Unfair Fate
by harryhermioneluver101

Rating: PG
Ship: Harry & Hermione
Canon: Books 1 - 5
Genre: Angst
Status: Complete
Length: 1,512 words in 1 chapter
Published: 10 Jan 2005
Last updated: 10 Jan 2005

One-shot. Harry reflects on all the unfair choices made by someone that have affected his life. Harry's POV, except for
a small section at the end. Please review!

From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/3580/

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. untitled

A/N: This is a plot idea that came to me in the shower, surprisingly. The song Monday Morning Church came on the radio,
and this idea popped into my head. It's a beautiful song, but this is not a songfic to that or anything else. It is on
the same general premise, though.
Also, I came up with, wrote, and posted this in under two hours, so God bless you all for attempting to read it! Enjoy
and please review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.......blah blah blah.......JKR is the all-knowing queen.......blah blah blah.......I am a
humble servant.......blah blah blah.......Please don't sue me.......

Unfair Fate

Although it was true that Harry Potter wasn’t a religious person, he did believe that everything happened for a reason,
and that something- some force- was responsible for these reasons. Not a God, per say, but something. And he knew for
certain that those reasons were rarely, if ever, understood by the people they affected. He knew that very well.

As he sat on the windowsill, Harry began to reflect on all the decisions that had been made by that something without
his consent. The decision that had been made to take his parents, and leave him alive with a destiny that was by far too
much to live up to. Unfair, especially for a one year old. The decision that had been made that ended with him residing
with the Dursleys for 10 years. Unfair for anyone. The decision that had been made to give him Sirius, his only
father-figure and his last connection to his parents, and then violently rip him away in under two years. Unfair. And,
of course, the worst of all: the decision to let him defeat Voldemort and for Harry and Hermione to think that they were
safe, to start their life. Fate took a cruel turn for the worse when they realized they weren’t safe and Hermione was
ripped from him too. Definitely unfair.

“God, if you’re up there, do you enjoy this? Do you enjoy hurting me? Cause it seems like I get a whole lot more pain
and suffering than anyone else.” Harry whispered to no one. There was no one. He was alone, as always.

Harry had thought they were safe, and so had everyone else, for just over two years after the battle. Immediately after
the war was over the two had gotten married. They bought a new flat and started planning their life, their family,
everything they had been waiting for. They weren’t just happy, they were elated. Harry had thought they would have
decades to enjoy this happiness, and that was the thing. Their lives hadn’t even started yet. How cruel fate was.

“Indeed.” muttered Harry under his breath and crawled back to his bed.

And of course there was the largest cruelty of all: it shouldn’t have been her. I wasn’t supposed to be her, that fatal
curse had been directed at someone else entirely. Hermione’s best friend and Harry’s surrogate sister, Ginny Weasley,
had been the intended recipient. Oh yes, the curse had been meant for her courtesy of her loving father-in-law.

***

“Oh Draco, will you shut it already!” Ginny exclaimed to her husband, as he’d been doing nothing but complaining about
having to help her bake Christmas cookies for the better part of two minutes. "Be quiet and hand me that pan."

"She's got you wound tight, doesn't she!" Harry laughed as Draco obediently handed her the cookie sheet and a barely
audible "Yes dear." escaped his lips.

"Reckon you clean house and everything when she asks, don't you!" Ron piped in, Luna giggling at his side.

"Oh guys, I think it's sweet. I wish Harry would listen and help more." sighed Hermione.

"Hey, I listen, I help!" Harry exclaimed, mocking insult.

“Oh yeah, you’re a regular Martha Stewart.”

“Who?” everyone asked in unison.

“Honestly, you guys really need to start watching muggle television. I’m not going to explain it this time.”

Suddenly there was a sound by the front door. “Oh, must be Neville. I thought it would be nice to invite him for
Christmas dinner this year.” said Ginny. “Shoot, my hands are busy. Could somebody get that?”

“Sure Gin.” offered Hermione. “It was thoughtful of you to invite Neville. Gosh, it’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”
she said as she rose from her chair and walked through the kitchen to the adjoining living room.

Harry was just turning around from watching her go to ask Ron something when he heard her scream. He leapt up from his
chair and ran into the living room. “Bloody hell.” he muttered when he turned the corner previously blocking his view.

His wife was standing about twenty feet from the door frame, where a black hooded figure stood. Harry’s first thought
was a dementor, but it wasn’t gliding and the room still felt moderately warm. This was something else. This must be a
man.

The figure hurriedly made his way towards the kitchen, knocking Hermione off her feet on the way. As soon as the figure
rounded the corner, Harry ran to his wife’s side. “You alright?” he questioned hastily, helping her up.

She nodded her head. “What is that thing?” she whispered, obviously petrified of their new visitor.

“I have a feeling we’re going to find out.” he said, and gently pulled her towards the kitchen with him.

They stopped in the doorway when they got there. The hooded figure was across from them. Once they arrived it pulled
down it’s hood to reveal one Lucius Malfoy, fresh out of Azkaban. Something that could be classified between a gasp and
a whimper emitted from Draco as he went even paler than usual. Obviously his father was not his favorite person in the
world to receive a Christmas surprise from.

“Come, Draco. Come with me now. There’s work to be done.” Lucius ordered his son.

“I want no part of your work, father. Leave now and I won’t notify the ministry until you’ve a chance to distance
yourself.” Draco retorted, aggravated that his father thought himself still capable of controlling him.

“Oh Draco, I really didn’t want to have to do this. It seems there are entirely too many distractions for you here.”
drawled Lucius, a malicious grin playing at the corner of his lips.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Draco asked cautiously, his tough resolve visibly melting away.

“I need to terminate what’s tying you to this-” he gestured towards the meek furnishings of Draco and Ginny’s flat.
“-mediocre existence. And lucky for me she’s right here.”

Harry saw Ginny’s eyes widen in shock, mimicking dish saucers. They all watched in utter silence as Lucius stepped just
a tiny bit closer. His wand started to raise, and the words formed on his lips. “Ava.....” managed to escape his mouth
before both Ron and Draco lunged at him from opposite sides. As he toppled to the ground, “.....da Kedavra” was heard,
but his wand was no longer aimed at his target. The spell flew around six feet to right, to the precise spot where
Hermione stood. As she collapsed, Lucius Disapparated. This fact barely registered on Harry’s mind. He caught his wife’s
limp form before she hit the ground. Soon after he had started shaking so violently that the others had thought he may
be having a seizure. A single tear could be seen escaping his eye and slowly journeying down his pale cheek. It was
silent in that kitchen for a long, long time.

***

Harry sighed as he turned over in bed, trying to banish the unwanted memories. Yes, for Harry Potter life seemed to be a
smattering of unfair fate. But there must be someone up there rooting for him, because if there wasn’t he certainly
wouldn’t be here right now. After all the times he had come within mere inches of death and lived to tell the tale he
couldn’t believe that he was entirely without aid from something or someone. His final thought before sleep enveloped
him was that he hoped it was his mum and dad, and Hermione.

***

“Right you are, Harry. Sweet dreams.” whispered Hermione, looking down on the scene unfolding below her and blowing her
love a kiss.

“Come, Hermione, even angels need rest!” laughed Lily, offering a hand to her daughter in law.

“I miss him so much. It’s hard to be able to watch him and not be with him, you know?” she sighed, reluctant to leave
her place. She wanted desperately to watch him sleep a while.

“I know dear, but there’s nothing we can do for him but watch over him now and then. He’ll be okay.”

Just as Hermione sighed once again and took Lily’s outstretched hand they both heard “Hey, you two trying to escape me?
Not a chance.” from behind them.

“James, what are you on about? You know where we’re going!’ giggled Lily, watching her husband walk up to them.

“Oh right, well then let’s go!” he said, looping his arm through Lily’s free one.

Hermione stole one last glance back at her husband, and was relieved to see Harry sleeping quite contentedly.
