Twenty-eight days and twenty-eight nights had passed since the storm and nothing had happened with Harry. He still remained in the coma, not moving as much as a muscle to show if he was at all alive. His bed was surrounded with candles and flowers, lit by students who came and prayed that he would come back to life. Yet for every day that passed - hope failed, fewer people came and those who still paid visit were filled with sadness as if the end had already come.
As for Hermione she had wakened up on the second night after she had passed out, confused and somewhat annoyed with all the tears of joy that were shed when she opened her eyes. Ron had thrown himself into her arms, kissing and hugging her so much that he had to be pulled away from her.
She was at all not happy with being cuddled up and fussed about and the moment she found out that she had been away for two days she nearly jumped out of the bed to get her books so that she could retake all the information she had missed. The staying in bed part was all thanks to Ron, who promised that he had been taking notes for her, even at Binns' classes. At this she threw him an unbelieving look, but accepted it.
And then she suddenly tilted her head to the side as if she was listening to a voice Ron couldn't hear and murmured 'yes'. Instantly rising from the bed, ignoring the protests from both Ron and madam Pomfrey she tiptoed to the bed where Harry lay she took one of his ice-cold hands in her own two and clutched it tightly.
"I know that you will choose the right way, Harry. Just follow your heart." There was purity in her voice that made it clear to everyone present that she was speaking from the depths of her heart, and they all found themselves with serious goose bumps. Kissing his hand she then lowered it and returned to her own bed and lay down there, pulling the cover to her throat as if she was freezing.
Her eyes closed and then she drifted away to sleep again, but this time it was evident that it was just sleep, a deep sleep that would last the night out until the morning, when she would be just fine.
From the following night Hermione and Ron took on terms watching Harry, one night Hermione watched him the next Ron did. And it continued like that during a couple of weeks while nothing happened to their friend, only that his skin became paler and paler for every day that passed, as if his blood slowly stopped running through his veins.
On that twenty-eighth day Ron and Hermione were eating their dinner in the Great Hall, both looking tired and worn out.
"He should have made his choice by now," Hermione mused as she took a bite out of a pear.
"What's this choice you're talking about all the time?" Ron asked tiredly.
"Harry stands between the brink of life and death, but it's up to him whether he lives or dies. Professor Dumbledore told me this a couple of days ago," she explained at his surprised face-expression.
"This clears things up a bit," Ron nodded slowly. "But I don't see why it should be a that big choice to make."
At this Hermione smacked Ron's arm hardly and totally ignored his wince, giving him a furious glare.
"How dare you say that it is not a that big choice to make?" She snarled at him. "We are talking about life and death here. Has it gotten into your thick head that Harry tried to kill himself, which makes the fact of that he'll live even smaller?"
Hermione seemed oblivious of that they were being eavesdropped by several others at the table, but Ron observed it and clenched his teeth to bite back an angry comment.
"Hermione, I'm fully aware of that, but we'll discuss this later - in private," he added and threw a meaning look to the left.
Not until now she seemed to notice that several heads had turned in their direction and thus she nodded curtly at Ron and then rose from the table, turning to the exit, just to sink back into her place and gasp for air. Her eyes were wider than ever as she looked towards the exit, and at first Ron was too startled by Hermione's appearance that he didn't notice that almost the entire Great Hall fell silent at once. Then he looked at the door and he too gasped for air.
In the doorway was someone whose features he knew so perfectly well, someone who slowly came walking alongside the wall then to sit down across his seat, seemingly unaware of all the stares he got. A smile played on his lips as he looked at Hermione and Ron, as if he knew a joke they didn't.
As they watched him they noticed that he looked as he had during his sixth year, quite tanned and the eternal unruly hair even messier than usual, but with a more vivid shine in it. His eyes were clearer than ever, even with the glasses they looked like sparkling emeralds. And there was no sign at all of how he had looked during his coma, just as if he had been taking a long and healthy nap.
He was back.
"I chose the darkness." His eyes for the briefest of moments touched Draco's, then turned back to his friends.
Hermione was the first to snap out of the shock, hugging Harry tightly. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She kept on repeating, and Harry smiled fondly, returning the hug.
"Thanks for the advice," he murmured in her hair, then let go of her, turning his eyes to Ron, who still looked at him - completely stunned.
Harry just shook his head while smiling in an understanding way, patting his friend on the shoulder once then to let go of him.
"I know.
And with those words he grabbed a sandwich and some apples, then rising to leave as suddenly as he had appeared.
Not until the doors closed behind him the Hall erupted with exited whispers and talk, and at once Ron looked straight at Hermione, Hermione who felt how tears threatened to spill over her eyes. But this time her tears were not of sorrow but of happiness, for she had seen something that nobody else had noticed.
The silver ring Harry had gotten a year ago from a certain someone had at long last been taken off.
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AN: I'm working on making the story longer, so please have understanding for the short chapters. Oh, and I added a little something in the AN in the Prologue, that I think would explain some things about my emotions towards this story, why I am writing it.
Picc136: Thanks a lot :) Yeah, that chapter is good. Though I am working on making it longer. Think I could squeeze in some more things there. Yes, just the kind of times when you don't want him to be happy. He deserved to be tricked (though don't say that to the rest of the fans ;) )
BlahnessMucho: Yes, she's tricky :) That's my kind of girl.
Zoomaphonethepirate: Yes, Draco should be asking for forgiveness. But he's a Malfoy, and Malfoy's don't ask for forgiveness. You did? Good. I think it was subtle enough.
Ko: That's somewhat the point. This is going to be a long story, and thus I don't want to give out too much too soon. Then it would grow boring. Capisce?
Ivin Artemis Draconis: Indeed that is the point. But you will understand in due time. She is important to the plot, otherwise I wouldn't include her.
CatiSPONGEBOB: I'm sorry, as said I'm working on it. Just be patient. The next 2 chapters are about 3-4 pages each. Long enough? And I try to write as well as possible, due to that it satisfies both me and you readers.
Swtdreams07: No, Moranna is not a veela. Her kind is somewhat… different. You'll see if you continue reading.