It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 71: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The day after Ron had left, Harry opened his eyes groggily to the strong smell of cheese. Harry turned over and picked up the watch he had left on his bedside table. It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon. He was feeling particularly angry, both about what had happened the previous day and the fact that he had slept in for so long.

Unable to ignore the cheesy smell any longer, Harry sat up. He realised that - despite not having eaten anything all day - he was not hungry. He lay back down bitterly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry watched Hermione pottering about the kitchen, clearly making cheese sandwiches with the last of her decent food supply from Grimmauld Place. After a minute, however, she stopped. She glanced at Harry, and a grin spread across her face. Abandoning the half-made sandwiches, Hermione walked over to the table, picked up her beaded bag, and fumbled around in it. After a while, she pulled out a dirty, faded tennis ball. Hermione tossed it from one hand to the other for a few moments as Harry watched her avidly.

Catching the tennis ball one final time, Hermione moved over to Harry and said,"Follow me."

Harry did. She led him out of the tent, and they walked a little way into the forest before reaching a large clearing in the trees. Harry turned around, and could see their tent rather clearly, so he knew that they were still inside of Hermione's protective enchantments.

"Lay down." Hermione ordered him, picking some fluff off of the tennis ball,"Right here." As Harry lowered himself to the ground, he felt the tennis ball being pressed into his hand. "Take your anger out on that instead of yourself." Harry was hesitant, so Hermione continued,"Trust me, it works."

Harry began passing the ball between his hands, just as Hermione had been doing in the tent. Despite what it was, the speed at which Harry was throwing the ball soon became quite tiring, so he stopped. "You were right, Hermi-" Harry began, sitting up. He guessed that Hermione must have gone back to the tent, as she was nowhere in sight. Harry lay back down and began tossing the tennis ball up into the air and catching it again. He found it oddly enjoyable.

***********

Though he had long since lost track of time, Harry assumed he had been laying in that spot for the best part of an hour, at least. That had given him enough time to think things over about Ron before Hermione came back.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, laying down next to him.

Harry put the tennis ball down by his side,"Better, thanks."

"I used to do this all the time when I was younger." Hermione said wistfully, holding Harry's hand.

"Cloud-gazing?"

"Sky-gazing." She corrected him gently,"I never thought the clouds were as interesting."

Harry looked from the clear sky to a cloud and back again,"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Neither of them said anything more for a moment,"So," Harry broke the silence,"did you sky-gaze often?"

Hermione nodded,"Every day at school since I was about eight."

"Wow."

"I know." She sighed,"I really loved it. The first time I decided to sky-gaze, it took about three entire lunchtimes to find the perfect spot."

"Blimey." Harry said quietly, not taking his eyes off of the sky,"Why was it so perfect? The spot you chose in the end, I mean."