The Plan That Went Wrong…But In A Good Way!
THUMP!!!
I shot up in my bed after hearing a disturbance from the living area of my apartment. I grabbed my wand and clambered hastily out of my bed and made my way to the closed door. Silently I pulled the door open and crept towards the source of the noise.
But before I could do anything, the commotion hurtled towards me at a frightening speed. I felt the heat wrapping itself around me and instantly I relaxed.
"Harry? Honestly – what on earth's going on?" I questioned, hugging my best friend back soothingly.
"Sorry, 'Mione – it's just – she dumped me –." He sobbed on my shoulder.
"Oh, Harry." I rubbed his back gently, "Don't be upset, there'll be plenty more girls for you!"
"No, Hermione, listen." He pulled back from the hug and held me at arms length, "I'm not upset – I'm free!"
I gaped at him, "What?"
"I'm finally free to do what I've been longing to!" he continued.
"And wha-."
I couldn't speak. His lips were on mine and he was pouring everything into it. My knees weakened and I felt my heart pounding against my chest. I knew I probably shouldn't have responded but it felt so right kissing him. Like it was meant to be. Even though it had all been planned…right down to the very last detail. Only I hadn't banked on actually enjoying kissing Harry!
I suppose it was inevitable in some way! We knew absolutely everything about each other…at least I thought we did. But as best friends we fit together like hand and glove, like strawberries and cream, like Ron and a hangover!
Bloody hell, Ron!
I disentangled myself from him and pulled back from the kiss. "Harry -."
"No, 'Mione." He shushed me by placing his long slender forefinger over my bruised lips with a wink. "I won't allow you to say anything yet. Please just listen to me…promise?"
I sighed, pushing my breath onto his finger. "I promise."
He was silent for a brief moment, but I knew he was going over what he had to say. It gave me a chance to try and process what exactly was happening. My best friend of eleven years had just kissed me like his life had depended upon it.
Why on earth would he do that? It wasn't part of the plan!
I had always loved Harry. He was my best friend after all. And maybe through the years I had wondered what it would be like to fall for him, to have him love me. But nothing had ever come of it. Harry had always been off limits to me. There hadn't been many girls in his life really. First there had been Cho Chang, the beautiful Ravenclaw seeker, then Ron's sister Ginny had bagged him and that was that.
And now he had made her dump him…and here he is…
"I love you…I just had to tell you. I was going crazy listening to Ginny talk about Quidditch twenty-four seven. I love the game I really do, but sometimes I need some intellectual conversation thrown in." He paused to take in air before continuing his ramblings, "I honestly thought I'd found 'the one' when I started dating her again after the war. But to be honest it's only recently hit me that she wasn't 'the one', and never would be – because you're the only one for me Hermione. You are my 'one'."
This was not what we'd planned…now I am speechless!!!
I wanted to ask him so many questions, they were whizzing through my mind frantically trying to make sense of what he was saying, but I seemed to have lost all control of my voice. My lips were moving but no sound was emerging.
Not that I had time to say anything for Harry was speaking again, only this time it was slowly and with great sincerity.
"You are the light to my dark, the sun to my moon, and the good to my bad! I respect, admire and aspire to be like you. You have done so much for me and how have I repaid you? I've taken you for granted. You were always there supporting me – even when Ron wasn't. It's taken me ten years to get here but now I finally know that without you there would be no 'Harry Potter'. I owe it all to you Hermione…now all I need is for you to say it back."
"I – I'm with Ron now." I spluttered, hating the fact that I couldn't reciprocate his request.
"She sure is." Came a deep highly amused voice from somewhere behind me. "Hey mate, don't look so worried I won't bite you."
Ron's attempt at humour was diabolical to say the least and I felt myself cringe.
Oh Harry!
"Well Herms," Ron began with his typical Weasley smirk, as I cringed yet again, just waiting for it all to hit the fan. "What do you make of our best friend's revelation then? Has he done enough to sweep you off your feet and take you away from me?"
"Honestly, Ronald!" I humphed, folding my arms tightly against my chest. I closed my eyes and sighed. Honestly, to be fought over is nothing spectacular – especially when you know that you'll end up losing one of your best friends over it!
He sniggered, "Oh, you're taking that route are you! Well maybe I should respond to our best friend's dilemma then?"
Then taking both Harry and I by total surprise he stalked up to Harry and punched him, breaking his nose and causing blood to spurt everywhere.
"Ron!!! What the hell are you doing?" I yelped and ran to Harry's side.
"What the hell am I doing?" Ron growled in response, watching as I healed Harry's nose and Scourgified all the blood off his face. "You're mine…and he wants to take you away from me…"
Harry snorted, "How could I when I didn't even know you were together…some friend you are!"
"Don't you dare turn this around on me, Potter…you can't have her…I saw her first!"
I couldn't believe they were still acting like insecure twelve year olds!
"Ron…I don't, nor will I ever, belong to you…or anyone else for that matter." I snapped, interrupting the petty, childish argument. "I am old enough to make my own decisions."
"Well, just make sure you make the right one!" He spat, not knowing that he had just made my mind up for me.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley…you are an arrogant, big-headed, male chauvinist pig!" I started, feeling the anger coursing through my veins. "Who the hell do you think you are telling me what to do? I'm fed up with your demands. I will not put my life on hold just so you can watch a flaming Chudley Cannons game. I will not stay in – alone – just because you're going on the town with Seamus and Dean and I will not stay part of this farcical relationship any longer. Now get your things and bugger off home to mummy!"
"But …"
"I've nothing else to say to you Ron!" I turned my back on him, but knew I couldn't make eye contact with Harry or I'd loose my resolve and break down into peels of laughter.
"But…"
Neither Harry nor I acknowledge him after that and he eventually took the hint and disappeared to collect his things together. I sat down on my favourite squashy armchair and waited. Harry stayed where he was.
A matter of moments later our red-headed friend came back into the lounge and announced that he was leaving – as if it had been his decision all along. I struggled to keep the grin from my face.
When we still didn't respond to Ron's statement he added, "Just so you know Hermione…I never loved you anyway…you were just an okay bed partner until I could persuade Luna to have me!"
After biting my lip, I couldn't resist adding to his torture, "Well you weren't even that good!"
Without saying another word he disapparated from the flat and we were left in total silence. He'd gone – the plan had worked better than either of us could have expected.
And that was when the guilt set in.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" I wondered aloud, not really expecting much of a reply.
"He'll be fine…I actually don't think he was joking about Luna you know!" Harry muttered, still not meeting my eyes.
"Me either."
After a brief pause in which we both comprehended our pre-planned actions, I turned to Harry and was amused to find him watching me.
"Do y – why are you staring at me?" I demanded, not really caring for the reason but I enjoyed watching him squirm…I'm positive that I'm turning into a masochist.
He swallowed hard before answering, "You're beautiful."
"Oh…er…thanks?" I offered. It was all I had, this was only supposed to be a game to get out of my deader-than-dead relationship with Ron, but now…
"Hermione," He paused, taking a step closer to me, "I know we had all this planned, but the stuff I said to you before…well, to get rid of Ron, it was…it was all true…every word…I do…I do love you, I think I always have."
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I gazed up at him hoping to Merlin that this was no joke.
"I love you Hermione…more than you could ever know." He confirmed, as if reading my mind with his impeccable Legilimency skills.
Then before I could splutter some sort of reply his wonderfully soft lips sought out my own once again. Only this time I wasn't taken by surprise and it was part of the plan.