The Phoenix Prophecy

The Phoenix Prophecy

Book II – Chapter 1 – Part 2

Sunday, August 16,^, 1998

Hermione: (7:30 AM)

Harry’s kiss was tender and passionate, without being demanding. Nestled against the warmth of his flesh, his arms holding me tightly, I felt loved, protected and at peace with myself. For some reason, images of mum and dad’s smiling faces suddenly flashed through my mind. I knew that they would be proud of me, as they always had been. Dad had said on more than one occasion that I had a keen sense of timing and mum tended to agree. Given everything that had happened, I was quite sure that they would not have any objections to my getting married. If only they could be there…

As the images of their loving faces faded slowly from view, I felt a lump form in the back of my throat and a knot begin to grow in the pit of my stomach. The smiles on their faces had dissolved into looks of abject sorrow, which caused an intense feeling of despair to come crashing down on me. Abruptly, with out warning, my jaw began to quiver and hot tears started streaming down my cheeks. Overwhelmed with crushing grief I collapsed against Harry and began to cry softly.

I have no idea how long I laid there, crying and sniffling on his shoulder. I don’t even remember the words that Harry spoke to me; I just knew that he kept up a continuous stream of words in an effort to soothe my heartache. Beyond my grief, the only thing I knew for certain at that moment was that Harry was keeping me safe while I suffered the agony of realizing that I would most likely never see my mum and dad again. Suddenly, my stomach tried to turn itself inside out. Clenching my jaws as tightly as I could I got up from the couch and bolted straight for the bathing room. I reached the toilet without a second to spare. Collapsing to the floor, I began to retch. My stomach repeatedly kept trying to empty itself but nothing came up except some very nasty, thick green phlegm. I felt Harry’s cool hands on my shoulders just seconds after reaching the toilet. I was vaguely aware that he was kneeling beside me while my stomach did its best to turn itself inside out more times than I cared to count. The spasms were so violent and numerous that before long my whole body ached. Death would have been preferable to a prolonged period of heaving my guts out.

After what seemed like an eternity, the spasms began to subside, stopping altogether a minute or two after that. Harry let go of me long enough to fetch a glass of water and hold it out in front of me. I could not have taken a sip even if I had wanted to, and I most definitely did not want to. My chest, my arms, my whole body felt like rubber. Besides, if I swallowed anything I knew it would immediately come back up.

“Hun, rinse your mouth out with some water. Don’t swallow, just rinse and spit.” Even though Harry was right beside me, he sounded far away. I realized that my ears were ringing, making virtually impossible to hear what he said. He gently pressed the glass to my lips and held it while I managed to take a small amount of water into my mouth. Carefully, I swished the water around my mouth and spit it out. After three rinses, my mouth stopped tasting foul and I was finally able to speak.

“Thanks,” was about all I dared say. My stomach was still feeling pretty queasy. I didn’t want to push my luck. I was terrified that the spasms would start up again.

“You sure had me scared for a while. Are you going to be all right?” The ringing in my ears had subsided making it easier to understand what Harry was saying.

I just nodded my head affirmatively and after a while, I was able to answer him with words. “I’m sure I will be all right once my stomach settles down.” My stomach was feeling better with each passing minute, but I still ached from head to toe.

“It’s a good thing no one can see us now. We would make quite the bloody spectacle,” Harry said after several more minutes had passed and I was able sit up straighter. I knew that the smile on his face, along with his remark, was intended to make me feel better, but I wasn’t ready for that just yet.

“Harry, please don’t make me laugh. My whole body aches just bloody awful.”

“Would soaking in a hot tub make you feel better?”

“Just about now, I would trade even you for the luxury of a hot tub to soak in.” At that exact moment, I would not have wanted to have to choose between him and a hot tub to soak in. Harry might have lost out.

“Well, I don’t think we will have to get that drastic. Sit still and I’ll draw you a nice hot bath.”

“No problem. I couldn’t get up even if I wanted to.” I was being completely truthful. I was too weak to do anything but just sit there. I watched as Harry quickly made his way over to a large, four-legged tub and began filling it with water. Several times while Harry was filling the tub, he turned and smiled at me. I smiled back as best I could, but it wasn’t much as I truly did ache all over. Watching him as he moved around I suddenly realized just how graceful he was in his movements. I had never though of him as clumsy or anything like that, I just didn’t realize how smooth and fluid his movements actually were. He had all the agility and grace of a big cat. Watching him reminded me of how I felt when I was in my cougar form.

“All set. Let me help you up.” Harry tried to help me stand but finally he just picked me up, as my legs would not support my weight even with his help. He carried me to the tub and gently lowered me into the hot, soothing water. It felt heavenly. My aches and pains began to dissolve almost immediately.

“It isn’t too hot, is it?” Harry asked just as soon as I was immersed up to my neck.

“No, it’s just perfect,” I replied, practically purring from the relaxation that was quickly settling over me.

“That’s good.” Harry sat down next to the tub. I could just see his face over the rim of the tub. “Hun, you really had me worried. Care to tell me what this is all about?”

“You mean the crying, or the sudden sickness?”

“Both…either…I would really like to know.” If Harry did not already own my heart, the compassion on his face would have stolen it from me right then and there. He was obviously more than a little worried, that much was clear from just looking at him.

“The reason I was crying was because of my parents. The thought that I might never see them again suddenly hit me. The despair I felt was just about the worst that I have ever felt. I think that is what made me sick.”

“I know that this must be terribly difficult for you. I’m sure it would be the same for me if I were in your shoes. I promise you that if there is any possible way for us to get back to Earth, we won’t stop searching until we find it.”

“Thanks, Harry. Your love and support really means a lot to me.” I was beginning to feel almost normal again. The heat from the water was penetrating throughout my entire body. I closed my eyes and just let the heat chase away the last of my aches and pains. Everything except the ache for seeing my parents once again. That ache I was stuck with.

“Have you ever been sick like that before?” Harry’s words wormed their way into my mind as I floated in the tub trying to think as little as possible.

“No, never, and I hope I am never that sick again!” My arms had been floating by my sides. For some reason I touched my tummy just below my navel. The instant my fingers came in contact with my skin, a vision flashed through my mind and forced me to scream out from shock.

“What’s wrong?” Harry demanded instantly as he, got to his knees, leaned over the rim of the tub, and grabbed me by both shoulders.

“I…I…I had a vision,” I finally managed to stammer out breathlessly. “When I touched my tummy I saw an image of myself. I was very pregnant, close to giving birth. The look on my face told me that I was terrified of something right in front of me.” In reality, the look I had seen on my face in the vision was much more disturbing than seeing myself pregnant, which was pretty shocking in and of itself.

“Did you see anyone else in the vision?” Harry asked, his voice suddenly edgy and concerned.

“No, no one at all. Not even you.” I replied after trying to recall the details of the vision.

“Try touching the same spot on your tummy again.”

“I already did. Nothing happened the second time.” I was more than a little freaked out by the vision I had just seen. It had been as sharp and distinct as any vision I had ever experienced in the past. I just knew that the look on my face was going to haunt me for a long time.

“Strange,” was all that he replied after ten or fifteen seconds had passed.

On an impulse, I asked Harry to touch the exact same spot that had caused the vision to appear. I guided his hand to the spot just below my navel. The instant I pressed his fingertips to my skin a second vision flashed through my mind causing us both to jump.

“Did you see it too?” I gasped.

“If you are referring to an image of you and me and a young boy, I most certainly did.”

“Yes, that is the image I saw as well. Harry, what do these images mean?”

“I don’t know,” Harry replied after hesitating for several moments. “I really don’t know.”

“Did the young boy look familiar to you?”

“I think he looked a lot like I did at that age. I can only surmise that he was supposed to be our son.”

“That was my thought too. We must be seeing these images for a reason, but for what purpose?”

“I wish I knew,” Harry replied thoughtfully.

“I think I’m through soaking. Give me a minute to wash up, would you?” I was a bit un-nerved by the images. Soaking in the tub had suddenly lost all of its appeal. Floating naked in a tub tends to leave me feeling a little vulnerable. Right now, I just wanted to feel safe.

“Sure, take all the time you need.”

“While I’m washing maybe you could find me a couple of large bath towels to dry off with,” I suggested.

“Not a problem.”

While Harry rummaged through the shelves at the foot of the tub, I quickly washed myself. I was finished by the time he returned to the side of the tub carrying two large, white towels.

“If you would be so kind,” I said standing up and holding a hand out to Harry so that he could help me keep my balance as I stepped out of the tub.

Harry helped me out of the tub and held out an open towel for me to step into. He smiled at me appreciatively—which earned him a quick kiss—as I stepped forward and he wrapped me up in the large towel. I quickly dried my hair with the second towel as I looked around the room for a brush. Thankfully, I found one that would work nicely.

“Harry, a few minutes alone, please?”

“Are you sure you are all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine now. Thanks for everything, really.”

“Well, I wouldn’t do that for just anybody,” Harry answered trying to sound impartial.

“Yes, I know. Now go. I’ll be out shortly.”

Harry smiled warmly and left the bathing room, closing the door behind him. I quickly did what I needed to do and joined him in the main room. Harry was already dressed by the time I joined him. He handed me the clothes I had worn yesterday. I hated to put on dirty clothes after a bath but there wasn’t much choice. I dressed quickly. I didn’t feel uncomfortable dressing after Harry was fully dressed. I was quite sure he didn’t miss much, which caused me to smile inwardly. I was just about to take the brush to my hair when Harry took it from me and told me to sit. Even though he was a bit awkward at first, it felt nice just to sit there while he brushed out my hair.

“Any more visions?” Harry asked as he continued to brush the snarls out of my hair.

“No, none.”

“That’s good.”

“Harry…will you still love me when my belly is out to here?” I asked by placing my hands well out in front of me.

“More than ever, that much I can promise you.” Harry turned my face to his and kissed me gently.

As Harry continued to brush my hair I lapsed into a daydream about the enjoyable night we had just spent together. A feeling that had surfaced momentarily when we had sex for the first time came back to me.

“Last night when we first made love, did anything seem strange to you?” I asked when Harry moved directly in front of me.

“I wouldn’t call it strange, new and exciting might better describe how I felt about it,” Harry replied after he stopped and looked directly at me.

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“I’m lost. What do you mean?” Harry looked genuinely puzzled.

“This is going to sound ridiculous, but for me I had this strange feeling of Deja-vu.”

“Maybe it had something to do with dreams. I’m sure I would remember if we had already had sex before last night.” I thought Harry might be vexed with me for bringing up such a silly notion, but he just seemed thoughtful rather than annoyed. I was just about to thank him for being so understanding when something he had just said clicked in my mind.

“Harry, what do you remember from the moment we were incinerated on Gawain’s island until the moment we woke up in Eden?” I asked so suddenly that he nearly dropped the hairbrush.

“Where did that question come from?” Harry looked completely lost.

“Think back. Do you remember anything that happened before we woke up in Eden?”

“No, not really. What’s this got to do with last night?”

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling that I have.”

“Any ideas what this feeling of yours means?” Harry asked as he continued brushing out my hair.

“Only one, but it seems pretty far-fetched.”

“You might as well get it of your chest, so let’s hear it.”

“I don’t know about you, but I was kind of surprised that we did not have any awkward moments the first time we made love last night.”

“Awkward moments? What do you mean?”

“Honestly, Harry. You can’t be that thick. You know what I mean.” I was beginning to wish that I had not brought up the subject.

“Sorry, I was just teasing,” he replied, a big fat smirk on his face. “I know exactly what you mean. I just took it for granted that we didn’t have any ‘awkward moments’ as you call them, because we were both truly ready, that’s all.”

“Now you are making fun of me,” I replied, feeling a little offended.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean too upset you. You may be just making too much out of all of this.”

“Maybe you’re right. I am just making more out of this than there is.”

“Probably, but one thing that you brought up does bother me.”

“What’s that,” I asked.

“What exactly did happen to us from the time that we were incinerated until we woke up in Eden?”

“I don’t know. Unfortunately, we may never know.”

“That’s about the way that I see it too,” Harry replied and I went back to daydreaming while Harry finished combing my hair.

“There, all done. I hope I didn’t make too big a mess of your hair,” Harry said and handed me the brush.

“You did just great. With a little practice you will make some lucky girl a great husband.”

“Do you know anyone who might be in the market for a husband?”

“I think I know someone who might be looking for one,” I replied off-handedly.

“And who might that be,” Harry asked after he wrapped his arms around me.

“Someone about my height and weight. I have it on good authority that this person loves you with every ounce of her body and soul.”

“Oh, she does, does she? I can’t wait to meet her in the flesh, so to speak.”

“Mister, you have already done that. Now kiss me before I change my mind and find someone else.”

Harry kissed me so well that I was seriously thinking of suggesting that we take our clothes off once again. He must have felt exactly the same way.

“Hun, either we go find your grandmother and ask her permission to get married as soon as possible, or we go back to bed. As much as going back to bed sounds like more fun, I am truly interested to hear what your grandmother has to say.”

“Not half as much as I am,” I replied, swallowing a small lump in the back of my throat. I was beginning to fret over just what great grandmother would actually have to say.

“Lemke, if you are available, we would like to return and join the others,” Harry said aloud.

In less than a minute, Lemke apparated into the room a few feet from where we were standing.

“I trust that these accommodations were satisfactory?” Lemke asked as soon as he appeared.

“They were absolutely perfect,” Harry and I said in unison.

“I will be happy to return you to this place any time you wish. And now, if you will touch my hand I will transport you back to the plateau.”

An instant later, we found ourselves standing in the middle of the clearing near the edge of the plateau. The sun was just cresting them mountaintops off to the east. It looked to be the makings of a beautiful day.