A/N: This was prompted by a discussion about how the 'Friendship and Bravery' part in Philosopher's Stone could have been called back in Deathly Hallows.
As he brought the snitch to his mouth he was stopped by an insistent tugging on his arm from behind. He wasn't surprised…not at all.
"Hermione," he murmured in desperation, forcing himself not to look back, "we agreed."
"I couldn't do it Harry," she said softly. He could tell she was doing her best not to cry. "I'm not letting you go alone."
"I need to die, Hermione…just me. Please."
"I'm not letting you go alone," she repeated more strongly as she pulled him into a hug. "Live or die, we do it together. That is what is important."
Harry's mind flashed back to his first year and their previous discussion on what was and was not important.
"Friendship and bravery," he whispered as he clung to her.
"Friendship and bravery," she sobbed.
After five more minutes he realized it wasn't an argument he was going to win and felt a dawning realization that this might be what was meant to happen. She had been prevented from coming with him during the first journey to protect the stone those many years ago …he suddenly realized that he couldn't bear this final journey without her.
He gripped her hand a bit more tightly as he closed his eyes and breathed into the snitch, "We're ready to die." He heard Hermione's gasp and opened his eyes.
"Mum, this is Hermione."