Never Leave

Never Leave

She sat at her window, looking out over the snow-covered grounds. The rest of her dorm mates were asleep, having worn themselves out in Hogsmeade that day and she supposed she should be asleep as well, but she couldn't will herself to leave the cold window seat. Her thoughts kept wandering back to that afternoon. A small smile crept onto her features as she remembered the prank on Malfoy. After, Ron looked spooked when something tugged at the strings on his hat... while she had just laughed when it tugged on her hair.

"Harry!"

Hermione chuckled as she remembered the twinkle in his eyes at having gotten back at Malfoy for calling her a filthy mudblood. She frowned slightly, not wanting to admit that it still got to her when he said it. Malfoy really wasn't worth her time or patience and lately she had no patience to spare. Between the constant fighting with Ron and her immense load of work, she was lucky she hadn't cracked yet. She supposed that the weekend trip to Hogsmeade had been just what she needed. Until Harry had charged ahead into The Three Broomsticks to hear a conversation that he probably shouldn't have heard. She and Ron had waited outside until the snow gave away tracks of someone leaving the building in a rush. As singers and shoppers were knocked aside, a cold feeling of dread spread in her chest. Harry was usually very careful to not get himself detected under his cloak, unless he was extremely upset about something. She and Ron followed his footsteps until they stopped at a large rock in the Forest. She could hear Harry sniffling and moved closer carefully. One part of her screamed at her to just leave him alone while the other part screamed back that he needed her. She pulled back the cloak and met his wet eyes. All she had wanted to do at that moment was to lean forward and take him into her arms and let him cry everything out. Instead she asked what happened. I will never leave you...

Hermione thought back over the past three years as she sat in that window. How both Harry and Ron saved her life; how they had gone searching for the Stone; how she had been willing to go on and follow Harry to the end. She thought about everything he risked to free the school of a horrible monster. She thought about how she had nearly died to help him. Hermione settled back against the wall and peered out over the snow-covered ground as she thought about the events. In each one, she had been willing to follow Harry wherever he went, whenever he needed her. She finally turned and made her way to her bed. Before she closed the curtains, she glanced at a picture that had been taken of the two of them sometime early in the year.

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you," she whispered before closing the curtains and secluding herself into the warm darkness of her bed.

The End

Original Work: I Will Never Leave

I will never leave you

Nor will I forsake

I will follow you

Wherever you may go

Whatever you may do

Wherever you may lead.

I will stand by you

With you, behind you

Until the end of all things.

I will never leave...

Nor will I forsake you