Author Note: This is a love story based on an idea sent to me by my brother who got the idea from a Facebook group that Rhys Thorberry posted in. I liked the idea and this took root in my brain so I hope you like it. (I am not active on Facebook as there is way too much unhealthy drama over there.)
Plot description: Harry Potter is the boy who lived. On his world his Hermione died. On another world Hermione Granger is the Child of Destiny and her Harry died. The fates decide that they should do something to make it up to them so they move them to another world whose Harry and hermione both had died in the final battle. Will they fall in love?, will they overcome their grief? Stay tuned and find out in Fate's Reward.
===xxx===xx
Harry Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived, Champion of the light and chosen one stood breathing hard over the body of the Dark Lord Voldemort. The being who had ruined his life and murdered his parents. It was over and he had won. He could get on with trying to develop a normal life for a change. Finally tell the girl he loved how he felt. What he should have done ages ago. He bent down though before all of that and plucked the Elder Wand from his cold dead hand. It should be restored to Dumbledore's tomb so no one else would be able to use it.
Neville limped over, the sword of Gryffindor dragging along the ground behind him. "You did it Harry! You did it."
Harry shook his head, black ash filled hair coated with sweat from the exertion of battle barely moving. His glasses cracked and askew on his face which had blood running from a gash on his cheek. "No Nev. We all did it. We all played a part."
"If you say so Harry. You're the one that struck him down. You're the one they'll remember forever. People like me will get forgotten about."
Harry stared intently into Neville's eyes, "Then we'll have to make sure that you're not forgotten about." He said with a weary smile as he put his hand on Neville's shoulder.
Ron came running up at that point. He stopped a few feet away, his breath coming in great heaves, tears streaming down his pale face, "Harry. Harry. You better come. Better come quick. Its Hermione."
Harry didn't need to hear anything else as he felt a rush of fear giving his feet speed. He burst into the great hall shoving people aside to reach the Weasleys who were gathered around two figures on the floor. Long red hair splayed out around the pale unmoving head of Ginny Weasley. Her eyes had been closed and she might have been asleep. Harry barely registered that due to the brown haired witch laying on the floor beside her. She looked like she might have been tired and laid down beside her friend. The two of them at a sleep over. Harry started shaking his head chanting the word no over and over as he slowly stepped closer to her. Arthur came forward and started to put his hand on Harry's shoulder but felt a small burst of lightning leap off of Harry stinging him.
"Why isn't anything doing something for her. She'll die. She's going to die if you don't help her."
Arthur tried again and this time managed to touch Harry. "She's dead already Harry. It was the Killing Curse. Ginny and her were fighting Bellatrix and Molly wasn't able to help out in time."
"Where is she, what happened to her." Harry said in a tone of voice that sent shivers down the spine of all around him.
"Bellatrix is dead. Molly took her down but, but she's in the hospital wing when she saw what happened to them." Arthur said looking at the two girls.
Harry said nothing. He did nothing. Some were not sure he was even breathing. He knelt down and brushed the hair out of Hermione's face. He caressed her cheek softly. He whispered something that no one heard before he stood up. Walking to Ron he slid a key out of his pocket holding it out to the boy.
"Harry, is that your vault key?" Ron looked down in shock at what he was being handed.
"Yeah it is. Take it. I won't need it anymore." Harry shoved the key at Ron who retreated.
"No Harry. You're just talking out of your arse right now. You're in shock in pain."
Harry raised the elder wand that he had picked up from Voldemort. He was its true owner. Master of Death. Which was all he wanted right now. "Ron so help me GOD! I will send you to see your sister if you do not take this key right now!" He said in an angry tone of voice that left Ron with no option but to take the key being offered to him.
"I'll hold onto it for you. Until you're ready."
"You will take as much gold as it takes to give them a monument, to build a monument to all of the dead. To all our friends. A monument worthy of them. You understand? You will do that. I don't care if it takes every last coin. Then you will find a girl. Lavender or Luna or someone and you will live and you will have babies and you will go on. You understand that?" Harry had begun to cry. Tears running down his face as he choked out the words in a harsh painful voice.
Ron nodded, tears of his own trailing down his cheeks. "I will Harry. I will."
Harry nodded then walked out of the hall. He stared straight ahead, not watching, not caring. Just walking. He left the doors of Hogwarts. Walking down the lane.
He froze when he heard soft footsteps following him Spinning he saw Luna walking towards him holding a silver silken piece of cloth. She had a worried look on her wide open face.
"Harry? You forgot your invisibility cloak."
"Oh. Thank you Luna. You keep it. Maybe it'll help you find your Crumple Horned Snorckack."
"Maybe Harry. I will miss you when you commit suicide."
Harry gave a brief smile as he felt her comment pierce him through the core of his soul as he knew that was what he had been thinking. "Thank you Luna."
"Do you really think that would be what either of them would have wanted for you?"
"No. Hermione would probably have slapped me across the back of the head and Ginny would have helped her." He sighed.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. My future, my world is laying in there on the floor." Harry cried as she walked up to take him in her arms.
"I am sorry Harry that my heart was stolen by Neville. Otherwise I would gladly give it to you."
"I know Luna. You've always been a wonderful person." Harry said pulling back from her.
She leaned up and kissed him gently softly on the lips. Harry tasted tears that may not have been his own.
"Goodbye Harry. I will always treasure the time we had together."
"Goodbye Luna. So will I." Harry smiled at her and squeezing her hands one last time he turned and walked out the gates of Hogwarts forever.
===xxx===xx
Hermione Granger, the Chosen One, the Girl of Destiny stood over Lord Voldemort. The man who had terrorized muggle and magical alike for the last decade. She was too tired to even work up the energy to glare at him. After seven years of dealing with either him or his followers she could finish school she could tell the boy she loved how she felt finally. Instead of hiding it and keeping it inside. She would first return the stolen Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb she thought as she bent down to pluck it from his cold dead hands.
Luna limped over dragging the Sword of Gryffindor behind her. She came up and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, "You did it. You finally did it. You killed the evil bastard!"she said then spat on his body.
"You helped Luna, a lot of people helped. It wasn't just me."
"You're the one that struck the killing blow. You're the one they'll remember. If I'm lucky I'll just get a footnote in your book."
"When I write a book about this, you'll be more than a footnote Luna. I promise you that." Hermione said as she gave the blonde a weary smile.
Ginny ran up at that point. Her pale face covered in ash that was streaked by tears. Her breathing was rapid and shaken by great sobs. "Hermione! Hermione! You better come. You better come quick! Its Harry."
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she heard his name. She ran into the castle at full speed, fear giving her an adrenaline boost that let her move swiftly through the crowds still in shock. Still not registering that it was over.
She froze though when she saw two bodies laid out side by side. Short red hair, freckles on a round face that had usually sported a goofy self assured grin as he laughed at some private joke would do so no more. Ronald Weasley her friend was laying dead at her feet.
What tore her heart out though as the boy laying beside him. His messy black hair perpetually tufted and untamable. The gold rimmed glasses she had bought him with her inheritance now laid askew on his face, bent and twisted with the lens shattered. She, by reflex, cast occulous repairo on him once again.
"Why aren't you helping him. Why are you just leaving him to lay there? Do something. Someone do something." She repeated in a voice that was not hysterical but was in the same district as it.
Molly pulled the girl into a hug, "Hermione. He's gone already. He can't be helped anymore. There's nothing we can do. I'm soo sorry." Molly gave a great heaving sob but still tried to comfort the brown haired witch.
Hermione's voice was a flat emotionless drone when she asked, "What happened?"
"It was Bellatrix. They were fighting her and Dad tried to get to them. I tried to get there but got hung up by Malfoy. He was closer but he wasn't in time. Him and Mum took her down though." Ginny quietly explained beside her friend.
Hermione shrugged her way out of Molly's arms. Kneeling beside Harry she swept his bangs out of his face. Kissing him on the lips she whispered something that no one heard then stood and walked to Ginny.
Standing before the distraught redhead Hermione reached into the brown leather bag she had managed to keep with her through all of the chaos and havoc going on. She pulled a key out of the bag and thrust it at the Weasley girl.
"Hermione. Is that your vault key?" Ginny gasped.
"Yeah. It is. Or was, now its yours."
"No Hermione. I can't take it." Ginny said trying to shove the key back at Hermione. "You need it. You're just in shock right now."
Hermione growled and raised the Elder wand at Ginny. "Ginny Weasley you WILL. Take. This. Key! Or so help me by all the goddesses and gods I will send you to be with your brother."
Ginny swallowed hard at the pain and determination in her friend's voice. She nodded and took the key. "I'll just hold onto it for you, until you get back."
"NO!" Hermione shouted into Ginny's face as she put her hand on Ginny's shoulder, touching her forehead with hers. "You will take all of my wealth. All my inheritances. You will take everything and build a monument to them. To our friends we lost. You'll make it worthy of them. Then you'll take anything left over and find some nice boy and settle down. Pop out a few kids. But you will live Ginny. You will live."
Ginny nodded. She threw her arms around her friend and hugged her before Hermione pulled away. She began to walk, not turning back. Not looking around. She went out the doors of the castle and began to walk down the lane. Gravel crunching under foot and under the feet of a person following her.
She spun with her wand out to find Neville standing there smiling politely at her. The Hufflepuff had become one of her friends when he started dating Luna. The two of them had somehow become inseparable even though he was a self-proclaimed tree hugging dirt worshipper and she was a shieldmaiden hellraiser. In battle though Hermione had not wanted to leave either one of them behind. She counted them among her closest friends and family.
"Neville." She simply said.
"Hey, Hermione."
She sighed, "What do you want?"
"To let you know that we'll miss you." He said stepping up to her.
"Thanks, Neville."
"Your death won't change anything Hermione." He said softly.
"It'll stop the pain. It'll let me be with them." She sobbed.
Neville smiled before he hugged her and let her cry out her eyes on his shoulder. Eventually she stopped and pulled back. "I could have fallen for you Nev."
He smiled shyly, "Nah. You deserved someone better then me."
Hermione sighed deeply, "Yeah maybe, but he's gone, my parents are gone. My entire world is gone. O! that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew' I shall not look upon his like again." She intoned gently then squeezed Neville hands. "Say goodbye to Luna for me. Then you two better have plenty of kids."
Neville chuckled, "I think we can do that. Goodbye, Hermione. Parting tis such sweet sorrow for that we shall not meet again." He said in a strained voice around the lump in his throat.
She smiled with watery eyes then turned and walked through the gates never to be seen again.
===xxx===xx
Two women stood in a place that could not really be called a place. It was beyond all of space and time, yet touched all of it. One of the women was dressed in garb that on many worlds was called Victorian mourning dress. A veil of dark grey hung from her hat across her face.
The other woman stood bare faced with a dress that looked like it was made of layer upon layer of spider webs. Strands breaking and forming at seemingly random patterns. Little sparkles here and there as lines intersected.
"Sister did you hear what he said to his beloved?" The one in the veiled hat asked with a soft gentle voice. Her champion's pain and grief reaching across their realms like a physical thing.
"Nay I did not sister. I was hearing what she said to her beloved." The spiderweb dressed woman replied in a atonal tinkling voice. She had felt the loss, the pain of her champion reach out to her.
"What did she say?" Death asked looking into the pool of radiance they observed many things within.
An image of Harry whispering into Hermione's dead ears floated to the top. His voice carried to the women though "Goodnight, my love... the brightest star in my sky."
The image of Hermione kneeling and kissing her Harry floated next to it her voice brought forth "Goodnight, you, who were my sky, and my sun, and my moon."
The two sisters looked between each other and shook their heads. "We must atone for this. Their pain will never allow them to rest."
"They have served well as our champions. They were supposed to receive their beloved as their reward."
"Our sister took that from them though."
"There is another world though. A world that they can receive each other as their reward."
"They do not know each other. Will they accept the other as their own?"
"We shall see. We must do all that we can though."
"What of their others. The ones they leave behind."
"Their spirits have already received their just reward. They will understand."
"Then let us set the course they will follow."
"So mote it be." The two spoke as one.
===xxx===xx
Harry had apparated to the Forest of Dean. Arriving in the clearing that he and Hermione had spent several nights in after Ron had left. They almost confessed their love for each other in this clearing. The time they had spent there was a respite from the pain, the darkness, the horror.
He smiled as he remembered the first night Hermione had crawled into the bed with him. She had said she was cold and lonely and scared and needed to just be held by him without any questions. Harry was happy to oblige. Over the next several days they had become more relaxed, more comfortable. They got to know each other more than they had ever done before. He finally confessed to her about how the Dursley's treated him, how he felt so broken by Dumbledore's manipulations. She confessed to him about how scared she was she would never see her parents again, how she was angry at Ron for leaving them, how she had hoped that Dumbledore would have supported them more.
They had grown close then came the night of the patronus and Ron's return. The torture and the final battle. It was all just a blur to Harry anymore. The only thing that he remembered clearly was his love for her. Her smile. Her laugh. The smell of her hair when she laid in his arms. The feel of her soft body pressed against his.
He transfigured a rock into a tablet and used his wand to carve a goodbye letter. Then he shattered it. Let them ponder over what happened to him. He knelt in the first rays of the rising sun. Tears did not fall any more. He raised his wand to his heart and swallowing deeply said, "I'll see you again Hermione. I love you forever and a day." Then girding his courage he closed his eyes and whispered, "Avada Kedavra."
===xxx===xx
Hermione had apparated to the Forest of Dean and the clearing they had spent several days in. They had just barely managed to escape the Godric's hollow home of Bathilda Bagshot a historian and friend of Dumbledore's. It had been Nagini wearing the body as a suit which almost cost them their lives. They had escaped before Voldemort had arrived but only just barely. Ron had abandoned them before their trip to the Hollow calling it a trap and a suicide mission. For once his skittishness had been proven right.
Looking around the clearing she sat by the remains of their campfire. Remembering how Harry had cooked for her the canned goods she had packed supplemented by wild berries and shoots from the forest. Since she had grown up in a city orphanage she did not have very good survival skills. His country gentleman farmer family background had taught him a great deal about what was and was not edible. Being friends with the Weasleys and Neville a master herbologist had also helped he said.
It had been just the two of them. Sitting and wondering what to do next, where to go. Her notes and planning and research had failed them and she almost gave up. Harry though had been there for her. His support and concern for her helped her regain her composure. Had helped her realize she had to keep going. She opened up to him about growing up in the orphanage, how when she found out she was a witch she had felt fear and then when she found out her parents had been the final victims of a dark lord that had plagued the wizarding world for almost a decade she was confused. A child of prophecy is how Dumbledore had described her. Harry had talked to her about the nights with his mother when she would sing for the family. How his father had taught him to ride a broom when he was very little. They had talked and talked. Her head resting on his chest or in his lap as they looked up at the cold stars.
It was an idyllic bliss until one day while out scavenging Harry had discovered Ron who had the sword of Gryffindor. He had received it from his father who had received it from an ally in the Order. That set off a chain of events that eventually culminated in the final battle. The final battle that had killed Harry. She sighed. She had almost given herself to him on this very spot. Only she had stopped herself for some reason. She couldn't explain why and regretted it greatly.
She reached into her bag and pulled out the cursed dagger she had pulled from Dobby's chest after Malfoy Manor. She didn't know why she had kept it other than by force of habit from never having anything of her own. She had made a sheathe for it but had another one in mind now as she drew the dull black blade with its strange runes.
Rising to her knees she looked into the rays of the rising sun. Letting them make her eyes water as she whispered, "I love you Harry and I'll see you soon."
Swallowing her fear she raised the dagger and plunged it into her chest with the words, "Oh Happy dagger here be thy sheathe."
===xxx===xx
The sisters had been joined by their third. A woman whose form and dress flowed and rippled moment by moment.
"Sister the two have crossed through the veil."
"Good we can now place them someplace safe and happy for them."
"They will be together finally."
The three touched the pool and willed it to be.
===xxx===xx
Harry woke up to birds chirping and singing. He opened his eyes to see a bright sunny blue cloudless sky overhead. Groaning slightly he sat up. Across the clearing a person sat up as well. A person he thought he would never see again.
Hermione woke up free of all pain. She was confused but heard birds singing and chirping. She also heard a male groan coming from across the clearing. Opening her eyes she saw blue sky over head. Sitting up she saw a male figure doing the same. Their eyes met. Deep emerald green eyes she thought she would never look into again.
Both sat staring at the other in disbelief for along minutes before they sprang to their feet and fell together in the middle of the clearing. Kissing each other with the passion of a million exploding galaxies.
"Oh my god I never thought I'd see you again!" They both shrieked before holding each other tightly.
"I know when you died Hermione I just couldn't take it. I came to the Forest and killed myself."
Hermione pulled back looking at the boy-who-lived carefully. "When I died?" She asked carefully looking askew at him. She saw that instead of the gold frames she had given him he was wearing grey metal frames.
Harry had pulled back as well. This Hermione's hug felt different. His always felt like she was going to break a rib, this one while she was passionate had felt like she was afraid to push too far, was holding back. "Hermione what happened to you?"
"I came to the Forest and plunged Bellatrix's dagger into my heart after YOU died." She said matter of factly.
The two of them stepped back and drew their Elder wands simultaneously. "Who are you? Where am I?" they shouted in unison at each other.
"I know I couldn't have survived the AK three times. Fate wouldn't be that cruel." Harry said watching Hermione carefully.
"That dagger was cursed to never allow a wound made by it to be healed." She said watching Harry with hooded eyes.
"How did you get an Elder wand?"
She looked at the wand he was holding and noticed it was an Elder wand too. She was becoming more and more confused by the second. "Logically there has got to be some kind of rational explanation for this."
Harry started laughing then stood up in a relaxed posture. Sliding the Elder wand into his belt. "There is we're from parallel realities."
Hermione stood up looking askance at Harry. "What makes you say that?"
"I was studying you. You look and sound like the Hermione I knew. Only you don't act like her. She didn't move like you do. Little things. Like that bag over your shoulder. I don't remember Hermione ever owning a bag like that."
Hermione nodded, "Okay. I remember reading about that concept in a few books. It explains your glasses. Plus that weird scar. Where did you get that?"
"Voldemort gave it to me. When he tried to kill me after he killed my parents." Harry said. The story having become painless after so many times telling it.
Hermione frowned though, "Oh. I have a scar too. Apparently he killed my parents but when he tried to kill me something happened."
Harry looked shocked, "You're not a muggle-born?"
"I guess I am. I never knew my parents. Everyone said I was not born of magic." The way she said that made Harry think she had not invented that phrase about herself.
"Your prophecy. It was about you?" Harry asked thinking hard.
"Yeah. Dumbledore said I was a child of destiny. That I had been prophesied to defeat the dark lord from before I was born." She sighed like she had said that many times before.
Harry levitated a log over to their location and sat on it. Hermione sat on the other end of the log. Both of them stared into the woods for a few moments.
"So where do you think we are, since we're probably not dead." Harry asked.
"What makes you think we're not dead?"
Harry shrugged, "This doesn't feel like last time."
"Yeah true. It doesn't." She agreed after a moment. "Do you think that there isn't a version of us here?"
"I have no idea. We could go get a Daily Prophet and find out." Harry suggested.
"We should disguise ourselves just in case."
Harry started laughing.
"What is so funny?" She sourly asked.
"Us. We've known each other barely an hour and already we are working together like we've known each other since the beginning."
She smiled sadly. "Yeah I guess. I guess old habits die hard. Your Hermione was a smart girl?"
"One of the brightest. She knew more about magic and Hogwarts than some Pure-bloods. And I wouldn't be here without her." Harry took a deep breath then asked, "Your Harry, he was a bit on the reckless side?"
Taking a deep breath she chuckled at some memories, "Youngest seeker, flew like he had been born in the sky. Acted like he was the one who was immortal. Him and that buddy of his Ron. The two of them kept me alive, taught me all about the wizarding world." She hung her head before she slid off the log to pluck at the grass.
Harry wanted to go comfort her like he would his Hermione but he held himself back as he didn't know for sure how this one would react. He did say, "I'm sorry."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for your loss too. It must seem pretty cruel to be trying to process her death and then for me to just show up." Hermione cleared her throat as she fought back emotions.
Harry paused to consider what to say before speaking, "I understand. I don't know what happened but it must not be easy for you either. Having me sitting here talking to you after. After what happened."
She nodded briefly. "Right. So the war is over but the battle continues. Once more unto the breach dear friend?" She said standing and holding her hand out to Harry.
Smiling he said, "Always."
===xxx===xx
The two of them apparated to just outside Hogsmeade. They had agreed to come here as it was summer and there should be fewer people around, and it would let them know how bad the battle had been if it was recent.
Harry had made his hair long and blonde with bangs to cover his scar, like Malfoy with blue eyes. His glasses he had shifted into gold wire rims. Hermione had made her bosom a bit larger and she had long bright red hair with green eyes. She had chuckled that at least her scar was a lot easier to hide at least. Harry nodded and filed that away for later interest.
Entering the village they saw that some of the building had been damaged. Looking across the lake they saw that the castle still had parts smoldering and carcasses of creatures littered the grounds. Many of the trees had been knocked down and shattered into toothpicks. So the brunt of the battle had been at the castle it seemed.
They saw a few people walking around working. Healers had set up a small hospital on the village square by the Three Broomsticks. Harry heard Hermione gasp suddenly.
"What is it?" Harry tensed looking around him for a threat.
"Lavender? She was killed in our battle. I saw Fenrir maul her." Hermione's voice wavered slightly. She nodded with her head towards the triage center.
Harry looked at the crowd Hermione was gesturing towards and saw Lavender Brown moving from person to person. She was wearing the blood covered robe of a healer. In his reality he had seen her thrown off a high balcony with Fenrir. He had no idea if she had survived or not.
"Well that confirms its a different world at least." He whispered to her.
"Apparently. Although it looks like they had a battle too. Here comes someone."
Harry clenched his wand tighter as Cedric Diggory came over to them, he was tall and good looking in his athletic way Harry saw. His face was a lot grimmer though and weary. He was wearing a healer's uniform and carrying a clipboard which no doubt explained it.
"Hello, Can I help you?"
"Hi. I'm Vernon Dudley this is my wife Henrietta. We were just wondering if there was a casualty list posted yet." He glanced at Hermione who just smiled and nodded at Cedric. She didn't look like she was bothered in the slightest by this.
"I don't know if they've posted any but if you can tell me who you're looking for maybe I can help you."
"Uh Luna, Luna Lovegood." Harry said quickly which Hermione seemed to agree with.
Cedric sighed and looked through his lists. "Ahh Miss Lovegood is up at the castle working with some of the others in the DA and Order."
"Oh good. She's alright then." Hermione happily said.
"Well like most of us she had a few minor wounds but she's heading up the recovery at the castle with others."
"Thank you. Hav eyou seen Harry Potter yet?" Harry asked trying to sound curious and not eager.
"No one saw him since the battle was over this morning. Granger and him took off on a broom early this morning after the battle."
Looking around Harry nodded, "I wonder why."
Cedric shrugged, "I have no idea. Maybe they didn't want all the hero worship or something. I don't really blame them."
"Diggory. I need a hand." Someone called so he nodded and hurried over.
Harry gestured for Hermione to come with him as he headed for the gates.
"Why did you ask for Luna?" Hermione asked.
"She was a good friend of ours. She also had this way of seeing through things, that and she paid attention and knew things. Knew what was going on because people just ignored her so much."
"Sounds like Neville. He was dating her." Hermione chuckled.
"Same back home. Nobody believed it when they walked into the great hall holding hands. Ron about choked on his sausages." Harry chuckled briefly before it died out in his throat.
"Yeah. Talk about opposites attracting." Hermione sighed.
"Sorry."
"You apologize a lot." Hermione pointed out archly.
"It was the Dursleys. They kinda beat it into me." He explained.
Hermione raised her eyebrow but said nothing as they reached the gates and the lane heading for the castle. One of the large posts with the winged pig was knocked down and the gates had been melted. The two of them shook their head but began walking up the path.
===xxx===xx
They reached the castle and saw Ron Weasley standing off talking to Minerva McGonnegal about something. Neville was working with some Ravenclaws he didn't recognize to get debris stacked and organized as they recovered paintings and other statuary.
A familiar voice called out to the two of them causing Harry's Adam's apply to try and choke him. He turned and Ginny Weasley was walking up her, wand in a strap on her left forearm, her right hand holding a broom.
"Excuse me?" Hermione said since Harry stood frozen staring at the redhead as she walked up.
"I said who are you?"
"Oh I'm Henrietta Dudley and this is my husband Vernon." Hermione lied remembering Harry's names he told Cedric. "We were looking for Luna."
"Why?" Ginny seemed a lot more suspicious.
"We have something we want to ask her. Have you seen her?"
"She's busy maybe I can help you?" Ginny asked.
Harry noticed that Neville and Ron were both approaching them from either side. "Uh Ginny. I'm sorry. Please don't freak out alright?"
Hermione noticed the two boys approaching as well and sighed. She nodded to Harry and finited her transfigurations as did Harry.
Ginny stared at them then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out. Ron and Neville though reacted angrily. "Whoa re you two? This is not a funny joke."
"Ron I'm Harry. Er, rather a Harry Potter. And this is Hermione. We need to sit and talk."
Neville was glaring at them Minerva came over and looked at the two of them. Bring them with me.
===xxx===xx
Harry and Hermione were taken to the Headmaster's office under guard. Ron, Neville, an awakened Ginny and Luna had arrived when called followed Professor McGonnegal.
Sitting behind the desk Minerva looked at the two newcomers and sighed, "Now. I do not know who you are or why you are wearing their appearance but I would greatly appreciate it if you would explain yourselves."
Harry looked at Hermione who gestured for him to begin. "Professor McGonnegal I AM Harry potter. I was born October 31 1980. I was the chosen one who had a prophecy to defeat the dark lord given to Headmaster Dumbledore just after I was born causing my parents James and Lily to go into hiding. Everyone thought Sirius Black, my godfather, was their secret keeper but it was actually peter pettigrew who hid as Scabbers for several years." Harry said in a rush as he felt Ron and Neville glaring at him. Ginny was looking at him curiously and Harry wasn't sure if Luna was still awake as she was slumped in a chair in the corner.
McGonnegal looked at him with her lips pursed but said nothing causing Hermione to speak up, "Ma'am. You came to the orphanage that I grew up in with my letter. You took me to Diagon Alley and explained that I was a witch, that I could do magic. When I got here Professor Dumbledore recognized me as the Child of Destiny. He helped me understand what that meant and my role in the battle against the Dark Lord. He became like a grandfather to me. I, with the help of my friends, managed to eventually defeat him."
"Bollocks! I say they're some of the Death Eaters come back to sneak in."
"They removed their transfigurations. What more do you want?" Neville pointed out.
"So? You know about poly-juice. Everyone knows about poly-juice." Ron exclaimed.
"You also know that poly-juice can be detected with a probity probe." Hermione pointed out helpfully before Ron sneered at her and pointed his wand in her direction. Harry had already moved and shouting, "Expelliarmus." Disarmed all of them in one smooth move. Their wands leaping from their hands to land at his feet.
"That will be enough of that." Harry said. "Now. Another way to find out is to wait for it to wear off. So unless Professor McGonnegal a master of Transfiguration can think of something else we need to all just sit down and relax."
Hermione cleared her throat, "There is also veritaserum and a few other things that could confirm or deny our story."
Professor McGonnegal sighed, "Yes well the fighting in the dungeons destroyed most of the potion stores and labs. So aside from waiting for it to wear off the only alternative we have is to accept your story."
"May I ask why you are so disbelieving of us being who we say we are? We have not claimed we are your Hermione and Harry. We are telling the truth about being 'A' Hermione and Harry. Is there something wrong with yours?"
The way everyone around them shuffled or glared at them confirmed it to Harry that there was a problem with the Harry that was supposed to be here, if not Hermione as well.
"You tell us since you're the one that did it." Ron grumbled.
"Ron please calm down. You are making the Wrackspurts agitated too." Luna softly said into the quiet after Ron's outburst.
"Thanks Luna. I appreciate that."
"I did not do it for you. I did it for myself as I have a very bad headache." She said opening her silvery grey eyes to look at Harry. "And while Ron is right to be skeptical if they are Death Eaters then how is he holding the Elder Wand?"
Everyone looked at Harry who had forgotten exactly what wand he was using. He looked sheepishly and said "Uh yeah. I took this from Voldemort after I killed him in the final battle."
Ron started to say something before Luna gave him a stern look. He huffed and crossed his arms. Professor McGonnegal seemed to be thinking hard about something.
Standing up she said, "Come with me. And if you would please, everyone, take your wands and put them away."
===xxx===xx
Harry recognized the Hospital wing and chuckled as they crossed the threshold. Hermione seemed to be lost in thought like she was strolling down memory lane herself.
As they entered Minerva turned and went down a corridor Harry did not recall. They soon entered a small room that was dimly lit. On a pair of tables in front of them two sheet covered bodies were laid out. The lights were low enough but Harry could tell one was male and one was female. That did not give him a very comfortable feeling. He glanced at Hermione who was staring straight ahead.
Minerva said something and the lights came up. She walked to the head of one of the tables and after a brief moment she pulled back the sheet exposing Harry's head and upper chest. He was laying on the table in a gentle repose, like he was asleep. Hermione made a small strangled sound briefly then seemed to steel herself.
"As you can see, whomever you are, there most assuredly is a problem with Harry and Hermione."
Hermione stepped forward and looked closely then back at Harry who had not moved. "What happened to them?"
"Harry finished Voldemort but the wounds he received during the battle had injured him too severely. Dark magic had been used and he succumbed to the wounds a few hours ago. Miss Granger had been killed by Bellatrix in the fight." The professor pulled the sheet back over this Harry.
"I tried to protect her. Only she shoved me out of the way and took the hit for me." Ginny said with a quavering voice laden with emotion.
Harry nodded, understanding that it seemed to be a universal constant that Hermione would sacrifice herself for her friends. Hermione sighed through her nostrils as she fought back unknown emotions Harry noticed.
"So who all knows about this?" Harry asked.
"Just the people in this room and Madam Pomfrey. She has been sworn to silence."
Harry nodded wondering what they were going to do about this.
Luna studied Harry and Hermione, "He does look quite a bit like Harry, she is not quite the same as Hermione but it is mostly cosmetic. Hairstyle and body posture mainly."
Ron grumped, "So What Luna? They didn't get their impersonation correct."
Luna marched over and yanked the sheet off Harry. She then turned and did the same to Hermione. "Look at them then look at our friends. If it was just poly-juice there would be utterly no difference. There are subtle ones. Poly-juice does not permit that. We have cast multiple finites and they have retained their form. Do I need to undress all four of them to fully compare. I know that I would be the best at doing that with Harry."
Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise at that but otherwise said nothing.
Hermione squared her shoulders, "Does your Hermione have a scar over her heart?"
"No she does not." Luna said.
Hermione took her bag and handed it to Harry before she paused then took her shirt off. Standing in a black spandex sports bra she pointed to a lightning bolt shaped scar between her breasts.
"I got this the same way Harry got his. When my parents were killed and Voldemort tried to kill me."
"You can put your shirt back on Miss Granger. As improbable as it may seem I am beginning to believe you." Professor McGonnegal said. "At the very least having two alive heroes would serve us far better than two dead martyrs.
"Professor!" Ron cried out aghast at this turn of events.
Hermione redressed quickly taking her bag back like it was a life line. "Ma'am?"
Minerva waved her hand and the sheets rose back over the bodies. "Let us return to the headmaster's office. So I can explain."
===xxx===xx
Once everyone was seated in the office again Minerva began to explain, "Do not think that I am entirely believing you, I am not. However Miss Lovegood is correct there are differences about you, as well as familiar behaviors. It is as if we are looking at a reflection through water. I doubt you are Death Eaters or someone who wishes us harm. What you are is still open for debate. However I accept that you mean no harm."
When no one interrupted her or spoke she continued, "Our battle, our war, did not go very well. We lost a great many people over the last five years. Our society came very close to having the veil between ours and the muggle world pierced. Our society has had its leadership decimated, our trust in authority destroyed. We need leaders, we need heroes to be an example. I would like the two of you to help us."
"WHAT!?" Ron exclaimed. "Two people just show up out of nowhere claiming to be some parallel universe version of OUR FRIENDS! And you want to parade them out like they won the war. If they are really from out there they wouldn't know anything about what happened. About us."
Hermione frowned, "We could learn. We could do it with your support and help."
"I'm not helping you. I'm going to mourn my friends. MY FRIENDS! THE REAL Harry AND HERMIONE NOT YOU IMPOSTORS!"
Harry had seen Ron loose his temper many times before and knew that the pain and grief he must be feeling was driving most of this so while he held his wand in case Ron did something in the heat of the moment he let him shout until he wound up collapsing on Luna's shoulder crying huge racking sobs.
"I apologize for Ron's behavior he has been operating on pepper-up potions for the last day. He has also not accepted things."
"And you have Luna?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes. Death is a natural part of life, I will miss them but we shall meet again when I die."
Harry nodded, "Right. And as long as you remember them its like they're never gone."
"Your friend Luna went through similar events?" She asked softly rubbing Ron's back.
"Probably." He agreed.
"What would you like us to do?" Hermione asked.
"If you would be willing, become the Harry and Hermione we need to help us rebuild." Minerva said steepling her hands on the desk in front of her.
"You would place enough trust in us, to help you rebuild your world?" Harry asked.
"If you are versions of the students, the people, that I knew. If you are them from another world then I know you are good and trustworthy. That our society would be safe in your hands." Minerva said honestly with no deception in her voice or features, "The Harry and Hermione I knew. They were like my own son and daughter. I do not know what sort of relationship you had with any other version of me, but I hope it was as good. Please help us. We need a strong and shining beacon lest we just fall into the same mistakes."
"And what of yours? The Harry and Hermione from here." Hermione asked as Harry considered the idea.
"We will bury them secretly. Here on the grounds, the place that was most like home for them."
"There is a very lovely grove just inside the Forbidden Forest." Luna said, "It has a carpet of Violets every spring.
Ginny smiled, "That sounds lovely Luna. Hermione would be happy there."
"I will place you in charge of that Miss Lovegood. Miss Weasley perhaps you should take your brother home. Have your mother give him a sleeping draught until he calms down." Professor McGonnegal suggested in a tone of voice that implied it was more of an order than a request.
"What do you want me to do Ma'am?" Neville asked.
"As you seem to be the most level headed at the moment go into the village and find a reporter for the Prophet. Tell them that about tea time Harry Potter will give a statement then be retiring to a safe place."
"What about us?" Harry asked.
Minerva considered for a moment then with a frown said, "Perhaps we should discus a few things. Before you go though, please I cannot impress upon you how important it is we keep this secret."
===xxx===xx
As they headed for the village Ron, Ginny and Neville were talking among themselves.
"Are we just going to allow this to happen guys?" Ron grumbled again.
"Professor McGonnegal seems to think its a good idea." Neville pointed out with a shrug.
"They do look and sound so much like them." Ginny agreed.
"But they aren't them. They're some kind of impostor pretending to be them. You know Hermione never grew up in an orphanage. You met her parents Gin." Ron implored.
"I know. But we live in a magical world Ron. Who's to say that their story isn't true. Why would someone make this up?" Ginny countered cautiously.
"Because Harry is like crazy rich. He's going to be famous and have power. Why do you think?" Ron incensed glared at his sister.
She turned at glared back. Her hand fingering her wand, "Ron you can either shut up and come home with me right now or I will knock you out and have Neville help me get you there. We have 'A' Harry and 'A' Hermione back. We have a second chance with them. We can learn to be their friends and they can learn to be ours. We can have them back now." Ginny's voice had taken a shrill strident tone by the end of her statement.
"Neville. You can't be going along with this craziness? I mean I can understand Loony but you?"
Neville's jaw set briefly then he relaxed, "First off Ron, Don't call her loony. Second off. Yes. I am going to go with this. I think Harry and Hermione would have too."
Ron sighed in defeat, "Fine. I think I can make it to the Burrow Ginny. I'll see you there." He stalked off to get outside the anti-apparate wards which were still functioning.
Ginny watched him go as Neville put his arm around her. "Do you think Ron is going to come around?"
"Eventually. He usually does. I hope." She said uncertainly.