Dueling With Destiny
Summary: Everyone has a destiny. But for Hermione, that destiny is something she has been fighting her whole life…
Rated: K+
Disclaimer: Now really, what a silly thing to think? As if a multi-millionaire (or is it billionaire now?) would be sitting in this little office space.
Author's Note #1: I made a correction in the last chapter. The year is really 1998 not 1997. Sorry about that. Math's never really been my strong point. If I made any other mistakes please let me know.
Author's Note #2: The chapter originally continued on a bit but I felt that it was really better off ending it where I did. I'll post more soon!
Author's Note #3: Please read and review the story! I hate begging, so just be kind and do as I ask.
Chapter 2: The Final Day
Sometime during the night Hermione must have dozed off. She awoke the next morning to the slamming of drawers. Peering through her covers she saw Lavender and Parvati rushing about to finish their packing. Realizing that she would get no more sleep, Hermione rolled out of bed with a sigh.
"Morning Hermione!" sang Parvati cheerily. "Sleep well?"
"MmmHmmm," replied Hermione as she struggled with her hair at the mirror.
"You should have, sleeping away almost the whole morning!" came Lavender's voice as she struggled to get her trunk closed around all of her clothes. "I hope you're not hungry. You missed breakfast. The train is leaving in about three hours."
"That's alright. I'm still full from the feast last night." Yet even as she spoke, Hermione's stomach rumbled in contradiction. Lavender and Parvati merely nodded.
The girls were silent for a few minutes; Lavender still struggling with her trunk, Parvati emptying her dresser, and Hermione going through her already packed trunk to find clothes for the day. Finally Hermione found her robes at the bottom of the trunk and headed off to change.
"Hermione!" cried Parvati. "How dare you try and leave without even saying goodbye! And on our last day at Hogwarts too!"
Hermione laughed. "I'm only going to go take a shower and get ready. I'll be back!"
"Perhaps! But oh girls! Do you realize that this will be our last morning together ever!" cried Parvati. "Never again will we share this dorm together! We will never be as close as we are now!"
"Oh, don't say that! Don't you dare start! You're going to depress me again Parvati!" cried Lavender her lower lip beginning to tremble.
Within seconds Hermione found herself in a group hug, with Lavender and Parvati at her sides each crying their goodbyes. Even Hermione herself found her eyes moist with tears at the thought of never again being in this dorm with her roommates. These past seven years had been the happiest of her life. It was true that she was completely different from Lavender and Parvati but despite that the girls had grown close over the years. Hermione knew she would miss the their endless chatter of nonsense.
One hour later, Hermione headed down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room, cleaned, clothed, and with a stomach louder than ever.
The common room was empty of all save two people sitting at the old wizards chessboard in the corner.
"Check mate! I've won Harry!" cried a triumphant Ron.
"Oh bloody hell! Why do I even bother!" cried Harry. "You always beat me! I'm done!"
"Sore loser," said Ron with a smirk
"I am not! Just shut up!"
"Dragon's breath,"
"Bloody hell Ron! Why do you want to beat me again? Isn't five times enough?" cried Harry angrily
"Yes, but six is my lucky number," said Ron calmly
"Your what? Oh, fine one more game!"
Deciding that it was time her presence was known, Hermione cleared her throat. Harry and Ron looked up from the chess set toward the sound.
"Hermione!" cried Harry happily
"Well good afternoon young lady! Do you have any idea what time it is?" asked Ron mockingly as Hermione pulled a chair up next to them.
"About time for you to shut your bloody mouth I'd say," said Hermione jokingly
"Are you ok?" Harry asked. "You missed breakfast." He pulled a plate out from behind him and set it down next to Hermione. "So we figured you'd be hungry," he finished.
"Thank Merlin!" cried Hermione as she grabbed for the plate. "I was starving but just couldn't stand to bother the house elves with extra work at this time! I mean, what with this being the last day of school I'm sure they are extremely busy already, slaving away at…."
"Oh boy!" said Ron, rolling his eyes. "Here we go again!"
Hermione stopped, mid sentence. "Ron! I can't believe that as one of my best friends you can't even pretend to care about what I believe in!"
"And I can't believe that after all the evil horrors you've seen, the misuse of house elves is still on the top of your list!"
"What exactly are you saying Ron?" asked Hermione angrily
"I'm saying that there are other causes out there far greater to be fighting for than a bunch of house elves who are perfectly content where they are! Would you for once stop worrying about the little things Hermione and look at the big picture!"
"The little things!" cried Hermione. "You listen here Ronald Weasley, just because I'm not quite as insensitive as you are, does not mean that I don't see the 'big picture'. You think I don't realize what's going on? You think I don't realize how dangerous it is out there in the world? Well you're wrong! I know exactly what's going on! So don't you for one second Ron, presume to tell me what I do and don't see!"
"Well you never know with you! Your heads always buried in a bloody book its hard to tell if you know what's going on around you half the time!"
"I know a lot more than you think!" snarled Hermione.
"Shut up both of you!" shouted Harry.
The two stared at Harry in disbelief. In all of the years that Hermione and Ron had argued Harry had never interfered, always choosing to let them work it out on their own.
The trio sat in silence for a few minutes before Hermione got up and headed back up to the girl's dormitory. She emerged minutes later, heading for the portrait door.
"Where are you going?" asked Ron
"I have some things to take care of before we leave. I'll be back soon," Hermione called out over her shoulder
"But Hermione, the train leaves in half an hour!" Yet Ron's words fell on deaf ears for Hermione had already left the common room.
"What was that all about?" wondered Ron aloud.
Harry shrugged absently as he stared down at the chessboard in front of him, preferring to forget about the whole incident. "You got me"
"Hermione's been acting strange lately in my opinion," Ron continued as he moved a knight across the chessboard.
"She's a girl," said Harry simply. "Girls are always acting strangely."
"Yeah, but more so lately. She seems different. More… I don't know…"
"You're just imagining it Ron. Let it go. We've all been a little more tense this year what with all the attacks," said Harry.
"I know," said Ron with a shrug as he moved his castle forward. "Its just I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong."
"Its just nerves. Your just stressed. Trust me, we all are."
"Yeah, your right," he paused a moment as he considered his next move. "You ever wonder what's going to happen Harry? I mean, with You-Know-Who and stuff. I mean, we've always had someone there to protect us before but now that we've finished school and everything, what's next?"
"What's next is to see that Voldemort is destroyed," Harry said, frowning slightly in thought.
"Yeah but how? I mean what…"
"Checkmate!" cried Harry suddenly, interrupting Ron's train of thought.
"What?" asked Ron, somewhat confused by the change of topics.
"Checkmate! I beat you! Finally!" Harry said, the grin growing wider on his face.
"Blood hell!" cried Ron angrily. "Now Harry, don't let this small win go to your head."
"I WON!" Harry cried, jumping up to do a little victory dance.
"Oh for Merlins sake, I quit!"
"Sore loser!" said Harry with a smirk.
"Shut up!"
"Dragon's breath!" said Harry sarcastically. "Come on Ron, one more game! Two is my lucky number!"
"Oh, bloody hell! I've created a monster!"
Hermione hurried down the hallways of Hogwarts, looking this way and that for any signs of others about. There were none and the lack of activity in the halls gave Hermione an eerie feeling.
Stopping near a stone gargoyle, at the end of the hallway Hermione gave it a thoughtful look. This had been Dumbledore's old office. With Dumbledore now gone however she realized she didn't know if McGonagall had taken over the office. Still it was worth a shot. Now if only she knew where to begin with a password. Dumbledore's had always been sweets but somehow that didn't seem to fit the new headmistress.
"Ummm… Transfiguration… Discipline… Animagus"
The gargoyle jumped alive at the last word, revealing a spiral staircase that continued upward. Hurrying along up the stairs Hermione then knocked on the door at the top.
"Just a minute!" called a voice from inside. The sounds of papers being rustled and footsteps moving about the room could be heard. Seconds later the door was opened, casting light into the dark entryway.
"Miss Granger?" McGonagall frowned at the young girl before her. "My dear girl, you look positively pale! Come in!" She ushered Hermione into the room and sat her down in one of the plush, comfy chairs.
Hermione smiled at the woman's caring. "I'm fine Professor, really. I just had something I wished to discuss with you for a moment, if you don't mind."
"Of course, my dear." McGonagall replied solemnly as she seated herself across from Hermione at the desk.
Hermione nodded, unsure of what to say exactly. "I'm not sure how much you know about… about me. Professor Dumbledore… well, he knew…"
McGonagall nodded. "I'm assuming, Ms. Granger that you are in fact talking about the Thortons."
Hermione looked up, surprise apparent on her face.
"Oh yes," McGonagall continued. "Albus informed me of your… predicament, towards the end." She paused, leaning back in her chair as if for support and glanced up at the portrait of the former headmaster with an almost wistful look on her face. "Almost as if he saw it coming." She murmured to herself.
Hermione nodded, allowing a brief moment of silence for her old headmaster. She then pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment from her robes and pushed it across the desk. "Then I assume you'll understand this." She said quietly.
McGonagall read the paper through carefully, her brows slowly furrowing together. She glanced up at the girl sitting across from her. "When did you receive this?"
"Last night. I returned from the feast and it was on my bed."
"Is this the first you have heard from anyone?"
Hermione nodded. "It's been seven years."
McGonagall nodded. She glanced down at the paper once more. Her lips twitched as she frowned in thought. After a moment, she spoke, choosing her words wisely.
"Ms. Granger, I am not going to lie to you. In this dangerous time, the world is hardly safe for anyone." She paused, her eyes softening as she stared at the frightened girl before her. "I know you have been worried about what the future brings. It is quite understandable. However, over these past seven years I have watched you grow and I believe you to be a very bright, very determined woman." She passed the note back across the desk to Hermione. "You aren't the same girl you were seven years ago, Hermione. You are quite capable of taking care of yourself. He has yet to see or understand that."
Hermione nodded, her throat closing tightly. Slowly, she stood and made her way to the door. Halfway there however she paused and turned back.
"Professor? Do you believe in destiny?"
McGonagall sniffed at this. She folded her arms across her chest rather firmly before replying. "As you know, my dear, I have never been a fan of things such as divination, fate, destiny, that sort of hogwash! I believe that if there is a way to change your destiny Hermione, you will find it."
Hermione let out a deep sigh at these words. "Thank you Professor," she said simply.
McGonagall nodded her head and smiled. "You'd better hurry back now. You don't want to miss your train."
Hermione nodded. With her mind considerably more at ease, she turned and hurried out the door.