"Ladies and Gentlemen! Your attention please! Flight number BA0172 of British Airways, from New York to London is about to take off in 30 minutes. Passengers immediately proceed to the boarding gate for boarding! Thank you!
The announcement drew the attention of a young man with untidy jet-black hair. He raised his head, smile gently with the lady in the check-in counter and got back his passport. The man pulled on his coat, and then walked to the boarding gate.
Another sunny day,
Has come and gone away,
In Paris and Rome,
I want to go home.
Harry put his hand luggage into the compartment then sat down to his seat. He squinted; somehow his vision had become blurred. Taking off his round-rimmed glasses, he slowly wiped off the steam on it with a small handkerchief. "It's freezing", he murmured
He leaned against his seat, glancing to the left. Next to him was a good looking woman of about 30 years old in her business attire. She seems to concentrate really hard on an aritcle of the Financial Times. To his right was a teenage boy wearing headphones and swaying his head to some kind of melody. A little bit further to the next row was a young couple; possibly just coming back from their honeymoon with their radiant smiles and the look of loves on their faces. He smiled sadly, couldn't help feeling empty with each passenger walked by him, talking and laughing to one another. It was cold out there because of the storm and the snow, and here it was cold because of his loneliness.
He missed England. He missed London, and …. He missed her!
Maybe surrounded by,
A million people I,
Still feel all alone,
I just want to go home,
Oh I miss you, You know.
Harry received the blanket from a young flight attendant and politely smiled back then he placed it down on his lap. Most of the passengers were relaxing their weary body after almost five hours of flight and slowly drifting off to sleep. He smiled. Strangely, Harry didn't feel like sleeping at all. Instead, he turned on the reading light and pulled out a stack of letters from his small bag. Staring at the first letter, he could see clearly his own writing. Then all of a sudden, waves of memories from five years ago flowed back in his mind.
"Harry, choose!" Hermione commanded impatiently when Harry kept staring at the two necklaces in the glass case for almost fifteen minutes.
"You do it. For me, please!" Harry pleaded with a frustrating look, "After all that's the reason why I dragged you here. Please, I don't know what to get Fleur for her wedding. You know I'm suck at picking gifts for these occasions!"
"You're hopeless!" She elbowed him. "If it were me…uhm…let's see", she picked up the white-gold necklace while glancing down at the golden one, "I'd prefer the white one, it has an aura of elegant but enough to not be too haughty! It's kind of pure and serene."
"…and just like you." Harry blurted out without thinking and made Hermione raise her eyebrows curiously. "Ok, that's settled then. I'll take this one, please!" Harry pretended he didn't see her adorable the adorable shade of pink on her cheeks and proceeded to make payment to the shop keeper.
"Hold on Harry! It's just my opinion….."
"Yours is mine too, Hermione. I always have faith in your taste!" Harry cut her off with a cheesy smile. After the payment, they headed towards the door when all of a suddenly Hermions stopped. Something caught Hermione's interest. Harry looked over her shoulder and saw her eyes gluing to the emerald earrings in the glass-case.
"Something you like?" asked Harry, but Hermione didn't reply. There were three pairs of earrings. One was red-ruby, one was blue-sapphire and the emerald one lay between the other two. "Hey! The red one looks nice."
"Nuh-uh! It's beautiful but too flashy for my taste. Now…the shade of emerald is different. It has this soft and serene feeling of a vast green field under the spring breeze! You know, green has always been the color of hope…" Hermione said dreamily while turning her head to Harry. Their eyes met and she felt like drowning deep into his emerald eyes.
"Hermione..." Harry said softly. Their eyes didn't leave, "Buy if you like!"
"But it's 100 galleons. Even though it's exclusive, it's still pretty pricy for me, Harry!" She smiled sadly at his gaze. Her face suddenly turned red "Oh well…never mind! Let's go! I don't really need it anyway!" She hastily took his hand and pulled him out of the store with a yearning look. Unknowing to her, Harry made sure to take one good look at the earrings then finally walked out and followed her.
Ron walked into his shared room with Harry when the latter came to the Burrow to attend Bill and Fleur's wedding. Suddenly, his eyes caught attention of small silk-wrapped box put on the night table.
"Hmm… I wonder what this is." Then, he walked toward the box, picked it up and unwrapped. Ron gasped at a pair of emerald earrings which seems quite valuable to him. At that moment, Hermione barged in.
"Harry, are you there?" She asked, a little bit surprised when she saw Ron. "Oh! You're here, too? Where's Harry then? He…er… asked me to come here…!" She babbled, her cheeks turning red. "Hey er… what's that you're having?" She changed the topic and moved toward Ron for a clearer look.
"Er… I …er….."
"Oh Ron!" Hermione's jaw dropped. Her eyes suddenly filled with emotion. "How did you know I like this? Did you…did you get it… for me?"
"I…er…I…" Hermione didn't let Ron finish his sentence before crushing him with a hug.
"It's lovely Ron! Thanks so much!" She exclaimed and in turn, Ron's face was as red as his famous hair.
"You're …er…never mind!"
Sighing, Harry closed the door as gently as he could and quickly stepped downstairs. His heart felt like it was shattered into pieces seeing two of his best friends hugging one another. Actually, he was the one that bought those earrings for her. He left it on the table and intended to surprise Hermione when she came in. Unfortunately, he had to walk out to grasp a glass of water when Ron entered the room…. And then things messed up. After that little scene, he doubted that he would have enough courage to stand between them and boldly claimed the earrings were his.
He tried to suppress the killing pain inside his chest and comforted himself that might be…this little incident wasn't that bad after all. It's for Hermione's sake though. At least, she would be safer with Ron. Harry knew clearly that Death was always lurking around and trying to hunt him down. In the summer of the sixth year, Harry broke up with Ginny and realized his feeling for his best friend, Hermione. During the two months staying at the Dursley's, Harry thought back on his relationship with the red head and noticed that he had used her beauty as a distraction to his real life troubles and burdens. Sadly, every dream has to come to an end someday and his did too. He had to wake up from his fantasy and faced the harsh reality as well as this buried feeling he had always had for Hermione. However, he also knew fully well that he could never be able to bring happiness to Hermione as long as Voldemort was still alive. If that's the case, then he thought it would be wiser to take a step back and wish for her happiness with Ron, his other best friend.
Miracles do happen. Harry, once again, survived the war. But it was of no use when his heart had already died with each kiss and glance his best friends gave each other. Still, that feeling of losing her was by far better than the useless feeling when he could do nothing but letting Hermione crying her heart out on his shoulder every single time Ron and Hermione fought. Harry hates seeing women cry and if that woman is Hermione, his anger would re-direct toward the man who made her cry ….. Ron! Sometimes, he asked himself if he had made a wrong move that day by keeping his mouth shut on the truth. If he had been brave enough to tell her, maybe she wouldn't have been suffered like this.
"…and I shouted at him 'You said you loved me, Ron! Then… why did you still go to the club with all those women?' Ron protested, he said that they were only his colleagues. Then again…what kind of colleagues would straddle him in public like that? Even worse, it got to the news this morning."
They were unhappy.
"This time, Ron has gone too far. We fought and he even accused me for not being an understanding girlfriend and that I was just making the story more complicating than it should have been. Harry! It hurts…it hurts…"
They're suffering. Maybe, just maybe… this was his time to step in!
"Harry!" Hermione sniffed and raised her head to look him in the eyes "This was by far the worst fight between us…I think it's over Harry…" She wiped the tissue on her red swollen eyes "…Thank you for staying up with me for a whole night Harry! Thanks for tonight and for a dozen other times. I…I bothered you too much Harry but seriously… what would I ever do without you!"
"Silly!" His hand touched her cheek softly "What are friends for?" He looked deeply into her eyes "Besides, you've got to understand that to me…you are and have always been the most important person. It doesn't matter if Ron or even the whole world turns their backs on you, because you will always have me and this broad shoulder available to lean on."
"Oh Harry!" she murmured, sinking into his words. Hermione raised her head and looked deeply into his vast green field eyes as if she was trying to look for the hidden meaning behind it. Like her, Harry also searched for something under her sparkling-chestnut-brown eyes, something like… Love!
Then, she closed her eyes slowly and leaned her head towards him. Similarly, he did too, just like a natural reflex. Their lips touched softly for a taste of this strange guilty sweetness. Then he didn't know since when their simple kiss has turned into something more passionate and intense. Hermione had her hands behind his head to pull him closer to her and to put his rough lips deeper onto her soft ones. At that pure of bliss moment, there was only one thought in Harry's mind "Hermione! Hermione! Hermione!" He treasured every second, every moment he spent with her. Slowly, he pulled out of her lips and started showering kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, her chin down to her collar bone…while his hands roaming under her thin white shirt.
"No, we can't!" Suddenly, her eyes shot wide. The burning touch of his hands on skin had somehow wakened her up "Harry, we can't…. Ron, I can't betray him. You, we….. No…" She mumbled, feeling hot on her cheeks "Harry, I…I'm sorry." She kept her head down, couldn't bear to look him in the eyes "I shouldn't have waken up that feeling…I…Harry…I have to go!"
And before Harry could manage to say anything, Hermione had left. Sighing, Harry fell back onto the sofa "waken up that feeling?" He murmured, wondered what she meant by that "Could it be that she also…" He stared back at where she just sat.
Something's sparking there.
He took a closer look and realized that there was an emerald earring. Without hesitation, he immediately knew that this was the one he had bought for her before. Maybe she accidentally dropped it when crying her heart out on his shoulder. He lost her because of those earrings but now he got it back. Could it be that this was his chance to right his wrong?
He stood up, intended to return it to her when just about he noticed that the hook was broken "I should get it fixed before returning it to her".
Harry came back home after long tiring day and fell back on his favorite armchair. He reached out to the side table, intended to take a good long look at the fixed earring when suddenly….
"Where is it?" He shot up; panicked when the earring was nowhere to be found .Instead he saw a small note with Ron's writing on the table.
"Harry mate, thanks for keeping the earring. I came over in the afternoon for a chat but you weren't at home. I saw the earring instead though. She dropped it, didn't she? You have no idea how much Hermione loves those earrings. So I'm gonna give it back to her and hope that she'd be happy enough to forgive me!"
Catch you later.
Ron"
Harry couldn't believe in his eyes. He was shaking so hard that the note fell from his hand. Did he just lose Hermione to Ron once again? No… Not again…Not anymore.
He panicked, apparated to her house just in time to witness a scene that caused an immense pain to surge through his heart.
"Oh Ron... so it turned out that you were the one secretly got it fixed for me. No wonder why I couldn't find it anywhere in the house. How did you know the hook was broken?" Hermione smiled happily.
"Look, I'm your boyfriend, ain't I? And if I don't understand you who else could? You would never be able to find anyone like me, love. Shall you forgive me then?"
"Of course, love!" She put her head on his chest and gave him the sweetest smile Harry could ever see.
That was it. That was the end. No more chance for him. Harry bitterly thought. They made up. Right, since when they haven't? They fought all the time but also easily forgave one another every single time. He was so naïve. Why did he ever think that he could replace Ron in her heart "Who are you Harry? You're just her friend. She loves Ron not you. What's that noble thing about bringing her happiness again? It'd be lucky if you haven't ruined her happiness already."
The latter thought brought a bitter smile on Harry's lips. Yes, he couldn't, wouldn't stand between them. Soon, Ron and Hermione would get married and build their own home. And he…would still be an outsider with a cast-aside heart.
"Hello, I'd like to book a ticket to New York tonight, please!"He picked up the phone wretchedly.
There was nothing for him here. The more he stayed the more pain he felt.
And i've been keeping all the letters,
That I wrote to you,
Each one a line or two,
I'm fine baby how are you,
Well I would send them but,
I know it's that it's just not enough,
The words were cold and flat,
And you deserve more than that,
Harry folded the letter and sighed. It had been five years since he left London to the new world where no one knew who he was, where he lived as a salesman in a small bookstore, where he had hidden his heart for five winters. Harry didn't want to face either the reality or the harsh Wizarding World anymore. There he found his other half and there, he lost her to his best friend. It had been five cold lonely Christmas and still he couldn't get over the girl with those brown-chestnut eyes that he loved with all his heart. Many times, he decided to write to her and explain everything; but at the end of the day he wasn't brave enough to send any of the letters. He couldn't ruin his friend's happiness. If someone had to suffer, he'd rather it would be he himself only. Revealing the truth would break up all three of them.
Although Harry tried to bury his past, none of the girls he ever came across could manage to replace Hermione in his heart. Knowing that he couldn't run away forever, Harry gathered all his strength and sent a letter to Lupin. In his reply letter, Harry got to know a brief summary of what had happened during the past five years he had gone missing. Most of his friends were doing well, apart for the trio. And much to his surprise was the news that Ron and Hermione had broken up half a year after he left. It was mostly due to Ron not being able to stand the fact that Hermione spent too much time searching for him, Harry Potter. That upset Ron and made him feel disrespected; they fought and eventually went their own ways. Not long after, it was Hermione's turn to leave and cut off all ties with the Wizarding World.
Another aeroplane,
Another sunny place,
I'm lucky,
I know,
But I want to go home,
I've got to go home,
Harry quit his job, packed his bags, took a cab to the airport and joined the crowd of people in this blessing Season. They all had this hurried walk with spreading smiles on their faces. The feeling of gathering families' members, dining next to a Christmas tree and unwrapping gifts given to each other was so warm. Harry sulked. He hadn't had Christmas for too long. Once again, the desire for happiness in this gathering season urged him to move fast, got into the plane back to London and back to home…
Let me go home
I'm just too far,
From where you are,
I've got to come home,
Let me come home,
I've had my run,
Baby i'm down,
I want to come home,
He looked up to the screen above his head. It felt so good seeing that the distance between him and New York was increasing and London started to form its shape in front of his eyes. This season, he would find the old him back. This season, he would enjoy it heartedly with friends and his loved ones. No more suffering like an estranged in a far far away place. Then all of a sudden, a thought frowned upon his mind...
He wondered how she was doing. Was she celebrating this Christmas alone or was she with her man under mistletoe somewhere else? He silently stared at her photo, tears sparkling in his eyes. It was his fault. If he hadn't pushed her toward Ron, if he had told her how much he cared for her then probably things wouldn't have turned out the way it did. The golden-trio was broken. It was all because of him and his stupid noble act. No matter what it took, he was determined to right his wrongs. This time, he went back not just to visit his friends, but also to find back his own happiness, the one that had got out of his hand for the past five years. He would find Ron, (and if possible)… find Hermione to reconcile their friendship.
And I feel just like,
I'm living, Someone else's life,
It's like i just stepped outside,
When everything was going right,
And I know just why
you could not come along with me,
'Cause this was not your dream,
But you always believed in me.
Harry arrived at London's airport at 11 o'clock on 24th December. He joined the crowd walking out of the plane and imagined how the party at the Burrow would be. That was his second home after Hogwarts after all. What he looked forward most was to receive a bone-crushing hug from Molly and to burst into laugh with the twin's tricks. He shook his head, smiling, couldn't wait to see them.
Just then Harry felt like he was stepping on something. He stopped, his jaw dropped at the gaze.
"It couldn't be….." Harry couldn't believe it. He blinked, made sure that was what he thought it was. An emerald earring. His heart skipped a beat. If the earring was here, then it also meant that Hermione had been here as well.
Harry didn't waste any second to run right to the 'lost and found' counter to ask for more information on the owner of this earring
"Sorry Sir, it seems that no one has reported on the loss of this earring yet. But you could also leave the item here. We will keep it safely until someone comes here and claims for it."
Harry was a bit hesitated with the reply.
Leave it here?
No! He must find her and return this earring to her with his own hands. There's no freaking way that he would just leave it here. Again. And brush off a chance to make things right as it should have been.
"Would you please check if there is any passenger whose name is Hermione Jane Granger?"
Another winter day,
Has come and gone away,
In either Paris and Rome,
And I Want To Go Home,
I miss you,
You know,
Let me go home.
"Yes! She was in flight number BA0172, from New York to London".
"What?"That was his flight too. Could it be that they were on the same plane yet not knowing the presence of the other?
"Then can I go back to the plane to…?"
"I'm sorry sir but the rules restrict passenger to go back to the plane after landing."
"Hey just now there was also a woman demanded to get back to the plane to find her lost earring too." A flight attendant walked by and interrupted their conversation. Harry's breath was becoming shallower. Something inside was yelling to him that 'this woman' she mentioned was no one other than the one he had been looking for.
"Sir! Where are you going? Excuse me, Sir! But that's not the way…"
He stubbornly ignored their warnings and forced his way back through the crowd that just got off the plane. He had to go back there. He had to find Hermione and his own happiness. Determination was all that one could ever see in his eyes. Not the flight attendants, not the securities, not their shouts, not anything could stop him to run back to her. He suddenly ran to a corner and quickly got his wand out. POP! He apparated.
I've had my run,
Baby i'm down,
I want to go home,
Let me go home.
"Hermione" Harry softly called the tall woman with brown bushy hair. She was in her business attire with black vest and high heels, stood with her back to Harry. Her shoulder was shaking so strong as if she was crying.
"Hermione" He called her again and put his hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned around with tearful eyes. Her hand was holding a letter…in his stack of letters which he accidentally left on plane. He didn't anticipate that she would come back to look for her earring and along the way found his letters as well.
"Har...Harry" she cried out his name and as usual, Harry was pushed back several steps, feeling out of breath with her tight hug.
"Hermi…!"
SLAP!
Harry hadn't registered what was going on yet when he was suddenly slapped hard on his face by Hermione.
"Herm…"
"Is it true?"Asked Hermione while trying to clear the trail of tears on her cheeks. As if to answer for his questioning eyes, she glared at him and said with a bitter voice "What you wrote here was true, wasn't it? You said….. You said you loved me… but still you pushed me to Ron. You loved me but you didn't even fight for it. You loved me and yet running away likes a coward. Do you know how hard it was for me? Do you know I've been searching for you for the past five years? I went everywhere and asked anyone I could… with a glimpse of hope that you were still alive, and doing well. And then, thanks to you that I got this. My greatest Christmas gift. Ever." She threw a stack of letters on his chest.
"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Harry held her hands and tried to calm her down " I did push you to Ron for your sake of safety. I kept silent because I thought you didn't love me. Yes, now I know I was stupid. I should have realized the way you looked at me, and touched me couldn't just have been for friends. But Hermione, I was insecured. I had two chances to give you those earrings but failed every single time so I…"
"Then what makes you think you could do it this time?" Hermione said coldly.
"Fate! Ron toke those earrings from me twice and twice they came back to me. I'm the last one having it. Hermione, this is destiny…that you and I are meant for each other!" He looked deeply at those chestnut-eyes.
"Earring… you found?"
"Give me one more chance please! Let me wear it for you… now and forever!" Harry left her hands, took out the lost earring from his pocket. He pushed a stray of hair behind her ear and put the earring on her lobe. Then he held her hands, squeezed and said with a husky voice "it's not for no reason that earrings always come in two. They are meant as a couple items. Just like…you and me."
Hermione remained silent which made Harry feel extremely nervous. She kept staring at him. It seemed that behind her clever eyes was an intense fighting between two streams of thought. Would she say yes? Or was she still mad at him for running away? Did she…
His thought was put to a halt because right at this very moment, his brain seemed to lose the capability of functioning properly as soon as she put her sweet lips on him. At that instant, he knew he was home and safe in her loving arms.
It'll all be alright,
I'll be home tonight,
I'm coming back home.
"Will you forgive me then?" His lips left her, but his hands still held her tightly.
"Talk later! Kiss first!" She commanded in her short breath, took his tie and pulled him toward her for another deep kiss. It was still snowing outside; but no longer did he feel lonely anymore. The heat of love had lingered in the air to warm him and them in this giving season.
Translated from Meavezanar's fanfic by desperador93 :))