Reverie

Reverie

Summary:

Death. The word is easily spoken, yet does everyone in the world know exactly what it means? The most recent death in the tale of Harry Potter stains the world, weeping over the loss; the people have lost all hope. Now what will become the torch to light the world to victory over the growing darkness?

Disclaimer:

Everything concerning Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. I, Runningidiot, own nothing from this story, and do not plan on making any sort of profit by selling. I do not intend to make a mockery of the epic tale of Harry James Potter, but I continue to write H.P fanfiction for the mere enjoyment of it. I wish to light the fires of all Harry/Hermione supporters out there and let them become optimistic for the next book, rather then hate to see it come out.

Rating:

For now it stands at PG13. Notice the “for now” right? This can change in later chapters. You have been warned.

Author Note:

The second chapter to hit Portkey, after many attempts on this chapter, I decided this one was the best of all of them. Enjoy reading, and please review!

Chapter 2:

Truth

How I came to be where I am today, I do not know. Harry and Ron's combined forces and wit (I snorted at that observation) persuaded me to journey with the two of them to find the Horcruxes. I knew I promised Harry last year that Ron and I would be with him, but I was still uncertain on skipping the final year of Hogwarts.

“What about our N.E.W.Ts?!” I complained to them only to receive rolling eyes from both of them. “What about careers after Hogwarts?!”

Ron looked at me with a sad expression. “You just don't get it do you?” The red-head said slowly. “We may not have a life after all of this, Hermione; kinda hard to get a career when you're dead.” He added somewhat sarcastically.

“Listen, Hermione.” Said Harry, his tone less hostile then his friend's, “like you once said there are some things more important than homework.”

It was that, if anything, that convinced me to start the sojourn with them. We left my house, my parents not knowing where I was going. I told Harry, who looked rather concerned that my parents didn't know where I was going, that I didn't even know where I was going so it would have been a waste of potentially good time and, most likely, I wouldn't be allowed to go.

And so we departed via the Knight bus, zooming along the country side, I asked Harry where he was aiming to go and he just shook his head, telling me to wait and see. Ron, throughout the entire trip, was staring at me, making me feel uncomfortable. When Harry had gone to ask Stan where we were at the current moment, my heart skipped a beat. Ron and I were alone.

He rose from his seat, tentatively walking over to the unoccupied one next to me and setting himself in it. I looked at the floor determining, not wanting to look at Ron.

“What's up with you?” He asked, his once hostile tone now gone.

“No-nothing,” I replied, trying to keep my voice even. “Well, except for us … us going out and doing all of this.”

Ron laughed heartedly, falling to the ground when the bus took an unexpected stop. Muttering several curses, he rose and took his seat again. I watched this progress with a semi-amused expression, yet I couldn't help but notice how pathetic Ron looked.

“We did promise him you know.” He said seriously, yet there was still a hint of red on his face, I shrugged wishing Harry would come back up soon. I couldn't stand being this close to Ron.

I knew I had feelings for him, feelings more than friendship, yet I couldn't stand them, I didn't want any distractions during this journey, and I knew Ron's mere presence was a distraction, but if we were going somewhere with this relationship … I didn't want to think about it, I told my mind to forget about these feelings. I didn't even know why I had these feelings, in my own opinion, Ron was all about looks. So is this just like Harry's infatuation with Cho Chang? I shivered slightly at that name, for some reason, while Harry was dating the oriental girl; I couldn't help but feel more … antsy then usual.

I continued to converse with Ron, usually only adding a nod or two in, with mutterings of “yeah,” “yeah, I agree,” into the conversation. I couldn't help but look up at the front of the bus, where Harry was chatting with Stan, he didn't have a smile or any sort of expression on his face, other than something that looked rather … uncomfortable.

I rose from my seat and felt my feet moving me automatically toward my black haired best friend. As I drew closer to the front of the bus, it took another unexpected stop, sending me crashing and screaming to the ground. I couldn't help but snort with laughter when I heard Ron also fall to the ground.

“Hey, you okay?” My head automatically shot upward to see an amused expression staring at me. Harry lowered his hand to help me up.

“Than-thanks,” I stuttered, still trying to get my balance, I vowed that I would create another, safer, bus system.

As Harry led me back to our original seats - Ron was sitting across from me now, maybe sensing my uncomfortable feel when I was too close to him - and we sat down, a relatively uncomfortable silence around us.

I couldn't stand another minute of it. Here we were, three best friends for six years, in the middle of July, yet we couldn't even talk to one other. I opened my mouth to say something, but found nothing coming. I was sparred the pleasure of starting a conversation when Ron asked Harry if he's been keeping up with Quidditch.

He shook his head, but prompted the discussion about the Quidditch league, which was momentarily halted because of the conquest of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

I couldn't find any part of the discussion to fall into, so I continued to ponder about what was steadily happening to our, once grand, world. The death of Albus Dumbledore shook the world; everyone couldn't help but feel really guilty about not trusting his and Harry's opinions two years ago. Now the Ministry was in shambles, the Order of the Phoenix disbanded, scattered without a leader. Even I, Hermione Granger, felt guilty because of the betrayal of Severus Snape, who I thought was truly on our side. Instead, he betrays the hopes of all of the staff members of Hogwarts and murders the beloved Dumbledore.

I felt my hands curl into fists, even with this action my strength did not increase at all. For the rest of the trip I felt angry at every part of Snape, giving the illusion to Dumbledore that he was aligned with the Headmaster. Why had Snape saved Harry repeatedly throughout his career at Hogwarts despite hating him? Was it just to convince Dumbledore that he was on his side while secretly seeping information to Voldemort.

Another stop halted my thoughts as I screamed, tumbling to the floor. Though, other screams erupted from the front of the car, these ones of pain and agony. I rose quickly, trying to spot the source of the panic.

Black cloaks, multiple flashes of green light, no doubt about it.

“Death Eaters!” Ron exclaimed, drawing his wand and dashing forward. I screamed after him, but to no avail.

“Come on!” Harry urged me onward, grabbing my elbow painfully. He apologized when he noticed the grim expression on my face, but wasted no time in dashing off to assist Ron. I soon followed them.

The usual masks were dawned upon their faces, hiding their true identities from the world. Harry was combating one in the aisle, blocking me from attacking any Death Eaters. A sudden, resounding crash from behind me changed that though.

A large hole was now taking up part of the wall behind me, just where the three of us were sitting moments before. Several Death Eaters poured in; I shot a Stunning charm at one, catching him in the chest, sending him propelling backwards and crashing into more Death Eaters, anxiously coming into the bus for more fun.

“AVADA KEDAVRA!” A female Death Eater sent the spell at me, I prepared to duck, but if I did Harry - who was currently duelling a Death Eater behind me - would take the curse and end all hope of ever defeating Voldemort.

“DUCK!” I yelled to him, hitting him slightly in the back, he exclaimed an ineligible sound no doubt signalling that he was in pain. He followed my instruction though, falling to the ground.

The surprised Death Eater Harry was combating with moments before took the blow, sending him crashing onto the ground, an eerie green glow shrouding his body.

“Let's go!” The Boy-who-lived said, rising from the ground speedily and taking me with him. I still had my back to him and continued to send every spell I knew at the mass of Death Eaters storming in from the back way, I knew I was bound to take a couple of them down, but I knew it made hardly any difference.

As we passed tumbled chairs, I noticed several bodies, no doubt lifeless bodies, of unknown Wizards and Witches. The Death Eaters merely stormed the Knight Bus, no doubt waiting for the purple Decker bus to stop at one point in the world, then ambush it and kill as many innocents as possible.

“But this many Death Eaters just for fun killing?” I thought to myself as I sent - yet another - Stunner at a stumbling Death Eater, causing him to trip more Death Eaters on his way to the floor. “It seems rather like … overkill.”

“Hermione,” The Boy-who-lived's voice said slowly. He halted in his pursuit of the driver's seat; making me halt my thoughts and movement, I turned to what he was talking about and - what I saw - shocked me.

There was our biggest rival, Draco Malfoy, pointing his wand at the neck of Ron Weasley while a bigger Death Eater held him in mid-air. I stepped forward, pushing Harry out of the way.

“NO, RON!” I screamed, this couldn't be … I loved hi-

“Tough luck Mudblood,” Malfoy sneered. “Crucio,” the Death Eater holding Ron let go of him as he crumbled to the ground, screaming out in utter pain and agony. Malfoy held his wand, keeping it pointed at the red haired body with a wide, evil looking, smile on his face. “I was the one who persuaded the Dark Lord to do this, I knew waiting for the Knight Bus would give us something fun to do, and cause the world to fear for their lives.

“Fear is something that comes naturally in humans, isn't it Mudblood?” He looked up, cackling slightly at his brilliance of capturing his long time rivals. I heard the Death Eaters close in from behind me, and immediately spun around, Stunning another Death Eater. “DON'T! EXPELLIARMUS!”

My wand flew from my grasp, and Malfoy caught it easily, spinning it around between his fingers. Then, realization dawned upon his face and he tossed the wand out the window. “Ack, disgusting, Mudblood germs!”

I seethed, watching my wand shattering the glass window and fly into the afternoon air.

“And don't you do anything, Potter!” I turned to my best friend, seeing his own wand poised for combat. I noticed that Ron was regaining consciousness, I gasped, realizing that Malfoy released the spell when he disarmed me and didn't realize it at all. Ron slowly, and silently, rose from the ground, catching the attention of all the surrounding Death Eaters, who were talking amongst themselves, perhaps wondering if Malfoy had noticed.

“My Lord, Draco!” One called out, he looked up but dismissed the call and returned his gaze to Harry.

“Oh, how the Dark Lord will reward me when he learns I killed you.” He smiled widely, sharp white teeth shinning from between his two lips.

“NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!” Malfoy spun around, but was too late; Ron smacked him across the face with his fist, sending the Sytherin crumbling to the ground. Harry and I rushed over, but didn't make it far, for many Stunning charms shot out from all sides, catching the three of us before we could gather ourselves together.

I felt the red hot spell pierce me, sending me into a cold, dark, realm, I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't move. I felt cold, empty, no thoughts portrayed within my mind. I wanted someone, anyone to hold onto.

Hours, maybe even days, passed by. I knew not, but when I awoke, I felt new, reawakened. I found my vision blurry, I could see smudges of people, all wearing black it seemed, in front of me, their expressions obscured.

“Can you hear me?” A stern voice asked I felt the answer pouring out of my mouth before I had time to consider the question.

“Yes,” I answered simply enough, my vision returned to me, I saw two people standing in front of me, one I recognized as -

“Snape,” I thought sourly, he was leaning against the wall to my right, looking rather bored and his wand in a resting position, dangling loosely in his right hand. I viewed my surroundings and guessed that I was in some sort of cell, for the walls were made of seemingly icy cold plain stone bricks, and towering silver bars blocked the only exit the small room held. I was sitting up on a small bed, I also noticed that my clothes were rather dusty, but other than that, they looked the same as before.

“Good,” the interrogator said I turned to him, observing his pale face and thin eyebrows, his eyes were long and thin, just like his eyebrows, and resembled those of cats. His voice, from what I could tell, was slightly hoarse, sounding as though he needed a few cough drops. “Good, now, what is your name?”

“Hermione Granger,” I wanted to give him a fake name, but yet again, the answer flew out of my throat.

He nodded again, rising from the ground; he was kneeling before me a moment ago. “What is your relationship with Harry Potter?”

I was caught off-guard by the question, but not as much as the answer. “I love him,”

Snape snorted, and the interrogator smiled widely. “The Dark Lord will adore this.” He said to Snape with a hearty laugh. Though I was ignoring this, there was no doubt left in me that I had not taken Veritaserum, the truth-telling potion. I could not lie when I had taken this potion; I found I couldn't speak at all unless I was spoken too as well.

The Interrogator turned back to me, preparing to ask me another question no doubt. “What if dear Harry was to die?”

“I would die as well. I need him as much as he needs me.” What am I saying?! I wanted to storm out of here, go back to sleep where I could dream of Ron and I. I didn't love Harry! I didn't!

“What about your other friend? Ronald Weasley?”

“He's a friend, I keep telling myself that I have feelings for him, I force myself to dream of him rather than Harry.” That's not true! I hated myself, knowing it was all true. I felt like the biggest hypocrite at that moment.

“Really? Really … he'll be mad about that won't he?”

“No doubt,” I answered bluntly and the interrogator chortled heartedly.

The interviewer stepped forward, kneeling down in front of me; I looked past him though, not seeing any of his features. I tried to imagine what Harry and Ron were going through at this moment. Most likely, they too, were being interrogated as well.

Though these thoughts could not block out the other, worse, thoughts. Thoughts about Harry, and how I've been trying to ignore the fact that I was in love with him all these years, I valued his bravery, his courage, and his determination to do whatever was possible to keep his friends safe.

Yet when that Cho Chang cam-

“What made you love, dear Harry?” The interrogator asked, sealing away any further delving into my thoughts.

“Everything about him pleased me immensely.” I said in one breath easily. I wanted to cry out, I didn't want anyone - least of all Ron - to know about this, and no doubt the interrogator would spill this all out to him and Harry. “After becoming friends with him, I realized how uncomfortable he was with his fame, I saw how uncomfortable he was whenever someone looked up at his scar, and when he was talked about in the Daily Prophet or by other students. I knew more about him than he did when I met him. I had several books mentioning him, and I understood what he was going through at the moment. To this day I do not know how he's survived this long without someone, anyone, to just depend on.

“I thought he had finally found that source of salvation when he came to Hogwarts, he had a home, and somewhere he could go and feel appreciated. I continued to observe his features every year there after, trying effortlessly to find out if he had found someone he could love. That's what he needed now you see, he's got a home; Hogwarts. He's got friends, even more than me probably, now he just needs someone to touch, and love.

“I thought, yet again, he found that person with the discovery of his godfather, Sirius Black. But that was parenthood, rather than real love. I knew, in that same year, he had also developed a crush for the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang. And in our fifth year, they became a couple.

“I was relieved, he had found someone to love, and he had found someone to hold onto, to kiss, to do whatever he and she wanted to do. But now, I couldn't help but feel jealous of Cho; with her great looks and amazing Quidditch playing. I was the know-it-all, the one who's nose was always in a book at every moment. I knew Harry wouldn't go for me if his life depended on it.

“Then I started to notice Ron's jealousy in my so-called `relationship' with Viktor Krum, who I had met in my fourth year, and I discovered that he liked me. He noticed, for the first time, in our fourth year that I was, in fact, a girl, and took this chance to develop feelings for me. I knew I didn't love him back though, but I didn't want to hurt him, I soon convinced myself that I too was in love with him, and, in our sixth year, him and I became a couple.

“I was happy, somewhat, that Harry wasn't feeling left out, for he had found another girlfriend when Cho dumped him. Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister. I felt jealousy gripping at me, but I continued to smile at Harry and kiss Ron, though I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss the Boy-who-lived.

“I suppose it was the addiction of finding exactly what Harry needed in life that made me fall for him. I know now that I love him, that I'm the only person that can provide that last, rather essential, need for him.”

The two Death Eaters, I was merely presuming that the interrogator was also a member of the cult, stared blankly at me, no doubt not used to long explanations like that. They both left the room, shutting the barred door with a snap and covered the openings between the bars, sealing off all the light seeping into the cell.

I felt more alone then then I have ever in my life. I knew what I wanted at that moment, and that was Harry.