A/N: I'm a terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible person, and I know it, I'm reminded of it everyday from my beta. Life just sucks and to be perfectly honest I would rather write you 20 stories like this rather than live a normal life, so I'm hoping you can find it in your heart to forgive me. This was supposed to be the last chapter, but it was so long, that I just decided to give it to you now, and the other half later. R&R! Thanks, tootles!
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James and Sirius stepped out of the fireplace and immediately noticed that Dumbledore was not in his office.
Sirius sighed, "James, was storming out of there really necessary?" Sirius said dusting himself off.
"I'm so sick of her defending him! He almost killed her, whether or not she will recognize it, and he tormented our son for so many years. How could she just dismiss it as him being under Voldemort's command? That may have been part of it, but I saw his eyes when he had his wand pointed at her, the crazy look in his eyes, if Harry hadn't started crying then, he would have killed her, you and I both know that." James sat down and put his head in his hands, "I only wanted to protect her and Harry that was all I ever wanted!"
"Buddy, you're preaching to the choir here! But you know Lily; she likes to see the best in everybody, even lowlife scumbags!" Sirius said to him. "I'm not asking you to let go of it that would be hypocritical of me; I'm just advising you to let up on it, its going to ruin your relationship with Lily if you're not careful!"
James sat down, "He's going to use her!" James said suddenly, making Sirius stare at him, "I don't know how, but I can almost sense it, that's why we moved out of the castle, I didn't want to risk her getting alone with him." James fumed, "Not again!"
"At the risk of being the sensible one of the two of us, have you told her your feelings on the subject? I mean, not implied or anything like that, have you sat down and said `Lily, I hate the guy, and this is why…'?"
"I really thought she would figure it out by now!" James said, his anger subsiding.
"Well, in case you forgot, you have been dead for the last fifteen years!" Sirius said sitting next to him.
"What are you saying?" James asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, I have information from an inside source, that says what happened to the three of us," he said gesturing to them, "is not supposed to happen, and that there may be side effects…"
"Side-effects?" James questioned.
"Side-effects indeed!" a voice said from behind them. James and Sirius turned to stare at Dumbledore looking at them with the familiar twinkle in his eyes.
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When Ron, Harry, Lavender and Hermione reached their dorms, they parted ways, thinking it was best to head in for the night, graduation would be here soon, and it was important that they salvaged what was left of their lives before summer. Hermione threw herself on her bed and sighed, she couldn't remember the last time she had had time to think to herself. She heard Lavender mumble something about a bath and a minute later heard the door shut, she was alone.
Alone.
It was amazing what saving the world again had cost her, her parents, her life. In her head, she had the picture of her life; she had a life outside of magic with her family and a life with magic at Hogwarts with Harry. She never wanted the worlds to mix, but they had, and now, she had no choice but the let it go.
"Yeah right!" she said aloud as the tears began to spring to her eyes. She had made so many mistakes the past year, big ones and small ones. Some turned out good in the end Harry got his family back, she gained another mother, but then she lost one too. Hermione sat up and looked at the room her and Lavender shared. Its funny how being in a room that represented the life she had, could make her cry. The door opened and closed as Lavender came in and set her things back in their places before sitting down on her bed and facing Hermione.
"So…" Lavender said not seeing Hermione's glassy eyes. "Wanna talk about it?"
This got Hermione's attention, "Talk about what?"
"Whatever has got you all quiet! If I were you, I would be asking Dumbledore what happened back there!" Lavender said, "I got the premise of it, but Hermione, you fought pure evil, and won!"
"Can't we talk about something else?" Hermione asked
"Yes, we could, but we won't!" Lavender said.
Hermione sighed, "Fine, Persiam Deppart…." Hermione began.
"No, no, no! I already know that part, I'm talking about good old fashioned girl talk! Something has got you quiet and it has absolutely nothing to do with magic!" Lavender said interrupting her.
Hermione remained quiet for a long time, toying with the idea of telling her, "It's just life in general!" when Lavender raised an eyebrow, she continued, "My parents are dead and buried, my house is gone, and right now, all I have is a life, money, and love, and I'm still not happy." She shook her head, "I'm so selfish, I acted so childish with Harry…"
"What do you mean?" Lavender asked.
"I slept with him!" Hermione said simply, Lavender's eyes widened, "We hadn't even dated for a couple of months, and I slept with him, it's not as though I regret it, but I treated him like he was a nuisance." When Lavender didn't say anything Hermione continued, "I'm a terrible person…"
"No!" Lavender said suddenly, "you can say you made a mistake or an error in judgment, but I never ever want to hear you say that you are a terrible person."
"Lavender…" Hermione began
"Listen, we all have our little secrets, and the fact that you keep them is not bad, and doesn't make you a bad person, secrets don't make friends, whether or not you keep them, and we did all wonder when you and Harry were so lovey dovey, and then it seemed to be over, but all you were is scared." Lavender said.
"Lavender I don't see…"
"No, Hermione," Lavender said, "you don't see, Harry's a great guy, and you were about to give me a speech on the `top ten reasons I should break up with Harry'. And if you think for one second that I will let you, you obviously do not know me. Harry is by far one of the greatest guys I have ever known, and if you think for one second that the fact that your parents died will tarnish you in his eyes, or ours for that matter, then you have seriously misjudged our friendships with you."
Hermione paused for a long time, "What do I do?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"I can't tell you, but I can suggest something!" Lavender said getting up and heading for the door.
"What?" Hermione asked
"Grieve!" Lavender said before shutting the door, leaving Hermione alone to face her demons.
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Lavender walked outside, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Hermione needed to talk to Harry alone, and they would need some time, so she decided she would head for the room of requirement, thankful that not many people knew about it. She looked up at the stars and sat down enjoying the cool night.
"It's dangerous to be sitting here by yourself at night!" She heard from behind her. "You never know who's going to want to hurt you!"
Lavender didn't move, "Can I help you, Draco?" Lavender said looking at the stars.
Draco sat next to her and looked up at the stars, "You just looked like you could use a friend!"
"Nope, just thinking!" Lavender said.
"Ahh…" he said not getting up.
"But, Hermione, on the other hand, could use five friends now! I mean she's the one who has been through so much, you should really go talk to her." Lavender said
"Nah, I don't think so," Draco said, "You see, Granger's got friends hanging around her all day long. She doesn't need another person to hang all over her wondering if she's ok, or going to be okay, I know she will, and she knows it too. I'm more concerned about her best friend who is sitting outside by herself."
Lavender looked at him in shock, "What?"
"Well, I realize I didn't exactly have the picturesque childhood, but when someone stargazes, it means they have something on their mind, and when they stargaze alone, it means they are hiding something." Draco said.
"I'm not hiding anything; I'm just stargazing because Hermione needed to be left alone." Lavender said
"And usually whoever they blame is the person they are hiding from!" Draco said. Lavender just stared at him, and looked down. "I swear to God I won't tell a soul!"
"It's nothing, I just, I'm just still grieving for my Aunt, it's hard, she was one of the only members of my family left, and to find out all this about her, it just is hard to handle, that's all!" Lavender said, turning back towards the sky.
Draco laughed causing Lavender to look at him, "What?" she asked.
"You're good; I mean I really have to applaud you." Draco said, "I mean, you're talking to the king of liars, and you almost had me fooled, almost." Draco stood up, "But if you're hell-bent on keeping your secrets keep them, just remember, they kill you from the inside out."
"Wait!" Lavender said causing Draco to turn around and face her, she stood up to meet his eyes. "I'll tell you, you just have promise me you won't tell anyone, not Hermione, not Harry, not even Ron or Ginny, understand?" Draco nodded, "I've seen the terrible things that he will do to them!" Lavender said sitting down again.
Draco sat down next to her, "Who?"
"Voldemort and your father, they will come back, and I saw them torturing students, killing innocent children." Lavender said
"That's impossible, my father is dead, I killed him!" Draco said.
"Or someone impersonating him!" Lavender said, "All I know is that I had a vision, and he was there!"
"Have you told someone, Dumbledore or Lupin?" Draco asked
"I told Dumbledore, and he advised me to keep it to myself, I probably shouldn't have even told you, but I needed to tell someone, it was killing me on the inside!" Lavender said
"Well, you can tell me anything, anytime!" Draco said smiling at her.
She smiled at him, "I just might take you up on that offer one of these days!"
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