Chapter Twenty: Hermione's Final Decision
James couldn't die. He just couldn't. Hermione had already surrendered to the fact that she probably had permanently ruined any chance of Harry ever being born, and had done it for love. But now that love was being ripped away in front of her eyes, and in the end everyone lost. James was going to die; there was no question about it.
Unless...
Unless someone took his place. Voldemort required a sacrifice, not necessarily this sacrifice. It didn't have to be James, it could be anyone. It could be...her.
And then it hit her. Hermione's mind flashed back to her third year at Hogwarts when she went three hours into the past with Harry. Harry had saved himself from the dementors when they went back in time. At first, she had been so angry with him, thinking that he was going to ruin the future. But as it turned out, them traveling to the past was already part of the future, and everything worked out in the end.
And that was the case at this very moment, as Hermione's eyes filled with tears of realization at what she had to do. She was meant to travel back in time. She was meant to break the Time Turner. And now she was meant to do this.
"Lily," she abruptly turned to the redhead beside her, who was looking lost and afraid. "Lily, it's alright," Hermione placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, realizing that their friendship had been one of the best things of her life. "It will all work out, I promise." Lily looked perplexed as Hermione tightly hugged her. "Take care of James for me," she said softly into her ear. "I know that you can love him just as much as I do."
Hermione pulled away and looked nervously at the circle. Time was running out. She took a deep breath and started to walk towards the clearing to do what she knew she had to do. She wasn't afraid. Rather, a calm was washed over her, a warm sensation telling her it was for the best. Yet there was still something holding her back, something tugging at her arm.
Tugging at her arm? Hermione turned to see Remus latched onto her wrist. His eyes revealed that he knew what she was up to. "Hermione," he pleaded, "you don't have to do this. Please don't do this."
"Remus." Hermione smiled at him reassuringly as she gently pulled his hand away from her arm. "I do have to do this. You'll understand one day." She put her hands on his shoulders, and stood on the tip of her toes to kiss him on his forehead. "See you soon," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes before tearing away and running into the clearing.
Time slowed as she reached the circle. It was as if it was all in slow motion: James's horrified look as she pushed him out and took his place; the others running after her in vain, trying to stop what she was meant to do; the evil laughs of Bellatrix and Snape; the surprised but satisfied look on Voldemort's face as he raised his wand and spoke the curse. The trance broke, and instead of slow motion the world sped into action. A flash came from Voldemort's wand, a green wind rushed upon her, and Hermione was knocked to her feet.
All went dark.
James couldn't die. He just couldn't. Hermione had already surrendered to the fact that she probably had permanently ruined any chance of Harry ever being born, and had done it for love. But now that love was being ripped away in front of her eyes, and in the end everyone lost. James was going to die; there was no question about it.
Unless...
Unless someone took his place. Voldemort required a sacrifice, not necessarily this sacrifice. It didn't have to be James, it could be anyone. It could be...her.
And then it hit her. Hermione's mind flashed back to her third year at Hogwarts when she went three hours into the past with Harry. Harry had saved himself from the dementors when they went back in time. At first, she had been so angry with him, thinking that he was going to ruin the future. But as it turned out, them traveling to the past was already part of the future, and everything worked out in the end.
And that was the case at this very moment, as Hermione's eyes filled with tears of realization at what she had to do. She was meant to travel back in time. She was meant to break the Time Turner. And now she was meant to do this.
"Lily," she abruptly turned to the redhead beside her, who was looking lost and afraid. "Lily, it's alright," Hermione placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, realizing that their friendship had been one of the best things of her life. "It will all work out, I promise." Lily looked perplexed as Hermione tightly hugged her. "Take care of James for me," she said softly into her ear. "I know that you can love him just as much as I do."
Hermione pulled away and looked nervously at the circle. Time was running out. She took a deep breath and started to walk towards the clearing to do what she knew she had to do. She wasn't afraid. Rather, a calm was washed over her, a warm sensation telling her it was for the best. Yet there was still something holding her back, something tugging at her arm.
Tugging at her arm? Hermione turned to see Remus latched onto her wrist. His eyes revealed that he knew what she was up to. "Hermione," he pleaded, "you don't have to do this. Please don't do this."
"Remus." Hermione smiled at him reassuringly as she gently pulled his hand away from her arm. "I do have to do this. You'll understand one day." She put her hands on his shoulders, and stood on the tip of her toes to kiss him on his forehead. "See you soon," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes before tearing away and running into the clearing.
Time slowed as she reached the circle. It was as if it was all in slow motion: James's horrified look as she pushed him out and took his place; the others running after her in vain, trying to stop what she was meant to do; the evil laughs of Bellatrix and Snape; the surprised but satisfied look on Voldemort's face as he raised his wand and spoke the curse. The trance broke, and instead of slow motion the world sped into action. A flash came from Voldemort's wand, a green wind rushed upon her, and Hermione was knocked to her feet.
All went dark.