Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, song isn't mine, hell, did I even write this fic?
Final installment in the Surfacing Series, alternating Harry and Hermione's POVs. Based on Sarah's beautiful song Black and White.
Unraveling
The castle is in sight and there she is, slumped over the steps, huddled close to Ron, sobbing like the world has ended.
And I stop. I stop a little distance away from her, lurking in the shadows, wondering what to do.
Then she looks up and sees me.
And my name is flying from her lips, and she is racing towards me.
"Harry! Harry! Harry!" And it is only then that I realize I am crying too, and I am running too, and every step between us feels like a mile.
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And I am flying as fast as my body will go, screaming his name.
"Harry! Harry! Harry!" It's my mantra, the only thing that's keeping me standing as I think, 'He's alive, He's alive, He's alive!'
He is running at me, and neither of us slow down as the distance between us decreases. And we careen into one another, falling to the ground in a tangle of tears and arms and legs.
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As I feel her body collide with mine, all my fear suddenly turns black and white. And I don't know who I am or that I'm supposed to be only her best friend or that I'm covered in blood and dirt.
She is unraveling me, untying every nerve in my body. All the outside is forgotten, and my animal instincts take over.
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And before I know what's happening, we're twisted up together in a mess of kisses and hugs. And I forget that we're on the ground and that Ron is watching and that the other Order members are returning and they will want to see Harry.
And my lips are capturing his hungrily, and it feels as though the universe is caving in. We're slumped in the grass, pressing closely together and I'm tasting him with my tongue. I'm devouring him with my mouth, and he's responding fervently, as though he will die if we break apart.
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I'm tasting her, her honey sweet lips bruising my own. And I'm grabbing every part of her I can reach with my hands at that moment. I'm tangled in her hair, running along her sides, cupping her face, clawing her back.
I don't care that people are staring, or that the world is celebrating or that I'll probably end up on a chocolate frog card. All I care is that Hermione is here, and she is clinging to me and I feel as though I could have her as a second skin and she still wouldn't be close enough.
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He loves me. I can read it in his eyes, in his body, in the way he's hugging me so tightly I can't breathe.
And the road has been so long, and yet I felt as if there was nothing before this moment happened. I can't endure one more moment apart from him, ever.
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Finally, her lips pull apart from mind, and it's all I can do not to growl in protest. And she's staring at me with those cinnamon eyes, and she's weeping and smiling and stroking my cheek.
"I love you, Harry, I love you," she whispers.
My heart feels as though it will explode in happiness, I feel the warmth starting in my chest and swelling out to every part of my body, and I'm certain that I must be glowing like a Christmas tree.
"It's always been you, always you, darling," she says, her limbs still entwined with mine as we're stretched out on the cold earth.
And as I stare at her, all my certainties that she would reject me seem a million years old. She's here, and she loves me, and that's all I've ever wanted. And so I speak what's deep inside my soul without even thinking.
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He looks into my eyes, and I feel a lump in my throat as he cups my face, those emerald pools of his enough to make me melt away forever.
"Marry me, Hermione," he chokes. "Marry me, marry me."
So I'm sobbing again as he plants kisses all over my face and I'm nodding and I can't say yes fast enough, for fear he'll change his mind.
And I don't tell him that we're too young, only just about to graduate, or that we've only just revealed these feelings for one another or that it might not work out or what will my parents say or what will our friends think. Because I know that none of those things matter right now.
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She's saying yes, and I don't care that it's crazy, because to me, the only crazy thing would be to live a life without her by my side.
It takes all my self-restraint not to scoop her into my arms and take her upstairs and make love to her right now. Instead, I stand up and brush myself off, offering her a hand up.
Then we're surrounded by people, obviously feeling that they could finally intrude on our moment. And there is no need to ask what's happened between us or when we figured it out or how long it will last, because it's written all over our faces.
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People begin to bombard my Harry with congratulations and thanks and questions, and suddenly I feel his fingers interlace with mine.
I turn and look at him, and nothing else matters as I see him, for I know that as long as we're together, all is right within my world.
And staring at him, suddenly I'm even more positive that this will last forever, because at this moment all I can think is that I hope our children have his eyes.
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Her hand is locked with mine, and I turn to gaze at her beauty. I don't care that people are speaking to me or that my photograph is being taken or that tomorrow will be a world unlike one I've ever known.
Hermione is with me, and that makes everything okay.
And looking at her, suddenly I'm even more positive that this will last forever, because at this moment all I can think is that I hope our children have her eyes.