Well, here's the next chappie! R&R!!!
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing! If they were mine what would they be doing in a website? Duh!
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Best Friends
CHAPTER TWO
"What the bloody hell does she see in him?" Ron asked as they reached the bar and he motioned to the bartender which was an excited Stan S. "I think he does that on purpose."
"Does what?" Harry asked as he took the fire whisky Ron had handed him. He was still a bit entranced by the suddenness of his realization that he found Hermione prettier than his own girlfriend. He followed Ron as they made their way to Seamus and Dean.
"Talk with the accent and act all gentlemanly," Ron spat sending a furtive glance toward the dance floor before turning sharply to face him. "Why is he here? Did you invite him? I thought it was only Hogwarts' students and their friends, and the Professors, of course?"
"Well, yeah," Harry said glancing around trying to locate Hermione. "But the Professors decided to invite anyone who helped out, you know. I mean Krum did help us recruit those excellent Bulgarian Aurors, and even if it wasn't one of the Professors than maybe it was Hermione. He's her friend…"
"Friend, my ass, Harry," Ron said with a snort. "You know he's been sniffing around her since she was fourteen. Freaking bastard has never wanted to be her friend. More like shag…"
"Excuse me? Who are you two talking about?" Hermione asked appearing out of nowhere behind them. Harry who had taken a drink of fire whisky a second before choked in surprise. "Harry! Are you alright?"
"I…can't…," he said clutching his throat as his vision began to go dark.
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione said grabbing him by his waist as she pulled her wand out the sheath she had tied to the side of her thigh right under the end of her dress. She pointed her wand and her Anapneo spell worked instantly. He tried to catch his breath as she held him and rubbed his back. He leaned against her as he caught his breath. "Harry? Are you alright?"
"You smell real nice," Harry muttered against her. He felt her hand tense and freeze against his back.
"Don't let Ginny hear you say that," she answered with a smile as he pulled unwillingly back watching her sheath her wand back into place.
"Hear him say what?" Ginny asked coming toward them with an ice cold glare.
Hermione moved a step farther away from her best friend not being in exactly a tolerable mood to take another jealousy outburst from the redhead especially in a public place where everyone knew them. She smiled and gave an impatient shrug as she look to see if Viktor was back yet.
"That he likes you more then Quidditch sometimes," she thought quickly as Ginny was sending her daggers though her eyes and Harry seemed at a complete loss on what to say. He also knew the temperament and short fuse that the red head had.
"Why shouldn't I hear that?" Ginny asked narrowing her eyes as if she could spot the lie a mile away.
"Because then you would know that you have me whipped," Harry lied quickly and Hermione nodded a bit as she erased the frown of concentration she had on her pretty face. Apparently, she was wondering exactly the same thing Ginny had asked.
"Oh, that's so sweet, Harry," Ginny said leaning in to kiss him. He didn't know why but he found himself kissing her forehead instead of her lips. She frowned instantly and pulled away from him. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong?" Harry asked feigning innocence quickly. "What do you…?"
"So, where is Krum, Hermione?" Seamus interrupted from Lavender's embrace. "Parvati was just telling me that he came all the way from Bulgaria to see you."
"Oh, he went to get me a drink," Hermione said. "So, how is the case on the Romanian dragons going?"
"It's alright," Seamus said with a shrug. "Although, Charlie could give us a break more often, you know. He wants us to prove that they can be trained to be brought to England more often but I don't really think that's such a good idea. Last week we had another Chinese Fireball, out of the three we imported, go rogue on us. It took twenty of us to get it under control."
"Wasn't that the kind you went against during the Triwizard Cup, Harry?" asked Ginny as she looked up to him with a smile.
"No, Harry went against the Hungarian Horntail," Hermione said shaking her head slightly in that honestly-don't-you-two-read look that was so characteristic of hers. Everyone smiled except Ginny. "Viktor went against the Fireball."
"Oh," Ginny said stupidly reminding Luna of Ron. Ginny looked away angrily from Luna's knowing smile as if Hermione had just proved something. Who the fuck was stupid enough to remember what dragon each of the champions had gone against? It apparently never did occur to her that being stupid was not one of Hermione's attributes and that the fact that she could recall something from five years ago proved that fact.
"I could've never gotten through that dragon without your help, Mione," Harry said with a smile. Luna, Parvati, and Lavender turned as Harry reached to take Hermione's hand and kiss it lightly as if his girlfriend was not clutched to his arm. Hermione blushed instantly and Ginny simply looked furious.
"Of course you could have," Hermione answered. "You would've learned the spell on your own."
"Her-mione," Viktor said appearing out of the throng of people carrying a butterbeer and a firewhiskey in his hands. He handed Hermione the butterbeer and she thanked him instantly as she introduced him to Dean and Seamus.
"Are you still going to play for Bulgaria this year?" Seamus asked as they walked to their table to sit. Hermione rolled her eyes a bit at them. Boys-men- and their Quidditch, she thought.
"Vell, yes, I very much think so," Krum answered with a nod. Harry, Ron, Dean, and Seamus walked to their chairs to sit but Krum pulled Hermione's chair out for her making her blush at the attention. Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, and even who-the-bloody-hell-cares Luna glared at their respective boyfriends. "Vould you like something else, Her-mione?"
"No, Viktor," she said blushing again and all her friends seemed put out for different reasons. The girls for not being as lucky as to get a handsome and gentlemanly boyfriend, and the guys for having to be put to shame in front of their girls. Harry had more than this reason, though. He felt that Krum had no right whatsoever to be pulling Hermione's chair out for her or asking if she vould like anything. She wasn't h…Wait a bloody second, Potter! She's not yours either. You're with Ginny who by the way she is glaring is about to blow up. "I'm fine, thank you. There is really no need to bother. Honestly…"
"Is no bother, Her-mione," Krum answered and Ron mocked throwing up behind the Bulgarian's back making Harry, Dean and Seamus begin to laugh. The girls glared at them and they stopped instantly. Lucky for them, Hermione was to busy blushing again to notice them. "Is my pleasure."
"I'm playing for the Chudley Cannons," Ron said trying to make the conversation drift away from the current display of manners from the Bulgarian. "If we make it to the world competitions we might get to play you."
"That vould really be great," Krum said with a smile. "Vhat about you 'Arry? Are you not going professional?"
"What?" Harry asked bringing himself back to reality as fast as he could. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him. She was sitting on the opposite side of the table from him. "You seem extremely thoughtful."
"I'm fine," Harry answered avoiding her gaze knowing fully well that she would be able to see instantly through his lies. "I was just thinking about us…I mean how we can all finally be here together without having to worry about anything but having fun. It feels great, you know?"
"I understand," Hermione said with a nod.
"You're so sweet, Harry," Ginny interrupted to pull Harry's gaze away from Hermione's. He turned and smiled to her a bit, but she met his lips instead. "I love you, Harry."
"Ginny…,"Harry said pulling away from her almost as quickly as her lips had touched his.
Hermione smiled a bit despite herself, but she was really getting tired of Ginny. Did she have to be so obvious about her jealousy of Harry's and Hermione's relationship? Hermione knew they were awfully close, but they had grown up together, they had fought together, for almost nine years their lives had revolved around one another. Couldn't Ginny just grow up and understand that Hermione just couldn't be replaced? There were things in Harry's life that no one but her could ever even begin to understand. They were best friends, for crying out loud!
Why couldn't Ginny be like Luna? Luna never tried to take her place in Ron's life. She merely made her own place in his heart and accepted that Hermione was a big part of him too. She was never throwing jealousy tantrums like Ginny had done for the last few months. After they had all finally been nursed back to health after Voldemort's defeat, Ginny had convinced Harry to start their relationship anew. Things had been going fine until, like Cho, she had convinced herself that the two friends had something for each other.
Hermione knew she did, she had accepted the fact years ago, but she had never acted over those feelings. She could never ask Harry for anything more than he could give her, and she never would. She loved him enough to accept his happiness with someone else. He didn't fancy her that way and even though conforming had never been something she would ever do, being Harry's best friend was enough for her. She had a place that no one could replace in his heart and that was more than enough when your love for someone went beyond mere fancying.
Hermione sighed and ignored Ginny's glare as if it was her fault that Harry hadn't wanted to snog her in front of everyone else. What she wouldn't wish for that to be true. She sighed again and smiled at Krum who was again trying to offer her another drink.
They ate slowly and had polite conversations over nothing. People from the Order and old classmates passed by their table from time to time so that by the end of the dinner they had all seen and talked to all of their friends once more even if for just a minute.
Harry was right; this party had done what a whole year hadn't. It had finished healing their wounds, not physical ones; those had healed within the month, but the ones that they carried in their hearts after seeing so much death and pain. Now they were back home, for Hogwarts was the home of their hearts.
"Time for dessert!" Ron said happily as menus appeared out of thin air in front of them.
"What are you getting, Hermione?" Parvati asked and Hermione looked up at her not yet having glanced at the menu. "You must be watching your figure a lot to have that body of yours. So, what's the secret? No desserts?"
"What?" Hermione asked with a blush. "You had one too many fire whiskies, Parvati."
"I think she's right," Seamus said and Hermione nodded glad that he was agreeing with her. "You're one hot lady, Herm. Everyone here agrees with me, ain't that right guys?"
"You were beau-ti-ful since you were fourteen," Krum said kissing her hand and making her blush even more than Seamus.
"You've been beautiful all your life," Harry managed trying to control the fiery impulse to throttle the Bulgarian. Why he felt like that, he didn't know, but the way he was openly displaying his interest in his Hermione was a little too much. Wait a second, Potter. Hermione is not yours! Get it straight. You're not jealous; you're just overprotective like the Weasley brothers were of Ginny before she started dating you. "Right, Ron?"
"Well, yeah, that's why I dated you, dummy," Ron answered sending her a playful smile. Then he looked thoughtful for a second which was quite scary and he grinned wickedly. "Well, after you fixed your teeth and started being more of a rule breaker."
"Shut up, Ronald," she said shaking her head as if she found them all preposterous. She was still recovering from Harry's comment.
"Whatever you say dear, Jane," Ron answered making the others laugh.
"I'm glad you listen, Bilius," Hermione answered with a smile as she saw him physically flinch and grimace. This time even Ginny burst out laughing.
"That was a low blow, Granger," Ron answered. "A very low blow."
"A very good low blow, I may add," Harry said with a smirk at his best friend who had turned as red as his hair. Everyone knew how he hated his middle name, and then there was the fact that no one could blame him. "Brilliant."
"Why, thank you, Potter," Hermione answered with a smile. She turned away from his deep emerald eyes before she was lost in them and Ginny could get another chance to turn bitchy and instead reached across Krum to take Ron's hand. "Have you not learned not to mess with me, Weasley?"
"Yes, I have, but I can't resist sometimes," Ron said grinning as he kissed her hand gently making her smile. Now, Harry really got scared when this happened because he felt the same sudden urge to punch Ron as he had wanted to do with Krum. "You know how hard headed I am."
"I know," she answered pulling back away from him and Krum so she could glance at her menu. Harry pulled out his wand from his pocket and leaned toward her to point at her menu.
"Chocolate ice cream," he said pointing and she looked up meeting his eyes. She smiled and he grinned tapping it once with his wand as a large bowl appeared out of nowhere. "Share with me?"
"You know I will, if Ginny doesn't mind that is," Hermione answered looking up to meet Ginny's eyes, who looked as if she was being challenged. Hermione managed to place an innocent smile on her lips as she saw the red head's furious eyes. Harry turned to his girlfriend and tapped her own menu.
"You want your favorite vanilla pudding, right, Gin?" Harry asked as it appeared right in front of her. "Mione and I would share with you but you hate chocolate ice cream."
"Why would I mind?" Ginny said slightly through her teeth but Harry didn't seem to notice as he kissed her forehead gently and grinned.
"Well, I want strawberry cheese cake and strawberry ice cream," Ron said tapping his own menu with his wand. He turned to Luna and tapped hers for the same things he was having. Luna grabbed her spoon as Ron leaned over and kissed her lips tenderly.
The others chose their own desserts and Hermione didn't miss Ginny's glare throughout the whole meal, but she didn't care. She was having her favorite dessert and with her best friend whom she loved. Harry grinned every time they both reached in for a spoonful and she met his eyes with a happy smile.
"Hey, guys!" Fred came followed by Lee Jordan. "You guys wanna see the new Quidditch trick supplies? Come on, Harry, we need your associate approval."
"Sure thing," Harry said with a grin as he stood up with Ron, Seamus and Dean. Harry noticed that Krum had not moved and suddenly he didn't really feel like leaving with the other guys since none of the girls seemed like they wanted to go look at anything that had to do with Quidditch when they were dressed for a party. Krum would only keep his attention focused in getting Hermione back. "You want to come with us, Viktor?"
"I…" Krum said as he turned to look at Hermione who smiled at him.
"Go with Harry, Viktor," she said turning to smile at Harry who quickly put a false smile on his face hoping she wouldn't notice. "Have fun. You don't have to stick with me all night. Go on."
"Are you sure?" he asked her and she nodded. "Is my honor to be vith you."
"Go, I'll be fine," she said. "I'll stay here with the girls. If I get scared I'll go look for you."
"You are perfect," he answered with a smile and he bent down to kiss her cheek. Harry noticed that he got uncomfortably close to the corner of her lips and he just wanted to send him back to where he came from with a bloody pulp for a face. "I vill be back soon."
"Come on," Ron said impatiently. "She's not going anywhere."
"Excuse me," Krum said to the girls as he stood with a small bow and fixed his black coat that looked almost exactly like the one he had worn during the Yule ball except that this one was black and made of some smooth leather.
"Harry," Hermione called him grabbing his hand before he could follow Krum and the others. He felt a sudden surge of electricity at the point of contact. He bent his head toward her ignoring his rapidly beating heart or the fact that his girlfriend was near murder. She let go of him as she met his gaze. "Be nice to him and make sure Ronald doesn't start anything, will you? I don't want either of you getting carried away. There is nothing between me and Viktor but a friendship so there is no need for either of you to start with your overprotective attitudes. Be nice, okay? Promise me you won't fight."
"Scared that Vicky might get his well mannered arse handed back to him?" Harry asked not feeling exactly magnanimous but at the same time extremely happy to find out that there wasn't anything at least from Hermione's side between her and Krum. He grinned as he saw the frown forming in her beautiful face as she bit her lip slightly. He bent over a bit more and kissed her cheek before she knew what was happening. "I was only kidding, Mione. I'll make sure Ron doesn't get in trouble with your vell mannered friend."
"Stop making fun of him," she said but she smiled at him as he straightened up. "He has gotten much better. Remember when he called me 'Her-mee-ninny'?"
"No one will ever forget that," he said and she pushed him playfully away. He laughed and with a slight wave toward the other girls he left.
"What was all that whispering about?" Lavender asked her raising her eyebrows. "You two are really going to get dear Ginny here all worked up."
"What? No, Ginny knows fully well what my relationship with Harry is, right Ginny?" Hermione asked calmly and the red head managed a smile and a nod almost painfully. "I only asked Harry to make sure Ron didn't start fighting with Viktor. He has never gotten to like him, and I don't think Viktor makes much of an effort really."
"Are you going out with him again?" Parvati asked as she handed Hermione another glass of white wine.
"No, and I honestly never really did," Hermione answered in a manner of fact way. "What happened during fourth year was nothing more than a small crush."
"You mean to tell me that you never actually snogged that Bulgarian bonbon?" Parvati asked with a look of utter horror and shock. "Never?"
"You sound just like Rita, 'Vati," Hermione said with a slightly annoyed look in her face. "Besides I never said any such thing."
"Ah, so you did snog him," Lavender asked with a laugh. Hermione shrugged but she couldn't completely hide her smile. Luna laughed and poked her ribs lightly making Hermione breakout a grin. "Uhmm, so was he as good a kisser as he looks?"
"He's good," Hermione said with a smile and suddenly Ginny began to wonder if she really had been right about Herm liking Harry. She seemed awfully happy to talk about Krum and she probably had invited him tonight. Maybe she was just seeing things that were not really there. "Besides, he's a real gentleman. It is not just a façade with him. He is not a conceited git. He's a lot like…"
"Harry?" Luna questioned in that way of hers with almost an excessive amount of sincerity. "Is that why you like Krum? Because he reminds you of Harry?"
"No, I like Viktor for who he is not what he has done or who he reminds me off," Hermione answered softly. "Just like I like Harry. Maybe I'm just a little partial to people who want to feel loved for who they are."
"And, Quidditch players," Parvati said with a smile. Ginny had just lost her smile once more. Did she like Harry like Hermione said for who he was or for what he had done and what he represented? Was the idea of Harry for which she had fallen for since she was ten? "Have you noticed that every single one of your boyfriends have been Quidditch players?"
"Yeah, first Viktor Krum, Seeker," Luna said thoughtfully ticking fingers off in her hand. "Then Cormac McLaggen, Keeper, and Ron, Keeper…uhmm…did you ever go out with Harry before Krum like it said on the Prophet?"
"No," Hermione said and Luna smiled strangely. Ginny scowled.
"Did you shag 'em?" Luna continued as if it was the most natural thing to ask. Hermione who had just taken a sip of wine choked and hastily pointed her wand at her throat.
"Bloody hell, Luna," Hermione managed as she turned a complete crimson red. "What kind of question is that?"
"Come on, Herm," Parvati said with a smile. "Whom did you shag?"
"One of them," Hermione answered in a whisper before she drank the rest of her wine as the other women gaped at her in utter disbelief at her lack of sportsmanship with the rest of the gossiping-folk. "Nope, I'm not saying whom."
"Fine, be like that," Lavender said with a small pout. Then she looked as if her brain had a Lumos spell cast at it suddenly. "I got an idea; let's play a game."
"A game?" Hermione asked looking at Lavender as if expecting her to summon a bunch of dolls.
"Oh, come on, Herm," Parvati said. "Even you aren't too old for a little game."
"Come on, we'll make it real easy," Lavender continued calmly. "I'm much too drunk already for anything too hard."
Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly as she leaned back in her chair looking at her friends not believing Lavender at all. For one she couldn't be drunk because she wasn't trying to hump Seamus yet, and she had only drank two fire whiskeys when she could probably take like eight. She was planning something.
"What game?" Hermione asked. "What rules?"
"We'll call it the 'HP questionnaire'," Lavender said brightly. "I'll ask a question and you, Gin, and 'Vati answer. I have the answers in this paper straight from the source. Since Luna already saw it, she'll keep score. Easy enough?"
"Uhmm," Hermione said with a shrug and Lavender smiled excitedly.
"All the questions refer to one of the most famous wizards of all time," Lavender said and Hermione's brain turned to overdrive. She knew everything about Voldemort, Flamel, Grinewald, Dumbledore,… "Harry."
"Harry?" Hermione said glancing at Ginny who was sitting with a slightly overconfident look in her face. Did she really think she could win against Hermione Granger? Hermione mused slightly amused.
"Yes," Lavender said giddily. "First question; what's Harry's favorite dessert?"
"Chocolate ice cream," Ginny said smugly and Parvati nodded in agreement.
"No, it's not," Hermione interrupted calmly and completely sure of herself. "His favorite is chocolate cake with chocolate icing and strawberries on top."
"You're wrong," Ginny said with a smirk. "He always orders chocolate ice cream."
"That's because…"Hermione began but then she stopped herself. If Harry hadn't told Ginny about this then why should she enlighten the conceited brat? "Suffice it to say that its true."
"Hermione's right, Gin," Luna said and Ginny and Parvati looked at her shocked. "He said it on the interview for the Quibbler for this month."
"Why then?" Ginny asked looking at Hermione suspiciously. "Finish what you were going to say and tell me why."
"That's between you and Harry," Hermione answered and Ginny glared at her.
"Ok, second question," Lavender said. "Which does he wear; boxers or briefs?"
"Boxers," Ginny, Hermione, and Luna answered automatically.
"How do you know?" Parvati asked rounding up on Luna. "You answered as if you've seen it with your own eyes."
"Well, I have," Luna said rolling her eyes and Ginny looked slightly alarmed. "I saw him walking out of Hermione's room the other night that I stayed over with Ron."
"WHAT?" Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati asked rounding up on Hermione who adjusted her wand slightly in her hand as Ginny seemed about to explode.
"Wait a second, Ginny," Hermione said hoping she wouldn't have to hex the redhead. "Calm down."
"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" she said loudly enough for some people around them to begin to looking their way. Lavender stood waving at them with a grin and pushed Ginny gently back down to her seat. "What was MY boyfriend doing…"
"He had a nightmare, okay?" Hermione snapped almost loosing her last strand of patience. "He was scared and he went to check up on me and Ron. Luna saw him just when he was leaving my room. Nothing happened."
"Fine," Ginny snapped but she was still glaring unceremoniously toward Hermione. "Finish with this then, Lav."
"I think we should drop it," Hermione said trying to push her chair back but Ginny grabbed her arm before she could stand up. "Just drop it, Ginevra."
"One last question," Ginny said glancing at Lavender. "Give me the chance for a tie."
"Last one and then I have to go see Professor McGonagall," Hermione said wrenching her arm away from Ginny's grasp roughly. She was really getting annoyed with Ginny tonight. She had always gotten along with her but today… Hadn't she grown up where it mattered and not just on her body?
"Last question," Luna said interrupting Lavender before she could speak. "This he only told me and the interviewer but he decided for it to be cut. What is Harry's deepest desire? The only thing he wants out of life. The thing he would trade everything he has for?"
"I've never thought about it," Parvati said with a shrug looking a little put down.
"I don't know," Ginny choked out and Hermione looked up from her lap at the younger witch with disappointment and slight anger. How could she not know? She who claimed to love him more than anything? How dare she take him for granted?
"Herm?" Lavender asked and Hermione pulled her gaze away from the girl sitting before her with a defeated look in her face. Was he a game to her like all the others before him? "Hermione?"
"He wants to love and be loved," Hermione answered softly but loud enough for them to hear her. "He wants to be loved for who he is and not for whom he was born to be. He wants to find the perfect girl and give her everything he can. He wants a family of his own. A place where he can go every night and call home."
She stood up pushing her chair roughly backward. She looked down at Ginny with disgust noticing how she wouldn't look up to meet her gaze. She shook her head and without another word stormed of and out of sight.
"She's right," Luna whispered after a second. "Almost word for word, but he told me he had never ever told anyone about it before. I remember him saying 'not even Mione knows'. That's why we took it out of the interview."
"How did she know then?" Parvati asked.
Luna ignored her failing to spot the brunette in the throng of people. She knew because she loved in exactly the same way that he wanted to be loved.
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Thank you to all my reviewers!!!! All criticism is welcome so R&R!!!!!!!
-Rodare.