Forever is Only Years Away
Chapter 7: Thorn off a Page
Emotions are blotted ink dots thorn from the pages of time and memories. And he will run.
He will run until there are no more tomorrows until there are no yesterdays until there is just beginning and an eternal end. He remembered being happy, he remembered smiling and he remembered the sharp pain in his stomach as he faded. To fade was the grandest adventure.
The sun was young in those days; it held bravery and promises and he used to worship the ground it walked on.
And in those memories he would remember...
"Come back to bed," her soft, sleepy voice-- almost translucent voice --filtered through to him. He was standing by the window, watching below as his mother magically dried the fleshly washed clothes.
When he didn't respond to her he felt her get up from the bed, the soft rustling of the sheets telling him that she was wrapped in nothing but the thin cotton. Her thin arms went around his waist, laying her cheek on his bare back, her fingers softly petting the small fuzz of red hair that grew just below his bellybutton. "What are you thinking about?"
He smiled at her whisper; that was his Hermione, always wanting to find out what was happening, always on top of everything (though it was no secret he loved she when was on top of himself)
"Me? Oh, just wondering." he answered, delighting in her soft kisses on his back.
"Of what? What can possibly keep you from our bed, Ronald Weasely."
He turned to face her. "Our bed?" his tone was almost mocking, teasing and daring her to say what they had both understood to be true.
Her cheeks flushed lightly pink and she hid amongst teasing eyelashes.
"I--well, I t-thought," she stammered, looking embarrassed with the whole situation, wishing perhaps that it was not mere cotton what separated them but a nice conservative school uniform.
He had to let out an amused laugh. "Hermione, it is out bed."
Her head snapped up, blazing eyes narrowing. "Ron, you--"
But his lips grasped hers before she could truly be upset and they ate at her, tasking her morning glory juiced with plums and apricots of Summer tides.
To die here and now would be the end of his greatest adventure, as the cotton hit the wood floor and he felt himself flying in her mists, her hair embracing his arms, making love against the hairs of his forearm, teasing him with their glorified insistence of a better world.
Here. Here and now he would dine.
And afterwards, when they lay--both breathing in a panting after tone--amongst her enchanted ceiling that showed them the stars she spoke to him.
"If we're ever apart... would you send me note of my favorite poem?" she whispered into the chest that cradled her head.
He looked down at her hand, holding it against his. "What's your favorite poem-I don't think you've ever told me."
She let him play with her hand. "It's by a muggle."
"A muggle?"
She wriggled against him. "Yes, it's a terribly romantic poem, which is not the most literally acclaimed one but..." she turned to look at him. "It's what I feel when we're away."
"What's its name?"
She was silent for a while. "It's called 'Tell the Years I Will Come'."
"Site it for me," he asked her.
She sat up, smiling, highly excited that she was going to inform him of a scholastic he was not familiar with (a daily thing for them) but she looked most beautiful this way.
She cleared her throat.
"Tell the Years I will come
Though hell be barred upon my path
And heaven's myst keep me at bay
Tell the years, I'll find my way
Tell the years I will come
To march upon no hallow ground
If hell be keeping your soul from me
Tell the years I'll set you free
Tell the years I will come
Though heart of pity dies and mourns
And cryeth tears too soon gone lost
That has left nothing but a lonely ghost
Tell the years I will come
I'll find the path among my heart
And set you bleeding on sky-high
Tell the years I'll love or die
Tell the years I will come
Amongst the emptiness that's filled my heart
Amongst the weariness that makes me whole
Tell the years I'll take you home
Tell the years I have come
For messages given and messages lost
To be ready as a Summer day
for tomorrow is only years away."
Her eyes were brimming with tears when she finished.
"It's morbid," he stated. "They never come."
"Of course they do! But when they're ready! That' the point! That's the whole point, Ron--don't you see?" she was shinning with the excitement of a discussion of something. "Love was never what was missing, it was the will to find yourself within yourself to then be ready to find the one you love. Because... because sometimes love is not enough. It'll take you 'sky-high' and you'd rather die than not be able to love but if the heart is empty and lost then you have to fill it first--"
"But shouldn't love make you whole?" he interrupted her ranting, her eyes had gone glassy and she was going to drool any moment.
She shook her head. "It's love and acceptance of one-self that makes you whole, you can love the whole work and despise yourself."
"But how can you love and be empty inside?" he asked her, smirking, as if he'd proven his point.
"Sometimes we're not meant to understand what we feel...and maybe one day we'll feel that way, Ron. We'll love each other but we'll be empty inside." she looked down. "Because maybe love is the only thing we're sure of."
He reached out and tucked a hair behind her ear. "If there's one thing I'm sure of is that you're sure of everything."
She gave him a sideways smile, almost hiding behind her lashes. "Now you're teasing me, Ronald Weasley."
"Maybe," he laughed at her and pulled her smaller body to his. "But I'll never tell you."
"Hummm," she hummed comfortably. "I give it to you too easy."
He kissed her pouting lip. "Nahh, you don't."
She laughed against him.
"I seem to remember a time where you were a bit less broody." words that startled him out of his thoughts. "And that was a few weeks ago."
His body didn't move from his position on the window. "Remus." he greeted.
Lupin walked around the room, studying his half-full trunk. "I see you've packed...or tried."
Ron said nothing, the window was suddenly very interesting.
Lupin watched him for a moment then sat down, lightly on top of his small crumpled bed. "You don't have to go," he said after a while.
"No, I think I do."
Lupin sighed heavily. "Ron... how long are you going to run?"
Ron's shoulders tightened and he stalked to the bed, pushing in garments into the small trunk. "I'm not running, Remus." he almost growled.
"Right." Lupin watched him struggle with a large pair of boots before he gave up and threw them on the side. "Is that why you've barely talked to any of us at all, I mean we knew you were broody before but you would never failed to report to me daily. To ask Tonks how she was and if you could help her with anything...."
"I quit, Remus. I told you this. I said I'd finish this mission and then I was gone." he turned to look at him, his eyes bright and blue, full of unexpressed hurt. "Nothing has changed. No one has changed except for me."
Lupin stood up from his chair slowly. He walked calmly to the other man. "Ron." he smiled at him fondly, highlighting his aging lines. "It was a pleasure to have you working for me."
Ron stared at him for a moment then a ghost of a smile shined through his anguish. "Same here, mate." He grasped Lupin's hand. "Take care of your lady Tonks, will ya?"
Lupin chuckled. "You know I will." He did a simple chant to decrease the site of Ron's boot and put them in his trunk. "And...what of Hermione?"
Ron stopped and turned to look at him. "What about her?"
Lupin casually tucked a robe into the trunk. "Who will take care of her?"
The younger wizard gave him a little glare then his eyes misted over, taking farther away. "Just...send her an owl once in a while." he took a deep breath. "Please? Just to make sure she's ok."
Lupin stared at him. "Of course, Wealey."
Ron nodded, looking around his small room, noticing he basically had all he needed to survive. "I believe I'm set."
"Seems so."
Ron locked his trunk.
"I still don't think you should go."
Ron smirked. "I know." He picked up the side of his trunk. "Thank you, old man. For what it's worth, thank you."
Then Lupin watched him desperate.
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8 months later
"Yes, Auntie Hermione is taking good care of you, isn't she?" Hermione cooed to the four month old baby.
She actually wasn't, she was going a bit crazy. Little James Potter was crying to the top of his lungs, his little arms flailing around most likely looking for the warmth of his mother.
"There, there, darling!" she held him against her. "Where can your parents be?" she rocked him around the room.
Little James continued screaming to the top of his lungs.
"I'll sing you a song!" she said delightedly. "Humm...let's see, I should know some. What have I learned?"
The baby continued bawling, grasping at her hair so unfamiliar to him.
"Marry had a little fish--no it wasn't fish," Hermione groaned. "Mary had a little dog...or was it horse?"
The door to the family's suite was opened ajar, and Hermione jumped with excitement.
"Hermione?" she could hear Ginny's voice.
"Ginny! Thank goodness you're home!" she practically shoved a sobbing James at her as a concerned Harry looked on.
"I thought you said you could handle it," Harry smirked at her, watching James calm down the moment he was back in his mother's arms.
"It's all right, my sweet," Ginny smiled at Hermione. "He just needed his mother, it's all."
Hermione looked right down dishevelled. "Good thing too."
Ginny turned and walked down the hall to James' bedroom.
"I'm thinking this is a 'no' on future child-caring night?" Harry chuckled and walked to the small kitchen, followed by Hermione.
"Oh no, Harry... it's not that, it's just...well--"
"It's alright, Hermione." Harry told her as he poured her cup of cold pumpkin juice. "Here, drink this; you look shaken."
She gratefully took the cup and gulped down its contents.
"James' quite a little man, no?" Harry smiled, the proud father himself.
"Yes," Hermione smiled shakily. "Quite."
"Heading home now, or on to the ministry?" he asked, knowing full well that these days she spent more time at work than ever.
"Humm," she blushed. "I do have a few cases that need to be taken care of before--"
"Go home, Hermione." Harry insisted. "Have some rest."
"No Harry--"
"Please," Harry pleaded. He clearly remembered getting word that for a whole week she didn't leave the ministry, working late hour after late hour. "For me and for Ginny."
Hermione looked away, blinking tears.
"Of course--"
They both jumped in shock as the window was tapped.
"Hedwig?" Hermione asked.
"No," Harry shook his head. "She's been sick in the owerly." He went to the large woor window and held it open revealing a large black owl, with golden eyes in his foot was tied a small letter.
"Thank you, old boy," Harry nodded at him and the owl hooted back. He read the front of the letter. "It's for you, Hermione."
Hermione peered curiously at the letter. "Humm, no one really knows I'm here."
"Might be from the ministry," Harry suggested, handing her the envelope.
"Maybe," she said calmly, opening it and pulling out its contents.
Harry watched her read the words, watched her face pale, her lips tremble and a watery smile form upon her face.
"Hermione?" he asked, walking closer to her. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath and stood up in front of him.
"Tell the years I have come. For messages given and messages lost. To be ready as a Summer day. For tomorrow is only years away."
"What does it mean? Who is it from?" Harry asked.
Hermione's tears were openly cascading down her face. "He's coming back, Harry. He's coming back."
"Who is, Hermione?" Harry asked, worriedly.
"Ron is. My Ron, Harry."
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The End
Chapter disclaimer: the poem found within this chapter was written by yours truly, please DO NOT use in any work of fiction or posted it anywhere without given me credit for my art and ASKING for it. I am claiming it's copyright, so it'll be illegal if you do anything with it.
a/n: thank you for those of you who waited for the conclusion; I'm sorry I kept you waiting, I have been moving and re-starting college. I hope you enjoyed my first Harry Potter fiction and I would like to do some more in the future :)
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