~~~~~~~Chapter 8-First Try, Re-Try~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Hermione,
I know you're mad at me. I know that you probably don't want to see me again, but I want to talk to you. I want to explain to you why I left, and why I didn't write. I want you to know how I felt. Though it doesn't justify my leaving, I want you to at least here me out. If you can, meet me in Hogsmeade, this Saturday.
Harry
Well, what else could he say? That about summed it all up, though he wanted to say more. He tied the letter to Hearthmire, and sent her off. It was Wednesday.
Harry had spent the last few days thinking about The Memory. He hadn't put it back. He kept it with him, and it was getting easier to go through it in his mind.
He taught his lessons, and he thought that he was doing a good job. He was hoping nobody would notice his mood, and to his good fortune, nobody did notice.
Thursday, and Friday went by for Harry with no response. He kept teaching, living his life, but it was always empty.
2 days of no response turned into 2 weeks without a reply. 2 weeks turned into 2 months, and 2 months turned into many months. Until finally Harry gave up hope.
It was time for the students to go home over Christmas holiday. The castle would be nearly deserted for a few weeks, and Harry had decided that he was ready to explain. He wanted the world to know what happened, and he would let the story out soon. He was going to go to Dumbledore the next morning, Saturday, and it would be done.
He arrived in his office, and was so tired that he barely noticed an owl hooting at his window. He laid down, but as soon as he saw it, he let it in.
He let it in so quickly, because he knew whose owl it was. It was the Tawny Owl Harry had given her. He unfurled the parchment, and began to read.
Harry,
I'm ready to listen to your story. I want to know why you left us, why you left ME. It was hard Harry, very hard, and I deserve an explanation. I'm going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, to pick some stuff up, so if you can, meet me tomorrow at 5, in front of the 3 Broomsticks, we can talk.
Hermione
Harry heart skipped a few beats. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was the last thing he expected, and was screaming for joy inside. Of course he would meet her.
The letter had put telling Dumbledore at the back of his mind. He didn't care who knew, as long as Hermione might listen to him. It sounded foolish for a 28 year old to be so happy about a girl he had barely seen for 11 years. But he was a 28-year-old in love with someone who would see him again.
Harry didn't know whether or not to write back. She said she would be going anyway, but she might leave before 5 if he didn't, so he pulled out a piece of parchment, and wrote simply:
See you there
Harry
And sent it back with her owl.
Harry was nervous. He had to explain to Hermione. It would be harder than teaching his 7th years how to fight the Imperius Curse. He needed to explain well, though he knew there was no really good excuse.
He decided to do it like Ron's, deal with it if it came up. He would tell the truth, and that's the most he could do right? He knew he had to be prepared for something though.
Something big. Hermione could not hold a grudge for 11 years he thought. There had to be a reason. There had to be something that pushed her over. Something she would throw at him tomorrow.
He knew it would be coming, but didn't know what it was, or how to prepare for it. He would just have to word his sentences carefully. He would have to be careful.
The next day Harry woke up, and decided he would go down to the kitchens. He was surprised at himself. He had never been to check of Dobby the House Elf, was still working at Hogwarts.
He walked to the ever-familiar pear, and tickled. The portrait which it was in, swung open to reveal a huge kitchen full of busy house-elves.
Harry noticed 1 thing while they were in there. They ALL had socks on. All of them had different color clothes, and some had no clothes. It was like Dobby times 500.
"Can wes' help you sir?" A smaller looking house-elf asked.
"Umm, yeah, I'm looking for Dobby. He used to be-" Harry was cut off by squirms of excitement.
"Dobby is no longer heres sir. He has left whence Harry Potter left. He was looking for you sirs. He wanted to find you, because Dobby was missing you sir."
Harry was short for breath. Dobby had quite his job, which he loved so much, to find him. He felt very guilty. Very very guilty.
"Professor Potter mustn't worry. Dobby is a powerful house-elf. He has elf magic, he can handle his self. Sir Potter isn't needing to be worried."
Though the house-elf's words where a little bit comforting, they didn't ease his guilt by much.
"Can you guys contact him? I mean, does he have mail or anything?"
"No sirs, we isn't having owl post, but elf's has other ways of speaking. We will tell him Harry Potter is looking for him at Hogwarts."
"Thank you. Thank you very much." And Harry left. He had forgotten about breakfast, but didn't want to go ask the elf's for it, so he decided to go to Hogsmeade for some food.
When he got to Hogsmeade, he spotted a cafe'. It was the cafe' that he had spent Valentine's Day, with Cho Chang. It was during 5th year, and Harry had a crush on Cho for a while. He didn't know it then, but Hermione had begun to fall in love with his charm around that time.
He stepped inside, and ordered a bagel, and some coffee. After paying, he sat down, to eat his bagel in peace. He reflected on the times when Hermione and him had been just friends, but didn't want anything more.
It was so different then. They had been able to laugh, without worrying what the other was thinking, and tell jokes without hoping the other would laugh. They could talk to each other, about their love life, but still not make each other jealous.
It was much simpler then. But it wasn't what Harry wanted. Harry wanted to be able to do more than just talk with Hermione, he wanted to love her, and have her accept that love, and give it back to him. This was something Harry thought he might never get, though it would come sooner than never.
Harry had been aimlessly walking around for hours he thought, though when he checked his watch, it was only 3:30. He had an hour, and a half, with nothing to do. Then an idea struck him.
He bolted up to the castle, and ran towards the Quiditch pitch. It had been so long since he'd played the game, he thought 45 minutes of beating around bludgers would be fun.
He brought out the case with all of the balls, and opened up the supply cupboard. He pulled out a Comet-260, and grabbed a bludger, and a beater's club.
Harry threw the bludger into the air, and pelted off to gain some ground on it. It had been over a year since Harry had a real ride on his broomstick. He missed his Firebolt, but just flying again made all of the pain go away.
Even if he wasn't a beater, it felt good to take out all of his stress on a ball-that-won't-quit.
To Harry's surprise, being a Beater was surprisingly hard. It was much more difficult than it looked, but that could be because he had seen it done by Fred and George who were pretty dam good at it.
Harry got hit in the leg twice, and almost took a bludger to the stomach when a bird flew straight at him. He finally decided to put up the Beater tools, and call it a day.
When he finished, he checked the time. 4:45. He had 15 minutes to get to Hogsmeade. He took off at a run. He was running almost full speed, but kept it down a notch so he could perform some deodorizing charms.
When he arrived at the Three Broomsticks, it was 5:01. He looked around. No sign of Hermione. Whew, he made it. He walked up to the bar, and ordered a Butterbeer.
The lady at the bar began to talk.
"Harry Potter? You're Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, yeah, I've got the scar, I got rid of the Dark Lord, all that great stuff wrapped in me, woohoo." He said, familiar with this routine.
"Well, who put a dent in your day? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that there was a brown-haired lady who walked in here looking for you only minutes ago."
"Sorry, thanks, bye." Harry said in a jumble as he bolted out of the room.
He spotted Hermione walking up the street, apparently walking faster than she would have. Despite the abrupt manner she was moving towards the end of the street it, she still looked beautiful to Harry.
"HERMIONE! WAIT!" He called, but she didn't turn around.
"Hermione, where are you going? Stop, wait!" He said, finally catching up to her.
"You could at least be on time, at least have the decency to show up when you said you would."
"I was-" Harry was about to say playing Quiditch, but he knew that would be the worst answer he could give. That and that he forgot, but still decided to take his chances with a different story.
"I was at a teacher's meeting in the castle. Please Hermione, come back to the Three Broomsticks, and we can talk." Harry had such a pleading look in his eyes, she couldn't bear to say no.
Hermione was reluctant in her response, but she wanted to say yes, no matter what.
"Fine, lets go."
And she whipped around, and they were at the pub, as fast as they'd left. Harry found a seat for her, and made a move to pull it out for Hermione, but she got there first.
At first there was a very awkward silence, but Hermione broke it.
"So, Harry. You said you wanted to explain to me. You wanted to tell me why you left, and now I'm here, so lets hear it." She said. There was a look in her eyes, and it looked more determined than ever to be stiff, despite of how she really felt.
"Well, its a long story, and I don't know were to start really."
"How about the day you left. Why? Where did you go?" She asked, not changing her frown.
"I left, because I ran. It was too much at the time. Kingsley's death, Voldemort's attack on Little Whinging, it was a lot. I needed to get away. I ran Hermione, and I'm ashamed, but the honest truth is that I tried to come back."
"TRIED? What, where you on your way back when you fell of your broom, and were stuck on the ground for 11 years? How did you TRY to come back, and not make it?" She asked, rather coldly. She could feel all the anger at him trying to get out.
"Its complicated Hermione. You don't understand what its like to see dead people unjustly killed, and know, that those were your parents, only those were them 17 years earlier."
"/I/ don't understand? Harry, I'm sure you don't know much about how Hagrid died, so let me fill you in."
Harry felt it. This was why she was so angry with him. He should've seen it coming, but didn't and was going to feel it full force now.
~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~
"Hagrid, do we have to go down there? You know how much I hate Hog's Head." Hermione complained, but her voice was much softer now. Much less anxious, and stressed.
"Its jus fer a secon' Hermione, I just want some firewhisky. Haven' had a bit o that fer a month now. I'll be righ' out, promise." Boomed Hagrid.
Hermione and he had been walking through Hogsmeade at night, and he want a drink.
"Oh alright, I'll wait here." Hermione replied.
Hagrid went inside, and as she patiently waited for her friend to return. As she stood there however, she heard someone say
"Petrificus Totalus."
She was hit with the jinx, and was knocked to the floor, hands at her sides. As powerful a witch she was, she was helpless on the floor.
A Death Eater stepped out from the shadows, and after him followed 7 others. They were masked, but it was obvious that some were much taller than others.
"Hello mudblood. I'm sure you know who we are, so there's no need for introductions. Now, I can make this simple for you. Give me Harry Potter, and you live. Don
live, don't and you die."
"NEVER" She retorted. But as she spoke the words, Hagrid burst out of the pub, saying.
"Whew, I love that stu-What in the hell is goin on here Hermione?"
"Hagrid, run, get help." She tried to warn him, but they were to quick. 8 Stunners shot right at him, and he was thrown back.
But was not down. He got up, and picked up a Death Eater. He chucked the body at the group, and took out 2 more. He wheeled around, and snapped another wand, just in time.
Then, he picked up a wand, and starting yelling jinxes.
"Impedimenta"
"Petrificus Totalus"
"Stupefy"
"Reducto"
It seemed Hagrid was yelling every curse he learned from 2 years of wizarding school, but it wasn't enough.
"Retractor Stopis" One finally said, and Hagrid was hit right in the face. He tumbled back a few steps, before falling to the floor, curled up in a ball.
"Well, look who's got a friend. Alright, lets make this more interesting. GIVE ME HARRY POTTER, or the half-breed gets it." The lead Death Eater threatened.
Harry had been taught by his elders to always keep a spare wand, but so had Hermione, and though petrified, she could move her fingers just enough to begin unstitching the hem of her robes.
"Oh, the silent treatment eh? Ok, lets play. Crucio." The Death Eater shot the Cruciatus Curse straight at Hagrid.
Hagrid howled in pain, and was kicking as much as he could, though the retractor curse had kept him crunched up.spell had kept him on the floor. Hermione was almost there.
"You have 5 seconds to make up your mind. If we don't have Potter's location, its the end of both of you. 5.....4...."
Hermione needed only seconds, but 3 wasn't enough.
"3....2....1....Avada Kedavra." A shot of green light was sent from the Death Eater's wand, and hit Hagrid in the chest. All the muscles in his body relaxed, and his eye lids opened. He was dead.
~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I fought the rest of them off with my wand, but it was too late. They disapparated before I could catch any of them, and Hagrid was......dead."
There was a long pause, as Harry took in Hermione's words.
Harry wasn't moving. For minutes, he didn't even attempt at words. Hagrid was murdered, and Hermione blamed him. But she was right. Harry was a powerful wizard and he knew it.
This was why she blamed him, and its why he was starting to blame himself. If he was there, things could have changed. He could have saved Hagrid, but he had caused so much pain instead.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I really am. There can never be an excuse for me leaving. I know that. But there was something that helped me make my decision. Hermione, the night I was coming back, only a couple of weeks after I left, there was a Dark Mark over a house. I went inside, and there was a family there. Dead. I had to do something, so I jumped on my broom, and flew off. I didn't know which way I was going, or if the people who killed the family even flew in on brooms. Chances are they apparated, but I was filled with so much anger, that I had to go."
This Hermione obviously didn't expect, but she recovered from the shock with a reply, though her tone seemed to be softening.
"Why didn't you come back though? We could have helped you Harry." Hermione was no longer putting up a front. She was on the verge of tears, and was being as soft as she ever had been.
"I felt like it was something I had to do Hermione. Like I owed it to my parents to do this for them. They were my parents, and I had to do it alone, to finally get closure on there death."
"Harry, you hardly ever knew your parents. Their death never bothered you before. You never needed closure before." Hermione replied.
"I know. I know that I didn't know them. Its weird, but seeing those people, was like seeing my parents, killed again. I had to do it alone." Harry told.
He was keeping from her one other thing. He also left, because he wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her safe, and to do that, he had to leave her. He didn't wanted to tell her that though, but he might have to.
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I've said it once, and I want to say it a million times again, though it will never justify what I did. I wasn't there for you, even though I should have been. I wasn't strong, and I'm sorry for that, but I need you. I need you back in my life. Even if it isn't right away, or anything big to start with, I need you. I can go with owls, or dinner on the weekends."
Harry took a breath, and continued.
"It can be as little as you want to start with, but I need you, and I need to know that you want to begin to accept me once more. I need that Hermione."
Harry expected her to not respond, but she fell right into his arms.
"Harry, I need you too. I've loved you since you left, and always will. I loved you Harry, and you left me. It was so hard Harry, but your back now. I still need you. I need you so much Harry, so much. Don't leave me. Don't ever leave again. I need you." Hermione cried.
She looked scared, and nervous. It seemed as though she always wanted to forgive him, but needed a reason, and even though he hadn't given her a good one, she accepted it. She took it for what it was worth, and wanted to go from there.
"I'm so sorry Hermione, I should have been there for you, but I'll be there now. I'm not going anywhere. I am going to be with you forever, I promise."
And he looked at her teary eyes. They were filled with hurt, and he had done that. He wanted to make it better for her, but at the moment, he knew only one way how.
He moved his face closer to hers, until they were only inches apart. He looked at her. She looked back, with the same desires his eyes displayed, and then they kissed. Long, and passionately, and for the 1st time in 11 years, Harry was truly happy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the hooded figure walked across the grounds, he looked around, making sure nobody was looking at him. He went from a jog to a run, until the man reached the Whomping Willow.
The man took out his wand, and shot a beam towards the knot, at the stump of the tree. The branches stopped moving, and he entered the tunnel underneath the tree.
After reaching the end of the passage, he opened the door to see to more people waiting there.
"Good, we're in position. Are you sure you weren't seen Fangs?" Came a cold voice.
"Sure Sinco, there was no way. I had this dark cloak on the entire time. If anybody saw me, they would think I was a rat, or something like that."
"You idiot. That only works on people who aren't advanced in magic. Any professor would have seen you. They would have known someone was there."
"Yeah, but if a professor had seen me, they would be here by now." The other man replied, his logic wasn't too well.
The man who went by the name Sinco walk to the door. He kicked it open, to make sure there was nobody there.
"You were lucky, you fool. Next time be more careful." He told the other man. Then he spoke again. "As soon as Mortis gets here, we can discuss the plan."
"Very well." And the two men waited for only 3 or 4 minutes before a third man showed up, from under an invisibility cloak.
"Welcome Mortis. Do you have the information?" Sinco asked.
"Of course. This map is quite amazing. Very informative it is. It was quite hard to come by, but I did get it. Here it is master." And Mortis handed Sinco a very old piece of parchment.
"Excellent. With this, we can navigate our way through the castle, to properly take what we need. Its imperative that nobody know we are here though, because we will need to return here once more. We'll strike in a week, and then Harry Potter will begin to suffer as we have."
Dear Hermione,
I know you're mad at me. I know that you probably don't want to see me again, but I want to talk to you. I want to explain to you why I left, and why I didn't write. I want you to know how I felt. Though it doesn't justify my leaving, I want you to at least here me out. If you can, meet me in Hogsmeade, this Saturday.
Harry
Well, what else could he say? That about summed it all up, though he wanted to say more. He tied the letter to Hearthmire, and sent her off. It was Wednesday.
Harry had spent the last few days thinking about The Memory. He hadn't put it back. He kept it with him, and it was getting easier to go through it in his mind.
He taught his lessons, and he thought that he was doing a good job. He was hoping nobody would notice his mood, and to his good fortune, nobody did notice.
Thursday, and Friday went by for Harry with no response. He kept teaching, living his life, but it was always empty.
2 days of no response turned into 2 weeks without a reply. 2 weeks turned into 2 months, and 2 months turned into many months. Until finally Harry gave up hope.
It was time for the students to go home over Christmas holiday. The castle would be nearly deserted for a few weeks, and Harry had decided that he was ready to explain. He wanted the world to know what happened, and he would let the story out soon. He was going to go to Dumbledore the next morning, Saturday, and it would be done.
He arrived in his office, and was so tired that he barely noticed an owl hooting at his window. He laid down, but as soon as he saw it, he let it in.
He let it in so quickly, because he knew whose owl it was. It was the Tawny Owl Harry had given her. He unfurled the parchment, and began to read.
Harry,
I'm ready to listen to your story. I want to know why you left us, why you left ME. It was hard Harry, very hard, and I deserve an explanation. I'm going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, to pick some stuff up, so if you can, meet me tomorrow at 5, in front of the 3 Broomsticks, we can talk.
Hermione
Harry heart skipped a few beats. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was the last thing he expected, and was screaming for joy inside. Of course he would meet her.
The letter had put telling Dumbledore at the back of his mind. He didn't care who knew, as long as Hermione might listen to him. It sounded foolish for a 28 year old to be so happy about a girl he had barely seen for 11 years. But he was a 28-year-old in love with someone who would see him again.
Harry didn't know whether or not to write back. She said she would be going anyway, but she might leave before 5 if he didn't, so he pulled out a piece of parchment, and wrote simply:
See you there
Harry
And sent it back with her owl.
Harry was nervous. He had to explain to Hermione. It would be harder than teaching his 7th years how to fight the Imperius Curse. He needed to explain well, though he knew there was no really good excuse.
He decided to do it like Ron's, deal with it if it came up. He would tell the truth, and that's the most he could do right? He knew he had to be prepared for something though.
Something big. Hermione could not hold a grudge for 11 years he thought. There had to be a reason. There had to be something that pushed her over. Something she would throw at him tomorrow.
He knew it would be coming, but didn't know what it was, or how to prepare for it. He would just have to word his sentences carefully. He would have to be careful.
The next day Harry woke up, and decided he would go down to the kitchens. He was surprised at himself. He had never been to check of Dobby the House Elf, was still working at Hogwarts.
He walked to the ever-familiar pear, and tickled. The portrait which it was in, swung open to reveal a huge kitchen full of busy house-elves.
Harry noticed 1 thing while they were in there. They ALL had socks on. All of them had different color clothes, and some had no clothes. It was like Dobby times 500.
"Can wes' help you sir?" A smaller looking house-elf asked.
"Umm, yeah, I'm looking for Dobby. He used to be-" Harry was cut off by squirms of excitement.
"Dobby is no longer heres sir. He has left whence Harry Potter left. He was looking for you sirs. He wanted to find you, because Dobby was missing you sir."
Harry was short for breath. Dobby had quite his job, which he loved so much, to find him. He felt very guilty. Very very guilty.
"Professor Potter mustn't worry. Dobby is a powerful house-elf. He has elf magic, he can handle his self. Sir Potter isn't needing to be worried."
Though the house-elf's words where a little bit comforting, they didn't ease his guilt by much.
"Can you guys contact him? I mean, does he have mail or anything?"
"No sirs, we isn't having owl post, but elf's has other ways of speaking. We will tell him Harry Potter is looking for him at Hogwarts."
"Thank you. Thank you very much." And Harry left. He had forgotten about breakfast, but didn't want to go ask the elf's for it, so he decided to go to Hogsmeade for some food.
When he got to Hogsmeade, he spotted a cafe'. It was the cafe' that he had spent Valentine's Day, with Cho Chang. It was during 5th year, and Harry had a crush on Cho for a while. He didn't know it then, but Hermione had begun to fall in love with his charm around that time.
He stepped inside, and ordered a bagel, and some coffee. After paying, he sat down, to eat his bagel in peace. He reflected on the times when Hermione and him had been just friends, but didn't want anything more.
It was so different then. They had been able to laugh, without worrying what the other was thinking, and tell jokes without hoping the other would laugh. They could talk to each other, about their love life, but still not make each other jealous.
It was much simpler then. But it wasn't what Harry wanted. Harry wanted to be able to do more than just talk with Hermione, he wanted to love her, and have her accept that love, and give it back to him. This was something Harry thought he might never get, though it would come sooner than never.
Harry had been aimlessly walking around for hours he thought, though when he checked his watch, it was only 3:30. He had an hour, and a half, with nothing to do. Then an idea struck him.
He bolted up to the castle, and ran towards the Quiditch pitch. It had been so long since he'd played the game, he thought 45 minutes of beating around bludgers would be fun.
He brought out the case with all of the balls, and opened up the supply cupboard. He pulled out a Comet-260, and grabbed a bludger, and a beater's club.
Harry threw the bludger into the air, and pelted off to gain some ground on it. It had been over a year since Harry had a real ride on his broomstick. He missed his Firebolt, but just flying again made all of the pain go away.
Even if he wasn't a beater, it felt good to take out all of his stress on a ball-that-won't-quit.
To Harry's surprise, being a Beater was surprisingly hard. It was much more difficult than it looked, but that could be because he had seen it done by Fred and George who were pretty dam good at it.
Harry got hit in the leg twice, and almost took a bludger to the stomach when a bird flew straight at him. He finally decided to put up the Beater tools, and call it a day.
When he finished, he checked the time. 4:45. He had 15 minutes to get to Hogsmeade. He took off at a run. He was running almost full speed, but kept it down a notch so he could perform some deodorizing charms.
When he arrived at the Three Broomsticks, it was 5:01. He looked around. No sign of Hermione. Whew, he made it. He walked up to the bar, and ordered a Butterbeer.
The lady at the bar began to talk.
"Harry Potter? You're Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, yeah, I've got the scar, I got rid of the Dark Lord, all that great stuff wrapped in me, woohoo." He said, familiar with this routine.
"Well, who put a dent in your day? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that there was a brown-haired lady who walked in here looking for you only minutes ago."
"Sorry, thanks, bye." Harry said in a jumble as he bolted out of the room.
He spotted Hermione walking up the street, apparently walking faster than she would have. Despite the abrupt manner she was moving towards the end of the street it, she still looked beautiful to Harry.
"HERMIONE! WAIT!" He called, but she didn't turn around.
"Hermione, where are you going? Stop, wait!" He said, finally catching up to her.
"You could at least be on time, at least have the decency to show up when you said you would."
"I was-" Harry was about to say playing Quiditch, but he knew that would be the worst answer he could give. That and that he forgot, but still decided to take his chances with a different story.
"I was at a teacher's meeting in the castle. Please Hermione, come back to the Three Broomsticks, and we can talk." Harry had such a pleading look in his eyes, she couldn't bear to say no.
Hermione was reluctant in her response, but she wanted to say yes, no matter what.
"Fine, lets go."
And she whipped around, and they were at the pub, as fast as they'd left. Harry found a seat for her, and made a move to pull it out for Hermione, but she got there first.
At first there was a very awkward silence, but Hermione broke it.
"So, Harry. You said you wanted to explain to me. You wanted to tell me why you left, and now I'm here, so lets hear it." She said. There was a look in her eyes, and it looked more determined than ever to be stiff, despite of how she really felt.
"Well, its a long story, and I don't know were to start really."
"How about the day you left. Why? Where did you go?" She asked, not changing her frown.
"I left, because I ran. It was too much at the time. Kingsley's death, Voldemort's attack on Little Whinging, it was a lot. I needed to get away. I ran Hermione, and I'm ashamed, but the honest truth is that I tried to come back."
"TRIED? What, where you on your way back when you fell of your broom, and were stuck on the ground for 11 years? How did you TRY to come back, and not make it?" She asked, rather coldly. She could feel all the anger at him trying to get out.
"Its complicated Hermione. You don't understand what its like to see dead people unjustly killed, and know, that those were your parents, only those were them 17 years earlier."
"/I/ don't understand? Harry, I'm sure you don't know much about how Hagrid died, so let me fill you in."
Harry felt it. This was why she was so angry with him. He should've seen it coming, but didn't and was going to feel it full force now.
~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~
"Hagrid, do we have to go down there? You know how much I hate Hog's Head." Hermione complained, but her voice was much softer now. Much less anxious, and stressed.
"Its jus fer a secon' Hermione, I just want some firewhisky. Haven' had a bit o that fer a month now. I'll be righ' out, promise." Boomed Hagrid.
Hermione and he had been walking through Hogsmeade at night, and he want a drink.
"Oh alright, I'll wait here." Hermione replied.
Hagrid went inside, and as she patiently waited for her friend to return. As she stood there however, she heard someone say
"Petrificus Totalus."
She was hit with the jinx, and was knocked to the floor, hands at her sides. As powerful a witch she was, she was helpless on the floor.
A Death Eater stepped out from the shadows, and after him followed 7 others. They were masked, but it was obvious that some were much taller than others.
"Hello mudblood. I'm sure you know who we are, so there's no need for introductions. Now, I can make this simple for you. Give me Harry Potter, and you live. Don
live, don't and you die."
"NEVER" She retorted. But as she spoke the words, Hagrid burst out of the pub, saying.
"Whew, I love that stu-What in the hell is goin on here Hermione?"
"Hagrid, run, get help." She tried to warn him, but they were to quick. 8 Stunners shot right at him, and he was thrown back.
But was not down. He got up, and picked up a Death Eater. He chucked the body at the group, and took out 2 more. He wheeled around, and snapped another wand, just in time.
Then, he picked up a wand, and starting yelling jinxes.
"Impedimenta"
"Petrificus Totalus"
"Stupefy"
"Reducto"
It seemed Hagrid was yelling every curse he learned from 2 years of wizarding school, but it wasn't enough.
"Retractor Stopis" One finally said, and Hagrid was hit right in the face. He tumbled back a few steps, before falling to the floor, curled up in a ball.
"Well, look who's got a friend. Alright, lets make this more interesting. GIVE ME HARRY POTTER, or the half-breed gets it." The lead Death Eater threatened.
Harry had been taught by his elders to always keep a spare wand, but so had Hermione, and though petrified, she could move her fingers just enough to begin unstitching the hem of her robes.
"Oh, the silent treatment eh? Ok, lets play. Crucio." The Death Eater shot the Cruciatus Curse straight at Hagrid.
Hagrid howled in pain, and was kicking as much as he could, though the retractor curse had kept him crunched up.spell had kept him on the floor. Hermione was almost there.
"You have 5 seconds to make up your mind. If we don't have Potter's location, its the end of both of you. 5.....4...."
Hermione needed only seconds, but 3 wasn't enough.
"3....2....1....Avada Kedavra." A shot of green light was sent from the Death Eater's wand, and hit Hagrid in the chest. All the muscles in his body relaxed, and his eye lids opened. He was dead.
~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I fought the rest of them off with my wand, but it was too late. They disapparated before I could catch any of them, and Hagrid was......dead."
There was a long pause, as Harry took in Hermione's words.
Harry wasn't moving. For minutes, he didn't even attempt at words. Hagrid was murdered, and Hermione blamed him. But she was right. Harry was a powerful wizard and he knew it.
This was why she blamed him, and its why he was starting to blame himself. If he was there, things could have changed. He could have saved Hagrid, but he had caused so much pain instead.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I really am. There can never be an excuse for me leaving. I know that. But there was something that helped me make my decision. Hermione, the night I was coming back, only a couple of weeks after I left, there was a Dark Mark over a house. I went inside, and there was a family there. Dead. I had to do something, so I jumped on my broom, and flew off. I didn't know which way I was going, or if the people who killed the family even flew in on brooms. Chances are they apparated, but I was filled with so much anger, that I had to go."
This Hermione obviously didn't expect, but she recovered from the shock with a reply, though her tone seemed to be softening.
"Why didn't you come back though? We could have helped you Harry." Hermione was no longer putting up a front. She was on the verge of tears, and was being as soft as she ever had been.
"I felt like it was something I had to do Hermione. Like I owed it to my parents to do this for them. They were my parents, and I had to do it alone, to finally get closure on there death."
"Harry, you hardly ever knew your parents. Their death never bothered you before. You never needed closure before." Hermione replied.
"I know. I know that I didn't know them. Its weird, but seeing those people, was like seeing my parents, killed again. I had to do it alone." Harry told.
He was keeping from her one other thing. He also left, because he wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her safe, and to do that, he had to leave her. He didn't wanted to tell her that though, but he might have to.
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I've said it once, and I want to say it a million times again, though it will never justify what I did. I wasn't there for you, even though I should have been. I wasn't strong, and I'm sorry for that, but I need you. I need you back in my life. Even if it isn't right away, or anything big to start with, I need you. I can go with owls, or dinner on the weekends."
Harry took a breath, and continued.
"It can be as little as you want to start with, but I need you, and I need to know that you want to begin to accept me once more. I need that Hermione."
Harry expected her to not respond, but she fell right into his arms.
"Harry, I need you too. I've loved you since you left, and always will. I loved you Harry, and you left me. It was so hard Harry, but your back now. I still need you. I need you so much Harry, so much. Don't leave me. Don't ever leave again. I need you." Hermione cried.
She looked scared, and nervous. It seemed as though she always wanted to forgive him, but needed a reason, and even though he hadn't given her a good one, she accepted it. She took it for what it was worth, and wanted to go from there.
"I'm so sorry Hermione, I should have been there for you, but I'll be there now. I'm not going anywhere. I am going to be with you forever, I promise."
And he looked at her teary eyes. They were filled with hurt, and he had done that. He wanted to make it better for her, but at the moment, he knew only one way how.
He moved his face closer to hers, until they were only inches apart. He looked at her. She looked back, with the same desires his eyes displayed, and then they kissed. Long, and passionately, and for the 1st time in 11 years, Harry was truly happy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the hooded figure walked across the grounds, he looked around, making sure nobody was looking at him. He went from a jog to a run, until the man reached the Whomping Willow.
The man took out his wand, and shot a beam towards the knot, at the stump of the tree. The branches stopped moving, and he entered the tunnel underneath the tree.
After reaching the end of the passage, he opened the door to see to more people waiting there.
"Good, we're in position. Are you sure you weren't seen Fangs?" Came a cold voice.
"Sure Sinco, there was no way. I had this dark cloak on the entire time. If anybody saw me, they would think I was a rat, or something like that."
"You idiot. That only works on people who aren't advanced in magic. Any professor would have seen you. They would have known someone was there."
"Yeah, but if a professor had seen me, they would be here by now." The other man replied, his logic wasn't too well.
The man who went by the name Sinco walk to the door. He kicked it open, to make sure there was nobody there.
"You were lucky, you fool. Next time be more careful." He told the other man. Then he spoke again. "As soon as Mortis gets here, we can discuss the plan."
"Very well." And the two men waited for only 3 or 4 minutes before a third man showed up, from under an invisibility cloak.
"Welcome Mortis. Do you have the information?" Sinco asked.
"Of course. This map is quite amazing. Very informative it is. It was quite hard to come by, but I did get it. Here it is master." And Mortis handed Sinco a very old piece of parchment.
"Excellent. With this, we can navigate our way through the castle, to properly take what we need. Its imperative that nobody know we are here though, because we will need to return here once more. We'll strike in a week, and then Harry Potter will begin to suffer as we have."