The list

Chapter 11: In Which He is Her World

Why the World is Coming to an End
By Harry James Potter

1. Mr. Granger doesn't want to kill me. In fact, he appears to like me.

2. Furthermore, Mr. Granger seems to have joined Mrs. Granger to form "Team Parent Granger"

3. I think I just spent five hundred pounds on books...

4. I told Hermione that I was going to spend the next few days working on homework...and she believed me.

5. After everything that has happened, the unbelievable has occurred. Ginny was right. And that alone is why the world is coming to an end.

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world."
-Brandi Snyder

Lying. Is that what it had been? Harry continued to ponder this as he sat on the steps. He had never really experienced this type of lying before, which sounded ridiculous, of course, but it was true nonetheless. To Harry, lying only occurred when the time necessitated it, and he had never regretted his actions (at least not too much). Had this been one of the times? True, had he told Hermione that he himself was wondering whether or not Ginny had been right, their friendship would've been broken, possibly beyond repair. Still, Harry couldn't help but feel rather queasy at the though of what he had just done.
At that moment, he remembered why he had been sitting on the step, as his mouth seemed to be growing dryer by the second. He made his way downstairs, only to be greeted by a, "Harry, dear! Do come sit with us."

Harry turned to his right, only to find Mr. and Mrs. Granger sitting together in the dining room. Harry gulped. Just what he needed – for Mrs. Granger to make him wonder even more about his relationship with Hermione, and for Mr. Granger to strangle him for doing so.

As Harry joined Hermione's parents, Mrs. Granger smiled at him and asked, "So, what brings you down here?"

"I was thirsty," Harry said, chancing a nervous glance at Mr. Granger, "and I was going to get a glass of water."

"Well, I was about to make some tea. Would you mind waiting? It would only take a few minutes."

"I don't want to trouble you," Harry said quickly.

"Oh don't worry about it. I always make tea before I go off to bed. It's chamomile. It'll put you right to sleep."

"Er, great," Harry said, struggling to smile as Mrs. Granger left him alone with her spouse.

"So," Mr. Granger said, clearing his throat. Harry couldn't help the shocked look that appeared on his face. This was the first time he had actually addressed Harry. "Are you having a nice holiday?"

"Y-yes," Harry stuttered. "Thank you again for having me. It's been..." Harry searched for the words to describe his Christmas vacation thus far. "It's been interesting."

"Interesting?" Mr. Granger raised an eyebrow, almost threateningly. Harry decided that it'd be best to clear the air now.

"Look, Mr. Granger, I just...the thing is..." Harry felt his palms growing sweaty under Mr. Granger's stare, and he wished more than anything for that cup of water he had wanted. "Your daughter," he began, but then realized that referring to Hermione in such a manner sounded as if he was asking for Mr. Granger's permission to marry her. "Hermione...she's...she's the most – I mean one of the most important people in my life. She's saved my ar—life more times than I can count, and I mean...just for that alone I would rather face Voldemort— " Harry watched as Mr. Granger looked at Harry curiously. Clearly Hermione didn't clue her parents into the dark side of being a witch. "—er, I mean, get run over by a car than hurt her. But besides the fact that I'd have died in my first year without her, she just...she means so much to me. Because she's one of my best friends," Harry added quickly at Mr. Granger's accusatory look. "And I would never ever do anything to harm her in anyway...whatsoever. I just...I couldn't. Not to Hermione."