The Final Battle

Joy, oh the joy that was held within Harry’s heart as he sat at the noisy Gryffindor table and stared up along the table at Seamus and Dean who were talking, or yelling rather so they could hear each other, and were talking about what they did over the summer. Farther down the table Neville wore a truly arrogant and superior look on his face as he talked excitedly to the two Creevey brothers, Colin and Dennis Creevey looked up to Neville, this had given him a truly profound since of pride and self-confidence…it was good for him. Sitting opposite Harry was Parvati and Lavender who almost never talked to anybody but each other where talking non-stop with Fleur. Yes Fleur had been true to her word of getting a job at Hogwarts, she helped out Professor Sinistra in the astrology tower. Harry looked to the two people who were sitting on his left and right, of course it was none other than his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry resumed his conversation with them just as Ron mentioned the reason for Harry’s joy.

“Man, our seventh year here at Hogwarts…our final year” the Great Hall had quieted down some so Ron wasn’t yelling to Harry and Hermione, he had a powerful meaningful tone as he spoke these words. Ron sighed “Can you believe it? Our final year, I’m a prefect, Harry’s head boy, Hermione’s head girl” he allowed a grin to shine upon his face “Fleur and I are together, hey, maybe you and Cho will finally get together this year Harry”. Ron looked across the table at Fleur who tore herself from her conversation with Parvati and Lavender and flashed a dazzling smile, blew him a kiss and winked before returning to her conversation. Ron’s face was now even more fiery colored than his flaming red hair.

Harry, however, wasn’t paying much attention to Ron and Fleur, he was stuck on Ron’s last comment to him, “Hey maybe you and Cho will finally get together this year Harry”. These words sunk into Harry’s mind but only seemed to make him somewhat angry, he didn’t show his anger to the others though, after all, it was the opening feast nobody could be mad right now, not even Malfoy. Harry felt mild anger at Ron’s words because he no longer felt for Cho what he had felt the first time he saw her, nor even what he had felt only at the end of their sixth year. Harry’s feeling had changed, he thought of Cho as simply some girl at the Ravenclaw table who was an opponent at quidditch.

Harry’s heart was indeed confused and in agony, he had spent the summer at Ron’s but so had Fleur, meaning that he, Harry, had been forced to spend most of his time either practicing quidditch with Fred and George, who now played professionally for England along with Oliver Wood, or hang around in the living room and answer all of Mr. Weasley’s questions about muggles.

Harry’s thoughts ended abruptly and he blinked a few times, he found that his gaze had fallen on, and had stayed on…Hermione. “Hermione?” Harry thought to himself, no, it couldn’t be, she’s my best friends, I’m just lonely that all. Harry shook his head and cleared the thoughts from his mind and instead looked up at the high table where Albus Dumbledore was now standing about to give his start of the year speech. But Harry didn’t hear a word of it, his gaze quickly slid form Dumbledore to Hermione who was sitting on the side closet to Dumbledore, so she had his back to Harry and never noticed his piercing green eyes starring at her. A thought was now forming in Harry’s head, a thought that wasn’t quite clear yet though, but the longer he starred at Hermione the clearer it became, just as his thoughts began to come into focus he was shaken from his entrancement by a sudden yell from the entire Great Hall.

Harry looked around quickly wondering what he had missed and turned to ask Ron who was now shouting at Harry to make himself be heard above the noise but to no prevail. Ron finally gave up and Harry simply decided he’d ask Ron when they went up to bed. Dumbledore said goodnight to the students and told the prefects to lead the students and the first years up to the dormitories. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville were the prefects of the Gryffindor house, the others allowed Neville to lead so that they could hang toward the back and talk.

“I don’t believe it, oh can you believe, it’s incredible, do you think anybody from Hogwarts will get picked for it” Hermione’s frantic voice, slighted muffled from her hands covering her mouth as if in shock.

“It’s incredible, I never thought they would look at Hogwarts for something like this, hey maybe Harry will get picked, what do you think Harry” Ron’s voice equally excited about whatever it was Dumbledore had said, Harry wished he had paid attention, now he really looked like a fool.

“What are you so excited about?” Harry asked in a convincingly confused tone. Ron and Hermione only starred at him as if he were some ignorant first year.

“Harry weren’t you listening to what Professor Dumbledore said? Oh, of course not,” Ron’s now taking up a teasing voice “You were probably to busy starring at Cho to bother listening” Ron laughed as the three of them made their way up the stairs and Harry noticed a frown fall onto Hermione’s face as Ron accused Harry of starring at Cho, she however played it off expertly

“Harry you really should have paid more close attention rather than star at some unimportant girl like Cho” There was a definite note of anger in her voice that occurred as she mentioned Cho’s name. “However since you weren’t paying attention I suppose I will have to tell you” she spoke this with a superior tone as if addressing somebody of such lower intellect than she that it was hardly worth her time. “Professor Dumbledore said that the new Minister of Magic, and the old one Cornelius Fudge, will be coming to Hogwarts for the year along with the council for the Order of Merlin to appoint somebody from the school into the Order of Merlin”.

“Huh” Harry blinked a few times as this ran through his head, the new and retired minister’s of magic, and the council for the order of merlin, this was big news. They had finally reached their dormitories and were settling into bed, Harry lay awake for a few minutes thinking to himself, “They want to Appoint someone to the Order of Merlin, I wonder if there’s anything special I can do to be nominated for it” Harry allowed his imagination to wonder into hundreds of possibilities before he finally dropped off to sleep

* * *

For the first few months back at Hogwarts Harry and his friends went through the normal pains and pleasures of the school. They enjoyed, as much as ever, spending time talking to Hagrid during care of magical creatures class, over the summer Hagrid seemed to have developed an interest in nimcheks, a creature similar to a chipmunk with shape-shifting powers. Of course Harry, Ron, and Hermione were forced to suffer through over an hour of potions class with professor Snape and Draco Malfoy. Though it wasn’t as bad as it had been in the past, since they were prefects now they were allowed to be excused from the class almost every other day, they took full advantage of this of course. Harry and Ron were now taking renewed interest in transfiguration class, their skills for any sort of transfiguration now rivaled professor McGonagall’s.

One of the more painful classes of course was professor Trelawney’s divination class. Ron complained more about the class than Harry did, this was due to the fact that Harry now only complained that he couldn’t see anything in his crystal ball. Ever since the first night back, when Harry first felt a new emotion for Hermione he had tried everything he could think of to figure out what it was he felt for her and what might happen. Having failed to think up a solution, and all the books from the library that he read failed to mention one spell that might help clear his mind, Harry had finally turned to his crystal ball. His new interest in crystal gazing stunned Ron, but professor Trelawney now hovered over him like an over sized bat. She took Harry’s new interest as a sign that he had had a premonition of some deadly obstacle in his future, professor Trelawney never missed an opportunity to tell Harry that she saw dark and troubled times ahead for him.

After almost a month of crystal gazing and still seeing nothing that might answer any of his questions about Hermione Harry finally gave up. Harry did manage to come up with a few last ditch efforts to obtain answers, he could simply ask those that knew him best. Of course the mere thought of going to Hermione to talk to her about his feelings made his stomach twist and squirm, and Ron, well it wasn’t that Harry didn’t trust Ron, but Ron had let slip a few things before and Harry wasn’t willing to take the risk. Eventually Harry decided to go with his last three remaining options of who to ask, he could talk to Hagrid, Hagrid was friend to all of them and Harry was confident he could trust Hagrid with the secret of his emotions. Professor Dumbledore as well, Dumbledore had, on more than one occasion, told Harry that if he ever had a problem of any kind to simply come and talk to him about it. The last person Harry thought of talking to was some Harry thought he should have talked to from the start, Sirius. Harry had lost count of the numerous times Sirius had given him advice about a number of problems. But, as luck would have it, Sirius sent a letter not a day before Harry was getting ready to send his, that said for Harry not to send any owl post, the ministry had gotten wind of him and he was on the run again. This left Harry in dismay, he had so desperately wanted to talk to Sirius first about this.

Harry resolved to simply talk with Hagrid sometime before the holiday, it was now two week before Christmas break. Unfortunately Harry soon realized a problem with this plan as well, Harry only saw Hagrid during care of magical creatures class, and with not only Ron and Hermione close by to hear, there was also the possibility that some one else, like Malfoy, might over hear. Harry almost never saw Hagrid during the weekends or on the occasional day off from class, almost all of his free time was taken up by the work he had to do as a prefect, and the work he had to do as head boy. Harry would have liked to talk with Hagrid over Christmas break, but he had been invited to spend Christmas at the burrow with Ron and the rest of the Weasley’s.

Harry’s final hope was Dumbledore, Harry new that Dumbledore would be delighted to seen Harry stopping by for a non-business conversation. As head boy Harry had been given the password to move the statue that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore’s office. Harry nervously walked up the spiral staircase to Dumbledore’s office and knocked on the door.

“Enter” an old but powerful voice answered the knocking to the door. Harry pushed open the door and walked, shaking, into professor Dumbledore’s office yet again, he smiled politely to the professor and took a seat in the large armchair that faced Dumbledore’s desk. Harry looked around the office whiled the professor finished some paperwork, the beautiful phoenix fawks was perched and asleep near the wall, the school sorting had along with the sword Harry had pulled from it sat on a shelf just behind Dumbledore, who was now finished with his paperwork and was smiling at Harry.

“So, back again I see, is this by your business or by your pleasure you Harry?” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled as if he already knew everything that was going to be said in that office during their conversation.

“I’ve already finished all my head boy business for the day sir, I…I was wondering perhaps if you could spare a few minutes for conversation” Harry fumbled with the words as they came nervously from his mouth, he didn’t imagine very many people simply came to professor Dumbledore and asked for ‘conversation’.

Dumbledore only smiled and set down his quill and folded his arms on his desk, “I believe I could spare a few minutes for a friend in need of my advice” Harry blinked, his mouth hanging wide open, Harry had long had the theory that Dumbledore could read minds, over the past few years Harry had become almost certain.

“W-w-well yes sir…I mean that is, I do need your advice about someone….er something……er this problem I have” Harry stuttered and fumbled over his words worse than ever, her felt like some foolish first year. Dumbledore, however, only broadened his smile and raised from his chair and walked around to the front of the desk, he sat down on the front edge of his desk and looked at Harry. “So what is this, er, problem Harry?”

Harry had never felt more awkward than right now, he couldn’t quite phrase the words right to ask for Dumbledore’s advice, the professor obviously noticed Harry having some trouble speaking so he went ahead and gave some preliminary advice, “If you want to ask some one for their advice, Harry, the best thing to do is to simply tell them the problem”. Once again Dumbledore’s words had a miraculous effect on Harry.

“Well sir, its about……” Harry looked around quickly as if afraid they were being spied on, “It’s about Hermione” Harry’s voice now barely above a whisper he leaned in close to make sure Dumbledore heard him, he didn’t feel like saying any of this twice.

“Oh?” a twinkle forming in his eyes, and a rather obvious grin under his massive beard, “What about Hermione?”

Dumbledore’s more than simple question made Harry squirm nervously in his chair. Harry was now having trouble getting the words out, he wasn’t really sure he could confess to anybody, not even himself, that he had feelings for Hermione. “Well I wanted your advice about what to do about certain…..feelings that I’ve been having for Hermione”. Harry said this extremely quickly and looked down at the floor to avoid Dumbledore seeing his face turn as red as Ron’s hair.

Dumbledore released a sigh of relief, Harry chose not to ask about it, Dumbledore went back around his desk and sat in his chair, his eyes now fixed on Harry. “Feeling a little confused about someone you once thought only a friend?” Dumbledore seemed to be answering Harry’s questions before he could even try to ask them. Dumbledore only smiled at the stunned look on Harry’s face, “I know what your problem is Harry, and I’m afraid that the only person who can decide what you should do, is you. But if it helps, I will give you some advice, go to Hermione and simply talk with her about…”.

But Harry jumped up from his chair before Dumbledore finished his sentence and Harry cut him off. “Professor, I can’t just go up to her and tell her how I feel, she’ll think I’m an idiot”.

“Well then Harry, maybe you should talk to someone close to Hermione, someone who can ask her if she has any special feelings toward someone, maybe somebody like, oh, Mr. Weasley?” Harry opened his mouth to speak but Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him and then continued. “You may believe that your friend Ron might have trouble keeping secrets, but you and I both know he would never betray your trust, he is both yours and Hermione’s friend, talk to her about your problem”. Dumbledore’s words made since to Harry, he decide to go ahead an ask Ron. Though it would have to wait until Christmas break, he would be spending his vacation at the burrow and he and Ron and could spend as much time talking as needed with out the risk of being overheard.

“Thank you professor, you’ve been very helpful” Harry turned and headed out the door and past the statue that guarded the staircase. “Now I just need to find Ron” Harry said happily. Harry found Ron sooner than he expected, Ron was waiting for him in the Gryffindor common room, as soon as Harry entered he saw Ron sending an owl out the window with a letter clutched in its beak.

“Hey Harry, We’ve been waiting for you” Harry stopped and looked around, Fleur and Hermione were both sitting in armchairs next to Ron’s and were talking excitedly to each other. “I’ve got great news Harry, Fleur and Hermione are going to spend Christmas break at the burrow with us!” Ron had an enormous grin on his face at the thought of having Fleur staying at his house, if it was just Fleur Harry wouldn’t have a problem with it, but Ron had said Fleur and Hermione. This was a problem.

All the color drained from Harry’s face and his eye began to twitch nervously, Ron noticed t his and asked “Is something wrong Harry?”

Harry gave a nervous laugh, “Wrong, why would anything be wrong”. Harry took a last look at them all then said he had to go upstairs and do some paperwork for one of his professors. Harry raced up the stairs and slammed his door shut, he walked over to his desk and sat down, and allowed his head to slam down on the desk. “Why me, why is it always me?” he pleaded to nobody

* * *

Harry now showed a sudden lack of interest in absolutely everything at Hogwarts, he was saddened by the fact that he had nobody to talk to about his feelings for Hermione. True, Harry had not forgotten Dumbledore’s advice about asking Ron, but Harry still hadn’t worked up the nerve to talk to him about, for Harry had long had the feelings that Ron liked Hermione, even though he was with Fleur.

Harry was wondering the halls thinking to himself about who he could talk to about Hermione, unfortunately the only person who came to mind was Ron. “Oh what the hell, Ron’s with Fleur now, he’s probably long over any crush he had on Hermione, and like Dumbledore said, I can trust him” Harry told himself as he decided to go and talk to Ron. However he had no idea where Ron was, classes were cancelled for the day and Harry didn’t know if Ron was even at Hogwarts, he may have taken Fleur to Hogsmead. Harry decide to check the Prefects bathroom, Ron might be resting in the sauna since it was so cold out.

So Harry made his way down to the prefect’s bathroom and gave the password before entering. The bathroom was almost entire empty, Harry could hear a single shower running toward the back, “Maybe that’s Ron there” he told himself. “Hey Ron is that you” he called out as he walked back to the showers, the shower stopped running and somebody walked out wearing a towel, whoever it was, it was definitely not Ron. It was Hermione, as the mist from the shower cleared Harry could see Hermione clearly, her outrageous form perfects defined by the tightly rapped towel, and Harry noticed that she wasn’t a little girl anymore, she had grown over the years, Harry simply to unobservant to notice. “Was that you shouting for Ron, I think he went down to Hogsmead”.

Hermione noticed Harry’s dumbfounded stare and looked down at herself then back at Harry with a rather shy smile and a deep red color forming in her cheeks, “You were looking for Ron weren’t you Harry?” Hermione asked almost nervously. She had a look in her eye as if hoping Harry was looking for her, Harry of course still in shock didn’t notice this look.

“Not anymore I’m not” Harry whispered to nobody, he blinked realizing what he had said and hoped she hadn’t heard. “Yes, uh, I was looking for Ron” he said nervously as he pretended to be interested in the wall on his right in order to avoid making eye contact with her. “You said he was down at Hogsmead right?”.

Hermione nodded in answer to his question and smiled again and went to get dressed. Harry bolted out the door and up to the Gryffindor common room where he found Ron sitting in an armchair next to the fire grinning broadly like an idiot. Harry ran over and took a seat next to him. Ron looked over, taking notice of Harry’s hasty arrival. “Hey Harry, whats up?”

“Ron I need to talk to you…..about Hermione” Harry said as he looked around the common room to make sure nobody else was there listening to them. As Harry turned his gaze back to Ron, Ron cocked an eyebrow at him with a reproachful look on his face. “What about Hermione Harry?” a small smile forming on Ron’s face as an idea dawned on him, ‘Maybe Harry and Hermione finally stopped resisting it’ he thought to himself.

“Uh, well…….it’s kind of hard to say. I, um, I think I…..” Before Harry could finish, however, Ron cut him off by finishing his sentence for him.

“Love her…” Ron said with a smile. Harry’s mouth hung open as he tried to speak after having Ron finish his confession for him. ‘Could Ron have known this whole time’ Harry thought wildly for a minute. “…..I, uh, I-I-I-I……” Harry couldn’t think of anything to say to deny his feelings anymore, “Yes, I love her” he sighed. Ron had a knowing smile and was shaking slightly trying to contain his laughter.

Well, all I can say, Harry, is that it’s about time” Ron said as he turned to look at the fire. Harry was about to ask Ron what he meant by that but he stopped and thought for a moment. Harry couldn’t count how many times he had made his feelings for Hermione so obvious to everybody but himself, and as he thought of the previous year when Voldemorts minions turned up at he school.

“Harry!” Ron almost yelled, snapping him back to reality and out of the haze of memories that had begun to flow through his mind.

“Huh” Harry looked up at Ron, slightly confused, “What is it?” he asked remembering why he had become lost in his memories. Ron seemed slightly annoyed that his question had been ignored, “I said, when are you going to tell Hermione about this”. Ron’s question made the color rise slightly in Harry’s face.

Harry sighed and rose from his chair and walked around the common room a few times, turning the question over and over in his head. Finally, “How, Ron? How do I just go up to this girl who’s been my friend for seven years and tell her that I love her” Harry’s voice full of depression at the lack of courage to tell Hermione how he felt about her. “I mean, how do I know if she feels the same way about me, she just sees me as a friend, that’s all I am to her”.

Ron rose from his chair and stared as Harry as if he were the dumbest person he had ever seen. “Harry, are you really that blind?!” Ron asked a somewhat bewildered Harry, “Seven years and you’ve never noticed!?” Ron had a look of utter shock on his face. Harry still couldn’t figure out what Ron was talking about, but Dumbledore’s words came floating back to him, ‘Perhaps you should speak with someone who knows both you and Hermione’. Harry had a look of awe on his face as he turned to Ron once more, “Haven’t noticed what Ron?”

Ron was plainly stunned that Harry didn’t know what he was talking about, “The way she looks at you, for one. You seriously haven’t noticed have you?” Harry stood and thought for a moment, ‘maybe I should go and talk to Hermione’ , “I, uh, think I’ll go and find Hermione” he said to Ron before he took off out of the portrait hole, Ron just shook his head and smiled as he saw Fleur coming into the common room.

Harry raced down the hall to get back to the prefects bathroom as fast as possible. He gave the password and leaped into the bathroom and looked around for her, but nobody was there, Harry wanted to find her and tell her before he lost his nerve. “Where could she be? Where, where…..ok Harry think, where does Hermione like to spend her time” Harry slapped a hand to his forehead “Of course, the library”. Harry took off at top speed along the corridor toward the library. Harry slammed through the doors to the library, startling Madame Pinch as he ran into the library and started looking around for Hermione. Harry ran through all the rows of shelves of books but Hermione just wasn’t in the library, (for once). Harry raced out of the library just as Madame Pinch was shouting at him for disturbing the quiet of the library.

Harry turned the school upside down as he raced along the corridors looking in every class, checking and rechecking the great hall, he even tried the kitchen to see if Hermione was trying to get the house elves to rebel again. But she was nowhere to be found, Harry took one last look in the library before heading back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry walked in through the portrait hole and took a seat next to the fire, the only ones left in the common room was Colin and Denis Creevey. Harry couldn’t figure out where Hermione could possible be, though he had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he had forgotten to check somewhere rather obvious.

“Where, where could she be, I checked the library, the owlry, the great hall, every single classroom in the school, the astronomy tower”. Harry sighed in frustration, “Hell the only thing I haven’t done is searched her…” Harry stopped and the slight nervous twitch in his eye came back, “bedroom” he whispered. Harry was out his chair and up the stairs so fast it looked as if he had apparated.

Harry was at the head girls door in a flash and practically threw the door off it’s hinges as he raced into the room, only one thought on his mind as he entered the room, ‘I must tell her’. As the door flew open and banged loudly Hermione looked up from the book she was reading with a startled expression on her face, her hand made a nervous gesture as if to grab her wand, when she saw it was Harry she relaxed. Harry suddenly stopped halfway to Hermiones bed, he suddenly came to his senses but too late, he was already in her room, he made his way over to Hermiones bed, his eyes traveling over her body, she was wearing her sky blue sleeping gown, her hair tied back behind her head, a few stray curly strands of hair still hanging around her face, Harry marveled at her beauty and nearly tripped as he reached the bed and sat down next to her. With a slightly confused look on her face Hermione pushed her pillow farther up on the bed and sat up, leaning her back against he pillow.

“What’s up Harry?” Even her voiced made Harry’s insides melt as he stared at her for a moment. She flashed a dazzling smile at him and Harry suddenly found his voice.

“I, uh…..Hermione, I need to talk to you…….about us” Harry’s voice was barely over a whisper and he spoke almost to fast for Hermione to understand him. Hermione, surprisingly didn’t have a look of confusion on her face. Even more surprising what that she had a look of expectance on her face, as if waiting for something. “Hermione…..I-I-I Lo…..” Harry couldn’t find the courage to put into words his feelings for Hermione, so he did the next best thing. Harry slowly leaned forward, drawing himself in close to Hermione, just before his lips touched hers he could feel her pulling away, ‘NO’ Harry thought. But Harry felt her grasp the front of his robes and pull him down onto the bed with her, she wasn’t pulling away from the kiss, she was drawing him into it. Harry leaned forward on the bed and pressed his lips against hers, the kiss, so full of passion and warmth and love, for what seemed no more than a few seconds to them, but was really several minutes they kissed before finally parting.

Hermione took in a deep breath and opened her cinnamon brown eyes, she couldn’t believe what had just happened, what she had waited for, for almost seven years, ever since Harry and Ron saved her from the mountain troll in their first year. She gazed up at Harry, her eyes full of love.

Harry suddenly found his voice as he stared back at Hermione, his emerald green eyes shining with joy. “Hermione……I…..”. Hermione had tears of joy shining in her eyes as she desperately awaited to hear the words from Harry. Harry smiled and found the courage to finally tell her how he felt, “Hermione, I love….” Oh the joy Harry felt as he spoke these words, Hermione almost bursting with joy as she would finally hear these words that she had waited so long to hear. But before Harry could finally finish this confession to Hermione, there was a loud crashing sound, and the entire castle shook. A force of the shake from the castle threw Harry from the bed. They both jumped to their feet and ran to the window, there on the ground were almost a hundred dementors, a good five hundred death eaters behind them all with their wands out. But the thing that made the blood freeze in their veins, the thing that made them back away from the window gasping for air, at the front of the legion of death eaters and dementors, was Lord Voldemort.

Harry’s mouth hung open in the greatest disbelief, he didn’t care about the hundreds of dementors, he had long since been able to fight them off and even reset their horrible dark powers. The death eaters were nothing more than a minor irritation to Harry, he could take care of them all by himself with his now extremely advanced dueling skills. But though is powers and knowledge of magic were growing, he knew he was still no match for voldemort, by any standard. He looks to his side at Hermione who had fallen to the floor, a look on her face as though she had just been slapped senseless. She turned her gaze up at Harry, her cinnamon brown eyes widened in terror.

“Come on” he nearly shouted as he reached down and snatched Hermione by the hand, yanking her to her feet and they raced from the room. The raced down into the common room which was in utter chaos, students running in every direction screaming crying. Harry looked around the common room, order needed to be restored fast so they students would stand a chance, but he just didn’t have time. Still grasping Hermione’s hand he dragged her through the mass of students and stopped at the portrait hole where Ron was shouting something to Fleur.

“Ron!” Harry yelled, barely heard as the castle gave another unnerving shake. Ron turned to face Harry, his expression torn between fear and anger. “Ron you’ve got to do something about these fools” he yelled as he motioned toward the entire Gryffindor common room. Ron nodded and pulled his wand, letting out a blast like a cannon that silenced the common room. “join us as soon as you can ok?” Harry didn’t wait for an answer as he pulled Hermione with him through the portrait hole. Out in the corridor things were almost as bad as the common room. Students were running in every direction, wondering where the teachers were and why they weren’t with the students. Harry knew perfectly well that all the teachers and probably a good deal of the seventh years were already out on the grounds battling, indeed he could hear the distant blasts of magical spells.

He glanced quickly over his shoulder at Hermione to make sure she was still with him, she already had her wand out, a nervous but determined look on her face. “I…. I’m ready Harry” she said with a tone of pure terror. Harry knew that she wasn’t really ready for this, to partake in an all out war against the mass of the dark side. Harry nodded though, his hand slipping into the front of his own robes and drawing his own wand. He stared down at it and thought back to that moment in fourth year when he had battled voldemort and the wands had connected. “time for the brothers to battle once more, hopefully….for the last time” he said with a look of disgust on his face at the thought of sharing a wand core with his parents murderer. He turned and raced as fast as his legs could carry him, down into the entrance hall and stared out onto the grounds as the horrid scene. Already dozens of wizards lay on the ground, pools of blood around them, some with missing limbs, some still struggling to rise to their feet. Hermione made as noise as if about to be sick, but Harry let out a sigh of relief after scanning the grounds. As far as he could tell all the casualties seemed to be on voldemort’s side.

He drew a breath and raised his wand, preparing to rush out onto the battle field when he stopped, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Hermione, he saw such fear in those beautiful eyes, but it certainly want fear of the battle, it was something else, something deeper.

“H-h-harry” she chocked out “I cant lose you now Harry, please, don’t go. You know you cant win, im sure Dumbledore can handle it Harry, please”. There was such desperation in her voice that Harry stopped and thought for a second about simply running from the battle. But he could not bring himself to do it, no matter how much he wanted to simply grab Hermione and disappear from the horrible death scene’s all around them, he just couldn’t do it.

“I’m sorry Hermione” his own eyes stung with tears now, for it was not just possible, but probable that Harry wouldn’t survive this encounter. It tore at his heart to think that just moments before he had been confessing his love to Hermione, and what might have happened. Hermione sniffed and tried to hold back her tears, accepting that she couldn’t stop him, she grasped the front of his robes and pulled him to her, crushing her lips against his in a fierce kiss.

Harry slowly pulled back from the kiss as a curse knocked off a chunk of the wall next to them. He simply nodded to Hermione and turned, letting out a powerful yell as he charged down the steps, his wand raised overhead, and Hermione right on his heels. Harry immediately saw Dumbledore and rushed to his side, firing curses all along the way, blasting death eaters from his path, in the haze of it all Hermione became separated, but he didn’t worry, he was sure he had seen her headed toward Professor Snape.

Harry didn’t make it to Dumbledore however, he was cut off by five death eaters, their masked raised so he could clearly see their faces. Of the five death eaters before him he recognized four as Lucius Malfoy, Mcnair, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Peter Petigrew. Harry’s eyes narrowed as anger flooded his senses, all his fear forgotten now as he starred into the beady eyes of that bastard Peter who had dared to call himself a friend to James Potter. He shifted his gaze upon Lucius Malfoy, noticing that he was speaking.

“Well well well, young Harry Potter. Charging into battle, so brave” he gave a sickening grin, “so foolish”. Malfoy slowly drew his wand, pointing it at Harry and paused as if considering what spell he should use. “You know Potter, my master always gets to have the fun with you, I think I’d like to be the one to make you scream for a change” he grinned once more and trained his wand directly at Harry’s heart before speaking, barely over a whisper, “Crucio”.

Harry, however, had expected this and kicked hard on the ground, hurling himself to the side as the ground he had been standing on exploded. Harry didn’t miss his chance, his wand now aimed at Malfoy’s face, he took his chance and yelled the first spell that came to mind. “Obliviate” his spell was barely heard over the sounds of the battle, but it was none the less effective. Malfoy was sent flying off his feet, landing a good ten feet away, surprising knocked out from the power of the spell, Harry hoped for a moment that Malfoy had forgotten how to breath. Harry hit the ground and rolled, springing immediately back to his feet, his wand aimed in the direction of the unknown death eater who was now charging at him.

Harry had to think quickly now as Mcnair raised his wand, Harry vaguely heard him yelling some sort of incantation. Harry leaped into the air, forgetting about magic for a moment, and swung his leg in a karate like fashion, nailing the unknown death eater hard across the face, knocking him in the path of Mcnair spell. Harry landed and looked at the death eater on the ground now and almost lost his lunch, whatever spell Mcnair had fired it was causing the death eater to lay on the ground screaming in pain as it appeared that his skin was boiling and melting right off of him. ‘two down’ Harry thought savagely as he rose to his feet once more facing the three remaining death eaters. Wormtail looked as though he was considering the option of turning and running to find someone else to fight, Mcnair looked mildly surprised at Harry tactics, and Bellatrix simply had an amused look on her face as though she were having the time of her life.

Harry suddenly felt a wave of cold sweep over him and realized that someone he had managed to forget about the hundreds of dementors all around them. He turned and thought quickly of the moment not to long ago when he was in Hermione room, sharing their first kiss and yelled “EXPECTO PATRONUM”. As usual the silvery stag erupted from his wand, but rather than chasing the three advancing dementors away, it entangled the cloaked creatures in his massive antlers, allowing Harry to hear what must have been a cry of pain from the dementors.

Harry turned as he heard Bellatrix cry out, but too late. The spell hit him full force and knocked him back several feet, driving him down into the ground. He quickly rose to his feet feeling quite dizzy, he tried to think for a moment but it simply hurt his head, he’d been hit by stupefy curse, somehow he’d managed to remain concious. He ground his teeth together, his lip curling in anger like a wolf baring its fangs just before the strike. He waved his wand inbetween Bellatrix and Mcnair and roared at the top of his lungs. “MAXIMUS REDUCTO” the force of the spell knocked Harry off his feet, he’d never used any maximus charm, which was used to nearly triple the power and range of the spell. And he’d had good reason not to try it before, use of the spell could drain the spell caster of almost all their power if they didn’t have complete control of the spell.

He looked up from where he was laying on his back and gasped at what he’d done. The spell had gone off like a wide spread blast and caught the upper halves of their bodies, Mcnair’s entire upper body had been blown way, his body, from the stomache down was still standing there like some hideous, bloody statue. Bellatrix had apparantly managed a shielding spell before the blast hit her, but it was obvious by her burning flesh and dieing cries that the power of the spell and broken through the shield. Now the only one left was Peter, Harry grinned wickedly as he rose to his feet, all the rage and anger he had long felt for the traitor of his parents suddenly came flooding back into his heart. He slowly advanced on Peter, who had fallen to the ground, his legs refusing to work out from fear.

Harry, completely out of his mind with anger, raised his wand on Peter, “Malfoy’s right” he said venomously “why should voldemort have all the fun”. Peter’s eyes widened in fear a deafening roar erupted from Harry, “CRUCIO”. Harry poured all his grief, his anger, his rage, everything he had ever felt into this curse, all he cared about now was making sure Wormtail suffered for what he had done. Peter’s screams were heard abouv the rest of the battle, Harry’s cruciatus curse even more terrible than voldemorts, which he had grown used to.

Harry blinked and shook his head coming to his senses and raised his wand, breaking the curse and stumbling back, looking around as if not sure where he was. Wormtail still lay on the ground, twitching, even though the spell had been lifted. He rose to his feet and turned, dropping his wand and running as fast his he could, away from the battle and Harry simply watched him go. “Dumbledore” it seemed as though someone had whispered the name in his ear and he whirled around looking for the source of the voice, but no one was near him, he looked around trying to see where the headmaster was. He spotted him a good distance away, battling against nearly twenty death eaters, and doing pretty good against them.

“No, no not Dumbledore, he’s fine. Who………HERMIONE” he tore off into the ground wildly, unsure of where she was, he simply decided to head in the direction he’d last seen her heading. He prayed she was still alright, he’d waisted more time on the five death eaters than he’d realized. Harry’s voice was beginning to go hoarse from yelling out another curse every few seconds as he made his way through the death eaters and dementors trying to find Hermione.

His search wasn’t going to well, the battle had now been raging for nearly an hour already, and still he hadn’t found Hermione. Horrible thoughts now racing through his mind as he imagined Hermione being hurt, killed, or captured. “STUPEFY” he yelled for the thousandth time it seemed, the death eater before him flew off his feet and landed, unconcious a few feet away. Harry dropped to his knees as he coughed, blood flying from his mouth. The constant shouting and use of the powerful spells was putting a great stain on his still young body. He heard a cruel laugh on his left and turned, gazing up at the hooded form of a massive death eater, nearly has big as Hagrid. Harry gasped and feel back, in shock as the death eater raised his wand and aimed it at Harry, but before he could fire his curse a voice erupted behind him, two blasts of magic nailing him in the back, causing him to fall next to harry, a line a blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

Harry looked up for his savior and grinned, jumping to his feet and engulfed his two friends in a hug. Hermione grinned and hugged back, as did Ron who had finally managed to get away from the castle and into the battle. They stepped back from one another and Harry looked around, the battle showed no signs of slowing down, indeed, if anything, the battle seemed to have intensefied. He could see that more forces had shown up for voldemorts side, but also he saw what must have been almost every seventh year student on the grounds as well.

Harry dropped his gaze to the ground and sighed, this had to end somehow now or the battle could go on forever, with neither side winning. And Harry knew there was no point in trying to avoid the inevitable, he knew he’d have to face voldemort soon enough, no matter how long the battle dragged on he knew it would come down to him and the dark lord. He turned back to his friends to tell them what he had to do but stopped, seeing a look of deepest saddness upon Rons face that he hadnt noticed before. “Ron……what happened?” as soon as he asked he regreted it, he knew immediately that he didn’t want to know. Ron slowly brought his gaze to connect with Harry’s and raised a closed fist, uncurling his finger Harry saw in Ron’s hand the ring that Ron had given Fleur the previous christmas. Harry’s mouth hung open in terror at the sight of the ring, tears of anger now forming in both Ron and Harry’s eyes.

Ron turned his hand over and allowed the ring to fall to the ground as he raised his wand. “He dies today Harry” the tone of Rons voice made Hermione shudder next to them. Harry nodded and the three friends turned and raced off toward voldemort. It wasn’t hard to find out where voldemort was, large explosions, followed by both death eaters, dementors, and hogwarts students and staff flying through the air, only voldemort would cast such destructive spells. The three stopped and stared, now in an open, circular area with voldemort on one side of the circle, Harry Ron and Hermione on the other.

Harry stepped forward and time seemed to slow down suddenly as voldemort grinned evily and took a few steps toward Harry, so that they now stood only a few feet apart. Voldemort grinned wider and began to laugh, Harry couldn’t understand why, maybe he was just being cynical, though when he looked down at himself he realized that his whole body was shaking. He narrowed his eyes and glared back at voldemort, who’s laughter ceased as he raised his wand.

“That’s right Harry, stand and face death for the last time, after this it will all be over and you’ll be with your, oh so brave father, and that disgusting mud-blood mother wench of yours” voldemorts taunting voice was nothing more than an accelerator for his anger. Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Harry, pausing as if waiting for some sort of cue for them to begin what should be their final battle. Suddenly, on the right side of the circle, an explosion went off and Harry took this as his cue to attack.

“MAXIMUS REDUCTO” his voice roared mighty over the other sounds of the ongoing battle. Harry was pushed back a few feet by the force of the spell but managed to stay on his feet. He opened his eyes which he hadnt realized he’d closed and his mouth hung open at what he saw. Voldemort still stood where he was, a shielding spell infront of him, it looked as though a transparent piece of glass was hovering infront of him, badly cracked and on the verge of shattering. Voldemort grinned nastily and raised his wand causing the shield to disappear. He slowly raised his wand as Harry looked back over his shoulder at Ron and Hermione, “RUN” he shouted as loud as he could as he turned back to face voldemort. He didn’t even hear the curse curse that he used, all he was aware of was the streak of blood red light headed toward him as time once more slowed down for Harry. He instinctively swung his arm, still grasping his wand tightly in his fist, his mind racing and finally settle on the shielding spell just as the streak of read light reached him his wand was infront of him and in the path of the curse voldemort had fired. Somehow, the wand seemed to act like a baseball bat and send the curse straight up into the air and way from Harry, somehow he had blocked whatever spell had been fired at him. Harry starred at his wand in disbelief, he had never learned how to block spells but somehow he had managed to do just that.

Voldemort too starred at Harry in a shocked manner, he hadnt expected the boy to be advanced enough to block spells at all, let alone his spells. He grinned though, he still knew, as did Harry, who would win this fight. They starred daggers at each other for a moment, seemingly unaware of the raging war around them and of the new arrival to watch the fight between Harry and Voldemort. Letting instinct take over, Harry raises his wand as if it were a sword and charged at voldemort, the dark lord did the same, the wands clashing against one another causing sparks to erupt from both wands. They remained standing there, leaning their body weight against the crossed wands, trying to overpower the other on physical strength.

Voldemort suddenly grinned and leaped to the side just as Harry heard Ron shout “Harry No!!”. Harry turned in time to see the new arrival at his battle with voldemort, it was bellatrix, apparantly his reducto curse hadnt finished her off, not yet anyway. Harry turned in enough time to see the unmistakeable green sparks of the avada kedavra curse flying at him, and bellatrix lestrange fell dead before she could see if her final spell worked. He felt a massive force slam into him, sending him flying out of the way and another body taking his place in the path of the killing curse. Harry landed face down on the ground and heard, just as he had in fourth year, the horrible sound of something heavy landing on the ground next to him. Harry raised his head and looked to see who it was, he gasped at what he saw. There, on the ground next to him, still somehow gasping for air, was his long time, best friend, Ronald Weasley.

“no” Harry gasped as he realized what Ron had just done for him. “No” he said louder as he sat up and looked down upon Ron who was beginning to draw his last breathes. “God Damnit Ron, WHY?!” he cried out to his best friend as tears began to swell in his eyes.

Ron managed to grin as he starred up at Harry, “Sorry Harry, couldn’t let you have all the glory, damn prat” Ron said with an almost serious tone. He drew another slow, rattling breath, “At least I’ll be able to be with Fleur now, ay Harry?” his hand suddenly rose and grasped the front of Harry’s robes, drawing him closer to him as his voice began to fade. “You have another destiny other than Voldemort Harry, it is the reason you must live beyond this battle” Ron paused to take another breath as blood began to stream from his nose and mouth, “Your next destiny, Harry, is…….” Rons grasp on Harry’s robes slacked and his hand fell to the thick grass as he let out his last breath, and within that last breath was the one word, telling Harry why he needed to live on, “Hermione”. And with that final warning to his best friend, Ron Weasley closed his eyes and was no more.

Harry, however did not have the time to grieve, he looked up to see voldemort surveying the scene with a look of the utmost disgust on his face. “how very touching” he sneered as Harry rose once more to his feet, his wand hand shaking now with anger instead of fear. “Well I suppose if your little friend is right about another destiny than me, I’ll just have to get rid of it, that way you can focus all your attention on me, your true destiny Potter” and with that he raised his wand and pointed it at Hermione, who had returned the scene, and was in tears at the sight of Ron’s lifeless body.

But at that moment, something deep within Harry snapped. He didn’t know what it was that he feeling, it was impossible to describe, not even the power of the emotions he’d released into the cruciatus curse on wormtail could compare to this new sensation. He glared at voldemort, his whole body trembling now as he raised his left hand, which did not hold his wand, and pointed his palm at the dark lord. “RIDDLE” he roared so loudly that even a dragon would coward.

Voldemort’s widened slightly at the sound of the voice, it indeed did not sound like the young Harry he’d been fighting with seconds before, he slowly turned his gaze away from Hermione and starred unblinkingly at Harry, wondering what the gesture with his left hand was about. Harry had no idea what he was doing, he wasn’t even making concious decisions anymore, a new force seemed to have taken over his body…..a dark force.

“Leave now Granger” he said speaking directly to Hermione though he kept his eyes locked in a death stare with voldemort. Hermione didn’t dare argue with this new Harry that she didn’t know, she turned and raced as fast as she could, not just running from the two of them, but from the whole battle, deciding to run back into the school where she would be relatively safe, depending on how things went outside.

Voldemort wasn’t sure what to do next, Harry had suddenly changed in that instance he way his friend die, and though he still had his wand in hand he didn’t seem to think it of any use, and voldemort still couldn’t figure out what Harry meant with his left hand. “You’ve taken to much from me you son of a bitch, this ends now” Harry’s voice shook with such rage that voldemort unwittingly took a half step back. He wouldn’t allow this child to intimidate him though, indeed he was right, it would end right now, he, voldemort, would finish off the Potters.

They starred each other down for several minutes, unaware of the now slowing battle around them, Voldemorts forces beginning to gain the upper hand. Voldemort couldn’t take it anymore, being under the stare of Harry was driving him mad. He snapped his wand at Harry and yelled at the top of his lungs “AVADA KEDAVRA” a literal cannon blast of green sparks shooting from his wand at Harry. To this Harry didn’t seem to react at all, all he did was mutter a single word, almost like a command, “no”

As he said this the green blast collided with his outstretched hand……..and froze. The blast simply froze, as if Harry’s hand was an unbreakable barrier. Harry gave a malicious grin at the fearful look on voldemorts face and pushed gently with his hand, the blast sliced in half. One hand flying harmlessly into the forest, the other flying back at voldemort and smashing square into his chest, sending him flying out of their little circle and knocking him almost fifty feet away. Harry shook his head again and looked around as if awaking from a dream, he remembered what he had just done, but he couldn’t remember how. ‘it couldn’t be’ he thought to himself ‘I can use wandless magic’. Harry suddenly dropped to his knees, his legs giving out completely as if he had no strength left. He looked over at voldemort who had not risen yet, but was indeed stirring, as if trying to roll over.

He looked up toward the school and saw Hermione, he needed to get to her, she had never made it inside, she was battling with some death eater. He pushed himself off the ground but immediately fell once more, now gasping for breath as though he had just run a thousand miles. He became vaguely aware of somebody screaming his name, but he didn’t care, he simply looked back to voldemort who was somehow on his feet again, even after getting hit by his own killing curse. “cant be” he gasped as he looked around, he saw Dumbledore racing toward him through the mass of death eaters. He somehow found the strength to rise one more time to his feet, and he took an extremely shaky step in the direction of the castle, where Hermione was still battling against a death eater.

His eyes suddenly widened in terror as what he saw next. Both the death eater and Hermione fired their curses at the same time, leaving no chance for the other to block, the deather eater flew back and off his feet, most certainly dead. But Hermione dropped to her kneeds, her hands clutched over her face, her screams filling his ears. “No” he chocked out as he fell to his hands and knees, unable to hold himself up any longer.

He raised his eyes and saw voldemort marching toward him, a look of utter fury upon his now bloody face. Though he suddenly felt a hand grasping his shoulder, and a cloak being thrown around him, he looked up into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore. The ancient headmaster starred down at Harry, a look of grief in his gaze, “We are leaving Harry, we cant win this battle im afraid”.

“What” Harry gasped, “No, professor, I’ve got to get to Hermione, she needs me to……” but Dumbledore cut him off.

“I’m sorry Harry, we must leave now, while I still have the power to get of out of here” his tone was now very urgent, and Harry could see why as he looked at the chest area of Dumbledores robes, they were stained in blood.

“NO” Harry shouted with the last of his energy as he raised and hand out toward Hermione who didn’t even see him, but it was to late. With a last look around and quick spell under his breath Dumbledore released the anti apparation wards, and took Harry away from the battle, away from lord voldemort, and away from Hermione. And all Harry could do, was cry out to the nothingness that surrounded his mind, as he finally allowed his tears to flow freely down his face…….he had lost more than just a battle with voldemort this time, so much more.

Two years had now passed since that fateful day at hogwarts, that day when Harry’s whole world had been wrongly torn from his grasp, the day he was forced to leave the child he was behind, and become something else…something he never wanted to be. Something had possessed Harry that day, he had killed without a second thought to it, he had used the cruciatus curse, and enjoyed it. He still couldn’t find anything to justify it, not even the fact that it had been Wormtail. To this day though, the one thing that still caused Harry to wake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, from a terrible nightmare, was Dumbledore, grabbing him and taking him away, with the fading image of Hermione on the ground, still screaming in pain. Harry had never found out what happened to her, he never got any new from the outside world, indeed the only conversation he ever got was from Dumbledore and Sirius.

Dumbledore had taken Harry to place that was specially hidden with an advanced form of the Fedelius Charm that hid the entire mountain valley from any chance of being found. This gloomy, secluded valley had been his home now for two years, everyday spent in exhausting, agonizing training. And every night filled with terrible nightmares that forced him to relive the battle. Harry rose from his chair and walked out of the cabin, stepping down onto the slightly damp earth as he thought back to the first day he had arrived here with Dumbledore.

flashback

Harry’s feet slammed into the ground and he toppled over, all his strength gone from his body, his mind reeling. He looked up at the blurry figure of Dumbledore and suddenly felt a great anger coursing through his body as he thought of what Dumbledore had just done, he’d practically sentenced Hermione to death. “DAMNIT DUMBLEDORE, WHY’D YOU MAKE ME LEAVE HER, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN TO HER” though Harry was still on the ground he seemed a little intimidating to Dumbledore.

“I am truly sorry Harry, but if we had stayed, myself and you would be lost. I sustained a rather……critical injury, and you expended all your powers with that bit of wandless magic. And a very powerful bit of wandless magic at that, im surprised it didn’t kill you. As for miss Granger……………” he sighed and sat down on a large rock and looked down at Harry with such pity in his gaze. He shook his head as if trying to communicate Hermiones almost certain fate without actually saying it.

This was simply to much for Harry, he’d lost his parents, Ron, and now Hermione to voldemort. The indescribable emotion that he felt before flooded his mind once more, all he wanted to do was unleash his anger, it didn’t matter at who, anybody would do…even Dumbledore, because in Harry’s eyes it was really Dumbledores fault that Hermione had been lost. Harry forgot how tired and weak he felt as he launched himself from the ground at Dumbledore, tears streaking down his face as he knocked Dumbledore of the rock and landed on top of him, his fists flying down at Dumbledore, not caring where he hit him just so long as he could cause him pain and give him a tiny clue as to how much pain he was in right now.

“ITS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU OLD FOOL!!!” Harry raged as continued to physically beat Dumbledore all thoughts of jinx’s or curses forgotten, “SHE’S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU, ITS YOUR FAULT I LOST HER, SHE WAS MINE DUMBLEDORE, MINE!!!”. It was lucky that all of Harry’s magical power had been exhausted or he might has blasted Dumbledore into a million tiny pieces. He didn’t know how long he was on top of the old man, but suddenly he felt a pair of strong hands grasp him around his middle and pulling him off Dumbledore. He kicked and flailed like little child having a tantrum, he looked up and found himself starring into the eyes of his godfather Sirius. Remembering that he still had one person left forced Harry into a subdued manner, his kicked and yelling ceased. He simply allowed to unbelievable exhaustion to overtake his mind as he passed out in his godfathers arms.

Sirius starred at Dumbledore, who was already back up on his feet, no apparent damage from Harry fierce attack. Dumbledore looked disapprovingly at Sirius, “you shouldn’t be here Sirius, regardless how much you think Harry needs you”.

“I’m sorry Dumbledore, but I didn’t make it to the battle to protect him, and look what happened. The battles been over for about a half hour now, I caught up with Snape when he was running through hogsmead. He told me about that battle, Hagrid and Minerva are gone Dumbledore, the school’s lost. When I asked him about Harry and his two friends he said he’d seen Mcgonagall pushing Hermione and another girl onto a broom and sending them off just before she was attacked, he saw them shooting at the broom after they finished with Minerva, he saw one of the spells connect. And he told me he’d seen you disapparate with harry, and Ron’s body on the ground. They got Hagrid while he was sneaking students into the forest and off with the centaurs, through himself in the way of curse meant for a group of second years, according to Snape”. Sirius starred at Dumbledore for a moment before he continued, “I am all Harry has left Dumbledore, he needs me, especially for what your planning for him next”.

Dumbledore surveyed Sirius over his half moon spectacles for a moment before asking, “And did the potions master, tell you where he was headed?” he acted as though he hadnt heard the last comment by Sirius.

Black jut shook his head, “didn’t have time to say, told me he was being chased and he’d waisted to much time telling me what he did. Im sure he’ll be find though, old Severus can is such a slimy, grease ball that he can slip through anything. When are you going to start with Harry?”

Dumbledore sighed and motioned for Sirius to follow him, as he turned and started walking, a small cabin coming into view on the other side of the valley. “I must start his training immediately, the earlier events of tonight have left me with little doubt to Harry’s true potential. His anger seems to unlock hidden abilities from deep within, and also seems to strengthen his magical power. He used wandless magic to block voldemorts killing curse, and even send it back at him at half strength, the use that tactic, however, drained Harry of almost all his energy. It’s a wonder that the move didn’t drain so much power it killed him”. Dumbledore stopped, having arrived at the cabin, and opened the door stepping inside as Sirius followed, he closed the door before he continued. “I have only a short while to train him Sirius, there’s no telling how long I will have to teach him, though it shouldn’t take him long to catch on to the spells I will be teaching him, he’ll need to be able to use the dark arts to defeat voldemort for good, and I will have to teach him as much black magic as I can”.

Dumbledore bowed his head, realizing as he spoke that Harry would indeed have to be trained in use of the dark arts rather than defense. It sent a shiver through the old mans body as he pictured what Harry might possible be like after learning the same techniques that voldemort knew. It would be Harry’s choice what path to take after he had learned black magic, he would have to chose to defeat voldemort in the name of good, or allow his heart and mind to be corrupted by the evil powers that would grow with him as he learned the dark arts. Dumbledore knew what he would have to do if Harry chose to use the dark arts for evil purposes. Dumbledore couldn’t allow a second dark lord to rise, if he had to, he would kill Harry.

Dumbledore looked up and saw Sirius laying Harry in a bed, he grinned and said a silent thank you to Sirius, perhaps the presence of Harry’s godfather would keep Harry’s heart and mind from becoming sick and twisted like voldemorts. “The training will begin tomorrow Sirius, I don’t know how long I will have, I can only wait so long, now that voldemort as set in motion his plan for domination of the wizarding and muggle world. Im afraid that I will have to ask you to help in the……” he was cut off, however, by Sirius’s angry voice

“I cant Albus, I cant. I refuse to help teach Harry the spells that were once used to try to destroy Lily and James”. Dumbledore starred at him with a slightly softened gaze upon hearing this.

“You must help me Sirius, you must help Harry. The dark arts are the only way Harry can reach his true potential, the magical power boost he received from his anger proves just that. I am fully aware that it will be dangerous, but as long as you are here to help Harry, his powers will grow dark, but his heart will remain on the side of good”. Dumbledore gave Sirius a pleading look as he finished. Sirius sighed and sat down on the moth eaten couch, holding his head in his hands for a moment before finally looking up, starring into the back room where Harry slept.

“Perhaps he isn’t as much like James as I first thought” Sirius said more to himself than to Dumbledore. He looked up at Dumbledore and nodded, “Very well Albus, I’ll help train Harry, but we must be careful with him, I wont allow my best friends son to turn...ever”. Dumbledore nodded to this and thanked him, as he turned and opened the door, walking outside to think.

present

From the moment Harry had woken up he had been in training, he had been constantly pushed and pushed to perfect his spells faster and faster, to push past his limits and create new ones. During the daylight he was out in the valley, learning and practicing spells, performing long, involved incantation ceremonies that were meant to allow him to focus his power directly through his body instead of his wand, brewing potions that were meant to give him extreme self-healing powers so he could remain standing longer in a fight. As soon as the sun would disappear behind the mountain tops he would be pushed inside and sat down at the table, a massive stack of books about the dark arts set infront of him. Books on how to further the effectiveness of spells, how different spells required a certain force of mind, how his rather unpredictable anger could work greatly to his advantage when using black magic.

Harry’s favorite thing to do was to sit down and open the book, Dark Arts of The Ancients: A Look Back Upon the Greatest Dark Powers, it was an incredibly thick book, filled with the most power black magic spells ever created, some of which hadnt been used in centuries because of the side effect of not performing the curse right. If you didn’t move your wand in the exact motion, speak the words in the perfect way, and use the correct emotions the most common side effect was a reversal of the spell and instant death. His mind was full to bursting with dark spells.

Harry sighed as he looked up at the now pale red sky, sunrise was coming in the next few minutes, and at that moment he wished he would be going through another demanding, impossibly exhausting day of training, but he wouldn’t be. Harry had overheard Dumbledore talking to Sirius the day before, and Harry was fairly certain that Dumbledore had known Harry was listening, perhaps it was easier for Dumbledore to allow Harry to know by accidently over hearing him talking about it.

The sun rose over the peak of the mountain and suddenly bathed the foggy valley in brilliant white light, Harry sighed and turned, heading back inside to get dressed for his journey. He walked into his bedroom and found a surprise, on his bed lay a set of robes and a cloak that he instantly recognized as that of an auror’s. Harry turned and looked behind him, and there stood Dumbledore, a merry twinkle in his eyes that Harry hadnt seen in a long time, Harry too, couldn’t help but grin at the gesture.

Sirius would often venture out of the valley in his dog form to get new of the outside world, whenever he would return there would be a morbid air about him, as though returning from visiting a graveyard. The news that Harry managed to get out of him allowed him to know that auror’s were still be trained, but only a handful, and with the greatest secrecy. Auror’s were not much more than bounty hunters anymore, out casts to the world that was now run by and full of dark wizards. According to Sirius, there was a reward, on the head of any auror, for two hundred galleons. Though most people didn’t bother trying to take down the few aurors that were left, aurors nowadays were trained for power and brutality.

Dumbledore nodded to Harry and turned away, closing the door behind him as he left Harry alone in his room to change. He quickly pulled on the black and violet auror robe and fastened the trench coat like cloak over it, he opened the door and stepped out, standing infront of Dumbledore and Sirius too. Sirius surveyed him with a proud gleam in his eyes, Dumbledore, however, had never looked more worried.

“I suppose its time Harry, come along then”. Dumbledore turned and walked out the front door, Harry turned to go with him but stopped as he felt Sirius slip something into his robe pocket.

“Just in case” he whispered as he gave Harry a push toward the door. They stepped out onto the ground and he looked at Dumbledore with a slightly confused expression. He knew he was leaving, but he didn’t know how he was supposed to leave, he didn’t even know where the mountain valley was.

“What am I supposed to do when I get back” Harry asked in a bewildered tone, he wasn’t even sure why he asked, he had no idea where he was going back to. Dumbledore simply pulled his wand from within his robes and pointed it at Harry, muttering quickly, and Harry began to feel a sensation like delayed reaction to portkey transport.

“What you do when from this moment on, Harry, is your choice. Good luck”. And with that Dumbledore flicked his wand and Harry felt a jerk behind his naval as he was whisked away from the valley, Dumbledores last words ringing in his ears.

* * *

Harry felt his feet slam hard into the ground, his knees shook violently but he remained standing, waving his arms slightly as he tried to keep his balance. He took a step back and steadied himself as he looked around to see where Dumbledore had dropped him this time. The ground beneath his feet was charred soil, and it felt slightly warm, as if it had been burned recently. He looked around and gasped, he was back on the Hogwarts grounds, the ruins of the mighty castle standing gravely over the once innocent grounds. He wasn’t sure what he should do, searching the castle seemed like a waste of time, he wouldn’t find anything of interest there, if anything there were probably dark wizards inside. Harry simply stood and thought for a moment, Dumbledore had said it was up to him to decide what to do. Though he repeated Dumbledores last words in his head for sometime all it did was give him a head ache.

He remembered vaguely about Sirius mentioning Hermione’s possible escape from the battle on a broom. He turned and set off down the trail that led to hogsmead, he needed a place to start, and since he didn’t know where else to go, the village seemed to be a good choice. He stopped at the battered old gate and turned, looking up once more at the ruins of the only place he had ever really considered his home.

“I’ll be back, I have the sneaky suspicion that your use isn’t yet over” he grinned and turned away from the castle, pulling his cloak tightly around him, in the chilly, December air. Though the gesture was more so to hide the black and violet auror’s robes he wore beneath. He trudged along the still familiar path for several minutes, wondering vaguely if the secret passage way into the honeydukes cellar was still there, or if it had been found at all. He shrugged and allowed the thought to fade from his mind as he slowly came upon the village. It had changed somewhat, though all the building still stood, some with broken windows, others with doors that were hanging off the hinges, it reminded Harry a little about a scene from an old western movie he had once seen with Dudley. The three broomsticks still stood but it too had changed, it was no longer the merry place it once was. It had grown dark and taken on a sense or forbidding, Harry could see through the open door, many wizards and witch’s running around inside and sitting at the bar and tables.

He sighed and looked around once more, unsure of what he should do he shook his head and decided to go in, if anything he could at least get a drink. He walked into the tavern and took a seat at the bar, nobody seemed to have noticed his entrance, either that or they just didn’t care. Harry looked at the new bartender, Madame Rosmerta no where to be seen, the new bartender was a large, burly man with a scar going over his left eye.

“Wha d’ya wan” He asked thickly, he was rubbing a glass with an old rag that only seemed to smear the dirt inside the glass. He starred down at Harry as if he were some sort of odd bug that he couldn’t identify.

Harry pulled several pieces of silver from his pocket and dropped them on the counter, “Dragon’s eye” he said, starring determinedly up at the freakish bartender. The tender blinked dully for a second, not many people ordered a dragon’s eye, it was a very strong drink, he shrugged however and scooped the silver off the counter, dropping it in his pocket and grabbing a clean glass and a very old and dusty bottle, filling the glass with a smoking, acid green liquid. The large man walked to the other end of the bar but continued to glance down at Harry, as if to see whether he would really drink it.

Indeed Harry did, he grabbed the glass and took a long drink, draining over half the glass before setting it back down on the counter, looking around the bar to see he could recognize anybody, though he doubted he would. He did recognize somebody, however, two people in fact. The first was Parvati Patil, she was standing toward the back of the tavern, dressed very poorly, almost like a house elf. The second person he recognized was Draco Malfoy, he too was at the back of the tavern and he had just grabbed Parvati by the arm and was saying something to her, obviously it was something she didn’t like because she was trying desperately to get away, her futile attempts were laughed at by Draco and many of the other men in the tavern.

Harry’s eyes blazed with hatred at the disgusting, older Draco, who had not seemed to change much since Harry had last seen him. Harry’s grip tightened on his glass as he watched Draco pull Parvati down onto his lap, the glass cracking under the pressure of his grip. The bartender saw this and looked to the back of the tavern to see what was getting Harry so angry, he chuckled as he saw Draco, his best customer, playing with Parvati.

He turned once more to Harry and said, “If you’ve got a problem with that I think you better leave, you don’t want to go messing with him, that’s Draco Malfoy” he said proudly as if talking about his own sun, “he’s the number one lieutenant in master voldemorts army”. His grin faded however when Harry rose from his chair, draining the rest of his drink and dropping the glass to the counter, reaching into his robes for his wand.

Harry glared into the back at Draco, who now had Parvati on her back on the table, kicking and screaming, though the only reaction to the surrounding people was laughter and jeers. Harry wouldn’t allow this, this, at least, would be an excuse to take care of Draco for good. He marched toward the back as Draco was tearing at the pathetic clothing Parvati was wearing, he looked up just in time to see Harry angry face before his fist send him stumbling back, crashing through the window and out onto the now snow covered grounds. He starred at the window, waiting for Draco to reappear, not caring about the stunned and angry looks on the surrounding men’s faces.

Draco stood and jumped back through the window, a few drops of blood coming from his nose, “You’ll pay for that, who ever the fuck you are”. He started to advance on Harry, raising his fist and swinging as hard as he could, unfortunately for Draco, Harry had been trained in martial arts as well as magic. He raised his hand, grabbing Draco’s wrist and twisting slightly, causing Draco to give a small cry of pain as Harry reached up with his other hand, grabbing a fistful of his ivory blonde hair and slamming his head against the wall.

Still holding both his wrist and his hair Harry stirred the stunned Draco to the front of the bar and tossed through the door, out into the snow, quickly following him outside, most of the tavern rose eagerly from their seats, wanting to get a good view of the fight.

Draco quickly stumbled to his feet and took a few steps back from Harry, somewhat afraid of him, though he still didn’t recognize him. “You are so FUCKIND DEAD. Who the hell do you think you are to try to humiliate like this” he plunged his hand into his robes and pulled his wand, Harry, who still had his wand out pointed his at Draco just as Draco pointed his and Harry.

Harry grinned and lowered his wand, a grin spreading across Draco’s face as he raised his, “Big mistake” he snarled as he whirled his wand, but Harry was to fast for him.

Harry swung his arm as if shooing away a swarm of fly’s, and sent a very confused Draco flying off his feet and landing, hard on his back, his wand laying on the ground several feet away. Harry grinned and walked up to Draco, starring down at him as he raised his wand, aiming at Draco’s heart, the blonde boy now shaking with fear.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked angrily as he starred at the wand now trained on his heart. Harry gave a heavy shrug of his shoulders, allowing his cloak to fall off, revealing the black and violet auror’s uniform to him.

“I am the auror……Harry Potter” he grinned broadly at the look of horror on Draco’s face, “And I have a message for you master. Tell him for me Draco, I’m back”. And with that he flicked his wand and knocked Draco out with a stupefy curse. He muttered as he tucked his wand inside his robes once more, grabbing cloak that had fallen to the ground and fastening it around himself once more.

He turned away from Draco and walked back into the tavern, the occupants all scrambling out of his way as he entered, he walked up to Parvati, was still shaking in fear from what Draco had almost done to her.

“H-h-harry?!” she asked, slightly disbelieving. She threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder as Harry removed his cloak once more, wrapping it around Parvati and glancing around the tavern once more before leading her outside with him. “Oh my god Harry its really you, your back” her voice growing more and more elated, he could practically feel her happiness.

“Parvati I need to ask you a few questions about the day I disappeared, Dumbledore and I were gone before the end of the battle and I haven’t had much news about the whats been going on for the past two years”. Parvati nodded and said she’d be glad to answer any questions she could. The walked up the slope leading to the shrieking shack and walked up to the door, Harry delivering one kick to the boarded front door and slamming it wide open. They walked inside and sat down on the old dusty couch.

“Well, first, I guess…..er, what are you doing here. Back at the three broomsticks I mean?”. Parvati lowered her gaze to the floor as she spoke.

“After the battle two years ago I was captured by a couple death eaters. they didn’t want to kill me though, they thought I could provide them with some entertainment” tears began to run down her cheeks, falling onto Harry’s cloak, which was still wrapped securely around her. “I almost got away to, professor Mcgonagall was helping me and Hermione onto a broom but……” she had to stop there because Harry had suddenly grasped her shoulders, a look of desperation in his eyes and voice when he spoke.

“Hermione! Please Parvati, you’ve got to tell me what happened to Hermione, did she get away or……..did she?”. Parvati had a look of pity in her gaze as she starred at Harry, she, like Ron had worked out a long time ago that Harry had feelings for Hermione, and it pained her to tell him.

“I fell off the broom just after we got off the ground, death eater had been firing spells at us. Hermione managed to stay on but……..she’d been hit with a spell a few minutes before”. She looked up at the terrified look on Harry’s face. “She managed to get away but……she was blinded Harry”.

Harry’s mouth hung open in shock, he had no idea what he was feeling at the moment, he was so elated that Hermione had actually gotten away from the battle, but it tore at his heart to hear that she had been blinded. It killed him inside to think of Hermione after her loss of sight, she must be so helpless without being able to see. He remained lost in thought for a moment before speaking again.

“Do you know where she is Parvati, where she was headed?”. Parvati looked up at him and smiled slightly, she’d be able to be of some help to him at least.

“Yes Harry, I know where she is. Mcgonagall but a spell on the broom before we took off, a transporter spell so it would follow a fixed course. Before she died Mcgonagall told us the broom would take us to St. Mungo’s, it’s the only place voldemort hasn’t been able to take over, special stealth and covering spells so he cant even find it. I don’t know whether she’s still there, or if she even made it for that matter. That’s all I know, sorry if I didn’t help as much as you wanted”.

Harry slowly rose to his feet and started for the door but stopped, turning back to look at Parvati, “Do you have anywhere to go?”. Parvati nodded and stood as well, unwrapping Harry’s cloak from around her and handing it back to him.

“There’s a resistance that stands against voldemort, I know where the headquarters are, I can get there pretty fast. Go find Hermione Harry, I’ll be alright”. Parvati smiled and opened the door, walking outside, standing for a moment before grinning at Harry and disapparating. Harry walked outside aswell, fastening his cloak around him once more and raising the hood of the cloak as he felt the bitter cold wind blow hard against him. He thought hard for a moment about what Dumbledore had told him about St. Mungo’s, you needed a special potion to be able to apparate, and Harry, luckily, had just that potion.

He reached inside his robe pocket and pulled a dark blue vial, uncorking it and quickly swallowing down the contents he dropped the vial back I his pocket and focused his mind, vanishing from the shrieking shacks lawn and appearing inside the front office of St. Mungo’s. His spirits high at the thought of seeing Hermione, surely if she were blind she would have to be here, Harry was due for a major disappointment

Voldemort had stretched his dark empire widely during the two year absence of Dumbledore and Harry, destroying the larger cities and appointing his lower class lieutenants to do with the smaller villages and towns as they wanted. Though nobody bothered to comb the near endless forests for possible rebel hideouts, they should have. The few people who had managed to evade voldemorts armies so far were in hiding in private quarters, deep in the forest where the dark lord and his forces never went. One of the most secure forest hideouts was one inhabited by a girl with curly, slightly bushy, brown hair.

Hermione Granger had left wizard hospital after almost a whole year in a bed on the fourth floor, the ward for spell damage. Hermione had arrived on the broom and collapsed as medi-wizards and witches came running toward her. They had placed her in a very full ward, casualties from several battle coming in with her, voldemort’s forces were larger than anybody would have guessed and he had taken only part of his forces with him to Hogwarts, the others had launched attack an attack in London, terrorizing the muggle world.

Hermione had remained alone and untended in her bed for almost three days before a medi-witch came to give her some food and some type of potion to help her get back to full physical and magical strength. She had remained on the fourth floor for nearly a month before anybody tried to fix her eyes, she had been near the end on a very long list of people who needed to be helped. By the time she was finally being seen to the fourth floor had been almost emptied, it had been only Hermione and one other person, a female auror who had been critically wounded. Though a whole team of medi-witches and wizards had tried every last spell, potion, ceremony, and every other thing they could think of, Hermione still saw nothing but darkness and so, it seemed, it would remain that way.

A medi-witch would come to her on occasion and try a new spell they had found, but nothing ever worked, they best they could do was to give her a spell that would at least allow her to bury herself from the world the only way she knew how…….reading. The female auror in the bed next to Hermione had begun to improve after Hermione’s second month in St. Mungo’s, and took pity on her, introducing herself as Alice and saying she could help her. Hermione had taken to Alice quickly as a new friend, Alice first teaching her a spell that allowed Hermione to move her fingers across the pages of a book and the words appeared in her mind, so it was more or less like silent reading to Hermione.

Alice was able to provide Hermione with a number of books, most of which were filled with histories of witches or wizards who suffered from ailments like, or even worse, than Hermione’s. All the books taught spells that could help Hermione to work through her blindness and Alice taught Hermione how to view her blindness as not a punishment, but a blessing. By month six of Hermione’s stay Alice had helped Hermione improve her hearing, her sense of smell, how to advance her since of touch to detect if someone or something was infront of her by feeling how the breeze hit her body. Hermione’s ability to ‘see’ things around her seemed so unnatural it was actually a little terrifying. Alice gave her different tests, such as tossing items at her and to the sides of her, Hermione, every time, catching the items, no matter if they were headed straight at her or if she had to dive to the side to catch them. Alice was extremely impressed by Hermione being able to figure out how many fingers she was holding up from across the room, it was beginning to seem intimidating to Alice.

At the start of Hermione’s seventh month, Alice had begun to teach Hermione new spells that allowed her to partially ‘see’, the first spell she taught Hermione, allowed her project spells outward and they would bounce back, Hermione compared to a sonar, or echolocation like bats and dolphins used. It was overwhelming to Hermione the first time she used the spell correctly, something like a rather crude, black and white, sketch forming in her mind and remaining for a view seconds before disappearing. One of the favorite spells that Hermione learned, and a favorite of Alice as well, was the stealth alarm spells.

The spell allowed Hermione to send a spider-web network of invisible spells all around the hospital room, the essence of the spell connected directly to Hermione’s mind, if anything moved in the room it would have to move against the invisible strings of magic and would instantly alert Hermione. If the spell was activated it would instantly wake Hermione if she were asleep, a well defined image of the room would form in her mind as each magical string was triggered, it allowed her to see, in her mind’s eye, the room, in something like a infra-red sense. This had to be the most helpful spell she had learned from Alice thus far.

After that they moved on to Hermione learning spells that would allow her to heighten her still working senses to double their normal limits, and Hermione could even turn her senses on and off at will, in case she wanted piece and quiet or if she wanted to be on the alert. A few days before Hermione’s one year anniversary of arriving at St. Mungo’s, Alice woke her, desperate to talk to her.

“Hermione…….. I’ve taught you all that I can about how to live with your blindness, I wish there was more that I could do for you but there isn’t, even if there was, there isn’t time” Alice had been very stressed when she spoke, she was tired of Hermione being trapped in St. Mungo’s for so long, she wanted her friend to at least be out in the world and enjoy life as much as she could.

“What do you mean there isn’t time Alice?”. Hermione turned to look at her best, and only friend, with her once sparkling cinnamon brown eyes, which were now dull and blank.

“I’m dying Hermione, that’s why I’ve never left this place, I’ve been on borrowed time for so long Hermione. I don’t want you to be here when I finally leave this world, I know you’ve already suffered so much, I don’t want you to be here when it happens.” Alice bit down on her lip and starred at the floor, she was lying. She indeed would never leave her bed at St. Mungo’s, but she would still live for some time, Hermione at least had the ability to leave and live her life. “I want you to leave Hermione, with all the spell’s I’ve taught you, you’ll be able to survive where I’m sending you. I had a mansion, hidden fifty miles deep into a forest, I want you to go there, here…..” Alice shoved a piece of paper into Hermione’s hand. Hermione quickly moved her hand over the parchment and realized it was some sort of spell.

“Just say that spell and you’ll instantly be transported to my mansion, you can use the stealth alert spell I taught you to set up a network through the whole place, and with your increases senses you’ll be able to get around just fine. There’s special enchantments on all the cabinets to automatically have whatever food or drink your looking for, and the closet in the bedroom is enchanted too, it’ll have any kind of clothing you want, and in your size. Will you go Hermione?”.

Hermione had nodded without speaking and immediately began to pack the few things she had in her possession at the magical hospital. She put all her books, parchments of notes, and all the clothes she had into a trunk and shrunk it, dropping it into the pocket of the set of auror’s robes Alice had given her as a going away gift. Alice told Hermione she’d explain to the medi-witches that she had left and gave her a hug, saying a tearful good bye.

That had been a full year ago, and Hermione was still living peacefully in the beautiful mansion, as soon as she had arrived she had set up her stealth alert spell network all around and inside the house, able to use the invisible strings of magic like guidelines around the mansion. After a few fearful days of exploring the house, making sure her network stretched to every corner with no possibility of being avoided by intruders she began to set up the stealth alert spell network outside, though nothing much bothered the network other than the occasion animal. Hermione had been delighted to find that the mansion had an enormous library, with a seemingly endless supply of books, and was very pleased to find that Alice had not been lying about the bedroom closet or the kitchen cabinets.

Hermione had been very pleased to get away from the stuffy ward of St. Mungo’s, but she always carried a since of depression about her. It was extremely lonely, living all alone, never having a visitor, not even a pet, she had no idea what had ever happened to crookshanks. Day by day Hermione was finding it harder to go on, it was becoming to much for her, the solitude and lack of human contact was beginning to drive her insane.

Hermione was becoming more and more restless, her all time favorite hobby of reading and researching for spells that might help with her blindness were beginning to disgust her. Yes, the queen of all bookworms was growing tired of the mountain of books from the mansion’s library. She realized that she enjoyed reading on occasion, but not every minute of everyday, her lack of interest in the books was not a good thing, she was losing the one thing that acted as an anchor for her sanity. She would often grab a book at random from the library and make her way down the living room, laying on the couch, resting her head on the squashy armrest like it was a pillow, the book open but face down on her chest she allowed herself to slip off into her own fantasy land of imagination.

This did something to Hermione that she both hated and loved, all in the same instance. She would often imagine what life would be like if voldemort had been defeated two years ago at Hogwarts, and she and Harry and been able to be together. It was one of her most indulged in fantasies, imaging what life with Harry would have been like, whether he would have gone through auror training, or perhaps joined a pro quidditch team, and what she, Hermione would have done. She liked to envision herself at a cute flat near Hogsmead, staying at home and being and author, perhaps looking after a few little Harry and Hermione’s. such a vision always made her giggle with delight, but caused her to cry in pain that night, realizing that she did not, and most likely, would never have it.

Perhaps the worst thought to ever cross her mind these days was, in fact, Harry. She had never found out what had happened to the boy she loved so desperately, the last moment she had seen him was when he had been in an indescribable state of rage facing voldemort. With her continuing lack of interest in constant reading and researching she found herself dwelling more and more on thoughts of Harry and what kind of life she would like to be living with him right now. She couldn’t resist imagining Harry and herself, being married, watching their children play and going to hogwarts and growing, even when she tried to keep her mind on other things she’d be unable to keep herself from her fantasies for very long and she’d always end up crying herself to sleep.

It was now exactly two years since that terrible day in her seventh year at Hogwarts, when all her life, which had just been made perfect by Harry, had been shattered and all her joy had been torn violently from her. Hermione was in the worst state she had been in so far, her face was tear stained, her eyes red and puffy from crying so much, her hair frizzy and unkept, and she was so depressed because it was now two days before christmas, the first christmas she’d be spending totally alone. The previous Christmas had, of course, been spent with Alice on the fourth floor at St. Mungo’s. It had been a fairly happy occasion, though they didn’t give each other gifts, they did get to have something of a christmas feast that night, they had talked and laughed with one another late into the night before falling asleep. Now, Hermione was totally alone, nobody to even have a conversation with for christmas.

Hermione spent the night before christmas eve day walking about the house sulking, moving her hands across the frames of pictures on the walls and on the tables in the halls, most of the pictures of Alice and her family, though some were of Hermione, Ron, and Harry that she had managed to bring with her. Her eyes might as well have been waterfalls as much as she was crying that day, remembering all the happy christmas holidays she had shared with Ron and Harry. She went down the kitchen just past midnight, unable to resist she opened the cabinet and reached in, pulling out a fine glass and a bottle of wine. She spent the rest of the night up in her room, drinking the entire contents of the bottle, remembering some of the past Christmases spent with her two best friends, before finally falling asleep near dawn.

Hermione didn’t wake up until only an hour before nightfall, the sun already getting low in they sky, just barely over the trees, not it mattered to Hermione, the presence or lack of light wasn’t noticed by Hermione since, of course, she couldn’t see. She grabbed her wand from the bedside table and flicked it, checking to make sure nothing had disturbed her stealth alert network, satisfied that nothing had even entered the woods surrounding the mansion, let alone actually coming inside, she set her wand back down and lazily rose to her feet, stumbling to the closet to get a pair of pajamas so she would at least be dressed comfortably. She picked a smooth, silk, button up long sleeved pajama shirt and a matching set of matching silk pajama pants, she smiled and walked to the bathroom, dragging a brush through her hair, taking out the frizz and leaving the light curls that had naturally formed. She fell back onto the bed and rested for a while, zoning out into one of her fantasies with Harry for a few hours.

When she finally rose from her bed to head down to the kitchen out of hunger it was already very late, she ran a hand across the front of the clock next to her bed, it read 3:06 A.M..

“Well how bout that” she said to no one, “Merry christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me…..” she continued to sing to herself as she made her way down the stairs and into the living room, stopping abruptly and taking a step back in horror. Though she was slightly hung over from the bottle of wine her senses were still full on alert, as she had entered the living room she had felt the temperature rise several degrees, there was fire burning at the opposite side of the room. She, of course, hadnt lit any fire, she’d been up in her room all day, but she also hadnt felt any of her alarm spells activate.

She narrowed her blind eyes in confusing anger and fear as she looked around the room, cursing herself to hell for leaving her wand upstairs, she couldn’t activate any type of locater spell without her wand. She could ‘feel’ the presence of another in the room with her but she couldn’t tell where, who ever it was extremely stealthy, though she could not hear the rustle of a cloak of the sound of footsteps, she knew the person was moving. She could practically see the scene in her mind now, who ever it was, was moving past the couch, still ten feet away from Hermione though, she considered turning and running up the stairs to try to get to her wand. She knew it would be no use though, the intruder must certainly had their wand in their robes, if not in their hand at the moment.

Her breathing growing faster and heavier she took another step back as she felt the intruder take a few more steps toward her. “Who ever you are you better get out of my house right now!”. She didn’t really expect for the person to listen to her, though it made her feel better to say it. “I’m warning you” she snarled at the intruder as they took another step toward Hermione, “Y-you’ll be s-sorry” she fumbled with the words as she back up sever feet and gasped as she felt her back collide with the wall.

The intruder took several rapid steps toward her before she had time to think of what to do and had reached Hermione, grabbing her by the wrists as she tried to hit her attacker, he pinned her arms against the wall and pushed himself up against her. Hermione gave an involuntary shudder as she felt a well toned chest pressing against her perfect breast.

“GET OFF ME” she raged as she tried desperately to free herself from the intruder, who was obviously male, thrashing violently against him and succeeding in nothing but tiring herself out. Unable to bite back the tears any longer she cried, sobbing uncontrollably, leaning her head back against the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks now as she waited for her attacker to do what ever it was he intended to do. “Just do what ever the fuck it is you came here to do then get out of my house” she said in a defeated voice.

“Giving up already, that’s not the Hermione I thought I knew” a vaguely familiar voice said. Hermione blinked, tears still running down her cheeks, as she tried to remember where she had heard that voice, it seemed slightly familiar and also warm and comforting. The intruder slacked his grip on her wrist and she didn’t try to pull away or hit him for some reason even she couldn’t figure out. His hands moving slowly down her arms and down her sides, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her up against him in a warm embrace.

Hermione found herself unconsciously relaxing into the embrace of the strangely familiar man, and she too, wrapped her arms around him, her legs giving out and she collapsed fully into his arms.

What am I doing?! She screamed inside her head. But she could find the energy to break away from the mans arms as he lead her over to the couch and gently helped her lay down, she felt extremely exhausted for some reason. She aware of the man sitting down on the couch next to her and leaning down upon her, she could feel his breath against her lips now, and it made her shudder as before. Oh god no, she whispered in her mind, but at the same time another voice arose in her mind, Yes yes, let it happen. He seemed to somehow sense her confused feelings and pulled back a little, leaving her more confused than ever now.

“Oh god, who are you” Hermione whispered accidently, having not meant to ask the question out loud. She could sense the man grinning and had a strange sensation like she was being watched, she understood that the man was moving his eyes over her body, her curves defined very well through the silk pajama outfit. He leaned down once more and gently pressed his lips to hers is a soft and tender kiss. A low moan escaped her as she felt passion rising from deep within her, a passion she had not felt for two years, since her last night with………

No!! she thought to herself as the man pulled back after several breathless moments. She starred up at him with her dull, graying eyes, once more shining with tears as she slowly reached up with her hand, moving her fingertip gently across his face, the features seeming so familiar, yet changed somehow. She reminded her self it had been two years since she had last seen Harry, of course he must have changed. He breathing became rapid and shallow as so many memories of the boy she loved came flooding back to her in a giant wave of emotion.

“H-h-Harry?!” she asked in a desperate, pleading voice. Her fingers still playing across his face she felt him grin and also felt tears, slowly running from his eyes and dropping onto her fingers.

“Merry christmas Hermione. I love you” they both grinned and embraced one another, tears of joy streaming from their eyes as they lay on the couch, kissing each other and eventually falling asleep in each others arms, both of them, for once, sleeping dreamlessly, content at being with each other once more.

~(A/N)~ Well just a quick note, in a review to my second chapter somebody said that the point when Harry blocks voldemorts killing curse it is very much like the scene at the end of matrix reloaded. Well just so you know I wrote that chapter some time before matrix reloaded came out so the similarities are a coincidence, though I admit it would appear as though I had taken that scene from matrix reloaded. Anyway, just wanted to clear that up, NOW REVIEW, thank you.

Harry woke fairly early, even though he and Hermione had finally fallen asleep at almost four in the morning. Though Harry had only gotten three hours of sleep he felt surprising refreshed and in very high spirits. He smiled as he recalled the events of only a few hours ago and opened his sleepy eyes to see…..the couch. Hermione wasn’t with him. Harry quickly sat up and looked around, his breathing suddenly becoming shallow and rapid, dear god please don’t let it have all been a torturous dream.

“Morning Harry” called Hermione’s cheery voice from the kitchen.

Harry quickly rose to his feet and turned, starring desperately at her for a moment as he afraid she might disappear. He smiled after a moment and relaxed, walking lazily to the kitchen where Hermione had several strips of bacon sizzling in a pan on the stove, two plates on the counter, waiting to be filled. Hermione was sitting on the counter, occasionally glancing in the direction of the cooking bacon and giving a sniff to see if it was done yet. Harry grinned as he stood infront of her, his mind still in disbelief that he was finally with her once more, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Hermione grinned and giggled, reminding Harry of the younger Hermione he had gone to school with, she was in a rather joyous mood this morning.

Hermione placed a hand on Harry’s chest and pushed him a little as she stood of from the counter and walked over to the bacon, glancing over her shoulder at him, her dull eyes seeming to sparkle for the briefest instant, and told him to take a seat back on the couch. Harry reluctantly a left the kitchen, Hermione vanishing from his line of sight as he sat back down on the couch. She quickly joined him, her wand out and two plates of bacon, eggs, and toast floating infront of her, as well as two glasses of pumpkin juice. She flicked her wand and one plate and glass sank to the table infront of the couch for Harry and the other for her as she took a seat next to him and handed him a fork for the eggs.

They ate in silence, though not feeling the least bit awkward about the lack of conversation. After they had finished they left their plates and glass’s on the table and laid back on the couch, Harry resting his head against the left armrest and Hermione laying her head against he right armrest, giggling as Harry tickled her feet for a few minutes. Hermione wished desperately she could stare into his emerald green eyes once more, she sighed knowing she couldn’t, but that fact didn’t remove even the tiniest bit of her joy at having Harry back with her. After a moment she narrowed her eyes, remembering something from the previous night.

“Harry?” she asked in a somewhat confused tone that caught Harry’s attention.

“Hmm?” Harry was eager to talk with Hermione and he didn’t know where to begin so he took it as a blessing that she had started the conversation.

“I’m curious, how did get through my stealth alarm spells last night? They cover every inch of the house, even if you could see them you still couldn’t move without touching one of the strings of magic”. The question had flashed through her mind the previous night but she had pushed it to the back of her head, not thinking it very important at the moment.

Harry let out an amused chuckled and grinned, “What do think I’ve been doing for the past two years Hermione?” he said, answering her question with his own. “I’ve been in training Hermione, making myself stronger, better…..just like you”.

Hermione smiled, Harry thought she had become stronger, and indeed she had. Hermione had over come an obstacle that most people would have been terrified to even try to live with. She flashed her famous Hermione grin and tilted her head to the side, starring at Harry and picturing what he must look like. Her grin faded after a moment still starring at Harry, though now it was as if he were a rather difficult puzzle that she couldn’t solve.

“What kind of training?” she asked quietly, Hermione knew very well it took a very powerful bit of magic to detect a stealth alarm spell, and then to get through it. “The only spells I know that can get a person through my alarms are very powerful dark magic”. She felt Harry becoming rather tense now as she said this.

It was several minutes before Harry finally decided to answer, “Well, its like I said. I’ve been in training.” He said vaguely. Hermione didn’t seem to be satisfied with his answer though, Harry knew she wouldn’t, hoping she wouldn’t try to get more answers out of him, he couldn’t lie to her.

“What kind of training Harry, have…..have you been learning black magic?” Hermione asked in a worried tone. She could feel Harry’s eyes starring at her for a moment before finally giving a defeated sigh.

“Dumbledore and Sirius have been training me for the past two years, and in all that time of training I haven’t learned one spell or potion, or new ability that wasn’t taught in a book about the dark arts.” Harry’s voice was dark and seemed to have taken on a distant tone, as if he was terrified of telling her what he had been up to.

Hermione grimaced at the thought of Harry learning so many power dark spells, it must have been a living hell for him to go through dark arts training with Dumbledore. She sniffed lightly as felt tears starting to form in her eyes, imagining the pain he must have gone through to learn some of the spells Dumbledore must have taught him. She took a deep breath and fought back the tears, another question still burning in her mind.

“Why didn’t you ever come to find me Harry, and why’d you leave in the first place?” Hermione began to feel a little apprehensive to Harry as she waited for an answer.

“I’m sorry Hermione, I really am. I didn’t want to leave the battle two years ago, Dumbledore just grabbed me and lifted the anti apparation spell and we were gone. Sirius showed up just a hour after we did, I overhead him an Dumbledore talking, they thought I was asleep. He told Dumbledore he’d run into Snape in hogsmead, Snape had said he’d seen you and another girl getting on a broom but that death eaters had fired tons of spells up at you, one of them had hit. He made it sound as though you had died.” Harry shuddered at this memory, feeling Hermione doing the same.

“If I had known you were still alive I would have tried to find you, I really would have. After I got back I wanted to find out for sure what had happened to you, I met Parvati down in Hogsmead and she told that you had been headed for St. Mungo’s. I got there a few days ago, none of the medi-witches knew were you had gone, all they knew was that you had gone. Since I was wearing auror’s robes they let me look around where you’d been staying……” he had to stop as he was cut off by Hermione surprised voice.

“Auror’s robes?! Oh my god Harry, are you an Auror now, is that what Dumbledore was training you for?” Hermione had a look of stunned disbelief on her face. She had always pictured Harry as choosing a career as an auror, she knew he’d love the danger and adventure. And after personal training with Dumbledore he had to be the best auror alive.

“Well……I suppose, depending on how you look at it guess. If the official ministry auror’s were still around then no, I haven’t gone through the same training as one of the old aurors. But, if you consider what auror’s are nowadays…….well in that case I would be an auror. I kind of prefer to think of myself as an auror, makes it easier to use the dark spells I learned.” Harry did indeed prefer to think of himself as an auror, even by the older standards, after all, personal training from Albus Dumbledore had to be ten times better than official auror’s training.

“Anyway…” he said, continuing with he explanation about how he had found her. “When I was looking around on the fourth floor the girl in the bed next to your old one said she knew where you were. She was wearing auror robes too and after asking me why I wanted to know she told me you had come here…… I think she said her name was Alice.” At this he heard Hermione gasp, Harry starred at the shocked, and hurt look on her face.

“Alice is still alive?” Hermione felt something like betrayal at finding out her best friend was still alive at back at St. Mungo’s.

“She told me it was her that sent you here, she didn’t like you being trapped in that hospital and she wanted you to at least be out in the world to live your life, she obviously knew you wouldn’t leave her. I could tell she regreted sending you here, it sounded like you two had become best friends.” Harry waited for a moment for her reaction, she still looked very shocked.

Hermione nodded after a few minutes, understanding the reasoning behind Alice’s lie to her.

“After I left St. Mungo’s it took me about a day to get back here, I went up to your room but you looked asleep so came back down stairs to wait.” Hermione grinned at this, she had been lost in her fantasy land once more, and she had been imagining something similar to what had actually happened, having Harry show up at her door at the mansion.

“And what about you, what have you been up to for the past two years?” Harry asked curiously.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders unhelpfully, she didn’t think there was much to tell. “Not much really, when I was at St. Mungo’s Alice taught me some spells that could help me to live with my blindness, she was a big help. After about a year there she sent me here, and I’ve just been living here ever since with nothing to do.” Hermione gave a rather cynical laugh, “I’ve actually gotten pretty disgusted with trying to read every book in the library”. Harry had a look of genuine shook on his face, Hermione? Not wanting to read? It seemed impossible to even think it.

There was a long pause in which neither one seemed to want to speak, they knew they couldn’t just sit there in that mansion forever, regardless of how much they wanted to. Harry sighed as he thought of what he must do, Dumbledore hadn’t given him two long years of dark arts training for nothing.

“So what happens now?” Hermione asked in a timid voice, not sure she wanted to know the answer if it meant she would lose Harry again, “What are you going to do now that your back?”

“Dumbledore told me, just before I left, that I’d have to decide what to do when I returned.” There was a long pause in which Harry thought deeply about what he should and what he wanted to do. “I’d love nothing more than to simply stay here with you Hermione…..” Hermione blushed deeply at the thought, “But I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to do something. Neither of us knows much about what voldemort has done, we haven’t seen the horrible new world he’s created. I have to help……..if only to avenge Ron.”

Harry wished he hadn’t mentioned Ron, Hermione was quick to begin crying after hearing her old friends name after so long, and Harry too felt tears stinging in his eyes. Harry wished he could take Hermione in his arms and cry with her, but if he did, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to let go.

Harry hadn’t gone through two years of absolute hell, filling his mind to the bursting point with dark spells, to come back and be conquered by his own emotions. Before this he had thought of Ron constantly, seeing his friends death as a motivation to learn faster and train harder so he could one day kill voldemort for all that he’d done. Harry pushed all thoughts of Ron out of his mind and rose from the couch, looking down at Hermione, his love for her would be a great problem if he wished to destroy voldemort, he couldn’t use his dark spells to their full potential if such a pure and innocent emotion was within him.

“Before I left for St. Mungo’s Parvati told me she was headed toward the headquarters of the resistance, that’s where I’m headed.” Harry’s voice seemed a little cold in comparison to a moment ago.

“You know where the resistance is?” Hermione asked curiously. After all, Harry had only been back a few days, there’s no way he had had the time to find the headquarters.

“No, but I think I know somebody who does.” Harry had heard from Alice that the resistance was run by auror’s both old and new. Though she hadn’t told Harry, he was certain she knew where to find the resistance.

Hermione suddenly leaped to her feet, a small smile playing across her face as if she were amused by something, she turned and dashed off toward the stairs, yelling back at Harry, “Just give me a minute to get ready.”

Harry blinked dumbly at this, “Ready? For what?”. It took a few seconds for it to sink in with Harry, damn, he thought as he rushed up the stairs after her, barging into her room and seeing her already in a set of auror’s robes.

“What the?! What are you doing with auror’s robes?” Harry was very puzzled at why she would have them, he knew there was no way she was an auror.

“Alice gave them to me last year as a going away present, they fit pretty good, what do you think.” Hermione gave him a dazzling smile as she moved her wand in a pulling motion, muttering to herself and Harry felt as though something had just gone rushing past him. “There” she said proudly, “I’ve got my alarm spells removed, when do we leave?”.

Harry starred at her blankly for a few moments. “Who said anything about we?” He asked slightly confused, surly she didn’t intend to come with him.

Hermione turned her gaze on Harry glaring defiantly at him, her eyes, which always looked cold since she had gone blind. “I’m going with you Harry, and don’t think your going to talk me out of it.” She said in her old, determined voice.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head though the gesture went, obviously, unnoticed by Hermione. “Your not going Hermione, your gonna stay here and I’ll be back in a few days to check on…..”

But Hermione interrupted him angrily before he could finish, “Oh I see! You think I’ll just slow you down is that it Harry?! You think you’ll have to protect me because I’m blind, is that it?!”. Harry was amazed at how angry she sounded, indeed he took a step back considered trying to sneak off right then.

“I, uh, well…….” Harry hated to admit it but he had indeed been thinking along those lines, he thought it would be easier to get around if he were by himself, he was also underestimating Hermione’s abilities to defend herself even with her loss of sight. Harry sighed, not seeing any point in trying to think up an excuse.

“You want the truth Hermione fine, here it is.” Harry gulped and dropped all his emotions, if she wanted him to be brutally honest then that’s what she would get. “No I don’t want you with me, and for several reasons at that.” Hermione was shocked at the sudden coldness in his voice. “For one I don’t think you’d stand a chance against any dark wizard we meet, yes I think that because your blind now Hermione, you think that because you learned a few spells that help you to get around the house that you’ll be able to survive out in the real world. I’ve already proven it possible that a skilled wizard can beat your stealth alarm spells, you think your little ‘sonar’ copy cat spell will do you any good?!”

It was Hermiones turn to take a step back now, this was not the Harry she knew and loved, it wasn’t the Harry from two years ago, or even the Harry she had talked with only moments before. She had been right in thinking that dark arts training had changed Harry, this was the real Harry, cruel and cold, his emotions before had been nothing more than a mask to hide his true self from her.

“You are blinded Hermione, in more ways than one, it you can not see that the only ones who will prevail where I am headed are not those that fight with innocence and purity.” Hermione shuddered as she heard Harry sneer the word. “No, the ones who will truly prevail, and be declared the victor’s are those who fight with out emotion, with our remorse and with out pity.” Harry’s voice was now growing louder.

“And that is the true reason that I can not have you with me on my journey Hermione, as long as I am with you I can not ignore what my heart is telling me, as long as you are with me I can not allow my growing dark powers to reach their full strength, and I will not be able to kill that son of bitch riddle.” Harry’s voice had risen to a shouting level by the time he had finished his passionate speech, his face flushed with anger, his eyes blazing insanely.

Hermione could sense his anger practically pulsating within the room, it brought fresh tears to her eyes to think that her once innocent Harry had become what could only be described as ruthless and bloodthirsty. She had made up her mind though, she was going, no matter what Harry said or did. She quickly drew her wand and pointed it at him, the wand shaking slightly out of her own anger.

“You can say what you want Harry but I am going, maybe I just don’t want to go with you though. I can make it perfectly fine on my own, I don’t need you Harry, its you who needs me.” Hermione’s voice seemed slightly high pitched but nonetheless determined. She waited anxiously for his angered reaction, but it never came. Instead she gasped as she suddenly felt Harry’s hand on her face, she hadnt heard him crossing the room at all, not one foot fall as been detected.

Harry sighed as he slowly moved his finger tips across her face, his mind racing, he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop her from leaving, and he also knew she wouldn’t survive more than a few days without her sight in the real world, in voldemorts world. He knew very well what he had to do in order to insure that she would be able to protect herself, even if she ended up with him for the whole journey, he would not be able to protect her every second of every day. He reached up with a quivering hand and Hermione gave a yelp of pain as he pulled out a single strand of her hair.

Hermione grimaced and rubbed her head lightly, giving Harry a push away from her, “And what was that for, you think your going to stop be by making me go bald?”.

“Well, its like I said before Granger, I’m not having a blind girl tagging along with me, so were just going to have to fix that little problem.” Hermione didn’t like his tone, she wasn’t sure what he meant by ‘fixing the problem’, did he mean that he would make it so she really couldn’t come with him?

“W-what do you mean by fixing the problem, what the problem supposed to be? And how exactly are you gonna fix it?” Hermione was not feeling very trusting in Harry at the moment, she could hear the slight ‘clink’ of glass against glass and the sound of liquids being poured together. A potion, whats he need a potion for? She asked herself silently.

“Now say aw miss Granger.” The way Harry spoke reminded Hermione of her parents when she used to watch them work as dentists. Hermione backed up against the wall, covering her mouth with her hand, shaking her head violently.

Harry chuckled at this gesture and reached up, pulling her hand away from her mouth with minor difficulty, though her lips remained firmly pressed together. Harry grinned at yet another fresh idea, he leaned forward, his lips gently brushing against hers, he felt her relax slightly at this.

“What? I cant even kiss the girl I love?” he asked like a little child who was being denied his favorite toy. Hermione couldn’t help but grin as he relaxed, her lips slightly parted in anticipation of the kiss.

Instead of feeling Harry’s lips against hers she felt the top of a glass vial being pushed into her open mouth and dumping a piercing hot liquid down her throat.

Harry pressed his hand against her mouth so she would be forced to swallow the potion rather than spit it out. Once satisfied that she had taken the potion he moved his hand away, Hermione immediately opening her mouth and letting out an ear splitting scream that made Harry fill he were standing next to a banshee. Harry stumbled back, his hands clamped tightly over his ears trying to muffle the high pitched shriek coming from Hermione. The noise suddenly stopped and Harry opened his eyes, removing his hands from his ears, he saw Hermione lying on the bed, seemingly passed out from the pain.

He sighed and picked up Hermione’s wand, which had dropped to the floor, tucking it inside his own robes and starring down at Hermione for a moment.

“Sorry Hermione, but like I said before, I cant have a blind girl tagging alone with me.” He grinned at his own cleverness and bent down, sliding his arms under her limp body and picking her up, she seemed as light as feather to him and he smiled at this, she had kept herself in excellent shape. “Well, I suppose we better get going aye?” he said, smiling down at her as though he expected her to answer. He shook his head and started to laugh, carrying her down the stairs, out the front door. Though it was still very early in the day, only about ten or so, Harry felt they had wasted to much time, he continued to walk with Hermione in his arms, never stopping, never slowing until nightfall.

He had finally stopped a few minutes after the sun had disappeared behind the horizon of trees, it would have been quicker to simply cast a spell on Hermione to connect with him and he could have simply apparated the both of them to the edge of the forest. But he had his reasons for traveling through the forest, Draco must have reached voldemort by now, he had felt a dull pain burning in his scar the whole day.

* * *

Hermione gave a low groan as she finally began to stir, her head swimming, she felt dizzy. She suddenly sat up but immediately laid back down, moving made her feel as though she were going to be sick. She could feel something soft beneath her and she moved her hands quickly over whatever it was. she felt the smooth sheets beneath her, a soft pillow under her head. She could tell she was in a bed but she didn’t know where, surely it wasn’t her own bed.

She sat up, very slowly this time and swung her feet over the side of the bed, making sure her feet were firmly on the ground before standing, she felt a hard linoleum floor beneath her bare feet. She reached up to feel her eyes, before she had passed out she had felt an indescribable pain, as if her eyes had been on fire. Instead of feeling her own skin beneath her fingers she felt a soft, medical cloth wrapped around her head and over her eyes.

She reached inside her robes but couldn’t find her wand, her breathing suddenly growing rapid, she didn’t know where she was, she couldn’t sense Harry anywhere nearby, and she didn’t have her wand. She begin to take slow deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

“It’s ok Hermione, you don’t need your wand, you know how to use your senses.” She said, trying to reassure herself. She settled herself and focused her mind, she could feel a tiny breeze against her, she moved slowly toward the breeze, her outstretched hands suddenly colliding with a very soft wall. She moved her hands across the fabricy wall, finding a tiny crack she dug her fingers into the crack and pulled. She realized it was a tent flap.

A wizard tent, of course. She smiled, happy to have found an explanation for the bed. It also settled her mind as to whether Harry was still around, surely Harry had a wizard tent for his travels. She heard a fire crackling and she moved closer to it, the night exceptionally cold, after all it was the end of December.

She rubbed her hands against the bandages wrapped around her head, they were beginning to itch very badly, especially the area around her eyes. Frustrated she moved her fingers across the bandages and found the end, undoing the little knot and beginning to unwrap them. As she pulled the bandages fully off, tossing them aside, she opened her eyes.

Her scream was probably heard through out the entire, massive forest. She quickly shut her eyes, her hands clamped firmly over them, rolling on the forest floor screaming in pain. Slowly she felt the pain begin to dull, and a pair of hand grasping her and pulling her to her feet.

“And I thought you would have more sense than to actually remove the bandages, so much for your common sense.” Harry’s voice was right next to her, she wished she could look up at him, even with her blind eyes, but now she couldn’t even stand to open her eyes, what had he done to her.

“Back in the tent Hermione, come on.” She felt Harry’s arm around her shoulder, stirring her inside the wizard tent once more. He sat her down on the bed and told her lie back as he went to get her a glass of water.

She gulped down the water greedily before handing back the glass to Harry. She was very quiet as he wrapped a fresh set of bandages around her head to cover her eyes once more.

“What the hell did you do me Harry?” she asked in a terrified whisper, “I cant even open my eyes now, what the hell did you do?” Her voice was very angry now as Harry began to tie a knot at the end of the bandage to make sure it wouldn’t come off.

“Well, in light of the fact that I forgot to get you a christmas present I thought this would be a good substitute.” His tone, unlike Hermione’s, was upbeat and sounded as though he had done something she should be thanking him for. “Sirius must have known all along, Just in case, HA”. Harry grinned remembering the day he had left the mountain valley, Sirius had slipped a small box with a vial of potion and a note with instruction on what to do. Sirius had known all along about Hermione it seemed.

“What are you talking about Harry, What the hell did you do to me?” Hermione still sounded very angry with him, but some of her anger had been replaced by curiosity.

Harry sighed and spoke as though explaining something complicated to somebody to young to understand, “Think about it Hermione, what did I say before? I told you specifically that I couldn’t have a blind girl with me on this journey. And that I would simply have to fix the problem”. Harry grinned at the puzzled expression on her face, he loved watching her work out a puzzle to which he already knew the answer.

Hermione suddenly gasped, it couldn’t be, not what she was thinking. “Harry, did…..did you make……”.

“Shhh, rest now Hermione, you’ll understand in a few days. I had hoped the potion would have worked by tomorrow, apparantly the spell that blinded you was nasty one, you were bleeding out your eyes before I put that first set of bandages on”. He kissed her on the forehead and told her to sleep.

And sleep she did, drifting off into uneasy dreams, her mind still racing at the though of what Harry had done, had possibly done. Was it possible that Harry hand done what the entire medi-witch staff of St. Mungo’s was unable to do? Indeed it is possible.

A/N, Everybody who reads my fanfic please please PLEASE review ok? Reviews are the only reason I bother to keep my story going and I really want to hear whether you, the readers, liked my story or not. So anyway, REVIEW NOW, thank you

“You impudent, flea ridden BUFFOON!” the angry voice of the dark lord raged at the cowering figures of Draco Malfoy and Peter Petigrew. The blood red eyes of the former Tom Riddle blazed dangerously, his pale body trembling with suppressed rage. “I practically hand you Harry Potter” he said, spitting his words at Petigrew, he rounded furiously on Malfoy, “And you, how the hell can you screw up capturing a blind, pathetic, MUD-BLOOD?!”.

It was now two days after Harry and Hermione had left the mansion in the woods, voldemort had learned of Harry’s return through Draco’s message, he had been both angered and pleased. He knew that the young Potter boy must have been under heavy training of some kind in preparation for the true final battle. He knew Harry would have changed after his training, but he also knew Harry couldn’t deny his emotions. It was obvious to voldemort that Harry would have searched for that buck toothed mud blood he loved, and voldemort had taken advantage of this knowledge. He sent Petigrew to find Harry and bring the boy before him. Draco had requested to go in order to get revenge upon Harry, voldemort had told him he wasn’t to harm Harry, Draco made it clear he wasn’t going to do anything to Harry for his revenge, his plans had been with Hermione.

Though Draco hated her with every fiber of his being he couldn’t deny that Granger was indeed hot. During the battle two years before he had been made a promise directly from voldemort, that if he battled as a death eater, he could have Hermione as his own. Draco had been the one who had blasted Parvati off the broom, he had cursed himself a thousand times for not getting Granger.

Draco and Petigrew had reached the mansion the day before, a day after Harry and Hermione had left. They had searched the whole place for any clue as to where they might have gone, but they had found nothing, they had been utterly terrified when they realized they had nothing to give nor tell their master. And so now they were down on their knees infront of the great dark lord, who’s regime had stretched all through out Britain and almost all of Europe. Draco was confident he would be safe from any punishment, he had volunteered, and had volunteered for a job other than getting Harry, he couldn’t think of any reason voldemort would be angry with him, apparantly there was some reason.

“You have failed me for the last time” voldemort had returned to his gigantic, golden throne and was starring into space, Draco and Petigrew glanced at each other nervously, unsure to whom voldemort was speaking to. The two of them chanced a glance up at voldemort, who turned his murderous gaze down upon them immediately. They grimaced and starred down at the stone floor. Voldemort slowly rose to his feet and raised his wand, training it slowly on Draco.

Draco glanced up and saw this, his eyes widening in terror at what was surely about to happen. “Please my lord no, no I beg of you” he through himself at voldemorts feet, kissing the hem of his robes. “It was not I that failed you, it was that sniveling fool there” he pointed desperately at Petigrew who was turning very pale indeed at this. “He was supposed to bring you Harry……..” Draco was flung back roughly across the hard, cracked stone floor. He looked up at the horrifying figure of voldemort.

“Pathetic” he said slowly, “I have no intention of punishing you, young Draco, but I am sickened by your actions, at least your father, a true death eater, would have accepted his punishment like a man”. Voldemort slowly lowered his wand, not glancing at Petigrew who appeared to be trying to slip away unnoticed. “Do you know why you are my head lieutenant Draco? Because I surely do not know why I would have ever appointed a weak, powerless coward like you to such an important position. WHERE ARE YOU GOING WORMTAIL”. Petigrew froze where he stood, dropping back to his knees and crawling back to his master, apologizing profusely.

Draco, not very sure of what to do, slowly rose to his feet. He was suddenly struck with an idea, the only thing he knew for sure was that Harry and Hermione were definitely together, and he could find them. “Master” he said in a steady voice, voldemort removed his gaze from the graveling Petigrew and starred at Draco for a moment.

“Yes, what is it Draco?” he asked furiously. Draco cringed slightly at the tone of his voice, he didn’t like it when voldemort was angry with him.

“Allow me to truly apologize my lord, send me to defeat Harry Potter, I will find them and I will prove to the world that he is no match for me, let alone capable of destroying you my great lord. And when I am done with him I will have will already have my reward, for I know that Granger must be traveling with Potter”. Draco wasn’t entirely certain this approach would work, his ability to slime his way out of a sticky situation rivaled Snape’s, but he still was unsure if the dark lord would trust him with such an important job. Voldemort looked as though he were thinking hard, the idea certainly appealed to him, he knew, however, it was little more than an attempt to avoid punishment but he still liked the idea.

“A terrible idea Draco, I cant believe you thought you could worm your way out of punishment for failing me already” Draco’s eyes widened in fear as he looked at the amused smirk on voldemorts face. “I think I have a better idea young Malfoy. You will track down Potter and Granger, you will prove to Harry that he is no match for you, my number one lieutenant, and you will bring me his head as proof of his death. Also, I wish you to bring me the mud-blood, I think I shall gift your success with the mud-blood, I don’t see much personal use for her myself” voldemort looked as though the entire thing had been his idea, and Draco, not wanting to get the dark lord angry, grinned and eagerly nodded.

“You are indeed brilliant my lord, I could not have come up with a better idea myself. I shall leave at once master” and with that final word, Draco turned his back to voldemort and Petigrew and dashed from the room, drawing his wand from his robes.

Voldemort motioned to his guard to close the door, letting out a derisive laugh as he turned and marched past the still cowering Petigrew and headed toward his private chamber, stopping and glancing over his shoulder at Petigrew who was now on his feet.

“Dearest Peter” voldemort said in a silky voice as he opened the door to his private chamber, a voluptuous woman approaching from the shadows, a grin on her face as she entered chamber before voldemort.

“Y-y-yes my master?” Petigrew stuttered slightly, though not as badly as he normally would have, he could see voldemorts mind as already else where.

“Kindly find me a new head lieutenant, my current one will be dead in two days time.” He grinned nastily at Peter before heading into his chamber, the door staring to close behind before he stopped and starred back at Peter for a moment, Petigrew now frozen in shock at his masters words.

“Actually Peter, I think you deserve a promotion, congratulations head lieutenant Wormtail” he grinned once more and slammed the door to his chamber shut. Leaving a both stunned, and elated Petigrew standing in the middle of the throne room. He looked around at the guards who all gave him the thumbs up at his new rank, though Petigrew was already feeling confused emotions about his promotion, as the head lieutenant he would be expected to battle Harry after Draco was gone.

“Ha, it will be no problem, taking down a child. He’s not the only one who’s been getting stronger” Wormtail laughed insanely as he exited the room through the door opposite voldemorts, the door to the head lieutenants quarters, he had some redecorating to do with his new home.

* * *

“So, do, you know where the resistance headquarters are?” Hermiones curious voice asked. They had been traveling almost non stop for two days now, and they were still in the forest, she was beginning to wonder if Harry knew where they were headed. She knew that you could pick a direction from the mansion and start walking and you’d be out of the forest after a day of walking, but they had been at it for two days already, and nighttime was approaching once more.

Harry made an impatient noise as he glanced back at Hermione, he didn’t know why she was complaining, she hadn’t exactly been the one to sit up for two nights to fend off the beasts that were in the forest while she slept. He shook his head and muttered to himself, he could have led her out of the forest the previous day but he preferred to wait for Hermione to regain her sight before they left the forest.

“For the last time Hermione, NO, I don’t know where the hell the bloody headquarters for the resistance is. I have no idea, I should have asked Parvati but I had other things on my mind at the time. It won’t be that hard to find someone who knows where the resistance is, so STOP WORRYING” Harry didn’t mean to be so angry with her, it was simply becoming harder to control his emotions for some reason. Being with Hermione brought back so many memories and so many emotions that he couldn’t resist them all.

Hermione stopped suddenly, hearing the anger in Harry’s voice, she hated it when he was angry, especially if he was angry with her. All she ever wanted was Harry to come back to her, and now that it had finally happened she wasn’t sure she wanted it anymore. Hermione heard Harry stop ahead of her, she couldn’t wait until she could see again, that way she could glare angrily at him, with passion in her eyes once more.

“I think we should stop here, now. I don’t feel much like walking anymore.” Hermione said defiantly at his silence, and sat down, pulling her knees close to her chest and waiting for him to say something. Harry glared at her angrily for a moment before speaking.

“Get up Hermione, I don’t have time to screw around now.” He sounded irritated, as if having to put up with some bratty child who wasn’t getting their way. It didn’t do much for his mood when she responded.

“Don’t have time to screw around? Oh, do you have somewhere important to be, it cant be the resistance since you don’t know where it is. And unless your trying to circle the entire forest, we have nowhere to go Harry, your lost, just admit it. Even I could have made it out of the forest by now, stop being such a prat”. Hermione turned smirked up at Harry, wishing she could see how angry she was making him at slapping the truth in his face. She didn’t hear anything for several minutes and she began to worry a little.

“On your feet” he snarled at her, his tone shaking with rage. Hermione was both frightened and confused by this, what was with Harry lately, one minute he was being sweet and innocent like he had been back in school, the next he sounded like he was ready to attack her. Hermione tightened her grip around her legs and remained determinedly on the ground.

This didn’t set well with Harry, he was in a bad enough mood already, he was constantly struggling with an inner battle, unsure of whether to accept his love for Hermione, or to allow his heart to finally sink into the permanent anger and rage that came with all the black magic he had learned. As long as he allowed his heart to love he would never be able to use his dark powers to their full extent, and he would always be holding back from his true power. On the other hand, if he allowed his heart and soul to be devoured by the blinding rage he had known in battle two years ago he would finally be able to use all his dark arts spells, and use them to their full potential.

He shook his head, deciding to sort out his feeling later, he glared down at Hermione and slowly turned away from her. “Fine Granger, stay here and get killed, see if I care, I came back to kill voldemort, I don’t need you”. And with that Harry started to walk away in the direction they had been headed before they stopped. Hermione gasped and listened as she heard the fading footsteps of Harry, dieing away as he did indeed leave her behind.

“H-Harry?” she asked pleadingly, she hoped it was just a trick to get her to her feet, and indeed she had jumped to her feet, facing the direction she had heard Harry’s footsteps. “HARRY?!” she cried out desperately, she couldn’t make it back to her mansion now, they had followed a very curvy and zigzagging path. She started running as fast as she could in the direction she had heard Harry leaving, screaming as she ran, trying to call Harry back, “HARRY WAIT, IM SORRY, HARRY”.

She stopped and panted for a moment, listening carefully for any sound of a crunching leaf beneath a foot or the snapping of a twig, but there was nothing. She started breathing heavily, scared and angry now, how could Harry just leave her like that. She reached up and began to tear at the bandages over her eyes, it was dark enough now that the little light that was left wouldn’t hurt her eyes. She tossed the bandages to the ground and looked around.

Her vision was extremely blurry, everything was dark, the many trees appeared as nothing more than darker spots, her eyes not wanting to adjust to the low light. She wasn’t sure what she had intended to accomplish by removing the bandages, maybe if she waited till morning her eyes would be back to normal and she could find her way home, she was sure that she and Harry had left a trail.

After several more minutes in which she called out Harry’s name over and over again she accepted that he was not coming back, she sank down to the ground and leaned back against a tree, pulling her knees to her chest once more, sitting there and crying. She cried for several minutes before she suddenly stopped and looked up, she had heard the unmistakeable sound of the crunching of leaves on the ground, definitely footsteps on the forest floor. ‘it must be Harry, that jerk, making me worry like that’ she leaped to her feet, quickly wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve and starred at the approaching figure, he was nothing more than a blurred, dark blue object.

“Harry you prat, I can believe you left me like that, didn’t you hear me screaming. What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked angrily as the dark figure still approached her silently, she suddenly had and ominous feeling about this person, she wasn’t sure it was Harry after all. She took a step back, still staring at the dark figure, her vision suddenly decided to improve slightly.

She could tell the figure was around the same build as Harry, but most definitely wasn’t Harry. She could make out shining, ivory blonde hair in the darkness, she gasped and stumbled back, tripping over a tree root and falling to the ground as she starred up at who must have been Draco Malfoy.

“Draco?!” she heard him give an amused laugh. “Wh-what do you want Malfoy?” she pushed herself hurriedly to her feet, but Draco now leaped forward, grabbing her arms tightly and pushing her back against an enormous oak tree.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the disgusting little mud-blood bitch.” He taunted as she struggled against his grip, screaming as loud as she could, hoping that Harry might hear her and come back. “Oh do shut up Granger, there’s no point in calling for Potter, he’s long gone by now. And who can blame him too, im surprised he put of with you for this long.” He nearly let go of her arms to cover his ears as she let out another high octave shriek, causing his ears to throb painfully.

He grinned evily and glared into her eyes, “I think you should stop that now, but don’t worry, I’ll make sure you do plenty of screaming later, but it wont be Potter’s name your shouting.” He gave a cynical laugh as Hermione gasped and started to struggle against his grip once more. The mere thought of what Draco intended to do to her made her sick.

“LET GO OF ME” she shrieked in his face, wishing desperately she had pulled her wand on him before. Draco just continued to laugh as he shook his head, his black eyes now traveling across her body, which was showed off nicely due to her snug auror’s robes.

“I think I might just have my prize right here, since your so insistent on screaming I’ll give you a reason to scream.” She began to thrash violently against him, causing Draco to stumble back, though he kept his grip on her so she came falling down on top of him. He glared up at her angrily and forced her off, rolling over on top of her and pinning her arms to the ground. “Smile Granger, this is a real honor, any girl would kill to be where you are right now”.

“I don’t think so” a new voice cried angrily as Draco turned his head and, just as in Hogsmead, saw Harry’s angry face before his fist connected full force with his nose. Draco was sent flying off of Hermione and rolling across the forest floor, rising slowly to his feet and stumbling back against a tree to steady himself, reaching up and feeling his nose, wincing in pain, Potter had broken it.

Hermione looked up and saw the blurry image of Harry, standing angrily over her, she leapt to her feet and threw her arms around him, though he did not return the embrace. She let go of him and took a step back, staring at him for a moment, though her vision was still poor, there was no mistaking the gaze of pure venomous hatred in Harry’s eyes as he starred past Hermione at Draco. Hermione took a look over her shoulder at Draco and turned back to Harry, reaching for her wand before Harry grasped her hand, shaking his head and motioning for her to step aside.

Hermione retreated behind Harry, resting behind a tree and watching the fight between the two old rivals begin. Her vision once again improving suddenly, she could now distinguish between the two boys easily, though her vision wasn’t even half way back to normal.

Harry already had his wand out, he was glaring at Draco through the increasing darkness, he muttered quickly and pointed his wand to the ground, a bright light suddenly rising from the ground in a circle that stretched to include Draco. Draco drew his wand and looked at the circle of light curiously, he shrugged, not minding the gesture, it would be easier for him to battle if he could see what he was doing. Draco pointed his wand at Harry, ignoring the blood gushing from his smashed nose as he began to search his mind for the best spell to start with.

“Your making a mistake Potter, throw down your wand and come with me, perhaps if you beg for your life lord voldemort will spare you” Draco taunted Harry as he slowly raised his wand, Harry doing the same. Draco received no response so he shrugged and prepared for the battle. They slowly began to tread around the edge of the circle, as if daring the other to begin. It was Draco who fired first.

“You should have joined my master when you had the chance!! MAXIMUS REDUCTO” Draco’s enraged voice echoed through out the entire forest, a narrow beam like blast erupting from his wand, headed straight for Harry.

Either Harry was moving extremely fast or time was slowing down, it seemed as though the green beam of light slowed before it could reach Harry as he waved his wand almost lazily down at the ground infront of him. “NECRO SAMENS”. One of the most favorite dark spells in Harry’s almost infinite arsenal of black magic.

But nothing came from Harry’s wand as he shouted the incantation, instead it came from the ground infront of Harry. Suddenly, an old, decaying, still partially flesh covered skeleton erupted from the ground, rising infront of Harry, Hermione letting out a horrified scream from behind her tree. The green beam of light collided with the disgusting skeletal, zombie like figure and blew apart against it. The creature, if it could even be called that, turned to Harry, who nodded, and it promptly nodded back, suddenly collapsing into a pile of dust.

Harry grinned down at the pile of dust now blowing away into the wind, he looked up at the horrified look on Malfoy’s face. “So what do you think, that’s the first time I’ve had a chance to test that spell so far.” He continued to grin at the look on Malfoy’s face. “The Necromancer’s follower spell. Though not the full spell however, the full spell summons a veritable army of these creatures, and they can do magic as well. But I though just one to block your spell would do.”

Draco starred at the pile of dust at Potter’s feet, he was terrified to say the least, he had not expected Potter to know spells like that, he hadnt even studied dark spells that advanced. He gulped and fixed a determined look of anger upon his face, glaring at Harry once more. “You think you can scare me just because you learned a dark arts spells? Well your wrong Potter, your still no match for me!”. And with that he waved his wand at Harry once more screaming, “Now you die Potter, AVADA KEDAVRA”, this time there was a giant wave of magic erupting from Malfoy’s wand at Harry, who still didn’t look the least bit unnerved as she swung his own wand at the green blast.

“YOUR GONNA LOVE THIS MALFOY” Harry screamed as he made a stabbing motion toward the green light as it reached him, his mind focused strongly on the shielding spell, though that wasn’t the spell he shouted. “INCANTATEM REVERSO” as he shouted this he focused his mind more clearly on the shielding spell, seeing the shield infront of him, using his mind to bend the shield in a curved arch.

What happened next shocked all three of them, the green blast collided with the shield, the shield sparkling green for an instant before Draco’s own blasted fired back out of the shield, headed straight for Draco. Draco and Hermione were surprised to know that such a move was possible, Harry was shocked that the move had worked at all, it was a spell that he had only studied, he had never tried to use it to block any spell before.

Draco let out a cry of surprise and disbelief as his own deadly curse slammed into his body, rocking his mind and sending him flying back and crashing into a tree, the hard wood splinting under the crushing force of Draco. Draco slid down the tree, his now lifeless eyes starring up at Harry, his last thoughts seeming to echo in Harry’s mind, Well done Potter.

Hermione, unable to contain herself any longer, leapt from behind her tree and through herself upon Harry, who returned the embrace warmly this time, they remained entangled in one anothers for several minutes before Harry finally pulled back for her embrace.

“Listen, Hermione, im sorry for leaving like I did before Hermione. But you have believe me when I say that I know where im going ok? I was circled the forest, but I had my reasons, I was waiting for someone, possible attacker like Malfoy. I also wanted to stay in the forest until tomorrow when your eyes should have fully recovered, we would have been to open outside the forest, it would have been easier for voldemorts forces to launch a larger assault.” Hermione thought Harry’s apology sounded rather half hearted, as if he both did and did not think he was the one who should be apologizing. She smiled and nodded however, apologizing to him as well.

“Um, Harry? Are we going to set up camp here for the night?” She asked nervously, she glanced at the lifeless body of Draco Malfoy and shuddered, she didn’t want to sleep so close to him, even if he was dead.

Harry too starred at Draco for a moment before speaking, “No, I’d prefer to sleep somewhere else for the night, come on” he turned and headed off into the night. Hermione followed for several minutes with out speaking, the circle of light fading in the distance and finally being swallowed by the darkness. They stopped after nearly a half hour of walking, Harry quickly setting up the wizard tent and making a small fire, cooking a bit of dinner for the two of them.

Hermione sat in next to Harry in silence for some time, starring blankly into the fire, the light not hurting her eyes as it had two days before. A though suddenly struck her mind, she hadnt seen her own eyes yet, she slowly turned to Harry and gave a slight tug on his sleeve. He turned his gaze upon her and smiled, “Yes Hermione?”.

“Harry, I was just wondering, do you have a mirror or something so I can see my eyes, and my own face for that matter, its been so long since I could look in the mirror” she grinned sweetly at him and he reluctantly complied, pulling a square piece of glass from inside his robes and muttering something to her about leaving out a few minor details.

She didn’t have to wonder what he was talking about for very long, as she starred into the mirror she let out a terrified gasp, her eyes, her once beautiful brow eyes, were no more. There was nothing there, simply pearly whiteness, no color at all. She glared at Harry who raised a hand so he could speak.

“Hermione, quick question, whats your favorite color?”. Hermione starred at him for a moment, very confused by the question, though she did stop to think for a moment before answering. She cast her mind around on her favorite colors, her mind finally settling on a light purple, violet color.

“Violet” she said in an utterly confused tone, “But I don’t see what that has to do with my eyes.” She glared at him as if he were being stupid on purpose, but he suddenly grinned, his eyes shining with held in laughter, as he pointed at the mirror once more. She raised an eyebrow and glanced down into the piece of glass, gasping yet again.

Instead of seeing the slightly sickening sight of pure white eyes starring up at her, she saw a pair of gorgeous violet eyes starring back, her violet eyes. She grinned and looked back to Harry, her vision suddenly becoming perfectly normal once more, she couldn’t hold back the tears as she threw her arms around him, thanking him over and over.

She still had the grin on her face as she fell asleep that night, Harry sitting outside by the fire, starring into the dancing flames, deep in thought about his emotions, he knew he would have to make a choice soon. He shuddered, knowing which choice he would have to make. He stood and looked around, confident nothing would bother them he went inside to get some rest himself.

A/N thank you to those of you who have reviewed, anybody who reads this story I would really appreciate it if you reviewed, even if you just say if you liked it or not, really means a lot to mean to have review, well thanks in advance for reviewing, see ya next chapter.

The following morning they made quick work of exiting the forest, it wasn’t even noon before the massive forest was nothing more then a dull green speck in the distance. Hermione was in such an elated mood that Harry felt if she grew any happier she’d explode. Hermione was full of energy, practically bouncing with every step, dancing circles around Harry like a little child in a candy store. She kept smiling and laughing out of the sheer joy of having her eye sight back, pointing out every little thing to Harry as if he was he was now blind.

Harry was now forced to endure a great pain for his kindness to Hermione, he was almost as excited as Hermione about the return of her eye sight, but such a feeling of joy clashed violently within him about his decision he had made the night before. Harry knew he would never be able to defeat voldemort if he held even the tiniest emotion for Hermione in his heart and he wanted desperately to destroy the dark lord. And yet, he also knew that he could not deny his love for Hermione, not due to the pain it would have caused him but because of the pain it would cause her. He knew that if he were to shut his heart from her it would devastate her. Harry could endure any magical torture ever created, but to see Hermione in pain because of him, that was his breaking point.

A final thought that plagued his mind was what he, Harry, would be if he truly did ignore every emotion except his anger and hatred. A shudder ran through his body as he realized the truth, if he were to really drop all his emotions in order to destroy voldemort, he would become another dark lord, another voldemort, heartless and utterly cruel. He was shaken from his thoughts by Hermione’s excited shriek, he turned and looked up at the sky in the direction she was pointing, he saw several small twittery flying overhead. He saw the wide grin her Hermione’s face as she shouted out what color the birds were, and he couldn’t help but smile too.

“All right Herm’s, enough with the birds already, we need to get to the headquarters for the resistance” He still didn’t know where the headquarters was but he had an idea of how to find out. He laughed as Hermione gave a fake pout and they began walking again, Hermione hanging lovingly on his arm as they walked.

“Where are we going Harry?” Hermione asked after nearly a half hour of walking, she knew they were supposed to end of at the resistance headquarters but Harry had told her that he had no idea where that was. She stared at her for several minutes, it looked as though he was trying to think of an excuse for something. He finally turned his gaze down upon her.

“It’s a surprise”. Hermione nearly fell over out of shock, how could Harry be joking at a time like this. She glared up at him as she demanded an answer, but he refused to say another word, so they simply continued on, Hermione muttering at his side.

* * *

Back in former London, where voldemort had forged his castle, the now vile city was beginning to stir. The many death eaters that lined the streets were talking in excited whispers, a roaring trade of rumors coming from the many pubs in the filthy city, drunken guards and servants from lord voldemorts throne room clearly recalling the night of Draco Malfoy’s departure. The city that looked as though it had died ages ago, was coming to life, wizards and witches from the lowest class to the highest nobility were rushing through streets and up to the castle, all wanting a commanding position for the rumored upcoming battle. For they had also heard from the guards, the return of the boy who lived, and every last death eater in London wanted to be the one to bring Potter’s head to the mighty lord voldemort.

The many death eaters and dark wizards of London believed that their actions of rallying up legions of warriors to fight for lord voldemort would please the dark lord, they were sorely mistaken. Lord voldemort stood out on one the highest balcony of his castle, surveying the city with eyes of rage. He had not wanted for news of Harry Potters return to become wide spread as it was now, nor had he intended for Draco Malfoy’s fate to be made common knowledge.

The resistance had been growing considerably from a simple thorn in his side to real threat, they had almost managed to overthrow his outpost at the former diagon alley.

Voldemort was aware that his city was full of spies from the resistance, but he was unable to pick them out of the swarming mass of wizards, so he tried to discourage the leaking of important news to the people. He cursed under his breath and turned, walking inside and taking a seat upon his throne, he felt very secure on the throne, the thought of Potter’s return had unnerved him somewhat.

“WORMTAIL” he called out suddenly to the darkness, a strip of light appeared at the far left of the room as Petigrew opened his door and came scrambling into the throne room, kneeling at once before voldemort.

“What is it milord” he asked anxiously, his confidence had greatly improved since becoming the new lead general, but he was still terrified we he was before his master.

Voldemort chose not to answer right away, he starred off into space for a while, Wormtail waiting patiently at his feet. “Wormtail…….” His tone shocked Wormtail, for the first time ever Wormtail was certain he detected a hint of fear in his masters voice. “Wormtail, it is time you take up your duties as my lead general.” He paused for a moment as if still thinking upon what he was doing, “I want you to assemble an army Wormtail, can you do that? A simple task that even a brainless oaf like yourself can do” voldemorts tone had returned to its normal coldness by now.

Wormtail looked up at his master in a plain state of confusion, before he could stop to think the words came flying from his mouth, “But master, your army is still here, all the death eaters that fought with you two years ago still dwell here in your kingdom”.

Voldemort glared down at his servant with eyes that could kill, “Do you consider me a mindless fool such as yourself!” he asked with a shout as Wormtail shook his head furiously. “I know that I have a powerful force built right here it my kingdom, but the resistance has proved themselves a bit more feisty than we wanted. And if Potter does join them it will double their efforts and their strength, I want you to go out into the far reaches of my realm and bring forth every loyal citizen who can fight in my army. Go to every outpost, every prison, every dungeon, gather every being within my control, everything from my dementors to the beggars on the street. We will hunt down the rebels and destroy them all in one swift blow” voldemort gave a sickening grin as he spoke. Wormtail rose nervously to his feet, bowing quickly to his master before he turned to leave, but just as he reached the door he was halted by his masters voice.

“Wait Wormtail”, Peter slowly turned to face his master once more, voldemort had an amused grin on his face. “Send your second in command to gather my forces, I have another job for you, one that will help insure Potters demise.” Wormtail shuddered involuntarily as he heard the deadly whisper from his master, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be part of voldemorts plans.

“W-w-what do you wish me to do milord?” Wormtail braced himself for the command to go and face Harry, but that wasn’t what came.

“Do you remember the prize that young Malfoy sought?” Wormtail nodded, not entirely sure why he would be asked such a question. “I think I have changed my mind about what I told Malfoy, I may have a use for the little mud-blood after all” he gave a sadistic grin and let out a sickening laugh as Wormtail finally understood. “You will take her from Potter Wormtail, and send her to my dungeon in the north, make sure you tell Potter that’s where she’ll be.” Voldemorts dungeon near the northern part of the continent was one of his most secured, it was guarded by both death eaters and all manner of creatures; giants, trolls, dragons, and had a rotational guard of werewolves placed at the entrance at every full moon.

Wormtail bowed and exited the room, as soon as he was gone all the anger, rage, and hatred left voldemorts eyes, and it was replaced by fear. He sat in his throne for some time before he spoke, “We will see just how strong you are Mr. Potter, wont we”. He rose from his throne and strode back onto the balcony, looking out over the castle walls at the land beyond, he was out there somewhere, the second wizard ever to be feared by lord voldemort.

* * *

“Its getting dark Harry, shouldn’t we stop” Hermione asked as she watched the sun setting off on the horizon.

Harry looked down at her and arched an eyebrow, “Dark, I don’t see why that should matter, didn’t seem to matter to you whether it was light or dark until yesterday.” Harry received a punch in the arm for his somewhat rude comment. He laughed and decided that they might as well set up camp, he made quick work of setting up the wizard tent and producing a cooking fire and had two steaks sizzling within a few minutes.

They ate in silence, which surprised Harry somewhat since he expected her to continue points out things that she could see, but she seemed somewhat subdued as she ate. He chose not to ask her what was wrong, after they had finished eating Hermione asked Harry if she could have the small mirror he carried. Harry watched her stare into the mirror for almost an hour before he finally decided to ask.

“Hermione, is something wrong?” She turned her gaze upon him and he was shocked to see that her eyes had tears in them. “Hermione?” he asked in an awed voice. Hermione, however, gave him a small smile and suddenly threw her arms around him, leaving Harry more shocked than ever.

She looked up into his dark, emerald green eyes as he gazed down into her now violet eyes, slowly it began to dawn on him what was wrong with her.

“You gonna be ok Hermione?” he asked, his voice very gentle as if dealing with a small child.

Hermione gave a small shrug, “I just miss my old eyes, when I look in that mirror, its like im looking at another person, those eyes are just so unfamiliar.” She buried her face in the chest of Harry’s robes, hoping he wouldn’t think she didn’t like having her sight back.

Harry grinned and placed a hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his once more, he starred into her eyes for several hypnotic moments before speaking in a low, husky voice. “If you really are a different person, Hermione, I think I’d like to get to know you better”.

Hermione didn’t miss the suggestive tone in Harry’s voice as he spoke, she smiled slightly, her cheeks burning red as she blushed from his words. She didn’t have time to respond before she felt Harry’s lips descend upon her own.

Her mind didn’t seem to want to work, she couldn’t think of anything except for how wonderful it felt to be kissing Harry, she groaned like a child who had lost their favorite toy when Harry slowly pulled away from the kiss. She starred up into his piercing green eyes as she wondered how he could have this kind of effect on her; she began to feel hot, as if her whole body was blushing, her mind was reeling, her aurors robes suddenly felt so confining, and the only thought she could muster was how sweet Harry’s lips tasted.

Harry was feeling the exact same way, it felt as though a furnace was heating him from the inside, making his blood boil, his mind was racing, he couldn’t hold a single thought for more than a second. He suddenly began to notice the way Hermione’s robes hugged her womanly curves, his own robes starting to feel far to small. Harry felt a sensation from deep within that he had never felt before, it was a blinding emotion that sent his senses haywire, it was a desire so overwhelming, a desire for this girl that he was holding in his arms.

But there was another emotion, rising next along with his desire, it was a pacifying emotion to his desire, it slowly began to take control and he realized what it was, his love for Hermione.

I guess I know what choice I’ll be making, so much for using dark magic against old voldemort. He thought to himself. He starred down at Hermione for longest time, both simply starring at each other, as if waiting for some sign of what to do next. After several minutes Hermione gasped as if waking from a dream and pulled back from Harry, quickly rising to her feet.

Harry slowly climbed to his feet to stand next to her, she starred down at the ground as if embarrassed. She slowly raised her eyes to look up at Harry, she seemed to terrified to speak, Harry couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

Harry took a cautious step towards Hermione and she looked as though she wanted to take a step back, whats wrong with her, he wondered anxiously. Harry slowly slid his arms around her in a soft but comforting hug, Hermione slowly relaxing into his embrace.

“You okay Hermione?” he asked nervously.

“I’m sorry Harry” she muttered quietly at she collapsed against him, overcome with a sudden exhaustion. Harry gasped at this, thinking something might really be wrong with her, he quickly lifted her in his arms and carried her inside the tent, setting her down in the bed.

She had passed out yet, but darkness was creeping into her vision as she starred up at Harry’s anxious face. She tried to speak to tell him that she was alright but she couldn’t find the energy to open her mouth, she felt weak and totally without energy as she closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

Harry didn’t know what to do, he simply stood over Hermione, watching her for several minutes wondering if she was alright. He sighed and kneeled next to the bed, slowly reaching out and running his fingers through her dark curly hair.

He remained kneeled next to her bed for almost an hour, almost in a trance as he starred into her sleeping face, he couldn’t help but think of how beautiful she looked and at the same time he worried about why she had simply collapsed. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the tents opening, muttering a spell to magically seal the tent from any possible intruders and lay down next to her on the bed.

He didn’t want to leave her alone tonight, or maybe he just didn’t want to be alone tonight, he didn’t care which was which, he simply lay there in the bed with Hermione held securely within his arms. He didn’t know what it was, but something seemed to be calming him about Hermione’s collapse, just before he fell asleep he thought he imagined a voice speaking to him, telling him that she was alright.

Harry fell into a peaceful, dream filled sleep, his dreams not darkened by images of the dark lord, but dreams filled with Hermiones smiling face. Harry dreamed of what life would be like after he faced voldemort, he saw himself and Hermione together, with their children, Harry grinned in his sleep as these images past through his mind. It was too bad for Harry that in a few days time any hopes of the dream coming true would be violently torn from his grasp, for he was not aware of the dark lords plan. Indeed Harry may have chosen to follow his heart instead of trying to use his dark powers to their full power, but he was not the only person who had made a decision.

* * *

“Oooohhhhh” Harry groaned the next morning, he had severely not wanted to awaken from his peaceful dreamland, but awake he did. Harry slowly opened his eyes, wondering vaguely where the curly brown hair, that was supposed to be the first thing he saw, was. He blinked a few times, trying to get the sleep from his eyes, pushing himself up on one hand and looking around the tent, the whole ground suddenly shook and Harry toppled off the side of the bed, landing hard on the floor.

“What the…!” he yelled as he jumped up from the floor, snatching his wand from the night side table and rushing out of the tent, now extremely worried why Hermione hadnt been next to him when he awoke seconds ago. As he rushed out of the tent the source of the disturbance quickly became apparent, not twenty feet away from the tent somebody was firing off massive spells with their wand, spells capable of great destruction at that. Harry simply starred for a few moments, watching the spell caster with great interest, before he finally cleared his throat, getting the attention of the spell caster.

“Oh, your up then are you? I’ve already made breakfast, there’s some left over if you like” Hermione flashed a dazzling smile at Harry, her beautiful violet eyes now sparkling brightly in the morning light, Harry only continued to stare at her for the longest time, causing Hermione to giggle at her dazed expression. She tucked her wand back into the front of her robes and crossed her arms as she starred back at Harry. “I do believe I mentioned before that I am fully capable of taking care of myself, perhaps now you’ll believe me” she gave a rather superior grin at the dumbfounded look on Harry’s face, indeed he hadn’t thought Hermione capable of such powerful spells, though now that he considered it he really wasn’t too surprised. Harry simply rolled his eyes and took a seat next to the fire, grabbing the plate that Hermione had left for him, Hermione took a seat opposite Harry and starred at him from across the flames of the small fire.

“So when do we start off today, if we’re going to the resistance we need to get there as soon as possible don’t we?” Hermione seemed very eager to get going this morning, in fact she seemed much more energetic than Harry could ever remember.

“You feeling ok this morning Hermione?” Hermione looked a little puzzled by the question as if unsure why he would bother to be asking, though she did nod just to reassure him. “What was up with you last night, you just suddenly……collapsed on me” Harry had not forgotten his concern nor his fear about the events of the past night and he wanted to make sure that Hermione was all right.

“Oh that, I think it actually had something to do with you giving me my sight back to be honest” Hermione had been up since before dawn and had been trying to think of why she had collapsed last night, after several hours she had managed to work out a theory of which she was more than happy to share with Harry.

“Why would me giving you your eye sight back make you just collapse like that” Harry certainly couldn’t find any connection between Hermione getting her vision back and suddenly collapsing and scaring him senseless. Harry finished with his breakfast and set his plate on the ground, starring at Hermione, waiting for her to continue with her explanation.

“Oh alright, I’ll tell you” she said as if she were giving into some sort of interrogation, Harry smirked at this, it was obvious she was dieing to tell him. “But before I tell you lets go ahead and pack everything up and get going, it’s already past noon and we need to try to find the resistance. Harry reluctantly agreed, it nearly a half hour to pack everything back up and to pick a direction to head in. Shortly after starting off Harry starred over at Hermione, waiting for her to tell him the rest of her idea, of course she pretended not to notice him starring at her, she was feeling exceptionally upbeat this morning and teasing Harry like this was making her want to burst out laughing, she finally gave in and started to explain about her theory as to what had happened to her.

“When I was first blinded I didn’t know what to do, I used to use so much concentration on my surroundings and using my senses to be able to detect what was around me. And you know, of course, that powerful magic takes a great deal of concentration” Harry nodded at this and listened very carefully as Hermione continued to explain her theory. “When Alice first started helping me to start using my magic again I often found that even the simplest of spells drained me of a lot of power for some reason, I figured that the spell that death eater used on me must have something to do with it, but Alice gave me another idea as to why I couldn’t perform basic spells without tiring myself out.” Hermione’s theory had indeed come to her when she was remembering her time spent with Alice at St. Mungo’s.

“She explained to me that because of my blindness the rest of my senses were working harder than usual and that I was using to much concentration on my senses rather than my magic. She had me test the theory for her, I just relaxed and completely ignored my senses, if I only concentrated on using my magic then I could do so a lot easier, but I still felt drained, even if my magic was the only thing I was concentrating on.”

“Well, when I had the stealth alarm spell network set up at Alice’s mansion back in the forest I could use my magic easily, though I do suspect that was due to the fact that a network of magic was passing through my body most of the time, so I was able to use some the power from the spell network. Anyway, last night when I collapsed like that, I think it was because I got my eyesight back, now I don’t have to concentrate at all on my senses, its just like before I was blinded….I mean, you saw me this morning performing magic, and I didn’t feel the least bit drained from those spells.” Harry nodded and finally began to understand Hermione’s theory.

“Last night, just before I collapsed, I felt like there was something swelling up within, something warm and powerful.” Hermione paused her as she remembered the sensation she had gotten, it had felt as though something had been heating her from deep inside, “It was like all my old power just suddenly returned to me……and it was just so over whelming and I just, well, passed out from it” Hermione finished her explanation and starred over at Harry as if expecting him to smirk or laugh at the idea. Instead he just gave a knowing nod and starred out at the seemingly endless land infront of them. Hermione heaved a sigh as she thought of all the walking they would have to do.

“Oh why cant we just apparate?!” she asked angrily inside her head, though the words somehow came spilling out of her mouth. Harry stopped and watched her for a moment with a questioning look on his face. Hermione blushed slightly and muttered something about not meaning it.

“Oh, so you can apparate can you?” Harry slung the pack containing all their supplies from his shoulder and set it on the ground and gazed at Hermione, “You should have said something before, if I knew you could apparate we wouldn’t have had to waste all this time walking” Harry look slightly annoyed as if Hermione had been purposely keeping this information a secret from him.

“You mean we could have just apparated to where ever it is your leading us?!” Hermione nearly shrieked at him, she would have thought it obvious she would be able to apparate, she was a grown woman after all. I mean com on now, she thought angrily, who doesn’t know how to apparate nowadays.

Harry muttered vaguely for a moment but grinned after a while, suddenly finding the situation very funny. Hermione glared at Harry for several moments as he just continued to laugh, “I certainly don’t see whats so funny” Hermione muttered angrily as Harry finally managed to stop laughing. He grabbed the pack of supplies and slung it over his shoulder once more, still grinning he took Hermione’s hand.

“Do you know how to do a joint apparation” Hermione nodded and closed her eyes. A joint apparation wasn’t a very difficult thing to do as long as everybody involved could apparate alone, a single person would think of the destination they all wanted while everybody else simply concentrated on the mental image of the one performing the apparation. Hermione was able to form a very clear picture of Harry in her mind’s eye, she suddenly felt as though she were being lifted and then slammed back to the ground, though not as hard as portkey transport though.

“You can open your eyes now Hermione, we’re here” Harry sweet voice interrupted her concentration and she opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw.

“It cant be” she muttered, her tone a mixture of both excitement and the utmost horror. “D-d-d…..do you mean that this is the headquarters for the resistance?” she asked disbelievingly as if Harry must have made a mistake in the apparation. But Harry just nodded and started up an old path toward the building that Hermione was still staring at; A building that was in ruins, great walls charred black from battle spells, towers that had long since fallen and were no more, a great building that Hermione had not seen for years but recognized perfectly well. She was starring, teary eyed, at what remained of the old Hogwarts castle.

“C’mon Mione, their probably expecting us by now” Harry called back over his shoulder, shaking Hermione from her daze as she quickly made to follow Harry up the ancient path toward the entrance hall of the old, tattered castle. Harry gave the rusted from doors a great kick and the burst open, the two of them walking inside quickly and shutting the doors once more. Hermione starred along the entrance hall of her old school, tears now threatening to fall as she saw now the horrors that the poor school must have face.

Harry led her to the Great hall and pushed open the doors quickly, before either of them could take could get a glimpse of the great hall there was a great rustling of chairs and well over one hundred wands were suddenly trained directly at Harry and Hermione.

“Well well well, it looks as though we have an intruder at the headquarters of our noble resistance” a voice called from amid the massive group of witches and wizards that had their wands on Harry and Hermione, the person was shifting through the ground trying to get to the front to see who had just come into the great hall, “Whatever shall we do with the spies of Lord Vold………it cant be!!!” the voice ended in an almost fearful whisper.

“It isn’t possible……….H-Harry?!”

Harry grinned and gave a soft chuckle, slowly approaching the figure as everybody lowered their wands as if just recognizing who Harry was. Harry stood only a few feet apart from the apparent leader of the group who had been speaking seconds ago, “An intruder upon the great and noble resistance against voldemort am I? A treacherous spy of the evil Lord Voldemort? Dear me, does that me im no longer like a son to…….Remus?” Harry starred at the expression on his old professor’s face, tears forming in the aging man’s eyes as he seized the young boy before him and crushed him in a hug, whispering all the while

“Its true, Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts………………….”

A/N, ok seriously now, who didn’t see that coming, hogwarts as the HQ for the resistance I dropped a hint in chapter three remember? Well anyway, I shall do as always now, beg you to review. Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please Please please please please please please please please review now, I really, really need you guys to review, review are the only reason I bother to write my fanfiction

*****A/N*****Hey all, really sorry that I haven't updated in so long, im sure everybody has been waiting to see what happens next in my story, I hope all who have read it find it really fun and interesting. Well, I'll have chapter eight posted by Wednesday at the very latest (have been really busy with school and stuff) but if my computer doesn't screw me over again I may have chapter eight posted by tomorrow night, YAY, well I hope nobody hates me for making them wait so long for the next chapter, but your wait will soon be over, no worries.

The whole hall was in an uproar now, as they had been for the last half hour, since Harry and Hermione arrived; as soon as Remus Lupin had released him from the bone crushing hug every witch and wizard in the great hall had pounced on him with hugs and shouts of welcome. Harry felt like he was finally, truly, back where he belonged, but of course whenever Harry if feeling so upbeat something always happens to bring him down again.

Harry could see someone hiding just behind the form of Remus, someone who had not yet run forward to shake his hand and join in the now pending celebration. The great hall had now become deadly silent, nobody was moving now and all eyes were on Harry, all the faces holding looks of anticipation for something as they starred from him to the person hiding behind Remus.

“Harry, I’ll have to ask you to try to not be so shocked by what….or rather who…..your about to see” Remus spoke very gently to Harry as if he expected him to be unable to handle seeing whoever it was that was hiding from him. Remus slowly, almost cautiously stepped aside to reveal the extremely blond headed wizard that had been hiding from him.

Harry could literally feel the air freezing within his lungs, he sensed as the blood in his veins turned to ice, and his brain simply shut down as his whole body began to tremble with unmistakable fear. “N-n-n-no……..” he managed to gasp, still having trouble breathing from the shock he had received. “It isn’t possible…..” he said louder now as he took a stumbling step backwards as the blond headed wizard approached with a cocky smirk printed on his face. “You……your dead. I killed you myself………Malfoy” Harry’s hand delved into his robes and quickly snatched his wand from the depths of its resting place in his pocket, his wand instantly trained on the obviously still living form of Draco Malfoy.

Draco’s smirk widened and he let out a rather amused laugh, certainly to be expected of a Malfoy, but when Harry looked around he could see Remus laughing as well.

“So you finally killed me dear old father aye? Bout time, the old geezer was really getting on my nerves” Draco said with another short spell of laughter, he turned to Remus with something of an impatient look on his face, “Would you explain it to him, I’d rather not have to go through the stupid details anymore”.

Remus nodded and gestured for Harry to put away his wand, Harry did so with some reluctance. “Please Harry pull up a seat, or would you rather I tell you on the way up to Gryffindor tower?”.

* * *

Nearly an hour later Harry was sitting in his favorite armchair by the fire in Gryffindor tower, Harry had distinctly remembered seeing the Gryffindor tower destroyed and had immediately asked how it was possible for him to be sitting here once more, not that he was complaining of course. There were several spell still lingering around the castle from Dumbledore, one of which instantly repaired any major damage caused by evil wizards; a spell set up by Remus shortly after the battle made it appear to everyone that Hogwarts was a decaying ruin, not even a shadow of its former greatness, but here he sat, once more in the comfort of his true home.

Harry had been shocked to find that the wizard he had killed was not Draco Malfoy, but was actually Draco’s father Lucius. After he had been hit by Harry’s memory charm he was little more than a pile of moving skin, Draco wanted to give his father some chance of survival; so he transferred all his memories into his fathers mind, and then used a special age reversing potion to make him a teenager once more. It was surprising how much Lucius looked like Draco when he was younger. The real Draco was now a leader in the resistance against voldemort.

Harry simply sat in his favorite armchair and glared at Draco, who was now dozing softly as he starred into the fire. Harry couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming hatred toward the young man before him, and yet, it also registered in his mind that Draco was on his side now, there were part of a team, and Harry couldn’t overlook such a fact, no matter how much he hated Draco.

Besides he thought My Hatred for Draco is from a past life, a life that no longer exists anymore, a life that is so different from this one now. It suddenly hit Harry just how much things had changed.

It caused him so much pain to have to think of it so deeply; Hogwarts was now a military base instead of a school for young and carefree teenage wizards and witches, Dumbledore was no longer a beacon of light and hope to whom the whole of the wizarding world turn too, and a cold, angering fact hit him, Ron was not going to help him bare this burden, nor any other that he will later face in life.

But he was not alone yet, he still had Hermione with him, and that was a comforting fact. Hermione had stayed long enough to find out about Draco and then had raced up to her old Head Girl dormitory to look around. Harry slowly turned his gaze to meet with the piercing grey eyes of Remus; there was still thousands of questions he wanted to ask but he knew there would be no point, he didn’t want answers to most of the questions and the other one’s Remus simply wouldn’t be able to answer for him.

“Are there any other surprises for me tonight Lupin, if not I’d much like to go to bed, it’s been a hard return to the world of magic”. Harry rose from his squashy armchair as he spoke. Remus rose as well and tapped Draco on the shoulder to rouse him from his stupor.

“There are a few introductions I’d like to make but they can wait until tomorrow. You’ll be able to relax for some time, our spies tell us that voldemort is currently working on some secret project that he sent his lead general to accomplish. And we’re gathering all our forces here to Hogwarts for a meeting, it will be nearly one full year before we see any action against voldemorts forces, so enjoy yourself Harry” He said as he turned to follow Draco from the room but turned at the entrance to look up the stairs leading the Head Boy and Girl room then to Harry once more, “Don’t do anything your father wouldn’t do…..and that’s not very much mind you”. Harry smiled brightly and said good night to Remus before heading up to the Head Girl dormitory to speak with Hermione.

Harry slowly made his way up the winding staircase, his eyes constantly shifting their gaze to stare at the doors he passed, his fingers gently running across the smooth wooden doors and over the faded golden letterings that identified the 1^st through 7^th year doorways. He made his way up the second staircase that lead to the Head Boy and Girl rooms, stopping briefly to peek inside his old room; it struck him at just how unfamiliar the room seemed, it was so neat and clean, much unlike the room he had slept in for the past two years. He quickly shut the door and turned away from it, he knew that if he stayed in there to long he would begin to remember the old times at Hogwarts, and he just couldn’t take such painful memories right now.

He sighed and stepped away from the Head Boy door and walked down the hall to the Head Girls room, he knocked twice, out of habit, before walking in. He looked around the dark room, only one lamp was lit over near the bed, he walked over to the ancient four poster and looked down with a grin, Hermione was curled in a ball under the warm blankets with a little smile on her face. Harry shook his head and leaned down, gently kissing her forehead and causing Hermione to stir slightly. He turned from the bed and head back to the door, stepping out into the hallway and quietly pulling the door too behind him.

“I guess our conversation can wait till tomorrow, maybe even later, Remus did say we had at least a year until we had to start worrying about Voldemort” Harry said to himself as he started back down the stairs, as he reached the bottom and was back in the common room he side in a bored and impatient manner, starring out the window and looking down onto the grounds, “What am I going to do for one whole year?!”.

Harry knew of course that he would be continuing with is training in the dark arts, he had shrunken several dark magic books and put them with the rest of his gear before he left, but he didn’t know if he could manage the training without a guide, without Dumbledore or Sirius. Harry felt a stinging sensation at the back of his eyes and grimaced, the thought of being away from Sirius, his only companion for two years, was jabbing at his heart. Even though he had spent every waking hour studying the dark arts he and Sirius had grown to be the best of friends, Sirius had even said he sometimes forgot that he was Harry and not James.

“No” Harry said solemnly as he continued to stare at the snowy grounds, “I am not my father, I’m not James. I’m just me….Harry”. Harry had inquired to Dumbledore once why Sirius had always acted so peculiar while teaching Harry black magic, according to Dumbledore James Potter had actually begun to learn black magic as well, shortly before being killed my Voldemort. Such news had shocked Harry to the core, it explained why he was being pushed so hard to learned as many dark spells as possible, If his father, the great James Potter couldn’t defeat Voldemort with black magic, then how could his son.

Harry pushed these thoughts from his mind, thinking so much of his father caused a painful sensation in his chest and it made him wonder why had really come to kill him in the first place; he recalled his second year at hogwarts when Ernie McMillan had said it was because Voldemort didn’t was another dark lord around, was the actually it?! Harry had already proven he could use dark arts spells to extreme proportions, did Voldemort fear that Harry would become a great dark wizard than him.

Harry shook his head to clear way the thoughts, he had learned by now it didn’t pay to dwell on such ideas, his mission was clear, destroy Voldemort, not take his place. Harry sighed and collapsed on the old squashy couch, quickly falling into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

“Harry, come on Harry wake up” Harry groaned loudly and rolled over on the couch, a mistake on his behalf since it sent him rolling off the side and smashing to the floor.

“Ow!” Harry sat up, rubbing his shoulder, and looked up to see Hermione starring at him and trying to suppress a fit of laughter.

“Remus says to meet him over at the quidditch pitch, said he has another introduction or two for us” Hermione turned away and quickly slipped through the portrait hole, Harry could hear her laughing on the other side now. He smiled too and rose to his feet, dusting himself off before rushing after Hermione.

As they left the castle and started down path to the quidditch field Harry looked back and noticed the castle was no longer in shambles, but was just as he had remembered it when he had gone to school, the grounds as well, where the snow didn’t cover it, was once more covered in rich, thick green grass.

“Remus told me that only members of the resistance can see the castle for what it really is now, he put our names down on the list of members last night so to us the castle and grounds are as they should be, but to anybody not in the order Hogwarts is just an old ruin”. Hermione explained as they reached the field, Harry suddenly had a longing for his old broom as he looked up at the still standing goal posts, but as he looked to the field he was completely stunned. The quidditch field had been converted to what appeared to be a giant training and obstacle course.

“What is this?” Harry asked at loud, Remus heard Harry’s shocked voice and walked over.

“Its the training course that we put all our members through, and no im not expecting either of you to go through it, I know both of your are qualified, I just had you meet me down here since I have to spend all day here anyway training some new cadets”. Remus motioned for them to follow him as he stalked off back toward the start of the course, as the approached the fairly large crowd at the starting line Harry noticed a head full of bright, silvery flowing hair that seemed very familiar.

“Now then, before I start the new cadets training for the day I’d like for you to meet someone Harry” Remus tapped the silver haired man on the shoulder and he turn around, Harry found himself starring into a pair of oh so familiar eyes, “Harry I’d like for you to meet…….” Remus was cut off from his introduction, and by none other than Harry.

“Dumbledore……….Aberforth Dumbledore I presume?” Harry said with a sly grin as he raised his hand.

“My Brother was right about you young master Potter,” said Aberforth as he slapped his hand to Harry’s with a vivid hand shake, “You are indeed, most brilliant”.

“Have you heard from your brother lately?” Harry asked in a rather hopeful voice.

Aberforth frowned however and shook his head, “I’m afraid not lad, I haven’t heard from brother in nearly two years, he contacted me shortly after the battle here and told me he would be working on a special project for sometime, I haven’t heard from him since then.”

“Oh” Harry tried to sound disappointed by this news, he actually felt somewhat guilty, he had been the special project and the reason why the two brothers hadn’t spoken in two years.

“Well, that’s about it as far as resistance introductions go” Remus said with a slightly amused tone, “why don’t you and Hermione head back to the castle, Dobby still working in the kitchen and im sure he’d be delighted to see you again Harry”.

Harry nodded and he and Hermione turned and started back toward the castle.

“What do you think he meant by that?” Hermione asked curiously.

“Meant by what?” Harry asked in his bored and faraway tone.

“You know what I mean Harry, the way Professor Lupin said that we were done with resistance introductions, do you think there’s some one else we’re going to meet that’s not in the resistance?”

Harry quirked an eyebrow at this question, it had struck him as odd the way Remus had said it they were done with meeting people, Harry just shook his head in an ‘I don’t know’ fashion and pushed open the door to the entrance hall, trying to recall the path down to the kitchen. “I’m sure we’re going to be meeting quite a few people Hermione but im not to concerned about that just so long as we arent meeting voldemorts army at the front gates”

Harry stopped infront of the portrait of the giant fruit bowl and tickled the pair, the portrait swung open and he was immediately knocked over by what seemed to be a speeding tea cozy that was screaming in a high pitched voice; “Harry Potter sir, you is come back to Hogwarts, oh Happy Day!!”.

“Hi Dobby, can we get a snack please” Hermione asked as he watched a sobbing Dobby squeezing Harry in a hug.

A/N……..I know I said I would have this chapter up a long time ago and im really really really really really really really sorry about it, my computer has been severely messed up, but I got it fixed AGAIN, hopefully it stays fixed this time. Well please review, I mean it review, don’t just read, also review, click the little space a few inches down from this point and write how you like the chapter, please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please review. Can you tell that I want reviews?

For everybody out there that got there hopes up seeing that a new chapter was added I am really, really, really sorry to disappoint you. I am just posting this to inform everybody that this story is officially paused now. I got a personal challenge from a friend that I decided to accept, but the shipping pair is not allowed at portkey.org so im only posting the new story at fanfiction.net. if you want to check it out please do, and of course don’t forget to review if you read it.

Be warned though, if you don’t like the shipping pair don’t bother reading it, the shipping pair is mainly Harry and Tonks, do. Not. Ask. Why. But this is my new favorite ship pair, they just seem right to me. Don’t worry though, I still like the idea of harry and hermione and I will be continuing this story after I get the first 2 or 3 chapters to my challenge fic posted.

Well that’s all, sorry no new chapter here yet, don’t hurt me.