Chapter Thirteen:

Gone

Hermione barely slept that night. She still had the burning memory of that afternoon. She kept asking herself why she had not told Harry sooner. Did it really matter all that much to tell him or not? She woke almost every two hours of the night, crying, and having a consoling husband at her side.

He didn't understand this himself. When he woke in the morning Hermione was sitting up in bed crying again. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her head to his shoulder and she cried. Enough was enough, he had to stop this.

"Hermione," Harry started soothingly. "Why does it matter if you saw me the afternoon of my accident?" He asked.

"Because," Hermione shook her head. She couldn't tell him, because the image would come back to her.

A flash of his bloody body, and his helplessness came to her. She could still see his blood stain the perfect sheets of white linen. She couldn't take it anymore. She wished she could loose her memory, but what if it were her instead of him? She shuddered at the moment and her teary eyes turned to him.

"What?" Harry asked sweetly to calm her down.

"I can't get the image out of my head." She said tearfully. She sighed when Harry looked at her with confusion.

"What image?" He asked. "You didn't witness my accident..." He stopped. "Or did you?"

"No," Hermione added quickly. "I didn't witness it, but I saw you." She sighed once again and looked to her shaking hands. "You were being placed on a table, covered in blood, and you were unconscious. You couldn't move, and you wouldn't wake." She said.

"But-" Harry went to say something else, but Hermione whispered something. "What?" He asked.

"I couldn't look at you." She said. "I couldn't look at you for days without wishing it were me instead of you." She said, her tears trailing off of her cheeks and down Harry's neckline.

"Why did you picture that?" He asked, bewildered.

"Because I loved you." She spoke simply. "I loved you ever since we were kids, and I can't help but feel the same pain you do." She cried.

"You couldn't possibly feel what I was." Harry said confused.

"It was a metaphor." She said softly. "It hurt me so much to think that you wouldn't make it through. I sent in other doctors and nurses so I wouldn't have to face you. If you woke to me treating you then I wouldn't have forgiven myself." She said.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"I was the only one who automatically knew you would loose your memory. It was only me who knew that this would be permanent." She said. "If you woke, I would have never been able to face the fact that I would be non-existent to you."

"But," Harry said in a ponderous tone. "How come I remember you?" He asked, massaging his temples.

"For the first time in sixteen year," Hermione started. "I was wrong."

Harry had gone to work that morning again. It seemed awkward that Ron was most definitely gone for good. Neville had taken his place as Harry's partner and Harry, for some reason, seemed over content about it. Was he really this horrible of a person to be glad that he got someone fired?

He walked in that morning after getting quiet apologies from random people that he actually didn't know he worked with. He spun in his chair for an idea when a young woman had shuffled past his cubicle with her hands full of papers. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"Joyce," Harry called.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" The woman stepped in.

She had long blond hair that reached her waistline, much like Hermione's, and she (for some reason) reminded Harry of his Aunt Petunia. Joyce had a thin, boney, and horse like face structure. Her eyes were bright blue and she had huge black rims around the bags under her eyes. Harry gave her a small smile of sympathy.

"Coffee," He said. "Please Joyce." He spoke softly.

"Of course," She said and she huffed her way back.

Harry spun in his chair again, and again, and again. He pushed his head back against his large office chair and sighed. An idea, he needed an idea. He spun around again when his secretary had rejoined him. Her hair looked a lot more frizzy and she looked like she was about to fall over.

"Here you are," She put on a fake smile. "Sir." She added quickly.

"After four years of telling you, you never stop huh?" He asked awkwardly. "Please, call me Harry" he smiled.

"Sorry si- I mean Harry." She yawned.

Harry felt another surge of sympathy rush through him. If she stood here any longer then she'd collapse. She turned on her heel to leave, but Harry had called her back. She gave him a-please-leave-me-alone look, and he sat back and laughed at it. She sighed, getting ready to do his next command.

"Send an apology to Ron," He said. "And then you can have the day off." He gave her a nice smile.

"Oh my," She said. "Really?" She asked.

"Sure," He laughed. "You look horrible." He said and she blushed.

"I feel horrible." She added. "Thank you so much Mr. Potter," She said loudly. "You don't know how much I need this break."

"It's Harry!" He called after her, but she was gone.

He sipped his coffee and then spit it out with a shrieking laugh. He could stop laughing for some reason. His partner, Neville, walked in about two minutes later. He unpacked his things and looked at Harry with a look of confusion.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"I guess she really was tired." He let out another low laugh and Neville's confusing increased even more.

"Who?" Neville asked after relaxing in his own chair.

"Joyce," Harry said.

At that moment Joyce had walked back in. She had a short letter that she handed to Harry with a sigh. She explained that it was short because she felt she was going to fall asleep at her desk, but Harry thought it would be fine. He shook his head and whisked her out of his office with a laugh.

"She looks terrible." Neville said, dazed.

"She said she was really tired, but I didn't imagine that tired." He pointed at his cup of coffee.

His chair then swiveled over to the window where Harry had tied the short note to Hedwig's leg. She chirped sleepily and Harry gave her an oh-my-god-not-you-too look before he turned back to his desk. Neville was trying to look in Harry's coffee cup with interest.

"What did she do to it?" He asked, unable to see the inside.

"It's got a tea bag in it." Harry laughed.

"Maybe she was just trying to give you both tea and coffee to make you happy, but got a little confused." Neville suggested. They just laughed.

After that day there wasn't really anything worth remembering. The days were boring and they seemed to get dreary. The days went by slow and summer was fading into autumn. The leaves were beginning to fall off the trees, and sooner or later the grounds would be cover with a white blanket of snow.

He didn't want to think about that. Harry secretly hated everything about the season of winter. He was one of those people who could become cold easily. It was about five weeks later when Harry sat in his office with a frozen smile on his face. People stared awkwardly at him as they passed.

He was bundled up in a sweater and heavy jeans, but it wasn't that cold. It was near the holiday that had every department busy: Halloween. The aurors were constantly checking and making sure that Voldemort wouldn't be near any towns. Kids would be out late, and it would be horrible if one was attacked after asking people for candy.

Then the day came: the night before Halloween. Harry, along with half his section, were tailing a man. It was almost 11:00 at night when they attacked. This man was none other then Voldemort himself. Harry knew it wouldn't be an easy fight, but he was determined to win.

"We meet again." Harry said when he stepped into the clearing. The cloaked man spun around.

"Potter," He hissed. "Where are the others?" He asked.

"Fighting your Death Eaters." He said in an unusual tone.

"You must think you're a pretty strong to challenge me Potter. You know that you'll end up exactly like your parents. That's what you want, isn't it? To be dead." Voldemort circled him. "I know your thoughts. I know everything that is happening." He smiled.

"What's happening?" Harry asked, in disbelief.

"Your daughter is being born." Voldemort said and Harry gaped a minute.

"How do you know that!" Harry demanded.

"I told you Harry. I know everything." He smirked. "Maybe loosing a daughter will make you learn your lesson." He hissed.

"You will not touch my daughter!" Harry sneered and raised his wand to Voldemort's collar bone.

"We'll see about that." He replied.

Voldemort had cast his hands up and Harry had no idea what he was doing at all. He did what he first intended to do. Harry raised his wand and eyed him viciously. He opened his mouth to speak, but something happened. He stepped back slightly, to figure it out exactly.

A blinding red light exploded from the opening area. It swiveled around into the form of a giant snake and then wrapped itself around Voldemort's arm. Harry eyed his suspiciously and kept his wand parallel to his head.

"Let's call your child," Voldemort hissed. "Shall we?" He let out a laugh.

"No!" Harry shouted un-expectantly. "RULIOU!" Harry shouted.

A golden light erupted from his wand and hit Voldemort directly in the face. The light captured the white light and then golden one became larger. It was sweeping past him brightly, and he made no move what so ever.

Harry brought his wand down to see what was happening, and he saw Voldemort once again. He stood as if it was nothing, but at least his call hadn't worked. Voldemort sneered slightly as he turned to face the trunk of a tree. Harry was about to say another spell when Voldemort had communicated with him.

"I've been hunting you for almost twenty five year Harry Potter." Voldemort hissed. "Yet, I can never successfully kill you."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Harry asked.

"If you weren't here then I could have already had the world in my palm." He said as he outstretched his hand. "You absorbed my powers the night your parents fought against me. If I had killed you, then you wouldn't be here. I will not let you escape my clutches again. You have been for basically fifteen years. Everytime I have an encounter with you, you always seem to snake your way out of the situation."

"My first year at Hogwarts I was given the choice to go to Slytherin or Gryffindor." Harry said awkwardly. "But I chose Gryffindor. Then after I met you I was positive to stay away from Slytherin, because look what happened to you." He spoke.

"I am a different story." He said in a raspy voice.

"I don't think you are." Harry hissed. "I've seen your trophies. You got an award for dedication to the school and for one of the best prefects. How can you stand here and say that it never happened?" He asked with more power.

"I am a half blood. I was embarrassed by saying that my worthless father was a muggle! I couldn't bare the pain. Then I found a way to gain so much power, for I found that I was the heir of Salazar Slytherin. You, though, have yet to find the impossible." He snipped.

"What do you mean by impossible?" He asked with confusion.

"Haven't you noticed that you're not only my enemy?" Voldemort asked in a childish voice. "And I thought you were smart."

Harry was confused. He watched Voldemort circle the area, and then he saw something odd happen. Voldemort had raised a sword and jammed it into the trunk of a tree. The bark flew everywhere, but a green and yellow light erupted from the bark. Harry stepped back and watched.

"Beware Potter." Voldemort hissed. "Because you are about to know the truth."

Harry was again confused. Voldemort had wrenched open a gap into the tree trunk and a picture had started to form. Voldemort threw a kind of dust on it to stop the fuzziness and Harry watched with interest. He listened carefully.

"Many years of trying to find he-who-must-not-be-named is hard. He kills any in his path and he searches for power. Taking everyone's lives who cross his path. Something new has happened though. Earlier this evening we have come across the Potter Residence, that was hidden, to find Lilly and James Potter dead, but their young son still alive. He has a scar of a lightning bolt on his forehead. This child shall be cursed forever, and his life shall be harder then imaginable. He is now nothing but you-know-who's target. He had recently drained you-know-who of his powers. Now this young boy has them all, and you-know-who is out for revenge."

It was like watching the news in the trunk of a tree. A man who looked a lot like Ludo Bagman was the announcer. Harry listened carefully, but this didn't make sense. Why was Voldemort showing him this, because before they were in a battle as soon as they saw each other, so why? Something wasn't right.

"This young boy is by the name of Harry Potter. As of right now we only know of two biological relatives and they are both Muggles. Sources say they are the worst sort of Muggles, but this young boy has no one else. Harry Potter shall be known to every wizard and witch of our world. There will not be a person alive who doesn't know his name. He is the only one who ever lived, and this is the worst thing to be a target for."

Harry looked up to Voldemort who had his arms crossed and was sneering madly. This still was confusing to him. Voldemort stood there and didn't say a word. Was he going to fight Harry, or just stand there and walk away? He looked back into the trunk of the tree and watched some more.

"You-know-who was also once known as Tom Riddle. A half blood who's mother was a witch and father a muggle. People believe his knack for murdering people is because of his father. A muggle who, in Tom's case, didn't deserve the title of human. Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, said that Tom didn't have a home. He forbade himself to live with his mother or father. Half bloods or muggle-borns don't deserve to be in this world, or so he thinks. You-know-who reaches into the lives of many to turn this world into pure bloods only."

Harry went to look again, but Voldemort had made the voice and picture disappear. He looked at Harry with a smirk on his face as he stood in front of him. Harry felt his scar sear with pain again. He breathed in through clutched teeth so it made a sharp hissing noise.

"I don't understand." Harry said, placing a hand on his scar. "Why did you show me that?" He asked.

"Because you took my powers." He sneered. "You took them the night you lived and I was released to the power of a mere half blood. I had so much power, and you stole it from me!" He jabbed his wand at Harry, hitting him sharply in the forehead.

"I know I took them." Harry glared. "But it's not my fault I lived." Harry snipped and Voldemort nodded.

"It is your fault." He said. "You are the one that slithers away everytime we are here in battle."

"So you want to kill me for defending myself?" Harry asked, confused.

"No, I want my powers returned." He said. "You are the only one that could stop me, and you have failed. You don't know how to stop me, because now I am too powerful." He said, his words getting stronger.

"CRUCIO!" Harry yelled before Voldemort had noticed he raised his wand.

"Uh," Voldemort twitched slightly and then stop. "Childish spells those ones." He laughed. "Avada…"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry yelled, and then it happened.

The two wands were fighting again. Brother against brother. Harry saw what happened in his fourth year, but not exactly the same. This time a purplish light erupted from his, and a red erupted from Voldemort's.

"Come now Potter," He said as the trail of light darkened. "Surely you know what to do." He said in a childish voice to provoke him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as the light brightened. What was going on?

"Maybe I should just bring your newborn half blood daughter here and slaughter your mudblood wife." He laughed. "How about that?" He wondered.

"You will not touch Hermione!" The light glowed.

"Hermione," He repeated. "I wasn't aware Mudbloods deserved a name." He laughed.

Harry moved his wand to the side as a surge of electricity went through the light and into the middle where the purple and red met. A large bubble of electricity formed and grew larger by the minute. Voldemort started whispering.

"What's happening?" He asked himself. Harry could sense the fear in his voice. Was he actually scared?

Harry moved it around so to bubble grew larger. A great shock of energy blew from the ball and hit Voldemort square in the forehead. Voldemort was screaming something as he was plunged into the split tree. Harry listened closely and stepped backwards. What if he heard incorrectly?

"NEVER!" Voldemort yelled. "NEVER WILL THE HEIR OF SALAZAR SLYTHERIN LOSE TO GODRIC GRYFFINDOR'S!"

Harry listened intently. He was the heir of Godric Gryffindor? That seemed highly impossible. Harry took a couple steps backwards and saw the cloak of Voldemort on the ground, but no Voldemort. Was he gone finally? Or was this another trick perhaps?

"Harry!" A voice said.

Harry turned and a group of Aurors came into the clearing. They looked happy beyond all belief. Harry fell to his knees. His strength was leaving him completely. He felt something touch his shoulder and he looked up to find Ron standing in front of him. Harry blinked.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, confused.

"I'm back up." He said. "But don't worry about that now." He said gently.

"I'm sorry Ron." Harry said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you." Harry said sadly.

"It's alright mate!" He said quickly. "You did it!" He said happily.

"Did what?"

Ron brought in a dead body from the forest. Harry looked at the body closely to find that it was Lucius Malfoy. Harry could recognize the long bleach white hair. Everytime he looked into this face it gave him shivers. Ron, though, had no fear. Ron showed Harry Mr. Malfoy's arm and Harry gasped.

"The death mark." Harry gasped again in amazement. "It's gone!"

Author's Notes:

I hope you enjoy. I probably won't be updating for a few weeks, considering the new Harry Potter book will be released. So people are going to spend their time reading that and won't have any time to read fanfiction, so I hope y'all enjoy this chapter.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE! Hehe.

Also, any of you that have the time: Could you please read a new story called Unleash My Pain, because I need some help with it.

Airalynn

To My Reviewers:

Ms. Sakura Moon – I love the sound of a new fan, haha. I hope you enjoy! And thanks for being a fan!

pumpkinpie4ever – It's not that intense, but I'm glad you liked it :P

NicciBubbles – I have a new story up now, but it's really confusing to people. It's called Unleash My Pain. Have fun on your trip!

PrincessLuckyCML – You have more power then you think you do. –wink wink- I hope you read my review on the last chapter of your story. It was awesome! The story, I mean. Lol.

harryhermione4ever – Of course I'll keep writing. What kind of person do you think I am? Lol.

miniprincess (reviewed chapter one) – I already cleared it up that I forgot Crouch was dead, but I don't have the time to fix it.

rockergurl13 – I liked the name Skyler too. I'm glad you mentioned it to me. Hope you like the rest of this story that I have.

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) JULY 2, 2005