DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this fan fiction. They belong to J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series.
Hello readers,
Here is another Harry Potter Fan Fiction, as you know I have another entitled, 'I Feel the Same Way'. I wrote this story when I was still in the 6th grade, on August 2007 with .soleilmoon, author of 'I Feel the Same Way', a good writer, and a fabulous friend. All Underlined words are those which she contributed to the story, and were not tampered with. I have not changed a single word among them as respect to the author who made them.
Enjoy reading, Review, and thank you!
~a000stories
The Captured Heart
It was the fifth year for Harry, Hermione, and Ron in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy when the rebellion began and the Dark Lord, once again, is in power. No place was safe any longer, not even the historical school. It was one seemingly fine day to the students when Death Eaters invaded the grounds.
Soon, the chaos that was now surrounding the school brought the students into running for their lives, looking for the safest place to hide.
But nowhere is safe.
Dumbledore's Army fought as hard as they can against the Dark Lord's army, trying at their hardest to somewhat hold, if not stop, the Death Eaters from entering the school any further. On their attempt, however, a few unlucky students have been captured and were taken as hostages, so Dumbledore's Army had no other choice but to cease fire and regroup for now as the enemies take their captives, Ernie McMillan, Angelina Johnson, and Luna Lovegood, with them as they departed.
"We can't fight any longer, not when they're hostage." Ron said as the Army regroup and discuss further.
"Of course, we can't! They could hurt them, or worse, they could get killed." Hermione seconded.
"Calm down, guys." Harry said.
"We should find a way to get them back." Harry said.
Cho suddenly came and said, "I know a way on how to get them back."
"How?" Hermione asked.
"Well, it'll hurt a lot you know."
"It doesn't matter if it hurts a lot, we should do it if it's the only way." Harry then said.
Hermione sighed. "Well, since Harry 'approves'," she uses a tone and air quotes, "let's hear it, then."
"Hermione, I need you to come with me." Cho said.
"Why?" Hermione responded.
"Because you are the only one who has the capacity and the one who can do it." Replied Cho.
"DO what?" she said.
Cho then replied, "IF you want to know why, then come follow me." Hermione followed Cho.
"Hermione, the only way is for you to kill and get Harry's heart." Hermione, surprised by this, jumped a few steps back from Cho with a loud gasp and a frantic heart.
"Cho," She whispered almost inaudibly. "Did I just heard kill and get Harry's heart?" Hermione asked for a clearance.
"Uhh, I…I told it'll hurt a lot", Cho said. "in the sense that you have to kill the most important guy in the world for you. You have to kill the guy you love."
"Cho are you crazy! Did anyone put you under some sort of curse?" Hermione was now scared of her. She could see in Cho's eyes that she was almost serious with the matter as if she was depending on her very much.
"No, I wasn't cursed. You heard me correctly, Hermione. Now, please," and slowly, Cho was different. "get back to the other room where everyone else is, and be very normal."
"What makes you think I'll do it?" Hermione argued.
"For one is to four, you would be a hero, Hermione. And I'm sure Harry would oblige to it…" Cho wasn't done yet, but Hermione already was interjecting.
"A hero? Tell me in which part of this plan of yours makes me a hero. Would I be a hero when I kill the person that I…" and she stopped.
"What's the matter, mudblood?" Cho taunted with a smile forming on her lips. "Is it love?"
When she could no longer take it, knowing that it was the truth she was trying to hide for so long, she went out of the room avoiding the others, crying, and went straight for the Gryffindor common room and to the girls' dormitory. She knew that consequences would be done when whatever Cho was planning was known to the others, so she couldn't tell anyone. What consequences she did not know just yet, but she knew there would be.
The next day, when she was ready to get out, she found Cho waiting for her at the Entrance Hall, just outside the Great Hall where everyone was taking their breakfast and where talks about yesterday's attack was on-going. Students are to be sent home immediately, by orders of the headmaster, for their safety.
She tried to avoid her and get inside the Hall with the others to have her breakfast but she was simply dragged out to the courtyard and into a quiet corner where they could not be seen.
"You have to do it tonight." Cho insisted.
"What makes you think I'm doing it, Cho?" She thought of the possible threats she could give her, but nothing that threatening crossed her mind, not enough to make her do it.
"How about for the lives of your muggle parents?"
At this, Hermione's head snapped up. Her body began to shake with fear.
"My parents? I don't believe they're in danger." And she did not for she doesn't know how the Dark Forces could get into her parents.
"Let's see, shall we?" Cho took a locket out from inside her shirt and opened it. Soon, an image was seen in the air.
Hermione almost gave out a cry when she saw that her parents were with Death Eaters in a place she could not recognize.
"I don't believe you. They don't have them." She tried to stay strong.
"And if they were, poor, mom and dad would have to suffer because of dear Hermione's fault."
She continued to watch her parents, they seem to be fine, apart from being tied to a chair and blindfolded, and gagged, but apart from that, she could not make out any wounds on them. She was relieved.
"If I do it, will they be safe?" She asked frighteningly.
"Of course, I will see to it personally."
"And if they somehow…got hurt after I do your command?"
"You know how to play, don't you?" Cho wasn't surprised; after all, Hermione is the smartest witch of the generation.
"Well?"
"If you have done what the Dark Lord wants you to do, and your parents got hurt, then maybe he would be as to kind enough to end your life as well to be with them in the afterlife."
Hermione was growing angrier by the minute that passes, but she could not make a move for her parents' lives were indeed at stake in here.
With a final decision, she said, "I'll do it."
"Very good," And Cho closed the necklace and hid it back inside her uniform.
"You will strike Harry with this dagger, and then place his heart in this box, then you would give it to me as soon as you can." Her hands won't take them, knowing that it was wrong, but she had to. She took the materials from Cho with tears falling to her cheeks and down her face.
That night, when everyone else was asleep, Hermione stood up from her bed and took the dagger and box from under her bed, wore a robe, and crept inside the boys' dormitory. unhurriedly and quietly, she went towards Harry Potter's bed with tears running down her face. Panting and catching quick, shallow, breaths, she holds the knife on her right and the box on her left. Her tears began to fall on the Harry's bed's edge as she stood at the foot looking at him as he sleep with his mouth slightly open. Panic and fear running over her entire body, her hand began to lose the clutch on the dagger, and soon, it fell off and made a small sound as it drop to the wooden floor. No one heard the clatter, thank goodness, no one except, Harry who stirred and opened his eyes.
He quickly took his glasses from the bedside table and wore them only to see Hermione wrapping her arms around herself and little by little dropping on her knees at the foot of his bed.
Harry, not knowing what else to do, stood up and went to her, and wrapped his arms around her for comfort.
"What's the matter, Hermione?" He asked her softly not to wake someone else. In the darkness, but with the moonlight passing through the window, he managed to catch a glimpse of the blade that had fallen on the floor.
"What's with the knife?"
"I'm so-sorry, H-Harry. I am so, so sorry. I do-don't want to-to do it…" she cried in between sobs.
"Why are you sorry? Hermione?" when Hermione didn't respond, Harry shook her lightly by her shoulders.
She can't answer, so she simply stood up and ran out of the boys' dormitory, out of the common room, through the dark hallways where the paintings snore loudly, and out to the Stone Circle where she cried her heart out on her own in the cold of the night.
Back at the castle, Harry went to follow her but could not make out as to where she went. He searched the entire night and when he knew he would not be able to find her, he went to retire and continue tomorrow.
And true enough, he did go to search for her when the students were one by one flooding out for their breakfast. As he pass familiar faces and friends, he asked them whether they somehow caught a glimpse of Hermione but all of them answered with a 'no' or a shake of their heads and a 'sorry'.
While Harry was asking out however, he managed to inquire Cho who was surprised to see him. When she told him that she has no idea as to where Hermione is, he went away asking more students.
Cho was lying though, for she has an idea of Hermione's whereabouts. She went out and went on foot to Hogsmeade and to The Three Broomsticks.
Indeed that is where Hermione was for she went there when it was dawn after she stayed the entire night awake and crying over the stone table. She went to standby there, gazing out the window when she saw Cho heading her way and eyes boring on hers.
"I'll give you another chance." Cho said when they were face to face on a table by the corner. "This time, bring him over the Shrieking Shack alone. This is your last chance or else, you know what happens to your parents and the others." Without hearing a word on Hermione's side, Cho went out and walked back to school and after a few minutes Hermione followed and stayed on her own for the rest of the day.
That night after she packed everything for the travel home tomorrow right after breakfast, she went to convince Harry to come with her with the excuse of explaining about the night before.
"Sure, I would like to understand." He plainly answered.
"I'll see you at the courtyard in ten minutes then.' She said in a flat and dead tone before leaving the room.
After ten minutes, they met and headed out from the grounds.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked as they went down the Stone Circle.
"You'll see." She tried to sound happy enough, but she couldn't. The thought of pretending to be happy even made her sick. Tears ran down her face quietly but Harry knew she was crying. For some reason, her voice gave her away.
Arriving at the Shrieking Shack, Harry got even more confused as to why they stand before the immobilized Whomping Willow that two years ago, were crushing them to death. Still, he kept the questions to himself for he was beginning to get worried for Hermione, for if she was only to explain, why the Shrieking Shack at this late hour of the night.
When they were inside, Harry found out that he and Hermione weren't the only ones there because he saw Cho standing inside a room at the top, wearing black.
"Cho? What are you doing here? Hermoine, wha— " He was cut off when from the corner of his eyes, he managed to glance at the ceiling and loads of Dementors were there, circling around, waiting.
"Hermione?" He began to pull her with him out the Shack.
"Oh, don't be frightened Harry. She's kind enough to simply bring you rather than do the job herself."
"What job?"
"Last night, I'm sure was full of questions, wasn't it?"
"Last night?" and then Harry looked at Hermione as the thought dawned upon him. "Last night, with the knife and you in the dormitory, you were trying to kill me?" It was a question that a statement for he was surprised at his own idea.
"It was the only way to save her parents and your friends, I'm afraid. If only she knew that her parents aren't even in the simplest danger." Cho laughed.
"How dare you!" Hermione grabbed for her wand and aimed it at Cho.
"Don't be a fool, Hermione, you can't fight us all." And slowly, hooded, dark figures began to appear from everywhere. With this, Harry also began to aim his wand at anyone who gets close, ready for a stunning spell.
"I'm so sorry, Harry. I thought…" Hermione cried.
"Shush!" He quieted her.
"You were lucky, Harry, she was too weak to kill you. You were lucky that you did not die not knowing that she somehow has feelings for you." Cho folded the sleeves of her dress and on her arms was the Dark mark that consists of a snake and a skull.
"Let me tell you as to why she was in your dormitory last night. I told her that the only way to save your friends was that if you were dead so I asked her to kill you and get me your heart." Harry could not believe it. Not a word of what he was hearing.
"Hermione?" He called. "Is it true?"
"I'm sorry," Was all that she could mutter under her breath.
Two Death Eaters went for Harry and he was unprepared because he was trying to look at Hermione. They grabbed him by his wrists and held him quite firmly.
"Greyback," Cho called, "get the prisoners and pass them along to Miss Granger over here. We shall summon the Dark Lord for Harry Potter's doom." And with that, Cho touched the tip of her wand onto the dark mark on her skin and suddenly.
Harry's scar prickled at its highest point; to him it was like ripping open his skin. He felt it burning although it wasn't. He started to scream at the top of his lungs and his screams echoed through the old, rickety house.
Ernie, Angelina, and Luna were with Hermione by now and they were surrounded by Death Eaters.
"Why are you doing this Cho? What have they done to you?" Hermione was crying but Cho did not answer, instead, she looked out at the only window in the room, scanning the darkened skies for the Dark Lord.
Soon, the wind was even stronger that the entire house was almost destroyed as it swayed back and forth. In a few more moments, everything went still and silent, except for Harry's continuous screaming.
"Master," Cho said and everyone in dark clothes bowed down as You-Know-Who walked in flanked by more Death Eaters. Hermione and the others were staring wide eyed and frozen in place, not knowing what to do now that they find themselves in the very presence of the Dark Lord.
"Greyback!" A woman's voice called. "Where's the boy?" Bellatrix Lestrange's face appeared from behind the Dark Lord.
"No! Stand aside." Vlodemort ordered. "I'll finish him myself."
Seeing Harry, the Dark Lord raised his yew wand and Harry's scar was in pain like nothing before. He was in pure agony and he begins to writhe in pain on the floor.
"But first," The Dark Lord smiled. "Crucio!"
And then Harry screamed even louder, but with his voice breaking.
"Crucio!"
"Please stop it!" Hermione was crying from the corner. The Dark Lord could hear him, but he was too wrapped up with the joy of killing Harry Potter, his nemesis, to care about others for now.
Thus, with a final scream of pain from Harry…
"Avada Kedavra!"
"NO!"
And a final shriek echoed all over the place along with the flash of green light.
The lifeless body fell to the floor with a thud and ceased moving. Everyone was still, no one dared to move, not even the Dark Lord who was staring at the scene in front of him.
In front of him, and everyone else, at the very center of the room, now lies the motionless body of Hermione Granger.
"Hermione?" Harry called in a whisper as strived to get up from the floor. "Hermione?" He called again, but nothing. He turned over her body and brushed away her bushy hair from her face.
Harry began to cry. Tightly, he wrapped Hermione in his hug, not wanting to let go until,
"Such tragedy: to die for someone," The Dark Lord said, "who isn't worth dying for."
Harry was now enraged. He laid Hermione's body back on the floor, gently, and stood up fast with fury in his eyes. He quickly cast a spell onto Voldemort, in time for him to make another killing curse directly at him.
The room was filled with bright lights as The Boy Who Lived and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fought once again.
Ending the spells and curses at the same time, Harry cast another instantly but Voldemort had disapparated along with his minions, leaving only Ernie, Angelina, Luna, Harry, and Hermione's dead body.
He quietly returned back to the castle with the three imprisoned students walking behind him without speaking a word to him knowing that he was grieving. Inside the Hall, he was greeted by the staff along with the headmaster who were all looking like they don't know what to do to help, and truth be told, they did not know what to do indeed.
"Harry," Professor Dumbledore began.
"Don't" He snapped fiercely as he continued his way up the moving staircases.
On his way, the pictures and paintings on the wall were all gossiping and looking as he pass but they were smart enough not to make him see what they were doing. He spoke the password when he stood in front of the painting of the Fat Lady that serves as the doorway to the Gryffindor common room. When the door swung open, he continued inside only to find everyone else awake and seemingly waiting for him and Hermione.
Ignoring the students, he made his way up the stairs to the Boys' Dormitory and laid Hermione down on top of his bed and he simply stared at her while crying unashamedly.
He strokes her hair and cried even more.
No one dared to enter the room, not even Ron. They were all downstairs, looking at each other, all refusing to talk, simply staring.
The painting swung open and Albus Dumbledore stepped in together with Minerva McGonagall. They all moved back to make way for the headmaster of Hogwarts as he trotted up the stairs to where Harry and Hermione are.
Professor McGonagall stayed with the students, explaining to them what happened in the simplest and sketchy way she possibly can.
Dumbledore did not knock on the door, it was open partially and so he let himself in and Harry did not even look up from Hermione, he was now holding her hand.
"Harry," Dumbledore began as he looked into Harry's tired and red eyes. "I could only imagine as to what you feel at the moment. I am very sorry for Ms. Granger's loss."
"She saved me." It was all that he could tell him.
"I know. He blocked you from Lord Voldemort's curse which was intended for you."
"It was supposed to be me." He gritted the words on his teeth. On this, Dumbledore did not spoke for he decided to listen. It would be best for now.
"Cho," Harry said with pure hatred. "She's a Death Eater. It's all her fault!" He screamed.
"Yes, Ms. Chang is indeed now a Death Eater. I am sorry again Harry."
"Sorry can't bring Hermione back." He snapped.
"No," and Dumbledore put his head down playing with a small bag on his hands, "but this can."
And Harry looked up almost immediately after hearing Dumbledore's words. He quickly took the bag from Dumbledore and opened it while looking at his Headmaster.
Something small rolled on Harry's palm and when he looked, it was a small stone.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's a stone that could resurrect the dead, and only works with one thing."
"What's that?" Harry asked, observing the stone in his hands.
"Love," Albus replied.
"Love," Harry whispered.
He gently wrapped the stone with Hermione's now cold hands and made her lifeless body hold it with the help of his own strength as he hold Hermione's hands once more.
The Headmaster stood up and faced toward the door, he was to leave but not before saying, "you would have to believe in it," in a whisper.
In a few seconds, Harry was only staring at Hermione and was rubbing her hands gently with his thumb and then,
"Please, Hermione." He begged. "Please wake up. You're not supposed to be dead."
He placed Hermione's hands then on his lips, kissing it lightly before he continued his pleas with tears again.
"Hermione, I'm begging you." He closed his eyes this time, thinking of all the wonderful times he'd spent with her and Ron on their five years together in school.
"Think of your family, Hermione, your friends." And he thought of the faces of Hermione's parents during that one time he saw them in Diagon Alley on his Second Year.
"They need you, Hermione. We need you. I need you." He whispered and he slowly lowered himself upon Hermione's face and toward her lips.
"I love you." And he kissed her softly.
He continued to hold her hands as he put his head down on the bed's sheet. He cried and hoped for Hermione to wake up soon, he don't know what to do if she did not. How would her parents take it? Her friends?
How can he live knowing that she died saving him, like his parents?
How?
He was losing hope and trust, but he tried to hold on, and for a few more moments, silence continued to envelope them along with the stillness of the surroundings, until he felt her fingers twitch just the tiniest bit.
He wasn't quite sure if it actually did but he was hoping it did. He looked up and looked at her through teary eyes.
"Hermione?" he called once again sounding and being hopeful. He raised his hands as it still holds Hermione's and the stone.
"Hermione, please squeeze my hands." He begged and he could not make out his feelings when he felt her hands wrapping tighter and tighter on his.
"Hermione?" He called, now sitting up straighter and nearer.
"Harry?" she spoke.
"Hey," it was that entire he could say for he was too happy to actually think of anything to say.
"Harry?" she called a little louder than her almost inaudible whisper earlier.
"I'm here, Hermione. I'm here."
"Harry," It was now calling and not asking. She looked at him with tired eyes and that which is covered with dreadful weakness.
"Its okay, Hermione, you're okay now. You're safe." He told her.
"Harry," Hermione was now facing him and almost trying to smile. A tear escaped her eye and she slowly told him before she fell to unconsciousness that Harry knew, "I love you."
Sure that she was no longer dead, and only asleep, he kisses her and held her hand even tighter, as if it wasn't the tightest yet, and replied,
"I love you, too."
She was brought over to St. Mungo's afterwards, since the students were sent home the following day and Harry was always there, even when Hermione's parents are.
It was eight in the morning and she was asleep on the cot while Harry was on a huge reclining chair by her bedside, watching over her for the past week she was staying there. Hermione's parents were at the hospital's cafeteria for breakfast and they would come up with some for Harry. Hermione's were being delivered.
She was stable for now, but her parents insisted she stayed so that the Healers can look after her until she was surely stable.
She woke up fifteen minutes later, and Harry made the usual talk with her on how she was feeling.
On the first time she woke up, she had asked Harry on whether he would like to know what Heaven looked like.
"I'm fine, Harry, seriously." She insisted as she stifled a laugh.
"If you say so,"
They continued their conversation until her parents returned with Harry's breakfast and as he eats on a small table on a corner, Hermione had a chat with her parents.
By 10 AM, the Weasley's came over to visit along with Luna and Neville and Mrs. Weasley brought over some pumpkin soup for her.
"Look at this," Ron told Harry as he hand out a Daily Prophet.
The Order of the Phoenix had kept the story about Hermione, Harry, and the Dark Lord for a week, but not anymore, on the front page was the headline in bold letters:
THE DARK LORD HAS RETURNED.
And under it on a smaller article but not so small that it was still noticeable:
'THE GIRL WHO LIVED'
And a picture of Hermione was printed on the side, she was smiling.
Harry began to wonder where they received the information they wrote in here, if ever they were near to the truth, but Ron's words broke him away from the train of thoughts.
"Blimey, I guess you are 'The Girl Who Lived' now, eh?" he said, facing Hermione who has her own Daily Prophet being read given to her by Ginny.
"They exaggerate too much." She sighs and closed the page.
"Like there's something new with that." One of the twins chuckled.
"Well, at least the world now knows that You-Know-Who's back." Luna said in her small voice. "Father also published a story on The Quibbler."
"Yeah," Neville answered, approving of the whole wizarding world knowing that the Dark Lord has returned.
"We're all going to be prepared the next time he attacks." Ron added.
"And he's going to pay for everything he's done." Harry, as he stared at the newspaper's picture of You-Know-Who, promised.
And so the rebellion begins…
Review! Review! Review!
Well, folks, we've had such a long one-shot but I have to admit that it is far better than the original, don't worry though, I just added details and I think I got a little carried away. :D
This is going to be a 'two-shot' if you want the original, 'The Captured Heart' published. Tell me via review if you want read it.
Thanks for reading!
~a000stories