Always in my heart and fondest memories - By Ella
Dedicated to Harry & Hermione
Prologue
The full moon and the many stars illuminated the neighbourhood of houses below, and all was silent except the whistling of willow trees caused by the occasional wind disturbing the hot, stifling summer air.
Hermione Granger lay tossing and turning in her bed. She stopped, opened her eyes and stared up towards the ceiling, hearing sudden bursts of Ron's snores next to her. Hermione glanced at Ron and sighed wearily, wiping the sweat on her forehead away. Disappointed, she told herself, it was just a dream, of course. Awake, Hermione got out of bed quietly, slipped on a satin dressing gown in a deep shade of purple, and stepped outside into the darkness, the door clicking shut behind her.
It was nearly daytime, as the sky was turning lighter and the moon and stars were slowly fading away. Hermione walked slowly among the stretch of green, the wet grass tickling her barefeet. She reached the top of the hill, near a large willow tree, and looked out towards the vast rows of suburban houses, breathing contentedly into the fresh air as her long curly hair was swept drastically to one side by the sudden breeze.
Taking a long, thin wand from her dressing gown, Hermione waved it and at the same time muttering a spell. Seven musical notes were conjured magically out of the wand, and appeared before her. Tapping different notes, a tune began to play.
"You make me smile when the skies are grey
I've never felt this way, this feeling is here to stay
I will love you forever and for eternity
You'll always be in my heart, and my fondest memories"
Hermione sang dreamily again and again, as she reminisced what her dream was about, smiling and thinking about that blissful summer five years ago…
A few streets away, Harry Potter woke up with a start. He reached for his glasses and sat up, blinking for several moments into the dim room, breathing rather heavily, before he realised what he was hearing. It was a wonderful sound, it was a song that sounded awfully familiar…no, no it can't be, I must be imagining things, Harry thought, as he moved towards the window, his feet soothed by the cold stone floor. He drew back the curtains and opened both windows.
Harry saw a figure standing on the hilltop in the distance, her outline highlighted by the moon.
"Hermione…" Harry whispered after squinting for a while, as he savoured the tune, his vivid green eyes fixed on Hermione.
"Eternity…you'll always be in my heart, and my fondest memories…" Harry sang softly along with Hermione. His pale thin face broke into a smile, as he remembered when Hermione first sang that song, oh yes, he remembered it so clearly as if it was only yesterday…
It was the summer of Harry, Hermione and Ron's second year of Auror training. The three of them were renting a small but relatively stylish flat in the heart of central London.
On one particularly stifling hot day, Harry, Hermione and Ron were all cramped inside the air-conditioned living room of the flat, evidently escaping the harsh sunrays of outside and the humid unair-conditioned rooms of the rest of the flat. Harry, sat on the marble floor, stretching his legs out and pulling a drink after a drink out of the open refrigerator, which he was leaning against. Ron sat on the couch, right below the air conditioner, one arm fanning himself furiously, one arm around Hermione, who, despite the heat, was reading quietly.
"Hermione, turn the air-conditioning up a bit, will you?" Ron asked tiredly, moving slightly as his body had stuck to the leather sofa.
Hermione looked up from her book that she was so delved into. "Ron, you're sitting right under it! I don't think it's that hot. Besides, if you want to turn it up, you do it. You're closer to it anyway." She replied with a hint of annoyance, pulling away from Ron's arm.
" Look, I think I'm going to die from the heat. You're my girlfriend, Hermione, are you saying you're not going to care if I die?" Ron persisted.
"I'm your girlfriend, not your servant!" Hermione snapped back.
"Hey, I never said you were, I just wanted you to-" Ron began.
Hermione closed the book with a resultant slam, her face flushed, entirely because of the heat. "For heaven's sake Ron, just grow up!" she said loudly. "I'm just sick of you being like this!"
"Like what?" Ron answered.
Harry, who was sitting in the corner quietly all this time, experienced the same satisfaction and almost pleasure like whenever Ron and Hermione quarrelled. Although now, he could not take it any longer.
"Oh shut up the pair of you!" Harry roared, putting his drink down with such force that it spilled onto the floor.
Ron and Hermione both paused in their argument, and looked at Harry, startled. Harry got up, walked across the room and yanked the air-conditioning up to the top notch, hastily cleared up the spilt drink with his wand and returned back to his place on the floor. No one said a word for the rest of the afternoon.
Until, suddenly, the fireplace facing Ron and Hermione had burst alive and Mrs Weasley's head appeared amongst the flames.
"Mum!" Ron yelled, angrily sweeping soot off his arm. "You do realise that it's the middle of summer? We don't want a bloody fire!"
"Mrs Weasley." Harry said politely.
"Afternoon, Mrs Weasley." Hermione added calmly.
"Yes, hello dears." Mrs Weasley smiled wearily at Harry and Hermione. "Ron." She cast a disproving look at her youngest son. "Listen, I've got some bad news." Mrs Weasley said, her voice shaking. "B-bill…Bill…he…"
"What is it Mum? What about Bill?" Ron asked urgently, as all three of them leaned closer towards the fire, concerned.
"He…well, he's in one of his b-bad states. Ever since…you know, the a-attack, he just h-hasn't been the s-same. Fleur's in such a mess, but your father suggested that Ron should come to see him, you know, a-all the f-family being there, might, might help." Mrs Weasley replied, clearly trying not to cry.
"Don't' worry Mum, he'll be fine. I'll come. Actually, I'll come to the burrow right now." Ron answered immediately, already putting on his shoes and grabbed his wand, just as a faint pop was heard, indicating that Mrs Weasley had gone.
"We'll come with you." Harry said, standing up as Hermione nodded.
Ron hesitated. "No, it's fine. You two stay here. I need some time on my own. Besides…" with a sideways glance at Hermione, "the air-conditioner is automatic at the Burrow."
Without a goodbye, Ron disapparated before Hermione had time to react and shout at him.
"Oh! Ron! You come back here now!" Hermione said shrilly, pointing her finger at the place where Ron had stood a second ago. "I'm so…so…"
And before Harry knew it, Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably on his shoulder. Harry patted her head weakly.
"It's okay, Hermione." Harry said softly.
At this, Hermione sobbed even harder and put both her arms around Harry, her face buried. Harry, with no choice, put his arms around Hermione, and stroked her hair subconsciously. Harry did not know what he was feeling, but he felt that he had gone light-headed. He felt Hermione's warm breath breathe on his neck, he felt the warmth of Hermione's hands around his waist, he felt the softness of her hair.
After a while, Hermione sobs gradually faded away. "Oh, I'm so-so sorry, Harry." She gasped, her face still buried on Harry's shoulder. "It's just that, I don't know…Ron…I don't know if he's the right person for me you know? I want someone who cares about me, who considers my feelings, who understands me, who…who loves me. You know? Someone like y-"
Hermione stopped suddenly, taking in a sharp intake of breath, as if holding back a secret. She slowly looked up at Harry, her brown eyes filled with tears.
Harry's mouth had gone very dry, and felt his heart was about to burst. Was she going to say what Harry had hoped she was? Did she feel the same way about him? After all these years?
Harry raised one hand, and stroked Hermione's cheek gently.
"Someone…someone like you." Hermione finished, still crying, and still staring at Harry.
Harry sighed. "Oh, Hermione." He whispered.
Harry put both of his hands on Hermione's face, and as her tears flowed rapidly down her face, he kissed the tears softly down her cheek, until his kisses reached her lips. He pressed his mouth gently against hers, and they kissed passionately. Hermione put her arms around Harry's neck, and Harry put his arms around Hermione's waist.
They continued kissing in the living room of the small flat, oblivious of the busy street below them and the hot heat. Harry did not know how long they kissed, but he wanted this perfect moment to last forever…
Finally, they broke apart. "Oh, Harry. I-I meant to tell you, about this, about us…all those years ago." Hermione started.
"How come you didn't? How come you went with Ron instead?"
Hermione sighed heavily, and walked towards the window, looking out among the street towards the setting sun. "Because…I don't know. When I realised I had feelings for you, you…you had the Triwizard Tournament to worry about, and besides, you fancied Cho Chang then. And then you went out with Ginny, and I tried to be happy for you. I decided I should move on and so…Ron…" Hermione finished weakly.
"So you've gotten over me then?" Harry asked casually, as their eyes met.
Hermione looked away quickly. "I didn't say that. Oh, Harry, don't you see? It's…it's always been you." She said, almost in a whisper.
It had all been worth it, all those years, just for her to say that one sentence. Harry thought Hermione looked so vulnerable and fragile at this moment, and wanted to stride over, sweep her off her feet, hold her in his arms again, to kiss her again.
Ron suddenly apparated in the room. Harry, who was walking half way across the room, stopped jerkily when Ron apparated in front of him.
Ron glanced at Hermione, who was wiping away her tears.
"Don't tell me you had a fight with her as well." Ron hissed to Harry. He turned to Hermione. "Hermione, look, I'm sorry, alright? C'mon, let's go."
Ron took Hermione's arm, and Hermione, without a glance at Harry, walked out of the living room.
Harry slammed his fist at the air conditioner, before slowly sinking down onto the sofa, the cars outside still honking, and as the street lights began to turn dimly on, into another starless night.
Several days and weeks passed quietly. Sunny August soon turned into breezy September, as Harry, Hermione and Ron were entered into their third year in Auror Training. Hermione had seemed to forget about that blissful August evening, as if that evening never existed. Although, their eyes met frequently, and both of them always looked away quickly.
One day at the ministry, Harry was walking briskly, in a hurry, as he was late for a meeting. He saw Cho Chang, who had started to work in the ministry, and smiled awkwardly at her. Cho waved back behind her long curtain of glossy black hair. They had never really got over the awkwardness of all those years ago. As he turned around a corner, he bumped into a girl, causing her to drop all her books on the floor.
"I'm so sorry, here, let me help you" Harry said automatically, kneeling down on the floor and helped the girl to pick up her books from the floor. As he handed the last book to her, Harry looked at her properly. She had long, wavy blonde hair up to her waist, and bright sparkling blue eyes. On her ear lobes dangled broccoli shaped earrings.
"Hello Harry, I've been waiting for you to ask me out on a date all month, but since you've clearly forgotten, how about tomorrow, at that restaurant by the river, let's say eight o'clock?" Luna said, as if this was perfectly normal.
"Er, Luna…" Harry stuttered, slightly taken back by this.
"I'll see you there, then." Luna replied dreamily, as she picked up her books and walked away, humming a tune.
Harry stared at her back, mouth open.
Later that evening, Harry, Hermione and Ron were seated down to dinner.
"Dean gave me three tickets to see the Weird Sisters live in concert, his family couldn't go and he didn't want to waste them. I think Seamus and Parvati are going though. It's tomorrow night. What do you say?" Ron asked, his mouth full of steak and kidney pie.
"Well, I suppose, if it's only for a couple of hours. I mean, I have got exams coming up. Only stay for a bit. " Hermione said firmly. "Are you coming Harry?"
"Yeah, sure." Harry replied, as he began to eat his broccoli. He stared at the piece of broccoli on his fork, and paused, thinking of them dangling on someone's ear. "Oh, I can't. I've got plans tomorrow, sorry." Harry said regretfully.
"Plans? What plans? This is the Weird Sisters we're talking about!" Ron exclaimed.
"I've er…got a um, date." Harry said quickly, staring at his plate, not looking up.
"A date?" Hermione asked casually. "With who?"
"Luna. Luna Lovegood." Harry mumbled.
"Luna, oh yeah, she's changed a lot hasn't she? She's pretty good looking now, minus the ridiculous jewellery." Ron retorted.
Without warning, Hermione slammed her fork down. "I've going out for a walk." She muttered and turned her heel and walked out.
"What's got into her?" Ron asked, as he helped himself to more food.
"I'll go and see if she's okay." Harry said without thinking and left too.
Harry ran out into the street and stopped, looking around for Hermione. He ran across the street, into the open stretch of the riverbank. He stopped abruptly, as he saw Hermione standing by the river, her head buried in her hands, the gentle breeze sweeping her long pale blue dress around her, the moon and stars illuminating her beauty. Harry walked slowly and cautiously towards her, she was crying.
"Hey." Harry said softly, touching Hermione's arm. Hermione turned around and flinched.
"Leave me alone." She muttered and turned around to face the open stretch of river again.
Harry opened his mouth, and paused, before shutting it again. "I just want to see if you were okay. Look, I'm sorry about Luna, I didn't mean to say yes."
Hermione, still looking the other direction, laughed dryly. "And why do you think I feel upset because of that? Because I-I don't. Of course I don't, I don't even care. I never cared. I don't, I don't, I don't, and I don't. " Hermione answered, her voice getting abnormally high.
Harry started to get angry. "Look, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." His voice shaking as his temper was rising. He sighed deeply. "Hermione?"
"Just go away, Harry."
"Hermione? Do you even love Ron?"
"What's that got to do with it?" Hermione snapped.
"Do you? Say it, say you love Ron. Then I'll go away." Harry said simply.
"Fine. I-I love Ron. There, now go away."
"Do you really mean that, Hermione?"
Hermione groaned. "Of course I do! For goodness sake, leave me alone!"
Harry started breathing very quickly. "Because you don't, you don't love Ron, do you? You've never loved him. How can you bear to spend the rest of your life with him? Why are you doing this to yourself Hermione?" Harry half yelled.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I love Ron, I don't love you, and I never will." Hermione said, her voice shaking.
Harry grabbed Hermione around the shoulders, and turned her around to face him. "Hermione! Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me."
Hermione looked at Harry, tears trickling down her face. "I…I…" she trailed off. She said nothing, but her eyes told it all. Harry knew that Hermione had just told him she loved her.
Harry pushed Hermione against the railings, and kissed her. It took Hermione a couple of seconds to react. She pushed Harry away.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" They stared at each other, a few metres apart, for a while, panting.
After a few agonising moments, Hermione rushed forward towards Harry, and kissed him again, as the tiny pitter-patter drops of rain slowly descended down.
Harry pulled out a hand, Hermione took it, and the two of them ran, hand in hand, as the rain gradually got heavier. They laughed amongst the rain, splashing amongst the puddles, under the dark yet bright sky, as if they were back to those simple, carefree school years.
Finally, they reached a small park, and hid below a large willow tree. They sat down on the grass, laughing. As the rain still continued to fall, Hermione fell into Harry's arms, her face snuggled up to Harry's chest, so close that she could hear his steady heartbeat, Hermione felt safe as ever. Harry stroked Hermione's hair that was still dripping with water.
Hermione looked up at Harry. "Harry, you do know that after tonight…" she began, not wanting to finish.
"I understand. It wouldn't be fair to Ron." Harry said, knowing that this was going to come.
Hermione smiled faintly. She pulled out her wand and musical notes began to appear out of thin air. She started to sing along the mesmerising tune.
"You make me smile when the skies are grey
I've never felt this way, this feeling is here to stay
I will love you forever and for eternity
You'll always be in my heart, and my fondest memories"
Harry gave a warm smile and kissed Hermione again. "I'll always love you Hermione, remember that."
"Love you too, Harry." Hermione whispered. "No matter what happens."
They embraced again, Harry slowly pulled down the zip of Hermione's dress, kissing her, as they lay on the wet grass. The tranquil tune continued to play, as Harry and Hermione let the passion take over.
Epilogue
Hermione beamed as she relived those wonderful memories, twirling a stand of her hair round and round her finger, unaware that she was still singing.
"Hey, Hermione, thought I'd find you here." A voice came from behind Hermione. She turned, snapped out of her dream, and saw Ron approaching her.
"Ron, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked quickly, with an air of guilt.
"Looking for you of course, what the bloody hell were you doing up at four in the morning?" Ron replied, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"Uh -" Hermione began and subconsciously looked towards the notes that were floating silently behind her.
"Oh, yeah, I heard the song." Ron grinned sheepishly. "Th-thanks. Y'know." He cleared his voice. "Her-hermione, I love you. You do know that, don't you?" Ron said awkwardly, holding out his arms.
"I…I..." Hermione whispered, and moved quickly into Ron's arms, for her eyes suddenly became watery. "I love you too…Ron."
Hermione had not meant to say Ron. The person's name that she had meant to say was by a window, staring at Ron and Hermione hugging, a tear running from his startling green eye down on his face. That person leant heavily on the windowsill, running his hand through his unkempt hair, breaking down into tears for the first time in years.
He wept for the girl he had always loved.
He wept for something that he knew was going to be perfect, and he was so sure it was fate, it was real love, destiny, and yet he knew that it was never happen.
He wept for the unfairness of life, and love.
He wept as the two figures stood hugging, and how he longed to be the one holding her.
And most of all, he was crying because he knew the girl was feeling the same way about him.
Harry continued to cry, as the sun rose up and over the hilltops, into a glorious new day.
The End