It had been a good day. Well as good as any day that you're hunting down pieces of soul belonging to the most evil wizard alive can be. Harry and Ron were sitting at the large, dark wood, kitchen table, going over what information they had gotten about the ministry that day.
"So now we just have to decide who's the best pick out of these people."
"I think they should be ones that arrive right after one another. That way there is less chance of someone seeing what's going on."
"Good point, Ron." The rest of the conversation continued this way for a few more minutes, until Hermione comes downstairs. Both boys note how relaxed she seemed. Her hair is still damp from the shower she has just taken. She is dressed comfortably, barefoot with jeans and an oversized t-shirt that they noticed was one of theirs. And she was humming quietly as she thumbed though the pages of a book. The humming though caught Harry's attention. It wasn't that it was unusual, Hermione did hum from time to time, especially if she was in a good mood. There was just something about that song.
"Mione," Harry paused while she looked up from her book. "What were you humming?" Hermione blushed slightly.
"Oh, nothing. Just a children's lullaby." Momentarily harry thought to ask her to sing the song. Then he realized how strange of a request it was and replied with a simple "Oh." He quickly picked up a piece of paper for something to do and to hide his own blush.
The conversation then returned to it's previous topic of plans for the ministry. The rest of the evening went on as usual with conversation over dinner about horcruxes and plans on how best to locate and destroy them. Hermione informed the boys of a spell she found in Grimmald Place's library that may be strong enough to 'dissolve' a horcrux. Though she addmitted she wasn't entirely sure, as the information on what the spell actually did was very vague. She decided it was best to do more research now before she became to tired to do so and retreated upstairs to the library.
All though the evening, Harry had the tune of Hermione's humming, running through his head. It was so familiar. He could almost hear the words. It was like someone was singing to him while they held their hands over his ears. He just couldn't remember where he had heard the song before. On top of that why did it matter so much anyway? It was just a song.
"So why can't I get it out of my head?"
"What'd you say, mate?" Ron asked. Harry hadn't realized he'd spoken aloud and hastily made to cover his mistake.
"Huh, oh nothing. Just slipped out. I must be tired."
"Yeah, me too. Guess I'm gonna head up. G'night"
"Night, Ron." This left Harry alone and pondering at the kitchen table. He sat there for another half an hour thinking about the song. And then he remembered what Hermione had said about it being a lullaby.
"Why would I have heard it before if it's a lullaby. I don't remember anyone ever singing me a lullaby." He sighed becoming frustrated at how this song could bother him so much. He was relieved a few minutes later when Hermione walked back into the kitchen with news about the spell she had been researching. Maybe this would take his mind off the song.
"Harry, good you're still up. I thought you might have gone off to bed by now."
"Nope, not yet Mione. Find out anything interesting?"
"Actually yes. The spell I found just needs a little tweaking and would work perfectly to melt just about anything, except a horcrux." She sighed deeply as she finished. "I'm sorry, Harry." She sought his eyes as she apologized for her inability to find a solution to their looming problem. "I really thought I'd found a way to get rid of them."
"It's alright, Mione." He gave her a smile and her disappointment seemed to ease. She noticed in the following silence that Harry seemed slightly perplexed and flustered. He had of course fallen back to his earlier train of thought.
"Harry? What's wrong? You look...confused."
"It's nothing, Mione. It's just..." he sighed, "that song you were humming earlier, for some reason I can't get it out of my head. I think I've heard it before, but I don't remember." Hermione looked a little surprised at this. She couldn't understand why Harry would dwell on such a thing for so long.
"Well, you probably, heard it when you were little, is all." She said this slowly, obviously skeptical even as she spoke.
"I can't really see the Dursleys singing to me. Especially not a lullaby." Harry frowned as he said it. Thinking of his childhood was always depressing. Hermione thought for a moment before looking at Harry. When he looked back, she said, "Maybe...Harry, maybe you remember it, from before you lived with the Dursleys." She said this carefully, while hoping not to upset him.
Harry thought about this for a moment. It was strange, why remember this song specifically about his parents? Though it did make did make more sense than the Dursleys singing to him. As he thought, his eyes fell back to the table and his face grew solemn. He was completely lost in thought when Hermione began to sing.
"You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You'll never know Dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." She sang slowly and quietly. The way a mother would for her young child.
As Hermione sang a picture formed in Harry's head. It was like falling into a pensieve, the memory was perfectly clear. Harry saw his mother, sitting in a rocking chair by the window of what looked to be a nursery. She was rocking slowly and quietly singing to the baby in her arms. As the song ended, she stopped rocking and kissed the child's forehead. She whispered "Goodnight, Harry" as the memory faded.
Back in the kitchen Harry turned slowly towards Hermione smiling. "My mun, sang that to me." He said quietly. Hermione smiled and tears came to her eyes at Harry's happiness. She gave his hand a squeeze to show him she understood. Then she stood from her seat, gave him a kiss to the top of his head and whispered "Good night, Harry" into his hair.