Shining Stars
Disclaimer: I don't Own Harry Potter.
Hi, this is sort of a sequel of 'Table for Two'. I say, sort of because you don't need to read that one to understand this ficlet, although, it would be appreciated: P
Both fics are from my table 50timesImetyou. In simple words, it's a series of ficlets that can be read separately or as sequel.
I hope you like this one. The Prompt is #New Year.
Shining Stars
Hermione.
Hermione was the first person he saw as he walked into the ball room. There were several other people there too, but her presence was the only one he noticed.
And that knowledge made him feel nervous, and excited.
They had planned to meet here, at the Ministry of Magic's Annual New Year's Eve Ball, however, it had been only that. I'll meet you there, then.
It hadn't been a real plan, or a date.
Just 'a meet you there'.
Like good friends.
Good friends.
Just friends.
Despite himself, Harry snorted at the thought. He and Hermione were anything but just friends. He wasn't sure what they were, exactly. After all, nothing had really happened, but it had been far from a 'just friends' situation for a while now.
Situation. Their situation. They could talk, have lunch, go to dinner, even a meet up in Hogsmeade- but it was only that. Just that.
The 'just that' was killing him little by little.
Harry was tired of justs, onlys and almosts.
He wanted her. No, it was more than that; he needed her. He needed her in a way he never had felt before; not even with Ginny.
Ginny.
He knew she was there too, with her bright hair and easy going attitude. However, Harry didn't feel himself looking forward to seeing her. Harry still cared about her, for sure, but was only that. She was only the mother of his children. Soon after the divorce, Harry had wondered if he would miss her.
He didn't.
The passion, the love, had been gone for a long time.
Harry heaved a sigh, shaking his head. His eyes were still fixed on Hermione. She looked amazing in a long silver dress and her curly and abundant hair held up by a hair clip in the shape of a star. More than being simply beautiful, she looked happy.
She was happy. Happily talking with Roger Davies.
And the good for nothing boring former Ravenclaw was smiling back! Indeed he even had the nerve to touch her arm!
What a prick!
It was decided: Harry had never liked Roger Davies very much anyway.
Okay, Roger was sort of handsome (for a bloke, that's it), but he was a Ravenclaw. Or had been, twenty years ago.
Whatever.
Everybody knew Ravenclaws were boring.
Humph!
"They are only talking, Uncle Harry," a familiar voice spoke behind him, causing Harry to startle.
Harry shook his head and turned around to see a blue-haired Teddy Lupin grinning, in what Harry thought, was a somewhat sly way. "Teddy!"
"They are only talking," Teddy repeated.
"Huh? What?"
Teddy rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Auntie Hermione and Roger Davies," he replied as if he was talking with a five-year old kid. "You don't need to worry about it."
Harry blushed a little, but did his best to look befuddled. "I-I don't know what are you talking about, Teddy. I-"
"Oh, please!" Teddy held up a hand, cutting Harry off. "I know you, Uncle. Maybe not as well as Auntie Hermione-" Despite himself, Harry smiled at this. "But I can see...Merlin, everybody can see it! You like Auntie Hermione!"
Harry felt himself going warm. "Of-of course I like her, she is..."
"-your best friend...yeah yeah..." Teddy mocked. "I'm not talking about this kind of like, and you know it very well!"
Harry sighed. "It's complicated."
"How?"
"You are too young, kid. You don't understand."
Teddy snorted. "Don't give me this crap about me being too young, Uncle Harry!" The young man's hair switched to a darker blue. "Yes, you can call me young; even though I'm twenty, but you have no right to say I don't understand. You have no right, Uncle Harry, to say to me that your feelings for Auntie Hermione are too complicated."
"Teddy-"
"Do you want to talk about something complicated?" Teddy asked. "What about my parents? Don't you think their love was complicated? I never knew them, but if they had thought like you are thinking now-" he paused and took a deep breath. "-I would never be here."
Harry stood there in stunned silence. He wasn't sure about how to reply, what to say to his young godson. Yes, at some point Remus had had doubts about his ability to stay with Tonks, but he had never denied the fact he loved her- and, in the end he was with her. In the end, they were together.
"Harry," Teddy continued, putting aside the Uncle title, "go for it. Give it a chance; whatever it means. It may be only lust, or caring, or something bigger. I don't know. The most painful regret is one of not doing something." He paused and brifly turned his gaze to Hermione and Roger's direction. "You look happier when you are with her." He looked back at his godfather and smiled briefly.
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Teddy," he said and he meant that. Harry smiled once again at his godson, truly proud of what kind of person the young man had become. Harry knew that even if he, the Weasleys, and Mrs Tonks had made sure to provide care and especially love to the boy, not everything was perfect. There were always those people who would think less of him just because of his father' s condition.
***
During the whole time that she was talking with Roger, Hermione could feel Harry's stare upon her. She wanted to excuse herself and go to him, hug him, embrace- even if only as a friend.
But she didn't. The proud part of herself made her stay, the part that wanted him to come to her, the part that felt slightly annoyed but excitedly flattered by the thought Harry might be feeling jealous of her talking to Roger.
And she continued her conversation with the former Ravenclaw. He was a good looking man; a decent wizard. He was smart, and his conversation was pleasant. In other times, in some other situation, Hermione could have considered giving him a chance.
However, there was Harry.
There was always Harry. When she was a kid; when she was a teenager, during her marriage.
There was always Harry.
And now, so many years after that encounter on the Hogwarts Express, there was something more.
More. Hermione mused to herself as that word came to her mind. What was this more? There were more touches, more looks, more long hugs and embraces- but that was about it.
Almost four months had passed since Harry and Ginny's divorce; she and Ron hadn't been together for more than a year and still- and still there was that shadow.
Incomprehensible, even if understandable, fear.
Fear of losing her most precious friendship; fear of failing again.
Hermione sighed, trying to focus on what Roger was saying; managing a smile now and then.
Roger was a good man.
She sighed again and her heart started to beat faster when she noticed that Harry wasn't talking with Teddy anymore and that he was walking in her direction. He passed by without stopping. Harry only looked at her; nodding almost imperceptively, and then leading in direction of the balcony. Hermione closed her eyes, biting her lower lip. Words weren't necessary.
They had never needed them anyway.
**
Outside the ball room, on the balcony, Harry grabbed the balcony railing, berating himself to not scream in frustration.
Why didn't he simply tell the bloody good- for- nothing Roger Davies to sod off?
"What if she prefers to stay with him?" he spoke aloud, looking at the sky.
"And why would I?" a soprano voice spoke behind him, and he closed his eyes, almost afraid it was only a delirium. "Harry?"
Harry turned around and faced her. She looked even more beautiful under the lights of the winter stars.
"You seemed to be having a good time with him."
"Roger is a good man."
"I have no doubt of it."
"He is charming, intelligent, good looking, but-"
Harry looked away.
"But he is not you." Hermione came closer to him and touched his face, making him look at her. "No one is you."
Harry only smiled, afraid that anything he would say could destroy his expectations.
"I'm scared, Harry," she said quietly, putting her hand down.
"Me too," he whispered back, his eyes lowering to focus on her lips, and then, leisurely, he lifted one hand to her cheek, caressing it in a light movement.Their eyes locked, and he felt his body becoming warm; her breathing unsteady.
Slowly, Harry moved his other hand and cupped the back of her neck, bringing her closer.
Closer to him.
His lips touched hers, and kissed her; tenderly, almost tentatively.
There was no going back anymore.
With a delighted pleasure, Harry felt her lips parting, allowing his tongue to sweep inside her mouth, joining hers.
They didn't know how much time had passed, only slightly aware of the fireworks exploding into the air, announcing the New Year.
It was a beginning of something that maybe, just maybe, had always been waiting to happen-the beginning of something they still couldn't explain- not even to themselves.
It didn't matter.
Not then.
It was going to be an interesting year.
Finis?
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Thanks to zebraspots05 for the beta.