"Oh, and one more thing," she murmured, "it has never, ever been your fault. You have never been responsible for any of the deaths of your friends and family." Hermione felt him tense in her arms, and she held him tightly.
"You have had a terrible lot in life, Harry, I know." She whispered reassuringly. "You have been put through trials no person should ever have to face. You have been punished when you have done nothing wrong. But believe me when I say that none of it has EVER been your fault. You are not to blame."
As the sincerity of her words and her assurance that he was not to blame settled into his mind, many long standing emotional walls within him began to fall. Clutching onto her tightly, Harry began to cry as he was overcome by seven years of guilt, pain and misery.
While he was racked with sobs, releasing all that pent up pain, Hermione simply held him firmly, whispering soft and loving reassurances into his ear. They stood for a while, unmoving from the middle of platform, as Harry rode out his emotional breakdown.
After a time, he regained his composure and steadied his breathing. Hearing him relax, she pulled back slightly from their embrace, smiling tenderly as she looked into his blood shot and puffy eyes.
"Better?" Hermione asked him caringly.
He did not reply. Instead, he leant forward and caught her lips, kissing her with all the feeling he could muster within himself. A short time later, the pair parted to breathe with a gasp, and he smiled at her.
"Better." He replied, grinning at her puffy lips and slightly dazed expression.
After Hermione's mind had fully reengaged, he pulled her into an embrace and the two stood quietly, enjoying the moment. Again, Harry could feel tears on his face, and he pulled away from her to remove them.
"I'm sorry," he laughed, wiping his eyes furiously. "I have no idea why I'm crying so much right now." She rolled her eyes and smiled back.
"There's nothing wrong with a good cry once in a while, Harry." She replied playfully, but continued seriously. "We have been through a lot this past year. It looks like it just caught up to you." He nodded in understanding. "If anyone has an excuse to let their emotions out for a while, it's you. And you know I'm always happy to listen." He smiled warmly.
"I know," he replied, "and the same goes for you. Merlin knows we both need to vent." She nodded in reply, and after a brief pause, Harry smiled shyly and continued. "Thank you, Hermione." She smiled at him confusedly.
"What for?" She asked curiously.
"For being there for me," he replied softly, "for loving me. For just being you. I love you so very much." Her heart melted at his words and she kissed him tenderly.
"I love you too, Harry," she whispered, "so very much." Once again, they pulled each other into a tight embrace, and stood hugging in the empty train station.
Or at least, they thought it was empty.
As they held each other, they became aware of tearful sniffling coming from further down the platform. Upon realising there was someone else there, their well honed instincts from the past year swung into action.
In a single deft movement, they stepped apart, turned to face this new entity, while moving to grab their wands. Unfortunately, their wands were not in their usual places, and so with no defence, they settled for staring at the intruder.
The entity appeared to be a woman. She was short and young looking, maybe about twenty years old, with brown hair and foggy grey eyes. She was wearing what appeared to be blue denim jeans and a bubblegum pink blouse.
Clearly, she had been crying also, as her eyes were also rather bloodshot and puffy, much like Harry's had been. Indeed, she was holding a white handkerchief to her eyes to wipe away tears. Upon seeing them looking at her, her eyes widened and she squeaked in shock.
"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt! I...I didn't want to barge into such a beautiful moment," she sniffed loudly and quickly dabbed at new tears that were forming, "but I just go to pieces when I see people getting emotional!" She punctuated this by blowing her nose loudly on her handkerchief.
Harry and Hermione watched her trying to compose herself in bemusement, before sharing a look of confusion with the other. What on earth was going on here? All thought of danger left their heads at the surreal situation, leaving them instead deeply perplexed.
"Err, that's ok," Harry said slowly, as she dabbed her eyes again, "I...I'm sorry, but...who are you?"
Having sufficiently composed herself, she banished the handkerchief into nothingness, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, she breathed out and opened her eyes again, grinning at the pair.
"Righto Harry," she exclaimed happily, "introductions! My name is Amanda," she straightened herself up and stuck out her hand, "pleasure to finally meet you!"
Carefully, Harry leant forward and shook her hand, followed closely by Hermione who did the same. Amanda shook their hands vigorously, before standing back and beaming at the pair. Seeing that the duo were a bit unnerved, she quickly spoke again.
"Sorry if I seem to be a bit...excitable," Amanda apologised, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet, "I am just so glad to finally see the two of you together! It should have happened years ago, of course...but at least you are together now!"
As she spoke, Harry and Hermione shared a glance and smiled shyly at the other. Amanda was right, they were together and that was all that mattered. Hermione gently took his hand in hers and they laced their fingers together. Amanda grinned at the moment and clapped her hands excitedly.
"Ah, I never get tired of seeing young love," she announced, letting out a romantic sigh, before snapping out of it and shaking her head, "come on Amanda, stay on track! Right, now where was I?" She asked herself confusedly.
"I think we were still at introductions," Hermione said helpfully. Amanda snapped her fingers and nodded.
"Yes! Yes, we were!" She agreed. "Right, yes! As I said, I am Amanda! And of course, I know who you both are!" Amanda grinned at the pair. "Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger!" Their eyes widened in surprise.
"You know our names?" Hermione asked, astonished. Amanda scoffed at the question.
"Of course I do," she said dismissively, "you're two of my best works! Even if things went a bit...wrong towards the end..." She muttered the last part, seemingly annoyed by something.
"What?" Harry asked in confusion. "Just...what?"
"I think some exposition would be helpful." Hermione added, putting Harry's question a bit more eloquently.
"Righto, Hermione!" Amanda agreed. "First things first, do you know where you are?" They looked at each other in confusion, before replying.
"Well, we're pretty sure we're dead," Harry said rather glibly, "and as this doesn't look like heaven or hell, I assume we are in limbo, or purgatory." She shrugged slightly.
"Yes and no," she replied. "Yes, you are dead...ish, but no, this is not limbo. This place," she gestured around herself, "is a bridge between the mortal realm, and what lies beyond. You can think of it as a waiting room of sorts."
"Wait, wait!" Harry exclaimed, still stuck on the first bit. "Dead-ish?! How can we be dead-ish?!" She waved her hand dismissively.
"I'll get to that in a bit, Harry." Amanda said, before moving on. "Now, as you might have guessed, I am not from the mortal world, but from the beyond. As a matter of fact, I work for the 'Boss'," she gestured to the ceiling. Their eyes widened in understanding.
"Y-you mean, God?" Hermione whispered.
"That's one of the names mortals have for him, yeah," Amanda replied, "but he's less 'grand-creator-of-everything', and more an overseer of the rest of us! We report to him, and he keeps us in check!" Hermione looked a little let down by that answer.
"So...he's basically your manager?" She asked disappointedly. Amanda nodded.
"Yeah, essentially," she replied. Seeing Hermione's expression, she shrugged apologetically and continued. "Yeah, I know, what the Boss does isn't very exciting!" She giggled to herself and cast an eye upward. "He probably won't be happy with me for saying that, but his job isn't! My job, on the other hand, is far more interesting..." She paused here for a moment, excitedly waiting for one of them to ask her. Harry decided to take the bait.
"And what is your job?" Harry asked curiously.
"Glad you asked, Harry," Amanda exclaimed, beaming at him, "my job is to oversee all romantic relationships in the mortal world! I create new ones, maintain old ones, destroy failing or dangerous ones, etcetera, etcetera..." she gestured with her hand, indicating it didn't matter.
"So...you're the goddess of love?" Harry summarised in amazement.
"Pretty much, yeah!" Amanda replied.
"Wow, that's...awesome!" Harry said excitedly. "I can't believe we are speaking to an actual goddess!" Amanda blushed at his excitement, and smiled sheepishly. Hermione, meanwhile, was thinking about this revelation.
"If you don't mind, can I ask a question?" Hermione asked, to which the goddess nodded. "If your name is Amanda, how come mythology doesn't use your name? There are so many different names for the Goddess of Love...Isis, Venus, Aphrodite..." she began to trail off as she saw Amanda's expression darken.
"Well," she huffed angrily, "you'd have to ask those damned poets and bards, wouldn't you?! Apparently, Amanda isn't a good enough name for a goddess! And after all I did for them, as well..."
Amanda seethed silently on this for a few minutes, and as she did so, Harry and Hermione shared a look. Clearly, this was a very old wound that had just been reopened. It was odd seeing the boisterous woman looking so downcast.
"Well if you don't mind me saying so," Harry began tentatively, "I think Amanda is a very pretty name...and a perfectly acceptable name for a goddess. Don't let the words of a bunch of long dead poets get you down." Amanda flushed slightly, and offered him a small smile.
"Thanks Harry," she said softly, "that's sweet of you to say. You're right; I shouldn't let it get to me." Seeing the goddess begin to perk up, Hermione chimed in.
"I'm sorry Amanda," Hermione apologised gently, "sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me. I didn't mean to offend..." Amanda waved her hand, indicating it didn't matter.
"That's ok, Hermione," Amanda replied, "it's just a very old sticking point for me." She quietly grumbled to herself for a moment. "Should have set Death on those damned poets, that would teach them...or perhaps Mania?" She considered this briefly, before shaking her head. "Anyway, I'm getting off track, yet again!" Amanda exclaimed, before getting herself back on track.
"Normally, when you die, that's that!" The immortal began to explain. "You will pass through here briefly, but not for long before going on to the next world! We have held you both here because of some...irregularities."
"Irregularities?" Harry asked incredulously. "What sort of irregularities?" Amanda winced and ran a hand through her hair.
"Well...the major kind, unfortunately Harry," she replied softly, "chief among which being that..." she hesitated for a moment, "...you weren't meant to die...either of you."
Harry and Hermione stared at her in shock. Had they heard her right? Surely not. But why else would they be here if it weren't true? All their terror, all their pain, and the sacrifice of their lives were for nothing?
"What?" Hermione whispered, her grip on Harry's hand tightening with the blow.
"Not meant to die?!" Harry exclaimed, deeply upset. "How can that be?! It was necessary, it was! I had to die to save everyone in Hogwarts! And...and to give someone else the chance to end him for good!"
"I'm not saying your deaths were meaningless, Harry," Amanda hastened to add, upon seeing their reaction, "of course not! You gave your lives in defence of others!"
"Then what do you mean?!" Harry pressed, his temper flaring at this topic.
"Oh," Amanda moaned, resting her face in her hands, "I'm not explaining myself very well at all." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "What I mean is, that whole situation need not have happened! The final battle, your hunt for the horcruxes, all of it! Riddle would have been defeated after your deaths, but it was all so wasteful! Too many people lost their lives, and so much damage was done..."
"We did our best," Hermione angrily countered, tears in her eyes, "we were given an impossible task to complete, with little to no support! How could we have saved more lives, than we did?"
"You couldn't have done," Amanda replied softly, trying to calm the witch, "that's not what I'm saying. You both did brilliantly, despite the circumstances." She smiled briefly, before her face turned grim. "But, you should never have been put in that position. It wasn't meant to happen the way it did. And the blame for that lies with one man and one man alone."
"Who?" Harry asked coolly as he finally understood what the immortal was trying to explain to them.
"Albus, bloody, Dumbledore..." Amanda replied frostily, her anger at the man palpable.
The fury and disgust which she levelled at their deceased headmaster surprised Harry and Hermione. Harry's first instinct was to defend his old mentor, but the sudden recollection that he was talking to a goddess stilled his tongue. Gods were not likely to lie to people, he imagined. Upon seeing their disquiet, Amanda held up her hand.
"We will get to your...dunderhead of a professor in due course," Amanda replied, trying to control her anger with the man, "I promise. But first," she smiled, brightening up, "there are a few people who would like to say hello..."
As her last words escaped her lips, four figures began to disembark from the carriages of the Hogwarts Express, improbably still shrouded by the mist. As they approached, cutting through the haze covering the platform, Hermione gasped and Harry's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh my God," Hermione whispered, tears in her eyes as she recognised the very familiar faces before her.
She glanced up at Harry, who was staring at the quartet with wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. Slowly, Harry took a hesitant few steps forward, Hermione releasing his hand as she did not follow. He was completely oblivious to this, as he was to the tears which now streamed down his cheeks.
There were three men and a woman stood before him. The woman was a beautiful red head, with kind and warm emerald green eyes. The man stood next to her was tall with coal black hair and mischievous brown eyes.
"Mum," Harry croaked, "Dad?" Lily and James Potter beamed at him, nodding to his question.
The other two men stood next to but apart from his parents. The first had bright, sparkling grey eyes, and also had black hair, but it was more shaggy and unkempt than his father. The last man had mousy brown hair, a claw-like scar running down his face, and startlingly intense amber eyes.
"Sirius," he whispered, "Remus?" His godfather and honorary uncle Sirius Black and Remus Lupin also nodded in reply, wide smiles on their faces.
Harry stared at the four of them, his eyes flitting from face to face, overwhelmed by this turn of events and unsure what to do. Eventually, however, the great yearning he had to embrace his parents again won out. With an unrestrained sob, Harry ran and threw himself into his parent's open arms.
For the first time since Halloween 1981, the Potter family was reunited once more.