Running Running

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter…or any other emo kids for that matter.

Disclaimer 2: This is not part of the "Promises" Series. None of this will be mentioned in it.

Disclaimer 3: I am aware that you cannot build up a running regiment in only a few weeks. This inspiration came, and I would be a fool to stop it.

For a week after Ron left, Hermione sobbed through the night. The hopelessness came over her and she didn't know what else to do. She wanted – needed to fill the emptiness, the chasm that was the product of his abrupt departure. Being the brightest witch of her age, she realized this wasn't helping. Crying wasn't going to heal her hurt.

She tried blocking out thoughts of him, which worked for a while, but when the memories came back, it only hurt that much more.

One day, Hermione decided she'd go for a short walk outside. The light breeze brushed against her face, and she felt refreshed. Her mind cleared, and suddenly, all her problems were forgotten. Finally, her pain was dulled.

Soon, though, the breeze fizzled out, and Ron leaving came back. Well. What have I got to lose? Hermione began to jog, making her own breeze, and again, her busy thoughts calmed.

She didn't know why or how, but soon, she found that running eased the pain. The breeze stopped healing, but her wind continued to suppress hurt.

Before long she was running entirely, barely jogging or walking. She threw her pain into running, everything she had went into it from the time she left camp. Her beloved was not in the forefront of her mind when she ran.

One morning, as she stepped out of the tent, the camp felt different. It was as if the sunlight had swept clean the muck of fear and uncertainty even before she began to run. The air smelled fresh and filled with what seemed to her to be hope. She ran into the trees, her feet pounding against the hard ground, averting the potentially punishing roots. The hope in the air caused her feet to move faster, her mind to be clearer.

On this brilliant morning, the sweet smell of sweat lingered in the air, mixing with the rich melody of the blackbird's flute-like call. These things intoxicated her and made her feel as if she belonged eternally with the trees and nature. She ran for a longer time than she usually did not wanting at all to stop, passing the trees in a new path.

Then her legs began to burn, much to her displeasure, and she rested beneath a tree. As she stopped, her mind became once again crowded with too many thoughts at once. She found herself thinking mostly about how thankful she was for the tree's solid stance.

Solid and tall. Its roots were placed deeply in the earth with its fellow trees. Although the bark poked and pressed into back, slightly irritating her, she still felt a connection and kindness towards it. It's smooth and strong in the heart of the tree. And although it was hard to get past the prickly outer shell, it was worth it when all barriers were down and you saw the real tree. When going on was tough, the tree would be her shelter. The tree wouldn't leave her when times were hard.

Suddenly, she realized that she was no longer thinking about the tree; these thoughts were about Ron. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered that she had once believed that Ron wouldn't leave her. She closed her eyes, wishing the thoughts away. Sleep soon came: a perfect dreamless sleep.

When she awoke, the sun was overhead, displaying midday. She got up slowly, gathering strength in her legs, and started back, walking quickly at first and soon, running back to camp. When she reached camp, Harry stood outside, waiting for her.

"That was unusually long. I was starting to get worried."

"Sorry," she said. "I got caught up in the day, I guess."

"I was beginning to wonder if the voices we heard last night had gotten you."

Hermione had forgotten about the voices. "I don't think they'd be able to follow us, even if they were real, Harry. We took all the safety precautions."

"Yeah, I guess."

There was a deafening silence. She began to wonder if Harry was telling her everything. "Why? Did you hear someone? See something?"

"No," Harry said, and Hermione exhaled. "But I get the feeling that something is different."

"I do too, Harry." She smiled brightly at him. "Everything will be fine." Somehow, though, for the first time since Ron had left, everything was more than fine. Things were good. Things were almost great.

She was at the Burrow, racing with Ron through the yard. His long legs should definitely be beating her short ones, but she was winning, nevertheless. As soon as she met the finish line, she collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily and soaking up the sun. Ron fell next to her in the same way. She closed her eyes and smelled the freshly cut grass next door and the smell of sweat and something else – something irresistible and delicious. Hermione turned her head towards Ron and breathed deeply, finding his scent to be her favorite.

"I'm glad your parents let you come," Ron said, startling her slightly.

She turned head back. "Me too. I love it here."

"Here?" Ron asked, incredulous. "I've seen your house, Hermione. There's no way you can like this dump compared to that. At your house you have room to think. How could you possibly like it better here?"

Hermione opened her eyes and looked at him. "Love resonates in 'this dump'. I feel like part of your family when I'm here. Here, I never feel alone."

Ron looked back at her and smiled. "You won't have to feel alone. I'll always be around."

"For now."

"Until you go off to do more important things than me."

She looked at him, realizing there would never be anything more important than being with him. At that moment, she realized that she loved him. Then she heard Harry calling her from far off. Harry? Harry wouldn't be at the Burrow until next week. What?

She awoke to an extremely wet Harry shaking her. "What's wrong? Harry? Are you all right?"

"It's okay, everything's fine. More than fine, I'm great. There's someone here."

"What? Who?"

Harry stepped aside, revealing Ron's soaking figure. She slowly got out of bed, wondering if he was really there, or if this was some fantastic dream. When he raised his arms to her, she knew.

Well, damn. What have I got to lose?

And in that split second, Hermione decided what to do.

A/N: Okey-dokey. You know what happens. Heh, heh, heh. I love that part. It will most likely be in "Promises" but I'm not making any.

Okay, now. Press the little purple button and tell me what you think.