Lost

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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Hello Everyone, I know it has been a long time since I posted anything and even longer since I have been to the forums and I am sorry for that but real life sometimes takes priority and things have to be dealt with. I can't believe it has been so long. I promise I have been writing. And I am going to try and get going with posting stories again. I'm not even sure you guys will remember me or my storie lol. Anyway, as always I wrote this for no money just for fun and none of the characters belong to me. I hope I have done Hermione justice as I haven't written in the HP universe for a long while now so I apologise if it is “off” It might take me a while to get back into the swing. So a little about this “chapter” is that it isn't really a chapter at all. It is more like a point of view change. The first chapter was from Harry and this one is from Hermione set in the exact same moment. I didn't change the ending as I really love how I ended this one and since it is the same moment in time I decided to keep it. I did try a few more little endings but it really was just the same thing just in different words and I didn't like them as much as I liked this one for this particular story. So this chapter is NOT a continuation of the story but the same event just from Hermione's pov. I hope you enjoy it and please review. Nothing helps a writer keep motivated and grow as a writer than reviews and constructive criticism. So I guess I have blabbered on and on long enough. Read away!

Manda/snoopy_pie

The wind blew and the uneasy chatter from the people surrounding her grew until she couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted to run into the dark forest and find him, save him, or just see him so she could be sure of his safety. But she didn't. She had promised him she would not interfere. She had sworn she would not be foolhardy and interrupt what he felt he had to do. Her hands twisted and she felt she could not go on if he failed to return to her whole and safe. She had made sure he made his own oath to return unharmed. He had promised to try and she had beaten her fists against his chest telling him he had better do more than try. She remembered the expression on his face as he stilled her hands and completely encircled her within his arms holding her against him. He had felt so warm and she had wept fiercely until exhaustion overtook her. She vaguely remembered wrapping her own arms around his neck and kissing him lightly on the cheek before he stoically walked out of the castle.

She heard the whispers. “He will be victorious.” They said. “The chosen one will win!” another one said. It almost made her sick to hear the unerring praises of their hero. There wasn't one person there whom she didn't love as her magical family but he was not some damn vanquisher of evil! He was Harry and only 19 years old who loved to fly on his broom and oh how he loved to laugh. She could take it no longer and shrunk back farther toward the castle so she couldn't hear how wonderful he was or how it was going to be awesome when he had defeated Tom Riddle at last. She gravitated to where Ron was sitting on the damp grass throwing rocks at some whipper bugs and watching them scatter. They made a funny little whooshing sound. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. At least there was one other person who was troubled just as much as she was.

Ron looked up to stare at the crowd huddled next to the edge of the forest. His voice was cracked with worry. “I should have gone with him.” He said ominously.

“There was nothing we could do Ron.” Hermione pulled her feet close to her body and closed her eyes. It was growing late. The sun would be setting soon and Harry would be alone in the dark. She thought of his eyes and his wild black hair and the tears silently fell. Ron suddenly jumped up and his breath caught. She raised her head and saw him timidly walking toward the people. She felt rooted to the spot her heart pounding with relief. “...Harry.”

She wasn't sure her legs could carry her but she heard his voice on the wind and began walking toward the only person in the world that she loved. Yes. Love. She loved him. The closer she got she understood his words.

“He…umm…is gone now.” He had his hand gripped around his wand. He was tired and weak and all she wanted to do was take care of him. His face was dirty and stained and her mind whirled with relief that he was safe. She gradually noticed the people around her and realized they were staring at him with a strange fearfulness apparent in their gaze.

“No…no…no,” She whispered under her breath. Could they not see the harm they were causing? She turned her gaze back to Harry and saw the bewilderment and hurt in his eyes. His intent to run was evident so she did the first thing that came natural to her. She called his name. “Harry…”

She saw the emotions in his face turn from despair to tenderness and she pushed through the crowd boldly. His green eyes searching for her. Not once did her eyes waver from his as her heart swelled with newfound love for him. She timidly stood before him, her heart beating for him and because of him and she smiled softly. He was here safe standing so close to her she could reach out to touch him. Her eyes drank in everything about this moment. While his eyes held hers the pain within him seemed to melt away. She wanted to believe the adoring warmth she saw plainly written in his face. She wanted it more than anything.

“It was love Hermione.” His voice was low as if he didn't want anyone else to hear what he had to say. She thought for a moment and saw his poor broken glasses slide unceremoniously down his nose. She was conscious of many people staring at them one of which was a young red headed witch and decided to do what she did best. She pointed her wand right between Harry's eyes.

“Occulas Repairo.” The little shock of light shot forth from her wand and the spell hit its mark with absolute precision. His glasses repaired themselves and she smiled. “You really should remember that one Harry.”

Hermione heard the people begin to depart and she thought she saw Harry falter a little. She stepped forward to let him know that she had no intention of leaving him and he looked down into her eyes with such love she grew breathless.

She wanted to touch him but he stepped away from her suddenly and his eyes grew dark and distant. Pain now masked the intense love she had seen in him just a moment before. She had just discovered this love for him she wasn't about to let it go now so Hermione reached out to grab hold of his hand that was so cold.

“We can't do this Hermione. You…you don't know…what I have done.” He shuddered away from her. She shook her head and could feel the tears begin to build. She tightened her grip. “I don't want to make you cry Hermione. I…I…am lost.” The desperation in his tone was more than she could bear.

“No Harry. You aren't lost because I have found you at last.” Her heart rose up in her chest threatening to choke her but she persisted. “I know what and who you are probably better than anyone you have ever known.” He did deserve to be happy and her mind searched for the right thing to do or say to make him believe. “Don't let the ramblings of a crooked old man destroy what we could have together.” Her breathing hitched as her tears at last began sliding down her cheeks in small rivers. He didn't turn away from her and he seemed to be listening so she nervously reached up with both hands to gently play with the shag of long hair along his collar. He froze from the moment she touched him and his eyes closed. Harry always did seem to react to action better than words so she made a decision. 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. She wanted him to see just how incredible he was to her and he didn't have to be a hero to be worthy of love. She accepted him damaged as he was, but she was damaged too and maybe things would not be perfect. She didn't really expect them to be, but they understood 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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