Thefly: Mr. Fly… you are an eager one, aren't you? Hope this chapter will make you happy!
Looking4Orli: Thanks a bunch!
Awry Redbird: Tisk, Tisk. You need to sign in, missy. (JK!) Is that the word you choose? Sinister? My, how positively correct you are! Thanks!
Holly: *hug* You like my cliffhangers? *sob* Actually, it's been a while since anyone complained about them 0_o; Oh well!
XT-Zealot: Just read this chapter and see how interesting it gets!
E.C.R Potter: I feel as though you're my English Professor, but that's not bad (he's pretty cool, actually. He calls our hall pass a 'pee card'.) Thanks sssooooo much for pointing out those mistakes in the last chapter! (I don't know if you've stopped reading this story or not. I would, if I were you, If I found such a stupid mistake *sigh*) I fixed them a day after I posted the chapter. Thanks again!
Freda Potter: Is Freda the female version of Fred? *mind roaming alert, mind roaming alert* Anyways, thanks a bunch!
DragonBlond_04: I hope you're still speaking with me… at least in e-mail form. But about your request… I can't really do it unless you want the story to be out-of-place. Let me explain… I've got all the ideas, names, places, what will happen in the future and ending of this story roughly sketched on paper and is sitting in a very safe place in my desk. And I desperately need to get off the Christmas scene. I've been in it for three chapters already! If you want a story with Harry and Hermione in a 'romantic' snowball fight, you'll just have to mosey on down to my other story called 'Hermione and the Snow Day'. Trust me… many people have tried to butter me up, and it hasn't worked yet, but nice try! It's exactly the way you described it to be. I apologize and hope that you don't bite my head off ^_^; Thanks!
Max Lonewolf: *snort* Ms. NutMeg? *roars with laughter until someone kicks her in the shins* Ouch! *snicker* NutMeg… that's golden. Anyways, I meant that the H/H would be in this chapter… and A LOT in the chapter after this one *eyes glisten* And…wait. You've got your own place? *growl* Do you have a sister or a brother? If you do… be glad you can get away from them… I'm less fortunate. One more year to go, Meg, calm down. Thanks a bunch!
From me, a Canadian, eh? You hoser. (It's the beer talking.)
…~'*'~…
Hermione stood alone in a grassy clearing in a nightgown that rippled in the light wind. She could barely see two feet in front it of her because of fog; lengths of both tall and short slabs of rock lay on the ground ahead, and if she were to take a careful step forwards, she'd surely stumble and fall. Her startled eyes looked around her surrounding; a forest to the back, a small, dirt path on both sides below an old, abandoned shack and a tall mound of earth in front.
A tall mound of earth in front of her… with light behind it. Brilliant light that created shadows and vibrant reflections of whatever it was creating it. And there was a sound… a beautiful song that made Hermione shiver. The inhuman noise was coming from above somewhere. It was a lure, enticing her to come closer, to step forward.
The song was unlike anything she had ever heard. Hermione didn't hesitate; stepping forwards, the wind running through her hair, she climbed up the grassy mound to the source of the sound.
Hermione flattened herself on her stomach, her hands gripping the cold grass to pull herself up. Reaching the very top of the mound, she watched what was on the other side.
The music had stopped and the fog had disappeared when she laid her eyes on the bizarre scene in front of her. Her eyes widened with fear; there were men – tall, sinister men in black, hooded cloaks, crowding in a circle. They looked suspiciously like Dementors. The light she saw came from a source she could not quite put her finger on. And she realized… they were standing in a graveyard. Why, she did not know. But the tall men were looking very intrigued at what they were watching.
Hermione, who had gone temporarily frozen at that moment, knew that she was in the wrong place. There was no way she could investigate and leave unhurt. And she hadn't mastered the correct charm to fend Dementors off, either. But if Harry were here, wherever 'here' was…
Without hesitation, Hermione released the grass and tumbled down the hill. She landed at the bottom of it, and stood, brushing the dirt off herself. Without looking back, she started to run… but found that she couldn't. She tried with all her might, but her feet stayed where they were. What's going on, she thought in horror, they'll see me if I don't hurry! She looked down at her immovable feet and realized that they weren't touching the ground at all: she was floating.
She steadily rose a few more feet higher and soon, Hermione was looking at the ground, ten feet below her. Her entire body started to move. With a scream, Hermione found herself floating back from where she came, gaining altitude all the time. She tried to move, to stop herself, but whatever was controlling her didn't like struggle. She gained more speed.
Hermione stopped resisting for a moment to find that she was soaring above the heads of the towering Dementors now. Her dangling feet barely touched the tops of their heads. She floated all the way to the centre of the circle they were in, and then, from an area of her lower back, she felt the resistance leave her. She shrieking in terror, covering her face with her trembling hands and waiting for the worst, as her body fell to the ground.
It didn't come. In fact, she didn't land hard at all. Hermione feet her feet land delicately on the ground, yet she couldn't move her legs or arms; they felt as if they were tied to her sides. But she could move her head, which she did, to look around her.
She was surrounded. Not by Dementors, but humans. Their faces had flesh and colour and life in them, unlike the hollow bones of Dementors. But their faces… some of them were familiar. Crabbe, Goyle, McNair, Lucius Malfoy... they were all there, wearing the dark cloaks, their eerie faces smiling insanely from under their hoods. It was then, is a horrible lurch in her stomach, that Hermione realized that she wasn't surrounded by Dementors. They were Death Eaters.
Oh no, thought Hermione in indescribable horror, resisting against the invisible bonds holding her together, not this… anything but this!
She stopped herself. She heard a muffle… a very agonized muffle, and looking from where it was coming from, she found someone she hadn't seen before. A more familiar face than Crabbe or Goyle.
Harry was there, tied to a headstone, a piece of cloth gagging his mouth, his robes ripped and torn and bloody in some places and his eyes narrowed at the men circling him. But his face… his face was red and his teeth were grinding – his scar was throbbing in pain. He looked so much younger, but there was no mistaking him.
"Harry!" Hermione cried in astonishment, trying more than ever to free herself and forgetting that there were Death Eaters surrounding them, "HARRY!"
She stopped herself. The Death Eaters, who were completely oblivious of her screaming, were concentrating on a movement from the depths of the Death Eaters. Hermione watched too. It was a man, the tallest man out of all them, who had walked forwards, away from Hermione and the crowd of death eaters to Harry, who's muffles of pain were growing hoarse. He was incredibly thin and his hand, which was protruding from the sleeve of his cloak, was white and bony. Hermione couldn't recognize this man from behind. He started speaking, in an icy, inhuman voice Hermione had never heard before:
"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" it hissed, making the hairs on the back or Hermione's neck stand on end, "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen… I could not touch the boy."
Hermione didn't know what the man was doing. He stood next to Harry and raised one of his long, white fingers to put very close to Harry's cheek, "His mother left upon him the traces of her sacrifice. This old magic… I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it… but no matter. I can touch him now."
He ran the tip of his bony finger across Harry's face. Harry looked as though he wanted to scream in pain, but he couldn't. He couldn't do anything if he wanted. The man that had touched him, the man that made his scar burn… he laughed softly in his ear and turned. He turned so Hermione could see his face, his bony face and his red eyes and shallow skin. He turned to Hermione so she could make out just whom he was.
Lord Voldemort. He was talking to Harry about how he had defeated him when tried to kill young Harry and how Harry had the protection of his mother that Voldemort hadn't recognized. He started speaking still, in a low voice, circling Harry, who had let his head fall to his chest in exhaustion. He was gagging Harry, making Harry suffer… all for revenge. It all seemed recognizable… and just when Hermione was putting the pieces together… she realized something. This was the Third Task in the Triwizard Tournament. Sure enough, the dead body of Cedric Diggory was at Harry's feet. His eyes had rolled to the back of his head and his skin was as pale as death. Hermione felt as if her stomach disappeared. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, but her heart was pounding as if it were about to leap out of her chest.
"I used my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the Tournament – that he touched the Triwizard Cup first – the Cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbeldore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is… the boy you all believed had been my downfall…"
Voldemort slowly stepped forwards, facing Harry. Hermione knew what was about to happen. She dreaded it, but yet, found that she couldn't protest. Her voice was gone.
Voldemort raised his wand.
"Crucio!"
Hermione watched with staring eyes as the unforgivable curse erupted from the end of Voldemort's wand tip… and hit Harry in the chest. His mouth opened… and he let out the most horrible noise Hermione could ever imagine possible. He screamed so loudly and yelled for so long that Hermione burst into tears.
She finally found her voice.
"HARRY! HHHHHHHAAAARRRRRRRYYYYYY! NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Flump. She fell to the floor, her bedspread twisted all around her, her legs and arms thrashing about. Her closed eyes were red and wet, but she was still screaming his name, "HAAARRRRRYYYY! NOOOO! PLEASE STOP! PLEASE!"
The image of Harry screaming, the Death Eaters watching and Voldemort with his wand still pointed, an insane laugh erupting from his near-inhuman lips all disappeared with a swirl of colour.
"Hermione! Hermione, what's wrong!"
"Somebody warn the Matron in the Infirmary! Hurry!"
"Stop screaming! Someone's coming!"
She heard new voices, familiar voices very near wherever she was. Her arms and legs were being pushed around and held down.
"HARRY! WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE ARE YOU?" Hermione screamed desperately into the darkness.
"What are you taking about?" said a voice above her head.
Hermione opened her eyes to discover that she was lying on the floor next to her four-poster. Ginny, Lavender and Parvati were surrounding her, all wearing their nightclothes, holding her to the ground to stop her flailing arms. The girl's dorm quickly came in focus and she realized… it wasn't dark at all. Someone had lit a lantern.
"HARRY! WHERE IS HE?"
"He's not here, Hermione! What's wrong?" said Lavender, her eyes wide and staring.
Harry wasn't there. He wasn't with her. Hermione burst into another wave of tears. She covered her face with her hands and cried like a little lost child. He's not here, she thought, he's still there… with him. Her friends were trying to calm her down, but she backed herself into her nightstand. She heard voices all around her now. There were shadows entering the room between her fingers and closed eyes.
But then… an arm was slipping behind her back and another at the back of her legs; someone was picking her up. She felt a rising sensation, and she was placed on something soft and comfortable. Her feet skimmed the ground and pair of hands were gently holding her knees together in case she hurt herself. Still crying, tears streaming down her face, she looked between her fingers at whoever put her in this restful place.
For one miraculous moment, Hermione thought she slipped back into that horrible nightmare; Harry was kneeling in front or her, his hands on her knees and a very worried expression on his face. Ginny, Lavender, Parvati and Ron were behind him and from the corner of her eye, she could see people crowding inside to see what was the matter. Hermione was thrown into another wail of dismay.
"Harry!" she bawled, collapsing on him, breaking down completely "It was h-h-horrible! Cedric was d-d-dead! You-Know-Who was t-there! A-and he… he hurt you so b-b-badly!"
Harry, who was obviously surprised at her sudden behavior, caught his breath for a moment from the blow of Hermione hitting him in the chest so suddenly. Then he put his arms around her, desperately trying to calm her.
"Shhh," Harry told her quietly, "You had a nightmare, Hermione. Please calm down."
And she did. Harry was very much near her, his hands stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her, and evidently, her shoulders stopped trembling from her sobs. Her eyes didn't sting anymore, and her stomach had settled. And slowly, very slowly, she released Harry and raised her head from his shoulder, which had a wet patch on it.
She sniffed a few times, but Harry was examining her shoulder. He carefully pulled on the fabric and paled. Hermione couldn't understand; she looked at the spot Harry was tending to, and realized – it was a wonder why she didn't notice it before – there was a large tear in her nightgown, and whatever it was that cut her went right to the skin. Blood was saturated over her entire shoulder.
"Come on, Hermione," said Harry, standing and pulling her to her feet, "You need to get to the Infirmary."
She didn't object. With Ron, who was white under his freckles, following, Harry helped Hermione out of the dormitory. People backed away to let them through, a few of them whispering and standing on their tiptoes to get a better look. Hermione supposed that everyone was still in bed; the common room was deserted. When they left through the door to the corridor, she was glad that they met no one as they went.
They finally came to the Infirmary. Ron walked ahead and pushed the door open to let them through.
Hermione had never suddenly felt so safe that night; the rosy-faced matron, in her nightgown and hat, was standing at her desk with a little first-year Hufflepuff boy who was clearly the one who went to warn her that someone was hurt. Lanterns were lit and a hospital bed was already made. They hurried over to it.
"What happened to the poor dear?" the Matron asked Ron as Hermione, with the help of Harry, drowsily lay onto the bed.
"She had a nightmare and woke up screaming," Ron told her quietly, "She's got a bad cut on her arm…"
Ron kept talking to the eager matron, whose hair was coming out of its neat little bun from her worry. They were going blurry in Hermione's vision. Her head hurt trying to focus them. But looking at Harry, who had leaned over her, she could see him perfectly. With barely open eyes, she blinked.
"Am I s-staying here for the night?" she murmured to him. Harry nodded slowly, his jaw clenched. He kneeled next to her and took her hand.
"She was calling my friend Harry. He's there next to her," Ron's voice said from somewhere.
Hermione swallowed; the lights were dimming.
"Hermione, when you wake up in the morning," Harry said to Hermione in a soft voice, his eyes looking into hers, "you can tell me what you saw. I can't explain the rest of it to you the way I wish I could. But… I'll do the best I can."
Hermione nodded very slightly. He dropped his eyes from hers and stared at the bed sheets, gently gripping her hand.
"I haven't seen anything like it. But just in case, I'll be sure to give her an overall checkup," said the nurse in a distant voice. She had to strain her ears to hear it this time, "I'll give her a dreamless sleeping potion for the remaining of the night."
Hermione couldn't fight the weight pulling on her eyelids. Harry's face disappeared, and her breathing became slower and softer.
Harry slowly released her hand and leaned in close to her… he kissed her forehead.
"It's too late," he said, "She's already asleep."
…~'*'~…
"Harry!" called the redheaded boy, running to his dormitory, "Harry, you've got to get up, you great lump! Harry?"
His eyes fell on his best friend, who was sitting on the edge of his four-poster. He was awake, but barely, and he managed to dress himself properly.
"We can see Hermione today, Harry," said Ron in a less enthusiastic voice, "She'll be alright, you'll see." He walked around to see him and sat on the four-poster opposite. He watched as Harry sighed heavily and put his miserable face in his hands.
"I did it to her," he said, "I… I made her have that nightmare. I was in it."
"I know. That's why she was calling you, wasn't it?" said Ron sensibly, "But you didn't make her have that dream. Dumbledore doesn't know either. He checked the girl's dormitory, the common room… everywhere for anything that could have done it," he smiled slightly, "I know you wouldn't dream of hurting her, Harry."
Harry sighed again, "But she… how did she get cut? There was nothing sharp near her."
"Nobody knows," Ron reassured, "Maybe she got cut yesterday night and didn't realize it. The matron's looking up on it, Harry. She'll be fine."
Harry shook his head in his hands.
"Have you ever wondered what happened the night Cedric died?"
Ron looked taken aback for a moment. They hadn't touched the subject about Cedric and the Third task; Harry wouldn't talk about it, nor Ron wouldn't dare ask questions. But he was amazed, for one moment, that Harry had finally said anything about it.
"Er…" he said, unsure of what to say to that.
"I know you have."
Ron looked away. He had to admit it to himself; Harry was very much right. He always thought of what happened that night. It was because he wanted dearly to know why, who or what happened that night to make his friend so dispirited.
"Uh… sometimes," said Ron, "Why?"
Harry paused, "She dreamed about it. She said… she saw Cedric dead and Voldemort. I think she saw what happened. In the graveyard."
"A graveyard?"
"Yes. One of Voldemort's Death Eaters made the Triwizard cup a portkey to bring me straight to Voldemort himself. And when I…" he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand roughly, "when I told Cedric to take the cup with me so we could both win… he was sent to Voldemort too."
Ron couldn't interrupt him now, whether he didn't like the use of Voldemort's name or not. He felt that if he did… Harry would realize that he was still there and stop talking.
"We went to the graveyard where Voldemort's parents were buried. Wormtail was there… carrying him in a bundle," continued Harry in a barely audible voice, "He killed Cedric straight away
"Wormtail tied me up to Marvollo Riddle's gravestone so I could watch Voldemort's re-birth perfectly. Then he… took out a dagger and cut my arm to get blood… blood from the enemy. He cut off his own hand and put it all into a cauldron. And when he put what was left of Voldemort in it… it was already set. He came out from it, and summoned his Death Eaters. Crabbe, Goyle, McNair and Malfoy were there. Voldemort started talking about his history of thirteen years being alone. And then… he turned to me.
"Seeing me tied up against his father's gravestone satisfied him. He told his Death Eaters how he couldn't touch me without getting hurt, but since he used my blood in his rebirth… he could touch me. He touched my face and my scar burned the way I never knew it could. He put the Cruciatus curse on me just so I could think he was superior. Then… Voldemort told Wormtail to untie me and give my wand back so I could duel him."
Ron listened with batted breath; he had never heard of anything so interesting and horrible before. Harry looked as though it was taking all he had to finish.
"I hadn't learnt any spell that could match Voldemort's. I kept ducking behind tombstones to dodge his unforgivable curses. And… I don't know what I was thinking. I tried to disarm him and he tried the killing curse. Somehow, our spells met and they tried to join one another. Dumbledore told me that our wands are brothers. I knew it when I first got my wand. Olivander told me.
"We got carried away to a different area of the graveyard, and the Death Eaters were panicking. Our wands wouldn't let go, and there was a bead of light, coming towards me on the strand of light connecting the wands. I concentrated on moving it towards Voldemort's wand and… it disappeared in his wand tip. Voldemort started to panic because…" he hesitated, rubbed his eyes again and finished, "Bertha Jorkins, a Muggle, Cedric and my parent's ghosts all came out of his wand tip. They were the last murders Voldemort performed.
"Cedric told me to take his body back to his parents. My mum told me not to let go of my wand and when they were all circling around Voldemort, trying to frighten him, she told me to run for it. I got through the Death Eaters and took Cedric and cup. I was brought to the Quidditch pitch right after."
Ron watched the floor for a long while once Harry had finished. He had no idea… he thought it was just a duel. But Harry saw Cedric die right before him, and his parents. He saw his only loving relatives for a small moment.
"Harry," he said, "I had no idea-"
BANG!
He was cut off by a loud noise coming from the common room, making them both jump and look at the door. They could hear Malfoy's voice.
"That's it! I've had it! One more prank and I'll let Dumbledore know about your canary creams, you filthy Weasels! "
"Then you might want to stay away from that chair, Malfoy. And that fruit bowl. And the table, for that matter."
"Yeah! And you might want to sleep on one of the sofas tonight, Malfoy. I think we forgot a few spiders in your dorm."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"I'd better go," said Ron as he got to his feet, "Before they tear each other limb from limb."
Ron left the dorm, leaving Harry behind to mull over things. Things were going to get better. He would see Hermione soon.
He lay back on his four-poster, feeling quite alone again. His mind drifted off to Hermione (as it usually did.) How he heard her screams, how his heart stopped beating and for one terrifying moment, he thought that he'd have one less best friend…
…~'*'~…
A/N: DUDE! Did anyone see that Family Affair show on Sept.12? Did you see the second Harry Potter COS trailer? WASN'T THE BEST THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN??? Ohhhhh… on Sunday it'll be two months exactly until the movie (66 more days for the movie and 63 more days for the soundtrack, to be exact.) And I'll be first in line to see it, thank you very much. That's right, you all! EAT MY DUST! *ahem*
So, did you like? Than write a review! It's pain free and it won't give you heartburn. I really want to see them, peps! I'm actually asking for them now! Please?
(By the way… I don't actually drink beer on a daily basis. It's just a funny, you see? Here, people expect us to guzzle beer by the barrels. Well, I don't, or else you wouldn't understand what I just wrote. After all… I swear to drunk I'm not god!
From the 2nd trailer---
Lucius Malfoy- "Let us hope Mr. Potter always bears right to save the day."
Harry-"Oh don't worry… I will be." -- My hero