Understanding
by Ydream08
Chapter 3
It was human to make mistakes. Make the wrong call, bear its consequences and feel guilty over it.
Why had Hermione affirmed McLaggen's invite, again?
As she lifted the curtains to hide away, she didn't remember the exact reason. "Stupid, stupid… I'm really stupid."
"Hermione-" She gasped and turned around. There stood Harry Potter in a sharp suit, black tie and fixed glasses. "Are you alright?"
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much. And I'm enjoying my time in the party if you excuse me."
Facing away, she didn't expect Harry to turn her around by her shoulder. "What, Harry?"
"Everything's not fine, Hermione. I'm not an idiot."
"Hard to forget sometimes," she mumbled to which Harry exhaled.
"Is it about the book? Liquid Luck? What is it, Hermione? You haven't talked to me this past week. And out of nowhere you come to the party with a git like McLaggen."
Hermione snorted. As if he had asked her to come with him! He and Ron were chummy, gossiping behind her back. They must have already planned how to take out Malfoy, rat him out to Dumbledore and get him expelled.
"Whenever you're up to listen to me, really listen to me, I will be there," Hermione spat and freed herself from his clutch.
Hermione didn't notice Harry coming into the party after her, set to pull her into a corner, because her entrance was the same moment a commotion broke and Malfoy's screams filled the party.
Filch had spotted him out of curfew without pass to the party. Snape intervened of course, but Hermione felt the mood of the party shift. Not that she would have stayed longer if it hadn't.
Just before going outside, Hermione skimmed the crowd one last time if Harry would catch up with her. Of course, he wouldn't. He was probably looking around for Ginny. Or Cho. Both were here in the party.
She exited without a second thought.
Hermione's attitude got worse, as if possible. Harry didn't know what her discontent stemmed from, but she was hard to come close nowadays, let alone speak and reason. He knew something had changed since before the Slug Party, but the morning Harry faked putting Felix Felicis in Ron's goblet, Hermione looked at him as if she wished to kill him. Would have done, too, if the Great Hall hadn't been full of possible witnesses.
"Are you out of your mind! Do you know what you did?" she hissed, when she managed to drag him behind the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"So now we are talking?" Harry shot to her. He was disappointed that she had easily discarded him. Just like that he no longer was in her life. Two weeks of silent treatment.
"We never- that's beside the point! I saw what you did-"
"-And? Nothing's wrong with it, Hermione. Now, I have a game to play."
Leaving her with mouth dropped open, shocked out of words, made Harry both proud and angry. Hermione should have talked with him, so she really deserved his comeback. But on the other hand, Harry was angry at her for creating this mess. He would have rather snogged her for good luck and had the two things that made him truly happy this year: Quidditch and her.
But no such luck.
Hermione closed her book because obviously she could no longer read it where all the Gryffindors celebrated their win. And Ronald, their king. She had not seen the game but with Liquid Luck on his side, Hermione needn't see the new keeper's legendary saves.
It was truly unbelievable that Harry had done this.
Shaking her head, she opted to go back to the dormitory but it was easier said than done. People obstructed her way, all of them crowded around the Quidditch players. Ron's victory kiss earned wolf whistles in the common room, too.
"Running away already?" Harry asked. He had crept near her whilst she had been immobile where she observed her best friend. The ginger one.
Hermione shrugged. "Too loud to study."
"Look," Harry started to which Hermione rolled her eyes. This time she did not want to listen.
"Harry-"
She hushed when a small vial was shoved to her face. It was the very same one Slughorn held on the day he had awarded the best potioneer of the class, who had turned out to be Harry. The legendary Felix Felicis, its vial uncorked and content untouched.
"But it's…"
"I made him believe he drank it," Harry explained. "Ron is a great Keeper. His anxiety just had to step out of his way, and I thought… well, it worked. I'm not sorry that I did it. But I am sorry for my behaviour."
Hermione rose her brows. Pleased with Harry and thankful for his initiative. Although she was aware their unnecessary quarrel had valid reasons, it wasn't worth stretching out. The downside since the Slug Party where she had understood going with McLaggen had been a huge mistake, was that Hermione hadn't been able to suck up her pride and apologize. Maybe she wouldn't have apologize, she wouldn't even now, but to talk with Harry again would have been a sound step to take.
"It's alright. With the McLaggen surprise I pulled, I can't say anything for your lack of sharing."
Harry grinned. "Surprise indeed. I bet my money you regret it-"
"Harry James Potter-"
"What? Don't you?"
Hermione sighed as a sweet smile reached her lips. It was short-lived, however. When Harry took a step closer to her to whisper in her ear, Hermione panicked, both because they were in the middle of a crowded common room and also she was terrified what Harry would say about their understanding.
They had never talked about it, and this was the first long silence of both sides ever since the arrangement.
In Hermione's mind, Harry would ask if she was still up to spending the night with him, and at that moment Hermione would rather jump in front of unfed Fluffy than to hear him out.
Taking a quick step back, Hermione plastered a smile devoid of anxiousness. "Friends again?"
Hermione precisely saw how her words left an effect very much similar to bumping face-first into an invisible glass. Harry's confusion only let him mutter a half affirmative and next Hermione nodded and made herself scarce.
She wouldn't have survived if Harry had dismissively told her their physical proximity could continue now that the air was cleared. Her world would have shattered knowing that she no longer saw her best friend Harry Potter as only that; he was more for her. Someone she wished to get to know more intimately. Physically and emotionally both.
Now she could not ask that of him, though. Her Gryffindor courage was not as endless, thank you very much. Maybe another day. Tomorrow. Next week. Never?