Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
CHAPTER 25
Harry was sitting on a park bench by the lake. It was a chilly day but the sky was clear and there were ducks on the pond. Suddenly Harry saw something move and turned his head to find Hermione sitting next to him on the bench. She did not say anything at first, she just smiled at him. She was so beautiful. She was in her favourite outfit, a pair of black skinny-leg jeans and her red silk top with small gold Chinese characters on it and a black sash tied around her middle. She had a flower in her hair and she looked radiant. She stood to leave but turned to Harry first.
"Please stay?" He asked her.
"Sorry, I can't stay long. I have to go. I love you Harry. Don't forget me." She bent down to kiss him lightly on the top of his head. She stood up and walked away. As she got further away, she became more and more transparent and eventually disappeared.
Ron and Harry woke up early that morning to practice on the Quidditch pitch before breakfast. As they made their way through the corridors to get outside, they saw some of the teachers standing outside the Room of Requirement. They looked concerned. McGonagall was perched on a low window frame on the opposite side of the corridor and was being comforted by Hagrid. Both looked very upset. The boys continued walking, needing to pass through that way anyway and curious at what all the fuss was about. But the boys didn't get the chance to ask what was going on. As they got closer, they looked through the open doorway to the Room of Requirement and something recognisable caught their attention. At the sight of Hermione's all too familiar hair, Harry dropped his broomstick and ran inside, catching the teachers off-guard and racing past them to get to their friend.
Both boys entered the room at a great rate but came to an immediate halt at the scene before them. Harry immediately rushed over to Hermione but Ron couldn't move.
Harry got down on the floor. His first reaction was to cradle Hermione in his arms and he rocked her back and forth. Ron felt physically sick. There he stood, in front of his two best friends. Harry, cradling a quiet, still Hermione in his arms. A dead Hermione.
Dumbledore walked up behind Ron and place a hand on his shoulder. Ron slowly turned to look at the Headmaster, a shattered look on his face. Dumbledore raised his arms and Ron accepted the hug, howling into his professor's shoulder.
"Where is Madam Pomfrey? Someone call her! Quickly! Someone! Please!" Harry yelled. He looked pleadingly at the teachers standing around him. None moved. Dumbledore parted from Ron and walked over to where Harry sat, cradling Harry and brushing the hair from her eyes. Harry looked urgently at his headmaster. He was getting very worked-up and the Headmaster could see his plain distress. He bent down and rested a hand on the young boy's shoulder.
"Harry." He didn't hear him.
"Quickly, Professor! We have to hurry! We're losing time!" He cried needingly, not understanding why no one was doing anything.
"Harry, I'm sorry. She's gone Harry. There's noting anyone can do. I'm so sorry." Harry saw tears brimming in his eyes and he knew it was over. He burst into tears and held Hermione's lifeless body close to him, cradling her and rocking back and forth again. He looked at her still face, still not believing it could be true. Her eyes were still open and glazed over. She appeared to be looking at him, but also as if she was a million miles away.
Not 15 feet away, the cold body of Draco went unnoticed and uncared for.