Hermione wasn't quite sure what to make of all this. She had no idea what to make of the prophecy and what she had done to Harry. She had left shortly after Persiam to think about what was happening to her, if Persiam was right, and she was tied to the book, then that meant that she would have to destroy it. Now, only two problems remained the fact that she didn't know where it was, and she wasn't sure that it was all bad. She heard a door slam and immediately her eyes shot over to it, she saw Sirius entering and stood up.
"What's wrong?" she asked immediately fearing the worst.
"You are what the hell was that back at the hospital?" Hermione was taken aback by his harsh tone; he had never spoken to her like this before.
"What…what…" Hermione stammered.
"What happened between you and Harry, because whatever it was freaked him out, and we can't find him now!" Sirius screamed.
"What do you mean, you lost him?" Hermione didn't wait for a response, "Well did you check Godric's Hollow?" Sirius nodded, "What about Hogwarts?" Sirius shook his head.
"Harry couldn't get there!"
Hermione shook her head, "You underestimate him!" Hermione turned to the fire, "Can you get me to Dumbledore's office, I think I know where he is."
Sirius walked to the fire and within five she was tumbling out of the fireplace. She stood up gripped her wand and walked out Hogwarts, not glancing a look at anyone determined not to let her tears shine through. She quickly made her way to the shrieking shack and went inside the Cave of Deception, since the book was no longer there; there were no obstacles to overcome. She quickly made her way to the place where she knew Harry was, the place that she had been trying to forget, the place where he had died.
When she reached it, she saw him kneeling on the ground, "Harry?" he visibly tensed, and stood up.
"What are you doing here?" He asked not facing her.
"I thought now was the best time to talk, we're both hurting over Lavender, maybe we should lay all the cards on the table, you know finish this!" Hermione said.
Harry spun around, "Lay all the cards on the table? Ok, you almost killed me, you have no right to be angry with me and you know what…"
"No right to be angry with you, are you kidding me? You almost killed Lavender!" Hermione said
"Yeah, well with all due respect, that's between Lavender and me, not you and me!" Harry said, when Hermione didn't answer Harry turned back around and looked at the ground. "Is this where it happened?"
"Where what happened?"
"Where I died and you brought me back?" Harry said harshly
"Harry…"
"I figured!" Harry said interrupting her and turning to her, "Why couldn't you just tell me, why did it have to be a secret, I wouldn't have cared if you had told me, not kept it from me, that's what I just cannot get past!"
"You can honestly tell me you wouldn't have cared if you had died?"
"Well, I wouldn't have been angry with you!" Harry yelled, "I wouldn't have blamed you! We would still be together and this would be a thing of the past." Harry said walking to her, "Enough things have been kept from me in my life; I don't need you doing also!" Harry said walking past her.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked him.
"Fixing this!" he said before walking out of the cave.
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When Harry arrived into Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore was ready and waiting.
"I came for…" Harry began
"I know what you came for, I know why you want it, and I'm telling asking you if you realize what a risk you are placing upon this, someone else might go after that." Dumbledore said.
"I don't care, I'll take that risk, because that book is doing things to Hermione…"
"It's killing her!" Dumbledore interjected.
Harry stopped, "What?"
"The book, it's slowly killing her, the power will consume her and it will eventually prevail, because she is too good of a person to use evil magic on her own." Dumbledore said, "It will kill her!"
"And what were you planning on doing about it, letting it kill her!" Harry exclaimed.
"Of course not, but I cannot take it back there, it has to be the one who took it from the platform, Hermione, but it has to be sealed with your blood." Dumbledore said standing up, he walked over to Harry and with a wave of his hand Harry was holding the book. "Take it, and do the right thing!" he said before ushering Harry to the door and pushing him out.
"You know you may have just sent him to his doom, right?" Dumbledore heard a voice from behind him.
"But I may not have, it's what needs to be done, and it's unfortunate that I have to be the one to do it!"
"But they may die!" the man said approaching Dumbledore, "You may never see them again!"
"Yes," Dumbledore said swinging around, "But if they live, than together they will be so powerful, they could kill Voldemort with their bare hands! Hermione's powers are already coming through, I see them everyday!"
"But, you told her that they were attached to the book, naturally they will dissipate when the book is gone." The man said confusion evident in his voice.
Dumbledore broke out in a smile, the twinkle in his eye showing through, "I never told them anything!"
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Harry and Hermione entered the cave of deception with heavy hearts and doubt embedded in their minds. They both wanted to get this over with and get on with their lives, Hermione especially. She knew the power was overcoming her, and she wasn't sure if by the time they got to the cave, she would be able to give up the book. Harry saw the struggle within Hermione's eyes and he knew there was no way for him to help ease her struggle.
"You know, you don't have to pretend like this is all on you," Harry said finally, "you don't have to face this alone!"
Hermione scoffed, "Harry, don't do this, for once it isn't about you, so just leave it that way! Why are you even here?"
"Because my blood seals the protection of the book, so actually it is about me!" Harry said in a sarcastic voice and sped up walking.
"Harry…why do you always do this?" Hermione said stopping
Harry turned to face her, "Stop what, telling the truth, fine you're right, it isn't about me, it's about you and its worse! Tell me, how does it feel to know that if you mess up and don't return that book, the world is doomed!"
"I think it just kills you that this is about me and for once the great Harry Potter isn't the one saving the day!" Hermione screamed at him, when Harry just stared at her she continued, "I mean…I'm sorry, but what changed Harry, I mean we have been friends for so long, what changed that made you withdraw yourself from me?"
"You did!" Harry said softly.
"What?" Hermione asked
"You changed, you lied to me about me dying and suddenly I was questioning everything that you ever told me, did you really want to be with me, were you telling me the truth about the book, did you really love me? You don't know the hell I was putting myself through, and I hated it." Harry said.
"So why didn't you date others?" Hermione asked, "Why didn't you just move on?"
"Because, somewhere in my heart, I knew you did love me and it didn't matter that you had lied to me, because I loved you so much, that all I wanted was for the pain to be over." Harry said.
Hermione didn't move or say anything for a long time, and then she turned and began walking. "So you have nothing to say to that?"
"Harry you don't want me to respond to that!" Hermione said not stopping.
"Why not, because you're scared, because you're…what? Why?" Harry said walking after her.
"Because you won't love the person I become after I put the book back, the person I am right now, is not actually me, I have powers that will be gone, confidence that will be gone, all of it will be gone, and you won't feel the same way anymore trust me." Hermione said swinging around to face him. "I love you, yes, that has never changed, but the person you love isn't me, so it's best to just walk away now, and not worry about it later."
"Fine, walk away, you know, I never thought you would be one to be scared of what could be!" Harry said before taking off and walking through the cave. Hermione stood motionless for a few minutes before chasing after him.
"Harry, that's not fair, you are just as scared as I am about this relationship!" Hermione said.
"Yes, but there is one big difference between me and you!" Harry said turning to face her, "I'm not the one who isn't willing to work through it."
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They walked the rest of the way silence; it didn't take long for them to reach the platform. Hermione was immediately overcome with flashes of seeing Harry fall.
"Hermione?" she heard Harry ask.
"Let's just get this over with!" Hermione said
"Yes let's!" they heard a voice from behind them, they swung around to come face to face with someone they never thought they would see, "Surprise!"
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Something was definitely up! Sirius had search all over and he couldn't find Lily and James anywhere. He apparated to Hogsmeade and went back to Hogwarts, hoping they were there. When he arrived, Dumbledore was very secretive but said that they were fine. Now he was searching for Ron at St. Mungo's hoping to find Harry and figure out what happened.
Sirius turned the corner and walked into Lavender's room to find her staring at him. "Lavender you're awake!" She just smiled at him.
"Where are Harry and Hermione? Ron went to find them, but something tells me he won't find them!" Lavender said.
"Harry should be here!" Sirius said, suddenly worried.
"Harry and Hermione have left!" he heard from behind him. Ron entered the room, "They are taking back the book!"
"NO!" Lavender yelled, making Sirius and Ron stare at her.
"What?" Ron asked.
"They can't take back that book! I mean, the stories…they all end badly…" Lavender said
"Lavender…what are you trying to say?" Sirius asked.
"I grew up with stories about the Book of Deception and my Aunt always told them to me, and they always ended up with someone dying. A pair always went in and only one left, my Aunt said the book is filled with so much evil that someone must die in order to ensure that it is sealed, knowing the consequences…" Lavender said very quickly, "They both won't come back!"
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