-Little bit happier in this one, sorry it's been extremely dark, but just a few more days until the shit hits the fan ;) -

Chapter 27

Azadeh met with her father again and told him of Hermione's situation. "Is there anything we can do? Is it ready yet?"

"Almost, do you know how long she has?" her father looked worried, he didn't count on others, but Hermione was known for her wit and they needed as much help as possible for plans.

"No. I know the wedding is a few months away, so..."

"That will give us time, I'm hoping we can get both of you at the same time...but if not, we will come and get you first, then Hermione..."

"But if something happens to me...get Hermione, no matter what," Azadeh hugged her father, he didn't like to think like that, but it was always a possibility. The closer she got to Harry, it was always a possibillity that Voldemort could have her killed.

"Alright...we will meet again, and I will tell you when and where."

"I love you, father.."

Her father held her face for a moment, "I love you, I am so proud of you...my brave little Azadeh."

Hermione didn't take the news well, Ron, her Ron was dead. She cried in Azadeh's arms, "I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm so sorry...I didn't know. His mother said he tried to buy you a number of times, but Jasper refused...and he just..."

"Gave up," Hermione sobbed. "THAT BLOODY COWARD! How could be so STUPID. We've gotten out of tighter spots..I mean, granted it's a mess now..but...why?" she put her head in her hands.

Azadeh couldn't answer her. She looked at Hermione and teared, this pain, this losing the man you loved looked so familiar...the agony of it, like you'll never breathe again, like your heart is going to collapse, you want it to, just so you won't feel anything else. Azadeh felt that Hermione could live on, knowing Ron was still out there, knowing he was alive and fairly well and that some day...some day they would be together. But now, that was never going to happen, not ever. She continued to watch Hermione hold herself, crying...mourning, wanting to scream out.

"I wish I had gotten there sooner, maybe it was my fault..."

"NO, no..it wasn't. After the torture...I saw him, he wasn't the same. His health was bad, but he said before we were dragged apart, that he would find a way to get to me...," Hermione remembered how they held each other before they were ripped apart by the Death Eaters. She was tortured, but thankfully not raped because she would be worth more on the auction block. After all of it, they were thrown back together again, and Ron was barely conscious...his health deteriorating quickly because of all the damage that was done. When he came to and realized that Hermione was going to be auctioned off, he promised her he'd gather enough money to find her, to buy her...it was the last time she ever saw him.

"I'm so sorry you were tortured...I can't imagine, I mean I can... They didn't do that to ME when I was found, I guess because you were one of Harry's friends..."

"I know," Hermione sniffed.

"But I do have some good news, they are almost done figuring out the bracelets...they think that you've given them plenty of time, and they'll be coming for us soon. I'm meeting my father again soon and he'll tell us when and where. They're also going to try and get us at the same time, if not, I'll come back for you...but if something happens to me..."

"Please don't say that.."

Azadeh continued sternly, "IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME...they'll come and get you anyway. Do you understand?" Hermione nodded her head. "No matter what you hear or see in the papers, you have to go on as planned, for all you know, they've planted it to make people think a certain, they've done it before."

"What about Harry...are you...are you going to be able to leave him behind?" by Hermione's tone, Azadeh could tell that she didn't want to live him behind either.

"I don't want to, but if I can't get him to remember...I have no choice. He's remembering little bits and pieces, though not enough to get him to change his mind about being a Death Eater," she said sadly.

"Maybe if you leave, it will shock his system...we'll get him back," now Hermione was being way too optimistic.

"I hope it's that easy"

This time Azadeh was done playing, she didn't have time to talk with her father and have him describe the meditation to get Harry to remember, not only that, it was a delicate thing and took patience, training, and most of all, time. A luxury she simply didn't have. She waited while he was sleeping, biting her lip, she placed her hand on his chest...Harry instantly grabbed it.."mmm...Azadeh," he whispered. Blushing, she was amazed how he recognized her touch, even when he was asleep.

Azadeh noticed how chisled his body was. 'FOCUS YOU!' she thought harshly. She continued to keep her hand on his chest, contact was very important with this...her grandmother said that all she had to do was focus and she could see the past, present, and future of anyone...the current future based on the path that they're taking at the time. But this time, Azadeh was focused on his past. In order to find out how to help him, she had to discover exactly HOW Voldemort effected him.

She focused and started to see things, it was like a tape rewinding, she saw his recent past of them marrying...then of past relationships gone astray. 'Need to skip through THOSE just a BIT FASTER, THANKS!' she thought harshly again. After a few minutes, she got to the battle, the final battle...

They were fighting, everyone was still alive. Voldemort shot the killing curse at Harry but Ginny stepped in front of him to save him, Harry was devestated and they had to retreat.

They were making plans...but Harry said he would be gone for a day or so because he had to think about what to do next. Of course, Ron and Hermione didn't want him to go by himself, which they understood. They were all upset over Ginny but still, it was dangerous. What they didn't know was that because Harry and Voldemort were connected and read each other's minds, they had agreed to meet.

Azadeh's instincts were right...

Voldmort told him he could save his friends if he would give himself up to him...he would spare them. But he had to pull off a minor trick, make them all think he died so there would be no resistance...it was simple..he would...

It went black. The memory was gone, it went black!

Azadeh looked up, Harry was staring straight at her and he didn't look happy. "H...hi, sweetheart," she said meakly.

"WHAT were you doing?" Harry hissed.

"Well...I don't know, I had my hand on your chest and I was flooded with all these...these dream-like images...did you feel anything?" Azadeh was very bad at playing stupid.

Harry leaned over her, putting her practically underneath him, glaring into her eyes, "as a matter of fact...I DID."

"Sometimes, I don't know I'm doing it... I was just looking at you while you were sleeping and thinking about you, I guess it just happened.."

"And it happened to fall on my past..."

"Well...I...awe, fuck it," she said blantently. Harry's eyes widened in shock at her use of foul language all of a sudden, and he didn't know whether it was funny or not. "Yes, I focused on your past so I could find out what happened to you. When it just occured to me...Voldemort didn't do anything to your memories, YOU'VE blocked them out because they're too painful. I should have figured it out, if Voldemort HAD actually done anything to you, you would have told me how great Voldemort was...blah, blah, blah...like Lucius goes on about. Instead, you've hidden your home from him, you've tried to protect me... The only thing he's really changed is your temperment, feeding you potions that are making you okay with the idea of killing...does that make sense to you?"

He looked at her, she was admitting everything to him, not lying one bit.

"Look, I love you. The truth is, I don't want to have children as long as your a Death Eater...because I know you're not. I don't know why you made a deal with the devil, he always goes back on it." Azadeh got out of bed and sighed. Harry watched her carefully. "Your friend Ron...? He's dead, he died of an illness not too long ago, everyone you love, he's tried to destroy in one fashion or another. He didn't kill some of them as promised, but he made their lives a living hell...and no doubt...I'll be next. And I can't do anything with this STUPID BRACELET on," she took her hand and presented the bracelet like a model.

"You shouldn't say that, I wouldn't let anything happen to you..."

"You don't know know that for sure. But now that I know you're just blocking your memories...you can unleash them, you can make yourself remember," she touched his face and he purred. "I want you to, so you can get to know the real me...the one that made you laugh, not this girl, not the girl who is always worried about you, scared of going to far for fear of losing you forever in one form or another. I want you to know what I can do as a person, as a girl who's being trained as a Shaman... I can do some really cool attacks and fighting..." Harry seemed to smile a bit, forgetting he was mad at her for invading his mind. "I want to share a real life with you...children, a loving home.." Azadeh straddled him, "I want to make love to you every night and not have to worry about whether or not you get me pregnant, worried about whether or not he'd become a Death Eater..."

"He?" Harry asked.

"You'll produce sons," she said matter-of-factly. "You'll have two of them..."

"With you...just with you." Harry seemed to state it, she was the only one he'd want to have children with.

"With me.. But I want them with the Harry that I know is in there. Do you want the memories back, Harry?"

He didn't say anything, thinking of what it would all mean...his world changing, but he knew that when he first saw her, that she would change his whole world, turn it upside down. But maybe that's what he wanted.

"You don't have to answer now...I just know I'm running out of time," she said it in such a way, Harry feared it meant either someone was going to try and harm her, or she was going to run away from him and be gone forever...he wouldn't be able to take it...

That fear grew badly in his heart, so much so, he clamped onto her waist, twisting his body to where she was underneath him again, trapping her, she squeaked. "YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE," he hissed. "If you leave me, I'll find you...no MATTER where you are, I'll hunt you down and bring you back. And if anyone harms you...I'll kill them. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Azadeh nodded, "if I had to go away...would you come with me?"

Harry was taken aback by this question, what did she mean? She was waiting for his answer, he loved her so much but he was stuck...giving up what he knew for something uncertain was always dangerous but...he loved her and that was worth more to him.

"Yes," he finally answered.

She smiled and teared, "I want to get your memories back first, so you know why...so you remember why I'm asking this..."