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Crossroad Blues


"You're dead."

"What?"

"Well, not dead, but dying."

"This can't be happening."

Prologue:

I was only vaguely aware of the voices around me. I felt light, yet heavy at the same time as the unfamiliar feeling of being carried overtook my mind. I felt my own dead weight and could hear the effort in their voices and breaths as they carried me off.

I wasn't exactly sure what was going on. One minute I was walking out of Gringotts after making a deposit and the next—nothing! I tried to breathe but I was compressed because of the way they carried me, as well as the obvious fact that my lungs were being crushed by my ribcage.

This wasn't like me to not know what was happening. If I didn't, I would demand to know. THINK Hermione!I urged my conscious to respond but nothing happened, it was dark, the noises were too unfamiliar and crowded, I couldn't derive anything from it. And then—I was flying through the air.

They'd thrown me! I felt the wind whistle past me annoyingly and then I landed harshly in freezing waters with a slap and then the absence of sound filled my ears. I blacked out.

Stage One: Denial

When I woke up I had a pounding headache. I sat up in my cozy warm bed and realized I'd thrown the sheets around. What a horrible dream. The smell of my breath was overwhelming so I got up and yawned, itching my side as I made my way to the bathroom. I did my morning routine which consisted of a bath, brushing of the teeth and hair, applying makeup so pitifully it would've made Ginny cry (she did every time she saw me at the Ministry) and finally putting on simple clothes for the day: a button up dark blue blouse and black pencil skirt, and I reluctantly put my high heels beside the rest of my things so that I put them on when I apparated—no use in killing my feet earlier than usual right?

I drank disgusting coffee that I made out of a muggle coffee maker and scanned the front page of the Prophet before tucking it under my arm and cramming a half-toasted English muffin in my mouth. I gingerly slipped into the heels and grabbed my coat with my free hand (the other grabbed a suitcase) and I glanced at the Grandfather clock, cursing myself for being late. I thought of the Ministry while turning on the spot, a little difficult in heels...

I practically ran down the Atrium, bumping into too many people, they didn't seem to care and neither did I. Many stepped on my toes as I got into the lifts, squeezing myself in beside Seamus. He was reading the paper and didn't notice me walk in. He got off on a different level and I hurriedly finished my breakfast, swallowing the giant lump painfully.

Once I arrived at my department, I noticed it was nearly empty; they were all hurrying into the conference room. I swore (not any lurid words—it is me after all) and squeezed myself into the full room. It was stiflingly hot with every member of the Department in that room. I fanned myself with the Prophet copy and tried to catch what the Head was saying. He was speaking of important matters that needed to be addressed including: Wild Hippogriff breeding in the north and the illegal trade of the highly rare Winged Horses. The list of things went on and the Head (Marcus Appleton) spoke in a chopped but rapid manner, his thoughts overloading even his own brain. I heard the scratching of quills as many tried to take down notes if it applied to their section of the Department.

Once the meeting was over I pushed my way to the front, treading on a few feet, and I mumbled apologies.

"Sir, Mr. Appleton!" I practically yelled over the noise everyone was making now that the meeting was over. He apparently didn't hear me and left the room, disappearing in the crowd. I stomped my foot, just about shattering the heel of my foot with the accursed shoes.

For the rest of the day I spoke to no one, and worked ahead so that I could set up dates and meetings for Ginny and myself to meet with various witches to discuss her wedding. I was her Maid of Honour and the Planner (I'd scared the first one away by being my obsessive-compulsive self). Ginny and Harry became engaged a year and a half later, after the fall of Voldemort. Now, three years after their graduation from Hogwarts they all had successful and fruitful lives. I couldn't even begin to discuss my discontent of not having to complete our seventh year; McGonagall had given us, the 'graduating' class the signed approvals from the Ministry on having graduated.

The rest of the students had been glad to not have been pressured by the N.E.W.T.S; I'd secretly sent a letter to my teachers asking them if they could allow me to do the test. Ron had blown a gasket when he caught me. Even though all seemed well I did not forget all the sadness and death that had come from the battle.

While I was up late one night in my and Ginny's flat, I'd been sitting by the window, looking at the moon when Harry walked downstairs. He was rubbing his eyes. He'd worn his boxers and was shirtless. He'd grabbed a grey t-shirt and put it on, I turned away, he was my best friend but I was still a woman. He'd asked me what was wrong and I smiled half-heartedly and told him of how I couldn't get that night out of my head.

"I still see their faces Hermione. Every time I close my eyes, they're there. Waiting for me beyond the Veil; they call to me and tell me that it's not time yet." He whispered, his voice, giving away the sadness and deep emotion he was feeling.

"Not time for what?" But I knew the answer already, we were both whispering and we were leaning close, heads almost touching.

"Not time for me to die yet. But I see him everywhere Hermione. The Grim Reaper, scythe and black hood like a Dementor. Waiting for me on the edge of living; he's pretty pissed off too. I mean I have cheated him out of my soul about seven times now…" He chuckled and made me laugh too.

Harry had never been the same after that night and Ginny was doing her best to be brave enough for both of them. After the mass funerals, I had set my mind, I would focus on my work and the friends around me but I would detach myself from any emotional connection.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair (an action I regretted for it instantly got tangled in it); I tried to comb it down with my fingers, embarrassed, just as a colleague went by. He made a move to put something on my desk but stopped; he looked right at me and then turned to ask my co-worker in the cubical beside me.

"Is Granger in today?"

This was odd. Or maybe it was a joke—I was often the last to discern sarcasm from fact. I laughed with a bored and uninterested manner at the joke.

"Ha ha, I'm right here, what do you need?" I turned in my chair to face him but he ignored me.

"No I haven't seen her at all this morning. Shall I owl her, is it urgent?" She asked the man, he shook his head.

"Not as urgent as the papers for her promotion are. I can't believe it, why should she get promoted, she's hardly noticeable." He scoffed and I felt my jaw drop, how rude! I was sitting right there!

"Excuse you!" I said in my loud voice, the voice I would raise in a crowded room so that I could draw attention to myself—it was a great way to grab attention if you needed help on the street. He continued to ignore me—in fact, the whole office was still going to and fro, doing their daily routines. I stood.

"I know, she needs to get that broomstick out of her arse before she moves up the ladder, it's really quite unfair, I mean why couldn't the promotion had gone to someone more…sociable?" That little bitch!

I help defeat the Dark Lord and am best friends with the man who did and this is what I'm talked about being? I strode right up to the man and glared at him, he seemed to look right through me. He then shrugged and spoke with the girl about a meeting later that day in the boardroom in the lower levels and then he stalked off, pushing past me as if I wasn't there.

Wasn't I? Was I dreaming? I laughed. Of course I'm dreaming, this is just like in school with the Boggart! It couldn't be real I mean, the office had to be playing a joke. Was it my birthday again? God that was embarrassing last year—I hadn't even realized they tried to throw me a party but I'd been there for the whole night and then I stupidly asked why they were decorating my cubical.

I nodded, it was like that time, I laughed and spoke loudly again, waving my arms like a lunatic. "Ha ha that was a nice joke everyone! That really had me going for a while."

No one looked at me. My smile slowly died away and then I was fed up after a few more people bumped into me but they seemed to carry on as if I wasn't in their way in the first place. I marched right up to the Head—I gulped for what I was about to do—and slapped him right across the face. He didn't take any notice but continued to write animatedly while his secretary walked in and placed more papers on his desk.

I knocked the papers off and watched for a reaction—there was none—and when I looked at the desk again the parchments were in a neat stack. I felt my heart stop as numb realization hit me. This isn't happening, this is a dream, and I'm going to go back home and crawl into my bed and wait to wake up. This isn't real. It's not.

I wasn't a fan of the cowardly hiding-under-the-covers bit but this wasn't really happening so I could be a chicken in my dreams. I ran from the office, not grabbing my things because they weren't actually there…right? I doubled back and retrieved them just in case this wasn't a dream and the office was playing a joke. Did this mean my promotion was off the table, for slapping my supervisor? Did that count as harassment in the workplace? I mean wouldn't it count if it were by magic? I stopped running and calmed my mind. It was racing faster than my feet.

I closed my eyes tightly and thought of my bed and in a second I was there. I threw off my godforsaken heels and jumped into the bed, throwing the covers over my head, too hard so that the bottom half flipped up and my waist down was exposed.

I curled up and shut my eyes. This was a horrible dream. I know I'm persistent, I occasionally nag in Ron's case, but did that warrant the silent treatment from everyone at work? I willed my mind to rest, to sleep but it didn't come. And I didn't wake up.

A day and a half later I was still in that bed, in the same position. I had to face the facts, I was not dreaming. I head a noise downstairs but I didn't bother to move, they would probably ignore her like everyone else.

"Hermione are you home?" Ginny called from somewhere in the flat. I didn't make a sound. I heard her approach the door and push it open. She looked around and her eyes scanned right over me but looked as if they hadn't seen me. I moved and pushed the covers off but Ginny sat on the bed, saddened. She fiddled with her fingers and whispered a conversation. Ginny often did this, to prepare what she would say to the person before confronting them. I moved away from the head of my bed and sat beside her. I put my arm around her but it didn't make any difference.

"Hermione, guess what? No that sounds stupid…I, well me and Harry love each other very much and…that sounds like I'm talking to a child!" She battled with herself to find the right words. She couldn't come up with anything coherent and I felt sad, Ginny was a fighter, through and through. She stood up and faced the mirror.

"You've been so good to me, I cannot imagine a better best friend, you're like my sister and now I know I won't be alone—I mean I've got Harry of course, and my mother will throw a fit when she finds out, but you're the person I wanted to tell first." She put her hand on her stomach and my eyes were wide. I couldn't believe it, Ginny was pregnant! Harry you bugger, I can't believe you couldn't wait for a few months; you're both out of control sexual animals! I felt like shouting all this with a euphoric happiness with Ginny, a moment of sisterly bonding but I wasn't there.

I got up and went to hug her, I felt silent tears streak down my face at her non-responsiveness. When I pulled away I heard her whisper: "Where are you?" and then she'd apparated. After that day I received a few more visitors and they were all beginning to worry about where I was. I began to wonder that too, but I was in such a state of depression, convinced it was all a dream that I didn't leave my bed except for water or washroom breaks—but did I really need those too?

***

A week after Ginny's visit Harry came back with Ron (they'd gone every day after Ginny had spoken to my 'empty' room) and Ginny herself was scolding the Aurors and investigators when they got too personal in her flat.

"Get AWAY from that drawer!" I shouted, but it was useless, I punched and kicked the Auror but he didn't feel any of it, he pulled the crappy wooden drawer open (he needed to really tug—I should've gotten the dresser replaced…) and he got a full view of my underwear and bras. I flushed deeply and tried desperately to shut it. He smirked and I kicked him again. He pushed aside my things with his wand and saw the bottom.

"Oh no…stop, stop looking, Ginny!" I flung myself onto the ground in despair. He'd discovered my secret papers, I was an avid reader and so my imagination willed me to write my own stories. I covered my face, willing for them to leave.

"Hey! Patinskey, get out of there, there's nothing to see on this side of the room." Ginny yelled, red around her ears out of anger like Ron, she grabbed the papers and put herself between Patinskey and the private section of my room. I sighed in relief. Stupid Patinskey got up and grumbled, he left the room and went to explore my bathroom. I smiled at Ginny and she made a move only I would have noticed. She put one hand on her growing stomach and closed her eyes, her other hand at her mouth. She was probably experiencing her morning sickness.

Ginny was dressing smartly, wearing one of my button-up shirts (I was fatter than that skinny Weasley after all, she insisted I wasn't but I told her to stuff it), and black pants with high heels (Ginny lived for those wretched things) and a trench coat-style beige jacket that was unbuttoned. Her hair was wavy and in my opinion, was gorgeous, but in Ginny's book it looked horrible. I could tell when she was stressed, and the added baggage of a baby didn't help. Harry walked over and she put on a fake smile and acted as though she were fine. I stood between them, shaking my head at his naivety and her ability to fool her fiancé.

"What's this?" He asked, looking at my notes, I moaned in embarrassment as he read a few lines, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly in a struggle as he wanted to smile but respect me at the same time. "I didn't know Hermione wrote…things…" I wanted to punch him square in his face, break his nose and probably his glasses too…I wouldn't fix them too! I elbowed him, knowing he wouldn't feel it and grumbled at his expressions as he read. Ginny snatched the papers back and stuffed them all back in the drawer and sealed it.

"This is off limits. What does Hermione's underwear have to do with her going missing?"

"I'm not sure Gin, I mean she wouldn't just take off like that, no note, all her things here and accounted for. I don't want to come to the conclusion that everyone is coming too."

Suddenly Ron walked into the room looking tired, as if he hadn't had any sleep lately, he used his wand to levitate something; a gun. I gasped, while the others looked at it with blank, incomprehension.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"I dunno, I'm getting it down dad's office, he'll know what to do with it. Are you staying for a while longer?" He asked the two of them. Harry shrugged and Ginny nodded.

"I need to clear some of her things so that those Auror pricks don't go through them. I'll probably be back at the Ministry in time for the meeting." She put her hands in her pockets and brought them slightly forward, to further hide her stomach. Oh Ginny, you're so subtle anyway I don't even think they'd realize, and if Ron did figure out that when two people are in love they usually do something that leads to a baby, he would probably kill (maybe hurt him a lot) Harry for deflowering his precious sister.

I looked more closely at Harry and Ron; they seemed to have aged since I was 'missing' Ron was even sporting a growing beard—I didn't like it, I would have told him to shave it but he wouldn't have heard me—and Harry had a growing stubble of a few days growth. Ginny looked as if she'd gotten little sleep as well. I felt so bad for all of them, worrying when I was right there in front of them! This dream was really interesting. Very realistic…oh what's the use, if I'm going wonky and I'm trying to convince myself that I'm dreaming then I really have fallen off the wagon. I needed to send them a sign of some sort.

I grabbed my never-used lipstick and wrote on the small, dirty mirror.

Harry, Ron, Ginny I'm here! I'm in the room. I don't know what's happening and I can see and hear you but you can't see me!

It seemed useless because once I finished writing a word it was gone in the blink of an eye. I threw my head back in frustration. I started to shout their names, my voice getting caught in my throat. I sunk to my knees as the boys left with the Auror team and Ginny began to tidy up things and pack them.

"Gin, please don't clean, look at you, almost two months? You can't clean please…" My pleading fell on deaf ears. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I'm not here for you. I wish you could hear me. I didn't mean to steal your thunder by getting myself lost somewhere. But I guess with a baby on the way you stole the thunder right back." I chuckled, "that's you Ginny, a fighter. And I'm not, I give up. I'm giving up. The game's over."

"That's a shame; I thought we were just getting started!" Shouted a man and I jumped, screamed and stumbled as I tried to stand up again. "Hullo sweetheart!" He said obnoxiously with a wink. He didn't have a British accent and I couldn't place the one he had.

He had deep yellow eyes, warm yet frightening at the same time and he was devilishly handsome. He wore a crisp black suit and not one speck of the outfit was white. I noticed a red rose tucked in the breast pocket. He took off his fedora and smiled, his teeth were all pointed. "I don't have a forked tongue if that's what you're wondering." He said calmly, he placed his hat on my coat stand. He put his hands in his pockets and strode forward. I stumbled back, bumping into Ginny but she took no notice.

"Who are you? W-what's going on, why can't anyone see me?" The questions fell out of my mouth, as if I knew he would have all the answers.

"Hermione darling, you don't remember! Yes, the Deal can be a little jarring." He sounded disappointed that I didn't know who he was.

"Are we really going to have to relive—ha, sorry dear I couldn't help it—are we really going through this again?"

"Through what?"

"You're dead. And while you were walkin' along the path you arrived at the Crossroads—much to everyone's surprise. We were all sure that you'd be in His hands after your swim. But you had a task set forth by Our Supreme One. When I heard about your special case I just had to have it. So I'm like your own personal guardian devil."

I gaped at his words. One set stuck out more. "I'm dead?"

"Well, not technically dead, you're out there dying." He seemed to saying this as if it were an everyday occurrence. I couldn't believe it. The Devil? What? Deal?

"What Deal?"

"Well instead of Him coming to collect, He was a little busy; we got you first, as is the case with everyone who isn't ready to die yet. You didn't want to die so you are in the process of doing so unless you complete the Deal in which case all life is restored to your body in one piece, shipping and handling etc. etc. fine print." He was waving his hand around and ticked the words off his fingers. I was hyperventilating. He rolled his eyes. "Oh not this again, stop." He snapped his fingers and I instantly stopped. I was so shocked that I nearly fell over again. Ginny was gone by now…I was all alone.

"How did you…why? What is going on? What's the Deal?"

"I can because I own your soul until you complete the Deal, if you break it then you're soul is locked forever in the dungeons of Hell, the deepest pit of the Earth and so on…" He was lighting his cigar that was conjured out of nowhere, "So will you be needing me to explain the Deal again?" He sounded bored and frankly, tired of my lack of knowledge on the subject. "You were going around being a know-it all and then you had to share something with everyone bla bla bla then you were on your way to being dead. But you were convinced that your time on Earth wasn't over yet so you bargained a Deal with me, and boy let me tell ya, you were one fiery—"

"What did I know? Why did I think it wasn't time yet?"

"That I cannot say due to legal binding contracts, warranty and insurance policies…" He puffed out some smoke into my face and I coughed, he placed the cigar back in his mouth and smiled, revealing his horrible teeth.

I was getting really frustrated with him, his voice was burrowing itself into my undead brain and it was somehow familiar.

"But in other words, you weren't the little weakling I see now, thanks to the after effects of the Deal."

"You still haven't told me what it is I promised to do." I said in a low and deadly voice. He smirked.

"We took the most pure of souls, okay you got that?" he seemed extremely excited to tell me…he looked at me and I blushed with embarrassment, so what if I was still a virgin? I'm not a whore…he continued, "And the most villainous of 'em. You agreed to make him worthy for life after death in Heaven with all the little bunnies and cotton candy. You agreed to guide his soul from his inevitable path to Hell to the 'righteous' track." He seemed to spit the Holy words from his mouth. "Our Supreme One decided to pick the guy because They're having a little fun—I mean it has been over seven thousand years since the last one of these came up. It's rare to have a goody-goody soul dead and an evil one still living." He laughed and walked around my room, picking up various items and inspecting them. I was breathing heavily, trying to calm my nerves.

"What else?" I asked.

"You have," he checked his watch, "eight weeks. Otherwise his ass—and yours," he glanced down, "are burning in the Fires of Hell forever." He winked and then he vanished. I didn't even know who I was supposed to transform into being 'pure'. I grabbed my coat—not that it mattered—but I grabbed it along with my shoes and ran out of the house. I kept running, past people so fast that their faces turned to blurs and when I stopped I was outside the main entrance to the Ministry. Was I tied to my work so tightly that even if I tried to run away I would wind up back here?

I went in and walked around the whole Ministry trying to get someone's attention. I was shouting for hours until I gave up and sat at the Fountain of Magical Brethren. I threw my shoes into the water. I got up and closed my eyes; facing the water I clenched my hands into fists. I took a deep breath and screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Oi! Shut it will you? It's too early in the morning!" It was barely heard over the noise in the atrium but I heard it! Someone was talking to me! Right? I searched the sea of people for the voice. No one seemed to have heard him.

"Hullo! Can you hear me?" I screamed again.

"Yes." He said. He stood to the side of my line of vision. It was Malfoy. I groaned in despair. This couldn't be happening.

"What is your problem Granger? I know you tend to be a nutter some days but do us all a favor and save the drama." He was wearing a nice wizard suite and was holding his briefcase in one hand, the other tucked in his pocket, pushing his cloak back.

"Wait, wait, so you can definitely hear me?" I wasn't taking any chances. No one else seemed to take notice of Draco talking to thin air (he didn't know that of course, did he?)

I jumped into the water and resurfaced to find him still there, with a shocked and disgusted face—I was really coming off as a loony wasn't I?

"Granger what the fuck—"

"You can see me?"

"Yes, what the fuck is wrong with you?" He spit the words out of his mouth and he was about to walk away when I jumped out of the Fountain, nearly slipping on the stone floor.

"Wait! Wait for me, please." I shouted, running after him, he kept speed walking away from me through the crowd, determined to lose me. I pushed past all the people who weren't aware of my presence and squeezed into the lifts with him just as the cage slid shut. He rolled his eyes and scoffed at me following him. I wasn't soaking wet anymore and I smiled at my accomplishment of finding the Soul in my Deal.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily Malfoy. We have a lot of work to do."

A/N: Hey you guys! I hope you're enjoying my other stories (please read them if you haven't and review!!) and This is gonna be a short piece, only 5 or 6 chapters and it's humor as you can see in the genre but also some romance lol obviously, you cant have Dramione without romance! OK so hope it wasn't too short (compared to Fix You lol) so yeah R&R and i will love you!! Ohyeah I'm gonna advertise a bit more :P my website is up, check out my profile and scroll down to the link, it's strictly for my stories here on fanfiction and I created pics out of photoshop to illustrate what I cannot describe or just for fun :P but yeah check it out and if you wanna leave comments on the pics/suggestions on what pics I should make if you cant understand something or just want a pic then leave them as reviews thanks! xoxox

PS!! The voice of the demon who holds Hermione's Deal in my mind I pictured Gilbert Gottfried! (Aka voice of Iago in Aladdin, or the Beatle in Thumbelina) his voice is AWESOME lol and yeah i was rewatching Supernatural lately and my mind wandered off Jared and Jensen (Shocking i know) and I came up with this idea! So yeah R&R!

A/N: UPDATED: Hey all, i've gone through and edited stuff and:
1) What genre do you think this is? :S Mystery/Romance or Comedy/Romance or something else/Romance? Please let me know so I can update it in the right catagories!!!
2) My website didnt work out so I got a Deviant ID instead: .com/ please check it out, and i will add more pics soon!
3) R&R!!! 3