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Chapter 9: So That's Where Our Stubbornness Came From
A/N: I apologize about the italics mess up later in the chapter, I don't know how to fix it and it's really starting to tick me off!! Sorry again!!
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"Let me guess, you've been talking to them, haven't you?"
"Them?"
"Lily, Blake, and Julia."
"Well, yes, but…"
"Ron, you actually trust them?"
"Why not? What's wrong with them?"
"There's something not right, something they're not telling us. I mean, they could be Death Eaters for all you know, and you're trusting them."
"Ridiculous."
"I'm serious, Ron. It could all be a plan to split us all up, and so Harry's alone when they find him."
"Don't you think that's a little too out there, Hermione? And it's not something they told me to do. We were together for the wrong reasons, only because a few people thought that we belonged together. It's not fair to either one of us, you know I'm right." Hermione nodded and smiled half-heartedly.
"This doesn't sound like the Ron Weasley I know, who are you and what have you done with my best friend." Ron smiled.
"But Ron, I really don't think you should trust Lily Walker, or her brother, or Julia."
"It's hard not to trust someone you feel you have a connection with, Hermione. I finally noticed it, when I was talking with Julia the other day about the Seeker battle. It's almost like she's family or something. You know the kind of feeling I'm talking about, Hermione, you've said you've felt it with Lily and Blake." Again Hermione sighed.
"I know, but still, don't be so quick to trust them, don't allow them to take your life into their hands, because you never know what'll happen next." Ron smiled.
"Stop worrying about me, Hermione. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." Hermione returned the smile.
"I know, but you're foolish sometimes."
"Everyone's allowed some foolishness every once in a while, `Mione."
"Not when it depends on life or death."
"I don't think they're out to kill us, Hermione. I really doubt it, they're only seventeen. Give them a chance, don't just jump to conclusions." Hermione gave Ron one last smile and headed up the girls' staircase. Harry came through the portrait hole, clearly having had one of the worst discussions of his life just prior. He came over and sat by Ron.
"What happened there?" Harry said, nodding in the direction of where Hermione had gone.
"We broke it off."
"Oh, great day for relationships then, isn't it?"
"You and Ginny…?"
"Yeah. She said there was someone else."
"Really? Who?"
"I promised I wouldn't tell you. You'd get pissed off."
"I doubt that."
"No, seriously, you would."
"Are you mad?" Harry shook his head.
"No, I actually feel better. It just didn't seem right with Ginny, like we weren't meant to go out."
"That's exactly the same thing with me and Hermione. We just didn't belong together."
"Well, you know what the question is now, don't you?"
"What?"
"Who do we belong with?" Ron nodded and Harry's attention was brought to the girls' staircase as he saw Hermione come back down into the common room. She sat back down in her chair that she had just been sitting in before and said hey to Harry.
"What's up?"
"Ginny and I broke up."
"Oh, I'm sorry. So did Ron and I."
"Yeah, that's what he told me."
"You know what," Ron said. "Relationships suck. I mean, you spend a majority of your teenage years and even into your twenties looking for that right girl. And then when you think you've found her, you spend the rest of the time wondering if she was the right one in the first place."
"That's life Ron," Hermione said. "It's never easy."
"We should ask Lily, Blake and Julia. Maybe they know the answer. They know what they're talking about."
"They think they do. Do me a favor you two, don't go to them, don't trust them."
"I think you're overreacting, Hermione."
"I agree with Ron. You're thinking too much into this, `Mione."
"Well, maybe, but until we find out, don't listen to any advice, and don't trust them."
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Later that evening, Ron was sitting in the Great Hall, still eating. The trio came over to sit by him and began their dinners.
"So, how'd it go?" Julia said.
"Fine."
"It wasn't messy or anything, not a lot of yelling or anything?"
"Nope."
"That's good. I'm glad you're not fighting with each other now."
"Yep." Lily, Blake and Julia glanced worriedly at each other by Ron's lack of conversation. Ron finished eating and got up.
"See you."
"Hey, we got a two word sentence out of him at least," Blake said sarcastically after Ron left.
"Wonder what's with him?"
"I bet it's Hermione," Lily said. "I think she's getting to them. Telling them not to trust us."
"Well, if that's the case, this is going to be very difficult. It's hard to get two people together when neither one trusts you."
"Well, we've got to keep trying. Blake, you talk to Dad. Jules, you try to talk to your dad, maybe he can help us. I'll go talk to Mum."
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"Hey." Ron didn't reply, he didn't even acknowledge that his future daughter was standing next to him.
"Can I sit down?" Again, no answer.
"Look, I know you don't trust me. I'm not trying to trick you, hurt you, or any other thing that you've been warned about me. I need your help." Again Ron didn't answer Julia.
"Alright, you can just listen. It'll make it easier. You and I both know that you and Hermione don't belong together, nor do Harry and Ginny. But…what if Harry and Hermione belonged together?" Finally, Ron looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, don't they seem to share a connection that they don't have with anyone else? Don't they seem to fit better? Well?"
"I guess." Ron shrugged. "I don't know, it's true what you've heard about me, I'm very perceptive on these things." Julia smiled.
"Ok, just agree with me."
"Alright."
"And, ok, the conniving gene runs in your family right?" Ron smiled.
"Yeah."
"Ok, want to put it to use and help us?"
"Help you with what?"
"To get Harry and Hermione together."
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"Apparently you don't listen to Hermione anymore, Ron," Harry said when he found his best friend in the company of the three people Hermione had warned them about. Ron shrugged.
"When have I ever?"
"That's true. What did you want?"
"I need to…or rather, we need talk to you."
"What about?"
"Hermione."
"What about her?"
"Well, we think…that you should go out with her." Harry laughed.
"Then you're all insane."
"Why's that?"
"It's…well…um…er…"
"Well? Why?" Lily said, prompting her speechless father. The trio was smiling, never having seen Harry speechless like that. Lily and Blake were finding it clearly entertaining.
"You just broke up with her, Ron. Ginny just broke up with me. It's too soon after break ups to be thinking about asking her out."
"So what? Just go for it."
"But it's Hermione."
"So? What's wrong with Hermione?"
"She's my best friend."
"So? She's my best friend too, and I went out with her."
"Yeah, and look how that ended up."
"It'd be different with you, Harry. You two seem to connect more, and fit together than she and I ever did."
"I'm not going to go out with her, Ron." Harry turned and left up the boys' staircase. Ron shook his head.
"Stubborn ass," he muttered.
"I'm gonna go talk to him," Blake said. "Maybe make him see reason."
"And I'm going to go talk to Hermione. Give her a try."
"Good luck you two. Those two are extremely stubborn. I mean seriously, if they ever get together and have kids, they'll be ten times worse. That much stubbornness from both people combined in one person can't be good." Lily and Blake looked at each other and grinned. The twins left up opposite staircases leaving Julia with her dad.
"You know who I think might be a good match for you?" Julia said to her father.
"Who?"
"Luna Lovegood." Ron laughed.
"Are you serious?" He laughed again, and Julia shrugged.
"Why, what's wrong with Luna?"
"She's one of the strangest people I've ever met. Why would I want to go out with her?"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. She randomly hums, she sticks her wand behind her ear for safe keeping, reads the Quibbler upside down, and is always coming up with this weird stuff all the time." Julia then remembered something her dad told her once about her mum,
"When I was in school, your mother was one of the weirdest people I'd ever met. Mind you, she still is."
"Then what happened?"
"She I met up with her a year later, and I realized she didn't seem as strange as I remembered, she was actually pretty cool. We went out on a few dates, and then later we got married and had you and your brothers." Seven-year-old Julia grinned and said,
"Good." Julia was brought back to the future, and she shrugged.
"Oh, well, I guess we could be wrong. We're allowed one mistake."
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"Hey." Blake stood in the doorway, talking to his father, who was sitting on his bed, leaning against some pillows, reading a book. Harry looked up when he heard Blake speak and said halfheartedly,
"Hey."
"Mind if I join you? I want to talk with you about something."
"Do I get three guesses as to what the topic of conversation will be?" Blake laughed shortly.
"I don't think you need three."
"I don't care. Go ahead and talk." Blake nodded, and went and sat cross-legged on his bed.
"They're all right you know."
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"I don't want to go out with Hermione," Harry said, looking back at what Blake now saw was his dad's favorite photo albumn.
"I think you're lying to me. You won't go out with her because you don't want her to be in danger." Harry's gaze jerked from the album to his son.
"You want to know how I know? I could see the look on your face when you were talking with Ron. You're worried about Hermione; you're worried that something'll happen to her if you go out with her and maybe fall for her; that Voldemort'll hurt her. And what I don't understand is why you're worried about Voldemort hurting Hermione, but not about him hurting Ginny when you went out with her." Harry finally gave in.
"Because I knew going out with Ginny wouldn't go far. I didn't want to turn her down when she asked me out, so I agreed, but I knew it wouldn't work out. She's more like a sister to me than a girlfriend. But…" Harry took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I've loved Hermione since I was fifteen. Ever since I was in the Department of Mysteries and I thought she had died. When I realized she was still alive it was then I realized I loved her, and couldn't live without her, and wouldn't want her to get hurt. Voldemort's after me, seeking to kill me, and I don't want him to kill her to get to me. So I figured if I kept telling myself she's just my best friend that I'd start to believe it, and when the time came, that Voldemort would believe it too."
"But Hermione can take care of herself, Harry…"
"I know she can, but when Voldemort wants to kill you, there's no stopping him. One person is no match for him, except supposedly me."
"And I know you know that no matter what, whether you're going out with her or not, she's still in danger. She's a muggle born and you know Voldemort hates muggle borns. And she's already in danger because she's your best friend."
"I know that."
"So, if she's already in danger, why don't you go out with her? You might as well."
"She'd be in more danger."
"But think about it, Harry. Have you ever heard that if you love someone you should say it, not hold it in? Because if you do, you never know when it might be too late, and you can't tell them, and they'll never know." Harry went back to looking through his photo album, while Blake got up and left, meeting Ron on the stairs on his way up to bed.
"See ya in the morning."
"G'night."
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"Please don't kill my son, take me, kill me instead. Please, have mercy." Hermione tried making her way through the mist, trying to find the people and help them. But she heard Voldemort say,
"Stand aside, you silly girl, stand aside." The woman pleaded for mercy again, but Hermione knew she'd receive none. Hermione cringed as she heard the two words that would end the woman's life,
"Avada Kedavra." The woman screamed, and Hermione heard her fall to the ground.
Hermione's eyes flew open and she sat up rapidly, making her daughter jump and fall to the ground in surprise. Hermione heard her mutter as she went down,
"Shit." Hermione looked over the edge of the bed as Lily stood up again.
"Are you ok?" Hermione said a little colder than Lily would've liked to hear from her mother.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for the concern, even if it was cold," she said sarcastically, earning a glare from Hermione.
"What are you doing up here?"
"I came to talk to you." Lily got up and started brushing herself off.
"What do you want?"
"Well, since you're single now, the three of us and Ron think you should consider going out with Harry."
"With Harry?"
"Yes, with Harry."
"Why?"
"Because, we think you'd be good together."
"I'm not going out with him."
"Why?" Hermione sighed.
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"Because." Hermione snapped.
"Because isn't good enough," Lily snapped back. Hermione glared at Lily.
"Why should I tell you anything, Lily Walker?"
"Because, I'm trying to set things right."
"How do I know that?"
"You've got to believe me. I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm trying to help you find happiness." Hermione snorted and laughed.
"That was a lame excuse."
"Hermione," Lily said, taking a deep breath so as not to start yelling at her mother, "I know you don't trust me right now. But I'm not a bad person. I'm just like you. I crave knowledge in books; I value my friends and family above anybody else. I've been described as a know-it-all; I know…I've noticed a connection between you and I, like we're supposed to be friends. I'm trying to be one to you, but I can't be if you don't trust me."
"Why the bloody hell would I want you for a friend?" Hermione said, a laugh in her voice at the totally ludicrous answer Lily had just given her.
"Who else have you told about your reoccurring dream?" Hermione didn't answer, but Lily knew the answer.
"You obviously trust me enough to tell me about it, and I'm trying to help you figure out what it's about." Hermione again didn't answer, she was thinking. Lily decided to quote her mother.
"You know what my mother told me once?"
"What?"
"Do not judge others before getting to know them, or else pretty soon others will do the same to you." There was silence between the two of them.
"So, what did you dream this time?" Hermione smiled vaguely, she didn't trust Lily quite yet, but she trusted her enough with her dream.
"I heard the woman pleading with Voldemort not to kill her, to not kill her son. Then Voldemort killed her."
"You didn't see anything?"
"No, I tried to go through the fog, but I can't reach her. I want to know who it is. And it's frustrating because I don't."
"Someday you'll see who it is, I'm almost sure of it." Hermione smiled half-heartedly.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah I do. You'll figure out what all this means soon." Hermione smiled again.
"I'm not going out with Harry though."
"Why not?" Lily said almost pleadingly.
"Because, what if I asked him and he said no? What makes you so sure he'd go out with me?"
"I don't know. But still, you'll never know unless you find out."
"What makes you think I want to go out with him? I mean, yeah I did at one time, but what makes you think I do now?"
"He's your best friend. You just said you liked him once. And come on, it's Harry Potter. He's hot." Lily had to force herself to not make a face of disgust. One word went through her head after she had said that last sentence.
Gross.
"If I were to go out with Harry…if I were to go out with him, it wouldn't be because he's the Boy Who Lived. It'd be because he's Harry. But I'm still not going out with him." Lily sighed in exasperation and threw her hands up in defeat and started for the door.
"I'm not giving up on you." Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes and Lily left the room. She went downstairs and when she saw that Blake and Julia were the only ones still in the common room, she collapsed into a chair next to them. She shuddered.
"Gross."
"What?"
"I just told my mother that my dad was hot." Blake and Julia laughed. Lily shuddered again. Julia shrugged.
"Well, he is at seventeen. Hell he even is at thirty-six too." Lily and Blake made identical faces of disgust.
"Gross," they said at the same time. Julia laughed.
"I'm a joking, guys. I don't have a secret lust for your father."
"Good, cuz' that's just wrong."
"But no, seriously, oh…my…God…my mother is the most stubborn person I have ever come across in all my seventeen years. Yeah, I knew she was already, but not that much."
"Yeah, Dad's not much better. He's just as stubborn as she is."
"Now I know where we get it from. It's just like Ron said, Harry and Hermione's kids'll be ten times as stubborn as they are."
"Only, I think your mum and dad are ten times more stubborn, and you two are the lesser ones."
"Well, everything up to this point has been easy as pie. But this next step is going to be hell."
"We're up for it though. We're their son and daughter, we know them better than everyone else here except for maybe Ron, and we have his help along with Jules."
"Alright. Well, we've a large task ahead of us, and as soon as things start looking up for Mum and Dad, we'll brew the potion and go home."
"Before something else gets screwed up."
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Husker-fan-2006
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