Here at the End

By

Ahn Na Blue

Rated PG-13

Chapter Fourteen: A Very Hairy Situation

Disclaimer: I’m tired of these. If JK Rowling doesn’t realize by now that I don’t own this stuff, then she needs to go back and reread, I think.

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Harry and Hermione elbowed their way through the small crowd that was gathered around Ron’s bed. Harry’s stomach was in knots. What would they see when they reached the front? Ron? Or a horrible, twisted red dog? He steeled himself, and tried to put on his least disgusted expression. He couldn’t let Ron see how frightening he was, if he was….a….a….

“Ron!”

Harry’s eyes flew open as Hermione shouted, just in time to see her throw her arms around Ron’s very human face.

“Not this again! I just managed to pry Mum and Ginny off of me!” Ron groaned, but Harry thought that he looked really quite pleased. And he looked loads better too. The bandage on his neck was fresh and white, and his skin was back to a normal shade. It was even a bit rosy.

“Hi Ron.”

“Hi Harry.”

The two boys looked at each other. Harry began to wonder if he should even be there…if Ron even wanted him there…after all, it was because of him that he’d almost had his throat ripped out.

“Erm, how are you feeling?”

“Better,” Ron shrugged, “Glad to see that you two got out fine.”

Hermione had released Ron’s neck and returned to Harry. He could feel her beside him, her body practically singing with happiness, and realized with only mild surprise that they had unconsciously put their arms around each other.

“Well that’s how it is, isn’t it?” Ginny teased, standing between her mother and Luna. “They come out fine, and you somehow manage to land in a hospital bed…”

Ron scowled, but not very seriously, but the scowl deepened when Fred and George burst out laughing, calling him their ‘accident prone baby brother’.

“Just can’t stay out of trouble, can you,” George grinned.

“I think you’re all forgetting,” Ron said matter-of-factly, “about the time that little Ginevra there almost got herself killed in the Chamber of Secrets.” Ginny fell silent and looked innocently up at the ceiling. “And about the time that Hermione there got herself petrified by a basilisk for half a semester…” Hermione smirked and looked down at her shoes. “And how about the time that good old Harry let Professor Dodo rubberize his arm?”

“His name was Professor Lockhart,” Hermione said, and then blushed scarlet when Harry looked at her.

“All right, Ron,” Mr. Weasley smiled. “I think you’ve made your point.”

“Yeah,” said Fred. “You’re all accident-prone.”

“How’s Hagrid?” Ron asked, ignoring him.

“He’s fine,” Professor McGonagall answered. “He woke up a few hours ago, and ran straight down to see that hippogriff.”

Harry looked behind them at Hagrid’s hospital bed, which was collapsed and nearly flattened. He had been so concerned with Ron when they had come in that he hadn’t even noticed it was empty.

“All right, all right,” Madam Pomfrey broke in, “He’s had enough excitement for now. He’s got another dose of potion to take, and then he needs to rest.”

“Potion?” Harry asked. “What potion?” But no one answered, because they were all too busy saying goodbye to Ron.

“We’ll stop by tomorrow, all right?” said Hermione, and Ron nodded.

“Bring by some chocolate frogs, would you?” he asked. “I’m so hungry I could eat a hippogriff.”

“Not my hippogriff,” Hermione sang out over her shoulder.

Harry looked back one more time at his friend, as Madam Pomfrey poured potion from a glass beaker. Luna was sitting at his bedside, and didn’t appear to be going anywhere. She caught his eye, and smiled broadly.

Good, Harry thought. Very, very good.

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Ginny said goodbye to her family in the hall and then walked with them back to the Gryffindor Common Room. As they went, she and Hermione talked about Ron in excited, happy voices, and Harry tried to join them, the smile feeling almost plastered onto his face even as his mind began to wander back to the unpleasant task that lay before him.

They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and spoke to her for a few moments; she practically swooned with relief when she heard that Ron was all right.

“I’m going straight over to the portrait of the Noble Woman,” she declared. “She said that he was going to die…but I knew…I knew that my little Gryffindor would pull through….” she swung herself open slightly. “Please pull me shut after you’re inside, won’t you?” And then she ran off, presumably to gloat to the Noble Woman.

Once they were inside the Common Room, Ginny stretched like a cat and told them good night, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. For once, Harry wished that she had stayed. Hermione was practically giddy with relief. Her eyes were shining and she could barely sit still. How could he tell her now, that he was a horcrux? That he’d have to die…

“Ron’s going to be fine,” she was saying, pacing back and forth. “I’m so relieved; I was so worried…” she looked at Harry questioningly. “Do you think he’ll have to take that potion for the rest of his life?”

“I don’t know,” said Harry honestly. “What was that potion anyway?”

“I think it’s just a slightly modified version of the Wolfsbane Potion that Professor Lupin takes. But I’m not sure,” she shook her head quickly to signify that it didn’t matter. “Oh Harry, Ron’s going to be all right!” She threw her arms around his neck.

Harry squeezed her tightly and breathed in the cinnamon scent of her hair. She was so warm…so safe…he felt like he could live the rest of his life in that moment and be perfectly happy.

“Harry? Are you all right?” Hermione asked, still embracing him.

“I’m fine,” Harry said, clearing his throat. He hadn’t realized how closely he was holding her, that his hands roaming over her back might’ve felt a bit desperate for the situation. “I’m just glad about Ron, that’s all.”

Hermione pulled back to look at him. “Are you sure?” she asked doubtfully.

“I am,” Harry beamed, feeling terrified that she’d see right through him. “It’s been a long day…”

“I know; I’m exhausted too,” she smiled. “We should get some rest. Good night Harry.” She kissed him lightly and turned away towards the stairs to the girls’ dormitory, but Harry caught her by the arm and pulled her back, pressing his lips to hers and pushing his fingers into her hair before he knew what he was doing. When they parted, they were both breathless.

You idiot, he thought to himself. She’ll see through you now for sure…He glanced at her cautiously, fearing he’d see her inquisitive Get-to-the-Bottom-of-This face, but she was only watching him though lowered eyelashes, her cheeks slightly flushed and nibbling on her lip.

Harry looked away. Any more kisses like that and he’d lose all control…he’d be confessing everything, and he couldn’t. Not tonight, when she was so happy.

“Good night Hermione,” he said quietly.

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Harry and Hermione walked into the hospital wing just before lunch the next day, their arms laden with chocolate frogs. After breakfast, they had made a quick trip to Honeydukes, where Harry had purchased enough sweets to keep Ron satisfied for a week.

“Chocolate frogs, excellent,” Ron said when they reached him. Within moments he had several packages open, and there were small brown frogs hopping everywhere. Harry caught one but couldn’t quite bring himself to take a bite until the spell had run out and the frog was still.

“How are you this morning, Ron?” Harry asked.

“Loads better,” Ron smiled between bites of frog. “Though that Wolfsbane Potion is nasty…I don’t know how Lupin stands it…thanks for the frogs, by the way.”

“No problem,” said Harry. “So, do you have to take that potion forever?”

“And are you still going to transform during the full moon?” asked Hermione.

Ron nodded. “I have to take the potion to keep the werewolf down…Madam Pomfrey says that during the full moon it’ll probably come out anyway…But don’t feel bad, Harry, because Professor Lupin thinks that I might’ve gotten a pretty fair deal, as far as werewolf curses are concerned.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, but Hermione clapped her hands before Ron could answer.

“Oh! I know!” she said excitedly. “Professor Lupin was bitten by a normal werewolf, so without the potion, he loses his mind when he transforms…but you were bitten by a…a…true werewolf, so when you transform, even without the potion, you’d probably be just a-”

“Big red talking dog,” Ron grinned.

Somewhere behind them, Harry heard the distinctly musical sound of Luna’s laughter.

“I think I’ll go offer her a sugar quill,” Hermione said, grasping a bag of sweets and walking away.

Harry looked back at Ron. The boy was wearing a very sly look on his face.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

Ron mumbled something and shook his head, making Harry grin.

“Come on, out with it,” he urged. “You’re wearing the same expression as Crookshanks does after he eats one of Hermione’s canaries.”

Ron blushed, and then glanced furtively over towards where Hermione and Luna were talking.

“It’s Luna,” he said quietly. “She kissed me!”

“She what?!” Harry exclaimed, trying to sound appropriately surprised.

“Yeah, as soon as we were alone…I guess….well, I guess she’s liked me for ages…”

“I can’t believe it took you this long to figure it out,” grinned Harry.

“Oh really?” Ron squinted at him. “This from someone who took six years to figure out that his best friend was gone on him.”

“Hermione was subtle,” Harry said with sheepish defensiveness. “She didn’t go around wearing a roaring lion hat and constantly humming a song with my name in it.”

“Hey, I just thought she was weird!” Ron exclaimed. “And I guess that she is…I thought that the whole werewolf bit might put her off, but I think she likes it…she keeps on calling me ‘her own magical creature’.”

Harry smiled and opened his mouth to say something else, but Ron quickly shook his head and mumbled something that sounded like “ere umming”, so they both put on their most innocent expressions as Hermione and Luna came over, each nibbling on a sugar quill.

“What were you two talking about?” asked Hermione, and the tone in her voice told Harry that she knew exactly what they had been talking about, and that she and Luna had been talking about the same thing.

“Nothing,” said Harry.

“Nothing,” said Ron. “What were you two talking about?”

“Nothing,” said Hermione and Luna in unison.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances.

“Well,” Ron said, tearing the head off of another chocolate frog, “What’ve you two been up to while I’ve been in here sleeping?”

“Not much,” Hermione said. “We were all so worried about you, we spent most of our time pacing in the Common Room, or sitting here. We wanted you to wake up so badly….I even read to you a bit from ‘Hogwarts: A History’.”

“What were you trying to do?” Ron asked in a pained voice. “Bore me awake?” But Harry could tell from the blush in Ron’s cheeks that he was pleased by what she said.

The conversation was momentarily interrupted as Madam Pomfrey elbowed her way through them to change the dressing on Ron’s wound. She was very quick about it, and they all tried to look away as the bandage came off, but Harry couldn’t help but notice that where the bite was healing, there was a strange growth of red fur. After Madam Pomfrey had gone, Ron cleared his throat.

“It’s just a scar, she says. The fur, I mean.”

“Of course,” Harry said uncomfortably. “It’s…it’s just like Buckbeak’s scar. On his hindquarter.”

“Great,” Ron moaned. “I’ve got the same scar on my neck that a hippogriff does on his bum.”

“You match,” said Hermione with a small smile. “Does that mean we get to call you ‘Witherwings’?”

“ ‘Witherwings’,” Luna giggled. “I like it.”

Ron narrowed his eyes at Hermione accusingly.

“So,” said Harry, trying to change the subject, “When can you get out of here?”

Ron shrugged. “You know Madam Pomfrey: ‘rest, rest, rest’.” He paused and looked down at the half eaten frog in his hand. “Hey Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“What happened in that forest? How did we get out of there? The last thing I remember….” He swallowed hard and put his hand to his throat. Luna sat down on the edge of his bed and murmured something that Harry couldn’t quite hear as she reached out to stroke his hair.

“What did happen, Harry?” asked Hermione with sudden realization. “You never told me, and I couldn’t see anything…I was trying to shield Ron…What destroyed the werewolves?”

Harry looked at her, and then at Ron. They were looking at him so expectantly, Hermione’s expression curious, Ron’s like a child awaiting a grand story. But at least he wouldn’t have to say this twice. That was one good thing, at least.

“I did,” he said heavily.

“That’s fantastic!” Ron exclaimed. “How did you manage it? There were so many…”

“I used a lightning spell that Professor Lupin and I worked on,” Harry continued, watching Hermione’s face carefully. There was something dawning in her eyes…

“A lightning spell took out all of those wolves?” Ron said, impressed.

“It wasn’t only the spell,” said Harry, and now he could see Hermione’s brow beginning to knit, and her eyes beginning to shine. “It was the fact that it came from my scar.”

“Your scar?” asked Ron, confused. “Since when can you do magic through your scar?”

“I can do it,” said Harry, looking straight into Hermione’s eyes, “because my scar is a horcrux.”

For several long seconds there was no noise in the room. It was so quiet that Harry could almost hear the tears fall from Hermione’s cheeks and land softly on her sweater. Ron was shaking his head slowly, as if he had misunderstood. Luna looked extremely pale.

“That’s why I can destroy them so easily,” Harry said tonelessly. “Because I am one.”

“No,” Hermione whispered, and closed her eyes tightly as if that might effectively deny his words.

“There’s been a mistake,” Ron said. “That’s not why….that can’t be why…”

“It is,” said Harry. “I wish it was a mistake, believe me…but…I’ve always been connected to Voldemort through the scar. Whenever I destroy a horcrux, whenever I get that strange, burning power…my scar burns right along with it.” He looked at Hermione, who was standing with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. He didn’t know what to say to her.

“What’re you going to do?” Ron asked.

“Whatever I have to do,” Harry said gravely. “In order to destroy him. I’m going to make sure he stays gone this time.”

“But…” Ron stammered, “But that means…”

Hermione began to shake her head fiercely. When Harry reached out to her, she stepped back.

“Hermione, I’m sorry-”

“No, Harry,” she said, retreating farther into the room, looking around at the walls like they were trapping her.

Harry stepped towards her slowly. “It’ll be all right,” he said, but she only glared at him.

“All right?!” she exclaimed furiously, and then pushed past him and ran out of the hospital wing.

“Hermione!” Harry shouted after her, and then put his face into his hands. He hadn’t really known how she’d react. He supposed that he couldn’t have expected any better. “I’m sorry, Ron,” he said helplessly. “You know, for everything.”

“Don’t apologize to me, Harry,” Ron said seriously. “Just go after her. We can figure this out later, all right?”

Harry looked at his friend gratefully and nodded, and then turned to go and find Hermione. He was fairly sure that he knew where she’d gone.

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There was a cold breeze coming off of the lake as Harry walked through the trees, looking for any sign of Hermione. He thought of calling her name, but knew that she wouldn’t answer, so he just kept walking, listening to the sound of his own feet as he crunched through the fallen leaves. There would be snow on the ground soon, and he found himself wondering if he would be alive to see another Christmas.

It would be nice, he thought, imagining the smells of pumpkin pie and holly wreaths, the warm light from the candles in the Great Hall, when it was decorated for the feast. I could buy Hermione something….something a girlfriend would like…though I suppose she’d probably prefer the same bookish presents that I usually get for her…

“How can you say that it’ll be all right!?”

Harry spun around as Hermione exploded at him from behind a nearby tree. He put his hands up disarmingly. “I-”

“Tell me it’ll be all right again, and I’ll…I’ll feed you to the giant squid!”

As if it knew what she was saying, the squid did a lazy roll just below the surface of the lake, making light ripples with its tentacles. Hermione watched it, breathing heavily. Her face was dry, but Harry could tell by the redness in her eyes that she had been crying before he found her.

“You’re not really a horcrux, are you Harry?” she said softly.

“Well, not me exactly…just my scar.”

Hermione exhaled sharply, making a sound that was close to a laugh. “Same difference,” she said, and Harry smiled. That was just what he had said to McGonagall. “But it doesn’t seem right, does it?” she said with sad bewilderment. “It doesn’t seem like that’s the way it should be…”

“Why not?” Harry asked, feeling some hope spark up in his chest. If anyone could refute this silly, ‘Harry is a horcrux’ business, it was Hermione.

“Because,” she said, her shoulders slumping as she walked forward into his arms. “Just because.”

Harry’s heart couldn’t decide whether it wanted to sink or sing. She hadn’t been able to disprove the fact that he was a horcrux, but the feel of her against him was so wonderful, so comforting, that it almost didn’t matter. And then he felt her begin to kiss his neck softly, moving across his cheek until she reached his lips, and his heart made up its mind and rose into his throat.

“I know this is a very ‘Ginny’ thing to say,” Hermione whispered, her forehead resting against his, “But…you’re The Boy Who Lived….Not The Boy Who Lived For a Little While Just to Destroy Voldemort and Die…”

“And to fall in love,” Harry said gently, brushing her hair back from her face. Her shocked expression almost re-broke his heart.

“Harry, I-”

“Harry! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Harry and Hermione turned, Hermione with surprise, and Harry with annoyance, to see Professor Lupin walking towards them on the path.

“I’m…sorry to interrupt,” he said as he got closer and realized what he had walked into, “but it’s…well, it’s important.”

“What is it? What’s happened?”

Professor Lupin shuffled his feet and looked down at the fallen leaves. He had one hand on his hip and the other at his forehead. He appeared extremely agitated. “I looked all over for you, and now that I found you, I don’t want to speak,” he said, shaking his head.

Harry felt Hermione squeeze him tighter around the waist. “Just say it,” she said.

“Voldemort is going to attack the castle,” Lupin said simply.

“What? How do you know?”

“Well, actually, he was kind enough to tell us.”

Harry and Hermione exchanged suspicious glances. “What do you mean?”

“He sent an announcement, via Owl Post this morning,” Lupin said in an exasperated tone. “At first we thought it was some kind of joke, but…” He put his hands to his face and laughed, and then shook his head guiltily. “I’m sorry, this is no time for laughing, but I…I…”

“It’s all right Professor,” Harry said, remembering his laugh after Ron’s injury. “I understand.” He had never seen Professor Lupin so shaken. “Try to…try to calm down,” he said gently. “When is he coming?”

“Soon,” Lupin said gravely, crossing his hands over his chest in an attempt to stop shaking.

“But why?” Hermione asked. “Why now? And why would he warn us?”

“He knows what I’m up to,” Harry said solemnly. “He knows that I can destroy all of his horcruxes, if only he gives me enough time.”

“But why would he warn us? Why not just swoop in here and-”

“Because he’s not afraid,” Harry said, suddenly sure. “And because the grandness of the challenge appeals to him. It’s like he’s calling me out for a duel.”

“Yes,” Professor Lupin agreed. “Tom Riddle believes that his time is coming. He wants one last battle. Something glorious.”

“Can the order stand against him?” Hermione asked.

“I don’t know. He’ll bring every last Deatheater…every Dementor…leagues of Inferius…possibly some Giants…”

Harry swallowed as he imagined it. It was a grim picture.

“But we can hide you, Harry,” Professor Lupin said quickly. “We can hide you for as long as we need. The order has no shortage of tricks up our sleeves-”

“No,” Harry said quietly.

“No? Harry what are you talking about?” Hermione demanded, pulling back to look him in the face. “Of course you have to hide…we need time…to figure things out-”

“While Voldemort kills more innocent people?” Harry shook his head. “All the preparation in the world isn’t worth that. I’m tired of waiting.” He looked at Professor Lupin. “And besides…I’m ready.”

“You’re not!” Hermione shouted at him. “You think you are, but you don’t know what’s going to happen…you-”

“Listen to me,” Harry said, taking her gently by the shoulders. “I wish we had more time. I wish we had a thousand years. But we don’t. And I have to do this now.”

Hermione was breathing very hard, and her eyes were filling with tears. She looked like she was choking on a million words, and Harry hated to see it, but he couldn’t take back what he said. Finally, her face crumpled and she wrenched herself free, and ran away back towards the castle.

Harry didn’t try to stop her.

When he felt Professor Lupin’s hand on his shoulder, he quickly wiped the tears from his face.

“We’re still going to have to train you,” Lupin said softly. “No matter how ready you think you are, you can always learn more.”

Harry nodded, still staring off in the direction Hermione had run.

“The students are leaving on the last Hogwarts Express tomorrow. Only the members of the order will remain-”

“No,” Harry said suddenly. “Hermione and Ron won’t leave. Neither will Neville, or Luna….or Ginny either, I don’t think.” He turned to face Professor Lupin. “You’ll let them stay, if they want to, won’t you?”

“Their parents might have different ideas,” Lupin said. “But I’ll do my best.”

Harry opened his mouth, and then hesitated.

“What is it, Harry?”

“Nothing,” he said, and shook his head. “Only…I wish that I could ask you to stay out of it as well…”

“Me? Why me?”

“Because you were one of my parents’ best friends…the only one still alive. And…I want someone to be alive…to remember them…” Harry sighed. “I just wish you’d sit this one out, that’s all.”

“But you can’t ask me to do that, Harry,” Lupin said sadly, squeezing Harry’s shoulder. “Because they were my friends…and more than that…they were family. Besides, I know that James and Lily would never forgive me if I didn’t help you.”

Harry smiled. “I suppose I’ll need all the help I can get.”

“We’ll give you everything we can.”

Harry nodded, and his smile faded as he glanced up towards the castle. There were several people there whom he would like to ask to stay out of it as well. Hermione. And Ron. But he wouldn’t ask them. Because he knew that they would never agree anyway, and because the battle wasn’t just his destiny anymore. It was all of their destinies, tied up together.

And Harry had never been so sure of anything, or so frightened of anything, in his entire life.

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A/N: Okay so you know that the next chapter is the last chapter, right? Yeah, I’m serious this time. And I won’t even bother saying “next week’s chapter” because I’m just not sure. I totally missed last week, and my life is a shambles…I’m in the middle of moving. But I’ll try. Because you guys….rock. And oh yeah, I want to hear what you all did for Halloween…what were you, etc. And is everybody pumped for Goblet of Fire?