Prologue
September 16, 1995
Around Harry, Death-Eaters were everywhere. Not only did they attack Hogwart by surprise, they did it in such a number that even the Auror help didn't turn the tide.
"Hermione behind you!" Ron yelled to the bushy haired girl.
She quickly turned and cast a salve of hexe at the death-eater. Harry cast a quick stupefy at the man in front of him and continued to battle. Three hours since the begining of the attack. He didn't know who was still alive and he had lost count of the death he had caused.
"Stupefy, Stupefy, Stupefy." He cast as quickly as he could. The third stunner broke his opponent shield.
Silence fell around them.
"Is it over?" Hermione asked panting slightly.
"I think so." Ron answered.
"I still hear battle further. Come, quick." Harry urged them.
"Wait Harry, give us some time to recuparate."
Hermione and Ron quickly entered an empty classroom. Harry followed reluctantly but just before he entered the room a group of Death-Eaters turned the corner and began casting curse at him.
"Bugger!" Ron said as he got up from where he was sitting.
"We got to get out of here, we're sitting duck." Harry said closing the door behind him.
"Reducto!" The muffled voice of a woman could be heard outside and the door blew open.
"Merlin helps us." Hermione mumbled and began to cast jinx and hex through the door.
Five Death-Eather entered the classroom and the the fight began. A blasting hex sent Ron on the other side of the class where he land on his wand arm and a sickening crack was heard in the class room, moaning Ron wasn't able to get up in time but saw everything happen in slow motion. Hermione shield blew form a bright purple hex sent by one of the three death Eater, Harry managed to stuned him and cast quickly four powerful blasting hex to the second Death Eater while sprinting toward Hermione who didn't seem to see the woman raise her wand casting a curse directly at Hermione.
"AgonNex !"
"NO!" Ron yelled
The curse was a new thing that cause pain so exruciating the the body couldn't cope with it and die. He wasn't able to do anything but Harry saw the curse and after another series of stunner sent at the woman found himself between Hermione and the curse.
"Hermione, I... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" The curse it Harry's back and fell on the ground.
"HARRY !" Hermione screamed.
Ron looked at the twitching body of Harry unable to comprehend what just happened. Hermione and Ron just stood there unable to do anything, knowing that there was nothing they could do. Hermione raised her wand, hesitate a few second and stunned Harry.
"At least, he will suffer less." Hermione said before she began to cry.
Ron squeezed Hermione with his good arm, unshamedly crying. It was in that position that Dumbledore and Neville found them an hour later.
"As we celebrate our victory against all odd, we also mourn the lost of many of our friend. They gave their life so we could continue ours." Dumbledore began continuing by enumarating the name of 55 aurors who die during the battle.
"...Auror Nymphadora Tonk. Professors Severus Snape, Rubeus Hagrid, Rolanda Hooch, Bathsheda Babblin and Septima Vector, from the Gryffindor we must said our final farewell to Colin Creevey, Katie Bells, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown and Angelina Johnson, from Hufflepuff Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, from Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, Padma Patil and Micheal Corner and from Slytherin our prayer goes to Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass..." Tears were now roling on Albus Dumbledore's face, he stopped speaking for a moment trying to regain his composure but to no avail.
"We will perfom a minute of silence for them." Albus finally said between two sobs.
After the minute the funeral pyres were lit by member of the familly and fellow auror. No body was ever buried, wizard and witch bodies could be use for necromantic practice. A priest said some words of comfort and the minister of magic also came to say a few word. By the time Albus took the stage once again, he had managed to regain his composure.
"Many have witness the battle and some of you may wonder where three of our students are.: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley fought brillantly but during the battle Mr. Potter was hit by the Agonizing Death curse saving Miss Granger. We all heard about that nasty spell. We all know what will happen. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley have decided to stay by Harry's bedside." Albus seemed to age suddenly.
"While Harry isn't dead, nothing can be done to save him. Already, stunner and other mean of pain reducer have stopped functionning. Harry his strong both physically and mentally. His death will be a long and painful one."
People in the attendance where silent some sobbing could be heard.
"I'll pray for a miracle…" Albus said, many around him heard him murmured something "For all our sake, if he die so the wizarding world will."
"I can't…" Hermione said looking at the little black book Dumbledore was giving her.
"Miss Granger, I'm sure Harry would have wanted you to have it."
"Harry will come back." She said stubornely.
"Hermione, no one survived this." Ron said.
Hermione began to cry again. She got the black book and held it like a treasure.
The black book was Harry's journal. She had given him in second year but had never seen him writing in it. That night while sitting beside Harry, Hermione look at the book and opened it…
Hermione looked at the writing in the first page and smiled, it was Harry alright, the journal was blank expept for a few line on the first page..
Are you worthy to read me!
This is private property of Harry James Potter.
Son of the Marauders.
Only those who know me will be able to read this secret journal.
Hermione looked at the page and smile.
"I solemny swear that I am up to no good!" She said taping the page with her wand.
A classic but not quite right!
The page suddenly wrote. Hermione look at Harry fondely, she always suspect that Harry was better than he let go. He had managed to charm his journal Marauder style.
"I, Hermione Jane Granger, solemnly swear that I will keep this journal secret." She tried.
The page of the journal began to fill with the weird looking writing of Harry.
Dear Hermione,
If you have this journal it means one of two things. One, your much more curious than I thought you were. If it's the case, I put a spell on this journal so I'll know as soon as I see you again. The second option is that I'm dead. If that is the case, I hope that I die bravely and quickly. I've suffer enough for three lifetimes. But with the luck I had until now, I suppose I died under a Crucio or something similar.
I'm sorry Hermione, I would have like to be with you for a long time. The three of us made quite a team. I still remember our first year. You said then that I was a great wizard. You made me what I am today. I worked to be a great wizard to never deceive you. If he's still there and alone, look after Ron. He's a git and a prat but his heart his in the good place.
I'll update this letter as often as I can so it will be recent when you read it. I have many things to say to you before you turn and read my personal thought. First, thank you. If Ron was my first friend, you were my truest friend. We had our argument and I'm still quite angry for the summer I passed but I realized that it could have been far worst. You'll understand by the end of my journal. Every time we fought, it was for something you had done to protect me. The Firebolt incident is the first thing that comes to my mind. I don't know if I told you clearly this but I'm sorry for my outburst this summer.
I won't only blame the teenage years and hormone and whatever. For quite sometime now I have burst of anger coming suddenly. I didn't spoke about it because I know people would worry. I'm fine, I've said that so often that it didn't mean anything to me anymore. Thruth be told, I'm agonising, I'm in pain almost all the time.
You'll think I'm crazy but let me tell you something, I died so many time that I can't remember when it began. Destiny, Faith and Death are playing a strange game with me and I fell more and more like a puppet in their game. So if I'm really dead, then don't cry, I know I'll leave again. I know certain thing, just enough to get me through the next loop and bypass one particular event. The next few pages are chronicle of my death.
Hermione looked at Harry.
"Ho Harry, I didn't know you were so …" She didn't finish her sentence as she continued to read the letter.
You're still there? Well by now you must thing that I'm totally crazy. Good. So the next statement will surprize you. If things are like the last time then as far as I know. I'm lying in a hospital bed agonizing and slowly dying. Well?
"How?" Hermione asked to no one looking at her friend, after a while she returned to her reading.
I'm right? Good that mean I made a slight change, well two if you're reading this... I remember last time, I was sitting where you probably are right now and it was you in the bed slowly dying and me reading your journal. My hearth was broken and I died a few days after you. I remember quite clearly. This time, I tried to keep thing as closely has possible from last time but I change one thing… I kept my feeling hidden. I can't say I was in love as soon as I saw you, but you grew into me from my first Hogwart loop 'til now. Last loop, I told you in our fourth year just before I asked you to the Yule Bal. What a show of light it was, beleive me when I said we where both quite surprise. I know I didn't ask you this time, but I couldn't. You know that I almost faint when I saw you. Even if I didn't tell you, I loved you then, I love you now and will always love you. We're two soul made to be together. I've been trying to break the soul bond and think I manage it, so you should be ok. If not then I'm sorry, very sorry.
Hermione went pale when she read that. A soul bond couldn't be broken, of that she was sure. She now understood why she always trusted Harry and tried so hard to protect him. But that also mean, that if Harry dies, she would follow soon after. She had strong feeling for Harry even if it was not love but she knew that the bond wasn't broken.
I'll hang on as long as I can. It's not easy and I won't be able to hold more than a few weeks. Just in case make sure you've got every thing settle. I don't know what happen when I die but for me, it's blackness then I woke up. Now, I beg you go and talk to someone, this letter will be there tomorrow…
The page went blank as soon as Hermione finish reading the sentence.
"Harry, why didn't you tell me?" She asked the still form of Harry.
Tears were rolling down her face when Ron entered the room.
"Hermione!" He asked slowly.
"I'll be fine. I need to speak to the headmaster, may I let you with him?"
Ron nodded and Hermione left almost running. Ron look at the closing door wondering what got into the girl.
"Mate, she's mental. I know, she feel guilty about what happen but she should be glad that she's alive." Ron said to Harry. Near Harry a little black book was open to a blank page.
He took it and read the first page.
"Sorry mate, but I don't think I'm worthy." He said closing the book.
Hermione went to the headmaster, and he confirmed what Hermione knew. There was notinhg she could do, if Harry was right, as soon as he died, she would be dying soon after. After that she spent her time between trying to figure out a way to break a soul bound, time with Harry reading his journal and time with every one she love and care about. Two weeks and three days later Harry died. Hermione was in the library when it happened and she felt something break inside her. She wrote her mum and dad a long letter telling them how much she loved them, she wrote a letter to the Weasley and to all her friend. Two day later, she was in the hospital.
"What happened Hermione?" Ron asked.
"I'm dying Ron, I was soul bonded with Harry …"
"But… you… he… When?"
"He never told me, until I read his journal by then it was too late."
Ron went to Hermione bed and held her hand.
"I love you too, Hermione… Hermione?" Ron look at the beautiful girl who was now gone forever.