PART NINETEEN

That Truth Be Told

"Rise and shine…"

Cho slowly and painfully opened her eyes upon hearing the gentle voice that had whispered beside her, and the moment she did, a pair of soft blue-green eyes peered into her. She smiled comfortably upon seeing Harry's face, finding the soothing peace and tranquility of the hospital wing perfect to match the way she was feeling.

Which was, after staying in bed for more than a month, never better.

"Hey," she whispered croakily, scooting over a bit on her bed so that Harry could sit beside her. "What time is it?"

"It's lunch break," Harry replied, stroking her hair lovingly. "And I have great news."

Cho smiled. "The final match has been cancelled and Gryffindor has won the Quidditch Cup?" she joked.

"I wish," chuckled Harry. "My news is way better than that, though. Guess what."

Cho took a deep breath of the cool fresh breeze gently blowing through the curtains and sighed. "I don't really need the great news…having you here with me is more than I can ever ask for."

Harry smiled at her touching words and bent down to kiss her forehead. He whispered, "Madam Pomfrey told me you're conditioned to leave the hospital wing now."

Cho's eyes widened. "Really…?"

Harry nodded, and Cho grinned, struggling to sit up in her anticipation to leave. Harry shuffled out of bed and took her hand, supporting her and helping her get off. When she was finally standing on the floor, he kissed her hand and she smiled at him.

"Thank you for staying with me all this time…" she said. Harry, though, wasn't able to reply because Madam Pomfrey entered right at that moment.

"Oh, wonderful," she exclaimed, hurrying over and supporting Cho, which made Harry drop her hand because Madam Pomfrey was all over her now. "Come on, Cho; I'll get you all prepped up to go…" And she started leading her out of there, blabbing away about all the medicines she needed to take.

Cho looked back at Harry and gave him an amused what-can-you-do look, and Harry gave her a small wave as she left with the nurse. Harry smiled. Madam Pomfrey really did tend to fuss over everything.

Having been left alone in the silent room, hearing nothing but the chirping of the birds outside and the soft breath of the wind, Harry shoved his hands into his robe pockets and turned to the bed beside the one where Cho had been. The bed was empty and the curtains were drawn back, but it hadn't been that way when he was startled awake last night…

"Harry?"

He ignored the familiar voice that called him and continued to stare at Cho's neighboring bed, sensing the person walking closer. When the footsteps stopped right beside him, the person spoke again. "You're not thinking about that again, are you?"

"I can't help it, Ron," Harry addressed his friend, still staring at the empty bed. "I can't seem to get the image off my mind."

"That can do permanent damage to your brain, you know," Ron said, looking at the bed as well. "Staring at that bed will make you think you're a bed, too."

Harry chuckled at the joke, though half-heartedly. "I keep recalling how I was woken up by that long howl outside the grounds while I was sleeping on the chair beside Cho. And the next thing I knew was that Madam Pomfrey was rushing somebody in on a stretcher, McGonagall and Dumbledore right beside her. I had to get up and see what was going on; they kept on whispering and murmuring to each other right beside Cho's bed and I didn't want them waking her up. And now I wish I hadn't gone and asked what had happened."

Ron shook his head. "C'mon, Harry; it wasn't your fault. For the first time ever, you had nothing to do with it."

"I know, but that's probably what's bothering me the most. That it didn't concern me, and therefore I couldn't do anything about it," answered Harry. "Dumbledore told me that he'd let me in on it if I promised I would go to sleep and stop pestering…and he told me Justin was found under the Leg-Locker Curse and the Full Body Bind right outside the Forbidden Forest…and they had no idea how that had happened…"

"Harry—"

"It was terrible," Harry went on, "the way Justin was lying still on this bed when I saw him…all the horror rushed through me…all the worry…all the feelings of not being able to understand what was going on…and for a moment I—I felt like it was my second year at Hogwarts all over again…"

An uncomfortable silence filled the room once again right after that, as the two of them continued to look down at the empty bed. Then, Ron placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, listen. These things happen, okay? We can't just keep having the good things pour in on us all the time; there had to be something like this that's bound to occur. But the good thing is, that Justin's safe now, and so is Cho. They've made it through, just like you've made it through during the tragedies of our second year. Sooner or later we'll get to the bottom of this like we always do, so don't go brooding over all this rubbish!" He gave his shoulder a little encouraging squeeze. "Have you forgotten that you've got the Amazing Hermione Granger and the Incredible Ron Weasley by your side?"

At this, Harry finally looked at Ron. He grinned. "You make a great pep talker, you know that? Ever think of taking Oliver Wood's long-empty place?"

Ron grinned as well. "That's the Harry I came here for," he patted his back. "Now let's get outta here; Hermione's waiting for us at Hagrid's hut. If we don't hurry, she might hog all the treacle fudge to herself. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

***

Hermione sighed, looking absently out the window of Hagrid's hut in a daze. She couldn't help it; her mind was at a complete loss. Nothing was ever right again the moment the new term began, what with the tutoring cancelled, Malfoy hurting her all over again, Cho getting mortally injured, and Harry wanting to kill Malfoy for it. She was, however, getting to spend more time with Ron nowadays, but that wasn't enough to drive the deep pain in her heart away, even with Ron trying to cheer her up all the time.

Falling in love with Malfoy was no easy task. He made her confused and caused her a lot of sleepless nights when her attraction towards him began. Then, he gave her the greatest pleasure anyone had ever given her that night when she gave herself away to him. Her happiest days went by, and then she was confused again because she felt that she was falling in love with him. But he made up for confusing her because he professed his love for her as well, and did a very good job reminding her of it that night in her room. And then all of a sudden, he was back to being the insensitive Slytherin she'd grown to know, leaving only a mere promise that what he felt for her was true. How was she supposed to feel? How was she supposed to react? Was he really just running her around as his pawn? Was he just toying with her emotions, and watching with satisfaction as she drove herself crazy?

Did he really mean for all this to happen all along…?

At this thought, Hermione found herself frowning, and all the pain within her was slowly turning to hate. She should've known this would happen. He had always been up to no good, and she should've known Malfoy was never going to change. She should've known.

She should've known.

"Hermione…?"

She looked abruptly away from the window and shook her head, facing Hagrid, who was holding up a pot of tea. "Are yeh alrigh'? Yeh've bin starin' at me window fer hours."

"Oh!" Hermione cleared her throat and straightened up in her seat across from Hagrid at the table. "I-I'm sorry, Hagrid…I was just…er…waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive."

Hagrid looked disbelieving, but rode on with her nonetheless. "Don' yeh worry so much. I reck'n they'll be 'ere any minute now…"

And at that moment, they heard a light shuffling sound out Hagrid's back door. Hagrid grinned. "See?"

Both of them stood up and made their way to the back door to open it, but when Hermione was just about to say "it's about time", the two of them froze when they saw whom it was through the window.

Malfoy was standing there not too far outside Hagrid's hut, his back to them, talking quietly to someone. And from the way he was moving, Hermione somehow knew that he was not comfortable with the conversation at all.

Hagrid and Hermione looked at each other questioningly, and Hermione moved closer to the window.

"Herm—" Hagrid began, but was cut off when Hermione raised her finger in a "shh" sign. She peeked out even more, and saw that Malfoy was talking to none other than his father.

"…Hogsmeade trip in March," Lucius was saying, giving Malfoy an intimidating look. Malfoy merely nodded his reply, and the two of them started to walk away. Malfoy looked up from the ground and into Hagrid's hut and Hermione ducked her head back down, her heart pounding, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't seen her eavesdropping.

It was then that three short knocks here heard on Hagrid's front door, followed by Harry's muffled voice, "Hagrid? Hermione?"

"Comin'," Hagrid replied, still looking at Hermione on the ground weirdly. He opened the front door and Harry and Ron stepped inside.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, staring at her crouched on the ground. "Are you trying out a new Quidditch stunt or something?"

Hermione blushed and got up. "Er—nothing, Ron. I was just…checking Hagrid's floor for…cockroaches."

"Oh, and make a living making Cockroach Clusters," Ron laughed at his own joke, sitting down at Hagrid's table beside Harry. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and sat down across from them.

Hagrid shook his head. "Hermione was jus' eavesdroppin' on Malfoy an' his father a while ago," he grinned, setting down the teapot and winking at Hermione. "She's bin checkin' Malfoy out a lot lately, if yeh ask me…"

"Hagrid!" Hermione whined, giving him an evil look, but blushing as well and hoping Harry and Ron wouldn't notice.

Hagrid laughed. "Just jokin', just jokin'," he sat down beside her. "Altho' Malfoy an' his father were talkin' mighty seriously, mind…" he turned to look at Harry. "So! I heard summat 'ere has a problem wit Malfoy. I'm tellin' yeh, Harry; yeh best not go lukin' fer him. That boy's nuthin' but trouble, I tell yeh, an' his father is—"

"I hate Malfoy with all my guts, Hagrid," Harry cut in, making Hermione feel thankful that Hagrid's Malfoy-bashing was cut off but hurt as well that Harry admitted his hatred for him. "He's done enough damage with my friends for the past six years and what he did to Cho is unforgivable. But a person can only take so much hatred, Hagrid. My patience has a limit. I've tolerated him long enough."

"Yeh can' say that!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Yeh've always had sumthin' good in yeh, Harry! That's wha' makes yeh so differen'! Yer not gonna sink to his level an'—"

"I'm so sick and tired of being so damn forbearing all the time!" Harry raised his voice, slamming his fist on the table and making Hermione jump back in her seat. "Malfoy hasn't done a single good thing for as long as I've known him! All he ever does is hurt other people, and did he ever get a taste of his own medicine??? Not once did he ever pay!!! And I'm personally going to make sure he does!"

The whole hut fell silent, with the exception of Fang whimpering, having been woken up by Harry's outburst. Hermione stared at Harry in shock. What had gotten into him? Was Malfoy's performance at the Quidditch match really the last straw for Harry? A while back she was starting to hate Malfoy as well, but now it was all she could do to keep from shouting back and defending Malfoy as best she could.

"Great Scott, Harry…" Hagrid commented, still staring at him.

"If it were me I would've grabbed anything around me and stabbed Malfoy right through the heart that day on the Quidditch field," Ron said slowly. "But that's just the difference between you and me, Harry…you know how to act, and when to act…" he patted Harry's back. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually glad you're not like me, and I really appreciate all the times you've held me back from losing my patience. I just wish you'd take your own advice right now, Harry…"

Harry sighed regretfully and buried his face into his hands, rubbing his temples and looking awfully stressed. "I'm sorry…" he muttered.

At this, Hermione smiled and reached out to hold his hand. "It's okay, Harry…we understand…but…we know there's something you're not telling us. Something you've been keeping to yourself," she said, tucking away the guilty feeling of knowing that she, too, was keeping something from them. "So just tell us what it is, and let us share the reason why you hate Malfoy so much…" she bit her lip and tried to erase all thoughts of Malfoy and focus on her friend, at least for now.

Harry sighed even more, and this time, he looked up at his two best friends, and at Hagrid, who was still in shock at his sudden flare-up. "I'm sorry…" he repeated. "And yes, there is something I've been meaning to tell you…I kept trying to find the right time to say this, but maybe I've delayed it long enough." He took a deep breath. "The truth is, I've been having…nightmares recently…visions that I see at random times these days…" 

Ron looked weirdly at Harry. "Visions?"

"Yeah…" At this, Harry finally began telling them everything, all that he had seen through the flashes of blurred images that he was being shown at random times. He told him every detail, every feeling, every emotion…and how long he'd kept this from them and how much he'd been meaning to reveal everything.

When Harry finished narrating his sixth vision, Hermione dropped Harry's hand and covered her mouth with it. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all this time, Harry had kept this from them? All Harry's moodiness, his restlessness, his sudden outbursts and his moments of exhaustion…it all made sense now…it all fit perfectly. It was no wonder Harry was taking the parchment from Godric so seriously, and no wonder Cho's accident was especially painful for him because he knew that something bad was going to happen…

Was Cho's accident the 'at stake' indication that the scroll was talking about…? Or was it merely a sample, to give them all a taste of what was about to come…?

She stared at Harry, more transfixed than ever.

Hagrid, too, was just as shocked. "I had no idea…" he mumbled. "Yeh should've told us earlier, Harry! Why did yeh hold it back?"

Harry sighed for the millionth time. "I was afraid I'd let you all in on the fear and worry I was feeling…the anxiety of knowing that Voldemort's got something to do with this…that he's about to make something terrible happen that's never happened before…" He looked at them all. "I didn't want to add to your own problems and burden you with mine…"

"Harry…" Hermione stood up, reached across the table and gave him a comforting hug. Harry let her hug him, and she closed her eyes and they stayed that way in silence as Ron joined them in a group hug. Hermione swallowed. She had no idea, that Harry was suffering this much…and all she was doing was fooling around with Malfoy, and worse, keeping it all hushed up. And now that she had problems with him, she couldn't stop moping because of it. Why couldn't she stay focused on her friends again…? First Ron, and now Harry…why did she have to be so wrapped up in her own worries?

This is all Malfoy's fault, she thought bitterly. He and his deceptions…I should've known he would never change. Once a brat, always a brat…

She bit her lip and sniffed, holding back a sob and fighting back her tears. It hurt her like hell to finally admit that Malfoy was, and had always been, an awful person all along…but it was the truth, and the truth always hurt.

Hermione took a deep breath and sighed. No matter how much it hurt, it was time.

It was time to get over him.

It was time to move on.

***

                "I cannot believe I lasted this long. All these years…I've wasted it all on being such a ludicrous idiot. And now that so much has happened and the times have changed, there is no possible way for me to tuck it all away and ignore it forever…

                "I've loved her for so long, and I've watched her from afar all my life…and in all the years I've known her it never even occurred to me that I might have been falling…until it was too late. It is our seventh year now. Time flies so fast and we barely even notice it. February is about to end, and the next thing we know we'd be cramming for the finals. Pretty soon we'd all be clutching our diplomas, crying bittersweet tears of success and parting…saying goodbye once and for all…

                "And even so I cannot find the courage within me. I cannot bring myself to say how I truly feel, how I long for her each day, how I bask in the light of her heavenly glow, how I find bliss in the sparkle of her eyes, how I could take in the warmth of her smile and die a content death…god, I'm pathetic. I dream of her every night and I long for her with each waking hour, yet I tremble at the thought of having to confess my feelings for her. I fear not the rejection—for I have long accepted that it is inevitable—but what I fear is the connection I might lose with her if I bare my heart and soul. If by my actions she drifts away from me, then my life will lose all worth and meaning. There simply is no other way for me to live.

                "And so I curse myself. I curse myself for being the fool that I am, not to have seen this coming. I curse myself for being so faint-hearted, for allowing myself to fall so easily and so willingly. I curse myself for all the days that have passed me by, demanding that I forget her, or beckoning me to tell her how I feel. I curse myself hour after hour…because that is what I am. A curse.

                "And so long as my heart knows nothing but her name, I shall remain a curse forever."

Ron instinctively shoved his journal under his pillow the moment he heard Harry enter their dormitory. He knew that the covers were draped around his bed, but still he threw the covers over himself and pretended to be asleep.

"Ron?" Harry whispered among the silence of their sleeping roommates, and Ron noted once again the exasperated tone in his voice. "You asleep yet?"

Ron figured that Harry probably needed someone to talk to right now, and was probably aware that Ron was only pretending to be asleep, so he replied softly, "I couldn't. What's up? You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess," came Harry's reply, and Ron saw through his curtains that Harry tiredly climbed onto the empty bed beside him. "I know I told you guys that I think Malfoy's somehow related to it all and that's why I hate him all the more, but I keep thinking that I shouldn't have revealed my…er…" he looked around at their friends, who very well appeared be completely sound asleep. "…visions," he continued. "I didn't want to burden you guys or anything…"

Ron smiled. "C'mon, Harry; I, for one, am glad you think Malfoy's the jerk in all your visions. And it's no biggie. If anything, we're grateful that you told us. This way, we can sort it all out just like we always do. Don't worry about it, okay?"

It took a few minutes for Harry to answer. "Okay. Thanks a lot, Ron. Even though I've been sulking around and hating Malfoy even more than you do, you've been bloody supportive of me for the past few weeks…you always were." Harry snuggled into bed. "Thanks."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Ron smiled and decided to hit the sack as well. He leaned back against his pillows, when Harry spoke up again.

"Oh, and Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I strongly suggest that you tell her. If anything happens, she would want to know, and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to live knowing that she was the one that got away, whether she returns the affection or not. G'night."

Ron's eyes widened and he turned to look at Harry. "How'd you—" But Harry was already sleeping, his back to him.

Ron sighed, shaking his head. Whichever way he looked at it, Harry was right. He lay back down on his pillow and smiled again.

What are friends for…

***

I'd been debating on whether or not to tell my friends about all that I'd seen, but now that I'd actually told them, another vision swept past me so quickly that night that it was shocking. My seventh vision was straight and simple, and it confirmed my doubts about Malfoy being concerned in it all. I was back in the forest where I had first seen the words, "A New Power Shall Rise Again". And there, in the middle of a clearing, was Malfoy himself, standing there, staring at me. At first I had wanted to ask him what he was doing, but then something—or someone—came up behind him. That someone gave me the most sinister smile I had ever seen in my life. That someone was Voldemort himself.

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Wow!!! It's been, what, three months or something? OMIGAWD!!!! I'm the laziest being alive!!! I can't believe that the third movie's about to be released and I'm not even done with this fic yet!!! I'm just glad that school's out in my country already and I'll finally be able to get to work on this ficcy :D I hope I can still get back your long-strayed attentions ^.^ I promise I won't take too long to update this time!!! AT LEAST one chapter every two weeks!!! YEAH!!!!

Er…I know it's not much, but compared to my previous gaps in updates, it's a big change^.^ Thanks everyone and please keep R&R-ing!!!