There were no more flashbacks.
No more helpless sighs.
No more playful banter.
Just the sound of the ticking clock.
Harry let go a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"I'm sorry," he said one last time.
"Just. Go."
~~
With a deep sigh, he dropped his briefcase to the floor. "Honey," Harry called, shrugging off his coat, "I'm home." He sighed slightly, trying to think of what to say. But when he received no reply to his previous shout, he looked up, surprised to see Nicole at the top of the stairs, her coat already on. They observed one another for a moment, silently reading the other's mind.
"No, you're not," she finally said. "And you haven't been home for a really long time." She
slowly walked down the stairs and Harry realized she was carrying a suitcase. "I knew you were never over her and
I had accepted you might never be." She smiled a cute smile. "I'm not really over Henry."
"Nicole," he tried to say.
She faced him at the bottom of the stairs. "Don't say anything, Harry." She closed her eyes and sighed. Then she looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing. "I knew you'd never be fully mine and that was okay with me. I just wanted you. And I wanted you to be happy." She paused. "It's okay," she said seriously, "if you don't love me."
He sighed, turning away.
"It's okay," she continued, "if you don't want to be with me."
"I do," he said, trying to convince himself.
"No, Harry," she said, smiling sadly, "you don't." When he didn't respond, she took his chin in her hand, bringing him back to her gaze. They locked eyes and she kissed him on the cheek. "I know how it feels. I know how it feels love someone."
He swallowed, suddenly feeling vulnerable. Chills ran through his body.
"I know how it feels to love someone," she repeated.
"Don't do this to yourself."
"Why?" She asked calmly. "You don't want me to stay."
"That's a lie," Harry said through gritted teeth.
She paused, observing his face, hoping it wouldn't be the last time she would. "No, it isn't." She kissed his cheek again and laid her fingers on his shoulders. "I know how it feels," she whispered into his ear, "to love someone so much you'd give up your sanity for them."
He swallowed again, letting his eyes fill with tears. "You know," he suddenly said, "I love her with all my heart."
She nodded, trying to understand.
He turned to face her, letting tears fall. "It doesn't mean I love you any less."
She searched his face, almost looking for something. "Yes, it does."
He raised an eyebrow. "Ni-"
She silenced him with a kiss then bit her lip. "Because you love her so much," She held him close. "So much," she emphasized with a shake of his shoulders, "That there isn't room for anything else but a life with her."
"There's room for you."
"Why are you fighting this?" she asked, smiling. "You love her, and it's okay that this is killing me." She stopped suddenly, letting the sadness and implication her previous sentence sink in. It wasn't okay. But she didn't care. "I don't care," she whispered, "I just want you to be happy, Harry."
"Nicole…"
She kissed him one last time on the lips. "It's okay, Harry." And then she was gone.
He didn't know how, she just was. After closing his eyes and reopening them, she was gone. And he was alone in the house. Again.
~1 week later~
-Hello? Quiet down over there! Hello? Hello, can I help you?
-May I speak with Hermione Granger please?
-Oy, is Hermione in? I'm sorry, she's busy at the moment, may I take a message?
-This is Harry.
-Harry. Can I have your number?
-She has it.
-Alright, she'll call-Oh, she's just gotten out. One moment please. Hermione, pick up the phone.
-Oh, no, that's alright, she can-
-Hello?
-Oh god.
-Hello? Who is this?...Hello? Ben, who did you say it was again? Harry? Harry who?
-Hermione.
-…Oh god.
-Hermione, don't hang up.
-Ben, I said screen my phone calls!
-Hermione.
-I can't talk to you right now.
-Yes, you can.
-I'm a bit busy at the moment, can I call you back?
-Yes, you could have but you're not busy.
-I can't do this.
-No, you can't. I can. For once, I can actually step up to the plate and do something.
-…Continue.
-It was wrong of me. It was so wrong of me.
-To break us up or to marry her?
-You heard.
-You're Harry Potter, I found out the day you proposed.
-It's been called off.
-…Why?
-I'm in love with someone else.
-I have to go.
-No you don't.
-Yes, I do.
-No, you don't. Please, Hermione, just listen to me. I was wrong. I was wrong, I know I was wrong and I was stupid and I know I was stupid but this is now, Hermione. Life is happening right now and I don't want to waste another second of it. I know I've messed up and I'm asking you for another chance. Please, Hermione.
-Why in the world would I give you another chance?
-Because you're in love with me too.
-Rubbish.
-Let me make this right. I know you want to know what happened between us, too.
-I don't care.
-Yes, you do, goddamn it, Hermione! Stop being so fucking high and mighty! Now tell me where you are.
-Away from you.
-At work?
-Away from you.
-I'll see you soon.
-Harry, wait! Harry!....Harry? Ugh, bollocks. Ben, get over here right now. Do you have trouble listening? I told you to screen…
~~
Hermione had quit the Healer program at the Ministry of Magic three months after Harry and her broke up. She had decided it simply wasn't for her. Although she did want to help others, she felt it wore too much on her, emotionally, and she feared, after her break up, it might destroy all the happiness she had left in her world. She instead started to work for Browns and Finnegan's, and started a sort of book craze. It seemed Hermione's love of literature was contagious and soon, the bookstore had tripled its floor space, adding three floors, and multiplied its amount of customers. Hermione was assigned official director and rumors of the bookstore adding a Granger at its name began circulating. Flourish and Botts offered her official director multiple times and raised their salary each time. Hermione, however, stuck true to her beginnings and rejected the offers each and every time. Yes, life was good for Hermione Granger. Everyday, she almost forgot about that heartbreaking event that happened in her life.
A young man with raven black hair and distinct green eyes walked into Browns and Finnegan's that afternoon. He seemed quite upset, as though he had just gotten off the phone with someone very high and mighty. Ignoring that fact, Ben Brittle approached him. "Good afternoon, we're closing right now but you can be our last customer of the day. May I be of assistance?"
Harry almost laughed. Almost. Hermione's polite manners were quite catching. He smiled a friendly smile. "I'm not looking for a book today, I'm looking for someone. Perhaps you could help me, her name's Hermione Granger?"
Ben smiled in return. "Certainly, I'll go get her. Who shall I say is calling?"
"Harry."
And just like that, Ben's smiled faded. "Oh," he said simply. He lowered his voice and got closer to Harry, his eyes shifted nervously. "Listen, mate, it's of no disrespect to you but she's not in the best mood after that phone call."
Harry whispered as well. "I'm not here to cause trouble; I just want to talk to her. Please, just tell her that."
"Look, she doesn't want to talk to you at all! There's nothing I can do when she's like this."
"I know Hermione better than everyone in the world; just tell her that, please."
Ben inhaled and observed Harry from up to down. He finally sighed and shook her head. "Fine," he rubbed the back of his neck and suddenly pointed at Harry, "I'm not taking the fall if she throws something at me." He turned around and began walking upstairs. Halfway up, he turned around. "Her office is on the third floor and there aren't any escalators yet," he smirked, "Hermione's way of getting us to exercise." He pointed around. "Look around, it'll take a while."
Harry nodded and began walking around and Ben continued walking up. He thumbed through some books and caressed the 15th edition of Hogwarts: A History on display. He opened it up and flipped to a page.
Hogwart's history was drastically altered when the Chosen One, Harry James Potter, enrolled. An easy student to acquire, Potter would prove
He closed the book. He couldn't read it then, he couldn't read it now. Harry didn't know why he was like this, why he never really could read the book. He was willing to do anything for Hermione, anything. But never read it. He continued walking through the bookstore, scanning titles, discovering he was in the history section. Then the sports section. Then the science fiction section.
"Looking for something?"
Good god, she was perfect. Her teeth were straight and white, her hair was curlier than curly. Her eyes were big and soft brown, her stance was relaxed yet firm. She looked just as he remembered her.
"I was just looking for the romance section."
She rolled her eyes and he fell in love all over again.
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to *someone special* out there. For once, I can step up to the plate and actually do something; be myself. I hope you like it.
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