Lessons

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Rowling does. Please don't sue.

Knight in shining armor? Prince Charming on a white horse? Fairy god-mothers and castles? Fire breathing dragons and a princess in the top tower?

Fairy tales - how unbelievably predictable they are.

Don't get me wrong, I like fairy tales. They always begin “once upon a time” and end “happily ever after.” They are wonderful little love stories about perfect damsels in distress who are rescued by a faultless-in-every-way man. The couple could not be happier or more perfect.

The only problem with fairy tales is that they are just that - tales. Fictional works of prose told to small children to instill ideals such as honesty and courage into their small minds. The point of a fairy tale is not even love, but rather the ideals surrounding the love story itself. Funny isn't it?

I suppose that is all right, though. The love displayed in fairy tales is too superficial to last forever. It would not be able to withstand real trials and suffering. It would panic and crumble in the face of most of what I have seen. Though the characters in fairy tales have courage, the love itself does not. When love fails, what is the point of everything else? Prince Charming only had courage in the first place because he was hoping to find true love on the other side of the danger. Now that he has love and has discovered it is not true, what is his motivation for courage? There is none.

I used to believe in the love of fairy tales, and then I met a true prince and knight. He is neither pompous nor showy. He does not want fame and fortune because he knows all too well that those things do not bring happiness. He only wants acceptance and love. He has faced a fire-breathing dragon and worse, and he has beaten the odds each time. He never wishes for the glory that he receives because he knows just how much that glory costs.

He has shown me what true love is. True love does not run, even when facing its greatest fears. True love exhibits modesty and meekness. True love is loyal. More importantly, in the face of peril, true love perseveres.

It was this true love that my prince has for all humanity, and it changed my view on love. I realized that as beautiful as white horses and pumpkin carriages are, they would never complete me as a person - a soul. I wanted more. I needed more. So, being the know-it-all that I am, I observed my prince. I tried to understand his kind of love. I never comprehended it until the night that he pardoned that rat. It was an action out of love, and I understood. Later that night, he stood between a werewolf and me, and I realized that I only wanted him to love me like that. No one else - just my prince.

I thought that I had figured out this deep love. I was wrong. It seemed that my prince had more to teach me about it. Over the following year, I began to see that selflessness played a major role in this love. I watched as he put himself in the most dangerous positions, forsaking his own wishes. It seemed like second nature for him to simply give and not ask that the favor be returned. That was when I decided to return his own brand of love to him rather than wish that he would give it to me. I knew that he showed me that love. It just did not have the added bonus of a crush attached.

I worry about my prince now. He is at a crucial point where he could easily give in to the bitterness that is threatening to overtake him. He has lost much in his short life, and has received little in compensation. I am glad that I have learned the lesson of true, deep love because it is my teacher's turn to receive it. It will be a difficult task, but I believe that I am up to it. My prince needs me. I will not fail him. I promise.

A/N: The next chapter will be up tomorrow. It'll be Harry's thoughts. Hope you liked this one! If you did, please review. If you didn't like this one, please review. God bless!

“Lessons on Love”

By: stu14688

-->

Love. What is that anyway? Yeah, I know that it is odd for me to be thinking about love after what just happened. Well, maybe it's not. I mean, I loved Sirius, and he died because of my stupidity. No, this is odd because that's not the kind of love I'm talking about anyway.

No, I'm talking about hearts and roses kind of love. You know, pink cotton candy on a stick from the fair kind of love. Is it real? When I look at the wedding photograph of my parents, I believe that it is real. Yes, I do believe that they had a very strong, and yet cotton candy kind of love. Regardless of what Snape's memory implies. People change over the years, and I am sure that both of my parents did.

Of course what does it matter if it is real or not, I'll never experience it. If things keep going the way they have been, then I could very well be dead by my next birthday. Love like that simply doesn't happen to me. I mean, honestly, I couldn't even get infatuation to work last year. My first step into the dating world was a complete disaster. I could only get the girl to cry. If I did manage to do something right, then it was only because Hermione told me what to do.

Now there is a person who deserves to be loved: Hermione. As much as she has been through, she ought to have somebody who can give her the entire fair, not just the cotton candy. She has been a lifesaver to me. She cares so much about everyone else and their well-being. I haven't thanked her enough. I need to do that next time I see her. Tell her thank you. I wish I could do more, but I know that she won't accept more.

Hermione loves me. No, not with a cotton candy love, but with her special Hermione love. She has a special brand of love that makes anyone feel like the most important person in the world. Her love can give anyone the courage they need to finish what has been started. If Neville hadn't of been there to tell me that she was still alive, then I really don't think that I could have continued fighting down in the Department of Mysteries. How she can so readily accept me as her friend after that night, I'll never know. Then again, I don't know how any of them can forgive me. I certainly can't forgive myself for endangering them and getting Sirius killed…

Ugh. How am I going to get through this? Now more than ever I need someone, but there is nobody here. Yeah, yeah, there are the Dursleys, but since when did they ever listen to me? I need Sirius here to talk to, but if he were here, then I wouldn't need to someone to talk to. Hermione and Ron would listen to me. They're not here though. I hate being this alone! I need someone to listen and pay attention. Someone who won't judge me. Someone like Hermione.

Now listen to me, I sound so selfish. I'm not the only one who is hurting; Moony just lost his best friend - again. Yep, Hermione's voice again telling me that everyone lost someone when Sirius fell through that veil. Always the one to bring back to where I belong, Hermione is. I know that she isn't trying to be mean. She just wants me to recognize the truth. She really is great. Hopefully, someday, I can marry a girl like her - or at least date one.

She is more than any guy could ask for. Her kindness, concern, diligence to doing what is right, genius, stern yet fair way of dealing with people, and honesty. A copy of McGonagall, only without the bun. Of course, there is the whole age thing too. No wonder Ron fancies Hermione. I sometimes wonder if I don't fancy her myself, but that would hardly be fair to her. It would be very wrong of me to like her with all the problems and curses on my life. Although, I am positive that she would say that that doesn't bother her. She is my friend, after all. My best friend. If I were to see her as anything more than that, and Voldemort found out about it…I can just imagine what he would try. No, that is something that I can NOT allow.

Hermione sees past the material and looks at the heart and soul. I often think that she can read minds just as good as Dumbledore, and she doesn't have to use magic. She is that talented. It's as if she has this bird's eye view of everything. She is so observant and knowledgeable. I don't think that she has ever seen me as the Boy-Who-Lived. I've always just been Harry to her. I am more than blessed to have her friendship.

She has taught me a lot, you know. Taught me about friendship, life, courage, loyalty, and honor. Good grief, if she hadn't of told me about the different houses, then I'd be room mates with Malfoy. As if life isn't difficult enough. Ron and I have only survived these past five years because of her brainpower. So many times, we have relied on her plans to save our rears, and so many times, they have done just that. Honestly, Ron and I would've been dead in first year without her. I would have fallen to my death at my first Quidditch match if it hadn't been for her. She's protected and watched out for me so many times. I owe her big. I'll dedicate that final battle to her whenever it comes. It's not just her that I'll be fighting for, but she'll be my hope and inspiration. That one, Hermione, is for you. I will not fail you. I promise.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I really appreciate it. Please review, and don't be afraid of constructive criticism. I need all the help I can get. Have a good one!

Lessons on Life

By: stu14688

-->