Disclaimer: I don't own nuthin.

A/N: um…this chapter might seem really pointless and off the topic…but it's kinda important to the plot.

thanks to the ppl who reviewed: Tweetgurl, Harriet Vane, Rebecca, Escritora, may, Tara, bloody raven, f0xyness39, (usagimamoru1@attbi.com), LoPotter, zkiro, Rosa, Twister's Girl

and thanks to my beta, Moi

~

Forever Never Ends

Chapter 17

His emerald eyes brimmed with tears as he slowly knelt in front of the gravestone and placed a bouquet of roses on the soft grassy ground.

He closed his eyes slowly, and breathed in the scent of the cool morning air.

"Congratulations!" said Cornelius Fudge as he stuck his hand out.

"Thank you very much, sir," he answered, taking the minister's hand and shaking it.

He turned and looked around the crowded room for his wife. He spotted her easily. To him, she had such a radiant aura surrounding her that he could easily pinpoint her in even the most crowded of places.

She on the other side of the large room, chatting with a few of her friends, with a bright smile on her face. Suddenly, she and her friends burst into laughter. Watching her always brought a smile onto his face, he thought, as the corners of his lips began to twist up. She was his life.

Slowly, making a way through all the people, he approached her from behind. She, apparently too busy in conversation, didn't realize he was there until he wrapped his arms around her from behind. She turned around in surprise.

"Harry!" she laughed and placed a kiss on his lips.

"Doing okay over here?"

"Of course, you?"

He made a puppy face and tried to sound sad. "No. You haven't talk to me all night."

She laughed again. He loved the sound of her laughter. It was like her voice - so clear, like a running brook. He couldn't help but laugh too.

"Congratulations for your promotion, Mr. Potter," she said, trying to imitate a different voice, but burst out laughing in the end again.

Harry winced and made a face. "You can't possibly imagine how many times I've heard that tonight."

"I'm sorry, I know it was my idea for this. I thought you might have wanted your friends over to celebrate."

"It's more like the whole wizarding community."

"Ok, next time, we'll have a nice romantic dinner instead, alright?"

"Mmm…that sounds wonderful."

"Harry, you think you could get me a glass of wine?" she asked suddenly.

"So now I'm your personal slave?" he teased her playfully. "But sure."

"Thanks, Harry."

He kissed her on the cheek and then turned to walk to the table on the opposite side of the room where the food and drinks were. Making his way through the people, a few muttered "Congrats" to him. He poured some wine into a crystal glass and then began to make his way towards his wife again...

"Oh, Mr. Potter! You must be very excited for your new promotion!"

He turned around and saw a very annoying news reporter, who reminded him of Rita Skeeter. "What?"

"I just want to ask you a few questions," she said hurriedly, taking out a small notepad...

He sighed and set the glass of wine down at a small table near him. "I really don't have time for this."

"Just five questions."

He hesitated, but finally very reluctantly nodded. "Fine."

The reporter asked him a string of very dull and stupid questions and after she was finally done, he breathed a sigh of relief, turned around to pick up the glass of wine, and then continued towards his wife.

"There you are," she said as he approached her. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, I was held up by this - "

"It's alright, Harry, don't worry about it."

He handed her the glass. "Here, I got you what you wanted, your Majesty."

She laughed and took the glass from his hands. "Thank you."

"I love you so much."

"Wow, that was random."

"I just wanted to remind you."

"Don't worry, I'll never forget."

"Don't you have something to say back to me? Like, a three word phrase maybe?"

She laughed again, and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, Harry."

"That was four words."

"I wanted it to be original."

"Really?"

She took a sip of the wine. "Really."

"How are the kids?"

She took another sip. "They're with the nanny, of course."

"I was thinking-"

She stumbled back, as if she was drunk and then shut her eyes tightly and then opened them again.

"Are you feeling ok?"

She squeezed her eyes shut again. "I'm fine…I just…don't feel so good."

"You want to lie down?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

By now, a large crowd had gathered around them to see what was wrong. She stumbled backwards again, but regained her footing.

She opened her mouth but no sound came out. "I-"

And then he watched as her eyes rolled up and her slim body fell backwards as if it was in slow motion. He saw her fingers let go of the glass of wine and her body fell. He watched, as if in a trance, as the crystal glass fell slowly to the floor, where it shattered, spilling the blood red wine onto the marble.

Then everything went blank. He remembered rushing to her side, a feeling of dread coming over him. He shook her, trying to get her to wake up. But she never did.

He opened his eyes and then squeezed them shut again, as the tears began to pour. When he opened his eyes again, he stared mesmerized at the gravestone that stood in front of him.

I love you…

He buried his face in his hands and let his emotions overtake him.

"Harry."

He turned around and searched for the speaker.

"Hi, Ginny."

"Are you okay?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I knew I'd find you here," she said, with a faraway look on her face. "You come here every Saturday morning."

"I miss her."

"We all do."

"She shouldn't have died."

"It wasn't your fault."

"She was poisoned! And I…I was the one who gave her that glass of wine."

"That doesn't make it your fault."

"I remember I stopped to talk to that reporter and set the glass down. I gave someone the chance to put the poison in!"

Ginny sighed. "I was there, remember? I know."

"What kind of a heartless creature would want to kill her?"

She paused for a second. "Cho was an auror, and one of the best. Many people would have wanted her dead."

Harry shook his head slowly. "I should have died instead."

"Harry, don't say that."

He stood up from the ground and placed his hands in his pockets. "So what really are you doing here?"

She paused. "I wanted to see you."

"Anything else?"

She looked deep into his green eyes. "I-"

"What?"

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak. "W-why-"

"Why what? Ginny, what's wrong?"

She swallowed hard. "Why can't you love me?"

He took a step back. "Ginny…what?"

"Why can't you love me the way that I love you?" Her voice faltered and she choked back a sob. "Why?"

Harry looked at her and sighed. "Ginny, you're a great friend. But…we're just not meant to be."

"Do you think you're meant to be with Cho? If so, then why the hell is she dead? What if you were supposed to be with somebody else?"

"Ginny, you don't know what you're talking ab-"

"Harry, I know exactly what I'm talking about!" she screamed, her face wet with tears. "I know I love you. And I know you don't love me."

"Gin, it's not like that -"

"It's alright. I don't need you, Harry Potter," she said his name with bitterness and contempt.

"Listen, Gin-"

She covered her ears and sobbed hysterically. Finally, she just spun around and ran off, out of the cemetery, with her red curls flying in the wind.

I don't need you…

~

The room was very dark, but one could tell that it was very lavishly decorated. The only source of light came from a small cackling fireplace. The flames danced and sent shadows over the walls.

Before the fireplace, there sat a large, comfortable armchair, made from some sort of exotic material, maybe dragonhide. The armchair was so large that from the back, one would not be able to tell that someone was sitting it, because there was, in fact, someone sitting in it.

It was a handsome young man, with dark ebony hair and a pair of vivid blue eyes. Although he looked rather young, like as if he was in his early twenties, his eyes said otherwise. They held too much knowledge - knowledge that he had gained over almost a century.

The man was starting into the fire, as if he was seeking some sort of truth. The flames and sparks pulled him into his memories. Memories of a time when things were so simple…and life was so wonderful. He closed his eyes and willingly let them flood through him.

The headmaster had wanted to see him, as he had just heard from a professor, so he was hurrying towards Headmaster Dippet's office. He wondered what it could possibly be about. After all, it had not been many times that he had been called urgently to the headmaster's office. He hoped dearly that nothing bad had happened.

As he approached the gargoyle, he spoke the password, and it jumped aside. He hurried up the stairs and finally reached the door. He knocked twice.

"Enter."

He turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open. Inside, he saw Headmaster Dippet sitting there wearing a very tired expression, and Professor Dumbledore, one of his least favorite teachers.

"Have a seat."

"Yes, sir."

"You are the Head Boy, and the best student this school has ever had, so when we were faced with this dilemma today, we decided to ask you to help us, if possible."

"What is it, sir?"

Professor Dippet sighed and stood up from his chair. "As you know, there are many rooms in Hogwarts, and many of them have magical powers. A few hours before, a girl stumbled across one of these rooms on accident."

"What kind of magical power did that room have?"

"It takes a person to a different time."

"What? So a student in our school was warped into a different time?"

"Actually, she's here."

"What do you mean she's here, sir? Didn't you just say that-"

"She stumbled across the room in the future and has been transferred to our time."

His eyes opened wide. "So…she's here…but what do I have to do with this?"

"There is a way to take her back to her own time. But it requires a lot of effort and time. You must perform a very difficult spell, which is also very dangerous because just as when you apparate and a part of a person's body can be left behind, it can also happen in time traveling. We would like you to perform this spell for her."

"I am honored, sir. But, why not just ask another more qualified professor to perform it?"

"The professors at this school are all very busy, and the curse would take a lot of time and research to perform. It is excruciatingly difficult, but we believe you can do it."

"When can I do it?"

"Next month, at this same date and time that she arrived, you must perform it. The spell is very complex. I suggest you practice a lot before you are to do it."

"So, the girl, what are you going to do about her?"

Professor Dumbledore, who had remained quiet this whole time, finally spoke up. "She will pretend she is a visiting student. You, as Head Boy, will show her around the school, and be her guide."

"Yes, sir." He wondered who this student was and what she was like.

"She will be placed in your house, and you will have full responsibility over her."

"Yes, sir."

"Would you like to meet her now?"

"Yes, sir."

Professor Dumbledore moved to the door on the left side of the room. He motioned for him to follow him. He did as he was told. The professor opened the door slowly, and inside, stood a young girl, who was around his age. Her big green eyes stood out luminously and her long strawberry colored hair was framed around her face. All he could do was stare.

"Mr. Riddle, meet Miss Evans."

~

"Ow! Stop pushing me!"

"Be quiet you two, or else Filch will find us and skin us!"

"Becca, what exactly are we looking for?"

The three of them were wrapped under the invisibility cloak and were heading towards the restricted section in the library.

"I told you already, Chris."

"Well, tell me again, 'cause I forgot."

Becca sighed. "Okay, okay. There's a student record I want to find."

"A student record?" asked Alex. "How's that going to help us?"

"Gosh! Listen, it has every student's information - very single student that has ever come to Hogwarts. I bet I can find something about my mother and father in there."

"Oh," Alex said as he scratched his head. "I see."

"So where exactly is it?"

"I have no idea. I guess we'll find out."

They removed the invisibility cloak from their bodies and then began to search the shelves desperately.

"I think this is it," said Alex, after about five minutes of searching.

Becca and Chris both rushed over and took a look at the book in his hands, and sure enough, it was exactly what they had been trying to find. The three excitedly brought the thick book over to a table where they began flipping through the pages. They were so mesmerized in the book that they didn't notice a figure approaching them cautiously.

"What are you guys doing here at this hour?"

The three of them screamed in fright and faced the intruder. It was Hermione.

"Professor Granger," Becca said nervously.

A second later, Argus Filch arrived, wearing a nasty grin on his face. "I heard screaming."

The three kids looked pleadingly at their professor.

"Uh…we're conducting an experiment right now, Argus. It's nothing to worry about. We'll be done soon."

Mr. Filch looked terribly disappointed. He sneered and then turned and walked out of the library with heavy steps.

"What are you three doing out here so late?"

"Uh…we uh…had a sudden urge to read a book."

"What's that you are reading?" Hermione asked curiously.

Becca covered the title of the book. "Uh…"

"Mind if I look at it?"

Becca looked nervously at Alex, and then at Chris. She swallowed hard and then handed the large book to Professor Granger.

Hermione took one look at it and laughed. "I see you have been wandering in the restricted section."

Becca stood up confidently. "I swear it was all my fault. They had nothing to do with it. They were trying to stop me, but I wouldn't listen. It's really all my fault. Really."

"Relax, it's alright. Everyone sneaks into the restricted section."

"So…you're not going to tell on us?" asked Chris.

Hermione shook her head. "Of course not. Here, sit down."

The four of them sat down in the table and Hermione opened the book in front of her.

"What would you want this book for? It's all records."

"Uh…we…uh…" Becca was about to tell the professor the truth, but then she got a great idea. "Professor Granger, did you know my parents?"

Hermione was taken aback. "What?"

"Did you know my mother and father?"

"Your parents?"

"Yes, Draco and Pansy Malfoy."

This just confirmed Hermione's worst nightmares. So, Becca was indeed Draco and Pansy's daughter. "Er…I suppose."

"So you did?"

"I believe they were in my year, but I wasn't terribly close to them," she lied. "I don't think I've ever really talked to any of them."

"Oh," said Becca, feeling rather disappointed. "Were they already a couple during school?"

Hermione paused to take a deep breath and then forced a smile. "I believe so. As I said, I didn't know them very well, and only very rarely talked to either of them."

Hermione was getting very uncomfortable and decided that she wanted to leave before she had a chance to let something slip. "Um…I should probably go now. You guys have fun, and don't stay up too late."

And with that, she hurried out of the library, leaving the three kids staring after her.

"Geez, she's got some problems," said Alex.

"Alex, that's awful!"

"Well, it's true!"

"Ok, let's change the subject. Lemme look through this book."

The entries in the book were in alphabetical order and it didn't take them very long to find Parkinson, Pansy. There was a whole page of information and then a few photographs.

"You mom's really beautiful."

"And you don't look like her one bit."

"Hey, thanks Chris!"

"No, I mean, you're really pretty too, but you don't look like her."

Becca rolled her eyes.

"It says she was a prefect her seventh year, and she was a Slytherin."

"Ok, so she was a Slytherin. Now everything's so confusing! I don't know what's going on!

"Look, Becca, we'll look up your dad now, ok? Maybe that'll help."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm just a bit disappointed that there isn't much here." She began to flip through the book again, looking for her father's name. Finally, she found it. It looked the same as her mother's: a page of information and a page of pictures.

"Wow, my father looked a lot younger."

"Well, duh, it's been more than a decade."

"Your dad was Head Boy!"

"Yeah, I guess. He must have been smart."

"It doesn't say much though, at least not much about what we're looking for."

"You know what, Becca, I bet that this whole thing about you getting sorted into Gryffindor is completely unrelated to your parents. If you think about it, maybe the Sorting Hat just thought you had some Gryffindor potential and it just sort of added in the whole mother part on accident. Because I heard that the Sorting Hat makes lots of mistakes, you know. So I wouldn't worry about it because-" he didn't finish because he realized that her attention was not centered on him. She was staring open eyed at the book, and her mouth was dropped. Curious, he glanced over to what she was looking at.

She was staring at one of the pictures on the page. The two boys leaned over and finally realized what she was looking at. There, at the bottom left hand corner, was a tiny, blurry photograph. At first they were confused because they couldn't understand what relevance this had to anything. After looking closer, it finally dawned on the two boys that in all the other pictures, her father was shown with either some of his Slytherin guy friends or with her mother. In this picture, he was holding hands with a girl, but she didn't have the dark hair that Becca's mother had. Instead, her hair was a very pretty golden brown color, and shone brightly in the sun. The two of them were standing by the lake, staring into the sunset and looking very happy. They were also turned a bit to the side, and it looked like the picture was taken without their knowledge.

"Is that your dad?"

Becca nodded dumbly.

"Well, if that's your dad, then who's that girl?"

"I don't know," she said in a quiet whisper, as if she couldn't believe what she had just seen.

"Do you recognize her?"

"No, the picture's too blurry. All I know that is the guy in the picture is definitely my father. No question about it."

"I wonder who that girl is."

"I need to find out who it is," she said quietly, in a rather disembodied voice.

It dawned on her at that moment that there were probably a billion secrets that were hidden from her. And she had every intention of finding them out.

TBC

~

A/N: um…yeah. I hafta do my hw! Well, um, please review! It would be really appreciated!