Thank you to everyone who reviewed! They were all very flattering, and the little comments are below this. This part is kinda sappy and everything..kind of a lot of crying..and maybe a little too over-dramatic. I didn't think it sounded right if I took some of it out, though.
Harry sighed and lifted his head from his hands, blinking and staring out into the distance. It had grown dimmer now, he could barely see distinct objects outside. Crickets chirped and Harry felt a mosquito or two nip at his arms. He got up and headed back inside, stopping in the kitchen to get a drink of water. He needed to be all together calm before approaching Hermione, who had seemed awfully irritated with him earlier. He was calm now, and ready to accept the fact, yet again, that his parents were dead and not coming back. Harry didn't know what had hit him, maybe it was seeing Peter Pettigrew's face again, or the fact that Sirius and Narcissa were married, and he was living with them, yet, they weren't his parents, had set him off. Whatever it was, he owed an apology to Hermione, who had stood by his side all along -- until he had started to become a pessimist. She had come for a visit, taken the Knight Bus for godsake, to come and see him. It wasn't fair that he lay all her problems and make her miserable for the rest of the week. She's only been here one day. Not even, Harry said to himself.
Harry looked up as he heard someone hurry downstairs noisily. It was Malfoy, looking tired and panicky. The bruise, Harry noticed, was gone from his face and Malfoy glanced at him with fear in his blue eyes before leaving from the front door. Harry shrugged than took a deep breath, decided it was the right time to go talk to Hermione, and headed upstairs, slowly. He paused for just a minute to stare at the picture of his parent's on their wedding day, before opening the door to his bedroom. His mouth fell open when he saw Hermione, lying face down on his bed, crying and shaking uncontrollably.
" Mione," Harry said quickly, rushing over to his girlfriend's side. He gathered Hermione up in his arms, as she cried and continued to whimper. She fell against him, clutching onto his shirt as he rocked back and forth, patting her back, trying to sooth her.
" I'm sorry..I'm sorry.." she wailed, tears spilling from her red and bloodshot eyes. She looked up at Harry. " I'm so sorry, Harry.." she repeated, watery.
For some weird reason, Harry felt himself tense up. He held Hermione at arm's length. " Sorry for what?" he asked.
Hermione whimpered and didn't respond. She buried her face into his arm again and continued to cry.
Harry remembered Malfoy hurrying down the stairs quickly, looking at Harry with fear. His grip tightened around Hermione. " Hermione," he said in a steady voice. " Did Malfoy do something to you?"
Hermione's cries grew louder, and Harry's heart beat quickly. I'll kill him. " What did he do to you, Mione?" he asked gently.
" I'm sorry Harry.." she mumbled, looking back up at him again. She still looked beautiful, even with her tangled, messy brown hair, red and bloodshot eyes, and tear-stained face. She was the most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen -- he loved her -- and if Malfoy had done anything to hurt her -
" Just tell me," he pleaded, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her, since she was shaking and chattering her teeth. " I won't get mad at you, Mione," he promised.
Hermione shook her head and looked away. " It's all my fault."
Harry waited, hoping Hermione would continue. She did. " I came up here, Harry...to w-wait for you to calm down. And he came in here, too. Harry, he cornered me into a wall..and he kissed me..again and again! I tried to shove him off me..and I protested Harry, I really did..but he was so incessant. And then-" To this, Hermione broke down crying again. She slid off Harry's lap and hugged one of his pillows to her chest, tightly.
Almost shaking with anger, Harry forced Hermione to sit up straight and look him in the eye. " What else did that bastard do, Hermione?"
" I let him, Harry! For just a minute..I let him! I gave in and allowed him to kiss me -- he even undressed me. Just my blouse..but..oh I hate myself! I really do.." Hermione continued to sob.
Harry released his grip from Hermione and turned away in shock. She had let him? Even for just a minute, like Hermione said(and Harry believed her. He trusted her with his life), she had cheated on him? While he was outside?
" I hate myself," Hermione repeated. " I told him to stop and I told him to get out of here. I told him we love each other, Harry. So he left..and you came.."
Again she started to cry. Now the wails and sobs were boring into Harry's head, giving him a headache. He sighed and turned to face her, unbelieving. " Hermione-" his voice cracked. " How could you do that to me?"
" I'm sorry, Harry..I really am! Please believe me! I hate myself, and I always will..and I understand if you never, ever forgive me..but it was hard, Harry it was. He was so persistant and it was only for a minute.." Hermione said in a rush.
Heart breaking into a million pieces every time Hermione continued, Harry wanted to scream..throw something..but he managed to stay calm. In a low, steady voice, he looked into Hermione's eyes and said," I can't believe you'd to that to me, Hermione. But -"
" I'm SO SORRY, Harry. I hate mysel -"
" But," he repeated, holding up a hand to silence her. " But I understand Malfoy, and that he's a stupid, self-centered prat."
Hermione fell against him. " I love you, Harry.." she whispered, for the second time that day.
Harry patted her back lightly, sighing inwardly. It would be better if he just set aside the whole thing, the one-minute thing, and got angrier at Malfoy instead. Hermione apologized, and seemed really, truly sorry..and Harry believed her. That's all that mattered. He knew Hermione wouldn't be untrue again, and her untrueness had only lasted for a minute, after all.
Setting Hermione gently down on the bed, Harry stood up and crossed the room, opening his door.
" Harry? Where are you going?" Hermione asked, her voice raspy.
" To find out where you're going to sleep. I think it's about time we get some rest," Harry replied, stepping out into the hall.
He hurried downstairs, bumping into Sirius as he entered the kitchen. " Need something, Harry?" Sirius asked, another cup of coffea in his hand. The Witch Weekly was folded underneath his arm.
" Where's Hermione going to sleep? The guest room has a lot of our junk still in it," Harry said, following Sirius back up the stairs.
" Hmm." Sirius opened the door to the guest room, which was directly in between Malfoy and Harry's room. With a wave of his wand, all the boxes and junk disappeared. Another flick, and a comfortable-looking bed appeared with a small pop, complete with a dresser and a television set. " I think that will suit her," he said with a smile, turning and heading into his room.
With a sigh, Harry ran a hand through his messy black hair and entered his room again. Hermione was sitting up on the bed, looking out the window. She turned and gave Harry a tired smile.
" I think I need a bit of a lie-down," she said, standing up. Harry watched as Hermione picked up her bags and walked slowly into the guest room, closing the door behind her.
Harry sighed, and glanced out the window Hermione had just been looking through. They hadn't even had supper yet, but he didn't mind. He wasn't hungry. Still fully-clothed and with his glasses still on, Harry fell onto the bed and shut his eyes, hoping to forget about everything that just happened.
Okay! That's the end of chapter five..still in the process of Chapter six..I'm hoping to get it done tonight because I won't be submitting another chapter until next weekend. But by that time I'll have lots to put in, don't worry.
So! Thanks to: Cristina, Vikkey(I spelled your name wrong earlier, sorry about that), QuiggleMastr, HGW, Crystal Music, and magical*little*me. Continue R/R! Oh..and to Magical who wanted D/H..I don't know if I can promise you anything..we'll see!
Harry sighed and lifted his head from his hands, blinking and staring out into the distance. It had grown dimmer now, he could barely see distinct objects outside. Crickets chirped and Harry felt a mosquito or two nip at his arms. He got up and headed back inside, stopping in the kitchen to get a drink of water. He needed to be all together calm before approaching Hermione, who had seemed awfully irritated with him earlier. He was calm now, and ready to accept the fact, yet again, that his parents were dead and not coming back. Harry didn't know what had hit him, maybe it was seeing Peter Pettigrew's face again, or the fact that Sirius and Narcissa were married, and he was living with them, yet, they weren't his parents, had set him off. Whatever it was, he owed an apology to Hermione, who had stood by his side all along -- until he had started to become a pessimist. She had come for a visit, taken the Knight Bus for godsake, to come and see him. It wasn't fair that he lay all her problems and make her miserable for the rest of the week. She's only been here one day. Not even, Harry said to himself.
Harry looked up as he heard someone hurry downstairs noisily. It was Malfoy, looking tired and panicky. The bruise, Harry noticed, was gone from his face and Malfoy glanced at him with fear in his blue eyes before leaving from the front door. Harry shrugged than took a deep breath, decided it was the right time to go talk to Hermione, and headed upstairs, slowly. He paused for just a minute to stare at the picture of his parent's on their wedding day, before opening the door to his bedroom. His mouth fell open when he saw Hermione, lying face down on his bed, crying and shaking uncontrollably.
" Mione," Harry said quickly, rushing over to his girlfriend's side. He gathered Hermione up in his arms, as she cried and continued to whimper. She fell against him, clutching onto his shirt as he rocked back and forth, patting her back, trying to sooth her.
" I'm sorry..I'm sorry.." she wailed, tears spilling from her red and bloodshot eyes. She looked up at Harry. " I'm so sorry, Harry.." she repeated, watery.
For some weird reason, Harry felt himself tense up. He held Hermione at arm's length. " Sorry for what?" he asked.
Hermione whimpered and didn't respond. She buried her face into his arm again and continued to cry.
Harry remembered Malfoy hurrying down the stairs quickly, looking at Harry with fear. His grip tightened around Hermione. " Hermione," he said in a steady voice. " Did Malfoy do something to you?"
Hermione's cries grew louder, and Harry's heart beat quickly. I'll kill him. " What did he do to you, Mione?" he asked gently.
" I'm sorry Harry.." she mumbled, looking back up at him again. She still looked beautiful, even with her tangled, messy brown hair, red and bloodshot eyes, and tear-stained face. She was the most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen -- he loved her -- and if Malfoy had done anything to hurt her -
" Just tell me," he pleaded, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her, since she was shaking and chattering her teeth. " I won't get mad at you, Mione," he promised.
Hermione shook her head and looked away. " It's all my fault."
Harry waited, hoping Hermione would continue. She did. " I came up here, Harry...to w-wait for you to calm down. And he came in here, too. Harry, he cornered me into a wall..and he kissed me..again and again! I tried to shove him off me..and I protested Harry, I really did..but he was so incessant. And then-" To this, Hermione broke down crying again. She slid off Harry's lap and hugged one of his pillows to her chest, tightly.
Almost shaking with anger, Harry forced Hermione to sit up straight and look him in the eye. " What else did that bastard do, Hermione?"
" I let him, Harry! For just a minute..I let him! I gave in and allowed him to kiss me -- he even undressed me. Just my blouse..but..oh I hate myself! I really do.." Hermione continued to sob.
Harry released his grip from Hermione and turned away in shock. She had let him? Even for just a minute, like Hermione said(and Harry believed her. He trusted her with his life), she had cheated on him? While he was outside?
" I hate myself," Hermione repeated. " I told him to stop and I told him to get out of here. I told him we love each other, Harry. So he left..and you came.."
Again she started to cry. Now the wails and sobs were boring into Harry's head, giving him a headache. He sighed and turned to face her, unbelieving. " Hermione-" his voice cracked. " How could you do that to me?"
" I'm sorry, Harry..I really am! Please believe me! I hate myself, and I always will..and I understand if you never, ever forgive me..but it was hard, Harry it was. He was so persistant and it was only for a minute.." Hermione said in a rush.
Heart breaking into a million pieces every time Hermione continued, Harry wanted to scream..throw something..but he managed to stay calm. In a low, steady voice, he looked into Hermione's eyes and said," I can't believe you'd to that to me, Hermione. But -"
" I'm SO SORRY, Harry. I hate mysel -"
" But," he repeated, holding up a hand to silence her. " But I understand Malfoy, and that he's a stupid, self-centered prat."
Hermione fell against him. " I love you, Harry.." she whispered, for the second time that day.
Harry patted her back lightly, sighing inwardly. It would be better if he just set aside the whole thing, the one-minute thing, and got angrier at Malfoy instead. Hermione apologized, and seemed really, truly sorry..and Harry believed her. That's all that mattered. He knew Hermione wouldn't be untrue again, and her untrueness had only lasted for a minute, after all.
Setting Hermione gently down on the bed, Harry stood up and crossed the room, opening his door.
" Harry? Where are you going?" Hermione asked, her voice raspy.
" To find out where you're going to sleep. I think it's about time we get some rest," Harry replied, stepping out into the hall.
He hurried downstairs, bumping into Sirius as he entered the kitchen. " Need something, Harry?" Sirius asked, another cup of coffea in his hand. The Witch Weekly was folded underneath his arm.
" Where's Hermione going to sleep? The guest room has a lot of our junk still in it," Harry said, following Sirius back up the stairs.
" Hmm." Sirius opened the door to the guest room, which was directly in between Malfoy and Harry's room. With a wave of his wand, all the boxes and junk disappeared. Another flick, and a comfortable-looking bed appeared with a small pop, complete with a dresser and a television set. " I think that will suit her," he said with a smile, turning and heading into his room.
With a sigh, Harry ran a hand through his messy black hair and entered his room again. Hermione was sitting up on the bed, looking out the window. She turned and gave Harry a tired smile.
" I think I need a bit of a lie-down," she said, standing up. Harry watched as Hermione picked up her bags and walked slowly into the guest room, closing the door behind her.
Harry sighed, and glanced out the window Hermione had just been looking through. They hadn't even had supper yet, but he didn't mind. He wasn't hungry. Still fully-clothed and with his glasses still on, Harry fell onto the bed and shut his eyes, hoping to forget about everything that just happened.
Okay! That's the end of chapter five..still in the process of Chapter six..I'm hoping to get it done tonight because I won't be submitting another chapter until next weekend. But by that time I'll have lots to put in, don't worry.
So! Thanks to: Cristina, Vikkey(I spelled your name wrong earlier, sorry about that), QuiggleMastr, HGW, Crystal Music, and magical*little*me. Continue R/R! Oh..and to Magical who wanted D/H..I don't know if I can promise you anything..we'll see!