Another challenge here that I wrote after my cousin died. It made me feel better. I hope you all enjoy it. I might make another chapter sometime in the future but I want to finish the fics I have going before I do any more. Please read and review :o)
As always none of the Harry Potter characters are my creation and I write them for fun not for money.
Thanks,
Manda
A small group of teenagers and adults stood at the edge of a dark forest gazing fearfully at a thin young man wearing a set of broken wire rimmed glasses. He had messy black hair and sparkling green eyes that shifted anxiously from the forest to the small assembly of people who had gathered. His lightening bolt scar in the middle of his forehead was pink and raw, but it burned with pain no longer. He swallowed a large lump in his throat as he looked from one shocked expression to another. They stared hard at him waiting for him to affirm what they all hoped he had done. He once again felt like he was on display for the world to see and he gazed through the familiar faces unconsciously searching for the comfort of soft liquid brown eyes. He knew these people were his friends and cared about him, but in their eyes at this moment he had turned into Harry Potter, The Chosen One. He hated it and realized he couldn't bear it if he saw that same expression on her sweet face.
"It…it…it's over." He croaked hesitantly. His voice was low and emotionless which was the only indication of his exhausted strength and power.
He knew they meant well but the stunned and surprised gasps made him stiffen. "He…umm…is gone now." Silence greeted him and he gripped his wand tightly within his fist. Their silence screamed at him and it was more than he could take. Suddenly he realized his life would never be normal even among the friends that he had grown to care about. Backing up slightly away from them he contemplated running back into the forest. He couldn't stand this. He had to get away!
"Harry……" A small familiar voice floated over to him splitting the crowd's hushed murmurs and landed into his heart soothing his soul. She soon pushed her way through the onlookers and she stopped shy of 3 feet in front him. They stood facing one another for several moments before she smiled at him. His heart soared to new heights with this small gesture. He couldn't speak of what he was holding in his heart. He couldn't utter a single syllable of the peace she had just given him. Somehow the love that had saved him during his fight with Voldemort was very clear. This plain kind hearted girl with her bushy hair and brainy ways had inched her way deep into his heart. Right now in this moment he thought she looked beautiful even with her ink stained fingers and wild hair that smelled like Vanilla.
"It was love Hermione." He whispered timidly as his broken glasses slid to the end of his nose. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead raised her wand and pointed it directly between his eyes.
"Oculus Repairo. You really should remember that one Harry," she affirmed quietly.
Harry noticed the crowd slowly drifting away and someone with red hair caught his eye. Ginny seemed to be staring at the two of them oddly. She appeared to be caught between something but instead of showing any anger she merely smiled at them before retreating toward the school, her red hair fading like the setting sun over the mountains.
He returned his gaze down to Hermione who had stepped so close to him he could see the small flecks of gold shimmering in her eyes. His heart swelled with love for her but something held him back. Voldemort's last words echoed through his memory and He stepped away from her.
"You will never be able to love once you have committed murder Harry. Would you rather die with love or lose it to a single act of vengeance?"
Harry flinched from the recollection, but Hermione reached out to him holding onto his hand. "We can't do this Hermione. You…you don't know…what I have done." Tears were in her eyes threatening to fall any moment but she hung tight to him preventing him from breaking free. "I don't want to make you cry Hermione. I…I…am lost."
Hermione only shook her head and slowly closed the distance between them.
"No Harry. You aren't lost because I have found you at last. I know what and who you are probably better than anyone you have ever known. Don't let the ramblings of a crooked old man destroy what we could have together." Her tears were sliding down her cheeks in small rivers as she reached up with both hands to gently play with the shag of long hair along his collar.
Her touch was electric and he froze in place completely caught up in how soft her hands were. It felt like they were in slow motion as Hermione closed her eyes and rose up on tip toe to lightly brush his lips with her own. It was a tender gift from her to him and Harry merely soaked up her warmth because she was the only one who could heal his broken spirit.
What a sight the two young teens were. One skinny and slightly unkempt, and the other short, with a bushy mop of brown hair that whipped disobediently about her face in the wind. His face was smudged with dirt and he had a rip in one knee of the pants that he wore, but they couldn't take their eyes off each other.
Maybe he did take more than he gave this time, but she understood what he needed and gave it to him freely without needing anything in return. A gift that he would gladly return to her in great abundance as their relationship grew stronger. For the moment however, they were simply Harry and Hermione.
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