All About Her

Hermione and Ginny are doing their monthly check-up with each other. Both of them are sitting at a table with tea and crackers at their disposal.

"So how are you and Neville doing?"

"Oh, it's going along," Ginny says casually, and then she smiles. "He proposed!"

"Oh my God, Ginny." She hugs Ginny. "That's fantastic."

"I know, he doesn't want a big wedding like you and Harry wanted. I never thought Harry wanted a big wedding, though. Anyway, we're thinking out in the country somewhere."

"That sounds great, I'm so happy for you. I don't think Harry wanted a big wedding either."

"What do you mean, you two had one of the biggest weddings in recorded history!"

"I know, but Harry never spoke up while we, or rather, I was planning it. He looked glum but he always said he was fine."

"Well did you ask him any wedding planning questions?"

"Loads, but he would always say, 'I'm fine with whatever you want.' I mean, he never made a decision on anything, he just-" She changes her tone to a sweet one. "-left it up to me."

"Oh, that's so sweet."

Hermione smiles. "I know. I don't know, Gin, it just seems like he's always doing stuff for me."

"Well, what have you done for him?"

Hermione pauses and thinks. "The only thing I've really done for him is accept his proposal and gave him his first time."

Ginny jumps in quickly. "No way, his first time. So, how was he, tell tell."

"Ginny-"

"Please, I wan to know how the Boy-who-lived is in the sack," Ginny says in the most innocent voice she can conjure up.

Trying not to laugh at how much the tone of Ginny's voice and what she is saying clash, Hermione has to cover her face. "Let's just say, he satisfied me, but not in the usual way."

"That's it?"

"Ginny, I don't want Harry's performances to be broadcast."

Ginny just puts on the saddest puppy-dog face she can.

"Oh, alright, but you can't tell a single soul. I mean it, this is between you and me."

"Okay."

"So it was the first night of our honeymoon. I was tired so we didn't do it that night. When we went to bed that night though, he went to sleep on the floor..."

Hermione tells Ginny the whole story, details and all.

"...so really, he did satisfy me just not in the standard means."

"Oh, that is so romantic. I've never heard of any guy doing that. It's like something out of a girl's dream."

"I know, that's why I want to do something for him."

"Well, isn't his birthday coming up?"

"I don't know what to get him, Gin. He's dropped no hints, not even glances at new brooms or cloaks or anything."

"What did you get him last year?"

"A top notch Wizard's Chess board. We were dating then and now I feel like I need to give him more."

"I guess you'll have to ask him, I, for once, am at a loss."

"He always gets me the right thing, and he's never asked. He even gets me things for no reason at all. He excuses it with, 'because you deserve it.'"

"He is the most thoughtful guy I've ever heard of."

"Stop it, you're making me feel bad." Hermione blushes.

"I can't help it, he's more considerate then Neville, and that's saying something."

Hermione speaks in a tone of voice that Ginny, but maybe not anybody else, knows is a sarcastic voice. "At least your man can perform right."

Just then Ginny's eyes widen as she looks above Hermione's head.

"Ginny, what's wrong? All I-"

Ginny interrupts Hermione before she can get another sound out. "Hi, Harry."

Hermione goes wide-eyed and is full of fear, regret, and nervousness. She slowly turns around to face Harry, who is holding out flowers. "I-I brought you these." His voice is choking up.

"Thanks," Hermione says uneasily.

"H-Hi, Ginny."

"I've got to run, send me an owl, Hermione G." This is an old term Ginny still uses to tell Hermione to tell her all about the next events. Ginny gets up and leaves their apartment.

"Harry, I'm sorry-"

Harry interrupts in a depressed and choked up voice. "Don't be sorry for things that aren't your fault. I should be apologizing to you, since I can't perform right. I understand if you want to see other men, Hermione."

"Harry-"

"If you don't ever want to see me again, I-I understand."

"Harry, I want to be with you."

"Okay, then it is fine if you want to go and, um, have sex with another guy. Although, I don't know why you even need my permission." Harry's composure is coming to an end.

"Harry, I didn't mean what I said."

Harry drops to his knees and starts crying. "I'm sorry, Hermione. You deserve so much more than what I can give you. You deserve someone one hundred times better than me. I'm sorry."

Hermione gets down on her knees and hugs Harry. "Harry, please don't cry, it hurts me so much to see you like this."

Harry immediately forces himself to stop crying with a couple grunts. He makes a mental note to throw himself into a wall for hurting Hermione. "I-I'm s-sorry."

Hermione hugs him tighter trying to get him to hug back, he doesn't oblige. "You're the best any girl could ask for."

"But I-I...I can't-"

She pulls away and looks him straight in his averting eyes with her hands on his shoulders. "Harry, you did satisfy me. It wasn't in the normal way, but you did satisfy me."

"It's not enough. I couldn't fulfill all your wants."

"Harry, it was your first time."

"That's not an excuse. I should be able to do everything you want me to do."

"Harry, listen to me." She turns his head so he's looking her in the eye. "I love you, and you have satisfied me in so many ways. There are some ways that you satisfied me that I didn't even think of. You've gone the extra kilometer for me every time. On only that one occasion, you were unable to go the extra kilometer."

"Hermione, I'm sorry I am incapable of pleasing you to the fullest extent in the thing that matters the most. Please, your happiness is what maters to me the most, go and be pleasantly fulfilled by someone who is..." Harry struggles to keep the remainder of his hastily formed composure. "...actually able to please you in every way, shape, and form, and can always go the extra kilometer. I'm sorry I have put you through a living hell." Harry starts to cry despite all his efforts, some of his efforts being audible, to not cry and hurt Hermione once again.

Hermione stands up and forces Harry to do the same. She leads him over to their couch and sits him very closely to herself.

"I'm sorry, H-Hermione."

Hermione pulls his head to her shoulder and rubs his arm. She waits for an hour with him as he calms down.

"Harry, this is heaven, not hell. Please, Harry, just accept that I love you and will never stop loving you. Without you, there would be a hole that no one could fill."

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry."

"May I-may I...will you allow me to hug you?"

"Of course."

Harry swings his arms around her and Hermione does the same. They squeeze each other tightly. "Hermione, I love you so much. Please forgive me."

Not sparking any more argument, Hermione just squeezes him harder. "I forgive you. I love you too, Harry."