Diamonds Are Forever
[ Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Period.]
The rain fell hard on the windows, making her hand vibrate from where it touched the clear pane. It had been seven years, and here she was the day of her Hogwarts graduation, trying not to put her graduation robe on. Hermione stared out the girls' dormitory window at the Quidditch field. It seemed like yesterday that she saw her first Quidditch match. She closed her eyes, remembering the sights and smells. Harry had been Seeker then. She saw his cool emerald eyes and his scar and his shaggy black hair. She would never forget that day in the Owlery in their sixth year…
~*~
"Hermione, pass me that letter," Harry said over his shoulder as he pulled a package off his owl Hedwig's leg.
Hermione glared at him."Harry Potter! You know that we're not supposed to be up here at night! We could get in trouble, you know. We don't need any more points taken from us. Snape…"
"Snape is asleep. I made sure of it."
"Harry, what the bloody hell did you do to him?!?"
"Nothing, Herm. That is, nothing illegal." He gave her an impish grin, his eyes dancing.
Damn it, Hermione thought, I always forgive him when he looks like that. She shook the feeling of wanting to jump on him and seduce him that came over her and tried to appear pissed. "What was so bloody important that you dragged me out of bed right before our big Potions test?" Hermione stamped her foot on the ground, trying to get Harry's attention as he bent down to unwrap the package. "Harry! Have you been listening to a word I've been saying?"
Harry turned to her, getting up and looking at her in the dim light of the Owlery. He handed her a package. She looked down at the brown paper wrapped package and started to open the string around it. "No! Don't open it now. Open it on graduation," he said quietly, halting her hands with his. The touch of his hands on hers sent a shiver down her back. Don't look at him, she warned herself silently. However, her head moved involuntarily and she lifted her head up right and ended up looking straight into his eyes.
Bad move. Hermione felt a shock go right through her. Her heart told her to take a leap, but her mind argued and weighed the pros and cons. Before she had a chance to decide, Harry's face moved the crucial millimeters and his lips touched hers gently.
Every emotion she had kept bottled up rushed out of her, lifting a huge weight off her shoulders. They broke apart, and Hermione's eyes remained shut. She smiled and she said quietly, "I've been waiting six years for you to do that."
Harry pulled her to him. "So have I," he whispered in her ear, "so have I."
~*~
Hermione wiped her eyes with her sleeve. The rain coming down echoed the tears flowing down her face. Harry and her had had a wonderful year together, walking to classes and being the cutest (and admittedly the most nauseating) couple in Hogwarts. Those were the happiest days of her life. Nothing during that time prepared her for the news she received the summer before her seventh year.
~*~
Hermione was seated on her bed, reading a text she had borrowed from Dumbledore when the letter came. A snowy white owl tapped at her window. "Hedwig!" she cried happily. She brought the book with her and opened her bay window and put the book down. Hedwig perched on her windowseat, next to Dumbledore's book. The small owl looked at her solemnly and held his leg out for her to take off the letter that someone had affixed to him. She took it off eagerly, but the words she read chilled her to the bone.
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry to be writing now, for what I'm about to say will hurt you immensely.
It hurts me now to write it, but I cannot let you come to school and not know.
Hermione, dear, Harry had insisted on working with the Order of the Phoenix this summer so we really couldn't refuse him. Harry was killed in action. Lucius Malfoy had snuck up on him when Harry was writing a letter to you. Harry didn't even know what hit him. I've sent you the letter he wrote. I'm so sorry for your loss. Feel free to come to the Burrow and see us.
Love always,
Mrs. Weasley
Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and put Mrs. Weasley's letter down. She picked up Harry's letter. She wasn't even sure she wanted to see it, but she felt she had to. She blinked tears away as she started to read:
Dearest Hermione,
I'm sitting in my room now, missing you more than ever. The sky outside reminds me of that starry night in the Owlery. I can't stop thinking about you. You're the only person who has ever made me feel complete. I love you and always will. I wanted to tell you this, because my scar is hurting and I know evil is around. I don't know whether I will see you soon enough to ask you in person, but, Hermione, will you marry me? I don't want an owl back because I want you to tell me in person. I can't wait until I see you on the Hogwarts Express.
Love always,
Harry.
A diamond ring fell out of the envelope. She picked up the ring with trembling fingers and put it on her hand. She held her hands to her chest as she was wracked with sobs. "Yes, Harry. I will, " she said quietly. She suddenly felt angered and turned her face to the ceiling. "HARRY! CAN YOU HEAR ME? I WANT TO BE YOURS! WHY CAN'T YOU BE HERE WITH ME?" Her voice cracked and she screamed, throwing Dumbledore's book across the room in a fit of rage. She collapsed to her knees and felt herself break into pieces.
~*~
Hermione cried even harder, the waves of sadness overwhelming her with every breath. It didn't seem fair to be getting ready for graduation, for life, without him. She looked at her ring through blurred eyes. She knew she would never love another man. In his honor, she would become an Auror, bent on revenge and wanting to hunt Lucius Malfoy down and let all the rage she felt unleash onto him. She rocked back and forth, hugging her knees. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the knock at the door.
"Hermione?" Ron said quietly, letting himself in. At the sight of Hermione on the floor like that, his heart broke like it did when he saw her at the Burrow for the first time since Harry's death. Ron knelt down and hugged Hermione. "Hermione. You have to get on with your life."
"That's easy for you to say," she spat, "you're happy with Parvati. Parvati wasn't killed."
"But I know how you feel."
"Bullshit! Ronald Weasley, you couldn't possibly know what it was like."
"Hey!" Ron shouted, "he was my friend too. I've lost my fair share of people too. Now get up. If Harry saw you like this, he'd be ashamed. He'd say, 'A kickass witch like you falling to pieces!'"
Hermione picked herself off the floor and put the graduation robe on over her dress. She still felt rattled, and she jumped at the touch of Ron's hand on her shoulder. "Herm, I know you'll always love him, but you have to let him go."
"I know," she said quietly. I always will, she said to herself. She again looked at the ring on her finger. Diamonds are forever. And our love will be too. She again looked at the Quidditch field, and she could have sworn she saw Harry fly by, winking.
The End
A/N
Hi. My first angst fic with Harry and Hermione. It was heart-wrenching to write. I'm much more of a fluffy H/H shipper, but I felt this story bursting to get out. Read and Review if you want. Check out my other fics too. ^_^
Sarah -- sarahstar521@hotmail.com