Chapter 14

Late July had settled over England in a haze. Time seemed lost between sunrise and sunset as days mixed together into a haze of weeks. It was a beautiful season and the Burrow was filled with sounds of laughter and love during the cool summer nights. Families were smiling again, and there wasn't just survival anymore, there was life and healing.

Harry hadn't been to the Burrow since he had left for a multitude of reasons. He hadn't spoken to Hermione since the night of the ball and she too had avoided contact in the passing weeks both planning to deny whatever exchange had taken place in the forest that hazy night. Harry had written to Ron a few times letting him know that he was okay and was trying to give Ginny space to heal and his best friend had accepted the answer without question much to Harry's chagrin, thus leaving him in solitude.

Harry wasn't entirely alone though. His visits with his god son had progressed from frequent to daily and he had found a wonderful kinship with Andromeda Tonks. She was kind to Harry and never once made him uncomfortable. On the rare occasion that someone would stop in for a visit she would quietly usher him upstairs and let him sit until they departed with no questions asked and for that Harry was eternally grateful.

"I spoke to Molly yesterday…" Andromeda murmured casually over lunch one day as the two enjoyed their sandwiches in comfortable silence.

"How is she?" Harry asked curiously, "How is everybody? I haven't seen them all in a while."

Andromeda smiled, "Doing well, everybody is doing well, enjoying the summer while it lasts I suppose. She invited me to your birthday party actually…"

Harry swallowed his food and set his sandwich down suddenly feeling uneasy. "Oh… I forgot."

"What a happy accident that would've been," Andromeda chortled out and smiled fondly at Harry who shot her a playful knowing look.

"Don't worry," she continued, "it's not going to be anything brash, I think your friend Ronald made sure of that. She had mentioned something about dancing, but I guess Ron quickly put that idea to bed insisting that it be small and casual or else you wouldn't come."

Harry smiled to himself picturing Ron and Mrs. Weasley in a heated debate about party plans.

"So… is there anything specific you would like for your birthday?"

Harry held his hands up, "Your hospitality has been more than enough, just bring Teddy and I'll be happy."

Andromeda grinned shaking her head at the young man sitting across from her table, "You, Harry Potter, are a wonderful young man wise beyond your years."

Harry blushed a deep crimson in response.

"I however did get you just a little something…" Andromeda continued reaching into a pocket of her robes.

Harry's face fell, "Andromeda you didn't have to get me anything…"

"Hush, hush," Andromeda waved her hand frantically in front of him and pushed a rectangular wrapped present in front of Harry. "I was going to wait, but I think you'll understand why I didn't when you see what it is."

Harry smiled sincerely and began to unwrap the present muttering about how she shouldn't have gone to the trouble. He pulled out a black wooden box and looked at her curiously through his lenses. He opened the latch and raised his eyebrows in surprise at what was waiting for him.

"Glasses?" Harry chuckled slightly.

"It was either that or a razor," Andromeda prodded playfully, "I noticed how scratched yours were and while a simple spell can fix them I figured you might like a new pair."

Harry grinned slightly remembering how many times Hermione had to fix his glasses, he never could get that spell right. It had always been a friendly topic between the two of them. Harry could conjure a Patronus at age 13, but to this day was unable to master Occulus Repairo.

"Try them on," Andromeda pushed, "and I'll tell you the other interesting fact behind them."

Harry gently placed his old spectacles on the table and picked up the new pair sitting patiently in the box. They were very nice, while they weren't wire rimmed like he was used to, they were a sleek black color, simple, but elegant. They reminded him of something a journalist would wear and he folded back the arms and placed them on the bridge of the nose his eyes adjusting to the lack of scratches that had clouded his old lenses.

"I can see!" Harry animatedly responded, "thank you so much."

"There's more," Andromeda continued, "they were your fathers…"

Harry's face dropped in shock and he stared at her in awe a pit forming in his throat.

"They aren't from me," Andromeda nervously continued, "I am just a messenger. Remus had them made for you…"

Harry was at a loss for words. His fingers shakily found their way to the glasses and he pulled them from his eyes squinting in disbelief at them. He knew these glasses looked familiar the moment he had pulled them from the box, he just hadn't been able to pin point where he had seen them.

Andromeda watched Harry with tear filled eyes. "He loved you so much Harry."

Harry smiled unaware of the tears silently creating trails down his own cheeks and into his shadow. "I loved him to…," he smiled through pain evident on his face, "I miss him a lot."

"My dear boy," Andromeda placed her hand over Harry's and smiled a melancholy smile, "Of course you do, if we didn't miss the ones we lost, how would we have ever known what love is?"

Hermione stared blankly out the window of the kitchen at the burrow lost in thought oblivious to her surroundings. Her mind was racing with the impending doom she knew would take place on July 31st. She would have to see Harry Potter. A few weeks before this prospect would have delighted her, but then he had kissed her… and a wave of confusion had hit their friendship like a freight train. After the almost confrontation in the forest Hermione had lost all courage when it came to confronting Harry, so she avoided the entire topic all together. It wasn't hard considering Ginny seemed to turn green every time his name came into conversation and the only person that made it difficult was Ron. It was adorable how excited he was getting over seeing his best friend on the 31st. Hermione knew that he missed Harry loads even if he wouldn't admit it. But Ron's restless excitement about the topic didn't help the guilt swimming in her stomach.

It would've been one thing if Harry had been the one to kiss her, which technically he was as he initiated it in the astronomy tower. But Hermione had kissed him back not some odd hours later in the forest. What scared her even more was how far it would've progressed had he not pulled back to look at her. She had never felt anything like she had felt that night. Kissing Harry Potter was supposed to feel wrong. It was supposed to be like kissing her brother. Unfortunately to Hermione's dismay it hadn't felt wrong at all as proven when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him with her into the tree. It didn't make sense, any of it, and she couldn't keep the thoughts from weighing on her mind.

"Mum, I've told you for the hundredth time," Ron's footsteps clamored down the steps followed closely by his mother, "No dancing!"

"Why not Ronald?" The pair came into view, Ron's cheeks blazing.

"Because!" a flustered Ron continued, "Harry hates dancing!"

"I don't believe that!" Mrs. Weasley insisted and Ron groaned in response as Hermione tried to stifle a laugh.

"Mum please," Ron pleaded mercifully, "he's just going to get uncomfortable and bloody apparate to god knows where."

Molly's face softened and she sighed brushing a strand of fiery hair from her cheek as she turned to flee. "I guess we could just have music in the background…"

"Thank you Mum," Ron called after her retreating form and Molly turned and shot him a smirk winking at Hermione who giggled in response.

Ron chuckled softly and pulled out a seat at the table, "She loves you."

Hermione blushed slightly and turned her head to stare out the window. A soft breeze rustled the summer grass and she closed her eyes savoring the feel.

"Are you okay?" Ron raised his eyebrows, concern etched in his brow.

"I'm fine," Hermione muttered unconvincingly avoiding eye contact.

"Sickel for your thoughts" Ron held his fingers up clutching a silver coin. Immediately a smile spread over Hermione's features and her moody exterior began to fade.

"There she is," Ron stood up and enclosed her in a comforting embrace. "The girl that I'm dating doesn't have this in the middle of her forehead."

"What?" Hermione pulled back pressing her hand to her forehead in confusion.

"That line." Ron responded, "You've looked so uptight lately, you'd think we were studying for our N.E.W.T.s."

"We never did get to take them." Hermione mumbled sadly eliciting a laugh from Ron.

"I'm sure you will find a way."

Hermione rested her head softly on his chest listening to his steady heartbeat and she fought back the tears as she tried to think of anything else than the betrayal she had committed only weeks before.

"Hey," Ron murmured softly as he felt his girlfriend start to tremble, "what's wrong?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Is it Harry?" Ron pulled back.

"What?" Hermione stammered out frozen in response. How could he possibly know? Nobody knew about the events that transpired except Harry and her and she was desperate to keep it that way. "W… why would you say that?"

"I know how worried you've been about him since he left. I'm worried too." Ron explained simply gazing at her through innocent eyes. "I'm really excited about his birthday though. I think he'll be really happy. Mum even invited Andromeda and Teddy. He hasn't seen him since Fred's…"

"Hey," Hermione brushed her hand across Ron's cheek as he swallowed back his tears.

"I'm just really excited to see him," Ron looked hopeful as he composed himself.

"We all are," Hermione smiled tightly her nerves no calmer than they were before and she glanced at the Weasley's clock on the mantle and sighed. It was July 22. In nine days she would tell Harry that what happened at the ball had been a mistake and she prayed to god that he wouldn't try to change her mind.