Chapter Nine – The Prophecy

Hermione hurried back to the Gryffindor common room, trying to avoid any patrolling teachers. She tried to suppress a giggle as she once again remembered how she had stormed out of Snape's classroom and had lived to tell the tale. She was just thankful that she didn't have potions for another two days, hopefully Snape would have calmed down over the weekend and she would be able to get away with it.

Shit! Hermione stopped abruptly, she just realised that she had got a detention with Snape this evening. Hermione walked slowly the rest of the way back trying to think of ways to get out of the detention. When she finally reached the common room each idea she came up with seemed stupider than the last. She had no hope, Hermione would have to attend the detention with him. Merlin only knows what he was going to make her do, scrubbing cauldrons didn't seem a harsh enough punishment for someone skipping a lesson.

Hermione collapsed in her favourite armchair by the fire. She was so tired she could feel her eyelids drooping and eventually she was overtaken by fatigue and dropped off into a deep sleep.

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"What was she thinking?" Ron asked incredulously as he and Harry left the potions classroom and made their way down the corridor.

"Dunno mate, she sure shocked me." Harry said shaking his head. Ron was silent for a moment, Harry could clearly see he was thinking and as Ron didn't do that very much, Harry decided not to disturb him.

"Do you think it's my fault?" Ron asked quietly as they walked onto a staircase that shifted beneath them.

"What's your fault?" Harry asked trying to make sure he didn't fall over after the staircase jolted suddenly.

"Hermione. She would never storm out of Snape's classroom unless something terrible had happened. Do you think I was really unreasonable with her? Hell, she'd probably stay in there if the school was crumbling down if it meant she could finish her potion and get into Snape's good books." Ron laughed sadly. Harry looked at Ron and clapped him on the back reassuringly.

"Of course it wasn't your fault, she did it for attention. And no you were not unreasonable, she was awful to you. She was using you and I hate to say it but, I told you so." Harry told him smugly.

Ron made a grim face at him as they walked through the portrait hole and into the common room. Immediately, Ron saw Hermione curled up in the armchair near the fire. She was asleep, her face was decorated with a small smile and Ron thought she looked peaceful. Ron recognised the woman he had fallen in love with, her smile, her beauty and she way she always looked delicate and extremely fragile. All Ron wanted to do was protect her, he now realised he was using her as much as she was using him when they had got married, he was using her to feed his craving. His craving to have her love him as much as he loved her, he needed Hermione. Ron had talked himself into believing that the reason she wanted to marry him was because she loved him. It was like he was addicted to the prospect of Hermione's love for him, something which he knew deep deep down would never exist.

Harry watched his best friend lean over Hermione and kiss her on the forehead. He felt sorry for Ron, he knew that Hermione didn't love him in anything more that a brother and sister way. Harry also knew that Ron wasn't the one for Hermione. This morning Harry had been to visit the Headmaster and Harry had recieved some terrible news. News that he wan't able to share with anyone.

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"Come in Harry, come in. Take a seat, lemon sherbet?" Dumbledore asked as he popped a luminous yellow sweet into his mouth. Harry declined and slumped into the chair opposite Dumbledore's desk, it was only nine am and already Harry felt exhausted. He blamed Ron and Hermione. Last night he had heard Ron close the door as he left their dormitory. Harry had immediately gotten up and stood at the top off the spiral staircase listening to Hermione and Ron argue. When Ron had walked up the stairs he had darted back to his bed and pretended to be asleep, he had spent most the night awake listening to the strangled sobs coming from the bed next to him. Harry felt sorry for Ron but he had warned him.

Harry was pulled out of his daydream as Dumbledore heaved a large crystal ball out of a box.

"Do you know what this is Harry?" Dumbledore asked solemnly, running his hand over the smooth crystal.

"Yes sir." Harry replied. It was a prophecy, he had one himself. He had seen it in the huge room at the Ministry where Sirius had been killed. Harry gulped back the painful memory of his dead relative and focused on Dumbledore.

"Very good. Would you like to know who's it is?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes."

"It is the prophecy of one Hermione Granger." Dumbledore told him and Harry stared at it, trying to make out the pictures floating around inside the glass sphere.

"Hermione? Why are you showing it to me?" Harry whispered.

"Because the events that take place in this prophecy also effect you and I want to warn you, so that when this time comes you will be prepared because we are going to need you to be ready and fighting fit to face whatever may come next."

"What events?" Harry asked quietly, did he really want to know? Did he really want to know what was going to happen in the future or even Hermione's future?

"Harry what I am about to tell you must not be relayed to your friends, especially Ron and Hermione. I want you to take an oath to promise that you won't tell anyone." Dumbledore said, he was the most serious Harry had ever seen him.

"I promise." Harry said as Dumbledore drew his wand and performed a wizard's oath. Once Dumbledore had finished he set his wand down and clasped his hands together.

"In the prophecy it says;" Dumbledore started as he rubbed the sphere three times anti-clockwise. A woman's voice echoed around the office, solemnly pronouncing each syllable.

"The one with beauty, the one with brains,

the marriage will bind her fast in chains.

Love does not exist for these,

he will die beneath the trees.

The boy who lived next best companion,

She will change her worst opinion.

Love will begin from many lies,

And finally bloom with many tries.

But beware of ticking time,

it will be ended by an atrocious crime."

Dumbledore looked at Harry.

"Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think so." Harry said as he scrambled around on the desk for a piece of parchment and a quill. "So it's clear it is Hermione's prophecy, 'the one with beauty, the one with brains' and something about marriage. Ron and Hermione just got married, but they don't love each other, 'love does not exist'." Harry said as he jotted notes down on his piece of parchment.

"But what about 'he will die beneath the trees'?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"I believe it means Ron." Dumbledore said sadly. Harry snapped his head up to stare at Dumbledore.

"No. It can't be." Harry whispered.

"I think you should let this sink in for a little while, why don't you come back when you want to go through it a little more?" Dumbledore said as he stood up and walked over to the door to open it. Harry nodded and walked out the door but turned around before Dumbledore had closed the door.

"It said 'love will start from many lies'. Does that mean Hermione is going to fall in love after Ron is...di...gone?" Harry asked, he couldn't quite bring himself to accept that Ron might die.

"Perhaps." Dumbledore told him as he closed the door.

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Ron swallowed the tears he felt rising and shook Hermione slightly. He had been sat opposite her for nearly six hours watching as she slept peacefully. Ron had missed dinner so that he could watch Hermione and when Harry had returned from dinner to find Ron still gazing at Hermione he called Ron an 'idiot' and left him to moon over Hermione. The clock chimed seven and Ron realised that Hermione was missing her detention. He shook he softly and when she didn't wake up he shook her harder until she awoke to find Ron staring at her.

"'Mione. Your missing your detention with Snape." Ron told her frantically. Hermione glanced at the clock and rushed to the portrait hole. She turned back to see Ron watching her leave.

"Thanks Ron." Hermione said and smiled warmly at him. Hermione turned on her heel and sprinted as fast as she could to the dungeons. On the way she contemplated why Ron had been so nice to her. Maybe he had forgiven her for what she had done to him. Hermione realised that if Ron never spoke to her again then she probably deserved it for using him like that. Hermione was awoken from her daydream when she realised she had arrived outside Snape's classroom. She glanced anxiously at her watch before knocking on the door. Crap! She was ten minutes late, not good seeing as one of the reasons for getting the detention was her unusual tardiness.

Hermione knocked slowly three times. A silky 'enter' sounded through the door. Hermione hesitated for a second and then opened the door and stepped into the dark classroom.

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