The Archer

by shesnotalone

For years, she wrote off the intensity of their bond, saying to their friends that he was "just a friend" and that was all. However, as her recent revelations imply, she is beginning to consider him to be so much more. It comes naturally, and once it is arrived and accepted, she cannot stop it from taking over her daily thoughts and actions. (HarryxHermione, during Deathly Hallows)

1. one

I know, I know, I know, another story. What can I say, when the creativity bug gets me, it gets me. This is a HarryxHermione story. It's rated T for some colorful language and death. Oh, and yes, "The Archer" is one of Taylor Swift's new songs, and yes, you can roll your eyes at yet another song-fic.

This will have five parts, all between November 1997 and May 1998. (Three of the five parts are already completed.)

*.*.*.*

one

combat
I'm ready for combat
they say I don't want that
but what if I do

"You all right, Hermione?"

The current revelation dancing on the tip of Hermione's tongue is both surprising and not surprising. However, nothing should surprise her anymore. The only problem is that she somehow still is shocked every. single. time.

Because, in all sincerity, the Wizarding World is seriously, completely, and utterly … bizarre.

The troll is one thing — it was the first inconceivable thing she witnessed since she was alerted to her witch status. That was pretty shocking, but so was the fact that Ronald Weasley, a walking insult generator at age 11, had come to her rescue with Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Being petrified by a big basilisk is a whole other conundrum.

Okay, but, time travel. Portkeys to travel from one place to another. The Department of Mysteries, a true puzzle. And rooms materializing as if from nowhere, containing items with their own secrets. So yeah, she's lived through some stuff.

But perhaps there is nothing stranger than the notion of soul-splitting.

'cause cruelty
wins in the movies

Harry declares he's not going back to Hogwarts — he wants to find these objects of Voldemort's soul and destroy, destroy, destroy — so Hermione goes with him. Ron comes too. They are not prepared for the insanity that comes from the three of them being together.

So, while the concept of residing in the forest in a tent with two hormonal teenage boys and eating what she can find that isn't poisonous is certainly not ideal, at least she is alive and the boys are alive, and they have two Horcruxes destroyed and one Horcrux in their possession. Does she think Harry should have a little bit more of a plan? Yes, of course, but like, how in the world is one supposed to find a Horcrux when they know next to nothing?

How could someone be so … how could someone do this to themselves? Willingly fracture their soul into pieces? Six pieces? Willingly commit six murders? Murder, the truest act of evil, mutilates a witch or wizard's soul, and then one can cast a spell to rip away the damaged piece and encase it in an object. The fragment of soul in the object will take the appearance and perform the mannerisms of the person when they committed the murder.

Therefore, when Tom Riddle murdered Myrtle, his vandalized soul was placed in the diary, keeping his 16-year-old self preserved forever.

So, yeah, all right, that's pretty crazy. Hermione has thought about the math of the whole process prior to being stuck in a forest, but now she has so much time to herself that it becomes clearer with each moment. Tom Riddle has 100 percent of his soul, and then he creates a Horcrux out of his diary. Half of his soul is in the diary while the other half stays in him. The fifty percent makes the diary so powerful, it has the ability to influence a human being, direct a colossal serpent, and wreck havoc on a school full of children.

But then he makes his father's ring a Horcrux. Now he only has twenty-five percent of his soul, while the ring has the other twenty-five percent. The ring that causes Dumbledore's cursed right hand and shortened life.

And then there's the locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin, which has twelve-and-a-half percent of his soul, so he has twelve-and-a-half percent of his soul in him. The locket that causes the wearer to have a foul mood and see the worst in everything and everyone.

There's two more and then Nagini, and as Voldemort creates them, his body contains less and less of his soul. If Hermione is right, and she thinks she is, Voldemort has less than two percent of his soul in his own body. No wonder his soul shattered so easily when he tried to kill Harry in 1981.

However, he did kill James and Lily before attempting to kill Harry. Did a piece of his soul latch on to Harry's soul? Well, most likely, how else can the mental connection between Harry and Voldemort be explained? How else can Harry fluently speak Parseltongue with having no prior knowledge or education? How else can all the similarities between the two wizards be explained?

"Neither can live while the other survives …"

Harry and Voldemort cannot live without the other. So … both have to die.

The realization hits her like a train and she feels like she can't breathe, like she can't move. In order for the most evil wizard in the Wizarding World to die, her best friend, her confidant, her first love … has to die too.

That's why Dumbledore protected Harry all these years. That's why Dumbledore wanted Harry to find the artifacts with fragments of Voldemort's soul and destroy them. If all of them are slaughtered, Voldemort becomes mortal. Once Voldemort is mortal … he can die.

Harry looks at her expectantly, and she remembers he asked her a question a moment ago. She forces a smile, and Harry can probably tell it isn't genuine, but she'll just chalk it up to being ready for this nightmare to end. "Yeah … I'm fine."

I've got a
hundred thrown out speeches I almost said to you

He grabs her hand and pulls her to her feet. She is now aware of the radio playing music gently and he wraps an arm around her, holds her hand in his, and sways them slowly. She smiles again, but it still doesn't reach her eyes. She lays her head against his shoulder and lets him move her to the soft beat of the music.

She feels conflicted in her emotions. She wants to break down and cry, but she also wants to feel nothing. It's too much, everything hurts. Everything bad that happens to Harry happens to her through association, and damn if it doesn't hurt so much more than it should. But why? Is the ache from Ron leaving them interweaving through the other agony she feels?

She will not tell him about her revelation, no, not now, because it will kill him. He will feel betrayed by Dumbledore and he can't feel that way if they want to make it through the winter and find the rest of the Horcruxes. He will not make it, she will not make it.

(And in case anyone is wondering, she feels incredibly betrayed too. Harry was essentially raised to be killed. How is that justified? How could Dumbledore, a man they all revered, do this to them? She feels rage towards the dead wizard, and she suddenly wonders if he ever intended on telling Harry, or if dying was his way out of the situation.)

easy they come
easy they go
I jumped from the train
I'd ride off alone
I never grew up
it's getting so old
help me hold on to you

Harry twirls her to the music, and she is brought out of her thoughts once more. He's smiling, trying so hard to bring her back to him. She admires his attempt, and she tries, she really does, but it proves to be more difficult than either of them hoped. But his smile is contagious, and she finds herself smiling back at him.

The song continues, and he's still swaying and twirling her, and somehow they're laughing. Their situation is shit, but they're laughing, and Hermione can't help but think that she could never have a moment like this with Ron.