Chapter 2: Rainy Day Confessions
A week later, and I was sitting home alone, looking out of my window.
The rain was coming down in buckets, as I resided on the fourth floor of my building, looking down and pitying all of the people still outside in this weather.
'Ring, ring!'
I jumped up, from my chair, startled, and dashed for the cordless phone which sat on it's charging dock. Within seconds I was speaking into the receiver.
"Hello?" I asked into the phone, waiting for the reply.
"Herm?" Came a deep and familiar voice.
"Harry?" I whispered in slight awe. Something in my voice must have given away my shock because his next reply was trapped within a chuckle.
"Is it really so hard to believe that I'm calling you?" He asked, seeming slightly amused on the other end.
"No, I just wasn't expecting you to call now, of all times." I bit my lip, the half of a lie escaping my mouth. It was hard to believe. I figured he wouldn't want to call me again. I had given him my number, but didn't get my hopes up.
"If you want, I can call you some other time then, you must be busy," Harry said, seeming a little put out.
"Oh no! No, no, no. Not busy, just a little stunned," I answered, almost desperately.
"The good kind of stunned, or the bad kind?" He asked, his playful air back again.
"The good kind," I replied smiling into the receiver. "Anyway, Harry, why'd you call me?" I asked, curiousness evident in my voice as I walked over to the couch and plopped down onto it.
"Well... I just came back from training and I was passing the cinema. I saw a great movie poster and it reminded me of the type of films you said you liked." A pause, a gulp and he continued. "I guess I was just wondering if you wanted to come and see it with me?" He asked nervously into the receiver.
I must admit, at that moment, I was truly touched. Harry was always very clumsy and stumbled over his words a lot when it came to talking to girls. He never used to be this way with me, until he liked me that is. But by then, it wasn't that much of a problem, because he knew me quite well, and never had to ask me out on a date to get to know me, or anything.
But here he was, on the other end of the phone, asking me of all people to go to the movies. I thought I couldn't be any more stunned that night, but right there, I stood corrected.
"You're asking me to the cinema?" I said in the same breathless and shocked tone I had used to speak his name, not even moments before.
"Yes..." He said in his amused air, "Yes, I guess I am."
I could almost hear him smile after he replied. It was as if I was sitting on a cloud at that very moment.
Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the chosen one, my long, lost friend, was asking me to the cinema!
"Yes!" I replied quickly before he had a chance to change his mind. "Yes! I'll go!" my voice rang with excitement as it passed my lips.
"Brilliant!" He said in the same excited tone, "I'll see you in about thirty minutes then, yeah?" He asked.
"I'll be there," I replied happily, now grinning into the phone.
"Alright, bye Herm." He breathed.
"Bye!" And with that, I took the phone from it's position by my ear and pressed the 'hang up' button.
With all of the composure I could muster, I placed the phone gently beside me on the couch. Feeling as though my excitement was about to burst forth from me if I didn't let it out soon, I grabbed a pillow on my other side, got up and danced around the room happily, the pillow clung tightly to my chest.
One - One to Hermione Granger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thirty minutes later and I was out in the rain with all of the other poor saps I had been pitying not too long ago.
But I didn't care, I was seeing Harry, and that's all that mattered.
"Hey Hermione!" Harry called from his place at the doors.
I walked over to him and put my hood down once I was under the canopy. "Hey, Harry!" I said happily halting in front of him and smiling.
There was a pause. A moment in which I stared into his eyes and felt like I could see into his soul. It was like old times, as if the Harry I grew to love was staring back at me.
But just with one blink, and it vanished without a trace. He fixed his glasses and looked into the glass doors. "Come on." He said with a boyish grin. He took a few steps forward, pushing open a door with one hand and gesturing me to follow him with the other.
We made our way to the ticket booth, bought our tickets and headed for the sweet stand.
"M&M peanuts, right?" Harry asked, looking at me for approval.
"How did you know?" I asked, looking at him in slight shock.
"That day in London? You know, it was a week before we went back to school for seventh year?" Harry said, looking at me carefully. My expression was slightly curious and confused, so he took this as a sign to continue. "Remember, when you and I shared a bag of M&M peanuts? I only liked the yellow and green ones, and you only liked the blue and red ones?" He asked, giving me a hopeful look as if wanting desperately for me to remember.
Suddenly it all clicked. "Oh yeah! I remember. We split the colours up in a coffee shop, both of us sharing the brown ones because we didn't mind them so much." I said, smiling back at him, amazed that he remembered something so small from a day we shared together.
We reached the counter and Harry asked for a bag of M&M's and a large drink for both of us to share. "You grab the straws." He said to me, dipping in so that his mouth was close to my ear. His hot breath clung to the side and back of my neck, making me shiver slightly.
I was completely disarmed by our closeness and could only nod. I back away slowly, turning around and going to the seperate table with the straw dispenser. I got two straws and a hand full of napkins, then turned on my heel and made my way back to Harry, who had already paid for the stuff.
"Okay, let's go!" He said cheerily, gesturing to the screen in which the movie would be showing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An hour later and both Harry and I were sharing a seat big enough for two at the very back of the cinema. I had my head rested on his shoulder and he had his arm around my shoulders.
I had to admit, it was the most comfortable feeling in the world. All those years of friendship had brought us a tranquility when together that took a long time to form. Even after three years, it was amazing how much it felt like I hadn't left his side at all.
"This is a really good movie," I whispered into Harry's right ear. I felt him shiver slightly, maybe because it was cold, or maybe because of my breath.
He turned to me and smiled, "Yeah, I figured you would like this film."
And it happened again. While his face was drowned in light from the screen and his eyes were so humble and sincere, he looked at me, and I could see into his soul.
I couldn't help but stare at him carefully, watching every part of his face convey his feelings. His eyes were like glassy pools with such depth. His face was a creamy colour, being bathed in a bright light. His glasses sat gently on the bridge of his nose, and the smile he wore was that of a genuine one.
He looked at me, and it was as if every other person in the room was gone. As if everything was slightly blurred and in slow motion, and the only person I could see clearly was him.
I don't exactly know how it happened, but one minute he was smiling at me, and the next he was leaning in, closer to my face. He stopped a few inches from my lips and looked at me carefully, as if trying to see my deepest thoughts through my eyes.
"Hermione, would you push me away if..." A pause, a blink of his eye, and he went on, "If I kissed you."
I was paralyzed. This is what I had been waiting for, wasn't it? So WHY couldn't I move?! Make some sign of recognition? I tried with all of the strength I could muster to shake my head no. And then, I did so.
A smile played across his face and he leaned in, even further, closing the gap between our lips and meeting me half way in a polite and resigned kiss.
It was as if fireworks when off all around me. The softness of his lips against mine sent me speeding in a downwards spiral on a roller-coaster. My stomach did flips, my heart pounded freely against my chest, and my eyes closed as I sighed in content.
I moaned into his lips as I felt his tongue slide across mine, as if silently begging entry. I opened my mouth to him, massaging his tongue with my own. I could feel his hands place themselves carefully on my waist and the small of my back and pull me even closer to him. I let my body comply with this action, as my hands made a path to the back of his neck, pulling it slightly closer as I desperately tried to deepen the kiss.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Why are you kissing Harry?! What happened to your plan of letting him have a happy life?!
As quickly as the kiss started, I ended it, pulling away and breathing heavily. I could see in Harry's eyes a glint of disappointment and fear. He looked at me and his eyes silently questioned if it was his fault. I shook my head and answered his silent question.
"No, Harry. It's not your fault," I whispered, picking up my coat and purse from the floor. Standing up, I straightened my shirt out, still taking in heavy breaths and I made my way for the doors. I could feel Harry's gaze upon me, almost disarming me completely and making me want to melt to the floor.
Two - One to the world.
As quickly as my legs would take me, I walked down the isle, across to the front of the screen, and instead of leaving through the doors to enter the room, I left through exit, and straight outside. I pushed open the door and was immediately hit with heavy rain drops. But I kept on walking, not thinking to put my coat on, and not stopping long enough to look
behind me.
"Hermione!" Harry's voice rang out from behind me as I heard the exit open and close, again. I made out the sound of hurried footsteps against the heavy rain pounding in my ears. At this point I was drenched, shivering and wanting nothing more then to get home. But in spite of myself, I turned around to face Harry.
"What?" I said quickly, wanting to get this over and done with.
"Why are you leaving?" He asked desperately, giving me an apologetic look as if he still thought it was his fault.
"I can't do this with you right now Harry," I asked pleadingly, a tear already sliding down my face along with the rain.
"Can't do what? You can't have this discussion, or you can't spend time with me?" Harry asked me sharply. I could tell he was anxious and slightly on the edge of irritation. I had to tread lightly.
"Both, Harry... Both." I answered solemnly.
"Hermione! Damnit! It's been three years! I mean, we don't have to kiss, but you're telling me we can't even spend time as friends?" Harry asked me, his voice raising slightly.
"Harry, I don't know!" I said, my voice matching his tone. I threw my hands up to the heavens in frustration.
"What is wrong Hermione? What is it! Honestly, Hermione, if there's something wrong, I'll help you." Harry said, his voice changing it's note of impatience to sympathy. He took a steady step towards me, and I took a steady step backwards.
"Harry, I just can't do this with you," I said, my facing twisting into a hurt look as tears spilled from my eyes. I shook my head slightly wrapping my arms around myself in comfort. "Harry, I want you to be happy. I want you to have a great life, you can't do that with me."
"What about what I want, Herm? What about what makes me happy, huh? Didn't you ever think that maybe you were a part of that list?" His words hit me like a bucket of warm water.
"You don't want me, Harry... You don't." I said, shaking my head more vigorously this time.
"No, you're right. I don't want you Hermione." Harry said, looking at me with hurt and longing in his eyes. "I need you." He finished, taking another step towards me.
His words caught me off-guard and I didn't have time to take another step back.
"Harry, I'm not good for you!" I cried, trying to reason with him. I never felt good enough for him. I never felt like I amounted to anything compared to him. I always clung to my books and cleverness and let him be the hero. He saved the whole world, he could have any girl he wanted. So, what was he doing with a girl like me?
"No, Herm. You're perfect." He said softly, finally closing the gap between me and him and wrapping his arms around me.
I was so hysterical, I didn't fight him, but instead I wrapped my arms around him as well, leaning my head on his chest and crying deeply into it, his soaked shirt muffling my cries.
"Harry, I love you." I whispered into his shirt through sobs.
"I love you too, Herm." He whispered back, smiling down at me. "I have for a long time." He finished.
Two - Two to Hermione Granger.
There it was. His confession of his love for me. I almost thought I hadn't quite heard him right. How could he love me after only seeing me for two days after our three years apart?
I guess I just dwelled on the fact that some part of him had always loved me. It didn't matter that I was absent in his life for quite some time. His love for me never went away.
And I have to admit, it felt good to have him back. It felt good to hear him say my name. It felt good to hold him, to touch him, to talk to him, to even be in the same room with him. Everything that came with being with him, felt so right. I had to wonder to myself...
How could I have thought before, that something so right, was so wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hey people! I would really like it if you would review! The more reviews I get, the quicker I update a chapter! So please people, I really want your input! Oh, and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who read & replied to the first chapter, you guys are AWESOME!