1. Haunted eyes...

This fic is dedicated to all Pumkineers who feel sad and down in these dark times. We were shot down, I know. But we still sail, even if it's only in fanon.

I hope you enjoy.

Bright Eyes

Bright eyes, burning like fire

Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?

How can the light that burned so brightly

suddenly burn so pale? Bright eyes

-Simon and Garfunkel, Bright Eyes

As the sun went down in the horizon, casting a beautiful pink glow over the sky, a petite bushy haired young woman ran across Hogwarts' grounds, desperately trying to reach the small lake. Her cheeks were streaked with old fallen tears and her sobs shook her body uncontrollably. At last she stopped, letting her knees buckle under her. She fell to the ground, not caring that she scraped her knees or that her hands ached after the fall.

And then she cried. Her emotion flowed freely; every tear was filled with them. Her body rocked back and forth as she cried, her sobs raking through her body.

It wasn't until a soft hand was placed on her shoulder that she realized she wasn't alone. As the hand squeezed her shoulder lightly, she immensely knew who it was. It was him. It was always him.

“You've fought again, haven't you?” His voice was soft, understanding.

Hermione looked up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she did. “Oh, Harry… I just don't get him sometimes…”

As Hermione's eyes burned into his, he was shocked to see that the light in her eyes, which always had burned so brightly, had faded into a pale, pale glow. His closed his eyes. The image was too painful to look at. But however hard he tired, the image of her dead eyes was etched into his mind. He just couldn't forget them. Harry opened his eyes and smiled warily before plopping down onto the ground beside her. “Hermione…”

“Oh, I know. I shouldn't let him get to me… But Ron he's- he has always managed to get under my skin. To say the least - he brings out the worst in me.” She gave out a low sob. “And you know what? I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all the bickering… I'm tired.”

“Oh, Hermione…” He enveloped her in a tight embrace.

Hermione quickly untangled herself from his arms. “No, Harry. I need you to hear this. No, I need to say this.” She took a deep breath. “Ron and I… We can't go on like this. You saw how we behaved last year… We literally bring out the worst in each others. I care for Ron, I really do, but I just can't go on like this.”

“I can talk to him… Tell him that you… If you want I can…”

Hermione shook her head quickly. “No, that's not what I meant, Harry. We're too different for our own good. I say blue - he says red… and then we quarrel. It won't work. Ron wants something in a girl that I can't give him. And… I want something Ron can't give me: An equal. And Ron can't give me that.” She straightened herself slightly. “So, I've decided… I'm moving on.”

Harry looked dumbfounded. “You're leaving us?” he asked, slowly.

She smiled weakly. “No, silly. I'm moving on from Ron.”

Harry let out a relieved breath. “Good. I don't think I could do all this without you. I… I need you badly…” He trailed off, softly.

“Oh, Harry… That's a sweet thing to say.”

“I mean it. You'll always be the best.” He patted her head playfully.

“Thanks,” she replied, quietly before resting her head on Harry's shoulder. “Harry?” she asked, softly. “I'm… I need you as well. Now, more than never.”

Harry smiled, as he moved a bit closer to her. “Hermione…” He trailed off as he saw the look in her eyes. It was faint, but the light was there. Glowing faintly behind the un-fallen tears.

“Harry?”

He smiled. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

His Bright Eyes was back… And nothing could have made him happier than that.

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