Fading Regrets

Author Name: MythX
Author e-mail: k3nny@paradise.net.nz
Category: Action/Adventure, Romance
Keywords: Harry/Hermione, Voldemort, death, love
Spoilers: All four
Rating: PG13
Summary: In a world plagued with Terrorism, Harry Potter triumphs over evil once again, but at a terrible price. He knew this moment would come, and is prepared to die to stop his enemy. Hermione Granger is in the middle of a content relationship with Ron Weasley, with just one regret: That she didn’t choose Harry. After what seems like Harry’s final act, is there any light at the end of the tunnel? Will he come back, smashing the wizard world’s philosophy about death? Will Hermione ever get to tell Harry how much he means to her?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers include but are not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

 Chapter 4:

Before long Harry’s memory begun to trickle back to him – and it seemed that the conversations he had without his memory began to leave him. Still, all he could string together so far was various bits and pieces of his childhood, which discouraged him considerably – It appeared that he was unaware of his wizardry abilities as of yet, and when he was reminded, he forget about it within days.

Hermione was there for him every step of the way, always her cheerful and supportive self. Harry was completely aware of who she was, even if he happened to forget the names of anyone else who visited him. Ron was fondly known as ‘red-head’, Lavender was known as ‘flirty-girl’ and Fred and George were known as ‘red-head’ as well, as Harry seemed unable to distinguish between the two. Fred and George, though not Hogwarts students any longer, visited Harry regularly from their store in Hogsmeide. To start the shop the twins had needed a lot of money, but the 1,000 galleons Harry had donated had easily covered it. The twins had mused that it was ‘only fair’ that the investor get to sample the products, even if he was too trusting to defend himself.

Gradually Harry was getting his memory back, and due to popular demand, the school was getting a report on Harry’s condition every evening.

It appeared that Harry still didn’t know how Hermione fitted into his mind yet, but somehow he knew that she did, in a very special way.

About 3 weeks later, Harry was beginning to find his feet. He hadn’t walked since the incident, but his legs were getting strong and strong, and his determination to walk was rising to new levels. Unbelievably, it appeared that Harry might be out before Christmas. Going from dead to perfectly healthy could be easily said to be full recovery.

Hermione hobbled into the infirmary looking particularly tired after a grueling potions lesson. She stopped by Madame Pomfrey’s office and searched for the matron to see if there was anything she could help with.

She heard footsteps behind her, and turned to see Madame – no - Harry?

It was a very strange site, seeing someone you had seen in a hospital bed for a few months, walking towards you limply. Hermione was used to being surprised, but she couldn’t help but give a small cry – half in happiness, half in surprise.

The first thing Harry did with his newly found freedom was pull Hermione into a bone-crunching hug.

“I remember why I did it!” Harry said triumphantly.

He had been asked ‘why he would give his life’ by people ever since he could talk, and every time he had been clueless.

Hermione was still struggling to accept this new development, and come to terms with the fact that her friend – who had been dead at the end of last term, was now able to walk up to and hug her by the end of this term.

Harry also appeared to have rediscovered his memory.

“How are you and Ron going Hermione?” he asked with a sly grin – it seemed that he had discarded all the memories he had while recovery.

“We broke up.” Hermione said, trying to answer the question soberly, but finding that joy and excitement crept into her voice after witnessing Harry walk.

Harry’s face went from a happy one to a sad one. Hermione couldn’t help but wonder why he would be sad at them braking up. He had wanted her just as much as Ron had wanted her, and yet she had gone with Ron. Surely he wanted his chance?

“I’m so sorry. When did this happen?” Harry asked quietly. He had fear in his voice, and his fears were confirmed when Hermione answered.

“While you were recovering.”

His face fell. Hermione looked him in the eye and saw many emotions in there. She realized that Harry was being Harry again – he cared more for other people than he did for himself, and so he cared more for Hermione’s happiness than he did for his own. She realized in that awkward silence that Harry had taken her choice of Ron as a full-scale rejection those 2 years before. She had been serious when she said that she wanted their friendship to stay as strong as it was, and believed that love could destroy what they had, but she could hardly blame him for thinking that – her choice to be with Ron destroyed their friendship anyway.

“But now that I’m back to normal, you two can make up now can’t you?” He said this with hope evident in his deep green eyes. Hermione couldn’t help but wonder how she had ended up with such an amazing best friend. She decided to change the subject, not wanting to disappoint him.

“Perhaps… Harry, how did you defeat You-Know-Who?”

“Uhh? Oh Voldemort? Using my magic to trap him… Now that I think about it, I don’t remember saving any magic… Are you sure I’m not a ghost or something?”

Harry said, trying to force a hand through himself with no luck. He then tried to walk through a wall, but he had similar result, not to mention a rather large bump on his head.

Then, much to Hermione’s disbelief, he did pass through the wall, and returned moments later.

“Nope, I’m not a ghost.” He said sadly.

“But you just… just…” Hermione stuttered, looking at Harry in shock.

“That? No… Just a bit of wandless magic… Well if I’m not a ghost, then are we in a dream or something?” Then his face contorted into pain, “Or did you die too? Did I fail? Argh. I thought I had given it enough”

He looked furious with himself, and the room begun to shake a bit. Hermione figured that for her own welfare as much as Harry’s, she had better get to the point before he accidentally blew the school up.

“You came back from the dead.” She said simply.

The room stopped shaking, and Harry’s expression softened.

“Well that explains it then… Uhh-ohh. That hadn’t been done before has it?”

“Afraid not…”

“Perfect.” Harry muttered.

Hermione couldn’t help but laugh at that – he certainly hadn’t changed at all.

“Whats the time? I’m hungry… I’m sick of hospital beds” Harry said, still saddened by of his record-breaking feat.

“Dinner starts in half an hour.”

“Well, lets go then, before Madame Pomfrey-“

“Ohh no you don’t.” Madame Pomfrey said, coming around the corner.

“I feel fine!” Harry said, sounding like a little kid.

“Your to stay here. You haven’t recovered yet.” The nurse replied firmly.

Harry looked rather angry. His expression reminded Hermione of the boy that defeated Voldemort. It seemed that Madame Pomfrey was reminded as well, as she quickly relented, “All right, you can go after a quick check-up then. You have time to catch dinner.”

After Harry was given a not-so-quick check up, they soon discovered that they were late for dinner.

“Great… So now I get to walk into the great hall with everyone watching me… wait on a second,” Harry got a dangerous glint in his eye.

“Harry…” Hermione cautioned.

“Just a simply spell… yes that should work. I’ll have enough energy to do that.”

Harry smirked at Hermione and explained.

“I don’t want to have everyone look at me entering the great hall… And I don’t think I’m up to apparating around Hogwarts at the moment-“

“You can apparate around Hogwarts?” Hermione interrupted, looking shocked.

“Uhh-huh. It’s quite easy really. Just drains some energy.” Harry replied matter-of-factly, before going on with his plan, “Anyway, I’m going to cast an invisibility spell on myself.”

“But Harry, your wand is up in Gryffindor tower.” Hermione said, blushing as she remembered that she was keeping his wand under her pillow.

“Who said anything about needing wands?” Harry replied, before pointing his index finger at himself and disappearing.

“This feels very weird,” Hermione muttered to what she imagined was Harry.

Surprising the voice came from her other side.

“Tell me about it,” Harry replied.

They continued walking along the corridors before coming to the entrance hall, which led directly into the great hall.

Harry’s eyes suddenly froze on something that stood immediately inside the main entrance to Hogwarts.

“Hermione, care to explain what that is?”

“It’s a statue of you Harry. I must have forgotten to tell you about it…” she trailed off. In front of them stood a life-sized statue of Harry with a caption engraved on a gold background.

Harry read the caption:

“Wait a second – ‘Sir Harry Potter’? Where did that come from?” Harry asked, confused.

“Apparently the muggle queen has knighted you after you stopped their terrorism” Hermione replied.

“Now muggles know my name as well? Great...” He muttered angrily to himself.

“Don’t worry, they think your dead. 

Bellow it was a small table, which had a book on it. The book looked rather thick. It was a condolence book.

“Someone forget that I’m not dead?” Harry asked, trying not to burst out laughing as he noticed the book. Attention was his worst enemy, but he clearly found it amusing that people would waste their time writing in a book about him. He still didn’t sound very amused at the statue. Hermione was worried for a moment that he might blow it up, but since Harry was not visible at that moment, she didn’t have a very good idea as to how he was taking all of this.

They resumed their march and entered the great hall. After opening the door, Hermione felt very stupid walking to Gryffindor table by herself. Harry didn’t help matters – he kept tapping her on the shoulder and making her turn around.

Hermione sat down, but not before she pulled out an extra seat for Harry. She looked up to Professor Dumbledore to see if he had managed to spot Harry, but the headmaster seemed totally oblivious to Harry’s presence.

Knowing that people would start to get very scared if Harry begun eating while still invisible, she reached out and punched the chair beside her where she expected Harry’s shoulder would be.

Suddenly there was a small cry of “Ouch!” and heads spun to the seemingly empty chair. It seemed that Dumbledore had heard the cry as well, but he seemed just as confused as everyone else. Surely he could see through Harry’s invisibility spell, Hermione thought.

Harry gave up, and where no one had been, Harry Potter appeared.

The entire hall stared at Harry, with mouths dangling open.

“Hello?” Harry said lamely, with all eyes still focusing on him.

After many shrieks and screams of delight, everyone begun talking again, and Harry found himself at the center of it all.

Harry was very amused to discover what his forgetful self had got up to, and had to beg for Lavender and Ron’s apology for some nicknames that didn’t go down too well. He had no recollection of ever doing such things, but he just smiled and continued to tuck in to the wonderful assortment of foods.

Soon, Dumbledore stood and called everyone to attention.

“Firstly, I would like to say that it is definitely good to see you out and about again Mr Potter. I propose a toast” And with a click of his fingers, all goblets were once again filled with Pumpkin Juice.

“To Harry Potter!” Everyone said, raising their glasses as they did so.

Harry gave a nod of his head in recognition, and a small smile, but Hermione could read Harry like a book, and knew that Harry disapproved of it, but accepted that it was inevitable.

Dumbledore continued, “It is also my duty to invite you all to Mr Potter’s recognition ceremony. He will be receiving the Order of Merlin 1st class and will be thanked by foreign ministries from around the world. This will take place of Christmas, so you need not attend should you wish to go home.”

“This might be the first Christmas I actually want to go home,” Harry muttered under his breath to Hermione. 

She giggled at the look of pain on his face. He really was a charmer when he didn’t want to be.

A group of Ravenclaws walked up to the table and asked if Harry would go and sit with them. Harry didn’t want to, but reluctantly agreed, and said goodbye to the Gryffindor table.

The dinner soon turned to a school feast in honour of Harry, and there seemed to be an unlimited amount of Pumpkin Juice, and even butterbeer had been added to the confectionary list eventually – the house elves had no doubt visited Hogsmeade on the school’s behalf.

Dinner that evening went far later than it had even gone before, and Harry had made his way around each and every table, answering as many questions as he could, and getting to know everyone. He could safely say he had spoken with every student at Hogwarts. The Slytherins had even invited him to their table. The Hufflepuff table had even offered to provide an escort of house members to protect him when he voyaged across there, but as he had rightly pointed out that, after Voldemort, they probably wouldn’t be much of a challenge should they choose to attack him.

The evening was marvelous. Toasting went into the early hours of the morning, and many people didn’t sleep a wink that night. Harry found that this party in his honour did benefit him somehow, as classes the next day were cancelled, which included a potions lesson, which would have been first period.