2

Breaking the News

Hermione Granger was startled awake by a loud "pop!" at the foot of her bed. She poked her head out from under her quilt and wasn't surprised to find a petite young woman with long, curly blonde hair standing before her.

"Bloody hell, Erin, some of us like to sleep in. Some of us don't like to go around, apparating at the foot of other peoples' beds at ungodly hours of the morning."

"It won't go away, Hermione," Erin said, ignoring her. "I don't know what to do. I can't very well tell Draco about it, or he'll have a right bird about it."

Hermione sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Are you on about that stupid dream again?"

"Hermione, this isn't just an ordinary dream. These events actually happened."

"Yeah, five years ago."

Erin gave a soft wail. "Yes, I know that. But why is my past haunting me? Why is he haunting me? Ever since I got engaged, all I can think about is what I did to bloody Harry Potter!"

Hermione thought about that for a second. "Maybe you still love him. Maybe that's why you keep having these dreams about him."

"Oh, that can't be it . . . I love Draco-"

"Yes," Hermione interrupted, "you may love Draco, but you probably still love Harry. Or maybe you're feeling guilty because you still haven't told Harry about your engagement."

Erin groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes," replied Hermione sharply. "You do. He is your friend, not to mention an ex-boyfriend you dated for quite some time. You almost married him. He deserves to know, and he deserves to hear it from you!"

"Oh, fine. I'll tell him this afternoon."

"Good," said Hermione, falling back onto her pillows. "Now leave me alone so I can get another hour or so of sleep."

Erin sat for another moment before disapparating out of Hermione's flat.

Later that afternoon, Erin walked slowly up a hill to get to Harry's flat. It had been a while since she ventured there . . . since, well, that drunken incident a few months ago.

Harry threw open the door of the flat and grabbed Erin in a warm embrace. Erin had forgotten how nice it felt being in his arms, how good he smelled, how soft his hair felt in her hands.

"Come in, come in," Harry said after the two of them broke apart. He led her into a sitting area, and she flopped down on the sofa.

Harry sat down opposite her and smiled. "What's up?"

"Well," Erin began, "I-I'm getting married."

"You're what?" Harry asked in disbelief. "To whom? When?"

"To Draco. In a few months."

Harry's eyes widened as he continued to stare at her. Oh, how Erin had remembered how much she loved those eyes, bright green and full of mystery.

"Malfoy!" Harry cried. "I can't believe you're marrying that man!"

Erin felt the anger well up within her. "I case you don't remember, Harry, Draco and I have known each other since we were little kids, and we've been dating for quite some time!"

"Erin, don't you even remember Hogwarts? Don't you remember what he was like back then?"

Erin sat back and tried to remember her first year and only year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was her final year of schooling, and she had just been sent to England after six years of training at the Salem Witchcraft Academy in America. Her parents had both been killed, and she was now to live with her grandmother in London.

She remembered seeing Draco at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. How nice it was to see a familiar face. The Malfoys were quite friendly with her grandmother, and when she visited her in London during summer vacations as a child, she'd always been able to have Draco as a friend to play with.

Draco looked paler and thinner than she remembered him from summers previous, but she was grateful when he retained their friendship--which soon grew into a fleeting romance.

It was in the Gryffindor common room Erin met Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. When Erin was not off with Draco, she was often seen with the trio of friends. After Erin and Draco broke up for the first time, Harry became the supposed love of her life.

But that was many years ago. Draco had changed. He was no longer a death eater. In fact, he had renounced his dark ways and helped in the fight against Voldemort after their seventh year.

Erin snapped back into the present time. Harry looked at her expectantly. "I know what he was like at Hogwarts," she said. "But I also know what he was like after Hogwarts. He's a changed man. He's a Healer at St. Mungo's now. And, if I do recall correctly, he helped you find the final horcrux."

Harry felt defeated. He'd never loved another woman since Erin threw him out of their flat five years ago, and all of his hopes of winning her back seemed to be dashed.

"But what about us?" he asked feebly.

"Us? There is no 'us.'" she replied coldly.

Harry briefly looked at Erin and then glanced at the clock. "You'd better get home. Your fiancée is probably wondering where you are."