Recompense
"I'll go with you."
"No, Mione. I can't let you come with me. I have to do this-"
Hermione Jean Granger threw her arms around Harry's neck and pressed her lips hard against his. For a moment he responded in kind, but for only a moment before he pushed her away. Neither noticed Ron's exclamation.
"Hermione, please." Harry pushed his friend (his beloved) to arm's length, shaking his head violently. "Please don't make this harder. I don't want to leave you, but it's the only way. I have to die for Voldemort to die. I have to die so you can live."
"Please, Harry. I can't go on without you. I won't go on without you."
"Don't say that!" Harry stared into her cinnamon eyes. "I can only do this for you, to make you safe so you can live a long life, a peaceful and happy life."
His beautiful, beloved friend, tears drenching her cheeks, pleaded. "I can't be happy without you. I can't go on. Let me go with you. Please, Harry. I have a plan-" Ron Weasley grabbed her shoulder, but before he could speak, Hermione shrugged him off. "Go away, Ronald." She swept her hand toward him, by accident clipping his chin.
Harry moved forward and grabbed her arm. "Ron, hold her back. Don't let her follow me."
Hermione looked aghast at Harry as Ron held her left arm tight. "Harry!"
He placed his fingers against her mouth. They looked into each other's eyes for four heartbeats before Harry said, "Ron, please take care of her. Make her happy." He turned and vanished with a crack.
"No!" Hermione struggled against her taller friend. "Ronald Bilius Weasley! Let me go!"
"I won't," he growled. "You'll stay with me. You love me. You kissed me."
"You kissed me. I didn't..." Her panting slowed. "It was just adrenaline, Ron. It didn't mean a thing. Please, let me go to him."
"No. You love me, Herms."
She spoke with fury. "Not since the forest. Not since you betrayed us. I finally realized what you are, and I hate you!" As she screamed at Ron, she flicked her hand to summon her wand from its holster. She pressed its point against his thigh and thought, "Stupefy." He went limp and fell to the ground.
Without a second glance, Hermione apparated to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
They died together, or close enough, side by side, finally realizing that what they had to live for was each other. They died for each other, side by side, never joining, never sharing their life, but never having to live without the other, never having to mourn.
There was darkness, floating; then a narrow tunnel and light at the end.
...
She squalled. "Fine set of lungs on this one. Have you decided on her name?"
He squalled. "Fine set of lungs on this one. Have you decided on his name?"
"Yes. It's a name I always liked. It's from Shakespeare. Hermione."
"Yes. We decided for a boy, we'd name him Harry."
"Well, then. Welcome to the world, Hermione Elizabeth Proctor."
"Well, then. Welcome to the world, Harry Phillip Rhodes."
On the first day of year 2 at Churchill Primary School, a cute blondish girl noticed a skinny brown-eyed boy, and a skinny brown-eyed boy noticed a cute blondish girl. They walked to each other, smiling, and said, in the same instant, "Hello".
Before they could offer their names, the instructor clapped her hands twice. "All right now, misters and misses. Time to begin your first day of real education. No, don't sit down yet. We're going to sit in alphabetical order, front to back, starting on the left-your left when you face forward. That's right, miss, starting there.
"Now, I'm going to call out your names. When you hear your name, sit at the next desk in order. Front to back, starting with that one. Everyone understand?"
The skinny boy and the cute girl looked at each other and rolled their eyes in unison. It wasn't that hard to understand.
The instructor began calling the roll, starting with Cassia Ailey. The third desk in the middle column went to "Hermione Proctor-a pretty name, Hermione." The girl looked at the skinny boy with sad eyes at the thought that they would be separated so soon, and he mirrored her expression.
The next name was "Harry Rhodes."
The boy's face was bright with joy, and the girl's lit up. Hermione and Harry grinned at each other, knowing they would not be separated.
