Someone to run with

by cedari

She runs through the forest, following the boy that runs in front of her. She needs to know why he ran away when the Death Eaters came, as well as why he kissed her that day in the library. A story of What Ifs set during 6th year and then 10 years later.

1. Chapter 1

SOMEONE TO RUN WITH

Disclaimer: In its use of intellectual property and characters belonging to JK Rowling, Warner Bros, Bloomsbury Publishing, et cetera, this work of fiction is intended to be transformative commentary on the original. No profit is being made from this work.

Authors Note: Massive thanks to my beta Amethyst18!

PART 1: CHASING (Hermione)

I'm running.

Fast and hard.

My legs flying beneath me, hitting the ground in determined steps. My breath burning the walls of my throat as it rises from my heated lungs to my open mouth. The brambles that cover the floor of the forest slash at my bare skin, as I disturb them from their set positions. The pin pricks of a million thorns piercing into my flesh barely register in my mind, for there is no room for such insignificant emotions when my brain is clouded by the thought of him.

The heat of his gaze.

The taste of his lips.

The feel of his fingertips tracing up and down my neck.

It's getting harder to see now. Heavy, grey smoke is starting to make its way into the forest, weaving in between the exotic flowers and the more fleshy plants, but more importantly obscuring my vision. I have to reach out, my arms held out in front of me, making sure there is nothing out there I can collide with, while at the same time pulling stray branches out of the way.

A loud bang temporarily halts me. I turn round and am assaulted by a cloud carrying bits of grit – remnants of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, a school I love so dearly. The school that instead of helping to defend I am running away from. I sacrifice a second of my time to grieve for the downfall of the magnificent institution before once again commencing my pursuit of him.

Tears from the bits of stone that hit my eyes means that my sight is now reduced to even more useless levels. Hearing seems to be my only aid, but it's difficult to hear his rapid footsteps with the explosion of spells hitting against each other and the screams of victims flooding my ears.

Thump. Thump.

Thump. Thump.

Heavy boots hitting the soil are my only clue.

My heart is on the verge of bursting. I've never enjoyed exercise, sitting in the library surrounded by my favourite books was more my scene. I've always had a soft spot for that place, the smell of ancient manuscripts and the noise of creaking chairs, the room where we shared our first and only kiss.

I've asked myself, how can one kiss make me desert my friends and family?

But it was one of those kisses, a moment so amazing it's hard to describe in words. Yet it makes me tingle uncontrollably when I even think about it, a touch that clears my mind of every thought and memory, except the one that reminds me that my lips are against his. Something so perfect, that I want to have it again and again although that makes me a thoroughly selfish person.

That's how I felt that summer's day in the library. That's why I'm not with my friends helping to defend Hogwarts from the power hungry Death Eaters. That's why I running blind in the Forbidden Forest, promising myself I will keep chasing him until I find him.

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Thanks for reading cedari x