Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I own the song "Ocean Avenue" - YellowCard does…duh…*rolls eyes*

Author's Note: Hey everyone…I'm putting the a/n first this chapter because I just wanted to let you all know that this chapter is more jumping from scene to scene…but hopefully you still like it…it would mean a lot if people did cause it's not exactly what I wanted…but whatever. Anyways…please review! I love you all!!! Typical-Me, I love that you love the title "barefoot promises"!

"I'm going out for a run," Harry called into the house from the doorway.

"Okay!" Ron yelled back from down the hall. Harry shut the door behind him and started running along the dirt road.

They had been living in the new house in the country for a little over a month and Harry had taken to running every night. When he came to split in the road, he took the opposite way that he normally took. After running about half a mile, he stopped, his mouth dropping open slightly. Before him stood several horses, including a black and a palomino one. He noted the sign on the gate that said "Arnold Stables" in silver lettering. Harry walked up to the gate and ran his hand across the black one's neck. He hadn't been riding since…Hermione.

"Hi there," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Er, hello," Harry replied, stepping back from the horses.

"Do you ride?" A woman with long blonde hair asked.

"A few times before," Harry told her.

"Really, well, if you ever want to come over tell them you know Julie," the woman smiled and then rounded up the horses and took them back over towards the stables.

"I need to move on," Harry muttered to himself as he began jogging back towards his house. As he entered the living room, his eyes wandered to the mantle to see pictures of him and his friends. He stopped on the picture of Hermione and himself.

"Hey, Harry, do you want to go into town with me?" Ron asked from behind him.

"Uh, that's okay. You go on without me," Harry replied, turning to face Ron.

"Okay. See you in the morning then," Ron said, before disappearing down the hallway. Harry made his way upstairs to his bedroom and into the connecting bathroom. Shedding his clothes, he stepped into the shower and let the warm water loosen his tense muscles. After he was dressed, this time in pajamas, Harry made his way into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee before going to sit on the back porch. His thoughts drifted back to Hermione, which they had been doing so often as of late. He remembered the day he left like it were yesterday…

*Flashback*

"I don't want you to leave me," Hermione whispered into his ear at the airport, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I-I don't want to leave either," Harry hugged her, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"Then don't. Stay here, with me," Hermione begged, looking into his eyes.

"I-I can't," Harry murmured, avoiding her eyes.

"But, I-I love you, Harry," Hermione sobbed, burying her head in his shoulder.

"And I love you," Harry whispered softly, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"Then don't leave me," Hermione said softly, bringing her lips to his.

"I-" Harry was cut off as a voice came over the intercom.

"This is the final boarding call for flight 796."

"I have to go," Harry whispered, kissing Hermione hard on the lips, putting all his love into the one kiss. "Good-bye, Hermione."

*End Flashback*

"Hermione, have you been out here all night?" A groggy voice asked from behind Hermione. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

"I just miss him," Hermione sighed looking up at her mom.

"Oh hunny," Jane sighed and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"I just, I've never felt like that about anyone," Hermione cried into her mother's shoulder.

"If it was meant to be, then just be patient," Jane whispered to her soothingly.

"I love you mom," Hermione whispered, succumbing to sleep.

xxx

"Harry, it's three in the morning, get to bed," Ron said from behind Harry, who was still sitting on the back porch.

"I will in a minute," Harry replied, gazing up at the stars.

"Hey, what's the matter with you? You've been kind of out of it lately," Ron asked.

"Nothing," Harry muttered.

"Don't lie to me," Ron told him, sitting down in the seat next to him.

"I just can't stop thinking about her," Harry sighed, looking down at his empty coffee cup.

"I see," Ron muttered. "Things will work out," he added, before going back inside the house. After taking a quick shower, Ron took a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" Ron said, sticking his head into the flames.

"Ron!" Ginny yelped, falling off the couch in the Weasley's living room.

"Agh! Put some clothes on!" Ron cried out, putting his hands in front of his eyes.

"You can look now," Ginny said a minute later. Ron opened his eyes and saw Ginny kneeling in front of the fireplace in a bathrobe. "It's almost 3:30, Ron, what did you need?" She asked, a bit annoyed.

"Could you do me a favor?" Ron asked her.

"What kind of favor?"

"I need some information on a person," Ron replied.

"Who?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione Granger."

xxx

"Oh Hermione! That dress looks amazing on you!" Katy, Hermione's best friend squealed.

"Really?" Hermione asked, looking in the mirror self-consciously.

"Amazing," Katy replied earnestly. "Are you going to get it?"

"Well, I suppose," Hermione grinned.

"Do you have a date yet?" Katy asked.

"No, I already told you, I'm going alone," Hermione replied from inside the dressing room.

"You need to date more, it's not normal," Katy told as they made their way to the cashier.

"Just because I don't fall in love with everyone I meet," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Hey! I resent that," Katy laughed along with Hermione.

"Sure. Who are you going with?"

"Jared," Katy replied grinning. "I think he might be the one," she added.

"I'm happy for you," Hermione forced a smile, wishing she could have the same thing.

xxx

"Here Ron," Ginny handed Ron a piece of parchment. "It's all current information."

"Thanks Ginny, I owe you," Ron smiled.

"No shit," Ginny replied. "You can start by taking me out to dinner on Friday," she added before apparating out of the Chudley Cannons' locker room.

Ron rolled his eyes before apparating home to find Harry playing something on his guitar.

"New song?" Ron asked, leaning his broom against the wall.

"Yeah," Harry replied, putting the guitar back into its stand.

"Sound's good. Hey, listen, I've got something for you," Ron told him.

"Like what?" Harry asked a little confused.

"An address, date, and time," Ron replied grinning.

"I'm not going out on some blind date," Harry groaned, flopping onto the couch.

"It's not a blind date," Ron replied.

"Yeah, then what is it?" Harry asked, looking slightly interested.

"Look for yourself," Ron said, handing him the piece of parchment.

"Salem University, Saturday, December 20^th - 7:30 p.m.," Harry read aloud. "What's that mean?" He asked, really confused.

"There's going to be a Christmas dance there on that date," Ron replied and then added. "Hermione goes to university there."

"What?" Harry asked, his jaw dropping open.

"I think you need to find something to wear to a dance," Ron smiled, clapping Harry on the back.

xxx

"Jenna, Lisa! Thank god you're here!" Katy cried pulling the two girls into Hermione's apartment.

"Why? What's up?" Jenna asked confusedly.

"Hermione only owns like eye shadow and lip gloss!" Katy exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh…I think I'm going to hyperventilate!" Lisa put her hand over her chest and took several deep breaths. "Where is she?"

"In the bathroom," Katy replied as they made there way to the bathroom.

"Excuse me," Lisa told them, walking into the room and closing the door behind her.

Twenty Minutes Later…

"I am so good," Lisa told them as she exited the bathroom, Hermione in tow.

"Wow," Katy and Jenna breathed when they saw Hermione. Her hair was up in an elegant knot, her make up lit up her face, but was still natural looking - very Hermione-ish, and her dark green strapless dress accentuated her figure perfectly.

"So, is this better?" Hermione asked, forcing a smile.

"Much," Katy replied, smiling.

"Definitely," Jenna seconded, a large grin on her face.

"Okay, then, let's go!" Hermione smiled and the girls left for the school's auditorium.

xxx

"Nervous?" Ron asked Harry as they sat in an empty room backstage.

"Yeah, a little," Harry replied, tuning his guitar.

"Don't worry, everything will be great," Ron patted him on the shoulder before going back to tuning his own guitar. They had started playing in sixth year because according to Dumbledore, they needed something to help them relax.

"What if I mess up?" Harry asked, his voice shaking.

"You won't," Ron replied lightly.

"Easy for you to say," Harry replied hotly.

"Just take a few deep breaths," Ron told him, holding back his laughter.

"You're on in two minutes," a woman called from the doorway.

"Here goes nothing," Harry sighed.

xxx

Hermione was enjoying herself, having accepted a few requests to dance. The decorations were wonderful and the music wasn't too bad either. But as she watched all the couples dancing as a slow song came on, she couldn't help but think about Harry. It had been almost six months since they had said good-bye and she had felt empty ever since.

The song came to an end and the band shuffled off stage. Quite a few people looked around confusedly, hoping the band wasn't leaving, since the stage lights had turned down. Then two people walked onto the stage, the darkness making it impossible to tell who they were. Then the first one walked up to the microphone and began to speak.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to the only girl I've ever loved. I've been lost without you," he said, and as he played the first few notes, the lights turned back up and Hermione gasped.

"Harry," she breathed, hardly believing her eyes. How had he found her? Then she remembered, he was after all - Harry Potter. Then he started to sing.

"There's a place off Ocean Avenue, where I used to sit and talk with you. We were both 16 and it felt so right: sleeping all day, staying up all night. Staying up all night.

Hermione stood up and started walking towards the stage, not noticing as she bumped into people along the way.

"There's a place on the corner of Cherry Street, we would walk on the beach in our bare feet. We were both 18 and it felt so right: sleeping all day, staying up all night. Staying up all night."

Tears sprang into Hermione's eyes as she listened to the words.

"If I could find you now things would get better, we could leave this town and run forever. Let your waves crash down on me and take me away. There's a piece of you that's here with me. It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see, when I sleep, I dream and it gets me by I can make believe that you're here tonight. That you're here tonight."

As Hermione stopped right in front of the stage, she made eye contact with Harry, who smiled at her, tears forming in his own eyes.

"If I could find you now things would get better, we could leave this town and run forever, I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together. Let your waves crash down on me and take me away.

"I remember the look in your eyes, when I told you that this was goodbye. You were begging me not tonight: not here, not now. We're looking up at the same night sky and keep pretending the sun will not rise, be together for one more night: somewhere, somehow."

By now tears were spilling down Hermione's cheeks as she gazed up at the man she had loved since the moment he spoke to her. He was singing to her. Singing a song he had written for her and had traveled across the Atlantic just to sing to her. No one had ever made her feel as special as Harry did; nor had anyone ever loved her the way he did.

"If I could find you now things would get better, we could leave this town and run forever, I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together. Let your waves crash down on me and take me away." The song came to an end and before Hermione realized it, Harry had handed his guitar over to Ron (she hadn't even noticed he was there until now!) and standing in front of her.

"I've missed you," he smiled, his eyes shining.

"I love you," Hermione breathed, before pulling him to her in a breath-taking kiss. The whole auditorium applauded and as they broke apart, Hermione could see her friends crying and hugging each other excitedly.

Several hours later, after the dance had ended, Hermione and Harry were walking along in the sand, holding hands, and carrying their shoes in their other hand.

"So Ron's little sister Ginny got all my information?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, she works at the ministry, plus her fiancé is Draco Malfoy. His dad's dead, but he still has power," Harry replied as they continued walking along in the surf.

"So, what happens now?" Hermione asked after a few minutes of silence.

"What do you want to happen?" Harry asked, stopping and looking into her eyes.

"I don't know," Hermione replied, quickly looking down at the ground.

"Yes you do. Tell me?" Harry asked, lifting her head back up.

"I-I want to live happily ever after," Hermione whispered, biting her lip.

"With me?" Harry asked, taken aback.

"With you," Hermione smiled, stepping closer to him.

"Where?"

"It doesn't matter, I can find a school in Europe, and my dad was raised in London; they would probably consider moving back there," Hermione replied.

"You want to spend the rest of you life with me?" Harry asked, rephrasing his earlier question.

"Yes, silly," Hermione giggled, bringing her hand up to his cheek. "I love you."

"And I love you, Hermione," Harry smiled. "Eventually, one of these days, will you marry me?" He added, no hint of laughter in his voice.

"Yes," Hermione replied, before crushing her lips against his. "I love you," she whispered as they broke apart.

"You just told me that," Harry grinned.

"So, I love you, I love you, I love you!" Hermione smiled, before resting her head on his shoulder.

"I love you more," Harry smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Forever," Hermione whispered.

"Yes, forever," Harry agreed. "You know," he started after a few pensive moments, "it's a good thing I took that vacation."

"A very good thing," Hermione agreed as they headed back into town.

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

-->