Thanks everyone for all your feedback!! In this chapter, the Hermione situation is resolved and we get to see Remus and Adele. Hopefully that makes everyone happy! Sorry things have kinda been one-track lately, I just got caught up in the plot. I'm trying to get everything back to normal - at least for the time being! Read and review, please! Chapter 31: A New Start Harry awoke the next morning feeling very uncomfortable; he had spent the night sleeping in a chair. Stretching, he noticed Ron sitting next to him, looking glum. "Morning," Harry greeted him tiredly. Ron looked at him, his eyes hollow and dead. "Merry Christmas," he said bitterly. He lay slumped back against the chair. "It's our fault, Harry. It's all our fault. She told us it was dangerous to leave that passageway open, and we did it anyway! I did it anyway! I did this to her, Harry." he said, tears welling in his eyes and threatening to fall. Harry struggled to get out of the chair and turned to Ron. "Ron, it's not your fault, it's not anyone's fault but Voldemort," he began earnestly. Ron hiccuped at the sound of the Dark Lord's name. "Please believe me. He's pulling us all apart and we can't just let that happen! We can't let Hermione go, we have to keep fighting!" Ron nodded tearfully. "I will, Harry. I promise," he vowed. Harry engulfed Ron in a brotherly hug and they stood together, sobbing, on the cold Christmas morning. The entrance to the common room opened and the two boys pulled away from each other immediately, wiping their eyes on their cloak sleeves and looking down, embarassed to have been discovered crying. Harry was the first to look up. His jaw dropped in shock. "Hermione," he breathed softly, his eyes wide in amazement. Ron's head snapped up and he too stared. Looking as sweet as an angel, she was bundled up in a parka, her frizzy hair spilling over onto her shoulders. Her cheeks were rosy from the outside wind and her eyes were gleaming. "Hermione?" Ron asked weakly. She grinned. "Ron! Harry!" she cried, throwing herself upon them. Ron and Hermione embraced, and Harry put his arms around both of them. All three of them fell to the floor crying. "This is the best Christmas ever," Hermione managed to say between sobs. Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Remus Lupin, Adele Fleur and Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall stood quietly just inside the door, each of them smiling at the sight. Professor McGonagall had a tear in her eye, and even Snape looked pleasant for once. "Touching, don't you think, Mad-Eye?" Tonks asked, raising her eyebrow in expectance of his answer. "Hmph! Might not have even happened, with those damn Death Eaters fighting like that-" "Let's not think about that now. It did happen, Hermione's fine, and it's Christmas Day," Remus Lupin replied. "Exactly," Tonks replied. "Which is why I'm getting out of here and visiting my mother before I get skinned alive for not showing up on a holiday!" The crowd laughed and dispersed slowly. "Adele, if you didn't have any plans tonight, would you like to join me for dinner?" Remus asked. "Of course," she answered pleasantly, taking his arm and walking towards the stairway. *********************** Harry and Ron were in better spirits than they had been for over a month. Insisting that Hermione rest, they went downstairs to the feast by themselves and brought food up to her dormitory for them all to eat. Since it was Christmas break and nearly no other Gryiffindors were left in the tower, Harry and Ron managed to climb up the stairs-turned-slide to access the girls' dormitories, dragging the food along with them. They spread the food out across the room and had a picnic on the dormitory floor. A silence covered the room as the trio dug into the delicious meal. "So, what did I miss?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence. Harry shrugged. "Not much, really," he replied. "That bloody Potions exam we had to take last week! He probably won't even make you make it up," Ron grumbled. "I don't think I've ever failed a test that badly." "What! I'll have to make it up, otherwise how will I know the information for N.E.W.T.s?" Hermione asked anxiously. Ron laughed. "That's our Hermione, always eager to take a test, even when she doesn't have to..." They all laughed. "So how are you feeling, Hermione? What exactly did they do to you?" Ron asked awkwardly. Harry felt like slapping himself on the forehead. Good going, Ron. I'm sure she'd love to talk about this, he thought angrily. But Hermione just shrugged. "I'm feeling fine. Really, they didn't do much but keep me in a room. They fed me and everything," she answered. Harry's head snapped up. "Do you mean he didn't, well, there wasn't any... You never got tortured?" he asked finally, extremely puzzled. Hermione's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Oh, no. They never hurt me at all. Why do you ask?" she queried, eyes narrowing. Harry gulped and glanced sideways at Ron. "Well, er... I had nightmares. About them torturing you," he said simply, refusing to go into any more detail. Hermione looked concerned, but Ron looked furious. "Nightmares? With Hermione in them? Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me, mate?" Ron asked angrily. "I... I didn't want you to get upset. I told Dumbledore, he didn't seem worried..." Harry trailed off. "Voldemort was probably trying to lure Harry to come looking for me! It's a good thing he didn't, he would have been killed the moment he stepped foot outside Hogwart's!" Hermione interjected, breaking up the fight. Ron started to protest, but Hermione interrupted. "I know you were concerned Ron, but it's probably better it worked out this way. And Harry - you've managed to not save two people this year. Good job!" The room exploded with laughter. ******************* Adele Fleur walked down the hallway guided by Remus, her eyes closed. "Can I open them yet?" she asked impatiently. Remus chuckled. "In a moment," he replied, leading her through the doorway to his office. "How about now?" she asked again. "Okay," he agreed. She opened her eyes and gasped. Lupin's tiny office had been transformed; instead of the typical books and homework, the room was empty except for a small table set for two, covered in a white table cloth with a single candle burning brightly. Purple flowers filled every inch of the floor. "Lilacs," she whispered, crouching as she ran her hand across them. "Where did you find these, Rem? In December!" she exclaimed. "Do you like it?" he asked hopefully. Adele put a hand to her forehead, still recovering from the shock. "Remus... it's beautiful..." "So are you," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her to one of the two chairs. I can't believe he remembered, after all these years... Lilacs are my favorite flowers, she thought to herself, amazed. Remus waved his wand and food appeared. The couple sat and ate the delicious meal, talking quietly. Halfway through, Remus stopped and smiled at Adele. "We're so much alike. I don't know how I've been able to pass these 15 years without you," he confessed. Adele smiled sadly. "If we didn't have each other, we'd both be alone on Christmas," she replied. Remus' eyes twinkled. "Speaking of Christmas..." he said. Adele arched her eyebrow. "Yes?" she asked. "I have a present for you," he replied. "Remus!" she said scoldingly. "You didn't have to, I don't have anything for you! I feel terrible." "No, don't!" he said earnestly. "Adele, I have something to tell you." "Okay," she said softly. "Well, let's put it this way," he began. "You're right about us both being alone if we didn't have each other. You are one of the few who has managed to overcome my... condition. I trust you more than anyone else." His voice had begun to crack but he tried desperately to steady it. "I know we're not kids anymore. I know what your destiny is, Adele, but we don't know how long it's going to take to fulfill it. No one knows what the future brings, but I know I want to spend mine with you." He cleared his throat. "I want to do something I should have done 15 years ago," he said, his voice wavering as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver box. He opened the box, exposing a plain yet beautiful diamond ring on a golden band. "Adele... will you marry me?" ***************** Whew! Another cliffy, but hopefully a good one this time. Sorry if the last chappie was too depressing for you! This one's a little short, but I wanted to get it up ASAP. Hope you liked it!
