Okay folks! I can't believe I've made it to chapter 3. I'd really appreciate any feedback you guys have, and I'm trying to crank out these chapters as fast as I can, but I've got all my end of term papers that are due soon, so those come first (unfortunately).
Lunch came and went too soon for Hermione, and as she sat at the kitchen counter, she couldn't help but think of how foolish she was acting. Why should she be nervous? This was Harry, her Harry, and he needed her. This last thought was a slightly comforting one, and she couldn't help but get stuck on the fact that Harry needed her.
Of course, she knew he had always needed her in one way or another. That was just the way the trio worked. And there were other times when Harry had needed her, but that was different, he didn't need her. If anything, he had needed her brain. But now he needed her, really needed her. She was scared witless. What if she couldn't help him? Hermione had very little experience with loss, and this was a serious issue. What if she messed up and he resented her for it? There was no way she would be able to handle that.
No, no matter what happened, she knew Harry could not resent her. The thing she should have been worrying about even more was handling herself around him. She didn't know how she was going to be able to handle having him around her, all the time, in her house...She loved him and she knew it. She had come to terms with it last year. I had felt good to admit it to herself, but then she had realized that she could think of nothing else. But Hermione throwing herself at Harry was not what Harry needed. No doubt he would already be too emotionally stretched to deal with this.
No, she made a silent promise to herself. She would not throw herself at him, she would be there for him as a best friend, nothing more.
Her father walked into the kitchen and began to fix himself something to eat. Since it was Sunday, her parents did not have to work usually, and her father took advantage of that every chance he got. David Granger ran a dental practice with his wife. Though he had grown up in a house full of girls, he had always had a hard time understanding his daughter. She was always something of a mystery to him, but he could tell she was at her wit's end, sitting there staring at what was left of her lunch. When he was done, he walked by her and quickly planted a kiss on her cheek. They smiled at each other, and he walked off to eat his lunch.
Hermione was slightly confused. Where had that come from? She appreciated the gesture greatly, because she knew just how little they understood each other, but wondered where it came from all the same. Oh well, she began to clear away her lunch, and was washing her dishes when the doorbell rang. She ran her soapy hands over her thighs, leaving big, soapy streaks on her pants. She ran towards the door and threw it open.
"Harry, hi", she said breathlessly. She noticed that Harry brightened considerably when he saw her.
"Hi", he said, smiling slightly. He looked sad, sadder than Hermione had ever seen him perhaps. His eyes were dim and slightly black-rimmed, as though he had gotten very little sleep for some time. Maybe he hadn't been getting sleep. She wondered if his nightmares had begun again.
"Well, I'd better go", said Lupin, clapping Harry on the back affectionately and giving Hermione a warm smile. As he walked away, Hermione remembered her manners.
"Oh, come in, please", Harry nodded and walked through the open doorway. "Mum, dad, Harry's here", she yelled trying to get her parents attention.
"Dear", her mother said, walking into the entry hall,"your father left to go to the office, it seems he forgot something there. He told me to tell you hello though", she said, turning to Harry. "We're so happy to have you here, Harry", she said. She looked slightly nervous about meeting Harry, though Hermione had no clue why, they had met briefly a few years ago also.
"Well, thank you for inviting me Mrs. Granger", said Harry graciously. Suddenly they heard a small ding from the kitchen oven and, making her apologies, her mother rushed off into the kitchen. It was strange, Hermione thought, that he mother should act like that. But she pushed the thought from her mind.
"Well", she said to Harry, "do you want to see your room?" Harry nodded, and Hermione retrieved Hedwigs cage from its spot on Harry's trunk, and he picked up the heavy object, carrying it upstairs.
Hermione led the way upstairs, and pausing outside their doors, listed all of the rooms off. The bathroom, her parents room, her room, and the guest room, where Harry would stay. She opened the door, and set Hedwig's cage on the dresser. The room was done in mint green, with darker green for the bedclothes. It was rather large, though it was the same as Hermione's own room. "You can unpack now", she said, "and we can talk later. That is, we can talk if you want." She said this hurriedly, without thinking. She was already afraid she'd pushed him too fast, and he had only just arrived.
"That sounds good", he said, giving her a look she couldn't quite read. Hermione nodded and backed out the door, informing him that she would be in her room if he needed her.
A few hours later, it was time for dinner. Hermione had seen nothing of Harry so far and it was beginning to worry her. She went up to his room and said through the door, "time for dinner Harry". He replied that he would be down in a minute, so she left him alone.
But fifteen minutes later, he still had not joined them. Hermione, now very worried, had excused herself from the table and headed upstairs to talk to him. Hermione had not expected him to be this quiet. If anything, she had expected him to be beyond angry, in fact she might have welcomed that. She knew how to deal with an angry Harry, but she did not know how to deal with this quiet Harry. As she reached his door, she knocked quietly and slowly walked in. The sight that met her eyes was one she had half- expected. Harry was sitting on the bed, looking through his photo-album. He looked up at her when she entered, and didn't even try to hide his tears.
At that moment, her instincts kicked in, and she rushed over to him, holding him as he cried softly into her shoulder. She knew that under any sort of normal circumstance, this would never happen, and it confused and unnerved her to see him like this. Maybe he wasn't just upset about Sirius.
When Harry was done, he sat up straight and avoided her eyes. She didn't say anything, figuring that she would let him talk. It was important that he talked, according to what she had heard. "Look", he said,"I'm so sorry, I should really get a better grip on myself, you don't need this...", he trailed off, yawning.
"Nonsense", she said, laying a tentative hand on his arm, "you can be sad all you want". "You should go to bed", she commented quietly as he yawned again.
"Yes", he said, smiling sleepily at her. Quickly, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, "thanks".
"Sure, anytime", she said, blushing. Harry was smiling at her as she backed out the door. "Night", she said.
"Goodnight", he agreed.
When she was safely in the hall, she tried to calm her now extremely excited stomach. Had he done that on purpose?
Okay, you guys totally amaze me! Ten reviews for one chapter. I can't believe it, that's the reviews for my other story times three! I'd really, really appreciate your feedback on this chapter too. Also, I'm thinking I may bring Sirius back, let me know what you think of that, ok?
Miste- Thank you so much, I hope you like this chapter as much as the others.
HJ-HJ- Hope this new chapter was satisfactory. Thanks for the review.
Hpfreak123- Thanks, I'm wondering what I should do from here, I have a few ideas, but I can't decide...thanks!
wolfgp- I agree that Rowling will have Harry and Hermione meet up. Thanks for the comment.
snosamie6- I sure hope Hermione can help Harry, thank you so much for reviewing.
peachie1st- I'm so happy you're so excited! Thanks.
Alexia Gold- Oh my gosh, thank you so much for your review, you totally brightened my day!
Lady Emily- Thanks, and I know the idea is nothing new, but it wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to write it. I hope the story is okay, I'm more or less writing as I go, which is unusual for me.
Brittany- Thanks. I'm having fun so far, but I'm just writing as I think of it, so I hope I don't run out of ideas.
Robinue- Thanks for the ideas and review. I know it wasn't too fluffy but I hope it was okay.
Lunch came and went too soon for Hermione, and as she sat at the kitchen counter, she couldn't help but think of how foolish she was acting. Why should she be nervous? This was Harry, her Harry, and he needed her. This last thought was a slightly comforting one, and she couldn't help but get stuck on the fact that Harry needed her.
Of course, she knew he had always needed her in one way or another. That was just the way the trio worked. And there were other times when Harry had needed her, but that was different, he didn't need her. If anything, he had needed her brain. But now he needed her, really needed her. She was scared witless. What if she couldn't help him? Hermione had very little experience with loss, and this was a serious issue. What if she messed up and he resented her for it? There was no way she would be able to handle that.
No, no matter what happened, she knew Harry could not resent her. The thing she should have been worrying about even more was handling herself around him. She didn't know how she was going to be able to handle having him around her, all the time, in her house...She loved him and she knew it. She had come to terms with it last year. I had felt good to admit it to herself, but then she had realized that she could think of nothing else. But Hermione throwing herself at Harry was not what Harry needed. No doubt he would already be too emotionally stretched to deal with this.
No, she made a silent promise to herself. She would not throw herself at him, she would be there for him as a best friend, nothing more.
Her father walked into the kitchen and began to fix himself something to eat. Since it was Sunday, her parents did not have to work usually, and her father took advantage of that every chance he got. David Granger ran a dental practice with his wife. Though he had grown up in a house full of girls, he had always had a hard time understanding his daughter. She was always something of a mystery to him, but he could tell she was at her wit's end, sitting there staring at what was left of her lunch. When he was done, he walked by her and quickly planted a kiss on her cheek. They smiled at each other, and he walked off to eat his lunch.
Hermione was slightly confused. Where had that come from? She appreciated the gesture greatly, because she knew just how little they understood each other, but wondered where it came from all the same. Oh well, she began to clear away her lunch, and was washing her dishes when the doorbell rang. She ran her soapy hands over her thighs, leaving big, soapy streaks on her pants. She ran towards the door and threw it open.
"Harry, hi", she said breathlessly. She noticed that Harry brightened considerably when he saw her.
"Hi", he said, smiling slightly. He looked sad, sadder than Hermione had ever seen him perhaps. His eyes were dim and slightly black-rimmed, as though he had gotten very little sleep for some time. Maybe he hadn't been getting sleep. She wondered if his nightmares had begun again.
"Well, I'd better go", said Lupin, clapping Harry on the back affectionately and giving Hermione a warm smile. As he walked away, Hermione remembered her manners.
"Oh, come in, please", Harry nodded and walked through the open doorway. "Mum, dad, Harry's here", she yelled trying to get her parents attention.
"Dear", her mother said, walking into the entry hall,"your father left to go to the office, it seems he forgot something there. He told me to tell you hello though", she said, turning to Harry. "We're so happy to have you here, Harry", she said. She looked slightly nervous about meeting Harry, though Hermione had no clue why, they had met briefly a few years ago also.
"Well, thank you for inviting me Mrs. Granger", said Harry graciously. Suddenly they heard a small ding from the kitchen oven and, making her apologies, her mother rushed off into the kitchen. It was strange, Hermione thought, that he mother should act like that. But she pushed the thought from her mind.
"Well", she said to Harry, "do you want to see your room?" Harry nodded, and Hermione retrieved Hedwigs cage from its spot on Harry's trunk, and he picked up the heavy object, carrying it upstairs.
Hermione led the way upstairs, and pausing outside their doors, listed all of the rooms off. The bathroom, her parents room, her room, and the guest room, where Harry would stay. She opened the door, and set Hedwig's cage on the dresser. The room was done in mint green, with darker green for the bedclothes. It was rather large, though it was the same as Hermione's own room. "You can unpack now", she said, "and we can talk later. That is, we can talk if you want." She said this hurriedly, without thinking. She was already afraid she'd pushed him too fast, and he had only just arrived.
"That sounds good", he said, giving her a look she couldn't quite read. Hermione nodded and backed out the door, informing him that she would be in her room if he needed her.
A few hours later, it was time for dinner. Hermione had seen nothing of Harry so far and it was beginning to worry her. She went up to his room and said through the door, "time for dinner Harry". He replied that he would be down in a minute, so she left him alone.
But fifteen minutes later, he still had not joined them. Hermione, now very worried, had excused herself from the table and headed upstairs to talk to him. Hermione had not expected him to be this quiet. If anything, she had expected him to be beyond angry, in fact she might have welcomed that. She knew how to deal with an angry Harry, but she did not know how to deal with this quiet Harry. As she reached his door, she knocked quietly and slowly walked in. The sight that met her eyes was one she had half- expected. Harry was sitting on the bed, looking through his photo-album. He looked up at her when she entered, and didn't even try to hide his tears.
At that moment, her instincts kicked in, and she rushed over to him, holding him as he cried softly into her shoulder. She knew that under any sort of normal circumstance, this would never happen, and it confused and unnerved her to see him like this. Maybe he wasn't just upset about Sirius.
When Harry was done, he sat up straight and avoided her eyes. She didn't say anything, figuring that she would let him talk. It was important that he talked, according to what she had heard. "Look", he said,"I'm so sorry, I should really get a better grip on myself, you don't need this...", he trailed off, yawning.
"Nonsense", she said, laying a tentative hand on his arm, "you can be sad all you want". "You should go to bed", she commented quietly as he yawned again.
"Yes", he said, smiling sleepily at her. Quickly, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, "thanks".
"Sure, anytime", she said, blushing. Harry was smiling at her as she backed out the door. "Night", she said.
"Goodnight", he agreed.
When she was safely in the hall, she tried to calm her now extremely excited stomach. Had he done that on purpose?
Okay, you guys totally amaze me! Ten reviews for one chapter. I can't believe it, that's the reviews for my other story times three! I'd really, really appreciate your feedback on this chapter too. Also, I'm thinking I may bring Sirius back, let me know what you think of that, ok?
Miste- Thank you so much, I hope you like this chapter as much as the others.
HJ-HJ- Hope this new chapter was satisfactory. Thanks for the review.
Hpfreak123- Thanks, I'm wondering what I should do from here, I have a few ideas, but I can't decide...thanks!
wolfgp- I agree that Rowling will have Harry and Hermione meet up. Thanks for the comment.
snosamie6- I sure hope Hermione can help Harry, thank you so much for reviewing.
peachie1st- I'm so happy you're so excited! Thanks.
Alexia Gold- Oh my gosh, thank you so much for your review, you totally brightened my day!
Lady Emily- Thanks, and I know the idea is nothing new, but it wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to write it. I hope the story is okay, I'm more or less writing as I go, which is unusual for me.
Brittany- Thanks. I'm having fun so far, but I'm just writing as I think of it, so I hope I don't run out of ideas.
Robinue- Thanks for the ideas and review. I know it wasn't too fluffy but I hope it was okay.
