Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Um, okay then. Here is your Valentine's gift from me! *grin* I'm not particularly thrilled with this chapter, but I felt like I would go crazy if I picked at it any more. I actually cut out this huge chunk of scene which I kind of wish I hadn't but oh well. Oh! VERY IMPORTANT: I am well aware that this has, by and large, not been a "happy" story. I'm quite sorry about that, but truthfully, I didn't want all sunshine and daisies. It's meant to be long, and Harry and Hermione are meant to have all these trials and tribulations. Yes, it is H/Hr. Obviously. I know that Harry seems to be "attached" to all these different girls, but honestly, he's not. Anyways. Enjoy!

A/N: Famous movie quote in this one! Bonus points to whoever catches it!! :)

Here By Me

I hope you're doing fine out there without me
`Cause I'm not doing so good without you
The things I thought you'd never know about me
Were the things I guess you always understood

And everything I had in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

Here By Me- 3 Doors Down

o-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

Andrea sat chewing her fingernails nervously. Harry was late. Very late. She glanced at Hermione periodically, staring at the clock.

"Harry's been gone quite a bit, hasn't he?" Hermione said after around twenty minutes of Andy's staring, "I didn't think it would take him this long to get food."

"Ah," Andy said uncomfortably. The truth was Harry had gone to the Weasley's before getting food to tell them about the tip, "Well…he mentioned something about an errand."

Hermione frowned, but kept writing.

"Oh?" she said.

Andy felt nervous.

"Yeah…yeah he didn't…I mean…I didn't ask…" She said lamely.

Hermione nodded slowly.

Andy pulled a book off the side table and started reading it. Anything, anything to do at all, was better than staring at Hermione while she lied to her.

Therefore, it took her a bit to realize that Hermione had stopped writing and was staring at her.

"Um…are you okay?" Andy asked.

"I have a question," Hermione said matter-of-factly, "When Harry and I went to Diagon Alley that day….did anything happen? Is there….is there something he's keeping from me? Only, its just I get the oddest feeling that I'm being started at…watched…constantly….all the time at work, on the streets, everywhere. I've wracked my brain over everything I've done recently, and I can't think of anything that would have people staring."

Oh shit.

Andy was really, very uncomfortable. This is a Harry conversation. Andy doesn't do the lying thing. Nope. Not Andy. That's Harry's forte.

"N-nothing at all?" She said, hating herself for what she was implying.

Hermione furrowed her brow a bit.

"No."

"Are…there's…I mean surely…the thing with….with…." Andy trailed off.

Hermione seemed to understand where Andy was going.

"With Ron?" She said heavily, "I was afraid of that."

Andy swallowed.

"Or, you know, it could be something else." She said quickly.

Hermione shook her head sadly.

"No, it makes sense. It is bound to look odd, I suppose. I mean, Ron goes missing and now you see me walking `round with Harry everywhere…I just really didn't want to think that was why."

Andy felt relieved. She hadn't really lied. The thing with Ron had led to the thing with the Weasleys, which was quite probably why everyone was staring.

"Well," she said, "I suppose with things like that, we never really want to think that it's real…that we're being judged because we're happy." Hermione said sadly.

Andy felt pity for Hermione. She hadn't felt that for her before. She'd felt anger, when Harry had told her about her in America, and indifference when they first met, and slowly, friendship, and now she pitied her. She didn't deserve this, Harry didn't deserve this.

"I am really, so, very sorry." She said quietly, but before she could say anything else, Harry chose that moment to pop in with food.

"Dinner, anyone?" He asked, smiling…a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Andy saw it, and she knew Hermione did too.

"I'm starved, honestly, Harry, how long does it take to get food?" Any said playfully, helping him put food on plates.

Harry grinned.

"Well, you know, it was the normal old mob scene. I foolishly thought I wouldn't be recognized, but alas, I was wrong."

Hermione laughed as she reached for a plate.

"Ohh, poor baby." She said.

Andy ate quietly, feeling a bit out of place. Harry and Hermione included her in their conversations, but she felt a bit alone.

"Oliver wants me to come over tonight." She said, when the plates had been cleared, "I think we're going to watch a movie."

Hermione smiled.

"That sounds like fun." She said.

Andy nodded.

"Yeah. Well, since I can't just pop around places yet, I think I'll be going now, so that I won't be getting there late."

Harry stood up from the couch.

"Do you want a lift?" He asked.

"No, really, I'll just walk. You stay here with Hermione, oh and don't wait up."

"Bye." They said, watching her leave.

Harry pulled Hermione close to him and she put her head on his shoulder as he turned on the TV.

"People stare, you know." She said after a while.

"Beg pardon?" Harry asked.

"At me. People stare at me. All the time. I think we look suspicious…because of Ron disappearing."

Harry kissed her head.

"Let them stare. It's the publicity, sweetheart. It makes us seem unusual."

Hermione frowned.

"You know, I always thought that even though you can be as famous as anything, you were still just a boy, and I was still just a girl, wanting you to love me." She said. "That's all changed now, hasn't it? I mean…are we doing the right thing?"

Harry was quiet for a moment.

"Yes," He said softly, sitting up. "It has changed. I've changed, you've changed, but the way I feel about you hasn't changed."

Hermione sat up as well.

"And that would be…?" she asked.

Harry sighed.

"Oh, `Mione…what do I need to do to make you see? I love you so, so, much. I know I'm not the best guy to be in love with. I'm messy, and clumsy, and horridly famous so that our private lives aren't private, and I'm damaged and scary at times, and just a complete and utter mess of a human being that I know makes you cry at times, but I do love you. I know it isn't enough, but I wish to God that it were. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I feel every single moment that I'm with you, that I don't deserve you. You gave up everything, always, to be with me, to comfort me and keep me sane, and I took and took, and I haven't been nearly as giving. I scared you half to death just by telling you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you when we were only seventeen, and here we are, a year later and I'm begging you to think about us…do I make you happy? Am I really what you want? If I'm not, then please, just…tell me…I'll change…"

"No," Hermione shook her head violently, and placed her hands on his face, "No, I don't w-want you to change…don't change," She said, sobbing slightly, "God, I'm such a horrid person! I screw everything up, all the time! Harry, please, you talk about me keeping you sane, but it was you that kept me sane! When we weren't together, that time at Hogwarts, I thought about you always…every moment. I would be with Ron, and think of you. He kissed me and I imagined you kissing me. He talked to me and I found myself thinking of you…I would look at his face…and imagine you. I wanted you to be happy, so I let you alone. I figured you loved Ginny, and that was why you stayed away from me…after all…who needs a bookworm friend when they've got the most popular girl at Hogwarts for a girlfriend? But I needed you! I wanted to be with you, so badly, that when you told me how you felt…I thought I was dreaming…I was so sure that I'd gone completely insane. I snuck around with you, and I hurt a lot of people, but I would do it over in a heartbeat, I really would. I don't want you to change, Harry. I like you damaged, and scary, and I love the mess that you are. Please, don't ever change." She said.

Harry was alarmed at how she'd taken his words.

"I won't change, sweetheart," He said softly, taking her hands and holding them, "If you never leave me, I won't change."

Hermione nodded shakily.

"I'll never leave." She whispered.

Harry looked at her intently for a moment.

"Do you promise?" He asked.

"I promise." Hermione said sincerely.

Harry sat there for a moment.

"Okay," He said, thinking to himself, "Okay…right…well…I kind of thought I'd wait a bit, but it feels right. I've had this a while."

Hermione watched as he stood up and rummaged around for his wand. He withdrew it and closed his eyes. Within a second, a little parcel was flying to him from the direction of his bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked slowly, having a small idea of what was going on.

Harry grinned at her briefly and unwrapped the parcel.

It was, just as Hermione had expected, a ring.

"I erm…this might look a bit familiar to you," He said.

"You kept it." She said.

"I did."

Hermione nodded faintly. Her heart was pounding and blood was rushing in her ears, and she was utterly terrified.

"Although," Harry said, getting down on a knee and leaning forward till he was almost face to face with her, "You never actually got the chance to put it on, did you?"

Hermione shook her head, her eyes closed…she could feel his breath on her neck, and it was making her crazy.

"Well," Harry said, lifting her chin and making her look him straight in the eye, "I'm giving you that chance. Will you wear my ring, Hermione? Will you tell the whole world that you're mine? Will you marry me?"

Hermione seemed to stop breathing as she looked at his eyes. Yes. She thought, Oh, God, yes. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Hermione?" He said, looking worried.

Hermione smiled.

"Yes." She said.

Harry looked absolutely ecstatic. He stood up and swept her to her feet and kissed her. She laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder as he gently slid the ring onto her finger.

"I love you so much." She whispered.

"I-"

There was a knock at the door.

Harry turned around, looking confused.

"Who would that be?" he mumbled, and let go of her to open the door.

"Who is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, coming over to see him.

"It's Ginny." Ginny said, stepping inside the apartment, unasked.

Harry stepped back in shock.

"Wh-why?" he said, looking like he'd been hit in the face.

"Do I need an excuse to see you?" She asked sharply.

Harry looked at Hermione nervously.

"Erm…yeah…I kinda thought that you know, since the whole erm thing with erm Ron that you um…weren't so inclined to just drop by."

"Well you thought wrong." Ginny said.

Hermione stared at her. Something was wrong, Ginny was acting very oddly.

"So…are you okay?" Harry asked, as Ginny walked idly around the room.

Hermione's breath caught when she picked up the box the ring had been in.

Ginny stared at it for a minute then started tossing it up in the air and catching it while looking around the room.

Harry's eyes were following the ring box…up and down…up and down.

"Erm, would you not do that?" He asked.

Ginny stopped and looked at him disdainfully.

"If it bothers you." She said smugly.

"It does." Harry said.

Ginny shrugged and continued to walk around, looking at various items.

Hermione felt nervous, and she found herself clutching her left hand, hiding her ring.

Harry noticed and she quickly let go of her hand when she saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Ginny shouldn't you be in school?" Harry asked.

Ginny turned to look at him slowly, and didn't answer right away. She kept staring from him to Hermione.

"Should I?" She said carelessly, "Lessons are over for today. I just thought you know…I'd come and see how the traitors are doing."

Harry was beside her in an instant, clutching her arm and guiding her to the door.

"Go back to school, Ginny, and don't come back until you feel like you can stop acting like a spoiled brat." He spat and pushed her out the door.

It slammed behind her leaving a deathly silence in her wake.

Harry turned dazedly to look at Hermione.

"What," He asked, "In the name of Merlin was that about?"

For once, Hermione didn't have an answer.

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A/N: Yay. Or not. Idk. I find it hard to "fix" this story....I really kind of like it the way it is and am at a loss as to how to lengthen it without encroaching on other chapters...but it's whatever. Hope you liked it, I know you're ecstatic that I'm updating quickly again *grin*, and REVIEW!! ;) Oh, and did you find the quote?

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