Chapter 38
What Dreams May Come

Author's Note: I've decided to make this little section into two chapters. I've decided to wait for my other idea until the next chapter.

Warning: Language - repeated use of a swear word.

Edit: Had to re-up this chapter... dumb itallics didn't work right.

(Ron's PoV)

Two hours later, Ron and Harry were pacing back and forth out the doors of the Hospital Wing. Ron was emotionally spent, and had not had anything to eat since he had a bar of Honeydukes Chocolate, which he had bought in Hogsmeade, as he waited for a letter from Hermione's parents that would never come.

He stopped for a moment and looked at the door, trying to listen for any conversation or any signs of movements coming at the door. Madam Pomfrey had not allowed anyone in but Professors. All he wanted to do was go through those doors, and find Hermione and comfort her. She needed him and he needed her. He needed to know she was okay. No... he shook his head... okay was not the right word. It could never be the right word for this situation. She was not okay, and he didn't know if she would ever be okay again. He felt dizzy as he thought of what Hermione must be going through. He sat down against a wall of the corridor, so he wouldn't faint himself. He had to be strong for her. He had to continue to be strong. He could not show any signs of weakness, like he had two hours ago...

Flashback – Two hours ago.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked, as Ron, Remus and Dora appeared outside her portrait, "Oh, Professors!"

"We seek admittance into your tower," Remus said.

The Fat Lady's portrait swung open and Ron, Remus and Dora hurried through the doors.

"Will we be allowed up the stairs?" Dora asked.

"Professors are allowed entrance into every part of this castle," Remus said, "And the Head Boy is allowed up there too... though I'm sure he already knows this."

Ron blushed and nodded and led Remus and Dora up the stairs toward the Girl's dormitories. When he reached Ginny's dorm, he hurried inside, and his eyes directly fell on Hermione, who was collapsing toward the ground.

"Hermione!" he said, as he and Ginny ran over to Hermione.

He knelt down and looked at her.

"Hermione?" he called out, "She's not waking up!"

Remus took one look at Wormtail, and knelt beside Hermione. He put two fingers on Hermione's neck, then on one wrist.

"She's going into shock," Remus said, brandishing his wand from his pocket.

He moved his wand back and forth across Hermione's body and Ron heard him muttering words.

"Is that Peter Pettigrew?" Dora asked.

"Yes," Harry said.

And as Harry explained to Dora what had happened, Ron didn't pay attention to them. He could only look at

Hermione and Remus. After a minute, Remus put his wand away.

"We have to take her to the Hospital Wing," Remus said, "Ron, you can tell me what happened on the way there."

"I-I d-don't know everything that happened," Ron said, his voice shaking, "Will she be okay? Harry, what happened?"

"I'll go with you and explain it to the both of you," Harry said.

"Dora," Remus said, "Send a Patronus to Madam Pomfrey. Tell her to expect us there shortly. Then send one to Professor McGonagall. Don't move from this spot until she gets here. We don't want anybody coming in and finding Wormtail dead. I will meet you back here soon, and if I am guessing what happened here correctly, given Hermione's condition, we're going to be heading to Oxford very soon. Ginny? I want you to come with me too. It looks like you need a bit of Pepper-Up Potion before you go into shock from this."

Ginny nodded. Remus lifted Hermione into his arms and off the ground, and Ron followed everyone except Dora out of the dorm. As they made their way to the Hospital Wing, Ron listened in as Harry and Ginny explained what had happened. When he left, Hermione had picked up her letter. It turned out that the letter had never reached Hermione's parents, and that when the owl returned Peter had intercepted it.

"... and Hermione was mentioning how her parents would never not send her a reply letter back," Ginny said, as they made their way into the corridor where the Hospital Wing was.

"What does that mean?" Ron asked. "Please don't tell me -"

"Dora and I will go to Oxford and check it out," Remus said, "It could just mean the owl couldn't reach the safe-house her parents would go to."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked.

Remus' expression told Ron that he was not. When they reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was waiting outside the room with a gurney.

"This is no spell damage," Madam Pomfrey said, as Remus lay Hermione down on the bed, "She's in shock. What happened?"

"We believe Hermione has received some very disturbing news," Remus said.

Madam Pomfrey face glowed in recognition.

"Oh, the poor dear," she said, "I'll make sure she's okay."

"Miss Weasley here also needs to be treated for shock," Remus said, "She's had a rather – shall we say – eventful Halloween evening."

"Come along, dear," Ginny said, as she pushed Hermione's bed through the door, "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I must ask you to stay out here until I say so."

"How long will that be?" Ron demanded.

"Until I say so," Madam Pomfrey said, shutting the doors behind her.

Flashback ends...

"Until I say so," Harry growled, "That's what she said. Not a specific time. Just 'until I say so'. That was two hours ago!"

"Harry," Ron muttered, as he put his head between his knees, "My girlfriend's parents have been killed and I do not know how she is. She may never completely recover from this news, and all I want to do is go to her and let her know that there is still one person in this world she loves dearly and is here to comfort her. I don't need to hear your voice right now. Shouldn't you go to Ginny? She was released an hour ago!"

"I already did," Harry said.

"Oh yeah," Ron said, "Lucky you."

"Lucky me?" Harry asked, "Ron, do you know what I went through when I saw that – that – bastard's hand all over Ginny? When I saw him whisper into her ear?"

"You don't think I went through that too?" Ron asked, "She's my sister, Harry! Why are you here? I thought you'd still be with Ginny, trying to help her get through this night. It's all I want to do for Hermione. Nothing else. I don't even want to go down to the Great Hall because everyone else will be celebrating Halloween. Celebrating is the last thing on my mind."

"Hermione's one of my best friends, Ron!" Harry said, "That's why I'm here. I just told you that not ten minutes ago! Or have you forgotten?"

Ron didn't answer. He was only staring down the corridor. He had forgotten. Because Harry's words weren't the ones he had been concentrating on from ten minutes ago. He could still hear the footsteps from Remus and Dora as they had returned with the news.

Flashback – Ten minutes ago

"Three-hundred and thirty," Ron said, "Done."

"What?" Harry asked.

Ron looked out of the corners of his eyes. Harry had returned from taking Ginny back to her dormitory.

"That's how many little brown wooden orbs are decorated into the doors of the Hospital Wing," Ron said, "Three-hundred and thirty."

"You counted them?" Harry asked, in disbelief.

"I was hoping I'd only get through about fifty of them," Ron said, "before the door opened and Madam Pomfrey allowed me in."

"That's mental, mate," Harry said.

"It's all I can do, Harry," Ron said, "I feel like I'm going to go mad. Why are you here? I thought you were with Ginny?"

"I was," Harry said, "Long enough to pass the time before I hoped I'd be able to go in and see Hermione. I can see it hasn't happened. Now I'm here for my two best friends."

Ron was about to respond when he heard footsteps at the other end of the corridor. Remus and Dora were walking back toward them, and they did not look very happy. Ron turned to them when they arrived.

"Hermione's parents?" he asked, "Are they okay?"

Remus looked down at his feet and Ron could see tears in Dora's eyes. Though he didn't need to see their reactions. Hermione would have only fainted if she was sure about what had happened.

"Hermione's father," Remus said, "was laying on the bottom steps just inside the door. Hermione's mother had locked herself in Hermione's bedroom – I'm guessing it was her bedroom – there were a lot of books."

"That's Hermione's bedroom," Ron said, as he pictured the room he had been in when he had gone to pick up Hermione this past summer.

"How do you know she was locked in?" Harry asked.

"The door was still locked," Dora said. "The bastards that did it came in through Hermione's window when they couldn't apparate in."

"Elphias?" Harry asked.

"Just inside the door of Hermione's house," Remus said, and Ron saw a solitary tear going down his face, "We believe he tried to save Hermione's father. Hermione's father was in a position that told us he was trying to run up to Hermione's mother."

Ron sank onto the floor and looked at his hands.

"Their luggage was packed," Dora said, "They were ready to go. Ready to go to the safe-house. The bastards!"

Dora put a hand to her mouth and Ron heard a sob in her throat. Ron then heard footsteps in the Hospital Wing and the door opened.

"How is she?" Ron asked.

"Miss Granger is awake," Madam Pomfrey said, "But still very shaken. And given that you are back, Remus, I'm guessing you're not going to make her feel any better."

"No," Remus said.

"Can I go in?" Ron asked, "I'm her boyfriend! She needs me!"

"Ron," Remus said, "Let me explain to her what happened. It will only take a few minutes. I promise. Then you can go in and see her."

Ron groaned and cursed under his breath. Remus and Dora followed Madam Pomfrey into the room, and the wooden doors shut again.

Flashback ends...

"What am I going to say to her, Harry?" Ron asked. "What can I say that will make her feel better?"

"Nothing," Harry said.

Ron narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Because that isn't what she wants, is it?" Harry said, "She doesn't want to feel better. Because you're never going to feel better after something like this. Mate, I speak from experience with this. I will never get over the death of my parents, and I – well – I can't really say I knew them, can I? Hermione has known her parents for over eighteen years now. So what can you say? What you can say is something that can take her mind of off this for a little while. She needs that."

"And what would that be?" Ron asked.

"You have to figure that out," Harry said.

Ron nodded and looked at the door. Just as he was wondering what next to count, the doors opened and Remus and Dora stood in the opening of it.

"She wants you, Ron," Remus said, "And you alone. I'm sorry, Harry. Not right now."

Ron looked at Harry.

"I'll go see how Ginny's doing," Harry said.

"Thanks, mate," Ron said, then walked into the Hospital Wing.

-
(Hermione's PoV – Fifteen minutes ago)

"Daddy!" Hermione Granger said, chuckling, as she looked out the window from the back seat of her father's car, "Where are we going?"

"Now, birthday girl!" Richard Granger said, "If I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

It was Hermione's sixth birthday, and her father was taking her for a ride in Oxford, though he hadn't told her where they were going. Her mother was at home baking a homemade sugar-free cake for Hermione's birthday and wrapping Hermione's presents, so her father had taken her out to distract her.

"I don't like surprises!" Hermione said, crossing her arms to her chest.

"Of course you don't," Richard said, "You're so much like me. But it doesn't look like you have to wait any longer. Look! We're here!"

Hermione looked out the window. She gasped when she saw the sign on the large brick building. It read Oxford Central Public Library.

"A library!" Hermione gasped.

To six-year old Hermione Granger, this was heaven. She had never been to an actual library before because her parents had always bought her books when she wanted to read.

"Didn't you tell me last week you wanted to read something besides children's books?" Richard asked. "This has a whole selection for you. Millions of books."

"Daddy!" Hermione giggled, "There can't be millions!"

"Okay, maybe thousands," Richard said.

A minute later, Richard found a parking spot, and he got out of the car, then opened the child-safe door. Hermione released herself from her seat-belt and hopped out of the car. She ran across the parking lot toward the building.

"Hermione," Richard said, when he reached her, "What do I say about running out where cars can go?"

"Look both ways," Hermione recited, "Sorry, Daddy."

"Let's go inside," Richard said.

Hermione nodded and followed her father throw the sliding doors. Her eyes went as wide as saucers as she looked around. The library was two levels, all filled with books and tables and chairs.

"Blimey," Hermione said.

"You also get those words from me," Richard said, chuckling, "How about you go find some books, and I'll go sign the papers for your first library card."

Hermione grinned. Her first ever library card. How she had dreamed of having one of these for herself.

"No running," Richard said.

Hermione nodded and walked toward the stairs. She knew the children books would be on the bottom, where children could go, and she didn't want those. When she was out of her father's eyesight she ran up the stairs and looked around at the signs above the rows of books. She was a big fan of fantasies, and witches and wizards and magic. Though she knew it wasn't real, she wished it was. And these books gave her those wishes.

She found the fantasy section and walked into the row. She walked along one row and looked at the titles of books. Then on the top row high above her, she found a book she wanted. It was called The Wizard of Oz, and she had heard of it before, though she never read it. There had been a movie made about the book, but her mother would never let her watch it. She said it was not for little girls. She raised her hand up, but the book was too high.

"Aww!" she moaned, "I want that book!"

She stamped her foot annoyed, and her eyes widened as she saw the book move. She blinked and looked back at the book. It seemed to be wiggling out of the bookcase, and suddenly, it fell to the floor in front of her with a crash. She looked around and then down at the book.

"That was just like magic!" Hermione gasped.

"My Uncle says magic doesn't exist," a boy's voice said.

Hermione turned around. A boy with very messy hair and glasses that looked like they had been broken and repaired with tape many times was standing in front of her.

"But I don't believe him," he continued, "He's not very nice."

"Daddy says I shouldn't talk to strangers," Hermione said, as she picked up the book.

"Can I tell you my name," the boy said, "Then I wouldn't be a stranger."

"Um... okay," Hermione said, "Only first names though. I'm Hermione."

"I'm Harry," Harry said.

"Nice to meet you," Hermione said.

"What are you doing up here in the books where the older kids go?" Harry asked.

"How old are you?" Hermione asked.

"Five," Harry said.

"I'm six," Hermione said, "So I am an older kid. Why are you up here?"

"Hiding from my cousin," Harry said, "He's rather mean too. But he's probably being babied by my Aunt Marge. She loves him. She's not really my aunt, but I have to call her that. That's why we're here in Oxford. To visit her."

"Hey! Boy!" a voice said.

"I-I gotta go," Harry said, "Maybe we'll see each other again.

"Bye," Hermione said.

Harry disappeared around the corner of the book cases, then Hermione saw her father and she grinned.

"There you are," Richard said, "Here's your new library card."

Hermione ran forward to her father and took the card from him. She looked at it.

"Miss Hermione Granger," she said, reading her name, "I like that. Miss Granger."

"Well," Richard said, "let's go find you some books, Miss Granger... Miss Granger... Miss Granger..."

"Miss Granger?" a voice said, "Miss Granger? Can you hear me?"

Hermione blinked open her eyes and looked up. She was laying on a bed in the Hospital Wing, and Madam Pomfrey was standing beside her.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"I was in a library," Hermione said.

"Professor Lupin said you were in the Gryffindor dormitories," Madam Pomfrey said.

"No," Hermione said, "I was at the Oxford library, and my – my Daddy had just given me a library card. It was my sixth birthday."

"Oh, my dear," Madam Pomfrey said, "You must have been dreaming."

"It seemed so real," Hermione said, "I was there and Daddy – Daddy -"

Hermione bolted up into a sitting position. She now remembered the last thing that had happened before she blacked out.

"My Dad!" Hermione said, "Mum – they – no! Please tell me –!"

"Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said, "I need you to lay down."

"I don't want to lay down!" Hermione said, "What happened to my parents?"

Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to speak, when she was interrupted by a muffled sound outside the Hospital Wing.

"Please relax, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said.

She turned and walked toward the doors of the Hospital Wing.

A few moments later, she returned and she was not alone. Remus and Dora were walking toward her.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione said, gasping,"Wormtail – Peter Pettigrew – he – I -"

"Yes, Hermione, I know he is dead," Remus said, "That happened two hours ago."

"Two hours!" Hermione gasped, "My parents – they didn't get my letter – they -"

Remus sighed audibly as he sat in the chair next to Hermione's bed. Hermione felt tears pool in her eyes as she looked at Remus. His expression was like stone and he seemed to be staring at nothing. Dora looked like she was on the verge of tears, and if Hermione wasn't wrong... she looked as if she had already been crying.

"Remus," Hermione said, "My parents – please -"

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Remus said.

A sob escaped from Hermione's throat and she put her hands to her mouth as tears fell from her eyes.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "No... no... don't – don't you say – NO!"

Hermione couldn't hold anything back. She suddenly felt bile in her mouth and turned to the vacant side of her bed and retched onto the floor. Hermione inhaled and exhaled as she laid back against her pillow. Madam Pomfrey walked over to the mess on the floor, and cleared it away with a simple spell from her wand. She then poured some water into a clear glass from a pitcher and handed it to Hermione. Hermione gulped the water down. It felt refreshing, but the taste was off.

"I can't – I can't," Hermione sobbed, "I can't remember the last thing I said to them. Words. Not from a letter. Words. I can't remember. What – what happened?"

"Hermione," Remus said, "You don't need to know the details."

"What happened, Remus?" Hermione yelled.

"Elphias Doge was trying to protect them," Remus said.

"Oh, please," Hermione said, a sob escaping her throat, "He didn't –?"

"The last thing he did in his life was what he promised you he would do," Remus said, "He fought trying to protect your parents. We believe your father was trying to run to your mother to protect her. She had – she had gone to your bedroom when everything started."

"Oh, god," Hermione said, "She – we – we painted that room together. So it was the color I wanted. She – said it was the best – the best thing we ever did together as m-mother and d-daughter. Oh, god, what have I done?"

"This isn't your fault," Dora said.

"You don't understand!" Hermione growled, "I was going to protect them. I was going to make them forget about me and move out of the house and – and I couldn't do it because it would mean I was giving – giving them up. Oh god, Mum, Dad, I'm so sorry!"

Hermione buried her head into her pillow and felt tears stream down.

"Eleven-o-clock to Leeds now preparing to board," a voice said in Hermione's head.

Hermione sat up and looked around.

She was now standing in King's Cross station and she was eleven years old.

"I still don't say this Platform 9 ¾ exists," Helen Granger said, "Whoever heard of a three-fourths of a platform?"

"It is what Professor McGonagall told us, dear," Richard said, "How can you not believe it? What have we seen since she came by the house? A building on a street that I swear wasn't there when I passed by it ten times before then, but the building seemed to be a hundred years old? Brick walls that lead into marketplaces that should not exist? Miniature figures of creatures that look so real but should only exist in fairy tales? And what about those things Hermione's done?"

"Oh come on," Helen said, "Why couldn't they use Platform 9 instead of something called Platform 9 ¾?"

"Did you say Platform 9 ¾?" a voice said.

Hermione turned around. A rather large woman was standing there, with five children all ranging in ages around her. They all had shades of ginger-red hair. A young girl not much younger than Hermione was clutching a hand to the woman. Twin boys were raising a box in the air, and inching closer to their younger brother, who didn't seem to notice them. Actually, Hermione noticed, he was looking at her. Hermione blushed, and the boy blushed too. She could count at least ten freckles on his face before the blush disappeared.

"Yes," Richard said, "Do you know it?"

"Of course, of course!" the woman said, "You just walk into the wall between Platforms 9 and 10. You shouldn't miss it."

"Excuse me," Helen said, "Did you say walk into a wall?"

"Oh, you must be Muggles," the woman said, "I'm sorry! How can I explain this?"

But an explanation fell short, because the freckled boy suddenly screamed. Hermione looked at the boy, then her eyes widened as she looked at the ground. A large black spider was crawling away from him and the twin boys were laughing.

"Fred and George Weasley!" the woman said, loudly, "How dare you do that? You already know Ron is nervous enough! You better pick up that spider now!"

"Ron," Hermione whispered, as she looked at the boy.

The boy nodded and waved.

"What?" a louder voice said, "Hermione? Can you hear me?"

Hermione looked up. She was back in the Hospital Wing.

"I want to see Ron," Hermione said.

"You blacked out there again for a couple minutes, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said, "I think that can wait."

"I want to see Ron!" Hermione yelled, "I need him!"

"It's okay, Poppy," Remus said, "I think we can allow that. I think being with Ron for a while will be better medicine for her than anything you can give her."

"Oh, all right," Madam Pomfrey said, "But only for a few minutes."

"We'll go get him," Dora said.

Remus stood up and he and Dora headed back to the doors of the Hospital Wing. They opened the doors and a moment later, a ginger-haired boy walked into the room. Hermione looked at Ron and the next thing she did, she didn't think she would ever do again.

She gave him a big smile.

-
Had to end it there! Ron and Hermione's discussion in the Hospital Wing is next!

Obviously the original meetings between Hermione and Harry, and Hermione and Ron are not canon and come from my head. But I loved them. Hope you did too.

Damn this chapter made me cry as I was writing it.