Chapter 21: The End of the Beginning (Part III)
"You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all"
-- Ronan Keating, When You Say Nothing At All
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Part III- Anticlimax
They laid entangled into each other on a bed of roses and silk sheets. There were no walls around them, for there was no need to hide their love anymore. There and then there was no need to fear the stars that shined above them. There their love could be free. They could be free, even if just for one day.
One day.
They lived and loved.
One day.
They danced. They laughed. They talked.
One day.
When all were smiles and the only tears they shed was the ones of true happiness as they loved each other.
One day.
Just one day.
One day that was about to end.
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Chocolate and emerald eyes were lost into each other.
He was lazily running his hand on her soft skin, when the words came as barely a whisper, breaking the soft comfort of the silence that embraced them, "We have to go."
She sighed and closed her eyes, holding him tight and burying her head on his chest. "No...stay", she muffed.
Harry chucked at his beloved behavior. He too closed his eyes and kissed her wild hair.
And suddenly the stars were gone as the darkness of the night sky gave place to a whole different hue that painted the sky...
Sensing the change in the air, Hermione looked up at him, "Harry, what are you doi--" But the worlds died on her mouth as she first gasped, then she smiled...and before any more words could be spoken she wrapped herself in the sheet and ran, her barefoot feet taking her to the edge of a cliff.
And there it was. Like in dreams and fairy tales.
The sunrise.
That stunning and unique sight of nature...that blessing which mankind was given every single day but were too busy to just stop and enjoy it.
Harry followed her, some feet behind. A light emanated around him and soon he was wearing white tennis shoes, blue jeans and a white shirt.
"It's beautiful..." she said. Without notice, tears were glistering in her eyes.
"Yes, it is," Harry words echoed softy.
Hermione spun around and found his eyes fixed on her. She smiled at him. "Why?"
"For you. So you know that a new day has come but that doesn't mean the end. It's only the beginning of our forever. Because with each day comes the sunrise bringing a new hope to our hearts."
The tears streamed down her face freely. "My Harry, you sure are full of --"
"Surprises?" He said as his fingers gentle whipped her tears away.
She smiled. "I was going to say clichés but that will do"
"Well, when you expend the best part of your human life -- like I did -- besides a woman that despite her strong political ideals and piles of academic papers...does have a weak spot for the most cheesy muggle novels ever written, you end up learning a feel things."
She hugged him. "I know that we have to go. I was the one who said so in the first place, wasn't I? After all, it is the right thing to do, the most honorable choice. But after spending this day with you...I can't stopping thinking that -- damn, who cares about the world? Who cares about what it is right? Why can't we just go for the easiest choice and stay together here and now...forever. Why doesn't it fell like I am going home, Harry? Why does it feel like I am leaving it? I'm scared, Harry."
"Don't be. We are together now. Home is where we are together: you, me and James. I just wish..." the last words trailed from his lips, a pained look in his eyes.
"Harry?" Hermione placed a finger on his face, bringing their eyes together.
"You understand that I can't bring him back right away, don't you?" Hermione nodded sadly as he went on, "Things will be chaotic out there. It will be hard as it is to control the balance, keep my powers at bay and stop Voldemort. If I bring James back now ...I'm not sure if..."
"If we would be able to keep him there with us," Hermione finished for him.
Harry sighed. "It will do us no good to bring him back just to lose him again. But I have promised you and here I promise you again, you will have our son back in your arms. And this is a promise that not even the fates can make me break."
For a moment that last an eternity...their eyes searched their souls within and they embraced each other and they kiss each other.
And when they finally came out from the kiss a silence descend on them, which was then broken by Hermione's question.
"Honey, I...there's something that I...Can I ask you for something?" Her words reflected her insecurity...she didn't really know how to bring up the subject.
"Anything. I'll do anything you ask. Anything for you, beautiful."
"I..." That was as far as she first could go. Was it fair to him to ask such a thing? Was that really what she wanted? All those lives...those memories still confuse her...sometimes is just too much for a simple human to bear...Was it fair to him? No. Was it fair to her? She didn't know. All she knew was that she was tired, very tired...But Harry...No, she couldn't. She couldn't ask. She wouldn't ask.
"Love?"
"Er...I. Do you think you can conjure me some clothes before we get out of here? I don't think we could describe what I'm wearing now as a proper battle outfit?"
For a moment -- really just a moment, not even for a second--, Harry looked at his wife -really looked-and he knew. He knew that was not the question she had meant to ask...but for the moment he let it go and pretended, just like she was doing.
So, instead of saying something he just grinned at her unsuccessful attempt of cover joke and kissed her as a translucid aura engulfed both of them and they disappeared into thin air.
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They were back. Back to where they had left. Back to the cemetery and the frozen scene of chaos around them.
As Hermione stepped back from Harry's embrace to better take a look at the scene it was clear that she got her last wish as she was not wearing a sheet, nor her previous pajamas but a pair of black jeans pants and a light blue V-neck blouse with long sleeves. As for her hair, her beautiful curls were shining like she had just spent an absurd amount of time at the beauty parlor.
Harry moved forward. One, two, three...ten steps and he was face to face with Voldemort. The Dark Lord's arm and wand were raised...the green light of a curse was frozen in time. The eyes were as red as he remembered. In his face a dark and sinister snicker that was stopped in time.
Hermione joined him and carefully placed a finger on Voldemort's arm. There was no reaction. It was so strange. He was statue, nothing but a statue. The Guardians, the members of the Order, not even a flinch or a blink, they were like dead statues.
Hermione turned to Harry. "Can't you just kill him, like right now and finish it for once and for all?"
Harry grimaced. "It is never that easy and you know it. He still has a part of me in him...and I still have a part of him."
Hermione nodded. "Guess this makes us all a real bizarre triangle."
"Square, actually. Or have you forgotten about Ron?"
She sighed in exasperation, resting her elbow on Voldemort's raised arm and then resting her head on her hand. "Oh, honestly, can things got even more complicated than this?"
He grinned at his wife. "Actually, they can. At least, this time I was not sorted into the Slytherin House and spent half of my life calling you a mudblood."
"True. Not to say that this time we haven't had to go on a horcruxes crusade. Really, I wonder how the Guardians can come up with all this stuff."
"Well, they are connected with Voldemort through me and through his bond with The Serpent. They need to break these links somehow...And we can't deny that it was all very creative... Not to say one of their best plots to separate us... it was so good that I wonder why they didn't try to use it again this time..."
"Maybe because it ended badly like all their previous plots -- in the end, we found each other, like we always do -- Or maybe because breaking your glasses off was a much easier way to go about it."
"Yeah, maybe..." Harry closed his eyes. Flashes of images that he could not place....a soft humming...symbols that he could not recognize...and then suddenly a white wall.
"Honey?"
"Hum?"
"What is it? What did you see?"
"No...nothing...nothing I can understand anyway."
She went to him and gave him a peck on his check. He smiled at her, holding her hand in his.
"What are we going to do, Harry? How are we going to fix this?"
Harry laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "Well, I was actually thinking that maybe Tom and I could have a cup of tea, some toast and a nice talk in which I would convince him to give me that part of my soul back."
Hermione stared at him, mouth agape.
"What? It was just a thought." Harry gave her a final smile before he went serious. "But first things first." With a snap of his fingers Ron, Sirius, Charlie -- in sum, everybody, excluding the Guardians and Voldemort, disappeared.
He then squeezed Hermione's hand. "Come on. I can't hold on any longer. Not without my Father's wa--" But then he stopped himself. "Let's go, beautiful. We are finished here."
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"OH MY GOD. Look what they did to Hogwarts..." Hermione couldn't believe in her eyes. Hogwarts' castle was reduced to pieces.
"Er...Actually, honey, I'm afraid that was me...."
"What?"
"Well, I was kind of pissed off when I got my memories back."
"Oh, Harry..."
"Yeah. Yeah. I know. Suffice to say that I won't be getting any more enchanted apples from my students...I scared them big time..."
"Poor things. Are they here?"
"I can't feel them which means that the Guardians have done at least one thing right, making sure they are all safe."
"Good, I guess...Can you fix it? I mean, you know it's really strange to look at Hogwarts and see ....well, this."
Harry nodded and in a blink stone after stone, glass after glass, piece after piece of Hogwarts went back to its rightful place. "Better?"
"Much better," she said turning her attention from the castle and staring at him "But why are we here, Harry? Why Hogwarts?"
"You know why," his words came out blankly, emotionless, almost cold.
"Harry--"
But before her protest could be any further, he apparated them inside, more specifically to the Great Hall.
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With a snap of Harry's finger their 'frozen in time' friends surrounded them. With another snap Harry's hold on time was broken. And all their friend looked at them and their surrounding without understanding a thing. After all, the last they remembered they were on a cemetery, Harry and Hermione had disappeared and Voldemort was ready to get rid of them all.
"Hermione?" called a disoriented Ron when he registered hers and Harry's presence in the room.
Hermione quickly glanced at Harry, before letting go of his hand and slowly crossing the space that separated her from her best friend...her soul mate.
The other wizards and witches on the room, although no longer frozen, acted like they still were as they watch the scene before them.
"Ron?" Hermione hesitated when she was just one step away from him. It was all so confusing, so complicated...and it hurt in so many ways.
But he was her best friend...he would always be. And so, she closed her eyes, letting go of all her doubts, and she hugged him. "Ah, Ron..."
That seemed to break the tension in the room as all the others wizards started chatting with each other trying to understand what just happened. Sirius, Mr. Weasley and Charlie went to Harry making a lot of questions but Harry only half heard them, as he made sure to not take his eyes on the two that all the others seemed to forget ever exist.
Ron embraced her gently. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm so sorry."
Those words brought an end to their embrace. So many things he didn't know...so many mistakes. So she couldn't stop herself and asked him, "What for?"
"For not being there for you. Bloody hell, Hermione...I didn't let you go, did I? All my stupid proposals...constant asking you to be with me when you and - And you were suffering and I probably didn't make it any easier for you, did I? I'm so sorry."
She looked him in the eyes. "It was not your fault Ron. You were under a spell."
"No. You have to understand. In part it was my fault. It was me. Can't you see, pumpkin? I still wa--"
Hermione placed a finger on his lip, stopping the words that she knew would come. "Don't. Please, don't. I - someday, Ron. Someday you will find someone that love you just like you deserve...even if I myself have to write her name on that stupid book."
Ron stared at her, not really understanding what she was talking about. And did Hermione just called a book stupid? "Mione, what are talking about? Are you alright?"
"Yes, of course, I am. We all are, right, Ron? Prophecies, destinies and ...whatever we have done in the past, it doesn't really matter, right? The important thing is that we are all friends and we have this bright future ahead of us...You, Harry and I, and of course Ja - I mean...Oh, Ron. You are my best friend...God knows why, but you are....So, I'm okay. We are okay, all of us, aren't we, Ron?"
Ron was at a loss of words. Hermione was acting strange...Then again considering the last turn of events...she was probably in shock after finally having Harry back. Harry...
Hermione's words kept playing on his mind. Are we okay... Ron?
And as he held Hermione in his arms his eyes found Harry's intense gaze on them...
Ron frowned. Harry...
No, they were not okay.
Leaving a puzzled Hermione behind as he abruptly let go of her, Ron stepped forward, firm steps carrying him towards Harry.
The small crowd around Harry let Ron pass...let the two friends finally have a moment to greet themselves.
Ron punch came with full force. Harry didn't even try to stop him or to dodge. He received the full blow. And he didn't even flinch....
Sirius and Charlie held Ron before he could strike again as Molly Weasley yelled at her younger son demanding some explanations....Ron ignored his mother, his father and anyone else...he was fuming....
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!! I KNEW YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING STUPID LIKE THIS!!! I KNEW YOU WOULD END UP HURTING HER!!! I WARNED YOU HARRY, I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT IF YOU EVER…BLOODY HELL, HARRY, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU CASTED THAT DAMNED SPELL…
ALL THIS TIME SHE KNEW…SHE REMEMBERED WHEN WE DON'T…I CAN NOT EVEN IMAGINE THE HELL SHE'S BEEN LIVING -- I SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET YOU HAVE HER…I SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVING UP SO EASILY…YOU ONLY BRING HER PAIN AND SUFFERING…YOU HURT HER…
But I won't let you hurt her ever again…YOU STUPID BOY WHO SHOULD HAVE NEVER FUCKING LIVED."
Emerald eyes turned jade. "Is that all?" Harry's voice echoed like ice freezing everyone's heart. A green aura engulfed him. "So, I guess now it's my turn, Ronald."
Charlie and Sirius felt an invisible force pushing them away as Harry grabbed Ron by the collar...The members of the Order yelled and ran to stop their leader but they too couldn't go far.
Hermione just watched sadly, almost detachably as Harry levitated in the air, bringing Ron with him. She knew this would happen. She knew that they had some things to work out. She was always more rational, so in a way it was easy for her to understand and accept but Harry... Harry had always been all emotion...impulsive... explosive.
She knew that they should have discussed this...new that he tried...
What about Ron?
What about him?
But he had sensed her hesitation and he had changed the subject on her behalf because that was her Harry...and he would always try and protect her from the things that hurt the most...
"A game Ronald? All of this because of Quidditch? You stupid piece of shit, couldn't you just listen to her just once? Was it worth it, Ronald? Was it worth my happiness...her happiness? Answer me--"
Ron could barely breathe. The aura that surrounded Harry was so strong. It felt like flames, it burned. He felt like he was suffocating... he could still hear Harry but he couldn't just make sense of his words...Quidditch...happiness....what the hell was he talking about?
'Harry. He doesn't know. He didn't know. Please, Harry, he is your best friend.'
Harry eyes flinched back to emerald when Hermione's words echoed on his mind.
He looked Ron in the eye and his features softened as he found himself staring at big blue eyes that reflected...confusion. He was lost, he didn't understand...he didn't know...God, he didn't know.
The aura vanished. Harry slowly descended to the ground, releasing Ron. But an invisible barrier still separated the others from them.
Ron stepped away from him. The red-haired was slowly catching his breathe back but the look in his eyes...the look on his eyes portrayed fear...
Harry grimaced. His best-friend was afraid of him...very afraid.
Harry sighed and he spoke. He tried to make him understand, to explain it to him, being as honest to him as he could. He owed him that.
"I didn't know, Ron. I didn't know she would repeal the spell. She was supposed to forget like we did. There would be no bittersweet memories, no suffering, and no tears from her - Just peace. She would be safe."
Harry looked up, pools of emerald finding pools of blue "You were not there, Ron. You didn't have to watch as her life was sucked out of her; little by little…You didn't have to do the choice I had. Hermione was dying, Ron, there, right before my eyes…I lost it. You have no idea. I was about to sacrifice everything for her - to be with her - and when I mean everything I really mean the whole lot. But she stopped me; she didn't let me go on with it. So when Dumbledore came with the potion…The spell became no longer a choice, it became my only option…But I didn't know, Ron. I swear to you Ron if I knew how much pain and suffering she would have to go through because of that Spell….Then you all be damned, because I would never, never put her through that willing."
"I was not planning on coming back here, you know. I had no intention on saving you, Sirius, your family… no one. Guess, I'm not really a good model of hero, am I? Letting the world end doesn't seem like something any other 'super' would do. But I'm tired of playing this role. You were right when you said you can not even imagine the hell she's been living in these past years. But I do. I have been living there with her. All steps of the way. All the tears, all the wounds, all the sorrow, all the agony…I've been there. So who gives the shit about this stupid little planet? There are plenty others out there you know? And I can always create more."
"But the problem is -- the problem is that this woman that I love more than life itself is so bloody stubborn…She cares so much about her family and you and well, life in general. Once again, she stopped me; she didn't let me go with it. And well I wish I could say someday I'll learn how to say no to her…but, time after time, life after life, she always end up winning…And that's good because she is usually right. She once again had proved me wrong. She once again had made me want to be a better man… She brought back not The One, not The Warrior, not The Hero, not The Boy Who Lived, but the man I have chosen to be: Harry. And this Harry - I can still see good in this stupid little planet. I believe in the people of this world, I believe in mankind, I believe that someday you wake up and realize how blessed you are…how beautiful your life can be if you just open your eyes and welcome a new day. Just like I learnt to do.
"You are my best friend, Ron. You told me all about the chocolate frogs' cards. You told me all about Quidditch. You taught me how to play Wizarding Chess…We fought Trolls, Giant Spider and Snakes, Dementors, Death Eaters and Dark Lords…We fought all of them together. You made me laugh, you taught me how to have fun…But sometimes, sometimes you really got me mad, even furious...But --- The truth is that I have taken so much from you, Ronald Billius Weasley while I -."
"And you know what is worst, Ron? I can't tell you that I'm sorry for that.. I can't ask you for forgiveness because you too have taken so much from me. Deep down, I'm not sure if I forgive you...Because even after all this years, even if my soul had the time to heal...it still hurts Ron... You accuse me of hurting her. But you have hurt her too. More than you ever know. If I was to show you; The Truth - I could do it, you know. Make you see it. Make you feel it. Make you be it. -- However, this would only bring you the same pain we have been suffering…. And as your friend, as your true friend, I just want to spare you of all this pain…So, I'll keep the truth from you, Ron, like I did many times before. However, this time I'll do it to protect you...and you only."
Hermione was then at Harry's side. She held his hand and gave it a slightly squeeze. Harry smiled at her as Ron watched them still quite confused with everything... It was one hell of a messed up situation. And he still didn't know what to make of it - or of Harry's words - words that kept going on...
Still holding Hermione's hand, Harry turned his gaze back to Ron.
"I just want you to understand, Ron, that in the end I'm just a boy who lived most of his life in a cupboard under the stairs, wishing through day and night for someone who could love him… Not love who he was supposed to be…but someone who just loved that little boy…I wished for Hermione, Ron. And in doing that I changed the course of things. More than I had already had. I wouldn't be here without her. She kept that boy in me. She keeps me just Harry. And I keep her just Hermione. We are not the ones we were supposed to be. We are the ones we chose to be. Plain Harry. Plain Hermione."
Hermione smiled at his words, she tiptoed and gave him a small peck on his left cheek. A pink aura engulfed them and a warm aura of power surrounded the Great Hall. When the pink aura faded all eyes were on them. Harry grinned. "Okay, so not exactly plain but we are working on it."
He sighed again. (he seemed to be doing it a lot but he couldn't just help it; things were just so, so...overwhelming. And next when he spoke, he did it not only to Ron but to all in that room and the ones who were not there as well. "I hope the world could understand. I hope you could understand. It's not my fault. It's not her fault. But even if you don't understand, we do. It's not your fault, it's not billions of innocent's lives fault either. Hermione and I are back to stop what we have restarted."
Then he stared back at his best friend, who didn't seem as afraid as before but just lost. "But this, I promise you, Ron. As long as it is in my power, I'll never let Hermione go through all that pain again. I'll promise you there will be no spell this time. We are together and that's what is important, and that's how we are going to face and beat all our enemies. I'll fight for this world because I believe you are worth fighting for. And I'll keep my lo-"
His words suddenly came to a halt. He winced. His hand went to his temple.
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"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked worried.
"There are still people out there. I can feel their pain."
Ron and the remaining member of the Order stared at Harry and Hermione, still not knowing what to do, what to say, or even if they were expected to do or say something, or if they were allowed to interfere in whatever was going on since the moment Harry showed up on that cemetery.
"It's not possible. You said the Guardians would take care of everyone, that everyone would be sent to -"
"They should have - unless...unless --" Harry closed his eyes, his senses looking for whoever was still out there and for an answer. The greenish light engulfed him once more and only two words came up from his lips, he had found his answer, "The Dragon..."
Hermione looked alarmed. "The Dragon? What about -- He was after me, he came to my grandparents', he attacked my family but then Crockshanks--"
Harry eyes were still closed. His aura pulsating more and more, looking for other hearts that pulsated just the same. "He didn't fight against The Tiger....The Serpent intervene...The Dragon was still after you...he followed your trace; your essence."
"But that would mean he--"
"THERE!" Harry suddenly exclaimed aloud, startling Hermione and the others. "Got them," he said when he finally opened his eyes and stretched his arms. His aura became green laces that twirled around the room like gusts of wind before forming a bubble that glowed intensely. Then with a small "pop" the bubble was gone and they were all staring (perplexed) at the new comers...
"Oh My Goodness..." Hermione ran to them.
Professor Severus Snape laid motionless on the ground. Draco Malfoy was very beaten up; it seemed he would fall at any moment if not for Dobby, the Elf Ambassador, supporting him. Ginevra Weasley laid unconscious one the arms of a gasping Neville Longbottom.
Molly Weasley nearly faint at sight of her wounded daughter. They all imitated Hermione's gesture, running to them.
Hermione placed her head on Severus chest and sighed relieved as she found his heart was still beating.. But only barely. She looked at Sirius who was in front of her, "He is alive. But he needs help."
Sirius nodded quietly, "We need to find out if he was hit by any curse and --"
"I'm sorry. They were too many. I couldn't stop them." Hermione and Sirius looked up to find Draco grey eyes, haunted eyes, looking down at them. She felt Harry's as he knelt down by her side to take charge over Severus's care.
She got up to assist Draco. His pained eyes never leaving her. "He destroyed the book...and the potions. It's all gone. We failed you. I failed you."
Hermione raised her hand over Draco's forehead, feeling the tingle of her own magic on her fingers as it closes an open wound on the boys face. "It was just a book, Draco. Just potions. I--"
The blue glow on her hand faded as she let her arm down. She bit her lower lip, fighting back the tear that she refused to release. Hermione shook her head. Her aura ceased. "It meant nothing compared to your life, and Severus or ---"She glanced at Severus surrounded by a group of green cloaked members of the Order, his own division, as Harry and Sirius take care of him. Then, at Ginny, no longer at Neville's arms but at the care of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley while an Order member, Alastor Moody to be more precisely, checked on Neville. Finally, she smiled sadly at their elfish friend at her side before meeting Draco's eyes again. "I should have never involved any of you into this. It's all my fault. It was after me. I should have been there --"
"ARRRGGHHHH!"
It was Harry. His scar was burning. He was struggling to free his right hand from the place it rested on Snape's arm.
"ARRRGGHHHH!"
And then Malfoy. His hands clutching to his arms, to the place where you could find the dark mark.
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When the echoes of their screams faded, the room fell in silence.
Black magic. They all could sense it. A Blackness that was engulfing Harry.
And before they could do something or register what was going on, Harry was no longer and they were all now staring at Voldemort's horrendous face, scary eyes.
And then they all screamed.
"ARRRGGHHHH!"
Black magic was everywhere. Dark rays of light crossed the room...followed by a hot wave of air, that become an indoor tornado...an indoor inferno. Lightings destroyed the enchanted ceiling, the house tables, the whole place...and a jaded green mist was emerging.
Chaos. And a sinister laugh.
Their wands had been proven useless because of the magical balance. They had used all the last HRH potions on the battle on the cemetery. There were no Guardians around.
All seemed lost.
However, before an elder Order member could be hit by one of those deadly bolts of black magic, he found himself floating in the air, inside a pink bubble that repealed the dark curse.
The mist faded a little and they all found themselves inside floating pink bubbles. All but the sinister red-eyed figure and Hermione, who had her left arm high up over her head. A warm and brightly pink aura covered her. Plus, there are pinkish ethereal threads coming up from her hand connecting it to the floating bubbles.
She looked at the man in front of her. Her eyes held no fear, nor hate. She dropped her hand, the threads disappeared but the floating bubbles remained where they were. She stepped forward, slowly approaching the man.
"Hermione!!!" a desperate Ron yelled, pushing and kicking. He was trying to get out of that bubble somehow so he could stop her. "Hermione!"
"Hermione, stop right where you are. Hermione!" pleaded Sirius
"Granger, what the hell do you think you are doing? You can't stop him. It's too late. Potter is gone. Please stop! He is gonna kill you," shouted Draco.
But Hermione didn't hear them or the others who called her.
Blood red eyes were fixed on her. He smirked. "It's over, mudblood. You lost."
His switched his wand between hands and threw a set of unforgivable curses on her. Hermione didn't even flinch. The aura around her repealed them all.
She kept on moving. He kept on throwing curses.
And then not even an inch separated them.
She kissed him.
"Ewwww," Ron couldn't believe his eyes. I t was the grossest thing he had ever seen. Everybody else around him seemed to have been thinking something on the same lines.
Red eyes went wide and then they were closed as he started kissing her back, passionately.
The cold hands rooming over her body became warm. Hard lips became soft...
A mop of messed raven hair laid own her shoulders as Harry broke their kiss and held her tightly.
His lips brushed own her neck as he whispered, "I'm sorry." Then, green met brown. "He is stronger than I thought."
Tenderly, Hermione placed a hand on his face." We made him stronger." Harry only nodded. "Do you think - Is he stronger than you?"
"Stronger than Harry Potter? Definitely. Stronger than Me? Not a chance in hell," he said and for a millisecond something twinkled in his eyes.
"I'm not sure I like this answer."
"Don't worry. It's gonna be alright." He pecked her on the cheek and then looked into her eyes...their eyes were dancing and his lips were upon her when --
Someone cleaned his throat. "Er...excuse me, but aren't you forgetting something?"
Harry and Hermione spun around to find their friends still locked up inside the bubbles and their facial expressions showed how lost and left out they all felt.
With a wave of Harry's hand the bubbles were gone and they all floated safely down to the ground.
"I'm sorry", began Harry, " er...for this. I thought I had closed all the doors. But apparently Voldemort has found an opening." He glared at the unconscious Snape, more precisely to the mark on his arms. He went to it.
The others stared at him in fear. Fear that if he touched it he might be possessed again...
"Harr -" Sirius warning and protest was never heard.
Harry closed his eyes. Seven laces of seven colorful auras came from nowhere and danced around him. He floated in the air.
A gust of wind and his scar was gone.
A white aura covered the room. And the ones presented felt at peace. It was such a strange feeling for them. The members of the Order could feel the pain from the wounds they held from their recent battles fading. The intensity of that aura, which felt so magical yet it was so different from whatever they knew magic to be, was blinding not only their vision but all their other senses.
Harry opened his eyes, his serene emerald. The auras that have been dancing around him had been replaced by a white, almost translucid aura that pulsated around him.
He placed his hands over the Dark Mark on Snipe's arms and in a blink the mark was no more. He then stand up and stand a hand to Draco.
The young Malfoy still feeling light headed stretched his arms without hesitation. And soon his mark was gone too.
Harry smiled at them...
And then the earth started shaking...but they could only register it on the back of their minds....there was nothings to worry about...nothing to fear...they could barely remember what fear was like. They were falling in a void...and void is how they felt.
Harry...
A sweet whisper. A gust of wind. His scar was back. The pure aura had vanished. There was no more quaking. Ron, Charlie, Neville and company felt themselves waking from their trance.
Draco was staring in aware at his arm and the place where The Dark Lord himself had marked him. Gone. How could that be? What could that mean? Was he finally - free?
Harry held Hermione's hands and then turned to their audience.
"I want you all to go to the Human Protection," Harry finally said.
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They all just stared at him, not understanding the meaning of his words. Did he want them to be part of the Wizarding Witness Program or something like that?
Their eyes averted to Hermione, searching for answers.
"The box. He means the carton box with a HP imprinted on it."
"The one in the Forbidden Room? The one we could not destroy no matter what the Yellow Team tried," asked Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"You will be safe there," stated Harry.
"In a box?" asked a young blond girl, no more than eighteen, wearing a blue cloak, which indicates that she was part of Moody's team.
"It's not really a box." Neville stepped forward. "Trevor has showed it to me." He chose to ignore the raised eyebrows he received from some of his colleagues at the mention of his toad and went on, "It's like a dimension zone and --"
"Wait!" Ron cut him off. "You mean that strange ever-green place we were before? The one where Looney, Bill, Fred and well-everybody else is?" He then turned to face his best friend "We are going back there?"
Harry shooked his head. "Not we. You are. I'm staying. I have some things to take care of."
"What? You are kidding right? Come on, Harry, you can't be that stupid. You can't possibly be thinking about sending us to this Human whatever and go face Voldemort alone."
At this, the entire Great Hall went in an uproar. Everybody was speaking at the same time.
"Enough!" Harry's powerful voice placed the room back to a deadly silence. "You are going. That's an order."
"But, sir ---"
His face had no trace of the gentle young man he was. He was not up for plays, he was dead serious. At the moment he was the leader of the Order of Phoenix and it was like a leader that he acted. "I don't want to hear any of it. I say go, you go. You are members of the Order of the Phoenix. You all have made an oath. So unless you want to break this oath right here and right now, you better do as I say."
Mrs. Weasley was the first to speak, "Harry, dear --"
Harry glanced down at the woman who had always been so kind to him, as she held her unconscious daughter's head on her lap. "She is fine, Mrs. Weasley. Ginny, like Severus, are now just sleeping. They will wake up once you get in the HP; once they are no longer exposed to this unstable magic that surrounds us here. All your other sons are there too. I promise you no harm will fall on your family if you just do as I say."
"The HP was sent from...a friend. As you are not allowed to cross the Nadir Gates, the HP is to work as a shelter for all human beings in this time of danger. It will borrow you time and there you will find whatever you need. The Guardians were able to simply transport you there, but unfortunately they are all quite weak at the moment. So I have brought you as close to it as I can. The castle is still running a little crazy because of the unstable balance. But I don't think you will have many problems to get to it or opening it. Once inside, you will be safe."
"You speak about our safety, Harry. But seems to forget about your own." Sirius approached him. "You can't face Voldemort alone, son. There's an evil army out there. I can't let you face this all by yourself. I won't. I would rather die than leave you alone in this darkest of hours," he sad softly, placing a hand on his godson's shoulder.
Harry looked into his godfather's eyes. "But you have already died, Sirius. More than once."
Sirius didn't know what to do of Harry's words or how to reply it so Harry continued. "I have seen it, Sirius. I have seen all of you die before. I don't plan to see anyone dying anymore. It hurts too much....and this pain weakens me. It leads me to a loss of control that I cannot afford to lose right now."
"Harry..."
'Don't worry, Sirius,'
'How can I not worry? If something happens to you James and Lily will come back from the dead just to make sure I know how lousy a godfather I have made. A godfather that cannot even protect his godson.'
'Never that, Sirius. Never that. You have been a great godfather. Even in lives where things did not went so smoothly between us, I know you only did what you thought it was the best for me. What is important is that through them all, you have always loved me like a father. Besides, you have been by Hermione's side these last years, watching over her, making sure she didn't kill herself in her quest and even reminding her that I had not given up on her, that I would never give up on her. And for that I will be forever grateful,' he concluded, placing a hand on Sirius shoulder.
And it was only then that Sirius realized that at some point their lips had stopped moving. Sirius would ask Harry about that and what he meant with "lives where things did not went so smoothly" but something caught up his attention... On the hand placed on his shoulder he saw a ring, a wedding band. He then glanced at Hermione's hand where he noticed that the ring it had once been Lily's was not the only one adorning her finger.
Out of the blue he gave his godson a bear hug. "I'm happy for you, son."
For a moment Harry had no reaction, he saw the Order crew giving them the look. So much for looking like a Mighty Leader who demands respect....
He patted his godfather, awkwardly. "Thank you, Sirius. I guess," he spoken up aloud while the thought on his mind were entirely different ones.
'You are embarrassing us, Sirius. A good deal of the Order is here, staring at us right now. They already got their doubts about my leadership after my impersonation of Voldemort. You keep hugging me up like this and Merlin knows what they will think.'
Sirius immediately let go of him.
'Jeez. All of this because you found out I'm married? Just wait till you meet my son.'
Sirius eyes went wide. Harry grinned at him.
"How? When? Well, who cares? I probably won't understand anyway. I still don't understand how we got here back at Hogwarts in the first place. I'm so utterly confused. But one thing I'm sure: I'm happy for you, Harry. I'm happy for both of you. And damn. If you want me to go bury myself inside a bloody box, I'll go. You are right, Harry, you are our lead and ..merlinn forbidden me but i believe in you. gI trust you, son. And if you think you can beat Voldemort and his hellish army all by yourself -"
"I can," Harry reassured him.
"Then Merlin forgives me, but I believe in you."
He placed his hand on Harry's upper arm and squeezed it slightly. Then he went to Hermione and embraced her, like a father would a daughter...
He whispered something in her ears...something meant for only her to know.
Whatever it was, it made her laugh as she embraced him affectionately, like a daughter would a father, and placed a gentle peck on his cheek, she let him go.
Sirius then went into his Black Team commander (and Order's second) mode.
"Okay, phoenixes, you heard our Leader. Black Team, Red Team, Yellow Team, Gree --Oh, damn it. I wonder what Dumbledore was thinking when he gave us these stupid color names. Couldn't he just give us some pretty cool Intelligence Ids?" At this the Order crew laughed, lighting the mood between those soldiers of light. "To the hell with it -- All of you follow me." With a move of his arm he signaled them to do just that and one by one they exit the Great Hall. Members of the Green team carried their commander, Professor Snape, Charlie carried his sister. Mrs. Weasley stopped to give both Harry and Hermione a hug and kiss before leaving, Alastor Moody told Harry to never forget: 'Constant Vigilance.' Mundungus asked him if there was a way he could stop home and make his bag (most likely full of stolen items) before leaving. Many others have just stopped to shake his hand and wish him good luck. The last one had been Arthur Weasley, who after saying his goodbyes turned to his son,
"Ron, come on, son. It's time to go,"
"I'm not going, dad."
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All the ones still on the room turned their eyes to the younger red-haired. Them being, Neville who has been talking to Hermione, Draco who has his arms crossed and back leaned on a wall and Harry who had been talking with Dobby.
"What?" Arthur approached his son.
"I'm not going. As far as I know I am not a member of this stupid Order...haven't been for a long time. So I have no reason to follow these so-called orders of your mighty leader. I'm not Harry's puppet and contrary to public belief I'm not stupid. There's much more than a single spell that had been broken here...Harry had told me himself that there's things he isn't telling me and what about the whole I'm Voldemort moment and then his scar disappearing and that strange whatever -And I thought I have seen all when he burned into flames on his office and Hermione's cat had called me king. Can this day get creepier? Bloody hell! I don't even no if we are in the same day anymore...."
Harry sighed. He would deal with Ron later. He turned his attention back to Dobby.
"This is for you, Dobby." Dobby looked up at him, averting his eyes from the young Weasel and his father.
Harry was offering him something that looked like an old key only it glowed and Dobby could feel the strong aura of power behind that small object.
"What's this, Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby asked as he held the described object.
"The Nadir Gates are now closed but use this key and it will be opened to you."
"Do you want me to call the others, Harry Potter, Sir? You know that if you call they will come…all beings will answer your command."
"I can not do this, Dobby. I have no right. This is not their fight."
"This is much our world as it is of the Humans."
"True. Yet the humans are not fighting than why should you? It no longer matter what started it or who. Humans, elves, centaurs, guardians...it doesn't matter. I'm the reason things went this far. I'm the reason you all have to leave. So now this battle is mine...and mine alone."
"But--"
"No buts Dobby, I appreciate what you have done for me and Hermione. But your wife and your son are waiting for you on the other side. Use the key to return to them." Harry smiled at his elf friend.
"If Dobby goes, will Dobby see Sir and Miss again?"
"Once it's all over and magic is fully restored the Nadir Gates will open again and you will be able to return....if you want to."
"Why wouldn't Dobby want to return? This is Dobby's home."
Harry's eyes become a little glassy, his vision blurry. "Home. Oh, how mortals can get attached to concepts, to words. Little words like home gain so much meaning, so much power. That's probably why we don't speak; we have no need for words..."
"Harry Potter, Sir?"
Harry smiled sadly at his elfish friend. "Forget all you ever knew, Dobby. Free yourself from these ideas like home and you will see that the universe is such a big place...there's so much to see...You can always leave 'home' and find yourself a new one. Home is not the place you came from...if you have the ones you love by your side you can make anywhere home. Be it in another city, another country, another world."
"Dobby thinks he understands."
"If there's an elf that can, that elf is you. After all you have never been to keen in following rules. You were always looking for trouble, always putting me into trouble too. But your intentions had always been true, like your heart. I'm honored to be your friend Dobby, the Elf, for your name will be painted in the stars among the greatest of your kind."
"Dobby hasn't really made anything. It was Miss' book and her constant work; she was the one who had freed us. Still sometimes Dobby thinks it was all in vain... Even with all the S.P.E.W. work, many still lives as slaves, many still doesn't understand what it has been given, many doesn't believe they are free..."
"Three Great Ages of slavery are not so easily forgotten...The wounds are too deep. You still carry those wound and so does your people. They will not heal fast. But you will make blind ones see, and will make believers out of them. With love you will heal your wounds...And in time your kind will know what true happiness is again."
"Now go, Dobby. They are waiting for you. They need you." Dobby nodded, tears gleaming on his eyes. Harry gently patted him on the shoulder, then he smiled. "Oh, and when my brothers and sisters from Beyond open the gates to a new world to you…say hi to them for me, will you?"
For a moment, a blink of an eye, Dobby saw the scar disappear and Harry's emerald eyes shine with something so deep….so beyond everything in that world. But it was only for a moment.
Dobby smiled and he was ready to leave when he abruptly changed his mind and embraced Harry - or better, Harry's legs.
"Thank you, My Lord. Thank you for coming, for saving us."
The key pulsated on Dobby's hand...and without any further action he was gone.
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Harry sighed. Behind him Mr. Weasley was still trying to convince his son to follow him, things like 'your mother will kill me if you don't' were often repeated. Neville and Hermione were not really talking anymore, but rather sitting on the teachers table (the only one not destroyed after Harry's outburst, or was it Voldemort's?) watching the whole scene before son and father, murmuring some comments about it here and then. Draco was at the same position; he was so still he could even be confused with a statue.
"You can leave, Arthur," Harry finally addressed them. "Molly is probably wandering what is keeping you for so long. Don't worry. Ron will be there short after. You have my word."
Arthur stared at Harry, who looked very calm. Then, he sighed and with one last disapproval look directed at his youngest son, he exited the room.
"I'm not going to be left behind like last time, Harry. If you and Hermione are going to fight Voldemort, I'm going with you."
Harry seemed a bit annoyed at this. "You were not left behind, Ron. You died, remember? I have to bring you back."
Ron blinked. Images of a young Harry standing his hand to him played on his mind. Wasn't it just a dream? Just a hallucination? Had that been real?
"Er...I well ---Whatever! I don't see you asking Neville to go, so why should I?"
Neville stood up immediately. "I'm sorry, Harry. I know that as a member of the Order I should have already left but I'm worried about Trevor and--"
Harry raised a hand. "Hold that thought, Neville. I'll be right back with you."
He then glared at the corner where Malfoy was. The Slytherin gave him his best "What are you looking at, Potter?" look.
Harry rolled his eyes and then turned to Hermione, "Remind me again; when did he become our friend?"
Hermione gave him a big smile. "It was a long, long time ago."
"Oh, yeah. The Good Old Days. Wouldn't you just wish they were back?"
Hermione's smile faded. She bit her lower lip and averted his eyes.
Harry grimaced at this but chose not to say a word. He turned his attentions back to the young Malfoy.
"Welcome back to the light side of the force, Draco. It is always good to see that you have chosen the right path-believe me, it doesn't always turned up to be that way. But I can't tell it's good to see that you have been lusting after my woman again."
"Harry," Hermione cried out, standing up. Draco looked shocked at Harry's words.
"What?! Have you read his thoughts lately?" Harry asked, waving his arms at Malfoy's direction.
"Of course not! I don't go reading people's thoughts like that and neither should you."
"Wait! You read my mind? Who the hell gave you the right use legitimency on me, Potter?" Draco was furious but neither Harry nor Hermione seemed to even hear what he said.
Harry stared at Hermione. "I DON'T! I try my best to let people's thoughts to themselves. But you have no idea of what he thought just a minute ago. It just hit me like a hammer breaking my walls. I can't believe he was foolish enough to -- "
Draco was still yelling, when the punch came. "What were you thinking you Slytherin scum? You better don't be having any dirty thoughts on Hermione or I swear I ... "
"Ron." Neville grabbed him before he could deliver another blow.
Hermione turned to the three guys before her. She sweatdropped.
She then turned to Harry. "Couldn't you just let it be? But no you have to bring it up. Are you happy now?"
"Happy because there are two guys fighting over you. Oh yeah, I'm thrilled," he sneered.
"Honestly, Harry..."
"So now I can't be jealous when half of the male population of the world seems to have a thing for my w--"
She silenced him stealing a kiss. Harry didn't really mind the assault and promptly kissed her back.
They finally parted, completely out of breath. "Now you tell me. Do you really think you have any reason to be jealous?"
"Well, when you put that way", he grinned, "I guess not." He then planted kisses on her collarbone. "I guess I should really pit them. After all, they can think all they want but I'm the only lucky bastard here --"
She hit him playfully on the arm. "Stop playing around. Come on, let's help poor Neville."
Neville definitely looked like he could use some help. He had put himself between two furious bulls and was indeed the only thing stopping Ron and Draco from beating themselves to pulp.
"Alright, alright. But once this is all over, I'm going to keep an eye one these two, and I also keep an eye on Krum, and that guy you work with at WIR and that one at S.P.E.W too...
Harry grabbed Ron by the arm.
...and that childhood friend of yours, Gregory something...
Hermione faced Draco.
...and that guy who worked on that café you liked...
Harry easily pushed Ron aside.
And that chaser from Puddlemere... and that Healer from...
Okay, Harry, I got the picture.
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Sighing, Hermione brought all her thoughts back to the man in front of her. "Draco, you'd better go now, go meet the others inside the box."
At the other side of the room, Harry and Neville were patiently listening Ron's rambling. His sentences were full of 'damn', 'bloody', and 'hell'.
Draco shook his head. "I won't let you here alone with him."
"I'll be safe with him, Draco."
"Oh, sure, because he has always done a pretty good job protecting you before. You were only attacked by Basilisks, Death Eaters, Demons, Werewolves, Voldemort...Oh please, even I kidnapped you once, and let's not forget the last years when he didn't even know the kind of danger you have been facing."
"You are wrong, Draco. Through it all he has always been there."
"I don't get you, Granger. How can you be so damn smart but when it comes to him you are just so damn stupid?"
"Love does strange things."
Malfoy sighed. "You can't tell me to go away now. I have the right to be here. This is also my battle remember. He killed my father. And my mother's death was also his fault."
"This is not about revenge, Draco. I told you hundred of times; you won't get what you seek out of revenge." She placed a hand on his arms, at the exact spot the Dark Mark used to be. "Your body is free now...but you also have to free your mind. Don't go looking for darkness, that darkness won't come looking for you."
"I don't think I know how. I --"
Malfoy never finished his sentence. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed in Hermione's arms. "Harry, what have you done?" she shouted.
Malfoy was lift from her arms by an invisible force. His body hung in the air, with a simple Mobilicorpus. Ron laughed at this, very pleased with himself. Harry placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You know as well as I do how thick-headed Draco can be. Last time I faced Voldemort he came with this same 'he killed my father so I'm gonna kill him' monologue. And then I have to save him...And God knows through all our lifetimes I have saved him enough to make us more than even. So, let's just end this right here and make sure he goes to the box so I don't have to save him again."
"But -"
"Neville?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Do you think you can take Malfoy to the HP with you?"
"I could. But, Harry, Trevor..."
"Oh, right. That. Sorry. But you have nothing to worry. After all, Trevor is a Guardian."
"He is my friend."
"He is a Guardian, Nev. He has no friends. It has no friends."
"Harry is right, Neville. I -- I know how you feel about Trevor but you can not really trust a Guardian, much less be friends with one."
"How can you say that, Hermione? How about Crockshanks?"
"Exactly. What about Crockshanks? Can't you see, Neville? They just used us. They just pretended to be our pets, our friends, so they could be closer to manipulate us...manipulate our lives."
"Trevor is not like that. He never used me. He hasn't done anything wrong. And Crockshanks what have he ever done other than protect you?"
"There's still a whole behind- the-scene story going on that you don't know about," Hermione replied. "Yes, Crockshanks have protected me many times...but only because that went with his agenda. I'm not sure if he would hesitate to kill me if my death was proven to be somehow a benefit for their cause."
Ron listened in silence, trying to see if he could at least get a hint of what the hell they were talking about. After the last events he knew for sure Hermione's cat was not only a very intelligent and well-trained half-kneezle...and apparently Trevor was just not your typical toad, but what the hell was a Guardian? Still quite lost, he listened.
"I can't believe in this. They cannot be bad. What about the box? They sent it to protect us!"
Harry cut Neville off. "They didn't send the box, Neville. They collected the humans yes, but they were just doing what they were told..."
"Told by whom?"
Harry gave him a sad smile. "One day you'll know." A flick, and then he was holding the Gryffindor sword. He offered it to Neville. "I can not give you all I have taken from you. I can not give your life back. But I can give you this."
"Fame and glory were things I have never wanted."
"You speak of Fame and Glory but I've stolen more than that, I have stolen your whole story."
"You mean things like bravery, friendship and love?"
"So you know. How?"
"Why ask when you know the answer?"
"Voldemort."
Neville nodded.
"When he kidnapped you all those years ago."
Another short nod. "He wanted to use me as a weapon. He told me a lot of things. He tried to turn me against you. He tried to awake in me whatever power he believed you have stolen. He called it-
"The Power He Knows Not," Harry finished for him.
"But he failed. Clearly I had no real power in me any longer, if I have had such power someday."
"You are wrong, Neville. You've always had the power within you. That was something that I couldn't take from you even if I wanted it. It's yours and you will never lose it. And that's exactly why Voldemort wasn't able to use you as a weapon against me. He doesn't understand what the Power is...never did...that's why he became Voldemort...because he never knew it."
Harry paused, looking it one of the gentlest soul he had ever met on that earth. "For all he told you, you could have hated me, but you didn't. You didn't let Voldemort's evil game change you..."
"Why should I? Neville Longbottom would have never been Harry Potter. The story told would be completely different. You stole nothing, Harry. You have written your own story, chosen your own path; you have even fallen in love with the wrong girl. This is your story, not mine. Besides, you could have taken the 'Boy Who Lived' title, but in the end I lived, Harry, because of you. Trevor told you I would have died in the end. Voldemort would win. You don't own me anything. I'm the own in dept here. You-you saved us all."
Harry smiled sadly at him, "I see that you were told a lot, but clearly not everything. Take it, Nev. It's yours," he said placing the Gryffindor sword at Neville's hands.
Neville hold it, not really knowing what to do with such an artifact. "Harry I don't want it. I don't even know how to use a sword. And sure you have more need of it than I."
"I can not lie to you. This sword had really been of great help. It's a powerful sword and often I had used it as vessel to my powers. This way it was easier for me to control it. But I have no use for it any longer, and that's why I'm returning it to its rightful owner."
"But--"
"Besides, I still have my own sword to retrieve. Well, it's not really mine but since I have helped forge it, I have strong sentimental reasons to want it back." Harry grinned. "Now go. Here, take Draco with you."
"But Trevor -"
"You still believe he is your friend, huh?"
"I know he is."
Harry wished to reply with something like 'Yeah, see if you feel that way when they send people to kill your son.' But he knew it was neither the place nor the time. If Neville wants to believe Guardians were the Good Guys. Well, let him, at least for the time being....Later, he would really have to remember to arrange some kind of workshop in the Order...One to remind his crew about the worst kind enemies: the ones who pretend to be your friends, while they stab you on the back.
So, instead Harry finally said, "A Guardian cannot really kill another Guardian... It will be like suicide, as they are all connected, so don't worry, Trevor will be fine. I'll see what I can do, okay."
Neville nodded. Hermione hugged him and then he was gone, taking Draco with him.
Hermione, Ron and Harry were left alone in the room.
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"All right. It's seems it's just the three of us again, like the old times."
Harry and Hermione share a meaningful look at Ron's words.
"So, now that we are alone. Do you care to explain to your best friend what the hell is going on here? Why did you give your sword to Neville? Why did you keep saying you stole his life? Come to think about it, you did tell me something similar to me earlier and what with the pets' revolt anyway? Does anyone care to explain me how--"
Harry then stepped forward. Ron looked a little frightened...not really forgetting that just earlier Harry had a murderous look pointed at him and who knew when that look would be back...
But the only thing Harry did was rest a hand on his friends shoulder... "When this is all over, Ron, you and I will have a very long talk, I promise. But for now...just don't forget that you still are and always will be one of my best friends."
Harry then turned to the woman he loved more than life itself. "Hermione, I want you to take Ron and go to the HP."
"What--"
"I want you to stay there."
"No, Harry. What do you think you are doing? You can't possibly be thinking about leaving me behind...I'm not Ginny, Harry. I'm not the damned damsel in distress."
"I know you are not. But this is no fairy tale either."
"What changed? Why do you suddenly want to send me away? I though we - you said we would be together. That we would face everything together."
"That was before I saw how powerful he became."
"You said he wasn't strong than you."
"I said he wasn't stronger than ME. And I can't be that with you around. You keep me just Harry...You keep me human and...and I can't be just that."
"I don't want you to be anything else. He couldn't have got this strong...I'm sure that if we face him together --"
"We tried that before and I can't really say that I'm fond of these particular memories."
"So we imprison him again. Not with The Spell, of course not. But we can do like we did the first time. We just have to go into that box and find Vi--"
He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her complains. "No. What we did before only borrowed us time...and in this time he became stronger. The same happened with The Spell. He keeps getting stronger. We cannot just imprison him. It's time to put a final end to this."
"I love you Harry. I don't wanna lose you," she threw her arms around his neck and clutched him to her. "Promise me you won't cross any rainbow."
He grinned. "I won't." He flinches his whist and a rose like the one Dumbledore destroyed, appeared in his hands. He gave it to her when he said, "And you better don't go crossing cross any veil, huh?"
She smiled, nodding.
He brought her hand to his lips and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "Listen, love. I want you to go there and get it back."
"But you said you don't plan to use it. Then why do you want it back?"
"I don't," he said softly, a hand brushing off her hair.
"Harry..."
"Anything. I'll do anything you ask. Anything for you, beautiful."
She cried then, remembering the last time he had spoken to her the same words. "I didn't ask for this."
"Yes, you did."
"It was just a thought. Harry, you have to understand that I never--"
He interrupted her. "I understand. I know you, beautiful. I know you better than I know myself...I understand. Do what you have to do. I won't love you any less. Nor, will I doubt the love you feel for me."
"Oh, Harry..."
"Shh...Don't cry, beautiful, you know that I hate when you cry."
Ron watched the entire exchange between his friends, with a burning on his chest. Two paradoxical emotions taking hold of him. On one side he was happy for his friends, in other he was dying with jealousy...Besides there's something strange about their currently interaction. Something sad was in the air; something unsaid or said in words that Ron couldn't quite catch. Something that went beyond the mere fact that Harry wanted to protect Hermione so he was sending her away....
And she was crying....
And as Harry Ron hated to see her cry. He was about to say something, to finally break their moment together when Harry and Hermione abruptly turned their heads to the same spot behind him.
Ron followed their gazes but saw nothing, although his friends' eyes were still fixed on the teacher's table.
Not understanding what was going on, Ron finally got himself to say something in order to break the awkward of the present moment. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll take care of her,"
That had brought Harry's attention away from the teacher's table and for a moment green eyes just stared at blue ones, fighting the urge to reply Ron's statement with a 'That's exactly what I'm afraid of.'
He then looked at his side and shared a look with Hermione, sending her a silent message,
'Humph...you better take care of him. Don't let him do anything stupid.'
'I'll try but he is ...you know--'
'Ron? Yeah I know. And that's what scares me.'
"Go," Harry told her, out aloud.
"But..." she glanced at the teacher's table then back at Harry. She sighed. "Oh, alright. Be careful, Harry."
"I will. I'll see you soon."
She kissed him. Her lips lingering on his for a moment. "I love you."
"I love you too." He had his eyes closed as his fingers ran through her hair...and he placed a kiss on her forehead.
'No distance can really separate us now. We'll be together every step of the way'
"Now go."
Hermione nodded. Grabbing a surprised Ron by his upper arm and dragging him with her, heading to the Great Hall's doors. However, before they had crossed it, she stopped and shouted back. "Harry!"
"What?!"
"Just try not to destroy the world this time, will you?" she yelled, grinning from ear to ear.
Harry chuckled. "Just get the hell out of here, Wife", he said, grinning back.
Ron's eye went wide. 'WIFE?'
Hermione sent Harry a kiss and he raised his hand as to catch that kiss made of thin air and their love...
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Hermione and Ron were gone by the time Harry brought his closed hand at his lips before opening it and running his fingers by his lips....a rush of vivid pink aura encircled him and then faded.
Harry sighed.
"You can show yourself now," he said then, glaring at the teacher's table...or better yet, to the Headmaster's place....
And in a blink of an eye Dumbledore was standing right there...sitting at that which was once his chair.
"Don't you ever give up?" Harry asked.
"I was hoping we could have a more civilized talk this time, Harry."
"We have nothing else to talk, Old Wizard."
"We have plenty to talk and you know that."
Harry disapparated and apparated back sitting on a pile of rubbish (which was once the Gryffindor table).
"All that I know is that I would really love to kill you, you know. A painful and slowly death...involving methods of torture that no human -- if we can still call you that -- have ever even conceived. But then I think to myself that even the burning fire of the Hades is not enough to you. I don't want you to forget this life. I don't want you to fall into the craziness of hell. No. I want you to remember. After all that happened, I've found out for sure how powerful memories can be; they can be a gift (all that makes you wake up and live another day, waiting for the creation of another moment to remember and to live by); or they could be a curse. A memory can destroy you. And that's what I plan to do to you to destroy you: A living pensitive. A prison of suffering. A Life without Death. A Life without meaning. I'll make you pay…torturing you one bit of a time, and you know that I have all the time of the world, don't you?"
"This is not you talking, Harry. It is just hatred. It is not you."
"And what do you think I am now, a ray of sunshine?"
Harry disapparated and apparated in a blink, banging his hands on the teacher's table. He was face to face with Dumbledore. "You killed my son."
Dumbledore face was emotionless; there was no twinkling in his eyes. Nothing. Blank. Just blank.