Aftermath
By MischiefManaged
Summary: Harry's battle with Voldemort leaves his mind clear and focused on the one person he needs most…Hermione.
Disclaimer: I am not JKR and I don't own her characters. I'm just borrowing them.
Author's Notes: This piece has slight more drama than the total fluff I write, but I wanted to experiment with how a battle with Voldemort could change Harry's choices. He did get over his silly infatuation with Cho, so why not Ginny, right? Just a warning - this does have references to H/G and Hr/R, but nothing too gross. Big thanks to DLH for being my BETA in more ways than one ;)
Prologue:
It's funny how things turn out. Your life is going in one direction and then suddenly it departs onto a totally different road with a different destination. Hardships, losses, and war will change your perspective on everything. Some of the things you focused on before some how seem unimportant, and other things you never noticed were there all along. Clarity, urgency, and appreciation all surface from battles fought. I knew that I must face him in battle, perhaps even lose my life, but I didn't expect how the experience would change my life path. I can't say I regret it, although I do wish there had been less suffering. But out of the suffering came love and this is what made me carry on.
Harry tried to open his heavy eyelids but only managed a small squint. There were lights and the low hum of voices in the distance. Where was he? What had happened? He used all of his strength to open his eyes a little more. He could see a lot of beds and he could hear Mrs. Weasley's sobbing voice. A hospital…he must be in a hospital. St. Mungo's perhaps, or was it the infirmary at Hogwarts? His mind began to race and slowly fresh memories of the recent past came rushing in. He wanted to turn them off, but he needed to remember what had happened.
Darkness. There was mostly darkness with streaks of lights caused by the spells that were being cast in all directions. Dumbledore's Army, along with the Order of the Phoenix, were battling the Death Eaters. Only Ron & Hermione, whose jobs entailed helping Harry locate and destroy Voldemort, were on the front lines with him. All of the remaining Horcruxes had been located and destroyed, thanks to the help of Snape and Draco. This was much to Harry's surprise. He still didn't trust them, but at this point he had a mission to accomplish and couldn't waste time questioning them.
The sounds and the screams in particular were haunting. Harry knew members of both sides were falling and he wanted to get to Voldemort before the numbers turned ugly. With each passing moment one of his friends could be killed. Ron and Hermione had been covering Harry, one on each side, shielding him from the Death Eaters. A bright green light came from the left and Ron was sent a few feet into the air, hovered for a split second, and fell onto the ground lifelessly. Hermione quickly gave a flick of her wand and a protective bubble surrounded the trio.
"It will only last for a minute or so", she said quickly. She knelt down to check on Ron and began shaking. "Ron, no, please…," she begged, as she realized that one of the two of her best friends had just been killed. Harry pulled her up and they held on to each other tightly, filling with shock and anger. It was then that they saw him. Voldemort had finally shown his face.
Voldemort halted the Death Eaters temporarily and seemed to revel in the last few moments of battle. It was obvious that he wanted to finish Harry off personally. He raised his wand and pointed it at Harry. He began throwing curses towards them, but they just bounced off the protective bubble Hermione had conjured. Voldemort became frustrated and began to pace. Suddenly the bubble burst and Voldemort raised his wand.
"No!," Hermione shouted as she jumped in front of him with her wand at the ready. "I won't let
you hurt him, I love him."
Voldemort gave a wicked grin and simply said, "Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now."
Déjà vu struck Harry as swiftly as a rogue bludger. He had heard those words before…but when? Then he realized that these were the words he'd heard spoken to his mother before she sacrificed her life for his own. Voldemort had already killed one "silly girl" that Harry loved, and now he was going to kill another one.
Harry's mind began to race. He loved Hermione? Did he just think that? Yes, he did. He knew unequivocally that he loved Hermione. And he would stop at nothing to keep from losing her. As Harry's determination built, he continued to see things with a newfound clarity. Voldemort should realize the irony of this situation too, shouldn't he? Wouldn't his chances be worse the second time around since Harry was actually a formidable opponent and not a defenseless infant? In fact, the only reason Voldemort survived that first confrontation with Harry was because of his safety net, the horcruxes, which were now only a memory.
Harry noticed a growing twinge of fear and hesitation on Voldemort's face, as if he were reading Harry's thoughts. From that point on, Harry knew that this battle was his to win. Without fear, Harry stepped out from behind Hermione and confronted the Dark Lord one on one. In fact, it was probably the inspiration from Hermione that caused Harry to fight as he had never fought before, defeating Voldemort in the process.
"Hermione," Harry shouted, sitting up in his hospital bed. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny came running over to him.
"Harry, you're awake! You're going to be okay!" cheered Ginny.
"Hermione, where is she, I have to see her," he answered.
Then he saw the look on Mrs. Weasley's face and added, "Mrs. Weasley, I'm so sorry about Ron, I never meant for…"
"I know dear," she replied, "my son was a hero, and I'm proud of what he did".
Harry looked up at Ginny. She too looked as if she had been crying, but joy overcame her face as she looked at Harry. He looked away. For some reason he didn't feel like talking with her right now. Hermione, he needed to be with Hermione.
"Where's Hermione, I need to see her," he insisted. Ginny's face fell.
"She's down the hall. She shielded you from the Death Eaters while you fought Voldemort. One of the Death Eater's must have attacked her while you were finishing him off, but…" Before Ginny had a chance to finish Harry stood up and made his way to the door.
"Wait, you're not strong enough," both Ginny & Mrs. Weasley cried. But Harry couldn't wait any longer. He had to see her and to see how she was doing. She was the only one who shared his experiences on the battlefield and he longed to find comfort in her.
Peering into the room he saw Hermione's sleeping body and he sat down next to her. And that's where he remained for 3 days - praying, talking, begging her to wake up. Everyone tried to convince him to leave and rest for a while, but he sent them away. Hermione had given so much to him, her intelligence, her friendship, her loyalty. She had always been there in his times of need. She had never once failed him. And because of this, he wanted to be the first face she saw when she woke up. She was so beautiful lying there. Why had he never noticed this before? The way her soft brown hair framed her face, her delicate hands, her pink lips…had she always looked this way? And the last words she had spoken, "I love him," …how long had she felt that way? He knew how she felt about getting into trouble and being expelled, yet Hermione had always helped Harry, even if it meant risking everything. Harry began to realize something even more important. Hermione had, in fact, chosen to give up her life for him. She had stood between him and Voldemort knowing that she would most likely be killed. An overwhelming sense of love and protectiveness overcame him and he began to cry. Ginny tried to comfort him, but he sent her away. The feelings he once had for Ginny belonged to a different Harry, a naïve Harry, who had not yet seen the horrors of war.
Harry had fallen asleep with his head by Hermione's arm when he awoke suddenly. Her arm had moved. Hermione was waking up!
"Harry, is that you," she asked.
"Yes, it's me. I'm here," he replied.
"You're okay then, oh thank goodness," she sighed.
She was always putting his welfare ahead of her own. He realized it now. Memories came flooding back to him of each and every time Hermione had been there for him.
"Yes, I'm okay. And you're going to be okay too."
"Ron, …", Hermione began, but her sobs took over her voice. They held each other and cried for what seemed hours. It would never be the same without him. They were no longer a trio. The pain of Ron's death would linger with them for the rest of their lives.
"Is Voldemort, is he ….gone?", she asked.
"Yes, and this time forever," Harry smiled, "and by the way, thank you for everything. I love you." Harry bent down and tenderly kissed her lips. "I love you, too," she replied.
The next few weeks they spent recovering in the hospital together. They were inseparable. They ate all their meals together and eventually began taking long walks on the grounds. As their physical wounds healed, their talks helped with the emotional aftermath. They understood each other in a way that no one else could. Their friendship had deep roots, and their love blossomed with each passing day. They mourned for Ron, Neville, and the others who didn't make it, and then made a vow to begin living again.
Epilogue:
The aftermath of war brings about many unexpected things. I never expected to marry Hermione. Until that final battle I always assumed she would end up with Ron and I would be with Ginny. But experiences change a man. Although I am sad that the events leading up to my enlightenment cost me friends and innocence, I am grateful that it brought about the realization of my love for Hermione…and her love for me.
Please review and be kind…I'm still a novice!
-->