Chapter 9: Rain & Pain
Hermione rolled over on her bed, it was nice and warm under the sheets. Her nose was filled with Harry's muscular scent. She peeked open her eyes and saw two emerald ones shining back at her.
"Morning." She said with a crackly, tired voice.
"You look beautiful." He complimented to the angel next to him.
She smiled, he was so nice and sweet. Last night they had done it more than once and every time Harry asked her if she was sure, if she was okay, if she was comfortable. It almost got annoying. But his concern for her safety made her want to cry.
"I love you." He whispered while tucking a loose strand of Hermione's hair behind her ear.
"Stop it, that tickles." She giggled as his fingers grazed over her ear lobe.
"Like this?" He said back as he leaned towards her and began nipping gently at her ear with his lips.
As they both had a giggle fit, they heard the door swing open. They both quickly turned to see Mrs. Granger looking at the floor, still walking into the room, some clothing items in her arms. She seemed not to notice them in the bed. Harry pulled the sheets up to their shoulders.
When she looked up she stopped walking and began giggling. She almost dropped the clothing items she was carrying and bent over laughing out loud.
Hermione's face could not have been any more red. Even a ripe tomato could not match this. Harry seemed to be a little less embarrassed but Mrs. Ganger already knew that he fancied Hermione, plus he had gone through years of being laughed at.
Once Mrs. Granger had calmed herself to just giggles, she turned to face the door. "Sorry…so sorry." She said through a giggle fit.
"Mum!" Hermione snapped, her tomato face turning slightly a lighter color.
"Sorry!" She called over her shoulder through her giggles as she walked out and closed the door.
They could hear Mrs. Granger erupt into a fit of laughter outside the closed door. They could hear the laughter grow further and further away.
Harry sighed, "Well, that was exciting."
Hermione began to giggle. "I hate my mother." She said as she released her death grip on the sheets. They gracefully fell over her body, outlining it perfectly. Harry couldn't help but to stare.
"Just thinking about what Ron or Ginny, or even Luna would say makes you feel odd." She said to the ceiling. She could see the sunshine that came through her window. It was getting less bright by the second.
Harry felt something inside him stir. She was so beautiful, so smart, so…everything. There was nothing she needed to change, yet, she still urged herself to improve.
"Harry?" She asked casually.
"Yes, my love?" He smiled back.
"Honestly, what are we doing?" She asked curiously, she always wanted to learn and know things.
"Hermione, I love you. And if you keep asking me what we're doing then…it's just telling me that you don't feel safe and confident about…well, us." He replied with a slightly annoyed tone.
She was speechless. This made Harry nervous. More nervous then he'd ever been. Was she really doubting this? Now of all times!
What am I saying? He's right! I am completely in love with him. I have no doubt, and I've always fancied him deep down.
"I love you, and I understand what you mean." She replied, turning to see his terrified face smooth over.
They got under the covers and cuddled. The room had gotten a cold feeling as it began to rain outside.
The sunny morning had quickly turned into dark, cold, and rainy one. It was sort of depressing looking outside, no kids out at the park. No sunshine streaming through the windows. Just the sound of thunder and rain dancing on the roof.
The next two weeks had gone by with a flash. Harry and Hermione had gotten closer, and not just because of their sleepovers. Plus, Mrs. Granger learned how to knock and the sleepovers never came up at dinner.
But, the rain never stopped. It was kind of creepy how it didn't stop raining. Every once in a while it would get lighter, or stop for a few minutes. But in general it never stopped raining. Streets had begun to flood, which Harry and Hermione helped undo with magic few times.
The rain didn't help the awkward feeling in the house as Harry's leaving day was coming closer and closer every second. But before Hermione could help it, it was the day before Harry had to leave.
She walked into his room, it was the afternoon. Soon it was going to be their last night in the same house.
She saw him sitting on his bed, staring out the window at the rainy, dark day.
"I love you." She whispered as she sat beside him. It always cheered him up a little when she said that.
He looked over at her. His eyes sad, no sparkle was in them.
He handed her the piece of parchment that was in his hands. She silently read over it.
"Harry, this great! I can't believe your not excited." She replied handing the letter back.
"I dunno about it." He murmured back.
"Harry you'd have to be mental not to accept. It's your dream to become an Auror, why wouldn't you want to go into the training program?" She asked as her face turned into a confused look.
"The training program is in America." He replied, returning his gaze to the window.
"That's even better, you've been telling me for ages that you wanted to go there." She replied, a smile creeping onto her face. She was excited for him.
"It's for three years." He replied.
The room got even colder. You'd think a Dementor was lurking around the corner. After all, it was the summer. It's not suppose to be cold or rainy. It was quiet unusual at first, but Hermione did some research and found that every 2000 years, the Oak Sratiug does it's migration around the world, and this summer just happened to be the 2000th year.
"What?" She was barely audible, her throat refusing to be clear, her voice was horse and crackly.
"I'm not going. We've just started furthering our love, I'm not going to screw it all up by leaving." He said back, watching as the water on the window slowly began to freeze slightly.
"Harry, no. I could never keep you from going after your dream. You have to do this. I will always love you, no matter how far away you are and that's not going to change." She replied.
"Hermione, I can't. I love you too much, I'd miss you, and I'd get lonely." He replied, apparently he hadn't thought this through and was just now coming up with reasons not to go.
"Don't be stupid. You have to go. We can write every day and…you just have to Harry. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you." She replied, crossing her arms as a shiver went down her spine. It was getting even colder, a sign that the Oak Sratiug was getting closer to their area.
"You should put on a jacket." Harry suggested, he too beginning to shiver.
"Don't change the subject." She replied sternly as she stood, her breath visible.
"I can't go." He complained.
"You have to, you said you'd do anything to make me happy. Well, seeing you live your dreams will make me happier then I've ever been." She reasoned.
He looked up at her, he stood as he gave in. She was right. He had said that.
"I love you so much." He whispered into her ear as he gave her a big hug. He was excited about going, but still sad about leaving her behind.
"Let's go find some jackets and blankets." She smiled at him.
They walked down to the living room and sat together in the recliner chair. Two thick blankets were above them, both were heavily wrapped in jackets. They sat there, Hermione sort of on top of Harry, both watching the television.
With the blink of an eye, they had fallen asleep. Hours and hours later, a clash of thunder and lightning awoke them both.
Both were sweating, as the cold had lifted tremendously over the night. They threw off the blankets and quickly took off the jackets. They took in their surroundings, they were still in the living room, a toasty fire was up and the rain was pouring outside. They heard Mrs. Granger walk into the room.
"I've never seen such weather in my life. The devil is defiantly upset with someone!" She began, walking over to the fire and laying out some socks, that were drenched in water.
"Mum, what time is it?" Hermione asked sleepily.
"Around 2pm I suppose, why do you ask?" She turned to see them both.
Harry quickly had a panicked look on his face.
"Crap!" He yelled as he fled the room and ran up the stairs.
"I haven't seen him this uptight sense you had that little, 'let's not sleep with each other for a while' talk. Which, by the way only lasted 2 hours I believe." Mrs. Granger said standing up.
Hermione's mouth dropped open.
"Mum!" She snapped.
"What? I'm not deaf, it's not like I haven't heard you two doing the Devil's business up there. Why do think I began sleeping on the couch?" She replied as she left the room, heading off to the kitchen.
She slowly walked up to Harry's room. He was hurriedly throwing his things into his open trunk.
"I'm going to be late!" He exclaimed when he caught a glimpse of her at the doorway.
"It's be okay Harry. The ministry is expecting you to be late, it's pouring outside remember?" She said after a flash a lightning came through the window.
Once he had finished putting all his belongings into the trunk he quickly pulled it down the stairs.
Once he ran back up and got Hedwig, he ran back down and placed him on his trunk. He preformed a spell that made it all go to the ministry, were he had a spot waiting for it all. This also gave the ministry a heads up that he was coming.
He turned to see a sad Hermione behind him. They had planned to spend his last day doing fun things, but that wasn't happening.
"I'll miss you so much." He said pulling her into a hug.
They pulled back their heads and locked into a kiss. This kiss unraveled her mind. How stupid am I? I can't let him go! 3 years? I'd have to be mental! I could always go with him, no. I can't, the training program is hidden to outsiders. But can't let him go, I'd never make it 3 years without this, without his touch, without his everything. I'd go mental just thinking about doing that.
As they separated and he whispered I love you. She was caught in a battle inside her and couldn't reply. He took this as her way of saying goodbye.
"Bye." He said giving a small wave once he reached the door.
"Bye." She horsefully whispered back.
What have I done?