Liquor and a Letter

Mending Fences

Harry shuffled his feet nervously and tried to hide his frame behind Ron as the tall redhead knocked on the door of the Granger house. Oh, how he wished lightning would've come and struck him down. He hated that he was afraid but he hated it even more that he couldn't give into his fear and run away.

The door swung open and Harry immediately recognized the stranger as Hermione's fiancé. Morbidly, he was thankful he got to meet the man first and get everything out of the way. The jealousy came quickly and nastily but he fought it back in order to maintain a friendly facade and hopefully get to know the man. He told himself that he had no right to be jealous anymore when it was he who let her go easily.

"Oh, you must be Ron and that must be Harry," the man jovially said.

If Ron was surprised, he didn't show it and greeted the man smoothly. He stepped into the door while the man stepped aside and Harry was left staring at Hermione's fiancé. The guy was tall, not taller than he was, with brown hair and brown eyes. He looked decently enough but that was just the jealousy talking.

"Err...hello," Harry awkwardly greeted the excited man.

"You're actually him, you're Harry Potter. Hermione's told me so much about you."

Harry suppressed a wince at that but quickly realized that she clearly hadn't told the guy everything about him, or else he wouldn't be so excited to see him. Speaking of, why was the guy so excited? He knew he was a muggle so he couldn't have been one of those wizard Harry Potter fanatics. He supposed it would make a good conversational piece when they sat down to dinner.

"Err...yeah, I hope she's said good things." Harry tried his hand at humor.

"Nothing but," the man responded and then offered his hand for Harry to shake, something he didn't do with Ron.

Harry took it easily and shot a charming smile at the guy. He seemed nice enough to him and he couldn't really find enough of a flaw to hate the man except for the fact that he was Hermione's fiancé. That didn't matter anymore, he'd lost his chance. If he had to remind himself of that over and over again, then that's what he had to do.

The man, introducing himself as Justin Smith, ushered Harry into the house. He didn't miss how close Justin seemed to stand next to him or how happy the guy looked. It was endearing in a weird way and Harry didn't want to listen to his paranoia and think something was off. Clearly, the guy was a big fan of his.

Justin led him into the backyard and Harry readied himself to face Hermione again for the first time since she left four years ago. He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets as they walked through the glass door onto the porch and then down the stairs into the Granger's spacious backyard that was decorated with hanging lights with a large oak table directly in the center of it.

When he caught sight of her at the same time she did him, he stayed rooted to the spot and prayed for that lightning bolt to come down and strike him. She looked gorgeous in her yellow sundress with her hair pulled into a messy bun and her creamy skin showing. He shook his head free of the thought and tried to revert his mind into thinking of her as his best friend, his brilliant but scary best friend who he never noticed was a girl before. He failed.

Justin went over to her and gave her a kiss on the lips to which Harry again suppressed a shiver and wince as his feet glued themselves to their spot. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Ron gesturing for him to come over but his feet just didn't want to listen. He looked to Ron for help and the redhead sensed his problem immediately and hurriedly rose to help him walk over to the table.

"Hello, Harry." Merlin, even her voice was beautiful.

"Hello...Hermione."
———
Harry ate his dinner but couldn't help and glanced over to Hermione occasionally to watch as she and Justin helped each other eat and occasionally shared meaningful looks and touches. It ripped him apart from the inside out but he told himself to be happy for her. Someone else had done what he couldn't do. Someone had loved her the way she meant to be loved. Against all his feelings and hurt, a small smile made its way to his face.

She must have noticed the smile on his face as she looked at him quizzically before turning her attention back to the table as Ron regaled them with stories of their adventures. Harry took that as his chance to down another bottle of beer, his third of the night, not noticing the looks nearly everyone was giving him. Beer had long since stopped affecting him and was practically water to him at this point, however.

Somewhere along the conversation—Harry wasn't really listening—the topic came to him to which Justin asked him about Hermione and his adventures. Dutifully, he took over and told multiple stories about them while being extra careful to omit some key details he knew Hermione wouldn't be comfortable with. He felt much better about the situation, though, as Justin listened with childlike glee on his face.

"Sounds like you know how to have a good time," Justin said after he was done telling a particularly funny story about a ride on a magical winged horse called a hippogriff. "I wish I could have been friends with you, my life is so boring," the man bemoaned.

Maybe it was the beer talking or the need to prove to Hermione that he changed but the words were out of Harry's mouth before he could think. "We still can, I promise I still know how to have a good time. I can show you around," he told the guy.

"I...don't think that would be necessary," Hermione said hesitantly, causing him to look at her in confusion.

"I think it's marvelous, I'm up for it. Whatever you plan, I'll do it," Justin gleefully told him in response, ignoring Hermione completely.

"Splendid, how about tomorrow I take you out?" Harry continued to prod. Hermione looked annoyed at him and he couldn't understand why, however. He thought she'd be okay with him trying to be friends with her fiancé.

"Excellent, I'll be ready."

The rest of the table resumed their conversation but Hermione didn't stop herself from glaring at him whenever she got the chance. It hurt him a lot but he knew she must have thought he had ulterior motives. He excused himself to go to the bathroom and knew immediately that she would follow and confront him. He was prepared, though.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hermione angrily whispered once they were in the house again.

He winced at her tone and tried to shoot a calming smile at her only for her to glare daggers at him. He tried to tell the truth, instead. "I'm just trying to be friends with Justin. He seems like a nice guy." She looked like she didn't believe him and he didn't know what hurt more, her thinking he was lying or the fact that she no longer saw him the way she used to.

"I'm sorry if I don't believe that. You made your feelings pretty clear about him in the letter you sent," a rageful Hermione bit at him.

"Well, in my defense I was drunk and bitter. But I've changed, you have to believe me. I'm just trying to make amends," Harry pleaded with her, trying with all his might to show her that there were no traces of deceit in his eyes.

She still didn't believe him and if his heart was shattered before, it was nonexistent now.

"Get this through your head, Harry. You missed your chance with me and nothing will ever come of that," Hermione continued to glare at him hatefully, "I'll let Justin go with you but if anything happens to us, I will blame you. If my engagement ends for whatever reason, I will blame you."

He didn't have the energy nor the right justification to be angry with her. She was hurt and, worse, he was the one who hurt her. He deserved this and much more. It would be a long uphill battle to have her trust him again but he was willing to take the challenge on. Some things were worth fighting for and this was one of them.

"I promise I'm being truthful with you. I will do everything in my power to prove to you I'm being honest and that I want you to be happy."