This is a birthday gift for the fabulous Remuslives! Her actual birthday is tomorrow but I'm posting it now so that she gets it. Lord only knows if my computer will actually be working tomorrow! This is my first Harry/Hermione fic, but I think it turned out alright. Enjoy!

-o-O-o-

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

-o-O-o-

Ever since their first year at Hogwarts, when they'd finally become friends after the whole 'troll' incident, Hermione had been there for Harry. Anytime things got bad, or worse, Hermione was right there, ready and willing to help him or fight for him or just be a shoulder for him to lean on.

Ron had been there as well, happy to fight at his side or rant about whatever had gone so horribly wrong in their lives; whether it was the latest news on Voldemort or the potion essay Snape had assigned. It wasn't the same though. It was Hermione Harry went to when he was scared. Hermione he went to when he wanted answers. Hermione he went to when he wanted comfort or quiet companionship. He loved Ron, and he was his first and best mate, but he knew it would be worse for him if Hermione was ever hurt. She was his rock, his constant support and biggest fan.

In the middle of their second year, when the school had been most against him, Hermione had pulled him aside at the end of a particularly bad Herbology lesson and whispered a few simple words. "Keep holding on, Harry. We'll make it through. You know I believe you." And he believed her. He wasn't sure why or how, but he knew that together they would make it. After all, he still had her and the entire Weasley family on his side. He didn't really want Ernie or Hannah as friends anyway. The Hufflepuffs' seemed to be rather a lot of idiots.

In his third year, he was scared he'd ruined that wonderful dynamic he'd had with her. It would have been his fault, and he'd have rightly deserved it if she had refused to talk to him. He'd treated her like rubbish, and he was a terrible friend. She accepted him back with open arms though, proving herself to be the better witch. Years later when he told her his fears of her rejecting him she'd actually laughed. She gave him a thump on the head before wrapping him up in a tight, unexpected hug. "Nothing you did or do, said or say could change the fact that I'm always here for you." He had hugged her back and thanked Merlin and the wizard gods that he'd remembered to save her in his first year.

She was his constant rock the next year, and he learned the true value of friendship because of her. She never left his side in fifth year, even fighting to protect him after she told him they were going into a trap. She had been right and he'd nearly lost her because of his foolhardiness. He'd lost Sirius because of his irresponsible actions, and he knew he never wanted to risk that happening with her. He made an oath to himself to get his act together and think things through. Because next time it might not be her lying in the bed next to his. Next time it could be her lying in Sirius' grave, and he truly would not be able to go on if that was the case.

Ron was an unknown variable the following year. He was fickle in his friendship with both of them, ignoring Hermione completely and turning on Harry if he annoyed him. When Ron would leave Harry and Harry would feel particularly down Hermione would always seem to appear. She'd wrap an arm around her best mate and tell him to cheer up. "You're not alone, I'm still here, you know." She had informed him with her slightly bossy tone that he'd come to appreciate. "I won't go away. Not even if you find a girl as annoying as Lav-Lav." She tilted her head then, and offered him a small, mischievous smile. "Though I might be casting a few more birds if that does happen." He laughed at the memory and wrapped his own arm around her shoulders. He wasn't scared, he knew she'd always be there. Besides, he'd already learned protego, and he was a master at dodging spells.

Then all of hell had broken lose and he'd found her support to be the only thing that help him continue on. Ron, Merlin help him wherever he had wound up, had left them in a rage and they were visibly more depressed. Christmas came and went, and they were attacked and things seemed like they couldn't be worse. He went outside to keep watch because he didn't want to see her wrapped up in her blankets, trying to stay warm because she'd never been able to cast a decent warming charm on herself. He felt like he had failed her. Ron had been quite right, he had no plan and he'd failed them both.

She'd come out less than twenty minutes later with two mugs of tea-real tea, he had no idea where she'd gotten it- and sat next to him. she gave him one mug and sipped her own, not saying anything for a few, long minutes. "You know it's rather cold out here." She finally stated, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. He had nodded his head, unsure how to answer her. "You're thinking it's all over, aren't you?" He nodded his head again, unable to lie to her. She always knew when he was anyway, it seemed rather pointless to even try. "Well you know I won't let that happen. I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere. Remember, you have to hold on, I still am."

He had held on, to her, and they'd made it through. He'd realized just what he was, and how he felt into Dumbledore's crazy and brilliant plan, and he felt numb because of it. He was the very evil he'd tried so very valiantly to destroy. He was a Horcrux, one of the last two. He had to go die.

He found her on the staircase, excited by a new plan and eager to bring Voldemort down once and for all. She'd stopped immediately upon seeing him. "Harry?" He almost smiled at the way she said his name. He hadn't even said anything and she already knew something was wrong. She was demanding a reason from him. he locked eyes with her, letting himself study the familiar warmth and wisdom in her brown orbs before responding. "There's a reason I can hear them… I think I've known for a while… And I think you know too." She stuttered and opened and closed her mouth several times before tears filled her eyes. Her lips went down at the corner and she let out a quiet sob. "I'll go with you." he shook his head, knowing she would. He gave her a hug and closed his eyes, swearing to himself he would remember the way she smelled and felt for the rest of his life. He would hold onto this moment so he could face his end.

"Harry Potter. The boy who lived, come to die?" He closed his eyes as Voldemort raised his wand. He didn't care to look in the empty voids Voldemort had for eyes when he met his end. He heard his greatest enemy bellow the spell out, but he didn't see him. he saw the first time he had ever seen Hermione. Her bright, knowledgeable eyes and her crazy, bushy hair. She wasn't with him but she was still his support, his rock. She enabled him to fight the end standing strong, and with a smile.

It was rather a surprise when Dumbledore had appeared and told him he could go back. He thought of her once again when he made the choice. When Voldemort circled around him and told him that it didn't matter if Snape loved his mum, Harry knew it wasn't true. It mattered, because he loved Hermione, and he'd do the same. He'd give up everything for her because she had for him, and that was simply the way it was.

She was the first to hug him after Voldemort died. She'd wrapped him up in a tight hug that stole his breath away. She had been right. They'd made it through, together they'd made it. He'd held on to her, and she hadn't let him fall.

He give her a kiss, her first one, a moment later, and then they'd been swamped by more people than he'd realized were in Hogwarts. After wards he'd finally gotten back alone with her. He took the seat next to her and took her hand, interlaced their fingers. "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" She'd asked simply, not even having to look to know it was him. He smiled at the familiar words and nodded his head, studying her familiar face. "Yeah, I'm holding on now, and I won't be letting go." She finally turned to look at him, a sincere smile on her lips and her brown eyes moist. "I never have."

Years later he still stood by her side proudly and happily. Percy told him what to say and he did, eagerly and boldly saying the sacred vows back to her, clutching her hand as tightly as she was clutching his. He knew in that moment, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the one fact he'd always known since she'd become his friend, was unfalteringly true. As long as he had Hermione by his side, they'd always make it through.

A/N: Happy Birthday, Remuslives! I hope you have a great one, and I hope you enjoy the present :)

Don't forget to read and review, everyone :)