Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry Potter and the Infernal Plan Part IX
by Jori

Set during and after their sixth year at Hogwarts, Hermione asks something of Harry that will change their lives forever.

NC-17

Spoilers for all five books. Previous parts edited for Order of the Phoenix but some of the ideas brought up in that book couldn't be fully added into this story. Like Luna.

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: I'm posting this now because some very lovely people asked about it even though I was going to wait until it was entirely finished. Now, some of you may remember I attempted to post a longer part eight before (Harry in the painting.) Now forget that ever happened. Have you forgotten? Good.

I had to make some changes. Don't worry, I promise that the story will make a lot more sense as time goes on but the changes became necessary to make the story go where I wanted it to go after the events of OotP and because I write the best if two certain characters are together rather than apart.

***********

From Part VIII...

"Hermione!" Harry called out one more time in desperation, hoping she would find him. How could she find him here? He didn't even know where here was.

He wasn't even sure how much time had passed, unable to move his arm far enough to look at his watch. Every time he tried to move at all, he'd end up dry heaving until his stomach felt like it had when Dudley used to hold him down so his friends could take a jab at him.

And his head . . . the light wasn't nearly as bright as it had been when he first arrived here but it still stung his eyes and caused his head to pound. He wasn't sure if the light was fading like the sun setting or if his eyes were simply growing accustomed to it. Every now and then, he'd take a quick look around before closing his eyes again. Even that movement was enough to make his stomach churn. The smell surrounding him only made it worse. It was like being soaked in linseed oil.

All he hoped was that when he opened his eyes the next time, he'd find himself in a bed in Hermione's house and that this was nothing more than a very bad dream brought about by eating too much cake on his birthday.

He had a brief moment of hope when he finally could lift his head and take a look around. There was a brown haired girl standing in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest as she studied him intently.

"Hermione?" he asked, reaching out to the figure. She didn't answer and when he finally managed to focus on her, he realized that it wasn't Hermione at all. She was an odd looking girl, with pale skin that didn't look like skin at all. She moved closer to Harry, kneeling down beside him. When she placed one of her small hands on his forehead, there was no warmth coming from her touch. It was almost as if she were only an . . . image. Like a painting come to life.

"The sickness will soon pass. This often happens to those from the other side when they first enter our world. Rest now and it will be gone when you wake," said the girl in a shimmering violet dress. He struggled to ask her something but no words would come out of his mouth. Instead, he did as she told him to do and shut his eyes, mercifully drifting off to sleep.

********************

Part IX

Maybe he was really dead this time. That would make the most sense considering everything. He couldn't manage to open his eyes no matter how hard he tried and he couldn't feel his body so he had to be dead.

There had been a bright and peaceful light that he couldn't help but go to. Wasn't that what Muggles in near death situations always claimed? In a few of the times he had nearly died, it was usually some sort of green light but in the Muggle accounts on those programs Aunt Petunia watched, there was always a bright light and they went towards it until something pulled them back. Harry was sure if he was that close to death again, he wouldn't come back for anything. Maybe this was the next great adventure Dumbledore once talked about. He could see his parents again. And Sirius.

But did dead people have pounding headaches? He was sure they didn't. And there was one thing he'd come back for but it wasn't really a thing. It, or rather she was a person.

She was Hermione.

With that thought, he finally opened one eye and found himself tucked in bed in what looked like the hospital wing at Hogwarts. He struggled to get his other eye open and even with his fuzzy vision, he could see enough to know where he was. He had been here plenty of times before and was quite familiar with the finer details of the hospital wing.

So this wasn't going to be an adventure at all but how long had he been here? It couldn't have been that long but... something just didn't add up. He couldn't possibly still have been here since the rogue Bludger, could he? No, that was long before summer. Then Harry remembered Hermione and oh, the last few days he spent with her but that still didn't explain why he was here at Hogwarts. He turned his head and found her at his bedside, sleeping in such a way that her chin nearly touched her chest and her hair was even more wild than usual. But if he had just been at her house, how did he end up here? They were at the library and then... here?

"Her-mi..." he rasped, but his voice gave out before he could get the rest of her name out. He reached for her but found that he couldn't move his arms. It felt like as if trolls were sitting on his hands, holding them down. The same with his legs, but with heavier trolls.

Hermione might not have heard him try to creak out her name, but Madam Pomfrey did. She was at his bedside immediately. "Mr. Potter, it's nice to see you awake."

"Wha-" Hermione said, her head going up and her eyes flying open. "Harry!"

In an instant, she was hugging him as best she could considering he couldn't hug back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly on the lips. He wasn't about to complain, but this was a rather strange thing to do in front of the school nurse. Madam Pomfrey usually asked no questions and did little to get anyone into trouble but weren't they keeping this hidden from adults?

Madam Pomfrey asked her to kindly back up so she could examine the patient and Hermione sat back down, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" Madam Pomfrey asked and he wasn't sure how he was feeling yet considering a minute ago he thought he was dead. "I imagine that was quite an adventure you where on."

"It was? What are you talking about?" he asked, his throat so parched it hurt. Madam Pomfrey stopped moving and looked him in the eye as if trying to tell whether he was joking or not.

"Does your head hurt at all?" she asked and he nodded the best he could. She went to the bedside table and mixed together a potion so vile smelling even Hermione had to put her hand to her nose.

"I'm supposed to drink that?" Harry asked, squinting at the green liquid bubbling up in the container. Even though he couldn't see very well without his glasses, he knew it looked bad.

"It won't work from the outside, Mr. Potter. It's not as bad as all that. If you could survive Skele-Gro, you'll be able to stomach this," she said but Harry doubted it. She and Hermione helped prop him up long enough for him to drink it and he hoped he didn't vomit on them. They must have been thinking the same thing for as soon as he had finished it, they stepped away quickly.

"What was that for anyway?" Harry asked. His throat was feeling better but now his stomach had become partners with his head in the ache department.

He caught Madam Pomfrey giving Hermione a quick glance before turning to Harry. "Don't you worry about anything just yet. It was just a simple potion to help you get your strength back. You're going to need many more of those."

"My strength? What happened to me? How did I end up here?" he asked. He had just been in the Muggle library when that ex-boyfriend of Hermione's had approached him and... what happened after that and before the bright light? He couldn't remember a thing.

"All in good time, Mr. Potter. All in good time. That should help with your headache soon enough. I'll inform Professor Dumbledore that you're awake," Madam Pomfrey said, giving Hermione a stern look of warning before walking away.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Harry asked after Madam Pomfrey had left the room. If anyone would tell him the truth immediately, it was Hermione.

"Professor Dumbledore made me promise --" Hermione started to say and Harry groaned. He didn't want to hear that again ever. She looked away and pursed her lips, trying hard not to tell him anything.

"You have to tell me. You can't do this to me again. Not now. I don't give a damn what Dumbledore told you," he snapped at her.

"Oh, Harry, he made me promise that if you couldn't remember what happened I would wait for him. I'm sure he won't make you wait long. There are a few things he wants to tell you and it really would be best coming from him," she said.

"Why not you? You are my girlfriend, aren't you? What happened? Tell me," he pleaded. "Explain to me how I got from the Muggle library to here because I don't remember any of it. If something happened to me there, why am I not in St. Mungo's or even at a Muggle hospital?"

"It's not that simple, Harry."

"How long have I been here? Can you at least tell me that?" he demanded and her eyes went to the door to see if anyone was standing there, listening. He could see her tears starting up again and one spilled over and onto her cheek. She did nothing to wipe it away.

"A week."

"If it's only August, why are we at Hogwarts?" he asked, confused. He watched Hermione open and close her mouth, obviously debating what she should tell him, if anything. She closed her eyes briefly and sighed. He wished he could reach out and wipe away that tear or at least hold her hand but his arms were too weak. "Please, Hermione, I deserve some answers. The least you can do is tell me why we're here."

"We're here because it's October, Harry. It's the third of October," she whispered.

"But... how?" Harry asked and she pursed her lips together, trying her hardest to not tell him more. She wasn't going to get the opportunity to anyway.

"Miss Granger, perhaps it would be best if you went and informed your friends that Mr. Potter is now awake," Madam Pomfrey said, returning to the room and bustling over quickly. She stood stiffly at Harry's bedside until Hermione stood up.

As his girlfriend ran her fingers across his hand, he could feel her warmth radiate through him. He wished she would stay by his side but could tell that Madam Pomfrey was concerned Hermione would let some information slip. "Ron and I will come to see you in a little while. I'm sure Ginny will want to come, too. We've all been so worried about you."

Harry could tell she wanted to say or do more but not necessarily in front of someone else. "I'll see you later," Harry said and she smiled at him and left.

"Professor Dumbledore is on his way back from London. He will be coming to speak to you as soon as he arrives," Madam Pomfrey said, tucking his blankets around him.

"Is it really October?" Harry asked as she fussed with his pillows. This was better treatment than he usually received and he was beginning to think that maybe something bad happened between then and now.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. I'm under strict orders from the headmaster not to tell you anything and unlike your friend, I intend to follow those orders," she said. Content that his pillows were fine, she left Harry alone with his thoughts.

******************

After waiting an hour for Dumbledore to come talk to him, Harry found it impossible to avoid falling asleep. His body was so sore and his head still hurt. He just wanted to close his eyes for a few minutes...

She was there, pulling him towards... where? He didn't know but he couldn't help but follow her. Her violet colored skirt flitted around her ankles as she walked and her laugh was so joyful he could listen to it forever. They walked a long time down a path that was flanked by a thick forest on either side. Everything fascinated her, including him and he found it uncomfortable when he'd find her staring at him with her mismatched blue eyes.

"You don't really want to leave here, do you?" she asked wistfully and Harry didn't know because he didn't know where here was exactly.

"I don't know. Where are we going?" he asked but she answered only with a smile before running ahead of him. He gave chase, calling after her as loudly as he could,"You have to tell me! Someone has to tell me."

She turned to him but when she opened her mouth, it was Dumbledore's voice that came out.

"Harry, wake up. You're safe here."

He opened his eyes to find the headmaster sitting at the edge of his bed, patting his hand reassuringly. Dumbledore helped him put on his glasses and it only took him a few seconds to become coherent enough to unleashed a barrage of questions.

"What's going on? Why am I here? How did I get here? It's October and I..."

"Slow down, Harry. I plan on answering all your questions to the best of my ability but first tell me how you're feeling," Dumbledore said, sitting on the edge of Harry's bed.

"My head hurts and my arms and legs are too heavy to move," Harry grumbled. He didn't want to discuss his health. He wanted information.

"All that should pass in time, I imagine. I'm sure you'll be rejoining your class shortly. I dare say they need their Quidditch captain back as soon as possible," Dumbledore said. Harry was afraid to ask what that meant but he had too many other questions to dwell on Quidditch right at the moment.

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Harry asked, struggling to sit up. He couldn't do it so Professor Dumbledore assisted him, tucking a few pillows in behind Harry's head.

"You don't remember any of it?" Dumbledore asked.

"I was at the Muggle library with Hermione and then... I was here. In between, I'm not sure. Hermione said that it's October already. How can that be?" Harry asked, trying to remain patient. Not that long ago, he would have been screaming for answers by now but he knew Dumbledore wouldn't hide anything from him. Or he hoped he wouldn't.

"I was hoping after the relative quiet of your last term that perhaps you would be able to spend the remainder of your time at Hogwarts in peace. I know we're waging this terrible war but if anyone deserves to have something as simple as that, it's you. Alas, it wasn't meant to be," Professor Dumbledore said, sadness filling his voice.

Harry didn't care about that right now. He never expected the peace he did have last year and knew life would catch up with him sooner or later. Now, he was impatient for Dumbledore to go on.

"Do you remember a young man by the name of Andrew Rowntree?" Dumbledore asked slowly, not continuing the story fast enough for Harry.

"Yeah, I remember him. We met at Hermione's house and a few other places around town. I was at the library in Hermione's hometown and he came up to me. He told me he was a Squib and he was going to do something for his father. That he had this all been planned out but I ruined the plans by--" Harry said, falling silent before he let it slip how the plans all changed.

"Drew, as he likes to be called, thought that if he could trap you, it would please his father and help the man get over the fact that his only son was born a Squib. His mother hasn't been well for years and he somehow manipulated her to moving into the Granger's Muggle neighborhood. He's a charming young man and Hermione was his target to get to you," Dumbledore said.

"Why didn't he just move into my neighborhood? Why not Ottery St. Catchpole so he could be near the Weasleys? I was actually at those places," Harry asked.

"I wondered that myself at first but there's more I have to explain before I can get to that. After time, Drew convinced his mother to open up a long forgotten passageway that existed between the magical portraits. A very complex spell was needed to do that since it had been sealed off for hundreds of years. Over the years, many people got lost inside the maze that exists back there, never to be heard from again. It's impossible to map out since it's constantly being added to and the people, or rather, the portraits aren't always helpful to those who get lost. That is why they sealed it off. That is where you've been since the beginning of August," Professor Dumbledore said and Harry closed his eyes, trying to remember any of it.

The portraits had stopped moving right before the term had ended. In the library, Drew had told him something about the portraits but Harry couldn't recall his exact words. They had to keep the portraits from talking? He could vaguely remember a painting in that back room. It was ugly, made up of splashes of dark colors and looked like one at Hogwarts. Drew had shoved him toward the painting and... he couldn't remember anything else.

"Why Hermione?" Harry asked, hoping Dumbledore would tell him now.

"Quite by coincidence, Miss Granger lives in a town with one of those portals. Plus, there was no way he could ever become friends with you at your aunt and uncle's house. He didn't have to study you for long to realize you aren't allowed friends there. As for Mr. Weasley, I suppose it was because he could fit in better with Hermione's Muggle family than he could with a wizard family.

It was hard, but Harry pulled himself to sit up just a little more, still trying to figure this all out in his head. The plan all hinged on Hermione introducing him to Drew and getting him into the library. With Hermione, the library part was probably the easiest aspect of the plan. The rest of it -- he had no clue how Drew pulled it all together.

"How did I get out?" Harry asked and Dumbledore didn't answer him right away but rather let out a sigh.

"Once the Order figured out what had happened to you and traced it back to the Rowntree family, it came down to opening up all the gateways in and out of the portraits. Someone went in to find you and lead you to a portal," he said, looking at Harry over his half-moon glasses.

"Yes? Who was it?" Harry asked.

"Alastar Moody and Professor Snape... yes, Harry, Professor Snape both wanted to go but Remus Lupin won out in the end. He felt he was partially to blame since it took him so long to figure out who the Rowntrees were after you mentioned the youngest one in an owl you sent him," Dumbledore said and Harry could tell something was wrong by the tone in his voice.

"Where is he? Where's Lupin?" he asked, looking around at the other beds the best he could. Surely Hermione would have said something if he was here with them.

"He didn't come back out."

Harry was sure he had heard him wrong but judging by the look on his face, he hadn't.

"What?" he asked.

"The portals were closed off again once you returned through the one into Hogwarts. He sealed them from the inside once you were safely on this side," Dumbledore said. Harry had a hard time hearing him and it didn't matter what he said anyway. None of it was making any sense. Lupin had to be here. He couldn't lose another person. There was no way this could be happening to him again.

His body grew cold and he couldn't hold back the tears. He was so exhausted and he hurt so much and there was no way he could stop himself from crying. The tears flowed under his glasses and he couldn't move to take them off or wipe them away.

"No. No, no, no!" Harry said in frustration, his voice rising to a shout and echoing off the walls around him.

"It was his choice and we believe he had a good reason to do so," he said but that didn't calm Harry down one bit.

"But why can't I remember it? I would have never let him do that! What happened to my memory? What did you do to me?" he asked, his voice sharp and angry.

"We didn't do anything to you. Perhaps Remus performed a memory charm on you before sending you out --"

"Why would he do that?"

"He must have had his reasons, Harry," Dumbledore said, placing an aged hand on Harry's shoulder, trying to calm him.

"No! Stop saying that! You can open it again, right? You have to open it back up!" Harry said through the tears. He didn't want to be crying. He couldn't even move his hands far enough to wipe the tears that were spilling over and onto his face.

"I have to trust that he did it for a good reason."

"There's no reason good enough!" Harry sputtered, still struggling to move his arms. He wanted to hide his tears and but he couldn't move at all. He expected Dumbledore to look away but rather, he helped Harry up and after looking him in the eye for a few seconds, he pulled him into a tight embrace. Harry struggled against him, embarrassed to be seen like this but he finally succumbed to his emotions. Why couldn't Hermione be here? Why couldn't she be holding him and why couldn't she have told him? What could Remus Lupin have been thinking and why would he do this to Harry?

"I have to trust that he knew what he was doing. I have to," Dumbledore said softly, letting Harry's tears soak his heavy robes.

"But we have to get him! We can't leave him in there!" Harry said and Dumbledore slowly helped him back down onto his pillows. Harry eyes were stinging and he didn't want to look at Dumbledore. He was too angry to look at him. "We can't..."

Neither of them said a word for several agonizing minutes. Harry could tell that Dumbledore wasn't going to change his mind about this no matter what kind of a tantrum he had. Harry would just have to think of something else.

"Perhaps you would feel better if Miss Granger came for a visit? She's been spending all her spare time at your bedside for the past month. I have no idea how Poppy ever got her to leave from here to attend her classes," Dumbledore said and Harry looked at him, puzzled.

"Does everyone know ?" he asked softly.

"If we didn't know it before, we certainly knew it from the moment you disappeared. She wanted to go in, too, Harry. It took quite a few strong wizards to keep her from going after you," he said, smiling thoughtfully. "Now that I've told you what I know, she's free to tell you anything else."

"And my memory? Is there anything you can do to restore it?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but I'm not sure I want to do that just yet. Get some rest, Harry. You're going to need it to catch up on a month's worth of missed Potions assignments."

***************

Harry decided what he was going to do while he was staring at the oil painting hanging on the wall above the door. There was really only one thing he could do. Ron and Ginny had come to visit earlier but he couldn't take his eyes off of the painting. The figures in it were moving around as if nothing had happened and according to Ron, a few of the portraits still were frozen, including the Fat Lady at the door to Gryffindor Tower. No one was sure what had happened to them and why some were in working order while others remained as still as Muggle paintings. None of the ones that were back to normal knew a thing about what had gone on behind them.

All Harry had to do was figure out where the painting that acted as a portal was and how to open it up again. He had a clue as to the where part but the how part was going to take some work -- or the creative mind of his brilliant girlfriend. He knew she'd never go along with this plan without some insistence on his part but in all these years, she had never failed to be at his side when the it came down to it and this time would be no different.

He heard soft footsteps on the stone floor and looked away from the painting to find Hermione standing at the end of his bed.

"I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner but Ron and Ginny said they would keep you company and I had some school work to catch up on," Hermione said, not looking directly into his eyes. Harry shrugged, trying to hold his emotions in check now that she was here. "So, you know?"

Harry choked back the tears that were beginning to form and he nodded. She came around to the side of his bed and sat on the edge of it, holding his hand. A few hours of rest and many more of Madam Pomfrey's potions and he could now hold her hand in return, squeezing it gently.

"Why would Lupin do this to me?" Harry asked once he trusted his voice not to betray his emotions entirely. It didn't hurt as much as losing Sirius but it hurt nonetheless. Lupin had been a good friend and Harry couldn't bear to think that he felt he was the cause of what happened in the library.

"I don't know, Harry. You probably know more than I do since you talked to Professor Dumbledore but you know Lupin wouldn't have done anything too foolish. When he went in there, he said he'd do whatever he had to in order to get you back and I have no doubt that he meant that," Hermione said, lacing her fingers through his.

"But why did it have to be him?"

"I wasn't part of that decision making process. You know I'm not part of the Order," Hermione said. The moon cast a somber glow through the windows, casting long shadows everywhere.

"I wonder, if he's still alive, what a full moon will do to him in there?" Harry asked, nodding toward the window.

"I wish you could remember any of it because you might already know the answer to that question," Hermione said and Harry tried to figure out in his head when the last full moon occurred.

"Professor Dumbledore said there might be ways to restore some of my memories but he didn't want to do that now. He's protecting me from something as if I'm a child and I don't want to be protected. Hermione, can you --"

"I won't do it. Not if he says no," Hermione said, head shaking out a 'no' before Harry could get out the question.

"Well, why not?" he asked. He didn't need her treating him like a child, too.

"He has his reasons."

"Everyone seems to have their own bloody reasons for everything and I'm the one stuck here in this bed without a clue," Harry said, pulling his hand from hers. "I'm always the last to know everything. Speaking of knowing anything, what ever happened to Drew? Did he make his dad happy?"

Hermione sighed and took his hand in hers again, ignoring his tantrum. "I wouldn't know. He and his father disappeared right after it happened. His mum was the only one that could be found and it's a good thing, too, because she led the search back to that room in the library."

"To think you almost... with him," Harry said, sounding downright angry with the world at the moment. He didn't care. He was angry.

"I didn't even come close and you know it," Hermione said, clucking her tongue at him.

"Close enough."

"But yet, I didn't. Not after you. Is that what you want to hear? That there will never be anyone else but you for the rest of my life?" she asked, sounding rather distraught over where the conversation was headed.

"Yes."

"Maybe I should come back when you're in a better mood," Hermione said, going to stand up. He wouldn't let her get away that easily and tugged her back down by her hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm still... I'm stunned. Lupin is gone. I'm missing two months of my life. I missed the start of my last term here. I missed... I missed your birthday, Hermione. I wanted your birthday to be so special this year," Harry said, unable to fight back his emotions any longer.

"I don't care about my birthday now that you're here. I didn't even notice it was my birthday since I was so worried about you. We'll make up for it next year when we're no longer in school. Besides, your birthday made up for a million of my birthdays," Hermione said, leaning over to kiss him.

"My birthday -- it seems like just yesterday," Harry said as Hermione settled in next to him. He knew they shouldn't be doing this in the hospital wing but he didn't care if Madam Pomfrey caught them together. The most she could do would be send Hermione back to the Gryffindor dormitories.

"It feels like forever ago," Hermione said, snuggling in against him.

"I take it you didn't... you aren't... you know?" he asked, avoiding saying the words the best he could.

"I'm not what?" she asked.

"That one time, we didn't exactly use any protection," he whispered. "Remember?"

"Oh! No, I'm not. I wasn't. I didn't even think about it again but that was really stupid of us since you were technically of age to use magic at that point. It must have slipped our minds somehow," she said. He felt a strange feeling pass through him, as if he had discussed this with someone already.

"It's nice having you here. I was getting lonely," Harry said, turning his face toward her. She smelled so good and felt so warm and soft in his arms and he never wanted to let her go again. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to work well with his plans.

"This sounds so childish but when you were gone, I wasn't sure how I was going to go on. Time moved so slowly and every minute was more painful than the last. The days were long and the nights were unbearable. If it weren't for Fred and George and some other members of the Order, i would have never known what was going on. I felt so helpless and lost," she said, crying now.

"I'm sorry," he said, wishing he could make it up to her somehow but not knowing how.

"There were times when I told myself that if you were found and brought back, this thing would have to end because I'm not sure I could stand the pain of losing you ever again," Hermione said and Harry could feel her tears soaking through his pajamas.

"Hermione..."

"But here I am because being with you is worth that risk."

Something rattled around in the other room and Hermione moved quickly from his arms to the chair at the side of his bed. Both of them didn't even dare breathe until they were sure no one was coming in.

"I can't wait until we can finally be alone again. I need to be with you again," she said, the tone of her voice such that it made his heart ache with desperation for her.

"I won't be in here much longer. I'll do anything to not have to take anymore of Madam Pomfrey's potions, including crawl out of here and back to my room. Speaking of rooms, did you make Head Girl this year? And who's Head Boy? Ron didn't say -- was it him?" Harry asked. It was one of the millions of questions he had about the time he was gone.

"Ron didn't but I am Head Girl even though certain professors thought I would be too distraught to handle the pressure. I've done just fine and I have my very own room," Hermione said, sounding rather proud of herself.

"But the stairs--"

"I already took care of that."

"My memory might be a bit spotty at best but at least I do remember that sometimes, I'm a girl," Harry joked and Hermione ran her hand down his arm, taking his hand in hers once more.

"I hope not. That would ruin some plans I have for when you're feeling better," she said, her eyes meeting his and flashing with desire. That look coupled with her words was enough to send a quick flash of arousal through him. He shifted in bed, pulling the blankets up around him.

"I better go before I climb into that bed with you," she said but she didn't move.

"You had better do that before I pull you into this bed with me," he said, releasing her hand.

She stood to leave, giving him a lingering kiss before she bid him goodnight and walked away. He sighed and rolled over, looking at the painting once more. How could he leave her again? He must have been mad. The only answer was that she would have to come with. Now he had to figure out how to ask the question.

***************

Hermione supported Harry by tucking her arm around his waist, helping him walk between the rows of beds in the hospital wing. Ron sat on one of the beds, looking on as he ate the chocolate frogs people had sent Harry. Madam Pomfrey looked in on them occasionally to make sure Harry wasn't over doing it but she looked pleased that he was recovering so quickly. He had no choice. Time was flying by and he wasn't going to be able to help Lupin if he was stuck in bed.

"When do you think you'll be ready to play Quidditch again?" Ron asked through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Really, Ron, that's the least of Harry's worries right now. He'll have to catch up on all those classes he missed first," Hermione scolded and Harry couldn't fail to notice Ron roll his eyes as he muttered something about priorities.

After another turn or two up and down the cold stone floor, Hermione helped Harry back to his bed. She tucked him in like a doting mother and Ron looked away when Harry's face burned with embarrassment.

"Thanks," Harry said when she finished and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I have to go to the library to work on an essay. I, too, have fallen behind in the last month. Ron, can you get me when you're finished here?" Hermione asked and Ron nodded, trying to swallow more of a frog.

Once she was gone, Ron moved to the bed right next to Harry's and offered him some of the sweets. Harry had found it hard to eat since he woke up and the thought of chocolate turned his stomach so he shook his head in refusal.

"No wonder she's so far behind. I thought she was going to go mad while you were gone. We all felt that way, really. My mum was beside herself and the Grangers -- those poor Muggles. The entire Order set up operations in their house until they figured out what had happened to you," Ron said, filling in more of the pieces of the story. He had heard most of it from Hermione, but hers was the tearful version.

"I reckon it was a shock having Snape lurking about their parlor," Harry said and Ron laughed.

"Too right. But the Grangers were worried they had lost 'the boy who lived' and were even more worried about their daughter. Seems that you two weren't exactly truthful about your relationship," Ron said slyly and Harry winced. He hadn't thought about them finding out and Hermione made no mention of it. "Mum was so worried something might happen to all of us that she even made me come back from Romania."

Harry sensed that he was forgetting something or that Ron was waiting for him to remember something important. He closed his eyes and tried to think about it, wishing that Ron would just tell him. He had been in here several times since Harry had come to but he never said anything. It didn't help that Hermione was usually here, embarrassing both of them by acting more like a mother than a girlfriend...

"Girlfriend! You met a girl in Romania... now I remember!" Harry said, sitting up in bed and facing Ron, whose ears were now tipped in red. Ron smiled widely, though, nodding his head.

"Tullia," Ron said dreamily.

"Go on then. Tell me more," Harry said.

"She attends school in Italy and she's a rather talented witch -- not like Hermione but in a different way. My mum said she might let me go and visit her family over Christmas holidays or maybe she can come to The Burrow. That way, you and Hermione could come and meet her. Wouldn't that be great!" Ron said excitedly. He was nervously playing with a bit of loose yarn at the bottom of his jumper, twisting it around his finger as he talked. Harry enjoyed this, being able to shove all thoughts of Lupin and what he had to do to the back of his mind for a few minutes as he talked with his best friend.

"I'd like to meet her."

"You're going to like her a lot," Ron said, a faraway expression on his face. He was smiling at whatever thought was going through his head.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" Harry asked, amused at how fidgety Ron had become. Ron's entire face turned a bright scarlet as he looked away from Harry, a good part of the bottom of his jumper coming unraveled around his fingers. "I told you it was great, didn't I?"

Ron looked at Harry again, his eyes twinkling with some secret memory. "Yes, you did and you weren't lying."

***************

The clamor in the Gryffindor common room had died down and at last, Ron trudged on up to bed, having eaten far too many of the sweets Mrs. Weasley had sent in celebration of Harry's release from hospital. Harry and Hermione were the only two people left in the room now and although they had been alone many times in the hospital wing in the last few days, this felt different. Even though in his mind, he had just been with her at her house a few days ago, he knew it was different for her. Two months had gone by and she looked nervous now that she was finally and completely alone with him.

Before he could say or do anything, Hermione was up off the couch they had been sharing and looking at the clutter left behind by the others. She took out her wand and went about cleaning up the room and Harry knew part of the reason was so the house elves wouldn't have to do it later. He watched as his girlfriend efficiently made several empty tins and various other containers stack themselves into a neat pile, wishing she would stop and come sit by his side again.

"Scourgify," she said, pointing her wand at a spot on the worn carpet in front of the crackling fire that was burning bright in the fireplace. The stain disappeared and she looked around the room to see if there was anything else that needed to be cleaned up.

"Hermione, stop cleaning and come over here," Harry said and she hesitated for just a moment before tucking her wand away and coming back to the couch. She sat stiffly and brushed something off the soft fabric of the couch. "Is something wrong?"

She didn't speak for a long time. Instead, she stared into the fire as if she was expecting someone to show up in there. He watched the firelight play on her face, setting her eyes aglow.

"It was so hard, trying to accept that you might not come back... that you might be dead. But for you, no time has passed. You feel as if we were together last Tuesday. It's not that I wish you felt the same way I did; it's just that it hard to have missed you so much and you... you have no clue what you felt at all."

"I missed you," Harry said reassuringly, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. "I might not remember it yet but I know I did. I'm certain I missed all of this -- the start of term at Hogwarts, Ron, Quidditch and most of all, you. I'm sorry you had to go through what you did. I know how I'd feel if you were missing."

Harry felt her settle against him, her body warm against his chest. He found it amazing what she could do to him; how she made him open up and say things he never thought he'd say in his life.

"There were times when I was certain I could hear your voice calling for me," she said softly. "And I spent a lot of time thinking about what it would be like if you were found but it wasn't anything like this. I'm not sure what I was expecting."

Harry watched the flames leap about in the fireplace and thought about telling her his plans but decided against it. She wasn't ready for that yet and he wasn't sure he was ready, either. If he went alone, she would never forgive him. Besides that, without her skills, chances are he'd never figure it out in the first place. He needed her.

But right now, she needed him to be here.

Harry was beginning to get sleepy from the combined warmth of Hermione and the fire. She was growing heavier in his arms and he thought perhaps she had fallen asleep. He moved a little and that was enough to stir her into wakefulness again and she sat up beside him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep but it's so nice being with you. After you were gone for so long, I was convinced this would never happen again and now here we are and I'm sleeping," she said. He squeezed her hand to let her know it was okay.

"Next time I get sent into a trap, you know I'm taking you with me, don't you?" Harry asked and Hermione turned to him and smiled.

"I would hope so," she said and he leaned in to kiss her. It was soft and tenuous at first, lips barely brushing, and he felt as nervous as he did when he kissed her the first time long ago though he wasn't sure why. Maybe because she was so nervous. She was right; in his mind, they were together just a few days ago. The memories of that morning and the shower and then her bed were still fresh to him and just thinking about that day made a soft moan rise up into his throat. Her mouth parted slightly and their tongues touched for just a second before the kiss ended.

She moved away, pressing her hand to his cheek. "It's going to be nice getting to know you again."

"We don't have to get to know each other again all in one night. If you're nervous or having second thoughts..."

"Second thoughts about what?" she asked as if she genuinely couldn't believe he'd ask such a thing. He looked away, trying to find the right words. Maybe it would be best if this whole thing ended and he wouldn't have to worry about hurting her again. That would be the right thing to do. This time, he didn't want to do what was right.

"Nothing. No second thoughts ever, right?"

"Right. Never." With that she stood up in front of him, the firelight framing her and adding golden highlights to her hair. "I have some of your things in my room and you're going to need them for class tomorrow. Would you like for me to bring them down... or would you like to come with me to my room to get them?"

Her voice was so sweet and alluring that he didn't have to think about his answer for long.

***********

"Your broom," Hermione said, handing over his Firebolt. "Tonks and George broke into your aunt and uncle's house to get your things out of there. I'm sure George will want to tell you all about because it was quite an adventure but we were afraid that once they found out you were missing, they'd put it all in the bin."

"I'm sure they were disappointed to hear of my return," Harry said, his hand running over the smooth handle of his broom. He had hid it away the other day... a while ago before he left for Hermione's. The handle hadn't been this polished when he last saw it and he realized that Hermione must have done that for him.

"Is it... okay?"

"It's wonderful, Hermione. I didn't know you knew anything about broom maintenance," he said, examining the neatly trimmed twigs.

"It gave me something to do and I wanted it to be in good condition for when you returned," she said, turning toward her bed. Hermione retrieved something from her bedside table and brought it to him. "Professor Dumbledore said I could return this to you."

Harry put aside his broom so he could take his wand from her. "I really could have used this." To others, it would have sounded like an offhand comment but they both looked at each other, Hermione cocking her head to the side waiting for him to explain. "I think," he added quickly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Are you starting to remember?" she asked.

"Sometimes I remember a feeling. I know I missed you and I'm sure I could have used my wand but I can't tell you what for. I wish I knew more because that would be helpful when..." he stopped himself before he told her too much.

"Helpful when... what?" she asked.

"It would be helpful for when people ask me what happened. So many people have asked and honestly, your side of the story is far more interesting than mine. At least you know what you were doing," Harry said, not exactly lying about why he wished his memory was restored but not telling her everything.

"I've been doing some research on memory charms and counter-charms," Hermione said casually. She didn't add anything more but rather went to the other side of her bed and pulled his trunk to his feet. "This should be everything. Tonks and George might have left a few things but I'm sure they got the most important items. You had brought your favorite things to my house anyway but I put them back in the trunk. Your album is in there."

He had stopped listening at the moment she put the trunk in front of him.

"What did you find out about my memory?" he asked. She had said she wasn't going to help because of Dumbledore and now she was doing research. He knew it would be a challenge for her to figure it out plus she was very interested in what had happened. She might not say it but he knew it

"Most of the texts say that once an obliviate charm has been cast, it's impossible to restore those memories," she said in her usual matter-of-fact tone she got when discussing anything that came out of a book.

"Oh."

"But that's assuming this is a result of Lupin or someone casting a memory charm on you. What if it's simply a side effect of being wherever you were for so long? Even Mrs. Rowntree said she'd never been in there for more than a few hours. Most people who were gone longer than a few days never came back out. If they did, it was always assumed they'd be barking mad," Hermione said. Harry could tell by the look in her eyes that she was going to figure this out. It was a puzzle for her to solve and she would do it. "I'm assuming you aren't barking mad?"

"No, not yet. So, is there anything you can do?" Harry asked.

"I'll have to study it more. There are a few books in the Restricted Section I'd like to get my hands on. Perhaps I'll get permission tomorrow," Hermione said and Harry felt a heavy cloak of disappointment fall over him. He just wanted to remember. He was kicking at the edge of a small red rug in her room, trying to hide his frustration but failing at it miserably. He only stopped when Hermione took him by the hand and pulled him toward her bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked. He thought they were still discussing his memory.

"You have a lot of catching up to do, Harry," she said as she pushed him down so he was sitting on the edge of her bed. Crookshanks, who had been sleeping in a curled up ball of orange fluff went running.

"I do?"

"Yes, you do," she said, stepping in closer to him and pulling her jumper off. He reached out and stroked where the satin fabric of her bra met her skin and she shivered under his touch.

"What do I have to catch up on?" he asked, licking his lips as she reached around and unclasped her bra.

"First, you have to learn how to apparate so you can be tested..." she said, stopping as he pulled away his fingers so her bra could drop to the floor.

"Did you pass the test?" he asked. He didn't know since he wasn't here for her birthday and it never occurred to him to ask. He had a lot of things he needed to ask about and he kept forgetting all the questions in his head.

"I didn't take it yet. I was at school and then you came back and after that, I thought I'd wait for you," she said. He hooked a finger into the waistband of her jeans and tugged her closer.

"Thanks for waiting. I'm sure I'm going to need some help, with me being a little out of practice and all," he said.

"I haven't practiced in a while either but I'm sure we'll both do fine with a few refresher courses," Hermione said.

"I hope so," he said.

When she was as close as she could get without falling on top of him, he reached out and touched one nipple and then the other. Looking up, he found that she was watching him with wide eyes. When he pulled a hardened nipple in between his lips and let his tongue flutter against it, she moaned. "I missed you," she said, combing her fingers through his already tangled hair. "I missed you so much it hurt."

He struggled to get her jeans off of her without pulling his mouth from her skin. With some help from her, Harry managed to do it, sliding them down past her hips. She couldn't get them off because she still had her shoes on but he didn't care at the moment. He brushed his finger down her abdomen, feeling her draw in a quick breath before he got to where he was going.

She sank down against his fingers as soon as he touched her and let out that breath in a drawn out sigh. His eyes locked onto hers and it felt as if neither of them was ever going to blink. He stroked her again and again and they only broke eye contact when she fell forward, her hands resting on his shoulders. He didn't stop, but slid his fingers into her, feeling how hot and wet she was. As anxious as he was to be inside of her, he could wait a while longer.

He slid off the bed to his knees and helped her get out of her shoes and she stepped all the way out of her jeans. She sank to her knees in front of him and he began to touch her again, this time while kissing her so completely that he felt they had melted into one. Mouths and hands and fingers were all desperate for more and he groaned when she pressed her hand against the front of his jeans. Pulling her hand away, she ended the kiss abruptly and leaned back enough to watch his face. Hermione's mouth fell open ever so slightly as she struggled to catch her breath. "Faster," she begged, putting her hand on top of his to show him what she wanted, never taking her eyes off of his. Not until she came.

She pulled his hand away and fell against him. He held her in a tight embrace until she was completely still. "You have on too much clothing for what I plan to do to you," she said tugging at the back of his shirt.

"I was busy in case you didn't notice," he said, letting her go so she could pull his shirt over his head. Next, she focused on getting him out of his jeans.

"I noticed," she said. "Should we try moving this to the bed?"

"Er-- yeah, that would be good," he said, though he didn't really care where they went next. All he could focus on was her hand brushing against him as she pulled down his zipper. She couldn't get much further than that so he stood up, kicked his shoes off as quickly as he could and stripped out of the rest of his clothing. Offering her a hand up, he pulled her into his arms and they tumbled onto the bed together.

"Being Head Girl really does have its advantages," she said, straddling his hips.

"I hope you don't think that's the only reason I'm in bed with you. Your power hasn't gone to your head, has it?" he asked and she laughed, leaning over so her hair tickled his face.

"Not yet," she said, sinking down upon him and letting him ease into her slowly. He hoped that there wasn't anything wrong; that this didn't hurt again after so much time had gone by. She didn't move right away and he wrapped his hands around her waist, urging her on. She whispered, "Not yet," and remained still, just watching him.

"Hermione," he said, sounding desperate. "Please. Please, I need you..."

With that, she started to move, rolling her hips as she rose up and down over him, taking him all the way in and then letting him nearly slip out over and over again. Using his hands, he showed her how fast he needed her to go and she did it, never letting up for even a moment. Everything around him became a blur and the only thing he could see was her face looking down upon him, her eyes heavy and dark with desire.

He struggled to make this last long but he was losing that battle. When she sank down once again, he held her there so he was completely wrapped in her body. All she did was tighten her inner walls around him and that was it. Everything in the room, including Hermione, was replaced by a blazing white light and it was so peaceful that he never wanted to leave it behind. Fading all too quickly, he found everything coming back into focus and the first thing he saw was Hermione smiling above him, looking rather pleased with herself as she ruffled his hair a bit.

She eased herself slowly off of him and fell to his side. After pulling a quilt over them, he wrapped her up in his arms, feeling her fingers swirl against his chest as if she were writing words into wet sand. Maybe she was writing words. He couldn't tell.

"I would assume there are rules against me moving in here with you?" he asked.

"There are some rather strict rules against you being here at all," she answered with a sigh. He was growing sleepy in the warmth of her bed and would like nothing more than to spend the night here. Or the rest of his life.

"Then I suppose I better leave," he said, stifling a yawn. "If I don't go now, I will be too tired to leave later."

"Stay just a little longer," she said softly, sounding like a child afraid that if they let go of something for just a while, it will get lost forever.

"Make sure you get me up in time. I'll have to go... to my room," he said, feeling sleep quickly catching up to him... struggling against it... losing... opening his eyes only to find himself face to face with the girl in the violet dress.

***************

To Be Continued

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