Chapter 7 - Guilt

Harry was throwing up into the toilet when Hermione found him. "Well this is a pretty picture." she said

"This is a boy's toilet you know." Harry responded with his head still in the bowl.

"You never worried about going into the girl's toilet years ago. Moaning Myrtle still asks after you." Hermione replied hoping to cheer him up but it didn't work. "Where's Draco?" she asked.

"Past out in his room." Harry replied, "Can't hold his liquor!"

"Right and you can." Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, well" Harry said raising his head from the toilet.

"Harry?" Hermione started.

"No Hermione, don't ask. Please!" Harry told her guessing she was about to ask for his help again.

"I have to, Harry. You're the only one who can do this. I don't want to see a world without magic, without hope of anything better. Not after all we gave up to protect it." she said. "Your parents wouldn't have wanted you to leave it this way. Cho and your child wouldn't have wanted you to leave it this way. They would have wanted you to see it though."

Harry turned away from Hermione when she mentioned his dead wife and the unborn child she had carried. It was at the end when Voldemort knew he was beaten. He had them killed out of pure spite. Harry never forgave himself for not being at home that day. He was off rallying the troops for more attacks, more destruction and more killing. "That's hitting below the belt." Harry replied.

"I'm prepared to fight dirty for this Harry. I need you to see it for what it is. This is our very survival. I know they don't deserve it after what they did to you but you need to do this for yourself. You need to find completion and you never will running away and hiding from what we all have become." Hermione told him quietly but her voice also conveyed her concern for him. After all these years she was still the voice of his conscience.

Harry sat there a long time before he replied. "I'll need some time to prepare. It's been a while." And with that he got to his feet and headed back to his room.