Unexpected Costs of Love
SUMMARY: Harry and Hermione are in their sixth year at Hogwarts. When a devastating letter arrives for Hermione she
falls head over heels into the arms of her best friend. She thinks she has finally found her own happy ever after story however, happy ever after is only something reserved for fairy tales. With a war looming not too far in the distance what
unexpected costs will they have to pay to continue their love?
AUTHORS NOTE: I thought of this plot almost 10 years ago! It seems like a life time ago already! I was young (14-15) and very in experienced as an author. I wrote and posted a total of 4 very short chapters and never did complete the story as I started high school a few months later. I have recently been thinking about this story very hard and have decided to challenge myself as a writer to start over with this fic and finish it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have fun writing it. Also on a sorry note I am a very busy person way so more now because I am a wife and mother. I will try my hardest to get the chapters up as soon as possible! My hope is to have this whole story knocked out before the end of June.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters or places in this story. I am simply an overly obsessed fan who had an idea for a story based on JK Rowling's wonderful novels! I am not being paid for writing this fan fiction. All rights go to JK Rowling and Warner brothers' films.
One last note: I first thought of this story pre- Order of the Phoenix. And wrote it somewhere in the middle of it. I think this is a very critical time in the series because as readers we really don't know what role everyone will play in the final epic battle. As a writer this is the best place to start because it allows for a blank canvas to paint my story. With that in mind I will try to be as true to the actual series as possible but it will vary from the actual series end.
Chapter 1 The Letter
The fire on the far edge of the room gave off a slow moaning hiss as the last of the embers died to a dull cackling flame. The light from the fire had shown dull throughout the room casting serene shadows on the large oak tables and chairs that littered the Gryffindor common room. All of the inhabitance of Gryffindor tower had long since retreated to their dorms to seek refuge for the cool winter's night that consumed the castle.
Next to the fire sat a large round table covered in stacks of ancient large cloth bound books. A young girl sat amongst the mounds of books and scattered bits of parchment. Unruly Chestnut waves casqued down her back and pooled down around her toned shoulders as she slept peacefully. Her arms cushioning her head from the ruff parchment she rested on top of. The corners of her mouth twitch slightly as she stirred awake from the low hissing sound of the dying fire. Her doe like chocolate brown eyes blinked into focus slowly as she tried to register where she had fallen asleep. She gazed at the mounds of books in front of her. Surprise washed over her tired body as she realized she had fallen asleep in the commons room for the third time in a week.
She lifted her head up quickly causing a quick rush of dizziness. She closed her eyes waiting for the dizziness to subside a few seconds later. Underneath her folded arms, were her head had rested only a few minute before, lay open an old worn out copy of Ancient Runes Made Easy. The leather that was once a shiny warm brown color was now a dull tan color. The edges of the pages were tattered and worn from many nights of being flipped back and forth. Her runes essay rested on top of the tattered book. Ink smudges dotted the parchment making her essay unreadable towards the end when she was unable to keep her eyes open any longer.
"Crap." She cursed at her own tiredness and mistakes she had made on her essay. Her eye lids felt heavy as she yawned. She brought her hands to her temples and began to massage her head trying to relieve the dull headache her tiredness had brought on. She had not slept properly in several days. Her body began to ache from pure exhaustion. She had taken on her usual full course load this school year but at only two months into her lessons she was already feeling over stressed about her marks. She knew she didn't need to worry too much as she had the top marks of her year so far but she knew she must maintain them and continue to be the smartest witch of her year.
She knew she would have to scrap the essay she had been working on due to the large amount of ink blots that had mostly covered the bottom of the page. She rolled up the ruined parchment and slid it into the front pocket of her school satchel. She decided to start the essay over in the morning once she had been able to get a few hours of sleep. Thankfully tomorrow was Friday and the essay was not due till Monday giving her a whole weekend to work on it. She gathered up the rest of her belongings and stored them with the old essay parchment in her satchel. She slung the heavy bag over her left shoulder and picked up the tattered copy of Ancient Runes Made Easy.
She headed up the spiral stair case towards her dorm room that she shared with the other six year girls. Half way up the dark stairs a shadowy figure emerged from the boy's dormitory dressed in a long black night robe. The figure paused as she passed upon the steps startled for a moment, not expecting to see anyone up at such a late hour on a school night. He let out the breath he had been holding in as he realized it was only her. He had medium length jet black hair that framed his face perfectly. His round wire rimmed glasses complemented his bold piercing blue eyes. His eyes were full of warmth and compassion, at the sight of her, filling the pit of her stomach with butterflies. She felt as though she were naked and exposed in front of him as he knew all there was to know about her. She paused in the moment, entranced by her own school girl crush.
She had always found Harry extremely attractive right back to when they first met on the Hogwarts express. At seventeen years old he had long since grown out of his sheepish school boy look. He stood a whole head taller than her. Her forehead came up to his very broad shoulders. The years of playing Quidditch on the Gryffindor team had done his body extremely well in her teenage mind. She felt a warm tingling sensation in between her thighs as her mind thought of his hard body. The muscles in his arms were well defined and his chest was solid as a rock. She wanted nothing more than to be able to run her fingers down his chiseled stomach. She sculled herself inwardly for the thoughts and fantasies that were running through her very dirty mind at the moment. She secretly had feelings for him she had no doubt about that however, she feared that if she confessed to her crush openly then he might not return the same feelings. At the risk of losing her best friend she did not want to make her feelings known to the world. Instead she bottled up her emotions and never pursued him.
To complicate her matters of the heart worse she was now in a steady relationship with, Viktor Krum, the Quidditch seeker from Bulgarian. They had met the year before when Hogwarts had hosted the tri wizard tournament. He was a few years older than her and was soon to finish up his schooling. They had managed to keep in contact over the summer. He even managed to take time off from his rigorous Quidditch schedule to visit her at her home to meet her parents. She really did care about him quite a bit. He was always trying to make her laugh particularly when she was having a bad day. The best part was how he always had a way with making her feel like she was the most important thing in his world. She felt like a diamond in his mind, something that deserved to be treasured.
"What are you still doing up Hermione? Harry asked with a curious look bringing her out of her thoughts and back to reality.
"I fell asleep in the common room again. She hesitantly replied glancing away from his inquisitive gaze. She prayed he could not see the hint of red hot embarrassment the flared in her cheeks as she remembered what she had been thinking about a moment before.
"Again! Hermione!" He scolded at her.
"What are you doing up so late?" She scolded back at him crossing her arms across her chest trying to get him to change the subject.
"I couldn't sleep…" he quickly changed the subject back off of himself again turning it back on her. "You know that isn't good. You are pushing yourself to hard this semester." He said crossing his muscular arms over his chest. She looked back up into his eyes. "This is the third time this week you have fallen asleep down there! You need to rest!" He gave her a stern look causing her to cringe a little like she had just gotten scolded for having her hand in the cookie jar.
"I know Harry, I know." She pleaded with her chocolate eyes. "I didn't mean too this time honestly!" She said somewhat feeling a little annoyed. "It is just this runes essay. It has me so stumped! Every time I think I have it…I…." She rubbed her forehead to ease the pressure in her tired head. She let out a deep moan of frustration.
"You can't keep going on like this Hermione! Look at you! Your eyes are black from lack of sleep and your skinny as a rail from not eating." He grabbed her shoulders and began to massage her aching muscles. She gave way to his ministrations and closed her eyes. She laid her head on his right shoulder enjoying his concentration on her aching shoulders and stiff neck. He felt her body relax as he massaged her. He stood there for a moment in silence listening taking in the sound of her gentle breaths.
A few minutes passed as he grabbed her shoulders to pull her away from his shoulder in hopes of ushering her to her bed. Her head slumped back on to his shoulder as she was already in a deep sleep. He reached down and grabbed her arms and wrapped them around his neck. She instinctually tightened her arms around his neck. He reached behind her legs and back to lift her into his arms resting her head on top of his left shoulder. He ascended the few remaining stairs towards the girls' dorm.
He slowly creaked opened the door to her dorm. The room was a large round room dark with only the dying embers from the pot belly stove in the center of the room. Around the room stood four large poster beds all four were surrounded with thick red velveteen curtains. Harry found Hermione's bed on the far end. On top of the bed laid another large assortment of various novels. He shook his head at the sight of the books. He laid her down carefully on to the edge of the bed. He pulled off her patent leather mary jane shoes and socks and placed them on the floor by her night stand. He pushed the stacks of books onto the side of the bed making space for her. He then pulled back her comforter and slid her underneath it. When her head hit the pillow she only stirred for a moment to settle her head deeper into the pillow. He brought the thick blanket back up over her shoulders.
"Goodnight Hermione." Harry whispered into her ear bringing a slight smile to her face that soon disappeared as sleep pulled her in deeper and deeper. He leaned down and placed a chased kiss on her forehead. He lingered for a moment to take in her sweat scent. She smelled of warm vanilla with a slight hint of the fire from downstairs. Harry felt as if he were in a mix of heaven and home wanting nothing more than to run his fingers through her satin hair. He was soon brought back to reality when he heard the rustling movement of the girl next to Hermione as she dreamt.
Startled Harry gave one last look at Hermione as she slept. He carefully pulled the velvet curtains around her bed careful not to disturb her peaceful slumber. He turned and exited the room quickly latching the door behind him. He then headed back to his own dorm to catch some much needed rest as well. He hoped he would not succumb to the horrible nightmares that violently woke him earlier in the night. As he settled back down into his own four poster bed he thought only of the brown haired vixen he had secretly wanted for so long. He thought of her vanilla scent as it ghosted though his nostrils again. He closed his eyes trying to remember the sounds of her little moans she would release when she was content. He felt a tightening in his groin as his mind traveled to erotic places he wished he could visit with her. He turned over to his side allowing himself to fall into a deep dream with her as the star of his fantasy.