The day he left he told me the prophecy. I cried. It wasn't a surprise. I'd known, subconsciously at least, that there had to be something of the sort. That didn't make the definite knowledge any easier to handle, though.
***
"You mean you're going to die?"
"No"
"Are you sure? That's what it sounds like to me"
"RON! I am not going to die. At least, I'm not planning on it"
"Boys, what we need to figure out is what the power is"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you listen? Honestly, Ron! 'The one with the power the dark lord knows not'…we need to find out what that power is."
"Oh"
"Hermione?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"I need to talk to you for a minute. Alone"
"Alright"
"Meet me tonight…under our tree by the lake, okay?"
"Okay Harry, I'll be there"
***
So I agreed to meet him. It sounded important. He needed time to think before we discussed this with Ron. He could think out loud around me. He always could…I suppose he still can. But I wouldn't know anymore.
He was late, as usual. But this time it was eerie. The lake takes on a silvery, unreal glow around midnight. One would swear that it was the spirit of a patronus.
"Hermione! You're, you're here!"
"Of course I am, silly! What's on your mind?"
"I can't do this. I can't fight him. I can't have the fate of the world rest on my shoulders."
"Our shoulders, Harry. I'm always here"
"No dammit, this is my prophecy. It's my curse. It all falls on me."
"And I'll be beside you every step-"
"No you won't! I won't let you! I can't let you!-I…I can't DO this. I can't be a hero. I can't be a savior. I'm only 16! It's not FAIR!"
"I KNOW!"
"Of course. You always do."
"Good"
"Could you…would you give this to Dumbledore, please? First thing in the morning?"
"Sure, Harry, but why can't you…?"
"I don't want him to read it in front of me"
"Oh"
"And…tell Ron I'm sorry?"
"Harry you act as if you're dying"
"No, just taking a break. I'm going to fly out a bit. Clear my head"
"That's a good idea. Is that what the letter to Dumbledore says?"
"Yeah. Hermione-you know you're my best friend right?"
"Of course I do"
"I'm not exactly sure what love is. I know what my mother did for me was love, but…the point is, the closest thing I've ever felt to love is what I feel for you"
"I do love you Harry. Remember that."
"I'm going to go now"
"Bye Harry! I'll see you when you get back!"
"I'll be seeing you Hermione. Look for me"
He grasped me in an unsteady hold then. He was shaking. I held him for a minute, and then we let go of each other. Then I saw the firebolt, stacked with food and clothes for at least a week. He climbed on and blew me a kiss, laughing the whole while. This would be good for him.
A gust of wind blew my hair to the side, and I blinked. I was standing on the ground, alone, clutching two letters and a memory. Harry was gone.