MY BEST FRIEND
I don't even want to try and explain what happened that night, the night when Harry died, all I knew that night is that a part of me died with him, I wanted to go with him, so I wouldn't have to live without him. No, Harry wasn't my boyfriend, husband, lover or any other person romantically involved with me; he was my best friend, nothing less, nothing more.
We met on the Hogwarts express; I was looking for Neville's toad. I think I came across as too bossy because he and Ron were giving me very strange looks. But from the day he saved me from the troll, we were best friends. And as much as Ron liked to think he was Harry's best friend, I knew that wasn't true. Harry had a smile reserved just for me. You might think that it sounds like he was in love with me, but, no he wasn't.
When we graduated from Hogwarts, I was there, when he married Ginny, I was there, when he battled Voldemort, I was by his side, When he died, I was there…
"Ok 'mione, tell me honestly, does this robe make me look fat?" I giggled, he shifted nervously. He had been named head boy which meant that he had to make a special speech, right after the head girl, valedictorian, and Honors student. Me.
"Harry, you look fine. You'll do fine." I said, reaching up trying one last time to flatten his hair, but despite my efforts, it just sprung back up.
He laughed.
"How many times have I told you? It won't sit flat."
"It was worth a try." I pouted. He laughed again.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Professor McGonagall poked her head in.
"Come on Head Boy and Head Girl, you have to lead the other graduates into the hall, and we're running late as it is." She said.
"Well, here goes nothing."
We followed her out. Harry had his arm around my waist, but he did this often, it was his way of saying that I was his best friend.
We took our places at the front of the double lines, as rehearsed over many, many days and the graduation music started. I felt myself tense up. Harrys hand found mine and he have it a reassuring squeeze.
We made our way up the aisle, and I waved to many people, The Weasleys, Lupin, Tonks and all our past Defense against the dark arts teachers, excepting Quirrel.
Harry had nothing to worry about, he did his speech perfectly, so did I and afterwards he asked me to go for a walk along the lake and in the grounds with him, just one last time.
I went. The night was calm and the moon was reflecting beautifully off the water of the lake. There were no ripples or anything in it, and I remember thinking to myself that the squid must be hiding.
He stopped me and turned to face me.
"Hermione, promise me that we'll always be best friends."
"Of course, why wouldn't we be?"
"I don't know, I'm just making sure." He bent down and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"Y'know, we'd better get back, they'll be starting the party soon."
"Come and say goodbye to the Quidditch pitch with me."
He was upset, Hogwarts had been his home. We went to sit under the tree by the lake. We fell asleep like that, and didn't wake until midday the next day.
We had a lot of good times like that one, and we were always there for each other, but I also had a few not-so-nice memories with him, the worst, when he almost died.
I got a call at three in the morning, from St. Mungos, the healers head appeared in my fireplace and I instantly knew that something was seriously wrong with Harry, just call it best friends intuition.
I rushed to the hospital and when I got to the door of his ward, I found myself scared to go in, scared of what I might find. I scolded myself and pushed open the door. I gasped when I saw Harry laying there, with all kinds of tubes attached to him. The healers said he'd been bitten by a basilisk, But they didn't know that there were any others in existence, not after the one in the Chamber of Secrets. The poison hadn't had time to act properly before they got to him. He was in the hospital for a month. I wasn't there when he woke up, I was at work, but I got a call and rushed out. Harry was sitting up in bed reading The Quibbler, a smile on his face, the smile I'd missed so much. I threw myself at him, Squealing "Harry! Oh gosh, I'm so glad you're ok, I thought you'd died then…" But he put a hand over my mouth.
"Shush!" He said.
"But Harry…" He looked into my eyes. "I'll always be here. I'll never leave you." I had tears streaming down my face then; He laughed and brushed them away.
For the rest of my life, every time I heard that something bad had happened I'd always get this picture in my mind, of Harry in that hospital bed, with all kinds of tubes, looking weak and frail, pale and sickly.
Another time when I was worried that our friendship might be jeopardized…
"Hermione, I think I'm going to ask Ginny to marry me." He said, with a familiar twinkle in his eye that always meant he was serious about what he was talking about.
"What?" I cried through a mouthful of English muffin. He'd chosen our weekly brunch to tell me this… while I was eating.
"Yeah, I really love her."
"But…"
"Look, I know what you're thinking. That if I get married that all of this will fall apart, that we won't be friends anymore… let me tell you that that's not going to happen, Hermione, You're like my sister… well, a sister that I happen to be Best Friends with… but a sister nonetheless."
"But Ginny…"
"If Ginny doesn't like it then she's going to have to make a choice. Me being best friends with you or having no boyfriend."
"Promise?" I said sadly.
"Of course 'mione."
I looked at him intensely. He stared back, not blinking.
"I love you Harry."
"I love you too Hermione."
"Do you, Ginevra Weasley, Take Harry Potter to be you lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish?"
"I do." Ginny whispered. Harry beamed. I stood stiffly. It wasn't easy to watch your best friend get married, especially with a fear that you would lose him forever, growing steadily larger in the pit of your stomach.
"Do you, Harry Potter, Take Ginevra Weasley to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish?"
"I do." He said firmly. My heart sank. Somewhere in my evil subconscious I was wishing he wouldn't say those two words.
The reception was good, everyone but me and Ginny (who didn't drink) had a bit too much to drink and ended up staying the night in a hotel.
I was sitting in a chair outside, looking at the way the moonlight reflected off my bridesmaid dress when I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned around to see who it was and I was surprised to see it was Remus.
"Hey Hermione." He said softly, pulling up a chair beside me.
"Hi Remus. I was just thinking of you." I said distractedly.
"What made you think of me?"
I pointed up to the sky. It was a clear evening and the moon was full. That was the downfall of a perfectly good evening.
Remus' body went rigid and he transformed, His arms lengthened, his feet lengthened, His body hunched over and his face grew extremely wolf-like.
He sat in the darkness, cowering, and surprisingly, I didn't feel scared. He had taken his potion, I saw him take it back at Grimmauld place, and he was safe. I led him into a hotel room across the lane from the chapel where the wedding was held. I locked him in my room. I'd ask someone else if I could bunk in their room, preferably not Harry or Ginny's though.
I went back to my spot, watching the moon.
I heard random footsteps behind me. It was Ginny. She looked gorgeous in her white wedding gown, with embroidery on the bodice and pink ribbons in her hair.
"Hey." She said.
"Hi." I looked down at my feet.
"How did you know I was out here?"
"I heard Remus transform, I thought I'd come and check on you."
"Thanks."
"Look, I know you're scared that you'll lose Harry once this whole thing is over, but I swear, I'll make sure that never happens. No matter what, you and him will always be friends. I know how much you mean to him, and I don't think he'd ever let you too drift apart either."
"Thanks gin." I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, she giggled and I let her go.
"Go, Have fun." I said.
"Only if you come with me."
"Fine…" I followed her back to the reception area, where there was music and tables set up around the dance floor. Ginny and I spent the rest of the night dancing to The Warlocks.
"H-Harry, He's out there. I can see him." I whispered to the man standing next to me. My best friend. I was scared, because Voldemort was standing at the front door to my house.
Harry drew his wand, and I did the same.
"What do you think you're doing?" He said to me.
"I'm fighting him with you."
"No Hermione, this has to be between me and Voldemort."
So I went upstairs, and as I went, I could hear that horrible, evil, high-pitched, piercing laughter and I knew then, what Harry heard in his head every time a Dementor got too near him.
I cried. I sobbed, and I tried to block out the sounds of their dueling. I sat there for hours. I sat and cradled Harry's baby son, James in my arms, all the while reassuring him that everything would be ok, but really, I think I was only trying to convince myself.
Suddenly, there was a thump, and everything went silent. I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. I screamed and put James back in his cot.
I took out my wand, ready to fight, I heard the door handle rattle, and I called out as strongly as I could "Who's there?"
"It's me." I heard Harry say. I opened the door. He was covered in head to toe with dust, blood and water.
"Oh my goodness." I gasped.
"I'm fine. But He's dead!" Harry smiled and I began to cry.
He took me and James into his arms.
"Hey, what's wrong?
"I was scared you'd die." I sobbed.
"Believe me; I was scared I'd die too." I smiled a watery smile and hugged him close.
"I don't know what I'd do without you Harry."
"You too 'mione."
We stood there for a while, waves of relief washing over us, He was dead, the world was safe, but more importantly, my best friend was still safe.
"Harry?" I said suddenly.
"Yeah?" He said quietly, I could tell he was crying out of happiness, his voice was wavering and I had a wet patch on my shoulder.
"If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus one, so I never have to spend a day without you by my side."
"That's beautiful…"
But I never lived up to that quote…
"Harry?" I said, panic in my voice. "Harry? No, No this isn't happening."
I called out. "SOMEONE HELP! PLEASE!" I called St. Mungos, no answer.
And I knew there was nothing I could do for him… except mourn, Remembering him… crying for him.
He was dead, and I was alone.
I looked down at his face. He had been happy; I could see a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were closed, but I wished they were open, so I could see into their emerald depths once more.
I cried, but I don't think I was crying for his death, I think I was crying for me. He was gone and I was all alone.
I looked at his body, and that was when I spotted a letter, sticking out of his pocket. I took it out. On the front were two words: My Girl. And on the other side: Hermione. I would've thought that a letter addressed to 'My girl' from Harry would have been for Ginny.
I opened it up with shaking hands.
Dear Hermione.
This letter is one of explanation.
I love you, you are my best friend, the person I trust over anyone, you know everything about me, and nothing escapes your knowledge.
I believe that friends are the medicine of life, whenever I'm down; you're there, when I'm sick, you help me…
True friends don't stand beside you when things go wrong, they carry you, because you have no strength to go on, you've carried me so many times… and I'll never forget the thing you said, the night I killed Voldemort.
"if you live to be a hundred, I hope to live to be one hundred minus one, so I don't have to live a day without you." I'm sorry I'm leaving you, but I'll be in a better place now. Away from everything bad, away from all the decisions I'm being forced to make.
Remember what I said, in St. Mungos that day, I'll always be with you Hermione, I'll always be watching over you…
Love,
Harry.
I put the letter in my pocket, it was soaked with tears.
"Goodbye Harry." I said quietly, and I could've sworn I heard the wind whisper his name.
I miss him, everyday I miss him, he was my shining light, he was my savior, and I never figured out how he died, I don't think I wanted to know. I just hoped he was happy where he was. I often felt that he was with me, walking down the street, in the supermarket, at dinner with friends. But mostly I see him while I sleep. His Eyes, his hair, his smile, I take in everything, and when I wake up, I feel like I've slept for days instead of hours. I miss him, yes, but he's in a better place.
"Goodbye Harry." I whisper to myself and to him…