The Games We Play
Harry Potter Story
The Games We Play Chapter 3.
Summary: The last thing she remembered was Charlie Weasley taking her out onto the dance floor and then before he could even twirl her around once an explosion went off. They knew that the remaining Death Eaters would try to attack, too caught up in their pureblood supremacy for any other option, what they didn't think they would try to do was crash one of the Golden Trio's wedding.
Chapter Excerpt: Hermione awoke to bright white walls, white ceilings and white floor tiles. "Okay so the only things I remember are my name, I'm fond of Quidditch but I absolutely detest heights, and forgotten memory or not hospitals still suck arse." She was broken from her spoken monologue as a familiar pair of electric twinkling blue eyes met her hazel ones, "I must say while I too enjoy Quidditch and detest hospitals as well, I can honestly say it appears the only thing we don't have in common is knowing your name. Perhaps you'd like to share?" She didn't know the old man in front of her but she could honestly say she had never seen such a barmy looking person before in her life, and it merely confirmed what she already though. She was in a bloody loony bin.
Pairing: Hermione Granger x James Potter
Rated: M+
…
Previously:
"When do you think she'll wake up?" asked Sirius as he kept poking Remus who was quietly about to fall asleep and retaliated by kicking the chair underneath Sirius so he could fall over. It worked perfectly.
"She'll wake up when she's ready to." started James glaring at Sirius and Remus as the two looked on sheepishly after being caught acting so childish in the hospital wing.
"And if she's not ready?" asked Lily drawing the four boy's attention to her making her blush a color to match her red locks, "I'm just saying it's been a week and she hasn't woken up yet. Maybe she never will." she flinched away seeing James glare at her menacingly
"How would you feel if that was your sister or mother, Lily? You can't just start saying rubbish like that! She can wake up! She has to." murmured James thinking of his own parents both of whom died from Dragon Pox this past summer, his own mother in a sleep much like the girl before them.
"Sorry. It's just most of her wounds have healed and not even Madame Pomfrey knows why she hasn't woken up." consoled Lily relaxing when she saw James' face calm as well.
"I know but … I know it sounds weird but I feel a connection to her, it's odd but it feels like I'm meant to protect her." started James though didn't continue upon noticing Dumbledore enter the room.
"Ah. I figured you four were still here. It's five minutes until curfew perhaps you should leave and get some rest and come back in the morning." suggested Dumbledore though they all know it wasn't much of a suggestion more of a kind order. The four Gryffindors left the hospital wing quietly and reluctantly with plans of once again returning the next morning.
Dumbledore moved and with a wave of his hand lifted the chair Sirius fell from and righted it before sitting in his place. Then like his students who just left he waited.
…
Hermione blinked bewilderingly attempting to regain her sight this time and not just her hearing. The first thing she noticed was that she was still in the same bed she originally woke up in with the four mysterious voices speaking over her, she still felt the cold warmth that radiated from the blankets covering her still unmoving form. The next thing she noticed was that someone had changed her clothes though she didn't feel the expected blush forming on her face, she wasn't sure whether or not it was due to lack of blood or if she truly wasn't bothered if someone changed her clothes. She was more inclined to agree with the former though.
Her head next began to pound in her head stopping all thoughts from being able to form and mold properly. When she realized why she quickly blinked several times again then made it a fairly obvious point to glare at the cold hard white ceiling which caused her the pain in the first place. She attempted, after receiving a proper reaction from the ceiling, to turn and faced the wall to her left though if she stared hard enough the white on this wall was brighter than the color on the ceiling, letting out a frustrated sigh she turned onto her back once more and began speaking quietly to herself trying to organize what little thoughts she could think of her lilfe.
She wasn't making nearly enough progress as she'd liked to.
"Okay so the only things I remember are my name, I'm fond of Quidditch but I absolutely detest heights, and forgotten memory or not hospitals still suck arse." she finished quietly though she completely tensed hearing a quiet laughter from her right.
She took in the man sitting before her, his overly grown beard reaching the middle of his chest, the pointed purple shimmering hat atop his head and the matching magenta robes to go with it. The thing that mostly drew her to him though was the man's electric blue eyes. She swore they even twinkled when she realized he caught her staring at her. Though instead of calling her out on it she received instead a warm smile in return.
"You're a wizard." she stated simply confused at how easily the words slipped from her mouth. Though he merely nodded his agreement and spoke back to her.
"And you my dear are a witch." he said happily, "Do you remember anything about being a witch? About magic?" he asked seriously and Hermione couldn't help but feel compelled to answer him.
"I remember every spell I've ever learned. Read about. I don't like Quidditch." she mumbled then realizing what she said blushed causing Dumbledore to laugh once more.
"I daresay that Acrophobia would make anyone adverse to flying." he agreed causing the young witch to smile slightly.
"As fun as this conversation is going, I have to refer back to your original statements upon your awakening. I must say while I too enjoy Quidditch and detest hospitals as well, I can honestly say it appears the only thing we don't have in common is knowing your name. Perhaps you'd like to share?" he offered happily.
A look of pain crossed her face as she began trying to think of her full name, though every time she would attempt to delve deeper than the surface of her mind a sharp painful pain would coarse throughout her entire form rendering her once more unable to properly function.
"Hermione." she managed after the pain subsided tears welling up in her eyes but refusing to break free, "Hermione that's all I can remember."
She looked up after taking a few more steady breaths and once more got lost into the old man's blue eyes, and a vision of those same eyes lifeless staring back up at her froze her very core. She quickly turned away making sure not to look into the man's eyes anymore if she couldn't help it.
"Well Hermione, I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and I am Headmaster here at this school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." he spoke noticing the pain that flashed before her eyes when she looked at him and before when she actually shook from when she attempted to delve into her mind.
"The matters of the mind are very intricately bound. Thin strands connecting everything and everything its place to make sure its inner workings are doing just that, working. It appears Hermione that you were hit with a dark curse, one I can't say I've ever seen the likes of. I would like within time and of course your consent to allow me entrance into your mind so I might untangle the web that blocks your memory from you. I understand you were hit with quite a few spells, including the Cruciatus Curse my dear. Quite a nasty little piece of work if I may say. But Madame Pomfrey, our mediwitch, has detected that you've had the curse placed upon you just a few months ago. In fact if her calculations are correct, and I have no doubt they are, you were tortured with the Cruciatus and other means only four months ago." Dumbledore paused at this time gauging her reaction at the news of her having been tortured and much to his astonishment she lifted her left arm in front of her and gripped it tightly.
Hermione herself was surprised by the action and slowly she moved her arm to where the injury was located was. Another memory was brought to her mind.
"There was a woman, laughing. But it wasn't like a normal laugh, it was almost … maniacal. And I felt cold metal an athame or dagger, she carved this into my arm." she breathed out. "There was a wedding it looks like, she was there but I didn't fight her. There were so many screams. So many and then I saw green. And that was it." she paused gathering all of her strength and looked towards Dumbledore once more this time meeting his eyes head on, "I remember that and then waking up here. Nothing else. No one else." she said tears threatening to spill forth once more.
"I do not believe I have heard of anyone getting married at this time. I'm afraid I don't know how much help I'll be but I swear to you I'll do my best in doing so." Dumbledore swore taking in the shocked face of the young witch.
"Are you sure that's wise, Headmaster?" asked Hermione almost frightened to hear his answer.
"Ah I see, you believe you might be or have been one of the monsters that did this to you. I can assure you Hermione you don't seem the sort." he replied with a smile, "Lemon drop?" he asked offering her his favorite muggle candy which she gratefully accepted, "My dear if I may be so bold … It appears that the Death Eaters, for whatever reason, are after you. They will be most disappointed to learn that whatever information you once held may be out of not only there reach but yours as well for a long time. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I want you to understand the possibility that you may never get your lost memories back." at her sad nod he continued, "So should such a possibility happen I offer you a place at Hogwarts." he finished happily once again taking in the shocked expression on Hermione's face, "It really is a brilliant idea if I do say so myself. You can stay and learn with others your age, and while doing that we can work together to try and retrieve your memories. Of course if that does not work finishing school at Hogwarts you'll have at least the resources to start a new life here. I'm sure students especially a particular group will welcome you warmly and with open arms."
"Students know of me sir?" asked Hermione quickly becoming annoyed at the information she was receiving.
"Not a lot, just that particular group I mentioned. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and James Potter found you the night you arrived I believe Remus was the one who got to you first then Sirius and James following after him. I believe it was Sirius whom merely pointed to you then pointed up and muttered 'fell' before Madame Pomfrey took you into the back room of the hospital wing and began diagnostic spells on you. The boys along with our head girl, Lily Evans have been visiting you every day since."
Hermione was silent taking in what the headmaster had said, 'At least now I know who those strange voices belonged to now.'
"You of course don't have to make a decision now but I would appreciate it if you would make a decision by the end of the week. Until the morning then Hermione." Dumbledore said with a smile patting her bed before making his way out of the hospital wing.
"Oh and I daresay suspect you'll be meeting them tomorrow morning. I did say they visited you everyday since you've been here. Have a wonderful night's rest." Dumbledore said with a smile and a wave before truly leaving the room.
For whatever reason it was Hermione found herself drifting off as she tried to wrap her mind around everything Dumbledore told her.
The four students that essentially saved her life floating about in her head. Their voices lulling her to sleep.
…
"When do you think she'll wake up?" asked the same voice of Sirius resuming his same task of poking his best friend though instead of Remus it was James' turn to receive the onslaught of Sirius' advances.
"She'll wake up when she's ready to." answered James swatting his friend's hand away while repeating the same words he spoke from the previous day.
Lily looking at the boy who claimed his undying love for her since fifth year. She faintly missed the way he would proclaim his love for her everyday though she found her attention was drawn to someone who simply just wasn't James Potter, though she found herself indefinitely jealous of the unconscious girl who had already drawn the attention of the devoted Potter heir. She shook her head sadly recalling that he was no longer the heir but now the head of the Potter clan.
"When do you think she'll be ready to?" asked Lily rewording the same question just asked causing all three boys to turn there heads towards her in confusion, since the unknown girl was placed in this room Sirius would always ask when everyone thought the girl would wake up and James would always answer in the girl's offense that she would wake up when she wanted to, then Lily would try to convince James that when people were put into comas or magically induced sleep that it wasn't always a matter of she'll wake up when she's ready. So she supposed it was fairly reasonable that they would look at her as though she was completely barmy when instead of doing this she continued their banter and looked expectantly at James to answer.
He was the first to look away from Lily a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips as he turned to look back at the girl on the bed, he paused taking her in once more before continuing with his response, "She'll be ready when she realizes there's someone here waiting for her to wake up."
As though that was the Open Sesame to awaken the girl, her eyes fluttered open as soon as the words left James' mouth.
She blinked taking in the four shocked faces of what appeared to be students before Dumbledore and his words flashed before her eyes and she remembered everything that was spoken of the night before.
James was the first to recover from his stupor, he grinned cockily and tilted his head towards her then faced his friends,
"Told ya."
…
Dumbledore stepped into his office, the dim lights giving the room an ethereal glow. Fawkes soft trilling merely adding to the magical effect.
The old man carefully kneeled down after grabbing a handful of powder, muttering 'Maximus Manor'.
"Ah, Fabian. Gideon might I interest you in a chat and lemon drops?"
When Dumbledore stood again he made his way to his desk identical men stepping out of the fireplace he just spoke to seconds later, following the old man.
…
Author's Note:
I want to make it abundantly clear I was not trying to make Lily seem like a bitch, James as a douchebag, or Dumbledore too trusting. Lily as I've made clear in this chapter is a little jealous of Hermione but not directly because of James, just the attention he no longer constantly shows her. I have a plan for Lily and the other Marauders that might shock a lot of you readers but hopefully it won't be too outlandish to continue reading. I honestly don't think it's that big of a change though. As for James, his parents just died the summer before, the timeline in this story though I haven't specifically stated yet is about two and a half months into school and classes. He's definitely matured quite a bit and has gotten over his more outlandish antics (pranks not included) to win over Lily's affections. His crush on her will not diminish completely but this unknown bond he feels with Hermione is real and will later come into play. And last but not least Dumbledore, some parts in the book I think he's a raving lunatic the others he's a strategic genius. I have a neutral opinion of Dumbledore and I'll be the first to admit most of his actions and decisions he made in the books were manipulative and just plain idiotic. He is seen to show his trust in people where he really probably shouldn't and again just my personal opinion I think the only reason nothing bad happened to him until his actual death was due to sheer dumb luck and half assed guesses. I also think that while he did condemn Voldemort/Tom for undermining other wizards and witches and other magical creatures, Dumbledore tends to do it too, and that was what I was trying to portray when he made his offer to Hermione, whether subconsciously or not a part of Dumbledore feels that should Hermione be a threat he can handle it, probably even if she didn't lose her memories.
So that's the major character changes and OOC-ness that I could find if anyone needs any clarification on anything send me a msg or review and I'll do my best to answer before the next update.
The Games We Play
Harry Potter Story
The Games We Play Chapter 1
Summary: Time Travel was a very dangerous thing. Though with no recollection of the future she was born too, Hermione became more capable to change things for the better.
Chapter Excerpt: Her hearing was the first to come, though she felt some of the voices were vaguely familiar to her she couldn't place from where nor who they might belong to, in fact when she tried to think more on what she should know she couldn't the only thing she found she remembered was her name Hermione.
Pairing: James Potter x Hermione Granger
Rated: M+
Dark Lunar Love
