Blessed

I know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Hermione finished her shower and dried off, toweling her hair off and straightening it magically with her wand. She stood in front of her full-body mirror, checking for imperfections, still wrapped in her fuzzy green towel. She wasn't sure how long she stood there "perfecting" (which is code for thinking) barely paying attention at all.

Harry's leaving tonight. He might not come back and you haven't even talked to him yet. What's wrong with you? What if he leaves without saying anything to you and you never see him again?

Don't think like that! Don't be daft! He's defeated Voldemort millions of times! Why would tonight be any different?

Harry will kill Voldemort tonight, easy as pie (okay like a really big slice of Mrs. Weasley's apple pie that he has to finish off when he's already full already), come back with a few scrapes and bruises, see Madam Pomfrey, get called a liar a few times by Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, Fudge will eventually see the truth that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is really gone, Harry will become a hero again, and things will go back to normal.

Nothing will change. Harry will still be the same. Ron will still be the same. Ginny and all the Weasley's will stay just the same and argumentive. Fred and George will still have their joke shop in the morning. Neville will still be clumsy, Lavender and Parvati will still best friends, Snape, Malfoy, and all of Slytherin will still be a bunch of ass holes, Trelawny will still be a crazy old bat, Luna will still be weird, and Harry will never know you love him... as usual.

Why does my life have to be so... 'usual'? Why can't I just open my mouth and tell him I've fallen for him; say, 'Harry, I love you and I hope that you can forgive me for waiting so long to let you know'.

It's just not that easy, Hermione thought sadly, exiting the Head bathroom and into her bedroom. She dressed in her pajamas; a white tank top and a pair of towel-like matching cotton pants, continuing to think, What will I do without you, Harry, if you don't come back?

What if you lose and Voldemort commences to reign over the Wizarding World? He'll cause immediate devastation, massive death tolls, and our worlds (Muggle and Wizard alike) will surely fall apart! You have to win, my life (everyone's lives) depend on you, Harry Potter! I know you'll come out the hero and I'm sorry for anything I ever said about you being the sucker for trying to be that way! It wasn't your fault Sirius died. I wish you knew all this.

Hermione sighed, shuddering as she felt herself grow cold. Just then she heard a knock at her door. She gasped, jumping out of her skin. She grabbed her night robe and went to answer it. "Coming," she said.

Opening it, she bit her lip. It was Harry holding his broom and looking quite serious. "Hey," he said, forcing a smile. He was dressed in black slacks, army-like boots, and heavy black robes. His gloves he had on, he took them off and placed them in his pockets.

She smiled nervously back. "Hey," she replied, feeling breathless. She felt as though someone had pushed the air from her lungs. Despite this feeling, she stepped aside to let him in. He walked through, but she continued to stand at the door without closing it. Something made her want to run and not look back.

"Hermione, I really want to speak with you before I... depart. You haven't been out of your dorm all day," he said, sitting at the edge of her bed. He dropped his broom abruptly to the wooden floor. "It's really important that I tell you something because I --"

You walked by in the nick of time looking like an answered praire

You know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

I'll do my best with every breath that's in me

Blessed to make sure you never go

She suddenly slammed the door, purposely to distract him from saying anything that could make her break down crying.

She wanted to delay that moment at all costs for as long as possible. "Sorry," she grimaced. "Now what did you want to tell me?" She didn't move from the door way.

Harry placed his head in his hands, leaning over so his elbows rested on his knees. "What's wrong?" she asked monotonously, taking the courage to go and sit near him. "Harry, are you scared of..." she trailed off.

"To death," he answered without her finishing. "I've actually never been more scared of anything in my life." He gripped her hand, lacing it in his, and squeezing it tight. She gulped and felt her throat get dry. "You'll be there for me though, won't you? In spirit anyway?"

"Of course, Harry, I'll fight with you to the end," Hermione said quietly. "But you have absolutely nothing to worry about; Dumbledore and McGonagall couldn't have trained you better." She squeezed his hand tightly in return. "You'll be fine. I know it."

"Before I got here I felt so scared, like I had no where to go. I'm glad you have faith in me, Hermione, it means so much," Harry said, sending her a sideways glance. "I need you to have faith in me."

"Of course, you know I'm always here." She could feel the tears coming. Stay strong, Hermione, for Harry's sake. Like he said, he needs your faith.

Harry sat up and touched just above her breast where her heart was. "And you know I'll be right here no matter what," he said as though his fate were already told. Wasn't it?

Hermione couldn't help it. Her lip trembled and she burst into quiet tears. "Harry, don't talk like that," she said desperately, her voice shaking. "You're going to be fine. You're going to kill Voldemort and you're going to come back safe and sound." She gripped his hand tighter than ever. She seemed to be trying to convince herself. "Harry, you have to come back because I-- we need you! You'll come back."

Harry laughed hollowly, removing his hand from her chest, and holding her hand in his once more. "I know that I will. I just want to prepare you in case I d--"

"You will."

"Something was on my mind," he said, taking time to look away from her.

"What's that?" she asked, wiping the tears off her face. She sniffled, not looking at him.

"You haven't locked yourself in a room since that incident in the bathroom with the mountain troll, in first year," he said quietly. "Why now? I wanted to see you today. Spend time with you... just you."

A thousand words of explanation readied themselves in Hermione's head. I'm here because I feel something for you that I've never felt before for anyone else. I'm here because I don't know how you feel, because I think my heart would break if I did know. I'm scared for you and I want to cry because there's the possibility that I won't see your face after tonight. I'm in here because I know I'll never be anyone you want as more than a friend. I need you and you may never know.

Instead of blurting all this out, she told all the truth she could: "I'm in here because I'm just as afraid as you are, Harry. I don't want to say good-bye," she said calmly.

"You don't have to. And like you said, I'll be just fine," Harry said. "Cheer up, Hermy."

This always made her grin and he smiled in satisfaction at the tug of her lips. "Before I forget," Harry said, making her look at him at her side, "I didn't come here to ask you why you hid from me all day. Well, not entirely. The reason I came here was to tell you something I've never told anyone else before."

Hermione's heart got stuck in her throat. She felt like running now. She suddenly stood, shaking all over. "I-I... I have to go now," she said, her voice breaking, as she went for the door. She didn't care about having faith anymore. Hers was lost.

I know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

I'll do my best with every breath that's in me

Blessed to make sure you never go

"Hermione wait," Harry said urgently, turning Hermione around at the door before she could open it. "Please, stay. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Blessed with love and understanding

Blessed when I hear you call my name

I'll do my best with faith that's never ending

Blessed to make sure you feel the same

"Don't say anything you'll regret later, Harry. Don't say anything you don't mean," Hermione said, trying to look for a way out of this. There was nothing. If worse cam to worse and she tried to run, Harry would catch her before she could get a foot.

"Alright then," Harry said calmly, wrapping an arm around her back and holding her hand like before. "I won't say anything that I'll regret and I won't say anything that I don't absolutely mean."

Hermione nodded fervently.

"Hermione, from the depths of my soul, I have to say that I love you with all my heart. I'm in love with you," he said, gazing into her eyes so intently it unnerved her.

"You... what?" she managed.

Harry laughed again and she could feel the rise and fall of his chest. "I love you."

"I..." She trailed off, unable to speak. She was too shocked for words.

"It's alright. You don't have to say anything right now." He leaned down to kiss her, looking into her eyes for a moment to make sure she was alright. He closed his eyes and leaned down, hearing her gasp quietly, and brought his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. She kissed him back slowly, placing her arms around his neck. He pulled her nearer, causing her to gasp again to feel him so close, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, battling with hers, and emitting a moan from her.

His hands slipped to her hips and he pulled her as close as he could get her.

Deep inside of me you feel me with your gentle touch

You know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

"Harry, wait," Hermione breathed, pulling away. She couldn't help the guilty tear that slipped passed her eyes. "I was in here all day because... because I love you too and I was scared to tell you." She paused to rest her head in the crook of his neck, holding him tightly. "Do you really mean what you said?"

"Yes, Hermione," he said, rubbing her back, letting her night robe fall to the floor. "I love you and that will never change."

She looked up at him. "I love you too, so much, Harry and I never thought I'd hear that you feel the same." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

When she pulled away, he kissed down her jaw line, her neck, to her collarbone. His hands rid under her shirt touching her smooth skin, squeezing her sides as they went up. His lips went back to hers, kissing her more passionately than before, faster and rougher, yet still gentle.

Her tank top fell to the floor and soon after his heavy black robes. Harry pulled his wand out and put a locking charm on the door without breaking the kiss. He then carried Hermione to her bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry held Hermione in his arms, knowing he had to leave soon. He kissed the top of her head, looking down on her sleeping form, covered by her satin sheets of gold and crimson. He removed his arms from her body, stood from the bed and dressed quietly.

He invisioned the event that had occurred that night. He'd never made love to another woman. The moment had been perfect. It would be with him forever.

He turned back as Hermione mumbled in her sleep, no, Harry! He grinned sheepishly, stroking her hair. Her body fell again and she relaxed into slow, calm breaths. "That's my girl," he whispered.

He turned again to leave. Sure he was scared. But Hermione had faith in him and that was all he needed. He wouldn't give up hope. He felt as everything was in order. He'd done all he could to prepare and left Hermione with something she could cherish forever. Just in case... you know.

He left her a note before he left and left it on her other pillow. He thought back to the promise he made her:

Don't do anything you'll regret and don't say anything you don't mean.

Harry thought again. I don't regret a thing. I meant everything.

He turned on his heel, opened the door, and used his wand to turn out the lamp on her nightstand. He spoke before he shut the door: "I'll come back for you Hermione."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione woke in the middle of the night, knowing immediately that Harry was gone and had probably defeated Voldemort. She knew he had won. Memories of earlier made he smile as she sat up. She turned on the lamp on her nightstand and found the note Harry had left.

It read as follows:

Thanks for your faith. I'll come back for you.

~Love Harry

And that was all it said. Hermione got up, heard Crookshanks jump onto her bed, and looked out the window into the night. She didn't feel so cold anymore.

"I know you will, Harry."

When I think how life used to be

Always walking in the shadows

When I look at what you've given me

I must say everyday I wake and realize you're by my side

I know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

I'll do my best with every breath that's in me

Blessed to make sure you never go

There are time that test your faith

Till you think you might surrender

Baby, I'm not ashamed to say

That my hopes were growing slender

You walked by in the nick of time looking like an answered praire

You know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

I'll do my best with every breath that's in me

Blessed to make sure you never go

Blessed with love and understanding

Blessed when I hear my call my name

I'll do my best with faith that's never ending

Blessed to make sure you feel the same

Deep inside of me you feel me with your gentle touch

You know I'm truly blessed for everything you give me

Blessed for all the tenderness you show

I'll do my best with every breath that's in me

To see you never go