At the Beginning With You [Harmione]

12. Secret's Out

Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

- 'At the Beginning' by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis from the movie Anastasia

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"Ok, seriously, Harry, what the hell is the matter? And don't you dare say 'nothing' because if you do I might have to smack you." Hermione said once the door was shut on Teddy's room after they put him to bed for the night. Harry had again been quiet when they had left the Leaky Cauldron after spending the afternoon with Ron. The whole situation had made Hermione mad because she knew something was wrong, but Harry wouldn't talk to her about it. This time, instead of replying with 'nothing', Harry just didn't say anything. He just ignored her and went downstairs. Hermione exasperatedly sighed and muttered, "Fine." Instead of following Harry, she gave up and went to her room.

Harry glanced up the stairs when he heard the door slam shut as Hermione went to her room. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know if he wanted to bring up dinner earlier or not. It might have been nothing; he might have just been blowing it out of proportion. Glancing up at the stairs again, he sighed again. There was only one way to find out.

Hermione was grading papers when she heard Harry knock on the door. Without looking up from her work, she said tersely, "What?" Harry opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Can I come in?"

"I guess so. Does this mean you're going to talk instead of avoiding conversation as much as necessary with me?"

"Yes, it means I want to talk." Harry came in and sat down at the foot of the bed but didn't say anything right away.

"Well?" Hermione said, prompting him to speak.

"Well, something has been sort of bothering me. I've been wondering about today at dinner. When you were arguing with your mother about you living with me—what?" Harry stopped when he saw Hermione pale a little and bite her bottom lip nervously.

"Are you talking about what was she going to say before I interrupted her?"

"Yeah, what was she going to say?" Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"My mum and dad don't really like the idea of you and me living together. Even though we're just friends, they're old fashioned when it comes to issues of coed habitation. Especially since they've known that..." Hermione took another deep breath. "That I've fancied you since we were eleven." Harry's jaw about dropped but he caught himself before it did.

"You did? But—why?"

"Why? Think about it Harry. You've been my best friend for years, you're good looking, you're one of the sweetest guys I've ever met, you're brave and just all around a good man."

"But, if you fancied me, then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because, I loved you too much to say anything, I wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn't with me. So that's why I didn't want to tell anyone. And why I encouraged Ginny to go for it with you, and why I helped you out with starting the relationship with Cho. There was so much going on in your life that you needed to be happy."

"What made you think that being with you wouldn't have made me happy?"

"It just wouldn't."

"How do you know what would or wouldn't make me happy, Hermione?"