Promise Me

Ever since the war had been growing closer, and the danger mounted steadily, Harry had insisted on trying his hardest to cut himself off from everyone he knew. He couldn't risk them getting hurt. He knew that, if he were to be in any sort of danger, these people, his loved ones, would come running and risk themselves.

After the loss of Sirius, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if someone else was killed because of him.

Of course, they all insisted that cutting himself off completely was silly, and they'd stand by him anyway.

Hermione climbed through the portrait hole and looked around. Harry was nowhere in sight. She'd been looking for him for a while now, and finally decided he must be in his dormitory.

She marched confidently up the boys' staircase, ignoring the whispers from the students doing homework in groups around the little tables:

"You know they're dating, right?"

"Really? I wonder what they'll be doing up there--"

"--is that allowed, for her to go up there with her boyfriend--"

She didn't bother to knock, knowing that if she did he'd have a chance to try and hide from her.

Opening the door, she saw that the curtains around his four-poster bed had been drawn shut. Creeping quietly towards it, she pulled them open.

"Harry?"

He just lay there, hastily closing his eyes and emitting a fake snore.

She sighed. "Harry, will you just listen to me?"

He cautiously opened his eyes. "I already told you, I can't have anything to do with any of you."

"Harry, that's silly."

"No, it isn't!" he said fiercely, sitting up. "What it you were to die? Do you have any idea how I'd feel? It wouldn't be worth it to live if I lost you just because I was too stupid to leave you alone and keep you safe."

Harry," Hermione said, slightly taken aback by his outburst, "I know how you feel - actually, I have no idea, but I can try and imagine! But... but ignoring your loved ones is hurting you just as badly, because if you think about it, living without us is almost the same as losing us altogether!"

He shook his head. "I can't do it."

"But, Harry..." she bit her lip. "I love you. Don't you know that?"

He took a shaky breath and nodded.

"Then you should also know that you pushing me away is hurting me worse than almost anything could."

He didn't meet her eyes.

"Harry," she pleaded, "don't do this, it's not doing anything but hurting the people you love, and it's hurting you as well! You go around, day after day, to and from classes without ever speaking, refusing to go near anyone you care about. That's no way to live."

When he didn't reply, just looked at her, she nearly cried out with frustration. "Harry, no matter what you do, I'm not going to let you isolate yourself."

He nodded. "Okay."

This surprised her. "What?"

"Maybe... maybe cutting myself off completely isn't the best thing," he said slowly. Hermione smiled with relief.

"But," he added warningly. "If... if something happened to put you and everyone else into unbelievable danger, you have to promise to let me leave you out of it."

"Harry--"

"Promise me."

"Harry, that--"

"Promise me, Hermione!"

She sighed. "I promise."

He pulled her down to sit next to him on the bed and gave her a hug. "I love you, Hermione," he whispered in her ear.