The sun beamed down on the grounds of Hogwarts, bearing down on young students who had just finished their OWLs. Most fifth years were glad to be done with their exams, and spent the afternoon relaxing in the sunlight, enjoying what little time they had left with their friends before the left for the summer. Among these students was Hermione Granger, who had just enjoyed a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches as she lay fast asleep on her best friends chest. To be honest, Hermione wasn't the biggest fan of peanut butter, but she knew it was one of Harry's Favorites which was all she needed to know before making a few sandwiches for lunch by the lake. Harry smiled at her peaceful form. Knowing how relaxed she was brought a smile to his heart. Hermione Granger was the most stressed student during exams and Harry knew how much this moment meant to her, which is why, three days ago, he had told her to be free for lunch the day after their defense OWL. He thought back to that Tuesday where he saw her the most stressed she ever was…
"Hermione you've studied more than any one of us, and probably more than the seventh years too, you have nothing to worry about" said Harry. "I don't recall McGonagall explaining the format of her transfiguration OWL to you" replied Hermione hotly. Harry, who knew how stressed she could get around exams, sat gingerly beside her on her single seater couch in the Gryffindor common room, knowing she would have to move over to make room for him.
He stared at the roaring fire, remembering his conversations with Sirius, thinking of what to say to comfort his best friend. He opened his mouth to reply but she stopped him- "Sorry for that". Turning her golden brown hair to look into his eyes, she smiled softly, "I know you mean well, I just get a bit stressed at these times". Harry turned and smirked, "stressed? I hadn't noticed".
Hermione mock gasped and swatted him on his arm, "prat" she mumbled. "You know what I mean, I know I'm ready, or at least I think I'm ready -I just don't have the confidence that you have". "I'm not confident Hermione, I just think we all need a break once in a while" Harry said making himself comfortable in Hermione's spot. "We have two months of summer break after our OWLs, we can take a break then" she explained. She could swear she noticed a flash of sadness across Harry's face at the mention of summer but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "But we won't have each other" he replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Hermione, realizing that he was right made a feeble attempt to hide her disappointment from harry, but failed miserably. Dumbledore requested that each of them stay in their respective homes for the summer. Since the news of Voldemort returning was out, his followers were not afraid to hide their hatred of the world. Not a single death eater would hesitate in capturing Harry Potter, and killing his friends.
Hermione put her transfiguration book down and looked at Harry, "why don't we do something after our last OWL, its defense and we finish by 11, I know you will probably leave early but I promise I won't spend any time talking to the proctor this time, on Tuesday she tried to get me to sign up for an 'unpaid internship' at the ministry. I've spoken to Mr. Weasely and I know that's a fancy term for 'magical janitor' ".
Smiling at her last comment, harry sighed with a dejected look on his face, "I don't think that will work, I promised Dumbledore I'd meet him right after the defense OWL, he wants to know what I think about the future of the Order. He also thinks I should be taking pictures with the minister of magic, and the muggle prime minister." Hermione huffed, "I don't know what he thinks that will accomplish, fudge called you a liar to the whole world for a year straight, suddenly smiling on the front page is just going to raise more flags, don't you think Harry"?
"I think Dumbledore should leave me out of it, he left me out of it the whole year and now all of a sudden he wants to tell me everything? After it's too late? If he just told me all of this before, maybe… maybe I could have done something." Said Harry. "I spent a year in the dark, suffering with no news from anyone. Dumbledore refused to tell me anything, and then dumps everything on me at the last minute!".
Hermione noticed tears beginning to form in Harry's eyes. "You know what" he continued, "maybe I shouldn't go, maybe he can figure it out for himself, he's controlled my life this far let's see how he plays without his pawn". Hermione started to interject but harry continued, "I just don't understand why, I thought he cared for me, I thought he was guiding me, helping me because he loved me, why did he have to keep all this information from me? it's just another time I've been let down in life" harry muttered the last part, making a terrible attempt to hide it from Hermione who heard every word. "Maybe, if he just told me all of this before, maybe if I was in on this information, or even just part of it, maybe…just maybe Sirius wouldn't be dead" harry mumbled with tears beginning to flow.
The pained expression on Harry's face hurt Hermione's heart. She wanted to say so many things, call Dumbledore out on all of his wrongdoings, blame him for everything he did, tell Harry it will be alright, that everything will be okay now, but her thoughts were interrupted by harry once more. "Hermione, Sirius…he … he was the only person who ever loved me" managed harry through light sniffles. It was this, more than anything that broke Hermione's heart.
"My parents died when I was a baby Hermione, I never got to know them, I never got to tell them I love them. I'm sure they must have said it, but I wish I could hear it you know? Maybe say it back to them. I never got to taste my mum's cooking, I know Mrs. Weasley's tastes amazing but I imagine it would be different. Sitting around the dinner table, dad telling me a joke he heard at work, mum smiling at his crazy hair, and mentioning how I look so much like him. It's the little things. When we rescued Sirius I thought I might be able to have something close to that, but every month my hope for that drifted further and further away, until this year when he finally moved into Grimmauld place. I thought that maybe when the war was over, we could get his name cleared, and live together, happily. No more Dursley's. I just wish there was something I could do Hermione".
"Oh Harry!" Hermione had tears leaking from her eyes, she grabbed harry and pulled him into a warm loving hug, with no plans of releasing him any time soon. With his head laying in her chest, she held on to him and wiped the hot tears from his warm cheeks as her own set of fresh tears landed softly on his hair. She searched his face for answers, she was at a loss for words, all she knew was that she wanted to hold him, let him know he wasn't alone. Let him know that she was there. She was there for him and she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"Harry I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that you've lived with these emotions for so long. I wish you'd told me sooner. I love you harry. You're my best friend and I love you. I know it will never mean as much as your parents but I want you to know that I love you. You are sweet, funny, caring, brave, loyal, and honestly one of the only people in my life who was always kind to me. You make me laugh when I'm sad, you care about me when I stress, you defend me always, and I don't need to be there to know you defend me behind my back. You are such a kind person and I know there's nothing I can do to take the pain away, but I want you to know that you are loved Harry. I love you. You hold a very special place in my heart and I will always have time for you. I know I get crazy sometimes because of exams, but I promise I will be here for you more."
Not a single word came out of Harry as he clutched her and held her to him as she said those beautiful words over and over, "I love you". She loved him, he had a friend who loved him. How could he be so stupid? How could he not realize that Hermione, out of the entire world, had been the one to always love him. The one that was always there for him, the one that would never abandon him. He is complaining to her of all people that no one loves him.
All of these emotions combined did not bode well for him as he held onto her tighter, her warm embrace comforting him, soothing his breathing. Hermione wiped his tears away first, then did the same with hers as she slowly ran her fingers through his hair, and kissed him on the top of his head, letting her lips linger for a few extra seconds. "I love you with all my heart, Harry James Potter" she murmured softly into his hair. Harry smiled slightly at the sound of those words again.
Those beautiful words, the gentle way she said them made him feel at home "I love you too Hermione" he whispered. "You have been the best friend I could ever ask for, I was stu-" "Harry stop, you were not stupid to tell me that, I have never told you, or shown you that I love you and frankly, I should do it more often, I like our hugs. They feel… right". Hermione blushed lightly at that last part, not realizing that Harry was blushing as well, his cheeks covered by her bushy brown hair. "You make my heart smile Hermione". He didn't know where it came from, but it didn't matter because he meant every word.
Whenever he felt broken, Hermione was always the one to fix it. She always helped him out no matter the situation. "And for the record, I like our hugs too" he added as he snuggled closer into her. Hermione smiled and hugged him tight, "This is perfect" she added softly, unaware that harry could hear". Harry smiled lightly, feeling his heart flutter slightly. His best friend loved him. Harry shifted a little to the left and out of Hermione's grasp, she frowned for a split second before Harry grinned, "You're my best friend too, did you know that? I love you and I don't know what I would do without you. You make my darkness bright, I wish the whole world could be as bright as your smile". Hermione's crimson cheeks did not go unnoticed by harry, and he responded by placing a simple kiss on Hermione's forehead.
She closed her eyes at his touch, and swore time stopped for a few seconds. He didn't have to say it, but Hermione felt so much emotion poured into the kiss, she felt the years of hug-less summers, and all the missed "I love you's". A boy with so much love to give, had finally found the person he wanted to give it to, and Hermione would never complain about being the lucky girl, who felt her best friends love. When harry pulled away, Hermione looked up into his eyes, chocolate hazelnut meeting emerald green, Hermione smiled at him, and he blushed in return, pulling Hermione close to him.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and softly cupped her cheek with his hand, he grazed his thumb across her cheek and smiled, pulling her in for a final hug. Hermione tucked her head under Harry's chin, and inhaled his soft scent. She loved being close to him, it made her feel safe, like all harm in the world couldn't reach her when she was cuddled into Harry's chest. She lay quietly for a few more minutes, snuggling closer to him, with her breath slowing down. The last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep was a soft voice whispering "I love you Hermione"
Back on the lake, Harry smiled, staring down at Hermione's peaceful form on his chest, harry lightly brushed his lips against her forehead, "and I always will".