A Day At The Park
Food And Conversation
Teddy Lupin was a morning person. At precisely 5:00 am the little boy's whimpers had drifted down the hall to Harry's bedroom and Harry being the ever dutiful godfather, having long attuned himself to be ready to answer Teddy's calls had rushed in to find the source of the child's discomfort. It turned out that Teddy was merely ready to start his day and fancied a bit of company with which to do so. Once he'd realized that Teddy had no plans whatsoever of going back to sleep or even sitting quietly while he dozed a bit longer Harry begrudgingly resigned himself to his fate.
Being that Kreacher was off tending to Andromeda and Hermione had made dinner the night before Harry deduced that the making of breakfast had fallen to him. As he and Teddy descended the stairs Harry was taken back to the time he Ron and Hermione spent searching for horcruxes and the times they'd been scrambling to find food and how Hermione had complained of being left to sort out the food because she was a girl. And suddenly a desire to surprise Hermione by doing something nice for her for a change overwhelmed him. Harry sat Teddy on the edge of the counter and with a wave of his wand threw open the cupboards. Harry perused the stock of ingredients Kreacher kept on hand as he ran a mental list of Hermione's favorite foods. Unsure of what she'd have a taste for Harry decided it'd be best to have an array of choices. With that bit decided he rolled up his sleeves whipped out his wand and summoning the items he needed, and looking down at Teddy said.
"Now then let's see about making some breakfast for Auntie Hermione, shall we."
As sunlight filtered into the below stairs kitchen of Grimmauld Place Harry stepped back and surveyed his and Teddy's handy work. Spread out on the table was a veritable feast of fried and scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and kippers, mushrooms, tomato, baked beans, fried potatoes, buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup, croissants and toast with marmalade and jam, fresh fruit, yogurt and porridge. Carafes of freshly squeezed orange and pumpkin juice sat on the table as well as a pot of coffee and a kettle of hot water for tea. Harry smiled to himself altogether pleased with what he'd accomplished. Just then the door of the kitchen swung open and in walked Hermione. Harry turned just in time to see the pleasantly surprised look on her face.
"Harry, what's all this?"
Before Harry could answer Teddy, who'd been sitting on the floor munching a bit of croissant he'd nicked, wrapped his arms around Hermione's legs and squeezing with all his might cooed.
"Mornin' Auntee Miney."
Hermione's gaze fell upon Teddy's upturned smiling face as she bent down and giving him a proper hug replied.
"Good morning Teddy. Did you sleep well?"
Harry remembering Teddy having risen at such an unholy hour, muttered.
"Apparently not, he was up by 5 bloody am."
Hermione who was by now standing and holding Teddy giggled.
"Andromeda's an early riser. I imagine Teddy's cottoned on to her habit."
"Bloody twisted habit if you ask me…anyways seeing that he would go back down I figured we may as well do something constructive and make you breakfast."
Hermione who'd been about to reprimand Harry for his comment about Andromeda changed tacks mid-thought and said.
"You did all this for me?"
Harry nodded.
"Considering all the thoughtful things you do for me and Teddy I figured the least we could do was cook you breakfast."
Harry's eyes had darkened and his voice had softened as he spoke. Looking at him Hermione felt a fluttering in her stomach that left her pulse racing and a crimson hue creeping up her cheeks. Averting her eyes from his she hurried over to the table and began putting Teddy in his highchair calling over her shoulder.
"Well then we should eat before the food gets cold and all your hard work goes to naught."
Harry did not respond he merely strode to the table and began filling his plate.
The remainder of breakfast was spent in a rather torpid silence that drug on until Harry noticed Teddy drifting off over what remained of his bowl of porridge. Having finished his own breakfast Harry rose from his seat and mumbled something to Hermione that she assumed was him saying he was taking Teddy up to bed. Once Harry exited the room Hermione stood as well and began clearing the table. Turning to the sink she waved her wand and a stream of fragrant soapy water filled the sink, one by one the dishes and cutlery lined themselves up to be washed. So engrossed in her cleaning was Hermione that she didn't know Harry had returned until he spoke.
"I was going to take care of that."
Hermione whirled around wide-eyed clearly startled. Harry reached out and touching her shoulder to steady her said.
"I didn't mean to fri.."
Harry's sentence was cut off as Hermione leapt away from him as if she'd been burned. For half a second he was confused over what could have possibly caused Hermione to be so skittish around him. And then he remembered their conversation from the previous evening. Raising an eyebrow he stated.
"I'm making you nervous."
Hermione hastily rejoined with an emphatic.
"Of course not…what on earth would give you that idea."
Sardonically, he replied.
"Oh just you jumping a bloody foot in the air at my touch."
Hermione opened her mouth to rebut his statement but found she lacked a plausible explaination for her behavior. In the ensuing silence Harry asked.
"Is this about last night…what I said to you?"
Turning her attention back to the washing up so that Harry wouldn't see the lie in her eyes Hermione answered.
"Its not about last night at all. I know you didn't mean what you said. I mean honestly we drank a bottle of meade and a bottle of wine between us…we were good and tipsy at the least…it's a wonder we even remember last night…"
Hermione was once again startled when Harry whirled her around and her gaze met his, her pulse quickened and yet again she felt that fluttering inside her stomach as Harry said.
"We were no more tipsy last night than we are right now and I meant every sodding word I said to you…I love you…and not just as a friend…"
Hermione interposed vehemently.
"What about Ginny? You're in love with her. You have been since sixth year! Every since you two got together she's been everything to you…you honestly expect me to believe that's all changed now because of something your cousin thinks he saw the one time he's seen us together!"
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Ginny's been a very important part of my life and I did love her…even now knowing that what I feel for you is more than what I'd thought it was before a part of me still loves Ginny…but I'm not in love with her."
Harry paused and let out another breath. He stared at the floor for several seconds that seemed like minutes before he spoke again.
"Four years is a long time. People change. They grow up; they start to find out who they are and what they want to do with the rest of their lives. And some relationships no matter how badly we want them to work just don't fit into the new lives we create for ourselves. That's Ginny and me…we've both changed so much since Hogwarts. We're different people now than we were then and we want vastly different things. Things haven't been good between us for quite some time now…seems we're always rowing about one thing or another…but you know all about that I'm sure."
Harry paused and stared at Hermione pointedly. She was indeed aware that Harry and Ginny had been having problems for nearly a year now. She'd lost count of the times Ginny'd turned up at her flat in tears over her latest disagreement with Harry, last time being about three weeks ago. Seeing that his presumption was correct Harry plowed on.
"Its been obvious for a while that we just aren't meant to be but…I didn't want to hurt Ginny or Ron or any of the Weasleys really, they've all been so good to me…sacrificed so much for me that I felt like I owed them something in return…"
Hermione cut in.
"Harry you don't owe…"
Raising his hands in an appeasing gesture Harry overrode Hermione's interruption.
"I know now that the only person I owe anything to is myself and that's why I've decided to call things off with Ginny."
Hermione's eyes widened and she whispered in shock.
"You're breaking up with Ginny."
Harry nodded. Hermione chewed her lip for a bit then asked cautiously.
"This doesn't have anything to do with…with you thinking you have feelings for me does it?"
For the first time since the conversation began Harry's lips curved into something of a smile as he replied.
"I really do have feelings for you Hermione whether you want to believe that or not…but no I'm not ending things with Ginny because of that. We've been miserable for nearly a year now, Gin and me…its time that stopped."
Harry fell silent and all Hermione could do was nod her head in understanding. They stood that way for a moment or two each lost in their own thoughts when suddenly the door to the kitchen swung open and the voice of Ginny Weasley filled the silence blanketing them as if their prior words had summoned her to them.
"Hmmm…something smells absolutely delicious…Harry, sweetie, where are…oh there you are. Hello Hermione, I didn't know you were here?
Hermione forced a smile and returned Ginny's greeting.
Hello Ginny, how are you?"
Ginny's reply was a quizzical and clipped "Fine". Hermione sensed Ginny's uneasiness as she realized that she and Harry must look odd standing huddled by the sink staring at each other as they were. Hermione was about to offer an explanation when a loud thumping crash reverberated from above. Guessing that a certain little wizard was awake Hermione excused herself by saying.
"Sounds like Teddy's morning kip is over. I'll just go up and check on him shall I."
Not waiting for a reply Hermione hurried out the door. As Harry watched her go Ginny said.
"Teddy's still here?"
Harry nodded and added perfunctorily.
"Andromeda's got a nasty case of Hungarian Dragon Flu, Teddy's staying here until she's feeling fit again and Hermione's been staying over to help out."
Ginny nodded absently and plucked a strawberry from the plate of fruit that was still sitting on the kitchen table. Licking the sticky juice from her fingers and began.
"I stopped by the ministry and they said you were off for a few days, I was a bit shocked you hadn't said anything but…"
Harry interjected.
"I did say…Sunday at the Burrow…"
Ginny waved a hand dismissively and exclaimed.
"Oh yes well I must of forgotten. Anyway I was hoping we could spend the day together as we haven't done that in ages, just had a full day with only you and me. But I reckon we'd have to take Teddy seeing as he's staying with you still…unless Hermione wouldn't mind…"
Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he raised his voice and came out with.
"Ginny I don't think we should see each other anymore."
Blinking hard with a sincerely confused expression covering her pretty face Ginny frowned and asked.
"What?"
Drawing himself up to his full height Harry repeated his words from a few seconds before.
"I said I don't think we should see each other anymore."
Ginny's frowned deepened.
"Why in the name of Merlin would you say something like tha?"
Harry responded
"This…"
He gestured back and forth between himself and Ginny.
"This relationship just isn't working…"
Ginny cut in.
"Not working…what do you mean not working?"
Harry sighed.
"I mean its not working. Things haven't been right between us for ages…you just said we barely spend anytime together and when we do we're usually rowing about something…"
"Oh honestly Harry so we've both been busy lately with work and things and an argument or two is not rowing all that much!"
Harry let out an audibly frustrated sigh.
"Ginny its more than that and you know it. Perfect example you just said I didn't mention having time off when I announced it Sunday over dinner that Andromeda was sick and that Teddy'd be staying with me until she was better…"
Ginny cut in again.
"Bloody hell I forget one damn thing you say and suddenly you want to break off with me…"
This time it was Harry who cut in.
"I'm not saying that I want to break off with you because of that one incident but Merlin Ginny everything has changed…we've changed…we're not the same people we used to be…we want different things now…we're in completely different places in our lives. We barely talk anymore and we sure as hell don't listen to what the other is saying. We're miserable together and I for one am sick of pretending that everything's alright when I know it isn't! You deserve better than that Ginny…we both do."
Harry finished off and stared directly into Ginny's eyes. She stared back relentlessly and asked in a quiet voice?
"Is there someone else?"
Harry had known somehow that she was going to ask that question from the moment their eyes met. Perhaps if it had been someone else he'd have lied but after all they had been to each other Harry felt he owed Ginny the truth.
"If you're asking if I've been seeing someone else behind you're back the answer's no...but there is someone I've begun to have feelings for."
Ginny offered up a stunned expression at Harry's revelation, tears welled up in her eyes as a whispered "Oh" erupted from her throat in a strangled whisper. Harry hating the look of pain on her face added.
"I'm sorry Ginny I truly am. I never wanted to hurt you…and I'd give anything not to have to hurt you now but I…I think its better if we're honest with ourselves…and if we truly are…you know that this is the best thing for both of us."
Ginny bobbed her head up and down as if she were in agreement with what Harry was saying, though it was evident for the tears standing in her eyes that she wasn't. Quickly she rose from her chair toppling it over in the process. Harry made to grab for her to offer her some sort of comfort but she jerked away from him much like Hermione had earlier and raced out the kitchen door. Harry started to go after her but stopped abruptly, he doubted he'd be much comfort considering he was the reason for her pain. He heard what sounded like a sob a second before he heard the front door slam.
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