Not a Goodbye

Chapter 9

It was easy for the two of them to fall into a comfortable routine; Harry and Hermione. Every morning they would wake in the comfort of each other's arms, the rising sun shining in through the open window. Hand in hand they would go down the stairs to breakfast where they would find Ron already stuffing his face with food. They would attend their classes, worrying about nothing more than a bad grade, and it was wonderful. It was beautiful to everyone who watched on the outside.

Harry Potter had always been an orphan, a child without a mother, someone who struggled to find real love. They knew that Hermione had been his best friend for years, that was obvious to everyone who had watched them grow up, but only few saw the looks that they would sneak at each other in the years prior. Only few knew that their hearts yearned for each other. So when they revealed themselves to be a couple, it was a shock to mostly everyone.

"They're so good together!"

"The Golden Couple, don't you think? The two war heroes!"

More and more people supported them, loved them even and they swelled with happiness as time continued on. By the time they were well past Hermione's birthday, (Harry had thrown her a not-so- surprising party) there was snow beginning to fall. "Hermione?" Harry asked one evening as they sat in their common room studying for the upcoming potions test. "Have you tried doing anything with those powers you discovered during the war?"

The war. Something that Hermione had completely blocked out of her mind, something that still haunted her when brought up. So, no. She hadn't even wanted to think about the new powers she had because it meant thinking back to the lifeless eyes she saw anytime she even thought to blink. "No, no. I haven't. Why?"

Harry shut his book, happy to have found a reason to quit studying. He shifted in his seat to have a better look at her, "Curious, is all. You could do a lot with those powers -"

"A lot of bad."

Harry frowned at his girlfriend, her cheeks had turned a fiery red and her eyes were far off. There was something she wasn't telling him, he realized. "Mione -"

"No." She said, cutting him off with a finality to her tone. "No, this topic is over and done with."

She slammed her book shut and stood, intending to walk into her bedroom where she would sulk by herself for the remainder of the night. She didn't need anyone to know what goes on inside her brain, the bad things that she has thought of since that day, the things that won't stop replaying in her mind. Harry wasn't one to be submissive though, not with Hermione, she always brought out his stubbornness.

"What is your problem?" He questioner, his hand tugging her back towards him. "What are you not telling me?"

"I don't need to tell you every thought that goes through my brain," she growled, eyes a fiery gold color, leaving the dull brown. "I don't need you to babysit me and I don't need someone to take advantage of my newfound powers -"

"Take advantage of you and your powers?" Harry scoffed, standing and practically throwing her hand away from him. "I asked you one simple question and this is how you react? Like I'm trying to take advantage of you?"

Harry was never vindictive and he truly didn't think Hermione would ever take advantage of the hero name that he had. But he was angry. So unbelievably angry at the world, and she was his outlet, he needed to let out the anger that he had been holding in since the war. Hermione's eyes blazed with rage, blinding rage, her eyes turning even more golden - almost yellow. Harry couldn't tell if he was imagining the change of her eyes or if it was just the reflection of the fire.