)(A short drabble that came into my head this morning while I was getting ready to school. I think everyone would have been very entertained watching me run around the house for a pen and some paper so I could right it out before I lost it. Well I hope you enjoy!)(

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize I don't own, don't sue, not worth it, yada yada.

Pairing: Hermione/Harry with some Hermione/Ron.. Which means that this is het, NO SLASH. So my slash lovers, be warned.. Though it is a touchingly sad story. So you should read it anyways. :nods:

Cinnamon, Chocolate and a fruit she could never name

It was their day of graduation, yet neither Hermione Granger or Harry Potter were there. They stood outside, the former with her head on the others shoulder while the latter had his arm around the others waist. Their gaze was turned to-wards the lake, a comfortable silence between them.

"Do you ever wonder?" asked the quite voice of Hermione Granger, "What things would be like if.. if..." She still couldn't say it. It had been months since Voldemort had attacked Hogwarts, yet she still couldn't say his name. Couldn't accept that he was gone, that the trio's number had been reduced to two. A gentle hand turned her face to-wards his, eyes full of understanding.

"It will be alright." Harry said simply, before turning back to look at the lake again. A silence filled the air between the two, standing side by side.

"But yes, sometimes I wonder. It's impossible not too." his voice was full of regret, "I wonder how things would be if... if Voldemort hadn't had the last say. If when I killed him it would have been over..." Harry stopped, unable to go on.

Brown eyes stared into green, wishing things had been different. It didn't matter that the wizarding world was safe, that Voldemort was dead. She would have him still alive if it would bring her love back. Her gaze swept up to the castle. The place where she and the two closest to her had lived. A place where all their adventures had happened. A place full of painful memories.

"But it's better this way." came Harry's voice, making her turn to look back at him, "It's better." Hermione shook her, disagreeing fiercely. Silence covered them again, untill Harry spoke once more.

"I knew it had to be this way. I knew it would be like this." his voice was cold and distant, "Dumbledore said so. He told me the chances this would happen were very likely." Hermione closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to see him, it hurt to much. Reminding her of what could never be.

"No." her voice sounded odd, strangled.

"Yes, I knew." while his voice was full of conflicting emotions, "I knew with 75 percent certainty it would end like it did." Silence came between them once more, though this time it was anything but comfortable.

"You should have told us, you had no right." Hermione's voice faded out, her eyes still closed, "We could have found a way, we would have. We could have changed it... You had no right."

"No, its better this way. If I told you, you would have intervened. It was too dangerous." Harry's voice was scratchy with pain, old wounds that refused to heal.

Hermione kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see the truth. Tears slipped from behind her lashes, streaming down her face. She felt him gently blow them dry, trying to make things better with his breath.

"I'd rather it be you." Her voice was devoid of emotion.

"I know."

She swore she could still feel him. His hand in her hair as he leaned closer. His lips gently kissing hers, giving her the taste of cinnamon, chocolate and something fruity she could never name.

"I know."

Hermione kept her eyes closed, holding onto that taste. Not wanting to look. Pretending he was there. Slowly she opened her eyes, wanting to see his figure more then anything, but he was gone..

Bitter tears ran down her face, landing on the letter in her hand. A letter so often read, the words were faded from handling.

"I'd rather it be you"

'If only you had told us.' she thought sadly, 'If only you had said it was to strong.' Chocolate brown eyes rested on the tree in-front of her. It was their tree, the trios. The one they always studied under. Her gaze came to rest on the words etched into the tree's bark. The words about the one she truly loved.

'Why didn't you tell us?' she screamed silently, 'Why didn't you say the connection was to strong? That you two were joined together to closely. That if he died, you would too.' Soft footsteps sounded behind her, making her turn around with eyes full of hope that he would be there. Hope that died as she turned back to face the tree. It was never the one she wanted.

"You alright?" asked the wrong voice as the wrong hands slipped around her waist.

"Yes, just visiting, alone." she said, wishing he would leave. But the red head couldn't take the hint, he never could. He would never understand.

'Damn it Harry' she thought bitterly, soul full of wanting, 'Why? Why you? Couldn't you have put yourself first for once? Put your life ahead of others?'

She gazed down at those words. Words that actually meant something, not like the words on Harry's other grave. The ones in the ministry, where the grand ceremony had been held. Where words like "Chosen one", "Savior" and "Boy-who-lived" were written in gold. No one who knew Harry had attended that ceremony. It was everything he never wanted. But here, here was the place where Harry really rested. At the only place that had ever been his home. Where the people who cried, actually knew him, the real him. Where words like "friend", "loyal", "Trouble maker" and "noble git" were written. No where did it say anything about Harry defeating the Dark Lord, about him sacrificing himself. No where did it state that he was a savior. Only a loyal friend, who loved Chocolate Frogs and had a tendency to ignore rules and get into trouble.

Hermione closed her eyes, wanting Harry with all her heart. Wanting again to taste cinnamon, chocolate and a fruit she could never name.