Requiem For A Sinner

It's been ages since I wrote anything, but some inspiration came to me so I figured why not re-visit some of my old work? I hope I haven't lost all my skill during my absence, please enjoy.

For the first time in six years Harry Potter was not looking forward to the beginning of term at Hogwarts. A heavy silence filled the train compartment He, Ron and Hermione shared as the Hogwarts express thundered along the country side. The silence was only made worse by the knowledge that the rift in the group had been his fault.

True, tensions had been running high between Ron and Hermione for a few months now, but that kiss, that massive gap in Harry's judgement may have ended things with the trio for ever. He glanced desperately from Ron then to Hermione, to Ron again, then to Hermione. She caught his eye, her desperation to mend the rift was equal to his own.

" This is stupid." Her voice seemed unnaturally loud. "Look Ron, Harry and I- We're both really sorry. It was a Mistake, a stupid stupid mistake, surely you can understand that?"

Ron looked dubious "You mean you tripped and Harry accidentally caught you, with his mouth?"

Hermione face turned near purple with anger. " We have both apologized about a thousand times. There is nothing between Harry And me. Do you comprehend that? Nothing! And the last time I checked there was no need for me to explain or justify my love life to you. Now stop acting like such a stupid prat and forgive us already!"

Ron sat astounded for a moment then turned to Hermione. " It's not as simple as that……….."

"No Ron." her voice was softer now almost pleading. " It really is that simple. What happened was………..it was a lapse in Judgement for both Harry and I…………..But , you either forgive us or you don't. But either way this maddening silence… It's got to stop."

Harry felt hope blossom in his stomach. " Ron you're my best friend I the world. I don't want to lose you over this."

Ron considered for a moment, then slowly he nodded. " Right then, it's settled, let's never speak of this again."

Hermione let out a deep sigh of relief and threw her arms around Ron engulfing him in a hug. " Oh thank goodness. I knew sooner or later you would come to your senses."

A deep blush exploded across Ron's face as Hermione released him. " Well in my defence being sensible has never really been a Weasley family trait." He Leaned across the aisle and shook Harry's hand vigorously." All right Harry?"

Harry grinned " Yeah Ron, all right."

****************************************

The beginning of term feast passed in it's usual splendour, however the students could hardly help noticing that neither professor Snape or Charlotte Wildsmith were present, and only Harry Ron and Hermione knew why.

Tucked away in the safety of their cozy dormitory room Ron and Harry stayed away long after the others had drifted off to sleep.

"What on earth is happening to them?" Asked Harry.

" Well she is the Granddaughter of He-who-must-not-be-named…..crazy probably runs in the family…. And Snape, I never suspected he was really all there in the first place." Ron answered.

Harry shook his head standing up and plunking down on his own bed. " I don't know Ron. If you had seen Charlotte in that hospital room. It was- It was like nothing I've ever seen before."

"You mean like dark magic? Evil Powers?" Ron pulled the covers up to his chin and yawned.

Harry lay silent for a moment, unsure of how describe it. " No……….It was just power. But more than that. It was like the entire universe was in that hospital room. It was like staring in the face of something completely intangible and yet more real than anything else I have ever seen. That's it Ron, it's as if for those few moments, Charlotte, or whoever she was, was the one true real thing." Harry closed his eyes and tried to re-live those moments in Snape's hospital room.

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his bed. Finally he decided to pull Harry from his reverie by changing the subject. " Harry?"

"Yeah Ron?"

" When Hermione said that there was nothing between you two….. You agree right?"

"Of coarse" Harry Lied. " Hermione and I are just good friends, nothing more. Besides, she's with Krum, sort of. "

" Oh right." Ron mumbled rolling over. " Krum.."

***************************

Hermione lay sleepless in her dormitory. Around her, her roommates snored and wheezed softly. She sighed and read Krum's letter for the hundredth time that night.

"What on earth am I going to do?' She muttered under her breath. It was very clear to her now that her feelings for Krum were not as strong as they had once been. And lately matters between her, Ron and Harry had only been complicating matters. Truthfully Hermione, the girl with all the answers had no idea what to do.

There was Ron. Ron whom she had admired for an eternity. Who, it seemed, had some sort of feelings for her that caused his outrageous jealousy. Ron who had come to her aid so many times before. And even though he wasn't the prince charming some girls dream of, there was something about him. Ron who had come to her defence time after time. But by the same token he was also Ron who had disappointed her in the past. Ron who may not see her for the woman she was after all. Ron who angered her to the point of absolute rage.

Harry. That kiss. Try as she might she couldn't get it out of her head. She had lied through her teeth when she told him she hadn't felt anything. It felt good and real and so safe. And in those few moments before she truly realised what was happening there was this sense in her that this was were she was meant to be, In the arms of Harry Potter, and for a while that was the only place she had wanted to be.

Frustrated Hermione crumpled up Krum's letter and tossed as hard as she could across the room. She didn't know was going to do, or for that matter if there was anything she could do. Perhaps what had happened with Harry was as she had said it was, and accident, a stupid mistake, maybe he believed that as well now. And Ron, well he had never been exactly forward with her. Perhaps everything was all in her mind.

However one thing had become increasingly clear over the past few days. No matter what she could no longer lie to Krum. With a sinking heart Hermione dipped her quill in ink and began..

My Dear Krum….