Disclaimer: I do not in any way own "Harry Potter". This story was made purely for entertainment purposes.
A/N 1: This "type" of story has been made several times, by many different authors. This is purely made by me, and if there is something that makes it similar to another author's story, I promise you it was not done on purpose. Plagiarizing is not something to mess around with.
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Always
Footsteps interrupted the peace and quiet in Number 12, Grimmauld Place, where the infamous Golden Trio lived. It had already been three months after the war, yet the stress that the press and the entire Wizarding World had given them had not weaned off. In fact, it seemed to have grown even further, when more details, true or otherwise, surfaced from 'anonymous informers'.
'Hermione?' inquired a voice from up the stairs, 'Where are you?'
Hermione had been reading a book on Advanced Transfiguration in the Black family library. She placed a page holder in her book, and shouted, 'In here, Harry, the library!'
Ron was out at work, though he rarely returned sober. Most of the time, it was just Harry and Hermione that lived there.
The footsteps gradually grew louder, as Harry made his way to the library.
The ancient door creaked open, and hesitantly, Harry stepped into the room. Hermione knew the moment he stepped in, that something was wrong. She had never failed to notice these things about Harry.
'What's wrong, Harry?' she asked, her brow frowning.
Harry managed a weak grin. 'I'll be honest with you, Hermione, bluntly honest if I need be. I know I can't hide anything from you.' He looked up slightly to meet her eyes.
'I'm sick of this.'
A few moments passed as his words sunk in.
Hermione knew, already, about this. She knew that Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived, though she never thought of him that way, would break down sometime. She knew that the deaths and pains of all those who had died to protect the world would reach out to him, and Harry, being his noble self would place all the blame on him.
Harry seemed to be recollecting his thoughts, so Hermione refrained herself from speaking, to let Harry speak his inner thoughts.
'I – I trust you with this,' he started. Hermione felt herself blushing.
'I can't stand all this, I've coped with it for the past seven years, but I can't take it!' he growled, clenching and unclenching his fists, over and over again.
'What exactly, Harry?' she questioned, attempting to clarify.
'All this – this fame! I don't want it! Why won't the world just leave me alone and let me be? I want to be just 'Harry'! All this 'Boy-Who-Lived' nonsense can go to hell!' he shouted.
In most cases, Hermione would reprimand Harry for his language, but she knew this was not the right time to do so.
'I've had enough of this – this Wizarding World!' Harry was on the verge of tears now.
'I don't want it … I don't … 'Harry mumbled incoherently. Hermione, gently placed her book down on the table, got up, and embraced him.
Harry reached out his hands, and returned her hug. 'It's alright, Harry, it's alright … I understand,' Hermione whispered in his ear, 'I always did understand how you feel.' Perhaps not as deeply, but I understand.
Harry finally broke down into sobs, and cried his heart out.
After a long five minutes, Hermione released Harry, and gently pushed him onto a seat. 'I'll get you some tea,' Harry had curled himself up into a ball, trying to stop the flow of tears bursting from his eyes. 'Don't worry, I'll be right back.'
With a last glance at Harry, Hermione exited the room, and went to the kitchen.
She placed her hands on the kitchen top, and exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding.
For once in her life, Hermione was at a lost for what to do.
She brushed off her own tears, and prepared some tea.
Summoning two teacups from the drawer, she poured two cups, and brought the entire kettle, along with the two cups into the library.
/_
/
Harry was still a sobbing wreck, but seeing Hermione re-enter the room, he took a deep breath, and he forcefully bit back on his emotions.
Hermione passed him a teacup, and watched as he slowly drank it.
When he had finally calmed down, he croaked, 'Thanks.'
In reply, Hermione simply hugged him again.
Harry had made up his mind.
'Hermione,' he swallowed his last bit of tea, 'I'm going to leave this world.'
This statement, had clearly taken Hermione aback.
'Harry, are you sure? I know you love magic,' she said with a concerned frown on her face.
'I'm sure,' he said nodding, 'I won't be restraining myself from using magic, but I need some time to think, without everyone annoying me every step.'
'I've given some thought into this, I'm prepared to leave. My only question is …' he looked up at Hermione.
'Will you come with me?'
/_
/
'Will you come with me?'
Observing the startled look on her face, he continued, 'I know I'm asking a lot from you, but I need someone that can guide me, take care of me,' he paused.
'I've said many times that I can take care of myself, but only now do I know how wrong I was. I feel like I can't even eat my own meal without someone helping me. I need someone who I trust, someone that I trust with my life. That person is you, Hermione.'
Hermione blushed, but stopped herself from looking away; this was a time where Harry, the savior of her life, needed her.
'I need you, Hermione. Will you …' he paused again, 'Will you come with me?'
'Harry, this is the world that you had dreamed of living in,' she said quietly, 'if you can't bring yourself to live in it, then this isn't your world. It's your own decision to live … and I've made mine.' She took his hand and covered them with hers.
'I can't live without you, Harry.'
His expression was one of complete surprise.
'You were my first friend. You were the first to stand up for me. You didn't mind my know-it-all side. You stayed by my side even when others didn't,' she said, and cleared her throat.
'I can't live without you. I don't want to be alone with Ron, he's a good guy, but … not someone I want to spend the rest of my life with,' she continued.
'Hermione … You were my first friend,' he said.
'You were the first one to stand up for me. You liked me for who I was, not the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. You stuck by me, protected me, healed me, you trusted me with your life. You always thought of others before yourself, you helped solve multiple mysteries. You saved my life. You were the first to think of anything, before I could,' he paused slightly, and blushed.
'You were the first person I fell in … in love with.'
Hermione's eyes widened.
'You are … the only person I have ever fallen in love with.'
Hermione put her hand to her mouth, to stop herself from gasping.
All this time, he's felt this way about me? How have I not noticed?
Now that she thought about it, she realized several things. She was always the first one he cared about, worried about. Not Ron. Not Ginny. Always her.
With a muffled cry, Hermione burst into tears. She never had realized how much she meant to him.
/_
/
Harry was startled when he saw Hermione break into tears. What did I say? Did I saw something she didn't want to hear?
He was immediately on his feet, and comforting her.
'Was it something I sai – ' he began.
' – No, Harry', she interrupted, her voice muffled, since she was openly sobbing all over his shirt, 'I didn't know … you felt that way about me. I – I only just realized … how much … you've done for me.'
Harry stayed oddly silent as he contemplated about what she just said.
'Let's go away, Harry,' she said after calming down – but she never let go of him, she couldn't stand not being there, 'far, far away from this world which causes you more pain then delight. You deserve a good life after all this.'
Harry gripped her tighter, and nuzzled his cheek against her forehead. His tears were once again, flowing.
'Thank you,' he said, 'Thank you so much, for all you've ever done.'
Still crying, a red-faced Hermione lifted her head to look at him. 'Thank you; don't leave me. Be with me. I love you.'
Looking straight into her eyes, he replied steadily, 'Always.'
Hermione released her grip on Harry, and clutched his head, pulling him close.
Their faces were so close, that they could see the tiny specks in each other's eyes. 'I love you, Hermione.'
Hermione reached out, and kissed him.
'Perhaps this world isn't so bad – it led me to find you.'
End of Chapter 1