A good goodbye...
Harry stared at Hermione's beautiful figure going down the stairs that morning. And that's what he remembered almost a week and a half later. Not Bill and Fleurs wedding. Not her crying. Not her staying away from him the past week, okay that he did remember, and that hurt.
It was night time and he knew he had to sneak out. Harry snuck downstairs, a note in his hand. He set it on the table in the living room, the ring on top. Suddenly Hermione woke up. "Harry."
"Um, yeah." Harry said. Oh shit what would he do now. "I was goig to go for a walk quick."
"At this time of night. Are you nuts?" Hermione said sitting up. "What are those?" She asked pointing to the package and the letter.
"They're nothing." Harry said and he took them back.
"No, I want to see." Hermione said.
Harry knew she'd find out one way or another so he handed them to her. She opened the letter and read it aloud:
My dearest Hermione,
No matter how much I love you I must leave you now. I have to. To keep you safe. You are the most precious thing I have ever known and I hate to leave you.
You asked me what had happened at the Dursley's so I'll tell you. I was beaten there. I was also raped."
Hermione stopped reading and pulled Harry into a hug. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Why did you stay there?"
Harry pointed to the letter. He couldn't speak.
"You're probably wondering why I was so stupid. Why
would I stay through that? Well... I had an assignment fom Dumbledore. He asked me to go back. I had to.
He said that Petunia knew something about one of the Horcruxes, so I had to go back. I had to find out."
"So you stayed through hell to do what Dumbledore asked. You are so brave." Hermione said. "I couldn't ever be as brave as you."
Hermione looked back down at the letter:
"I'm so sorry that I couldn't tell you face to face. I know it would hurt our friendship."
Hermione stopped. "No. Even if you would have told me it wouldn't hurt our friendship at all." Hermione kissed Harry. "It would have made me like you more."
Harry smiled. "I love you Hermione. I love you a lot."
"I love you too Harry." Hermione said and kissed him again.
Harry pulled out the box that held the ring. "Here, this is for you."
Her eyes widened as she opened it. "That ring. You got me that ring."
"I figured it could be like a promise ring." Harry said looking down. "I promise that if I can I'll come back to be with you. I want you to go to school. I want you to be a teacher. So I need you to stay. I promise that if I can I'll be back soon."
She put the ring on her finger. "Do you need to. I can't imagine going to school without you."
"I have to. I need to do this alone." Harry smiled. "And just think. The sooner I leave the sooner I'll be home again."
Hermione smiled and kissed him. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Harry said and kissed her on the lips. She pulled him closer to her and before he knew it her pants were off. He couldn't say no though. He wanted it. He felt like he needed it. He needed her. At least he wanted her so bad that he couldn't say no.