Plato's Eternity

For best effect, please play song number 18 on http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/album.asp?cat=Track&menu=m&Album=20973. It's a Korean site, so you won't be able to understand the language (unless you can read Korean, of course). There's a list of numbers (from 1 to 18) on the page. Just click on the characters after number 18 and you should hear the music after it loaded. Don't worry, it's not sung in Korean. It's only piano music.

Plato's Eternity

Hermione sat quietly beside a grave. No one else was in the graveyard. It was so silent that the sound of needle dropping could be heard. The sky was getting darker as time wore on. An owl flew by and hooted. All these went unnoticed by the lonely lady by the grave.

Hermione gazed straight ahead, her eyes unblinking, as if deep in thought. Her right hand clasped her left wrist lightly as she fumbled the elegant bracelet clad on her wrist absentmindedly.

"Harry..." she whispered lightly as she felt the silver bracelet on her hand.

'Plato's Eternity' the elegant cursive letters of the bracelet spelt.

Indeed, the bracelet Hermione wore was named 'Plato's Eternity'. It had been given to her by Harry as a Christmas present during their last year in Hogwarts. Harry had joked about how everyone looked upon their relationship as 'platonic' when he gave her the bracelet.

"Since everyone thought we were platonic," he had smiled, "might as well be platonic forever."

Hermione smiled sorrowfully at the bracelet as she remembered Ron's shocked face. "How could you! Harry! She's your girlfriend! You... you can't be platonic!"

Harry and Hermione had only grinned at each other, leaving Ron puzzled over their content expression. Ron thought Hermione would've been furious or heart broken. Little did he know truth about the word 'platonic' Harry and Hermione had discovered together some time ago.

Hermione still remembered that day as clear as anything ever happened to her in her life. It was a rainy morning, when the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw was on. Everyone in Gryffindor went to support their team, even though it was raining so hard that they could drown. Harry, being kicked off the team by Umbridge several years before and never got back on the team since, didn't felt like going, so Hermione offered to keep him company. They sat quietly in the empty Gryffindor common room. Ron, being the Quidditch captain, was sulking over his friends' lack of support as he left to play.

Hermione settled down by the fire with some heavy, leather bound books. The one she had been currently reading as titled 'Plato and the Perfect World'. Though she had been trying to read, Hermione found one of her eyes constantly being drawn towards Harry's direction to check what he was doing.

Harry, noted Hermione, sat with his back towards Hermione, was gazing longingly out towards the Quidditch Pitch, the book on his lap lay forgotten. Hermione knew exactly what he was thinking. He must be missing the good old days when he had been the seeker for the Gryffindor team. One year of not playing any Quidditch didn't bring Harry any benefit. By the end of that summer, when Harry was once more with Ron and his family, Harry had discovered that he had grown so unfit that he couldn't go back and be the seeker again. Besides, he had already played for Gryffindor for nearly five years. It would be unfair for him to stay on the team and hog the position.

Hermione, not knowing what to say to Harry to keep his mind off Quidditch, went back to her book and turned a page to start the new chapter, 'Plato's Perfect Love'. Never the one for romance, Hermione had sighed and was ready to skip over the chapter. However, the first sentence caught her eyes and she was unable to just flip over the page. Her eyes grew wider and wider as she read on. She could feel her cheeks grew hot and reddened as her breaths quickened.

"Hermione..." Hermione must have fainted from the shock while she read on, because Harry was by her side and shook her gently back to life. "Are you ok?" The worried look of concern on Harry's face only confirmed Hermione's vague guess at the pair the book was talking about.

Hermione had shaken her head and pointed the opened page. Harry frowned and picked up the book. "What's so shocking about this book?" he muttered before he read aloud. "Platonic love, the term interpreted as non-sexual friendly relationship these days, is one of the most misinterpreted term of all time. Plato's idea of the perfect love is not at all just between friends, although it can be non-sexual. In Plato's original theory, the perfect 'platonic' love is pure, emotional and spiritual. When two are 'platonically' in love, they shouldn't just be attracted by physical appearances. They would have fallen in love emotionally and spiritually. This means that their minds would bind and thus know what each other is thinking about at all times...." Harry trailed off. He now understood why Hermione was so shocked. The book was basically describing the behavior of Hermione and himself!

Harry looked up slowly. "Do you think...."

Hermione quickly collected herself and pulled out a piece of parchment. Quickly, while referring to the book, Hermione made a list of things platonic lovers do.

1. Think alike or have exactly the same thoughts.

2. Know exactly what the other person is going to say next.

3. Do things for the other person before he/she even knew they need something done.

4. Follow the other person to the end of the world even when they disagree.

5. His/Her love for the other person goes on forever, even if the other person shows no indication of loving him/her.

6. Platonic love can sometimes be invisible to the people in love. Nevertheless, they are still in love.

Harry and Hermione went down the list and found out that they were doing exactly what the list said platonic lovers would do. They found this fact half heat-lifting and half worrying. They found it heart-lifting because, had they been honest with each other, they knew that they loved each other more than a friendly way already. They found it half worrying because they didn't know what to do and how to tell Ron that them being 'platonic' friends would, from then on, be different from what most people thought 'platonic' was.

The Gryffindor common room entrance opened. The first flock of Gryffindor students flocked in. The first years eyed Harry and Hermione curiously, as the two older students were sitting extremely close. True to their platonic ability, Harry and Hermione agreed wordlessly that they should be real 'platonic' friends and that they wouldn't tell Ron what 'platonic' really meant. It was their little secret and the secret had never been revealed till this day.

That was why, Hermione remembered, it had been so hilarious when Ron was shocked to see the pair of them calling themselves platonic friends after they went out.

"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed once more.

The sky was totally dark by then. The dark and unlit graveyard was even spookier than before. But Hermione wasn't afraid. She could stay there and live by the grave, which she was sitting beside, for the rest of her life if need be.

Hermione glanced up at the tombstone beside her.

"H. J. Potter 1980-2001, beloved fiancée and best friend," it read.

A tear slid down Hermione's cheek silently. Yes, her platonic lover had passed away three years ago. Hermione remembered the day Harry died just like yesterday. The memory would continue to haunt her for the rest of her life.

Harry had defeated Voldemort the year after he graduated single handedly without a scratch. All of his friends celebrated his victory and decided that Harry would live a nice, long life like Dumbledore. That was the day Harry proposed to Hermione with a 24-k gold ring with little diamonds which spelt out 'P'. P for Potter and platonic. Hermione remembered that she cried and snatched the ring out of Harry's hand and held it near her heart, afraid that it would disappear.

Hermione sometimes wondered why Harry survived Voldemort, only to be killed in an accident by a stupid old Muggle named Osama bin Laden. Osama bin Laden couldn't have been more powerful than Voldemort. After all, he was Muggle and had no magic to aid him.

Harry was in New York on September 11 for Ministry Business. He wasn't there for Auror work, for his long-term fight with Voldemort had put him off Defense Against Dark Arts for the rest of his life. In fact, Harry discovered himself with a knack with money and business management. Before long, he became the Head of Finance in the Ministry of Magic. The Heads of Finance from Ministry of Magic of many countries were having a meeting on the top floor of the World Trade Center on September the 11th. Harry was, of course, expected to attend.

Actually, Harry had another mission in New York he didn't tell Hermione about. He was going to go to New York, even for a few hours, that month any way. He was buying wedding rings from the best known jewelry shop of the world- Tiffany. Before Harry went to the meeting, he spent an hour at Tiffany's, picking and choosing the right rings. Little did he know that he wouldn't live to wear his.

When Osama bin Laden's airplane crashed into the World Trade Center, Harry had been smiling happily as he fingered the rings in his pocket while attending the meeting. As a wizard, Harry should have been able to apparate quickly out of the building when the plane crashed in. However, just at that crucial moment, the little jewelry box containing Harry's wedding rings fell out of Harry's pocket.

In haste, Harry bent to pick up the velvet box before he apparated. But he was one second too late. The second he muttered the spell, the plane had crashed into the building, resulting in little pieces of flying glass and bricks cutting deeply into Harry's body.

Hermione remembered hearing about the event on the radio at home. She was horrified, knowing Harry would be in the World Trade Center. She had turned the cup in her hand into a Portkey and traveled immediately across the world to get to Harry.

She looked through the gathering place of wounded wizards in New York and, to her terror, discovered Harry lying breathless on the ground, covered in blood and rabbles. He wasn't attended by anyone, as he was hardly recognizable as the great Harry Potter in his state.

Harry smiled painfully at Hermione as she knelt by him. As Hermione pulled out her wand, ready to treat Harry, he shook his head slightly and made a grab for Hermione's sleeves, indicating for her to come closer.

"No... use..." Harry's voice was barely audible, but Hermione understood him anyway. "I know... it when... my... time... come...."

Tears were threatening to fall from her teary eye. Hermione shook her head defiantly and whispered, "No, Harry, you're not going to die. You're going to live. You're going to live with me and we'll live a happily ever after, just like the prince and the princess in every fairy tale!"

Harry didn't move, as it was getting too painful for him even to breath. "It's... nice to see you... one... last... time, 'Mione." Harry's voice was getting even weaker. Even Hermione struggled to hear his voice. "You... know... I...." Harry's voice trailed off, only his lips moved ever so slightly.

"Yes," sniffed Hermione as she took up Harry's bloody hand and placed it against her cheek, "I know you love me. I know you love me more than anything, as I love you. You can't leave me in this big lonely world alone. You've got to stay with me."

Harry only smiled sadly. Even his mouth couldn't move now. His eyes, being the only part of his body he still had control over, darted frantically towards his other hand, where his rings were.

Through her tears, Hermione understood what Harry was trying to say to her with his eyes. "I love you and I'm sorry I can't be with you anymore. I want to, I really do. Don't grieve for me, 'Mione. You've got to be brave for me and get on with your life. Don't stay single just for me. You deserve a wonderful family with a husband and children. I'm sure someone will love you even more than I do. Do you understand?"

Hermione's eyes had been blurred with tears. She understood everything Harry told her, though no word was spoken. She only shook her head frantically, not accepting the message Harry gave her.

"Promise me, you'll marry someone nice...." Harry struggled to get his last words out. He tried to sit up and stare severely into Hermione's eyes to make her promise before he left. However, with only a heave of his chest, Harry was gone.

Tears spilt endlessly from Hermione's eyes as she remembered the moment Harry left her. She had found the blood covered rings clutched tightly in Harry's hand later. Hermione remembered crying even louder as she pried apart Harry's cold fingers to get the rings. She had kissed the rings and licked away the blood. She had cried for hours on Harry's dead body until the Weasley family found her in the crowd a lot later.

Midnight, Hermione's watch read. It was really late and Hermione had been in the graveyard for at least six hours already. She stood before Harry's grave and wiped away her tears. From her pocket, she pulled out the once blood covered velvet box.

"Harry," she whispered to the tombstone, "it's me, Hermione. Remember your last words to me? Well, I did try to find someone who would love me like you had for the past three years, but I can't find my platonic love. I don't think anyone would love me as platonically as you loved me. I can't find another soul mate. I think you can only have one in your life and mine had been and always will be you. No one in this universe would understand me as well as you did. That's why I came today." Hermione quietly opened the velvet box and pulled out two rings, both with the initial of 'H. J. P.' on the back of the band.

Hermione put the ring for the man on top of Harry's grave slowly and said, "I have decided to marry you after all. I have to marry my true love even if he had passed away. Remember, Plato's perfect love exceeds distance, age, life and even death. Once we've been bound, forever we shall be bound. You made sure of that the day you stuck this bracelet on my wrist," Hermione fingered her bracelet once more, before putting on the other ring. "And now we are also bound by matrimony from today till forever."

Hermione stood silently before the grave for another few minutes before she left the graveyard.

After she had left, a hand carved inscription appeared below the original inscription.

"Plato's Eternity -- Forever Platonically Yours ~HJP"

But no one exactly knew who carved it there.

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**__The End__**

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A/N: Thank you all for reading this story. It is inspired by a Taiwanese TV series named "Romance in the Aegean Sea". To be honest, I didn't really liked that show. But the "Plato's Eternity" bracelet was kind of special and I liked the idea of people being bounded by a bracelet named "Plato's Eternity". I also found the other interpretation of 'platonic' very fascinating and I do hope this is what 'platonic' originally meant. Since Harry and Hermione had always been 'platonic' friends in JKR's quote, I used this story in hope that we can all see Harry and Hermione's 'platonic' relationship in a different light. If you had played the music I asked you to play at the top, you would realize that it is rather sad. The song is a soundtrack from, yet another, Chinese series named "18 Spring". "18 Spring" is a really tragic love story and I really loved it. I hope you enjoyed the music and the story. Of course, I would have to thank my Beta, SilverMoonlight, for helping me for checking over my story. I know for sure that this story would not turn out half as good without her. It would have been filled with spelling and grammar mistakes. Thank you all once again for being patient and sit through this story till the very end.