The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un RĂªve)

Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.

*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh man, thank you ALL so much for the reviews!!! Keeps me going!!! Anyway, I've tried posting this last Friday but the server was always busy. Well, anyway here it is.

By the way, something is wrong with either the site or my computer. Because instead of a dash, or three dots or quotation marks, what appears is this weird symbol. Anyway, I want so badly for you to read the next chapter so I'll post it anyway. And if it gets confusing, just review and tell me so, and I'll clear it up when I post the next chapter. Hopefully, the page will look better then. Thanks everyone.

+read, enjoy, review+

Chapter 9 The Door Opens (La Porte S'ouvre)

He was soaring.

Harry Potter realized that fact with a jolt of surprise, and he gripped the broom handle in front of him. His breath caught in his throat, as he peered down hundred of feet below him, where the crowds were cheering.

"What the-" he mumbled, looking around.

And then, the words Quidditch, snitch, quaffle and bludgers came to his head like a freight train. He was supposed to be looking for the snitch. Harry took a deep breath, and the broom plunged towards the ground.

The feeling was exhilarating. He felt like his stomach was left from where he was floating before, and his nervousness at being a hundred feet in the air was slowly ebbing away. It felt like he'd been flying for years, which he realized, he had been. He had been a Quidditch player ever since his first year.

"Harry!" a voice screamed.

Harry had just enough to duck before a bludger went past his head. He looked behind him and saw Crabbe and Goyle bearing down on him, and with a burst of firebolt, he zoomed towards the opposite end of the pitch. He was desperately searching for the little golden ball with the wings.

"..and Gryffindor leads ninety to fifty." a voice said dully.

And Harry remembered the old commentator Lee Jordan, who was so more fun and lively than this one. He was scanning the field for a sign of the snitch when he heard something behind him. Turning around, he saw a blonde- haired boy, streaking across the sky towards.

"No!" he cried out, and then he was flying faster than ever towards that little golden ball.

"Come on!" another voice screamed near the Gryffindor goal post. "Keep scoring! Big lead for us! Go, Harry!"

Harry felt his heart plummet to ground as the blonde-haired boy reached out to take the snitch, but just then, lightning broke out from the sky and the snitch was gone. The crowd below gasped, and Malfoy (Harry remembered his name now) looked furious.

The next minute, droplets of water were running down their faces. Harry pushed his glasses to his eyes, scanning the vast field for the snitch. It was getting dark, and there was still no sign of the snitch.

"..Slytherin is catching up though.Hundred and ten, Gryffindor to Slytherin's ninety." the commentator's voice was heard. "The rain is getting heavier."

Harry remembered now also that the commentator was Colin Creevey, who had volunteered for Harry. It was odd, because he had just talked with the Creevey brothers on his way to school that day, and now.

Harry directed his broom north, where the snitch was last seen. He was frantically searching for it, and stealing glances at Malfoy (just in case) that when Harry looked in front of him, there it was. The snitch was beating its wings, offering itself for Harry's taking.

And Harry took it.

The whistle blew, the Gryffindors cheered. "Gryffindor wins!"

Harry sank back down to the ground where Gryffindors, and the rest of the team were beaming at him. He grinned, despite the rain. He was then being ushered into the common room, with everyone chatting frenziedly about the near miss they had.

No one bothered getting into warmer clothes because the whole common room was being sprayed with butterbeer, courtesy of Seamus and Dean. It was a party with cakes, and pasties, and candies.

Harry noticed Hermione sitting in a corner, close to the fire, watching Ron while he was talking to a bunch of first years. He walked towards her, and when he approached, she smiled up at him. Harry's heart sped up, her smile had always calmed him but now, it made his heart race.

It's because I don't have her, a voice piped in his head.

"Great game, Harry," Hermione said, still smiling.

He grinned. "Thanks, Hermione."

"Did you see Malfoy's face? Oh, he looked awful," Hermione murmured, rubbing her hands together. Her cheeks were turning rosy, and her eyes looked tired. "He's probably in the Slytherin common room, screaming at Crabbe and Goyle."

Harry didn't care about Malfoy right now. He was more concerned for her. "Hermione, are you feeling all right? You look pale and tired," he remarked, his tone worried.

Hermione waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Oh, Harry," she began, "Don't worry so much. I'm fine really." And she went on talking about the good timing of the lightning and the rain, that Malfoy missed the snitch.

Harry narrowed his eyes. He looked directly at her, and asked suspiciously, "Did you have something to do with the lightning?"

Hermione balked.

"Hermione!" Harry cried out. He was feeling very indignant now, and on Slytherin's behalf too. What would've happened if Malfoy caught the snitch, instead? But what more, if the teachers found out what she had done?

"No one need know," Hermione whispered softly to him, leaning closer.

Harry leaned back slightly, looking in her eyes. The way she said it, in a whisper, her voice so soft, made him think it wasn't Quidditch she was talking about. Like, she was implying something. But what? Hermione, of course, had no idea that they were together in other life, in another dimension. The only love she knew was Ron, not Harry.

Harry stared into her eyes, feeling his heart beat faster. Was she leaning in closer? Should he too? But the common room was packed. But was anyone taking notice? Ron was too busy talking to those first years. Seamus and Dean were drinking down butterbeer. Parvati and Lavender were too busy cheering them on. Neville was snacking on some pumpkin pasties.

They were almost alone.

Almost.

If it weren't for the other years, Harry thought bitterly. He had wanted to be with Hermione alone, in this life. To maybe tell her, or just talk to her. Ask her certain things. But he couldn't. He couldn't betray his best friend.

Hermione's eyelids fluttered to a close, and then she-

"Ah-chooooo!!!"

Harry leaned back, but Hermione had buried her face in his chest, sniffing. She groaned, grabbing fistfuls of his robe. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Harry suddenly scooped her up in his arms and rushed up the steps towards the dormitory of the Head Girl. He ran towards the bathroom, putting her down beside the toilet. "There, you can, er, vomit away."

Hermione looked up at him, and frowned. "Not that sick, Harry. I meant-" and she sneezed again, "-that kind of sick, sick."

"Oh," Harry mumbled. He ran his hand through his hair. "So my carrying you was no use?" he asked sheepishly. "Sorry, then, Hermione. I was just concerned."

She smiled and struggled to stand up, but Harry assisted her. "No harm done," she mumbled reaching over to turn on the sink. She splashed her face with water. "I'll just go to bed now," she added.

"Shouldn't you take a bath first?" Harry asked. But then he added hastily, "Not that I'm saying you smell, because you don't. You don't. I just meant that you were, er, there was rain, and it would be better if you took a bath first."

Hermione nodded at him. "Then, out you go."

Harry blushed, and stepped out the bathroom. He wasn't sure if he should wait or just leave. Half of him wanted to stay but the other told him to leave because what if Ron came in and he.well, the whole common room probably saw him rushing out, with Hermione in his arms. He was expecting Ron to barge in the room, any second now.

Any second now.

Then, he'd been demanding what his best friend was doing with his girlfriend. And Harry would explain.

Any second now.

Harry wondered what he would do if Dean made a move on Hermione. Of course, there was Mona and Dean wouldn't think of cheating on Mona, but still. What if? And what was going on, anyway? Was this all a dream? Or was it real, except it was a dream?

He wasn't sure if he liked this life, this magical life. His parents were dead. He was famous, though, because of a scar on his head. But he didn't like being gawked upon by people, and people having to react to him being the only one You-Know-Who was unable to defeat.

And, of course, there was Hermione. In the other life, it was him that she loved but here, it was Ron. And Harry didn't think he could endure watching Ron and Hermione fall in love.

"Harry?"

He turned around, and there she was, as fresh as spring. There was a glow about her, and Harry couldn't speak. She was so beautiful.

"You all right?" she asked, her voice shy.

Harry nodded and urging himself to speak, he blurted out, "You are so beautiful."

The door burst open-

"Harry, wake up. Time to go to school," Lily Potter sang stepping inside Harry's room.

Harry bolted upright, and stared at the door. Who had walked in?