Sing Me A Lullaby, Hermione

The red sun was setting.

Hermione looked around wildly, barely noticing the hexes that just missed her. Her brown eyes quickly scanned the battlefield, but all she saw was yellow grass, mangled bodies, and dueling figures—no Harry.

“Harry!” she cried out desperately, stifling back a sob. “Where are you?”

She saw bare trees, bent over from the impact of flying curses; blinding red light shooting off in all directions; Death Eaters and the Order alike, dueling fiercely, their wands merely a blur…

“Harry!” Hermione screamed out again, running into the fray, searching blindly. A feeling of terror slowly rose up inside her—what if Harry was already alone with Voldemort, fighting futilely for his life against a wizard unimaginably stronger than he? But Harry would win, Hermione thought. He has power the Dark Lord knows not.

Hermione tripped over a sapling root, but she got up again and continued to run. Numerous scratches ran along her arms, legs, and face, while wispy leaves matted her hair. But she didn't care about that now. Harry needed her. She could feel it.

The tears ran freely. She couldn't find him. She couldn't find her Harry.

How much she loved him. How she longed to grasp him and say—

“Crucio!”

Suddenly, a blinding pain hit her full force, knocking her down. A scream of agony left Hermione's lips as she writhed on the ground, her joints and flesh throbbing with anguish. The Death Eater Amycus was advancing toward her, his wand pointed at her heart as he giggled hoarsely. Her flesh was tearing apart… her bones were on fire… She just wanted it to end… She needed to find her Harry…

As suddenly as it came, the pain stopped. Hermione looked up and saw Amycus lying on the ground next to her, out cold. She got up again and ran away, away from the fight, not caring about what just happened.

She stumbled across the yellow grass, running into bushes and tree branches, tripping over roots and rocks, but with only Harry on her mind. Hermione was sobbing loudly now as she ran, always getting up again when she fell. She felt as if she was hurtling through space; all sense left her as she ran on. The cold air stung her lungs, and every breath seemed to rip her chest apart. A particularly gnarly tree branch collided with Hermione's face and left a slash across her cheek, but it barely registered with her. She was only thinking about Harry.

Desperation filled her to the core. Tears blinded her sight.

“Harry,” Hermione moaned, finally dropping on her knees. Fatigue gripped her like an iron claw. She would lie down, just to rest for a little minute…

“Hermione…”

That voice… It had a familiar ring… It sounded like someone she knew…

“Hermione…”

She just needed to lift her head up. Just to see who it was…

“Hermione… It's me… Harry…”

Joy mingled with astonishment filled Hermione up as she wrenched herself up off the ground and searched hungrily for the source of his voice. “Harry?”

Then she saw him. Just a few feet away, lying on the ground. Red light from the setting sun shone down upon his still figure, and he was all alone except for the crooked trees and yellow grass. Horror seized her again as she ran, ran with all her might, to her love. Why was he just lying there?

She ran to his side and dropped down once again on her knees.

“Oh, Harry…” She buried her face into his sweaty hair and took a deep breath. Her Harry was here, right next to her. She then started to cry—from the relief, from the anxiety, from something—but she just did. Right there in the middle of the field of grass, she cried, rocking her Harry back and forth, stroking his unruly hair up and down. His face was dirty and sweaty, and a gash lined his left cheek, but Hermione didn't care. How glad she was to see him… How much she loved him…

“Hermione,” Harry croaked. “It's done. He's gone.”

Hermione didn't say anything back; she just continued to hold him, rocking him gently. Nevertheless, a fresh cascade of tears erupted from her eyes, and she sat there still, embracing Harry. He looked so weak…

“You don't have to worry about me anymore, Hermione,” Harry said, his voice merely a whisper. “You know how I hate it when you worry.”

Hermione smiled faintly through her tears. She let go of Harry and then laid down right there next to him in the middle of that field of yellow grass. The wind blew lightly, and they both felt the weak light of the setting sun send its pinkish-red shafts down upon them. There she lay there, feeling the breeze through her hair, hearing the swish of the tree branches, and seeing Harry, his green eyes fixed upon her own brown ones.

Harry slowly wrapped an arm around her as they lay still, relishing in each other's presence. Hermione just wanted to stay here forever, forget about the battle raging near them, and be here with Harry, her best friend, her love. They laid there, listening to the wind, listening to the rustling of the trees. All noises of the nearby battle were drowned out of their ears as they were in each other's presence. All seemed calm. She felt Harry's hand enclose around hers, and she bit her lip to prevent herself from letting out any more tears. She just wanted to stay like this forever, laying here with Harry, with the red shafts of light from the descending sun illuminating their bodies and the breeze soothing their aching bodies.

She felt Harry's eyes upon her again, and before she knew it, she felt herself lean in. Before her eyes fluttered closed, she glimpsed Harry leaning in as well. Very slowly, both of them inched closer to each other, before their lips at last locked in a pure, chaste embrace. As her lips touched his, warmth swiftly seeped through her and spread throughout her body. How long they stayed like that in the weak sunlight Hermione did not know, but they continued to kiss each other, transferring their love to each other through their lips' caresses.

They finally let go. Sadness was engraved upon Harry's face, and Hermione inhaled a sharp breath.

“What is it, Harry?”

Harry just stared at her, his green eyes filled with the same sadness. Hermione didn't notice his eyes were starting to dim. “Hermione…”

She then saw Harry's clouded eyes and his labored breathing and suddenly felt tears threatening to fall. She understood now.

“Harry—no,” Hermione choked out, tears falling thick and fast. She grabbed him and held him tight, breathing in his scent.

They both lay there next to each other in that field, clutching one another in the gentle wind and red light.

“Harry, you can't leave me,” Hermione whispered. “Harry, I love you, I love you. Don't—please—

“I love you too,” Harry murmured back, the sadness still showing on his face.

With lips trembling and tears somersaulting down her face, she lifted a trembling hand and started stroking his cheek. “Harry,” she said in a choked voice, “My Harry…”

“Sing me a lullaby, Hermione,” Harry whispered, his voice barely audible. Nevertheless, the urgency in his voice was clear.

The tears still not stopping, Hermione sat up and started to rock Harry back and forth once again. She slowly puckered her tear-drenched lips and sang in a soft, lucid voice the very lullaby she sang that one winter night:

There is sweet music here that softer falls

Than petals from blown roses on the grass

Or night-dews on still waters between walls

Of shadowy granite, in the gleaming pass;

Music that gentler on the spirit lies,

Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes.

Hermione saw Harry's lips curved in a small smile, and his face was void of all sadness now. As she felt the tears falling once more from her eyes, she noticed that Harry looked content and serene.

She rested her lips for a second on Harry's forehead, and then said very quietly, “I love you.”

Nobody heard but Hermione. Harry was already sleeping.

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A/N: Well, it's been a fun ride! PLEASE REVIEW!!!