Crossroads

Chapter 9

Harry stood stiffly in front of the door to Ginny's room, debating on whether to speak with Hermione. She pretty much dropped the mother of all bombs on his head and fled from the fallout, but he found that he still needed to know why she did what she did. Still, he wasn't sure if his presence would be welcomed by her.

Gently, Harry rapped on the door and waited for an answer. Almost immediately, the door swung open to reveal a VERY pissed off Ginny Weasley. Harry barely had time to register her movement before his head was rocked to the side by a powerful slap.

"If you're here to make her cry again, then I suggest you fuck off," Ginny told him while she drew her wand.

Harry unscrambled his brain waves in time to raise his hands in surrender to the formidable redhead. "Ginny, I just need to speak with her," Harry started before taking Ginny's arms, "please."

Ginny reluctantly nodded and vacated the room, leaving Harry free to enter the room.

Once Harry stepped through, he was greeted by the sight of Hermione huddled against her bed's headboard, shielding herself from the torment of the world.

"I'm sorry Ginny slapped you." He heard her muffled voice say from behind her knees.

He chuckled despite himself before sitting down onto her bed. There were so many things he wanted to say to her but he didn't know where to begin. He opted, instead, to crack a joke to lighten the mood.

"Didn't know Ginny had such a mean right hand," he tried.

Hermione responded with a giggle, a sound that Harry missed like a thirsty man who was deprived of water.

"I'm sorry she hit you," Hermione once more apologized.

"Why did she?" Harry questioned.

"Because she knows that you're the reason I've been miserable all day."

Ouch, Harry hadn't expected her to be so blunt about it. He felt beyond guilty that he was the reason for her misery. Maybe he did actually earn that slap. Nevertheless, he moved closer to Hermione and gently pried her knees and arms to reveal her face.

"We need to talk, 'Mione."

Hermione nodded and sucked in a deep breath in preparation.

Harry waited a beat before leveling his emerald gaze at her. "Is it true?" He asked, not needing to define what 'it' was.

Hermione meekly nodded before raising her hand to caress Harry's cheek that was marked by the red imprint of Ginny's hand. She was relieved when he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Harry," she continued before running her thumb across the imprint to soothe it, "I watched you leave for the ministry this morning and it felt as if my heart was going with you," she confessed.

The girl remembered when Harry flooed away to the Ministry earlier that morning, it was a sight that reduced her to tears. It painted a picture of what it would look like once he began his trip and that very thought destroyed Hermione's spirit. She tried to convince herself to let Harry go, but she knew right then and there that it was futile. Her heart was his.

"I knew that, if it were Ron leaving, it wouldn't hurt as bad because at least I'd still have you," she picked up once again. "But seeing you leave without me broke my heart, Harry. I love you, and I'm not really sure I can live without you. I just wish I figured it out before all of this nonsense happened."

Harry patiently listened with his eyes closed as Hermione bared her heart to him while still caressing his cheek. He must have died and gone to heaven, he figured, because he was finally hearing the words that he had longed to hear for eighteen months now. He sighed in contentment before reminding himself of the task at hand.

"I love you too, Hermione," he confessed softly, now staring into her chocolate brown eyes. "Realized it since the hunt, but probably have since I can't even remember when."

Hermione was once again tearful but for completely different reasons. Her heart felt like it was going to burst at Harry's confession and, before she knew it, she leaned forward to take his lips in a kiss.

Harry was now certain that he had died and gone to heaven when Hermione joined their lips together. Sure, he had kissed Ginny and Cho before, but this was entirely new territory. Hermione tasted sweet like pumpkin juice and he found himself deepening the kiss as his hand wandered into the bushy hair that he had fallen in love with.

The pair continued their passionate embrace until the need for air reminded them that they couldn't do this forever, not that they weren't at least attempting to.

Once the kiss was broken, Harry pulled back to gaze into the eyes that haunted his dreams every night for eighteen months. He let himself get lost in the sea of chocolate brown with a goofy grin on his face until his brain returned to normal and, with it, brought thoughts of his other best friend.

"Shit, Hermione, what about Ron?" Harry exclaimed as he jumped up off the bed and started pacing around frantically.

"I will talk to him, Harry," Hermione calmly said, knowing that something was clearly wrong with what they had done but not wanting to give credence to it.

"That's it? You're going to just break up with him?" Harry wondered aloud incredulously. He immediately regretted his tone of voice when Hermione looked at him in barely concealed annoyance. Still, he felt the waves of guilt crash over him as he thought of Ron. He kissed his best mate's girl for Merlin's sake!

"What would you have me do then?" Hermione angrily asked. "You want me to string him along when my heart belongs to you?" She continued before rising from her position to stand opposite him.

"No, that's...that's not what I'm saying," he frustratedly replied. He didn't know what he wanted at this point in time. Sure, he loved Hermione and she loved him back but Ron was still their best friend. The kiss was a flagrant betrayal of his trust and Harry pondered the possibilities of giving up his love for Hermione to protect his best mate. Yet, as he chanced a glance over to Hermione, he mentally berated himself for even thinking of subjecting the girl to another heartbreak.

"I will take care of it, Harry. He needs to know the truth, better now than when we're past the point of no return."

Hermione's tone brooked no argument as she stood across from Harry with crossed arms. Breaking up with Ron was going to be easier said than done but the witch knew that it was the right thing to do.

Harry nodded his agreement before sweeping Hermione up in his arms. "This was decidedly not how I thought today was going to go," he joked to lighten the mood once more and hide his worries about her and Ron.

Hermione swatted his shoulder before once again attempting to burrow into his chest like she did earlier in the day. "You're not leaving right?" She mumbled against his chest.

Harry allowed himself to laugh at the timid question from Hermione before bringing his hands up to rub her shoulders in comfort. "I'm too far gone now. Couldn't leave if I tried."

Hermione squealed against Harry's chest before tightening her arms around his waist in one of her trademarked 'Hermione hugs'. Mere words couldn't describe the elation that the girl felt now that she knew her heart was secure. Come what may, Hermione knew she belonged with Harry, and nothing was going to stop her from staying by his side. Not even him.