Disclaimers: Obviously none of this belongs to me.
Thanks to my beta Danielle
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Harry made it through the rest of the feast with little excitement. Most of the Gryffindors and members of the DA just said hi to him or gave him a smile. On their way back to the tower, Malfoy tried to start something, but Harry looked him straight in the eye before walking away. Hermione and Ron took Harry's lead and caught the shocked look on Malfoy's face as they were leaving.
Once he had unpacked and gotten his bed straight, Harry made his way down to the common room. Most of the first and second years had already retired and everyone else was involved in various activities. Hermione had procured her favorite chair by the fire and seemed to be going over their schedules for the next term. Ron was catching up with Seamus over a game of chess. Harry wandered over to where Hermione sat and dropped onto the hearthrug staring into the fire. She looked over the top of her parchment at him and asked, "How are you?"
Harry shrugged and gave her a small smile. "A bit overwhelmed actually." He noticed Ron looking their direction and shook his head letting him know that this was not 'the talk' and that he could continue his game.
"I never thought about coming back here and just being 'Harry the student' you know," he continued. "I've been so focused on what's going to happen I haven't taken the time to think about how I'm going to get there."
"We'll figure it out, Harry," Hermione said confidently, no trace of the petrified girl he'd seen on the train. Obviously she'd been doing some thinking of her own. "Ron and you and myself, like we always do. You're not in this alone."
Harry smiled his thanks and scooted back so that he could lean against the side of her chair and lose himself in the fire. Hermione returned to her writing and the scratching of her quill was an odd comfort to Harry as he stared into the fire and remembered talking to Sirius here last year.
Harry didn't realize how much time had passed until a gentle tap on his shoulder broke him from his reverie. He stiffly turned and saw that the common room was dark and quiet, save for the crackling of the fire. Ron was now sitting on one of the couches and Hermione was still in the chair next to him. Harry slowly got to his feet and took a quick glance around the room to ensure they were alone. To make sure that they wouldn't be overheard, he pulled out his wand and cast a silencing charm on the area around them before sitting on the couch between his two best friends.
Harry took a deep breath and began. "First I want to tell you two how sorry I am for not keeping in touch with you this summer, but I needed to. I had to be by myself. Because of Sirius and because of what I'm going to tell you tonight." Even if Hermione hadn't have figured out what Dumbledore had told him, Harry had known that she and Ron would have to know about the prophecy. "But before I tell you, I want to know what happened this summer. I probably don't have a right to ask, but I think it was something big and I think I need to know."
Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and Harry knew they had already talked about this, about how much and when to tell him.
Hermione was the first to speak. "You don't have to apologize Harry. We knew you were going to have a rough summer because of Sirius. We understand. We know there are things that you have to deal with that we can't comprehend. But you're right, you do need to know everything that's happened." She turned to Ron then and Harry knew that if Hermione was going to let Ron do the talking, this really was big.
Ron ran a hand through his already messy hair and steeled himself for what he had to do. "Well you see, Harry,' he began shakily, sounding eerily like the younger Ron, before taking a deep breath. His next words spoken were stronger and there was no hesitation. "About four weeks into the summer, there was a Death Eater attack at the Burrow." He paused and looked over at Harry and wasn't surprised at what he saw.
Harry had gone ghost white. His mouth hung slightly open and there was a pained expression on his face. He went to speak but nothing came out at first. 'N-n-no' he stuttered out. Harry rose to his feet and began to pace in front of the fire, grabbing manically at his head and muttering 'No' over and over again.
Hermione jumped up and caught his arm on one of his turns. "Harry! It's ok, no one was hurt." This got Harry's attention and he spun in Ron's direction. "Everyone's ok?" he asked desperately
"Yeah mate, no one was home at the time," Ron answered, throat a bit tight at Harry's obvious concern for his family, but there was something behind the way he said that which caught Harry's attention. "The house is gone though, blown to bits. We think it was just a warning. It's no secret that my family is against Voldemort."
Harry had sunk back onto the couch, but at hearing Ron say Voldemort's name, his head shot up.
Ron continued, "No one blames you, Harry. This isn't your fault or something you could have stopped. My parents have been in the Order since before we were born." Ron now looked desperately to Hermione, hoping she would step in and help him. This is what they had both been so worried about, that Harry would blame himself and retreat further away from them. That had quite a few rows over the summer concerning when and how to tell him.
Hermione came off her chair and knelt by Harry's side of the couch. She put a hand on his knee to get his attention.
"You couldn't have done anything Harry. The Order had no notice at all that anything like this would happen. And Ron's right, the Weasley's are known supporters of Dumbledore. They were already targets."
Harry was silent and no one moved until he spoke. "I know it's not my fault. And I know there was little I could have done since I was at the Dursley's. I just wish I had known earlier. But then, I think you were right to wait to tell me. I honestly don't think I could have dealt with this then." Harry looked down sadly at his feet thinking of all the things his best friend's family had lost. "Ron, your Mum must be devastated. Did you lose everything?"
"Not everything. Mum had put some heavy-duty charms on anything worth keeping in case something ever happened. She said it was required with the twins in the house," he said with a grin. "We moved into Order headquarters after that. Hope you don't mind, but there was nowhere else to go at the time. Hermione joined us there right after the attack and that's where we've been ever since." Ron sat back onto the couch, looking resigned and much older than his sixteen years.
Hermione stood up and returned to her seat. Both she and Ron were looking at Harry with questioning looks on their faces. He looked at both of them and reached over to give Hermione's hand a squeeze. "Anything else?" Harry questioned worriedly. "Any other attacks, sightings, anything else I need to know?"
"Attacks have been on the rise for the past couple of months, nothing major. There have been two deaths," Hermione stated. "A muggle couple, out for a walk. Their bodies were found the next day with the Dark Mark floating above them. The Order obviously doesn't tell us much, but from what the twins have been able to overhear, Voldemort is in a holding pattern right now. He seems to be gathering his old supporters and gaining new ones. He's also working on getting as many of the dark creatures on his side, as well. Charlie's reported that vampire colonies in Romania have started a migration and it seems they're headed here. That's about all we know." She ended with a tired sigh and peeked at Harry through her bangs.
"So, it's starting then," said Harry softly.
Hermione couldn't bring herself to speak, so she merely nodded.
Harry took off his glasses and drug a weary hand down his face. Replacing the round frames, he looked first at Ron and then at Hermione.
"When we got back from the Department of Mysteries that night, Dumbledore told me everything," Harry started. "I know what the prophecy said." Harry paused and waited for their response.
"But how?" Ron asked. "I thought the prophecy had been broken during the fight?"
"It had been," Harry replied, "But Dumbledore happens do be the person who heard it originally. The prophecy states that only Voldemort or I can live. I have to kill or be killed, there is no way around it. According to the prophecy, the child mentioned could have been myself or Neville, but Voldemort sealed his fate, as well as mine, the night he killed my parents. He marked me and by doing so, made the prophecy about me."
"Neville? How could it have been Neville?" Ron asked confused and astounded by what he had heard so far. He hadn't seemed to have processed the part about Harry and Voldemort in the end.
"Neville and I have the same birthday. The prophecy says that the one who can vanquish Voldemort will have been born as the seventh month dies. It goes on to say that Voldemort will mark him as his equal. Until he attacked my parents and gave me this scar, it could have been Neville," Harry explained.
Ron stood up abruptly and began pacing the same bit of floor Harry had only minutes before. "So……so you're saying that it's you or Voldemort. No Dumbledore. No Order. No--" Ron stopped himself there, but Harry had heard the unspoken 'Us' as clearly as if it had been shouted. "That it's just going to come down to you and him!?" Ron's voice had been steadily rising and Harry was now doubly glad for the silencing charm.
Ron had stopped pacing and now stood with his hands braced on the fireplace mantle, back turned to Harry, waiting for his response.
Harry knew this was going to be the hardest part, them accepting that in the end he had to be alone. He also knew that they wouldn't leave him until the last possible second.
Harry rose from the couch and spoke carefully. "Yeah. That's what it means, but it doesn't mean that I won't need your help to get there. I will. I do."
Ron pounded a fist on the mantle and turned swiftly towards Harry. "Bloody hell, Harry! That's just… that's just… " Ron stopped himself and ran both his hands through hair that was now sticking straight up. "I think I'm gonna go up. Think for a while, ya know."
Harry nodded and stepped aside to let him pass. Ron cast a glance at Hermione before heading for the stairs. "Take care of her, mate," he said before leaving the two in silence.
For the first time since he had begun explaining the prophecy, Harry looked at Hermione and he was frightened at what he saw.
Hermione was perched on the edge of the chair, pale white and shaking. She looked lost and Harry was confused. She had figured it out on the train, he didn't think he would have to worry about her reaction. Frankly, he had been relieved when she guessed. But something was terribly wrong and Harry was unsure as to what to do.
In two quick strides he was in front of her chair. Dropping to his knees he raised a hand to her chin turning her head until he could look at her. "Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong? I thought you had figured this out?"
"I thought I had too," she said haltingly. "I knew it would be you and Voldemort, the past five years have made that clear, but I never thought you would have to be alone." At this, Hermione finally met Harry's eyes and the tears she had successfully been holding back fell in a rapid flow.
Harry knew there was nothing he could say at that moment, so he pulled her towards him until she slid off the chair in a heap in front of him. Once again he wrapped his arms around her and held her as she wept, for the boy who was gone forever and for the man who would walk alone.
Harry's legs had fallen asleep by the time Hermione's tears subsided. She sat up slowly and wiped at her face with her sleeve. "I'm sorry," she said shyly, "that's twice today I've gotten you all wet."
"That's ok," Harry said with a smile. "I'm told I make a very good tissue."
Hermione obliged him with a smile and moved her hand up to cup the side of his face. "Oh Harry," she said sadly. "I'm so sorry you have to do this. It's just not fair."
Harry felt a prickling behind his eyes and blinked rapidly to control his emotions. He reached up and covered her hand with his, enveloping it and bringing it back down between them. "You will never know how much that means to me," he said, so quietly she almost didn't hear him.
Harry helped her back into the chair and noticed her gasp softly and clutch at her chest for a moment. She caught his eye and shook her head. This wasn't a place she wanted to go right now. Harry moved once again to stand before the fire, hands in his pockets, looking terribly old. "Hermione," he said. "I need to ask you something"
"Anything Harry," she replied.
"What else happened at the Burrow?" he asked.
Hermione's quick intake a breath let him know that he had been right. Ron hadn't quite told him everything that happened that day. "Ron should probably be the one to tell you, Harry," she reasoned.
"Ron's not here right now though, and I need to know. It was more than just an attack on the Burrow to change him like that. What happened?" This time it was not a request and she recognized the difference in his tone.
"Ron left that afternoon to go visit Luna," Hermione began. Harry's eyebrow twitched in confusion at Ron going to see Luna and Hermione quickly clarified it for him. "They've been doing a lot of visiting this summer. I know she likes him, and I think he's starting to like her too, although he might not admit it right now." Harry nodded and made a mental reminder to ask Ron later about the quirky Ravenclaw.
"Anyways," Hermione continued "When Ron left the Burrow, Ginny and his mum were in the middle of baking a cake for his dad's birthday. Mr. Weasley was at the Ministry and the twins were at their store. A couple of hours later, Ron was almost home where he saw the Dark Mark over where the Burrow should have been. He hasn't talked much about it, but from what I've gathered Ron thought Ginny and his mum had been in the house when the Death Eater's came. They had actually run out of something for the cake and had to go into town where they got held up by an old friend of Mrs. Weasley's. They just weren't home yet when Ron arrived, but he didn't know this. He spent twenty minutes digging through smoking rubble before the twins arrived. They knew something was wrong when they had tried to use the fireplace to talk to Mrs. Weasley and it hadn't worked." Hermione took a deep breath and went on, "When the twins found Ron, he was practically unrecognizable. They thought he had been in the blast by the way he looked. Just as they started questioning him, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley arrived. Ron hasn't been the same since. He grew up in those twenty minutes. I don't know how to explain it Harry, but you've seen him. He's matured. He's serious. He thinks before he speaks. In a way, it makes me sad." The last part she said quietly.
"Why sad?" Harry questioned.
"Because as much as he drove me crazy, you could always depend on Ron for a laugh or an inappropriate comment. I'm sad that that part of him has been taken away. Just like I'm sad that you didn't get the childhood you deserved, and that you have to face such a terrible task alone." Hermione looked as if she may cry again, but pulled herself together and gave a startled gasp as she saw Ron standing behind Harry.
"It's ok, Hermione," Ron said reassuringly. "I'm glad you told him, I couldn't bring myself to earlier."
"Ron!" Harry said surprised. "I thought you were going to think?"
"I did think," he said. "I thought about what a world class git I was for leaving the two of you down here still dealing with all of this. I'm sorry," he added sheepishly.
"Well, you've come in time for the good part then," Hermione said with a forced brightness the two boys recognized, but appreciated. She went up to Harry and gave him a peck on the cheek and a tight hug. "We will figure this out. We'll get you to that battle more prepared than you could ever imagine. We may not be able to fight with you at the end, but we will make sure you get there." She turned to Ron and gave him the same peck and hug and then whispered quickly in his ear, "I told him about Luna." Before he knew it, she was gone and up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
Ron took a second to register what she'd said before bellowing, "HERMIONE!" Again, Harry was grateful for the silencing charm.
"So you and Luna, huh?" Harry said slyly, as he and Ron made their way towards the stairs.
"Yeah, well the girl grows on you, ya know," Ron agreed and trudged up the stairs behind him.