When Ron and Ginny found out about Harry and Hermione getting together, it puts tension in the group. Will Ron and Ginny be able to get over Hermione and Harry, or is the friendship ruined?
From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/4825/
note: Sadly, I do not own HP or anything, and I don't own the fic title either, which is from The Strokes' "Alone Together" ...Dumbledore said it too, but I'm taking it from The Strokes.
chapter one: stargazing
Harry paced around his darkened bedroom, waiting for Ron and Hermione to appear. It was two-fifty three in the morning, but Harry was feeling too rushed to be tired. Ron and Hermione had decided to get Harry early in the morning so that he wouldn't have to bother with his relatives. Harry had his trunk packed, Hedwig caged, and everything else he needed ready. There was one simultaneous pop! as Ron and Hermione appeared in front of him.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped, wrapping her arms around his waist. He hadn't seen her since Dumbledore's funeral, which was a month ago, but it felt like eternity since he felt her hug him.
"Ready, mate?" Ron asked.
"Yeah. Let's get out of here, and fast."
Hermione took Hedwig, and Ron helped Harry with his trunk. The three of them Apparated to the Burrow, and they landed on the crisp grass in front of the house.
"Everyone's still asleep," Ron said. "But Mum said we can get something to eat if we wanted to. She left sandwiches for us on the table."
"Sounds good," Harry said as they walked in.
They went upstairs to put his things in Ron's room, and they went back down to the kitchen. Hermione conjured three bottles of Butterbeer, and they ate and drank in silence. Harry noticed then how tired and worn both Ron and Hermione looked. If they looked that ragged, he could only guess how he looked.
"All right, Harry?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.
"Brilliant," he said, looking down at his sandwich. "How are the two of you?"
"Never better," Ron said, sarcastically. "Mum's been on us about getting things ready for the wedding, and Ginny--" He stopped.
"I don't care, Ron, really," Harry said, knowing Ron thought it might make Harry uncomfortable mentioning his sister's name.
"And you shouldn't," Hermione said, in a quiet voice. "I mean, you did break up with her," she added quickly.
"Anyway," Ron said. "Where do you think we'll take off to after the wedding?" he asked Harry.
Harry put his sandwich down and shook his head. "The two of you are not going to come with me. It's going to be too dangerous. I don't need the guilt if--" He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence.
Hermione reached across the table and took Harry's hand in hers. Harry suddenly felt warmer with her touch. "Harry, Ron and I are going to stay by your side no matter what." Harry noticed tears rimming her bloodshot eyes. He also noticed the dark circles under them. "I couldn't live with my own guilt if...if something...if something..."
"Happened to me," he said, finishing her sentence.
"Hermione's right," Ron said, in a low voice. "We're staying with you, mate."
"I...thanks," Harry said, giving Hermione's hand a slight squeeze. He found he didn't want to let go of it. Hermione made no move to do so.
Harry did let go of her hand, though, when they both felt something furry scuttle across them. Hermione yelped then smiled when she recognized the purple fur.
"Arnold!" she said, picking the pygmy puff up in her hand. "Ginny won't be happy if she found out you got out." She got up. "I'm going to take Arnold back up to Ginny's room," she said, not looking at Harry.
They heard her go upstairs, and Harry turned to Ron. "So, how's your summer been?" Harry asked, not really knowing what else to say.
"Well, Mum and Dad got me new dress robes, seeing as I'm going to be Bill's best man. Not much else, really. Hermione and I have been running errands back and forth between here and Diagon Alley."
"Hermione. How about the two of you?"
"What about the two of us?"
"Well, has anything--"
Ron frowned. "Nothing. She's been really distant since the funeral. You know, girls are too complicated. One minute they're screaming at you to ask them to a ball, the next they ignore you for a year, then they're sending birds at you, and then they ignore you, again."
"Sorry, mate," Harry said. Their was a feeling of relief in his stomach, and Harry wasn't sure why. "So--"
"Well, Arnold's safely tucked away in Ginny's room," Hermione said, coming back in the kitchen. "What say we go stargazing?" she asked the boys.
Ron yawned. "Not tonight. I'm bloody tired."
"I'll go with you," Harry offered. "I know I won't be able to sleep."
Ron shot him a look, but didn't say anything. Harry followed Hermione out the kitchen door as Ron went upstairs. Harry looked at his watch with his wand light. Three thirty-two. He flicked the wand light off, and felt Hermione's arm brush his.
"How are you, Harry?" Hermione asked. "I mean, we really haven't talked much since last summer, have we?"
"Same as always, I suppose." He sighed. "I guess we really haven't talked."
"I missed you," she said, suddenly. "I mean, I don't know. It was almost..." She grasped his hand, and she interlocked her fingers in his. "...it was almost as if I didn't have my best friend."
"You always had me, Hermione."
She smiled. "I do now, don't I?"
"Of course."
They walked to the grass fields and stopped to look up at the Milky Way stretching across the navy blue sky. There were a few shooting stars and falling stars, and Venus was bright and blue in the sky.
"I don't know what came over me last year," Hermione said, quietly, tracing the Milky Way with her finger, her other hand still holding Harry's.
"What d'you mean?"
"I was...I don't know. I just didn't feel like myself, I suppose is the best way to put it."
"Funny you should say that," Harry said, smiling slightly.
"How so?"
"When I was with Ginny...it didn't feel...I didn't feel like myself."
Hermione chuckled. "Maybe it wasn't us. Maybe they were the Death Eaters trying to fool us."
Harry laughed. "Hermione, I think you just came really close to cracking a joke."
"I can joke!" she retorted.
"No, you can't. That's Ron's job." She laughed. "Besides, what went on between the two of you?"
Hermione sighed. "Nothing, believe me." She shook her head. "I think what got me was the idea of having a boy fancy me was nice, but once he got interested in another girl, it, well, I didn't like it. When I was with Viktor, it was so wonderful. He liked me, and he was so respectful. Then...then I realized there was another boy. I loved this other boy, but when I came to the realization he would never love me like that, I decided to play around with the fact that Ron liked me."
Harry suddenly wanted to know who the other boy was, but he didn't ask. "Don't feel so down, Hermione. You're a great girl, and a great friend. There's someone out there for you."
She smiled and squeezed his hand. "Thanks, Harry." She sighed. "You know, this is what I missed most out of last year. Just being alone and talking to you, like we did in fifth year."
"I missed this, too."
They sat down on the grass, their jeans getting wet from the early morning dew. The navy blue sky was steadily becoming purple, and Harry felt the most relaxed he ever had in his life. Hermione's presence was soothing, and the sound of the crickets chirping was almost tranquil.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"D'you think we'll ever get moments like this again?"
Harry gave her hand a squeeze. "I reckon we'll get more moments like these after the war."
Hermione sat up and let go of his hand. She propped herself up on her elbow, and she looked down into his green eyes. The purple sky was becoming maroon as the sun was making its way over the horizon. Within minutes, the sky would be orange, but Harry wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking into the cinnamon and gold of Hermione's eyes; he was looking at the one girl who has always been there for him; he was looking at his best friend; he was looking at Hermione.
Before they both knew it, Hermione's lips were on his, soft and warm. Harry thought she tasted like toffee, but before he could taste her more, she pulled away.
Harry sat up, feeling a small smile on his face. "What was that for? "
"I just wanted to see what it was like," Hermione said, her cheeks turning pink.
"What was it like?"
She smiled. "You were there!"
"I wasn't ready for it," Harry said.
"What would you have done differently?" Hermione asked, getting to her feet.
Harry shrugged and looked up at her "I don't know. Something with my lips."
Hermione nodded. "Sounds good." She started walking back to the Burrow. "Let's try that next time."
Harry jumped to his feet and watched her walk off. "When exactly is next time?"
"I'll see you at breakfast!" she called back him, smiling.
"Yeah, like I'll be able to eat or do anything after that," Harry muttered.
He ran back to the house after her.
references: The Harry/Hermione post-kiss scene is taken from That 70's Show Pilot episode when Donna kisses Eric for the first time.
chapter two: love
The morning was the most hectic Harry had ever seen the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was running up and down the stairs, checking on Fleur in her room, checking on the food cooking, checking on the witches the Delacours had hired to decorate for the wedding, checking on Ginny and Gabrielle's dresses. Mr. Weasley had to run to Diagon Alley to pick up his, Charlie, and Ron's dress robes from Madam Malkin's where they were being altered. In the chaos and confusion, Harry was relieved he didn't have to talk to Ginny, but he was frustrated because he wanted to talk to Hermione.
"Harry, dear, why don't you and Ron go to Diagon Alley to get your dress robes," Mrs. Weasley said. "These green ones are much too short for you now."
Harry nodded and got Ron. He wondered where Hermione was, but she was no where to be found in the pandemonium. The boys Apparated to Diagon Alley and walked in Madam Malkin's.
"Well, mate, you got the money, so I suppose you can get whatever ones you want," Ron said. Harry couldn't tell if he were being snide or not.
Harry picked some navy blue ones that were so dark, they were almost black. Madam Malkin quickly altered them for him, and they boys left. They walked down the alley to Fred and George's shop, and they walked in.
"Mum wants to know when the two of you will be coming," Ron said to Fred.
"The wedding's at two, so we'll be there at one," George said, coming out of the back room.
"Tell Mum not to worry," Fred said. "Oh, Ron, by the way..." Fred tossed a bottle to Ron. "Love Potion. Not a strong one, mind you, but strong enough for Hermione to dance with you." He winked at Harry. Ron's ears went pink, and Harry felt his stomach turn.
Ron took the bottle as Fred and George laughed, and he and Harry Apparated back to the Burrow. Ron threw the bottle onto his bed.
"Those arseholes!" he yelled. "If I wanted to date Hermione, I would have asked her!"
"Ron--"
Harry had never seen Ron this angry. "All they do is try to fuck up my social life. Why do you think Lavender was my first girlfriend? Every girl I thought I fancied, somehow Fred and George knew, and they'd embarrass me somehow!"
"Ron, don't--"
"Feel lucky, Harry, that you don't have brothers!" Ron stopped, realizing what he said. "Harry, I-- Sorry, mate."
"Don't worry. You're just venting. It helps sometimes, doesn't it?"
"What's going on?" Hermione asked, standing in the doorway. "We could hear Ron shouting."
"Fred and George," Ron said.
Hermione sat down on the bed beside Harry. She picked the bottle of love potion up. "What's this?" She opened it and sniffed it. "Hmm, smells like..." She sniffed again. "Broomsticks, gold, and...pumpkins."
"It's a love potion," Harry said.
Hermione turned bright red at what she said, and she ran out of the room. Ron looked at Harry.
"What's with her?"
Harry shrugged, knowing, though, she described what attracted her. Ron hadn't paid attention. Harry picked the potion up and sniffed it himself. Old books, parchment, and toffee. It smelled like if Honeydukes and the Hogwarts library were one place. He liked the smell, and he smiled.
"What's it smell like?" Ron asked him.
"What?"
"What's it smell like?" Ron asked again. "To you, I mean."
"Er..." He knew he couldn't tell Ron. "It smells like--"
"'Arry! How wonderful eet eez to zee you!" Harry looked up to see Fleur in the doorway. He stood up, and she hugged him. "You and Ron weel look so handsome, I 'ope."
Ron smiled awkwardly. "Of course! Anything for you, Fleur!"
Fleur went over to Ron and pinched his cheek. "I steel remember when you asked me to ze ball at 'Ogwarts!" She laughed. "I will zee you two at ze wedding. I must go get ready."
Harry smiled at Ron. "I remember that, too."
Ron shook his head. "Had I known that three years later she'd be my sister-in-law..."
The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was just as nice. Harry sat alone at one of the tables, watching the guests dancing, eating, laughing, all around enjoying themselves. He smiled, knowing that this is what he will be fighting for. Peace and happiness. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ginny's brown eyes looking at him.
"Fancy a walk?" she asked. "I need to talk to you."
"Er...okay." He got up, and he followed her to the front garden.
They walked down the dirt driveway towards the fields. "Harry, listen, about...well, Harry, I still like you. And not the thought of 'the Chosen One' or 'the Boy Who Lived', but you."
He sighed and walked a little ways ahead of her. "Ginny, listen, I ended it," he said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. "You're my best friend's sister. If something happened to you, I couldn't live with myself."
Ginny trotted over to him and put her hands on his arms. "I don't care, Harry! I want to be with you!"
"You can't! And not for noble reasons."
Ginny looked him right in the eye. "What about Hermione?"
"What about her?"
"You'll risk her life by letting her go with you, but you won't risk mine with a relationship."
"I didn't want her or Ron to go with me. They're choosing to. And with Hermione, it's different. She's...she's my best friend."
"And what am I?"
Harry sighed and pulled back from her. "My other best friend's sister."
Ginny only nodded. She walked past him, back to the party. He waited a while, and he headed back. He went through the house towards the back yard, and he sat down at an empty table. He saw Ginny talking to one of Fleur's friends, but he didn't care. All he felt for Ginny now was brotherly protection. He loved her, but in a brotherly way, just as he loved Ron. He thought he loved Hermione in that way, but after the kiss, he wasn't so sure anymore.
"Harry?" Harry looked up to see Hermione offering her hand to him. "Care to dance?"
He took her hand. "I'd love to."
When he danced with Parvati at the Yule Ball (which was the last time he remembered dancing), he had felt awkward and somewhat clumsy. With Hermione, now, he felt graceful and light. But that's how she made him feel. Hermione never made him feel inept (except when it came to schoolwork), or wrong, or worthless.
"Harry, about this morning," she said in a hushed voice in his ear.
"Shh, we'll talk about it later. Just dance."
She nodded. Harry spun her and dipped her, surprised that he did that so smoothly, and they continued to dance until Ron tapped Harry's shoulder.
"May I?"
"Ron, you can have Harry when I'm done," Hermione said, smiling. She gave Harry a look that said "See? Told you I can joke."
"I meant you, Hermione," Ron said, slightly disgruntled.
Harry reluctantly gave Hermione's hand to Ron, and he went back to the table. He watched them dance, noting Ron was a little ungainly in his steps. Hermione had a slight frown on her face, and she caught Harry's eye. She winked and looked away. After they danced, Ron went to go talk to Bill (whose scars were getting smaller by the days), and Hermione came over to Harry's table.
"Can we talk now?" she asked.
Harry nodded. "But not here. There's too many people."
They walked in the house, up to Ron's room. The small bottle of potion the twins had given Ron was on the dresser now. Harry and Hermione sat down on Harry's cot (Harry was back in Ron's room, seeing as Bill and Charlie were in the twins' room and Fleur had Percy's room), and Hermione took Harry's hand in hers.
"You taste like caramel," she said.
"What?"
Hermione smiled. "Caramel. That's what you taste like."
"You're toffee," he said.
She looked down. "Harry, listen I don't know what came over me this morning."
Harry felt disappointed. "So that kiss..."
"I feel so stupid!" She sighed. "I feel like I ruined what we had."
Harry smiled. "Hermione, you are the last person to ever be stupid. What we had...what we had, no one could ruin."
Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Harry, but...when you were so infatuated with Cho, and then the stuff with Ginny...I knew you could never love someone like me like that."
No one ever told Harry they loved him, and he wanted to hear her say it again. He held her closer. "Someone like you? What d'you mean?"
"Harry, I am no Cho Chang or Ginny Weasley. Look at me! I'm just your bushy haired, know-it-all friend."
Harry lifted her chin to look her in the eye. "Hermione, when I told you I didn't think you're ugly, I wasn't lying. You're..." He smiled. "You're more than beautiful. You're loving, trusting, smart, pretty, everything rolled in one."
She put her hand on his cheek, and he leaned in. Their lips met, Harry tasting toffee, Hermione tasting caramel. It was just a brush at first, but Hermione parted his lips with her tongue. Harry gently pushed her back onto the cot, and the kiss got deeper. Hermione's fingers ran through his hair, and his hands gripped her hips.
Unknown to them, Ron was standing in the doorway.
chapter three: leaving
Ron walked downstairs, too angry to shout, too shocked to talk. He shoved past Ginny, who was heading upstairs to her room, and he stormed out to the back garden. The reception party was still going on, so no one noticed Ron, who made his way to the broom shed near the edge of the woods.
He slammed his fist into the side of the shed, but he didn't make a sound. What pissed him off the most was that those two didn't even have the common decency to even tell him they were together!
"Those bastards," he muttered. "Those fucking bastards..."
Harry was in a daze. He was sitting up in the cot, hair messier than before, dress robes wrinkled, and Hermione was laying back on his pillow, her hair and robes in an equal mess. Her legs were slung over his lap, and Harry rested his hands on them.
"Wow," he sighed. "That's all I can say. Wow."
"I knew I was right," she said, beaming. "You aren't a bad kisser."
Harry squeezed her leg. "You aren't so bad yourself."
"D'you two know what's wrong with Ron?" Ginny asked walking in. Her face fell when she saw the positions Harry and Hermione were in. "Oh...um, sorry."
As Ginny turned to leave, Hermione quickly jumped to her feet. "Ginny, wait!" She ran out in the hall after her.
Ginny bit her lip and spun around. "You're a backstabbing bitch! I confided in you! I trusted you! You KNEW how I felt about Harry!" She shoved Hermione back, and she ran downstairs.
Hermione managed to keep her footing, and she ran after Ginny. Ginny had ran in her room and locked the door behind her, but Hermione unlocked the door with her wand and walked in.
"Ginny, listen--"
Ginny was pacing around her room. "Listen to what? How the only good friend I have went behind my back and snogged my ex who I still care about? Who she knew I still cared about?"
"Harry and I never wanted to hurt you."
"A lot of good you two did there! In my brother's room on my other brother's wedding day! And, if you haven't noticed, Hermione, Ron still has feelings for you! He cares about you, too!"
"Harry loves me," Hermione said, quietly.
Ginny pursed her lips and crossed her arms. She looked down at the floor. "Did he love you when he asked Parvati to the Yule Ball? Did he love you when he was snogging Cho? Did he love you when he was snogging me?"
"No," Hermione simply said. "But he loved me when he saved me from that troll. And he loved me when he stopped Riddle from attacking more Muggle-borns. And he loved me when he trusted me to help him save Sirius. And he loved me when I believed him in fourth year. And he loved me so much, when he thought I had been killed in the Department of Mysteries, he was sick with guilt." Hermione stepped closer to the fuming Ginny. "And I love him. I was there for him, through thick and thin, and he has saved me in more than one way."
"That only shows he's a good friend," Ginny snapped.
"Maybe, but love isn't just about physical attraction and snogging," she said calmly.
Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but Hermione had already walked out.
Ron hit the shed with his fists a couple more times to let off his anger, and despite his knuckles feeling numb with pain, he knew he wanted that shed to be Harry's face. He walked back to the house, hands pounding, and he met Harry halfway.
"Ron! Ginny said--"
Before Harry could finish, Ron punched him in the mouth. Harry stumbled back onto a table.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Ron shouted.
"Tell you what?" Harry asked, standing up, holding his jaw where Ron hit him.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" they heard Mrs. Weasley gasp.
"You and Hermione! I saw you two snogging!" Ron threw another punch, but Harry was ready for it. He dodged Ron's fist.
"Ron, calm down," Harry said. "Look, we'll talk about this inside, you're making a scene."
"No!" Ron yelled. "I was the fucking world to know that HARRY FUCKING POTTER WAS SNOGGING THE GIRL I LOVE!"
Charlie and Fred came over and grabbed Ron by the arms. "Ron, calm down," Charlie snapped. "You're upsetting everyone!"
"Good! Then maybe everyone will know how it feels when their bleedin' so-called best friend snogs the one person they love!"
"Ron, we didn't mean to!" Harry yelled back at him. "Will you calm down and listen to me?"
"Boys! Boys!" Mrs. Weasley roared. "You two will stop this at once!" She turned to Ron. "Ronald, your room. Harry, the living room."
"No need to, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, looking at Ron. "I'm leaving."
"Going off then?" Ron barked at him. "To be the world's fucking hero?"
Mrs. Weasley turned around and slapped Ron across the mouth. "You will watch your mouth, Ronald Weasley!"
Harry was already up the stairs to Ron's room. He changed into jeans and a shirt, and he packed his trunk. He told Hedwig where to meet him, and he shrunk her cage and his trunk and put them in his pocket.
"You're not leaving without me," a voice said behind him.
Harry turned to see Hermione standing there. "No, you stay. It'll be worse if you take off with me."
"Harry, wait--"
But he was gone.
note: Yes, there will be a chapter four, so don't worry. :)
chapter four: photographs
Harry was relieved when the Apparating sensation wore off. He was standing on a dirt lane under a grove of trees. He walked toward a village, the only light coming from the orange setting sun. The village was picturesque, but it was also desolate. It had a dismal feel to it, even though it looked quaint. Harry suddenly felt reckless for coming alone. He kept walking through the village, and he wasn't sure he was at the right place until he saw the worn out sign that read:
Some of the wooden letters were missing, but the dark wood that had laid under the letter made the shape of the letter. In the dusk light, it read:
Harry walked down the lane towards were some houses stood. Many of them were small mansions, other's were large farm houses. He wasn't entirely sure which was the house he was looking for, but he found it. He knew that the large home before him had been his old home. The Potter house.
The lawn was overgrown, Spanish moss hanging from the trees (Harry knew Spanish moss wasn't native, so he figured, more than likely, his mother had it grown on the trees), and he thought the house and lawn looked like something out of the American southeast (he remembered from geography at his Muggle primary school).
Harry walked past the rusted gate that was hanging off one hinge, and he walked up to the double-front door. He noticed blast marks around the frame, and the doors were both hanging on their hinges. The glass that once been on them were shattered, and Harry felt the glass crack under his shoes.
He was standing in the foyer, looking down into the living room. The furniture was overturned, and cobwebs had formed from over the past sixteen years. Harry went up the cracked marble steps, and he found the bedroom he wanted to. He found a crib, also overturned, and pictures lined the walls. Harry moved the crib to look at the pictures.
He took one down. It was of James, Lily, and himself when he was a baby. Lily was holding Harry, who was wiggling in her lap, and James was making funny faces in the camera. Lily was laughing at Harry's squirming, and he noticed it looked as if they were at a beach. He pulled the photo out and read the back:
Harry set the photo down on the table that had been beside the crib. He took another photo down. James, Lily, and he were all bundled up, and baby Harry was digging his face into Lily's neck. James had his arm around Lily's shoulder, and Lily's cheeks were pink with cold. Snow was lightly falling around them. Harry read the back:
The next picture was Harry's favorite right away. Lily was sitting up in a hospital bed, stroking her newborn's fuzzy black hair. James was beside her, holding her around her shoulders, and from time to time, he'd kiss her head. It was a close up of the three, and Lily and James both had small smiles on their faces as they looked down at the baby. The back said:
Harry pocketed all three pictures, and he left his old bedroom. He walked downstairs, and he explored around. He found and pocketed many photos. Most were from family vacations, and some were of just Harry. He even found some of Lily and James from their wedding, before Harry had been born, and even some older ones from their school years.
Harry knew he wasn't going to want to spend the night in that house, so he Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron for the night.
Damn you, Harry! Why did you leave me here? Hermione thought to herself. She locked herself in the twins' room, not wanting to face any of the Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley tried numerous times to get her to come out, but she refused.
"Hermione?"
It was the last voice she wanted to hear right then. "Go away, Ron!"
"Actually, it's Bill."
"I don't want to talk to anyone right now!"
"Please let me in."
She grudgingly opened the door, and Bill walked in. He shut the door behind him. "Hermione, I know you and my younger siblings had a falling out, but Mum, Dad, the twins, and Fleur and I want you to come out."
"I can't, Bill. I...I just can't."
Bill sat down on George's bed across from her (who was on Fred's bed). "I know Ron and Ginny can be hot headed. They take after Charlie, but don't let their anger ruin your time here. We really want you to stay. Especially Mum."
Hermione sighed. "Bill, it's more complicated then that."
Bill nodded. "I see. Teenage hormones on overdrive."
"Well, on Ron and Ginny's parts," Hermione muttered.
"Well, look, if I know my little brother and baby sister, they'll cool off in a day or so." He got up. "But, listen, don't let them ruin your stay. It's dangerous out there, and it's bad enough for Mum to have Harry out there." Bill got up.
"Okay." She sighed. "I'm worried about, Harry, Bill."
"He'll be fine. I'd be more worried about Ron," he said, smiling. "But, promise you'll stay. You know Harry wouldn't want you out there."
"I promise."
Bill patted her shoulder and shut the door behind him as he left.
Harry was wide awake in his bed at the inn. He had the photos spread across his bed. For one fleeting moment, he wished Hermione and Ron were both there looking at them with him. He knew Hermione would appreciate the emotional value, and Ron would have loved the humor in some of the photos. But he remembered that Ron was pissed at him, and he didn't want to make things worse by having Hermione "run off" with him.
He picked up a photo of James and Lily from their seventh year in school. He smiled whenever Sirius jumped from behind them making kissy faces. He assumed Lupin had taken the picture. He looked closely at his mother. Her eyes were bright green, like his own, and her hair was a bright auburn. She didn't have freckles, like he would have assumed, and he noticed he also had her nose.
Hedwig came flying in the open window from her night hunt, and she was followed closely by a small puff of owl. Harry recognized Pig, so he was reluctant to get the letter he was holding. Harry pulled it off anyway, and he gave Pig a small treat.
Harry,
Don't worry about Hermione. Mum, Dad, and I persuaded her to stay, despite Ron and Ginny's behavior. She locked herself in Fred and George's room, but I managed to talk her out. Fleur's been talking to her, and Charlie's been keeping Ginny away from her. Wherever you are, JUST BE CAREFUL, okay? And come back for Hermione. I thought I ought to let you know she's fine.
Take care,
Bill
Harry folded up the note. He felt better knowing that A) Hermione was okay, and B) the note wasn't from Ron. He put the note and the photos in his trunk, and he took off his glasses. He laid back on the pillows and got the first good night's sleep in two days.
Ron angrily threw the old worn Quaffle against his wall and caught it. He kept doing it over and over. His bedroom door opened, and Ginny came in. She caught the Quaffle in front of Ron.
"What do you want?" he demanded.
"Hey, your girlfriend was snogging my ex."
"She's not my girlfriend," he grunted.
"You wanted her to be."
Ron threw himself onto his bed. "Yeah, but she obviously didn't want to be."
"That is true. You had two years to make a move." Ginny sighed and threw the Quaffle down. "You know, Hermione was the one to get me to go after Harry."
"Did she ever tell you about the boys she fancied?"
"Well, there was Krum, and McLaggen, but that was all she told me about. Well, McLaggen she only used for a date to that party."
"Did she ever fancy me?"
"I don't know."
"What about Harry?"
"She never said, but I think it was apparent she had some kind of feelings for him."
Ron frowned. "She was always favoring him. In fifth year, she was upset when he wasn't made Prefect, and then when we were both Prefects, she spent all her time with him! You know, she only helped to get me on the Quidditch team because she knew it would make Harry happy."
Ginny narrowed her eyes. "She did?"
"Yeah. She knew it's was Harry wanted. She only paid attention to Quidditch because of Harry. In third year, we weren't talking to her, and she came to the game because Harry was playing." He snorted. "Fifth year? He wasn't on the team, so she could have cared less."
Ginny frowned and sat down on the cot. "Hermione told me just this evening that she loves Harry."
"I'm sure. He's the hero, isn't he?"
Ginny shook her head. "No, not because of that. Not like my reasons for liking him. She loves Harry. Just Harry."
"Did she say anything about me?"
"No."
Ron sighed. "I'd like to be alone now, Ginny."
Ginny nodded and left. She went downstairs to her room, and she the door behind her. Arnold was laying on her pillow, and she picked the little purple puff up in her hands.
"I just shite everything up, don't I, Arn?"
The puff responded by rolling over in his sleep.
chapter five: backstabber
'Cause I am with you
Now I've got to explain
Things, they have changed
In such a permanent way
- The Strokes "Alone Together"
Bill and Fleur left for France that night. Hermione felt bad that she didn't say goodbye to them, but at the same time, she was content in staying alone in the twins' room. She could smell food Mrs. Weasley was heating up for dinner, and she felt her stomach rumble. She decided to go down for a quick bite. Besides, she figured, Ron and Ginny would make too much of a scene in front of their parents (then again, Ron did hit Harry in front of the wedding party).
Hermione went downstairs and sat down at the table between Charlie and Fred. Ron, Ginny, and George were across from them. Ginny gave her an acid stare, and Ron refused to look in her direction.
"Hermione! Oh, I am glad you decided to come out," Mrs. Weasley said, serving Hermione's plate.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione started eating.
"So, Dad, have you been keeping up with Quidditch?" Fred asked, trying to ease the tension.
"I hear the Tornadoes may be shoe-ins for the Cup," Charlie said. "Internationally speaking, I think the Japanese are doing brilliantly."
"Don't forget the Icelandic team," Mr. Weasley said. "They beat Ireland just last week."
"A close game it was," George said. "They're playing Australia next week."
The talk of Quidditch made Hermione think of Harry, which made her queasy with worry. She kept thinking whether is was okay. Was he cold? hungry? in pain? She knew he would have loved to talk Quidditch with the twins and Charlie, especially Charlie.
Hermione had remembered the remark Ginny snapped at her the year before about how she would embarrass herself by talking Quidditch, but Ginny didn't give her that much credit. Hermione spent the past six years watching Harry play, and she even read a few books. She knew enough to know the best broom kit to buy for him, and she knew enough to know what was going on when she watched Harry play.
"You might want to ease up on the Quidditch talk," Ginny said, still glaring at Hermione. "Hermione'll get too confused."
Hermione didn't say anything. She looked down at her food and quietly ate.
"Little sister, you really need to leave Hermione alone," Charlie said.
Ginny threw her fork down. "Easy for you to say, Charlie!" She stormed out of the kitchen, and they heard her run up the stairs.
"If I'm too much trouble--" Hermione started.
"No, dear!" Mrs. Weasley assured her.
"Speak for yourself, Mum," Ron muttered, and he, too, left the table.
"I'll leave first thing in the morning," Hermione said. "I don't want to be a bother."
"No, no, you're not a bother!" Mrs. Weasley said.
"It would be safer for you to stay here," Mr. Weasley said.
Hermione got up. "No, no, I'll go pack my trunk." She went upstairs, stomach turning because she remembered she left her things in Ginny's room.
But Ginny remembered that, too, and when Hermione went upstairs, her trunk was overturned in the hall, her shirts, pants, skirts, knickers, socks, everything was scattered about. She felt something hard under her foot, and she realized it was her wand, broken in half. She cursed herself for leaving her wand on Ginny's dresser. Ginny had broken it, she knew, and her Prefect's badge was right next to it. Ginny charmed it to say "BACKSTABBER" instead of "PREFECT" across the lion.
Hermione gathered her things up and stuffed them in her trunk, broken wand included. She picked up Crookshanks's basket, and she went downstairs to get him.
"Mrs. Weasley, do you have any Spellotape?" Hermione asked, stopping in the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley got up to get it for her. "Yes, dear, why?"
"Oh, my wand is broken." Hermione pulled it out of her trunk.
"How did that happen?" George asked.
"How else? Ginny," Fred answered. "Perfect break right in the middle. Definitely our Ginny Weasley's work."
"Oh, here, Hermione, I'll just repair it for you," Mrs. Weasley said. She took out her own wand and repaired Hermione's.
Crookshanks came in the open kitchen door, and Hermione got him in his basket. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," she said, taking her wand. "I think I'll just leave tonight."
She shrank her trunk, pocketed it, held onto Crookshanks, and before the Weasley's could object, she Apparated to Diagon Alley.
Harry came back into his room after he showered and shaved, and he tossed Hedwig an owl treat. Hedwig nipped his finger, and he smiled. He looked out the window at the rising sun. Had it only been twenty-four hours since Hermione had kissed him? So much happened in one day, and Harry could barely believe it.
"Come back here!" he heard a voice outside the door yell.
He opened the door to see a flash of orange fur run in his room. A flash of brown hair was close behind it.
"Crooks! Get back here!"
Harry's jaw dropped. "Hermione, what are you doing here?"
Hermione scooped up Crookshanks, and she felt a wave of relief to see Harry was okay. "Oh, Harry! You're all right!"
Harry hugged her, despite Crookshanks hissing against his chest. "What are you doing here?" he asked again.
"I had to leave. Ginny and Ron...oh, you know they can be stubborn. Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley didn't want me to go, but I couldn't stay any longer." Hermione sighed. "I wish you had stayed, just to try to talk to Ron."
Harry frowned and went over to the window. "He doesn't want to talk to me."
Hermione shut the door and put Crookshanks on the bed. "Harry, I know you don't want to, but you know we both need Ron. He's your best friend, and mine. I hate this! This...this fighting!"
Harry knew she was right. He never liked fighting with Ron, and he knew he wanted Ron back on his side again. But Ron was being a stupid git.
"And so are you," Hermione whispered, knowing what Harry was thinking.
Harry crossed his arms. "Okay, okay, we'll go back to talk to him." He sighed but smiled. "You're always right, you know."
Hermione went over and hugged him. "I know."
Ginny kicked her Quidditch shoes in anger after she threw Hermione's trunk out. She heard Hermione gather her things up, and she smiled at her work on Hermione's badge and wand.
"Serves her right," Ginny said out loud. "Some friend she was. Just be yourself around Harry. Just talk to Harry! He'll like you!" she mocked Hermione. Ginny plopped down on her bed and picked Arnold up. "And what does she do, Arn? She kisses him! No, she snogs him! I bet she's not even a good kisser."
Ginny put Arnold down and rested back on her pillow. "Good riddance to her. I don't need her friendship! I have other friends!" Ginny sighed and sat up. "But she was the first one to get me to come out of my shell, and she befriended me during my first year."
She got to her feet and paced around her room. "But who cares! She went behind my back, still knowing I had feelings for Harry, and she snogs him! 'Love', ha! What does she know? She doesn't love Harry. I love Harry! I know he still loves me."
She sighed and picked up her old Quaffle off the floor. "Why else would he have ended it? He knew I'd be in more danger." She bounced the Quaffle off the wall and caught it. "It's not like Hermione's any better than I am! She didn't curse Malfoy with the Bat-Bogey so we could get away. She was never possessed by Tom Riddle!"
Ginny threw the Quaffle down and sat down on her bed. "Then again, Ron and Harry did depend on her a lot. She did help them out of a lot of scrapes." Ginny got back to her feet and picked the Quaffle up. "Big fucking deal! So she's swotty. Book smarts isn't everything! "
She threw the Quaffle across the room in frustration. "Big fucking deal..." she sighed under her breath.
note: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. You guys are super rad.
and a special note to katie: Dude, I SO cannot believe you read this, considering the ship. I am also surprised you didn't start a flamin' me ;). Kidding. I'm still stuck with the agreement to see the seventh movie with you, aren't I?
chapter six: flying
Later that morning, Harry and Hermione went downstairs to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast. Harry hadn't eaten since the morning before, so he was starving. After eating, they took a walk through Diagon Alley. Harry reached for Hermione's hand, and she squeezed his.
"You know we'll have to go back to the Burrow," Hermione said quietly as they passed Quality Quidditch Supplies. Harry pretended to act preoccupied with window shopping the Quidditch merchandise. "Harry!"
He sighed. "I know, I know. But we can't."
"Harry, I don't want to sound like I'm nagging, but you know as well as I do that we cannot fight with Ron. We need him. You need him."
Harry didn't argue. He didn't want to lose Ron, and he knew that deep down. But it was his pride that kept him from going back to Ron, and he also knew that was keeping Ron from doing the same thing.
"We also have to talk to Ginny," Hermione added.
"I really hoped you wouldn't have said that."
"Harry, she's your ex-girlfriend, my friend, and Ron's sister. We can't just ignore her altogether."
Harry pulled Hermione into a kiss. "Hey, how about this," he whispered against her lips. "We stop talking about Ron and Ginny for a minute, and we go up to my room?"
Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her.
Ron was on his Cleansweep, flying around the fields, that morning. Flying tended to clear his head, when he was alone. Flying during a match made him stress and worry, which made him remember Hermione helping him get back on the team. He truly thought she did that for him, but he should have known better.
Everything Hermione did was for Harry. He knew that if Harry and Ginny hadn't been together during Dumbledore's funeral, Hermione would have been crying on Harry's shoulder. Ron couldn't really remember a time she ever let him comfort her. She had always turned to Harry.
"And I thought you were my best mate, Harry," he muttered, more sadness than anger in his voice.
Ron knew he wouldn't stay mad for long, but he knew that deep down. Right now, he was still mad. He kept seeing Harry snogging Hermione in his mind. Hermione had been smiling, Harry never looked happier, but what got him even more was that they looked right together. They didn't look awkward or wrong, they just looked...perfect. That's what made him even more upset.
How had he not seen this before? He remembered sitting next to Hermione at the Quidditch matches, and she would be screaming for Harry. She never got that short with Harry if he needed homework help. She never argued back at Harry with the same anger she did with Ron.
During the summer before fifth year, when he and Hermione were alone together, Ron thought he would finally make his move, but it was near impossible. All Hermione would want to talk about was Harry. Harry was almost an obsession with her. And the look of sheer disappointment on her face when she found Ron was Prefect and not Harry.
How through that whole year he tried to be alone with her, tried to ask her out, but whenever he'd finally get that subject going, she'd turn the subject back to Harry. Sitting by the fire on the nights Harry had detention with Umbridge, Ron thought about kissing Hermione, but when he would move in, she would stand up and say something about Harry.
Ron flew back down to the ground and started walking in when his mum came running out.
"Ronald, you and Ginny have visitors."
Harry finally caught his breath as Hermione rolled off of him onto her back. That had been the most intense snog session he ever had. She definitely surpassed Cho and Ginny in the snogging department, and Harry thought the smile on his face would never go away.
"Yowza," Hermione said, catching her own breath.
Harry fixed his crooked glasses (he was going to take them off, but Hermione wouldn't allow him to part his lips from hers), and he propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her.
"You, Miss Granger, have, literally, magical lips," he said, brushing strands of her hair from her sweaty forehead.
"You're not so bad yourself." She winked at him. "Viktor was a good kisser, I'll give him that. McLaggen was superb--"
Harry's jaw dropped. "You kissed him?"
She smiled and kissed him. "I'm joking." She licked her lips. "Hmm, I can see why Cho liked you so much."
Harry kissed her back. "I wish we could never leave this bed. I just want to stay here and snog you all day."
Hermione touched her finger to her lips and had a pondering look. "That would be nice, but eventually, they might kick us out of here. Oh, and there is your 'saving the world' deal."
Harry leaned down and pressed his lips hard into hers. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. She kissed the tip of his nose when they pulled away.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
Harry hesitated, but he really wanted to know. "Now, nothing did happen between you and Ron, right?"
"Harry, I told you nothing did."
He nodded. "I know, I know, but he seemed more upset for someone who only lost their crush rather than former love."
"You mean like Ginny?" she asked, quietly.
Harry shook his head. "I didn't love her. I cared for her, but it wasn't love."
"Like with Cho, you were infatuated with a pretty face."
"You know me too well." Harry rested his head on her shoulder. "But now, I love a pretty face."
"If you mean me--"
"And I do."
Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. "We have to go back to the Burrow."
Harry groaned. "I know."
"Harry--"
Harry sat up. "Then let's go get this over with." He got up to put his shoes on and to comb his hair.
"I didn't mean now."
"Then when? We're going to have to get this over with soon, you know."
Hermione got up, straightened out her clothes, and she put on her shoes. "Okay, okay, then we'll go now."
Harry walked around the bed to her. He pulled her into his arms, and she hugged him back.
"Hopefully, they've cooled down by now," Harry said. "I mean, it has been a day."
"It seems longer than that to me."
Harry took her hand. "Ready?"
"Let's go."