Lessons by stu14688

Rating: G
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 30/10/2005
Last Updated: 01/11/2005
Status: Completed

Just a two-shot. The thoughts of Harry and Hermione about each other after fifth year. Kinda
romantic, kinda not.




1. Lessons on Love
------------------



**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Rowling does. Please don't sue.**

Knight in shining armor? Prince Charming on a white horse? Fairy god-mothers and castles? Fire
breathing dragons and a princess in the top tower?

Fairy tales - how unbelievably predictable they are.

Don't get me wrong, I like fairy tales. They always begin “once upon a time” and end
“happily ever after.” They are wonderful little love stories about perfect damsels in distress who
are rescued by a faultless-in-every-way man. The couple could not be happier or more perfect.

The only problem with fairy tales is that they are just that - tales. Fictional works of prose
told to small children to instill ideals such as honesty and courage into their small minds. The
point of a fairy tale is not even love, but rather the ideals surrounding the love story itself.
Funny isn't it?

I suppose that is all right, though. The love displayed in fairy tales is too superficial to
last forever. It would not be able to withstand real trials and suffering. It would panic and
crumble in the face of most of what I have seen. Though the characters in fairy tales have courage,
the love itself does not. When love fails, what is the point of everything else? Prince Charming
only had courage in the first place because he was hoping to find true love on the other side of
the danger. Now that he has love and has discovered it is not true, what is his motivation for
courage? There is none.

I used to believe in the love of fairy tales, and then I met a true prince and knight. He is
neither pompous nor showy. He does not want fame and fortune because he knows all too well that
those things do not bring happiness. He only wants acceptance and love. He has faced a
fire-breathing dragon and worse, and he has beaten the odds each time. He never wishes for the
glory that he receives because he knows just how much that glory costs.

He has shown me what true love is. True love does not run, even when facing its greatest fears.
True love exhibits modesty and meekness. True love is loyal. More importantly, in the face of
peril, true love perseveres.

It was this true love that my prince has for all humanity, and it changed my view on love. I
realized that as beautiful as white horses and pumpkin carriages are, they would never complete me
as a person - a soul. I wanted more. I needed more. So, being the know-it-all that I am, I observed
my prince. I tried to understand his kind of love. I never comprehended it until the night that he
pardoned that rat. It was an action out of love, and I understood. Later that night, he stood
between a werewolf and me, and I realized that I only wanted him to love me like that. No one else
- just my prince.

I thought that I had figured out this deep love. I was wrong. It seemed that my prince had more
to teach me about it. Over the following year, I began to see that selflessness played a major role
in this love. I watched as he put himself in the most dangerous positions, forsaking his own
wishes. It seemed like second nature for him to simply give and not ask that the favor be returned.
That was when I decided to return his own brand of love to him rather than wish that he would give
it to me. I knew that he showed me that love. It just did not have the added bonus of a crush
attached.

I worry about my prince now. He is at a crucial point where he could easily give in to the
bitterness that is threatening to overtake him. He has lost much in his short life, and has
received little in compensation. I am glad that I have learned the lesson of true, deep love
because it is my teacher's turn to receive it. It will be a difficult task, but I believe that
I am up to it. My prince needs me. I will not fail him. I promise.

**A/N: The next chapter will be up tomorrow. It'll be Harry's thoughts. Hope you liked
this one! If you did, please review. If you didn't like this one, please review. God
bless!**

“Lessons on Love”

By: stu14688

-->



2. Lessons on Life
------------------



Love. What is that anyway? Yeah, I know that it is odd for me to be thinking about love after
what just happened. Well, maybe it's not. I mean, I loved Sirius, and he died because of my
stupidity. No, this is odd because that's not the kind of love I'm talking about
anyway.

No, I'm talking about hearts and roses kind of love. You know, pink cotton candy on a stick
from the fair kind of love. Is it real? When I look at the wedding photograph of my parents, I
believe that it is real. Yes, I do believe that they had a very strong, and yet cotton candy kind
of love. Regardless of what Snape's memory implies. People change over the years, and I am sure
that both of my parents did.

Of course what does it matter if it is real or not, I'll never experience it. If things keep
going the way they have been, then I could very well be dead by my next birthday. Love like that
simply doesn't happen to me. I mean, honestly, I couldn't even get infatuation to work last
year. My first step into the dating world was a complete disaster. I could only get the girl to
cry. If I did manage to do something right, then it was only because Hermione told me what to
do.

Now there is a person who deserves to be loved: Hermione. As much as she has been through, she
ought to have somebody who can give her the entire fair, not just the cotton candy. She has been a
lifesaver to me. She cares so much about everyone else and their well-being. I haven't thanked
her enough. I need to do that next time I see her. Tell her thank you. I wish I could do more, but
I know that she won't accept more.

Hermione loves me. No, not with a cotton candy love, but with her special Hermione love. She has
a special brand of love that makes anyone feel like the most important person in the world. Her
love can give anyone the courage they need to finish what has been started. If Neville hadn't
of been there to tell me that she was still alive, then I really don't think that I could have
continued fighting down in the Department of Mysteries. How she can so readily accept me as her
friend after that night, I'll never know. Then again, I don't know how any of them can
forgive me. I certainly can't forgive myself for endangering them and getting Sirius
killed…

Ugh. How am I going to get through this? Now more than ever I need someone, but there is nobody
here. Yeah, yeah, there are the Dursleys, but since when did they ever listen to me? I need Sirius
here to talk to, but if he were here, then I wouldn't need to someone to talk to. Hermione and
Ron would listen to me. They're not here though. I hate being this alone! I need someone to
listen and pay attention. Someone who won't judge me. Someone like Hermione.

Now listen to me, I sound so selfish. I'm not the only one who is hurting; Moony just lost
his best friend - again. Yep, Hermione's voice again telling me that everyone lost someone when
Sirius fell through that veil. Always the one to bring back to where I belong, Hermione is. I know
that she isn't trying to be mean. She just wants me to recognize the truth. She really is
great. Hopefully, someday, I can marry a girl like her - or at least date one.

She is more than any guy could ask for. Her kindness, concern, diligence to doing what is right,
genius, stern yet fair way of dealing with people, and honesty. A copy of McGonagall, only without
the bun. Of course, there is the whole age thing too. No wonder Ron fancies Hermione. I sometimes
wonder if I don't fancy her myself, but that would hardly be fair to her. It would be very
wrong of me to like her with all the problems and curses on my life. Although, I am positive that
she would say that that doesn't bother her. She is my friend, after all. My best friend. If I
were to see her as anything more than that, and Voldemort found out about it…I can just imagine
what he would try. No, that is something that I can **NOT** allow.

Hermione sees past the material and looks at the heart and soul. I often think that she can read
minds just as good as Dumbledore, and she doesn't have to use magic. She is that talented.
It's as if she has this bird's eye view of everything. She is so observant and
knowledgeable. I don't think that she has ever seen me as the Boy-Who-Lived. I've always
just been Harry to her. I am more than blessed to have her friendship.

She has taught me a lot, you know. Taught me about friendship, life, courage, loyalty, and
honor. Good grief, if she hadn't of told me about the different houses, then I'd be room
mates with Malfoy. As if life isn't difficult enough. Ron and I have only survived these past
five years because of her brainpower. So many times, we have relied on her plans to save our rears,
and so many times, they have done just that. Honestly, Ron and I would've been dead in first
year without her. I would have fallen to my death at my first Quidditch match if it hadn't been
for her. She's protected and watched out for me so many times. I owe her big. I'll dedicate
that final battle to her whenever it comes. It's not just her that I'll be fighting for,
but she'll be my hope and inspiration. That one, Hermione, is for you. I will not fail you. I
promise.

**A/N:** **T****hanks for reading. I really appreciate it. Please review, and don't
be afraid of constructive criticism. I need all the help I can get.** **Have a good one!**

Lessons on Life

By: stu14688

-->



