(A/N: A big thanks goes to all my faithful readers, especially to those who have left a review, like Claud, pottergirlajg, TheDivineMsD, TCD, godsowndevil, eekii, Misadies1, Harry_Hermionefan_11. Another big thanks goes to my wonderful BETA readers IronChefOr and SarahLupin, who are ready to editing the first chapter of my sequal, "Secrets from the Future", which I'm going to publish next week! I'm sure you're happy that Harry has come back to life. After all, he has still a very important task to accomplish and all of you know what this task is… I hope you'll enjoy the last two chapters of the story. Here we are then!)
Chapter 34. A NEW START
...
Stalactites on the ceiling were
My days with her.
I hugged death.
Now I fear to tell you
That with you
I woke up...
...
"I'd like to, no I won't like to, but if you want to" by Lucio Battisti
"Harry? HARRY, can you hear me?" Hermione's joy was overwhelming, even though it was slightly shadowed by the fear that it was only a dream. Harry had just spoken her name, and that meant he was slowly regaining consciousness. "Harry, please, try again! Open your eyes!"
Harry's eyelids started to open with great difficulty, but eventually they opened and he stared at Hermione for a few seconds, puzzled. She smiled happily at him in disbelief and squeezed his hands tightly in hers.
"Potter, do you hear me? Potter!" Professor Snape called him several times, but Harry didn't seem to notice; his stare was still intensely locked on Hermione's eyes, as if nothing else existed in that moment.
"Professor Snape! Harry woke up! He's back, he's back!" shouted Hermione enthusiastically, but Snape was still looking at him worriedly.
Suddenly, Harry shut his eyes tightly. He ground his teeth in a grimace of pain; his hands let go of Hermione's and he started to shake uncontrollably, thrashing his head left and right, his body pulling away the bed linens.
"Nooooo!" Harry shouted desperately as Hermione stared at him in shock.
"What's happening? Professor, what's going on?"
Harry was having a seizure; he was panting heavily, tossing his head on the pillow frantically. Snape reached for the bed table where a silver pitcher full of a red liquid was standing. He poured the liquid into a nearby glass, moved closer to Harry, and tried his best to make him drink it, even though Harry was still shaking.
"HELP ME!" Snape shouted to Hermione, who promptly grabbed Harry's arms; he was stronger she was and more than once he managed to escape her grasp.
As soon as Harry drank the entire glass of potion, he started to calm down. His breathing became regular and shortly thereafter he fell into a deep sleep.
Hermione brought her hands to her mouth worriedly. "W-what's happened? He's going to get well, isn't he?" she asked with a trembling voice, but Snape didn't reply. He just turned away and rushed out of the room in a fury.
= = = = = =
Several days and nights passed by, and Hermione remained at Harry's side the entire time. Dumbledore had given her permission to stay with him and she was doing her very best to attend to her beloved one.
Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Mrs. Figg in turn were helping Hermione in this difficult moment. Unfortunately, Harry had not given any other sign of awakening. He still had frequent convulsions and his forehead was always burning because of his fever. Only Snape's potions were able to give him some relief, even though his opinion about Harry's health was negative. His recovery was going to be extremely slow and difficult.
The Sanguinem Curse could have completely destroyed Harry's cardiovascular system if Snape's intervention had not been timely. That said, however, the curse had still caused serious damage to his body.
Hermione kept feeling a painful lurch in her heart, seeing him suffering like that. Harry had not spent a single night in peace, as his sleep was regularly disturbed by fever and sharp pain.
Often during those terrible moments, Harry kept shouting his mother's name. It was unbearable for Hermione, but she didn't want to leave him for any reason. Her only wish was to remain by Harry's side and help him.
That evening, Harry was sleeping deeply. Mrs. Figg had given him his usual calming potion before leaving. Hermione was sitting in a huge armchair by Harry's bed, never taking her gaze away from him. Her exhaustion was tremendous and after a good half hour, she couldn't prevent herself from closing her eyes and falling asleep.
Oddly, she found herself in a warm and comforting place; she was feeling light and relaxed, as she hadn't in ages. Looking around, Hermione realized she was standing on Hogwarts' grounds; she started walking along the lake toward the forest. The sky was clear and the sun was shining.
Hermione was completely alone when suddenly she saw a human figure come out from the darkness of the Forbidden Forest and head toward her. In her heart, she felt a deep desire to see who this person was and started to run to meet him.
Moving closer, she was better able to distinguish his body and facial features. She quickly realized it was Harry and felt an endless joy inside. He was in good health and was happily smiling at her. They gazed at each other intensely and held each other's hands.
"I won't ever leave you alone again. I promise!" said Harry. Hermione's heart overflowed with love for him and happiness. She knew that he was telling the truth, that they were bound together for life.
Hermione was going to tell him how she felt, but in that moment she woke up abruptly. Someone had laid a hand on her shoulder and she opened her eyes and looked around, disoriented.
"Hermione? Maybe you should go to bed now, dear. I'll stay with Harry." Mrs. Figg spoke with an encouraging tone, but Hermione didn't want to leave. She stared at Harry for a few seconds; he was still sleeping deeply.
"Thanks, but I prefer to stay."
"But he's sleeping like a baby. There's no need to worry! I promise you that nothing bad will happen while you're away."
Hermione wasn't sure about what to do and stared at Harry with apprehension. She still was feeling the weight of her exhaustion, however, and in the end decided to take a short break. She slowly stood up nodding and Mrs. Figg took her place on the armchair. "If there is something new, I'll call you immediately!"
"Thanks! I just need a half hour or so. I'll be back soon."
"Take your time, dear!"
With slow steps, Hermione headed to the door and when she closed it behind her, she felt her heart slightly lighter. Her bedroom was on the other side of the hall; she reached her room and once inside, she lit a few candles. It was just like Harry's bedroom, only a bit smaller.
Hermione walked over to the sink and stared at her reflection in the small mirror over it; she hardly recognized herself. Her face was pale and tired, thinner than ever; her hair was falling disheveled over her forehead and shoulders. She sighed deeply and then tried to arrange her hair in a braid. She washed her face with cold water and then moved over to her bed, collapsing heavily on top of it.
Almost immediately, she covered her face with her hands. Feeling an uncontrollable need to cry, she let it all out. I can't make it all alone. Harry, please don't leave me! she kept saying to herself, as warm tears streaked down her cheeks. She wasn't able to hold them back any longer and started to sob like a little girl. As she sat there releasing her pent up despair, she lost all track of time. She felt extremely lonely and desperate, her strength and hope having abandoned her.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
A persistent knocking on her door brought Hermione's attention back to her. She quickly wiped away her tears and stood up. "Come in!"
"Hermione, quick! You absolutely need to see this!" Mrs. Figg threw open the door with a strange twinkle in her eyes. Hermione's heart sank in fear and she rushed out and headed to Harry's bedroom.
"What's happened? Is he getting worse?" she asked, but Mrs. Figg's stare was indecipherable as she hesitated in front of the closed door.
"You need to be strong! What you're going to see could give you a shock!" said the older woman seriously and Hermione nodded, feeling a knot in her throat.
When they slowly opened the door, they heard Albus Dumbledore's deep voice, animatedly talking with someone else. Mrs. Figg and Hermione moved inside the room, but it seemed as though the Headmaster wasn't aware of their presence. Dumbledore laughed noisily and turned to face the newcomers, who were still staring at him, astonished.
"Oh, there you are, finally! I was just telling Harry that the wild raspberry harvest is held in this part of England, and that this is the right time of year!"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears; Albus Dumbledore was talking about wild raspberries with whom? She took a few more steps toward the canopy bed and when she saw Harry, she blinked several times before she fully realized what was happening.
Harry was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, smiling peacefully at her. He was still very pale in the face, of course, and a lot thinner than usual, but he was fully awake. Hermione raised her hands to her mouth and stared in turn at Dumbledore, who winked at her, and Harry, who had just stretched his arms out to her.
Wasting no time, Hermione rushed forward and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. She realized that his body was extremely thin; she almost feared hurting him with her hug. When Harry drew her even more tightly into him with his hug, Hermione couldn't keep herself from bursting into tears. Finally, her beloved one had woken up and she was holding him in her arms. It was like a wonderful dream, something that seemed difficult to believe.
"Shhhhh, don't cry. It's all over now, I'm back!" Harry whispered sweetly in her ears; Hermione was unable able to hold back her tears of joy. Harry then pulled back slightly, to look directly in her eyes; she tried her best to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand.
"P-please forgive me! I... I promised myself I wouldn't cry! I'm just a silly little girl!"
"Don't say that, it's not true! You must forgive me! You've suffered so much and it's all my fault!" Harry spoke in a low voice, slowly caressing her face with his hand.
"I've missed you so much, Harry!" Hermione hugged him again. They remained like that for a while, each in the arms of the other, enjoying the happiness they had found again. Mrs. Figg and Dumbledore shot each other glances of agreement.
= = = = = =
That night, Hermione fell in a deep and refreshing sleep, waking up in the late morning. When she opened her eyes, she quickly sat up on her bed, fearing that the events of the previous day had only been a dream.
She still couldn't believe that Harry had finally regained consciousness. Surely, the Headmaster's help had been fundamental in Harry recovery, even if it wasn't clear what kind of magic he had used this time.
Hermione rushed out of bed and quickly got ready. She then went over to Harry's bedroom and hesitated a few seconds in front of the door. From inside, she could hear the sound of indistinct voices; she slowly turned the handle and entered the room.
Harry was sitting on his bed with his back against on the wall and Albus Dumbledore was sitting by his side; they were talking animatedly like old friends and Hermione sighed in relief.
"Hermione!" Harry's face lit up with a large smile as he saw her coming in.
"I-I'm sorry! Shall I come back later?" she asked uncertainly, but Dumbledore stood up and stretched out a hand toward her.
"Not at all, my dear! Please, join us!"
Hermione closed the door and moved forward. She turned for a second to the table in the center of the room, where a tray with Harry's breakfast sat; she happily noticed that there was nothing remaining in his dishes and cup. She then took a seat by Harry's side and he grabbed her hands, squeezing them tightly.
Both of them stared at each other for a few seconds; Hermione got lost in his sweet emerald eyes, which were again shining as they had in the past.
Dumbledore sat in the nearby armchair, waiting quietly.
"We were talking about that night in Knockturn Alley," started Harry. Then his face became gloomy and he added, "The Headmaster just told me what happened to Mark Evans."
Hermione nodded in silence. Harry then turned to Dumbledore, "We have to find him! I don't want him to die! I'm sure he's redeemed himself, I know it!"
"We're doing our best to find him, Harry. The only think you should worry about now is getting well soon. We're all waiting to see you again at Hogwarts!"
Harry nodded. He also wanted to get well soon because there were still so many things he wanted to do. Dumbledore then stood up and stared directly into Harry's eyes before speaking.
"There is one last thing. You followed Mark Evans that night because you wanted to see Sirius Black, correct?
Harry sighed deeply and lowered his gaze, mortified. "Yes. I've been a real idiot! I shouldn't've believed such a foolish thing!"
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Harry. You just followed your heart. There is, however, still a possibility left!"
The young wizard raised his head toward the Headmaster as Hermione did the same.
"If you want to, on the next night of new moon, I'll help you perform the ceremony in front of the Veil of Death. And we won't need to go to the Ministry either!" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled secretly as Harry and Hermione exchanged a puzzled stare.
"You'll be happy to know that there are several Veils of Death all around the world. One of them is hidden at Hogwarts!"
"S-seriously?" Harry couldn't believe his ears. After all his effort and all the dangers he had to overcome, now he found out that there was another Veil of Death hidden at the school?
"Get well soon and when you're back with us, we'll arrange everything for it. Now I must leave you. Anyway, I'm sure you have lots of things to talk about!" As he finished his sentence, Dumbledore reached the door and left the room with a light rustle of his light blue robes behind him.
Finally alone, Hermione couldn't keep herself from commenting. "Did you hear that? It would've been smarter for us to have talked to Dumbledore first, instead of following that raving mad Mark Evans!" Hermione looked extremely upset and continued talking in a resentful tone, "I can't understand why you're still worrying about him, after all he's done to you!"
Harry smiled lightly and stretched out a hand to sweetly caress her face. "I know, you're right, but he doesn't deserve to die. I can't hate him! Dumbledore told me all about Mark. He was my age when he joined Voldemort. He wanted to be a powerful wizard and at that time he didn't know how evil Voldemort was. By the time he realized it, it was too late! Shortly before my parents' deaths, Mark betrayed Voldemort and left England, hiding abroad. He knew that Voldemort would have killed him! He couldn't even ask for the Ministry's help, since he had been a Death Eater. I hope Dumbledore finds Mark soon, I need to talk to him. I'm sure that he regrets his actions!"
"I don't think so!" Hermione stood up abruptly and paced the room with slow steps. "He dragged us directly to Voldemort and his servants! You risked your own life and it was all his fault! I'd never forgive him for this, NEVER!" Hermione tightened her fists, feeling tears welling up in her eyes, and swayed her gaze away.
"It's all my fault!" Harry felt extremely guilty and lowered his gaze. "I didn't realize what I was going to lose. If I had only listened to you! If only I had been wiser. If..." Harry felt a knot in his throat and couldn't continue. He covered his face with his hands and sighed deeply to regain control over himself; the last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of the girl he loved.
Hermione suddenly understood how fragile Harry was feeling at that moment. She wiped away her tears and rushed to hug him. "Shhhh, don't think about the past! We just need to forget it. I want to spend every single moment here in the present with you, that's all!"
Harry hugged her tightly and breathed in deeply her light perfume. He was holding in his arms the most important person of his life. If he had decided to remain with his parents in the Astral World, he'd have lost it all.
"I need to tell you something!" Harry pulled away and looked into her eyes. "While I was unconscious, I had an experience! My mum came to me and together we visited a wonderful place. I also met my father, it was incredible! Everything seemed so real. I also thought I should stay there with them."
Hermione smiled sweetly at him and ran her hand through his ruffled hair.
"But then I realized that I had to come back. My place is here, with you!"
"Any regrets?" asked Hermione, shyly. Harry cupped her face in his hands, smiling.
"I'd've come back a thousand times if I had to! I only wish you could read my heart. I'm feeling something so deep, so intense." Harry stopped for a second, then he whispered, "I love you so much, Hermione."
Their hearts were overflowing with joy as their eyes welled up from the emotion. Their lips slowly drew closer and then finally kissed passionately.
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