Forgotten Yesterday
Chapter 18: All Coming Back
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters borrowed for use in this story.
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Harry was brooding. Snape watched him sitting in the hospital matron's office as she looked over Hermione. She had woken up for a while but was again sleeping. Harry had run up to the school with the unconscious professor sometime ago. Snape walked quietly into the office and took a seat across from Harry.
"You can't blame yourself." he whispered.
"It's my fault. I pushed her to come. I should have remembered she was sick." Harry hung his head.
"Harry, tell me exactly what happened. Every detail."
He closed his eyes a moment. "We walked down to Hogsmead, went to Honeydukes', then went to The Three Broomsticks. We had the special, the we headed back to the castle. We were just walking and she almost started to slow down a little. Then she stopped and stumbled a little then she blacked out." he looked to the older man. "What do you think happened?"
Snape didn't answer. He stood and walked out to Madam Pomfrey. The two talked for several minutes before they finally returned to the office.
The silence that filled the room was almost palatable. Harry looked from person to person before he finally spoke. "Will one of you please tell me what's going on?"
"It's the same thing as before. The same curse."
"How did?"
"That is the issue." Severus spoke. "Madam Pomfrey had reversed most of it. Now the spell is even stronger. The only explanation is."
"Someone re-cast it." Harry finished. "Who would be able to do that?"
"Only one wizard I knew of would ever have been able to."
"Ok, fine so he cursed her before I killed him. Could the magic fields around the castle have messed up the spell?"
"Harry, you don't understand. The aspect that were gone are back. The only way that could have happened is if someone cast the spell on her again." Snape ran a hand through his hair. "It was recast that is all there is to it. Get me when she wakes." Snape stood to leave. He rested his hand lightly on Harry's shoulder before he turned and disappeared from the room. Harry sat silently for several moments before the hospital matron looked across her desk at him.
"You know Kaitlyn was very scared. You really should find her."
He nodded and pulled his frame from the chair, trudging from the room.
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Kaitlyn was in a back corner of the library. It had started raining since they'd returned and she was watching the water sheet down the tall panes of glass distorting and altering the dark landscape.
"Don't you think it's a little late for you to be up?" Harry approached her quietly.
"Is she better?" the child asked with out breaking her gaze.
"A little." he answered. "She's asleep now."
"Is Hermione going to die?" she turned to look at him. There were tears running down her small face.
Harry rushed forward and scoped his daughter into his arms comforting her. "No, baby, No. She'll be fine. She was just overtired. Hermione just needs to rest a few days and she'll be good as new."
"Are you sure?" she sniffled.
"Of course." he held here there until she finally became limp against his chest and he carried her off to bed.
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Harry stared into the fire. He had always loved fire. The shapes and colors that blended together to form an almost living creature. A creature that could in the same moment create and destroy everything in its path. All he could think about was Hermione. She was sick and, as always, it was somehow tied back to him. The destruction of everything he valued always seemed to tie back to him. She was feeling thoroughly self despising when the small house-elf appeared before him.
"Sorry, Mister Harry, Sir. Flippy was being told my master Snape, to gets you."
"Thank you Flippy. I know what he wants."
The creature nodded and disappeared back into the wall. Harry stood and gathered himself before heading back up the hospital wing.
Hermione was sitting up, Snape and Madam Pomfrey on either side of the bed. They seemed to be questioning her they looked at each other over her and quickly apologized and retired. Harry followed them quickly. The room felt palatably dark as he entered.
"You found out something bad didn't you?"
Snape looked up at him. "Worse than even I imagined." he waited a moment before he continued. "We assumed Hermione had been ill since the war. We were wrong. She was never sick until several months ago."
"There could have been a delay."
"You know better than that. The stronger the spell is the faster it takes effect."
Harry nodded and whispered "I need to think for a while."
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Harry retreated to a quiet tower. All his frustration and anger was released on the contents of the room. After a few minuets he stood in the center of the destroyed room. His chest heaved and his eyes stung with unshed tears.
"I must say. I love the redecorating."
He looked back to see Hermione standing in the doorway. "You shouldn't be out of bed."
"I'll be fine."
"It's my fault."
"What?"
"You being sick. It's my fault."
She stepped forward and rested her hands on the sides of his face. "It is not your fault. Not everything bad is your fault."
He looked down into her eyes. "Why don't you hate me? I abandoned you, I forgot you even existed. You have every right to despise me. You should."
Hermione smiled and gazed into his eyes. "I don't hate you because⦠I look at you and you're mostly the same as you always have been. But I look in you eyes and I see a different man entirely. You have seen so many things I cant even imagine. I know your not the same man you were then."
"You're a better person than I could ever hope to be."
"I always have been."
He smiled and lifted her face gently toward his. "I think I'm in love with you Hermione." Gently Harry pressed a small kiss to her lips.
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