Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form though I would be insanely rich if they did!
"Mione?" Harry breathed as he stared into those pools of chocolate brown. It seemed like eons since he had last seen Hermione alive and beautiful. In a flash, Harry threw off his covers and jumped up to grab Hermione's hand and stare at her weak smile.
Like Harry a week earlier, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Harry instantly understood and called out for Madam Pomfrey. She emerged from her office in a night cap and dressing gown with a bewildered expression on her face. She took in the sight of Harry's excited expression and Hermione's animated state before quickening her step. The nurse obviously anticipated Hermione's needs by putting out a vial with a familiar looking potion.
A goblet later and Hermione looked even better than before. "Thank you," she said in a completely normal speaking voice. She turned her head to smile warmly at Harry and winced as a pain shot through her head and temporarily clouded her vision. "What happened?" Hermione asked with her eyes closed.
Harry could only smile and say, "We were sick. I'll explain everything in the morning." His heart was near to bursting with happiness, and he could hardly contain his excitement. Things had looked so bleak earlier, but now, with Hermione awake, things seemed better.
Hermione smiled sleepily and promptly fell back to sleep without the aid of a sleeping draught. The fact that she started snoring softly proved that she was actually sleeping and not passing out into a comatose state again. Madam Pomfrey checked her vitals and seemed satisfied with the results. She bade Harry a good night before heading back to her own bed. Harry sat next to Hermione's bed, holding her hand, until he felt himself nodding off. He kissed her forehead lightly before crawling back into his own bed and falling into the first sound sleep he'd had in days.
/
Harry awoke the next day long before Hermione did. While he waited for her beautiful eyes to open again, he practiced some magical exercises Madam Pomfrey had given him to help strengthen his magical core. Power was the one thing Harry's magic did not lack. In fact, Harry felt more magic running through his veins than ever before. He accidently blasted apart several sets of hospital curtains before he started to get the hang of his new power.
Madam Pomfrey taught him a few exercises to help calm his mind and body, and those seemed to help. He could now levitate objects without accidently throwing them through windows. Harry only hoped they would help Hermione, because he never doubted for a moment that her magic would be anything other than great.
He had been in the middle of balancing chairs in midair when Hermione woke up and startled him. "Good morning," she said as the chairs came crashing to the floor. "Sorry." Harry blushed from embarrassment as he repaired the chairs and returned them to their proper places.
He sat in the chair next to Hermione's bed and took her hand. "How are you feeling" Harry asked with a huge grin spread across his face.
"Pretty good, but I will feel better once you explain everything," Hermione responded with a devilish smirk. Her behavior made Harry feel even better, because she seemed just the same as before Ron's kidnapping. "How long have we been here?"
"Two weeks," Harry answered with some hesitancy. Hermione's light mood disappeared almost instantly as she processed the ramifications of that statement.
Harry saw her try to swallow past a lump in her throat. "I was unconscious for two weeks?" Hermione asked with astonishment. "How long were you out?" she wondered after his firm nod.
"I woke up a week ago," he replied in a much more muted tone. "Do you remember anything from when you were passed out? Voices maybe?"
Hermione relaxed into her pillows with a thoughtful expression on her face. After a moment, she answered, "I do vaguely remember hearing voices once. I overheard someone talking about a parasite of some sort. I'm not sure who was talking though." She looked back to Harry, and her eyes demanded an explanation.
Harry could only comply, and he launched into an explanation that covered how they contracted the parasite and what it did. He also repeated all that Dumbledore revealed to him about horcruxes, including the part about him being one. Harry's recap of the past couple weeks was quite lengthy, and after a while, Hermione settled back and closed her eyes. She seemed to be asleep, and anyone watching the pair would have thought she had passed back out, but Harry could sense that Hermione was very much awake and listening attentively.
Finally, Harry ran out of things to tell Hermione, and he settled into a heavy silence. Hermione still sat with her eyes closed, and her body language was completely unreadable. Harry longed to ask her what was on her mind or even to see her eyes open again. Now, he wasn't so sure that she was still conscious. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, Hermione sat up and looked at Harry. "Has your magic been affected?" she asked curtly.
This was not the response Harry expected. Slightly taken aback, Harry pulled out his wand and began levitating chairs again. "At first, it was hard to control my magic. It was like being eight years old but add in fireworks. I had to teach myself to concentrate, but my magic is still much more powerful than before." He finished speaking and neatly returned the chairs to their original locations.
"Do you think my magic is okay?"
Hermione's simple question completely baffled Harry. He had never even considered the possibility that Hermione's magical core could be damaged. Harry could only gape and open and close his mouth like a fish out of water. Harry watched as Hermione searched for and found her wand on the table next to her bed. She raised it as if to perform a spell when Madam Pomfrey came bustling into the Hospital Wing.
She took in the sight of Hermione holding up her wand and clucked her tongue. "I'm afraid you need more rest before you should attempt any magic, my dear," she said before taking Hermione's wand out of her hand. "You are still much too weak no matter how well you feel." Hermione silently gave in and allowed Madam Pomfrey to run any number of tests to check up on her health. After a quarter of an hour passed, the nurse seemed satisfied and left the teens in peace.
If it could be called peace anyway. Hermione buried himself in deep thought, and Harry had to suffer through another uncomfortable silence. He didn't want to interrupt her, but he could hardly stand how quiet she was being. Harry remembered how utterly and completely happy he had been when he saw her beautiful eyes open last night. That mood contrasted so much with the present atmosphere as to make the night before seem garish and unreal.
Now he was so caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice that Hermione was back on planet Earth and staring at Harry with a bemused expression. Her mind had calmed down so she was able to watch Harry as he had watched her earlier. Finally, she put her hand back on his and whispered, "Harry? Are you done yet?"
That question seemed to startle Harry as he saw that Hermione was just sitting there smiling at him sweetly. "What did you say?" he asked as a confused expression came over his face. He seemed so bewildered that Hermione couldn't help but giggle at him which only flustered him more. "Come on, Hermione. What did you say?"
"I was just wondering if you were done thinking," Hermione replied when she was done laughing at Harry's expense. "You were very engrossed in whatever was on your mind."
"Oh, I was just thinking about you," Harry said as he smiled back at Hermione. He leaned in to kiss her slightly chapped lips and instantly felt better. Feeling her warmth reassured him in a way nothing else could. The Hermione he knew and liked was not gone. "I missed you."
Hermione settled back, beaming from the feel of Harry's lips on hers. "Harry, I wasn't really gone. I was only asleep," she reminded him lightly.
Harry looked down at their clasped hands before answering, "I know, but you still weren't you. I like you much better when you are awake."
Hermione brightened at the comment ad blushed at the attention. They were wrapped up in their own little bubbled until Ron came bursting through the entrance to the Hospital Wing. His arms were laden with books that he dropped on Harry's bed when he saw Hermione sitting upright. "Hermione! You're awake!" he exclaimed as he rushed to her bedside.
Ron's energy was infectious, and Hermione couldn't help but grin as she greeted him in turn. "Why did you bring all these books with you?" she asked, her attention focused on the mound of books thrown haphazardly onto Harry's tangled sheets. "I wasn't aware you knew how to check books out of the library," she joked good-naturedly.
They laughed, and Ron didn't care that Hermione had just made fun of him. He was just glad both of his best friends were okay. "I had to ask Madam Pince for help, but Harry was still here and couldn't help me. I've been bringing him his homework, and he's been doing research for Buckbeak's trial."
Hermione's eyes grew wide, and she looked at Harry in surprise. "You've been keeping up with your homework?"
Her boyfriend grew really red and just kept looking at his hands. "I even did some of your assignments. I tried my hands at Ancient Runes, but I'm afraid you'll have to redo those pages. Those squiggles confused me more than your Arithmancy textbook," Harry admitted sheepishly.
Hermione couldn't help but smile at this new side of Harry. "Thank you, Harry," she said as she accepted the pages of homework from Ron. She glanced them over, and for the most part, they actually looked good. What he had written for Ancient Runes confused even her, but it was an easy enough assignment that wouldn't take her long to redo. "You guys did homework without me having to tell you to? How long was I really asleep?"
Ron stayed and visited for a while. He talked about what was going on in the classes they had together. Hermione even laughed at tales of some of Fred and George's pranks. They talked and talked until Madam Pomfrey came and shooed Ron out saying Hermione needed her rest. He promised to come back the next day and ran out to be on time for dinner.
Harry turned back to find Hermione staring at him warmly, her brown eyes glittering. "What?" he asked before she reached over to kiss him sweetly on his lips. "What was that for?"
"Did you know that you are quite possibly one of the most amazing people I've ever know?" she admitted glowingly.
"What did I do to deserve that comment?" Harry inquired as he rubbed her hand with his thumb.
She gestured to the piles of books and parchment. "You did your homework and most of mine. You even did most of the research for Buckbeak's trial. Those are things I probably would have done myself or had to force you to help me with."
Harry blushed and couldn't meet her eyes again. "I didn't know what else to do. Waiting a week for you to wake up felt a little like torture," he admitted without looking at her. "Maybe a small part of me hoped it would get you to wake up faster," Harry all but whispered.
Hermione's heart warmed to the point of bursting to see Harry in this state. She pushed his chin up gently to stare in those sad green eyes. "Well, I'm awake now, and I think I'm going to be okay. I might even try to do some magic later," she said reassuringly. Just those few sentences seemed to cheer Harry up measurably.
"I guess you are right," Harry acquiesced. "Maybe you should wait on the magic though. I don't want you to blow up this part of the castle or anything." He grinned at Hermione impishly. She pretended to glare but soon ended up laughing along.
Dumbledore interrupted their mirth by entering the Hospital Wing carrying a small stack of letters. "I hate to intrude, but I heard that Miss Granger had woken up. It's good to see you awake at last," he smiled down on the beaming teenaged girl. "I brought with e any mail either of you received over the past couple weeks," Dumbledore explained as he distributed the letters. Hermione had a couple from her parents, and Harry had a few grubby notes with nothing written on the outside.
"We, of course, notified your families that the two of you were in the Hospital Wing. We did not disclose the nature of your stay so as not to alarm your families too much," Dumbledore informed them as Hermione eagerly tore into her letters.
Harry could tell that none of the notes he received were from the Dursleys. They probably hadn't even opened the bloody letter. None of them wanted anything to do with Hogwarts or Harry. Turning his attention back to the pieces of parchment in his hands, he read them quickly. They were all from Sirius, and all of them expressed great concern at not hearing back from Harry. The first thing Harry planned to do once Dumbledore left was to write Sirius a long letter explaining everything important. He might leave out the part about the horcruxes until another time.
"I also came to tell you about what I've uncovered concerning that copy of Miss Bagshot's History of Magic." This declaration caught the attention of both teens automatically. "One of the properties of the room is to act as a hiding place for items a person does not want found. I believe Voldemort himself may have hidden that book and even other things," Dumbledore added with special emphasis. Both teens understood his meaning perfectly.
"What do you think it could be?" Hermione inquired in a low voice. She had learned that anyone could overhear anything at Hogwarts.
"When Voldemort was Tom Riddle, he viewed Hogwarts as his home. Anything related to the school or its founders was held high in his esteem. This leads me to believe that Voldemort may have made horcruxes out of objects specific to the founders. We can rule out an object belonging to Gryffindor, because the sword is the only known artifact left belonging to Godric Gryffindor."
Hermione furrowed her brow, and Harry could see her mentally searching all of her knowledge of Hogwarts and the four founders. "The only item I can think of is Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. According to myth, it was lost generations ago, but some people believe it's somewhere here at Hogwarts," she said after a brief pause. "Perhaps Voldemort found it, turned it into a horcrux, and hid it in a place no one would look for it?"
Dumbledore smiled down upon Hermione. "That was precisely what I had been thinking. Voldemort had the opportunity to hide it when he came for an interview some years after he left the school."
"Voldemort interviewed for a job at this school?" Harry asked with amazement. Such an idea was hard to imagine.
The expression on Dumbledore's face never changed. "He was interested in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. This was before he became infamous as Lord Voldemort, of course. Ever since I declined to give him the job, we've had difficult time keeping that teaching post filled. Your class is on their third professor in this subject area," he pointed out.
Harry had wondered if Hogwarts often had to replace teachers, but it seemed as though the DADA position was the only one cursed. Thinking back to the horcruxes, Harry asked, "Do you have any idea what the other objects belonging to the founders might be?"
"My research leads me to believe there is still a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff and a locket belonging to Salazar Slytherin. I am very close to tracking these artifacts down, though I have not located them yet."
"Perhaps we can help you as soon as we get out of here," Hermione offered and indicated the Hospital Wing. "Actually, I was wondering how soon that might be." Harry knew Hermione hated just sitting around idly when there was work to be done.
Dumbledore chuckled pleasantly. "Don't alarm yourself, Miss Granger. You should be able to leave in a few days' time. Harry, you will be able to leave in the morning. Miss Granger must stay longer so Madam Pomfrey can help her regain control over her magic." Harry noted that Hermione did not truly like this option, but she silently agreed because she saw the rationale behind it.
With that, Dumbledore took his leave to allow Harry and Hermione time to rest. Harry did have class in the morning after all. Hermione grumbled a little about having to stay, but she did avoid using her wand to perform some tiny bit of magic. While Harry finished up the homework due the next day and his letter to Sirius, Hermione read her copy of Hogwarts, A History to discern some more information on Ravenclaw's diadem. The hours slipped by, and Harry eventually slipped off into a dreamless sleep.
/
Harry left a chagrined Hermione in her bed in the Hospital Wing while he dragged himself to class. Ron was more than happy to have his best friend back as were most of his classmates. Only Ron knew the truth behind his and Hermione's stay in the hospital, but they were all glad to see he was okay. Hermione's absence still caused concern, but Harry assured the other teens that she was just fine. For Harry, lunch couldn't come fast enough. He spent it in the Hospital Wing with Hermione.
"Hey. I missed you this morning," Harry greeted Hermione with a quick peck on the lips. She was sitting in a chair next to a window, and she had been absentmindedly twirling her wand in her fingers. She gave him a small smile in return. "Did you start those magic exercises with Madam Pomfrey?" Instantly, Harry realized that was exactly what he shouldn't have asked about.
Hermione's face grew stormy though she tried to control her wild emotions. "She won't let me do any magic at all! She taught me some breathing and relaxation techniques today, but she won't test my magic until tomorrow!" she began to say viciously in a half mumble.
Seeing Hermione like this usually scared Harry, but today it was sort of comical. The anger in her face looked practically feline, and Harry was reminded of the year before when Hermione had taken Polyjuice potion laced with cat hair. He pulled a chair over beside hers and took her hand in his. He began to rub it gently and affectionately, and the calming effect was immediate in Hermione. Her shoulders slumped forward, and Harry could see she was sad rather than angry. "Would you like to tell me what's really bothering you?" he asked in a gentle tone.
"I'm afraid, Harry," Hermione admitted in a tiny voice. "What if my magic is gone? The parasite fed on the horcrux in your body. I had no such protection," she pointed out in an even smaller voice. "I don't want to be some common muggle again."
Harry felt his heart breaking at the sight of his girlfriend like this. Hermione's entire identity was based on her being the brightest witch of her age. He couldn't imagine how lost Hermione would be if she couldn't do magic. Harry stood up behind Hermione's chair and wrapped his arms around her body. "Nothing is 'common' about you, Hermione," Harry whispered into her ear. "You are extraordinary, and your magic will be fine. You are an extremely powerful witch, Hermione."
Hermione relaxed into Harry's arms, but Harry could tell she didn't quite buy into what he was saying. "I really want to believe you, Harry, but I am too scared about the possibilities right now."
Madam Pomfrey chose that moment to barge in and remind Harry about a class he really should be getting to. He left quietly with only a backward glance at his dejected girlfriend. Harry wandered off in the general direction of his next class, but he paid little attention to passing time or where he was going. Seeing Hermione like that upset Harry and made him angry. He was angry at Peter Pettigrew and, most of all, Voldemort.
Unconsciously, Harry found himself walking past a particular stretch of wall three times. He was thinking of a way to get back at Voldemort when a door appeared suddenly on that wall. The appearance of the door shocked Harry until he realized he had walked up to the Room of Requirement. Instantly, Harry remembered the horcrux in the form of Ravenclaw's diadem probably hidden inside. He hurried through the door to find himself surrounded by piles of old junk.
The room had a high ceiling and seemed to go on forever. Harry gazed in wonder at the mounds of just stuff grouped all around. He saw old furniture and stacks of mostly tomes. In fact, the whole place smelt of dust and old age. After wandering down aisle after narrowing aisle, Harry realized he had no idea what the diadem looked like. Luckily, Hermione had explained to Harry what a diadem was the night before, but it was still like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Harry kept wishing he knew a charm or spell that could instantly locate or summon the horcrux. Hermione would have known, but she was stuck in the Hospital Wing. He wondered around aimlessly for what seemed like an hour before feeling completely and utterly discouraged. He plopped down in a chair sitting across from a tall, old cabinet. Harry studied its battered exterior. The nicks and cracks on its façade seemed like a map of wrinkles detailing the age and experience of its life.
Perched on top of the cabinet was the bust of some mean-looking wizard with a powdered wig. Harry thought it quite comical especially when he noticed the bust was wearing a crown of some sort. He was chuckling quietly to himself when it finally struck him that a crown was sitting on top of that bust's head. From its high position on the cabinet, Harry couldn't see it clearly, so he used a levitating charm to get the bust down on the ground.
Cautiously, Harry bent down to examine the crown more closely. It looked more feminine, so it was definitely a diadem like Hermione had described. Though it was pretty dusty, Harry could make out the outline of a raven in the filigree work. His breath caught in his throat when he comprehended he had just found Ravenclaw's long-lost diadem and another horcrux. Grasping he needed to see Dumbledore immediately; Harry hastily shoved the diadem in his bag and hurried to the exit of the room.
He was halfway to the headmaster's office when he realized he really wanted to cheer Hermione up by showing her that he had found the diadem. In his glee, he half ran down the corridors and staircases back to the Hospital Wing. Harry burst through the doors to find Dumbledore sitting with Hermione, and they seemed to be in the middle of a private chat.
"Why, hello, Harry. What brings you here in the middle of class?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully. Hermione's face contained a genuine smile, so Harry guessed Dumbledore had brought her good news. That served to elevate Harry's mood even more.
"Professor, I found it!" Harry exclaimed as he extricated the diadem from his schoolbag. "It was in the Room of Requirement like we thought!"
Dumbledore graciously accepted the artifact and performed a quick spell on it that caused the diadem to glow green for a moment. "Good job, Harry. This is Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, and it is indeed a horcrux," he beamed at the ecstatic teenaged wizard. "I shall dispose of it in my office immediately." He tucked it safely into a fold of his robes and swept out the door.
Harry deposited his bag on the floor before joining Hermione on her bed. "I'm so proud of you, Harry!" she said before giving Harry a big hug that nearly crushed his ribs.
"Whoa. You seem to be in a much better mood now. What was Dumbledore talking to you about?" Harry asked gladly, happy to see Hermione in an improved state of mind.
"Dumbledore helped me with my magic. It isn't gone like I was afraid of," she explained with a matching grin. "There is one difference though. My magic isn't quite as strong as it was before. I have to concentrate to get my magic to focus, more so than I did previously."
Harry noticed a small change in Hermione countenance, but on the whole, she still seemed pretty happy with the fact that she still had magic at all. "I guess you'll get to see how us mere normal wizards feel all the time," he joked lightly as he tickled her sides.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she dissolved into a fit of giggles. He soon relented for fear they would draw Madam Pomfrey's attention. She calmed down and put on a more sober expression for this next explanation, "Actually, I am lucky to still have any magic left at all. Dumbledore told me the parasite would have taken all the magic of any normal wizard."
"Then how did you manage to keep your magic?" Harry asked in a state of confusion.
"Dumbledore says I must be descended from one of the founders. Apparently, it's no coincidence that I am the brightest witch of my age. He believes Rowena Ravenclaw may be one of my ancestors, because only strong, ancient magic would be able to withstand such a parasite," Hermione said without trying to sound too conceited or self-important.
Harry couldn't pretend that the news didn't shock him. His girlfriend was the long-lost descendent of a Hogwarts founder. "Wow, then why are you in Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw?"
Hermione smiled again. "The sorting hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw first, but I asked to be put in Gryffindor," she answered sheepishly.
Again, Harry's mind reeled with the information that Hermione had gotten to choose how she was sorted just like him. "Simple as that?"
"Simple as that," she reaffirmed.
Harry settled back on the pillows with Hermione tucked into the crook of his arm. "So when do you get out of here?" he wondered hopefully.
"Tonight, actually. I was about to start packing up when you came barging in like a mad man earlier," she teased.
He hopped right off the bed. "Want me to help you? You'll get out of here much faster. Perhaps we'll even be able to make it to dinner on time," he said eagerly. Anything to get Hermione back to her normal schedule and out of the Hospital Wing.
They quickly moved Hermione's things back to Gryffindor Tower, and they happily walked down to dinner hand-in-hand. Undoubtedly, the entire Gryffindor table was happy to see Hermione back and healthy. She ate and laughed and talked with great vigor. It was as if she had never left and been sick at all. Harry watched the scene with great happiness, but his mind was already drifting off to wherever Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket might be.
/
Pettigrew scurried up the brightly lit corridor. It was late at night, so there was no one to notice the dark, brown rat against the white floor. Finding the room he was searching for, he nosed the open door ajar a little farther to allow his small body entrance. All was quiet except the even breathing of the two bodies inhabiting the room. Pettigrew silently morphed back to his human state, cursing his evil master. He didn't like doing the Dark Lord's handiwork though there two would be easy enough for even him to dispose of.
A/N: Well, I'm updating way ahead of schedule. It's only been a couple months since my last chapter was posted. I know in canon that Harry placed the bust with the diadem on top of the cabinet, but here it was much easier if he just found it there. I hope you will forgive me the liberty. As a treat, I will reveal the identity of Voldemort's next two victims to the first person who reviews this chapter. By the way, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my cousin who is bravely fighting for our country over in Iraq. He's always in my heart and prayers!