A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. Tough times have fallen on my family lately, but I do promise to finish this story and my other story also. Hope you enjoy this new chapter.

Third Times a Son

Chapter 2

Harry watched as Hermione straightened out his blanket and smoothed the wrinkles all the way to the corner of the mattress. He knew she was upset. She's trying to hide it, put up a strong face in front of him, but he knew her better. He knew she was torn up by what Liam told them. It won't be long now.

"'Mione." He whispered. He sat up further in bed, resting his bum closer to his pillows. "Look at me."

She looked at him and the beginnings of fear crept onto her face. "Yes, Harry." She said brokenly. He could tell she was trying not to cry in front of him.

"Hey, it's ok. It's ok to cry and be sad. Come here." He extended his hand to her and she took it and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm not scared, Hermione. I'm not even a little scared. For some reason, I'm at peace with this. I think I'm more worried about you, Ron, and Severus than I am about dying." He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "You're usually the strong one, holding us together." He tried to lighten the mood. "This isn't fair to you. I'm so sorry."

As soon as she took Harry's hand, she let the first tears fall and nodded. "Harry, you're my best friend aside from Ron and I just don't want to lose you yet. When I think about life after…you know…I can only feel sorrow that you won't be here when Ron and I get married or when we have our first child or our first grandchild. I'm selfish, Harry. I want you here in our lives." She took his hands in hers and rubbed his knuckles with her thumb, she leaned forward, and rested her head on his chest and cried. Harry, choking on his own emotions, brought his hands up to rub her back and cradled her head against his chest.

"Oh, Hermione. I wish I could be here for those things too, but I can't. I have a purpose, I know you don't understand it and sometimes I don't either, but this is how it must be." He knew she thought his reasoning was a line of bollocks, but he didn't have too many options at this point. She started shaking her head, clasping at his pajama top and looked up to crystal greens eyes and screamed, "No! You don't deserve this and what purpose could your dying serve! I don't believe you really believe that crap you're spewing. I'm going to miss you, Harry I'm going to miss you so much." She said this last part to his chest as her shoulders moved up and down with her grief.

Harry kept his hand in place and rubbed circles on Hermione's back. He looked around the room trying to think of something to say that would make her feel better, but nothing came to mind. His vision became blurry as he allowed himself to feel the overwhelming grief, to let his the sorrow of losing her and Ron and all the Weasley's finally sink in. And as the hot tears flowed down his face and off his chin, he thought about what he missed out on with Severus. How he would never know what having a loving parent around would feel like, even one so rancorous as Severus Snape.

"Harry, you should tell him. He should have a choice whether he wants to be here with you or not." She said, breaking into his line of thought. She knows him so well.

"Yeah, I should, but I'm not going to. I tried the best I could when I was at Hogwarts and it just wasn't meant to be. It'll be my one true regret. I'm not going to burden him with my death...at this time. That just wouldn't be fair to him, you know, learning about a son then losing him. He's lived through so much hardship already and all he wants to do now is live his own life. I can't fault the man for that. So what - that it's his DNA running through my veins, at this point the truth is mute."

His hands moved to her shoulders and he pushed her away so he could see her face, "Hermione, I have something I need you to promise me." She nodded without breaking eye contact. "Promise me you will execute my will exactly as I ask," tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "It's very important. I want it read seven days after I die. Everything is already set up with Griphook and Gringotts, all you have to do is execute it. Can you do this for me?" His eyes were boring into hers. She nodded softly then returned her head to his chest, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace. "Yeah I can do that for you." She sniffed.

"Yeah mate, we both will." Ron said from the door. When Hermione and Harry looked to him, he was leaning on the closed door, tears forming in his eyes. "Mum and the family will be here in a few hours. I came in to let you know that Charlie will be here tonight too. He took family time off, he'll be here for the duration. I thought that would make you happy, so I came right in to tell you."

Harry knew Ron was scared. He always babbles on when he's nervous or scared about things."Thanks, Ron. That does make me happy. Hey, want to play a game of chess?" Ron's face lit up with the prospect of time with his best friend. "Yeah, I'd love to play."

Hermione left her seat on the bed and headed for the door. Touching Ron's arm as she passed, "I'll bring dinner in later, you two play."

"Thanks, Mione."

xxXXxx

A week later found the whole Weasley family in Harry's room. He slipped into a coma a day ago and the Healer said he could go anytime now. He made his pain comfortable and told the family to start their goodbyes.

"He doesn't feel anything, I promise. He fought this thing much longer than I ever expected him to. Any other wizard would have succumbed years ago. I can only assume that it was his magic that kept him going. He is one of the most powerful wizards I've had the privilege to know, let alone heal." He gathered his potion vials and scrolls and turned to Hermione. "I suggest saying your farewells. It won't be long now. Hours…no more than a day." Then he left.

They listened for the floo and when they heard the floo flare they knew he was gone. Molly, with tears on her face, went to the bed first and tucked Harry in, kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear, and then turned to her husband and he came forward. It went on like this until everyone in the room had their turn.

Some took longer than others, but none longer than Charlie. The family knew of his feelings for Harry and how devastated he was when he heard the news of Harry's illness. But for Harry's sake, the second eldest Weasley kept his feelings to himself, stating that Harry didn't need any more added stress. Hermione informed the Headmistress, which in turn informed all those who were close to Harry and they came as well. Several hours later there wasn't a spot in the room that wasn't occupied and a face that wasn't streaked with tears. Harry died peacefully in his sleep, not waking up once since he fell into a coma. Several minutes passed and Molly walked to the bed, tucked Harry in, kissed his forehead and whispered into his ear one last time before turning to her husband and hugging him tightly. She left the room and went to the loo, where she finally let herself cry out loud.

XxxX

It's been two days since Harry's passing and Hermione has yet to go through Harry's belongings. She's aware that his will is in there and figures if she puts off collecting it then she can put off executing it. Crazy she knows but she not thinking rationally right now.

Some of the professors have stopped by with well wishes and food. In fact, their kitchen is packed with food plates brought by mourners; some students, families of students, some are classmates and even a few non-friends such as the Malfoy have come by.

Harry's body has been moved to a special room in Gringotts where it will lie in state until the funeral, which is in another two days time.

The Daily Prophet has been having a field day with the news. Harry's picture has been front page since the news broke along with articles covering every page. It's becoming a habit that Hermione burns the paper every morning when it arrives.

"Hey sweetheart. It's time we went through his room." Ron gently said to Hermione. "I'm going to help you." He told her as he put his tea cup in the sink. "Griphook contacted me this morning about the funeral service and asked me if you found his copy of the will. He says there's other things along side it that Harry refused to part with." He said to her feeling lost himself, but knowing this needs to be done. Harry is depending her... on them. "Hermione, Harry is depending on you...on us to do what he wanted. I know it hurts, sweetheart, but we need to be strong for Harry. We owe him that much. Don't you think?" He said softly.

"Yeah I know." She sniffed. "It just hurts. I can't believe he's gone. I know what he wants me to do but I thought I could hold it off but I can't. I know that now but my body just won't go in there. Would you really help me? I think I need help...your help." She whispered looking at her fingernails before glancing back at him.

"I would love to help you. Let's get started." And he reached out for her hand and she took his. Together they entered Harry's room.

XxxX

Ron and Hermione sat at their kitchen table looking at all the envelopes and documents strewn about. They finished going through Harry's trunk and found the will along with other things.

"What do you suppose he was thinking?" Ron asked softly.

"I'm not sure. He was so cryptic near the end. I could hardly make out if he was coherent or not."

"Look, there's even a list of who he wants present at the will reading. Did you see? Snapes on it. Do you think he made this list thinking Snape would know already?" Ron asked.

"No. He knew Snape didn't know. I was there when he made the list. It's...it's just he's written so many letters. Look, he wrote a letter to everyone on his list. Do you realize how long that took him? He was so weak most of the time." Hermione shook her head and lifted the letter with her name on it.

Hermione. Read before the will reading.

"Reckon you should read that soon." Ron said reverently.

"I know. I'm scared. He's depending on me to be this strong person but really I'm not, Ron, I'm not that strong to deal with this." She patted her red puffy eyes with a tissue and sniffed. She looked like hell, but Ron would never tell her that. To him she was beautiful even in her grief she made his heart putter.

"Look Hermione, you are very strong, you're just hurting right now. Harry loved us, and he knew I wouldn't be able to do what he wants and he was right. I could never but you could. You can. To be honest, I want to know what he was scheming don't you? I mean, what was he doing in all those meetings with Griphook and all these letters?" He sweeps his arm across the table, "Why must the will reading be exactly seven days after his death? Aren't you the least bit curious?"

Hermione looked at the table and mentally catalogued all the letters and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I want to know." Then she picked up her letter and moved to the couch.

Ron left her alone as she settled in to read the letter Harry left for her. With trepidation, she opened the letter and read the final words her best friend will ever say or write to her.

Hermione,

Where to begin.

I have so much I want to say to you, but it's all jumbled up inside my head.

First and foremost, I want you to know how much I love you. Merlin, I love you so much that saying goodbye to you is the single most difficult thing I've ever done. Tom Riddle was a piece of cake compared to this. At least then I had you to help me. Here, I'm on my own with my own thoughts...I know, I know. Frightening. And I want you to know how sorry I am. How totally awful I feel about leaving you like this. Of course, I wish it could have been a different ending to my on-going saga of a life. Just know that I love you and Ron with all my heart.

I want you to find your happiness and hold on to it for dear life. Please promise me that you won't let the little things get in the way of what you want. I know life won't be easy and neither will Ron, he can be a handful, but remember the love you two feel for each other and enjoy the time the two of you have together. I won't be there to share your life, but I will always be in your heart. Don't ever forget that.

Ok, now for the hard part. I know you know that I'm depending on you to help Severus with all this. I wrote him a letter and told him the truth. I know he's going to take it hard. Don't scoff, he's gruff on the outside but I just know on the inside he's hurting like the rest of us humans. Also, if he loved my mum as much as the letters I've read indicated, then he's going to be a mess. Hermione, I need you be there for him, guide him through his sorrow, and his guilt. For he is going to have a lot of guilt and I don't want that for him. You won't be able to alleviate all of it, but when he turns to you please guide him in the right direction. How do I know he'll come to you? Good question. You know the letter I carried around with me all the time? My most precious possession? Well, I bequeathed that same letter to Severus. However, I purposely left the letter with you. It's in your envelope. In Severus' letter, I let him know he will have to come to you to retrieve it. Please give it to him when he asks for it, but also, I want you to guide him through the contents of his envelope. He will ask, I'm sure, about a few of the items I left in there. I trust you will do and say the right things to him when the time comes.

I know I'm being secretive, but this situation bares secrecy. There's more at stake than just the inheritances. I know once you know what he has you will have figured it out. You are the smartest witch of our generation, I've always said that. But please, let's keep the knowledge between us for a while. I know I don't have to go into detail about how I want my will read and distributed. We've discussed this already, but please be available for my dad when he needs you and show him your compassion and patience when he spews his jargon. He's going to lash out, but he's just hurting, remember that.

I love you, my friend, and I'm sorry I'm leaving this on your shoulders, but you're the only one I trust to leave it with.

One more surprise and I promise this is the last one. Certain things will come to light long after I'm gone. You will be angry, with me , with the situation, with Severus, and with yourself. Don't hate me though. Although, I think if I were in your shoes, I would be hurt, disappointed, and hateful towards me. I didn't mean to keep it to myself for so long, but I ran out of time and it became too late to do anything about it. I'm rambling, I'm sorry. All I'm asking is that you do what you do best and be there for my dad. Trust me?

Finally, I want to thank you for being my best friend, my sister, and my confidant. I would have never survived as long as I did without you and I think you know it too. So, thank you for picking me and staying with me when things went bad. You are a true friend, and no one could ever replace you. Please be happy in your life, Hermione. Be happy with Ron and in whatever job you decide to do. Laugh together, enjoy the sunsets, take each day as they come, and tell the people you love how you feel every day.

Please promise.

Love you to infinity.

Harry.

XxxX

Please Review.

-Lovetoreadseverusdotcom