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Hermione opened her eyes, and stared at the tops of the trees above her. She had expected to see the roof of a building. Where am I? She asked herself. She tried to push herself up into a sitting position, but the second she moved she cried out in pain and fell backwards. Hermione felt horrible. Her head and foot were both throbbing and her arms felt badly bruised. Ron and Harry's faces appeared above her. They had looks of pity on their faces more than concern which hurt her a little even though they thought she was just some girl.
"Where are we?" she whispered, her voice sounding hoarse from so much screaming. This was the first time Ron or Harry had heard her speak, so it surprised them when she sounded so much like Hermione. "Oh, this is the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts." Harry answered. "Why?" Ron answered this time, "Harry wanted to see something." She wanted to ask what, but she knew that they wouldn't answer truthfully.
"Can you stand? Harry asked. "Well my foot doesn't feel right, I have a throbbing head, and my arms feel like they've punched thousands of times, but otherwise I'm ok." She answered. Harry helped her up and supported one side while Ron supported the other. The helped her through the forest until they came to a secluded garden with one marble tombstone under a tree. She smiled at the beauty of the place, but stopped when she realized it was "her" tomb. Tears were falling down both Ron and Harry's cheeks, and she so badly wanted to hug them both. She wanted to tell them that she was still alive that she was right there with them, but they would never believe her.
Harry helped Hermione sit down on the grass. "Why are we here, mate?" Ron asked, glancing at Harry. Harry didn't answer he just knelt down next to the tomb, and withdrew his wand. Then he carefully removed the tombstone. Hermione watched as Harry looked over into the inside, and he stayed there frozen. Hermione knew what this meant. The girl in there no longer looked like Hermione.
The girl in the tomb isn't Hermione. It's someone else. Harry couldn't move, and he was left speechless as he tried to comprehend. "Harry," Ron whispered. Harry stood up and turned to look at the beaten and bruised girl on the ground. "Hermione?" he whispered, barely audible. She looked up at him and smiled. "So, you're…you're alive?" He stammered. "I know it's hard to believe, but maybe if I start from the beginning you'll understand." He nodded sitting down. Ron came over and sat down as well. "It all began when I was going to the Chamber of Secrets with Ronald." Hermione said. She told them how she left Ron because she had this impulse, how Bellatrix framed her death and tortured her, and how she had been staying in the Forest of Dean. Ron's jaw had dropped and there were tears in Harry's eyes. He didn't know if they were of sadness, happiness, or anger.
"Hermione, we should have known. We let you get hurt so much. We just called you "the girl" and I didn't believe it was you when I saw you in the Forest of Dean." Harry said with his head in his hands. "Harry, don't blame yourself it was my fault in the first place for believing I should go to the Forbidden Forest." "But, look at you! You're horribly hurt and we let it happen! I had my guard down the other night when Bellatrix took you!" She tried to stand up, but fell back down again with a yelp. Harry winced and knelt down next to her. Harry hugged her softly. "I'm so sorry. Please just accept my apology." Harry said. She kissed him on the cheek and smiled, "You have saved my life twice already, so stop blaming yourself." Ron came over and hugged her too. "We are just glad to know that you are alive, Hermione." She smiled, "I am too."