Chapter 38 – Through With You

It was dark. The sun had set hours ago and the room was pitch black. The odd creaking noises of the floor boards was all that was left to break the silence that engulfed the tiny house beside the lake.

Harry Potter was pacing the entire length of the house, from the front door through to the hall that led into the two rooms. One room was a strange and eerie shrine to his one of his best friends and the other room was where his other best friend lay unconscious. He and Ginny had tried to remain in the room but after a while it was unbearable. The piercing cold alone prevented him from even stepping into the room and he had to content himself with every now and then looking in at his best friend.

After pacing the house a few more times Harry stopped and collapsed against the wall beside Ron's room. He released a long sigh before holding his head in his hands.

"You alright there, mate?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy Sirius, Harry replied sarcastically, "Both my friends are in some sort of coma and Ron is being suffocated by a weird fog but other than that I've never been better,"

"Right," Sirius laughed in reply, "I know you feel pretty helple – "

"YOU KNOW!" Harry suddenly screamed banging his hand hard against the wall, "You don't know anything! You're dead! You're dead – just like my mum and dad! Everyone just dies and leaves me to fix the mess! I can't – I can't do it anymore…"

"Don't be such a drama queen," Sirius laughed, "Ron and Hermione aren't really gone you kn – "

"SHUT UP!" Harry bellowed getting to his feet and he clenched his fist tightly, "You're not even real! Just go away! Go away!"

Harry took deep breaths as he glared fiercely at the empty wall opposite him.

Harry suddenly felt himself deflate.

"Sirius? – don't…I didn't mean it…" Harry whispered into the empty hallway, "Sirius?"

Harry started when he heard something crash near the front of the house. He quickly brushed the tears from his face and walked into the room his wand held out in front of him.

He instantly let his wand drop when he saw Ginny and one of the cloaked Amathea of Cumae standing in the living room.

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny cried running over to him, "How is he? Any difference?"

Harry looked at Ginny's face and was relieved to see that her eyes were not red from crying so Hermione's condition couldn't have gotten any worse.

"I can't even get into the room to see, it's like a freezer in there. Completely white with icy fog," Harry replied in a quiet voice.

"Freezer?" Ginny furrowed her brow at him.

"Never mind," Harry waved his hand dismissively and led her to the room so that she could see for herself.

The group stood just outside the doorway and stared in at the room – not that it made much difference it was like looking into a room filled with fog.

"I can't see anything," Ginny noted inconsequentially before adding, "How come it's just confined to the room though?"

The cloaked figure beside them reached out a hand and touched the fog that seemed to be contained in the room by some invisible barrier.

"How interesting," the woman beside spoke but the instant her cloaked hand touched the fog it instantly began flooding out of the room and wrapt around the womans body.

Ginny gasped and she watched along with Harry in morbid fascination as the fog encased the woman.

Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and pushed her behind him as they stepped away from the fog.

A moment later without effort the woman stepped forward and shouted at them to run. The group sprinted for the living area when the icy chill wrapt around their bodies.

"We can't stay here," the cloaked figure spoke, "We should just go to back to where Ps – to where the girl is, she's the cause of this so if we make sure she's okay than The True Seer should be to."

"Do we even know how to do that?" Harry questioned throwing some floo powder into the grate.

"I've done all I can," the woman replied, "It's up to the girl to get herself out."

"Out?" Ginny repeated.

"I'll explain later, now you two get in there," the woman said before pushing them both towards the fire.

She watched them step into the fire and as the spinning sensation surrounded them they saw her disapparate.

Hermione saw the stream of arrows fly towards her and instantly shouted a shield spell to stop them.

The arrows hit their mark and Hermione was completely unharmed.

"RON!" Hermione screamed in horror reaching for him when he fell towards her.

Hermione let out a cry when she saw the arrows deeply embedded into his back.

He coughed and Hermione felt the warm ooze of blood soak her shirt. She looked up and saw Psyche standing motionless a few feet from her.

Psyche stared at Ron's figure her mouth agape, before looking up at Hermione with a mixture of anger and disgust, before the bow in her hand fell to the grass softly.

"Ron!" Hermione cried trying to lift him up without injuring him further, "Merlin! How am I supposed to get these out of you?!" Hermione sobbed.

"…er – io – ne…" Ron whispered shakily.

"Ron? What? What is it?" Hermione moved so that she could see his face.

Ron smiled up at her although since his face was covered in blood his smile didn't comfort her in the slightest.

"How…how you been?" He questioned calmly although he had to take deep breathes with each word.

"Ron…I don't want you to panic," Hermione began looking down at his face and concluding that his body must be going through shock, "But you're very badly hurt."

"If by badly hurt…." Ron paused and lifted himself up to sit in front of her, "You mean I've got a thousand arrows in my back – then I suppose you're right."

Hermione simply stared at him when he laughed.

"I don't think you understand the situation…" Hermione began to speak but Ron placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Look at my back," Ron said to her before leaning forward to rest his head on her shoulder.

Hermione took a deep breath before looking at his back once more.

"B-but what happened?!" She said when she saw his back was completely unharmed – there wasn't even a trace of blood on his clothes.

"I'm fine," he laughed although he shook slightly as she helped him to his feet, "Just an illusion."

Hermione felt something a strange sensation from within her as she watched him laugh, she looked over his shoulder to see Psyche still standing in the distance staring at them.

"Shouldn't we deal with her?" Hermione whispered to Ron.

Ron only smiled and moved his hands to cup her face.

"Merlin, I've missed you."

Hermione flushed slightly and looked up into his deep blue eyes that looked down into hers with nothing but love.

"We need to be getting you out of here, come on," he said nodding his head back into the light that Hermione saw still shining in the distance.

He held out his hand to her.

Hermione looked at him before looking at Psyche.

"Oh don't worry about her," Ron said dismissively, "She's just a dream, she can't hurt us."

Hermione looked at Ron before her eyes rested on his hand still outstretched towards her. Slowly Hermione lifted her hand and rested in his. He squeezed her hand before he lead her towards the light.

She looked up at the light and felt the warmth soothe her aching body.

"Are we – are we going to be okay?" Hermione asked, with more than one meaning behind her words.

Ron stopped and pulled her forward so that she was standing in front of him.

"Course we are," he said cheerfully, "I've been an ass I know but I really can't live without you. Someone's gotta keep me in line."

Hermione laughed despite herself and noticed his face brighten as she did.

"I've missed you're laugh – in fact I've missed everything about you," he added softly before pushing some stray strands of hair behind her ear, "Now go on, the sooner we get out of here the sooner we can be together."

Hermione turned to where he was looking and noticed the tall wooden door of Grimmauld place and the bright light beaming out from just behind it.

"It's okay," Ron added pushing her forward, "Go on."

Hermione squeezed his hand before reaching for the door knob. Her hand gripped it tightly and then she looked back at Ron just to make sure he was really real.

He was. He stood just behind her and physically nudged her forward.

Hermione twisted the handle and was just about to push the door open when Ron spoke once more.

"They're all waiting for you, go on."

Hermione froze.

"What did you say?" Hermione spoke slowly her hand still on the door.

Silence followed her question and Hermione began to turn around but she felt Ron's body press against her back, his hands placed on the doors either side of her and held in her in place.

"It's okay Hermione – it'll be okay."

Hermione took a shaky breath before releasing the door knob. She tried to turn around but Ron was much stronger than she was and she was left staring at the wooden door.

"I'm not leaving you," Hermione finally spoke, her hand reaching up and grabbing Ron's hands that were clenched against the wooden doors and wrapping them around her.

She heard him sigh behind her before his arms slackened.

Hermione slowly turned around to look at him and gasped in shock at what she saw.

"You're covered in blood! It wasn't just an illusion!" she cried reaching forward and touching his chest, her hands shook uncontrollably when she felt the deep wounds that had cut straight through him.

"Damn it! Damn it Hermione!" Ron's voice broke as he looked down at her.

He suddenly pulled her into his arms tightly, so much so that she felt the air leave her lungs.

"Why do you always have to be so bloody stubborn?!"

Hermione ignored his question and pushed him away slightly to look at his wounds. She looked up into Ron's face and instantly wiped the trail of blood coming from his mouth.

"Aren't you mad at me? The way I – ended things?" Ron spoke before collapsing to the ground.

"Later," Hermione said softly before reaching for her wand.

Ron watched her and pain etched across his face.

"What? What is it?" Hermione questioned quickly, panic rising within her.

"Can you hear it?" Ron spoke softly.

Hermione stopped what she was doing and listened.

"Hermione! Wake up Hermione!"

"Ginny?" Hermione wondered looking around them but the Grecian garden remained the same.

Ron's eyes locked on her's before he looked behind her.

Hermione gasped when she saw hands reach forward and grab onto her.

Hermione screamed as she was pulled backwards into the doorway.

"RON!"

But Ron just smiled back her.

"It'll be okay," Hermione heard him say before she was pulled completely into the bright light and the door closed on Ron's smiling face.

"RON! RON!"

Ginny started and jumped from her seat when Hermione began thrashing around in her bed sending the covers falling onto the ground.

Hermione screamed before her eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly in her bed.

Hermione looked around disorientated before she seemed to realize where she was.

The faces of Harry and most of the order stared back at her – relief clearly showing on their faces.

"NO! NO!" Hermione cried grabbing at her hair furiously.

"Hermione, calm down," Remus said placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"It's alright dear," Molly said softly, "It'll be okay."

At hearing Molly's words however Hermione only screamed louder before she began hitting her temples angrily as though trying to force something out of her head.

"NO! Put me back! Put me back! I have to – Ron! He's all alone…I can't leave him!" Hermione sobbed.

Ginny looked over at Harry and he instantly stepped out of the room. She knew that he would go check on Ron and she could stay here to make sure Hermione was okay.

"Hermione," Ginny said softly sitting down onto the bed, "It's okay, you're okay now. It was just a dream."

"No! It wasn't!" Hermione screamed back before she tried to get up from the bed.

"Just take a deep breath," Remus said pushing her back down onto the bed, "I know you must be a bit confused but it'll be okay. You're back now. Everything's going to be okay."

Hermione slumped forward and Remus slowly stood back up.

"You don't know anything!" Hermione screamed

Ginny cried in pain when an icy wind pushed her off the bed and she hit the wall painfully.

She shook her head and slowly and painfully picked herself up from the floor she saw everyone else had also been thrown back against the walls.

"Hermione?" Ginny questioned softly helping her friend up from the floor.

"Bloody hell," George said as he helped his mum up from the floor, "What the hell was that?"

"It's disgusting."

Ron looked up to see Pysche standing next to him. She slowly knelt down and looked at him.

"Such a disgusting child," she spoke softly before reaching forward and embracing Ron.

"Don't," Ron replied pulling away from her despite the effort causing him more pain, "Don't say such things about the woman I love."

Ron fell to the ground in a painful heap when Psyche kicked him. The pain in his chest felt like poison slowly spreading through his body. He began to cough and collapsed exhausted on the ground, not even caring about the blood that covered the ground.

"Love?! You don't love that child! You love me! Me! Only me!" Pysche screamed.

"I-I…I only want…" Ron paused and tried to push himself up from the ground but fell back painfully, "I only want – her."

Psyche sneered down at him.

"You want her?" she paused and stood up brushing the hair from her shoulders and looking disdainfully down at Ron, "But will she have you?"

Ron's eyes slowly unfocused and he slumped over onto the ground.

Harry had just thrown the floo powder into the grate and stepped forward when he felt a cold hand land on his shoulder.

"Well Potter, where is he?"

Harry glared up at Snape's face and gritted his teeth. He stopped himself from shouting obscenities at the man now staring down at him with his black piercing eyes, instead Harry shrugged Snape's arm off his shoulder.

"This is not your place – wizard."

Harry looked over his shoulder to see the woman who had thrown Ginny and himself into the fireplace at Ron's cottage.

Harry noticed Snape's face harden and his eyes narrowed at the woman.

"It is the Amathea of Cumae responsibility to take care of the True Seer, you wizards are not required."

Harry looked at the woman in surprise, the way she had said 'wizard' was almost like it was a dirty word that she did not want lingering on her lips.

"The Amathea of Cumae is useless when it comes to protecting their charges," Snape spat back.

"If you are talking about Melis – "

"Don't," Snape's voice was low and Harry was certain the temperature of the room had dropped a few degree's "Don't you dare say her name, you couldn't protect one Seer what makes you think you can save another."

The woman was silent for a moment before she stepped forward her hand outstretched and pointing directly at Snape's chest.

Harry jumped when he heard Snape begin to cough and choke before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Professor!" Harry cried as he watched his teacher struggling to breath and writhing on the floor.

Before he could even reach out to touch Snape, a hand grabbed his collar roughly and steered him towards the fireplace. But they stopped abruptly and Harry looked down to see Snape's pale hand gripping onto his pants leg.

"N-noo…" Snape choked out between deep breaths.

Harry felt himself jerked forward roughly before he felt the warm fire surround his body.

Ron stared up to see his own face looking down at him.

"You're alright now, I was able to get you out of there."

"Thanks," Ron said as he rubbed his eyes before he stood from the ground, "But at what point were you going to tell me that your wife was such bitch, Eros?"

"We have bigger problems right now," Eros replied stretching his wings slightly and grabbing Ron's arms, "It's time to put our plan into motion."

Hermione sat staring at the door opposite her bed. After checking her over the others had left her alone while whispering amongst themselves about her strange behaviour. They had dismissed her attack as an indication that her magical abilities had returned and not what it really was, when she woke she felt the power surge through her. It was her true power and now she could control it.

But that was not what she was focused on right now. She hugged her legs close to her chest and replayed the horrific scenes in her mind. The image of Ron walking away from her in the light, Ron forcing her through the doors and back to consciousness and his acceptance when she was ripped from his arms. She clenched her fists as the realization hit her.

She hated Ronald Weasley.

She wasn't going to deny that she had felt in the past angry and frustration and a combination of other emotions towards the red-head but this was different. She felt a darkness rising within her when she thought about him. It was a strange sensation because she also knew that she loved him. She would always love him but at the same time she hated everything about him.

He didn't trust her – and she had to admit now as she sat staring at the wooden doors of her prison at Grimauld place – she didn't trust him either.

"What happens now?" Hermione wondered aloud as her eyes continued to bore into the door.

Harry felt himself fall out of the fireplace but someone steadied him. He stood up and looked up and his eyes widened.

"Je – Jessica?!" Harry gaped at the woman before him.

He heard her scoff at his comment.

She let her hood fall back from her face and revealed the short black hair that framed her pale face.

"No, I just happen to be of asian origin. My family has served the Amathea of Cumae since before human time existed."

"Human time? What does that mean?" Harry questioned looking at the woman in confusion.

"Human time refers to the time when humans ceased to believe in Seers," she explained, "The Amathea chooses not to associate itself with the wizarding world and so we base our historic events on whether it was during 'Seer's Time' or 'Human Time'."

Harry quickly grasped this easy concept and looked up at the woman once more.

"Since you seem to be helping me so much…um could I ask who are you?"

"You may call me Leila, and it is not you I serve but the True Seer, as those before me have."

"Okay," Harry said slowly trying not to roll his eyes at how ridiculous the whole situation was. He had to agree with Snape, as high and mighty as the Amathea of Cumae made themselves out to be they haven't been that helpful – well apart from –

"Wait! Ron, is he okay?" Harry questioned quickly when he remembered their reason for leaving Grimmauld place.

"Yes, he is recovering now that the girl is conscious."

Harry had to stop himself from shouting at the woman.

"Her name is Hermione Granger, and I'd appreciate it if you call her as such," Harry said in a cold voice.

Leila looked at him with a blank expression.

"Very well, I shall call the – I shall call Hermione by her title from now on," she said as she continued to analyse Harry, "Do all wizards feel attachment to their titles?"

Harry's eyes widened at the curiousity in her voice.

"Not so much the name, just what it stands for. Sorta similar to how you'd call your parents by 'mum' and 'dad', or so I would think so, I wouldn't know from personal experience, but I'm sure you do," Harry finished off lamely rubbing his neck.

"I never knew my parents," Leila replied shortly before moving towards Ron's room.

Harry followed behind her, his anger towards Leila decreasing slightly.

"So it's okay to tell them now?" Ron looked up at Ero's stern expression, "What about Pshyche?"

"I'll deal with her," Eros replied, "As long as we follow the plan everything will be okay."

Ron paused and looked down at his feet weighing whether he should tell Eros what was bothering him.

"Before I collapsed, Pshyce said something to me…" Ron trailed off and stared off into the distance.

"That Hermione did not want you?"

Ron's head snapped back to look at Eros and he had to rub his neck at the pain.

"Don't look at me like that, my soul resides in your body, do you think I do not know everything there is to know about you."

"Yes," Ron nodded his head in agreement, "I can feel it too, I know everything you are thinking – like the fact that you purposely choose my mum and dad to be your parents, because you have never felt loved and welcomed by your own family before. And why it was so easy for me to befriend Harry."

"Harry's loneliness called out to me even before we meet him at Kings Cross Station," Eros explained.

"I need to be getting back," Ron said slowly looking up at Eros, although a part of him dreaded it.

Eros placed a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Love is a complicated thing Ronald Weasley, contrary to what your human fairy tales may suggest it is built and developed over time – when something goes wrong you have to go back and fix it."

"In other words, I've buggered up my relationship with Hermione and now I have to fix it," Ron sighed.

Eros only smiled at him before he felt conciousness return to him.