(A/N) Sorry if some there are spelling mistakes, mentioned by Ashly. My compueter's spelling check doesn't work any more and so I have to read through what I write and pick them out, sometimes I miss them. And yes, I don't like Cho Chang's character, Cho Chen is a different person, i know I should have made their names a little more different. Thanks for your great reviews, its because of them I'm updating so soon.
Lane walked out of the bathroom, still brushing her teeth as she glanced around the empty living room. She had woken up half an hour earlier then her husband Zach and their two toddlers. She spat her tooth paste into the sink and grabbed her steaming coffee. Lane walked over to the couch and curled her feet under her as she turned the news on.
"People dropping dead in the street! So far the police have found no connection between the numerous victims but they remain optomistic." She drank some of her coffee and stood up, still listening to the news as she walked back to her bedroom. Zach still snored loudly, his dirty blond hair fanning out over the pillow.
Lane was brought over by how much she loved the man that lay across their marital bed that she went over to him, put down her coffee on the bedside table and curled up next to him, put her head on his chest and listened to him breathe. He started awake as he cold cheek pressed against his chest.
"Is everything ok?" he asked, his eyes half closed as he looked down at Lane. "Are the twins ok?"
"Evetything is perfect, Zack," Lane muttered, kissing his chest and getting back up. "Go back to sleep, you don't have to wake up for another hour." She took her coffee and slipped quietly from the room. She looked on her two twin boys, who slept soundlessly in their blue room, Braham's lullaby playing over and over again from their star mobiles. She closed their door and walked back down the hall into the living room.
She looked over at the tv as she stood in the doorway looking out onto her veranda, the early morning sun was hot as it shone through the oak trees in her fRont yard.
"Some magic cults are blaming one Dark Lord for these strange happenings," The newscaster continued. Lane moved out and sat on her swining bench.
"Hello Mrs. Van Gerbig," Kirk called form the sidewalk, he was dressed in a post man outfit that looked two sizes too big for his lanky body.
"Hey Kirk," Lane replied with a wide smile. "How's Lulu?"
"She's fine," Kirk replied as he walked on to the next house.
Lane stood up from her seat and down her white cobble stone pathway to the mailbox and brought out the letters that Kirk had put there. She shuffled through them until her eyes fell upon old looking parchment. Her names scripted on the fRont in ink. Lane turned it over and saw a red seal closing it. Lane peeled it open and unfloded the parchment to read the note.
Dearest Lane,
I know this letter may come out of the blue, but I have only just found time to write. Things where I am have been so hectic its amazing how much of the world I didn't know! I miss Stars Hollow so much, I miss the tall oak trees, I even miss Taylor and Luke's fights.
Jess and I are fine, better then fine! We are kept very busy here and work tirelessly. Jess' new boss scares him but he can deal with it. And I am constantly studying to keep my head over water.
I've met great people, Hermione is so smart, and her boyfriend Ron is hilarious! Ginny is this little darling thing and Harry is very stRong willed and so brave! There are a few strange people around here, one girl named Luna skips everyhere she goes and talks about all these consipracy theories. And there is this one guy who is unbeleivably hot, his name is Draco, and he's great.
How's everyone? Is your mom stopping in once and a while? Has Zach gotten the promotion you told me he was up for? What about the twins, are they still as cute as ever? How about Sookie and Jackson, are they managing the inn fine? Any major Luke/Taylor screaming matches? If so – do not skip on details!
I find myself missing Mom so much, one minute I'll be thinking of all the fun we've had and then the next I feel like crumbling into tears. The sunshine reminds me of her so much I sometimes can't stand to stand in it. There is a forest next door to where I am and there is lilac all over and it gives me sharp painful memories of her. I'm glad I left Stars Hollow when I did, despite how much I miss you guys, I don't think I would be able to cope with those memories.
All the love my heart can give, Rory.
(P.S) To reply back leave your letter at the base of your tree with a few raw bacon strips, by the morning it will be taken.
Lane smiled and read the letter over and over again, clutching the paper to her chest as she breathed in Rory's scent of lavender. She walked back into her house and put down the letter onto the table. Smiling down at her best friends familiar writing. But why hadn't Rory told her where she was? Lane turned the letter over and looked at the read seal, she ran her hands over the badge that had the words 'Hogwarts' embezzled across it. Lane looked around the table for the other letters, but coudln't see them. She glanced over her shoulder and saw them still sitting inside the mailbox, she must have left them there.
She got up from the house and began to walk out to the letter box, but the sun began to leave the sky as a cold wind sweapt across her fRont lawn. Lane wondered if she should just turn back around and go inside but then again, those letters were only a few feet away... She wrapped her dressing gown tightly around her as she walked slowly up towards the mailbox.
A feeling of dread bean to sink into her stomach, clawing away at her insides. She looked to her left and watched as Kirk turned the corner away from her. She turned back to her mailbox and came face to face with a snake like face. It was a man who had grey silky skin stretched over his head and from his face peered two red slits for eyes.
Lane let out a small gasp and dropped her coffee cup to the ground, she heard it smash and begin to leak into the drain near by. She slowly backed away but something grabbed her arms and held them close to her. Though she could not see her attacker she was able to see black robes billowing around in the wind.
"Do you know, Rory Gilmore," the snakelike man hissed.
"What," Lane stuttered.
"Let's just kill her," snarled the man who held her arms, his breath stank of rotting flesh.
"Patience," the snake like man said to the other. "Who here, knows Jess Mariano?"
"Who's he?" Lane asked, playing dumb.
"Oh, come one, just kill her!" urged the man behind her.
"No," Lane shreiked but it was too late, in an instant of blinding green light, everything went dark, the life had suddenly left her body, the letters she had collected scuttling down the street in the stRong wind, her pajama bottoms socking up her spilt coffee.
Zach came running out of the house, his robe flowing behind him as he spotted his wife lying still on the ground. He fell to his knees at her side and put his two fingers to her neck.
"Lane," he cried. "Lane, baby! Come back," but when no pulse pressed against his finger Zach let out a sorrowful moan that could have woken the nieghboruing village. He wrapped his arms around Lane and drew her closer to him.
Kirk was the first to arrive as he ran down the street, letting the letters he had been carrying fall into the street. He ran to Lane's side also, throwing his long hands over his gaping mouth. Zach teetered back and forward, still grasping to Lane. Silent tears fell down his cheeks as he clutched to the dead body of his wife.
"Who did this too you," he muttered through his sobs. "You said everyting was perfect!" Babbette had come and stood at the scene, looking horrified, Maury right behind her staring down at Lane who still didn't move.
"Zach, sugar," she said, motioning to the young man. "Come on, I'll take you back inside."
But Zach stayed where he was, rocking back and forward, muttering still. "I would never have let you leave my arms, this is all my fault!"
His moans echoed through Rory's mind as she tossed and turned in her bed. She sat upright and felt around her bed, her mind reeling back into the present. "Lane," she cried. She had stirred Hermione awake who looked over at her with wide eyes.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, sitting up too.
"Lane's just been killed," Rory muttered, throwing her blankets off her as she ran from the dorm, Hermione following.
"Who's Lane?" asked Hermione.
"She was my best friend for ever! I need to get to Jess, I need to see Moody!" Rory ranted, they had now reached the common room and the grandfather clock ticked towards 1am. Rory paced the room, mumbling possible ways to get to Stars Hollow quickly.
"Are you sure it wasn't a dream?" Hermione asked, placing her hands on Rory's shoulder to stop her from pacing. "Voldemort's bound to want to lure you out from Dumbledore's protection, this would be the way to do it."
Before Rory could respond the boys dormitory door swung open and two boys came hurtling down the spiral staircase. Ron taking the lead as Harry followed putting on his glasses.
"Rory," Harry whispered, Hermione moved out of the way in time for Harry to grasp her shoulders. "Do you know a girl named Lane Van Gerbig?"
"Yes," said Rory. "Did you have the same dream as I did? Did you dream Lane dying?"
"I dreamt Lane was dead, killed by Vldemort," Harry replied.
"Then that makes both of us," said Rory sadly, "I need to get to Moody! I need to see Jess!"
"Ok," Harry replied whipping out a long watery cloth. "Ron, Hermione, this won't fit it all us all anymore. Rory and I will go, you two stay here."
"We'll wait till you get back mate," Ron replied.
Rory looked over at Harry as he unfolded the cloth and through it over them both. They both walked towards the portrait hole. Harry whipped out his wand and muttered the luminus maximus charm and a large light shot out from the end of his wan, Rory did the same as Harry pushed the fat lady open and they both stepped through it, then they both shot up the stairs to Moody's room.
"What is this thing?" asked Rory in a low whisper.
"An invisibilty cloak," replied Harry. "No one can see us."
"Wow, that is so cool," Rory muttered.
'Ok, we're here.' said Harry. He knocked three times very loudly.
"Come in, Potter, " called Moody from inside the room. Harry pushed the door open and walked into the room. Moody had sat up in his bed and was lighting a gas lamp that sat at his bedside. He then grabbed his walking stick and nudged a cuboard at the basse of his bed.
There was a groggy moan and the doors were pushed open and a sleepy Jess stumbeled out. He blinked a few times to take in the room but when he saw Rory he looked wide awake and as anxious as she felt.
"Rory, what's wRong?" he asked and Rory fell into his arms, sobbing into his night shirt. Grasping to his chest as grief washed over her she felt Jess's hand begin to softly pat her back.
"Lane's been killed," she moaned. Jess hands stopped dead and he and Rory drew apart.
"What," whispered Jess, too astounded to find his voice.
"Voldemort killed her!" she cried and he brought her into a tight hug once more.
"Potter, what's she on about," Moody barked.
"Its true Professor, I dreamt it too," Harry said. "Voldemort has killed her firend, Lane."
"I have to go to Zach," said Rory, she drew away from Jess and stared at moody.
"I can't allow that, Gilmore," he said roughly walking around the room and turning on his few gas lamps.
"But Zach is now all alone! And they have twins, only two years old!" Rory cried. "Its my fault they have no mother, it is I who must go and see to there well being!"
"The only reason Voldemort did this was to bring you out of the protection of Hogwarts," Moody said. "You leave now then all hope goes with you."
"So what, I'm meant to say here and do nothing?" Rory asked.
"You will not do a thing, but I shall alert the order and they can start patrolling Stars Hollow." Moody said.
"Oh god, poor Zach," Jess muttered. "He really did love Lane."
"Gimore you look faint." Moody said as he rummaged through a wooden trunk on his bed. "Mariano, take her to your closet, she needs a comforting hug."
Jess took Rory's hand and led her to the small thin closet, she glanced back at Harry and Moody who were now discussing something in hushed tones as moddy inspected different bottles he had taken out of his wooden trunk.
Rory followed Jess into his closet and had expected a tight squeeze, but was suprised to find a room nearly as big as the one they had just left. His bed sat in the corner and a gas lamp hung above their heads. He had his own wardobe where a few pictures sat and a coffee table where many books were stacked.
"Wow, nice room," Rory muttered as she sat down on his double bed, her mind still reeling as her eyes felt raw from tears.
"Lay down, I'll make you some coffee." Jess said, it all felt so strangely normal to Rory, she lay in Jess's bed as he made coffee, it was like the old times before she was thrown into this life.
"I just can't believe she's dead," Rory sighed, curling up and looking at the opposite side of the room where light shone in from Moody's room.
"Hey, just forget about it for awhile," Jess said as he walked over with a coffee cup in hand. Rory sat up and took it from him. Jess sat down on the bed next to her and brought her in, her head leant against his shoulder as she tried her best to shake it from her mind.
"She had kids," Rory muttered. "She was the future, I was fighting for her!" She felt a new wave of tears fall down her cheeks. "What do I fight for now?"
"For us," Jess said. "For the chance to finally be with your dad, for Harry and Ginny. There is so much more to fight for, Rory. Fight in memory of Lane. She wouldn't have wanted you to give up."
Rory didn't reply but what he said did give her something to think about as she settled back in the bed and letting sleep extinquish all feelings and thoughts.
The sun shone through the curtains around Rory's bed, she had strangely been moved there sometime last night. She sat up and her head ached from the tears she had cried last night, she opened the curtains and saw that Hermione had already woken up and wasn't in the room but everyone else slept soundly. Rory slowly slid off her bed and grabbed her uniform and slowly walked off towards the bathroom.
Had last night all been a dream? Was Lane just fine and going to work as per usual afterkissing her two kids goodbye at the daycare? That would have been a lovely thought, but Rory knew it wasn't true Lane was dead.
She pushed open the bathroom door and put down her uniform and makeup bag onto the counter. She slipped off her pajamas and did up her skirt and her blouse on. She did up her red tie and slipped on her white knee socks. She took out her brush and began to brush her long brown hair, noticing how long it had grown over the last month since she had left Stars Hollow.
Suddeny she heard the creaking of wood behind her, she swirled around and faced the cubicles. She slowly walked towards them her hand slowly reaching for her wand as her heart beat fast.
"Anyone there," she called out, only silence answered. "I'm warning you!"
"Rory," called a weak voice from the far right cubicle. Rory automatically recognised it as Hermione.
'Hey, Hermione," Rory said walking to the cubicle she was in. The door opened and Hermione stepped out, she was pale and her long brown hair was held up in a messy hair tie. "Are you feeling ok?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired," she began but suddenly she ran back to the toilet, went down on her knees and threw up. Rory had to hide her gag reflex as Hermione continued to hack up. "Oh god, Rory, what's wRong with me?"
"Have you been throwing up lately?" Rory asked once Hermione had stumbeled back out of the cubicle and to the sinks.
"Over the past week," Hermione replied. "But I know I'm not sick becuase I feel fine for the rest of the day." Rory had to bite her toungue to stop her from suggesting the reason she was throwing up. "Don''ttell anyone..."
"Hermione, you have to tell someone," Rory insisted, feeling slightly sick herself. "If not just your safety but for..." her voice trailed off. "It's Ron's?" Hermione gave a small nod. "Oh my god..."
"I'm only 20," Hermione cried.
"My mom was 16," said Rory. Hermione looked up at her. "And look at me and Harry, we're fine."
"Don't tell Ron," Hermione pleaded, suddenly grabbing the fRont of Rory's shirt. "I'd die if he knew!"
"But he's the dad, he's going to have to find out," Rory said reasonably. "Unless you're not thinking on keeping it."
"I don't know..." Hermione muttered, letting go of Rory and truning to look at herself in the mirror. "Would he want kids with me?"
"Look, lets get you looking back to your old self and then when we finish with our DADA double period I'll take you up to professor McGonagall," Rory said with a kind smile. "She'll help you."
"Thank you, Rory," Hermione said, bringing her in for a hug. "You've been a great friend!"
Half an hour later they walked out of the bathroom, all dressed and ready for school. They walked down the steps to the great hall. The two of them slid into their seats, Rory between Harry and Dean Thomas and across the table Hermione sat next to Ginny and Ron.
"I love Moody's lessons," Ron said inbetween his mouthfuls of food. "They are so much more exciting then Snape's lessons!"
"Of course they are, Moody actually wants us to learn how to defend ourselves," Hermione said, trying her best to appear normal. "Snape wanted us dead."
"Correction, wants us dead!" Rory said, motioning to Snape who sat glaring out at the students.
"I am dead if my Mum sees the horrible potions marks I'm getting," Ron muttered. "How am I expected to get a job at the Ministry if I get horrid marks like the one's Snape's giving me?"
"So that's what you want to do with your life?" Hermione asked, trying to be subtle. "Get a job and earn lots of money, you want to be a carreer man?" Rory just rolled her eyes and continued to munch on her boiled eggs.
"No, I want to have a family, I wouldn't fight this war just to go to work," Ron explained.
"What's with the topic, its so serious and I haven't even had toast yet," Ginny asked. Hermione's eyes grew wide as all answers failed her so Rory jumped to her rescue.
"Well, the whole war thing is taking its tole on us all, I'm thinking about all that stuff," Rory said with a shrug. "Aren't you all?"
"Yeah, of course, but lets not talk about them over breakfast," Harry replied. Rory gave a small wink to Hermione who looked straight back at her eggs.
"You want a family too, right?" Ron whispered, Hermione looked up at him and gave a quick nod.
"Hey, you two, no more future talk!" Harry warned.
Before Rory knew it breakfast was over and they were picking their bags up and throwing them over their shoudlers and were making their way out of the great hall. She turned around and gave Jess a small wave who gave her a small smile before he and Moody went out the back way. Suddenly she and Ginny had someone's arms around their shoulders. She looked over and saw Draco Malfoy smiling widely.
"Draco," Ginny stuttered. "What are you doing?"
"None of the Slutherin's believed that I was a good guy now so I'm making it obvious." Draco replied. Rory looked over at the Slytherin Table and saw most seventh years standing up and gawking at Draco.
"That's very brave of you," said Hermione.
"I was sick of lying and pretending, I want to be rid of all that fuss, so I'm making it official." Draco said with a shurg. "Anyway, can I sit with you guys during the lesson."
"Yeah, they look really angry," said Ron as they continued to walk up to the classroom.
"Hello Draco," sang Luna from behind them as her stairway swivelled her away towards the devination wing.
"Hey Luna!" he called back smiling broadly.
"Yeah, make a little more obvious, I don't think Parkinson is angry enough," Ginny muttered as they reached the second floor. "I have to go to Care of Magical Creatures, I'll see you all later!" She bent over and gave Harry a quick kiss before running up and joining a few more sixth year Gryffindors.
Finally they reached the DADA classroom and saw the tables had been arranged into a horse shoe leaving the middle of the classroom bare. Rory sat down in between Hermione or her right and Draco on her left, Ron was on her far left and Harry on her far right. Rory unpacked her books and began waited until the room was full. The Slytherin gawked at Draco as he talked with Harry, and was actually laughing!
Jess came into the room dragging a trunk that had been covered in purple silk cloack. She dragged it into the middle of the room, tossed Rory and chraming smile before moving to his usual spot next to the black board. Moody thumped into the room.
"Ok, today we're learning about the feeling trunk," Moody began, Jess wrote it on the chalk board. "Can anyone tell me what-" Hermione's hand wa sthe first in the air. "Yes Miss. Granger."
"The ffeling trunk is a trunk that reveals the innerthoughts of the opener." she replied smartly.
"That's correct," Moody said. "Five points to Gryffindor."
'But the images are rather cryptic and many find it almost impossible to decipher," she continued without being asked.
"Spot on, as always Granger," said Moody, giving her the closest thing is face had to a smile. "Another five points to Gryffindor." Rory looked over the room and saw the Slytherin's growling at Hermione but Dracop smiled over at her. "So, who wants first go?"
No one raised their hands.
"Oh come on!" he encouraged, his magical eye swept along the classroom and landed on Ron. "Weasley, up you get!" Ron went pale as he got up, and slowly walked over to the trunk. "Take out your wand, swish it and say 'opendo'."
Ron took out his wand and whispered "Opendo," and the silk cloth floted up into the air and began to twist around, the trunk flew open and different colours sparked itno it, suddenly changing it red. It turned into a large love heart that thumped rythmatically, then formed a second heart that thumped along. The two hearts suddenly mended together and there was a large cry as a the cloth strecthed out and a cottage popped up, as if drawn on, smoke coming out of the chimney and from the door of the cottage the two hearts came out, followed by three smaller hearts. In a blink of an eye the cloth had turned back to purple and fell limply onto the closed trunk.
"Ok, Weasley," Moody barked, "Go write what you saw down."
Ron gladly scurried back to his seat and avoided everyone's eyes as he scribbled what he saw down.
"Ok, who's next?" Moody asked the class and everyone's hand shot up.
Two hours later the class began to pack their bags. All reveiweing their notes and observations form the lesson. Hermione had taken up three parchments worth where as Harry barely filled one.
"What do you think a moon with ears that have turnips as earrings mean?" Draco asked as he looked down at his own sheets.
"I can't help you," Ron muttered goring over his notes. "I don't even know what the hell mine mean."
"How does Professor Moody expect us to decode these things," Harry asked scratching his head as he squinted at his own.
"Hey, Rory," Jess said, coming over to them. "Moddy doesn't have to work until last period, want to hang out?"
"I'd love to Jess," Rory said glancing over at Hermione who was fiddling with her hair nervously. "But Hermione and I have to do something."
"That's very mysterious," said Jess.
"I'm a very mysterious person,' replied Rory, Jess leant in and gave him one of his heart melting kisses.
"You can always hang with us," Harry offered, pointing to Ron and Draco. "We're going down to the Black Lake."
"Yeah, ok," Jess said, slipping a baseball hat over his spiky hair.
"See you girls," Harry said as they started to walk off.
"Don't get into too much trouble," Rory called after them.
'Wait Ron!" Hermione called. Ron stopped and turned around, Rory held her breath as Hermione ran up to him. Was she going to tell him? She wrapped her arms around hsi neck and brought the red head in for a passionate kiss. Harry, Jess and Draco looked around uncomfortably as Ron happily wrapped hsi arms around Hermione, holding her close. After a few minutes they drew apart.
"Say you love me," Hermione whispered to Ron.
"I love you with all my heart, I swear," he said. "What's wRong, Hermione?"
"I don't think anything's wRong," she replied. Finally letting her arms drop to her side and smiled after Ron who follwed the other three boys out of the room with a dazed smile.
Rory walked up to Hermione who stayed staring at the closed classroom doors as if Ron still stood there. She turned around and smiled over at Rory, who smiled back knowingly.
"I'm keeping the baby," Hermione admitted. Both she and Rory began to eruot into hapy squeals as they began to jump around.
Rory bent down and tapped Hermione's stomach as Hermione giggled. "Hello there, little baby!"
"So maybe I shouldn't go see Professor McGonagall," Hermione said. "Maybe I should tell Harry first."
"Why tell him?" asked Rory.
"He's the leader of Dumbledore's army, me being pregnant limits the fighting I can do," Hermione replied sensibly. "Why, what do you think I should do?"
"We have a DA meeting tonight don't we?" asked Rory, Hermione nodded. "Invite Harry and Ron to the minute 20 minutes early and tell them both then, you guys are so clsoe I think its only proper."a few moments, thinking it over then nodded.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Hermione nodded and then they pushed the classroom doors open and walked out.
After a while of wondering out to the stone circle, Hermione finally talked again.
"I can't believe I'm going to be a Mother!" She sighed, holding her hands to her stomach.
"I think you'll be a brilliant mother," Rory said, putting her hand on Hermione's shoulder.
"Do you think Ron wants to be a father?" She asked.
"We all saw his feeling, I'd say he really does," Rory said, giving Hermione a one armed hug.
(A/N) In the next chapter Hermione dreads a reaction