Rain

Rain

By: Magical Poof

Rating: PG

Warnings: Inappropriate language

Ships: Harry/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron

Summary: Rain: 1. water falling in drops condensed from vapor in the atmosphere 2. water washing away any masks or covers, showing the true feeling without words, and revealing what is not shown

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`Rain, rain, go away,

Come again another day…'

The rain was light and refreshing, as it drizzled upon the dry town of Hogsmeade. The air was chilly; rolls of fog covered the ground all the way up to the knee. There were few people on the streets, and most were inside the buildings, laughing and celebrating, their shadows cast outside by the warm glow of the firelight.

Hermione strolled slowly through the town. It seemed to quiet and peaceful with none of the crowds jostling her about. She loosely held a black umbrella in one hand, keeping herself relatively dry in the light drizzle. Her toes were starting to grow cold, as the water soaked through her boots from the puddles. She could faintly see her breath coming out in puffs before her. Her nose was rather cold, and her cheeks were pink.

She was wearing her nice dress robes, and her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, to keep any loose curls from escaping. She'd spent hours charming and relaxing her hair so there wouldn't be any frizz. She had wanted to look nice for her job interview. Unfortunately, the rain was washing all her charms and gel out. But it didn't matter; she'd just be Apparating home to her flat, soon.

It was a sorry day for a trip to Hogsmeade, however, school was out, and it was summer. Many people were sheltered inside the buildings, despite the fact that it was only a light sprinkle. These were good times, everyone one was celebrating. The defeat of Voldemort at the end Harry's last year had been incredible, it had been a battle of great magnitude. There had been a great battle between the Death Eaters and the Order, which came to be known as The Defeat of Voldemort, where Harry destroyed the last Horcrux.

`How original' Hermione thought sarcastically.

Hermione paused outside a bookshop. In the display case were old, worn books. The shop was titled `Copperlon's Book Shoppe.' Hermione peered through the window at the books. They were real book. They were about the past, and they probably were from the past. She spied one about Grinewald, and another about the Four Founders of Hogwarts. She smiled, as she looked at the last one, her old friend, Hogwarts, A History. This was a bookshop. It didn't have any of those new books shooting out where witnesses recount the defeat of Voldemort.

Many people seemed eager to share their information for the money and publicity. However, the most important and famous of these witnesses refused to recount the tale. Harry Potter, the Chosen One.

Hermione sighed, straightening. The store looked dark, and appeared to not be open. She frowned and drifted over towards the door. A small sign was on the door, stating that it was closed. Hermione sighed. There would have been some quality reading in there.

Hermione turned away and began to walk onward, when she suddenly felt that someone was watching her. She paused and looked around. The streets were empty. But, wait. There was a shadowy figure outside the Hog's Head. Hermione frowned. The figure looked familiar. She drew a few steps closer.

The figure shifted a little and its hood slipped down. Hermione stopped, shocked when she spied those piercing green eyes, and unruly black hair. She stared, blinking.

“Harry?” She asked curiously.

Harry shifted a bit again before replying. “Hullo, Hermione.”

Hermione walked up to him briskly. She frowned, stopping before him. “What on earth are you doing here? And why are you standing out in the rain?”

Harry shrugged. “I could ask you the same question.”

Hermione smiled. “Well, I'm here to apply for a job, teaching, at Hogwarts. Now you have to tell me what you're doing here.” She informed him.

Harry cocked his head to the side. “There's an opening?” He asked.

“Flitwick decided to retire next year, and don't change the subject.” Hermione replied.

Harry grunted. He hair his hand through his hair distractedly and leaned against the wall. He was silent for a few minutes, as if contemplating whether to answer or not. “I was supposed to meet Ginny here.” He replied at last.

Hermione blinked. Ginny? Were they going on a date? “Well, where is she?” Hermione asked, looking around.

Harry laughed bitterly. “She stood me up.” He said harshly.

“What?” Hermione replied, startled. “Why?”

Harry shifted and looked around. Hermione looked around too. There was no one around. They had fled inside, as the rain seemed to be getting heavier. Harry didn't seem to mind, though, even has he stood only half sheltered by the gutters of Hogs Head.

“She probably just wanted to spite me.” He said, sighing.

“Why?” Hermione persisted. “Did you have a fight?”

“I guess you could say that.” Harry said. Hermione have him a questioning look, prompting him to continue. “She's been such a bitch lately.” He groaned. “And she's been so clingy. I'm not allowed to go anywhere unless she's there. It's bloody irritating.”

“Why didn't she come to your date, though?”

“Because I told her to leave me the hell alone.” Harry sighed. “God, I just want to be alone.”

Hermione frowned. She took a couple steps forward, looking concerned. “Harry…” She paused, narrowing her eyes suddenly. She took a step back and looked at him in disapproving shock. “You've been drinking!” She exclaimed. The smell of whiskey was sharp on his breath, and even his clothes seemed a bit soaked with it.

“I'm aware of that.” Harry replied sarcastically.

“You know you shouldn't be drinking.” Hermione berated. “You're a terrible drunk, Harry. Remember when you tried to punch Ron just because he laughed at you, while he was drunk?”

Harry grunted, glaring at Hermione. “I'm not drunk.”

“But you've been drinking.” Hermione persisted.

“Not much.” He argued. “Just one Firewhiskey.”

Hermione raised her brows. “Harry…” She said in a rather patronizing tone.

“Don't start on me.” Harry snapped, his temper suddenly flaring. “That's all Ginny's been doing lately. She's telling me I don't come visit her enough, I don't care enough. I send her bloody jewelry! Is she trying to drain away all of the money I've got left?” Harry complained. “Then she's scared that I've got some slut in the closet while she's not around. Just because we aren't snogging twenty-four seven anymore, doesn't mean I've got some other slag. I'm not bloody addicted, like her!” Harry continued to rant.

“There, there, Harry.” Hermione said slowly, approaching him. “You don't mean that, you're just drunk.”

Harry snorted and glared at Hermione. “I'm not drunk.” He insisted.

Hermione paused and raised her brows. She cocked her head to the side, a slightly smile on her face. “All right. When is your birthday?”

“July thirty-first.” He replied promptly. “I'll never be too drunk to not remember my own birthday.” He added, giving her a rather irritated look.

Hermione smiled wider. “All right, what about mine?”

“September nineteenth.” Harry replied after a moment.

Hermione's brows rose higher. “All right, I suppose you're not completely trashed.” She replied with a sigh. “Come on, we'll find some nice fireplace to send you off to Ginny, okay?” She offer, coming over and letting Harry lean on her. He slung an arm around her shoulder and used her for support, as he slouched along.

“I don't wanna go back to Ginny.” He groaned.

Hermione sighed. “Come on, I'm sure Mrs. Weasley can whip you up a nice sobering potion. Don't you want them crooning over you?”

Harry shook his head violently, almost making Hermione fall over as she supported him. “I just want to be alone.”

Hermione sighed again. “Fine, fine.” She muttered.

Harry turned his head suddenly fixing his intense green eyes on Hermione, who drew back a little. They stared at each other for a moment before Hermione looked away. A slight hint of pink spread over her cheeks, but it could have been from the chill in the air.

An oddly uneasy silence settled over them. Hermione and Harry stumbled alone the streets of Hogsmeade, Hermione fruitlessly trying to keep them both dry beneath her small umbrella, and Harry had an arm slung over her shoulder in making him stoop a little, and his weight made Hermione stoop a little, too. The tension in the air made Hermione nervous and stiff as she helped Harry travel down the street. Harry didn't seem to notice; all that could be heard was their footsteps and the rain hitting the ground.

“Why'd you break up with Ron?” Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Hermione cast a look at him nervously. She honestly thought he knew. Of course, they were never meant to be. They always fought and yelled, and nothing seemed to work out with them. Hermione glanced in the window of the nearest building. She really didn't feel like telling Harry about how horribly they'd gotten along without him.

Much to her chagrin, the café was Madam Puddifoot's. She remembered the countless times Ron had tried to drag her in there. She smiled a bit at the memory; the place was so pink and revoltingly girl-ish, that she was surprised Ron even wanted to be seen in there.

Hermione found that she did not have anything else to say, so she admitted the truth. “We just argued too much. We couldn't agree on anything.” She replied slowly. “I guess I just didn't feel like putting up with it anymore. The only thing we really had in common was, well, you.”

Harry slowly nodded. He looked out across the empty streets, watching the water drain into the gutters. He sighed and let go of Hermione. He leaned against the wall of Madam Puddifoot's. He closed his eyes, and Hermione joined him, trying to keep him beneath the umbrella. A silence passed.

“Do you think I did the right thing?” He asked after a moment, startling Hermione.

“You mean proposing to Ginny?” Hermione asked in surprise.

“Yeah.” He mumbled. “I don't know if I want to be tied down already.”

Hermione smiled slightly. “Getting cold feet?” She joked, but Harry didn't respond. She sighed and became somber again. “I don't really know, Harry. It's really your choice. IF she makes you happy, well, then follow your heart.”

Harry sighed and slid down the side of the wall. Hermione frowned, and crouched beside him in alarm. His eyes were still closed, as he sat against the building. Hermione wondered if the chill was getting to him and held her umbrella over him, leaving her to get soaked in the rain. However, as soon as the rain stopped falling on his face, Harry's eyes snapped open.

“Close the umbrella.” He snapped.

Hermione meekly obeyed. Slowly, Hermione sat down on the wet cobblestones beside him. She rested her head against the rough brick wall of Madam Puddifoots and tilted her head up. She watched Harry out of the corner of here eye, as he simply let the water fall on his face, his glasses dripping. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes as well. The rain felt cool and refreshing as it washed away her worries and troubles.

They sat in a companionable silence for a long time. Neither of them stirred, nor said anything. They simply sat and let the rain fall on their faces and drench their clothes. Hermione's fingers were going numb and her nose and cheeks were getting a bright pink. She could feel her toes slowly lose contact with the rest of her body.

After what felt like an hour, Harry sighed and opened his eyes. “I don't think I'm really in love with her.” He muttered softly. “There was just so much love all over the place, I guess I wanted someone to love, too.” He continued. “Then I just wanted to be alone afterwards. Bu she wouldn't let me.”

Hermione smiled, turning her head to look at him. “Has your need to be alone been satisfied, Mr. Potter?”

Harry smiled, too, turning his head to look at her. He watched her for a moment before replying, “Yeah, I think it has.”

Hermione smiled, and began to get up. Her muscles felt numb and cramped to the cold. “Well, good. Let's get you back to Ginny. We don't want you catching a cold right before your wedding, now do we?”

Harry sighed and shook his head slowly. He grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her back down. “I don't want to go back.”

Hermione frowned at him. “I know Ginny isn't the most perfect person in the world. I know she can be a bitch, sometimes, and sometimes she's too headstrong, but she really loves you.” Hermione told, a faint hint of sadness in her voice. “You're going to make a great husband, I know you will. Now, I want you to go back and give Ginny a nice make-up snog, and tell her you love her just as much as before.”

Harry looked at Hermione for a while; the sound of the pattering rain was the only noise, as another silence stretched between them. They searched each other's eyes, and whatever it was that Harry found in Hermione's gaze, it made him look away first.

Hermione sighed. “Look, Harry. Whoever you think is your “true love” is always changing. The heart is a fickle thing. The person who's most important in your life is always changing. But you'll still do whatever they tell you because you care about them. It may not be love, but I know you care for Ginny. This makes her happy.” Hermione paused when Harry still didn't look at her. “Sometimes you have to give things up to make the people you care about happy.”

“But I want to be happy.” He whispered harshly.

Hermione sighed. “I know, Harry.” She whispered back. She rested a hand on Harry's shoulder, running it up and down his arm. “We all want to be happy. But each of us has someone we want to be happy, too, so each of us has something to give up. Harry, I know she makes you happy. You've just hit a rut.”

Harry sighed. “I know.”

“You'll be a married man in two days, Harry.” She whispered. “You'll be happy. Ginny will happy, and I'll be happy for you, too. We all will. Everyone will be happy.”

Harry nodded slowly. Hermione slowly began to stand again. Her muscles hurt even more this time. Once she'd gotten into a crouching position, Harry's hand grabbed her arm once more. She paused and looked at him.

“Don't go yet.” He said softly. He shifted his gaze to meet hers. She could see his desperation and sadness. Hermione immediately felt guilty for leaving him like this. “Can you just… Sit here with me? Until the rain stops?” He rasped.

Hermione smiled and slid back into a sitting position. “All right.” She replied softly, resting her head against the wall. “All right. Until the rain stops.”

They tilted her faces upward, watching at the rain as it fell on their face, licking their pink cheeks. Looking up. They never wanted to look down again. Look back. They didn't need to say anything, they both knew. They knew about the love in their hearts. But they didn't break the silence. They didn't ruin the good things they already had.

The only sound was the rain as it pattered on the rooftops and danced down the cobblestones. The pair hugged for warmth, as the rain continued. Though they knew it was wrong, this feeling. This wish. Yet, deep in their hearts, they both wished that the rain would never stop falling. That this moment would last forever.

`Rain, rain, come to stay,

Follow me through all my days…'

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AN: Hurrah! It took me a while to write this up. It's just a one-shot. I hope everyone got all the hidden messages and such about the Harry/Hermione relationship, with the whole “giving things up to make people you care about happy” discussion. Well, this turned out quite differently than I had expected, but it's still very good. I like how it turned out, actually.

Don't forget to vote!

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