Leaving Her Behind
"Harry?" Hermione called, wondering if the footsteps belonged to who she thought they did. "Harry, is that you?"
Harry didn't reply, but she could tell that it was indeed him. She could tell because she knew those footsteps, that heartbeat, that smell.
The man laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Hermione," he said, confirming her previous assumption. She would know that voice anywhere.
She turned and buried her face in his chest.
"Don't go," she whispered, the sound barely leaving her lips.
Harry heard her.
"I can't help it," he told her. "I have to go. I have to find out what's wrong."
Hermione choked back her tears.
"Please, Harry."
Harry gazed around the room they were stood in. His eyes focused on the worn sofa, the stained coffee table, the threadbare carpet and the second hand books. Anything to stop his eyes from seeing her stricken expression.
"There's nothing I can do, Hermione," he said softly. "I wish I was leaving you somewhere nicer. Hell, I wish I wasn't leaving you at all. But I'll be back. I'll come back. I promise you I'll return…"
Hermione sat down heavily on the sofa.
"How long will you be?" she asked.
Harry sat beside her.
"A week, maybe a month, maybe longer," he said. "We don't know for sure. We just know that something's out there, some anomaly to the usual pattern of magic in that area- a huge anomaly. It's not normal and… Well, we have to do something. I can't just sit and wait. I-"
"An anomaly?"
"A big one. A spike of magic, different magic, dark magic. And it's not where it's supposed to be."
Hermione sighed sadly, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"I guess this isn't the time to tell you this," she said, taking Harry's hand in hers. "I mean, it'll just be adding more stress, more worry."
Harry looked at his wife, worry filling his eyes.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked, feeling scared.
"Harry, I'm pregnant," whispered Hermione.
There was silence.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she said, when he didn't answer.
"Why are you sorry? You shouldn't be sorry. This was what we wanted," said Harry, crying from both sorrow and joy. He held Hermione tightly, stroking her hair gently.
"What are we going to do?" asked Hermione.
"I don't know. I just don't know."
He had to leave. No one else could take his place.
The boy who lived died on that trip and baby Harry James Potter-Granger had to grow up without a father.
Of course Hermione re-married, but Harry's best friend could never take his place.
Ron knew that Hermione didn't love him, but he stayed by her side anyway, because he was in mourning as well.
The End
AN: This was for the HPFC forum's Prompt And Post Challenge. My prompt was anomaly and my pairing was Harry/Hermione.