Where Our Paths May Lead (Chapters 1-3)
Jealous Guy by John Lennon
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are owned and created by Jk Rowling. I am merely borrowing them for my creative enjoyment. This story is a love story and *gasp* it is a same sex pairing. Also I thought I would give a fair warning. It has a happy ending but there will be angsty parts. Feedback is welcome but not necessary.
Rating: PG13 to R
Hope you all enjoy.
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"NO!" McGonagall's cry of anguish sent chills down Hermione's spine. It was filled with such horror, such pain. Voldemort's claim of Harry being dead couldn't be true. They sprinted hard to the doors. Each had a look of disbelief. When they reached the doors which were broken and lying off it's hinges they saw Harry's body twisting limply in the air held up by Voldemort's spell.
She had failed him. Hermione's heart was shattered and she stopped breathing. Her chest felt like all the air was crushed out of it. Then she heard Ron's scream of no. She had never heard so much pain. Her first no was a whisper and she just couldn't believe it, then it got louder as she watched Harry's body dangling in display until she heard her own loud scream of pain.
Soft footsteps sprinting up to them, and then Ginny screamed. "Harry!" With that the red head started to take chase. Ginny's whole body shook with rage, hurt, her eyes spoke that she was going to kill every last one of them for killing Harry. "HARRY!" She screamed and started to take off only to be caught in Hermione's arms. She struggled to get away "Let me go! I am going to kill every single one of them! Let me go!" Ginny screamed and twisted trying to break free from Hermione's arms.
Hermione held strong to Ginny tears pouring down her face. She had failed Harry but she wouldn't fail protecting anyone else she cared about. "Ginny, no! You charge at them you will be dead! I wont let you go!"
Ron who's rage was just starting to win over the shock drew his wand and started racing toward Lord Voldemort and the death eaters. He got all but four steps when he was hit from behind with a stunning spell.
Hermione's arms were starting to get sore, and her body bruised as she took each blow from her best friend, when she saw Ron start to run off she had one choice. She sent a stunning spell at him. It wouldn't hurt him but it would stop him from racing to his death. Just then she took a hard blow to the side of the head. Ginny swung hard. She wasn't expecting it and took the hit full on.
Neville by then was trapped and Hermione's head spun. Ginny took her chance and did a low leg swipe to knock Hermione off her feet then took off in the direction of the death eaters, but she wasn't alone. She sprinted wand drawn with what seemed to be more fighters than what they started with all ready to take on the fight that Harry started.
Arrows lit up the sky, the soft swooshing sound followed by the thwak sound as it hit their mark. All around them death eaters were crumbling around all those that fought against them. The ground shook with the mighty stomps of the giants and then the louder earth shattering sounds of Lord Voldemort's giants falling to Grawp, the thestrals and Buckbeak. Flashes of spells some missing some hitting filled the sky lighting up the battlefield showing it's wounded, and fallen.
Hermione got to her feet and watched the charging students. She saw flashes of green just miss Ginny as she ducked and weaved, taking down any death eater she saw. Hermione then saw Ron fighting along side Percy. Ginny was alone. She made up her mind and took off in a sprint in Ginny's direction. Seconds before she got there she saw a death eater launch a spell at Ginny's back. She didn't have time to cast a shield spell, so she did the only thing she could do, she ran between her friend and the spell taking the hit.
Ginny felt the heat of a spell get near her back but it never touched her. She turned in time to catch Hermione, the spell had knocked the witch off her feet and robbed her of her breath. Ginny held Hermione close, shielding her. With her free wand hand she sent a curse at the death eater who made the mistake to cross paths with her.
Hermione saw stars again and gasped for breath but there was no time to be injured. She freed herself from Ginny's hold and fired a spell at another death eater. "Ginny, we need to get inside! The arrows, or the giants are going to kill us" And at that moment just to drive the point home an arrow buried itself inches from where they were standing.
Ginny nodded and pulled Hermione towards the shelter of the Hogwarts. It seemed they were not the only ones that saw this as a good idea. Students, family of students, teachers, shopkeepers and even the remaining death eaters were now running in the direction of Hogwarts trying to flee the destruction from the arrows and the fighting giants.
The ground shook hard knocking both witches to their knees as another one of Voldemort's giants fell. Ginny and Hermione both pulled each other while struggling to stand and run. More fire lit arrows lit up the sky arching high over their heads and then fell into a crowd of death eaters. "HURRY!" They both shouted while firing stunning spells at death eaters.
Bellatrix giggled joyously as she fought Order, students, shop keepers. She was good and didn't fear any not when she had her Lord with was her joy. Chaos was all around the air smelled of blood, destruction. The sounds of others in pain filled her heart with pure and utter bliss. She was just about to send the killing curse into Flitwick's back when a stunning spell just missed her.
Luna Lovegood stood before Bellatrix wand drawn and smiling as well in a lost dreamy kind of smile. "You should give up. You have lost you know." She spoke softly but she knew that the dark witch heard her. She could tell because Bellatrix's eyes narrowed and she could have sworn she heard a hiss. Truth be told she was scared to face the older witch, but Luna didn't back down. She had heard the dead on the other side of the veil. She did not fear them, nor did she fear what was on the other side.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "Blood traitor! You dare fire a spell at me?" She raised her wand ready to duel the student. Really this one looked unwell so it should be short work. Her master would most definitely be pleased. She knew Luna, and knew Luna to be close to Harry and anything that brings Harry pain brings her Lord and master happiness. "Now bow little itty bitty kitty. We mustn't forget our manners." She cast a spell on Luna making the young witch bow. She smiled as she heard the young witch grunt trying to fight the spell. Just as she was about to send the killing spell at Luna two stunning spells were sent her way .
Ginny and Hermione raced up to Luna wands at the ready. The four started to duel. Bellatrix was good, Hermione had to work twice as hard mostly doing defensive spells to protect Luna and Ginny while the other two were all about the attack. Their goal was simple to take down the dark witch. Hermione's goal was different. As killing curses shot near her friends, her family, her goal was to only keep them alive. The scary part was Hermione's wounds from the battle were starting to take a toll on her. She was slowing. She didn't have time to cast a shield spell as Bellatrix shot another killing curse at Ginny. She could only grab Ginny and pull her. It missed the youngest Weasley by a mere breath.
Hermione shouted over the screams and crashes from the other fights going on around them, "I can't keep this up" her voice was strained, her body hurting. She decided that the next spell sent, she would step in front to take it and maybe give the other two a chance to get away. She knew she did not have the strength to cast another spell. Her body became even more sluggish. Looking over at Ginny and Luna she saw they were slowing as well. "I'm sorry" she began to say. But then like an answer to her prayer the three were knocked out of the way by a very pissed off Molly Weasley. "Not my daughter bitch!" she growled.
The three watched in horror and a sense of pride as Molly fought Bellatrix making the dark witch lose ground, even with the viscous taunts that were thrown Molly's way, she didn't budge, she didn't give an inch, she took. She took ground and when Bellatrix laughed in glee with the thought of causing these blood traitors more pain, Molly sent a curse her way ending her life.
Hermione stood ready to jump in but her chest throbbed painfully and it was getting harder to breath. She didn't have time to be injured. The battle was not over, Voldemort was still standing and this was going to end tonight. The witch's vision darkened briefly and then a loud explosion brought her back to her senses. She felt arms tighten around her and she didn't know when she had fallen but Ginny held her up. Ginny's grip tightened as Harry appeared out from under his cloak very much alive.
Hermione had two thoughts. To hug Harry, who she loved like a brother, and to punch him for faking his death and putting her through that pain even though she understood why. One look at Ginny's face she saw she was not the only one. She heard a gasp and saw Ron running up to them weapon drawn, ready to step in and help his mate.
Breaths held as the crowd listened and watched Harry and Voldemort circle each other while talking. Harry had a sense of confidence that Hermione didn't know he possessed. It was then she knew what the outcome would be, even before they raised wands.
…...
Chapter 2
Hermione sat at a window in the owlry looking over the grounds. It had just been a few days since the final battle that finally freed the world of Voldemort. Her eyes scanned the grounds. Most had left with their family, friends. Some had taken their dead to be buried, others followed to St, Mungo's for healing. It would be a long recovery for most of the wounded, but they would recover. Others stayed behind to help clean up and rebuild Hogwarts back to it's former glory. Kingsley had ordered that a memorial be built in the middle of what was the battlefield to all those that stood up and gave their lives to rid the world of a great evil. Hermione stayed behind. She had thoughts to get her parents but there was still much to do. Truth be told she was a little frightened that after she undid her memory charm that they would not forgive her. Three figures walked the grounds by the lake. She could see Harry, Ginny and a small infant in Harry's arms. It was Teddy. They were quite the sight, almost a picture perfect family, only well…a young family…to young. Harry was never one to hide from responsibility and as godparent to Teddy he took it very seriously. He had grown up without family. One look at Harry, Hermione saw the determination set in his jaw, love and sadness in his eyes. She looked over to Ginny who seemed to not want this responsibility. She couldn't blame Ginny. She still had a year left in Hogwarts, a whole life open for her, and to feel bogged down with a family. She knew Ginny's love was quiditch . She knew Ginny's dreams. She knew that they did not involve children. Not right away. A closer look she saw them arguing. The angry glare in Ginny's eyes. The hope in Harry's. Feeling like she was intruding, she hopped down from her very high perch and went to see what else she could do, giving her friend's their privacy.
Out on Hogwart's grounds, "Look, just hold him! You and I Ginny..we can have this future. I have a future now." Harry followed Ginny out confused by why she didn't want to hold Teddy who made gurgling noises and spit bubbles. "He lost his parents, because they fought with me. I am not going to let him lose anymore family." He tried to reason.
Ginny for her part felt trapped, almost suffocated like her future was being written for her and she had no choice but to go along for the ride. "Harry, I understand, I do. But I don't want that. I have one year of Hogwarts left and then…then I try out for the Harpies, or I go into the ministry and try to become an Auror..I don't know all I want to do just yet. Don't you understand?" Then to her dismay she felt Teddy being thrust into her arms. She held him because she wasn't a bad person and dropping the baby would be something that a bad person would do, but the thought was there for a few seconds.
Harry smiled looking at Ginny holding Teddy. It looked natural. It looked right. "He likes you. We have 12 Grimmauld place..I can get it fixed up..all the darkness and dirt removed. Total makeover. We can have a home Ginny. You don't have to work after the final year of Hogwarts. I can take care of us."
Ginny growled. He was not getting it, more importantly he didn't get her. He seemed to have a picture of what their future would be, without even thinking about what she wanted. The witch put Teddy back in Harry's arms. "Harry, I am tired, and I don't feel like fighting right now. There has been enough of that." With that she started to turn toward Hogwarts. She felt another set of eyes on her. She tracked them up to the owlry. It was hard to make out but she knew the slight glimpse of brown bushy hair. Hermione. She felt an enormous headache coming on. Great, just what she wanted. Someone to witness the golden couple arguing. She started to walk away to be interrupted by Harry.
"Ginny, I love you, you know. I never stopped. I just…well I just didn't have a future..I felt you deserved a great one and now…now I can give you that. Don't you see? You can't walk away from this." Harry again tried to reason. He was fighting for something else much more important to him than even the fight to bring down Voldemort. He was fighting for love. He was fighting for his love.
Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose but spoke in a softer voice. "I know Harry. We will talk later."
With that she walked toward the castle. She knew how so many expected it to be for them. It just didn't feel right to her.
Chapter 3
Hermione was in the middle of casting a levitating spell on some of the broken rubble still scattered around the grounds. She tried to ignore the blood stains on it. She tried not to think about the fifty plus people that had to die. That gave their lives to bring down Voldemort. She tried not to think about it at all. She didn't want to think about what she, Harry and Ron had been through. She didn't want to think about the torture she endured. She didn't want to think about the lives that she took. She didn't want to think of how close she came to losing everyone she loved. She didn't want to think about losing Tonks, Lupin, and Fred. She didn't want to think about the last time she saw Lupin smiling and celebrating the birth of his son. She never got to tell him that his news he brought helped save her from falling into dismay and fear from being tortured. She never got to tell Lupin how the birth of his son gave her renewed strength to carry on and keep fighting when she was hurting, tired and craving peace.
So distracted in her thoughts of what she was trying not to think about, Hermione didn't notice she was alone. Ginny watched her friend and thought back to things. She had guilt. Ginny shut her eyes as she tried to close out the memory flashes of her hitting her friend, when she knew exactly that Hermione was trying to protect her. She had memory flashes of her friend being thrown against her as she took a spell that was meant for her. Ginny kept her eyes shut and begged for the look Hermione gave her right when they were nearing the end of their fight with Bellatrix. She didn't ever want to see that look on her friend….her best friend's face ever again.
Ginny watched Hermione levitate large rocks and move them over into the place that was going to be the memorial. Kingsley felt it fitting that the material for the memorial be the rubble from the fight. Her eyes didn't miss the troubled look her friend had, and for a moment it allowed her to forget about her own pain of losing her brother, her partner in crime, well one of them, and the frustration she was feeling with Harry. She walked up to Hermione and touched the witch's arm "Hey there. Fancy a break? You look like you could use one."
Hermione jumped. She was so into her thoughts that she hadn't heard Ginny approach. She blinked when she realized most of the rubble she was working on clearing was cleared. She turned to look into Ginny's eyes "I would actually but there is still a lot to be done. Prof..err Headmistress Mc…McGonagall wanted to get this area cleared. Tomorrow they are looking to repair the damage done to this side of the castle." Hermione ducked her head when she saw that Ginny was giving her a look of 'Don't bullshit me', so she quickly amended the situation though a bit quieter "Besides, I slow down, then I think about things, and I don't want to think about them, and don't give me that look Ginerva Weasley" she didn't even have to look at the witch to feel the look she was getting. "I know perfectly well, I am not the only one dodging things."
Ginny had the good sense to let it go, for now. "Fine, but how about for now..just you and I find some quiet, no one pulling us kind of place and just sleep. I don't know about you but I haven't slept all that well." then Ginny added "If it helps I promise I wont knock you off your feet this time" There, that was easy. She brought up something that she wanted to apologize for but felt there was no way to apologize for it. She started pulling Hermione to the Gryffindor's hall and more importantly to their bed. Much to her surprise she felt after just a few seconds of resistance, Hermione allowed herself to be dragged. Ginny was no fool and knew that Hermione was the strongest of the golden trio and the smartest, and if Hermione did not want to go somewhere, she would definitely not allow herself to be dragged.
Hermione felt the pull and it took a few seconds for the words to register. She started to resist but common sense won out. She did need to sleep. The fact that she was just a bit slow on the following of their conversation spoke volumes. She smiled as Ginny made the joke about her being knocked on her ass by the youngest of the Weasley's. She knew Ginny felt bad. The way the other witch avoided her eyes at times, or the times when she didn't avoid them in time and Hermione caught glimpses of the guilt and pain there. Hermione would make this as easy as she could for her best friend "You only knocked me on my rear Ginerva Weasley because I let you."
Ginny turned to look over her shoulder as they continued to walk to the dorm rooms. "Hah! Hermione you just don't want to admit that someone was a bit faster than you and got the drop on the great Hermione Granger, the strongest, smartest and quickest witch of her time"
Hermione heard Ginny say that and she stopped pulling. She liked the ego stroke, I mean who doesn't. She knew she was smart, but it wasn't just the words, it was the tone behind the words. There was pride, affection behind them. She never heard Ginny talk that way about her, at least to her face.
It felt good to forget about the pain, and loss. It felt good to laugh and relax so when the laughter stopped and Hermione stopped allowing herself to be dragged, Ginny got worried and turned to look at Hermione who had a rather perplexed expression on her face. "What? Hermione….don't make me go back on my promise. I want to sleep and I don't feel like sleeping alone."
Whatever they were going to say was interrupted by a baby's cry. "Oh good! There you are." Harry handed off a crying Teddy into Ginny's surprised arms. "I can't get him to stop crying and Kingsley needed me, your father and Ron at the ministry. I don't know what it is about. I am not sure when I will be back." he started taking off after giving Ginny a kiss on the cheek but then stopped. "Oh! He needs to be fed and his grandmother is picking him up tomorrow morning. Thanks Ginny! Bye Hermione!" He waved with a smile and took off to leave Hogwart's grounds so he could apparate.
Ginny held the crying Teddy and bounced slightly trying to calm him. "I guess we should feed him..maybe" she bent down to sniff his rear and quickly held him at arm's length "Merlin's beard! I found out why he was crying!" She said with disgust.
Hermione softly laughed "He isn't going to curse you. Here, let me Ginny." With that Hermione took Teddy and held him close while heading to the room of requirements. She didn't have any diapers on her, and she knew Harry didn't have any on him. She swore Harry, as much as she loved him, she swore he wouldn't see what was right in front of him if it bit him on the nose and tap danced on his head at times. Hermione saw Ginny was reluctantly following. "Ginny, why don't you go to the dorm rooms and get some sleep. I can take care of Teddy until Tonk's mother gets here in the morning."
Whatever Ginny was going to say was once again interrupted but this time by her brother Ron. "Hey Mione, I was looking for you. I was thinking we could grab a bite to eat together to talk about…" whatever he was going to say got interrupted when he saw Hermione carrying Teddy "What are you doing with him? Ginny? Why aren't you taking care of Teddy? Hermione has a lot to do as it is. He is your responsibility, you cant be passing him off on anyone"
Ron again got interrupted by Hermione hitting him in the arm with her free hand. "Honestly Ronald! Why is Teddy Ginny's responsibility. She didn't give birth to him" Hermione paled as she said this. The image of Tonks flashed in her mind's eyes. Then looking down at Teddy she saw the auror, her friend in him. She tried to blink back the tears but failed miserably.
Ginny was there in seconds "Ron you should go. I will take care of her" She put her arm around Hermione and tried to ease Teddy away from her but the other witch would not relinquish the baby. Instead she guided Hermione to the room of requirements with Ron still walking with them, and argument clearly on his face.
"Hey Ginny, Hermione is my girlfriend. If she needs comforting she will get it from me." In truth Ron felt useless. He and Harry had talked about a lot of thing, a lot of plans, the future. They talked about Fred, Lupin and Tonks. But other than helping repair Hogwarts he was left with no other task.
"Ron, go away." Ginny didn't know why but she wanted to be the one to help her friend out. She had a debt to repay and in all honesty it ripped her soul to see Hermione in so much pain. She needed to do this and why she had anger for her brother who she loved, she didn't know but it was there. She lashed out "Why don't you go see if you have anymore autographs to sign" He had enjoyed the spotlight being part of the golden trio had brought him. He received Order of Merlin first class and attended every victory celebration. News even came around of the women admirers he drew at these celebrations. The moment she felt Hermione stiffen, she knew she had said the wrong thing.
Hermione had also heard and seen pictures in the Daily Prophet of those celebrations. Celebrations Hermione chose to duck out of. She would have ducked out of getting that award but Kingsley made it so she couldn't avoid it. No one seemed to understand that she did it not for glory, not even to bring an end to Voldemort. She did it because her best friend and non-blood brother needed her help and she would be damned if she had let him take that path alone.
Ginny quickly apologized "Hermione, I am sorry" She was cut off by Hermione who spoke to Ron.
"Ron, Harry said he needed you anyways at the ministry for some meeting. It is best that you don't miss that. It might be about your future, or something else." When Hermione saw Ron not budging she looked at him, her eyes softening, and she reasoned with him like one would a child "Ronald, I promise I am okay. Go to the ministry."
Ronald just nodded "Okay Mione, but I will be back to talk to you, maybe we can have a date, or visit my parents. They would like the distraction." Ron started to walk but stopped, his ears turning a bright red "Ummm Mione? You don't….you know" he nodded to Teddy "want one..do you?"
"Honestly Ronald! Just because I am holding one does not mean…Ron, go" with that she stepped into the room of requirements with Ginny close behind."