Note: Hello!
When I started writing this I wanted to write something short and horny. lol. The drama comes with it naturally. But, yeah, this is the last chapter and I hope you like it. I hope it has been a fun read!
Thank you all!
February 5th, 2006
Championship's Semifinal
It's impossible to stay still. On her feet at the stand, Hermione sways from side to side while mimicking Harry's movements. This game is too damn tense and if he doesn't catch the Snitch, Puddlemere is out of the Championship.
She lets out a yell of encouragement when he flies close by the stand. Luna, Ron and the girls - along with the rest of the Weasleys - are there to cheer Harry on.
Hermione knows how much he wants this. She knows how much he trains and dedicates himself to the team, lately even more than before. And he is the best Seeker. He deserves to be in the Final.
Viktor caught the Snitch for his team yesterday. Ballycastle is in the Final. Hermione was there, watching and cheering, but how nervous she felt doesn't come close to what she's feeling right now. If she could she would enter the game to help Harry find this damn golden ball.
Letting out a huge breath, she squints to see better. The sun is setting in the distance and it sucks. The game is lasting way longer than anyone predicted and it's undeniable that all players are annoyed with the sunlight hitting their faces.
Harry is flying way up higher. And his opponent is close to him, following his every movement.
Hermione glances at her watch. She told Viktor she would be home an hour ago.
But here she is, fulled with adrenaline, her heart beating fast, the blood running in her veins, her mouth dry as she keeps yelling. Yesterday Viktor asked if she were coming to this game and she said yes. She said Harry is her best friend and there were no reasons why she shouldn't be here. The nasty look he gave her was enough to make it clear that he was pissed about it.
Well…
Viktor didn't ask her not to come and Hermione knows he's never going to do something of the sort. He knows how much she hated when Ron practically made her choose on the hunt.
And deep down Viktor knows the truth.
A truth that even Hermione tries not to think about: in whichever situation that comes down to someone and Harry… she's always going to choose Harry.
She gulps at the thought. The conversation she had with him at Ginny's wedding invading her mind. She thinks about that night constantly and she has already created a thousand theories. When she saw him hugging Ginny, the jealousy flared inside her, but it was nice to realize that they'd finally sorted things out.
Then, what Harry said… those few words keep her awake at night. The notion that he's over Ginny and in love. She bites on her lower lip.
What they shared at the Hospital, it-
Of course it crossed her mind. It keeps crossing her mind that maybe she-
No. No way.
Harry never saw her as anything more than a friend. They only shared a kiss because of a stupid game. It's not like he's been trying to win her over and show her his love. They fucked for a while and it was amazing, himself said so when they ended their deal.
He also made it pretty clear that she should stay with Viktor.
But- fuck.
She admits to herself that she's a bit lost. For the first time in a long time, Hermione doesn't know what to do next.
"OH, COME ON!" Ron yells by her side and she yells with him. The rival Seeker just tried to kick Harry from his broom.
"THAT'S A FOUL!" She yells at the top of her lungs, booing the referee with the crowd.
But they only have a second to complain since Harry darts out into the sky insanely fast. A silence fills the pitch. Even the other players are paying attention to the way the two Seekers go in and out of the clouds, the Snitch zigzagging in front of them.
Hermione holds her breath. Harry is closer to the golden ball, his hand outstretched-
A Bludger zooms past the rival Seeker and she screams, scared that-
Harry shifts on the last second, giving all he has and jumping to the tip of his broom, his hand finally closing around the Snitch, safe from the Bludger-
"HARRY POTTER CATCHES THE SNITCH- OH, SHIT!"
She widens her eyes. Harry is falling from an incredible height. His broom falling faster than him-
Evelyn appears out of nowhere, helping Harry. Hermione breathes relieved, chuckling, Ron also lets out a huge breath by her side.
But what she sees next makes her heart stop. Evelyn kisses Harry on the cheek, both smiling. He looks surprised by the kiss, but he only shrugs while both come down to the ground.
Hermione grits her teeth. Maybe the woman he's in love with is Evelyn. They're always together. They both love Quidditch. They've already fucked a few times. And God knows how many kisses they already shared.
Suddenly she feels… bitter.
But the way he held me. The way he kissed my neck… those two kisses at the Hospital-
She was sure those little actions meant something more. Sure he might be talking about her after all-
Don't be stupid.
She's tired of setting herself up to disappointment. Like it happened on Christmas. And it doesn't matter now, does it? She's with Viktor-
"What are you thinking about?" Ron asks, his face serious. "You look… sad."
She sighs. "I'm not sad."
"Is it because he didn't give you the Snitch?" He bumps his elbow on her side. Luna is talking with Sarah, explaining that there's no way they're going to eat ice cream before dinner.
She scoffs. "Indeed. Maybe he'll give it to Evelyn." Oh, the jealousy.
Ron chuckles. "I thought you had a boyfriend." He says to her face, mocking her.
Hermione opens her mouth, outraged. Then she smacks his shoulder. "I-"
"Are you over him?" He asks in a lower voice. "I mean, since you've been back with Krum we didn't get a chance to properly talk about this without the man breathing down on your neck." He makes a face. "How are things?"
She looks around the stand, the Weasleys and the other players' families are there alongside with friends. The team is probably coming up to celebrate the victory. No one is paying attention to her and Ron, they're all talking about the game and chanting the team's anthem.
Taking Ron's arm, she moves a bit further from the others.
"I- Harry said he's in love."
Ron widens his eyes. "In love? That's the first time I'm hearing about this."
She shakes her head. "Maybe it's Evelyn-"
"I don't think so." He waves a hand in front of him, "Don't try to change the subject. Are you still in love with him? What about Krum? What happened after Christmas? I mean, not that I don't care about you, I agree it's appalling that I'm only asking about this now, but I'm a father. I have two kids and no time whatsoever-"
"I know." She chuckles. "Relax." Then, she inhales deeply. "I- I spent that night with Viktor and when I got back home, Harry was there… I asked him if I had a reason not to go back to Viktor, but he told me I should do it… be happy." She shrugs. "Things got back to normal between us and I'm trying to-" She stops, looking down. "I'm trying to move on, you know? Viktor loves me and he's safe."
"I'm sorry to break this to you, but that's not a good enough reason to be with someone."
She groans, irritated. "I know. Shit. I know. But what am I supposed to do? Harry's finally over Ginny but it looks like he met the woman of his life God knows where or when and now he doesn't go out anymore, he doesn't hook up anymore-"
"I think it's you." Ron says honestly. "I think he's crazy about you."
Hermione snorts. "He never stopped hooking up with other women when we were fucking. I think that says enough."
"I think you're wrong." She tilts her head and Ron crosses his arms. "Hear me out, there were times, rare, I admit, that I was right and you were wrong." He points a finger at her. She rolls her eyes and murmurs 'like two times in fifteen years', Ron ignores her and continues, "I think you're too involved to see the obvious, you know? Like the way our brains refuse our noses because it's right there, in front of us." She smiles, interested in his words. "And you're also in denial. The man has been crawling for you all this time, Hermione. Even when we were at Hogwarts."
She laughs sincerely. "Come on, Ron, of course not. I'm not Cho Chang or Ginny Weasley."
He chuckles. "Look, I'm not talking about the most obvious thing like the teenage horniness or shit. I'm talking about something deeper, something more… mature." She tilts her head. "Harry always took everything you said into consideration. He never doubted your word or that you would be there for him, the same way I know that he would have died for you."
"For you too." She says fast.
Ron smiles. "Yeah, but it's not the same. He would be able to live without me. But not without you."
She frowns at that, her heart beating faster. "Ron," Her voice is low, "I-"
"Hey, it's fine. And that's the line that separates us in his eyes, Hermione. That's the line to why he's in love with you and not with me." He winks at her, chuckling. "You're his best friend. And you're his safe landing. Trust me on this one, you're his everything."
She gulps, wetting her lips. "That's… a lot."
"I think it took him a while to notice." Ron squints. "Maybe having sex was the missing piece and all."
Her brain stops for a second. She has no idea what she's thinking, she neither understands what she's feeling. It would be a bit stupid to ignore Ron's words. He's the one that knows both her and Harry the best, the one that has always been with them, seen them together-
The team enters the stand and her eyes immediately go to Harry. His hair is wet and he's smiling, Evelyn by his side. Hermione squints, watching them. It doesn't look like their relationship has changed in any way-
His eyes find hers. And his smile gets wider.
Harry begins to walk to her, his hands inside his pockets, his posture relaxed. She loves to see him this happy and carefree. There's something about winning in Quidditch that does that to him, brings out a sincere sense of accomplishment that illuminates his soul.
First he greets Ron, who gives her a pointed look, widening his eyes, before he walks over to his wife. She restrains herself from rolling her eyes.
Harry stops when he's two steps in front of her.
"So? Enjoyed the game?"
"I mean, if to enjoy something we must almost get a heart attack, yeah, I did, very much." He chuckles deeply and it makes things to her core. "Congratulations, Harry."
She instinctively moves to him, their arms closing around each other. It's her guilty pleasure. She loves hugging him. Since they were little kids. It's like an obsession. She never said this to anyone, though, not even him. But it's undeniable that every time she's in his arms she feels safe and good. Taken care of. It's also her way of showing how much she cares. How much she wished she could hug out the pain from him, the burden.
He kisses her cheek when they move to separate, her heart wanting to stay there forever, her mind, on the other hand, yelling at her that she should go home. To her boyfriend.
But instead, she kisses his cheek in return, closing her eyes and marveling at the sensation.
She misses him. Which is crazy since they talk every day. But it's a different kind of longing. She misses their touches and kisses. She misses being with him… having him inside her- a shiver takes over her and her nipples harden without consent. She can feel the hotness on her neck.
Clearing her throat she takes a step back, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Harry squints, not quite understanding her attitude, but if there's something that he's a master at is recognizing horniness and the moment he does, she can see the way his gaze changes, his eyes a shade darker. He wets his lips and raises an eyebrow, a slow smile taking over his face.
It's like he's undressing her in his mind. Hermione can almost feel it. The way he would run his hands on her body and kiss her neck-
"I-" She begins, stuttering, "I should go."
"Already?" His voice is low, seductive. And it's like he's even closer to her now. "Stay." He says firmly, setting his jaw, his gaze changing a bit, from horniness to a fire that- jealousy. She blinks at the realization. "Krum can wait a little longer."
She tilts her head. "Ready to face him in the Final?" Hermione tries changing the whole subject in an attempt to send away the horny atmosphere. Thankfully - or not - it works.
Harry makes a face and raises an eyebrow. "Of course. I have no doubt I'll win." He winks and she smiles. Just the same Harry as always. "But…" He trails, watching her. "I can't help wondering."
"What?"
"In which stand you're going to be. His or mine."
She widens her eyes a bit. "Well… he's my boyfriend." Her voice comes out shaky, uncertain.
"So?" He shrugs. "I'm your best friend." He leans closer to her, "And the best sex you ever had."
She chokes on her saliva. Harry has a mischievous smile on his face. Cocky. Hermione chuckles.
"I really need to go, though." She says again, trying to convince herself that there's a place she'd rather be than in his arms or talking to him the whole night.
He rolls his eyes. "Fine, if you insist." He sighs, then he takes something from his pocket. "Here."
It's the Snitch.
Hermione opens and closes her mouth a bit, taking the ball in her hand, feeling its familiar weight.
"Are you sure you want to give me this?" She asks, their eyes locked.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Maybe you should give it to the woman you're in love with."
A tension settles. Harry squints. Hermione is still holding the Snitch, her heart pounding inside her chest as she waits-
"That's an amazing idea. I'll give her the next one." He says in a strange voice. "The one from the Final." He winks.
She gulps and hesitantly pockets the Snitch, nodding. There's a hole inside her stomach. A coldness. Of course she gets this one, the less important one. But she's used to it. She's used to the sensation of Harry only having eyes for other women. Since Hogwarts.
With a tight smile and unable to say anything else, she waves him a goodbye and apparates to her flat.
Viktor is on the couch, waiting for her. She can see that he watched the game on the magical screen he possess.
"Hey." She says, walking slowly to the couch, his face is not the most welcoming one.
"Hey." He says back to her, not even a glint of happiness on his face. Hermione sits down by his side, her hand on his thigh when she moves to kiss his cheek. "So, he won." He says in a whisper, lowering his eyes.
Hermione can feel the weight from the Snitch in her pocket. She wonders what Viktor would do if he saw the box filled with them.
"Are you sad about it? You told me you wanted him to win so you could beat his ass again."
Yeah, she heard this exact words yesterday. Krum snorts.
"It's not that… it's just-" He sighs, looking at her. "You're going to watch the game from my stand, right?"
She raises an eyebrow and chuckles.
"I don't get what's the big deal with the stand from where I'm going to watch the game. Maybe I should buy a ticket and watch it with everyone else."
He groans, angry, "See, that's the thing! When you talk like that it's clear to me that you prefer to watch it from his!"
"Viktor, that's not-"
"Oh, don't lie to me!" He raises from the couch and she crosses her arms, intrigued by his outburst. "I- I need to know. When you told me there was someone in your heart you said it wasn't him, but- I just can't shake this certainty and-"
She wets her lips. "And what?"
He looks shaken. "Look, I said something to him-"
"What? What are you talking about?" She perks up, her heart beating faster, Harry didn't say a word to her about any conversation he might have had with Viktor.
"At the game. When we were after the Snitch." Hermione frowns.
"The Nationals' Final?"
"Yeah, I-" He puts a hand on his forehead, tense, "Don't be angry with me, but I might have said something about you-" He stops.
Hermione raises from the couch, now fully alert. She won't like what she's about to hear, for sure. Viktor never behaved like this. He rarely asks her not to be angry.
"Tell me." Her tone is a bit harsh.
"I asked him if he missed the way you moaned when you sucked his dick."
It's like someone slaps her. Hard. Hermione loses her ground for a second, completely shocked. She blinks a few times, trying to understand.
"I'm sorry, did I just hear what I think I did?" Her voice comes out high pitched. And an anger takes over her. "Are you serious?" She hisses. "That's- Fuck, Viktor, tell me this is a joke." She's shaking.
"Hermione, I'm sorry! But I had to know! And the way he reacted told me that I was right! You lied to me!"
"Oh, no, no, no! This is not about me lying to you or whatever the fuck! This is you saying something like that to my best friend to win at Quidditch!" She yells. "You didn't even consider me in this! How could you? Did you even hear yourself just now? The absurdity of-"
"I'm sorry! Okay? Shit! You don't need to overreact-"
"I'm overreacting? Oh, that's fucking rich!"
"But you can't deny that you lied to me! You were screwing him, weren't you?"
Hermione never saw Viktor act this madly. He never talked to her like this.
"Yes, Viktor. We were fucking." It gives her some satisfaction to say the words out loud. Viktor scoffs, running a hand through his hair.
"I knew it, I knew it! I've always known!" He yells.
"That doesn't change what you did. It was a low blow." She lowers her voice. "And you exposed me-"
"I didn't since you were really shagging him!"
"You're my boyfriend!" She yells. "And look at the way you talked about me, the situation!" She shakes her head and he gulps, it seems like her words are finally sinking in. "If you had asked me-"
"You lied when I did!"
She exhales, exasperated.
"Because I knew you would act like this! Because you've been jealous of him since we first met!"
"With reason!" He's yelling again. "Do you love him, Hermione? Huh? Do you?! Am I just the consolation prize because he's never going to want a life with you? Because you're only his know-it-all friend who he only used to survive Voldemort-"
She moves fast, closing the distance between them and slapping him across the face.
A heavy silence fills the room.
She's breathing hard. Viktor is shocked, one hand on his red cheek.
Not looking at him, but to the floor, in a low voice she says, "Don't you ever talk about me and Harry again. You have no idea what we share, Viktor. You have no idea what we've been through together. And to answer your bloody question, yes, I love him." Her eyes go to his, he's clenching his jaw. "And you know what? I don't think I'll ever stop and that can't possibly be fair to me or to you." His expression changes. "Leave. We're done."
"Hermione, I-"
"Please, don't make this harder than it already is."
He fists a hand, his eyes searching her face for a hint of regret. But he won't find any. She's… relieved. She can't be with him. It's wrong. Her heart denies this relationship since they got back together.
Having sex with Harry changed everything for her. It was indeed the missing piece and it took her long to admit this but no one can compare to Harry. She thought Viktor had been the love of her life because she didn't know better.
But now she does.
And even if Harry is in love with someone else… she has to be fair to her own feelings. She doesn't love Viktor. Ron was right. She doesn't have good enough reasons to stay with him.
Not to mention that now the man in front of her looks like a stranger. She never imagined he would do something like what he did. She never imagined he would behave the way he did, that he would drop this low.
Sighing, he asks, "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He snorts and then begins to magically put all his things into a bag. Hermione watches while he checks twice. There's nothing of hers in his place. It's like she knew their end was coming.
He looks at her one last time.
"You're setting yourself up to disappointment if you think Harry's gonna be with you. He's never going to love you."
She gulps, but doesn't say a word. She could say how little Viktor knows about Harry to be talking like this, she could start a whole new fight, but deep down it hurts because she thinks the same.
Viktor finally leaves.
And she sits back down on her couch. The tears are inevitable and she lets them flow.
February 7th, 2006
Ron and Luna's
She hasn't told anyone yet. About Viktor. In reality she's still trying to process what happened. Lying to him about her feelings for Harry was a mistake, but it doesn't compare to what he did. The way he talked about her and the moment…
Harry never mentioned this. Not even hinted at it. She keeps thinking about that game. About the moment they were chasing the Snitch. Viktor had the lead at first, but he lost it and then they were very close… that's probably the moment he said something, she remembers Harry's inexplicable hesitation.
Hermione leans forward on the couch, holding her head with both hands, her elbows on her thighs. She's sad with the whole thing. And her brain is blaming the stupidest game ever created: spin the bottle. If it weren't for that party and this ridiculous game she wouldn't have shared a kiss with Harry, they would still be oblivious to how amazing sex can be between them and the realization that she's been in love with him since forever wouldn't have hit her in the head. Viktor would've been back and they would be able to pick up where they stopped-
"Headache?" Ron asks, sitting by her side and offering her a glass of water.
"Yeah." She mumbles, accepting the water.
"I may have some potions-"
"No, it's fine, it'll go away eventually." She finishes her water and settles the glass on the table near the couch. "So, I have some news." She states. Ron turns to look at her. He told her he was baking a cake and asked her to come eat some with the girls. So, she left work and came. "I broke up with Viktor."
He widens his eyes, "For real?"
She nods. "Yeah, I mean, you have no idea how fucked up it is." And she tells him everything, about what Viktor said to Harry and then what he said to her.
"What a jerk!" Ron exclaims, pissed off. "I invited this asshole to Christmas!" He shakes his head, appalled. "You're better off, Hermione." And his arm goes around her shoulders. Ron kisses her temple and she smiles.
"Thank you for this, Ron." She kisses his cheek in return. He shrugs.
"What about now? Have you talked to Harry?"
She sighs. "I haven't seen him since the game. The Coach has the team on some sort of lockdown till the Final."
"Tomorrow." Ron states. "Are you going?"
"I… yes. And then maybe I should take some time off." She closes her eyes, "The Auror responsible for investigating the exploding machine paid me a visit today. He told me an incantation was performed for the machine to explode whenever I came close to it." Ron raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, apparently it wasn't targeting the building itself, it was targeting me. He said I should hire a bodyguard."
Hermione gives Ron a pointed look and they can't help chuckling.
"This Auror has no idea who he's talking with." Ron says fondly, "You're a better bodyguard than half the Auror Department."
She chuckles a bit more. "Well, thank you."
"No clue who might be the culprit?"
"Well, after this Auror left, the Head talked to me. When it happened they asked me if I had enemies." She makes a face. "And after Harry gave me that exclusive… it changed things for The Clever Owl. Like, everything. You have no idea how many new readers and subscribers we have now, they're not buying other magazines only to keep up with mine. I bet Anderson was not happy about it. I gave the Aurors her name." Ron nods, agreeing and paying attention. "And when they investigated her wand…" Hermione hints the obvious.
"What a bitch. She'll get what she deserves, I suppose." Ron says calmly, then, he abruptly changes the subject, "So, Harry."
She snorts. "Ron, he's in love."
"With you."
"How can you be so sure?"
"How can you not?"
She makes a face. "I… well, regardless, we're going to find out who she is tomorrow. He's gonna give her the Snitch."
"If he catches it."
"Of course he will. He's better than Viktor."
"I can't wait for Harry to put that asshole where he belongs."
And just then, the oven announces that the cake is ready.
Sarah barges into the living room, running to the kitchen. Luna comes after her, little Elle holding her hand.
"Hermione!" Luna greets her with a hug. "Come, let's eat some cake before Sarah devours it. She's just like her father."
They laugh together. And Hermione feels good to be there. But there's an annoying anxiousness inside her and a voice repeating a word:
Tomorrow.
February 8th, 2006
Championship Final
There's nowhere else she would rather be. Hermione is at Harry's stand, watching the game in a tense silence. She can't keep her eyes off of him and Viktor. They keep provoking each other, diving dangerously and feinting one another with ridiculous risky moves. She's too nervous to even cheer.
And she can't stop thinking that this match is more than just winning a title. For her it's everything. If Harry catches the Snitch, if he gives it to her-
Just the thought makes her stomach churn and fly high with a thousand butterflies. She keeps fantasizing about it like a teenager. She keeps imagining his smile while he soars close to the stand, his hand outstretched to her with the Snitch.
Biting on her lower lip she makes a face at the Bludger that Harry barely escapes. Viktor and his whole team are acting more aggressively towards Harry. They know he's the one who's gonna win this title for Puddlemere.
Ron and Luna are yelling by her side.
And Harry comes flying close to the stand, inciting the fans and cheers. He winks at her. She smiles, her heart beating fast. Viktor is close and she can see that he's looking at her. But she ignores him. And she hopes he won't use another dirty move to distract Harry.
The Final is obviously a huge deal and the stadium is the biggest one ever put together on a special location. The place is packed and the noise is loud. Close to any experience she ever had at a World Cup.
"And Evelyn scores for Puddlemere!" The commentator yells. "Puddlemere is closing in on Ballycastle! 120X160!"
Hermione watches while Harry claps Evelyn in her fast celebration. Pursing her lips she tries to ignore the jealousy inside her-
But she barely has time to register it, Viktor darts out into the sky and this time it doesn't seem like he's trying to fool Harry. She moves forward, everyone in the stands holding their breaths.
Harry catches up to Viktor fast, coming from a different direction and bumping into him with force. Viktor sways to the side and tries to shove Harry back. But he's faster. Harry moves under Viktor coming out on the other side while the Bulgarian goes flying into the nothing.
"Come on, come on." She's murmuring the words, her hands fisted.
Harry has a clear path to the Snitch now. Viktor is way behind.
But the Snitch changes course and direction abruptly. It was ascending. Now it's descending fast and Viktor has another chance.
"BLOODY HELL!" Ron yells, angry.
"Come on, uncle Harry!" Sarah cheers him on.
Hermione finally yells too, "Go, Harry! Come on!" She's trembling from excitement and nervousness. Maybe Quidditch isn't that boring, after all.
And of course this game is going to be decided on a move that she hates. The Snitch is diving to the ground and both Seekers are shoulder to shoulder to catch it. Hermione has seen this a number of times and she doesn't think her heart can handle it.
It's a nosedive to death.
But Harry and Viktor don't care. They're doing this. Hermione knows they prefer hitting the ground and dying than conceding the victory to the other.
"Oh, shit." She whispers.
Ron is also tense by her side, his hand clutching the rail of the stand.
Both teams are kind of frozen in place. There's no sense in trying to score now, the Snitch will decide.
They're getting closer and closer to the ground. Hermione leans on the rail to see it. They look like little dots and-
None give up on the dive. Both their hands outstretched.
They do crash on the ground, sand everywhere. Hermione widens her eyes. There's a deadly silence around the stadium. The sand starts to come down…
"And…" The commentator is voicing the whole stadium's expectation.
Hermione just hopes they're not dead.
Something moves on the sand and then a hand comes out of it. She can barely see so she looks at the huge magical screen that's showing the game.
It's Harry's hand.
"Harry Potter caught the Snitch! Puddlemere wins the Quidditch Championship Tournament of 2006!"
The crowd erupts into wild screams, impossibly loud. She's laughing out of relief. Ron and Luna hug her in celebration and they start to jump in place, yelling and making no sense at all.
She's so freaking happy. Happy for him. For this achievement. Happy because she knows he'll be happy. Because his happiness is what matters the most.
The teams fly down to the ground and Hermione watches while Harry and Viktor are pulled from the sand. As expected, they surely hurt something. Harry is holding his left arm, scrunching his nose, but with a smile on his face. Viktor is practically doing the same, no smile, though.
The team begins a chant and soon it takes over the stands.
"POTTER! WHAT'S HIS NAME? POTTER!"
It makes no sense but it's fun and she can't stop chuckling. Harry waves to the crowd, showing them the Snitch again. And then the others are hugging him tightly, raising him from the ground. It's a celebration.
She keeps smiling, there's no way Harry can see her from down there, but she can see him perfectly on the screen and-
Hermione freezes. Her heart-
Harry is leaning over to say something into Evelyn's ear, the woman smiles brightly and then he… gives her the Snitch.
"Oh, shit." Ron murmurs by her side.
Hermione gulps, looking down.
"Well, Ron, I guess I was right again." She says in a low voice, hurt, but not totally surprised. And for the first time she wishes she had been wrong.
"I'm sorry." He says, giving her a hug. "I really thought…" He shrugs and she brushes it off as if it's not that important.
"Doesn't matter." Hermione sighs. "I just want him to be happy." And a thought crosses her mind. "I guess that article was right, I'm destined to die alone with no kids."
Ron laughs. "Of course not! Hey, you'll find the guy. Trust me. Tell her, Luna!"
"Tell her what?" Luna asks, smiling, Elle in her arms. She was talking to Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys.
"That she'll find the right guy."
Luna rolls her eyes, "You already did find him, Hermione. He's right there." And she points to the field.
Hermione shakes her head. "Yeah, but he didn't find me, though." She shrugs. It's odd how numb she feels. How… resigned she is.
"Oh, come on. I know what you need." Ron says, "To party!" He yells and calls the rest of the family to cheer her up even if they don't know what's happening.
She smiles, taking a beer from Ginny and trying to forget what just happened.
There's going to be a huge after party, she knows. And maybe she should head home and avoid the scene of Harry and Evelyn acting like a couple. And that's exactly what she plans to do, but Ron doesn't let her.
She stays there and they watch while the trophy is handed out to Harry - one of his arms still clearly broken - and he lifts it up, yelling in victory. Viktor is not even there to receive his silver medal.
And after Harry hands over the trophy to the rest of the team, he takes his broom and flies directly to the stand.
Everyone inside begins to cheer, Hermione also does. Harry lands in front of her, a huge smile on his face. And even with a broken heart, she moves to hug him.
He laughs wholeheartedly and with his good arm, he lifts her from the floor. Hermione yelps and kisses his cheek.
"Congratulations!" She kisses his cheek again, her arms around his neck in a vicious grip. "You're the best!"
"I know!" He jokes and kisses her cheek also. He's all sweaty and he has sand everywhere, but she can't help finding it sexy. She shakes her head to dismiss the thought.
He lets her go and fast enough the others are hugging him and she takes a step back, watching. His arm must be hurting like crazy but it looks like he doesn't care.
"Okay, okay." He raises a hand in the air. "I want to see you all at the after party!" He gives Ron the address. "I'm just going to fix my arm first and then I'll meet you all there! We won!"
She smiles again. You know what? Fuck it.
She's going to this party.
3:00am
Outside Hermione's flat
She has no idea what's so funny, but she's laughing. Her head feels light and she's glad Ron's there to help her.
"Where's the key?" He asks, searching inside her purse.
They're standing in front of her flat's door, Hermione leans with her back on the wall besides the door and things start to spin a little.
"It's there." She says naturally. "I could have apparated inside-"
"You're too drunk!" Ron exclaims, still searching for the key, "And I don't wanna heal you from it, I think you need to be drunk tonight."
"You got that right, Ronald Weasley!" She yells.
"Shhh." He chastises her. "You'll wake the neighbors."
Hermione shrugs, not caring. She's looking at Harry's door.
"Do you think he's with her?" She whispers now, a pull on her chest.
"I don't know. I mean, we barely saw him at the party."
"Yeah."
Harry arrived pretty late - because he was fixing his arm - and greeted them, but then he was taken by the sea of people to celebrate and Hermione has no idea where he went. And she decided she'd had enough. Ron was leaving too and he offered to take her home.
"And you didn't even drink that much." He says, "Seriously, your alcohol resistance is ridiculous."
She snorts. "It's the heartbreak!" She says dramatically, putting both hands over her chest, glad that she's drunk. "Do you think he would love me if I played Quidditch?" She asks, thinking hard about it, Ron chuckles sincerely. "I mean it!" She says, serious, her emotions changing fast - something drunk people are masters at. "Give me a broom right now and I'll fly it! I swear!"
Ron keeps laughing, and then he finally finds the key, celebrating his success. Hermione crosses her arms and turns to her door, ready to head inside-
A sobriety spell hits her. She blinks a few times.
Making a face at Ron, she asks, "What the fuck? You said I should be drunk tonight."
He opens a huge smile. "Yeah, yeah, thank me later." And he opens the door.
In a second he apparates away.
Hermione frowns, not understanding a thing but entering her flat, nonetheless. It's complete darkness and it sucks a lot to be sober. She can feel the pain taking over her, seizing her heart.
She closes the door and leans against it, in the dark. Sighing, she takes a moment to… accept.
It was not meant to be and she'll have to live with this for the rest of her life. Move on.
Nodding to herself, she takes the first step inside, ready to get drunk again-
Countless candles lit up the living room and she stops on her tracks. There's a huge vase on the center table filled with red roses and leaning on it there's an envelope.
Her name written on it.
It's Harry's handwriting.
Hermione opens and closes her mouth, looking around inside her flat, her brain glitching, imagining this must be a joke of some sort. But it's silent inside.
And her mind restarts. In wide steps she takes the envelope, her heart beating like crazy.
Trembling and gulping, she opens it:
Hermione,
Let me tell you a story. A story of a boy that grew up not understanding love. When he was a kid, he accepted that he would never get those same warm hugs his cousin got. He accepted that life was this way and there was nothing he could do about it. Then he turned eleven and everything changed. This little boy found love and he got his hugs. But even so, it was hard for him to comprehend. How could those strangers love him so much while his own blood didn't? Always afraid of messing things up or not completely being able of grasping the reality of what love meant, he hit puberty and all the horniness that comes with it. Don't get me wrong, by this time the boy already knew what love was, but he couldn't see it. And he was horny all the time. Yeah, he fought some dark wizard and shit, and then he went back to his girlfriend, sure that things would finally go back to its tracks. Guess what? They didn't. He closed this love he thought he felt deep inside himself and carried on, never letting others connect with him, never truly opening up.
But there's an exception.
A girl. Brown hair, always a book in her hand. Smart. Fun. Bossy. Beautiful.
You.
Always my exception.
When I thought no one would be there for me, you were.
When I felt alone, you made me company.
When I needed a bear hug, you wrapped your arms around me.
When I had to vent or tell someone a crazy idea, you listened.
When I felt hopeless, you gave me hope.
When I didn't feel loved, you loved me.
I'm writing you this because I suck at expressing my feelings and you have no idea how many times I already tried to say these same things to you, specially on this last month. My therapist suggested a letter.
Now, I'm waiting for you, just across the hall.
If you want to, there are a few things I still need to tell you.
Harry.
Hermione inhales deeply, tears falling down from her eyes when she lets the air out.
She doesn't think. She leaves her flat with the letter in her hand. And she doesn't knock on his door, she simply enters the place.
Harry's there. Standing in the middle of his living room, smiling, his hands behind his back. There are candles all around.
"Hey." He says in a low voice, still smiling.
She brushes her tears away, taking slow steps to him, her heart frenetic.
"Hey." She whispers back. Now there's a smile on her face. One that she wouldn't be able to wipe out even if she tried real hard.
"I gather you got my letter." He says. She notices that he's a bit… shy.
"I did. I- it's the best letter I ever got." She tilts her head.
He tilts his.
"I'm glad. Before anything, I-" He clears his throat, nervous. "I have something for you."
His hands come from behind his back and there's a velvet box in them. Big. He winks at her and Hermione takes the box, her hands shaking a bit.
She opens it with certain difficulty and both chuckle nervously.
It's the Snitch.
Hermione closes her eyes. When she opens them, Harry is very close to her, that same smile on his face. He takes a deep breath.
"I love you. I'm completely in love with you." Her smile widens, he continues, "I know you think I gave it to Evelyn, but I did it on purpose, I confess. You see, Ron told me you broke up with Krum. He told me that… if I felt something for you I shouldn't let this chance pass. And you actually gave me the idea when you said I should give the Snitch to the woman I loved." He shrugs. "I've been doing it for years, haven't I?" He moves and gently takes the box and the letter from her hands, setting them on his couch. Then, his hands come to her waist and she moves to him, their foreheads touching. "I fixed my arm real fast and then I went to the party to make you think I was there. I came here and set this all up. Did you like it?"
She moves her arms to loop around his neck. Their eyes lock.
"I loved it. And I love you too."
His smile turns naughty. "Yeah, you do?"
"Yeah, I'm afraid I do."
They're looking at each other like fools. He moves to kiss her and it's the best kiss they ever shared. She doesn't have to think about being too loving or sweet. And indeed, it's slow and soft. It screams: I love you.
His arms close more around her waist and when he pulls back, he says, "I'm sorry it took me so long to see it, Hermione. I've loved you for a long time. Maybe since forever." He kisses her cheek. She closes her eyes. "When you told me you were with Krum I was still in denial and if he made you happy… only your happiness mattered." He stops, nervous. "I- I was afraid of not being worthy of you. Afraid of giving my heart and-" He inhales deeply. "Can I be your boyfriend?" He raises an eyebrow.
She snorts a chuckle. "Hm, you're done whoring around, right?" She knows he is, but she can't leave this out from this conversation.
He clicks his tongue. "Well, last time I had sex was with you so I think I might be a virgin again."
They laugh.
"Oh, really?" She asks, the mood changing to provocation. Hermione bites on his neck. "I might have to teach you a few things, then."
He squeezes her ass, rubbing his cheek on hers.
"Please do, I'm all yours." He whispers in a deep voice. It sends a shiver down her spine. She moves to look into his eyes.
"And I'm all yours, Harry. I think I've always been."
He smiles. "Do you really want to ride a broom to impress me?" He jokes and she blushes, smacking his shoulder playfully. His hand goes up on her back, finding the waistband from her trousers and… sliding inside, squeezing her flesh, his fingers hot on her skin. "It would be incredibly sexy, to be honest." She tugs on his hair when he kisses her neck.
"Yeah? We might try it, then. We can have sex while on the broom."
Chuckling against her skin, he seizes her in his arms. She wraps her legs around him.
"Ready for the many 10s you're getting tonight?"
She throws her head back, laughing, searching his eyes after, her hand on his cheek. "Just being with you is already a ten." She whispers.
Harry wets his lips, a bit emotional.
"Same." He says.
They keep smiling while Harry walks to the bedroom.
Hermione is sure they'll keep smiling the whole night.
And it's perfect.
Note: The nice, fluffy Epilogue comes in two or three days!!