Ecounters Part III, Final Encounter 3/3
Encounters Part III
Last Encounter
Pairing: Greg/Hermione
Rating: Any Age
Summary: But now she was leaving, and there was a large possibility that she may never see him again. So would it hurt more to face him, or to have never gotten the chance to say goodbye?
Read Encounters Part I, First Encounter
Read Ecounters Part II, Second Encounter
It was a Saturday in the beginning of May, and while most students were outside enjoying the sunshine, Hermione Granger was busy in her dorm packing her necessities and writing letters to be delivered once she left the school.
This is what I should have done in the first place! Hermione berated herself the entire time. I should have just ignored the warnings and found Ron and Harry.
She had received an owl earlier that day from Harry.
G,
As much as W and I could have used your help and companionship on our journey, I am grateful that you did not come with us. You see, W has been wounded, possibly fatally, and I don’t think I could stand to see you both injured at this time.
But I do need you here now, G.
W and I were traveling back to the ancient house after finishing our last cup of tea. We used every precaution we could, but we were still attacked. After he was struck down, I ran to him and apparated the two of us straight to the front of the ancient house. I know, G, that was risky and dangerous of me, but I had to do it. For W.
He’s still unconscious and the OMs are remaining calm about the attack, but I know as well as they do what it means. He found a way to break through my personal wards and track me down. This means the confrontation will happen soon.
I hate to ask this of you, but I need you here, G. I don’t want to see you get hurt, but I know you would have found a way to the confrontation anyway. At least this way I will be able to see you before it begins.
As far as we can tell, nobody else has had their personal wards broken besides me, and we knew that would happen sooner or later due to my connection with Him. So you should be able to travel without an auror or OM, but you know you are still in danger. So please use every precaution.
-P
P.S. Don’t mention anything to HM. You know she won’t allow you to leave if she knows.
Hermione wanted to know more, but she knew that was as much information as Harry was able to put in the letter safely. They had been corresponding this way for months. They referred to each other using the initial of their surnames. ‘OM’ stood for Order Member, and ‘HM’ stood for Headmistress McGonagall. If Harry mentioned that he and Ron had had a ‘cup of tea,’ it meant they had destroyed another horcrux. And ‘ancient house’ was a reference to ‘The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black,’ meaning Number 12, Grimmauld Place.
Before beginning to pack, Hermione decided to visit the Headmistress to try and wheedle information from her. During her walk to her office, Hermione decided that she would not mention Harry’s letter. She would pretend that she was just checking in to see if there was any news. But when Hermione arrived at Headmistress McGonagall’s office, it was empty.
She hurried out to Hagrid’s hut, hoping to get some information from him. She knocked on Hagrid’s door, and despite the shuffling she could hear coming from inside his house, he did not answer. She knocked again, louder.
“Hagrid! I know you’re in there, I can hear you moving around!”
The door opened a crack, and one of Hagrid’s black eyes peered down at her. She waved at him, and he opened the door further to poke his head out, but he blocked her view of the inside of his hut with his body.
“Hey, Hermione. It’s good ter see yeh, but this ain’t such a good time. Could we talk later?” He glanced around outside, nervously.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “No, Hagrid. I think we need to talk now.”
“I’d love ter Hermione, but I got-”
He stopped what he was saying when she pulled Harry’s letter out of her cloak pocket, and he recognized the handwriting.
His forehead crinkled. “Harry been writin’ to yeh?”
She nodded, and he stepped away from the door to let her in. He closed it behind her quickly, and then shuffled across the room. A large suitcase was lying open on his bed, and Hagrid was tossing clothes into it.
“Where are you going, Hagrid?”
“Er... well, the Order’s called me, and I need ter be meetin’ up with them.”
“Is that where McGonagall is?”
He shifted on his feet uneasily, knowing that he shouldn’t answer her. Hermione remained silent, waiting for him to give up what he knew.
“Yes, but we’re the only two teachers going! The res’ of the Hogwarts staff and all the students are staying here where it’s safe, and that includes you. You need to stay here. No need to have you leaving the school, puttin’ yerself in danger fer no good reason.”
“‘No good reason,’ Hagrid? Harry told me what happened! He’s going to have to face Voldemort soon!”
Hagrid waved his arms around. “Shhh!” He pulled a curtain open just a crack to peer outside. “We don’ need everyone hearin’ yeh!”
She lowered her voice and continued. “Hagrid, you know I can’t just sit around here and do nothing. I have to go to Harry.”
He stared at her solemnly for a moment. “Fine, but yeh have to come with me. I’m not about ter let yeh go off travelin’ by yerself. I’m leavin’ exactly one hour after dinner, and if I get in trouble, I’m going to tell the Headmistress that you threatened me with one o’ them complicated hexes you know.”
It was now a half hour before dinner, and Hermione was finishing up the last of her letters. She had one for Neville, one for Luna, and one for Ginny to explain what was going on and a letter for her parents that she would have Ginny owl to them. As she folded the parchment and placed them into their respective envelopes, she contemplated over whether or not she wanted to write to Greg.
There was no reason to inform him of what was going on with Harry and the Order because he had no ties with them. But should she tell him she was leaving? He would worry whether he knew ahead of time or not.
Over the months, their friendship had grown, and before she knew it, she was falling for him. Falling for his thoughtfulness, witty humor, quiet nature, and even his clumsiness. She had said nothing to him about her feelings, instead keeping them to herself. Hermione had learned to cope with the fact that she was just not the type of girl that guys fancied. And as big-hearted as Gregory was, he was still a guy, and would probably prefer someone much more attractive than Hermione. He was her friend, and if he knew, he would be kind in letting her down and continue to be her friend, but she would never be able to face him after rejection, no matter how nicely he rejected her.
But now she was leaving, and there was a large possibility that she may never see him again. So would it hurt more to face him, or to have never gotten the chance to say goodbye?
*****
After she finished eating, Hermione looked up to find Greg looking at her from across the Hall. She smiled at him sadly. His expression became worried and questioning, as if to ask her what was wrong. Hermione’s eyes darted to the entrance of the Great Hall and back to Greg. He nodded, and she slowly rose and left the Hall.
He met her a moment later in the empty corridor, and she led him into an empty classroom.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was full of worry.
She faced away from him and tried her best to hold back her tears, but when she turned around and saw the concerned expression he wore, her sobs burst forth.
He quickly grabbed her and pulled her to him. One hand was running up and down her back as the other tangled in her curls and held her head to his chest. He made comforting noises and rested his cheek against the top of her head. It reminded her of their first encounter in the library. Hermione was so grateful for that night. So grateful for him. She hated that this was probably going to be their last encounter.
When her sobs subsided and she pulled away from him, he wiped the tears from her face and smoothed her hair back. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
She stifled another sob and looked up into his eyes. “It’s Ron and Harry. Ron’s been hurt, and Harry needs me. It... it’s going to happen soon.”
He held both of her small hands in his large, callused ones, and nodded his head in understanding. His thumbs were running in circles over the backs of her hands. “You’re going to them, then?”
She sniffled. “Yes.”
“When?”
“Tonight. In about an hour. I’ll be traveling with Hagrid.”
He nodded solemnly again. “Are your things packed? Is everything taken care of?”
As an answer, she pulled her packed and shrunken trunk out of her pocket and showed it to him.
Gregory dropped her hands and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. He pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her forehead. She was now crying again, and she pulled away just enough to look up at him.
He cradled her face in both of his large hands and began caressing tears from her face. Hermione’s heart was silently breaking, and when she noticed the tears welling up in his eyes, she thought that she would surely die on the spot. Finally, one errant tear spilled over and slowly crept down his face.
“God, Hermione.” His voice nearly cracked, but before he could sob, he lowered his face and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was tender yet firm. It was unyielding and passionate. It was just as she imagined and more, and she immediately responded to him. She kissed him fervently, trying to convey all the sadness and desperation of the moment and all of her hope for the future. Hermione opened her mouth to him, and his tongue gently stroked hers. Their tears streamed to their lips and mixed with their saliva. Salty and honest.
Gregory removed one hand from her face to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. She clutched at the front of his jumper, keeping his mouth pulled down to hers, although he had no intention of ever pulling away.
They held onto each other and kissed with wild abandon, burning their heartfelt emotions into each other’s minds. The moment was perfect and searing, and when they needed to finally pull away to catch their breath, they stared into each other’s eyes with the warmth of old lovers.
They wrapped their arms around each other, and he pressed a kiss to her temple. Hermione wanted to laugh with happiness, cry with sadness, and scream with frustration. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but felt instinctually that he already knew. So she just leaned back and smiled sadly at him.
He took a small step away from her, letting go, and she did the same. “Will you wait here for me? I need to get a few things, and then we can walk to Hagrid’s.” He crossed the room to the door.
She frowned in confusion. “What?”
He turned to face her again. “I’m not going to just sit around this old place worrying.” He smiled at her.
Hermione began to smile back at him before her expression became somber again. “No.” She shook her head firmly. “You can’t. It’s too dangerous. This isn’t your fight.”
He crossed the room back to her and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Hermione, love. Your fight is my fight.” Then she kissed her lightly on the lips and strode out of the classroom.
*****
When Hagrid opened the old wooden door to his hut, he first looked at Hermione, and then questioningly glanced at Greg, then to their entwined hands, and back to Hermione.
“He’s coming with us,” she stated simply.
Hagrid nodded at her then looked at Greg. “Mr. Goyle,” he said kindly in greeting.
As the couple stepped into the hut, Greg looked up at him and nodded once. “Professor Hagrid.”
And when Hagrid asked Hermione how she intended on explaining Greg to Harry, she just smiled and said, “I’ll just tell him that Greg and I won’t be having a last encounter anytime soon.”
End.
-SiS
Last Encounter
Pairing: Greg/Hermione
Rating: Any Age
Summary: But now she was leaving, and there was a large possibility that she may never see him again. So would it hurt more to face him, or to have never gotten the chance to say goodbye?
Read Encounters Part I, First Encounter
Read Ecounters Part II, Second Encounter
It was a Saturday in the beginning of May, and while most students were outside enjoying the sunshine, Hermione Granger was busy in her dorm packing her necessities and writing letters to be delivered once she left the school.
This is what I should have done in the first place! Hermione berated herself the entire time. I should have just ignored the warnings and found Ron and Harry.
She had received an owl earlier that day from Harry.
G,
As much as W and I could have used your help and companionship on our journey, I am grateful that you did not come with us. You see, W has been wounded, possibly fatally, and I don’t think I could stand to see you both injured at this time.
But I do need you here now, G.
W and I were traveling back to the ancient house after finishing our last cup of tea. We used every precaution we could, but we were still attacked. After he was struck down, I ran to him and apparated the two of us straight to the front of the ancient house. I know, G, that was risky and dangerous of me, but I had to do it. For W.
He’s still unconscious and the OMs are remaining calm about the attack, but I know as well as they do what it means. He found a way to break through my personal wards and track me down. This means the confrontation will happen soon.
I hate to ask this of you, but I need you here, G. I don’t want to see you get hurt, but I know you would have found a way to the confrontation anyway. At least this way I will be able to see you before it begins.
As far as we can tell, nobody else has had their personal wards broken besides me, and we knew that would happen sooner or later due to my connection with Him. So you should be able to travel without an auror or OM, but you know you are still in danger. So please use every precaution.
-P
P.S. Don’t mention anything to HM. You know she won’t allow you to leave if she knows.
Hermione wanted to know more, but she knew that was as much information as Harry was able to put in the letter safely. They had been corresponding this way for months. They referred to each other using the initial of their surnames. ‘OM’ stood for Order Member, and ‘HM’ stood for Headmistress McGonagall. If Harry mentioned that he and Ron had had a ‘cup of tea,’ it meant they had destroyed another horcrux. And ‘ancient house’ was a reference to ‘The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black,’ meaning Number 12, Grimmauld Place.
Before beginning to pack, Hermione decided to visit the Headmistress to try and wheedle information from her. During her walk to her office, Hermione decided that she would not mention Harry’s letter. She would pretend that she was just checking in to see if there was any news. But when Hermione arrived at Headmistress McGonagall’s office, it was empty.
She hurried out to Hagrid’s hut, hoping to get some information from him. She knocked on Hagrid’s door, and despite the shuffling she could hear coming from inside his house, he did not answer. She knocked again, louder.
“Hagrid! I know you’re in there, I can hear you moving around!”
The door opened a crack, and one of Hagrid’s black eyes peered down at her. She waved at him, and he opened the door further to poke his head out, but he blocked her view of the inside of his hut with his body.
“Hey, Hermione. It’s good ter see yeh, but this ain’t such a good time. Could we talk later?” He glanced around outside, nervously.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “No, Hagrid. I think we need to talk now.”
“I’d love ter Hermione, but I got-”
He stopped what he was saying when she pulled Harry’s letter out of her cloak pocket, and he recognized the handwriting.
His forehead crinkled. “Harry been writin’ to yeh?”
She nodded, and he stepped away from the door to let her in. He closed it behind her quickly, and then shuffled across the room. A large suitcase was lying open on his bed, and Hagrid was tossing clothes into it.
“Where are you going, Hagrid?”
“Er... well, the Order’s called me, and I need ter be meetin’ up with them.”
“Is that where McGonagall is?”
He shifted on his feet uneasily, knowing that he shouldn’t answer her. Hermione remained silent, waiting for him to give up what he knew.
“Yes, but we’re the only two teachers going! The res’ of the Hogwarts staff and all the students are staying here where it’s safe, and that includes you. You need to stay here. No need to have you leaving the school, puttin’ yerself in danger fer no good reason.”
“‘No good reason,’ Hagrid? Harry told me what happened! He’s going to have to face Voldemort soon!”
Hagrid waved his arms around. “Shhh!” He pulled a curtain open just a crack to peer outside. “We don’ need everyone hearin’ yeh!”
She lowered her voice and continued. “Hagrid, you know I can’t just sit around here and do nothing. I have to go to Harry.”
He stared at her solemnly for a moment. “Fine, but yeh have to come with me. I’m not about ter let yeh go off travelin’ by yerself. I’m leavin’ exactly one hour after dinner, and if I get in trouble, I’m going to tell the Headmistress that you threatened me with one o’ them complicated hexes you know.”
It was now a half hour before dinner, and Hermione was finishing up the last of her letters. She had one for Neville, one for Luna, and one for Ginny to explain what was going on and a letter for her parents that she would have Ginny owl to them. As she folded the parchment and placed them into their respective envelopes, she contemplated over whether or not she wanted to write to Greg.
There was no reason to inform him of what was going on with Harry and the Order because he had no ties with them. But should she tell him she was leaving? He would worry whether he knew ahead of time or not.
Over the months, their friendship had grown, and before she knew it, she was falling for him. Falling for his thoughtfulness, witty humor, quiet nature, and even his clumsiness. She had said nothing to him about her feelings, instead keeping them to herself. Hermione had learned to cope with the fact that she was just not the type of girl that guys fancied. And as big-hearted as Gregory was, he was still a guy, and would probably prefer someone much more attractive than Hermione. He was her friend, and if he knew, he would be kind in letting her down and continue to be her friend, but she would never be able to face him after rejection, no matter how nicely he rejected her.
But now she was leaving, and there was a large possibility that she may never see him again. So would it hurt more to face him, or to have never gotten the chance to say goodbye?
*****
After she finished eating, Hermione looked up to find Greg looking at her from across the Hall. She smiled at him sadly. His expression became worried and questioning, as if to ask her what was wrong. Hermione’s eyes darted to the entrance of the Great Hall and back to Greg. He nodded, and she slowly rose and left the Hall.
He met her a moment later in the empty corridor, and she led him into an empty classroom.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was full of worry.
She faced away from him and tried her best to hold back her tears, but when she turned around and saw the concerned expression he wore, her sobs burst forth.
He quickly grabbed her and pulled her to him. One hand was running up and down her back as the other tangled in her curls and held her head to his chest. He made comforting noises and rested his cheek against the top of her head. It reminded her of their first encounter in the library. Hermione was so grateful for that night. So grateful for him. She hated that this was probably going to be their last encounter.
When her sobs subsided and she pulled away from him, he wiped the tears from her face and smoothed her hair back. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
She stifled another sob and looked up into his eyes. “It’s Ron and Harry. Ron’s been hurt, and Harry needs me. It... it’s going to happen soon.”
He held both of her small hands in his large, callused ones, and nodded his head in understanding. His thumbs were running in circles over the backs of her hands. “You’re going to them, then?”
She sniffled. “Yes.”
“When?”
“Tonight. In about an hour. I’ll be traveling with Hagrid.”
He nodded solemnly again. “Are your things packed? Is everything taken care of?”
As an answer, she pulled her packed and shrunken trunk out of her pocket and showed it to him.
Gregory dropped her hands and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. He pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her forehead. She was now crying again, and she pulled away just enough to look up at him.
He cradled her face in both of his large hands and began caressing tears from her face. Hermione’s heart was silently breaking, and when she noticed the tears welling up in his eyes, she thought that she would surely die on the spot. Finally, one errant tear spilled over and slowly crept down his face.
“God, Hermione.” His voice nearly cracked, but before he could sob, he lowered his face and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was tender yet firm. It was unyielding and passionate. It was just as she imagined and more, and she immediately responded to him. She kissed him fervently, trying to convey all the sadness and desperation of the moment and all of her hope for the future. Hermione opened her mouth to him, and his tongue gently stroked hers. Their tears streamed to their lips and mixed with their saliva. Salty and honest.
Gregory removed one hand from her face to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. She clutched at the front of his jumper, keeping his mouth pulled down to hers, although he had no intention of ever pulling away.
They held onto each other and kissed with wild abandon, burning their heartfelt emotions into each other’s minds. The moment was perfect and searing, and when they needed to finally pull away to catch their breath, they stared into each other’s eyes with the warmth of old lovers.
They wrapped their arms around each other, and he pressed a kiss to her temple. Hermione wanted to laugh with happiness, cry with sadness, and scream with frustration. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but felt instinctually that he already knew. So she just leaned back and smiled sadly at him.
He took a small step away from her, letting go, and she did the same. “Will you wait here for me? I need to get a few things, and then we can walk to Hagrid’s.” He crossed the room to the door.
She frowned in confusion. “What?”
He turned to face her again. “I’m not going to just sit around this old place worrying.” He smiled at her.
Hermione began to smile back at him before her expression became somber again. “No.” She shook her head firmly. “You can’t. It’s too dangerous. This isn’t your fight.”
He crossed the room back to her and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Hermione, love. Your fight is my fight.” Then she kissed her lightly on the lips and strode out of the classroom.
*****
When Hagrid opened the old wooden door to his hut, he first looked at Hermione, and then questioningly glanced at Greg, then to their entwined hands, and back to Hermione.
“He’s coming with us,” she stated simply.
Hagrid nodded at her then looked at Greg. “Mr. Goyle,” he said kindly in greeting.
As the couple stepped into the hut, Greg looked up at him and nodded once. “Professor Hagrid.”
And when Hagrid asked Hermione how she intended on explaining Greg to Harry, she just smiled and said, “I’ll just tell him that Greg and I won’t be having a last encounter anytime soon.”
End.
-SiS