The Price of a World

Chapter One

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"Lucius, send out for all my Death Eaters. Gather as many new followers as possible, bring them in by force if you must! We shall go to any lengths to bring Potter down." Voldemort smirked evilly.  "This time Potter will not stand in my way! The day approaches, when the whole Wizarding world will bow down to me! And I shall watch every little mudblood squirm and scream as I torture and kill every, single, one." He laughed once more.

"Narcissa! Lucius where is that fucking woman of yours?"

"Sorry master. I shall get her for you immediately." Lucius bowed, turned and left. A few moments later he was back with Narcissa in tow.

"Narcissa…" Voldemort smirked. "Prepare me my velvet robes, I want to look my best when I kill Master Harry Potter." Voldemort cackled evilly and it echoed through out the room…

"No! NO!" Harry woke with a start. He sat up and put on his glasses. He was drenched in a cold sweat. The laughter still ringing in his ears, it was getting to hard to handle. His scar burned, searing his skin. He was in excruciating pain, and it was getting worse as the days went by. He knew Voldemort was getting stronger he could feel it, he could see it. In his 4th year no one believed him. But now they sure did. It took them over a year to believe him. Harry was in his 6th year at Hogwarts. He was trying his best to do the work but Voldemort's powers were getting too much. The dreams were getting more frequent and the pain was getting worse. He didn't think he'd last much longer but he had to. Sheer will power kept him going. The prophecy Dumbledore had told him about the year before kept coming back to him. In the end, either Voldemort or Harry would be the last one standing. Only one of them would make it. And Harry was starting to doubt his chances. He didn't like to think that the fate of both the Wizarding World and the Muggle world relied on him.

Harry got out of bed, put on his jeans and t-shirt and went to sit at the desk in his dorm. He got a quill, inkbottle and parchment out of the drawer. He looked at the parchment, his eyes filled with tears and he buried his face in his hands. Whenever Harry's scar burned or he had a problem he'd go to Sirius. Sirius always knew what to do. Harry depended on him. What was he going to do now? With out Sirius he was a complete wreak. Sirius was the only one that knew what he was going through; he was always there for Harry when he needed him. He was like a dad to Harry, and he missed him dearly. He wondered what it would be like for Lupin. Both Lupin and Sirius had no family. They were each other's family. They were like brothers who always got on. Together they were part of a great group of friends. Sirius, Remus, Peter and James Potter. One by one… they all left. Peter went over to the dark side and Harry's father was killed. Now Sirius was gone. And Remus was on his own. Harry turned around and looked at Ron asleep in his bed. He didn't want to wake him. He didn't want to worry him about something like this. It seemed stupid.

In the end Harry gave up and went to sit by the window. He looked out at the cloudy grey sky that hung like a burden over England. It was the first night of the Christmas holidays. Hermione had gone away with her parents. Infact most students didn't stay at Hogwarts these Christmas holidays. Many people were afraid that it would be Hogwarts that Voldemort would attack first. Already people were going missing and more attacks from Death Eaters happening through out the Wizarding world. The number of Death Eaters grew steadily.

Harry, Ron and Ginny had stayed at school. Mr and Mrs Weasley thought they'd be in less danger staying at school. Harry knew it was really because they didn't want Harry to put their family and home in danger. Harry felt terrible. He was like a burden to everyone. Yet, they felt they had to stand by him because their fate rested in Harry's hands.

Harry missed the days when he didn't have this burden. He knew Hermione loved him, but he didn't want to have to talk to her about his problems. Harry smiled. He remembered the first time he had kissed Hermione. She was crying for some reason, she sat under a tree by the lake crying. And he had been there for her.

//Flashback- just to help you get the idea//

"Hermione…"

"Go away!" Hermione yelled at the person. The person sat next to her and put their arm around her.

"I thought I told you to go away." Hermione lifted her head and looked at her comforter. "H-Harry, I'm sorry I didn't know…"

"It's ok, I would've told everyone to go away as well." Hermione smiled meekly at him. Harry wiped away her tears with his sleeve. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No…" Hermione turned away from him. Finally she cracked. "OH HARRY! T-they will never f-forget it! People can't just forget s-something like that! A-a-and Malfoy saw-w as well!" Hermione cried even harder onto Harry's shoulder, soaking his robes with her tears.

"Oh Hermione… I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. But you have to learn to take things in your stride." Hermione stopped crying and let go of her grasp around Harry. She sat back and wiped the tears away from her eyes. Harry smiled at her.

"Come on, let's go back to the common room. We can get Ron to go get us some butter beer and lollies. We can hang out in my room." Hermione smiled at Harry as he stood up and held his hand out to Hermione. She took his hand and he helped her up onto her feet. They walked together back up to the castle.

There was no one around since lunch finished a while ago and everyone was in class. Harry knew they were going to get into trouble for not showing up to class but Hermione was more important. They walked quickly up to the Gryffindor common room, making sure they avoided teachers, ghosts and open classroom doors.

"Popsicle" Harry whispered and the portrait door swung open, they dashed in and closed the door behind them.

" 'mione! Are you okay?" It was Ron; he was sitting in a couch next to the fireplace waiting for them.

"You should be in class!" Hermione exclaimed. It was like it just dawned on her that they all should be in class. "Oh my! Harry you should be in class too! And so should I! You're going to get into trouble! Go to class right now! Oh dear, what will your excuse be! Uhhh, just say… say it was my fault!" Hermione was getting hysterical now. "Shit! I'm supposed to be in Arithmacy! I'll have missed so much work already!"

"Hermione! Calm down! I don't mind missing out of Divination! Plus you're more important!" Harry said.

"Yeah, what he said," Ron added.

"Uhhh… I don't know."

"Oh come on Hermione! Do you really want to go to class and have everyone tease you about what happened before!?" Ron questioned. Harry glared at him as tears welled up in her eyes

As long as you two promise to catch up!"

"Yeah, yeah sure…" Harry and Ron mumbled.

"So Ron, a crate of butter beer, some chips, lollies, chocolate?" Harry enquired.

"Sounds good! Can you get some cream pie's too?"

"What? No I meant you go get it!"

"Oh what?" Ron seemed very disappointed. Hermione giggled silently. "Fine, I'll go get it. But if I get caught its all your fault!" Harry laughed and pretended to kick him out the door. Ron gave Harry the finger and left.

"Come on, we can go up to my room and wait for Ron," Harry and Hermione went to go up to the room when Gryffindor students starting filling into the room, class had obviously ended.

'Shit, this is just what we need.' Harry thought.

"Hey look! There she is!" Lavender yelled. Hermione turned around to look at the crowd.

"Hey Hermione, do you think you could give us a little peep at that black lacy number?" A boy yelled from the crowd.

"Oi Hermione, Care to pose for us?" Another boy shouted. Hermione's eyes widened.

"I hate you all! I thought you'd be different but no, you're all just like the Slytherins!" Hermione screamed at the crowd. She ran up the dorm steps with tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran into her room and slammed the door. Harry looked around at everyone in the room. He was so disgusted with their behaviour that he turned and followed Hermione up to her room. Harry knocked on the closed door but there was no answer so he opened the door anyway.

"Hermione?" Harry asked. He turned around to see Hermione lying with her back to him on the bed, crying. He went over and sat on the bed next to her.

"Harry, it'll never stop." Hermione managed to say through tears.

"Don't think that. Of course it will!" Hermione sat up and looked at Harry. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"They are just like the Slytherins. They don't care about other people's feelings! No one does!"

"Hermione! Ron cares about your feelings! I care a lot about your feelings. I care a lot about you."

"I know you care about me Harry,"

"No, no you don't. You don't know how much I care about you Hermione." Hermione looked at Harry, her eyes still teary.

"W-what?"

"I love you Hermione. I love you a lot. I can't stand seeing you like this." A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. Harry leaned over to Hermione, but she pulled away.

"Sorry," Harry said. "I should've realised you don't feel the same way. I'll…go..." Hermione quickly grabbed his arm before he had gone to get off the bed.

"No don't leave." Harry looked at her totally shocked. She smiled at him. Hermione leaned into him, Harry took the opportunity and leaned forward and kissed her. He put his hand at the back of her neck, pulling her in closer. Hermione put her arms around him and tried not to smile and ruin the kiss. Suddenly Hermione pulled away.

"Harry, someone is coming!" Harry stood up and glared at the door, hiding Hermione behind him. The door opened, Harry was about to abuse the person when Hermione yelled.

"Ron! It's you!" Ron stood in the doorway shell-shocked. Harry rushed over and helped him with the food.

"I - uh heard about what happened." Ron mumbled to Harry.

"Yeah, don't mention it around her."

They lay all the food out on Hermione's desk and set up a mattress and pillows on the floor near the fireplace. They sat for hours talking, laughing, eating and drinking. Every now and then Harry would wink at Hermione and she's try her hardest not to laugh.

"Jesus, I need to use the toilet. 'mione can I use your loo? I don't think I can make it to the men's!" Hermione laughed at nodded. Ron got up and ran to the toilet making sure he closed the door behind him. Hermione instantly leaned over and kissed Harry. Hermione smiled.

"I love you…" Harry whispered.

"I love you too…" She whispered back. Harry started kissing her again and Hermione leaned into the kiss, never wanting to stop.

"Well, well, well…" Hermione screamed and turned around too see Ron staring at them.

"Ron! Why didn't you say something earlier!" Hermione yelped.

"Good on ya mate!" Ron said whilst giving Harry a high five as he sat back down.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Harry has had a crush on you for ages! As if I didn't know about it." Ron said like she was stupid. Hermione picked up a pillow and threw it at him.

"No need to be cocky!" She said as she laughed. She was knocked backwards into the mattress when a pillow thrown by Ron got her in the face.

"Eeeek!" She squealed.

"Hey! Your gonna get it Ron!" Harry got a large pillow and buried Ron's face in it. Soon the three of them were caught up in a pillow fight, which slowly turned into a food and pillow fight. It was 3am on Saturday morning and the three of them were lying on their backs on the mattress.

"Right, I'm buggered so I'm going to bed. I have to get up for Quidditch practice tomorrow morning, as do you Harry." Harry looked over at Hermione.

"No, I'm not going to Quidditch practise tomorrow." Harry smiled at Hermione.

"Oh holy Jesus… I'm going. You two are starting to go all mushie on me!" Ron got up and ran out of the room closing the door quietly behind him. Hermione burst out with laughter. Harry looked at her like she had gone insane.

"What's so funny?"

"Everything, Ron and watching us and then him having to get away from us."

"He is just jealous of me!" Harry laughed and Hermione threw a pillow at his head and he fell backwards onto the mattress again. Hermione went and lay on top of him, resting her head on his chest. Harry kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair gently.

"I had better get back to my own room." Harry whispered to her.

"No, don't leave. Stay here tonight." Harry was shocked at what Hermione was saying.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. Hermione smiled at him and nodded.

"Okay…" Harry sat up and pulled the doona over them both and got a few pillows for their heads. When Harry lay back down Hermione snuggled into him and rested her head on his chest.

"Night Harry," Hermione whispered.

"Night Hermione. Love you…"

"Hmmm… love you too." She closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

//End of Flashback//

Harry smiled to himself. That was one of the happiest moments in his life. They had been going out for a year in February. Harry went back to bed and fell asleep dreaming of Hermione.

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"Please fasten your seat belts for the landing." The airhostess' voice said through the microphone. "Welcome to Zürich and thank you for flying International Airlines. Have a nice day!" When the airhostess finished Hermione's father woke her.

"Hermione we are here." She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She helped her parents get their boarding luggage from the overhead cabins. All three of them got off the plane, collected their luggage and hailed a cab.

"Where would you like to go mister?" The cab driver asked.

"Zermatt please." Mr. Granger said politely.

"And make it quick." Added Mrs. Granger. Hermione sat in the back of the cab between her parents. She set her watch to Switzerland time; 1:20pm. The cab drive was long and tedious. A first she watched the Swiss mountains and towns fly by as they drove but she soon got bored and decided to play games on her mobile phone. They didn't reach the chateau until 4:30pm. Hermione and her parents went straight to their rooms. Hermione collapsed on her bed she was that exhausted. She soon drifted off to sleep and woke a few hours later. When she woke there was a note on her bedside table.

"Dear Hermione, Your father and I have decided to go for a walk around the town, do abit of sight seeing. We wont be back for dinner so just go down to the hotel restaurant and get something to eat. We didn't want to wake you, you look so tired. If you want you can go looking around the hotel but don't leave the hotel. See you tomorrow morning, don't wait up for us. Love Mum." Hermione read the not aloud. She sighed. "Guess I'm on my own." She looked at the clock by her bed it was 6:30pm. "Hmm… around about dinner time."

Hermione got up and changed into her bootleg, dirty demin jeans and white 'Rusty' jumper. She slid on her chocolate brown suede boots that came half way up her calf muscle. She tied her hair up loosely in a clasp with some little ringlets hanging down around her face and a few down the back of her neck. She took the room key and left.

She took the lift down to the front foyer. When the lift doors opened the smell of ginger and holy leaves met her nose. 'Hmmm… I love that Christmas smell.' She thought to herself as she walked through the foyer and down a short flight of stairs. Off to her right was the hotel restaurant, which was only for guests. Off to her left was a corridor. The corridor seemed a lot more appealing than the restaurant, so she took a left turn and walked off down the corridor.

The first few rooms were spas, saunas and an in-door pool. There were game rooms and large rooms with TV's, fireplaces, and lounges. She came to the end of the corridor. Before her were two large oak doors. Across the doors, in gold letters was "Hotel Library". Hermione's eyes lit up. "Oh wow… a Switzerland Library…" She breathed, totally amazed. She slowly pushed the two doors open. They creaked as she opened them. She glanced around the library, it seemed empty. Hermione took a few steps in and closed the doors quietly behind her. This library was larger than the library at Hogwarts. Up all the walls were millions of books. There were ladders leading to a pathway half way up the walls. The pathway went the whole way round the room, from the pathway there were more ladders leading up the rest of the wall to the roof. Hermione was breathless; she couldn't believe the amount of books. To her left there was a corridor going through to another section of the library. Hermione walked down through the corridor. When she got into the room she stopped immediately. "Oh my…"

In front of her, one of the rooms' walls was one big window. It looked out at the mountains. They were covered in snow, all you could see was white peaks and kingfisher blue sky. It was beautifully breath taking. There were big comfy lounges in clusters all around the room. Hermione grabbed a book off a shelf and went to sit and read in a single lounge by the window and fireplace.

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