Of Magic and Men
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"Harry!" Hermione left Ron's grasp with a smile and an explanation. "When you have your drink, why don't you come sit by me at the table over there. I wanted to talk to you for a few moments." She touched him on the shoulder, received her drink, and went to sit at the back table away from everyone else.
Harry turned to Luna "I'll catch up with you soon" He said, taking the butterbeer he was handed. He nodded to Luna and went to go join Hermione at her table. Taking a seat before her, he wondered what she wished to talk about. He smiled at her "To the prefects, Neville and Hermione. May you lead Griffandor with pride" He said, offering to clink his glass with hers.
Hermione clinked her glass with his with a smile. "Thanks, Harry." She took a drink and then set the glass down, running her fingers through the condensation on the table. "Listen Harry, I've noticed that somethings wrong and I gathered most of the story from the bits I've heard here and there. What you did wasn't wrong. It is obviously normal to feel guilty or wishful, but these things are only going to hold you back." She looked him in the eyes, wondering how he was going to take her lecture. "I am not trying to lecture you, Harry. I just do not like seeing you upset."
Harry decided to take a long sip of his drink while he thought. "You talked with Ron...what did he tell you?" He asked. He knew if Hermione asked, he would tell her everything. She was different. He had never thought of pursuing her, nor felt a romantic inclination. Yet she made him feel oddly safe and taken care of, looked after. It was a feeling he had lacked nearly his whole life and he clung to it whenever he could. He decided that she would make a wonderful mother when the day came round'.
Hermione shrugged. "Little bits. Something about Ginny not saying anything to their mother? I don't have the full story, like I said. You can tell me if you want or you don't have to. Either way, I think you are wasting time. It is hard to overcome such things, this I understand, but you must also realize that you have had all summer to dwell on this. Are you going to waste the rest of your life on what could have been?" She let her eyes pierce into his. "Harry, you deserve to be loved. Do not make yourself believe that you don't."
Harry looked around to make sure they were well away from the others. "She got pregnant." He spoke slowly and under his breath. He noted Ginny at the bar, leaned in and speaking with Ron in harshed tones. "Near the beginning of summer. She came to stay with me for a week when her mother and father when to visit Charlie. Ron figured she would be alright since she is older now. By the end of the week she already knew. I guess I did too, I could feel it in my gut. The way she looked at me was different. It was difficult for me to let her return to the Weasly's house but she couldn't stay with me at Grimmuald place. She had to return to her family. After that I wrote her every day, just little things, asking how she was feeling. After a bit she stopped writing. I went down there, just to see. Ron met me in the garden and the pair of us, well, we had it out. She wouldn't come out to meet me and I returned home
About a week later I received a letter that simply said 'he didn't make it. Ron will take care of things. I'm sorry and I love you.'" He clenched his fist around his glass, not sure if he could continue. "It sounds a bit like some drama, now that I think about it. I know why she didn't want to face me. I just wish I could have been there to help. That's all I'm angry about. I could have held her hand, tried to make it better. Instead she chose to push me away and hid behind her brother. Of course, I owe him everything for caring for her. I just wish I understood why it had to be this way. My scars been aching. I told her it would be dangerous if the wrong people knew we were together. I didn't mean to scare her but perhaps I did, perhaps I...I don't know Hermione. Things have been very complicated."
Hermione reached out and touched Harry's hand. "That was her choice, Harry. You couldn't have done anything about it. You tried to be there and you were pushed away. It is time to stop feeling guilty about it." She retracted her hand and took another drink. She looked back up at him. "Besides, haven't you noticed Luna's obvious interest in you? She isn't fawning over you, but she cares for you Harry and it's obvious." She looked at Ginny as she moved away from Ron. "Somethings don't work out... Like.. Like me and Krum. You have to accept it and make yourself happy - Otherwise, what's the point of fighting anymore?"
"Luna..." Harry milled over what Hermione had said. "I'm sorry to hear about Krum by the way. I know the pair of you weren't exactly together when it...happened.
..but you cared for him and it must have been painful."
"I was in pain before his death." Hermione said, and then she looked at Ron and smiled. "Like I said, somethings aren't meant to be so that other things can come to be. Give everything a chance. You'll see."
"I suppose your right, Hermione. I'll keep your words in mind. C'mon. We shouldn't be so anti-social." He looked at the pair, split up only slightly now. Ron and Neville at a nearby table, Luna, Rhi and Shamus closer. He paused, wondering. Luna...He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Ginny and Lilly leaned against the bar, seeming to be deep in thought.
Hermione followed his lead and stood next to him for a moment. "Relax, Harry." She said, and wandered closer to the table with Ron.
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