Forgetting the Past

Chapter Five: She Loves Me, I Love Her Not

Harry paced in front of the museum wondering where Hermione and Ron were. Ron he could understand but it was very unlike Hermione to be late for anything. Almost twenty minutes (hours in "Hermione time") late he finally saw them come jogging around the corner.

"Well thank you for showing up!" Harry said annoyed once they finally made it over to him.

"Don't you dare go blaming me for this Harry Potter!" Hermione retorted with a level of annoyance rarely seen in her by anybody, even her two best friends.

"If you'd be kind enough to tell me who to blame then I'll go find him and kill him for you shall I?" he said unkindly.

"What kill yourself? That won't look to good now will it?"

"Ron mate, what an earth is she going on about?" Harry looked desperately at Ron for help but he didn't look too happy either.

"Do you know what we've been putting up with for the last hour and a half?" Ron asked Harry in a tone that warned him not to be smart.

"No because neither of you will tell me what's bloody well going on!" exasperated Harry sat down on a bench harder than he meant to and ended up by stubbing his toe, "Damn!"

"Professor Chrysanthemum has been on the phone thank you very much. Apparently Ginny was in her office in tears all afternoon. What an earth did you say to her?" Hermione looked accusingly at Harry.

"All afternoon? But what about her classes?" Harry asked missing the rest of what Hermione had said.

"That's all you care about? Her classes? What about her eh Harry? What about what you did to her today!" Hermione was clearly furious she too chose to sit down on the bench but as far away from Harry as she could manage on a bench approximately a metre and a half long.

"Okay first of all of course I need to worry about the classes! I'm the headmaster now! That's my job! If she's not doing her job then I need to know about it, friend or not. Secondly, I did not do or say anything to have caused this much fuss!" yelled Harry frustrated at having his day ruined.

"She said you blew her off for lunch," Ron offered quietly, obviously torn between Harry and Hermione and no longer sure who to believe.

"Only because I had a prior arrangement! Honestly Ron I didn't do it to upset her or anything," Harry pleaded with Ron, seeing in him a possible ally.

"Well that's all right then. Girls tend to overact anyway," Ron forgave Harry eagerly, hating to fight with him, "I took over her classes, not to worry mate."

"And I was sat with her in Professor Chrysanthemum's office while she poured out her poor little heart to me all afternoon until only ten minutes ago," Hermione argued, "Harry she's still in love with you! Don't you realize that? When you took a break after the sixth year it was kind of implied that you'd get back together."

"I can't help her being in love with me! I'm not in love with her. And how many years ago was sixth? Like, a million! Why can't she find someone new? What about Professor Harley? He's crazy about her." Harry was in fact surprised to learn that Ginny still had such strong feelings for him but he felt no responsibility for her reactions today. He couldn't help how he felt. Just as she couldn't he supposed.

"People don't just fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat Harry! Honestly sometimes I wonder if you actually want to get married. And sixth year was only nine years ago. That's not that long. I wish you wouldn't exaggerate like that."

Ron looked decidedly uncomfortable he began to look around and noticed someone standing across the street from them staring, "Hey look at that bloke there! He's just standing there staring. Do you think I should yell at him or something?"

"Oh don't be ridiculous you can't just yell at people on the street..."

"Hey, I think that's Malfoy!" Harry interrupted Hermione mid-sentence. He crossed the street, happy for a diversion from the fight. Ron and Hermione stood there watching him talk and laugh across the street. They were indignant at being left for Malfoy and wondered if they had been ignoring several changes in Harry lately.