Chapter 5- Tears and Fears
"Hermione, there is no way that I am inviting Draco Malfoy to MY wedding!"
"Harry! He has been nothing but nice to…"
"Nice! Ha! Do you not remember Hogwarts? 'Filthy little mudblood.' 'Watch it Potter. Don't touch her, she's a mudblood!'" Harry said as he put on a sly drawling voice that resembled Draco Malfoy. "He was nothing but horrible to us."
"But now, after his father's death, he has changed. Come on, Harry. What's the worst he could do?"
"I could write you a hundred page list."
"Fine Harry! If you want to be an inconsiderate asshole, GO AHEAD!" Hermione yelled before storming off to her room and slamming the do behind her.
It was one month until the wedding and Hermione and Harry had been fighting on and off for days. There was either always something Harry didn't agree to or something Hermione didn't agree to.
Harry groaned loudly and he ran his fingers through his hair. Harry slowly walked to the door and attempted to open it. Of course, Hermione had locked it.
"Go away!" Hermione's shaky voice called from the other side.
"No. We are going to settle this right now."
"It's already settled. I am inviting Draco whether you like it or not."
"Fine Hermione, I'm leaving. I'll be back whenever." With that Harry walked out of the door with his head hung low.
As soon as Hermione head the door shut, she burst into tears. She and Harry had been trying to get the guest list together for weeks and they had to figure it out by that evening so they could send out the invitations the next day.
Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and went to her closet to get dressed for the day. The weather was chilly so Hermione picked out jeans and a sweatshirt to stay warm. Hermione picked up her purse and headed towards Ginny's apartment, preferring to walk in order to clear her mind.
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Harry walked through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley trying to find something to clear his mind. Usually he could go visit Ron, but he went to Albania with Lavender to visit Charlie.
Harry passed through the normal shops only stopping to get some hot chocolate to settle his rumbling stomach. Without Harry noticing, his feet lead him to Quality Quidditch Supplies where he looked at the newest broomstick, the Dragonfire.
"Dad! Dad! Look at it! It's supposed to the fastest broom and the easiest to ride! WOW!"
Harry chuckled as he stepped past the young boy and towards the back counter. "Well, well, well. Mr. Harry Potter. I haven't seen you in months!" exclaimed a rather cheerful man behind the counter. Harry laughed as he remembered the rough and loud voice of Earl Crank, the owner of the shop. Harry had know Crank ever since he had run away from the Dursley's the summer before his third year at Hogwarts.
"Mr. Earl Crank, how are you these days? Business going well?" Harry said as he turned around to see if the young boy was still eying the new broom.
"That boy has come back with a new person everyday. And everyday he explains it in the same way, fastest broom and easiest to ride. I guess today he finally brought his father. He looks like he could be starting Hogwarts soon. Maybe he'll be the next Harry Potter and make the Quidditch team in his first year."
Harry laughed with Earl as he remembered the day he was accepted to the Hogwarts Quidditch team. Mr. Crank had always teased him about being an over-achiever. Harry had made the Gryffindor Quidditch team at age 11; he was prefect for one year, and Head Boy the next. Harry had ended up excelling in his classes his last few years in school and was captain of the Gryffindor team before he graduated from Hogwarts at the top of his class. Harry slowly remembered Hermione's face when she was told that Harry almost beat her at the top of the class. Luckily, for Harry, Hermione beat him to the top spot.
Harry soon realized he was thinking about Hermione and a pang of guilt hit his stomach with an immense force. His head dropped and his face fell. He wondered what Hermione was doing at that exact moment.
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Hermione gradually trudged down a narrow alleyway, deciding to take the shortcut to get to Ginny's house. As much as Hermione tried to forget Harry and the problems they were having, everything she saw reminded her of the man she loved. Soft tears began to roll down her cheeks as her barrier broke and she couldn't hold back her feelings anymore. Hermione fell against a stone wall and her shaking hands came to her hair to push it out of her, now, damp face. Hermione slouched down the wall and sat lightly on the moist stone walkway. All Hermione's feelings were swirling around her like a tornado and she had no ways of stopping them. Worry after worry was flashing in front of her face and she couldn't make them go away. What if Harry left her? What if they never got the invitations out? What if the wedding turned out to be a complete disaster? What if after she was married she found out she didn't love Harry or even worse, he didn't love her?
Hermione sat against the stones for a few minutes sobbing before the wind blew softly against her face. Hermione looked up as the wind blew at her wet skin. With out her knowing it Hermione felt someone next to her. Slowly her tears were being wiped away and a smile spread across her face and fell back to its sad form.
"Harry," she sniffed, "you really need to stop showing up like this." A slight smile spread across Hermione's face again as she wiped the remaining tears from her face. She curled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her head on top of them.
"Well, you leave me no choice when I see you crying in a dark alleyway," a voice said from down the walkway.
Hermione jumped with surprise as she saw a tall dark haired man walking toward her. A questioning grin lit up Hermione's face as she saw the man of her dreams walking towards her with two dozen red, white, and pink roses. Another glistening tear fell down her cheek as she thought how she could have ever been mad at him.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry. I love you and I would never want to do anything to make you feel this way," Harry said as he handed Hermione the stunning roses.
"This makes 525 roses you given me, Mr. Potter," Hermione said with a sly smirk on her face. She got up and wrapped her arms around Harry neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. Harry scooped Hermione into his arms and quickly apparated them back to their apartment.
A/N: Sorry this chapter was so short and a little bit sad but I felt like it was needed. Too much happiness! I FINALLY ANSWERED SERINDIPITY'S QUESTION! YAY! GO ME! So, yeah, Harry was the person who whispered the spell in Hermione's ear when she was in Italy!