Author's Note: I make my (not so) long-awaited return. HBP was like a dagger in my heart as I know it was for all of you. This is a one-shot. I have to write this for my own sake. For peace. I need Hermione back and H/Hr back. I know it probably sucks, but I'm writing this more for me than for you. That being said, I hope you like it! So here goes nothing…
Aftermath
Harry fell to the ground, sharp pain jerking his body around. Voldemort was laughing vindictively…he had won. He had won. Harry could not go on. He knew he couldn't. There was nothing he could do. He had given his all and lost. He would soon be reunited with his parents…
Voldemort smiled, "And now, Potter, you will die. Do not worry, the last member of your stupid trio will die as well. I will hunt down that Mudblood and I assure you I will have much pleasure destroying---"
Bursting with a rage that resonated throughout his pores and aching through his heart and soul, Harry felt himself lift off the ground and call his wand into his hand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Voldemort let out a small gasp as the jet of green light hit him. His face was locked into one of surprise and he----
Harry woke up, shivering. His mind had replaying the events of two weeks ago for the thousandth time. He couldn't get it out of his head. He rose out of his bed and looked for the cup of coffee Dobby had taken to put by his bedside since the death of Voldemort.
There was only one week left in his Hogwarts schooling career. Death had marked it throughout. From Cedric to Sirius to Dumbledore to Ron. Each loss hurt more than the last and Harry didn't know how he continued to survive. He looked to his side and saw Ginny sitting on Dean's bed. It must have been pretty late because it looked like they had gone to breakfast several hours ago.
"Hey, Ginny."
He thought he had loved her last year. He remembered walking away from her at Dumbledore's tomb, thinking that he could love no one more than her. But he had learned different over the past year. His feelings for Ginny had gradually continued to lessen and lessen.
"Harry…we need to talk."
"About what?" he asked bleakly.
"Well…last year, you told me that you couldn't be with me as long as You-Know-Who was alive. Well…he's gone now. I know Ron's gone and his death hurt me too, but it's like Dumbledore used to say. Death is the next great adventure. We can't let Ron rule our lives. He wouldn't have wanted it that way."
Harry looked away from her, out the window at the beautiful summer outside. He could see the giant squid swimming lazily and groups of students bunched around the grounds. What he would give for a carefree life…
"Ginny, it's not that…"
"Then what is it?" she looked at him anxiously.
"I don't love you. I'm not sure I ever did. I care for you a lot…but I can't be with you because that's not where my heart is."
Ginny looked shocked. She stared at Harry, her face pale.
"What?"
"I don't love you, Ginny."
Her eyes narrowed, "Is there another?"
Harry shrugged tiredly, "I don't know. I don't know about my life, Ginny. Please just let me figure it out. Get another boyfriend. Please…just leave."
He could hear her leaving, but didn't look back. He turned around and sank back onto his bed. What's wrong with me? All I can think about is Voldemort. He still hadn't told anyone what had gone on between him and Voldemort in the graveyard in Little Hangleton.
He didn't know how long it had been but before long, he could feel someone else had come into the room. He knew if it was Dean, Seamus, or Neville they wouldn't bother him. So he didn't get up.
"Harry?" a soft voice said.
He sat up. It was Hermione. She was standing near the door, biting her lip and looking worried.
"Hey, Hermione," he said, managing a small smile. "How are you?"
"Well, a little worried about exams," said Hermione, smiling a little, "but okay otherwise."
"That's good."
She sat down next to him on the bed, glancing at him worriedly. Harry took the moment to look at her. Her brown hair was as straight as it ever could be, bouncing down into small curls at her shoulders. Today she was wearing a black shirt and knee-length khaki skirt. She looked beautiful.
"Ginny just ran past me, crying her eyes out. What happened?"
"She wanted to continue our relationship," he murmured, "I just couldn't do it. I don't love her, Hermione. I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to be in a loveless marriage."
Hermione nodded, but looked at him questioningly, "Are you sure this doesn't have to do with Voldemort?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "All I know is that when Voldemort was about to kill me, I wasn't worried about whether I'd ever see Ginny again. I mean, I care about her, but she wasn't the last person I wanted to think about before I died."
"How did you defeat him?"
Harry smiled, "I knew I'd have to tell you eventually."
Hermione laughed slightly, "Of course. You didn't really think I'd let you get away with it, did you?"
Harry's face continued to brighten, "No, I didn't." He then looked at Hermione and began the story, "Well, Voldemort had me beaten. I mean the Cruciatus was unbearable and after fifty thrashings of it, I was broken. I had nothing left. And all the energy expended on getting the other Horcruxes was definitely hurting me. I was a goner…"
Hermione gripped his hand suddenly.
"Oh Harry," she murmured.
"Then…" Harry stopped, thinking back to Voldemort's threat. "Then…he said he was going to go after you and kill you. And…I don't know what happened. Something just snapped. I suddenly had energy. I got up, got my wand, and killed him. It happened so fast, he couldn't even react. I was driven by pure rage. Just rage. Rage, anger, fury."
Harry stared outside, remembering the look of surprise registering across the chalk-like face before he collapsed. A minute or so later, he realized Hermione hadn't said anything. He looked sideways at her and saw that tears were rolling down her face.
"Why are you crying, Hermione?" he asked, feeling very awkward. God, what do you do with a crying girl?!
"Oh Harry…" she said, burying her head in his shoulder. "I…you…needed…Voldemort…oh…"
"Shhh…" said Harry, not knowing what else to say. He patted her back and continued feeling like an idiot.
She lifted her face and looked at him. Harry had never thought she looked prettier than she did at that instant, with her cheeks wet from tears, her face slightly red, her lips slightly parted, and her eyes half-open.
He felt himself move his head forward slightly and registered that her eyes were now completely closed. He could feel his own eyes close and his mouth move closer. Their lips touched gently. Caressing one another. Harry let his hand run through Hermione's hair and then wrapped his arms around her waist. Her own arms moved around his neck and they continued to kiss slowly and gently.
"I love you, Hermione."
"And I love you, Harry."
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