After Dumbledore told Harry about the prophecy, Harry had stormed off to somewhere.
Hermione, unable to find him anywhere, even after searching the Lake, and sneaking into the boys dormitory, just making sure he wasn't there either, sat down next to the lake.
The sky was dark, and the same color was reflected by the surface of the lake.
Hermione had always liked the rain. To her, it was very symbolic. It showed that troubles, though they would torment her, can be fought off and succeeded, and the end result would be a beautiful, shining rainbow, that held a promise, a hope for a beautiful tomorrow.
As it started to rain, Hermione let the drops wash all over her, relishing the relief that it brought her. She could always using a drying charm and take a pepper up potion later, if she came down with a cold.
She thought about Harry Potter, and his current life, her utmost wish being Fate would cut him some slack. But no! Fate always wanted her whipping toy, who in this case was Harry.
'Damn you, Fate!', she thought in an unladylike manner.
'Now, in which room would Harry be in?", thought Hermione, tapping her lips with her forefinger.
The word room clicked something in Hermione's mind, and thinking about the room of requirement, she left the rain, and casting a drying charm on herself after reaching the doors of the castle, Hermione ran to the aforementioned room.
Hermione was surprised when the room opened itself, when she had just stopped running in front of it. When she went in, she saw that the atmosphere she had just left on entering Hogwarts had been recreated. There was rain all over the grassland, and the mountains made the whole place very picturesque. Hermione didn't feel the wetness though, because she was being protected by some sort of shield.
She could see Harry lying down in the distance, and ran towards him. She stopped and lied down next to Harry, breathing hard.
"Hello there, H'rmione", said Harry, looking at her.
"Harry, if you're seeking solace in the rain, then you better-", before she could complete what she was going to say, Harry said, "If you're going to make me talk, then forget it, H'rmione."
"Um, Harry, I was going to say, drop the shields protecting us.", said Hermione.
"Oh.", said Harry, taken aback. "Sorry", he said, commanding the room to drop the shields, allowing the rain to pour directly onto them.
"Its OK, Harry. Am I right in thinking that you aren't pleased with what Dumbledore told you?"
"As always, your guess is right, H'rmione.", said Harry.
"Do you really feel like you have been condemned, Harry?", asked Hermione, tentatively.
After making sure the room was secure, flame like letters appeared in the midst of the rain, and Harry directed Hermione's attention to those letters, which were now words.
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ...
On seeing this, Hermione's eyes were filled with tears. She understood that this, and Sirius' death were causing Harry a lot of grief.
"I know this sounds very bad, Harry, and I'm really sorry to say this, but you need to get over Sirius' death.", said Hermione, mentally cringing about what she was saying.
"Explain, H'rmione", said Harry, a hat dropping out of thin air onto his face, covering it.
"You see, Harry, Sirius, if he were here, would want you to go on with your life. When a person dies, they leave everything they had, behind. Past, present and future, loved ones, friends, siblings. The bonds they created with the ones that they met. These bonds become stronger as time grows. Anyone who created these bonds, they strive to protect it. Since they want to protect these bonds, they try to do anything they can, including,...", trailed off Hermione.
"...Sacrificing their own lives", said Harry. "When did you get this philosophical, H'rmione?", he asked with a smile.
"My grandparents died, when I was very young. Naturally, I never did understand, why she died, even though my parents tried to convey the same meaning as I did to you now. I understood only now, and I explained it to you, in my own words. And again, since I was very young, I really didn't reflect on it much, and now, this", said Hermione, choking, on the verge of tears, "event has reminded me, of my grandparents deaths."
"He's dead, H'rmione, he isn't going to come back", said Harry, on the verge of tears himself.
"I'll tell you what, Harry, we'll just get up, and we'll hug each other, and we're going to cry to each other, till we've no tears left. What do you say?", asked Hermione.
Both of them immediately sat up, and hugged each other fiercely, and cried out onto each other's shoulders. The rain in the room seemed to intensify, as if crying along with them.
Half an hour later, they stopped crying, for neither had any strength, nor any tears left to do so.
Harry wiped off Hermione's cheeks, which were full of tears. Hermione did the same to Harry.
"One last question, Harry. Do you like rain?", asked Hermione.
"Yes, H'rmione. I love rain. It shows that troubles can be washed off, and the end result will be a beautiful, shining rainbow, that holds a promise, a hope for a beautiful tomorrow.", said Harry.
"Harry, that's what I was exactly thinking about rain!", exclaimed Hermione.
As soon as Hermione said this, the rain in the room stopped, and a beautiful rainbow showed up.
"Oh, Harry, did you do this?". When Harry nodded, Hermione threw herself upon Harry, with a smile that threatened to break her face.
When they broke, Harry said, "Its ironic, Hermione. Do you know that if we marry, we'll save a lot on towels, seeing that we'll have the same initials?"
Hermione froze on hearing that.
"But thinking back, Hermione, I seem to remember that you were the only one sticking up for me, wherever possible. I think, our relationship is on a higher pedestal than my relationship with the Weasleys.", continued Harry.
"So", said Harry, taking a deep breath, "Hermione Jean Granger, will you be my girlfriend?"
As soon as Harry said that, Hermione softly pushed her lips onto Harry's.
"You know, seeing that we've hit off to a good start, hit being the key word, when we took on the troll for you, I'm surprised we didn't get together our act earlier.", said Harry.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you out at the end of our third year. But then I thought, why would you want to date this ugly duckling...."
"H'rmione, I think you're forgetting one thing. The ugly duckling turned out to be a beautiful swan. You might consider yourself an ugly girl", said Harry, making Hermione go on the verge of tears again, "but to me, you're a beautiful woman.", said Harry, boring holes into the goodness of Hermione's chocolate eyes.
Hermione had to conclude one thing from Harry's gaze. That he was telling the truth.
"Oh, Harry, thank you.", said Hermione, hugging Harry.
"But, can we keep this under the radar for a bit? Let's take it slow, OK?", asked Harry.
"Its OK, Harry, I'm alright with it.", said Hermione. Hermione also wanted to take it slowly, anyway, and she felt extremely lucky that Harry wanted her as a girlfriend at all, that she decided not to push her luck.
They hugged once again, kissed each other once again, and sat down to see that the scene changed to a beautiful sunset.
"H'rmione, are you okay with sitting in silence?", asked Harry.
"I'd love it, Harry!", said Hermione enthusiastically.
As far as they were concerned, no words were needed at all. They were content to sit in silence, alternatively staring upon the setting sun and each other, feeling as if no words were needed in order to communicate.
"Don't worry, Harry. I'll fix you. I'll be beside you all the way till you defeat Voldemort, and even after it.", said Hermione.
Mentally.
Somehow, by just looking at each other, Harry could understand what Hermione was trying to say. And he nodded to it.
"Alright, Hermione. Let's go. I really can't believe I'm not making a big fuss about Sirius' death. But, I still feel empty, and sad, knowing that he won't be there anymore.", said Harry.
"I'm glad you moved past his death, but, never forget him, how he befriended you, like a father, and all of the good moments you had with him.", said Hermione.
With a sideways hug, Harry said, "Let's get going. Will you be with me, all the way, Hermione?"
"Yes, yes I will.", said Hermione, firm with her answer.
"Then, let's go!", said Harry, leading Hermione out.
One could hear their voices, as they left the corridor.
"Harry, stop teasing me!", exclaimed Hermione, giggling.
"Then you stop doing so too!", said Harry chuckling.
"Hey, I'm not doing it!", came the reply.
"You are"
"I'm not"
"You are"
"I'm not"
"You are"
"I'm not"
"I'm not"
"You are!"
"Argh! I can't even win, even if I switch dialogues!"
"Ha! Serves you right", said Hermione, sticking out her tongue.
"Oh, isn't that cute!", was Harry's jovial reply.
They set off, to the common room.
'Hell, maybe Fate's cut some slack by making Hermione my girlfriend!', was Harry' last thought as he was pulled into one last kiss, before they made it to the tower.