Summary: Hermione reflects on her reasons for fighting. Oneshot. Short short. Mild angst and romance (R/Hr).
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe is not of my own design. I am merely borrowing it, and I assure you, no money is being made out of this.
Reasons
The clock is ticking, and I feel the weight on our shoulders increase exponentially with every blasted tick of that clock. I'm not complaining, nor do any of us actually have the right to do so. It is purely by choice that we are here anyway, at least for Ron and me, and we have long since crossed that unmistakable point of no return—the day we sought Harry Potter's friendship.
And now, here we are, huddled in an abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere and waiting out the heavy rain. I sigh inwardly, secretly hoping that we could likewise wait out this other storm—a storm of greater proportions—that revolves around us. It is impossible, though. People are already depending on us, and it irritates me more than it should that I cannot afford to be selfish. Day by day, my personal reasons for fighting are being obscured by other, "more important" ones that have this huge impact on society, and this makes what I'm doing seem like a duty more than anything else.
I need something to get me back on track, something to remind me of why I'm here by choice. I lean back in frustration on my rickety chair and close my eyes to simply listen to my surroundings.
I listen and hear the unrelenting patter of the raindrops on the roof, as unmistakable as the dangers forever following us around. I hear an odd sort of silence, too, as eerie as the unexpected and unnecessary deaths caused by the ongoing war. I also hear my own heartbeat. It reminds me that I am, in fact, still alive to fight and help end the suffering.
I am alive. This comforts me.
I have only just begun to finally relax when my thoughts are jarred by a far more pleasing sound. It is that of laughter coming from the opposite end of the room. I fleetingly open my eyes to catch a glimpse of my two best friends laughing like the young boys they once were, or rather, like the young men they are supposed to be.
I only meant for it to be a stolen glance, but now I can't help but stare at this rare sight of happiness. Ron catches me at it and grins stupidly. I unwillingly smile back, and I force myself to look away. The sight of Ron grinning at me like a fool was enough to call to mind one of the more insistent thoughts that have plagued me ever since leaving Hogwarts. It's a funny thing, actually. After all the written and practical exams I have gone through, it all came down to this one question. True or False: I'm in love with Ron Weasley.
I steal a glance in their direction again, and it takes all my willpower not to burst out laughing as I watch him sniff a who-knows-what-flavored Bertie Bott bean up his nose. Harry, of course, saw no reason to hold back, and I have to bite down hard on my lip in order to resist his contagious laughter. I observe Ron blow the Bertie Bott bean out of his nostril, and at that moment, I know that my answer must be True.
The rain finally let up, leaving the ground disgustingly wet and the air refreshingly clean. The war will end eventually as well, but now, I am even more determined to fight to achieve an ending like this. Not the disgustingly wet ground. No matter what happens, the land will be stained with blood, anyway. No, it is this new air that I want—this atmosphere in which people can finally breathe. I want our happy ending, and at this point, I don't see why we can't have it.
I stand up and meet Harry and Ron at the door with a smile on my face and a renewed determination coursing through my entire being.
Our storm will end eventually, and I shall make sure that it ends on our terms.
A/N: This fic was entered in a "songfic" challenge at hogwarts elite but didn't place. The song is "Caught in the Rain" by Jay Clifford, and I can safely say that there were a lot of better and more original fics that were entered. LOL As usual, all reviews are welcome. Flames not included. Thanks for reading!