Chapter 19: Wrong move….
By: the Dark Aeon, Chronos the Fallen
Author's Note: … … … yeah… same credit due to where it is needed.
Hermione sighed deeply, pulling herself closer to Harry if possibly. They were already wrapped together tightly, but she just couldn't get enough of him. She buried her face in his chest, smiling as she took a deep breathe of the smell that she knew was Harry. Harry stirred but didn't wake up.
They had a long day yesterday, but Hermione was glad they worked through it. She couldn't remember what they fought over, only that afterward, their relationship was stronger. She moved her trunk of cloths into his dorm room and refused to leave until he accepted that she was sharing a room, and now, a bed.
One of the best things besides just being with Harry was finding out that Roland had saved the majority items from her parent's house, which was destroyed. Photographs, books, china, almost everything. There were a few things, like the giant furniture, but he was able to carry a few of the chairs, especially the one from her room. The items that Hermione wasn't using were stored in a room down by Roland's dorm. He had taken over a wing, saying it was for important `Hunter business,' whatever that meant.
But right now, Hermione didn't care about anything, save her pillow was starting to move. "Harry James Potter," she whispered, but her boyfriend froze. "Don't you move until I'm ready to get up." her eyes never opened, but she knew that Harry was smiling.
His hand came up and began to pet her hair. It was soft and curly, no longer this giant mess of brown, which Hermione was thankful. Harry brushed it out for her the night before. She decided that they were going to make it a ritual, even when they go back to school. Hermione was going to search for a way for her to stay with Harry at night. It wasn't like they were doing anything other than sleeping… yet.
"Hermione?" Harry asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"I need to use the rest room," he replied. "I promise I'll be right back."
"Oh, fine," Hermione sat up, defeated. Now she was never going back to sleep.
"Besides," Harry said as he entered the bathroom. "I have to hunting with Logan anyways. He said I have to be ready at eight." Harry came out quickly, and smiled at the sight of Hermione wearing his pajama shirt.
"Fine, its six now, we're sleeping." She opened her arms like a child, welcoming Harry back into them. He smiled and joined her gladly.
"Thank you," he said softly as they got comfortable again, her head upon his chest, his arms around her.
"For what?"
"For being the best present a boy can get." Hermione smiled. Despite all the evil that happened and all the pain they had, he found the best in everything. Maybe that was part of the reason why she loved him so much. Hermione rested her head back down on his chest and smiled. After all her pain, she had something good in her life, something worth dying for.
For a while, they lied there, finally going back to sleep before Logan burst into the room and woke both of them up. "What if I was undressed?" Hermione practically yelled while she pulled the blanket up despite wearing Harry's oversized shirt. Harry was trying his best not to smile.
"But you weren't," Logan replied, a cigar hanging out of his mouth, "besides, it won't be nothing I haven't seen before." He pointed at Harry. "Best get moving, it's an hour flight up to where we're hunting."
"Kay," Harry got up, but not before Hermione pulled him back down, and kissed him with all of her being. Harry almost stayed there just because of that kiss.
"Enough, he needs this, missy," Logan said. "Ya got twenty minutes to get ready before we leave, wear something light enough to move around." Harry nodded. Logan closed the door, and Harry gave Hermione one more earth-shattering kiss before grabbing a flannel shirt and a pair of blue jeans. And rushing into their private bathroom.
Hermione sighed and collapsed back unto their bed. It had been a long day, with her crying herself asleep around three o'clock then making up with Harry at seven. She still had no idea why she was mad at him. Still, spending the day with Jean and Heather was interesting, teaching her how to properly work her hair and everything. Not that she was ever into that kind of thing, but Hermione didn't want to be around her books and the women wouldn't take no for a minute. Roland was in his library, one that he wouldn't show her, and couldn't be disturbed.
Harry came out of the shower, his shaggy black hair hanging behind his head. The flannel shirt hung close to his body and was open, showing the hours of exercise and Quidditch was good for the body, and the jeans… Hermione shivered at her deprived little thoughts. "Something wrong?" Harry asked, still drying his hair. He hung up the towel and began to button his shirt.
Hermione smiled at Harry and stood up, Harry's shirt coming just above her knees. "Nothing," she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Everything is perfect." Harry's arms curled around her shoulders, and he kissed the crown of her head.
"Good, cause I'd hate to have another fight like we did yesterday," Harry said.
"We are going to fight, it's just a matter of being able to make up."
"Do you even remember what the fight was about?"
"Of course I do," Hermione looked down and blushed slightly. She was a terrible liar, but then again so was Harry.
"Okay, I believe you," Harry smirked and pulled Hermione's head up for another kiss. His lips touched hers softly, their breath mingling, before he fully descended upon her. Hermione nearly melted in Harry's arms, and they were the only thing that was holding her up now, as her feet gave out on her. Harry chuckled as he pulled back. "I can't get enough of you." He rubbed his cheek against her soft bushy hair. "You're like a drug for me. One that gives me life and joy."
Hermione sighed. She loved being like this, just in Harry's arms and the world perfect. But sometimes it needs to end. "go before I forbid you to leave." She knew Harry needed this exercise with Logan. It was intended to get his animalistic mutation under control and despite how much she loved it when Harry did transform into his lion-like form, he needed this.
"Since when can you boss me around?" Harry asked pulled away, with a playful smirk on his face.
"Since I did it before we are going out." Hermione smiled and with a great weight on her heart, pushed Harry toward the door. "Now go so you can come back and have fun with me later."
"What we doing later?" Harry turned his head to look at his girlfriend.
"Swimming. And I have the best bikini for the occasion too." She closed the door leaving a bemused Harry standing there. She heard the airwaves shake as Logan came bounding up the stairs. Sighing, and already missing her boyfriend, Hermione lied back down on the bed. It was going to be a long day.
Around eight-thirty, Hermione got sick of being in their room alone and headed for the cafeteria. Usually she ate breakfast with Harry and they had it in their private quarters, but today with Harry gone, she had to eat in the cafeteria. Upon entering, her wrost fear came to life.
Standing before her was a tall Asian girl who sorely reminded Hermione of Cho. She had long black hair that was perfect. She had a slim perfect figure. Even the way she walked was perfect. And Merlin did Hermione hate her. She remembered why she got into a fight with Harry in the first place and it was all because of that girl.
Harry and Hermione were suppose to go out for a long nature walk after their training for the day. She ran back to her room to change out of her work out outfit, and when she came back to Harry's room, she saw that girl planted all over Harry. When the girl pulled away, she said some nasty things, but Hermione ran away before she heard the rest of them. She ended up crying herself asleep in her room, after casting a silencing charm and locking charm on it. Harry was too distressed to realize to use his wand, for after all, Hermione did run away in tears. Around six when Roland entered her room through the wall, he finally was able to talk to her and convince her to go to dinner. When she came down, she found Harry with a romantic dinner for her. He explained the whole thing and in the end, Hermione ended up in tears again, grateful to have Harry back. She over-reacted and assumed that he was going to leave her. She didn't know why she thought that way, she just did.
But know all that she could think was how angry she was at the girl for forcing herself upon Harry like that. The girl of course smiled gracious and walked up at Hermione when she saw the brown-haired girl. "Why hello dear," she said. Somehow, this girl reminded Hermione of Umbrage when she spoke, and that was a scary thought. "I must say, I'm surprised to see such a handsome boy go out with a bookworm like you." The girl entourage laughed at the crack, but Hermione stood strong. She started to say something about not being a book worm, when the girl pointed at book in Hermione's hand. She blushed at it, realizing how it did make her look like a bookworm.
"So what if I am," Hermione said, pushing herself past the girl.
"Well, as I was telling Harold was it?"
"Harry," Hermione corrected the girl, but she knew that the girl knew Harry's name.
"Harry, right, as I was telling Harry, I just can't see why he is going out with such a plain girl. Honestly, honey, you have almost no beauty." Hermione tried to hold back the tears and was ready to reply when someone did for her.
"Pity, I could say the same for you, Candice," Roland walked up and placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder. Hermione felt herself calm down and look at the hand. It was glowing purple. "Harry was a wonderful ability to see into people's souls. But I doubt he needed it to see Hermione's natural beauty." She blushed at the comment, while Candice fumed. "Now, if you excuse us, I intend to enjoy breakfast with my cousin."
"Yes, Professor," Candice replied. She gave one final glare at Hermione before storming off.
"Professor?" Hermione repeated and looked up at her blind cousin.
Roland chuckled. "I give music lessons to a few of the students along with being a mentor to a few of more
disturbed ones." He shrugged. "C'mon, you can enjoy breakfast with me, Heather and Jean in the
teacher's lounge."
"But-"
"I won't take no for an answer." Roland lead Hermione away from the cafeteria to the teacher's lounge a few doors down. She was grateful for him coming to her rescue. It was always like that, but she hadn't broken down like that ever. Hermione was strong, strong enough to over come some silly words spoken by a fool.
"What's-" Hermione couldn't bring herself to give that girl a name. "Her power?"
"Candice's power is that of empathic projection. Say she wishes to for you feel sad, she'll make you. Any feeling, even ones she's not feeling. Along with this secondary mutation, she can make herself appear as a perfect girl in people's eyes. I've had a few secessions with her, and seen her real form, as have you."
"You mean, she really looks like that?" Hermione asked. Roland nodded.
"But of course, I've seen her soul, so it doesn't matter then, now does it." He opened a door and led Hermione into the teacher's lounge, where Scott Summers and Emma Frost were talking about something. Scott was tall and well built, his brown hair hiding most of his ruby visor. Emma had short blond hair and was wearing an almost revealing white outfit.
"What's she doing here?" Emma immediately asked. She had just returned from Los Angles, bringing a few new students for the up and coming term. "And what was she doing that caused one of my students to get upset?"
"Relax, Emma," Roland said, walking straight past the woman.
"You aren't a professor here, despite what Xavier may say," Emma glared at Roland. "And I still don't know why he would want a demon like you here." Roland paused. "You cause more problems than you help solve." Roland shook his head and continued walking. "You are a waste of space, a piece of trash that shouldn't even be allowed to live. Everything you touch is destroyed by your corrupted soul. You are a god-forsaken piece of-"
"Emma enough," Scott said, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "We need to exempt from these pointless shouting matches and set a example for the students. Not yelling each other."
"It seems you have grown up a bit Scott." Jean had just entered the room and quickly walked over to an empty table where Heather was sitting watching the whole thing. "Pity it happened so late in our relationship." Hermione learned yesterday that before Jean's rebirth she was married to Scott, but their marriage was deteriorating. So Scott had moved on, to Emma precisely.
"We've discussed this, Jean," Scott replied, but the red-haired woman made no attempt to listen.
"She shouldn't even be in here."
"Guests of a teacher are allowed in the teacher's lounge," Roland quoted. "You said that did you not, Emma, when you brought the news team in this school? Despite the many requests that no one of the outside should see what we do here."
"See it's thinking like that that keeps you in the Stone Age."
"And it's thinking like yours that kept African Americans in slavery." Roland grabbed Emma's hand before she slapped him. All Hermione could do was watch. "And we've had this conversation before, don't hit me."
"Hermione, why don't you come here and get some breakfast while Roland acts all big and tough." Heather waved down her and she quickly came to the table. At it already were plates filled with pancakes and fruit. Some of the food looked exotic, while other pieces looked plain. It was the combination of all the smells that almost made Hermione faint. She had never smelt something that wonderful, next to Harry.
"Who cooked all of this?" Jean asked, as she sat down next to Heather.
"Roland likes to have fun in the kitchen, so he tends to just create whatever comes to mind." Heather smiled as she took a piece of the cake in front of her. "Don't worry, its real good."
Hermione grabbed a muffin and pulled her legs up onto the chair with her. She wasn't really hungry. Stealing a look of Roland and Emma still arguing about something was odd, she felt like he was looking in upon an intimate moment. "Land, turn it off." Heather smiled as she shouted it.
"Huh?" Roland replied. "Oh, sorry. Just tends to go on when I get all worked over bigots." He closed his eyes and focused and that feeling of intimately was gone. Giving an odd look at Heather, she smiled.
"Its part of his aura," she said, " Really interesting when you can ignore it and watch other people get affected by it."
"How long are they going to argue?" Hermione asked.
"Well, since Logan isn't here," Jean said. "Another hour or so. Logan tends to skip the words and start fighting right away sometimes. Looks like Roland is picking up the slack."
"For you?" Hermione asked, and the old woman nodded with a hint of sadness in her eyes. Her break up with Scott had hurt her a great deal, and it looked like as long as Logan was there, she was doing better. Hermione nodded and went back to eating her muffin. She was lost in her own world and was quickly pulled out of it before Roland came flying through the air only to land hard on the table, shattering. He lied there a moment, rubbing his jaw. Hermione looked up to see Emma in this reflective diamond like suit. "Emma!" Jean stood up quickly; her drink had almost spilt upon her lap.
"That bastard-" she was ready for another attack, while Roland hadn't moved up from the ground.
"That bastard as you so kindly put it, can not speak anything but the truth," Heather bent down and placed a hand on Roland's forehead. "And you can stop the psychic attack as well." Emma smirked. "I figured you learn how to some day." Roland stood up slowly, bracing Heather's shoulder for support.
"Jean, you ready for your trip?" Roland asked, not taking his eyes off of Emma. She nodded. "Kay, take the `Stang." He tossed a pair of keys and Jean easily picked them up with her telekinesis. "Hermione, Heather, you go too, I'll be fine." Heather gave Roland a glare before kissing his softly upon the lips. Hermione felt a bit upset about leaving her cousin like this, but she really didn't want to watch them fight.
She followed the two older women, still taking small pieces of her muffin and popping them into her mouth. She missed Harry and just wanted to be in his arms. There was no where safer for her, especially after what happened three days ago. "Hermione?" Heather asked; she had stoped walked and was looking at the girl.
"Hmm?"
"Do know the other reason besides for Harry that Roland recommended this?" Hermione shook her head. "Its because you can't depend on him for the rest of your life, you have to be independent." Hermione started to speak up. "Believe when I say this, dear. As much as you love him, it would hurt him more to know that you cannot function without him. He would want you to be yourself before all this happened, not something that clings to him everywhere he goes." Hermione closed her eyes and thought back. The speech was familiar, like someone had something along the same lines before.
"Roland." Hermione's eyes opened up at the connection. "He said something about that…" she trailed off as the rest of the conversation came back. "Was it true what he said?" Heather nodded and was immediately hugged by her. "I'm sorry to hear that happened to such a wonderful person." She was close to sobs and Hermione couldn't understand why it was that way.
"It appears someone has a bit of empathy." Heather smiled as she looked up at Jean.
"Joy," Jean replied with a smile. "It better be easier to control than Roland's. I heard it took like three weeks just for him to stop projecting."
"That was when he got here," Heather said. "Two years living with it was hard enough." Hermione pulled away slightly and watched as the woman talked. "But then again, I hear that his anger is nothing compared to Logan's."
"Well, yes, at least Roland can control his anger sometimes. Logan's an animal." Heather raised an eyebrow at the woman, causing Jean to blush brightly. "You ready to go?" Jean asked Hermione, who was still attached to Heather. Nodding, the Perfect Prefect let go and they headed out for a long and wonderful day of nothingness.
Six hours later, and a car filled with bags, along with three very happy women returned to the house. Hermione couldn't' remember when she had that much fun with a group of females before. All the girls at Hogwarts were never like this. They weren't… cool for the lack of a better word. At school, all they did was talk about was makeup, boys, and other things. Here… well, they did the same thing, but it was different, Hermione knew that much. She couldn't explain it; she just knew that she would become better friends with these people.
When they pulled up, Hermione saw Roland talking to a rather tall red-haired boy. He was wearing a long coat that dragged against the ground. After a few minutes of watching the mannerisms of the boy, she realized that it was Ron. It had been three days since either Harry or her and seen him, and clearly something had changed. He had a few bruises on his face long with favoring one of his legs. One of his arms was held within the coat. As Hermione stepped out of the car, Jean placed a hand on the girl. "Talk to him, that's all he really wants."
She looked up at her friend. "It's been hard for him the past few days, especially with what Roland has been asking of him." Jean paused and sighed, realizing that Hermione was just going to ask more questions. "Its redemption Ronald seeks, you know that?" Hermione shook her head. "Well, he's Roland replacement when he dies." Heather paused at that before just continuing over to Roland's arms.
Hermione nodded, and refused to allow those words to sink in. There would be time for that later, but now, she needed to worry about Ron. Slowly, her friend walked over to her, though he didn't have that usual smile on his face. He wasn't even looking up. And Hermione could tell that he was in pain, from the way he limped and from the grimace that was on his face. For some odd reason, Hermione didn't pity him. She wasn't mad at him, but she wasn't going to give him pity, not after what he did. "Hi," he said, not looking up.
Ron had changed, his skin was pale, even paler considering his hair was a bright red now, instead of the normal dull red it usually was. There were little yellow tips to it, like flames. She figured it was a side effect from the fire. His face had a few cuts that were healing, along with a nice shiner on his left eye. Hermione didn't know what to say. "Its okay, I think its better if I just talk, and you listen." Ron pointed toward the garden maze that was designed for training exercises. "C'mon, we can have some privacy in there." He led the way, but the pain as he moved was deafening to Hermione.
"Ron, stop," She said, stepping close to him. She pulled out her wand and whispered softly some healing spells. "It isn't the greatest, but it'll help."
Ron chuckled, and for a moment, he almost looked like himself again. "Thanks, I didn't know any spells and Roland said he was terrible at them. Better at hurting people than healing them." Ron chuckled again, and then coughed hard. "I'll be okay. I'm worried about you and what I did to you." Leave it to Ron to be blunt.
"I'm getting better, Harry's helping me." Ron smiled at her comment. "You're not mad at us?'
"When I first came out of the darkness, that anger was still there," Ron said, walking in front of Hermione. "Roland put me back in the darkness, but this time it was different. The next time I was on a cobble stone path. He showed me the Library, Hermione." It sounded familiar. "He showed me it, and showed me the future." Ron took a seat on one of the benches, while Hermione hung back, her arms holding herself meekly. "Every possible out come. Something like that can really do a man in."
"What happened?" Hermione asked. She didn't move any closer though, remaining a few feet away.
"I saw you die so many times, I saw Harry die. Hell, I saw my own death. An infinite amount of possibilities in less than a moment. The only way to make a Weasley understand." Ron chuckled, but he was crying. "I never meant to hurt you." Hermione moved slowly to her friend. "Seeing all that can really change a man, you know. To know that you are the reason for half of the problems."
"Ron?"
"Not a single time were we happy in the end." Ron continued, laughing. "That just takes the cake doesn't it? Not a single time. You'd think at least once we'd be happy, but no. Bloody hell, watching the new Dark Lord rise didn't even beat that." Hermione figured that it was one of the possibilities, but right now, it wasn't a problem. "I'm over you Hermione, you're my sister, I know that much. You were never meant to be mine, and I'm sorry for even trying to think that way. I just wanted something that the Boy-Who-Lived didn't have." Hermione knew that Ron had a problem with his insecurities, and this was the first time that they really hurt him. "But this is what happens when you worry about yourself over bigger things in life."
She sat down, and placed an arm around her friend. Somewhere today, she had forgiven him, and she knew Harry already had. He knew more than anyone else when it came to people, seeing how they truly were. That was one of the things she loved about her boyfriend. Hermione was about to say something to her friend when someone shouted "Stupefy!" effectively throwing Ron across the field and into one of the sides of the hedges.
Hermione stood up quickly, her wand up and pointed at the direction of the spell. At least ten Aurors were standing around them, wands out and watching her. She didn't recognize any of them. They were talking quickly, and Hermione reached out with her new mutant powers. "Boss, why do we have to get both of them. The boy's the only danger."
"Minister said he wanted to talk to the girl. I just pray that she isn't hurt too bad." An old man shook his head. "We may not like it, but you saw what happen to Jones."
"Fine, lets just them and get out of." Hermione heard enough to be worried and immediately opened her mouth, but a stunner took her out of commission. Her last thoughts were to Harry and how she wished he was here.
The plane touched down around three o'clock. Harry sighed as he stepped out, holding a bag of deerskin. Logan had the meat salted and ready for cooking, despite what Hermione would say, he knew she would love a pair of slippers and a blanket. They had left the bones for a scavenger to pick off of, along with the entails of it. Logan said it was best to take what was needed, the skin and the majority of the meat, and leave the rest for nature to use. It was a pretty good idea, besides, he couldn't really think of a way for them to use the rest of the deer.
As soon as he stepped off of the plane, he felt it. Just a feeling that everything was wrong. It was in the distance, but he knew that is was there. This wasn't about Voldemort either; it was something else. Something, someone… close to him. "Hermione," it was but a whisper, but Logan heard it loud and clear. He turned just to see Harry dropping the bag and running toward the hedge maze and the gardens.
Jean was sitting quietly, reading one of the books that she had just bought, when she heard the explosion and several popping noises. It seemed so familiar, but then of course the Phoenix took over. She rose quickly and ran a few feet before the Phoenix decided that flight would be better. Just as she took off, she saw Harry come running around the corner. He had felt the pain the moment she was hit. The Phoenix didn't think it was possible, to see a true pair of soul mates together. Even though "Jean" didn't know much about the afterlife, the Phoenix knew more than anyone having seen it many times. Soul mates were meant to be found in the afterlife, not on earth. Not here.
The Phoenix floated over to the hedge, just to watch the last man disappear with Hermione. Harry came running through. He collapsed at the sight of his girlfriend missing. He knew; no one had to tell him anything. She left almost immediately; unable to deal with the pain the boy was feeling. She left Jean to handle it. The Phoenix was too new to life again to be able to come to grip with what Harry was feeling.
"Jean," Harry said as she approached the boy. "Go get Roland." He was bossing her around, but someway he was right to do so.
"Why?"
"Because he is her legal guardian," Harry stood up with his emerald eyes aflame. His power was fluctuating, growing around him rapid. Logan made it there a few seconds after this occurrence, and paused outside of the maze. "Please, go." Jean nodded and fly off, going to find the nearly window to the mansion. "Logan get the jet ready while Jean gets Roland." His friend nodded.
Roland appeared out of thin air. He was just wearing a pair of black pants. "You know, they've taken Ron too." Harry nodded, but at the moment, Hermione mattered more to him. Ron was going to fight his way through it, Hermione… Harry wasn't' sure if she fully recovered yet. "I can't travel that fair by my powers, so we are going to have to wait a bit." Harry nodded again. "I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault." Roland looked down, not bothering to argue.
"She is my responsibility though, so I must take care of her." Harry wanted to argue that it was his duty, but felt guilty for asking Roland to do this in the first place. If Voldemort laid a hand on her… "This isn't the work of Voldemort, Harry." Roland had crossed the yard. "Do you recognize that smell?" Harry took a deep breath. It was familiar; it reminded him of a place though, not a person. "Its too clean. Like from a governmental building or a hospital." Standing up, Harry knew where Hermione was.
"Logan'll have the jet ready by now." Harry walked toward the hanger, determination on his face. He was going to save his family, even if it cost the rest of the world their leader.
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