Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and "Wherever You Will Go" belongs to The Calling, not me!
Summary: Before the final face-off with Voldemort, Harry writes a letter to his best friends.
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~Wherever You Will Go~
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It was late April, one gloomy night in Hogwarts. The Gryffindor common-room was almost empty. Only seventh-years Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger remained. Ron was finishing a Potions essay (NEWT level), and Hermione was sitting by him pointing out his every mistake and elicting grumbles and glares from a nevertheless grateful Ron.
Harry sat in the armchair at the table beside them, watching them closely with a painful ache in his heart. Some things never changed, just like Hermione and Ron's loyalty. They would always be there for him when he needed them, and they always had been.
But Voldemort was rising fast, and Harry knew that he had to end this battle sooner or later. One of them had to die, and Harry stood a better chance now, when Voldemort wasn't all-powerful.
It hurt him deeply to know that he may never see Ron and Hermione again. He worried about them a lot. They were strong; he knew that, and they could keep themselves alive as well as he could. But losing him might just shatter them - he knew how he'd feel if he lost one of them. How would they hold up if he wasn't around anymore?
Harry pulled out a piece of parchment, and lowering his gaze from Ron's flaming head and Hermione's twinkling brown eyes, he began to write his letter.
Dear Ron and Hermione,
// So lately, been wondering
Who will be there to take my place?
When I'm gone, you'll need love
To light the shadows on your face.
If a great wave shall fall
And fall upon us all,
Then between the sand and stone,
Could you make it on your own? //
- What if something happened to them after the battle? What if a last Death Eater flung the Avada Kadavra curse at Hermione and killed her? What if Ron was massacred by a vicious giant spider? Would he . . . wherever he was, be able to bear the thought of their loss?
Yet how could he - ? He had no choice; he couldn't stay with them and watch over them. He could come back, but he didn't think he was going to win this battle. Harry knew he couldn't stay with them.
But if he could . . .
// If I could, then I would,
I'd go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low
I'd go wherever you will go
And maybe, I'll find out
A way to make it back someday
To watch you, to guide you
Through the darkest of your days,
If a great wave shall fall,
And fall upon us all
Well I hope there's someone out there who
Can bring me back to you //
- Laughter made him look up from his letter, and he smiled with unknown tears in his eyes as Ron and Hermione fought for a piece of parchment that had fallen out of Ron's textbook. Harry grinned. He knew the parchment held a love poem that Ron had written, and he knew that Ron would give up every single silver Sickle (which weren't many) that he owned to keep Hermione from reading his composition.
"Ouch - gerroff! - Harry, tell her - "
"Not until I see what you're trying to hide from me!" Hermione said sternly, her eyes alight with laughter nonetheless.
Harry chuckled. It was amazing, he thought almost sadly, how their laughter always echoed around him and how they always had a smile to lift his spirits even when the fury of the Dark Lord around them grew.
"Awww, give him a break, Hermione," Harry offered with a grin, "You never know what you might uncover if you read that thing - wouldn't you like to know Ron just as he is?"
Hermione snorted. "Not very impressing, is he, just as he is!" she teased, and ducked at Ron sent a Jellylegs hex at her for that.
Harry looked down at his quill. Hell, he was going to miss them.
// If I could, then I would,
I'd go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low
I'd go wherever you will go
Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love . . . //
This night could be their last together, Harry knew. They didn't know it; they didn't even begin to guess - but Harry was glad about that. He couldn't afford them knowing his plans, because he would rather die than take them into deadly battle with him.
Yet some small part of his heart wanted more than anything for them to know what he was going to do. Some traitorous part of him wanted them to be with him so that he wouldn't have to leave them behind. He supposed some piece of his soul wanted to know yet again that they cared enough to follow.
And what if he was to die in the face-off with Voldemort? What if his body crumpled and his glasses shattered and Harry Potter was no more?
Ron and Hermione would take care of each other, but who would take care of them?
And then - quite suddenly - it came to him, a flash of hope that eased the worried knot in his mind a little.
// I know now, just quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart, in your mind
I'll stay with you for all time. //
Love always,
Harry
Signing off the letter, Harry thought about his backpack packed and ready waiting in the hallway outside the portrait. He folded his note and left it on the table, knowing they would find it.
He stood up.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows knitting together. "Where are you going?"
"Left my Invisibility Cloak in the library," he lied softly. "I'll be back soon." - On an impulse he crossed the table and gave them both a hug.
"Merlin's beard, Harry, what's the matter with you?" Ron looked astonished.
"Let it go, Ron." Hermione shook her head, smiling at Harry.
Harry gave them a weak grin and turning around quickly, he walked to the Fat Lady's portrait and pushed it open. He climbed out, grabbed his backpack and slipping on the Cloak, raced down the corridor and out into the castle grounds.
He didn't look back, because he was sure that if he did, he might not have the strength to leave:
So he didn't see the two figures and their own packs following him quietly into the night.
// If I could, then I would
I'd go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low
I'd go wherever you will go
If I could turn back time
I'd go wherever you will go
If I could make you mind
I'd go wherever you will go . . . //
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~THE END
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A/n: Not my usual writing style, but I had an idea. Anyway, please review and let me know what you guys thought!
- Luv, ViXeN
(aka Padfoot-Lives)
