AN: I know it isn't as long as previous chapters but I have to get to class and I figured this was a good place to end it. I hope you enjoy, comments always welcome!!
Chapter Eleven:
Hermione made her way tentatively from the Gryffindor common room through the corridors to the stone phoenix of Dumbledore's office. Speaking the password he had given her more than once she waited for it to accept then she began climbing the spiraling stairs.
He was sitting behind his desk as she knew he would be, waiting for her. She took a few steps forward not saying anything to the man she considered a grandfather figure. He was eyeing her quite suspiciously which seemed odd to her yet she still went towards him.
She sat down in the chair across from the old man, neither of them had a smile on their faces. They both sat waiting for the other to begin speaking. Finally Dumbledore uttered the first word.
"What are you doing here?" he said with contempt clouding his voice.
A wicked smile spread across Hermione's lips. "You know what I am doing here professor." Her hand slid down to her hip where it lay gently on her wand, her eyes never leaving his.
"You foul creature, leave this place now." Dumbledore demanded his voice rising slightly.
Hermione's smile didn't falter once, but her hand tightened on her wand. "He said you would recognize me for who I really am. He is very smart you know?"
Dumbledore sat in silence his hands in front of him folded neatly. "I will ask you once more to leave Hogwarts before I take matters into my own hands." His voice was calm, but a fire so strong burned within his eyes.
"Leave? Why would I do that when I have you right where I want you?" She began to cackle evilly as she drew out her wand and pointed it at him.
Just then Dumbledore stood up swiftly and instantly his wand was out pointed at the young girl.
"Last chance, I would hate to harm you." A slight purple light was forming at the top of Dumbledore's wand now.
Hermione let a smile slip over her face, accepting the challenge. "Bring it on old man." Her wand was now emanating a bright green light from the tip; she only had to say the words.
Faster than she ever though possible Dumbledore had jumped over the desk in front of them and was suddenly behind her. He muttered the binding spell aloud as ropes flew from the tip of his wand like plumes of smoke and wrapped themselves around the girl tightly. She attempted to squirm out of them but was too slow.
Dumbledore now turned her around to face him; his expression was one of rage. "Who are you?" he demanded.
Her smile widened at his question. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Just then she began chanting a foreign language that not even Dumbledore could decipher. Just as quickly as she began the chant, her eyes rolled back into her head and her breathing ceased.
Dumbledore made his way slowly to her side and knelt down. He checked her vitals to find that she wasn't breathing and a sigh escaped his body. The next few minutes were spent trying to figure out who this Hermione imposter was, and if they had been posing as her for long. He spoke the reverse spell on Polyjuice potion and right before his eyes, beautiful Hermione transformed into a tall gangly man with dark brown spiked hair. He looked to be no more than twenty five years of age, and also was quite familiar to Dumbledore. He knew this would have to be sorted out quickly, what with Harry leaving in a few days. So he levitated the body and apparated out of sight with it.
~~
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry bellowed at the top of his lungs and pointing his wand at the dummy Hermione had expertly crafted for him. The dummy went flying across the room and crashed into the opposite wall. With an expert wave of his wand the dummy was propped up once more and Harry backed away preparing to fire another spell.
His breathing almost ceased to exist as he concentrated on what he was about to do. He could feel the words forming on his tongue, could feel the hatred boiling up inside of him. This knowledge, this feeling would be what he needed to bring Voldemort down for good. He pointed his wand at the dummy and screamed the words, his wand emanating a bright green light as he spoke them.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Instantly the dummy that once stood against the back wall was now lying on the floor in millions of tiny pieces.
With the dummy destroyed he finished his training. Gathering his wand he left the deserted room and made his way to the showers. Before reaching the door to the prefect's bathroom he ran into a certain bushy haired girl.
A smile broke out on his face as he saw her from afar; he quickened his pace in order to reach her faster, but then stopped short when he saw the scowl that lingered on her precious face. Once he stopped she spotted him, her glaring eyes turning on him.
"Harry James Potter!" she addressed him using his full name. That never happened unless he was in some sort of trouble; he wondered what he had done this time. Slowly he made his way over to her, a slight smile on his face.
"Hmmm?" he attempted to go in for a hug, but what shot down when she backed away from him.
She crossed her arms in front of herself. "Did I actually hear you using the killing curse?" her voice was now low and demanding.
"Hermione, you had to have known that I would have to use it against him." He exclaimed.
She rolled her eyes at him. "You are such an insufferable idiot, you know that Potter?"
His eyes questioned her and she sighed with impatience. "Don't you think that other wizards have tried to use that against him before? It doesn't work! Something else has got to kill him!"
Harry let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm leaving tomorrow! I don't have the time to figure out something else!" His anger was getting the best of him, and right then he felt he didn't have the time to deal with her either. He shoved past her and spoke the password to the bathroom.
Hermione stood in her spot speechless. She had just watched her beloved best friend and boyfriend lose his temper at her. Then he had pushed her out of the way and left without a word to her. At first she could feel the tears welling up inside of her, but quickly those tears turned to strings of anger wrapping themselves around her heart. She didn't want to even hear his name right now. In a flurry of black and gold she turned around and made her way back to the common room.
~~
Harry sat crouched under the water, his arms wrapped around his legs. His mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts, he felt horrible for doing what he did to Hermione. She was his everything; he had no right to get upset with her. And the other thought that was plaguing him…how to defeat Voldemort, if not the killing curse? So many options were running through his head he didn't know which one to choose.
As the thoughts poisoned his mind, he could feel his chest tightening and his body trembling. Finally the pressure of having to deal with all of this since the age of eleven had caught up with him. Tomorrow he would face his arch nemesis, the creature that had killed his parents and had tried to kill him dozens of times. He didn't know what he was supposed to do; he had lost faith in himself. Tears were now streaming down his face as flashes of his loved ones faces flew through his mind. His mum and dad, the Weasleys, Ron, and Hermione. The people that meant the entire world to him were all there inside of him, and he knew he couldn't let him down.
Standing up he turned the water off and towel dried quickly. Throwing on his robes he ran out of the bathroom and made his way to the common room in search of the one person he needed to see…and apologize to.
~~
When Harry got to the common room, Hermione wasn't there. He found out she wasn't in her dormitory either. He sat in his chair by the fire and contemplated where she might have gone if she wanted to be alone. There was always the library, Merlin knows no one would bother her there, but this didn't seem like the right time for the library. Suddenly a thought struck him; a grin took over his face and made a mad dash for the portrait hole.
~~
Hermione stood leaning over the wall of the Astronomy Tower looking out over the Hogwarts grounds. The wind was in her hair and it was a welcome sensation. She had been hurt emotionally by what Harry had done, her heart was aching and once she had gotten over the anger, the tears had finally come. He was leaving her tomorrow, and who knows if it will be for good or not. Why did they have to fight on his last night here? It wasn't fair.
She closed her eyes and let the wind blow over her, healing her broken heart. She knew she would always be there for Harry no matter if they were fighting. The wind was all around her now, almost as if it were wrapping its strong arms around her and enveloping her in its loving embrace. Its fingers were running themselves through her hair now, and she opened her eyes. Green. Bright, shining, wonderfully blissful green eyes were right in front of her. It was her Harry; he was here with her, holding her to him. Her arms went automatically around him clutching herself close to his body. His hand was stroking her hair and he was muttering soothing noises to her.
"`Mione, I'm so sorry." Was all he said before she shushed him. Her head tilted up and she looked into his eyes.
"Harry, I love you more than life itself."
He then leaned down and placed his lips to hers, and suddenly the entire world was shut out. They were in a universe all their own and they were going to take advantage of it. Harry slowly brought them down to the ground, but never took his lips from hers. They were wrapped in each other, their souls locked in a graceful dance, that only they were aware of.
~~
When Harry awoke, it was just before sunrise. He looked at the sleeping beauty next to him and smiled. The morning light was shining off her bare shoulders and they glowed brilliantly. He let his fingers run over her skin and he felt her shudder beneath his touch. This would be the last time he would see her for quite some time, he wanted to make this morning, and last night last forever in his memory. He leaned down and stole a kiss while she was sleeping, the last kiss for a while. As he stood up he cast a cloaking charm on her so no one would see her if they came up here, he then turned towards the door. With one last glance at the woman he loved more than anything, he opened the door and walked away.
~~
By the time Hermione awoke the sun was already up. She looked to where Harry had been lying next to her all night, but he wasn't there. His clothes weren't there, and his wand wasn't there. He was gone…completely. He had left her nothing, just incase he shouldn't return. She could feel the sadness overwhelm her at being alone, but swallowed it down, and promised herself to keep her faith. They loved each other, and love always prevails. Then it hit her, love. That was what Harry needed to defeat Voldemort. He needed love. Something the dark lord didn't know a thing about! Hermione knew that Harry was already long gone on his way to find him, but she hoped he would figure it out. She hoped that the love that they shared would be enough to save the man she loved.
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