(A.N: this is my 2nd fic, the 1sy was REMINISCENCE OF THE HEART, but truth be told I haven't finished it yet but I'm planning to finish it, in fact I already wrote the chapters but I'll have to transfer it to my computer. But anyways please read this fic and please, please, please, please do review! ) I'll be hoping to read ur reviews!)

THE IMPORTANCE OF A LIFE

HEAD BOY AND GIRL COMMON ROOM

The pouring of rain and the clapping of thunder could be heard outside. The rain was so hard that people started to wonder whether this would stop or not.

Lightning would flash every now and then. It would seem as though a very important person died and the weather was mourning it's lost.

But a gust of wind couldn't be heard outside only the pouring of rain, the struck of lightning, and the clapping of wind.

It really was rather a stormy night but one person doesn't seem to mind it, in fact the weather seemed to match one of what she feels. Sadness.

Though so many emotions are occupying her one surfaced them all and this was pain.

Everything what she feels is very painful to her.

Everything that is happening to her is very painful.

It was very painful to her loved ones die.

It was painful to her to pretend that she was brave and not to mention she was very tired of it.

It was painful to her to hope of things of what to come.

To hope that things will work out but wasn't sure.

She is so tired right now that she almost wanted to give in, but she can't.

Life and fate has been so cruel to them the torment was unbearable but she has to overcome it. For she knew that after the storm, calmness would return. But the question is: will she be strong enough to wait for the calm to return? Even though how painful and tired she is right now?

The girl let out a very tired sigh and moves from her position near the window to sit on the couch that faced the fire inside the Head's common room.

The girl was known as Hermione Granger.

She was known for her smartness and cleverness among things.

Her cleverness helped so many people. Her hobbies for reading books about certain charms and spells helped her two best friend in their quest to find missing horocruxes.

Many thanked her for her cleverness on things but what she really wants is just one thing.

And that is to know whether or not she was important to a certain someone.

That certain someone was none other than her best friend.

The one that was suppose to find and destroy all horocruxes.

The one that is suppose to fulfill a prophecy.

The one that should destroy the darkest wizard ever: Voldemort.

Her feelings for him had outgrown from a friendly feeling to a brotherly care to an admiration until a love for someone that is supposedly not to be felt.

But she was afraid of what might be the results if she ever declares her loved to him.

Maybe she'll let fate take its course and just accept on what will happen.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the opening and closing of their portrait door.

"Hermione? You're still up?" Harry Potter asked his best friend

"Yeah… I couldn't sleep" she answered

Harry went to sit beside his friend. Lately Hermione hasn't been able to sleep well and this made Harry worry for his best friend's sake and health.

"Still thinking about some things" this was more than statement than a question. But still she answered,

"Yeah…"

A silence hangs in them. This silence was not uncomfortable but rather an understandable one.

"Harry?" she whispered softly as though she was afraid to break the silence that hangs with them

"Hmm…" he answered

"I have some questions for you." She said

"Sure"

"Promise me that you will answer them honestly?" she asked

Harry looked at her for a moment but she doesn't seem to return the gaze but nonetheless answered

"Of course"

"Harry will I ever cross your mind?" she asked him straight to the point

When Harry just gave her a confused look she clarified him.

"How many times have I entered your mind?"

When she glanced at his face she only saw a blank look but still she continued.

"Which is more important me or your life?" she finally asked

Silence… until…

"My life…" he answered.

When Hermione again looked at his face she saw that indeed he wasn't lying. Tears began to build in her eyes until one tear fell on the cold floor.

"What wrong?" he asked softly

She shook her head and smiled and said

"Nothing…" she stood up and turned around "Everything…" she thought.

"Good night, Harry." She bid him

"Good night…" he answered monotonously face still held no emotion.

Hermione went to her room tears still streaming down her face. She lay in her bed still replaying the scene of what happened down their common room.

"Maybe he really doesn't care about me, maybe he just thought me as nothing but an ordinary friend and maybe he can't return those feelings I had for him. Maybe its better if I detach myself from him then maybe I'll forget all these things, all these feelings, all the things or moments I had with him." She thought bitterly but even she herself know that no matter what she will do it wont be that easy to just forget about what happened or maybe forget about him. It was just so hard and painful.

The next day was so painful for Hermione. She still sit with him and Ron but didn't quite talk to them, somehow Harry noticed this but restrain to ask her. This go on for weeks until Harry could no longer take it and decided to talk to her about this.

It was already dark when Harry found Hermione in her favorite place in the castle which was the library. She was at her usual spot. A table near the window that over looked the lake outside. When he sat opposite her he noticed that he she was reading her favorite book: Hogwarts: a History, but just as always whenever she is engrossed with her favorite book she never noticed the things happening around her.

To enable to get her attention to him, Harry cleared his throat. Fortunately Hermione heard this and glanced up from her book. When she saw that it was Harry she just said a simple,

"Hello." Without any smile and went to look back at her book.

This made Harry frown; it was a very un-Hermione type. This only provoked him to ask her what was wrong.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked. This made Hermione frown, this made her look at him but not directly at his eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked clearly confused

"You have been avoiding me lately." Hermione glanced down at her book

"Nothings wrong, Harry." She answered rather coldly. Harry's frown deepens.

"Then what do you call that?"

"What?" she asked almost shouting but remembering that this was a library she gathered her things and proceeded to get out. Harry also followed her outside. Once they were outside Harry grabbed her wrist and made her face him squarely at the face and at the eyes.

"Tell me Hermione" he said this almost a command rather than a request

"Tell you what Harry?" she almost asked loudly

"What is wrong?!" he answered with the same expression

Hermione pulled her wrist not only because it started to hurt but she wanted to get away from him far away as possible. She ran outside the castle to the forest conscious that Harry was following her. She ran and ran until she reached her favorite spot in the forest which was under an old tree. There she plopped down and cried her heart out.

How dare he ask her what's wrong?! Doesn't he know that he was the one that cause her to be like this? Doesn't he know that he was the one that broke her heart? Doesn't he know all of that?

"Of course he doesn't," something told her at the back of her mind, "he doesn't know what you feel right now. And how can he know if you don't tell him and if you keep avoiding him"

While Hermione was too busy with her thoughts she didn't notice that Harry was already behind her panting softly.

Upon seeing her like this Harry regretted whatever he did to her that turned her like this. When he arrived he saw Hermione on the ground shaking with uncontrollable sobs, he knelt down and put a finger under her chin and lifted her face so that he could see her better. When he saw her face full of tears he pulled her to his arms and tried to hold her but Hermione pushed him.

"Hermione please…" he begged

She shook her head no and pushed him further away.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Hermione's head snapped at him and what he saw shocked him to the very core; Hermione was looking at him as he was Voldemort himself.

Her eyes were filled with anger, sadness, hurt and something else…

"How dare you say that like nothing has happened!" her voice was like her eyes full of anger, sadness, and hurt.

"What do mean?" he asked clearly confused.

This time Hermione pushed him fully and was now standing and turned away from him to face the tree. With her back facing him, he could still clearly see that she was shaking.

"Hermione…" he called out to her, his voice pleading, "please…"

Hermione let out a tired sigh and faced him still her tears were streaming down.

"I'm sorry Harry. I guess you don't understand me, huh?" she told him ruefully

"No. I don't." he answered

Hermione bit her lower lip and trembled again. This time Harry went to her but again she pushed him away.

"I'm just so angry with myself. I feel so foolish and stupid." She said softly almost a whisper, she even doubted that Harry had heard her but fortunately he did. He didn't say anything instead he remained silent almost indicating her to continue and she did.

"Last night I asked you some questions, right? And I told you to answer them honestly and you did and I'm very thankful for that but I'm so stupid. When I got your answer to say the least I was shocked and hurt and I got angry at you." She told him and laughed bitterly, when Harry was about to say something she shook her and cut him off.

"No, don't say anything. Please let me do the talking. I'll be damned if I will loose all my courage when I'll say all of this. To continue, I got angry at you. Really angry that I avoided you and decided to just detach myself from you. But I realized that I could I be mad at you when all you did was just do what I told you to do which was to answer my questions honestly and you did. You actually did. When I looked at your face I didn't see any sign that you were lying. But I was really shocked at what you answered. Maybe I couldn't force you to answer my questions the way I want them to be." She sighs sadly. All the time Harry remained silent.

"I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, Harry." She said these words softly and went to walk the other way back to the castle but his voice made her stop dead at her tracks.

"The reason I didn't answer your first question is because I'd lie if I say you entered my mind many times because you only crossed my mind once but you haven't left since then…" he said as he began to move towards her back. When he reached her back Harry wrapped his arms around her to imprison her in his arms. He bent his head so that he could whisper in her ear; she could feel his hot breath that made her shiver involuntarily.

"And you ask me which is more important to me; you or my life. I answered my life but you walked out not knowing that you are my life."

As soon as Harry said this, Hermione gasped. Harry loosens hi hold on her but made no attempt on letting her go. She turned around and faces him but still refuses to look at his eyes. Harry placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face so that he could see her better.

When she finally looked at his eyes, Harry bent his head until their faces were so close that Hermione could feel his breath on her face.

And ever so softly he brushed his lips against hers. He kissed her so softly to wait of her reaction on this kiss but still Hermione wasn't responding. He was about to let go, to break this wonderful moment on time when she leaned in. Harry felt her arms go around hi neck. He pulled her closer if it was humanly possible. Harry deepens the kiss until Hermione lost all her senses. But all living creature needs and they parted themselves, reluctantly. Both were panting slightly but made no move to let go. When they regained their breaths, Hermione look up at Harry. She bit her lip while trying to comprehend what just happened, Harry smile softly at her. Hermione blushed and looked down from his gaze, he chuckled and said something that changed her life forever,

"I love you…" he softly whispered. Hermione gasped and looked up at him trying to clarify what she just heard.

"What?" she croaked

"I love you and believe me when I said that." He repeated. Tears began to form at her eyes, Harry expression became worried upon seeing her tears.

"Don't worry these are tears of happiness and I believe what you said because I felt the same way too… I love you too, Harry." She smiled

"So that was the reason why you were upset about what I answered?" he inquired. Hermione's cheeks flush but this time from embarrassment.

"Yeah…" she answered shyly. Harry just chuckled.

"Harry?"

"Hmm…"

"You're important to me too…" and with this Harry smiled and bent down once again to let her feel that she is hi life….

Fin

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