There was a flash of golden light and a snowy dove flew from where Hermione
had been and landed on Draco's shoulder with a soft coo.
"I don't even need to ask, there's not time, Let's go."
"You're right Draco, and even if you did ask I wouldn't tell you!"
Five minutes later found Hermione perched on a wooden, dusty ceiling beam, and Draco dripping potion on the sly into Lord Voldemort's goblet. Draco raised his glass.
"To our Master of Darkness", Malfoy said in a jubilant tone.
"Hear Hear", replied several of his masked counterparts.
Then the moment Hermione was waiting for, Lord Voldemort brought his glass to his lips and gulped all of it, every last drop. Both she and Draco waited with baited breath.
Then there was a gust of wind, and as if in slow motion the dark lord's crystal goblet shattered on the frigid stone tile. A shriek ensued. Voldemort disappeared in a wisp of violet smoke. And standing in a circle was everyone Voldemort had ever killed ... minus one.
Hermione's heart fell and with it her little bird body plummeted. Luckily her feathers broke her fall and she landed with a thud, in a little heap. With a sigh of anguish, she returned to her human state to face the truth. Nothing could ever bring Harry back, nothing she had ever done or would ever do. It was over.
Hermione stepped into the circle and stooped down. There was a faint glimmer of gold on the floor. She reached for it. It was the earing she had begged Harry not to get. And emblazoned on it were words that had not been there before "All my Love - from H to H".
This strengthened her. She knew what Harry meant. He loved her, and he wanted her to be happy. His death had sparked a romance Hermione could never have predicted. And as the circle parted Hermione could see only one person, the man for her, Draco Malfoy. A look of pure emotion was on his face. Warm and caring, the look of love.
"The library?" Draco asked taking her hand.
"The library." Hermione smiled for the first time in a long time.
***
Now sixty years later Hermione is a published author. She has learned something about magic. The way it works under certain circumstances is not discernible beforehand. Also the line between good and evil is hazy, and many things are borderline.
Hermione and Draco lived happily ever after, having one son with jet- black hair, named Harry. Lily and James both committed suicide from grief over why Harry. The Death Eaters disbanded without their leader, though evil still lurks on Knockturn Alley. It is still a mystery what happened to Harry and the Martyrdius Reversal. It is doubtful that anyone will every know.
Some say it was Lily's sacrifice. Others argue that Harry's death was meant to be and that his grave was timely. An explanation will wait until another like him comes to uncover the truth. Until then the old women will drink their sherry in the Leaky Cauldron and gossip about what became of the boy with the scar who gave his all for them and got death in return. Hermione now wears Harry's earring. She will wear it to her grave. We can only hope that by the time Draco reaches his judgment day that he will be at peace and reconciled with Harry.
"I don't even need to ask, there's not time, Let's go."
"You're right Draco, and even if you did ask I wouldn't tell you!"
Five minutes later found Hermione perched on a wooden, dusty ceiling beam, and Draco dripping potion on the sly into Lord Voldemort's goblet. Draco raised his glass.
"To our Master of Darkness", Malfoy said in a jubilant tone.
"Hear Hear", replied several of his masked counterparts.
Then the moment Hermione was waiting for, Lord Voldemort brought his glass to his lips and gulped all of it, every last drop. Both she and Draco waited with baited breath.
Then there was a gust of wind, and as if in slow motion the dark lord's crystal goblet shattered on the frigid stone tile. A shriek ensued. Voldemort disappeared in a wisp of violet smoke. And standing in a circle was everyone Voldemort had ever killed ... minus one.
Hermione's heart fell and with it her little bird body plummeted. Luckily her feathers broke her fall and she landed with a thud, in a little heap. With a sigh of anguish, she returned to her human state to face the truth. Nothing could ever bring Harry back, nothing she had ever done or would ever do. It was over.
Hermione stepped into the circle and stooped down. There was a faint glimmer of gold on the floor. She reached for it. It was the earing she had begged Harry not to get. And emblazoned on it were words that had not been there before "All my Love - from H to H".
This strengthened her. She knew what Harry meant. He loved her, and he wanted her to be happy. His death had sparked a romance Hermione could never have predicted. And as the circle parted Hermione could see only one person, the man for her, Draco Malfoy. A look of pure emotion was on his face. Warm and caring, the look of love.
"The library?" Draco asked taking her hand.
"The library." Hermione smiled for the first time in a long time.
***
Now sixty years later Hermione is a published author. She has learned something about magic. The way it works under certain circumstances is not discernible beforehand. Also the line between good and evil is hazy, and many things are borderline.
Hermione and Draco lived happily ever after, having one son with jet- black hair, named Harry. Lily and James both committed suicide from grief over why Harry. The Death Eaters disbanded without their leader, though evil still lurks on Knockturn Alley. It is still a mystery what happened to Harry and the Martyrdius Reversal. It is doubtful that anyone will every know.
Some say it was Lily's sacrifice. Others argue that Harry's death was meant to be and that his grave was timely. An explanation will wait until another like him comes to uncover the truth. Until then the old women will drink their sherry in the Leaky Cauldron and gossip about what became of the boy with the scar who gave his all for them and got death in return. Hermione now wears Harry's earring. She will wear it to her grave. We can only hope that by the time Draco reaches his judgment day that he will be at peace and reconciled with Harry.
