Cherished Memories - Chapter 8

What's Going On?

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry, Hermione, Ron or any of the other characters. If I did, I would have all the money, and definately changed that epilogue. For that reason, most of DH is being ignored.

Harry nearly tripped over an end table in his hurry to get away from Hermione.

"It's not what you think, Ron," he stammered, not meeting his friend's eye. "Hermione and I were..."

"Yeah, I saw what you were doing," Ron laughed. "Harry, relax. I understand."

"You do?" the other two asked at the same time.

"Of course. You're both lonely, neither one of you is in a relationship, and all the pent up, excess energy from not going out with someone forced its way to the surface and caught you two off guard." He laughed for a minute or two before finishing. "It's really funny when you think of it. Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. Both thought that Ron was only 'half' right. They did have pent up energy, but it was the person next to them that was the reason for the outburst. They laughed uneasily along with Ron.

"Yeah, um, I guess you're right," Harry said, gesturing to the couch for his friends to sit, and taking a chair across from them himself. "How long are you staying in America?"

"At least until the end of next week," Ron answered. "There aren't any portkeys back to England until then, and I know that Hermione is gonna want you to show us around town and have a chance to talk you into coming back with us." Hermione looked at him as if she wanted to kill him, then curiosity got the better of her and she turned to Harry.

"I don't know," he said, his brow furrowed. "I like the quiet of the area, you can't get that in too many places in London. Also, few people know that I'm a wizard, here. Trina does, obviously, and that bloke that I was talking to at the Newstand, but not many others. Mostly just the ones that give me reliable tips and information. And there was that thing that happened at Hogwarts." He glanced at Hermione, then looked away with a blush. This didn't go unnoticed by Ron, who turned to look at her as well, and saw that she had also flushed. He made a mental note to talk to one of them about it.
"Well," he said, clapping his hands together and making his friends jump, "You can 'still' show us around town." He looked at his watch. "It's only... I have to change this. It's still on London time. What time is it here?"

"Two thirty." They all looked towards the door and saw that Trina had entered the room. "Sorry to inturrupt, but there's someone here that needs to see Harry." He stood and apologized to the two of them and excused himself with the promise that he would return soon. As soon as the door shut behind him, Ron turned to Hermione.

"What was that?"

"What? What are you talking about? Harry just has to meet with a client, then he'll..." She was cut off by a wave of Ron's hand.

"Not that. That thing between you and Harry. What is going on? Did that kiss mean something? More than stored up energy, I mean?" Hermione turned beet red. "It does, doesn't it?"

"All right. You say anything about this to Harry, and I swear I will kill you."

"On my honor." He crossed his heart and smiled reasuringly.

"That's not the first time that Harry and I have kissed each other."

"Huh? When was the first time?"

"At Hogwarts. Our last night there."

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Harry kissed you, went off with some other girl,... Oh my God." Realization came to Ron's pale face.

"What?"

"Harry didn't go off with another girl, did he?" She didn't answer him right away. "Hermione?"

"Ron, I think you really need to find something else to do with your time. You're spending too much of it trying to figure out what happened to Harry at Hogwarts."

"You didn't answer my question. Did he or didn't he go off with another girl?"

"If you really have to know, no I didn't."