Roses are Red, Violets are….Black?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am making no money from this Fanfiction
Chapter 1: Hermione's Decision
Things at Hogwarts were never the same for Hermione after Dumbledore was killed by Snape, but that didn't stop her from completing what she decided was "homework" that hadn't been issued, as it was to benefit not her education but Harry's quest. She had just closed yet another book from the Restricted Section whilst looking for more information on Horcruxes when Harry wandered up to her, "Any luck yet?" He asked. She solemnly shook her head, "one book briefly mentions them, but just to say that it wont give any information or direction" She replied. Harry nodded and took her by the hand, "Come on, we have the funeral soon and you have basically moved into the library ever since you and Ron decided to join me on the journey" He told her. She agreed with this statement as since the lessons had been cancelled, she had only really left the library to eat and wash. She had also taken over Harry's Invisibility Cloak and used it to search at night and had more than once woken up with her face in a book.
She stood up and took her books back to their shelves and then walked with Harry up to the Gryffindor common room where Ron was waiting for them dressed in his dress robes, "Hey guys, you better change soon, the funeral is in an hour and we promised we would all do a speech" and that is exactly what they did, they both headed up to their dormitories and ten minutes later, both were back downstairs and ready to head to the funeral, Harry in his Jet Black wizards tux and Hermione in her magically resized floaty Pink dress from their fourth year. As they headed to the Portrait hole Lavender walked downstairs and clasped onto Ron's arm, "Hey Lav" He smiled and said to his girlfriend, Hermione gave her a hug and Harry did the same, after much talk they had decided they would bring Lavender along with them on their mission to help keep Ron's anger at bay, which both Harry and Hermione knew would be needed. They all trusted her now as it turned out that whilst she was around, Ron actually did homework, was kind to everyone (even Malfoy) and she had gotten him to read more. Yes it still annoyed Hermione that they were together a little but she was glad that Ron was happy, "Hey Lavender, do you remember the plans for summer?" Harry asked the new arrival. Lavender nodded to him, "Yeah, I do but maybe we should talk 'bout it later" she winked to him and they all nodded before leaving as their class mates were arriving to change.
They walked down through the empty halls of the school they knew so well with solemn hearts, as all four of them knew that this may very well be the last time they saw the castle. As they got to the great hall however Harry cheered up a little as Hedwig flew to him with Fawkes in tow. On Fawkes' leg was a note to Harry, which he untied and opened curiously, "What does it say Harry?" Lavender asked. Harry turned to them and read aloud:
Dear Harry,
I know my death must be hard for you after everything that has been taken away from you already, but as long as you complete the mission I gave you then everything should make sense. I asked Fawkes to deliver this message before my funeral if I was to be killed as I want him to live on. Harry I leave you two things now that in my will I couldn't, the first is Fawkes as I can't bear to have him left alone. The second is advice for at my funeral just three words: Watch the skies.
Yours in death as much as life,
Dumbledore
Harry dropped the note in shock, how the hell had Dumbledore known he would get this or even that it would have to be sent now. He turned to Fawkes and stroked his crimson plumage, he then handed the note to Hermione to re-read, "We better do as he asks and watch the skies, whilst each of us is doing our speeches the others will keep an eye out" Harry stated. The others nodded in agreement and walked out into the grounds, whilst Lavender and Ron were ahead Hermione lagged behind with Harry, "Hermione, you don't think Dumbledore was a seer do you?" He asked her. She gave him a look of confusion, "What makes you say that Harry?" she replied, he looked back to Fawkes and the letter in her hand, "Well he obviously knew he was going to die to send this letter" he started, "and to warn us to watch the skies AND by giving me Fawkes he obviously knew that we would need to escape from something or use his tears" he finished. She took all this in nodding at each point he made, it seemed there was only one explanation and Harry had already pointed it out, "That does seem like the only explanation but it can't be right Harry because if Dumbledore was a seer he would have foreseen all the places you would go to find Horcruxes and told you them or sorted it himself" she told him. He took this in and as they arrived at the lake where the funeral was to be held they all rehearsed their speeches and as they stood ready to speak they saw the school start to arrive and Harry took his place at the podium. Once all guests were sat down he began, "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore or better known to me as Professor Dumbledore, was an amazing man to all Hogwarts students" he paused and glanced at the sky, "Now my friends and I have been asked to talk about one specific event each pertaining to how Dumbledore changed each of our lives no matter how small the deed" he paused again as he again looked at the sky, for this time he was sure he saw movement, he glanced at the others and they nodded that they had seen the same. Harry continued with his speech so as not to cause worry, "So I would like to talk about the end of last year when he saved me from Voldemort by showing me how really different Voldemort and I are and how my love for my friends was able to save me, he helped me to see just how much a little love can do in these dark times and I will remember that forever" he finished and stepped down from the podium just as four brooms landed without riders next to each of the questers, the one in front of Ron had a note attached, "What does it say Ron?" Harry asked, Ron mounted the broom and shouted three words, "THEY ARE COMING!" he pushed off whilst the other three mounted their brooms and the rest of the guests apparated away.
They followed Ron to the stupidest hiding place ever, the boys' dormitories of Gryffindor. Harry landed and was immediately getting his stuff together while Hermione and Lavender summoned theirs by magic; it all went into Hermione's beaded bag, "So where do we go now?" Lavender asked. Ron and Harry looked at each other and simultaneously said, "The Burrow" Harry turned around to the window, "It is the safest place for us now and the order can then advise us on what to do next" Harry finished. Hedwig flew up to the window-sill with Fawkes waiting for instructions, Harry turned to them, "head to The Burrow, we wont be far behind" she gave an understanding hoot whilst Fawkes squawked and both flew off. Hermione suddenly had an idea, "We should leave in pairs at different times from one another as a just in case" Harry nodded and sent Ron and Lavender off first but before they departed Ron gave Lavender a long snog before soaring out of the window with her in tow. Harry and Hermione would leave exactly half an hour after so Hermione decided she would get Harry to open up, "Harry why have you been so down about things recently, other than Dumbledore being killed?" She asked, He shook his head before he replied, "Ginny and Dean are such a good couple that I know I have to move on but the girl I like prefers another" He told her.
"Who is it you like then, we are best friends Harry you can tell me anything" She replied. He was silent for a while before answering and turned back to the window, "It's….it's you…..it's you Hermione" he stuttered, Hermione was shell shocked and what he had said was right as well, she did like another guy: Ron. But boy was Harry wrong about something major.
"Harry, because of our group decision with Lavender I have to live with the fact that Ron is happy with a different girl and you are in the same boat" She began, "I may still have feelings for Ron but I only developed those feelings when I mistakenly thought I would never pull you" she finished. Harry turned at this with a confused smile on his face, "So you don't prefer Ron?" He asked. She shook her head and approached him, "I decided I would settle for him Harry" she replied and kissed the boy she had known for six years. Once the kiss was broken they remembered that their departure time was coming up and they were due to leave any moment, "We should keep this between us just now 'Mione" Harry suggested. She nodded in understanding of why it had to be that way and they pushed off towards the Burrow.
As soon as they had soared a hundred feet the Death Eaters were back, shooting off hexes like a firework display. Harry saw Hermione with a worried look on her face as she hated flying, without losing her concentration she was fine on a broom but with all of these hexes going off she was worried. Harry flew beside her and put his arm round her as best he could, "Quickly drop your broom and get on mine!" he shouted over the Death Eater's screams. She gave him a look as if he was crazy, "I can't!" She replied, but she didn't have a choice because in that moment she was hit by a Body Bind hex and Harry had to do everything he could so as not to drop her. As they got to the Hogwarts boundaries something weird happened, the Death Eaters disappeared as if they couldn't leave the grounds. Harry managed to free Hermione from the Body Bind and she automatically grabbed him in horror at how high they were, "Harry do we really have to fly ALL the way to the Burrow?" she asked. He shrugged, "What other choice is there Hermione, apart from Fawkes' fire travel?" he asked in reply. She leaned her head on his back, "We could Apparate…." She said hopefully. He sighed in reply and decided to make the descent fun and entertaining for him and more likely horrifying for Hermione as he plunged into a straight drop laughing his head off over Hermione's screams.
Once on the ground Hermione started hyperventilating whilst Harry was still laughing his head off, "Harry James Potter, if you EVER do that again I swear I will kill you!" Hermione said in between breaths. Harry just laughed on and took hold of her hand, "Come on, let's go to the Burrow".