A/N: I felt the need to write something, anything, to make me feel better about the ending of DH. The book altogether wasn't terrible, to be honest. But the R/Hr was not written well and I gagged at the unnecessary epilogue.
If you read this enough, you forget its just a fan fic and you feel like it was really in the book, at least, that worked for me. This is really kind of short, but not a drabble. Somewhere between a drabble and a one shot.
So, here you go. The missing scene in Deathly Hallows.
~*~
Harry Potter, a celebrated hero throughout the Wizardry World today, sat gazing into the fire in the common room; alone, on the couch, not thinking about much of anything. He was gone, Voldemort was gone. And Harry had survived. There was a while there when he thought he was going to die, that that was how it was supposed to end. But Voldemort was destroyed, and Harry still lived. Among the many that fought for him and the freedom of their world, he lived. Sometimes it didn't seem right.
"Harry..." That familiar voice of Hermione Granger's, mixed with shock of seeing him down here, but she didn't have to ask why he was down here. Its not like she could sleep, or anyone could. "Are you alright?"
He just shrugged in response. He heard her sigh and felt the couch sink in as she sat down a few feet from him. A moment of silence passed between them, where neither could gather what to say; until Harry spoke. "It's over."
She nodded, studying him carefully. "Yes, you did it."
"We did it," Harry corrected her, quickly. "I barely did anything in the end. You guys were there for me, everyone. During the battle...and before. Especially you..."
Hermione smiled at him and he tried to weakly return it. "I would never leave you; will never leave you. I swore-and, and no matter what else you go through, Harry, I'll always be there, as I have for seven years." Harry looked at her, watching her every moved while she started into the fire. "I'm just glad you and Ron are okay. I really thought-for that minute that, that-"
He noticed her voice choke up. His arms instinctively reached out to her pulling her body close. Hermione's legs overlapped his, wrapping her arm around his front waist securely, laying her head against him; while Harry pulled one arm around her shoulder and the other holding the rest of her to him.
She choked back a sob and he squeezed her. "We lost so many...so many..." She mumbled.
"I know," His own voice strained. "So many. Fred...and Lupin...and Tonks...they have a son...and they...they gave up their lives," he felt himself losing control and Hermione crying harder and decided to switch views, "It could have been more. T-that night-when we were captured...Ron and I couldn't stand to hear you scream. I thought I was about to lose you like that, and even though I knew you were strong...I-I wanted to get up there. It took us awhile. I'm...so sorry."
She sniffled, tears trickling down her face. "What happened with me...It's in the past. The important thing is, we made it through in the end. And all those people...Lupin and Tonks..." She cried, feeling for the loss and their son, "they knew what they were fighting for...against. Harry, no one died in vein."
"Yeah," He whispered, sniffling back a tear or two, kissing the top of her head as she closed her eyes at his touch.
~*~
Upstairs-Boys Dormitory
Ron lie on his own bed, while his younger sister, Ginny, sat up, beside him, staring into space. "I can't believe Fred's gone," Ginny murmured, unable to cry any longer.
"It doesn't seem real," Ron said. Fred was gone, that seemed hard to comprehend. He couldn't imagine what his mother was like...and George, his own twin brother. They had finally gotten Percy back, he had thought they could be a full family again, but he should've known better. Things were not so easy; they had been amidst a war.
"I can't sleep, Ron," Ginny added, after a tense moment of silence.
"Me neither. I don't think anyone can," Ron said, with a glance at Harry and Dean's empty beds.
"Yeah," Ginny sighed softly.
Ron continued to think about all that had happened, all they had lost, and what they had almost lost. Harry had survived, but not unscathed. He had thought his best friend was dead for a moment. And Hermione...she made it, too. But she could've died so many times, he thought, with a glance over at Harry's bed again.
"Ginny?" Ron asked quietly.
"Hmm?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Do you ever wonder what happened with Harry and Hermione while I was gone?" Ron asked, curiously.
"No," Ginny responded, lying next to her brother. "What would you think something happened?" She yawned.
Ron shrugged. "When I came back, he must've sensed my jealousy," He decided not to tell her about the locket image, "he told me he only loved her as a sister."
"He's telling the truth, Ron. He wouldn't lie to us," Ginny told him, closing her eyes.
"I guess," Ron sounded unconvinced, especially considering they had not discussed whether Hermione felt the same way.
Ginny sighed, opening her eyes to stare at her brother's profile. "You're just going to have to realize that they have a friendship between them, one that doesn't have to involve you. Just like you and Harry do without Hermione. There's is really strong, we may not understand why, but it is. They're Harry and Hermione, Ron. That's the only way to explain their relationship. Just- Harry and Hermione."
"Just Harry and Hermione," Ron repeated, as his sister closed her eyes again.
~*~
Holding onto each other, they felt more comforted than they had in a while. A thought came to Harry's mind. "You know that I love you, right, Hermione?"
"Yes," She whispered, knowing he only meant it sisterly, but secretly wishing he meant it romantically. "I love you, too."
He smiled, knowing she only meant it brotherly; though a large part of him wished she meant it differently.
And even though staying here with her brought him more security and care than he'd ever experienced, he knew that Ginny was a safer choice. He knew Ginny already felt for him and in some way he still felt some strange feelings for her, too. Although nothing like the way Hermione was with him. No, that was stronger; a love beyond compare inside of him, that he hid as best he could. But Hermione was with Ron, and perfectly happy. Ginny was the safe choice.
Hermione, with her eyes closed, was never so comforted by the sound of a heartbeat before. It felt right to be held by him, to feel his body against hers, knowing that after a few years of worry, he was safe, and in her arms. Then she remembers Ron was upstairs; who was technically her boyfriend. She didn't know why she had let him back in so easily, it was just simpler that way. Maybe things were better that way. After all, Ginny and Harry were quite happy together, thinking they were soul mates. She had almost told him tonight, thinking she was willing to take the leap of faith, but found herself unable to do it, almost wanting to just keep things the same, in case she ruined their relationship by her confession. Harry was still just her best friend, as he always had been, no matter how deeply she felt for him. The safe choice was Ron; there were no uncertainties or confusion. Bickering, yes, but no worry of denial. Yes, Ron was the safe choice.
And they drifted off to sleep there, holding each other in the dark, the glow of the firelight illuminating their
entangled figures. Each one was wanting, needing, something more. But, held out, for the safe choice.
~*~
A/n: Kind of nervous about this one, did you like it, hate it? Reviews are welcome.
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