Hey y'all. I am back with the long-awaited chapter 5!! I am so sorry it took so long. I lost my disk…after I had written the entire chapter too…so I had to re-write it. I hope y'all like it!
Thanks to all those who reviewed! And to HHRLVR for being the best beta on earth! And for sarahmay who helped me when I had block! Good luck with everything ya'll!
On with the show!
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I own the plot.
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To this very day, I still think Professor McGonagall was right. Everything happens for a reason.
"Miss Granger, I think you should go back to your dorm for the night. You need some rest."
"I will, but do you think it might be possible for me to stay with Ginny Weasley instead of going back to my room? I don't want to be alone tonight."
"I don't see why not. Let's go to Gryffindor and get you settled in again."
"Thank you, Professor." I was truly thankful for it. I didn't know what I would have done if I had to be alone.
When we reached Gryffindor Tower, McGonagall told the Fat Lady the password and we walked through the common room toward the sixth year dorms to find Ginny.
It didn't take long, and McGonagall walked over to have a word with her before she would let me fully into the room.
"Miss Weasley…Miss Weasley…Ginny wake up."
"Humph…It is Saturday for goodness sakes, can't I sleep till noon?"
"No, you may not, Miss Weasley. I must speak to you for a moment. Harry has disappeared. It is evident that the Final Battle has begun, and Hermione refuses to stay by herself. May she stay with you?" I know she was trying to whisper, but she wasn't trying hard enough; I could still hear her.
Ginny sat there for what seemed like ages. I thought she had fallen asleep again, but I heard her say, `Oh my God. Send her in.' If she wasn't my best girl friend before that, she was now.
I walked over to the bed and she scooted so I could get in.
"Now, Hermione, that tea you had in my office had a bit of a sleeping draught in it and as soon as you fall asleep, you will have no dreams and you will sleep for a while. See you tomorrow."
"Thank you, Professor." I rose up in the bed and hugged Professor McGonagall tight before she had the chance to walk away. I don't know what I would have done if not for her tonight. I might have done something rash and unforgivable if not for her guidance and caring.
She let go of me with a sad smile upon that wizened face and with tears in her eyes she said, "You are very welcome, I just wish I could have done more. Goodnight, ladies."
After she left, silence ensued for a long moment before Ginny said anything.
"Oh Merlin, Hermione. I am so sorry about it all. What can I do?"
"Nothing," I said as I started to cry again. "No one can do anything anymore but listen and offer solace and comfort. I just want my Harry back."
"I know you do, but you knew this would happen sooner or later. It was meant to be."
"I know that now. I just didn't want it to happen tonight. Tonight was our night. Our first time." I knew she would want to know, but I didn't feel like talking anymore. I wanted sleep. "'Night, Gin."
I woke up that next day with a pounding headache from the crying I did the previous night. How could something so right be so wrong the next day? I finally decided to get out of bed after what seemed like an eternity of just lying there. I had to move around, and the only way I could was to go to the Gryffindor Common Room.
Once I got there, I remembered it was a Hogsmeade weekend and that most of the students had gone, but Ron and Ginny, two of the best people in the world, were sitting there waiting for me to get up.
"Good morning, Hermione. We heard about it all. We're sorry, and Ron and I wanted to be with you today." Thank Merlin for Ginny Weasley. I walked over to the sofa and sat down in between Ron and his sister and thought about everything that had happened.
"How about we go walking around the castle? You, Hermione and me. We can go and talk and just walk if that is what comes to it."
"Sounds like an idea to me, Gin. Let's go."
For the rest of the day, all I was able to do was my normal routine. It was like I was a robot, going through all the motions, but not putting any heart into it. We passed several people in the hall, but I spoke to no one; I looked at nothing in particular. Ron even thought that someone had put the Imperious Curse on me because I didn't act right. Well could you blame me? I mean, the only love of my life had vanished to fulfill his destiny and he might never come back to me.
Ron had had enough of it by five o'clock in the evening.
"Hermione, look at me. That is it, look at me. Snap out of it." I swear he could be the biggest prat in all of the United Kingdom sometimes. He still can be after all these years.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley! How would you feel if Luna disappeared for days and you didn't know if she would come back alive or not? You would feel the same way!" I love Ginny. She was always there to help fight my battles. Ever since I returned to the common room she was right there for me to cry on her shoulder, and all I did was tell her I didn't want to talk and goodnight. How was that for friendship?
"I am only trying to help. We love you, Hermione. We don't want you to be bummed. Well, how `bout we go to dinner then?"
"Let's go then." I do believe those were the only words I had uttered since last night..
We walked down to dinner in silence. By this time the students who went to Hogsmeade had returned. Everyone we passed in the hall was quiet. I knew news traveled fast at Hogwarts, but I didn't think it was that fast. I ignored all the stares and whispered comments; I had to. If I let some of it get to me, I would have hexed everyone in my way. But we made it to the Great Hall with no one being injured.
We sat down at the table with the rest of the Gryffindors and Malfoy. Ever since he and Ginny started dating they ate all meals together and were often seen in the halls holding hands and stealing kisses when no one was looking. It turns out after all that he isn't the bad guy we once thought he was. All of us are actually getting along with him. Except Ron of course, but no one cared about his opinion, as long as Ginny was happy.
It wasn't but about five minutes after we sat down to eat that I had a terrible feeling that something bad had happened. Soon I knew why; Harry was back, coming in through the doors of the Great Hall.
He looked horrible. His clothes were ripped half off his body, blood was all over him and still coming out of deep gashes, and I could tell that he could barely walk. I started to get up from the table to go to him, but Ginny and Ron held me back.
"Let me go. I have to get to him!"
They let me go, but before I could get to him, he made it to the staff table and took something out of his pocket and set it before Professor Dumbledore.
"It is over. He is gone, for good." Then it happened: he crumpled to the floor.
Somehow I was able to reach him before anyone else. All I knew was that Harry needed me, and I would be there for him! Nothing could keep me away.
I laid his head in my lap and looked at the man that I loved and knew that it was the end of what was supposed to be our beginning. But at the time, my brain didn't want to believe it; my heart still doesn't believe it.
He looked up at me with those green eyes of his, and I could feel his pain. I never thought that a person would ever feel that much pain in one lifetime, but Harry did. Ever since his birth, he knew nothing but pain, and even in the end, I am sure all he would feel was pain. I felt so special to know that even for a brief period in his life, I was able to give him happiness.
"Harry. You're back." I was so happy to see him that I was oblivious to what else was happening to him. His heartbeat grew weaker and his breathing quickened.
"No, Hermione, I'm not. I had to come back to tell you that I love you, and I always will. And please tell Lily that I love her too. And that I am looking down from Heaven on both of you…I love you, `Mione." He closed his eyes and was gone.
"No, Harry, come back to me. Please come back to me! I love you, Harry." I sobbed into his body. My love was gone, but something new hit me: Who is Lily?
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ohhhhh…what is gonna happen next? tune in for chapter 6. it should be up within the next few days. thank goodness my writers block is gone!
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