Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or his world, but you knew that, right?
Hello. It has been a good several months or more since I was last writing, but I finally found the story I want to write, hopefully its one you want to read. It's slightly Au, in the fact on or two characters like Dumbledore might be alive, but since its post Hogwarts it shouldn't make much difference. I anticipate the story to be 15,000-30,000 words long. (I'm notoriously bad with my estimates, so bare with me.)
It was a stormy night. Thunder cracked, and lighting lit up the sky, as rain poured down from the heavens above. The wind whistled through the ramparts like a howling lion whilst all those inside the castle wrapped their arms around themselves for warmth.
Two however, did not. They were standing on the top of the north tower, exposed to the full ferocity of the storm, as it whipped around them, soaking them through to the bone, and then some.
"Why are we out here Harry?" She said, practically shouting to be head over the storm.
"I think better with a cool head." He replied, standing facing her, toe to toe, so that he could rest his chin on her head should he so wish. He leant a little closer and spoke into her ear, so she wouldn't miss a word. "It's time, the others are leaving, if Voldemort is to be stopped then it must be now, and I must be the one to do it."
"I know Harry," Hermione cried helplessly, as she buried her face in his shoulder, hoping to find the warmth of his body.
"I just wish it didn't have to be yet, I'm not ready for you to risk it all, to risk us."
"It isn't a matter of being ready or not. It's simply a matter of doing what must be done, and facing up to our destiny. This is mine, I have to go Hermione. I have to put an end to this once and for all." He said with grim determination. This was a moment he had been preparing for some time now. His seventh year would be ending soon, and though it was the summer, they were gripped in a winter storm.
"Good luck Harry." Hermione said, as she felt him pull away from her.
"Thank you." He replied. he wanted to tell her how he felt. Although they had established that they felt more than friendship, they had not yet had a chance to explore this. He prayed they would do, that he would return from his face off against the dark lord. He turned to walk towards the door, before disappearing down the steps.
"Hermione felt cold in side, this didn't seem like how they should end things. She jumped as the door banged on its hinges. She looked up to see Harry before her once again.
I have more to say." He replied to her questioning gaze. He made large strides towards her. "I need to tell you, you know that I love you, right?" He drew her chin up so that she was looking at him. He had a hood pulled up, which shadowed his features. As a bolt of lightning pierced through the darkness, he was illuminated for a moment. Hermione saw that he looked pale, and tired. His eyes didn't have their usual life, and someone he had the feel about him, as though he was already defeated.
"You never said." She choked, as a tear rolled down her cheeks.
"I know. It was a mistake. I'm telling you now, so that you always know." She nodded, as he wrapped his arms around her, savouring the feel of her being. "Can you do me a favour?"
"Sure what is it?" she asked as she looked at him. She wished she could help him, to fight by his side, but all she could do was give him her best wishes.
"After the battle will you find me?"
"Of course, I will find you as soon as it's all over."
"But if you can't will you keep looking?" he asked, as suddenly his tone seemed to change, "Even if it took you a long time, would you still find me."
"What are you talking about Harry?" Hermione asked as she drew back from him, trying to gauge what he was talking about.
"Promise me Hermione, that no matter how long it takes, you will find me, even if it seems hopeless. Promise!?"
"Ok Harry, I promise" She complied, not wishing to worry him before the battle, "I will always find you."
"It's just a matter of when." He said with a pained smile, and with that he turned and left, leaving her once again, though this time rather confused.
After a few moments Hermione headed back inside. She went to her room and dried her hair. So Harry loved her… She would have smiled at this, but her anxiety prevented her from enjoying this fact. It was a few months ago, as they had been revising for their exams together. Ron didn't seem to take his studying so seriously, so there had been a lot of time that Harry and Hermione spent alone studying together.
Although when he was younger he found her dedication to books and her studies to be humorous, now he found it admirable. If she wanted to know something, then she would learn it. He wished he had the determination to go after everything her wanted. Eventually he had decided he would, and so told Hermione that he saw her as more than a friend.
Things were rocky to start with. Not because they were incompatible, but because they had been such good friends for so long, it was difficult to make that transition into something more, even if it was what they both wanted.
Hermione shook herself from her reveries, she debated getting changed, but some how felt if Harry was out there in the cold, then it would seem wrong for her to be curled up in bed. Plus as soon as she heard news that the fight was over, good or bad, she needed to be there, so she could see Harry again.
She made her way to the common room, where she sat besides the fire. Within a few moments she was steaming as her clothes dried. There were a few other students around, but there was a deathly silence upon them. All in the school knew what tonight was. It would be the final stand. Voldemort, with his increasing power, had gathered many followers. Thousands even, some said. Dumbledore and the ministry had been such strong believers of the prophecy, they had laid down countless lives so Harry could have more time to train, to prepare.
It was not a cost Harry had wanted them to make. It kept him awake at night, and stopped him laughing with his friends. How could one person shoulder such responsibility? If he were to fail, then all those lives would be in vain wouldn't they? And it would be his fault, because they had believed they were doing it for the greater good, when all they had done was line up like dominos, to be knocked down one by one by Voldemort's murderous army.
Hermione tried to concentrate on her homework, but was unable to block out some of the questions plaguing her mind. Was Harry alright now? Had the battle started? He could be dead, and she wouldn't know till someone came back to tell her, if anyone came back that was. And if they didn't then there were the emergency portkeys set up so they could evacuate the student body to relative safety on the other side of the country.
Gradually as Hermione drove herself mad with worry, she began breathing heavily. The hot fire in front of her began to make her dizzy, and looking at the dark mark high in the sky, she realised she was having a panic attack. She stood, wavering for a minute, as she slowed her breathing. She made her way to the common room entrance, and out into the corridor, where once again the cold air hit her. It calmed her nerves, if only a little and she felt at least a little more composed. She ran her hands through her hair, and tried to think what she could possibly do, since waiting felt so wrong.
"He will be alright you know" said a voice, snapping Hermione from her own private world.
"Draco… What are you doing?" Hermione asked, looking at the blond boy. Over the last year he had grown up a lot. He still liked to argue with Harry, but it seemed more out of habit and sport, than him actually having anything against the boy.
"I'm patrolling the corridors." He replied as he waved his wand to show he was ready for action. "Should there be news, I will be one of those reporting it." Hermione nodded. "I was saying not to worry though. Harry will be alright. I have seen him practice, seem him fighting. His training, it has been something else. He's become far more than you or I could ever hope to be. His powers are something I would envy."
"Why are you doing this?" She asked. "Why are you reassuring me?"
"Why not? We aren't the same people we were when we were eleven. I may dislike you, but I am first, and foremost, a gentleman, and alleviating worries of another is a crucial requirement." He said as he attempted to draw a laugh. "Mmm I guess it's not really the time for laughs."
"Well thanks for trying anyway." Said Hermione.
Outside the castle though, across the other side of Hogsmeade a battle was raging. The Aurors, backed up by officials from governments all over Europe, were locked in battle against Death Eaters. Two however, were not.
It was a stormy night. Thunder cracked, and lighting lit up the sky, as rain poured down from the heavens above. The wind whipped across the landscape and past the two individuals, locked in what would go down as the most intense battle in history.
Harry paced round the edge of the lockout field, opposite Voldemort. Neither of them could escape, no one could enter. They were completely locked off from the world around
"Do you really think you have what it takes to beat me Harry?" Voldemort sneered. He was one never to miss an opportunity at playing mind games. "You are so inexperienced Harry, and I know so much more. I am more than you; I am more than just a human, whilst you are not."
"I to, can be inhuman when I need to be." Harry said, cold inside. He had learned to shut it all off, to have no restrictions, no feelings, to be ruthless and efficient, to give it his all. "There is a time when the tide turns, and that time is now." Harry drew his wand arm back, as though he was going to thrust with a rapier. He was poised and elegant, yet concentrated on the battle at hand. On how he would kill Voldemort, and make sure he never came back…
An hour Later Remus limped up the slope towards the castle. His leg was bleeding. Someone had fired a slicing curse, and there was a considerable amount of blood soaked through his trousers. He would have healed it himself on the field, but he needed to get the dirt washed out first. Already people were coming down out of the castle, peering gingerly around the entrance hall. Was it true? Had they won? The fact there were survivors on their team, meant yes, they had indeed won. It was over now, it was all over. No more Death Eaters, no more Voldemort, just peace and aftermath.
Hermione climbed down the stairs, unaware of the people around her. She felt like she was outside her own body, but she needed to know. If Voldemort had been defeated then that meant that Harry must be alive. Would he be ok thought? Was he injured?
She pushed her way through the crowd, till an arm caught her.
"Hermione, wait" said Tonks as she held onto the young woman. "I'm afraid Harry isn't out there."
"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief as she was unable to draw her eyes away from the floor.
"I'm afraid after the battle we looked, and we couldn't find him. It's possible after he defeated Voldemort that a few Death Eaters kidnapped him, but I would have thought he could over power them without any trouble."
"Where is Harry?" Hermione demanded. Were they trying to say he was dead?
"I'm afraid we simply don't know. He's disappeared without a trace, the only thing left was his wand." Tonks explained regrettfuly.
Hermione stayed silent for a few moments, trying to run over everything in her mind, before coming to a conclusion.
"I'm going to find Harry. I'm going to go out there, and I'm going to look, and I'm going to find him. I promised I would."