Belong to Nowhere

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter

 

Chapter 08: Not so little white lies...

"Harry, dear, Hermione and Dean are dating!"

Harry looked at Ginny in disbelief as he was waiting for her to burst out, "It's a joke!" But it never came.

The young wizard didn't really know why that little piece of information made him so, uneasy.

It felt as if his insides suddenly turned into lead and he felt like he just wanted to drop straight to the ground. Dating? No, no, no, NO they could not be dating! She would have told him! She...she would never keep something like this from him.

"But, er, Ginny...she never said anything," he sputtered, trying to keep calm, though he felt as if he wanted to kick something.

Ginny bit her bottom lip as she was trying to think of something to say.

"Harry, you have to promise me...oh, no! I can't! She is my friend, you know? If she didn't say anything..."

"Oh, no, Ginny! She is my friend too! And I have the right to know!" Harry demanded in a low, dangerous voice. He was not going to be left in the dark here.

"Okay, but promise me you will not tell her-"

"But-," he began, like hell he wasn't going to ask Hermione about this!

"Please, Harry. I like Hermione too much for her to be angry with me," Ginny pleaded.

Harry sighed. Realizing he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he said he would keep this secret, he gave in, "Okay, I won't tell her anything."

"Right, okay...well, to tell you the truth, Hermione doesn't know that I know..." Ginny confessed, a small smile playing on her lips as if to keep the secret just between them.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Er, you see, she is a little ashamed...I think."

"Ashamed? But why?"

"Why do you think I broke up with Dean?"

"Er, I dunno-because you didn't like him anymore?" Harry asked, impatience in his voice. He didn't give a damn about Ginny and Dean, all he cared about was the current status between his best friend and his house mate!

"Yes, that too. After all, I couldn't be with a guy if I loved another, " Ginny said smiling at him, but Harry only rolled his eyes slightly at her statement. "But also because I saw-" She stopped and put her hands on her face, as if she was trying to suffocate a sob.

"What? What did you see?" Harry asked, slightly bored and hoping she would get to her point!

"I saw Dean and Hermione snogging in an empty classroom!" she said quickly.

"What!" Harry asked. No, Hermione wouldn't...not while Ginny and Dean were...Hermione just wasn't that type of girl damnit!

"Yes, Harry, it was horrible! Okay, I wanted to break up with him but- I never, I never cheated on him! You know that! I couldn't believe- they were doing things...oh! I can't even tell! Oh, please, Harry, don't make me tell you what they were doing!" She pleaded, while cackling madly in her mind at how well her plan was going.

Harry's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Oh, Merlin! Hermione...with Dean! Doing things! To tell the truth he didn't know why that little 'piece of' information made him feel like he wanted to hit Dean Thomas!

"But, Ginny, I find this a little hard to believe, "Harry confessed. "I mean, Hermione is, well Hermione, and at that time she was so jealous of Ron..." Harry trailed off, not wanting to believe it.

"Oh, Harry! She was using my own medicine! It was only pretend! She didn't want us to find out the truth! You know, I was so shocked when I found out...I wanted to punch her! I won't lie, I was so angry! How could she? But then I thought to myself, 'Ginny, you don't love Dean, and Hermione will always be your friend. A boy can't destroy a beautiful friendship!' So, I decided not to say anything," she finished with a teary voice.

She hugged Harry, while Harry awkwardly patted her back, trying to keep some distance between the two of them; he didn't want to give her the wrong idea.

"That was nice of you, Ginny. You are a good friend, but I wish you would at least have told me..."

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

December 31^st

Hermione had accepted Mrs. Weasley's invitation and decided to spend the last days of the Christmas break in the Burrow. Yes, she was returning to them...to him.

Since that little chat with Ginny, Harry couldn't take Hermione out of his mind. Well, to tell the truth, he had been thinking about her a lot since the almost kiss. Not that that had meant anything! Of course not! He knew, er, he was pretty sure that had only been a display of affection...you know, the emotion of the moment. He couldn't ever, in a right state of mind want to kiss Hermione. But that didn't mean that he couldn't wonder...

Okay, he was curious to know how it would be to kiss Hermione. Curious! That had nothing to do with feelings...and, well, it was good that they didn't kiss. After all, Dean was there. Merlin, imagine the trouble!

Dean. Dean Thomas...Harry shook his head. Dean was a nice guy. Yep, he was a good guy. He was loyal, friendly. In fifth year, he stood by Harry even when Seamus didn't...However, Harry didn't think he was the right guy for Hermione. He was too expansive for her. Hermione deserved better.

But that was another thing that was annoying Harry....why hadn't Hermione said anything to him? After all, she was supposed to be his friend! His best friend!

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{

When Hermione finally arrived at The Burrow, she was welcome with open arms by everybody. Well, almost everybody. Harry seemed to be a little reticent.

The young witch thought that was because of the almost kiss at Bill's.

"God," she thought, "he probably thinks that I like him and now he doesn't know how to act around me! Poor Harry! I think I will restrain myself when I am near him. Yep, no more kisses on the cheek...no more hugs...well, at least until things get back to normal."

Time passed and things stayed the way they were...Harry was constantly moody and Hermione was trying to do everything to not be with him in any precarious circumstances, especially after the little chat she had with Ginny.

"Oh, Hermione, I want to tell you something!" said the redhead.

"What is it, Ginny?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, Harry and I are back together! Isn't it great?"

"Oh...great," Hermione managed to smile. "I am really happy for you."

"It was so romantic, Mione! It was after he came back from Bill's house. You know, that day they went to visit you...so, well, he came and...called me to the garden and, oh! It was so beautiful! He kissed me! He kissed me in a way he had never done before!" she said in a dreamy voice. "Oh, but just one thing, Mione, he doesn't want to people know about it. You know, it's because of my security. Ah, but you are my friend! And you deserve to know!"

Hermione only nodded. She wanted to run. She had nothing to say. She went into the bathroom and retched everything she had eaten that day, and completely skived off dinner altogether.

*****

The tension between the two friends was so tangible that even Ron noticed.

"Now, you two!" said the youngest male Weasley. "Could you please tell me what is going on? And please don't say that it's nothing!"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Ron," said Harry bitterly while Hermione looked at her feet with great interest.

"Hermione-"Ron tried again.

"Ron, there's nothing going on. I am just-" Hermione was about to continue when she was almost hit by a brown owl that had just arrived.

"Ouch! Now, let me see, little one...you have a letter...Oh, it's for me!" she said.

Hermione took the envelope and smiled when she read whom it was from.

"Who sent it, Hermione?" asked Ron, very curious. Harry remained silent.

"Oh, it's from Dean," Hermione said absently as she began to open the envelope.

Ron looked over at her, his brows knitted together in curiosity.

"Dean? Dean Thomas? Why in the hell would he send you a letter?" Ron asked with a slight laugh.

Before Hermione could answer Ron, Harry grabbed him by his elbow and said, very briskly, "Let's go, Ron. I think Hermione wants to read her lovely letter alone."

Harry didn't let Ron reply; he simply pushed himself and his friend away from Hermione. The brown haired witch didn't say anything as she watched the two of them leave the room. She wondered briefly over the reasons of Harry's strange and cold behavior before just shrugged it off. Maybe he just wasn't getting enough alone time with Ginny. It must be hard to be alone and not raise suspicion. Hermione felt her stomach knot up and closed her eyes for a second before swallowing a large amount of air, hoping to calm the sudden churning of her stomach. She turned her attention back to the letter.

Dear Hermione,

First of all, I want to say Thank You!

Thank you Hermione, my family and I could never thank you enough for everything you've done.

I don't know how to say this, but the thing is- now I feel complete. Strange, huh? I am not saying that I didn't like my life before, but, in some way, I've always wanted to know about myself...my past...my father and you, Miss Granger, provided that.

My Mum and I couldn't it believe when Mr. Shacklebolt, er, Uncle Kingsley stopped in at our home...First, I thought Mum would have syncope or whatever but then...

Oh, well, Uncle Kingsley told us everything about my father and what he really was. I am now even more proud of him.

Well, I think that's it. I just want to say that you've gained a new good friend.

Your friend,

Dean

PS: See you at Platform 9 ¾ . Oh, and please, don't tell anyone about this. Uncle Kingsley said that it isn't good if this "information" falls in the wrongs hands...

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

January 1998

London

King's Cross-

Platform 9 ¾

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys had just arrived at Platform 9 ¾ escorted by Lupin and Tonks when they heard someone calling Hermione's name. To Harry's dismay- and displeasure- he knew that voice very well. It was Dean Thomas. He was with his mum.

"Oh, it's Dean!" cried Hermione. "I've got to talk to him!" Hermione said quickly.

After saying that, Hermione practically ran towards him. Dean was looking at her and had a wide grin on his face. Hermione was hugged by Dean, and then by his mum as well. Harry watched that scene with his blood pressure almost exploding. He wasn't breathing properly. His stomach was bubbling over. His hands grabbed the trolley where his trunk was, his fists white...

He simply wanted to kill Dean Thomas!

___

Thanks to Brooke and Acoustics1220 for help me!