One Last Chance

Chapter 2 (Revised): Love and Strangers

"HARRY!" I shrieked, dropping to my knees on the ground beside him. He was sprawled on his stomach, face down in the snow. Alarmed, Ron knelt on his other side, and the two of us were able to roll him over onto his back.

Harry's face was ghostly pale, whiter than the snow falling softly onto his matted and ever-untidy black hair. His eyes were shut tightly, as if in pain.

Shaking, I reached down for his wrist, and gingerly checked for a pulse. It was faint, so faint I thought for one horrible moment that I was imagining it. He was knocked out.

"Jesus Christ, Ron, whatever that was..." Then, seeing Ron's face blanch, I quickly added, "He's unconscious, but we'd better get him to Madam Pomfrey."

"Well..." His sentence trailed off. "I'll stay here with him..."

I sighed, frustrated; standing and beginning to turn around, I shouted, "Could somebody please -- "

But I stopped, for my prior commotion had attracted a small crowd that was huddled outside of the Three Broomsticks. Many simply stood and gaped, but a tall girl, about our age, was jogging over with a worried look on her face. With her, she was dragging a boy who looked just as concerned, and who was also about 17.

Silently, I turned and watched the girl as she talked to Ron and gestured toward Harry. After exchanging a few words with them, the boy crouched on the ground, wand out.

I heard him muttering spells; a floating stretcher appeared in midair with a loud pop, and he stood.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

I stood by stupidly as Harry, stiff and rigid, floated onto the stretcher.

"Ennervate," the boy said clearly, peering into Harry's face.

Why didn't you think of that, Hermione? the sneering voice in my head commented. Jeez, you always manage to lose all common sense in the simplest of situations.

Harry stirred, and groaned.

"Where am I?" he asked, trying weakly to sit up.

"Never mind that," the boy answered, gently pushing him back down. "Just rest; you had a nasty collapse; we're gonna bring you back to Hogwarts. Relax."

Sighing, Harry obeyed.

Then the boy went over and chatted with Ron and the girl.

"We'd better get moving, if we're gonna walk him to Hogwarts," he was saying. "It's no use questioning him until he's fully awake."

Ron was now motioning for me to join them; I trotted over and noticed with a start that the boy looked strikingly like Harry up close. He had deep brown eyes, flecked with hazel, that were encircled by round, silvery-framed glasses. His hair was dark and somewhat messy. We started walking.

It must have looked pretty strange, though, two girls and two boys strolling along the streets of Hogsmeade, with a stretcher bearing a seemingly asleep boy floating along behind them. But no one seemed to notice. People bustled by, engrossed in their own business. Then the boy spoke.

"So, you're the famous Hermione Granger?" he said, grinning. He held out his hand. "I'm Adam, Adam Rowling. Nice to meet you."

Puzzled, I shook his hand. "Pleasure's all mine, I'm sure, but what exactly do you mean by famous?"

Ron chuckled; Adam and the girl looked at each other and laughed.

"Don't you remember Rita Skeeter's lovely article in the Daily Prophet three years ago about your romantic turmoil with Harry? Though I hear from your friend Ron that that's no longer just a rumor..."

Seeing the look of hot indignation forming on my face, the girl took my hand and shook it heartily as we walked.

"Don't worry about those two," she whispered, eyes flickering to Ron and Adam, who were laughing and joking. "Adam's my boyfriend, and I can make him shut up, if you'd like. And by the way, my name's Vicki Briggs and I've always wanted to meet you."

I flushed, staring down at my shoes as we strolled along. "Why? I'm nobody special."

At these words, Ron turned and said slyly, "Harry doesn't seem to think so..."

I ignored him, the annoying voice in my head returning.

He's right...and you like Harry, too...what a cute couple you'd make...

Vicki waved her hand airily, saying, "Modesty is something men really need to learn, especially Adam...He's constantly bragging because people are always telling him how much he looks like Harry." She gestured over her shoulder at Harry's prostrate form on the stretcher as we trudged on. "But you should be the one bragging. Look at all you've done, all your accomplishments! You're amazing!! And, lucky duck, you have Harry for a boyfriend!!!"

I rolled my eyes, frustrated, and kicked at the snow as we neared Hogwarts. "Harry is not my boyfriend; I don't know what Ron's been telling you, but he's full of it. Especially since he just happened to walk in on me and Harry in the common room this morning, and he thought we were snogging. Of all things."

Vicki snickered. "Well, what were you doing?"

"Yeah!" Ron chimed in. "You never did explain to me why Harry was on the floor, you crouching over him and your face inches from his..."

Adam snorted, taking Vicki's hand as we came to a stop in front of the towering castle doors.

"That definitely sounds like some hardcore snogging," he said, winking at me. "But that's not any of my business. We gotta get back to old CWSA, you know...Nice meeting you guys..." With this, he shook Ron's hand again and then mine. Vicki did the same, but she held onto mine for an extra moment.

"Remember, there's always one last chance waiting at the end of all your trials and tribulations," she said gently. "Never say never -- just say 'not yet'." She grinned.

Puzzled, but knowing the truth and wisdom to her words, I said gratefully to them, "Thanks for all the help...good luck at school."

She nodded. "Anytime. Good luck to you, too, Hermione Granger. Hope to see you again sometime soon..." She winked at Adam, and the two of them left, hollering goodbye.

As Ron and I neared the hospital wing with Harry, I said, "What's CWSA?"

His eyes misted over, and a wistful grin snuck onto his face.

"Chudley-Silverwand Academy," he answered dreamily.

I snorted. The Chudley Cannons were Ron's favorite Quidditch team.

The many halls and corridors of Hogwarts were deserted. We had missed lunch, and everyone was probably in their common rooms doing homework.

Once Madam Pomfrey saw Harry on the stretcher, she panicked.

Oh dear, what now?" she asked, scurrying over.

"I kind of collapsed while in Hogsmeade," came Harry's flat reply from behind us.

I couldn't help but giggle as she stared sternly down her long, bespectacled nose at Harry, who seemed unfazed by the whole deal.

"Can I get up now?" he said dully.

"No," Madam Pomfrey snapped. "You will lie down on a hospital bed and have some Pepper-Up Potion. And your guests will leave," she added, now glaring at Ron and me. She then strode off, "hmph"ing indignantly.

Ron exchanged a glance with Harry, and then looked at me, a slightly mischievous grin beginning to appear on his face. "You know what, Hermione, why don't you stay here until Harry gets his potion...I have some extra homework to do...see you in the common room."

He then left without a backward glance. Somewhat awkwardly, I seated myself next to Harry's bed, noticing his eyes following my every move.

"So, how are you feeling?" I said, trying to sound casual.

Before he had a chance to answer, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a tall and bubbling glass of orange liquid.

"Drink this whole thing, Potter, and you'll be fine," she said shortly, glaring coldly at me as she left.

Harry rolled his eyes as he sipped gingerly at it. "Nutty old bat. I already am fine. Anyways..." He cleared his throat. "I overheard you all talking on the way down here."

I could feel my face beginning to turn red. Seeing my reaction, he smirked. "Imagine that, people thinking we're going out."

My face was burning. I don't know why, either; I mean, I didn't like him as anything more than a friend...

Sure. That's hard to believe.

I forced a laugh. "Yeah, that's pretty out-there."

He frowned slightly, then his grin returned. "Am I that bad?"

I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping a little; then I quickly snapped it shut. Harry seemed amused at my reaction.

"Okay, enough of that. What I really was wondering was...well...you know how the Yule Ball's coming up, and all?"

Disbelieving what I was hearing, but yet totally calm, I answered, "Yeah?"

He kept his eyes on mine, aloof. "Who are you going with?"

My heart started to pound so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I tried to speak, but all that came out was, "Er..."

He swallowed rather hard, still staring into my eyes. "Is that a yes?" His knuckles tightened slightly around his glass, then his grip relaxed.

You like him...

Shut up.

You love him...

No.

Without really realizing what I was saying, I answered, "Yeah."

His face reddened slightly. "Not to be rude or anything, but do you mind if I ask, who?"

The words tumbled unheeded from my mouth --

"Well, hopefully...you."

I so desperately wanted to kick myself then; the look on his face told me everything I needed to know, and I stood up hastily. Without a backward glance I tore from the room, and didn't hear the running footsteps that were echoing mine. I was too busy telling myself how incredibly moronic I was. Halfway to the common room, I slowed down, and came to a halt by the library. Breathing hard, I slipped inside, wearily collapsed at a table, and shut my eyes tightly.

You Goddamn fool.

I didn't think --

That was obvious.

But he --

I thought you didn't like him.

SO WHAT IF I DO.

Through my fog of disbelief, I felt a shudder at the table as someone else sat down.

"Jesus, 'Mione, why'd you run away like that?"

Not opening my eyes, I said slowly, "I'm so sorry, Harry. I say the stupidest things sometimes. Now what were you saying back there, before my idiot self interrupted?"

He actually snorted.

"You know what? You saved me the trouble of asking you to the ball myself, when you said that."