A/N: Well, here it is. The next songfic to add to my collection. Oh, I don't own anything, and the song is courtesy of the wonderful and fabulous Backstreet Boys.
P.S. My usual way is to use the chorus as the last segment of the story. This time, however, I put the chorus inside the ending of the story, but I have still italicized what I didn't write, so the words in italics are still not mine! Enjoy!
Empty
Spaces
Fill me up with holes
Distant
Places
With no place left to go...
Harry turned the knob slowly. The water stopped spraying out of the nozzle, and he stood there motionless. The water droplets ran down his body and were turning cold, but Harry didn't pay no mind. His green eyes were hidden behind red, black, and puffiness--true signs of lack of sleep and too many tears. He didn't even find joy that he no longer lived at Privet Drive. Sure, he was with people who cared for him now, but they weren't her.
...WIthout you
Within me
I can't find no rest
Where I'm
Goin'
Is anybody's guess...
Harry slumped his way down the stairs. This place, it should have felt like home. It always had before, but it wasn't. "Oh good, you're up. Have some breakfast with us, dear." But Harry ignored the offer and made his way to the couch in front of the fireplace. "Oh dear. That poor child."
Ron looked sadly at his mother, and then back to Harry. Not a word was said, but Harry knew he was being watched. He stood quickly and made his way to the front door. He began to walk.
...Voices
Tell me
I should carry on
I am
Swimming
In an ocean all alone...
"Welcome to another wonderful year at Hogwarts. I hope you all had a good summer." Professor Dumbledore carried on with his usual greeting speech, but Harry wasn't paying attention.
Ron looked over at his best friend. "Come on, Harry. You can't go on like this forever." Their table filled with their welcome feast, and for once, Ron didn't stuff his mouth. "I mean, I know you're hurting, so am I. But I'm not letting it stop me from living."
That was it. Harry wouldn't hear another word. Ron couldn't possibly know what he was feeling. "You don't know how I'm feeling! You have your parents, you have your brothers and sister! You have a family, and a girlfriend! Me? What do I got?! Nothing!" Harry stomped his feet and ran out of the Great Hall. Of course, he knew it was childish to have stomped his feet and run out like that. However, he felt he had a right to be that way. He was now an adult by wizarding standerds, having just celebrated his 17th birthday, and he had lost everything. He had lost his parents, his godfather, and now Hermione had been taken from him.
Harry froze on the steps leading to the first floor and cried. He didn't know how long he had sat there in his tears. Suddenly, all of Hogwarts, or at least what seemed like all of them, had surrounded him and desperately tried not to trample him as they made their way up the stairs.
...Baby, my baby
It's written on your face
You still
Wonder
If we made a big mistake...
Three months had gone by, and Christmas was drawing near. Harry went on through the days as best he could. Ron tried his best to cheer Harry, but all his attempts had failed. "Harry, are you coming to Christmas feast? Tonight's the night Beauxbatons and Durmstrang show up."
Harry nodded softly. "Yeah, I know." He stood and he and Ron headed out of the common room towards the ground floor.
Ron looked sideways at Harry. "Are you going to put your name in?"
Harry shook his head. He remembered how the last Triwizard Tournament ended. No, this time he would watch them from the stands.
Ron pushed the doors open to the Great Hall. There was an extra section added to the Gryffindor table as it was their turn to host Beauxbatons. They took their seat at the table as Prof. Dumbledore rose.
"Welcome all to tonight's feast. It is a special occasion we feast for tonight, besides this lovely Christmas Eve's night. I am pleased to announce that our visitors have arrived safe and sound. Please give a warm welcome to Durmstrang and Beauxbatons."
The Great Hall erupted into appluase as the guests from the two schools appeared from Violet's portrait room. Harry and Ron watched as Durmstrang made their way to the Slytherin table. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Harry asked. And then he saw her...She walked glumly in a Beauxbatons robe like there was no life left in her. Harry stood. "Hermione?!"
Hermione stopped mid-step and stared at Harry. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. She tipped her head and gave him a small smile out of the corner of her mouth.
...I don't mean to drag it on
But I can't seem to let you go
I don't wanna make you face this world alone...
"Hermione, I didn't think you'd come back here after what happened."
Hermione shook her head. "I didn't either, but here I am."
Suddenly Harry realized that they were still in the middle of the Great Hall. "Could we go somewhere to talk?"
Hermione nodded. "I'd like that."
Harry looked over his shoulder at Ron, who nodded at them. Together, Harry and Hermione walked silently out of the Great Hall to the seventh floor. They needed a place with complete privacy, and the Room of Requirement seemed like the best place to go. Harry blushed at his thoughts. I need a place for a date; I need a place for a date.
Suddenly, a door appeared in the stone wall, and he motioned for Hermione to enter before him. Inside, the room was lit by a few candles and a sparkling fireplace. In front of the fire, a red, velvety couch looked rather inviting, and, he assumed because they were both 'of age,' a bed was placed carefully in the corner. Although, he had no intentions of using it, not tonight anyway. "Um, shall we sit down?"
Hermione blushed and nodded. She sat down gently on the couch and stared into the fire. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "H-have you had a good term so far?"
Harry turned to face her, and she looked at him, a single tear on her cheek. "Hermione, I can't take it anymore. No matter how hard I try, I can't let go. I need you." Hermione's tears were now falling continuously.
"Harry, it was you who wanted to break up when my father got a different job. It was you who broke my heart, remember?"
Harry began to cry too, but this was nothing new to him. "I tried to go on like I never knew you, but it's just not possible. I'm awake, but no matter where I'm at it's like my world is half asleep. I pray, even though it was my choice, for this heart to be unbroken, but without you all I'm going to be is incomplete." He didn't know where the words came from, only that he collapsed into her arms in a fit of tears. She too, had suddenly had a change of heart and cried into his shoulder.
"Now listen, Harry. I can't be changing schools again, but I'm here for the tournament. That means we have the next three months before I go back. Then three months before we can do whatever we want."
Harry sniffled and lifted his head to look into her eyes. "What are you saying?"
Hermione said nothing, but smiled. She cupped his face in her hands, wiping his tears with her thumbs. Neither of them said anything, but spent what seemed like the next several days in each others' arms, enjoying each other's company, and each others' kisses.
