Title: Believe
Rating: PG (for safety)
Summary: The words tore through his heart - ripping every bit of emotion he had inside him. Ripping, tearing, and shearing through the depth of what he had just told her. He had revealed the deepest secret from his soul to her and she had thrown it right back at him.
Disclaimer: All credit for the brilliant characters goes to Ms. Rowling and her genius. I own nothing.
A/N: I don't remember where I was but this first line just came to me and then almost instantly this story began to form in my head. It's just a quick one-shot. Thanks for reading and please review. Also, a few of these lines are from the movie `Moulin Rouge'. You'll easily recognize them if you've seen the movie or listened to the soundtrack.
Believe --
"I don't believe in love."
The words tore through his heart - ripping every bit of emotion he had inside him. Ripping, tearing, and shearing through the depth of what he had just told her. He had revealed the deepest secret from his soul to her and she had thrown it right back at him.
"W - what?"
"I don't believe in love," she repeated firmly.
But what - how - why would anyone want to do that? Not believe in love? That was like not believe in life! Not believing in oxygen! Love was like oxygen, love lifts you up where you belong. All you need is love!
"But - love - love is like -"
"Something that can ruin your life. The agony of the broken heart can kill a person. I don't want to risk having to suffer through that."
"You can't be in your right mind, Hermione! Listen to yourself!" Harry was desperate, he collapsed down onto his knees; a grown man on his knees, hands clasped, looking up at Hermione. "Please, Hermione, please!"
"Don't do this to yourself, Harry. You don't know love; you've never been in love. How do you know that you're in it? It's all an illusion."
Stupid, stupid logic! How many books had she read on this? How could she not believe? It just wasn't possible… nobody just decided to not believe in love… How he hated her logic sometimes.
"An illusion? No, it's not an illusion! Hermione, listen to me. I -"
"Harry, stop it," she commanded, "You don't know what you're saying. Look at yourself, you're practically delirious. Stand up and calm down. Listen to the rubbish you're saying."
"Hermione, I love you. I think I have since the day I met you when we were eleven. I've loved you ever since then. You must feel the same way… don't you?"
"You're only seventeen, Harry…"
"Nearly eighteen!" corrected Harry standing back up.
"Fine, but you're too young to be in love. We're still in school, Harry. Use common sense!"
"I am using common sense! I know I am! I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"Exactly, so how do you know it's love? It's just friendship," she said.
He was speechless. No, she couldn't be serious. She just couldn't. Not believing in love… the absurdity! Never… He opened and closed his mouth several times. He had to talk sense to her; he had to contradict Hermione, of all people, on something as serious an issue as this.
"You're wrong. It's more than friendship, I'm sure. You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly well! I know what I'm -"
"Shut it and listen to me!" Harry bellowed.
Hermione clamped her mouth shut.
"I love you. I do, Hermione. I love you more than anyone else in the world."
"Harry…"
"No! Let me talk. I don't know what it is - but I do know that I love you."
He took a step closer to her and attempted to cup her face with his hand, she looked away quickly, avoiding eye contact.
"Hermione, look at me." She didn't move, "Hermione, please."
She slowly turned her head to look at him.
"What?" she asked coldly.
"If this doesn't work, if this doesn't prove my love for you, then you're right."
"Don't -"
But it was too late. Harry had pressed his lips to hers in one fluid motion. They kissed and kissed, deeply and passionately. Harry was not surprised to feel Hermione kissing him back.
He pulled away and waited for her reaction. She was silent for a while, staring down at her hands. She then looked up at Harry and he saw it in her eyes.
She did believe.
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