Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter.. JK Rowling does... because if we owned it, Harry and Hermione would end up together and Ginevra Weasley would die... We just own Harvey
From the Start
It was 2 years after the tragic battle between Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter. The good side won, of course. It is in these years, and in the years to come, that our heroic trio can eat, sleep and live in peace. Well, nothing that much has changed except Harry and Ron are now in the English Quidditch Team. Harry, as well as we can all guess it, is Seeker and Ron is Keeper. Both did well in the World Cup as they steamrolled Bulgaria and Krum. They won with 480 to 250 points. The two are still rejoicing even though it has already been a month.
Meanwhile, our Hermione would not let herself be smashed by the boys. She now earned a position in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Personally, she thinks they won't need it anymore as Voldemort is dead. Hermione is doing well in teaching, although she is getting teased as "Prof Granger", she gets constant help from Harry, who, she says is the one fit for the job. She keeps on nagging him like 'You know better, you should do this' or 'Why didn't you take the job? Anyway it's your forte'. He will just respond with a laugh or shrug his shoulders.
It is what she really loves about Harry. Yes, she loves Harry. She loves him more than a friend. She loves him like he is everything in the world. She loves him so much, that every time he goes away, she's worried sick about him. She secretly wishes that she could say all of this to him. But, no, of course she couldn't say it and she wouldn't say it. She knows Harry still likes Ginny, hell, maybe even love her, and Ginny feels the same way too. She knows that things won't be the way she wanted it to be. She has always desired to be in Ginny's place. But, she knows that Ginny will always be Ginny and she will always be Hermione, no more, no less.
It is that very phrase that gets her moving on. They were not meant for each other. Harry might only be her ideal guy but maybe not the right guy. Her heart ached at this very thought and tears were streaming down her eyes. She automatically brushed it off as she set her mind on what she is going to teach the next day.
Harry lay awake on his bed in Grimmauld Place, his mind racing. Memories were flashing back, particularly the spectacularly won Quidditch Match. He smiled as he rolled on his side. His brain slowing down and finally stopping on a certain person whom he dearly loved. It's not his mother nor it is Ginny, but Hermione. He has always thought of her while she is away. While she is in Hogwarts, the home he had known for 7 years. He began to think frantically again. 'Is she alright? Where is she? Did she eat already? Is she asleep?' He wants to take this feeling off, but he can't. He just can't help but worry about Hermione.
He cherishes her in his heart. He was such an idiot, he didn't realize that he is in love with his best friend. If he had just known this earlier, things won't be like this. His relationship with Ginny was fine at first, but there is a missing link. What is it? Half of his already clogged brain asked. Ginny doesn't know me very well unlike Hermione does .She accepts me as Harry, plain old Harry. Not the Harry that the whole Wizarding World and Ginny thinks as their hero answered the other half. He sighed deeply, scratched his head and fell asleep, dreams full of Hermione.
The next morning, he awoke in the smell of bacon and potato chowder. He descended the stairs, quicker than he normally does every morning. He went straight to the kitchen and saw Ginny cooking potato chowder. She turned around and saw him. " Morning sleepyhead. Breakfast is ready" she greeted him. " Good Morning", he replied blankly. He sat down at the table as she laid down plates and other utensils. When she finished setting the table, she sat down across him. They began to eat in silence.
It was Harry who broke the silence. " What are you doing here?" he inquired.
"Visiting you, of course", she replied with a rather tone of annoyance in her voice.
"There's no need" he said
"What do you mean there's no need?" said Ginny with one of her eyebrows raised. "I'm your girlfriend"
"Correction, you were my former girlfriend" Harry blurted out.
"You mean you don't love me anymore?" asked Ginny
Harry just nodded and ate his bacon.
"This c-c-can't be! We're a perfect couple Harry. Perfect." She stammered, "Why, why?"
He didn't want to say it. It's a good thing she was the one who brought the subject up.
"Are you in love with somebody else?" she asked, although she thinks she knows the answer.
Harry nodded again.
"Is it Hermione?"
A smile plastered on his face. Ginny stood up and said " How could you do this to me?" With that, she marched herself out of the house.
Harry sat there eating happily and sadly at the same time. It's a nice thing their relationship became clearer. But he still feels guilty because he broke the heart of Ron's little sister. After he finished his last bit of food, he washed the dishes and went up to his bedroom. He was thinking if he would go and visit Hermione in Hogwarts. He closed his eyes thinking and when he opened them he saw Hermione's face flash. He has decided. He will go. He packed a little luggage and Apparated to Hogsmeade.
He Apparated to Hogsmeade, which is brightly lit by the morning sun. As he passed Hog's Head, he said hello to Aberforth who was sitting in front of the inn. He went to the Three Broomsticks and drank a bottle of butterbeer. After he finished drinking the last drop of it, he went straight to the castle.
Harry is now standing at the foot of the marble staircase. His heart is beginning to beat faster. Is it because he is back in Hogwarts or is it the fact that he is going to see Hermione again after a long time? His feet is now ascending the stairs and led him to the office that once belonged to Lupin and Snape. He knocked three times and after a few seconds of waiting the door opened and Hermione's beautiful façade greeted him.
"Oh, hi Harry" she said, "Why don't you go in and sit down" She opened the door wider to let him pass. He sat on the chair in front of her desk.
"So, what brings you here?" she asked as she settled on the chair in front of him.
"Umm… Err... I just…. I just wanna ask you something" he said.
"Spit it out" she said.
"Can we go out and take a walk first, then I'll ask you" he said
"Sure, come on. Let's go" she agreed.
They were out on the sunny grounds of the school. They walked near the lake and sat down under the beech tree where you could see Dumbledore's tomb reflected on the other side. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Harry was staring at Hermione, who was watching the giant squid. All he wanted now was to sit down, under the comforting shade of the tree, and look at her forever.
"Are you going to ask me now?" she asked suddenly and Harry broke out of his reverie.
"What? Oh yeah" he replied awkwardly.
"Well…" he started.
"Well?" she repeated.
"How- how would I tell a girl my feelings?" he asked.
"Don't you reckon you should have asked Ron instead?" suggested Hermione.
"You are a girl and you know how a girl feels". Harry said
"Oh well" said Hermione hopelessly. " If that's what you say so. It's like this, if you really want the girl, no I mean love the girl, go talk to her. Summon all the courage you have in your pocket and blurt it all out. Just like that."
Harry stood up and she followed
"Thanks for the help" he hugged her tightly and reluctantly let go of her.
"It's nothing, that's what friends are for." She said "I'm sorry but I've got to leave you right now. I'll be having my class in an hour's time. Nice to see you again Harry" with that, she left him alone with his thoughts.
"Damn it, Harry. You should have told her. What kept your mouth shut?" he said scolding himself. He walked inside the castle to Hermione's room (which was empty), where he left his stuff. He gathered all of them and went home still arguing with himself.
When Hermione got back to her room, she gathered her things and went inside an empty classroom. She was thinking of the conversation she and Harry had a while ago. He had asked her how to confess to a girl and she thought that the 'girl' he was talking about was Ginny. She knows that they broke up and they will get together again sooner or later. She had to accept that Harry is for Ginny. Nothing in the world could ever change that. She will never use magic to win him. Never ever, she thought. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped it hastily with her sleeve. She composed herself and went out of the room to go to her next class.
Hermione's always thinking about the conversation they had except, of course, during class hours. Every time she thinks of that, her heart is breaking into pieces. She shouldmove on. No, she must move on. Maybe she should wait for love to come and not find it. The more she seeks love, the more it goes away from her. She cried until she fell asleep with dreams of Harry going away.
It was three days after he went here, outside the door of the girl whom he had always loved. He found himself knocking on the door and after a few seconds of waiting, it opened. Hermione showed up behind it. Her eyes, Harry noticed were rather puffy. She let him in again, same like what she did the last time.
"Harry-", she started but was cut off immediately by Harry.
"Hermione", he said. "I've got to tell you something. Hermione, I love you. Wait! don't' say anything yet. Let me finish. I never realized it before but, I love you since I first saw you in the train. I was so scared when I saw you lying down lifelessly in the Dept. of Mysteries and I thought I thought I will go insane seeing you tortured by Bellatrix in Malfoy Manor. I love you very much that's why I don't want you to come with me to search the Horcruxes. I hope you understand this. I love you Hermione and that's from the bottom of my heart. I love you. I love you. I love you." Harry finished, feeling relieved that he finally, after so many years of keeping it to himself, said his feelings to Hermione.
He looked at her and said "Hermione, please say something".
He then saw tears rolling down her cheeks. She was silent for a few minutes. He wiped it with his hand and began babbling.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Please don't cry. You know I hate it when I see you cry. I shouldn't have said that. Now I've ruined our friendship. But please understand. I've got to let it out. I'd me mad, and people will most probably send me to mental facility. Oh Merlin, please understand. I'm so sor-" He suddenly felt Hermione's lips on his and he returned it.
"What was that?" he asked after they broke apart.
"A kiss you idiot!" she replied smiling.
"What does it mean?"
"I love you. Honestly, you can be so stupid sometimes!" she said.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." He said. He pulled her in his arms and kissed her forehead.
"What about Ginny?" she asked in a muffled voice because she was pressed in Harry's chest.
"What about her?"
"You know…"
"Our relationship ended after our sixth year. Besides, the Harry she love is 'Harry Potter the Boy Who Lived', 'The Chosen One' and other reckless names. She didn't see me the way you did. That's why I love you." He replied.
Their lips met in a passionate kiss. A kiss full of love. Full of hope. And full of promise. Harry feels blissful. Maybe Harry is the right guy after all. Hermione thought.
Fin
A/N: yay! First fanfic! Please leave a review!
Check out next chapter for the epilogue!!!