I know this is posted as Chapter five, but in fact this is chapter four. It
is the ending anyone who read this story before knows. But this ending was
WAY crappy so I wrote a separate one, which is now available under chapter
four, go read it.
Losing Hermione
By Phire Phoenix
Chapter Four
Renewing of Oaths
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Normal POV)
Hermione remained as weak as ever through the week that passed. If anything, she seemed even feebler, despite regaining speech. The friends' worst fears were coming through. She wasn't surviving. They stayed by her bed, day and night, and even Draco took a shift here and there. They had started to mend old animosities, although it was still with a stiffness that they talked to each other. Habits are hard to break.
Madam Pomfrey couldn't do anything for her. This is unlike any symptoms she had ever seen. Apparently, this mixture has never been attempted before. And perhaps it's no surprise, as the blocking spell had been developed a bit after the Dark Lord was vanquished, and no other wizard used Avada Kedavra for hate of him.
Hermione was fighting a battle within herself. She despaired dying, but she felt sort of a sense of peace at finally being able to tell her friends her feelings. She knew she was hopeless. She knew she didn't have much time. When you've been a wizard for seven years, these things become obvious. The secrets she'd been holding back had almost made her sick, but she stuck to her promise.
So it's no surprise to Dumbledore that he found Harry and Ron sitting with Hermione on her bed, grave expressions on their faces. Ginny had come in the meantime, and was just about to enter when Dumbledore quietly led her away; this was a time for privacy. He had an idea of what Hermione's going to say.
"Now that the Dark Lord's been defeated, and I, well, am not too far from death either, I can tell you this." Hermione began uncertainly. She wasn't looking at her friends, but if she had been, she would've seen resignation written on their faces. They, too, knew that there wasn't much chance of her recovering, and just wanted to make her days happy. But Ron tried to comfort her anyways.
"Hermi, don't. Don't say that. You're going to get better, and you'll become a reporter for the Daily Prophet, like you wanted. Harry is going to be an auror, I'm joining Chudley Cannons, and you can report us! It's all going to get better, and there's a bright..." Hermione held up her hand to stop his flow of exclamation. With sad eyes, she looked at her friend, and noticed that there were tears flowing down his cheek. Harry's, too.
"Ron, you know as well as I do that it's highly improbable. Please, make this easier for me. Don't try to cheer me up." Ron nodded, unspeaking. Hermione bit her lip. "Harry...I'm your twin..." She said, out of the blue, startling both of them. Harry jumped up.
"What?" He asked incredulously. Hermione smiled with bitterness that he should know this, moments before his twin dies. "I'm your twin." She repeated firmly." Voldemort doesn't know it, because Dumbledore thought that if I were brought up with my guardians, the Grangers, the people I consider my dear parents, both of us would have more of a chance of surviving. There's an ancient magic of the Potter family, besides the magic of sacrifice. The twins can protect each other, no matter how far away they may be."
Harry was still gaping at her. But he knew that Hermione would never lie. She never has, and she never will. And she's not the type to play a trick on them, not now, not here. "Since when have you known this?" He stuttered, sitting down carefully so not to shake the bed and cause her any more agony. Hermione knew her friends well enough to know that they believed her, but she wasn't sure whether that would change anything. After all, Harry can't protect her now.
"Second year. When Dumbledore realised that Voldemort's attempts at getting stronger were getting cleverer, he told me so I could be more aware of things, and be close to you. And maybe that's why I realised about the basilisk in time...you were protecting me, even though you weren't aware of it, and you provided just enough information about you being a parseltongue." Ron smiled at the memory. It seemed that they haven't shared a smile in so long. But his face fell as Hermione continued talking.
"I never had any friends. Never. Everybody resented me, partly because of my uncanny interest in learning" and here, she snorted, "and partly because I keep making strange things happen. I was shunned. Nobody ever" She choked on her words, but continued, as though determined to tell them everything "...asked whether I was ok, whether I needed a hug...You guys were the first. Ever." She looked them in the eye now, grateful. "I want to thank both of you for this deep friendship that you have given me, for these lovely seven years, and for loving me as I am. And you, Harry. In our first year, even though you didn't know about me being your twin, you accepted me and tried to help me on Hallowe'en."
They laughed then. It was the beginning of their friendship, and somehow Harry was glad that Ron had made Hermione cry that day. Because without that, they never would have become friends, they would still hate Hermione now. Harry leaned across and brushed his lips across Hermione's cheek. A brother's gentle kiss. "Thank you." Hermione said quietly. It appeared to be directed at Harry, but Ron was included. The taller boy pulled the other two into a hug.
"And Ron..." Hermione stopped, looking doubtful. "I've known this since fifth year...and since I'm...well...it doesn't really matter whether I hold back or not, I guess." She tucked some hair behind her ear and lay back on her bed, seemingly gathering courage. "I...I...I love you." Ron gaped at her. Happiness was all over his face, mingling with sadness. Oh god, why didn't she say so earlier? Couldn't that have spared so much misery on his behalf? He, who had been trying to figure out whether she liked him, who had stayed awake at nights, wondering about her exclamation/invitation in their fourth year to ask her out, who had sat in front of the fire, hour after hour with Harry opposite of him, pouring his heart out, who dreamed of her every single night...and who finally received the response he had hoped for.
"I love you too, Hermione." He whispered quietly. "I love you with all my heart, and I will protect you any way I can." Hermione had closed her eyes, but she was smiling. Harry and Ron looked at each other, and then simultaneously leaned forward to look at her closely.
"Madam Pomfrey!" Harry called in panic while Ron continued to stroke Hermione's hair. The matron came over, took one look at Hermione, and shook her head. She performed a couple of spells, but half-heartedly, as though she already knew the outcome. She finished the last spell with a sigh and looked at Harry sadly.
"I'm sorry, lad. Her life force is dripping out of her like water from a tap. She's got two more minutes, tops." The two boys closed their eyes in despair. Ron reached across and held Harry's hand, squeezing it hard to let his friend know that they were both feeling the same thing. Neither of them could stand it. Losing Hermione. Losing Hermione. We're losing Hermione. That was all they could think of.
Harry leaned closer, as did Ron. The action on the battlefield seemed to replay as Madam Pomfrey felt a powerful presence within the boys. Dumbledore had arrived with Ginny, Snape and Draco, and the four of them were watching in silence. Harry kissed her first, a gentle kiss. Then Ron, a lover's kiss. They took one last look at her and turned their backs, silently sobbing.
Dumbledore gasped. Something you didn't hear very often. He had seen too many things, heard about too many facts to be easily surprised, but this is...stunning. Hermione's bushy hair was ruffling in all directions, as though strong gales were blowing at it. She levitated at about a feet above the bed. Harry and Ron's auras were visible now: They were dark blue, and some of it seemed to be diverting to Hermione's body. The boys themselves turned back to Hermione, and found with surprise that they were helping, in some strange way.
Hermione fell back onto the bed and her eyes fluttered. Madam Pomfrey gave an exclamation. This girl wasn't supposed to live, not past this minute. But now she's as fit as she had been before the whole ordeal. Perhaps even stronger.
Ron and Harry pulled Hermione into a bear hug as soon as she opened her eyes and sat up, looking around her with shock. She felt normal. Stronger. She felt like the witch she had been before Voldemort struck. Ron kissed her again, more passionately this time, and she returned it. Harry slipped away from them, joining the spectators.
"Oh Hermi, you nut, why didn't you tell me before! You could've saved me a heck of a lot of misery these past three years!" Hermione's eyes opened in surprise and happiness, but she simply laughed and pulled Harry towards them. "A dept repaid" She said with a twinkle in her eyes.
"What happened? Why does Hermione seem to think that it's a debt repaid?" Draco, Snape and Ginny turned to Dumbledore when Madam Pomfrey uttered the questions. It had been on their minds, too, but they didn't want to disturb the three. The aforementioned three turned to Dumbledore a well, Hermione and Ron's arms and Harry leaning against her.
"Well, I presume that when Avada Kedavra took place the first time, Hermione infused some of her life force to Harry. Harry is still a very powerful warlock, because he's the heir of Gryffindor, but without Hermione, he'd probably still be in St. Mungo's. He would've survived, but Hermione gave him the push he needed. Now, Ms. Granger wasn't killed because of the blocking spell, but when she almost died, Harry simple reversed the action. It's a magic described in ancient archives, thought to be a legend."
Hermione giggled. She snuggled closer to Ron, which made Harry fall into her lap rather abruptly. "Hey!" He protested, looking at his twin in mock anger. "No fair! Is this how you treat siblings?" Hermione laughed, soon joined by everyone else. There was no need to celebrate. Kindred Spirits understood other. Now Fred and George, whether they'd pass up a chance of a great party, the fall of Voldemort, Ronnikins getting his wish AND Hermione surviving, was another matter. Knowing them, they would probably come from Gred and Feorge's joke shop, invite everyone who's even slightly involved, and have the grandest party Hogwarts, or the wizarding realm, has ever known. The three smiled at the thought. It was as Ron had said. Everything would be ok.
~*~
Epilogue
~*~
Everything did turn out to be ok. They graduated from Hogwarts with flying colours, Hermione on top of everyone else. Surprise, surprise. Snape even gave Harry and Ron a good mark, but they did work hard that year. Harry successfully became an auror, although it feels foolish fighting alongside Sirius, his godfather, and Remus. Hermione replaced Rita Skeeter in the Daily Prophet, and is their best reporter. She's been reporter of the month five times in a row six months after she arrived. Harry travels a lot, but whenever he returns, they always have a grand party.
Ron didn't join Chudley Cannons...because he got asked to play in the National League. He was so happy that he jumped up and down for an hour, until Hermione used a freezing charm. They are madly in love, and there don't seem to be any problems. In fact, five years later, they decided to marry. Ginny was the bridesmaid, and Harry was best man.
Ginny and Harry married shortly after that. Harry takes Ginny often on his travels, but when he doesn't, and when he's working locally, she and him live with Ron and Hermione. He did pay for part of the house, after all. Sirius lives close to them, in a little house he transported from near of Godric's Hollow. He got himself a girlfriend.
Three years after that, Hermione had a little girl, and named her Lily. Ginny had a boy two years later, and named him James. And they did bear resemblance to their name sakes. Of course, they couldn't marry *shudder* I mean, their fathers and mothers are twins and siblings!!! Gosh people, get serious!!
Did I mention all four of them became Animagi? Ron has regular duels with Harry, although Harry is at a disadvantage, being a stag, and Ron being a wolf and all. Hermione is a cat, and Ginny is an owl. But the Department of Spells and Enchantments is working on trying to get people to transform into several different animals. Then we'll see who wins, Harry or Ron.
And so, they lived happily ever after.
Not peaceful, just happily.
Because you couldn't exactly call freezing charms, yelling charms, daily transfigurations into large and hideous animals and insults thrown every five minutes peaceful, could you? No. But they were happy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PP: Hehe...the epilogue was corny, but I felt like it. I mean...they're happy, and it's picture perfect.
Losing Hermione
By Phire Phoenix
Chapter Four
Renewing of Oaths
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Normal POV)
Hermione remained as weak as ever through the week that passed. If anything, she seemed even feebler, despite regaining speech. The friends' worst fears were coming through. She wasn't surviving. They stayed by her bed, day and night, and even Draco took a shift here and there. They had started to mend old animosities, although it was still with a stiffness that they talked to each other. Habits are hard to break.
Madam Pomfrey couldn't do anything for her. This is unlike any symptoms she had ever seen. Apparently, this mixture has never been attempted before. And perhaps it's no surprise, as the blocking spell had been developed a bit after the Dark Lord was vanquished, and no other wizard used Avada Kedavra for hate of him.
Hermione was fighting a battle within herself. She despaired dying, but she felt sort of a sense of peace at finally being able to tell her friends her feelings. She knew she was hopeless. She knew she didn't have much time. When you've been a wizard for seven years, these things become obvious. The secrets she'd been holding back had almost made her sick, but she stuck to her promise.
So it's no surprise to Dumbledore that he found Harry and Ron sitting with Hermione on her bed, grave expressions on their faces. Ginny had come in the meantime, and was just about to enter when Dumbledore quietly led her away; this was a time for privacy. He had an idea of what Hermione's going to say.
"Now that the Dark Lord's been defeated, and I, well, am not too far from death either, I can tell you this." Hermione began uncertainly. She wasn't looking at her friends, but if she had been, she would've seen resignation written on their faces. They, too, knew that there wasn't much chance of her recovering, and just wanted to make her days happy. But Ron tried to comfort her anyways.
"Hermi, don't. Don't say that. You're going to get better, and you'll become a reporter for the Daily Prophet, like you wanted. Harry is going to be an auror, I'm joining Chudley Cannons, and you can report us! It's all going to get better, and there's a bright..." Hermione held up her hand to stop his flow of exclamation. With sad eyes, she looked at her friend, and noticed that there were tears flowing down his cheek. Harry's, too.
"Ron, you know as well as I do that it's highly improbable. Please, make this easier for me. Don't try to cheer me up." Ron nodded, unspeaking. Hermione bit her lip. "Harry...I'm your twin..." She said, out of the blue, startling both of them. Harry jumped up.
"What?" He asked incredulously. Hermione smiled with bitterness that he should know this, moments before his twin dies. "I'm your twin." She repeated firmly." Voldemort doesn't know it, because Dumbledore thought that if I were brought up with my guardians, the Grangers, the people I consider my dear parents, both of us would have more of a chance of surviving. There's an ancient magic of the Potter family, besides the magic of sacrifice. The twins can protect each other, no matter how far away they may be."
Harry was still gaping at her. But he knew that Hermione would never lie. She never has, and she never will. And she's not the type to play a trick on them, not now, not here. "Since when have you known this?" He stuttered, sitting down carefully so not to shake the bed and cause her any more agony. Hermione knew her friends well enough to know that they believed her, but she wasn't sure whether that would change anything. After all, Harry can't protect her now.
"Second year. When Dumbledore realised that Voldemort's attempts at getting stronger were getting cleverer, he told me so I could be more aware of things, and be close to you. And maybe that's why I realised about the basilisk in time...you were protecting me, even though you weren't aware of it, and you provided just enough information about you being a parseltongue." Ron smiled at the memory. It seemed that they haven't shared a smile in so long. But his face fell as Hermione continued talking.
"I never had any friends. Never. Everybody resented me, partly because of my uncanny interest in learning" and here, she snorted, "and partly because I keep making strange things happen. I was shunned. Nobody ever" She choked on her words, but continued, as though determined to tell them everything "...asked whether I was ok, whether I needed a hug...You guys were the first. Ever." She looked them in the eye now, grateful. "I want to thank both of you for this deep friendship that you have given me, for these lovely seven years, and for loving me as I am. And you, Harry. In our first year, even though you didn't know about me being your twin, you accepted me and tried to help me on Hallowe'en."
They laughed then. It was the beginning of their friendship, and somehow Harry was glad that Ron had made Hermione cry that day. Because without that, they never would have become friends, they would still hate Hermione now. Harry leaned across and brushed his lips across Hermione's cheek. A brother's gentle kiss. "Thank you." Hermione said quietly. It appeared to be directed at Harry, but Ron was included. The taller boy pulled the other two into a hug.
"And Ron..." Hermione stopped, looking doubtful. "I've known this since fifth year...and since I'm...well...it doesn't really matter whether I hold back or not, I guess." She tucked some hair behind her ear and lay back on her bed, seemingly gathering courage. "I...I...I love you." Ron gaped at her. Happiness was all over his face, mingling with sadness. Oh god, why didn't she say so earlier? Couldn't that have spared so much misery on his behalf? He, who had been trying to figure out whether she liked him, who had stayed awake at nights, wondering about her exclamation/invitation in their fourth year to ask her out, who had sat in front of the fire, hour after hour with Harry opposite of him, pouring his heart out, who dreamed of her every single night...and who finally received the response he had hoped for.
"I love you too, Hermione." He whispered quietly. "I love you with all my heart, and I will protect you any way I can." Hermione had closed her eyes, but she was smiling. Harry and Ron looked at each other, and then simultaneously leaned forward to look at her closely.
"Madam Pomfrey!" Harry called in panic while Ron continued to stroke Hermione's hair. The matron came over, took one look at Hermione, and shook her head. She performed a couple of spells, but half-heartedly, as though she already knew the outcome. She finished the last spell with a sigh and looked at Harry sadly.
"I'm sorry, lad. Her life force is dripping out of her like water from a tap. She's got two more minutes, tops." The two boys closed their eyes in despair. Ron reached across and held Harry's hand, squeezing it hard to let his friend know that they were both feeling the same thing. Neither of them could stand it. Losing Hermione. Losing Hermione. We're losing Hermione. That was all they could think of.
Harry leaned closer, as did Ron. The action on the battlefield seemed to replay as Madam Pomfrey felt a powerful presence within the boys. Dumbledore had arrived with Ginny, Snape and Draco, and the four of them were watching in silence. Harry kissed her first, a gentle kiss. Then Ron, a lover's kiss. They took one last look at her and turned their backs, silently sobbing.
Dumbledore gasped. Something you didn't hear very often. He had seen too many things, heard about too many facts to be easily surprised, but this is...stunning. Hermione's bushy hair was ruffling in all directions, as though strong gales were blowing at it. She levitated at about a feet above the bed. Harry and Ron's auras were visible now: They were dark blue, and some of it seemed to be diverting to Hermione's body. The boys themselves turned back to Hermione, and found with surprise that they were helping, in some strange way.
Hermione fell back onto the bed and her eyes fluttered. Madam Pomfrey gave an exclamation. This girl wasn't supposed to live, not past this minute. But now she's as fit as she had been before the whole ordeal. Perhaps even stronger.
Ron and Harry pulled Hermione into a bear hug as soon as she opened her eyes and sat up, looking around her with shock. She felt normal. Stronger. She felt like the witch she had been before Voldemort struck. Ron kissed her again, more passionately this time, and she returned it. Harry slipped away from them, joining the spectators.
"Oh Hermi, you nut, why didn't you tell me before! You could've saved me a heck of a lot of misery these past three years!" Hermione's eyes opened in surprise and happiness, but she simply laughed and pulled Harry towards them. "A dept repaid" She said with a twinkle in her eyes.
"What happened? Why does Hermione seem to think that it's a debt repaid?" Draco, Snape and Ginny turned to Dumbledore when Madam Pomfrey uttered the questions. It had been on their minds, too, but they didn't want to disturb the three. The aforementioned three turned to Dumbledore a well, Hermione and Ron's arms and Harry leaning against her.
"Well, I presume that when Avada Kedavra took place the first time, Hermione infused some of her life force to Harry. Harry is still a very powerful warlock, because he's the heir of Gryffindor, but without Hermione, he'd probably still be in St. Mungo's. He would've survived, but Hermione gave him the push he needed. Now, Ms. Granger wasn't killed because of the blocking spell, but when she almost died, Harry simple reversed the action. It's a magic described in ancient archives, thought to be a legend."
Hermione giggled. She snuggled closer to Ron, which made Harry fall into her lap rather abruptly. "Hey!" He protested, looking at his twin in mock anger. "No fair! Is this how you treat siblings?" Hermione laughed, soon joined by everyone else. There was no need to celebrate. Kindred Spirits understood other. Now Fred and George, whether they'd pass up a chance of a great party, the fall of Voldemort, Ronnikins getting his wish AND Hermione surviving, was another matter. Knowing them, they would probably come from Gred and Feorge's joke shop, invite everyone who's even slightly involved, and have the grandest party Hogwarts, or the wizarding realm, has ever known. The three smiled at the thought. It was as Ron had said. Everything would be ok.
~*~
Epilogue
~*~
Everything did turn out to be ok. They graduated from Hogwarts with flying colours, Hermione on top of everyone else. Surprise, surprise. Snape even gave Harry and Ron a good mark, but they did work hard that year. Harry successfully became an auror, although it feels foolish fighting alongside Sirius, his godfather, and Remus. Hermione replaced Rita Skeeter in the Daily Prophet, and is their best reporter. She's been reporter of the month five times in a row six months after she arrived. Harry travels a lot, but whenever he returns, they always have a grand party.
Ron didn't join Chudley Cannons...because he got asked to play in the National League. He was so happy that he jumped up and down for an hour, until Hermione used a freezing charm. They are madly in love, and there don't seem to be any problems. In fact, five years later, they decided to marry. Ginny was the bridesmaid, and Harry was best man.
Ginny and Harry married shortly after that. Harry takes Ginny often on his travels, but when he doesn't, and when he's working locally, she and him live with Ron and Hermione. He did pay for part of the house, after all. Sirius lives close to them, in a little house he transported from near of Godric's Hollow. He got himself a girlfriend.
Three years after that, Hermione had a little girl, and named her Lily. Ginny had a boy two years later, and named him James. And they did bear resemblance to their name sakes. Of course, they couldn't marry *shudder* I mean, their fathers and mothers are twins and siblings!!! Gosh people, get serious!!
Did I mention all four of them became Animagi? Ron has regular duels with Harry, although Harry is at a disadvantage, being a stag, and Ron being a wolf and all. Hermione is a cat, and Ginny is an owl. But the Department of Spells and Enchantments is working on trying to get people to transform into several different animals. Then we'll see who wins, Harry or Ron.
And so, they lived happily ever after.
Not peaceful, just happily.
Because you couldn't exactly call freezing charms, yelling charms, daily transfigurations into large and hideous animals and insults thrown every five minutes peaceful, could you? No. But they were happy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PP: Hehe...the epilogue was corny, but I felt like it. I mean...they're happy, and it's picture perfect.