Save The Best For Last

tiredone

Rating: PG
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 20/04/2004
Last Updated: 20/04/2004
Status: completed

Normally, I can't stand songfics. But this song fit so well that I had to write it. This is based on Vanessa William's song "Save the Best For Last."

Chapters

1. Save The Best For Last

1. Save The Best For Last

Title: Save the Best For Last

Rating: PG

Author's Notes: Normally, I don't do songfics. But this fit so well it's been bugging my mind. Maybe after writing this I can rest in peace.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. Save the Best For Last belongs to Vanessa Williams.

Sometimes the snow comes down in June

Sometimes the sun goes round the moon

I see the passion in your eyes

Sometimes it's all a big surprise

Hermione Granger stomped into the Gryffindor common room, shaking her head as she tried to loose any remaining snowflakes from the mahogany tendrils.

“Really, Ron, did your brothers have to choose our graduation ceremony to test their latest invention?”

Ronald Weasley couldn't stifle the mischievous grin that erupted across his face. “Well, they haven't come out with anything like this since their portable swamp. How was I supposed to know they'd test the portable blizzard during commencement?”

Hermione rolled her eyes, brushing a fine layer of snow off the top of her cap. It had been rather funny to watch everyone huddle under the blankets Dumbledore had conjured when the blizzard went off. But as head girl she'd never admit it to anyone but herself.

”Well, I'm going to my room to change. And you better too, Ron. You don't want to be late for the reception,” Hermione chided lightly.

Ron rolled his eyes, waving off her warning as she headed up the steps. A pair of footsteps sounded behind him and he watched as Harry Potter stepped through the portrait of the Fat Lady, wiping melted snowflakes off his glasses.

“I'm going to be finding snow in my robes for a year,” Harry muttered, glaring at Ron through foggy glasses. “Why couldn't Fred and George use regular snow? This stuff isn't melting.”

Ron snickered, clasping Harry on the back. “It's Fred and George. What did you expect?”

Harry grumbled a knowing response as he set his wire-rimmed glasses back on his nose. A slight grin crossed his features as he regarded his best friend. “When do you leave for training?”

Ron shook his head incredulously. “The Cannons want to see me tomorrow morning! I can't believe they wouldn't even give me a day off.”

Harry smirked, shaking his head. “Ron, you know perfectly well that if they had wanted you yesterday, you would have skipped graduation.”

Ron frowned. “Mum would have killed me.”

“Then you would have died a happy wizard.”

“True,” Ron replied with a sly grin. He cast a glance to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories, and then looked back at Harry. “You going to tell her?”

Harry flushed a deep shade of crimson, quickly averting his gaze from the scrutiny of his friend. “Maybe.”

Ron rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest like his mother had done to him so many times before. “You better tell her. You're supposed to leave for Auror's training. You can't expect her to wait for you if you don't tell her how you feel.”

Harry mumbled something indeterminable, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. Ron sighed, punching him lightly in the shoulder. The jolt nearly knocked Harry off his precarious balance and he gave Ron a sour look. “Okay, fine, I'll tell her. Can you keep the others from the common room?”

Ron smirked, giving Harry a wink as he headed back to the hallway. “Sure. I'll just tell them someone set off a dungbomb in the room. You'll have all the time you need.”

And with that, Ron left.

Harry sighed, glancing once at the stairway before settling onto the couch in front of the fireplace. Tomorrow he'd leave for the Auror training camp, and he'd be gone for a year.

A whole year. It seemed like an eternity. At first, it hadn't seemed so bad. Ron was leaving to play backup keeper for the Chudley Cannons, and would be very busy with practice and games, and Hermione had accepted a position with the Ministry…

Hermione.

Harry closed his eyes, leaning back against the couch as the image of the petite witch crossed his mind's eye. Try as he might, Harry couldn't suppress a smile that passed across his face.

***

Cause there was a time when all I did was wish
You'd tell me this was love
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned
But somehow it's enough

Hermione passed the brush once more through her hair, staring at her reflection in the mirror. In some ways, it seemed almost impossible to believe that this person who stared back at her was really just her reflection. She couldn't help but recall the first day she'd stepped into Hogwarts, an eleven-year-old filled with wonder for such an enchanted place.

She would always regard with great fondness her years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the accomplishment she felt at arriving at this great transition in her life was tempered by a subtle sadness. She did not want to leave her friends.

Of course, Ron would still be around during his time off from the Chudley Cannons. And there would always be her friends who had gotten jobs at the Ministry. But Harry.

Harry Potter.

Harry Potter, with his unruly black hair and eyes that would make any girl swoon - he would be leaving for a whole year. In a way, it felt like Hermione was losing a part of herself.

Hermione sighed, setting her brush on her trunk as she folded her robes neatly and placed them on her trunk. She once again regarded her reflection in the mirror - she'd changed into a jumper and a nice blouse - the party would be casual, but she still wanted to look nice.

Especially if it was the last time she'd see him.

You are going to have to tell him how you feel, Ginny's voice came back to haunt her, and Hermione shook her head quietly.

Casting one last glance at the room that had been her home for seven years, she slowly headed back down the spiral staircase.

***

And now we're standing face-to-face
Isn't this world a crazy place
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

Harry was so occupied in his thoughts of Hermione he didn't notice the footsteps that made their way down the staircase.

”Harry?” a tentative female voice called out, jolting Harry out of his daydreams. Harry jumped to his feet, the painful nerves shooting through his body as his gaze fell on the form of the woman he cared so deeply about.

Had she always been this beautiful?

“Um, hi, Hermione,” Harry stuttered. Inwardly he cringed. He hadn't sounded this nervous since he asked Cho Chang to the Yule Ball.

Hermione gave him a curious look, glancing to his graduation robes. She arched an eyebrow. “Are you going to change or are you going to the reception like that?”

Harry blushed, immediately fumbling for the clasp on his robes, not thinking about the fact that his best friend was standing in front of him. He jerked the robe over his head, revealing the suit he had on underneath, but his glasses caught on the edge and went skidding across the floor.

Nice, really nice, Potter, a voice in his mind snorted. She's going to think you can't even change without help.

***

Hermione watched Harry's glasses scatter across the ground as he pulled the graduation robes over his head. Shaking her head in light admonishment, she picked up the glasses, noting that they were once more cracked. Her mind briefly recalled the first time she had met Harry and had fixed his glasses. He had broken them so often during the years.

The nostalgia gave her a warm feeling in her stomach as she withdrew her wand and repeated the spell to repair his glasses. Harry was standing across from her, grinning sheepishly as Hermione closed the distance between them, placing the glasses on the bridge of his nose.

“There,” she said gently, smiling up at her best friend. “All fixed.”

Their gazes locked, and the electricity that coursed through their veins was palpable.

***

All of the nights you came to me
When some silly girl had set you free
I wondered how you'd make it through
I wondered what was wrong with you

Harry turned an even deeper shade of crimson as Hermione set the glasses on the bridge of his nose. His eyes met hers and for a moment time seemed to stand still as they stared into the depths of each other's souls. Eventually, Hermione broke the stare, looking down at the floor rather uncomfortably.

“Well, we should get to the reception,” she said hurriedly, refusing to meet Harry's gaze. “You're going to want to say goodbye to Cho and all.”

Harry frowned, a deep crease settling between his eyes. “Cho? Why would I want to say goodbye to her?”

Hermione glanced up in surprise, her mahogany gaze flickering with confusion. “Well, you did like the girl for the longest time, Harry. It might be a good idea to say goodbye to her since you're going away.”

His gaze narrowed at the unhappy expression that was on Hermione's face. Did she really think he still held feelings for Cho Chang? It had been a childish crush, and he hadn't thought of her in that way for years.

There was only one woman he thought about in a romantic fashion, and she was standing right across from him.

***

Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see

Why is he staring at me like that, Hermione screamed mentally. She felt the heat rushing to his face as Harry's serious expression fell on her face. She had resigned herself to the fact that she, Hermione Granger, would never be more than a `friend' to the great Harry Potter. At first, the realization had been a source of unending anguish. Something to be cried about in the dark of the night when she thought no one had been listening.

But she had accepted it, and with renewed mental resolve vowed to cherish every moment of their friendship together. She loved him - she always would. But no matter what happened in the future, they would at least have their friendship.

Her eyes were lifted as Harry slid a finger underneath her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. Hermione was surprised by the intensity of his gaze. His eyes were filled with an emotion she had never seen before in her friend.

“There is only one girl I'm thinking about this moment,” Harry whispered quietly.

Hermione glanced at him uncertainly, hope flooding her body, yet it was +tempered by her own desire not to get her hopes up.

“Who is that,” she asked, hoping she concealed the waver in her voice as she stared into the endless pools of warmth that were Harry's eyes.

“You,” he whispered softly. And with that, he lowered his mouth to hers in a tender kiss.

***

Hermione felt the shock flood through her body as Harry's lips brushed hers. For a moment, her mind raced as she tried to process what was happening.

But then Harry's arms slid around her waist, and all coherent thought disappeared as she leaned into the kiss.

Eons seemed to pass before they finally separated, breathing heavily. Harry rested his forehead against hers, and Hermione found herself lost in the emerald sea of his gaze.

***

But now we're standing face-to-face
Isn't this world a crazy place
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

“Your timing is terrible, Harry,” Hermione said, a smile crossing her features. Harry stared into her eyes, amazed at the warmth in her gaze.

Gods, she's beautiful.

“Why do you say that, Hermione?” he whispered, his gaze drifting down to her lips and thinking about just how much he'd like to kiss them again.

Hermione's gaze softened, tears starting to well in her eyes. “Because you're leaving tomorrow Harry.”

Harry closed his eyes, a flash of pain coursing through his body. Once he'd regained control of his composure, he opened his eyes and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“I'll write, daily,” He whispered, wiping an errant tear off her cheek with his thumb.

“And how do you know I'll wait for you that long,” Hermione said, an evil glint in her eye. Harry narrowed his eyes at her teasing and kissed her more forcefully.

”Don't make me beg,” he growled. “It would be highly embarrassing for me to do so in a public place.”

Hermione blushed lightly. “And what would you be begging for.”

Harry smirked, drawing her tightly to him, whispering softly in her ear. “That, Hermione, would be highly inappropriate to talk about in the Gryffindor common room. I will come back for you. I promise.”

“You better, Harry James Potter.” She whispered quietly, kissing him once more.

***

Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see

It seemed like hours late before they parted again.

“Hermione,” Harry whispered softly, well-aware of the fact that they would need to head to the reception soon. Hermione traced a fingertip along his cheek, running her forefinger across his lips. Harry smiled, kissing the tip of her finger. His emerald eyes blazed as he whispered softly, “I love you.”

A surge of happiness spiked through her body as Harry said those three simple words. Words she had waited so long for and never thought she'd hear. She fought back the tears of joy as she pressed her lips to his once more.

“I love you, Harry Potter,” she whispered quietly.

An eternity later, the two made their way to the Great Hall for the graduation reception.

***

Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes round the moon
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last