Unofficial Portkey Archive

Title: Forever a Secret (11)
Author name: LittleWitch
Author email: littlewitch_br@hotmail.com
Category: Romance
Sub Category: Angst
Keywords: Memories Forgotten
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OoTP
Summary: "It is dark in here since he's gone; since it's all gone. I think the worst part is knowing --knowing what you'd rather forget -- But you chose to remember. Because although it hurts, you need those memories…Just to remember why you are still breathing..."
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc.

AUTHOR NOTES: Before you all start reading this chapter that are a few things that I think you should now. This chapter is the first part of a series of flashbacks from the trio's last years at Hogwarts. There are all sort of point of views -- not just Harry's. I know that this is probably not what a lot of you have been expecting (You all wanted to see angry Harry kicking Dumbledore's butt) but the reason I wrote this series of flashbacks before the fight of the year is very simple. The last time when I got flashbacks between present scenes it was a disaster. Many of readers got lost and confused. So that's why I have decided to show you some of the past first, some essential things that you got to know to understand what will happen in the future chapters. Okay, so maybe some of the scenes are not that essential but…Well, I just couldn't help myself. Another reason why I decided to follow this line of writing was because I promised some of you that I would write the spell scene… You are going to recognize some of the flashbacks. I have used parts of the flashbacks shown in the other chapters, some with changes and some not, so the lost readers can better understand the order of the events.

Thanks to Perivayne, my one and only beta, for her great work. If you guys like this fic, she is probably one of the reasons. She has magical powers. She can make it look like I really know English.

Thanks to all my reviewers. It's always great to open my mail box and see your compliments and complaints there. It keeps me going. Thank you all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To my dear grandmother.

You are no longer here but I still remember you.

.

Chapter 11 - Remembering ( Part I)

Come up to meet you,
Tell you I'm sorry,
You don't know how lovely you are.

Nobody said it was easy,
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part.
Nobody said it was easy,
No one ever said it would be so hard.
I'm goin' back to the start.

-- Cold Play, The Scientist

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He opened the box.

And he looked skeptically at its contents.

I mean… for what the turtle-guardian-man had led Harry to expect was some sort of explosion with flashes of energy going everywhere; a magical power without limits and some end of the world realization -- Another never-ending box where he would find another crazy guardian or perhaps a portkey to God's own pensieve or something like that…

But he sure wasn't expecting to find, in that small red velvet box, a tiny little…

RING.

The red box slipped on the floor when Harry took the ring on his hands. He looked at it upside down and then it hit him…

He knew that RING. He had seen it before.

It was his mother's ring. But how did Neville get it? Last he remembered - Harry glanced at the box on the floor. Yes, the same box it had been during all those years. Since Sirius and Remus gave it to him on the beginning of his sixth-year at Hogwarts, telling the story of the ring. How it had passed from one generation of Potters to another…

`Listen to me, Harry. This is a ring to give to your true love. This ring runs in your family for years…through the years the Potters beloved wives would wear this special ring. Once you placd this ring on the finger of the woman you love, it will stay there forever…I mean, until the day she dies, then the ring will come back to this box and wait for another Potter to present it to another lovely lady and a new cycle of love to start…This was your mother's, Harry. I know you are probably asking yourself how we get this but…You see, Harry on the day James finally proposed to your mother…He showed me, Remus and -- and that murderer traitor this same ring in this same box and told us its magical history…'

On that day, Sirius had told him how his father proposed to his mother…how his father had been so nervous, afraid she would say no. The rest of story followed after; their marriage, their life together and Harry's birth. Harry tried to fight his tears back at the tales, embarrassed to cry in front of his parents' friends, but there were a couple of salty tears he couldn't hold back. This had been his mother's ring…the ring his father gave to her. A love gift…a proof of love…his parents' love.

And then Remus told him how after Voldemort had killed his parents, he had found the box in the ruins of what was left of the house in Godric's Hollow, and how surprised he had been to see that indeed the ring was back in the box to wait for the next Potter bride, Harry's bride. He he had kept the small red velvet box through all this years, waiting for the time to be right to return it to Harry. Remus had even thought on giving it to him when he came to Hogwarts on his third-year as a professor but he had seen that Harry was still too young, and certainly not ready…that the young man had been still blind to love.

Sirius had agreed, "Your parents loved each other very much, Harry. I'm sure all they wanted was for you to find that special someone and be as happy as they were together. And that's what Remus and I want for you. We want you to find that happiness that only your other half can bring. We think you are ready now, Harry."

Remus had placed the velvet box on the palm of his hand. And Harry could hear his own words. "Err…but…er…I have no idea what to do with this ring…I mean, you two think that I'm ready? Ready for what? Defeat Voldemort, right? Because there is no way you are talking about love. I mean my love life is a joke… All I have so far is a wet kiss and the worst date ever…"

Remus and Sirius had chuckled together and walked away, leaving Harry rambling himself.

"I have no idea what love looks like… and it's not like I have the time to fall in love right now. Voldemort is back, remember? I mean I don't know what you guys have been hearing…but I sure hope you haven't based this decision on what they write on the papers. It's all a bunch of lies…and they are usually about me and Hermione. Right, like this will ever happen? She is my best friend for Merlin's sake! And then…I'm just sixteen… I don't know how wizards and witches see it -- I have never really stopped to consider this but -- but in the Muggle world, that is a very young age to get married, you know? Not to say that considering my unfinished business with Voldemort, chances are if I got this ring in the hand of any girl, she will become the youngest widow ever - and she will have to wear the ring for the rest of her life, stopping her from even trying to be happy again - really the woman will hate me for the rest of her life if I do that…"

Only then did Harry notice that Sirius and Remus were no longer at his side. "Hey, where are you two? Haven't you two noticed that I'm a little lost here? Some advice would be nice. What do you expect me to do? Start dating all the girls in Hogwarts?"

Sirius had stopped and looked back at Harry over his shoulder. "Just the pretty ones." His godfather grinned at him suggestively but not for long, since Remus poked him in the ribs and gave him a disapproving look.

"Don't push it, Sirius. You are only going to confuse him more," Lupin said to Sirius and then turned to Harry. "Look, Harry. We are not sending you into a quest to find true love. This is not what this is about. Keep the ring and just listen to your heart and in the due time it will all come to you."

And that had been it. Harry had been left with the small box in his hands and Remus' wise words in his head; although at the time he had to admit Sirius' advice had made a lot more sense.

Harry had decided that he should keep that information to himself. Hah, Ron surely wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he had found Harry with an engagement ring in his pocket. No, no way. Harry could not keep the ring on his dorm and take the risk of one of his classmates finding it and letting gossip out about Harry having it. It would be around all the school faster than owl post and then there would be probably a line of members of The Harry Potter Club wanting to try on the ring - to see that if it would fit like the shoe in some Cinderella story…

For all those reasons, on one of his Hogsmeade excursions, Harry had been able to be alone for some minutes. During that time, he had run to Gringotts branch and had placed the small box inside his vault. Of all the treasures that vault contained, this small box was the most valueable. It was a part of his parents; part of the love story they had shared together. A part of his past, and if he was lucky and survived Voldemort's wrath, it would be someday a part of his future.

He remembered he had dated a few witches back then…but he hadn't been in love with any of them…Well, he had been truly busy with Voldemort and all that come with their conflict, so it was probably better that way. Love would only have gotten in the way.

And with Voldemort finally gone, Harry believed he would be free to love …and with a little help of Ron in that department, Harry really threw himself into the quest to find his true love. Balls, clubs, blind dates…Harry had tried it all. Every time he was with a new witch -- or woman, considering he had dated some Muggles, he would remember the box lying forgotten on his vault and wonder if this partner would be the one for him.

He had almost lost all his hopes when his female best friend started talking non-stop about his other best friend's sister. Things like: "Have you noticed how grown up Ginny is now? She sure is a very beautiful woman, isn't she? Do you know, Harry, Ginny is an excellent cook. Do you remember that time when you saved her from the Chamber of Secrets? That was so romantic…"

So after a million of insinuations on Hermione's part, and Ron's as well. the fact that Ginny attended every social event that Harry did, and was at their flat everyday with an excuse to see Hermione who was suddenly her best friend in the whole world, Harry took the hint and asked Ginny for a date. Then a second date and then things just began to happen for them. And several times during their short and unstable relationship, Harry had really thought that maybe she was the one. After each make-up, he had considered fetching the ring from Gringotts and giving it to Ginny, but instead he had always bought her another piece of jewelry…and the ring remained in the vault.

Last he remembered, the ring was still in Gringotts. That was, he didn't go to Gringotts very often. He was never one to spend a lot of money and what he earned being a teacher was more than enough for his way of living so…

So, Neville had been in Gringotts and had been in Harry's vault. Strange, he thought Neville was with Sirius and the others. After all, Neville was a member of the Black Team…And Neville should also be the one standing in Harry's place as The Boy Who Lived. But well, Neville's role in all of this was the last of Harry's concern by now…

What he really had to figure out was what role did that tiny little ring play in this crazy story he had been living…

Nope. No truth so far. Nothing new. He was about to go back to that box and ask some more questions of that stupid turtle when he noticed something about the ring.

Harry brought the ring up close to his eyes so he could better read the inscription engraved inside the ring band.

Strange, he didn't remember any inscription there when Sirius and Remus had given it to him.

But now there was an inscription. And he read it aloud.

Forever

And a gentle pink aura glowed along the letters, from the `f ' to the `r ', until all of them where covered and the word shone brightly before Harry's jade eyes, reflecting clearly from them…and the thin line of his old glasses was no longer there to prevent him to seeing the truth.

The pink magical aura engulfed Harry.

And he remembered. He remembered everything. Every gesture. Every word. Every kiss. He remembered what he should have never forgotten. He remembered as he had promised her he would...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NEARLY THE END OF SIXTH YEAR…

INSIDE HOGWARTS' CASTLE

Harry Potter was slowly descending the stairs of Hogwarts. Step by step, he made his way to the Great Hall. He kept his head down, his shoulders down; his self-esteem reflected in his posture.

He had done it again. He had acted without thinking. He had been so tired of …everything: The Quidditch Practices - he was failing miserably as their new Captain; The nightmares increased and he would always read about them in the Daily Prophet's front page - the nightmares were becoming more painful and more real - too real; The stupid new Defense Against Dark Arts Professor - who clearly had second intentions with his female best friend; Snape's stupid amount of potion's homework; Dealing with all of Ron's failing attempts to conquer Hermione's heart; And how could he forget the War…The War that had already begun. The War Aurors, Unspeakables and Members of the Order of the Phoenix were already fighting...The War in which Dumbledore wanted to make sure Harry did not participate. But how could he? After all, he was the one born as the seventh month dies. He was the one who had to carry the burden of the prophecy on his shoulders.

All his doubts, all his fears, all his stubbornness, all the darkness within him had lead him to make a terrible mistake.

He had broken all the rules. He had done exactly what Dumbledore told him not to. He had left the castle in the middle of the night alone. He had gone after him. He had faced Voldemort.

He had lost.

Yes, you read right. Harry Potter lost to Lord Voldemort.

Perhaps, he didn't have the Power-the-Dark-Lord-Knows-Not after all.

What was it anyway? The-Power-He-Knows-Not…It seemed that the Great Boy-Who-Lived didn't know anything of that power either.

In the end, it had been wand against wand; a duel in which Voldemort showed himself as superior and Harry had lost his wand, probably forever. His wand had joined Voldemort's, it had become only one wand. A wand that now lay in Voldemort's possession.

And at the tip of what once had been somehow his own wand, Harry received that damned curse again: Avada Kedrava.

That had been when Harry officially lost his life. Well, not literately, as it was mostly certainly not a ghost who was descending the stairs now. He just lost part of his life. He just lost a part of his humanity.

Harry had learned something new about himself. And as old truths and new truths collided, Harry could fell the burden of his shoulder getting heavier, almost too much to bear.

Once again, Harry had survived Voldemort's curse. And this time, there was not even a new scar to tell the tale. Although Harry could say that the curse had definitely left a new mark on him, though this mark no humans eye could see. Because in a blink, everything had changed. Everything that was within.

Harry sighed as he stopped at the Great Hall door. The room was almost empty. He was really late for breakfast. He saw only a few Gryffindors at the table, and among them were Ron and Hermione.

"Why me? Why? A spider? Of all the stupid things that I could have turned into - a spider? Why not an ant or a mosquito? I wouldn't mind really. But a spider - This is like my worst nightmare becoming true."

"Shh…Keep it quiet, Ron. Do you want everybody to know that you are an illegal Animagus? Remember what Remus told you, alright."

"But `Mione. A spider?" Ron pouted.

"Er…Oh, honestly, Ron. I know it would not have been your first choice but there is probably a reason your Animagus form is a spider. Who knows, maybe someone up there think is time for you to face your fears."

"Yeah, or maybe someone out there just really hate my guts."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. Besides it's not really so bad. Just think of yourself like Spiderman."

"Spiderman?"

"Never mind. Just --" She looked up and a small smile crossed her lips. "Good Morning, Harry."

"`Morning, Hermione. Ron." He greeted them with a fake smile, taking the seat in front of Ron and besides Hermione, and stared silently at his empty plate.

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other. Harry's actions not lost on them.

"Hey, mate. So, how are you feeling today?" Ron asked breaking the strange silence that had fallen on the trio of friends.

Harry stared at Ron. How was he feeling? His friend wanted to now how he was feeling… What is he supposed to tell him? `Fine, thanks. And you?' Or should he tell him the truth? Should he tell him how he wished that damned curse had just killed him this time? How was he feeling? How would you feel if you were not sure of whom you are anymore? How confused and lost he was with all that happened. With all those new factors, that strong magic that ran into his veins and shone through his eyes. All the meaningless symbols that now haunted his dreams. The images, the voices, the feelings… Should he say that Voldemort had left him wandless, but not powerless-- however, that he had never felt so powerless in his life, so hopeless as he did right now? He had let all them down. He was stupid enough to give Voldemort exactly what he wanted all along: access to a magic beyond all known magic.

Should he tell him how it's was all his fault that Voldemort had succeeded?.That it didn't matter that Voldemort had simply walked away. It didn't matter that once more he had survived an encounter with Voldemort. Harry knew that the dark wizard would be back, more powerful than before. And it was completely his fault. Harry couldn't really blame anyone but himself for his stupidity…

How could he be so naïve?

How could he be so blind?

"Toast?" Hermione's familiar voice broke into his thoughts and he shifted his stare from one best friend to the other. She was handing him a stack of toast she was holding in a napkin.

Harry froze. He froze in time. In space. A rush of strange emotions taking control of him. The strong beating of his heart. The butterflies in his stomach. The simply fact that he could not process any information other than how beautiful she was. How her eyes seemed to read his soul. How he needed her in his life. All the memories. All her smiles. All her hugs. All her caring words. Her. Just her. Just Hermione Granger.

How could he be so naïve?

How could he be so blind?

How come he never saw what was right in front of him?

Love. He had finally found it. No, he hadn't, it was love that found him first. Or perhaps both statements were wrong. Perhaps love had always been there and once again he asked himself how he could be so blind…

He was still frozen as inside a real war took place - He had never felt anything like this before…He felt GREAT. But…

Why was there always a `but' for him? Why couldn't he just feel great, and amazed and whole, and that was all there was to it? Why couldn't he just enjoy the moment, take her in his arms, steal a kiss and scream to the world that Harry Potter was completely head over his feet for his best friend?

Why he did have to feel Great and Scared to Death? Death…It was like he was leaving his own body. He was no longer with her, he was no longer at the Great Hall. He could hear voices at the other side of a black veil. They were telling him that he couldn't pass. That he didn't belong there. He was in the sky. There were so many stars around him but one in particular shined brightly at him, coming close, so close. He felt himself falling…falling to Earth. Seven different shadows were around him. They were silent but Harry felt like they were screaming in his ears.

He saw a young blue-eyed man raising a sword and then he saw the young man's face replaced by Dumbledore's. He saw Tom Marvolo Riddle with his arms wide open as a Basilisk bit him…He saw red eyes in a faceless figure, then he saw a glimpse of a glowing green lightning scar. He saw a woman with brown-gold curls and a loving smile. She was carrying a baby-boy with an angelic face and deep emerald eyes…The woman held the baby's small hand in hers and together they both waved at him…

His scar was burning. His body was in flames. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't be...

Millions of images flashed through his mind. And at the time none of them made any sense…

"Harry?"

He blinked, hearing her voice. He was back in the great Hall, Hogwarts. Actually he had never left. He could feel her eyes on him but he couldn't look back at her. His first thought was that he needed to get the hell out there. Run. He had to run.

He couldn't be in love with his best friend. That was just so wrong. It was all wrong. He had a destiny to fulfill. Then, there was his other best friend and the fact that he too loved her and…

Everybody that he loves dies.

No, he couldn't love her. He wouldn't let these feelings out. It was just a big mistake - yeah, it was probably some side effect of that cookie Hagrid shoved at his mouth a week ago -- one could never trust Hagrid's cooking skills. Or maybe it was because of the Avadra Kedrava. Yes, it was that. The curse and all the changes…Yes, the butterflies, and the burst of emotions were only a side effect of all the changes his body was suffering because of the - Oh, who he was kidding?

Certainly not himself.

But…

Everybody that he loves dies.

Just for being his friend, she was in danger. If he felt something more…he couldn't take the risks. He couldn't lose her.

"Harry?" she called again and this time he raised his eyes and found hers. He found himself drawing back into her eyes.

He had to run but…

Why there was always a `but' for him? He had to run, to forget that he ever thought about Hermione in any other way than…But when he saw himself reflect on her beautiful brown eyes; when he saw deeper; when he saw what's been there all along and he had been too stupid not to see…

His best friend was not as smart as he thought…

She was stupid enough to be in love with him.

Hermione Granger was in love with him…and despite the fact that he was an orphan, and had lived all his life with those awful Dursleys, despite everything fate was still keeping from him, he was the luckiest man on earth. Because the one that he loved loved him back. Because in her eyes he could see her love, like gentle waves that warmed his soul.

And as she smiled at him, he knew that his eyes must be reflecting the same feelings as hers were and he could almost read her mind screaming, `It was about bloody time, Potter!' and he smiled back at her. And in that exchange of smiles and looks was the secret you both shared. A communication between souls accompanied by a sad realization: you would both have to wait… things were just too complicated...Fate conspired to intervene. Powers he couldn't control. The Dark Lord he had to kill. The DADA exam they would have the day after tomorrow. Ron. Yeah, they would have to wait and she silently was promising him that she understood, that she would wait. And he…

He was still scared to death. But he wouldn't run. He would stay. He would stay with her. Yes, she would be in danger, but he would protect her no matter what…he would die for her. He would find a way to rewrite his destiny…he would control his own fate...And Ron -- well, he would have to deal with it when the time came…

"Hey! Earth calling Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. What's wrong with you two?"

"Oh, sorry, Ron," they both murmured, flushing as they broke eye contact and turned their attention back to Ron who was still complaining about being a spider animagus. Then, he complained about the fact that they weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade with the others and how that maybe they could use Harry's invisible cloak and could go anyway. Hermione was completely against that, saying it was not safe for Harry out there and that they should better go to the library and study for the DADA exam. Before Harry knew what was happening, his friends were enbroiled in another argument. He just put his elbow on the table and leaned his head on his hand. He was not even listening what his friends were saying anymore, he was still too happy with his recent discovery to care about anything else. He was too busy daydreaming about her, a goofy smile on his face…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WEEKS LATER…

ROOM OF REQUIREMENT

"Ouch!"

Harry landed on the large silk cushions that immediately popped out on the floor to cushion his fall.

Harry sighed exasperated as he stared at the ceiling, feeling more than just a little stupid for being thrown across the room for his own spell. He really didn't feel like getting up quickly… He was really starting to enjoy the sight of the ceiling when something got in the way of his vision of her eyes.

"Have you ever thought about buying a new wand?" the girl asked, looking down at him.

Harry snorted. "Yes, I'm fine, Cho. No, don't worry. Nothing is hurt, except maybe for my pride. But thanks for your concern," he said sarcastically.

She giggled. "Sorry… Are you alright?" she asked, extending him a helping hand, which he accepted.

It was really strange how things could change so much in such a short time. Last year, only the thought of holding Cho Chang's hand made him sweat cold. And now…now it had no effect - none at all. He could hear her giggle without feeling the slightest lurch in the region of his stomach, look into her eyes without getting speechless and, actually, have a decent conversation with her. And it was not only with Cho, it was the same with all the other girls. Harry had never been so at ease with the female population as he had been lately.

He sure had had a very difficult time when Remus and Sirius had presented him with that ring at the beginning of the year… every time that a girl smiled at him, he wondered if she could possible be the one he would be given the ring for...He even thought about having another shot with Cho after she broke up with Michael Corner, but that thought only lasted five seconds before he realized that he would have to be a fool to willingly repeat that disaster, especially because there were no strong feelings involved.

So, not only did he have to cope with the fact that the whole Wizarding World, now that they finally realized Voldemort was truly back, had his eyes on him (more than usual if that was even possible)and were somehow expecting him to save them again. And that because they did not know about the prophecy, just imagine if they did… But he had also to deal with the fact he was a sixteen year old boy with all the common problems and interests that every other teenage had.

Quidditch, butterbeer and girls…

At the sweet age of sixteen Harry fully comprehended why guys sometimes prefer sports and beer instead of girls…

Sports they could understand easily, the game's rules were clear and defined and all you had to do was follow them, but the opposite sex, the rules were obscure, convoluted and arbitrary…And beer was even better, you didn't even need to understand it, all you needed to know was that it was good, made you feel good and, unlike the girls, it was within reach of your hands…

Oh God, Hermione would kill him if he ever spoke something like that aloud.

Hermione…

The truth was since he had realized he was crazy in love with his best friend, all his problems had stopped. (Huh, so that was not exactly true if you considered his never ending problems with Voldemort and everything that came with it, but here he was talking about his girls problems, okay?) Now that he knew that Hermione was the only girl for him, he had eyes for no one else. He no longer needed to be nervous around a girl, afraid of what she might think of him, he could talk with girls without worrying about their expectations, he didn't feel the need to impress them because the only one who truly mattered was Hermione…the only opinion that mattered was hers…She was the only one he could imagine wearing that ring.

And, again, with Hermione he had never been nervous…even when they just stayed quiet, it was never uncomfortable, it was peaceful and fulfilling somehow. He didn't need to impress her, she already knew all the most unimpressive things about his persona and still loved him anyway. And there were no expectations. All Hermione expected from him was for him to be himself… (although Harry had to admit that just being himself was proving to be harder than he thought considering all the major changes in his life during the years)

"Now, really, Harry. How are you supposed to teach us when you can't even cast a simple curse?"

What? Oh yeah, he had gotten so caught up in his own thoughts that he had almost forgotten that Cho was there. Hey. Wait a moment. Did she just say he can't curse? Who the hell does she thinks she is talking to? Of course he could curse… Outrageous!

"Hey," Harry protested as he fixed up his cloak. "I'm totally capable of casting all manner of spells, thank you very much…As a matter of fact, if I really wanted I could hex you with only one thought."

"Could have fooled me."

Harry looked at her, putting his `Potter, Harry Potter' look into action.

She threw her hands up in defeat. "Ok. Ok. I was only saying…" She stopped, her attitude changing drastically, when her cheerful tone as replaced by a serious tone. "You know Harry, we are all really worried about you…Wandless magic is a really dangerous thing…Of course, we can all do a few tricks some now and then but it is said that all wizards that tried to master this craft in the past ended up insane or dead." She paused, trying to see if her words have some effect on him, but she found none. With a sigh she continued, "Anyway, you never told us what happened with you wand. Is it broken? Maybe Mr. Ollivander can fix it for you or find you a new one - maybe even a better one."

"I wish it was that simple…"

"And why, may I ask, isn't it?"

Harry just looked at her, with no intention of answering her question.

Cho sighed. She would never get anything from him on that matter. "You're a really mysterious guy sometimes, Harry Potter."

"Hermione says it's part of my charm," he said grinning.

"And here we go again…Do you think someday we will be able to have a conversation without you bringing her up?"

"I guess not," he said softly.

Cho seemed taken aback with his answer. She probably had not been expecting one to start with, especially not a sincere one like that. Something had changed. Could it be that he and… - No. That couldn't be. Could it? She was about to try and get some answers but the chance passed as the other members of DA started arriving for the meeting.

"Hello, Harry. Cho." The group that had arrived greeted them both. With each passing minute, more students from different years and all different houses (Er… nearly all the houses if you consider there was no Slytherins in the DA) entered the Room of Requirement.

As Cho went over to talk with some her fellow Ravenclaws, Harry watched the flow of people around him. He always thought it amazing how many students were in the DA and that number had increased despite the loss from students that had graduated Hogwarts last year. Of course, now they were no longer a secret organization, hiding from the likes of Umbridge and her Educational Decrees. Now, they had Dumbledore's express permission and encouragement to keep on with the DA. Voldemort was openly acknowledged to be back by the Ministry, therefore, the more prepared the students were, the better.

As more and more people arrived the room seemed to get bigger as well…

Harry smiled when his eyes lit at the sight of Neville Longbottom trying to teach Luna Lovegood how to conjure a protecting shield. Harry smiled to himself as a well-cast blue shield engulfed both Neville and Luna. He had to admit that Neville had become one of his best `pupils', nearly as good as Hermione. It was hard to believe but…things change.

`Why is it always me?' Neville, lying on a bed, had asked him three moths ago when Harry, Ron and Hermione had dropped by in the Hospital Wing.

Harry had felt a little guilty at the thought that had crossed his mind as he remembered the prophecy and Dumbledore's words. And how, for an instant, he had wished it was really always Neville. Pushing this unkind thought away, he had placed a hand on his shoulder. "Believe me, Neville. It is not always you."

But Neville just smiled sadly and turned away, asking to be left alone.

Longbottom had just been rescued by the Order after the shy Gryffindor found himself in the middle of Voldemort's newest evil plot, that also included the giants and Hagrid…Luckily, all had ended well and on the plus side, Sirius had captured Wormtail (nearly killed him actually but fortunately Snape was there to stop him) and now his godfather was a free man…Unfortunately, so was Wormtail as just last month he , Bellatrix, Lucious Malfoy and all the Death Eaters captured so far escaped from Azkaban…not really escaped if you consider the Dementors had been by their side and for them Azkaban had been sort of spending some relaxing time in the `Spa of Evil'. Harry didn't really know what had happened with Neville back then, his friend had been always so closed-mouthed about his feelings and his personal life (his parents story was still a secret to many of his colleagues), the only person Neville had talked to was Hermione and all she had said from that talk to Harry and Ron was that Neville would be fine in time…

But Harry had felt in the instant that his friend had turned his back to them on that cold afternoon in the Hospital Wing that something had changed in Neville… And the way that his magical abilities had impressively improved were just the outward sign of that…

And after Harry himself had experienced some changes he wondered -- more than ever -- what important role Neville might still have to play in this show…

"Neville!"

"You idiot! Stop this thing right now!"

Harry was brought back from then to the now by a furor.

Er…apparently, not all things had changed...

Harry had to suppress a laugh as he saw all the present members of the DA trapped in a giant blue bubble floating in the air, yelling at Neville, who was flicking his wand madly at the bubble trying to break it.

"Harry, do something!" Dean yelled as Harry was the only one Neville's protective shield didn't engulf…almost like it didn't dare to.

Grinning, Harry simply stretched his arms and pressed only his index finger against the bubble that exploded at his touch.

It was raining Hogwarts' students. Literally.

The floor of the Room of Requirement was immediately covered by dozens of fluffy cushions.

Ron and Ginny had finally arrived carrying a large box. "Hey, sorry, we'ree late, but this thing is--" Ginny stopped and contemplated the somewhat strange view. "What happened here?" she inquired.

"Oh, that… it's nothing," waved Harry as the other students were slowly getting up. He looked down at the box. "So, are they all here?"

Ron and Ginny placed the box on the ground. "Yes. Hagrid asked you to be careful. He said they still haven't eaten." The box was moving. "Are you sure you want to use them, Harry?" asked a fearful Ron.

"We need to practice."

"I know, Harry, but these things are --"

"Not as bad as Voldemort, I assure you." At the Dark Lord's name everybody in the room winced, except Harry and Neville. "Come on, people, it's just a name. How are you supposed to fight against him, if you can't even fight against the power that his name has over you."

All the students went quiet after that…but not for very long.

"So, Harry, what is inside this box?" asked an animated Colin Creevey.

"Ah, it's only some --" Harry's words trailed off as the nagging, uncomfortable perception of something being off-kilter finally crystallized. His eyes traveled around the room. He turned to his best friend. "Ron, where is Hermione?"

"What do you mean `where is Hermione'? I thought she was with you."

Harry shook his head. Hermione wasn't with him. For some reason, his heart was racing. Hard. He blinked. His scar tingled. Something was wrong.

"She is only a couple of minutes late. I'm sure she is on her way," said Lavender Brown.

"Yes, but we don't need to wait for her, do we, Harry? I'm sure she won't mind if we start without her, it's not like she doesn't already know all the spells we're doing," said Cho.

Ron stared at Harry. "Harry, Hermione --"

"-- is never late," Harry ended Ron's sentence. "The Map. Is it with you?" Ron nodded, taking the Marauder's Map from his cloak pocket and handing it to Harry.

Harry shook his head. "I don't have a wand."

"Oh. Right." Ron looked at his friend. That was right Harry no longer had a wand and considering the hard time he had been having controlling his wandless magic he would end up tearing the Marauders Map into pieces if he tried to use it. "Here, take mine."

Using Ron's wand, Harry tapped the map and said the infamous words, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Ron stepped at his friends side as the map of the castle and it's grounds slowly appeared in the old parchment. "Come on. Come on. Where is she?"

Ron looked at the map perplexed. "She is not here. Hermione is not here, Harry. How can she not be here?"

Both best mates stared at each other, fear rising in their throats.

They ran out the door at top speed, leaving everybody else in the Room of Requirement behind to look perplexedly at each other and asking what was going on.

Neville, Ginny and Luna shared a worried look. The last time they couldn't find someone on the map was when Neville had been in the hands of the Dark Lord…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Same time…

SOMEWHERE ELSE

She felt a soft touch.

Her eyelashes flickered. Her eyelids flickered, opening slowly, then closing. She blinked more than once before her eyes were fully opened.

The first thing she saw was Crookshanks.

Her head ached. She just wanted to close her eyes again so the pain went away. However her feline friend would not let her. She could fell his fluffy fur grazing against her skin.

"Crookshanks", she whined, "just let me sleep, only a little longer…Tired…Head hurts…"

But her cat, that had his paws on her chest, was very persistent.

"All right, all right. You win," she said as she began to get up - a movement that she regretted immediately . Now her head was really going to explode. She better just stay in her bed…

A very hard bed…Could it be that the elves had changed her mattress?

Her sore eyes found her cat's once again and inexplicably the pain she was feeling faded a little -- enough for her mind to start to process a few obvious information…

One: She was not on her bed…

Two: She was on a rocky, muddy and cold ground...

Three: She was not on her dorm…

Four: She was in an unknown and sinister place…

Five: The last she remembered she was…uh-oh

Six: Where the hell was her wand?

Seven: Shit!

Still a little dizzy, she found a great difficulty to stand up…she scanned the area around her and then she looked down at Crookshanks. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." The cat eyed its Mistress, puzzled. "And honestly I'm not looking forward to meeting the Wizard of Oz."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

later…

BACK TO HOGWARTS

They were sitting in the two chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk.

Ron was tapping his right foot nervously with one hand while gripping the arm of the chair with the other with such intensity that he was leaving marks on it. Harry, on the other hand, had his arms crossed across his chest and eyes closed. He looked oddly calm, almost as he was in a kind of trance.

They were alone. The Headmaster was not there. Fawkes was not there. Even all the former headmasters' portraits were empty. They were all out there somewhere looking for Hermione.

When Harry and Ron had rushed into the Headmaster's office, screaming like banshees and making as much sense as a Troll loose in the Dungeon, Dumbledore had not known of Hermione's disappearance. Fawkes had gotten very agitated and Dumbledore had seemed to be more concerned in calming Harry down and reminding him of his training than trying to understand what they were saying.

Only when Harry had taken a deep breath and left himself fall into the chair in the exact same pose he was in now had Dumbledore finally realized their message. Dumbledore seemed to read their minds and contacted the Order immediately. Before Ron could protest about helping to find their friend, all the decisions had been made and Dumbledorehad disappeared with Fawkes, leaving them behind with the promise that he and the Order were going to find Hermione and bring her back safe and sound.

Of course they would, Ron had thought. After all they had already been through that last term when Neville couldn't been found. And the Order had found him and brought him back before Ron, Harry, Hermione and the rest of the DA team had the chance to set foot out of Hogwarts to look for their friend. Being somewhat reassured by that memory, Ron had decided to copy his friend and sit, waiting for Hermione's return.

That had been hours ago.

Ron's mind was running mad now.

"Bloody Hell!!! We can't just sit here all day. We got to do something, Harry."

The raven boy didn't even flinch at Ron's sudden outburst.

"Harry?! Harry, damn it! How can you be so --" Ron had gotten very angry at his lack of reaction. He was pissed off, he was worried sick about Hermione, he was… "You know what?! This is all YOUR FAULT!"

Harry eyes had snapped opened.

A wave of magic swished in the air. The Headmaster's magical instruments on his desk and shelves levitated and began to zoom around the room…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

FORBIDDEN FOREST

She was tired of running. She rested against a tree, hiding herself for a moment to catch her breath. Ah, how she missed her wand. Oh…how she wished she had already learned how to Apparate… She had read all about it, but doing it was another thing - It was not like she could train until her seventh-year. You couldn't Apparate to Hogwarts anyway and if she had tried anything in the holidays she would have gotten expelled so…No Apparation, no wand…It's her and her cat against all odds…

Well, at least she had escaped from the cave. And she was sure could escape him again (no need for a wand there). But how could she escape all those demons? She didn't even recognize what kind of demons they were…Why do the school books never tell you about those sort of things? What do they think? That students are too young to know these kind of truths? Yeah, right. Tell that to Harry and Ron and --

OH MY GOODNESS…

Ron and Harry must be freaking out…She knew that she would be freaking out if one of them disappeared as she had…

Crookshanks hissed. Someone was coming. The cat jumped in front of her in a protective stance. Hermione thought it was really courageous of her cat to try and protect her... But in reality, what a cat -- even a half special like it -- do to protect her from what pursued?

"I know you are here, Mudblood. The demons can smell your dirty blood. Come on out, Mudblood. I'm getting tired of playing hide-and-seek. What's the point in prolonging this? There is no way out. Scar-face won't come for you …no one will…"

As Draco spoke the demons approached the tree where she was hidden.

"Your friends don't know where you are…not even the Ministry or an owl could find you with the concealing potion we gave you… it is made from dragon's blood. Do you know what this mean, don't you, Mudblood…"

The demons grabbed Hermione. Crookshanks jumped to attack then but then was thrown off by one demon.

"No!" Hermione yelled.

The demons dragged her up face to face with Draco Malfoy. "Good job, gentleman. The dark Lord will be very pleased."

"Why are you doing this, Malfoy? Why? What do you gain with this?"

"I get to see your little boyfriend suffering."

Hermione frowned. "I don't have a boyfriend."

Draco only grinned, turning his back to her.

"Why do you hate him so much? What has he ever done to you? Got the snitch first in a stupid Quidditch game? Why Draco? You don't have to this. You don't have to follow your father's footsteps. "

"Shut up, Mudblood. I'm sick of hearing your pathetic advice. I don't know how you did to break the somniferous spell or how that stupid cat followed us, but it doesn't matter now…You are going to pay for what you did, Mudblood…It's really sad that the Dark Lord wants you alive, but he didn't say anything about not hurting you..."

"You coward. Why don't you give me back my wand and then we'll see who gets hurt?"

"I said SHUT UP." Draco raised his hand. But before his hand could find Hermione's cheek Crookshanks hissed, distracting him from his intent and letting him begin to grasp their new peril…

Suddenly, Draco, Hermione and the demons saw themselves surrounded by hundreds of giant spiders…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BACK TO THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

Harry stood up and fixed his green eyes in his friend.

Ron seemed frightened by his friend and the magic that seemed to surround him. However, above all, he was angry…and he just let all his fury out.

"You know I'm right. You know it's your fault. They didn't take her because she is Muggleborn, nor because she is the smartest witch in Hogwarts…They took her because she is your friend. Yours, Harry. Not mine. Yours. It's your fault!"

At this point all articles of furniture in Dumbledore's office were shattering into pieces. Harry seemed ready to explode, his eyes had changed, jade glitters coming out of it.

"Do you think I don't know that?" Harry hissed. "Do you think that it isn't killing me to know I'm the reason she is danger…You have no idea, Ron. No idea how it feels."

"Perhaps I don't, but I know what I am feeling, Harry. And I swear to Merlin, no, more than that, I swear to God, if something happens to her, I'll never, ever, speak to you again. If Hermione is -- I will never forgive you, Harry. It will be the end of this friendship."

Eye for eye. Both wizards didn't even blink. For both it was like time had stopped and this was it. The moment of understanding. The moment of silent agreement. After that first day in the train, after the troll, after so many adventures together. That was the moment that was the turning point in their relationship. She was the sum of it all. Without her there was nothing left to them. Without her, there was no Harry and Ron.

Unexpectedly, Harry broke the eye contact. His aura faded away, and the wave of magic that had been destroying the office disappeared. His eyes, always hidden behind those spectacles, were normal again.

"Hermione," he whispered. "I can feel her…I know where she is."

And as soon as he had spoken, Harry Apparated. Ron stood alone in the totally wrecked office, wondering what had just happened.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

later…

FORBIDDEN FOREST

The heat was unbearable. The flames were spreading fast. The Forbidden Forest was burning…

The herds of centaurs running from the fire made all the forest tremble…fairies flew without direction…Thestrals, unicorns, trolls, hippogriffs, quintapeds, manticores, griffins, bowtruckles, leprechauns, demons and all the other kinds of magical creatures that lived in the Forbidden Forest were trying to escape the fire as well…

"WHERE IS SHE?" Harry Potter screamed, the fire increasing in response to the tone of his voice, leaping higher and higher … "HERMIONE!" he walked through the fire…he was the fire…a green fire that was consuming al before itl…

He stopped walking. Before him was the biggest spider web he had ever seen and in the middle of this web hung Draco Malfoy.

The firey aura increased around Harry as his eyes started to glow with coruscating jadebrilliance…

"You. I should have known it would be YOU." Harry's voice echoed harshly in a cold and dark tone that had never been heard before…

Malfoy's eyes grew wide in fear…He was already badly injured by his encounter with the spiders, but -- but he couldn't believe this was Potter…all that magic, it was terrifying…It almost felt like - Voldemort.

"What have you done to her?" Harry raised his hand. The web was torn into pieces and now Malfoy was levitating in the air as excruciating pain traveled through his being - both flesh and soul.

"ARGH!"

A hand rested in Harry's shoulder. His aura faded. "Stop, Harry. She is here. She is safe." Dumbledore's voice echoed in his ear.

"Harry!"

He looked up. Hermione was there at the palm of Grawp's hand.

He blinked. Malfoy's body collapsed on the forest's ground. The flames that were destroying the woods evaporated in thin air. Harry's eyes were normal again.

"Thanks, Grawp," Hermione said as the giant lowered she and Crookshanks to the ground.

"Hermy…" The Giant replied before disappearing back into the forest, or at least what had remained of it.

Hermione ran to Harry's arms. They hugged each other like there was no tomorrow, and in their joyful reunion, missed the shared looks and nods between Hermione's cat and the Headmaster.

Hermione opened her eyes after a few moments and stared over Harry's shoulder at the destroyed wood. Sighing, she stepped back of Harry's embrace.

"Harry? How did this happen? Was -- was it you?"

"I - er… I guess I still have to work on my wandless magic."

Hermione stared at him for a moment, seeming to be pondering a few things…

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing, just -- thanks, Harry. Thanks for coming to save me."

"But I didn't save you. Apparently, you saved yourself."

"Not, really. I got some help." Hermione smiled. "I tell you all about later…And Harry, even if you didn't exactly save me, you still came. You are here. You found me." She gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

The boy smiled and blushed a little at his friend.

"Mister Malfoy, I'm very disappointed with you."

Dumbledore's words got their attention. They turned to see Malfoy held bound by a silver rope wrapped around his body, glaring at the Headmaster.

"You have so much potential. I have seen it Mr. Malfoy. I know that there's a chance of great good in you. But yet, once again, you make the same mistakes. Once again, you choose the wrong path. I'm afraid this time, however, you have gone too far…I will not be able to overlook your actions anymore." Dumbledore turned to Hermione and Harry and then looked back at Malfoy. "I'll ask Professor Snape to make sure you have all your things packed and an owl sent to your mother. You are no longer welcomed in this school."

Draco's eyes snapped in shock. "What? No. You can't --"

"I could do a lot more", Dumbledore said, raising his voice firmly to reinforce his authority. With Malfoy's face reflecting deep despair, Dumbledore continued in a softer tone, "But I won't. You are officially expelled from Hogwarts, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco shook his head not believing his sentence. Actually, he was not the only one unhappy with this verdict: Harry wasn't pleased either. "Expelled?! What? That's it? You can't be serious. You are just going to let him walk away after this…after all he did to Hermione?"

"Yes, I will," Dumbledore told him calmly.

"No. I won't accept that. He - he -- what he did to Hermione…just to let me suffer -- I'm not going to let him free so he have the chance to do it all over again, I'll make him pay for what he did, I --"

Harry's aura was emerging again as he walked towards Malfoy.

"Harry, no." Hermione said stepping between him and Malfoy. "It's okay, really. Honestly, I can't think of a worst punishment myself."

Harry looked into her soft eyes and images of their first years flashed on his head. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed -- or worse, expelled," she had said back then.

The aura was gone again. Harry grinned. "You still need to sort out your priorities."

Hermione smiled back. "Let's just go back home. Let's go back to Hogwarts."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

THE END OF SIXTH-YEAR

KING'S CROSS STATION

As they crossed the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were already there talking with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the twins.

"Mum! Daddy!" Hermione yelled, running to her father's waiting arms. "I missed you so much," she said, being now hugged and kissed by her mother.

Ron and Ginny were, too, welcomed by their family.

Harry watched his friends and respective families' interactions feeling a bit jealous of it, until someone placed a hand on his left shoulder. Harry turned and found his parents' best friends, Sirius and Remus, smiling at him. And he knew he was not alone. He knew as long as these wizards were by his side, a part of his parents would always remain with him.

Harry smiled back at his "uncles". Truly happy after a hell of a year in Hogwarts that he didn't need to go back to the other hell that would be a summer in his real uncle's house. He would stay this summer with his real family: Sirius, Remus, Hagrid, and the Weasleys. They would all be staying at Grimmauld Place.

Well, not really all his family. As his eyes traveled back at his female best friend, he knew he would miss her more than never.

"Mum, dad, this is my friend Tonks. She will be staying with us for the summer."

Watching Tonks, who looked like any normal teenage would, greeting the Grangers, Harry's smile faded. Hermione's kidnapping was still fresh in his memory. One week ago, he had really lost all control. He almost burned down an entire forest.

He didn't really feel comfortable with the idea of Hermione being alone out in Muggle London. She would not becompletely alone, as Tonks, under Dumbledore's orders, would be her bodyguard; still he couldn't stop worrying, couldn't stop thinking that she would be safer at his side.

However, Hermione was very stubborn. She had said that she would let no Dark Lord dictate her life. She had stated that not even the end of the world would stop her to spending the summer with her parents, whom she had missed tremendously.

And, she had added, she was completely able to take care of herself, thanks ever so much, and needed no one hovering about for protection. It had taken a lot of persuasion on Dumbledore's part to convince her to let Tonks follow her.

Harry sighed. He just hoped all the ancient protections Dumbledore said he would place around her and her family would be enough.

Hermione was saying her goodbyes to the Weasleys as Harry watched. She had just talked with Ginny and was now leaving a peck on Ron's cheek.

She then turned to him and their eyes met, holding that silent secret of theirs again.

He felt soft lips on his check and then a whisper, "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

And with a smile that melted him whole, she left with her parents.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

THE SUMMER BEFORE SEVENTH-YEAR…

GRIMMAULD'S PLACE --HARRY'S ROOM.

"Here, girl," said Harry as he attached a letter to his snowy owl's leg. "Make sure Hermione gets this letter, okay?"

Hedwig hooted softly.

"And don't even think about coming back without an answer."

Hedwig looked offended, giving a very loud hoot. Harry grinned and stroked the owl. "I know. I know you always deliver my letters, it's just that this is a very special letter and --"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Harry turned abruptly. Hedwig spread her wings, hooting anxiously. The letter fell off her legs…it became suddenly cold. Harry's eyes glowed as screams of a woman in his head were mixed up with present ones…

ARRGHHH!!!

Dementors. They were being attacked.

"GO! Find Dumbledore!" Harry shouted to his owl, that flew away at his command.

"Arrghh…"

"Ginny," Harry yelled, running out of his bedroom and following the screams. The letter fell, forgotten, to the floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

THE VERY BEGINNING OF SEVENTH-YEAR

HOGWARTS' GROUNDS

"Firs' years! Firs' years, follow me. C'mon, firs' years!" Hagrid's powerful voice cut the cold night air.

Hermione got off the train, carrying a sleeping Crookshanks. Right behind her came Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood and a blonde girl (that would be Tonks undercover.)

"Hagrid!" Cheerfully, Hermione handed Crookshanks to Neville, who clumsily held onto the feline, as she ran to embrace her half-giant friend.

"Hermione!" Hagrid's laugh boomed as he raised her on the air. All the first years looked at this scene without a clue of what was going on. "Grawpy's missed yeh loads," he said putting her back on the ground.

Hermione was blushing furiously. "Oh, really? I'll make sure to visit him as soon as I can. Ah, Hagrid. I'm so --"

"HERMIONE!!"

Hermione smiled as she saw Ron and Harry. She looked up to Hagrid, who smiled back at her. "What yeh waiting fer? Go yeh."

And she went. She went running to her best friends. The three of them shared a group hug…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

…hours later

HOGWART'S KITCHEN

Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting at a table in the kitchen, with Dobby and Winky serving them. The trio had missed the sorting hat ceremony and the feast, hence they were starving to death - um, actually, that was just Ron. Anyway, after receiving the lecture of the century from Professor McGonagall, learning their passwords and performing their duties, the Trio had sneaked in the kitchen.

"I still can't believe we missed the ceremony ... again." Hermione complained, still feeling a bit embarrassed for being scolded by McGonagall on the very first day.

"Well, look at the bright side, at least this year, we were not in danger," said Harry. "And we missed it for a good cause, right?"

"Yes, I know. But it is our last year…it was our last change to see the face of the new students when they get sorted…to remember how it felt like..."

"Blimey, `Mione, Why would you want to remember something like that?"

"I have to agree with Ron on that, Hermione. I could live fine enough without remembering the sorting hat talking about Slytherin in my head..."

"Oh, you guys are hopeless. This is our last year as Hogwarts' students, can't you two at least feel a bit of nostalgia already?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, then at Hermione. "Nah," they said together.

"Look, `Mione, no offense, but this is a school. For m,e Hogwarts is all about boring classes, endless homework, and in the middle of that, Voldemorts' plans to kill Harry. (Dobby and Winky winced. Hermione looked surprised.) Really, the only good things are the Quidditch games and being with you guys."

For Hermione, the surprise had been to hear Ron saying the Dark Lord's name after all those years avoiding it. She still didn't like his answer. She looked at Harry, expecting a better one.

"I just want to survive." Harry shrugged.

Hermione sighed. Dobby gave her a glass of pumpkin juice. "Thanks, Dobby. Are you sure you and Winky don't want to join us?"

Winky almost had a heart attack. Dobby smiled at Hermione "Dobby doesn't think it is a good idea, Miss. But thanks," said the elf, dragging a shocked Winky out of the kitchen, leaving the three friends alone.

"Was it something that I said?"

Ron rolled his eyes, placing his sandwich back on his plate and looking directly at Hermione. "Why do you insist on this? Open you eyes, Hermione. How many times do I have to tell you that they like to be house-elves?"

"My eyes are wide open, Ronald. It's you that insist on being blind. The way this society treats elves is wrong. They're slaves."

"If they are happy that way."

Hermione stood up, fuming. "How can you say that?"

Ron stood up. "It's the truth."

Harry watched his friends glaring at each other. He gulped, "So, Hermione, how were things on the Hogwarts Express? Did anyone lose a toad? Or maybe a Slytherin started a fight? No Dementors, I hope." Harry smiled nervously.

Ron and Hermione stared at their friend. What was that all about? That was the best he could come up with to stop their imminent row…What a lame excuse…But what the hell, it was really too early in the year to start fighting.

Hermione sighed, sitting down. "The trip was okay, I guess. Tonks slept all the way. Neville was sweet as always but… But the Hogwarts Express wasn't the same without you guys…"

Ron's eyes softened. He sat down too. The earlier tension forgotten.

"Oh, and how could I forget Luna? She spent half of the trip saying things that made no sense at all and the other half asking me about Ron."

Ron seemed scared. "About me? Oh no. Not again. You didn't say anything, did you? What is she planning now? Hasn't she humiliated me enough last Valentine's Day?"

"Oh, it wasn't that bad, Ron. You have to admit that she was very… original." Harry chuckled and then sipped his juice, watching Hermione's face.

"She's a loony, she is."

"She's not that bad, Ron," Hermione protested. "And she has been a real friend this last past years. Why don't you give her a chance? Maybe try to get to know her a little better. She really fancies you."

"And I fancy you."

Pumpkin juice flew everywhere. Actually, most of it ended up in Ron's face when Harry, in shock at Ron's bold statement, spat it back out.

"HARRY!" Ron shouted.

"Cough…Cough…Sorry, Ron." Harry apologized, flicking his wrist, magically cleaning his friends' faces.

"What was that about?" Ron eyed him suspiciously.

"Er…cough…nothing I …the juice…I choked…"

Ron nodded, turning back at Hermione, who was too busy trying to hide her face behind her hands. "So?"

"So what?" Hermione looked up apprehensively.

"You said that I should give Loony Luna a chance because she fancies me. Well, I fancy you. Why don't you follow your own advice?"

Ron stared at Hermione, waiting for an answer, as did Harry.

"Ron, we've already discussed this, I don't feel --"

"Yeah, yeah…keep denying it. Anyway, you are going to the graduation ball with me, right?"

"Er…Don't you think it's a little early to be inviting me to a ball that will happen months from now?"

"Well, last time I took the time…you went with Vick…" Ron teased.

Hermione made a face. Harry just wanted to Apparate out of that room. Wait! He could Apparate. If only he had remembered that fact earlier…

"So, is it a date?"

Hermione looked at Ron, then at Harry, then at Ron, then at Harry, then…

Okay. That was enough. She was a smart witch after all.

"Let's put this way, Ronald Weasley," she said, staring right at Harry. "If no one else asks me to the ball by then, I'll go with you."

Ron had a smile stretched from ear to ear. "So, it is a date, my dear Hermione Granger? Because Harry and I are going to make sure no one else asks you. Right, Harry?"

"Yes, we will," Harry answered, his eyes fixed on Hermione's.

Noticing something *strange* about the way his friends were looking at each other, Ron wondered what was going on. He looked at Hermione, then at Harry, then at Hermione, then at Harry.

Luckily, he was not a very smart wizard. Or perhaps, he just liked to fool himself.

There was tension in the air again. But this time it was one completely different from before... It was deeper and none of them seemed ready to explore it.

"So," Hermione tried to start a new topic of conversation as she took her fork and pushed her food around on her plate. "You guys told me all about how Voldemort found out about Professor Snape, the Grimmauld attack, Percy's undercover work with the Unspeakables and how he became Mrs.Weasley's favorite all over again, but you still haven't told me: What now? Without Snape inside, the Order loses a lot of power against Voldemort. Do you know what is Dumbledore planning to do now? What about the Order? Where are the meetings being held now?" Hermione asked worried.

Harry and Ron shared a look. "Actually,that's all very complicated…"

"Complicated? Why? What happened?"

"Let's say that the Order is here at Hogwarts and has gotten very… colorful."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I'm on the Red Team."

"You are what, Ron? Wait, you are in the Order?"

Ron grinned. "Oh, don't worry, `Mione. You are a member, too."

"Am I? Harry, what is going on here?"

"Have I already mentioned that it's all very complicated?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER

HERMIONE'S DORM

My Dearest Hermione,

I hope this letter finds you well and safe.

I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. I know that most of His attacks are happening here, but we are managing fine. Actually, it's very strange. We know that He is out there. We still fear His name. But we act as nothing is happening. I still have Quidditch practice everyday. The students are still having classes here in Durmstrang. Wizards go to work everyday while their wives go shopping in the Pentagonal Avenue. There will be a big game on Sunday.

It's strange, that's the only way I can describe it. It's a silent war, Hermione. I don't know if we are the brave ones for fighting down our fears and going on with our lives or if we are cowards; afraid to face the truth so much that we pretend that there isn't a war going on.

I lost two friends last week. They were Aurors. They died to protect us.

I'm thinking about joining the War Troops. I know that I'm no soldier, but I feel like I have to do something to help. They say that I'm famous, that I am a national hero and that they need me here on the Quidditch pitch to entertain people…but I just feel like I'm fooling them and myself… I still can't believe how similar to the Muggles our society has become… The government here is more concerned with the political and economic effects of this war than the fact that the Dark Lord is here to try and end it all. I just wonder when we forgot what magic is all about.

Oh, my dear Hermione, I'm glad to know that you are safe within Hogwarts' walls. And that the crazy times we are living can't really touch you there. However, even protected as you are, I worry about you because I know that in the end, somehow, He will go after your friend, Harry Potter, and I know you will be the first to jump in front of The-Boy-Who-Lived to protect him…

Don't love him, Hermione, it's too dangerous. Don't love him.

Love Always,

Victor

Hermione wiped away a tear. She let the parchment slip from her hand to falling to one side of her bed while she lay back against the pillows. Since the summer that followed her fourth-year, she had been exchanging letters with the Bulgarian seeker. He had been her confidant and she had been his. But never, never before, had she received such a letter from him - one in which the words showed a lack of hope. Krum's letter had left her empty somehow. His words were full of sorrow... She was sure there was something more that he was not telling her, something that he did not have the courage to put in words... Something the Daily Prophet was not announcing to the public; the Ministry was pretending not to know and the Order of Phoenix was making sure to hide the truth from the trio as well.

The War. The deaths. It was all becoming real. Too real. The war was about to start wholesale. All the illusions were about collapse.

It was strange how Hogwarts had the power to make you forget what was happening out there. She couldn't believe that just hours ago she had been studying to her N.E.W.T.s; worried about mundane school affairs that seemed to have no importance at all to the actual events happening in the larger world beyond Hogwart's walls.

Crookshanks, sensing his Mistress' sorrow, jumped onto the bed and nestling up against her side, rubbing his head insistently against her belly for attention. She smiled sadly at her cat, putting an arm around him and hugginghim to her…She looked into her cat's eyes and felt a wave of solace swept over her darkest fears…She was glad she was not alone.

Victor was right and she knew it…she feared it…During the last year, although the Wizarding World had openly acknowledged Voldemort's return, nothing had really seemed to change…There was fear in the air but no one talked about it…maybe afraid that to put it into words, or a name, would destroy the normal existence they had been living for so long.

She understood well how her Bulgarian friend was feeling. A war left you hollow inside because it was just… War was something that devoured and left nothing behind; made you feel small and useless in the face of the immensity of the conflict. You wanted to solve all the problems and find a way to end all that despair; to bring peace back to the world, but the answers always eluded you…Maybe that was what a War is at it's central core: the only way mankind can solve the problems that defied solving by all other means. Or, in short, War was a reflexive example of the ultimate human stupidity.

It is strange that at the same time that people might be dying in a war, you are playing your favorite game, having some ice cream or, kissing your boyfriend. You should feel guilty for the joy and comfort that you know at that moment, right? Wrong?

Hermione remembered the documentaries about the Muggle World Wars she had seen. The more recent conflicts ones she read about in the newspapers and magazines. The battles she read in history books. It was like a story, a movie, a game. You feel pity for all terrible things you see, you want to make all that suffering to stop. You pray for a miracle, you wonder why the wizards do nothing to stop it…But at the same time you still go to the mall in the morning with your mother to do some shopping and then you meet your father for lunch in your favorite restaurant…and you forget that there are people dying out there in a war that makes no sense…or perhaps if you just stopped to look closer it would make sense for a society that wanted to go to the mall, eat in a good restaurant, drive that new car, see the ball rolling in that big grass field. And as you read the history books again you know that since the begging it is like this…it is all about power…

And it was the same in the Wizarding World. Wasn't that what Voldemort wanted? Unlimited Power.

So there is a war going on outside the castle's walls that protect you but you still do your homework. You still smile and joke around with your friends. You are still in love with your best friend. You are still happy. And even if sometimes you have doubts, you know that if you don't smile, if you don't love, if you don't live your life because we are in the middle of a dark time …than the enemy has already won. And you refuse to let him win that easily…

And that was why life went on in Hogwarts, in the Wizarding World and all around the globe…

That is, until you or someone close to you became a victim of this war…

Hermione's door was abruptly opened. Startled, she sat up. Crookshanks jumped out of the bed and disappeared through the door, letting Hermione and the figure that had just arrived alone in the bedroom.

"Ron, you scared me," she said as she got up and started walking in his direction. "How many times do I have to tell you to knock first? I really don't know what I had in my mind when I gave you the password to --" She froze, still two steps away from him. It was like she had forgotten how to walk when her eyes met his…she had only seen that haunted look in her best friend eyes a few times….times that she would rather not remember… "What happened?"

The youngest Weasley boy was on verge of tears. His pale feature was even more pale…He was trembling. "Hagrid," he choked up. "Voldemort has him."

She wept. "What.? Hagrid? No. No. How? This can't be - Oh God…"

Ron embraced his crying friend. After some minutes, Hermione was once again in control of her emotions. She knew she couldn't just stay there crying. She needed to do something to help her dear half-giant friend. "Where is Harry?" she asked, stepping back from Ron's embrace.

Ron frowned. "They locked him up." Seeing the shocked and confused expression of his female friend, Ron tried to elaborate. "He wanted to go after Hagrid. The Order didn't let him. They locked him in the Forbidden Room."

Hermione gasped and shook her head not believing in what she was hearing… without thinking twice she ran to the dungeons with Ron running after her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

minutes later…

HOGWARTS' DUNGEONS - THE ORDER OF PHOENIX'S HQ…

They were in the dungeons and running as fast as they could. They passed in front of Snape's classroom door but did not pause. A long and dark corridor of doors passed by but they did not stop try any of them, continuinf until they came face to face with the stone wall at the end of it. Without them having to say a password or tap a brick with their wands, a door magically replaced the wall, giving the access to the Order of Phoenix's headquarters.

As soon as they crossed through door, it closed behind them and their usual robes were replaced by their Teams' robes. Hermione was in yellow and Ron in red.

They both stared at the room before them; they seemed to have stepped in an ocean of colors. As members of every team hurried hither and yon with some was disappearing through the walls and others appearing through them in like manner. Members of the Green team settled boxes full of potion flasks in a corner, while members of Yellow team carried huge tomes to reading desks. The members of Orange were carrying magical crystals, the Violet team their wands and so on…

In this confusion Hermione could not identify who the wizards and witches were around her. She just grabbed Ron by his red cloak and disappeared with him through another wall.

They appeared in another room, where they found Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Dumbledore and Moody, although this last one they had just glimpsed for a moment before he disappeared in red vortex of light.

Fawkes let a loud squeak, warning Dumbledore and the others to the presence of the two Gryffindors. So, they paused before crossing into the vortex themselves.

"Mr. Weasley. I thought your father had been very clear when he told you to go to your dorm." Dumbledore said sternly.

"You can't do this to him," Hermione stepped forward before Ron could say a word. It was obvious; to all the five present that she was not referring to Ron.

"It's for his own good as well as ours," the headmaster replied.

"No. Please. It's going to destroy him," she pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"He can't always be the hero, Hermione," Remus said sadly.

"It's not that, Remus. It's not and you know it. He doesn't want to be the hero. He just wants to protect his friend. His family. Hagrid --"

"Enough! We don't have time for this. Harry and you two are members of this Order and as such you are honor bound to follow my orders. And I order you three to stay out of this mission. I don't want you anywhere near headquarters until we come back." Dumbledore pointed his wand in Hermione's direction. "Don't try to do anything, Miss Granger. It won't work." Clenching his wand he turned back his back on her, disappearing into the vortex as Moody had.

Remus was the next into the vortex. He had stopped as to say something to Hermione but then shook his head slightly and said nothing.

Tonks just sighed sadly, her features somber, with dark long hair and pale skin. She looked almost like Snape's twin sister. "I'm sorry," she said as she stepped into the portal.

When it came to Sirius's turn, Hermione stopped him, "Sirius, please? He is your godson…"

Sirius smiled sadly at her. "He is more than that to me. Someday, Hermione, you, too, will understand why we do everything in our power to protect our children. Even if they hate us because of that…Don't worry, Hagrid will be all right."

As soon as Sirius was gone, Fawkes flew into the vortex and it closed before Hermione and Ron could think of crossing into it themselves.

Hermione stared at Ron, expecting him to be at a loss for words and any reasonable thought as she was, but he wasn't. Ron wore a deadly look of calculation instead.

"We have to free Harry," he said firmly.

Hermione nodded slowly. "But how? He is in the Forbidden Room. That room is sealed. There are a dozen of charms around it and Dumbledore must have increased them to hold Harry in there."

Ron gazed at her. "You can break them." It was not a question, it was an affirmation.

"No, Ron. If Harry isn't able to break them…how am I supposed to do it?"

"Harry doesn't have a wand, you do."

"Harry doesn't need a wand."

"No, but his wandless magic is controlled by his emotion. And I can only imagine how he is feeling after the people he trusts most in this world locked him in a dark room."

Hermione nodded, her heart aching at the thought of Harry all alone in that room.

Ron held her hand. "You can do it, `Mione. I know you can. You are the smartest witch in all the Wizarding World."

She looked at him, a small smile forming in the corner of her lips. "Okay…Let's go then. Let's free Harry." She took her wand in her hands and turned. Ron didn't move. "Ron?" she turned back to him.

"I'm not going."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Okay. Before you hex me into the next year, just listen to me. I'm going to Voldemort's lair."

Hermione just looked at him like he had gone crazy. "What? Have you lost your mind? That place is surrounded by Death Eaters. Not to say Dementors and Merlin only knows what more other evil creatures. What in God's name would you do there? Ask to die?"

"Shh…Calm Down, `Mione. Merlin, even when I'm trying to do the right thing you have to start fighting with me."

"I'm not fighting, Ron. I just --"

"I know. Look, I can go in my Animagus form. Voldemort is obviously too busy right now fighting us and has probably has his army with him. They won't even notice I`m there."

"I don't like this, Ron."

"It's the best opportunity we've got. If we still had Snape inside there, we would know of Voldemort's plans and nothing of this would be happening now. But now we don't have anyone in the inside…and Hagrid is the first victim."

"Hagrid is going to be fine. I'm going to free Harry and together we will help the Order bring Hagrid back."

Ron sighed. He didn't have the courage to tell her that he didn't truly believe that there was still time for Hagrid… He stared at her. "I need to go, Hermione. I need to find out what Voldemort is planning…so we know what to expect from now on. So to stop any danger that might come after us."

"No. There's no way I'm going to let you do this, Ronald Weasley. You are going to stay here. Do you hear me? You are not going anywhere."

"You can't stop me."

"I can. Care to try me?"

Ron features softened. He gave her a sad smile. "We knew this day would come, Hermione. Harry needs us. Go, save him. Do your job. I'll do mine."

Hermione closed her eyes at the powerful weight of his words. Hermione knew…Damn it, how she hated to know everything sometimes…

She had no choice other than wrap her arms around his shoulders and give him the tightest hug she could. "Just come back to us," she whispered. She was letting go of him, ready to turn around when he grabbed her. She looked down at his big hand around her wrist, and then she looked up, finding his eyes…and finding what she also knew lay behind those eyes. "Ron…"

"I'm going to be surrounded by Dementors. Don't you think I need a happy memory?"

She smiled sadly at him… coming even closer to him…she tiptoed…their faces were only an inch apart…Ron inhaled her scent and close his eyes in anticipation…and he felt her soft lips…on his cheek.

Ron eyes snapped open. Hermione turned around before his eyes could catch hers again. "Don't forget to drink the Cocoa Potion," she said softly. "And Ron …" When she paused, Ron stretched his right hand; he almost caught hold of her shoulder when her voice stopped him. "Be careful..."

And as she ran away to save their best friend so they could save their captured friend, she yelled two more words, "Love you."

Ron saw her slim figure magically disappearing through the wall. He let out the breath he had been holding ever since her sweet scent had surrounded him. "I love you, too." He fingered the spot on his cheek where her lips had come upon. He smiled sadly, "So much for a happy memory."

A small `puff'. A little spider was making its way through the stone floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

later…

FORBIDDEN ROOM

It was so dark…so lonely… He screamed for help…for someone to hear him and release him…but no one had come…No one would come…They had locked him there…Sirius, Dumbledore, Arthur…all of them…his friends…his family…

It was hard to breathe…pain…cold…his magic… out of control… Hagrid…hurt…he needed to help Hagrid…it was pulsating…it was in his cells…it was going to explode…he couldn't stop…it was consuming him…emptiness…darkness…

Light…From where did it come this light? It was so warm… a comforting light in the middle of the darkness.

"Harry…"

Harry opened his eyes. All he could see was a yellow blur.

"Hermione…"

Was it really her? He could barely feel her…She helped him get up…That touch. It was really her…It was Hermione. He breathed. He could breath again…he was in control again.

He took a step forward…Yes, it was her. The yellow he had seen was the yellow cloak she was wearing as a member of that respective team. But it was more than that. She was pale…the blue aura that always surrounded her had been replaced by this pale yellow one…all her magic forces drained…And then it hit him…it was his fault…She had probably used all her energy to free him…

Oh, Hermione…

"Come on, Harry. We have to hurry," Hermione said.

Hagrid…

Harry nodded. He gripped her hand and together they climbed stairs and crossed corridors.

Harry abruptly stopped.

An excruciating pain shot through his scar. It was already too late.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

later…

THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX'S HEADQUATER

"It seems that I have to go now. They are calling me. It's really strange here, Harry. But it feels good. Very good. Tell Dumbledore that the answer is YES. And tell..."

Dumbledore's hand covered his face and his shoulders dropped in sadness. He sighed and turned, slowly leaving the room with Fawkes in his arms.

"And tell Olympe that I will be waiting for her - not that I want her to die, no it's not that...err..You understand, don't yeh?"

Professor McGonagall patted Madam Maxime's back as the half-giant collapsed in tears on her shoulder.

"Take care of Hermione, will you, Harry? She is a real treasure. Don't be afraid of -"

The reflection of Hagrid faded away.

"HAGRID!" Harry yelled.

But the half-giant's face didn't come back.

"HAGRID!"

"I love you, Harry." One last echo.

"I love you, too, Hagrid."

The Phoenix's Tears showed nothing more.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!" Harry stood up, his aura sparkled, creating a green eddy of power around him. When the eddy stooped, Harry was gone.

"Find him", commanded Arthur Weasley, "before he does something stupid." All the other members present disappeared through the walls, except for McGonagall who was still consoling Madam Maxime and Hermione who stood there, petrified, looking at the pool Fawkes had just created with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hermione?" Arthur approached her, waking the sobbing girl to the dreadful reality. "Where is my son?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

later…

HAGRID'S HUT

He was seated in the corner. Arms crossed around his bent knees. Head down against his arms as he cried his heart out.

Fang seemed to know what had happened, staring at Harry with sad eyes, already missing his owner.

The door was opened.

"Go away, Hermione. Leave me alone," he said without looking up .

The girl tried to contain her own tears as she closed the door behind her, crossed the room and knelt before him.

"I loved him, too, Harry."

Harry looked up. His bloodshot eyes met hers.

"Everything that I touch, I destroy…Everyone that I love dies."

"I'm still here, Harry. I'm not going anywhere."

Harry sobbed harder... he leaned toward her, ending up with his head resting in her lap…

No more words were needed and for hours they just stayed like that…crying together the loss of their beloved gamekeeper, teacher and friend, Rubeus Hagrid.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

DAYS LATER

HOGWARTS' CASTLE

He was running away from her, from them, from everything. She was following him.

"Harry, STOP!"

It had been very difficult last few days…Hagrid's death, his funeral…

And still no sign of Ron…

And now the nightmare… It was so real…She was dead…he had lost everything… No. He wouldn't let it happen…He would stop him…he would stop that snake…

"Harry, please!"

He stopped but he didn't look at her. He couldn't face her. Couldn't meet her eyes.

"Stay away from me, Hermione. I don't want anything to do with you. Anything."

The groggy members of student body,still in their pajamas, listened to Harry with a sense of shock. They had all been awakened by Potter's deafening screams and a wave of magic that made the entire castle shake. His Gryffindor roommates tried to wake up him. Even Ginny, Lavender and Parvati tried too. In the end, it was only Hermione who could bring him back from his nightmare.

But that had been just the beginning of the commotion for as soon as Harry was conscious he ran out the room without any explanation…and Hermione had pursued him…

And of course, the curious students were at every corner of the castle, trying to find out what exactly was going on.

The young witch seemed very hurt at his words. "Don't do this, Harry. Let me help you."

"You can't help me. No one can." And he fled again. But she didn't give up pursuit of him…

That was until something got in the way of the bushy, brown-haired witch and her prey.

"I'm so happy to see you…"

Out of nowhere, Ronald Weasley appeared before her and with those words, he collapsed in her arms.

"Ron…" Hermione looked at her friend, completely lost…but how? It was then that she noticed the statue at her left and the opened passage…and she understood that Ron was truly there…that she was not dreaming…Oh, Ron…

"HARRY!" she yelled.

This time he turned around, hearing in her voice a fear that it hadn't been there before…Ron…

He saw her going down under the weight of his other friend, who definitely too massive for her petite figure to support.

He ran to them.

As soon as he touched his red-haired friend, images flowed in his mind like a scary movie…

"Harry." The images came to an end as Hermione called him. "Is he --"

Harry shook his head. "He is just sleeping. He is exhausted."

Hermione sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness." She smiled, and tried to search Harry's eyes ,but he kept looking down, a deep frown adorning his face.

"What did he see, Harry?" Hermione looked up at the new voice. The question had been asked by Dumbledore, who now stood besides Harry.

Harry looked up through the nearly window. The Dark Mark was glowing in the night sky. "My worst nightmares are coming true."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Many hours later…

THE ORDER HEADQUARTERS

"I'll stop Voldemort or I'll die trying."

The silence remained.

"I'm a Gryffindor. And Gryffindors don't hide. Gryffindors don't run away from a fight. Moreover, this is my fight. Despite what you may or may not believe is right, this is my fight."

"But, Har -"

"I know what you are going to say, Remus -- what you are all going to say -- that it's not that simple, that Voldemort had become Super Voldie and I'm some kind of time bomb that can explode at any time. But I can't-I won't accept that there's nothing I can do to stop him. There must be a way. There's always a way."

Snape sighed. "You are asking for a miracle, Potter."

"Perhaps I am."

"We live in a magical world, Potter. Here, we are the miracle and I'm afraid there's nothing any of us can do. This time, there is no way, we--"

"As a matter of fact, Severus," a third voice interrupted Snape, "there is one way."

Dumbledore, who since his encouraging initial speech had been silent - almost invisible-while calmly sipping a cup of tea (that by now must be as cold as ice) slowly stood from his chair.

No one in the room even blinked as they stare shocked at the headmaster.

"Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly at Harry. He looked tired and …old…the typical twinkle in his eyes gone. He seemed to hesitate, but in the end he spoke, "Yes, Harry. There is a way. The only way, actually."

"And what is it, professor?"

"A spell, Harry. A spell that only you can perform."

"And which spell is that, Professor?"

"A spell never heard because it was never spoken… It was more like a ritual, actually. A ritual of passage and sacrifice…"

"Sacrifice?"

"You don't have the power to defeat Voldemort. But you have the power to stop him…forever."

"I don't understand, professor. I can't defeat him, but I can stop him? What does that mean?"

"It means that the ones made to protect failed us again. Although, we have failed them first." Dumbledore sighed, closing his eyes. He took off his hat and stared at Harry again. "You can no longer defeat him. He has become too much like you, Harry. So, to defeat him you would have to stop being you… It won't matter who wins if you go up against now, we will lose."

All the presents looked at the headmaster, bewildered. His words didn't make any sense, at all.

"I can't see any other way, Harry. You need to stop him with the Power He Knows Not."

"If you are talking about the prophecy, I --"

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Harry. I'm talking about the dreams. The ones you have been having. The ones you can't understand. I'm talking about his weakness, Harry. Your weakness. The spell will imprison him. He will no longer be a threat. He won't be able to hurt any one else. All that is required from you is that you sacrifice what you treasure most…"

Harry froze. Every body in the room froze, staring wide-eyed at their old wizard…

Seeing the impact of his words, Dumbledore quickly tried to clear up any misunderstanding, "I'm not talking about human sacrifice. I'm not talking about any kind of dark ritual…No one is going to die. The spell is as pure as it is the source of power it requires…What I'm asking you to sacrifice here, Harry, is a feeling… this deep feeling that you hold so dearly within your heart. I'm asking you to forget and …never remember again."

"What?" Harry exclaimed, disbelief all over his face. He stared at Dumbledore, trying to find some vestige that he had heard all wrong, but the missing sparkle in the old man's eyes told him that he had not. Harry couldn't believe it… it was impossible… unthinkable… insane… "Have you lost your mind? `Cause you can't be serious, right?"

"I'm afraid I am, Harry."

Harry laughed nervously as he looked around the room…everybody looked as perplexed he felt…His green eyes met Hermione's brown ones and oddly after a night where he had spent most of the time trying to avoid her, she was the first to look down -- she was the one avoiding him now.

Harry frowned.

He turned back to Dumbledore with an icy expression... "I can't believe you are asking me t--"

"I'm asking you to save our world, Harry"

Snape was the first to start the arguments. "Sir, I don't --"

"It's the only way, Severus."

"There must be another way, Albus," said McGonagall.

"I can't agree with this," said Arthur Weasley.

"Neither do I. Besides, you can't expect Harry to accept that," Sirius said.

"I think that…"

"Maybe this spell…"

"Well, if he has to follow his destiny …"

"This is a mistake…"

"I'm completely against it. Actually, I don't see how Harry giving up Quidditch can help us defeat Voldemort. Now, it'll mean certain our defeat in the next game against Slytherin."

You could hear a drop of rain falling on the other side of the ocean with the silence that dominate the room as all the present -- including Harry Potter and Hermione Granger -- stared, stunned, at Ronald Weasley.

"What? I'm just saying that --"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

later…

BY THE LAKE

"I don't know what to do, Hermione," said Harry. He did not turn to face her. He just knew she was there...

"You don't need to do anything, Harry." Pause. "They can't ask you to do something like...this...They can't - no one can..." Hermione sat besides him, placing her head on his shoulder.

Harry sighed. "I ... it's..."

"Too much."

"More than that. They don't understand...If I lose this...I lose everything...I lose myself."

There was so much passion, so many emotions, so much pain in his voice that Hermione had to close her eyes and bit her lip, to hold the tears that wanted to come.

"You always have me, Harry", she whispered, "no matter what."

He looked into her eyes. He saw himself. " Hermione...I --"

She placed her hands on his lips. "Shh...It's all right... I know..."

He took her hands in his, drawing them down between them. "No, Hermione. It's not all right. I'm tired of fighting this. I don't want to pretend anymore," he said huskily.

Hermione thought she could not shed any tears after all that had occurred already. She found she was wrong. "Please, Harry...Don't --"

"It is you, Hermione. Always you," he said as he gentle wiped her tears away, letting his fingers touch her face gently. "I can give you a million reasons why...but in a way it's very simple; It is because it's you, Hermione Granger. Always you.; Books and Cleverness and Bravery and Friendship, you have them all and more; you have Love. My Love. You are a great witch. You are my best friend. You are the girl I'm hopelessly in love with. I need you. I want you. I could give everything up except for you. I can't be without you, Hermione. I have a million reasons to love you but you are my only reason to breathe. I love you, Hermione, so much..."

-->