1. I'm Sticking With You

I'm Sticking with You

By: Rosie

AN: SONGFIC!! I love this song, I love this band now. Please see Author's Note at end of chapter

Sticking With You - Addison Road

Thanks to Jacqueline for doin' the beta thang

*~*~*

“Harry, what's wrong?”

Hermione had followed Harry when she saw him slip from the common room, surprisingly unnoticed. She followed him to the highest tower and to the balcony. She knew what was wrong; she wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't, but he needed to say it. If he wanted the burden lifted from his chest, from his heart, he would have to talk about.

The celebrations for the end of the War were loud and boisterous, and had been starting to weigh on her and mind felt like it might explode for the noise. She wanted peace, she wanted quiet. When she saw Harry leave through the portrait hole, she followed, knowing she could help him and find the calm she wanted.

“Nothing's wrong, Hermione,” he told her. “I just wanted to be alone.” Only a half-lie; could be worse.

Come on, it's me you're talking to
There's something going on inside of you
Don't have to say it, but I wish you would
`Cause it would be much easier

“Harry…” she said softly, walking up behind where he sat on a stone bench. She placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbed gently and felt the tension. “Relax, Harry, talk to me.” She began to rub his shoulders, kneading his muscles gently with both hands. Massaging was a hidden talent she had, one only Harry had ever found out about. She felt so bad about all the stress he was going through in recent years she decided to share her secret. Once a week she would seek him out, then he began seeking her out, and she would ease the knots from his back and shoulders. She learned a lot during those times; Harry opened up and would tell her everything on his mind with gentle prodding.

“Thank you, 'Mione,” he moaned at her touch and she felt him relax under her fingers. “I can't be weak, still can't be weak. Can't ever talk about anything.”

He can't talk about it, my arse, she thought.

“You can't keep doing this, Harry,” she told him, her fingers gliding over his back.

“Doing what?” he asked, playing dumb. Ugh, boys.

You always hide behind yourself
You walk a lonely road with no one's help
I hate to break the news
You're headed for a fall

“Hiding, shutting yourself up, not talking about what's bothering you,” she listed. It was an endless list, really. “You're going to hurt yourself.”

“I'm fine,” he insisted. “Honest.”

“If you were any less fine you would be throwing yourself off this tower.” She immediately regretted her words. “I'm sorry.” He just shook his head. Forget it, he was saying.

“What I'm saying,” she continued, her fingers digging into a knot and smoothing it out, “is you can't keep it all bottled up. You can only hold so much before it overflows.”

“You'd be surprised how deep my bottle is,” he muttered sardonically.

“I'm here for you, Harry, sweetie,” she said tenderly.

“I know, 'Mione,” he responded in a low voice, “I know.”

And if I have to jump then I'll jump
And I won't look down
You can cry, you can fight, we scream and shout
I'll push and pull until your walls come down
And you understand I'm gonna be around
I'm sticking with you

“But I really don't need your help,” he told her loudly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself.

“I'm still here for you,” Hermione replied calmly. She looked up at the stars, blinking back small tears as her eyes filled. She knew he didn't mean it, but hearing it still hurt.

“It doesn't matter, Hermione.”

“Yes, it does, Harry, because you can't change it.”

Even if you try and shut me out
I'm staying here 'cause that's what love's about
I might let you down, but I won't let you go

“I am not going anywhere, Harry,” she told him firmly, pinching into his shoulder a little, her emotions getting the best of her. She was rewarded with a wince from him. “Anything you have to spill out, I can be here to catch it.” She dug her fingers in forcefully again. “I can take whatever you dish out.”

So lean into me, I want to know
Everything about the fear you hold inside
'Cause you and I are better off than just one

Harry turned abruptly and stood, facing her, looming over her. “What if I don't want your help?” his voice was harsh and flat.

Hermione stood as straight and tall as she could, squaring her shoulders to face him and not back down. “Well that's just too damn bad for you,” she told him in a low, cool voice she knew would affect him more than if she yelled. “Because no matter what you do or how you act I am going to be here for you. Even if you completely ignore me, I will always be here for you.”

And if I have to jump then I'll jump
And I won't look down

She stepped closer to him, so she was looking straight up and he almost had to step back to see her. “No matter what you need, Harry.”

You can cry, you can fight, we scream and shout
I'll push and pull until your walls come down

“Whether just sitting with you while you do nothing, holding you, talking with you, anything.”

And you understand I'm gonna be around

“I'm sticking with you, Harry.”

I'm sticking with you

“Why, Hermione? WHY?” he shouted at her.

Her eyes narrowed, but she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She stared at him, meeting his eyes directly, and told him, “Because I am in love you, Harry.”

If that's what it means to love you
If that's what it means to have your back
If that what it takes to show you
Then I'm in, I'm in

His eyes closed and he slumped on the bench.

And if I have to jump then I'll jump
And I won't look down

She bared her heart to him, and he sits. She confessed her love for him, and he says nothing.

Really, men were not the best communicators.

You can cry, you can fight, we scream and shout
I'll push and pull until your walls come down
And you understand I'm gonna be around
I'm sticking with you

Hermione blinked back tears, composing herself. “Even if you don't return my feelings, Harry, I'm still your best friend and I won't leave you.”

Suddenly Harry's arms were around her, holding her tight, crushing her to him. “No, Hermione,” he said into her hair, “no, I feel the same. I love you, too. I was scared, I'm sorry, I love you.” He said the words over and over and tears flowed down Hermione's cheeks as she held him as tightly as he held her.

I'm sticking with you

“I'll never leave you, Hermione,” he said in a determined, hushed voice. “I never want you to leave.”

It was all she could have asked for in life: Harry by her side, forever.

I'm sticking with you

Hermione lifted her face to his, touched her lips to his in the most electric of kisses she'd ever experienced. The kiss broke and she looked at him seriously, “I will always be with you, Harry.”

I'm sticking with you

*~*~*

Addison Road is a Christian band (I am a Christian, if anyone is wondering), so this has more of a spiritual message (God is sticking with you), but I decided to fit it to this. I'm in a fluffy sort of writing mood.

It's cheesy and I like it! Haha

For the record, those of you following Dudley's Girlfriend, this took me a total of 45 minutes to write. So I'm not ignoring DG, just working a side project =)

-->