The Final Prophecy

Cassandra_Potter

Rating: PG
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 12/07/2004
Last Updated: 24/07/2004
Status: in_progress

A destiny draws near. The Dark Lord’s power grows stronger with each passing day. The one marked as an equal will not survive the final battle, but will die at the hand of the Dark Lord himself....

Chapters

1. untitled

2. untitled

3. The Lost Prophecy

4. Diagon Alley

1. untitled

Title: The Final Prophecy
Author: Cassandra Potter
E-Mail: DanielsAngel7866@aol.com
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Ships: H/Hr
Summary: A destiny draws near. The Dark Lord’s power grows stronger with each passing day. The one marked as an equal will not survive the final battle, but will die at the hand of the Dark Lord himself....
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and company don’t belong to me. Malcolm, Piers, and Gordon, don’t belong to me either..They came from OotP..*wink* Which I’m sure you all will realize once you begin to read the chapter. They belong to JK Rowling. No money is being made for this work of fiction. I’m just writing something to keep me entertained until Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out in book stores. Please don’t sue me. I don’t have any money, so there really wouldn’t be any point..Honest…
Author’s Notes: I haven’t written or posted much HP stories lately because the last story I started and sent out didn’t receive any reviews at all…*cries* Hopefully, this will spark some interest. As always please read and review.

******

Sitting in the playground near number four Privet Drive, Harry Potter starred off across the street at the bushes sitting next to a bench. It had been in those bushes he had seen his Godfather for the first time three years before. If he had only known then what he knew now, Harry knew he would have told Sirius to stay away from him. If it hadn’t been for him, Sirius would be alive today. Still on the run from the Ministry, but he would be alive. Hearing laughter, Harry glanced over at his cousin and his bully friends. Harry had been sitting in the very same playground the year before when the Dementors had attacked. Harry wondered if they would see him this year.

“Hey, Big D, isn’t that your cousin over there?”

Glancing in Harry’s direction, Dudley frowned as he shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, he is so what? Let’s go.”

“Oh, come on Dud, you’ve told us a million times how you’d love to teach him a lesson. Why not teach him now,” Malcolm asked glancing from Harry to Dudley.

“May be I will, but another time, Malcolm. I don’t feel like it tonight,” Dudley said frowning even more when he saw Harry stand up from the swing he had been sitting in.

Snickering, Piers glanced at Gordon and Malcolm. “I think Big D is scarred of his cousin.”

“Shut up, Piers! I’m not scarred of anyone,” Dudley yelled curling his hands into tight fists.

“Prove it then,” Gordon taunted laughing with Piers and Malcolm. “If you’re not scarred of your cousin, then give him your famous right hook.”

“No, I have nothing to prove to you guys. Besides, you’ve all seen my right hook every night this summer. Let’s go.”

“You do have something to prove if you want to stay in this gang. Right hook or not, Big D,” Malcolm said grabbing Dudley’s arm.

Standing in front of the swing, Harry watched and listened to the argument. Smiling, he waited to hear Dudley’s answer to the threat. One part of him wanted Dudley to approach him. He had his wand on him and Dudley knew it, but he wouldn’t use it. No, if Dudley wanted to fight him it would be fist to fist. He might be skinny, but Harry wasn’t a weakling. He had as much muscle as Dudley had fat, and that’s saying something. Quidditch had done wonders for him in the strength department.

Breathing heavily through his nose like an angry bull, Dudley yanked his arm free of Malcolm’s grasp in one quick, fluid motion. Before anyone could react, he was across the street and heading headlong towards Harry. “You’ve had this coming for a bloody long time,” he growled loud enough for his friends to hear him even though he was so scarred his hands were shaking.

“Why don’t you put your fist where your mouth is, Dudley,” Harry snapped.

“Fine, I will,” Dudley snapped back swinging his right fist as hard as he could toward Harry’s face.

Quickly raising his left arm, Harry easily blocked Dudley’s punch. As he was blocking the punch, Harry swung his own right fist toward Dudley. Connecting with his cousin’s face, Harry smiled. “What’s wrong, Dudley? You can’t block a punch,” Harry taunted as Dudley rubbed his bruised cheek.

“You just got in a lucky punch,” Dudley replied quickly as he swung his left fist toward Harry.

Repeating his actions, Harry easily punched Dudley in the face again using his left hand this time. “I guess I was lucky that time too, huh Icle Diddykins,” Harry asked ignoring the laughter beside him.

Dudley on the other hand wasn’t ignoring the laughter. He was being made a fool right in front of his friends. Dropping his hand from his bruised face, Dudley ran right smack into Harry knocking them both to the ground. Hearing a grunt of pain brought a smile to Dudley’s face which only grew bigger when his right fist made contact with Harry’s face.

Instantly seeing stars, Harry struggled against Dudley’s weight. He was strong, but Dudley was fat. At that precise moment, Dudley was using his enormous weight to smother him to death. Wedging his knees between himself and his cousin, Harry was finally able to knock Dudley off of him. Rolling to his knees, Harry struggled to stand up only to be knocked back down to the ground by three pairs of hands. Facing Dudley one on one he could handle. Facing three bullies and Dudley without the use of his wand was suicide. Blocking a punch heading for his face, Harry groaned in pain as another fist hit him in his stomach. Doubling over, he tried to catch his breath as he reached for his wand which was sticking out of his pants pocket. Just as his fingers grabbed it, he was kicked in the face with enough force to throw him onto his back and knock his wand from his pocket.

“Hey, what’s this,” Malcolm asked picking up the long, slim stick off the ground.

Snatching the wand from Malcolm’s hand, Dudley snapped it completely in two. “It’s nothing now,” he snarled grabbing Harry and punching him again in the face.

Hearing Dudley snap his wand in half, Harry didn’t care that he was being beaten to a bloody pulp at that very moment. He had just lost his second and only defense he had left against Voldemort. Without that wand, he would have nothing to keep Voldemort from killing him, or anything to allow him to see his parents taunt the Dark Lord while they protected him.

Curling up into a ball, Harry tried to shield his body as best he could from the vicious blows. Hearing and feeling his arm break, Harry gagged as bile came pouring out of his mouth. Coughing, he curled up tighter feeling Dudley’s hand grab his shoulder uninjured shoulder. He knew Dudley wasn’t finished with him just yet.

“Not so tough now are you, Harry?”

Spitting out the blood in his mouth, Harry narrowed his eyes up at his cousin. “And you’re not as strong when you don’t have your bullies fighting your fights for you either. I was doing just fine until they butted in.”

Shaking his head, Dudley hauled Harry to his feet. “This has been fun Harry, but it’s getting late. Mum and Dad will start to worry if I don’t show up soon. Don’t worry they won’t be worried about you though when you don’t show up tonight,” he snapped kneeing Harry in the stomach for good measure. Letting him go, Dudley watched Harry crumble into a bloody heap on the ground. “Let’s go. He’s not in any condition to fight us anymore,” Dudley said laughing right along with his friends as they walked away.

Coughing and spitting up more blood, Harry clutched his ribs with his good hand before using it to get himself to his knees. He had to get out of the middle of the street. If Voldemort decided to attack him, he wouldn’t stand a chance. He wouldn’t stand a chance now anyway without a wand, he reasoned sourly as he dragged himself to his feet. He needed help, but there was no way he was going to be able to walk to Mrs. Figg’s house in his current condition. He could barely stay on his own two feet much less walk the distance. Taking a step forward, Harry lost his balance and pitched forward closing his eyes because he knew the fall was going to hurt.

“We’ve got you, Harry. Ron, grab him before he falls,” Hermione instructed holding on tightly to Buckbeak’s neck.

Sliding off of the Hippogryph’s back, Ron grabbed Harry as soon as Buckbeak let him go. Looking down at his best friend, Ron tried not to gag. Harry was a mess. Seeing a long piece of wood broken in two next to Harry, Ron bent down to look at it. Swallowing hard, Ron picked up the two pieces of Harry’s wand. Sticking them inside his pocket, Ron lifted Harry into his arms. Ron cringed hearing Harry cry out in physical pain. “Bloody hell Harry, what happened to you,” he asked knowing Harry wasn’t going to answer him as he carried his unconscious friend over to Hermione’s waiting arms. Climbing onto Buckbeak’s back, Ron held on to the animal as it lifted them and itself off of the ground and into the air.

Biting her lip, Hermione held Harry close to her, but made sure she wasn’t holding him too tight. “Take us back, Buckbeak,” she said wiping away her tears with her free hand. “If we hadn’t snuck out Ron, he might be…”

“Don’t say it, Hermione. He’ll be fine. Dumbledore will get him fixed up in no time,” Ron said quickly not wanting to think about Harry almost dying that night.

TBC

2. untitled

Chapter Two

Landing outside of number twelve Grimmauld Place, Hermione glanced down at Harry’s still form. She was very worried about her best friend. She had seen him when he had been injured in the past, but he never had been this still before. The very act of breathing seemed to hurt him. For that reason, Hermione was thankful that he was unconscious at that moment. Looking down at Ron, she smiled slightly at him. Even in the dark she could see that Ron was just as worried about Harry as she was.

“All right, Hermione, pass Harry gently to me,” Ron said raising his arms up.

“Ronald Weasley, where have you…Oh my God! Albus,” Molly Weasley cried out rushing over to her son, Harry, and Hermione.

“Molly, what’s wrong,” Albus asked stepping outside only to freeze at the scene before him. “Harry? What happened to him, Mr. Weasley,” Albus asked before quickly using his wand to levitate Harry.

“I don’t know, Professor. Hermione and I found him like this.”

Sliding down off of Buckbeak’s soft back, Hermione glanced from Harry to Professor Dumbledore. “We were worried about Harry. He always wrote to us thanking us for his birthday presents. When he didn’t write back, we decided to check on him.”

“You should have told us, Hermione,” Molly scolded.

“Mum, you would have told us not to worry about Harry.”

“Ron, if Harry was in trouble how could you or you Hermione think I would just turn a blind eye.”

“It’s not that, Mrs. Weasley. We know you care deeply about Harry, but you were very busy with the Order. You all were,” Hermione explained as Dumbledore settled Harry in a bed upstairs.

“Exactly. Hermione and I wanted to check on him, and if we hadn’t gone Harry would be dead right now,” Ron explained defending himself and Hermione.

Nodding his head, Albus sighed softly as he glanced down at Harry. “All that matters is that Harry is safe. The bruises and his arm will heal in time.”

“That’s not all, Professor. It’s worse,” Ron said quietly.

“What could be worse, Ron,” Molly asked.

“This,” Ron said pulling out Harry’s destroyed wand from his pocket. “Someone snapped it in half and dropped it beside him,” he said glancing over at Harry.

Starring at Harry’s wand, Hermione sat down beside her best friend. “What is he going to do now?”

Frowning, Albus took the broken wand from Ron’s hands. “Harry will be fine, Hermione. He will obtain a new wand. It will not be the same, but it will be a wand,” he said sitting down beside Hermione. “Molly, I want you to go downstairs and get Severus for me.”

“Of course, Albus,” Molly said wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her dress.

“What do you want Ron and I to do,” Hermione asked laying her hand on Harry’s hand.

“For now, I want you to just stay with Harry. He needs his friends more than anything right now,” Albus said before standing up and turning toward Severus.

“You asked for me, Headmaster?”

“I did, Severus. I need a healing potion to help Harry’s body heal itself,” Albus said stepping aside so Severus could see Harry.

Starring down at Potter, Severus Snape kept his face unreadable all the while his blood was boiling in his veins. Who could do this to the child? It was well known how he felt about James Potter, and it was also well known that he didn’t particularly like Harry but he didn’t want the boy dead either. He knew it hadn’t been Voldemort or his minions who did this, so it had to be the boy’s Muggle family. Oh, they would pay dearly for what they have done if it was the last thing he did. Glancing at Albus, Severus realized the Headmaster was still waiting for his reply.

“I will get started immediately, Headmaster.”

“Thank you, Severus. Ron, Hermione, I will leave Harry in your very capable hands,” Albus said walking out of the room closing the door behind him and Severus.

“Why did he do that? We can’t do anything,” Ron said wringing his hands together.

“Calm down, Ron. You heard what he said. Harry needs his friends right now. Do me a favor and get me a washcloth and wet it,” Hermione asked before looking back down at Harry and pushing his messy bangs out of his closed eyes.

“Sure,” Ron said walking quickly out of the room. He hated seeing Harry like that. Walking into the bathroom, Ron found a washcloth and soaked it down in lukewarm water. Squeezing out the excess water, he walked out of the bathroom and back into Harry’s room. “Here,” he said softly handing the washcloth over to Hermione.

“Thanks,” she said taking the wet washcloth from Ron.

She knew he hated seeing Harry bloody and bruised. She didn’t like seeing him like that either, but she also knew that Harry needed their help. Leaning forward, she gently ran the washcloth over his face. Taking his broken glasses off of his face, she set them on the night stand beside him. She would fix them for him later. Seeing him jerk under her hand, Hermione bit her lip but stopped moving her hand as well.

Blinking his eyes, Harry squinted trying to clear his blurry vision. He didn’t have his glasses. For that matter, he didn’t know where he was. All he did know at that very moment was he hurt. Licking his dry lips, Harry closed his eyes from pure exhaustion. “Where am I,” he asked slightly recognizing Hermione’s bushy hair.

Seeing him squint at her, Hermione knew Harry couldn’t see her clearly but he knew it was her. Grabbing his broken glasses, she placed them gently on his nose. “You’re at the Order, Harry. I won’t ask how you’re feeling. I all ready know the answer to that question,” she said smiling down at Harry.

Smiling slightly, Harry opened his eyes to look over at Hermione and Ron. “Yeah, I’m not feeling too great at the moment,” he said glancing down at his left arm. “I thought my arm got broken.”

“Harry, what happened to you? Who did this?”

Glancing up at Hermione, Harry sighed. “I was being stupid is what happened. I knew better, but I just had to rise to the occasion when it comes to Dudley.”

“Dudley? Your cousin Dudley,” Ron asked stepping closer to Harry’s bed.

“Yeah, I'm talking about my cousin, Ron. He's the only one I've got as far as I know. I was outside in the playground near the Dursley’s house. I saw Dudley and his gang of bullies. They saw me and taunted Dudley into fighting me.”

“Harry, you didn’t,” Hermione scolded him.

“I wanted to let off some steam, Hermione. I wasn’t thinking, okay,” Harry said instantly wincing as pain shot up his body from his ribs.

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Hermione said feeling guilty for scolding him.

“Don’t worry. It’s my fault really. I should have known better than to think Dudley would fight me alone,” Harry said smiling.

“You worried us, Harry. You could have been killed and no one would have known if Ron and I hadn’t snuck out,” Hermione said softly.

“I know, and I’m sorry, Hermione. I promise I won’t do that again. Would that make you feel any better?”

“Harry, you just have to be more careful.”

Nodding his head, Harry closed his eyes. “I know. I’ve got to buy a new wand too.”

“You all ready knew,” Ron asked setting Harry’s broken wand down beside his friend.

“Yeah, I knew. I was curled up in a ball blocking punches and kicks when I heard Dudley snap it in half. I didn’t think he had it in him really.”

“I guess Dudley wasn’t as scared of your wand when it wasn’t in your hand,” Ron said running a hand through his red hair.

“Go on and get out of here, Ron. I know I don’t look all that great,” Harry said pulling himself up gently into a sitting position.

“No…I’m fine…really,” Ron said stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“It’s all right, Mate. I know you don’t like seeing me like this,” Harry said trying to reassure his best friend.

“I’ll stay here with Harry,” Hermione offered.

“You sure,” Ron asked moving toward the door.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Go on,” Hermione said smiling.

“Okay,” Ron said moving quickly out of the door leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the room.

After the door closed, Harry looked over at Hermione. “Okay, let me have it now, so we won’t fight over this later.”

“Let you have what, Harry? I’ve all ready scolded you enough for one night. You need to sleep so your body can start the healing process,” she said avoiding Harry’s direct gaze.

“No, what I need right now is to know my best friend isn’t still angry with me,” Harry insisted.

Jerking her head up, Hermione opened her mouth then just as quickly shut it again. She wanted to tell him she was worried sick about him. She wanted to tell him she didn’t know what she would do if anything bad happened to him. There were a lot of things she wanted to tell him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to say them.

“Say it, Hermione. What ever it is that's troubling you just tell me so we can work past it.”

“I…”

“You what?”

Hearing the door open, Hermione jumped to her feet. “That’ll be Snape with your potion. I’ll see you in the morning, Harry,” she said as she quickly rushed past Severus.

“Hermione, wait!”

“My, my, what was that all about, Potter,” Severus asked stepping over to Harry’s bed with the vile of healing potion in his pale hand.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” Harry said looking past the Potions Master and toward the door of his room.

“Not tonight you won’t, Potter. Drink this. It will help with the pain, and it will also help you sleep tonight as well,” Severus said holding the vile out to Harry.

“I don’t want it,” Harry said glancing at the blood red liquid in the vile.

Chuckling, Severus shook his head in amusement. “It’s not poison I assure you, Potter. That would be rather foolish on my part don’t you think?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you as much as you hated my Dad and Mum.”

“Your Father, yes, I didn’t care for him. You know that, so why am I telling you this? Drink your potion and get some sleep,” Severus snapped shoving the vile into Harry’s right hand.

Against his better judgment, Harry drank the red substance before handing the empty vile back to Snape. Frowning, Harry watched Snape storm off toward the door of his room. “Hang on, you said you didn’t like my Dad, but you didn’t say anything about my Mum. What aren’t you telling me,” he questioned struggling against the effects of the potion.

“It doesn’t matter, Potter. It’s none of your business,” Severus snapped before walking out of the room.

Sliding down into the bed, Harry’s eyes drifted shut, but his mind was awake as ever now. First, Hermione was clearly hiding something from him, and now so was Snape. Snape’s secret had to do with his Mum, and that was something he wanted to find out. There was more to Severus Snape than meets the eye and Harry was determined to find out everything there was to know about his Potions Master.

3. The Lost Prophecy

Author's Notes: First of all, I want to thank everyone who has been kind enough to review the first two chapters of The Final Prophecy. They are great, and I hope you will keep them coming with each new chapter that comes out. One of the reviews I recieved asked me to title each chapter so they won't get lost..*g* Well, from here on out each of the chapters will be titled. I hope that helps.

I've also incorporated a new idea into this story. I read a challenge in another H/Hr story and I liked the challenge, so it's now apart of my story as well. I didn't read the story were I read the challenge yet, so there won't be any chance of stealing this author's story by mistake..*g*

Here's the challenge as I found it:

Zaxxon's "Make Love, Not War" challenge is the principle one, and reads as: Not sure where this came from....

Hermione discovers/someone jokes about the fact that "sex"-magic is the oldest and one of the most powerful magics there are... relating that the old wizard-kings had harems not only for politicial marriages but to increase their magical powers by bonding various witches to a wizard. And the greatest and most powerful bond is love...

So Hermione, figures (probably correctly), if Harry was to bond her (as first wife) and some other witchs... then no matter what Voldemort tries... Harry (with his harem) could have the raw power (and talents) to counter and overcome him...

Dumbledore does say that that "Love" is the power Voldemort... and Harry would have a lot of loving here.

Need not be NC-17/R.... but would be interesting, I think.

The only thing I'm changing from this challenge is the fact that Harry won't have a harem..It'll only be Hermione..*wink* Now on to chapter three...

******

Chapter Three: The Lost Prophecy

Running down the hall, Hermione ran into her room shutting the door behind her. Closing her eyes, she stepped away from the door. What was wrong with her? Why had she acted like a scared cat? All Harry had wanted was to make sure she wasn’t still angry with him, and she had reacted like she had this really big secret. Groaning out loud, she walked over to her bed and sat down. Jumping at the sound of knocking on her door, Hermione’s head jerked up and her eyes snapped open.

“It’s open,” She said as she tried to calm her racing heart.

Stepping into the room, Ron surveyed Hermione. She had that deer in the headlights look about her. “Why are you in here? I thought you were going to stay with Harry?”

Swallowing hard, Hermione nodded her head. “I was, but Snape showed up with Harry’s potion. He needs his sleep,” she said glancing down at her hands.

Frowning, Ron walked up closer to her. “What’s wrong, Hermione? You’re not acting like yourself.”

Glancing up, Hermione smiled at Ron. “Noting is wrong. Why would anything be wrong,” she asked shrugging her shoulders.

“What did Harry say that made you run like a scared deer?”

“He didn’t say anything to make me run out of his room…It was me,” she said sighing sadly.

“You? What do you mean it was you,” Ron asked sitting down beside Hermione on the edge of her bed.

“Nothing, never mind. It doesn’t matter really,” she said shaking her head.

“You didn’t tell him did you,” Ron asked watching Hermione closely.

“Tell him what, Ron? What are you talking about,” she asked while trying to ignore her racing heartbeat.

Sighing, Ron shook his head. “Hermione, you never were a good liar. Why do you think I left you and Harry alone?”

Swallowing, Hermione tried to think of something to say. “I…I…How long have you known about my feelings toward Harry,” she asked knowing she couldn’t deny her feelings anymore.

“I got my suspicions during our fourth year, but I didn’t really know for sure until last year. I could see how much Harry cared about you by the way he stayed by your bedside all day and all night after we got back from the Department of Mysteries. He worries about you more than himself.”

“That’s because we’re friends. He probably doesn’t even like me the same way.”

“You won’t know unless you talk to him and tell him how you feel.”

“That’s easier said than done Ron, and you know it. You never told me how you felt about me.”

“That’s different Hermione, and don’t change the subject. We’re talking about you and Harry not me and you.”

“No, it’s not different, Ron. You wanted to be more than friends once and so did I, but you never told me and I thought you weren’t interested in being more than friends with the way you treated me. Not to mention the amount of fights we had on a daily basis. What was I supposed to think?”

“It doesn’t matter now. It’s in the past and you’ve moved on, but if you don’t tell Harry soon history will repeat itself. Harry will move on and he’ll leave you with only a close friend but nothing more.”

“I know, but I just don’t know how to tell him,” Hermione said dropping the subject of her and Ron. He was right about it being in the past. She felt bad for him, but at the same time she was thankful that he wasn’t treating her terribly because nothing ever changed between them other than them becoming closer friends.

“You had a great opportunity tonight if you hadn’t run scared,” Ron teased smiling down at her as he stood up and started toward her bedroom door.

“Sod off Weasley, and stop teasing me.”

Chuckling, Ron nodded his head. “Sure, I’ll stop teasing you about telling Harry when you actually do tell him,” he said ducking as a book came flying toward his head. “Sweet dreams, Hermione,” he said before quickly leaving her room.

Standing up, Hermione walked over and bent down to pick up the book she had thrown at Ron. It was the first one she had put her hands on, but she didn’t recognize the cover as she stood up straight with the book in her hands. Walking back to her bed, she sat down and opened the book to the first page. Reading the title, she frowned. “The Book of Souls,” she read out loud. This wasn’t her book. Where did it come from, and how did it end up mixed in with her books? Turning the next page, Hermione began to read the ancient writing.

******

“YOU INCOMPENTENT FOOLS!! How could you allow Potter to slip through your fingers like that,” Voldemort thundered in anger.

“Master ….we lost track of the boy after you sent us after him.”

“You lost track of him?! How could you lose track of him when I told you exactly where to find him?!”

“We’re sorry, Master. It won’t happen again.”

“That is where you’re absolutely correct! AVADA KEDAVRA,” Voldemort cast watching the two Death Eaters hit the ground dead.

“My Lord, you’re still weak. You must rest to replenish your strength,” Lucius said stepping over the bodies in front of him.

“Do not tell me what I am, Lucius,” Voldemort hissed turning his blazing red eyes toward Lucius.

Instantly bowing his head, Lucius stopped in front of his Master. “Forgive me, Master. I am only concerned for your well being. It took everything you had to free yourself from Dumbledore’s trap he had captured you in a few months ago.”

“Yes, but his trap couldn’t hold me for long. I’m stronger than ever before, and soon Potter will be mine!”

“Yes, Master, Potter will be yours. Do you know where the boy is?”

“No, but it doesn’t matter. He will be back at Hogwarts soon. Has your son agreed to help in our plan?”

“He has, my Lord. Draco is very eager to see Potter crumble at your feet. He will tell me everything that takes place this year at the school.”

“Excellent, now what have you found out about Potter’s friends? Weasley and Granger I believe you told me their names are,” Voldemort sneered walking over to his chair by the fireplace.

“It is, my Lord. Weasley is a Pureblood. His Father is Arthur Weasley. He works for the Ministry of Magic, and I have no doubt he also works for Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix. As for Granger, she is a Mudblood. I don’t know much about her family yet, but I will.”

“And Potter cares about them a great deal from what I saw in the Department of Mysteries,” Voldemort said tapping his long bonny fingers together.

“He does indeed, my Lord. According to Draco, Potter is rarely seen without them.”

Smiling slightly, Voldemort nodded his head. “It seems this night is starting to look better.”

“How so, my Lord?”

“I may not have Potter in my grasp, but I now have the information I need to bring him to his knees,” Voldemort said laughing.

******

“Hermione, wake up. Hermione, it’s time for breakfast.”

“What? Oh, Harry, is it morning all ready? Hang on, what are you doing out of bed,” Hermione asked sitting up in her bed.

“I’m not that bad off, Hermione. I’m able to walk around,” Harry said smiling at her. “Hey, what’s this,” he asked picking up the black bound book from Hermione’s bed.

“I don’t know really. I found it last night after I left your room.”

“The Book of Souls, what’s in it?”

“I haven’t really read that much of it yet, but what I have read talks about an ancient magic that can be very powerful to any wizard who taps into it.”

“Why is it only limited to wizards?”

“I don’t know. I’ll let you know when I get to that part of the book,” she said holding her hand out for the book.

“It’s a deal,” Harry said handing the book back to Hermione. “Why did you run out of my room last night anyway,” he asked still holding on to one corner of the book.

Pulling the book gently out of Harry’s grasp, Hermione looked down at her feet. She knew her face was bright red from embarrassment. “It doesn’t matter.”

Reaching forward, Harry gently lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “It does matter to me. You know you can tell me anything, Hermione,” he said looking down at her with a smile on his face.

“I know I can, Harry,” she said feeling her face become hotter.

“Then talk to me, Hermione,” he probed gently.

“I can’t tell you, Harry. I’m afraid I’ll ruin our friendship.”

“You can’t ruin our friendship, Hermione. Why do you think you’ll ruin it?”

“If you don’t know now, then there’s no sense in answering that question,” Hermione said stepping back away from Harry’s soft touch.

Frowning, Harry watched Hermione walk over to her night stand with the book in her arms. Something was bothering her and it had to do with him and their friendship, but what could she say to him that would ruin…. “Hermione, I know what you want to tell me,” he said softly as the light bulb went off suddenly in his head.

Placing the book on her night stand, Hermione glanced up at him. “You do,” she asked quietly.

Walking up to her, Harry gently pushed some strands of her soft chestnut hair behind her ear. “Yeah, I do. I never realized before just how much you mean to me, Hermione. If anything happened to you, I would go mad. I was so scared when I saw you fall back at the Department of Mysteries. My first thought was that you were dead and that it was my fault. I didn’t even think to check for a pulse when I could. It was Neville who did that, and when he said you were alive I felt so relieved I couldn’t see straight,” he said softly never realizing his thumb was brushing gently against her cheek.

Swallowing hard, Hermione held Harry’s gaze as he finally told her what she had wanted to know months ago. When she woke up in the hospital wing the first person she had see had been Harry. She had asked him what had happened, but he wouldn’t tell her. Raising her hand, she laid it over Harry’s hand smiling as she squeezed it.

“Harry, I don’t blame you for what happened. It’s not your fault.”

Nodding his head, Harry glanced down at their joined hands. “I still felt bad.”

Pulling Harry, Hermione sat down on her bed watching him sit down beside her. “Well, there is no reason to feel bad now. It’s all over and I’m fine.”

Looking up at her, Harry felt his heartbeat quicken. She looked so innocent, and was that her shampoo he smelled? Blinking, Harry shook his head and licked his dry lips. He was so close to her that Harry realized she had become very still. Leaning back he felt his face become hot from embarrassment. “Sorry about that,” he apologized.

Dropping her gaze, Hermione smiled as she blushed. When he had moved forward toward her the first thought she had thought was that he was going to kiss her. Instead, he had smelled her hair. “It’s all right,” she said softly glancing over at her open door hearing the commotion from downstairs. “It sounds like Mrs. Weasley has breakfast ready. I guess we better go,” she said standing up.

Fear suddenly gripped Harry as she stood up. He felt like he was losing an important opportunity to tell her how he truly felt and what he truly was afraid to tell anyone else. “Wait, please,” he begged quietly grabbing her hand suddenly with his own. “There’s something I need to tell you…Something I should have told you months ago,” he said looking up at her with a pleading look in his emerald eyes.

Nodding her head, Hermione sat back down on the bed. “All right,” she said watching Harry closely.

“Remember when Neville said the prophecy orb was destroyed back at the Department of Mysteries?”

“Yes,” she said waiting patiently for Harry to continue.

“That orb was lost but I know what the prophecy says,” he said pausing to see her reaction.

“How,” she asked furring her brown eye brows together.

“Dumbledore was present when the prophecy was spoken sixteen years ago. When we got back, he told me what the prophecy said.”

“What did it say,” Hermione asked feeling dread take hold of her heart suddenly.

“The most important part of the prophecy is that in the end only me or Voldemort will survive the last battle because neither one of us can live with the other lives,” Harry said starring deeply into her brown eyes.

“Harry, you’ll defeat him in the end….I know you will,” she said trying to keep the tears that had suddenly appeared in her eyes from falling down her cheeks.

“Seeing one solitary tear slid down her cheek, Harry reached out and brushed it away with his thumb. “I’m not so sure about that. The prophecy also said I have a power that Voldemort doesn’t have. According to Dumbledore it’s my heart, but I don’t really know what that means.”

“Love, Harry. You have a compassionate heart which is something Voldemort doesn’t have.”

“Maybe, but how is that a power Voldemort doesn’t have? Love can’t do anything.”

“It can though, Harry. Love is a powerful weapon,” she said watching him.

“Is it,” he asked as he unconsciously leaned forward toward Hermione.

“Yeah,” she said softly closing the distance between them and closing her eyes as their lips brushed against each other.

Closing his eyes, Harry leaned into the soft kiss. He couldn’t believe he was actually kissing his best friend, but at the same time the action felt so right. Hearing a soft moan come from Hermione caused Harry’s body to instantly respond.

“Hey, Hermione, are you…oh Bloody Hell, I should have knocked first.”

The second Ron’s voice echoed in the room Harry and Hermione instantly broke away from each other. Clearing his throat, Harry looked up at Ron as he rose to his feet and moved away from Hermione’s bed. “Hey, Ron, sleep all right,” he asked stuffing his good hand into his pants pocket.

“Yeah, I did actually. Look you guys, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to walk in on the two of you,” Ron said as his ears and cheeks turned a bright red.

“It’s all right, Ron. It’s probably a good thing you walked in when you did,” Hermione said smiling as she stood up and walked into the center of the room where Harry and Ron were standing.

“All right, I’ll see you guys downstairs for breakfast,” Ron said walking out of the doorway leaving Harry and Hermione alone once again.

“So,” Harry said looking over at Hermione.

“So,” she repeated smiling up at him.

Returning the smile, Harry pulled his hand out of his pocket and ran it through his messy black hair. “So, where do we go from here?”

“I don’t know. I know where I want this to go, but it really depends on you. If you want to take a chance on us, then I’m with you. If you want to just remain friends, then we can do that too, but I need to know from you.”

Sighing, Harry nodded his head in understanding. He just didn’t like being the one to decide where their relationship went from there. He knew how she felt about him, and he knew how he felt about her. The problem was Voldemort. He would be putting her in greater danger if they were a couple, but at the same time he couldn’t be around her day after day without holding or comforting her.

Taking one step to close the gap between them, Harry tilted her chin up toward him. “I want to be with you, Hermione. I think I always have since I almost lost you.”

Crying out happily, Hermione threw her arms tightly around Harry’s neck and kissed him. A few minutes later they broke apart breathless. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured, Harry.”

Chuckling, Harry shook his head down at her. “I’m positive, Hermione. This is what I want,” he said kissing her forehead. “You’re who I want,” he added knowing it was the truth.

“You’re who I want too,” she said as tears of joy slid down her cheeks. Wiping them away, she smiled up at him. “We better head downstairs before Mrs. Weasley sends up someone to find us,” she said heading for the stairs.

“Yeah, that wouldn’t surprise me. Especially, with the way I look right now. You know Malfoy is going to have a field day when he sees me,” Harry said following behind Hermione as she walked down the stairs toward the first floor.

“I know, but we’ll deal with Malfoy when the time comes,” she said as they walked into the living room together.

“There you two are. I was beginning to get worried about you. Come sit down and eat before your food gets cold,” Molly said motioning with her hands for the two teenagers to go sit down at the table.

Smiling at Hermione, Harry walked over to the table and sat down next to Ron. “It looks great, Mrs. Weasley,” he complimented as he picked up his fork.

“Thank you, Harry, dear. Eat up now,” she kindly ordered before walking back into the kitchen.

When his mum was gone, Ron looked at his two best friends. “Is everything all right with you two?”

“Everything is fine,” Hermione said as she sat down across from Harry and Ron.

“Would you be all right if Hermione and I started seeing each other?”

“Why wouldn’t I be, Harry,” Ron asked putting his fork down.

“I just didn’t want you to feel left out or anything,” Harry said also putting his fork down.

Understanding what Harry was trying to say, Ron smiled before laying a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Harry, I’m happy for the two of you. It became pretty obvious how the two of you felt about each other. It just took time for you guys to see it too. I’m not angry or jealous. I’ll admit I was jealous in the beginning, but it was my own fault that Hermione and I never became a couple. Don’t worry about me, Mate. I’ll be fine as long as I know the two of you are happy.”

Smiling, Harry nodded his head as he looked over at Hermione. “We’re happy, Ron.”

“Then that’s all that matters,” Ron said smiling before picking his fork up again.

Stepping into the house, Minerva glanced over at the table. Seeing Potter, Weasley, and Miss. Granger, she felt her eyes swell up with tears. How could she possibly teach those three this year knowing what was to come?

Glancing over at Minerva, Albus smiled slightly. He knew she was worried about Harry, but it made his heart glad to know how much she cared about the orphaned boy. “We don’t know the entire prophecy, Minerva. It may not be as bad as we think.”

Tearing her gaze from the students, Minerva frowned up at her close friend. “How can you be so calm at a time like this, Albus? Potter isn’t going to survive the final battle with You-Know-Who. We are going to lose him and the Wizarding and Muggle world will never be safe.”

“We don’t know that for sure. Sybille was only half-way through the prophecy when she snapped herself out of it.”

“What if she wasn’t, Albus? What if that was all of it,” she asked in a quiet whisper fearing the worst.

“If that was the entire prophecy, then we really don’t have anything to fear.”

“What? Are you mad, Albus?”

Chuckling, Albus shook his head before looking over at Harry through his half moon glasses. “No, Minerva, I am not mad, but our Mr. Potter knows the future isn’t written yet. His destiny might be set, but the out come is not. Prophecy or not, Harry is strong willed. He will not give up without a fight. This I am sure of.”

“I hope you’re right, Albus. He’s our only hope.”

4. Diagon Alley