A/N: I couldn't wait to post this up. It's pretty long, but I hope you like it! PLEASE R+R! It would be MUCH appreciated!

Chapter 4:

Hermione checked her reflection in the taxi mirror before she thanked the driver and paid him. She stood at the gate to her second home, and took a deep breath before she walked up and knocked on the door. She waited for what felt like years, before someone came to answer the door. It was different this time. Usually, she would hear a herd of elephants thundering in the house, and the door would be flung open by a breathless Weasley. This time was different. The door opened slightly, to show Ginny's tear-streaked face. Behind her, Ron stood, motionless.

No words of explanation were needed yet. Hermione hugged Ginny, and sat her down on the couch, while she gave Ron and sad smile. She sat down on the couch beside Ginny, who tried to wipe away her tears.

"Hey," was all Ginny could manage.

Hermione gave her a sisterly smile, and then turned to Ron, who had come to sit next to her. She looked at him, wanting an explanation, but also dreading the words he was going to say.

"He's not coming back is he?" she asked softly.

Ron shook his head. "No. He did owl this over though." Ron reached into his pocket and handed Hermione a piece of parchment.

Dear Hermione,

By now you've probably heard from Ginny that I'm not coming back. Don't lecture me please. It's for the best. I've just got to… do some things first, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to come back.

Look after her. She's going to need you. Look after Ron too. You've both been such great friends. I'm sorry to have to do this. Sorry to myself too. Please don't try and find me. I know you'll try, and you might even succeed, but promise me you won't. I just… need the time alone. I need to figure out things.

If you must know everything, you can ask Dumbledore. Tell him it's ok to tell you, that I want him to. But whatever you do, don't try and find me. If I come back, I'll come back. And if I don't… make sure she moves on, ok?

Take care.

Harry.

Hermione looked up from Harry's letter. "We need to speak to Dumbledore."

"Why? What for?"

The three of them looked up, surprised, finding Mrs. Weasley waiting for an answer. Her face immediately softened when she noticed Ginny's tear-stained face.

"What happened?" Pausing, realisation dawned on her. "It's Harry isn't it?" she asked softly.

Ron nodded, numbly.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head and sighed. "I'll be back. I'm going to get Dumbledore." And with a loud crack she apparated from the room.

Hermione, Ron and Ginny were on their own again, not knowing how to deal with Harry's decision. Their thoughts were all the same, Why?.

A soft hoot came from the window. They all turned to find Hedwig trying to nudge it open. Ron got up and let her fly inside. Her amber eyes had turned dull, and Ron knew that she couldn't find him. He turned to the others. "This is bad. Even Hedwig can't find him."

A small gasp escaped from Ginny. "No. He can't be…"

Hermione got up and went to see Hedwig. She looked into her eyes and noticed the same dullness that Ron had. She absentmindedly stroked Hedwig's feathers, who hooted softly. "What do we do now?"

"We just have to wait for Mum, I guess," replied Ron, his voice distant. He cast a glance at Hermione, and awkwardly put his arm around her shoulders, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Ginny happened to glance up at her brother and her friend and smiled to herself. They took their time. Harry would be so happy for them. The thought of Harry brought on a fresh flow of tears. Would she ever see him again? Would she ever be able to tell him the truth?

A loud crack interrupted the still silence of the Burrow. Dumbledore gazed at the three of them, through his half-moon glasses. These three have been through so much, he thought. It's my fault that they're in this situation. He cleared his throat. "I think maybe it is time for me to tell you the reason, though I am not sure whether Harry would want this."

Hermione looked up, acknowledging the Headmaster. "Sir, he did give us permission to ask you, and said that he wanted you to."

"In that case then, it is my duty to tell you." Dumbledore opened is mouth to begin retelling what seemed to be a long story, but he was interrupted by Ron, whose eyes flared with anger.

"Sir, are you saying that you KNEW Harry would do something completely STUPID like this? That you KNEW and you didn't tell anyone?"

Mrs. Weasley cast Ron a look. "Ronald Bilius Weasley! Must I remind you that you are speaking to your Headmaster?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "Molly, it's quite alright. He does have the right to be angry with me." Then, turning his attention to Ron, "No, I did not know that he would do this, but I thought as much."

This answer didn't seem to please Ron, but before he spoke in argument, his mother quickly silenced him with a look.

"Now, if I may continue," the Headmaster said, a slight laugh in his eyes. "You might remember Professor Trelawney?"

To this, Hermione muttered in disgust. "That old bat doesn't know a thing about Divination."

Dumbledore regarded Hermione with a laugh. "Of course, I must admit, her divination skills aren't quite as good as great-great-grandmother's. However, she has made two accurate predictions. One of Voldemort's rise, by the escape of Peter Pettigrew. The other one was only known by a few people. It was recorded and stored in a sphere, similar to those that you saw in the Department of Mysteries. This is what Voldemort was looking for." He stopped, to regain his breath, then continued. "No one person was identified, however, it was presumed to mean Harry." He lowered his voice. "It could have been Mr. Longbottom, though."

Hermione looked up. "Why couldn't it be Neville?"

Dumbledore smiled at her with his eyes. "Patience, please, Miss Granger. I'm sure you'd rather hear the prophecy first. Knowing you, you will probably understand why it doesn't seem to be Mr. Longbottom."

Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, sir. Please, continue."

"The prophecy is this:

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches

Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies

And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not

And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.

Hermione, Ginny and Ron sat in silence, his words playing over and over in their heads.

Then Ginny glanced up, tears in her eyes for the hundredth time that day. "He has to die?" Her tears spilled over, as if even the slightest speculation would make it come true.

Mrs. Weasley made a move to comfort her daughter, but her son was there first. Ron put an arm around his sister's shoulder, not for the first time realising just how small she was.

Hermione, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. "No. He doesn't have to. It said that 'either must die'. Essentially, he has to kill Voldemort."

Ginny gasped, then covered her face with her hands. "That's just suicide!" she wailed, her voice muffled under her hands.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the room became quiet again. "Not necessarily, Miss Weasley. You yourself have seen how he has defeated Voldemort on numerous occasions. He does have the capability to do it. However, he can't do it on his own."

"Then why's he leaving?" Ron spoke for the first time in a while.

Dumbledore sighed. "He feels like he has already put you through so much, and he does not want anyone he loves to be hurt because of him."

"But we've been perfectly fine battling alongside him before," argued Hermione.

"Miss Granger, look at it from Harry's point of view. He has lost his parents because of Voldemort. He has lost Sirius too. He does not want any of you to be hurt, because he cannot handle the loss and he would blame himself."

"Yeah, but" Hermione was cut off by Dumbledore.

"He needs you now more than ever. I have already discussed this with him, but I feared that he would still do something like this. He must essentially fight Voldemort by himself, but reach that point, he must have the support of his friends. He must have their love."

"'Power the Dark Lord knows not'," whispered Hermione.

"Indeed, Miss Granger, indeed."

Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley sat around Dumbledore, thinking this over. They loved him. They were probably the people that loved him the most.

I love him, thought Ginny.

A/N: So? What do you think? Please, please, please, please R+R… it really pushes me to write more and helps me write a little better… Not sure when I'll get the next chappie done, but hopefully I do it soon! inandout