Story: Through the looking glass

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Disclaimer: I only own the plot, and Worley.

Pairing: Harry/Hermione

Chapter three: Twisted

Bob-the-bear: Okay, it wasn't a quick update but I'm concentrating on Regrets. Still, I love this story and I really like the plot. It's my baby. Thanks for the review.

Marina Star: Awwwww thanks for the review. I think Emma and Dan make a really good couple. They should so get together! Well, yeah if I can't get together with him first.

Explanation: Okay, last chapter was before the battle. This is after the battle. The story started with the middle, then the beginning now we're back to the middle, but early middle. The bits in Hermione's POV, are thought, said before she knew Harry was alive. There are loads of quotes in here, from Harry Potter, films, books and Lord of the Rings.
Dumbledore paused on stage, "Welcome all of you, a lot has to be said, and I am not taking this burden on my own. A speech from Draco will precede Hermione's, then I shall be talking after her. Each member of this pair have earned the reason to stand on this stage, both have made sacrifices and have performed humble acts. But with humble acts and sacrifices come losses, some which hurt more than others. Though all are just as important and sickening as the next. Now is not my time to talk, it is Draco's time. So I shall step down and let him take the stage" With that Dumbledore bowed and Draco stepped on stage, to a supporting yet quiet applause.

"Hello everyone." Draco paused nervously, "This fight has been a struggle for every member of the wizarding world whether they played an active or passive part in the battles. It has been an emotional and physical challenge for all." He paused and looked around at the many people in the great hall, "People have gone behind enemy lines, fought on the front line. People have loved and lost. People have been grievously harmed. People, ordinary people, like me, Hermione, Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Ginny, to name a but a few have been forced to do the extraordinary." Draco's hands were wrapped around the stand in front of him tightly, "There is time to grieve, yet whilst we grieve we must put back together the wizarding world. Collect supporters of Voldemort. Even though Voldemort has gone, we still have a lot more fighting to do" Draco coughed, "To take a quote off Professor Dumbledore, 'differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.'" Draco clutched the stand even tighter, "We need to fight together to round up all of those who betrayed us. Our aim is to return the wizarding world back to how it should be. Back to how so many people who died wished it would be. If not for yourselves do it for the innocent people who lost their lives for defending what was right. It is not purity of blood, nor who has the cleverest mind that determines who we are. It is our choices." Draco took his hands away from the stand, "Thank you all so very much" Draco stepped off the stage to a louder applause than when he got on,

Hermione's POV

It's my turn next and my speech is going to be nothing like Draco's. There's so many people here, so much to fuck up! I clutched my glass of water in my hand and took it up onto stage with me,

"Hey....Everyone" I sighed, "Well," I paused again, "This is hard." Another pause, "In a world that depends so much on love" I stopped on the word love, if only Harry was here, "There is a lot of hate" A tear trickled it's lonely way down my cheek, "It takes a lot of love to keep the world at peace. But it takes a little bit of hate to rip the world apart" I closed my eyes,

"So many people have died because of one man's hatred for his father. Harry was singled out before he was even born!" Hermione paused, "Is this destiny? Is this meant to be? Did the stars tell us so many years ago?" I laughed bitterly, "Probably." I wiped a tear from my cheek,

"I've been brought up here instead of Harry and Ron" Another tear fell down my cheek at this, "It was meant to be some of the four greatest male wizards up on this stage instead we have two, and me" I paused,

"Harry was a great boy, who grew up to be a great young adult. I would bet a million galleons he'd grow up to be a great and wise man" I paused, wiping the tears away furiously, "No one knows quite how Harry and Ron died." One of my sobs racked the halls echoing around and around, Dumbledore gave me a look but I waved my hand, "I have to say this!"

Dumbledore nodded curtly, "Professor, you are probably one of the greatest wizards of all time, and you said understanding is the first step to acceptance" I paused, "As I said, no one knows quite how Harry and Ron died. No one quite knows what happened to Harry's body after he was presumably killed by Voldemort" I paused, "Voldemort was a great wizard" The hall looked slightly taken aback, "Great, yet evil" I smiled slightly, "I'm one of the many who has said this, and one of the many who has thought it" I stopped, "Two nights ago, I went to the astronomy tower. To see Harry. To tell him I understood he had to do this. Yet, when I said I wished he didn't have to. He said me too. Something that I have never heard Harry say before" I let myself take a deep breath,

"Although Harry didn't ask for the attention. Although Harry didn't ask to be born unto a prophecy. He was, and he never complained. Ron was fighting a losing battle to show people that he was just as big and as impressive as his family and friends. Yet Ron had amazing qualities, loyalty, friendship, sarcasm and irony as dry and witty as Draco's, trust and most of all love"

I let the tears flow down my cheeks, "I loved those guys with all my heart. They were so brave for fighting Pettigrew and Voldemort. I loved them so much. Ron, god forbid we had our ups and down but I loved him as a friend so much. Harry, I loved him. He loved me too. I never got the chance to tell him. I loved him - I love him. Every person who died, did not die lonely they died noble, brave and a person who was loved by someone or some people."

I put my face in my hands,

"I said I wouldn't cry. Things don't always go to plan. Just as they didn't with Harry or Ron. In fact, nothing went to plan for either side, light or dark, good or bad, innocent or evil. They both suffered losses. There is not one person in this room who has had personal losses, so I ask you now to raise your glasses." Everyone raised there glasses, "From the beginning Cedric an innocent boy who crossed the wrong path, to the end, Harry who in all of his life was waiting for a battle he couldn't get out of"

I wiped away some tears and raised my glass,

"This is to all the people who have suffered under the hands of Voldemort, you will not be forgotten, and you will be remembered with much love" I took a sip of the water in my glass, as did everyone else in the hall. It was at that point I started crying uncontrollably. Draco came up on stage and gave me a hug. I'd needed that hug for too long. He helped me off stage, people were clapping and Dumbledore was making his way on stage but I didn't listen to the claps, or the speeches I just cried.

They were my friends; they were innocent. Everyone was innocent yet in the Dark sides eyes we were all guilty. In our eyes we were all innocent, and the Dark side was all guilty. It was probably just a matter of bitter, sick, painful, twisted opinions.

Twisted.
Hope you liked it, leave a review,

Love, P.C