Chapter Fourteen: Escape
A/N: Vision's back. Paw's back. Wahaha! I can't help but be happy that after years of being on-hold, Visions returned from the dead. Hope you guys appreciate this and this chap will put me into justice after making you wait for that long. Please review, okay? Thanks for those who continue believing in me, this is for you. Enjoy n-n
still unedited. sorry about that. try to update every monday. n-n
-paw
Visions of Reality
Chapter Fourteen: Escape
Harry immediately stood on Hermione's side and waited for her to open her eyes.
Slowly, her eyes opened revealing her chocolate orbs. Realizing her situation, she tried to sit up but a sudden lightheadedness caught her off guard but Harry immediately holds both her arms to steady her. She looked back at her bestfriend and saw the worry and tiredness from his emerald eyes.
She wanted to say something to him but no words comes out from her mouth.
After checking that she's already stable, he removed his hold and said, "How are you?"
She averted her gaze to his and looked down on her hands that she placed above her lap. "I guess… I'm okay… the bab-"
She was about to ask her newborn child when Harry cut her off, he's been waiting for her to ask about it. "He's a few weeks earlier and been placed on a magically enhanced incubator, Madam Pomfrey's watching over him. Nothing serious." He took a deep breath and continued, "He had your tiny nose and tiny ears…" That made her looked back at him. "And he got his father's silver eyes and white blonde hair… but I bet soon those hair will turn darker as he grew up." That definitely got her attention.
She was surprised to hear that admiration coming from the man-the least she knew who will say calmly about his enemy's child. 'its Draco's… its our…' she don't know how to react- will she be happy about it or will she be sad that she just hurt Harry by having Draco's child. All she could feel is frustration, frustrated that she could still not remember anything but a thought crossed her mind. Maybe, her losing her memories were self-inflicted, so she could forget that happening, her betrayal to her friend.
As he saw the calmness on her face or maybe no reaction at all, he can't help but keep all what's happening in Hogwarts now. He knew he got to tell her.
"Hermione?" he questioned, he knew she's in deep thought right now, he need her attention and he knew it'll be hard for her.
She snapped back and focused her attention to him. She can't help but feel embarrassed; she still can't find words on what to say to him.
He took another deep breath. "He just left…"
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Harry left her alone on her own room, one of the private rooms on the hospital wing. He knew that she needs to be alone for now.
After hearing that Draco just left her made her catatonic. She didn't move or even reacted. She's speechless; she can't even make herself shed tears. She just lost her love! Leaving her without saying a goodbye or even saying what his reasons are. She never felt so lost.
'Does he really love me?' that made her shake out of fear. It's like one of her worst nightmares. She thought he'll not leave her, he promised.
She placed her hands on her face, trying to hide away from her greatest fear. She never felt so scared. She never felt so mad- for herself. Instantly, her hands started grabbing anything that her hands could reach and throw it towards the door just across her bed. To release her anger.
But then she felt the softness of something in her hand that she was about to throw too. She looked at it and realized it's a small green box, soft coz it's made out of velvet. She realized she knew from whom it came from. It's from him. Draco. He did come to her before he left. This is his goodbye.
Her fingers were shaking, but she tried to make it still and opened the box. Inside was a sparkling diamond ring with emerald stones surrounding the diamond the size of nut. A typical slytherin/ Malfoy engagement ring crossed her mind. And the most beautiful ring she ever saw.
Deep in heart, she knew that he got a reason why he left, not because he didn't love her but because of something. She knew that he loves her so much that he's willing to sacrifice on letting her go.
She decided. She's going to look for him no matter what. And no one's stopping her.
She tried her hardest to remove herself from the bed and made her way towards the door. With the small green box holding it tightly on her hand.
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Harry was standing by the large window overlooking the lake on his DADA classroom. Thinking about the things that just happened. Hermione's giving birth. Seeing Hermione's child not breathing on its first minutes. The baby's first cry. The overwhelming feeling that everyone's safe. Then Draco's sudden departure.
He saw everything and its stressing him. Everything just happened in just hours and he never expected it will happen just like that.
Just as he turned around, he was to go back to the hospital wing when a sudden pain drilled a vision or a memory on his brain.
He was running away from something. Something that made him hurt so much. He cant look back, he needs to leave this place as soon as possible.
Then he heard someone familiar shouting his name. Ron.
He caught up with his fast pace and tried to hold his arm to stop him.
"Harry!" Ron shouted, it made him stopped and looked at him. Noticing Harry's uneasiness, it made him worry. "What's wrong mate? And where's Hermione?"
That made Harry's emerald orbs grew larger.
Harry fell down on his knees and holds his head then later, the pain was receding. When he recovered, he takes a hold on the desk beside him and supported himself to stand up. He knew that a while ago, a vision of his forgotten past just projected on him. It's a memory on Blaise's party. A memory with Ron, his late redheaded bestfriend. But why he forgot about that, why is it painful to remember? He still can't figure out why.
Then someone moved in front of him that caught his attention. It was Professor Dumbledore. He saw the calmness on the old man's face and he realized that the headmaster saw what just happened to him.
"Something's bothering you my child, care to share?" he asked and Harry saw the twinkle on the old professor's eyes behind those moon-shaped spectacles.
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Hermione reached the main entrance of Hogwarts, without anyone catching her, lucky for her. It was hard and exhausted her but her drive to see the man she loves made her to continue moving.
Outside the gates, it's still full of snow, thick layers of snow. She made her first step on the snow barefooted and never expecting that the snow will be soft. Her foot sank deeper almost eating her whole right leg. It made her lost her balance and fall down, face on the snowy ground. She was about to shout caused by the pain and cold on her bare skin, she really got no choice that she got to face nature barefooted with only a thin white gown, but then she remembered that if they heard her, her progress on her escape will turn into nothing. That made her tolerates pain and cold and continues.
She crawled up and slowly stands up. Though her knees were shaking, she continues her way towards her destination, Hogsmeade.
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"I'm having these visions--memories from the party… and they always come with pain…" he explained, while rubbing his temples soothing the pain away. "Those visions… were real…?" it not a question, he just needs a confirmation.
The headmaster just nodded and continued on listening to the younger man.
Harry looked at the old professor and his conscience was killing him, it was shown on his teary eyes. "I saw him, Draco…" he forcedly said his name. "I saw him leave… and I didn't do anything…"
I was holding Hermione's child, his child, in my arms. Though he's not mine, I never felt any grudge on the little blonde one. He was just peacefully sleeping on my arms and all I could feel was satisfaction that he was alive. I never felt so scared when I saw him not breathing. But as I looked at the child and it made me calm.
But my bliss was disturbed when the door of the room moved. Someone was just there watching me, and I got this guess that I knew who that is.
I placed the baby back to the incubator and removed the sterile gown before leaving the room. Then I saw him walking away. I knew that he'll be leaving. And I'm not stopping him.
"I didn't stop him…" he felt bad for himself. "Because I'm so hurt and selfish"
Dumbledore come closer to him and touched his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself Harry, there are just some things that need to let go… for the better" The professor removed his hold and passed him going to the side of the window.
"Harry, did you know anything about the 'Dark Wizards'?" Dumbledore's change of subject confused Harry.
"I know one and he is now dead" Voldemort. How he despise that maniac who tried to kill him. Good thing that he's gone and now the Wizarding and Muggle world was now safe. 'Or maybe… No, it'll never happen'
"Dark Wizards were believed already existing from the past. With the dark arts on their hands, it is rumored that they could do anything with no limitations. But with a price." Dumbledore slide his hand on his long white beard. "Having this enormous power in their grasp, they only wanted to keep this from themselves… they only pass it to their heirs." The last word surprised Harry; he heard that before, he just can't remember when or from whom.
"The concept of freely using the dark arts and able to do anything is what Tom Riddle been aiming for so long."
Harry was shocked. "You mean he didn't even become one?!" Harry can feel that he will hyperventilate any minute now. "These…Dark Wizards… their real right?!" he can't believe it; he got this feeling that Dumbledore was just joking or tricking him but as he saw those serious eyes, he realized that the older professor was really-- serious.
He doesn't need any confirmation on that one too.
Dumbledore turned and looked back at him. "Have any idea about a family rumored to be using dark arts like their ancestors?"
Harry doesn't need to think harder to answer, "Malfoy"
Harry then realized everything by putting two in two together. Malfoy's were rumored to be using powerful dark arts. Dark Wizards transfer their knowledge or maybe pass their powers to their heirs. Voldemort wanted this power so much that he had Death eaters coming from pureblood families such as the Malfoys and he had control over them.
Because he wanted to control their powers, wanted to have the Dark Wizards on his control.
Dark Wizards just like Draco Malfoy.
When he was about to react on this, the doors of the DADA room blasted open with a panicking Professor Mcgonagall. She looked like she's been looking for them for a while now. "Hermione's missing" she said while catching her breath.
Harry instantly knew where to find her.
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As Hermione reached the borders of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, she immediately tried to Apparate. But a sudden wave of pain runs through every muscle, every nerves and every vein in her body. It made her shout, can't hold the pain any longer, and fall down on her knees. She could feel the tears falling down her face, never realizing that she's been crying for a while now.
Then she heard Harry shouting her name.
She raised her head and saw that he's coming closer and closer.
"Hermione! Please!" she could see the struggle Harry's making just to reach her. "Hermione! Please don't leave!" he shouted-pleaded once again. "Please…"
He was only a few steps away from her when he saw her smile. It made him stop.
He heard her talking to him, telepathically. 'I'll be okay…'
And then she's gone.
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Follow-ups: Review. Need your comments. Need your encouragement.
-paw
Destiny belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and have the courage to pursue it… don't stop when you are tired, stop when you're done.