AUTHOR NOTE
+WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING+
This began as a changes of Granger story. Unfortunately I wrote it while listening to Bluegrass and bluegrass gospel so about halfway through it took a left at Albuquerque and turned into a rather horrific sad and dark story about how the world would really be if teens went against trained terrorists. Not all the thoughts in my head are light fluffy bunnies and fun filled naughtiness. But it can't rain all the time and I'm sure I'll come up with something lighter later. It does end well enough. Just getting there they walk through the valley of the shadow very massively. If you want to avoid some emotional skipping this will not be a bad idea. My wife cried when she read this if its any idea of level. You have been warned proceed with caution.
+WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING++WARNING+
Hermione woke up feeling very odd. She felt somehow lighter. She went to move and noticed that her breasts did not shift and sway the way they normally did. She was not overly endowed but she had enough that movement was noticeable.
She looked down and saw a small perky bosom. Her hands flew up to gasp them and when she did she saw they were slender long fingered graceful hands. The skin was a pale almost translucent white.
She shook her head to try and clear the cobwebs and she noticed that her hair felt longer. She pulled it around and smooth silken silvery white hair was in her hand. She saw that the curtains had been closed around the bed for privacy so she checked between her legs to find the same downy soft wispy hair.
She heard someone coming and was becoming concerned. The last thing she had remembered was the battle at the Ministry. Her and Luna had been running side by side when there was an explosion.
Madam Pomfrey pulled back the curtain and entered the bed space, "Ah Miss Lovegood how are you feeling this morning?"
"Uh madam Pomfrey I'm not Luna I'm Hermione." She heard herself say but in Luna's wispy soft voice.
Madam Pomfrey frowned, "Miss Lovegood I am being serious. I would appreciate you not treating this as a game."
"But I'm not ma'am. I am Hermione Jean Granger. I don't know how I got in her body. Is she alright?"
"Well the body of Miss Granger is laying in the next bed. She has not awoken so I have no idea." She was running her wand over the body in front of her. Frowning. She looked up, "If you are Miss Granger then in your second year what was your most embarrassing physical change."
"When I became the cat I had six nipples. You caught me playing with them and yowling harry's name one night."
"Yes and I sincerely doubt you have told anyone. So Miss Granger we have a problem."
"Yeah. Can I see Me? Her?
Madam Pomfrey pulled the curtains back to reveal Hermione's body laying in a bed asleep. She looked physically fine.
Hermione hopped out of bed realizing that Luna was several inches shorter than her. Not enough to be a real problem but still noticeable. She approached her body which was smiling gently and looked at herself from the outside.
Madam Pomfrey ran her wand over the body from the other side. "You both suffered burns and severe uncontrolled thaumic interaction. Bruising and a few other injuries which have been dealt with."
"Thank you ma'am. Is everyone else ok?"
She sighed in a way that made Hermione concerned. "Did someone else get hurt badly?"
"He is no longer in pain." She murmured to herself in a defeated way.
Hermione's hand went up to her lips as she gasped, In fear she asked, "Who?"
"Mr Weasley. His family have been informed and they have taken the body home to be prepared for the funeral."
"What about Harry and Neville or Ginny?"
"They are all well. Mr Potter had to be thrown out this morning to get breakfast as he has been sitting by Hermione's, or who we thought was your bedside."
"okay."
"Now that your curiosity has been satisfied will you return to bed?"
"Yes ma'am. Do you think you can return us to our proper bodies?"
"I will have to look into this. I am not certain how you switched in the first place."
Hermione laid down and wondered how she was going to explain to her parents they now had a short slender blonde as their daughter. How would Harry react. How would Luna's dad react. She felt a sadness about Ron trying to interject into her stream of self concern but she wasn't ready to deal with that yet. She hadn't even sorted her feelings about him out yet and he was gone forever.
She heard a person approaching again and looked up to see Harry come into the room. He looked sad and drawn. Without thinking she leaped up and ran to him. Glomping him in a tight hug.
"Oh harry. I was so scared when I heard about Ron. I'm glad you're okay."
Patting her on the back Harry chuckled, "Its okay Luna. I'm doing fine."
Pulling back Hermione looked up into his eyes, "You always say that Harry. Even when you're not fine. Especially when you're not fine."
"Luna?"
"Uh not exactly. I'm Hermione."
Harry took a closer look at her. "Uh you look and sound like Luna."
"I know. Somehow we must have switched bodies."
"Oh. So how long before Madam Pomfrey can get you back sorted out?"
Hermione laughed in Luna's soft tinkling laugh. "Sorry. You're not even phased by this?"
"Hermione in the last 5 years I have fought dragons, traveled through time, breathed underwater, been on trial for saving my own life, and discovered that I have a destiny to destroy the greatest dark lord to ever exist. You and Luna swapping bodies is not very high on the weird shit o meter."
Hermione smiled and took his hand. "Thank you Harry. I don't know what I would have done if you'd dismissed me."
"I love you too much to do that."
"You Love me?"
"Yeah. You've been there for me since the beginning. Since the first day I met you on the train. I would kiss you but I'm not sure how Luna would feel about that."
Hermione's voice came from the bed nearby, "I would not mind Harry. Although I must admit I would prefer to be in my body if you kissed it."
Harry and Hermione looked over at Hermione's body which was sitting up looking at them with the innocent smile of Luna. "Hello Hermione. You body provides some very interesting sensations compared to my own."
"Yeah I noticed yours feels different too."
"So what did I miss?"
Harry took a deep breath, "Well we managed to make it out of the Ministry only a few didn't make it."
"Ron."
Harry nodded, "Yeah. Sirius went through the veil though. He got knocked in by Lucius Malfoy. Remus went a bit mad and beheaded Lucius though. So Draco is not happy."
"Oh no!" Hermione sat on the chair by the bed.
"Yeah. Neville's okay. Madam Pomfrey put his arm bones back in. He's going to have a bit of a scar but he's okay. Susan Bones has already shown him some sympathy.
Luna nodded, "She is a very nice girl. She will do well with him."
"Yeah."
Luna tilted her head, "Now what about us?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well you are in my body which means Harry will be reluctant to become physically intimate with you. I am in your body which he would like to be physically intimate with but since I am within it he is uncomfortable being intimate."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck and looked like he was going to try and argue that but finally nodded, "Yeah this is a bit awkward."
"Even if I told you I would not mind it if you and Hermione kissed."
"Luna its not my body. I shouldn't even be thinking about this."
"A body is a body Hermione. You and I are both females with the same physical structure. Except your breasts are larger and softer and your pubic hair very much denser compared to my own."
Harry was blushing at the frank talk of his friend. Or at least her body. Luna had utterly no filters and spoke what was on her mind.
Hermione frowned, "Luna maybe now is not the time to compare bodies."
Seeing herself with Lunas bemused expression seemed odd to Hermione. "If you say so. I can tell Harry would not mind comparing."
"Harry?"
"Uh okay yeah."
Professor McGonnegal came into the hospital at that point before they could say anything else.
"Mister Potter. Miss Granger, Lovegood."
The matron came over and handed her a note.
"Ah yes well. It seems the Ministry has no idea how this happened either. The room you were found in was the mind room. They studied the concept of thoughts and souls and what makes us who we are. Somehow you both made contact with an artifact that was overcharged and exploded. They theorize that you were swapped as a direct result of this." The Matron explained carefully.
Luna nodded, "And as that was the only artifact known of that type with its destruction there is no way we may return to our own bodies."
Minerva took a deep breath then nodded, "Yes so it seems. I am sorry. We could look into transfiguring each of you into your original body however you would have to spend the rest of your lives refreshing the spells or taking poly juice."
"Could we discus this ma'am? I mean is there a time limit that we have to do anything within?"
The matron shook her head, "As far as all of my tests are concerned you are perfectly stable magically and in your proper bodies. Have either of you attempted to use your wands yet?"
"uh no. Which wand should we use? The one we had with our body or our spirit?"
"I am not as well versed in wand lore as Albus and with him in Saint Mungo's I am going to guess the one that goes with the spirit?"
Hermione took her vine wood wand and tried a lumos. It flickered and was dim. "It feels funny. It feels cold and dead."
Luna held her hand out, "May I try?"
Hermione handed her wand over to Luna in her body who cast a brilliant blue lumos then caused it to float around the room before winking out."
"It would seem the wand remained with the body. Is there a way to identify us other than the wands?"
"Yeah there is. The map!"
"The what?"
"I have a magic map my dad made. It shows where everyone is. I could go get it and come back. It should tell us if they read as themselves or each other."
"Well then go and may zephyrs make you fleet of foot."
Harry left in a rush. Hermione frowned, "There isn't any other way for us to be returned?"
"Generally speaking one's souls do not flit about jumping bodies. The researcher I spoke with was surprised you both had not been killed. He said that it would be an incalculable fluke of magic that might reverse itself or might never. However he had not even heard of this occurring before." The matron explained.
"Great. Have you told my parents?"
"No Miss Granger we have not. We were not certain what to tell them."
"Father will be rather understanding whichever body I am within. As your parents are muggles they will need to have this broken to them more gently."
"Yeah Luna. Thanks."
"Well here are your clothes I suppose you should get dressed as regardless of what this map shows I have no justification to keep you here."
She handed them the clothes appropriate for their bodies and then pulled the curtains closed.
Hermione shook out Luna's clothes and noticed there was no brassiere. Looking at her bare chest once she pulled the pajama top off she figured why.
"I am sorry Hermione my body is so small. Mother was a tall slender person with small breasts as well."
"No its okay Luna. I'm fine. If I was into girls I'd think you were attractive. Its just a shock trying to get used to this."
"I can understand. I am into girls as well as boys and find you attractive."
Blushing a slight bit Hermione got dressed. "Uh thanks." Do you want your earrings and necklace? My ears aren't pierced but Lavender showed me the charm to do so."
"Yes please. My father made those earrings for me and the necklace was made by my mother."
"Oh."
Hermione pierced the ears of her body and stepped back, "This is going to be strange."
"Well it would be impossible for me to impersonate you. You might have the ability to impersonate me but not for an extended period. So we should accept the switch from the start."
"True. So how do I look?"
Luna tilted her head standing there topless, "You look very good. Now how do I put a brassiere on?"
By the time Harry had returned both girls were dressed and talking to the matron and acting headmaster about the situation. They had agreed to remain in their forms and not try to explain it.
"Well Mister Potter?"
He activated the map. "Okay. Luna could you walk to the far corner of the room please?"
Hermione's body got up and gently glided over to the far corner where she stood quietly.
Everyone was watching Harry's face when he got a confused look "Uh well it says Luna is in that corner and Hermione is sitting in front of me."
"So it shows the soul?"
"I guess. I don't know quite how it works. It showed Peter Pettigrew a long time ago even when he was in his rat form."
"Well this is going to cause an issue but with only a week left until end of term I shall speak with Professor Flitwick about allowing both girls to sleep in the Gryffindor Dorms. Saturday we shall attend Mr Weasley's funeral."
"Does this mean I'm no longer a Ravenclaw?"
"I do not know. Perhaps we will have to resort you."
"That's it ma'am. The hat looks into your soul or your personality or something. It might be able to tell who we are."
=====xxxxx====
Walking behind Professor McGonnegal Hermione took Harry's hand causing him to smile at her when Luna took his other hand. He looked at her then smiled with a shrug.
"I am sorry harry. I have to confess I had a slight crush on you as well. You have been a very nice person and I would like to be your friend or more."
"Luna you are my friend and I guess I don't know how this is going to go."
"It will be rather complicated. Do you find my body attractive?"
Harry coughed a moment then said "Uh yeah Luna. Its nice."
"Thank you."
Minerva was listening without reacting to them. She sighed as this was going to make an already difficult life even more complicated. His desire to not abandon or hurt either girl would be the biggest problem. She would look into what she could do to make sure they would be able to work this out. She would have to support them. Even Miss Lovegood who might be one of her Lion Pride now.
=====xxxxx=====
Reaching the headmaster's office she pulled the hat off his perch.
"This is irregular. It's not time for a sorting is it?"
"We have a situation. Two students seem to have exchanged bodies. We would like you to identify the students for us."
"Well this is extraordinary. Please I want to see them."
She had Hermione come and sit on the stool. Placing the hat on her blonde head it sat for a moment. "Ahh this is Miss Hermione Granger. A Gryffindor of some skill."
"You are certain of that?"
"Oh absolutely. To her core. Although I still say she would have made a fine Ravenclaw."
Minerva removed the hat causing Hermione to sigh and go stand by harry who put his arm around her gently.
"Miss Lovegood?"
"Hmm this is Luna Lovegood. She has changed and developed over the years. She still has an excellent mind. I may have made an error putting her in Ravenclaw though as she has a fire and spirit that would fit within Gryffindor just the same. She has changed enough that I could justify that if you wish."
Minerva looked at the brown haired Luna, "Well do you wish to be resorted?"
Luna turned to Hermione and Harry, "Do you think it would be too difficult for your friends to have both of us in Gryffindor."
Harry shrugged, "I'm not worried about it."
Hermione sighed, "I don't think anyone that matters will be upset."
"Well then welcome to Gryffindor Miss Lovegood."
"Thank you. Are there Nargles in the Gryffindor common room?"
"No and there better not be." Harry declared.
=====xxxxx=====
Lavender saw Luna enter the common room with Hermione and Harry behind her.
"Hey what's she doing here?"
"Luna's going to be a Gryffindor now." Hermione said.
"Yeah why are you going to be one?"
"Because Hermione and I traded bodies accidentally."
Lavender looked between the two girls. The others in the common room had expressions of amusement, doubt and apathy on their faces.
"What?"
"I'm Hermione. I'll still be in our dorm and all but I'm in Luna's body from now on. There isn't any way to reverse it and unless it wears off on its own this is it."
"Yeah right."
"Do you really want me to reveal what you scream out at night when you're practicing your wand movements Lav?" Hermione said putting her hands on her hips and glaring at the taller bustier blonde.
"Uh no. You promised you wouldn't say anything."
"Yeah and I haven't and won't unless you guys accept this. I'm not dealing well with it but I'm trying. So you can all just deal with it too."
She went over and sat at a table.
Luna looked around in her dreamy smile, "This is a very pretty room. Very airy. I like its feng shui."
Harry took Luna over to the table that Hermione was sitting at with her head down.
"Why is it nobody believes me. I mean this is a magical world. You can grow a third arm and people don't bat an eye."
"People do not like to have their preconceived notions of identity challenged. They have seen that body as Luna Lovegood. Good Ol Loony that they do not know any other reality." Luna said sitting down rubbing Hermione's back.
"How are you so able to deal with this? Don't you want your body back? Is mine so much better that you want to keep it?"
"I do not consider it a downgrade or an upgrade Hermione. You body is not better than mine. Just different. Harry has a physical reaction to both of us. So I am able to deal with this because it is what it is."
Hermione slumped, "I guess so. I'm still scared of what mom and dad will say."
"We will find out next week when we go home."
=====xxxxx=====
Neville came over a little bit later. "Hey guys. I heard about the switch."
The two girls looked at him. Their facial expressions giving away who was whom.
"Yeah well I want you to know I'm okay with this if you are."
"Thank you Neville. I appreciate this." Luna said squeezing his hand.
"Yeah. If we're going to get adjusted people need to understand."
"So Saturday is the funeral for Ron. How are you guys going to handle that?"
"The best we can I suppose. No one told us what happened."
Harry looked at Neville who swallowed. Neville took a deep breathe and began to speak softly, "When we got separated Ron got clipped by a confundus or something. He was acting weird. So when we got in this room and there was a large tank of brains he cast Accio brains before we could stop him." Neville shuddered and stopped talking.
Harry closed his eyes as if he was reliving that night. "Three of the brains flew out of the tanks and wrapped their tendrils around him. They started burrowing under his flesh. Merging with him. We couldn't rip them off of him and if we cut them the tendrils just grew back faster. More of them. Hundreds of them. He was screaming in pain and agony. Screaming in other languages and voices. I guess it was the personalities in the brains. He was in such agony I, I gave him mercy."
Hermione gasped as Harry's description. Quiet and soft against the background hum of people in the common room chatting about Quidditch and end of year exams and what their plans for the summer were. The unspeakable horror he must be feeling.
Luna sighed, "You did what you had to Harry. Ron's soul would not have been at peace otherwise."
"That's what they told me. That's what Remus told me. Arthur even said he understood. But I still wake up hearing him screaming. I still see his face contorted and changing. Becoming a strange amalgamation of beings."
Hermione and Luna both held one of his hands.
=====xxxxx=====
Saturday came and the family had gathered at the Burrow. Ron's body had been cremated and buried under the willow in a lead box. The animating force of the brains that had burrowed under his flesh trying to rebuild and raise his body until the very end. There was a large picture of him in the living room that the family had gathered around. Memories exchanged and food eaten by some as they spoke of the good times they had with Ron.
Professor McGonnegal had brought any students who wished to pay their respects. When he stepped out of the Floo Ginny had glared at him a moment then coldly turned away. Molly had come up and hugged him until he thought she was going to break bones. Crying so much that Arthur had to peel her off him. The twins came up and shook his hand thanking him for coming but otherwise did not pull their double talk or laugh.
Hermione had tried to talk to Ginny but she didn't want to speak to her. Saying that at least she still had a body and to be grateful. Luna got an even colder shoulder. Although as for Harry she seemed to not to be able to be within sight of him. He tried to talk to her several times but she glared at him and one time she pulled her wand like she was going to hex him before the twins took her out of the room. Harry saw an ugly purplish red gash down her arm and leg when she did that. She had gotten separated during the fight as well and been injured. Due tot eh things that had happened to Ron Harry had not found out about her.
Neville was the only one out of the group she let comfort her. Talk to her and touch her. She cried on his shoulder during the service that had been performed.
Xenophilus Lovegood had met them at the Funeral. He was polite to Hermione and said it was not her fault. That she would be welcome in his home. Luna he hugged and spoke to warmly. Saying that no matter how she looked she would be his moonbeam.
=====xxxxx=====
On the train ride back home Harry was sitting with Luna and Hermione. They were holding each other in support as the stories about what had happened that night had started spiraling out of control when Draco came back. He had viciously and vindictively told bold lies outright. Pushing people away from Harry by saying that he had led them all into a fools game and gotten Ron killed all for his own ego. How Harry had gone mad and used dark magic to switch his girlfriend's around so he could claim them both. How he had murdered Ron in cold blood when he had spoken against him.
Neville was trying to defend Harry. He was trying to counter with the truth but since the only adult that knew what happened was Sirius, Dumbledore or the Death Eaters there was little he could do. Dumbledore was out of the hospital but he was recovering and out of circulation. Ginny had pulled back from Neville when he defended Harry. She still spoke with him but in a cold and distant polite way. The twins didn't know what to think or say so they remained civil.
======xxxxx====
When they stepped through the barrier Hermione saw her mom and dad waiting she ran over her blonde hair trailing behind her. She glomped her dad. "Oh Daddy."
Dan recoiled in shock briefly before he patted the slender blonde girl on the back, "Hermione?"
"Yes dad. Professor McGonnegal said she would write you a letter."
"Yeah she did but I thought she meant. I mean. I'm confused."
"I know. I'm sorry. Can we go home?"
"Uh yeah but you might want to introduce us to your friends."
"Oh yeah this is Luna and this is Harry."
Dan shook hands with the other two students. Feeling odd to shake what looked like his own daughter's hand. He felt even stranger when she spoke.
"Hello Mister Granger. I'm sorry for being in your daughter's body but it was not intentional."
"Yeah. Okay." He said flatly.
=====xxxxx=====
Arriving at the Granger residence after a long quiet ride they settled in and then gathered in the lounge.
"So you're permanently swapped?"
"Unless somehow it reverses itself."
"And you're both okay with this?"
"Yes dad. We've had a few weeks to adapt and accept things."
"Harry what role do you play in this?"
"I'm Hermione's boyfriend."
"Okay. So which Hermione?"
Harry looked at the two girls, "I think we're trying to figure that out."
"We had a friend die in the same accident dad. We've been a bit too busy processing that to figure out our own problems."
"Okay. Okay. Just relax. I know but this is one time too many for us. Your mother and I can only take so much. I mean its bad enough we have you go away every year and we get letters telling us that everything will be fine but you got injured and will need some time to recover. How scared we get watching you walk through that damned wall we can't cross. We're so afraid you'll go through there one time and never come back out."
Hermione bit her lip, "Mom. You understand."
"I'm trying hun. I really am. I see you move like my daughter, do all the little things she did but you don't look like her, you don't sound like her. And the one that does look like her doesn't act like her. Doesn't talk like her. I want to believe you're Hermione. I really do. I just need some time."
"Mom. I'm still me. For everything that matters, everything that counts I'm still me."
Emma nodded with tears in her eyes. "I know hun. I know. Just we need time to process this."
=====xxxxx====
Days went by and the Granger parents tried to get used to Hermione's softer voice, her slender looks. A representative of the Ministry had come and given them Hermione and Luna's new muggle identification showing their forms. They said as part of the cover story they would have to alter all family pictures within the house so that no record that Hermione had ever looked like the brown frizzy haired girl.
Dan had started to resist and fight until the Ministry official said it was their law and he had no choice. The International Statute of Secrecy was inviolate. It was stronger than blood ties to family. That he had the option of either accepting the alterations or to have her removed from their family and erased from their minds. Dan and Emma chose to accept the alterations. Although Emma had hidden a small locket with a picture of her holding a brown haired brown eyed toddler.
After that Dan and Emma began to walk around the wizards on tiptoe emotionally. Acting like they were afraid of the teens. Harry was upset with this more than the anger and abuse the Dursleys heaped on him and told the Grangers that one night. They broke down crying but couldn't comprehend a world that placed secrets above family.
=====xxxxx====
By the middle of July, Hermione had begun to lock herself in her room as Emma would brush Luna's hair and talk to her. She would call her the pet names she used to call Hermione. Dan would sometimes forget which girl was his daughter and talk to Hermione as if she was Luna.
Harry would comfort both of them as best he could. The nightmares he had fading when one or the other was with him. Dan getting more upset when Luna would come out of his bedroom or hold his hand than when Hermione would.
Harry had received a letter from Professor McGonnegal stating she was going to escort the three of them to the bank in Diagon Alley to receive the will of Sirius Black. The Ministry ahving approved and accepted it as valid and legal.
On the appointed day the three of them were dressed and ready by the time their professor arrived. They had tried to schedule it at a time without the Grangers at home as they now treated any witch or wizard as a potential threat. Especially Emma as she hid the only picture of her and Hermione.
"Good morning Ma'am." Harry said opening the door.
"Hello Mister Potter. How are your companions."
"They're fine."
She raised her eyebrow at his usual response. "Mr Potter when most people say they are fine I believe them."
"Well its difficult right now."
"That I believe. Well today will not make things better but it might make them easier."
"Yes Ma'am. Where is Professor Dumbledore?"
"He is attending to matters resulting from the revelation of you-know-who's return."
"Oh."
"Yes now we need to go to the bank."
======xxxxx=====
They arrived at the bank and were taken back to the offices. The will had recognized harry as Lord Black. Heir of Sirius Black who had never been disowned from his family. Harry had also been finally told of his families wealth and investments.
He was given the title and ownership of Grimmould Place. He was also told that under the ancient laws of the Wizarding world he would legally be allowed to have a wife as Harry Black and a wife as Harry Potter.
The visit to the bank concluded Minerva escorted them back to the Grangers. Hermione and Luna tried to continue working things out with the Grangers. Gently reminding them who was whom. Dan would get their names right but still look at Luna when talking to Hermione more often than not.
Emma had apologized to Hermione and promised to try and do better. Try to understand.
When September first came and they took the teens to the Train station they had hugged Hermione, the blonde slender Hermione like they would never see her again. That she was going to never come back.
======xxxxx=====
Arriving at the school Harry discovered that the headmaster was dying. He had found and destroyed a horcrux. A soul anchor of the dark lord. Harry had no idea about any of that and tried to distance himself from the Headmaster. Prophecy be damned he had enough of fighting. Snape pushed him though as the new Defense professor. Slughorn tried to collect him into his little club of sycophants and glad handers.
Harry and Draco though had the biggest clashes. It seemed the summer had not improved Draco. Especially as he felt that the Black wealth and titles should have gone to him. That Harry had somehow stolen it.
It all came to a head one day just before Yule when harry and Draco had a duel. It had begun in a bathroom but spilled into the Hall. The only ended when Draco said two words at the same time Harry said one. The two words Draco said were Avada Kedavra while Harry's was Sectumsempra. Both teens dropped. Harry's cold glassy eyes staring at the ceiling while Draco's filled with pain as his body was sliced into small pieces like a fruit being prepared for a cocktail.
=====xxxxx=====
Harry woke up in a strange vaguely familiar location. He was looking around trying to figure it out when he tripped over a small ugly burnt manchild form. He was repulsed by it and recoiled until he ran into someone . He spun to see who it was and saw Ron.
"Hey mate. Funny meeting you here."
"Ron! Where are we. What's that thing."
"C'mon we need to talk."
They walked over a few feet to sit on a bench at what looked like the Great Hall.
"First off where we are is in between. Life and death. Limbo I think is the official name."
"Oh. So What's that?" He said pointing at the thing on the ground or floor or whatever it was.
"That is the part of Voldemort's soul that was in your head. When Draco hit you with the killing curse it got knocked loose."
"So I'm dead."
"Not quite. You're in between like I said. Man living with Hermione and Luna hasn't helped your language skills has it?"
"They haven't exactly been at their best."
"Yeah I know. When you get on the other side there are some surprises. But I can't tell you about them yet. You need to go back Harry."
"Yeah the Prophecy."
"Fuck the Prophecy man. They are open to interpretation. You don't owe them anything."
"What do you mean. Dumbledore said I had to fight. To vanquish Voldemort. And when did you start sayign his name?"
"Well when you're already dead you don't get afraid of a lot of stuff you know. As for Dumbledore he's been running your entire life. The only reason he didn't do anything this past summer is because he spent most of it in the hospital and what he didn't McGonnegal threw down the gauntlet totally. She ripped him a good one."
"He what?"
"He knew about that thing in your head. He arranged for Mom to meet you at the station. He put you with the Dursleys and knew what they did Harry. He knew everything. Our first year. Didn't you wonder why the traps were so perfectly appropriate for all of us. Flying for the youngest seeker, A potions logic test. A chess set? Neville was supposed to be with us because he was the other one the prophecy could have applied to. Hiring Lockhart the useless twit. Why didn't Remus come find you before our third year? Scabbers. I hid a Death Eater. Hell I wanked off with him in the room. We used to find him in Ginny's room when she was younger."
Ron had said all of that with an odd detached calmness. Harry on the other hand was feeling a building sense of anger.
"Did he know about the trap at the Ministry?"
"No he got fooled by that too. That was Snape that delayed you. He had plenty of time to get Dumbledore and warn him. To alert the order. You weren't expected to live."
"Damn. Snape really works for them?"
"No man. Snape has this weird sick obsession with your mom still. He thinks if he plays Dumbledore's game it'll wipe away the kharma for getting her killed."
"What! He got her killed!"
"He's the one that told Voldemort the prophecy."
Harry composed himself, "What do I do?"
"Take Luna and Hermione and get out. Leave the UK. The good guys will win eventually. Its better this way cause otherwise nothing will change."
"Yeah but I have to do something?"
"Yeah get out of the UK. We were teenagers Harry. I have no idea what the hell Dumbledore was thinking putting everything on you. On US. The Death Eaters are a bunch of trained, experienced, psychopathic wizards and witches who do this crap for fun. We've had barely any training and are definitely not an army no matter what Ginny named us."
"What about her? She doesn't even want to look at me. Talk to me."
"Neville will take care of her. Look I've talked to your mom and dad, Sirius. They want you out. They want you to leave the UK."
"What about Hermione's parents?"
Ron looked sad, "They'll never really accept Hermione as long as she's in Luna's body. Which will be until the day they die mate."
"So there's nothing I can do?"
"Run. Have a good life. Get them pregnant and have babies and live. You only had the one get out of death free card. There won't be another. Luna and Hermione don't even have that.
Ron turned to him with tears in his eyes. "Don't make my death not mean anything harry. You've been told the truth. I can't lie to you. I'm dead. This Yule. Take Luna to say goodbye to her dad. Let Hermione say goodbye to her parents then go away. Sirius says that Australia would be a good place or New Zealand. But some place other than here. Don't look back. And don't you dare come back here or let them come over here for a very very long time mate."
Harry hugged his friend goodbye.
====xxxxx====
When he woke up from the killing curse again everyone freaked out. They regarded him as an unnatural beast. Something not quite right. He had Hermione, Luna and Neville as his friends. Even some of the professors found him disturbing. Harry told the ones what Ron had said.
Hermione sadly recognized the logic while Luna understood that sometimes you had to change the path your life was on. Neville wanted to come with them but Harry said that he needed to tie up his own loose ends first and to protect Ginny. Neville understood as he had begun to have feelings for her.
=====xxxxx====
Yule saw Luna part with her father. Saying goodbye which he sensed was the last time. He died in the war a year later. Hermione tried to pretend that things were okay but Emma and Dan had not dealt with the changes very well. Emma was angry and resentful. She had begun to drink over the last year saying the wizarding world had taken her daughter. Taken the girl she gave birth to. Dan was going through the motions and gave up fighting. He had gotten grayer since she last saw them.
Hermione spoke to Arthur and he had some of his friends in the Obliviation department erase the Granger's memories of Hermione. Putting new ones in that she had died when she was young. To make it easier on them. They lived sadly but at least lived.
They made it to New Zealand and went to a small village called Honeywood. It was a magical enclave with farmers and blacksmiths and shops. They finished their schooling in a place where no one had ever heard of harry potter, Hermione Granger or Luna Lovegood before them. They were just three teens who had come to find peace away from the growing darkness.
Eventually Neville arrived with Ginny as his wife. She had come to accept Harry's action. She had not forgiven him that would take years more but she had come to an understanding thanks to Neville.
The war had changed the wizarding world of the U.K. It had come perilously close to breaching the Statute of Secrecy it got so bad so the rest Europe and North America got involved. Muggles had been attacked and killed. Creatures moved openly. Many had fled and many more had died. Many of them people they had known. The top three years of Hogwarts classes had 80% of them die in the war. Harry had to fight down a major amount of guilt for leaving but looking into his baby's eyes helped push it away. Ron's words that Dumbledore could have prevented this helped him. Finding the two women that mattered the most helped him.
They lived out the rest of their days together. Memories haunted them, pains reminded them but their love grew and conquered. The family they found and the world they lived in made them keep looking forward and not back. They never returned to the UK again, even in death they were buried in the hills of their adopted home.