Chapter 17
A Final Meeting and A Resolution
LOCKHART
Gilderoy walked slowly up the steps leading to the large doors which flanked the main entrance to Hogwarts. His mind felt confused, as
though it almost wasn't his own. It had been like that for a while he reflected; strange thoughts that had seemed to come from elsewhere
had infiltrated him. Especially when he was with Hermione he realized. What had happened at the restaurant was especially troubling,
how could he have let himself be seen with a student out in public like that? Gilderoy shook his head as though that might clear it but he
only felt more confused. Images of he and Hermione together kept running through his head. He didn't know what he felt anymore.
Reaching the front door he turned the large iron handle and stumbled inside.
Making his way back to his room Gilderoy felt a strange sense of loss. There would be no Hermione there to hold, to feel pressed against
him. The memory of her was soclear he could almost smell the familiar smell of her skin. He stopped walking and gave a loud groan.
Why was he thinking about her when he felt nothing for her? Or did he? His mind was foggy and unclear and he hated the feeling.
"What's happening to me?" he groaned aloud, running his hands through his blond hair.
Shaking with frustration he tried to walk as fast as possible without attracting attention, and make his way back to his room without having
to talk to anyone. Luckily the corridors were deserted and Gilderoy reached his door without seeing anyone. Just as he reached out to
turn the handle a quiet voice spoke beside him.
"Um…Excuse me Professor…..".
Lockhart jumped and whirled around to see a tall slim girl with a long dark plait standing next to his door. She looked familiar….what was her name…Padati?...
"What is it?", Lockhart asked harshly. "My student consultation times are between 4-5 in the afternoons only".
"I'm sorry, Professor, I know that…it's just that…I…um….". Parvati said timidly as she twisted her robe between her hands.
"What? For goodness sake what is it?" Lockhart said again more impatiently this time.
"It's just….um…I have to speak to you about Hermione", Parvati blurted out quickly.
The colour drained from Lockhart's face and he suddenly felt weak although he didn't exactly know why.
"You'd better come in", he said hurriedly pushing Parvati into the room in front of him.
Closing the door behind him he turned to look at the frightened girl.
"Tell me", he said.
Parvati gulped, and looked at the ground.
"It's all my fault sir. I'll probably get expelled for this, but I have to tell you the truth. For Hermione's sake".
"The truth?", Lockhart asked feeling cold.
Parvati looked ready to cry as she looked up to meet his eyes.
"Yes. About what happened at the restaurant tonight. With Hermione".
Lockhart felt amazed, how did this girl, whom he didn't even know, know anything about tonight?
"The thing is…", Parvati continued in a small voice…."The thing is that I gave you a love potion and that's the reasonfell in love with Hermione".
The was a silence as Lockhart's gaze seemed to drift away. All of a sudden his mind was clear. This revelation from the unknown girl had blown away the confusion. He understood everything and felt free. Yet with that freedom came a feeling of deep sadness.
"I understand if I'm to be expelled", Parvati said softly, starting to cry.
"But…but…why did you do it?" Lockhart asked.
Briefly Parvati explained about the bet. It all sounded so stupid and childish to he ears now as she said it and she felt herself cringe as she described how she had slipped the potion into Lockhart's drink.
"Love potions are illegal", Lockhart said. "How was this not detected by the Ministry?".
"The potion I used is an old one that dates back to ancient Indian times", Parvati explained. "I found it in an old notebook belonging to my great great grandmother. Its usage is not known in England".
Parvati was about to go on and tell Lockhart about why the potion had failed but something held her back.
"I think you'd best get back to your room now", Lockhart said to Parvati with no emotion in his voice.
"Am I to be…to be expelled?" Parvati asked, new tears running down her face.
"No". Lockhart replied abruptly. "Just leave. Don't speak to me again".
Parvati gulped and quickly ran out of the room leaving Lockhart standing in the middle of the room.
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The sadness he felt seemed to penetrate him to his core. Everything made sense now, the strange feelings of not being in control of his
emotions, his out of character behavior. Why had he suddenly felt differently at the restaurant? He had forgotten to ask the girl that and he
supposed it didn't matter anyway. He was free of the love potion. He should be glad it hadn't persisted longer than it had, yet something
inside him didn't feel that way at all. A flashback to him and Hermione in the hall together, a few days ago. The warmth of her lips, her
deep brown eyes looking into his. Why was he thinking of this now? He had no feelings for the girl, it had all been a stupid spell. Gilderoy
had never loved anyone properly but himself. Why then this strange feeling when he thought of Hermione?
Walking over to his bed, Lockhart sat down and ran one hand over the silky cover, remembering when he and Hermione had lain
together beneath it. Groaning he grabbed his head. Why must he keep thinking of that girl! He tried taking deep breaths but too many
images kept flooding his mind. He relived the feelings of being with Hermione, yet these feelings were not the feelings he had experienced
in the past. They were new, intense, real. He didn't know what was happening to him, what anything meant. Getting up he walked over to
the mirror and stared at his familiar reflection. Deep blue eyes gazed back at him as he searched for clarity.
"Stop thinking about her. She means nothing to you," he told his refection, but even as he was saying the words a stab of pain shot
through him. He hung his head and closed his eyes staying like that for a long moment. Slowly he raised his head and looked at himself
directly in the mirror.
"I love Hermione", he said. As the words were spoken a tremendous feeling, unlike anything he had ever felt before welled up inside him.
"I love her!" he cried out. It didn't matter about the potion, or what had happened before, this was real. Somehow, this was real and that was all that mattered.
"I've got to find her", he thought. "Now".
Grabbing his robe, Gilderoy flew through the door. He didn't know where he was going and didn't care. Somehow he would find Hermione. He would make everything right.
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After running through numerous corridors, one moment feeling excited and elated and the next feeling complete despair, Harry paused to lean against a wall breathing rapidly.
"Something the matter dear?" a voice asked conversationally near his right ear.
Harry looked around and saw a plump, kindly looking witch staring at him from her painting. She looked a little like Mrs Weasly and for
a moment Harry thought he was going to embarrassingly burst into tears.
"Um…er no it's nothing. Really…." Harry gulped.
The plump witch looked at him sympathetically and made tut tutting noises.
"Nothing hmmmm…..well dear it doesn't look like nothing to me, not with your hair all over the place like that…and oh is that tears I can see?"
"No!" said Harry angrily wiping hurriedly at his eyes with one hand. "I don't know what you're talking about"
The plump witch plopped herself down into a comfortable looking armchair and shook her head.
"Why don't you tell me all about it, you'll feel a lot better if you get it off your chest".
Suddenly Harry realized he was about to tell a painting everything.
"I've got to go", he said hurriedly and turned back the way he had come.
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Hermione didn't know where to go once she had left Parvati in the library. She was so confused. The idea of finding Harry was strong in
her mind. Harry would make everything alright, he always did.
"I love him", she thought, although a tiny doubt sprung up in the back of her mind.
"Oh really?" it said. "Do you love him, or do you just need him? Harry has always been there for you, and he is cute. But is it love, or did
you just think it was?"
An image of Gilderoycame into her mind, and she felt as though a vicious vice was squeezing her heart. "He doesn't love you. He never
did", she told herself tears begining to flow again.
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Harry walked quickly in the direction of the library. Maybe it was just wishful thinking but some instinct told him that was where he would
find Hermione. As he turned a corner into the corridor the library was on he had a fleeting glimpse of someone rounding the corner up past the library.
"Hermione!", he yelled out on impulse and the figure stopped and turned.
He walked quickly over to Hermione and saw the tears running down her cheeks. Without any conscious thought he took her in his arms
and held her close as she sobbed against him.
"Oh Harry…I'm so confused", she wept into his cloak. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry about everything".
Harry could feel her trembling in his arms and he hugged her closer. It felt so good to finally be able to hold her. He smoothed he hair with
one hand and gently rocked her.
"It's ok, everything's alright", he murmured.
Hermione pulled back and looked at him with tear strained eyes.
"Harry, I…I don't know what I feel anymore".
Harry didn't say anything but looked back at her with those disconcertingly green eyes. Hermione felt a moment of attraction to him and
then suddenly Harry was leaning forward, kissing her. In shock she at first responded, feeling the warmth of his lips against her. But this
was wrong, it felt wrong. There was caring and love, but no passion. Hermione loved Harry she realized, But as a friend, not a lover. It
could never be anything else. She pulled back away from him, breaking their kiss.
"Hermione…what's wrong?" he asked in confusion.
"Harry…I'm sorry….this….this just isn't meant to be", Hermione said, feeling her heart break a little as she saw her words register in his mind.
"But I love you", he said in anguish.
"I love you too, Harry, but only as my friend. I'm so, so, sorry", she said.
"It's Lockhart isn't it! You still love him!" Harry yelled. "How could you do this?".
Fresh tears were slowly coursing down Hermione's cheeks. She stood silently in front of Harry knowing that there was nothing she could
say to dim his pain. She should know. They both loved someone who didn't love them back. For she loved Lockhart, she knew that
now.
A few moments passed and then Harry looked up.
"That's it then. It's over", he said and turned and walked slowly away up the corridor, his head bowed.
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Hermione leaned against the wall. She didn't know how she would continue her life at Hogwarts. Everything seemed to be falling apart.
She turned around and leant her arms against the wall burying her head in them. Deep, painful sobs coursed through her and she felt as
though she were going to die. So deep was her anguish that she didn't even feel Lockhart's hand on her shoulder and was barely aware
when he turned her around to face him.
"Hermione, Oh Hermione", he said holding her by the shoulders.
Realising who was in front of her Hermione gave a gasp. Was this possible? She looked up into Lockhart's vivid blue eyes and what she
saw there was something she had never seen there before. She hardly dared hope that it was real.
"I love you Hermione", Lockhart said, and suddenly it was real, and Hermione could accept the love she saw in his eyes.
"I love you too", she answered, throwing herself into his arms. "Hold, me…please hold me".
"Forever", he whispered wrapping his arms around her and pulling her so close he could feel her heart beating against his.
"I want to take you somewhere", he said "Somewhere away from here".
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Gilderoy and Hermione made their way down the path away from Hogwarts. Hermione was wrapped in one of Gilderoy's cloaks and he
carried his broomstick. When they were out of sight of the castle they straddled his broom and he wrapped his arms around Hermione,
holding her close.
Their ride through the dark, stormy night was exhilarating. All they could think of was each other. Hermione had no idea where they were
going but she trusted Gilderoy completely. They arrived at a dark house, which had small turrets and was made of blue stone.
"This is my house", Gilderoy said stepping off the broom. Without another word he bent down and picked Hermione up as easily as if she had weighed nothing.
"I remember another time you carried me", she whispered as walked through the front door.
"Yes, but this is real", Gilderoy said "This is true", and he turned his head and kissed her tenderly. He made his way up the stone stair
case, still in the dark, and walked through into a room at the top. Setting Hermione gently down he waved his wand and instantly the
room was lit by a warm glow from an open fire place. A large four poster bed stood by the wall and a soft rug lay on the floor in front of
the fire. Gilderoy took Hermione's hand and lead her to the bed. Slowly he slipped her robe off her shoulders and then his own. They
looked deeply into each others eyes.
"Hermione, I love you. I love you with everything that I am. I don't know how or why but I know that what I say is true", Gilderoy said.
"I know", Hermione replied. "I love you too".
Taking her into his arms Gilderoy kissed her fore head. Leaning down he whispered into her ear.
"Let me make love to you".
"Yes. Oh yes", she whispered back.
Gilderoy slipped her shirt over her head and then undid the front of his own and pulled it off. He reached forward and began to kiss her
neck with light, tender kisses that made her shiver. Gently he undid the clasp of her bra and she felt it fall free as she pressed her body
against his. He slipped down her skirt as she undid his pants. Naked they stood before each other. There was no awkwardness or
embarrassment as they took in each others bodies, only a deep need. Gently Gilderoy lay Hermione back on the bed and moved beside
her. The room was pleasantly warm and they felt no need to have the covers over them. Hermione ran one hand down the firm muscles of
Gilderoy's back, delighting in the smooth warmth of his skin. As they kissed, their tongues moving over each others lips, and seeking out
the contours of each others mouths, Hermione pressed herself closely against Gilderoy. She could feel his warm, throbbing hardness
against her thigh, and moaned slightly as she moved against it. She suddenly felt a deep need to be close to him, to feel him within her.
"Please…now", she whispered in his ear.
They rolled over together, as Gilderoy slid on top of her, and then she felt him move inside her. There was a slight pain and then his deep,
hard warmth filled her. Crying out in pleasure she wrapped her legs around him, pressing him more deeply inside her. He pulled out
slightly and then plunged in again, crying out her name as she moved her hips to meet him. With every thrust she felt her pleasure almost
reach a peak, and they began to move faster together, their breath coming in short gasps. Almost when she felt she could no longer bare
it, wave of pleasure so intense that she screamed his name, washed over her. Gilderoy pulled out and then pushed in deeply one more
time, feeling an exquisite release and clasping Hermione tightly to him. They lay as one for a few minutes, and then he rolled over to lie
beside her. Hermione nestled into the crook of his arm, feeling a contentment and peace she would not have believed possible.
"My love", Gilderoy said, propping himself up on one arm and tenderly moving a piece of hair from off her face. Hermione smiled up at him.
"I think this is a dream", she said. "It's too perfect to be real".
"No", he said seriously. "Whatever the past has held, this is real. It's not a dream. I, love you and I will always love you".
Hermione looked deeply into his blue eyes and he into her brown ones. In each others eyes they saw their love for each other mirrored back.
"I love you too", Hermione whispered. "Forever".
THE END