Saving Harry
Summary: Hermione's thoughts when she found out Harry was a horcrux.
A gasp escaped Hermione's lips as she read more and more about the Horcruxes.
She had once been told that too much knowledge could be a danger.
She hadn't believed the quote of course, she had believed that knowledge would never go waste.
Why would it? How could it?
It had been her firm belief whatever knowledge you had was somehow or the other useful.
Hermione wondered how the knowledge that her best friend eventually had to die would be useful to her. Or anyone for that matter…
She had literally licked each and every the books she had allegedly stolen from Dumbledore's personal library trying to find something.
But now she believed that Dumbldore had wanted her to take those books. Somehow, he knew the Ministry wouldn't give them the books.
Dumbledore had been a wise wizard. He had anticipated Hermione's actions almost correctly. This made her feel like a pawn on the chessboard, like she was being played by much stronger forces in life.
She sighed into the book yet again.
She had read the books more than once, looking for a loophole in the current messy situation. But so far her trusted books had failed her.
It was certain, Harry Potter was a horcrux.
The scar that Voldemort had given Harry was not any ordinary scar. It was a part of his soul, which he had unwittingly fit in the one year old boy whom he believed, was destined to kill him.
With great power comes great responsibility.
She remembered those lines from Spiderman comics, her cousin used to read.
Given situation she wanted to alter it.
With great greed comes great stupidity.
It was Voldemort's greed for power and immortality that made him a killer in first place. That drove him to make horcruxes.
Hermione believed that it was the law of nature… circle of life… after life comes death. After life there has to be death, no one wants to live eternally. That would just ruin the purpose of living.
Hermione looked at the book again and wondered what she was supposed to do.
She didn't want Harry to die.
She hadn't wanted him to die since he came in the girls' lavatory to save her.
Her eyes glistened with tears as she remembered every moment she had spent with Harry or worrying about him.
All the moments, happy and sad, came to her like she was watching a movie, starring him and her.
From the incident on the Halloween in the first year to the Dumbledore's death in a few months back.
The time she turned herself into a cat, trying to find who the heir of Slytherin was. The echo of his voice, she believes she imagined when she was petrified by the basilisk.
The time he had made her forget her fear of heights, while rescuing his estranged godfather.
Along with the important parts of their life, there were those insignificant moments, which would be always etched into her memory.
The type of moments which she would reminisce in old age and smile about…
Like the time when Ron and Harry slept while doing their homework and the ink had splattered on their faces… the whole common room had a laugh over them. Harry looked funny with a half-drawn moustache and it looked like Ron was sporting a purple eye.
Or the time when the boys had decided to have a competition eating Bertie's beans and the boy who lived had to be ushered to the infirmary.
Or the time when Harry was turned into a canary, while Ron and Harry tried to steal some food at the burrow for midnight snack.
He would be in the Burrow soon. She had no idea how she would face him. What would she tell him? That he should stop fighting, because, if Voldemort had to die, Harry had to die, too.
'What a joke!' Hermione thought bitterly.
Ironic, isn't it?
A voice said in her head. The only way for him to live peacefully is kill Voldemort and the only way Voldemort could die is by Harry dying.
Her head in her hands, Hermione began to cry in earnest.
She cannot possibly tell him about this. She cannot just trash his hopes like that. Harry wouldn't admit, but Hermione knew he hoped to come out of this mess alive. Have a care-free life, a life with Ginny.
Ginny, oh poor Ginny…
She had no idea what was going on. But she was determined, she was sure that this would end and she would get back together with Harry. She was ready to wait.
Hermione remembering scoffing at Ginny, for being vulnerable for a celebrity crush.
But Ginny had explained to Hermione just last week that it was not just a celebrity crush she could get over.
"Initially, it had been," She had confessed, "But then I saw the real him. The awkward, scrawny Harry Potter. The one who didn't know how to talk to girls, save for you, who spilled pumpkin juice on himself in front of his crush. He was still that savior, who would leave everything behind, not care a bit about himself and work towards saving his friends. And I fell in love with him all over again."
Hermione had looked at her in disbelief. She had been scared that Ginny had loved just the "Boy Who Lived" image about Harry. Because, she knew there would be no substance to the relationship if it was just based on it.
Guilt had washed over her as she had realized she had misjudged Ginny. Almost been prejudiced about her. She had apologized to Ginny and she had forgiven her. She was sure that Harry would win this war against Voldemort and they will get their happily ever after, with suns and showers.
What will she tell Ginny? How will she even face her?
She sighed and yet again her moments with Harry flashed before her piercing her like shards of glass.
She looked at the book again, remembering the way it was all too easy for Hermione to fetch them. She had truly believed that Dumbledore cared about Harry. He wouldn't let him die just like that, would he?
Or was it just pity and not care?
Hermione remembered Harry's desire, Harry's faith. Every time he had tried to save her or someone else he cared about against his better judgment. Knowing, it won't turn out well, knowing he could have died.
Harry had lived a terrible life so far. He had lost his parents, lived with horrid relative. And was almost in constant danger…
He deserved so much more… So much better than he had…
She will find a way.
Nothing is impossible. Not in a place where wizards exist and magic is performed, where laws of physics and science are broken.
No, there must be a way. She decided.
She will find a way to save Harry, she will find some loophole, something.
Written for Quidditch League Competition, position Seeker.