Forgotten Yesterday

Chapter 12: A New Look at the World

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters borrowed for use in this story.

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"Will you let go of me!?" Harry finally wretched himself from Ginny's grasp as they entered the great hall.

"How could you say something like that?"

"I…I don't know." he began pacing around the room. "All I could see was Kaity. I couldn't tell her the truth. I couldn't tell her…"

"Tell her what harry?" Ginny stood quietly by the stairs.

"How was I supposed to say to my little girl that she is the woman who was one of the first people in the entire world to like me. Oh yeah and on top of that she was the first person to like me for something other than being the boy-who-lived. And being the bastard that I am, I ignored her the moment her mother decided to grace me with her recognition. And now, now, all I want to do is make up for how much I hurt her. I want to spend every moment with her and make sure she never gets hurt again." he paused a moment in his rant, "I think I'm in love with her Gin. How can I tell Kaity that?" He sat on the stair. "You know now that I say it, it really sinks in."

Ginny sat next to him.

"I am in love with Hermione Granger. It's strange, isn't it?"

"No stranger than me falling for Draco Malfoy."

"Well you did have that fling with Tom Riddle first year."

She narrowed her eyes and slapped playfully at his arm. "What are you going to do about this Harry?"

He let out a long sigh. "I'm going to find her and fall on my knees and beg her to forgive me again."

Ginny watched Harry disappear up the stairs.

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Hermione turned suddenly when she heard noise in the tiny passageway behind her. Harry stumbled out covered in dust.

"You know, that passage was a lot bigger when I was 14."

"I don't want to talk to you Harry."

"I know. I know I've said this a lot but I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry."

He sunk to the floor next to her. "You know I tend to speak before my brain has a chance to kick in."

"I didn't know you had a daughter." she changed the subject.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention that didn't I?"

"She looks like you."

"Yeah she does. I truly am sorry Hermione. It's just when she asked who you were… I didn't know how to explain it to her."

"It's ok Harry. I'm a little emotional today. That's all."

"No, that's no excuse for what I did." he ran a hand through his hair. "Do you remember when we found this place?"

"Yeah, you and Ron were dead set on expanding the map."

"And you had to come along to make sure we didn't get in trouble."

"And we found this room."

"And Ron couldn't stand it."

"Because he thought the spiders were going to carry him away. But you loved it."

"It was quiet and peaceful."

"You always came here when the common room got to crowded or you wanted to be alone."

"And you always came and got me."

"It scares me sometimes."

"What?"

"You."

She looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"When I hold Kaity and look at her and even think about her I want to make sure she's safe from everything. But when I'm with you… You fill my head. I can't think about a single thing else. And I don't care. You're all I want to think about."

"Harry, I… I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything."

She stared at him for a long moment before she rested her head on his shoulder.

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