Harry Potter & The Heart Of Harmony

Chapter 8- Echo

Close my eyes... Let the whole thing pass me by.
There is no time - to waste.
Asking why... I'll run away with you
By my side. I'll run away with you!
By myyy side! (I'll run away with you...)

I can't wait to run away together again. Even if it's on another dangerous mission, another epic adventure fraught with peril and mysteries.
But first....... Pizza! They arrived shortly after the Ministry meeting had concluded, at Little Antonio's Pizzeria. Ivy had made pizza and Butterbeers sound very enticing, and they were gonna be going away for an undetermined amount of time.
The restaurant was not too busy, luckily. They wanted a breather from the intensity of the day, but they didn't wanna take too long to get out of town. There was probably no one dangerous currently trailing them, but you can't be too sure. They were seated promptly, to their delight.
They ordered a Butterbeer each, of course. Hermione smiled and glanced at her menu, saying, "Everything looks so good! We should probably just share a large pizza. What kind of toppings do you like, Harry?"
"Well, I'm a bit of a carnivore, myself. What kind of meats do you like?"
"Sausage." Hermione blushed.
"... Of course." Harry laughed.
Hermione smacked his shoulder, laughing, "Harry! You're terrible..."
After a couple more giggles, she continued, "I hope you don't think I'm too weird... But.... I also like pineapple on pizza."
Harry blinked a few times, then replied, "Wow... You are weird. Fortunately, I'm weird, too." She chuckled as he said, "I love pineapple on pizza! Honestly. Now, if I could possibly pick one.... Would you like to try salami or Philly steak on it, as well?"
"That's what you call picking one?" Granger chuckled, "What a gentleman. Well..... I think I'd have to go with Philly steak."
"Excellent choice. I would've been fine with either one. But, salami is basically like bigger cuts of pepperoni, and everyone always gets pepperoni, which is just slightly overrated."
"I agree."
"You know..... I can't believe this is our first date in - like - 30 years of knowing each other!" Harry grinned.
They both chortled a little as Hermione pointed out, "And whose fault is that??"
"Well, I didn't wanna say anything. But, I'll forgive you."
Hermione laughed with delight.
"Oh, Harry... You're so witty."
"Thanks. Remember that the next time I flirt with someone who tries to shoot my face off."
Hermione laughed again, then rubbed his wounded shoulder and said, "Oh, really, Harry? Is that something you're planning on?"
"Not at all, Hermione."
Just then, the round, pale, tired-looking waitress brought them their opened Butterbeers and rolls of silverware in napkins.
"What do you wanna eat?..." she grumbled, jealous of their intimacy.
Harry pleasantly ordered, "One large pizza with sausage, pineapple, and Philly steak, please."
"K...." Gertrude grumbled away.
After she left, they both blushed and Hermione acknowledged, "Yeah... I can't believe in all that time, we never even had an official date before we.... You know.... Made love. I hope you don't think less of me, Harry... I'm really usually not like that."
"Hey, I'm not complaining." Harry grinned, leaning back in his chair, putting his arms up, hands behind his head frivolously.
"Harry!" Hermione chuckled with a touch of edginess. "I'm serious. I'm not like that..."
At that, Harry sat forward and put his hand on hers, saying, "I know you aren't, Hermione. And I respect that about you. We did have extentuating circumstances, you know. I mean, we knew each other for so, so long, and we had a lot of good times at Hogwarts together. We were best friends. We went on adventures and saved the Wizarding world - potentially the whole world - and we had some moments..."
"- And I think I always loved you..." Hermione interjected.
Harry smiled warmly at her and responded, "And I think deep down I always loved you... I was just too stupid to realize it."
They leaned over the table and kissed.
"Well, this is quite nice. And I'm usually not even a dinner date kind of guy." Harry admitted.
"Why's that?"
"Dunno... I suppose it's just a bit weird. Sitting across from someone you wanna kiss, stuffing your faces. Asking personal questions. And it's like forced conversation, you know? Not that tonight is not actually quite lovely. But, people can get shy, or nervous, or don't know what to talk about. Luckily we were best friends for so long. But, that's not the case with strangers, you know? It's just a bit strange to me that a dinner date is like the STANDARD for first dates..."
"Actually, I see what you mean, being highly logical myself. It is a bit strange, isn't it? That that's the first date standard. I bet a lot of great potential romances flop because they don't happen to have perfect conversational chemistry at first with a stranger..."
"Exactly, " Harry grinned with relief that she understood. Of course she did. She's brilliant, and compassionate. "And to be honest, on top of that, nearly every excitingly fun place you can go to in public, there's food there, too, if you're hungry. Like, wanna go to the movies? There's food there... Wanna go to the zoo? Definitely food there. Museum? Food."
Hermione joined in giddily, "How about a carnival or amusement park? There's food there. Or perhaps a ball game? Food. Or even a Quidditch game? There better be food! It can last for bloody months! If no one catches the Snitch. The record for Quidditch game duration is three months long!"
They both laughed.
Then Harry confessed, "Well, with the exception of a three month long Quidditch game, I'd love to take you to all of those places, Hermione. I think it would be really fun... I love all of them, especially the zoo, movies, and amusement parks. What about you?"
She excitedly replied, "Yes! I think that would be so fun, Harry! Those are my favorites, too! Plus, the museum of course."
"Of course," Harry snickered, "My cute little bookworm."
She blushed and added, "What about... like - Niagara Falls? Or the Botanic Gardens?"
"You know what? That sounds really lovely, dear. And I just realized something else we have in common. We both love nature."
She nodded happily, "That's true. And not to brag, but we both are intelligent. I mean, we were top of our classes. Mostly me." She flipped her hair playfully. "But, I have to admit... In our 6th year, when you beat me as top of class!.... I was so upset! But, I have to admit, it was a little bit of a turn on."
Harry chuckled, "Well, I had help from the Half Blood Prince's Advanced Potion Making book, and you were kinda sort of with Ron... But, I appreciate it."
"Of course, Harry. Oh! And we both have first names that start with 'H', middle names that start with 'J', and we both were raised by Muggles, yet somehow were both sent to Hogwarts and were sorted into Gryffindor!"
"Despite the Sorting Hat wanting to stick me in slimy Slytherin," Harry amended, "But, I see your point, babe. It was like fate."
"Did you just call me babe??" Hermione giggled, "Okay. Moment of truth. What's your favorite kind of food?"
"Aside from Treacle Tarts?"
"Yes. Those are delicious. But, no desserts, honey."
"Okay. Italian and Mexican food."
"What!? Really? Me too!" Hermione proclaimed, earnestly, "Just something about the sauces and meats and cheese. So scrummy."
"Exactly." Harry smiled, adding, "Well, what about your favorite type of movies? Wait - on the the count of three..... One... Two... Three..."
"-- Comedy --"
"Wait, what?" Harry asked, delightfully bemused, "I would think you were into, maybe, mystery movies, drama, or something really intellectual."
"Don't you think I get enough of that in my real life, Mr. Potter?" Ms. Granger cheerfully chastised him, "Honestly. I do like to laugh, you know."
"Sorry." Harry flushed.
"Don't be. I get it. But, I do also love a good romantic comedy sometimes. I'm guessing you also like action flicks? I'll watch your silly kung fu movies, or whatever other action movies with you, if you watch some romantic comedies with me."
"Yes. That's definitely a deal!" Harry gladly agreed. "Wow! I just never realized we had so much in common, Hermione..."
She blushed like a giddy school girl.
"Let's see... What else?" He thought out loud, "Rock music. Cats...."
"- We should get a cat together!" Hermione blurted out.
Harry was taken aback.
She sat back, blinking and blushing, looking down at her fingers she started twiddling in a cute, shy way. Then, she said, "Sorry... I didn't mean to be so forward. I mean, if you don't want to, I completely understa--"
"- I'd love to, Hermione!"
"What?" Looking up with big beautiful eyes on him, she exclaimed, "Really!??" Then, she awkwardly but lovingly kissed him over the table, making sure to not spill their Butterbeers.
Then, for the first time since they got them, they drank a bunch of the Butterbeers, sensing they were on the brink of getting warm.
I was just taken by surprise, he reasoned in his head as he looked at her with butterflies in his stomach. Of course I'd love to get a cat with her. She makes my heart melt.
"Harry..... What are we exactly??" Hermione inquired, looking nervously at him, biting her bottom lip.
"Um... I'm sorry?"
He started to understand what she meant when she started looking down, being shy and cute again, going on, "I mean... We've been spending a lot of time together lately, and the letters.... And it's not like we're official. But, it's not like I'm trying to put you on the spot. I definitely wouldn't want you to say or ask anything towards me without really meaning it. I don't know... I just-"
"- Hermione....." Harry interjected, to which she looked up with sad, nervous eyes. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
She took a moment to respond, as if she was gauging whether he was kidding or really meant it or not. Then, she got up and walked around the table and threw her arms around him, sweetly whispering in his ear, "Of course I will! Potter..."
Then, they kissed in one of the most tender and romantic ways they had yet for several minutes.
"Ahem....." Gertrude interrupted with an annoyed tone, more listless than a drunk turtle, "Am I interrupting your magical moment?.... I can come back..."
"Um... No. Sorry. Thank you." Harry entreated, both of them blushing as Hermione went back to her seat, mumbling, "Sorry."
Gertrude rolled her eyes and slopped their huge, sizzling pizza on the table, leaving grumpily.
Well, she's not getting much of a tip.
After they inconspicuously watched until they were fairly certain she was out of earshot, they burst out laughing, partially at her and partially at their own somewhat embarrassing faux pas. After half a minute of laughing, and an "'OH, my God!'" each, Harry chuckled, "We'll definitely have to remember that one! Perfect way to get together." Potter joked, but meant it.
"Definitely! Agreed!" Hermione laughed with glee.
"As far as the cat and the other dates, sadly, I think all that great stuff will have to wait until we save the world from mad, raving, murderous, crazy, magical Nazis again, unfortunately."
Hermione snorted with laughter as she picked up a slice and concurred, "Yes. I'm sure... Sadly. But, that'll just make it all the better."
"Yes. Quite."
They both added some parmesan cheese from the table and started eating. Hermione was the first to say, covering her mouth to be polite, "Mmm. Oh, this is so good!"
"Yes, agreed! This is delicious! Brilliant choices in toppings!"
They noshed happily and downed the rest of their Butterbeers. A few minutes later, Gertrude returned, repugnantly grumbling, "-'Zit good?...."
"I'd like another Butterbeer!" Hermione exclaimed in a cute, snotty tone, messing with her, then looked at her boyfriend, asking, "And you, sweetums??"
"Yeah... Yeah, I'd loike another one!" Harry said, trying not to laugh.
Gertrude rolled her eyes and left briskly.
They ate and chuckled some more. Returning almost ten minutes later (for two simple bottles), Gertrude set their opened Butterbeers on the table as well as their bill. After she left, they giggled and finished up.
"K... Didn't really ask for the bill, and the Butterbeers are really late, but that's fine," Harry smirked.
Hermione nodded, grinning as they chuckled. "We should go here every day!" She joked.
He laughed and they enjoyed the rest of their pizza and Butterbeers. Then, after sitting a minute and complimenting the food at least, they got up and Harry paid the bill. Then, they went outside to a gorgeous ending of a sunset overhead, dark purple clouds, imbued with scarlet and deep orange shades. Hermione grabbed Harry by the waist and led him out to the side of the doorway and she thanked him.
"Thank you, sweetie." Ms. Granger said softly and kissed him, which he returned, impassioned.
What a perfect date!