Chapter Three
Scheming Already
Author's Note: I love those reviews! Here's chapter three, and four as well!
I wake up the next morning far too early. It's not even six yet, normally I would sleep late when I had no work but there's a thought that's nagging at my mind that forces me to awaken. I don't know what it is, but it's a cold sickly feeling that I feel smothering my entire body as I lay in the gray morning light. Comprehension hasn't sunken in yet, I feel thoughtless and blank. I'm so tired, I barely have enough energy to remember the day before, or think about what I'm going to even wear today.
I roll onto my side and adjust my pillow, I'm going to go to sleep. The sun's barely up, I have no reason to be awake this early. Yet there's still this constant bother that's sparking and flickering in the back of my brain.
After a few minutes of laying in silence I grow tired again and my eyes become heavy, crashing against each other.
Then out of nowhere a thought attacks me and ferociously rips at my brain, clawing at my heart as well.
Harry.
Getting.
Married.
Lunch.
Today.
Shit.
I groan unwillingly, this sucks.
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It's 12:04 and I'm running down the sidewalk, racing toward Bel Giardino. I stop outside the restaurant, glancing at the outside dining area. That's when my eyes fall on Harry, he's sitting alone, looking toward the sidewalk and street, playing with his spoon.
I make my way over to the thin, black, iron gate surrounding the area and make my way through an opening under a beautiful, floral archway. Harry looks up and sees me, a smile spreading over his lips. He stands up as I arrive at the table, pulling my chair out for me. I sit down with a 'thank you' and look at him. He's still smiling, looking a whole lot like the eleven year old Harry I knew from Hogwarts. I can feel my cheeks tinge pink.
"So," I begin hurriedly. "Where's, er, Natalie?" I look around, hoping she couldn't make it.
Harry looks at his watch, frowning slightly, "She should be here any minute."
I nod.
We sit in silence for a few minutes. For me it's an antagonizing silence, for him it's a petty thing, for he's smiling without effort. I'm trying my hardest to keep an easy, placid look upon my face but it's very difficult. There's so much spinning through my head right now, he's getting married, off limits, off the market forever, what if she's a bitch and controls everything he does. Or what if she's like a demon on that episode of Charmed when the girl was trying to - actually I forget what she was trying to do, but she was a demon bride framing the groom for some reason -
"Harry, luv, I'm so sorry I'm late, I was caught up at work and then I had some difficulties getting here," I hear an unfamiliar, voice, and I reluctantly look up.
This CAN'T be her.
"That's all right sweetie," he stands up and pulls out her chair for her, just like he did for me, except when she sits down she leans over and kisses him. My heart pangs and I feel a slight feeling of nausea come over me.
Once they're both seated and I realize I'm staring at them stupidly I close my mouth and smile.
"Hermione this is my fiancée Natalie, Natalie this is my best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione," Harry introduces us and I swallow the feeling of disgust with another bright smile.
Her hair is blonde, down to her shoulders, absolutely pin straight. I shake her perfectly manicured hand, noticing her icy blue eyes are giving me this cold creepy feeling. She's wearing white pinstriped pants and a black jumper, and then my eyes fall on the ring. My throat constricts, it's this HUGE (and I'm using this term loosely) bright, pink, gawty, round ring. The nausea continues.
"Hermione! It's so great to finally meet you, Harry never did quite shut up about the amazing, genius, best friend from Hogwarts," she smiles.
I laugh in spite of myself, "Yeah, that's me amazing and genius," I fail to say best friend.
By now our hands are no longer linked, but the cold feeling is still crawling up my arm.
"So Hermione what do you do for a living?" Natalie questions, resting her chin on her palm.
I pick up the cold glass of water in front of me and answer, "I'm a social worker.... In the muggle world," I add as an afterthought, sipping the water anxiously.
At first her expression doesn't change from that of when she stopped talking, then she gives this smile and chimes, "That's great!" I can tell she's really thinking 'Whata loser, why can't you find something better to do with your life?' which I resent very much. I'm almost tempted to scream 'Your job sucks more!' and gauge out of her eyes or something. But that wouldn't be very mature or ethical so I smile and nod.
Thankfully the waiter comes and takes our orders, he leaves almost as quickly as he had came and I resist the urge to grab him around the ankles and plead him to stay. But I don't, of course. So instead another disgusting silence falls between us. Except this time Harry doesn't look so comfortable about it.
"So," I hear myself croaking. "You work for the minister?" I ask, remembering to keep my voice down while talking about magic.
She looks delighted to have all attention directed towards her, "Oh yes! It's so great, very hectic of course but I love it! McDougall's an old softy!" she trills.
McDougall must be the new Minister of Magic, I make a mental note.
I laugh unconsciously.
We fall into another awkward silence, I'm already going over what I could say but nothing comes to mind. Thankfully a tinny rendition of 'You're the One That I Want' emits from somewhere across the table and instantly Natalie looks at her bag.
"Excuse me for a minute," she says reaching into her bag.
I nod and Harry waves his hand as if to brush it away.
She presses the phone to her ear and says, "Hello?"
She presses her free index finger to her other ear, closing out all sound.
"Daddy?" she says louder, pausing for a few seconds. "I'm fine, how are you and Mummy?"
I grit my teeth together, taking another sip of water, this is painful, utterly painful. The way she talks, the way she smiles, the way her hair is just the right shade of gold, not even blonde, gold. Her teeth are perfectly straight and penetrating blue eyes are glittering like the waves out on the coast. I feel sick, so sick, how the hell am I going to eat my food when it gets here?
"Hold on Daddy," she speaks into the receiver, turning her head towards us. "I'll just be a moment," and she gets up, leaving the dining area to go talk on the sidewalk, away from the commotion.
Another silence falls upon us and I watch Harry intently. He's staring at Natalie with a look of something I just can't place, but it's making my stomach constrict violently. My mouth feels dry and my eyes are burning. I clench the cold, wet glass in my hand and shakily gulp it's contents. This is really too much.
I'm about to start mentioning how the weather's a lot nicer today but he says something before, something I don't want to hear.
"Isn't she amazing?" he looks at me, his eyes bright and his smile lopsided.
My smile falters but I hide it by saying, "Peachy," and I giggle.
Peachy? PEACHY?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!!!!!!!!!! And what was that? was that a giggle?! HERMIONE GRANGER
DOESN'T GIGGLE!!!!!!!!! He laughs
in this 'Aw you're so cute' way but I believe that's just wishful thinking.
Our food arrives not long after and Natalie is still chirping away on her mobile but she sees we have our food so she waves her manicured hand as if to say 'start without me' and she turns her back to continue talking to her precious poppy. Isn't that nice of her, rude little twit.
So we begin eating but as I spear the pasta in my bowl with my spoon I'm not any more hungry then when Ron made brownies when we were eighteen and the egg yoke was still oozing out of the middle, I feel like gagging. But despite my current lack of hunger I chew the food and swallow so Harry won't ask what's wrong.
Natalie comes back and sits down smiling at Harry.
"Everything okay?" he asks, wiping some tomato sauce from his face.
"Uh-huh," she replies, smiling at him. "It was just Daddy, he was asking about having the wedding up at the Manor."
I take another sip of water, trying to wash down the chalky taste in my mouth.
"The Manor?" he questions, looking at her, slightly shocked. "But I thought-"
She cuts him off, "Don't worry about it now, we'll figure everything out later," she pats his hand briskly and begins to eat her salad daintily.
He smiles in a rather forced way and looks at me, "Which reminds me, Nat and I have been talking." WHY DOES HE CALL HER NAT? Does he mean like a gnat? those annoying little bugs. "We want you to be in the bridal party-"
"Oh yes! I completely forgot!" she trills, typical. "And since my Maid of Honor is on holiday for a few months Harry- I mean we were hoping you could help plan the wedding."
Her voice is sugary and false, her smile never wavers.
I swallow another gulp of water and I can feel it crash in my stomach which has just turned to lead. My mind is racing wildly, I can't help them plan their wedding! But how could I refuse, what could I say? 'I can't help you plan your wedding because I'm in love with you, sorry' No, see that wouldn't work.
"Er, sure," I reply.
"Great!" Harry looks so pleased.
I smile, Natalie's ignoring us by stabbing a tomato and chewing it neatly. I hate tomatoes.
"Would you excuse me?" I say, they nod and I stand up, walking into the restaurant.
I find our waiter, he's a young boy, sort of gawky but I like him, for some odd reason he makes me feel sturdy in this sea of awkwardness I'm experiencing.
"Excuse me," I say. "Could you tell me where ladies' room is?"
"Oh, uh, at the back over there, through that door," he points.
I smile, "Thank you."
And I walk away, as we go different way the familiar feeling of sickly nervousness comes over me and I really feel as if I'm going to throw up. I hurry through the door and into another door marked 'Ladies'. Thankfully it's empty and I pull out my mobile phone, punch in Robbie's number and it's not long before his comforting voice is gushing into my ear.
"I can't do it Robbie," I say immediately. "I can't do it. I love him so much. I can't see him with her, it hurts too much," as I hear myself saying these words I feel even more vulnerable and the tears spill rapidly.
"Aw, Hermione," he coos. "You can get through this, be happy for him."
I sob, pain is pulsing through me, replacing my blood, I can't help regretting the fact that I didn't go with Harry all those years ago, maybe we would've been married by now.
"I can't Rob, I can't do it. I'll leave the country, go to Zimbabwe or something, get as far away from him as possible."
"Herm-"
"She's all wrong for him!" I screech. "Completely wretched, bloody twit!"
"This is the hatred talking-"
"What are you psycho analyst Robbie?! This is all your fault! You're the one who told me to call him!" I shake my head.
He pauses, "Apparently this is the accusation stage-"
"Robbie!"
"What can I do to make you feel better?"
"I need to break them up!" I say, delighted.
"Hermione you can't-"
"Why not?! He rushed into this, and she's not right for him at all! I'm going to help him see through to what's right - Be his X-Ray goggles."
"I don't think-"
"Yes, that's it! Thanks for your help Robbie, you're a lifesaver, I'll call you later."
And I hang up. I wash my face and quickly touch up my make-up. I feel like a new person, totally refreshed with this new resolution. Everything'll be fine, I'll get my happily ever after.
We finish eating quickly and then after paying stand outside the restaurant together, waiting for a car to pick up us up to drop me off at my flat and take them to the Manor, her family's huge mansion on the coast, to talk with 'Daddy and Mummy' about some 'teeny-tiny' wedding details. Like it matters.
So as we're standing there, Natalie whips out a cigarette and a lighter, lighting it up casually. God I hate the smell of smoke.
She takes a drag and Harry scolds her, "Nat I really wish you would stop smoking."
"Oh pet, it's just an old habit, I'll quit soon. I'm just stressed right now with work and everything."
PET?! SHE CALLS HIM PET?!
I cringe again.
He sighs, "All right but you are quitting soon."
My God she has him wrapped around her French-manicured finger. Bloody bitch.
She smiles at him and kisses his cheek. I hope kissing her is like kissing an ashtray.
Finally a sleek, black car comes round the corner and stops in front of us. She flicks her cigarette onto the sidewalk and gets into the car, Harry crushed it under his heel.
Before he slides in he turns to me, "I almost forgot Ron and everyone wanted to meet up with you so they could catch up, I said we'd have a small get together at my flat, is that all right?"
I smile brightly, "Yes, that's fine."
"Great," he smiles.
I like when he smiles at me, it's good to know I was the one who made him happy.
We get in the car and as we drive down the road I'm already scheming away.