TITLE: Forever

PLOT: A REALLY sad songfic about how Hermione dies in the epic battle to kill Voldemort and Ron is mourning for her. To the song 'Forever' by Vertical Horizon

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, or the song.

SHIPS: Ron/Hermione! Except Hermione is dead.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione (kind of).

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I cried while I was writing this! So please, do not be afraid to shed a few tears!! Also, Kelly, I feel that this story is worthy of you, seeing as it's so depressing!

Take these roses off of me

Let me live, let me be

For a little while

Let my eyes

See everything and nothing in their time

I do not mind

Her lifeless body lay on the ground, eyes open and blank, a look of shock forever stamped on her face. And I had never told her I loved her.

Who'd've guess I'd learn
To let the walls around me burn
Light up the hillside
My words, I ate them for so long and nothing changed
It was just the same

She was so beautiful, even though I knew she'd never talk to me again, to laugh the laugh I had loved, even to nag me about homework. She had barely been gone a minute and already I grieved for her. Harry came over next to me. "Ron, is Hermione…" I nodded, and I felt hot, salty tears trickle down my cheeks. Harry sank onto his knees next to me, tears spilling out of his own eyes. "You…you loved her, didn't you, Ron?" I nodded, not minding that everyone was watching. I wondered if Hermione could see me from above.

And I don't know if you see me here
But I can tell you your face is clear
I will see you...

Forever
Forever
I will see you
Forever
Forever

Ginny walked over. "Guys, what happened to Hermione?" I bit my lip to try and stop myself from screaming. Hermione had never known how I felt. As I sat, sobbing quietly, Harry said, in a hollow sort of voice, "Why is it that all of my family and friends have to be taken away from me? My parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, now Hermione…" he trailed off, hands trembling. Ginny sat next to me, weeping. I'd forgotten that Ginny and Hermione had been best friends. I had never felt so empty in all my life.

Call me close once again
Call me teacher, call me friend
Just like the first time
Call my name, it echoes in the walls around this room
It's all you

Memories of all the fun times we'd had together whizzed though my brain. I remembered when Hermione had saved me from Devil's Snare, and it made my guilty feeling of never confessing burn ever more horribly. I remembered when Hermione had accidentally turned herself into a cat, which brought a watery smile to my face. How she wanted to help me when I broke my leg on the tree root when Sirius dragged me into the Shack. How I had let Viktor take her to the Yule Ball (my hate of Krum deepened). How she was there, supporting me, when I did awfully at Quidditch. How she had been obsessed with House Elves (I promised myself never to be cruel to House Elves).

The sky was darkening. I could hear Hermione's voice echoing through my head.

I don't know if you hear me there
But it's dark so no one cares
I will hear you...

Forever
Forever
I will hear you
Forever
Forever

I knew the world would be changed. A world with no Hermione turned into a world with Hermione in my life, and we spent seven happy years together, but now she had been ripped from me.


I wanted you to be everything to me
Now I've got to learn to carry on
I know I cannot hide this emptiness inside
But nothing is the same since you've gone

As I sat, sobbing, next to Hermione's motionless form, I realized that I would just have to move on. Was I going to sob until my body dried up, or was I going to learn to face the world? Definitely the latter.

Send me letters from above
Send me strength, send me love
Such sweet love
Sing me songs that echo in my head and in my heart
That's where you are

I couldn't sit there forever, so I stood up. I took one last look at Hermione, then I bent down and kissed her. I just hope that she felt it, up in Heaven.

And I don't know if you feel me here
I can tell you one thing that's clear
I will feel you...

Forever
Forever
I will feel you
Forever
Forever
I will hear you
Forever
Forever
I will see you
Forever
Forever

Ron snapped out of his reverie. He laid a bunch of roses upon the grave. It was September nineteenth…Hermione's birthday. Today, Hermione would have turned twenty. He imagined her face, framed by the ever-bushy brown hair, and smiled. Hermione had always, and would always, hold a special place in his heart, and when he died, he hoped that they would be reunited.

Take these roses off of me

Let me live, let me be