Goodbye For Now
Disclaimer: All belongs to JK Rowling!
A/N: Well I'm back again, now with the alternate ending for this story. WARNING though: it is sweet, but in a very sad way. And now, to thank all you kool reviewers!
Tamar-Shakira- Thanks so much 4 the review! I really appreciate it, and your stories are really amazing too :)
Spiral5- Hey thanks 4 pointing that mistake out to me! I don't think I'll be going back and editing it, but now I won't make that same mistake again, so thanks :)
Hellokitty14- Thanks yeah I love drama too! lol well here's the alt ending :)
Miranda G. Potter- Thanks 4 the review! Hope u like this chapter :)
LadyOfRandomnessThe1st- Hey thanks and don't worry your grammar doesn't stink lol :) Enjoy this!
Dolce Saito- Thanks for answering my question from before and I hope u do write some Hhr stories, that would be awesome and I'd be one of the first ones to read them :)
purple-shoe- Thanks a lot 4 the review! Can't wait for an update from u also :)
karyna- Hey thanks and omg miss u so much too :)
marmalady- Thanks and I wish I could be as open-minded about this as u are, because I could never read hhr and rhr at the same time! So I salute u! lol don't mind my weirdness please :)
evanescencerks- Thanks 4 the review! I'm still considering whether or not to write a sequel, because I've gotta go to SHSAT test prep the whole entire summer, so I don't know if I'll have time to update a lot. If I do make a sequel, of course I'll make it about their wedding :)
So now, on with the ending! By the way, it starts off from a part in the chapter before, so don't be freaked out that you're reading the same part again! But if you prefer happy endings like I said before, then just stick with the chapter before this! Otherwise, enjoy!
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"Harry," a voice spoke so softly that when Harry heard it the first time, he thought it was just his imagination. "Harry," the voice repeated. He looked at Hermione's lips, they were moving slowly.
"Hermione?"Harry gasped. "Was that you?" Her lips began moving again, and he leaned close to her so that he could hear. "Of course it was me, silly," she said softly and slowly. Tears began trickling down Harry's cheeks, and he grasped her hand tightly. "Hermione, are you awake? Can you open your eyes?"
"I want to, but I'm afraid that this is all just a dream and that when I do, you won't be there,"Hermione whispered.
"I'm here Hermione, and I'm real,"Harry said anxiously. "Please, open your eyes." Slowly, slowly, slowly, she opened her eyes, and the first thing that she saw was one image that she'll never forget, because she hadn't seen it for months: Harry's face, wet with tears, but still smiling down at her, grinning widely from ear to ear. She began crying uncontrollably, and Harry's smile turned into worry.
"Hey Hermione, don't cry," he said soothingly, brushing her tears away. "Is my face that ugly that you couldn't resist crying?" Hermione sniffled and smiled up at him.
"You're still the same, aren't you?"she asked. "Still silly but sweet, just like I remembered." Harry just smiled and hugged her tightly, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. When they finally pulled back, he reached over to the table and grabbed the bouquet, handing it to her. "Happy Birthday Hermione."
Hermione couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks Harry. This means so much to me." Suddenly, the door burst open and Ron, Neville, Professor Dumbledore, all the other professors, and the healers came in, Ron carefully carrying a huge birthday cake. They all crowded around Hermione's bed as she sat up and Harry scooted as close to her as possible to make room for the others.
They all sang Happy Birthday to her and Dumbledore snapped his fingers, and instantly, the cake was split into individual pieces, one for each of them. Ron immediately began digging into his, and asking if anyone was on a diet and didn't want theirs.
"All right then, let's give the 4 of them a bit of time to chat," Dumbledore said as they all got up and began leaving Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione alone.
"Hey Neville, thanks for being here with us this whole time. I don't think I've ever met a more loyal friend than you," Hermione said gratefully, reaching up to hug Neville, who returned the hug with an awkward pat on her back. "Just glad you're all right Hermione," he replied, smiling.
Neville stepped back, and Ron approached her. "Well, er...yeah, glad to have you back Hermione," he said, hesitated, then stuck out his hand.
"Ron, you've known me for seven years, and you're still going to pull that 'I'd-Feel-Too-Weird-To-Hug-You-So-I'm-Just-Shaking-Your-Hand' act?" Hermione asked, rolling her eyes before swatting his hand away and pulling him into a choking hug. Harry and Neville snickered as they watched Ron turn bright red.
"Well then, any plans for a wedding?" Neville asked, grinning at Harry and Hermione, who both blushed.
"I believe that's up to Mr. Potter isn't it?" Hermione looked up at Harry, smiling, and Harry nudged her back. Ron pretended to throw up at their "over-flirtiness".
"I think we'll leave you two lovey-dovey ones alone. Come on, Neville, let's go apparate back to my place and tell my mum the good news. Also, I think that a young lady by the name of Ginny will be quite pleased to see a certain someone once we get there," Ron said, winking at Neville, and they both left quickly.
"Wow...Neville and Ginny?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, you've missed quite a lot actually," Harry said.
"Well, I certainly hope I won't be missing anything else from now on," Hermione said, snuggling close to Harry as he put his arm around her, and soon they both fell asleep.
XXXXX3 MONTHS LATERXXXXX
"Ron, must I remind you for the millionth time that I absolutely despise snowball fights?" Hermione could barely get the word 'fights' out before Ron and Harry simultaneously attacked her with multiple snowballs.
Her shriek echoed throughout the park as she ran through the newly fallen December snow, trying to dodge the flying snowballs.
"Hermione, over here!" Ginny's voice said hastily, and an arm reached out and pulled Hermione behind a huge boulder, shielding her from Ron and Harry's attacks.
"Thanks Ginny, I owe you. I really can't believe their nerve! But then again, they hardly ever listen to what I say, so I can't do much about it." Hermione sighed dramatically, and they giggled when they saw that the other two were desperately trying to find them.
Hermione charmed the snow to create an enormous pile of snowballs for Ginny to use. Ginny jumped up, and with Hermione's help, got revenge on Harry and Ron for the snowball assault on Hermione before. Then, she crouched back down and gave Hermione a high-five.
Harry and Ron joined Hermione and Ginny by the boulder, and the 4 of them headed to the nearest café for some hot chocolate. While they were waiting inside, Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared next to them, and they all stood up immediately.
"What's going on, Professor?" Hermione asked.
Professor McGonagall first put a Memory Charm on all the Muggles in the café to prevent them from remembering her apparation, then she turned her attention back to the 4. "First, remember I said you no longer need to call me 'Professor' anymore, right? And second, you're needed at St. Mungo's, Hermione."
"Really? If they needed me to fill in for someone, wouldn't a Healer have come to get me?" Hermione asked curiously.
Professor McGonagall sighed. "No, you're not needed to fill in for anyone, it's about you actually, and I'm sorry to say, it's not very good news." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny glanced at each other worriedly, then followed McGonagall out of the restaurant and into an alley, where they were able to apparate to St. Mungo's without anyone seeing.
Once they arrived there, Hermione rushed to Healer Toffwich, since she was the one who conducted the monthly tests on her, to make sure that the catonen or any other disease wasn't in her body.
"Healer Toffwich, please tell me, is something wrong with me? Did something show up on the test?" Hermione said quickly, her heart pounding as she gripped Harry's hand tightly.
"Hermione, I know this will be quite a shock, but I have to tell you. Your latest test shows that there is a small portion of the catonen virus still in your body. Now, we will be able to find a treatment for this, but I did want to inform you of it first so that it won't be an even bigger shock later on." The healer's words rung in her ears; the very words that she wished she would never have to hear again. Suddenly, she felt light-headed, so Harry guided her into a nearby chair and she sunk into it.
"Hermione, please don't worry. I'm sure we will be able to find a treatment, like I said before," Healer Toffwich tried to comfort her.
"I know. It's just...oh never mind. Thank you for telling me about this," Hermione said quietly. Harry and the others glanced at her worriedly.
She looked at them and smiled. "Really, I'll be fine," she insisted, although she wasn't even that sure herself.
XXXXX4 MONTHS LATERXXXXX
Harry entered the room, swallowing hard so that he wouldn't cry. Hermione was lying on the hospital bed, sleeping. She looked just like the way she was before Ron had created the potion; her face was deathly pale and below her eyes, there were small dark patches of bluish-black, as if she hadn't slept in weeks.
Harry tried to control himself but he couldn't, and a tear slid down from each eye. He walked over and sat down next to her, clasping her hand in his own. She slowly awoke at his touch, and smiled weakly up at him.
"Hey there Harry," her voice was so soft and weak that Harry had to lean close to her lips to hear it.
"Hermione, why didn't the treatment work? Healer Toffwich promised that it would," Harry said, frustrated.
"Harry, please don't blame her, it's not her fault. The virus had already spread too much to be treated, that's all," Hermione said.
"That's all?" Harry repeated angrily. "That's not all Hermione! You're dying here for goodness sake, and there's nothing that I or any of us can do about it!"
"Harry, please don't be angry," Hermione pleaded. Harry's face softened at the sound of her voice.
"I'm sorry Hermione," he said quietly. "It's just, this is the 2nd time the catonen affected you. And this time, I have to sit here and watch you grow weaker and weaker, knowing that I can't do anything about it." He sighed.
"You know how much I love you, don't you?" Hermione asked, reaching up and gently touching his cheek. Harry nodded. "And you love me, don't you?" Harry nodded. "Then you have to listen to me when I tell you that none of this is you fault Harry. It's no one's fault. It just happened this way, okay?" Harry sadly nodded again. Hermione smiled up at him, and he couldn't help smiling back down at her, even though inside, he was slowly crumbling into pieces. He leaned down and hugged her tightly.
"Can you please do me a favor Harry?" Hermione asked.
"What is it?"
"Take me for a walk on the beach, one last time," Hermione replied.
"Hermione, you're making it sound like you're going to..." Harry couldn't bear to say the word.
"You know that I'll have to, eventually. And I want to make sure you're ready when that time comes. So, will you take me?"
"Are you allowed to be out of bed?"
"Well, no. But please Harry, take me there. The beach has always been my place of comfort, ever since I was a little girl," Hermione said. "Really, I'm not as weak as I look right now. I can walk fairly well."
Harry shut his eyes, trying to decide what to do. He ran a hand through his hair, which had become a habit of his now. Finally, he opened his eyes again. "All right. I'll take you Hermione. Come on." He stood up and took her hand, and she slowly sat up, placed her feet on the ground, and stood up shakily.
Harry apparated them to the beach that Hermione had always gone to as a child. The ocean waves crashed down onto the shore, and gulls flapped their wings loudly in the sky. Hermione closed her eyes and inhaled the salty scent of the ocean, smiling to herself. Harry saw how happy she was to be back at the beach, and he smiled also.
He took off his shoes and socks, she took his hand and they walked slowly to the shore, where the small waves danced around their bare feet. Then, they walked back up to the sand and Hermione sat down, Harry following her. In the sand, using her finger, she slowly wrote: HARRY+HERMIONE ALWAYS. Then, she took Harry's hand and pressed it into the sand to make a print, and she did the same with her own hand, right next to his hand print. They lay back onto the sand, and Harry held onto Hermione's hand. They didn't say much to each other, just being in each other's company was enough for the both of them.
After a while, Hermione suddenly spoke, in a weak and soft voice. "Harry, I think...it's time." Harry sat straight up. "What? How do you know?"
"Well, this may sound crazy, but I can sort of feel it within me. Let's just stay here like this." Harry nodded and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as though shielding her from harm. Once again, tears slid down his face, but he didn't bother to wipe them. He could hear Hermione sniffling softly, and he rocked her back and forth gently, wiping her tears away every once in a while.
"I love you Harry, and I'll always, always be with you," Hermione said softly. Harry shut his eyes, letting more tears flow out.
"I love you too Hermione. More than you'll ever know," Harry said quietly. Eventually, he took a look at her face, which he had been trying not to look at because if he did, he would have to admit to the fact that she was really, truly gone. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were curved into a small smile. He slowly lay her back down on the sand, leaned down, and pressed his lips against hers. Then, he brushed light kisses on all her facial features.
He apparated them back to St. Mungo's, where he called for the Healers and told them. Healer Toffwich heard the news and began sobbing uncontrollably, since she had developed a mother-daughter-like relationship with Hermione over the past months. Harry went back into the room, but only stood by the door as he watched the Healers take her.
"Aren't you going to see her one last time before we take her?" One of them asked.
Harry shook his head. "No it's fine. We've already said our goodbyes." The Healer looked slightly confused, but nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
"So, when would you like the funeral to be, Mr. Potter?" Healer Toffwich asked.
"How about on the first day of May? May was her favorite month," Harry said after a bit of thought. Toffwich nodded and went to write it down.
"We'll inform all her friends and family about it, so you don't have to worry," she said kindly. Harry nodded. "Thank you so much."
XXXXXXXXXX
"We are gathered here today to honor a young woman, Hermione Jane Granger, whose life was taken away by the disease known as catonen. She always received top grades at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which her 7th year schoolmates graduated from last June, and..." Harry's thoughts drowned out what Dumbledore was saying at the service. He glanced around and felt a small bubble of happiness swell inside of him at the sight of how many people had shown up. Family, friends, former schoolmates who didn't even know Hermione that well, and even most of the Hogwarts ghosts had arrived to say farewell to her. Hermione would be so happy if she saw how many people really do care for her and love her, Harry thought as he watched Nearly Headless Nick quickly brush a silvery, almost transparent tear from his eye.
Finally, it was over and various people were coming up to Harry and giving him their condolences. He felt someone tapping his shoulder, so he turned around to see none other than Malfoy.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing.
"No need to be rude Potter. I came here for the same reason as everyone else: to say bye to Granger."
"Her name is Hermione."
"Fine, Hermione then. I don't suppose you know this Potter, but a while ago, she sent a letter to me, and she told me the truth about why she had left Hogwarts in the first place. She said that, as one last favor to her, if I was willing to make up with you and Weasel-I mean, Weasley. So that's another reason why I came. I never hated her as much as I used to hate you two, you know, so that's why I actually listened to her," Draco explained.
"Oh," was all Harry could say.
"Yes, so...I'm sorry for what I did in the past, and can we just forget all that and be friends?" Draco asked quietly.
Harry studied him for a moment, then thought about his decision. "Apology accepted, but we're starting out as acquaintances, all right? Along the road, we'll see if we can turn it into friends."
"Fine with me." He extended his hand, and Harry shook it, but they both let go quickly, still not very comfortable with each other. "Well, gotta go. I'm honestly very sorry about Gra–Hermione." And with that, he disapparated.
Harry waited until all the others left, then he approached her gravestone. Thoughts swirled around in his mind, of all the times he'd had with her, from their first-year train ride to their last walk on the beach, until all his thoughts blended together into one huge memory of her. He gazed out at the enormous Hogwarts lake, which everyone else thought of as a strange and murky place, but only Hermione appreciated that place for its beauty and mysteriousness.
Hermione may not be with me anymore, but her love is like the wind, Harry thought, remembering that quote from a muggle movie that Hermione once begged him to see with her. It was called 'A Walk to Remember' or something. But it's just like the movie said, I can't see her love, but I can feel it.
He glanced up at the blue sky, transforming into pink and purple, Hermione's favorite colors, as the sun slowly set. I love you so much, Hermione. I suppose I have to say goodbye to you, for now at least. For now, I won't be able to see your wonderful smile, hear your heartwarming laugh, smell your strawberry-scented hair, taste your sweet cinnamon-flavored lips, or feel your warm hand fit perfectly against mine. But I promise that you'll always have your special place in my heart, and nothing could ever change that.
And as he watched a small, bright shooting star fly over him and disappear into the clouds, he could've sworn that he heard a young woman's familiar voice whispering to him, I love you too.
I'm here without you baby,
But you're still on my lonely mind.
I think about you baby,
And I dream about you all the time...
Here Without You-3 Doors Down
A/N: Well, that's basically my little alternate ending, which (don't deny it!) was partly cheesy at the end. Also, I was just listening to that song right now, and I just couldn't resist adding some of the lyrics in at the end. So what did you think? Please review and tell me your opinion, even if you didn't like it just tell me so I'll know! I'm sure that this didn't make you cry or anything like that, but I still hope you enjoyed reading it! I totally loved writing this story, and I'll be back soon with a new story, as soon as I have it all set up.
With lotsa love,
FAIRYWINGS101