A/N: I do solemnly swear the next time I write a multi-chapter story, I will finish it before I even think about posting it, so help me Merlin!
To those of you who have waited forever for this last chapter, my most sincere apologies! I can only plead a Giant-Sized case of Real Life, along with Very Bad Computer Problems (I couldn't even get it powered up there, for quite a while). However, below is a recap of the Story So Far, so you don't have to go back and re-read to try to remember what the heck was going on.
As always, my deepest gratitude to everyone who has read this far, and to everyone who has read and reviewed. Everyone has been patient and supportive and wonderful, even through some head-scratching twists! Thank you so much!
And of course, hugs and a special hello to Janie! xoxo!
The Story So Far:
"Finding Our Way" begins immediately after Voldemort's defeat. Harry is grazed by a rogue spell that Hermione gets the full brunt of. She's rendered unconscious and taken to St. Mungo's where Harry and Ron stay by her side. They each hold her hand, but she feels hot to Harry, and cold to Ron. Harry feels pulled by the spell Hermione is under, and follows her into unconsciousness.
Chapter 2 begins from Harry's point of view. He has traveled to where Hermione's consciousness has gone. He sees her, and tries to make contact, but can't. From Hermione's point of view, she sees Harry, but quickly realizes she can't make contact with him, either. Soon, Harry is pulled back to his body at St. Mungo's. What seemed like moments to Harry was hours back at St. Mungo's. Ron wonders why it is that Harry can feel a pull to Hermione, but he can't.
In Chapter 3, Harry makes a failed attempt to contact Hermione. The attempt takes a heavy toll, and he wakes up at the Burrow, attended to by Ginny. Harry goes back to St. Mungo's, where Hermione has been moved to long term care. Ron confesses his love for Hermione to Harry.
Chapter 4 begins with Hermione beginning to be able to control her environment somewhat. She finds a wizard photo album of her heart's desires, and realizes her love for Harry. Harry finds Hermione, realizes he feels the same, and they finally connect - only to be torn apart again. Harry is back at St. Mungo's, and Hermione is stranded where she is, out of her body. Harry tries repeatedly to go back to Hermione, but can't. The efforts completely drain him. He winds up back at the Burrow, where Ginny begins to comfort him. However, Hermione's mind and heart call out to Harry's, and he leaves a furious Ginny behind. Hermione has figured out a way back to her body, and the chapter ends with her opening her eyes.
With Chapter 5, we are back at the beginning again, immediately after Voldemort's demise. Only this time, it is Hermione who is just grazed, and Harry who is hit full on by the rogue spell. Harry is unconscious, and Hermione takes him to St. Mungo's. Because of the spell, no one can touch Harry except for Hermione, and Hermione is physically unable to leave Harry's side. Harry needs constant treatment, and Hermione can't last forever. In Harry's point of view, he finds himself in a place where alternate realities are displayed for him to see, and even experience. He sees that the realities branch off whenever he makes a decision. He gets distracted by being able to experience what it would have been like to not have lost his parents, and to live a normal life in the wizarding world. Back at St. Mungo's, Hermione suggests taking a potion that's the magical equivalent of speed, in order to keep going. Of course the Healers reject this notion, but one of the Healers has a plan.
Chapter 6 begins with Hermione passing out from exhaustion, and from the effects of the spell that has somehow linked her with Harry (in addition to its adverse affects on Harry). Hermione finds herself among the alternate realities, much as Harry was in the previous chapter. Like Harry, she realizes she can experience the alternate realities. In this way, she realizes her feelings for Harry. She also realizes that her choices affect her reality, and that she has already chosen Harry. In the meantime, in his own set of realities, Harry realizes he wants a family with Hermione. Back at St. Mungo's, the head Healer, Jonas, performs magic that binds Harry and Hermione, so that any treatment given to Hermione will also affect Harry. With their bodies still at St. Mungo's, Harry and Hermione find one another through their decision to be together. They kiss, and the chapter ends back at St. Mungo's with both of them opening their eyes.
Excerpt from the end of Chapter 6:
Hermione. She was there, waiting for him, smiling. Without thought, Harry was in the image, there with her. Only this time, he didn't feel as though he was trying on someone else's life. He felt thoroughly himself, thoroughly real, and quite thoroughly alive. All his senses were humming with a taut electricity.
Hermione was glowing. Harry was sure that if they touched, it would send off sparks. He had to find out.
Hermione saw the light in Harry's eyes, and the love. It was intense, unspeakably beautiful, and incredibly, hers. She felt as though the fire of the sun ran through her veins.
Everything, every moment, every decision, led to this.
He leaned in, closing his eyes as he tilted his face…
She closed her eyes as his lips brushed hers.
The decision had been made. Everything else faded away.
~~~~~~~
Harry and Hermione opened their eyes.
Chapter 7 - Outbreak of Love
The air in the dungeon was with thick with smoke and dust. The moans of the wounded and the scuffles of the last skirmishes were echoing off the stone walls. Harry and Hermione found themselves back to back, wands out, once more at the point in time immediately after Voldemort's defeat. Before they could even try to make sense of where and when they were, an unnatural silence fell. Hermione recognized a sound she had heard somewhere before. She almost felt rather than heard the whisper of wood brushing past silk. An instant later, all hell broke loose.
Bolts of purple erupted from everywhere at once. The dungeon was thrown into chaos. Death Eaters laughed while DA and Order members tried to take evasive action. Voldemort's followers took advantage of the confusion and started casting random curses and hexes in every direction. Hermione and Harry ducked, and rolled toward the dungeon's back wall. Ron and Ginny were close by, covering them, deflecting curses and the purple bolts as best they could. Harry and Hermione quickly cast Shield charms, and wands out, looked for the source of the bolts. Oddly, the bolts seemed to be seeking something. They passed right through everyone regardless of what side they were on, then ricocheted off the nearest hard surface. Harry and Hermione watched as the streaks of purple gathered together, and changed direction - heading right for them.
Suddenly the purple light was drawn away. Bellatrix Lestrange stood over Voldemort's remains, holding his wand as well as her own. The light was streaking towards her, disappearing into the tips of both wands.
The chaos gave way to an unsettling calm as everyone's attention was drawn to the scene before them.
Harry sensed Shielding charms spring up around him and Hermione, coming from two or three different directions. He didn't turn to look, but he guessed it was probably Ron and Ginny, and possibly Lupin, from the way the magic felt.
The last bit of purple was sucked into the wands Bellatrix held. There was a long moment where no one moved, or even dared to breathe. It was as if with one wrong move, everything would shatter.
Bellatrix smiled. "Scared, Potter?"
In that instant, Harry realized he wasn't. He didn't know how or why, but he knew there was nothing she could do to harm him, or Hermione.
Harry lowered his wand.
Hermione's voice in his ear was a strangled whisper. "What are you doing?'
"What are you doing?" Bellatrix aped Hermione in an obscenely girlish voice.
Harry said to Hermione in an undertone, "Don't do anything."
Hermione gave a tiny nod of assent. Their lives were in his hands.
Bellatrix laughed. "You're making this too easy, going down without a fight! Or did you expect mercy?"
Two bolts shot out from the wands Bellatrix's was holding, instantly hitting Harry and Hermione in their hearts. The bolt that hit Harry was red, Hermione's blue.
The next few seconds unfolded beyond time's reach. Hermione began to glow. A brilliant blue light streamed out from within her, surrounding her and Harry in a soft aura that felt like cool mist. At the same time, an intense red light radiated from Harry, surrounding him and Hermione with permeating heat. The blue and red swirled around them, much like oil and water. They did not mix, but rather danced around each other in ebbs and flows. Hermione looked at Harry. The instant their eyes met, the blue and red lights around them pulsed in a blinding flash, leaving them in a temperate purple cocoon.
Everything else ceased to exist for them. There was only Hermione and Harry, in this tiny universe, surrounded by shimmering violet light. A sense of peace flooded them, and for the first time, they had the courage to truly look into each other's eyes, and see. They reached for each other's hands, and as their fingers intertwined, everything both of them had gone through came to them in a single moment of knowing. Understanding blossomed, exploded between them in the space of a heartbeat, as they bore witness to each other's struggles and journeys on a level beyond words, a level at the height of both emotion and intellect. They didn't merely watch, but rather experienced everything one another had gone through once hit by the rogue spell. As they each relived trying to save each other from the spell, the thought occurred to them both: Sometimes we have to save ourselves before we can save anyone else. In finding our own way back, we found our way to each other. And in saving ourselves, we saved each other.
Hermione smiled, her smile flooding Harry like sunlight. Harry drew Hermione close. His answering smile wrapped around her, strong yet gentle, exactly like his embrace. The intimacy of their hearts and thoughts, combined with their proximity to one another was almost too much. The intensity of it all was an ecstasy dangerously close to pain. Inches apart, they hesitated. There's something else, Hermione thought.
Harry nodded. He sensed it, too. There was something they needed to do before they could go back. He hated to leave the sanctuary of their own private universe, but if they were to stay, they might never make it back.
Would that be such a bad thing? Harry wondered. You and me, Hermione, and no one else. No responsibilities, no aftermath, no pain-
No family or friends, Hermione thought.
No hurting Ron or Ginny, Harry replied.
They'll forgive us. Hermione's thought was soothing, but Harry still felt guilty and a bit apprehensive about facing his best friend and his former girlfriend. Hermione continued, Of course they'll be hurt and angry - (You do know the Weasley's, right? Harry interjected.) - but ultimately they'll see how happy we are, and how right this is. They'll be happy for us.
Even so, thought Harry, it'll be ugly in the meantime, and I don't want to hurt them, especially after everything they've done for me.
I know.
There's something else.
What?
We could stay here. Harry gestured with his hand, and the infinite galaxy of alternate realities appeared before them. We could live a thousand lives, all of them happy and without pain.
Hermione shook her head.
Harry continued. Imagine the things you could learn!
That was something that had occurred to Hermione before, and it did sorely tempt her. However, she couldn't do it. It's not real, Harry. You know that. These are illusions, possibilities, things that never came to fruition. The past is done. The future is not. We can make decisions to shape our lives. To stay here would be hiding. What are you hiding from?
Harry shrugged. I don't know. With Voldemort dead, it's over I guess. But my parents are still gone. Sirius and Dumbledore are still gone. Ron and Ginny will still be hurt. There will still be Death Eaters trying to pick up where Voldemort left off-
And there will still be us.
Harry smiled. And that, is everything.
Hermione?
Yes?
So how do we get out of here, wherever here is?
At that moment, a pulsating light caught their attention. In the midst of an ugly tangle of realities and decisions, there was an image so dark, the light surrounding it made it look completely black.
Harry and Hermione knew at once they needed to see what was in that image. They approached it, and a chill ran through them both as they saw it was Voldemort. Neither of them had entered an image that wasn't one of their own realities before. Instead of slipping into their other self, they simply slid into the image much the same as they would into a pensieve memory. However, instead of only viewing what was going on, they had a sense of the thoughts and feelings of the main person involved.
Upon discovering this, Harry pushed down the urge to vomit. I've had quite enough of knowing what Voldemort's thinking and feeling.
I'm sure this will be the last time, Hermione tried to reassure him.
It'd better be!
Harry and Hermione stood and waited as they adjusted to their new environment. They were in a study that was more of a dungeon than a normal room. Everything was dark - the walls, the thick carpets, the furniture, the tapestries (which were embroidered with horrific scenes of violence and suffering). What little light there was came from deep-set, rectangular red windows, and from torches in wall sconces. Both seemed to only add to the gloom.
Voldemort sat at a huge, ornately carved desk. His musings began to filter through to Harry and Hermione. They were both immensely relieved to find the experience more like following a narrative, rather than being directly linked to Voldemort's mind.
Voldemort's arrogance would never allow him to believe for an instant that Harry Potter could possibly defeat him, until now. However, with his precious horcruxes destroyed, things had changed. Mortality caused in him a fear so great, so biting, it took every ounce of control he had to keep it at bay, and hide it from his followers. The fear sawed at him like dull razor blades. Those around him didn't realize Voldemort's secret. They all thought their Lord immortal, or as good as. This was a belief he was careful to foster. He couldn't show any chinks in his armor now. So when a plan came to him - a contingency plan - to make sure that even if Potter should somehow do the unthinkable, Voldemort would still have a way to ensure he would take Harry with him. It had to be done subtly though, discreetly. No one must have any notion of the Dark Lord's vulnerability. He had the perfect plan. He called to his most faithful servant.
"Bella!"
She appeared before him, the hem of her black gown seemed to melt into the shadows, giving her the appearance of floating along like a dementor.
"I want him worse than dead," Voldemort's voice was a cold hiss emanating from the shadows.
"Of course, my Lord." Bellatrix inclined her head, her hair reflecting the dull light seeping through a darkly red window. It made her look as though she'd been anointed in blood. She wondered what Voldemort could possibly think was worse than death. "What is your bidding?"
He motioned with his spider-like hands to a pile of wands. "I have placed a special charm upon these wands. Each of my followers must carry one at all times." He watched her eyes slide over them. "You included."
"As you will, my Lord." She bowed her head slightly, and picked up a wand.
Voldemort continued to watch her. "They're all the same. You need not do a thing but keep it with you. See that they are distributed."
Bella wanted to know what the wands did, but knew better than to ask. With a sweeping wave of her wand, the pile of loose wands bound together and followed her out of the room.
Voldemort turned his attention to a large framed piece of what looked like black glass. The surface was highly polished, giving it a shine that almost matched the silver frame surrounding it. At first there was nothing to see. Then, as if a switch had been thrown, the image of the galaxy of realities appeared. Voldemort pointed to a particular image, which enlarged to fill most of the frame. Voldemort cringed as he saw himself defeated. Immediately after, purple bolts erupted from the wands he had charmed, that the Death Eaters now held.
It was Harry and Hermione's turn to cringe as they watched themselves hit with countless purple bolts. They continued to watch as they saw themselves thrown into the maze of alternate realities. They became ensnared in it, and as they became hopelessly mired in it, they saw something that horrified them both: their bodies, wasting away at St. Mungo's. Voldemort threw his head back and laughed his sick, cold laughter. "That's right Potter. Even if you defeat me, you're doomed to waste away while your soul wanders lost forever!"
Harry and Hermione pulled themselves out. They both felt ill.
Harry shook his head, disgusted with himself. I can't believe I almost chose to do what Voldemort wanted all along. After everything, he still would have won.
Hermione reached for Harry's hand. But you didn't. And he didn't.
This is dark magic on a level I didn't think possible - to actually be able to separate people from their souls, and to be lost like that. For that alone, we have to go back and warn everyone. Harry took a deep breath and drew Hermione close. Of course, that's not the only reason to go back. He smiled.
Hermione smiled back. I should think not!
What I'm wondering, is why the spell didn't work.
Hermione almost laughed. I would think that was obvious! She waved her hand at all the possible realities, and all the "lit" images that marked their decisions. Free will. Decisions. Us. Love. We decided to fight for each other, to fight our way back. We made the decision to love, which was the strongest one of all, because it wasn't a conscious decision. It came from our hearts, a place much more powerful than our heads.
It was Harry's turn to almost laugh. This coming from the original bookworm, the "brightest witch of her age!" Harry became serious. The "power the dark lord knows not." All this time I thought it was only my mum's love that was protecting me.
Hermione reached out and softly put her hand on Harry's cheek. Harry covered her hand with his, and turned his head to kiss her palm. He took her hand and wrapped her arm around his neck. She stepped into him, tilting her face as he brought his lips to hers. As they lost themselves in each other, the alternate realties faded away, and the dungeon formed around them once more. They were oblivious to the stunned looks and scattered wolf whistles from those surrounding them.
Ron shouted, "Get a room already!"
Luna snaked an arm around her boyfriend. "Let them celebrate, Ronald."
Ginny joined Ron and Luna, looking at Hermione and Harry. "About time, don't you think?"
Upon hearing these remarks, Harry and Hermione came up for air. "We couldn't have been that lucky, could we?" Hermione whispered to Harry.
"What do you mean?" Harry whispered back.
Hermione beamed. "I think we've landed in a reality where Ron and Ginny are ok with us!"
Harry grinned. "I don't suppose anything else is different…"
"Let's not press our luck!" Hermione took Harry's face in her hands, and picked up their kiss right where they'd left off.