Let's do this the Standard(TM)(R)(C) way.
I don't own Harry Potter. Don't think I ever will. But if I do, I swear I'll change Harry/Ginny to Harry/Hermione.
Hogwarts Grounds, near the Lake
A century of epic events, and its executor was there, being mourned for, by several people, and beings, for that matter.
Harry looked morosely into the Black Lake. The squid was there, raising one of its tentacles to its head, as if to salute the great man.
'Heck, he calls it moving on to the next great adventure.', thought Harry.
'Even Fawkes has not appeared since his last song at the hospital.', thought Hermione, who was standing near Harry, looking at the Black Lake, with him.
"Hermione", croaked out Harry, "He's gone."
"Yes, Harry, he is gone.", replied Hermione, choking herself.
"Did you know? He always looked at me like a grandson – he told me himself.", said Harry.
"I know.", said Hermione.
"But, he's gone. Gone forever.", he choked too.
At that moment, Hermione grabbed hold of Harry, and told, "Let it out, Harry."
Harry bawled out his tears, soaking her black dress with tears. Hermione herself, though strong, and though she'd cried out her tears, couldn't stop a tear or two from shedding. She was heartbroken.
Ronald Weasley saw his two friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, the former being held by the latter.
He saw something unique about the two of them. About the two of them being together. Something he knew he and Hermione would never have.
A perfect, can't-blow-up-in-your-face chemistry between the two of them.
He knew that it would never happen between the two of them, because they constantly argued with each other. They had different outlooks on life, and thus, they really would never match, despite the ever present, single step answer, 'Opposites attract'.
He also knew that unless he could change really drastically, like becoming a bookworm overnight, he had no chance with Hermione. But he knew that he could never change like that.
He didn't like it at all. He hated being average in everything. He wasn't bad at being good, but he wasn't good at being bad. He wasn't too good in studies, but he did know a thing or two.
He saw what sort of potential and brilliance both displayed, and knew that he was the only one who was dragging them through the mud.
He hated this monkey in the middle business, and he wanted to get rid of it.
He wanted the time to sort himself out, and do something useful for the approaching war.
He decided he wanted to be off the Horcrux hunt.
"Harry, Hermione, I'm going to do something that could incredibly drop your opinion of me.", said Ron, summoning up all his courage.
The two friends conjured handkerchiefs for themselves, cleaned their faces using it, and then faced Ron.
"What is it, Ron?", asked Harry.
"And don't worry, we really won't think bad of you – you are our best friend.", said Hermione.
"I want out of the Horcrux hunt.", said Ron.
There was a short bout of silence between the three friends.
"Sure, Ron, I don't mind at all.", was Harry's reaction. "As long as you don't divulge any secrets."
"Like Harry said, I'm OK with it. But I have a condition.", said Hermione.
"What?", asked Ron, hoping it wouldn't be something hard.
"Here", said Hermione, Summoning a set of two mirrors. She handed one to Ron, and kept the other for herself.
"The condition is that you have this mirror.", said Hermione.
"So that we can update you. Regularly.", said Harry.
"These are like the mirrors that you broke, aren't they, Harry?", asked Ron, avoiding mentioning Sirius' name.
"Yes, Hermione must have found out how to make them, right Hermione?", asked Harry.
"You and I both know that's a no-brainer, Harry.", said Ron.
As a blush crept on Hermione's face, she suppressed it, and said, "Let me guess what you're going to do, Ron. You're going to work on taking the war to Voldemort's terms, by strengthening the DA, right?"
"That's right", said Ron, being unfazed, "I want to come to terms with myself, and looking back, however you two might disagree, I really have been holding the two of you back.", said Ron.
Harry and Hermione found that they didn't want to argue with him. The war was closing on in all sides.
"We all have to do what we have to do, I guess, and I think my place isn't with the two of you, sadly. You two work better without me. And that's the sad truth, which I'm not going to allow you to refute, Hermione", said Ron, looking at Hermione's face, which had an expression as if to dismiss Ron's views.
The three were silent once again.
"I think we have one day left, before we separate. Let's enjoy it.", said Harry.
The three left, for the Room of Requirement, and had a fun day singing, dancing, talking and lying down, looking at the sky.
After night fell, the three parted ways, and left for their beds.
But Harry was unable to sleep. So he went down to the common room.
To see that Hermione had widened the window and was looking at the half moon.
"Harry, no sleep?", asked Hermione.
"Yes, you too?". Hermione only nodded.
Hermione immediately widened her seat so that it could occupy two. Harry took the seat, and Hermione's hand.
Hermione leaned into Harry, and Harry instinctively hugged her.
"Harry.", said Hermione. She had to call him twice, before he responded.
"Don't you die on me.", she said.
"Actually, I wanted to say the same thing to you.", said Harry.
They looked back at the moon again.
It gleamed silver.
"You do know that we are going to have a difficult time, right?", asked Harry.
"I'm pretty sure, now that Dumbledore's gone, Voldemort will make his move on the Ministry, and he'll make things difficult for us.", replied Hermione.
"But I'm not really worried about our safety.", she continued.
"And why is that, Hermione?", asked Harry.
She then hugged Harry, tight. "Its because I'm with you.", slightly stressing the 'you' part.
Harry hugged back Hermione. "How are you so confident in my ability to protect you?"
"Simple, you love me.", said Hermione.
This shook Harry. He knew that he loved Hermione on a platonic level. But what Hermione said, opened up new possibilities to him.
He knew that the only person who cared for him, when the whole world was against him, was Hermione. She continued to support him, even if she was the one being antagonized. He knew that even if he could shake off Ron, he would never be able to shake off Hermione. She would track him down to the ends of the earth, if need be.
He knew that his heart would really break if something happened to Hermione.
"I know this is blunt, but, are you in love with someone?", asked Harry.
"Harry, our lives are practically intertwined, from that point of view, nothing is blunt. Yes, I do love a man, but I think he sees me only in the platonic sense. Also, I don't think I'm good enough for him.", replied a sad Hermione.
"Don't say like that, Hermione. This guy must be blind, just like me.", said Harry. "I mean, I love a woman too, its just that...."
"Just what, Harry?", asked Hermione.
"Its just that I'm too afraid of telling her of my love, and ending our six year friendship.", whispered a quiet Harry.
It didn't take long for Hermione to put two and two together. As soon as she did, she gently held his face, and turned it to face her. She asked, "Are you in love with me?"
Harry looked into her eyes. He saw that he could get immersed in those beautiful eyes.
"Yes.", replied Harry.
"Oh, you silly boy, why didn't you say so?", asked Hermione, as she hugged Harry.
"Hermione, what about the guy who you love?", asked a bewildered Harry.
"You want to know about him? Well, I'll tell you. He's very sweet, caring, gentle, funny, he wears spectacles, has green eyes, and his hair sticks out all over the place. Most of all", said Hermione, as she moved her face towards his, "He has a saving people thing!"
Saying this, Hermione closed the distance between their lips, and after some time, said, "Harry, I'm in love with you!"
After hearing this, both Harry and Hermione stared into each other's eyes, and they started laughing.
"We make a right pair, don't we?", asked Harry.
"One worries about her appearance and personality, the other about a long lasting friendship.", said Hermione.
They laughed for a bit once again.
Then Hermione said, "I'm serious about what I said."
"Me too.", said Harry, holding her hand and playing with it.
"Hermione, I want you to reconsider your decision on the Horcrux hunt.", said Harry.
"There is nothing to reconsider, Harry. I'm following you. To the ends of the earth, if need be. Plain and simple.", said Hermione.
Harry sighed. "Sometimes", said Hermione, "It's better to keep your loved ones closer than your enemies."
"Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?", asked Harry.
"Yes. Yes I will.", was the reply.
Harry then kissed Hermione, as the fire kept roaring in the hearth.
"I don't know why, but I feel like I want to keep hugging you.", said Harry, to which Hermione replied the same way.
"Hermione, this hunt might go out of hand. I possibly do not have any idea of how I'm going to begin. I don't have a plan.", said Harry.
"If you don't have an idea, I will put one into your head. If you don't have a plan, I will help you make one. But", said Hermione, looking at Harry with a grim expression, "if you try to cut me out of your life, rest assured that your baby maker is the least of which I will cut."
"I'm sorry Hermione. I won't try to do that again.", said Harry, bending down for Hermione's sake.
They kissed again, and Harry said, "If we're going to leave today, have you any sort of letter that we could give to the Headmistress?"
"Yes, Harry. I've also prepared a one line letter for Ron, which will guarantee that Ron doesn't tell anyone about the mirrors.", said Hermione.
They quickly hugged and left for their respective dorms. There they quickly took showers, changed clothes, and packed their things silently using magic, and came back to the common room, which was still empty.
"You ready, Hermione?", asked Harry.
"I really am wary about flying, but, I am with you. So, I am not worried.", replied Hermione, hugging Harry from the back.
"You could still consider turning back.", said Harry.
Hermione just looked at him, smiling sweetly. A few minutes later, Harry quailed under Hermione's gaze and took hold of her hand.
They left for the grounds.
Something was not right, and that woke up Ronald Weasley.
Some sort of premonition warned him to go to the Black Lake, and he followed it by getting ready in record time.
Ron left the dorm for the Lake.
Ron was just in time to see a broomstick fly into the blinding sun, which had begun to rise.
His friends were leaving.
Silently promising to himself and his friends that he would emerge a better man, Ronald Weasley turned back.
There was work to do, and he couldn't help for the fight against Voldemort by slacking off.
"Hermione", said Harry, swerving the broom slightly to the left, "You know that the road ahead will be difficult."
The silencing rune that Hermione had carved on the tip of the broomstick had rendered all sounds except anything from Harry and herself inaudible. This enabled them to talk without having to shout.
"Yes. But I will follow.", said Hermione, simply.
"Then, let's go. Hold on tight, Hermione!", said Harry, slightly raising his voice.
The two zoomed into the the bright, fiery orange sun.
'There is more to Harry than what meets the eye. You have never seen yourself in action, Harry.', silently thought Hermione. 'I swear, someday, after all of this strife, I will become your wife.'
And cut! I can't believe that I actually got reviews. I came to this site, to see the best it had to offer. And the best authors around here truly had, and still have, something to offer. You guys rock.
As for the reviews, and the reviewers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart(Even if I do sound pathetic). This time I shall respond to your mails.
Actually, a long fic is on its way. Its, the usual stuff, you could say, with a bit of realized stereotype(meaning parody like elements). Don't know if I should make you guys look forward to it. But anyway. Here we go!
Smokin'Oken.