A/N: This is going to be a big project, so I suggest story alerting if you like it!
Most of it is themed around Ron and Hermione's relationship development and struggles, but there is also another character quite fixed in the story. Other characters will appear as main plot points as the story goes on, but you're going to have to wait for those to be unravelled. *wink* Enjoy.
ps. It takes place in the trio's sixth year at Hogwarts, though some real events may either be altered or not portrayed. Ron/Hermione/OC POV alternating mainly, with very short POV cameos from others.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters for this whole story, the mighty J.K. Rowling does.
I still wish you the best of luck baby
And don't go thinking that this was a waste of time
I couldn't forget you if I tried.
You killed what was left of the good in me
I'm tired, so let me be broken and
Look down at the mess that's in front of me
No other words can be spoken
And I've got nobody else to blame though I tried
Kept all of my past mistakes down inside
I'll live with regret for my whole life.
"You be Tails, I'll be Sonic"
- A Day To Remember
They say that in order to find your road of happiness, you must first unchain yourself from painful memories – to forgive, to forget, to get over that bridge and have your life renewed. But 'they' don't know what they're talking about. If they've truly experienced anything, anything, they would know that the bullshit philosophy people try to feed you is nothing more than mere words against raw scars.
It isn't good enough.
The last few happy moments just replay in your head like a record with a scratch. Of course you won't move forward – you just want to squeeze your eyes shut, indulging yourself before your eyes fly open again and you hope you're there, so you can make it right and move on with your life the way you imagined it to.
It doesn't work that way.
To come from a broken household, this place should have been a safe haven, a glimmer of hope that there was still something left living for. Why didn't anyone see he was still the same boy they knew the first six years, but with a desperate gleam in his eye that screamed he needed a hand to pull him out of the water? They drifted anyway.
It couldn't be helped.
He drowned alone painfully, but resurfaced, in some ways worse, but in more appealing ways, better. He was sick of succumbing to the past – it was time to make things right.
His way.
Two months later.
"Take a look, new products have come in!" Ron said excitedly, grabbing a violet box decorated with flashing words.
Hermione plucked one off the shelf, examining it. "'New and improved Extendable Ears – eavesdrop with a higher quality of sound...'" she read aloud.
"Hm," Harry said, looking mildly interested. "Those can come in handy."
"Eavesdropping only ever gets us into trouble," Hermione said disapprovingly, putting the box back down with a thud. "Let's put a bit of effort into avoiding that for once!"
Harry and Ron gave each other a knowing glance and tried hiding their laughter, which was plainly obviously. Hermione crossed her arms and sniffed, walking past the display. The three of them, along with dozens of Hogwarts students, were packed into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Despite the cold and snowy state of that Saturday, the turnout was more alarming than Hermione had expected. She found herself tugging at her collar because of the growing humidity inside.
"Now these are useful," Harry said, picking up a box of Smart Quills. "Essay writing would be a breeze."
Ron nodded vigorously, the tassels on his hat swinging. "Put those in the bag."
Hermione shook her head slowly. "You guys don't learn, do you?"
"Oh don't be a killjoy, Hermione, they're not going to write essays for us. They'll just... help us along the way," Ron pointed out. "Like you do. Now we won't bother you again!"
"Appealing idea," she laughed, which triggered a sudden bout of coughs. Hermione covered her mouth with a hand and turned away. She was hoping her small fever would go away, but it only seemed to be getting worse, much to her dismay.
"Your eyes are red," Harry said, concerned. "Maybe this trip wasn't such a great idea."
Hermione shook her head, wheezing. "No, no – there's no need for all of us to leave. I'll head back up to the castle." She buttoned up her coat right up to her neck.
"Are you sure?" Ron asked keenly, touching her lightly on the shoulder. She nodded, putting on her gloves.
"We'll bring you back some sweets from Honeydukes, then."
She smiled weakly and pushed her way past the throng of students towards the exit.
Out in the street, there was minimal people loitering about – the temperature dipped down well below zero and most people were either inside a store or tucked comfortably within the Three Broomsticks with a toasty cup of Butterbeer. Snow fell from the sky softly, adding to the thirty centimetres already on the ground. The small town looked like the perfect snow globe.
Hermione crossed her arms tightly and hurried up the street towards the path to Hogwarts, her cheeks hot with fever. The wind howled, blowing snow off the roofs of shops, impairing her vision. She trudged on wearily, narrowing her eyes to avoid snow hitting them.
The crunch of snow beneath her boots soon became the only thing Hermione could hear including the wind's moans. She was nearing the mouth of Hogsmeade, where only a couple of shacked up stores lingered. No more students seemed to be coming down from the castle, and no one but herself was heading back this early.
A chill ran up her spine and she started coughing violently again. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the wave to pass when suddenly, she couldn't hear herself coughing anymore – but she was still coughing.
Before she could wonder whether or not she was dreaming, two strong arms snatched her from behind and proceeded to drag her in between two of the abandoned shops. Hermione's heart leapt with shock and she tried screaming, but no sound came out. She struggled against her perpetrator, kicking back against his or her ankles.
"Stop it," the person demanded gruffly – it was a male voice, but he sounded relatively young. She ignored him and bit the hand that was clasped tightly on her shoulder.
The man swore angrily and twisted Hermione's arm – an excruciatingly sharp pain shot up her arm and she yelped, screwing her eyes shut, though nothing could be heard.
He must have cast a silencing charm on me, Hermione thought, hot tears rolling down her face. As if he could hear what she was thinking, the man dug into her coat and extracted her wand, putting it into his own pocket.
He twisted her around so Hermione stared into his bloodshot eyes – she recognized him immediately, but she didn't know whether it was because he was a student at Hogwarts or not. She saw the grin of a blade, and froze. He jabbed the tip under her chin. With his other hand, he took a small glass bottle out of his pocket filled with a thick blue substance.
"Drink this," he commanded roughly. Hermione shook her head defiantly, her vision blurred with more tears brimming her eyes. He stroked the blade across her jawline and the tears spilt down her face in pain.
"Drink this, or I'll make sure today is the last day of life your Muggle parents will see," he whispered, his hollow gaze piercing her from under his hood. There were dark shadows under his eyes and his face was gaunt. "I guarantee you, I will shatter your life."
Deep fear bubbled in the pit of Hermione's stomach at his void words – was he telling the truth? She didn't know what he was capable of, but she didn't risk the chance. She felt a pang in her heart as she thought about Ron and Harry, rummaging through items in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She longed to race away from this man, back up the street, screaming their names, but she knew there was no point.
Hermione bowed her head, letting her tears drop helplessly onto the snow. She wondered whether or not that was the last time she saw her friends.
The man in front of her took this as a sign of defeat and pushed the bottle towards her. She took it, pulled out the stopper and peered inside – the potion was a sky blue, smelled like berries, and completely alien to Hermione.
With the knife still jabbed below her chin, Hermione screwed her eyes shut and downed the potion. Immediately, she clenched her stomach as her body began to shift. She kept her eyes closed throughout the whole of it – when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in her body.
Hermione straightened up, looking down at herself. She had gotten shorter, and long blonde hair swung onto her face instead of the usual bushy brown. She glared at the man, her eyes flashing with the question of who he had forced her to transform into.
He put the blade back into his pocket, grabbed her arm and leaned forward, staring at her with those horrible, empty eyes.
"You will follow me and act appropriate. Keep your head down and do not look at anyone. Step out of line, and you'll pay miserably," he hissed, his hot breath burning her eyes.
She nodded, hoping that if she just did what she was told, he would let her go eventually. This guy meant business, and she didn't want others paying for her foolish mistakes. She wiped the tear streaks from her face and nodded wretchedly.
He walked out back onto the street and up towards Hogwarts. Hermione followed him silently, her vocal cords still muted. Much to her disappointed, there was still no students on the path.
Though the walk must have been a total of ten minutes, Hermione felt it lasted for hours. When they reached the entrance of the castle, he ushered her inside, shooting her a deadly look. He hurried down one of the halls before ducking into a secret passageway, dragging her along with him.
Soon, they were on the seventh floor. Hermione continued to stare at the ground and not look up at the very few students they passed by.
He must be a student, she thought, gazing at his shoes and the bottom of his robes. No one seems to be questioning him.
He stopped abruptly in an empty hall. Hermione chanced a quick peek – they were standing next to the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. Her perpetrator walked to and fro in front of the empty wall, and she knew he was trying to access the Room of Requirement. Soon enough, a large door materialized and he opened it, grabbing Hermione and yanking her inside.
The half of the room they stood on was plain and empty; the other half was separated from them by thick bars almost like... a jail cell.
The perpetrator pulled her towards the open door of the cell – her new body was much more frail, rendering it useless to fight – and threw her inside. Hermione slammed onto the cold floor, hitting her head against the single chamber pot inside.
She struggled to sit up, disoriented – she wiped the blood trickling down her forehead with her jacket sleeve. She noticed she could hear herself – or rather, the girl she was pretending to be – panting. The charm was finally lifted.
Hermione looked up and blinked – 'he' had taken off his hood and she could see his face without a shadow masking it now. His hair was a messy shock of light brown, framing a narrow, pallid face. He had dark, inky eyelashes that hooded his hollow, bottle-green eyes, and at that moment, his lips formed a thin straight line. She finally recognized him – he was a Hogwarts student, a Ravenclaw in seventh year.
She scrambled up, grabbing the bars of the cell and stared defiantly at him.
"What do you want from me?" she whispered coldly, her voice hoarse.
Suddenly, his eyes grew soft and he had a fidgety expression on his face. In a split second, went from a cold, hard assailant to a regular, nervous seventeen year old.
"I... I need help."
Ohoho, things are going to get real.
I'd appreciate some reviews! What did you like, what didn't you like, all types of comments and feedback are welcome!
-heylooklisten