In this endless summer

We will be together

And I don't want this feeling to ever end

Looking back in November

Feel the sun and remember

That when our time has finally come to pass

Somethings last

Somethings always last

—"Endless Summer" Ashlee Simpson

Coming to The Burrow had proved to be a therapeutic experience for Harry. For once, the Horcrux hunt, Voldemort, the prophecy, the war, all went to the back burner as everyone started getting ready for Bill and Fleur's wedding. Alarmingly, Mrs. Weasley was too busy on the preparations to worry about Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Ron had warned that she had been trying to get them to spill what exactly they had been planning. She was less than thrilled to hear that they would not be finishing their last year at Hogwarts. Instead, she was often too busy to even want them around the house. Near the Burrow was a giant pond, which was where she would send Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins to get them out of her hair.

For Harry, going to the pond was the ultimate summer experience. Many times he had wondered what it would be like to just be a normal teenager and soak in the sun and splash around with friends. It was the closest thing to a beach he had ever been to. They spent days on end at the pond while the wedding neared. Harry got closer to his friends because of the amount of time he was spending without being preoccupied with Voldemort or the war. Never would he have imagined that it would've been possible.

A few days later, Harry had agreed to "help" Ron clean out the pond. It was oozing with products from Fred and George's Wizard Weasley Wheezes testing, the twins had proceeded to use it after the group grew tired of it. Clearing the cauldrons was an easy feat for those that could use their wand. Harry, however; still had the Trace on him so all he was really doing was watching Ron throw the cauldrons around. He was also faintly aware that Ginny was staring at him. Since he had arrived at The Burrow, there was too much going on for him to realize the awkwardness between them. Now that they had so much free time, he was becoming increasingly aware of it.

Ron looked behind Harry and saw his sister staring at the back of Harry's head.

"Ginny, don't you have anything better to do than to just sit there and stare at us all day?" he asked rudely.

No!" Ginny retorted. "Don't see how I can be bothering you, I'm not doing anything."

"Well can you not do anything somewhere else?"

"Fine!" Ginny stood and huffed frustratingly as she retreated to the path that led home.

"Ginny thinks that by sticking close to us, we'll ask her to come along." Ron explained.

"She knows about the Horcrux hunt?" Harry asked resentfully. He had really wanted it for it all to stay between Ron, Hermione, and himself.

"No!" said Ron quickly. "But she knows we're not going back to Hogwarts, and staying here has also been ruled out so she knows something's up.

"She'll be safer at Hogwarts."

"I don't know…" said Ron pensively. "With all that's been happening lately, I doubt even Hogwarts is a safe haven anymore. Pretty much the same odds everywhere no?"

Harry shrugged.

"So uhm…" said Ron looking at Harry uncertainly." Ginny's been staring at you a lot lately; will you two be getting back together soon?"

"No, we broke it off after Dumbledore's funeral. She knows why. Things haven't changed."

"Well, I reckon she's been thinking there's a chance you might change your mind."

"There's a war going on!" Harry exclaimed. "Pretty bad time to think of a love life right now isn't it?"

"Relax, I was just curious." said Ron defensively.

"What about you?" Harry asked turning the tables on him. "Are you and Hermione definitely over?"

"Like if you don't know that." said Ron with a slight bitterness. "Yes, we're over."

Hermione told me you two had ended amicably."

"Well we did, I suppose." said Ron pocketing his wand in his back pocket. "I'm still trying to adjust to the thought though…"

Harry felt uncomfortable. He was never one to feel at ease when it came to talking about relationships. Now it was even more so when it involved Hermione. He had never even gotten the chance to get used to the idea of them being a couple, how was he supposed to deal with his best friends now that they were exes? It was always awkward around exes, he would know since he could never even look Cho in the eye after the disastrous attempt at a relationship they had made. Would it be the same between Ron and Hermione?

"It's just weird you know?" said Ron, oblivious to how uncomfortable Harry was. "After all this time and frustration and all the madness of sixth year…we tried it and failed."

"Well…just because you like each other doesn't necessarily mean it will work out. Personalities, ideas, opinions all those become much more important than initial attraction you feel for someone wears off." Harry said not entirely sure why he felt the need to say that. "Liking isn't always enough."

Ron looked back at him questionably.

"Just saying..." Harry shrugged. "Anyway, what do I know?"

They stood in awkward silence as they stared at the slowly clearing lake. Harry was relieved to see Mrs. Weasley making her way towards them. He was grateful for anything to stop the unbearable conversation of failed relationships. It was a topic Harry didn't ever feel would be comfortable to talk about with Ron.

"Ronald, are you done yet?" asked Mrs. Weasley exasperatedly.

"Yes, mum just finished" Ron whined.

"Good, I need you in the kitchen."

"Now what?" Ron Groaned

"Don't whine Ron, you may be of age but you still have to respect your mother."

Ron reluctantly walked back towards the house. Harry was about to follow suit when Mrs. Weasley stopped him.

"You can stay here Harry dear." she said kindly.

"Don't you need any more help?"

"No, Ron will work out just fine." she said smiling at him gently. "You just sit here and collect your thoughts."

Before Harry could question her further, Mrs. Weasley walked briskly back to The Burrow. Harry thought he knew perfectly well what was up to. His birthday was tomorrow and she would no doubt be preparing something for him. He turned back to the lake and sat down on a giant rock. It was late in the afternoon and the sky was slowly changing from bright blue to a darker hue. He grabbed a small pebble from the ground and threw it into the water, watching the ripples ebb where the pebble had dropped. He was so lost in his thoughts that he had failed to feel Hermione come sit next to him.

"Hey." she said softly.

"Hey," he replied. "didn't hear you arrive."

Hermione nodded.

"I know. I could see you were deep in thought." She said. "You mind sharing what you were thinking about?"

"You already know."

Hermione nodded once again.

"Hard to think of anything else isn't it?" she said.

Harry didn't answer. Hermione didn't expect him to. He was pensive, and it was about something that wasn't to be taken lightly. She knew it was futile to soothe his mind, especially when the war was something that was thought of inevitably despite any efforts that could be made. She knew that all too well.

"Mrs. Weasley sent me out here to distract you." said Hermione changing the topic. "I'm sure you probably already sense it but, Mrs. Weasley is planning you a party for your seventeenth birthday tomorrow."

Harry chuckled.

"Planning a wedding isn't enough of a challenge?"

"I think she probably feels that by being busy, she won't have to think about everything that's going on." she shrugged.

"I guess it makes sense." Harry surmised.

They sat in silence for a while. They admired the still water and the slowly darkening sky. For a moment, it felt like those carefree days he had spent with Ron and Hermione sitting in front of the black lake at Hogwarts. He secretly missed it and the idea of being back. Hogwarts was his home, the place where he finally made friends. Now he wouldn't be able to go back in a long time or if at all.

"I hope she won't make a fuss out of It." said Harry finally.

"No, she said she'd only invite Hagrid, Tonks, and Lupin." Hermione assured. "Not that she could make a big deal anyway; it's not exactly wise for everyone to know you're here."

There was another long pause of silence. Hermione really didn't like that he was thinking so much. Not when she knew what his mind was focused on. She had to do something.

"I've noticed that while we've been here, you've come out here a lot." She said.

"I guess I like the sound of the water." Harry explained. "It's calm here. I need a reminder of what tranquility is. We won't have that feeling for much longer."

"I really wish you would stop speaking like this." Hermione said genuinely.

Harry looked over to her, shocked to see her surveying him closely.

"I'm sorry…I know I shouldn't...I know I promised I wouldn't." he said softly. "It's just that when you're alone with your own thoughts…your mind can become your worst enemy."

"Well that means you shouldn't be left alone then doesn't it?" said Hermione grabbing his hand.

"Do you remember what I told you back in our first year after I took the potion that would send me back to help Ron?"

"You said I was a great wizard" said Harry remembering.

Hermione nodded.

"I said that after knowing you for a short amount of time." She said grasping his hand firmly. "And now that I've known you for much longer…I stand by what I said."

Harry looked at Hermione deeply. Was she aware of the power she had over him? He had never met anyone who had impacted him in so many ways. Despite what he told himself, hearing comforting words like the ones she was giving made all the difference in the world. It made all the pain of loss and anger melt away into a small minuscule puddle. Why was he putting so much thought into this? She was just doing her duty as his friend. Right?

"Why do you have such blind faith in me?" he asked curiously.

"I guess that after witnessing you saving me; an insufferable know-it-all from a Mountain Troll" she said smiling warmly. "I've been unashamedly confident that you will always come to the rescue."

"There's a big difference between a stupid mountain troll and the greatest dark wizard in history Hermione." said Harry chuckling.

"No, there really isn't." said Hermione seriously. "Tell me, why exactly did you at eleven years old, choose to barge into the girl's lavatory and rescue someone who had annoyed you right off the bat?

"I don't know." Harry shrugged, realizing that he had no clue why he had made that decision all those years ago.

"Because that's the kind of person you are." Hermione responded. "As reckless as that trait can be at times, your hero instincts are the reason why Voldemort sees you as a threat."

"You didn't underestimate your odds then…you shouldn't do so now." she continued.

"Hermione, Mountain Trolls are strong but very stupid. Outsmarting them even at eleven wasn't that hard." Harry argued. "But Voldemort…I mean, yeah I've survived three times now, but it's all luck. Luck runs out."

"It's not luck! Anyone could've been chosen as the one to bring him down if that was the only thing that took." said Hermione defiantly. "Don't you see? Regardless of what it's caused, you've been chosen for a reason, and that reason is that you can handle it and because you WILL beat this."

Harry remained silent and stared absentmindedly at his hand in hers.

"At least one of us is confident." He said musingly.

"So far…even if I have to repeat it every day and you want nothing more than to muffliato Me." said Hermione jokingly. "You will get it through that thick head of yours."

"As annoying as your nagging and bossing trait may be at times." said Harry teasingly. "It's saved me from a lot. Ron and I would've died years ago if it wasn't for you."

"Oh I know." she said snarkily.

Hermione smiled at him warmly. The sky was darker and the night's insects were rehearsing for their long night of singing.

"It's getting late, it's not safe to be out here at night." said Hermione getting up.

"Yeah." Harry agreed. "Besides, I think we've given Mrs. Weasley plenty of time to do whatever that she had planned."

Together they walked back to the burrow, edging closer to the day they had been dreading. The day that would be the beginning of their perilous journey.