All Characters belong to JK Rowling

Part XXI:

Hermione remembers:

Hermione was getting dressed. She was happier than she had been in a long time. It was Christmas time, and Draco had returned to her. She could not have asked for a better Christmas gift.

"Hermione, hurry up and come down for breakfast!" her mum yelled up the stairs.

She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, brushing her hair, when a memory flashed before her, so strong and vivid in detail that she was sure it had just happened yesterday.

Helga sat in a chair, brushing her long honey coloured hair, when she concluded that she had to leave. She could never tell Salazar about their child. She stood up and began to pace back and forth in her room. She had written to her parents, at the insistence of Rowena, to find out all they knew of her birthparents. They wrote back that her mother was a very gifted witch. She was the youngest sister of Helga's adoptive mother. Although she was a witch, who displayed early signs that she was extremely gifted, she was often taken to fits of depression, and melancholy. When her birth mother was only 14, she thought she fell in love with a boy from another village. He was not magical, and did not know she was. When she revealed that she was a witch, he assaulted her, raped her, and left her for dead. She never used magic again.

She went to live with her sister and brother-in-law, and just after Helga was born, she took her own life. Helga's aunt and uncle became her parents, telling no one that she was not theirs. When Helga was 15, they told her a part of the story. They told her that they adopted her, and they loved her as their own, but that she was not a pureblood. They told her never to reveal that fact to anyone. It never mattered to her, for pureblood or not, she was a happy, content, gifted, witch.

Then she met Salazar Slytherin, and nothing else mattered more. If she could have traded all that she had to be a pureblood for him, she would.

She sent for Rowena that night. She told her the story of how Godric and Salazar met. She told her this so she would perhaps understand from where Salazar's anger came.

"Have you ever heard the story of how Godric and Salazar met?" Helga asked, as Rowena sat on Helga's bed.

Rowena admitted that she had not. Helga told her that when Godric and Salazar first came to her farm, she became fast friends with Godric. Her relationship with Slytherin, while more guarded, soon became more than friendship. She and Salazar would talk about magic, their hopes and dreams, but he never wanted to talk about his past.

One day, when Helga and Godric were alone, Helga asked him about his and Salazar's past. He revealed how he and Slytherin met. When Godric was 14, his home, which was in a small non-magical village, was burned to the ground, and his entire family killed. He was the only one to escape. He spent a fortnight merely roaming the countryside. He said he gave up, and wished for death to come, not knowing how close to death he was. A clan of Muggles from his village had been searching for him. They found Godric, and vowed to kill him, thus finally wiping out all magical people from their region. That was when Slytherin found him. Salazar killed all five men, and saved Godric's life. A life debt formed, as well as a friendship.

Salazar was 16 and he too was on his own. His family was forced from their home by fellow wizards after the Slytherins burned a Muggle village to the ground, because four Muggles from the village killed Salazar's youngest brother. The other wizards in their area were afraid of exposure, and retaliation, so they told the Slytherin family to flee or face death. His entire family left to go back to Portugal, from where they originally came. Salazar refused to leave the only home he had ever known.

During their travels, they came upon a young dark wizard that they later learned was from the Darian clan. That was when they first learned of the magical land, where the Darians lived. Salazar befriended this young man, and asked him to join in their journeys. Godric didn't like the man, or his beliefs, so Salazar and Godric parted company.

Rowena said, "Because Godric knew the Darians were dark and evil."

Helga admitted that was true. She said that this young Darian used Slytherin's knowledge of ancient languages and text to decipher runes that were used for a ceremony to bring back the dead. Unlike creating a Horcrux, which could preserve your soul, but not your body, this spell, along with submersion in an underground spring, which had magical properties, and was in the Darian's castle, could preserve a person's body. Salazar agreed to share his knowledge of creating Horcruxes, if the Darian would share this spring and its magical properties. Salazar felt the two things went hand in hand, for what good was bringing a body back to life, if it no longer contained the soul.

The youngest Darian lied to Salazar, used him to decipher the runes, used his knowledge of Horcruxes, and then, after dueling, and using many dark and unforgivable curses on him, was going to kill him. Salazar once told Godric that he wished for death that night. However, he did not die, for Godric returned, killed the Darian, and rescued Salazar. His life debt, returned, and their friendship mended.

Godric told Helga that during the next few years of their friendship, Salazar was consumed with hate; hate for this one Darian, hate for Muggles, and even hate for his own family for leaving and not staying to fight for their domination over Muggles. He also told Godric that they should take over the ancient land where the Darians lived, if they could locate it, because it was protected against Muggles, and was the home of ancient magic.

He never told Godric that he coveted this area for his own reasons. Godric told Salazar of his plans for a school and he told Salazar that this land would be the perfect place for that school. He convinced Salazar to join him in the quest for the land, but not for evil purposes, for the greater good of all wizards.

That was before they meet Helga, and before they found Ravenclaw. Now, all of their dreams for a school for magical children, where they could be safe, and learn without fear, were coming true. Helga told Rowena that she could not jeopardize all of that the founders worked and fought for, because she was with child, and Rowena agreed.

She told her that she would go to her parents, and stay until she had the child. "Dear Ravenclaw, I do not know if I can live without my child, however. You said you would raise the child as your own. Would you still be able to do that?"

"Yes, we will tell the others that I found the child. I will raise the child, and love it, and you would always be there for it. What is our plan?" Rowena asked.

"First, we must tell Godric. Second, we must both leave. Is this amendable to you?" Helga asked.

"I love you more than I could love a sister. You and Godric are the only family I have. You are my friend, my confidant, and I would give my life for you. We will both leave in the morning," Rowena said. "I shall go talk to Godric myself, and tell him everything." Rowena left Helga alone. Helga sat on her bed and cried.

Salazar saw Rowena leaving Helga's room for the second time that day. He knew in his heart that Helga was leaving him. He knew he told her to go to her parents, for a rest, but he felt that he was losing her for good. He went to her chambers, and found her crying. He lifted her from her bed and held her close. "Tell me your secrets, my love. Why do you cry?"

"I have to go away, for perhaps a long time," she said.

"No, go away for a rest, but come back soon," he commanded.

"I shall come back, but not for a while. I need you not to ask me questions. I leave tomorrow," she said.

"Before you leave, I need you to agree to a binding ceremony," he said.

"Why? I promise to return, is that not enough?" she asked.

"No, it is not. I trust you, but no one else," he said. He did want the binding ceremony, but he had other plans as well. He was so close to losing her before, he knew he could never lose her again.

"Rowena is coming with me. She is telling Godric now. You know she would not leave him forever, so trust that I will return as well," she said, leaving his arms. He went to stand by the window. She walked over to her dresser, opened the top drawer, and handed him a locket. She said, "Godric had these made. One for us, and one for him and Rowena. They contain our portraits. I shall wear it every day that we are apart, so that you are always close to my heart." He fingered the golden locket, and then placed it over her head, letting it rest over her heart.

He came up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck. He said, "If you love me as you claim, you will provide me with this one declaration of your love."

She turned in his arms and kissed him. She pledged she would do whatever he asked.

Hermione dropped her brush, and stared at her reflection. For the briefest moment, it was not her own reflection looking back at her. She inhaled a sharp intake of breath, and moved away from the mirror. When she looked back, it was once again her own face staring back at her. Draco knocked on the bathroom door and she was so startled that she screamed.

He opened the door and rushed in the room. He grabbed her shoulders and said, "What's wrong?"

No, she would not ruin Christmas for him. She would not share this memory, not yet. "I was daydreaming and the knocking on the door scared me," she lied.

He bent down and picked up her brush. He handed it to her. He thought she looked scared, but a knock on a door would not scare her as much as her eyes reflected. He said, "What's really wrong?"

She put her brush down and hugged him tight around the waist. "Nothing. Let's go get started with our Christmas plans." She looked up at him and said, "I bet my father would love to learn some of your versions of Christmas songs."

"I'm sure," he smiled. He grabbed her hand and led her downstairs, his smile vanishing when she was no longer looking at him.

City sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks, Dressed in Holiday Style:

Draco was holding Hermione's hand. They were in a large Muggle Mall, and he was slightly uncomfortable. He wasn't used to shopping anywhere Muggle, let alone at a mall with so many people around. They entered a large store, and split up, with Hermione's mum going one way, Don Boot another, and Draco, Mr. Granger and Hermione heading toward the perfume counter.

Hermione was trying on different perfumes at the counter, trying to help her dad pick one out for her mum. Her dad would smell one on her wrist, shake his head no, smell another, and shake his head again. She said, "Dad, after a while, they all smell the same. Just get her favourite."

"I always get her that. I want something new. Draco, come here," Mr. Granger said. Draco was slightly confused. Hermione's dad hardly ever spoke to him. Her mum talked to him all the time, but her dad, hardly ever. He walked up to the counter.

"Smell Hermione," her dad said.

What? Draco looked confused. Hermione stuck her wrist under his nose. He took a hold of her wrist, and smelled deeply. "I don't like it," he admitted.

"Smell this one," Hermione said, showing him her other wrist.

"That one, I like," he confessed. He smelled again, "It's really nice." Hermione smiled. That was her favourite, too. Her dad took that perfume, and handed it to the salesclerk. She wrapped it for him, and handed it back.

"I need to find your mum. She's probably buying me power tools again. When will she ever learn that I'm just not handy? You kids meet up with us at the food court in another hour," Mr. Granger said.

Draco turned to Hermione and said, "What the hell is a food court?" Hermione laughed. She grabbed his sleeve and went over to the jewelry counter.

She pointed to a watch and said, "Do you like that watch?"

"Yes, it's nice, but it also cost 250 pounds, and I highly doubt you have that much money," he said.

"I have plenty of money," she said back.

"You can't buy me something that expensive," he reprimanded.

"I'll buy you whatever I want," she said, walking around to the other side of the counter. She saw Don walking up to them. He seemed totally at ease in the hustle and bustle of the mall. He leaned over the counter next to her and pointed at a bracelet.

"Do you think my mother would like that?" he asked. The bracelet had sapphires and diamonds, and cost a lot of money.

"I don't know your mum, but I like it," Hermione said. He smiled and asked to see the bracelet. The salesclerk, a pretty, young girl, was flirting shamelessly with the good-looking man. Hermione almost felt sorry for her. Don was handling it well, flirting right back. She was beginning to wonder if he lied to her when he said he was gay.

Draco walked up to them and whispered in her ear, "Don has an admirer."

"I know, you love him, but that girl seems to like him as well," Hermione joked.

"I meant the girl, you little witch," he said, kissing her neck as his hands went around her waist. Suddenly, something behind the counter caught his eye. He said, "Run along, Granger, and let me be for a while. I need to do my own shopping."

"Do you have Muggle money?" she asked quietly.

"I will steal what I can't afford to buy," he joked, "remember, I'm a bad boy." She glared at him, but he turned her around by the shoulders and said, "Go buy me some power tools," and he pushed her away.

She gave him a weird look and said, "Do you even know what a power tool is?"

"No, but if your mum buys them for your dad, I am sure I will like them," he said, sincerely. She laughed. She was going to go buy him an electric screwdriver as a joke. She walked to the escalator and waved goodbye.

Don walked up to Draco as he asked to see a locket. He was going to get the locket, and have a picture of him and her put in it. He would even have it inscribed. Don asked, "Where did Hermione go?"

"To buy me some power tools," Draco said, distracted.

"Do you know what power tools are?" Don laughed.

Draco looked perturbed and said, "Why does everyone keep asking that? Of course I do."

"What are they?" he said.

"Tools that are very powerful," Draco said, with a smile.

Don shook his head and laughed. He said, "I will go help her. Come up to the fifth floor when you are done here." Don took the escalator to the fifth floor. Hermione was just coming from the 'tool department'. Don laughed and said, "What did you get him?"

Hermione opened her bag and inside was a drill and an electric screwdriver. He laughed. He said, "Don't tell him what they do. Let him open them and we'll have fun making fun of him." She smiled. He said, "I think I'll take these things to the men's room with me, and shrink them down where no one will see. Wait here for me," and he took her packages and walked over to one of the restrooms. She waited for him by the escalator.

She stood at the top of the stairs, watching all the people standing still, but moving, up the escalator. Draco had never been on an escalator. It would be fun to watch him maneuver these moving stairs, which were so different from the moving stairs at Hogwarts. She saw his blond head in the crowd on the escalator, down near the bottom. He did not yet see her. She moved her head to the left, then the right, and then waved at him, so he would see her. He looked up, but suddenly, it wasn't Draco. It was Slytherin. She shut her eyes, and opened them quickly. She imagined it. It was Draco. He saw her, and she looked upset. He tried to get past the people on the moving stairs, but it was too crowded. He called her name, as he saw her run away from the top of the stairs.

Once on the landing, he looked to his left and to his right, and didn't see her. Don walked up to him and said, "I left Hermione right here to wait for you."

"Yes, I saw her, but she looked upset and disappeared," Draco said. Both men started looking around for her. She came walking out of the woman's room. "Where did you go so quickly?" Draco asked.

"I needed to splash some water on my face," she said. "Let's go meet my parents." She grabbed Draco's hand with one of hers, and when she reached Don, she grabbed his hand with her other. They walked on the down escalator, heading for the food court, all three, hand in hand.

She continued holding both their hands, all the way through the crowds, heading toward the food court. Don misinterpreted her actions. He said, "Hermione, I'm not going to get lost, you can let go."

Draco looked over at Don and said, "That's not it." He stopped walking, which caused her to stumble. Don put his hand under her arm to steady her. "What's wrong, Granger?" Draco asked.

"I saw him," she said softly. With the sounds of the crowds, and the Christmas music playing overhead, Draco couldn't hear her. "What?"

"I saw him," she repeated, more urgent.

Don said, "Who?"

"Slytherin," she said.

"Hermione, you couldn't have. You imagined you did," Draco said, but he caught Don's worried look.

"I know that, but still, it scared me," she said. Draco took her hand again, and Don took the other. They would both protect her, even from her own imagination. They walked to the food court, and sat at a table, to wait for her parents.

"Do you see what I see?"

Dr. Granger and Don went up to get the food. Hermione was distracted, so she didn't notice when her mum put a tray of Mexican food in front of her. She nibbled on the food, staring at a large fountain near where they sat.

"Hermione, take your coat off, aren't you warm?" her mum asked her.

Hermione didn't answer. She merely continued to stare at the fountain.

Dr. Granger saw his daughter staring and reached in his pocket for a coin. He said, "Hermione, here sweetheart, its tradition." She looked up at him, confused for a moment, and then she realized what he meant. She reached over for the coin. Every year, at Christmas, they would come to this mall, he always gave her a coin to throw in the fountain, and she would make her Christmas wish. She stood up and walked over to the fountain.

"What is she doing?" Draco asked.

Her mother said, "Making her Christmas wish."

Hermione stood by the side of the fountain, and looked at all the shimmering coins lying in the bottom. She started to throw hers in, when she saw something.

It was the middle of the night, after 2:00 am, and Helga found Salazar down in his chambers. She said, "Rowena and I are going to disapparate in the early morning, shortly after dawn. I came to tell you goodbye and to tell you that I will miss you." She came and hugged him tight.

He hugged her back and said, "Why is she going with you, again?"

She didn't know what to say, so she just said, "So I won't be lonely."

"Do you have time for the binding ceremony?" he asked.

"I suppose. I've never seen one before, what does it entail?" she asked, weary.

He took her to a small room off his chambers, and they traveled down a set of stairs, which she didn't even know existed. They entered a little antechamber, and he lit the lanterns on the walls. There was a little underground spring, which led to a grate, and the water flowed under the grate. She was fascinated. "What is all of this?"

"Remember the story I told you about what the youngest Darian told me? This is the underground chamber and the spring with the magical properties," he said.

She walked up to the edge of the spring, and said, "I thought that was a myth."

"No, it's real," he said. He walked over to the smooth black wall and said an incantation she had never heard before. A door suddenly appeared. She was in awe. He took her hand and led her in the secret chamber.

There was a stone altar, and runes written on all the walls. He said, "Give me your hand." She did, without question. He took a basin, which had a small amount of water in it. He took a sharp dagger, and without warning, he pierced her hand. She cried out in shock. He turned her hand upside down, until some of her blood dripped in the basin. He took his wand, healed her hand, and kissed her open palm. He did the same with his hand, and healed it when he was done. He put his wand to the basin, and said a spell. The water within turned from red to blue. He smiled.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Your blood is pure, as pure as mine," he said.

"What?" she asked, with anger.

"This was the ritual to see if you were pure. If you were not as pure as me, the water would have stayed red," he explained.

She stepped back in horror. "This wasn't part of the binding ceremony?" she asked.

"Do not be angry, my love. I had to be sure you were a pureblood, before I did the binding ceremony. Once we are bound by the ceremony, we can never part, so you see why I had to be sure, first."

She shook her head. She was confused. She knew her blood was not pure, but more than that, she was confused as to why it mattered to him.

"You would not marry me if my blood was not pure?" she asked.

He looked at her and said, "It no longer matters, for it is. I love you and we shall be married when you return."

She stepped away from him, and said, "Release me from this room. I want to leave." She now knew her decision to leave was the right one.

He was confused now. He walked up to her and turned her around. He said, "No, we must do the binding ceremony, and then, I will create your Horcrux."

She opened her eyes wide and shouted, "NO!"

"Yes, it must be. I have found a way, so you will not have to take a life. I have already taken care of that part. We will submerge you in the waters of the spring, and when your life is almost past, I will be able to extract a part of your soul. I already have the vessel ready. I have tried this already, and I know it works," he said, desperately.

"You tried it on whom?" she asked. What kind of monster was this, whom she loved?

"That is inconsequential," he stated. "Don't you want to assure that you never die?"

"No, I don't. Please, isn't it enough that we have one lifetime together. I don't want to split my soul," she said, horror struck.

He frowned. He said, "I don't want to distress you. Fine, go to your parents, and we won't discuss this any more."

"You promise?" she asked.

"Yes," he lied. He held her close and stroked her hair. "But come back to me, Helga. If you do not, I will come to look for you."

She nodded. He opened the secret chamber, and they walked back out to the antechamber. Suddenly, he picked her up and threw her in the water of the spring! Her heavy robes weighed her down. She could not swim, and she was sinking. She grabbed for the side of the spring, but he uncurled her fingers from the edge. He said, "Don't be afraid. I won't let you die."

Hermione stood looking in the water, with the coin in her hand. She suddenly couldn't breath. She dropped the coin and ran toward the exit of the mall, weaving in and out of people. She needed air! She couldn't breath!

Draco took off like a bat out of hell, after her, with Don right behind.