Harry scratched at the bandage on his wrist again then waited for the class to fill up with his fellow sixth years.
"Okay, lesson today is... Goyle, you might want to pay attention."
Goyle was sitting in the back of the class trying to start a game of Exploding Snap. He laugh/grunted at Harry and continued to set up the board.
"How about you pay attention Goyle."
"How about not?"
"How about five points from Slytherin?"
"You can't-"
"I just did, now put it away before I take more points from your house."
Today was going to be a bad day.
* * *
The six teens went down the hill from Hogwarts to the Forbidden Forest. They got to their usual clearing and made a circle.
"This time we'll try to keep our clothes stuck to our animal forms and we'll do it without the incantation. Alright, when everybody's ready…."
It had been their first successful transformation.
* * *
Harry was able to make his History of Magic class. That was the only class he had while he wasn't teaching.
Harry took out a piece of parchment and wrote down 'What's a chaudron?' He then passed it to Hermione.
She passed it back with the answer, 'It's entrails.'
'A drab?'
'A scarlet woman.'
'How are we going to get any of it?'
'Snape.'
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, see me after class," Dr. Sam said and went back to her lesson.
Once the class let out they were about to get down from their seats when Dr. Sam grabbed the parchment they had been writing on during class, looked at it for a moment and then turned to the two of them.
"Why did you pass a note with these ingredients on it?" she asked holing up the note.
"We… that is there…."
"Were you going to steal these from Professor Snape?" she crossed her arms in front of her.
"We were going to go to an Apothecary," Hermione said.
"You and I both know you could never get any of these ingredients there. Were you going to steal these," she asked again more urgently.
"Yes," Hermione hung her head in shame.
"If I were not to report this would you still try and steal these?"
Harry looked over at Hermione and shrugged his shoulders, "Yes."
"I will not allow you to steal from another teacher," she paused. "Get that Invisibility Cloak you're so famous for and meet me at the entrance of the dungeons at nine tonight."
* * *
"Are you there?" Dr. Sam asked the invisible people.
"Over here." Harry took his hand out of the cloak.
"Okay, tell me what you need," she said as she approached them.
"I made a list," Hermione said and handed it over.
"Of course," she said and took the piece of paper, "now don't start thinking I'm going to go steal for you. These are special circumstances, and for fellow members of the Order."
Dr. Sam sighed and looked to the entrance to Snape's class, "you both owe me."
She straightened herself out and walked down to the door. Unsure if they should stay put or not, they quickly turned and followed her. She knocked on Snape's office door and waited for him to respond before she continued.
"Samantha," Snape said with a self-satisfied sneer.
"It's Sam."
"What do you want in the dungeons, Sam?"
"I wanted some ingredients," she said holding up the list.
Both Harry and Hermione knew how Dr. Sam was feeling at the moment because they were feeling it, too: unease with a hint of disgust.
"You? If I weren't seeing it I wouldn't believe it. What do you want them for?" His sneer was now broadly plastered on his face.
"Will you give me the ingredients or not?" she asked.
"I could always help you, you know."
"I'd rather choke to death on my own vomit." She crossed her arms in front of her.
Just as Harry and Hermione were sure they were never going to get their ingredients Snape stepped aside allowing Dr. Sam to step inside his office. Dr. Sam proceeded to get all of the ingredients while Snape watched her. They both felt very odd seeing this interaction. Once she was done she left wordlessly and practically ran up to the entrance hall.
They threw off the Invisibility Cloak and approached her.
"Never again, do you hear me?" she said as she handed off the ingredients.
"Yes, thank you, Dr. Sam," Hermione said.
"If I hear anything about these ingredients ever again… Just don't do anything stupid. I'm going to go take a shower." Dr. Sam itched her skin as she made her way up the castle stairs.
"That was…" Harry began.
"Unnerving," Hermione finished for him.
"I thought Snape hated Dr. Sam," Harry said.
"The way he talked to her, it was as if he wanted her to stay."
"Let's not… think about it. Let's just-"
"Go pay a visit to Moaning Murtle?" Harry offered.
* * *
"What's going on?" Ron asked Hermione, who was waiting outside the never used girls' loo.
"Harry's apologizing," she said.
"To who?"
Hermione stared at him.
"Moaning Murtle? What on earth would he be apologizing to her for?"
"Don't ask." She got a book from her bag and began reading.
"So we're going to brew this stuff in here, then what?" Ron asked.
"Actually we have to do it in shifts. Considering how powerful it is we can't actually leave it in there, and also we still don't have some ingredients, I'm going to have to go get them. Harry didn't want me to go alone, so he's going with me."
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.
"Knockturn Alley."
Ron's eyes widened then looked around to see if anyone was coming.
"Hermione, how are you going to get there?"
"As luck would have it Dumbledore gave us a portkey to use for Order meetings, just in case our regular mode of transportation doesn't come through, and from there we can get there easily."
"Hermione," Ron said in a soft voice, "You don't want to go to Knockturn Alley, it won't be safe."
"That's why Harry is coming."
"But people are after Harry."
"Honestly Ron, we're going to put glamours on ourselves. You're starting to sound like me." Hermione went back to her book, but only for a moment because Ron had thrown something heavy across the hall.
"Someone has to be!" He yelled, "You keep going off with him on all these dangerous things and never think about it. I hate having to be the person to say it, but you're not being careful. You're spending so much time with Harry, it's like it's rubbing off or something!"
"Ron, Harry's not going to die, I won't let it happen."
Ron turned away from her and asked in a weak voice, "Promise?"
"I promise."
The time after that seemed to fly by. They perfected their transformations so they could do it without the potion while keeping their clothes on. Harry was turning into everybody's favorite teacher, save some students from Slytherin, and teaching 'advanced' spells to students that shouldn't be ready for it. The potion was almost done and their trip to Knockturn Alley seemed to go on unnoticed by all of the faculty. As much as everything was going well, things were going badly again. Harry was distancing himself from everybody, which was a feat since he and Hermione shared a bed. Hermione was asked by everyone else to confront him about it.
So one night, when Harry walked through the bedroom door, Hermione locked them with every charm she knew, Harry wasn't going to get out unless she wanted him to.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"Everybody's worried about you. They want me to talk to you."
"There's no reason-"
"Harry, we're just as scared as you. That doesn't mean you should distance yourself from us."
"There's still no reason to. Dumbledore wanted to show me something... I guess you can say it's past Legilimens. I didn't want to... invade people's privacy."
"That explains why you didn't want to be around them, what about me?" Hermione put her hands on her hips and stared at him.
"Hermione, just... lets not talk about it."
"Is it the same reason as before?"
"No, so let's just sleep." He motioned at the bed.
"Harry, I want to know, tell me please."
"Trust me, you don't want to know. Can we just not talk about it?"
"Harry, I want you to tell me!"
Harry couldn't take it anymore, if she wanted to know so badly, than why didn't he just show her? He crossed the room and put one hand in her hair while the other rested on her cheek. He slowly put his lips to hers then put his tongue in her mouth.
Hermione couldn't believe it, the one thing she had wanted for the past three years was happening, Harry was kissing her. It was well worth the wait, she wanted it to last forever, the feeling of him all over her. She didn't seem to have anymore blood in her head, she couldn't think properly.
When they broke apart she felt as if she were in a haze... or a thick fog.
She heard him say, "The answer to your question, always."
Did she ask a question? Did she have a name?
He was about to pull away from her, but she brought her lips to his and they kissed again. These weren't drunken kisses shared between two friends, these were... well Luna and Ron type kisses. Nothing else in the world existed but Harry and herself.
He pulled away from her, "We can't."
"Why?" She asked not really paying any attention to what he was saying.
"Because, McGonagall trusts us, and Dumbledore."
Leave it to Harry to make her feel so many different things at once. She nodded and unlocked the doors, then went to go to bed.
Harry did not follow her though, he went to the girls loo to relieve whoever it was so he wouldn't be tortured all night. After all, he was still a sixteen-year-old guy, he had self control, but not that much.
Harry knocked lightly on the door then entered. He saw Ginny refastening her skirt and Neville buttoning up his shirt. Was he the only one following the rules? He was contemplating telling them to stay there and going back up to Hermione, but chose against it. Neville left with a stupid smile plastered on his face while Ginny tried to stop giggling.
After they left he sat down next to the potion and began to stir counter clockwise seven times.
"They were doing naughty things," Moaning Myrtle said.
"Yes they were. Lucky them."
A smile Harry couldn't help ruptured over his face, he and Hermione were dating. He was seeing his best friend, kissing her to be more exact. It was so easy, why hadn't he done it sooner?
The timer went off and Harry looked over at the list.
"It's done."
* * *
Hermione felt someone kissing her forehead; she opened her eyes to see Harry lying in front of her.
"Morning," he said.
"Morning," she repeated.
This was nice, lying with Harry; it felt warm and cozy, like nothing could harm them.
The entire castle shook around them and an explosion went off near by.
Hermione got dressed and Harry looked out the window to see the Dark Mark cover the orange sky.
This was it, this was what they had all waited for, it seemed like an unreal quest, like finding the Holy Grail.
They made their way down onto the main floor of the castle.
"Everyone stay calm!" McGonagall shouted.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"On business for the ministry," she said.
"Everyone needs to get back to their houses. Everyone but Slytherins go back to your houses. Slytherins! Divide yourselves into the remaining houses!" Harry yelled.
The students looked shocked but did as he said.
"Why can't Syltherins-" Snape sneered.
"'There wasn't a bad witch or wizard who wasn't in Slytherin.' They know the way to their own house, hopefully they're ignorant enough to not know where the other houses are." Harry took Professor McGonagall aside, "Professor, you need to go back up to Gryffindor Tower and barricade yourselves in. Before you do that go to the kitchens and get the house elves up there with you. I'll get Dumbledore."
She nodded and went on her way, ushering any students that were left behind watching.
"Professor Snape, you need to go up to Hufflepuff-"
"Do you think I'm going to be taking orders from you?" he sneered.
"If you don't you'll be the first to die, traitors first. Besides Sprout can't hold them off by herself."
"What about Dumbledore?"
"McGonagall's going to go contact him. Go!"
Harry turned to Hagrid and Flitwick.
"Hagrid you go with Professor Flitwick to the Ravenclaws and barricade the passageway."
Hagrid picked Flitwick up and ran to his destination. Dr. Sam was staring at him.
"You should go with them," he said.
"You shouldn't be alone."
"I wont be, McGonagall is getting Dumbledore."
She stared at him again, "You wouldn't be trying anything brave, would you?"
"Me? Never, now go before they get through."
She did as she was told which only left Harry and five other students.
"You guys should get up to Gryffindor Tower," Harry said.
Another explosion sounded as if it were coming closer.
"We aren't going anywhere, I mean, what have we been doing all year? Getting ready for this," Ron said getting out his wand.
"No, you were getting me ready for this. Remember, I said research only, I don't want you to risk your lives."
"Well sure, that's good for them," Ron pointed at Luna, Neville, and Ginny, "But what about us?"
"It's not your fight," Harry said.
"It bloody well is!" Ron said.
"My name was the only one on the prophecy," Harry said as calmly as he could.
"But-"
Harry took Ron over to where the others couldn't hear.
"If something happens, if they get past us, and get to the students... I have to know Hermione's safe. Please Ron."
Ron nodded and tried to get everyone back up the staircase. Hermione stayed behind.
"I'll wait until Dumbledore gets here," she said.
"Hermione, no."
Tears formed around her eyes, "I don't want to go."
Harry took a chain from off his neck and unhooked a ring from it then placed the chain on Hermione's neck.
"On that chain, that's my mother's ring. I'll have to come back for it."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
An explosion that seemed to be right next to them made the castle shake. Hermione turned to go, but Harry grabbed her shoulder and turned her back to him for one last kiss before he had to face his destiny.
She then ran up the stairs leaving Harry alone. He changed into a phoenix and flew up into one of the large archways. He turned back into his regular form and waited for them to come in. He did a charm in the Great Hall to make two plates clatter together at random intervals. The doors opened and Harry watched as Death Eaters went right into the Great Hall, leaving Voldemort in the entrance hall. Harry put several locking charms onto the doors as quietly as he could. He then turned back into a phoenix and flew to a spot where Voldemort couldn't see him, then changed back again.
"It's too quiet... Where are you Dumbledore..." Voldemort began looking around corners.
"Dumbledore isn't here right now, if you would like to leave a message after the beep he'll kill you as soon as possible," Harry said from behind the statue.
"Potter, you think you can fight me? Apparently your memory is gone..." He tisked.
"I think I was destined to fight you. Unlike you, I heard all of the prophecy."
Harry felt his scar sting, "Pisses you off, doesn't it? Do you want me to tell you how you die?"
His scar now hurt. He tried to look for a way to get the potion on Voldemort without getting himself killed.
* * *
Hermione paced the common room as McGonagall and some seventh years were barricading the passage way.
"Professor, when do you think Dumbledore will get here?"
"I haven't got the slightest idea. Now I think.... What are you doing here?" McGonagall pointed at Luna.
"This is where I belong," she said.
"You're in Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor." McGonagall was sure the girl was brain dead.
"No," Ron said.
He took Luna's hand in his and lifted it up for McGonagall, "This is where she belongs."
Luna gave Ron a dreamy look, which seemed to be the same dreamy look she always had.
"I get to be a bride's maid," Ginny said as she took a table and shoved it against the pile in front of the passageway.
"Please refrain from.... trying to make me sick," McGonagall said trying to focus on the sounds in the castle again.
"What did Dumbledore say when you talked to him?" Hermione asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"He told you to get Dumbledore." Hermione stopped pacing and faced McGonagall.
"He told me he was going to get Dumbledore. You must have misunderstood."
"Oh no..." Hermione put her head in her hands.
Ginny stood in front of Hermione, "What's wrong?"
"Harry made sure no one got Dumbledore."
"What!?" McGonagall approached Hermione, "Why would he do a thing like that?"
"Because Dumbledore would save his life," Hermione said.
"Everyone! As fast as you can, get these things out of the way!" McGonagall pointed at the pile.
Hermione stood in the back of the frenzy and went to the nearest windowsill.
"Ronald!" Luna tried to wave at him frantically.
"What?" he asked as he took piece by piece away from the door.
"Hermione got out."
"She did what?" He stopped helping and approached her.
"She opened a window." She pointed to the open window.
Ron looked around at the pile; he wouldn't get to her in time... He took out his wand and pointed it at the pile, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The entire pile moved from the doorway to the middle of the common room.
"Luna, you stay here," he said, as he turned around he realized he said it to nothing.
"Luna?"
He ran for the passageway and as he went through he turned into a bear and ran as quickly as he could down the stairs followed by a fox and a gray wolf.
When they got outside of the Great Hall they heard screaming and spells being cast. All that he saw was Hermione, Luna, and Voldemort lying on the floor.
Hermione and Luna were all right; Voldemort on the other hand was dead.
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked.
"He's gone..." Hermione fell to the ground and started to cry.
"We came in when... the potion worked, but Harry... He was a phoenix and Voldemort shot fire at him before he died... Harry's...." Luna said, for once at a loss to describe everything.
"The Death Eaters must be locked inside the Great Hall," Ginny said.
"What do we do with them?" Neville asked.
"Wait for Dumbledore," Ron said and sat down next to Hermione.
"He promised me... He promised me he'd come back." Hermione took a ring from her shirt pocket.
"I know," Ron said.
Ron wasn't absolutely sure what happened after that, he knew Dumbledore came, and so did the other professors. Everything was explained to them, but he didn't know exactly what was said. He just focused on Hermione. He promised he would make sure she was all right and he was going to keep that promise.
* * *
Hermione laid in her bed... correction, their bed. She kept lying there, hoping one of two things would happen. One, she would wake up from this terrible nightmare and tell Harry all about it, then he would hold her for the rest of the night. Or two, she would fall asleep and dream about Harry. She wanted the first more than anything, but would settle for the second.
Ron would come in and check on her more than anyone else. She didn't study, she didn't speak, and above all else she didn't leave the room. The room was riddled with things that were Harry's; she didn't want to leave them.
Hermione tripped on her way out of the bathroom. She looked up and saw something under the bed. It was the letter Dumbledore had given her in the first of the year; it was her prophecy.
She wasn't afraid of what it said anymore, so she reached under the bed and took it in her hands. She tore off the wax seal and opened it.
She will rise from a place where magic is not seen, but she will be seen... She will give the one who conquers the Dark Lord a gift...
Hermione sat there reading it over and over again, sobbing.
* * *
The Great Hall was filled with food and people, it was the end of year feast and although finals were canceled no one seemed too happy about it. Even the Slytherin table looked downtrodden, of course that may have been because their relatives were in Azkaban at that very moment.
Most of the students were not sitting at their house tables; they were sitting with their friends and siblings, which of course was not followed by most Slytherins.
It was then that their king decided to join everybody. Malfoy turned to the Gryffindor table and stood behind Ron, waiting to be acknowledged.
"Look Weasley, I knew I was going to have to say this to Potter, but now I guess I'll just have to say it to you. Thanks for... saving my life."
Ron laughed, "Great. Now what? Are you going to be the same bastard you've always been? Are you going to call the only best friend I have left a mudblood every time you see her? Grieve your master's death, and go fuck yourself."
"It's so easy for you! I'm going to just turn back into the Slytherin pride and joy after everything that's happened? You think it's that fucking easy for me?"
"It's always about you, isn't it?" Neville said, "Harry's dead, he's not coming back and it's all about you! Ron was right, go fuck yourself."
Malfoy looked down, as if he were trying to decide something, then went up to Dumbledore, most likely to rat on them.
Ginny stared at Neville, "I can't believe you just did that... you're.... you're my hero."
"Well, I just hope my Gran doesn't find out," Neville said nervously.
One of the large doors opened and a disheveled Hermione walked in. Ron ran up to her and helped her to where they were sitting, while asking her the entire way if she was all right.
Dumbledore stood up and raised his glass, "To Harry."
At that Hermione began giggling, and apparently could not stop. She got up and walked toward the front of the room, even though Ron was trying with all his might to stop her.
"You PEOPLE don't fucking care! You don't care about him! All you care about is the fact that yet again he saved you!! To you he's just the boy who lived!! You can all go to hell! You don't know him, we know him," She pointed to her wrist, "lift your glasses to a person you only care about when they're saving your life!" She giggled.
"I love him so much," she sat on the teacher's table, "And now he's gone. What am I supposed to do? What is going to happen to me now that he's gone? How am I supposed to live once the one thing, the one person who mattered most, is gone? And here you all are raising your glasses to him, a person you don't know."
She felt Dumbledore standing next to her.
She started again, "This isn't right, he should be here. It's what you heard, he should be here. There was just so much, he did so much, he was supposed to live and finally be happy. Why couldn't he be happy?"
That was when Hermione just broke down in sobs. Dumbledore, who was crying himself, held her. And in that Great Hall, with all those people, all that could be heard were the two people, trying to find comfort, trying to find a reason.
The End.
* * *
Author's Note: The sequel, Harry Potter and the Beginning of an Era is here: http://fanfiction.portkey.org/story/3437