Chapter twelve

Harry and Susie were lucky, they got the dark wizard by the end of the day and were back at the office. They filled out their reports, gave it to their boss before heading out. Harry invited Susie over for dinner, which she accepted.

Harry and Susie stepped into Harry's living room and saw Hermione on the couch, reading a book.

'You really moved out of there?'

'Yes, he was still going on about it with his brothers. Their all be so stubborn and refuse to listen to anything against Ginny and just keep blaming you, especially for having sex with her. It's all so bloody stupid Harry, hello Susie.'

'Hi Hermione, listen, if you two want to be alone to talk, I get it.'

'No, it's fine, your Harry's friend, so stay. I made dinner since I was here Harry. So why don't you get out of those robes, oh and if you and Susie want to be alone, don't let me being here stop you. I'll just put a silencing charm around my room.'

Harry smiled, then kissed Hermione's cheek, 'Thanks and we don't always have sex Hermione, sometimes we do just talk. But I'll get changed, Susie you can get out of your robes and get comfortable, get yourself a drink if you want.'

Susie nodded, then took her robes off, 'First time I did that in front of Harry, I noticed the looks he gave me and they weren't just a normal look from a bloke checking me out. But I never let on and we just had dinner and talked,' Susie poured herself a drink before sitting down.

'I'm sure you have a lot of men checking you out Susie, if you wear things like that. You just went from being an auror to a very, if you don't mind me saying, sexy woman.'

Susie laughed, 'I don't mine, but those robes get very hot so I like to wear as little as possible under them. But I have to have something underneath, if we get into a fight, we can get rid of the robes.'

Hermione saw Harry walked out in his usual jeans, 'So what do you wear under your robes?'

Harry laughed, 'You're looking at them, but Susie has the right idea. I want your opinion on what I said today, about Ginny being in love with the myth.'

'I think you're right, she told me how long she'd loved you and it doesn't make sense when she didn't even know you then. She met you that first time you went to the Burrow at twelve.'

'Yeah, when she told me that, at first I liked it, thinking she really did. But when I sat and seriously thought over everything she said, how could you love someone before you meet them. So even if she started to develop feelings for me after we met, those other feelings were already there and I think she just confused them, making herself think she really loved me. It's like when we go out somewhere public Hermione. You know I hate the attention, so you keep a low profile and you do that for me. Ginny doesn't think of me that way, if she loved me, she would, well, I think she would because I'd do the same thing.'

'I think you're right Harry. I've only known you for a couple of years, but I see it when we have to go somewhere public. With work it's difference, you have this side, your professional side and that's what you bring out, so you don't let yourself feel uncomfortable. But the few times we've been out somewhere together and you're not officially working as an auror, you instantly get uncomfortable with the looks you get.'

'You're right Susie, I've seen that myself even before Harry was an auror. We might have been right in the middle of a dangerous situation, with lots of people staring at Harry, but he never let it bother him. But in a normal, casual setting and people stare at Harry, he automatically gets uncomfortable. Your right Harry, about Ginny, when you went out, she never did let you stay out of the public's view. At first I just thought it was Ginny, you know, she liked the fact she's a professional quidditch star, which I do get. But as a couple who are supposed to be serious, she never thought of you in that situation, she only thought of herself. She's been around you for a long time, so she should have known how you are. She could have been miss popular when you weren't with her, then stayed in the shadows when you were with her.'

'I get why you like to talk things over with Hermione, she's smart and knows you, she doesn't hold back either.'

'I believe it's better to say the truth than to hold back. If people keep everything to themselves, you never get to the truth. I've had a few goes at Harry over the years. Sometimes I was right and other times I wasn't. But Harry never had a go at me, I think it's the male in him, he can't bring himself to yell at me.'

'And he's very protective of you and your friendship. I asked him last night about your relationship, if maybe he felt more for you than he believed. But he doesn't, he does just see you as his best friend and sister.'

'Yes, people have speculated about us for years, but we've always just been friends. I will tell you this, something I never even told Harry. When the three of us were away and Ron left, I was thinking about how to get back at Ron for hurting me, well hurting both of us. So I sat there for a few days and kept staring at Harry, trying to see past the friendship and see him as a boy, well, young man. I thought okay, he's nice looking, a bit on the thin side, but still very nice looking and his eyes are, sorry to say Harry, but they are absolutely gorgeous.'

'It's fine, not something I would expect to hear from you, but it's okay. So what did you work out about getting back at Ron?'

'I was looking at you to see if I could consider sleeping with you then let Ron know if we ever saw him again.'

'Hermione,' Harry stared wide-eyed, 'we couldn't do that.'

'No, we couldn't. But it took me a week with really watching you, even with how caring you were, trying to make me forget about Ron and stop me being so upset. You were so sweet and never let me be alone. But all I saw was my best friend so I couldn't. And remember, I even saw you naked a few times and to be honest, it never did anything for me.'

'Thanks a lot,' Harry shook his head but he smiled.

'Not like that Harry, but I saw you as my friend, my brother, so of course I wasn't going to react.'

'Well, to be absolutely honest, the few times I saw you naked, or getting changed, nothing happened. Remember that first night after Ron left, you were so upset that I climbed into your bed and just held you. We were pressed right up against each other and if I didn't think of you as my sister, my friend, I think I would have embarrassed myself, but nothing happened.'

'Actually it did Harry, but it was a normal hormonal thing that happens to all men, especially when there asleep. You know how I like to read, well I read about that, how it's got nothing to do with what their dreaming about, it just happens.'

'I really didn't need to hear you say that Hermione even if I know it does happen.'

'This is the side of you two that people don't see, two very good friends that can talk about anything and that's all it is even if you are male and female. I've never seen that before and I think that's why you two get speculated about a lot, not many people can see that the opposite sex can be just friends, good friends like you two are.'

'We're friends Susie, even if we are having the odd bit of fun on the side. But you're right, most people see a bloke and another bloke as best friends, or two girls giggling together. Hermione and I have had some good times together, sometimes just talking, other times laughing at some stupid thing we've done, well I've done. Hermione never does stupid things.'

'Thank you, but let's have dinner. You know it's lucky I cooked enough because I wasn't expecting you back tonight when you said tent in the office.'

'We weren't expecting to be back, but we got him easily enough. Harry's very good at his job, that's why I like being partnered with him, it doesn't happen very often though.'

'I enjoy working with you, one of the differences between you and Ron, you won't let me get away with anything, you won't back down. Ron always does what I tell him and he acts like I'm his boss. I know I'm the senior partner with him, but we both started together and he acts like I've been doing it for longer than him.'

'Ron has always followed your lead Harry, that's due to Voldemort and your life. So he knew he had to listen to you then, but I never thought he'd keep doing it at work.'

'Doesn't he ever talk about what goes on at work when he's at home?'

'No, he said he wanted to keep work and our private lives separate. He never did that today though, brought your private life right into the office. Anyway, let's have a nice dinner, then I'm going to soak in a bath and head to bed.'

'Good idea Hermione, maybe Susie might want to share a bath with me, we can get rid of our tension together.'

Susie laughed, 'Why not, because I am a little tense, you could give me a massage, you have great hands.'

'I don't need to hear this,' Hermione shook her head as she put food on the table, then the three of them enjoyed a nice meal with casual conversation of three friends just sharing some time together.