What If...?
DISCLAIMER: All...Actually, screw it. You all know how it goes by now, I hope.
Set in the story of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as portrayed in "Deathly Hallows-Part 1".
The sun had set on a cliffside overlooking rural England. Birds twittered off in the distance. A gentle breeze swept the rocky ground. During the summer months, this particular cliff was a popular destination for the Muggle extreme sport of rock climbing. Today, however, the cliffs were bare and Muggle-free. Just as well, for today, well-hidden from any Muggle eyes that might happen to come along, a tent had been set up atop this cliff, inside which a 17-year-old wizard and 18-year-old witch were camping. Under any other circumstances, it might have been a somewhat lighthearted occasion. But tonight was a very sad and miserable night for both the campers.
Inside the tent, Harry Potter and his close friend Hermione Granger were sitting on opposite sides, both staring off into space. Their mutual friend, Ron Weasley, had stormed away in a Horcrux-induced fit of rage, confusion, and heartbreak the previous night. Both had reached a mutual, silent conclusion and understanding that he was unlikely to ever return, even if he wanted to (which they believed, and hoped, was likely). Now it was just the two of them.
The loss of Ron had hit Harry very hard, but nowhere near as hard as it had Hermione. She had come back from chasing after Ron fruitless (he had Disapparated just beyond the range of their protective enchantments) and cried herself to sleep that night. Harry himself had almost been unable to sleep due to this, though he knew he could not be angry with Hermione; being honest with himself, he had felt like crying as well, despite the corrosive hatred he had felt towards Ron after the argument that caused Ron's departure.
Tonight, they were commiserating silently in the tent. The radio, tuned to Potterwatch, was listing the day's missing witches and wizards (which, today, was especially short, for which both were very thankful). Hermione was facing the radio, sitting next to the bunk beds. Harry was sitting on the other side, near the tent entrance, looking in her direction. He noticed how depressed, defeated, and broken she appeared.
If only there was something I could do to cheer her up, he thought sadly to himself. Then an idea hit him. It wasn't anything major or Earth-shattering, nor was it a brilliantly inspired stroke of genius that would help them out on their hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes. However, it was simple, it was fun, and over and above all else, it just might work.
Slowly, deliberately, Harry stood up and moved over to where Hermione was sitting. Reaching over to the radio, he tuned it in to the Wizarding Wireless Network, where the Weird Sisters were playing their version of a popular children's song:
Pass me that lovely little gun
My dear, my darling one
The cleaners are coming, one by one
You don't even want to let them start
That done, Harry walked up to Hermione, who turned her head to acknowledge him.
They are knocking now upon your door
They measure the room, they know the score
They're mopping up the butcher's floor
Of your broken little hearts
Am I sure this isn't a bad idea? thought Harry cautiously. Then, throwing caution to the wind, he held out his hand.
O children
Forgive us now for what we've done
It started out as a bit of fun
Here, take these before we run away
The keys to the gulag
Hermione took his hand and slowly got to her feet. On the way out to the middle of the tent, Harry sneaked by the radio and turned up the volume a little.
O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice
Here comes Frank and poor old Jim
They're gathering round with all my friends
We're older now, the light is dim
And you are only just beginning
O children
Now out in the open space in the middle of the tent, Harry reached around Hermione's neck and lifted the Horcrux off of her. He then took both her hands in his and slowly started to move them back and forth.
We have the answer to all your fears
It's short, it's simple, it's crystal clear
It's round about, it's somewhere here
Lost amongst our winnings
Shortly thereafter, he saw a tiny flash of light enter Hermione's dampened eyes, and he knew she had realized not only what he was trying to do, but why.
O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice
The cleaners have done their job on you
They're hip to it, man, they're in the groove
They've hosed you down, you're good as new
They're lining up to inspect you
O children
She brought Harry's arm over her as she slowly spun through a full rotation, after which he brought her in close to him.
Poor old Jim's white as a ghost
He's found the answer that was lost
We're all weeping now, weeping because
There ain't nothing we can do to protect you
O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice
By now, Hermione's depression seemed to have faded, replaced with the beginnings of a smile.
Mission accomplished, thought Harry as he heard her chuckle softly. They continued their awkward, albeit fun, dance, and before long, both had forgotten their pain, both physical and emotional, and were full-on laughing.
Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station
Hey, little train! Wait for me!
I once was blind but now I see
Have you left a seat for me?
Is that such a stretch of the imagination?
Harry now brought Hermione back in close and began a slow dance, gently swaying around on the spot with her head on his shoulder.
Hey little train! Wait for me!
I was held in chains but now I'm free
I'm hanging in there, don't you see
In this process of elimination
Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
It's beyond my wildest expectation
Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station
The song faded out and Harry slowly brought the dance to an end. Hermione pulled away just enough so he could see her whole face. The last thing he remembered was her looking deeply into his eyes...
When he came back to himself, his eyes were closed and a soft pair of lips were slowly, gently sliding over his own. Also, a pair of velvet (or so he would later swear) hands were softly cupped around the back of his head, simultaneously holding him in place and pulling his head closer to, Harry now realized, someone who could only be Hermione.
Wait, what?! Despite his shock, he managed to gently break the kiss and bring her hands away from his head. He then pulled back far enough to look Hermione in the eye.
"Harry..." she whispered, almost inaudibly. A long silence then passed between them.
Harry was the first one to break the silence.
"Hermione..." he said softly, "...no." Hermione looked somewhat dejected.
"It's not that I don't love you, Hermione," explained Harry gently. "I do love you, and very dearly, too. But...not like that."
"You sure had me fooled," said Hermione softly in his ear. "You let me kiss you for nearly a minute and a half."
"Did I?" mused Harry. "Wow. My mind must have shut down."
"Probably emotional overload," theorized Hermione. "I've seen it happen."
"As have I," remembered Harry, "now you mention it." He thought back to a certain flock of canaries.
"Well, regardless," said Hermione quietly, "I must thank you, Harry. I needed that."
"What, a kiss?" asked Harry, confused.
"No, that was just me going with the flow of my impulses," answered Hermione. "You gave me an intimate, though awkward, moment that I might otherwise have never had, and in doing so, you reminded me that I am, indeed, loved."
"Uh..." said Harry slowly. "Happy to help, I guess." He then looked through the opening in the tent flap: The sun had completely gone down.
"It's late," he said. "We should get some sleep. God knows we need it."
"Agreed," concurred Hermione, drawing Harry into a tender embrace. "Good night, Harry."
"Good night, Hermione," returned Harry, after which he kissed the top of her head. They smiled at each other, then climbed into their respective bunks. The pain of losing Ron was starting to come back, but now it was tempered by a slight optimism that with or without Ron, they just might be able to complete the mission set to them by the late Albus Dumbledore.
Even if the friendship did turn a little weird at times along the way...
A/N: I can't be the only one who expected a kiss out of that awkward dancing scene the first time they saw it. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed this look at what might have been.
"O Children" is property of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
END