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Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to
the next.
Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 20)
Challenge: Musical Week: Theme- Love/Romance
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage
or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: Harry's Letter/Elaborate Lives
Word Count: 1,039
A flapping sound stirred Hermione from her daze, and she looked to see who her guest was. She recognized the owl in her
window immediately; it was Hedwig. She sighed and walked over to the winged messenger and untied the small piece of
parchment from her leg.
"Thank you, Hedwig," she said, offering the owl a treat before she flew away.
Hermione set the note down on her bedside table and turned to walk away; she wasn't sure she wanted to read it yet. But the further she got from it, the more it called to her. What could he possibly say to make things better?
She and Harry had had a disheartening discussion the night before regarding their relationship and the way the war was affecting them. He had been training so much that they had barely seen each other in the past months. But he turned it back around on her and said that if she weren't spending so much time studying for N.E.W.T.s they could be together more when he wasn't training. They never reached a satisfactory agreement, and parted equally upset about the situation.
The memories of their confrontation were still fresh and painful, but Hermione finally gave in to her urge and unrolled the note.
I'm sorry for everything I've said, and for anything I forgot to say, too. When things get so complicated I stumble, at best muddle through. I wish that our lives could be simple. I don't want the world - only you. I wish I could tell you this face to face, but there's never the time, never the place…so this letter will have to do.
I love you.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. How was he able to do that? With just a few uncomplicated words, he said everything she'd wanted to hear, even if she didn't realize it before.
* * * * *
Hermione was the last one to leave the library that night, and didn't expect to run into anyone on her way back to the common room. Being Head Girl had its advantages, and she was often out much later than the regularly enforced curfew. So when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm from the darkness, she let out a frantic cry.
"Shh, it's just me," Harry said calmly.
"Harry! You scared me to death," she said, holding her hand to her heaving chest.
"I'm sorry. I just left Dumbledore and hoped I could catch you before you got to the dorm. Can we go somewhere to talk?" The desperate look in his eyes forbid her from saying no, even though she knew going with him this late would be overstepping her boundaries as Head Girl.
She led him into an empty classroom and closed the door behind them. They sat down in the nearest seats and he took her hand, his eyes filled with regret and concern.
"Hermione, I just…," he started, seeming unsure of how to say what it was he wanted to convey. "We're both leading such elaborate lives right now, with these wild ambitions in our sights. I've got to be ready to face Voldemort. You've got to do well on your exams." He squeezed her hand reassuringly when she looked down.
"How our love can survive, when we spend our days apart, and our nights are hurried, seems so unbelievable to me. Too unbelievable. I don't want to live like that. And I don't want to love like that. I just want our time to be slower and gentler, wiser…and free." His last word was nearly a whisper. "In order for that to happen, I've got to defeat Voldemort, and you've got to do your best on your exams, so when this is all over we can work together to rebuild the world that's crumbling around us."
Tears were pooling up in Hermione's eyes. When he brushed his hand against her cheek gently, she closed them, allowing the tears to spill over.
"We're living in extravagant times," he said, wiping her tears away, "and Voldemort has us playing games we can't possibly all win. It's getting to everyone, and we're all turning our backs on those closest to us…it's hurting us, and to his advantage. These unintended emotional crimes don't help anything. The more we turn on each other, he takes some out…and takes others in. I'm so tired of all we're going through - I don't want to live like that." He sighed and shook his head, then paused.
"I'm so tired of all were going through, Hermione," he repeated a minute later. "We can't have a love like that." He took her other hand and drew her eyes to his. "I just want to be with you…now and forever."
Hermione nodded. "But in a time of peace,' she whispered.
"That's true…" he said with a small smile. "I know this may not be the right moment to tell you this, but I could wait forever for the perfect time and place. With so much going on, and so many people switching sides, we don't know whose words are true. Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives - it's hard to know who's loving who. I don't want you to have any doubt," he said, staring intently at her. "I love you. More than anything. And I always will…no matter what happens."
Her heart was swelling with happiness and sadness all at once, and she couldn't seem to form any coherent thoughts. So instead of speaking, she did the only thing she could think of and kissed him.
When they broke apart, he sighed. "Voldemort's trying his hardest to cause a rift in our side. There are too many choices now, and it's tearing us apart. We've got to stick together so he doesn't stand a chance. I can't imagine life with him where he wants to be."
"I don't want to live like that," Hermione said quietly, looking down again.
"We can't let those choices tear us apart. I don't want to love like that," he said, and raised her chin to face him. "I just want to touch your heart. I hope this confession can be a new start for us."
He pulled her into another kiss, and they shared the evening together, each silently confessing their deepest love for one another.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Ok, two songs from two scenes in this one - both from Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida". (My very
favorite musical.) If you get a chance to listen to them, you'll get a better feel for the emotions I think. :)
They're such great songs.
Radames' Letter (Changed to "Harry's Letter")
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/16-Rada
I'm sorry for everything I've said
And for anything I forgot to say too
When things get so complicated
I stumble at best muddle through
I wish that our lives could be simple
I don't want the world only you
Oh I wish I could tell you this face to face
But there's never the time never the place
So this letter will have to do
I love you....
Elaborate Lives
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/11-Elab
RADAMES
We all lead such elaborate lives
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free
We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to live like that
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever , peaceful, true
This may not be the moment
To tell you face to face
But I could wait forever
For the perfect time and place
AIDA & RADAMES
We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives
Hard to know who's loving who
AIDA
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
RADAMES
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to touch your heart
May this confession
RADAMES & AIDA
Be the start