Hello all! So, Sue's finally gotten back in to writing *sweat drop* So hopefully this wont be horrid. This is from a challenge here on PK. I hope it's all right, blah. It's really over-done I know, but that's what the challenge was.
Rated PG-13 for some language. Goodness, this fic was fun to vent in! =]
Another warning, Half Blood Prince spoilers! If you haven't read that, be cautious about reading this.
Disclaimer~ I don't own or claim to own any of the characters or ideas in this fic. They all belong to JK Rowling.
The Blow-Out
Harry was sitting in the small sitting room in Number 12, Grimmauld Place when Dobby walked in to the room. He bowed low and extended his arm.
"Sir, this just came for you," Dobby said excitedly. Harry took the parchment from his outstretched hand and opened it. He scanned it quickly and sighed. He looked up to see Dobby rocking back and forth on his heels.
"It's from McGonagall. She wants me to come to Hogwarts immediately." Harry knew Dobby couldn't ask what the letter contained, so he told him. Harry ran his hands through his hair. He hadn't been there in 6 years. What could McGonagall possibly want? Just then he remembered the last time he was there.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing in an abandoned corridor. They had just come back from narrowly escaping death. Voldemort, however, had met his fate. Everyone was an emotional mess.
"Harry, what the hell is wrong with you?" Hermione asked, throwing her hands in the air. "We're supposed to be rejoicing! Voldemort's gone!" Harry swirled to face her.
"You know quite well why I'm pissed off. You and Ron almost got yourselves killed. Why the hell couldn't you have just left me alone?" Harry glared at her. Hermione returned the glare.
"Shouldn't you be thanking me? If it wasn't for me, you would have never found the last horcrux!" Hermione said angrily.
"Fine, thanks, but you should have left me after that to face Voldemort alone."
"Oh, I forgot," Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes, "You're Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived to be Famous!" Harry his eyes at her.
"Hey, guys, come on--"Ron broke in, trying to bring some peace.
"Oh shove off!" Harry and Hermione yelled at him. Ron narrowed his eyes at them.
"Hey, don't drag me in to this--"
"Don't drag you in to this! You're apart of the problem!" Harry exclaimed.
"Yeah, because apparently we aren't good enough for Mr. Potter here," Hermione growled. "Except he wouldn't have finished off Voldemort if it weren't for me," she grumbled.
"Excuse me?" Harry exclaimed. "I would have found it, with or without your help!"
"Give it up mate, there's no winning with her. After all, she is Little Miss I'm Always Right," Ron said sarcastically, and then added, "Even when she's PMSy." Hermione's jaw dropped.
SMACK.
"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed, clutching his cheek. He looked up to see Hermione fuming and Harry grinning. Ron clenched his jaw. "You know Hermione," Ron said, "maybe we should have just left him."
"Ron--" Harry began.
"Harry Bloody Potter, Mr. I always have to be the one to save everyone and take all the credit," Ron spat. The look on Harry's face could kill. Before Ron knew what was happening, Harry wound back and punched him hard on the eye. Harry narrowed his eyes and abruptly turned and stormed off.
Harry hadn't seen or heard from either of them since. Harry had thought about it over and over again, and though he didn't want to admit it, he knew deep in his heart that Hermione was right.
Harry sighed and stood up and apparated to Hogsmeade.
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Harry reached the statue of the gargoyle that lead to the Headmaster's office. He spoke the password, "Lemon
Drop!" and chuckled to himself as he made his way up the staircase. It warmed his heart a bit to have such a
familiar phrase leading to such a familiar place. Except this time, when he knocked on the door, it was Professor
McGonagall's voice calling him in. He opened the door, and much to his surprise, there sat Ron and Hermione.
Hermione was glaring off in to space with her arms crossed over her chest, and Ron was staring at his hands in his
lap.
"Ah, welcome Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. Harry walked in apprehensively. "Good good, now that you're all here, I can get down to business. I need your help," McGonagall said to them all. Harry raised a slight eyebrow to her. "As you may know, some parents are still cautious about sending their children back to Hogwarts. I was thinking, maybe one of you could take a teaching spot, preferably Defense Against the Dark Arts, as I'm at my wits ends trying to find a replacement." Ron shifted in his chair uncomfortably, and Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. McGonagall sighed. "I just thought that if one of the defeaters of Voldemort were teaching here, parents wouldn't have such a problem with sending their kids here." All of them sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment, until finally Ron spoke up.
"I'll do it, Professor. I'll take the job," he said firmly. McGonagall looked surprised.
"Well, um, okay then! Thank you Mr. Weasley. I shall send more information to you by owl later on," McGonagall said. Harry shifted his weight where he was standing.
"Is that all you needed Professor? I must be going," Harry asked. McGonagall nodded and Harry exited the office. He was making his way down the corridor, when someone called to him.
"Harry, wait!" he heard Hermione's voice call. He heard pounding foot steps, and when he turned around, Hermione and Ron were rushing up to him. "Harry, wait a second."
"What do you want, Hermione?"
"Can't we just talk?"
"Talk about what, Hermione?" Harry asked, "Didn't we do enough of that 5 years ago?" Hermione bit her lip.
"Harry, didn't you miss me at all?" she asked quietly. Harry didn't want to give in. He still wanted to be angry. He just shook his head and turned to walk away. Hermione caught up to him, grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around.
"Look!" She said, "Can't we just forget about the past? That was five long years ago! Why do you have to keep dwelling on it?" Harry narrowed his eyes to her.
"I'm not dwelling on anything. You're the one who was yelling at me, Hermione. You're the one who was stupid and almost got yourself killed." The little voice deep inside of him was screaming at him to shut up.
"Stop it Harry! I was not stupid and you know it. We were all in it together. Best friends till death, I thought that's what we were. Why are you trying so fucking hard to push us away?" Hermione screamed at him.
"I'm not trying to push you away, Hermione!" Harry screamed back, "Did it ever dawn on you that I was scared as hell? I was scared because I knew that at any given moment, I could die. Even worse, at any given moment, I could lose my best friends. Did that ever occur to you?" Harry was fighting back tears. Ron was standing in the background; the expression on his face was a mix of worry and horror.
"Yes!" Hermione cried, "Of course it occurred to me! It occurred to me that at any given moment, I could lose the man that I love more than anything!" Her eyes went wide as she realized what she said. Harry narrowed his eyes again.
"Well, you didn't have to worry much. Ron's still alive, isn't he?" Harry snapped.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "The man I love is you! Don't you get it? Don't you understand why I wanted so badly to go with you, to be there every step of the way? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I knew that if only I would have been there, I could have prevented your death." Harry gaped at her, unable to speak. He decided he didn't have to. Instead he put his hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips met, and everything that had gone wrong between them melted away. They broke apart, and Hermione beamed up at him.
"I love you, Hermione," Harry said, "and I am so sorry." He looked over to Ron. "I am so sorry to you too mate, I can't believe I let that stupid fight get in between us." Ron laughed.
"Actually, I had kind of forgotten what we were fighting about. I don't think I ever knew, really," Ron replied, grinning. Harry looked between his two best friends.
"So, what do you say, are we good again?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Oh of course," Ron said, "it takes more than that to break up a friendship like ours."
"Oh, er, sorry about punching you too there Ron," Harry said sheepishly. Hermione blushed.
"Sorry for slapping you too," Hermione told him. They all laughed and walked out of Hogwarts together, reminiscing and laughing like nothing had ever happened.
"Oh," Hermione began as they were leaving, "just for the record, Harry will you please admit that I was right?" Harry scowled.
"Yes yes, you were right." Hermione beamed as they made their way back to Hogsmeade.
"You know, you should have really learned by now that girls are always right." Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and Hermione simply grinned as they kept going. They went to Harry's home to catch up on 5 years of missed events. The trio was together once again, the way it should be.
- Fin -
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