I want to dance with somebody
Warnings; Hermione and Ron shippers – back off or you'll probably be sick, in riming, this is a cute fluff fic !! ) Also, if you don't love hp and don't have mutch fantasy... don't think you'll like this one... And, of corse HBP spoilers.
Summary; It's the day of Fleur and Bills Wedding. Not everything goes the way it was planned. Harry is suddenly noticing that it's something Hermione has that Ginny don't. Ginny and Hermione has a big fight – about Harry. Harry and Hermione have a late night talk about love… Well, suddenly someone manages to get them to dance with each other. It'll all get a not-so-beautiful disaster.
- It isn't named after the song like the songfics usual is, because I though the name of the song Harry and Hermione danced to was a better fit. And the song might not fit, but it's good to read under the lines...
A/N; (Of corse, HP doesn't belong to me, neither does any of the songs, I'm just playing! But the story is mine, bwahahaha! You're soooo mad you didn't come up with it first, aren't you? snicker
The ending was till long ago decided (well, just when I read the sixth), and it was like that because of the seventh book. We don't know anything about what will happend there, so i suggested a beginning. That's all. I'm maybe not as talanted as JK (who i think kind of ruined the sixth, even if i liked the WAY she had written it... or not really… it was nice to know all these things about Voldie, sure, but she did a role switch, Hermione's turning into a jealous teen girl, fight with Ron about Sirius right under Harry's nose and Harry himself doesn't even care… Il guess you should read my other fanfic "I'll remember you" and you'll know why I think Hermione was like that. I have to save her character, you know. It's kind of my duty since she's my favourite, or at least was, character… but still I'm not so worried. I belive, and hope, that we'll see more of the old Hermione again in the 7th… it's kind of weird ) but i do have my own options. If you don't like it, why should i care ?? I like the idea, that's it. All Ron and Hermione shippers, don't flame me please, or Ginny and Harry shippers !! But Therese, feel free to kill me after this one... )
My
life is brilliant. My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I
saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
A sighs.
A knock. A nod. Then...;
"Come in..." A girl with blazing red hair entered the little room with two beds. Her bright blue eyes narrowed as they studied the bushy haired girl on the bed. She didn't show any emotions in her cute, freckled face.
"Doesn't it feel strange knocking on your own door?" the girl with honey brown, bushy curls said akwardly, looking down at her hands. The redhaired girl didn't answer. Her friend smiled softly and spoke as she looked up;
"Ginny, why...?" She couldn't say more before the girl called Ginny interrupted her; sadly at first.
"Do you love him?"
"What...?"
"Are you in love with him?" Ginny asked, very suddenly raising her voice, her hair making her look terribly dangerous – like it had burst into flames.
"Ron?" The other girl asked, knowing she would pay for acting so foolish. In fact she was one of the brightest witches of her age. Yes, these two girls weren't just ordinary girls, they were pure witches. But still with usual love/teenage problems, of course. Nothing's fair.
"You know exactly who I mean, Hermione!" Hermione looked down at the hands she had placed in her lap. They were shaking. When she didn't answer, Ginny kept on;
"I covered it up for you when he broke up with me!"
"You did?" Her brown eyes were filled with fear. Fear for the truth.
"Like you didn't listen to us!"
Hermione's cheeks grew light pink as she avoided Ginny's fiery gaze.
"That's why you acted so strange last year, wasn't it? Can't you just tell me?" Ginny asked, still furious. It wasn't really a question, more like a demand.
"I just... I don't know. Everything's so confusing right now. "
"Well, that really speaks for itself, now doesn't it...?" she muttered under her breath.
"I am not the reason Harry broke up with you," Hermione answered in a sharp tone, not very unlike the headmaster's at Hogwarts, Professor Mcgonagall.
"Are you not now? Wasn't it you who told me to let him go?" Ginny argued. This time Hermione's hazel brown eyes shot lightenings and she got up on her feet.
"Oh, for god sakes Ginny!" She cried, letting out all the things that'd bother her the last three years. It made her voice shake and her eyes started filling with tears. "Look outside the door!" She kept on. "It's a WAR out there! And everything that is happening there is because of him, it's because he's The-boy-who-lived! What should I'd tell you, huh? He can't have that right now, he told you himself! He was trying to protect you! If you have any reason to belive him, if you love him...! You'll know – you'll understand why!" Hermione's breathe was rapid and hot as in an oven. Even though she slowly started to calm down she kept glaring at Ginny. After a little while she sank down onto her sheets again, stroking the dress that was laid on her duvet.
"I do..." she added softly. She wasn't sure herself is she meant that she believed in him or loved him.
"I can't talk to you about this. It's a wedding prepared just outside. We'll get to this afterwards." She said it so accusingly, like it had been Hermione who'd started their conversation. "I hope you'll tell me the truth then..." With a last bitter look Ginny turned around, leaving the bushy haired girl on the bed, lost in thoughs...
She
smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I
won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.
"Fix your hair", the mirror barked at the boy who was standing in front of it.
"Stop it", Harry murmured to the mirror; "you know I can't get it any tidier!" He tried to make his robes sit right with fingers that felt like sausages.
"I'm sure you're the only one who's going to a wedding looking like you'd just gotten out of bed", the mirror teased him.
"Enough already." The boy pushed his hair back in frustration and the lightening-shaped scar on his forehead became visible. He made a face and covered it up again under his fringe. His reflection gave him an evil grin. Harry made a face back at it as well; feeling a bit embarrassed doing so to his own reflection. Lucky Ron wasn't anywhere nearby. It was just him and that evil mirror. "Now, tell me how this cloak looks", he demanded.
"Well, for once, good job", the mirror said. Harry smiled for the first time that morning.
"Well, that's better… I've got to get going." He gave his hair a last lazy look and sighed before turning around, trying hard not to feel ill. He knew the dark green cloak with lighter green markings wouldn't fit as good to his eyes if he got sick and…
We shouldn't get closer to that subject right now. We'd better get on with the story, now shall we?
Just before he closed the door to Ron's room he could hear the mirror say with a very artificial voice;
"Well, good morning Mr. Potter!" Harry just shook his head as he went down the stairs to help out with the last preparations for the wedding.
The clock was soon turning eight and the sun had started to sink. The orange light made the shadows come to life and stretch their limbs far across the Weasley's garden. It was only a question of minutes until Bill and Fleur would be together forever more.
After the unison at Hogwarts Mrs. Weasley and Fleur had acted like two teenage girls, or… what they considered teenage girls to be. It had been great seeing Mrs. Weasley; she'd looked much younger and less troubled and sometimes she could just stop to kiss her husband on the lips or ruffle someone's hair out of the blue, like she'd never heard of V…You-know-who.
But it wasn't a great feeling hearing Fleur being even more girlish, running around, and giggling. YES; giggling, trying to charm the boys like they were all deeply in love with her (which only worked with Ron) and have "girl talks" with Ginny and Hermione – which wasn't so appreciated as she clearly imagined.
Hermione had been trying to avoid everyone, except at the meals and Ginny could at anytime explode over nothing. That's why Harry and Ron had tried to avoid the girls as well; they were not really in heaven these days. It was all kind of awkward.
Harry hurried down the stairs, finding Fleur in the middle of a breakdown. She sat on a chair in the centre of the kitchen, crying uncontrollably. Ron, dressed in a dark blue cloak (all new), was already trying to calm her down as the bridegroom was nowhere to be found. Neither, Harry noticed, were Hermione or Ginny.
Most of all he wanted to run away with his tail between his legs (not that he had a tail) and hide from Fleur, but didn't have the heart… to leave Ron alone with her. Feel free to interpret that in any way you'd like.
"What happened?" He asked Ron as he got up on the other side of Fleur, and couldn't help but notice that that his freckled, red haired friend had managed to dress up really nicely for a change. Fred and George apparently did a great job at the amusement shop.
"Bill saw her…" Ron said trough gritted teeth.
"Huh?" Harry might be smarter than Ron at a certain point, but he surely couldn't see why it would be wrong for the bridegroom to see his beautiful wife before the wedding.
"You can't see the one you'll be marrying the last 24 hours before the wedding. If you do it brings bad luck", he told Harry in a very bored tone.
"Oh…" Harry couldn't make out if it were muggle stuff or actually had something to do with the magical world. Well, you know what he's gone through – you can't really blame him.
"'Arry, Bill", Fleur gulped, "'e does not luve me… anymore!" Then she burst into tears again, unable to say anything else. This was when Ginny entered the kitchen. Harry looked up, cheeks turning red as he purred with pleasure to see her for once so dressed up.
The light yellow dresses she and Gabrielle wore exposed the arms up the shoulders and ended with yellow lace just below the knees. They had both a yellow rose in their hair, which was tied up in a knot. A little darker yellow band was around their waste to make the dress follow the actions of their bodies.
It had been Ginny's own idea. Harry wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be a marvellous designer; and so he'd told her, but she'd only laughed at him.
"No way", she'd answered while gazing at him like he'd gone nuts. "And besides I want to get into a Quidditch team, you know."
Now that seeker, the youngest of the Weasleys, was standing in front of him with Gabrielle behind her, in a dress that made her look like a little sunshine… even if she didn't act like one. Her face didn't show any emotions, but Harry assumed she was annoyed by the dress. She looked rather cute, actually. 'Course he was allowed to think that, they'd dated previous year, you know!
Anyways, she stood there; staring at Fleur and Harry saw her fingers twitch; like they were itching. He understood her inside were rattling between walking away or actually, out of compassion, take care of her.
The girly side of her took over at last, and she hurried to the bride that was sitting with the white dress sadly lingering all around her on the floor.
"Go tell Bill to get ready, get Mr. Delacour and then take a seat. We'll be ready in a moment", Ginny demanded. Ron nodded and left. Harry decided not to stay there either, so he went after Ron into the garden to the Burrow which was now seated with chairs and a small red carpet in the middle for the couple to walk on. In front of it there was a scene with flower vases on both sides filled with buckets of pink roses. It was like a roof of cumulative creepers in a bow over where the priest stood and it all looked very beautiful.
The small white chairs were already filled with people as Harry, Ron and Mr. Delacour ran into the house once again. Mr. Delacour went into the kitchen so, there Harry and Ron were trapped, just in the hall, not really sure what to do or how to act.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron suddenly asked. Harry shrugged.
"We better go find her", he said as he put his foot on the first step. That's when he heard someone coming down. Harry smiled and said as he looked up;
"Well, apparently…" His voice died out as he saw her at the top of the stairs. His jaw dropped down as he couldn't help but stare at the young woman, who carefully (and clearly a bit annoyed by the dress) was making her way downstairs.
Hermione had a lavender blue dress hanging from her bare shoulders. It was so long it ended at her ankles and she had to lift the end up in her hands not to trip over it. Her honey brown hair was under some kind of bushy control and tied up in an elegant knot, just like the bridesmaids, but some curls were hanging down, picturing her face. Her neck was exposed and around it a silvery neck less was hanging with one single light blue pearl. The earrings were gleaming like diamonds, out of the same sort as the neck less.
But the thing touching Harry the most was her face. She was a little bit flushed, out of naturally. She wore a light eye-shadow, barely noticed and the cheeks and hair seemed to be covered in fairy dust, still it didn't shimmer like it. It reminded him somehow of the reflection in water. Her lips had turned to a little shade light pink, but not much. It was most her natural lip colour, but this time they were more toned and as it seemed; covered in fairy dust as well. Harry's stomach turned to a knot, his eyes transfixed on those lips. His heart beat loudly as it hit him like a blow in the stomach how inviting they looked.
The warmth in his chest rushed into the rest of the body, into all limbs. He felt slightly light headed and was glad his hand was leaning on the rail because he feared he might faint at any moment. He couldn't move, he couldn't bloody move!
Ron also seemed to be quite astonished beside him, or at least he shut up for once.
When Hermione looked up, cursing under her breathe over the dress and her mother it seemed, she met his eyes… This made him explode with pleasure inside.
Those eyes, those chocolate and hazel eyes made his breathe unsteady, his heart flutter and his mind were harshly told to turn off.
He heard Ron behind him whisper;
"Harry… chins up!" Harry closed his mouth but opened it again doing all that fish out of the water thing, just before saying, as she stood two steps away from him;
"You look beautiful". Yes, that was the exact word. She was surely the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. OH. MERLIN.
Hermione's lips curled into an askew smile like she didn't actually believe him. Her cheeks turned light pink anyways as she said:
"Thank you, Harry." This made him blush as he stepped aside to let her get past him. Still with his eyes lingering on her, they went out to the wedding.
You're
beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw
your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause
I'll never be with you.
When they were seated on the front with Mrs. Weasley and her other children, soon the song started. The soft melody came from all around them, but probably magically since no speaker where anywhere to be found. The door to the house opened as Fleur, arm in arm with her father, came straddling out. Bill stretched and his smile grew wider the closer she came. His scars had healed a bit but some were still wrenched all over his face. That didn't keep him from smiling that big, though. It actually looked like he'd slept with a hanger in his mouth.
Soon you could also see Ginny and Gabrielle walking forwards behind them.
Ginny had really succeeded with getting Fleur back on track, you couldn't even imagine that she had been crying; her hair and makeup was as pretty and fresh as always and her dress floated perfectly down her body and making a little creek of magic behind her. Her blonde hair moved a little in the soft wind and her slightly visible curls were hanging free on her bare shoulders. She had also a small tiara on the top of her head. Some of you might think that would be silly, but it only made Fleur gleaming with perfection. It made her look royal, even like the queen of angels, you might express it. Making a long story short; she really looked amazing.
Her blue eyes were filled with excitement, and if she'd been told that it was okay, Harry didn't doubt that she would've rushed down there.
Mrs. Weasley's sniffs became a bit louder. He looked up at her, seeing her snort in a big pink tissue. When he shot a glance at Hermione she had a small loving smile on her lips, a tear making its way down her pink cheek. He could hear Ron murmuring something as he stared as a possesed man (which, er... he was) at Fleur who had gotten up to the podium and took Bills hands. Harry didn't exactly know what he said, but could defiantly hear the word "unfair" in his murmurings. Hermione, who was sitting on the other side of him, smirked a little to herself. Harry wasn't sure if it was because of Ron's stupid behaviour or if it was because he wouldn't have the permission to drool over Fleur anymore, now when she got married and all. Neither did he want to know the answer, though.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Ron suddenly sighed. Hermione simply crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look of deep disgust. When Ron didn't notice this she whispered to Harry;
"Imagine that" she let her voice change into surprisingly much alike Fleur's as she said; "Oh, Won-wonny!" Harry couldn't help snicker. It had been a great imitate.
It also made Ron wake up from his daydreams.
"What?" He asked curiously. Harry just shok his head.
"What?!" He demanded, a bit louder this time.
"I thought you were busy drooling Fleur goodbye a moment ago…" Hermione answered him nastily. Ron's ears and neck grew red as he barked back:
"I did not!" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh, please! I heard that part about the unfair!" Ron froze.
"Did… did I say that out loud?"
"I'm afraid you did."
"Well, it's none of your business to know about my fantasies!" Hermione's cheeks got furiously flushed and even if her eyes were a bit glossy it looked like she was trying hard not to strangle him.
"Well I heard it, and remember that some of them are about me!"
"I would never…"
Harry tried to listen to the priest as they kept on fighting in angry whispers. He was just worried that Ron would make her cry again. He'd never seen her as hurt as last year, and if he even tried, Harry knew it was he who would strangle Ron. Sure, Ron was his best friend, but he could be a very insensitive bastard sometimes. Hermione hadn't said he had the emotions of a teaspone without having a thought behind it.
"…Let him speak now or hold forever quiet…"
"There!" Hermione suddenly blurted. "Sorry Ron, you just missed your big moment!"
OK. That was enough. They'd crossed the line, it was already strange for him being on the first funeral and wedding in the same year. Month, actually.
As his temper was lost more and more he remembered one thing he'd thought about all their last year. He had an answer; He would Definitely not like Ron and Hermione getting more than just friends. Well… that kind of did make him explode… all over them.
"Oh, shut up you two! It's a bloody wedding!" He whispered harshly.
It worked.
Both Ron and Hermione shut up. Hermione looked rather hurt actually, as her cheeks grew flushed. It was just in time though, the priest announced at that precise moment:
"Here I perform you as husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." And with a nod, that was excactly what Bill did. Then he and Fleur turned to the guests and everybody stood up, exploding with applauses. Then the new Mr. and Mrs. Weasley "juniors" went down from the podium and was soon followed by the public who brought their chairs with them to the tables that was placed at the meadow just beside the Burrow. The tables were full of treats. Dobby and Kreacher had managed to get it all to look very beautiful, small lamps were shining around the long tables covered with food and there was a heart behind the newlyweds' seats. It was all covered with white, pink and yellow roses and some small stars were gleaming like they were real, a little all around the flowers, matching the ones who were just about to appear in the darkening sky.
Dobby, glad to help (that not everyone was, no names mentioned…) had been very excited and bragged to the other house elfs on the castle how 'Harry Potter, sir' had asked him for help, to create Mr. Wissiley's brother's wedding with the beautiful "fairy". That's how he had expressed it.
Now the little house elf ran towards Harry, Ron and Hermione and Kreacher did lazily and with a cold gaze follow him.
"Harry Potter sir! Miss Granger, Harry Potter's girlfriend, miss, Mr Wissiley", Dobby nodded knowingly. Harry chuckled slightly.
"It's just Harry, and Hermione isn't", he shot a glance at her and saw she was slightly smiling, "my girlfriend, and Ron's name is Weasley." Dobby nodded so his big ears slapped himself in the face. It reminded Harry about the muggle movie "Dumbo".
"It's Hermione and Harry and Ronnie… Weasel?" Hermione and Harry burst out laughing as Ron got red in the face. Dobby just smiled awkwardly, a little ashamed not pronouncing the name right, but also a little afraid that someone would beat him up for it. He had lived with the Malfoys, after all. But still, they had no power over him anymore, witch made him smile to Ron who at the moment looked an awful lot like a tomato.
"He doesn't mind, Dobby", said Hermione, smiling as well. It was then she noticed Kreacher. "Oh, hello Kreacher", she said, giving him one of her most precious smiles that both Harry and Ron treasured very mutch. Kreacher just stared at her murmuring quietly to himself;
"The mud blood spoke to me again… I am not gonna talk to her she is…"
"Oh, Kreacher, shut up!" Harry said, staring at the old little house elf.
"But Kreacher didn't say anything, master", the old house elf said.
Harry stared at Kreacher as if his purpose was to make him burst into flames, which wasn't anything to conclude happening to him. He assumed that Hermione could actually smell the smoke, because she touched his arm the way she always did and said;
"Oh, it's okay. He doesn't know what he's saying."
"Yes, he does!"
"...And I agree with him. She's mental, that one", Ron said this last part to Kreacher. Harry, Hermione and Dobby turned angry to Ron, witch made him turn quiet. Dobby held up his fingers, ready to snap on Harry's signal. Harry turned to Kreacher who was standing murmuring to himself again.
"Kreacher, go away", Harry said trough gritted teeth. "Go serve people, and be nice!" Kreacher first tried to argue, most likely not wanting to leave the conversation, but fell on his knees with a small scream. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and whispered in alarm;
"No, Harry!"
"Now", he added, ignoring Hermiones words. Kreacher turned his cold eyes towards them and then said;
"Yes, master", and with a crack he appeared a bit away, with a plate filled with tea sandwiches. Hermione let go of Harry, turning away, walking towards the tables. He watched her from behind, and then turned to Ron.
"Ron", he said in a harsh tone. "Can't you just let her be?"
"No."
"Well, you're never going to get to her if you keep treating her badly." And with that Harry went after the bushy haired girl.
Yeah,
she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my
face that I was,
Flying high,
And I don't think that I'll see
her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.
When they'd eaten, everybody's speeches had been preformed, and the cake had been cut, it was time to dance. Or at least for it was for some people. Harry himself walked around the dance floor, which was shimmering with golden lamps and filled with dancing couples. Dresses were poured out everywhere together with handsome cloaks and robes. It all created a colourful sight and it felt, for Harry, like he was in the middle of a "Smarties" commercial or something. He'd really seen to much TV last year, when he'd actually been allowed to use it.
Fleur had just stopped dancing with Fred and was now dragging Ron onto the dance floor. Harry felt he would rather stay away as he saw how Fleur pushed Ron near her, twisting him, back to laying her arms around his neck. Ron looked like he got a sleep potion slipped into his butterbeer and really seemed to be enjoying himself.
Suddenly Harry felt a hand grabbing after him and he was pulled hard backwards. His mind was very fast alert. He knew that he wouldn't be able to pull out his wand under these seconds, so he turned around and pushed whoever it was hard up against the tree. It wasn't a exactly a death eater and he didn't stare in a pair of cold grey eyes as he'd feared. No these, belonged to a lovely person. They were hazel brown and it looked like they were filled with warm coke, and that was just what filled him at the moment, looking into them.
"S-sorry", Hermione stuttered, probably ashamed to scare the hell out of him like that.
"It's okay", Harry said, noticing how close they were. Hermione's small, fast breathes was tickling his skin and his stomach turned into a big knot. Her eyes lingered on him, never looking away.
"Am I crushing you?" He asked, with a colour covering his cheeks.
"Ah,
well, a bit", she smiled softly. "But it's fine… I mean",
she hurriedly righted herself, not meeting Harry's eyes. "I… I
can't really… I can't breathe, I... Oh, stupid…"
Harry couldn't help staring at her (not that he hadn't before),
he'd just never really heard her stuttering like this. Suddenly
Hermione's voice died out and she said, louder and filled with new
confidence and bravery:
"I could use some air…" Harry pulled
away as he saw her nails pushed into the bark. She breathed a little
heavily - and so did he, even though he tried to cover it up.
"Ok… so what did you want to tell me? I'll guess that's why you did it…" Hermione bit her lower lip, looking down and walking away from the tree with Harry beside her. She glanced a last time at the dance floor before blurting:
"I need to talk to you about some things that is so unnecessary but I can only trust you and I know you'll be honest and tell me the truth and understand and it's things that I can't talk to with someone else and you didn't seem to be doing anything, so I though we maybe could sneak away a while!" She said all this in one breathe and Harry couldn't help but smile as he remembered when they'd first met. Maybe she would get back to normal again. He'd liked the old Hermione. And he'd missed her, a lot.
But that's how it works. You never know how mutch you've missed a person until the person are coming back.
"Sure, Mione", he said, making her smile at the pet name.
They walked away from the meadow and went into The Weasley's garden once again. It was a beautiful night. The stars were like diamonds shimmering out there, in the middle of nothing and everything on the black velvet sky. Hermione looked up at them, smiling to herself. Harry waited patiently.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Hermione sighed.
"Yes, they are", Harry agreed looking up to at the forever going darkness. "You know", he said quietly, "sometimes I think that the big black is life and the stars are hope. It's like… what do they say…? Oh, life seems to be dark sometimes but the hope is always there, never letting you give up… its pretty mutch like the stars. Maybe they are the reasons I haven't given up yet…" or, he added in his mind, it's you. Hermione squeezed his hand slightly.
"Well, I know someone who wouldn't think that", she sighed after a while.
"Which of it?" Harry asked, aware of that it was Hermione he was supposed to help.
"Both", Hermione answered. "And he would think the talk about how beautiful these are is nothing compared to Fleur. But she's just like one of the smallest stars in the sky. Don't you think?" Harry turned his head from the sky to look at her. She was still gazing at the sky with clear and pure eyes, the light reflecting within them. He knew exactly what to say, somehow.
"I think she's perfect", he simply said. Hermione looked up at him, blushing slightly when she noticed that he'd studied her. But it could've just been the wind that was blowing in the trees, just like a very sweet whisper sent from the stars, that was making her cheeks turn pink.
"What?" Hermione asked him in confusion.
"She's not beautiful. She's perfect", Harry smiled. Hermione looked at him, frowning.
"What do you mean?"
"Look", Harry said, looking up at the sky again while he was speaking. "Nothing - no one's perfect, that's what everybody says, right?" He could feel Hermione nodding. "But she's the word perfection. And for me, that's TOO perfect. Many people are searching for perfection, but in the end, they will find, if they're lucky, the truth."
"And what is that?" Hermione asked, softly, catching on, but still with question in her voice. Harry chuckled slightly, making Hermione frown even more.
"Special", he answered. "If they find special, that person is the nearest perfection anyone could be for you. When you say that someone is the closest to perfection anyone can be, do you think that no one's perfect or that the one who is perfect, isn't? Does that even make sense?"
He looked down, meeting Hermiones eyes. She had a smile lingering on her face.
"No, but still I think it's the wisest thing I've ever heard." Harry chuckled again.
"That's got to be something."
"So…" Hermione playfully kept on, "how do you know that you've found this "special"?"
"You just know, I guess. Or, maybe it's just suddenly bump into your head, maybe too late…"
"You think we can see if we've found them?" Her voice was uncertain, and maybe filled with a little bit of fear.
"Sure", Harry smiled as he held out his hand and led Hermione to a swing hanging in the big cherry tree. Hermione sat down and Harry started giving her some speed. When she was swinging he leaned his back towards the trunk. Just watching her with curls blowing in her face and cherry blossoms falling all around her, made his heart race. She was smiling slightly and the though about how beautiful she was hit him again, just as hard the question she asked him;
"How do you feel when you see her?"
"Who?" He asked, forgetting everything except her voice. Hermione laughed softly.
"Ginny, 'course."
"Oh…" Harry's thoughts drew back to when he saw her. "It kind of…" he started, slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, common," Hermione said, looking at him. "It's only me." Oh, well, Harry thought, It's "only you" who I'm thinking is beautiful at the moment! But he said;
"Well, it tickles inside of me in the stomach a bit. I… it's like this wild beast inside of me that is purring when I see her…"Oh, brilliant Potter! Now you've done a complete fool of yourself. Great job! Said the voice in the back of his head, the voice that sounded just like Hermione's. Ah, well, that's done, I am nuts! But Hermione did really not look at him like he was nuts. No, she looked really interested, strangely enough.
"Keep on", she said with excitement in her eyes.
"Well", he started, blushing. "It's that wild beast who was telling me to kill Dean…" Hermione chuckled slightly.
"Then it was my wild beast who was telling me to kill Lavender." Her smile was teasing as Harry noticed a light pink cherry blossom in her hair, hanging just in her fringe.
"Wait", he said, stepping towards her and Hermione blinked unexpectedly. He came really close and couldn't escape the flicker in Hermione's eyes as they went over his body when he bent down over her picking the flower out, letting his fingers stroke her hair for a moment, not being able to stop himself. Hermione hummed quietly, like she was enjoying it, before Harry slowly stepped away, showing her the blossom he had between his fingers. Then he asked:
"Why didn't neither of us do it; I mean break them up or kill them?" Harry swallowed hard at the though of killing someone this early, that wouldn't change anything, but Hermione just laughed at him again.
"The last part I am not going to answer, but still… I don't know. It would've been so easy. Telling her about those old socks Ron had under his bed that had gotten mouldy…"
"… or recall how that song in our second year went… or tell him about the fact that my godfather was a killer; I wouldn't have to tell him he was dead…" Even if memories of Sirius made him sad he couldn't help laugh slightly with Hermione. She got up as they walked side by side to the bench in the garden under the other cherry trees. They both sat, close to each other, quiet a little while enjoying each others company. Harry was the first one to speak:
"What do you feel when you see R…" he suddenly felt he couldn't say his best friend's name. He must be mental. "…when you see him?" Hermione bit her lip.
"Oh, I don't know. Not mutch. Just: there's Ron, ah well, hope that idiot don't act as usual…"
"Fun", Harry smiled. "No, really…"
"Well… that wild beast, who actually reminds me of Crookshanks a bit… purr too… kind of… and sometimes I feel warm… but not always. It's strange…" She stopped to think about what she'd just said. Harry suddenly understood why he became warm in Ginny's presence only sometimes. Oh no… Hermione? This couldn't be happening. Could it?
"Well, Harry said, not letting her think any further on what she'd just said. "Next question… Do you two fit, and with that I mean not in looks, just… you know?"
"Yes. And, I can't say that, no. Really not." Harry noticed that Hermione had a little sad expression on her face.
"Well, some people say that opposites attract…"
"Yes, but with that they don't mean what Ron and I have. They mean that you can like different things, but even so understands and respect each other. I really think the only thing Ron and I have in comment is you." Harry felt a sheepish grin covering his face.
"And you and Ginny, do I even have to ask?"
"Yes, well kind of. Quidditch, and… well, it's you who has the problem, and you already know the answer so…"
"Next question", Hermione finished for him, smiling. "Can you talk to this person, I mean, about everything?"
"Well… actually no. I haven't told her about the Hourcrux or the prophecy or Voldemort's rising or… well, I guess you get it. I guessed I just didn't want to sacrifice her life…" Hermione frowned.
"But you could tell us that, so you could risk our lives?" She was clearly a bit upset.
"No", Harry said. "But I… I…"
"Didn't trust her…?" Harry nodded.
"I guess this sounds crazy, but I don't think so…" They both kept quiet a little while, looking at the stars. Harry followed one of the chickens that were on the other side of the garden with his eyes. When it disappeared behind the house he said;
"But Ron…"
"Well, all of your problems you trust him with, and I might trust him with some things but… No, not really…" she smiled sadly at him. Then she looked down at her hands again, frowning and looking like she was in deep thoughts.
"Why?" Hermione suddenly asked. "Why and how did you fall for Ginny?"
"I don't know really", Harry said, surprised by the question. "It just came to me out of the blue. Hormones, the Hermione-ish voice murmured in his head, but he didn't listen to it. "Suddenly she was cute and this girl I wanted. It started with Quidditch and then it kind of built on that from the beginning of our sixth year. You?"
"I guess I kind of always … liked him? Yeah… when he noticed I was "a girl" in our fourth year, when I had Krum, even if he hurt me really much afterward it was too a big compliment, coming from Ron…"
"I saw you two…"
"You did?"
"Yes…" Harry remembered that night right after the ball in the common room when he'd seen them fight. He'd just left. He suddenly wished he hadn't. "Well, don't stop." Hermione smiled sweetly at him.
"He gave me… a compliment (in his own way) and, I've kind of always known he had a crush on me. So, that felt good! And I thought… if love won't come after me then I better come for it. So I started to see him in another way than just my friend. It worked in a… way." Harry just nodded.
"So then, last question. Are you ready, this will convince you, I promise", he assured her. Hermione nodded.
"I'm ready…" Harry stared deep into her eyes and locked them there, leaning closer and smiling, making sure she wouldn't let go of his gaze. She swallowed as he asked, in a small whisper;
"Do you love him?"
"No." Hermione gasped at her own response. "No, I… don't. Do you love her?"
"Um, I… no." Harry blinked as he realized it was true. "No, I don't." They suddenly both smiled at each other.
This was when Harry realized something (else).
"We need to leave tonight."
"To Godric's Hollow?" Harry simply nodded. They both turned quiet, not looking at each other. Then Hermione said, looking up, with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Promise me you'll defeat him." Harry looked at her in complete shock.
"I can't do that…" She looked away, because she knew that already.
"And I can't live without you. Please, promise me…"
"Only if you promise me you'll never die." Both the wishes and their answers were only impossible hopes and complete lies, but sometimes lies are the only thing that can keep you going. And now they were both desperate.
"But I can't…" she met his eyes and they shared a moment receiving painful looks from each other. Then Hermione sighed and shrugged. "I promise."
"I promise", Harry said and then they hugged each other. Hermione pulled him close; trying to sooth herself and keep her from crying. Harry felt her curls tickling his nose and he noticed she smelled wonderfully. It was a sweet smell, a mix of vanilla and strawberries… probably a little bit of snow and light too, if those has got some kind of smell. It had been a long time since they'd touched like this. He realized he'd missed it, really missed it. She told him she had missed him to, just to say;
"I haven't been myself lately…"
"I haven't either", Harry answered softly. "But it doesn't matter, 'cuss we both are now."
Her cheek was pressed to his neck and she rubbed her head there a bit, making it tickle in a nice way. After a little while she pulled away, looking up at him. Harry smiled softly; stroking her cheek and making her blush slightly.
"We should get back", she said and rose to her feet. Harry nodded in reply and they walked back in silence, just enjoying that everything had gone back to normal. Well, as normal as it can be living in the magical world with Harry Potter, "the chosen one".
When they were back standing beside the tree, Hermione suddenly gasped, letting her hand covering her mouth as she turned to Harry.
"What shall we do?"
"About…?"
"Ginny and Ron!" Harry simply blinked.
"I have no idea", he answered truthfully, "and I'm not really an expert on the subject. I even thought you were." It was like a jolt had passed trough Hermione's body because she shook a little.
"I'm not…" she began, trailing off.
"I guess all we can do is wait… maybe we will fall inlove with them." Hermione looked up at him, her eyes reflecting in the lamps from the dance floor a few meters away.
"Or," she said softly, "we fall in love with somebody else…"
"Or", Harry kept on for her, "we realize that we've loved somebody else all along…"
An invisible bond between them was cut off. Harry didn't know what it was, but he knew that they both realized something, unclear yet. Something who had always been there, just unnoticed to the eye, but well known to the heart. It felt like no one had tried as hard as they should've to understand it. And now they just stood there, smiling, looking at each other. For the first time really noticing the other person. Harry wanted to move towards her but still he couldn't. It was something he had to say to her… His eyes bored into hers and she responded in the same way, never letting go of his gaze.
"Herm…"
"Harry! Hermione!" They both jumped, moving together, seeking each others protection, just like in the woods in their fifth year, looking anxiously around. Finally their eyes stopped at Ron who was coming towards them. "Were have you two been?"
You're
beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw
your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause
I'll never be with you.
"Oh…" Harry tried to say something but he didn't know what.
"We just needed some air", Hermione said like it was the most obvious thing in the world – even though they were already outside.
"Scho you weren't ofh "snoglhlging"?" Fred cried from the other side of the dance floor, making all the teens around there snicker slightly. But both Ron and Ginny were quiet. Fred had probably drunk to mutch butterbeer. Hermione's cheeks grew flushed as she answered harshly;
"Certainly not!" Harry smiled at her, glad she could handle this mutch better than he could. And who wouldn't blush upon being accused of kissing their best friend?
"A schame, George said, sitting beside Fred, sharing a big bottle. He didn't look just as drunk, though. "You thwo fit perfectly!"
This time Hermiones cheeks grew to the colour of a very intense red as she had her mouth hanging open, not quite knowing what to answer to that. Harry could hear her mutter something to herself that sounded astonishing like; "I hope you have a terrible hangover tomorrow".
"Don't bother Hermione, they've way got to many butter beers. They don't know what they're talking about", Harry said, knowing she must feel very embarrassed not knowing what to answer to something like that.
"That doesn't give them any reasons good enough to come up with something like that!" Hermione answered him.
"How about a dance?" Ginny suddenly asked, coming up beside them. Hermione looked like Ginny had slapped her in the face.
"W-what?" Harry asked.
"A dance", Ginny said simply. "If you're friends, a dance wont hurt now would it?"
"Um… I just remembered I need to talk to you in Private Ron. You to, Hermione", Harry said, remembering to his relief that he had to tell Ron they were leaving tonight. But Ron, suddenly having an expression that reminded Harry of deep toxic-green-jealousy covering his face, argued against;
"A dance first can't hurt", he said, staring at them, accusing them for nothing.
"Ron, wha…?" He didn't get any longer in his complaints, because in that moment Hermione had pulled herself together and said angrily;
"Sure!"
"I mean… What?" Harry suddenly understood what Hermione had just said. He stared at her, and faced a Hermione that wouldn't change her mind. She pulled out her wand and transformed her dress into a better fitting piece.
"If they want a dance, we'll give them a dance", she said stubbornly between gritted teeth and pulled him out on the dance floor with angry steps. She spun around facing him, putting her hand on his shoulder, and giving him a look that told him he should do what he was expected to do. Harry was stunned and put his hand on her back, letting it slide down to her hip, where it should be. Hermione shivered a little under his touch but didn't act like she cared one bit. She just took Harry's other hand and held it as she looked into his eyes.
"We'll show them", she told him stubbornly and then the song started. It was a well-known melody and Hermiones smile grew wider as Harry realized he'd actually heard that song before and remembered how he'd seen people on TV do;
Clock strikes upon the hour
And the sun begins to fade
Still enough time to figure out how to chase my blues away
I'm goanna live it up tonight
It's the light of day that shows me how
And when the night falls…
The loneliness calls…
The first sentences were starting to sink in. Harry didn't really remember what he was doing and he and Hermione was a bit insecure, you could tell. But when the girl sang "And when the night falls… " Harry suddenly decided to have fun and try out some tricks and switched from stony to alert. He tucked Hermione by the arm and made her spin around, ending pressed up close to him. Harry smiled at her face, inches from his before letting her turn again, to the same position they'd before when the refrain had started…;
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat with somebody,
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat with somebody,
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
Hermione laughed when he spun her around again, and they were moving on the dance floor which was deserted with the exception of them. He forgot about why they were doing it and loved it. He loved dancing with Hermione. He loved…
"Where have you learned to dance like this?" She asked curiously as she tried to catch her breathe when he they were up tight in each others arms. "On the Yule ball you had quite a problem."
Harry laughed at her comment.
"Did you spy on me?" Hermione's cheeks got flushed as she stepped away from him in a smooth dance move. But Harry pulled her back in, making his arms lying around her, his head on her shoulder.
"Did you?" He whispered in her ear, remembering how every time he'd looked in her direction she'd met his eyes. Hermione laughed at him again.
"Maybe…" she just answered breathily, teasing him as she spun around and out of his arms. Harry couldn't help himself and followed with a huge grin on his face.
I fell inlove and lost my senses spinning trough the town
Sooner or later the fever ends and I wand the feeling down
I need a man who takes the chance
For the love that burns hot enough to last
So when the night falls…
My lonely heart calls…
Harry blushed when he listened to the text, and he tried to concentrate on the dance moves. But Hermione kept him busy enough.
"You didn't tell me when you learned this", Hermione reminded him.
"You really want to know, don't you?"
"Well, I am dancing with you," she chuckled as she went a turn around him.
"Dudley", Harry said. "He looked at a show every time we had dinner at the Dursleys. It was named "Dance is for life". It was shown many times, mostly when we ate, and I just thought I could learn something. And… with Parvati, I was scared to hell. She might had eaten me alive you know, more dangerous than the Hungarian Horntail, she is!" The girl in his arms chuckled at this.
"Sure, you have learned something", Hermione said, and didn't grimace very much when he stepped wrong.
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat with somebody,
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
"And you?" Harry asked Hermione in the refrain.
"Dancing classes", Hermione breathed in reply as she stepped out and he tucked her in again. "Four years. Something I couldn't learn from books that well."
"And why?"
"I wanted to be perfect…" Harry chuckled and drew her close, too close…
"Well, we all know how perfect ends, don't we?" Hermione smiled strangely as she spun around once again.
Somebody who
Somebody who
Somebody who loves me
Somebody who
Somebody who
To hold me in his arms
I need a man that can take the chance,
On the love that burns hot enough to last
So when the night falls…
My lonely heart calls…
Just when that last part was sung Hermione seemed to realize what she was doing… and what the text said. She blushed, but just a little. She was of course hot already from the song, but it didn't keep her from dancing with passion flowing out from every part of her body.
Her eyes filled with a strange look, but she still never stopped dancing. She just tugged him closer; singing to the song a bit, under her breathe.
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat with somebody,
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
Ohh, I want do dance with somebody
I want to feel the heat with somebody,
Yeah, want to dance with somebody,
With somebody who loves me
She loved this, she loved to dance, and Harry noticed it in every part of her.
The way she was moving her legs, the way her body moved to the rhythm. Her eyes where shining with desire and he could notice she still had lots of energy, compared to himself who had started to get sweaty. But still, he could never get tired of dancing with Hermione. He pretty much felt like flying, but not like flying on a broom. His heart fluttered in his chest like it was snitch there, not a muscle at the thought of it. Hermione would really not bore him, and her eyes were filling him with new energy, making him speed up instead of slow down. She laughed with the singer.
laugh
Don't you want to dance, with me baby?
Don't you want to dance, with me boy?
Don't you want to dance, with me baby?
Don't you want to dance… with somebody who loves me
Don't you want to dance, say you want to dance, don't you want to dance?
Don't you want to dance, say you want to dance, don't you want to dance?
Don't you want to dance, say you want to dance; with somebody who loves me…
They froze just as the song ended, both breathing heavily.
Harry had his arms wrapped tightly around Hermione waste and her arms were lying around his neck. She smiled sweetly to him and even if they'd stopped dancing Harry felt warmer than ever before. He felt a sting in his heart as he remembered that Ron was still there. He bent forward, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, knowing he was going to regret it;
"Don't you want to dance?"
Her chest was moving against his and he saw her eyes widened as she suddenly pulled away. Not waiting a moment she cleared her voice and spoke up. Her voice echoed all over the deathly quiet dance floor:
"Now, there you are." Then she broke the spell on her dress with a snap of her wand, wrapped up it and went away. Escaping from the dance floor with all the astonishing pairs of eyes that followed her and disappearing in to the endless night. Harry looked after her then seeing people staring strangely at him as well. Ron and Ginny refused to even look at him. This was great. Even Kreacher had his mouth slightly opened is surprise. Harry just shock his head and ran after Hermione.
You're
beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
Harry found her in the grass a bit away from the Burrow, kneeling in the grass like her legs had suddenly failed her. She didn't look at him even though he knew she'd herd him coming. He got down in the grass beside her and lay down on his back. The straws were tickling his face in a desperate try to keep him aware but the sweet smell of Hermione still managed to sneak into his nose and making him close his eyes fore a moment to breathe it in.
"I'm sorry about that before", whatever it was, he added in his mind. "But it's handled…" He said quietly. Hermione just answered with an;
"Mhmm…" it sounded like she was crying. Harry felt his heart sink like a stone in his chest.
"Hermione… are you okay?" Hermione still refused to look at him.
"Mhmm…"
"I don't think you are", he said simply, sitting up again. Her bushy curls had fallen down from the knot and they were now hanging in front of her face, creating a little curtain of hair protecting her from his gaze. Harry couldn't stop himself and reached out, tucking the hair back and behind her ear. He felt the salty wetness of her cheeks coming off on his fingers and it hurt a lot. It was entirely his fault. He should never have agreed to dance with her. He shouldn't have listened to her; he'd known it would end up like this… or not exactly like this, but still. He swallowed, a bit uncertain of what to do, before asking Hermione with a soft voice:
"Do you want me to leave?" Hermione didn't answer at first but then she suddenly threw her arms around his neck and knocked him flat, making him falling back down in the grass with her lying on his chest.
"Of course I wouldn't, Harry! Don't be stupid", she moaned before placing her cheek on his chest and grabbing his cloak tightly before starting to sob uncontrollably.
Oh dear…
"It's okay Hermione", Harry whispered, wrapping his arms lightly around her, a little bit unsure. Wait a sec, the Hermione-ish voice inside of his head said. "Why are you crying?" Harry blurted. Hermione looked up, tears brimming in her eyes, her cheeks all wet.
"I… over everything", she sobbed. "Over you, and Ginny, and Voldemort, and Dumbledore and Snape and … and that stupid git Ron and the fucking Mundungus and…"
"Okay, whoa! Calm down Hermione!" Harry told her as he was astonished how she could curse when she wanted to. Fucking great! Oh, sorry.
"Thanks", Hermione suddenly cracked a small smile. Her Hazel brown eyes made Harry suddenly understand that he had Hermione Granger, lying on his chest, lips inches from his. Hermione suddenly seemed to understand that too. Her smile faded as her hands let go of his cloak, but still she really couldn't move. We are just friends, Harry tried to tell himself as the voice inside his head laughed so hard Harry was close to getting a headache. You two?! It said in a very Hermione-ish way. Just friends?! Yeah, right!
And no matter how much Harry tried to ignore that little fellow he just couldn't ignore the fact how soft the breathe tickling his lips felt and how warm and safe those eyes were. And the colour of them, that beautiful melted chocolate, dark colour that meant home and trust. How elegant and tender the hands of her were and how soft and inviting her light red lips seemed to be. Or how fast his heart was racing, and the fact that he actually felt her heart race in her chest, which made him smile at her, making her mouth open slightly. This made Harry's stomach turn into a knot that tickled and hurt at the same time, wich suddenly made them both… pull away from each other as they realized what they were so close to doing. But Harry couldn't either ignore the fact how terrible disappointed he felt doing so. Actually, he had a hard time not to moan over how close they'd been.
Hermione tugged a strand of hair behind her ear as she smiled strangely at him again. Her hand was going through her hair countless of times, as Harry's did the same thing. Then, after a long silence, she laid her hand on his face, forcing him to look at her, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. It felt like she'd burned him instead of pressing her soft skin there. Harry flushed a bit as she said:
"Thanks Harry. I think we should get ready to leave. I'll go pack. You go take care of Ron." She quickly stood up and left Harry there, still sitting in the grass, hair all messy and full of grass as green as his own emerald eyes.
And so was the old Hermione Jane Granger back again. He was so glad to see her. He didn't know what he'd done, but he knew they would see a lot more of the bushy haired, smartest witch of their age they'd first met in that compartment on the Hogwarts Express 6 years ago. She'd been practical, looking for a toad, always fast and prepared, and he now remembered that he hadn't been able to take his eyes off her.
Oh, yes, Hermione was back and he was so grateful that he somehow had reminded her of who she was. But he didn't know what Ron would say, though. But that was still left to be figured out. He also knew something definitely had been brought to the surface a moment ago.
He looked at her, quickly disappearing into the house, with her bushy curls bouncing on her shoulders as a sheepish grin spread over his face.
Well, this was going to be a strange year…
There
must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up
that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I
will never be with you.
"Really?"
---
A/N: So how was it? Please let me know what you think//Heart of Summer
