It Can Only Be

Chapter 10: One Door Closes as Another One Opens

Hermione and Marge worked continually over the next three weeks, fixing up the property and advertising her new business. Hermione was filled with mixed emotions: she was terribly frightened; it was a small town, and she doubted exactly how many people needed work on their homes. She was incredibly excited that she was starting her own business and really getting out for the first time. She missed her father terribly and wished she could hear his voice again, but she also felt free. She wasn't bogged down by worry about her job or Ron or paying rent. She felt accomplished, and proud. So proud in fact that she couldn't stop smiling.

But always in the back of her mind was Harry. She'd barely seen him since she had been working so hard on the office. At night she'd sit at her kitchen table going over the stuff for her office, and occasionally she'd glance over towards his house, hoping to catch a glimpse of him or Kodiak. Their dinner together, while pleasant was awkward. And then she had the dream of her and Harry…

"Have you heard from the boy in the city?" Marge asked one day as they were sitting in the newly completed office space.

"Who Ron? Not really. He writes to me, postcards and letters and such, but I haven't heard from him otherwise. I think he took us ending a little harder than I did."

"You don't seem too terribly disappointed that it's over."

"Ron was not right for me, at all. He was too old fashioned and pigheaded. He was stubborn and unyielding at times and he used to make me so mad."

"Why did you go out with him in the first place?"

"Aren't we inquisitive this morning?" Marge blushed sheepishly, making Hermione laugh a bit. "Ron could be charming and romantic when he wanted to be. My father liked him. He liked the thought of a man taking care of his little girl. I guess I just stayed with it out of respect for Daddy."

"Did you ever love him?"

"I don't know if I did. I said it to him, when he said it to me first, but there was never anything behind it. No passion, no lust, just…platonic I guess. To be honest I don't know if I've really ever been in love."

"That's a damn shame," Marge replied remorsefully.

Hermione finished putting up the last black and white portrait from her favorite photographer, C. Edgar when the phone rang.

"Granger Interiors, this is Hermione speaking. How may I help you?"

"My name is Harry Potter. I live out in the country side and I saw your advertisement in the local paper. I'd like to have my kitchen redone. It's been years since its last update and I'm ready for a change."

Hermione chuckled a bit. "Hi Harry. What can I do for you?"

"I really do need to have my kitchen re-vamped. I wasn't joking."

"Oh! Well, haha, alright then. The first thing I do is meet with the homeowner. We go over ideas for a new space, then draw up a tentative blueprint. If homeowner and designer can find a happy medium to suit both needs, then we go into discussing costs and such."

"Sounds like a plan to me. When can you come over?" Harry asked.

"I can schedule you for say, 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. How does that sound?"

"I'll see you at 1:00, Ms. Granger."

"Thank you very much Mr. Potter." Hermione hung up the phone and started to laugh.

"Who was on the phone? David Letterman?" Marge asked curiously, wondering as to why her boss and friend had suddenly fallen into a case of the giggles.

"That was Harry. He wants me to come over and look at his kitchen. He says it's time for a change."

"Huh. Is that so?" Marge had a very perplexing look on her face.

"What?"

"That's how Harry met his first wife. He called her, asking her to come re-do his bedroom. Come to think of it…this was her office building too."

Hermione nervously stood in front of Harry's door, trying to gain the courage to knock on his door. She didn't have to, thanks to Kodiak's barking.

"Welcome, Ms. Granger," Harry said as he opened up the door. "Come on in, you know my dog, Kodiak."

"Of course I do!" She bent down and petted the top of the dog's head and kissed his ears. "Well, where do you want to get started?" She was still shaking, but the dog had calmed her down a little. Harry was in a happier mood, more…pleasant to be around.

"Let me show you to the kitchen." They walked down the hall and into the kitchen, where Hermione was astounded to see a once immaculate space nearly demolished. The floors had been stripped, wallpaper was falling off of the walls and most of the appliances were missing.

"Harry! What the hell happened?"

"This is what happens when a person tries to redecorate himself."

"What exactly prompted you to nearly detonate your kitchen? Squeaky floor? Leaky ceiling?" She teased.

"Something along those lines. So, what can be done to fix this place?"

"Well, the first thing we're going to do is take off that hideous wallpaper. Then we'll have to clean out the dust, wash down the entire kitchen, re-plaster parts of the walls and ceiling to fix the water damage…perhaps I need to write this down."

Harry led her to the metal chair and plastic crate that was his kitchen table. He sat down next to her and watched as she wrote down every thing she was to do in order to repair the damage.

"Now, we need to talk about budget…"

"You have no budget."

"Excuse me?"

"You have no budget, but only on one condition."

"What's that?"

"I want to help you. I want to be a part of the process. I'm willing to pay you whatever your wage is, but as a man, I feel incredibly emasculate knowing that I don't know the simple basics to home improvement."

Hermione laughed freely. She extended her hand. "Deal."

"Alright then! When do we start?"

"I can start this Saturday. I predict that this process will take us about 5 days."

"5 days?! That's it?" He had a hint of surprise and worry in his voice.

"Yea, is that a problem? I'm sure I could go shorter."

"Oh, no that's not it. I just thought that a project of this magnitude would take something like, 2 weeks."

"Not the way I work. You have to understand that I am very anal retentive about these things. Once I get a project started, I'm going to finish it. Besides, with Marge helping us out I know that we can stay on a timely manner. You're my first client, I want to impress you and hopefully other potentials with my efficiency in time, productiveness and the end result."

"You are a determined young lady, aren't you?"

"I am. And you know, after we're done and if you like the work you do perhaps we could build a new room for the dog. I'm sure he doesn't like living in a mud room," Hermione teased.

"I'll pay you double if you will."

Hermione was shocked. "I was only kidding, just teasing…"

"Kodiak is my best friend, and I've been feeling very guilty about not giving him a better living space. Besides he's always in my bed and it's really quite gross to wake up covered in dog hair."

"Well alright then! One kitchen and one dog house on is on it's way. Is there anything else you would like Mr. Potter?"

"Nope, nope, I think that's it. Then I guess I will see you on Saturday?"

"You will. And wear something comfortable and make a lot of coffee. I'll be here at 8:30."

As she finished washing the dishes, Hermione heard a knock on the door.

"Just a moment!" She put down the dishes, turned off the water and walked over to the door. She was wearing blue jeans, boots and a white long sleeved t-shirt. Her hair was a mess and she had no makeup, but she figured it was just Marge.

Imagine her surprise when Harry was sitting on her front porch.

"Harry? What are you doing here?"

"I lied earlier when I told you I didn't want anything else. Well, I do."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I want try dinner with you again. Last time I was an ass, I was curt and I could have been a better host. I want to take you out to dinner and celebrate the start of your new company and hopefully to a new beginning with us. I really am sorry about my behavior, and I want to be friends."

Hermione was speechless. Even more so when she heard a car pull up to her property. She immediately knew who it was.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"What, no hi honey? Great to see you? I missed you?" Ron said as he got out of the SUV he was in.

"I'm going to ask you again, what are you doing here?"

"Who's this guy?" Harry asked, a bit defensively.

"This is Ron."

"Her boyfriend," Ron replied smugly as he put his arm around Hermione and kissed her on her forehead.

"Ex boyfriend. Ron, I told you that it was over. What are you doing all the way up here? How did you find me?"

Ron looked at her, kissed her briefly on the cheek, before bending down on one knee.

"Hermione Granger, I have been in love with you for a very long time. You complete my life. You were the missing part of my heart, and now that the void is filled, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Hermione looked at Ron in shock and a bit of horror.

"Ron are you crazy?"

"That wasn't quite the answer I was expecting?

"What did you want me to say? I haven't seen you in nearly 3 months, haven't talked to you and you haven't written to me in nearly 6 weeks, and then all of the sudden you show up, quite literally at my door step and propose?"

"I've missed you like crazy. Every night I wished that you were in my bed, laying next to me, making love to me. I don't ever want to have another lonely night. Please come back with me to New York. Your dad misses you, your job misses you, I miss you. Let's go home, Hermione."

Hermione's shock soon turned into anger.

"No, Ron. I don't want to marry you, I don't want to go back to New York with you."

Ron then pulled out a little blue box. "This ring was made especially for you. It's a certified flawless 2 carat blue diamond set in platinum. The only one of it's kind. Tell me you'll take it, tell me you'll be my wife. Tell me you're coming home with me."