Chapter 4:
Harry stared down at Hagrid's hut. He watched his half-giant friend make way from the Forbidden Forest to his home with Fang at his heels.Once Hagrid was out of sight Harry scanned the grounds for something to look at. There was nothing. Night had fallen making the dark sky slightly darker than it was before. There were muffled foot steps at the entrance to the room which Harry chose to ignore.
"Harry?" Bloody Hell...He's just ignore her like he did her foot steps. "Harry, are you alright?" He heard her step toward him. He didn't turn. "I understand that you're upset-" Funny she was right and wrong all at once. "But you have to realize that you're wrong."
He didn't look at her. He couldn't. How could Harry let her see the tears he had been holding back for years? How could she be the one to break him? "How?" He let slip from his lips.
She took this as a break through and moved to touch him. He side stepped her and turned to look in a different direction. "Okay, Ron and I aren't together. Everyone thought we were." She grabbed his arm so he jerked away.
As he did so, she lost balance and fell backward. Harry grabbed Hermione around the back and pulled her toward him. Though this saved her from hitting the hard, cold floor, it put Harry much closer than he wished. He moved away and focused on the stone floor. There were tears evident in his eyes. Hermione could tell just by how much he was trying to avoid her gaze.
Hermione continued. "Thanks." She took a deep clensing breath. "When Proffesor McGonagall came to tell Ron and me about your battle, I was on pins and needles. Ron was an absolute mess also. She told us you were at St. Mungo's but we had to wait until after classes on Friday to come out." She took yet another chance and placed her hand lightly on Harry's face to tilt it up. "I begged her to tell us how you were, if Voldemort were dead. When she told us he was...." She stared into Harry's eyes. Brown on green. She let her gaze drop to follow a single tear as it slipped down his face. "I got so excited that I hugged ROn. I was crying and he kissed me. This was right in the COmmon Room. Everyone saw it. THey all got the wrong impression."
Harry moved away from her. He couldn't look at her. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" She was beside him; he didn't notice.
Harry leaned into the wall. "For everything." He meant to let out a sigh but it turned into a sob. He slid down to the floor and rested his head on his knees. "For ruining everyone's lives......" He let out another small sob. "For....fo..hurting e...ever..everyone....fffor..being...me." He never looked up. It was overly embarassing to let everything go in front of anyone.
There were hands on his face, kisses on his hands, fingers in his hair. He raised his head to glance at his best friend. She was so much more than a know-it-all. She was his everything. She jsut didn't know it. "I love you."
"I know." Hermione kissed his lips. It was chaste at first then deepened. When the pair pulled away due to the necessity of oxygen, Harry opened his mouth to speak. "You don't have to." Hermione cut in.
"I want to." Harry pulled her to him. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, he spoke again. This time it was more clearly but jsut as thick with emotion. "I've fought Dementors, Death-Eaters, Voldemort himself, but I'm not a hero. I'll never be the hero everyone thinks I am. I'm not that brave, not that daring. I only do what I have to do-"
"You never had to in the first couple years, Harry. It was your courage and your heart that made you." Hermione tugged on his arm until he looked at her.
Harry kissed her nose. "I know it will be hard, I know I make life hard, but I'm asking....well, begging really.......well, if it's alright, if you dont'mind.."
"Shhh, I understand." She placed a finger to his lips. "Yes, Harry." She smiled until he did also. "I'm yours. I always have been. I jsut didn't want to make your life more difficult....didn't want to add battles. I know you think you're not a hero, but you are."
"No." He stopped her with a gentle kiss. "You are. Through ewverything you've been there. Doing anything I needed, never asking too much. Without you I would have been lost." He looked deeply into her brown eyes.
They gazed at one another for several moments, then spoke together. "You're my hero." They laughed then sat in a comfortable silence. THey had met an understanding. There was no furthur need for words. There was no longer a need for either to be alone. THere was no longer a need for either to be heroic. They understood. And for that.....they were able to love.
-Fin-
Author Note: That's it FOlks! Please, let me know what you liked about it and what you think should be better! I have several story ideas lined up, and I want to make sure I People are liiking these! THanks, Christi
Harry stared down at Hagrid's hut. He watched his half-giant friend make way from the Forbidden Forest to his home with Fang at his heels.Once Hagrid was out of sight Harry scanned the grounds for something to look at. There was nothing. Night had fallen making the dark sky slightly darker than it was before. There were muffled foot steps at the entrance to the room which Harry chose to ignore.
"Harry?" Bloody Hell...He's just ignore her like he did her foot steps. "Harry, are you alright?" He heard her step toward him. He didn't turn. "I understand that you're upset-" Funny she was right and wrong all at once. "But you have to realize that you're wrong."
He didn't look at her. He couldn't. How could Harry let her see the tears he had been holding back for years? How could she be the one to break him? "How?" He let slip from his lips.
She took this as a break through and moved to touch him. He side stepped her and turned to look in a different direction. "Okay, Ron and I aren't together. Everyone thought we were." She grabbed his arm so he jerked away.
As he did so, she lost balance and fell backward. Harry grabbed Hermione around the back and pulled her toward him. Though this saved her from hitting the hard, cold floor, it put Harry much closer than he wished. He moved away and focused on the stone floor. There were tears evident in his eyes. Hermione could tell just by how much he was trying to avoid her gaze.
Hermione continued. "Thanks." She took a deep clensing breath. "When Proffesor McGonagall came to tell Ron and me about your battle, I was on pins and needles. Ron was an absolute mess also. She told us you were at St. Mungo's but we had to wait until after classes on Friday to come out." She took yet another chance and placed her hand lightly on Harry's face to tilt it up. "I begged her to tell us how you were, if Voldemort were dead. When she told us he was...." She stared into Harry's eyes. Brown on green. She let her gaze drop to follow a single tear as it slipped down his face. "I got so excited that I hugged ROn. I was crying and he kissed me. This was right in the COmmon Room. Everyone saw it. THey all got the wrong impression."
Harry moved away from her. He couldn't look at her. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" She was beside him; he didn't notice.
Harry leaned into the wall. "For everything." He meant to let out a sigh but it turned into a sob. He slid down to the floor and rested his head on his knees. "For ruining everyone's lives......" He let out another small sob. "For....fo..hurting e...ever..everyone....fffor..being...me." He never looked up. It was overly embarassing to let everything go in front of anyone.
There were hands on his face, kisses on his hands, fingers in his hair. He raised his head to glance at his best friend. She was so much more than a know-it-all. She was his everything. She jsut didn't know it. "I love you."
"I know." Hermione kissed his lips. It was chaste at first then deepened. When the pair pulled away due to the necessity of oxygen, Harry opened his mouth to speak. "You don't have to." Hermione cut in.
"I want to." Harry pulled her to him. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, he spoke again. This time it was more clearly but jsut as thick with emotion. "I've fought Dementors, Death-Eaters, Voldemort himself, but I'm not a hero. I'll never be the hero everyone thinks I am. I'm not that brave, not that daring. I only do what I have to do-"
"You never had to in the first couple years, Harry. It was your courage and your heart that made you." Hermione tugged on his arm until he looked at her.
Harry kissed her nose. "I know it will be hard, I know I make life hard, but I'm asking....well, begging really.......well, if it's alright, if you dont'mind.."
"Shhh, I understand." She placed a finger to his lips. "Yes, Harry." She smiled until he did also. "I'm yours. I always have been. I jsut didn't want to make your life more difficult....didn't want to add battles. I know you think you're not a hero, but you are."
"No." He stopped her with a gentle kiss. "You are. Through ewverything you've been there. Doing anything I needed, never asking too much. Without you I would have been lost." He looked deeply into her brown eyes.
They gazed at one another for several moments, then spoke together. "You're my hero." They laughed then sat in a comfortable silence. THey had met an understanding. There was no furthur need for words. There was no longer a need for either to be alone. THere was no longer a need for either to be heroic. They understood. And for that.....they were able to love.
-Fin-
Author Note: That's it FOlks! Please, let me know what you liked about it and what you think should be better! I have several story ideas lined up, and I want to make sure I People are liiking these! THanks, Christi