A/N: Hey there! Since people have been asking for the next, I'm giving it! Enjoy and don't forget to review on your way out of here! : D
Chapter Two: Ups And Downs
Hermione didn't remember how she got into the armchair in her den, all curled up in a blanket. At first, she thought it might've been Harry, but once she opened her eyes, she thought otherwise.
Luna and Ron were on her couch talking. Hermione blinked her a few times to clarify if what she was seeing was real. Luna looked at her and smiled.
"Don't worry, Hermione. We're really here." She said, her dreamy voice filled with amusement.
"Hey, 'Mione. Sorry to intrude." Ron said, looking at her as well. He smiled.
Hermione felt tired and weary and wasn't in the mood to entertain guests. "How did you get in? I put the wards up and blocked anyone from apparating into my house." She said, rubbing her tired, red eyes.
"Yes, well, Luna knows where you keep the extra key to your house." Ron said, blushing a bit.
Luna grinned as if she'd done something to be proud of. "Under one of the potted plants beside the door." She said.
"Oh. The wards didn't trigger or anything?" She asked, not surprised.
"They did. Quite loud, they were. But you didn't wake up. You were asleep on the floor, curled up." Luna replied.
"Yeah, and we did try to wake you up or see if you were okay, but you were dead to the world. You wouldn't wake up at all." Ron explained.
Hermione smiled weakly. "Oh." She said, laughing lightly. "I guess I was pretty tired, huh?"
"Tired or depressed?" Luna asked, worry in her voice now.
Hermione looked to the floor. Ron was just confused. Luna stood up and squatted in front of Hermione. "It was Harry, wasn't it?" She asked, softly.
Hermione began crying again. "Yes." She answered, softly.
"What'd he do?" Ron asked.
Hermione shook her head. "I really don't want to talk about it, okay? It was horrible and that's it." She said.
"Should we leave you alone?" Luna asked. Hermione looked away from them.
"Fine, I'll tell you!" Hermione exclaimed. The last thing she wanted was someone else to leave her. She drew a deep breath. "Harry didn't tell me about his wedding."
"That's it? Well, I don't see the problem." Ron said, clearly relieved.
Luna glared at him. "You can be such a prat at times, Ronald." Luna said, icily. She turned back to Hermione. "It's alright, 'Mione. He wanted to surprise you. To see you happy for him."
"Happy for him? Why would I ever be happy for him?" She asked, shrilly. Her tears were shown now, dripping down her face.
"He's getting married." She added in a soft whisper.
Ron frowned. "You've still got that crush on Harry, don't you?" He asked. Hermione cried harder.
"It's not a crush anymore, Ron. It's developed into something more." She said, angrily.
"Come on, Hermione! Move on already! Get on with your life. There are so many more better guys than Harry." He said, annoyed.
"I told you, Ron! I can't! I'm not just crushing on him anymore. I'm in love with him, now. It's so hard to just leave it."
"In love? You think you're bloody in love? Look, Harry's in love. The way he looks at Melissa. How he loves being with her. That's love. Your little crush on Harry doesn't compare to what he feels for Melissa."
He expected Hermione to yell at him but instead, she wiped her tears and looked at him and Luna. They were both wearing worried faces.
"You're right." She said. "I'm not in love. I don't even know why I'm crying now. Reason over passion and mind over feelings. That's how I am. And I have to take life's little ups and downs."
Luna stood up. "You feeling better then?" She asked.
"A bit. Thanks guys." Hermione replied, a bit confidently.
"Okay. We've got to go now, 'Mione but we'll drop by later." Luna said. They waved goodbye and left her alone.
Hermione sighed to herself. Ron's words still echoed in her head. "Grow up." She said, softly to herself.
"I'm not in love."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Hermione woke up the next day. It was Sunday already. No work. She remembered what she would've done that day. She would've gone out to lunch with Harry. They'd laugh and talk. Then they'd go for a little stroll in the park. Maybe bump into some friends. Then spend some time together with them. Maybe do a little shopping…
But that's what she would've done. She knew she couldn't. She just wasn't ready to see Harry.
She slid out of bed and took a long and calming bath. By the time she was done, it was already lunchtime. She smiled to herself and went to prepare lunch.
Just as she sat to eat her sandwich, the ring of her doorbell interrupted her meal. She stood up and went to the door. Just as she put her hand on the knob, she pulled back.
What if it's Harry? She asked herself, a bit anxious.
She peeped through her little peephole and saw Harry standing there, looking as handsome as ever…
She shook her head. I have to get a hold of myself. It's just Harry. You're not in love with him, remember?
She looked at the doorknob as if it was going to attack her. She decided. She wasn't going to answer the door. She just wasn't ready. She probably never would be.
She twirled around and returned to lunch. During her short meal, the doorbell sounded several times. She ignored it as if it wasn't even there.
After lunch, she decided to curl up with a good book. She sat on her nook inside her bay window and put a blanket around her and began reading.
While she was having her leisure time, the doorbell sounded about three more times then stopped.
He's stopped. Finally! She thought, relieved.
A few minutes later, her phone rang. She refused to answer it. No matter who it was. Then her answering machine answered it for her.
"Hey there. I can't exactly get to the phone right now. Sorry about that. Please, just leave your message, name and number after the beep. Thanks." Then a short beep followed after.
She waited to hear Harry's voice. But instead silence followed. Then the phone clicked off. The red light was on signaling that she had a message.
She shook her head. That was so Harry. It's just like him to do that.
She went to her machine and pressed the delete button. Then she returned back to reading.
Then it rang again. When her answering machine answered it after six rings, there was silence once again. But breathing could be heard now. Every time she was so tempted to answer it. But she knew very well she couldn't.
It rang several times and still Hermione refused to answer. By the time the calls stopped, she had twenty-three messages. She shook her head and pressed the delete button twenty-three times.
She chose not to go out as it would result in her meeting Harry. So she remained inside her house the entire day.
But since Harry was a stubborn one, the calls never ended, the doorbell kept ringing. Out of curiosity, Hermione peeped out the window. She saw Harry sitting on the steps going up to her porch. His cell phone was to his ear and she knew he was calling her.
Her phone rang. She kept watching. After she heard the answering machine, she observed what Harry did. First, he'd open his mouth to talk. Then close it. He'd look down on the phone's screen, sigh then turn it off.
Hermione just shook her head.
0-0-0-0-0-0
When it was already eight, Harry stopped calling and ringing the doorbell. Hermione checked to see if he was still there. She peered out her window to find him still there, his head in his hands.
She softened at this but still refused to talk to him. He's not the only one with the stubborn streak.
She later realized Harry only stopped calling to respect her because she would be going to sleep soon.
When she crawled into bed that night, she thought about getting to work. She wasn't allowed to apparate into her office. It was one of the rules. Going out the door was too risky as she might bump into Harry. She decided to floo to the Ministry then.
When turned off her lights and eleven forty-five, she looked out her bedroom window and she could see Harry walking back home, sulkily.
She wanted so bad to see him. But refused to do so.
0-0-0-0-0-0
When she went to work, Denise was already there.
"I assume things went well with Harry?" She asked, smiling.
Hermione just shrugged. "Fine, I guess." She replied. Just as she was entering her office door, she remembered what Harry had done yesterday.
"Oh, Denise?" She asked.
"Yes, ma'am?" Denise asked back in reply.
"If I have any visitors, please tell them I'm not receiving any today." Then she remembered the rest of the week. "Or for the rest of the week actually." She added.
Denise didn't ask and just nodded. A part of Hermione wanted her to ask. But the reasonable side of her thought it was stupid to think so.
0-0-0-0-0-0
It was her birthday on Wednesday. As a little treat, Hermione was given the day off.
She didn't leave the house at all that day. Harry was at his usual place waiting right outside her door. The doorbell rang after she had a quiet birthday lunch. Assuming it was Harry, she ignored. Soon it began exploding in noisy clamor, which was very unlike Harry.
She peeped through her peephole and found Ron and Luna. Reluctantly, Hermione opened and shut it tightly after they entered.
"Hello Hermione. Happy Birthday." Luna greeted.
"Hey 'Mione, happy birthday. Oh, you know, I had a fancy time bumping into Harry right outside your door." He said, nonchalantly.
"Hermione, how long has he been there?" Luna asked.
Hermione just shrugged. "I don't know. Ever since about eight in the morning?" She suggested, casually.
"Hermione!" Both people exclaimed.
"What? I'm not ready to see him. Both of you know that!" She exclaimed.
"Since when has he been coming over anyway?" Ron asked.
"Sunday, I think." She replied, tapping her finger on her chin while the other arm went around her stomach.
"Since then? Have you let him in for lunch?" Luna asked, skeptically.
"No. I can't see him just yet, Luna."
"Hermione, when does he leave?" Ron asked.
"About the same time I fall asleep."
"Hermione! Don't do this to him! Talk to him. Settle it and put it behind you. Does he just sit there everyday?" Luna asked.
"No. He keeps ringing the doorbell. Then he calls my phone. He keeps leaving these awful silent messages behind and—"
"Hermione! That's absolutely dreadful! Could you please give the man a break? He's so tired. We met him outside. When we rang the doorbell, we asked him if you were home. He just nodded. I asked if you let him in yet. He just said, 'No, she hasn't. Not even once since I started visiting her.' When you opened the door, Ron asked if he wanted in as well. You know what he said, 'Mione? Do you know?
"He said, 'No. She probably doesn't want me in. I understand. But I'm going to keep waiting outside for her to see me. Even if I have to miss my own wedding!' Then he grinned! He grinned, Hermione. Despite how tired he was, how his eyes were so sore from staying at your house and never resting! How can you leave him in that state?" Luna yelled at her.
Hermione looked at the floor, ashamed. Luna sighed. "Here." She said, pushing a package into her hands. "Happy birthday." She said, coldly then apparated.
Ron looked at Hermione and spotted tears down her face. "Here." He said, putting another package into her hands. "It's from Harry."
"I have to check on Luna. You know, 'Mione? You really should settle things with Harry. I'll check on you maybe on Friday." Then he apparated away.
Hermione put Luna's package on a table and carefully opened Harry's, making sure not to rip the wrapper. Inside was a bit of wrapping paper then a piece of scented paper. She turned it around and read the small note from Harry.
"Happy Birthday, Mione!
I found this present here in Australia. It seemed so like you!
Hope you like—no, love it!
Yours and always will be,
Love, Harry"
In between the "Love," and "Harry" was a little, drawn heart. Hermione cried again. To avoid her tears staining the card, she placed it back in the box and removed the necklace deep inside the box.
It was a locket. She eagerly opened it. Inside the locket was a picture of the two of them. Harry's arm was around her shoulders. He kept pointing at the camera and telling her to smile. Then when she refused, he grabbed both of her hands and pulled her into a silly dance. She started laughing as Harry began twirling her around. The scene ended when Hermione hugged Harry tightly.
She closed it and put it around her neck. The picture was taken after Harry had won the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. They went out for a little celebration. She sighed and sat down, exasperated.
Then she cried herself to sleep with thoughts of Harry occupying her mind.
0-0-0-0-0-0
When Hermione woke up, she checked her messages. She noticed she only had one message this time. Wondering why, she gingerly pressed the play button.
"Hey Hermione, I know you probably don't want to hear me right now. But I know you're in there. Your lights are on. I just wanted to say happy birthday. Hope you got my package from Ron. And I hope I can see you at the wedding. If there still is a wedding, that is.
"You see, me and Mel have been having rows lately and I don't know if this thing will last. I don't know why I'm telling you this but I always used to ask you for advice. The rows are always about you. I'm on your side and she's, well, on her own side. Anyway, happy birthday again. Love you." Then a beep.
She hadn't realized how much she missed his voice. She cried again. And the word "love" sent her heart flying into the heavens. She missed hearing that as well.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Hermione hadn't left her house for the rest of the week. She barely ate and grew skinnier. Her skin grew pale and she always felt weak.
Harry was no better. He grew weary and skinnier. As well as, pale. He spent less time with Melissa and more time waiting outside Hermione's house. He wasn't planning any more plans with Melissa. Luna invited him for lunch but Harry declined saying that he needed to wait for Hermione. Ron talked with him at times, trying to persuade him to go home, but only failing to do so.
He had five rows with Melissa throughout the week. She was getting irritable while waiting for Harry. He just stood there, listening to her yell and scream at him. Harry couldn't help but wonder if his marriage would turn out well.
One night, Harry went home after another tiring day of waiting outside her house. Nothing happened, just the same old ignoring Hermione. When he turned on the lights, he found Melissa on his couch, arms folded across her chest and a frowned placed upon her face.
"Oh, hey. Good evening." He greeted, taking his coat off.
"We had dinner plans tonight." She reminded him.
"Oh. Were we supposed to go out? We can always have dinner here then. I'm starved."
"Harry, I know you're worried about Hermione but, what about me? What about our wedding?"
"This isn't about you. It's about Hermione."
"Everything's about Hermione! All you ever talked about was Hermione on our cases! 'Hermione did this' 'Hermione did that'. I don't care about Hermione!" Harry was silent.
Melissa went to him and played with the collar of his shirt. "I care about us." She added, softly.
"I do too, Mel."
"If you do, then why aren't you helping me with the plans? Instead, you leave at eight in the morning to wait for Hermione! Why don't you just leave her alone? She doesn't want you, Harry. I do."
"Look, I know she doesn't want me, alright? But I can't end things like this. Just because I didn't tell her about our stupid wedding!"
"Our wedding isn't stupid, Harry."
"Yeah? Well, right now it is."
Melissa burst out into tears and ran out the door. Harry ran a frustrated hand through his unruly batch of locks he called hair. He had to choose sometime.
Melissa or Hermione?
Melissa or Hermione?
Melissa or Hermione?
Why are things never simple in my life?
Then it hit him. Like how a car hits a deer. How a duck gets shot. How he just realized it like a bolt of lightning had just struck him.
He made his choice. But how was he going to tell the other one he didn't want her?
A/N: How was it? Too short for you? Who do you think he picked? I think it's rather obvious. And I'm sure you all know how this is going to end. ;-) Sorry for the late post. I've been having exams this week.
