Love is Light

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
  Author's Note: Something I wrote in the spur of the moment. R/R!

     

Love is
Not just
Another human emotion
Love is light
A distant glimmer of happiness
Love is truth
The truth of what I feel
For thee
Most of all,
Love is me- and you.

* * * * *

I never though one could love someone as much as I love you, Harry. I love you more than words can possibly say; in fact- what I feel for you is far too beautiful for words.

     You’re the only one who truly knows me, Harry. You see beyond my bookish looks and my bossy words. You see the real me, the young girl who tries to be best at her academics simply because she has, as my cousin once eloquently put it, “self-esteem issues”. I’m glad you at least, managed to figure that out. I owe my very sanity to you.

    Whenever something happens, whenever my life seems to be torn, you make me feel better simply by being there and listening to my childish woes. As crazy as this sounds, my life seems to begin anew when you’re near. One smile from you can make me melt, you know, but I restrain myself from confessing my love for you and instead tell you off by sending you to do your Potions homework.

     Until now, that is. I can’t believe you. I never, ever, in a million years, expected this, Harry. Cho- of all people! Now that you’re dating, I want to tell you before all hope is completely and totally lost.

    I love you.

     You heard me. I love you. I always have and always will. I should have told you sooner, but I was too…I don’t know. I sat across from you in the Great hall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day having the perfect opportunity to hint. Instead, I said nothing, but kept my mouth shut and hanged on to your every word with care, yearning for a clue of what you felt about me- all through three years of Hogwarts life.

    If you don’t love me, then don’t let me get in the middle of you and Cho. If you’re happy with her, then stay with her. All I want is for you to be happy. Just remember one thing: I’ve always been waiting for you, Harry. Tirelessly, hopelessly, furiously, waiting for you to hold me.

 

Hermione Granger…’Mione

 

Hermione Granger crumbled up the letter she had written. Stupid of her to even consider writing such a thing, she knew perfectly well that Harry was with Cho. He probably never loved her anyway. What a foolish idea.

    She picked up a Charms book and left for the library, leaving the crumbled letter on top of her oak desk in the girl’s dorm.

* * * * *

Lavender Brown was not a nosy girl. She simply tended to butt into other people’s business. When she noticed that a certain crumbled piece of paper was on top of Hermione Granger’s desk, she couldn’t help but open it up and read it eagerly, hungry for a new piece of gossip in the least.

    Her eyes landed on one significant place- Hermione’s penned “I love you”. All this written for a certain Harry Potter, huh? Why, Mr. Potter must know about this love declaration, pronto. And Lavender was just the person to spread the news.

      Harry would soon find out about Hermione’s feeling, Lavender would make sure of that. Who knows, this may have a happy ending.

* * * * *

“Have you heard…Hermione likes Potter!”

“No way!”

“I saw it coming for a while.”

“Isn’t Harry dating that Cho Chang girl?”

“Yeah. Such a beautiful love triangle, don’t you agree?”

“Whatever. I thought that Hermione loved Ron Weasley.”

“Nah…”

 

Hermione walked through the doors of the Great Hall for breakfast. She was greeted by sniggers from the Hufflepuff table, laughs by the Slytherins, repressed giggles from the Ravenclaws, a swoon from her fellow Gryffindors, and a glare from Cho Chang. What could possibly be so funny? Hermione checked herself. No, her Head girl badge was on just right, and her robes neat. Her cinnamon hair had been combed that morning, and she had bathed as well. Then, what could this laughing possibly be for?

     She sat in the Gryffindor table like usual- across from Harry and Ron. Behind her, she could still here laughs.

      “What…what is all this about?” She asked tentatively. Harry stared at his food- a crumpet and some pancakes- almost embarrassed and Ron said nothing.

      “I always knew Harry and Hermione would be a couple someday….Oh, looky here. Isn’t this the glorious couple themselves?” Parvati said, seating herself in the empty seat next to Hermione.

     Hermione felt herself color. How could have they found out…wait, the letter! The letter hadn’t been on her desk when she came back from the library- someone must have found it and obviously told everyone on the planet!

     Hermione stormed out of the Great Hall, the professors staring; the constant giggles still ringing in her ear, followed by a certain emerald-eyed boy.

* * * * *

“’Mione…” Harry started with an unreadable expression on his face.

     “Don’t. Say. A. Word.” Hermione answered, not bothering to turn around. Her face could still be compared to the scarlet Gryffindor tint, and the expression on her face was one of pure humiliation, guilt, and anger.

     “Hermione, don’t worry about what Lavender was saying…” Harry said truthfully.

     “Lavender? Lavender Brown? She started all of this? I should have known.” Hermione replied, upset. “Just so you know, Harry, all she said were lies. Pure lies.” Maybe she could still salvage her reputation. Harry needn’t know about what she felt for him. He was dating Cho Chang, and it wasn’t logical to put herself in the middle of them if they were happy.

    She had good reason to know that they were happy together.

    With those words, Hermione headed to the Common Room. Harry followed her, trying to explain to her who-knows-what in Hermione’s opinion. She wasn’t even listening, but rather drowning in her embarrassment of the whole school finding out whom she secretly loved. It would be all over the papers tomorrow, she could just imagine the articles: ‘Mudblood’s secret harbored passion for the Boy Who Lived unleashed; Harry Potter refuses her for a fellow student and Quidditch Player. Seems Granger has found herself in yet another love triangle! Turn to next page for complete story.’

     It disgusted her and left a bad taste in her mouth for she just knew that Harry didn’t love her, never had, and never will. How stupid of her to write that letter? How could she? Their relationship had always been that of best friends and even that was sure to be taken from her.

    In the midst of her mental battle against herself, she had shut off Harry’s voice. One phrase suddenly penetrated her mental shield and she stood in half shock mode.

     “…Hermione, for the longest time I’ve loved you. Whether that was just a rumor or not, I do love you, always have, always will…”

      The expression in his eyes was one that Hermione had only caught but thrice in the last seven years. They were there when she hugged him in first year, urging him to believe in himself. They were there when she had first kissed him on the cheek at the Hogwarts Express in fourth year. They were there in fifth year when he defeated Voldemort with her by his side. They were there now.

      She had never quite figured out what that expression was. It was not the exasperated, quiet fondness held in his green eyes whenever she told him off. It wasn’t the admiration found in his jade pupils when she figured out how to pull yet another of there battle plans. It wasn’t just friendship, it wasn’t just the look a best friend would give to a best friend.

     It was love, she knew. After all these years, she had figured it out. It was love.

* * * * *

“What do you think finally happened?”

“Don’t know really. Harry did follow Hermione, all the way to the common room I heard.”

“With any luck, we’ll find them sleeping with each other!”

“Shut up, he’s my boyfriend. If that Granger girl dares try anything, I swear I’ll…”

“I suppose you won’t want to look over there, huh?”
“What?”

     Harry and Hermione walked through the oak doors of the Great Hall, hand in hand, smiling. Lavender’s grinned widely, and an “I set them up!” was heard around the Gryffindor table. A group of Gryffindors began clapping- except for a certain Weasley.

     He left angrily, unnoticed, to the Quidditch field.

    “What are you doing here, Weasley? Aren’t they you’re friends?” asked a Chinese seventh year.

     “What do I look like I’m doing, Chang?” Ron answered grumpily. He was not in the mood to talk.

      “You seem upset, and why, I don’t know. I’m the only one here who has the right to be upset!” Cho nearly screamed out. Ron rolled his eyes, arms crossed defiantly.

     “I have just the same right as you do, Miss Seeker. They’re my best friends! How could Harry…he knew…he knew….”

      “You loved her.” Finished Cho. “Didn’t you?”

      “Yeah,” Ron admitted. “I did.”

       “I rally did like him, you know.” Cho said. “I don’t think I ever loved him, even when we were dating I had my eyes set on another, but I did like him.”

      “Then why are you so angry?”

       “They ruined my dignity. I can’t even claim that I dumped him first, everyone knows what happened.”

        “You’ll get over it.” Ron replied. Cho sighed, looking down at Ron from a few feet up on her broomstick. Their eyes locked. 

        “Yeah, you know…I think I will.”

* * * * *

The fic has ended.