Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter. Thanks to JK Rowling for creating such a wonderful world full of interesting characters who inspire imagination and creativity.
A/N : Here's Harry and Hermione…hope not too many get confused.
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Chapter 7. An Unwelcome Reunion
The Minister, Gomez, and Tonks were all looking at Harry.
"Well Mr. Potter, she says she will talk with you. Will you allow us to listen in?"
He nodded. It was polite of them to ask but he knew he did not really have a choice.
The blinds to Harry's back opened and he saw her in the room through the large glass window, suspended in mid-air, now without cast or bandages and the bruising on her face was starting to heal. The all too familiar stabbing pain in his chest occurred. No, not like this.
"Let her down," he demanded.
"She's dangerous. We cannot allow her without the binding curse," Gomez replied quickly.
"She does not have a wand in there, does she? And I will leave mine in my cloak. If she starts attacking me with her bare hands I think you will all have time save me. And if you don't save me, then you can just send her straight to Azkaban for my murder."
The Minister nodded and Hermione was slowly set down in the middle of the room. The room was bare except for a small table and a couple of chairs right beside the glass window.
"Miss Granger, you have a visitor."
"Must be someone unimportant or just plain stupid."
She was looking towards the one-way mirror, aware that the person speaking was in the room behind it. She walked towards one of the chairs and sat down.
A door materialized from thin air and Harry turned the knob. As he got in, the door closed and disappeared.
"Hermione," he said, almost in a whisper. She turned and for a moment he saw a spark in her eyes. He sat in the chair across the table from her.
"Harry," she replied, folded her arms across her chest, then said, sarcastically, "Come back to save the world?"
"We both know I'm done doing that." Harry said. That used to be an old joke between them. Somehow she had lost a bit of her sense of humour. So much for hoping she would be happy to see him.
"That's what I thought. They actually found you."
"Not exactly," he hesitated. "I heard about Ron and came."
She gave the people behind the one-way mirror a disparaging look. "How is Ron?"
"Same as he was when you got here. The healers need your help, so they can help him."
She ignored his statement, "How have you been?"
"Okay, I guess. I see you've been busy."
She laughed.
"What's the weather like outside? I'm not allowed a view. Talk about prisoner's rights."
Harry shrugged, he didn't really notice, "Cold and dreary," that's how he felt anyways, "Do you want to talk about why you're here?"
"Not really."
"Don't be so stubborn, help us get you out."
"Did you hear that I apparently want to kill Ron because he's seeing someone else?"
"Yeah, ridiculous."
"Do you remember how I sent a flock of canaries to attack him in a fit of jealous rage?"
"I don't think it helps your case for them to know that." What was she doing?
"What about the time I went out with someone just to make him jealous."
"Hermione..."
"That was a great feeling getting even."
Then he heard her voice, in his head.
Phoenix core, holly, took a while to find it…
"What…"Harry said out loud.
I'd really rather you didn't give it away.
"...are you doing, trying to get a Dementor down here to give you a kiss?"
Actually, St Mungo's is bewitched so Dementors can't set foot in here. You can only imagine what damage they can do to sick people. Honestly, Harry, didn't you read the hospital pamphlet? "I'm just being honest. How's your Uncle Vernon?"
"Great, he died last year I think." They will send you to Azkaban, what are you playing at? "I heard you've practically become a hermit."
"Being an insufferable know-it -all does that to you." I need my wand, Harry.
To escape? "You should cooperate with the Ministry and get to the bottom of this."
No, to knit hats for the other prisoners in Azkaban! Why do you think! "Did they show you what I did to Malfoy? One of my finest works, ever."
"He did not look good when he left." And you expect me to agree and put you further in harms way?
How much harm do you think I'll be in with the Dementors?
"You should really tell them everything."
That's good, Harry. They'll think you are on their side.
I am on their side on this one!
"I can't tell them everything."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm sick and tired of doing everyone's work for them!" They are moving me tomorrow. I'll be dead if I spend one day in Azkaban. It's kind of a great place to kill someone if you want to get away with it.
"Can I help?"
"Can you break me out of here?"
"No. I can't." You are mental!
"Then I suggest you go back to where you came from and leave me alone!"
She was serious.
I can be out there or I can be dead. Right now, I prefer the former.
What really happened, Hermione? I know you did not do this.
Maybe I am responsible. You shouldn't be too quick to assume that.
Tell me so I can help you.
You should have taken the potion, Harry.
How do you know that I didn't?
We wouldn't be having this conversation if you did. So why didn't you?
I was very fond of that memory. I still am. But then, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about because you did.
They stared at each other, long and hard.
My wand, by midnight tonight in the room you were just in. Then you can disappear, and this time, do us all a favour and make it permanent!
She turned to the glass window. It rattled after she banged a fist on it.
"I'm done talking to him!"
She refused to look at him anymore. A door reappeared on the wall and he walked out. As it closed he could hear Hermione gasp as she was put back in the binding curse and re-suspended.
"Sorry I couldn't get her to talk about it," Harry said.
"We appreciate you trying, " the Minister replied. "I do hope Mr. Weasley gets better."
Harry nodded as she and Tonks left the basement, deep in thought.
What puzzled him about it was why Hermione couldn't and wouldn't talk about it. How was she able to use a wand that was in another room? And how was he supposed to steal her wand from a heavily guarded evidence vault and get it into that highly secure area within 12 hours?
Tonks interrupted his thoughts, "As you can see it's kind of hard to help her, considering she's not helping herself."
"Do you think she did it?"
"I don't think she did it, Harry."
They were now in the elevator and almost back in Ron's room.
Tonks whispered, "You really should be thinking about how to help her escape."
Harry turned to Tonks, "I don't know what you mean?"
"I can tell you the Ministry believes she will try to escape. They have security tripled tonight and she is being moved to Azkaban first thing tomorrow. The Weasleys, any former members of the Order, even your Hogwarts Gryffindor classmates are under surveillance. It was very smart of her to ask you openly in front of the Minister himself. That makes you less likely to do it."
"Are you telling me to help her?" Harry wasn't sure if Tonks was on the level.
"Hermione is innocent, Harry. And probably for good reason, she wants to get to the bottom of this herself. She will not be able to do that if she is in Azkaban. Frankly, once she's sent there, this case is as good as closed because all the evidence points to her. I would help her if I wasn't being watched myself."
Harry's mind started racing. He decided Tonks could be trusted. And he, unlike Hermione, was willing to admit he needed help to help her.
"Maybe you can help. Her wand, where exactly is it and how can I get it?"
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A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Keep sending them!