." Well....-"
" I'll go get my coat" she cut in, leaving him smiling broadly to himself as she made her way back into the house. Once inside she was greeted by the curious stare of Luna Lovegood who was currently folding some laundry.
" Hello Hermione" she said dreamily, giving a short smile before turning her gaze back to the clothes.
Hermione wanted to scream. The girl was still polite, even when her fiance's jealous ex-girlfriend was standing before her.
" Hello, Luna. How are you?"
" Oh, great thank you" she began, " Just finishing up some laundry- oh dear, these will have to be
thrown out."
She clicked her tongue dissaprovingly as she held up a pair of Ron's brown trousers that had several holes in them.
" I told him not to leave them out in his quidditch locker.
" Why?"
Holding up the pants to eye length, she examined the holes, putting one a few inches from her face so that she could peer through it.
" Because of the Dinglewalps of course!"
Coughing slightly, Hermione began to bite her bottom lip." The what?"
" The Dinglewalps!" she sighed, setting down the pants ontop of the laundry pile. " They are known to hide out in dark places and will pretty much eat just about anything that they can see...pretty pesty they are" she clarified.
" And what do these...er...Dinglewalps look like?"
Luna chuckled." No ones ever seen them silly! They only come out when no ones around!"
Hermione gave a fake smile. She no longer had the heart or the energy to tell Luna that the holes more and likely came from playing quidditch and not these so called Dinglewalps. Instead she said a polite, " Interesting"
" Well, it was nice talking to you Hermione but I need to be off, Wedding stuff to attend to. You are coming, right?"
" Oh, um yea...wouldn't miss it Luna" she smiled.
Luna sent her a smile in return as she picked up the over flowing laundry basket.
" Wonderful. See you then!" And with that she exited the room.
As she watched her exit she couldn't help but notice that although many things have changed...Luna Lovegood wasn't one of them.
* * *
" It wasn't that bad"
Hermione let out a sarcastic laugh at this. " Were you at that dinner table Harry?" she asked jokingly, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. Pulling her feet up onto the coach she took her gaze away from the crackling fireplace and looked at Harry, who was sitting beside her on the right.
" I just think you need to try and move on" He then quickly back peddled when he noticed the glare he was receiving from her." I know, I know..... easier said then done...but...well, you need to do it."
" How?" she asked innocently.
He looked deep in thought as he turned his gaze back to the fire for a moment. " Well..." he finally began after a few moments, " Well...I don't know! I was never good at relationship stuff, you know that!" He argued. " Remember the whole Cho fiasco!" he grimaced at the thought which caused loud giggling from Hermione.
" Now that was too funny. You were so clueless about girls back then."
Not being able to hold onto a straight face he broke out into a big toothy grin, a grin that made girls everywhere melt.
" That hasn't really changed, I still am clueless" he admitted.
" Well, at least you aren't going to die alone like me..."
Laughter could then be heard from Harry as he covered his mouth with his hand.
" What? Don't laugh Harry Potter! This is serious!"
" I'm sorry Hermione, I couldn't help it...but don't you feel you are being a little dramatic?"
" Dramatic? I have just lost my soul mate...my one and only love! I'll never find anything like that again!" she snapped.
" Says who?"
" Well...well....a love like that only happens once in your life and-and I messed it up!"
Shaking his head, she scooted closer to her so his knees were touching the side of her leg. "Well, It's obvious then isn't it? Ron's not your soul thingy"
Rolling her eyes, she corrected him. " Soul mate, Harry, soul mate! And how do you know?"
" Hermione, Trust me, I am firm believer on the fact that things happen for a reason. It sucks but you know what, it happened and you need to move forward. What's done is done, you can't change it. You'll find that love again, and who knows...maybe it'll even be better."
" I highly doubt it...Who'd want me? I don't exactly have guys banging on my door you know."
" Hermy..." he smiled, pushing her lightly on the shoulder. " Who wouldn't?" He seemed to stop suddenly when he realized what he was saying. Blushing, he tucked a black stran of hair behind his ear. " Well...you're...well...you're you"
" Oh, Harry...you sure know how to woo a girl" she smiled.
" I try" he grinned.
There was a short silence before Hermione decided to speak. A large smile started to spread to her lips as she placed her hand on his knee.
" Harry...I just wanna thank you for being so great these past few days...I-I honestly don't know what I'd do if you weren't here"
" It's been no trouble, honestly. I love having you here."
She then engalfed him in a large hug which seemed to linger for several seconds before she pulled away but the weird thing was, she didn't want to pull away. It was at that moment that she looked into his eyes and remembered just how green they were. She seemed to have forgotten over the past few years how much she loved and missed those eyes, eyes that you could loose yourself in.
What happened next was all such a blur. She really didn't know how it had happened, the only thing she knew was that at that moment her lips were involved in a tender kiss with her best friend.