'It's funny,' he said, 'but I was talking to Malfoy yesterday, and I actually realized something. I realized I owe you an apology.'
She stared at him. He was so pale that his eyes seemed the only color in his white face. He said, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never told you I loved you. I'm sorry I waited until it looked like I might lose you before I did anything. I'm sorry I lied to you when you asked me if I loved you. I just never thought of it like that. You've always been like a part of me, like how I can do magic. I never sit around thinking about how I love being able to do magic, what it means to me. It's just a part of my life. But if I lost it — if I couldn't do magic anymore — ' He broke off. 'I'm not like Malfoy. I don't make fancy speeches. But I know what I feel.'
Hermione just stared at him. She couldn't say a word. Couldn't even think a word.
'I want you to be happy,' he said slowly. 'And if I don't make you happy, then you should be with the person who does.'
He looked at her. Harry. Who she had always loved, not because he was brave, although he was, or clever, although he was that too, or a good dancer (which he wasn't) — but because he was kind, with the sort of kindness so rare among most people, and teenage boys in particular — kindness that not only gives, but gives up.
'He really does love you,' he said. 'Not like I do, but — ' He broke off, turned, and walked towards the door. He was going to leave, she knew, because once Harry made up his mind to do something he did it. And when he said something, he meant it. And then she thought about what he had said, and what it would be like to live the rest of her life without him in it.
'Harry,' she said, pushing herself off the wall and taking a step towards him.
'Please come back.'
He turned around. She couldn't see his face, he was standing in a patch of shadow. She could see only the ghostly whiteness of his shirt and the pallor of his skin.
'Please come back,' she said again.
He came back. And stood in front of her, looking at her.
And then there were hands on her shoulders, Harry's hands, and he was kissing her. And when she put her arms around him, he was soaking wet and the water chilled her through her clothes and his skin was cold as ice but his hands when he touched her burned. He tasted like rainwater and tears.
She fell back against the wall, still kissing him. Her hands were shaking and there was a humming in her ears that slowly intensified in pitch until it became music -
the most beautiful music she had ever heard.
She broke away from Harry, astonished, and saw by the expression on his face that he heard it too.
'What is that?' she said in wonder.
'Phoenix song,' he said, looking equally amazed.
'Where's it coming from?' she asked, half turning to look around her. It was hard to see anything through the falling snow.
'Um,' said Harry, looking sheepish now. 'Me, I think.'
'Harry,' she said then, in a deadly quiet voice, 'it's snowing.'
'I know,' he said, looking even more sheepish.
'Inside? In June?'
'Well,' said Harry, now rather pink around the ears, 'Dumbledore did say 'strong emotion' would activate my Magid powers.'
'They're working?'
'Yeah,' he said, looking bewildered but happy. 'I felt it. Like a light switch turning on. I guess I just don't know exactly how to…'
'Control them yet?' she said, grinning, as several baby owls fell, hooting, from the ceiling.
'Yeah,' he said, grinning back.
'I didn't know you liked owls so much,' she said, as several more hurtled out of the sky.
'Kiss me again,' he suggested. 'Maybe we'll get canaries.'
'Harry,' she said, kissing him again, 'did you know it's snowing blue snow?'
'I like blue,' said Harry. 'It's my favorite color.'
'Blue snow?'
'Why not blue snow?'
'You always did say you thought snow was romantic,' said Hermione, giggling.
'Just be glad I'm not Hagrid,' said Harry, pulling her in for another kiss. 'It'd be raining Blast-Ended Skrewts.'
'I need to go talk to Draco,' she said, some timeless time later when they had left the mirror room and were walking back along the corridor. Harry's wet shoes were squelching with every step, but he was still looking enormously pleased with the world and everything in it.
'I know,' he said. 'I should talk to him, too.'
'But I should go first,' she said.
