AN: Okay people, I didn't get nearly any reviews for this story, and I was amazingly disappointed, I thought it was better than that. Oh well. Someone said they were confused, but it will all make sense sooner or later. Oh, and I do use spell check every time, I think in the transfer from this to the site a few words must get screwed with. So here's the second chapter! Enjoy and please take time to review! Thanx!-Lunastella
Hermione sat up in bed and gasped. The pain over her heart was back, and it was this reminder of last night that made her glance at the clock. Twelve midnight. Again. Curiosity led her to once again pull back the neckline of her gown. Once again, the curved cut was bleeding, and it was longer this time, more curved, an oval of blood. She touched it with her fingertips, watching the blood run down her skin. She reached out for her wand and quickly cleaned up the mess. And just like last night, the scar remained. Just then a bloodcurdling scream shot through the night, waking everyone.
"What was that?" Parvati muttered sleepily.
Hermione scrambled out of bed and ran to the window. Above the Forbidden Forest hung a sort of miniature version of the Dark Mark. Hermione shrieked and ran out of the room, intending on finding Professor Dumbledore. But she ran into someone at the bottom of the stairs. Upon realizing who it was, she sighed in relief. The scar on her chest, however, gave another painful twitch and she could feel the blood running down from it.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked.
"To see the Headmaster."
Harry nodded. "Me too. Lets go." And they ran all the way to the Headmasters office, barging in as three members of the Order were leaving.
"Harry, Hermione. Sit." They did.
"What was that?" Hermione asked breathlessly.
"Members of the Order have confirmed that it was simply a warning from Voldemort."
Both Harry and Hermione had said the name too many times to flinch at the sound, though the portraits on the wall were a different story. Hermione was almost too afraid to ask, but she had to.
"And the scream?"
"A second year Hufflepuff. Voldemorts way of letting us know that he can get to us, and he will. There is not much we can do right now. The Horcruxes are gone, now we are only waiting for your confrontation with Voldemort. But always keep on your toes. It wouldn't hurt for you to practise defense either."
Harry and Hermione nodded and stood to leave.
"And one more thing. Voldemort must have a weakness. The Horcruxes are gone, but it will still take all your strength to defeat him. You must do your best to find out what his weakness is. But for now, you need some sleep."
They left, returning quickly to the common room. Hermione began to climb the staircase to go back to bed, But turned around when Harry caught her arm.
"Meet me in the Room of Requirement at ten tomorrow morning."
Hermione nodded. Harry left, and she went upstairs to collapse back in bed. But a twinge in her chest reminded her that it had begun bleeding again over an hour ago. Sighing in exasperation, she pulled down her neckline and gasped. The cut was much bigger now, gushing blood. She could see, when it was clean and free of blood, that it had taken on a rather peculiar shape. Almost like letters, written in script. Upside down, Hermione could only make out an "A" and what could have been an "m". The deep cut hurt, but Hermione welcomed the pain. The events of her life with Harry had somehow worked to age her, numb her, and she welcomed this small sign of feeling. With a sigh, she cleaned up the mess, and fell into a restless sleep.
"Hermione…Hermione…." A soft voice woke her hours later. She sat up swiftly. The voice was the same one that shed heard the first time her chest had been cut. The air at the foot of her bed shimmered, slowly forming the figure of a transparent woman. Her flowing garment suggested a robe, and her long reddish hair looked recently brushed and fell down her back in waves. But it was her green eyes that caught her attention. Her brilliant emerald green eyes. Harry's eyes.
"Lily…" Hermione breathed.
The vision smiled and nodded. "We don't have much time, but I want to take a moment to thank you."
"For what?"
"For just being there for my Harry. He is so lucky to have you." Lily smiled again. Hermione blushed.
"You have a connection. And that is why it must be you who helps him defeat the Dark Lord. Can you feel it?'
Hermione was silent for a moment. She put a hand to her chest and felt blood through the cloth. Was it a sign? She looked up sharply.
"Have you been doing this to me?
"No. I don't even know what is happening to you. I only know that it was prophesied that you would receive a sign of sorts, and I was sent to help you understand it. What is it?" Lily frowned. Hermione pulled down her neckline. The cut hadn't grown again, but it was bleeding, as if it might grow any moment.
"Oh Hermione…" Lily shook her head sadly. "I never dreamed it would be so violent."
"Anything to do with the war is violent."
"Yes."
A slicing pain shot through Hermiones chest, and as she watched, the cut grew, curving purposefully, slowly. Lily gasped. When the cut had stopped, Hermione cleaned it, then examined the curving lines. But it was upside down to her, and Lily said it first.
"It says…amore." (Pronounced a-more-e. the 'a' is like the 'u' in fun, and the 'e' is like the 'a' in faint. FYI.) Lily said wonderingly. "Italian. It means…" She looked at Hermione.
"Love." Hermione whispered. "Lily, why would this happen to me? Why no to Harry?"
Lily shook her head. "It must have something to do with you."
Hermione sighed and glanced at the clock "Oh! Its late! I promised…" Hermione blushed. It had come to her in a new way that Lily was Harry's mother. "I promised Id meet Harry at ten."
Lily smiled. "I wont keep you." And she faded out of sight. Hermione ran out of the dorms and towards the Room of Requirement. As she burst through the door, Harry turned around. His relieved smile was replaced Quickly by a worried frown.
"Is that blood, Hermione?"
Hermione glanced down. A blood stain, about five inches below her collarbone, betrayed her secret. Harry strode forward. "What happened?"
"Its nothing."
"Hermione."
Hermione sighed and collapsed on the couch before the fire. Seeing Harry's hesitation a t joining her, she patted the seat next to her. Like an obedient puppy, Harry sat. With another heavy sigh, she proceeded to tell him everything. When she finished, Harry was silent for a moment.
"Can I see it?" He asked softly. Hermione hesitated. The cut was in an awkward place for anyone to see, much less the boy who happened to be her best friend. Ever so slowly, she nodded, giving her permission. Harry reached out carefully. His gentle fingers pulled down the neckline of her gown. Hermione watched his face nervously. She hadn't remembered the cut being so low. Harry pulled it down just enough to see the cut, but even then, it was more than Hermione was used to showing.
"Amore." Harry frowned.
"Amore." Hermione corrected his pronunciation. He examined the cut again. "What does that mean?"
"Its Italian. It means…love." Hermione said. Harry traced the cut lightly with his fingertip, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort. When he subconsciously pulled her neckline even lower, Hermione jerked back automatically. Harry pulled away, blushing.
"Sorry."
"Its all right."
"And my mother…" Harry gazed down. "What did Dumbledore say again? Finding Voldemorts weakness?"
"And this could be our answer? Love?" Hermione whispered. Harry looked thoughtful.
"Of course. My mothers love for me prevented Voldemorts spell from working on me. That's how I survived. He couldn't understand it."
Hermione frowned. "But what can it help us?"
"I think that's what we have to figure out."
"It would be you, but… I mean…"
"Right. Who else? Not Cho, obviously. Not ginny, I knew that wouldn't work out."
"You did?"
"Yeah. She was more in love with the idea of the boy-who-live than me. She never saw me just for me. But at the time I just wanted so much to feel normal that I didn't care."
"Oh…. But then why would this happen to me? You don't think…us?"
Harry looked up sharply.
"I guess I always sort of thought you liked ron."
"Ha. I barely tolerate him, because he's your friend."
Harry laughed shortly. "I might've guessed. But…"I never thought of us together."
Hermione looked away and let her hair fall across her face.
"But you did." Harry whispered incredulously, watching her.
AN: Sooooo…….. How was it? Please do not flame me outright, but constructive criticism is always welcome! So go and review! Thanx:) Lunastella