A/N: I want to apologize first off for two things: the extreme lateness of this, and the extreme shortness of this. I'll explain more after it.
I took the shortcuts I knew to try to surprise Hermione in her room. I opened her door quietly and slipped inside to wait. Annie watched me appraisingly, then came over and placed herself in my lap. I absently stroked her ears while she purred and I waited.
I waited with an increasingly long face. I just knew she'd come here. But when she had had ample time to come to her room and return to the library, I removed Annie from my lap and walked slowly out of her room.
I wandered over to my room to find it unoccupied. My classroom, the library and her office again, the Great Hall, and even the grounds were empty of Hermione. I was even more confused than I had been before my confession, and quite a bit frustrated. I stood outside, staring at the castle when an idea struck.
I walked out onto the Astronomy Tower to find her lying on her back looking at the stars. I watched her for a minute. Her hair was spread around her and her hands were crossed over her stomach. She had a slight smile on her face, like she was thinking of something close to her heart. The moonlight was shining down on her and I could see the stars twinkling in her half-opened eyes. I was caught and I didn't care about escaping.
She saw me out of the corner of her eye and silently gestured me over. I sat next to her and leaned back to watch the stars with her. I was suddenly reminded of third year, listening to her explain star charts and planet paths. I knew she was thinking the same thing when she turned towards me and began to map them out for me again, her arms spread in an arc.
I close my eyes
And I smile
Knowing that everything is alright
To the core
So close that door
Is this happening?
My breath is on your hair
I'm unaware
That you opened the blinds
And let the city in
God, you held my hand
And we stand
Just taking in everything
And I knew it from the start
So my arms are open wide
Your head is on my stomach
And we're, we're trying so hard not to fall asleep
Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony
We're both flying away
We talked, about our day, about my classes, about the future of Hogwarts. We remembered our classes, our friends. As one we talked about Ron, remembering him as he was, here, in school. We no longer skirted the issue, him, Ron. We both cried, light tears, at the loss of one of our closest friends. I told Hermione about my dream and how disturbed I had been after it. I was surprised when she nodded and told me she had dreamt the same thing.
So we talk
About moms and dads
About family's pasts
Just getting to know where we came from
Our hearts were on display
For all to see
I can't believe this is happening
To me
And I raise my hand as if to show you that I was yours
That I was so yours for the taking
I'm so yours for the taking, and
That's when I felt the wind pick up
I grabbed the rail while choking up
These words to say
And then you kissed me, yeah
I knew it from the start
My arms are open wide
Your head is on my stomach
And we're, we're trying so hard not to fall asleep
Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony
We're both flying away
We watched the sun rise, our hands clasped. We stretched and returned to the castle with plans to be at lunch, to actually eat lunch together.
I kissed her, one long last lingering kiss before the day started. We parted reluctantly, Annie purring around our legs like she had during our first kiss.
And I'll try to sleep
To keep you in my dreams
'Til I can bring you
Home with me
I'll try to sleep
And when I do
I'll keep you in my dreams
And I knew it from the start
So my arms are open wide
And your head is on my stomach
And we're, we're trying so hard not to fall asleep
So here we are
On this 18th floor balcony
We're both flying away, yeah
I knew it from the start
So my arms are open wide
And your head is on my stomach
No, we're not going to sleep, sleep
Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony
We're both flying away
The End.
~*~
A/N: Okay, the song is "18th Floor Balcony" off the new Blue October album, "Foiled". You really should listen to this song, it's very nice. And the band rocks too.
Enough of that. I am so sorry this has taken way long to update this last chapter. I ended up working and finally going to get a car. I spent Thursday and Friday in Missouri with my dad and drove all the way back to Texas all day Saturday. He doesn't have the internet (*gasp* I know!), so I had no way to update even if I had finished writing this. So, my lame last chapter was written today at work.
I have good news though! I have the epilogue written already, so I'm going to post it about an hour after this one is posted, if I can stay awake that long. It will definitely be posted tonight though!
One more thing: If you are interested, I might be able to be talked into writing a smutty alternate ending to this fic, to replace this chapter. I didn't want to put smut in this story because I didn't think it was appropriate, but if you guys want sex, I'll give it to you! Just let me know in a review, okay? (*cackles*)
Thanks so much for sticking with me and watch for the epilogue!!!