Some Madness, Some Reason

Rating: K

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, plots, or places affiliated with him. They are the sole creation of J.K. Rowling and no copyright infringement is intended.


She was nothing like Lily, he mused: No, nothing at all, what with her wild hair, clever brown eyes, and petite stature. She was clumsy, if not in the potions laboratory, then in the kitchen where he swore the witch could burn water. That was why he insisted on cooking: Otherwise, his stomach would have long since revolted.

Indeed, she had neither Lily's poise nor her titian beauty, but he saw in her a loveliness that he had never taken notice of in any other woman-not even in his childhood friend. Lily had been sunlight during the cold, shadowed years of his youth and he had been drawn to her as a moth to flame. And, like flame, she scorched him whenever he drew too near. Even now, years after her death had been reconciled and her murderer long defeated, her memory lingered and some part of him loved her still. It was not, however, the obsessive regard born of the guilt brought about by his part in her demise, but, rather, the sort of fondness that one holds for a dear friend lost. He found that the thought of her no longer pained him.

It amazed him, really, that this girl-no, young woman-would choose him: Him when she could have had her choice of younger, more handsome, and whole wizards. He held no delusions about his appearance or his personality, for that matter. Time had not been kind to him; his hair had already begun to gray at the temples and his mouth was marred with scowl lines. He was too thin, too angular, too damaged, but Hermione cared nothing for that. She loved him, she said, and the reasons why didn't matter.


"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."—Friedrich Nietzsche


A/N: Well, folks, it's been ages since I posted or updated anything on , but here is a little something for you. It's a bit too long for a drabble, but I liked it and didn't really want to do anything else with it, so I just thought I would post it as is. I've been out of the game for a while: A little practice never hurt anyone.

Enjoy,

Playing At Shadows, aka Wake