Do You Love Me?

Do You Love Me? - Chapter 2

The Rose - Bette Midler

“Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed;

Some say love, it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed;

Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need;

I say love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed.

Its the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance -

Its the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance -

Its the one who wont be taken, the one who cant seem to give

And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long,

And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong -

Just remember that in the winter, far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed, that with the suns love in the spring becomes the rose.”

The way to love anything is to realize it might be lost.

Harry tried fixing his tie in the mirror. He hated ties. Truly, he did. They were constricting and too official-looking. But Ginny had specifically asked him to wear it for his date to the charity event today.

“Cross narrow end over wide…”

“No, honey, it's the other way around,” his mirror said correcting him, “It's sort of like tying your shoelace.”

“I wish you could materialize and tie it for me,” Harry replied distractedly.

“Wait! Wait, honey! Remember collar up! And tie the button!”

Unconsciously, Harry began backing away from the bathroom mirror and moving into the hallway towards an adjacent bedroom as he continued to fidget with the insufferable tie.

“Drape and loop! I think I've got it!” Harry sang. However, just as he reached to tighten the supposed knot in his tie, it came undone.

“Oh for Merlin's sake! I can't do this! HERMIO -” Suddenly, Harry stopped abruptly in front of the closed door to the room that used to be Hermione's.

He slapped himself on the forehead muttering to himself. He must be going senile. At 26. Hermione had moved away and moved on six months ago. And here he was calling for her to fix his stupid, stupid tie. Because she did it best. Magic was absolutely useless in this case. He would not be able to fix his tie if he could not conjure a proper image of mentally tying the tie. This was the nature of magic sometimes. He had never bothered to learn to fix a tie because he always thought she would be there to do it for him.

“She's gone, you idiot. She's gone,” he whispered to himself.

He wished he didn't remember her as well as he did. There were times when he could go hours on end without thinking about her. Without remembering her soft yet blazing voice. The pondering, intelligent expression on her face. Her uncontrollable, bushy brown hair. Her smile. And then once again the memory of Hermione would catch up to him. Like the angry waves on a seaside shore during a heavy storm.

After Hermione had left, Harry had busied himself with Auror duties rushing into one dangerous assignment after another. It was so reckless of him to do that. Ron saved him a month later. Ron told Remus, the head of the Auror Department, that Harry was purposely drowning himself in work to get over Hermione. Remus forced him to take a two-week vacation.

Of course Harry had been absolutely starking mad.

“Ron, I don't need a bloody two-week vacation!”

“Yes, you do. You haven't allowed yourself any time to think about the changes in your life.”

“Since when have you become Dr. Weasley? Luna's obviously done a number on you. And Hermione moved on. I can accept that!”

“You can't even bear to stay at Godric's Hollow for more than two or three hours.. I'm your best mate, Harry. Don't `Hermione moved on' me.”

“And what am I supposed to do? Cry over my misfortune? My whole life I have borne my heart on my sleeve for everyone to see. This is what I get in return. She thinks I'm pathetic, Ron. That I can't live without her. Well, I can. I am going to prove it to her.”

“You're both being irrational. I'll have you told that Her-”

“Ron, that's enough. I'll take leave from work. But please don't tell me how jolly her life is without me. Okay?”

Harry had spent those two weeks trying to come to terms with life without Hermione. He had loved her. He loved her still. But she didn't love him. She had never said so explicitly. But he knew how to take a hint. She had blatantly refused his affections only days after they got engaged.

One day, he came home and he wasn't right for her anymore. Or that's what she implied. He would never be able to withstand onions in his life again.

Unexpectedly, the ancient grandfather clock in the living room struck seven and Harry was knocked out of his dazed stupor.

“I'm going to be late!” Harry said slinging the useless piece of silk around his neck anyway as he motioned towards the Portkey Ginny had sent over earlier. The Portkey would activate exactly at seven and transport him to his date's house. And yes, Ginny Longbottom had set the famous Harry Potter on a blind date.

See, he was moving on. But as Harry clasped the silly heart-shaped Portkey at the seventh stroke of the grandfather clock, he felt as if he was nearing something familiar. Something so familiar that it left his own heart racing wildly and drumming restlessly in his ears.

So when Harry arrived at the Granger's residence, he had a remarkably goofy smile on his face until he realized where exactly he was.

(A/N): Hello, my beloved readers! Long time, no see. What can I say? But school. School. School. And college applications. Isn't Harry such an adorable dolt? My, my, isn't he having a severe conflict between the conscious and unconscious parts of his mind? I will be able to update more frequently. Hopefully. But please review. Because I would have been able to write this chapter without 22 beautiful reviews last time. It meant so very, very much to me. And all critique is welcome. You are going to love the next chapter! Remember reviewing makes the world go round.

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