Flashdance
Irena Cara
HrH
Hermione remembers the first time she met Harry
He was sitting in the train car, his glasses held together by tape. The first thing you need to know is that I loved him from that moment. Every moment that followed was just another nail in the coffin my heart was already building for him.
I love Ron too. You have to know that. You can't imagine that after everything that I don't love him. I do. And we are happy. Happier than I'd ever be with Harry.
But I can never forget how I feel. Ron must never know about it. I know what he saw when he destroyed the locket and he's told me repeatedly that he would be fine with it if I ever admitted loving Harry that way.
But I'll never forget the first time he asked, the look on his face.
So Ron will never know about that first moment. Or any of the moments that followed.
First, when there's nothing but a slow glowing dream
The second moment is not the one you might think it would be. It wasn't when they saved me from the troll. I loved them of course, but it was the same love I'd felt since I met them.
It was when I showed them Hogwarts: A History. Ron of course looked disgusted but Harry just looked impressed. I had always been made fun of for my intellect. I was used to being used for it too. I almost didn't mind anymore. But Harry's expression then was different. He looked almost ashamed and impressed. Ashamed, like he hadn't meant for me to go to that much trouble.
He's really a stupid boy. I mean, it's not like it was any trouble. I was reading and he thought that was spectacular.
That your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind
Then there was the time in the dungeons. After the potions test when he told me to go back and called me smart.
All alone I have cried silent tears full of pride
It wasn't like he hadn't called me smart before. He did. Usually right before he asked me for a favor. Ron was the same way.
But Harry's favor was different. He wasn't asking me to help him. He was asking me to leave him alone and go help Ron.
That was when I knew I loved them both. And it was when I knew that Harry would never be the right one for me. Harry loved me, of course. But Ron would never have asked me to leave him. Not even if it meant me getting hurt. Because Ron knows I can take care of myself.
Harry has never figured that one out.
In a world made of steel, made of stone
And then there was Ginny.
Well I hear the music, close my eyes, feel the rhythm
Wrap around, take a hold of my heart
Ginny has always been like a sister to me. But it hurt. It hurt like a knife to the gut when I saw them together for the first time. And Ron was so blissfully happy with Lavender. And Harry tried his best to be there for me but he couldn't. Not the way I needed him.
What a feeling, bein's believin'
I can't have it all, now I'm dancin' for my life
And this was where it got us, I thought, standing before his grave.
I heard steps behind me and didn't have to look to know Ginny had joined me.
Take your passion, and make it happen
"Thanks for coming," Ginny said. She said it like she was too weak to do this on her own. As if she couldn't stand to honor her husband's memory. But Ginny was not weak. She had not been weak since third year.
She was my best friend and I knew she knew how I felt about Harry.
That was what made Ginny amazing almost to the point I wanted wanted to hate her.
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
"I can't believe it's been three years," Ginny said, joining me.
I dug into my hand bag and pulled out a blanket a picnic basket.
"Thanks for teaching me that spell," Ginny said, helping me lay out the blanket.
"No problem. It's handy to have with kids."
Now I hear the music, close my eyes, I am rhythm
"I should teach it to Lily," Ginny commented, taking a seat and starting to unpack the basket.
"Please don't tell me I'm going to be a great-aunt soon," I said, joining her.
"Not anytime soon," Ginny said, laughing. "But she has become quite enamored with Scorpius Malfoy."
In a flash it takes hold of my heart
I was in the process of pulling out a bottle of fire whiskey and almost dropped it. "Rose is in love with him too."
Ginny laughed again. "As if they know what it means to be in love at their age."
"We were in love at their age," I reminded her.
"You were," she corrected me. "I thought I knew what love was."
"You were in love with Harry, remember?"
What a feeling, bein's believin'
Ginny flushed. I could see why others found her lovely. I could have fallen in love with her if I were inclined towards women.
"No, actually I fancied myself in love with Draco."
I laughed. "You've got to be kidding me."
"No. He was weirdly nice to me during the start of my second year. I ran into him a few times over the summer. I think he felt a little guilty about what happened. Of course once he saw his friends noticing him noticing me, he started being an ass again."
I can't have it all, now I'm dancin' for my life
"You know he's single again," I said.
"That flame died out a long time ago," Ginny laughed. "Besides, who wants Astoria's sloppy seconds."
We fell silent. I poured a glass of wine for each of us. Most of the basket was alcohol, though there was enough food to keep us from getting too wasted.
Take your passion, and make it happen
"You loved him, didn't you?" Ginny asked. It was the first time she'd ever spoken it.
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
"Yes," I said. There was no point in lying. Ginny knew my limits. She knew just how much liquor to give to me to get me to tell the truth.
What a feeling
"How long?"
"Since I met him. I don't love him like I love Ron. I could never love anyone like that."
What a feeling
bein's believin'
"Good. Ron loves you too. And he loves Harry. But we can't tell him, all right?"
"I know," I said. "Harry might be perfect but Ron is perfect for me."
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
I raised my glass to the tombstone. "To Harry."
"To Harry. The only man we've ever loved."
"You love Ron too," I said.
"That doesn't count. I'm contractually obligated to love him."
What a feeling (I can really have it all)
What a feeling (Pictures come alive when I call)
"Still," I said. "Not the only man we've ever loved."
She looked at me, confused then the light dawned. "Seriously?"
"It was only like twenty minutes. Then he opened his damned mouth."
"That everlasting mouth of his." I laughed.
So we finished the wine then a bottle of fire whiskey. We ate chips and crackers and cheese and killed a six pack of butter beer. We toasted Harry and we toasted Ron and we toasted each other.
Ginny stole one of the men I loved but it's all right. We each got what we needed. I got the unconditional love of the best man to ever walk the earth.
I can have it all (I can really have it all)
Have it all (Pictures come alive when I call)
(call, call, call, call, what a feeling) I can have it all
(Bein's believin') bein's believin'
(Take your passion, make it happen) make it happen
(What a feeling) what a feeling...
A/N: Just some quick fluff before I head out for the holidays. Hopefully I'll start updating some of the other stories this year but for now, hope you like it.