To say that Harry was surprised to receive an invitation to lunch from Hermione Granger, would be a lie. He had all the memories from his future self. He knew this woman. They'd gone to school together. They'd been best friends. They'd decided what values they had together. But one moment broke it.
However, Hermione wasn't … subtle. She could be magnificent. But she could also be quite obtuse. She had been investigating him. Ever since his slip-up in May when she'd found his former self, she'd been following him. Clearly, she didn't learn any surveillance skills from any of the Aurors that she worked with.
But Harry had found himself pleasantly surprised at how far she had been willing to go. She followed him everywhere, snuck into his home, and broke into the Department of Mysteries to search his desk. He wouldn't have believed it if you had told him back in January. She was still the same pushy person who made him walk with her to breakfast back in their First year.
Her work with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement made it clear that she was still quite rigid and focused on following the rules. If only she was willing to unbend her morals. Then they might actually find a way to become friends again. However, Harry thought she might be digging here.
She had been the one to stick to rules rigidly, even if she would use the letter of the rules to circumvent the spirit of the rule. He'd taught her that. However, she had been willing to break the laws in her tracking of him.
Based on what his future self had remembered of this meeting, he'd originally blown off the meeting. Instead, she'd confront him in a month with her suspicions. Then when he'd waved her off again, she'd gone after him at work. He'd been on the edge of being fired. The only reason he hadn't been is because she'd ambushed him and begged him to stop.
This time around, it would go differently. The future him thought that he could get her onside and convince her that he was right. The only way to find out was to go to lunch. Of course, she chose the Three Broomsticks. If it was someone else, he'd assume that she was trying to manipulate him by making him nostalgic about their time together at Hogwarts. But this was Hermione. She was clever but she wasn't emotional in that way.
Walking into the Three Broomsticks, Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The scent of butterbeers and fried food still filled the air. For just a second, he was back in sixth year dragging a protesting Hermione from Scrivenshaft's to get a Butterbeer.
When he opened his eyes, the grown up version of the woman was at a table near the back. Her back was to the wall and her eyes were on the door. Her face lit up when she saw him. He hadn't expected that. Maybe his future self was right.
"Harry!" She waved him over. Harry wanted to play this, but he couldn't help an indulgent grin from coming over his face. There was something about Hermione that just felt like putting on a perfectly worn-in glove on. It was comfortable to slide into the booth across from her.
"Hermione, it's good to see you. It's been too long."
She slid a butterbeer across the table to him. "I assume you're still a fan of the signature drink?"
"You know me, I'll never say no to a butterbeer. Though, I do try to mix it up with a Gilly water every now and then."
Hermione's smile dipped. It was a brief reminder that she may know some things about him, but she didn't really know him as well as she used to.
"What's new with you, Harry?" She asked, biting her lip.
Harry shrugged. "I'm still with the DoM, so I can't share too many details. But work has been good for me. How about you? Did I see that you were recently named to a list of rising prosecutors at the Magical Law Enforcement Office?"
Hermione waved a hand. "Those lists are ridiculous, but yes, I was on the most recent one. They swap in and out whoever they think will make the ministry look good for the year. Apparently, they're trying to recruit more muggleborns this year, so I was added to the list."
Harry frowned. A casual dismissal of an accomplishment? It seemed that Hermione had changed. Plus, that was a rather cynical - though likely true - assessment of the Ministry. He hadn't expected the candor from her.
She seemed to catch his frown. Her face transformed into a wry grin and she patted his hand resting on the table. "Oh, don't worry about me. I've still got all my idealistic goals for transforming the place. I've just had to get a little more realistic with what I can actually do. I've been mentoring Colin Creevey - you remember the little Gryffindor that always had a camera? It's better to help put a ladder down behind me than trying to be a token face in a publication."
"Yeah, I think he tried to get a yearbook going. If I remember right, he had the organizational skills but he wasn't stopped by Dumbledore?"
"Exactly, I'm so glad to be out of school though." Hermione sighed. "Actually, Harry, I wanted to chat with you about something."
"May, right? I'm so sorry you found me like that 'Mione. It was a rough night. We'd just lost a few - er - nevermind." Harry hesitated and cut his eyes off to look away from her.
"Temps?" Hermione whispered and she leaned over the table to say it closer to him.
Harry took a second to look around and see if anyone was near them. Not seeing anyone, he gave a light nod.
Hermione let out a deep breath and she had a light gleam in her eye. "Your career is really dangerous, Harry. Have you thought about - uh - making a change? I'm not sure how much you can say, but maybe you could pick a different tract?"
"I can't this late in the game. And, I'm not sure that I'd want to. Plus, I found a way to get around some of the danger." Maybe if he brought it up preemptively, he could influence her to his perspective. It wasn't like he put anyone else in danger. He's not quite sure how the future Hermione had outmaneuvered him, but if she's reading him as well as she's read the situation in the Ministry … he should work with her rather than against her.
"Harry …" Hermione trailed off. "Alright, let me lay my cards on the table."
"Is this where you stop beating around the bush and tell me that you know what I've been doing?" Harry put both his palms on the table.
"Fine, yes. I can't believe we haven't spoken in years and you're already running circles around me. But Harry, you can't keep this up." Hermione's voice was pleading.
"I'm not running circles around you. You just aren't as covert as you think you are. Also, you've been pushing some boundaries - did you really break into my home?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Most people would be horrified by that fact, not amused," Hermione muttered.
"I'm not amused. I'm proud." Harry leaned forward. "I've always thought you were one of the few people who could keep up with me. But you've always been so focused on precedent - not surprising where you ended up. I wish you had been more willing to bend the rules earlier."
"I did! There were so many times that I broke rules for you." Hermione ran a hand through her hair. "Alright, that's not what I want to talk about. Harry, what you are doing, it isn't right. You can't keep it up!"
"Hermione, you don't understand. I've perfected the method. Of course, I can keep it up. Besides, with this method, I never die."
"With this method, you always die!" Hermione didn't shout, but it was a near thing.
Harry took a sip of his butterbeer. She knew everything. He hadn't been sure of that yet. But now he is. "Hermione, what do you want from me here? I'm not truly in any danger."
"Harry, every time you do this, you kill yourself. What if you mess it up?"
"What if I walk in front of a bus in muggle London tomorrow? Hermione, I can't live my life in fear. I've cut the odds entirely that I could die in my line of work. Why do you want me to go back to the riskiest career available?"
"Harry …" Hermione didn't finish.
"Look, I didn't come here to argue with you. I don't need you to accept my choices or my career. But, I'd like to be friends again. It's been so long since Hogwarts. I do miss you, Hermione." While he had gone into this conversation with some hopes of convincing her not to be against him, Harry was a little startled to note that he meant it.
"I miss you too, Harry," Hermione said.
"We should do this again unless this is something you truly can't accept?" Harry tilted his voice up slightly to make the end a question.
Hermione hesitated. Harry almost held his breath. He hoped that she would choose him.
"I don't know that I will ever accept it, but I won't let this keep us from rekindling our friendship." Hermione looked down at the table.
Harry reached out for her hand and held it in his. "Are you sure? Think about it Hermione, don't just try to placate me here. That's not fair."
Hermione looked back up at him with a familiar fire in her eyes. "I'm not lying. I can handle it. But Harry, if you're going to keep doing this - you can't keep on as you've been."
"May was a fluke, 'Mione," Harry said.
Hermione's cheeks flushed at the familiar nickname. But she straightened her back. "May, sure. What about August?"
"What happened in August?" Harry looked at her in surprise.
"Did you know that Colin Creevey still takes photos in muggle London?" Hermione asked. "He came to show me something he was concerned about. It looked like two wizards apparating in and then one killing the other. Do you know how lucky you are that he came to me with the issue? He may not have recognized you. But I did. I had to obliviate him!"
Harry leaned back into the seat of the booth in shock. How had he missed that? That had to be a one in a bajillion chance. Colin Creevey taking photos in one of his recovery spots. They were all in muggle London with repelling charms for muggles. Then he would sweep for muggle recording devices. A magical camera was a hole in his process that he hadn't planned to need to plug.
"Harry, if you're committed to this, let me help you. You will get caught if we don't work together." Hermione's fingers tapped on the table. His eyes immediately zeroed in on it. She was nervous - for him?
"Alright. But not here. This conversation has been too public as it is." Harry stood up. He held out an arm to help Hermione out of the booth.
"What are you doing? I can get up just fine." She scoffed at him and slid out of the booth.
"Ah, but it is polite. Manners, 'Mione. You drilled them into my thick skull and I picked up some extra." Harry smirked at her.
She rolled her eyes at him and walked towards the door. He followed her out.
"I'll see you again," Hermione said definitively.
Oh, she was too cute. He reached out and rested his hand on her arm before she could apparate away.
"I'd like that," Harry said.
"I'm going to leave now," she said with a half confused look and then glanced at his hand on her arm.
"Before you do …" Harry let his hand trail down her arm to her hand. He gave it a light tug and pulled her into him.
She fell into him with her other hand landing lightly on his chest. Harry wrapped an arm around her waist. "Harry," she breathed out.
"'Mione," he said softly. His eyes had darted down to her lips. She licked them and he traced the path of her tongue.
Her plump upper lip was teasing him and he could barely stop himself from tasting it. He bet the flavor would be of the butterbeers they'd finished.
"Harry, we just reconnected. Are you sure you want to take this step?" Hermione's voice was hesitant.
It went against Harry's very nature to step away from a challenge like that. He kissed her. A soft brush of lips, and he was taken in by how soft they were. She immediately responded, and they were kissing in front of the Three Broomsticks. It wasn't something Harry had realized that he wanted. But now that he had it, he didn't want to give it up.
Something bumped into them forcing them to part. They were both breathing heavily. Hermione slowly blinked her eyes open. Harry held her gaze for a beat. Two. Then he turned to see what caused them to separate.
"Honestly! You're standing in the doorway. You should move!" An annoyed man said as he walked away. He hit Harry's shoulder deliberately when passing.
Hermione laughed. Harry felt her joy and pulled her with him to stand further from the door.
"I have to go," Hermione said, stepping away from him. She looked down and away from him.
Harry wasn't sure he was ready to let her leave. "I can come with you."
"Harry, I'm meeting my parents." She gave a small shake of her head to indicate he couldn't come with.
"I'll owl you to set up another date," Harry smirked at her.
"This wasn't a date!" Hermione said.
"The next one will be," Harry said.
Hermione shook her head and disapparated away. Harry watched the space where she had been for a few extra moments before he left with a "Pop" as well.