A/N: I wrote this piece as part of the Spark of Silver one-shot competition by Quills & Parchment on A03. Anyway, the results are in and this piece won the Best Romance category. Yay!
The fest is moon themed and here is the prompt I selected: "You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars."
Word Count Challenge: 1,000 - 3,000
This story is part of the mini-series "The Potter Family Chronicles".
Part one: Hermione's Christmas Vouchers
Part two: His Greatest Heartache
Part three: My Universe
Part Four: Always Constant
So If you guys need a refresher and more context on this fic, go revisit those stories in that order.
MY UNIVERSE
By: tweety-src-clt9
An old witch with curly chestnut brown hair that's now mostly gray was on the brink of death. She had lived a long and beautiful life. She contributed so much to end a war. She married the love of her life, her best friend. Many years ago, she had a flourishing career as the Minister for Magic of Britain that changed the social and economic structure of their community for the better. She had seen her three children grow up to live fruitfully. She enjoyed her years surrounded by love, laughter, and joy.
Hermione Jean Potter's one hundred and twenty-one years was a beautiful adventure. And now, she was in the final chapter of her colorful life's epic story.
"Ha – Harry?" Hermione's voice was frail but she had one last request.
"Yes, my love?" Harry Potter, despite the ache in his fragile body, moved as quickly as possible to tend to his ailing wife. Looking at her, he knew that she would soon be leaving him for her next great adventure. So, he must savor this bittersweet moment of being with his constant companion in her last days.
"Can you – read My Universe for me? Please…"
"Of course, my love. Accio Harry Potter's Homework Planner!" Harry summoned the old homework planner she made for him in their Hogwarts days. He never used it for its intended purpose. Instead, he wrote random comments about Hermione on its many pages. It was his journal, containing all his thoughts about her and their life together. It was never used as a homework planner at all. It ended up being a treasure trove of their memories as friends, as lovers, as a family.
Carefully lifting the leather cover, Harry saw the first page that said Homework Planner in Hermione's elegant scrawl. He remembered the first reaction he had upon seeing it. He wanted to secretly throw it over the fireplace since he knew he'd never use it. He smiled fondly as he recalled his exasperation upon seeing it for the first time. But now, it's one of his priceless possessions.
My Universe, he wrote these words with big letters in his chicken scratch. What started as a cheeky joke turned out to be a record of his feelings for his best friend, his wife, his sun, his moon, his stars – his universe.
Clearing his throat, he started to read in a broken voice because of old age and unshed tears…
January 9, 1996
Hermione gave this Homework Planner to me and the odd bossy journal is saying sassy things like 'Do it today or later you'll pay.' Could this bloody thing be any more subtle? (sarcasm)
Sorry, Hermione. While I appreciate the effort you made, giving me this personalized gift and all that, you know I won't use it. Well, I suppose I'm using it right now. But instead of using it as a planner, I'm writing about, well, you.
Speaking of you, what's so bloody great about Magicae Confirmate Corda Vestra? Why the wistful smile, Hermione? It's just a silly old tome about some weird magic I have no clue about… I wish I was as smart as you. You're bloody brilliant Hermione.
Oh, shit! You're looking at me now.
Have to pretend I'm doing something worthwhile…
Huh! I can't believe I stopped writing awhile ago and now I'm writing again.
Who would have thought? Hermione Granger, perfect prefect, genius extraordinaire, would use a boring old book to hide the fact that she's reading a romance novel? Hah!
Whatever Hermione! Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel blah blah blah. It's still a romance novel. Who knew you could be such a romantic? Is that a girl thing?
The thing you said though, about how that bloke Darcy loved his Elizabeth, I won't admit it but I do hope I'll find something like that too. That all-consuming yet accepting love, as you said.
Maybe I'll find that someday. If I don't get killed by Voldemort that is.
I sure hope you'll have that, Hermione. You deserve that kind of love. You deserve a bloke like Darcy. You deserve to be someone's brightest star. Whoever bloke you'll end up with, he better treat you right. You're the brightest witch of the age after all! Get it? Haha.
June 19, 1996
I'm sitting here by your bedside, Hermione. You got hit by a vile curse from that bastard Dolohov. I thought you were dead. You said 'oh' and it's like time stopped. I froze. I only started moving when Neville said he felt your pulse…
I should have listened to you, Hermione.
If I wasn't a stupid irrational prat, you wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Neville, Ron, Luna, and Ginny wouldn't be injured.
Sirius – he wouldn't be dead.
And now there's this stupid prophecy!
You better stay away from me, Hermione. That way, you'll be safe.
Oh, who am I kidding? I'd be lost without you…
I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm so sorry…
Ah, shit! I'm crying again. It's like I've cried a river for the last two days.
Do you think if I read to you that book about the bloke Darcy, you'll wake up sooner? Nah! Who am I kidding? Madam Pomfrey would fry my arse if I make stupid noises…
Please wake up, Hermione. I can't lose you… Not you too.
August 7, 1996
This planner could really be annoying, Hermione. How did you enchant this thing? It actually said on a random page, 'If you've dotted the i's and crossed the t's then you may do whatever you please.' This is crazy genius magic!
I'm bored like shit. I miss you and Ron. Mostly you. Ron's good for laughs. But you, I need you for the deep shit – talking about feelings and just being vulnerable. You never judge me or have any expectations of me about the whole Boy Who Lived crap. You've only seen me as 'just Harry.' That's one of the best things about you.
I can't wait to leave Durkzkaban so that I could talk to you or someone.
I feel so lonely and guilty.
Sirius' death and your unconscious body on the ground haunt my dreams…
September 15, 1996
It's a few days before your birthday, Hermione. I wonder if you'll like my gift. It's a book! Duh! I can't think of anything better. It's a really old book about some runes in Asia and this advanced arithmancy thing that gives me a headache. I'm still amazed at how brilliant you are… If I were as smart as you, do you think I could beat Voldemort?
Whatever… I hope you'll like my present.
September 17, 1996
Our first year of taking NEWT-level courses and I caught Hermione Granger reading a fiction book! Hah! Small miracles do happen!
I saw you gushing about this new bloke, Khal Drogo, and his Khaleesi. Yes, I know the bloody spelling since you sometimes doodle their names on your parchments this past week.
I kind of regret asking you about those names. A Song of Ice and Fire. Talk about weird yet interesting. A Game of Thrones is just the first book and it's gotten you so hooked on the series already…
Something about the way you blush when I ask you a few questions about the book made me curious. You said it was a political fantasy drama so I don't understand the blush…
Hah! Hermione Granger reads books with racy stuff! The sex scenes between this Drogo bloke and his Khaleesi is odd stuff… Now I understand the blush. I took a peek at your precious book when you left it in the common room. I got curious and the bookmark was on a naughty part… It seems there's a lot I don't know about you, Hermione.
If I remember correctly – yes, I'm correct, I bloody checked some parts of this planner and I saw the thing about the Darcy bloke and love like stars, shit! I'm rambling – you like books with heroic and whipped male leads.
'Moon of my life' – that bloke Drogo's endearment for his wife.
And then she calls him 'My Sun and Stars.' Is that kind of love even real?
I wonder if my parents had that? Do your parents have that?
Will I ever have that? Nah! I don't think I'll survive Voldemort.
I do hope you have that, Hermione. That stars, moon, and sun thing. I mean you like that kind of stuff so, yeah… I hope you survive this war and find that with a bloke who deserves you.
Maybe with Ron? You seem to be sneaking glances at him recently. Not that he'd notice because he's bloody clueless. Well, whatever! I just hope you find someone that will see you as his sun, his moon, and his stars. (I can't believe I wrote that crappy cheesy shit!)
September 30, 1996
'It's not Quidditch that's popular. It's you… You've never been more fanciable. It doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer either.' You said that to me at the pitch and I blushed. It made me happy though, you've never complimented me about my looks before. (I sound like that egotistical git Malfoy right there)
I'm confused about my feelings. I find Ginny attractive and I get jealous of Dean (or is it brotherly feelings?). And then, you complimenting me makes me bloody happy but I know you like Ron…
I hate puberty and hormones.
And why do you have to be angry at that bloody potions book?
"Skip to the Horcrux hunt…" Hermione muttered in a soft, barely audible voice.
"Alright, my love," Harry flipped the pages and looked for what she wanted him to read.
February 20, 1998
I lied to Ron, Hermione. I can't tell him the truth. I can't tell him the truth that I'm in love with you. I need to lie so that we'll have a fighting chance to win this war. I need to lie so that he'll stay. I have to lie so that he'll return – to you.
I'm sorry for lying, Hermione. I'm sorry for denying what I feel.
But I need you to be happy. I need you to be happy without me when I die. You love Ron and he loves you.
Knowing that someone will take care of you when I die makes me feel secure that someone will always be there for you…
I know you're angry at Ron right now but he did return to you…
If I were in his shoes though, if it was me who had your love, I would have never left. Okay, that's a lie. Because at the end of the day, I am still going to leave you when I die at Voldemort's hand.
I can only hope that when I die, I'll take him with me. That way, you'll be safe. You'll have a long happy life. You will have the love you seek – you will be someone's sun, moon, and stars.
Even if I can't tell you in person, you must know that you are all of that to me and more.
You are my sun, my moon, and my stars…
Crazy dramatic shit, I know.
What can I say? You're my universe. (I'm tempted to cross this out so that no one else could read it. Nah! Never mind. Maybe I can give this 'planner' to you as a bequest? That's possible right?)
I just drabbled a will of sorts. I added this planner as one of my bequests for you (aside from the money and properties. And no! I won't change it. You must accept it!).
If you read this and I'm gone, at least you would know that to me…
Hermione Granger is my sun, my moon, my stars, and all that cheesy shit that bloke Darcy and Drogo feel. (Romance isn't my thing. Sorry.)
You are my universe, Hermione Granger. (Now that's much better)
"I – I love that part… Best part of the entire planner," Hermione struggled to say.
"I was a silly bloke, wasn't I?" Harry chuckled.
"You – still are…"
"I love you, Hermione… You are and always will be my sun, my moon, my stars…"
"My universe," Hermione slowly reached out to hold his hand. She was fluttering her tired eyes now. Harry bit his bottom lip to stop himself from sobbing in front of her.
"Hermione…"
"I… love you… Harry Potter…" With those words, Hermione Potter passed on at the crack of dawn.
December 25, 2100
It's been a few months since you've passed on, my love.
I can only hope I won't be making you wait too long.
In as much as I love our family, our grandkids, and our children...every inch of this house we built together, it just reminds me of you…
I miss you, Hermione…
Every day, I write in this planner and I write the same thing…
I love you Hermione – my sun, my moon, my stars.
My Universe.