Avanell – Hermione has figured out what is going on and will take action. Katherine has I said will be a help in this progress
Isabella Heart – I hope this chapter entertains you. It is a big jump forward.
NairobiDawn – Here is more of the fight, I hope you enjoy it.
Dancerrdw – I met this chapter to be exciting, let me know if I am right.
Monnbeam – She is starting to fight now.
Ginny278 – That she will
Desepere Romantique – Here is the update. I hope it is to your liking
Chapter 10 A Message
Monday morning came quickly for Harry. He had been dreading it a bit because Ginny would be leaving for Holland again in the morning. But for right now though, Ginny was sitting on Harry's lap kissing him. Harry had his left hand on her side and his right hand on her upper back, holding her in place. He really did enjoy the way she said goodbye to him.
They were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Ron had just stepped in.
"Sorry, didn't realize you would still be here." Ron said blocking the view with his hand.
"It's fine." Ginny said breaking away from Harry. "I suppose I should be going anyway. I know Johnson is about to go and do something that will require clean up."
Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her back down for a final kiss. "Stop by the next time your in town." He said playfully to her.
"Believe me I will." Ginny answered giving him a final kiss.
"I'll see you later." Ginny said to Ron on her way out. "You know, all you need to do is send an owl."
Ron nodded. "Thanks Gin. Have fun at work."
Ginny gave Ron a quick hug then Disapperated away.
"Didn't want you seeing all that." Harry said getting up from the couch. It was only supposed to be a nice breakfast. The food ended up forgotten in favor of kissing.
"It's fine." Ron replied in a very deadpan voice. "Are you ready to head to work?"
"Look Ron if you want to I'll tell them you're sick." Harry offered.
Ron shook his head. "No, if I hang around my flat. I'll probably go crazy. I want to get my mind off of it." Ron answered.
They then Disapperated and Apparated the same time to the Ministry. When they arrived they walked together down the hall.
"I was wondering if you were planning on seeing Hermione again on Wednesday." Ron said when they got at the juncture where they would have to go to there separate offices.
"Yes I was." Harry answered, "just like usual."
"Well, after last time." Ron started. "Yes I was planning on going."
Harry did not need his occlumancy skills to know that Ron had just made those plans. He wondered if it had finally happened. Ron had given up on Hermione.
Alice and Katherine still held their schedule change. Alice stayed with Hermione at night and Katherine remained with her during the day. Alice spent time looking over her research. She didn't actually think she missed anything in Hermione's care. Maybe there was just something she should have handled differently.
She had spoken with Katherine about it. Alice wondered if there might have been something Katherine saw, but had been too afraid to speak. Ever since Alice told her the truth Katherine had been more inclined to speak to her.
It was something Alice was glad of. Katherine had turned out to be an insightful person.
By the time Wednesday came Harry felt a strange sense of normalcy about him. With the exception of Caroline being gone, the office was back to normal. He was getting ready to close out his desk for the Wednesday visit. No one knew what happened during the last visit.
When everything was set Harry had gone over to Ron's office to collect him. He had seemed almost surprised to see Harry.
Harry tried to convince himself that Ron had only lost track of time.
Together they headed towards the foyer and to St. Mungo's.
When they arrived at the hospital they found Hermione in the care of Katherine. It had seemed strange to Harry not seeing Alice. He knew that Alice put Katherine in charge because she trusted her. Therefore Harry trusted Katherine.
"Hello," Katherine said as they came in. "You can go ahead on in and see Hermione. She hasn't responded to anything today I am afraid. Maybe your visit will help."
They thanked Katherine and went inside the room.
Alice had seen to it that Hermione had a bed again. She had arranged it to be soft and without anything sharp.
When they entered Hermione was sitting up in her bed.
All the bandages that were previously on her had been removed. It seemed that Alice had been able to heal of the cuts. No sign of them was left.
Harry and Ron took a seat on either side of the bed. Ron took Hermione's hand. They both began speaking with her. Neither mentioned what had happened the last time.
Hermione heard Ron and Harry in the far distance. They had come back!
This time though was going to be different. Hermione sat down where she was at and relaxed. She only listened to the voices, concentrating on them.
They soon came closer and closer to here. She knew that they were near. She felt the familiar warmth around her hands. She concentrated harder on the voices, trying to picture Ron in her mind.
Hermione then opened her eyes and looked at her hands. She thought about Ron. She thought about Ron's hands touching hers.
That was when something strange happened.
She saw something, ever so faint around her hands. She looked at them. She saw what appeared to be a ghostly image of hands on her own.
Hermione moved her right hand around the image of hands, keeping her left still. She concentrated on the image of the hands. Hermione circled her fingers around them.
Has she moved her fingers about the hand they came more into focus. She concentrated all her might on Ron.
Then without warning something swung at Hermione's hand. Dissolving the image. She looked up and saw the nemesis.
"Trying something knew?" It had asked.
Hermione couldn't help it. "Just accepting the truth about this place." She stayed rooted to the spot where she was sitting.
Hermione then pictured a barrier around herself. A shield that the Nemesis could not get through. A barrier that protected her from it.
She held the image in her mind. Once she felt secure in the barrier she created, then she listened again to the voices. For some reason they were coming in a little clearer now. She heard Harry mention something about someone named Alice and someone named Katherine.
Hermione had no idea who they were, but Harry said they were helping her. She then heard Ron talk about the Burrow and some of the changes that were made. That they were waiting for her return.
I'll be there shortly. Hermione thought still picturing the barrier.
So far the nemesis had not tried to penetrate the barrier. Hermione did not know if the nemesis knew it was there or not.
It was not long after that the voices had left. Hermione felt saddened by it, but still maintained her shield.
"What ever it is you are attempting I assure you that it is futile." The nemesis told Hermione. "Falling from a cliff could not kill you in here, but be sure I will find something that will."
Not if I find something first. Hermione thought. She thought about what she had just accomplished. She had in fact brought something in from the outside. She was positive that they were in fact Ron's hands she had around her own.
That was when it came to her.
The nemesis had tried to kill her by dropping her off the cliff. It had then said that it would find something else that would kill her. There were dangerous things to Hermione her. True the cliff had weakened her, but it didn't kill her. The nemesis knew what was in this place more than what Hermione did.
She would need something that would kill, but it couldn't be something from this place. It would need to be something that could be brought to her. It had to be something that would be strong.
Gryffindor's sword!
Hermione did not know how her thoughts came to such a thing. But it would be perfect for what she needed to do.
Gryffindor had been the one to kill Slytherin in a duel. Long after he had left the school. The sword would be something Voldemort would fear. The nemesis was partly made up of Voldemort's psyche.
Now all she had to do was figure out how to get a message to Ron and Harry. But she would also have to deliver the message without the nemesis figuring out what she had intended to do.
Katherine said goodbye to Ron and Harry when they left and then went in to check on Hermione.
She still appeared the same as she had when they first shown.
When night came Katherine had gone to Alice's office to wake her. Even though Hermione had not shown anymore signs of violence and had gone back to her regular self Alice still insisted on staying no more than an arms reach from Hermione.
"I think you should go home and get some sleep." Katherine said after she had woken up Alice.
Alice gave Katherine a strange look with her darkened eyes.
"You have been over these books for so long. Maybe all you need to do is step back for a moment. Let the answer come to you." Katherine said. "I will owl you the minute Hermione does anything."
Alice thought about the offer for a moment. "She hasn't shown any more behavior. Yes, I think I will at the end of the shift. You didn't use to be this bold though Katherine."
"I thought a change might be interesting." Katherine answered.
Alice let out a light laugh. "I looked over the books to see how other patients have given messages to the outside in the past. I don't think Hermione has tried yet."
"I'll keep watch. You still think she wants to let us know something?"
"Yes I do." Alice answered. "All that we need to do is listen."
Katherine left right after that.
Alice went to check on Hermione. She made sure that Hermione was comfortable in the bed. She then gave her a bit of sleeping potion.
That way Hermione's body could do its own natural recuperation. She watched Hermione sleep for a while. Alice noted how Hermione had seemed to be completely peaceful.
The next day at lunch Katherine took Hermione outside again. It was a little colder out, but Katherine figured that it could do Hermione some good.
She had put a coat and a hat on Hermione. She would only leave her out for a while.
"You know Alice and I were talking about you." She said to Hermione. "Alice told me that to break through you have to do a bit of your own fighting. We can only help you so far. I agree with her. If there is anything that you want to say to us, we are listening. Just let us know."
Hermione heard a voice talking with her. It was a woman's voice, but Hermione did not know it. Before Harry had mentioned two people, Alice and Katherine. Maybe it was one of them that were talking to her.
She sat down again. She pictured the barrier around herself then thought about the voice that was talking to her.
It had distinctly said the word message.
If this person was listening for a message she would have to take this opportunity. She would have to tell this person the message.
Hermione had figured out a way to send the message. A way so the nemesis would not know what she was saying. She would disguise the real intent with the phrase G S word.
Hermione shouted it as loud as she could in the direction of the voice. She then took her finger and started making traces of it in the ground with her finger. She concentrated on them.
Katherine still talked to Hermione.
Hermione then let out a slight sound from her mouth.
Katherine was quite taken aback by it. It wasn't an actual word. It was more of an attempt.
That was when she noticed Hermione's hand moving just slightly. She watched the hand. The pointer finger of her hand was held out from the rest.
A bit of an unusual idea came to her right then. She reached in her bag and pulled out the parchment she had and a book. Katherine placed the book on Hermione's lap then the parchment on top of the book. In the bag was also a quill.
Katherine took the quill and held it right on Hermione's pointer finger.
"Alright, now show me the message."
Hermione began tracing her finger along the parchment. Katherine held the quill right at Hermione's finger following the trail.
She then at once stopped.
Katherine figured the message was complete and looked at it. She felt slightly discouraged the message made no sense.