A/N : Hi guys! Another new chapter; I really hope you enjoy this new chapter as I tried my best to write it for you guys. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated as the quality of the story is for the benefit of my readers!

Also, this story only follows the books up until the time Hermione said if they could "stay here, Harry - Grow Old." Everything afterwards is going to be different, like how I'm not going to include the time when Harry read 'The life and lies of Albus Dumbledore'. I'm just saying just in case you guys start telling me that I've mixed or made the wrong timeline from the books or movies. :)

And this is something I should've placed in the first chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters from the Harry Potter books and movies as all belong to JK Rowling. All credit should be given to her.

…~~…

When Harry was sitting by the flap of the tent that night, he was stargazing. That night, though cold and damp even with the hundred of sweaters and jackets, still had a clear, deep blue sky. The stars were shining and high, and it gives off a small sense of simplicity and peacefulness. Astrology was not his greatest subject, but he knew that each star is meant something deeper than what is perceived. There are patterns, an invisible line connecting them together, and giving something that is bigger than just shining pieces from space. With the vast of the diamond sky, he felt so insignificant; just another person living in the smaller light, and he so wished it was true; he would give anything to leave this hell he was meant to live. If there was a way out, he'd take it rather than either be a victim - or a murderer.

He closed his eyes, trying to remove the itching sore in them as it forces him to fall unconscious, and as much as the temptation was big, he knew better; weeks and months living in the crappy old living place was an added bonus to his restless nights as every sleeping encounter leaves him sprawling out of bed, breathless and sweaty, as another vision - a nightmare - come across his closed eyelids.

Living in this type of lifestyle was taking a toll on him so much, and was getting all of his energy, time and sanity - If only there was a way out.

"…Why can't we just stay here, Harry?" Hermione said, with a small smile. "…Grow Old."

The thought came, and his lips curled in contentment; he was more than glad Hermione's here keeping him sane. Only, that smile vanished. Grow old. Oh, how he wish; how he just want to leave everything behind, and it was just them; it was just the two of them, across the world, going anywhere and everywhere they wanted, with no care about the world. With no inclination of everything going on about. But he has to defeat Voldemort, he was bound to do so; and it was his way of repayment to everyone who's died, dying and might die; it was all his fault, he was all to blame, because he let the people he cared the most to die and give up themselves for him. It was all his fault because he was failing so miserably, out in the forest with no idea of what to do with Horcrux they have now, and have no idea where the others are; and even if they have it all, they still don't have anything to destroy them; they are so empty-handed, that it's so frustrating.

When Harry opened his eyes, it widened with his mouth hanging slightly open.

A beautiful, shining and shimmering doe was just out there near the trees. Its feline features were mesmerizing, with an air of life around them. It was staring right at him, as if asking him to come nearer, and he did; with Hermione's wand around his fingers, he took slow, deliberate steps, cautious as if he might scare her. Just after a few meters away, the doe turned its body and walked to a different direction. Harry called out "wait!" to it, but it didn't stop - The doe was trying to lead him somewhere. Harry glanced back inside the tent, where his best friend is probably lying there, sleeping. He knew at once that he'd get a great deal of lecturing from her when she sees his seat unoccupied. He could already imagine a frustrated and exasperated Hermione with arms cross and a slight pout on her lips, and it left a small grin on his face without realizing.

Then, he turned to the direction of the animal, walking to her while keeping a look out at the forest. He was counting his steps just in case he was lost, counting the lefts and turns. His body was aching slightly due to the awkward angle he had on the floor, and his head was falling an inch or so, and he would shake his head subtly to remove a bit of the spots on his eyes. After minutes of walking, the doe had disappeared. Harry, surprised, had used Hermione's hand and casted a "lumos" and the light on the tip of his wand lit up the small space around him as he looked around for the doe, only to realize it was gone as fast at it appeared.

Harry was confused; why would it lead him in the middle of nowhere? Walking around, he went over trees while his feet created a crackling noise from the fallen leaves, checking his back every once in a while to see if anyone was following. As he walked, he realized there was nothing there; literally nothing! There was just trees and leaves around the area, and it was obvious there was no dark magic; there would've been traps around him already. So what was the doe supposed to be? A distraction? A way for him to lose his companion?

He yelped in surprise as he stepped on something really cold the locket around his neck burning slightly, and he stumbled nearly to the ground as he shook his head, heart racing until he realized it was just a pond. He sighed in relief, and smacked his head mentally. It was just the cold water. He stood, and smacked his hands over and over to remove the leaves that stuck his palms. He was about to turn away and back to the tent, hoping that Hermione was not awake to notice him missing, but realized that he had accidentally dropped Hermione's wand by the pool of water. Harry, who got frustrated and annoyed to his tired body for being so clumsy and lousy, jogged over the pond to take the wand.

Then, the locket was slowly burning on his skin, he realized, and turned to look down at the locket as it buzzed. Then, something reflected down from the pond. Curious, he leaned down to see the last thing he expected to see - The Sword Of Gryffindor.

…~~…

Hermione was busy with her books.

Books was her way of having freedom, where she could delve deep into her imagination and learn concepts in her own understanding, with endless possibilities. It's where she could hide from reality, her mind so focused and preoccupied by the words written in each page, that she is suddenly deaf of everything around her, her vision seeing nothing but the words, her own body floating as if she was being levitated by someone. It's her solace when everything was wrong and confusing and so … complicated.

But that night, it did not help.

When she took one of her favorite books from her bag and sat on her made-up bed, she tried reading it - but to her surprise, she had read this so much that its appeal is not as strong as before. She ended up skipping the pages, going on the topics she enjoyed the most, only to realize she had memorize it by heart that she can recite this book back-to-back. She threw it down back inside the bag, and took Hogwarts: A History. She was able to read it through the first few chapters, but a certain thought just kept on coming:

"When in doubt, go to the Library."

And when she thought of that phrase she had used, she remembered Harry, and instinctively shut the book without going back on it. It was the same phrase that plagues her whenever she used her textbooks from Hogwarts and decided to skip those. She didn't want to read those books that involve the dark arts, specifically Horcruxes - it only reminds her of what its done to them. She tried fiction - but it only came worse. She didn't realize she had unconsciously packed romance, drama novels, and she already knew that it would not distract her, but would only make her emotions stronger.

That's when she threw her whole bag as far away as possible, landing a soft thud across the room near the tent flap. With a frustrated sigh, she rested her head on top of her hands, elbows resting on her thighs.

Really, can't a girl have something to keep herself stable?

She tried sleeping on the hard, crumpled, and dirty bed, but her thoughts continue to push her to have those horrible thoughts of when she had nearly kissed Harry, and it stung to even remember, her heart being squashed down from so much guilt for doing this torment to him, guilty for nearly cheating at her boyfriend - even if he did leave - and much, much angry at himself for doing such things, for letting those things happen to her. It was in the middle of the night when she decided to check in on Harry. Of course, it'd be awkward, but didn't think she could survive without talking to him, and maybe just a small talk with him would help.

But when she went outside, he was not there. At first, she thought he was just around. She checked back in the tent at his side of the room, and saw it untouched, and had a quick glance at the other places in tent, but he wasn't there. Alarmed, she went over around the area near the places she covered with spells, calling his name, and he still wasn't there. Now, Hermione was panicking. He wouldn't have left her, would he?

No! Hermione thought. He wouldn't.

She checked outside the circle, and went around the woods - not too far from the tent itself, going in and out to check if he was there again. She didn't have her wand as it was with Harry, and knew she was vulnerable without it, but she still walked and walked around, keeping herself from shouting his name, in fear that it might attract unwanted attention. But her eyes were starting to water and it's just coming, and it's so irritating and distracting that she couldn't control it because it was blurring her vision, and keeping her from focusing on her task at hand as she wiped her eyes occasionally. Her own heart was thumping so loudly she can barely hear her surroundings, and each step was so slow because there was a throbbing from her head from all the anxiety. She couldn't help but fret; to feel anxious and angsty and mad and disappointed and everything in between.

When she returned to the tent, she was in full panic mode. Where could Harry be? She can only imagine so many dark, and really disturbing thoughts - like how Harry's fallen from a mountain and didn't think to use some levitation charms or conjure a soft cushion on his landing; he might've drowned somewhere, maybe a lake or something, and didn't know how to swim or lost her wand deep down, or even worse - he might be with the death eaters already! How he's being enslaved, tortured with spells and punches and kicks. She can easily imagine him screaming his lungs out as one of the death eaters hit him with an Unforgivable spell, most probably the Cruciatus, as they laughed maniacally over him.

She groaned as she sat down on her bed. Why, why why would Harry be so ignorant and leave her?

But that's when her head started fighting itself.

But he can be anywhere! If I leave, I won't be able to stay and keep things fixed. Her side of the brain said.

And if you don't, he might as well be dead! The other said.

No - Harry's too strong for Voldemort.

He's a teenager!

A teenager who doesn't act his age!

Oh, come on! Don't leave Harry the way Ron left him.

Hermione's eyes widened at that, and her heart had stopped for a second before she took deep breaths, forcing her brain to stop their bickering. She had clutched the fabric under her, and she kept her eyes shut so hard it started to hurt. Don't leave Harry the way Ron left him... the thought was stuck on her head, and it won't stop. Be the person he needs the most.

She scoffed inwardly. She's going crazy! Her head was constantly beating themselves up like when she did when Ron left. Her mind just kept going to Harry, and every time she thinks of him, she can't help but hope that he'd be back, the way she hoped for Ron to come. She was just sitting there, thinking of ways to fix everything, just like…just like when she did with Ron. Only, it's different - it's deeper, darker, and really, really cold inside; an emptiness that was worse than when Ron left.

She tried to reason with her mind then and there, that it must be because she really was alone - but it was wrong. She pushed that it's because Harry leaving or whatever was still fresh - yet she never felt this cold when Ron left. It was all anger and disappointment when Ron turned around without turning back, like someone sent a fiendfyre around them; but Harry was more of emptiness, darkness, cold, like somehow without Harry, a dementor came to suck every happy memory and thought.

That's when she came to a realization - she's in love with Harry Potter.

She's in love with Harry Potter, her best friend.

And this was the first time she had wished that she was not so perceptive.