The Dying of the Light
Part 3: Hermione
A/N: Everything belongs to JK Rowling, I just played with it a little while.
RON!!!
~calm yourself~
who are you, the girl snapped, where's ron? where's harry?
~calm yourself, the voice repeated~
no
where am i?
where are the others?
~they are dead, hermione granger~
dead? she whispered
~dead, the voice repeated heartlessly~
dead
i'm dead
~you're dead, the voice agreed~
my friends are dead
Her friends walked so tall, so calm. They knew they were going to die, they knew that if they failed, the world would die with them. Hermione squeezed Ron's hand. He glanced over at her and smiled. Looking into his eyes, Hermione felt a pang for all that they would never have, but they hadn't had a choice, not really.
~do you regret your choice, hermione granger?~
i regret the things i never had, but i don't regret dying for the things i believe it
~do you regret being friends with harry potter?~
why should i regret that? hermione granger asked incredulously
~you died because of him~
no, hermione granger said stoutly, i died because of voldemort
~you're still dead, the voice whispered~
i died for my friends, hermione granger said softly, i died for myself
~dead is dead~
i would rather die for the Light, then run screaming from the night
i would rather face my fears, then cower in a corner
~would you change your life, the voice asked whimsically~
hermione granger frowned in confusion, what do you mean, she finally asked
the voice didn't say anything, but pictures began appearing, moments from her life, her short time on the earth
A studious, bushy-haired child bent over the book sitting open on the table. The huge volume probably weighed the same, if not more, than the child, but this did not daunt her. She wanted to know, thirsted for the knowledge.
The same girl, a few years older walked into the kitchen, pushing her hair out of her eyes, frowning at the old tests in her hand. At the table, she half-heartedly nibbled at her toast, humming replies to her mother's questions. Only when her mother gave a little shriek of surprise did she look up. An owl was sitting in the middle of the table. For a moment the girl did not believe her eyes, but there was no denying the strange figure. She noticed something tied to its legs, a letter; perhaps it could explain this avian invasion. Seeing the logical course of action, she pulled the letter off the owl, jumping when the bird spread its wings and flew from the house. 'How odd,' she thought, turning to read her name on the envelope.
my parents didn't believe it at first, hermione granger grinned, frankly neither did i
i thought it might be some bizarre practical joke, but we none of us knew anyone who would do something so strange, and we were planning to go to london soon anyway, so we decided that it wouldn't hurt to check, just in case
Hermione Granger walked into the Leaky Cauldron, glancing around nervously. Her parents hadn't been able to see the shabby little pub, until she pointed it out, and even then they kept loosing it. Swallowing her nerves, she marched up to the bar.
"Excuse me," she said calmly, "but this letter told me that you would be able to show me how to get into Diagon Alley." Hermione felt silly saying that, but it was the truth.
The toothless barkeep grinned and nodded, leading her to the back of the pub. He showed her how to open the wall then stepped back to watch as she hesitantly stepped through.
it was the most amazing place i had ever seen, hermione granger said softly, watching her eleven year old self walk through the crowd, staring goggle-eyed around her
Hermione didn't know where to start. Should she step into the robe shop first? Or perhaps the apothecaries? Or should she get a wand? A wand might be a good way to start things off.
Hermione was about return to the dusty wand shop when another sign caught her eye. "Flourish and Blotts". A bookstore. Hermione felt a grin crease her face, and she relaxed. Of course, what better place to start.
Hermione pushed the door open confidently, stepping through into a bookstore unlike any other. For an hour she just wandered through the shelves, brushing her fingers over gilded spines, scanning pages of strange and wondrous words, exploring her new world. Finally, she pulled her book list from her pocket, collecting the books listed and unable to resist a few extras.
hermione granger laughed to watch herself, dipping into one book, barely grazing the words before darting to another, absorbing the ideas and knowledge, gleefully sharing her new treasure with her stunned parents
the days passed and she boarded the hogwarts express, not a little intimidated by the mass of wizards and witches
The Great Hall was amazing, one more shock to her overloaded system. Even all her reading had not prepared her for the reality that was Hogwarts. She stood in a long line of shivering first years, trying not to reveal how scared and excited she was. When the stern looking witch called her name, she could not help but run to the stool and snatch the old hat, jamming it enthusiastically on her head.
'hhmm,' murmured a small voice in her ear, 'Hermione Granger. Muggle-born, very intelligent, eager to prove yourself. Yes, yes, what a mind you have. What's this, ah, yes, I see now. Such determination you have, such bravery despite your fear. There is only one place for you, Miss Granger and that is...GRYFFINDOR.'
~you could change that to ravenclaw, the voice said, you could go into ravenclaw, never become friends with harry potter, never break the rules, live longer~
no, hermione granger said, not even having to think about it, i'm a gryffindor, that is where i was meant to be, i was meant to be friends with harry and ron
surprisingly the voice started laughing
~how true, hermione granger, how very true, not many people know themselves as well as you do...
you are correct, the three of you were destined to face the dark lord together~
the years at hogwarts flashed past, hours of studying, practicing until they had the spells and charms perfect, laughing and arguing, making up just so they could argue some more
hermione granger felt herself blush slightly as she realized where the pictures were going
The Great Hall was decked out for Christmas, sparkling jauntily under the light of the half moon coming through the enchanted ceiling. Hermione Granger was aware of her two friends whispering beside her, then of Ron leaving the Great Hall, but she was too caught up in staring around the Great Hall to pay attention. Hagrid and the other teachers had outdone themselves with decorations this year, turning the Great Hall into a fairy tale wonderland.
"Hermione?" Harry was standing beside her, looking antsy.
"What's wrong, Harry?" He had been behaving strange all through supper. Maybe Voldemort...
"Oh, nothing is wrong, Hermione," Harry said quickly, as if sensing her sudden worry. "I just need you to come outside with me."
"Outside? But Harry, it's freezing outside."
Harry rolled his eyes, fidgeting. "Hermione, please, just come outside."
Hermione grinned and rose. "Since you asked so nicely, Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes again and led the way, muttering under his breath. Hermione laughed as she followed him.
Outside, he led her to a secluded little grotto that was protected from the wind, then left, scampering off with a grin.
"Hermione?"
"Ron? What is going on here? You have both been behaving very strangely today."
The tall redhead stepped out of the shadows. He had finally grown into his overlarge hands and feet, turning many a female head when his chest and shoulders started filling out and causing many a flutter when his fiery hair darkened into an autumn russet. Hermione admitted that she was one of the many girls who sighed when he walked by.
"Well, we've been planning something all of today--"
"And you didn't tell me?" Hermione broke in, angry.
"How could we tell you?" Ron asked, looking confused. "It's about you."
Hermione stood with her mouth hanging open, angry words forgotten. "About me?" she finally asked. "What about me?"
Ron cleared his throat nervously, glancing around the little grotto. "Well, it's just that--I mean--I've been wanted to-- well, you see--I mean..."
Hermione realized she was holding her breath, listening to this rather disjointed sentence. Ron stopped, took a deep breath, then looked up into her eyes. "Will you go to the ball with me?" he said simply.
hermione granger realized that she was staring at the images with a silly grin on her face, but couldn't seem to get rid of it
harry was hiding around the corner, she told the voice, he came strolling in a couple minutes later, i remember he said, it's about time, then walked away whistling
~you didn't have much time with ron weasley, the voice said calmly~
hermione granger shook her head sadly, no, we didn't have much time
~you could change that~
hermione rolled her eyes, starting to get fed up with the voice
look, i have already told you that i wouldn't change anything, that i don't regret what happened, so stop telling me i could change it!
again the voice started laughing, and the room began to glow with a peculiar golden aura
hermione granger could hear familiar laughter and voices, she turned eagerly, searching for her friends
"Hermione! Over here!"
Hermione spun around then laughed in delight; they were all there, waiting for her to join them. She sprinted over, laughing and crying at the same time. Ron hugged her tight, with Harry and the others laughing nearby.