Misconceptions
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"Hermione, I still don't know why you dragged me here."
"Relax, Harry. We're just going out for some drinks. It can't do you any harm."
"It can't be good for the baby!"
"You know I won't drink anything with alcohol. Stop making up excuses."
"I know what you're trying to do, Hermione."
"And what's that?"
"Set me up with some girl. Again."
"Do you see some girl sitting at this table? I'm trying to have a nice night out with my friend, thank you very much, but if you'd rather have me go home and sit alone, wondering how late Ron will get off of work - "
"Stop it, Hermione. That routine already got me to come here in the first place, don't bother doing it again."
Sniff. "It's not a routine - "
"You haven't taken anywhere for the past year without trying to get me to go out with someone, and you know it."
"Harry, you haven't dated in three years!"
"Do you blame me, after how awfully the last few relationships I've been in have gone?"
"The last relationship you had that ended awfully was with Cho Chang in fifth year. The rest of them haven't been so bad, you know!"
Sigh. "Ginny married Neville, of all people - "
"Six months after you broke up with her!"
"I broke up with her because she was in love with Neville!"
"Oh, stop talking nonsense. You broke up with her because the two of you didn't work."
"Well, relationships don't work very well when one person's in love with someone else, do they?"
"Excuse me, but would either of you like anything to drink?"
"I'll have a - "
"Two waters, please."
"Hermione!"
"You don't need alcohol, Harry. Trust me."
"Fine. Two waters."
"All right, then. I'll be back in a moment."
"So, then, Harry, what about Susan? She was a lovely girl, and you broke up with her for no reason at all."
"That's not true. I...I had my reasons."
"Mmhmm. The same reasons that you had with Padma and Luna? This reason you won't tell anyone?"
"It would sound silly - "
"Not any sillier than you sound now, I assure you."
Long silence.
"Did you ever...wonder? About Ron, I mean - if maybe there was someone better out there, or if you'd made the right choice?"
"No. I mean, sometimes he gets on my last nerve, and I'm sure I get on his - but it's just not the same without him. I guess it's always been that way."
"It's not like that with me and anyone. It never has been."
"Oh, Harry...that doesn't mean there's no hope, don't you know that? Maybe you just haven't met the right person yet - or maybe you've found the right person, but you don't love them yet, but that's no reason to stop looking!"
"I don't know, Hermione. I just think...maybe my standards are too high."
"Well..."
"You're not supposed to agree with me!"
"Well, what do you want in someone?"
"You promise not to laugh?"
"Of course not!"
"Well, when I was a kid, I used to read some of Dudley 's books. He never missed a single one of them. They were all about adventure and warriors and happily ever after - and I guess that's kind of what I thought I'd get."
"Harry - "
"Don't tell me it's silly. We live in a world with unicorns and magic spells, do you know how silly that must sound to a Muggle?"
"That's different."
"I know."
Pause.
"All right, here are your waters."
"Thank you."
Pause.
"I wasn't going to spend the rest of my life with any of those girls. I couldn't have."
"Did you love them?"
"Of course I loved them! I loved every single one of them! And then I tried to picture myself spending the rest of my life with them, and I couldn't. And I backed out."
Sniff.
"Hermione? All you all right?"
"It's just...that's the most lovely thing I've ever heard in my life!" Sobs.
"Did you take your hormone potion today?"
Sniff. "No. Why?"
"Nothing. You know, it's nine o' clock. Ron ought to be home soon."
"But we've only just gotten here!"
"Hermione, if you really are trying to set me up with someone, d'you think it's best to do it with a pregnant woman sitting across from me?"
"Well, perhaps not, but I - "
"You've got a baby due any day. You need to go get some rest."
"I suppose you're right. I really ought to go home...oh, will you be all right?"
"I'll be fine, Hermione. Just go home and get a good night's sleep."
"All right, then. We'll talk more tomorrow, then?"
"Of course. The three of us can meet on lunch break."
"All right. See you later, then, Harry."
"Bye, Hermione."
Pause. Laughter.
"Who - Malfoy? What in the name of Merlin - how long have you been sitting there?"
"Oh, quite long enough, Potter. That was a most enlightening conversation."
"You bloody little eavesdropper - "
"Don't knock my spying skills, Potter. They helped you win the war."
"Don't remind me."
"Touchy, hmmm? D'you need to go home and take your potion, too?" Snicker.
"Stop it, Malfoy!"
"Hey, there, don't leave. Sit. We need to talk."
"I think we just did."
"Civilly, Potter."
Snort.
"Just sit."
"Fine. Talk. I've got nothing better to do."
"You're a bloody idiot, Potter."
"And what did you just say about being civil?"
"I'm trying to do you a favor, Potter!"
"I think I've been insulted enough by you for today, Malfoy."
"It's just the truth. All you're going to do is get yourself hurt with misconceptions like that."
"Like what?"
"Like all that happily ever after crap you were spewing!"
"That was none of your business, Malfoy!"
"I was there once, Potter. You want the person you're supposed to be with to come in a nice, little package with violins and roses included. But that's not love."
"What do you know about love, Malfoy?"
"More than you think, Potter. If you don't want to listen, then go on, keep trying to find that. See if I care..."
"Malfoy?"
"What?"
Sigh. "Sit. Stay."
"You make me sound like a dog."
"I didn't mean - "
"Can't you take a joke, Potter?"
"I'm not used to them coming from you."
"I'm not the enemy anymore, Potter! I fought on your side, remember?"
"I told you not to remind me."
"But it's the truth. Then again, you choose to believe in myths, don't you?"
"Let it go, Malfoy."
"Fine."
Long silence.
"Well, what is it, then?"
"What's what?"
"Love. If it's not violins and roses, what is it?"
Pause.
"D'you really want to know? I don't want to burst your fairy-tale bubble."
"It got burst years ago."
"Well, in that case, it's...it's just living day to day, and not really liking all that someone does or even who they are, and knowing that you can't live without them anyway, and it's passion, and it's - "
Pause.
Heavy breathing. "You just kissed me!"
"Well, let no one say that the Boy Who Lived isn't observant."
Pause.
"D'you get the point now?"
"I think so."
"I still hate you, Potter."
"I hate you more, Malfoy."
"Good."
"Fine."
Pause.
"I'll be going now."
"See if I care, Malfoy."
"Of course you wouldn't."
Footsteps. Pause.
"Tomorrow, here, at nine?"
"Of course."
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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review.