Chapter #6—Hiding Again
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, any of the characters in the book, or anything else related to the book.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who read my story. Also thanks to Simply Infatuated, JadedAnna, Artemis52036, Princetongirl8182, SummrMagic and Music XnX Lyrics who all reviewed my story!!! Some of you guys caught how Hermione switched the toothbrushes. I just got back from vacation, so many days without my laptop was horrible. But I wrote the next chapter. AND GUESS WHAT?!? There is a teeny tiny bit of HHr in this chapter…finally. I hope you enjoy it!
- - - - - - - -
He woke up with tears staining his cheeks. His eyelashes ripped away from each other as he awoke. One glance at the clock told him he had slept fourteen whole hours. It didn't matter to him, he felt just as tired as he had before he fell asleep the night before. It was no use anymore. There was nothing, in his opinion, to live for. There had always been a hope, a straggling thought that didn't get ruined by life, left in his mind. But it seemed that thought left with Hermione and the chance to love her. Time was going by, he needed to move on. He needed to forget. But he couldn't. He wouldn't.
He dragged himself from under the covers and headed to the bathroom. The face in the mirror didn't seem to be the person he was inside. He frowned humbly at his scar. This was the one thing that had caused his life to be what it was. Perhaps he needed to change. He scrubbed his face clean of yesterday and grabbed his coat before heading out into the town without a single destination in mind.
Every face in the crowd seemed to remind him of her. Every step he took distanced himself from her and every smile that he forced convinced him that he didn't ever need her. He steadied his pace on the sidewalk, veering into a nearby park. He found a familiar bench. Sitting down, he tried to think of nothing at all. When his mind had wandered completely to other things, to what he thought was more important. He heard a faint whisper from behind him. Someone calling his name, someone forcing it out.
"Harry," The way it was spoken seemed to hurt him even more. With her voice his heart pounded faster and his blood pumped quicker. He wanted to turn to her but he didn't know if he could handle it. He didn't know if he could look at something he knew he could never have.
"What?" His tone was bitter and his tone was sharp. If he had spoken like this any other time he was sure it would hurt her. But she didn't mind.
"You have to understand— "
"Hermione!" He exclaimed, jumping up from the bench and turning to her. "I was sure Jack was mine, I was sure you had chosen me. But I realized that if those results said otherwise then I shouldn't care, I shouldn't feel any emotional attachment to you or Jack. No, it's over. I'm not going to see you or Ron or Jack ever again. I'm doing what's best for me." He turned his back on her, expecting to never see her again. His temper flaring, his blood boiling, he walked away. He tried to ignore the steps behind him; the small patter of feet struggling to catch up to him. When they broke into a run he knew he had to stop. She grasped his hand with hers and he turned to face her again. The dim light of the parking garage spiraled down against their faces.
His desire to hold her, to kiss her, to love her was overwhelming he wanted to run. But she held onto his hand, knowing exactly what was going through his mind. And when their eyes locked for 1, 2, 3, 4 seconds she couldn't help herself. She couldn't live with herself. And she pushed herself right to him, breaking their eye contact and locking lips with him once again. It didn't seem like a mistake as they stood, entwined with each other in a vacant parking lot. It didn't seem wrong to betraying Ron as their lips pressed against each other. And in their minds the thought of never leaving this embrace was more important right now than the consequences of their actions.
"Hermione," He breathed. "I-I" There were no words; there was nothing to say as he pulled her back into another intoxicating kiss. Thoughts of a future stood motionless in their minds. A plan of what to do with this moment circulated Harry's thoughts. And for once, Hermione was sick of doing the right thing. Pulling away from him and breathing, Hermione felt the tears start to come. She saw it in his eyes. He needed her and he needed Jack. As she backed away, ran away, his eyes pleaded with her for the truth. But she would never tell, she couldn't tell; or could she?
- - - - - - - -
Ron closed an old photo album when the familiar creaking of the staircase neared him. He could tell it was her. She always walked like that when there was a heavy load for her to bear. She didn't turn into their room; she headed straight towards the bathroom. He could hear the tears. He didn't know how to handle it, how to tell her that everything was fine when, obviously, for her it wasn't. He figured with marriage came a trust, that people would tell each other things. But Hermione had kept so many things from him, so many secrets, and so many feelings. And worst of all, she had kept all her doubts, that had suddenly been painted on her face since yesterday.
The nauseating yellow of the bathroom wall sent Hermione's tears into such disarray. Ron had insisted to paint it that color, even when she told him it was utterly disgusting. He simply said it was his house. His house. If they were married how could it be his house? She couldn't help but concentrate on the negativity of the past. There were so many signs that she could possibly end up unhappy. Why had she ignored them? She wasn't sure if she should regret them or if she should feel guilty for having such self pity. In all her life what she wanted was never so clear. She wiped the tears from her face, headed downstairs, grabbed Jack in her arms and drove away.
He started after her; getting as far as the front door, when Ginny stopped him.
"RONALD. It is none of your business where she went."
"What? It's all my business, she's my wife."
- - - - - - - -
He threw a tomato in his basket without even checking if it was ripe or not. He was in a muggle food mart, walking aimlessly through rows and rows of food, grabbing things he thought he might need some time or another. His house was big enough to keep it all, he was sure he would use it eventually.
"Harry, m'boy," He heard a shout from behind him. He turned slowly around to face Hermione's father. He had only met him once before. Surprised at the man's enthusiasm, Harry hurried over to him, shaking his hand vigorously.
"How have you been Mr. Granger?"
"Oh, call me Jack, and well thank you." He beamed, "And you?"
"Oh, just," Harry hesitated, not sure if he should open up so easily, "Horrible, actually,"
- - - - - - - -
She knocked steadily on the door, awaiting the usually perky face to greet her.
"Hermione, my dear, how are you feeling?" Mrs. Weasley asked before holding her arm up to be examined.
"Oh, it's better." Her voice cracked at 'better', knowing that she didn't even care how her arm was feeling; she had come here for a reason. Mrs. Weasley beckoned her inside and she sat at the table. "I need to tell you something," Hermione added, before glancing over at the clock of which the Weasley's spun around, all but one. Glancing one more time at the door Hermione preceded with what she had come for.
- - - - - - - -
"CHECK MATE!" Luna screamed, making Ron jump.
Ron grumbled under his breath before setting the chess board aside and sitting down on the couch. Luna followed, still beaming from her recent win. "You don't have to rub it in my face, you know," He added.
"How exactly am I doing that?"
"Well, you're still smiling."
"What's wrong with smiling? You could do it more often if you asked me."
"I didn't ask you," Ron snapped.
"It seemed like you did, but no bother, it is fine either way." She smiled, patting Ron's knee before heading into the kitchen. He watched her leave, a small blush creeping silently across his face.
- - - - - - - -
A/N: OKAY….this was one of the shorter chapters. And it was a bit all over the place, but I need to start a few things. The next chapter will be up soon. Feedback? Thanks for reading!!