Harry had been sitting there for what felt like hours. The stars flickered in the night sky. The moon was full. The wind ran through the trees, tearing their leaves as it passed. Harry leaned over and looked as his reflection staring back at him, equally hopeless. His black hair hung in front of his eyes. His eyes were empty. They had seen so much, yet so little. It seemed that nothing had changed since he was a little boy hiding in the cupboard. Nothing had changed since he became enemy number one for a dark wizard. He was terrified of what happened next either way.
The lake felt like a mirror sometimes. It reflected the nonsensical soul within. Harry picked up a nearby rock and dropped it into the lake. The cold water splashed on his face. He watched the ripples go through the water. They gave the feeling of being timeless.
"Harry? Where are you? It's past curfew!" Hermione's voice sounded close. Harry watched the curls of water a bit more before sighing.
"I'm sitting by the lake." He said. Harry leaned close to water again, the last of the ripples disappearing. He wanted to drop another rock, but Hermione was right behind him. She would tug him inside and tell him to sleep. Harry could not sleep. The nightmares and everything made sleeping difficult to even think about.
"What are you doing out here?" She said softly, sitting down next to him. This was different. Hermione was not nagging him. She was talking to him for once. Usually, she just talked at him. This was nice.
"I can't sleep." Harry said. That was the easiest explanation. Trying to explain what went through his head was a burden. He could not think.
Hermione raised her eyebrows and turned to him.
"That's not what I meant. What are you doing? I didn't ask why." She was straightforward and Harry liked that to a certain amount. Sometimes, it could be too much. She did not seem to want the easy explanation.
"I am thinking about fate." Harry said. That was clear.
"Oh." That was all Hermione could say. He had no idea what she was thinking, but he knew that she would not push another answer out of him. Hermione stood up, grabbing his hand along the way.
"How about you think about fate in your bed? It might give you an answer for why you thought sitting outside in October was a good idea." She said in a teasing tone. Harry cracked a smile and followed her into the castle.
They entered the Gryffindor common room and went their separate ways. Harry stepped into the dorm room and looked around. Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus were all asleep. He changed into pyjamas and went to his bed. He crawled under the blankets and thought about fate.
Harry had found friends and family. He found people that he could trust. He found people he could not trust. Harry had discovered new places, a new world, and so much more. He survived through a dark wizard, relatives who hated him, and a wizarding world entranced by his every move. Maybe, he could change things. He could make everything better. That was everybody's ultimate goal at one point. It just depended on what better is. Harry fell asleep. Hopeful, for once in his life.