Hermione was back at Hogwarts. The Knight Bus had been a bumpy ride, but she had been greeted with open arms and a warm smile. This of course, had been too much to handle. Hermione had burst into tears again, telling Harry everything. Ron was nowhere to be found, as was Ginny. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were still unhappy with Hermione and Harry. Hermione guessed that Ginny had pulled some of those family strings, and basically, turned Ron against her.
At the moment though, Hermione just couldn’t bring herself to actually care about Ginny’s petty crushes and upsets, Ron’s over-protectiveness. Not when Voldemort had just attacked her family, at home. Not when her father was dead and her mother was broken, alone.
Another rule had been broken, and this one had much more serious consequences than Hermione could ever even imagine. Taking out the parchment with her rules, she stared at it, stared at how four of her five rules were now out the window.
5 Simple Rules
Rule #1: Never be ignorant to something obvious
Rule #2: Never turn away from the truth
Rule #3: Never let the family know
Rule #4: Never stab a friend in the back
Rule #5: Never fall for one of them
How long would it take for her to break the final rule, and fall in love with one of them? It couldn’t be long… Hermione wasn’t stupid. She felt the chemistry. But that’s all it was, chemistry. Nothing concrete.
Determined to keep at least one rule alive, Hermione folded up her parchment and tucked it away as she usually did.
--
Hermione had walked down stairs to the Common Room to find it relatively empty. The truth was, most students took the opportunity to go back home for a week and spend some time with their family. Look how well that turned out for me, Hermione thought sarcastically. The one-day visit to her home had been an utter disaster.
Hermione sighed, not wanting to spend the day in here. Even though there were only two or three students, and the room was relatively large, Hermione was getting claustrophobic. She quickly made her way outside, to the back of the castle, where she found her favoured spot.
There was a huge oak tree with overgrown branches that seeped downwards and made a bit of a semi-circular shield. Hermione had discovered this spot not long ago, and had fallen in love with it. However, to her dismay, it was not empty.
There was already a person sitting in her spot. A person with bright red hair, a long nose and freckles. Ron Weasley. Ron looked up and their eyes connected. And straight away, the drama began.
“Hermione… don’t go with him. Don’t go with Harry,” Ron begged desperately.
“What?” Hermione asked surprised at how urgent Ron seemed. What on earth was Ron on about… and then it struck Hermione. Her disorientated head had taken a while to re-realize that Ginny had most likely told Ron about the kissing Harry episode. Ron confirmed this a second later.
“I know you kissed him… but don’t choose him,” Ron pleaded, standing up to face Hermione.
“Who said I was? And why ever not?” Hermione asked rather indignantly. Although she knew where Ron might have gotten the idea. And not for no reason… Hermione had definitely felt something, kissing Harry. What came next shocked her even more.
Ron leaned forward and kissed her too. He kissed her with urgency, as if trying to prove something. Not at all like Harry’s kiss.
Hermione’s mind was blown. What on earth is going on here? She asked herself. She broke the kiss gently, not wanting to upset Ron too much. Although she figured that at the moment, that was pretty close to impossible.
Ron hesitated before speaking. “Don’t go with Harry, because… I love you. I always have.”
“Ron… I…” Hermione was completely lost for words. How do you tell someone who just kissed you then proceeded to announce his love to you that you just don’t feel the same and that you think you might be in love with his best friend?
“You love him, don’t you?” Ron asked very quietly, a look of darkness crossing his face. Hermione was surprised at Ron’s comment; where had that come from?
“I’m sorry, Ron… but I don’t love you,” Hermione managed to stammer out. There was only one thing to do in a situation like this.
Hermione bolted.
--
Hermione had thought of only one place that could help her at the moment. The Room of Requirement. All she needed was to be alone, to be comforted, but alone. She rushed to the hallway and concentrated on what had just happened. The shiny door handle appeared and Hermione yanked it open.
This is exactly what she needed; the room had made itself small and cozy. There was a large, comfortable looking couch in the centre, as well as a coffee table in front of it. The best part was… the coffee table was loaded with comfort food.
Hermione flopped down on the couch gratefully and bit into some of Honeyduke’s best. Immediately, she felt warmer, right to the tip of her toes.
“I love you. I always have.”
Hermione still couldn’t believe that Ron had said something like that to her. In all the years of their friendship… and what role did Ginny play in this. No doubt there was something she did, Hermione was sure of it. And Harry.
Harry.
A single name had never sent such a strong mix of emotions running through her. Harry, her best friend. Harry, who she had kissed. Harry, who kissed her back.
Hermione had always known she loved Harry… but she didn’t know she was in love with him. Until today. Until Ron had kissed her and said three small words that held so much meaning. And Hermione couldn’t return them. Because she didn’t feel it for him.
Ginny had known all along, Hermione understood that now. That’s why she yelled at Hermione, rambling on about things that she didn’t comprehend. Ginny knew, and she wanted it stopped, she wanted it over. Because she loved Harry, and she wanted him to love her back. But she said that he loved her… Hermione?
Hermione had known of Ginny’s crush on Harry from the beginning. And she had always thought it was a bit odd. Ginny didn’t even know Harry, but she claimed to love him. And when they actually met, she still didn’t really know him. It wasn’t love it was admiration from Ginny. Adoration, for something she didn’t even know. For Ginny to announce that she loved Harry was quite a big deal; she still didn’t really know Harry. Not many people did. Ginny had scratched the surface, but was far from knowing him.
But the girl was determined. And then Ron… Ron told Hermione he loved her. And she couldn’t return the words. Why didn’t she return them? Because I don’t love Ron. Hermione had never loved Ron. Her heart had been reserved for someone else.
And when she had kissed Harry, she knew who that someone else was, who it had always been.
I love Harry Potter.
And the realization hit her, like someone suddenly punching her in the stomach. Where had all this come from?
Years of knowing Harry. Years of actually knowing him. Years of being his best friend, his confidant. And years of him being the same to me.
There was a noise outside, breaking Hermione out of her thoughts. She sat up, observing the door carefully. Very slowly, the handle began to turn. And equally slowly, the door opened, to reveal none other than Harry Potter himself. Harry did a bit of a double take when he saw Hermione, but smiled anyway. He moved forward and Hermione stood up to greet him.
“Hermione…” Harry began, looking at her. But he just let the single word hang in the air, trailing off. Now, this had caught Hermione’s attention. She hadn’t been Harry’s best friend for all these years to not realize that Harry only did the trailing-off thing when he had something extremely important to say.
“What Harry? What is it?” Hermione demanded urgently. Harry had a strange glint in his eyes, almost as if he were dreaming. It was drawing Hermione rapidly.
“I… I love you,” Harry answered, very hesitantly. His green eyes met Hermione’s brown ones, and once again, like she did with Dumbledore, Hermione got the feeling that those eyes could penetrate her soul, see right through her.
Harry’s intense gaze didn’t stop the shock.
“What!?” she managed to get out. It took Hermione a second to realize that what she had said had been the exact wrong thing. Harry’s heartbroken face said it all.
“Sorry… I shouldn’t have said it. I’m going to just lea-” Harry stammered, already turning away and beginning to walk in the direction of the door. Hermione was frozen for a second, before she realized what this opportunity meant.
“Harry, stop!” she yelled out. Harry froze, and looked back at her, hope evident in his whole demeanor.
In a voice much quieter than what she had just used, Hermione asked the question. “Did you… did you mean it?”
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have said it,” he replied gently, taking a few tentative steps away from the door and towards Hermione.
Once again, green eyes met brown ones, and this time, neither looked away for the longest time. They just read the emotions in each other’s eyes, on each other’s faces. They just stood there, taking each other in.
Hermione broke the silence.
“I love you too.”
--
[Set on the day before Hogwarts Graduation - in the 3rd week of June, 1998]
Hermione took a final look at her faithful piece of parchment. She saw how each rule had been mercilessly crossed out, how much Hermione had to do to get to the end. To get to happiness and to peace.
5 Simple Rules
Rule #1: Never be ignorant to something obvious
Rule #2: Never turn away from the truth
Rule #3: Never let the family know
Rule #4: Never stab a friend in the back
Rule #5: Never fall for one of them
Without a care in the world, Hermione took the paper and ripped it into two. Then two more. And then again. Finally, she gathered up the bits of paper and threw them into the warm, cackling fire.
Harry smiled at her, kissing her on the lips.
And at that moment, Hermione felt right. Like everything had gone the way it was meant to go. She was meant to be unaware of the feelings Ron and Harry harboured, and Draco’s father was meant to die at the hands of his own son. She wasn’t meant to stay such close friends with Ginny; they were always meant to split. Hermione’s own father was meant to die, her mother was meant to break. And it wasn’t Ginny and Harry written in the stars, or even Ron and Hermione. It was always Hermione and Harry.
Hermione was never meant to stop any of that from happening. She was always supposed to go against herself, to learn how to live. This is where it was all going to end, finally.
“What are you thinking?” Harry whispered softly in Hermione’s ear. Hermione smiled gently and eased herself out of his hold slightly to look him in his beautiful green eyes.
“Rules were meant to be broken, after all,”
The End
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A/N: The ending to another story, brought to you by anniePADFOOT.
Shout out to everyone who has read and reviewed, especially those who have taken the time to review each chapter. Also huge thanks to Kris & Katy, my faithful betas: could NOT have done it without you two
xo aPADFOOT
P.S I’ll be seeing you soon… *evil grin*