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Best Friends
CHAPTER 3
By Rodare
Hermione walked away from the rest of the girls as fast as she could while her insides filled with pure rage. She couldn't believe she was able to get this mad. She had never felt so much hatred toward someone after Voldemort and that was when Harry's life had been in danger. Well, now was almost the same wasn't it? Harry's happiness was just as important as his life. Yes, you're right, Hermione, she told herself, but it is none of your concern whether or not Ginny is his happiness. He chose her and he seems happier than you have ever seen him. You've trusted him all your life. Trust him now. Yes, she would trust him, but that didn't mean she would stop being angry at Ginny. No, and she would be keeping an eye on her, too.
"Hermione?" a voice said and she turned almost brusquely toward the person who had grabbed her arm. Lupin seemed a little taken aback by the anger he saw in her eyes and he let go of her arm instantly. She blinked and closed her eyes as she reached to touch Lupin's arm gently. He put his hand gently over hers giving her as much time as she needed to compose herself. "Is alright, Hermione. Take your time."
"I'm sorry, Remus," she said managing to force a small smile. "Did you need anything?"
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked her softly as he bent his elbow to escort her through the ball. She took his arm and nodded gently. He knew she was lying but knew better than to press her. "Well, Minerva said that all preparations are ready so that all the guests can be quite comfortable for the weekend. She told me to inform you since you wanted to be sure everything was going as planned."
"Oh, yes, I meant to go find her a minute ago but I… was a little distracted," she answered. Her brain pushed back her anger as she tried to focus on the current task ahead of her. Years of training had kept her, Ron, and Harry out of trouble and the skill was honed by now. She easily remembered every single detail of what she was supposed to have ready in a couple of hours. "What about security? Are the Aurors already here? It's not long before all the media and especially the Daily Prophet find out that Harry and most of the celebrities from the Second Dark War are here."
"Including the best witch of the age and the most prominent Ministry official," he said with a smile making her blush. "Not to mention Harry's best friend."
"So, I trust they have already arrived?" she asked and he nodded with a smile.
"Of course," he said. "There are no in competencies in my department, Advisor."
"Rumors do run fast around the Ministry," Hermione answered with a smile. Lupin laughed softly.
"So it is true, then?" Lupin asked and she nodded. "So, Minister Marchbanks did appoint you as Advisor to the Minister."
"Yes," Hermione said almost beaming. "She's planning to retire and she has been hinting to leaving me as her successor."
"That's great," Lupin said truly proud and happy for the young witch. "Am I to keep this to myself for the time being?"
"Yes, please," Hermione said with a smile. "At least until I tell Harry and Ron."
"What would those two do without you?" Lupin said. "Especially Harry. He wouldn't have made it this far without you. He loves you a lot, you know."
"I love him, too," Hermione said and he saw her eyes turn troubled once more. Of course, she loved him but in a much deeper way than he would ever love her, she thought bitterly. Lupin wondered if they had fought but judging by the way, they had acted during the ceremony, he did not think so. "I…I'm sorry, Lupin, would you mind if we talked later? There's something I need to do."
"Go, I don't mind," Lupin said releasing her arm. Hermione kissed his cheek and pulled away quickly.
She walked of turning into the direction to the outside and easily avoiding the rest of the guests, she made her way toward the grounds. She let the breeze caress her face and she let go of a breath she did not recall holding. She reached the bridge and wrapped her arms around herself as she leaned against it.
She let the tears that she had been holding in for years finally spill out of her in silence. She just couldn't take it anymore. She had kept her feelings inside of her for as long as she could remember, but tonight, after so long, she just couldn't do it anymore. She felt as if her heart would finally break, and she meant finally because she had never let it break before.
When Harry had fallen for Cho and then for Ginny, she hadn't felt disappointment nor had she let her heart break. She had never let herself believe in the impossible so there were no hopes destroyed. She had always being too practical for her own good, and crying about it wouldn't solve anything so what was the point? However, keeping things inside wasn't healthy and she just wasn't as strong as she thought she was. She was human and everyone needed to cry. Tears cleansed the soul after all.
"You're going to catch a cold out here without a coat, you know?" a deep voice said sending a shiver down her spine. She jumped in surprise and quickly tried to wipe her face with her hand so he wouldn't notice she had been crying. "Mione, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Harry," she said without turning hoping that he would leave her alone so she could compose herself before rejoining the rest of humanity. "Is there something wrong?"
"Well, the girls haven't seen you for at least an hour," he answered and she shivered again as she felt him move closer to her. She was too vulnerable right now. "Why are you hiding out here? Everyone's looking for you and Vicky's driving Ron mental."
"I'm sorry," she said trying to reach for her wand without him noticing so that she could cast a quick spell to her face to erase the telltale signs of her tears. "I'll be in, in a second, Harry."
"What's wrong?" he said turning her around before she had a chance to know what was happening. He frowned as he saw her puffy, red eyes in the dark. "Hey, what's wrong, Mione? Someone do something to you? Because I will go and, promise to bloody hell, hex them to hell and back."
"No, I'm fine, Harry, really," she answered managing to pull her wand out. He watched her in silence as she cast a spell to her face and she looked perfect once more. She finally looked up to meet his eyes and cursed herself for doing it, he was looking searchingly into her eyes as if he could see into her soul, and she was too vulnerable. She pulled her gaze away from him and sighed. "You might not have noticed, Harry, but here it is I'm a girl…"
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" he asked and she smiled. He frowned more and looked at her like she was mental. "Of course I know you're a girl, and a bloody hot looking one to tell you the truth."
"Shut up, Harry," she said blushing. She managed to smile and in a moment of weakness gave him a quick hug. He grinned in that goofy way that could melt her heart and she laughed leaning against him as they looked out into the grounds. "I'm just not as strong as I've always thought."
"You never cry for no reason like other girls do," he said taking his coat off and wrapping it and his arm around her shoulders. "I always wondered why. You were just trying to be stronger than you needed to be weren't you. Why do you think you have me…and Ron for? Why were you crying?"
"Because I'm stupid," she answered. She reached up and put a finger to his lips before he could argue. He frowned but nodded and she looked forward again. "I've let myself turn into a balloon inside, Harry. All this year after the war, I've just pushed everything, all my feelings, all my needs, all my regrets, anything I just couldn't handle at the moment to the back of my mind until I was ready to burst, but instead of letting it out I kept piling it in. I've worked my way through the ministry faster than anyone before and I just didn't have time for me so I just pushed it back. Being back here and seeing everyone again and…other things, I guess it was just a little too much. I'm human, Harry, I was bound to break down, eventually. Don't worry about me. Girls cry and I'm fine now. Tears cleanse your soul, Harry."
"I…I just wish there was something I could do," he said wondering why he felt like taking her in his arms and kissing her until she forgot all her pain. "To make you feel better."
"Oh, Harry," she said in a whisper. If it was as easy as just asking, she thought with regret.
She would ask him to fulfill her every dream. No, she would ask him to love her, but no as his best friend rather as someone he could share everything with. Not just secrets, she had known those since they were eleven, but she wanted to be a part of his dreams and hopes, she wanted him to know the extent of her love for him, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how Harry saw her, almost as a sister.
Besides, when it came to being just a girl, she was nothing compared to Ginny. Ginny's greatest asset was her beauty and her free spirited personality. Hermione was a plain and a boring workaholic, bookworm. Why fool herself? Harry would never see her that way, and she couldn't live her life revolving around daydreams. She had to face reality and be herself again. She had to accept the facts and live her life. She had to move on, and that's exactly what she would do.
"Ask me anything, Mione," Harry asked ignorant of the battle raging inside of her heart. "I promise I will do anything to give it to you."
"You can't give me what I need, Harry," she answered and he felt his heart hurt painfully. He felt useless and worthless, more than he had ever felt before in his whole life. "I…what I need…it's not something you can do or give at will…I got to be me again, and find…"
"Harry! Hermione!" Ron yelled loudly as he ran up to them. They broke apart and Harry felt like hitting Ron. Hermione had seemed so close to tell him what was truly bothering her, but now… "Where the bloody hell, have you two been?"
"Watch your language, Ronald," Hermione said lightly.
He stuck his tongue out at her apparently forgetting that he was a twenty year old man and not eleven anymore. She rolled her eyes in a very Hermoine-ish way and crossed her arms pulling Harry's coat tighter against herself. She missed the warmth of Harry's body next to hers almost immediately. Harry saw her shiver and he felt an almost uncontainable urge to wrap her in his arms and keep her warm.
"What do you want, Ron?" Harry asked a little coolly but Ron was too busy tightening his own coat to notice. Hermione didn't miss the change in tone though and she looked at Harry with a slight frown.
"Me? Nothing, mate," Ron said and then turned with a glare to Hermione. "Where did you get yourself of too? The girls were all worried about you. They scared the bloo…they scared Harry and me, you know. We couldn't find you, and we were stuck with Vicky."
"I just came out here to think," Hermione said glancing at Harry. He caught her gaze and gave a slight nod behind Ron's back. He wouldn't mention her crying to Ron. "I'm sorry that you had to waste your precious time with me, Ron."
"Don't be thick, Herm," Ron said putting his hands on her shoulders and Harry felt his jaw clench. "I was just worried about you. You know I didn't mean it like that."
"I know," Hermione said with a smile. He grinned and kissed her cheek. Harry turned away fighting against every instinct of himself that was screaming to beat Ron to a pulp for touching Hermione. What the bloody hell was wrong with him? "Should we go back then, before Harry freezes to death?"
"What?" Harry asked turning to look at her noticing that Ron wasn't all over her anymore. She was smiling at him and he grinned at her. "I'm fine, Mione. If you want to stay, I'll stay with you."
"No, I don't want you to get sick," Hermione answered taking his hand. He smiled but he noticed with a strange jealousy that she took Ron's too. "Besides, Ginny would just beat you up."
"Ginny?" Harry asked stupidly. Hermione and Ron stopped long enough to exchange a glance with each other before turning to him. Then they turned to look at him like he was mental or something. "What?"
"You know the bloody well what," Ron said. "Gin's about to hex you or Hermione tonight."
"Why would you think that?" Harry asked.
"Because for some stupid reason she's jealous of me," Hermione answered.
Harry wondered if she didn't really have a reason. I mean, if he thought about it and if he were in Ginny's place, he would think that she should be worried about now. Harry didn't know what in Merlin's beard was happening but he suddenly realized that nothing he felt about Ginny since sixth year had ever compared to what was trying to claw its way out of some deep place in his heart toward Hermione.
"I think she has a very good reason, you know," Ron said and Hermione turned to look at him like he had sprouted another head. Ron rolled his eyes and they started to move again. "I mean, you did notice, that Harry here forgot to mention his GIRLFRIEND in the ceremonial speech. Didn't you?"
"I didn't forget about her," Harry said trying hard to remember exactly what he had said during the speech.
He remembered telling thinking about what he was going to say and then thank Ginny for being there for him, but then…Then he had seen Hermione in that sexy black dress that hugged and outlined every irresistible curve of her body. He remembered seeing her grin at him running to hug him tightly as she told him that he was going to be great and not to worry because she would be there for him, right before she had climbed on stage to open the ceremony for him.
"Merlin, Harry, you did forget," Hermione said glancing at him with worried chocolate eyes. "No wonder she was so hostile…"
"Was she the reason you were…" Harry began angrily as he saw her clap her hands to her mouth realizing that she had said too much, but Hermione's brain worked faster than his, and before he could finish she had clapped her hands over his own mouth. She looked pointedly at him and he glared at her through narrowed eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Ron said huffily.
"Nothing, Ron," Hermione said keeping Harry's eyes locked in her own. "Would you mind giving us a minute?"
"Of course I mind!" Ron said crossly. "What kind of best friends are we if you two are keeping secrets? I want to know what's going on."
"Ron, please," Hermione said with as close to a begging tone as you could get being Hermione Granger.
"RON!?" a dreamy voice called loudly and they could barely make out Luna's shadow with the light from the castle's entrance framing her. She raised her hand and waved it slightly. "WHAT ARE YOU THREE DOING OVER THERE? COME INSIDE! THE PARTY IS ALMOST OVER!"
"Ron, go," Harry mumbled through Hermione's fingers. "We're coming. Promise we'll tell you later."
"Fine," Ron said. It was clear that keeping Luna happy overwhelmed his curiosity. He pointed his finger at them both and narrowed his eyes. "But you two better not be playing my sister."
"Ron!?" Harry and Hermione both said furiously but Ron laughed cheekily and ran before either could hex him.
"Tell me, Hermione Granger," Harry said coolly. Hermione raised her eyebrow and pulled her hands away from his mouth.
"What?" Hermione said crossing her arms as she kept that haughty look. "I'm not 'Mione' anymore, Harry?"
"You know bloody well that you will always be my Mione," Harry answered irritably.
She smiled through her fluttering heart and sauntered toward him. He fought to keep his face straight but she was irresistible and he burst out laughing. She chuckled gently as she reached him and he pulled her into his arms tenderly. She pressed her forehead against his chest as he held her.
"I don't want you to fight with Ginevra because of me, Harry," Hermione whispered to him. "She's just jealous. She didn't make me cry. I cried for the reasons I told you. Don't bother yourself with this. I've handled your jealous girlfriends for years, remember?"
"Yeah," Harry said laughing against her. "And, I've handled yours, remember?"
"Uhmm, so we're okay then?" Hermione asked.
"We're more than okay, Mione," Harry answered.
"So, glad to hear that, dear," a bitter voice answered. "So, glad to hear that."
Hermione cursed under her breath just as Harry lifted his head from Hermione's and met Ginny's ice-cold glare. Harry let go of Hermione as Ginny raised her chin slightly. Hermione turned and she could almost feel Ginny's anger flowing through her body. Ron, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Neville, Susan, and even Viktor were standing a couple of feet behind her, looking awkward and uncomfortable. Well, all except Viktor who took a step forward looking as if he wanted nothing than to hit Harry.
"Hi, Gin," Harry said scratching the back of his head in that nervous habit of his that messed up his hair even more. "Ron and I found, Mione. We were…"
"Do I look bloody stupid to you, Harry?" Ginny hissed through clenched teeth. "I…I don't know what the bloody hell is going on with you two but I don't like it."
"Ginny there's nothing…" Hermione began but was rudely caught off.
"Don't you dare talk to me right now, Hermione," Ginny said closing her eyes for a second as she threw her hand out toward Hermione who took a step back. She opened her fierce green eyes and glared at her. "I thought you were my friend, and you're…I …I just want…I need to know, what the bloody hell is going on here."
"Nothing is going on, Ginny," Harry answered taking a step forward. She glared at him but let him grab her shoulders gently. Hermione felt impotent to do anything to defend themselves and she turned away from them and her friends. Harry saw her move behind him and lean against a tree facing away from the others out of the corner of his eye. He wanted so badly to just tell Ginny that she was being insufferable and run to tell Mione that everything would be okay, but knew that for her own good he had to keep himself away from her now. "Hermione is my best friend and you know it. There's nothing wrong in being with her, in hugging her, Gin. She and Ron have been everything to me since I was eleven years old! They've been everything to me. They'll always be everything to me."
"Yes!" Ginny snapped angrily and she began to tap her hand against her chest as if to make her point clearer. "But you're my boyfriend, not hers! You have me now, Harry!"
"Stop, Ginny!" Harry said in a voice that was full of exasperation. "Just bloody stop it! I'm not going to stand here and defend myself for something I'm not guilty of!"
"Harry," Hermione said turning back around as soon as she heard his control begin to crumble.
He was breathing slightly heavier and she was scared he would do or say something he would later regret. She grabbed his arm noticing how tense his muscles were underneath the cloth, and she ignored the glare that Ginny gave her. She pulled him a step backward and she shook her head as soon as he looked at her and met each other's eyes.
Luna and the others just gaped as they saw Harry huff and turn away from his girlfriend at Hermione's silent command. Only Ron was not surprised at this knowing fully well the kind of control Hermione held with both him and Harry. She rarely truly used it since she usually let them do what they wanted, but in times when she felt they were out of control of a situation she just moved in and gave them 'the look' and as if it was something innate they knew and did exactly what she expected or wanted from them.
"I think and Harry agrees with me, that you both need to calm down, Ginny," Hermione said. She said it softly but with such command that not even, the very furious Ginevra Weasley dare interrupt her. "You two don't want to hurry into conclusions and do or say something you will only regret tomorrow. You have something beautiful together and you don't want to throw it away over a misunderstanding. Just breathe and talk like the civilized, l…caring couple you two are. Harry has my permission to tell you everything."
"Mione," Harry said turning around. She managed a smile and a shrug. Harry had no idea how much it had hurt her to say those things, but she didn't want him to throw away his happiness for her.
"Ginny's my friend," Hermione answered sincerely as she faced the redhead once more. She meant every single word. No matter how annoying and stupid she was because of Harry, Hermione loved her. She was the sister she never had. "I trust that she will keep in confidence what you tell her."
"But, Mione," Harry said and Ron noted that she gave him "the look" again. Harry closed his mouth instantly and Hermione walked away from him toward Ron and past the confused Bulgarian. Ron didn't even glance toward Luna knowing that at least his girlfriend knew what they had. Luna knew how much he loved Hermione and she knew she had nothing to be jealous of. His Luna was quite a clever girl. He opened his arms and Hermione walked into them weakly. Luna noticed Harry's strange look as he saw this but no one else did. She shook her head and turned around walking toward Hermione's free side wrapping her own arm around her friend.
The other seemed lost as what to do for a second, and Hermione raised her chin and turned to look at them. They didn't move and she frowned slightly as she looked at them.
"What in Merlin's beard are you all waiting for?" she asked. Everyone jumped and even Harry managed a grin at this. "Get moving. Harry and Gin, want some privacy."
"They're thicker than me, eh?" Ron said tightening his arm around her waist as she and Luna looked at him. They both looked at each other and rolled their eyes at his happy face. His smile fell and he frowned. "What?"
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Well, I can't possibly type anymore. Please R&R!!!! Thanks to all my reviewers!!! This will keep on so long as I get those reviews!!!