Time Again (Completed)

Chapter 9

Molly Weasley was just leaving the living room to cook some supper when Harry suddenly realised he had not had a Christmas present from Hermione, certain that he had done nothing wrong Harry felt disappointed but decided he would say nothing. After all they had had a rather hectic few days and he did not want to make Hermione feel bad, anyway it was too late now; there would be no shops open even if he reminded her. So feeling tired and forgoing supper Harry headed off to bed, no body questioned his departure.

It did not take Harry long to fall into a deep sleep. Dreams of his other life invaded his sleep; dreams of the day Hermione had said "I do," to Ron Weasley, days when she had visited to happily tell them she was pregnant. He dreamt of the day she had turned down his proposal of marriage. Harry suddenly awoke from his dreams covered in sweat and feeling extremely miserable and lonely, the feeling of loss and sadness from his other life draped over him like a shroud.

Getting up and dressed Harry pulled on a thick jumper, one of the Weasley jumpers he received every year. After wandering around for some time he found him self in an old stable block, stalls for twenty horses stood empty and bare. Harry found himself wondering what it would be like to ride a horse, he would of course ride properly, just like John Wayne, he did not fancy the idea of being on a horse and bobbing up and down like a broken jack in a box. Fleeting day dreams of galloping alone across the countryside filled his head for a while. Then his daydream was interrupted by Hermione's voice.

'Harry where are you?' he looked down at his watch it was one in the morning and heavy snow was falling outside the stable. 'Harry where are you?' Hermione repeated sounding panicked.

'Watching the snow' was all he replied, he did not feel like talking to Hermione yet, he was still quite happy to wallow in his disappointment, and misery.

'Harry please tell me where you are, did I do something wrong?' she pleaded

'No you did nothing' Harry said emphasising the last word.

'Don't you want your Christmas present?' she asked

'It's to late for Christmas, it's already over, good night Hermione' he thought with finality.

He did not want to talk, tonight of all nights he had to go and have those dreams, dreams he had never had before, dreams that opened old wounds he had thought healed and forgotten. But for now he could not forget, visions of her kissing Ron, holding Ron, having Ron's children kept running through his mind.

Looking out of the small windows he could see the heavy snow falling, pulling his jumper up around his neck Harry stepped out into the cold night. Minutes later he was covered from head to foot in a thick layer of snow. Shivering he made his way into the kitchen and stood in front of the large fire.

He was still standing there when Hermione found him an hour later, "Harry? What's wrong Harry?" she asked as she walked over to him.

Harry looked at his wife and realised that the Hermione of his past life had been a different Hermione, she was not his wife, that woman was not this Hermione.

Harry held out his arm to her and she pressed close to him as he pulled her tight to his side.

"Bad dreams love, very bad dreams," he told her.

'You want to talk about them?' she asked looking worried for him.

So Harry told her how he had dreamt of his other life, of seeing her with Ron, marrying Ron, and celebrating because she had Ron's baby. He told her how even in his sleep all the old pain had flooded back into his heart.