bigger than us [dramione]

eight

LATER THAT DAY, the unlikely pair packed up their makeshift campground, filing everything away into Hermione's little beaded bag, and set off on their way to Godric's Hollow.

The journey would only take them another day, so they decided to stop and set up camp a little way's out to spend the night before going in. Hermione needed time to ensure she had all her belongings and her Polyjuice Potion was just right, and Malfoy needed... well, Hermione wasn't quite sure what he needed to stop for, but he would be stuck by her side until they left if he wanted a way out of England, so he was forced to.

As they trudged through the forest, fresh spots of mud staining their shoes from the rain that had plagued them the previous night, Hermione found her thoughts creeping back to her two best friends and where on earth they might be.

The trio sat atop a rocky cliff-hang, gazing out across the wide, spanning forest before them. Trees packed together like sardines spread for miles ahead, crowding together in some places and widening into clearings in others, even making space for a small lake amongst the greenery. The sun hung upon the horizon, casting a pink hue across the world before them — and that was what it seemed to be to them. The entire world, right there. There was no war, no Voldemort — just the three of them, shoulders brushed up lovingly against one another, watching the sun set.

"This is nice," Ron mused from Hermione's left. When she turned to look at him, she savoured the way the remaining sunlight highlighted the best parts of his face — his nose, freckles, the curious gleam in his eye.

Harry scoffed lightly from her right. "Running from You-Know-Who?" He laughed lightly, shaking his head.

"Not that," Ron responded with a drawl. "Being here. It feels like we're away from it all, don't you think?"

Hermione nodded, her arm looped through Harry's and her head resting against Ron's shoulder. "I wish we could stay forever," she admitted quietly, regretting how selfish the words sounded the moment she spoke them. "I know we can't — but it'd be nice, wouldn't it?"

"It would," Harry agreed in a small voice, almost as if he were afraid to betray his duties. They all had a shared duty now — to each other, to their friends and family, to the wizarding community, to the entire world. This was bigger than them; it had been for a very long time.

Hermione sighed. "Bigger than us," she reminded herself; reminded them. Sometimes she felt like she needed the words tattooed into her left arm. When it all became too much and she could no longer recall exactly why she had agreed to be on this journey instead of at home in the arms of her loving parents. When she missed her mother's touch or her father's words. When she longed for Crookshanks or the comfort of her own bed. When she felt the ache of her childhood being torn from her, she reminded herself — this was her duty now. This was bigger than her.

"Bigger than us," Harry repeated with a firm nod. He reached over and clutched Hermione's hand in his own, squeezing it for comfort. She held it back, using her free one to grip Ron's leg, finding solace when he used his own to cover it.

If they never made it out of this war, Hermione could find comfort in the fact that they could simply sit here, away from it all, and enjoy this moment.

"—Earth to Granger?"

Hermione blinked, suddenly transformed back to her surroundings. She remained in a forest, though the cliff-hang was nowhere to be seen and the trees weren't as tightly packed as they had been in her memory. Most importantly, she was missing two very significant individuals.

A platinum blonde head of hair stepped into her vision, shoving away any remnants of black or red that she might have once thought of. Malfoy waved his ring-clad hand in front of her eyes, whistling to get her attention.