Harry and Hermione quietly found a private compartment for their last ride
on the Hogwarts Express. The first ten minutes of the journey were spent in
silence, Hermione's head resting on Harry's shoulder, his head on top of
hers, and all four hands intertwined. This was the position they fell into
night after night in the common room, after hours of crying, consolation,
and talking. As the scenery flew by outside their compartment window, so
flew Hermione's thoughts. She decided she had to execute her plan now, or
she never would. She slipped her head from underneath Harry's and mumbled
something about checking on Ginny. She picked up her bag and silently slid
out of the compartment.
Hermione had no intention of visiting Ginny. She solemnly stalked the length of the train back to the caboose, a great lump forming in her throat all the while. She stepped onto the windy platform, now gulping back the tears welling in her eyes as she reached in her bag and pulled out the letter she had written that afternoon. She stared at the letter for a few moments, unconsciously letting the first teardrops fall. Hermione kissed the letter, her leaking eyes slightly smudging the name written neatly across the envelope.
Hermione leaned far out across the railing of the car, the letter in her outstretched hand. After a quick, silent prayer (to which god she wasn't sure), she let go of the letter and watched it whip around in the furious wine. Hermione fell back (she had been on tiptoe) and let the convulsive sobs she could not suppress anymore take over. She was not crying for Ron.
Hermione didn't know how long she had been crying. Nor did she know someone had just slipped silently onto the caboose with her. She didn't hear her name being tentatively called out from behind her. She only became aware of the presence when she felt a pair of hands rest gently on her hips and heard a familiar voice whisper, "Hermione, are you OK?" in her ear.
Hermione took a few seconds to gulp back the still-steady stream of tears before turning and giving Harry a weak smile and a short nod.
"Hermione, I will always be here for you," Harry said with such sincerity that the dam Hermione had been so furiously building broke inside her. She let out a small moan and flung herself around Harry's neck. He kissed her cheek and led her gently back to their compartment, where she composed herself and they resumed their usual position.
Hermione had fallen asleep on Harry's shoulder soon after they had re- settled in their compartment. Her subconscious knew she was done crying for a while and felt she deserved a good rest. Or maybe those heart-wrenching sobs on the caboose had simply worn her body into exhaustion. For whatever reason, Hermione was in a deep and dreamless sleep. Harry didn't want to wake her. He hadn't seen her this content in a long time.
But as the train slowed, Harry reluctantly shook and whispered Hermione back to reality. They made their way off the train, all the other students carefully avoiding them, passing them silently with downcast eyes. They slipped through the barrier together and Harry immediately found the Dursleys. He turned to Hermione, wishing all the world he could stay with her. He felt she needed him still. They set down their luggage and turned to each other, both of her hands in his.
"Hermione," Harry began. He wasn't sure what he was trying to say, wasn't sure what he felt, exactly. He paused, looking down at her. Though her eyes were no longer shining with tears, they held such a sadness and fear that Harry's breath was taken away.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said. She stood on her tiptoes and gently tugged on Harry's robes, leaning him into her. She kissed him softly. It wasn't a friendly peck, nor a wet, passionate smooch, but a kiss full of thanks, apology, and a hit of sorrow.
Hermione slid into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"We'll write, won't we?" Hermione asked cautiously.
"Every day," Harry whispered into her hair. He kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek there. He blinked back tears he hadn't felt coming.
Hermione was the first to pull out of the embrace. She looked up through still-dry eyes at the man she loved. She hated herself for not telling him now.
"Goodbye, Harry. I'll see you at Auror training this fall, then," she said strongly.
"Right," Harry said, then sniffed. "This fall. Bye 'Mione." He squeezed her hand and she turned to meet her parents.
A strange sensation took over Harry's stomach for a moment, leaving him numb before finally turning to face the Dursleys for the last time. He was still blinking back tears.
Hermione had no intention of visiting Ginny. She solemnly stalked the length of the train back to the caboose, a great lump forming in her throat all the while. She stepped onto the windy platform, now gulping back the tears welling in her eyes as she reached in her bag and pulled out the letter she had written that afternoon. She stared at the letter for a few moments, unconsciously letting the first teardrops fall. Hermione kissed the letter, her leaking eyes slightly smudging the name written neatly across the envelope.
Hermione leaned far out across the railing of the car, the letter in her outstretched hand. After a quick, silent prayer (to which god she wasn't sure), she let go of the letter and watched it whip around in the furious wine. Hermione fell back (she had been on tiptoe) and let the convulsive sobs she could not suppress anymore take over. She was not crying for Ron.
Hermione didn't know how long she had been crying. Nor did she know someone had just slipped silently onto the caboose with her. She didn't hear her name being tentatively called out from behind her. She only became aware of the presence when she felt a pair of hands rest gently on her hips and heard a familiar voice whisper, "Hermione, are you OK?" in her ear.
Hermione took a few seconds to gulp back the still-steady stream of tears before turning and giving Harry a weak smile and a short nod.
"Hermione, I will always be here for you," Harry said with such sincerity that the dam Hermione had been so furiously building broke inside her. She let out a small moan and flung herself around Harry's neck. He kissed her cheek and led her gently back to their compartment, where she composed herself and they resumed their usual position.
Hermione had fallen asleep on Harry's shoulder soon after they had re- settled in their compartment. Her subconscious knew she was done crying for a while and felt she deserved a good rest. Or maybe those heart-wrenching sobs on the caboose had simply worn her body into exhaustion. For whatever reason, Hermione was in a deep and dreamless sleep. Harry didn't want to wake her. He hadn't seen her this content in a long time.
But as the train slowed, Harry reluctantly shook and whispered Hermione back to reality. They made their way off the train, all the other students carefully avoiding them, passing them silently with downcast eyes. They slipped through the barrier together and Harry immediately found the Dursleys. He turned to Hermione, wishing all the world he could stay with her. He felt she needed him still. They set down their luggage and turned to each other, both of her hands in his.
"Hermione," Harry began. He wasn't sure what he was trying to say, wasn't sure what he felt, exactly. He paused, looking down at her. Though her eyes were no longer shining with tears, they held such a sadness and fear that Harry's breath was taken away.
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said. She stood on her tiptoes and gently tugged on Harry's robes, leaning him into her. She kissed him softly. It wasn't a friendly peck, nor a wet, passionate smooch, but a kiss full of thanks, apology, and a hit of sorrow.
Hermione slid into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"We'll write, won't we?" Hermione asked cautiously.
"Every day," Harry whispered into her hair. He kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek there. He blinked back tears he hadn't felt coming.
Hermione was the first to pull out of the embrace. She looked up through still-dry eyes at the man she loved. She hated herself for not telling him now.
"Goodbye, Harry. I'll see you at Auror training this fall, then," she said strongly.
"Right," Harry said, then sniffed. "This fall. Bye 'Mione." He squeezed her hand and she turned to meet her parents.
A strange sensation took over Harry's stomach for a moment, leaving him numb before finally turning to face the Dursleys for the last time. He was still blinking back tears.