So It Was by Reachfulhp88

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 03/09/2004
Last Updated: 04/09/2004
Status: Completed

Harry goes through some very hard times and has to learn to cope with all that life throws his
way. Hermione is there to help him of course, and together they just might make it through.




1. Rings of Mystery
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**1. Rings of Mystery**

It was midnight on July 30th, and Harry James Potter, the-boy-who-lived, the savior
of the free world, stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse of water, glistening
like oil in the reflection of the full moon. He would not yet accept what had happened, not yet. He
sighed sadly and wistfully as the wind rustled his already unruly hair, as he wished, yet again,
that he would someday have a normal life. But he knew that even if Voldemort was killed and the
death eaters disbanded and all that the wizarding world hoped for came true, he would still not be
at peace. People couldn't understand that he did not want all the fame that had been so
drastically put on him at such a young age. Did anybody really think it was fun to walk around and
have people stare and whisper, even if what they said wasn't bad?

Shivering a bit, he put his hands deeper into his pockets and wondered why he felt so cold on
such a humid day. It was cloudy and wet, but the air closed in about him, suffocating him. There
was not much that this young man did not understand. He had seen death too many times, as well as
seen and felt torture, both physically and emotionally. If one could get past the gorgeous
shimmering green of his eyes, they would be able to see straight into his essence, an incredibly
brave, wise and somewhat tempered boy, surrounded by doubt but never wavering. Harry was popular at
Hogwarts, and not just for the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. He was kind, passionate and
sensitive, if not always understanding quite what others where feeling. He was apt to lose his
temper sometimes, but always apologized, and people knew that it was just his way.

Life had not been kind to Harry. Yes, he had many friends and was an excellent Quidditch player,
the best that Hogwarts had ever seen, but yet no colleges had yet asked to recruit him, and Harry
was already in his last year. But there was a simple reason for this. Nobody was sure if Harry
would even live long enough to see his 18th birthday. For he had and immense weight on
his shoulders. He must either save, or doom the entire world, wizard and muggle alike, within the
coming weeks. Voldemort was on the move, opening gathering supports and massing together an army of
the most fearful creatures known to humans. Harry himself did not know what was going to happen. He
had learned how to master the power within him, able to do some forms of wandless magic and could
turn into an animal at will. Harry had mastered the animagus magic the summer of his 5th
year when he went to Grimmauld Place. The place still haunted his dreams, as did the veil and the
whispers. However, it was a perfect place to practice becoming an illegal animagus (for Dumbledore
decided that it was best if Harry's form was not to be widely known). Finally, after a month of
hard work and concentration, Harry Potter could be a beautiful brown stallion at will. He was
rather surprised at first that this was to be his animal, but it made sense, seeing as James Potter
had been a stag. Hermione had also learned, and could turn into a white horse to match Harry, which
pleased them both. `Ron would have made a good animagus' thought Harry, not for the first time.
But there was no point pretending that Ron hadn't died. Harry felt it best to be blunt with
himself, because it hurt less. And now Hermione. She had managed to fill in all the hurts and empty
places of Harry's soul. Except for one. Harry never truly believed that she should stay with
him, knowing full well that his life could end at any point. When he had approached her about this.
She simply said “Harry Potter, you may be the-boy-who-lived, but I am Hermione Granger and I will
love you until the day you die, whether it be tomorrow or in 300 years.” She always knew what to
say, but Harry never really felt truly at ease with their relationship, not because he didn't
love her, but because it was so fragile.

At that point, feeling too fed up with human emotions, Harry transformed into the gleaming
chestnut colored horse. Although he could still feel emotions as an animal, they seemed to be less
intense.

Just then, Harry heard a sound from behind him as somebody moved towards him. He turned and saw
a luminous white maress, his counterpart, trotting towards him. She came beside him and nuzzled his
neck; somehow she was able to feel the pain he was in. Suddenly the white horse became a beautiful
young woman, with wavy almond hair, a fit physique, and a sad look in her hazel eyes. She wore a
light blue dress that shone like that of her stallion's white coat and shimmered in the
moonlight.

“Harry,” she whispered into the stallion's ear, “please talk to me”. She watched as the
horse became Harry. She gasped. He did not look well at all. He usually looked bad when he came
home from a mission, but not like this. His clothes were torn and bloody and his glasses were
broken. But worst of all were his eyes. Usually dancing and full of life when they were together,
they looked today as if something in him died. They were dark green and clouded, not the normal
emerald color. She saw his hand that held his wand tremble, either from rage or grief, she
didn't know. He dropped his wand and fell to his knees, looking for all the world like a lost
puppy, unsure and unknowing.

“Harry! Harry you must tell me what happened, please Harry” she cried, now down on the ground
with him. No response. Tears began to fall down her face as she pleaded again. “Oh Harry, please,
don't leave me here alone…”. At this, Harry seemed to move, a slight jerk.

“Don't cry, love. I'll be alright” he said quietly, taking one of her hands in his
own.

“You were always a bad liar, Harry James Potter, and nothing has changed. Tell me what happened
at the attack,” said Hermoine softly yet firmly.

“We lost Tonks, Kinglsey, Seamus and…and Neville,” Harry said, his voice wavering, especially
when he said Neville's name. Harry and Neville had become very close friends ever since the
Department of Mysteries, when Neville showed himself to be a very capable wizard. Hermione knew
what the loss of such a great wizard meant for the world, and what the loss of such a friend meant
for Harry.

“I…I'm so sorry Harry, for everything…” she whispered. Harry gave her a questioning look,
obviously wondering what “everything” was. She answered his unspoken question. “You don't
deserve any of this. All these deaths, all this hurt, it doesn't belong to you. It's just
not fair…DAMNIT Harry why you?” she cried bitterly, nearly screamed the last part, tears streaming
down her face, and she half excpected Harry to get up and walk away from her, because he didn't
need to hear it. Instead she felt his cool hands on her face, turning her eyes towards him.

“There isn't any other way Hermione. Fate intervened and we have to live with it. I wish,
for your sake, that it had not been I chosen to be the sole defender of Earth, but as I said, that
choice wasn't mine to make. It's my purpose of existence.”

“You are wrong about two things Harry. First, you are certainly not the `sole' defender of
Earth, because I will always be there with you, and second, it is not your purpose in life. It is
what you must accomplish right now in time, but when Voldemort is dead and you have saved us all,
then what?” she asked, “do you plan on chasing after a man who had been slain? You will have a life
of your own again Harry.” She was slightly gladdened to see her speech had helped. Harry had a
small smile on his lips and some of the old life back in his eyes, no longer so cloudy.

“Ah, but there is something I plan to do when this whole ordeal is over, love.” Harry took out a
small velvet box from his cloak and Hermione looked stunned. “This is a promise ring, Mione, it
means that when then world has had enough of me, that I fully intend to make you Mrs. Potter, if
you will accept. He looked pleadingly into her eyes, knowing that if she refused his offer then he
would be likely to throw himself off the cliff. However, he saw in her eyes a look of pure bliss
and comfort, and knew he need not worry.

“Harry, I love you so much. Nothing would make me happier then wearing your ring.” He opened the
box then, and even through the night Hermione could see the glittering diamond surrounded by two
emeralds. Although Hermione would have been happy with a twist-tie ring, this was much better
looking. Her eyes filled with tears again and she watched, entranced, as Harry slid the ring on to
her finger. As soon as she had it on, a strange feeling encompassed her. She felt love pouring in
on her, but also fear, sadness and doubt.

“Harry…” she asked carefully, “does this ring have any, er, magical qualities? Because suddenly
I feel…different…” Harry nodded his head.

“Yeah, I know what you're talking about….My head feels lighter, it's odd.” Suddenly he
understood. “That ring you have, I have the matching one,” he said, showing her the gold band with
the same stones as Hermione's but smaller, “they came from my mother and father. Sirius left
them to me, and I suppose mum and dad could have placed some special spell on them, to connect the
people wearing them. I'm so sorry, Mione, I didn't realize what they were magical…” Harry
stopped talking, obviously scared about how Hermione would react.

“It's really okay, Harry. I have no problems at all sharing rings with the person I love.
Perhaps someday we'll find out what this connection means. Maybe we can become some sort of
teen super heroes. I always did like The Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles…” Hermione replied. Harry
laughed, the first laugh Hermione had seen in too long. His features lit up when he laughed and it
seemed the shadow in his eyes had been subdued, at least for the time being. Then he sobered up and
looked into her eyes with a fierce intensity.

“I love you, Hermione. No matter what happens with Voldemort, you have to understand that. I
would give up everything and leave this place forever if you asked,” said Harry quietly.

“But I don't ask, Harry. You know what you must do. And I know what I must do. Someday,
Harry…you'll see.” Her features too now lit, thinking of the life they might spend together,
and she smiled. Harry got to his feet and offered Hermione a hand. “I've missed you so much
every day” she said when they were both on their feet. She hugged him tightly, as if the signify
that she would not let him go again.

“Love, I was only gone for a week…” said Harry softly, but he held her close to him. She looked
up and smiled, and their eyes locked. She got lost, as always, in his jade depths, and he was
entranced by her soft toffee eyes. Harry leaned down and they kissed. They kissed for passion, for
sorrow, for hope and for survival, but most of all, they kissed for love. When they finally broke
apart some minutes later, Harry looked deep into her eyes, twirling a tendril of her hair around
his finger.

“We are going to be okay, you know that,” he said. It was more of a statement then a question,
for it was one tangent that did not need disusion. “I love you, Hermione, and I always will, no
matter what happens to us…to me.”

A single tear fell down Hermione's face. “I understand. I love you, and will love you,
forever.”

“Forever is an awfully long time, love.”

“I know.” And they walked back to the castle, hands interwoven, their rings humming a peaceful
song of compassion.

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