36: (September)
"Harry, you've gotta help me," Hermione threw open the door, casting a quick spell to mark the page in his floating book, leaving his sticking charm on the pages he'd already read to keep them together. She hopped up on Severus' old bed, spreading out scrap books and magazines around her. "Draco is being no help. Well, except setting the date. Oh! We set a date! The 15th of October. How does that sound?"
Harry chucked as she babbled off again, not even leaving him time to answer. She spent the day shoving pictures under his nose, levitating colour swatches that he frankly couldn't tell the difference between, and cooing over flowers, asking his opinion on each. Finally they'd made maybe four solid decisions and moved on to wedding dresses.
""Mione, you can't pick a dress by looking at pictures. That's all fine and well, but why don't you take Ginny out and actually go shopping?"
"Why don't we?"
Harry sighed, "Did you and Ginny fight?"
"No," Hermione didn't meet his eyes, "Did you two?" Harry waited, knowing she'd be uncomfortable keeping something from him. "You're just all alone here, you are coming to the wedding, right? Even if you won't go with her?"
"Of course I'll be there, 'Mione. Our breakup has nothing to do with you, and it won't affect you." He felt a bit like a parent reassuring his kid after a divorce, but he understood it'd be hard for his friends. "Is that why Ron hasn't been around?"
"He just feels like he's picking a side. I don't want you unhappy, Harry. I don't want you alone."
"I'm fine alone here. Poppy's around when she's not busy, and Minerva stops by."
"What about Severus?"
"He's just busy with his shoppe." Hermione looked at him with her big doe eyes, and he felt the need to add, "We're going to the wedding together though, promise."
He couldn't explain why that reassured her so much that her eyes alit as she jumped up and kissed his cheek, murmuring that she'd go see if Ginny had some time then. It was only after she'd left that he realised what it'd sounded like. It made him feel funny to think of it like that, and he wondered if he should floo Hermione to specify what he'd meant.
A/N: Oh, Harry. In some ways their relationship is so evolved because they know each other so well, and in other ways, they really just seem like kids trying to figure this whole thing out. Sorry it's late! Let me know what you think!