A/N- Just realized I've never put a disclaimer on this- Harry Potter does not belong to me, HP and all related characters belong to the genius JK Rowling, and I don't own any of the lyrics I use- they belong to their respective artists. Enjoy!
Somewhere
Chapter Three
--
Now I'm split in two
I'm half me and half you
But I hate us both
Don't you?
No, of course you don't, of course you don't
You say life is peachy
Without me
-"Peachy" Missy Higgins
--
Ginny burst out laughing the second she and Hermione stepped out into the hallway.
"What?" Hermione said.
"Just…you and Lavender. That was priceless. Too bad Ron wasn't here."
"Why?"
"Oh, please, Hermione. He's had dreams start that way."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It's no big secret that I don't like Lavender. I never have."
"Well, I think it's safe to say the feeling's mutual."
They stepped outside, and Ginny pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one and inhaling til the tip glowed a warm gold.
"You sure you don't want one? You look like you need to relax."
"No, thanks." Hermione said, crossing her arms in the slightly chilly morning.
Ginny shrugged, exhaling.
"So, anyway. Before we were interrupted by my dear sister in law, you were about to tell me something."
"Yes. Well…Gin, I know this may be hard to hear, and I know it's out of the blue-"
"I'm a big girl now, Hermione. I can handle it. What's up?"
"Someone's seen Harry."
Ginny took a long drag off her cigarette, letting out a sigh.
"Oh come on, Hermione."
"I know. I thought it wasn't possible either-"
"Are you talking about that family who saw him in Australia?"
Hermione blinked, surprised.
"Yes."
"Yeah, we got that story here too. We're not running it- it's rubbish."
"But don't you wonder if-"
"Harry died, Hermione. Five years ago. We were both there." Ginny said, her voice flat and emotionless.
"We don't know that! He disappeared- anything could have happened! Who's to say he's not back?"
Ginny turned to face her finally, her eyes narrowed.
"I am. That story's not true, Hermione, and you know it. Don't do this to yourself. Don't do this to Ron, or me, or anyone else. We're over it. We moved on. And you come back and think you can just drag it all up again-"
"You're not over it."
Ginny laughed.
"Oh really? And you can tell this how?"
"Because it wouldn't make you this upset if some part of you didn't believe it."
Ginny dropped the cigarette, stamping it out with the toe of her boot.
"So let me get this straight. On absolutely no solid evidence, you're completely convinced. Convinced enough to come out of some crazy five year disappearing act, and to pop back up in our lives like you never left, and expect no one to have changed."
Hermione took a deep breath.
"I just know. I know it's him. I've known all along that he wasn't really gone."
"You do know this isn't the first time Harry's been sighted?" Ginny said patronizingly.
"Yes. Of course I know that."
"We get a new Harry sighting every few weeks or so. He's like the wizard Elvis."
"Ginny-"
"Just let it go. Please. Go back to Australia and leave us alone."
Hermione had never heard Ginny talk like this.
"Why do you want me gone so badly?"
Ginny leaned against the wall, looking at Hermione.
"You just left. Barely a word to any of us. Not even to Ron, the person you'd been crying to me about for years. You really messed him up, Hermione. I don't want to watch this happen to him all over again. I know Lavender's a bit of a joke, but she's all right. He had lost everything. You and Harry were the best thing in his life, and he lost you both within weeks. Now- it's just cruel what you're doing, you being back, pretending you two can race off on one of your little adventures, find Harry again, fall back in love-"
"I don't want that. I don't want to ruin anything."
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"You already have."
Hermione didn't say anything.
"I've got to get back to work."
Ginny walked back inside and Hermione didn't follow.
--
Lavender stepped out of the fireplace, pink color rising in her cheeks at the sight of Ron sitting innocently on their couch, reading the Prophet.
"I need to have a word with you." She said through a tight smile.
She had spent the rest of her day getting angrier and angrier at Ron, and once the horrible thought that his seeing Hermione accounted for last night's escapades entered her mind, she was practically seeing red.
She had refused to speak to Ginny the rest of the day, even though Ginny didn't look too thrilled when she came back from talking to Hermione either.
Because Hermione ruins everything.
Lavender reminded herself. She ruined Hogwarts, she ruined Ron, now she's ruining my marriage. Ty-pi-cal.
"What's wrong?" Ron looked up, alarmed.
"Guess who I ran into at work today?"
"Er…that smelly bloke who always brings you Kleenex boxes?"
"NoWorse. Hermione Granger."
Ron pretended (not all that convincingly) to look shocked.
"R-Really? What's she in town for?"
"Oh, as if you don't know! She told me that you saw her yesterday!"
Ron's face fell. He shrugged.
"Oh. Yeah, right.. She did drop by. Slipped my mind, I guess."
Lavender's eyes narrowed.
"You are the worst liar in the world. Why didn't you tell me?"
Ron sighed.
"I knew you'd be pissed. You've always hated her."
"I do not hate her- I hate the way she makes you act! One little meeting with her, and you're already acting like a crazy person!"
"How am I acting like a crazy person?"
"Lying to me, for one thing! And—and-" Lavender sputtered for more evidence, but wasn't quite prepared to call him out on her suspicion about last night.
"Look, Lavender, I'm sorry, all right? I just knew you'd be angry, and you'd not want me to see her, and I just- I have to, okay? She was one of my best friends for seven years."
"WAS being the operative word, Ron. Don't forget that part. She left you, remember?"
"She had a good reason!"
"Oh, now you're defending her!"
"Well…yeah."
"Great, Ron. That's just great. Dinner tomorrow should just be a laugh riot."
He winced.
"She told you about that too, huh?"
"That's right. Thanks for asking me."
"What do you want me to say? I was just being nice."
"Yeah, right. I seem to remember where you 'being nice' to Hermione Granger gets me."
"I was sixteen then! Let it go! I was a complete idiot!"
"That's the truth." Lavender crossed her arms.
"Do you want me to tell her not to come?"
"No. No need for that. I just need you to start being honest with m. Especially about random ex-girlfriends popping back up in your life."
"Ex-girlfriends?"
"Oh, don't play innocent with me, Ron. Ginny told me a long time ago."
Ron's face drained of color.
"Told you what?"
"About you two kissing in the Room of Requirement"
Ron let out a breath.
"Oh. That."
"Yeah, that. Thanks for sharing that piece of information with me yourself, by the way."
"I didn't really see the point of telling you- it was over with me and Hermione before it even started."
Lavender looked at him closely.
"And that's all that ever happened between you two? After a whole year of hiding out in the woods together, and after you practically dying of love for her while we were dating?"
Ron hesitated.
"What was the question?"
"Have…you…had…sex…with…Hermione?" Lavender spoke very slowly as if asking a small child something.
"Oh. No, I haven't." Ron said quickly, his heart pounding in his ears.
"Never, ever?"
"We kissed. That was all."
Lavender stood there for a moment, then apparently was suitably convinced, sitting down beside him on the couch.
"Oh, all right then. Have her over."
Guess I still win, Hermione. She thought smugly to herself.
--
Hermione shoved her day's research on past Harry Potter sightings into her shoulder bag, dropping it on the bed in the hotel where she was staying. She stared at the address Ron had given her, and took a deep breath.
She was going to dinner with Ron and his wife. There's a sentence she could never say without her stomach clenching uncomfortably.
Not just any wife, but Lavender. Whenever Hermione pictured it, she literally felt sick. Lavender had married Ron- not Hermione. Lavender could kiss him whenever she wanted, talk to him about everything, have sex with him every night if she wanted—Hermione twisted the address in her hands, jealousy pounding through her before she even had to stomach the sight of them together.
Come on, Hermione. Be a grown-up about this.
She squared her shoulders, closed her eyes, and turned on the spot. When she opened her eyes, she was standing on the front lawn of small but nice house, painted blue with white windowpanes, a warm, cozy light emanating from inside.
Hermione knocked on the door, and waited. Half of her wanted to just turn back around and apparate away, but she thought that would be a little immature.
After standing there like an idiot for two minutes, knocking periodically, the door finally opened.
Ron stood there in a t-shirt and jeans, his hair still a little damp from a shower. Before he could even open his mouth, Lavender appeared as well, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Hermione! Come in!" Lavender said, smiling so big with blindingly white teeth that Hermione thought she looked a little possessed.
"Hey, Hermione." Ron said, rolling his eyes as he looked at Hermione over Lavender's mass of blond curls.
"Hey. Thanks for having me over."
"Of course! One of Ron's oldest friends, why wouldn't we?" Lavender, who was now officially scaring Hermione, took her arm and led her inside.
Something buzzed in the kitchen. Lavender dropped Hermione's arm.
"I've got to check on that!" She said in that weird chirpy voice, leaving Ron and Hermione alone in the entryway.
"Did you Imperius her to make her be nice to me?" Hermione whispered, grinning.
"Nah…just made sure she drank a lot before you came over." Ron smiled back, leaning against the wall.
"Well, I'm really glad alcohol's going to be involved in this situation." She laughed.
"You look really nice." Ron suddenly said.
Hermione looked down at her jeans and sweater.
"Don't be mean. I know I look homeless- I've been researching all day-"
"I wasn't kidding- you really do look great."
Hermione looked at him a little nervously.
"Ron-"
"Crisis averted!" Lavender said, swooping back in upon Ron.
Ron cleared his throat.
"Great. Let's eat."
--
A/N- Next chapter- the dinner from hell and Ron's decision…