Home
Part Two
Harry sat on the large stone, looking into the pond before him. One of the first things Hermione had showed him after he arrived was how to use was the Viewing Pond. Watching the lives of those still in the Waking world was his favourite thing to do. At that moment, he was watching Ron and his family.
"Hush now, Hermione, it's going to be alright," Ron said, bouncing a small baby in his arms. He had aged well. He was even taller than when he was still in Hogwarts, and had let his hair grow out and become rather shaggy. Ron had also decided to wear a goatee, much to his wife's amusement.
"Mummy will be home soon, and she'll bring your Harry with her," he soothed. "That's who you want, isn't it? You want your Harry." Ron grinned wryly. "Just like your Aunt Hermione," he murmured wistfully. Suddenly a door opened. "Luna, love, is that you?"
"Yes Ronald," she called out over the sound of a screaming baby. "Harry seems to be quite upset. I think he misses Hermione." As soon as she walked into the room, both babies quieted.
Harry grinned down at the scene in the Viewing Pond.
"Well, I guess that means we won't be separating them again anytime soon. So, are we going to your father's house tonight for supper, or my dad's house? I can't remember, and I can't wait to eat." Ron grinned.
Luna smiled dreamily. "We're going to visit your father tonight and mine tomorrow. And don't forget, your brothers and your sister will be there tonight. It will be a good time to warn them about Shrieking Sloos, don't you think?"
"Wonderful opportunity," Ron said then smiled down at his daughter. "Do you hear that, Hermione?" He asked, twirling a blonde lock of hair around his finger. "You get to see your Grandpa Arthur tonight."
"You know, I find it incredibly ironic that he named his daughter for me," Hermione said, coming up from behind Harry.
"Why is that?" Harry asked, turning to look at her as the image faded.
"Because she's going to be very troublesome when she gets older. His son, however, is going to be very bookish," Hermione said as she sat alongside her friend. "Better names would have been Harriet and Herman."
Harry laughed. "That is pretty funny. It just feels strange. I mean, he named his kids for us. Harry and Hermione Weasley. Brother and sister." He shook his head. "I have a hard time thinking of you as a sister," he said slyly.
"Tell me something Harry," Hermione said casually, brushing an imaginary bit of dust from her immaculate gown. "If you were still in the Waking world and you had children, just for fun let's say twins, and they were a boy and a girl, what would you name them?"
"Lily and James of course, for my…oh," he raised his hands in mock defeat. "I get it." He looked at her for a long moment. "It's hard to believe that so much time has passed, don't you think? I mean, Ron and Luna got married and have a set of twins, Fleur is expecting, and Ginny's seeing some mystery man that the Viewing Pond won't show me," Harry gave Hermione a sly look "I wonder why that is…" He trailed off.
"Time does seem to have a way of flying by when you're happy, doesn't it?" Hermione nodded, ignoring his implication. "I can't believe how quickly Ron and his family are growing. They're going to be one big happy Weasley family, that's for sure. I happen to know for a fact that he's going to have five children."
Harry grinned. "And you're going to be their Guide, aren't you?" Hermione nodded happily. "So what brings you here? More lessons?" He asked, making the inevitable topic change.
Hermione shook her head. "I've pretty much told you everything you need to know Harry. But I think there are a few questions you want to ask, and I'm giving you the chance to ask them, if you'd like. I daresay you've waited long enough."
Harry nodded to himself. "Do I get to ask any question that I want?" Hermione merely nodded and waited. He looked back out at the water. He had several questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't seem to think of any of them. "Okay, um, how did you become a Guide?"
Hermione laughed softly. "That is something of a long story, are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Yeah," Harry said, moving closer to her. "I want to hear it. I mean, you're a Guide, Hermione, that's a bid deal. You go off all the time to look after people. You protect them, you help them make the right choices." He shrugged. "I want to know why you chose to become a Guide, how you became one, and if you like what you do."
She smiled at him. "Well, I love what I do. I adore helping people, especially people I care about, like Ron and his family. As for how I became a Guide…are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Positive," Harry replied immediately. "And I want to hear the whole story, not just a quick overview," he said, giving her a knowing look.
"Okay," she sighed in mock defeat. "Well, it all began when I died. Obviously. Like everyone else, I found myself on the road, basking in the sunlight. When I finally opened my eyes, my first thought was how beautiful everything was. My second thought was that I needed to get to you. So I took off running down the road.
"Before I knew it, I met up with my Guide. His name is Michael, just so you know. He was waiting for me, just like I was waiting for you. When he told me to choose my path, I asked him which one would take me to Hogwarts." She laughed softly. "When he told me he couldn't tell me, I became suspicious. I wondered if he was a spy or something.
"I went for my wand, but I couldn't find it. Wands aren't necessary here, so I didn't have it. I didn't know I was dead though, so I tried to bluff my way out of it." She blushed. "I threatened to hex to poor fellow, hoping he didn't' know I didn't have my wand. He thought I was funny. Well, it took him some time, but he was eventually able to convince me that I was dead and that I had to choose between the two paths."
"Why was he able to tell you that you were dead but you weren't allowed to tell me?" Harry asked.
Hermione blushed again. "He wasn't supposed to tell me, but I frightened it out of him." Harry snorted mirthfully. Hermione frowned. "Well, he shouldn't have tried to stand between me and my-- er-- goals…" She said, shooting him a sidelong glance.
Harry nodded, still smiling. "Go on."
"Like I said, he managed to convince me that I was dead--"
"How did he get you to believe you were really dead?" Harry asked.
Her entire face turned red. "He told me something that no wizard would know about to prove he was my Guide and that he wouldn't lie to me." She replied.
"And what is that?" Harry asked, intrigued.
"That is none of your business, Mr. Potter. It is strictly need to know information, and you do not need to know." She frowned at him.
Harry gave her his most charming smile. "Come on, Hermione, you told me I could ask anything I wanted. Please tell me? Please? Pretty please?" He began pouting.
Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "He told me about the time I was in a restaurant with my parents. Well, it was more of a café, but I was about four at the time, and I was very excited because after we ate, we were going to go to the museum."
"Only you would be that excited about a museum, Hermione," Harry chuckled.
"Anyways, as I said, I was quite excited and I was squirming in my seat. There was a tourist there who said, 'What's the matter kid, do you have ants in your pants?' So, right there in the middle of the café, I stood up, pulled my trousers down, and started looking for ants before declaring that there were none. As you can tell, it isn't a story a wizard would know about."
Harry began laughing so hard and lost his balance that he tumbled into the water. He managed to stand in the waist high water, still laughing at the image of Hermione in the little café. "You're right, I can't imagine a wizard in a small place like that, surrounded by muggles unless they had muggle heritage, and they wouldn't be loyal to Riddle." Harry laughed again and waded towards the rock. "Hey, will you give me a hand, Hermione?" He asked, reaching out for her.
Hermione reached out her hand to pull her friend out of the water, even though she knew he could do it himself. It wasn't until he grasped her hand firmly in his and saw his grin that she realized what he was planning. "Harry, no, I'm wearing--" Harry pulled on her arm, causing her to fall into the water with an almighty splash. "White," she sputtered as she came up.
The young wizard began to laugh heartily at her plight as she scowled at him. "Oh, so you think this is funny, do you, Potter?"
Harry stopped laughing. He knew that tone. "Eh, Hermione, you know I was only playing!" He tried to laugh it off, but the words sounded weak, even to his ears. "It was only a--" Hermione pounce don him and dunked him under the water. "Joke," he sputtered as he surfaced.
"Now we're even," Hermione smiled sweetly and began to wade back to the edge of the pond. "So, where was I? Oh yes," she perched on the boulder, her gown already dry. "Michael finally convinced me that he was my Guide and that I was dead. He told me again that I had a choice to make…" Hermione trailed off, a faraway look in her eyes.
Harry climbed onto the rock beside her, drying his clothes with a thought and saw her forlorn look. "What is it, Hermione? What happened?" He asked, setting his hand on her shoulder.
Hermione sighed heavily. "I chose the right path," she said softly, her voice hoarse and her eyes glistening. The young woman shook her head. "I made a mistake."
"Hermione," Harry said earnestly, gesturing at the beautiful forest around them. "This is not a mistake. I mean, you're home, aren't you? It's wonderful that you made it here."
"I wasn't trying to go home, Harry, I was trying to go back to you." Harry sat in silence at her confession. "Do you remember what I told you on the road? I told you to listen to your heart and not your head, remember?" Harry nodded. "I wish Michael had told me that. If he had, I would have come back to you Harry."
Harry swallowed thickly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean my heart was telling me to go left. If I had gone left, I would have returned to the Waking world. I would have gone back to my body. I would have gone back to you." Hermione shook her head. "But my head told me it couldn't possibly be that easy. My head told me that I would have to fight to get back to my body, because surely death wouldn't let me escape so easily. My head led me here," her voice was a whisper as she looked at him. "My heart would have led me back to you."
Harry nodded as understanding dawned. "The spell you were hit with, it doesn't always kill, and I thought you would make it. You were trying, but you chose the wrong path. That's why you didn't come back to me."
Hermione nodded dismally. "I chose the wrong path. I was defeated by my own logic," she laughed softly and tossed a pebble into the pond. "I chose the right path, thinking it would lead me back to the Waking world. I ran down the path as fast as I could, trying to get back. I didn't want to worry you," she chuckled weakly.
"I was not very happy when I broke through the tree line and discovered that I had accidentally chosen to remain dead. I argued, I threatened, I begged, I pleaded, I bargained. I was not allowed to return. But I was offered a choice.
"Certain people are permitted to become Guides. These people are individuals who have a strong attachment to life, but are not afraid of death or of being dead. Michael knew I would be content to remain dead so long as I could remain in contact with the Waking world, so he permitted me to train as a Guide." She smiled bashfully. "He said he'd never seen anyone complete their training as quickly as I did.
"After I became a Guide, I went through a great deal of trouble to get you," she poked him playfully in the ribs. You're original Guide was Paullina. Normally, a Guide will not trade their Charge for another, but she saw that I truly wanted to be part of your life, so she gave you to me. Another Guide, his name is Edward, was in charge of the Weasley family, but he gave them to me because of my connection to them. Eloise gave me Luna, and Joseph gave me Neville. There are a few others I'm watching over as well. Dean was one of them. I brought him here after he died defending his mother when the Death Eaters attacked him home."
"Well, that explained a lot. You even answered a few questions I didn't ask," Harry said, nodding.
"Like why I didn't come back?" Hermione asked softly. "I'm so sorry, I tried, Harry, I tried so hard that I--"
"It's okay Hermione," he soothed, setting his finger over her lips to silence her. "I won't forgive you Hermione, because there is nothing to forgive. You tried, Hermione," he gently caressed her cheek. "You tried to come back to me, and that is more than most people can say. That makes you special," he whispered.
Harry reluctantly pulled away after a long moment when a thought struck him. "Paullina. That name sounds familiar to me. I feel like I met her before," he said thoughtfully. "You said she was my Guide?"
Hermione nodded, glad for the change of topic. "Yes, Paullina was your Guide, and yes, you did meet her before."
"How?" Harry asked with a snort. "I would have had to die to meet her before, and I've never… Hermione, why are you looking at me like that?" Harry felt a twinge of nervousness.
"Harry, do you remember, during out last lesson, when you told me that the road felt familiar to you?" Harry nodded slowly. "You have died before Harry. You have walked that road before," she said softly. "The night Voldemort killed your parents, he also killed you. The difference between you and everyone else, is that your mother's love pulled you to the left path." Hermione grasped his hand tightly in hers. They were silent for several minutes as Harry lost himself in his thoughts and gazed unseeingly out over the Viewing Pond. "Talk to me Harry," she whispered when she could no longer take the quiet.
"I understand." Harry said then looked at her with a smile. He nodded, more to himself than to her. "I understand. My mum died for me and it was her love, her will for me to live, that made me walk down the left path when I was a baby and that's why it felt like I had been there before. I'm assuming that when I died, I aged myself so that I could walk down the road, like Samuel made himself older."
Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've decided that I like being dead Hermione. Here, I'm not the Boy - Who - Lived. I'm not the Chosen One. I'm not even the youngest Quidditch player in a century." He turned to her. "Here I'm Harry, just Harry. I like that."
"It's better here anyways," he stretched like a cat and looked out over the water. "I'm glad we're here Hermione. We've both been through so much. Our parents…" Harry turned back to her. "Where are you're parents, Hermione? Why aren't they here with us?"
"They're here, just not in this section of our world. My parents are muggles, first of all, and this is the place of rest for wizarding kind." Hermione nodded her head towards the mountains in the distance. "My parents are in the next valley. I go to visit them sometimes when I'm not fulfilling my duties or spending time with you.
"Everyone in this valley died fighting Voldemort. If you would have continued down the lane, you would have even met Neville's parents. Their souls have been here ever since the Lestranges… well, you know. Everyone who fought Voldemort is here. This valley is for witches and wizards who fought him." Hermione nodded towards the mountains again. "That is the place of rest for muggles who died at his hand. There is another valley beyond that for the victims of various Death Eaters."
Harry was slightly overwhelmed by all of the new information Hermione had given him. Typically, a Guide would tell their Charge about their home, like how to use the Viewing Pond, and create whatever they wanted. Their education did not include what lay beyond their valley. He wondered if Hermione would get into trouble for telling him.
Hermione laughed. "It's alright, Harry. I can tell everyone this information and it doesn't matter. It just isn't usually given out because no one usually cares what lies beyond their own home. You see, people are divided up so that they will be with those they loved in the Waking world and how they lived their lives. For instance, when Ron, Luna and the others who fought with us die, they will come here, not because of how they die, but because how they lived their lives. It is possible to go to another valley though, if you wish to stay with those you loved. I could have gone to stay with my parents because I was connected to both the muggle world and the wizarding."
"Could I have gone there? Because of my connection to the Dursleys?" Harry asked.
"No," Hermione shook her head. "You didn't love them, and you didn't love the muggle world like I did. You were always destined for this valley, Harry."
The young man nodded thoughtfully. Hermione had answered many of his questions today. "What about Buckbeak? How did a hippogriff end up here?"
Hermione laughed. "Well, it took a lot of work, but I managed to get him moved to our valley. He can return to the valley for hippogriffs whenever he wants, but he has a place in this valley too because he fought Voldemort just like we did. I even have a place for Grawp, but he won't come until Hagrid joins us." Hermione caressed his cheek before she got a faraway look him her eyes. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to go."
When she went to pull away, Harry gently grabbed her wrist and brushed his lips against her palm. "I know you feel like you made a mistake when you took the right path, Hermione, but I'm glad you did. Who knows? You might still be alive and then I wouldn't have you with me now," he said softly.
Hermione smiled warmly and nodded. "I know that now, Harry. But I really have to go," she stood and gave him a sad look. "Fleur just went into premature labour. I have to offer Phillip Weasley a choice. I'll see you at home, okay?" She gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
Harry still holding her hand in his, gently kissed her knuckles. "Alright then, I'll see you at home." He watched as she vanished before he looked at the pond, debating whether or not to watch. Deciding he'd had enough heartache in the Waking world, he chose to go home instead. If Phillip chose the right path, Harry knew that there would be room for him at the Burrow with his grandmother. If he chose the left path, there would be loving parents and two brothers waiting for him in the Waking world.
Smiling, Harry stood and set off towards the quaint little cottage he shared with Hermione, right beside his parents. He knew that he could simply will himself to be home, but he had never had the chance to take in the beauty around him when he was living, so he always took the chance when it was offered.
"Wotcher, Harry," Dora said as she walked towards him. "Heading home? Where's Hermione?"
Harry smiled fondly. "She's off Guiding. I guess Fleur went into premature labour, so Hermione's off to offer Phillip a choice. He can either come here, or he can go back to the Waking world and be with his family, you know the routine. What are you up to?"
Dora shrugged. "I was just going to check up on my parents, make sure they were doing okay."
"Well don't let me keep you," Harry grinned. "I'm heading home, but I'll be at my mum and dad's home later for the get - together they planned. Hermione will try to be there, but you never know, with her duties and all."
"Do you ever get upset that she's always off working?" Dora asked.
Harry shook his head. "No, I know she loves what she's doing," he said, thinking back to their earlier conversation. "Besides, we have eternity. I can wait for her. And between you and me, Hermione has always had this helping people thing. She must have tutored half of Hogwarts in the six years we were there, plus her quest to protect the house - elves in fourth and fifth year," he laughed.
Dora laughed along with him. "So you have a saving people thing and Hermione has a helping people thing," she shook her head in amusement. "You two go good together."
"Hey, how did you know about--"
"Your saving people thing?" Dora shrugged. "It's pretty obvious Harry, the way you always tried to protect people, even the ones who didn't deserve it. Why?"
"It was something Hermione once said to me." Harry said simply. "Well, I'll let you check on your parents. I'm heading home."
"Okay Harry. I'll see you later. Oh, and if you see Remus, make sure he's not giving Samuel too many sweets. He's bad about that." Dora said, a pleading note in her voice.
Harry laughed. "I'll do that. Bye." The two parted ways and Harry continued back to his cottage. He walked with a spring in his step, glad to be dead. It was like Hermione had said when he first arrived-- he deserved a rest. He strolled up the path that led to his cottage, waved to his mother, and walked into his home.
Harry looked around in awe, still not quite believing he had a home of his very own that he shared with his Hermione. With a quick glance, he took in all of the photos decorating his walls and all of the furniture that he had created. Hermione had once joked that he had better taste then she did, and had let him decorate as he saw fit. He never told anyone, but everything in his home was a replication of what he dreamed of when he was locked in the cupboard at the Dursleys. It was cluttered, it was cosy, and it was his and Hermione's. He loved it.
Grinning, Harry sat down in his favourite chair by the fireplace and picked up a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. Hermione had laughed when he had chosen to create this book in particular when they were working on creating what he desired.
He reclined in his chair, opened the book to the fourth chapter and began to read about snitches and snidgets. Harry sighed contentedly as he made his way through the book while he waited for Hermione to return to him.
It was good to be home.
---------
A/N: Well, that's the end, unless there are enough people who are unsatisfied and demand another chapter with a better ending. I would like to tell everyone the inspiration for this story so that no one thinks I have a secret fetish with death, which, if you're read Time, Interrupted you might think. In chapter seventeen in the first book, Dumbledore says: "After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
Also, for those who read my other story, I have managed to get a little further on the next chapter, but my visiting friend will not be leaving for another three days, but I'll see what I can do in between now and then. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and if you read, please review.
Cheers,
Madm_05