Harry's Choice-Chapter 20
"I love you, Hermione. I love you," said Snape mocking Harry. "If I had wanted the two of you dead, I certainly wouldn't listen to this drivel for even one second. You're pathetic, Potter."
"You shut up talking to Harry that way. I don't care who you are, but don't ever talk to him that way again," screamed Hermione in frustration.
"Potter, I never would have thought that Granger would have the cheek to stand up to me under such circumstances. But I warn you, my oath to Dumbledore need only be fulfilled by keeping your pathetic life safe from the Dark Lord. I don't have to listen to a know-it-all witch in order to do that. Now, do I?" said Snape venomously pointing his wand at Hermione.
Hermione could only see Snape's feet. Harry could see the sadistic grin on his face. "What the devil are you talking about Snape? You killed Dumbledore. How can you even say his name in front of me," yelled Harry barely able to hear himself think over the horrible sobs of agony not more than forty feet away.
"Potter, you are as thick as I thought you were. I had so hoped that I was wrong," said Snape. "I hoped that you would return to your pathetic excuse of a summer home and get a grasp on the fact that I spared your life."
"Liar! You did it because Voldemort would have destroyed you for not leaving me for him. I think you are toying with us now only for your sadistic satisfaction," said Harry.
"You are quite right about one thing, Potter. It does my heart good to think of you soiling your pants thinking that I would kill you moments ago," gloated Snape. "But don't presume to understand the things going on around you Potter. Your forte certainly is not one of intellectual prowess. I must compliment you on following this disgustingly erudite harlot's advice. The combination of your blind courage and her intelligence brought you much further than I had imagined possible."
"I'll kill you. I swear I will," said Harry struggling against the magical bindings holding him tightly to Hermione with his arms at his sides.
"Accio," said Snape as both of their wands flew to his hand one after the other.
"If you wish Potter, I will release you and Miss Granger so that you may have your chance," snarled Snape. "But I wish you to remember that I hardly fear the punishment of the Ministry for using the Unforgivable Curses since I regrettably had to use one of them on Professor Dumbledore."
With a wave of his wand, the bindings that held them were released. Harry's rage burned within him. He was unsure of what to do without his wand. His first thought was to rush the man in front of him. Harry sat fuming waiting for the feeling to return to his fingers.
"Harry, don't?" begged Hermione at the very instant that Harry sprung from his crouch toward Snape.
"Expelliarmus," cried Snape as Harry was thrown back violently toward the wall near Hermione smashing his head. She rushed to his side.
"You're horrible, Professor. You know you should have left us bound. You're just baiting him so that you can hurt him," said Hermione angrily. "Don't get up, Harry. This is not the fight you must win. He is a sad excuse for a human being."
"Miss Granger, simply because your attacks are verbal does not mean that I wish to endure them. You will kindly watch your mouth or suffer the consequences," said Snape.
Harry could see the rage in Hermione now. He could understand it and almost welcomed it, but he knew neither of them were a match for Snape without their wand. Snape was toying with them and he knew it.
"Well, Potter? Is that your feeble attempt to…what was it you were going to do? Oh, yes, right. Kill me," taunted Snape. "I saw the rats back behind us. You didn't have the nerve to kill one of them. You have the courage, but not the resolve. I heard you admit your weakness to Granger. I admire your understanding of your weaknesses as well as your awareness of the possibility that Wormtail might be lurking about. We shall measure your resolve for overcoming your weaknesses very shortly."
Harry glared at Snape as he felt the pain in the back of his head grow. He felt Hermione's touch on the side of his face, but he was filled with rage at the man he knew was partially responsible for the deaths of every person he ever loved.
"Well, Potter, while you contemplate your next futile attack, I must explain my presence. Whether you choose to believe me or not is inconsequential. It will not change the truth," said Snape.
"What do you know about truth?" said Hermione. "You are alive because of the kindness of Albus Dumbledore, yet you killed him. What can we learn from you about truth?"
"As usual Granger, you have quite a good grasp of things. I do not pretend to be a good man nor do I desire to gain your favor or that of Potter. I am simply going to tell you the truth of your current circumstance and why you are not screaming in silence now instead of Bellatrix Lestrange. Do you or do you not wish to understand your predicament? Or do you wish to make this a discourse of my moral fiber and humanity?" asked Snape glumly.
Silence filled the room.
"I thought that you might feel that way. I am here because Professor Dumbledore asked me to ensure that you succeeded in vanquishing Lord Voldemort. By methods I do not wish to divulge, I was able to determine which of the Horcruxes was most accessible to you Potter. I have waited for weeks to find you here. I was surprised to sense your arrival and not see you. While it was no doubt due in large part to Granger, your disguises and the ruse that you have developed to remain hidden is quite ingenious. I prepared your way and devised a plan which I was afraid your lollygagging would disrupt. I know that you feel no remorse for the suffering of the Lestrange woman, but she has given her life to destroy the protections placed on the Cup-even if she did not do so willingly."
Harry didn't believe one word of Snape's explanation. "You are a liar. I heard you. Hermione heard you. You are an opportunist. If you are helping us, it is only to become the greatest Dark Wizard to fulfill some fantasy. It is for no more noble reason than to dispose of your rival. You needed Dumbledore's trust and you need me now," said Harry.
"Potter, Potter. You have the mind of an Auror…a blind one who can only mimic others voices, but not see the truth. I too know the secrets of Lord Voldemort's plan for immortality. You think that I hate you because of your father. Oh certainly, my disgust with you during your stay at Hogwarts was increased by your likeness to your father in both personality and appearance. But that is not why I doggedly reviled you at every turn. It was that you both did not deserve the reverence afforded you by your fellow classmates and teachers for your brazenness." Snape shook his hand in a gesture of disgust. "Never mind my motives. That is in the past. It was after I saw the curse rebound on Lord Voldemort that I realized the prophecy was true and not merely the ramblings of that charlatan Trelawney."
Harry's mind could not follow another word. His anger was now to the point that only being knocked unconscious or death would stop him from strangling Snape if he had to. He sprung again only to be sidestepped as if his actions were anticipated. "I warned you, Potter." Harry scrambled back to his feet as Professor Snape pointed his wand at Hermione. "There are things in this world more terrible than the pain you feel now. I know one of them."
"You bastard! Leave her alone," said Harry as he saw the fear growing on Hermione's face.
Snape laughed malevolently. "Potter, you are as thick as they come. I will not harm Miss Granger, but I can make her my faithful servant who will carry out my will, now can't I?"
Harry didn't understand at first.
"I'm going to teach you Occlumency with one of the most practical tools available. Since Miss Granger teaches you better than anyone else, why not let her teach you that skill? You must learn it to survive your confrontation with the Dark Lord anyway. Imperio!" said Snape.
Hermione's face changed almost instantaneously. Snape handed her both wands. "Don't make me do it Harry," she pleaded.
"Give him his wand, Miss Granger," said Snape.
Hermione reached out and handed Harry his wand. A few moments later, Harry lay prostrate on the catacomb floor unaware of how he had lost consciousness nor could he explain why each breath hurt. "Harry, please. Don't make me do it again," Hermione pleaded as her shaking hand remained outstretched toward him.
"You see Potter. She can sense your hatred for me. With each thought that you have of doing me harm or words of disrespect, she will torture you with every imaginable jinx, counterspell, or hex she can think of. It's unfortunate for you that she has a near photographic memory. I will not let her experience rage great enough to use the Unforgivable Curses, but you must have done a very good job with the Dumbledore's Army. She is quite capable of hurting someone very badly, otherwise known as torture, and not killing them," said Snape.
"I hate you, Snape," said Harry not wanting to believe that Hermione had done what he suggested.
"Rictusempra," cried Hermione. Harry began laughing uncontrollably as his ribs ached. He realized at that moment that it was possible that Hermione had used a spell earlier that had a broken rib or two. He was laughing and with each heave of his chest, his ribs sent waves of pain throughout his body. He couldn't speak.
"Potter, you are causing your own pain. You can defend yourself against Miss Granger's attacks. You have your wand. But both she and I know, you are incapable of hurting anyone you love," said Snape. "You may put your wand down for a moment Miss Granger." Hermione's sobs caused Harry's eyes to fill with tears as she lowered her wand. "Do you know the solution for this peculiar predicament Potter?"
"Pretend that I love you?" said Harry sarcastically.
"No, Miss Granger, don't," said Snape as Hermione raised her wand toward Harry again.
"Potter, I don't have time for your rebelliousness. While I must admit that comment might have had some humor to it, the pleasure is in watching Miss Granger's eyes mist each time she causes you pain and then watch you grovel in pain. It is not accomplishing my aims at all. You must block out your hatred for me. You must put it into the deepest recesses of your mind. Then you must replace that you are doing so with some polite thought for the occasion. Notice that I said polite," said Snape. "I do not care much for you Potter, but Dumbledore made me realize that you are not your father. I need not hate you as I did him…"
Harry's mind erupted again. To which Hermione reacted with "Reducto."
Harry flew back violently against the wall again as he had when Snape had disarmed him. His head throbbed. He could hear Hermione crying. She was trembling.
"Potter, part of the lesson here is that you are hurting Miss Granger. The emotional pain she feels for hurting you is now your own fault. You know how to stop it. You have never had a better reason to learn this skill. Do not ask me why, but I do not like the idea that she is expendable. If I must drive her to madness until you are able to control your thoughts and emotions, I will do so," said Snape.
Harry was never sure how long the torment at the hands of Hermione and Snape lasted as Snape did his best to provoke Harry to anger. Harry learned that Snape had been present under an invisibility cloak when Voldemort killed his parents. He found that Snape had been instrumental in luring Sirius to the Ministry the night of his death. He also learned that Snape had no remorse except the death of his mother. His chest ached, his heart and head pounded, and the tears rolled from his eyes as Hermione blasted him with her wand at his every thought and cried with remorse.
"Do you know the irony of it all, Potter?" asked Snape.
Harry tried to calm himself. He didn't think he could take anymore. He felt faint. He had boils on his arms from hexes and curses. He was sure his face looked no better. He tasted blood as it ran in his eyes and mouth.
"No, but I'm sure you will tell me," he said. Trying his hardest to put the sarcastic part of his thought in the back of his mind as Snape had told him.
"That's better, Potter. I will warn you that if you do not continue to concentrate as you are right now, the answer to my question will probably drive Miss Granger to point of madness as she causes you more unspeakable pain," said Snape almost sympathetically. "Are you prepared? Because if you aren't I will force you to tell her in detail how much she pain she is causing you. That will certainly drive her mad."
For the first time since this ordeal began, he believed Snape was now teaching him by forcing him to see why it was important. And, surprisingly Harry believed in his concern for Hermione's well-being and not having his revenge, "Yes, Professor."
"Good. When I took the Unbreakable Vow to ensure that Malfoy was successful in accomplishing Lord Voldemort's task, I knew I would kill Dumbledore. Just as I knew that I would never survive if I allowed Malfoy to be harmed. I am even now protecting Malfoy by putting him in the hands of those weak, ineffectual people you at the Ministry of Magic. Even now, with my help he is planning the murders of many of those who oppose Lord Voldemort," said Snape.
Harry sat impassively wracked with pain allowing the words to sink far back into his mind where they couldn't harm him nor torture Hermione. It was all Harry could do to maintain control as Snape continued.
"Oh, I was getting to the irony of it all. This is why Professor Dumbledore told me I must kill him. He knew that for you to survive any encounter with Lord Voldemort you must be forced to learn to deal with your emotions. He knew that your hatred for me and my devotion to him would drive me to do whatever was necessary for you to learn it. He knew that I might torture you to the edge of sanity, if necessary. As I said, I am not a good man, but I am loyal to Dumbledore and your cause. You can hate me for what I have done and anything less than that would be disappointing." Snape turned away.
Harry still had his wand. He raised it toward Snape and noticed that Hermione cried in the corner. In spite of his unbridled hatred for Snape, Harry contemplated cursing Snape since Hermione was no longer under the Imperious Curse and would not harm him. He lowered his wand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Snape peer back at him with what Harry thought was relief.
Snape turned to him. "Potter, I will not let Miss Granger remember what she has done to you. I am not unprincipled. She was a teaching tool, nothing more. You however will live with the memory that your hatred could cause the death of those you love if it goes unchecked. Lord Voldemort will distort it and use it to his advantage. Do not forget the lesson today."
"You, son of a bitch," said Harry.
"Crucio!" cried Snape. "You of all people should know better than to make a mockery of someone's mother whether it is a simple epithet or an actual curse. I am going let you go as the conquering hero. You will be found in your hotel room unconscious holding a replica of the unbroken cup. I have already destroyed this Horcrux Potter." Harry writhed in pain. Mercifully, Hermione had passed out from the anxiety. "The Dark Lord will believe that I simply executed a traitor when it is reported that Lestrange was found dead in the catacombs. You can tell them that you and Miss Granger escaped just as you have before. They will believe you because they want to believe you. It is in your best interest to keep me as a villainous enemy." Harry could not believe the pain and least of all believe the power wielded by Snape to maintain it and even increase it as he spoke. "We will meet again, Potter. It is your choice. The danger to you and to your loved ones will increase at least ten-fold if my allegiance to Lord Voldemort it called into question. If you have never trusted me before, I hope you trust those words now."
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Harry could hear the bustle of the room around him, but try as he might, he couldn't open his eyes. The pain still wracked him. He felt warm familiarity of a hand on his arm. He knew it must be Hermione. He could hear her voice. "Madam Pomfrey, it's been six days," she said tremulously. Yet, Harry could not maintain this awareness for very long. He felt himself drifting into another horrible nightmare.
"I know my dear, but these things take time to heal-even with magic," answered the school nurse Madam Pomfrey. "You should be back in bed yourself, young lady."
"It's never taken this long before," moaned Hermione. "Even when he's fallen from his broom on his head he was up in hours, not days."
Madam Pomfrey approached Hermione with a kindly smile. "Hermione dear, are you suggesting that I'm losing my touch?"
Hermione blushed. "No, of course not, I just feel so powerless."
"Oh, hello Headmistress," said Madam Pomfrey as she greeted Professor McGonagall.
"Hello Poppy," replied the Professor. "How are our star pupils tonight? It is getting increasingly difficult to explain how a mere accident left the Head Boy and Head Girl in the Hospital Wing for six days."
"I understand Professor. Miss Granger could return to her classes if you wish. I would prefer that she be in bed as well, but she refuses. With that said, she might as well go back to class for all the good being here does," lamented Nurse Pomfrey.
"You say that by all that you can tell, the physical wounds that Potter has suffered are healed. Why then is he still incapacitated?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Hermione, would you give us a moment please?" requested Nurse Pomfrey. "I wish to talk to the Headmistress alone."
Hermione cast a dark expression as she did as she was asked, while Nurse Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall moved another few steps away. "Minerva, there is no medical reason except that often when there is head trauma combined with a memory charm…well, the results can be unpredictable."
"So, Remus' initial assumption may be correct. I dare not imagine that the story that Miss Granger tells as to how they came by the Hufflepuff Cup is true. It is even more distressing to think that it was inadvertently destroyed on the trip back to Hogwarts. Hermione refuses to explain any more or quite possibly can't remember. I shiver at the thought of why they are opening thousands of years old crypts in the first place," said the Headmistress.
Hermione was thankful that Professor McGonagall had not allowed Nurse Pomfrey to go further away. Hermione was sure that she was aware that Hermione could still hear their conversation. She was also equally aware that it had been a mistake to keep the most powerful and influential person at Hogwarts in the dark about the role of the Horcruxes in the fight against Lord Voldemort. It was apparent that Professor Dumbledore had not shared many of those details with her.
"We are finished, dear. You may sit with Harry again if you wish," said Madam Pomfrey said after shaking her head in response to Minerva's last statement. Madam Pomfrey retired to her office presumably to continue work there.
"Professor," said Hermione. "I have overheard a lot of things in the last few days, but I don't know what Professor Lupin said when he brought us back here."
A rigid and faint smile crossed Professor McGonagall's face. "I'm not in the habit of letting students eavesdrop on staff conversations. I want you to be aware of that."
"Yes, ma'am," said Hermione lowering her eyes.
"Hermione, Professor Lupin does not believe that you and Harry were alone in the catacombs that afternoon. I know that the body of Bellatrix Lestrange was recovered from in front of the open tomb," said the Headmistress.
Harry drifted back to consciousness again only in time to hear part of what Mrs. McGonagall was saying. He fought for his voice as Hermione answered. He couldn't get his own thoughts to the world around him.
"Professor, I don't know how to explain too much of it. There are bits and pieces I remember. I remember hearing the bloodcurdling screams of a woman, but I thought it was a nightmare. I remember escaping from Professor Snape as I told you all," said Hermione in an unusually slow and uncharacteristic explanation. She gave as many details as she could remember. She wished Harry were able to fill in the gaps.
"When Snape turned his back toward the Lestrange woman, Harry motioned for us to get out of there. He had a hold of the Cup and I Disapparated holding his free hand," said Hermione.
"Yes," said Hermione.
"I don't know why I've been kept in the dark to all of this for so long, but I'm sure Albus had his reasons," she said with a long expulsion of air.
Suddenly there was a thrashing sound behind them. Harry was twisting wildly in his bed, "No, don't make me do it again, Harry. Please, not again. I love you, Hermione. Why are you doing this to me?" cried Harry sobbing like a baby. His breathing was short and labored. Suddenly, his body went slack.
"Poppy, come quick," yelled Professor McGonagall. "We need to restrain him in case he awakens again under the curse."
Hermione's face was screwed up in a look of both confusion and pain. "What do you mean, `The Curse'?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" suggested Professor McGonagall. "Someone has used the Cruciatus Curse on this boy."
Hermione stood stock still for a moment. The slowly walked toward nearest place she could find to sit reaching almost blindly for somewhere to steady herself. "That's not possible. I may not be able to remember everything, but no one used the Cruciatus Curse." She muttered to herself for a moment or so sitting in her chair. "Snape! He used the curse on Harry. I know he did. That was when I woke and saw Harry motioning for me to get us out of there. But why was he begging me not to hurt him?"
"Poppy--take care of Hermione. Will you? I'll fetch Remus," said Professor McGonagall.
Remus arrived in the Hospital Wing holding Professor McGonagall's arm as though the two were comforting one another. "Poppy, we need to have your help on something, No one knows the extent of their injuries except us. And, I understand we don't properly know the whole story even now. You must know what we're going to say happened to the students and the rest of the staff. They will look at one another and wonder who did what. That is okay. But you will have to give a prognosis that is consistent with the time they have been out of commission. That is why we need to share the story with you." said Minerva.
They had finished discussing how to handle this latest turn of events. They were going to have to generate the story that Harry and Hermione had been attacked by an unknown assailant presumably a Death Eater. Furthermore, interviews had been conducted secretly throughout the past week with all staff and students who might have anything to help with the investigation. The final determination was that, indeed, the assailant had left the grounds.
As for the attack itself, the assailant apparently attempted to kidnap Harry and Hermione who had fought bravely. They had apparently been strong enough to hold off their assailant long enough that fear of discovery caused the assailant to flee.
Security had both been good and bad. The added security had been effective from the standpoint of a patrol that found Harry and Hermione quickly and had also been enough to cause the attacker to flee for fear of discovery. Obviously, the fact that anyone had breached the protections of Hogwarts and the added security was a bad thing.
"But it's just not true," said Poppy.
"We know Poppy," said Remus. "But no one besides Harry and Hermione were hurt. It helps us account for them being incapacitated without admitting our deception. It may have a negative effect in other ways, but we won't know that until the story has been circulated."
"The priority is to find out what happened to these poor children," said Poppy. "I should probably concern myself with that and let the rest of this business go."
"Poppy, we need to know what could possibly explain Potter's behavior and Granger's loss of memory," said Remus. "It may be unfair to put you in this position, but it is essential to making sure that our story is cohesive and will withstand questions."
"I'm not sure that you will like what I have to say. I think that I know what has happened and it appalls
me," said Poppy.
"Please, Poppy. Shed some light on this," said Minerva.
"First, what did you make of Potter's outburst and Hermione's reaction?" asked Poppy.
"He was delirious and probably just repeating words he heard while under the curse," said Minerva.
"Exactly, I think they were tortured. And I think that someone played God with their minds. I think that Hermione was forced to torture Harry under the Imperious Curse. `Don't make me do it again, Harry. Please, not again. I love you, Hermione. Why are you doing this to me?' Those were his exact words, I believe," said Poppy.
"What you're suggesting is ludicrous. I'm sorry Poppy. I didn't mean it the way that sounded. Harry wouldn't make Hermione curse him again and then ask why she was doing what she was doing," said Minerva. "Unless…"
"That's right, Minerva. Unless there was a puppeteer present to pull the strings. The truth here may be that someone may have tried to put Harry or Hermione under the curse and failed with Harry and succeeded with Hermione," said Poppy.
"Didn't Mad-Eye brag that Harry fought off his Imperious Curse in his fourth year? Well, I mean Barty Crouch, Jr.," suggested Lupin.
"Yes, I argued with Albus about showing those children the curses. You don't think she used the Cruciatus Curse on him while under the Imperious Curse herself, do you?" asked Minerva.
"It's possible, but improbable. Wouldn't you agree, Remus?" asked Poppy.
"In this case, I agree. They're love is too strong I for anyone to suggest the feelings of hate strongly enough to make Hermione use that curse effectively on Harry," said Remus. "But under normal circumstances, I would have to say it was possible."
"So, the story will be just that. Their would-be kidnapper attempted to control them both to get them to go under their own power. When Harry fought off the curse, Hermione was turned on him to control him. The captor knew that Harry wouldn't hurt Hermione or let her be hurt. But all this effort left the captor alone trying to control Harry by making Hermione do it. With two people involved, it got out of hand. Thus, the fight between them broke out leaving Hermione unaware of what happened during the time she was under the curse," said Remus. We don't need to reveal the use of the Cruciatus Curse. That is one that invokes far too much fear in everyone."
"Can you live with that?" asked Minerva.
"It will crush Hermione to think that she used the curse on Harry. She'll hear the truth in it and wonder if that isn't what really happened," said Poppy. "Can you live with that?"
"If I have to live with the lesser of two evils, then yes it is better to tell as much of the truth as we can guess than to make up something with other repercussions," said Remus.
"I quite agree, but it pains me," said Minerva. "I think Harry holds the key."
The next few days brought improvement in Harry's condition. He only had the one outburst and Hermione seemed to care nothing about rumors or talking to anyone but Harry. Neither of them was aware of the story being circulated until one morning three days after his outburst and the release of the story to the school and press, The Daily Prophet was left in the ward close to Harry's bed. The only saving grace was that Harry read it first.
"Hi, Harry. They're going to let me go back to classes today," said Hermione.
Something seemed odd to Harry. It only took a moment for him to figure out what it was. This was Fleur who had been completely debriefed on whatever story was going around the school at the time. "Where's Hermione?" asked Harry.
There was a laugh from the other side of the room that was unmistakably Bill. "She's up waiting for the love of her life to join her after waving briefly at his adoring public," said Bill. "You're like King Harry or Prince Harry…or something like that around here."
"Yeah, I read this bullshit in The Daily Prophet this morning," said Harry incensed at not being informed of it sooner.
"You might as well grab a straightjacket and jump in that bed over there," Harry said motioning to Fleur. "That's what a story like that would do to Hermione in real life."
"Mate, she's a lot stronger than you think. She'd handle it alright. She's a big girl and she knows that being under the curse she can't be held responsible," said Bill.
Something in Harry that would normally have allowed him to erupt allowed him to remain calm for once. "Come here. If it were fucking true maybe." He didn't like using a word like that, but it's impact on what he said was immediate and maybe more complete than the shouting version he'd first felt. "Do you get it?"
Harry's hands shook and his lip quivered. His eyes watered uncontrollably as he tried to fight down the emotion overwhelming him. "Mate, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I know but you didn't see the look on her face as she broke my ribs. The bastard made sure she knew what she was doing," said Harry. "He's evil."
"Who, Harry?" asked Bill.
"Forget it," said Harry as he tried to regroup. "Just pretend everything's cool now. It's the best thing."
"Harry, you're not making any sense. One minute you're cursing at me for being stupid and in another you're telling me to go ahead and be stupid," said Bill.
Harry knew he had to clear this up with a small fib or he needed to tell the whole truth. "Snape, tried to get us to kill each other for his amusement. How would you feel if you were defending yourself against your wife or husband?"
A look of bewilderment on their faces was replaced with anger and fear. "Bloody bastard, is what he is," said Bill. "Alright then. If you need me you know where to find me later."
Harry didn't feel bad about the picture he painted for them. It was accurate, even if it wasn't true. Their walk to the Headmistress' office was fairly uneventful. Harry only ran across one third year who smiled and waved. Harry returned it and kept walking. When he arrived he was greeted by Hermione still looking herself instead of like Fleur.
"I wanted to hug and kiss you while we were still ourselves. If you didn't notice, this whole mess means we have to pretend to be them a lot now. We had to pretend they came back from their honeymoon or we would have had two Harry's and two Hermione's," she explained.
He loved her innocence. It wasn't that she couldn't eventually handle the truth, he thought. It was how Harry felt about it that kept him from telling her and he knew it. She would blame herself for not being like him and fight off the curse. Of course, now he was talking about the printed version and not the one in the catacombs. She had come close to killing him there and he knew it. And his stubbornness had nearly destroyed her in the process. He ached in a way he'd never ached before. Did he trust Snape? Or was Snape as he felt all along-stringing everyone along for his own gain? Her birthday had passed with them sitting in a hospital recovering from wounds that time might never heal. He had nightmares of her standing over him and causing such pain. His logical mind knew the truth, but somewhere there was a disconnect. He had to make sure that whatever happened in their lives, she knew she was loved. She could never see his fear for her and of her. She was his Achilles heel and he knew it. He took a deep breath and kissed her with every fiber of his being focused on his love for her and nothing else.
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