Warnings: a lot of angst, dark!Harry
Spoilers: this has no spoilers of the fifth or sixth book
Disclaimer: Um, nope, don't own them.
Losing the Path to You
A white glow flickering like a weak pulse at the end of her wand seemed too bright compared to the dark abyss that surrounded her. Hermione's steps through the hallways of Hogwarts were so weightless-- almost nonexistant, and they had to be. The light of her wand and her presence could not be known.
He could never know that every night she secretly waited on the staircase of the girl's dormitory in hopes that this would be the night that she would discover where he goes.
She longed to know where it was that he wandered to every night, and to what purpose. He must have been doing something of great significance to risk the dangers. Even so what worried her the most was that he never took his invisibility cloak. How could he be so foolish to roam without it?
She stayed back in an attempt that he would not be able to sense that someone was behind him. Turning ever so slowly to the left corridor, her heart ached in anxiety to see she had lost him.
Her eyebrows twisted in a panic as her mind pleaded that she hadn't lost sight of him. She reproached herself for not watching him more closely, though she had thought it was close enough. She shouldn't have been too concerned that she remain distant so he would not suspect her presence.
Everytime she followed him, no matter how skillful she calculated his movements, she always seemed to lose him. Maybe she was never meant to keep up.
In a quick pace she hurried to the end of the corridor breathing fiercely. Rounding the corner, she abruptly charged into an object sending her wand colliding to the ground. In terror she gazed at the unsuspecting figure.
Recognizing the familiar being did not ease her apprehension. She would have rather took her chances with Filch.
Surrounded in darkness and the shadows caused by the faint blue light emitting from his wand, Harry looked very displeased to see her.
"What are you doing?" he asked in irritation.
She attempted to remain strong, though she softly replied. "I could ask you the same question."
He did not retort, only glared at her and she knew he was becoming angrier.
"Harry it's not safe for--" she began concerned.
He interrupted her snapping, "It's not safe for you either."
His fury simmered as curiousity submerged, "How did you know I was up?"
The words escaped quickly as if on impulse. "I didn't. How could I? I was seeing someone."
It was apparent he did not doubt her statement. He looked taken back at the idea.
She couldn't help but feel guilty for lieing...but she had been honest somewhat. She had been seeing someone. He just did not know that person was him.
Harry's lips seperated as if to ask her "Who?"
Yet he didn't. He was longing to ask her, but he didn't.
It wouldn't have been fair for him to ask her and expect her to answer, not when he would not respond to the questions she had for him.
He stayed silent, letting her have her secret so he could keep his.
Hermione eyes brimmed with tears. She would have told him if it meant he'd admit everything. She would have told him if it would have meant anything to him.
He would have asked, but he didn't seem to care--not enough to matter anyway.
"I'm returning to the common room. Are you?" he simply asked.
"Harry--" she began.
"I won't walk with you if you start Hermione." he snarled.
She exhaled loudly in exasperation. Snatching her wand from the ground, she turned quickly retreating to the Gryfindor common room.
He sighed apprehensively, but he did not have any regrets. It was all for her own good, and that's all that mattered to him.
Harry painfully watched her walk away, telling himself he was not meant to see her travel in any other direction.
Wrapping his invisibity cloak, which he had hidden in his jacket, around him he consoled himself with the thought that this wasn't the end. She was adament and wouldn't refrain from following him every night, and he would lead her out knowing she was behind him. It was their only time together now.
Hermione was too clever not to be suspcicious that he didn't have the invisibilty cloak. Yet maybe she was too grateful to question it consciously, cherishing every moment she followed him because it was all she was given to be close to him. She could never know that his destination every night was to spend moments with her, the only way he could.
It wasn't safe for him to wander at night, but he'd chance it for her. Hermione felt the same and that's why she ignored the dangers willing to risk it all...so she could follow him into the dark.
6th and 7th Book Spoiler-free comments are appreciated. Thanks :)