- Blindsight -

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this fanfiction

A/N: Okie, this is my fanfiction that I've been working on lately! I know it's a really crappy title and I fresh out of ideas so if you've got any good ones, please tell meeee!!! Thanks a lot!! Um.the setting is after Voldemort has been dealt with, the trio are in their early twenties.etc.

Italics - thoughts

Chapter 1 : Reminiscence

A black cloaked figure trudged up the gates of Hogwarts and paused, looking up at the great castle. Most of it were in ruins though, walls blackened, a shimmer of its past.A shadow of its former glory.And most importantly, a reminiscence of her memories.

Trembling slightly, the figure threw back the hood of her cloak, cascading brown hair past her shoulders. Desperately trying to stem the tears threatening to flood her chocolate eyes, she drew a shuddering breath. She proceeded to push the rusting gates open and entered the compound.

***

Within the charred walls, the air was still. Not a thing stirred, not even the ghosts. That is, except for one person. The Boy who Lived shuffled through the corridor, hand trailing along the ruined walls, remembering.

'Hey - Harry!' 'Yeah, that's right,' Harry found himself shouting, as he wheeled around in the corridor, having had just enough. 'I've just been crying my eyes out over my dead mum, and I'm just off to do a bit more.' 'No - it was just - you dropped your quill.' It was Cho. Harry felt the colour rising in his face. 'Oh - right - sorry,' he muttered, taking the quill back. 'Er.good luck for Tuesday,' she said. 'I really hope you do well.' Which left Harry feeling extremely stupid.

Harry smiled, he'd long gotten over his crush on Cho. It was long since he even had the time to think about such things.

Soon after graduating from Hogwarts, the Voldemort Wars began. It was a world full of pain then, simply no room for love. The area behind his eyes throbbed. Always does when I think of these things. Harry clutched his face in a grimace. Damn, it's just like having another curse scar. He moved on.

***

Hermione Granger strolled towards the lake, taking in the scenery. It has been 5 years since she's been here. The smell of death had finally abated, yet the air was rather still. In the midst of destruction, rubble and scorched earth, stood a strong and thriving tree, reaching its branches towards the heavens. It is the tree that stood by the lake. Sheltering all who sat upon the flat rock beneath it.

She brushed a few leaves off and sat on the rock. Memories assailed her. Memories of him. She closed her eyes.

He walked resolutely over to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed out of it and found himself face to face with Hermione. 'Hello,' she said, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. 'I brought you this.want to go for a walk?' 'Good idea,' said Harry, gratefully. They went downstairs, crossed the Entrance Hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn towards the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Hermione exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before. To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story without question.

This was the place the trio always came to when problems arose, or when they had to think. To escape the world that demanded so much of them.

'Harry, well done!' Hermione cried. 'You did it, you found out how, all by yourself!' 'Well -' said Harry. He would have told her about Dobby, but he had just noticed Karkaroff watching him. He was the only judge who had not left the table; the only judge not showing signs of pleasure and relief that Harry, Ron and Fleur's sister had got back safely. 'Yeah, that's right,' said Harry, raising his voice slightly so that Karkaroff could hear him. 'You haff a water-beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny,' said Krum. Harry had the impression that Krum was drawing her attention back onto himself; perhaps to remind her that he had just rescued her from the lake, but Hermione brushed the beetle away impatiently and said, 'You're well outside the time limit, though, Harry.Did it take you ages to find us?'

Hermione allowed herself a small smile. After visiting Bulgaria, we realised that we had nothing in common, it was just a 'high school crush'. It just didn't work out so we're good friends instead.

Sighing, she hugged herself tightly and gazed across the calm lake, "Where are you, Harry?"

***

Harry reached the Great Hall. He walked along the house tables to the staff table. The wood of the tables were rotting away. Harry sat on the ruined table where Dumbledore would've sat, facing the Hall. Taking off his glasses and setting them beside him on the table, he closed his eyes and imagined for a while.

Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped and slid across the Entrance Hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in mid-air. The four long house tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.

Harry's face gave way to a smile once again.

"The good old days." Harry sighed, "I'd better go now."

He slid off the table and ambled out the hall.

***

Hermione eased open the thick oak door and stood at the doorway. A dirty cauldron covered in cobwebs still hung at the fireplace, covered in a thick layer of dust. Hagrid had been taken during the first storming of Hogwarts, the Voldemort Wars. Hermione stepped back, out of the collapsing hut and shut the door firmly. Turning, she skirted the Dark Forest and approached the castle doors. Stepping into the Great Hall, she noticed that someone had made a path who walked through before. But it wasn't clear enough to make out the footprints, and it was dim with minimal sunlight streaming through the holes in the ceiling. Slowly, she followed the trail.

Harry reached for the gates and paused. "Uh oh, wait a minute," he reached up and felt his face, "I forgot my glasses! Oh drat, back into Hogwarts again." Harry turned and retraced his way back into the castle, quickening his pace.

Hmm, the doors are slightly ajar.maybe I didn't close them properly. Harry began to laboriously pick his way across the rubble and debris filled hallway. Soon, he turned into the Great Hall.

Clink. Harry froze. There's someone else in here!

Hermione had reached the staff table, surprised to see something still intact on it, she bent to pick it up. The pair of round spectacles were curiously familiar.like Harry's. Hermione blinked, no, it can't be.Harry's gone.captured. She squinted at the side, something was engraved there:

Harry J. Potter

Hermione dropped the spectacles like a hot poker. Her heart raced. Harry's been here?

"Who's there?"

She spun around, shocked and spotted the raven-haired man, his emerald eyes glinting in the dim light, searching. She grabbed the table behind her for support, speechless.

"Who are you?" Harry shuffled forward uneasily.

"H-Harry.?" Hermione managed to croak, her throat had gone dry.

Harry drew in a sharp breath, "Hermione."
To be continued.
A/N: Yaay! They've united at last! But, gasp! What's wrong with Harry? And.more of other characters in the following chapters! The plot develops! So read & review! PLEASE?!