Unofficial Portkey Archive

Title: Forever a Secret (18/?)
Author name: LittleWitch
Author email: littlewitch_br@hotmail.com
Category: Romance
Sub Category: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, HBP(??)
Summary: The Wizarding World was a mysterious place -- full of secrets. Three years after the fall of the Dark Lord, darkness was still spreading over. A secret was held. A secret that was killing their souls. But they had to pay the price -- or else the rest of the world would. No matter what, it had to be forever a secret.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The lyrics used in this chapter are from the songs "The Space Between" by David Matthews Band, "Wild Horses" by Rolling Stones, "You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins.

Thank you for all your REVIEWS… I LOVED them all! :-)

Still looking for a BETA... Almost given up… :-(

Chapter 18 - The Between

You cannot quit me so quickly
Is no hope in you for me
No corner you could squeeze me
But I got all the time for you, love

The Space Between
What's wrong and right
Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you
The Space Between
Your heart and mine
Is the space we'll fill with time
The Space Between...

***********************************************************************

Time froze.

Tears welled up Ron's deep blue eyes. He still couldn't believe in it. But as the rain of shining star dust fell on him...he knew..he knew it to be true...He could remember...remember like it was yesterday...like it was only ours ago...like it was happening now...

"YOU SON OF A WITCH!"

"No, Ron. Stop!"

"Why, Harry? I thought you were my friend…"

"…Why you and not me? Why it is always you, Harry?"

Flashes...Flashes and more flashes of a life lived and forgotten... as he saw his two bestfriends kissing, in the middle of that horrendrous cemetery, engulfed by a brilliant pink aura...

"…I'm in love with her and she is in love with me and when we are together that's all there is in the world, nothing else matters. I'm sorry, Ron…"

"I wish I could hate her. I wish I could hate you both."

Ronald Weasley couldn't speak.

He was speechless. He was beyond speechless. As his memories come back, he could feel a part of him dying...

"I - We never meant to hurt you, Ron. If there was something I could do to - But I can't deny my feelings, Ron. I can't change the way I feel…"

"Your feelings? Oh God…The spell. How could I have not seen it before? It's her, isn't it? They want you to give her up…"

And he knew he was not alone...He could hear, despite all the voices of his past that came to haunt him, Sirius muttering something to do with the ring...something to do with a warning from Firenze...something about hope... and how Hermione had told him so many times on that day that the ring had been that hope...

"I - Wait. Why are you asking me this? Do you want me to cast the spell now that you know that it has nothing to do with Quidditch? Would you like me to give up what I cherish most?"

"Yes."

Ronald Weasley couldn't think.

Ron couldn't really understand the meaning of Sirius words but it was certain that the man was as bemused as him...that he was blaming himself for something...just like he was...

"But you know, if you hurt her, I'll have to kill you, right?"

Ron remembered. He remembered his death. Yes, because he had died...he didn't almost die for Hermione on that day...He did die for her...He remebered how he watched her cry over his body...he saw it from just a step behind as his soul left his body...He saw Harry's fury and his fall...He saw Voldemort hurting her and he couldn't do anything...he saw when they took her...

Then there were Aurors poping everywhere and the Order... and his mother colapsing before his body as he felt a light calling him...

He would move forward...

Ronald Weasley couldn't breath.

But then...Then he felt someone tugging on the sleeve of his cloak. He stopped. He looked down and if he wasn't dead already he would have died in shock...as a miniature figure of his friend, or better, a young looking Harry smiled at him before pointing out to the other side...

He follow the boys direction and turned his attention back to the Quidditch Pitch in time to see Harry, the real one, coming out of the debris...floating on the air...An intense aura covered his friend. He remembered watching as Harry pushed through the Order members, the Aurors, the Healers and even his mum...He remebered how his best friend kneeled before him, grabbed his body by the colar of his Quidditch robes and started yelling....

"No, you don't. You better get your arse back down here, Ronald Wealey. You stupid git, I told you not worry about her. Do you really think I would let her unprottected? Damn you. I won't let you die like this. Come back. Are you listening to me? Come back!"

A shining white aura had replaced Harry's green one and then Ginny, his family, his teammates and the rescue team started screaming as the earth began to shake... and lightings stroke more than once at the same place. Ron even out of his body could feel that aura as a ghostly hand was offered to him... Ron stared at little Harry, and then at the real Harry and then his eyes laid one the little one's hand - he took it in his.

And a stream of life rushed through him. He could feel his soul coming back to his body... he could almost breath again as he felt the air passing though his lungs...the blood running into his veins again...

Only all of the sudden, before body and soul became one again...something happened. A flow of images...screams...pain...Hemione...he saw Hermione, and a giant Serpent was killing her...

He felt the little Harry's hand letting go of his...

And he fell... he fell in a hole of darkness....

Of course, Harry had let him in some sort of limbo...He had gone to take care Hermione and forgotten him there...

And he couldn't stop himself from thinking that once again he was alone... as he himself would always take care of Hermione and Hermione would take care of Harry and Harry would also take care of Hermione. There was no one to take care of him.

Or at least that was what looked like...

Ron saw himself running through a dark tune, trying to find the end of it...And he only did find it, a week later, when he woke up in the Hospital Wing to find all his family there, then Hermione, then Harry and...

No memory of the truth.

Ronald Weasley couldn't be.

Oh, God, how could he have forgotten...how could he be so stupid... it was there all the time...

"No, just before you arrived she called me a stupid prick. I know that deep down she understands there was no alternative for what I did. But she did ask me to never do something like that again. Can you believe her? Like I wouldn't protect the woman I love. Come on, Harry, wouldn't you sacrifice everything for the woman you love?"

Harry stared at his friend for what felt like an eternity before answering, "Yes, I would."

Bloody Spell from hell...Hermione...Oh, Hermione...

He had to talk to her. He had to...

With a painful look he kept his eyes at his friends.

Time was running again.

Ronald Weasley could speak.

Ronald Weasley could think.

Ronald Weasley could breath.

Ronald Weasley could be.

Once again he had died...that Ron who had forgotten the truth of what lies so deep within his friends stop existing...the blissful ignorance was gone. He could be himself again...he could be there for them...for her...

He steeped foward but didn't go too far......the star dust was fading...the pink aura was increasing...engulfing everything...blinding him...

A pull created by the explosion of the magical aura around his friends tossed him and the others far...very far...When Ron hit the ground, his head was aching, and he could taste blood...He strugled...a huge effort to get back on his feet...

He blinked. His friends were gone. Nothing but empty space was left where they had just stood...

Then he heard it. That laugh. That sinister laugh every Archenemy, Supervilain or Dark Lord had registerd in the evil laugh patent department.

"Ah, l'amour…"

They all shivered in fear before turning around to face the truth that awaited them.

Lord Voldemort was back.

What happened after that? Well, maybe you are just wondering what the hell happened before that...before Ron came face to face with this situation. Maybe you are wondering what just happened in the between....

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paris...

A giant Serpent was coiled around the Eiffel Tower.

The city was desert. Not even one living soul to witness the battle of Titans that was taking place in its roads and streets -- Well, there was Mr. IT, I mean Peter Petigrew, but then again I said there was no living soul so...

A Tiger, whose size was enormous…really enormous roared...

Thinking about it now it was a good thing there was no living witness...or they would all die....

As an orange ball of energy came out of his mouth...and hit the Tower...destroying at least two entirely streets...

The serpent hissed...leaping at the Tiger....coiling him... releasing her own discharge of energy...

Green...a jade green energy...

Confronting a bright orange one.

VOLDEMORT!

The earth trembled.

Both auras cease....

In a blink the only thing left of that battle of Titans...was a cat -er, half knezzle-- and a black woman....and, oh well, I was almost forgetting, Pettigrew was still there as well ( it's just that it is really difficultt to remember when you can't actually see him...or it.)

"What?" Nagini gasped. She stared at Crockshanks. "No, she can't. This can't be happening. Where is that stupid Dragon? This is not like it was supposed to be...not this time. I won't let it... The Keeper won't ruin my plans. I won't --"

Crockshanks offered no answer to this. He stared at the horizon just as perplexed as her.

Nagini glanced at the empty space besides her. "Gather the army. Find the Dragon."

"But my, Lady... if the Kepper - I mean, our Lord is --" Pettigrew's voice echoed.

"What are you still doing here, you insignificant being. I gave you an order. GO NOW!"

She then turned back and glared at the cat before her. "This is not the End. I won't let it end like this."

And with these last words a green vortex was open and she disappeared in it.

Crockshanks looked down, the fluffy cat seemed tired....in a blink, he too was gone.

The streets of Paris were desert.

***************

Inside the box....

VOLDEMORT!

They felt the enviroment around them shaking...

"What the hell is going on now?" Ron turned to the Twins, who just shrugged in reply.

They all have been in the same spot since Harry disappeared, trying to get some answers from Neville, who wasn't really cooperating with their cause.

A blue aura shined and in a blink a Guardian was facing them. Neville leaned down and held Trevor, his toad or, in other words, One of the Seven, on the palm of his hand.

The toad croaked.

"She is what?" A gloomed Neville stared at the toad.

Fred shared a look with his twin brother, who nooded. Yes, Neville Longbotton has definitely gone crazy...

"He is not going to let her go without a fight. This is not going to end well. We need to help --"

Another croack.

"What?? The Dragon? Why didn't you said before? We got take them out of there!"

Ron frowned. "Neville, mate. Err..." He looked suspiciously at the toad then at Neville. "I -- what is going on? What is this place? Where did Harry go? Why are you talking with - with, you know...."

"Can you really talk with him?" Bill Weasley asked confused, as his wife Fleur Delacour, handed him their baby...

"Of course, he can," Luna said, smiling brightly at him.

Neville grinned at her but his grin soon faded as he found four pair of curious Weasley's eyes gazing at him.

"I need to go --"

"Wait!" This time Ron was the one stopping Neville, grabbing him by the arm. "This is about Harry, right? He is in some kind of trouble. I mean, isn't he always? You got take me with you. If Harry is in trouble I want to help..."

Neville eyed Ron for a moment, he shook his head. "You can't help him, Ron. He is not in trouble. We are."

"What do you mean, I --"

The appearance of an orange vortex silenced Ron.

"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? DOES ANYONE CARE TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME? I SENT HER HERE, TOGETHER WITH HER FAMILY AND THE ELF. WHY ISN'T SHE HERE? WHY IS SHE OUT THERE EVOKING HIM? WHY IS SHE AT THAT DAMNED CEMETERY KILLING HERSELF?"

Dozens of heads turned to the vortex, curious to found out to whom this voice that sound so angry and powerful belong. But as they looked straight ahead all they found was a void. It was only when they looked down that they found the voice's owner.

Ron gasped, shocked.

"Crockshanks?"

The one who had spoken was no other than Hermione's stupid fluffy ball. Since when half knezzles talk? Ron thought that whatever strange wizarding disease Neville got...it must be contagious because he could still hear the cat as it continued…and Ron could swear the cat as glaring at Trevor….

Ron stared at Trevor too, almost like he was expecting the toad to answer the cat but the answer come from another source. "You did, but our friend intercepted her...and the elf...They never got into the box," said a Chinese man that Ron had never seen before but we know very well, or maybe not that well, the Turtle Guardian.

The cat and the Chinese man locked eyes and something glowed within the cat's yellow orbs.

Crockshanks sighed exasperated.

He looked around and Luna was humming something to herself, Neville was clenching his firsts, the Weasleys seemed lost, especially Ron who was fixing his eyes on him…Blaise Zabini popped from nowhere, then a strange man who looked like he's been fishing…Dean Thomas was introducing an American-Muggle friend to Katie Bell and Parvati Patil...

The more the cat looked, the more people seemed to appear before his eyes…hundreds, thousands, millions…

"Don't blame yourself. You are One of the Seven. Guilty does not belong to any of the Seven. You couldn't be with the Keeper. You were too busy fighting our Dragon friend...and then our Serpent friend. You protected her as you could," the Chinese man stated.

Trevor croaked.

Crockshanks knew it to be true. First he had to guarantee her security while she were on the train with her family…and after he finally got rid of the Death Eaters, he had to face the Dragon in her grandparent's manor. Then suddenly, Nagini came to replace the Dragon…while he took of with his draconian army.

"I felt when you took away The Warrior and the King… I felt when you broke his glasses…it was a relief, but at the same time it weakened my bond to her…I can't believe I let myself be fooled like this…worst of all, I also can't believe it was one of us that lead her to the door, that urged her to open it."

"Why are you so surprised my friend?"

Ron who had been just listening trying to understand something…anything…without success, gasped again, "Hermione?"

But there's no answer to his reaction…she totally ignored him…

Hermione's parents suddenly came into the picture again. "Hermione, sweetheart. Where have you been? Are you all right?"

Hermione's father received a magical discharge of energy when he tried to embrace her… There was a strange twinkling on her eyes.

All the humans around looked at this perplexed…

Croockshanks glared at Hermione. "Why are you looking like her?" he asked.

"I look like the one she fears..."

"Change yourself. You are confunsing them."

"And who do you want me to look like?"

In a blink, she turned into Voldemort.

Gasps and screams… all the humans around, magical or not, looked at that terrifying figure with fear running through their veins. Because one thing is true, it doesn't matter if you know or don't know the Dark Lord stories…he would still be a scary figure.

Crockshanks turned into a robust man, with eyes as black as his skin, wearing a tiger-like-toga and a wooden staff, like a warrior of an extinct African tribe. He holds up his first, threaten the Voldemort look like figure, who immediately turned into a violet unicorn, with fairy wings…

"Whose side are you in, anyway?" Crockshanks, in his human form, asked.

"Side?" replied the unicorn with an unnatural serenity. "Are you asking me to choose a side? Oh, my dear friend, you surely have spent more time then you should between the humans… have you forgotten there's no sides when you are One of the Seven? There's no good, no bad…only a plan… a simple plan that we have to make sure they follow…"

"You said yourself, it's only a plan," Crockshanks dropped down his arm. "Plans change…things changed."

"It is not up to us to decide that."

Trevor croaked again.

The unicorn smiled sadly at its amphibian friend. "I know. But what other choice have I got? She had to open the door…it was the only way. The boy was the only one that could break her down and you know it," it ended its sentence looking into Crockshanks black orbs. "It was too much…too painful even for her. Knowing about him changes everything. She will give up the Warrior, she will give up on her own life so she can stay with him."

"You are fool, as we speak the Serpent is joining her dark army…she will stop the Keeper," stated Crockshanks

"It's too late. There's nothing the Serpent or the Dragon, much less their army of insignificant low beings can do to stop the Keeper now."

"But the Warrior can. Don't forget he remembers now…he remembers everything," the Turtle said calmly.

"Yes, I know…you had given him the ring back…but you did it knowing fuelling well what would happen…you even warned him…We, the Seven, know the end of this story…let's just make sure it really ends this time. Let's keep up with the plan."

Trevor croaked loudly this time. He jumped off Neville's arm. The toad seemed pissed.

"He is right. So, that's it? You are not going to help?" Crockshanks asked starting to lose his patience again.

"I have already helped. See you Guardians later…or earlier…"

And with that the unicorn flipped its fairy wings and landed off, people looked astonished at the magical creature as it flew away, disappearing in a magical vortex.

Crockshanks turned to the Turtle Guardian, he seemed angry. "Why did you give him the ring?"

"I thought it wouldn't hurt to give them some hope…"

"False hopes, that's what you have given them…the rose, the ring , the letter and…you know too well that they were only forgotten clues he had leave for himself -- "

Trevor croaked, cutting off his friend and calling their attention. Both human figures nodded. Trevor jumped on Neville's arm again and with a last croak, Neville and Trevor were gone.

Crockshanks sighed, pausing for a moment before asking, "How many humans are still there?"

"A few... It's been difficult to bring the ones that are in areas of great concentration of magic. There's still people at the Ministries of Magic around the globo...as well as Amazonia, Avalon, Hogwarts, Stonehenge, Salen, Tibet, Tomoeda, some temples in China...and some lost Oasis in the Saara desert..."

"What about Egipt, the pyramids?"

"I got that covered," the turtle smiled amicably.

"Good. Make sure you don't miss anyone. They are running out of time."

A flash of yellow glowed in the Chinese man's eyes. "The Phoenix has just arrived there with The Dog Star and the rest of its Order."

"And so did our Dark friend or should I say foe…You finish collecting the humans…I go and help the Phoenix…."

"The Old Wizard won't be able to keep The Warrior away for too long."

"Yes. It will end soon."

In a blink the Chinese disappeared surrounded by the same yellow light most of the presents have seen before suddenly finding themselves in this bizarre place.

Once more Crockshanks, still in his human form, contemplated his surroundings. He bowed slightly at Luna Lovegood who returned the gesture. Then, the black eyes of the human form he had chosen to take laid on Ronald Weasley tall figure…

"You can come with me if you want."

Ron was so taken aback with these words that he looked at both his sides to see if there was anyone around him who that man -- or Hermione's stupid cat or whatever he is -- should be talking to, and truth be told there was plenty of people around and the words could have been directed to any of them but…as Ron found the courage to meet the black eyes who were gazing intently at him…he pointed a finger to himself and asked if it was with him…even if he already knew the answer…

"If someone has the right to be there to watch it, it is you, King," came the answer.

Ron gulped. `Wait ---King ? What the hell…'

But before Ron could even complete his thoughts he felt a strange sensation took hold of his body….and an orange light blinded him…

**********************

When Ron opened his eyes he found himself near a gravestone...he was surrounded by gravestones…

He was in a cemetery…or what was left of it…

A big black bubble of dark energy pulsed in the center. A huge snake systematically biting the bubble like it was trying to blow up the thing with its sharp fangs…

Up in the sky, there was a giant bird whose wings seemed to be on fire. With an abruptly flap of its wings, feathers made of fire risked the air before falling down and hitting the serpent…while a group of the ugliest creatures Ron had ever seem (he knew they must be some kind of demon, but couldn't name them. And he knew then and there he probably should have taken the time to actually read that DADA essay on Demons he copied from Hermione) was engaged in a first fight with members of the Order of Phoenix…

The Order???

Ron couldn't believe in it…

His mother, his father, his brother…

He ran to them - or at least, that was what he intended to do before he saw himself trapped by a group of Dementors trying to suck up his soul…and for the life of him he tried to conjure every single happy memory he had but not even a puff came out of his wand.

He thought that was it for him, but suddenly all the coldness and sorrow were gone… the Dementors were gone. Ron opened his eyes and found himself engulfed by an orange bubble of magic…

He looked up and gasped as he found himself being eyed angrily by a very, very big Tiger…

"I BROUGHT YOU HERE TO WATCH, NOT TO DIE. THAT WOULD ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE. BE CAREFUL, KING. STAY CLO --"

The loud and enchanted voice of the Tiger stopped echoing in Ron ears and the shield protecting Ron was gone as soon was the tail of an oversized dragon tossed the Tiger aside…

Ron inhaled deeply as The Dragon gave him an `OH-LOOK-WHO-IS HERE-I-MIGHY-AS-WEEL-KILL-YOU-TOO' look. A look Ron realized was very penetrating…very penetrating…so empty, so hollow…that Ron soon find himself lost in the darkness of those eyes. Lost in…

SQUEAK

"Ron! Ron!"

Ron jumped, startled. He blinked over and over until things around him started making sense again and the place and people around him came into focus…

Sirius Black had a hold on his forearm, steadying him. And his mother was running into his direction, while his father protected her from demoniac attacks, throwing flasks full of potion on them.

Up in the sky, Ron could see the Dragon who was staring so intensely at him a minute ago, engaged in a fight with the Phoenix, whose wings were made of fire. Down on earth, The Tiger also seemed busy, battling the Serpent.

It was amazing. Whatever those things were, Ron could feel their auras, four distinguished yet similar auras pulsating, so strongly…although Ron had too concede that not even their auras could compare to the force emanating from the black bubble, which remained unbroken still…pulsating what in Ron's humble opinion seemed to be the rawest kind of dark magic he ever felt.

"Oh, Ron, are you all right? I was so worried."

"I'm fine, Mum," Ron said a little disconcerted that in the middle of what seemed to be the battle of the century he found himself in his mother's arms…almost unable to breathe so tight was her embrace.

"What about your brother and Ginny? Have you seen them? Do you know if they are safe?"

"I…" Ron glanced over his mother shoulders. His father and Mundungus Fletcher were having a hard time against a demon. To begin with, none of them held a wand and his father seemed to have run out of potions.

"What about Harry, Ron? Where is he?"

Ron turned to Sirius. "I …" But once more that was as far as Ron went, as he saw a real contingent of dragons on the horizon, coming closer and closer at every flap of their wings and on the ground, up in the hill, the first glimpse of an army of werewolves, vampires, Inferi and other creatures that only Hermione would be able to name properly…marching to the cemetery…

It was clear they were outnumbered…

Er…outnumbered would be an understatement. They were screwed.

Suddenly, Ron thought that strange place he had just been wasn't really so bad. In fact, compared to this, that place was paradise. He didn't really feel like watching anything. Could he just go back and, of course, bring his parents with him? And Charlie? And maybe, Sirius, too. Yeah Sirius is cool...he could come too…

"Ron, are you okay? Can you listening to me?"

Ron stared at Sirius. If he was okay? Of course he was not okay. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I guess the word hell pretty much covers it," Sirius answered. His voice was raw. His eyes seemed more haunted than when they did when Ron had first met him…and that saying something because back then he had just spent thirteen years in a bloody prison for something he would never dream of doing…

"LOOK OUT!" his father shouted and they all run, avoiding a most painful death, burnt by a ball o fire…

They stopped behind a broken statue of an angel…

Shouts, screams and clamors of fight. Ron thought it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare and soon Hermione would be waking him up and given him the sermon of his life for yet again coming home drunk after another Quidditch party and being late for the great event concerning the freedom of elves…

"Please, Ron, tell me where Harry is. Is he still at Hogwarts?"

Blimey…It was all real.

"I don't know! I don't know, okay?!" He yelled almost lost in despair…in utter confusion and fear. "All I know is that we suddenly were at this strange place and it seemed that half of the world was there with us. And Fred and George were there, Mum. Bill and his family too. They seemed to be fine, unless, that place is Heaven and they were all dead already!" Mrs. Weasley gasped but Ron ignored her as he continued, he had no idea what he was saying…he just need to say something, anything. "I haven't seen Percy…and I have no idea what happened to Ginny after we have gone our separated ways at Hogwarts, haven't seen her there in that strange limbo. And Harry? Harry just lost his glasses…and there was a box in his hand and then that stupid sword and he was gone…and I just…I just hope this is not the end of the world and if it is I ….I just wish I could see Hermione one last time and tell her how much I love her and that she is the bloody woman of my life and that if this is really the end that I'm so pissed at her right now for never returning my feelings….stupid, stupid woman…"

Another eminent attack on them was stopped by an orange shield, but Ron didn't even notice that….Er, okay, he noticed…but he not really paid attention to the fact as he got something else in his mind: the way Sirius seemed to wince and how his eyes betrayed him when he mentioned Hermione. He had that really sad thing going as he stared at the big black ball.

Ron eyes went wide. He stared at the energy bubble in the middle of the cemetery. They got to be kidding. Hermione was in there? His Hermione was in there?

Ron ran -- ran straight to the his fathers and Mundungus arms…who were doing a really good job stopping him from getting close to the bubble…from reaching his Hermione.

"Stop, son. There's nothing you can do."

"What is going on, dad? What are they doing to her?"

"I don't understand it myself, son. Truth be told, I don't understand none of it. Nothing here makes any sense."

Another shield, a red one this time engulfed half of the members of the Order, blocking the passage of the army of vampires and Inferi…

The dragons, the common ones, were trying to destroy the dark bubble in every way the thought possible but discharges of dark energy repealed them…

"Let me go! Hermione!" Ron screamed as he struggled to get free.

And suddenly, he was struggling to get on his feet, as the earth shook. Grey clouds covered the sky…

Thunderbolts. Lightnings were striking everywhere…

Something changed, something shift in the air…

Magic…

It was completely out of control. Running raw and running wild…

Harry Potter had arrived.

************************

Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady you know who I am
You know I can't let you slide through my hands

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day

**************************

He was not really flying or floating. No, he was simply walking in the sky like someone had laid an invisible carpet there so he could pass.

Raising his hands, more lightings crossed the sky, but these were unnatural ones…four flashes of pure magic…striking the fours giant beasts…

The Guardians screamed in agony…Their forces being spent; they turned back to their compact forms…

The Tiger had turned into the all familiar half knezzle, Crockshanks. The Dragon was now just an ordinary Hungarian Horntail. Fawkes naked and weak figure emerged from a bunch of aches. Nagini, Voldemort well-known domestic snake hissed.

"Stupid pets," Harry spattered, with a voice that was not really his own. Hatred and anger emanated from his voice, emanated from his eyes, emanated from him…

He started descending, like he was now taking the steps of an imaginary stair…

The enemy army had retreated back, the Order members stared at the scene perplexed as their leader stepped on the ground. He passed them without even acknowledge their presence…without even acknowledge Ron's presence, who kept calling for him.

Harry stopped before the snake, which in a blink turned into a woman struggling to get on her feet. He glared at her.

"I'm so gonna kill you."

"Nothing would please me more," she sniggered. "But first, why don't you do me a favor and save the woman you love?"

Harry's hand reached for her neck, holding tightly enough to break it...

He tossed her away like a ragged doll and turned his attention back to the center of these chaos…and head straight to there.

Something shifted again in the air…something shift in his eyes as he stared at that mass of dark energy. He was just Harry again.

Ah, Hermione…

And raising his hand he touched it...and soon he stepped inside that darkness' vortex.

*********

The dark energy began to fade as beams of a jade aura were coming out of it…crossing around it and engulfing it.

Tears.

Her sobs were the only thing it could be heard when the black bubble simply vanished in thin air and silence descended upon those who watched the scene before them wondering what just had happened and waiting for the aftermath…

Or maybe that's not the entire truth…maybe there were still people shouting and a battle taking place…but to Harry and Hermione right then and there , there was nothing around them…they were alone… they were with each other…her sobs were all they could hear.

Harry had his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly…so tightly like he was afraid to let her go…

Go to a place he knew he could not follow her.

She cried into his chest…she cried so much…she needed to put that all out…let her tears wash all her pain away…

His soothing voice echoed...

"Shh... It's all right. It's gonna be all right. Shh…I'm here. I'm here."

Come stop your crying
It'll be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

More anguished sobs.

More soothing words.

"Shh…don't cry. You don't need to cry anymore…I will take of you. It will be all right."

For one so small,
you seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

Softly, he leaned over and placed a kiss on her hair.

"Shh. I'm here. I've always been here. I have always been with you."

He began stroking her hair…and little by little her sobs began to fade…and she stopped trembling in his arms…

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart, always

Safe, his arms were so safe…so warm… and she could sense it…that scent…her favorite scent… Would she dare to look? What is it real? Or was it just one of her dreams…dreams of a past that her soul had never forgotten…

She stepped back. Not much…She needed his embrace…His embrace was the only thing that was keeping her from falling down…But she steeped back. Just enough so she could look up and see him…just enough so their eyes could meet…

"Hi," he said, wiping her tears away and smiling lovingly at her…

She looked into his eyes…that eyes...that beautiful emerald eyes that were looking into hers…that beautiful soul who was searching for hers…

And they finally found each other…again…

Yes, it was there…it was there again…there was so much love mirrored on those green eyes…

Hi, he had said. It was like they were just meeting each other for the first time or was it like they just have seen each other a moment ago?

Hi…Such a little word…probably something you would say when you have nothing else to say…or was it when you have everything else to say?

Hi, he had said. He…because it was him…It was her Harry, and it's been so long…so long since the last time she saw him…Snape had been furious and they laughed so hard…and he came back to say that he loved her, or better, to show that he loved her…that kiss…their last kiss…the last kiss before they lost …before they lost everything…before they lost themselves…

"Hi," came her answer and she too find herself smiling. It was him….It was truly him…

And she throw herself in his arms, her arms going around his neck, her head resting in his shoulders as she let more tears roll…but these time they were tears of happiness…

"I missed you so much, Harry."

Why can't they understand
the way we feel
They just don't trust
What they can't explain
I know we're different but,
deep inside us
We're not that different at all

Harry could not stop his own tears from falling anymore…

"I missed you too, Hermione. Oh God…I missed you so much…It was so dark there without you…so dark, Hermione. I'm so sorry. I tried so hard…but I couldn't…I couldn't break through it…"

"Oh, Harry…"

And you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

He touched his forehead to hers…and both close their eyes and took a deep breathe. Still with his arms closed he caressed her face, not to memorize her, because her he knew her all by heart…he just…just need feel to her skin…fell her close to him…He then, leaned over and whisper softly in her ears,

"I know."

That were butterflies on Hermione's stomach - not only on her stomach, she could feel it everywhere…in each of her living cells…

Her heart was racing when she opened her eyes and met his.

"You were right. I knew. I've always known…the answer. I know it. And I love you, too. I love you so much. It's you, Hermione. It has always been you…Forever."

And saying that he opened his hands and there she saw it. "My ring…"

He smiled at her, a smile so sincere, a smile so different from the ones he had been giving her in the last years. "Our hope. It's the end of the secrets…The beginning of our forever…Mm, May I? I don't want to play the role of the stupid guy again…"

And it was her turn to smile…and even laugh a little...Harry knew the power of that smile. It could illuminate their entire world…illuminate his path.

She nodded, and he gently placed the ringer on a finger on her left hand, where she had used it so many times before…

He kissed her hand.

"I love you, Harry," she whispered as his lips brushed on her fingers.

He looked up. And the look on his face…for a moment it was just like he was a little boy again and Santa had brought him exactly what he asked for Christmas….her.

It was just so much happiness that he thought he would burst…and well that was probably going to happen anyway so he just took her up in his arms and swing her in the air.

Don't listen to them
'Cause what do they know
We need each other,
To have, to hold
They'll see in time
I know

"I love you! I love you!" he shouted to the world to hear.

And as he brought her back to the ground and their faces were just inches apart, he said it one more time, "I love you, Hermione Jane… Potter."

His lips were so close, so close but then he stopped, "Do you think we should tell Ron that actually all our initials --"

But he never finished that sentence because the most sweet and softy lips he had ever touch brushed his own…and he could feel the Power running through his vein...

Home. He was at home. She was and would always be his home…And no one…no one would ever take that away from him again…He wouldn't let it…He…

And as he titled her head, closed his eyes, parted his lips slightly and gently started to kiss her back…it started…

When destiny calls you
You must be strong
I may not be with you
But you've got to hold on
They'll see in time
I know
We'll show them together

A warm and cozy aura emanated from them and reached for the sky…

Day become night.

A starry night.

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

And as the kiss deepened…

An aurora crossed the sky…

The stars started to realign themselves…they started exploding…and there was that starry dust falling on earth like silver glitter…

Oh, you'll be in my heart
(You'll be here in my heart)
No matter what they say
(I'll be with you)
You'll be here in my heart, always
(I'll be there always)
Always

And then they simply were gone…

And that laugh echoed.

"Ah, l'amour…"

I'll be with you
I'll be there for you always
Always and always
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
I'll be there always

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