~ Home for the Summer~
Summary: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy fell from the audience tower. What happened to them? What happened to Ella?
A/N: This is the final chapter. While I am sad, I have another Harry Potter story in the making. Look for the first chapter soon!! I'd like to thank every single person who reviewed this story, it really meant a lot. Also, thank you to OrioCookie for the whole spell fencing and dueling thing; it's too late to change it now but I greatly appreciate it.
Chapter Twelve- From Dreams to Reality
Hermoine witnessed the fall of the two boys from the tower. When they hit the ground, she already took off running back to Hogwarts. Ron and Hagrid came back with her, along with Dumbledore and McGonagall. Madame Pomfrey, who had been their savior for the night, rescued baby Ella and had her safe in the hospital wing before she grew far ill. As for the fallers, they were a different story. No one moved their bodies from the positions in which they landed, no one even went near them until Pomfrey arrived.
Ron stayed very close to Hermoine, whom was on the near break of tears, not knowing who was alright, if anyone was. Madame approached them after carefully examining them. Not that she ever had a cheerful expression, defiantly not now.
" I am sorry to report that mister Malfoy broke his neck, most likely once he hit the ground". There was no reaction, they knew what he did and now he got what he deserved. It was almost like a celebration.
Hagrid dared through the stricken silence, " and Harry?".
She sighed, looking at Hermoine, " I'm sorry, it does not look too good for him either".
" He's dead?" Hermoine struggled through the words that could shatter her heart in an instant.
" No. His breathing is very weak, he may have broken several severe bones that may have caused fatal damage. I don't believe he may last much longer, possibly two or three minutes".
Hermoine felt awful, like all the things Madam Pomfrey had just told was happening to her. Like her insides were being torn apart bit by bit and her life was slowly slipping away. He had survived such a fall not two months ago, why couldn't he survive this time?
" Hermoine, why don't you go and, say your goodbyes" she knew it really effected Hagrid to say that to her, or at all.
She left Ron, stumbling through the snow to get to the base of the tower. Kneeling next to his limp, almost lifeless body, she saw that the rising and falling of his chest, was hardly able to see. Gently, she brushed away part of his hair from his forehead, revealing his scar.
" You saved Ella's life" she told him, in case he didn't know. " It's not fair that now you have to go". She took a deep, but weak, breath, " I was going to tell you this earlier, but the chance never came, and I don't think it's going to come again. I love you, it's easier done than said. I loved you long before that night with the diary, and it only seemed to be greater once Ella came along. You probably can't hear me, but hopefully someday, you'll know".
Hermoine left. She could no longer bare being that close to him, when he was so far away. All she wanted was to get away from the Quidditch as fast as possible, and never go back there. The idea of returning to Hogwarts made her feel sick. Every inch of the school already reminded her of him, the things they did, or what not. When arriving back at the dorm room, she wouldn't go to bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress, any movement didn't seem worth it. She watched Ella sleeping, peacefully, it hurt her to know that her daughter would never grow to know her father. Their relationship was broken, because of a teenage demon.
Hours after the incident, Hermoine let the exhaustion over take her, there was not enough will power to keep fighting to desire to sleep.
While in a motionless slumber, she felt the air around her slip into the dream world she knew too well. Standing in the dark hallway, all alone, for a moment, the silence got to her and there was no clue for why she was there. A faint whisper in the background trickled her eardrum just barely. Turning in the most rapid movement, Hermoine caught the slight glimpse of a shadow, and yet, awoke before discovering what, or who, it was.
She shot up in bed, panting. The dream, it felt so strange, so real. A cold chill up her spine indicated, that maybe she was right. Her mind, and the bare remainders of the dream controlled the physical movements outside the dormitory. Stopping in the hallway, the only sound was her breathing, the only sight was what little was lit from the candles down the aisle. Hermoine's mind had gone blank, and she no longer wanted to think of her actions. Her mind was too powerful, even to herself, and now she only wanted go by what her heart told her.
Her heart was telling her to run, to nowhere specific at the time, just to run. She kept running, faster with each step, and yet, not knowing where she may end up. Somehow, her mind came back in control when she neared the hospital wing. Hermoine stopped herself instantly at the main doors. She knew. She knew that's where the bodies were, where Draco and Harry were, until further arrangements were made.
Why? She thought to herself. Why was she there? She couldn't stand the fact that just on the other side of those doors was the lifeless body of the boy she was deeply in love with. Even knowing that he was no longer alive, she still had the same feelings.
Forcing every muscle in her body, Hermoine began to walk away, back to her dorm. Maybe other sleepless nights would lead to such a dream to arise hopes that would fail only minutes later. It wasn't fair, nothing about the day had been fair. One simple move, if Harry, or even Malfoy, swiped in the other direction, they wouldn't have fallen. Who knew what would have become of that, but at least there would have been more of a chance.
" Hermoine". Her name, she knew that specific tone, and exactly how it was said.
" Harry" she whispered, recognizing the voice before hers. Perhaps a aftershock from her premonition. Perhaps, not.
" Hermoine" the voice was more clear, the name was closer.
" Harry!" she was facing him in a heartbeat. Standing as tall as he was in the doorway, his injured figure stumbling every so often. He was alive, Harry Potter was alive.
Plunging into his arms, Harry clamped his arms around her tightly.
" How is this possible? They said you were dead!" Hermoine screamed in tears.
Harry managed a voice through her embrace. " I think I was for awhile, Draco got the better of the fall" he waited, " I heard what you said, I heard everything".
" I still mean it, I always have, and I always will".
" I love you Hermoine" he said, feeling at complete ease once the words left his lips. After all this time, he finally said them. " I love you more than life itself" she backed away from his hold, but he couldn't stop himself. " For as long as I can remember, and when you told me that.......you were going to have a baby, our baby, I didn't know what more there could be. Maybe we are young, and that some people believe that we're not ready for love, but we've been through so much". Hermoine gently brushed a tear from behind his broken glasses. " And, I love you".
Before another rambled word could be said, Hermoine leaned forward and kissed him, not just a peck, but the kind of kiss you'd give to someone after confessing your love. From the night with the diary, to a near death experience.
Ron came bursting from the hallway, wondering where Hermoine had run off too. He saw that his two best friends, one in which he thought was dead, were tongue tied and caught up in each other arms.
" Okay, found her" he panted, leaving them for privacy.
~ THE END~
A/N: Yes, the ending is corny. But I really wanted to finish it, and I knew I wouldn't be too popular for killing Harry, especially when he had a baby daughter. The story is done, but my goal is to hit 40 reviews at least for the final chapter, please help! Keep checking for my next story (within the next day or less) called " In Harm's Way". THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE REVIEWS!