chapter fifteen: black magic

They moved through the corridors of Hogwarts silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Draco, still unconscious, was being levitated behind them, courtesy of one of Ginny's spells; Harry was astounded by how powerful she had become.

"I still don't understand why we're here," Hermione admitted, breaking the silence. Her voice echoed eerily through the hollow halls.

Ginny didn't even bother glancing back at her. "This is the only place with the right ingredients for the spell to set things right."

"Hold on." Ron moved to his sister, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. "Since when did you become the bleeding expert on all of this?

"There's no time for this, Ronald," Ginny snapped irritably.

Behind Ron, Harry folded his arms. "Make time."

Ginny glanced back and forth between them, then gave an exsperated sigh. "Fine. I– I'm the one who brought Hermione back."

Hermione gasped; the two boys stared at her in shock. "But you said you didn't know there was a spell that could bring back the dead," Harry reminded her, "you looked as surprised as we were."

"I was surprised," Ginny insisted, glancing over at Hermione. "I didn't even realize what I'd done until a short while ago. After Hermione died, everything was different." She looked at Harry pointedly. "You were different. I cast a spell to return things to the way they were."

"And brought me back in the process," Hermione finished for her.

Ginny nodded. "I don't know what I expected to happen, but it certainly wasn't this. But we can make things right again. I remember there was a counter-spell in the book." She sighed, looking away. "We can all be happy again, but we have to act quickly. The counter-spell will only work if it's performed within ninety days of her death."

Ron shook his head ruefully. "Quite a warranty, that is."

They turned and followed Ginny down the hall once more. She moved purposefully to Snape's classroom, glancing around the hallway to make certain no one was coming. "Alohamora," she whispered, pointing her wand at the door. It unlocked, and the group slid inside. Ginny moved Draco's body over to a table-top and let it rest there. Next, Ginny moved to a shelf and pulled out a book, ripping out a page about midway through. "Here are the ingredients. Ron, you find the eye of newt, the whippoorwill tongue, and the daisy dew. Hermione– "

But before she could finish the thought, Hermione let out a little moan and stumbled forward. Harry caught her before she hit the ground.

Ron moved toward them, his eyes widened. "Is she all right?"

"Hermione?" Harry questioned, pushing her hair from her eyes.

She blinked at him, looking vaguely disoriented for a moment before recognizing him and smiling. "Harry."

Harry glanced up at the others. "I think she has a concussion, from hitting her head on the tree."

"Stay with her," Ginny instructed. "We'll get the ingredients."

The two Weasleys moved about the room, uncharacteristically business-like. Harry looked down at Hermione once more. "Are you all right? Try to stay awake."

The goofy smile had faded from Hermione's face, and she was looking up at Harry earnestly. "Harry, please, I want you to make me a promise. Try to understand."

Harry frowned at her. "Try to understand what, Hermione?"

To their left, Draco stirred as he regained consciousness. He looked positively panicked for a moment, and then his gaze fell upon Hermione and he gave a shuddering sigh. "Thank God."

In an instant, Harry's wand was in his hand. "Don't move, Malfoy."

Hermione met Draco's gaze and then raised a hand to Harry's arm. "It's all right, Harry. He's back now."

"Don't worry about it, Hermione," Draco said quietly. "I deserve worse."

"It wasn't your fault, Draco," Hermione returned kindly. "It was all part of the spell." She glanced up at Harry, giving him a reluctant smile. "Could you give Draco and me a moment?"

Harry had just opened his mouth to protest when Ron called to him from the other side of the room. "Harry? A word. Now."

Gently, Harry removed himself from underneath Hermione and half-jogged to where Ginny and Ron were standing. It was hard to tell in the darkness of the room, but Ron's face looked absolutely livid. Harry slowed to a stop, his chest flooding with foreboding. "What? What is it?"

"Tell him," Ron demanded, motioning at Harry with his thumb.

Harry turned to Ginny. "What's going on?"

Ginny looked just as infuriated as her brother. "The spell is a very complicated thing, Harry," she explained, her voice tight and clipped, "This isn't fluffy bunny magic. It's dark stuff, and we have to accept the consequences."

Ron's eyes were blazing now. "Tell him, Ginny!"

She cast her gaze down to the ground. "The first spell brought back a life, Harry," she said softly, "and so the counterspell...requires a life in exchange. It will put everything back to the way it was– including Hermione."

No.

No.

No.

For the first few moments, that was the only conscious thought that ran through Harry's mind. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced back, realizing that Draco had helped Hermione across the room. She met his gaze with tear-filled eyes.

"I said you'd have to understand, Harry," she reminded him. "I don't want to go, but we have to set things right. I can't let everyone suffer just to keep my life."

And Harry finally vocalized his initial train of thought. "No– no. There has to be another way."

Ginny shook her head. "The text is very clear, Harry. A life for a life. That's what it requires."

Harry shook his head. "No. I won't accept this."

There were tears slipping down Hermione's face now. "You have to, Harry." She turned to Ginny and Ron. "Get the spell ready. Go on– go!"

They obediently began to move about the room. Draco ducked his gaze and took a step back. "I'll see if I can help," he said.

When they were gone, Harry turned to Hermione and clutched at her almost desperately. "Hermione, you can't. I won't let you die. Not again."

"I don't want to go, Harry," Hermione returned, her voice quivering, "but this is the way it was supposed to be. You can move on with your life now, and everyone can be happy–"

"No. No!" Harry shook his head vehemently. "I don't want a life without you, Hermione. I...I love you."

He said it with some wonder in his voice, having only just realized it himself. He loved Hermione. He loved Hermione. And he had realized it too late.

Any self control that Hermione had previously exercised was gone; she began to sob openly. "Oh, please don't say that to me– not now. If there was any other way...but this is only making it harder, don't you see?" She sniffled, wiping at her face with one hand. "Oh, to Hell with it."

She threw herself forward, kissing him with all of the love and passion she'd been hiding for the past several years. Harry returned the kiss desperately, ignoring for the moment that Ginny and Ron and Draco were probably all watching. She was the only thing that mattered now. She was the only thing that had ever mattered.

When they finally pulled apart, Harry refused to release her. "Don't go," he begged, "don't go, please don't go..."

She shuddered in his arms. "I have to, Harry."

They remained like that until Ginny approached, her face impassive. "Hermione," she said, "we're ready."