Chapter 3- A Dubious
Plan
Hermione felt her face flush as everyone focused on her.
She stood there for quite awhile just staring back, completely
forgetting what she was about to say. Someone made a coughing sound
and Hermione jumped. "Uh... Oh yes! Of course! I um..." She ran
toward the kitchen looking sheepish. "Can you guys wait here for a
while?"
Pans and pots fell and clashes and clangs could be heard from inside the kitchen. Suddenly Hermione pushed the door open and jumped right back in to the room where the people were gathered. She held the same piece of parchment she showed to Ron looking a little tense. She shook the parchment to straighten it and cleared her throat. "This right here," she held the parchment up, "is the answer to our problems!"
"And what's that supposed to be?" Sniffled Dean.
"This parchment tells us how to summon the Ancient God-Beast of China." Hermione's eyes were sparkling.
"And where did you get that Granger?" Malfoy's unmistakable drawl was back. He was looking up at the ceiling as though extremely interested about the spiders that were crawling there.
"I got it from this woman." Hermione managed a little snigger. "She was like a thousand years old!" Everyone else managed chuckle a little. "Anyway moving on," Hermione glanced hopefully at Dumbledore, "she told me that this parchment held the key to summoning the God-Beast. It came from the scroll of the four gods." Cho Chang, who was sitting in a corner chair, stifled a gasp. "It says the only way to summon it was to collect the seven celestial jewels scattered around China. If that fails, a sacred jewel could be used," Hermione's face was in deep though, "though I don't really get that part."
"Well, I do!" Cho stood up. Her clothing was dirty and disheveled, as though it had not been changed for years, but her hair still flowed perfectly behind her. She tapped her head with her finger, "the sacred jewel was a piece of jewelry worn by the priestess."
"Priestess?" said Luna Lovegood from the second row.
"Well, yeah, that's what you call them."
"Well anyway!" Hermione yelled to shift the attention back to her. "If I can summon i---"
"You? Summon it?" Cho yelled unexpectedly.
"Yes, me." Hermione said feeling a little insulted.
"No, that's not what I mean." Cho was yelling to the whole room now. "If a priestess summons the God-Beast she'll---"
"We'll be able to save England! Voldemort will be vanquished and..." Hermione looked away, "and Harry could come back," She said softly.
"Are you kidding?" This time it was Seamus Finnigan who piped up. "You know that there's no---"
"No human magic that could bring back the dead!" Hermione's voice was high-pitched again. "But this is not human magic."
"Hermione." Dumbledore's voice silenced the increasing buzz in the meeting. His face was looking more tired than ever. "There is a reason why no human could ever undo death." Everyone turned to face Dumbledore again. Hermione wasn't going to give up.
"Yes, but
this—"
"If someone was resurrected, the natural cycle of
life would be disturbed. Who knows what terrible things could
happen." Dumbledore looked at Hermione, "I know this is hard
but," he looked away, "a divine being would know better."
Dumbledore was suddenly quite aware of how much stain the tunnel
walls held. Hermione quietly sat down. Dumbledore had a point; Harry
wouldn't come back. She stood up with renewed zeal.
"Anyways," Ron had stood up too, "you're plan sounds too easy Hermione! I mean, we just need to collect seven little stones---"
"Jewels," corrected Hermione.
"Whatever. I mean,
honestly, do you think this would work? That woman you were talking
about could just be some mental lady walking around trying to
convince people to find some stupid stones."
"Jewels!"
Hermione shouted.
"And you know there's no way ever to bring back the dead. And where are we going to find these things?" Ron said testily.
"I don't think it's going to work, Hermione." Luna said.
"It's just sounds too... uh..." added Seamus.
"Unlikely" finished Luna.
"So how do you know
that it's going to work?" It was Ron again. "For the past five
years, we have done so many different things..." He sighed, "They
all failed."
"But this one won't." Hermione said
hopefully.
"We're dealing with something that we know nothing about."
"But that just means Voldemort doesn't know about it too!"
"Dumbledore's plan sounds more conceivable." Draco had now joined the discussion.
"Oh, so you want to
kill the headmaster!" Hermione was shouting above the blabbering
crowd. "Why don't you just send your friend Death Eaters here to
destroy us all now?"
"I would never!" Draco was also
shouting now.
"Enough, Hermione!" Dumbledore's voice, as always, silenced the entire crowd. "Draco Malfoy is loyal to me." His glasses flashed dangerously.
"Headmaster,
I---"
"Certainly, Hermione. I'm sure you will find your
answers." Dumbledore stood up to leave. "I think it's getting
late. We should all rest now, don't you think?" He glanced at
Ron. "You'll all have time to think this over while you rest."
After Dumbledore got up and left, everyone began to make their way to their own bedrooms. Ron got up and yawned before he continued right to an installed metal door. Hermione went to follow him but Cho called her before she reached the door.
"Hermione!" Cho seemed like she was trying to be quiet. People passed by her as she waved her hand at Hermione. Hermione acknowledged her and moved closer to her. Cho grabbed her arm and moved her closer. "I believe you. But...." she tugged at one of her soiled sleeves. "I know what happens when you summon it." She looked at Hermione with tears at the edge of her eyes. "You'll..." Hermione hugged Cho tightly to stop her from crying.
"Cho, I want to do this." Hermione looked so determined that Cho stepped back, shaking her head. "No! Cho, please listen," said Hermione in her quietest desperate voice. "This is the only way!"
"Dumbledore has---" Cho started but Hermione cut her off.
"No! Dumbledore... we need him. I know he thinks he needs to be the one to beat Voldemort but it just can't be." It was Hermione's turn to be teary-eyed. "We need him when we get Hogwarts back. I want Dumbledore to teach my children when we get through this."
"Hermione, if you
summon the God-Beast you won't have any children!"
"That's
not my point! A lot of people depend on Dumbledore. When Voldemort's
gone, they will need him for guidance, for strength... for a lot of
things." Hermione looked into the distance for a moment then looked
back at Cho pounding her chest with her hand. "But me... I am
nobody compared to him. I can die and no one will care."
"That's not true." Cho was crying so hard that Hermione looked around the room in panic but the room was already empty. "You're friends care for you. No! We love you." Cho sat down on one of the chairs and wept. Hermione looked down at her sighing. She stroked Cho's hair then lifted her chin so she would look up at her.
"And that's exactly why I want to do this. I want to save my friends. I don't want them to live a horrible life." Hermione and Cho stayed in the room and cried 'til their eyes were dry. Then, feeling tired and sleepy they got up to go to their bedrooms.
Moonlight had managed to slip inside through one of the sewage drains. Its touch illuminated a little corner of the room and gave enough light for both women to see themselves as they groped about looking for the door. However, the usual animal sounds that could be heard outside five years ago were reduced to ashes. Once or twice they would be a hoot of an owl or a bark of a dog but they were a rarity. When Hermione had finally reached the metal door to her room, she looked back at Cho and noticed that she was looking at her too. Cho was smiling at her.
"You know, Hermione. I think the hat was right when it placed you in Griffyndor." She ran her hand through her smooth hair. "You're very brave, you know. I wish I were like you." she looked at the spot where the moonlight had come in. "And I'm going to help you no matter what. I know that sacrifices have to be made in order for good to triumph. I didn't really think that the choice would be between you or Dumbledore." Cho's eyes were sparkling with renewed tears. "You are both very dear to my heart." She turned to open the door to her room.
"Hey, Cho!" Hermione called out softly. Cho turned back toward her. "Thank you. I would never forget what you said today." She gave Cho a smile to cheer her up then tried to make her face serious again. "Cho..." Hermione wasn't sure if what she was about to say was a good idea but she decided to push on anyway, "don't tell Ron. He wouldn't be able to take it. He might stop me--- us."
"Why?" Cho looked a little disappointed at Hermione's request. "Hermione, he loves you."
"I know." Hermione looked down. "This will break his heart."
"Don't you think
it would be better if you told him?"
"No. I'm sure he'll
find out sometime soon.... When I'm gone. But if he finds out now,
he won't be able to move on once this has all been done. Please,
Cho, do promise me you won't tell him. As a friend, please promise
me you won't tell him." Cho tried to look away, to deny the
burden that Hermione had given her but she knew it had to be Hermione
who would tell Ron.
"I won't tell him. I promise." Cho looked back to Hermione. "I hope you'll tell him Hermione." Cho twisted the doorknob and cracked the door open. She gave Hermione one last glance before she entered the dark room before her.
Hermione waited for Cho to enter her room before she proceeded to enter hers. Her heart felt heavy. She twisted open the cold metal door and pushed it in. She crept inside the darkened room and tiptoed toward her makeshift closet. She felt that the room was too quiet and creepy and hurried to change her clothes. Hermione was undressing when she heard a shifting noise near the bed.
"Hermione, is that you?" Hermione almost jumped to the roof: Ron was still awake.
"Oh! Ron!" Her voice sounded like a mouse trapped inside a tight room. "You're still awake, honey? Did you hear anything outside?" She stammered.
"What?" Ron's voice was groggy but Hermione could hear the bit where it alerted a bit. "Any problems outside?"
"Oh! No! Not at all! I... I was just asking."
"Oh, ok." Ron sounded tired. Hermione sighed in relief. Ron almost heard them talking about her plan.
Hermione thought of Ron sleeping peacefully in his bed without her. Soon, she thought to herself, soon he'll be alone. Her Ron would be sleeping alone in the bed after she summons the God-Beast. She wanted to hug him, kiss him, showed him she loved him before that would happen. She wanted to have a baby for him so he wouldn't be alone every night. She wanted him to be happy.
"Ron." She whispered. "Are you still awake?"
"Yeah, barely."
Ron yawned back. Hermione hurried toward the bed and flopped right
beside where Ron was. She stroked his hair gently and then kissed him
repeatedly on the lips and cheek. Then she took Ron's hand and
guided it toward her chest. Ron felt her soft, plump skin beneath his
rough hands. He could feel Hermione's chest rising up and down as
she breathed. He reached for Hermione's face and glided his hand
down her body. It was soft and warm all over. "Hermione
you're---"
"Yeah. Ron, can you stay awake a while longer?"
She kissed him again.
