Chapter Ten
Coming To Terms

Authorís Note: A lot of you noticed that you couldnít review for the last chapter and it disappeared altogether. Well when I posted it I checked to see if it was up and noticed for that chapter the punctuation was all weird so I took it down. I put it back up but the punctuation was still wrong for some reason so Iím sorry if you guys had to read around it. Hopefully this chapter is better because it is the last! Hope you like it, thanks for the reviews I do read all of them but am too lazy to respond to each one individually! I love them all though!

ìHermione you really donít have to leave. . . .î Ron tries to persuade me one more time as I throw a jumper into my suitcase.

I shut it, locking the clasp, looking up at him and smiling. Thereís a pang in my heart that almost convinces me that I need to stay, but I shake my head sadly.

ìI have to.î

He looks thoroughly depressed, ìYouíre just gonna run again?î he asks. ìAfter youíve just figured everything out?î

I laugh, ìI havenít figured anything out Ron! Everythingís come undone and ruined, just because I associated myself with the magical world again!î

Heís silent.

ìIíve probably ruined an engagement, brought up rumors for H-Harry in the Prophet and caused enough trouble for a lifetime,î I shake my head. ìI need to get out of here, I need to forget about him completely.î

ìHe loves you Herm-î

ìMY GOD RON! When will you learn to drop it! Itís over, I tried, I really did, but my attempts fell flat.î I sigh shakily. ìPlease donít make this harder for me.î

Heís silent for a moment then, ìWhat about Robbie? If youíre not going to stay for anything else, stay for him! Heís a lost homosexual in a world of cruel people! Heís naïve and confused, he needs you!î

I laugh, ìHe has other friends, Iím not going to lose my friendship to either of you,î I squeeze his shoulder.

He frowns, ìBut Iíve only just found you again, youíre my best friend.î

I choke down a sob, a tear slipping down my cheek, ìYouíll always be my best friend Ron.î

ìBut Iíll miss you-î

ìIíll miss you too,î I stare at his sad, confused face and feel the urge to sob endlessly. ìYouíve been such a good friend Ron,î I throw my arms around him. ìThank you for being there for me.î

He squeezes my shoulder.

ìEven when I was a relentless whore,î I whisper, looking at him.

He smiles, holding back faint tears, ìYou were never a relentless whore. You were just my Hermione.î

I half-sob, half-laugh and hug him again.

ìGood bye Ron,î I whisper.

ìGood bye Hermione.î

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(Harry)

Itís been a week. A whole week since it happened.

I loved her. I love her and she kissed me.

I canít decide whether Iím a bloody idiot or a rambling genius. The truth is, I NEVER stopped loving her, I NEVER got over her. I have been an idiot all along, where did I think I was going with Natalie? Did I honestly think I loved her? They were all right, I was rushing into it, I was using her to fill up that space that Hermione had left when she ran away.

Who was I kidding anyway?

ìHarry-Bear!î I hear the voice penetrate the quiet air around me and I cringe. ìWhere are you?î

ìKitchen,î I croak.

She comes in, all smiles, ìHello pet!î she trills. ìI was thinking, since that Hermione character canít help us plan the wedding why donít we hire a wedding planner like Jennifer Lopez?î

Thatís it, the straw that broke the camelís back or whatever the saying is. Iíve had enough of this bull shit.

îNo, Natalie, I donít think we will.î

ìWhy not?î she asks, slightly agitated.

I stand up, looking at her, ìNatalie, Iím sorry but I canít marry you.î

ìWhat!î she screeches. ìWHY!î

I can only answer honestly.

ìI donít love you.î

ìYes you do! Of course you do! Weíre perfect together!î she says.

ìNo,î I shake my head. ìNo weíre not.î

ìProve it,î she says icily, sneering at me.

Is the little bitch trying to challenge me? Fine weíll play it her way.

Are noses touch and I say, ìI can not stand you!î

Her mouth opens in horror, ìExcuse me!î

ìEverything! Your smoking, your talking-- The way you fucking treat people!î I shout.

ìWhatís wrong with the way I treat people?î she demands.

I look down, sighing, how can I put this? I donít say anything.

ìAnswer me!î she commands.

ìOkay fine! You are a bitch! And I love Hermione.î

She looks disgusted.

After a few minutes of staring at each other in silence she raises her hand to slap me across the face but I grab her wrist.

ìI donít think so,î I growl. ìItís over.î

I let go of her wrist and head for the door, but turn around quickly and say, ìAnd by the way, sheís not a whore or a character,î I pause. ìSheís my Hermione and you couldnít even begin to compare to her. Now get out of my apartment.î

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I rush over to Hermioneís flat and pound on the door. Itís not long before it opens, but instead of being greeted by her Iím greeted by Ron.

ìCome to your senses have you?î he asks, disgust clear on his face.

I plow into the flat and look around frantically, ìWhereís Hermione?î

ìWhy do you care?î

ìI need to talk to her, Ron! Where is she!î I turn in circles frantically, the only things in the room are some articles of large furniture. ìWhere are all of her things?î

Ron closes the door and looks at me, ìYou just missed her mate.î

A peel of panic rushes over me like hot water and I feel scalded, ìWhat do you mean I missed her!î

ìSheís gone.î

ìRon what the hell are you talking about- Gone? Gone where!î

ìWhy do you care?î he asks viciously. ìYou pushed her away!î

I sigh defeatedly, ìListen, I know I screwed up, I need to see her! I need to talk to her-- To fix everything!î

ìYou donít know anything!î he shouts back. ìYou werenít there when she nearly had a nervous break down in Diagon Alley! You werenít there for the aftermath either! When she was crying-- To me! She felt like she wasnít good enough for you, like you didnít love her!î he pauses. ìYou werenít there when you broke her heart!î

I stare at him, every word is stabbing at me and I feel horrible. I never wanted to hurt her, Iíve been a bloody idiot and I hurt her.

I swallow back the urge to cry like the damn coward I am. ìRon please, tell me where she is, I canít let her go again. . . .î

He thinks for a second, staring at me, then he sighs, ìKings Cross.î

I feel an extreme amount of relief overcome me as I rush for the door.

ìYou better hurry! Her train leaves soon!î he shouts as I open the door.

ìThank you!î I shout, running to my car.

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(Hermione)

Itís cold.

Thatís really the only thought that comes to mind. I havenít thought about Harry-- Wait, never mind I just did. URRRRRGH! I canít help it! But I have to stop, I have to get over him. I am moving on, I am going away. New, fresh star-

ìHermione!î

Oh good Lord.

I look up and see Harry running towards me.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

I look away and shake my head as he comes over, Iím about to go mad I swear.

ìLeave me alone Harry, please,î I say miserably.

ìHermione, you have to listen to me, please,î he pleads.

I canít look at him, I just canít. His eyes are probably round with sadness by the tone of his voice... Urgh, those beautiful eyes. And heís probably pouting, making up some excuse about why I shouldnít go... No, thatís wishful thinking. Maybe heís going to tell me why I SHOULD leave, about how I ruined his relationship with Natalie, and about how the whole magical world is at his throat because he hurt poor, perfect, lovable, sweet, Natalie.

ìGo away Harry,î I say firmly.

He squats in front of me, taking my hands, I try to yank them away but he holds them tight. So instead I look away, finding the grimy pavement terribly interesting. My skin is prickly under his, I canít stand touching him, I canít stand sitting beside him, this is too much, all too much.

ìHermione-î

I stand up, walking a few yards away from him. I spin around, fire burning in my eyes, ìWhat do you want Harry?î

ìI-î

ìI broke your heart, you broke mine and now weíre even. Can we stop playing this game now?î I ask viciously.

Harry shakes his head regretfully, ìHermione I didnít mean-î

ìShut up Harry!î I screech. ìI canít even begin to-- Just--î I groan loudly. ìYou donít even know!î

He doesnít say anything.

ìI canít deal with this anymore,î I cover my face. ìThis isnít fair,î I mutter to myself, shaking my head.

ìHermione,î Harry ventures. ìWhy are you leaving?î he asks.

I move my hands, ìWhy am I leaving? Why I am leaving! Because of you, because of you and Natalie!î

He stares at me.

ìI honestly donít know what to say to you, Harry,î I feel like crying but I donít. ìAll right I understand you loved me and I ran away like a coward and I regret it. I do, I have been regretting it every day since I left.î

He stares at me.

ìAnd Iím sorry for that. But you came and you had Natalie and I really understood how much I had screwed up,î I shake my head. ìAnd then you asked me to help plan your wedding and what could I say?î I laugh bitterly. ìAnd the whole time I wanted to break the two of you up so badly, but then when the article came out I felt horrible.î

ìHermione, Nat-î

ìIf I did break you and Natalie up Iím so sorry but please if you came to tell me you never want to see me again or something like that, please just spare me!î

It was at that moment, when my eyes met his I realized how much I truly loved him. And now Iím going to make a decision, to take the advice of a gay best friend and my oldest best friend. Iím going to tell him.

I take a deep breath, ìBasically, what it breaks down to is this: I love you. Iíve never loved anyone this way, ever. I canít stop thinking about you and even though Iím getting ready to run away from you I know I never will because youíre always there, in my thoughts, in my dreams, I canít get away. And it hurts because you have Natalie and all I want is for you to be happy...î

I keep going on and without stopping or thinking, the words do fade on my lips though, but only when Harry kisses me.

Wait, WHAT!

Yeah heís definitely kissing me, an eager, apologetic kiss. I nearly melt. He wraps his strong arms around my waist and pulls me tighter, Iím at such a vertigo right now I canít even think straight. All my problems wash away because he kissed me, he wanted to! The kiss is deep but not nearly enough. The shock is wearing off and I put my arms behind his neck. I am in such a state of bliss I feel light headed and dizzy.

Oh wait, no, thatís from lack of oxygen. We pull away at the same time and weíre both breathing raggedly.

ìI love you,î he says, his eyes burning into mine. ìI always have. I donít know what I was thinking when I was with Natalie--î

ìWas?î

ìYeah I told her to piss off almost an hour ago,î he smiles, half-laughing.

Iím speechless.

I hope he told her to stuff it too, that cow.

ìIím sorry,î he whispers, stroking my cheek thoughtfully.

I shake my head, ìNo, Iím sorry.î

He smiles, ìOkay weíre even,î he whispers.

I look up at him and almost want to cry, Iím hoping this isnít a dream.

Then he leans in again and kisses me, I love him EVEN more... If thatís possible.

When we break away he laughs and says, ìWe should have done this years ago.î

I laugh too, ìWell we should make up for lost time,î I reply, grabbing his collar to kiss him again.

ìWait,î he says and I pause. ìYouíre not leaving anymore right?î

I smile and shake my head, ìNo, Iím not going anywhere.î

And he smiled, because finally we had each other. And maybe, my best friendís wedding would actually be mine as well.

Authorís Note: And they lived happily ever after! Haha, Iím a total corn ball and if you were more than disappointed with this chapter PLEASE tell me because honestly Iím not sure if I like it! You guys wanted an epilogue so thatíll be next. Hope you liked it! Please review!