Hermione sat in the hospital wing feeling numb. The numbness wasn't because of her own injuries that she sustained at the ministry, although that was a close second reason. No; Hermione Granger was numb because her best friend was hurting from the loss of his godfather, and she could do nothing for him because Madam Pomphrey refused to let her leave the hospital wing until the end of term. Honestly, Hermione thought, it wasn't as though she was bleeding internally or unconscious anymore. Why couldn't she leave the confines of the matron's ward?
Harry was Hermione's best friend and Hermione just knew that if she couldn't see him soon the headmaster would allow him to wallow in his guilt until it consumed him. Ron wouldn't be much better considering he had the emotional range of a teaspoon. All she wanted was to see Harry and comfort him, but she wasn't even allowed visitors. For one of the first times in her life, Hermione Granger completely resented rational rules. She knew that Madam Pomphrey was only doing what was best for her as a patient but Hermione resented that even more.
Sighing, Hermione looked out the window to the dark night sky and absentmindedly started humming to herself. It wasn't a known melody because she was making it up in her head as she thought of Harry's struggles. As her thoughts progressed, they formed themselves into a song and Hermione's hands itched for her grandmother's old guitar to express it.
Harry was the only one of her friends that knew of her musical proclivities during the summer. He would know that she really just needed to express her concerns for him in a song. As if conjured, Harry took his invisibility cloak off and sat on the end of her bed.
"Hermione; I am so sorry." Harry began, tears subconsciously beading in his eyes. "If I had only listened to you Sirius would still be alive and you wouldn't have gotten injured. It's all my fault and I would understand if you never wanted to speak to me again."
Hermione could visibly see Harry's body tense as he awaited her reply, the bags under his eyes and tears streaming down his face a physical manifestation of his growing guilt.
"Harry", Hermione whispered as though approaching a small frightened child; "I could never stop talking to you even if you deserved it, which you don't. You are my best friend and I would do anything for you because you would do the same for me. I mean, if you haven't brought my grandmother's guitar with you I will be pretty pissed, but I would still talk to you. In fact I've got a new song for you."
Harry smiled gratefully at his friend's words and withdrew a miniature guitar case from his pocket before passing it carefully to Hermione. For her part, Hermione clicked her fingers and the case resized to its usual dimensions, a clever trick she had mastered during the train ride second year to hide the guitar from her dorm mates. Making sure the guitar was tuned properly, Hermione pulled herself up into a sitting position ignoring the spasm of pain that tore through her whole body at the effort.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione began fingerpicking the guitar before looking into the deep emerald eyes of the one person she trusted with her very being. As Harry returned her stare Hermione began to strum and sing.
I guess you really did it this time,lost yourself in your war path.Lost your balance on a tight rope,lost your mind trying to get it back.Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?Always a bigger bed to crawl into.Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?And everybody believed in you.It's alright, just wait and see,your string of lights is still bright to me, oh.Who you are is not where you've been;you're still an innocent,you're still an innocent.Did somethings you can't speak of,but at night you'll live it all again.You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now,if only you had seen what you know now then.Wasn't it easier in your firefly catching days?When everything out of reach someone bigger brought down to you.Wasn't it beautiful running wild 'til you fell asleep,before the monsters caught up to you?It's alright just wait and see,your string of lights is still bright to me, oh.Who you are is not what you've been,you're still an innocent.It's okay, life is a tough crowd;15 and still growing up now.Who you are is not what you did,you're still an innocent.Time turns flames to embers,you'll have new Septembers.Everyone of us has messed up too.Minds change like the weather,I hope you remember;today is never too late to be brand new!It's alright just wait and see,your string of lights is still bright to me, oh.Who you are is not what you've been,you're still an innocent.It's okay, life is a tough crowd;15 and still growing up now.Who you are is not what you did,you're still an innocent.You're still an innocent.Lost your balance on a tight rope,it's never too late to get it back.
The words rang through Harry's whole being and at that moment their very souls connected. They didn't need a kiss with a light show to finalise a soul bond that had been in the making since Halloween their first year. They didn't need a confirmation letter from the ministry or Gringotts, they just needed the complete trust, understanding and love that echoed in both Hermione's lyrics and in the connection they shared just staring into each others eyes.
It didn't need to be spectacular, it was perfect for them. Each knew implicitly that they had found their other half and that they would never willingly part from each other or cause the other pain. They just were.