The Wish List
Rating - PG-13 to be safe
Summary: Harry has a list of three wishes, three things he wants to do, or have happen before he dies. Hermione finds out about the list, and is determined to help Harry complete it. Little does she know what Harry's last wish is…
This story was inspired in part by Eoin Colfer's book with the same title.
Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter, and I am not Eoin Colfer, or JK Rowling, as much as I would like to be either of them.
Pairings: Harry/Hermione, slight Ron/Luna
Spoilers: Books 1-5
AN: This story should have a new chapter up each day, pending unexpected interruptions, so don't stay away too long! This is my second fan fiction story posted, keep a lookout for more. Eoin Colfer's story was published after I'd had my idea for Harry to have a wish list, so I guess that means we think alike! If any of you haven't read his story, I'd recommend it.
I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed my first story, Soul Schism, especially:
Dylan(Who has the honor of being my first reviewer)
SilverFoot(Who read my story VERY early in the morning, but still reviewed)
Alorkin(who likes my story enough to let his daughter read it someday)
Bluemoon( my very best friend, who understands my sense of humor and obsession with Sesshou)
Modge(Who agreed with me on my posting opinions)
Godsowndevil(Who followed the little link in Keeping A Promise)
Dancinwithangels(The first person who cried)
FanFicFranticFanatic(The second person I made cry)
Starlight 623(Another person who I made want to cry)
IssaBissa(I share your pain on having to go to class at inopportune times)
Romulus Lupin(one of my favorite authors)
Shawnpickett(who said my ending was "uggh" and gave me the push I needed to start a sequel)
Luna Tyler( my unofficial beta, after my dad)
Netherwood(who probably would have done something like this if I hadn't )
Destroyerdrt(Who advised me to ignore flames. Still good advice, by the way)
Gryffindork(Who inspired me to imitate Elvis when responding)
Maple Mountain (Hi, daddy!)
And all the anonymous and unmentioned reviewers!
Special Thanks to my dad, who thought that this story needed work, urged me to include the chapters where Harry visits Godric's Hollow (which I wasn't sure I wanted to include at first, but I'm glad I did)and reminded me to disclaim EVERYTHING that is not mine, including song lyrics.
Chapter 1: The Wish List
* * *
"Harry, what's this?"
Hermione's voice broke across Harry's musings on what was for dinner that night. He turned to face her.
Ever since Harry had told her about the contents of the Prophecy right before the beginning of their sixth year, Hermione had found she was spending most of her days with him-as if believing her very presence would serve to protect him…to comfort him as he faced his destiny. Today they were sitting at a small table in the library, side by side, studying for a Transfiguration test. Their books were quite spread out, discouraging anyone else from joining them. Harry followed the direction of her finger, and froze.
She was pointing at his diary.
Professor Dumbledore had suggested that Harry start keeping a diary, so he could organize his thoughts into it before bed, making it less likely for Voldemort to find an opening to enter Harry's mind.
Harry had decided to give it a try, and had found that writing his thoughts and experiences of the day down in the little leather bound book Dumbledore had given him actually did make his mind less confused and his dreams more restful during the night.
He had taken to carrying it around in his bag, writing down jokes, bits of information, and scribbles drawn during lectures. It was enchanted so it would never run out of paper while maintaining its original size, and had a charm placed on it so that if Harry ever lost it, it would return to him with a wish.
As Hermione stretched out her hand to pick it up, Harry quickly thought, I wish I had my diary and let out a relieved breath when it disappeared from the tabletop and reappeared in his hand.
Hermione looked shocked for a second. Turning to ask Harry where the book had gone, she saw him hastily stuffing it into the pocket of his robes.
"Harry, what…?"
"It's nothing, it's just a blank book, that's all, nothing to be concerned over." he said in a hurried way.
Hermione didn't buy it for a minute. "If it's so unimportant, why are you trying to hide it from me?" she demanded.
Harry stared up at her, a pleading look in his eyes. Please oh please don't insist I show it to you he thought desperately.
Whether she could read his thoughts, or she was so offended at his lying to her, she turned back to her books.
"You don't have to show it to me, it's fine." she sighed.
Harry immediately felt guilty. He crossed his hands on his lap, stared at his knees, and muttered, "It's my diary, all right?"
Hermione turned to him with interest. "Really? I didn't know you kept a diary, when did you get it?"
"Start of the year," Harry said, relaxing. He had been afraid she would laugh at him.
"Professor Dumbledore said that if I get my thoughts out of my head more often, Voldemort might have a harder time getting into my head."
"What a great idea!" Hermione exclaimed, earning herself a glare from Madam Pince. "And that way you don't have to remember things, you can just look them up if you want to know what happened on a certain day."
Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. "Well, yeah, but that's not the only thing I write in there you know."
"What else?"
"Pardon?"
"What else do you write down?" Hermione pressed.
"Oh, you know, jokes, scribbles, things I find interesting, lists…" He broke off awkwardly. "Maybe we should get back to work."
"What kind of lists?"
"Hmm?"
"What kind of lists do you write?" Hermione pressed.
"Well, there's only one right now, but it's kind of a secret."
"What kind of list?" Hermione asked again, laying her hand on his arm.
"A Wish List," Harry blurted. He winced, as if he hadn't meant to say that.
Hermione was surprised. "A Wish List? What for?"
Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "Just the sort of things I'd like to do before, well, just in case, if I, you know, don't ah, make it. I'd like to have done them first."
Hermione dropped her gaze. The list was the things Harry would like to do before-no if- he died. "Oh. I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."
"It's okay, I'm not mad at you for asking. I just wasn't expecting anyone to ask, that's all." Harry reassured her quickly.
An awkward silence fell between them. Hermione was torn between the desire to drop the subject (as the idea of Harry dying at Voldemort's hands because of some stupid prophecy was a painful subject for both of them) and the desire to find out what Harry would wish for.
"What sort of things?" she asked softly.
Harry started, he'd been dreaming of dinner again. "Hmm?"
"What sort of things did you wish for?"
Harry sighed. Pulling the diary out of his pocket, he opened it, turning to a page he had folded down the corner on. "Here, you may as well."
Hermione hesitated for a moment, but then her natural curiosity won out. She took the diary from Harry. Looking at the open page, she saw a heading,
THE WISH LIST
Or
THINGS I'D LIKE TO DO BEFORE I DIE
She was about to read on, but Harry gently laid a hand on her arm, stopping her. She turned to him.
"Most of the stuff on that list has been crossed out. It started out as a list of mistakes I'd made, things I didn't do when I had the chance, a lot of should-haves, could-haves, and might-haves. There was a lot more there originally, but I've narrowed it down to four."
He removed his hand from her arm, staring at the table. Hermione looked back at the list. Harry had at least been honest when he told her there was a lot to go through; a lot of the page was one big scribble, parts of words and letters barely showing through. There were about thirty items crossed out, things that couldn't be addressed, things that couldn't be helped. But there, near the bottom of the page, were items circled in red ink, with the numbers one through five next to them.
Hermione looked over at Harry. He was still staring down at the table. She laid the book in front of him. He raised his head, looking where her finger was pointing. "I don't understand." she said softly.
Harry did look at her then, looked at her with such a blazing intensity in his eyes that Hermione was taken aback. It was the same look he'd had during first year, when he had declared to her and Ron that he was going after Voldemort. It was the same look he'd had when he'd gone after Sirius in fifth year. It was the look he had whenever something was important to him, when he was set on doing something.
She hadn't seen that look in a long time.
He took the book from her, pointing to the items that were circled and numbered. "It's not too late for these," he said insistently. "These can still be done."
Hermione looked back at the list, then back at Harry.
"You can't be serious." she said.
"Oh, but I am. The prospect of imminent death is a powerful incentive."
"I don't even know what this list is talking about." Hermione protested.
"Why does that matter?" Harry asked.
"Because I'm going to help you complete it, that's why." she said simply.
"You're what?" Harry yelled. Madam Pince hissed "Shush!" at them. Harry lowered his voice. "Care to repeat that?" He demanded.
"I'm going to help you complete your list." Hermione said again, smiling.
Harry looked dumbfounded. "Why?" he asked finally, staring at her in utter amazement.
Hermione sat back and put the tips of her fingers together, as she thought how best to answer him. "Several reasons," she began. "One, if these things are so important to you that you felt you have to do them before you die, they must mean something to you. Two, we're friends, and if they mean so much to you, the least I can do is help you accomplish them. Three, I accept that there's a chance you're going to die, and you have too, or you wouldn't have made this list in the first place, so the least I can do is see that if you die, you go to your grave knowing you didn't leave anything important unfinished." She meant the last part as a joke, but, on seeing Harry's serious expression, said, "Besides, what are friends for?"
Harry stared at her, a look of extreme gratitude spreading over his face. He opened his mouth to say thank you, but Hermione cut him off. "Just tell me two things, Harry. One, why is this so important to you? What do you think it will change?"
"Nothing," he answered, "except my opinion of myself. And that has become very important to me lately, Hermione."
Hermione nodded, "Fair enough. Next question: what on earth does, "Prank the Population" mean?"
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