Title: Dive
Author: Gummy Flobberworm
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and events created and owned by J.K Rowling and various publishers. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Summary: H/R. At desperate times, Hermione finds that logic is of no necessity.
In the end she dived for it.
With no idea where and what exactly she was diving into. But she did anyway. It was a sort of spur of the moment thing, and she just felt the rush, her blood pounding in her veins. So she had mastered all her Gryffindor courage and took the bet. There was nothing to lose anyway.
She didn't hesitate when she stood on tiptoes, kissing him on the lips. She was so tired of hesitating. That was what they had been doing during the whole seven years they had known each other.
She did not look away as she pulled back, staring into his shocked and bewildered face. She was sick of the gentle uncertainty that might have been endearing when they were still sixteen. But it was a matter of life and death now.
She did not say anything as he stammered incoherently, trying to make some sense out of whatever was going on. There was no necessity of words. She was so tired of words.
He was a fool, had always been a fool. But fools had their own way of showing affection and their own unique perception of affection.
She was smart. One of the brightest witches Hogwarts had ever seen. Maybe even a genius. But when it came to him, she stumbled. He was her biggest weakness.
She remembered once when she had looked into his eyes, and forgotten every single Arithmancy law she had ever learnt. She had been terrified afterwards. She was supposed to be perfect, she did not want to melt in a fool's subtle affection which he probably didn't even know existed.
But she did anyway. And later on she deduced that maybe she might be in love with him after all. Not the everlasting love, of course. As there was no eternal love at the age of seventeen. But she definitely felt stronger than affection for him, maybe couldn't live without him.
And in the end, they were an hour away from death. He still the fool and she still the perfectionist. But the fact that they might both die in the next hour made circumstances very different. There was nothing to lose. No lost reputation, no house points, no taunts if everyone was dead.
So she dived for it.
'I think I love you,' she said, staring straight into his eyes, and felt a bit of her composure slipping down.
She was surprised when his reply came almost instantly.
'I'm sure I love you'
Always the fool.
Fin