I Know

The horses were fine out in the rain and I took my time in the stables. I brushed them all and fed them. They even got treats, so I could spend more time outside. I didn't want to go in. I didn't want to see or even talk to Harry. And I definitely didn't want to deal with the situation before us.

No doubt Harry had come up with some elaborate plan to win me over. It would be perfect and he would be perfect and we would live happily ever after. Was that really what I wanted? No. I wanted to know that he wanted to be with me. I wanted to know that there was no other girl on his mind and that he hadn't come looking for me for a quick tumble in the hay so to speak. I wanted to know that I could trust him again. I needed to know that.

When I walked back into the house I found Harry standing in the kitchen beside the window. The rain was still coming down in buckets and the lighting and thunder had started again. I was getting sick of this rain, getting sick of being cooped up and to be perfectly honest, I was getting sick of Harry Potter.

He held a mug of tea in his hand and I had half the mind to walk out before he noticed me. Unfortunately, he turned his head the second I stepped onto the tiles.

"Still angry with me?"

"No shit Shaklebolt." I said with a scowl in my voice. He turned around and walked towards me.

"Look Hermione, I was wrong to expect you to be happy with my arrival."

"Thank you."

"I was a jerk and I'll admit that, but I can't be the perfect guy." I cocked my eyebrow up, confused.

"What do you mean? You were perfect for all those other girls."

"I didn't want to be with all those other girls. They were just…notches on my belt. But you…" He stopped and looked at me with his soulful green eyes. He was almost pleading. "You are who I want to be with. Not just for now." I scoffed.

"So I'm not just 'Ms Right Now'?"

"No you're not." He walked over and put his hands on either side of my face. "Hermione I want to be with you; you and me until the end." I was angry, but tears were coming to my eyes again. Damn it all! I had cried so much over Harry Potter. "I can give you anything you want but the only gift I want to give you is a part of me."

"Stop it." I said looking up at him with tears rolling down my cheeks.

"What?"

"Just stop it!" I pushed his hands away and walked to the window. The tears were coming faster now.

"What's wrong?"

"What wrong?" I asked; my voice was getting louder. "Well Harry I'll tell you what's wrong. You don't know how to love someone." I was shouting at him now. "All I ever did was try and love you and you pushed me away. Now, when you're alone, you come crawling back to old, trustworthy Hermione. I can't STAND your lies. Not about this!"

"I'm not lying to you Hermione, I swear to you."

"You swore you'd never leave me alone too. Do you remember that? Do you remember when my mother died?" I was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Yes." His tone had changed. He wasn't trying to fight me anymore.

"Do you remember what you said at the funeral?" His head was hanging low.

"Yes." He mumbled.

"You said that you would always be there to take care of me. You said…"

"I said I know how it feels not to have a parent there. I said that you had taken care of me for so long and I would now do the same for you. I promised I would never leave you alone."

I slid down the wall and hit the floor with a thud.

"You promised me." I said quietly as thunder sounded overhead. "You promised." Harry stood dumbfounded on the other side of the kitchen. He was now looking at me as I was looking at the floor. I couldn't count the number of times he'd seen me cry. But I still didn't want him to see my tears now.

"Hermione…I'm…"

"You're sorry, I know. That's not really the point is it?" He shook his head, his eyes fixed on my crying face.

"I know I hurt you."

"That's not the point either Harry."

"What can I do? I'll do anything you ask"

"You broke a promise Harry. I don't know if I can trust you anymore. I don't know if I can forgive you for that."

"No!" He cried as he walked over to be and dropped to his knees in front of me. "No; that's not an answer."

"Harry…"

"No!" I looked up as he had tears in his eyes too. "I lost you once, I can't do it again."

"Harry I think you should leave."

"You don't mean that. Please tell me you don't mean that." My gaze was shifted from his face to the floor.

"Yes I do. You can take my car into town and find somewhere to stay."

"Hermione." His voice was beseeching me to forgive him.

"Please Harry, just go." He stood up and walked across the room. "The keys are behind the door." I said quietly.

"I'll walk." There was coldness to his voice that there hadn't been before. He was angry and hurt. Serves him right, he had no idea how I felt.

I heard the door slam and I burst into more tears. I didn't want him to leave. I couldn't let it end like this. I stood up quickly and ran to the door. I stood on the porch and looked at his back as he walked away.

"Harry!" I cried out. He turned around to look at me, the rain pouring onto him. His clothes were soaked through and he hadn't even passed the front gate. I took a deep breath and ran out into the rain. I leaped into his arms and kissed him with all I could. I was angry and upset; but I loved him. I really did.

"I'm angry with you." I said after pulling away from him intoxicating lips.

"I know."

"I don't forgive you either."

"I know."

"You broke my trust."

"I know. And I'm going to have to fix that." I looked up into his eyes and saw what I was looking for. The glimpse of love that hadn't shown itself yet was there now.

"I love you Hermione." He said earnestly, as we stared at each other in the rain.

"I know."

A/N Well I didn't REALLY like the way the last chapter was going. I think it was important, because I did think Hermione was giving into him…anyways. I changed the way it was going a little. Cheers…sorry it took so long. Enjoy.

K