Chapter 20 - Breakups and Make-ups
A/N Thank you to my beta Jacy
"You what!" Harry screamed out. "I can't believe you would sleep with him."
"Look Harry, I said it didn't mean anything."
"Oh, I heard you," Harry said and headed toward the door, "But I don't know if I could believe you," and left the room. He walked furiously down the hall. He needed to think and knew just the place to go. He walked out of the school and went to their secret spot. As soon as he entered it, he yelled at the top of his lungs. He walked over the bench and began to cry. Those words coming out of her mouth were just too painful. I slept with Ron. He never knew that he could feel so much pain. She had slept with Ron. His ex-best friend. Now he knew why Ron despised Hermione so much. She slept with him, thinking that she fancied him but it was just a one-night stand. It felt like a thousand knives stabbing him in his heart. He rubbed his chest. Suddenly it was hard to breath. He put his hand over his face and cried even more. How could she do such a thing? Could he ever forgive her?
Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Hermione with tears running down her face.
"We need to talk," Hermione said sitting right beside him. He turned to her and wiped his tears.
"Did you..." Harry said weakly as he felt a lump the size of a golf ball rise up his throat.
"Did I what?"
"Did you fancy him," Harry asked, "Or secretly love him."
"No."
"But you slept with him," Harry said with his head down
"I know, but Harry I just remembered that I slept with the bloke, how could I have fancied him, let alone love him? Harry, I didn't have any feelings toward that prick, I swear," Hermione said sincerely.
"Was he, you know, better than me?" Harry asked worriedly.
"Oh no, you were the best by far," Hermione said, hoping that it would cheer him up a bit. She tried to put arms around him but he pushed her away.
"Hermione, I need to be alone right now," Harry said, "I need to think about our relationship."
"You mean you're going to break up with me."
"I don't know, I mean this really hurts Hermione."
"Fine," Hermione said, "Then you might want this back," and took off her engagement ring, placed on the bench and left crying. He sat back down on the bench and picked up the ring and began to cry until there were no more tears left. He sat there looking at the lake and began to think. Why I'm I getting so worked about this, I mean it happened a long time ago, she said it didn't mean anything. He got up, put the ring back into his pocket and ran to Hermione.
He saw her crying on the couch. He didn't like it when she cried. He walked up to her and took a seat next to her. She looked at him and put her head down and continued crying. He picked up her chin, wiped her tears way with his thumb and looked into her eyes. He could always find the answer he was looking for just by looking into her dark cinnamon eyes; she was truly sorry. He gave her a weak smile.
"Hermione what ever happened in the past is the past. Even though it hurts, I'll have to learn to live with," Harry said softly.
"Really, you're not mad?" Hermione asked wiping the rest of her tears.
"Not anymore," Harry said.
"Oh Harry, you don't know how much that means to me," Hermione said and hugged him tightly. He pulled her away and took the ring out of his pocket,
"I think this belongs to you, that is if you still want it," Harry said.
"Why wouldn't I?" Hermione said. He took her hand and placed it back on the finger that it belonged. He looked at her with a serious face.
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" Harry asked. He didn't want the past biting up on his ass again.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Harry sat Hermione back down on the couch. She laid her head on his shoulder and thought to herself. No one has ever run after me. I almost lost the only man that I truly loved. She looked back at Harry. He too was thinking to himself.
Harry was trying to sort out everything in his head. She slept with Ron, but it didn't mean anything, or did it? Ron calls her a slut because she had a one-night stand with him. He put his hand over his face; he thought that he didn't have anymore tears to shed but he did - a lot more. Hermione kept trying to explain that it didn't mean anything and that she was sorry. Harry knew she meant it but it still hurt. Knowing that Ron had sex with her was too much to take in. He wiped his tears and looked at Hermione. She too had a few tears coming down.
"Hermione it didn't mean anything and you didn't love him right?" Harry said weakly.
"No, it didn't mean anything. Harry, you are the only person that I will and always love."
"What about all those other blokes you went out with?"
"I never loved them. Do you know why I broke things off with them after a month?"
"I don't."
"It's because they told me that they loved me. I just wasn't ready to tell that to someone unless I really meant it. Love is a word that people just fling around. You should only tell each other that if you truly care for each other. I didn't care for any of them, not in that way. You're the only person I've told that I love," Hermione said in a weary voice.
"Really?" Harry said raising his head
"Really," Hermione said sincerely and gave Harry a hug. Those words slowly made all of the pain go away; she always knew how to cheer him up even if something horrible happened. Harry whispered to Hermione, "I love you." He wrapped his arms around her even harder and she pulled him back and said, "I love you too."
Their lips met and they both fell into a kiss. They got up and went to Hermione's room but didn't break the kiss. Hermione fumbled to open the door. She finally got the door open and went for the bed. They broke the kiss; Harry laid Hermione on the bed and they had the most passionate sex they had ever experienced.
A/N: Sorry it's so short, but don't worry - chapter 21 is longer.