Disclaimer: Don't own, just having fun.
Chapter Two: The Road Less Traveled
Hermione stood in the middle of the battle field surrounded by the dead. Empty eyes stared up at the black sky; the ground was painted red with the blood of the lost. A cold wind curled its fingers into her skin, making her shiver from more than the temperature. This was her personal hell. She cast around looking for someone alive, hoping beyond hope that she was not the only one to survive the horror of the day. She knew she was alone.
Off in the distance stood a dark cloaked figure, it slowly beckoned her to come forward. Compelled to approach the unknown entity she walked forward, warily stepping around the dead at her feet. She could not make out the person in front her, for it seemed to be made out of the shadows. At once her mind conjured up the images of the dementors.
She stopped herself when she realized that she stood before a great chasm, looking down she could not see the bottom. The cloaked figure approached her and looked down as well, "What you seek is down there." It stated.
She looked at it warily and then back at the black pit before her, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," it whispered.
Tiny little pin pricks started up her arm and she backed away, "No, I don't think so."
Boney white fingers shot out and grabbed her arm, making her scream in fear. The darkness seemed to be creeping over her making it hard to breathe, and she fought the hold on her arm. She felt herself being dragged to the pit again, and deep down she knew that it would be the end of her if she was pulled into the depths below.
A bright white light flared behind her making her and the dark being turn around, and right in front of her now was none other than Harry. He glowed as he walked toward Hermione and she wept with relief as the darkness faded away. He held out his hand to her and she took it gratefully.
The grim battle field faded away to the lake that was surrounding Hogwarts, and sitting by the great oak was Harry. "Come sit with me."
Hermione stood for a moment and let the sun cascade down on her, she felt the warmth washed away her earlier fear. Then she smiled at Harry and sat by him on the grass. He reached out and held her hand and looked at her sadly. "I don't want to lose you to the darkness Hermione, you are way too important to me for that to happen."
She gave him a concerned look, "I am not planning on falling into the darkness Harry and you are getting concerned about nothing."
He rubbed his thumb against her knuckles and looked deep into her brown eyes, "How long have you been stuck on that battle field Hermione? How long have you tried to fight off jumping off the edge? You are the brightest witch of our generation Hermione, think real hard on what is going on with yourself and I know you'll figure it out." He leaned forward and brushed his lips acrossed hers and then whispered, "Its time to wake up now."
Hermione eyes shot open and she sat up in bed, her heart beating rapidly. It took her a moment to realize that she was in her room at her parent's house. She brought her shaking hand up to her face and touched her lips; she could still feel his kiss. Sighing heavily she turned on her bedside lamp and grabbed the glass of water that she kept there and drank its entire contents. She then picked up her notebook and wrote out her latest dream.
She had been home for almost three months from the hospital and at first she had screaming nightmares as she was coming off of the potions that she was on. It was a horridly painful experience and she had to fight off the desire to slip back into oblivion she was under. Then the muggle psychologist she was seeing suggested she keep a dream journal by her bed at night and write out all her dreams she had, good or bad.
She had pages upon pages describing the battle and the horrid dark figure who beckoned her to fall into the pit, but tonight something different happened. It was the first night that Harry had come to her and took her away, that he felt so real disturbed her.
It has been six months since his death and she still was coming to grips that he was really gone. While in the hospital she had hallucinations that he was right there with her all the time. Yet, none of those experiences felt as real as the dream she just experienced. Even the dark battle field felt more real to her.
She lifted up the sleeve of her night shirt and looked at her arm where those chilling boney hands had grabbed her. There on her arm was a red impression, similar shape as a hand gripping her arm. "Oh god," She whimpered.
Ron sat in the Granger's living room with Hermione trying to think of something worthwhile to say. He had not seen her since her first day home; he had come one night when she was still coming off the potions to put up dampening wards around her room. Her accidental magic out put could have been dangerous without them.
He superstitiously looked at her; she was a lot thinner, her hair tucked up into a loose bun. Her eyes were dull, but not empty as they were, and he could not miss the dark circles under her eyes. "How are you doing?"
She smiled softly and took Ron's hand in hers, "Better, I still have some rough nights, but it's mostly better."
"I have been very worried about you for months." He rubbed his thumb against her knuckles and Hermione started to get unsettled, she pulled her hands out of his grasp.
"I'm sorry, it's . . .," she started to sob quietly in her hands, and Ron held her to him, just hoping his presence wasn't making it worse on her. "I dreamed of Harry last night for the first time in months and it felt so real. Everything felt so real, and I think that's what frightens me most."
"It's hard letting go; he was a big part of our lives." Ron said quietly.
Leaning her head on Ron's shoulder she tried to let his embrace comfort the pain she felt inside, "How is your family doing?"
"Its amazing how different everything is now, Mum still tries to treat like I'm four but I reassure her quite often that I am capable of taking care of myself. Dad is fascinated with my flat that I have in London, because it came furnished and it included a telly. I came home and caught him watching a channel with nothing but static. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was staring at nothing." He smiled to himself knowing that Hermione couldn't see his face, "Bill and Fluer are expecting their first child soon."
"Really?" Hermione asked.
"Its weird you know, that my brother is going to be a Dad."
"That's what happens when you grow up, Ron."
"Hmm, well it's still odd to think about. Let's see, the twins have rebuilt their shop in Diagon Alley and would like to open one in Hogsmead. Charlie has gone back to Romania with the dragons. Percy the great git is the same and Ginny, well she's coping."
"I miss Ginny, do you think she could come and visit me soon?" Hermione sat back and looked at Ron with red rimmed eyes.
"I can always ask, she has been worried about you too."
"I think I am beginning to understand what Harry felt when we all worried about him, it gets tiresome."
Ron chuckled and hugged Hermione again, "It's the price you pay when people care about you."
"When did you become so sensitive?" She narrowed her eyes at him.
"It was always there, it just took me a while to realize it. I think I grew up." Ron gave Hermione a bewildered look.
She giggled and shook her head at him, "Wow wonders never cease to amaze me."
"Ha ha, laugh it up. It is nice to hear though."
"Yes, well I need to once in a while. Otherwise I'd be a total drag to be around. How is school going?"
Ron pulled a face and then sighed, "You know, I think I should have listened to you and tried to study harder. It's grueling, some times I think all I do is homework and attend lectures. We are not allowed to do any practical spell work for a whole year. I am also learning my potions, I still am a horrible brewer, but being able to understand the properties and application is all I really need to become a healer."
She looked at him wistfully, "I really miss school."
"Nothing is to prevent you from attending some muggle classes at the University. It would be a shame if you let you brain go to mush." He teased.
"I think I might when I feel less like an emotional basket case. I just might take some random courses until I get my wand back, then I'll decide what I really want to do."
"It sounds like a good plan." Ron looked at the clock and noticed that he should be going, "Your mother has my phone number if you need to talk to me, call me any time of the night, and I mean that."
"I promise, if I need you I will let you know." She kissed Ron's cheek and walked him to the door and waved to him goodbye.
Hermione stood at the top of the astronomy tower looking out over the moonlit night. The cool air was refreshing and a sense of peace settled over her.
"Hermione," quietly called a voice behind her.
She turned around and behind her stood Harry; he had a gentle smile on his face as he walked closer to her. She reached out her hands and he took them into hers, "I am glad you came here to me instead of there."
She frowned at him, not sure what he was referring to, "Where else would I be Harry?"
He stepped closer to her and touched her face and a sad expression crossed his face, "In the darkness, stuck on that battle field."
"What are you talking about, what battle?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment trying to calm his emotions, "I defeated Voldemort, Hermione." He watched as her eyes grew distant, reclaiming a memory she tried hard to forget. Harry held Hermione to him as the seen shifted in front of them. Instead of being on the Astronomy tower, they stood in a grave yard and in the middle stood a tomb dedicated to Harry James Potter, The Chosen One.
"You're gone," she whispered. His hold tightened on her, as tears leaked out of her eyes, "I don't know if I can let you go."
Harry started to kiss her tears away and then he kissed her lips, taking her breath away. "I'll stay as long as you need me, Hermione."
She looked into his green eyes and saw deep compassion in them, "How can you be here, when you're dead? Are you a ghost?"
"No, I'm not a ghost."
"Then I am going crazy, I'm still hallucinating that you're still alive." She tried to pull away, but Harry wouldn't let her go.
"You're not hallucinating, Hermione."
She struggled further with his hold; she was quickly becoming very frightened with what was going on, "This is not real! This is NOT REAL!"
"Hermione, please!"
"NO!" She broke from his grasp and started to back away from him, then when she turned around the dark cloaked figure from her nightmares was right in front of her. She now found herself on the battlefield.
The dark being grabbed her, and this time she screamed in pain. In one pale hand held a black dagger, with on quick movement it had cut Hermione's left arm. Her vision started to haze as the pain clouded her mind.
Harry came forward and with a sword faced off with the cloaked being, "You will not have her!"
The being drew his own dark sword, "It is only a matter of time."
"Not now, or any lifetime will I allow this!" Harry placed himself between Hermione and the dark being.
A chill wind began to rush through the desecrated grounds; Hermione felt the coldness all the way to her very soul. "You can not stop what has been started, we will have her."
A dangerous light flashed in Harry's eyes as his face grew serious. He raised his sword further and stocked after his enemy. They circled each other, eerily similar to the deadly dance that Harry had with Voldemort. Harry stuck first and the swords met with a loud clang, and back and forth they thrust and parried. The battle grew fierce and Harry fought the darkness and pushed away from Hermione. He than shouted, "Wake up, its time to wake up now. Go!"
Hermione sat up in her bed, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She felt something wet running down her left arm, with a deep dread she looked and there was blood coming from a wound on her forearm. She screamed.