~A/N> I was unable to finish the new chapter for "Dreams Can Come True"...to anyone who is reading it
I am sorry. I thought of staying up all night, rushing through it to post it tomorrow, but this next chapter is one of
the most important of the entire story. So I come bearing this short, sad, one-shot songfic that I wrote last week.
This is the first time that I've written something like this, and I want to dedicate it to the Lieutenant Commander
and Mr. Fancovic...two young men whose lives were taken way too soon. May they rest in peace.
Say goodnight not good-bye
You will never leave my heart behind
Like the path of a star
I'll be anywhere you are
She had seen him laying on the ground next to Voldemort's body when she got there. Her whole body had gone cold and she had taken off at a full run before she realized what she was doing. She didn't even know if Voldemort was dead or not, and she really didn't care...all she knew was that she had to get to Harry.
She had been afraid of this. There was just something about the wording of the Prophecy that had her worried. She had come to the horrific conclusion the night before that there was a great possibility that to defeat Voldemort for good, Harry would have to die at the same time. Their souls were connected...it was the only way...
In the spark that lies beneath the coals
In the secret place inside your soul
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye
Hagrid had done everything in his power to stop her from coming, but she was a powerful witch. Once she was determined to do something, there was no stopping her. She ran as best she could and fell to her knees next to his body. A sob escaped her as she looked down at his beaten, bloody face. She reached a trembling hand out to touch his cheek and jumped as his eyes opened.
"Harry?" she asked in a trembling voice, hope blossoming in her chest, only to be snuffed out as soon as he spoke.
"You...shouldn't...be here," he said, struggling to get the words out, his voice raspy and weak.
"I had to come...I figured out the Prophecy...I-" She watched as his eyes closed slowly and when they opened again, there were tears shining in the fading emerald pools. Suddenly realization slammed into her and she had to put a hand onto the ground to steady herself. "You knew." When he made a small movement of his head, as if to nod, she laid her head on his chest and sobbed loudly, "Why?! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because this was something I had to do," he replied, and then fell silent.
Don't you fear when you dream
Waking up is never what it seems
Like a jewel buried deep
Like a promise meant to keep
She became worried at his silence, and when she looked up at his face she noticed he was pale, much paler than before. "Harry?" she whispered, afraid that he may already be gone.
"Hm?" he replied, too weak to form words at that moment.
"I don't think I can live without you," she replied as giant tears rolled down her cheeks.
Harry's eyes sought hers out as he said, with as much conviction as he could, "Don't say that, you have to live Hermione. You have to carry on our future." When her tears started to flow in streams he continued, "Besides, this isn't good-bye."
You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
I'll be right by your side
Say goodnight not good-bye
"Then what is it?" she cried, unable to keep even a small amount of control on her emotions.
"Good-bye means we'll never see each other again...but we will. After you've lived a full, happy life, you and I will be together once more. Until then, just say goodnight." Harry's eyes closed slowly, exhaustion overtaking his battered body, and summoning every last ounce of strength he had he said, "I love you Hermione...always."
Hermione bent down, placed a kiss on his already-cold lips, said shakily, "I love you too Harry...forever," and watched helplessly as he breathed his last breath.
You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye
She stayed kneeling on the muddy ground for a long time, her body shaking from the pain and loss she felt, an abundance of tears still falling from her eyes. Taking his cold hand, she placed it on her swollen stomach where their son rested peacefully and continued to cry until it felt like her head would explode.
Hagrid walked up to her and, after putting a hand lightly on her shoulder, said, "Hermione, yeh really need ta ge' back to the castle. I'll take care o' Harry, I promise."
When she looked up at the gentle giant, she saw that huge tears were running down his face as he sadly looked down at Harry's body. Nodding slightly, she turned back to Harry and bent to kiss him one final time, trying to keep herself together for the sake of their child, the only physical tie she had left to the love of her life. Removing his hand from her stomach, she placed it gently across his chest and said, "This is by no means good-bye my love, it is only...goodnight."
Say Goodnight, Not Goodbye by Beth Nielson Chapman