(Hey Everyone! I apologize for this being such a very short chapter… but I think it's a powerful chapter and I've looked carefully and there's nothing more that I can really add to it without killing the emotion… Take Care and I REALLY REALLY appreciated the reviews, they were just really wonderful so Thank you)
CHAPTER 11
Harry awoke the next morning with a wide grin across his face. Even the dark bitter weather outdoors couldn't spoil his mood.
He took a quick shower, changed, and hurried out of the Common Room towards the Great Hall. He couldn't wait to see Hermione's sweet grin and greet her with a kiss before sharing breakfast back at the Gryffindor table. But when Harry reached the Great Hall, Hermione was no where to be seen. In fact, there was barley any students at the usually packed tables.
`She must have been really tired… I'll go wake her a little later.'
Harry decided strolling over to Ron and Luna, who were waving mistletoe above each others heads and sharing passionate kisses.
"Alright you two, break it up." Harry grinned taking a seat next to Ron.
"Oh look who's talking… you couldn't keep your hands off Hermione." Ron smirked.
"Yeah, you had a whole fan club of girls furious that you two wouldn't stop dancing… they were desperate for just one dance with you." Luna giggled.
Harry grinned at the thought of holding Hermione so close.
"They've cancelled our classes because of the ball, they figured too many people were going to be too exhausted." Ron said casually. "Since the Christmas Holidays start tomorrow, anyone who wants to go home early is allowed to leave."
"Are you staying here for the holidays?" Harry asked taking a bite out of his buttered toast.
"Well I wasn't going to," Ron answered taking a gulp of his orange juice. "but Luna's staying, and I want to spend Christmas with her." He answered grinning at Luna.
"We're going on an expedition through the Forbidden Forest." Luna stated matter-of-factly.
Ron dropped his spoon.
Harry just imagined both of them trudging through the forest, Ron holding a death grip on Luna's clothes, whimpering about seeing spiders. He couldn't help but give a muffled laugh.
"Ronald promised to help me find some undiscovered creatures." Luna continued.
Harry bit the sides of his cheeks at the expression on Ron's face. He was obviously not thrilled with the expedition, and he would, without a doubt, attempt to convince Luna not to go through with her adventurous idea.
Harry leaned in closer to tell Luna and Ron about what had happened the other day in the dungeons with Lucius Malfoy.
"How did you find her?" Ron asked with a slight panic.
"When I reached the Grand Staircase I came across Ginny, so I asked her if she's seen Hermione… she told me she had finished getting Hermione ready ages ago, she was suppose to wait for Seamus at the bottom of the Grand Staircase. When I went there she obviously wasn't there, so I sort of waited a bit before I decided to look around."
"What made you look in the dungeons?" Luna questioned with anticipation in her dreamy tone of voice.
"I don't know… I just… I knew something wasn't right, so I looked around a bit before I got this funny feeling in my stomach, and somehow I just knew." Harry replied.
Harry heard a hoot and looked up to see Hedwig soaring in his direction, tied to her leg was the Daily Prophet. Harry's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch as he untied Hedwig's burden, he didn't want to open the paper to see how many people had been killed this time.
After giving Hedwig a piece of toast and stroking her soft feathers for a few moments, she spread her wings and flew away, leaving Harry with the newspaper before him.
`I'll just take a quick look,' He thought. `Maybe there's something about last night with Lucius Malfoy.'
Reluctantly he unrolled the newspaper and took a quick glance. There was indeed an article about last nights incident.
Lucius Malfoy has been sentenced to death after an incident that took place last night. Mr. Lucius Malfoy had been appointed as substitute Head Master of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry when original Head Master Albus Dumbledore, set off to battle the Dark Forces of Lord Voldemort and his supporters. Mr. Lucius Malfoy has been found guilty of attempted murder of Mr. Rufus Bangle (The Minister of Magic's right hand man, First Committee Member of School Defenses, and National Ministry Director and Speaker), attempted kidnapping of Harry James Potter (The Boy Who Lived), supporting and helping Lord Voldemort, and for the murder of a Muggle woman. Lucius Malfoy was captured yesterday evening by Aberforth Dumbledore,
Harry suspected Aberforth had known Harry and Hermione wouldn't have wanted recognition for their efforts.
and was transported to the Ministry where he preformed a complicated escape. A team of Unspeakables and Aurors was dispatched to capture Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Lucius Malfoy had preformed the Avada Kedavra curse on the Muggle woman and was ready to murder the Muggle man when he was captured and sentenced to death. The Muggle woman who was murdered was identified as Amelia Granger…
Harry's heart leapt to his throat and he suddenly couldn't breath, he felt sick and dizzy.
`Granger.'
It rung through his head like a million bombs igniting one after the other.
`Granger.'
"Hermione!" Harry yelled throwing the newspaper and setting off at a run towards the Grand Staircase.
"Harry, where're you going?" Ron called after him frowning.
Harry didn't answer; he was running full speed to Hermione's room.
`Granger.'
Did she already know? What would he say? His heart crumbled to pieces for Hermione. This wasn't suppose to happen, this couldn't happen.
`Granger.'
He bounded up the last few stairs and paused before her room, should he knock?
`Granger.'
He swallowed hard, and turned the cold doorknob. Silently, he made his way through the small hallway that opened up into her room.
He heard a sob… she knew.
As Hermione's room came into focus, Harry's heart plummeted at the sight.
Clothes lay scattered across the floor, along with books whose pages were torn, pictures, family portraits, her bed covers, her pillow, her bed sheet, shredded newspaper, and letters written on parchment and regular Muggle paper.
The large human sized mirror was shattered into tiny fragments; a wooden chair lay beside the mirror on its side.
Hermione sat in a heap on the cold stone floor, tears streaming down her face one after the other, rocking back and forth clutching torn remains of a parchment. Her soft brown eyes were puffy and swollen.
"No…no…no, no." She whimpered.
She hadn't acknowledged his presence.
Harry carefully walked to Hermione and dropped to his knees before her.
"Hermione?" He murmured.
"Gone… she's gone."
"I know." He answered inching closer and embracing her.
Pain shot through his heart as he felt her trembling uncontrollably. Her back was drenched in cold sweat, but her soft skin was hot to the touch, as if she was developing a high fever.
He held her tighter and closed his eyes as tears pleaded to escape, it hurt more then anything in the world to know she was feeling so much agony.
She choked and rested her head on Harry's shoulder.
"Let it out Hermione, don't try and be strong." He whispered gently rubbing her back in comforting circles.
She couldn't take it anymore, she lost the battle with her emotions as she took a firm hold on Harry's white collared shirt, and cried harder then she had ever cried in her life.
Harry cradled her in his comforting arms, stroking her tangle of spicy brown hair. Gently, and ever so tenderly he rocked her back and forth just like she had done for him so many times before.
She cried until Harry's shirt was drenched with her salty tears, she cried until she felt numb from the pain that throbbed through her body, she cried until she no longer had tears to cry, she cried until she could not cry any longer.
Tired, helpless, weak, and insecure she clung to Harry like a safety blanket; burrowing her sorrows away.
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