We're up to chapter five! It seems like just yesterday I birthed this little baby! tear tear Alright! 'Nuff blubbering! I've brought Harry back! Yay! dances

ATTENTION: Thank you SOOOO much to everyone who has reviewed thus far. You helped me get over the 30 review mark! You're all stars! And a special thanks to mon lovely beta reader: quirkyslayer. What would I have done without you, cherie?

Enjoy!

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Everything Is Just Roses

Chapter 5: "A Visit From Him"

For the next few days, Hermione barely got out of bed, and one of the few times she did was just to put on a t-shirt so she wouldn't catch pneumonia. She also kept getting owls. They would rap on her bedroom window about half a dozen times a day. Finally, she got so sick of having to get up to let them in that she left the window open and put a bowl of owl treats by the sill. That way, an owl could just drop its letter onto the rather large pile that was accumulating on the floor by the window, take a treat (though, they often took more than one…greedy buggers) and fly back out without disturbing her. Whenever Hermione heard their squawking and chirping, she'd moan, turn around and pull the covers over her head.

She spent the long hours of the day brooding. First she was depressed and began blaming herself, thinking that she'd pushed Ron away not only physically, but emotionally as well. Then, she became extremely angry at him. Who did he think he was? Being the star Keeper of Puddlemere United did not make him the boss of her. She thought that if he loved her as much as he claimed he did, he would wait for her until kingdom come. After all, they weren't married yet. Didn't he value a "virgin bride?" Who was she kidding? No guy valued that bunch of bullocks. Nevertheless, Hermione still believed that if he loved her, he'd wait without question.

Her thoughts then took a turn towards Harry. Oh, was she ever angry with him. If he had just told Ron that he'd gone to see her, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have lost her mind and invited Ron to "stay the night." And what a night that turned out to be.

Hermione wasn't going to answer, let alone read any owls from either one of them. True, Luna or someone else from work may have sent a message, but she dared not open one lest it be from one of the two Hermione-proclaimed "pariahs".

Sunday was her day off of work, so that was good. But she didn't go to work on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday either. Hermione knew they'd be worried, yet she couldn't bring herself to get out of bed.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were very quiet except for the owls visiting at random intervals, but on Wednesday, her doorbell rang.

Groaning, Hermione reluctantly ejected herself out of her bed wrapped in her blanket and shuffled to the door. "Go away, Ron!" she yelled when she was right in front of it. Silence. Then a knock, a very soft one. "I said go away!" Another silence. Then another knock, this one was so quiet it was barely audible. 'That's it!'

Whipping the door open, Hermione opened her mouth and began to say, "I told you to—" but stopped short. Instead of Ron at the doorway, there stood the other "pariah": Harry.

"Hermione…" Harry looked at her with an irresistible expression of pleading.

"You!" Hermione spat. With that, she proceeded to slam the door shut in his beautiful face, but he was too quick. Harry's hand flew out and stopped the door just in time.

"Ron told me to check up on you," Harry spoke with concern, entering the apartment and closing the door behind him.

"Oh really?" Hermione walked away from him, too tired to try and kick him out. She prayed that Ron hadn't told him every detail of their night together.

"Yeah, really. He knew you'd kick him out right away if he came himself."

"Oh really?" Hermione repeated, wheeling around. "If he loves me, he shouldn't care if I kick him out or not. Why didn't he come here himself?"

Harry looked down at the floor, shrugged, and mumbled, "I just told you, he knew you'd—"

"Hey! Did you come here just to insult me? If you did, go away!"

Immediately, Hermione felt bad about what she'd said. Harry looked at her, hurt—his emerald eyes revealing the depths of his heart that sent a pang of regret reverberating throughout her being.

"Look," she said, softer this time. "I'm really not in the mood for this right now. Please, just go away."

To her surprise, Harry approached her, lifted a lock of her lifeless curls, and asked, "When was the last time you had a bath, 'Mione?"

"What? I don't know—Sunday morning when I tried to drown myself in the shower."

"Alright then, c'mere." Harry swept her off her feet and into his arms. The blanket fell to the floor as he headed for the bathroom.

"Oh my God! Please put me down!"

"No!"

"Grr!"

"Grr all you want, you're not getting your way this time."

'When do I ever?' thought Hermione.

Upon entering the bathroom, Harry gently placed Hermione in the tub, but kept a firm hold on her shoulder to prevent her from getting up while he put the plug in the drain and turned on the water.

Hermione, still clothed, yelped when the water rushed towards her.

"Okay now," Harry told her. "I'm going to leave so you can bathe, but you have to promise me you won't get up and leave."

A sigh escaped Hermione's throat. "Okay, I promise."

After stopping to look at Hermione again with that same concerned expression on his face, he left, closing the door behind him.

Hermione took off her clothes and let the water rise to the brim before shutting it off. She sat there for a long time, frozen. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Hermione?"

"What…"

"Just making sure you're not trying to 'drown yourself' again."

She didn't answer and heard his footsteps recede. Hermione washed and then got out. She dried herself off and left after donning a bathrobe.

Upon entering her bedroom, she found Harry sitting at the edge of her bed, staring at her. She met his gaze, and for the first time since he'd come back, Hermione actually noticed that he wasn't wearing glasses anymore. Gosh, he looked good in that white shirt that was open down to there.

Harry patted the spot next to him, ushering her forward. She obliged, but a permanent scowl was painted on her face.

"Are you angry with me?" he ventured after a period of uneasy silence.

'What do you think?' Hermione snapped in her head, but aloud she said nothing, choosing only to stare at the fuzzy carpeted floor beneath her bare feet.

"I'm sorry, but Ron asked me to come here. I don't even know why you're pissed off at him, he wouldn't tell me. All I know is that he's really sorry and he wants to talk to you. Give him a chance. He's sent you a bunch of owls, but by the looks of that pile over there, you haven't even read them."

Hermione breathed an inner sigh of relief at the idea that Ron hadn't told Harry anything. Still, that wasn't exactly what was on her mind right now. "That's not why I'm angry with you…"

"Then why? Is it because…" He trailed off when Hermione gave him a look as if to say, 'You know why.'

Another silence ensued. Then Harry said, "I can't explain why I never told him, not now. It's just…I can't. I hope you can forgive me for that. I will tell you…one day. You'll see. I promise."

Neither of them knew what to say after that. Then, precisely at the same moment, they looked up at each other and locked eyes. Harry's emerald eyes trapped Hermione's chocolate ones; she couldn't tear them away to save herself from the scintillating bait that his held. As his face drew close, he dazzled her. So much in fact, that her eyes began to close and she moved nearer to him as well. This was wrong, so wrong. His slightly parted lips were so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her. He smelled good, and that enticed her even more.

Just as their lips were to touch, Hermione noticed his warm breath was gone. Her eyes fluttered open to find that Harry had pulled away and was looking at her with a yearning that was bursting to break free. Merlin, how much those jewels of his could express.

Her gaze fell and she bit her lip. She'd almost cheated on Ron! With his best friend! What was wrong with her? Was it cold feet? Or something more…

"Well umm…" Harry murmured. "I guess I'll be going. What shall I tell Ron? Will you speak to him now?"

"Yeah, I will. Tell him to come over tonight and that we're going to talk. Be sure to stress that."

"Alright, I will. Oh, and Neville wanted me to tell you that he and Luna are throwing a Christmas Eve party at his place on Saturday evening, and they wanted to know if you'd be there."

"I guess I will be. Are you going?"

"Yeah I am. Okay well…I'm going to go." Harry got up off the bed to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione exclaimed.

Startled, Harry turned to face her. "What?"

"Umm…how are things with Ginny?"

"Oh…" Harry sounded disappointed. "I called her Monday night and we talked…for a very long time. We're friends now. I guess her leaving me wasn't as big of a shock as I made it out to be. I was actually really so down about it because I thought I had no one to turn to until…"

"…yes?"

"Until…until I came to you."

Hermione smiled and Harry returned the gesture.

"I'm going to go," Harry said.

"I'll walk you out."

When they approached the door, Harry turned to Hermione and pulled her into an embrace. She felt so serene and safe in his arms. It was the best feeling she'd had all week.

"Bye, 'Mione," said Harry when they'd parted.

"Bye Harry."

He pushed a lock of her damp, but clean curls behind her ear before walking out. She closed the door behind him.

That night, Hermione sat on the couch waiting for Ron to come, but he never did. By midnight, she began to fall asleep. She awoke from a distant dream at around three in the morning and looked around to see if Ron was there. After all, he did have a key. He wasn't there; she was all alone.

Had Harry forgotten to tell Ron to meet her? No, she trusted Harry to do as she asked and tell Ron. Either Ron had forgotten to come or he didn't want to. Despite the fact that this disappointed Hermione, it didn't hurt her as much as she thought it would. She was tired, so tired. She didn't even feel like talking about it anymore.

The next morning, Ron eventually came over while Hermione was getting ready for work.

"Umm…Hermione? I'm sorry I couldn't be there last night and I'm sorry about—"

He was cut off. Hermione had rushed over to him and placed her fingers over his mouth. "Shh…" she whispered. "Please don't explain. I don't need to know anything. I forgive you for everything."

"Really?" Ron asked with excitement when she'd lowered her hand.

"Really." And then, Hermione kissed him. Even though it was an empty kiss and she felt like crying when she did it, she did it anyway. Ron didn't seem to notice.

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Another chapter done! The next one will be mostly about the Christmas Eve party. Should be interesting! Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me your thoughts by reviewing. Until next time!