“Up to the Mountain”

By: AnndeeGranger

Rated: PG

Summary: A snippet of life, a moment of peace, in a world still threatened by darkness. Song Fic.

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I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere

“This kingdom - united or not, magical or Muggle - is still a beautiful thing to behold.” The raven-haired wizard spoke gently into the breeze caressing the lightening shaped scar on his forehead, as he stood atop the peak and gazed upon the green lushness of the isolated country. He took in the sight of rich olive-toned trees, the brilliance of a summer cerulean sky with a cloud or two floating like a pygmy puff across the expanse of color.

It was calm here. There were no worries here. But he was still so…tired.


Sometimes I feel like
I've never been nothing but tired
And I'll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do

Harry lay down in the soft grass with a wearied sigh and his emerald eyes watched the white natural magic of the clouds pass by.

It was true. Voldemort was gone, vanquished, disposed of, or whatever verb you wanted to use. However, unlike how he and many others had thought things were going to progress if Harry had been successful, times did not immediately become bright and sunny again. Things were better, yes. However, many of the Death Eaters and supporters of the “Dark Lord” were not going to slink away into the night, literal or metaphorical.

So, Harry and Hermione continued on in their fight against those that would bring destruction to their world, and possibly the Muggle one as well. They did it for Harry's parents, Neville's as well. They did it for Cedric, for Sirius, for Dumbledore, for Charlie, for Hagrid, for Professor Snape, and for Ron. They did it because it was right.

Sometimes, it felt like it was all they did, and that they would never get a chance to rest.

But then I go on again
Because you ask me to

Harry stood up as he heard the familiar voice call his name. Knowing that this small time of solitude was over and that he would have to get back to his “saving people thing”.

He knew she'd left him alone as long as she could, to give him some much needed alone time. He just wished there was time for her to come and join him. He wished there was enough time for the two of them to lie on the grass and point out what they each thought the clouds looked like.

“Harry, I just got an owl from Kingsley. Bellatrix was spotted in Stratford about a half hour ago.” Hermione called from the bottom of the hill. Even from this distance, maybe because she could read him better than she could any book she had ever picked up, she saw the tension as she said the Death Eater's name. The same tension she got when she read it in the missive a few minutes ago.

Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all

In his mind, the beauty of the land disappeared and the memory of his friend's death at the hands of that sadistic monster replayed in his mind again. The blankness that washed over his friend's usually animated face before he fell, lifeless, to the ground. The sound of Hermione's horrified scream, which had come immediately after his own.

Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so

“Harry” the whispered word, which sounded almost prayer-like, pulled him out of his memories.

He turned and she was suddenly right beside him, taking his hand into her own.

“Sorry,” he muttered, lifting his other hand to caress her cheek and run a hand through her thick, bushy mane.

“We have to go,” she said as she tilted her head towards his touch, “We'll come back when we're done.” Her brown eyes telling him what he had known and heard her say many months back.

Harry softly pulled her against him, framing her face with his hands. He kissed her forehead before he rested his own against it.

Hermione lifted one hand and cupped his chin as her left came up to rest over his heart; the emerald on the ring finger winking as the sunlight caught it.

“The next time we come back here, this will be the spot I make you mine.” Harry dared a smile before leaning down to give her an excruciatingly tender kiss.

Hermione smiled as the kiss ended, “I'm already yours.”

The peaceful valley
Just over the mountain
The peaceful valley
Few come to know
I may never get there
Ever in this lifetime
But sooner or later
It's there I will go
Sooner or later
It's there I will go

~*~*~*~*~

AN: Song is “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” by Patty Griffins

AN2: Thank you to my beta, LadyBlueStar/Starlight