Amor Parentes: The Love of a Parent

R K Thompson

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 17/03/2005
Last Updated: 17/03/2005
Status: completed

What if Harry could remember more of that fateful night when he lost his parents? Would it make him stronger or drag him down in despair? Who might be able to help him? Completed.

Chapters

1. Amor Parentes: The Love of a Parent

1. Amor Parentes: The Love of a Parent

James laughed out loud as he guided the giggling, black-haired toddler hovering easily on a tiny broom. James followed him carefully as Harry floated off the floor just high enough for his feet to dangle a few inches above the floor. Around and around the room they went with Harry floating higher and higher, dodging the floating pumpkins and candles that were decorating the room. Taking his hand off of Harry's back, James laughed again as he watched Harry fly by himself in the middle of the room, being chased slowly by a small, dancing skeleton. Suddenly Harry started tipping over to one side but instead of falling to the floor, he simply rolled sideways with the broom until he was hanging upside down, his bottom firmly stuck to the broom. Instead of crying, Harry waved his fists and started giggling again as James stepped closer to return Harry to a more conventional flying position on his broom.

“James William Potter! Did you put a sticking charm on our son?! Again?”

“Ahh. Lily. I thought you were outside working in the garden…”

“I can see that. Now quit trying to change the subject. I thought we had agreed on the rules for Harry's broomstick…”

“Yes, well about that. I…err…well, technically the sticking charm is on the broom, not Harry this time.”

“And last time it was on his pajamas, and the time before that it was on his shorts, and…”

“Yes, yes, I know. I swear, Lily, this will be the last time,” promised James as he held Harry and removed the charm keeping Harry from falling off of his broom.

“The last time,” repeated Lily softly.

“What was that dear?”

“Nothing. Let's forget about the rules for today. Just don't drop him on the floor. I'm going to clean up a bit—I'll be back down in a few minutes.” She bent down and gave Harry a big kiss on the cheek and then walked upstairs.

Grinning, James tickled Harry and then put him back on his broom. He recast the sticking charm and then guided him around the room. In addition to the slowly flying child, the room's Halloween decorations included the smiling jack-o-lanterns, the popping candles, small ghosts and skeletons that floated around slowly, and several small trolls, giants, and dragons being chased by miniature wizards on broomsticks. He smiled as Harry laughed at the moving decorations and whispered encouragingly, “I knew your mum would come around. Next month, we'll start chasing a snitch.” Father and son laughed with joy, spinning around the room as Lily came back down to watch.

An hour later, Harry lay quietly on Lily's chest, sleeping lightly as she gently ran her fingers through his thick, messy hair.

“He definitely inherited your hair, James. Poor little thing.”

“What are you talking about, Lily? That's one of the things you love most about me!”

“If that's what I love most, that's nothing to brag about, James,” teased Lily as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“What's wrong, luv? You seem…distant today. And you usually don't let me off so easily when I break the rules.”

“It's nothing James. It's…”

“He's coming tonight, isn't he?”

“Yes,” sobbed Lily quietly into James' shoulder as he pulled her closer.

“Are you sure this is the only way luv? Surely there must be something more that we can do. Maybe Dumbledore...”

“I wish I could be certain but I've explained all of this to you before. The visions I have don't predict the future, they only show me different possibilities, different paths that can be taken. And this is the only way I saw in which Harry has a chance. It's the only way our world has a chance.”

“I know, it's just that I hate the idea of leaving him all…”

“I hate it too, James. But you have to trust me just once more.”

“I do Lily. With all my heart.” They just sat there as the afternoon slowly, almost lazily, turned into evening. Harry snuggled comfortably in his mother's arms while his father's arms encircled them both, trying to share his courage and strength.

“Have you seen what his life will be like? Will he be loved?”

“More than he can imagine. I've only caught glimpses of his future but he will know immense joy…and terrible suffering,” she added in a quiet whisper. “But he has your strength and courage James, your love of flying.”

“And your beautiful eyes. And your brains I hope. But who will take care of him?” asked James.

Lily paused for a moment and closed her eyes in pain. When she opened them again, she answered slowly. “Albus, Minerva, and Hagrid will protect him at Hogwarts. Sirius and Remus will also watch over him closely. And Arthur and Molly will take him under their wing as well. And there is one other who will help him fulfill his destiny and find peace and joy afterwards. One who will help him discover the power he knows not—the power to defeat Voldemort.”

Harry shifted uncomfortably and woke up, looking anxiously at his parents, as if he could sense something was wrong. Lily stood up and rocked him gently, heading into the kitchen with James right behind. They warmed up some roast chicken and potatoes from their dinner the night before and gave Harry a warm bowl of oatmeal with honey and a small cup with pumpkin juice. After they were finished eating, James cleared the table and cleaned the dishes while Lily finished feeding Harry and cleaned him up.

“Now remember, James, it has to look like we weren't expecting it. We have to act completely surprised when…”

“I know, I know,” growled James in a low voice. “I just can't believe Peter will betray us. After all we've done for him, this is how he repays us!” James was gripping the side of the sink so tightly his knuckles were white. “If he were here, I'd kill him myself. I only hope he gets what he deserves. I'm sure Sirius will see to that.”

Lily froze for a moment, but did not turn to look at her husband and focused on making sure Harry's hands were wiped clean. James grabbed a knife from a drawer to slice the cake and glanced outside the window into the growing dark when the lights in the house flickered. He snapped a quick glance at his wife and saw the fear and uncertainty melt from her eyes to be replaced with firm resolve. He walked to her side quickly as she pulled Harry out of his chair. He wrapped them in a tight embrace and whispered softly, “I love you Lily. I always will. And you Harry.” Then he bent down and whispered ”Amor Aeternus Paterno,” and kissed Harry lightly on the forehead.

With a crash, the kitchen door that led outside slammed open and a dark robed figure stepped inside. An evil chuckle filled the room as James spun around to face the intruder, placing himself between him and the door to the living room, with his young wife and small child behind him.

“Thrice have you defied me and my minions, Potter. There will not be a fourth.”

“How did you…oh, poor Peter! What did you do to him?” asked James.

Voldemort laughed. “Poor Petigrew? Before you die tonight, know that he betrayed you to your death. He betrayed your son! But do not worry, I will punish him, lest he think he can betray me as well. He will suffer, but he will have his uses. Unfortunately, I cannot give you any more chances. But I will allow you to plead for the life of your wife if you wish, and I might consider sparing her.”

James slowly drew his wand and stood defiantly in front of Voldemort, sheltering his wife and son. “Go now Lily. I will hold him off as long as I can. My broom is upstairs,” he whispered softly.

“Excellent! I knew you would never surrender. This will make your death much more enjoyable. But know that your son will die tonight Potter. You cannot prevent that.”

With his left hand, James pushed Lily and Harry towards the door as he kept his wand aimed at Voldemort who merely watched with grim amusement on his face. They were almost through the door when Voldemort cast an Impediment jinx at them that James managed to block. Then Lily was running with Harry up the stairs as fast as she could, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. As she ran, she could hear the crackling of spells being exchanged in the kitchen and the muffled explosions as they were deflected into the walls. She took Harry into their bedroom and locked the door behind her with her wand.

In the kitchen, James was diving wildly to avoid another cutting curse cast by Voldemort. Rolling on the floor, he then aimed at where Voldemort had been only to see nothing at all. Realizing his mistake, he turned too late. The Cruciatus curse hit him in the back and drove him to his hands and knees. As he bit his tongue to keep from screaming out in pain, he could feel the warm, coppery taste of blood. He tried to focus on that to prevent himself from falling into the whirling chaos of pain that welled up within his chest as Voldemort increased the intensity of the spell.

Grinning like a skull, Voldemort leered at James as he lay shaking on the floor. “Impressive. Few are able to resist my Cruciatus curse. What a waste. You would have made an excellent Death Eater.”

Unsteadily, James rose to his feet and glared defiantly at the Dark Lord. “Go to hell!” he spat.

Voldemort laughed and lazily raised his wand and pronounced “Avada Kedavra.” The green beam of light struck James full in the chest and toppled him over backwards. He lay very still on the floor. With a swirl of black robes, Voldemort turned to follow the fleeing mother and child upstairs.

Lily was speaking softly to Harry, trying to control the trembling in her voice. “Dearest Harry, there is so much more we wanted to do with you, do for you. We love you so much and we would do anything for you…please try and understand. There was no other way. We will always be there for you, watching over you, even if you can't see us. We will always love you Harry.”

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Lily ran with Harry towards the nursery. Voldemort blasted the bedroom door off of its hinges and turned to see another door in the room slam shut.

“You cannot hide from me!” he roared and blasted that door into splinters as well.

He advanced towards the woman, who was holding a crying baby in her arms with her back towards him. She was rocking him gently, obviously trying to soothe him. “Amor Aeternus Matra,” she whispered and gently kissed Harry on the forehead.

“Give me the boy and I'll let you live,” demanded Voldemort.

“Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!”

“Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…”

“Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—Not Harry! Please, have mercy! Have mercy!”

Voldemort raised his wand again and muttered the incantation that had slain her husband. A green light shot forth from the tip of his wand and struck Lily Potter in the back. She crumpled immediately and the child wailed as he struck the floor. Voldemort stepped closer and crouched down to get a better look at the toddler. The boy sat up, looked at his dead mother, and then looked back at Voldemort with a very angry look on his face. Voldemort raised his wand again and repeated the feared spell for the third time that night. There was another bright green light, and then nothing but blackness.

-----

Her mind spun. How long has he known? His parents knew Voldemort would kill them? Does he relive their deaths every night in his nightmares? Is this why he always looks so tired? How does he manage to…Oh, poor Harry. If there were only some way I could help. If only I could find the courage to tell you…

“Did you find what you were looking for?” asked a cold, angry voice, snapping her out of her private thoughts.

The girl spun around, tears streaming down her face from her deep, brown eyes.

“Oh, Harry!” she exclaimed as she threw her arms around the young man. She felt his body stiffen in surprise, and then he slowly pulled her arms away from him and stepped back.

“Did you find what you were looking for in my Pensieve?” repeated the bitter voice, shaking a little as if his control would snap at any moment.

“I didn't mean to snoop, honestly. I came here looking for you and Ron…”

“Well, we weren't here. That should have been obvious when you saw that our room was empty. What did you see?”

His bright green eyes smoldered with anger. She could see his shoulder muscles tense, his fingers curling into fists, as if he were desperately trying to control his growing rage.

“I—I saw your dad and mum die in your home. I saw you prevent Professor Quirrell and Voldemort from getting the Philosopher's Stone. I watched you defeat the Basilisk and Tom Riddle. I saw Cedric die in the graveyard and how you escaped. I watched the whole battle at the Department of Ministries from your perspective. And…and I saw Sirius fall through the veil. I watched you attack Bellatrix Lestrange and then face Voldemort again. And after all that, I saw Dumbledore trying to tell you something in his office, but I didn't see all of it. Is that why Dumbledore gave you the Pensieve? To help you deal with…”

“Who knows? Dumbledore never seems to feel the need to tell anyone what he does or why. And you don't have to mince words—Sirius is dead. Just like everyone else that comes too close to me.”

“Harry,” she started, afraid he would sink into the deep anger and depression which had gripped him all summer. He had not responded to one letter any of his friends had sent and had hid in his room at Grimmauld Place the entire time he was there, not even coming down to eat. School had begun two weeks ago and though he went to classes, he spoke to no one, attending class like a mindless golem, eating by himself, and finishing his homework at a small table in a hidden corner of the library.

“Stop! Now go away and leave me alone! Don't you get it?!?!”

She backed up a step and raised her hands slightly, palms up, in a defensive posture.

“Everyone around me ends up hurt or dead!” exploded Harry. “It was a miracle I didn't get all of us killed last spring when I dragged you all down to the Ministry with me!” He continued in a very bitter voice. “Luckily, I only managed to get Sirius killed that time.” He turned away for a moment and then looked back at her and shouted, “Now get out! And stay away from me!” He then turned away and walked over to the window.

“No,” came the soft reply. Then the voice strengthened. “If you think you can protect us by ignoring us then you're a bigger idiot than Fudge.”

“What?!?!”

“Do you really think that you can fool Voldemort or any of his Death Snacking spies by suddenly pretending you don't like any of the people you've been with for over five years? Do you think we don't know why you've been ignoring us for the past three months?”

“You don't understand half of what you think you do!”

“Then why don't you explain it to me!” she responded, her temper quickly rising to match his anger.

His hand whipped out and he saw a flash of fear in her eyes which caused him a deep pang somewhere in his stomach. For a brief moment, he almost enjoyed the sick sensation, it was the first thing he had felt in weeks. Then he hated himself for causing one of his best friends to fear him. Aiming his wand over her shoulder he locked the door and then cast a silencing spell around them, ensuring that nobody could eavesdrop on their conversation.

Drawing a deep, ragged breath, he gazed deep into her brown eyes and threw caution to the wind. “You wanna know? Fine. Dumbledore told me the prophecy—the whole prophecy. He heard it when it was originally made. Apparently, I'm supposed to save the wizarding world from Voldemort again or die trying. That's why Dumbledore didn't finish him off at the Ministry. He couldn't. Apparently that's my job. It's either kill or be killed…” he finished with anguish in his voice and turned away again.

“And who knows how many more will die before we sort that out,” he snorted quietly with bitter irony.

Raising his head again to look clearly into the young witch's eyes, he asked, “Happy now? Have I fully satisfied your curiosity or would you like to pry some more in the Pensieve?”

“Stop it Harry.”

“Stop what? Don't you get it? According to that bloody prophecy, I'm the only one who can beat Voldemort. Everyone around me will DIE if they try and help me against Voldemort! How thick can you be?”

“Harry, you don't know that!”

“You have to admit that the people around me seem to have a slightly higher than average chance of dying a very quick death. And even if I have a chance to beat Voldemort, right now I'd say the odds of that happening aren't very…” snapped Harry sarcastically.

“So you're just going to give up then? You're going to reject the help of all those who are willing to stand by you and help you defeat him? You're just going to forget about all the people who have stood up to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, ignore the sacrifices of Cedric and Sirius, of your parents, and pretend that they never…”

“You leave Sirius and my parents out of this!!! How dare you!!! I can't believe you…” Harry towered above the slim girl in front of him, his body shaking with barely controlled rage. There was a twinkle of glass as the windows in the room exploded outwards, sending shards of glass tumbling into the courtyard below. She heard his knuckles crack as his fingers tightened their grip on his wand. For the briefest of moments, she seriously thought he was either going to hit her or hex her, and she admitted to herself that she probably deserved at least one or the other for pushing his buttons like this, but she did not retreat or back down. Instead, she matched his furious gaze with an intense one of her own before she replied.

“They knew what they were doing Harry. Sirius came to rescue you. He was your godfather and he loved you like the son he never had. And you were the child of his best friends—he would have done anything for them. As he did for you. Think about it, Harry. He risked everything for you time and time again. Escaping from Azkaban, visiting you at Hogwarts, helping in the Order.

And your parents felt the same way, only more so, Harry. They loved you. And they wanted to protect you and give you a chance to live more than anything. They loved you more than life itself. They knew, Harry. They knew Voldemort was coming for them and for you that night. And they did what they thought was best. But they loved you Harry. That's what your mother was trying to tell you Harry. They wanted you to live and be happy, even if they had to die to do it.”

She watched as the fury drained from his face to be replaced with a deep sorrow that was truly terrible to behold. Before he collapsed to the floor, she stepped forward to catch him and help him remain standing. She wrapped her arms around his back, and then gasped as he hugged her back even more tightly. She rubbed his back softly as he burrowed his face into her shoulder and began to cry into her long, thick hair. She heard somebody pounding on the door, demanding to be let in, but she ignored them.

Finally, Harry's shoulders stopped shaking and he pushed away from her quickly and turned away, rubbing his eyes furiously. “I'm sorry, I can't believe I just…”

“Shhh, Harry. It's alright. Do you feel any better?”

“Not really. Actually I just feel like an idiot—like a big crybaby.”

“Sometimes it's good to get things off your chest like that.” Seeing his doubtful look, she continued. “If it makes you feel any better, I promise not to tell anyone that I saw the Boy Who Lived actually shed a tear. We wouldn't want to ruin the whole hero image thing you've got going, huh?”

“Uh, thanks, I think. You're teasing me, aren't you?”

“Of course not, Harry,” she replied with a faint smile. “But I really want to apologize again, Harry, for looking into the Pensieve. I shouldn't have done it and I'm terribly sorry.”

“Well, actually it's a relief that somebody besides me knows about the prophecy.” Harry's face suddenly registered shock, and then fear. He raised his wand. “It's too dangerous for you to know about that though. If Voldemort ever caught you, he'd…”

Her eyes glinted dangerously. “He'd torture me and kill me just like anyone else who has opposed him. I know what the risks are, Harry. But Voldemort doesn't know there is more to the prophecy. He thinks it was destroyed just like everyone else. So he wouldn't bother to ask me about it. So don't even think about pulling a Lockhart on me. I prefer my brain functioning just the way it is right now, thank you. But if it really bothers you that much, we can go and talk to Dumbledore about it, and he can remove my memory of the prophecy if it will make you feel better.”

Harry's face looked slightly relieved. “So how much did you see in the Penseive?”

“Like I told you, I saw your last evening with your parents, Harry, and…”

“So do you think they really knew what was going to happen?”

“I'm not sure. I think they had a pretty good idea, but it sounds like your mom's visions were much different from anything I've ever read about in Divination.”

“And Trelawney's class has never been particularly helpful,” grinned Harry.

She laughed in response. “That's true.”

Suddenly Harry's face lost all trace of mirth again. “I wonder if they knew about the prophecy, or if my mom saw some vision of me confronting Voldemort…”

“I think your mum may have, but I don't know how much she may have seen of the future. I do believe she knew that you would someday be able to relive those memories and I think she tried to give you some help to guide you.”

“Really?”

She looked surprised. “Yes. Your mom mentioned the power he knows not, the power to defeat Voldemort.”

“Blimey, you sound just like Dumbledore, talking in riddles.”

“You mean you don't know what power that is Harry?”

“If I did, wouldn't I have used it to send Voldemort back to hell already?” retorted Harry angrily.

“Harry, don't you know how you got Voldemort out of your mind at the Ministry?”

“I'm not sure what Dumbledore did—I don't think it was anything I did.” He looked away guiltily. “I just wanted it to be over and to be with Sirius and my parents again. That was all I could think about.”

She watched him closely and her thoughts raced. She then gasped in surprise as she realized that the phrase the power he knew not might have a double meaning. Maybe neither Harry nor Voldemort knew this power. And maybe there was a message in Harry's memories for her as well. Just how much had Lily Potter foreseen? Should she? But what if he didn't feel…

She shook herself as she reached her decision and summoned all of her Gryffindor courage. “Harry, maybe I can help you understand part of what your mother was trying to tell you.”

“Really? How?”

“You'll just have to trust me. Do you trust me Harry?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then raise your arms. Put your wand away and point your right hand at the door and raise your left hand and point it at the window. Now lean forward a little bit…that's good. Now close your eyes. You have to close them. Good. Now try and clear your mind of everything…”

Harry opened his eyes and stared at her. “Uhh, you're not going to try and break into my mind with a Legilimens spell are you?” he asked with a slight trace of suspicion.

“No, Harry. But you have to trust me, okay?”

“You know I do.”

“Good. Now close your eyes and clear your mind.”

Harry stood still, feeling very awkward and somewhat foolish, trying to figure out what she was up to when the most incredible sensation struck his lips. At first he thought he was back under the mistletoe and that Cho was trying to kiss him—only this wasn't wet and awkward—this was incredible and defied easy description. Just as soon as his mind realized what was happening, it refused to analyze anything else. His lips felt like they were on fire, a feeling which quickly spread to every other part of his body. He had never felt like this before. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, but he found that he didn't mind at all. And then it was over. Or at least he thought it was over. The kiss was over, but to his amazement and utter delight, the feeling remained. It was not as intense, but he could still feel it nevertheless.

He opened his eyes and found himself only inches from those wonderfully warm brown orbs as their foreheads rested against each other. Both his arms had decided to wrap themselves around the shorter girl and hold her as close as possible as if it were the most natural thing on earth to do. For a moment, he almost panicked, unsure and disbelieving of what had just occurred. But that warm gaze held his eyes locked and he resisted the urge to step away. Instead, he lowered his head and kissed her back. And to his great joy, the powerful waves of happiness and peace washed over him again, seeming to soothe his fears and strengthen his courage and resolve.

When he stopped to breathe again, he looked again into those deep brown eyes and thought he detected traces of humor, relief, joy, excitement, and peace, as well as something he couldn't identify. He pushed away slightly, to get a better perspective and try to understand what had just happened. Reluctantly, he felt her arms release him.

Finally, he found a few words from his nearly forgotten vocabulary. “What was…why did you do that?” he managed to articulate. Suddenly he felt his stomach drop in worry as he saw emotions he definitely recognized flash across her face—surprise, fear, sadness, rejection, hurt, anger and finally resignation.

“I—I'm sorry, Harry. I never should have done that. I should have known better. I shouldn't have assumed that you felt the same way about me. I'm sorry—I won't bother you anymore,” she promised, speaking rapidly as she turned to run from the room.

Harry quickly caught her wrist and spun her back to face him again. “What are you talking about? What do you mean—what did you think I might feel?”

Looking at him through eyes brimming with tears, she replied, “You still don't get it, do you Harry?” She then tilted her head and looked at him again and spoke more softly, “But then, I guess it would be very difficult for you to recognize it after all.” She grasped both his hands in hers and looked up into those green eyes looking desperately at her, hungry for understanding.

“Harry, I don't know if you felt what I felt, but that was the power you know not— the power of love. It's the same power that can defeat Voldemort. Only he'll never understand it. But you can. That's how you can eventually defeat him once and for all, because that's how you've beaten Voldemort time and again so far in your life. That's how your parents defeated him when you were a child. Their protective charm, an ancient charm based on the love of a parent, protected you from his Avada Kedavra curse. Your skin, still protected by that same charm, helped you defeat him again when he possessed the body of Professor Quirrell. It was your love and loyalty to someone you barely knew, someone you considered as close as your own family that helped you beat Tom in the Chamber of Secrets. It was your love for your parents which allowed you to outduel Voldemort in the cemetery and eventually escape, and it was that same love for them and Sirius that allowed you to banish him from your mind in the Ministry. Different kinds of love, of course, but a power which the Dark Lord will never know or understand.”

“Then you kissed me because…”

“Because I love you Harry. Not Harry Potter the star Gryffindor seeker or the Boy Who Lived. Just Harry. And I wanted to show you how love can feel. I—I thought maybe I was the one your mum was talking about, the one who would help you discover the power to defeat Voldemort—the power of love. I thought that maybe you felt the same way for me, but I guess…”

Harry pulled his hands free from her grasp and placed them on her shoulders and looked down at her. She kept her head down, refusing to meet his eyes while her shoulders began to shake. As he stood there, he remembered the feelings he had experienced a few moments before when they had kissed. Then a kaleidoscope of images from their school years together flashed before his eyes. All of the adventures, the dangers, the discussions, and the jokes they had shared at Hogwarts, at Grimmauld Place, and with the Weasleys at the Burrow. Then he saw their school years together from another perspective, this time with the added dimension of those feelings he had just felt mixed in. He suddenly understood that the deep friendship he had shared with her for so long meant much more to him than he had ever dreamed. Shocked, he realized that much of what he had secretly, even unknowingly, longed for all of his life—someone who knew him and loved him for who he really was, someone who respected him and helped him and made him a better person—was right here in front of him, resting in his arms but nearly out of his grasp.

He cupped her chin with his hand and raised it gently. He looked down into those beautiful brown orbs and saw hope mixed with uncertainty, joy mingled with despair, optimism battling with fear. But mostly he saw what he now knew to be love, and hoped his eyes fully reflected those powerful feelings. He then bent down and kissed her, trying to let her know how he felt for her now that he realized what love really felt like. Her response convinced him that she understood what he was trying to communicate to her.

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled, interrupting their beautiful moment together, and they broke apart laughing.

“I think we better get some food in that stomach of yours, Mr. Potter,” she teased and then aimed her wand to remove the charms Harry had placed on the door.

“Wait. How did you know that you were the one, the one my mum was talking about?”

“I didn't. I knew how I felt about you, and I just hoped I would be the one to help you find love.”

“So, just the usual mix of Gryffindor courage and luck, huh?” Then a panicked look crossed his face. “But if Voldemort finds out how I feel about you, if anyone at the school tells him or if…if I can't keep him out of my head again—you'll be his next target. I can't let someone I care about die because of me. Not again. I can't…”

“Harry! Listen to me. I'm already near the top of his list of enemies. And it's not like he hasn't tried to kill me before. Besides, it will be okay. Your mum was a seer, right?”

“Yeah, I guess” he admitted reluctantly, with a glimmer of hope. “But I didn't think you believed in Divination.”

She smiled. “Oh, not Trelawney's theatrics. But I believe in your mum. And she said `There is one other who will help him fulfill his destiny and find peace and joy afterwards.' I believe her. I know you will beat Voldemort. And I plan on doing everything in my power to make that prophecy come true, Harry Potter. I intend to help you defeat Voldemort and then spend the rest of my life with you making you happy, if that is what you want.”

“It is!” he burst out. “But we don't know if she actually saw that in a vision, or if she was just trying to make my dad feel better, or…”

She stood closer and placed a finger on his lips, quieting him. “Shh. Just be still for a moment and look at me. And listen closely Harry.” He stopped and looked deeply into her eyes.

“Harry, you are a great wizard. You are strong enough to defeat Voldemort and you will defeat him if you let those who love and care for you help you do it. I don't care what that other prophecy says about you having to do it alone. You don't have to Harry. Even if we can't be there physically, we will still be there helping you—just like Cedric and your parents helped you escape from Voldemort in the graveyard.” She laid her hand gently on his chest. “We will all be there with you when you need us, Harry. I will be there Harry. I will always be with you Harry. Whenever you need me. And nothing will ever change that.”

Harry placed his shaking hand over hers, which still rested lightly on his chest, and blinked the tears out of his eyes. As he continued to look into her eyes, he felt again that powerful surge of emotion. But it seemed different somehow. It gave him balance and stability and clarity. He felt strength and confidence he never thought he possessed, and a burning determination to do whatever it took to beat Voldemort and survive. Looking down at the young woman in his arms, he felt hope that he might actually be able to live a life of his own choosing some day. And he felt awed that someone could care about him this much, could make him feel this way. He crushed her to him in a tight hug and whispered thank you softly in her ear. He then just held her as his mind struggled to adjust to the new perspective he had obtained and the new possibilities that now lay before him.

A few minutes later, they headed downstairs, through the common room, and down the hallways towards the Great Hall, where most of the students were either finishing their dinner or on their way back to their common rooms to study.

The young couple, as they chatted quietly, failed to notice the looks of shock on the faces of all those they passed. Nor did they realize that they were holding hands the entire time they walked to their seats at the Gryffindor table. Nor did they notice the initial silence replaced by a loud buzzing as they sat very close together at the table and began filling their plates, talking and laughing contently the entire time. The happy and knowing looks on many of the Gryffindor faces went unobserved, as did the jealous looks from some of the girls from other houses.

---

As Dumbledore sat talking quietly with McGonagall at the head table, she noticed a slight twinkle growing in his eyes. Years seemed to drop from his face as the lines of worry which had appeared over the long summer since Sirius' death began to fade away. Startled, McGonagall turned to look to see what had caused the subtle transformation in Dumbledore's countenance. It didn't take her long to notice the growing buzz in the Great Hall and track its source to a young wizard and witch sitting by themselves at the far end of the Gryffindor table, completely oblivious to the world around them. Her jaw dropped when she recognized the young couple and she turned back to Dumbledore.

“Ahh, young love. What a wonderful, powerful thing it is.”

“What are you talking about Albus? I agree, Potter certainly seems much happier than he has since he's returned to school, but surely, they are too young for…”

“Look at them, Minerva. Who do they remind you of?”

“Well, of course, he looks like his father, and she…but…”

“Look closer. Look at how they interact. Can you sense their aura?”

She looked again, more intently this time. “Albus…I can't believe it. It can't be that strong…it can't be. Even after they were married, James and Lily didn't give off an aura that powerful. How could this…”

Leaning back in his chair, he made a quick gesture with his fingers to ensure that nobody overheard their conversation and told Minerva, “Harry has finally discovered the power he will need to defeat Voldemort. And he will need every bit of it I fear. We need to summon the Order. We have many preparations to make. Harry's additional training must begin soon.”

“Do you think he will want to Albus? He hasn't seemed very…uhh… interested in much since Sirius' death.”

“I believe he has found a new incentive to defeat Voldemort. I will speak with him of course. And we will offer to train her as well.”

“What?! You can't be serious. She can't defeat You-Know-Who.”

“No, she cannot. But she can help him prepare. And I seriously doubt they would have it any other way. I believe she will be able to help him in more ways than we can imagine. And we must provide additional protection for her family. Once Voldemort learns of this new development, he will try to take advantage of what he perceives to be a great weakness. We must not allow anything to happen to either her or her family.”

“But we already have protections for her…”

“Yes, I know Minerva. But we must strengthen them and provide a constant guard over them as well. Harry has suffered so much loss already—were he to lose her now, right after discovering his feelings for her—we cannot allow that to happen. We cannot—I cannot fail him again.”

“Albus, he does not blame you for Sirius' death. He blames himself.”

“And he should not. That was mostly a foolish old man's fault. But I must do better this time. We cannot allow Voldemort to attack him through either her or her family.”

“Of course not, Albus. But I'm not sure I completely understand.”

“Then look again at the aura that surrounds them. Then imagine what might happen if Harry lost that. We've both seen what happened following the death of Sirius. Then magnify the magnitude of that loss a hundredfold. Now Harry is one of the strongest young men I have ever known, both mentally and magically. But would he be able to survive her loss, on top of everything else he has suffered? I believe he would, but we dare not take that risk.”

“Albus, surely you don't think he would ever go over to…that he would…”

“go over to Voldemort?” Dumbledore chuckled grimly. “Of course not. But he could be much worse than Voldemort ever dreamed of being.”

McGonagall stopped and looked at him in shock while he continued.

“Part of what drove Tom Riddle to become Lord Voldemort was his twisted grief and despair for what happened to his mother. And his love for her was nowhere near the strength of what Harry is feeling right now. And if he took that away, he would become Harry's next target. But if he lost her now, might Harry not also blame the entire wizarding world for her loss? After all, their treatment of him has been mixed at best. And he may not see much in the wizarding world worth protecting at such tremendous personal sacrifice. Voldemort doesn't seek to destroy the wizarding world, he wants to rule it, even if he would allow only the purebloods to survive in it. Harry might decide none of it is worth saving and act accordingly.”

Every drop of blood had drained from McGonagall's face.

“Now I don't believe for one moment that Harry would ever do any of that—that is simply the worst case scenario—but the possibility does exist. I believe Harry will eventually become powerful enough to do something like that if he wished, and if the depth of the love he is able to feel right now ever turned to blind rage and hatred, well…” Dumbledore looked back out at the young couple.

“I apologize for making you listen to an old man's fears, Minerva. I simply wished to stress the importance of protecting her and her family. And not just for their sake or that of the wizarding world. But for Harry's as well.”

“I understand, Albus. There is no need to apologize. I…I just wish we could lighten his burden somehow. Why has so much been placed on the shoulders of this young man?”

“I do not know, Minerva. I do not know,” answered Dumbledore softly, as they watched the happy young couple for a few more moments before they left the Professors' table quietly.

---

As they finished their chocolate cake, the happy young pair suddenly looked up as another girl slowly approached them.

“Mind if I have a seat?” she asked.

Harry waved her to a seat.

“So, I guess you guys are officially a couple now?”

Harry looked back and forth between Ginny and Hermione as the two girls stared at each other. “Yeah, I guess so,” he answered, a slight blush on his face. A sharp elbow in his rib helped him modify his answer slightly. “I mean yes, we are. How did you know?”

“Uhh, I think everybody in the school probably knows by now, Harry. You two weren't exactly subtle about walking in holding hands,” came the laughing, slightly teasing voice. “I am so happy for both of you. This is great! It's about time, too!”

“Uhh, everyone knows?” replied Harry uncertainly. “Oh no! What about Ron? I've got to talk to Ron before…”

“Don't worry, I can handle Ron,” answered both Hermione and Ginny at the same time, and then they both broke out laughing.

“I'm sure you can, but I think I should probably talk to him first,” smiled Harry.

“Suit yourself, Harry. I've got to go finish my Potions research in the library. Congratulations again. I'm glad you're both happy,” she finished as she got up from the table and walked away.

“Well, she took that better than I expected.”

Harry swiveled in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“You didn't know, Harry? No, of course not. She barely got over her crush on you this summer, Harry.”

“What? Oh. Well, I guess that's good then. That would have been awkward. Do you really think she's okay with it then?”

“Yeah Harry. We've talked about it. Unfortunately, some of the other girls aren't taking it as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look around the Great Hall Harry, and tell me how many upset girls you see.”

Harry paused, and for the first time, looked around the room. “Uhh, about a half dozen? What are they mad about?”

“Well, there are bound to be more. And they're upset because they're not going out with the Boy-Who-Lived.”

Harry put his face into his hands, mortified. “Please tell me you're joking. They didn't all have crushes on me, did they? Please tell me they didn't.”

All he heard was a low chuckle.

“It's not funny,” he insisted.

“I know, but well, it is kind of funny,” came the amused reply.

“So half the girls in Hogwarts are going to be mad at me and you, I still have to tell Ron, and who knows how he is going to react, and the wizarding papers haven't even gotten wind of it yet. Not to mention what will happen when Voldemort and his Death Munchers find out.”

“Having second thoughts, Harry?” she asked, trying to hide a note of fear in her voice.

“Of course not. You're the smartest, most beautiful witch in the world. I'm the luckiest wizard in the world to have you. You're everything I ever hoped for and so much more than I deserve,” he stated fervently, grasping one of her hands and running the fingers of his other hand down the side of her cheek. “It's just that…I'm afraid I will let you down—that I'll somehow mess this up.”

“Don't worry, Harry. I told you, I will always be there for you. Always. You can't do anything that will drive me away. You're not going to mess us up. I love you Harry. That will never change. Do you understand?”

“Yes, it's just that I'm afraid you'll get hurt or…”…”

“Harry, please don't worry. You have to believe me when I tell you that nothing is going to happen to us. Together we can survive anything life tosses our way—angry students, Snape's class, bad publicity in the papers, even Voldemort's evil little plans for world domination. We will have a long, happy life together despite all that. I promise. Have I ever let you down before?”

“No,” came the clear answer.

“Then, Harry, you have to trust me just once more.”

“I do Hermione. With all my heart.” Her eyes brimmed with tears and then she gasped with joy at hearing his next words. “And I…I love you Hermione. I always will.”

Fini.

Author's Note—This is one of my favorite stories and I have reworked it and edited it to make it flow a little better. I thought I would take a little break from my longer story, don't worry, I'm still working on it, but I thought it might be fun to try some shorter stories that wouldn't take so long to write and explore some of the other ideas that have occurred to me as I reread the Harry Potter stories. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. As with any author, I love to get feedback, so if you feel so inclined to review, please do.

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