Chapter One: Hope

Harry Potter staggered his way through the horde of students that were now residing in the small courtyard. His face twisted in anguish as he finally saw the proof; now knowing his eyes hadn't deceived him when Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful and respected sorcerer in the world, had been hit by the killing curse, before plummeting off the top of the astronomy tower.

As soon as he reached the front row of spectators, he broke away from the crowd and went to kneel in front of the dead body of the headmaster...The General, his mentor, his friend.

Respectfully, carefully, Harry began moving stray pieces of silver hair out of the old man's cold, weathered face. As soon as he finished, he glanced down at the floor, not able to keep the tears at bay. On the floor lay the necklace that they'd spent half the night trying to obtain.

If this is the price...Harry thought as he picked it up, clenching it in his fist, they can have it back! Nothing's worth this!

His jaw clenched as he slowly pocketed it, before turning to glance at the crowd, who were all crying unashamedly. His best female friend quickly emerged from the crowd and almost collapsed into Harry's arms, as she sobbed into his shoulder. Tightening his grip on Hermione, he did the same.

A few seconds later, which felt like hours, Harry saw something move in his peripheral vision, so looked to see what it was. He moved slightly to keep Hermione as comfortable as could be, while glancing to see Professor McGonagall raising her left hand, wand clenched in its grasp, to point towards the Dark Mark which boar over the school like a death banner.

The tip of the professor's wand lit up slightly, and as many of the other students were all following by example, Harry nudged Hermione gently to get her to take a look. She lifted her tear streaked face out of the hollow in his neck to glance at him, obviously wondering what had got his attention.

He quickly motioned with his head towards the Professor, and now, most of the crowd. Hermione glanced over, before returning to face him, giving a small nod. Harry sighed slightly as he shakily took to his feet, lifting Hermione up with him.

Facing the headmaster, he then took his wand out, and clenching it tightly in his left hand, lifted it towards the heavens.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain of everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

Because he had closed his eyes, e never noticed that Hermione had to take a step away from him, as so much raw magical energy was swirling around his body. He also never noticed that his wand was emitting periodic flashes of light, (not unlike when he produced his first patronus) which sent itself into the sky and through the dark mark, dispersing the angry clouds that were creating it.

Slowly, Harry began lowering his wand to his side. He let out a long breath, before opening his eyes, staring at nothing in particular. He was so numb, he hardly felt it when Hermione took his hand, and moving in front of him, buried her head into his neck again.

His hands automatically slid around her waist, before burying his own face into her hair.

"Shh." He said, swallowing back tears. "Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

Hermione pulled away slightly to stare at him in incredulously. "Harry...Dumbledore was our best hope!"

Harry sighed slightly as he stared at the person in question. "It was his time, Hermione." He said, before glancing back to her. "He told me what needs to happen for me to succeed."

Hermione stared at him for a moment, before a sad smile appeared on her face. "What needs to happen for us to succeed..." She said pointedly.

Harry instantly shook his head. "I don't want you getting involved...it's too dangerous."

Hermione gave a dry laugh. "It'll be about as dangerous as every year has been, here, at Hogwarts!" She pointed out again, before taking both his hands from around her waist to hold tightly in her own. "I'm not leaving you, Harry."

Harry sighed partly in exasperation and partly in impatience. "Why won't you just listen to me, Hermione?!" He asked, as he pressed his forehead gently against her own in an intimate gesture.

"Because..." She said as a strange expression crossed her face, "love makes you do stupid things..."

"Mione..."

"Don't! I know what you're going to say...you're going to say that we can't be together because he's after you...I shouldn't have said anything at all...I'm sorry." Hermione blurted out quickly, looking lost, before turning around and instantly disappearing into the throng of student's sorrowfully talking.

Before he could register anything else, he was running after her.

He caught up with her on the stairs to the astronomy tower.

Catching her wrist gently, he spun her around to face him.

"Don't you leave me to!" He said in desperation as he saw her battle with the urge to run again.

After a few seconds, Hermione's shoulders slumped slightly, before she moved back to lean against the wall. She then proceeded to slide down it until she was seated. A moment later, she was joined by Harry.

They stared at the wall for a moment; not knowing what to say.

"You love me?" Harry asked at last, as that fact finally registered itself.

He could see out of the corner of his eyes as Hermione nodded her head slightly.

"Yeah..." She said quietly. "I thought I was in control of it, though!" She suddenly said in frustration.

Harry laughed slightly. "The Closest to Being in Control We Will Ever Be is in the Moment that We Realize We're Not." He recited, before shaking his head. "Not sure where I heard that before..."

He turned to see Hermione's small smile.

"Brian Kessler." She told him, nodding her head slightly again. She then turned to face him more fully, her face full of worry. "How...how do you feel about me..uh...being in love with you?" She asked with a slight frown.

Harry smiles slightly as he shakes his head. "I don't know...I mean...I thought I liked Ginny...but, now I think about it...now the possibility is open to me. You're my best friend; you know me better than anyone. You never doubted me, even when I doubted myself. You were there for me, when nobody else was..." He said quietly, brainstorming.

"Now you know why." Hermione said as she watched Harry think things through.

"How long?" He asked suddenly, staring at her.

A sad smiled appeared on her face. "Fourth year...Before the first task was when I realized it."

Harry thought on that piece of information for a second, before saying, "Before the task, in the tent?"

She laughed slightly, before nodding. "I was going to tell you then; but I chickened out. I didn't want to distract you...You had enough on your plate without dealing with a hormonal teenage."

Harry smirked slightly, but didn't comment. He then nodded his head slowly, watching her. "Now I see it through a new perspective, I realize...it's always been you." He said quietly, with a small smile. "Always."

They both moved closer until their faces were inches away from each other, before Hermione spoke.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her breath brushing against Harry's face. "I don't want to make you feel like you need to do this to save our friendship of anything..."

"...Shh, don't ruin the moment, Mione." Harry said with a smile, as his lips finally founds her.

Hermione let out a small whimper of approval, before letting a muffled "Sorry..." escape her lips, as she gave out just as much as he was giving in.

When they separated due to lack of oxygen, they were both panting heavily, and Hermione was blushing severely.

Harry went back to resting against the wall with a content smile on his face. "Wow, that was really something, Hermione."

She remained silent, but her blush deepened as she took Harry's right arm and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Where'd you learn that?" He asked, looking down at her snugly wrapped in his arm, after finally getting his breathing steady.

She shrugged slightly. "I don't know...I mean, I didn't. That was my first kiss." She replied, looking down at her hands, which were in her lap.

Harry smiled and gave her a squeeze. "If that was your first, then I can't wait until you get in some practice." He whispered in her ear.

Hermione turned towards him with a smile on her face, smacking him gently on the shoulder. "You're such a romantic, Harry." She said, shaking her head, before resting it down on his chest.

They remained silent for a few minutes, until Harry said what was on his mind.

"This feels...wrong."

Hermione's head instantly shot up to stare at him. "What do you mean?" She asked, "Us?"

Harry instantly tried to reassure her. "No! No, no, a thousand times no." He said quietly, pulling her back towards him.

She relaxed slightly, but still watched him.

"What I meant was...Dumbledore just..." He breathed in and then exhaled slowly, before continuing, "Dumbledore just died...and we're here; being Happy."

"You think Dumbledore wouldn't want this for us?" She asked with a frown.

Harry chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "No; I know Dumbledore would want this for us..." He said, "I think he knew. I mean; he mentioned it earlier on in the term, but, as usual, I didn't think much of it."

Hermione smiled slightly. "I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore." She said quietly. "He was a brilliant man..."

Harry nodded slightly, staring at nothing. "That he was." He whispered to himself.