The Seed of the Lemon Tree

1. All Seeds Need to be Planted

A/N~ Okay so I wanted to enter the competition but had no idea what to do, then it came to me! So I've decided to incorporate the end of Deathly Hallows with the beginning of “If Life Gives You Lemons”.

Here will be told a bit of how Harry and Hermione got together after the death of Voldiekins, duh, and what happens that points them in their(basically my) later directions.

X~X~X~

Chapter 1~ All Seeds Need to be Planted

My life closed twice before its close;

It yet remains to see

If Immortality unveil

A third event to me,

So huge, so hopeless to conceive

As these that twice befel.

Parting is all we know of heaven,

And all we need of hell.

~Emily Dickinson

I watched his body fall, I know I did. I saw the pale white skin blanch, if you could imagine it. His arms at his sides, like he was making a Death Eater snow angel in the stone floor. Life gone out of his red eyes, that feeling of death hanging in the air. Harry had finally done it, he'd finally won.

I thought my heart was going to burst open I was so happy. Ron grabbed my hand and pulled me over to Harry. He's never hugged me that tightly in my entire life. I looked to Ron's smiling face as people danced and cheered all around us. Then I saw Harry's eyes fall on Ginny for only a moment and I felt instant guilt over a thousand reasons. But I couldn't let that notion spread in my mind. I had other things to do first, thinking about…well…things could wait until later. But there was something I could let myself think about, the weight of all of it.

And that was probably the first moment that I, Hermione Granger, really wanted a drink. More than I'd ever wanted one before. I wandered into the Great Hall and smiled to see what Dumbledore had talked about at the end of our fourth year, the unity of us. Everyone, talking laughing, enjoying themselves. They could do it as long as they wanted to.

I budged my way down to a table where Neville and Dean Thomas had a bottle of Ogden's open and ready for the taking.

Neville's eyebrow raised as I sat down, I gave him a shrug in reply. Dean only smiled and conjured up another glass and filled it with a shot's worth of the liquid. I downed it in one gulp, feeling the fire crawl down my throat and straight into my gullet. It felt wonderful. I could feel, I could breathe and I could rejoice. A moment later, Ron sat down next to me and reached for my hand under the table. It was warm and slightly rough and provided some comfort for what I was feeling, the guilt. That sinking feeling in the center of your body that plummets deeper when the cause sits right next to you. And holds your hand.

But before I could let myself really think about it, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Harry and he wanted to talk. Ron and I silently got up and followed him out the door, Ginny's eyes trained on us until we were out of sight. She was smiling.

~X~X~X~

The moon was full that next night. The party raged on the entire next day, it was beginning of a new world for us. Life, people places could begin to heal. And that night was even rowdier. I think I drank my way through half a bottle of Ogden's that night, but I wasn't sure. Ron definitely had a good time, he passed out just as he was kissing me goodnight at his dorm. Harry and Seamus had to drag him up the stairs. After pulling him off the table that is, he thought he would do a little dance to commemorate the event. Luckily for everyone, Harry and his housemates got him to stop before he could take off his undershirt.

Ron fell against me and I laughed as Harry pulled him off and dragged him into his bed. I pushed off that wall that I had grabbed for support and Harry shot me a small smile as he pulled off his best mate's shoes.

I turned and staggered my way back to the girls' wing and crawled into bed. I fell right to sleep.

But I didn't stay that way. A few hours later, I awoke with a pounding head and queasy stomach. I knew what I had and what I needed to get rid of it.After pulling on my jeans and sneakers, I wound my way through the common room, there were sleeping people littered on the floor. Some were still clutching bottles of whatever they had been drinking. I hoped that they all had good dreams, happy ones.

I found my way into the kitchen and grabbed the No Ailment-Ginger Ale. After a few swigs, my stomach settled and my head ceased to pound. I told myself I'd never drink again, but I knew I would.

But for now, I was tired and wanted to go back to bed. I took the long way back to my dorm, enjoying the feel of the night air on my face. The bright moon shown through the windows and lit up the hallways, casting a silver glow on the stonework. But then, I saw something flicker from the right. I took the stairway up and saw only empty classrooms, and a door open to the outside. It opened to one of the third floor balconies, just down the way from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

There was a figure sitting on the edge of the stone railing. That little twinge of fear gripped my lungs as I pulled out my wand from my back pocket. I crept forward and whispered “Nox,” at the same time as the dark shape.

I rolled my eyes and clutched my racing heart, “Harry, what on earth are you doing out here?” I whispered.

He lowered his wand and put out the light, “I could ask you the same thing.”

“I saw a light and wanted to know what it was,” I shrugged as Harry sat back up in the edge, his back leaning against the wall.

“Just me,”Harry smiled and then took notice of the drink in my hand.

“Feeling alright Hermione?”

“Just fine now. I must have overdone it a little tonight. Ron certainly did.”

Harry let out a small snort, “He woke up halfway though getting his trainers off. Thought I was a thief or something. I hope that's the only time I'll have to stun my best mate.”

We both looked away remembering what else Harry had done to Ron earlier in the year.

“So…why are you out here Harry?”

“Thinking.”

“What about?”

He took in a deep breath, “Lots of things. What has happened, what might happen. Things.”

I heaved myself onto the other side of the edge and leaned my head against the wall. One foot curled underneath me, the other dangling off the edge.

“I thought as much. You're free now Harry, you know that.”

“There are all kinds of freedom, some better than others.”

I slid my eyes over to his form, “What do you mean Harry?”

“Sometimes being freed from one prison can send you straight into a different one. No more excuses, nothing holding back, nothing protecting you from having to deal with the unknown.”

I smiled, “So now you've gone from they Boy Who Lived to philosopher?”

“Pretty much,” I could hear the smile when he spoke.

“Hermione?”

“Mmm hmm?”

He hesitated for a moment, “You know, I could never have done any of it without you. You, the whole time… you were incredible Hermione.”

I felt a lump in my throat form but swallowed it down as I replied, “Thanks Harry. That means a lot coming from you.”

Harry leaned forward into the moonlight and I saw the smile on his face. He scooted off the ledge and headed towards the door, “Night Hermione.”

“Goodnight Harry,” and I heard him close the door behind him.

Okay, I told myself, now you can think about anything you want. Has it all over in your mind, figure out what you feel and why. Take your time; it might take a while to sort everything out.

So I let the thoughts come, it all rushed over me like a tidal wave and I knew one thing right away: I was a drowning witch.

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