AN: one shot written for the QLFC season 9 week 1

Position prompt: Beater 1: Your character makes a promise to a dying loved one

Additional prompts used:

Prompt : [Setting] Astronomy Tower

Thanks to my fellow Puddlemere united team members for beta-ing.

WC: 1397

Titel/Link: The bucket list

Harry looked up as the door to the common room opened, surprised that someone would be returning this late.

Just before the door fully closed, he noticed Hermione's unmistaking brown hair, which both surprised and concerned him. It wasn't like Hermione to leave the common room this late in the evening, especially as she had gone to bed not long ago.

Quickly making his way up to his dorm, Harry grabbed his cloak and map. A few minutes later found him hurrying towards the hospital wing, where both Hermione and Madam Pomfrey's dots were located.

As he got to the door, he quietly slipped in just in time to hear the end of the conversation.

"Only a few more weeks left," he heard the nurse say.

"I know. I've tried, but I can't find anything," Hermione said.

"Have you told your friends yet?" Madame Pomfrey asked Hermione, making Harry wonder what Hermione was keeping from them.

"I'm not sure how. Ron isn't here, and I don't want to hurt Harry." Harry could hear the worry in Hermione's voice. What was she hiding from them? It was Madam Pomfrey's voice that brought Harry out of his thoughts.

"It's better they hear it now, then find out after you died."

Harry's eyes went wide. Did the school nurse just say Hermione was going to die? Harry was so shocked that he hadn't realised that Hermione had left until the door to the infirmary closed behind her.

As the school nurse was tidying up in the hospital wing, Harry couldn't leave until 10 minutes later, at which point Hermione had long vacated the corridor that the hospital wing was situated in. During those minutes, waiting for the nurse to leave, all sorts of questions raced through Harry's mind. Why was she dying? Why hadn't she told them? It couldn't be true! Hermione would never keep such a secret from him, would she? Harry sighed, apparently she would. Did he mean so little to her?

Harry scanned the map again, this time finding his friend in the Astronomy Tower, and with a quick pace he moved in that direction. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he knew they had to talk.

Reaching the astronomy tower, Harry saw Hermione lying in the middle of the room, looking straight up at the sky. After the battle that destroyed most of the castle, a glass dome was installed at the top of the Astronomy Tower. It had special spells to ensure the view was exactly as if no glass was between the viewer and the sky, but the weather would not impact the people inside.

Taking the cloak off, Harry went to lie next to Hermione, the anger he had felt at her keeping secrets from him, evaporated when he saw how exhausted she looked.

"Hey."

"Hey back. I thought you were going to bed?" Harry asked Hermione, as he made himself comfortable. As he was looking at the sky, he didn't see Hermione nod.

"How did you know I was here? You were also going to bed," Hermione replied.

This time it was Harry's turn to nod without it being seen. "I noticed something in my book that I could use, so I wanted to write it down before I forgot. I noticed you leaving the common room."

"So why did it take you so—" Hermione stopped as realisation hit her. "You followed me to the hospital wing, didn't you?" She turned to face Harry.

Harry nodded. "I heard the end of your conversation, sorry."

A small empty silence followed, neither sure of what to say next. It was eventually Harry who started the conversation up again. "Why didn't you tell me? I understand not telling Ron until you see him again, but why didn't you tell me?"

Despite Harry trying to hide it, Hermione could still hear the hurt in his voice. "I couldn't. As long as I didn't tell anyone, I could pretend it wasn't real, but now—" Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry. I thought I would find a way to stop the curse, and that everything would be okay. I didn't want to worry you."

"How long?" Harry asked, despite only being two words the question felt loaded.

"How long what?" Hermione asked. "How long ago have I been cursed? During the battle. Someone must have landed a curse without realising it.

"How long have I known that I'm going to die? Since september. After the welcoming feast, I wasn't feeling too well, I went and saw Madame Pomfrey the next day. By then it was too late for her to tell which curse hit me."

Once again Hermione fell silent. As the two continued to look at the stars, wondering about the future.

"You know, I always thought I would finish Hogwarts and go to a Muggle uni. My parents wanted me to do that, and I always assumed that was next for me. I never thought that I wouldn't live that long," Hermione suddenly said.

Harry snorted. "Uni wouldn't be that different from this. You'd be away from your parents and spend most of your time in the library."

Hermione shook her head. "Uni is about more than studying; it's about making connections for the future. I would join multiple societies and go out. If anything, the past few years have taught me that I do need some fun occasionally."

This time, Harry couldn't help himself, and he sat up and started laughing. "You going out instead of spending time in the library? I guess next you'll be telling me that you would get drunk, meet a random guy and—"

"Harry!" Harry never managed to finish his sentence as Hermione shouted his name, softly punching him in the shoulder. He couldn't even pretend to be hurt as he was laughing so loudly.

It wasn't until Harry had stopped laughing that Hermione said, "You know, never say never."

This time it was Hermione's turn to start laughing, as Harry sat with his mouth wide open, gaping at his friend. It wasn't until both were lying down again, watching the stars, that Hermione spoke again.

"No, I don't think I would ever do that, but—" Hermione paused and sighed. "I guess I'll never find out."

It only took a few seconds for Harry to open his mouth, "Well, actually—"

Hermione immediately sat up again. "What are you thinking?"

Harry shrugged. "We're both eighteen, so why don't we take a trip to Muggle London this weekend? Pretend we're uni students, go out and see what the world has to offer outside of Hogwarts."

Hermione shook her head vehemently. "We can't do that!"

"So what is on your bucket list in that case? Because apart from graduating and abseiling from this tower, I can't see anything else you might accomplish while at Hogwarts," Harry countered.

"I haven't made a bucket list. As you said, I can't do a lot while at Hogwarts, and I was hoping to find a cure." At Harry's look, Hermione added, "But the abseiling does sound good to put at the top of the list."

"And doing uni life isn't?"

"Well, it is now?" Hermione half asked, half stated.

"Okay, that's sorted." Harry said with a smirk. "Friday, we're hitting Muggle London. Now let's finish this bucket list."

*hphphp*

It was a couple of weeks later that Hermione and Harry found themselves in the Astronomy Tower once again.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, standing on the edge of the tower.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Promise me that you'll finish our bucket list after I'm gone?" Hermione asked, leaning backwards as far as she could without actually falling.

"We'll finish it together, Hermione," Harry said, making his way towards the edge where she stood.

Hermione shook her head. "No, we won't. I can feel it... Every day is becoming more and more of a struggle. Please promise me that you will do it for me?"

Harry nodded. "Of course I will, Hermione. You know that I'll do anything for you."

Hermione smiled. "I know. First one down wins!" She let herself fall all the way backwards off the tower.

Harry just smiled, turned around and let himself fall off the edge, relying on the ropes to keep himself from plunging all the way down. Hermione might be dying, but that didn't mean Harry would let her win without a fight