Now Till The End

Disclaimer: Nope, unfortunately I'm not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own Harry Potter (though, I wish I did).

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The silent house looked eerie with its dark halls and long shadows creeping across the walls. However, Harry Potter noticed none of this as he slowly tip toed out of his bedroom in Number 12 Grimmuald Place with a black backpack slung over his shoulder. He was leaving. He didn't want to...but it wasn't a matter of wanting to or not anymore...he had to do this. For his sake, for his friends' sake...for the whole world's sake. It was funny, how such a young boy was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. At first glance, anyone would have thought him to be just a normal teenage boy who went to school and had a grand old time with his friends. But if they would come closer, they'd be able to see the wariness of his features, the lightening-bolt scar on his forehead, the pain in his eyes. All of which were marks of the heavy burden that he carried. Many people tried to help him carry this burden, but it was a mistake, for it only lead to their deaths in the end. Over time, Harry too, had learned that this was his burden, and his alone. He realized that he was the Chosen One and he had to defeat Voldemort...not his parents, not Sirius, not Dumbledore...but him. This was his battle, and he had to fight it alone. And that was why he was leaving in the dead hours of the night, alone and friendless. More than anything, he wished he could bring Ron and Hermione along with him. But he wouldn't be able to live with himself if anyone else he loved tried to stand between him and Voldemort and had to pay the consequence, which was undeniably death.

He crept past Hermione's room and stopped for a brief second. He wanted to say goodbye...but he knew that if he saw her now he would never be able to leave. He continued on his way, down the stairs and past the kitchen. When he reached the living room, he found that he couldn't walk anymore. He knew that he was wasting precious time, but he sunk down on the sofa anyway. He looked around the fire-illuminated room and smiled sadly. How could he leave all this behind? All these friends...all these memories...all this love. It was so selfish of him, wanting to stay here and endanger the lives of the others, but he wasn't going to stay. No, he wouldn't stay and endanger the lives of the ones he loved. He was just about to get up when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He gasped and turned around to find himself looking into the warm brown eyes of Hermione Granger. 'No, no, no! Hermione, go back...please go back.' the voice in his mind begged. But he already knew it was too late. He was caught.

"What are you doing up at this time of night?" she asked softly. Her eyes traveled anxiously over his wary face and then to the black backpack that was slung over his shoulder. She frowned and Harry could tell she was thinking hard. He prayed that she wouldn't be able to figure it out, but he knew Hermione was much smarter then that. He lowered his gaze, not wanting to see the hurt and disappointment in her eyes.

"Harry," she said gently, lifting up his chin, "why are you doing this? Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry was trying to think of a good lie, a lie that would explain everything, but when he looked back into her brown eyes, he lost all hope. He knew he couldn't lie to her. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I'm leaving, Hermione. I've been putting it off for far too long now. Voldemort's after me and I have to defeat him before it's too late. I've gotten up at this time every night for the past few weeks. I'd be all ready and set to walk out the bedroom door...but then I thought of you and Ron...and I wasn't able to leave. But tonight is different, Hermione. Tonight I'm leaving...I have to...and nothing can change that." He hated himself for doing this, for being so cold with her, but it was for her own good. He stood up and readjusted his backpack over his shoulders.

"Harry, you can't do this! Please...not without us!" she said desperately, her eyes shining with tears.

"I can and I will...don't you see, Hermione? It's the only way!"

"No, it's not! There has to be some other way! There just has to be!" Harry could clearly see the anguish in her eyes...he hated to be the one causing her all this pain.

"There isn't any other way! Don't you think I would have thought of that before leaving? This is my bloody task and I have to fulfill it, for everyone's sake! Think of what the world will be if Voldemort takes over! It'll be a living hell, not only for the wizards but for the Muggles too! I have to do this!"

"But you don't want to do this." she said, her voice shaking.

"It's not a matter of wanting to and not wanting to anymore, Hermione! Don't you understand? I HAVE TO DO THIS! You can't stop me, you can't help me, you can't come with me! I can't have someone else I care about die because of me! Look at my parents, look at Sirius, look at Dumbledore! They all tried to stand between me and Voldemort and look what happened! They died, Hermione, they died! I can't have something like that happening to you or Ron!" He hated the way he was yelling at her, he could tell she was this close to breaking down, but he had to yell...because he was this close to breaking down, too. He couldn't do that. Not here, not now.

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, please! Please let us come with you...we can help you! You can't do this alone! Please." he had never heard such desperation in her voice before. He watched as her eyes overflowed with tears, they streamed down her face like raindrops on a windowpane. At this moment he wanted to say yes more than anything. But he couldn't. He wouldn't make a decision that he would definitely regret later. He moved closer to her and cupped her face with his hands.

"What would I do if you died? How would I go on? I wouldn't be able to go on, Hermione. Not without you. That's why. That's why I can't take you with me, Hermione. The risk is too great. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you. This is my battle, Hermione," he whispered, his voice breaking.

"That doesn't mean you have to fight it alone." Tears were still streaming heavily down her cheeks and her voice was filled with emotion.

Harry didn't know how to respond to that. Their faces were only inches apart...and on a wild impulse he moved forward and closed the space between them, savoring her sweet caramel taste. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled back and laid his forehead against her own.

"That's why I can't take you with me, Hermione. Because I love you." his voice barely more then a whisper. He could feel the tears threatening to fall and willed them not to, but it just wasn't working. He pulled her close to him and rested the side of his face atop her bushy brown head of hair. He didn't know how long they stayed like that before they heard footsteps coming cautiously down the stairs. They hastily broke apart and after a few seconds Ron appeared around the corner.

Hermione ran towards him immediately. "Ron!" she sobbed. "Ron, he's leaving! Please, make him take us with him!"

Ron looked from Hermione's tear-streaked face, to Harry's expression on determination and despair, and then to Harry's backpack, which lay on the floor.

"No." he whispered, as if not believing it was true. "No, Harry. You can't leave us...you can't! I know there's a risk, I know there's a chance we could die...but we're willing to take it, Harry! For you...please!"

Harry sunk down on the sofa, his face in his hands. How could he leave these people that he loved so much? He felt Ron and Hermione sit down on either side of him.

"Please, Harry...please." he could hear Ron's pleading and Hermione's sobs.

There was a feeling of dread in him, but at the same time, there was also a warmth that spread throughout his body. They were willing to go with him...they wanted to go with him. Deep inside he knew that he couldn't do this alone...it was impossible without Ron and Hermione. He wasn't Harry Potter without them. He lifted his head and took a deep breath, praying that he wouldn't regret this decision later.

"Alright." he said hoarsely, into the heavy silence.

Hermione looked up at him as though she couldn't believe what he just said was real. Her brown eyes were wide, but at the same time relieved. She smiled weakly and got up saying, "I'm going to change and pack a few necessary items really quickly." She kissed his cheek gratefully and then disappeared around the corner to the stairs.

Harry then turned to Ron, who hugged him fiercely. They pulled back after a few minutes, both wiping their eyes on their sleeves.

Ron let out a half laugh. "We're both such sentimental idiots," he said, shaking his head.

Harry smiled for the first time that night. "Go grab your stuff, quickly, Ron. We gotta leave."

After a few minutes Ron and Hermione were both back downstairs, ready to start out on their journey. They trusted Harry with their life...both of them did. For he was their hero. Their savior. Their bright light when all others went out. They would go to the end of the world for him, and they knew he would do the same for them.

"We're with you not matter what, Harry," said Hermione, gently, squeezing his hand.

Ron slung an arm around Harry's neck. "Now till the end."

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Author's Note: I hope you liked it! Please review!