Ch06

Love… Harry thought to himself, neither one could remember who had said it first or when, but as the saying went: the cat was, well and truly, out of the bag. Dear God, I told her I love her! I said it out loud. His mind whirled about frantically, like a hummingbird trapped in glass, lots of activity that served no purpose. We shouldn't have done this, it was wrong. What kind of mate am I, to have done this to Ron? What kind of MAN am I, to have done this to Ginny? Ginny… whatever happened at the end of all this, he knew that whatever future the two of them hoped to have together was now and forever null and void.

And the worst part, Harry thought morosely, his hand stilling mid-stroke on Hermione's back, is that I have to end it not because of what I've done, though that was more than enough reason, but because of what I feel. He let his mind wander like that for a few minutes until he felt Hermione heave a sigh which, another part of Harry's brain noted, did very interesting things to her body where it met his.

"Stop it." Hermione said, breaking the silence in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper, but still firm and clearly heard at the same time. "Harry James Potter," she continued before he could respond, raising her head from his chest to look him in the eye. "I know what you're thinking and I demand you stop this instant."

Harry didn't question how she knew what he was thinking. She always knew. "Hermione, you know I can't. What we did… It shouldn't have happened." He said looking her in the eyes as well. He saw them grow sad and anxious at his words.

"S-so you… regret what we…" Hermione stuttered apprehensively but Harry cut her off before she could finish voicing her thought.

"No! No I do not regret what we did… What we shared." He said, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing gently to reassure her. "I will never regret that. What I do regret is the pain this will cause all the people we care about." Harry moved an arm from around her so that he could caress her cheek, "I love you 'Mione. I know I do. But what we shared, what you gave to me, it wasn't mine to take or accept."

Hermione had wrapped her arms around him by then. Tightly, as if afraid he would throw her off. At that moment she was both overjoyed and terrified. He said he loved her. He wasn't having a laugh, and he wasn't in the throes of passion. Harry had looked her right in the eye and said he loved her! But the way he was talking made her anxious. He made it sound like he was going to leave her and disappear. Her arms tightened around him at that thought.

"Maybe," She said softly, "but it was mine to give to whomever I choose… And I chose you." Her voice cracked a little at the end. "Harry I lo…"