Can the choices we make change our destiny? Can one choice really change the future? Can one witch save the world from destruction? Hermione is about to find out...
Welcome to my very first story: Choices. Read and review as appropriate, and enjoy!
"You need to go now if you don't want to be spotted, guys" Harry told his two friends.
"We are not leaving you Harry, we've already told you this before;" the redhead retorted.
"Ron's right Harry," said the brunette. "We stand a better chance of defeating him if we stand together."
"Yeah, and you two stand a greater chance of being hurt if you stay with me," Harry yelled back, clearly frustrated. It had been a week since the trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione; had destroyed Slytherin's Locket, one of Lord Voldemort's fabled Horcruxes, and the secret to his immortality. The pressure of having his friends in danger was starting to get to Harry.
"I'm not asking anymore, guys;" Harry said as he picked up the wand from on top of his bed; "I'm ordering you to go, save yourselves, and let me finish this alone."
Hermione looked at Ron, who looked just as stunned as she did. He was her best friend, how could he do this after all they had been through... "Harry, please," she said quietly as she walked slowly towards him; "Don't do this. Let us help you and we can defeat Him, together." She said the last word clearly, hoping to get through to him.
Harry and Hermione's eyes met, and for the first time ever, Hermionie saw a flash of something she never thought she would see from the Chosen One: Murder.
"CRUCIO!" Harry yelled, and instantly Hermione was writhing about on the floor, but surprisingly not screaming. Ron stood, unable to stop Harry as his best friend was tortured by his other best friend. "I put her under the Silence curse, didn't want her screams to give away our position," Harry told Ron. After a minute, and in Hermione's eyes a century, Harry released her from the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Ron ran over to comfort her, as Harry returned to packing away his things.
"You'll pay for this, Harry!" Ron shouted, as Harry picked up his Cloak of Invisibility.
"Really, 'cause I really didn't want to resort to using the Body-Bind curse on the two of you. I thought fear alone would be enough to get you to go."
"Fine, Harry. We'll leave you alone, but I hope you'll be happy," Hermione said slowly, still attempting to recover from the effects of the Torture Curse. She crawled over to her handbag and looked in it, making sure Harry hadn't taken a certain item out of it. "C'mon Ronald. Let's go." Knowing from experience, whenever she called him by his full name, she was serious.
"Goodbye, Harry Potter," Ron said as he helped Hermione to stand and escorted her out of the tent.
3 days later,
Ron and Hermione were eating some fruit they had foraged in the forest they were staying in. Hermione was still quite shaken over the ordeal, while Ron was unsure of what to do next. "Should we go back to Hogwarts?" Ron asked her.
"I don't think so, Ron. Snape's in charge remember, and besides, as soon as we step anywhere near Hogwarts, they will collect us and cart us off to You-Know-Who for questioning." Hermione said quietly. "I would rather just stay in hiding." She knew she didn't mean it, she would much rather be with people she knew, like Luna, The Patil twins, and Ginny. Her mind wandered as she thought of the female redhead. She had always had a secret crush on her, and knew that Ginny had one on her, but they couldn't do anything while they had Ron and Harry. At the mere thought of her former friends name, memories started to flood her mind of that painful night; how her friend used torture to get her to leave; how she could not defend herself; how she enjoyed it? 'No, how could I enjoy that?' though Hermionie, her head suddenly confused. 'There is no way that torture could be enjoyable, could it?'
"Well, we could always go back to the Burrow and stay with my folks," Ron suggested, dragging Hermione out of her thoughts.
"Huh," Hermione asked, oblivious to what her friend had suggested.
"I said, we could always go to the Burrow," Ron repeated, unsure of Hermione's current state of mind.
"Erm, Ron; Death Eaters are watching your house like hawks," Hermione reminded him. We wouldn't even be able to get into your garden before..." She was interrupted by a voice from outside their tent.
"Hello, is anyone there," a male voice asked quietly, "do you mind if I come in?"
The tent flap opened, and a teenager walked in, only to be met by a wand and a very old sword...
"Locomotor Mortis!" Ron spoke, and the unknown man's feet were rooted to the spot where he stood, unable to move.
"What are you doing! Let me go!" the teen said in a vain attempt to struggle free.
"Firstly, we ask the questions here," Hermione stated; advancing on the teen with the Sword of Gryffindor pointed squarely at his chest. "Secondly, you will answer all our questions truthfully. Got it?" Hermione grabbed his arm and tugged the sleeve up. 'No Dark Mark' she thought, as the now terrified teen nodded his head frantically.
"Who are you?" Ron asked. "Where are you from? What school do you go to?"
"My name is Dudley," the boy started, "Vernon Dudley, I'm from Norwich and I'm in Slytherin House at Hogwarts."