Chapter 20 – Misfortune

On their favorite couch by the fireplace, Hermione was cuddled up in Ron's arms like a cute little dog being caressed by its owner. His body felt warm and rejuvenating under hers; she never wanted to break apart from him.

Unfortunately, there was a downside to this quixotic scene. So much homework had been laid upon them that there was no time left to be gushy. One of her last assignments was to read three chapters out of their Defense Against the Dark Arts book that Tonks had assigned. She had said that the Defense Against the Dark Arts part of the N.E.W.T's would be mostly practical, and therefore decided to give us a written test beforehand, which turned out to be tomorrow.

Hermione finished reading the last lines on the page they were on and said, "Done this page, Ronnie?"

"I was done an hour ago, Hermy, when I told you I'd read it tomorrow morning. And besides, why in the name of Merlin are you reading it when you've already read the whole book a million times?"

"What ever happened to your academic attitude in the beginning of the year?" said Hermione.

"It dropped when I fell in love with you." He kissed her neck passionately and Hermione, who couldn't indulge herself to studying anymore, dropped the book and turned her body to face him. She sucked on Ron's lips with hunger. His hand traveled down to her chest but Hermione pulled it away.

"Uh, hello… public place?" Hermione commented, casting a look across the Common Room.

"You didn't care before." Ron tightened his arms around her.

"That was different. We were only kissing then."

"We're only kissing now." Ron shifted her forward with a soft touch and dived his hand down to snatch the book on the floor. He inserted it into her schoolbag.

While Ron did this, Hermione's eyes scanned the common room and rested on Harry and Ginny. Both of them were sitting Indian-style on the floor with their faces as close as possible. Hermione giggled. Her two friends were staring at each other nonstop as if there was no tomorrow.

Ron followed Hermione's gaze, "What?"

"Look at Harry and Ginny." Their eyes were still locked as tight as wire, and from what she could tell, they hadn't blinked even once, "Gin's going to drive him insane."

Ron's face showed disapproval as he observed them,

"Uh…shouldn't that be the other way around?"

"True."

"I'll go snap them back to reality." Ron heaved his body forward but Hermione pushed it back down.

"Don't spoil the fun! I wonder who'll win this little staring contest."

"Ginny." said Ron.

Hermione frowned, "What do you have against Harry?"

"Nothing!"

"Come on, Ron. Ever since they started going together you've been acting really cold towards him." Hermione sat up straight, "Don't be so overprotective. This isn't Dean or Michael; it's Harry. And anyways, they're only having a staring contest, not engaging in sex."

Ron raised an eye at Harry and Ginny and still looked unconvinced by Hermione's words.

She turned to him, "I bet I can beat you."

"In. Your. Dreams." he said in a competitive voice and gazed at her. Hermione did the same, peering into Ron's gleaming eyes partly covered by his bright red hair, without blinking even once. After a half a minute or so, Ron spoke, "I…can't…resist…you…" He struck her neck and she struggled with him playfully, laughing along the way. Suddenly, a pain charged through her neck.

"Ouch!" she squealed, touching the part of her lower neck, "What are you? A vampire?"

He made a fang-like noise that annoyed Hermione even more. She pounced on him and dug her teeth into his skin.

"Oy!"

Hermione retrieved herself, laughing into hysterics, "You're such a wimp."

"That hurt. Really really really bad." He groaned sarcastically, trying to look at the fresh red bruise on his neck, but was unsuccessful.

"Aww…poor Ronnie. Here, let me make it better for you." She reached out to him but he repulsed. Hermione gave him a will-you-trust me look and he relaxed. From there on, she brushed her lips against his neck softly and went up to his ear, nibbling it playfully. He tasted highly luscious and yummy.

"Mmm…I love you." said Ron, as if he was in a royal fantasy world.

"You too, sweetie." she breathed in between her ear nibbling, and without a warning, he backed his head.

Hermione opened her eyes, "What's wrong?"

"Say it." he said seriously, folding his arms.

"Say what?"

"Say you love me."

"I just did."

"No. My ears heard 'you too'."

It was at that moment when Hermione realized that she had never told Ron that she loved him. It was not intentional and she had easily dismissed it. Ron was always the one who told her he loved her first, and she just simply said 'you too'. Hopefully, Ron hadn't taken this the other way, and from the look on his face at the time, he partly had. Those three words had such permanence to them, that once you articulated them, they could never be taken back.

I don't want to take them back. She wasn't a professional on the concept of love, but her definition of it was simple. Whenever she was near Ron, she encountered a rushing feeling, either positive or negative, that stayed inside her for long periods of time. She never wanted to part with him. This was love. It had to be love.

Hermione looked at Ron's surprised and almost furious face.

"I…love you. Happy?"

…

The Hogwarts library was practically a second home to Hermione. Whenever she entered it, she was drawn to the countless numbers of books just like a person addicted to alcohol. When she took a trip to the library the next afternoon, she dragged Harry along to keep his butt of a broom and make his brain pour into the books like it had never been before. She wanted to take Ron too, but he had been summoned by Snape to clean up the mess he had caused from a potion early in the morning.

Hermione wanted Harry to become an Auror, and for that, just scanning all the study material would not cut it. If he found success in his education, then maybe that could drive him to other accomplishments.

And as for her, she wanted to do something that contributed to the next magical generation of witches and wizards. Magic had given her so much to learn and live for, that she wanted to distribute part of that knowledge as a teacher.

A great amount of students were in the library because it was only two weeks left until N.E.W.T's. They took seats at one of the tables by the windows overlooking the Quidditch field. Harry stared out of it and then gave Hermione a dirty look. She set her parchment down and took out a quill to underline important parts of her notes.

"So…things with Ginny all right?" said Hermione after a few minutes, flickering her quill and reading her History of Magic notes about the Goblin Rebellion.

"Yeah, great." He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes.

"This isn't a Sleeping Hall!" Hermione snapped, "You have got to study!"

Harry's droopy eyes opened and rolled fully towards the ceiling, "Have you thought about getting some therapy?"

She glared at him.

"Fine, fine, I'll study, even though I should be playing Quidditch right now. If we lose against Slytherin, it'll be your fault."

"You really need to stop blaming me for everything that goes on in your life. And is that all you care about? Quidditch?"

"Yeah." said Harry in an obvious expression.

"How will Quidditch help you after you get out of here?"

"How do you know if I'll even make it out of 'here' alive?"

"Because I just do." she said confidently.

"Whatever…er-you have your Transfiguration book with you?"

"Yeah, it's in there." She pointed to her bag. Harry grabbed it, and with great force, pulled it towards him, "Damn, what do you have in here? An elephant?"

Hermione closed her ears. She herself had been exhausted from carrying that much because it had put so much weight on her shoulders that they had slouched down, giving her the appearance of a person whose shoulders had been struck by a ninety pound barbell.

As Harry rummaged through her bag, he pulled out an odd book and frowned, "What's this?"

Hermione's head rose to get a glimpse of a moldy non-titled book. She immediately snatched it from him, "Oh my gosh!"

Harry looked questioningly at her, and Hermione spoke, "They're McGonagall's. I stole them," Harry's eyes widened and she whispered, "I didn't actually steal them. I just duplicated them and put the books in my bag, but I forgot because of-"

Harry motioned his hand, "Because of…?"

"Oh, nothing. I just forgot." she lied, not meeting his eyes. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone about Draco's secret. Harry still wasn't convinced, so to avoid any further questions, she opened the book to the first page, only to reveal a smell of dry dust and sour lime. In bold old-fashioned letters, the title Godric Gryffindor was written on the top of the page. It then occurred to Hermione that Professor McGonagall must have taken out these books so she or Harry or Ron wouldn't get a hold of them…but then why would she place them on her desk fully opened to Hermione? Maybe she actually wanted Hermione to take them…

"Grab the other one." she commanded Harry.

While he examined the other book, Hermione flipped through the pages of her own and somewhere in the back, she spotted the world Crystal.

"Here's something." Harry pushed his chair closer to hers and peered at the page:

...In addition to being a founder of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Godric Gryffindor is also one of the makers of the Crystal of Invincibility. It is a powerful object that is capable of causing total annihilation or destroying anything that its light touches. Additionally, it possesses the power to resurrect the dead, undo transformations, and destroy any weapon in this world. The Crystal was made shortly after a prophecy that foretold the coming of power of the darkest wizard, who would be able to decimate all things (This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled because no known wizard has taken this kind of power). In effect, Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin developed a crystal during their years of friendship and inserted their blood and ultimate knowledge in it. Whenever these two wizards needed help, they could extract its power to use it against the prophesized wizard. However, it would malfunction if used against each other due to the mixture of their blood in the Crystal.

"'No known wizard has taken this kind of power?'" quoted Harry, half laughing, "Then who is Voldemort? My study buddy?"

"I think this book is before his time."

"And what do they mean when they say it 'malfunctions'?"

She didn't have to think about it that hard. She could easily correlate that to something else, "It's like your scar. When Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a baby, his spell malfunctioned and he ended up being cursed instead. That's almost the same thing as the Crystal."

Harry looked at her in disbelief, "You don't mean… wait a minute…I'm a descendant of Gryffindor…?"

"Yes. I think you are." She rested her eyes back onto the book. The idea of Harry being an ancestor of Gryffindor was so bizarre, but on the other hand, it made perfect sense.

She scanned the pages of the book, briefly pausing to recite some phrases, "…was considered to be the most powerful wizard of the time…well, obviously he would be…hmmm…was never able to find the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and unveil the monster within…you found it so that explains it…nothing. Nothing about any other weapon or object that can be used to destroy powerful wizards," she went back to the page of the Crystal and reread it, "Maybe if we go ask-"

"Hermione, can you shut the hell up before I stab you in the face with this quill?" said Harry in irritation, holding up a rather thick quill. Normally, she would have retorted furiously, but she was too absorbed in reading.

"…also possesses the power to resurrect the dead, undo transformations, and destroy any weapon in the world..."

"What did you say?" Harry's eyes widened.

"I was reading this."

He grabbed the book from her and skimmed through the lines and looked at her, "In the second year…Dumbledore said that Voldemort went through so many transformations that he wasn't recognizable as Tom Riddle anymore." recalled Harry.

"Yeah, so?" said Hermione, not knowing what Harry was talking about.

"It has the power to undo transformations."

"Oh…I see." said Hermione, feeling slightly dumb.

"So I'll untransform him…and then kill him."

"Easier said than done. How exactly are you planning to kill him? You can't use the Avada Kedavra curse."

"Why not?"

"One, because you'll get thrown into Azkaban for it, and two, I doubt if that would work on him. It didn't even work on you when you were a baby. And three, you can't technically kill each other since both Slytherin and Gryffindor's blood is in you and Voldemort. If you want to kill him, then you'll probably have to separate his body from Tom Riddle's body with the Crystal thing and then destroy the Crystal after undoing his transformations and after that…we'll figure out something." said Hermione.

"Right." said Harry sardonically, "This is the most bizarre thing I've ever heard. Use some Crystal on him to separate his body into two and then destroy the most powerful object the world has ever seen and then somehow figure out a way to kill him. The next thing these books will say is to dance around Voldemort in a circle six times until he drops dead."

"It sounds logical enough." she said, tilting her head.

"So you want me to dance silly around Voldemort?"

"No!" she screeched, "I meant the other plan."

"Uh-huh. Well, we should just get this over with. I think I'll just go to the forest tomorrow."

"WHAT?"

"Shh!" Madam Pince scowled from her desk, and Hermione turned to give her an apologetic look.

"The sooner I get this over with, the better. If he dies sooner, then no one else will have to die."

"And what if you die…?" she breathed, not even wanting to consider that possibility.

"Then I'll die…It doesn't matter to me if I live or die." he said in a tone that she had never heard before.

"Don't say that, Harry." breathed Hermione.

"Why not? It's not like I'm living this life for a purpose. All I am is the marked boy who has a slight chance of defeating Voldemort. No personal, educational, or any other type of purpose."

It was amazing. For the first time, Harry was projecting his built up anger through words, not violence.

"You do have purpose!" said Hermione forcefully.

"Like what? My Mum and Dad are dead, Sirius is dead, and my aunt and uncle hate me-"

"You live for your future, for me, for Ron, for Ginny-"

"That doesn't count. You know what I mean?" he said in gloom.

Hermione nodded. Harry had no living parents or the closest person to it. She couldn't imagine life without her parents, who had given her everything. They were the source of her intelligence, dedication to learn, and her free will (most of the time). She felt the feelings about her parents' divorce fly away slightly.

An awkward silence lingered between them. Hermione had nothing else to say to make him feel better. She had never felt so sorry for him. Then, a light clicked in her head, remembering the beginning of this depressed conversation.

"Oh, and you're not going anywhere tomorrow. Promise you won't." she commanded him.

Harry sighed, "I won't. I don't think I'd have the guts to go anyway."

"Yes you would." She said, raising her eyes to him. Their past experiences had been proof enough that he could do about anything.

Harry put his head down on the table, shielding his face from her.

"What did I say before? This is NOT a Sleep Hall." Hermione forced him up. She wished she hadn't. Tears were streaming down his eyes. Hermione whirled around to see if anyone was watching and they weren't (she knew that Harry would be embarrassed).

Not knowing what to say, she took off his glasses and wiped off his tears. Harry had seventeen years of pain stored inside him, and finally it was coming out.

"It's okay, Harry. Don't be embarrassed." she said reassuringly, now clearing a tear of her own. Harry faced her and she pointed to her tears, "See? We can both cry together."

His lips elevated on the sides, "It's just so…unfair…of all the people in the world, why did this have to happen to me?"

"Because you're the only one who can handle it." she replied.

"Having a bloody scar on my head's cost me everything…If I could just take it back…"

"You can't do that. You have to believe that you were the right one to be chosen to do something this significant."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one everyone's counting on."

"You're right. I'm counting on you, and I have complete confidence that you can win this battle against Voldemort."

…

As Ron lead her to his dormitory, Hermione forced her throbbing feet to move forward.

"Could you walk any slower?" said Ron, shaking his head.

"You try spending half your day chasing Peeves around the school and then come back and tell me how your feet feel." retorted Hermione.

"Why were you chasing him?"

"Harry and I were walking out of the library and Peeves stole my study notes!"

Ron rolled his eyes, "So what? You could have gotten them from me."

Hermione snorted, "I'd rather commit suicide."

Ron appeared offended, but just held on to her hand and kept on walking.

In the process of strolling down the corridors, she spotted scraps of parchment in the corner.

"How hard is it to throw something in the trash when it's RIGHT THERE?" she fumed and kneeled down to pick it up. Her left leg slanted and put full pressure on her foot. Something cracked. Red pain sprinted down her body and she cried, "OWWW!"

Ron dashed to her side, "What's wrong?"

Hermione fell down and placed a hand on her foot, "A bone cracked."

"From walking?" said Ron doubtfully, bending down, "Here."

She let him touch it, and he moved it around in a circular motion. She whimpered in pain again.

"Show some spine, Hermz." said Ron, still in the process of setting it back. Unexpectedly, he pushed it against her leg and let go. She moved it around. It didn't hurt anymore.

She sighed with relief and grabbed on to Ron's hand, which pulled her up, "Thanks!"

"We're almost there. I think I'll just-"

She shrieked in surprise as Ron picked her up. Carrying her carefully, he continued walking to their destination. Hermione faced Ron closely and smiled, surrounding his neck with her arms. She felt like a new bride.

"Am I heavy?"

Ron chortled, "Never! What's your weight? Twenty pounds?"

She made a laughing sound and said, "I'm not anorexic."

"Thankfully."

"So, where's Harry?"

"I have no idea." said Ron.

"Ginny's missing too, so that pretty much sums up everything." said Hermione simply.

Ron scowled, "I'm gonna have to talk to them."

"Don't they make such a cute couple?"

"No," he said flat out, but then revised his tone, "but I guess it's better than all of the other idiots that Ginny's dated."

If he was irked with the idea of Ginny dating Harry, she couldn't imagine how he would react if she told him that Ginny wasn't a virgin. "It's good to hear that Harry isn't an idiot."

"You are."

She kissed him, "Only over you."

Ron went up the stairs and articulated the password to the Fat Lady. They stepped inside the desolate room with red-orange torches flaming around the room. It seemed that everyone was still at dinner

"Hmmm…you're a human taxi," Hermione spoke, as Ron climbed the staircase to the boys' dormitory, "Give me a lift tomorrow?"

"As you wish." Ron gave him a peck on the lips but Hermione pulled him and kissed him, obstructing his view.

"Whoa, whoa! You want me to fall too?" Ron staggered.

"That would be nice." she replied sweetly and tried to kiss him again. This time Ron didn't jump back and they were off the stairs. Ron took her across the corridor in a zig-zag motion, both laughing and kissing along the way.

Ron twisted the doorknob to his dorm room and it creaked open. He took one step forward and stopped dead, looking flabbergasted. Hermione, who had been too busy focusing her attention on Ron, didn't know what was wrong. Out of the blue, Ron's arms released her and she slammed onto the floor. White hot pain charged through her like she had been hit with a giant basketball.

"RON, WHAT THE-" Hermione yelled, but shut up at Ron's dumbstruck look past her. She turned to observe Ron's subject and her mouth fell open. She covered her eyes instantly and blasted to her feet, "Ohhhhh…let's go." Grabbing a handful of Ron's robes, she led him down to the Common Room without either of them uttering a word. Hermione knew exactly what was going to happen next, and it wasn't going to be the happiest sight.

Ron and Hermione stood near the stairs for a second and predictable, more footsteps swooshed down in their direction.

"Ron…Ron! I'm sorry for what you saw…back there," stuttered Harry as he came down with Ginny to where they were standing. Fully clothed, thank god, Hermione thought

"How could you!" Ron bellowed, striking his finger dangerously, "Keep your hands off my sister!"

Ginny raised her hand in offence, "Shut up, Ron. You have absolutely no right to say that to Harry. It's none of your business-"

"Yes it is! I'm your brother!"

Hermione stood between the three of them, playing mediator, "Calm down, guys-"

"Just because you're my brother does NOT mean that you can tell me what to do!"

"Oh yeah?" said Ron, glaring viciously at Harry, "Watch me! From now on, stay away from her for your own good!"

Harry, who had lost the apologetic tone very quickly, cackled madly, "Look who's talking? Do I tell you to keep your hands off of her?" He spat, glaring towards Hermione.

"That's different! Ginny's my little sister-"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her! I'm your best friend! Why don't you trust me!" yelled Harry.

"You two, sit down over here and-" Hermione got cut off again as Ron cried out, "I think we saw enough proof up there. Never touch her again or-"

"Or what?" said Harry, striking Ron with an icy stare, "You'll fight me?"

Ron impulsively plunged into his robes, but Hermione already had her wand out, "Oh no, I don't think so! Accio wands!"

Both Harry and Ron's wands flew in midair and Hermione caught them.

"So you're taking his side?" Ron hissed at her. He was totally out of it, and Hermione didn't know what else to do except stay calm and try to make them stabilized as well.

"I'm not taking-"

"Of course she is!" Harry interrupted. She felt enraged for being cut off every single time she spoke, but he continued, "I'm right and you're wrong! She's way smarter and saner than you. She knows who's gone mental!"

"WOULD SOMEONE LET ME TALK!" Hermione screamed in frustration. All their mouths zipped.

"Both of you just sit over there and take a time out. Don't say or do anything you'll regret later on."

"I think he should be the one with regrets." said Ron in a vile voice, still standing.

Harry, who was now situated on a chair in front of them, seemed a bit calmer, "I love her. There's nothing wrong with that." Ginny blushed the color of her hair at this sentence.

"Love? What would you know about love?" said Ron.

"Probably more than you. What makes you such an expert on it?"

"I do know how to treat a girl right."

"And you suppose I don't?"

"You attacked Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse, threw snow in her eyes as if she was your enemy, kicked me off my broomstick in a Quidditch Practice, made Lavender crash over desks…shall I continue?"

"What's your damn point?" Harry leaned forward with impatience.

"I don't want you to wake up one day and attack my sister…and kill her!"

Hermione gasped.

Harry's anger evaporated and sadness replaced it. He got to his feet and took a hold of Ginny, "Come on Ginny, let's get out of here. I cannot believe what I'm hearing. My best friend, who has known me for years, thinks I want to kill everyone. Especially a person that I really care about. Being Harry Potter is my biggest misfortune…my whole life is a misfortune."