Speak For Yourself

by Delicate Liasons

Based upon the Speak for Yourself soundtrack by Imogen Heap. What do you do when you fall in love? What do you do when that love threatens your psuedofamily? Harry and Hermione try fill between the lines. H/HR and some passing H/G.

2. Hide and Seek

May 5th, 2000

Her eyes clouded with tears. She couldn't even keep track of where she was. What the hell was going on? It seemed the dust had only just begun to fall, cropcircles in the carpet of her apartment. The sinking feeling in her stomach as she stared at the black haired male in her house. She felt spun around due to the argument that had just occured, the slamming of doors and the sound of crying, and she quickly rubbed her eyes as if it would make everything rewind and not happen.

"This can't be- This can't be happening. We didn't really just lose them." Her voice faded into a pained whisper.

The streets outside seemed to drown her out. Everything seemed to stop, as if everyone was mourning for them. It was if playing Hide and Seek, she was sure that they would both burst in and everything would be back to normal. Harry's eyes met hers as he approached her slowly, taking her hands. She was reminded of the train, when they first met. Ron, Hermione, and Harry. The trio. All of those years, they had had to come first. Her eyes roamed to the pictures on the wall, dingy and unmoved. They almost seemed oily in her blurred vision, the pictures empty of any emotion to her. Moments of pleasure had hung there before, pictures of four friends, before everything had broken apart. She guessed that it was a still life that they had had, before the take over of her own insensitivity. She choked back a sob.

Harry's eyes were clouded with tears as he pulled the woman against him. He had just said goodbye to his best friend, he was never going to see them again. It was if they were playing hide and seek. And he'd always been here for her first.

"But you said, that you didn't want to be with me anymore, that you said it was for the best-"

"Hermione, you should know by I know I have no clue what is the best anymore. I know I need you, I can't let this seperate us. Please come back."

She stared at him, as if she could not believe him.

"So, you only meant well? You didn't want anyone to get hurt...This is what we need, right now?" She had been waiting for him to say this for so long, but right now? Not the best time. Ron had just left her, and Harry had just left Ginny.

"I love you."

"What did you say?"

"Hermione, I love you."

It was if the world had melted around them, the bittersweet darkness closing around her as she stared into emerald eyes.