CHAPTER TEN

I hear muffled footsteps on the other side. She must be pacing like she always does when she's upset. I can apparate inside her flat but then I'm not THAT stupid. I have knocked and called through the door until 2D decided to peer out and told me in perfect German something like go away or go hang myself. Neither could be taken as an indication that I was endearing myself to her neighbors.

"Hermione, please. Let me in. Oh sod it! I'm sorry. I flew for 14 hours to get here. Let me at least stay the night and I'll haul my sorry ass back to Surrey."

The door's lock clicks and I was allowed to enter. I follow her wordlessly inside and she goes in front of her computer, ignoring me.

"Look Hermione. I was just, I was trying to look out for you. I mean when you and Viktor…"

Tired, She cuts me off and looks at me for the first time with really sad eyes, "I'm not a child Harry. I actually like this guy. I might even be in love with him. So please don't scare him away."

Hearing those words, it's like someone sucker punched me. Except this was worse. Like someone clawed my heart and ripped my insides. But I'm not new to pain. So in that respect at least I know I'm doing quite well. Right now, I'm her best friend and one of her best friends was just a jerk to her. So I try to tuck my love away and hope to God that she does not find out why I wanted to tell Dr. John to back off.

"I can't promise that I won't be hard on him. You deserve someone who will love you like I…He has to prove that he deserves to have you. To have your heart."

She sits down dejectedly in the sofa and I sit down beside her. Too scared to come close because it was indeed a surprising turn of events and being this close to her, I can't trust myself not to do anything pathetically dim-witted like digging my own grave for instance by saying, "I love you."

"That's just it. Where you and Ron are concerned, I'm little more than a child not to be trusted with decisions such as this. You put me up on a pedestal in an ivory tower. I wasn't looking to fall in love Harry. It happened and if loving him is the only thing that's going to come out of this you may say that he doesn't deserve it but remember he didn't steal my heart. I gave it."

It was a good thing too that I was hidden in the semi-darkness. All of a sudden my eyes get a prickly feeling but I blink away, "Does he know? How you feel?"

She shakes her head, "I don't think he'll ever feel the same way." I know she's started crying because her shoulders are shaking and so I gather her up in my arms and stroke her hair.

"There. Shhh….how could he not? He'll come around in time. Tell you what? I'll stay a few days more if you'll have me and then we can work out a plan of some sort to help things along."

"Like what kind of plan?"

"You know some guys are stupid enough not to know how good they've got it until it's taken away from them. Why don't we make him jealous?" Sometimes, I could be the brains of our little group when the situation calls for it but knowing what I know, she'd never say yes. Hermione who has a good head on her shoulders will not approve of this deception. My Hermione will not stoop down into that level just for some run-of-the-mill muggle. No sirreee…

"Okay. Let's do it. Oh Harry! I'm so glad you're here." So much for that. I guess she has finally lost her head. And I mean in a figurative way and not in a carnal sense. I really really hope not the latter. Why oh why did I not leave while I still can?!?