Disclaimer: All characters, events and references drawn from HP belong to J.K. Rowling, etc., respectively, everything else is my own invention.
FORESIGHT
PART FOURTEEN
Harry's mind was buzzing with everything the Professor had told the two of them. They had spoken barely a word to one another since leaving her office and now they were in the midst of a ritual that they had performed numerous times over the years. Something that both of them had believed was so sacred to their relationship before and was now even more so.
The two were retracing the same path they used to walk, around the lake below the school grounds. The sky was an overcast, deep grey, the clouds moving slowly over the beautiful late autumn landscape around the black lake. Only a few birds made any kind of noise and the lake itself was as still as glass, except for the few ripples forming from a slight breeze that crisscrossed its expanse every so often. They were walking quietly in the soft green moss at the edge of the water and over many of the rocks that lined its shore. Hand in hand, both of them were preoccupied in their own thoughts over the enormous weight of what had transpired in their lives over the past six years.
"I feel like I've aged ten years in one day," Hermione finally broke the silence between them.
"Me too," Harry replied, his thoughts turning more somber over the memory of the man who had believed so strongly in both of them. But as soon as Hermione had spoken, Harry became eager again to know what she had tried to tell him.
"Hermione…you were trying to tell me something when we were in the clearing the other night. What was it?" he queried.
There was a brief moment of silence between them and Harry could tell that Hermione was becoming more emotional just thinking about what had happened to her.
"It was when the curse hit me, Harry. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but it felt like I was falling. It seemed as though I would simply fall forever. Everything became darker and darker, like I was plunging into some deep abyss. Everything was leaving me…you were leaving me," she spoke these last words with a breaking voice, then paused for another moment. Harry again felt her fingers tighten in her clasp around his own fingers.
"It was terrifying, Harry. I tried to cry out to you, but I couldn't, I just kept falling faster and faster. And then that's when I heard you. I heard you call my name over and over, but I couldn't see you in the darkness. I was so afraid. But then it changed. I suddenly saw this bright light everywhere. I didn't know what it was, but I still felt as though I were falling, it just wasn't as terrible in the light for some reason. And then suddenly I noticed that I had stopped falling altogether. That's when I saw a hand reaching down and grabbing my arm, holding on to me, keeping me from falling any further.
"I waited, uncertain of what exactly was going on, but then the hand began drawing me back up. When it drew me back far enough I saw that it was you, Harry. You were pulling me back towards you. I tried crying out to you again, as loudly as I could, but you didn't respond at all. You just kept slowly bringing me towards you, with a strange look of peace on your face. So I did everything I thought possible to move myself forward and grab hold of you. At first it was difficult. My heart was breaking because we couldn't seem to get any closer to each other, but finally I saw that I was reaching you. I tried to grab on to you and when I was close enough to you, that's when the light disappeared and it became dark again. But then I could feel you in my arms once more as you were holding me so tightly…"
Hermione couldn't finish. Her words trailed off into muffled breaths and sniffles. Harry stopped and turned to her, seeing the tears fall down her reddened cheeks. His own heart was reeling now as he took her into his arms and they held one another for many moments. He could feel those warm, wet tears again, bringing his own to the fore. But he didn't care. He welcomed the tears on his neck once more. He was just glad to be holding her right now. He turned his head and kissed her tenderly on the forehead again feeling her hold on to him with almost a death grip. They both just needed to take in the silence once more.
Harry let go and taking her hand once more, lead her over to a large rock on which they both sat and stared out at the lake. Hermione sat next to him placing both arms around his neck and leaning her head on his shoulder. Harry held her tightly around the waist, wanting to feel that warmth again.
"You remember what Professor McGonagall said about the 'decision' I made to turn my back to Voldemort when he was going to try to kill me again?" Harry now asked, but Hermione simply remained silent, still sniffling a little.
"Well she was right about my mother. I was too small to be able to do that for her. I might have been able to save her if I had been conscious enough to know what was going on. But I was able to make that choice with you, though I still don't know exactly what happened. You know that I would have normally done the 'right thing' in a situation like that. I would have stood up to face Voldemort one last time so that the world would be rid of him and your sacrifice for me would not have been in vain.
"But I just couldn't, Hermione. I couldn't stand the idea of living without you, so thinking you were gone from me, I wanted Voldemort to kill me too, just so I could be with you. That's all I wanted. Perhaps that was selfish of me, but I didn't want you to wander alone 'out there' forever without me."
Harry paused, just looking out at the lake again.
"If I had done the 'right thing', the world might have been saved. I might have lived. But there would have been no Hermione Granger by my side…" Harry now trailed off into silence.
Hermione stirred and looked up at him, her faced still streaked with tears. She then pulled him closer with her arms and leaned in, kissing him strongly. They continued to embrace and kiss each other gently, then after a long time, Harry stood up and drew her up to his side once more.
They resumed their walk around the lake, but much slower than before.
Harry laughed a little bit at himself, breaking the solemnity which had hung heavily over them the past several moments. Hermione now laughed a little too, just to feel relief again.
"Hermione, you might think me crazy, but I am so sick of wands and magic and prophecies and all that right now. I don't even want to think about it. I realize how nice it was when it was just you and I alone in those woods out there, by that river. Nothing of our world intruding into that little piece of solitude we had…except maybe a few Death Eaters now and again."
Hermione laughed again, clinging tightly to the man she loved with every part of her being.
"Maybe what we both need, Harry, is a long holiday," Hermione finally said almost dreamily after several minutes of silence.
Harry suddenly stopped, standing absolutely still and gazing off in the distance. Hermione let go of him and turned to look at him.
"Harry…" she said. But he didn't move at all. He just kept looking ahead as though he had been struck by something.
"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked him anxiously now, her curiosity roaring up again, wanting to know his thoughts.
Harry then looked at her, a big smile crossing his face. Her took her into his arms once more, holding her close to him, a look of intense love and longing in his eyes.
"I've got a great idea," he said softly.
THE END
I've been swallowed by your kindness
Every part of me is breaking down
You have let me feel so helpless
As if I couldn't drown…
It was all in love
You understood the need in me
So much tenderness
You wrap me in humanity…
You touch my soul
My very being
You make me whole
Now life has new meaning
Got a second chance
You could see the change in me
And as we dance
You wrap me in humanity
Others walked on by in their blindness
But you refused to let me be
A disguise, your soul behind this,
You pushed on in and set me free…
And it was in protection
You held on with such certainty
(I feel so happy)
Embraced by your reflection
You wrap me in humanity…
You touch my soul
My very being
You make me whole
Now life has new meaning
Got a second chance
You could see the change in me
And as we dance
You wrap me in humanity
'Humanity'
ATB: Seven Years 1998-2005