Last Love
Summary: Harry is in love with Hermione, yet Hermione is dating Ron, and MANY problems arouse within Harry's mind.
Disclaimer: -hiding behind a barricade having war against JK-Rambo- They will be MINE! MINE I tell you! -blows up-
Thanks To:
witchygrl1413 - Thank you! LOL I'm glad you like my story! I was kinda wondering if it WAS funny, or if I really just... have no sense of humor whatsoever.
Til death due us part Well, taking into consideration the MANY times I ramble on and on and on in the story, and I just forget what the point was, I'm bound to have long chapters... I myself like long chapters too... if you know what Card Captor Sakura is, and you really like long chapters, check out my last CCS chapter... –wink-
Ashley Potter13 - THANKS! I love your stories too. But, I don't think I write like Jo... I mean... she's experienced, she's also a good fighter... check out my disclaimers, I've had my butt kicked!. But thanks anyways, I was so happy when I received your review! I'm glad, you have become my fan... -falls over for having a big head- and YES, Dumbledore DOES know something... yet again, he always does... so... no biggie there. Right? You gotta love Dumbledore: 'By all means continue destroying my possessions.' YAY! Hahaha.
Smashl1234 – Thanks for reviewing! Your story is not stupid, it's cool! And I'm glad MY story is not boring –HUGS-!
ridXwan – To tell YOU the truth, I cried when I was writing the chapter... I hate people bashing Harry for Sirius too, I don't think he's a woos or anything, I just think he's human, and I try to apply what I would feel if I were in a situation like that and modify to fit with the given character's personality! After all they are all human, and most important of all, Harry and the trio are teen-agers, confusing emotions are what rule teens (I should know I AM one)... they're real people, well not real, you get it... so... they are allowed to have real feelings. And I support you're movement --Holds up sign that says 'LEAVE HARRY ALONE!!!!'--
Golden Love – Thanks so much! I'm very glad that you liked me story... I don't really know if I thanked you in my last chapter... but, if I didn't THANKS... and if I DID, thanks again.
Bad Things Happen To Good People
Harry wrote the last words in his third parchment, he couldn't believe Hermione had helped through the first two rolls. He looked around the common room, and smiled as he remembered that Hermione had fallen asleep in his shoulder. He turned and stirred until Hermione's head was lying in his chest, his back comfortably against the couch, and he wrapped both his arms securely around Hermione.
Harry was woken up by the rays of sunlight peering through the window and he noticed that while they were sleeping they had slid from a sitting position to a lying position. (A/N: innocent, lying position). He smelled Hermione's hair and gently kissed the top of her head. He couldn't bring himself to wake her, she looked so beautiful, and so he just stayed there, entranced by her.
"What time is it?" Hermione said groggily as her head turned towards Harry.
"I don't know. Why?" He asked. She shook her head and lay back down. After some minutes she was sleeping again, and Harry had the sudden urge to kiss her, to wrap his arms around her small waist, to be able to call her his own. She fit perfectly in his arms, and when she had woken up she did not question why or how she was there, nor did she move. Harry heard Hermione mumble something and didn't quite understand.
"Ron." She said softly again. She sounded anxious. Harry unconsciously started rubbing her back. His fantasy was now broken, there was no way she would see Harry the way she saw Ron.
"Hermione, wake up." Harry said gently and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Mhmm?" She said almost asleep.
"We should dress and go to breakfast." Harry started sitting up, which forced her off her comfortable position.
"I haven't slept this well since... I can't even remember." She yawned widely as she stretched and stood up.
"Go and get dressed, and then we'll go to breakfast, unless you want to go down on a Saturday morning with your school uniform on." She looked at herself and then at Harry and ran upstairs to change.
"Today, for our Defense Against the Dark Arts class we will see... Werewolves. aherm Professor Snape left you and assignment three years ago, if I am not mistaken, but that was too soon, so now, I want you to read the chapter and..." Professor Lupin went on, it was out that he was a werewolf and he felt kind of awkward talking about werewolves. A hand popped up, it was a Slytherin.
"What does it feel like, Professor Lupin, to be a werewolf?" She asked rather too innocently.
"Well, you see," He said calmly.
"Is that why you wear those robes?" Malfoy laughed. Hermione's hand shot into the air immediately and waited for the nod of recognition Lupin gave her.
"Actually, the werewolf, although not most people like them, can be knocked into sense by fellow animagus." Hermione winked at Harry, and Lupin smirked at them, a knowing glint flashing through the three eyes. Saturday and Sunday had gone normally, well, as normal as it went at Hogwarts... AND if you were Harry Potter, IN Harry Potter's position. (A/N: I think you understand what I mean.) Every moment just seemed to make Harry surer and surer that he would never have Hermione, and this only made him want to step away from her. Let her life with Ron be as happy as possible.
"That prevents them from attacking humans and landing in Azkaban." Harry said loudly, emphasizing the last word. Professor Lupin tried to stifle a laugh; of course he had been there. When Malfoy and his fellow Death Eaters had been taken to Azkaban, he had been VERY glad 'Understatement of the millennium' He thought to himself. Bellatrix! She had killed Sirius. Oh, the NERVE! If only Lupin could get his hands on her, he would SHOW her what he felt, through painful, agonizing, cruel, BRUTAL, INHUMANE, MERCILESS MEANS OF TORTURE!!!!. aherm He shook from his day dream as he cleared his throat.
"Ten points from Slytherin, and Ten from Gryffindor, Harry." Professor Lupin turned around and kept discussing the werewolf, he didn't stutter, or hesitate; he spoke as if he wasn't one. He explained calmly how it felt, to change to and back. He explained how the werewolf is not self-aware while being a wolf. "Class dismissed." He said calmly as the door opened.
"Professor Lupin, may I have a word with you." Harry said turning around quickly.
"Of course Harry, come into my office." He said as he motioned to the stairs.
"Meet you later, at lunch." Hermione nodded at Harry reassuringly.
"What's the matter?" Lupin said as he served Harry some hot chocolate and offered him a chocolate bar (A/N: -sigh- you gotta LOVE the chocolate). Harry hesitated, not quite knowing what to say exactly, he just, wanted to be away from Hermione for a while.
"Well, you know, now that er... you're a teacher, what will happen during the full moons? Who will teach?" Lupin sighed as Harry looked at him intensely.
"You will have, other classes, during those times." He answered simply.
"What class?" Harry took a sip of his hot chocolate; he liked how Lupin made chocolate.
"Double-Potions." Harry was bewildered at the calm way Lupin was able to say this!
"Double-Potions?"
"Double-Potions." He nodded, and Harry gulped.
"Double-Potions? Double-POTIONS... DOUBLE-POTIONS?!" Terror started drowning Harry's voice.
"Well, at least we know you can pronounce it." Lupin laughed.
"Er..." Harry blushed. "It's just... with Snape?" Panic struck.
"Last time I checked." Lupin looked at Harry and smiled warmly. "Now, what really is bothering?" He asked as he put his chocolate bar down.
"Why does everyone think something is bothering me?" Harry asked. (A/N: Because something always IS bothering him...)
"Don't take it personally Harry." Lupin said as he stood up and started arranging some books. "It's just, that, you are easy to read." He put the books in the shelf and stared at Harry. "It's easy to know when you are having a hard time or not, once someone gets to know you, of course."
"Does that mean, Hermione knows something is wrong?"
"This has to do with Hermione?" Lupin asked gently, he remembered his conversation with the Headmaster, of course.
"Er... NO!" Harry said rather TOO quickly... Lupin raised an eyebrow and nodded. "No, really, it has nothing to do with Hermione." Remus nodded again as he sat down in front of Harry. "I mean it, Hermione has nothing to do with this. Hermione's my friend. Hermione's dating Ron." The professor just stared at Harry knowingly. "Not that that's a problem, Hermione WANTS to date Ron. I'm not saying it sarcastically. I'm happy Hermione wants to date Ron. Hermione's happy with Ron. I'm happy when Hermione is happy." Lupin just kept smiling. "Really I'm happy. Hermione makes me happy. I mean not HER, Ron and Her. They are my friends. Hermione is my friend." Lupin nodded. "I'm not in love with her!" He said trying more likely to convince himself.
"I didn't say you were, but know that you mention it, her name DID come up a lot of times in our conversation." Lupin smiled as Harry blushed furiously
"Well, she's... uh..."
"She's dating Ron." Lupin finished for Harry. Harry nodded and looked down at his hot chocolate.
"I'm being selfish, aren't I? Ron finally has what he wants. It's not fair that I want to take it away from him, right?"
"Well, we can never control our heart's desires, Harry."
"What can I do, then?" He asked.
"Well... nothing, really."
"I don't want to hurt any of them, and if they find out that I'm in love with Hermione..." Harry sighed. "Sirius would know what to do."
"Indeed he would, I was never the one with the ladies." Lupin laughed. "James never noticed the girls behind him; he only had eyes for one girl, your mother, Harry. Now, Sirius was another thing, he was the ladies-man."
"What do you think Sirius would advice me?" Harry knew that no one would know the answer better than Lupin. And, let's face it; the only person close to his parents he had left was Lupin. Sirius was gone, in a way. The only 'family' left for Harry was the man sitting in front of him, the one with the sad, tired look in his eyes, yet always calm and cheerful, and pondering,(A/N: AWWWWWWWW!) quite the opposite of Sirius. Yet, he did care for Harry as his own son, he hadn't stepped in because of Sirius, he didn't feel it right, but now that Sirius was gone, Harry needed someone.
"He would tell you... to give it time, Harry. Everything happens for a reason, he'd tell you to wait. To be patient."
"I've already BEEN patient. About EVERYTHING!" Harry said, now being reminded of the conversation with Dumbledore. He would not explode again, or maybe he should.
"I know. It's hard... to be patient, but... it's the only thing we have." Lupin sighed, he was talking from experienced, being a werewolf had taught him to be patient, patient with other people, patient with life, but the hardest, patient with himself. "Don't be afraid, ever, to cry. We've ALL cried before, I've cried before. Sometimes... it's the only thing we can do." Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and they were in silence for a long while.
"Why do bad things happen to good people?" Harry asked the specks of tears starting to show. Lupin sighed and leaned down next to Harry, to be eye to eye.
"I don't know, but I DO know good things happen to those who wait, Harry, I'm sure you have waited too long for good things to come. Yet, when things start getting good, it seems it all tumbles down, the ones you love are taken away, right?. Let me assure you, that bad things happen to bad people too."
Lupin hugged Harry. It was the second time he did such a thing. (Did Remus hug Harry at the end of OotP?, OH WELL, let's suppose he did just for the sake of this, plotless story I have created... –whisperes- IT DOES HAVE A PLOT!) "I can't answer why bad things happen to good people, to innocent people. You do not deserve what life has brought to you, and it's people like you, that make me doubt the phrase 'You get what you deserve'. I cannot tell you why these things happened to you Harry, I myself don't know. It's unfair, being so young and innocent; so many things have gone wrong. In the end, I guess it will all be for the best."
Lupin did not release Harry from his tight hug. "I have not had as rough a life as you, yet I have not had the best either, you know that, you've seen my other self." Remus blushed and laughed a little. "Things get better, then they get worse, then they get better again. We never know how they will end, we never know if it's ever going to end. Don't you wish it ends, Harry, EVER. Don't ever believe that you can't carry on anymore... I assure you, I've seen people, it's easiest to go the road already traveled, it's safe. You weren't given the choice of a road, you were just put in one, a one not traveled, I know it hurts, you get hurt, and end up having to crawl, yes at the end you leave a path, but is it really worth it?"
Remus's voice was starting to sound a little shaky. "It's a human instinct to want to have control, and no matter how painful it is, we are stubborn and refuse to let go, afraid of where that might lead us, afraid it might be worse, we never wonder it might be better. There's where the risk in life lies, you just don't know, you never know. But promise me Harry, you will NEVER give up, no matter how alone you seem to be, how hard it turns out, you will go on, and stand and face danger straight ahead, you will not let anyone step over you, you will be the kind of man you father and your mother would want you to be, the kind of man Sirius was trying to build, the kind of man I will continue to stand next to, that I will continue to help build, the kind of man you have proven to be."
Lupin pulled away and looked Harry straight in the eye, Harry had tears welling in his, and nodded, he had never planned on giving up. Lupin smiled as he cupped Harry's cheek. "Let me guarantee you that good things happen to good people, too." They stayed there, in silence. It wasn't awkward, Harry never seemed to see Professor Lupin as nothing more than a Professor, he never imagined him showing such an out burst of emotion. Harry's view of Lupin suddenly changed, he started thinking that there was no one better to take the place of Sirius, as his guardian of course, than Remus Lupin, werewolf and all.
There was a low grumbling sound that broke the unspoken proposal and the unspoken acceptance of a needed guardian, and Lupin laughed. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. What do you say if we go down to the Great Hall?" (I know... fluff... but LUPIN IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER! PLEASE UNDERSTAND!!!!)
"Potter, a word with you?" Snape asked dryly, although it was more of an order. Lupin nodded and went into the Great Hall alone. Snape walked away from the Great Hall, continually looking back, and to the sides, as if checking for someone following him, until he was in the stairs that led to the dungeons. Harry stood in front of him and Snape looked both ways before going down, once in Snape's room, he closed the windows shut so that no light entered the class, he locked the door and warded it with at least twenty different charms. He then lit a candle that shone part of the office. He jumped when he saw Harry standing there, and then, comprehension dawned on him.
"Sir?" Harry asked believing that Snape had finally snapped. 'God! He's going to rape me!' Harry thought bewildered.
"Potter, you've missed your..." Snape looked around the room again. "remedial potions." Snape whispered eying Harry, who was frowning
"Excuse me?"
"We spoke about it with the Headmaster, in... --Grimauld Place, Potter. You were supposed to be having..." Snape's voice dropped again. "Oclumency, around this time of the year." Harry remembered Dumbledore, Lupin and Snape talking to him about the importance of Oclumency and that Snape would be 'kind enough to teach him, and forget about the past... incident.'
"Uh, it must have slipped my mind, sir."
"Must have slipped your mind alright! May I remind you, Potter, that I am not doing this because I WANT to, I'm doing it because the Headmaster required me to do it, but if you believe you are so POWERFUL that you can take the ... ..." Snape looked around nervously once again. "Dark Lord single-handedly, then by all means tell me so that I can find... er... a better way to... er... OCCUPY my afternoons... than to wait for you to decide to show up." Snape was fuming, silently. He looked around nervously again.
"I'm sorry, I have just been... tired, I've been loosing sleep and..."
"Loosing sleep?" Snape came closer to Harry. "Is it..." Snape twitched a little as he scanned the room with his gaze... "The Dark Lord." He whispered in an almost inaudible whisper.
"It's not Vol... You-Know-Who."
"Well, be sure to get sleep, Potter, we can't have our little hero going around unhappy." If sarcasm was water, the whole of Hogwarts would be drowning in Snape's comment by now. Harry nodded and turned around to leave when, he decided to take a risk. (A/N: Yeah I know the conversation that is about to happen, WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, but hey! IT'S FUUUUN, YES SNAPE IS VERY OUT OF CHARACTER... I like it... it's fuuun! Don't worry... he'll have a good reason... I think.)
"Sir, did you ever have a girlfriend?" Harry asked, expecting to be hexed all the way back to Gryffindor tower.
"Excuse me!" Snape yelled. "What?! You've been... loosing sleep over a girl?" Snape smirked as Harry nodded. "So, Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, can take the Dark Lord single-handedly but can't take a little girl."
"Not ANY girl, professor, she's special!" Harry yelled before he could stop himself.
"They are ALL special, Potter." There was a slight panic note in his voice, as he yet again searched the room, and looked behind Harry, just to check if there was anyone there.. "What does this one have that is different?" He asked with sarcasm.
"She's funny, and beautiful. She's the smartest witch I've met, but..."
"You make her sound as if she was... ... perfect." Severus hissed the last word as if someone were trying to hear in on the conversation.
"She is, except for one thing..."
"What is it? Does she has three heads, too?" 'TOO?' Harry thought bewildered
"She's dating my best friend." Harry sighed. Snape went wide eyed.
"You're loosing sleep over a girl, but not ANY girl, you're loosing sleep over GRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAANGER?!" Snape snorted.
"I... I guess so... yes."
"But it's..." He looked around again. "Grrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaanger!"
"er... Yes I am aware of that..."
"Grrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaanger." Snape snorted again. 'This is it, Snape has snapped.' Harry thought, not knowing if to feel pity or annoyance.
"Just because you can't see anything nice in anybody it doesn't mean none of us can!" Annoyance won.
"Don't talk back to me, Potter." Now Snape was back to normal, or so it seemed.
"Don't talk like that of Hermione."
"Don't raise your voice, Potter!"
"I'll raise my voice if I want to!"
'Funny, there's Professor Lupin, I wonder where Harry is.' Hermione looked up from her book, and back down, 'Hogwarts A History, Volume 2'. Harry had been gone a long time, Hermione was starting to get nervous, after all, he had promised to go with her to the Hospital Wing to see Ron. All of a sudden she thought she heard somebody shout... GRRRRRRRRAAAAAAANGER 'must be my imagination.' Moments after she thought this, Harry walked into the Hall, mumbling something about researching how to transfigure people into cockroaches and hexing them 'til they died.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as Harry slumped next to her.
"Snape gave me detention." Harry mumbled, but clearly enough.
"What did you do now?" Hermione asked a little annoyed as she put her text book down.
"Nothing, we were talking... calmly and rationally..." Harry hesitated a bit at the end.
"Oh, Harry... when will you learn? Let things be!" Harry stared at Hermione and for once the advice everybody had been giving him sank in... he was going to let things be. "By the way! Ron is coming back tomorrow! I was thinking on having a party for him. I asked Professor McGonagall and she said it was alright because it was a Friday. Maybe you could help me, I know this is wrong, but it's for Ron: Maybe you could go down to Hogsmead and get some candies, butterbeer, you know, that kind of stuff. With your invisibility cloak of course" Hermione was almost jumping up and down with enthusiasm.
"Of course. We'll have a party for Ron."
Author's Note: Well that's the THIRD CHAPTER... my longest chapter yet... I believe... slightly OOC... yet, I LIKE IT! Please review, I take criticism... and I also take suggestions... I'll see if I can put some good ideas in, or something... Thank you. Just for the record, I am slightly offended by people believing Lupin just gives out chocolate at RANDOM INTERVALS! Yes I DO think it's a nice quality... but he gave Harry chocolate in the train because it's right! Chocolate DOES make you feel better after a Dementor attack
Next Chapter: -singing- I'll never te-ell... Well, at least not until next chapter.