Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

husker_fan_2006

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 31/08/2005
Last Updated: 06/12/2005
Status: completed

"I wish it was all a dream. That I'd wake up one morning and find you next to me. If I could ask for anything in the world, it would be that you were somehow here again." The final battle brought many losses, including the death of the 'Chosen One'. Death affects us in many ways, mostly with sorrow. It all depends on how you knew them, whether they were your husband, or your father.

Chapters

1. Version #1

2. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again 2

1. Version #1

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

Summary: HBP Spoilers! The final battle turned out well, but also bad. The Light side was victorious, but it came at a price. It ended at the cost of many lives, including the Chosen One. Harry Potter left behind so many, his wife, his son and daughter, his friends, and the world that named him savior of the wizarding world. It's been almost five years since the fall of the Dark Arts, and one who has never really gotten over Harry's death goes to visit him one snowy morning.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or the song, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from the Phantom of the Opera (awesome movie and soundtrack!!).

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She made her way through the snow-covered cemetery, walking the familiar path to his grave. Her long, dark blue velvet dress and black cloak stood out against the white earth. The sky reflected her mood, gray and dreary. She figured it might snow again soon. Usually her mind was always running with things that she had to remember, except the minute she set foot in the cemetery, all the other worries went away, and all that she could think about was Harry. Soon, in the distance, she saw the grave marked, Potter. She took a deep breath to stop the tears about to form. As she got closer, her mind was flung back in space to the day that she lost her husband forever.

Ron called to his friend, who was standing among the lifeless bodies that littered the ground.

“Hermione!” Hermione slowly turned, and she looked pale and about ready to collapse from exhaustion. Ron ran to her, and held an arm around her to keep her from falling. Ron said,

“He's gone, Hermione. Voldemort's gone.” Hermione smiled weakly, and said,

“Where's Harry?”

“I don't know.”

“I saw him right before he sent the killing curse, but after the flash of green light, he disappeared, he…” She trailed off, and regaining her strength, pulled away from her friend and ran over to where her husband was standing moments before. She got closer, and saw a body with messy black hair, and her heart was caught in her throat.

“No, he can't be dead, please God, no.” She reached Harry, and fell to her knees. It looked like he had been blasted back by a spell and hit his head on a rock. The back of his head was bleeding freely. If he had hit it just right, he would be dead soon if he wasn't already. She said tearfully,

“Harry. Harry, please don't be dead.” The tears rolled down her cheeks, and she cradled his head in her hand and pulled the upper half of his body onto her lap. With tremendous effort, Harry said weakly,

“I'm not dead, Hermione. Not yet.”

“Oh thank God, Harry. You're alive!”

“But not for long.”

“Don't say that, you're going to get better, we'll take you to the hospital wing at Hogwarts since it's closer. Madam Pomfrey still has that bed reserved for you since you always were in there.” Harry smiled.

“It's no use, Hermione. I'm going to die, no matter what you say.”

“You can't die, Harry. You can't. What about Blake and Lily? How am I going to tell them that their Daddy's never coming back?”

“You'll find a way. They'll be fine. They've still got you.”

“What will I do without you?”

“You'll be fine, too. You're independent, you'll be alright.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. I'll miss you, `Mione, but we'll be together again someday. Look at it this way; I get to see my parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, and all the people that have died. Who else died today?”

“It's best you don't know.”

“Probably. But I'm excited. I finally get to meet my parents, I get to see Sirius again, I haven't seen him since I was fifteen. And Dumbledore, haven't seen him since I was sixteen.”

“You're right, I shouldn't be selfish.”

“You're not being selfish, Hermione, I've never known you to be. But…you have to let me go.”

“Harry, don't…”

“Hermione, promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“I want you to promise…promise that you'll go on living…that the twins will grow up…and…that you won't dwell on my death too much.”

“Harry, I can't…”

“Promise?”

“But…”

“Hermione, promise me.”

“I promise.”

Soon after, Harry breathed his last breath, leaving Hermione with a sadness that she had never known before. Well, she had never lost a husband before. She screamed in agony and ran her hands through her hair, she sobbed loudly. She didn't remember how she got back home, or remember anything else from that day, like how she told her son and daughter the news.

You were once my one companion
you were all that mattered.
You were once a friend and husband
then my world was shattered.

She had never taken death very well. Especially the death of someone who had been killed, or of someone who wasn't supposed to die in the first place. After Harry had died, Hermione's mother came to stay with her for a while to help her through her grief, but Hermione never fully healed. Which was why she was still making weekly visits to the cemetery. She remembered a conversation she had with her mother one morning, before Blake and Lily woke up, when it was just her mother and her at the kitchen table.

“I just wish it was all a dream. That I'll wake up some morning, and see him next to me. Or that I'll come downstairs and find him outside already with the twins.”

“Most people feel that way when a loved one dies. It's natural to feel this way, Hermione.”

“I know. I wish I could see him again. I remember before the battle, I told him that I wish to see him laugh again. I mean, like a true laugh. The ones that come from people with no worries, no problem in the back of their minds.”

“I'm sure he's thinking the same thing about you, I'm sure he wants to see you laugh, to see you smile. I don't think I've seen you smile once since the funeral.”

“My husband's dead, Mum, it's not exactly something to laugh or smile about.”

“Yes, Harry's dead, but you're not. You still have your life; you still have Blake and Lily. Having your children is the best cure for getting over the death of a spouse, because you have that part of them in your children. You still have part of Harry in your son and daughter.”

“It's not the same…”

“I know it's not the same, but it's the next best thing to having Harry back.”

Wishing you were somehow here again.
Wishing you were somehow near.
Sometimes it seemed,
if I just dreamed,
somehow you would be here.

Hermione always felt a little guilt every time she came back to the cemetery. She had broken her promise she made to Harry on the day he died. She had promised to move on with life, to not dwell on his death. She thought of this every time she came back, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't move on. Granted, she was doing better than she had five years ago, she smiled more, she spent more time with her children, and she lived a normal life most of the time. But she still made the regular trips to her husband's grave. She knew that no matter how much she hoped he would come back, he never would. She wouldn't ever see him in the morning, while they talked over a few cups of coffee. She reached the grave and wiped a little snow off of the stone and sat down next to where his body lay, on the place that one day she would rest.

Wishing I could hear your voice again
knowing that I never would.
Dreaming of you won't help me to do
all that you dreamed I could.

She sighed and leaned against the stone, looking around at the other graves in the cemetery. So cold, unfeeling, and dull, so unlike Harry. It started to snow lightly and she looked down at where his body lay, and said,

“Hey. I'm back, yet again. I know I promised not to dwell on all this, but if it had been me that died instead of you, how would you take it? Anyways, Lily and Blake are fine, I keep getting owls from McGonagall at least once a week telling me of the mischief they've been causing. Like I've said before, I think they're taking the place of the Marauders. Every day, Blake looks more and more like you. It just amazes me. And Lily, she's growing up too fast, she's getting too smart, even for me. There's stuff she tells me that she's read somewhere that I never knew. Ron says it's the combination of both of our intelligence. It wasn't for nothing that they gave us the Head Boy and Girl badges; if we had gone to Hogwarts that last year.”

Passing bells
and sculpted angels,
cold and monumental,
seem for you, the wrong companions;
you were warm and gentle.

“I found a photo album the other day. I shouldn't have looked at it, but it just called to me. Seeing the pictures made me cry. The past just keeps running through my head, and I'll never forget the day of the final battle. I used to have nightmares about it, I kept seeing it over and over and over again in my head, or that something else was different and it was worse.” Hermione broke into sobs, “Why can't I just forget the past?”

Too many years
fighting back tears,
Why can't the past just die?

“I want to be able to live. I want to stop dwelling on this. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I want to forget you; it's not like that. But I just want to not feel like if I don't make these visits all the time that I'll feel empty. Forgive me. This is the first promise I made to you that I've broken. I know you're probably watching me from heaven and are angry with me because I'm this way. I need your strength. I can't do it alone.”

Wishing you were somehow here again
knowing we must say goodbye.
Try to forgive
teach me to live
give me the strength to try

“I wish it was all a dream. I wish that one day, I'll wake up and find you next to me again. If I could ask for anything in the world, it would be to bring you back to me again. I want to look back on the times we had together and smile, not cry. I tired of shedding silent tears, and looking back on the years I've wasted feeling sorry for myself because you died. Please, Harry, help me to say goodbye.”

No more memories, no more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say goodbye.

A cold, strong wind blew across the cemetery, making Hermione shiver. But as soon as the gust of wind had passed, she felt more at peace, like that wind had taken what she had said and sent it to Harry. She smiled a little, and in the wind she could've swore she heard,

“Goodbye.”

Help me say…goodbye.

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A/n: Ok, here's a new songfic for y'all. And here's my situation on this. I'm going to write another songfic with this song, again, Harry's dead with the same circumstances and everything, only this time it's his daughter, Lily, that's visiting his grave. I debated and debated about which person to write about, and finally decided to just write two different ones. I wouldn't expect the next one out real soon, because I started school three weeks ago, and that takes up most of my writing time (that's why I haven't been able to update on `The Tip of the Knife' recently, but trust me, chapter 2 is almost done!). Anyways, thanks for reading, and please review!!!

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2. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again 2

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

Summary: Ok, here's part two of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. This time around, Harry's still the one that's dead, sadly, but it's his daughter that visits the grave rather than Hermione. When I wrote the first chapter, I couldn't decide whether to write from his daughter's point of view, or his wife's, and so I decided to do both. There are some similarities, but mostly this chapter has nothing to do with the previous one. So, here goes.

A/n: Again, I don't own Harry Potter or the song, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. Also, forgive me if the parts from the books aren't completely accurate, nor are they completely from the movie. It's just shorter to leave some stuff out when typing. You all know what happens in the books and movies anyways so you don't need it exactly word for word, right? Anyways…on with the story.

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On a cold, cloudy day, a girl of about sixteen made her way through the gravestones and markers of the cemetery. Her dark red dress and black cloak that drug through the dead leaves and grass, along with her raven black hair, made her stand out against the bleak weather. It hadn't snowed at all since last winter, and it was already January. Everyone waited for that first snowfall with anticipation. The girl sniffled, she had a little bit of a cold, but it didn't matter to her, there were worse things that could be wrong. Today she had to go visit him. It was ten years to the day that he died. It was ten years to the day that she lost the most important man in her life at six years old; her father. Even though she hadn't seen him since she was six, he had always been a big part of her life, just like a daddy is to any little girl.

You were once my one companion
you were all that mattered.
You were once a friend and father
then my world was shattered.

She wasn't there when he died. He died while saving the wizarding world, defeating Voldemort. But her mother had been there, and she remembered the hurt in Hermione's eyes when she returned from the battle without her husband. Lily Potter cried that day. They all did. The entire Light side of the wizarding world cried that day. It felt like the dementors of Azkaban had settled in the Potter home, sucking every bit of happiness from the house. For the longest time Lily had this naive notion that everything was all a dream, but some dreams never do come true. She reached his grave and sat down next to the stone. She wiped the solitary tear that was falling down her cheek from her bright green eyes. She tried her hardest not to cry, she needed to sum up her Gryffindor courage and not cry. She had known for years that she would be a Gryffindor, her dad always said so. She smiled as she remembered that day that she knew she would be a Gryffindor when she went to Hogwarts.

“Lily, don't cry, it'll be ok.”

“But it hurts, Daddy.” A six-year-old Lily sat clutching her knee that was gushing blood after she had fallen on the sidewalk. Harry cleaned the wound before he bandaged it, and said,

“It's just a scratch, look, see, you can hardly see it.” Which was an understatement, Lily would have that scar on her knee forever.

“Don't lie, Daddy, there'll be a big ugly scar.”

“Scars can be handy sometimes, Lily.”

“No they can't, they're big and ugly. `Cept for yours. Your scar on your forehead is cool.” Harry smiled and placed the bandage on the wound.

“This one isn't going to be cool like that, Daddy.”

“Well, here, we'll fix it.” He grabbed a permanent marker from a drawer and drew a lightning bolt on the bandage on Lily's knee. She looked at it, and smiled. After Harry finished he said,

“There, all better. It won't be permanent, but it'll be there until your knee heals.” Lily frowned, and said,

“But there'll still be a scar underneath.” Tears welled up in her eyes again, and only one decided to fall. Harry smiled gently at his daughter and wiped her tear away from her cheek.

“C'mon, Lily, don't cry, it'll be ok. C'mon now, Gryffindors don't cry.”

“Yeah right.” Harry laughed.

“Ok, you're right, that's not true. But you've got to be brave. Like Gryffindors.”

“But how do you know I'm going to be a Gryffindor someday?”

“Because it's in your blood. Your family has been in Gryffindor for years. There has never been a Potter that hasn't been one.”

“What if Blake and I are the first?” Harry smiled and shook his head.

“It won't happen, it's just in your blood,” The smile faded from his face and soberly he said, “But I'm serious, Lily, you must always be brave, no matter what life throws at you. Whether it be a skinned up knee, or…something much worse. You must always be brave.”

“I will, Daddy.” Harry smiled again.

“That's my girl.”

Lily didn't realize at the time that that Harry hadn't been talking just about the skinned up knee, he was talking about when he went to go fight Voldemort. She didn't know at the time that just two weeks later, her father and mother would go off to fight the darkest wizard the world had ever seen, and she had no idea that only one of them would come back. But she did know that he taught her a valuable lesson that day. He taught her that no matter what life brings, yeah, you cry a little, but you get over it. You move on. Even though she didn't dwell on it, she still wished Harry would've lived; it wasn't fair for him to die so young. There was so much that he should've been able to teach her, so much she missed out on, not having a dad.

Wishing you were somehow here again.
Wishing you were somehow near.
Sometimes it seemed,
if I just dreamed,
somehow you would be here.

She stared at the name on the stone. Harry James Potter, loving husband, father, and savior of the wizarding world. Lily never liked the wording on his grave, the way the sentence was written sounded wrong. Like he was a loving husband, a loving father, and he loved being the savior of the wizarding world. There needed to be a `was' between `and' and `savior'. Lily knew he hated being referred to as the `Boy Who Lived' or `the Chosen One', and knew he would've hated the label, `Savior of the Wizarding World'. He hated that wherever he went, the press would follow. After Harry died, a lot of the eligible bachelors in the wizarding world were contacting Hermione, trying to be subtle, but you could tell they wanted to take her out on a date, hoping to get some of that Potter fortune that was left to her and her children. It was like in the story `The Odyssey', once Odysseus had been gone for ten years, the men were competing for his wife. But no matter how many men competed for Hermione's love and affection, for the rest of her life, it would only be for one man.

“Hermione, they're calling again.” Hermione sighed. Seven-year-old Lily sat in the kitchen with her mother and godfather. Hermione and Ron were talking about the latest phone call that came to the Potter home.

“I know.”

“Don't you ever get tired of all of this?”

“Ron, think about it, you know me almost as well as Harry did, do you think I enjoy this?”

“Well, do something about it.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know, surely the wife of Harry Potter has some connections to the press.” Hermione laughed shortly and said sarcastically,

“Yeah, like I want to talk to the press, Ron.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I don't know. People just can't get it through their heads that I don't want to remarry, that there is no one else in the world for me but my husband. I already found the man I love, and I couldn't love another.”

“I know that. I'm not the one you need to tell that to, it's those eligible bachelors out there who need to hear that.” Hermione sighed again.

“I know.”

“It just amazes me that there are so many…” Ron reached over and covered Lily's ears. She knew the routine; it was a habit he and Luna started with their kids every time one of them was about to swear when the kids were in the room. And so Ron always did that with Blake and Lily. Lily rolled her eyes as she saw Ron's mouth form the word, `assholes', and when Ron took his hands off her ears, she heard, “in this world.” Lily glared at Ron and said,

“You know, I'm not three years old anymore, Ron. It's not like I've never heard the word asshole before.” Ron looked at her in a sort of shock; Hermione's body shook with silent laughter. Lily said,

“My parents never used the ear covering rule in our house.” Ron laughed, and said,

“Ok, Lily, I'm sorry. You know it's just habit.”

“I know.” Hermione eventually stopped laughing and her face sobered.

“But I think you're right, Ron. I do need to get some connections with the press and do something about all of this.”

Since, ironically, the only member of the press Hermione really felt she could somewhat trust was Rita Skeeter, there was an article in the Daily Prophet about the whole situation. It stated simply that Hermione was tired of being bothered by wizards trying to win her affections, and that the attempts were pointless because she would only love one man in her life, even though he was dead. Of course, the only way the article was printed exactly the way Hermione wanted was the little secret she knew about Rita Skeeter and threatened to give her away if the article didn't turn out exactly right. Lily had always thought that if the opportunity came up that she could give up her mother for a new one, a different one, she wouldn't for a second even consider it. Lily would never forget the look on her mother's face when she tried her best to explain to her son and daughter why Harry wasn't coming back. Hermione had always been strong, all through her entire life. She had been no stranger to sorrow and death. When Lily's parents were fifteen, Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, died in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. When they were sixteen, the headmaster Albus Dumbledore died at the hands of the Potions teacher, Severus Snape. Dumbledore had been a mentor to all, and his death was a terrible blow to the light side. When Hermione was seventeen, on Harry's birthday, her parents were killed by Death Eaters; a message from the Death Eaters to Hermione that she could be next if she stuck with Harry. And of course, many of Harry and Hermione's classmates were lost in the final battle, too. But none of those deaths compared to losing her husband. Hermione's strength through all of that was why Lily admired her mother so much.

Wishing I could hear your voice again
knowing that I never would.
Dreaming of you won't help me to do
all that you dreamed I could.

Lily again glanced at the name on the grave, and had this strange urge to say something. Why did people feel the need to talk to the dead at their graves? It wasn't like the dead could answer back; unless they were ghosts, and Lily knew her father wasn't a ghost. It never made any sense, there was no logical proof that they could hear you, but nevertheless, people did it anyway. Lily figured it was just faith that made people speak to at graves. Faith that the dead could hear you, and are listening to you and watching for you up in heaven. Lily opened her mouth and tried to say, `Hey', but the cold she was catching was settling in her throat and she had to clear her throat. She said, clearly this time,

“Hey. It's Lily. Well, if you can hear me, I guess you already knew that.” She looked up the cloudy sky, thinking of the words to say. A chilly breeze came through, making Lily pull her cloak around her tighter. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said,

“Well, Dad, it's been ten years. Here I am, a year away from being an adult. When I pictured you defeating Voldemort, this wasn't how I expected life would be ten years from then. This evening there's a celebration in honor all those who sacrificed everything so many years ago. I don't want to go, but Mum figured we probably should. Personally, I don't want to listen to reminders that you're dead, when I've known all to well of that fact since I was six. I wish you coming with us tonight. It would go a whole lot better if you were there. People wouldn't be saying all night long, `Oh I'm so sorry', or `He lived a good life'. I'm sick of hearing it. And naturally, we'd all be happier. But, you can't have everything in life, right?”

Passing bells
and sculpted angels,
cold and monumental,
seem for you, the wrong companions;
you were warm and gentle.

“Everyone is doing fine, by the way. Mum is doing good, still teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. She had this strange urge to write a book. Imagine that. But she's writing about the first hand experience of being at the final battle. Maybe one day, it might be part of the curriculum in History of Magic. But she's not doing it for the fame, or the pity. People just don't understand what it was like that day. Blake is…well, just Blake. Mum says he's looking more and more like you every day. And acting like you too. She said she could've swore she saw a ghost of that mischievous grin of yours on his face the other day when we were being told off for using some of Fred and George's products on the Slytherins. I have to say, it was worth losing the twenty points each. Ron is…well, I guess the word to describe him is paranoid. Blake is going out with Julia, and let's just say that Ron's very protective of his only daughter. He's always afraid something bad is going to happen, like Julia's going to end up pregnant or something. But those two aren't that stupid, they know better, and are more responsible than that. Me, well, I'm fine too. Not much new to report. Though disappointed that this winter is looking like one without snow. I've never known one to be without snow, remember how much I loved it? You, Mum, Blake and I would always go out and play in it, make snowmen, have a snowball fights,” She laughed. “Maybe if you can hear me, you can make it snow. I doubt it, though. I doubt even if you can hear me. I don't put much store into things like this, there's no logic to it. But, I guess I have some faith, otherwise I wouldn't be talking to you.”

Too many years
fighting back tears,
Why can't the past just die?

The tears started to flow freely now.

“I know I shouldn't be crying. Gryffindor courage, right? But you were right; it was in our blood to become Gryffindors. Because when we were eleven, the sorting hat barely touched our heads before shouting that we were put in Gryffindor,” She sniffled and wiped her tears, but it didn't do any good, more were forming. “It's getting close to the time I have to go, I have to say goodbye soon. I really don't want to go. I'll just stay here this evening, maybe I won't be missed. Yeah right.” Lily looked around, glancing up at the sky again. She sighed. In the distance, she heard a car engine coming through the cemetery. `That's probably Mum and Blake.' Sure enough, she saw the sleek black car round a curve on the gravel path. It came to a stop, and the passenger door opened. A boy of sixteen, with messy black hair and green eyes got out. Blake called to Lily,

“Lils, come on, we're gonna be late!” She called back,

“I'm coming!” Lily stood up, and kissed her cold fingers and touched them to her father's name on the grave.

“Bye, Dad.” She started walking to the car, taking her wand out and reapplying the make-up charm to her face. She headed for the car, and when she got there, Blake smiled at her. She returned it weakly, and he said,

“You ready?” Lily took a deep breath and let it go.

“I don't wanna go.”

“Neither do I.” They both got into the car, and saw their mother looking out the window at her husband's grave. Lily and Blake looked at each other with confused looks, and Lily said,

“Um, Mum?” Hermione was brought out of her daydream and said,

“Oh, sorry.” She put the car into drive and they took off. Once they got out of the cemetery, Lily said,

“What were you thinking about earlier, Mum?”

“Oh, just remembering.”

“Remembering what?”

“Just some of the memories I've had with your dad.”

“Tell us.”

“Oh, you've heard those so many times, I'm surprised you don't get tired of them.”

“I don't think Lily and I will ever get tired of them, Mum.”

“And we are going to an event where they're going to be talking about him, so we might as well reminisce about…happier times.”

“I suppose I could retell the stories.”

Wishing you were somehow here again
knowing we must say goodbye.
Try to forgive
teach me to live
give me the strength to try.

“Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one,” Eleven-year-old Hermione said on the train the first day of school. She had decided to be nice and help this forgetful little boy find his toad. She felt sorry for him, he looked close to tears. Little did she know the kind of people she'd find in this compartment, the two that would be her best friends, and one of them she'd end up marrying nine years later. The red head said,

“We've already told him we haven't seen it.” Hermione didn't listen to what he said, she just saw the wand in his hand, and was excited that someone else already knew how to do a little magic.

“Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then.” Hermione sat down across from him, next to the raven haired boy. The red head cleared his throat.

“Sunshine daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.” He waved his wand but nothing happened. Disappointed, Hermione looked at the boy and said,

“Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and they've all worked for me. Nobody in my family is magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger by the way, who are you?” The boys looked at each other, stunned that someone could even talk that fast. The red head said,

“I'm Ron Weasley.” The other said,

“Harry Potter.” Intrigued, Hermione said, forgetting all about Ron,

“Are you really? I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in `Modern Magical History' and `The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts', and `Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century'.”

“Am I?”

“Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me…” From that very first train ride, Hermione had been fascinated with the skinny raven haired, green-eyed boy that was Harry Potter.

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She was late for the feast, but she didn't care. She knew the celebration would last well into the night, so she needn't hurry. Plus, Madam Pomfrey had told her to take it easy after being petrified; you never know what kind of weird things your body might try to do. She reached the Great Hall, pulled open the doors, and met hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at the new entry. She looked over at the Gryffindor table, and saw Neville look at her and say something to Ron and Harry. They both turned and looked, and got up off the bench at the table. Hermione ran to them, a smile lighting up her whole face. She flung her arms around Harry's neck and hugged him tight, he hugging her just as tight.

“You solved it! You solved it, Harry!”

“With loads of help from you, Hermione.” Hermione let go of Harry and hugged Ron.

“I knew you'd solve it!”

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Hermione was scared to death. She didn't want to go after the dog, but he had Ron, and they couldn't just leave him. How were they supposed to get past the branches? Just as she thought it, Crookshanks darted in and out of the branches and pressed a knot in the trunk. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and whispered,

“Crookshanks, how did he know?”

“He's friends with that dog. I've seen them together. Come on - keep your wand out.” Hermione pulled her wand out, and held it ready, just in case. Harry went through the hole in the trunk first, and she heard him reach the bottom before sliding in after him. When she reached the end of the hole, she tripped over something and ran into Harry, knocking them both over.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Harry.” Hermione rolled off of him, got up, and offered her hand to help him up which he took. She was glad it was dark so he couldn't see her blushing. They followed Crookshanks down a tunnel until they reached a door. They walked through it, and took in their surroundings. Windows were boarded up, dusty and broken furniture lay scattered around. A sudden thought came to Hermione and she grabbed Harry's arm, but didn't notice him tense when he felt how hard she was gripping his arm.

“Harry, I think we're in the Shrieking Shack.” Harry looked around, taking in the items around on the floor. He said slowly,

“Ghosts didn't do that.” A creak overhead made them both jump, and to look up at the ceiling. Harry looked at her, then at his arm, telling her without words to let go, and she did so and nodded. They crept down the hall and up the stairs, following the wide streak through the dust. They extinguished their wands at the landing, and pushed the door open. It was then that they learned later of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, and James Potter's three best friends, the Marauders, and what really happened the night James and Lily Potter died. Hermione would never forget that night, mostly she would remember Harry's reaction to everything. And later that night, when they were saving Sirius, she enjoyed spending the one on one time with Harry, despite the situation they were in.

“Hermione, we've got to move!”

“No, Harry, I told you…”

“Not to interfere! But Lupin's transforming, and he's heading right for us!” Hermione's eyes grew wide with fear, and they took each other's hand and ran into the forest, the werewolf's howls echoing behind them. They saw him wandering around the forest, and they hid behind a tree. (A/n: Just wanted to say, have you ever noticed in this part of the movie, Harry and Hermione are holding hands throughout the whole scene? Hee hee, that makes me giggle with happiness ) They heard the werewolf moving, and went around the tree, hopefully in the opposite direction of the werewolf. But they were wrong, and he howled behind them. Harry held Hermione close, protecting her. The werewolf was about to attack, but Buckbeak flew over them and reared on his hind legs, making the werewolf run off. Hermione buried her face in Harry's shoulder, muttering about being so scared. Harry said,

“Poor Professor Lupin's having a really tough night.” Just then, the wind picked up, and the leaves blew across their shoes. Harry and Hermione both looked up and saw the dementors going to the lake.

“Sirius.” Taking Hermione's hand, Harry took off running, Hermione right beside him. They reached the edge of the lake just as the dementors were trying to take Sirius, and Harry and Hermione, standing back to back, wands out, tried to get rid of them. The present Hermione's mouth fell open in shock as she watched the scene from the past. It looked worse from that point of view than it had been living it. Soon, the past Hermione collapsed beside Harry, while he tried to fight them off.

“Harry, no one's coming, are you sure…”

“He's coming, trust me, my Dad's coming.” Nothing was happening. Just then, realization came over Harry's face and he pulled out his wand and shouted,

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!!” A bright light erupted from his wand, taking on all the dementors, sending them back to their posts at the gates. Past Harry stared at the conjurer of the Patronus before collapsing to the ground, unconscious. Hermione's jaw dropped when she saw the stag return to Harry, and heard Harry whisper,

“Prongs.” He reached a shaking hand out to touch the Patronus, but it disappeared. It was then that Hermione truly understood how powerful Harry had the potential to be. To be thirteen and conjure a Patronus is one thing, but to conjure one strong enough to take on hundreds of dementors was something entirely different, and it was then that years later, when Hermione would remember it, it was then that she fell in love with Harry.

------------------

Hermione nervously came around the corner. She saw Harry and Parvati standing at the bottom of the stairs, Parvati looking around at people, Harry staring at Cho Chang. Parvati saw Hermione and smiled. She said something, and Harry answered back, looked at Parvati, then followed her gaze up to Hermione. Hermione slowly, yet gracefully came down the stairs, smiling at Harry, never breaking eye contact with him. He smiled back, and she wished it was Harry that she was going to the dance with, Harry that was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, Harry who had his full attention on her, not on Cho Chang. Hermione reached the last stair, and took Viktor's arm when he offered it. She waved at Harry and walked with Viktor into the Great Hall, where the Champions were being brought into to start the Ball off with the first dance. She danced with Viktor, but wished that it was Harry that she was dancing with. She had planned on it, on dancing with him, but when she was going to ask, Ron decided that was the perfect time to pick a fight with her, and soon all thoughts of dancing with Harry were replaced with thoughts of anger at Ron. Cursed Ron, always ruining things.

------------------

“Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all the hostages to safety, not merely his own.” Ron and Hermione looked nervous looks, Hermione was hoping for the ray of light Bagman was sure to shed on the subject.

“Most of the judges feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However…Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points.” Harry's jaw dropped, Hermione flung her arms around him, and still shocked, he hugged back. Ron said,

“See, Harry, you weren't just being thick, you were showing moral fiber!” Harry grinned and looked at Hermione, who still had her arms around his neck. She smiled back, and kissed his forehead, and hugged him again. Hermione was so happy; nothing could've brought the feeling down. Except for after she kissed Harry on the forehead, Viktor thought that he needed to bring the attention back to himself. But she wanted to stay with Harry; she'd take him over Krum any day.

------------------

She wondered what the hell could've caused that stupid grin on his face. He was late coming back from the D.A. meeting, and last she checked, Cho was still there when Hermione left. She tried to sound nonchalant when she said,

“Are you all right, Harry?” Harry halfheartedly shrugged. Ron said,

“What's up? What's happened?” Figuring she knew the answer to this, Hermione asked anyway,

“Is it Cho? Did she corner you after the meeting?” Ron sniggered, his full attention on Harry. Harry slowly nodded. Trying not to laugh, Ron said,

“So - er - what did she want?” Hermione had the strong urge to roll her eyes when she found out that Harry was so in shock with that stupid, silly grin on his face that he could barely put two words together without pausing.

“She - She - er -“ Hermione figured what it was, and it ticked her off. Keeping her tone indifferent, she asked,

“Did you kiss?” This question brought a reaction out of Ron; he sat up so fast he sent his inkbottle flying all over the rug, in full attention.

“Well?” he demanded. Harry nodded, the grin growing wider. Hermione had the strong urge to reach over and smack it off his face. She would've preferred to leave the conversation at that, but of course, Ron had to get details.

“How was it?” Harry paused for a moment before saying,

“Wet,” That answer took both Ron and Hermione by surprise. How was it wet? But Harry answered their question for them. “Because she was crying.” Hermione rolled her eyes. C'mon, Harry couldn't seriously be interested in someone who is so emotional that when they kiss she starts crying. Yeah, her previous boyfriend just died less than a year ago, but if it bothered her still that much, she shouldn't be trying to go out with Harry. Ron said,

“Oh, are you that bad at kissing?”

“I dunno, maybe I am.” Without considering the questions that would come from it, Hermione said,

“Of course you're not.” Both of them looked at her. Almost sounding defensive, Ron said,

“How would you know?” `Quick lie, quick lie, quick lie.'

“Because Cho spends half of her time these days crying. She does it at mealtimes, in the loos, all over the place.” They bought the cover up of embarrassment, Ron went on talking, while Harry, finally without the grin, kept his gaze on Hermione a little longer while she went slightly pink.

-------------------

Hermione was in a horrible mood. She felt terrible. Sirius was dead, all of her friends were hurt badly, nothing fatal, but just the same…she couldn't move without wincing from the pain in her chest and stomach, and now there was this prophecy that they knew nothing about. Why were the Death Eaters trying to get it? What did it contain? Too bad it was smashed. They were in the hospital wing talking about it. Hermione felt so bad for Harry, he looked so depressed, she just wanted to wrap her arms around him and give him a hug, and not let go for a long time. A few years later, two to be exact, Hermione would find out that it was the day before then that her future husband fell in love with her, though he didn't know it until he was seventeen. Harry told her that it was the thought of losing her that made him realize it, and the thought came back to him in seventh year when she and Ron were with him in a confrontation with Voldemort.

-------------------

Hermione didn't know what came over her in sixth year. Maybe it was the war. But she felt detached from Harry all year, and seemed closer to Ron. Harry was going out with Ginny, and that felt like a low blow. Having one of her friends going out with him. In a way Hermione decided to give up on Harry, maybe Ginny would be the one for him, she could make him happy. So she concentrated on Ron, who had fancied her for ages. Then he went out with Lavender, and then Hermione felt left behind. Everyone was pairing off, and naturally, no boy in their right mind wanted Hermione. It made her sad, so she felt isolated from her friends, maybe it'd be different later. And, it was. It happened when Dumbledore died, and Harry made the decision to go after the Horcruxes, that they became the trio again. Harry broke it off with Ginny because he didn't want her to get hurt, or be used against him by the Dark Side. Lavender was left behind too, she was just too much for Won-Won. They didn't return to Hogwarts the next year, there was too much else to do.

“I can't bear the idea that we might not be coming back here,” Hermione said, looking up at the castle. “How can Hogwarts close?”

“Maybe it won't. We're not in any more danger here than we are at home, are we? Everywhere's the same now. I'd even say Hogwarts is safer, there are more wizards inside to defend the place. What'd you reckon, Harry?”

“I'm not coming back even if it does reopen.” Ron gaped at him, Hermione smiled sadly. She figured that. She had also figured on going with him, too. She'd fight with him, to the death if she had to.

“I knew you were going to say that, Harry. But then what will you do?”

“I'm going back to the Dursley's once more, because Dumbledore wanted me to, but it'll be a short visit, then I'll be gone for good.”

“But where will you go if you don't come back to school?”

“I thought I might go back to Godric's Hollow. I've just got a feeling I need to go there. And I can visit my parents' graves, I'd like that.”

“Then what?” Ron asked.

“Then I've got to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, haven't I? That's what Dumbledore wanted me to do. If he was right, and I'm sure he was, there are four left out there. I've got to find them and destroy them so I can go after the living seventh of Voldemort's soul, and kill him. And if I meet Snape along the way, so much the better for me, so much the worse for him.” Hermione and Ron looked at each other, and nodded. They came to an unspoken agreement to be with Harry no matter what. Ron said,

“We'll be there, Harry.”

“What?”

“At your aunt and uncle's house, and then we'll go with you, wherever you're going.” Harry said quickly,

“No-“ Hermione interrupted him saying softly and reassuringly,

“Harry, you said to us once before that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?” Ron nodded.

“We're with you whatever happens.” Hermione added,

“To the end and beyond.”

----------------

“Hermione, please wake up.” Hermione's eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled when she saw the green eyes of her best friend looking at her. She tried to sit up, but the pain kept her from doing it, and she sank back into her pillows. She didn't remember getting to where she was, wherever that was.

“What happened? Am I in the hospital wing?”

“Yeah, you are. You were hit by this curse I've never even heard of, and it knocked you unconscious. We thought you died. Then it took you so long to wake up…”

“How long have I been here?”

“Four days.”

“Oh my God. What happened, did we win?”

“Voldemort and the Death Eaters got away.” Hermione sighed.

“So that whole confronting him thing was pointless…”

“No, not entirely…”

“How so?”

“I learned something that day.”

“What?” Harry didn't get a chance to answer, because Madam Pomfrey came in. She said,

“Oh good, you're finally awake!” She started bustling around, going to give Hermione a bunch of potions, and she said sharply to Harry,

“Potter, did you get some sleep?” He didn't answer her. She sighed.

“You never left, did you?” Again, he didn't answer.

“I told you to get some sleep. You haven't slept in four days, she's awake now, so go get some sleep.” Harry sighed and stood up. He said to Hermione,

“I'll be right back.” She smiled.

“Ok.” When Harry left, Madam Pomfrey let out an exasperated sigh and while she was moving around, adjusting blankets and pillows for Hermione. Hermione said,

“He hasn't been sleeping?”

“No, he's been sitting here beside your bed waiting for you to wake up. He's been so afraid for you.” Hermione smiled. She didn't know Harry cared that much.

“I was just unconscious though, right?” Madam Pomfrey didn't answer right away. Finally, she said slowly,

“Miss Granger…you're lucky to be alive. I've never seen that much damage to a body before without actually killing a person. It was all internal damage. I didn't know what to do at first. Of course, having Potter shouting at me for lack of doing something right away didn't help the situation. I don't blame him for not wanting to leave your side. Until you woke up just a little bit ago, there was question as to whether you were going to live or not.”

“What about the others, what happened to them?”

“Everyone else turned out all right. People have been in and out of the hospital wing checking on you. But Harry's the only one that hasn't left.”

“When can I leave?”

“Not for a while yet.”

Later that day, Harry came back, after promising that he had gotten some sleep. He reoccupied the chair that he hadn't left for so long and said to Hermione,

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.”

“How're you feeling?”

“Like crap.”

“I don't blame you.” They were silent for a while until Hermione said,

“What was it you were going to tell me earlier?”

“What?”

“About what you learned.”

“Oh. Well, I have to say right now that when I saw you lying unconscious that day, it scared me to death. The thought that I lost you was a horrible feeling; it was almost like fifth year all over again in the Department of Mysteries. And I thought about it, and thought that if I lost you, I don't think I'd be able to go on. I learned that…I love you, Hermione.” Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

“You what?”

“I love you. I think I have since I was fifteen; I was just so stupid and ignorant to see it. I'm not expecting anything from it, but I wanted you to know…”

“Do you realize…how long I've waited for you to say those three words to me? And not just mean it as a friend? Since third year, Harry.”

“Since third year? You've put up with my relationship bull crap with other people for that long?” Hermione nodded.

“You have no idea how it killed me to try to sound indifferent on the subject.” Harry smiled. He leaned down and kissed her. Fireworks exploded in her body, it was just as she imagined a loving kiss from Harry would be like. He broke the kiss, and whispered to her,

“If Ron ever asks, how you know whether or not I'm not a bad kisser, you can tell him you know from experience.” Hermione laughed, happy tears in her eyes. Harry kissed her again, it was the start of a mutual love that would last forever.

---------------------

“Do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take Harry James Potter to be your lawful wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“Do you vow to love, honor, and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Harry James Potter, take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawful wedded wife?”

“I do.”

“Do you vow to love, honor, and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“The rings please.” Ron handed Harry Hermione's ring, and Ginny handed Hermione Harry's. They placed it on each other's left ring fingers, and the minister said,

“Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Harry James Potter.” Everyone clapped and the minister said to Harry,

“You may kiss your bride.” Harry grinned and kissed his new wife, and they walked hand in hand back down the aisle.

------------------

Harry apparated home after a long, hard day at the Ministry. The Dark side was growing even stronger; sooner or later it was going to have to stop. Muggles were dead, witches and wizards were cursed or attacked by Inferi, dementors, werewolves, and other magical creatures under the control of Voldemort. Harry collapsed into a chair in the living room and closed his eyes. As soon as he did, he felt hands on his shoulders, Hermione's hands, massaging his shoulders, working out the tension.

“Bad day?”

“Long day. Everything's a mess.”

“Everything's always a mess.”

“True, but it's worse today. People are dying, getting attacked and controlled. It's getting to where you can't trust anyone or anything anymore. Today, everyone's losing their tempers with everyone else, I had a stack of paperwork towering on my desk, and…it's just been a bad day.” Hermione stopped massaging Harry's neck and shoulders and came around the chair and sat on his lap. Harry pushed a stray strand of hair away from her face and he said,

“Hermione, why did you marry a guy like me?” Hermione laughed.

“Why? What brought this up?”

“I don't know. Just the way I feel today, I guess.”

“Because I love you, Harry. That, and also, you asked me to marry you.”

“But there's so many other wizards out there who would love to be your husband, why'd you want to marry me?”

“I didn't want to marry any other wizard. None of those others were my best friend since I was eleven, or saved me from God knows what. And besides, I want my baby to look exactly like you.”

“But…” Harry stopped mid-sentence and wide-eyed, he looked at Hermione. She was smiling, and Harry stuttered in shock,

“You…your…your what?”

“My baby.” Harry's shocked look turned into the first true smile he had all day. He laughed and hugged his wife.

“Oh my God. We're gonna be parents?” Hermione said breathlessly, still smiling,

“Yeah.”

“Think we can do it?”

“Yeah. I know we can. We'll be awesome parents.”

“So, what are you hoping for?”

“A girl. I've always wanted a little girl. But then a boy that looks like his daddy would be great too,” She laughed. “I just can't stop smiling.” Harry laughed.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

-------------------

“Oh, Harry, you have to see them. We have one of each!”

“One of each?”

“Yeah.” Harry sat beside Hermione on the hospital bed and the healer brought their twins to them. She placed them both in Harry's arms. Both had raven black hair and bright green eyes. Harry smiled, happy tears in his eyes.

“They're beautiful. What should we name them?”

“How about after both grandparents? Which do you like better, Lily Anne, or Anne Lily, and James Blake or Blake James?”

“Lily Anne and Blake James.”

“Me too.”

“Lily Anne Potter and Blake James Potter. It suites them.”

“Yeah, it does.”

---------------------------

Hermione stopped after the last memory. She couldn't go on, the emotions were just building up so much. She wiped away a tear and sniffled. In the back seat, Lily was crying, the make up charm wearing off from her tears. Even Blake was crying a little. They all missed Harry terribly, and the memories were almost too much to bear.

No more memories, no more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say goodbye.

They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and flooed to Hogwarts. Speeches were given, toasts were made, and dinner was served. While people were mingling, talking and reminiscing, Lily sat at her table, staring at nothing. Something caught her eye, and she turned her head towards it. At the end of the Great Hall, she saw a hazy form of her father, leaning against the doorframe. He grinned and Lily's jaw dropped. Harry nodded in the direction of the windows. She didn't look right away, until someone said,

“Look, it's snowing!” Everyone went to the windows and looked up at the enchanted ceiling. The snow was light and fluffy, falling beautifully from the sky. Lily looked out the window and then back at her father, tears in her eyes again. Harry's hand came to his mouth and he blew her a kiss, and she did the same back and mouthed,

“Thank you.” Harry nodded and faded away. Lily laughed, the tears flowing again. It was that day that Lily knew that these last ten years that her Dad hadn't really left her. Physically, yes he did, but his soul would always be with her, and with her mother, and her brother. Lily was wishing he was somehow here again, and realized he never really left. And that was a comforting thought.

Help me say…goodbye.

A/n: Ok, sorry if I got a little windy there. Ok, very windy there. Hope you enjoyed, I so liked this version better than the first, it has a happier ending. On the whole way of Hermione telling Harry she was pregnant came from an idea from `It's a Wonderful Life'. Since it's the Christmas season, I was watching the old Christmas movies, and I thought about it today when I was writing. Also, when I was writing, it was snowing this beautiful snow, light and fluffy, the kind of snow that becomes a bitch when the wind blows, but when it doesn't, it makes you happy to live in the Midwest, and it inspired the little snow comments and the snow at the end of the story.

Lol, when I was going back and reading it, referring to the Dark side, and the Light side, it reminds me of Star Wars for some reason. I love those movies, Hayden Christiansen is hot!! Lol, but anyways…please review!!!!!!!!!

Husker_fan_2006

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