Chapter 8: The Resurrection Stone

A/N: Someone in the reviews asked a great question (Thank you BookPanda12 and HermioneGryffindor) that I would like to answer publicly.

Why can't Draco just "accio" the Resurrection Stone?

I apologize for not making my intentions clear in this story. In Harry Potter Wiki it states, "Most wizarding goods sold came pre-enchanted with an anti-theft charm to keep them from being summoned by anyone but their rightful owners."

The Resurrection Stone was a family heirloom for many generations. I think it is very likely that at some point it's owner thought it imperative to prevent this object from being stolen so easily by adding protection charms that would make it unable to be summoned by someone who is not the owner.

In all practicality, I'm just trying to make it a little harder to find the stone, so that my timelines match up for this story. Also, please don't hate me, but this is going to be a short chapter. Next chapter will be back to normal length. Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

Also, I don't own Harry Potter or any lyrics you may recognize later on in this chapter. Song is "I'll stand by you" by The Pretenders.

"And now it's time for the couples first dance." I heard a male voice say on my right. Hermione and I were sitting with her parents at our muggle reception. As she was muggleborn, most of her family didn't know she was a witch, and that I was a wizard. She insisted we have two receptions.

Hermione grabbed my right arm as we stood up. She led me to the middle of the dance floor. I heard a song start playing the second we were in position. I was suddenly extremely thankful Hermione had made me attend dancing lessons prior to tonight.

Hermione whispered in my ear. "Listen to the words. This is how I feel about us. There is no question."

I nodded as the music started, I quickly reached for her waist and started moving my feet, dragging her along with me.

"Oh, why you look so sad?

Tears are in your eyes

Come on and come to me now

Don't be ashamed to cry

Let me see you through

'Cause I've seen the dark side too

When the night falls on you

You don't know what to do

Nothing you confess

Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you…"

I looked into Hermione's eyes. She looked into my eyes. Neither of us spoke as we twirled around the dance floor. Eventually, more couples joined us on the dance floor. But I remained focused on Hermione and the words she was telling me without voicing them.

"So if you're mad, get mad

Don't hold it all inside

Come on and talk to me now

Hey, what you got to hide?

I get angry too

Well I'm a lot like you

When you're standing at the crossroads

And don't know which path to choose

Let me come along

'Cause even if you're wrong…"

I missed a step in our routine. Hermione squeezed my hand so I would continue dancing. Hermione had found the perfect song to describe her feelings. Her feelings about our past. My past. I could feel her love for me.

"I'll stand by you

Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you

Take me in, into your darkest hour

And I'll never desert you

I'll stand by you."

The music stopped. I pulled Hermione into a long hug and whispered "I love you Hermione. I'll always stand by you too."

I looked up as I focused my thoughts back to the job at hand. I've completely emptied the area surrounding the clearing. I've come back to The Forbidden Forest for a few hours every day. I've mostly been alone, not wanting to ask Ron for his help everyday. I still haven't found the stone. It is possible I have the wrong clearing. Maybe it is time to involve my mother, or Harry.

Someone cleared their throat behind me. I quickly turned around. It was Harry.

"Harry, I-" I start, seeing Ron standing a few feet behind Harry. But Harry raises his hand to stop me from talking.

"No, Draco. I'm sorry. I've been thinking about it, and Narcissa told me about the letters. Maybe it would be a good idea for us to say goodbye to Hermione. We'd have some closure. If I received odd letters from the dead, I suppose I'd want answers too."

Harry and Ron came closer to me as Harry continued, "Well, you're at the right clearing at least. I came in from over there. I'm not exactly sure where I dropped the stone, and I'm sure it's been stepped on or buried somehow since then. So, I brought these." Harry indicated the several gardening tools he and Ron were carrying.

I was at a loss for words. All I managed was a "thank you Harry," as he handed me a hoe and brought me to the place where the stone might be located.

We'd been searching for about twenty minutes when Ron picked up a small stone and Harry if it was the Resurrection Stone. It wasn't.

I continued searching, dragging the hoe across the ground and picking up any small dark colored rock. Harry had described to us what it looked like. I was getting nervous, and excited. Having Harry here meant that I would see Hermione sooner. LIttle did Harry know, I had different plans for the Resurrection Stone. I was actually going to bring Hermione back, not just to say goodbye.

Twenty more minutes passed. Then another, and another. Eventually we'd been looking for a few hours and it was starting to get dark. How was this possible if Harry knew exactly where it was? Maybe someone already found the Resurrection Stone. Maybe we'll never find it.

"Let's call it a day." Ron said and Harry agreed. "I need to get back to Luna, she's about ready to pop and I don't want to be gone when she-" Ron immediately stopped talking realizing what he'd done.

"You guys go on ahead. I think I'll stay just a little bit longer." I said as I kept digging through the dirt. I heard them apparate away.

I sat down on the ground, leaning up against a tree. I just needed a short break. I started thinking about what Hermione would think of what I'm doing. This is the first time I really thought about that. I didn't want to know what she would think. I just wanted to see her and have her, and hold her in my arms again.

My mind went down a rabbit hole of thoughts about Hermione. I thought about everything. All of our memories. The good memories, and the bad memories. I didn't ever want to forget anything about her.

After a period of time, I decided I'd get back to work. As I placed my hand on the ground to push myself back into a standing position, I felt something hard. I lifted my hand, and saw nothing. Just soft, dark brown dirt and broken leaves.

I scoop my hand underneath the dirt, hoping the stone is just under the surface. Slowly I start sifting through the dirt. I stop when my thumb grazes over something hard. I pick it up with my other hand and drop the dirt back to the ground. Is this the Resurrection Stone?" I think to myself.

I turn it over in my hand, and rub the dirt off. There, in the middle of the stone is the Deathly Hallows inscription. Excited, I started turning it in my hands. Nothing happens. I pressed the Deathly Hallows inscription. Nothing happens. I say Hermione's name out loud. Nothing happens.

"How does this thing work?" I ask out loud, aggravated. I try a few more things. Nothing works.

Defeated, I pick up Harry's gardening hoe and apparate home. It was late, and I didn't want to bother Harry. Now that I've found the Resurrection Stone, what was one night more? I resolved to head to his house first thing in the morning.

I spent most of the night awake. I had fiddled around with the Resurrection Stone trying everything I could think of to make it work. Finally it was the morning. In an hour it would be a reasonable time to arrive at someone's home. This was the first morning in over six months that I was actually excited for the day. Because of this, I decided to make breakfast for my mother and the girls. The girls weren't quite old enough for only solid foods, but they could munch on some plain pancakes.

I was in the middle of mixing the batter when my mother came into the Kitchen. She stood in the doorway confused for several moments. "Draco?"

"Hello mother. Please sit down, I'm almost done making breakfast." I told her.

"But, you hate cooking. What's going on?" She continued. "Is this because you've been coming home late at night?"

"Yes, no, not really." I answered. "I'll tell you later. I promise. Just let me finish this and I'll go wake up the girls for breakfast. I've already got their bottles made up."

I continued making breakfast as my mother sat in silence. My thoughts remain on Hermione the entire time. I couldn't wait for Harry to show me how to see her. I hadn't told my mother about the Resurrection Stone. Really, only Harry, Ron, Luna and I knew. I wanted it to be a surprise for Ginny and my mother to see her. My mother would only have to wait a few more hours.

A/N:

News update! I'm accepting beta applications! I have this problem-I never proofread my work. I find that part absolutely boring. If there's anyone who has a passion for proofreading, please let me know! I don't imagine there are too many mistakes, but a few have been pointed out to me, and I want to put the best story out there I can. Thanks in advance! (There is an added bonus to this, it means I'll have a deadline to finish writing each week-that means more chapters!)

Thank you all who reviewed my last chapter. I love you! Here's the next set of questions.

What is your favorite candy/chocolate?

What is your least favorite food/beverage?