FOUR
Hermione and Eric had been dancing for quite a while. She was just about to tell him she needed to sit down when Ron and Luna came up to them.
"May we cut in?" said Ron to Hermione. Without waiting for an answer, Ron took Hermione's hand while Luna grabbed hold of Eric's, steering him away.
"I'm so happy to have you here, Hermione," said Ron taking her by the waist and spinning her around. "I wanted my two best friends to share this special day with me."
Hermione smiled at that. She was also glad to be there. "Why thank you, Ron," she said beaming at him. "I'm glad to see you still think of me as your best friend."
"You'll always be my best friend," quickly added Ron, bringing her hand up and placing a soft kiss on it. "No matter what," he said with a wink of his eye.
"Can I cut in?" said a voice coming up from behind Hermione.
"Of course!" Ron said quickly handing Hermione's hand to him. He padded Harry playfully in the shoulder and left.
Eric, who was still dancing with Luna, immediately saw Harry approaching Hermione. He was having an internal battle trying to decide whether to go there and take Hermione away from him. Knowing Hermione wouldn't be too happy about him making a scene, he opted for watching them closely instead.
Hermione noticed Eric's upset expression, but quickly forgot about it. Her body tensed as she felt Harry's hand on her waist, bringing her closer to him. His wonderful scent invaded her senses making her heart pound at a faster speed. They danced quietly for a few minutes until Harry's voice broke the silence.
"I know you're not doing as good as everyone else thinks," he said talking close to her ear. Hermione pulled back and looked at him.
"What are you talking about?" she questioned, looking at him.
"You have shadows under you eyes," she raised her eyebrows at that. "You hide them pretty well with that make-up, but I saw them last night." She turned away.
"You're not sleeping well, are you?" he asked with concerned in his voice. "And I reckon you're not even eating that good either. Not that you look bad, but you could use a couple pounds on you."
"Since when are you such an expert?" she asked in a tone perhaps a little too rude.
"See! Irritability. That's a common sign of sleep deprivation." Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Have you seen a healer about this?"
"I don't need to see a healer," said Hermione again in that rude tone. He gave her that "yeah right" look. Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself, then added, "I already know what they're going to prescribe anyway, a sleeping draught."
"Well…" he said urging her to go on. "Do you take it?"
"Sometimes," she replied, looking away. She felt as if she was being lectured by her father. "Just when I really need it. It can make you dependent, you know."
Harry shook his head. He was worried and wanted to know what the cause of her sleeplessness was. "Are you happy, Hermione?" he asked softly.
Hermione looked at him. Her knees felt weak under such penetrating gaze. He had never looked at her like that. Just then, Ginny came running towards them.
"C'mon Hermione, Luna's about to toss the bouquet." She grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her away from Harry. Hermione, thankful for the interruption, quickly followed Ginny.
The rest of the evening went by rather quickly. Eric made sure to glue Hermione to his side all through the night, keeping Harry at a distance. Eric's attitude was upsetting Hermione, but she didn't feel like discussing about it in front of everybody.
Soon after, Ron and Luna were getting ready to leave for their honeymoon. They would be taking a three-week-long cruise to the Caribbean. After the newlyweds left, Hermione and Eric headed back home.
--- * --- * --- * ---
"So… are you going to tell me now?" said Eric once they had stepped into their flat. Hermione had a very good idea as of what he was on about, but tried to fake ignorance.
"Tell you what?" she said as she was walking to the bedroom, taking her shoes off. "What are you talking about?"
Eric went after her. "What the bloody hell has Potter to do with you? Why did he keep looking at you like that all the time? And don't even get me started on the way he was looking at me. He wanted to jinx me with his eyes."
Hermione sighed in frustration. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She was beginning to get a headache.
"I don't know, Eric." She finally said opening her eyes. "I honestly don't know." She headed to the bathroom to get some sleeping draught. For sure she was going to need it that night.
"Why are you walking away?" questioned Eric, thinking she was trying to avoid the conversation. His tone was louder than he had meant to.
"I'm not! And don't talk to me like that." Hermione was also getting upset. "It isn't my fault what Harry did or didn't do. I am tired and I have a headache. Now would you please just let me take my potion so I can go to bed?"
For all response, Eric walked out of the room.
--- * --- * --- * ---
"So, how was the wedding?" asked Debbie. She worked with Hermione at the Ministry of Magic. They both shared a small office.
"It was a nice, lovely ceremony," said Hermione digging through the stacks of parchment that lay on top of her desk, looking for her quill. Just then, a short young wizard, who sometimes acted as messenger, came into the office carrying a big floral arrangement.
"Roses!" exclaimed Debbie quickly getting up to admire the flowers from a closer place.
"Ms. Granger?" said the wizard.
"Yes," quickly replied Debbie taking them off of his arms and placing them on top of Hermione's desk. The wizard nodded at her and left the office.
"Oh, Hermione! Eric is so wonderful." Sighed Debbie assuming the arrangement was from him.
He had sent Hermione flowers in several occasions before. However, he had only done it on special occasions like her birthday, Valentine's, their anniversary. That Monday was not a special date as far as Hermione knew.
"He must be trying to apologize," she reasoned. Seeing the questioning look in Debbie's face, Hermione explained. "We had a little argument the night of the wedding and we didn't have time to smooth things yesterday. I spent all day at my parents'."
Hermione looked at the roses. They were of a deep shade of red and smelled wonderfully. "I reckon I should thank him." She went to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder and stuck her head into the green flames. Seconds later, Eric's tiny office came into focus.
"Hey darling!" said Eric after noticing Hermione's face on the fireplace. He was sitting at his desk.
Hermione smiled at him, thinking that if he had made an effort to make up, she should also put a little into it. "I wanted to thank you for the flowers. They're lovely."
Eric's brown eyes looked curiously at her. "Flowers? What flowers?" he asked, dropping the quill he was holding.
Hermione fell silent.
"What flowers, Hermione? Did someone send you flowers?" pressed Eric, getting closer to the fireplace.
"I, uh… I have to go," quickly said Hermione. "I'll see you tonight." And before he could say anything else, Hermione's face was gone.
--- * --- * --- * ---
Hermione remained sitting at her desk, staring at the roses for a few minutes. Finally, she stood up and examined them looking for a note. She turned the vase around and found it. There was a small envelope nicely pinned to the arrangement.
She hadn't noticed it before. With trembling hands, she ripped the envelope open. The note was short and simple, but was not signed.
Hermione recognized that handwriting. She had seen it way too many times and didn't need a signature to know whom it was from. It was from Harry. The note simply said "Have lunch with me."
"Shit!" said Hermione. "I should've read the note before talking to Eric." She knew Eric's quick mind would soon put two and two together. "I reckon we're going to have another go tonight."
--- * --- * --- * ---
Eric was no fool. He knew something was going on. Someone had sent flowers to Hermione and he could beat his life on who that someone was. Harry was obviously interested in her.
He had stared at them, or better said at her, all through the wedding. He had even managed to dance with her. "Only Merlin knows what the bloody hell he talked to her about," he thought.
But Eric was sure of one thing, he was not going to step aside and let Harry, or anybody else for that matter, take away what was his. "Who does he think he is? Just because he's the famous Harry Potter it doesn't mean that he can just come along and take her away from me. She won't fall for that!"
Feeling determined to take care of his interest, Eric decided to go to the Ministry and take his girl to a nice lunch, which of course would allow him to confirm if in fact she had received said flowers.
Knowing very well the way to her office, Eric got there in no time. He knocked softly at the door and opened it after he heard Debbie's voice inviting him in.
"Hello girls," he greeted.
Hermione quickly raised her head at the sound of his voice. She was partially blocked from view since the arrangement was still sitting on her desk. Eric walked up to her desk and looked critically at the flowers.
Trying to make his voice sound casual, he asked. "Who send this to you?"
Debbie looked from Hermione to Eric. "I, uh… need to go get some files… I'll be back," she said, getting up. She walked out of the office and closed the door behind her. Hermione could feel another discussion coming on.
"Aren't you going to tell me who sent you this?" he said, pointing at the flowers, talking in a more demanding voice.
Hermione sat back into her upholstered chair. "I don't know," she said not looking at his eyes. "The note wasn't signed." As soon as she said that, she regretted it.
Eric scanned her desk with his eyes and soon enough he found what he was looking for. Before she could do anything about it, Eric grabbed the small envelope in his hands and took the note out.
"Have lunch with me!" he read it aloud, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. His face began to redden out of anger. His fists tightened turning the little note into a ball of paper, which he tossed aside.
"It's from him, isn't it?" he asked hardly controlling his voice from getting loud.
A knock on the door kept her from answering. "Come in," she called out hoping for someone to come and get her to a meeting or anything that could spare her this uncomfortable situation.
However, things were only getting from bad to worse. The door of the office opened and who would walk into the office but Harry Potter himself. If Eric's face had been red before, it was nothing compared to the shade it was now. Steam seemed to be coming out of his ears.
"YOU!" he said.
In two seconds, Harry realized what was going on. He raised his chin and looked defiantly at Eric. In a quick movement, Eric went to Harry and placed his tall body in front of him, their noses almost touching. Hermione quickly got up and went to them.
"What right you think you have to send flowers to my fiancée?" questioned Eric almost spitting on Harry's face.
"Eric, please." Hermione tried to pull him, but he pushed her away. "STAY OUT OF THIS!" he yelled at her.
"Don't treat her like that!" quickly said Harry, grabbing a handful of Eric's sweater. "This is not her fault. I am the one who decided to send her flowers. In case you don't know, we're friends."
Eric faked a laugh. "Oh, I didn't know friends send flowers and lunch invitations to each other," he said pulling his sweater off of Harry's grip.
"Eric, don't make this bigger than what it is," said Hermione. In a sudden movement, she had placed herself in between the two angry men, but Eric didn't seem to hear her.
"Hermione is mine, you hear me?" Eric said, fixing his eyes on Harry. "I want you away from her!"
Knowing her pretty well, Harry knew Eric has just said the wrong thing. Hermione would never appreciate him talking about her as something of his possession.
"ERIC!" yelled Hermione. "This is not the place nor the time…" she said in a lower voice, trying to keep things down. "Please, just go back to your office and let me deal with this."
Eric looked at her with a livid expression. Hermione talked to him again, this time in a much calmer voice.
"Please Eric, just go. We'll talk later."
Eric looked at her, then at Harry throwing daggers at him with his brown eyes. With a final look at Hermione, Eric stormed out of the office. Hermione closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to regain herself.
"Are you okay?" asked Harry softly.
Hermione looked at him, the anger coming back to her. "Why are you doing this?"
"I thought you'd like the flowers."
"This is not just about the flowers!" she said walking away from him. "Damn it, Harry! I know you didn't mean anything by it. I know this is just a nice gesture you had 'cause we haven't seen each other in years, but Eric doesn't know that."
Harry looked at her, trying to read between the lines and find out what exactly she was the most upset about. Deciding to take a risk, he said.
"What if it wasn't just that?" he said in a soft voice Hermione barely heard.
"What?"
Speaking louder and clearer this time, he repeated it. "What if it wasn't just a nice friendly gesture? What if it was more than that?"
Hermione stopped breathing for a few seconds. Her eyes were wide open. Slowly, she began to breath normally again. She looked away from him. "I can't deal with this right now. I got way too many things in my head as it is."
She could feel a headache starting to creep inside of her. Harry noticed as she began to rub her temple. Concerned, he walked up to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he placed a hand over her shoulder.
At his touch, Hermione jumped as if hit by lighting. "I'm fine, Harry," she said walking away. "I just… I can't talk right now."
"I reckon that's no to lunch then, is it?" he said in a disappointed voice.
"Yeah," She nodded. "It's no to lunch. I'm sorry, Harry."
"Don't be," he said. He then turned to leave, but just before walking out he stopped and looked at her. "I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble. I'll see you around."