Ethereal

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asks, feeling increasingly anxious under Harry's determined gaze.

"I ran into Draco at the pub Ron and I visited this evening. Turns out the last time he saw you, was three months back," Harry kept himself from shouting, instead calmly roaming around her house.

His levelled voice irritated Hermione.

"I just want to know why you're lying," Harry follows up insistently, before she can lie some more, make up an excuse.

"I just had dinner plans..."

"Why would you lie about that?"

"I don't know."

"That's not an answer."

"I just had plans."

"But why did you lie?"

"Because it was a date!" Hermione erupts and immediately regrets it.

"A date?" Harry asks almost whispers and feels himself start to crack.

"And the reason I didn't tell you was because... I didn't know how to. I decided a while back that I will get out there and try to start dating. It's new and telling you would have made it real, so I took the easy way out." Hermione tried explaining, but it all sounded so wrong to her own ears.

Harry tries to process it but he can't. Hermione was on a date... with a guy? Harry feels a sharp ache in his chest threatening to consume him.

And she was dating. How could he have come so close to having everything he'd ever wanted and not realized it? How can some stranger Hermione has never even mentioned before take everything from him so effortlessly?

"I didn't even realise it was a date, I mean Ron is the one who understood -"

"Ron knew?" Harry asked.

"You know why you lied Mione..." Harry said, in an accusatory tone that he instantly regretted, "you don't trust me."

It was absurd, he knows she trusts him. But the hurt is too bad, too controlling. 

"I have to go" Harry says, finding it in himself to move towards the door. 

It shouldn't be this bad. A date is just a date. But Hermione lied, maybe because it meant more than that, more than two people just having dinner. She is ready to date, let herself give her heart to someone and instead of looking to Harry who has been right next to her she chose to try being with someone else. 

Maybe the one she chose isn't as much of a mess as Harry is. Maybe they don't demand all that out of Hermione that he has. 

How much did she have to give for him? Maybe if she had found better friends, her life wouldn't have been endangered each year of school. 

"I just, Harry, I didn't want anything to jeopardise our friendship." 

She sounds resigned, tired. 

"It wouldn't have Mione, if you had just told me it wouldn't have."

He left, leaving Hermione behind in a turmoil of emotions. 

Walking back, there is just one thought that nags at Harry's had. He just hopes he had gotten the chance to try... try give her all that she deserves. Given a chance to show that nobody can take care of her better, love her better than he can. 

Suddenly, the streets and his inactive limbs start suffocating him, and Harry is headed to the ministry. 

____________________________

The next morning Hermione knows something is wrong, and a call to Ron is enough to confirm her suspicions. 

She finds herself bursting into the Head of Auror's office. A tall young man, with his spine straight striding in his study. 

Hermione puts a hand on the desk, supporting her weight on her arms as she pants. There is sweat trickling down her forehead. 

"Did you send Harry on a mission?" 

The man is front of her scrunched his face up with confusion, maybe he was startled by such a strange reaction. 

The ministress has never involved herself in the appointing of missions. Also isn't Potter one of her trusted?

"Yes?" 

"Why would you do that?" She whined. 

"Well he visited me when I was in here last night. It was quiet late, and he asked me to allot him something which was preferably long term..."

Hermione's stiffened. 

"... but there weren't any available. So I sent him on a delivery task."

Relief coursed through her. That was an easy task right? Harry would come back soon enough and they will talk and put all of this behind them. 

___________________________

Hermione had returned to her office, work kept her busy enough. As she signed off the last of her contracts for this week, she leaned back in her chair to think. 

Harry's outburst yesterday had been surprising. Yes, she wouldn't react kindly to Harry lying to her about anything either, much less a date. Though, that was a fair reaction for her because god she loves this man. The thought of him being someone else's would have, or will, shatter her. 

Wait! Was Harry outraged because she had been on a date?

"Stop," Hermione says quietly to herself, attempting to rein in her emotions.

There's that glimmer of hope again. Harry does not care about the date. Thinking he does is just another excuse to believe her best friend has romantic feelings towards her, and Hermione doesn't think she can bear to hope anymore. 

__________________________

Today Ginny is the one who drags her out of her office. The young Weasley has been busy with tournaments herself. So the fact that she took out the time to visit Mione is flattering enough that the brunette puts her work aside to grab a meal with her friend. 

"I spoke with Ron," Ginny tells her.

Hermione scratches the back of her neck and offers a cautious grin. "What did he say?"

"To his defense he really tried to keep it a secret, but I broke him," Ginny smirks proudly, a devilish glint to her eyes.

"Of course you did," Hermione presses a hand to her forehead. "What exactly did he tell you?"

"He told me you had a date with some guy yesterday. I'm so happy for you!" Ginny almost shrieks. "Ron said that he seemed nice, polite and so cuteee-"

Ginny winks and Hermione interrupts her ramble. "Ok, let's calm down."

"How did your date go?" her friend asks impatiently, not heeding instructions.

"It went really well actually," Hermione has to remind herself, as if begging her mind to see reason.

Ginny definitely shrieks in excitement this time.

So, you like him?" Ginny's stare seems to be pleading.

"Umm... yes," and Hermione wonders why the answer feels so deliberate, so careful.

"You deserve this Mione," she assures him, sensing her trepidation.

Ginny envelopes Hermione's hands with her own and smiles tenderly at her friend.

"You deserve someone good," she continues.

"Well," Hermione starts. "He was nice, and he wants to see me again, so..."

"Of course he wants to see you again. You're the charming, young, sexy Minister. Everyone wants to date you," Ginny rolls her eyes playfully.

Hermione wants to reply with, except Harry. But refrains and swats at her friend with an embarrassed smile.