Harry's throat closed painfully around his vocal chords, his eyes burnt as he felt a weird tingle slithering its way up and down every single nerve in his body.

"Hermione doesn't love me...", Harry repeated in his head.

"Nothing matters does it..."

The only person who was arguably closest to him, did not like him back. His hands trembled as he looked at the text, it looked like she had written it on the whim without any real though into it. Did she really think so little of him, that a proper letter would not suffice.

"Love, That's something I have never considered to have with you..."

Harry's temper began rising, what was the hugs for? the deep conversations? the glances? the kiss on the cheek? "DID IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?", Harry yelled out loud. He winced, expecting the ugly roar of the Dursley patriarch reprimanding him but the call never came. Seemingly they didn't care about what he was doing.

Harry scoffed, "If Hermione doesn't care about me, the Dursley's aren't even in the question"

His eyes once again fell on to his drawing, his heart shattering into pieces. The delicate and mischievous faces of his twins faded away, causing Harry to grab the portrait and embrace it. Hoping, wishing... No NEEDING, this to all be a dream. To be able to see those bushy haired-green eyed kids, to hold them in his arms as Hermione massaged his shoulders, teaching them how to fly while a heavily pregnant Hermione scolded him playfully.

He opened his eyes, the room looked the same.. he looked out the window to see that the world was still how it looked like a few seconds ago. This wasn't a dream, this wasn't a nightmare. No, this was real life... and Harry was going to have to live it.

He closed his eyes, letting the first drop of tears to trickle out of his eyelids in quick succession.

He was holding a delicious plate of Shepherds Pie, he was quite proud of it to say the least. "Henry! Dorea! Lunch is ready", Harry called out only to be met with silence. "Kids? Where are you!", he yelled once more clearly amused by their antics.

Harry placed the Shepherds Pie down on to the table and sighed heavily. "Oh well! I guess i'll have to eat all of this by myself because Henry and Dorea are not here. It looks so good!", Harry said playfully.

He was sure that the kids would sprint out of their hiding spot any second now.

3... 2.. 1... Nothing.

Harry's brows quivered in his confusion. "Kids..?"

No response followed. "This isn't funny anymore, come out where ever you are!", yelled Harry authoritatively but failed to hide the fear in his voice. Minutes passed as Harry stared out into the entrance of the dining room.

His feet began moving on its own accord, smashing into a nearby chair quite painfully but it's owner did not feel anything.. he couldn't. His breath fastened, his skin now resembling a recently purchased parchment. He flew up the stairs, his mind in utter chaos as he slammed into their shared room only to be met with gloominess something which looked impossibly dark for this time of day.

"NO, NO", Harry began yelling out as he rushed towards his bedroom to let his beautiful wife know about the disappearance.

Twisting the knob of the door he had touched thousands of times, into a room which brought up very happy memories. Harry expected to feel warm and happy, but a heavy feeling set into his gut. There was no one there, not a single soul... the expected image of a reading Hermione as she caressed her pregnant bump did not appear in front of him. Rather, he saw an empty chair which looked cold and desolate without a particularly warm soul residing with in it.

This cant be happening.. Harry rummaged into the nearby trunk and grabbed onto his wedding portrait. He looked so happy that day, he couldn't help stop his own lips contorting into a bright smile though it was short lived as his eyes settled were his angel should have stood only to find it empty. He looked at the walls, expecting to see pictures of the family on vacation and lazily exploring Diagon Alley only to find himself.

Then it clicked...

Henry was not real, his bushy black hair and green eyes never graced the planet. Dorea, his beautiful daughter who resembled her mother but with the eyes of his own... a beautiful soul who comforted him during times of need was not real... His life with Hermione and the growing baby inside of her, was a mere charade, a lie.

Harry opened his eyes, his green gaze now settling onto beige wallpaper of the Number Four Privett Drive. Far away from his cottage tucked away in the warm forests of Scotland. He was now trapped within four walls, which seemed to increasingly look like a prison.

Hermione didn't love him... she would never love him.

Harry gagged at the thought, his eyes bright red and puffy. The only woman who stayed by his side during the Tri-Wizard tournament, the only woman who believed in him unconditionally would never love him. His face lost the little glow it once retained as the picture of a faceless man returned, swinging Hermione into his arms and walking away causing Harry to crumple onto the floor and hug his legs.

He punched the floor in anger and despair, abusing it for half a minute before sobbing out of hopelessness and grabbing onto his now bruised fist. He knew he should try getting help for the blood now pouring down his knuckles but he wouldn't because Hermione didn't love him.. would never love him.

Minutes passed with quiet wails of regret and envy as the boy cursed the gods above for dooming him to a life of tragedy. His back felt sore from laying on the cold hard floor he knew he should get up and rest on his bed, but he wouldn't because Hermione didn't love him.. would never love him..

His stomach contracted painfully, a combination of hunger and Harry's complete lack of appetite after "the letter". He knew he should go get something to eat, but he wouldn't... Hermione didn't love him, would never love him.

But love? That's something I have never considered to have with you, neither do I believe I ever will.

Those words stung him like a thousand bees, sticking its horns deep into his heart and scattering it into the cold dark winds.

He rammed his eyes close, a desperate attempt to stop thinking about her. Yet, in the darkness of his eyelids he saw her smile shining brightly. Not for him, but for another a man.. a man worthy for her love and not a short, mediocre, orphan with a serious case of imposter syndrome.

He opened his eyes, desperately running away from that reality and looked at his room. He sighed, she was not here.. he didn't have to see the smile that would never be directed towards him, he didn't have to see the hair she would never let him braid, he didn't have to see the lips that he could never kiss.

He looked at the table once more, he wished that he could travel back in time and stop his foolish youthful mind from writing that letter. He did rather live in arrogance of her feelings towards him, fantazing that she may like him back rather than knowing for certain that she never liked him.

He heard a slight creak behind him, he turned around in an instant instinctively reaching for his wand. Next to the door stood a woman that he knew so well, a figure that was etched into the darkest corners of his mind.

Hermione stood there, with him in his very own room at the Dursleys. Harry, blinked in surprise.

"How is she here?", thought Harry. This train of thought was interrupted as he leapt towards her, his arms wide, trying to get what could very well be his last hug from the girl he loved so deeply before she cut all physical contact with him out of pure disgust.

Instead of the warmth of her delicate body he was met with cold, his body piercing through were she just was... she had disappeared. Harry grabbed onto the wall to prevent him from falling, "Did i just hallucinate Hermione?"... He knew he should probably talk to someone about this, it wasn't normal to see things that didn't exist even in the magical world but he wouldn't, Hermione didn't love him.. She would never love him.

He heard another sound but did not bother to look up, his shoulders relaxed as he felt Hedwig rest on it before the owl began to affectionately pick on his hair. He took a deep breath before raising his head up to looking at Hedwig, her eyes were wide and it looked she was trying to tell him something...

"Hedwig, what do you want?", muttered Harry annoyed. This was met with a quick flap of the owls wings as if she was once again trying to convey something to the bespectacled boy.

"Hedwig, stop it", yelled Harry looking at the owl once more who stood up defiantly before hopping off of his shoulder and towards the letter she had carried. The sudden burst of anger within Harry was quenched, now replaced with sadness as he saw the familiar purple tinted paper Hedwig now had between her beak.

The owl who seemed quite grumpy at the moment hopped towards him and dropped the letter at his feet. Harry looked at his companion with confusion as he tried to decipher what the owl was doing.

Hedwig leapt onto the letter and gave it a few stamps, as if trying to say "Hey, I want to talk about this letter'. Harry chuckled at the thought of Hedwig actually speaking, for some odd reason her voice resembled Hagrid in his head causing him to fall into a momentary fit of laughter which caused his ribs to hurt. He didn't know if it was caused by the constant hyperventilation he was in, but he definitely didn't want to feel that pain on top of the dark cloud that had now rested over his heart. Causing him to stifle his laughter and return to his brooding.

Hedwig looked at him with concern, clearly not expecting her human to begin laughing. "Great, even Hedwig things that I'm a Psychopath... maybe the Dursley's were right, I should have been shipped off to St. Brutus", commented Harry out loud which was met with a glare from the owl.

"Okay, Okay.. Hedwig, I'm all ears what do you want to tell me", said Harry half-heartedly not finding it in him to shout at the stubborn bird.

Hedwig got to work, she pointed at the letter with her feet before swinging her head side to side like a maniac as if to emphasis the word "no".

"Yea, Hedwig.. I know she rejected me.. you don't need to remind me of it", Harry whispered his mood clearly dampened.

Hedwig gave a loud hoot once more and shook her head even faster. The snowy owl looked exasperated and frustrated that her owner didn't understand her.

"Merlin, Hedwig ENOUGH", yelled Harry authoritatively.

"I know you want me to understand she said no and you want me to move on BUT ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE", yelled the Potter.

Hedwig's eyes grew wider if that was even considered possible, she shrilled as loud as she could trying to get her human to understand that the letter was not genuine.

She wasn't met with a verbal response, rather she was pushed into her cage which was promptly locked.

"Bloody hell Hedwig, do you want the Dursley's to lock you away for the rest of the summer? You know how risky it is for me to even allow you out of there. Queit DOWN", whispered Harry. Remembering the fact that he still did not have permission to allow the owl out of her enclosure, the last thing he wanted was for his uncle to hear the owl's primal crows and find out that his "freak" nephew had disobeyed his orders.

Hedwig opened her mouth to give one last hoot, but it was too late. Harry's retreating form walked out of the room and slammed the door shut.

Hedwig rolled her eyes and placed a wing on her head, imitating a mother who was under a lot of stress.

Hedwig had a look in her eyes which screamed "Teenagers are Stupid".

Though, unbeknownst to the quite frustrated snow owl. Miles away, sat a particularly troubled individual who had been attacked by the owl just a few hours earlier.

Hermione's hands was currently grasping a piece of white paper which looked very official, next to her stood a large dark brown owl who by the looks of it was probably very popular amongst the female-owl population of Hogwarts.

Office of the Headmaster

Dear Miss Granger,

I trust this owl post finds you in good health and high spirits. I find myself reflecting on the events of the past academic year. Your unwavering dedication to your studies, your loyalty to your friends, and your remarkable intellect have not gone unnoticed.

However, it is with a heavy heart that I write to address a matter of utmost importance. I am aware of the close bond you share with Mr. Harry Potter—a bond forged through trials, adventures, and the indomitable spirit of youth. While such friendships are precious, they can also carry unforeseen consequences.

As Headmaster, it is my duty to consider the safety and well-being of our students. Recent events have heightened my concerns. The Triwizard Tournament, the return of Lord Voldemort has made communication within Harry Potter's inner circle particularly vulnerable.

Therefore, after careful deliberation, I must issue a directive that weighs heavily upon my conscience. Miss Granger, I hereby forbid any further correspondence between you and Mr. Potter during this summer break.

Furthermore, I would like to extend an invitation for you Mrs. Granger to spend the last few weeks of the summer break with your friend Ronald Billius Weasly, his family and other individuals within the light side at a location I cannot disclose as of now.

I believe, that you shall take my discretion seriously and not attempt to contact Mr. Potter for the rest of the summer.

Regards,

Albus Dumbledore - Headmaster

Hermione was worried, not because she was wondering how to convince her parents to allow her to leave before the end of the summer break even though they see so little of her. No, that was minor compared to the dilemma she now faced. It only took a few minutes after sending that letter through Hedwig, for the brown haired witch to realize her mistake.

It was safe to say that Mrs. Granger was neither surprised or impressed when Hermione came running back down crying after confidently declaring her emotional independence less than half a hour ago.

Hermione regrated sending the letter, in fact she had been drafting an apology letter and a true account for her feelings right before she received the letter from Dumbledore.

"What is my luck", cried Hermione to herself. She couldn't express her true feelings for Harry for another few weeks. "It would break him". A growing amount of self-hatred settled into the young woman.

Mrs. Granger looked onto her daughter with a mixture of sympathy and disappointment. "You will have to face the consequences of your actions, Hermione", said the older woman not bother to try to sugarcoat the reality of the situation.

This caused Hermione sob even louder, she couldn't believe that she had everything she ever wanted in her palms a few minutes ago until she threw it all away.

For a stupid joke.

For the first time in a long time, Hermione Jean Granger felt dumb. Very Dumb.