Driving With the Brakes On

Driving With the Brakes On

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Well, I think I've got everything packed. Actually, I think I've had everything packed since yesterday when Hermione said she'd be picking me up today. I'm glad she said she had decided against a Mini Cooper, I think that Hedwig and Crookshanks that close together could only spell trouble. She should be here any moment.. I would leave a message for everyone, but since they have been counting down the days until I go back to school as well, I think they'll get the idea. I don't care; I'll be gone for nine wonderful months. Uncle Vernon will probably take tomorrow off to celebrate. I'll be really glad in two years when I can leave here for good. Aha! There's the horn, Hermione must be here.

"Wow!" It's a good thing Uncle Vernon isn't here; he's been slobbering over the new Rover's at the dealership all summer. God, it's good to see Hermione again. I know it's only been a couple weeks since I've seen her, but she looks different somehow. Well, I guess some of the changes are obvious. She's got her hair back in a ponytail. I don't think I've ever seen it in a ponytail before. It makes her look...older...somehow. I'm still not used to her new smile either. You can really tell her parents are dentists. I bet she's never had a cavity in her life. And I've certainly never seen her dressed the way she is. She's wearing a cut off shirt with the legend, "Hard Rock Cafe: Hogsmeade," on it. It must have been sunny in Spain; she's got a really nice tan. Her stomach is especially brown. Her legs are quite tanned also. When she bent over to put Hedwig's cage on the back seat, I could just make out a tan line high up on her calves. It wasn't until she asked me what was wrong that I realized I was staring. It felt really good to hug her again. It reminded me of when I first showed up at Grimmauld Place, last summer. She had hugged me so hard that I thought I might have cracked a rib. The hug wasn't quite as strong this time, but it did seem to last longer. I couldn't help feeling like I was trying to make up for lost time. I don't remember her smelling like this last time either, or maybe I just didn't notice. I was pretty angry last time, but I'm feeling better now that I'm with her. I close my eyes to preserve this memory. She feels so soft against me. I don't think I've ever gotten this much out of a hug before. Once in the car, I buckle up and we hit the road. Free at last! I can't wait to get to the Burrow so we can start having fun!

Driving through the long night

Trying to figure out who's right and who's wrong

Now that kid has gone. I sit belted Uptight,

She sucks on a match light, glowing bronze, steering on

And I might be more a man if I stopped this in its tracks

And said come on, let's go home. But she's got the wheel

And I've got nothing except what I have on

It's so great being able to talk to Hermione again. I don't think I've said more than a dozen words the entire summer so far. I mean, I love getting owls, but talking to Hermione in person is so much better. She gets this smile on her face when she's talking about something that she really cares about. She's really cute when she does that. Wait, did I say cute? And why am I still trying to catch a glimpse of the tan line on her legs? I need to focus on something else. I know, I'll ask her about Krum. I know that she was going to spend some time with him in Bulgaria.

Wow, bad move. It appears that Viktor's family employs about the same amount of house-elves as Hogwarts, and treats them all like Malfoy. She and Viktor must have argued about it and she left. She did say she enjoyed Spain, though so that's something. I tease her about the tan lines on her leg to change the subject.

"At least those are the only tan lines I've got."

I don't understand what she means by that, so I took another peek at her bronze midriff. Wow, I bet if she raised her arms up through the sun roof, I could see...Hey! I've already gone through this with myself. I am not going to let myself think this way. She doesn't feel the same way I do. Thinking like this will only end up destroying our friendship, not to mention getting myself hurt.

So, talking about Krum is out. We sit in silence for a while before Hermione asks if I've heard anything from Cho.

"Nope, not a word, I didn't really expect to, though. I think we said all we needed to one another. We're just not right together. I don't think I'll ever find anyone, really. Cho was pretty enough, but I'm looking for more than that. I want someone smart, and funny, and who understands me. Someone who speaks her mind, and isn't afraid of fighting for what they believe in. I need someone I can relate to, and who will be as loyal to me as I am to them. I just wish there was someone like that who could ever be interested in me." I laugh at the idea, but Hermione remains serious.

"You might be surprised." She says. I know that she's just trying to make me feel better, though. She's really good at that. I'm glad that it's getting darker outside, I don't want her to see that I'm blushing now.

When you're driving with the brakes on

When you're swimming with your boots on

It's hard to say you love someone

And it's hard to say you don't.

After another hour or so, our conversation turns to the events of the past year. Hermione knows that I'm still upset over the death of Sirius, and about how stupid the Ministry has been about it all. I can still remember every detail about that night. I still have nightmares about it. When I saw her get hit by that curse, I thought I was going to lose it. I couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt because of my own stupidity. In the dream, I always wake up when she gets hit with the curse. I wake up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. Hermione says she has nightmares about that night also, but hers are a little different. In her dream, it's me that goes through the veil, not Sirius. She jerks herself awake as I go falling back into the void. I joked that Trelawney would probably find it fascinating that we both have nightmares of each other getting hurt.

"I wonder if that means we have some kind of special bond between us." I ask as we continue down the motorway. I look over, expecting to see her laughing over the mention of the old fraud. Instead, I see the glimmer of a tear on her cheek that manages to fall before she can wipe it away. Now I feel really lousy. How do I always manage to make the women I care about cry? What had I said that upset her? Did she think that I was likening her to Voldemort by suggesting that we may have some kind of bond between us? I don't know. Hermione doesn't say anything, so I follow her lead and remain silent as well.

It was about half an hour later that she asks me how I thought the next term would be. Hell, without Umbridge, I would think it would have to be better than the last one.

"One of the first things I'll do is talk to Dumbledore about lifting my ban so that I can play Quidditch again. I really miss flying. And it'll be fun seeing everyone again."

"Do you have anyone particular in mind?"

"No, not really, I'll be anxious to see if Neville is surer of himself this year, since he made so much progress last year. I'll be glad to start off on speaking terms with Seamus this time. I even look forward to seeing Luna. She really made me feel better about losing Sirius last year. She lost her mother and contented herself that those we care about never really leave us. I can really see why she's in Ravenclaw; she is a lot smarter than she sometimes lets on." Hermione looked at me a moment before returning her gaze to the road.

"Do you think you might have feelings for Luna?"

"No, well, I don't think so. I don't know her well enough. Sure, Luna is a nice girl, but I only met her this past year. I don't want to make the same mistake I made with Cho. I want to really get to know a girl first. I want to find out all the little things about her. Like with you, I know that you prefer your butterbeer straight from the bottle so that it keeps its fizz. I know that you don't like cabbage, but you do like spinach. I know that when you smile, you get little dimples in your cheeks. And I know that if I ever need anything, you will help me, no matter what. I don't even have to think about these things, I just know them."

When I finish, Hermione looks like she wants to cry again, but manages to regain her composure. I don't think I've ever told her these things, but they just seem so obvious to me. I don't notice those things about Ron, though. I don't even know that kind of crisps he likes. Hermione likes salt and vinegar, but not too strong, they make her mouth hurt. She laughs when I mention this. I feel relieved, now that she doesn't seem to be upset anymore. She's smiling again. I love her smile. I love her laugh. I love her. Uh oh.

Trying to keep the mood right, trying to steer the

Conversation from

The things we've done

She shuts up the ashtray and I say it's a long way back

Now hon.

And she just yawns. And we might get lost someplace

So desolate that no one where we're from would ever come

But she's got the wheel and I've got to deal from now on

I love Hermione! How the bloody hell did this happen? When did this happen? What about Ron? What happened to the simple crush idea? What do I do now? Ok, first things first, don't say anything. Hermione will freak out and probably let me out in the middle of nowhere. I'll just stay quiet while I think about all of this.. Hermione's voice brings me back to reality.

"Harry, we're here."

The porch light is on for us. I move to unbuckle my seat belt, when it happens. I turn right into a kiss from Hermione. I wasn't expecting it, but it doesn't take me long to kiss back. I'm shocked and elated at the same time. I have been dreaming of kissing her for months, and it's been well worth the wait. Her lips are feather soft against mine, and her hands running up and down my back leave me feeling as if electricity has replaced the blood in my veins. The best part is afterwards, when she pulls back and opens her warm brown eyes to me. I thought that the smile on my face would surely cause it to split. The smile on her face is pretty big as well.

"What was that for?" I asked as she unbuckled her own seat belt.

"The person you described has been sitting next to you for six years now, and it doesn't take Professor Trelawney to figure it out." She said.

I realized she was right, Hermione was everything I could ever hope for, and much more. I ask her is she thinks she could care about me as much as I care about her, and she says no. I look down. Of course not, what did I expect? She grabs my hand before I can get out of the car.

"I couldn't, because I already do."

We sit there frozen for a time, her hand now clasped in mine. Then I smile and lean into another kiss, both of us running our fingers through one another's hair. I was in heaven, and Hermione was there with me.

I think I understand what Professor Dumbledore meant now. There really are powers that even Lord Voldemort must fear. The power of love saved my life as a baby when my mother gave her life for me. I now have the love of another woman, and this one may well be the one to conquer him once and for all. I cannot imagine loving anyone more than I love Hermione, and I know that she loves me in return. Together, I can see no way that Voldemort can hurt us. That is our greatest strength, our unity with one another. When the final battle comes, we will be ready. Voldemort can attempt to divide us, but we will stay together. It is our love that will bring about his downfall, and it is our love that will protect us forever more.

But unless the moon falls tonight, unless continents collide,

Nothing's gonna make me break from her side.