--Incendio--

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Don't sue, I'm poor. EXCEPTION: I own the Witches of Trane, the Crystal Orb, the flying carpet idea for the story (kinda), the idea that the forests of Albania are next to the Dead Sea, the Door of Serenity, and Fabrisia, home of the nymphs.

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CHAPTER 20: Karissa and the Nymphs (Chapter rated PG-13)

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Hermione took a deep breath. "I have an idea."

Draco looked at her expectantly.

"But..." she smiled weakly. "I'll need your help."

He shrugged. "So? What's the big deal? You're acting like you're going to shrink me and throw me there or something."

Hermione giggled. "Not quite." She stood, contemplating her idea.

"So...?" said Draco after a few minutes. "What's your idea?"

"I was thinking..." said Hermione tentatively, "that I could... temporarily... kill myself."

Draco started to cry out in protest, but she shushed him.

"It's only temporary! I become a ghost for 24 hours. That way, I could go down to Ron, get him, and bring him back to the other side. Then I could come back for you!"

Draco looked at her like she was crazy. "And what happens after 24 hours?"

Hermione sighed. "Well, if my body isn't brought back to life by a specialized healer with a certain charm and a potion... I die. Forever."

Draco shook his head violently. "No! Absolutely not! I won't let you kill yourself for this guy, Granger! I mean Hermione. I mean Granger. I don't know! But you just... can't! I'll do it!"

Hermione shook her head. "No. You don't know how to do it. I'm the one who read the books."

Draco kept disagreeing, but Hermione persisted.

"Fine." said Draco quietly after some minutes of bickering. "But on one condition." He said.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"If you do die, within 24 hours, I'll kill myself too."

Hermione shouted. "No! That's so stupid, Draco! I die, so you kill yourself! No way. It's out of the question."

Draco glared at her. "It's the least I can do! Please." His eyes were filled with worry and sorrow. So much that Hermione couldn't help but give in.

"Okay, Draco. But don't let this make you think I'm always going to give into what you say this quickly."

Draco nodded. "Okay." He gathered her into his arms and they kissed.

After the couple parted, Hermione said, "Just... look after my body, okay?"

Draco nodded.

Then, Hermione pointed her wand at herself. "Wraity." she said quietly, silently hoping her wand wouldn't hear her. But it did, and she felt a horrible, sickening pain in her stomach and heart. She screamed in agony and dropped to her knees, then fell into the sand, hair splayed out on the dirt and arms at her sides. She breathed out, and Draco was on his knees at her side instantly, tears forming in his eyes, afraid the spell didn't work. But then a second later, a small, almost transparent figure emerged from Hermione's fallen body. It was her. She was wearing the same thing that her body was wearing. Draco gasped.

"Hi!" she said.

"Hey..." he said, still in a daze. Before he could say anything else, the ghost Hermione flew down the side of the cliff, over the river to where Ron was.

He gasped and groaned. "Who are you?" he shouted, glaring her. Then, knowingness appeared in his eyes, followed by sadness.

"Hermione? You're... you're... dead?" he said quietly.

Hermione grinned weakly. "Just for 24 hours. I'm here to help you and Draco across the river." she said.

"You mean Malfoy. You just called him Draco." he looked at her suspiciously.

"Right. Are you okay?" she asked quickly, changing the subject.

"Oh, just dandy. First, I appear in an Egyptian Pyramid, then I fall down a pit, then I go through a dark tunnel, and appear here, on top of a raging river! These 2 days have been absolutely peachy! I even think I broke my wrist!"

Hermione's face filled with worry. "Really?" she asked.

"No." said Ron, smirking. "It just sounded better."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We have to go. If I don't get revived in 24 hours, I'll be dead permanently. Now come on, hop to!" she said indignantly.

Ron smirked. "Yes ma'am."

Hermione went to pick him up, and was surprised at how light he felt. She was amazed. Normally, she wouldn't have even been able to stand with him in her arms. Now, she could fly to the sun and back.

She floated them out of the small enclosure, and up to the top of the other side of the river. The fields were just a beautiful, if not more, from where she stood. She reached out to touch it, but her hand went under the grass with a gross hissing sound. She pulled back and sighed.

Then, after letting Ron go, she went back to the other side, to fetch Draco. He smiled weakly, holding her limp form in his hands. 'Is that really what I look like when I'm sleeping?' she thought.

She picked up Draco and herself, still surprised that even with Draco's heavier weight, and her own added to it, they still only felt as heavy as a light dove bird. They glided easily through the air to the other side, where Hermione put them down gently. Draco grunted and gently scooped Hermione's body up closer to his own, greeting Ron with a simple "Hi." and "How are you?". Then they left, Hermione far ahead of the others.

The fields seemed to go on forever, and just when Hermione thought they would be endlessly walking forever and ever, she saw something approaching them with a high velocity. As it got closer, Hermione recognized it as a nymph. They were graceful, clever, beautiful looking women. A minor nature goddess. Hermione was sure she would know the way to somewhere helpful. When she approached them, she held out her hand for the three to stop.

"Stop!" she said in an elegant voice. The nymph had beautiful brown-golden locks of hair, with a fair complexion and pretty features. Her cheekbones were high and reposed. Just the sight of her stole Hermione's breath, and obviously Draco and Ron's as well, because Draco nearly dropped Hermione's body.

"Who are you?" asked the nymph.

Hermione squared her ghost shoulders and looked at her evenly. "I'm Hermione Granger, this is my body," she said that and was instantly embarrassed, after thinking of how odd that sounded. The nymph looked at her oddly, "this is Draco Malfoy, and Ronald Weasley. We are wizards, and need help."

The nymph nodded knowingly. "You're not the only ones..." she said.

Hermione just looked at her. "There are others?"

"Yeah. Follow me." she started to glide through the air, but then stopped and turned back to the Trio. "My name is Karissa, by the way." she smiled and started walking again.

The Trio followed Karissa for a while, Hermione kept checking on her body and making sure Draco wasn't breaking her arms or legs or anything.

When they got to their destination, it was quite a sight. There was a tall wooden wall around the village, and after entering and greeting another beautiful nymph, they entered an amazing village. All around them was noise, and bustling activity and children playing. They were all nymphs, and Hermione envied them for all being beautiful. There was carts filled with grand items, like glass opticals, fairy dust, and other special ingredients for potions and special nymph spells. There was also a cart filled with exotic and elegant fabrics that Hermione couldn't get enough of.

Karissa lead them to a hut, that when they entered smelled faintly of lavender and rosemary. Hermione sighed and sat clumsily on a bed with satin sheets. The walls were covered in amazing tapestries and art. There was also a bookshelf with little jars filled with magic insects and small animals.

Hermione surveyed Draco has he laid her body down gently, and then sat next to her, and Ron sat in the bed opposite of them.

"Welcome to Fabrisia, home of the Nymphs." said Karissa with a broad smile.

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I like this chapter alot. One of my very best friends name is Karissa, and so I promised her I'd have her a main character in it. Now my other best friend, Laurel, also wants to be mentioned, but doesn't want to be a tree. What should she be?

kriCket x0 - Shame on you! This is why I'm falling apart, people don't review like they used to! Haha, just kidding. I love the way they're in love too. Totally adds to the story. :)

random llama127 - Teehee.

MiSs JoVaNNa - Artichokie.

Lestatlover1784 - Thanks! Yeah, it's just one obstacle after the other.