This is going to be my first attempt at a somewhat serious fic. It won't be tragic, it won't even be that dramatic. But the romance will not be the fluffy humorous kind that I have done in the past. I will probably screw this story completely up, but I just HAVE to try.
As a warning to anyone who reads this, it is based off of a chapter from Deathly Hallows. If you have not read Deathly Hallows, then I would suggest that you don't read this story. It doesn't give away any of the ending, but it does give away a plot point from the seventh book that some people may not have read.
For the purpose of pairing Harry and Hermione…which I will always do…Ron's personality has been slightly altered, as well as Harry and Hermione's. Being as this is completely fictional, I'm assuming nobody will protest too much.
This story is based on the chapter where Ron leaves the Horcrux hunt. What would have happened if he had never come back?
And so with that…here we go…
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Harry Potter stood at the entrance to the tent, staring out into the bleak surroundings, watching his supposed best friend stalk off into the darkness. Ron Weasley stomped past the protective spells, soon vanishing into thin air with a Pop Harry's fist tightened on his wand, as though his wand could possibly save him from this depressing situation. He heard a whimper from behind him, and somewhere in the recesses of his brain, he knew it was Hermione. He didn't turn around though, as he continued to stare at the spot where Ron had just disappeared, nothing else persuading his mind from the utterly awful situation he was now faced with. A surge of anger coursed through his veins, his entire being soon consumed with so much rage that he lifted his clenched fists and banged them into the tent walls.
Another sob was issued out from behind him. This time, filled with more sorrow, more longing, and more pain than he had ever heard. The anger that had just been overtaking him vanished within a second and in it's place came the icy cold feeling of dread. He whirled around and came face to face with his worst fear. Hermione Granger sat curled up in a ratty chair, tears streaming down her face, sobs wracking her thin body, her wand lay discarded on the table next to her.
Harry felt his heart ache at seeing his best friend in such despair. She almost never showed these types of emotions. He knew that Hermione and Ron had always had a very…odd type of relationship. Obviously it had meant more to Hermione than it had to Ron. Or else Ron would still be here. With them, side by side fighting to save the world. But no. Ron was gone.
Harry slowly made his way over to the shaking form on the chair, and magically expanded the chair a bit to make enough room for him to fit in next to her. He quietly slid in next to her and without a word spoken between the two of them, they fell into each other's arms. Hermione continued to cry, but this time her sobs were muffled in Harry's t-shirt, her small arms hugging him so tightly he thought that at any other time, he would have probably pulled away, nervous of Ron seeing them so close together. Even thinking about Ron made Harry that much more angry. He hugged Hermione tighter to him, desperate to make her stop crying, desperate to make her stop feeling so much pain.
Finally, Hermione's sobs died down and she lifted her tear stained face upwards, eager to meet Harry's eyes, eager to meet the confident Harry that she had just seen waver. She needed to know that she was going to be taken care of she needed to know that she would be safe. When green eyes met brown, Hermione instantly settled down. Harry's strong arms encircled her, holding her tighter than he ever had before and his mouth was set in a firm line, sure to be the only outward sign of the anger he was feeling. But his eyes…his big green eyes were soft, filled with concern that Hermione knew was directed towards her.
"Harry," Hermione began, her voice cracking despite her effort to control her emotions, "do you think he's really gone?"
Harry closed his eyes briefly before responding in one word, "Yes."
………………………………………………………………………………………………
The duo sat in the chair somewhat squished together for what could have been minutes, hours, or even days. They didn't want to leave the warmth their bodies provided for each other, or the comfort that just being that close held for both of them. Every so often Hermione would ask another question that she already knew the answer too, which Harry would dutifully answer, because he knew it calmed her down to hear him in control.
"Harry," Hermione whispered this time, "Why did Ron leave?"
Harry thought she sounded just like a little girl, asking an innocent question, except this question was filled with so much baggage that he did not even know how to approach it. In an effort to stay strong, he attempted to answer.
"I'm not sure Mione. He was mad at me for yelling at him about being a baby."
Hermione sighed. "That's not it Harry."
Harry knew that wasn't why Ron had left. Sure, calling him a baby could not have helped the situation, but Harry knew that for weeks Ron had been close to leaving. "Well…I think that possibly he was upset…over the fact that…" Harry started but was quickly interrupted.
"Over the fact that I shared more with you than with him." Hermione answered in a dull voice.
Harry sat up a little straighter. "I don't know-"
"Yes Harry. He was always a bit jealous I think."
"Hermione I don't think that was the reason…"
Hermione stared up at Harry, her tears dry, now a stiff resolute look in her eyes. She stared deep into Harry's eyes, seeming to almost be able to read his mind. He gave her a quick squeeze, "Okay okay…you're right."
Hermione gave a small nod, a smile almost gracing her face. Almost, but not quite. "I think that he'll come back."
Harry knew she was only kidding herself. "No Hermione. No, he won't."
He could feel her stiffen in his arms. She stared up at him stubbornly. "Why not?"
Harry heaved a deep sigh before grabbing one of Hermione's hands. "Because his heart was never really in this Mione. Maybe he started off with the right intentions, and maybe he still does have them, but somewhere along the line he lost the fight. He lost the heart to keep going. Every time we got up to move onto a new location, you could just tell he would have given anything to just go home. Finding the first Horcrux was great and everything, but once the excitement wore off, the Ron we thought we knew sort of wore off too. I don't think he really knew what he was getting himself into."
Hermione stared at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "No Harry. He cared too much. He cared too much for you, and for the world, and for…me." She added the last word on at the end in a whisper.
Harry let out a frustrated groan. "Hermione, don't make it personal."
Hermione sat up quickly, jumping away from Harry as though his touch had burned her. "Don't tell me I'm making it personal Harry Potter. This whole thing is personal! It has been from the very beginning. Don't think that we went into this without emotions! Harry…the reason Ron and I followed you all this time was because we care too much about you to let you go alone. It's not just about saving the world…it's about saving YOU."
Harry crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the witch next to him. "It shouldn't BE about saving me Hermione. It should be about killing the most evil wizard in the world. If you can't see that, what are you even doing here?"
Hermione's cheeks turned pink with rage. "Maybe Ron was right when he left. He just saw it all before I did."
Harry's stomach dropped, as his heart sank and landed with a thud. He had never expected this. He had always thought that Ron would be the one to give up. But Hermione? He had thought so much more of her…so much more of their friendship.
Hermione gasped and covered her mouth almost instantly. "Oh Harry I'm so sorry…I didn't mean that…"
Harry stood up quickly; cutting all the physical contact they had had off as he strode across the tent to the opening flaps. Before he stepped outside, he turned back to face Hermione, "If Ron was so smart, why don't you just leave. Be just like him. Go ahead. I really couldn't care less."
And with that, he strode out of the tent to go sit somewhere far, far away from Hermione. As he sat down on a log as far away from the tent as he could go, but still within the protective charms, he buried his head in his hands as he tried to make the tears that were threatening to spill, stop from coming. He was alone. Completely alone.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Hermione sat in shock in the small tent. For once in her life, she was rendered speechless. She could not even think of a smart solution to the problem. All she was filled with was resentment. Resentment towards Ron, resentment towards Voldemort, and now resentment towards Harry.
How dare he assume that she wanted to leave? Sure, she had said something she hadn't meant to, but she had apologized. She had been through so much with Harry. She didn't want this to be the end.
Hermione sat in silence, waiting for a long time, wanting to make sure Harry would be coming back in to go to bed. She wanted to talk to him, but she didn't want to try until he was ready. Whenever he came back inside she would explain to him that what she had said was wrong…
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Harry sat in the cold for a long time. He contemplated all angles of his situation. He wouldn't be surprised if he walked back into the tent and Hermione was gone. He had been quite harsh with her. He knew she hadn't meant to say all those hurtful things…but he just couldn't quite get over the fact that she HAD said them.
He sat in the cold awhile longer, before realizing that he had to go back inside sometime. Slowly he stood up and headed back towards the tent, intent on apologizing to Hermione…that is, if she was still there…
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Hermione woke up with a start. Her neck ached and her back was sore from the angle she had fallen asleep in. She looked around her, and realized with relief that Harry was on his cot, under the covers. She looked down and saw that she was still on the ratty old chair. She got up and moved quietly towards her own cot across the tent. As she lay on her side, she realized that she didn't hear the deep breathing sounds Harry usually made when he was asleep. She knew he was awake.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Harry lay on his side, his back towards Hermione. He had heard her get up from the chair and slip into her bed. He had missed his chance to apologize. But there was always morning. It didn't look like she was going anywhere.
He closed his eyes and attempted to fall asleep. His eyes opened quickly though as he felt a draft of cold air as his blankets were lifted up, and then warmth as he felt a pair of feminine legs press into his from behind. He turned quickly, and came nose to nose with Hermione.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her lips so close to his, he could fell a little puff of breath as he spoke.
Harry shook his head slowly.
Hermione took this, as a bad sign as she hurried to explain, "No let me explain Harry I didn't mean to say those things. I want to be here. I need to be here. I could never leave you."
Harry smiled softly. "I know Hermione."
Hermione was about to go on rambling but stopped short. "You KNOW?"
Harry chuckled softly. "I'm the one who should be sorry Hermione. I know you want to be here. And to tell you the truth…I need you to stay."
Hermione shifted closer to him, which was hard to do, considering they were already pressed together. "No you don't Harry. You're so much more powerful than any one."
Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist, needing to feel her closeness. "Mione, I need you."
Hermione stopped talking at the finality of his tone. "Um…okay…" she stuttered, "Then I'll stay."
Harry smiled. "Good. For a second today when you were crying I thought I had lost the Hermione I know and love."
Hermione blushed and buried her head in his chest. "Sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?"
"For crying like such a little girl."
"Well, it's understandable. Ron just walked out like that. I know how close you guys were."
Hermione snorted, and Harry looked down at her in surprise. "We were not that close, Harry."
"But I always though you and Ron had something going on…"
Hermione snorted again. "Well, Ron always had something going on with me in his imagination. I've told him time and time again that I wasn't…interested in him like that. But he continued to think that I was denying my feelings for him."
"Well, you two always argued all the time…and I just assumed…"
"It's okay Harry," Hermione reassured, "A lot of people always assumed that."
"Well then why were you crying?"
Hermione hesitated before answering, "Because of you."
Harry's eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened. "I made you cry?"
Hermione shifted her eyes up to meet Harry's surprised ones. "When I saw Ron leave, I wasn't upset because he was gone. I was upset when I thought about how his leaving would affect you. When you hit the tent walls, I could just see how angry you were. I thought that you had lost all of your control."
Harry closed his eyes briefly, taking in what Hermione had just told him. He opened them only to find that Hermione had moved so that she was looking directly into his eyes. He took a deep breath before answering. "Hermione, as long as you are here, I won't lose my control. I promise."
Hermione nodded. "So that's why you need me."
Harry shrugged. "That's part of it."
"What's the other part?"
Harry looked at her thoughtfully. "I've haven't figured that out yet. Whenever I think about going at this alone, I start to cry. Don't really know why. But when I remember that you're here, I don't feel like crying anymore. I was mad that Ron left, yes. But I didn't feel half of the emotions that I felt while I was waiting around to see if you were going to leave."
Hermione's eyes had misted up while Harry had been talking, but they finally spilled over when she realized he had been waiting for her to leave. She wrapped her arms around the young man lying next to her, and buried her head in between his neck and his shoulder. "Harry, I promise you, I will NEVER leave you."
Harry sucked in a shaky breath before hugging Hermione back with just as much force. "Good…"
They fell asleep locked in their tight embrace, tears leaking out of both of theirs closed eyelids. But they both felt contentment in the connection they had both just made with each other. They knew that if anyone tried to separate them now, it would be a hard feat to master.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Well there you go!
Sorry for any grammatical mistakes.
I'm going to try to write a few more chapters. But it definitely won't be a very long story. Maybe three or four more chapters.
Read and review as you like!