A Stroke of Bravery, A Chance With Love, And A Great Sacrifice
Summary: The ones that love us never really leave us. Set in movie 7, after Ron leaves. Harry and Hermione finally realize that the path they thought fate had set for them, is not going to be that way after all, with a bit of help from a close friend.
A/N: I know this story isn't very good, it's my first fic and I really love the Harry and Hermione pairing. This just popped into my head while I was in my room listening to some music, so I hope it's ok. Reviews would be appreciated, to help me decide if I should continue to write fanfiction. Thankyou all in advance for reading, and reviewing!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters or plots, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.
Harry looked across the vast mountains and lakes infront of him. He stood atop a high, rocky cliff, near a seemingly tiny yellow tent, in which his best friend Hermione resided. Harry and Hermione were looking for Horcruxes, and had been for some time now. Every other day they packed up their tent and moved to a far away forest for the next few days as they continued their tiring search.
The weather seemed to reflect their moods, it was a cold, dreary day. The sky was a gloomy dark blue color, and the dark heavy clouds seemed to hang over them, making them feel like the world was pushing down on them, as if they didn't have enough to worry about already. Harry was pacing, thinking about how, just four days ago their other best friend -Ron Weasley- had decided to leave their search in a fit of rage. He said many horrible things before he left, and Hermione has been in a state of despair ever since. Harry was feeling the tension build as well, he really didn't have any idea what to do next, and his heart broke for Hermione, who was extremely devastated, inside the tent, because of Ron's disappearance.
Harry's head was conflicted, he felt like he should do something for Hermione, because he couldn't stand to see her so upset, but he didn't know what. So, on a whim, he decided to enter the tent. Harry walked up to Hermione, gently took her hand, and he pulled her into his arms to dance. Hermione smiled, for the first time in days as they held eachother and swayed to the music. Harry finally understood the conflict he had been feeling lately, it was because he knew Hermione loved Ron, but at the same time, he loved Hermione. But too quickly, the song was over.
Hermione sank back into her depression almost at once as she made to sit back down on the wooden chair by the radio. Harry wouldn't have this. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him again. By now, the rain was pounding hard against the roof of the tent and all Harry wanted was to see Hermione smile once again, but not because of Ron. Harry was so scared to show his true feelings to Hermione, because even though he was a Gryffindor, he bacame a wreck when lost in her eyes. So Harry decided it was time to be brave. Harry pulled Hermione into his arms once again and just held her, for how long neither of them knows, but Harry was happy that she never tried to pull away from him. For the first time in a long time, Hermione was content, she was warm and maybe deep down, happy. As it got late, Harry and Hermione sank down to the floor of the tent and fell asleep in eachother's arms.
Days passed, and each night, Hermione cried before she returned to Harry's arms to fall asleep, it was too painful for her to be alone- she might think of Ron again.
One day, Hermione was sitting under a birch tree, as a light blanket of snow began to fall. Harry couldn't help but notice how much more happy she had become over the last few months, without Ron. Harry sat down beside her and took her hand in his. Hermione stared into his bright green eyes and cried, she sobbed so much, she cried until she felt she could cry no more, as Harry just held her silently.
But this time was different, Hermione was different. After she was done, she lifted her head and Harry wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She said that was the last time she would shed a tear for Ronald Weasley. She said she now understands that it's all over, and she was meant to be with someone else, someone better even. Harry watched her in amazement as she explained all of this to him- everything he had been wanting to hear. When she was done, he cradled her head between his hands, and placed a kiss, ever gentle, on her awaiting lips.
Hermione was so overwhealmed with joy as she returned the kiss with a great passion she had never felt with Ron. Harry broke off the kiss first and they stared into eachothers eyes for hours, Hermione was beaming up at Harry, who stared down at her with such an intense admiration in his eyes, that she almost felt self-concious. They loved eachother deeply, it was much more than friendship between them. As the cold wind began to whip at their faces, they stood up, hand in hand and walked back toward the tent. During the hour they sat staring at eachother, even without speaking a word they had the best, deepest and most loving conversation each of them had ever experienced.
Little did they know, just behind a near bush sat Ron Weasley, watching the two of them fall in love. His heart was broken of course- he had loved Hermione more than life itself, but he knew that Hermione deserved to be with Harry, Ron had caused her too much hurt and she had just gotten over him. Ron accepted the fact that his first love and best friend were destined to be with one another and he shouldn't interfere with fate and true, real love. He had never seen Hermione smile like that after kissing him. So he made a decision, instead of returning to his two best friends as he had originally planned to, he made another desicion, one that changed the course of his life from then on. While he was away, Ron had managed to find and retrive the sword of Gryffindor they had so desperately hoped to find. Ron held it in his hands right then. Ron quietly approached the tent and laid the sword before the opening of the tent door. Before he left however, he crept inside the tent. Harry and Hermione were both asleep in eachothers arms, happy smiles on their faces even whilst asleep. A tear rolled down Ron's freckly cheek as he placed a light kiss on Hermione's forehead before leaving the tent and disapparating.
Harry and Hermione woke with a start when they heard the loud crack when Ron dissapparated. They ran to the tent opening and to their utter disbelief they found the sword glinting in the moonlight. Harry picked up Hermione and spun her around in his arms with delight. They both pondered who could have done something so wonderful, and they vowed to thank the one responsible in person someday, little did they know they were a few feet from that person minutes prior.
Harry and Hermione returned to the tent, too excited to sleep as they made plans for tomorrow's Horcrux hunt. They had decided to go to Godric's Hollow, Harry's birthplace and the place where his parents were buried. He quietly told Hermione that he would be honoured if she would accompany him to his parents grave, because he loved her more than the world, and wanted her to be there, because he greatly desired to introduce her to them. After all, "The ones that love us never really leave us", Harry remebered his God Father, Sirius Black tell him that very thing. Hermione held Harry in her arms, so full of love and happiness, she had never experienced such a feeling before.
And so, because of Harry's bravery, Hermione's love, and Ron's sacrifice, the new path of their lives was formed. Harry and Hermione's together and Ron's seperately. But taking all that into account Ron knew that they would meet again, because, after all, the ones that love us never really leave us...
A/N : Thus began Harry and Hermione's new journey to find and destroy each Horcrux, just the two of them. And you can guess who they ended up with nineteen years later... (Harry x Hermione)