Disclaimer: All characters and places in the Harry Potter series are owned
by J.K. Rowling. I have created a few characters and places of my own in
relation to this story. But everything else is owned by Rowling.
Chapter 17: "The Life that was Taken"
"NO!!! It can't be!" Harry yelled.
Pushing Draco aside, Harry brought his arm under Hermione's back and pulled her motionless body upward. He cradled her with one arm, as her own arms lay suspended. He could not believe what he had just heard. But what was harder to believe was the sight laid down in front of his eyes.
"Wake up, Hermione! Please wake up!" Harry cried as he gently shook Hermione, his tears meeting her face.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Granger wasn't able to take the pain that she felt, causing her to faint. Fortunately, Ron and Draco were both able to catch her. And after they had carefully placed her on the adjacent bed to rest, both of them were left to stand there to face the harsh reality.
Dumbledore had volunteered to look after Mrs. Granger. It wasn't hard to notice that he also looked rather pale. The faint smile on his face has faded, and all that was left was an expressionless face that was hiding its sadness.
Ron was speechless. Even words could not describe how he felt. He watched Harry mourn over the passing of his friend and true love, and he too could not help but shed tears over a loss that he wasn't even sure was worth it. He clearly remembered the first time he met Hermione. It was inside the Hogwarts Express, and Ron was excited to show Harry a spell to turn Ron's then pet rat, Scabbers, into a nice shade of yellow. Then Hermione came barging inside the compartment, looking for Neville Longbottom's missing toad. And there she insulted Ron's unsuccessful spell, showed them a rather effective one by repairing Harry's broken glasses, and introduced herself to them. Never did Ron imagine that he would be friend with such a girl, until Hermione covered up for them when they attacked the troll trying to save her life. And from then on, he, Harry, and Hermione became the best of friends.
"I don't understand," Draco said, standing beside Ron. "It shouldn't be like this." Ron noticed that Draco's voice was shaking. He, too, was trying to hide his pain. It was the first time they had lost a friend, and never did they imagine that it would be Hermione.
Harry kept on weeping as he held Hermione in his arms. He brushed her face with his fingers and stroked her hair as if she were alive. "If this was meant to be, they I shouldn't have been given a life. Because taking away the girl I love is just the same as the taken away my soul, my breath, the very reason I live."
Dumbledore glided his way towards them and gazed at Harry. His glasses had become too foggy, so he had to remove them and charm them with his wand. Putting them back on, he walked towards Harry and patted his shoulder. "There is a reason for everything, Harry. And whatever the reason for this, I think it is for the best."
"How could you just put on a normal face when the girl I love has died?" Harry yelled, casting away Dumbledore's hand. "Telling me that there's a reason isn't enough. I need to find out why!"
"Do you think it would change anything if you do know the reason?"
"I don't know. But maybe it will help me understand and even accept what has happened to her."
"Then," Dumbledore began, sitting beside Harry and looking straight at Harry's face, who, on the other hand, wasn't bothering to look, "I need you to understand that the plan hadn't worked at all. When Hermione's energy wasn't restored, and her life was mercilessly taken away, I knew it, at that very moment, that the balance hasn't been reinstated."
Harry turned his head to look up at Dumbledore. "What do you mean?"
Both Ron and Draco were listening intently.
"When Dylan had vanished, he did not return to his time, to his world. We thought that making Dylan go back would restore the balance and put things back where they belong. But Dylan's non-existence meant that no life was to be restored in our time. Dylan did not go back. Hermione's life was still taken away."
"So that's it? She's gone and there's nothing we can do?" Harry's head turned to look at Hermione.
"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore spoke.
Standing up, Dumbledore gestured for Ron and Draco to leave the room with him. He understood that Harry needed to be alone. And it too wasn't difficult for the two to understand that.
"Harry," Ron said before he left. "You're not the only one who's missing Hermione. We're missing her too. But for what it's worth, she had taught us one important lesson: the value of love. So don't you dare sit on that ship alone! We're with you."
Harry gave one swift but reassuring nod. He looked past Ron and saw Draco smiling at him beneath his tears, and Professor Dumbledore giving him the look of hope. He had forgotten that he had friends. Friends whom he can lean on to for support. And he was grateful.
Ron, Draco, and Dumbledore had left the room. Harry knew it was his only chance to bid his love farewell. After dueling with Lord Voldemort in several instances, fighting the basilisk, having to go through a competition, and putting his life in danger for countless times, he knew this was the hardest thing he had do.
He reached for Hermione's hand and kissed it. As he held it tightly, he let his tears stream down his face. "Hermione, I just want you to know how much I love you. If there was anything I can do to keep you from leaving me, you know very well that I would have done it. But maybe this is our destiny, to hold on to our love until we meet again. Please wait for me. I know that someday we will be together, and by then, nothing would be able to keep us apart."
Harry kissed her hand once more. Then he managed to smile. "You know, I would have wanted to marry you in the future, and then we'll have kids. But I guess fate has other plans for us. And though this has happened, I will always believe that our souls are meant for each other. And the link that is joining them will never be broken. Not even by time."
Suddenly, Harry felt something move on his hand. And when he looked down, he saw it: Hermione's fingers were moving!
Looking up, he speechlessly watched Hermione's eyelids slowly move upward. And within seconds, just like a miracle, Hermione's dark brown eyes were staring up at him. And it was full of love.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled, wrapping her tightly around his arms. "You're alive!" Harry felt that he never wanted to let her go. From having the worst feeling in his life, Harry now couldn't be any happier. It was indeed a miracle. And his happiness was beyond words.
"Harry, where am I? Why are you acting like I died and was brought back to life? And why are you wrapping your arms so tightly? I can't breathe!" Hermione exclaimed.
The people outside had heard all the commotion. Running to see what was happening, both Ron and Draco gasped when they saw that Hermione was alive: breathing and yelling.
"Harry, let go first!"
Ron and Draco ran to them and enclosed them in a big hug. Soon, Harry and Hermione were also being squeezed by Ron and Draco.
"Boys! Let go!!!" Hermione yelled. Immediately, the three let go of their embrace and watched Hermione with beaming faces. "What?"
They just stared at her like she was a prize they had won. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, was standing by the doorway, once carrying the smile on his face. "Welcome back, Ms. Granger," he said. "You've kept us worried."
"Worried? Back? Back from where? Professor?" Hermione looked fixedly at Dumbledore, expecting an answer, but there was none. She turned to the three boys, who still appeared to be in a rather transparent hype.
"Guys, please answer me. What happened here? Why am I in-" she said, asked around, "is this St. Mungo's?"
No one answered. All they did was to take rounds at hugging Hermione. Harry, of course didn't stop kissing Hermione, holding her hand, and letting her know how much he loves her. Still unaware of what has happened prior to the extremely incomprehensible situation she was in, Hermione felt really special and really cared for. What she didn't know was that the very fact that she was sitting there and gazing maddeningly at all of them, gave the three the best moment of their lives.
***
It didn't take a day for Hermione to be able to leave St. Mungo's and return to her beloved school. After what seemed to be a hundred confirmations that she was indeed in a perfect condition, Hermione left the hospital bidding the doctors, and her mother, goodbye.
Finally arriving at Hogwarts, Hermione was the talk of the whole school. Her illness and immediate departure for further diagnosis and treatment have spread like wildfire inside the campus. Everyone was anxious to know what really happened, even the indifferent Slytherins.
"I heard the mudblood's back. Couldn't care any less if she's not. What's all the excitement about anyway?" commented a fourth year Slytherin girl just outside the Great Hall.
Upon hearing this, Draco took a halt from his walk, and quickly turned around to react. "You know," he began, "no one really asked your opinion." The dumbfounded girl just stood there unsure of what to say. "If Hermione Granger's fame is making you downright envious, then that's your problem," Draco finished.
Turning around, he swiftly brushed the soles of his feet unto the smooth and polished marble floor, and made his way towards the Gryffindor table to meet his friends.
"Draco!"
All heads turned as Hermione stood up from her chair and greeted Draco with a prompt but heartfelt embrace. "How are you, Hermione?"
"I've never felt better, actually," she said, moving back and motioning for Draco to take a seat beside her. As Draco sat down, both Harry and Ron reached out and shook his hand in turns. The rest of the Gryffindor table was rather speechless, still stunned by the unusual display of affection among Gryffindors and a Slytherin.
"So, Harry," Ron said, "have you figured out what brought Hermione back?"
Harry dropped his goblet on the table after taking a sip of his pumpkin juice and turned to look intently at Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, gave her a heartwarming smile and placed her hand on top of his. Harry turned over his hand, let his fingers intertwine with Hermione's, and then rested his other hand to enclose hers.
"Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to fill us in this morning," Harry replied, eyes still locked with Hermione's.
"Excuse me?" Draco butted in. "Then why aren't you at all bothering to spill?"
"Yeah. We deserve to know!" Ron added.
"Well, let's just say that when I honestly verbalized my dream to build a family with Hermione in the future, it sort of established our future together, and created a forthcoming life, thus restoring the balance and bringing Hermione back," Harry stated, inattentive of the two.
"Wow. That is so profound. Really, Harry," Ron said, staring at his plate.
"I can't say you understood it quite well, Ron. But it's a solid proof that miracles do happen. if you have faith," Draco said.
"I guess that's one lesson we've learned from all this," replied Ron.
The two remained quite while Harry and Hermione cuddled up together beside them. "Hey, Draco," Ron started, "do you reckon there's a chance you'll see Dylan again?"
Though utterly amazed by Ron's question, Draco kept a straight face while thinking of what to say. "Honestly, I doubt it," he finally responded.
"I guess he's really gone, in any time," Ron said.
"But you know, he reminds of me someone I knew from the past," Draco suddenly added.
Ron wrinkled his forehead. "Who?"
"Me. When I was younger."
Ron grinned. "He really was like you in so many ways."
"Yah. But don't forget that I was only half of him."
"Hey, do you think Harry and Hermione's son, if it will be a son, will be anything like Dylan?" Ron asked while watching Harry kiss Hermione on the forehead.
Draco turned to follow Ron's gaze. "Maybe. Somehow," he said. "Well, only if he has deep brown eyes and wavy brown hair," he added, beaming widely.
"And he should also be as smart as Dylan, like Hermione."
"No, but that's a given."
For a moment, Ron's eyes rested on the couple. He then looked at Draco and smiled. "Yah, I guess you're right," he said, pushing Draco by the shoulder.
***
Seven years after, Hermione gave birth to a healthy young boy. At that time, none of them knew that this child would pave the way for the next generation of magic.
And the baby's name, the one with emerald green eyes and straight jet-black hair, was Dylan.
THE END.
Chapter 17: "The Life that was Taken"
"NO!!! It can't be!" Harry yelled.
Pushing Draco aside, Harry brought his arm under Hermione's back and pulled her motionless body upward. He cradled her with one arm, as her own arms lay suspended. He could not believe what he had just heard. But what was harder to believe was the sight laid down in front of his eyes.
"Wake up, Hermione! Please wake up!" Harry cried as he gently shook Hermione, his tears meeting her face.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Granger wasn't able to take the pain that she felt, causing her to faint. Fortunately, Ron and Draco were both able to catch her. And after they had carefully placed her on the adjacent bed to rest, both of them were left to stand there to face the harsh reality.
Dumbledore had volunteered to look after Mrs. Granger. It wasn't hard to notice that he also looked rather pale. The faint smile on his face has faded, and all that was left was an expressionless face that was hiding its sadness.
Ron was speechless. Even words could not describe how he felt. He watched Harry mourn over the passing of his friend and true love, and he too could not help but shed tears over a loss that he wasn't even sure was worth it. He clearly remembered the first time he met Hermione. It was inside the Hogwarts Express, and Ron was excited to show Harry a spell to turn Ron's then pet rat, Scabbers, into a nice shade of yellow. Then Hermione came barging inside the compartment, looking for Neville Longbottom's missing toad. And there she insulted Ron's unsuccessful spell, showed them a rather effective one by repairing Harry's broken glasses, and introduced herself to them. Never did Ron imagine that he would be friend with such a girl, until Hermione covered up for them when they attacked the troll trying to save her life. And from then on, he, Harry, and Hermione became the best of friends.
"I don't understand," Draco said, standing beside Ron. "It shouldn't be like this." Ron noticed that Draco's voice was shaking. He, too, was trying to hide his pain. It was the first time they had lost a friend, and never did they imagine that it would be Hermione.
Harry kept on weeping as he held Hermione in his arms. He brushed her face with his fingers and stroked her hair as if she were alive. "If this was meant to be, they I shouldn't have been given a life. Because taking away the girl I love is just the same as the taken away my soul, my breath, the very reason I live."
Dumbledore glided his way towards them and gazed at Harry. His glasses had become too foggy, so he had to remove them and charm them with his wand. Putting them back on, he walked towards Harry and patted his shoulder. "There is a reason for everything, Harry. And whatever the reason for this, I think it is for the best."
"How could you just put on a normal face when the girl I love has died?" Harry yelled, casting away Dumbledore's hand. "Telling me that there's a reason isn't enough. I need to find out why!"
"Do you think it would change anything if you do know the reason?"
"I don't know. But maybe it will help me understand and even accept what has happened to her."
"Then," Dumbledore began, sitting beside Harry and looking straight at Harry's face, who, on the other hand, wasn't bothering to look, "I need you to understand that the plan hadn't worked at all. When Hermione's energy wasn't restored, and her life was mercilessly taken away, I knew it, at that very moment, that the balance hasn't been reinstated."
Harry turned his head to look up at Dumbledore. "What do you mean?"
Both Ron and Draco were listening intently.
"When Dylan had vanished, he did not return to his time, to his world. We thought that making Dylan go back would restore the balance and put things back where they belong. But Dylan's non-existence meant that no life was to be restored in our time. Dylan did not go back. Hermione's life was still taken away."
"So that's it? She's gone and there's nothing we can do?" Harry's head turned to look at Hermione.
"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore spoke.
Standing up, Dumbledore gestured for Ron and Draco to leave the room with him. He understood that Harry needed to be alone. And it too wasn't difficult for the two to understand that.
"Harry," Ron said before he left. "You're not the only one who's missing Hermione. We're missing her too. But for what it's worth, she had taught us one important lesson: the value of love. So don't you dare sit on that ship alone! We're with you."
Harry gave one swift but reassuring nod. He looked past Ron and saw Draco smiling at him beneath his tears, and Professor Dumbledore giving him the look of hope. He had forgotten that he had friends. Friends whom he can lean on to for support. And he was grateful.
Ron, Draco, and Dumbledore had left the room. Harry knew it was his only chance to bid his love farewell. After dueling with Lord Voldemort in several instances, fighting the basilisk, having to go through a competition, and putting his life in danger for countless times, he knew this was the hardest thing he had do.
He reached for Hermione's hand and kissed it. As he held it tightly, he let his tears stream down his face. "Hermione, I just want you to know how much I love you. If there was anything I can do to keep you from leaving me, you know very well that I would have done it. But maybe this is our destiny, to hold on to our love until we meet again. Please wait for me. I know that someday we will be together, and by then, nothing would be able to keep us apart."
Harry kissed her hand once more. Then he managed to smile. "You know, I would have wanted to marry you in the future, and then we'll have kids. But I guess fate has other plans for us. And though this has happened, I will always believe that our souls are meant for each other. And the link that is joining them will never be broken. Not even by time."
Suddenly, Harry felt something move on his hand. And when he looked down, he saw it: Hermione's fingers were moving!
Looking up, he speechlessly watched Hermione's eyelids slowly move upward. And within seconds, just like a miracle, Hermione's dark brown eyes were staring up at him. And it was full of love.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled, wrapping her tightly around his arms. "You're alive!" Harry felt that he never wanted to let her go. From having the worst feeling in his life, Harry now couldn't be any happier. It was indeed a miracle. And his happiness was beyond words.
"Harry, where am I? Why are you acting like I died and was brought back to life? And why are you wrapping your arms so tightly? I can't breathe!" Hermione exclaimed.
The people outside had heard all the commotion. Running to see what was happening, both Ron and Draco gasped when they saw that Hermione was alive: breathing and yelling.
"Harry, let go first!"
Ron and Draco ran to them and enclosed them in a big hug. Soon, Harry and Hermione were also being squeezed by Ron and Draco.
"Boys! Let go!!!" Hermione yelled. Immediately, the three let go of their embrace and watched Hermione with beaming faces. "What?"
They just stared at her like she was a prize they had won. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, was standing by the doorway, once carrying the smile on his face. "Welcome back, Ms. Granger," he said. "You've kept us worried."
"Worried? Back? Back from where? Professor?" Hermione looked fixedly at Dumbledore, expecting an answer, but there was none. She turned to the three boys, who still appeared to be in a rather transparent hype.
"Guys, please answer me. What happened here? Why am I in-" she said, asked around, "is this St. Mungo's?"
No one answered. All they did was to take rounds at hugging Hermione. Harry, of course didn't stop kissing Hermione, holding her hand, and letting her know how much he loves her. Still unaware of what has happened prior to the extremely incomprehensible situation she was in, Hermione felt really special and really cared for. What she didn't know was that the very fact that she was sitting there and gazing maddeningly at all of them, gave the three the best moment of their lives.
***
It didn't take a day for Hermione to be able to leave St. Mungo's and return to her beloved school. After what seemed to be a hundred confirmations that she was indeed in a perfect condition, Hermione left the hospital bidding the doctors, and her mother, goodbye.
Finally arriving at Hogwarts, Hermione was the talk of the whole school. Her illness and immediate departure for further diagnosis and treatment have spread like wildfire inside the campus. Everyone was anxious to know what really happened, even the indifferent Slytherins.
"I heard the mudblood's back. Couldn't care any less if she's not. What's all the excitement about anyway?" commented a fourth year Slytherin girl just outside the Great Hall.
Upon hearing this, Draco took a halt from his walk, and quickly turned around to react. "You know," he began, "no one really asked your opinion." The dumbfounded girl just stood there unsure of what to say. "If Hermione Granger's fame is making you downright envious, then that's your problem," Draco finished.
Turning around, he swiftly brushed the soles of his feet unto the smooth and polished marble floor, and made his way towards the Gryffindor table to meet his friends.
"Draco!"
All heads turned as Hermione stood up from her chair and greeted Draco with a prompt but heartfelt embrace. "How are you, Hermione?"
"I've never felt better, actually," she said, moving back and motioning for Draco to take a seat beside her. As Draco sat down, both Harry and Ron reached out and shook his hand in turns. The rest of the Gryffindor table was rather speechless, still stunned by the unusual display of affection among Gryffindors and a Slytherin.
"So, Harry," Ron said, "have you figured out what brought Hermione back?"
Harry dropped his goblet on the table after taking a sip of his pumpkin juice and turned to look intently at Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, gave her a heartwarming smile and placed her hand on top of his. Harry turned over his hand, let his fingers intertwine with Hermione's, and then rested his other hand to enclose hers.
"Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to fill us in this morning," Harry replied, eyes still locked with Hermione's.
"Excuse me?" Draco butted in. "Then why aren't you at all bothering to spill?"
"Yeah. We deserve to know!" Ron added.
"Well, let's just say that when I honestly verbalized my dream to build a family with Hermione in the future, it sort of established our future together, and created a forthcoming life, thus restoring the balance and bringing Hermione back," Harry stated, inattentive of the two.
"Wow. That is so profound. Really, Harry," Ron said, staring at his plate.
"I can't say you understood it quite well, Ron. But it's a solid proof that miracles do happen. if you have faith," Draco said.
"I guess that's one lesson we've learned from all this," replied Ron.
The two remained quite while Harry and Hermione cuddled up together beside them. "Hey, Draco," Ron started, "do you reckon there's a chance you'll see Dylan again?"
Though utterly amazed by Ron's question, Draco kept a straight face while thinking of what to say. "Honestly, I doubt it," he finally responded.
"I guess he's really gone, in any time," Ron said.
"But you know, he reminds of me someone I knew from the past," Draco suddenly added.
Ron wrinkled his forehead. "Who?"
"Me. When I was younger."
Ron grinned. "He really was like you in so many ways."
"Yah. But don't forget that I was only half of him."
"Hey, do you think Harry and Hermione's son, if it will be a son, will be anything like Dylan?" Ron asked while watching Harry kiss Hermione on the forehead.
Draco turned to follow Ron's gaze. "Maybe. Somehow," he said. "Well, only if he has deep brown eyes and wavy brown hair," he added, beaming widely.
"And he should also be as smart as Dylan, like Hermione."
"No, but that's a given."
For a moment, Ron's eyes rested on the couple. He then looked at Draco and smiled. "Yah, I guess you're right," he said, pushing Draco by the shoulder.
***
Seven years after, Hermione gave birth to a healthy young boy. At that time, none of them knew that this child would pave the way for the next generation of magic.
And the baby's name, the one with emerald green eyes and straight jet-black hair, was Dylan.
THE END.