CHAPTER TWO

It's been seven hours, 3 days and eleven years since. Hermione has opted to forge a more muggle life, establishing a medical practice in Surrey where Ron and I have doggedly followed her. We share a flat where Ron shuttles to and fro to attend Quidditch practices. After the war, Ron has moved on by dating Luna. We encouraged him to do so. There should be some good that comes out of all that tragedy. But despite leading separate lives, we can't seem to go our separate ways. Although I do have a feeling that it won't be long before Ron asks Luna to marry him. It's been a long time coming and sometimes I think it's because of Hermione that he hasn't asked yet.

I, on the other hand, have been working up the courage to date Ginny again if she'll have me but for some reason, I feel that we can't be together. Most days, I get a feeling that it is a self-inflicted penance for putting Herrmione through all that grief. She has remained to be the Hermione that she was back when we knew her in Hogwarts and yet, strange as it may seem, at the same time she has never been the same since. But only if you look really closely would anyone know the difference like looking at micro fractures on porcelein which is almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

One time, while Ron was out with Luna, Hermione and I were having breakfast and she was staring intently at me. Times like these, when Ron is not around, I feel like running away but just as soon as these thoughts come unbidden I shake them off.

"Harry, you do know that I'm not asking you to stay."

I put my sandwich down and count it as the nth time we've had this conversation. "Well, it isn't your choice to make Hermione." I bring the dishes to the kitchen as I say this wearily.

"I know that you and Ron have dreams and plans. My parents lost their lives in the stupid war Harry, no need for more martyrs to lay down theirs. Don't make me your cause."

I take a mere second before I turn around to face her and tell her that it wasn't at all like that but she was gone.

Resolving to make up for what happened that morning. I invited Ginny to have dinner with us -- Ginny and Luna being the only other magical persons aside from Ron and myself who Hermione keeps in touch with. While we were watching some muggle show called "Smallville", Ron apparated into the flat and jubilantly announced that he has proposed to Luna and that she has gladly accepted. Ginny and I shared a look. With this, I am the only one Hermione has and I can't let her down again. It was Ginny who was the first to speak.

"Ron, that's great news really." She gets up to kiss her brother on the cheek and moves to the veranda as I follow her with my gaze.

Hermione noticing this, moves next to me and whispers, "Go to her Harry." and for some reason, I was compelled to do so. Ron sits in the vacated spot beside Hermione regaling her with a recap of how his proposal went.

I put a shawl around Ginny as I notice her shivering in the cold night air. She turns and smiles sadly at me, "Thanks Harry!"

"Ginny," I faltered, "You know that if I could, I'd ask you to spend the rest of your life with me."

"I know."

"It's just that..."

Ginny finishes for me "Hermione. She needs you. I don't understand and yet because I love you somehow I do. But Harry you can't believe that your life is not your own. That you have no right what you do with tomorrow." In the background, the phone, which Hermione insists on having, rings. Ron turns up the volume on the television but despite that I hear the water dripping from the sink, a car backfiring in the distance. Everything seems to be louder than what it was. I can't believe it would end this way. After all, don't most things start with the words "I love you"?

I try and start again. "It would be unfair to make you wait Ginny. I'm not going to pretend that it won't bother me or that it won't be painful as I know that you are bound to meet someone but..."

"I couldn't. Harry stop!"

Just then Hermione bursts in and says, "Can both of you please come inside. I have something important to say."

Hermione shoves Ron's propped feet away as we follow her into the living room. "That was the African AIDS foundation. They have a mission to Kenya. I've applied for it two months after my parents… well you know but I missed the window of application. Well, as it turns out one of the volunteers was sent home so they offered me her spot," she pauses a bit to catch her breath and with a smile on her face continued, "I was thinking that I have to do a lot of things here in such a short time but... anyway, I've accepted it which means I'll be there for 5 years. Don't you think it's absolutely spectacular?!"

"What?!" Ron's voice and I merge. Each an unspoken rebuttal to what Hermione has to say.

"You're not going and that's final!" Ron bringing down his fist on the table for emphasis, which eerily reminded me of their mother.

"Oh ho! My parents died but I'm not hiring to fill their place Ronald. This is my prerogative and I say I am. I'm sorry but it can't be helped. I leave in two weeks."

"My wedding is in 5 months. Can't you wait until after?"

"No. If I miss the start of this program they give the slot to someone else."

"Then you can tell them to give the ruddy spot to someone else because you're not going." Ron says petulantly.

Hermione looks to me asking for help but I cross my arms and look away. I'll be damned before I take her side on this. Seeing that she won't get a word out of me to further her cause, she moves next to Ron and tries a different tactic. Touching his arm and laying her head on his shoulder, Hermione speaks softly, "Ron, you know I've always been interested in it and it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to help out. To make a difference."

"Haven't you done enough of that already? Why go to bloody Kenya?"

Unable to keep quiet, I say dangerously low, "Is it because you think that you're holding us back?" All this time Ginny is silently watching us.

Her head shoots up and steely brown eyes meet mine, "No. Contrary to popular belief, Harry not everything is about the both of you. This is about me. I'm sorry but you just have to deal with it because I've made up my mind. So if you'll excuse me, I have a few things to wrap up." With that the conversation was over and Hermione made her way up her room.

A few minutes later, we were found in the same position. The situation ridiculously absurd as there is nothing in England that could hold Hermione down once she has set her mind to it.

Ron lets out an air of frustration, breaking the silence first, "Mate, you're not just going to let her fly off to some other ruddy continent altogether, are you?!"

"If you haven't heard what she said Ron, the short of it is she has basically told us that she's going to do it and we can both just sod off." I know it was wrong to vent my frustration on Ron but the guy can be thick sometimes. The air of defeat hanging heavily over the both of us. It's as set as if Hermione has apparated to Kenya already. Something cataclysmic is needed in order to change it so we knew that this debate was over before it began. Left with no other option, we glared at each other moodily.

Ginny cleared her throat to remind us that she was still there, "I think I better get going."

I make a move to get my coat. "Let me apparate wih you Gin."

"That's okay Harry. I promised to pop in on Dean at St. Mungo's this evening. You stay here." As if daring me to agree and say that I'd rather be with her just now. But I couldn't, it was so much easier for me to oblige.