Disclaimer: I don't own any of the orginial Harry Potter character because I am not that creative...but I wish i was...I only own the plot and my characters.
Unbreak My Heart
chapter 2: Don't Leave Me Out in the Rain
"I can't answer for everyone involved but as for myself, I'd want to reverse it. But that's not why we're here. Hermione just wanted us to find out if the Order knew of any plans to perform a school wide memory charm, so do you?" Tara answered him at last.
"We can't tell you that. You need to go and talk to Dumbledore if you want that answer." Fred stated firmly.
"Look, nothings going to the change the fact that the charms been done at this point, we just want to know if we're right. I still remember everything and the same is true for Tara and Hermione. We're going to find out one way or another, we were hoping that you would make this a little easier." Blaise rationalized.
"What they're doing is of the good of the students. The battle went very badly and some well liked students and faculty lost their lives, so they thought they would make the adjustment period a little easier for everyone. Can't you just leave it alone?" Fred continued sympathetically.
"Would you want someone to take away your memories? They had to take the good with bad and now those that remember have only a handful of people to turn to instead of an entire school. Good intention pave the road to hell and we need to learn to deal with this with all of our peers. We fought and we won, now it's time to heal but that's been stolen from us." Tara explained softly trying to make them understand what an injustice had been done to them all.
"Alot of them were our friends too and this hasn't been easy. We just wanted something better for the rest of you. We knew that Hermione couldn't be swayed but we had no idea that you and Blaise would stay the same." George tried to clarify the situation for them.
"You were going to leave her completely alone to deal with her loss. And you people call yourselves her friends...now that's rich." Blaise jumped to her defense.
"She was going to be counseled away from school but she wouldn't leave your side. Tonks was trying to figure out what went wrong with Blaise and now we find out that you were unaffected also so I don't know what to do but send you to the Headmaster." Fred grabbed Tara by the hands in a gesture to comfort her and make her see their side of things.
"If you do that, then will take our memories too and we can't let that happen. Nothing will take Hermione's away, he lives within her, so what will you all do with her to make yourselves feel better. That's what this is about you know. Making yourselves more comfortable not us." Tara scolded them.
"But we don't have a choice. Our role in this was simple and over until you two walked through our door. What did you really expect us to say??" George snapped.
"Help us to convince who ever is doing this to reverse it and let us deal with this the way life intended it. We are no longer children and should be made to regress for anyone else's comfort." Blaise translated the solution for them.
"They won't listen." Fred looked defeated and exhausted now realizing that they were right. Parts of their lives had been stolen from them and they were partially to blame for it.
"Then help us to reverse it ourselves so that we can speak for ourselves instead. One voice can be ignored but hundreds won't be silenced." Tara proposed like some kind of motivational speaker on personal impowerment.
"Fine but we want to talk to all together. Does anyone else know?" George succumbed.
"Not sure. Harry knows that things are missing but he's not really himself right now." Tara told them.
"Fine, someone meet us at the statue of the witch at midnight and we'll meet in the Prefect's common room to discuss it more then, agreed?"
"Agreed." Tara and Blaise said simulateously.
The two headed out of the shop and back to Honeydukes to return to the castle with a bounce in their steps. They had succeeded in their mission and wanted to get back to Hermione to get everything organized but one possiblity hung over their heads. Were they really the only ones? And if they were, would it be enough to change the past and give them back their memories?
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Stunned beyond words, three long faces stared back at her in disbelief. They began to look back and forth to one another searching for what to say in response to the necissity for a human body. But, it was she who broke the silence instead.
"I know it sounds completely insane but I never said thtat it had to be someone else's body. So I was thinking that we could get his body back somehow." Hermione enlightened them.
"But he's been buried, for several weeks now in fact." Harry tried to approach her as gently as possible with the reality of it. "Maybe this isn't the best way to deal with this loss. I wish that I could say that I know how you feel but I don't because I can't remember her. Please help me find my memories and then I can help you with this.
"We will get your memories back but that's not going to help with this. You'd have to get you soul back too." she retailated coldly.
"Hold it right there. How could you say that to him? He's right, you need to let this go and remember who is still here." Ron corrected her.
"This isn't just about Draco. Everyone has lost someone that they want to back but it just doesn't work like theat and you need to accept that, please." Katie begged her.
"You don't understand and I'm tired of trying to make you. He wasn't suppose to die and I'm going to do something about it whethter anyone else agrees with it or not." That's when she turned and walked away not even bothering to look back.
It was a lonely walk back to the common room but she felt it was necessary. Maybe everyone did lose hose they loved and maybe those people just accepted it but she was not like them. She was a fighter and Draco was calling to her, giving her a sign therefore, it would be done.
A cool breeze blew through her as she turned down the last hallway leading to her dorms. At first she just drew her arms closer to her chest but then another came and yet another until she stopped to turn around. She couldn't see or hear anyone but she felt someone watching her. Expecting fear, she instinctively turned to run however, something in the pit of her stomach overwelmed her with a sense of calm and longing. It was him, she knew it. She didn't understand how or why she knew it but she did and that inspired her to call out.
"I know you're hear. I miss you so much but I don't know what to do. I can't live a happy life without you in it but almost everyone tells me that I can't bring you back. Please, give me a sign, something to show me the way. I beg you to help me because I feel as though I'm losing my mind."
And then she waited patiently for the answer that she just knew was coming. He wouldn't leave her here all alone and in pain, would he? That's when she heard a faint tapping sound barreling through the halls drawning closer and closer with every breath she took. Louder and faster, closer and closer causing the air to catch in her throat. She braced herself for it, the sign she'd been waiting for, whatever it may be.
Her sign was rounding the corner with the air growing colder and colder until it felt like ice was snaking through her veins. Just a few more seconds and she would know her fate. Five, four, three...she filled her lungs with air but couldn't exhale...two, one. One face was all she saw before everything went black.....
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Tara and Blaise were setting on their house couches looking at each and occassionally glancing at the clock on the wall. Seven o'clock and no Hermione, where could she be? What could be taking her so long? The tension between them was almost to the breaking point when the portrait swung open to reveal Harry, Ron and Katie. Harry was carrying a lifeless figure which turned out to be Hermione.
"What the hell happened?" Blaise shouted while leaping off the couch and running over to grab her out of Harry's arms.
"We were o our way to find her and talk to her but as we came around the corner, she fell to the ground like she'd fainted." Katie recounted the events for them.
"Did you see or hear anything before she fainted?" Blaise questioned while laying her on the couch and checking her over, completely oblivious to the slack jawed expressions on everyone's faces except for Tara.
"I didn't hear or see anything strage except that it was so cold when we came the corner that we could see our breath. I'm talking a good ten to fifteen degrees difference and then it seemed to just magically get warmer when Harry pick her up." Ron explained. Upon hearing the last part, Blaise stopped what he was doing and looked toward Draco's bedroom door as all the color drained from his face.
Tara felt a strong outpouring of emotion coming from him and knew, without a word being said, what he believed to have happened.
"What do you think it means?" Harry asked him after seeing the change in his demeanor.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." he replied crossly. Tara was desperate to turn the empathy off but he was too strong for her. She felt as though she was going to explode and she wondered how he lived with all this inside of him everyday.
"You think that he was there, don't you?" Katie interrupted.
"Not just him." Tara began. "Cheyan could have bee with him or someone else entirely different. The only thing they know for sure is that someone's trying to contact them."
"If this thing wants to contact them then why don't they just talk to them or show themselves? How do we even know it's one of them?" Harry inquired.
"They don't except for what they feel at the moments of the visitations. The feel secure and at peace not fearful or in danger. However, until the time that actual contact is made, we won't know for sure." Tara went on.
Hermione began to stir and as Blaise sat there stroking her hand, she was transported back in her mind to a better time and place. She could feel Draco talking sweetly to her while tracing lines on her hand with his softly manicured ones. A fire began to rage inside of her and she sat up without looking, grabbed Draco and pulled him close to her. As her lips met his, her only thought was that it had been so long and she had wanted this so bad that she wasn't going to ever let go of him again. Finally, she backed out of the kiss so she could look into those deep pools of grey and blue. Opening her eyes, she got a monumental shock as it wasn't Draco that she'd been kissing but Blaise and even more unsettling was that she had four onlookers as well.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I was having a dream and I thought that you were...you were..." she stuttered.
"I know Draco." he finished for her but unintentionally with a certain feeble quake to his voice.
"What's going on? How did I get here? Why are you all here?" she berated them all with stammerings.
"Calm down, Hermione. You fainted in the hallway and Harry carried you back here along with Ron and Katie. Blaise and I were waiting her for you because we have to meet the twins in about 20 minutes at the statue of the witch to talk about the memory charms. Did you get all that?" Tara explained to her soothingly.
"Yes, I think so?"
"The twins? What do they have to do with this?" Ron piped up.
"If you'll stay here and wait, I'll let them explain it to the rest of you, ok?" Tara commanded.
"So the order is behind this?" Harry asked disappointed.
"I'm afraid so and it's up to just us to convince them to help us get it reversed. Are you three with us?" Tara delegated.
The other looked to each other but couldn't find the answer because they feared that if they helped with this, would they alson inadvertantly help enable Hermione and her delusions of bringing Malfoy back? Harry was the only one to realize that no matter what, he needed his true identity back and there was only way that was going to happen.
"I'm in." he stated after a few seconds. The others turned to Ron and Katie.
"How about you two?" Blaise interjected.....
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The rest of the group were watching them closely as Ron pulled her off to the side for them to talk. He wanted to agree bu the look on Katie's face indicated to him that she might feel differently about the subject. Wanting her to know where he stood but also to explain that she was free to do whatever she felt was best, he began to talk to her.
"Katie, there are my friends and family, I want to help but if you don't it's ok. I didn't want you to feel pressured to join in just because I am, ok?" he whisper to her.
"I understand but I was thinking the same thing only about you." she giggled.
Two bodies but one mind, as they say. So with that decided, they turned back to the others and nodded in agreement. Now all that was left was to meet with the twins so, Tara left to meet and bring them back. Whole the other were waiting and talking amongst themselves, Hermione pulled Blaise off to the side for a chat of their own.
"I feel absolutely horrible at what happened earlier. I didn't mean to and I'm sorry if you were embarrassed by it. I don't want this hurt our friendship." Hermione apologized.
"You mean the kiss? I wasn't embarrassed. A bit surprised but not embarrassed. Don't worry I understand especially considering what happened in the hall before that. But what I don't get is why did you faint?" he asked her with his eyes filled to the brim with concern.
"It's silly really but I had a fight with the others in the library and was headed back here when I felt these strange breezes and the temperature changed. I knew it was him so I called out to him and while I was waiting for an answer, I got myself all worked up. When I caught sight of Harry everything went black because I was unwittingly holding my breath." she explained feeling even more foolish.
"It that really all there is to it? I really worried that this is getting to be too much for you. Maybe you should just take a break from it for awhile and let the rest of us work on this?" he suggested.
"No, I have to do this. No one else wants to bring them back. It's up to us to do this but first things first, we have to get them on our side about the memory charms. Don't worry I'll be fine especially when we get them back, ok?" she stood firm on the subject leaving no room for arguement.
"Fine but be warned that I'm watching you. Draco would kill me if anything ever happened to you and I don't want that." he responded although secretly he wanted her to give Draco up and see him for who he truly was. But who was he really except a silly boy trying to seduce his dead best friends greatest love? Life really wasn't fair, was it?
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About 20 minutes later, Tara returned to the common room with the twins who were looking less than happy at the sight of the others. If all of them had their memories then the spell was deeply flawed and Merlin only knows what everyone else remembers also. This did not bode well for trying to talk them out of the reversal and they each knew that they were in for a long night.
"Ok, everyone let's get started. First, Hermione what did you find in the library?" Tara took charge thinking it was best to lay out most of their cards to convince the twins that reversal was envitable and therefore, their cooperation would be wise.
"Actually, I left the memory research up to Harry and them. What did you guys find?" Hermione turned back to Harry, Ron and Katie hoping that she wouldn't be asked what she was doing, at least for right now.....
Tara was about to say something but thought better of it especially now that Blaise had knighted himself her protector. She didn't want anything negative brought to the twins attention that might strengthen their resolve against the reversal. Admittedly, she wasn't completely convinced that bringing back Draco or Cheyan was wise but they had to get everyone's memory back before any final decision could be made.
"We concentrated on the Oblivate charm and its derivatives but found that it didn't meet the guidelines. Those charms erased entire chuncks of time for the affected parties not just isolated events." Harry began.
"But while you were gone, I was thinking about that and wondered that if a large enough group was being charmed, could that affect the potency of it?" Katie mused.
Fred and George were both sitting there trying to stay objective but as Katie asked the last question, Fred's mouth dropped open and it was a dead giveaway.
"She's right, isn't she?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Maybe..." George hinted.
"No maybe's, your my brother, tell me if she's right. I want to remember and I can't believe the order thought this was better than letting us deal with it on our own." Ron retaliated.
"It was for your own good but you all never listen so the decision was made for you." George shot back.
"You all didn't have the right to make that choice." Harry jumped and drew his wand shouting back at George, "You want me to take yours...Obliv.."
"NO!" cried Hermione and Tara at the same time causing Harry to stop and lowered his wand with a smile. He'd made his point by the look on both Fred and George's faces, they finally understood why it was wrong.
"I..we...never saw it that way. What do you want us to do?" George slumped his shoulders under the weight of the truth.
"Good, now answer it straight...was Katie right about this being some kind of oblivate charm?" Harry asked again calmly.
"Yes." Fred replied lifelessly.
"Can we reverse it and who did it in the first place?" Hermione was the next to demand.
"Yes, it's quite easy to reverse but you'll need help." George started to explain.
"And who actually did this?" Blaise cross-examined.
George was just about to say it when the portrait hole opened and everyone froze where they stood....
-----------------
"What are you two doing here?" Professor Snape asked sharply.
"Well...we...were...."George quivered.
"They were just coming to check on us and I guess we lost track of time. Is it that late Professor?" Blaise tried to diffuse the situation quickly.
"Does the Headmaster know that you're here?" he inquired suspiciously.
"No but we just wanted to make sure that Hermione, Ron and Harry were alright since they haven't gotten to go to Hogsmeade lately. We were just leaving." Fred explained and they both sat up as if they were going to leave.
"Don't be so sure. Come with me to see Dumbledore." Snape ordered them and started back towards the portrait when he was stopped by Hermione.
"Professor, did you need something when you came in?" she asked innocently.
"Ah, well I was looking for Potter. He needs to take his potion and I wanted to remind him." he answered unconvincingly.
"That's wrong, sir. I don't take it again for another week." Harry corrected them and from that point all bets were off.
"It was you wasn't it?" Tara accused him openly.
"Me what?" he played stupid.
"You're the one who administered the memory charm, aren't you? And now you're here trying to do damage control but it won't work. We know everything and are going to stop this gross miscarriage of justice." she replied defiantly.
"Really and how are you going to accomplish that?" he taunted her right back.
"Hermione, can you still get Rita Skeeter?" she said without breaking eye contact with Snape.
"I believe I can." she laughed catching on quickly...blackmail.
"Everyone in the wizarding community will know how the Order and the Headmaster abuised their priviledges and trust of the students of this school. Do you think the other parents will be pleased with your choice of actions?" she challenged.
"You all really think that this is some kind of game, don't you? Fine, you think that you're all so smart, let's go to the Headmaster and you make your threats there." he directed.
"What, are you not capable of making a decision of your own? The role of minion must come easy for you after Voldemort and all." Harry was mocking him now.
"We shall see how loose tongued you all really are, shall we? Now move....." was he only retort but his eyes were ablaze with hate.
"And if we refuse?" Ron stood up in protest. Now they were all standing together in constantion.
"As you wish, I shall go and retrieve the Headmaster and bring him to you." he rebuked and left in a huff.
After the altercation, they all sat and let out a deep breath while each wondered how bad the punishment would be for their obstinance. Hermione then regained her leadership role and instructed them all to relax as they would finally be able to speak their peace once and for all. The hard part was already done. Now that just had to stand their ground and if the Order didn't see the failure of their plan, then they would just have to make good on their threat.
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They waited for more than two hours and there was no sign of Dumbledore, Snape or the twins so the tension in the air was growing to astronomical level. What could be going on? Are they all plotting another memory charm in the hopes of wiping away the new information that they had found? The waiting is the worst part, Hermione thought, but she was just growing to weary to really care anymore.
"It's getting late and I know that we're all tired but I think that we should stay together with someone on watch at all times." Hermione spoke up at last.
"Watch for what?" Ron questioned.
"For Snape or Dumbledore to come back and do another memory charm." Tara added almost like she was reading Hermione's thoughts, could she be? No, she wouldn't do that. She'd always respected people's privacy, Hermione reassured herself.
"I'll take the first watch." Blaise offered.
"Ron, Katie can stay with you. Harry, you and Tara can take Pansy's old room. Blaise, I will relieve you and can take my room when I do, ok?" Hermione dictated.
"Sure." they all agreed but Tara gave her a strange look that Hermione wasn't about to address at the moment but as fate would have it, that wasn't going to be her choice.
Everyone headed off to bed and Hermione headed towards her when Tara stopped her to ask if they could talk for a moment. She agreed reluctantly but was afraid she'd cause a scene if she refused. Dreading this conversation, she closed the door and waited for Tara to speak.
"Do you think that it's wise to let Blaise stay in your room in light of what happened earlier?" she asked like she was on a fishing expedition.
"Sure, we talked earlier about the kiss and he understands that it was a simple mistake and confusion on my part. Besides, I won't actually be in here with him." Hermione replied casually.
"But what about when you are relieved?" she pressed further.
"After that I was planning on going to Draco's room." she confessed.
"Oh, I see. Why didn't you just tell him to stay there?" she pryed a little further.
"Because I want to be the one in there, is that ok?" she snapped.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, I was concerned for you two." she explained and turned to leave.
"Tara wait, why were you concerned?" she couldn't help but ask fearing that she knew more than she was letting on.
"Sometimes a trauma creates a bond between people that, when let unattended, can be misinterpreted to be something else." she said in an almost riddle like fashion.
"Spill it...tell me straight and don't even try to sugar coat it." she demanded.
"You both have lost loves, maybe in it's wake, one of you will develop misplaced affections to the other if you're not careful."
"No, that could never happen. We know all to well how each other feels about bringing them back. Neither of us has any interest in anyone but them." she reinterated.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." she warned then turned and left Hermione sitting there wondering which one she thought had misplaced feelings.......
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Quietly, Blaise went into Draco's room and grabbed the music player that he'd called a CD player so that he could listen to some music while he was on his watch to keep him awake. Although he had to admit that he was going to have no problem with that because is mind was racing with all these new feelings that he was having for the bookworm. He opened the player to see what was in it and was surprised to find a blank disc with no indication of what was on it. Only one way to find out I guess, he thought as he closed the door and hit play.
When all is said and done
And dead does he love you
The way that I do
Beathing in lighting
Tonight's fighting
I feel the hurt so physical
The song began slowly but started to pick up tempo and Blaise was trying to figure out if he liked it or not...
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around come around no more
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around no more
Now that was unexpected he thought. Why would Draco have been listening to this? Must have been another song on the disc, he tried to reassure himself but doubt was beginning to creep in....
She spreads her love
She burns me up
I can't let go
I can't get out
I've said enough
Enough by now
I can't let go
I can't get out
Uh huh...that's not good. What if he wasn't listening to this before the battle but sometime after it????
Wait till the day you finally see
I've been here waiting patiently
Crossing my fingers and my t's
She cried on my shoulder begging please
Didn't Hermione say something earlier about asking him something and waiting for the answer????
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around come around no more
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around no more
No, this just can't be because he's dead....he couldn't possibly know.....
She burns me up
I can't let go
I can't get out
I've said enough
Enough by now
I can't let go
I can't get out
What is it you really want
I'm tired of asking
You come wasted
Ok, this can be fixed but how??? I need to get a message to him....
When I showed up and he was there
I tried my best to grin and bear
And took the stairs but didn't stop at the street
And as we speak I'm going down
"Draco, buddy, are you still there???" Blaise called out not even thinking about the others that were sleeping in the corresponding rooms. No answer came but the room grew colder and the music grew louder....
Cause she spread her love
And burnt me up
I can't let go
I can't get out
I've said enough
Enough by now
I can't let go
I can't get out
Unbeknownst to Blaise, Hermione had woke up and walked into the room to the music blaring and a very distraught looking Blaise crying out to the wind....
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around come around no more
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around I'll let you feel the burn
Think twice before you touch my girl
Come around no more
After catching the last verse of the song and seeing Blaise's reaction, Hermione understood what Tara was trying to warn her about. Everything started to flood back to her, the care he had bestowed upon her, the protective nature, his surprised but shared reaction to the kiss that furthered confirmed her dream like state. That's when a cool breeze nearing blew her over again except for the slight hint of warmth and pressure upon her lips....Yes, this was what she was looking for but now it was all alot more complicated......
(author's note...the song is Think Twice by Eve 6)
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From his vantage point, Draco had been watching the twists and turns that they all had been taking while trying to decide what he should do. Mind you, his options were limited here in the bottoms of hell but Blaise had sparke a fire in his ethreal belly that was unimaginable. Hermione wanted him but Blaise was so blinded by his so-called feelings that he would take her anyway that he could get her, or so he thought. The green eyed monster could be a powerful motivator in the wrong hands.
Over the past few weeks, Draco's only source of entertainment had been his memories and controling his constant companion. This soul was the only reason that he had refused to allow himself to brought back but with the recent doings of his best friend, it was beginning to seem less and less important in comparison to losing her completely. She was worth the risk and, to be honest, so was he. Although no one really understood that since the Order saw fit to alter everyone recollections of the final battle and ultimately his great shining moment. But that too was about to change with the diligent and tireless work of his little posse.
Yet, it wasn't until after the kiss that Draco found himself sitting alone devising a plan on how to return to the mortal realm. Well, actually, the offer was made to him from the start but at the time he felt that it was too risky considering his companion and all. Now, however, that was a mere formality when he looked at the bigger picture. His latest visit may deter Blaise for a little while but not forever so he was going to have to think fast and act faster.
So with that final mitigating factor, Draco got up and proceeded down a fiery hallway with the tortured screams of lost souls fading behind him to the one person who could give him freedom. It was there, standing before the heavily guarded gate, that he knew he needed to make his final decision as to whether to stay or go and his voice of reason was conviently absent due to the overwelming circumstances from above. No turning back now as the gates opened and he freely walked to the source of all the madness for a reprieve.
"I've been expecting you." the voice raged.
"I have made my final decision but you already know that don't you?" he drawled effortlessly.
"Yes, it's a perk to the job." A laugh rang out that sent chills up his spine but never changed his mind.
"Good, then I am ready." Draco let out a deep breath and waited for the outcome.
"Remember the agreement and abide by it faithfully or there will be severe consequences." the voice warned and with a wave of it's clawed hand, everything went dark until the searing pain started to well upside him. Not much longer, he assured himself but within seconds he had already passed out from the anguish completely unprepared for what he saw when he was awaken a short time later in the cold, dark rain.......
Author's Notes: thanks for the new reviews and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the story.....
