My first HP fic. Watched Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (Part 1). WAS IT NOT AWESOME? Well, it was. :D
So, sorry for any typos or whatever. Did no re-read it. :)
Be nice. I'm only 12. K. And my mind still isn't made up if this should be a one-shot or if I should continue it. So, PLEASE help me. Tell me if I should continue or leave it like this. K. Thanks. So unsure. :( :/ :)
HARRYxHERMIONE FTW.
-Standard disclaimers apply-
K. On to the fic.
"How is he?" He asked right after she got out of the room.
"Well," Hermione faltered,
"I can't say he'll be better soon," she said with a dejected look on her face.
Harry's face fell, so did Hermione's. She looked straight into his eyes with a forlorn expression; exchanging glances with him, all the while his eyes showing independence and reassurance, yet vulnerability and anguish.
Hermione held the same look, weakened; she looked like she was 'gonna burst into tears at the redolent essence that her sweetheart could possibly die.
Suddenly, Harry hugged her. She broke down, wrapped her arms tighter around him. He did all the same. They stood there and enveloped each other in a friendly yet, all-too-desolate embrace. For a small fragment of a second it felt like nothing else mattered, like no other entities in the universe existed but the two of them.
Realizing the air heating up, they broke away awkwardly.
Hermione was with Ron now and Harry with Ginny. They couldn't like each other. They could not see each other as more than best friends... They thought it simply repulsive.
Yet, the intensity of the hug lingered in the air, they both felt it, they couldn't lie to themselves good enough.
Harry scratched the back of his head ungracefully and Hermione held on to her right elbow with her her left hand to no avail.
"I-" They stuttered at the same time, adding to the awkwardness.
"H-hey guys." Ron appeared from the room.
"Ron?" Hermione said, bewildered and appalled all at the same time.
"You have to get back in bed." She said, worried.
"I'll be okay dear." Ron assured her as he struggled in his crutches, advancing to Harry.
"Ron."
"Harry."
They looked at each other.
A significant pause.
Then the two best friends hugged.
On one side, Ron, genuinely happy to be alive and reunited with his friend, alienated to the fact that his best friend and his girlfriend had a heated, awkward moment right before he stepped out of his room. And on the other side Harry, as relieved and blissful as well, but something cascaded upon his face, as he caught sight of Hermione, happily looking at them. She was smiling, that most lovely smile of hers; looking at Ron, happy to see him happy. But as soon as she saw Harry glancing her way she contemplated his gaze and gave him a coarse but happily appeased smile. He gave the same look back.
Harry and Ron's hug broke, at the same time as his and Hermione's contemplating did.
"I'm so glad you're okay." Harry said with an almost fully genuine smile.
"Well, I'm glad to see you too Harry." Ron said with utmost enthusiasm.
He struggled again back to Hermione's side.
He put his arm possessively around her, Hermione didn't shrug him off but she didn't fully welcome the action. She wrapped her arms around herself like she was cold, only, she wasn't. She was only... confused.
Ron noticed what she did and his eyebrows twitched in confusion.
A moment of wordless conversation passed the three.
After the fervency, Ron unwrapped his arm from Hermione's shoulder, she eased up a bit.
His eyes gave away a saddened scintillation, Harry caught sight of this.
"Ron, you really aren't fully healed. I'm worried your condition might get worse, please. Go back to bed. Please." She looked at Ron with pleading eyes.
"Of course." Ron said half-heartedly then kissed Hermione, a bit covetously. She didn't reject him, she kissed back but quickly, subtly broke away.
Ron was baffled by Hermione's actions but his head hurt too much to think. He headed back to his room, lay back down in his bed and closed his eyes to drift away.
Hermione monitored his actions and as soon as she was absolutely positive that Ron had fallen into a deep slumber, she closed the door and turned to Harry, sitting at the chair near the table.
She walked toward him, his eyes following her steps.
"Hey." He greeted her casually - with that natural, irresistible charm of his - like nothing happened.
"Hey." She respired and sat down at the chair opposite Harry's, buried her face into her hands.
"What's wrong?" Harry smiled.
"Harry," She addressed him, then stopped, unsure of what to say next,
"We need to talk." She said, still holding uncertainty.
"I'm here."
"This can't work." She said almost instantly.
"What?" Harry's forehead creased.
"I mean," Hermione let out a troubled lament, unable to find the right word.
"The hug." Harry stated, becoming a bit more serious.
"Yeah."
"I-it didn't mean anything." Harry tried his best to lie, he flickered his eyes across the room to avoid Hermione's gaze.
"Harry look at me," Hermione said as she saw Harry's exquisite emerald eyes sauntering the place, she held his chin and turned his face gently to face her,
"You can't lie to yourself, and neither can I. We both know the truth about what happened. And..."
"And that's the problem." He concluded her sentence.
"Exactly." Another troubled exhale.
"We don't have to brood on that affair-"
Hermione cringed, making Harry realize his choice of words was inept.
"... act," He corrected himself,
"We don't have to Hermione."
"But we will, Harry. And that is what's burdening me."
"You're making this a finer point that it is," He half-lied.
"No I'm not Harry, and you know it. Again, you know it." She halted.
Harry debased his head to stare at the old, crooked wooden table and reflect on the plight, Hermione did the same.
They both put their hands in front of them, unexpectedly touching each other's. Hermione lay her hands down on the table, exhausted, suddenly, the Potter kid put his hands over the girl's. She looked up. He looked at her.
"You're right. We can't lie. Not to each other or to ourselves... But, for now... Please trust me Hermione," Harry paused,
"Trust me, when I say that... It'll all be alright... and someday this will all work out. Okay?"
Hermione sighed once more.
"I trust you Harry."
She smiled, he did as well.
They sat there in two opposite old, wooden benches, in the parting a quaint, equally aged coffee table, Harry's hands lay over Hermione's, they; both gazing into each other's eyes, as if they could see through the other's soul... or heart, remained there, no alteration could be descried.
"Harry?" A slight cold breeze rushed in and Ginny's searching voice was heard.
Godforsaken guilt electrified Harry's entire body, like every nerve ending of his was a live wire.
It was unknown if Hermione felt the same thing, but she had a certain look of commensurate contrition in her eyes.
They both looked down to see their hand still intertwined. Immediately, they hurried to take their hands away from the other.
"Harry, here you are," Ginny said upon finding him and his best friend sitting around the coffee table,
"Are your ready to go now?" She asked, handing him his jacket.
"U-uh, yeah." Harry said as he stood up and wore his thick sheath, giving a look to Hermione Ginny saw but did not comprehend.
"Let's go Harry." She said.
"Yeah. Bye Hermione." He said inadequately.
By this time, the normal thing they would do was to say goodbye and give a warm little hug to each other. But, apparently, they already had enough warmth for the day.
They still hugged each other, unsuccessfully feeble, at a split second their lips almost met, but they avoided it quickly.
"G-goodbye Hermione." Harry wavered.
Hermione was about to vacillate as well, but she caught a hold of herself.
"Goodbye Harry." She said collectively, with a sweet, genuine smile.
"Goodbye." Harry returned the same tone she did as he left with Ginny, her wrapping her hands around Harry's waist and burying her head on his shoulders.
Hermione watched them, not-so-strange jealousy tickling her spine angrily.
She tried to relax but couldn't, there was just something that infuriated her. And she couldn't decipher what it was.
She was left there, with a disconsolate, pained face.
Unknown to her on the other side, Harry, with Ginny by his side, had the same indignant look.
Because they both knew that from then onward, nothing would be the same.