Ace of Hearts
Chapter 14
Harry roughly rubbed the wetness from his face scowling; he had no right to be upset; over what? He couldn't make her want him; he couldn't make the Weasleys his real family and he couldn't make any of them love him. The only thing he could do was get some rest so that he was ready for work tomorrow. He had to go on as if nothing had happened, move on with his life... he tired for happiness and in the end; he was just unworthy of it.
Sitting up, Harry retrieved his wand off the table, then lying back down he pointed it at his chest and said a small incantation. His hand immediately fell to his chest, still clutching his wand, as he was shut off from the world now entrapped in a deep dreamless sleep.
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"Harry! Harry!" he felt himself being shaken "Come on Harry, wake up!"
Harry groggily opened his eyes, rubbing them in an attempt to help adjust to the light that was now flooding the living room. Then, reaching above his head to the end table placed next to the couch, he retrieved his glasses and put them on. Once he could see clearly again the relieved face of Neville standing over him came into sharp focus.
"Geez, it's about time, I was getting worried," he said, holding out a glass of juice for Harry to take. "What did you do, knock yourself out?" Neville asked as Harry took the glass from his care. Then, without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked back into the kitchen.
"You have to be to work in about thirty minutes," he called out "I tried to wake you up sooner, but you were like the dead… in fact you had me a little worried for a moment." This comment was followed by a nervous laugh.
"Sorry, and thanks for waking me," Harry said, getting slowly up from the couch. After taking a moment to stretch, he then picked up the blanket that he had used and folded it neatly, placing it on the foot of the couch. Just like he had done every morning for the last three days…
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After the fight with Hermione he had stormed out of his flat his emotions in a jumbled mixture of hurt and rage. Once he reached the street he just started walking, his thoughts were so hectic that he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. After walking the deserted streets for over an hour Harry finally took note of how late it was, casting a look around he tried to figure out where he was and where he could go… because he knew he couldn't go back.
Harry briefly considered checking into a hotel, but he knew that it just wasn't possible, not with his status. Sure, he did a pretty good job of staying under the media radar (probably because he never did anything good) but some things would not be able to stay hidden. Harry sighed; no one would ever know how much he hated being "The Famous Harry Potter", the earning of the title alone had cost him almost everything he cared about. It cost his family, it cost his childhood, it cost several of his friends in the war, and even with Voldemort finally defeated it continued to cost him, this time it was his privacy. He groaned briefly closing his eyes; he could just envision the Daily Prophet's article now:
'Harry Potter Checks In, and His Heart Checks Out!'
The famous hero to the wizarding world Harry Potter was seen checking into a hotel last night in the early morning hours. Leaving everyone puzzled as to just why he would spend money on a hotel, when he has a flat right in town?
"Yes, he came in at around two or three in the morning looking extremely disheveled," the night clerk Penelope Merryweather said shaking her head sympathetically. "Poor dear, he looked a dreadful mess... it must have been something horrible that happened at home."
Harry Potter's home is a flat that he shares with his two best mates from his Hogwarts years; Mr. Ronald Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger fought at his side during the final battle and were actually present at the defeat of he-who-must-not-be-named. Though Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger have been a couple since just before that fateful battle in which our hero single handedly defeated the most powerful dark wizard of our time. You may recall that Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter (before her unfortunate mental breakdown) had dutifully informed everyone about a secret relationship between our savior Harry and the muggle born Ms. Granger. Though the two have always denied any romantic connection, this reporter has learned that Mr. Ronald Weasley was gone last night to training camp for the Chudley Cannons and the two were in fact alone in the flat when Harry left disheveled and heartbroken in the wee morning hours. Could it be that Ms. Granger's insatiable need for Quidditch players has broken our hero's heart once again; just as it had when she tossed him aside during the Tri-wizard tournament for Bulgarian seeker Viktor Krum?
Harry shuddered at the thought; breaking out of his reverie he looked around, trying to figure out just where he was at. It was at that point that he realized that he was down the street from Neville's, jogging up the few blocks he reached the landing of Neville's flat. Locating his friends name on the list Harry then pressed the button to ring up. Sure he felt bad for waking his friend up three o'clock in the morning to ask to crash at his place at such a horrible hour, but the alternative was unthinkable. He groaned at the thought of an article being written about tonight, as if he needed that added to his misery. Not to mention the questions from his friends that would follow about why he had chosen to stay in the hotel in the first place. He let out the breath that he had been holding, when he heard the click of Neville picking up after his third ring.
"Hullo?" Harry heard him say sleepily over the intercom.
"Hey Neville, it's Harry... umm, sorry to ring so late, but can I come up?"
"Harry?... Uh, yeah, sure," he said sounding a bit more awake, and a lot more surprised.
A moment later, Harry heard the buzz and opened the door to the building; he then headed up the two flights of stairs to Neville's flat on the third floor. Reaching the landing he saw the other boy peaking through the door, that he had opened a crack, looking a bit suspicious. Upon seeing that it really was Harry, the he opened the door all the way, giving a sleepy wave and allowing him entrance.
"Thanks," Harry said walking past him into the foyer.
"So..." he said once the door was closed "what's up? Is everything ok?"
"Uh, yeah," Harry replied, looking around the living room and avoiding Neville's gaze. "I just, well, it's just...Is it ok if I crash here for a couple of nights?" He looked at his friend with a small smile, "It's just that, Aurora's a little uncomfortable with me being in the flat alone with Hermione and, well, Ron's gone for a few at training camp... so..."
Neville gave him a confused look, "Why would Aurora be uncomfortable with you being with Hermione, she's like a sister to you?"
Harry suppressed the bitter laugh that welled up in his chest, settling for a shrug.
"Who knows, with women." he said running a hand thorough his hair in a telling nervous gesture.
Neville looked at his skeptically for a moment, before giving a slow nod.
"Sure, well you know where everything is, food's in the fridge, blankets are in the linen closet and bathrooms down the hall. I'm going to head back to bed, well, er, goodnight." he gave a small wave and shuffled back to his room closing the door behind him.
Once Neville left, Harry went to the linen closet, grabbed a blanket and settled in for the night. It was a good thing that work wasn't in the cards for morning due to them just getting back from Transylvania, because sleep wasn't in the cards either.
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It had been a couple of days since then, and with the exception of last night, Harry had yet to get any sleep. Every night he tossed and turned, relieving the good and bad of what had happened between him and is best friend and wondering where they would go from here. After putting the pillows back in their proper places he went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, hoping that it would help him look more refreshed. He looked in the mirror after he was done noticing that his eyes were a faint red and a bit puffy.
'Well I guess that hope isn't enough,' he thought studying himself a bit more in the mirror before turning away.
He then grabbed his sleep wear off the floor and stuffed them into his new duffle bag, zipping it up he exited the bathroom and placed the bag in the corner of the living room next to Neville's owl post desk. He had arrived at Neville's that night with only the clothes on his back, so when his friend had inquired about his wardrobe later Wednesday morning Harry had told him that he just wanted to know that it was ok before bringing things over. He then told the other boy that he would be going home that afternoon to grab his clothing. However, unbeknownst to Neville, Harry couldn't return to the flat and risk seeing Hermione, so when he left under the pretense of going home he had actually gone out and brought clothes and underclothes for his stay.
"So what are you doing today?" Harry asked, entering the kitchen to place the cup he had left on the table into the sink. "It's still pretty early for a Saturday are you gonna head back to sleep then?"
Neville shook his head, holding up a finger to Harry to signal that he would have more of an answer when he finished chewing his toast. Swallowing and then taking a large sip of pumpkin juice, he wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering fully.
"No, I'm pretty much up now, besides today's Luna and mine's three year anniversary. We've got big plans for today, were gonna go on an expedition for the Horned Snorfblat and then have a romantic dinner, followed by..." he blushed, turning away after realizing that he had said a bit more than he meant to. "What about you?"
"Oh nothing much, we have an eight o'clock meeting with Moody to discuss our progress on our latest case. I also think that Aurora and I are supposed to do something tonight..." he trailed off, waving Neville away when he held up the plate of toast.
"Not eatin much nowaday's are you Harry?" He asked, rhetorically, while buttering up another piece of toast for himself and giving his friend a side ways glance. "So, Ron should be home by now, actually according to Ginny he got home Thursday."
Harry gave a small smile, "Don't worry Neville, last night was my last, I'll be sleeping at home tonight."
The other boy blushed. "Sorry I don't mean to sound so pushy, and I really don't mind having you here, it's just tonight is sorta special, so..."
"That's ok, don't worry," Harry gave him a pat on the back and then looked at his watch. "Five minutes till, look I've gotta go, I'll see you later alright... oh, and thanks again."
Heading out of the kitchen and back into the living room, Harry grabbed his duffle bag from the corner along with his new black cloak and Apparated to the Ministry. Walking in the large building he habitually made the trip to the Aurors office; past security, one floor down, immediate left through invisible doorway, down the long darkened corridor, third door to the right, past the empty reception desk. He quickly deposited his duffle into his office before walking past several desks to the back of the long room entering Moody's office. Opening the door he saw that he was once again the last to arrive, but he didn't care... at least he was on time.
A little over an hour later they emerged from the room mulling over the vast amount of information that they had just received. Halothorne and Masterdon were finally able to discover, that the note for Lucis Malfoy had gotten into Azkaban by the hands of a newly convicted wizard. However that created more questions than answers, since; when questioned, the wizard claimed not only to not remember how he had come to be possession of the mysterious message, but also to not even remembering committing the crime that got him sent away in the first place.
The Unspeakables in the department were currently trying their new techniques out on him to see if they could find out if what he said was true. Harry didn't know what they did to decipher such a thing, but he was also sure that he didn't want to know. He knew what he needed to know, that if they found something of importance out then his team would be updated.
"Well what do you think?" Aurora asked, following him to his office.
He shrugged, "I don't know, it's possible and I wouldn't put anything past Bellatrix. But, it's also the same excuse that a lot of guilty death eaters used to get away with their crimes."
She nodded, closing the door softly behind her, once again silently watching her boyfriend. Harry was currently rummaging through his drawer, looking for a quill to jot down a few thoughts when she spoke again.
"Moving?" she asked in an amused tone.
He quickly looked up at her a confused expression on his handsome features, until she gave a small kick at the duffel bag on the floor.
"Er, no, just some dirty laundry," he said with a shrug, and resuming his search for the illusive quill.
She quirked a brow, taking a seat in the chair opposite his desk. "Really... dirty laundry... at work... don't you have a washer and dryer at home?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact I'm going to take them there now." He replied cheekily.
Giving a small sigh, he gave up on his search for a quill, instead opting to get out of the office before her questioning became more intense. Standing to his full height he once again looked at Aurora, giving a smile at her amused look. Walking past her towards the door he grabbed the duffel and then opened the door.
"After you, my lady" he said, looking at her and giving an overly dramatic bow.
Aurora laughed and walked out of the office, giving him a small curtsy as she passed.
He grinned as the two of them laughed and joked all the way out of the Ministry and to the alleyway; it was the first time that Harry had felt good in days.
A moment later they Apparated into his flat and Harry's good mood immediately Disapparated. Ron and Hermione were standing before them wrapped in each other's arms, looking like they had just finished kissing. Hurt flared in his eyes for a moment before he shuttered his gaze and placed a mask of indifference on.
"Well, hey Harry!" Ron said happily, removing one arm from around Hermione but leaving the other over her shoulder. Harry clutched the handle of his duffle bag and suppressed the desire to hit his mate for touching her. "I was wondering where you were, how's it going mate? Oh, and of course how's it going Aurora," looking between them and then at Harry's bag he continued with a wide grin. "Spending some quality time huh?" Ron said with a wink.
"A bit," Harry said, giving a small smile and placing his arm around Aurora, lightly stroking her arm.
Aurora gave him a sidelong glance and he felt a small squeeze around his waist as she placed her arm there; he knew that it meant he had some serious explaining to do but he didn't care. There was nothing that could stop the rush from, the sadistic bit of satisfaction he got when saw the hurt expression that flashed on Hermione's face before she turned her head away.
"Well," she said in a shaky voice "I have to head off to work, so I guess I'll see you guys later."
Without saying another word or getting a kiss goodbye from Ron like she normally does, she disapparated.
"Is she ok?" Harry heard Aurora ask from next to him.
Ron shrugged and gave a small smile, "Yeah, I guess... she's been sick the last couple of days. As a matter of fact this is her first day out of bed since I got back on Thursday." He said bending down to pick up his bowl off the floor. "Leave it to Hermione to spend two or three days in bed sick and then have the first thing she does when she's feeling better be go to work," he chuckled, shaking his head he walked into the kitchen.
"Sick you say?" Aurora asked, and then looked Harry in the eyes. "Do you know what she was sick with?"
Harry used all of his strength to maintain his eye contact with the dark haired girl, even going so far as to rise and eyebrow in challenge at her.
"No, not really," Ron said walking back into the room. "My mum thinks it may have been some type of muggle illness."
"So, Ron," Harry said, finally breaking eye contact with Aurora to look at his friend and change the subject. "How was your training camp?"
Hearing this question Ron's face lit up like it did on his first trip to Honeydukes. Then pulling them over to have a seat, he proceeded to go through a detailed two hour recounting of everything and everyone at the Quidditch training camp. Once they were done with hearing all of Ron's stories (some twice) they watched several muggle movies and then played a game of exploding snaps for old time's sake. All of this was done while Harry artfully avoided each and every one of Ron's questions about what he and Aurora done the last couple of days.
Much, much later Ron received a floo from one of his new teammates that included an invitation to the Bubbling Cauldron for drinks. Harry and Aurora declined to come along, since they really couldn't drink anyway and waved him off, with Harry making him promised not to get completely sotted again. Once he disappeared into the green flames of the fireplace, Aurora immediately turned on the couch to face Harry.
"So, where did you spend the last couple of nights?" she asked tilting her head to the side.
Harry sighed; and to think he had admired her straight forward ways, fiddling with his teacup for a moment he gathered his thoughts before responding.
"I just hung out with a friend."
"Which friend?" she asked, looking doubtful.
"Neville, you remember him don't you? From the lake and Ron's party at the club," he looked at her, knowing that if he didn't she would never believe him, besides it wasn't like he was lying anyway.
"How long were you at Neville's?"
"I don't know... a couple of days..."
"So since Thursday or since Wednesday?"
"I don't know one of the two, look quit it with the third degree ok? I am allowed to hang out with my friends without you breathing down my neck about it. I am not some death eater that you're questioning at work, so stop with the rapid fire," he roughly sat down his cup as he spoke, giving her an annoyed look.
She stared at him a moment longer before turning an picking up her teacup, taking a small sip she continued to hold it, silently staring at the contents. After a few minutes of silence Harry ran a hand through his hair before scooting over a bit and hesitantly putting his arm around her; placing his hand on her chin he turned her face to him.
"Aurora, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to sound like such a tosser. Please forgive me for being harsh," he said searching her eyes.
She stared at him for a moment, silent before setting her cup down on the table and facing him completely, making sure his arm stayed around her.
"I also apologize; being inquisitive is in my nature, that's why I became an Auror. I guess... I don't know, sometimes I feel like you're hiding something from me." She reached up to caress his face. "I just feel like I don't know you...like you won't let me... I just want to know you Harry; I just want you to give me a chance... let me in..." she placed her hand over his heart "here..."
Harry placed his free hand over hers on his chest, looking silently into to her silvery eyes and thinking about what she had said.
'pop'
Turning their heads, they were surprised to see Hermione less than a foot away carrying several rolls of parchment, staring silently at their hands.
"Sorry..." she mumbled after a second, her face turning red and blotchy as she then rushed out of the room.
Closing his eyes for an instant to gather himself, Harry then looked back at Aurora. She was once again scrutinizing his reaction, her gaze sweeping over his face and lingering on his eyes. Giving her a small smile he removed his arm from her shoulder, opting to lightly caressed her arm with his hand instead.
"So where were we?" he asked, followed by a nervous chuckle.
"I was just asking you to let me in."
"Let you in to where?" He asked with a teasing smile.
"Here," she placed the hand, which had fallen when Hermione rushed out, back over his heart "and here," she removed her hand and placed two fingers to his temple.
He sighed, his head falling a bit. "I understand what you're saying Aurora, and I want to open up more to you." He tilted his head up a bit, looking at her through his lashes. "But I need you to understand that with everything that I've been through in my life... it just takes time for me to do that. I need you to be patient."
"I can be a very patient person Harry, as long as I know that the person that I'm waiting for," she turned and looked in the direction that Hermione went, then back at him "that he isn't spending his time waiting for someone else."
He looked away for a second at the wall opposite them to compose himself before looking back, and answering her. "He isn't," he said confidently.
She rubbed her thighs, looking thoughtful for a moment and then taking a deep breath she spoke again.
"Harry I know that you have feelings for her," she placed a finger over his mouth to silence his interruption. "Look I understand, she's always been around, always been there for you. It's only natural that you develop some type of emotion; I don't need to know what has happened in the past I only need to know what's happening now. Harry is there something going on between you and Hermione?"
He remained quiet, pulling back he looked at the fireplace for a moment before shaking his head.
"No," he said verbally, turning to face her again.
After all it was true, as of now there was nothing between them. She didn't want it... she didn't want him.
"Do you feel there is anything... between us?" she asked a bit hesitantly.
The tone of her voice surprised Harry, she was usually always so confident with all of her questions, but he could clearly hear her doubt. He looked into her eyes for a moment, reaching up to caress her face. She was beautiful and smart and funny, not to mention she actually wanted him... he could have a family with her.
"Yes," he whispered quietly, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her lips, her hand came up to lightly caress his face.
Aurora went from stroking his face with her fingers to tangling them in his hair as their kisses became deeper and deeper. His breath quickened as he heard her make little purrs like a kitten when he began to deeply kiss her neck; just behind her ear. As he moved to kiss her lower, his hands went to the buttons on her blouse, pausing for a moment he looked up at her for a sign that it was ok. At her small nod and under her heated gaze his hands stealthy unbuttoned her blouse, he was surprised to see that his hands didn't tremble like they did when he touched Hermione.
'Not now,' he told himself 'do not think about her now, you have a beautiful woman in your arms, who tastes like caramel and wants you... only you, don't screw this up by thinking about her.' At this thought Harry refocused his attentions, a determined gleam entering his dark eyes.
Having undone all of the buttons, he slowly slid the light fabric off of her creamy arms, placing butterfly kisses on her shoulders. As she pulled him down on top of her and her hands grazing his chest, he decided to remove his shirt. Smiling against his lips that had just reconnected with hers, Aurora marveled at her new amount of access and the powerful muscles that she felt under her fingertips. She had been running her hands searchingly over Harry's back when she stilled.
Pulling away from his intoxicating kisses she looked him in the eyes.
"Are you ok?" she asked looking worried.
"What do you mean?" he asked, mind still a bit hazy from loss of blood.
"Your back, it feels all scratched up."
Harry closed his eyes, 'Damn it.' he thought 'Hermione...' he had forgotten about the marks that she had made on his back a couple of days ago.
Since he had left that morning, he had been feeling so numb that he didn't notice the pain from them anymore, so he had just forgot that they were there. Pushing out the incredibly vivid memories of just how he had come in possession such deep marks on his back, he forced his brain into action.
"Yeah," he said with a small smile. "Just... a few mementos from my vampire fight, that's all."
Then before she could ask anymore questions he began to kiss her again, his tongue dipping into her warm mouth as his hand softly caressed her exposed bosom. Concentrating on not only making her feel good, but also on forcing thoughts of Hermione out of his mind was no easy task, but he knew it was what he had to do for both Aurora and himself. He hand been nibbling softly on her bottom lip when she once again pulled back.
"Maybe we should go to your room," she said in a panting, husky voice.
Harry hesitated for a second before nodding in agreement. Standing he extended a hand to help her off of the plush couch, then holding her hand he lead her toward his room. As they passed Hermione's room, he noticed the low light from underneath the door and suppressed the guilt that flowed through him. He wasn't betraying her; she wasn't his to betray... he wasn't doing anything wrong so he didn't need to feel guilty... not about her. Giving an imperceptible nod he opened the bedroom door for Aurora as she stepped in he gave one last quick glance at the room down the hall before following her, the door closed with a small click behind them.
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It had been two hours since Hermione had arrived home, apparating in on a private moment between Harry and Aurora, she could still see their intertwined hands resting on Harry's chest as she interrupted their seemingly intimate conversation. It was all she could do to gather the strength to get out of there, she didn't even know what she had said to them, all she knew was that she needed to hurry to her room, which she successfully did; allowing herself to cry in privacy.
She put her quill down, rubbing her aching eyes, they were so painfully sore from all of the weeping that had recently become a part of her daily routine. Hermione sighed looking at her door, it had been about one hour and fifteen minutes since she heard the light click of Harry's door closing, once again forcing her to fight tears. She wasn't stupid, she knew that there was a pretty good chance that Aurora hadn't gone home, but was currently in his room with him.
She wiped the newly streaming ones from her face that she hadn't even realize had begun to fall. Well at least she knew now, at least she knew where he had been the past couple of nights. How else would they have gotten so much closer, she had never seen them like that before, it was like their relationship was deeper now. Her stomach tossed at the thought, knowing that if that was true, then it was probably also true that she was the one who helped to bring them together. Grabbing her quill again she did her best to push the depressing thoughts out of her head and resume the work on her proposal for new elfin laws, but her mind just wouldn't let the subject go.
She couldn't believe that he had left her arms and gone straight to Aurora. Her mind kept replaying images of him telling her that he loved her, then running to Aurora and saying the same thing. How could he?!
'This is what you wanted, isn't it?' Her brain asked. 'Now Harry can have a family with both the Weasley's and Aurora... hey if you're lucky maybe they'll let you baby-sit,' it finished snidely.
She then envisioned a glowing Aurora pregnant with Harry's child as he hugged her from behind and placed his hands on her swollen womb; the ever doting father. A moment later her morbid imaginings were broken when she heard a loud snap. Looking down she saw the feather part of he quill lying on the desk, while the remainder was still in her hand. Picking up the broken pieces she gave a frustrated groan and tossed them in the bin next to her desk. Just as she was reaching for a new quill she heard a whistle from the kitchen. Someone was making a pot of tea.
'Harry,' she thought quickly standing.
Without taking the time to put on her robe or her house shoes, or even to think about what exactly she was going to say to him, Hermione rushed out of her room to the kitchen. Entering quickly she came to a dead halt almost crashing into the corner of the counter, frozen and unconsciously gaping like a fish.
Silver eyes connected with hers for a moment, silently scanning over her body and observing her face. Hermione closed her mouth, a frown settling upon her features as she looked at Aurora standing before her, in her kitchen holding one of her t-cups and clad in nothing but a white, long sleeve button up shirt. Or to be more specific, nothing but Harry's white, long sleeve button up shirt; she growled.
A.N. Well that's it for fourteen/thirteen (wipes brow) whew, finally. That was a loooooong one, which is why I broke it down into two chapters. I just didn't realize that it would take this long to end. Special thanks to Lycus for the ideas on the Harry/Aurora moment in the living room and the fun chapter ending, I told you I liked them and would put them in!! But anyway on to the usual PLEASE REVIEW!!! Feedback inspires us lowly authors to write more, as a matter of fact it's the only form of payment we get for all our hard work. So please review the story. Thanks!
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