Chapter 42
The meeting ended a little earlier than he thought and he was glad for it. However important the meeting was he was relieved that the planning was over. They were to meet at the courtyard before the sun rose and a handful of them would set off on foot.
Other Aurors were to leave from different locations, following certain Death Eaters that were assigned to. If their plan worked it would eventually lead everyone to Voldemort. Until then, Harry was suppose to lay low and let the Aurors and members of the Order clear the path. At first he didn't care for the idea of being a coward and hiding if there was an attack, but Remus made him realize the big picture. If a Death Eater slipped by and killed him before his fateful meeting with the Voldemort, their world would be doomed. So he would do his best to stay hidden, but he would still be on alert just in case his services were needed.
Ten till noon he stepped through the common room and stopped short. Love swarmed through him at the sight of Hermione and Emma on the couch. They were looking through Hermione's photo album together, he imagined they were new pictures from their last year. He stayed still while he implanted the scene in his mind, for it was one of the memories he would take with him. "That's a pretty picture you two make."
When they turned, his smile faltered at the sight of Emma's red swollen eyes. He'd never seen her cry before and his gut clenched at the thought of her shedding tears for him. "Emma."
She sniffled as she got up and he squatted down to embrace her. "There now," he murmured as he held her trembling body as she sobbed. "It's all right."
"I don't want you to go."
Harry looked over a Hermione who was silently crying and his heart crumbled. Nothing was worse than seeing the two most important women in his life cry. He picked Emma up as if she was a toddler and she wrapped her small arms and legs around him as she clung to him, sobbing into his neck. He ran a comforting hand down her hair as he walked over and sat next to Hermione, who immediately leaned into him and rubbed Emma's back. "Please don't cry." He kissed the top of her head. "I can't stand to see your tears, Emma. It breaks me."
She took short shaky breaths as Harry comforted while he waited for her to get her bearings. She finally leaned back, sniffling while Harry brushed her tears away. "It isn't fair. I j-just found y-you and now I m-might lose you."
"You won't lose me." He cupped her face with his hands. "No matter what happens I'll always…"
"No!" She cried and pushed her head out of his hands. "All my life that's all I've ever heard. 'Your parents live inside you, Emma.' 'They'll always be with you.' Don't they realize it's not the same?"
"I know it's not." He knew exactly what it was like.
"I couldn't handle it if people said that to me about you. "I won't have it."
"Emma."
"And what of Hermione? If not for me come back for her."
"I'll come back for the both of you." He captured her face again, more firmly this time so she couldn't jerk her head away. "I'm going to do everything I can to get back to you. Both you and Hermione."
She studied him with her eyes that belonged to Sirius. "You promise?"
He smiled. "Cross my heart and hope to live."
Her lips twitched. 'And you promise that you won't give up? No matter how hard it gets?"
"I wouldn't dream of giving up." He leaned back into the couch pulling her against him and wrapped an arm around Hermione. "You two will be with me every step of the way and give me the extra strength I need."
Emma snuggled up against his chest. "I love you, Harry."
His heart swelled. "I love you, too." He glanced over at Hermione and leaned in for a kiss. "Both of you."
Harry didn't know how long the three of them sat there, but it didn't take long for Emma to fall asleep in his lap. He motioned for Hermione to get up then carefully placed Emma on the couch and covered her with the blanket that was draped over the back. He sighed as he straightened and welcomed Hermione who leaned into him. "I love her so much."
She placed her head on his shoulder. "I know you do."
He kissed the side of her head. "Come on. Let's leave her to sleep and go take a quick walk around the lake."
She smiled softly with a nod. She was fond of the walks the two had ever since fourth year. It was something that always did together, even when they were just best friends. She let him lead her out of the common room and neither of them spoke as they walked out of the castle hand in hand towards the lake.
"Did you get some more sleep?" he finally asked once they were a good distance away.
"I did. A few more hours. I spent the morning with Ron, he had just left before you came back."
"I'm glad he kept you company. He's a good stress reliever. I bet he made you laugh."
She smiled. "Not only that, but he got a few giggles out of Emma as well."
They shared a smile and kept walking around the edge of the lake away from the school. They were halfway around the lake when he finally stopped and turned to her. She silently admired the way the he looked standing there before her. He looked so handsome. Nothing like the shy first year she first met. The wind tugged at his wild hair that was destined to always be out of control and his eyes that were always a deep green were filled with so many emotions. Longing, fear, love and desperation. He didn't have to speak a word to know how he was feeling for she was feeling it as well.
He took a step towards her and looked down at their joint hands. "Hermione, I made you and Emma a promise that I'll do everything I can to come back." His eyes flickered to hers. "I'll do everything I can to uphold that promise."
"I know you will."
He lifted one of their joint fingers and kissed it. "I need you to promise me something. If something happens and I don't come back, no listen…I need to know that Emma will be okay, Hermione."
"Harry, what are you saying?"
"I want…I would like you to promise me that you'll look after her."
Her heart hitched in her throat. "Harry…"
"She loves you like she would a sister. Or a mother even." He stepped closer to her and gripped her hands tight telling her he was serious. "You're the only one I trust with her, the only one I want to raise her if I can't be there."
Tears filled her eyes. "Oh Harry." She leaned against his chest weakly as she cried into his shoulder. "Of course. Of course I'll take care of her."
He closed his eyes as he hugged her tight then laid his cheek against the top of her head. "Thank you." He let out a shaky breath. "I want to come back. So badly. It's hard to get through a class that your not in with me, how in the bloody hell am I going to get through this?"
"I'll be with you. Just like you said." She then leaned back out of his arms and fiddled with her charm bracelet that Harry gave her and undid the diamond charm of the hippogriff. "I always think of that night we rode Buckbeak together when I look at this charm. Hippogriffs are the symbol of love and you have my heart." She opened up his hand and placed it in his palm. "I want you to take it with you."
Emotions clogged his throat as she pushed his fingers over it. He then took off his necklace and slid the charm of the Snitch off and replaced it with the hippogriff. Once he secured it around his neck he took her hand and said nothing as he attached the now golden Snitch on her charm bracelet. "Now you have my heart. And always will."
XXX
A little bit longer, but I don't think I should get any slams for the shortness since I updated so quickly!! Haha!