Puzzle to a Frozen Heart

Chapter 13

(Friends or something more?)

Hermione awoke to the sound of a door closing. Just as her eyes opened, she set sight on Harry, who was trying his best to be quiet but failing miserably. Just then, his foot caught Hogwarts: A History and he came crashing down to the floor with a big 'THUD!'

"Harry?" Hermione asked sleepily, reluctantly sitting on the bed.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up. I was just..." Harry tried to apologize, before being interrupted.

"Where were you? I haven't seen you since you left the library."

"I thought you didn't want to see me." Hermione opened her mouth to reproach his comment, finding out that she couldn't because Harry continued talking. "Anyway, I was talking to Dumbledore about the beginning of the new school year. Only a week left until classes start."

"So?"

"In order to protect you, I have to be with you 24/7."

"What if I want my privacy? It's bad enough that I have to be with you all summer, but the entire school year? I refuse." Hermione crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Don't worry, you won't see me."

"Oh, forgive me. I forgot Jedi Wizards can make themselves invisible," she said sarcastically.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I can." With this said, he went to his trunk and pulled out his invisibility cloak, which he had inherited from his father.

"Do you know how many accidents happen with invisibility cloaks?" Hermione screeched. It was going to be a long day.

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"Lily, he's here! Get Harry and yourself out!" James screamed, releasing his royal blue lightsaber and trying to hold the door long enough for Lily to disappear with Harry; but it was too late. With a quick swish of his wand, Lord Voldemort destroyed the door and entered the house.

Lily screamed while little Harry started to cry.

"So, my own daughter has eloped and has a son now. How marvelous! The son of a filthy Gryffindor Jedi Wizard. How could you dishonor the family like this? Well, I'll just have to..." But he couldn't finish for James threw himself at him.

"Lily, get out! I'll hold him off!" he tried to say but Voldemort was too quick for him. He connected a punch to his face, making James's lightsaber slip from his hands. Then, he threw James against the floor and grabbed his lightsaber.

"You know, I never thought killing a Jedi Wizard could be this easy. Crucio!" James started to moan in pain.

"Expelliarmus!" Lily screamed, pointing her wand at Voldemort and making him release his wand while ending up face front against the wall. She quickly went to James, baby Harry secured in her arms.

"Lily, go! Protect Harry! Watch out!" Voldemort had silently crept up behind her and grabbed her by her hair.

"You know, I've never had a daughter disappoint me this much. Guess I'll just have to teach you a lesson. Crucio!" he yelled, making Lily drop little Harry to the floor while she screamed in pain.

"Lily, no!" James tried to get to her, but a Death Eater appeared out of nowhere and attacked him, causing the Jedi Wizard to divert his attention to him.

"Do you know what is like to have such a disappointing daughter? You married a Jedi Wizard! You know, I once thought that you could be my heir. The Heir of Slytherin, but you don't have what it takes. You could have been my successor, the most feared witch in history, the daughter of Lord Voldemort but you just had to ruin it by marrying a Gryffindor. No matter, I merely have to eliminate the dishonor of the family." He turned towards James, leaving Lily on the floor, taking ragged breaths. James had just finished up the Death Eater and was turning towards Voldemort. "So, James, is it? How about a little one on one?" said Voldemort in a cold sarcasm.

"Bring it on, you bastard! And leave my family alone!" barked James, getting ready to fight.

It all happened in a blur. Voldemort and James engaged in a duel while the Death Eaters and Lily watched. Then, another Death Eater appeared behind James, who didn't notice him as a result of being too concentrated in the battle at hand. The Death Eater got out his wand and Lily screamed as the Avada Kedavra spell took place. As James's body collapsed to the ground, a shrill laughter was heard.

"One down and one to go. Lily dear, if you would be so kind to get out of the way, I will vanish from the face of the earth the last prove of your dishonor and then, you can come home," Voldemort conditioned, making his way towards little Harry.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she pleaded at him, standing in front of little Harry and shielding him from her father.

"Didn't you hear me? You can come home, I will forgive you for your disobedience but first, all trace of the filthy Jedi Wizard must be wiped out, so Potter Jr. will have to go. Now, stand aside you silly girl, stand aside now!" he barked, grabbing her by the arm and trying to move her.

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead!" she said, not moving. At hearing this, Voldemort's face twisted up in anger.

"You'd rather die for that filthy Gryffindor's son than to be with your own father! Well, if that is what you want, then you will die next to your son!" he said, raising his wand and pointing it towards his daughter and her baby.

"Not Harry! He is just a baby!" she cried, lunching towards Voldemort just as he was chanting the spell. A flash of green light illuminated the room and then, there was another body covering the cold floor.

"And now, for little Potter..." A shrill laughter was heard once more as he positioned himself, pointing his wand exactly at Harry's forehead...

*****************

"Mom!" Harry screamed as he woke up; his body drenched in cold sweat, already mixing with salted tears.

"Harry? What's wrong?" came the voice of Hermione, who quickly materialized in front of him. He could tell he had woken her up, due to the shadows under her eyes, her disheveled hair, and the fact that she was not wearing anything except a long midnight blue nightgown.

"Oh, uh... Nothing's wrong, just a nightmare," he said, his voice breaking. Hermione noticed this and sat on the edge of his bed.

"You were crying, weren't you? Were you dreaming about your mom?" she asked tenderly. Compassion was displayed in her eyes, instead of the everyday defensive shield she put up whenever she was with him.

"Sometimes I dream of the night she was killed."

"But you were so little, how can you remember it?"

"Jedi Wizards can see the past and sometimes the future when we are deeply relaxed," he explained, shifting uncomfortably, her presence beginning to affect his manly body.

"I see. Do you want me to get you something? Water, a hot chocolate perhaps?" she offered.

How about you?

"Nah, that's okay. I'll just get a cold shower and snap out of it. Go back to sleep," he commanded while trying to get the previous thought out of his mind. He was even getting to the point where he couldn't make out if the cold shower was to relieve him from his earlier nightmare or to relieve his body of jumping hormones.

"Okay. Well, goodnight then."

But before taking her leave, Hermione did something that left Harry in shock (among other things).

She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, before turning around and not looking back.