DRAMIONE - STAND BY YOU

LIFE OR DEATH

Light. Bright, white, blinding light, filled Hermione's sight, slowly drifting into a soft glow as her eyes adjusted to the scene in front of her.

Trees which held colourful Autumn leaves surrounded the grassy hill of which she was stood upon, daisies arising from the soft, dry ground underneath the cloudless sky which held a golden sun, it's rays reflecting off the small lake just a few feet away from the bench she was stood beside. She was in a park, but not just any park, the park she would visit everyday with her mother and father during her young childhood days. She had learnt to ride a bike here, had countless picnics under the shaded canopy of the trees, swang high on the swings which were just at the bottom of the hill she would roll down along with her dad. The memories brought a tear to her eye, a small loving act for the parents she would never see again.

Just then, Hermione saw a flash of golden light, disappearing in a split second to reveal a tuft of orange hair, indicating that someone was ascending the hill of which she was stood upon.

Then she saw who it was and her heart stopped.

"Fred?!" She exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "How are you here?"
Tears began flowing down her cheeks as she sprinted towards Fred's opened arms, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder.
"Shh Mione. It's okay. You're kind of at the border between life and death" he replied, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
"I'm dead?" She pulled away from Fred, a look of confusion on her face. How could she be dead? But of course, she knew. How couldn't she when she was the brightest witch of her age? Clearly, the cruciatus curse had been too much for her. At least she was free of that now, free of the unbearable pain and sorrow, free of the hateful laughs from Theo Nott of whom may or may not be Still alive.
"Not exactly" Fred shrugged. "You have a choice Hermione, one that very few people get to make. You can follow me back to the afterlife and see the others. Or you can go back to your life. Though if it's any consolation, I've missed you" he murmured, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.
"I've missed you too Fred. So much" she sobbed, her voice breaking at how surreal the whole scenario was.
"You've been so so brave Mione. I've been watching over all of you, even the ferret. I'm proud of all of you. I'm proud of how strong you've been" he whispered into her ear as she held onto him tightly as if afraid he was going to disappear any second.
"Which is why you need to go back" Fred continued, a note of pain in his voice.
"What?" Hermione protested. "No. No I don't want to go back to that torture. No way".
"Theo has been dealt with Hermione. Everyone is okay. The only thing missing is you. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, Blaise, Luna, Neville, everyone. They all need you" he replied, putting his hands on her shoulders and kneeling down so that his face was level with hers, brushing away her tears and looking into her brown orbs to convince her he was telling the truth.

Hermione pondered for a moment, thinking about how amazing it would be to stay there, free for all eternity, to be reunited with Sirius and Remus and Tonks.  She could finally be happy, finally release the heavy weight she had carried on her shoulders for years.

But then again, as Fred had said, the others needed her and she needed them.

She, Harry and Ron made up the golden trio, the two boys gave her something to be proud of. They had stuck by her and she had stuck by them through all the years of defeating Voldemort.

Ginny was her best friend, someone who she could rely on no matter what, someone who she could trust with any secret.

Then there was the Weasleys, so full of family love and joy despite the death of Fred.

Luna and Neville, two of the most unique, kind people she had ever met.
Where would the humor be without Pansy and Blaise?

Where would the guidance be without Rachel?