A/N: Okay, you learn a couple of things here…well, only one really but I can already hear certain questions being asked…
I'm already working on the next chapter!
I hope you enjoy this one. I swear to you that we're getting where we need to be! I already gave someone the feedback that I could post my outline so you'll all know what's going to happen, or we can just enjoy the story (as frustrating as it may sometimes be) and let it unfold naturally…I vote for the second choice.
I'm writing as fast as I can…I just had a little trouble focusing today.
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Wish I May, Wish I Might…
"…there's really only one spell I know to make it happen since I doubt we'll be able to find wands that match the core of both Draco and Millicent's."
"Prior Incantato, right?" She asked, already sure she'd given the right answer.
"You are one clever little witch, you know." He said with pride as he turned to smile at her.
"Yep. So I've heard." She quipped as she smiled back. "So the first step is Ollivanders right?"
"Yeah, I guess so. We'll stop there and hope that he'll give us the right answer so we'll know what our next move is. Do you think you'll be up to a walk to Hogsmeade so we can apparate to Diagon Alley?"
"Definitely." She replied with enthusiasm. "If it'll get me out of here and where we need to be faster, I'm up for anything."
"How did I know you were going to say that?" He asked as he shook his head and chuckled.
She stopped walking and turned to face him, "You just know me too well, Mister Potter." She teased as she raised herself up to give him a quick kiss. He surprised her by grabbing the back of her head and refusing her the opportunity to pull away.
"Mmm…" She moaned as she melted into him.
"Not a good time I see," They jumped apart at the sound of Dumbledore's voice.
"Oh!" Said Harry, more than a little embarrassed. "We didn't see you there, Professor."
"I don't doubt that for a moment, Harry." Dumbledore said smiling. He looked at Hermione and winked causing her to lower her head to hide her flushed cheeks.
"We were just on our way up there…you know…to Hermione's room." He stammered. "For clothes…she wants…needs to change her…" He paused and looked up at his mentor, "Did you need something? Were you looking for us?" He asked in an effort to pull out the foot that appeared to be stuck firmly in his mouth.
Dumbledore laughed. "No, Harry. I was not looking for you. Perhaps it was fate that brought us together. Is there something you wish to ask me?"
"No…" Harry said.
"Yes…" Hermione said at the same time.
Harry knew what was on her mind and he shook his head as he looked at her. "But it could save us some time, Harry…please." Hermione whispered fiercely to him.
"Perhaps time is of no concern at present." Dumbledore stated. "Although, if there is something that you would like to know you simply have to ask the question and I will be most delighted to provide you with the answer…if I have it."
"Do I?" Harry asked impetuously.
"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore replied though he was quite aware of Harry's meaning.
"Do I really have to ask the question? I mean, can't you just answer it without my having to actually ask it?"
"Harry!" Hermione scolded. "What's gotten into you?"
"It's alright Miss Granger. It's alright." Dumbledore said as he lifted his hand to stop her from reprimanding him any further. "There are times Harry, when I can look at you and know what you need before you ask, yes. However this time I'm sensing a change in you…a renewed confidence perhaps…" he looked at him pointedly and smiled, "that is preventing me from providing you with answers to unasked questions. So please, if you have a question then I am most open to answering."
"Harry, please." Hermione pleaded.
Finally Harry conceded, "We were planning to go to Ollivanders to find out what happens to the wands of wizards who die." He said, avoiding Hermione's pointed stare at his obvious attempt to avoid actually asking the question.
Dumbledore waited a moment to see if there was more. When Harry was quiet he replied, "And you want my permission? My advice? An answer to your question about the wands? Tell me, Harry, is there anything I can do for you."
"Please, Professor," Hermione interrupted, "we'd like to know the disposition of the wands when a witch or wizard dies. Can you tell us?"
Dumbledore noted Harry's expression and he could see that this was hard for him. He also knew how important it was for Harry to work it out on his own, and for that he was grateful. He shifted his gaze to Hermione before speaking, "I must apologize, Miss Granger, but I cannot tell you the disposition of the wands following the war. I believe Mr. Ollivander may be your best alternative. With his vast knowledge of wands I am quite sure he will be able to provide you with the answers you seek."
Harry looked up at him with a tremendous amount of gratitude in his eyes. He knew that it seemed a stubborn and selfish move on his part since Hermione was the one suffering, but it was important to him that this get done his way and that did not include any unnecessary help from Dumbledore. He had a strange feeling about him and he was having difficulty with the thought of having to rely upon him.
Hermione looked mildly defeated as she looked at Harry. "I'm sorry," She said softly. "I know you didn't want to ask, but I couldn't help it. It looks like you got your way anyway, we still have to go to Ollivanders."
"That's alright, Hermione. We'll get what we need. Trust me." He said just as softly.
"I do."
Harry nodded his head at her then looked at Dumbledore who appeared to be watching them with utmost interest. Harry was momentarily taken aback by the look on his face. "So…well then…if you don't need anything from us, we'll just head on up to Hermione's room so she can change. Madam Pomfrey said that as soon as she gets some rest and a good meal she can leave, so we're working on that right now."
Dumbledore nodded. "Very well. Although, you may want to hold off leaving until daylight hours. Just a bit of advice." He said, his eyes were twinkling and Harry could see the smallest hint of his old sparkle returning.
Harry and Hermione looked at each and started to laugh, "Guess we won't be needing that walk outside after all, will we?" She said looking from Harry to Dumbledore and back again.
Harry shook his head, "Apparently not," He replied before he returned his gaze back to Dumbledore who was still watching them closely. "Good evening then, I suppose. Thank you Professor, we were wondering whether it was night or day, it's amazing how little time has mattered in the past few weeks."
Dumbledore nodded his head, "Yes Harry, I do believe that our obsession with time does tend to take away from that which is most important," He said cryptically. "If that is all, I bid you both a good evening."
Harry nodded his head and interlaced his fingers with Hermione's before they continued their walk to Gryffindor Tower. After only a couple of steps Hermione turned back to tell Dumbledore goodbye but he was nowhere to be seen. She turned to Harry in surprise, "How could he have disappeared so quickly?"
Harry shook his head, "I have no idea. I can't seem to shake the feeling that there's something not quite right about him lately."
The rest of the walk was spent in silence as Harry tried to put reasonable thought to the uneasiness he felt with regard to Dumbledore. Hermione's thoughts, however, were on the task at hand. She wasn't looking forward to returning to the site of the battle. It wasn't a place that she ever thought she'd have to return to and after Harry's description of his dream; she was beginning to dread what they might find there. Surely the bodies have been removed by now, she thought. There's no way Harry could survive seeing those bodies for real. He felt bad enough that the war had drawn on as long as it had…it would kill him to see a battlefield covered with witches and wizards who died trying to defeat the man they both knew could only be destroyed by him. Please let it be bare, she silently pleaded.
When they reached the common room Harry pulled her in for another hug and kiss before they parted ways to go to their rooms, he hated letting go even though he knew it would only be for a short time.
He'd decided that since they were there, he'd have a shower and change as well so they could be ready to go right as the sun broke through the early morning sky…or as close to that as they could get.
Harry met Hermione in the common room an hour later, both showered and feeling better than they had in weeks. "Ready?" He asked her as he held out his hand.
"Never more so," She replied.
They left the common room and walked slowly toward the kitchen, enjoying the feel of being together somewhere other than the infirmary. The silence of the corridors made them feel as if the world had somehow passed them by and they were the only two left in existence…it was a feeling both were reluctant to relinquish.
Hermione's voice cut through the quiet stillness, "I don't know if I can wait until morning, Harry. How long do you think that'll be? I wonder if it's evening, late night, early morning…what. Come on, let's go outside I haven't had any fresh air in weeks." She said as she tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him in the direction of the castle doors.
When they reached the doors Hermione pushed them open with great force in her excitement and the warm night air hit them as they made their way outside. Thousands of stars lit the clear nighttime sky and the warm breeze was a welcome change from the comparatively dank air of the castle.
"Come on, Harry." Hermione called as she made her way down the steps. Her laughter filled the silence of the night and Harry couldn't move for the sight of her. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she looked up at the sky and spun around in slow circles with her arms outstretched. She stopped when she realized he was still halfway up the stairs watching her. "Isn't it great? Come on." She said, beckoning him to join her.
"In a minute," He said as he sat down on the steps to watch her. Seeing her find enjoyment in something as simple as a warm summer's night both awed and disturbed him. This is something that she should have been enjoying all this time and he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that she had been there with him…for him…the night of the battle. If it hadn't been for him she could have been free to enjoy this a long time ago. If it hadn't been for him…
He didn't hear her approach and she startled him when she spoke, "Harry look at me." She said simply.
He looked up at her and she could see the sadness in his eyes…along with the guilt.
"Harry, listen to me. You can't keep doing this to yourself," She reached out and lifted his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Do you really think that I would be enjoying this night as much as I am if I had been able to do it every night? You haven't done anything wrong. If nothing else, this experience has taught me to appreciate things that I never would have paid any mind to before…like nights like this one," She said as she held up her free hand and waved it into the night. "If not for all we've been through, we might never have discovered our feelings for one another. Or, if we had, we'd probably be spending our lives miserable trying to deny it while we try to hold on to our friendship. Harry, a lot of bad stuff has happened, but there's a lot of good too. Please don't dwell on the bad and please don't allow yourself to believe you're at fault for any of this."
Harry placed his hand on her wrist and nodded, "You're right," He said softly. "A lot of good has come out of this. Let's go." He grabbed her hand as he stood up and together they ran down the steps to collapse in a pile on the beautiful lawn of the school they loved, in a place that belonged only to the two of them for at least this one night.
Harry pulled her down with him as he lay on his back to look up at the stars. She settled into the crook of his arm and together they gazed at the vast sky littered with thousands of stars each holding the promise of a lifetime of hope and love.
"Harry, what do you see happening when all of this is over?" Hermione asked quietly, breaking the spell the stars and the quiet night had cast over them.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes never leaving the beauty of the sky.
"Between us. What do you see happening?"
She lifted her head as she felt him sit up to look at her then she laid back down on the ground, watching him.
"I see everything."
"Everything? What do you mean by everything?"
"I see us dating, hanging out, going to the movies, that kind of thing. And I see us as lovers, as husband and wife, and as parents…everything. Why? What do you see?"
She contemplated first his words and then his question before she pulled him down until his face was only inches from hers. He watched her, searching her face for an answer, then she smiled, "Everything sounds perfect to me." She said as she pulled him down the rest of the way and kissed him like she hadn't done before.
The tightening in Harry's chest forced him to pull away long before he was ready, "Whoa…" He whispered hoarsely. "As much as I want to do that again, we need to stop." He said breathlessly.
Hermione laughed breathily. "Yeah, Harry, that's…that's a good idea." She replied as she struggled to catch the breath he'd stolen.
"Come here," He said, pulling her to him once again. He kissed her once more before she laid her head against his chest. "Maybe we could just sleep like this for a while."
"I don't know if I can sleep but laying like this under the stars with you, I'm willing to give a shot. If I can't sleep I can at least be relaxed."
She groaned in pleasure as he began to run his fingers through her hair, "I love it when you do that," She said as she relaxed further against him.
"Then you can count on my doing it forever."
Between the feel of his fingers in her hair and the sound of his heartbeat she soon relaxed into a comfortable, dreamless sleep. Harry laid with his other arm under his head, staring up at the sky, watching for a wishing star. After what felt like an eternity he finally saw one and made his wish,
I wish for an eternity of nights just like this one with her in my arms…and if you let me have two, then I wish for this nightmare to be over soon.
Minutes after he made his wish he settled himself and fell asleep with her in his arms and his wish well on its way to being granted.
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