Harry apparated to the place they always met, every Sunday afternoon. At first, it was just he; it was his attempt to have solitude, to get away from it all. His guessing Hermione had the same idea because a few weeks later they met under the tree where she suggested that they stay there and grow old, so many years ago. This was supposed to be a normal day, where they met, they chat, and they enjoy each other's company, sometimes in silence, before they returned home. Only this time is different because Harry asked a question, he knew he shouldn't.
They were sitting across from each other like they always do. Hermione was busy reading Luna's latest Quibbler while Harry was reading an article in the Daily Prophet about of like minds versus opposite attractions. It was this article that prompted Harry to look up from his paper and ask.
"Hermione? Think we will still be here if we have gotten together instead?" Harry asked innocently.
"What do you mean gotten together?" Hermione asked cautiously as she gradually takes her eyes off her reading material to look at him.
"You know. If you and I were… instead of… you know what never mind, Silly question. It doesn't matter now anyway." Harry trying to put a lid on the conversation before it gets out of hand.
"If we what Harry? If we were married?" Hermione pressed on.
"Well… yes."
"Why would you ask that?" Hermione's voice suddenly increasing in tone.
Harry thought what's the harm? Only he would be embarrassed, so he replied.
"I don't know. There's this article about-"
"No." Hermione quickly added, cutting him off. "I mean it's not like it's even a possibility… you and me… it's not like you ever had feelings for me" she started laughing to herself about how ridiculous it sounds.
"But I did." Harry replied feeling a little hurt. Hermione's face froze. It took them sometime before either of them said anything. Hermione broke the silence first.
"What do you mean you did?"
"I thought you knew. I thought you new that I loved you but you loved Ron."
"How was I supposed to know that? You never said anything!" Hermione asked incredulously.
"I just thought you knew." Harry said quietly. He couldn't figure out why she was acting so weird, like this new information affects her. Unless it did.
"Why? Would it have changed anything?" Harry asked.
Hermione quickly dipped her head back into her magazine avoiding eye contact. "You're right, it doesn't matter."
"Hermione! I want to know. Would it have changed anything?" Harry wasn't going to let this go. He wanted to know, nay, he needed to know. He left his comfortable perch to snatch the magazine from her hands so that she could not hide behind it.
"Harry! Give that back" Hermione followed his movements trying to get the magazine back. She sounded annoyed but he heard the unsteadiness of her words, recognizing her fear.
"No! Not unless you answer me."
"This is very immature of you."
"So is refusing to answer. I want to know Hermione. Would it have made a difference?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" She screamed at him. Tears formed behind her eyes, betraying to fall. Hermione slumped back down to the ground, defeated. "Maybe…probably…yes."
Harry couldn't believe it, stunned to the point that he just stood over her. He didn't want to move, just incase he did and she would take it back. The confession had come with a price however and it affected her as much as it did him, for this was not happy news, they reveled it too late. Harry took the space beside Hermione and held her as she sobbed.
"When?" Harry asked her softly when she stopped crying. He was asking when she realized that she was in love with him too.
"Too late." She replied looking far into the distance.
They decide not to see each other for a while after that day. Harry felt horrible for days. He became unapproachable and distant especially to Ron, which was difficult since they worked together. Things at home weren't any better either. It was just the two of them at home as the children were at Hogwarts. Ginny could see his shift in mood and she has been trying to get him to open up to her, but how can he tell her that the woman he has loved for so long, thinking that she didn't love him back, had just told him she does. How was his supposed to tell her that he was in love and always has been in love with someone else? He couldn't, so he suffered in silence.
It was the middle of the day, one and half weeks after the incident. Harry was at the ministry of magic filling out documents and reports of his latest adventure, when he started to feel the collar around his neck begin to slowly but surely tighten. So every once in awhile he would scan the room incase someone was playing a trick on him while he kept tugging at his collar to loosen it. He was near the end of the documentation when Ron walked into the room.
"Harry. There you are. It is bloody hard to find you these days mate." Ron declared.
"Been busy you know how it is." Harry avoided eye contact with Ron and quickening his pace on his documentation before handing it over to be filed.
"Right. I really need your advice Harry. It's about Hermione…" Ron started.
Harry heard his sentence until he mentions her name and everything else fell on deaf ears. He suddenly felt like he couldn't breath, he was gasping for air. Ron started shaking him asking if he is all right.
"I can't… I can't…" Harry started before he stopped himself. He couldn't tell Ron he can't breath then Ron will insist on accompanying him to get treatment. He needed to get away from him.
"You can't what Harry?" Ron was starting to panic.
Harry held his breath to calm himself down. "I'm sorry Ron, I'm not feeling well. I need to go home." Before Ron could reply Harry dashed out of the room and ran. He didn't know where he was going but eventually he found himself back at the place he wasn't suppose to go, only to find the person he was not suppose to see.
"Harry!" Hermione said startled then concerned "Are you alright? You look awful."
"I feel awful." Harry answered panting. He took a moment to inhale deeply, only to find that he could breathe again.
Author's Note: There is a Part 2. Thanks for reading.