Chapter 18 - Crossroads
Over the following week, Harry and Hermione were busy and preoccupied with their own lives. They barely saw each other, except for a brief wave when they happened to take out the trash at the same time or when Harry spotted her having lunch with colleagues in the Ministry cafeteria.
Harry was busy at work catching up on the latest developments with Voldemort Youth, since he no longer had Ron to support him. Ron had owled him to let him know that he was resigning from his post and working full time at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
He was also preparing for his upcoming court date. Due to the prominence of the case, Anthony was able to secure an initial hearing during the third week in October. That didn't give them much time to prepare, so Harry spent a couple of evenings having dinner with Anthony and his legal team strategizing.
Meanwhile, Hermione was extremely busy with her transition at work during the day and at night dined with some of her new colleagues in the IWR, so she could prepare for her upcoming goodwill tour. Hermione finally got her itinerary - she would be visiting ten countries in four weeks. She noticed that Bulgaria was on her list and thought of Viktor Krum.
He had kept in touch with her after the war, although she hadn't actually seen him since Bill and Fleur's wedding. She knew he had retired from the professional circuit and had gotten married to a fellow Quidditch player a few years back. It had been a couple of years since she had heard from him so she decided to write and let him know that she was going to be in the country. Perhaps they could find time for dinner to catch up and she could meet his family.
Hermione was thankful for her busy schedule, as it proved to be a distraction from dwelling on her feelings for Harry. But at night, in her dreams, she continued to long for him and often dreamt of flying with him.
This time she was in the driver's seat with Harry flush against her back and his head overlooking her shoulder. One arm was around her waist and his other arm was outstretched over hers, gently guiding her with his hand. Occasionally he would nibble on her ear or whisper what he'd like to do to her if they weren't up in the air. Hermione would scold him for distracting her but she secretly loved the erotic feelings that coursed through her as they flew.
When she woke up, she realized that her mother was right, there was no such thing as an innocent broom ride between a witch and a wizard.
Meanwhile, Harry's dreams were much more explicit. He also dreamt of taking her up on his broom again, but they didn't stay up there too long. They usually wound up landing in a secluded area to shag each others brains out, as Hermione had eloquently put it.
When Harry woke up, he knew that he couldn't let her go on her trip without spending time with her again. He wasn't sure if he should announce his intentions yet, but he just needed to see her, awkwardness be damned.
When the weekend finally came, Harry sent Hermione an owl. Yes, it was silly, and he could've just knocked on her door, but he wanted to somehow formalize his invitation.
Hermione,
I know you are very busy preparing for your trip, but I think you need to take a break and have dinner with me to celebrate your new job.
I will prepare the meal and all you have to do is show up at my house 6PM tomorrow evening.
Please return this note to RSVP.
Harry
Hermione smiled when she read the note as she stroked his owl. Her name was Hedwig II, named after Harry's beloved owl that died in the war. He was right as she definitely needed a break after the non-stop activity from the week. She did want to see Harry before she left to get a temperature reading on their relationship. And she missed him.
She parsed the note for subtext to see if she could read his intentions. He said he wanted to cook her dinner which could mean romance. But the take a break part sounded like he just he just wanted to have dinner with his best friend before she embarked on her journey. Was he deliberately mixing his messages or was he not sure himself? Her mother had told her that Harry was probably confused about his feelings and this note just confirmed that.
She turned over the parchment and wrote a reply.
Harry,
I would love to have dinner with you to celebrate my new job.
Looking forward to it,
Hermione
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Late Sunday afternoon, Hermione stared at her closet, wondering what she should wear to dinner. She had just finished packing, more or less, for her trip; she was due to leave the following morning.
Her closet was pretty empty and she noticed a dark red, long sleeved silk wrap dress that she had bought on a shopping trip with her mother last year. Elizabeth had encouraged her to buy it for a special occasion but Hermione hadn't worn it yet. She tried it on and decided that she might as well wear it tonight, as this was as close to a special occasion as she was going to get. It showed off her figure nicely but it was demure enough for her to feel comfortable.
An hour later, after showering and styling her hair, Hermione got dressed and added a pair of two inch heeled Mary Jane style shoes. She also put on a little make-up, something she usually skipped.
Meanwhile, Harry was putting the finishing touches on his dinner preparations. He made one of Hermione's favorite meals, chicken paillard with roasted potatoes and a side salad. He also made rice pudding, which was one of her favorite desserts.
He had also dressed up a little. He was wearing a pair of tailored black trousers and a maroon button down shirt, protected by one of Ginny's aprons. He had enjoyed cooking dinner and being able to take over the kitchen with nobody bothering him.
He looked at his watch and it was almost six-o'clock. Harry took off the apron and he quickly dashed into the bathroom to wash his hands. He looked at his reflection, removed his glasses and splashed a little cold water on his face. As he put the glasses back on, he realized how nervous he was. There was a knock on the back door and Harry took a deep breath. It's fine, everything will be fine, you're just having a meal with your best friend, he reminded himself.
He approached the back door and opened it up to find himself face to face with Hermione who smiled a bit nervously at him.
"Hi, Harry. I hope you don't mind me using the back door, I was hoping to avoid the paparazzi camped across the street."
"They're still out there?" Harry asked. "I thought they gave up days ago."
"Well, I thought it'd be safer this way."
Harry was transfixed by Hermione. She looked beautiful in her red dress, sleek curls and she wore a shade of lipstick that matched her dress.
"May I come in?" Hermione asked, blushing slightly. She could tell he was staring at her.
`Oh, of course." Harry said sheepishly as he stepped away from the door to let her in.
"It smells delicious in here." Hermione said, looking around the kitchen.
"Thanks, I made one of your favorites - chicken paillard."
"Sounds perfect." She smiled at him and Harry's heart sped up.
"You look nice." She said gesturing at his outfit.
"Oh, this old thing?" Harry smirked. "You look nice too. I've never seen that dress before."
"Oh, this old thing?" Hermione laughed. "This is something that my mum encouraged me to buy but I've never worn it before."
"Well, I'm glad you decided to wear it tonight. You look pretty."
Hermione felt her cheeks grow hot. In all the years she had known him, this was the first time he had ever complimented her like that.
Hermione looked down at her dress shyly. "Thanks, Harry."
Harry cleared his throat. "Um, dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so why don't you sit down and I'll get you a drink. I know you don't really drink, so I've made some herbal iced tea. But if you don't mind, I'm going to have a glass of wine."
"You can get me a glass of wine, too. I'm celebrating tonight."
"Is Pino Grigio okay?" Harry asked as he went to the liquor cabinet.
"Sounds good, thanks." Hermione said as she sat on the sofa.
Harry retrieved two wine glasses and the bottle, setting them on a tray. He placed the tray on the coffee table in front of Hermione and uncorked the wine. He filled the glasses and then handed one to her and took the other and sat on the couch, a couple of feet away.
"So shall we make a toast?" Harry suggested.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'd like to make a toast to….new beginnings."
"To new beginnings." Harry repeated and he clinked his glass against hers, their eyes meeting.
Hermione sipped her drink and felt a warmth run through her; she couldn't tell if it was the wine or something else. Harry also felt the warmth and the wine seemed to calm his nerves a bit.
"I'm going to check on the food. It should be nearly done." He got off the couch and went into the kitchen.
"Do you need any help?" Hermione called.
"No thanks. You are my guest tonight. Why don't you go sit at the table and I'll serve you in a minute."
Hermione did as she was told, and brought her glass and the bottle of wine to the table. There were only two chairs set up, one at the head and the other to the left, which is where she sat. Harry had gotten out the nice china and she noticed that there were two lit candles in the middle of the table, giving the room a nice glow.
Once Harry served the food, they started to eat and caught each other up on the developments of the week. Hermione filled Harry in on her trip to Hogwarts and in turn he told her about his trip to the Burrow to see Lily and his visit from James.
"Harry, you were very lucky that Ginny didn't catch you with Lily."
"I know - that's why I wore the cloak."
"But you took such a risk."
"Well after seeing the rubbish The Daily Prophet was printing about me, I wanted to see my kids to make sure that Ginny wasn't trying to turn them against me. And I just missed seeing them. If you were me, what would you have done?" He implored.
Hermione sighed when she saw the pain in his eyes.
"I probably would've done the same thing. I'm so glad Ron isn't pulling anything like that."
"You're lucky. Hermione, I'm thinking about filing for sole custody of the kids."
"Really?" Hermione said in surprise.
"Well after the stunt that Ginny pulled, I think I should show her that I'm not going to let her walk all over me."
"What about joint custody? I don't think a child should have exposure to only one parent, unless of course, the other parent is unfit."
"So you disagree with me?"
"Harry, I just think you should think about the kids and what they need. I know what Ginny is doing is wrong but I think you will be stooping to her level by filing for sole custody. She may spoil the kids from time to time but she's not a bad mother. I think the kids need her as much as they need you."
Harry considered her words. "You're probably right. But don't you think she's a bad mother for keeping her kids from their dad? I just want to find a way to teach her a lesson, so she'll know that she can't get away with this."
Hermione shook her head. "Well, have you asked Anthony for his advice?"
"Yes, we've been strategizing all week. One of the lawyers on his team believes in the idea of filing for sole custody. He thinks it will send a message to the judge and Ginny that I'm serious about my role as a father. Anthony thinks that the judge probably won't go for it, as fathers rarely get sole custody. Realistically, I will probably get joint custody."
"So, why not just file for joint legal custody? I've spoken with my lawyer and that is what we're planning to do with Rose and Hugo. In that case, Ron and I share the right to make long-term decisions about their upbringing and welfare, but they will technically live with me and stay with Ron one month out of the summer."
"It would be great if the kids could live with me." Harry sighed wistfully. "Anyway, Anthony will help me figure it out. I can't believe the hearing is so soon."
"And I won't be here for it." Hermione said sadly. "Harry, you will owl me and let me know what happens?"
"Sure." He looked at their empty plates. So much for his candlelit dinner; instead it played more like his working sessions with Goldstein Associates.
"So are you ready for dessert? I made rice pudding."
"From scratch?" Hermione asked.
"Yes of course, what else?" Harry said, winking at her as he took her plate away.
A minute later, he returned with two small glass bowls of rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon on top.
Hermione tasted the pudding. "Oh, Harry, this is the best rice pudding I've ever tasted, it's so smooth!"
"Thanks." Harry said, pleased that she liked it. "So, tell me more about your trip, what countries are you visiting?"
"Well, let's see. I'm going first to America, then Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria."
"Wow, that's a lot of countries to visit in four weeks - talk about a whirlwind tour." Harry laughed. "Did you say you were visiting Bulgaria?"
"Yes." Hermione nodded, having a feeling what was coming next.
"Are you going to visit a certain former international Quidditch star while you are there?"
"If you are talking about Viktor Krum, then yes." Hermione asked, wondering if his curiosity was just friendly.
"You are? When was the last time you saw him?"
"Years ago, I think it was at Bill and Fleur's wedding. But we've kept in touch over the years. I just received an owl from him yesterday. It turns out that he is recently widowed, his wife died in an accident two years ago. He has a young son named Alexander that he is raising by himself."
"So he is single?" Harry asked casually.
"Yes, I believe he is." Hermione smirked. "Why? Do you fancy him?"
"Ha, ha, very funny, Hermione," he smirked back. "No, I guess the question is - do you?"
Hermione felt herself blush. "I don't know. I'll guess I'll know when I see him, to see if there's still some spark."
Harry's smirk disappeared. "Oh." He paused. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what did happen between you two after the Yule Ball?"
"Harry, that was years ago, I barely remember." Hermione said coyly.
"Well, if he was your first snog, I'd hope you'd still remember. Was it that bad that you blocked it out?" Harry said irritably.
"First snog? Where did you get that idea?" Hermione asked, also getting irritated.
"Ginny," Harry said. "She told Ron and me during sixth year that you had snogged him."
"And you believed her."
"What's so hard to believe, Hermione? Viktor was quite taken with you, if I remember correctly."
"I did not snog Krum!" Hermione said, exasperatedly. "I liked him and the attention he paid me, but he was a perfect gentleman."
"Was he? He didn't seem like a perfect gentleman at Bill and Fleur's wedding. I remember he was leering at you and Ginny!"
"Harry, that was twenty years ago! He's a widowed father now and I doubt he spends his time leering at witches! Why does it matter to you anyway? I'm just going to have dinner with him and his son. I'm not planning to move to Bulgaria and marry him!"
"Well, that's good." Harry said in relief.
"Why is that good?" Hermione asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Um, well, I just don't want you to, erm, move to Bulgaria." Harry stammered.
Hermione was amused by his reaction and reached over, taking Harry's hand in hers.
"Harry, I have no intention of moving to Bulgaria or any place else. I took this job because I want to travel, but there's no feeling like coming home. And England is my home."
Harry felt silly for letting his jealousy over Krum get the best of him and having Hermione have to assure him like he was a petulant child.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry said, enjoying the feeling of her touch. "I guess I'm just feeling protective of you."
"It's only four weeks, Harry. She sighed. "I'll be back before you know it."
Hermione then let go of his hand and they finished their pudding in silence.
"Do you want more wine?" Harry asked, clearing his throat. "I have another bottle."
Hermione shook her head. "Um, no thanks. I think I've had enough. My head is buzzing." She smiled at him.
"The food was amazing, Harry. Thanks so much for taking the time to cook for me."
"It was my pleasure." Harry said, and was about to place his hand over hers but she pulled away.
Hermione felt suddenly nervous. With her head buzzing from the wine, the candlelight dinner and Harry's jealous outburst over Krum, she could tell that the line between friends and lovers was beginning to blur. To fantasize about him in her dreams was one thing, but in reality it seemed like Harry was already staking his claim. And she had barely separated from Ron two weeks ago.
"Um, I think I should be going, Harry. I have a big day tomorrow and I need to get to bed early."
Harry looked at his watch. It was only eight-thirty. "Sure, I understand."
Hermione got up from the table and started to head towards the kitchen door. Harry followed.
Once they reached the door, Hermione turned around and to face him. His sad expression reminded her of the innocent little boy she met on the Hogwarts Express. Her heart melted every time he pulled that face.
She put her arms around him and Harry followed suit, holding her close. They just stood there, embracing for a few moments.
Harry pulled back to look at her. "I'm going to miss you, Hermione." He said in a low voice.
She looked up at him, and found herself lost in his green gaze. "I'll miss you, too."
Perhaps it was the wine, or the way she was looking at him, but Harry ignored the little voice in his head that said it's too soon, don't do it…and he lowered his lips to hers.
Alarm bells went off in Hermione's head but she was riveted to the spot as Harry kissed her. She felt swept away as his tongue parted her lips; he tasted like wine and rice pudding and something else she couldn't identify. But whatever it was, it was delicious.
All too soon they parted for need of oxygen. Harry let go of her, and the reality of what he had just done hit him.
"Hermione…I'm sorry." He blurted out. "I just wanted to give you a good-bye kiss, I didn't mean for….
Hermione nodded, looking flustered. "I know. I know, it's okay, Harry really. I've got to go."
And before he knew it, she was out the door, out of his life for a month. Harry ran his fingers through his hair and groaned in frustration. What had he done?
TBC
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