Author's Note: Greetings once more. Not much to say, except a look of
awe/wonder directed at Mina33. Not only has she managed to be my first
review to the last.4 chapters, she knows Hermione's birthday. How do you
know that? When do they mention that? Who am I to say.I'm basing this fic
off of a line in the third book .
"DON'T!" screamed Ginny as the knife flashed down. She watched in growing horror as Hermione's hands became coated in a dark liquid. "God, Hermione!" She turned to look at the girl. "What are you doing?"
Hermione was horror-sticken. She looked down at the dead carcass on her lap, the blood on her hands. With increasing terror, she realized what had happened.
She had just taken the life of an innocent creature.
This is not what it was meant to be, she thought furiously. A present for Diana! Thanks for helping me rid the world of the scum that is Harry Potter! Biting back a scream, she answered Ginny's question weakly.
"Having a barbeque?"
Ginny regarded Hermione was fright. Her mouth dropped open as she watched Hermione wipe her knife with her trembling hands.
"I don't suppose you like venison?" she questioned, grabbing her vial. She calmly slit an artery of the animal and began collecting blood in the container.
Ginny shook her head feebly. "Never tried it." She approached the fire cautiously, as Hermione calmly sealed her vial. "'Mione, what are you doing?"
Hermione's mind raced. Clearly, this was not the proper time to bring up vengeance and souls. She once more wiped her knife and struggled to think of a plausible excuse.
"You know I'm taking advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she began. Ginny nodded. "Well, I found an ancient protection spell that requires the blood of a newborn fawn.taken during the night of the moonless sky."
Ginny shook her head in disbelief as she both took in Hermione's story and regarded the dead body of the deer. "Hermione, I've heard of extra credit, but when you've taken to slaying woodlawn creatures." She shook her head. "That's when you've gone too far."
Hermione gave her a big smile. "I knew you'd understand, Gin." She reached over and patted her friend on the hand. "Now I'm sorry to do this, but the spell has to be completed in solitude."
"Oh," said Ginny knowingly.
They sat in silence for a few moments. "That means I have to be alone," expanded Hermione.
"I get it," huffed Ginny. "I know when I'm not wanted." Her eyes filled with tears. "Harry doesn't want me," she wept.
"No, he doesn't," said Hermione, growing irritated. "Go back to your room and mope in solitude so I can still view you with respect in the morning."
Wiping her eyes, Ginny retreated back into the woods. Lurking behind a tree, she watched her friend sprinkle sand on the fire and pour a droplet of blood out.
"Ginny, I know you're still there," she called. "If the spell is done incorrectly, it makes all your hair fall out. Everyone within.two hundred feet."
Fearing for her crimson locks, Ginny raced back to her home and shimmied up the gutter. Standing on the roof, she regarded the growing bonfire. "Something's going on with Hermione." Her eyes narrowed. "And I'm going to find out what."
"So we are alone at last," said Diana, as her face appeared in the flames. She peered at the body of the fawn. "You did well, little one."
"Thank you," said Hermione, pleased to be praised by her goddess.
"Not you. The deer," snapped Diana. "Imagine, sacrificing it's life for the goddess that it serves." She turned to Hermione. "Do you know of a better way to die?"
Hermione gulped. "No, Goddess. I do not."
Diana examined Hermione closely. "There is none." Without blinking, she began to speak in a cold, emotionless voice. "Think of all I have given you, Hermione. Powers beyond your wildest dreams! The raven-haired girl whom you have named Dementia! Blessed you with tonight's opportunites." she shook her head. "And you repay me with a deer."
Hermione was confused. "I thought you liked it," she said uncertainly.
Diana laughed. "Liked it? My dear girl, I like how you so ruthlessly kill for your lady. I like your vigor, your sense of honor.but the deer?" She stepped from the flame, shaking out her. She shook her head and withdrew an arrow from the sheath on her back.
With lightening fast speed, she aimed her weapon at Hermione. "Do you think I wouldn't fire this at you?" she asked the frightened girl.
"Well, I." began Hermione hesitantly.
"NO!" thundered the Goddess. She brought the bow closer to Hermione. "Remember this, child. You mean nothing to me." Hermione gulped. "I am the Huntsman-In-Chief to the entire world." She lowered her voice and paused for dramatic flair. "Why is the life of one fifteen-year- old worth preserving?"
As suddenly as she had raised it, Diana lowered the bow. "You live as long as I have a reason to continue your life," she stated. "Atropos carries those abhorred sheared, and can cut your thread of life in a split second."
Hermione waved her hand at the agitated goddess. "I know, I know! I saw Hercules!"
Diana scowled at her. "Youth, I'm being serious."
Hermione nodded mockingly. "So am I." She shook her head wisely. "That Hercules! We should call him HUNKULES!" she mimicked.
"I'll tell him you said that," commented Diana dryly.
"No! Um, I'm just kidding," protested Hermione.
"Or you could tell him yourself if I just dispose of you right now!" thundered Diana. She took one last look at the deer corpse. "True, your sacrifice was honorable. But I wonder what you would do if I asked you for something greater." She took a step closer to Hermione. Staring hard at her, she broke into a smile. "Dear, I don't want to fight with you. After all, we are going to be spending eternity together." She paused and laughed mirthlessly. "Just be prepared for my next visit, child."
She stepped into the fire and disappeared.
"Crap," swore Hermione. She looked at the carcass of the fawn and frowned. "Well, this sucks." Pouting softly to herself, she buried the animal and blessed it's soul. Gathering her materials, she walked back to the house.
"Why am I walking?" she asked suddenly. "I can just apparate!" With a POOF, she apparated and reappreaed in Ginny's room.
"She's right about the eternity thing," thought Hermione as she got into her bed. "I gave her my soul for her to with as she will.if something were to happen to me.I'm in her hands."
But the one question on her mind as she sank into fitful slumber was this: What does she mean, something greater?
Despite her late night excursion, Hermione woke early on Sunday. She glanced at Ginny's bedside clock and realized Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wouldn't even be home for another hour. Ginny moaned in her sleep and picked her head off of her potions textbook. Sighing, she looked up at Hermione. "21 hours until the potions essay is due!"
Hermione smiled pityingly at the redhead. She patted Ginny on the head and tying her dressing gown tightly around her, she walked down to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.
Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of tea and a piece of toast. She stared into the Weasley family clock and gazed on it's members.
Mrs. Weasley: Traveling
Mr. Weasley: Traveling: Hermione recalled they were taking a train before apparating, as Mrs. Weasley was afraid to apparate over long distances.
Bill: Work
Charlie: Sleeping
Percy: Work
Fred: Sleeping
George: Sleeping
Ron: Sleeping
Ginny: Sleeping
Harry: Sleeping
An entire minute passed before Hermione recognized the significance of the last member. Her jaw dropped. "They think he's a member of their FAMILY now?" she exclaimed, her jaw dropping open. "And Ginny's in love with him? Is that even LEGAL?"
"Hermione, what are you yelling about?" asked a very tired voice. Hermione looked up and saw Harry absently rubbing his eyes.
Caught off-guard, Hermione stammered. "Oh.you know. School.life.war..communism," she rattled off.
Not fully awake, Harry merely nodded. He gestured towards the rising sun. "What are you doing up so early?"
Hermione shrugged. "Fitful slumber."
Harry nodded. "Tell me about it."
"Okay." said Hermione. "I was pondering what we really owe our loved ones and those who love us," she said suddenly.
Herm, a voice in her head asked her.why are you asking him this? This is the kid that you HATE with the fire of a thousand suns! I know, she defended herself, but maybe I can use his response to blackmail him later.
Harry looked taken aback. He fished for the kettle and put on some water for his own cup of tea. "Well," he said slowly. "What do you mean?"
Hermione struggled to explain herself. "Do we owe them our happiness? Do we owe them our lives? What are we required to give those who love us?"
Harry sat down at the table and stared hard at the clock that now bore his name. "Happiness," he said slowly. "All those who love us want is for us to be happy," he realized. "And that makes them happy.when we're upset, we make them upset!" He smiled brilliantly at Hermione. "That was clever of you. I finally understand."
Hermione was bewildered. She was expecting some line about Gryffindor loyalty and defending them with the last drop of blood in your veins. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" she asked finally.
"Sirius," he said clearly. He nodded. "You're telling me that I owe all of my friends, the Weasleys, Dumbledore my happiness.and you're right!" He gave her an awkward hug. "Thank you."
"What are you talking about?" asked Hermione weakly. In her effort to spill, she had unknowingly comforted the boy and taken away his pain. "Where are you going?"
"I have to go tell Ron I'm not grieving anymore!" he shouted back. He thundered up the stairs, very energetic. "FRED! GEORGE! RON! GINNY!" he bellowed. "I'M NOT PINING ANYMORE!"
"How bloody brilliant," Hermione heard Ron moan. "Now go back to sleep."
Harry left Hermione gazing desolately into her cup. "What have I done?" she asked herself in horror as she watched Harry wake up the household joyesouly.
She shrugged. "Oh well. I'll hate him again by breakfast," she thought, hoping that it'd be true.
Author's note: I just finished writing this as Hurricane Isabel is pounding against my window. It's rather windy outside! Anyway, this chapter did NOT go the way I wanted it to. I had written an interesting scene with Ron and a jock strap.but I'll just have to post that in a later chapter.
And Mina.sorry about not including Hermione's birthday, but it's still only September 1st in the fic. Hermione's birthday will come later.I've got it all planned out.
And now a quote: (On the subject of Thanksgiving)
Buffy: Okay, so maybe it's a sham. But it's a sham with yams! It's a yam- sham!
"DON'T!" screamed Ginny as the knife flashed down. She watched in growing horror as Hermione's hands became coated in a dark liquid. "God, Hermione!" She turned to look at the girl. "What are you doing?"
Hermione was horror-sticken. She looked down at the dead carcass on her lap, the blood on her hands. With increasing terror, she realized what had happened.
She had just taken the life of an innocent creature.
This is not what it was meant to be, she thought furiously. A present for Diana! Thanks for helping me rid the world of the scum that is Harry Potter! Biting back a scream, she answered Ginny's question weakly.
"Having a barbeque?"
Ginny regarded Hermione was fright. Her mouth dropped open as she watched Hermione wipe her knife with her trembling hands.
"I don't suppose you like venison?" she questioned, grabbing her vial. She calmly slit an artery of the animal and began collecting blood in the container.
Ginny shook her head feebly. "Never tried it." She approached the fire cautiously, as Hermione calmly sealed her vial. "'Mione, what are you doing?"
Hermione's mind raced. Clearly, this was not the proper time to bring up vengeance and souls. She once more wiped her knife and struggled to think of a plausible excuse.
"You know I'm taking advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she began. Ginny nodded. "Well, I found an ancient protection spell that requires the blood of a newborn fawn.taken during the night of the moonless sky."
Ginny shook her head in disbelief as she both took in Hermione's story and regarded the dead body of the deer. "Hermione, I've heard of extra credit, but when you've taken to slaying woodlawn creatures." She shook her head. "That's when you've gone too far."
Hermione gave her a big smile. "I knew you'd understand, Gin." She reached over and patted her friend on the hand. "Now I'm sorry to do this, but the spell has to be completed in solitude."
"Oh," said Ginny knowingly.
They sat in silence for a few moments. "That means I have to be alone," expanded Hermione.
"I get it," huffed Ginny. "I know when I'm not wanted." Her eyes filled with tears. "Harry doesn't want me," she wept.
"No, he doesn't," said Hermione, growing irritated. "Go back to your room and mope in solitude so I can still view you with respect in the morning."
Wiping her eyes, Ginny retreated back into the woods. Lurking behind a tree, she watched her friend sprinkle sand on the fire and pour a droplet of blood out.
"Ginny, I know you're still there," she called. "If the spell is done incorrectly, it makes all your hair fall out. Everyone within.two hundred feet."
Fearing for her crimson locks, Ginny raced back to her home and shimmied up the gutter. Standing on the roof, she regarded the growing bonfire. "Something's going on with Hermione." Her eyes narrowed. "And I'm going to find out what."
"So we are alone at last," said Diana, as her face appeared in the flames. She peered at the body of the fawn. "You did well, little one."
"Thank you," said Hermione, pleased to be praised by her goddess.
"Not you. The deer," snapped Diana. "Imagine, sacrificing it's life for the goddess that it serves." She turned to Hermione. "Do you know of a better way to die?"
Hermione gulped. "No, Goddess. I do not."
Diana examined Hermione closely. "There is none." Without blinking, she began to speak in a cold, emotionless voice. "Think of all I have given you, Hermione. Powers beyond your wildest dreams! The raven-haired girl whom you have named Dementia! Blessed you with tonight's opportunites." she shook her head. "And you repay me with a deer."
Hermione was confused. "I thought you liked it," she said uncertainly.
Diana laughed. "Liked it? My dear girl, I like how you so ruthlessly kill for your lady. I like your vigor, your sense of honor.but the deer?" She stepped from the flame, shaking out her. She shook her head and withdrew an arrow from the sheath on her back.
With lightening fast speed, she aimed her weapon at Hermione. "Do you think I wouldn't fire this at you?" she asked the frightened girl.
"Well, I." began Hermione hesitantly.
"NO!" thundered the Goddess. She brought the bow closer to Hermione. "Remember this, child. You mean nothing to me." Hermione gulped. "I am the Huntsman-In-Chief to the entire world." She lowered her voice and paused for dramatic flair. "Why is the life of one fifteen-year- old worth preserving?"
As suddenly as she had raised it, Diana lowered the bow. "You live as long as I have a reason to continue your life," she stated. "Atropos carries those abhorred sheared, and can cut your thread of life in a split second."
Hermione waved her hand at the agitated goddess. "I know, I know! I saw Hercules!"
Diana scowled at her. "Youth, I'm being serious."
Hermione nodded mockingly. "So am I." She shook her head wisely. "That Hercules! We should call him HUNKULES!" she mimicked.
"I'll tell him you said that," commented Diana dryly.
"No! Um, I'm just kidding," protested Hermione.
"Or you could tell him yourself if I just dispose of you right now!" thundered Diana. She took one last look at the deer corpse. "True, your sacrifice was honorable. But I wonder what you would do if I asked you for something greater." She took a step closer to Hermione. Staring hard at her, she broke into a smile. "Dear, I don't want to fight with you. After all, we are going to be spending eternity together." She paused and laughed mirthlessly. "Just be prepared for my next visit, child."
She stepped into the fire and disappeared.
"Crap," swore Hermione. She looked at the carcass of the fawn and frowned. "Well, this sucks." Pouting softly to herself, she buried the animal and blessed it's soul. Gathering her materials, she walked back to the house.
"Why am I walking?" she asked suddenly. "I can just apparate!" With a POOF, she apparated and reappreaed in Ginny's room.
"She's right about the eternity thing," thought Hermione as she got into her bed. "I gave her my soul for her to with as she will.if something were to happen to me.I'm in her hands."
But the one question on her mind as she sank into fitful slumber was this: What does she mean, something greater?
Despite her late night excursion, Hermione woke early on Sunday. She glanced at Ginny's bedside clock and realized Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wouldn't even be home for another hour. Ginny moaned in her sleep and picked her head off of her potions textbook. Sighing, she looked up at Hermione. "21 hours until the potions essay is due!"
Hermione smiled pityingly at the redhead. She patted Ginny on the head and tying her dressing gown tightly around her, she walked down to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.
Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of tea and a piece of toast. She stared into the Weasley family clock and gazed on it's members.
Mrs. Weasley: Traveling
Mr. Weasley: Traveling: Hermione recalled they were taking a train before apparating, as Mrs. Weasley was afraid to apparate over long distances.
Bill: Work
Charlie: Sleeping
Percy: Work
Fred: Sleeping
George: Sleeping
Ron: Sleeping
Ginny: Sleeping
Harry: Sleeping
An entire minute passed before Hermione recognized the significance of the last member. Her jaw dropped. "They think he's a member of their FAMILY now?" she exclaimed, her jaw dropping open. "And Ginny's in love with him? Is that even LEGAL?"
"Hermione, what are you yelling about?" asked a very tired voice. Hermione looked up and saw Harry absently rubbing his eyes.
Caught off-guard, Hermione stammered. "Oh.you know. School.life.war..communism," she rattled off.
Not fully awake, Harry merely nodded. He gestured towards the rising sun. "What are you doing up so early?"
Hermione shrugged. "Fitful slumber."
Harry nodded. "Tell me about it."
"Okay." said Hermione. "I was pondering what we really owe our loved ones and those who love us," she said suddenly.
Herm, a voice in her head asked her.why are you asking him this? This is the kid that you HATE with the fire of a thousand suns! I know, she defended herself, but maybe I can use his response to blackmail him later.
Harry looked taken aback. He fished for the kettle and put on some water for his own cup of tea. "Well," he said slowly. "What do you mean?"
Hermione struggled to explain herself. "Do we owe them our happiness? Do we owe them our lives? What are we required to give those who love us?"
Harry sat down at the table and stared hard at the clock that now bore his name. "Happiness," he said slowly. "All those who love us want is for us to be happy," he realized. "And that makes them happy.when we're upset, we make them upset!" He smiled brilliantly at Hermione. "That was clever of you. I finally understand."
Hermione was bewildered. She was expecting some line about Gryffindor loyalty and defending them with the last drop of blood in your veins. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" she asked finally.
"Sirius," he said clearly. He nodded. "You're telling me that I owe all of my friends, the Weasleys, Dumbledore my happiness.and you're right!" He gave her an awkward hug. "Thank you."
"What are you talking about?" asked Hermione weakly. In her effort to spill, she had unknowingly comforted the boy and taken away his pain. "Where are you going?"
"I have to go tell Ron I'm not grieving anymore!" he shouted back. He thundered up the stairs, very energetic. "FRED! GEORGE! RON! GINNY!" he bellowed. "I'M NOT PINING ANYMORE!"
"How bloody brilliant," Hermione heard Ron moan. "Now go back to sleep."
Harry left Hermione gazing desolately into her cup. "What have I done?" she asked herself in horror as she watched Harry wake up the household joyesouly.
She shrugged. "Oh well. I'll hate him again by breakfast," she thought, hoping that it'd be true.
Author's note: I just finished writing this as Hurricane Isabel is pounding against my window. It's rather windy outside! Anyway, this chapter did NOT go the way I wanted it to. I had written an interesting scene with Ron and a jock strap.but I'll just have to post that in a later chapter.
And Mina.sorry about not including Hermione's birthday, but it's still only September 1st in the fic. Hermione's birthday will come later.I've got it all planned out.
And now a quote: (On the subject of Thanksgiving)
Buffy: Okay, so maybe it's a sham. But it's a sham with yams! It's a yam- sham!