Running Away

Harry hesitated answering, wondering why she would ask so soon, when they hadn’t even addressed her leaving. Hermione sat patiently awaiting his answer, worried for the worse. She didn’t want to hear he had been happy with another girl, despite the fact that she would be married right now if she hadn’t come here on her fools errand.

“Nothing too serious. I’ve been more focused on getting the shop successful. It was much more work than I had imagined. It seems that girls want their boyfriend to give them his attention, not some bloody store.” Harry chuckled nervously, as Hermione let out a held breath on the other side of the table. “But it’s worth it. Ron and I talked about opening a store when we were on the hunt. We saw how much fun Fred and George had with theirs and thought it would be great fun. So after he was gone, I felt like it was something I needed to do for him. I’m not too worried about dating, really.” Harry had answered her truthfully, trying not to sound too hung up on her, even though it was the truth. Every girl he had dated couldn’t compare to her and if they hadn’t already left due to lack of attention, he would end things before it got too serious. “What about you?” Hermione again choked on her water as she had been sipping it when he asked.

“Oh, you know, I dated a little, had a serious relationship, but it ended badly. It’s one of the reasons I came back, to kind of get away from it all. I wasn’t good enough for him, he deserved someone better.” Hermione lied, making sure that she left out the part about the wedding. She wasn’t yet ready to face that truth.

“Did he tell you that? Because I’m sure it’s the other way around, he’s probably not good enough for you. Your wonderful, and any man would be lucky to have you in his life. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.” Harry got rather worked about the issue and it thrilled Hermione.

“He did not tell me that, it’s actually how I feel. I don’t know how to explain everything but I don’t deserve him. Just leave it at that, please. Life goes on and I’m enjoying being here with you, right here, and there is nowhere else I would rather be.” Hermione finished with a smile, but Harry’s face held a stern expression.

“It’s nice of you to say things like that but that just makes me wonder even more why you never responded to my letter than? Three years, and nothing. What happened, Hermione? I thought we were at least still friends?” Harry tried to hold in the hurt he always felt.

“That’s one of the things I wanted to explain when I mentioned we had a lot to talk about. I just read your letter, for the first time, yesterday afternoon. My mum hid it from me when Hedwig delivered it. She thought she was protecting me. That I would run back here and wind up getting hurt. She knew it was wrong but thought it was best. I was heartbroken when I never heard from you. I felt, probably the same way you did, but I wanted to stay strong. When I never heard from you I wanted to write so many times. I did a few times, but never sent them. I would remember that you were the one who let me leave, let me walk away when I pleaded for you to stop me. I’m sorry for what my mother did. But I’m here now, just like I would have been three years ago, had I gotten the letter then. I would have come back, Harry.” Hermione tried to hold in her tears as the memory of that night flooded her mind, but a single tear trailed down her cheek.

“Please don’t cry, Hermione.” Hermione smiled weakly and wiped the tear away. “I’m sorry for what your mother did, she had no right. But I’m more sorry that I let you leave in the first place. I should have given you a reason, the reason you wanted. But I was scared. I didn’t want to hurt you. I wasn’t myself. But then I realized after you left that I was less myself without you here, than I was worrying about Dolohov with you by my side.” Harry reached across the table and grabbed Hermione’s hand. He rubbed the top of it with his thumb, a tender expression that his feelings for her had not waned in the last three years.

“I don’t know where this leaves us? We have both been through a lot since that night. I don’t know if we can just pick up the pieces and start over. I can’t even believe I am actually here. All I know is I fell in love with you when I was eleven years old, and have loved you everyday since, whether I tried to make myself believe otherwise or not. I really just don’t know what to do?” Hermione hoped that Harry had some plan, some way of making this extreme situation seem normal.

“Well, for starters, how about we take things slow and enjoy our dinner? And we’ll take each new step as it comes. And we can just see where things lead us?” Harry smiled warmly to her and she nodded, pushing her tears and emotions back.

They had, just as Harry suggested, enjoyed their dinner. They talked about the old days, when they were in school. Remembered wonderful memories of the ones they loved who were lost to the war. Laughed fondly as they remembered how many times their adventures had forced Ron to face spiders. Neither Harry nor Hermione could recall a time that they had enjoyed themselves that much. They both laughed a little more than normal, and as the meal ended, they left the restaurant with their hearts a little more full than their stomachs.

They stood in front of the restaurant, wondering what they should do next. Hermione looked to the stars and took in a big breath. Harry watched her chest rise and fall and felt his pants tighten a tad. He cursed himself for thinking such thoughts when he had just told her they needed to take things slow. But he couldn’t help it. Hermione had always been the vision of every fantasy he ever had, long before and after she left.

“I’ve missed it here. I forgot how the air always smells of rain, whether it’s been weeks since the last rain or not. It always seems to calm me down.” Hermione smiled to him and Harry suddenly forgot all about her chest and focused on her beautiful face. “Now what?” Harry glanced down the street and then back to her.

“Well my house is not far from here, if you would like, we could go for some tea.” Harry hoped Hermione would not mistaken his hospitality for his hopes of something more.

“Sure. But do you think we could stop into the Leaky Cauldron first, I haven’t gotten a place to stay yet, the thought evaded me earlier.” Hermione smiled nervously.

“You may stay with me, if you would like.” Harry smiled at her, and noticed that Hermione’s eyes grew a little wide at his suggestion. “Of course, I will take the couch. I haven’t yet gotten a guest room set up. Not much company. But I would love the company, and don’t even think about saying something about putting me out, because you wouldn’t be.” He smiled to her, and she exhaled in defeat, she could never deny that smile.

“Okay, that would be great.” Hermione worried that this arrangement might lead to more complicated situations in the near future, but for now, she was simply taken by his smile.

“Where did you store your luggage, or bag, or whatever you brought then, if you haven’t gotten a room?” Harry looked around, as if he would suddenly see it appear on the sidewalk. Hermione panicked as she realized that she had left in such a hurry that she had only apparated with the clothes on her back. She hadn’t really looked ahead and planned on what to do if she stayed.

“Um. This will probably sound silly, but, I didn’t bring anything. I left in such a hurry that I just left. I’ll just go shopping tomorrow. It’s no big deal.” Hermione shrugged her shoulders, as Harry chuckled.

“Don’t lie to me, Hermione.” She panicked. Did he suspect something now, about why she had really come, why she had left in a hurry? “I know you were just hoping to get your hands on one of my old Quidditch shirts. The one’s you used to steal when we were on the hunt. Don’t worry, I kept them, just for you, in case you would ever come back, with nothing but the clothes on your back, and not have anywhere else to go.” Harry laughed as the worried expression on Hermione’s face gave way to an angry one.

“Well then, it seems like I will be alright then.” Hermione huffed, and looped her arm in his, signaling that she was ready to leave. Harry started walking in the direction of his house, loving the feel of her arm in his. She tightened her grip on him and gently placed her head on his shoulder. “It feels so natural being here with you again. It’s like I never left, except for the fact that your taller now. You’re nearly as tall as Ron was, I can barely set my head on your shoulder now.” Harry just smiled, having nothing to say. He enjoyed the feeling of Hermione on his arm, the scent of her hair carrying itself so easily to his nose, all the way to his house.