Disclaimer—I don't own the Harry Potter characters and the song is by Alexz Johnson
In the aftermath their eyes met. Over the bodies and the blood brown met gray. They had won, but what had they really gotten? Even as the air around her filled with the sound of cheers and celebration their freedom, she felt him pull back. He must have seen the pain raw in her eyes, must not have been able to handle it. His eyes dropped and he moved towards the door, not daring to glance back. He'd tried this before. With her heart in her throat and her stomach at her feet she started pushing through the throngs of people. They all watched her curiously as she pushed them aside, fighting her way towards the door.
Ahead of her, he made it outside and fought back the hysterical laughter that bubbled in his throat. It was raining; wasn't that just fucking poetic. Glancing back to assure that she hadn't caught up he took off towards the lake.
Dark cloud moving in
Just one fall of rain
Would wash away
Wash away the pain
As she stepped out behind him a moment later she stopped to turn her face into the rain. She closed her eyes and felt it soothe her skin, and she hoped that it could carry away some of the horror of the past months. Already soaked through she followed his path down to the water. When she made it to the edge she simply stood looking at his back and waiting for him to speak.
Just one ray of sun, to warm my skin
Rid me of the cold you're drowning in
He didn't hear her, he didn't have to. He sensed her. "You shouldn't have come down here."
"Why?"
When he turned she was powerfully struck by the fact that his eyes were the same stormy gray as the sky that had opened up on them. "You know why."
"I don't know why Draco. Why do you feel that you have to pull away?"
"You should know why Hermione."
She shook her head. "Your past? I don't care about your past."
"I care!"
"Why? Why do you care so much?"
He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard once. "Why don't you care? You know what I've done!"
"I know that in the end you chose the right path. I know that I love you," she whispered.
Draco pulled away as if her skin had turned to fire. "Don't say that, not now?"
"Why not?" she asked, unaware that her tears were mingling with the rain. "It's true."
He shook his head almost violently and sent more droplets of water scattering from his hair. "You shouldn't love me. No one should love me."
"Well I do so you'll have to learn to deal with it!" she cried.
He turned his back on her and gazed back out over the tumultuous waters of the Black Lake. "I'm leaving Hermione."
I could say that I don't care
But the truth is I'd follow you anywhere
I've been waiting such a long, long time
Don't you dare change your mind
She brought a hand up to massage the ache in her heart, but when she spoke her voice was steady. "You just don't get it do you? I'm not hiding from what we have, and I'm not waiting for you to realize that you need me. You can go, but I'll follow you wherever you run. I know you love me, and you know I love you. I want the rest of my life with you and I'm willing to brave the storm until you get that through your thick skull."
Draco turned back to her and she saw desperation in his eyes. "Don't you see you deserve better than me? Don't do this; just tell me to go and move on with your life."
"I could tell you that I won't care if you leave, but it would be a lie. I'll tell you again that I'll follow you anywhere. So why not stop running Draco? Why not accept the fact that you're what I want, that you make me whole and happy?"
Seems so close to me but still beyond my reach
Calling me and playing hide and seek
Look behind that door I'm the one you been searching for
And I'm not a little girl anymore
"Because, damn it, I'm terrified! Can't you see that? I'm so afraid that who I was is still in there and that I'll hurt you. So I'm leaving and I want you to stay."
I could say that I don't care
But the truth is I'd follow you anywhere
I've been waiting such a long, long time
Don't you dare change your mind
She shook her head and stepped closer to him. "Don't go looking for something else Draco, it won't save you. You tried to walk away once before; don't make the same mistake again."
Don't wonder round looking
For someone to replace me
Don't wonder round wasting
The rest of your life
Don't wonder round waiting
For someone else to save you
And don't you make the same mistake twice
Silence fell like lead between them and for a moment he simply stood there watching her. She was soaked to the skin, much as he was, but she was starting to shiver. Her hair was plastered to her face and her eyes were too wide as she waited for him to speak. She shouldn't have been so striking; so why the hell was she the most gorgeous creature he'd ever laid eyes on? As he waged an internal war, Hermione stood with her breath caught in her throat, praying she'd gotten through to him.
"Damn it," he whispered. Biting off another oath he pulled her roughly against him. "Damn it why can't I live without you?" He kissed her hard, but briefly. When he pulled away from her mouth he held her tight against him. "Why do you want me?"
Her heart racing, Hermione pressed her cheek against the wet fabric of his shirt as she struggled to catch her breath. "I love you; it's that simple."
He pulled back and cradled her face gently, looking straight into her eyes. "You had the chance to walk away. You're stuck with me now."
I could say that I don't care
But the truth I'd follow you anywhere
I've been waiting such a long, long time
Hermione smiled up at him and shook her head. She rose up on her toes to kiss him gently. "I was never going to walk away. You want to go somewhere go, but you'll be taking me with you."
"Yeah. Remember what I said, you can't go back now."
"I know." She kissed him again. "I'm stuck with you and you're stuck with me. No going back."
Don't you dare change your mind