AN I do not own harry potter or make a profit or anything….

Sorry for the wait!

Coldness. Deep immeasurable sadness. He had succeeded, he had broken her heart. He loved her enough to let her go, she needed to let go of him. He sat and only half listened to the happy banter between the Weasley women, weddings he thought aimlessly I am not happy, this will not be the happiest day of my life… Hermione has already claimed that day. He nodded pointlessly when Molly showed him a seating chart. He didn't really care, nothing mattered any more.

"Where will Hermione sit?" Molly asked and noticed Harry's posture stiffen and Ginny's face darken.

"I doubt Hermione will attend." Harry whispered and Molly frowned.

"Well we should send an invitation anyway." Molly dismissed their protests and Harry sighed holding the bridge of his nose in pain, great a headache.

***

Light. Cold and piercing. It pained her eyes to let the whiteness invade her senses. She blinked several times and a familiar scent reached her nostrils. She sat upright and immediately clutched her chest in agony, immediately collapsing back onto the warm sheets below her. Her eyelids felt heavy, the sudden pain now a simple dull throbbing deep inside of her.

The light began to fade once more and she welcomed the slumber which was about to engulf her.

"Hermione?" Hermione frowned and squinted up at the concerned face above her. Deep lines were etched along her face, shadows cast angrily around her eyes in the harsh light.

"Hermione? Oh please be awake." The usually strong voice had a slight tremble to it and her eyes were forced open by curiosity.

Minerva McGonagall, Hermione thought and a small smile graced her features.

She tried once more to sit up and gasped in pain. She touched the bandage around her chest curiously and Minerva immediately assisted her into a sitting position.

She was surprised when her mentor didn't stop her from removing the bandages to inspect the damage she believed would be there. Nothing, soft subtle skin, no scar, no blemish, she touched just above her heart and gasped at the temperature of her skin.

"Minnie… what is wrong with me?" Hermione asked the coldness of her heart was painful, but oddly comforting. Minerva sat down beside her bed and closed her eyes for a moment, her brow furrowed as if in deep thought. When she looked once more to Hermione, she no twinkling green eyes looking at her in happiness, but dark, sombre pools of heart ache.

"I am so glad you are finally awake." Minerva whispered and Hermione frowned.

"How… how long have I been… I remember coming here and standing next to Dumbledore's tomb…" she trailed off, frowning, her memory of that moment failed her and this brought fear to her icy heart.

"That, my dear was a month ago. You have been in a deep sleep, we needed to keep you under our observation, rather than anyone else's, I thought that Poppy's expertise would… oh my dear… you must be wondering what is wrong…" the elderly woman took a deep breath, her eyes filled with an emotion Hermione didn't recognise. "You have suffered the ultimate sacrifice for love. You felt so much pain that night, so much sorrow that your magic, your wand, in an attempt to protect you, created a barrier around your heart, one that cannot be broken, unless you yourself elect to let love in." Hermione's eyes widened in realisation.

"The lovers bereavement, I am suffering from that! That is impossible, my magic would never go against my own will unless it thought harm would come…" she trailed off and looked away from Minerva's knowing gaze.

"And when you came here that night… I imagine it was not to visit me." Hermione looked back, tears threatening to fall. "When Harry broke your heart… your bond was one that was connected by an old magic, if one broke the bond, the other would perish into a deep depression… no one on record has ever survived… until now." She absentmindedly placed a hand over her chest and closed her eyes, her body already becoming accustomed to the coolness under her fingertips.

"Perhaps I should explain… but somehow I think you already know everything that went between harry and I?" Hermione said with one eyebrow raised. Minerva's eyes twinkled, a twinkle she had inherited from Dumbledore. "Will I ever be able to… love another?"

"I think you know the answer to that question my dear."

"My sacrifice is love… I will never know true happiness." Hermione whispered and reached for her wand that had a faint glow encompassing it. "I forgive you." Hermione whispered and the thin wood grew warm in her hand.

"Your wand not only saved you my dear." Minerva looked as if she were about to continue when someone burst through the infirmary's doors. A young woman with strikingly bright blue eyes and long, straight brown hair looked around blearily before her eyes fell upon the two occupants of the room. A squeal emitted from her throat and she sprinted forward, engulfing Hermione in her arms.

"Elizabeth?" the beautiful teenager pulled away and smiled brightly her blue eyes shining in happiness.

"Hey cuz!" her American accent seemed quite out of place in Hogwarts, but Hermione smiled and looked around for the headmistress, whom had disappeared to Hermione's dismay.

Elizabeth was Hermione's only magical relative, she was Hermione's second cousin on her fathers side. Unlike Hermione she was a half-blood, beautiful and an adventurist, Hermione had envied her at certain times in their youth.

"Liz… how long are you going to be in England for?" Hermione asked suddenly, her eyes bright.

"Oh I'm only here today, I had to beg mum to let me have a day off school! Did you hear, I'm moving out this summer!" Hermione's smile suddenly broadened.

"Can I come with you?"

"Where?" the young girl frowned and Hermione smiled smally.

"To America."

***

AN okay….

A new character to add into the swing of things! The lovers bereavement will be explained in later chapters if it isnt clear here.

Elizabeth is quite important to the plot. Anyway sorry that all my chapters are short its just studying takes up a lot of time!

Anyway… review?