Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. Steve Perry plot concept stolen shamelessly...

Chapter Three: Into the Shadows

After a short while Harry and Hermione made their way into the Department of Mysteries. As they arrived in the antechamber, Harry looked over and saw that Hermione had a rather nervous look on her face.

"You don't have to do this Hermione," Harry whispered to her.

"Yes I do Harry. I have to see this through just as you do." She sounded a lot braver than she looked however.

"Alright 'Mione, I just wanted to give you an option. It's only too late when you step through. I won't think any worse of you."

"I would think worse of me Harry."

"Right then, let's get in there." He grabbed her hand and led her in through the door. They stepped into a small chamber with a dozen doors laid out in a circular pattern.

"Which one Harry?"

Harry furrowed his brow in concentration. He seemed to be reaching out with his mind. He stood stock still for a few minutes before opening his eyes. He turned to his left and finally his eyes settled on a door. "That one," he said simply.

Not waiting for him Hermione walked over to the door and opened it. She walked into a large rectangular room. In it was a sunken pit, perhaps some twenty feet deep. There were stone steps going down into the pit, and the sides were lined with benches. In the center of the pit was a raised stone dais, and upon this dais was an archway, unsupported by walls on any side. The archway was covered with a tattered black curtain which rippled slightly, as if a breeze were blowing across it.

"It's cold in here Harry," Hermione said, shivering slightly.

"Yeah, it is," he commented as he joined her. "Do you hear it 'Mione?" He cocked his head to one side and listened intently.

She listened to see if she could indeed hear what he was listening to. Sure enough, she could just make out a low whispering sound, as if voices were coming from beyond the veil.

"I hear it Harry, this time I hear it."

"I'm glad you can. I'm going to assume that I'm not going crazy then."

"Well, if you are then we both are I guess."

"I spent a good amount of time studying everything I could on this portal, during my lucid times anyway. I'm pretty sure that the passage through is intended to rip the soul out of the body. We have to protect ourselves from this at that point. I'm going to use an old spell that was designed to keep the soul and body attached, even at the point of death."

He pulled out his wand and drew her close to him. Before he started the incantation though, he paused. "Before we go through with this I want to tell you something."

"What's that Harry?"

"In case something should happen while we're on the other side, I wanted you to know that I love you Hermione."

Her eyes grew wide. "I… I love you too Harry."

"I wish I could give you the kind of love you deserve. You were the first girl in my life, and you should be loved and cherished and cared for. I wish to Merlin that I could give you that. I understand myself well enough now to know that I could never give you what you deserve. My truest love is reserved for one woman only, and I made that choice long ago."

"I know that Harry. I've known it for a long time."

"I just thought you should know how I felt. If it hadn't been for Ginny I might have been able to let my love for you develop into something more."

"I'm content with what we have Harry. I don't need more. I'll always be there for you, and you'll be there for me. In a lot of ways we're more intimate than most couples. We know each other better than most Harry. You don't have to say any more."

He didn't say anything else, what could he say to that. He just nodded his head. When he brought it back up there was a wicked gleam in his eye that took her breath away. He pulled her close and his lips captured hers in a breathtaking kiss. When he broke the embrace he whispered to her "For luck," he said while thinking of a Muggle movie hero that had received a kiss in a situation very much like this.

It was a completely stunned Hermione who watched him draw a circle around them with his wand. "Aeternitas!" he commanded. "The spell is dependent upon the strength of will of the caster. If the caster's will is sufficient, there isn't a force in the universe that can kill him. After all that I've been through, I'm betting that my will is stronger than anything the veil can throw at us. Ready?"

"As ready as I ever will be Harry."

"Let's go then." Hand in hand they walked to the veil. Harry pushed it aside and stared at the opening. It was almost like looking at something that wasn't there. There was a sense of motion, but he really couldn't see anything. It was as if it were swirling. He could almost feel the hairs on his arm following a circular pattern.

"Harry, this hurts to see. I can almost see it, yet I can't!" Hermione's voice was almost a shrill shriek now.

"I know what you mean!" he answered, his own voice starting to pitch up an octave or two. "We've got to go in before staring at this robs me of my will! On the count of three! One! Two! Three!

As one they jumped into the vortex (as Harry had come to think of it). Pain ripped through Harry as he felt a tearing sensation deep within himself. He braced his mind and fought. Fought to keep himself alive. Fought to keep Hermione with him. Fought for his quest. Fought for his best friend. Fought for his wife. Fought for his future. Fought for his children (where did that come from?).

Harry fought with every fiber of his being. He fought until he thought he must break, that no mortal man could possibly withstand what he was going through.

Just when he thought he was going to give in the feeling lessened. He didn't dare relax his vigil until the pain had fully subsided. When at last the pain had passed, he relaxed. He opened his eyes (he hadn't even realized that he'd shut them). He looked down and saw that he was sitting on some sort of rocky ground. He still had a grip on Hermione's hand. She appeared to be unconscious, though she was breathing. He opened his mind, using what he had been taught of legilimency, and found her thoughts there, though a little muddled and blurry.

Gently he shook her to rouse her. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment, and then shot open. "Harry?" She cast around furiously until her eyes fell upon him. A look of abject relief came across her face. "Are we alive?"

"We seem to be," Harry commented. "Pretty dismal place, this."

She looked around and seemed to agree. It was dark and dreary. It was almost as if all the color had been drained from the place. Everything was cast in a pale shade of gray.

"Rather depressing actually. Shall we get moving Harry?" She looked at him and he nodded. "Which way?"

"Hadn't actually thought it out that far in advance," Harry admitted. "Might as well go this way. It all seems to be the same anyway."

They wandered for a ways when it started. It was subtle at first. Just a little random whispering.

(who who who…)

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah"

"What do you think it is Harry?"

"Maybe it's the voices that we heard behind the veil.

(what what what…)

"I don't think I like this Harry. It's really pretty creepy."

"I think I agree with you 'Mione."

(why why why…)

They kept on walking for what seemed an eternity. It all seemed the same. The landscape just kept on being the same.

(wither which why… who wether where…)

"I wish they'd bloody well stop."

(wonder wonder whoop)

(hiss hiccup hair)

"They're getting worse 'Mione. It's getting hard to concentrate."

She pulled her wand. "Silencio!"

(ha hip hop hep)

"Damn."

(whiz beep pip bang)

"Make it stop Harry!" Hermione was crying now, the tears streaming down her face.

"I'm trying Hermione! Can't you see that?"

She sunk to her knees. "Please Harry. It's like it was when I was in St. Mungo's. Please."

Harry placed his wand on his palm. "Point me," he murmured. The wand started spinning on his hand, not stopping to show him North. He was about to give up in frustration when it stopped and pointed off in a random direction. Looking to where it was pointing he saw a pinpoint of light.

(zip die wither bomp)

"I think I've found something Hermione." He looked down and saw her curling up in a ball. He picked her up and started carrying her towards the light.

It seemed to take forever, but thankfully, she seemed to be much lighter here than she would have been back in London. As they approached the light seemed to expand until it was almost a solid wall in front of them.

(crazy will tinkle jump)

Throwing caution to the wind he plunged through the light barrier.

(tree help di…)

The voices stopped the instant they passed through. It seemed that they had entered some sort of euphoric paradise. There were rolling hills, and oh the colors. Everything was vibrant and wonderful. It was something out of a dream. Harry was filled with a sense of peace and tranquility.

He gently laid Hermione down on the grass. Her hair spread out around her in an angelic pattern. She had never looked more beautiful. She let a contented little sigh out of her and relaxed with a pleasurable shudder.

Harry sat down next to her and reached out to stroke her hair. It felt so soft and luxurious. He was overcome by an urge to lay down next to her. As he did so he realized how completely knackered he was. It was the first peace they had had since entering this place.

He looked over at Hermione and realized she was asleep. It looked so peaceful. He closed his eyes and let the waves of drowsiness wash over him. His last conscious thought was how wonderful it would be to just lie here next to her forever.