Chapter 21: December
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Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river
I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
-- `At the Beginning' by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis from the movie Anastasia
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December
Harry scowled at the owl that flew through his living room window. The bird itself wasn't offensive; it was the object it carried in its talons. They were flowers. Flowers for Hermione. Flowers from Barrett. Ever since the night they went to the fall ball, about once a week, Barrett would send Hermione some kind of flowers. It was irritatingly sweet. Throughout the semester, Harry hadn't noticed the flowers so much because they'd be delivered to her flat at school, but now that the semester was over and both he, Teddy and Hermione were back at Grimmauld Place, he was seeing the owl with the flowers about once a week. And really getting tired of it.
Barrett and Hermione had gone on a few dates over the past few months, Harry never knew how they went, because not only did he choose not to ask, Hermione never wanted to divulge the information. Barrett was a tense topic between the two of them, Hermione knew Harry didn't want to talk about him, and Hermione didn't feel like starting an argument over him. But whether she knew exactly why Harry didn't want to talk about Hermione's relationship with Barrett, Harry wasn't sure, but he doubted it. He took the white lilies from the owl and it took off. Begrudgingly Harry climbed the stairs to Hermione's room to deliver her weekly bouquet. He knocked on her bedroom door and waited for an answer. After a few seconds, she softly called for him to come in. She was lying on her bed with a book open across her stomach. Her eyes were closed as though she had just woken up from a nap.
"I'm sorry I woke you," Harry said apologetically. "But your weekly delivery just arrived." Hermione opened her eyes and put her bookmark in her book and sat up.
"No, I wasn't napping; I just dozed off for a couple minutes." Harry handed her the lilies and she smiled halfheartedly.
"Thank you." She looked at the flowers expressionlessly, and brought them to her nose to smell. Still looking at the flowers, she asked, "What time is it?"
Harry looked at his watch. "Almost half past noon." Hermione put her flowers down and rubbed her face with her hands to wake herself up and then she slid out of bed.
"I have to get to Diagon Alley, I was going to do my Christmas shopping today and I haven't got to there yet." She took her flowers and added them to the already full vase that sat on her dresser and headed for the door. Harry backed out so she could get past him and the two of them went downstairs. When she'd put her shoes and socks on and was pulling on her winter coat, she said to Harry, "Would you like me to wait till Teddy wakes up and you can go with me so you can get your Christmas shopping done?" Harry shook his head.
"No, I'll go either tomorrow or the next day. I'll go when you can watch Teddy so he's not along. That way he can't see what he's getting for Christmas," Harry said with a grin. Hermione smiled as well.
"Yes, because I'm sure he would understand it. Do you know what you're going to get him?"
"Not a clue. I'm hoping something will pop out when I go. Do you know what you're getting him?"
"Sure do."
"It's not a book, is it?"
"Why do you naturally assume that?" Hermione asked with a laugh.
"Well, is it?"
"Maybe." Harry gave her an `I knew it' look. Hermione said, "It's important for children to have literary experiences when they're young. That way when they're older they'll be more likely to be readers."
"Ok, Hermione, I believe you," Harry said, making sure to just agree with her to avoid a long lecture about Hermione's views on the importance of reading, which he'd heard on plenty of other occasions. Hermione wrapped her scarf around her neck and grabbed her purse.
"I'll be back in a few hours. Definitely in time for supper."
"Ok, see you later." Hermione nodded and Apparated to Diagon Alley.
Once she was standing on the busy street, Hermione pulled out her list of people she needed to get gifts for. It wasn't very long, but she was fine with that. She went down the list one by one, going to each store for the person's gifts.
Mum and Dad
This would be easy. Her parents were always fascinated by the magic world ever since their daughter received her letter to Hogwarts when she was eleven. So all she had to get them was something to do with the wizarding world and they'd love it. It seemed sort of patronizing to think of them like that, but she knew that they didn't care if they got a present or not, so it didn't really matter what she got them, they'd love it anyway. Since her mother was very fond of gardening, she decided on a magical plant that Hermione had been telling her about recently that was similar to a rose bush, only the blossoms were the size of a fist and the stems were thorn-less. It would bloom year round and only take a month or two to fully mature. The one Hermione picked out was a very pale pink, almost white. Her mother would love it. For the one whom she inherited her love of reading from, she got a book. When his daughter first found out she was a witch, she and her father researched for weeks learning about the wizarding world before Hermione went to school. History was his favorite topic, so Hermione bought him a book on the history of the wizarding world's involvement in the Crusades. The shopping for her parents out of the way, she moved on to the next person on her list.
Teddy
That was simple. She'd been thinking for a couple weeks what she was going to get him, and just like Harry suspected, it was going to be a book. Or rather, books. Children's books had been on her mind since the Christmas season started, and she had an idea of what ones she was going to get him. But they weren't going to be in Diagon Alley, so she went back to muggle London to a children's bookstore she'd found long ago, where she'd gotten Teddy's Peter Pan book at. She went to a shelf right away when she walked in the store, and promptly picked up a book and started flipping through it.
Teddy was growing so fast. Magical children already grew faster than muggle children as far as brain development so he was already adding more words to his vocabulary, and had finally gotten the walking thing going, although he was still pretty wobbly at times. Most of the time he'd only walk once Harry or Hermione got him started, he usually didn't initiate the walking, he always thought it was faster to crawl. Thinking of Teddy's walking brought a funny memory to Hermione's mind.
"Ok, squirt, let's try this walking thing again," Harry said to Teddy as he set him on his feet and knelt next to him ready to help if Teddy needed it. Hermione sat a few feet away to give Teddy a destination, she too was on her knees and smiled encouragingly as Teddy took a step forward. Harry let go of the baby's hands and Teddy stood there staring at Hermione for a second or two before he started falling forward. Harry quickly tried to grab him to keep him from falling on his face, but he stopped once Teddy's hands went out and he caught himself on his hands. He stared at the floor contemplating his next move, then he moved his right hand forward, then his right foot, then his left hand, then his left foot, his little baby butt sticking up in the air. He started walking in the bear crawl position to Hermione. She put her hand over her mouth as her body shook with laughter. The site of Teddy walking like that was just so comical she couldn't help but laugh. Harry grinned and stopped Teddy by putting his hands on the baby's waist. Harry then pulled Teddy up so he was only standing on his feet. Teddy made a noise of protest while this was happening.
"Here, we don't walk like werewolves. We've got to walk like people." A couple times, Teddy tried walking on his hands and feet, but Harry wouldn't let him so as not to get into a habit he wouldn't be able to break for a while. After a few more tries, Teddy gave up trying to walk like a werewolf and took a few steps by himself, almost half the distance to between Harry and Hermione. Teddy beamed when Harry and Hermione applauded and cheered for him and he clapped his hands happily as well.
Hermione smiled as she recalled the site of Teddy's werewolf walk as a human. Books to help Teddy with his walking and talking would be a good gift for him. Not really finding anything on the shelves that was jumping out at her, Hermione kept looking until a saleslady came over to help her.
"Are you looking for anything in particular, miss?"
"Yes, my friend has a little boy, he's just learning to walk and talk, and I'm looking for a few books for him." The saleslady nodded and started pulling down books.
"Have you ever heard of this one, called The Very Hungry Caterpillar? It's a good book for helping children learn to count, and it's a fun book too." She handed Hermione the book and read a few pages.
`In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf. One Sunday morning the warm sun came up and-pop!-out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar. He started to look for some food. On Monday he ate through one apple. But he was still hungry. He started to look for some food. On Tuesday he ate through two pears, but he was still hungry. He started to look for some food.' And the story went on, the hungry caterpillar eating a real hole in the pages through more food until he got a stomachache after eating so much on Saturday. Eventually he made a cocoon and then became a butterfly at the end. Hermione smiled as she read the ending and nodded.
"I like this one. It's cute."
"This one is one of our popular ones. We have other books that are by a man named Bill Martin Jr., and Eric Carle illustrated them. They're very popular as well, they're good learning books. We also have a wide variety of learning books; they'd be really good for a child who's learning to talk. I'll let you browse a little, and if you need any more help, just let me know."
"Ok, thank you." After doing some searching, Hermione had The Very Hungry Caterpillar in her hands to purchase as well as one of the books the saleslady mentioned by Bill Martin Jr. called Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, which she thought would be a good book to help Teddy with colors and animals since every page was a new animal that was a different color. Also, she had two books that she remembered reading as a child, Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy. She was about to call it quits on the books, thinking four was enough when she walked by a shelf that had books by Dr. Suess. She couldn't pass those up so she picked up The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. Having Teddy's gift bought, she went back to Diagon Alley with only two people left on her list, and it was two people that she had no idea what to get them.
Barrett
Harry
While she was thinking of where to go next, a voice calling her name brought her out of her thoughts.
"Hermione!" She turned to look for the voice and saw Ron walking toward her through the crowd of bustling Christmas shoppers. She smiled when she saw him and waited till he was within earshot to speak.
"Well, hey stranger."
"Hey yourself. How're you doing?"
"I'm good, how are you?"
"Good. I was just going to grab lunch; did you want to join me?"
"I've already eaten, but I'll join you anyway." The two of them wound through the crowd to a small café that was just starting to empty from the first round of lunch customers as they started heading back to work. They sat down in a booth, and after the waitress had taken their orders, or rather Ron's order, and had brought them their drinks did they actually start their conversation.
"So what brings you to Diagon Alley today?"
"Christmas shopping."
"Did you get me anything good?"
"I'm not going to tell you," Hermione said with a sweet smile.
"Well then I won't tell you what I got you."
"Did you even get me anything?"
"No, I haven't yet."
"Well, that's perfect because I didn't get you anything. Yet. What do you want?"
"I don't know. You don't have to get me anything." Hermione shrugged.
"Tell you what, if I see something that just screams `Ron Weasley' then I'll get it for you. And then you can do the same thing with me."
"Fair enough. So who do you have to shop for?"
"I've gotten my parents' gifts and Teddy's gift. All I have left are Harry and Barrett." Hermione overdramatically sighed and added teasingly, "And of course I have to be on the lookout for anything calling out to me for your gift." Ron grinned.
"You don't have to get me anything," Ron repeated with a smile. "What are you getting for Harry and Barrett?"
"I have absolutely no idea. I know what Teddy is giving Harry, but I have no idea what I'm giving him. And as for Barrett-" Hermione sighed. "I really don't know."
"How're things going with Barrett, because I'm not going to lie, that relationship is lasting a lot longer than I thought it would. And I'm not saying this as a jealous ex boyfriend type guy, simply as your friend for eight years."
"What made you think it wouldn't last very long?"
"Well, for starters, the guy seems like a complete thickhead, not your type at all." Hermione gave an annoyed sigh.
"Ron, you've only met the man once. For like five minutes."
"Those five minutes were long enough. And from what Harry's told me, he's a bigger prat than those five minutes let on."
"Well, Harry's got his own issues with Barrett and my relationship."
"Why do you think he does?"
"I don't know. I keep trying to tell myself that I don't care, because there are times where he drives me insane with his attitude when Barrett and I go out on a date. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was jealous. I mean, he's told me once before that he was, but it was only because he was afraid of losing me. But he's gotten over that." Ron smiled a knowing smile, still trying to keep himself from blurting anything out.
"You really think he's over it?"
"Of course," Hermione said simply. "Why wouldn't he be? He knows he's not going to lose me, and he even admitted that there was no reason for it, that it was foolish to be jealous." Ron didn't reply, but had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. He didn't know that Hermione could be so clueless. He, however, changed the subject, or rather brought the subject back to Hermione and her boyfriend.
"But you never answered me, how are things going with Barrett?"
"Wait, do you know something I don't?"
"No," Ron said a little nervously. Even if I did, it wouldn't be my place to say anything. Are you trying to avoid my question?"
"You're avoiding mine."
"Ok, all I'm going to say is talk to Harry." Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, and still didn't offer an answer to Ron's question. The waitress bringing Ron's meal gave her a little more time to avoid it, hoping that perhaps Ron would drop it. He didn't, however. After the waitress was gone again, he waited a few seconds before he prompted her to answer, letting her know that he wasn't going to give up on the question.
"Well?" Again, Hermione sighed.
"Things are…fine, I guess."
"You guess? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, it's just…I don't know. He's a nice and sweet and everything, but lately it just seems like lately, that sweetness has started to be a little too much. He sends me flowers every week. I'm not much of a flower person in the first place, let alone getting at least a dozen every week. Whenever I'm with him, my mind is constantly on other things, I'm never thinking about him. I'm thinking about-He's just-" Hermione trailed off, unable to explain anymore.
"Let me guess, it's because he's not Harry." Hermione sighed again and gave Ron a pained look as she realized that Ron was right.
"What the hell is the matter with me? Why can I not let go of something I know will never happen? No matter how much I tell myself to, I just can't let it go. It's pretty ridiculous, and now it's affecting my other relationships." At this point, Ron really had to try hard to keep himself from grinning and laughing at his best friend.
"What makes you think you're wasting your time? What makes you think nothing will ever happen?"
"Ok, what do you know?" Hermione asked suddenly throwing Ron for a loop.
"Um, I don't know anything," Ron said a little too quickly to pass as believable.
"Yeah right, Ron, I know you know something. Tell me." Ron didn't answer her right away, he just countered the stare down that Hermione was giving him. Finally, after was seemed like hours, he gave a short laugh of disbelief and spoke.
"You know, both you and Harry are idiots. Do you honestly not see what the rest of the world sees? What we all see as two people in love with each other you two write it off as close friendship. Why do you keep denying this?"
"Just because we may look like we're a couple in love doesn't mean that we are."
"But you are. You said so yourself."
"Ok, but unrequited love is not the same as in love." Ron sighed and leaned back in his chair, rolling his eyes. Talking to Hermione was beginning to be about as frustrating as talking to Harry.
"What is that for?" Hermione asked irritated.
"Again, Hermione, what makes you think it's unrequited?"
"I've told him how I felt. He doesn't love me back that same way."
"How long ago was that?" Hermione shrugged.
"A few months ago."
"A lot can happen in a few months, Hermione. My suggestion would be to just talk to Harry."
"I doubt it's anything-"
"You know, Hermione," Ron interrupted, "if you and Harry put half as much effort into a relationship that you put into denying your relationship, you could be together for a long time." Hermione sighed.
"Do you think maybe we could change the subject, please?"
"Sure, if you like."
"What are your plans for Christmas?"
"Well, on Christmas Day, all of us kids are going home for dinner and such. Other than that, I don't have a lot planned."
"Would you like to come spend Christmas Eve with Harry, Teddy and I? We don't have a lot planned either, just dinner I think and presents. My parents decided to go back to Australia over the holidays, so I'm not doing anything special with them, and this is Teddy's first Christmas, so it should be fun, I think. Harry is going to try and see if Andromeda will come spend Christmas with us. So if you'd like to join us you're welcome to."
"That sounds good. Do you mind if I bring a date?"
"A date, really?" Hermione asked, intrigued. "Anyone I know?"
"Yeah, you know her. She came into George's store the other day and we started talking and then went to lunch and I finally asked her out."
"Well, are you going to tell me who she is, or are you going to keep me in suspense? Before you answer, I should have you know that my wand is handy for a quick spell to turn your hair green if you don't tell me." Ron laughed.
"Ok, but don't judge me."
"No judgment," Hermione said honestly.
"It's Luna," Ron said with an almost embarrassed shrug. Hermione smiled.
"Really? That's great Ron. Luna's great."
"I know she's a little quirky, but it's kind of endearing."
"Yes, you'll never be bored with her, that's for sure. But yeah, you can bring her to dinner, that'd be no problem. As long as she doesn't think it's too weird to be spending Christmas Eve with two of her professors."
"I really don't think she'd have a problem with it. You're not doing anything for the holidays with Barrett?" Hermione shook her head, inwardly sighing for she was irritated that she and Ron had returned to that conversation.
"No, he's spending it with his family. I can't remember for sure what he said he was doing, but they were traveling, I know that."
"You don't even know where he's going?"
"No, I don't, I don't remember," Hermione snapped.
"Sorry. Alright, I'm dropping the subject."
"Thank you." As Ron finished up his meal, Hermione looked at her watch and said, "Well, I should probably get going. I still need to come up with two more presents and then make it back home. I told Harry I'd be home before supper, so if I'm going to get finished I should get going."
"Alright. What time do you want Luna and me to come over on Christmas Eve?"
"Um, whenever you want to, I suppose. Dinner will probably be at six, so any time before then."
"Alright, I'll see you then."
"Ok, see you." Hermione gathered her things and left the restaurant, almost glad to be getting out of there. She loved Ron, he was one of her best friends, but she wasn't sure how she liked his new perceptive attitude. Maybe since he and Hermione were no longer dating, he was determined to prove that the reason she broke up with him was because of Harry. Although when they had their big fight, he had been so spiteful when he accused her of breaking it off with him because she loved Harry, she expected that when he found out that Hermione did love Harry it would've caused another argument. But he'd just smiled, looking as though he was fighting very hard not to grin or burst out laughing. She was glad there hadn't been an argument, even glad that he hadn't laughed and said he'd told her so. But she didn't like how perceptive he'd gotten. It made her afraid of what he could or might be telling Harry.
But what difference did it make what Ron did tell Harry? Harry knew already, she told him a few months ago how she'd fallen in love with him and he'd done nothing. At first, she thought he would, but in the end it turned out he felt nothing of the same feelings for her. She was better off trying to work things out with Barrett.
But she didn't want to work things out with Barrett. She'd pretty much just admitted that to herself and to Ron a little bit ago. All through the last couple months she'd been dating him she'd been looking for some kind of sign that they were going somewhere. Something like a spark, some kind of chemistry of sorts. Something other than boredom. Barrett was a nice guy and everything, but it was like Ron had said: He wasn't Harry.
But what was the point of pining over someone who she knew was never going to return the feelings? She thought of how Harry had been the last few months, how he'd been charming, thoughtful, and…loving.
Hermione stopped in the middle of the street as some of the things Ron said came back to her. People around her were grumbling about the crazy lady that just stopped suddenly in the middle of the crowds as they went about their Christmas shopping.
"Why do you think it's unrequited love?"
What makes you think that you're wasting your time? What makes you think nothing will happen?"
"Ok, all I'll say is talk to Harry."
It was impossible. There was no way he loved her. Right?
A/n: Lol, ok, nasty cliffhanger of sorts, but that's what makes good stories right? So I decided to only jump ahead a couple months, it seemed to be easier considering any longer of a jump and it'd get kind of confusing. Good news, this story is almost done! I'm thinking five more chapters, give or take. But I'm not gonna make any promises, I also planned on getting this thing done before I went back to school, and here I've already been back for almost three weeks.
I need some help from you all. I'm at a total loss for what Hermione should give Barrett and Harry for Christmas. I think I know a way to get out of her giving Barrett a gift, it won't be nice, but I don't think a lot of you will mind since you've told me many times how much you don't like Barrett, lol. So I could use your suggestions! Let me know what you think!
Also, here's a list of the books and the authors of the books Hermione gives Teddy in this chapter. I don't know if you can get them in England, but I'm going to assume that you can for the purposes of this story. I highly suggest all of them, they're really good children's books!
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Corduroy by Don Freeman
A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
Did you all go see Half Blood Prince? Overall, I thought it was a pretty good movie, shipping preferences aside. And as to the shipping in the movie, it went over about as well as it did in the books, sudden and totally random. It was like, where did Ginny come from all of a sudden? And the kiss, lol, it looked exactly like Cho and Harry's kiss in the last movie. True love, isn't it? I liked the little moments between Harry and Hermione in the movie, especially since there's a really pretty song on the soundtrack called `Harry and Hermione'. It's my favorite of all the songs btw, lol. It's a melancholy kind of song, since the scene where the song is played is the part where Harry and Hermione are together after Hermione just witnessed Ron kissing Lavender. There's a pretty good fanfic that I believe is still in the making called, "It Feels Like This", that puts a different spin on that part and all the other H/Hr moments in the movie. It's by Hermione Potter, who's a pretty good writer in my opinion. But if you're a music freak like me, I suggest the soundtrack. Aside from the songs called `Ginny' and `When Ginny Kissed Harry', it's a pretty good album.
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