Chapter 3: A Second Chance in Life
By: Elizabeth M. Potter
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Yes. I do also have a scar. And yes, just like Harry's, a lightning-shaped scar just below my belly button. It's rather small compared to Harry's. And just like his, I do feel pain whenever Voldemort is near. And what incredible pain it is! I never felt pain like that in my life. Now I know what he feels, he's pain is also mine...
"Hermione? Open your eyes! Please let me know that you are okay. Please, open your eyes!"
Were those voices from heaven? Have I arrived? Did I feel any pain? I think I didn't otherwise I would have felt it. But I'm dead, a reason maybe why I don't remember such pain. Where is the bright light? All I see is darkness...have I gone to hell? Oh please don't let it me so...please don't let it be so.
"Hermione? Wake up!" Someone sighs. "Madam Pomfrey, why did it work?"
Wait! I remember such a voice...it can't be though...he couldn't have died as well. No... but what about Madam Pomfrey? Is she...
"It should have worked, Mr. Weasley, it was the strongest that I could give her. I can't give her another dose of the Awaking Potion, it could be harmful to her, depending on her state."
"But don't you see that she needs it?"
"I can't give her any more, Mr. Weasley. We will just ha-"
"No, I don't want to wait. Maybe she is in a strong dream-spell or something. There has to be som-"
"Don't worry, Mr. Weasley. She is fine. She is awake and alert, but she doesn't know it yet."
That voice? It can't be...it's...it's...
"Yes, it's me, Ms. Granger, Professor Dumbledore. It's time to wake up child."
Professor? It's can't be...I'm dead...I can't wake up. It's impossible! I was killed. I am dead.
"No, you are not. You are fine, alive and healthy. Now open your eyes."
I held my breath (I could breath!) and slowly I opened my eyes and I saw him...Professor Dumbledore.
"See, you are not dead." I lifted my hands and brought them close to my face. I looked at the palms of both of my hands and turned them over to see the back of them. I have two hands, I concluded. I touched my face and I could feel my cheeks, my lips, and my nose. I feel and I could smell a distant odor of chocolate. If I remember well, I had hot chocolate right before I left. I couldn't find my voice, I was speechless. I started to cry, letting the tears flow freely. I had them pent-up for far to long. I could hear myself cry hysterically. I covered my face with my hands and continued to cry. I was alive.
"Mr. Weasley, it's best that you go take a rest, I heard that you have been here ever since they brought her in. She is fine and just needs rest. I will explain everything to her, so do not worry. Go, and please inform your other classmates that she is fine, for I would presume that they are very worried about her." He slowly walked up to Mr. Weasley, Ronald Weasley, one of my best friends. He had stayed with me ever since I was brought in. How good of him.
I had calmed myself a bit, still crying though, but I didn't have my face covered. As I laid there, on one of the beds in the Hospital Wing, I noticed Dumbledore giving Ron a letter, guessing that was the letter that was going to be delivered to my parents. When Dumbledore had finished mumbling the instructions to him, my friend faced me and gave me a warm smile. With tears still running down, I returned the smile. With that, he left. I returned to staring up at the ceiling, never noticing that Dumbledore had returned to my bedside. I had calmed down enough to being able to talk, but still had tears in my eyes.
"How?" I managed to let out. I just couldn't understand it. One second I'm getting hit with the most powerful and horrible death curse ever and then the next, I'm safe and alive. There is something missing here...
"Very good question, Ms. Granger. Yet it's a question that I, unfortunately, do not have the answer to." He replied. I could see it in his eyes that he was being honest. His tone gave me a sense of sympathy and guiltiness, which of course I would if I didn't know. He always knew everything, and yet this time, he didn't. I guess there is always a first time. He did not know. Period. Yet I needed an answer. I needed to know what happened to me out there and more importantly...
"You must be wondering about Mr. Potter, correct?" He asked as if he had read my mind. I sat up a bit and nodded, I needed to know...
"It has been a hectic day today, Ms. Granger. Many questions unanswered and many answers without explanations. I do not know all the answers and I do not know the complete story," emphasizing the 'complete'. "Yet the teachers are trying their very best to get the story straight, as well as I. All we know is that Mr. Potter left last night in search of the prisoners but was ambushed by a horde of Deatheaters. He fought bravely, and managed to defeat every single one of them, yet he spent all his energy on this battle. He hid and then you, Ms. Granger, found him in that state. From there you tried to get him back, but something interfered your mission. I have no other information about what happened, but I do know that Voldemort had used his death curse on you. Yet it did not effect you, except by giving you a scar, one similar to Mr. Potter," and he continued on about how lucky I was to be alive and something rather.
I was trying to process everything, but it was no use. All I could hear was death curse; scar; and Mr. Potter, which he still didn't tell me anything about where he is and how he was doing. How did my life become so complicated and most importantly why. And I thought that being a prefect was tough already. Ugh! And now I'm laying here in the hospital wing, alive. I had survived the death curse...just like...Harry.
"Ms. Granger, I know you haven't been listening to for the past 10 minutes, a reason why I have been rambling on about nothing really. But you must get some rest. It's for your own good-"
"Own good? Rest is last on my list. I need to find out what happened, to me and to Harry, which I have not heard of whether he is fine or not. So please, do us a favor and just tell me; where is Harry?" I exclaimed. I sort of felt guilty at how I had talked back to him, but 'a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do' to get info. This was my way of doing it.
He looked at me with, I think, sympathy. He had something awful to say...I could just feel it, yet I didn't want to admit it. No, I just can't think the worst.
"Harry, Ms. Granger is one of the reasons why I came to talk to you. You se-"
"Look, Professor. I have great respect for you, and you do know it, sir. But please, just tell me." I begged softly. "Please Professor, where is he?"
"We don't know, Ms. Granger, we don't know..."
~
I don't know when he finally left. I didn't care. Why should I...I'm alone in this room. Alone. I was just that a few hours ago. I was that when I had to face him, Voldemort. I no longer am afraid of such a name, to think that I was just last year. I should be afraid of him now though, after he had almost succeed in killing me. Yet I didn't. I survived. And I don't know how...
'We don't know, Ms. Granger, we don't know...' keeps lingering in my head. It keeps repeating over and over again. He didn't know how I survived. That scares me. He doesn't know. Did someone save me? Was there someone that gave up his or her life for me, just like Lily did for Harry? Or was it all an illusion? Yet it felt so real...
If it was real, then it did happen. He had left me. Left me to face Voldemort, all by myself. How could he? I'm not as strong as he is, believe me I know. What happened to his promise...
*Flashback*
"You didn't want me here, right? That's just it, Harry, you wanted to do this all by yourself, huh?"
"Yes...I mean no...It's just that I didn't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to suffer just like Sirius did. You know I don't want you, Ron, Sirius, and all the people I care about to get hurt. I care too much, which is why," he took my hands in his. "I didn't tell you. Gods knows what could have happened to you. Look at me for Merlin's sake! I just couldn't do it."
I looked deep into his eyes. He was telling the truth. He must really care about me...no...us enough to make him sacrifice himself for such a dangerous mission. He's too good to be true. His words were pure honesty. God, I must be very lucky to have such a friend, I don't deserve someone like him. His words really touched me that I just couldn't help but let my tears free.
"No...I didn't want to make you cry." He raised his right hand a wiped away my tears.
"I can't seem to help it," I sobbed quietly, which was true. "I just didn't know you cared-"
"Don't ever get the idea that I don't. You're special to me, you're like a sister to me," and I looked up at him. "I will always care for you, Hermione, always, and don't you ever EVER forget that, all right?" He finished with a smile. There was nothing else to do but smile back. "I won't" I promised...
Later, as Voldemort was pointing his wand at us...
I shook from fear and I guess Harry noticed it because he brought me closer to him, sort of protecting me from what was going to happen. "Don't worry, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise." He whispered softly. All I could do was nod.
*End of Flashback*
Some promise that was. I believed him. I believed every word that he uttered. I always did since he was my best friend. He had always kept his promise...I guess this one was too much to handle, which is really disappointing, I had always thought that he could handle anything. Especially dealing with his best friends. He had always said that he cares for us and that he wouldn't allow anything to happen to us. I guess he was wrong.
Yet a part of me thinks that he a good reason why he left me. A reason to grand, but there is no telling. But he still should have stayed to protect me. Like I always have with him. I always did help him.
He must have been angered by my actions, a reason why he left me...to die? No, impossible. Even he hated me, he would never do such a thing. Or would he?
I don't know any more. I always thought that I knew him better than he knows himself. But there is always room for surprises. Even for a bad surprise.
It was awful though...I couldn't believe he had so much hatred for muggle-borns. That scared me even more then the knowledge of his killings. His eyes so full of hatred, disgust, resentment...that if looks could kill, he would have killed me with just once glance. Why us muggle-borns? Why are so low compared to purebloods? Just because were half muggle? There is nothing wrong with that...is there? No, of course not. I was taught that those kinds of things shouldn't matter at all. Yet it still does...
Maybe it does matter to Harry, yet I was to blind to see it. No, stop thinking that way Hermione. He is not like that. He is a great person, kind and caring and loving, yet why did he leave me?
"Don't think that he left you Hermione. Don't let that get in your head."
All my thinking I was doing didn't let me noticed that he had returned. All I have left is him. Thank Merlin that he is still with me...
"Don't cry 'Mione. You have shed to many tears for one night." He grabbed a stool and sat right next to my bed. "You need to rest, 'Mione. It has been a long night." He stroked my hair, just like a mother would.
"I can't...I-I'm scared," I sobbed. I was scared. He had left me. I almost died. It's too much to take in one day.
"I know, I know. Shhh....I'm here now," he said softly. "I'm going to stay here, okay. I'm not going to leave you, I'm going to stay here, right here." he reassured me. "Nothing's going to happen to yo-"
"You don't know that, Ron. I almost died!" I cried.
"Almost, Hermione, almost! That is miles way from actually being dead. You are alive and well. Be thankful for that."
"I AM! Don't you think I am!" I yelled. "You just don't understand...I almost d-died." I sobbed. "I almost died." I cried softly.
He sat me up and put his arms around me and gave me a strong hug. I also put my arms around him and I cried. I cried like I never did before.
"You're alive, Hermione. And that," he sobbed. "is the most important thing to me. You are alive. And we will get through this okay." He reassured. "You are a strong person, and you will get through this fine." He said softly. He pulled away and looked at me straight in the eyes. "I will protect you, 'Mione, I swear to Merlin and my life, I will protect you." I looked down. Another promise, a promise, just like Harry's, that is meant to be broken.
"No, look at me." And I looked up. He had tears rolling down his face, first time I ever saw him like that. And maybe, the last.
"I will protect you. And do you know why? Because I love you, Hermione. I love you just like I love Ginny. You are more than a best friend to me. You are my sister. And do you know what brothers do?" He asked.
"I don't know, I don't have one." I replied.
He smiled. "That's not true. I'm your brother and as a brother, I protect my sisters. And that's what I'm going to do, along with keeping you safe." He wiped away some tears from my face.
"Oh Ron," I cried softly. "What would I do without you." And I hugged him back.
"I would guess nothing. I will always be here, okay. Always and forever, 'Mione, always and forever." He said softly.
"Always and forever." I repeated.
~
A/N: Wow, this chapter is the longest so far. It didn't take me as long 'cause I had more time to do write this up but it did take me sometime to get it edited. Out of all three chapters, this was the hardest to write 'cause there were so many emotions that I wanted to express. I still have many more to go. OMG...no but it's fun writting this fic so far.
This was really an emotional chapter, and it was a bit hard for me not to cry (I have dealt with these kinds of situations in real life and this just brought back memories). Many of you guys may have thought that there was something going on between Ron and Hermione, maybe there was, only I know. But Ron is like a brother to her, she being an olny child, and I guess I wanted to show his concern towards her.
I like to thank all those who did review. Thank you so much. This next statement is to the readers:
If you are reading this, please review. As a reader, you have the opportunity to tell the writer your opinions of this story. Please do both of us a favor, review. You'll feel better when you do it.
Okay, thanks in advance. Next chapter is going to be focused on 'Where on Earth is Harry Potter?'. Many questions will be answered, but not all of them. Until next time...
Yours Truly,
Elizabeth M. Potter