Chapter 10 … I hope you're enjoying this fic as much as I enjoy writing it …short fluff…scratch that it's a little long but I think the ending is coming soon. Thanks for the wonderful reviews. Here's another chapter because I'm too darn slow in updating lately.
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Chapter 10: His Secret
It's been three weeks since we went to Snape's home. Harry and I never talked about the procedure. I for one didn't want to bring it up. I'm very eager to have Harry's memory back but not for the cost of his life. I'd rather have him without his memory. I'll remind him day by day about his past if I have to but I don't want him to risk his life.
School days had been quite typical. Lectures, exams and all those sorts, I have to say. Hogwarts isn't like what it used to be when Harry, Ron and me were studying. We have too many great adventures together. Now I can say Hogwarts is a normal wizarding school. And the wizarding world without Voldemort is peaceful and free. But even for all these freedom and peace I still long for something that I couldn't possibly have. I have too many fond memories with my best friends. I have so many happy moments, which I shared with Harry and I would give anything for him to remember them.
If only I can take the procedure for Harry then it would have been easier for me to accept. I only had to choices. It's either get Harry back with all his memory good or bad intact or I wouldn't have him at all. He would die and I would never have him again.
Today McGonagall had been giving me too much work that I haven't been able to spend enough time with Harry. After my classes I would be sent to conferences called by the Ministry of Magic. McGonagall is usually the one going to such events but this week she had scheduled for me to attend all conferences. It's not that I don't want to see Arthur Weasley and other Ministry officials but I haven't been able to spend time with Harry.
Ron on the other hand is frequenting the school. He, Draco and Harry would usually meet after classes and would go off somewhere. And if I ask anyone of them where they have gone they would give me three different answers.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Arthur Weasley asked. I was of course in the middle of a meeting.
"I'm sorry. I'm okay, what was it that Mr. Peters had suggested," I said getting back in the meeting.
"As I was saying Ms. Granger. I think Hogwarts should open a division for young wizards. Sort of like the Muggle Day care or Kindergarten," the old wizard with pinkish nose suggested.
"I would open your suggestions to Professor McGonagall. But may I say that if we open such a division in Hogwarts we would need more teachers and more facilities. Educating children of magic at such a young age can be too overwhelming for them," I explained.
"But what about the minister's grandson Travis. Isn't he too young to be a first year?" Mrs. Abbot asked.
"Madame, the case of Travis is quite different. He had been discovered to develop abilities at a very young age of nine. The headmistress found it as a good reason to start him early in Hogwarts. But like I said it would be something that I would open to the headmistress and to the school governors to deliberate," I said.
"Well, that would conclude our meeting. I will see you all next week. Ms. Granger please give as the decision of Hogwarts with regards to this petition," Arthur Weasley said before closing the meeting.
Everyone left the conference hall except the minister and me. "Mr. Weasley have you any idea where Ron, Harry and your son in law have been going these past weeks?" I asked him because I really have no idea who to ask.
"Ron or Draco has never mentioned anything to me. Both of them have their own homes now and would only visit Molly and I during weekends with our grand children. As for Harry, I've spoken to Harry only in your parents' funeral service. He hasn't visited the Burrow for quite a while. I do hope the two of you would come and visit us sometime," the minister replied.
"Well, thanks anyway. Say hi Mrs. Weasley for me. Thanks again," I said before leaving the conference hall. I went outside and disapparated. I apparated at the 3 Broomstick, there I saw the three people that I would want to talk to but I think I should try to listen to what they're talking about first.
I came and sat behind a divider, which was located behind their table. "So when do you exactly intend to tell her?" I heard Ron say. I couldn't see their faces but I surely recognize their voices.
"Ron's right Harry. Hermione would have to know about it eventually. And what if something goes wrong? She has to know. She had been through a lot," it was Draco.
"I will tell her before the treatment. I know she wouldn't want me to go through with it. But I have to. I'm doing it for her more than it is for me," I heard Harry say. I wanted to face him and talk to him. "I love her and I want to be the person she loved six years ago or even earlier than that. I'm still not the same Harry and I have to be him to be good enough for her." I felt tears blurring my sight.
"Okay Harry. We won't say anything but you will have to tell her eventually," Ron said. I heard enough. He still wanted to go through the treatment even if it would only mean a fifty-fifty chance of survival. I run off crying. I wasn't sure if they saw me but I had to get back inside the school. I wonder if McGonagall knew and she didn't tell me about it.
Ever since Harry left I have longed for him to come back to me. Then he returned without his memory. I prayed that I can one day find a cure and now that we found one I don't want him to go through with it. I don't want to lose him again. I locked myself in my room. I opened my old school chest. I got out a musical jewelry box, which Harry bought for me in our sixth year to cheer me up. Ron and I just broke up then and Harry did everything he could to make me smile. He and Cho were still together but he chose to be with me that Hogsmeade weekend. He told me that he doesn't care if Cho would hate him if he would hang out with me all day as long as it would make me happy. We went to Hogsmeade and bought every kind of sweets and candy we could find. We also went for a stroll by the lake and we watched as the giant squid frolicked in the water. We sat on a nice warm spot behind the rocks and he gave it to me, this musical box. Inside there was a necklace. It was a nice gold chain with an emerald pendant. He promised to give ma a complete set of jewelry and I laughed at the idea and for the first time that day I smiled. I stared at his deep emerald green eyes. That was the first time we ever kissed. We never talked about it because he was still with Cho and I felt guilty because I knew what it was like to be cheated on. They broke up in our seventh year and Harry and I finally became a couple. That was the happiest year of my life. He was the ideal boy friend. I told myself I have finally found him and he was just beside me all along. He gave me a pair of earrings on my seventeenth birthday and a bracelet in our Snowball.
Now I was staring at the jewelry he bought me, some years back. I don't think he'll be able to complete the set but it really doesn't matter to me. I just don't want to lose him ever again. I'd rather spend the rest of my life reminding him every day of our past.
I heard someone knock on my door. "Hermione, Hermione I know you're in there?" it was Harry.
"I don't want to talk to you," It was a painful thing to say and I know that I was only lying to myself.
"I don't care I'm going in," Harry said and the next thing I knew he was inside my room. I think he went passed the door like a ghost.
I sat up on my bed. "You weren't suppose to do that," I said.
"You heard as talking, didn't you?" he asked calmly as he sat beside me.
"I did. Why do you think I'm this upset?" I retorted. He looked away.
"That's why I didn't want you to know about it. I knew you would freak out," he muttered.
"Well, what did you expect me to do? Just wait till that procedure to kill you. Harry haven't you had enough risks taken?" I asked. I was a little hysterical. "Just like before Harry. You'd jump into something and you'll leave me. And maybe this time for good."
"No Hermione. I won't leave you. I'm willing to take this risk because I want to know what I have missed knowing all these years. Do you know how it feels to have you and Ron laughing about jokes that we three used to share and I have no idea what it is? At night I wonder what it felt like to have you in my arms because I'm sure that I held you in my arms even once. Now I can't touch as much as I want to because you're scared of me fainting and not waking up again. Hermione, I want to be with you and the only way to do it is to go through the procedure and take the risk. I want to remember all the promises I made to you before so I can keep them," he said.
I was still crying. Harry was right. We cannot love each other and have fear separating us. I truly love him and if he wants to undergo the procedure under Neville and drink the memory-reviving Potion, which Snape would be concocting then I would only have to pray for the best.
"Hermione, I need you to believe in me. Please support me in this. You're my only reason for living and I don't want you to give up on me that easily," Harry said and he caught my lips in his and I melted in his embrace.
I was drowning in his arms then he stopped. And I understood why. He has to go on with the procedure first. Our fate lies in the hands of the most unlikely pair, Snape and Longbottom. I hope they wouldn't let the past get in the way of helping Harry.
He kissed my forehead before leaving my room. I went back into staring at my music box.
To be continued…