Who Needs the Whiskey?

By AkaOkamiRyu

Description: Harry/Hermione. PG-13 for alcohol. Harry's been drinking a little, and Hermione's worried... Songfic.

Dedication:

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter, I'm not that creative, J.K. Rowling is, and it's hers. Who Needs the Whiskey belongs to Chris Cagle, Dick Kaiser, and Randy Boudreaux.

Little info to unconfuse things, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all live together. Voldemort hasn't been defeated, and the thought about the looming threat is weighing on Harry's mind.

{Song Lyrics}

"Dialogue"
Means and author note. They're at the end of the story so they don't disturb your reading.

Who Needs the Whiskey?



{She caught me on the back porch once again
In the middle of a fight we both knew I couldn't win}

She'd seen him leave the room; she'd been watching him for the past hour, though she'd been pretending to be reading. Ron had headed for his room nearly half an hour ago, after trouncing poor Harry in another game of chess. They played every night, and Harry had yet to win. Tonight though, she'd noticed there was more on his mind then chess strategies, and since then she'd been growing steadily more worried about him. He'd been going out to sit outside quite a lot lately. He would come in late, and she knew he was drinking, trying to get his mind off things. Off Voldemort, off the awesome responsibility that must be weighing down upon him. His attitude tonight through the game lead her to believe he'd be going out again, but this time she set down her book and followed him out a few minutes later.

Reaching the back door she swung it slowly open, worried cinnamon eyes glancing at the back of her black haired best friend whom was sitting on the porch swing. Sure enough, there he was, staring at the glass of brown liquid he was holding tightly in his hand.

He hadn't even heard her open the door, so deep was the reverie of thought he was lost in. She knew that it was only a matter of time until he gave in and drank it. He couldn't brake himself of the habit, even though he knew that when the buzz went away he'd still be in the same situation, feeling the same amounts of stress and suffering the same anxieties.

{Then she came up from behind and took my glass
And she said, hold me instead and soon the urge will pass}

She couldn't let him do it, not anymore. She couldn't watch him run and hide behind the alcohol. Not because he was Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived and should be stronger then that. Because he was Harry Potter, Harry her best friend, the boy she'd grown to love, and the man he'd grown to be, and because she knew he was stronger then that, better then that. And because she'd seen him prove it a million times in a million ways, a million ways the strangers who thought they knew him didn't know and never would.

Without a word she walked silently up to him, and she saw the surprise in him as she removed the glass from his hand and set it on the windowsill behind her.

"Hermione?" His voice was soft, wavering with question. There was a note of shame, and it mixed with the tones of defeat, but he did nothing to try and hide them, knowing he couldn't have anyhow. She always knew when he was lying.

"Harry." She replied, saying no more. She didn't need to; the notes of her voice spoke volumes. She sat down behind him without a word and enveloped him in a hug. Neither said anything for awhile; neither knew exactly what they ought to.

"Hermione?" He questioned her again; a thousand questioned flickered across his emerald eyes and she read every one as though they were a page in a book.

"I'll help you. I'll stay with you until you feel better, then you won't need to drink it, Harry." He broke from her grasp and motioned for her to come sit next to him. She did and he turned to take her in his arms.

They remained like that while time passed carelessly. The world moved on around them, but they took no notice, paid no heed. In the yard crickets chirped their soothing song, and the grass rippled in the late night breezes. Hermione was content to be in his arms, and to let him hold her until he no longer felt the call of the drink. He for his part was contented to. It was comforting to hold her, to breathe her sweet, familiar scent, to let her closeness soothe him.

{And then she whispered, I'm forever by your side
And together we can beat this thing one step at a time}

She spoke quietly to him, as if afraid to shatter the peace that had settled around them. "Harry, you know I'm not going to leave you, right?"

He gave her a smile. Not the thousand watt smile that he gave others, that was not a real smile, that was what he showed the world to ease their fears and worries. This was a true smile, weary yes, but full of heart and hope and caring. "I know Hermione."

"And you know that when you need me I'll be there?" He nodded, she smiled in return. A single silver tear was seeking escape from her normally sparkling orbs. "Then the next time you feel like you need a drink, Harry, come to me instead. I'll help you beat it. I want to help you." She added seeing he was about to say something, most likely something along the lines of not wanting to trouble her.

And they were both smiling, and she was clinging to him now, and the crickets were still chirping, and the stars were twinkling and there was something about the air and the night and the whole world. Dazzling emerald met deep cinnamon and there was suddenly an unspoken conversation going on. And then she was reaching to meet him.

{And then she kissed me and it moved me
Yeah, She took away the fear and pain
And gave something new to soothe me
She said she needs me oh, and she loves me
And with a woman as strong as that
Yeah, Who needs the whiskey}

They met in a swift kiss that was over so quickly the time it lasted could not have been measured; yet Harry marveled at how chaste a kiss could do so much. The fears and worries that had long plagued him seem to melt away into obscurity, only to be replaced by the sensation of her kiss.

When she spoke, moments later, it was with a voice overflowing and trembling with emotions. "Harry, I don't know what I'd do without you." A pause, a consideration. Should she continue? She realized she'd reached a point of no return. "I love you Harry." She looked down.

His hand reached out steadily and cupped her chin to raise it. Their eyes met again and he was smiling.

"Know something Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"I have the distinct feeling I've found something that has a better effect then any drink." There was a gleam of mischief in his eyes, familiar and reassuring, the sparkle so common to him.

"And what would that be?"

He didn't answer, not with words, but his hand brought her to him and they kissed again.

{Well, I kept my weakness hidden for so long
Oh, But she gave me the strength to admit that I'd been wrong
And when I asked her why she stood right by my side
She said you'd do the same for me with tears in her eyes
And then she wrapped her arms around me and held me close
And said if ever you need something strong, well baby
Just let me know}

Suddenly a thought occurred to the eight-teen year-old. "Hermione, how did you know what I was doing? I hadn't told anyone."

"Harry, I know you. I can tell when something's bothering you, and I guessed what you were doing."

"My clever little witch." He said half teasing, half admiration. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Helping me see I was wrong. I knew I was, but I didn't think I could stop it anyhow." She only smiled and hugged him tighter.

"Why?" He whispered. He hadn't planned on asking, but he'd been thinking deeply on it, and it came out.

"Why what?"

"Why'd you come out tonight? You didn't before. How'd you know I wouldn't get mad and yell at you."

"If something was wrong with me, you'd come. But I know you'd wait until you were sure so you could be fair, and I didn't know you wouldn't yell, but I know you wouldn't have let it stop you." She leaned back into his embrace and sighed. He kissed the top of her head and nestled his face in her hair. "If you ever feel like you're slipping Harry, I'm right here, all you need to do is tell me."

{And then she kissed me and it moved me
She took away the fear and pain
And gave something new to soothe me
She said she needs me oh, and she loves me
And with a woman as strong as that
Yeah, who needs the whiskey}

A gentle thumb caressed her cheek, and she reached her hand out to catch his. Bringing it to her lips she kissed it gently.

{Yeah, she says she loves me and she'd never leave me
And with a woman as strong as that
Yeah, with a woman as strong as that
Well who needs the whiskey
No, I'm free
Who needs the whiskey}

"I'll love you forever Harry, no matter what happens. I'll be by your side no matter what comes of this war."

"I know. And I'll be there for you too."

The End

(A/N- I have no clue what color whiskey is. If anyone knows, please inform me, so I can fix it.)

So what did you think? I hope you all liked it, sorry it's so short, but it's a songfic, and it's late, and I've got nothing more I can think to add. I've got about 5 more Harry Potter stories, at least 4 of them this type of romance. However, they won't be up for awhile as I've not finished writing any of them and I'll be going on a working vacation soon. However I shall try to write between mucking stalls and sleeping and we'll see where we are when I get back, kay?

Reviews are appreciated, but I don't beg. Anyhow, have a good day.

Until Next Time,

AkaOkamiRyu