Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was Christmas Eve and Hermione Granger felt like life hated her.

She was stuck at London airport after an extremely turbulent and scary plane ride. Because of the big snowstorm, all taxi rides were cancelled, and there was no way she was going to make it to her parents' house in time for the holidays. With no means of transportation and with her parents' house miles away, Hermione decided to take advantage of the little battery she had left on her phone to let them know that their festivities were going to have to be delayed, although she doubted they would care. Their relationship was no longer the same as before; it had started to crack the moment she told them of her decision to go live and study in France, and it had finally broken the moment she thought it was a good idea to introduce her boyfriend to them.

They hated him from the first moment and since then they have not missed an opportunity to highlight each of his defects, using them as justifications for why they did not consider him the right one to date their daughter. The fact that she kept going to their house to spend the holidays was just a formality to deny that during the year they hardly spoke to each other, except on important dates. She could understand that they didn't like Cormac -their personalities were very different- but that they didn't make the slightest effort to be in the same room with him and have a civil conversation, it hurt her. There were countless times that she had been put in an uncomfortable position, forcing her to choose between her parents or her boyfriend; so after a year of failed attempts she had given up.

Hermione was an adult and Cormac McLaggen made her happy. The sooner they understood that, the better.

They met by chance, they both attended the same university, and if it weren't for one day he hit her in the face with a ball that nearly broke her nose - Hermione was too engrossed in her book to notice where she was walking - they would probably never have found out about each other's existence. They were completely different: he was a year older than her, a head taller, broad-shouldered, light-eyed, and very silky hair. He got good grades and was an athlete. There was no person who did not love the floor where Cormac walked and the air he breathed. Hermione, on the other hand, was nobody. No one knew her or knew her name. She was skinny, of medium height, with brown eyes and hair that was more like a lion's mane. She didn't play sports or have a dream body like all the cheerleaders her boyfriend hung out with.

They had nothing in common except for one thing: their obsession with being the best. They were the best in their classes, the highest grades, and the ones who always had the answer to any academic question. That little trait they shared had led to a friendship and then a relationship. And it was the only thing that kept them together today, although she wouldn't admit it to herself.

After a fifteen-minute conversation with her mother, who deigned to show a little concern about her only daughter being stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve, Hermione set out to call her boyfriend. Doing so meant breaking the rule of not calling him until after eight because he was going to be very busy studying or training, but the situation warranted it.

"Hermione!" Cormac exclaimed as soon as he answered "This isn't the best time, I'm a little busy. Is it alright if we talk in an hour?".

She could hear laughter and shouting in the background, implying that she had interrupted one of his sacred practices.

"That's the problem, we won't be able to talk for the next few hours."

"Why not? What are you talking about?". 

Hermione managed to explain the situation to him as quickly as possible, holding back the tears that stung her eyes. She took a moment to take a deep breath, and was about to continue when Cormac interrupted her.

"Everything will be fine. Your parents can pick you up at the airport, right?".

"No, dad doesn't want to risk getting stuck in the middle of the road and having his car break down. They say that in this way the three of us are protected from the cold."

"Well, if you look at it that way it makes sense. It is better that you stay where you are, with food and heat. I'm so sorry this is happening to you, but eventually the storm will end and you can come home to me."

"Yes, but Christmas..." her voice came out weaker than usual, a clear sign that it wouldn't be long before she started crying. Cormac gave her a few seconds before speaking.

"I know it's hard, love, but everything will be fine. You will see. These things happen."

Hermione knew that her situation could be much worse and that her boyfriend was only trying to comfort her, but being told "These things happen" didn't make her very happy. She was about to tell him everything on her mind when her phone chose that moment to run out of battery. She stared at it, frozen in place, as all the rushing people pushed her for being in the way. Feeling a tear running down her cheek didn't help anything, so she ran to the bathroom, determined that no stranger would see her in that state. Surprisingly the place was empty, as if someone knew she was seconds away from having a crisis and had taken pity on her dignity.

She felt lonely, sad... She had mentally prepared herself to spend some uncomfortable days with her family: with her parents pretending that they cared about her life and with her trying not to mention her boyfriend in every sentence so as not to bother them. But after all, she was going to be with her family, in the neighborhood where she grew up, with the warmth of the fireplace where she spent countless nights reading and with her mother's tasty food. Now the only thing she had was an anguish that ran through her entire body and a tiredness of those who do not spend sleeping.

Hermione managed to get up after a while and get out of the cubicle she was in. She finished washing her face just in time for a mother and a girl of about five years to come in and not notice her red eyes. They were laughing and talking to each other about something funny that had happened to them, which only made her want to cry again as she compared their relationship to the one she had with her mother.

With the little energy she had left, decided to go to the bar and order something to eat and drink. The red-haired boy who served her didn't pay much attention, informing her that they didn't have many supplies, except for water, alcohol, chocolate muffins, and some reheated pizzas in the microwave. Feeling more miserable than ever, Hermione ordered a bottle of beer and two muffins. She couldn't help thinking that if her parents saw her do that combination they would be very disappointed. She felt sorry for herself, but was too tired to care. After a few minutes the person next to her moved and spoke.

"That's a little sad."

Hermione looked up to see a very handsome guy looking at her with beautiful green eyes. She took a minute to appreciate his attractiveness, until her brain processed his words.

"Sorry?". 

"I said it's a little sad. You're having a beer with some hard chocolate muffins in an airport on Christmas Eve. It is a sad image."

"And how do you know if they are hard or not?" She decided to ignore the comment that it was sad, because she was already aware of that.

"Because my friend Ron works here." he gestured to the tall redhead who had served her "And those muffins arrived last week. I myself helped him unload the boxes. Those are the last ones left and, dare I say, they must be rock hard."

"Yes, well... I don't care, I'm too tired and hungry to care." God! She sounded like a homeless! She wanted to cover herself with five blankets and start crying again.

"With each passing minute, you give me an increasingly sad image. You're lucky I don't care, someone else would have run off by now. I'm Harry, by the way." he gave her a smile that left her dizzy for a few seconds.

"Hermione. Do you always make those kind of offensive comments?".

"It was not my intention to offend you, I just wanted to see if I could make you smile. But you're not one to laugh at your own misery, noted."

"I have a boyfriend." She had never made a comment like that. Hermione wasn't stupid, she knew how to recognize if someone was flirting with her (which happened very rarely) and always tried to be courteous and discreet at the time of rejection. But then again, nothing was going her way and her brain didn't seem to control what came out of her mouth. The comment had the expected reaction, Harry's mouth crinkling at the corners as if he was trying to suppress a smile. He raised his eyebrows a little and drank that was left of his drink, giving her a few seconds to escape from that awkward moment. But her mouth decided to speak again without authorization "The only reason why I said that..." she began to explain at the time that she realized that was putting them in an increasingly uncomfortable situation "Is because I would like to call him, but I don't have battery."

"I can lend you my phone if you want, but I don't know if I have coverage." He took his cell phone out of his pocket and handed it over "You can take as long as you want."

"Thank you." Totally surprised by his kindness, Hermione moved a few meters away and dialed Cormac's number. She tried not to look too frustrated when after several tries all she kept getting was voicemail. Harry gave her one of his smiles again along with a shrug. "He must be busy practicing."

She was waiting for him to ask her something else, so she could start her classic speech, explaining all the activities Cormac did and why most of the time he couldn't take five minutes to answer his girlfriend, but he did not do it. Instead he got up, put some money on the table and stared at her.

"I'm going back to my house, why don't you come with me? At least there you can relax and be calmer. My mother wouldn't forgive me if I didn't invite you."

Hermione thought about it. It was an unusual offer, that's for sure. But her other alternative was an airport full of people who did not stop making noise and uncomfortable seats in which she was going to have to sleep. At least in Harry's house she was going to be able to sit on a sofa and maybe even ask him for an aspirin for the headache she was beginning to feel. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to go without thinking about the consequences, she couldn't ignore that part of her consciousness that was still functioning and was yelling "Stop! Danger!". 

As if he could read her thoughts, he opened his wallet and started taking out a few things.

"Here, a little proof of identity. It's my driver's license, don't notice the haircut please. There you can see my name, my address... It's all there." he handed her the card and started to get something else "And these are my parents, Lily and James, I'm an only child. You can see why I am so beautiful." 

As much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't. His parents seemed to be young but definitely handsome. In the photo they were all three smiling and hugging. It seemed to be from a few years ago. They gave the impression of being a normal family, the kind that would have no problem receiving any girl on Christmas Eve. Hermione couldn't help but notice that there was another photo in the wallet, one of him with a girl with Asian features and black hair. All of that made her feel more secure; he was a normal boy, with parents and a girlfriend, who was willing to help her. He even had a last name: Potter.

"It is very far?" she asked.

"A kilometer from here."

"One kilometer?".

"Well, a kilometer if we take the shortcut. I do it all the time to get there faster, don't worry, it's not much." But Hermione was already starting to worry.

"Are you sure your family won't care?".

"My mother would punish me like a child if I didn't offer help to someone, especially on Christmas Eve."

"Well..." she said after a few seconds of looking around and not seeing any better option than the one he offered "I'll go with you".

As they got up and put on their coats, Hermione caught a glimpse of the redheaded boy (she now knew his name was Ron) nodding to his friend, before a customer called out to him. They approached the door, with Harry dragging her suitcase and she carrying her handbag, and took a deep breath before going out into the cold. In a matter of seconds the snow was up to their knees and flakes fell into their hair. They advanced a few meters and he looked at her, silently asking if she was okay or if she wanted to repent while still had time. Without giving it much thought, Hermione nodded and they continued walking.

They left the airport on a small secondary road, guided only by the few position lights of the cars that passed by every few seconds. They were silent for at least fifteen minutes. Talking used up too much energy and they needed it to keep going. Besides, opening their mouths would mean that all the frigid air would enter their lungs. Each step was a small challenge. The thickness of the accumulated snow was so thick that it pushed Hermione's feet down every time she stepped. She could see that he was struggling to move her suitcase and felt a little guilty.

When they had settled into a walking rhythm, Harry was encouraged to end the silence and start a conversation.

"What's going on with your parents?" he asked.

"What's going on with them?".

"You mentioned that your boyfriend is busy practicing, but you didn't say anything about your parents." Hermione was silent for several minutes and didn't realize that a long time had passed until she saw his worried face "I'm so sorry, they... did they die?".

"Oh! No, god, no. I'm sorry, it was my mistake." she quickly apologized as her cheeks turned red from embarrassment "It's just that... we don't talk much. I told them what had happened to me, but my mother didn't show much concern and I'm sure my father didn't either." 

"Why? If I had a daughter stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve, I would move heaven and earth to make sure she was safe." The comment brought tears to Hermione's eyes again, although she tried to hide it. But, Harry must have noticed because spoke again "I'm sorry, I'm an idiot. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Hermione thanked him silently and she could feel how he understood her without words, again. They walked on for another five minutes until she got up the nerve to speak again.

"It's just that... they don't get along very well with my boyfriend, although, to be honest, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Our relationship began to deteriorate when I decided to move to Paris on my own to study law, rather than follow in their footsteps and become an orthodontist. We stopped talking regularly and now I come less often to visit them." As if it were the simplest thing in the world, Hermione started to explain all her fears and sadness. All those things that she felt she couldn't talk about with anyone, sometimes not even Cormac, began to flow naturally with Harry. The feeling that, even though he was silent, he was not judging her but giving her space and listening carefully, made her feel better "Everything ended up getting worse when I introduced them to my boyfriend, they hated him from the beginning and they continue to do so. They say that we are very different, that we will never be happy, that he is very selfish and conceited and does not deserve me. After a while he started criticizing them too, so I stopped asking them to meet all together. And that brought me here; stuck in London in one of the biggest snowstorms in recent years, far from home and with parents unconcerned about their daughter's safety."

"And going to the house of a stranger." Harry added with a smile trying to cheer her up. And he achieved it.

"And going to the house of a stranger!" Hermione repeated, laughing "This is ridiculous. And pathetic, just like you told me at the airport." She saw him make a face with his mouth and could see in his eyes that he was about to apologize. But she didn't want to talk about any of that anymore, so she interrupted him before said anything "Enough about me, let's talk about you. Don't you think your girlfriend will be mad when she finds out that you picked up a stranger and let her stay at your house?".

Hermione said it to sound observant. She expected Harry to ask her how she knew he was in a relationship, then she would reply that she had seen the photo in the wallet and they would strike up another conversation. Instead he jerked his head away and kept walking with a firm step and long strides.

"There is not much left, but at this point a decision must be made. From here, we can continue along two paths: the one that follows here will take us about forty-five minutes going at this pace or we can take the shortcut." he explained without leaving his serious expression.

"Let's take the shortcut." she answered immediately and without hesitation.

"Well, basically the shortcut takes us behind those houses. Mine is right there, about a hundred and eighty meters. I think." 

They continued along a totally dark path that ran between some houses. As they walked, Harry spoke again.

"What's your boyfriend's name?".

"Cormac McLaggen. He is an athlete, that's why he couldn't answer me when I called him, he should be busy in a practice."

"So he has no idea of everything that happened to you?".

"Oh, no. Yes, he knows. Before my phone ran out of battery I managed to call him and tell him everything."

"And still he doesn't attend to you?".

"He's busy." Hermione snapped. She wasn't in the mood to hear another opinion against Cormac "He'll call me when he can. And when my phone comes back to life."

"How is he? Apart from being an athlete, of course."

"He's smart. It's one of the things we have in common. Sometimes he can be a bit pedantic, but he doesn't do it meanly. He's not one of those who always have to tell you his average grade, but sometimes he can't help it. He doesn't need to kill himself studying to get good grades, and he doesn't care about them that much either way. But he usually gets very good grades, like me. Sometimes we participate in math contests together. He also plays football and is very popular, but in that we are no longer alike."

When Hermione finished speaking she realized that had said "The speech". The one her parents always complained about. In which it seemed like she was trying to sell Cormac and his accomplishments, instead of just talking about him. And seeing Harry's amused face made her feel even more embarrassed.

"Impressive resume. But what is he like?" he asked again.

"He's like... Like I just told you."

"You told me what he does, I want to know about his personality. Does he like poetry? What are the movies he likes the most? Is he funny like me? How is he?".

No. The answer was no. Cormac was many things, but funny wasn't one of them. They had a hard time having fun together because they were both serious and obsessed with their studies and work. But she wasn't going to tell him that, of course not. So instead, she replied: "He's intense, but I like that about him." 

Harry got the message and didn't speak again. They walked in silence until they came to an empty space, just with a couple of trees. In the distance, at the top of a hill, there were more houses. Hermione caught a glimpse of the distant glow of Christmas lights. The snow was falling so hard that everything was blurred. The shower of snowflakes would have looked pretty if it hadn't been for the fact that they stuck into her skin like needles. Her hands were frozen and her legs didn't seem like they were going to hold her much longer. Harry reached out and forced her to stop.

"You see, I have to explain something to you. We are going to cross a small river. It's frozen. I have seen people skating across the surface before."

"How deep is it?".

"It's not very deep. A meter and a half, i think."

"Where is it?".

"Somewhere right ahead of us" he said. They looked at the horizon but only darkness was seen "We can go back."

"Were you going to go that way?" she asked him.

"Yes, but we don't have to."

"I know, but I want to. So we keep walking and that's it?".

"That is the plan."

And that was what they did. They knew they had reached the river when the snow cover thinned. They noticed that the surface became slippery compared to the solidity and resistance that they had perceived until then when stepping on the ground. They advanced cautiously, being extremely careful where they placed their feet. He was in front, with one arm guiding the suitcase and the other extended behind him in case she wanted to catch him. And she did. Not because she had slipped or anything, but because it gave her security.

But instead of grabbing his arm, Hermione's brain made her cling to his hand. Neither of them wore gloves, so their skins were immediately in contact. Maybe it was just her imagination, maybe it was the cold that penetrated her bones, but she felt a shudder that ran through her entire body. She was about to pull away and put some distance between them, when Harry squeezed her hand gently. And the shudder ran through her again. They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds in total silence. And in that same silence they managed to hear a noise. It was new, different from the rest of the noises they had heard all the way there. It was like a sizzle, like the crackling of a burning log, which, considering the cold, was ironic. They both stood still. Harry shot her an alarmed look.

"Do not move...".

Then the surface they were on sank.

During the first seconds, neither was able to react. When they assimilated what was happening they tried to get out, but the ice cracked every time they exerted pressure on it. Hermione had water right up to her breasts. Harry had it above his belly button. She began to move desperately, so he hugged her as an automatic reaction.

"Cal...Calm down." he said without stopping trembling "We... We should... Brea...Break it." They began to break the ice with stiff arms, moving slowly, until reached the thickest layer "I'll lift you with one hand. Come on." 

Trying to calm down and ignore the sensations that coursed through her every time she was near him, Hermione tried to move her leg and failed. She had numb legs from frostbite that no longer responded to her. By the time she managed to move them, Harry's hands were too frozen to support her. They had to try a couple of times, until she finally managed to put her foot down. As soon as she got up, discovered that the surface was slippery, so turned as best she could to help him out. The biggest challenge was getting the suitcase out of the water. Being wet it weighed more than usual. 

"Is... Is not... Is not far." Harry said. He took her hand and pulled her toward his house, which was just down the hill. If he hadn't, she wouldn't have made it to the top. When they finally arrived, they entered through the back door. Hermione felt the warmth of the fireplace and the aroma of freshly baked cookies instantly, and wanted to stay there forever. But Harry didn't stop pulling her hand until they reached a door, after which there was a very clean and tidy bathroom "Go ahead." he forced her to enter quickly "Shower. Now. With hot water." 

The door slammed shut and Hermione heard him run out. She immediately took off all her clothes and staggered forward. The clothes weighed heavily as they were soaked with water, snow and mud. She stood under the shower for a long time, leaning against the wall as the bathroom filled with steam. The water changed temperature once or twice, probably because Harry was also showering elsewhere in the house.

She only turned off the tap when started to feel cold. When she came out realized that all her clothes were gone. In their place were two huge towels, a pair of gym pants, a tracksuit, socks, and slippers. The clothes were boy's, except for the stockings and slippers, which were the only things that fit her without being too big. After a few minutes, she cracked the door open and peeked out. The kitchen seemed empty. Hermione opened a little more and suddenly a woman appeared. She seemed to be quite young, with beautiful reddish hair that rippled every time she moved and smooth features. She was smiling kindly at her and holding a steaming cup. 

"Poor dear! Harry is upstairs. I am his mother."

Hermione accepted the cup and drank quickly, enjoying how the hot liquid ran down her icy throat.

"We'll get you warm again. I'm sorry I couldn't find anything that would fit you better. It's all Harry's clothes, it's the only clean and in your size I could find. But the socks and slippers are mine, apparently we fit similarly. I've put all your things in the wash, and your shoes and coat are drying on the radiator. If you want to call someone, use the home phone. Don't worry if it's a long distance call. My name is Lily, by the way."

She smiled at her again and Hermione felt a little more comfortable. It was strange to think that Lily had only known her for twenty minutes and had already seen her underwear and was offering her son's clothes. But other than that, there didn't seem to be anything about Lily that could unsettle Hermione. She immediately sat her down at the kitchen table and began to take out countless plates of food wrapped in cellophane from the refrigerator. 

"We have celebrated Christmas Eve dinner before Harry and James, my husband, left to help Ron who had a problem with the car. He is a friend of my son."

"I know, I met him. He works at the airport bar." Hermione commented.

"That same one! Anyway, I've prepared a lot of things, so you can eat whatever you want. Don't be ashamed, it will do you good." 

She served her a hearty plate of turkey and mashed potatoes. Harry reappeared through the door just as Hermione was taking her first bite. He was wearing very warm clothes. Pijamas with flannel buttons and a sweater that seemed to be very comfortable. Perhaps it was the headache that was still throbbing or the ice water had entered her brain, but she found him very cute and attractive at the same time.

"Will you take care of preparing everything for Hermione to stay the night?" his mother asked "Your father must already be finishing preparing the guest room where she is going to stay."

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be a bother..." The brunette quickly apologized. At that moment she was aware that had slipped into their lives without asking and at Christmas.

"Nonsense! Do not apologize! I'm glad Harry had the good sense to invite you. We will take care of you. I'm going to make sure that your father has put enough blankets for her to be warm at night." then Lily looked her up and down and added "Look at her! You need one right now. It's freezing. And you too. Come sit down." 

She bolted upstairs as called for her husband. Harry raised his eyebrows, like asking God for patience. But Hermione didn't have time to answer him because Lily was already back with two fleece blankets. In seconds Hermione was wrapped in a navy blue one as if she were a newborn, so tight that it was a little difficult to move her arms. 

"You need more hot chocolate." she pointed "Or tea? We have all kinds."

"I'll take care of it, Mom." said Harry.

"More soup? Have some soup. It's homemade. After the cold that the two have been through..."

"I'll take care of it, mom." Lily took out the half-empty soup cup, refilled it to the top and put it in the microwave.

"Make sure you tell her where everything is, Harry. If you need something during the night, you grab it. Or you can ask us. The door across from you is Harry's, the one on the right is ours. Make yourself at home. You're one of us now, Hermione."

A man almost identical to Harry appeared through the kitchen door. He had the same unruly raven hair, mischievous smile, and very similar glasses. The only differences were that he was older and had hazel eyes. He moved closer to Lily and wrapped his arms around her waist. They looked very cute together.

"Relax, honey. The room is ready and heated. She won't need anything." Suddenly his deep eyes settled on Hermione and he smiled at her "It's a pleasure to meet and receive you. I can tell by your face that you're tired, so I think it's best that we all go to sleep. We can talk in the morning." 

"Yes, that's the best." His wife commented in a low voice. You could tell from the expressions on her face that she was still thinking about what her guest might need. James rolled his eyes and placed a kiss on the top of her head as the two youths chuckled. Lily must have noticed because in response she paid him gently on the arm, although a smile was beginning to appear at the corner of her lips "Have a good night."

"Good night." Hermione replied under her breath as she watched them leave the kitchen with their arms around each other.

And with that, Lily and James retired to their room. And with that, Hermione's Christmas with the Potters began.  

Chapter Text

Harry and Hermione spent a long time in silence while they ate, after his parents had gone to bed. Now that she was dry and comfortable, she took the trouble to look around. The kitchen was simple but tidy, all the utensils were in their places and there was not a dirty plate in the sink. She was sure that if she ran her finger over any surface, it would come out clean.
Eventually her eyes landed on Harry. It was like she couldn't help it. Hermione still shuddered just thinking about the moment they shared at the river. But he must have felt her eyes, because within seconds he raised his head and looked at her. And there it was back. The shudder. The depth of his green eyes that she couldn't stop looking at. It was like an addiction. And it was wrong.

Hermione cleared her throat and looked away. She couldn't help but blush. Luckily he didn't comment.

"If you want I can show you where you're going to sleep." Harry suggested without looking at her. She could only make a noise resembling an affirmation and follow him up the stairs.

The guest room was cosy. The bed looked big and comfortable. It was thickly padded, perfect for a chilly night. At the foot of the bed were two blankets piled up that Hermione was sure Lily had put down. The bathroom was small but had everything you needed to meet your needs.

"Well, I think you will not need anything, but if you do, don't hesitate to ask. As my mother said, my room is just across the hall. I'm here for whatever you need." 

"That's fine." she replied "Everything is wonderful. Thank you for inviting me to stay the night." 

"As I said, no problem." He turned to leave, but stopped halfway "Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened when we were coming here. I didn't think we were going to fall into the freezing water and all that..."

"Oh do not worry. There was no way you knew that was going to happen. Everything is fine."

Harry looked like he was about to say something else, but just nodded and left the room. When the door was almost closed, he opened it again and stuck out only his head.

"Merry Christmas." said before disappearing.

Hearing this, Hermione realized her situation again and her eyes watered. She missed her family. She missed Cormac. She missed her home. Lily and James were doing everything they could to make her feel good, but they weren't her parents. Harry wasn't her boyfriend. She lay there for a long time, tossing and turning, watching the alarm clock go by for two hours with its loud ticking.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She slipped out of the room and quietly descended the stairs. Hermione had seen a landline phone next to the sofa, so went to grab it. Pulled it out of the base and dialed Cormac's number. It rang four times before he answered. He sounded very confused when finally spoke. His voice was hoarse and tired.

"It's me." she whispered.

"Hermione?" Cormac said "What time is it?".

"It's three in the morning. I wanted to talk to you."

She heard a lot of throat clearing and clumsy noise as he tried to clear his head.

"I'm sorry. I've been busy all night. After practice my mom asked me for help with a couple of things. We can talk tomorrow? I'll call you as soon as we're done opening the presents."

Hermione was silent. She had survived the biggest storm of the year, fallen into an icy river and her parents didn't care... And yet, Cormac was able not to talk to her? 
However, she had had a busy night, and it seemed a waste of time to tell him her story if he was half asleep. It's not easy empathizing with someone who wakes you up at three in the morning, and she needed her boyfriend fully alert.

"Sure. Tomorrow."

Hermione returned to bed with a greater anguish than had lowered. Sometimes she didn't understand Cormac, she had the feeling that he dated her out of boredom. Or as a challenge. Those thoughts made her miserable.
She stopped thinking about it, convinced that it was the result of the bewilderment at her situation. She was in an unknown place and far from everyone she knew. If she got some sleep, her brain would work normally again. She closed her eyes and after a few minutes fell asleep.

Her alarm clock was a noise of something falling hard on the floor, followed by a "Damn!" and a "James!". When she went out into the hall found the three of them heading downstairs.

"Oh! I'm so sorry darling. Did we wake you up?" Lily was at her side in a matter of seconds giving her a small hug as a greeting.

"No, no, I was already awake. I just didn't know if you were too." Hermione replied. No one seemed to believe her, probably because of her sleepy face. But they didn't say anything. She didn't want to accuse James. The poor guy already looked a little guilty, as if he knew that what he had dropped and the scream had caused her to wake up. And Lily seemed ready to berate him again, so pretending that she had already woken up was the best option.

"Well, now we are all up. Let's go have breakfast." Lily said. They went down the stairs to the kitchen "We are going to delay the opening of gifts. We'll have breakfast together and chat a bit."

"Sounds like a fantastic idea." James added as he put some slices of bread in the toaster.

It was clear that they did it so as not to upset her, because they had no gift for her.

"No." said Hermione "You should open your presents."

Lily shook her head determinedly and smiled.

"We can wait. Why don't you go wash your hands and when you come back we'll have breakfast?".

Hermione slipped into the bathroom with her head down, trying to give herself a few morning touch-ups. She had messy hair and the mark of the pillow on her face. She did what she could with the cold water and the little decorative hand soaps. There were no great results. 

"Do you want to call your family?" James asked when Hermione came out of the bathroom "To wish them happy holidays and tell them you're fine?".

Automatically she looked at Harry silently asking him not to say anything. His barely concealed pitying face might have been enough for his parents to notice that something was wrong, but he quickly changed his countenance. Hermione gave a slightly forced smile and nodded as she thanked them. After a few tones her mother's voice spoke.

"Hello? Who is it?".

"It's me mom."

"Hermione? Where are you calling from? I don't recognize the number."

"I met some people. And I stayed at their house. I'm calling from the landline."

"Ah." Was the only thing she said. After a silence of a few seconds where no one spoke, Hermione heard her voice again "Are you okay?". 

That was the only degree of concern she showed. She was not interested in knowing what kind of people gave her only daughter lodging. If they were good, if they were bad. If she had had a bad night or not. She didn't even offer to go find her, now that the weather had calmed down a bit. It was just a simple routine question. So that if by chance someone was listening, they wouldn't think she was a terrible mother.

"Yes I'm fine. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get there with you, I think the best thing is that I return to the airport as soon as it's safe and took the first plane back to France." 
That was the moment. If Hermione's parents really cared about her, they would ask her not to leave and assure that they would try to help her come home with them. They would said that they couldn't spend the holidays apart and that should leave everything behind and go back to the relationship they used to have. 

There was another silence, longer than the previous one, until Helena Granger spoke again in a firm voice.

"I think it's the best. Make sure you get home safely. And let us know if you can."

Hermione swallowed her tears and answered: "It's fine. I have to go. Goodbye." She didn't even want to listen if her mother had an answer. She didn't want to listen anymore.
Harry appeared and sat next to her on the couch just when the tears were coming.

"All good?" he asked.

"Yes, all good. Can I make one more call?".

"Of course. Take as long as you want." And he went back to the kitchen.

Hermione dialed Cormac's number. He answered on the seventh ring.

"Cormac." she exclaimed between whispers "It's me. I'm..."

"Hermione? Listen, we're about to sit down for breakfast."

"I've had a very bad night." 

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, honey. Listen, I can call you in a bit. I have the number. Merry christmas!". 

Not a single "I love you" or "I miss you so much." At that moment she was about to collapse again. A lump rose in her throat, but she didn't want to be one of those girlfriends who whines when her boyfriend can't speak... Although, again, the circumstances warranted it.

"Sure. Later. Merry christmas." 

And she ran to the bathroom.

Hermione was in there for at least thirty minutes, sitting next to the shower and crying into a hand towel. She was terrified to get out of there, but when she did, discovered that the kitchen was empty. Lily emerged from the laundry room after a few minutes.

"I asked Harry and James to go to the neighbors' house to see if they needed help with anything. They are an older couple and sometimes they need a hand. They'll be back soon."

"Okay." she sat down at the table.

"Listen to me, Hermione." Lily took the chair next to her and grabbed her hands "Don't worry about anything. I know these holidays can be difficult, but we will try to make them special for you."

"I'm used to my holidays being a bit disastrous. So I'm not too surprised that these are not the exception."

Lily got up and poured her coffee. She handed Hermione the cup along with a huge sugar bowl.

"Of course this is the exception! You are with us now!" exclaimed trying to appear offended "I know it must be a very hard experience for you, but I believe in miracles. It may seem silly to you, but I believe in them. And that you made it home is a small miracle for us."

Hermione looked up at her as she took a sip of coffee and nearly spilled it all. Lily seemed to be one of those people who gave great advice and hugs. But the very thought of asking for one embarrassed her.

"Thank you?". 

"What I mean is that... Today Harry seems happier than he has been in... Well... Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but... Well, maybe he already told you... He tells everyone about it, and it seems like you two hit it off, so..."

"Tell me what?".

"About Cho." she answered with wide eyes  "Hasn't he told you?". 

"Who is Cho?". 

Lily had to get up and cut her a big slice of cake before answered. Like she wanted Hermione to be busy with something else while told her something she shouldn't.

"Cho." in a lower voice "Was Harry's girlfriend. They broke up six months ago, and he... Well, he's such a good boy, so sensitive... He was very sad. She behaved very badly with him. Very badly. Last night was the first time in a long time that I saw the cheerful Harry from before, when you were sitting with him."

"I... What?".

"Harry has a very good heart" Lily continued without taking into account the fact that Hermione had froze, with an unchewed piece of cake in her mouth "When his godfather, James' best friend, passed away, he was only fifteen years old. But you should have seen how he helped us and how he tried to talk to his father, telling him that it would make him feel better. Harry did all of that while he was also going through a duel. He is a very good boy."

The chestnut was silent. She felt a little uncomfortable talking about these things with his mother. Besides, Harry wouldn't be happy to know that something so personal had been told to her without his consent. Hermione was thinking about locking herself in the bathroom when James came through the door with a bit of sweat covering him.

"Mrs. Henderson asked us to help her free the back door. There was so much snow that they couldn't open it."

"Where is Harry?" Lily asked.

"He's still there. You know how she loves to squeeze his cheeks and give him cookies. He will return at any moment."

They heard the front door open, and a moment later the raven came into the kitchen brushing some snow out of his hair. The two men took a few minutes to recount all the things they had to do, before apologizing saying that they had to go change their clothes, because they were sweaty and covered in snow.

"Relax." Lily told her when they left "I'm going to take James for a walk outside so you two can relax. Harry and you were very cold last night. Stay at home and keep warm until the weather improves. Stay to hang out. Have a nice hot chocolate, eat something, get under a blanket..."

Hermione wanted to run as far as she could. The situation was so alarming that for a moment it made her forget everything. It seemed that the redhead was not going to give up until the two of them were together. But she had a boyfriend. One she loved very much. This was unacceptable. But she didn't have time to answer anything because Lily had already left in search of James. 

"You look scared." Harry said when he returned "Did my mother scare you with one of her talks?". 

Hermione laughed too exaggeratedly and a piece of cake shot out of her mouth. He gave her a questioning look but didn't comment anything. He just poured himself a cup of coffee while watching her out of the corner of his eye. 

"My parents are going to go for a walk for a while. So we'll be alone. What would you like to do?". 

Her only response was to gobble down another mouthful of cake.

Five minutes later they were in the living room, sitting on the sofa. But not snuggled under the same blanket, no. They had one each and Hermione had sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, as if imposing distance between their bodies. She stared at Harry carefully, still found him attractive. Not like Cormac. Cormac had his flaws. He didn't have even one special trait on its own, but was the sum of several pleasant aspects perceived as a whole to result in a very attractive whole, presented to perfection thanks to the right clothes. He was very elegant when it came to dressing, took his time to combine his clothes, not to mention how long it took him to fix his hair. 
Harry didn't have any style. He probably wasn't interested in fashion in the slightest and Hermione was beginning to assume that he had no idea how to combine shirts with jeans. He took off his sweater and revealed a simple red shirt with no prints. It would have been too boring for Cormac, but Harry dressed like that naturally, so it suited him. And although it was loose on him, she noted that he was quite muscular.

If Harry had any idea what his mother was planning, he hid it very well. Made funny comments about the gifts he had bought for his parents, and she smiled tightly, pretending to hear him. Hermione couldn't help thinking: Why hadn't he told her about this Cho? Not that they were close friends or anything, but they seemed to hit it off, and he felt comfortable enough to ask her about Cormac. Why hadn't he said anything when Hermione mentioned his girlfriend? And more considering that Lily claimed that he told everyone. 
Not that she cared, of course. It wasn't her business. They were friends. Friends who had just met, but friends nonetheless. She wasn't the one to judge him just because his mother had behaved strangely and put them in an awkward situation. 

By the time James and Lily left hand in hand, Hermione already felt calmer. She was going to spend an hour or so relaxing and entertaining with Harry. She liked his company and there was nothing to worry about.

"Come on." he said pulling her out of her thoughts. In his hands was the box of what appeared to be a board game "Let's play." 

"Whose is it?". 

"It was mine from when I was a kid. It has many pieces. It will be a good way to kill time."

"I have never been able to kill time doing nothing" Hermione answered "I have the feeling that I should be doing something."

"Like what?". 

"Like... I have no idea. I'm always on my way somewhere. Cormac doesn't like to waste time. To kill time we sometimes update the student web page to see when they will have math contests and sign up, for example."

"Oh, I see." said Harry, holding the box up as he removed the lid "You live a sophisticated life in the great city of Paris. But here, you're going to have fun with me. Let's see, what color do you want?".

Hermione didn't know where James and Lily had gone for a walk, but they had been under the snow for two hours or more, and Harry and her had been playing all that time. He was very pleasant company, so much so that she hardly (almost) noticed that Cormac was taking quite a while to call her back. When the phone rang, she jumped up. Harry answered, because it was his house, and handed it over to her with a strange expression on his face, as if he was a bit upset. 

"Who was that?" Cormac asked as soon as she answered.

"It was Harry. I spent the night at his house."

"I thought you were going to stay at the airport."

"I met Harry at the airport bar, and I've stayed at his family's house. We fell into a frozen river on the way. I'm good but..."

"Oh! What a complicated story!" He was finally listening to her "Listen, we are about to leave to go see the neighbors. Let me call you in an hour and tell me everything." 

She had to squeeze the phone because she couldn't believe what was hearing.

"Cormac" Hermione said when she had calmed down a bit "Did you just hear me?".

"Yeah. You need to tell me everything. We won't be out for long. Just a couple of hours."

And he hung up. Again.

"That was quick." Harry commented as he entered the kitchen and headed for the counter. He turned on the electric kettle.

"He had to go somewhere." Hermione said without much enthusiasm.

"And that's why he hung up on you? What an idiot!" There was silence for a few minutes before he spoke again "Can I tell you something that you won't like at all?". 

"No." 

"That guy is going to break up with you."

His words hit her like a bomb.

"I'm just trying to be useful, and believe me, I'm sorry. But, trust me, he's going to break up with you." 

As he repeated it, something told her that Harry was right. Cormac was avoiding her like she was a pain in the ass to talk to, and he never ran away from annoying situations. He always stood up to them. Hermione was only what he was distancing himself from. Cormac, the handsome, popular, and fabulous guy in every way, was ignoring her. Knowing it, tore at her inside. Hermione hated Harry for saying it and needed him to know it.

"And you tell me that because of what happened to you with Cho?".

It worked. Harry's head snapped around. He moved his jaw back and forth a few times, and calmed down.

"Let me guess. My mother told you."

"She hasn't told me the whole story."

"This has nothing to do with Cho." 

"Are you sure?".

"Cho has nothing to do with this." he repeated "Do you want to know why I know he's going to leave you?". 

No, Hermione didn't really want to know, but Harry was going to tell her anyway.

"For starters, he's avoiding you at Christmas. Do you want to know who does that? People who are about to break up with their partner. You know why? Because on special days they are afraid to say it. Parties, birthdays, anniversaries... They feel guilty, and they can't talk about it."

"He is busy." she replied in a low voice "He has many things to do."

"Yes, well... If I had a girlfriend, and she had to take a long plane trip in the middle of a storm... I wouldn't have put the phone down all night. And I would have responded. At the first call. Every time. And I would call her to see how she is." 

Hermione was speechless. He was right. That was exactly what Cormac should have done.

"You just told him that you fell into a frozen river and that you are in the house of some strangers, and he hung up on you? I would do something. I would come here no matter the snowstorm. Do you want advice? If he's not going to break up with you, you should. He's a jerk." 

Harry said all that very quickly, but he said it firmly. He meant it. It was everything she wanted Cormac to have said. 
Harry must have felt bad for saying it like that, as he began pacing silently, waiting to see how much damage his words had caused. 

It was a minute or two before she could speak.

"I need a minute." And she got up and left the kitchen.

Hermione sat on the bed in the guest room and tried to think about what had happened. Her head ached but she decided to ignore it. She realized that had never left the phone in the kitchen and had it in her hand. She dialed the number and Cormac answered, sounding a little angry.

"What's happening?!" he said "What's wrong?! We are about to go to..."

"In the last twenty-four hours." Hermione interrupted him "I have been trapped in an airport far from home by a snow storm. My parents haven't bothered or offered to pick me up. I have walked several kilometers on a road covered by a thick layer of snow. I have fallen into a river, and I am in the house of some strangers. And your excuse for not being able to talk to me... What is it exactly? Is it because it's Christmas?".

That left him speechless. It wasn't really what she intended, but was glad to know that at least he had some shame left. 

"Do you still want to be with me?" she asked "Be honest, Cormac." 

On the other side of the line there was a very long silence for the answer to be "Yes. You are the love of my life."

"Hermione" he said, with a deep voice and tense tone "This is not the time to talk about it." 

"Why?". 

"It's Christmas". 

"All the more reason we should talk now." 

"You know I'm very busy here."

"Well." she said when perceived that the anger was starting to show in her voice "You're going to have to talk to me, because I'm going to break up with you."

Hermione barely gave credit to her words. They came from a deep place, which she did not know existed.

There was a long silence.

"Fine." he said. 

"And?".

"And what?". 

"You will not say anything?". 

"I've known for a while now." he told her "I was thinking about it too. And if that's what you want, well, I guess that's for the best, and..."

"Merry Christmas." and hung up.

Her hand was shaking. Almost her entire body was shaking. She sat back down on the bed, which she hadn't realized got up from, and wrapped her arms around herself. Harry poked his head around the door and stepped carefully inside.

"I just wanted to know if everything was okay."

"I have done it." Hermione answered "I called him and I have done it." 

Harry came over and sat next to her. He was close, but there was a bit of space between the two of them.

"It didn't seem to surprise him." 

"Idiots are never surprised. What did he said?". 

"That he had known it for a long time, that it was surely for the best..." 

They sat in silence for a long time. Her head was spinning. But Harry broke the silence like so many other times. 

"Cho was like Cormac. Really...she was perfect. Beautiful. She got good grades. She sang, did charity work, and was a cheerleader. I never knew why she was dating me. I was a normal guy, and she was Cho Chang. We dated for four months. I thought we were very happy. At least I felt that way. The only problem was that she was always busy. Too busy to spend time chatting with me or to stop by my house, to call or write. So it was me who passed by her house. And I called her. And I wrote to her... One night..." he continued "my parents had an accident. It was nothing serious, the car took the biggest impact. But I was terrified. On the way to the hospital I couldn't stop thinking that I could lose them. So at a traffic light I called her. Obviously she didn't pick up on me, but I left a message. I asked her to please go to the hospital to accompany me, I needed her more than ever."

Now he was rubbing his hands together like crazy and cracking his knuckles one by one. Hermione couldn't help but think of a fifteen-year-old Harry losing his godfather and, years later, having to deal with his parents' car accident. Although in the end it had been nothing, she could perfectly imagine him getting desperate with the simple idea of not having them by his side. She felt very sorry, because was pretty sure how the story ended.  

"Cho didn't show up, obviously. And she did not answer any of my messages or calls. So, three days later, when my parents were already home safe, I went to her house. I saw her car and one of her friends opened the door for me. She informed me that they were having a study meeting but let me in anyway." 

Harry ran his hands through his hair until it was all up. Hermione suppressed the urge to squash it. She liked it that way too. There was something about his messy hair that made her feel better; it alleviated the feeling that burned her inside.

"Her friend gave me a sad look and told me that Cho was in the bathroom. She poured me a glass of water and I sat down to wait. After several minutes I realized that Cho had been locked up there for a long time and her friend kept looking at me with a very, very sad face. So she got up, went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. Cho came out with Cedric Diggory."

"¿Cedric Diggory?". 

"He's from around here, a couple of years older. Just like her, popular, athletic, good grades. Just like Cormac." Harry took a deep breath before continuing "For a minute, my brain tried to process why Cho and Cedric Diggory were in the bathroom of her house together. I tried to believe that this was nothing they should hide. But, from her friend's look and Cho's look, I finally realized what was happening."

"What did you do?". 

"Nothing". 

"Nothing?". 

"Nothing. I just stood there, feeling like I was going to vomit. But Cho was furious. With me."

"What?! Why?!" Hermione exclaimed angrily on Harry's behalf.

"I think she lost control because I had discovered her, and it was the only way she could think of to react. She accused me of harassing her and spying on her. She called me a stalker. She said that I pushed her too much. I wanted to tell her that she was the one cheating on me, that she was the bad one. But I didn't say it, because I was speechless. And it must have seemed that I agreed with her. That I was admitting that I was a possessive, abusive, and jealous stalker, and not the boy who had a crush on her for a long time." 

He stopped rubbing his hands together and gave a wry laugh.

"In the end, her friend asked Cho to calm down and I left as quickly as I could. And that's how it all ended. Rumors here run like wildfire, so by the end of the day I was the stalker boy whose girlfriend had cheated and left for someone better. But I'm not telling you this out of pity, but for another reason. That guy..." he pointed an accusing finger at the phone "is an idiot. Although that probably doesn't matter to you right now." 

Memories of the past year rushed back to Hermione, though now she saw them from a different angle. There she was, Cormac taking her hand, taking a step forward and pulling her down the halls. And he was talking to everyone along the way, except her. They had lunches with his friends, but Hermione never participated.
God! It had been like this for a long time. Harry was speaking for her. He did pay attention to her. And that made her feel strange. As if they were living too intimate a moment, although, in a way, it was wonderful. Tears filled her eyes. Seeing that, Harry opened his arms a little, inviting her to hug him. At some point they had gotten closer, little by little, and anticipation was in the air. Something was about to happen. 

So Hermione kissed him. 

She kissed him passionately. She threw him back onto the bed and climbed on top of him. And he returned the kiss. It was a good kiss. There was no clash of teeth or excess of tongue. A bit rushed at first because no one had prepared for that. It took them almost a minute to get used to it and acquire a somewhat slower pace. She was in heaven when voices were heard from downstairs. It seemed that James and Lily had chosen that moment to return from their walk. 

"Harry! Hermione! We brought cupcakes." James yelled.

Neither of them moved. Hermione was still lying on top of Harry, he was sunk into the mattress. They heard that his father had almost reached the middle of the stairs, from where he must have seen the light on in the room. They heard his low laugh and his footsteps quickly moving away as he said: "Lily! Let's go! They're a little busy!". 

The sudden appearance of his parents turned her stomach. Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation. Hermione got up and he jumped up. 

"I would have to go down." He said "Are you okay? Do you need something or...?" 

"I'm perfect!" she exclaimed in a high tone. But didn't have time to be embarrassed because he left right away. 

Much as Hermione would have liked, she couldn't hide upstairs forever. Sooner or later would have to go down and face the world. She sat on the ground in front of the door listening carefully to see if could figure out what was happening downstairs. She heard someone coming out of the house and some noise in the kitchen. It seemed like a good time to reappear. She began to go down stealthily. On the sofa, James was reading the newspaper. He gave her a wide smile with ulterior motives. 

"Did you hang out with Harry?" James asked.

"Yes." Hermione answered trying to keep some dignity "We were playing a board game. How was the walk?". 

"Mmh, if you say so. The walk was fine." 

"Hermione? Are you there?" 

Lily appeared through the kitchen door, red as a tomato, as if she'd had a lot of exercise, and drenched.

"Harry has gone to the house across the street to help Mrs. Addler move the snow from the entrance." she explained "He has seen her fighting with the shovel. Mrs. Addler is alone and has a bad back, you know? Have you had a good evening?". 

"They were playing a board game." James answered for Hermione. His tone was not innocent at all.

"Is that what they call it now?" Lily gave her a smile that made her shudder. "I'm going to start preparing lunch. Come help me, honey." 

James jumped up and together they went back into the kitchen as they talked. Hermione went to the dining room window and looked out. Harry was there, helping the neighbor. He was running away from her, of course. It was the most logical. He should be waiting for her to leave. And that was precisely what she wanted to do. Leave. Get out of that house and out of Harry's life while she still had some dignity left in her. She would go out and walk to the airport, buy the first available flight and go home. 

As soon as she made that decision, acted quickly and ran to her room. She grabbed her cell phone and turned it on. It took a few minutes to respond due to the freezing water it had been exposed to, but after a few seconds it showed a slightly fuzzy screen. The only thing that mattered was that it worked. 
Her clothes, coat, and suitcase were in the laundry room. Hermione ran and changed. She left on top of the washing machine the clothes they had lent her. With a strength she wasn't sure she had, lifted her suitcase so it wouldn't make a sound, and left as fast as she could. 

She had to go out the back door, the one they had entered the night before. If she went out onto the main, Harry would see her. There was a pile of snow in front of the door, at least two feet high, and when she stepped on it there was no more slapping noise, it was no longer soft. The cold had solidified it. But Hermione was in a panic, so she threw all her weight and that of her suitcase against the door. She was afraid to rip it off and felt ashamed to think what James or Lily would say if they saw that. They had been so nice to her, the last thing they deserved is for her to break their door down.

Hermione managed to open it just enough to barely get out, and drag her suitcase. Her arm was cut in the process when her skin caught on a wire. But she felt no pain from all the adrenaline coursing through her body. Once she was out, the door didn't go back into place, so she had to spend another two or three minutes pushing it shut all the way. When she finished, there was another problem. 
She couldn't go back the way they had come there, because didn't want to cross the frozen river. However, it was impossible to locate it. Their tracks had been erased. She was facing an unfamiliar grove of trees and the backs of a dozen identical houses. The safest bet was to walk very close to the houses until reached the interstate and, from there, to the airport.

Hermione felt so disoriented that she couldn't even imagine where the path might be. As she made her way through the neighborhood, had time to think about what just happened to her life. 
The relationship with her parents was definitely broken. And she had no intention of trying to repair it. What had happened in the last few hours had been the last mistreatment she was going to endure from them. 
She broke up with her boyfriend of a year over phone call and over Christmas. After finding out that he was planning to do the same to her. And it didn't take her five minutes to cry about their relationship, that she was already making out with another guy. 

Harry. 

Harry, who had just witnessed the millions of different emotions and reactions she was going through. And he hadn't said anything. He had let her stay in his house and had offered her everything he had and more. And what did she do? It pounced on him without warning.  

Hermione had ruined everything. The regret and humiliation she felt hurt much more than the cold. It took her a few streets to realize that she didn't regret breaking up with Cormac, but how had behaved towards Harry, who had rescued her. Harry, who apparently wanted to spend his time with her. Harry, who was speaking to her without mincing words and advising not to underestimate herself. It was the same Harry who would be relieved to see that she was gone. 

After an hour Hermione was still seeing the same stupid houses and kept walking into dead ends. From time to time, she would stop and ask the people who were removing snow from their driveways where to go. They were all very concerned to see that she was trying to walk so far and drag such heavy suitcase.

As she passed a group of little girls playing in the snow, fell into utter despair. She was about to burst into tears. She had no feeling in her feet and her hands ached from the effort. Then Harry's voice spoke. 

"Wait!".

Hermione stayed still. She couldn't run away with the snow and the suitcase, he was going to manage to catch up with her. So she stood there not knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry..." she said smiling through clenched teeth "I thought that the time of the next flight was getting closer and that..."

"Yes." he interrupted her sweetly "That's what I had imagined."

Harry wasn't even looking at her. He took a hat from his pocket and handed it over. It seemed to be his, it was blue and black with stripes. 

"It occurred to me that maybe you needed it." he clarified "You can keep it, I have many and I don't need you to give it back to me."

Hermione took it and put it on. It was a little big on her but she appreciated how warm her ears were. It also had his scent.

"I have followed your tracks." Harry answered the question that she had not formulated "The snow made it easy for me." 

"I'm sorry I got you into all this trouble." 

"Actually I haven't had to walk much. You are only three blocks from our house. You've been going around in circles." the two giggled "I can't believe you've come out dressed like that again... You should let me come with you. If you continue here, you will never arrive." 

"I'm doing well. Someone has just shown me the way."

"You don't have to go, you know."

Hermione wanted to add something else, but nothing came to mind. Harry took it as goodbye and nodded silently. 

"Be careful, okay? And... Could you let me know when you arrive? Call me or..."

Her cell phone began to ring. The sound must have been spoiled by the water because the call bell was so loud and high pitched. 
It was Cormac. The letters were a bit blurry but the name could be understood. Hermione didn't answer, just stared at the phone. Harry stared at it. The girls around them stared at it. It stopped ringing, but was heard again a few seconds later. It vibrated in her hand insistently. 

"I'm sorry I was such an idiot." Harry said, loud enough for Hermione to hear over the noise "And you probably don't care what I think, but you shouldn't answer."

"What do you mean you've been an idiot?". 

Harry was silent. The phone stopped ringing and started again. 

"I told Cho that I would wait for her. I told her that I would wait for her as long as it took. That I could forgive her and we could get over our problems. She told me not to bother, but I waited for her anyway. For months I made the decision not to look at any other girl. Don't even look at them, seriously. But I noticed you. And that confused me, from the first minute. Not just noticing you, but seeing that you were dating someone who was supposed to be perfect and didn't deserve you. It was the same situation I was in. Although I think he has realized his mistake." Harry pointed to the cell phone with a nod; it had started ringing again "Anyway, I'm glad you've appeared in my life. And don't be manipulated by that guy. Please. He doesn't deserve you. I think that's the only thing I agree with your parents on." 

The cell phone rang and rang and rang non-stop. Hermione looked at the screen one last time and then at Harry. She pulled her arm back and threw the phone as far as possible. It fell into the snow and the girls around them ran to look for it. 

"I have lost it" she said "Too bad!". 

Harry looked into her eyes and smiled. He came closer, lifted her chin, and kissed her. He really kissed her. And Hermione stopped feeling cold and stopped caring about everything. 

It was a very good kiss. Better than the one they had shared at his house. Their tongues intertwined and they both felt in heaven. Hermione gave a small moan as his hands tightened around her waist. They kissed for several minutes until they had to pull away for air. They couldn't help but smile. 

"Just one thing." she said "Better not tell your parents about this. I don't think James will ever stop bugging me." 

"Tell them what?" Harry gave her that knee-weakening mischievous smile again and put an arm around her shoulders as he led her back to his house.

"Very funny, Potter." 

"Do you want to go home the long way or the shortcut?" He lowered the zipper of his coat and invited her to shelter next to him.

"The long way, of course" Hermione replied as she slipped into his arms and they walked through the snow.