Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with the series.
Firstly, thank you to those of you that reviewed!
Nynaeve80- Yay! I hoped people would like the kiss between them. I wanted it to be a sweet chapter, but I couldn't resist adding the end bit in. XD
RiOt-GaL- Cliff hangers are love. There will be plenty.
The Real Green Ranger- I'm so glad you loved this chapter. I did as well. I don't know if its my favorite, but it is my fluffiest….well the majority of it is.
ginsensu- You find out what was wrong with her in this chapter.
FayeLibra2317- A. I love your username, as I am a Libra. B. Cursed? No, just…well…read and you will know.
jayley- She could have used magic, but they had just woken up and Lily was freaking out at seeing her friend in such a state. And as far as this relationship working out in the future, who says it does? Only I know the answer to that one. -laughs evilly- Ahem…Anyways…thank you for reading.
magical-mystery-girl- Thank you for reading, and I am trying to update as often as possible, but life keeps interrupting. -kicks life-
Harry, Ron and Ginny were sitting in the common room, text books strewn around them as the dying fire danced in the hearth. The Gryffindors milled around them, casting glances at Harry. Rumors of him being the Chosen One still circulated around the Wizarding world, and because of this students stared, and they lingered where Harry was longer than they normally would have. Members of the DA occasionally scared them off in the attempt to give Harry some peace, but it was always short lived.
It wasn't even hours after the Sorting Feast that questions of where their Head Girl was began, and they were all directed at her best friends. They didn't answer, just looked to McGonagall. Now September was nearly over, and Hermione's birthday came and passed for them. They couldn't stop feeling depressed without their know it all friend constantly badgering them about their homework and their classes. Harry had to resume his hunt for the Horcruxes without her. There was no other choice. It was, after all, his destiny.
Ginny had proved to be useful though, and while she could never take the place of Hermione, she was doing her best to help Harry. He couldn't ask for anything more. He glanced up from the book he was holding on ancient artifacts and relics to look up at Ron, a sad gleam emanating from his emerald eyes. He had almost given up hope on ever finding the remaining Horcruxes, but it was the help that his friends offered him that made him continue. It was the fact that he knew Hermione was still helping them, even though she was twenty years in the past.
"Harry!" said Ginny, her face alight with excitement, "I think I have found it!"
She picked up her book, and plopped down on the scarlet sofa next to him, her finger pointing at a chalice that Harry had seen in a memory. It was Helga Hufflepuff's cup. The same one that Tom Riddle stole from the elderly woman in his younger days. Harry couldn't believe what he was reading.
"It says it belonged to-" said Ginny, who was interrupted by Harry.
"Helga Hufflepuff." He said, "I know. Dumbledore showed me that cup. We just didn't know where it was.
"Its in a muggle museum," said Ginny, "only three blocks away from the Ministry!"
"Why would Voldemort put a part of his soul in a museum?" asked Ron, setting his book aside.
"Its the perfect hiding place," said Harry. "Its in a muggle location, and where no one would think to look. He didn't plan on anyone finding about them, and even if a wizard did, they would have never thought to look in the muggle world. I cant believe it. We located one."
"Harry how are we going to get there?" asked Ginny.
"We?" he said, shooting Ron a glance, "We aren't going anywhere. I am."
"Come on mate," said Ron, "You don't really think we would let you go alone do you?"
"No I suppose not," he said, sinking back into the sofa. He looked over at the red haired girl sitting next to him, and he sighed. He didn't want to put Ginny in danger. He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her. He wouldn't be able to live through losing another person that he loved. He had to find a way to leave without them.
"Don't try it Harry," said Ginny knowingly, "I will not forgive you if you do this alone. Just because it is your destiny does not mean that you have to carry this burden alone."
"She's right Harry," said Ron, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "We could ask some of the DA to go."
"No," said Harry, "I don't want to risk anyone's life."
"It's a muggle museum Harry," said Ron, "How dangerous can it possibly be?"
"You weren't there in that cave Ron," he said darkly, his eyes clouded with memories of that night, "There were dangers in that cave that I would never wish upon anyone. What happens if there are inferi there? What happens if there is deadly curses set as traps? What happens if there are other dangers that we can't even fathom?"
"Then we figure it out Harry, together." said Ginny, placing a comforting hand on his knee.
"Face it mate," said Ron, his hand falling on Harry's shoulder, "we aren't letting you go through this alone."
Hermione was asleep, her eyelids fluttering occasionally, and the small congregation of students were huddled around her bed. Lily's head rested on James' shoulder, and Remus sat at the end of the bed, his amber eyes focused on the young witch. Sirius was sitting to her right his hand gently grasping hers, and he was holding her breath, waiting for her to wake. He felt nervous, but he knew that Madame Pomfrey would take good care of her, and while she had yet to disclose what was wrong, he knew it was nothing serious, else the headmaster would have been called down already. He looked around to the faces of his friends, and he was thankful that they were here. Hermione meant a lot to them all, and though it couldn't be explained, he knew they all felt a familiar connection to her.
"Hey Sirius," came James' voice, causing the grey eyed marauder to look up, "you alright mate?"
"Yeah Prongs," he said, his voice flat, "I'm fine. Just worried is all."
"It'll be alright Sirius," said Lily, moving away from James to join Sirius, "Hermione is a tough witch, she'll be fine."
He smiled weakly at her, and he turned his attention back to Hermione. Her brown curls were strewn about on the pillow, and there was a pained expression on her face while she slept, and he desperately wanted to take that pain away from her, do anything to ease it. He felt her squeeze his hand, and they all jumped when a scream started to pierce the silence. They looked to Hermione and saw tears falling down her face leaving trails of wetness in their wake.
Sirius leaned forward trying to comfort the sleeping girl, while Remus ran to get Madame Pomfrey. Tears were falling faster from her eyes and Sirius didn't know what to do, and he was relieved when Madame Pomfrey arrived, a vial of a thick blue potion in her hand.
"Mr. Black," she said, "I am going to need you to keep her mouth open for me."
Sirius did as he was told, and held her mouth ajar while the nurse poured the liquid into her throat. They waited a few moments, and while occasional words echoed from Hermione's lips, the screaming had stopped.
"Ginny, Harry, Ron, no please not them," said Hermione, her voice plagued by fear and pain, "please don't be dead. Please don't leave me."
The standing teens looked down at their sleeping friend, realizing how little they knew of Hermione's life before she had shown up on the platform that day. Sirius glanced at his friends, noting the look of tiredness that had crept into their eyes. "Why don't you guys go back to sleep, I'll stay here with her."
Lily looked at the other two, and nodded, yawning as she did, "Come get us if anything happens Sirius."
"I will Lily," he said, and before she walked away he reached out, stopping her, "Thank you for getting us." She smiled at him, and nodded down at him, before taking James' hand in her own, and walking out of the hospital wing with James.
"Are you going to be alright Sirius?" asked Remus, his eyes locked onto his friends.
"Yeah Moony," he said, "I'll be fine. I just never realized how little we know about her life outside of Hogwarts."
"I know mate," he said, "I know, but you have the rest of the year to learn about that."
"I think it will take longer than that to learn about all her secrets," he answered his friend, "Go to sleep Moony."
"Goodnight Sirius," he said.
"Night," he answered, turning his eyes back onto Hermione. He reached forward, gently stroking her cheek with his index finger. Sighing he turned his attention to the windows lining the walls of the hospital wing.
Hermione's chocolate eyes fluttered open, and she winced as she tried to sit up, aware of the throbbing pain in the back of her head. She glanced to ebony haired Gryffindor sitting at her side, and she smiled softly. She looked around, taking in the hospital wing, and when she focused her attention back on Sirius, she couldn't help but remember her third year.
"Hermione," said Sirius, his voice interrupting her memories, "You're awake."
"Yeah," she said, "You should be asleep. What time is it anyways?"
"Around five in the morning." he answered her, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm tired. What happened?"
"I don't know," said Sirius, "You were screaming and calling out three names. Harry, Ron and Ginny. It sounded like you were pleading for their lives."
"I did?" she said, dropping her gaze.
"Yeah," he said, "are you alright?"
"Yeah," she said, "just bad dreams I guess."
At that moment Madame Pomfrey joined them, and she felt Hermione's forehead, and nodded, "Fever is gone," she said, and moved her hands down to Hermione's wrist, "and your pulse has slowed. You'll be fine Miss Granger, but I am going to keep you overnight. Mr. Black, back to your dormitory."
Sirius looked to her, a sign of protest upon his face, but she shook her head, "I will not take no for an answer Mr. Black. Now go."
He glared as she walked away, and he turned his gaze to Hermione, "I guess I have to go."
"Sirius," she said, "Overnight isn't that long. Its more than halfway gone. I'll see you at breakfast."
He smiled down at her, "Starting to think like a Marauder m'dear."
She laughed, and waved her hand at him, dismissing him from the hospital wing, and he left with a wink. Falling down into her pillows Hermione closed her eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to fall. She had been dreaming of her friends. She heard footsteps shuffling towards her, and she opened one eye and saw Madame Pomfrey standing above her. She opened her other eye, and sat up.
"Miss Granger," she said, proffering a vial filled with a light violet liquid, "Please drink this."
"Madame Pomfrey," she said, taking the vial, "What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing to worry about," she answered, "You had a panic attack, and the only thing that was unusual was that you were uconscious when it happened. Now, drink up."
Hermione lifted the vial to her lips, and grimaced as the liquid slipped down her throat, "Thank you," she said. Madame Pomfrey nodded to her and walked away, and Hermione leaned back into her pillows again. She closed her eyes once more, and felt herself drifting back into sleep. "I wonder if its started," she whispered.
I really would like to apologize for not updating, but unfortunately I have been sick, and have been having to deal with a trial as well. The hotel I worked at in August was robbed at gun point and I was there at the time, and it just went to court. Needless to say I have been a bit nervous at seeing the guy who held a gun to my head and threatened my life. Work still is busy, and I don't think it is EVER going to slow down. Save me? Please?
Oh, and you may have noticed that I finally typed Sirius' eyes out as grey. Yeah. I finally read JK's website and the lexicon and saw them as grey. So over the next few days I will be editing in the correct color in the rest of the chapters. I was just going off the books, and what I have read, and in them his eyes color was never mentioned ((at least not that I remember)). So, sorry for the confusion.
Please read and review!!
Thanks!
XxNikixX
