It's All About Chemistry

The roads were quiet, the weather calm and it was a beautiful July morning. All seemed to be serene and tranquil, all except a certain Hermione Granger who was frantically waiting for a loyal friend to turn up. As she played around with her cornflakes and travelled far with her thoughts she did not realise a mischievous flatmate come up behind her.

"Boo!" Harry shouted into Hermione's ear as she let out a scream, her spoon falling to the floor.

Hermione turned around to give Harry a death glare. However the glare did not last very long as a smile crept up on her face as she watched Harry laughing uncontrollably.

"It's not funny you know, you could have given me a heart attack....or perhaps a very small angina," Hermione tried to say with a straight face.

"Sorry, you looked like you were miles away, I couldn't resist it. Do you want some tea?" Harry asked as he picked the fallen spoon from the kitchen floor.

"Sure."

"So what's wrong? It's not often you get that distant look," Harry remarked but before Hermione could answer him a certain red headed woman apparated into their apartment with a slight 'pop'.

"Hey Ginny!" Harry and Hermione greeted in union.

"Hey," Ginny replied as Hermione's frantic feelings disappeared and she felt slightly calmer on the inside.

"Tea?" Harry asked her.

"No thanks, Harry," Ginny answered quickly. As Harry's back was turned to the two women an unearthly silence filled the place. Ginny raised her eyebrows at Hermione in a questioning manner. Hermione pointed to Harry and mouthed 'in a minute'.

"So what brings you here?" Harry asked Ginny as they both jumped slightly at the silence being broken. "Wow! I wonder if I have that effect on all women."

"What effect?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Making them jump," Harry said as he passed Hermione her steaming hot tea.

"You probably do being the hero that you are," Ginny commented while Hermione sniggered.

Ignoring her comment Harry asked once again, "So what brings you here?"

Ginny stared at Hermione, searching for an answer, "Just..erm...wanted to talk to Hermione about something."

"I see. Girl talk, eh? Well, what's troubling you? I'm sure I could help," Harry said expectantly.

Ginny's mouth curved into a mischievous smile as she replied, "Well, yes perhaps you could help. You see I've been having a few problems with Draco lately in the lower domains. Perhaps you could have a word with him, you know man to man, maybe teach him a few techniques-"

"Stop!" Harry interrupted with his eyes wide in horror, "I get the point. I might just take a shower and leave you two to it." He got up quickly and almost fled to the bathroom.

"Is it a cold shower you're taking then?" Hermione shouted after Harry as the women giggled like schoolgirls. A slammed door was the only response Harry gave.

Ginny turned to Hermione, her face concerned, "What's the matter then? Has Harry figured out about the surprise party tonight or-"

"No," Hermione interrupted, "everything's set for the party and Harry knows nothing about it. It's just...Steve asked me to marry him."

Ginny's mouth fell open and she was about to say 'congratulations' but refrained from doing so when she realised that Hermione did not exactly look happy. "What did you say?"

"No."

"How did he take it?" Ginny asked curiously as she leaned forward, trying to read Hermione's closed expression.

"He told me that if I wasn't ready to take such a big step then maybe I'd prefer to take a smaller step and move in with him," Hermione said in a more matter-of-fact tone.

"And what did you say?"

"That I'd think about it. I don't know what to do," Hermione sighed as she looked at Ginny expectantly, hoping for advice.

Ginny thought about this. Steve Boyd was one of Hermione's work colleagues and they had started their relationship late last year and as far as Ginny could remember Hermione had never talked about him much. At twenty-five-years of age Hermione had had three long-term relationships before and both relationships had ended because the couple just grew apart or because there was just no lasting chemistry.

"Do you love him?"

Hermione took more time answering this question than she perhaps should have done and Ginny thought she knew her answer immediately.

"I don't know," said Hermione, "I don't even think I've ever said 'I love you' to him on my own accords...I mean he tells me he loves me and then I'll probably say something like 'yeah me too' or 'you too'. I feel so bad Ginny, I mean we've been together for nearly a year and I don't even know if I love him."

"Sometimes that happens, you've just got to work out your feelings," Ginny said as she searched for something more comforting to say.

"I don't understand, Steve is like the perfect man for me. We have the same hobbies, the same muggle-born background, the same tastes but there's just no...there's just no..." Hermione tried to explain as she searched for something to describe them.

"There's just no chemistry?" Ginny completed for her.

"Something like that. I just don't know what to do."

"Do about what?" Harry asked curiously as he walked into the kitchen area fully dressed and showered. Once again Hermione was saved from answering as the door bell rang and she went to answer it. Harry saw a tall, light brown haired man enter and the smile he had been previously wearing faded.

"Hey Steve," Hermione said as the brown haired man handed her a bunch of roses and bent his head to kiss her. However, Hermione turned away from him.

Ginny looked at Harry, who was staring at Steve with a look that could probably torture, lynch, or maybe make the victim avada kedavra themselves and not necessarily in that order. Giving Hermione a reassuring look and sensing the tension in the room Ginny decided to leave.

"I better go, Draco will wonder where I am," Ginny said, making an excuse for herself.

"Yeah, I better go to," Harry muttered, coming out of his glaring trance, "I've got to go to work." As Ginny turned the knob to the first door Harry turned around and said to Hermione, "You know this place called 'work' I'm going to don't you have to go as well?"

"I'm taking the day off," Hermione said flatly, not giving him any explanations why.

"Okay, I'll see you here for lunch then?" Harry asked, getting slightly concerned.

"Sure."

Once they were on the other side of the door Ginny immediately asked, "You don't particularly like Steve do you?"

Harry looked at Ginny with an expression of amusement covering his face, "How did you guess?"

"Oh I don't know but I think that death glare you were giving him may just have had something to do with it," Ginny replied, her eyebrows rose in interest to know more about how Harry felt.

"I don't like him, he's just too overly nice and that's very disconcerting," Harry explained hesitantly as he began to walk down the stairs to get outside. Ginny followed him.

She knew he was not telling her everything. There had to be something more to his hatred for hate only came with a reason, especially for Harry Potter.

"Are you sure there isn't any other reason?" Ginny asked Harry as the pitch of her voice rose to try and urge Harry to tell her more.

Harry frowned in thought for a moment and then replied, "There is. He's just not right for Hermione."

"In what way?" Ginny wondered allowed, "I mean they share the same interests and have the same tastes, which is a brilliant match for personality."

"Hermione needs someone who understands her, who knows what she wants, who appreciates her bring there," Harry snapped at Ginny, "she needs...she needs..."

"She needs what?" Ginny asked, as Harry grew more and more uncomfortable about answering this question.

"I'm late for work. Bye, Gin." And with that the boy-who-couldn't-finish-his-answer disapparated.

Ginny sighed and looked behind her, wondering what Hermione was telling Steve, then she looked at the space in front of her which Harry had just vacated. Why don't you just say it, Harry? Iit's you who needs her.

*********

Hermione slowly spread tuna onto the bread, wondering if she had told Steve the right thing that morning. Trying not to think about her decision Hermione's thoughts drifted to what day it was. It was July the 31st; Harry's birthday. She had not even wished him a 'happy birthday' or given him his present yet but this was not on purpose of course, it was all a part of the 'master plan'. Hermione had been planning a surprise party for him for nearly two months and every close friend of Harry and his friends would be pretending to forget his birthday today, until that evening anyway.

"Hey you, hungry?" Hermione asked Harry as she came into the living area after hearing a door shut.

"I'm starving," he said as he slumped down onto the sofa. Hermione joined him.

"I've made your favourite today," she commented.

You? Harry thought, however he refrained from saying this and said instead, "Tuna, sweet corn and mayonnaise sandwiches?"

"Uh-huh," Hermione said as Harry murmured a small 'thanks' and took the plate of sandwiches from her.

Hermione smiled and stared at Harry for a while. He was still the boy she had met fifteen years ago; he still had that unruly hair, he was still brave, he still needed her help although it was no longer with homework, and above all he still smiled that secret smile that he seemed to save only for her. He was all that and more now. He was still her best friend and even if Hermione refused to believe it he was actually more than that. Truth be told, if he was to walk out of her life then she would welcome the apocalypse with open arms. Hermione did not know how long she had been staring at Harry but Harry suddenly decided to turn to look at her and their eyes were locked in contact. She felt her face heat up and something inside her started performing somersaults.

Trying to ignore the awkwardness that she felt Hermione remembered the 'master plan' and said, "Ron owled, he wants you to go and see him after work. I don't know what about though."

"Okay," Harry said, although at that particular moment he was not too bothered about what his red-headed friend wanted instead he was much more concerned about a certain cinnamon eyed friend. "Is everything okay? Why weren't you at work today? I know how you hate missing any work."

It was then that Hermione knew it. It was then that a greater emotion overtook her and she just had to tell Harry about what had happened and in haste she said, "Last night Steve asked me to marry him-"

"What?" Harry exclaimed in horror, as though Hermione had not mentioned the name 'Steve' and the word 'marry' in the same sentence but had spoken an unforgivable curse instead, which of course was just as bad if not worse in his mind.

"I said no of course," Hermione added quickly.

"How dare he? He can't ask you that," Harry said in disgust, as a greater emotion seemed to take over him as well.

Hermione who did not know what to think about Harry's reaction decided to add, "Well, he also asked me to move in with him."

"What? Why?" Harry asked Hermione as though she had committed some sort of crime.

Hermione, who was getting slightly annoyed by Harry's response replied, "Well...perhaps because he loves me!"

This caught Harry's attention more than anything else that Hermione had perhaps said to him and for some reason he felt fear enclose him, he felt fear like he had not felt in a very long time. However, along with this fear sprouted dark green envy and perhaps a partial protectiveness. He got up from the sofa and walked over to where a confused and distraught Hermione was standing.

"Do you love him?" He asked, thinking this was a simple question.

This was the second time she had been asked that question today and although she now knew her answer, for some reason she could not tell him and she stuttered, "I..I.."

"Do you love him?" Harry repeated, his eyes pleading with her to say no.

"I..I d-' Hermione began.

"You can't love him," Harry said backing away from her somewhat. Harry could feel the blood pumping in his veins and he was sure that if his heart was to beat any faster it might just break his chest and he knew that he had to tell her. It did not seem to matter that she might be in love with someone else. "You can't love him because I think I've fallen in love with you."

*******

It was six in the evening and the guests were gradually arriving. Fred and George had come first, George with his girlfriend and Fred carrying a box of suspicious looking items. Ginny and her husband Draco soon followed as did more of the Weasley's and some of Harry's friends from work. Sirius was there as was Remus Lupin with his wife, Cheryl. The flat was soon filling up and the only people left to wait for was Ron and his soon to be wife and Harry himself.

Harry, Hermione thought as she placed two bottles of wine on a table full of party food. Hermione sighed. After Harry had told her about the way he felt he had simply walked out of the flat leaving Hermione to wonder if she could trust what she had just heard. At the moment Hermione was feeling numb, as though what had just happened earlier that day could not possibly have been real but a dream instead. Hermione looked around at the happy faces that were surrounding her and she caught Sirius' eye.

Sirius smiled in response and asked, "Isn't Harry supposed to be here by now?"

Just then the door handle turned and everyone tried to find a hiding place as was usual. About two seconds later a huge 'surprise' was heard but there was no Harry. Instead Ron was standing in the doorway with his girlfriend of three years, Hannah Abbott.

"Fuck!" he cried as the clamour of 'surprise' had caused him to drop the box in which Harry's birthday cake was placed. "Great, anyone care to try squash cake?"

A few laughs were heard among the crowd and everyone seemed to go back to their previous conversations. However, Hermione, with Ginny following behind her, power walked up to Ron and asked, "Where's Harry? You were supposed to bring him here, remember?"

"I remember but he never showed up so I figured you forgot to give him the message and he'd come straight back here....so if he's not here, where is he?" Ron explained in a rush. Hermione's brow creased in thought and suddenly her face lit up and pushing Ron out the way she left the flat. "Where are you going?" Ron shouted after her.

"To find Harry," Hermione replied simply.

"It looks like it's going to rain out there, take an umbrella," Ron told her but Hermione did not turn back. Worried about where Harry could be and Hermione's haste Ron turned to Ginny and asked, "Is there something I should know about?"

"I'm not quite sure but do you think something might be going on between Harry and Hermione?" Ginny asked her brother as she closed the door that Hermione had left open behind them.

"Like what?" Ron asked densely.

"Like sex or perhaps lust, Weasel boy," Draco drawled as he hugged Ginny from behind.

Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy were certainly brothers-in-law but they were only ever civil to one another when they really had to be but as of yet it did not seem like a civil opportunity had arrived or would ever arrive.

Ginny smacked Draco playfully and added, "Well actually I was thinking along the lines of love."

"I agree with that. I haven't known Harry and Hermione for long like you guys but the way they look at each other and just know what the other is thinking, well let's just say I would be surprised if there were no romantic feelings there. Love and relationships are all about chemistry and Hermione and Harry have more than tonnes of that between them," Hannah said thoughtfully as she smiled at her true love.

Her true love smiled back and said, "You know sweetheart I couldn't have worded it better than that."

"I doubt you could have worded anything," Draco commented casually but at this Ginny smacked Draco again, "ow!...I think I could get used to this."

********

Ron was right; it was going to rain as it was already drizzling. Hermione wandered quickly around the park. Harry always came here when he had to think and she soon found him sitting on a lonely bench. Breathing a sigh of relief she cautiously ran up to him. Harry did not even have to look up to see that she was there instead he just placed his hand onto the space next to him, gesturing for her to sit down. She did.

They sat in silence for a while, a silence that was neither comfortable nor awkward, it was just a quietness where nothing but the rain droplets could be heard hitting the floor.

It was Harry who broke this rhythmic silence, "How did you know where I was?"

"You always come here," she replied simply.

He gave a small smile and said, "Perhaps I shouldn't be so predictable. Perhaps next time when I walk out on you I might travel to India or Spain or maybe to a nearby cliff for actually ever leaving you."

"It doesn't matter where you go Harry, I'll always find you," Hermione said as the drizzle slowly turned into rain.

"I know," Harry replied. He did not need to say anything else, all he needed to do was look at Hermione, which is what he did.

The butterflies returned to Hermione's stomach but she did not avert her gaze from his. She wanted to stay like this forever, she just wanted to look longingly in his eyes through which she could see his soul, through which she could see her own soul.

"I meant what I said today and I don't regret it. I do love you and I can't remember when I didn't. I love the way you fiddle with your hair when your nervous, I love the way you smile at me, I love the way you support me and care for me, I love your determination, I love your eyes, goodness I even love your bloody tuna sandwiches. I love everything about you Hermione Granger, everything and I couldn't ever get over you so don't ask me to, please," Harry said to her as he opened his heart to her with fresh tears in his eyes.

Hermione let herself smile and did not bother to wipe the tears that were falling down her cheek, after all was this not what she had wanted to hear?

"Harry, I told him no. I told Steve that I didn't want to move in with him, I also told him I didn't want a relationship with him any longer. You know why? Because I couldn't lie to him, I couldn't lie to myself and I certainly could not hide from what I wanted because I see it everyday. I can't now look at you, Harry, and say that I view you as only a friend. It's too late, I've already fallen for you," Hermione said truthfully as she moved closer to Harry and Harry moved closer to her.

Harry placed his hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears which he so easily distinguished from the raindrops that also fell on her cheek. Hermione moved closer to him, if that was even possible. Their lips growing closer and closer to face the inevitable kiss, the imminent dying of their friendship and the beautiful beginning of a new relationship. Their lips soon met and did not separate until they had both run out of breath.

"You know, I've always wanted to kiss someone in the rain," Hermione told Harry, her smile turning into a mischievous grin.

"Your wish is always my command," Harry said as happiness consumed him like never before. He placed a kiss on Hermione's forehead and held her tight in an embrace as though he would never let her go. Then, looking at the rain clouds that seemed darker than ever before he said, "It's strange what a difference a day can make. Just this morning the sun was shining bright and you wouldn't have expected it to rain and just this morning I was living in denial and now all denial seems to have been thrown far, far away."

Hermione pushed back Harry's wet hair and with a grin she simply said, "Shut up and kiss me!"

And so he did.

**********
Nobody knows it but you've got a secret smile
And you use it only for me
Nobody knows it but you've got a secret smile
And you use it only for me

So save me I'm waiting
I'm needing, hear me pleading
And soothe me, improve me
I'm grieving, I'm barely believing now, now

**********

They had made it back to the flat quite safely. In fact the only danger to them was themselves for they could not keep their hands off each other, which was pretty hard considering they had to cross two roads and climb up a staircase....

They were just outside their doorway, except they did not seem to have any intention of going inside for Hermione was leaning against the door and Harry looking at her with the most dazed gaze. Consequently they did not notice that someone was trying to open the door and when this someone did open the door Hermione fell onto the floor inside the flat with Harry falling on top of her.

The party looked at them in amusement but after realising that Harry was actually there they all shouted, "Surprise!"

Hermione looked up at Harry. She had completely forgotten about the party and said, "Surprise! Happy Birthday!"

This called for Harry and Hermione to get up from their present position and as Harry got up he was slapped on the back by Sirius and handed many presents all at once. The lights suddenly went down and everyone began singing 'happy birthday' as Ron brought in the cake, which was miraculously no longer 'squash cake'.

After Harry blew out all twenty-five burning flames upon stick like candles a cool eyed Ginny asked him, "So what did you wish for?"

Harry chose this moment to look at Hermione and with one wide smile he thought to her 'I have everything I need and want. No need to wish for more.' However, this was not what he said to Ginny for he told her, "My wish wouldn't come true if I told you what it was."

*************

The guests had left quite late that night, leaving Hermione and Harry to clean up the place....but they seemed to have other things on their mind. Hence, with these other things occupying their mind they did not notice a certain red-headed man walk in to collect the wallet he had left. Seeing them he creased his brow in thought, grinned, and decided to leave them a small note which, when it would be found in the morning, would read;

Dear We're-too-busy-snogging-to-notice-anything-in-this-world

I once learnt (even if that's hard to believe) from a muggle TV programme (which I was forced to watch by a certain know-it-all a long time back) that a hydrogen atom doesn't like being on its own so it forms a strong bond with another hydrogen atom to form a hydrogen molecule. Hence it's just like you two; you're stronger together so you form a bond with each other to make the perfect partnership. You see it's all about chemistry.
I'm happy for you!

-Love Ron.

*********