Disclaimer - The world of Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling and various publishers. I make no claim to ownership.
A/N: Thanks to my my beta Vettesr. As always, errors are my own. Thanks for the reviews.
Chapter 7: The Mirror of Erised
Christmas season was soon upon them. The weather had turned bitterly cold and snow lay deep and white on the ground and trees. Holidays had brought an easing of lessons, but Hermione and Harry were busy revising in preparation for exams they knew were not long in coming. Ron halfheartedly joined in, and Neville joined in enthusiastically.
"You have to get serious, Ron. The time goes by quickly and you'll be left revising at the last minute if you don't start now." Hermione reminded him.
"It's ages until exams, Hermione. Come on Harry, I'll challenge you to a game of Wizard Chess," said Ron.
Harry accepted and watched by Hermione, proceeded to lose spectacularly. Unlike Muggle chess, Wizard chess pieces were animated. Ron had an old set that he'd inherited from his grandfather. Age was on Ron's side, as the set trusted him, and soon had Harry's set in full retreat.
Only Neville was going home for the holidays. Ron was staying, since his parents and Ginny were going to visit his brother Charlie in Romania. Hermione talked her parents into letting her stay, not telling them that she had bonded with Harry.
When will you tell them Hermione? thought Harry.
I'll have to break it to them soon, they wanted me home for Christmas. I just couldn't bear the thought of not being with you at Christmas, Hermione thought back.
I feel the same love, replied Harry.
"Oy, you two," interrupted Ron, "Would you mind speaking out loud. It's a little disconcerting watching you two staring at each other and knowing you're having a silent conversation."
"Sorry Ron," they both replied at once.
***
Hagrid had brought twelve great trees into the Great Hall. Professor Flitwick was busy decorating them with golden balls. There were tiny icicles and hundreds of candles on the trees. Mistletoe and Holly were hung around the hall. Even the suits of armor were festooned and sang Christmas carols.
Malfoy, after the Quiddich match taunted Harry about not having a proper home to go to at Christmas, but Harry was only too happy to stay at Hogwarts with Hermione and Ron. Seeing Harry could not be taunted, he started on Ron and Hermione, but they ignored them. Disgruntled, he left.
Hermione reminded them to tackle the library in search of information on Nicholas Flamel.
Hagrid, overhearing this said, "Not still goin' on about that still are yeh"
"If you'd just tell us who Nicholas Flamel was, we wouldn't have to search."
"Nothin' doing," said Hagrid, "that's none of yer business."
The trio had searched through the library to no avail. It seemed as if Nicholas Flamel was not in any of the reference books. They spent every available minute looking and came up with nothing. Frustrated, Harry knew he had seen the name before, but couldn't remember where.
***
Christmas morning dawned bright and sunny. Ron woke Harry and went down to the common room.
"I've got presents!" exclaimed Harry. He had never had presents before. The Dursley's would lavish presents on Dudley, but seemed to take a perverse satisfaction in leaving Harry out of the celebrations.
"Yeah!" said Ron.
Hermione joined them in the common room and the trio began unwrapping presents. Ron had received a new Weasley jumper.
"Mum always sends us one every year. It looks like she sent one to you as well," said Ron.
Harry had given Ron a box of chocolate frogs but didn't expect anything in return. After all, Harry never received presents before. Harry opened the bulky package and sure enough, a beautiful green sweater with an `H' embroidered on it fell out. Harry was almost in tears at the thought that Mrs. Weasley would send him something. He felt a warm glow for her.
"It looks like Mum spent a lot more time on that than she does for ours," Ron said.
Harry also got a wooden flute from Hagrid, a box of Chocolate Frogs from Ron.
"Thanks Ron."
Hermione's gift to Harry was an elegant green robe, which she had ordered from Madam Malkin's by owl.
Harry was deeply impressed and thanked Hermione with a soft lingering kiss and hug.
A last package addressed to Harry had an unsigned note in loopy slanting writing with it. Harry read it before opening the package.
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It's time it was returned to its rightful owner. Use it well.
Happy Christmas.
"Use it well." Harry opened the package and a fluid silvery grey cloth slid onto the floor.
Ron and Hermione gasped. "I've heard of those, they're really rare," said Ron.
"Put it on," said Hermione.
Harry picked it up and slid it around his shoulders. Immediately everything except his head disappeared. A shocked look came over Harry. "My body! It's gone!"
"It's an invisibility cloak," gasped Hermione.
"I'm invisible?" asked Harry.
"That's brilliant Harry," Ron said. "I wonder who sent it."
"The note was unsigned," said Harry.
"This could come in handy," said Hermione. "You can even visit the library restricted section, and no one would know."
Hermione received a silver chain from Harry with a small charm of a Gryffindor Lion attached. "It's beautiful, thanks Harry," she gushed, and gave him a tight hug and long kiss.
Hermione had given Ron a large box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.
Harry had given Ron a new chessboard.
"Thanks Harry, that's really nice. Thanks Hermione," said Ron.
Ron gave Hermione a book on Quiddich.
"That's very nice Ron, thank you very much."
The twins came down and wished them all a Happy Christmas and they all went down for breakfast.
The evening feast was a quiet affair, with most of the students' home for the holidays. All the professors were there and the tables arranged in a small group. Professor Dumbledore greeted them and they all tucked in to a fabulous feast of roast turkey with all the trimmings.
Harry and Hermione were careful to eat the same things at the same time, to avoid unpleasant effects of tasting each others food. They had been doing this since they came to Hogwarts, but only Ron seemed to notice.
"That's really weird you know," said Ron. "Eating the same things at the same time."
"That's the only way we can avoid unpleasant combinations of food. If one of us eats roast beef and the other drinks pumpkin juice, it's really gross," supplied Hermione.
"It just looks weird, you had better hope nobody else notices," said Ron.
***
After Christmas, Harry donned the invisibility cloak and snuck into the library's restricted section. Searching, he came across a book on Soul Bonding, but nothing on Nicholas Flamel. Returning to the common room, he heard Filch prowling the corridors. Not wanting to get caught out of bed, he ducked into an unused room. At first he thought it was empty, but as he looked around, he saw a very large mirror off to one side. Taking off the invisibility cloak, Harry stepped in front of the mirror and froze. There were people reflected in the mirror. He saw himself and a man and a woman standing just behind him. Whipping around, no one was there. Were there ghosts, but no, looking back at the mirror, he saw the man looked quite a bit like him, with messy black hair. The woman had the same green eyes as he did, with red hair. She was quite beautiful.
Hermione said in is mind, Harry, is that your parents? How is it that they're there, I thought they had been killed! Your father really looks like you.
They smiled at him and reached out to touch him. He couldn't feel anything, so they weren't ghosts.
Harry answered Hermione. They seem to exist only in the mirror love. There's strange writing around the outside frame of the mirror. He spelled out: `Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.'
Now that he looked closer, there was a whole crowd of people in the mirror. They must be my relatives, thought Harry. Suddenly he spotted Hermione walking toward his mother in the mirror. His parents gathered her into their arms and hugged her. Harry felt weak. What did this all mean?
He stayed there a long time and eventually went back to bed.
Lying in bed, Harry and Hermione discussed what he'd seen. Hermione wanted to see the mirror too, so Harry promised to take her the next night. Hermione was the first to decipher the writing. It's written backward, like a mirror image, she said. Reading what she had written down from Harry's memory, she recited, `I show not your face but your hearts desire.' Harry, this shows what your deepest desires are! She blushed as she remembered Harry seeing herself in the mirror. Oh, Harry, am I your deepest desire besides your parents?
Harry blushed a deep red. Yes Hermione, he admitted. You know I really like you. I can't think what I'd do without you!
I managed to pilfer a book on Soul Bonding from the restricted section, but found nothing on Flamel. We'll have to quickly read it and return it before it's missed.
Let me read it; I read faster than you, said Hermione. I'll make notes and we can discuss it later.
Harry told Ron about the mirror and promised him he could have a look as well.
The next night, the trio went to the room to look. Hermione was anxious to see what the mirror would show her. As she gazed into the mirror, only Harry showed beside her, but she was wearing a wedding dress and Harry was placing a ring on her finger! Harry quickly joined her and gasped as he saw her beside him with his parents looking on proudly. They both blushed a deep red.
There wasn't enough room for Ron to join them, and Harry didn't want Ron to see that reflection, considering it too personal. They stepped aside for Ron to see himself.
As Ron looked, a smile came to his face. "I look good, I'm captain of Quiddich, and blimey, I'm Head Boy, I've been awarded the House Cup! Harry, can this mirror show the future?"
"How can it Ron, my parents are dead," Harry replied.
They trouped back to the common room and back to bed.
Harry and Hermione lay awake considering the images in the mirror. Harry, do you think we'll get married some day?
I'd very much like that Hermione, We both saw each other's deepest desires.
I'd like that too, Harry.
Hermione, I… I've never known what love is. Certainly my parents must have loved me, but most of my life I've been hated as a freak by my relatives. You're my first real friend, and now my best friend! Could my deepest desire be to be loved? What is love? Do you love me?
Oh Harry, you shouldn't have had to live your life without love. Your Aunt and Uncle must be really horrid to not love a nice sweet boy like you! Love… it's a deep-rooted feeling in your heart that the other person is the most important person in your life. You can't think of anyone you'd rather be with. It goes beyond a simple liking the other person. The bonding should guide us in our feelings to each other, so yes, I love you. You are the most important person in my life.
I… I think I'm starting to understand, but it's hard for me to believe that someone could love me. I… I… I think I could learn to love you though. You are the most important person in my life.
Goodnight Love! They both thought to the other.
The next day, Hermione had finished the bonding book and Harry returned it to the library. On his way back to the common room, he stopped by the mirror for another look. He gazed at himself, Hermione and his parents until a voice startled him.
"Back again Harry?" said Dumbledore.
"I'm sorry sir, I didn't see you there," said Harry.
"I'm sure by now, you realize what the mirror shows?"
"It shows us our deepest desires," replied Harry.
"Yes," replied the Headmaster. "However the mirror gives neither truth, nor knowledge Harry. People have wasted away or gone mad thinking about what they see in the mirror. Tomorrow I will move the mirror, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It is not wise to dream and forget to live."
Hermione heard that and silently agreed, but she kept the image of her and Harry locked in her heart.
Dumbledore thought about the image he'd seen in the mirror. Those two are lucky, they may have already found their hearts desire.
****
-->