Drop in the Ocean [Harmione]

8. You Can't Hurry Love

You Can't Hurry Love

"How long must I wait
How much more can I take
Before loneliness will cause my heart
Heart to break?

No I can't bear to live my life alone
I grow impatient for a love to call my own

But when I feel that I, I can't go on
These precious words keeps me hangin' on
I remember mama said:

You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
She said love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take"

(The Supremes, "You Can't Hurry Love")

Later that evening, Eva stretched out on the sofa beside Sirius. They'd gone dancing at one of the local clubs after dinner. That coupled with spending most of the day on her feet and had left dog-tired. Sirius, though, didn't look tired. He looked deep in thought.

"Care to share whatever's on your mind?" she asked, leaning her head back against the sofa and closing her eyes.

"She knows," Sirius answered simply.

Eva turned to look at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Hermione," Sirius explained. "She knows who Harry is. Probably knows who I am, too."

"How do you know that she knows?" Eva asked, feeling as if she was in the middle of one of those Abbott and Costello "Who's on First?" routines. "Did she say something to you?"

"Don't you remember tonight when she was telling us about her boyfriend?" Sirius asked her. "She called Harry by his real name."

"She did?" Eva asked, trying to remember the conversation.

Sirius nodded. "Remus sure wasn't lying when he said she was clever. I imagine she figured it out pretty quickly."

Eva smiled. "Why do you suppose she hasn't called you on it?"

Sirius thought about this for a moment. "If I had to venture a guess, I'd say it was because she figures if we'd wanted her to know, we'd have introduced ourselves by our real names. She probably thinks it would be the polite thing to do to go along with us."

"Speaking as someone who finds it exhausting to remember to call you by your assumed names, I imagine it hasn't been easy for her," Eva commented. "I still think you and Harry should have just come clean to begin with. This place is all Muggles anyway."

"That we know of," Sirius reminded her. "You never know. Harry wanted a normal life without people wondering what he was up to and what he did. He's found that here. The boy's lived such a crazy life. He deserves some peace and quiet."

Eva rested her head on his shoulder. She knew that Sirius looked at Harry like his own son. She knew that he took his responsibilities as Harry's godfather seriously. It was one of his most attractive qualities.

"And he deserves love, too?" Eva asked softly.

"That he does," Sirius said wrapping an arm around Eva and pulling her close. "And I think Hermione's the one to provide that for him. I really do."

"They certainly did seem closer tonight," Eva said. "Like they'd known each other for years instead of a few days."

Sirius had thought the same thing as well. In fact, every time he'd seen Hermione and Harry together, he'd just been more and more convinced that they were perfect for each other.

"Are you going to tell her that you know that she knows?" Eva asked.

Sirius considered this. Throughout the evening, he'd wondered what the best course of action would be. He certainly could tell Hermione that she'd slipped up and called Harry by his real name. He could also tell Harry that the jig was up and Hermione knew the truth. But, that could derail all the progress that the two of them had made. Eva was right. All throughout the meal, Harry and Hermione talked and joked and laughed like old mates. There was definitely sparks flying between them. Sirius hoped Harry could see this.