Behind the Eyes of the Hero
Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter and never will.
Summery- It has been three years since Hogwarts has ended and Hermione Granger is living her life alone. With her self-written book and her cat Crookshanks, everything seems to be fine. Until news reaches her of a stranger in town. A stranger with extraordinary emerald eyes...
OoOoO
The Memories so Haunting
The sky was a rolling mass of darkened clouds with a red sunset shining through. A cool wind was striking across the grounds with the trees swaying silently. Slight ripples ran across the surface of the great lake; a blood red sky reflected in the dark waters. All was silent except for the distant rumbling of a thunderstorm approaching. The shadows made by the tall trees of the forest stretched far across the ground, joined with those of robed figures, emerging from between the swaying limbs and branches.
They were walking slowly yet with purpose, their dark cloaks whipping about their forms; like second shadows in the falling light of day. There were many of them, heading towards a single spot at the head of the sloping lawns. Standing tall and bold against the darkening sky, the great old castle shone with an ancient power and elegance. With its many turrets and towers, reaching high for the clouds; and the many alcoves hiding secrets unknown. It stood against all; the weather was not enough to take it down and time had only managed to fade the coloring of the stone, holding up its walls.
The figures still poured from the forest, all facing the mighty castle sitting atop the luscious grounds. Like a black wave of fury, the many robed figures approached with powerful strides, all clasping sticks of power in their fists.
Back inside the stone walls of Hogwarts Castle, a small group of people stood together, waiting for the battle to break out. One of them stood apart from the rest, his head tilted towards the others, his eyes flashing with raw fear. With dark hair sticking up across his head and a form tall and strong, he held power beyond belief. But his eyes, so bright and enchanting, were holding a feeling so intense and consuming; fear.
A time passed that brought three of them to the front, standing before the great oak doors, leading to the fatal outside. The one in the middle had his eyes forced forward, but his hands were shaking in uncontrollable panic. It was not panic for his own life, but those on either side of him. It was for his strong-hearted brother; like a brave soldier heading to battle. And it was for his love; his life. She was what had kept him going through all these years. She was what had brought the light to extinguish the darkness of his life. She was his savior. His hero.
Then the time came, when the mighty doors opened, revealing the army of dark before them. The grounds were no longer peaceful and calm; they were an ocean of moving figures, all threatening to take all he held dear. With a last breath of courage and a beating heart, he looked at the soldier standing tall and at his hero, carrying his heart. Then he turned to face the monsters who stared up at him with eyes of known fury, and he smiled a smile of vengeance.
oOo
Hermione Granger jerked awake. Her heart was beating frantically in her ribcage and sweat was beaded on her forehead. Tears of pain and sadness were streaming from her eyes and she did not bother to wipe them away. With a rattling breath and shaking hands, she drew her knees up to her chest and pulled the blankets tighter against her body.
A storm raged outside; she could feel the thunder in the heavens and hear the wind howling under her door. Frost covered her partly curtained window and she could see white sheets of snow falling from the sky. The floorboards were creaking at odd intervals, giving the signs of another presence in the house. Hermione drew in her breath when her door opened a crack and a dark form slipped in.
A weight jumped open her bed and she sighed as the purring of her cat gave away its position. Hermione felt the padded paws of her feline familiar make their way towards her on the springy bed. She fumbled in the darkness, finally feeling the cat's soft fur. She picked him up and brought him to her chest, where it's constant purring grew steadily louder.
"Oh, Crookshanks," she murmured into his ginger hair, her tears dropping to be lost in the dark. He had visited her again. This time in a memory, the worst memory of all. That had been the day when the greatest battle was fought on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle. Students, teachers, Aurors and Order of the Phoenix Members had spilt onto the grounds after Harry. House-elves, giants, goblins, centaurs and even a few Acromantulas had fought on their side against creatures such as trolls, manticores, other giants and even dragons. It had been the most historic event in Wizarding History since Albus Dumbledore's defeat of Grindelward. And she had been part of it.
Out on the battle field, with Ron and Harry at her sides, she had fought for her life and those around her. After years of training for that day, it had been forever imprinted on her mind, and she would never forget it. The screams of her friends would always ring in her ears and she would always see the death when her eyes closed. She would never know how Harry had coped with it for so long. He had seen Voldemort at only fourteen and from that day he had dreamt of that monster and seen him wherever he went.
And she still awoke, screaming like that day, thinking she was back fighting against the Dark Army. That the people she cared for were falling from fatal curses or the claws of some savage beast. She had seen so much death that day and had felt so much fear she thought herself to drown in the darkness of her being. But Harry had brought her back out then, as he did for so many others. He didn't think nothing of it while the ones he saved were left staring after him.
He didn't even realize what he meant to some people. To mostly everyone he was a hero, a fighter and leader. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, savior of the Wizarding World, boy of the light.
And to some he was Harry Potter, smart student, brave and Quidditch Star. He was the son of Lily and James Potter, godson of the escaped convict Sirius Black and defeater of Voldemort.
And to a select few, he was just Harry. He was quiet and clever, a leader and one to stick up for his friends. He was their best friend; funny and an explorer. He was their own defender and hero. He was their light in the dark, their sun in the night, their friend.
He had been always looking for somewhere to belong, somewhere to call home. He had always wanted a family, people who accepted him for who he was not what he had done. He had always wanted a life where he was normal; not a hero, not a leader, not the Boy-Who-Lived. And finally, in seventh year, he had discovered what he wanted, he had had all along.
Hermione brushed away the cool tears only to find more replace them as she remembered one night, long ago...
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They were in the Common Room. She was sitting by the fire with Ron and Harry, just enjoying each other's company when the door opened and Professor McGonagall entered. As soon as they saw her, they knew something was wrong. She looked to Harry who had frozen and was staring at the professor with his eyes full of fear.
"Mr. Potter, the headmaster has something to tell you," the old witch said, her own eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Why can't you tell me," Harry answered, his voice was blank and that scared her. The only time Harry spoke with that voice was when he was angry or incredibly scared. She so much wanted to reach over and wrap him in a hug, but she restrained herself.
"But, Albus would like -" The Transfiguration professor began but Harry finished. "I know what the headmaster would like, but I want you to tell me." And that was when she knew. She knew what had happened and knew that Harry knew as well. She looked to him to find his eyes on her. And she saw pain hidden in his emerald depths and her fears were answered.
"Harry -" She tried, but the boy had stood on his own and had replaced the pain with more anger. "He got them, didn't he?" Harry voiced softly, each word laced with anger. Minerva McGonagall looked startled but nodded once and looked at Harry sympathetically.
"I'm sor -" She started but Harry quieted her with a well placed stare. There was a fire burning in his eyes that Hermione had only seen once before; When Sirius had died.
"Don't be sorry," Harry hissed as the other's jumped at the coldness of his words. "Don't pity me. I've had enough sympathy in my life to last for another lifetime. If you have to pity anyone, pity Voldemort when I find him. But don't pity me." Hermione stood and tried t reach for him. His eyes softened he looked to her, but he merely stepped away, the anger replacing the sorrow as always.
"The Dursley's were not my family. They were merely people I was forced to live with each summer. They were never, and never will be my family. I have no family." He said and Hermione felt like crying at the harshness of voice. Her best friend had led such a broken life. With Voldemort hanging around him like a second shadow and pain lapping at his heels, how could he ever lead a normal life?
"But you have a family!" She cried, trying to get him to understand. He turned his fiery gaze to her own, and she watched them flicker with some unknown emotion. "My family died along with my soul the night Voldemort placed this scar upon my head," Harry said blankly although pain was now evident in his hollow words.
"No, Harry, you're family is here, now. I am your family, as is Ron. We have always been here, and always will be." She said softly, reaching for his arm. But he jerked away. And what was that she saw in his eyes . . . fear?
"Harry?"
"Don't say that," he hissed. "Say what?" She said, confused.
"That you will always be here, because that's a promise you can't keep." Now she understood that fleeting flash of fear in his eyes. He was scared that she and Ron would leave him, as so many other people had done. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, not if she could help it.
"We aren't going to leave you, Harry." She said truthfully, willing him to believe it. "Not if you can help it," He countered strongly. Hermione shook her head, hating to see him so vulnerable. She glanced at Ron, who was sitting speechless on the sofa, his freckly face pale and hair bright in the flickering flames of the fire.
"No, but if we can help it, we will stay with you. We wouldn't want it any other way. You're our family, Harry, just like we're yours. You can't just leave us, Harry, we couldn't handle that. Remember, you're not alone." Hermione said, watching his face change from anger to fear to confusion. Then it went blank.
"I don't want to loose you," he whispered softly, eyes shining in fear. "You won't." Hermione answered, reaching for his hand and squeezing it tightly. She finally realized she was crying and smiled despite the circumstances.
"You belong here, Harry, with me. We're your family and I will always be here for you. You don't know how much we care for you, and just you." She said softly as he brushed away her tears.
OoOoO
"Why do you always haunt me?" Hermione said loudly into the darkness. The storm still raged on and the darkness was still thick with her own misery. Her cat's purrs could be heard as the night wove on.
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Hey everyone. Yeah, I know this chapter was crappy. But hey, I wasn't going to continue it! But I never thought so many people would like it! I mean, I posted this on Fanfiction and Portkey and I got 16 for this site and like 34 for Portkey! This was only a one off thing, that I thought up in one second. I'm glad heaps of people reviewed. Well, more like ecstatic. The next chapter will be named: A Stranger in Town. And you all know who that stranger will be...
Please review as always!
Bye
DW
Oh and a reply to one reviewer.
Thestraltamer: I think you were the one who asked for a list of my other stories? If not, oh well!
-- Harry Potter and the Battle of Hogwarts (Being re-written)
-- Behind Emerald Eyes
-- Harry Potter and the New Alliances (I have to re-write this one. There are millions of spelling and grammar mistakes. And the plot-line is crap)
-- Shattered Memories
-- Werewolf Tears (I'll eventually finish this. I have too much going on right now.)
-- One Last Marauder
-- Hero in Hell (This is a collection of two poems I wrote)
-- Thoughts of a Life Broken (Another poem, about Hermione Granger and her greatest sacrifice.)
-- Harry Potter and the Fulfillment of the Prophecy (Sequel to Battle of Hogwarts, and I have to re-write this one also. Just as bad as the first.)
With that done, thanks everyone who reviewed!!!
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