AN: This story will contain a lot of angst so be prepared. It is partially inspired by a scene in a movie, but I wont reveal which one since it will give away far too much of the plot. It was written before DH so just ignore that book while reading this story. I never really intended on uploading this story because it is pretty controversial, but I was persuaded…
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Tears from the Moon
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Hermione was sitting in front of the mirror of her old room at her parent's house. She was supposed to be getting ready for a party, but she didn't feel like going to any party - especially this party. It was Harry Potter's good-bye party. The war had ended six weeks prior and life had been one big celebration since… that was until Harry had revealed that he had been accepted to an Auror training program abroad. Not just any Auror program, but the finest one in the world. Ron had of course been thrilled for Harry, but Hermione had read about this program. Harry would disappear from their lives completely for two years. He would be unreachable.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror and a tear rolled down her cheek. Her mom entered, carrying a plate of cookies.
"Here you go, sweetie."
She sat the plate down in front of Hermione and then started combing Hermione's hair.
"Thought you might be hungry, you hardly touched dinner."
Hermione gave her a faint smile and her mother stopped brushing her hair.
"Sweetie I know you are sad that your friend is leaving, but two years will fly by. Before you know it you'll be surprised he's back."
Hermione jerked her hair from her mother.
"No I won't! I have spent practically every minute of my life with Harry, at least since I was eleven. During the bloody war we spent every moment together for two whole years."
"And with Ron, dear," Mrs Granger inserted.
"Yes, and with Ron, but he's not the one leaving - now is he?" Hermione started rubbing her hands together. "I'm sorry, Mom. I don't mean to snap at you, I just don't know how I'm supposed to smile all night and be happy that he's leaving."
"You'll do the best you can, that's all you can do, after all."
Hermione smiled at her mother. She found it funny that her mother's words still comforted her at nineteen.
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The goodbye party was at full steam. Everyone was having fun, laughing, drinking and telling stories. Hermione looked around the table, she couldn't figure out why Harry would ever want to leave all of this. She looked over at the other side of the room, Harry and Ron were talking vividly to Arthur Weasley. Harry laughed loudly and grabbed his stomach.
I can't believe he is going away. We all feel lost after this horrible war; we should be together now more than ever, she thought.
She was jerked back to reality when Ginny sat down next to her.
"Here," she said and pushed a butterbeer over to Hermione.
"Thanks."
"I don't want him to leave," Ginny complained.
"Me neither." Hermione was short out of words. What could she tell Ginny? Ginny had, after all, been his girlfriend since Hogwarts. Sure Harry had ended it with Ginny when he left school, but everyone knew it was just a matter of time until they were back on. Ginny had waited for Harry for two whole years during the war.
"It was finally our time," Ginny continued.
"Mmm…"
Harry and Ron sat down at the table with them.
"Not many happy faces around this table," Ron joked. Ginny and Hermione glared at him and he pretended to duck behind Harry.
"Be happy for me," Harry suggested and grabbed Hermione's butterbeer.
"I just don't see why you can't do the Auror training here, in England!" Hermione answered.
"We've been over this a million times…" Ron protested and rolled his eyes.
"Look, I'm glad you'll miss me but here's the thing. This program is one year shorter than the English one, and I'll receive a higher learning as well. I know being isolated for two years will suck, but not everything can be perfect."
"But you are a hero, Harry, wouldn't you want to stay and enjoy that for a while?" Ginny asked.
Harry laughed and took another sip of Hermione's butterbeer. "Have I ever enjoyed it?" Hermione reached for her butterbeer and snatched it back.
"Buy your own," she scolded. Harry put his hand on hers on the table and looked seriously at her.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." She looked into his eyes and knew he really meant it, again time stopped for Hermione and all that existed was Harry and her.
"Well, I'm still here, you can nag me some extra if that'll help," Ron joked and broke the moment.
An Irish song began to play. Seamus grabbed Lavender and Angelina's hands and started dancing around the pub. Before Hermione knew it someone else had grabbed Harry and yanked him away to tell him some story or just to say goodbye.
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As the evening was coming to an end Hermione knew it was now or never to say goodbye to her best friend. She excused herself from the table and went looking for Harry. She found him just as he was exiting the men's restroom.
"Harry!" she called out so loudly that he jumped.
"What did I do?" he asked startled.
"Sorry."
She grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her, through a backdoor out to the backside of the Three Broomsticks.
Harry sat down on a beer barrel. "It's time to say goodbye isn't it?" he asked with a definite sadness in his voice.
"Yes," Hermione sobbed slightly.
"Don't," he begged and looked somewhat uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to. Really!" She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Harry stood up and pulled her into a hug. He rested his cheek against her hair and gently stroked her back.
"I'm glad you'll miss me," he whispered.
"Won't you miss me?" she pulled back and looked into his eyes.
"More than you'll know."
For a few moments they stood, silently looking into each others eyes. As Hermione's eyes overfilled with tears and again spilled over, Harry pulled her back into a hug.
"So what will happen between you and Ginny now?" Hermione mumbled into Harry's shoulder. He let her go and sat back down on the beer barrel again.
"Ginny?"
"You know what I mean."
"Well it's been two years since we were a couple, and it feels like even longer."
"Does she know that?" Hermione couldn't help asking.
"Well we talked last night, and I tried to explain. I'm not sure I got through, though."
Hermione nodded understandingly.
"What about you and Ron?" he asked and tilted his head slightly.
"There is nothing;" she answered truthfully.
"But…"
"I know he wants something, but it will never happen. One can't expect that a school-crush, which happened years ago, will live forever."
"Exactly," Harry added and they both nodded. Again their eyes met and Harry gave her a goofy smile. This only made Hermione's lower lip start trembling again.
"I wish you wouldn't leave."
Harry stood up again and took a step forwards.
"You'll be fine, I promise. And when I get back everything will be as it was. You'll have a great career, a great flat where I can sleep on the sofa `til I get my own place, you'll finally have learned how to cook and we'll start living as normal wizards and witches do."
"I won't have a great career." Harry looked inquiringly at her and she continued, "I've
accepted a job at Flourish & Blotts."
Harry looked surprised.
"But you could do so much more Hermione, you're the smartest…"
"Yeah yeah yeah, let's skip all of that for now."
He frowned slightly but smiled as well.
"I know you have your reasons for leaving, and I won't pretend like I understand. But I have to respect your decision. But it's killing me that I won't know if you're all right or not, if you're hurt --" Harry interrupted her.
"I'm sure they'll let you know if I die during training." Hermione let out an angry gasp.
They heard the bell bang loudly inside the Three Broomsticks - that meant it was about to close.
"We'd better get back," Harry started to turn but Hermione suddenly took his hand and pulled him back. He turned around and met her eyes.
She put both her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face close to hers. Their eyes met for a moment before Hermione closed the distance and their lips met. It was careful at first but as she felt Harry wrap his arms tightly around her back she intensified the kiss.
Hermione pressed herself hard against him and Harry almost lost his balance. Harry's hand found its way into her hair and tangled itself while the other one was at the small of her back, and not until her shirt raised itself and he felt the naked skin of her back did he pull back. The response her bare, hot skin had given him was far too intense. He pulled back again and looked into her eyes.
She looked slightly startled, afraid of what he would say or do. He leaned forward and kissed her tear stained cheek and then put his forehead against hers.
"I'm going to miss you," he whispered.
Then he let her go and walked back inside. Hermione sat down on the beer barrel where Harry had sat and put her hand on her heart. It was racing like crazy.
I can't believe I did that. What will Harry think of me? Well, he kissed me back, so what can he say? she thought
She heard everyone singing "He's a Jolly Good Fellow" inside the pub but she couldn't bring herself to go back inside. That was the last time Hermione would see Harry for two long years.
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