Chapter Two
"Ron…I …we..." Hermione said in panic, really wishing she had got something to cover herself up with.
Ron then suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, not being able to hold the pretence any longer. Harry and Hermione momentarily glanced at one another, both feeling extremely bewildered, neither having expected this reaction from their best friend.
"Ron, it's not what you think" Harry tried to assure Ron, as he interrupted the laughter.
Ron fell silent "Oh really?" he said with a smirk "Go on, explain, I really don't see how you're gunna get out of this one."
Harry let Ron into the flat and the trio sat in the kitchen, where Hermione explained what had happened the previous night. How she had caught Chris cheating on her, and how she had ended up coming to stay at Harry's.
Ron, at hearing the whole story, felt very angry "That git is going to get what's coming to him!"
"Ron, no!" Hermione stressed "Violence never solves anything. I will deal with this my own way."
"But Harry and I are your best friend's, Hermione!" Ron said in protest "You can't expect us to sit back and do nothing!"
"Yes I can" Hermione replied, seriously "And as my best friend's you should respect my wishes."
"But Hermione..." Ron tried to argue.
"No Ron!" Hermione huffed, now sick of repeating herself over and over again "Just please, let me do this on my own" she got up from her bar stool "I'm going to get dressed" and Hermione exited the room.
Ron turned to Harry with a frown "But … I thought she had no clothes?"
"Probably putting her dress back on, the one she was wearing last night" Harry informed him, as he continued to eat the last of his breakfast.
"So, I guess the quidditch game is off then?" Ron inquired, having brought up the topic of why he had called round in the first place.
"Oh heck! I'm sorry Ron, I completely forgot!" Harry said, regrettably "Yeah sorry mate, i'm going to have to cancel. Why don't you take Luna with you to the game instead?"
Ron smiled "Its okay, yeah I'll take Luna. You just make sure Hermione is okay. I still can't believe Chris did that to her! Knew he was a bad one, soon as I met the guy."
Harry nodded "I did too" Harry put down his knife and fork, having finished his food "But don't worry, I'll see Hermione's alright. She can come and stay here for a while if she wants, or she might go back to her parents house."
Ron grinned, curiously "Harry, I've got to ask this, be honest with me now. Did you and Hermione get up to anything last night?"
Harry looked stunned at the very suggestion "Of course not! It's Hermione, I couldn't…I don't think of her … like that."
Ron raised his eyebrows in an 'are you sure about that, Harry?' look.
"I don't!" Harry stressed, noticing Ron's expression.
Ron chuckled and smirked "We'll see."
Harry just rolled his eyes and shook his head.
Hermione returned to join the boys a minute later, having changed back into her dress. Ron left the flat not long later, leaving Harry and Hermione alone again.
"I'm glad Ron didn't go mad at us when he saw me dressed like I was" Hermione admitted.
"I don't think he would be mad if, y'know, we had done…" Harry was stuttering, embarrassingly "Not that we would ever..."
"No, no way, of course not…no!" Hermione interrupted, all too quickly.
The both of them now feeling very flustered and uncomfortable, with bright blushes on their faces.
"So … umm" Hermione wanted to change the subject "Is it alright if we go to the flat then?"
Harry instantly looked at Hermione in concern "You sure?"
Hermione nodded her head "Yeah, I've got to face it some time. May as well be sooner rather than later" she turned to Harry with an anxious look in her eyes "You're still coming with me though, aren't you?"
"Of course" Harry gently took hold of her hand "I'll be right there beside you. We'll go in there, you can grab your stuff and we'll go."
Hermione gave a shaky sigh; Harry could tell she was very nervous.
They apparated outside the flat and Hermione used her key to get inside. The flat only had the one bedroom and was so much more compact compared to Harry's flat. Hermione still held Harry's hand as they had a quick look around.
"He's not here!" Hermione cried, gratefully.
Harry smiled "Okay let's get your stuff" and between the two of them they used their wands to put all of Hermione's clothes into her suitcases, boxes and bags. Hermione then did the same thing to her other household items like photo-frames, books, toiletries etc. They apparated back and forth with the boxes and came back for the last time, having transported them all to Harry's flat, just so Hermione could double check she had not missed anything. Hermione really could not face the prospect of having to return back here if she had left something behind.
A moment later, Hermione was standing by the front door, looking around at what had been her home. She had happily lived in this place only twenty four hours ago, before it had all gone so horribly wrong. Now this place meant nothing to Hermione anymore, just a stark reminder of betrayal.
Harry came over and rubbed her arm "You alright?"
Hermione had tears in her eyes and nodded her head, pretending like it was all fine. Harry easily saw through this pretence and brought her into a hug.
"Shhh it's okay. Don't cry. He isn't worth your tears, Hermione."
This brought Hermione back to her senses and she plastered a confident smile onto her face.
"Yeah, yeah you're right" she took out her keys, took the key to the flat off the keyring and put it on the table with a note that read:
'We're over. I never want to see you again. Hermione.'
Hermione took a deep breath and looked at Harry urgently "Let's go" she took his hand.
They were about to disapparate when the door behind them opened.
"Hermione!" Chris said with much surprise, obviously not expecting to find her there.
Harry stood partially in front of Hermione "Don't you dare go anywhere near her!"
"Harry, no it's fine" Hermione assured him as she tugged at his arm, persuading him to move so she could face Chris.
"And what has any of this got to do with you, Potter!" Chris squared up to Harry. He was much taller than Harry, he was of thin build, with brown hair and startling blue eyes.
"I'll tell you what it has to do with me!" Harry shouted back at him "Hermione is my best friend! And I don't like it when a good for nothing prat like you, who is supposed to be her boyfriend, goes and cheats on her!"
"This has got nothing to do with you, Potter, so keep your nose out!" Chris bellowed back "This is between me and Hermione!"
Harry was fuming with rage "Well maybe she doesn't want to talk to you."
"I do" Hermione admitted.
Harry instantly span around, looking at her incredulously "Hermione?"
Hermione, ignoring Harry's amazed stares, said quietly whilst moving a step closer to Chris.
"Why did you do it? Did I mean so little to you?"
"I don't want to talk about this in front of him!" Chris glared at Harry, who in turn made a move to confront him again, but Hermione held Harry back.
"Harry..." Hermione gazed at him intently "Harry, can you give us a minute…please."
Harry was extremely reluctant to leave Hermione on her own, but eventually gave in and went into the kitchen, leaving Hermione and Chris alone.
"So come on, why did you do it?" Hermione demanded.
Chris shrugged "Dunno."
"You don't know?" Hermione laughed at how incredulously arrogant he was being "Oh come on, you don't just sleep with someone else for no reason!"
"I was drunk" Chris said, casually.
"You don't even drink!" Hermione said, with flared eyes "What's the real reason? Come on, just tell me!" she yelled.
"Alright if you want the truth! … I've had enough! You've become boring, Hermione. You're no fun at all. Whereas last night, I had a lot of fun!"
Hermione slapped him clean across the cheek.
"How dare you!" she was now so angry. Hermione did not believe she had ever felt this furious in her whole life "Harry and Ron were right about you all along. We should never have got together, I should've listened to them."
"Oh that's right, go running back to dear Harry and Ron when you get into trouble" he sneered "What do they know about anything?"
"They know and understand me more than you could ever comprehend!" she looked at Chris in complete disgust "I never want to see you again!" she then called out to Harry, who came running back in. She said calmly "Harry, I want to leave now please."
"Just wait one second" Harry said and turned to Chris and punched him as hard as he could, knocking him down to the floor "And if you ever come near Hermione again, I'll kill you!"
Hermione was rather shocked at Harry's actions, but did not think about it long enough as she grabbed his hand and they both disapparated out of the flat. Leaving Chris sitting on the floor, nursing a bloody, broken nose.
They arrived back in Harry's flat and Hermione turned instantly to Harry, looking at him in amazement "I can't believe you did that."
Harry rubbed his hand that was now aching "He had it coming! I won't stand back and let anyone treat you badly, Hermione."
Hermione gave Harry a look of pure gratefulness and affection, as she flung her arms around him tightly.
"Thank-you. I don't know what I've done to deserve you, Harry, I really don't."
Harry brought Hermione out of the hug to gaze at her.
"You're just lucky" he replied cheekily, and Hermione hit him playfully on the arm which made them both laugh.
Harry, gently, took hold of Hermione's hand; passing all of the luggage, bags and boxes in the hallway, as they went to sit in the living-room.
Hermione cuddled up close to Harry, not that he minded, as she talked.
"I can't believe it's all over."
"He didn't deserve you, Hermione" Harry said, truthfully as he put his arm around her. "You can do so much better, don't worry you'll fine a decent, caring guy who will make you happy forever."
"Can you help me track him down?" Hermione joked "Because he's not doing a very good job of finding me."
Harry chuckled, before turning seriously to Hermione "Are you sure you're alright?"
Hermione nodded, but deep down Harry could see tears now springing in Hermione's eyes, as the realisation of everything came crashing down to reality.
"Aww Hermione, come here."
Harry actually shifted her legs so they lay over his own, before Hermione moved to sit in Harry's lap, her head nestled in the crook of his neck as she cried.
"Am I boring, Harry?" Hermione asked, after she had calmed herself down "That's what he said, he said I wasn't any fun."
"Hermione, don't take any notice of what he told you, you're great fun to be around and I love spending time with you" Harry replied, genuinely as he rubbed her arm, gently. "If he didn't then that's his loss."
Hermione gave a shaky sigh, as she wiped her eyes with a tissue she had got from a box on the coffee table.
"I just don't know what I'm going to do now. I've got no boyfriend, no home…"
"Well I can solve one of those problems" Harry said, with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, bemused.
"Hermione, move in with me."
Hermione gave a small laugh and a smile "What, are you serious?"
"Yeah!" Harry said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "I've been looking for a room-mate anyway, since Ron left. I hate living here on my own, it gets so lonely. It'd be great! I would honestly really love it if you came to live with me, Hermione."
"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Hermione asked, cautiously.
"One hundred percent" he grinned, with hope in his eyes "So what do you reckon?"
Hermione beamed "Yes!" she laughed happily "Yes, I'd love to live with you Harry" she hugged him tightly "Aww thank-you!"
Harry chuckled "You're very welcome."
Hermione giggled and clapped enthusiastically "Oh this is going to be so much fun, us living together!" she was beaming with happiness, the first time in ages Harry had seen her look so happy.
"Can I just ask one thing though, would you mind if I painted Ron's, I mean my, room? Ron's choice of orange is not really my favourite colour."
Harry chuckled "Yeah of course. Do you want to do it magically, or actually paint it the muggle way?"
"Muggle way!" Hermione grinned "It's much more fun, you can help me if you like."
"Oh I don't know about that, I'm rubbish at painting."
Hermione raised her eyebrows at Harry in a 'you're going to help me whether you like it or not' kind of way, which just made Harry laugh.
"Alright, alright, I'll help you" he raised his hands in defeat "But we'll do it next weekend, after all I've got work tomorrow and you're at St. Mungos with your healer training stuff. But until then, I am going out now to get something for our lunch, whilst you can put all of your clothes and stuff away in your new room."
Hermione grinned and kissed Harry's cheek.
"You're a diamond you are, Harry Potter" she almost skipped out of the room, ready to unpack all of her belongings.
Harry felt the spot where Hermione had kissed him; he blushed slightly before leaving the flat.
...
"I'm back!" Harry called out to Hermione, who immediately appeared out of her bedroom "The room-mate advert is out of the paper" he grinned at Hermione "There is no turning back now."
Hermione giggled "I don't intend to."
"So, how do you fancy some pasta salad thing for lunch?" Harry inquired.
"Yeah that'll be fine" Hermione replied with a smile.
"And to go with our lunch" Harry lifted out a bottle of champagne, which made Hermione raise her eyebrows.
"We're going to drink all of that during lunch?"
"We can have as much as we want" Harry grinned "I got it so we can celebrate you moving in."
"Aww that is such a sweet thought, thank-you" Hermione beamed.
"And that's not all" Harry said as he reached in the bag and brought out, not only a large box of chocolates, but also some shampoo and bubble bath.
Hermione giggled "Are they all for me?"
"Sure are. I remember you saying you had run out of shampoo so I thought I'd get you some more, and the chocolates and bubble bath are just a little something because I thought you might need some cheering up."
Hermione came to stand next to Harry and kissed his cheek.
"You are so thoughtful, do you know that? Thank-you Harry. I really don't understand why you don't have a girlfriend! Any woman would be very lucky to have you, y'know."
Harry blushed "If you say so Hermione. And…" Harry began again.
"Oh don't tell me there's more?" Hermione said with a shocked look on her face.
Harry laughed "Well I thought, seeing as though we need to celebrate you moving in, how about we either get a DVD and takeaway tonight, or we go to the cinema and a meal too?"
Hermione's eyes lit up at the idea "Let's go out, may as well enjoy the rest of the weekend while we can" she grinned as she suggested "And maybe we could do the other thing tomorrow night?"
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Harry said happily "Right, let me come and help you with your unpacking."
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day unpacking everything by hand. Hermione quickly came to realise how much she loved her new bedroom, it was much larger and more spacious than her shared bedroom in the previous flat. Harry made space on the bookcase and shelves in the living-room so Hermione could store all of her books, whilst Hermione took her time filling the bathroom with a lot of toiletries and bottles of various things. Harry had come into the bathroom with a perplexed look and laughed as he wondered aloud.
"Why do you women need so much of this stuff? Surely you can't need all of this, Hermione?"
This was followed by Hermione's laughter as she said "Harry, you're a guy, you will never understand even if you tried."
During this afternoon unpacking, Harry and Hermione drank quite a bit of the champagne between them, yet they remarkably managed to stay sober. Evening soon approached and they both got dressed up for the cinema, followed by an enjoyable meal at a local restaurant.
"I've had a brilliant time, Harry" Hermione said gratefully after they had come through the front door "But I'm going to bed now, I'm shattered after today."
"I'm not surprised; it's been a crazy day."
Hermione gazed off for a moment, not quite believing how Harry could've made her feel so happy again after only having, officially, broken up with her boyfriend this morning.
"Thank-you Harry, for everything you've done for me this past day or so. I just, I don't know how to thank-you."
"Hey what are best friend's for?" Harry gave her a hug.
Hermione hugging him back happily and kissed his cheek "Night Harry."
"Night, sweet dreams" Harry replied as he watched her walk away to her bedroom, before heading into his own and sat on his comfy double bed.
Harry lay down and suddenly remembered what Hermione had said to him back at the end of fourth year "Everything's going to change now isn't it?"
Harry smiled as he came to realise that during the past few days, feelings of his lonely heart had now developed into brand new, more than platonic, feelings of deep affection, for the woman who was now falling asleep in the room next door to his.
...
I intend to keep this fic, light hearted and fun from pretty much here on in.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D