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It started with...

Chapter 21

Loneliness...

He had made a pact with the devil now he had to live with the consequences. Slytherin welcomed him back like a hero while the main person he wanted to be with refused to speak to him let alone look at him. Slytherin knew what Draco had been up to but his latest scam had been the cherry on the cake. Whatever Harry had done to him had forced him to spend every Saturday morning in Snape's office sorting out detention files till the end of the year.

"I hate to see you like this." Harry muttered taking a spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth. Ever since that day, Hermione refused to talk about Draco and would go all quiet if his name was mentioned. Harry had then decided that wherever she went, she'd have someone near her so if the said boy came near her...well he wouldn't get very close.

"I'm fine Harry." Hermione replied. But she wasn't. According to Ginny she'd sob herself to sleep then wake up screaming. She'd never say what the dream was about but two seconds later she'd start sobbing again.

"Not long now till the exams eh?" Ron said changing the subject. They stared at him. "Maybe not..."

"Ron's right. I should focus more on my studies and less on..." Her sentence trailed off. She swallowed hard as her chin trembled. She took a deep breath and took a big bite of her toast. "I mean the exams are coming and I want to be ready, right?" She said as she swallowed the toasted bread. Harry and Ron nodded.

"I've got O.W.L.S." Ginny complained. "Already we've been given extra homework and study sessions..." Harry hugged his girlfriend gently.

"Better than us having it all supervised by that toad of a woman." Harry said gently. She nodded and leapt out of her seat.

"I gotta go to Divination. Thank god that next year I can drop it!" She quickly kissed Harry on the cheek and hurried off to her class.

"We've got...Charms." Ron said looking at his schedule. Hermione nodded and took a quick gulp of pumpkin juice. Harry glanced towards the Slytherin table. Draco looked miserable. Pansy was massaging his back but Draco shoved her off and left the Great Hall as quickly as he could manage.

--

"'Ello you lot." Hagrid said gruffly to them late that day. He greeted them inside his hut and poured the trio a strong cup of tea. "I heard what 'ad happened to Malfoy." Looking forcefully towards Harry. "From what I heard, Snape was all set 'aving you expelled. But Dumbledore told 'im no. Said you didn't mean to do it."

"I didn't." Harry protested feebly. Hagrid said nothing but looked at him slightly disappointed.

"Anyway Malfoy deserved it!" Ron defended quickly. Hermione let out a small gasp and started crying. Ron quickly shut up and tried to comfort her. Hagrid shook his head at them.

"'ow has she been 'olding up?" Harry glanced towards Hermione.

"Not so good. She still loves him..." He said tensely. "I didn't mean to use that sort of spell on him...I was just so angry."

"I know. I know. 'Arry we all do things were not proud of." He said gruffly patting Harry's back. "But we shouldn't let that anger get to us. You'd end up like 'im." Harry didn't need to know who he was referring to.

"I can't play Quidditch. I mean I can but not in the match." Harry said letting out a sigh. Hagrid motioned for him to follow him outside his hut. Harry followed him leaving Ron and Hermione. "I'm scared Hagrid." He said slowly. "I'm scared of what's going to happen." He glanced towards the Dark Forest. "They say I'm the chosen one...the one that's supposed to end this...Neither can live while the other survives. That was what the prophecy said."

"'Arry...you might 'ave to do all this saving the world...but you gotta remember that you're not alone anymore." Hagrid said wisely. "You might not want it. But you're stuck with it."

--

"Harry me boy!" Harry winced at the shrill of Slughorn's voice. "Ah, the perfect potion once more!"

They were in potions. They were in the final weeks before the exams started. They were in the fifth period of the day. They only had two more to go and then it would be time for dinner. "Harry! I thought you had gotten rid of that book!" Hermione hissed to him once Slughorn was away examining another student's potion.

"I did." Harry replied smiling at her. "I just followed the instructions." He lifted up his book and showed her his newly bought Potions book. She examined it and passed it back to him satisfied. "Satisfied?"

"Yes." She replied. They continued working in silence. It felt soothing for once rather than annoying. But if Hermione had looked up just before the bell rang she would've seen Draco stare at her. But she didn't.

"Guys!" Ron shouted rushing up to them. In his hands he held a small piece of parchment. Thrusting it to Harry he unravelled it quickly. "Is it Dumbledore?"

"No...He's put our meetings on hold till I get that memory off Slughorn...besides...his writing is neater...this looks more like Hagrid's..." He noticed the blotches on the writing and gathered that he had been crying.

Dear Hermione, Harry and Ron.

I know you might've forgotten him...but Aragog died the other night, Ron and Harry have met him but you haven't Hermione. You would've liked him...so friendly...well tonight I'm planning on burring him...it'd mean so much if you came. It'll be around dusk so bring your cloak...normally I wouldn't have asked but I can't bear to do it alone.

Hagrid.

"He's mental if he thinks that I'm planning on spending my evening morning a spider that nearly ate me!" Ron shouted once Harry had finished reading it.

"Keep it down!" Hermione hissed at him. She looked as incredulous as him. "Look we'll spend no more than a few minutes. Then we'll go."

"You can but I'm staying here." Ron argued back. "You were in a coma when it happened-"

"I was petrified!"

"Whatever, but we went to get answers on how to solve the mystery of that snake-"

"A Basilisk Ronald."

"A snake is a snake! And me and Harry listen to Hagrid's advice and so we enter the Dark Forest and before we know we're being chased out of the bloomin' thing thanks to a giant spider who was hungry!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Ron. The thing was Hagrid's friend and we're his friend. Harry are you going to go?" She asked. Harry hesitated. "Harry you can't be! He's asking us to leave the castle at night and you're in enough trouble as it is!"

"So? We've been down there at night before many times." Harry replied glancing at the note.

"Well I'm not going. I didn't like the thing when it was alive so I'm not gonna like it now." Ron answered; he swung his bag over his shoulder and headed off.

"Harry! Before you go...now I know you're in a sort of predicament." Slughorn said quickly approaching them. Harry glanced towards Hermione.

"I know sir."

"And I couldn't help but overhear that you're friend...Hagrid was it? Has to bury his pet spider? May I ask what type is it?" Harry looked baffled.

"Well sir...it's a spider." Harry said uneasily. "It's big...with eight legs." Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry's description.

"My condolences...what time are you going?"

Harry looked towards Hermione. She looked away suddenly interested at the cracks on the ceiling. "Seven?" He said unsure.

"Splendid! I'll meet you at the Great Hall then?" Slughorn then walked past him leaving a very shocked and nervous Harry.

"You still need that memory." Hermione said gently as they were walking to their final class of the day before heading off for dinner.

"How? I've tried to be nice and friendly with him..."

"You might need some luck with that then." Harry stood still, Hermione continued walking until she stopped and turned round. "You've tried everything. So use it." Harry stared at her even more baffled. He chuckled slightly and hurried after her.

"Where would I be without you Hermione?" He asked her gently. She smiled and took his offered his arm.

"A lost cause." She teased.

--

"One for Harry...one for you Hagrid...there's a fellow and finally one for me..." Slughorn said handing each person their goblet. He poured a large amount of firewhiskey in each one, they had just returned from Aragog's burial. Hagrid was a mixture of anger and sadness, Slughorn had 'apparently' taken some of the giant spider's venom for research, watching Slughorn eye Hagrid's collection of wild creature's bits and pieces Harry began to wonder of Slughorn was interested in this event but knowing Slughorn he probably wasn't.

"To Aragog! Long live the king of spiders'!" Slughorn said raising his goblet high, Harry pretended to drink it. It smelt funny and he wasn't in the mood to get drunk.

The night wore on. Harry watched on as Slughorn and Hagrid sang old songs and drank more firewhiskey. They toasted to anything that came into mind. Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Harry at one point...to wine, even to Snape and when Harry asked why Slughorn blinked and quickly made another random toast. Slughorn was singing an old English song about Ancient times.

"Me dad and yer mum an' dad shouldn't 'ave gone!" Hagrid slurred, Harry lifted his head up, he had been enchanting the whiskey in his glass so he didn't hear what was being said. He stared at Hagrid. "Bes' wiz and witch of the centaury!" Big tears rolled down the half giant's face. Harry looked away. "I never knew um...terrible...terrible thing." Hagrid suddenly stopped speaking and collapsed onto the table. He was out for the count.

"My singing that bad then?" Slughorn said noticing Hagrid's slump form. Harry got up and wrapped a blanket round his shoulders.

"He was talking about my parents...about them dying." Harry replied quietly.

Slughorn repressed a large belch. "Yes...yes terrible...indeed. I knew your mother...talented witch..." He was at a loss to say anything.

Harry turned his attention to the fire. "I was only one when they died." He poked the logs to get the burning bright again. "But...I found a lot more of what had happened that night...my dad died before my mum...did you know that?" Slughorn stuttered nervously. "Voldemort killed him and then told her to step aside so he could...kill me."

"My dear boy..." His words were more forced than felt.

"But she didn't. He only wanted me...he would've let her live but she didn't move...she could've run." Slughorn gave a huge shudder.

"That's awful...oh dear..." He said breathlessly.

"Yea' it is...she tried to plead with him...but he just laughed at her...he just laughed at her and killed her."

"That's enough!" Slughorn said suddenly. Harry turned to look at him. He was pale white and was shaking like a leaf. Somehow Felix Felicis was urging him onwards.

"You liked her didn't you? I forgot...sorry." Slughorn made a strangled sound.

"Like her? There was no one like her." Tears were brimming in his eyes. "She was very smart...and funny...very brave...I helped her sometimes..."

"But you won't help me?" Harry said his words tearing the potions man from his dream. "Her son. She gave me her life yet you won't give me that memory." Harry stared steadily at the man. He whimpered as the tears fell down his face.

"I'd help you...of course I'd help you but..."

"You can. I need that memory." He knew he was safe. That good luck potion was telling him he was safe and he would soon be a very lucky wizard. "Please sir...in order to destroy the Dark Lord I need that memory. I am the Chosen One...I have to kill him. So that other talented witches and wizards get the chance to live like mine never did." Slughorn choked on a sob. He shook silently. Harry looked at him. "Be brave like my mother sir."

"I shall never be as brave as her..." Slughorn said quietly. "I am not proud of it...I am ashamed...I am very ashamed...please don't think of me any less..."

"By giving me that memory shall eliminate everything you did that day." Slughorn nodded wearily. He took out his wand and gently tapped his head. The silvery thing that came out of it was quickly contained in a small jar.

"Don't think of me..." Slughorn didn't finish of his sentence he fell asleep and like Hagrid was snoring loudly. Harry snatched up the jar and left the hut. He prayed that Dumbledore was awake, somehow he knew he was.

--

Hermione woke up with a jolt. Her recent dream had scared her beyond belief. She had been running behind her Dark Eaters were chasing her. She had called out for Draco but he didn't come. She hated to admit the fact that she still loved him. She understood it was because of his father...but why not stop him?

She curled in her bed trying to drift of asleep. She tossed and turned thinking about Draco. She felt like something bad was going to happen...but what? She didn't know. She let out a deep breath. She'd talk to Draco tomorrow. She'd face him...she'd talk to him...she fell asleep thinking about it...

You know the drill review after reading. Comments wil be appriciated. Poll results up nxt chappie sos my mum is demanding that I get off this comp. sos love you all lol