DISCLAIMER: 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:
okay… okay. I know that I was a devil last time.
But I don't know if I'll continue to be one!
This chapter will be pretty short because it was only composed of Harry and Hermione's thoughts about uhh... everything?
~Lily
P.S. A big THANK YOU for my beta, Angelica…!! whooo!
* * * * * *
Dinner.
Hermione and the others trudged along the entrance to the great hall, their minds on the dinner which awaited them in their respective tables.
She breathed out a sigh of relief as she sat down and started to fill her grumbling stomach. Her relief was short-lived, though. Since the moment she sat down, the whole Great Hall lapsed into a hushed silence.
Hermione instinctively looked up from her food then, almost abruptly, she felt her mind and body freeze. However, during those two seconds before her mental and physical functions stopped, there were two things her mind registered that caused her to be shocked.
First, there was an owl soaring above the students, finding its' way to a certain person. It wasn't typical to see an owl sending a letter during the night.
But this only caused Hermione to be surprised albeit.
What made her freeze was the next realization that dawned upon her.
Speaking of which, she realized it was white.
The owl, I mean. But its' color was more of snowy.
And was strangely familiar too.
It looks exactly like…
* * * * * *
CHAPTER III: Time
*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*
Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.
~John Randolph of Roanoke
*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*~_~*
[Hermione's POV]
Oh. My. God.
Hedwig?!
No, it couldn't be…
B- but I'm very, very sure that it was really her.
Yet… No, it's impossible.
Oh, God.
Did he-?
But why… why-
"Miss Granger?"
***
Yep. It was definitely Hedwig.
There was no doubt that it was really The-Boy-Who-Defeated-The-Dark-Lord's owl.
It was enough for most of the people in the Great Hall to gawk in astonishment while watching the owl's progress in its quest for the person the letter was addressed to.
Finally, the snowy owl landed on the space beside the Headmaster's goblet in the Staff table.
Dumbledore slowly took the letter from Hedwig's leg and carefully scanned the contents of the letter.
With twinkling eyes, he looked up and mysteriously smiled as he called someone who was not expecting to be summoned.
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione shakily stood up upon hearing her name called by the headmaster.
She was vaguely aware of the eyes of the whole student population bearing upon her back as her heart hammered painfully against her ribcage.
But just before Albus started to talk, he was disrupted by the loud banging of doors.
As they all looked curiously at the entrance, a long forgotten voice interfered with their thoughts.
A voice that they all thought they will never hear again.
"'Mione?"
***
[Harry's POV]
I knew it was time.
I could no longer hide from them.
Them… especially her.
Since that fateful night, my mind never calmed itself.
Every time I sleep, my dreams were always about them.
My guilt. My conscience. Our love.
It was eating up my soul. I knew from the very start that it was so wrong.
But I was confused back then.
Now, I just didn't know what to do.
I even don't remember how I defeated Him!
I just thought about two things, `She loves me. I love her.'
Just that. No more, no less.
All I remember from the battle was…
Darkness.
I was lost that I didn't know that time passed by.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months.
I didn't know how I survived.
Then, I heard a voice.
Hermione.
I remember myself smiling weakly and following the source of that voice. It was so distinct; I thought it was haunting me.
Next thing I know, she was screaming.
By that time, I was disoriented.
I knew Voldemort had her.
I dismissed the nagging thought at the back of my mind that she's at Hogwarts, safe and sound.
But I was lost in the midst of this darkness. I felt like a thousand dementors were closing upon me.
The screaming continued as I helplessly searched in the dark.
Yet, a lone thought appeared in my mind,
`She's hurting, I'm going to save her. I'm going to risk my life. I'm going to die for HER. I don't care what'll happen to me. I'll do this for her. Because...
Because I love her.'
Then, I was blinded by a bright light. I later on found myself in this little paradise.
The flowers. The grotto. The grass and the sky.
It was all perfect.
I smiled. I didn't know how long I've tasted light. I lost tracked of time while I was in the dark.
It was beautiful.
But this happy thought soon ended.
My smile slipped off my face as I remembered why I was here.
Where is she??
My question was answered earlier than I've thought.
"Hello, Baby Potter…Are you looking for Baby Mudblood?"
Voldemort.
I felt my blood boil.
I turned around and my heart shattered.
There she was… bloody, bruised and writhing in pain. She was almost naked with her robes tattered and torn.
Her body was covered with wounds, small and large, and it looked like she had broken bones as well.
She was dying.
And Voldemort's filthy hands were touching her.
I refrained from screaming.
I felt tears of rage fill up my eyes.
I wanted revenge.
And I remember nothing more.
I just found myself beside his lifeless and mutilated body, and I was so filled with anger that I even burned it.
I don't remember using a wand, that time.
Then, I realized something.
Hermione was nowhere to be seen.
Later on, I found out that she was only an illusion.
She's at Hogwarts, safe and protected by hundreds of spells and enchantments.
She's alive.
But all thoughts and realizations were erased from my mind as I finally grasped the reality.
He's gone.
I faintly remember that I wrote a note on a piece of parchment saying He's gone.
And that's when I realized it was September 17.
Two days before Hermione's birthday.
Now, I've decided to return.
And there were no other things I desire than coming back to the place I once called home.
Home.
`I'll be there for you, `Mione… forever.'
***
[Hermione's POV]
"'Mione?"
I heard my name being called just as the doors banged open.
It was He who called me.
I knew his voice too well and it was only He, who's allowed to call me `Mione.
I know that it was He, from the very start; only his voice who could call unto me through his hopeless search in the hall.
Harry.
It felt like it took me an hour to turn around and face Him but it was only a moment for the people who watched our every move.
I turned and felt a river of tears threatening to flood my eyes.
There he was, in the doorway, wearing a dark cloak with his hood down. His face was pained and his eyes… his eyes were bright and dark at the same time.
But there was something peculiar about him.
There was something queer around him.
The aura that surrounds him was like… powerful?
Yet, it was still the same him.
The same Harry, I've cared and fussed about.
The Harry whom I loved.
And still love.
I sighed inwardly when I realized that I couldn't move.
My body seemed to be frozen all over.
Hmm… Time probably stopped too.
*sighed inwardly*
`Harry, you better make sure that you're not going to run away from me again.'
***
Harry James Potter slowly stepped forward.
Hermione Anne Granger silently assured herself as she also determinedly stepped forward.
The time has indeed, come.
***
A/N:
Bwahahahaha! Bwahahahaha!
I told you so!
I've decided that I shall continue to be evil if you people don't review enough!
I LOVE CLIFFIES! LOL.
Oops.. sorry again! I got carried away… wheeee!
Anyway…
Apologies to all who've been expecting a better chapter but worry not! I'll post the last chapter and I promise, I'll make it better… much, much better!
~Lily
P.S. Hmm… I promise, I'll post the last chapter if I get enough reviews…
I'm sooooo evil!