Chapter 2: Disharmony
Hermione was keeping herself busy. At least that's what she told the boys when they got that 'concerned about you' vibe about them. Harry kept looking at her with that guilty face on when she looked sad or depressed which annoyed her no end. She felt like she had to be cheerful all the time around him so he didn't wallow in stupid Harry-guilt for breaking up with her. And it's not even like he did the breaking. She remembered the words perfectly.
'I think we are great as friends, but not so great as partners. Does that even make sense?'
Harry laughed and said 'yeah it does. Do you hate me?'
She laughed. 'No, I'm as much at fault as you are' she said. 'We just wanted it to happen without really thinking about whether it was right. Shall we just agree that it's a mistake, and move on?'
She was the one who said 'let's just be friends' … she initiated the conversation. Why couldn't he just be happy with Ginny and stop worrying about everyone else for a change. Hermione sighed and mentally rolled her eyes. Because he was Harry, that's why. He seemed incomplete if he wasn't worrying about someone. And unfortunately right now he had enough on his mind without Hermione telling him off about his ridiculous guilt-complex. Or Ginny doing it, more like. Hermione always used Ginny to do her 'talking to' of Harry these days; she was so much better at it and from what she had overheard the 'make up' after those discussions was always fiery as all get out. Hermione supposed that some people enjoyed overwhelming passionate emotions, both good and bad; Harry and Ginny certainly had ferocious arguments when they argued but seemed to enjoy them. However, Hermione personally preferred to keep herself on an even keel. It just wasn't logical to get that worked up over something, even someone you loved. Her mouth twisted bitterly, especially if the object of your love was a completely daft, idiotic, oblivious moron.
Hermione didn't realise she'd spoken out loud until she heard a delighted laugh and someone say 'what's my brother done to you this time?'
She sighed wistfully. 'He's being all obtuse again, Ginny. Why … why can't he see?'
Ginny looked furtively guilty, and Hermione mentally sighed again. It seemed Harry's guilt-disease was catching. 'I think he thinks you don't want him … because of Harry.'
'Oh, for goodness' sake! Why can't people understand I'm totally over him?' she cried out in frustration. 'I broke up with him. And we both wanted it to end and we don't hate each other. How is that so hard to understand?'
'Because he's Ron,' said Ginny with a grin. 'He makes a good pair with Harry. One is totally insecure about everything and the other totally guilty about everything.'
Hermione rolled her eyes again and nodded. 'So is Harry still being all stupid and noble about me?'
'Uh-huh' nodded Ginny, her smile a little sadder this time. 'And of course Dumbledore dying has hit him hard, so he's got a double dose of moroseness.'
Hermione looked at her friend carefully; it was clear that Harry's behaviour on top of Dumbledore's death was taking its toll on her. Her face looked strained even while she tried to keep up her usual banter.
'You do know that he is a hundred times better when he's with you?' she asked gently.
'No … I don't know. He's so bitter at himself.'
'I know. But he's more alive when you're there. He even laughs and becomes a little playful like he used to be. That's because of you, and don't you go doubting it.'
'Yes, Mum!' said Ginny in mock terror of Hermione's bossy manner. Hermione grinned.
'That's better!' she said. Then thought for a moment and added 'You know what I think we need? A distraction,' she added as Ginny looked quizzical. 'And I know just the thing.'
'What?'
'I want to go through to that other world that Harry went to. I want to see what it's like there.'
'Oh, that would be great!' breathed Ginny fervently. 'But how would we do it? There was some complicated thing about spells and discussions and 2 of the same people …'
'I know. But I want to research it a little, figure it out. If anything it'll keep my mind off the funeral tomorrow …' her voice trailed off sadly as she allowed herself to think about it. She shook the thoughts off and said 'Do you want to come with me to the Room of Requirement to see if there are any hints in there?'
'Sure' said Ginny. There were no classes but Harry had managed to land himself in detention with McGonagall so she was at a loose end for the time being and doing something, anything, was better than dwelling on Dumbledore's death and the fear of what Harry's stupid noble streak would make him do.
They made their way up to the 7th floor and after a couple of tries managed to get the Room to open to the one they had used to open the portal between the worlds. To their surprise, when they entered the room there was already someone there.
'Harry! I thought you were in detention!' said Hermione.
'That's not Harry,' said Ginny. 'At least, it's not our Harry.'
Hermione's eyes slid to the wall behind him and saw the telltale shimmer. Her mouth dropped open as she saw 2 other people follow him into the room. Hermione and Ginny were disturbingly similar to themselves. It was a very odd sensation seeing yourself from the outside and even though Hermione had a similar experience in third year she still wasn't prepared for the unpleasant shock of seeing just how bushy her hair was on someone else.
'We didn't expect anyone to be here' said the other Hermione, sounding a little put out that things hadn't gone exactly to her plan.
'It's weird' said Hermione. 'We just had this urge to go through to your world, and came up here to see if we could manage it.'
'Oh, now that's interesting,' said the other Hermione enthusiastically. 'I wonder if any of the books I found say anything about this. It's almost like there's a connection between the participants …'
Hermione looked away from her with an encouraging smile still on her face and caught Harry and the 2 Ginnys sharing a smirk. Her eyebrows flew together in an alarming imitation of professor McGonagall when she was angry.
'What are you 3 looking so smug about?' she queried angrily.
'Uh … oh, nothing.' Harry put on what he clearly thought was a suitably encouraging and interested smile, but which just made him look like a fool.
Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes at the other Hermione. 'Is he always this transparent?' she asked.
Her counterpart looked at him, at the slow blush rising up his neck and grinned. 'Yeah, pretty much. He's not great at hiding his thoughts.'
'Well, as fun as it is to humiliate Harry I think we should perhaps have a look around while we're here' said the other world's Ginny prodding Harry in the back to get him to move towards the door.
'Hang on a minute' said Hermione, 'where's Ron?'
'He … er … decided to be the one to stay behind and reopen the portal from our side. We weren't sure we could do it from here, you see,' Harry said apologetically.
Ginny rolled her eyes, turned to Hermione and said 'I see he's got the guilts just as badly as our Harry does.' The other Ginny suppressed a snort which she turned into a genuine smile when Harry looked at her with a slightly hurt expression on his face.
'You do have a tendency to blame yourself for everything, Harry. You know you do. But it doesn't matter because I still love you anyway.' The look they shared heated up the entire room and Hermione felt a twinge of jealousy. For all she liked an even keel, their Harry had been right: this pair was perfect together. Hermione didn't want Harry anymore, not at all. But she did want that sense of 'rightness' with someone. As they all left the room, carefully checking to be sure no-one could see them, she wondered again: why was Ron so dense? And what could she do to make him realise what they had between them? That bloody oblivious moron better be worth it in the end!