A/N: Heyloo there! For the first time I updated earlier than expected! *cheers to me*
Lately, I've been hyperventilating about my senior school results and entrance exams in two weeks!
I'm sure you guys in UK and USA must be facing your finals in the coming months so I wish you all luck for it. Ace it guys! (Y)
AND THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN TWO! ANDREW GARFIELD MAKES ME HIGH! ;);)
And no, Dan Radcliffe is NOT engaged. *false rumors these days* :P
Anyway, enough of my fangirling. Here comes some nice interaction between Harry and Hermione. Would it be a good or a bad one, it is you to decide. Enjoy!
She is here, Harry thought. She's actually here!
As much as Harry had shown Hermione his anger, he was glad to see her in flesh, after a long decade of separation. She looked flawless. Her doe-like eyes looked fuller and her once petite body looked curvier.
Harry knew she was scared of him. Of course he did mean to scare her. Hermione was a suspect after all.
"Well, I don't have all day to question you Mrs. Walsh. Please sit down." Harry said bluntly and Hermione shakily sat down on the empty seat in front of her.
The two just looked at each other. Not a sound echoed in the room. Hermione pleadingly looked at the man in front of her while Harry pretended as if he wasn't happy to see her again.
Why are you staring at me as if I am a dead meat? Hermione asked him silently in her mind.
Because you look beautiful, Harry answered Hermione's eyes, bearing no expression on his face.
Her eyes widened as she withdrew her gaze from his and stared idly at the recorder kept on the table in front of her.
Harry then remembered that he was to question her of the murder. Clearing his throat, he started: "Were you at the Marbella Hotel on the day Gregory Walsh was murdered?"
"Yes." Hermione automatically answered.
Harry nodded to himself. "What exactly were you doing?" He continued asking, "I'm sure you were probably with your husband in your own room, shagging-"
"Jeremy and I had gone to visit him." Hermione cut him off, tears stinging her eyes at his crude words of jealousy. "He had called us for an evening tea to discuss some family matter."
"Let me think. Was he asking for a grandchild from you both?"
Now that was harsh.
"Yes."
Silence engulfed them again.
Harry glared at the woman sitting in front of him and got up from his seat. "And what did you answer?"
"None of your business." Hermione said through gritted teeth.
"It is my business!" Harry shouted, banging his hand on the table, bringing Hermione to flinch. "It is my bloody business Mrs. Walsh, you are the prime suspect!"
Hermione then met his emerald orbs with a glare and said "Yes, he called us for discussing children. However, after the bomb Jeremy and I had dropped on him that-"
"You were already pregnant, weren't you?" Harry interjected.
"That Jeremy and I had divorced Sir Potter." Hermione angrily spat at Harry, earning an incredulous look from him. "Now if you please, let me speak in my defense."
Harry just stared at Hermione at her shocking revelation, regretting every fiery word he said. A part of his heart danced in joy, yet the other continued to seek for answers.
"Then please do continue." Harry said calmly.
Hermione nodded and wiped the tears off her face. "Jeremy and I had been married for almost four years when we learned that we were not like we used to be. So we divorced almost two weeks ago and thought it was best that we told about it to father. Gregory was a true father to me; however, sometimes he wanted things his way. He used to pressurize both me and Jeremy for our marriage to work in the way he wanted and not ours."
"When he asked us for our sudden appearance at the hotel, he thought that I was announcing my pregnancy. He knew we had decided to conceive and was extremely excited about it. But I didn't. Jeremy and I told him about our split. Naturally he was shocked. He even assumed that Jeremy gave me a divorce because I was sterile." She narrowed her gaze on Harry who intently listened to her words. "Gregory blamed Jeremy for marrying me and then," she took in a deep breath. "Jer defended me and we left the hotel immediately." She finished.
Harry nodded understandingly at Hermione's story when he realized that it never explained the evidences against her.
"But I'm sure there is more to tell." He said, as Hermione nodded.
"After we left, I decided to talk Gregory into his senses." She continued, "So I visited him again, in disguise. When I entered the suite, all I saw was him stabbed on the chest and blood everywhere. It disgusted me and I left. I tried giving you a call; instead I told Ron whatever I witnessed."
Harry sighed as Hermione finished her story. It was pretty convincing to him. Why on earth would Hermione hurt the man who was like a father to her? As much Harry wanted to believe her words, there with still one evidence remaining against her ...
"There is a reason you are the prime suspect." Harry repeated. "We found your fingerprints on the knife Herm- Mrs. Walsh."
"It's Miss Granger now Sir Potter." Hermione corrected him. "And maybe you found my fingerprints because I used the same knife to butter the croissants. I am really being honest."
You know me Harry, Hermione silently added in her mind as his eyes searched hers. I wouldn't do such a thing.
I know you really well Minnie. Harry answered her in his mind. I know you haven't done this.
Hermione withdrew her eyes and stared at the ground. She wanted Harry to make his decision of trusting her. They might've had that relationship of love and faith a long time ago which ended in different paths, but it never failed to end the love they had for each other. Hermione knew that love would make Harry believe everything she said.
The click of the recorder broke Hermione from her reverie. The next thing she knew was her face being inches away from Harry's, as he took her hands and started to circle his thumb over her soft skin. His gesture brought a small shy smile on Hermione's face when she entwined their fingers, just like old times, and gave them a squeeze.
Harry had never imagined their fingers to tangle like creepers after they parted a decade ago. He was glad that Hermione was back in his life, but as a suspect much to his dislike.
Just be yourself for now, Harry's mind screamed. Just let her know that you are happy to see her again.
"Sir Potter," Hermione started in a hushed whisper. "What are you doing?"
What exactly are you doing Harry, He asked himself.
"Um, I-" Harry stuttered, and then withdrew his hands unwillingly away from hers. "I'm sorry." He muttered.
Hermione nodded and looked away from him. "It's good to see you again." She said softly, feeling Harry's emerald eyes on her.
"It's great to see you too." Harry replied monotonously.
There was a moment of awkward silence when Harry spoke again. "I didn't want us to meet like this." He said.
"Me neither."
"I wanted to be happy when I met you. I just wanted to take you in my arms and-" he paused to look at Hermione's widened eyes. "And never let you go again."
"Harry," Hermione said, closing her eyes as she released a deep sigh. "Harry, please-"
"The moment you walked in, I wanted you back Hermione," Harry continued as he saw her saw her head as tears started to roll down her eyes. "I still do. I want you back Hermione, be it as a friend." Harry said in all honesty. "But, circumstances are as such." He added gravely.
Hermione looked back at him, wiping her tears as he continued. "As much as I want to believe your words of defense and forget that I broke your heart ten years ago, I cannot. I could really let you off because of our personal relations but I won't." He looked at her with cold eyes, as fresh droplets of salt fell off her eyes. "Miss Granger, I'm sorry but I need some time to decide on whatever you witnessed and said. If not, I'm sorry to tell you that you will be kept on house arrest. And I'm sorry that I have to break your heart again."
Hermione sniffed and nodded. "It's alright, I understand. It's your work after all and I respect you and your decision." She said, wiping her tears. "I am a suspect and deserve to be questioned like one."
But that doesn't make me love you less. Hermione added silently in her mind.
"How's Ellie?" Hermione suddenly asked.
Harry gulped and looked at her. "She's getting married." He replied. "And she misses you really much."
"And you?" She further asked softly.
The man gave out a sigh and looked into her innocent chocolate orbs. "I miss you too." Those words made their hearts clench in pain.
Hermione nodded and smiled. "May I take leave now, Sir Potter?" She asked.
No, I want you to stay so that I can hold you in my arms and we could talk just like the old times, Harry thought. However, his senses made him say "Sure Miss Granger. Detective Ron will escort you home and I'm sorry to say, you're on temporary house arrest. So you'll be guarded all day. We will let you know of our decision and next meeting."
Hermione nodded and got up on her feet, standing face to face with Harry. All she wanted him to do was to hold her in his safe arms and kiss her as if it was their last. She looked straight into his emerald orbs, which certainly wanted to fulfill the thoughts running in her head. They could be like what they used to be if Gregory Walsh wasn't murdered.
"Take care." Harry whispered into her ear and accepted her nod as a reply. Before she started to walk away, he held her back by the arm and said "I just wish that we could've met in a better circumstance."
"I agree." Hermione said softly, when Harry let go of her. He turned his back to Hermione's, not wanting to see her leave when-
"I missed you too Harry. I still do."
Harry turned around to find Hermione giving him a teary smile before leaving the interrogation room. Giving out a huge sigh, he sat on the unoccupied chair, burying his face into his hands. A lot had happened between him and Hermione in the past half an hour. He learned that she had been married to Jeremy Walsh for the past four years but never got to know why. Why on earth was this marriage kept a secret, moreover from Harry himself after Gregory had become his close friend? His heart itched for many answers.
And now, after meeting Hermione after ten long years, his urges to kiss her and hold her were kept on bay.
All because of his dear friend Gregory who decided to depart with all the answers to Harry's questions.
And Harry knew it was high time to search for answers from the girl he had never stopped loving.
A/N: Anndd …. Harry still loves Miss Granger!
This time, I swear that the next chapter will be up in the coming days! (Nope, I am not fooling. You can ask my amazing friend and beta Fiction Recipe)
Till then, shower me with some reviews as I am actually being demotivated to write! No jokes here!
As we all writers and readers know, REVIEWS=MOTIVATION.
That's a simple math equation.
So again, please review and let me know about the story's status. Cheers!
P.S: Thanks to all those who favorite and followed both this story and me! ^^