Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Chapter 27
It was two days before Christmas. Everything was quiet outside, snow was slowly covering the building's little garden and Hermione was sipping her cup of tea, her eyes focused on the two little boys playing with snow balls. A smile appeared on the corner of her lips when she noticed a girl, probably their younger sister, taking a snow ball into her gloved hands and aiming at them. She didn't touch any of her brothers, unfortunately, and the three of them started to laugh.
After a few minutes, Hermione emptied her cup of tea and went back to the living room. She couldn't help but think about James. What was he doing at this exact moment? A nap, maybe? Or was he playing with his father… and mother?
She had been avoiding every call from Harry since her talk with Ginny. It had been a week, and she could almost say aloud every word he used in his messages. « I miss you, please call me back… » « Why are you not answering my calls? Hermione, we cannot stay in this situation forever » « I went to the bookshop and they told me that you took a few weeks off… » « Please, we need to talk… »
But what could she possibly say to Harry Potter? She loved him, of course she did. She had thought that something was possible between them, that it could be the start of the family that she had always dreamed of. But it wasn't.
How naive was she? Harry already had a family, and Ginny had made that perfectly clear. Hermione was their friend, sure she was, and she had been since a long time. But a friend is a friend, and this situation had to stay that way.
It would have been different, she thought, different if Harry had made it pretty clear to everyone that he wanted to be with her. Unfortunately for the young librarian, things weren't like that. He was still living with his wife and son, and things had to remain that way. At least for James' sake.
Hermione was still lost in her thoughts when she heard the doorbell rang. She sighed, and eventually put her dark emerald sweater on, heading towards the door. She wasn't expecting anyone, but she was just half-surprised when she opened the door.
« Harry. »
Hermione's voice was almost just a whisper, and she gently cleared her throat.
« Well, you can't say that you weren't expecting me », Harry simply said, his dark coat covered with snow.
« I wasn't, actually, » Hermione managed to say, before taking a step back. « Please, come. »
It wasn't easy for her to say that. But Harry was her friend before anything else, and what they had shared in the past months… It was a mistake, just a mistake. Something that she should now avoid at all cost.
« I'm not going to stay long, » Harry explained.
« Do you want a cup of tea? Something to eat? I can make a cake, it's just a matter of… »
« Hermione… »
She was heading toward the kitchen, not paying attention to him. She was acting like he was a total stranger.
« Mmh, let me think… », she continued. « I have some biscuits too… »
« HERMIONE! »
Harry's voice made her jump, and she froze. He was looking at her, his eyebrows frowned, as if he didn't know what was going on with her. He was acting like she was the problem here.
« Don't look at me like that » she muttered. « You can't, Harry. You cannot give me that look. »
« You didn't call me back » he blamed her.
« You shouldn't have called me at all. You have a family. »
« Nonsense! You know how I feel toward Ginny. You know that I wanted a divorce! Merlin, Hermione, you know all these things! »
« I know that she wants to have you back and that things are going well between you two. It's the only thing that matters, and it's great. It's great for James, for Ginny, for… everyone. I'm glad to know that you're happy, and… »
« Stop! », Harry almost yelled at Hermione. « Please stop this nonsense. What happened? We were together one day, and the other… You were avoiding me. Hermione, please, » he added in a much softer voice.
Hermione breathed slowly, and eventually talked.
« You… You and I, us. We cannot continue like that. I can't, Harry. I can't wait for you to take your decision, I can't stay here and watch her win your heart back. »
« It won't happen… », he cut her off, but she didn't pay attention.
« I love you, » she continued. « But I can't be the other woman anymore. Ginny has to stay a while? Then ok. It's fine. But you can't ask me to wait here like your mistress, you can't come here, make love to me and run away. You can't because it's fucked up, Harry. If you want to have a healthy and decent life with me in the future, if you truly want a relationship with the woman who has been your best friend since you're eleven, then okay; we will wait. I need to know that you're perfectly sure, but you can't ask me to wait for you that long. I don't want to put my life on hold for you, Harry. Well, to be honest, I've already done that, but I can't anymore. You have to decide whether or not you want to continue your marriage with Ginny, your family with James and his mother. It's not something that you can throw away in just… what, a few months? No, you can't. It's not you. It's not us. We are better than that, don't you think? We all deserve better.» Hermione finished in a whisper, her eyes full of silent tears, but a shy smile over her face.
She took his hand, squeezing it gently.
« So, give Ginny a chance. I don't want you to rush things. If you think… God, it's so hard to say it… Well, if you realise that you still love her, then… It's okay, Harry. I won't let you down as a friend, just… I won't be there as a lover anymore, that's all. »
« Why? » Harry said, his voice cracking.
« Please, don't ask me why, Harry. We should have done that long ago, and you know it. »
« Why now? » he insisted.
« You should go. »
« Hermione… »
« Harry, it's hard enough that way, so… Please don't insist »
The tears that were threatening to run over her cheeks eventually started to fall, and she erased them with a laugh.
« It's rubbish, really. I'm not mad at you, if you want to know. But you should leave. Please. Do it for me. »
Harry sighed and headed towards the front door, not knowing what to say to make her talk to him.
« I'm still your friend, » Hermione said while opening the door. « We're still friends, right? »
« Of course, we are. And we're more than that, despite what you said. »
« Maybe. But not now. Right now, we can't. »
Harry didn't say anything during a moment or two, and Hermione continued.
« Could you please tell Ginny that I will be there for Christmas? »
« Really? »
« We're still friends, » the brunette repeated with a little smile.
Harry nodded, and Hermione was about to say him goodbye when he put his hand on the door, preventing her from doing so.
« I didn't even have the opportunity kiss you, » Harry said to Hermione's surprise.
« We can't, Harry. »
« But you still want to? »
Hermione was that close to say « no », but then she noticed something in Harry's eyes… A spark, something different. And at that moment, she knew that he needed a clue, something to hang on to regarding their relationship.
« Of course, Harry. Of course, » she eventually muttered. « Have a nice evening. »
When she closed the door, she knew that she had made the right choice. A difficult one, for sure; but she had to do it, because Harry wouldn't have done it alone. She was the « brain », she had always been. Losing him in this battle was a possibility; but it was the right thing to do.
Wasn't it?
Deep apologizes for the delay... Life, life is not always slow and easy. I've been in Hermione's situation earlier this year. And now I know how to finish this story. Many thanks for your support, reading your reviews gave me the courage to continue Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. And for that : THANK YOU.