Tangled by Kaze

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 07/04/2004
Last Updated: 07/04/2004
Status: Completed

He had to go and she had to give him support- with strength and with her heart. Even with the
notion that if he were never to return, she would break. [one-shot/companion to Blindness]




1. Tangled
----------

TANGLED

*So wise so young, they say, do never live long.*

*William Shakespeare, **King Richard III: Act III, Scene I***

She knew the moment she opened her eyes and found Harry sitting by her bed that he was leaving
to go face Voldermont. This day was undeniably inevitable and she was surprised at the calm
composure she maintained. She should be borderline hysterical at the thought of what Harry was
about to do.

And yet she wasn’t, she couldn’t. It simply wasn’t fair to him if she was. Fate had woven them
into a complicated web of red thread. Each moment was twisted and knotted in such a way that
separation was simply not an option. But he had to go and she had to give him support- with
strength and with her heart. Even with the notion that if he were never to return, she would
break.

*Her heart*, she mused unconsciously clutching at her nightgown.

“Harry,” she murmured softly. She shifted slowly and propped her head on one hand, reaching out
with her other to entwine her fingers with his.

“I need you,” he murmured, bringing her hand to his lips. “I need you to be ready, Hermione. I
need you to be ready for whatever is coming.”

She said nothing, for there was nothing to be said. He was seeking reassurance from her presence
as he had done many of times during the duration of his training with Dumbledore. She had seen him
at his worse, screaming and cursing, broken and bruised. She understood that she could offer him
only what he was seeking and never beyond that.

“I’m sorry.”

Hermione was startled out of her thoughts as the bed shifted and she was swept into his embrace.
She trembled. It was amazing that at even the slightest touch, she had forgotten how to
breathe.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I can’t- you deserve better than this.”

She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to do *something* to keep him here with
her in this room. Instead, she pulled back and reached out to brush his hair away from his
eyes.

“Be safe,” she spoke finally. “That’s all I can ask for. Be safe and come back to me.”

She shivered under the brilliant intensity of his eyes as her fingers danced across his lips. He
caught her hand and yanked her closer, devouring her lips with his own. At that moment, they both
knew it was beyond reassurance now. His lips moved against hers in an unspoken promise of primal
need. It was then that she knew he would come back. But it would be for her alone that he would
come back for.

It was then that they broke apart, breathing heavily. She felt him shift and brush a soft kiss
across her forehead. And then as quietly as he came he was gone.

It was dawn when she finally cried.

**Finished.**

**Author’s Notes:**

Yes, I know it’s short. But it’s to the point. And I kind of like it, I guess. For a short
one-shot, I suppose.

Anyhow, I just wanted to say I’m not dead. I’m just recovering from the flu, catching up on the
work that I missed because of having the flu, and my mom got really sick. I mean sick enough to
nearly be hospitalized, so that was scary. And now, I’m going on a vacation for some sort of family
recovery thing because having the flu and being stressed with college, my job, and my mom isn’t
fun. But I wanted to post something for y’all.

Undercurrents, the final part, is finally at the beta’s. It should hopefully be posted sometime
end of next week, the beginning of the following.

Thanks for reading! Now go and review to your heart’s content.



