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Anyway…here's chapter 3!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.

Can I Keep You?

Chapter 3: Like Children

Sometimes when I'm just needed to get away, I visited a park. Chicago has many parks and my favorite was always the Jackson Park. The landscape was so glorious. It was like a little piece of my desired Heaven within city, that horrible wasteland. The day after Mr. Riddle's party, I sat on a bench and stared upward. It was twilight. The vast sky contained swirls of light pinks and purples, colors that often gave me a peace of mind and a relaxing pleasure. This time, though, as I stretched my frame, I silently wished for a dash of green to enter the atmosphere, to remind her of his eyes, Harry's eyes, the perfect eyes. I knew that the sky would never be green, but that didn't stop me from dreaming. I smiled to myself remembering his concern for me, a total stranger. Yet, it didn't seem to matter to him, whether I was a stranger or not; he was just willing to help.

"Bloody hell, Harry! Can you believe Snape is making us practice every day this week?"

Harry? I turned around to see the soloist walking with a tall red headed boy.

"Ron. We have another gig at the end of the week. Snape just wants us to be ready." Harry reasoned.

"Well, Snape doesn't have to play. He just conducts and my lips hurt after constant practice", the boy called Ron whined; "Besides we sounded fine last night!"

"You can't bash him for being careful. A bad performance could ruin are reputation."

"I guess so…oh crap! I'm late for dinner! Mum's going to kill me!" Ron became frantic. "I'll see you later, Harry!"

Harry laughed as his friend ran out of the park. He looked back in my direction and noticed me staring at him. A blush quickly formed on my face and the raven headed boy smiled. "Hello Hermione. What are you doing here?" he asked while sitting beside me on the bench.

"Oh, just getting away from the house for a few hours. And you?"

"I just got out of practice." He buzzed his lips, making a kind of motor boat sound.

"Why are you doing that?"

He stopped. "Snape had us practice almost all day today. My lips are burning."

I noticed his lips were red. "And doing that helps?"

"A little. Does it bother you?" He questioned.

"No, I've just never seen anyone do that before."

He turned toward me. "You live a sheltered life, don't you?"

I surprised by how straight forward his question was. Usually proper ladies don't answer questions about their private life to people they barely know, but at that moment I didn't care. "You might say that." Immediately I changed the subject because I wanted to find to out more about the boy in front of me. "So is Snape the conductor of your band?"

"Yeah, he can be a bit uptight sometimes, but knows what's best for the band. He's a good guy."

"Then, who's Johnny Lighting? Why is your band called Johnny Lighting and the Storm?" That was really puzzling me.

"Johnny Lighting was our old conductor. He died a few months ago, but we kept the name because Severus Snape and the Storm didn't sound too catchy. We're trying to think of new names. I personally like "The Amazing Harry Potter and the Other Guys".

I laughed quietly, trying not to embarrass myself. He smiled at me then stared with strong focus. "Hermione, were you raised to be a proper girl?"

That question caught me off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Well", it looked like he was trying not to say the wrong thing, "Not to be rude, but, for a young girl…you act very…mature."

"Is that a bad thing?" I raised my voice slightly.

He put his hands up in defense. "No. No, it's not. I was just saying you need to lighten up a bit." He looked at his hands that were now resting in his lap. "You seem so miserable sometimes and I think you need to have some fun." He eyes then met mine, green to brown, and emerald to bronze.

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter", I stood from the bench, "But I was raised to be a lady and "fun" isn't something I was taught."

I started to walk away and I heard Harry following me. Then I bolted to a run, but somehow he caught up to me. The boy I admired grabbed both of my shoulders, firmly but gently, and held a gaze on my face. His features were painful. "Hermione, I may have only met you yesterday, but I can see your entire life in your eyes. You were raised to act a certain way in front of the public to make your parents proud. You were raised to take orders and keep your opinions to yourself. You've been bossed around your whole life and you don't have any control. I saw that blonde kid drag you to the floor last night and forced you to dance with him. I saw your tortured face." He let go of me; I guess he knew I wasn't going to run again. "Hermione, you don't have to be a proper girl all the time. If you do, then you'll lose sight of who you want to be."

At that moment, a tear ran down my cheek and I fell into Harry's arms. I cried all of my frustrations and anxieties into his chest while he held me. He rubbed my back and whispered words of comfort into my ear. I lifted my head to see his broad and shining grin that I loved so much. "So what do you want to do?" I asked him.

He released me and took my hand. I didn't know if my heart would ever stop beating. "Alright, there really is no object to this game. Just feel as free spirited as you possibly can. Ok?"

"Ok…" I didn't really understand what we were going to do.

"Now…run!" Harry took off, still holding my hand. So naturally I went with him.

"Harry! What are we doing?" I screamed.

"We're running around. Come on, 'Mione. Be free spirited. Like children. Wahoo!" He yelled at the top of his lungs for all to hear. "Just scream to the Heavens!"

"You're acting crazy!"

"No, I'm having fun! Yeah! Woo!"

I decided to give it a try. "Yes!" That actually felt…good. Exciting. Rebellious. "Alright! Woo!"

By that time, it had gotten dark and the street lamps came on. We ran until we got to a meadow that was lit up as if lamps came from the ground. The entire area was covered with fireflies! "Ok", Harry whispered, "Now, let's do the same thing through that meadow."

When we did, the fireflies soared into the night sky. It looked as if a thousand beautiful stars appeared out of no where. We landed on the ground, out of breathe, in laughter. Harry rolled to his side and smiled at me. "Now was that so hard?"

"No it wasn't, Mr. Hooligan." He chuckled then rolled back on his back.

I suddenly realized something. "Harry what time is it?"

He checked his watch. "About nine."

"I was meant to be home hours ago", Harry looked over, "But I don't care. I don't want to go back home."

"You'll have to eventually." He whispered sadly.

"I know, but not now."

Harry stood up. "Let show you one more thing then I'll walk you home."

I nodded and he pulled me up. He offered me his arm that I graciously took then he led me along. I haven't that peaceful and happy in so long. Looking at Harry, I wished that I could become as alive and as free as he was. I never wanted to leave his side.

After walking for a few minutes, we reached a part of the park I had never been to before. The center of the floor was a grey circle surrounded by black and grey ripples. The entire floor was concrete tile and was gated around by a stone wall covered in moss. "Hurry! It's almost time." Harry led me to the center.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

"Just trust me." He smiled sweetly

With a nod, he understood. I trusted him, completely.

Suddenly, water gushed from the tile floors and completely soaked us. I screamed in shock and Harry laughed. "Come on, 'Mione! Act like a child! Let go of everything and have fun!" He held back his head and howled like a wolf.

I laughed, unashamed, and howled with him. Through the water he grabbed me around the waist and spun me in the air. I held my arms out and felt like I was flying. 'Is this what it feels like to be free?' I thought. Goofy grins were plastered on our faces.

Suddenly, Harry slipped and fell on his back, with me on top of him. He was still smiling though. I laid my chin on his chest and smiled right back. His emerald eyes were shining. They never looked more beautiful. "Like children?" He whispered.

Right there, I realized that Harry Potter was like my own little slice of Heaven. He was like an angel from those places I've always dreamed about.

"Like children." I whispered back, wishing I could stay here forever, with my angel.

HHrHHrHHrHHr

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