LOL! I swear, you guys are going to give me a complex with all this
support. But I'm glad to have you all - it keeps me writing! : ) Thank
you all so very much - especially since this is my first published fic -
oh, and Bing - I'm glad you found an H/Hr fic. They're a little scarce
sometimes, aren't they? I'm very, very sorry that I'm so late with this
part - but I had a busy weekend and a bad week so far. I also figured that
you'd like it better if you had a longer part later instead of a shorter
part sooner : )
On with the show.
Disclaimer on Chapter 1
****************
Chapter 4
The first thing Harry noticed when he woke up was that something was wrong. The bed he was laying on was too comfortable, the sheets were too soft, and the room felt too big. All this before he opened his eyes. He reached blindly to the left and right, searching for his glasses. He put them on, having found them on the beside table to his left. Knowledge of his surroundings came clear when he slid the frames over his eyes and blinked to clear the dust.
Two of the four walls were covered in windows, allowing Harry a view at the waning afternoon if he turned his head. At the wall to his left sat a small desk with a lamp and a few books perched on top of it. Across from the desk was a dresser to match the bed frame, with a square mirror hung above. The bed was between two large windows and across the room from a slightly opened door that led to the hallway. But in all his eyes took in, the most wondrous sight was what was sat in the blue armchair in the corner by the door - or rather, who.
Hermione was asleep, a book in her lap. Harry smiled at that. The sun crossing into the room through the blinds slanted across her hair, highlighting it with a golden glow. She'd obviously changed over the past year, filling out a little more, and her hair was even straighter, finer than it had been. Harry had just been too self-involved to notice. Too busy to notice how beautiful she was becoming. She stirred quietly, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
Without opening her eyes, Hermione stretched in her seat, trying to rid herself of the knots in her back from sleeping in the chair. When she finally looked up, Harry was sitting on the bed, staring at her. "You're up," she observed, smiling.
"So are you?" He smiled back.
"Do you feel a little better?" Hermione stood and crossed the floor to sit beside Harry on the edge of the bed.
Harry's heart started beating a little faster at her closeness. "Yeah, I think so." He frowned slightly. "Mione? Where am I?"
She laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the bed and out the door.
Their tour ended in the dining room, where an early supper was just being put on the table. Harry held back in the doorway while Hermione greeted her mother with a hug and kiss on the cheek. As they linked arms and started back towards him, Harry couldn't help but marvel at how much they looked alike with the same honey-colored hair and sparkling brown eyes. He smiled dimly, remembering his resemblance to his own father, known from the photos Hagrid had given him.
"Harry Potter, it is so very nice to finally meet you." Mrs Granger took his hand and shook it gently before reaching out to pull him into a hug. "My daughter has been saying so much about you, I feel like I know you already!"
Hermione grinned at Harry from behind her mother, trying not to laugh. Taking it all in stride, he grinned back.
"Miney! Miney!" called out a younger voice. A moment later a smaller figure came barreling through the doors from the front hall and into Hermione's arms. The little girl hugged her tightly before turning around to talk to Hermione's mum as well.
"Auntie Martha! You will not believe all the fun Marcy and I had! We went." her blue eyes which matched David Granger's grew wide as she caught sight of the teenager standing next to her mother. "You're the one from the moving pictures!"
Harry looked quietly at Hermione. He hadn't known that she'd had any pictures of him - or that this child knew about their "other world." He hadn't even known she'd had a younger cousin. Hermione shrugged innocently at him and smiled again.
"Lissa, this is my friend Harry. From school. He's gonna stay with us for the summer."
Harry smiled softly at Hermione's young cousin, waiting for her to speak first. Her blue eyes were wide, however, and she said not a word. Martha Granger gently released Harry's arm and stepped toward her niece. "Melissa, why don't you and I go see how David's doing with the roast while Hermione and Harry finish setting the table?"
Once they were gone, Hermione looked at Harry and smiled innocently. "Sorry about that. She's at that stage. you know."
Harry didn't know, but Hermione looked uncomfortable so he didn't press the bullet any further. He followed her to the sideboard and loaded his arms with flatware and silverware to place on the dining room table. She went on to explain nervously. "My aunt and uncle are away for a few weeks, so mum volunteered to let her stay with us. They thought it'd be good for her - being around me, that is. I didn't even know they were coming until I got home yesterday."
Hermione finished settling the last glass on the table. Her mum had told her to use the nicest set, in honour of their guests. "They think she's magicked. A witch, like me. But she's only ten, so we will not know until next year." She trailed off at Harry's smile.
"You don't have to be so nervous, Miney. She seems like a sweet little girl. Full of energy." He crossed to her side, trying to comfort her with his presence. She seemed a little jittery since they'd come downstairs, and he was itching to know the reason why.
"Oh, it's not Lissa I'm worried about." Hermione frowned darkly. "It's what she brought with her." At her words, the front door opened and slammed shut again. Hermione groaned softly.
"Aunt Martha! I'm back! When's dinner?"
Tabitha Marcus made him very uncomfortable. When they'd met, she's held his hand just a little too long, and refused to break eye contact before he. Before dinner, she had almost insisted on sitting next to Harry, until Melissa had pulled her older sister down in the chair next to her and began reciting the tale of her day. From across the table she'd rolled her eyes at Harry and he laughed quietly. He'd caught Hermione's dark look, however, and stopped quickly.
Dinner in itself had been delicious, and the conversation was good - except for the occasional barbs and slanted looks between Hermione and her oldest cousin. He'd heard all about the Granger's dental practice, how lame the town was (from Tabitha) and all about Melissa's best friend, Marcy. She'd been at her house since the day before.
After the meal, Harry helped Hermione to clear the plates and glasses and take them to the kitchen. Tabitha followed them under the guise of helping. They piled the dishes and utensils in the sink and started the rinse cycle. Hermione found it extremely difficult to hold onto a conversation with Harry while her cousin was present, and whisked him out of there as soon as the washer was loaded.
As they headed out the back door, Hermione smiled as she heard her parents tell Tabitha to let them be. Harry followed his friend across the backyard and over a slight hill. Once on the other side, she flopped down, folding her bare legs under her and sighing. Harry sat down close to her, silently waiting for her to talk.
"I didn't know they were going to be here." Hermione frowned darkly. "I wish you didn't have to be around her."
"Do you want me to leave?"
Hermione tore her head around to look at him. "Of course not, Harry! I really wanted you to be here - I just didn't want Tabitha to be."
Harry brushed his hair back out of his eyes. It would be hard to stay here if his friend didn't want him. He hadn't thought he was unwanted - not after his warm reception earlier this afternoon. Nevertheless, certain recent events had shaken his confidence.
"Tell me why?"
Hermione lay back on the grass, her arms crossed behind her head. Harry followed suit. "In case you haven't guessed, Tabitha and I haven't a very good relationship. It started when we were little - she was always trying to push me around and steal my toys - and my friends. It got to the point where I would actually cry at the mere mention of her coming to visit, and since then my parents have done their best to try to keep us apart."
"So why is she here now?" Harry asked quietly.
"There was nothing else for her parents to do with her this time. She was kicked out of her German boarding school, and was forced to come back to England. They got fed up with her and brought her back, and then dump them both on my parents!"
Harry stayed silent for a few moments. He'd never seen Hermione so upset before. He did catch her underlying current of fear that Tabitha would destroy their friendship and he took her hand in his, trying to calm her. It seemed to have immediate affect.
She turned over onto her side and looked down at him, head propped up on her hand. "I really am, very glad you're here, Harry. I'm sorry that you have to be - but I'm glad you are."
"So am I," he smiled back. "It does seem, though, that neither of us have much luck with cousins."
Hermione frowned immediately. "Oh Harry.I'm so sorry. What did they do to you?"
"Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. Or mine. They just got fed up, is all - and scared. I suppose that whole "murderer-god-father" thing put them on edge. It's all for the best, though. It wouldn't be a very good holiday at all there with them." He looked down at the darkening woods below them, picking at an invisible spot on his shirt.
Hermione looked into his eyes again, brown staring into green. In his eyes, she saw the unspoken pain of rejection floating there, his own fear, and his tiredness. In her heart she ached to make it better, to make him return to his normal vibrant self. Looking down into those emerald eyes, she grew entranced in her best friend; she fell. The only thought running through her head was "If I kiss him now, what will he do?"
Harry was in love with her, he knew that. He had known it since he'd woken up that afternoon and she was sitting in the blue chair, having fallen asleep while waiting for him to wake. But he'd loved her before then, for years. It'd only developed to love from the crush he'd gotten on her that first day on the train. Who knew that a scrawny, bushy-haired eleven-year old was destined to become the boy who lived's one love?
And in that moment, staring into each other's eyes, he knew there was only one choice to make. He was sick and tired of being alone, and knew she was too. As he rose slowly, Hermione fell back, allowing him to tower over her.
"Harry," was all Hermione had time to whisper before his lips finally fell onto hers.
On with the show.
Disclaimer on Chapter 1
****************
Chapter 4
The first thing Harry noticed when he woke up was that something was wrong. The bed he was laying on was too comfortable, the sheets were too soft, and the room felt too big. All this before he opened his eyes. He reached blindly to the left and right, searching for his glasses. He put them on, having found them on the beside table to his left. Knowledge of his surroundings came clear when he slid the frames over his eyes and blinked to clear the dust.
Two of the four walls were covered in windows, allowing Harry a view at the waning afternoon if he turned his head. At the wall to his left sat a small desk with a lamp and a few books perched on top of it. Across from the desk was a dresser to match the bed frame, with a square mirror hung above. The bed was between two large windows and across the room from a slightly opened door that led to the hallway. But in all his eyes took in, the most wondrous sight was what was sat in the blue armchair in the corner by the door - or rather, who.
Hermione was asleep, a book in her lap. Harry smiled at that. The sun crossing into the room through the blinds slanted across her hair, highlighting it with a golden glow. She'd obviously changed over the past year, filling out a little more, and her hair was even straighter, finer than it had been. Harry had just been too self-involved to notice. Too busy to notice how beautiful she was becoming. She stirred quietly, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
Without opening her eyes, Hermione stretched in her seat, trying to rid herself of the knots in her back from sleeping in the chair. When she finally looked up, Harry was sitting on the bed, staring at her. "You're up," she observed, smiling.
"So are you?" He smiled back.
"Do you feel a little better?" Hermione stood and crossed the floor to sit beside Harry on the edge of the bed.
Harry's heart started beating a little faster at her closeness. "Yeah, I think so." He frowned slightly. "Mione? Where am I?"
She laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the bed and out the door.
Their tour ended in the dining room, where an early supper was just being put on the table. Harry held back in the doorway while Hermione greeted her mother with a hug and kiss on the cheek. As they linked arms and started back towards him, Harry couldn't help but marvel at how much they looked alike with the same honey-colored hair and sparkling brown eyes. He smiled dimly, remembering his resemblance to his own father, known from the photos Hagrid had given him.
"Harry Potter, it is so very nice to finally meet you." Mrs Granger took his hand and shook it gently before reaching out to pull him into a hug. "My daughter has been saying so much about you, I feel like I know you already!"
Hermione grinned at Harry from behind her mother, trying not to laugh. Taking it all in stride, he grinned back.
"Miney! Miney!" called out a younger voice. A moment later a smaller figure came barreling through the doors from the front hall and into Hermione's arms. The little girl hugged her tightly before turning around to talk to Hermione's mum as well.
"Auntie Martha! You will not believe all the fun Marcy and I had! We went." her blue eyes which matched David Granger's grew wide as she caught sight of the teenager standing next to her mother. "You're the one from the moving pictures!"
Harry looked quietly at Hermione. He hadn't known that she'd had any pictures of him - or that this child knew about their "other world." He hadn't even known she'd had a younger cousin. Hermione shrugged innocently at him and smiled again.
"Lissa, this is my friend Harry. From school. He's gonna stay with us for the summer."
Harry smiled softly at Hermione's young cousin, waiting for her to speak first. Her blue eyes were wide, however, and she said not a word. Martha Granger gently released Harry's arm and stepped toward her niece. "Melissa, why don't you and I go see how David's doing with the roast while Hermione and Harry finish setting the table?"
Once they were gone, Hermione looked at Harry and smiled innocently. "Sorry about that. She's at that stage. you know."
Harry didn't know, but Hermione looked uncomfortable so he didn't press the bullet any further. He followed her to the sideboard and loaded his arms with flatware and silverware to place on the dining room table. She went on to explain nervously. "My aunt and uncle are away for a few weeks, so mum volunteered to let her stay with us. They thought it'd be good for her - being around me, that is. I didn't even know they were coming until I got home yesterday."
Hermione finished settling the last glass on the table. Her mum had told her to use the nicest set, in honour of their guests. "They think she's magicked. A witch, like me. But she's only ten, so we will not know until next year." She trailed off at Harry's smile.
"You don't have to be so nervous, Miney. She seems like a sweet little girl. Full of energy." He crossed to her side, trying to comfort her with his presence. She seemed a little jittery since they'd come downstairs, and he was itching to know the reason why.
"Oh, it's not Lissa I'm worried about." Hermione frowned darkly. "It's what she brought with her." At her words, the front door opened and slammed shut again. Hermione groaned softly.
"Aunt Martha! I'm back! When's dinner?"
Tabitha Marcus made him very uncomfortable. When they'd met, she's held his hand just a little too long, and refused to break eye contact before he. Before dinner, she had almost insisted on sitting next to Harry, until Melissa had pulled her older sister down in the chair next to her and began reciting the tale of her day. From across the table she'd rolled her eyes at Harry and he laughed quietly. He'd caught Hermione's dark look, however, and stopped quickly.
Dinner in itself had been delicious, and the conversation was good - except for the occasional barbs and slanted looks between Hermione and her oldest cousin. He'd heard all about the Granger's dental practice, how lame the town was (from Tabitha) and all about Melissa's best friend, Marcy. She'd been at her house since the day before.
After the meal, Harry helped Hermione to clear the plates and glasses and take them to the kitchen. Tabitha followed them under the guise of helping. They piled the dishes and utensils in the sink and started the rinse cycle. Hermione found it extremely difficult to hold onto a conversation with Harry while her cousin was present, and whisked him out of there as soon as the washer was loaded.
As they headed out the back door, Hermione smiled as she heard her parents tell Tabitha to let them be. Harry followed his friend across the backyard and over a slight hill. Once on the other side, she flopped down, folding her bare legs under her and sighing. Harry sat down close to her, silently waiting for her to talk.
"I didn't know they were going to be here." Hermione frowned darkly. "I wish you didn't have to be around her."
"Do you want me to leave?"
Hermione tore her head around to look at him. "Of course not, Harry! I really wanted you to be here - I just didn't want Tabitha to be."
Harry brushed his hair back out of his eyes. It would be hard to stay here if his friend didn't want him. He hadn't thought he was unwanted - not after his warm reception earlier this afternoon. Nevertheless, certain recent events had shaken his confidence.
"Tell me why?"
Hermione lay back on the grass, her arms crossed behind her head. Harry followed suit. "In case you haven't guessed, Tabitha and I haven't a very good relationship. It started when we were little - she was always trying to push me around and steal my toys - and my friends. It got to the point where I would actually cry at the mere mention of her coming to visit, and since then my parents have done their best to try to keep us apart."
"So why is she here now?" Harry asked quietly.
"There was nothing else for her parents to do with her this time. She was kicked out of her German boarding school, and was forced to come back to England. They got fed up with her and brought her back, and then dump them both on my parents!"
Harry stayed silent for a few moments. He'd never seen Hermione so upset before. He did catch her underlying current of fear that Tabitha would destroy their friendship and he took her hand in his, trying to calm her. It seemed to have immediate affect.
She turned over onto her side and looked down at him, head propped up on her hand. "I really am, very glad you're here, Harry. I'm sorry that you have to be - but I'm glad you are."
"So am I," he smiled back. "It does seem, though, that neither of us have much luck with cousins."
Hermione frowned immediately. "Oh Harry.I'm so sorry. What did they do to you?"
"Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. Or mine. They just got fed up, is all - and scared. I suppose that whole "murderer-god-father" thing put them on edge. It's all for the best, though. It wouldn't be a very good holiday at all there with them." He looked down at the darkening woods below them, picking at an invisible spot on his shirt.
Hermione looked into his eyes again, brown staring into green. In his eyes, she saw the unspoken pain of rejection floating there, his own fear, and his tiredness. In her heart she ached to make it better, to make him return to his normal vibrant self. Looking down into those emerald eyes, she grew entranced in her best friend; she fell. The only thought running through her head was "If I kiss him now, what will he do?"
Harry was in love with her, he knew that. He had known it since he'd woken up that afternoon and she was sitting in the blue chair, having fallen asleep while waiting for him to wake. But he'd loved her before then, for years. It'd only developed to love from the crush he'd gotten on her that first day on the train. Who knew that a scrawny, bushy-haired eleven-year old was destined to become the boy who lived's one love?
And in that moment, staring into each other's eyes, he knew there was only one choice to make. He was sick and tired of being alone, and knew she was too. As he rose slowly, Hermione fell back, allowing him to tower over her.
"Harry," was all Hermione had time to whisper before his lips finally fell onto hers.