Bad Wolf: Part Six
'I lied' Harry said as he pulled his hand roughly away from hers.
'What?' Hermione asked confused.
'The balance was a lie' Harry said shaking his head 'or not a lie exactly, but it doesn't make any real difference on fighting Voldemort'
'But then why?' Hermione said, he could hear her voice breaking up with fear as she spoke.
'So she could be safe...' Harry said simply 'so she would live through this...because millions, maybe billions, of people are going to lose their lives today and she cant be one of them'
Harry looked at the veil and smiled. She was safe. She would live. Maybe she'd get over him, maybe she wouldn't, but what mattered is tomorrow she will see the sun rise once again, and every morning after that.
'Because I can't beat him' Harry said truthfully 'Voldemort will win...he will kill me...and this world is already lost...'
`What are you talking about!' Hermione snapped, worry lined her words and she said this more as a statement than a question, but Harry chose to ignore the tone.
`If I don't go and fight Voldemort in…' Harry said shaking his head `the next ten minutes or so, then millions of people are going to die as he tries to draw me out…if I take an hour or two then perhaps a billion of people will lose their lives…longer, and maybe the world…'
`But you're more powerful now' Hermione said shaking her head `you know things that not even Albus knew!'
`I know loads of things that Albus didn't' Harry said with a grin `but it doesn't matter'
`Why doesn't it?' Hermione bellowed, her voice echoing of the stone walls.
`I forgot how much stock you put in books and cleverness!' Harry said remembering her words in their first year, over a decade ago `but in the real world, they don't mean so much'
Hermione went to retort, a scandalous look on her face, but Harry spoke over her and continued.
`Dueling is an art' Harry said slowly, truthfully `I'm not bad…actually I'm pretty awesome…but Albus was, and Voldemort is, on another level…'
`You're on that level now!' Hermione said biting her lip slightly `I don't think you get just how much magic you know now!'
`Trust me I know! I have a pretty large ego and a small modesty' Harry laughed `Do you remember what I said when you first came up with the idea for Dumbledore's Army in fifth year?'
`You said that fighting Voldemort was more than just memorizing spells' Hermione said looking away from him momentarily.
`Knowing spells gives you the basis for being able to fight' Harry said shaking his head `it's a pity but its one of those things that practice and experience gives you…neither of which I've had, and both of which Voldemort excels in'
`But…' Hermione started.
`Voldemort is by far the better dueler!' Harry said slightly angrily, he didn't need this right now `I'm a twenty two year old with a handful of real fights under my belt…its why he's drawing me out, so I cant use my knowledge and experience against him, that I cant use what I know to beat him…he's drawing me out to a contest I cant run from and which I cant hope to win!'
`But you know more than him' Hermione said defiantly `you impressed him with an antimagic field, followed his apparition field to break his defenses, and even escaped from the centre of his defenses! You are more powerful than him and he knows that! He's acting like a desperate man in this worldwide attack, splitting his forces when he should be centering them!'
`My parents escaped him three times as well' Harry said angrily `and what happened to them?'
Hermione fidgeted awkwardly as Harry stared down at her.
`If your not going to answer a question for the first time in your life, then I will…they were murdered by him… beaten so completely that they died unable to protect their child' Harry said shaking in anger, he hated being this blunt and talking this way about his parents but his actions had to be quick if he the world had any chance of living past this night and he didn't have time to hold her hand through this `they lost their lives, lost each other, and without a miracle they would have lost their only son!'
Hermione stood still for a few moments, her bottom lip quivering slightly as her brain ran over all the logic it knew. After about ten seconds her eyes watered as logic seemed to fail.
`Run away then!' Hermione said falling into him `we'll make another device and leave this place…never return!'
`And what? Never travel past 2006 because we don't want to go to a time ruled by Voldemort?' Harry said shaking his head `I've been to the past, and trust me when I tell you that it's not as fun as people make it out to be…'
`Oh Harry!' Hermione sanpped, hitting her small hand into his chest `don't joke!'
`I could never do it' Harry said softly, seriously as he held her in his arms `its why I broke those laws all the time about interference…I'd try and forget what was happening, let human history take its own course, but the thoughts would follow me through time…I'd be sitting drinking wine with one of the King Louis' and I'd see the faces of the children being attacked by a werewolf in 2569…'
`Then change!' Hermione yelped as she cried into him.
`You once told me something…that I have a saving people thing' Harry said pulling her back slightly so he could look into her face but she squirmed from his reach and stood on her own two feet a step away from him with a confused look on her face `and finally, only seven years and a Dark Lord or two later, I admit that your right…Hell, your always right!'
Hermione shivered noticeably and Harry's heart went out to her. He knew what she was thinking, because he had though the same thing as the Archway was shut. Losing the one you love once is hard, but losing them twice is a whole different story.
`Why did you ask me to stay?' Hermione said throwing Harry completely. Out of everything she could have said to his admission of her being right, the top two being I told you so or doing a little victory dance, this was definitely near the bottom. `You sent Ron and Remus to fight and protect the world, but you said you wanted me to stay…why?'
`Oh!' Harry said throwing his head back and laughing, he had almost forgot he had even said that `It's nothing'
Harry went to take her hand and lead her away but she pulled it from his grasp and gave him a look that told him he had better answer if he wanted to leave that room in one piece.
`Seriously it's nothing' Harry said shaking his head as he smiled to himself `Fine…I've just gotten use to having…having…' Harry sighed knowing this wasn't going to sound so great so he just said it `I'm used to having a Hermione next to me'
`Oh' Hermione said softly looking at him strangely. He noticed that her eyes shot quickly to the Archway and back onto his face `and what does she usually do?'
`Tea' Harry said quickly congratulating himself on his fast thinking.
`What?' Hermione said blinking in confusion.
`She makes me tea before battle' Harry said pointing at the door with a smile `two sugars, plenty of milk!'
Hermione blinked some more and was rooted to the floor for several long seconds, her mouth hung open in complete and utter disbelief. Harry watched as she slowly closed it and looked at him, expecting or waiting for him to tell her he was joking. As time passed she realized he was being serious and slowly begun to walk towards the door, throwing back looks over her shoulder every few steps as she couldn't believe what was happening.
Harry smiled after her, even throwing a little wave at one point until she had fully closed the door.
He exhaled as deeply as his lungs could, every single atom of air expelled from him, and then he fell to the floor.
He was in big trouble, and he knew it for sure. He crawled up and laid with his back against the wall, he wasn't comfortable but it didn't matter. His heart had made his body numb.
He had learnt magic in the other world, but they were behind the times. No one in that world was a great wizard, sure Ron was brave and Albus as wise as ever, but none would have lasted even a second dueling against any of the Death Eaters, let alone Voldemort. And these had been the people Harry had had to duel in the last five years.
Harry ran a hand through his hair. It was feeling longer than he remembered it being, and he couldn't understand why. And then he remembered Hermione saying once that he should grow it, and without another thought he hadn't had it cut again.
Hermione…
Shaking the thoughts from his head Harry looked at the Archway one last time and ran a hand over his face. She was gone, and he was soon to be dead. But at least they had that year together. The best year of his life.
Harry laughed to himself despite the pain in his heart, a year had gone by? He was Harry, time traveller extraordinaire, and he was still able to be amazed at how quickly time could past you by.
He smiled as he remembered her face, her body, her hand in his. A whole year had gone by, and it seemed like madness. His mind felt like it had only been a week, but his heart was so thoroughly attached that he couldn't remember a world without her.
A year since the first time he saw her? He closed his eyes and thought back on that marvellous day when his life had been changed by her…
A hand slid into hers quickly, as she turned to look at the owner of the hand she came face to face with a boy her age, raven black messy hair and glasses being all she could make out in the near darkness.
`I'm Harry' the man said with a smile which disappeared before he spoke again `Now follow me'
He literally dragged her the first few steps before her feet started working again and they ran threw a door, leading to the corridor to the fire escape. He turned around, withdrew something she couldn't see and she heard the sound of the door locking behind them. Hermione's brain couldn't work, Mike was dead, plastic was walking and a stranger had saved her. This couldn't be real.
But it had been real. And not only that, but it had been true. He loved her, there was no doubt about that anymore.
And wherever she was, whoever she was with, she knew he loved her.
*
She fell to her knees, unable to breathe as tears filled her lungs and throat.
She was alone.
And as the veil behind her stopped moving she knew the link had been broken. That her Harry was gone.
The tears streamed down her face and threatened to never stop. Her throat filled up with the water but she didn't care for her gentle choking, small things like that didn't matter any longer.
She tried to look around, but her vision was completely blurred by the tears so she gave up. Her heart was aching, literally in pain, as her knees threatened to bring out blood on the hard stone floor.
She could see herself now, weeping on the floor before the arch and she knew she had seen it before. The Magicallds had shown her when they were breaking down time. Albus had warned them about this. And here she was. She had lost her Harry.
She ran a hand up over her eyes and pushed it into the corners, her vision improving but still blurred as the tears continued to roll down her eyes.
`Hermione!' a voice screamed in panic, she knew the voice to belong to Ron but that didn't matter so she didn't move. Breathing hard she felt a hand wrap around her shoulders `what's happened Hermione…are you hurt?'
Only a loud sob echoed throughout the room as Hermione went to answer. Clearing her throat as much as she could, she tried again.
`Harry's gone…' Hermione croaked out painfully.
Ron had his arms around her waist and was helping her to her feet. She hadn't realized this was happening until her foot landed its first step onto the hard floor.
`What?' Ron said in shock `where?'
`Back home…' Hermione said rubbing her eyes as hard as she could. When she had finished she looked around the room and saw they were alone `Harry was from another world…and he's there fighting for it…'
`What about you?' Ron asked looking at her `Why are you here?'
`Harry had to balance the worlds once more…' she replied hesitantly. She didn't know if she should be telling anyone this but carried on anyway `he couldn't close of the world unless I went through, and if he didn't close of the world Voldemort would have escaped…'
`Who?' Ron said confused but quickly changed his question `Balanced world? Close of? I don't know what you're talking about?'
`It doesn't matter' Hermione said shaking her head. It really didn't matter, nothing did if Harry wasn't here beside her.
`Maybe it does' Ron said, he was sounding business like again so Hermione stepped away from him `I'm going to get Albus'
`Sure' Hermione said noncommittal.
Ron's lack of a response about Harry had brought more tears in her eyes. The man she loved was gone forever, and the world carrying on turning seemed to be an insult to this.
She looked around the room once again, her eyes purposefully missing out the Archway. She had no where to go. Her mother wouldn't understand this, and James was now too close to Albus to really appreciate it. And anyway she had left James for Harry, she couldn't really tell him how Harry had now left her.
There was only one safe place where she could be herself left, and that was Anglia….
She pulled the set of keys out of her pocket. She always kept them with her, Harry said that it was very important to do so. She moved the keychain around in her pal, it was only plain metal with a small red button pressed into the centre, but the cool cold sensation against her skin felt pleasant to her.
She couldn't believe the amount of time that had passed since she had first held the keys in her hand. Back then she had been more naive, had seen less, and was only at the beginning of her journey with Harry. A whole year ago.
She closed her eyes and remembered those moments, wishing so hard to be back there and have all that time together still in front of them
She watched as the two lovers seemed to dance with their words as they circled each other, the acting of love and desire was perfect. She barely realized as a hand found its way into hers and squeezed something hard softly into her hand. Looking down she saw it was Harry's hand and looking at him she saw a wide grin on his face.
`It's a key to the Ford Anglia' Harry whispered softly he let go leaving the silver key in her hand `I've made it so the alarm button makes it visible, which I thought was a nice touch'
She couldn't help but smile as she looked at him as she pocketed this present.
`Swear by thy gracious self, which is the God of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee'
She heard Juliet's words and smiled. And with this she took Harry hand in hers, and watched the first ever performance of Romeo and Juliet.
It had been only their second trip, third time of saving the world. And more important still was that it was their first real date. And Harry was still the god of her idolatry.
Slowly she pressed the tiny small red button and heard the sound of the Ford Anglia ripping through time and space for the last time. As it materialized beside her she froze.
What could she do with this machine? It couldn't fall into the wrong hands, but yet again it was the last link to Harry she had. She walked up to it, her eyes stinging slightly as the light reflected of the blue metal surface and hit her tear stained eyes. She held out a hand, opened the door, and stepped inside.
*
Harry felt the back of his head and winced. Without knowing it he had been softly hitting his head against the wall. He hated sitting on the floor and, slowly, he began to stand up.
He couldn't sit here thinking about what he had lost anymore, he had to prepare himself. Battle was coming. A battle he had to win, but couldn't.
He watched as the door slowly opened and Hermione came tottering inside, cup of tea in hand. When she had first entered his chest had been caught, his heart pounding heavily as he saw her, but as quickly as it appeared it had faded.
`Harry…' Hermione said as she carefully walked up to him `Dobby wanted to come and see you'
`Dobby?' Harry said smiling `what's that maniac doing here?'
`After you…disappeared…' Hermione said as she handed him the cup. He took a large gulp of it and felt his insides warm up. Drinking tea as the world ended outside, he suddenly felt very British `he refused to work at Hogwarts anymore…packed his things and came here'
`How come?' Harry asked.
`He said you'd need everything clean for when you came back' Hermione said with a little grin.
`So you have your own house elf?' Harry teased.
`Not really' Hermione laughed `I kept going on about paying him and giving him holidays, but he said doing it for you was all the paying he needed…today was the first time he spoke to me in four years!'
Harry threw his head back and laughed. He could see Dobby now, tea cosy on head waddling past Hermione with his face held high as he ignored her and cleaned the house.
`So SPEW is over with?' Harry asked as he stopped laughing.
`Heavens no!' Hermione said laughing back at him `It's not going…perfectly…but we're trudging along well enough'
`What's your take on the whole knowing the future thing?' Harry asked suddenly giving her his best mischievous look.
`It's against the law' Hermione said firmly.
`What if it concerns House Elf Rights?' Harry asked grinning even more as he watched Hermione's eyes twitch in excitement. She seemed to almost be bursting with words, but her lips were clenched tightly as if that was the only way she could stop herself from asking `so?' Harry carried on.
`It's…' Hermione said opening her mouth slightly but stopping and clenching them again. Harry began to worry in case Hermione was going to literally explode but at that moment she breathed out all the air in her lungs and smiled up at him `you win! What happens…?'
`Well, in the other world' Harry started `but I assume the two are quite similar on most issues, especially as the same people seem to occur in both worlds almost exactly…even with the same names…'
`Harry…' Hermione pleaded giving him her puppy dog eyes look `get to the point!'
`Ok!' Harry said rolling his eyes `House Elf's gain their freedom, including voting rights, in the 2678…August…the something or other'
`That's…' Hermione said looking at Harry with a little scowl before she shook her head and said `I think I can speed up that process quite a lot!'
Harry couldn't help it but let out a huge laugh as he almost fell to the floor in laughter.
`You and House Elf's!' Harry said laughing still `I tell you they get full freedom and all you can think of is getting it earlier!'
`What's wrong with that?' Hermione said defensively.
`Absolutely nothing!' Harry said smiling as he calmed himself down `in fact it's…Fantastic!'
Harry stood there smiling down at her, both of them was trying to put of what had to be done, both of them trying not to think of the lives that were being lost at this very second.
`Shall we get going?' Harry said finally.
`Are you… ready?' Hermione practically yelped nervously.
`One moment' Harry said shaking his head.
He looked at her. His best friend, and secret crush, from childhood. How she looked like her.
Her eyes shone the same from deep inside the dark brown, her hair framing her face as beautifully as ever. And her lips…He remembered those lips…
Harry raised a hand and ran it along her cheek, softly touching her skin and sending shivers down her spine.
`…2…' she lent forwards, her mouth pushed together to meet Harry's lips `…1…'
Time had seemingly slowed down as Harry lent towards her, his lips only inches away from hers, her heart beating as fast as it ever had in any life and death situation she had ever been in.
The whole world seemed to crumble around her as his lips touched hers, touching softly against her lips, his hand moving slowly along her cheek and running its way through her hair. The bells of Big Ben rang throughout the room as her lips slipped tenderly against his as she pushed slightly closer against his. She wanted to open her mouth, feel his tongue search through her mouth, but she couldn't' bring herself to as Harry pushed slightly harder, desperate for the intimacy to continue and deepen.
She ran a hand up through Harry's hair as the kiss intensified and she pushed her body harder against Harry's, but something seemed to scream in panic inside her and she pulled away.
`Happy New Year!' the crowd cheered
`I'm ready' Harry said blinking in the light.
`Are you sure you want to do this?' Hermione said, tears had already filled her eyes.
`Although it's not at the very top of the list on the ways I like to spend and afternoon…' Harry said brightly, he was trying to calm his heart as he strolled up to her. He was walking into who knew what and he needed a calm mind and heart. He added brightly as he took her hand `It'll do!'
He started to pull her until he fell into step next to him.
And he walked out of the door towards his battle. Towards his fate. Towards his death.
*
Hermione walked into the room and up towards the pensieve in the centre. How many times she had seen Harry stroll around that machine excitedly was beyond her, and probably beyond mathematicians as well. Her heart was beating faster as she approached the machine, and as she bent down to look into it her heart had nearly come out of her chest.
He had no idea what she had expected to see, but the simple vision of grey smoke was no stranger to her, and worse than that it was completely normal.
`Don't worry…' she said softly. She wondered if the machine felt his loss, the two of them, the Anglia and Harry, seemed like close friends more than anything `I'm still here…'
She looked around the large room, and for the first time she had ever known it felt empty. So often she had been here and it seemed to almost overfill with excitement and life. But now all it seemed was a room.
She saw large leather bound book on the floor and fell to the floor next to it. It was the book that Charles had given Harry.
She fingered through the pages until she came to the picture of the Archway. Merlin was now standing beside it with his head down with his hat in his hand seemingly to be in mourning.
Hermione slammed the book shut and tossed it to one side. The tears began to fall again and she wished they would be replaced by something, anything.
She shot the book a look and screamed at the top of her lungs. If they had never got that book then Harry would be here with her right this second. And if Albus hadn't been nosy and found the Archway they'd probably be traveling through time. And instead she was sat on the floor, alone with a broken heart while Harry fought to save another world.
She shouldn't have left him. No matter what he said. How would he cope without her? He'd go bumbling in, knowing it was a bad idea, all to save the world. She should be there, to help him, to literally hold him back if he needed it.
She felt so useless. Harry could be dying right now for all she knew and she was sat on some stinking floor in the wrong world…
She moved slightly as she realized her leg had become numb. Looking down at how this could happen she saw something in her pocket and removed it slowly, a small smile crept up on her face.
`Here' Harry said returning with a wand outstretched for her to take `it's the one Albus lent me a while back'
`I can't take that' Hermione said not moving from her spot and keeping her hands tight to her side to resist the urge.
`Why ever not?' Harry said puzzled.
`I can't do magic' Hermione said shaking her head `there's no point'
`It's not to do magic with' Harry said kindly `it's more so people think you can'
`In the last year you've never asked me to carry a wand before!' Hermione said suspiciously.
`And before we visited the Taj Mahal I had never asked you to ride a donkey!' Harry teased `but look how wonderfully you did that!'
`Donkeys don't make things disappear' Hermione said rolling her eyes as she went to take the wand.
`And who knows' Harry grinned as she took it from him `it could come in handy'
The smile deepened on Hermione's face into the glimmer of hope. Perhaps it was false hope, and only the tiniest hint even at that, but she was willing to hold onto anything at this very moment.
*
Hey, hoped you enjoyed that chapter, it was pretty different but I liked it! Only two (maybe even three) chapter left…how is everyone enjoying it…also, thank you to everyone who's been reviewing so far!
Not to question anyone's motives or anything, but as soon as I said about a surprise `present' for all the reviewers, I suddenly got like double as many as usual! So I think I must elaborate a tiny bit on what the `present' actually is (I can't give away too much though!)…well…its…its hard to put this actually…but lets just say that if you've enjoyed this story (and I mean really enjoyed it) then the `present' will be freaking awesome! If, like some of you must be, just read the story because its something to do the `present' will still be pretty good, but not as spectacular as it will be for the fans of this story…
Till next time…
Jms Granger
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