JKR owns.
Just Decide
Chapter Two
---
[AN]: We sort of back track in this chapter, but I hope you like it none the less! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter! You have no idea how much all of those wonderful comments inspire me to write more!
---
(8:30 p.m., July 31st; The Burrow)
"Ginny, we're over. I'm not saying that so you can chase me, alright? Please, just forget about me. Move on, I'll be fine."
Ginny Weasley defiantly shook her head, "How can you expect me to believe that? You've secluded yourself from everyone since the final battle."
Harry rolled his eyes. He was at his wit's end with this girl; not even his cup of firewhiskey was helping. "Not from everyone…"
"Harry, you need to know that people still care for you. Some even are in love with you," she said the last part so gently, like she was expecting for him to break down and confess his undying love for her as well.
However, Harry simply rolled his eyes once more, "Ginny, you're not in love with me."
"I am! What do you call waiting a year for you?"
"Not being able to let go. And that's exactly what you need to do."
"But you're not happy. I can't just walk away from what we had knowing that," she carried on. At this rate, Harry figured he could tell her he was actually a donkey, and she would still be under the impression that she loved him.
"Why not? I did. You remember after Dumbledore's funeral?" Harry ignored the flash of pain that crossed Ginny's face and tried to sound as corrosive as possible, "It's not up to you to make me happy."
"Well if I leave the job up to you, it'll never happen," she shot back folding her arms, a definite sign that she wasn't giving up anytime soon.
Harry smirked, "Probably."
"Why do you want me to give up on you, Harry? Seriously?" Great, she looked like she was trying to cry.
"Because I'm not a fucking charity case, Ginny!" Harry finally exploded, showing true emotion for the first time that night, "I'm a big boy, I can take care of my bloody self!"
"But I-"
"Ginny… I don't have any feelings for you anymore. You need to find someone that'll care about you as much as you care about them."
Ginny stood there, red in the cheeks, looking like she had been slapped both ways. Finally she scoffed, "Fine. But I'm taking your advice. So when you change your mind, I won't be here waiting for you!"
Harry wanted to laugh, but settled for going back to his suave, uncaring attitude, "That's not likely to happen…"
"You're pathetic Harry. You keep this attitude up and pretty soon no one will care about you at all."
Harry rolled his eyes and waved his finger in little circles, "Woo-hoo."
Ginny huffed one last time, before turning and stomping back into the house. Harry got a few more minutes of peace and quiet before he recognized the sound of the kitchen door opening and closing again. He sighed, thinking that one of the Weasley clan was on their way down to ring Harry's neck.
"Hey."
Harry jerked his head up, "Hermione?"
"Yeah. Ginny ran up stairs crying and huffing so I figured it had something to do with you," she explained, leaning against the tree. She looked absolutely beautiful, and for no specific reason. It was just Hermione, and for him, that was reason enough.
"If she's crying, it's her own fault. I didn't say anything different than what I've been saying for the past two months," he replied, not trying to sound rude, but coming off very much so.
Hermione sighed, "I tried to tell her to back off this morning, but she completely took it the wrong way. I'm sorry."
Harry shrugged dismissively, "I'm not."
"Yeah, but it's your birthday and everything…"
"This party was a bad idea. I told you and Ron that when you started planning it," Harry told her matter-of-factly. And it was true. He never wanted to deal with a birthday party, or all the fake smiles and laughs that went along with it.
Hermione wasn't deterred, "We just thought it'd be nice to get you back in a family atmosphere. I mean, you've kind of been ignoring me and Ron…"
Harry shook his head, his anger reaching boiling point again, "Why does everyone think they know what's best for me? If it was anybody else, it'd be just fine that they went a few weeks without seeing their friends. But if it's Harry Potter, that means he's depressed. Can't I ever have a fucking break?"
Hermione ignored his last sentence, "Are you?"
"Am I what?" he asked her curtly.
"Depressed?"
"Maybe I just don't like being a third wheel to you two. Have you ever thought about that?" he asked, scowling at her.
Hermione looked sadder than he expected her to be, "Look, Ron doesn't need to ask me to go do things with you. If you want to spend more time with him-"
"I'm not talking about Ron," Harry cut her off, now staring at his empty cup instead of her beautiful, concerned eyes.
"Me?"
"Has it occurred to you that this is the first conversation we've had just between the two of us since Ron left the tent last winter?" he asked her in a small voice.
Hermione's face fell, "I'm so sorry Harry…"
"I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty," he shrugged.
"Well… what if we were all to go out? Just the three of us, like it used to be. We won't make you feel like a third wheel, I promise."
Harry scoffed, "Yeah right. Like Ron's not going to show you off every chance he gets…"
Hermione was silent for a moment. To be honest, she didn't like the way Ron flaunted her either.
"It's sort of his happy ending, you know?" she said, trying to defend her boyfriend, "Seven years of being Harry Potter's sidekick, he finally comes out on top with the girl…"
Harry rolled his eyes, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say."
Hermione narrowed her eyes and glared hard at him. Harry sighed, "Fine. Let's go out then."
Hermione gave him a big smile, "It'll be fun, Harry. None of the extra bullshit."
"Did you just say bullshit?" he asked, dropping his pithy tone.
"Yup," Hermione nodded, giving him a proud grin.
"Excuse me for reading through the lines too much, but did you just refer to your's and Ron's relationship as 'extra bullshit'?"
Hermione swatted him over the head, "That's not what I was referring to."
"Damn, I got my hopes up."
Hermione gave him a strange look, during which Harry couldn't meet her eyes. He cursed himself for slipping up.
"Um, so should we go tell Ron?"
Harry really thought about it. Spending the night with her and Ron, who would no doubt be trying to kiss and cuddle her all night, no matter what Hermione said against it? Not exactly his cup of tea. He probably still had time to get out of it…
"I don't-"
"HERMIONE?! Oh, there you are!" Ron's voice shouted.
Harry and Hermione both turn to see Ron trotting down from the Burrow's kitchen.
"Hey babe, I've been looking for you," Ron slapped an arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her into him. He was leaning in to kiss her when he noticed Harry, "Oh, er, both of you. What's up mate? Didn't like the cake or something?"
"Um, Harry- well I- had the idea that we should all go out and do something. Just us."
"Can we do it tomorrow? Dad said that I have to stay in. Remember, I'm going with him to the Ministry tomorrow morning?" he asked her, like he was trying to keep the conversation just between them. Harry noticed that he did it all the time when he was around. While he would never tell, it annoyed the living hell out of him.
"Oh, right…" Hermione nodded.
"I was just coming to say good night."
"Good night," she replied, giving him a little smile. The kind of smile you would give your sick grandmother, Harry thought.
Harry watched with scowling eyes as Ron leaned in to kiss Hermione. She turned her head, thinking that he was going to kiss her cheek. Ron followed her lips, right as Hermione was turning her head back. The awkwardness continued for a few more seconds before Ron finally grabbed her shoulders, and pecked her on the lips.
Harry covered his snicker.
"Night then," Hermione mumbled, now blushing.
"Night. Happy Birthday, mate," he added to Harry, slapping him on the back.
Harry simply waved him goodbye as Ron sent one last look to Hermione, and then turned back on the path to the house. Hermione glanced uncomfortably at Harry.
"So I guess you'll be going home too?"
"No. I said we'd go out. Just because Ron can't doesn't mean I can't," she told him indifferently.
Harry looked up with genuine surprise, "Really?"
"Yeah. So where do you want to go?"
Harry stared at her for a few moments, waiting for her to make some excuse to escape from going. Time went by, and Hermione still stared at him expectantly.
"Well?"
Harry racked his brain for a decent activity, "Uh, how about the pub?"
Hermione gave him a searching look, "Haven't you had enough to drink tonight?"
"Not really. Plus, I'm more interested in watching you drink for the first time in your goody-two-shoe'd life," Harry said mockingly, with an impish grin.
"Hey! I've drank before."
"Champagne and butterbeer doesn't count, sweetheart," Harry responded, smirking.
Hermione gave him one of her most determined looks, "You don't think I can handle hard liquor?"
Harry sucked in a deep breath, like he was getting ready to explain exactly what he thought. A second later, he blew the breath out, "Nope."
Hermione looked like she was one step away from putting her hands on her hips and screaming Harry's ear off. Much to his surprise, she simply shrugged, "Which pub are we going to, then?"
This time, Harry looked at her imploringly, "You sure?"
"Positive."
"Alright, let's go…"
---
Please take the time to REVIEW!
Next chapter really kicks us off into the present- well, the 'morning after' at least.
;]