Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter universe (I really want a
Honeydukes though if you have one spare...) or characters or anything.
Carla – here is the sequel that I told you about. And I didn't let you read it because I am evil and anyway you never let me read yours!! You have beaten Charlotte though, so congratulations are in order. Here, have a chocolate Dan!!
***
A clock tower bell chimes somewhere in the distance. A flock of ravens fly overhead. A wintry frost is spreading over the ground, covering it like spider webs.
But I do not notice any of them.
I walk into the deserted cemetery ever so slowly, closing the gate respectfully behind me. There are thousands of graves here. Thousands of rows of white, shining marble graves – all victims at the hands of Voldemort. All deaths you were sent to prevent. All deaths that you could do nothing about because you were trapped at school.
I walk directly to the grave and kneel in front of the headstone. One by one, I place each of the flowers from my bunch into the holder. I wipe the headstone with my sleeve, trying to clean an imaginary stain. I sit back on my heels and sigh. One single, solitary tear runs down my cheek.
It's not a headstone really. Or a grave. There was no body to bury. There were only memories, so a memorial was very appropriate.
I hate you.
I hate you so much for leaving that day. For flying off into open sky without even a look back. Leaving me crying my heart – no, my soul – out to Ron because he was the only one who could keep me still. I lashed out at him; I hit him so hard that the bruising didn't even begin to fade for a week. But he still kept by me and when I calmed down a bit more he took me to the stairs of the dormitory and Lavender dragged me up the stairs to my dormitory bed, where I lay all night, crying silently. I didn't sleep that night.
I've hardly slept any night since you left me.
The wind whips around my body, tendrils of my hair are floating on the wind but I don't notice. I don't notice when someone else walks into the graveyard. I barely hear anything at all except the familiar sound of my sobs.
It all becomes too much. I stand up at begin to run. Almost at the gate, I crash into someone.
"Sorry," I mutter, barely coherent. "Hermione?" Harry gasps.
Harry gasps.
HARRY gasps.
"Harry?" I whisper. You smile. I push you hard and start to run again. You run after me and I hear you shouting. I hate you for smiling. I hate you for coming back and being alive. I hate you for leaving me for no reason. But I still love you because I can never stop.
"How dare you!" I scream, turning around to face you at last. "How dare you walk back into my life and SMILE?" The loudness of my shouts scares even me. I can see the fear on your face as you take hold of my upper arms and try to talk some sense into me.
But I am hysterical.
"Hermione, listen to me. Listen to me! I didn't want to leave you – why do you think I came back – "
"WHY DID YOU GO!"
"You know perfectly-"
"NO I DON'T! YOU NEVER EXPLAINED!" "Then let me! Stop screaming blue murder and let me!" I stop screaming and glare at you. You take me to a bench and sit me down.
"I want you to listen Hermione. I want you to sit here and listen to everything I have to say." I sit obediently. "I left because it was the only way for me to fulfil the prophecy. And now I have Almost."
"Prophecy?"
"The one we found in fifth year. The one I told you about." "I know which prophecy-"
"I had to fulfil it-"
"-I could've helped you!" "No, Hermione, it had to be done by me and me alone. I still haven't done it." I become completely confused. "Then why are you back?"
"Because I wanted to say goodbye. I doubt I'll survive this. One of us has to die. In case it's me I don't want to leave you with a lasting memory of me flying away into open sky. I want you to remember me always as your best friend and –"
"You're going again?"
"Yes." You hang your head, almost as if it were shameful. "Then I want to come with you. I'm of age. I can join the order. Imagine it Harry, we could face him down together. We could win!" "No! I will not let you get hurt!" "I'm not stupid Harry!" I gasp, my eyes stinging with tears. I just want to be in your arms. I collapse against you and you wrap your arms around me. You hold me tight and we don't move for the longest time. I cry all over your robes but you don't care. You murmur comforting words to me and I begin to feel safe – something I haven't done in a long time.
Eventually, you lower your mouth to mine and kiss me gently. I'm so tired but my senses are wide-awake the moment our lips brush. I've been waiting for this for so long.
You pull your lips away from mine and whisper softly in my ear.
"I love you."
I sigh and my head falls onto your shoulder. I feel so warm...
I woke up two hours later.
Alone.
Carla – here is the sequel that I told you about. And I didn't let you read it because I am evil and anyway you never let me read yours!! You have beaten Charlotte though, so congratulations are in order. Here, have a chocolate Dan!!
***
A clock tower bell chimes somewhere in the distance. A flock of ravens fly overhead. A wintry frost is spreading over the ground, covering it like spider webs.
But I do not notice any of them.
I walk into the deserted cemetery ever so slowly, closing the gate respectfully behind me. There are thousands of graves here. Thousands of rows of white, shining marble graves – all victims at the hands of Voldemort. All deaths you were sent to prevent. All deaths that you could do nothing about because you were trapped at school.
I walk directly to the grave and kneel in front of the headstone. One by one, I place each of the flowers from my bunch into the holder. I wipe the headstone with my sleeve, trying to clean an imaginary stain. I sit back on my heels and sigh. One single, solitary tear runs down my cheek.
It's not a headstone really. Or a grave. There was no body to bury. There were only memories, so a memorial was very appropriate.
I hate you.
I hate you so much for leaving that day. For flying off into open sky without even a look back. Leaving me crying my heart – no, my soul – out to Ron because he was the only one who could keep me still. I lashed out at him; I hit him so hard that the bruising didn't even begin to fade for a week. But he still kept by me and when I calmed down a bit more he took me to the stairs of the dormitory and Lavender dragged me up the stairs to my dormitory bed, where I lay all night, crying silently. I didn't sleep that night.
I've hardly slept any night since you left me.
The wind whips around my body, tendrils of my hair are floating on the wind but I don't notice. I don't notice when someone else walks into the graveyard. I barely hear anything at all except the familiar sound of my sobs.
It all becomes too much. I stand up at begin to run. Almost at the gate, I crash into someone.
"Sorry," I mutter, barely coherent. "Hermione?" Harry gasps.
Harry gasps.
HARRY gasps.
"Harry?" I whisper. You smile. I push you hard and start to run again. You run after me and I hear you shouting. I hate you for smiling. I hate you for coming back and being alive. I hate you for leaving me for no reason. But I still love you because I can never stop.
"How dare you!" I scream, turning around to face you at last. "How dare you walk back into my life and SMILE?" The loudness of my shouts scares even me. I can see the fear on your face as you take hold of my upper arms and try to talk some sense into me.
But I am hysterical.
"Hermione, listen to me. Listen to me! I didn't want to leave you – why do you think I came back – "
"WHY DID YOU GO!"
"You know perfectly-"
"NO I DON'T! YOU NEVER EXPLAINED!" "Then let me! Stop screaming blue murder and let me!" I stop screaming and glare at you. You take me to a bench and sit me down.
"I want you to listen Hermione. I want you to sit here and listen to everything I have to say." I sit obediently. "I left because it was the only way for me to fulfil the prophecy. And now I have Almost."
"Prophecy?"
"The one we found in fifth year. The one I told you about." "I know which prophecy-"
"I had to fulfil it-"
"-I could've helped you!" "No, Hermione, it had to be done by me and me alone. I still haven't done it." I become completely confused. "Then why are you back?"
"Because I wanted to say goodbye. I doubt I'll survive this. One of us has to die. In case it's me I don't want to leave you with a lasting memory of me flying away into open sky. I want you to remember me always as your best friend and –"
"You're going again?"
"Yes." You hang your head, almost as if it were shameful. "Then I want to come with you. I'm of age. I can join the order. Imagine it Harry, we could face him down together. We could win!" "No! I will not let you get hurt!" "I'm not stupid Harry!" I gasp, my eyes stinging with tears. I just want to be in your arms. I collapse against you and you wrap your arms around me. You hold me tight and we don't move for the longest time. I cry all over your robes but you don't care. You murmur comforting words to me and I begin to feel safe – something I haven't done in a long time.
Eventually, you lower your mouth to mine and kiss me gently. I'm so tired but my senses are wide-awake the moment our lips brush. I've been waiting for this for so long.
You pull your lips away from mine and whisper softly in my ear.
"I love you."
I sigh and my head falls onto your shoulder. I feel so warm...
I woke up two hours later.
Alone.