Chapter : 2
but you are really easy to talk to. I'm not smooth with girls at all, far less beautiful ones."
"That's either a great line or a very sincere compliment, I'm gonna take it as a compliment. You're very charming yet, when I looked over to your group, you seemed to want to be elsewhere."
His brows furrowed at just how perceptive this girl was. He did find her easy to talk to though. Harry was now actually enjoying his evening so kept the conversation going. "This is not really my scene. I'm not much of a drinker and have always struggled to make friends, hence why I didn't think I could miss this. I'll be here with these same people for the next four and a half years. I thought I should at least make an effort to fit in."
"What are you studying?"
"Veterinary Medicine, and I'm enjoying it. I was fifteen when I suddenly realised if I ever wanted to accomplish anything then I needed to get my act together. I started hitting the books, and here we are..." Harry was shocked as her hand covered his and Hermione's thumb was now drawing gentle circles on the back of his hand. This may be a very unusual situation but one thing wasn't in question, the sincerity oozed from every fibre of Hermione's being.
"You're training to help animals, that's just so... noble of you." Hermione almost said so like you, that would have been a bad slip.
"It's a career I think I could be good at, a career I'll enjoy."
At that Brian appeared, instantly noticing the hands. "Hey Harry, you never came back to tell us who won the bet."
"You knew who won the bet before I came over here. Brian, this is Hermione."
"Hi Brian, can you do us a favour?"
Looking into those warm chocolate eyes would have Brian agreeing to do anything.
"Could you please tell 'Marty' that Harry and I are going to make like trees, and get out of here."
Brian was nodding before it hit him. "Eh, shouldn't that be leave?"
Harry had an even wider grin on his face now. "Don't worry, Martin will get it. See you tomorrow in class..." Hermione's hand now squeezed his, causing Harry to shift his attention. She merely had to lift an eyebrow for Harry to get the message being conveyed. "...or maybe I won't. Anyway, if I don't see you, have a nice Christmas."
Hermione stood, still with Harry's hand in hers as both of them then headed out the door.
Brian turned to see Martin already at the bar, acknowledging he had lost the bet. The rest of their group had their eyes well and truly opened about Harry Potter, Brian couldn't help but think this was only the beginning.
-oOoOo-
As they walked through the car park, Harry again offered Hermione an out. "I can't thank you enough for that, I was dreading spending the rest of the night in there."
Since Hermione still had hold of his hand, she gave it another squeeze. "Harry, playing dumb doesn't suit you. You have obviously figured out I was in there for a reason, I can read the curiosity on your face."
"I'm trying to remember what curiosity did to the cat."
Stopping, Hermione turned to face him. "I could never, nor would ever, hurt you. Do you believe me?"
Once more, this beautiful girl's sincerity shone through. Harry had no other option but to agree.
"I was there tonight looking for a very special person. I found that special person and promise to tell him everything, but not here. I can tell you exactly why you find it easy to talk to me, that and so much more. It might take all night and most of tomorrow, I promise I will answer every question."
Something deep inside Harry demanded he believe this beautiful woman, and he was sure it wasn't his hormones. They got in a car that was obviously hired and Hermione soon had them on the road. He then realised that all he knew about Hermione was her name, this was a good chance to remedy that - without delving too deep. Harry soon discovered she was nineteen and, although clearly British, Hermione had lived in the South of France for the last two and a half years. Harry casually asking what would have her leave there to hit Britain in the depths of December just saw Hermione glance at him - surely not?
They weren't on the motorway long before Hermione had them heading into the services. That she parked the car in front of a Travelodge room, and then came round the car to lead him inside, blew Harry's mind. Things like this just didn't happen to him. Hermione sat him down in the room's one chair, it was the room's one bed however that Harry's thoughts kept being drawn to. Hermione took off her jacket and hung it up, the tight jumper she wore under it just exacerbating Harry's problems. As Hermione walked around the room, Harry tried very hard not to stare at her exquisite derriere. When she sat on the bed across from him and held both his hands in hers, Harry was lost in those chocolate eyes.
"The reason you can talk to me so easily, Harry, is that we were best friends for four years. Those were the best four years of my life, I was devastated when they took you away from us. I know for a fact they altered your memory but there are some things they couldn't alter. You have a scar on your right forearm that looks like a puncture wound, a giant snake did that when you were twelve. You nearly died but a good and true friend saved you. The scratch along your left shoulder was made by another type of creature when you were fourteen, again another good friend healed you."
Harry was wearing his hair longer and also wore contacts, leaving her best friend a very handsome young man. She lifted one of her hands to his face and brushed away the jet black hair that was obscuring his most famous scar of all. Running her finger gently along the lightning bolt saw Harry leaning into her touch, just like Crookshanks or Hedwig did when they wanted petted.
"You got this the night your parents died. You used to believe it happened in a car crash, is that the story they stuck to?" His gentle nod had Hermione continuing, though she knew this would be hard.
"On Halloween, nineteen eighty one, your parents - James and Lily Potter - were murdered by one of the most evil men that's ever lived. He tried to kill you too, but something remarkable happened. He was banished and you were left with that scar, and a whole bunch of fame you never wanted. It took him nearly fourteen years to come back, and when you broke that news - they wouldn't believe you. The government didn't want you spreading these tales. It made them look bad and there were also those who did believe you. They manufactured charges to get you into court..."