Work Text:
https://youtu.be/i0p1bmr0EmE?is=sMfUyhLyrth8LoFL
[Intro]
TWICE What is love?
[Verse 1: Nayeon, Jeongyeon]
Every day, in a movie. In a book or in a drama, I feel love. Mm, I learn about love. My heart keeps beating as if it's my own story. It makes my heart pound and swell with hope. Mm, I'm so curious, I feel like I'm gonna go crazy.
Pre-Chorus: Mina, Chaeyoung]
Ooh, maybe someday. Could it happen to me too? (Ooh). When will it be? Who will it be?
[Chorus: Sana, Tzuyu, All]
(I wanna know) They say it's as sweet as candy. (I wanna know) They say it's like flying in the sky. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?). What does love feel like? (I wanna know) They say you smile all day long. (I wanna know) They say the whole world looks beautiful. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?)
Will love come to me someday too?
[Verse 2: Jihyo, Momo]
Just imagining all of this. Just thinking about it, it feels like my heart's gonna burst. Mm, it feels so good. If, one day, for real. Love does comes to me, I might just cry. Mm, I'm really curious, I feel like I'm going crazy
[Pre-Chorus: Mina, Dahyun]
Ooh, maybe someday. Could it happen to me too? (Ooh) When will it be? Who will it be?
[Chorus: Sana, Tzuyu, All]
(I wanna know) They say it's as sweet as candy. (I wanna know) They say it's like flying in the sky. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?). What does love feel like? (I wanna know) They say you smile all day long. (I wanna know) They say the whole world looks beautiful. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?). Will love come to me someday too?
[Verse 3: Dahyun, Chaeyoung]
Where in the world are you right now? Just when will we get to meet each other? When and how might our relationship start? I don't know right now, but somehow I feel. That it will be really good. Cooler than any movie or drama (Cooler). The greatest love will come, my gut instinct is always right (Ooh-ooh). Come on, show yourself, I'm all set, ready
[Bridge: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, All]
(Where are you?) I'm gonna find you. (Where are you?) I'm so dying to see you. I can't take it much longer
[Chorus: Jihyo, Nayeon, All]
They say it's as sweet as candy. They say it's like flying in the sky. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?). What does love feel like? They say you smile all day long. They say the whole world looks beautiful. (I wanna know, know, know, know, what is love?). Will love come to me someday too?
The scent of vanilla and old parchment always filled the ancient runes section of the library, but lately, Hermione Granger found a third scent intruding upon her sanctuary. The sharp, crisp smell of fresh air and broom polish. It reminded her of the last component in her Amortenia during her 6th year potions class. She always assumed it was about Ron, but after their short relationship after the war had ended she figured her assessment was wrong.
She kept her eyes glued to her ancient runes text book, her quill scratching against her parchment. But her attention was entirely gone. Across the table from her was Harry slouched in a chair, his glasses slightly crooked as he frowned deeply at a Defense Against the Dark Arts essay he had been working on. Every few minutes, he would run a hand through his messy black hair, making it stick up even more than usual. He remained completely oblivious to the way Hermione looked, her heart fluttering every single time he did it. She couldn't put her finger on why she was feeling that way. Then again she had been feeling like that for a while now.
The war had been over for a year. Both Harry and Hermione had chosen to return to Hogwarts for their eighth year to finish their education, to find normalcy, to heal. Meanwhile Ron had chosen to go through with auror training. And while everyone else seemed to be figuring out their lives, Hermione felt entirely stuck in a loop of her own making that had nothing to do with academics.
Over the summer, she had taken the liberty to go back to her childhood home and enclose herself there. Where she found herself watching romance movies. From Pretty in Pink, Pretty Woman, While You Were Sleeping, Sixteen Candles, Romeo + Juliet, Ever After, and Ghost. She wanted to be lost in the stories that were being told on the screen.
And since then Hermione had been daydreaming about a perfect, cinematic confession that would be stuck in her brain like the tattoo her and Harry got for his birthday. (They got a tattoo of a tree to represent the time in the tent)
Hermione rested her chin in her hands, staring at the ink of her runes assignment. Her mind kept drifting to the single question, What is love? For all her brilliance, for all her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T. prep, love was the one subject she had absolutely no clue on. She had tried it with Ron, but that had felt less like "sweet candy" and more like a familiar sort of love. One where they constantly bicker. Sure in the romance stories there was always conflict, but most of them looked like they were absolutely lost in love with their person. It didn't feel like the movies. I
‘If love is so wonderful,’ Hermione thought, glancing back up at Harry, ‘Why hasn't anyone written a clear, logical textbook on it?’
Harry chose that exact moment to look up. His brilliant green eyes locked onto hers, and the frown vanished, replaced by a warm, lopsided smile that reached all the way to his ears.
"You're doing that thing again," Harry murmured, leaning across the table.
"What thing?" Hermione asked, her cheeks immediately warming.
"The thing where you look at a book, but your brain is clearly three miles away. What's on your mind, Mi?"
"Nothing," she said quickly. "Just... working on my runes."
Harry chuckled, a low, comfortable sound. "Right. Well, if the brightest witch of our age can't solve it, the rest of us are doomed. Come on, Madame Pince is looking at us like she wants to transfigure our books into bricks. Let's get some air."
As they walked down the stone corridors toward the Black Lake, Hermione found herself observing Harry thinking about the question that again has been haunting her since the summer.
In the movies, the love interest always did something grand. He would stop rainstorms, catch her as she fell, or look at her with an intensity that made the music swell. She had wanted that.
Hermione and Harry stepped out into the crisp autumn air, Harry just pulled his Gryffindor scarf tighter around his neck and bumped his shoulder against hers.
"Brr. It’s freezing. If you turn into an icicle, I’m not carrying you back up to the tower," he teased.
"You would absolutely carry me," Hermione countered, a small smile breaking through her trance. “And besides we are witches and wizards Harry.” they made it to the edge of the Black lake.
Harry rolled his eyes at her last comment. He ignored it and went on with his previous sentiment, "Yeah, alright, I would," Harry admitted softly. He looked out over the water of the lake, his expression turning thoughtful. "But I’d complain the whole way." She snorted, tapping his arm causing him to chuckle.
They sat down on their usual bench beneath a sprawling oak tree. Hermione pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her cloak tightly around herself. "Harry?" she asked suddenly.
"Yeah?" He turned to her with curiosity
"Do you ever wonder what it’s supposed to feel like? Love, I mean." Harry blinked, clearly caught off guard.
He turned his head to look at her, his green eyes searching her face. His face unreadable, "Where is this coming from? Are you... missing Ron?"
"No! No, not at all," Hermione said quickly, waving her hand. "We’re much better than we are now. As friends,” she said firmly to not give room for misunderstanding, “well more like siblings with the way we bicker.” Harry stilled at this, but Hermione hadn't noticed as she continued to speak, “It’s just... I’ve been reading, and thinking. In books and Muggle movies, love is described as this world-shattering, cinematic event. It’s supposed to make your heart race, and make you feel like you’re flying without a broom, and make everything look brighter. I just... I wonder if I’m missing a component. I’ve never felt like I was in a movie."
Harry quieted down, his gaze dropping to his sneakers. He kicked a loose pebble into the grass.
"I used to think about that too," Harry said after a long silence. "Growing up in a cupboard, I watched a lot of movies through the door or listen to the telly from the hallway. I saw the Dursleys love Dudley in their own way. It was something loud and shiny you know." He shifted on the his feet, turning his body toward her. Hermione stilled as she recalled Harry's childhood. She cursed herself for asking Harry. She inhaled sharply allowing Harry to continue to talk.
"But then I came to Hogwarts," Harry continued, his voice dropping to a gentle, steady register. "And I found out what it really was.... for me, anyway."
Hermione relaxed, asking him, “And what is it?"
"It’s not a movie, Hermione," Harry said, reaching out to her. His hand hesitated before he gently covered hers, where it rested on her knee. His skin was warm against hers "It’s the person who stays up with you until three in the morning in the common room when you’re having nightmares about the war, making sure you actually drink your tea. It’s the person who knows exactly how you take your toast, and who tells you the truth even when you don't want to hear it because they care about your survival more than your feelings." Hermione snorted at this causing Harry to roll his eyes.
He squeezed her hand. "If you're looking for a movie moment, you might miss the thing that's actually real," Harry whispered. "Love isn't a spell that changes the lighting of the room. It’s just... the person you never want to face the dark without. Hermione stared at their joined hands. Her heart was pounding against her chest. The warmth from his palm was spreading up her arm, and throughout her body.
She looked up into Harry's eyes. They weren't under a spotlight. There was no orchestral music swelling in the background. There were just the two of them—Harry and Hermione, sitting under an old tree by the lake.
Then suddenly, her thoughts made sense. She had been looking for something that was there all along. She had been too in her head to realize that the boy standing before her had been her entire world.
"Harry," Hermione breathed, her voice suddenly trembling.
"Yeah?" He asked with the same lopsided smile, realizing that Hermione finally got her answer.
"I think... I think I finally understand what I was looking for."
Harry smiled, but it was a little breathless this time. He didn't drop her hand as his thumb began to trace slow, deliberate circles over the back of her knuckles. "And what is it, Hermione?"
"You," she said with certainty, "It's always been you. I was looking for a movie—a snapshot of what love could be when I had you the entire time. Harry, you are more than just my best friend... I am whole heartingly in love with you."
Harry’s eyes widened when the realization hit him. A smile spread across his face. He pulled her into his orbit, pressing their lips together. She was caught off guard, but it was a wanted surprise as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
The kiss itself sent shivers down her body, it felt raw, and full of love. Something she had missed when she kissed Ron, Theo, Nevielle, Viktor, or the boy across the street. As a witch she knew magic and this was magic. After a few moments they finally came up for air. Harry pressed his forehead to hers, still smiling at her. His thumbs circled her cheek.
"Took you long enough, Mi," he murmured. "I've been waiting for you to finally look my way for months. After my split from Daphne I saw you for you, Mi." She inhaled sharply recalling his relationship with the blonde. Hermione always felt jealous over the girl and now she knew why. Daphne was touching someone that was hers. Her expression darken at that thought.
Harry saw it and chuckled, kissing the side of her cheek, “Me and her worked before the hunt. But I am not the person that left her. We have gone through something huge, Hermione. We got through it together and we have since I was eleven and you were twelve, my silly girl.” Hermione searched his face, her own relaxing just slightly. “But even then I felt like something was missing. And I figured it out when you and Ron kissed during the battle.”
Hermione's mouth went dry, she wanted to say something, but was stopped by Harry, “Don't apologize. Don't you ever feel bad for what happened before you knew about my feelings. You had feelings for Ron like I had them for Daphne, but they were not the ones for us. And yes I felt jealous, and I tried to move on with Daphne. To pick things up like they were before, but again like I said I had no genuine romantic feelings for her any more. When I saw you I felt something. When I touched you, I knew I wanted more. And now that I have you, I will never let you go. I love you Hermione Jean Granger. From here on out you are stuck with me, and my love.”
Before she could respond, Harry leaned in to give her another kiss. This time it was more gentle, slow, and tasted faintly of the sweet mint frogs he’d been snacking on earlier. It was more than she ever could imagine, sending thrills straight down her spine that made her feel like how Harry would describe flying a broom.
When they pulled apart, Hermione let out a soft laugh, leaning her head against his shoulder as his arm slid securely around her waist, pulling her against his side. They turn to look towards the lake, now she is lost in the thoughts of their future.
She didn't need textbooks, movies, television shows, or even songs to know. What love is, because to her love was exactly this.