"When we reached that moment"
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, except Alicia Brightness....
Harry potter, the famous young wizard that had beaten You-know-who when he just was a few months old, was sitting with his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, laughing and talking around a small table drinking Butterbeer in the well known Three Broomsticks. The three of them all went to Hogwart school of witchcraft and wizardry and were on their seventh year, their last year.
Outside the warm cabin, the snow was just about to become one meter deep since snow seamed to be pouring down from the sky. It was a few degrees warmer than yesterday, but it really didn't matter, nobody could tell if it was warmer or not since it still was so cold that made your tears freeze to ice.
It was in the middle of December, when almost everyone in Hogwart had gone home to spend Christmas eve with their families. Ron and Hermione hadn't gone home yet, they wanted to visit Hogsmead one more time before leaving ( or so did Hermione said at least).
The three of them were now sitting there enjoying the evening. If it wasn't that Harry was going to visit Ron for Christmas he would have normally been sad at this very moment, but since he wasn't going to stay at Hogwart this holiday alone, he was capable to laugh.
When the pointer was near nine o'clock and the three brown owls in the three Broomsticks howled load and clear, Alicia Brightness the new owner of the three Broomsticks, walked out from the bar there they served the delicious Butterbeer. With her hands in the inner pocket of her yellow cope she walked to Harry, Ron and Hermione who hadn't even notice that it was late.
" Hey, kids. It think that it is time for you to go back to the castle.", she said sitting on the empty chair next to Harry.
" Oh, but come on Alicia. Let us stay another ten minutes, I mean we are seventeen.", Ron asked giving her puppy eyes. In this kind of state of his he reminded very much of his twin brothers, Fred and George.
" Seventeen or not, It is my responsibility to throw you out back to the castle when we close", she said with a grin on her lips.
" So come on, and NO buts!". Alicia stood up from the chair and looked around if there were any other children left in the cabin, but there weren't.
Following her they stood up and began to put their at least five different copes and gloves on, thinking that that would keep them warm on their way back to the castle. They said goodbye to Alicia , who forgot to reply when they open the door and an icy wind came blowing in.
" Stop complaining Ron. We are almost there anyway. " Hermione said, her arms tightening around her while the three of them stepped out into the coldness. It was now very dark, but it was still snowing. They kept walking with shaking teeth and eyes shut from the snow wind that seemed to increase it's speed and strength, until they reached Hogwart. It wasn't actually very long from Hogsmead to Hogwart, but because of the weather it felt like at least three miles.
The darkness from outside made the castle look like a madhouse when the moon came out behind the dark grey clouds and threw ghostly shadows over the hill where Hogwart was standing. Hogwart was a little alike a madhouse, but in Harry's opinion a lovely madhouse. In that school happened everything, from the most funniest things to the most terrifying events ever.
No one would forget the day when the Weasley brothers had just of "accident" thrown a spell at the north tower that had transformed every object in there into dust. Just as when nobody would forget the darkest day in Hogwarts history, the raise of the dark master, Lord Voldermort.
They would all remember that day, so well. When the sky's light blue colour had began to shade out and a black point among the many clouds began to grow. It had looked like a rain cloud first, but when it had grown so much that it developed the white puffy clouds and the sun's gold rays, a terrifying feeling inside every soul reached it's point. Total darkness pushed away the former sunny day and the laughter from playing children had replaced of dying screams. That had been the dark day, and since that, that day had always been a dark dot every year.
Now things were a bit different, the fear still lured behind every corner, but the knowledge that Lord Voldermort was loosing his power made things lighter. The reason was just one boy, Harry Potter. He had beaten the dark master once and had done it again several years, but not completely. Lord Voldermort had always found one way out from the truly destiny that awaited him. He was still out there, waiting for his time to strike out and take the hole world under his control. To be as fearful as he had been once.
Harry knew it, he knew that he had to confront Lord Voldermort once again, the final time. He thought about it every minute, every second that went by. Even now when he was walking upwards the marble staircase to the north tower where the Gryffindors common room laid.
The darkness inside the castle didn't go away, even when a lot of torches were lit up. That was so Harry felt, the threat that jeopardised his hole life and his friends.
He glanced at Hermione and Ron who also walked in silence, maybe thinking like he did. But their sad eyes told everything. This was the last winter semester they had, next year would be different. Very different from now.
A while ago they had laughed, talked and surrpresed that feeling, but now they couldn't deny it. They were grown up, the long term word "adult" ringed load and clearly in their ears, preparing them that that was what they were going to be called next year...adults.
Walking long the long corridor that led them to their common room Harry began to take away the long red scarf that he had around his neck. His fingers were all red and puffy from the coldness, even when he had two gloves on his hands.
" Harry, you better take away your coat and everything in front of the fireplace, it's still cold inside," Hermione said, glancing at him while he started to take away his thick coat that he had bought in the Diagon Alley.
Harry didn't say anything. He just did as she said, Hermione was always right...in everything.
" Look at those sad faces, I haven't seen any in a while.", said the fat Lady when the three of them reached the big painting where she was posing. The fat lady was the one that let the members of the Gryffindors into the head- room.
Ron made a grimace, and looked coldly at her. He didn't want to argue with the arrogant fat lady, since she always wanted to be right.
" Chocolate frogs", he answered instead, since it was the password of this week, and the three of them walked into the warm room.
The common room was empty, everyone had obviously already gone home. But the fireplace was still sending it's warm. Harry sat on a red couch in front of it, with his long legs spread out over the floor. He had already taken off his three coats, two gloves, three capes and shoes. All he had on was a pair of beige pants on and a white shirt that he had bought recently in Hogsmead. He felt how his eyes closed themselves, even when he tried not to let them.
" Wake me up tomorrow when it's time to go to the train.", Harry said with his eyes now closed. Hermione and answered him with a nod that Harry didn't see. Ron had obviously already gone to bed, tired as he was after those butterbeers and Hermione was reading a book.
Letting his sleep win, he dozed into a dream...
" Ahhhhggggg! James don't let him hurt you! Please!
" Lily! Run away! Take Harry and run!
" No I don't want to leave you!
" You must for Harry's sake! Run! I can't hold him much longer!
" I...I...love you!"
"RUN!
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"NO! Please don't hurt him! Kill me instead! Please!"
"Silly girl what difference does it make if I take you, do you think that I'm going to let him live?!
"NO please, not Harry!"
" I don't give mercies... to no one.......ADAKADABRA!
"Nooooo!....
Harry woke up, sweating and with tears on his cheeks, the scream still ringing in his ears when reality embraced him. He could hear his own sobs, hearing his mothers pleading for mercy. Not one was given. New tears escaped from the corner of his eyes, but as much as he wiped them away they kept escaping.
" Harry, are you OK?", a voice whispered, coming nearer him. It was Hermione, even when the fire was out, he could define her shape.
" Yeah, I'm all right.", Harry answered, trying to suppress the shaking voice. He turned to see her next to him, her eyes observing his face.
"But Harry, you're crying.". She reached out her hand and stroke away a fear tears, and softly she put her hand on his shoulder.
" It's nothing, really. It's just that I...I...dreamt about my parents.", the last word he said it even more like a whisper, more tears threatening to slip out. He even hoped that she hadn't heard it, but she did since her face showed sadness for him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Harry", she whispered, putting her arms around him. Harry put his head on her right shoulder, letting himself being comfort. He breathed in, trying to take away the burning feeling in his eyes. The dream had been so real and really...painful when he closed his eyes to shut away the tears that were now running down along his cheeks.
Hermione caressed his back, whispering soothing words in his ear. Harry gripped his arms around her even more tightly, as if she was his only escape from his past. The past that he so truly wanted to forget, but in the same time remember.
He turned his head to see the dark sky outside the window, his head still on her shoulder.
" Look, it have stopped snowing.", he said dryly, his bright green eyes on the suddenly calmed weather.
" Yeah..", Hermione answered, turning her gaze to the sky. She didn't break away from his arms, but still she managed to look at the window.
" Do you know how I feel?
" I don't know. Maybe.
"Like a five year old boy who had a terrible nightmare and wakes up crying."
" Isn't that so?"
" I guess, expect for the five year old part."
They continued to stare at the sky, Harry hadn't even noticed that he still had his arms around Hermione and that she also was curled in his embrace. The darkness in the room wasn't that threatening anymore, in Harry's opinion. Somehow during Hermiones's comfort, it had become light and clear around him.
"Thank you Hermione", Harry manage to squeeze out. She pulled out, breaking the connection.
" For this"., he said looking at her now.
Hermione blushed a bit, at least Harry thought that she did. She turned her clear brown eyes from his and looked out into the sky. Her hair was a totally disaster, since she just had woke up, not brushing it. The white night-gown was all wrinkled, with a long black line from the neck to her chest. She had probably fallen asleep with her pen, dropping ink on the dress.
But for some reason Harry thought that she looked, special.
" It's OK, Harry. We all need to let everything out one day, or night. It's nothing strange about that, remember that OK?"
Harry gave her a small smile and looked down at his hands, feeling a bit uncomfortable having Hermione so near him. The moment he looked up to met her eyes, he felt soft lips brush his own for a second or two. He stared at her, too shock to say a word.
Hermione was obviously also shock. She bit her under lip, not able to move away from her spot on the floor right in front of the couch near Harry's feet.
" I...I'm so sorry Harry. I didn't know what I...why...I..." she trailed off. She turned around and with her eyes on the floor she stood up. Harry followed her movements, also standing up. He didn't know what he was doing at first, but the moment his eyes dropped from the spot above her head to her face he felt his heart beat hard against his chest, he took her small hands, that were on her sides gripping hard on the dress, and squeezed them slightly.
She smiled at him and he at her. It was understood that they were still friends. His eyes went directly to her eyes, and at that moment he forgot about everything, his nightmare was like vanished. He looked at her intensely and lowed his gaze a few inches to her mouth that was curled into a smile.
With his hands still holding hers, he leaned forward and met her lips with his. They just stood there mouth to mouth, not realising what was happening, just feeling.
He put his arms around her waist and hers around his neck, when the kiss became more deeply. Harry could feel her heart beat faster than normal, the same speed as his.
The night developed them, darkness surrounded them, but at that moment it couldn't be more bright than it already was.
Well, what do you think?? Do you think that this story should have other chapters or should it stop here?? I don't know that's why I'm asking you??? So review, review....