Just Harry

Why this?

Bitter thoughts of the youth were of such intense repetition, that he physically had to shake his head to rid himself of that weight.

Any time, any day, any year.

His final battle was coming…he knew it, and there was no way preventing it.

"Neither can live as the other survives,"

He spoke out loud, mind racing these words back and forth. The prophecy seemed to confuse and tease him. Leading him to one idea and then crushing it the next. Suddenly, Harry Potter realized it was deadly silent. There was no rushing sound of the ebony tides reaching the beach, nor of the wind rustling the thick branches of the Whomping Willow.

Thus, leading Harry Potter into Silent Agony. Oh, he had been there many a times, but none so hollow as this. He waited for the high cold laughter, or a blaze of death green light. Not coming from the distance, but from within. Voldemort would come, Dumbledore was gone. Everything was gone.

Strength

Wisdom

Boldness

Love

All was at loss, and Harry Potter knew he must come and find those qualities and restore them unto everyone, he knew he must lead them into salvation.

Harry sighed and tucked his knees closer into his stomach, watching the Black Lake in all of its own, sheer glory. He sat, wallowing in Silent Agony

"Harry?"

Opening a single eye, Harry was able to decipher the silhouette of a person about five feet away from him. The bushiness of the hair told him his best friend approaches.

Feeling inconsolable, he closed his eyes yet again.

She would join him; that much was predictable.

After not answering her call, Hermione Granger tried again.

"Harry?"

This time her voice seemed to lure Harry away from his island of Silent Agony. There was a rather pitiful note, almost pleading. The least he could do was look up at her.

Finally regarding her presence, Harry lifted his head and stared into her golden-chestnut eyes. There was a moment of understanding as their eyes met, focusing on the ebony pupils that told the story inside each of their thoughts. "Oh, I see you're not really in the talking kind of mood, I'll just—"

She was cut off as she watched Harry's hand rest on the ground next to him, patting it lightly; he had invited her to sit.

Obliging, Hermione wordlessly walked over and sat next to him.

Harry sighed and took a deep breath.

"Hermione, do you honestly think I will succeed?" Harry knew he needn't explain in what he would succeed in. He knew that Hermione knew it wasn't about tomorrow's Transfiguration's exam.

The answer he expected came.

"Of course I do, Harry I think you can do anything," Hermione whispered softly.

Harry considered this, rolling these words over in his mind.

"Why did you come here?" he asked. Harry realized he must have sounded harsh, but he had already uttered the words.

Hermione remained quiet for a moment; she knew the last thing Harry wanted to hear was 'to check on you'. It was an honest answer, but not the best answer.

"I came to be with you," she said quietly. It was the truth, but for some reason it didn't sound right. Her brow furrowed slightly, but she kept quiet.

Harry's response surprised her.

"Ron being a git again?" he asked, rather amused.

Harry knew Hermione often would seek refuge in the library or somewhere with him whenever something between her and Ron happened.

"No, actually, I just thought you looked rather lonely out here," she said.

Harry could guess from there.

"Oh, well that was nice of you," Harry said distantly.

Hermione had figured what Harry meant was

"I'm always alone and someone as insignificant as yourself cannot change that,"

Not saying anything, Hermione just let Harry sit their melting away into the haze of his own thoughts.

After about ten minutes, Hermione picked up her wand and began practicing transforming a nearby pebble into a small bird. A rather simple task given to them by Professor McGonagall in their fourth year.

Without looking, she made to grab another pebble. Her hand made contact with something, but it wasn't a pebble, it was soft…

Looking down Hermione realized that Harry's hand was resting under her own. A stir next to her told Hermione that Harry had realized this physical contact as well.

Lifting her hand up rather quickly, Hermione lay it in her lap and peered out at the black lake.

She was taken by surprise when she felt the soft touch on her same hand.

Looking down once again, Hermione noticed Harry had taken her hand. He didn't seem to notice what he had just done for he was still staring out at the lake.

Harry took a long breath and closed his eyes.

"Why does it seem like every second, every minute will be wasted until I defeat Voldemort?" he asked. Hermione stared into the empty air, considering this question.

"It's not," she spoke softly, "You just have to find the beauty within every minute, always giving you something to be happy about."

A faint smile stretched across Harry's face. Suddenly, Hermione found herself gathered in Harry's arms.

"How do you always know what to say?" he whispered softly in her ear, his warm breath on her neck, making her skin ripple with pleasure.

What is wrong with you? It's just Harry!

Her mind was saying. Yet, why hadn't he let go of her yet?

Finally after several minutes, they broke apart.

"Thanks," Harry said softly, "I needed that."

She cocked her head to the side

"I think I did too," Hermione admitted.

Harry gave a small laugh and his faint smile grew wider. He looked at Hermione and deep down felt how grateful he was to have her as his friend.

Hermione found herself looking away for some odd reason. There was just this look in Harry's eye that she had never seen before; for some reason it scared her.

"Harry, are…a-are you alright?" she asked, reaching for his hand.

To her surprise and dismay, he pulled it away. And as Hermione looked up into his eyes, there was now anger in them.

"Come on, can't there ever be a conversation between us that doesn't have to do with my well-being?" Harry asked her, his tone rather rough.

Hermione said nothing and simply hung her head. She hated it when Harry used that tone with her.

She felt his hand all of a sudden upon her shoulder.

His voice was much softer this time. "Hermione, it's not your fault, I guess everyone would be concerned about me if the fate of the Wizarding World rest in my hands, I'm sorry."

Hermione slowly looked up at him and gasped to see a single tear running down his cheek.

"Oh, Harry…" she just whispered softly and fell into his arms again.

Harry looked down on Hermione and she tilted her head up to face him. There was that same look in his eye again; and Hermione realized, as she looked at herself in the reflection of his pupils, that she had allowed two tears to fall out of each of her eyes.

Harry, realizing this as well, quickly wiped each of them away, his breathing suddenly becoming heavy. Their eyes continued to stare determinedly into each other as Harry all of a sudden found himself leaning in.

What are you doing!?

His mind criticized him. But, all too soon he felt Hermione's soft lips press against his own.

God only knows how long they stayed that way, but finally Hermione pulled back, not saying a word as she fixed her gaze upon the giant squid that had come to the surface.

Harry merely just stayed in the same position he was in, recollecting what had just happened. He had kissed her. He had really done it…Harry didn't even realize what he was doing.

Cautiously, he peered over at Hermione. She had an almost dreamy look in her eyes…and was that an embarrassed smile playing across her lips?

So she had liked it. Harry sighed and rested his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him.

Deep inside, Harry knew that this was right, that they both needed this. He sighed in contentment as he felt Hermione's soft hand close around his own.

This would all be in the past, Harry knew.

"I will always love you," he told her in reassurance.

Smiling, Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

"I know."

Laughing softly, Harry laid his head over hers.

He knew this would eventually blow away like the heated wind on a warm summer's day. He knew that tomorrow neither him, nor Hermione would ever recollect what had happened. Tomorrow. He knew that tomorrow, She would go back to being Hermione Granger, top student and Head Girl and Harry would go back to being Harry Potter the Chosen One. But, for now, he was just Harry.

The End