Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: R&R! Thanks to all who have reviewed, it makes me feel special! Tootles!

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"So let me get this straight, if you have a curse cast upon you from the Book of Deception you can't touch the book?" Draco asked, "That doesn't seem fair!"

Hermione turned to look at Draco, "I don't really understand that part of it, but I'm assuming it's different with every curse." Hermione looked down to the ground and no one spoke for a while until Lavender stepped up to Hermione.

"Oh, okay, well it's certain, Hermione we need to get you away from the library!" Lavender said causing a few laughs. For the first time in a while Lupin stepped forward.

"Look, everyone here, obviously there have been things kept from people and all it is doing is causing us to be divided, and we can't be divided, so if you have a grudge against someone here let it go, let it go or stay at Hogwarts." Lupin walked towards Hermione, "Hermione, Harry, and Lily, we realize we have been keeping things from you, and we realize that it has hurt you, but we hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive us." Hermione looked to Harry who was in next to her and nodded. Harry just stared at her and then looked to his parents.

"I don't know, I mean I feel like I don't know any of you." Harry said, "I mean the four of you," Harry said gesturing to the adults, "have been keeping things from us. Lavender is the heir to some great power and she has visions or something. I mean Hermione has this cloud surrounding her summer, I don't know what to think. I mean the only people I can trust and Ron and Draco." Everyone seemed stunned when Harry finished. Lavender was the first to speak up.

"Part of some great power, Harry you know that I had no idea about Persiam, it's not my fault that I'm heir to something. That's not my choice that was an accident of birth and you know what Voldemort isn't involved in this so no one is making you stay here, in case you forgot this trip was about Hermione, I didn't ask to come, none of us did." Lavender yelled, "And you know what screw you because I thought that I was your friend, I guess you're just too famous for us, right?" Lavender said walking towards the portkey, touching it and a second later being gone. Harry just stared after her and then looked to his parents and girlfriend. Hermione was trying to figure out what to say but after opening her mouth a few times she couldn't find the right words. She looked up to Harry and smiled

"I guess we were rushing things, weren't we?" Hermione said before turning to walk towards the portkey.

"Hermione wait, I didn't mean that…" Harry said reaching for her arm but she pulled it from him.

"You know Harry, right now you are obviously going through a lot and you need your space so here you go." Hermione said standing in front of the portkey, "But just remember, you weren't the only one lied to in this mess." She said before touching the portkey and with a glow she was gone. Harry was left standing with his parents Ron and Draco. Draco and Ron exchanged glances with each other and Ron stepped forward towards the Marauders and Lily.

"Lily, James, I really do appreciate being included on this trip, but I think it's obvious that we all need a break from each other." Ron said.

"Maybe we'll continue after the ball, a lot can change when you don't know who you are dancing with." Draco said before stepping up to the portkey and he and Ron disappeared immediately. Harry turned to face the four adults who were staring intently at him. Lily sighed and stepped forward picking up her backpack that she had dropped in all the drama.

"Mum…" Harry started but she silenced him with a look.

"Harry, things may have been kept from you on this adventure but you were never once lied to, and I may not have been there to raise you but I know you were raised better than to treat your friends like that. Harry, you're my son and I love you, just like I love your father, but I can't stand to look at you right now, any of you." She said stepping up to the portkey and disappearing. Harry looked at the Marauders but something behind them caught his attention.

"Dad, look out!" Harry said pointing behind him. Harry saw his father turn and stun a deatheater.

"Harry, go!" James yelled but Harry didn't make it to the portkey and the last thing he remembered seeing was a deatheater with blond, radioactive, hair pointing a wand at him.

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When Harry awoke he was in the hospital wing and his mother and father were asleep on either side of him. Harry sat up and felt a searing pain throughout his body. His father was the first to awake shortly followed by his mother.

"Harry, how do you feel?" James asked sitting up. Harry was about to answer when he surveyed the room and saw that Sirius, Lupin, Ron and Lavender were all there. A second later Draco entered with Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey behind him. Madame Pomfrey immediately ran over to Harry and checked on him.

"Mr. Potter, gave us quite a scare didn't you?" she said looking him over, "But you're improving quite nicely." She disappeared from his site and he looked at his father.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We were attacked by deatheaters and Lucius Malfoy cursed you, but luckily it was just to stun you. We fought them off and brought you back here." James answered.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Harry asked.

Lily and James exchanged glances, "A week!" Lily said

"A week!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ron spoke up, "The Halloween Ball is in two days!" Ron was standing next to Lavender who wasn't looking at Harry and hadn't said a word. Harry suspected she wouldn't have been there if her boyfriend wasn't his best friend. As the day went one people came and left and finally Harry was left with Ron, Lavender and Draco. Harry looked at Ron.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked. Ron looked at Lavender and she looked at Harry.

"She locked herself in the Room of Requirement and will only open the door for me or your mother." Lavender said, "She was very hurt by your actions, from me to you Harry, the second you get out of here I'd go talk to you, she isn't looking good, she's losing weight she can't afford to lose. As much as it pains me to say this she needs you!"

Harry looked down, "Lavender, listen, for what I said back there, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it and I wasn't thinking straight. I know you didn't choose that life but you seemed to have a lot of things going well for you and I was jealous." Harry said quietly, "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." Lavender just smiled and took his hand.

The next day Harry was released and he immediately went to the Room of Requirement he knocked twice and heard no movement inside so he pushed it open and saw Hermione lying on the couch.

"Lavender? Is that you, you were supposed to bring me news about Harry yesterday, where were you?" Hermione said not sitting up. Harry slowly made his way inside and looked at Hermione, "Lavender?" Hermione asked sitting up and when she saw Harry something flashed across her face, "Get out!" Hermione said pointing to the door.

Harry looked down, "I don't plan on staying I just wanted to say that I'm okay, and that I realize I have put you through a lot and I'm sorry, and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but I'll leave you alone for now." Harry looked up at Hermione and her expression hadn't changed, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"You really don't want me to talk right now!" Hermione said crossing her arms below her chest.

"Tell me what you're thinking!" Harry said, "I really want to know!"

Hermione looked down to the ground, "You know Harry if you wanted to know about my summer and what happened between Viktor and me, you know that all you had to do was ask. I never, ever kept anything from you; I just don't see why you didn't trust me. I never did anything but love you and you threw that in my face." Hermione said walking to the door and pulling it open, "Now leave!" Harry walked in front of her.

"Hermione I don't know if I loved you, you were right we did rush things, but I don't see why it had to be all or nothing, why couldn't we find a common ground?" Harry asked, Hermione sighed.

"Harry, we've been over this, it wasn't that you didn't love me, it was that you didn't love me and told me you did." Hermione said. "Harry it would just be best if you left!" Harry looked her in the eye

"Fine I'll leave, but we are not over!" Harry said and with one swift motion he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Hermione didn't pull away and Harry deepened the kiss but pulled away after a while and was gone.

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The next day Hermione was sitting in the Room of Requirement when the door opened and Lavender entered. She had a smile on her face that went from ear to ear.

"What are you so happy about?" Hermione said smiling at her friend.

"Today is the ball, I'm so excited about my dress it's so pretty!" Lavender said, "It'll knock Ron off his feet!" Lavender said sitting on the couch next to her. "Oh Lily wants to come by and talk to you, any minute now." Lavender said looking at her watch, "I just came to drop off my dress, I'll be back in a couple of hours to get ready…are you ok?" Hermione looked at Lavender and shook her heard.

"Harry came to see me last night!" Hermione said

"I know, I told him to!" Lavender said shrugging

"You did? Why would you do that, you know I didn't want to see him!" Hermione said looking at Lavender.

"Yes you did, Hermione okay, I can understand being upset but you gotta know when enough is enough." Lavender said

"What do you mean, he lied to me, he told me he loved me and he didn't. Then he has this big distrust about Viktor and he doesn't trust me, and I never gave him one reason not to trust me!" Hermione said.

"I didn't say Harry was right Hermione, and we all know that he was just jealous of Viktor, but Harry didn't lie to you about being in love with you. He may not admit it to himself but I see it in his eyes, every time someone mentions you or he talks about you the love he feels for you, it's in his eyes." Lavender said, "Hermione you're right, Harry distrusted you without reason, and there is no reason you should give him a second chance."

"Harry hurt me so much; I just don't see why I should let him back into my life to hurt me more." Hermione said, tears coming to her eyes.

Lavender took Hermione's hand, "Hermione can I ask you a question?" Hermione nodded, "How much do you love Harry?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked

"Well, okay there are different levels of love; there is puppy love, actual love and true love. Puppy love takes a month to get over, actual love…a year, and true love…well you never get over that." Lavender said, "This obviously is more than puppy love, so what you gotta ask yourself is this actual love or true love. Now you have no way of finding out what it is based upon the short amount of time you have been together. Harry may not deserve a chance, but you owe yourself a chance to figure out what it is. Either way its gonna take a while to get over so you might as well find out how long." They were interrupted by a knock on the door, Lavender got up to get it, "That is Lily, remember what I said, but I have a feeling that if you look in your heart you'll figure out what it is." Lavender opened up the door and Lily stepped in. "I'll be back in an hour and well work on hair first." Lavender said closing the door. Lily smiled and Hermione and walked over to her carrying a package.

"Hi, how you holding up?" she asked sitting on the couch next to Hermione.

"Actually I think things are really starting to clear up, I have a feeling that tonight things will change." Hermione said, "Lavender told me you wanted to talk to me about something." Lily looked down and smiled.

"Yeah I do, I was wondering if you had a costume yet for the ball?" Lily asked fingering the package she brought.

"Yeah, but it's nothing special, nothing that will make the boys drool like Lavender's." Hermione said laughing.

"Yeah I know her dress is gorgeous." Lily said.

"You've seen it, she wouldn't let me see it, she put some sort of spell on it." Hermione said.

"Yeah I saw it because I gave it to her, I had two dresses left over that were at Sirius' home, and I thought that Lavender might like one and you would like the other." Lily said.

"Well let me see it and I'll tell you, because the things that look good on Lavender don't exactly look good on me." Hermione said, but she was very anxious. Lily stood up and undid the package and pulled out a maroon dress. Hermione gasp, it was beautiful, her hand went up to cover her mouth and Lily laughed.

"Lavender had the same reaction!" Lily said. The dress was gorgeous and she couldn't believe that she would get to wear it, "Why don't you go put it on and we'll work from there!" Lily said handing her the dress, Hermione took it and disappeared only to return five minutes later wearing the dress.

"Could you lace up the back?" Hermione said turning and having her lace up the corset-type back. Hermione turned once she was finished and looked at Lily. "What do you think?"

"I think you thinner than I was!" Lily said pointing her wand at Hermione and making the dress shrink so that the corset inside went tighter and made her appear to have more cleavage, yet still being comfortable. Lily led Hermione over to the mirror, the dress was exquisite she couldn't believe how well it looked on her. The neckline was on her shoulders in a way so that it was barely on her shoulders, revealing her tanned skin. The v-neckline showed just enough cleavage without showing too much the dress' sleeves were tight to the elbow and then fanned out with lace. The dress was straight down with a little piece of lace as a belt low on her hips. She turned to look at Lily.

"Hermione, I never had a daughter, I never got the chance to share these things with her, I know that I can't be your mother, you already have one, but I'd like to be something close to one." Lily said tears forming behind her eyes. Hermione leaned into hug her

"I can have two mothers!" she said forcing back her own tears.

Hermione let go of Lily, "This was the dress I was wearing the night I fell in love with James, maybe it'll bring you luck too." Hermione smiled. "Now, we should get working on your hair and make-up because Dumbledore wants to see you before the dance." Lily led her over to the table and with a flick of her wand there was a vanity with make-up. Lily spent the next hour working on her hair, by the time she was done Hermione's hair was down around her waist with waves in it. In the top she conjured a headpiece to make her look like a princess. Lavender came back an hour later in awe with Hermione's finished appearance.

"Hermione, I hope you don't mind but I want to look just like you except blond!" Lavender said Hermione just smiled and hugged Lavender. "I'll see you at the ball!" Lavender said sitting down on the couch.

"Lavender, just one second I have to give Hermione her mask!" Lily said picking up a wrapped object out of the package where the dress had been. Lily unwrapped it and revealed a small half-face mask with dark red feathers and red jewels covering it. "This mask even though James swears it has magical powers is a phoenix mask, it has phoenix feathers on it and these jewels are called phoenix's eyes." She said wrapping it up and handing it to Hermione. "Take care of it!"

"I will!" Hermione said taking the mask. She picked up her cloak and threw it over the dress hiding it and put the mask in her pocket, wand in the other. "Thank you Lily, you don't know how much this means to me!" she said hugging Lily, and stepping out of the Room of Requirement she headed for Dumbledore's office. Once she reached Dumbledore's office she immediately went inside. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk and Sirius was talking to one of the paintings.

"Ahh, Hermione, so glad you could come, please take a seat!" he said gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. Hermione sat down and Sirius sat next to her. "Hermione, I was told of the events that happened while trying to retrieve the Book of Deception and I know how hard it must have been for you." Hermione just nodded, "Well, after Halloween, tomorrow, we are leaving to retrieve the book, you don't have to come, but I know you feel as though you should, and I thought I would ask you if you still want to." Dumbledore said standing up, "Now, it would be unfair of me to ask you to decide right here, right now, so I'll give you until tomorrow morning, if you wish to come, be at my office before eight o'clock." Dumbledore said, "Now I asked Sirius and James to escort you to the dance, I hope that is all right." Hermione nodded and stood up, she saw that James had joined them and was standing at the door.

"Milady may I take your cloak?" Sirius asked, Hermione smiled and removed her cloak taking out her mask and stared at James in self-consciousness. James smiled.

"Did Lily give that to you?" James asked linking arms, Hermione nodded as Sirius took her other arm.

"What my friend means is you look beautiful!" Sirius said heading down the steps.

"Oh, Sirius you're such the charmer!" Hermione said as they headed towards the Great Hall. When they were turning the corner Hermione paused and unwrapped her mask and put it on, but she couldn't get the chain to stay. Sirius took out his wand and muttered a spell to the mask and it stuck to her face, "Thank you!"

"Oh, Sirius it's the magical mask!" James said looking at her; Hermione rolled her eyes and stuffed the bag into James' pocket, "You see what we are to her Sirius!"

"Dad?" a voice said from behind Hermione, she knew that voice and she turned around very slowly, Harry and Ron were wearing the exact same thing, a black tuxedo with a cape over their shoulders and a mask covering the left side of their face.

"Harry, what is this costume?" James asked

"Sort of a James Bond meets Phantom of the Opera!" Harry said with a laugh. Lavender stepped forward and Hermione saw that they could have been twins if it wasn't that her dress was Royal Blue and she was blonde.

"Lavender you look stunning!" Hermione said hugging the girl that had become somewhat of a sister to her over the few months of that year. "Oh Lavender, my dates!" she said motioning to Sirius and James.

"Ah, Hermione, you picked two good ones!" Lavender said, "But Hermione, a teacher?"

"I know, and the other one is married!" Hermione said with a laugh, "All right well…"

"What's this pow wow here?" a voice said from behind Hermione, she swung around and saw Draco standing there with Ginny on his arm. Hermione just rolled her eyes and Ron stepped forward.

"Remember Malfoy, you hurt my sister, I'll hurt you!" Ron said in an unthreatening way. Draco just nodded and he and Ginny made their way into the ball. Hermione's eyes fell on Ron.

"Hermione, you look, okay!" Ron said

"You clean up all right too, Ron!" Hermione said smiling then her eyes fell on Harry, "You look good Harry!" she said quietly.

"You too!" Harry said.

"Well I guess we better be heading in!" Lavender said taking Ron's arm and leading him into the dance, followed by Harry, then Hermione with Sirius and James.

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