Unofficial Portkey Archive

Author's Note: Sorry for the long time between updates guys, I was sort of busy with work and then I had to bring in my laptop for repair, so obviously, less computer time there. Anyway, a cookie for Doodles Divine at Fanfiction.net who guessed what the partern of the flashback. I've been rewinding them, from the first flashback, Ginny's death, to...up to where, that you'll have to see. This part is fluffly and sweet, with still a bit of drama because...well, because I'm me. And it's also short, but the next part will be quite long (like...three parts long, almost) so take this one as an appetizer.

Oh, and of course, I'm using "jumper" in the "sweater" sense.

"Harry?" a small voice tried, uncertain, causing the boy to rotate in his bed to face whomever had just spoken. Her small frame seemed to float in the large jumper she wore, and her face was pale from the long - although shorter than his - recovery she had just gone through. Thick brown hair framed her face, far less bushy than it had been when she was younger, but that still made her stand out from everyone. He loved her hair.

"Hermione…hey. Come here." he replied, a warm smile on his face as he motioned with his hand to encourage her towards the chair that sat next to his bed. She obliged, smiling shyly and reached out for his hand once she was seated. She wasn't sure what to say, so she opted for silence, looking at him in the eyes and finding herself getting lost in them. He was the first to speak, squeezing the hand that held his. "It's the bruises, they make me look like a freak."

She chuckled, although all she wanted to do was cry. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she smiled nonetheless. "Don't make jokes about that Harry. I… We almost lost you."

And it was true, they definitely had almost lost him. Hermione even believed he had been clinically dead for a few seconds, from the way his limp body had rocked in Hagrid's arms as he'd carried him away, his head rolling against the half-giant's shoulder in a way that had rendered her unable to breathe or think.

She had been stunned at least twice during the fight, every time standing back up thanks to the rough training Harry had subjected Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna and her to in prevision for the major battle that always seemed to catch up with them at the end of every year. At some point, she had lost sight of the others, trapped in a fog that was both physical and psychological. Screams clouded everything around her, even the cries of her friends, and the wall of mist blurred her vision. When it had cleared, she was facing the sky, on her back in the middle of stunned and dead Death Eaters. Her head was killing her, and she could feel something warm on her forehead, blood seeping from a large cut. She tried to push herself up, but fell back every time. Finally, she heard them, the cries of the Order as they rushed through the Forbidden Forest, where Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna had fallen into the trap Voldemort had set for them. She tried to call out, but nothing came out, and she tried to push herself up once more, making it to her knees before falling face down on the ground. Lifting her face from the dirt, she had seen Hagrid rush past her with Harry's unconscious body in his arms, calling out for Dumbledore. She had gathered all of her remaining strenght, stumbled to her feet and had made her way towards Hagrid, leaning against whatever she could find - a rock, a tree - for support. Her wrist had been broken in a hand to hand fight against a Death Eater, so she held it against her chest, biting her lips so hard to make herself forget about the pain that the copper taste of blood soon filled her mouth. Hagrid was walking ahead of her, away from her in long strides and she remembered trying to call out for him to stop, to wait for her, before everything turned black and she fell into waiting arms. She had later learned that while she thought she had walked several meters, she had only made a few steps before fainting in Tonks' arms.

Harry shook his head and pulled onto her hand until she was forced to stand and bend over his bed. He cupped her face with his free hand and smiled softly. "Don't cry, I'm ok, we're all ok."

And it was true, they were all ok, alive and somewhat well.

Hermione woke up with a smile on her face, the comforting warmth of Harry's body surrounding hers and making her forget all about the harsh reality that was hers. She opened her eyes to find he was already awake, looking at her. He mirrored her smile, caressing the small of her back, where his hand rested, then closed his eyes again, lowering his head so that it almost touched her chest. She laughed and combed his unruly hair with her fingers, thankful that after everything he'd been through, he could still act like a goofy kid.

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend." she began, after a few minutes. She knew he wasn't asleep, from the way his arm still held onto her waist tightly, and he groaned at the insinuation she made, knowing what she would say next. "We need to get up."

His response was to pull her closer, causing her to break into a fit of laughter, as he tickled her stomach. She pushed him away, trying to escape in vain. His arms were wrapped around her waist and even as she tried to free herself, he held on tight, then suddenly pulled her on top of him as he turned onto his back. "The hell with Hogsmeade. I say we stay here."

Pushing against his chest to give herself enough distance to look at him, she pondered his suggestion. It was definitely tempting, staying here with him, in his arms, but she couldn't help thinking that as long as they stayed in her room, all they lived was lie. Once they would walk out and let the real world back in, the mist would clear and they would realize it was only a dream. "Let's make a compromise. We get up and go to Hogsmeade, but we leave early and come back here."

He frowned, obviously considering her suggestion, then lifted his head up and kissed her, catching her by surprise. As they kissed, they rolled over once more, now in the opposite position, with him laying on top of her, and as they parted, Hermione found she was breathless. "Agreed. But we still have some time left."

Harry and Hermione chased after the group as it walked down the road leading to Hogsmeade. Hermione's long coat was floating all around her, untied, as she held tight onto Harry's hand. He was literally pulling her, much faster than she could even hope to be, and she felt that if she didn't stop soon, her legs would refuse to ever stop their incessant motion. "Harry, please! I'm cold!" she pleaded, freeing her hand and stopping, immediately bending over as she tried to catch her breath. Harry stopped when he felt her let go of his hand, and he turned around, also panting, but he was obviously in a better shape than she was. He watched as she stood back straight and did the buttons of her coat. "That's better"

He grinned, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the group, then turned back to her, taking advantage of the fact that she was looking down at herself to circle her and wrap his arms around her waist. She squealed as he spun her around, before dropping her in the snow, falling to her side.

"Harry!" she protested, trying to stand back up only to have him pull her back down on top of him. The black wool coat her mother had offered her for Christmas was covered in snow and even as he still held her, she tried to brush the snow away with her bare hands, trying to ignore the cold. And then suddenly she realized it. Harry was laughing. Harry was happy. For the first time since Ginny's death, Harry seemed genuinely happy. And she was too. She stopped and placed both hands on each side of his face, pulling him for a kiss. His shock prevented him from responding at first, but he eventually kissed her back, his eyes scanning her face for an explanation once they parted.

"What was that for?" he finally asked, concerned with the look on her face. She looked distressed, her lips pinched, and her hands still pressed on both sides of his face. Her voice was weak when she finally spoke.

"Promise me you won't ever go away. I don't think I could bare it, losing you, especially after all we've gone through. I love you so much Harry."

The words came out of his mouth without the need for thoughts. He promised, again and again, marking his words with a rain of kisses. Only when they began shaking from the cold did they stand up from the snow, running down the rest of the road leading to Hogsmeade.

"Harry! Ron!" a voice screamed over the chaos of painful cries. Scanning the fog with uncertainty, Hermione did her best not to stumble on the uneven ground of the forest. She suspected the mists were magical, but the fear and pain that clouded her judgement left her unable to come up with an efficient counter spell.

A hand suddenly covered her mouth from behind and before she could react, she was pulled behind a tree by a strong arm wrapped around her stomach. Screaming against the palm, she kicked the air in a fruitless attempt to free herself.

"Shh, Mione, it's me!" a voice whispered in her ear before she was freed. She immediately turned around to face who was standing behind her and she sighed with relief when she saw Harry, feeling a bit of tension leave her body. He looked at her worriedly, reaching out to touch the large scrape on her cheek. "Are you ok? I heard you screaming…" "Cuts and bruises, stunned a few times, nothing bad. I'm fine. Quite frankly it was you and the others I was worried about."

"I've seen Ginny and Luna, they're doing fine…" he began, before taking a long pause and looking at her straight in the eyes. She was about to ask what was wrong when she saw his shoulders sag and he looked away. "I just felt right into it didn't I? One hint that Voldemort might be here and I just went for it, like I'm still a foolish child. Worse of all, I brought you all into this.."

She shook her head, then took his chin in her hand and lifted his head until their eyes met. "We all fell into it Harry, we're all to blame. It's not your fault."

He shook his head sadly, then gave her a long look before pulling her into a warm hug. She was a bit caught by surprise, but she hugged him back. As they parted, he bent to leave a kiss on her forehead, before whispering as he left her. "Goodbye Hermione"

He was gone before she could analyze what he had said, fading in the fog like the mists had swallowed him whole. She felt her throat contract, leaving her unable to breathe, as the thought that this was the last time she was ever to see him crossed her mind. And it was then that she realized she loved him.