Chapter 2: Argument and revelations.
Harry whistled softly to himself as he made his way into the Weasleys' kitchen via the back door and smiled when he saw the twins sitting at the kitchen table. Luna had headed home after their kiss, promising to meet him the next day.
"Hey guys," he greeted, causing George and Fred to look up and identical sly smiles crossed their faces.
"Hello Harry," Fred greeted, causing Harry to be on alert.
"Why are you two smiling at me like that?" Harry asked, almost accusingly. He knew the twins well enough not to trust them when they looked at him like they knew something that he didn't want them to know.
"Oh, nothing," George started.
"Just amazed that you tore yourself away from a certain blonde's lips," Fred finished and Harry sighed as he rolled his eyes.
"You saw us," Harry stated.
"Saw who?" a female voice asked, causing the three men to turn and see that Molly, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were standing in the doorway. Molly had her hands on her hips.
"Harry, where have you been?" she asked and Harry blushed slightly.
"Sorry, I needed some time alone," Harry explained.
"Yeah, alone alright," Fred snickered.
"Saw who?" Ginny repeated her earlier question. Harry found himself staring at the floor while the twins looked at each other before they looked at Harry.
"Harry, mate, do you want…" George trailed off and Harry finally looked up at them before shaking his head.
"Don't worry, I'll do it," he told them and they nodded as he turned back to face his friends and ex-girlfriend, who was looking at him, expectantly.
"Well?" Hermione asked. "Are you ever going to tell us?" Hermione asked, curious to what was going on.
"I wasn't alone this afternoon," Harry told them. "I was with Luna."
"Wait, Luna was here and you never told us?" Ron asked and Harry fidgeted slightly.
"Yeah," he told them.
"Harry," Hermione warned and Harry sighed.
"I asked Luna out and she said yes. We're dating," Harry stumbled out in a rush and held his breath. He knew that Ginny wouldn't be happy that he had a new girlfriend so quickly but he couldn't help it. Something about Luna just drew him to her and he wanted to see where it could go.
"You're what?" Hermione exclaimed, startling Harry. He had expected that from Ginny, not from Hermione.
"I'm dating Luna," he told them, suddenly unsure of what was going on.
"Why?" Ron asked. Harry looked at him, wondering why Ron seemed upset.
"Because I'm attracted to her. I like her," Harry told him.
"I'm happy for you two," Ginny spoke up and Harry arched an eyebrow at his girlfriend, suddenly off guard by her acceptance.
"Oh," Harry told her, suddenly unsure what to say and Ginny shrugged.
"You are trying to protect me by dating other girls. I find that admirable," she finished and Harry looked at her like she had grown two heads.
"Actually, I'm dating Luna because I like her," Harry informed her. Ginny just smiled.
"That's what you think," Ginny told him before she left the kitchen, leaving Harry, Hermione and Ron alone together.
"I thought you and Ginny were dating!" Ron let loose. Harry shook his head.
"I broke it off with her at Dumbledore's funeral - I realised that I wasn't myself all year - that things were a little complicated than I anticipated," Harry explained before shooting a confused look toward the doorway that Ginny had vacated. "And I thought she understood that, but I guess she doesn't."
"Harry, you can't be dating Luna!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yeah, I mean - isn't it a little soon to be dating her?" Ron demanded but Harry threw up his hands, confused and annoyed.
"Why are you two even bothered about this?" Harry demanded of Ron and Hermione, startling them. "I expected this from Ginny considering the fact that she is my ex girlfriend but you two are my friends and you're furious that I'm dating Luna?"
"Harry…" Hermione started but Harry waved his hand, cutting her off.
"I thought you would be happy that I even told you rather than hide it like you two are doing with your relationship," Harry snapped. Hermione and Ron shot each other startled looks before they looked at Harry, confused.
"Our relationship?" Ron asked, cautiously, wondering where Harry got the idea from.
"Yeah, all year you had been throwing hints at each other you fancied each other and when I saw you hugging at the funeral, it was obvious that the two of you finally got together," Harry reminded.
Hermione groaned as she covered her eyes in understanding and cursed the Dursleys for doing this to Harry, for depriving him of love so he wouldn't be able to understand.
"Harry, mate, you got the wrong idea," Ron cut in, finally catching on and Harry looked at him, confused.
"Harry, Ron and I never got together - we were most certainly not throwing hints to each other," Hermione told him as Harry looked at her.
"But, the whole canary thing, biting each other heads off," Harry listed off.
"Harry, I was mad at you, I felt left out because you and Ron had girlfriends and that you were doing well in Potions. I felt like you didn't need me anymore so I took my temper out on all of you - especially on Ron because he hadn't grown up and realised that looks weren't everything," Hermione explained and Ron shrugged.
"Hermione and I had a long talk when I was in the hospital and we finally worked out what was going on and she explained why looks weren't important in a relationship," Ron explained and Harry nodded as he held up his hands.
"Okay, I get that the two of you are not together but it doesn't explain the sudden anger at me and Luna dating," Harry told them and Ron found himself shuffling his feet before he looked at Harry.
"I kinda like Luna," Ron told him and it dawned on Harry like a ton of bricks. He felt his knees weakened before he slumped down onto the chair as he looked at his best friend in horror.
"Oh god," Harry moaned as he buried his face into his hands. How the hell did his life get so mucked up? He looked back at Ron. "I'm sorry, I thought you and Hermione were together so…" he trailed off and Ron nodded.
"I know," Ron told him as he sat down next to his best friend.
"I'll break up with her," Harry told him. "She made it obvious that she fancied you back in fifth year - maybe there is still a chance for you." Ron shook his head.
"No Harry, I can't ask you to do that," Ron told him, causing Harry to look at him, confused. "She said yes, didn't she?" Harry nodded. "She obviously likes you too and you deserve some happiness. Don't worry - there will be someone else out there for me."
"Are you sure?" Harry croaked out. He didn't want to be responsible for making his best friend miserable and Ron smiled softly.
"Yeah, just don't hurt her," Ron told him and Harry nodded.
"I promise," Harry told him and Ron clapped Harry's shoulder before leaving the room.
Harry just stared after his best male friend; he didn't know how to deal with everything that had been told to him. Ron and Hermione weren't dating. Ron fancied Luna but wanted Harry to keep dating her.
Harry let out a sigh of frustration before he placed his head in his hands - wondering when his life got so fucked up.
Hermione stared at Harry, biting her bottom lip as she tried to deal with what had happened. Harry was now dating Luna. Harry had thought she and Ron were dating each other. She closed her eyes as she let out a sigh.
She couldn't believe how screwed her life was and couldn't help but take the blame for most of the things that had gone wrong. If only she had been around Harry - let him know that she and Ron were most definitely not dating and that she didn't like Ron in that way.
Hermione opened her eyes and shot a look toward Harry, who let out a sigh.
"What Hermione?" Harry asked, suddenly tired. He left the Burrow so he could gather his thoughts and spent a good night with Luna. He came back here on high only to find himself plummeting toward Earth and he wasn't happy.
"Why are you doing this?" Hermione asked and Harry looked at her, confused. "Why are you dating Luna?" Harry sighed.
"Because there is something about her Hermione," Harry admitted. "Yeah, she is a little loony, but right now, I need someone who is just going to be there for me. Someone who is going to listen to me - not someone who rather snog all over the castle," he finished off bitterly and Hermione sighed.
"Ginny?" Hermione guessed and Harry shot her a look that had her nodding. "Yeah, to be honest, I was a little shocked that you decided to date her - I mean, I knew that she fancied you but I didn't think she would wait around."
"I don't even know what possessed me to date her," Harry admitted and Hermione looked at him. "It all started when I arrived here at the Burrow - it was just like a part of me took over and liked Ginny so I decided to start dating her but when Dumbledore died, it was like that part of me just snapped out of whatever daze I was under and made me, me again."
"Hm…" Hermione started but Harry held up his hands, amusement lighting up his green eyes.
"Oh no, I did not tell you that so you can go off and hide in the library - you are helping me set up for the wedding - there is no getting out of it," Harry told her and Hermione laughed.
"I will leave it for night times," Hermione promised him before frowning. "It is a little confusing." Harry arched an eyebrow at her.
"More confusing than you throwing canaries at Ron and not really being there this year?" Harry asked and Hermione rolled her eyes as she shoved at his shoulder.
"Yeah, point made," Hermione informed him, a little irritated before she sighed. "I don't know what happened to me last year - I think it's mostly down to what happened in the Ministry - before, we had your version of what happened. Seeing what can happen kinda shocked the life out of me."
Harry stared out of the window at the star filled sky as he thought back to what happened that fateful day back in their fifth year just before the end of term.
"When Dolohov cast that spell at you - I thought you were dead," Harry whispered, not once looking at Hermione. Hermione looked at him, startled that he spoke. "I couldn't even breathe to be honest - Neville had to check for your pulse before he told me that you were alive."
"Harry," Hermione whispered, her heart aching at Harry's words. She never knew what happened after she was struck - Neville had been skittish around her since that night and she and Harry had hardly any contact the year before.
"I think that was one of the main reason I wasn't myself last year - that I saw all of you attacked and Sirius dying, I realised that I wanted to be a normal teenaged boy for once but it all backfired on me," Harry told her.
Hermione reached out and touched his shoulder.
"None of us foresaw that Snape was going to kill Dumbledore Harry, we couldn't have known it was going to happen," Hermione whispered but Harry shook his head.
"Peter wasn't the one who told Voldemort the prophecy," Harry admitted. Hermione looked at him, shocked at what he revealed.
"What?" she demanded before shaking his head. "Then who did?"
"Snape," Harry informed her bitterly. Hermione just stared at Harry, shocked at what was happening.
Snape had told Voldemort the prophecy; Snape was the reason why Harry didn't have his parents.
"Why?" she uttered out, confused. "I mean, he had a debt to your dad as he saved his life back in their fifth year."
"It's because of that," Harry told her but Hermione shook her head, not getting it. "Hermione, every time a dementor comes near me - it's my mum pleading for my life and Voldemort telling her to get out of the way - my dad fought him off. If Voldemort was there to kill them, why not just kill them straight away - why fight them first?"
Hermione's jaw dropped open from shock at the implication.
"Voldemort was just there to kill you - Snape asked them to spare their lives because it wasn't their fault that you were born at that time but he didn't expect them to give up their lives for you simply because they loved you," Hermione whispered as all the puzzles started clicking together.
No wonder Dumbledore kept Snape close to him and no wonder he didn't tell Harry the full truth of what really happened that night. Hermione shook her head; she couldn't believe that Snape honestly thought that Lily and James would stand by and allow Harry to live - he obviously didn't know very much about a parent's love.
Harry looked at Hermione and saw the dark circles under her eyes before letting out a small sigh. They needed to get to bed - it was getting late and Harry didn't like seeing Hermione tired - it reminded him too much of their third year when she was using the time-turner to get to all of her classes. "Come on," Harry told her as he stood up and held out his hand to her. Hermione placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up. "Let's go to bed. We're going to be busy for the next couple of days with the wedding." He led the way out of the living room and up the stairs.
They both broke away from each other and headed for the doors that held the rooms they were going to be sleeping in when Hermione remembered another question burning in her mind.
She turned to look at Harry, wanting an answer.
"Harry, do you ever think that you will get your happy ending?" Hermione asked. Harry looked at her for a long moment before cracking a soft smile.
"Yeah, I do," Harry told her.
They both shared a soft knowing smile together before they entered their respective rooms and turned in for the night. Not realising that they have started a new path that had been a long time coming.
TBC
Sunday