(HEY GUYZ!!!... I've finally written Chapter 13... it took me forever.. mainly because every attempt at it I was so unhappy with it, it was constantly being changed and re-written.. but this versions much better then what I had started out with… so I hope yiu guys will think its worked out okay.. Take Care everyone and thanx so much for all your reviews!)
CHAPTER 13
She was standing in the Great Hall. All the desks were removed, and the entire room was completely empty except for a Wizard who stood waiting for her at the other side of the room.
"It's good to see you again."
That voice sounded familiar to her. She took a deep breath and walked towards him as the white light from the many windows blinded her sight. Her shoes tapped gently on the stone floor with each step she took, and echoed through the room.
"Sirius?" She gasped.
He smiled gently at her.
"I'm sorry about your mother." He said softly.
Hermione shook her head.
"It wasn't your fault." She choked.
"But I made you choose, didn't I?"
"Made me choose what?" She asked with a frown.
"Your happiness over Harry's happiness."
His eyes were sad and guilt flashed across his face.
She averted her eyes and her shoulders slumped. She looked frail and drained from the numbing agony that continued to haunt her, even in her sleep.
There was a long silence between the two radiant silhouettes.
"Do you regret your decision?" Sirius questioned.
Hermione thought of her mother, how much she had meant to her and how much love there was between them, a love only a mother and daughter could share, a love inseparable even through death.
She thought about Harry. She felt the pulsing feeling of unfaltering love that surged through her heart, the tingling chills that danced up and down her spine when he embraced her in his strong arms, or deepened an already passionate and emotional kiss, or the way he said her name.
She shook her head. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she had made the right decision, she knew there was still a long road to Harry's happiness, but she wasn't quite sure when he would have it, how long did she have to wait for Harry to have his true love?
"Good question." Sirius said with a slightly amused tone.
She wasn't quite sure what he meant by that comment, perhaps he had read her mind?
"When will Harry have his true love?" He repeated as if Hermione had just thought out loud.
She couldn't answer his question, it was something she was trying to find out herself.
"If you want Harry to have his true love, why are you still with him?
It was as if Sirius had taken a knife and thrust it into her pounding heart. It hurt having to think she was standing between Harry and his happiness.
Sirius grinned, the amusement further filled his face.
"Wrong… think again."
Wrong, no she was never wrong, what was he trying to do to her? But wait, yes, she had been wrong… once, just once when her mind was clouded by thoughts of Harry, thoughts of Harry with Pansy Parkinson. Regret flooded through her as she realized just how jealous she was to see Harry with another girl. What if, what if Harry really wanted to be with Pansy?
Sirius laughed.
"Do you really think so?" He questioned watching her carefully.
"She's really pretty." Hermione said softly with a blush. She didn't think she was anywhere near Pansy Parkinson's beauty, he heard the way boys talked about her in the hallways.
"And you're not?"
She stared down at the marble floors and shook her head.
"You need to look in the mirror more often." He chuckled. "Why are you with Harry?" Sirius questioned again.
She felt her face grow hot with embarrassment, how could she tell Sirius how she felt, how could she tell him her deepest secret, how could she tell him words she meant to hide forever?
Sirius waited patiently with a knowing grin across his youthful face.
She continued to hesitate.
"So?" He finally added, as a way of pushing her to say what was going through her head.
"I… I…I love him." She mumbled.
Sirius nodded and put a large hand on her petite shoulder.
"Good… now he needs to hear it."
Hermione opened her mouth to say something more, but Sirius had vanished. The stone floor beneath her feet swallowed her into a pit of darkness. She screamed as she continued to fall into what seemed like a never ending tunnel, but as quickly as it had happened, it stopped.
She now stood in the entrance hall of her home. Wonderful smells of baked goods and dinner caused her stomach to give a hungry growl; she heard her mother and father's voice trail from the kitchen. It felt so good to be home.
She followed the voices and watched in awe as her father playfully twirled her mother and then dipped her, she gave him a slight slap on the shoulder and started making excuses that the pie would burn. He grinned at her before giving her a gentle kiss and releasing her from his arms.
A blush filled her mother's cheeks when she saw Hermione watching them.
"Sorry dear." She apologized softly.
Hermione blushed herself, for being discovered. She liked seeing her parents so in love and hoped one day, she too would have what they have.
"Dinner's nearly ready." Her dad stated with a grin.
"It smells wonderful." Hermione grinned back.
"You should invite your boyfriend over for dinner sometime." Her mother said softly.
"Hermione has a boyfriend?" Her father's eyes widened.
Her mother playfully patted her father's cheek.
"Of course she has."
"He's not my boyfriend." Hermione stated under her breath flushing scarlet.
"Is it that red headed boy?" Her father questioned.
Her mother chuckled.
"No, the black haired one."
"Oh, the one she doesn't stop talking about?" Her father asked again.
"Yes that's the one, he'll be a handsome young man." Her mother stated with a sigh and gave Hermione a gentle smile.
"Mum." Hermione flushed an even deeper shade of red. "He's not my boyfriend… Harry and me… me and Harry… we're, well… just friends."
"There you have it Amelia, Hermione says they're just friends." Her father said happily, as if a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"For now." Her mother chuckled.
She told her mum about Harry often. Hermione would lay in bed while her mother sat at the edge listening to the wild adventures her daughter had taken part in. Sometimes, Hermione saw worry I her deep brown eyes, but it would soon fade when Hermione would reassure her with the clever magic she had often used to get the trio or just her and Harry, from sticky situations. Her mother liked to hear about Harry, and Hermione was more then happy to tell her mother everything she knew about him, it always whirled the butterflies around in her stomach and gave her a sense of belonging.
"Hermione could you please pass the bread knife?" Her father asked while removing the French bread from its long brown package.
Suddenly, the bright house went dark, and extremely silent.
"What's going on?" She heard her mom question.
"I don't know." Hermione answered reaching into her jean pocket for her wand, only to find it missing.
Panic pulsed through her veins as all three of them stood waiting, waiting for something terrible to happen, waiting for someone to jump out with a knife like in a horror movie… ready to die.
A sick smell of burned flesh filled the vast, dark kitchen, and footsteps were heard inching closer to where they stood; the intruder hadn't used the front entrance.
She heard a sadistic cackle that hissed in her ears and made her sick to the stomach. She saw two slits for eyes and a green light shot past her shoulder.
Her mother's piercing shriek filled the thick, cold air.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Her eyes shot open as she felt two hands traveling up and down her spine.
"Don't touch me!" She screamed jumping from his embrace and backing herself into a corner.
"Hermione?"
Her eyes were blurry, the room spun as she tried to focus on the figure that had been touching her, the intense dizziness nauseated her and she had to brace herself against the corner to stay standing. She felt violated, confused, and terrified; where was she?
"Get away from me!" She yelled in hopes he would leave.
Her mind raced with flashes of her nightmare, the overwhelming fear overpowered her as the figure cautiously drew closer, and closer.
She wouldn't allow him to take advantage of her, but the idea that he probably already had rushed to the surface, like a coward she slid against the wall to the floor and allowed herself to collapse in a heap. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks, cold sweat swept over her back and she shook with the fearful anticipation of his hands.
"Hermione?... its okay, its just me… Harry."
Relief.
Blissful, wonderful relief pulsed through her and her throbbing heart gave a double leap with the recognition of his tone of voice.
She threw her arms around him when he cautiously kneeled next to her.
"Its okay Hermione, it was just a nightmare." He said soothingly while rubbing circles on her back to comfort her.
"I saw her die."
Harry knew all too well what her nightmare must have been like. He kissed her forehead and wiped the salty tears from her chocolate eyes with his thumbs.
"I don't want to go home." She whimpered softly.
"It'll be okay." He brushed a stray tear from her left cheek. "You need to do this Hermione."
"I know," She nodded. "My dad needs me to stay strong."
"No Hermione… not for your dad, you need to do this for you."
She thought about what he had said for a moment before she wiped the tears from her eyes, took a deep breath, and a stubborn determination filled her face. She was ready to go home.
The train ride to platform nine and three quarters was a relaxing and enjoyable trip for both Harry and Hermione. Harry admired the winter wonderland through the window with Hermione curled up next to him, her head on his shoulder and his arm snaked around her waist. They had the compartment all to themselves and not many students were going home for Christmas that same day, so it wasn't the usual noisy environment.
"Are you okay Hermione?" He asked when he saw Hermione biting her lower lip in concentration.
"Yeah… I think so… Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"Does Ron know?"
Harry nodded.
"Did you tell him?" She asked.
"No… he read the Daily Prophet."
"Oh…"
"He wanted to see you… but I thought maybe," Harry tried to explain.
"You were right… I need some time."
Harry ran a hand through her wild cinnamon hair and kissed her head.
"Would you mind if I did some reading?" She asked glancing up into his bright green eyes.
"Not at all." He answered picking up her bag off the floor and handing it to her so she could choose something to read.
She removed a large dirty hardcover tome from her bag. It was the same old, brown tome Hermione had once tried to hide from him. Harry was sure Hermione had expected him not to remember the small, golden, Roman numeral four that was fading from the spine of the book.
She leaned herself up against Harry's side, propped the book up on her stomach and allowed it to rest on her knees.
Watching Hermione closely from the corner of his eye, he noticed Hermione rested on the same page he had assumed she had read a few months ago.
'...It is needed for just one soul to devote its full strength, power and love for this rare elixir of life. Few would trade one's life to spare another; few possess the ability to love so unconditionally, to love so deeply, so desperately, with such innocence and loyalty. Because it is the purest form of magic, it is all but extinct. This form of magic is known as Love's Eternal Sacrifice,'
Harry's scar prickled lightly.
` It is thought that this form of magic is further strengthened when the love between the two individuals is equal in strength, devotion and above all emotion. Never has an outsider within the particular love circle and the one to curse death, had an opportunity to view how Love's Eternal Sacrifice works, and what it looks like.'
"Do you think it exists?" Her voice pierced through the still silence, and startled him.
"Huh?" He questioned pretending to peer out the window.
"Love's Eternal Sacrifice, do you think there's magic like that?" She grinned at the look on his face. "You think I don't notice you watching me?" She laughed lightly.
Harry grinned back at her.
"I don't know," He shrugged. "I'd like to believe it exists… what about you?"
"Its not practical is it?... I mean there's no solid evidence of anyone actually being able to perform it, they have no idea what it looks like, but… at the same time, I want it to exist."
"Hermione its okay to believe in something that isn't logical."
Hermione sighed.
"Like you and me?" She mumbled.
"What?" Harry frowned, he felt his heart pounding in his chest.
"Why are you with me Harry?"
Her sad syrupy brown eyes were filled with an insecurity Harry had failed to notice before. She looked so fragile and delicate as she clung to the silence between them, how could she not see herself worthy of love? The javelin stabbed at Harry's insides as the desperation in her grew with each moment, she was hungry for reassurance, she was begging to feel complete.
He cradled her face in his hands and reached forward to kiss her soft lips, he would make her feel what he was feeling inside.
She put a finger on his lips.
"Why are you with me?" She whispered.
Harry felt himself going numb, his mouth quickly became unnaturally dry. There she was, inches from his face, searching his bright green eyes, patiently awaiting his words with a deep fear in her eyes.
"You know how I feel." He said softly.
"I'm confused Harry."
"Confused about what?" He asked gently tucking strands of wild hair behind her ear so it wouldn't cover her face.
"You said you weren't attracted to me."
"No, I said,"
"That I wasn't for you… that's the same thing." She averted her eyes to the window of the compartment.
Harry caressed her chin so she would look into his eyes once again.
"You're beautiful… I've been attracted to you for a long time Hermione… I only said what I did because," Harry felt the knot in his throat tighten and an invisible vice squeezed at his heart. "because I don't want you to get hurt."
The door of the compartment slid open and a plump face peered over at Harry and Hermione.
Harry and Hermione's face's both went scarlet.
"Anything off the trolley dears?" She asked giving them a warm smile.
Hermione shook her head.
Harry jumped off the seat and handed the plump witch a few galleons for a fairly large amount of sweet for himself and Hermione.
"You're not off the hook yet." Hermione answered as the plump witch continued her journey across the train.
Harry felt himself go slightly pale, he was sure Hermione understood that he was just trying to protect her.
"We'll talk about it later though." She said giving him a loving smile.
"Okay, it's a promise." Harry answered with a lopsided grin. "Chocolate frog?"
"Would you mind if I have some Every Flavor Beans instead?" Hermione asked holding up a box to Harry.
"Take anything you want Hermione." Harry smiled.
"Anything?"
Harry couldn't help but notice the flirtatious look in her eyes.
"Anything." Harry agreed.
"Well in that case… I'll take, your wand, your Firebolt,"
"Anything but those." Harry laughed.
Hermione studied Harry for a moment before a mischievous grin spread across her face.
"Are you for sale?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Only if you're buying." He stated pulling her into his arms.
She cuddled up into his chest, his soft shirt smelled of fresh soap and Quidditch.
"How much do I have to pay?" She asked with a yawn.
"For you… I'm free." He answered, burring his face into her wild spicy brown hair.
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