Just a large author's FYI: DH can piss the bloody hell off!
Suckin' to hard on ya lollipop,
Oh love's gonna get ya down
Suckin' to hard on ya lollipop,
Oh love's gonna get ya down
Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get ya down
I went walking with my mama one day,
When she warned me what people say,
"Live your life until love is found,
Or love's gonna get you down."
-Lollipop by MIKA
&---&---&---&---&
"Mum? What's love? How do you know you're in it?"
"What do I think love is? The indescribable feeling you get around someone. And when you can't get enough of that person; you can't help but smile when you see or hear them."
"Oh. Well…thanks, mum."
"You're welcome honey."
That was the memory of her heart to heart with her mum. Since then, she had come up with her own definition of what she thought love was. Love was based on caring, friendship, commitment and trust. Love was what made you smile when you were tired of everything. Love was respect and wanting to help that person in any aspect of their life. Wanting to protect a person from harm's way, even if you lost your life doing it, that was love. Know that you would be there 100% for each other and feeling safe with that person was love. If you were proud of being with them, if you could share your hopes and dreams with each other and if you felt like you could conquer the world together then you were in love.
"So if you…you know, want to be with him then I'd be okay with that."
"It's always been the two of you."
If you took away everything that had happened in her relationship with Ron she could've kissed him when he said that. He was willing to give up his dream of being with her so she would be happy. She would always love Ron…just not that way.
But Harry…did she love Harry?
She cared about him and he was her best friend. Her focus was towards him no matter what and she trusted him with her life. He made her smile just by walking into the room. He respected her for who she was and she respected him and who he truly was. She knew that she would give her life for his if it meant that he was safe. And there was no one she felt safer with than Harry. She knew that he would protect her with all of his strength. In everything he did in his life, she would back him up 100% even if she didn't agree with him exactly…because it would make him happy. The two of them had talks that had meaning and held secrets neither of them had ever told anyone else.
So was that being in love with Harry? Putting all talk of love aside, she knew she was attracted to him. What girl with eyes and a brain wasn't? He had emerald eyes you could drown in. His smile could light a room. The way his hair was just made you itch to run your hands through it…just to see if it was really as silky as it looked. His body was absolutely gorgeous. He was skinny, but he had the proper amount of muscle. There wasn't a word in the world that could describe how incredibly handsome he was.
So that was lust. She lusted after him, that she could pinpoint. But did she love him? Love wasn't lust, she knew that.
I have got to stop thinking about this Hermione thought. The only results she had gotten out of thinking about Harry were no sleep and craziness. It was half past three in the morning and she had gone to bed five hours ago. The only thing she got out of those five hours was wrinkled sheets from tossing and turning and an overactive brain. Christ she was a mess…
STOP thinking about him and stop thinking about what Ron said. You care about Harry but you do not love him. Get a grip Granger!
She didn't love him…did she?
UGH! SHUT UP!
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"Hermione?" Ron asked once Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. "Are you okay?" Hermione looked tiredly at Ron. Scratch what she had said about kissing him. She could've throttled him for making her go crazy about Harry.
"Fine," she grumbled. Reaching for the coffee, she sighed. She thanked who ever came up with coffee endlessly. It was a lifesaver.
"Are you sure?" Ron asked. He really was worried about her. The circles under her eyes were darker and she just looked exhausted. It was almost like she didn't sleep a wink the previous night.
"Fine Ron, I promise," Hermione said. She jellied her toast and took a bite. A mental note to see Harry was made. She rolled her eyes and refrained from banging her head on the table.
Merlin, her life really did revolve around that boy.
The afternoon following classes was a dreary one. It had begun to rain half way through the morning and hadn't let up once. In fact, it had gotten worse. Thunder rumbled periodically and the lightning lit up the gray skies.
Hermione was sitting next to Harry's bed revising her Transfiguration homework. That was normal for her. The fact that every two seconds her eyes slid over to Harry's unconscious form was not normal. That was really pissing her off. She couldn't get her work done when she was with him and she couldn't get her work done if she wasn't.
"Miss. Granger," came the slightly stern voice of the Headmistress. Hermione looked up from her homework.
"Hello Professor," she said politely before returning her eyes back to the essay at hand. It was only about 2.2 seconds later her eyes roamed over Harry's still body. Looking back down at her essay, she realized she wasn't even half way done and she had been reading the same sentence for the last ten minutes.
"Miss. Granger, you really ought to take a break," Minerva said. Hermione didn't look up from her essay that she had finally been able to concentrate on.
"I'm okay, thank you," was all she said. The Headmistress sighed. The girl really was head over heels for Harry.
"Sitting inside the Hospital Wing is sure to make you stir-crazy," she insisted. "Why don't you just take a quick walk around the halls?" Hermione sighed. She really wasn't getting any work done sitting here worrying over her best friend. And it seemed her previous Transfiguration professor wasn't going to let her be any time soon. Hermione almost smirked at how ironic it was that her ex-Transfiguration professor wouldn't let her finish her Transfiguration homework.
"Okay," Hermione said softly. She set aside her quill and parchment before she gracefully swept out of the Wing. McGonagall's eyes watched Hermione's receding form with a sympathetic look.
"Get well Mr. Potter," she whispered before she left the Wing.
"Ron," Hermione said, walking quicker to catch up with her lanky friend. Ron stopped and turned around. He smiled slightly when Hermione caught up with him. The two continued to walk down the corridor.
"How are you doing?" Hermione asked. Ron shrugged.
"I dunno. I'm okay I guess. I just didn't realize how…boring it is without Harry being here, you know?" Ron said. Hermione nodded.
"Don't I know it," she mumbled. She sighed.
"I hope he wakes up before the Quidditch match," Ron said. Hermione looked up at him. The Quidditch Opener against Ravenclaw…
"He will Ron," Hermione said. Ron nodded, desperately wanting to wish it was true. Putting the obvious reason of why Harry needed to wake up for that game, there was one other. Ron wouldn't have the heart to play it if his best mate wasn't there with him. Quidditch was something he shared with Harry, and when he wasn't there…who was? Not to mention Harry was the captain. But so far at practices, Ron had been running them because he was the oldest on the team.
The two friends walked in a comfortable silence. It was nice, just being able to walk together. They both had a million things running through their head at speeds unimaginable, but having the other with them was a comforting presence of sorts.
"How's he doing?" Ron asked. He hadn't been able to make himself go to the Hospital Wing that day. The sickly image of Harry was too much at the moment.
"I think he's doing better. He's gained more color so he doesn't look like he never knew what the sun was," Hermione said. Ron chuckled surprisingly. It was good to hear Hermione able to joke, even if it was partially true.
"Do you think you could help me with the Transfiguration essay?" Ron asked. "I was having trouble with it earlier." Hermione couldn't help the surprised look that was etched on her face. Ron looked down at her and cracked a smile at her expression.
"Yes, I fully realize the essay isn't due for another three days, but I want to get it done," Ron said. Hermione blinked.
"Yeah, sure," she said. "I have to go back and get my things from the Wing, but okay." The two of them once more fell into a comfortable silence as they turned around and walked back toward the infirmary.
When Hermione and Ron reached her things, Pomfrey was at Harry's bedside. They could tell by her stance and demeanor that something had happened.
"What's wrong?" both of them said at once. The nurse looked up briefly before returning back to Harry.
"Nothing is wrong," she said. "In fact, he's made a huge improvement from his previous state. His breathing doesn't need to be monitored any more and his organs have healed completely." Relieved smiles passed between Ron and Hermione.
"Does this mean he'll wake up?" Ron asked.
"Well, there isn't any reason he shouldn't. His body has had enough rest to recuperate the damage done to it. The ball is in his court now, so to speak," she said before she returned to her office.
Hermione couldn't help the large smile that came across her face as she looked at Harry's form. In the time she had left, his color had returned completely and he honestly looked healthy. It seemed as if he was just sleeping…which, in truth he was.
Ron had looked at Harry while Pomfrey was talking and had noticed the same things Hermione had. What had his attention now was Hermione herself. He knew the past week had been absolute hell for her, he knew it had been for him. Harry was her world, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Her appearance had declined over the past week. Her whole body looked tired. It was in the way she walked, the way she talked. Large dark circles were under her eyes and her face was almost gaunt. Her clothes hung loosely off of her slender form, more so than usual. He knew it was because she hadn't been eating properly. It was almost impossible to he knew, even for him.
But hearing the news about Harry's condition seemed to lift Hermione from exhausted to ecstatic in less that thirty seconds. Sure, she still looked tired but the unhappy and worried expression she had been wearing was gone. It was replaced by happiness that he hadn't seen from her in a long while, and he knew it was because of Harry. This was why he had to let her go. He wouldn't have been able to give her that happiness in a million years, no matter what he did or how hard he tried. But he could give her the support and happiness she needed from him by being her friend.
Hermione gathered her books from the side of Harry's bed and put them in her rucksack. She looked at Harry and on impulse kissed his forehead. Leaning back, she smiled at Ron.
"Come on," she said. "Let's get to that homework." She rushed out of the Hospital Wing. Ron followed at a much slower pace, shaking his head. Only Hermione would get that excited about homework.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"You're kidding, right?" Harry said, more to himself though it was stated out loud. It had been a few days since he met his parents, Sirius and Dumbledore by the river bank. He learned that he was in a coma for the time being while his body recuperated. For some odd reason that anyone had yet to figure out, Harry was sent to a semi-limbo and so were the deceased adults.
The answer to his statement was the answer he definitely didn't want. It seemed that, because they were dead, his parents and Sirius and Dumbledore could still "see" the living world. Well, in that living world they currently were watching Voldemort and his activities since what they normally watched was seated in front of them.
"Voldemort is marching towards the school?" Harry asked. He received a positive answer. "And he has an army of Death Eaters?" Another positive answer.
"Shit," Harry swore.
"Harry James Potter," Lily scolded. Harry shot his mum a sheepish smile. He had temporarily forgotten he was in front of his parents.
"Sorry," Harry said. "I'm not used to this whole…parent thing. Only Hermione ever makes me watch my language…and even she hasn't done anything about it lately. Actually, she's used it more than I have. But I suppose she's deserved it…if you could call it that." He stopped rambling and shook his head, putting Hermione and her swearing out of his head for the time being. Voldemort was going to the school! And he wasn't awake to warn anyone and who knew if the Order knew.
"Um…so what am I supposed to do?" Harry asked. "Since I am…you know, sort of stuck here it seems."
"Well son, from what we've been able to gather, you're only here until your body is able to hold it's own. You know, without the potions and stuff you've been on," James said.
"And when is that over with then?" Harry asked. He dreaded the answer. What if he didn't wake up in time? What if something happened to Hermione? Ron? Hell, even Ginny?
"It seems we have an answer to that," Dumbledore said from off to the side. Four heads turned his way.
"And it would be?" Sirius asked.
"Pomfrey just told Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger that you're body is fine now. It's up to you to wake up now," the old Headmaster said. Harry thought for a moment.
"Okay, well, I'll get back to that in a moment," he said. "I need a load of help with this Horcrux business."
"The diary, the ring, the locket and Nagini have all been taken care of, so to speak. We have Hufflepuff's cup in our possession and we still don't know how to destroy it. When we got back, Hermione ran the energy spell over it and nothing we've tried with the previous Horcruxes is even remotely strong enough to get rid of it," Harry said.
"The cup must have been one of the last Horcruxes made then," Lily said. Harry raised his eyebrow at his mother.
"Generally speaking, if you split your soul into seven pieces, you've got to have some down time in between each of them, right? Well, you gain power every day whether you know it or not, even if it is just a small bit. Obviously, Voldemort gained power between the first Horcrux and the creation of the cup's so…it's going to be stronger than the others made before it," Lily explained. Dumbledore nodded his agreement. Harry blinked. And then blinked again.
"You're scary sometimes, you know that?" he said to Lily. "Brilliant, but scary." Lily laughed. Harry was quiet for a moment before a thought struck him. He jumped up from his spot, which startled the others, and began pacing.
"Harry?" Dumbledore said. Harry stopped and looked up, a calculating look upon his face. He tapped the bottom of his chin before he resumed his pacing.
"He is so like you," Lily whispered to James. Her husband shrugged.
"Well, that was helpful," Harry said. He was still pacing back and forth. "We've only used light techniques, so to speak. Well, sometimes that won't cut it. Maybe we've got to use the Dark Arts to beat a Dark Arts object." The adults shared amused looks. The seventeen year old in front of them wasn't speaking to them, but speaking to himself out loud.
"Dark Arts to defeat Dark Arts…awkward," Harry muttered. "What spell would practically obliterate something?" He ran his hand through his hair and paced some more before he abruptly stopped and sat down on the log that he had previously been sitting on.
"Latin, think Latin Potter," Harry said. "Dark…Latin…"
"Now who's he like?" James whispered to his wife. His son had more of his wife's qualities when he came to thinking than he did his own. He could practically see the wheels turning in Harry's head.
"Pulverizum," Harry said, looking up at his parents, godfather and mentor.
"Pulverize them?" Sirius said. "Well, yes, I think we'd all like to pulverize them. But what the bloody hell does that have to do with the cup?" James laughed at his best mate. Dead or not, he hadn't lost his sense of humor. Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather.
"No, it's a spell. A particularly dark spell," Harry said. "It causes its target to crumble to dust."
"Well done Harry," Dumbledore said. "It seems the Sorting Hat was right. You might've done well in Slytherin." Harry grinned just a little bit.
"The Sorting Hat said what?" James said, looking from his son to Dumbledore. Lily observed her son.
"Harry, how did you come up with that?" she asked. Harry shrugged.
"I remembered all the Latin classes we had to take in Primary School and some of the stuff for Hogwarts. And plus, with all of this Dark Magic stuff, I suppose I've been reading up on it a little," Harry said, his cheeks turning slightly pink. Lily nodded.
"The Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin?" James asked Harry. He nodded and recounted his memory of the sorting.
"Why on earth would you be put there?" James asked.
"Because Voldemort was in Slytherin as a student and I have some of his…qualities," Harry said. "Not to mention I can be quite…persuasive and cunning when I want to be." Dumbledore chuckled at this. He and Harry shared a grin.
"But don't worry dad, I'm a Gryffindor through and through," Harry said, reassuring his father of his intentions. After all, everyone had a little Slytherin in them, didn't they?
"But what if this spell doesn't work?" Sirius asked.
"Well, I know there won't be anything good, per say, that could destroy the cup. So, it'll have to be some sort of Dark Arts spell, potion and weapon," Harry said.
"Now, I just need to figure out a way to get back," Harry said. He didn't want to leave his parents, Sirius or Dumbledore but he knew his place was back with his friends and to finish the war. In some other time, the five of them would meet up one way or another.
"Will yourself back," Dumbledore said. "Will yourself back into your body, if that makes any sense."
"It does," Harry said. He sighed as he looked at the four people in front of him. He really didn't want to leave them. They were his family.
"Bye dad," Harry said, giving his father a hug. James kissed Harry's forehead as he let go of his son. He smiled sadly, but watched him give Sirius and Dumbledore hugs.
"Bye mum," Harry said softly. He stared down at her, as he was at least half a foot taller. Bright green eyes met bright green eyes and Harry grinned.
"You really are your father," Lily sighed. Harry laughed.
"Nah, I'm not such a prat," Harry said jokingly, slipping is father a grin. James was laughing with Sirius. He wrapped his arms around his mum's small frame and felt her arms wrap around him too. It felt good to be in his mother's embrace. It was something he hadn't grown up with and it was something he would miss dearly. He pulled back and kissed Lily on her cheek.
"Mum, don't cry," Harry said, Tears leaked from Lily's eyes as she looked at Harry. James stepped up beside her and wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders. Harry stepped back a few steps and waved.
"We'll always be with you Harry," Dumbledore said. The boy nodded.
"I guess I'll see you," he said. He grinned and waved as he felt himself being pulled away. The last image he had was of his family smiling and waving goodbye to him.
Harry Potter opened his eyes.
&---&---&---&---&
Well, as I said above, Deathly Hallows can piss off. Hermione looked at Ron tenderly, my arse. There was enough H/Hr to your tail at in that book. That epilogue can jump off a cliff. What the hell kind of a name is Albus Severus? A hell of one I can tell you.
I actually really didn't have a problem with the book aside from the…romantic relationships favored in it. It was a good story and at least Harry found happiness…though I dunno how he found happiness without Hermione as his wife, but that's just me.
Let's just say the first few days of Harry's time with his parents, Sirius and Dumbledore were one's getting to know each other. Lots of stories were told and some of them will be appearing throughout the rest of the story (yes, I'm finishing this damn it!) and some of them won't. The kid's got to keep something of his parents to himself.
I realize that I made a mistake in the previous chapter in an A/N. I said that I would be getting DH in four hours from then. I meant a day and four hours. I had my date wrong, sorry! But, I did stand in line for the Harry Potter books at Barnes and Nobles instead of Kroger. I went to the HP party instead. Let me tell you, it was insane. But, I was only there for like…an hour. I went to see the opening of Hairspray earlier in the day. That was a pretty good movie.
Holy…well, I'm done rambling now. "See" you in the next chapter.
Thanks, WarriroPride23. 9 pages.
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