A/N: So…back again with a story that popped into my head, while listening to the Glee Cast, Warblers version of "Somewhere only we know". For the purpose of this story, we'll just pretend it already exited in 1997 ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe or the song "Somewhere only we know" and I make no profit out of this story.
And now on with the story!
°°°!°°°HJP&HJG°°°!°°°
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
°°°!°°°
Harry gulped. He didn't know how it happened. He remembered Ron helping him back to the tent after saving his life and effectively destroying a horcrux. Even after all the pain and heartache, he was happy that Ron, his best mate, was back. And he had thought, Hermione, who had been pinning after Ron for ages, would be too.
He was wrong…Boy, was he wrong.
Of course, he wasn't dumb, he knew Hermione would be angry, but happy all the same…or so he thought. He hadn't expected an outburst like…that! And certainly hadn't expected Ron to react the way he did.
°°°!°°°
When Ron had finally dragged Harry in ten feet distance of the tent, Hermione came barreling out, worry written all over her features.
"Harry! Where have you been? I've been so…" And then she stopped. She had spotted Ron, standing with his arm supporting Harry, a sheepish grin on his face.
"Hi…" Ron greeted, his ears turning beet red. And as soon as the word was out, Harry had barely time to push Ron out of the way as Harry ducked while a bright red jet of light sailed over his head.
He jumped up and forward in direct line of Hermione and her wand, holding his hands up. "Hermione, stop! Don't…you might regret it later."
Hermione harrumphed. "Regret it? I don't think so! What did he expect? That he could come back just like that, say 'Hi' and everything would be okay?"
Ron scrambled to his feet. "Hermione, I'm…" But Hermione cut him off.
"No! You don't! You don't get to mumble out some lame excuse about how you didn't mean to leave, but you couldn't take it anymore…or how the locket effected you…I told you to take the locket off! I begged you to, I ran after you and you still left! So, no, you don't get to say anything right now, because I have plenty to say first!"
Harry was dumbstruck and Ron gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"I've had it with your insecurities! I've had it with you jealousy! How long will it take for you to understand, that it's not all about you? Harry is your best friend…our best friend! So of course, it's about him. We promised to be there for him! And you? All you care is about fame and money and all this rubbish, so you will be happy? Do you think Harry is happy? Do you think he wants all this fame and money? You do know why he's famous, right? Because he survived, while his parents were murdered! So would you rather have your parents dead and be famous for it than have your mum bake you one of her delicious pumpkin pies in your safe and warm home, while your dad and the rest of your family play Quidditch with you?"
"N-no." Ron stuttered out, eyes wide in shock.
"And you know what? No one ever thought you were a loser! You are the funniest person I've ever met, you may be not so quick on the uptake but you come up with the best strategies if you want to and I liked you for you goofiness, for your fierce passion about the things you care about, because you are simple. But Harry needed you and you left and that makes you a coward…that makes you a loser. Whatever was between us, is over. Harry will forgive you, I will too probably after some time, but I will never forget that and that's why I'll never go back to that." She made to leave but spun around for her final departing words. "And you're right, I chose Harry…because I promised I would…and I'd never break a promise like that."
And with that she turned and went back into the tent, leaving two dumbfounded, shocked boys staring after her.
Harry was first to break the stunned silence. "Ron…she didn't mean that…she's just…" He trailed off, unsure what to say.
Ron shook his head. "No, she did. And she's right." He took a few steps up to an again shocked Harry. "I've been a coward and a prat. I shouldn't have left you when you needed me…neither back in fourth year nor now. I'm sorry…so sorry. I know, there's no excuse and I'll probably need forever to make up for it, but I will try with everything I have. Starting with stepping out of the way for you and her." Harry blinked in confusion. "I know you lied when you said she's like a sister to you. She's not, even if you don't realize it yet. And I know, you'll always come first for her, she'll always put you above everything else. She might have had feelings for me, but I always knew they would never measure up to what she felt for you. That was why I was so insecure and jealous. It stopped being about money and fame a long time ago. It was always you she looked at when we entered a room, it was always you she went to for comfort, it was always you she smiled at in that special way."
Harry spluttered. "But, but…the thing with Lavender…and at Dumbledore's funeral?"
"She settled for me after you made your interest in my little sister clear." Ron shrugged, flashing him a sad smile. "Now, she's made it clear that nothing will ever happen between her and me, so I'll step back for you. Go and be with her."
"You've grown up." Harry blurted out, unable to hide his surprise.
Ron punched his arm lightly. "Don't act so surprised, it had to happen sometime. C'mon, you get yourself warm again, I'll take the first watch." And with that he shoved Harry slightly into the direction of the tent.
°°°!°°°
So here he was. Standing at the entrance of the tent, watching Hermione sitting against the trunk of a tree while twirling her wand, her mind absent.
After his talk with Ron, Harry had gone back into the tent to get dry clothes quickly, with the intention of talking to Hermione. But upon seeing her, sitting hunched over a book, her posture stiff and radiating off vibes of frustration and anger, he knew it would've been a bad idea to talk to her. So he went back into his 'room' and got into his bunk, realizing his body was tired, his energy spent and his mind in a jumble.
He woke up when he felt himself being shook. He opened his eyes to see Ron hovering over him, with a slight smile on his face. "It's her turn with the watch. Thought you might want to talk to her now." And he strode out of the room again.
And he had jumped out of bed, silently thanked Ron as he rushed past him and stopped at the entrance.
He didn't know what to say. How could he? He hadn't even known half of the things he now realized earlier that day. But the moment Ron gave them his blessings, he felt a dam broke and all the things, thoughts, feelings that were once off-limits, came rushing out. It has always been Hermione for him. The minute she walked into his life, the first time she hugged him, the first time she smiled at him…the first time she showed him love. But he had placed her into the off-limits category, marked her as Ron's girl. But ultimately, she'd always been the most important girl to him…the most important person, so it couldn't have been anyone else in the end…not by long shot.
He took quick but careful steps up to her and sat down next to her. He still didn't know what to say, but he'd figure it out along the way. "Hi." He started…he felt that was a lame start…but he had to start somewhere, right?
She glanced at him fleetingly, before staring at her hands, which were fidgeting in her lap. "You know, I always loved the song 'Somewhere only we know'." She stated. "Do you know it?"
Harry shook his head, not feeling the need to comment.
"If you have a minute, why don't we go talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything, so why don't we go somewhere only we know?" She sang softly and Harry was awed. She was a nice enough singer, sure, she didn't have an incredible, star-worthy voice, but it was soft and clear and made him warm and tingly inside.
He smiled at her. "That sounds nice."
"It's been crossing my mind ever since we've started residing in this tent. It reminds me of this situation…of us. Makes me wish for things to be simpler, you know?" He just gazed at her, mutely. She sighed. "I'm sorry for my outburst."
Harry shrugged. "It's okay, I understand…Ron understands. He's grown up quite a bit"
Hermione grimaced. "Did he now?" He nodded and she hummed in thought. "Doesn't change anything."
"But it does. It changes a lot." He gulped down the lump in his throat. "He's grown up so much, he even gave us his blessings." And with that he reached over and took Hermione's hand in his.
Her startled gaze flew up to his. "W-what? What do you mean?"
"He saw this…this unexplainable thing between us and accepted it. He steps out of the way."
She put both their hands into her lap, covering them with her other hand and began playing with his fingers. She stared at them for a moment. The silence stretched on and on and on, until Harry grew restless. Maybe Ron was wrong…maybe he imagined things, maybe he interpreted things the wrong way…maybe Harry just made a fool out of himself. "It's not unexplainable…" She started after a while. Her eyes met his again and suddenly he was struck by them, by their clear color of chocolate brown, by the emotional depth in them that made him want to drown and never come back up. "…it's love." She finished and Harry's breath hitched in his throat.
He smiled softly and brought his unoccupied hand up to cup her cheek. "Yeah." He breathed, before leaning over to press his lips against her forehead, lingering for a moment, inhaling her intoxicating scent. Her eyes fluttered close at the contact and she sighed contentedly.
He broke away, pulled his hand out of hers and wrapped his arm around her shoulders tightly, so she leaned her head against his shoulder. He then grabbed her hand with his other hand, intertwining their fingers on his knee.
"But this has to wait, you know? There's still so much to do, to work out, to settle before this can happen. And I need you as my best friend for that."
"We'll always be that. We're Harry and Hermione, that means we're everything…best friends, lovers…soul mates."
Harry chuckled. "Now that sounds cheesy." He grinned as she swatted his thigh with a huff. "But you're right, we're Harry and Hermione…we're everything." He squeezed her. "And I'll fight for you…win for you, so I can do this properly. When this is all over I will ask you out, take you on a date, kiss you, eventually propose, start a family with you…be with you properly."
She sniffed, quiet tears making their way down her cheeks. She felt happy and knew this was it…this was what the song talked about, what the song wished for…what she had finally found.
And Harry was filled…with happiness, he had his best friend back, he had Hermione; with love, because this was the power he knows not, this was what he had found in Hermione, with Hermione; and with strength…strength to carry on and win this…for Hermione, for him…eventually for them.
°°°!°°°
I came across a fallen tree And if you have a minute why don't we go
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
°°°!°°°HJP&HJG°°°!°°°
A/N: I'm not a native speaker…obviously, so I apologize for any mistakes. Feel free to point them out.
There'll be a part 2, with a small Epilog. I'll probably post it on Sunday. Aloha!