Written for Charms Bonus Assignment 8 at Hogwarts. Task was to write about surviving the end.

Words: 637

Notes: This story is AU and ignores Tonks and Remus' relationship. Let's just assume they didn't get together. Ron also isn't in the picture. As you can see, instead of Ron and Hermione going to the Chamber, Luna and Ron went there.

One Love, One Life

Hermione's PoV

I smiled as I hugged the warm body close to me, just an outline in the early morning. Only a few hours ago I had thought he was dead.

Now the only thing that mattered was he came out alive. Hows and whys can be answered later. Right now, the man of my life was alive and that was all that mattered.

It may come as a surprise to find who he was, but I didn't care.

I couldn't nurse my pride at the moment, just after we have won a war, only to care about what people thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm happy we are alright, that you are alright. For that one moment, when the bridge collapsed, I thought you died."

He rolled over, turning to me, his hazel eyes burning with an intensity. "Never. I could never leave you."

"Mmm-hmm." I burrowed my head in his chest, the smell that was only Remus filling my nostrils along with the smell of clean linen.

He brought his hands around me, and I felt safe in the knowledge, thanking whatever gods who were listening that he made it out safe.

I still remembered how I had went out to the grounds in search of Neville, when Ron and Luna had split from me, making their way to the Chamber of Secrets. Making my way towards the bridge, I had seen Neville along with Remus and Tonks, holding up the wards, forming the first line of defense. When it had collapsed from the barrage of spells, I had found that Neville had been safe as he had been to the side. But I had only had eyes for Remus. He had been at the centre and I had let out a silent scream thinking he had died.

And just then, Remus had pulled himself up from the side. Turned out, he had grabbed the first thing he could and afterwards, it had all been a blur. I remember running towards him, and kissing him angrily. Angry at myself for not giving into my feelings earlier when I first recognized them in fifth year and angry at him, for making me believe for a second he was dead.

And then we'd stuck close afterwards. It had been him, who had restrained me when we had seen Harry's limp body carried by Hagrid. And we protected each other's back, together till the end. Many had been surprised but no one chose to comment on us, each just happy at finding us alive and well.

He relaxed his arms, giving me a squeeze. "We need to get out of bed. There's still work that needs to be done."

"Yes," I sighed. I could make out the early morning light from the windows. We had been asleep for something close to 14 hours.

He turned my face towards him, gazing at me tenderly, "I love you. I wanted to say this to you since a long time but I couldn't take away your chance to live life as you saw fit. Life with me will not be easy, I know that. But now, I don't have the strength to stay away."

"Oh, Remus, I love you too. Life with me will not be easy too, as Harry's friend. I can only hope we are in this together, at the same page. I am sure we will make it." I said that with conviction, feeling sure that when we've already managed to come out of the war unscathed, we will be alright now to test the unknown waters of a relationship.

Kissing his chin, I rolled out of the bed to get ready, maybe have a bath, before joining the others in the Great Hall.

RnR:-)

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