Praying for Rain

Praying for Rain

A/N: This is just a little one-shot to help get me out of my writer's block; inspired by the severe drought my region of the world is in. Please read and review!

Hermione loved everything about it. The way it trickled across her skin, the way it splashed in the grass, the way it created ripples all over the park's fountain… The way the cool, clear droplets gave her surroundings a hazy glow, the way everything smelled fresh and new…

Rain.

She was standing in an open area, rain trickling down her face, her arms, her legs…every inch of her body felt as though it was crawling with the water. The precipitation was cool, but she felt none of its chill. Her focus was on the person walking towards her and the warm droplets falling from her eyes. She reached out to touch the person, her hand inches away…

Hermione Granger woke up with a start, the sheets around her sweaty and warm. Her alarm clock radio was going off loudly. A man's shrill voice could be heard despite the static background.

“And it's going to be another hot one out there! Highs ranging from the high 90's to the low 100's! Keep cool and keep praying for rain!”

Hermione groaned, hit the alarm clock off, and turned face up in her bed. Her curly hair clung to her sweaty forehead as she inwardly moaned. “Praying for rain…” That's what she had been doing for almost four months now. And had she seen any results? No, not even a tiny sprinkle. All of England was in a horrible, suffocating drought.

Finally getting the energy to get out of bed, Hermione made her way towards her bathroom. She quickly averted her eyes from the huge window, not wishing to see the dead yellow grass, the lifeless street, and the almost empty pond that lay across the road. It seemed to Hermione that the heat was taking the life out of everything, even taking the life out of her. For her misery had begun with the last rainfall and had yet to end.

“Harry, I'm sorry! I should never have told you how I felt…”

“Hermione, don't apologize! You know how I feel, and I'm really, really sorry, but I can't let you go on living in a dream.”

“It can be more than just a dream! I mean, here we are, fresh out of Hogwarts with a whole future ahead of us! How can we ever know what it's like unless we try it?”

“I don't want to hurt you, Hermione, and that's all that will come of this. Let's just go our separate ways and remember all the good times we had.”

Harry turned towards the door and pulled his cloak tighter around his body. He opened the large door and stepped outside into the pouring rain, away from Hermione and his past. Hermione ran outside, the rain soaking every inch of her body.

“Don't leave me, Harry...”

Hermione shook her head to clear her thoughts. The drought had started right after that one dreary night, and she had been unfeeling and dried up just like the world around her. Rain wasn't the only thing she had been praying fervently for. Even though her heart had been broken during the rain, she wanted it more than anything else in the world, wanted to feel something again. The dull aching had penetrated her body long enough and she feared she would never be the same.

After showering and dressing in her mediwitch's uniform, Hermione stepped outside onto her back porch to get a breath of fresh air before reaching the sterile stench of St. Mungo's. Her flat was across from a small park, and she enjoyed looking at the people pass by. But on this morning, life had an unearthly stillness. There was no sign of life anywhere around her, and the air seemed to be unmoving. Looking up towards the sun, Hermione noticed a small, almost microscopic cloud in the distance. She sighed as the small bubble of hope within her was once more deflated. There wasn't any rain, and there wouldn't be any rain. Hermione closed her eyes tightly and apparated to St. Mungo's.

That particular day was a long one for Hermione. Working in the Pediatrics Ward, she had to put up with fussy children all day long. When she left at lunch, the sky had become a murky gray color. She felt a prick of excitement, but forced it back down, not wanting to get her hopes up.

When her shift was over, she apparated back to her house, tired and feeling depressed. The sky was black and the clouds were swirling faster than she could even fathom. A jolt of electricity pumped through her, and she rushed inside to get out of her uniform, her fatigue forgotten. She grabbed shorts and a tank top, through them on hastily, and ran outside towards the empty park.

The air was warm, but the wind was beginning to blow. Hermione could feel the cold coming closer. She walked, almost as though in a dream, towards the center of the park. After standing in perfect stillness for several minutes…it came.

Rain.

She was standing in an open area, rain trickling down her face, her arms, her legs…every inch of her body felt as though it was crawling with the water. The precipitation was cool, but she felt none of its chill.

It began to fall harder and faster, and she leaned her head up towards the heavens and began to laugh with the joy of its touch. Twirling around, she felt the electrical zing of the water trickle down her cheeks, her shoulders, every curve of her body. The rain was coming in a torrent, and she was soaked to the bone. Then, suddenly, something made her stop her twirling. She looked up quickly, only to see a tall form coming towards her, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. She gasped and brought a wet hand up to her mouth, warm tears seeping from her eyes.

“Harry…” She could scarcely breathe, so overwhelming were the feelings that rushed through her body.

“I'm so sorry, Hermione…”

“Why did you come here now?” She was shouting over the rain, but she knew he could hear her.

“Because I miss you, and I want to apologize for letting you go, because I love you more than anything and I'm sorry for all that I said! It's not over, Hermione, and I'm wiling to try this out between us!”

The tears were coming as fast as the rain.

Her focus was on the person walking towards her and the warm droplets falling from her eyes. She reached out to touch the person, her hand inches away… And suddenly, he was there, his arms around her wet body, his warm mouth on hers, picking her up firmly and holding her as though never wanting to let go. She surrendered to his kiss, and kissed him passionately back. His heartbeat was hammering against her own, and she knew that her prayers for rain and her prayers for a life with Harry were finally being answered.

A/N: Okay, hopefully now I'll be able to write more to finish up my stories! Please R&R!

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