Visions and Prophesies

Visions and Prophesies: A Thousand Apologies

Two weeks passed before Harry was struck by a plan to let Hermione know exactly what was going on in his mind. Ron had finally started talking to him again and he had confided in his best friend what he was thinking.

"I think I can get dad to help you. Mind waiting until the weekend?"

Harry agreed and a plan was set into motion. Mr. Weasley came through for him at breakfast the next day. A large package was sent to Harry and Ron and they ran out of the Great Hall and up to Gryffindor Tower before they opened it. Ron looked skeptical but shrugged and helped Harry set it up. Later in the day the boys sat on Harry's bed and discussed what would need to happen later.

"Ok, Ron, I need you to talk her into coming up here. If you have to, lie and tell her that I'm not in the room and that I'm out flying."

"She's going to have my ass on a pole Harry! I can't..."

"You can Ron. Please?"

Ron heaved an exaggerated sigh and nodded. The things he did for his friends. Later that day he found Hermione sitting in the Great Hall studying. He walked up to her and slung an arm over her shoulders.

"Hey Hermione. What are you studying?"

Hermione looked up at Ron as he settled in next to her and tried to look at the book she was reading.

"Nothing! I mean... it's nothing that you'd be interested in... I need to go."

She hurriedly packed her books and shot out of the Hall before Ron could comprehend what had just happened. He sighed and placed his face on his fist. This was going to be harder than he thought. Just as he stood to leave, he caught sight of pale skin and jet-black hair. Sarin. He figured he go over and say hi to her since he hadn't seen her in a few weeks. He walked over and bent low.

"May I sit here?" he whispered into her ear.

Sarin jumped and spun around. She found herself face to face with the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen. Her heart skipped a beat and she fought to suppress a shudder.

"Sure," she said softly. "Let me move my books out of the way."

Ron helped her shift her books over and took inventory of her as they did so. She was still way too thin and much too pale. Her skin was like porcelain and one did not have to look carefully to see the little blue veins that ran under her skin. Her fingers were long, thin and graceful and her hand was petite. Before he could think, he picked up one of her hands and raised it, palm up to his lips. He placed a small kiss in that hand and placed it on the table. Just at that moment, a large brown owl came into the Hall. It landed next to Sarin and stuck its leg out. She untied the letter and dug in her bag for a treat. As soon as the owl was properly thanked he flew off and Sarin opened her letter. Ron watched as her face grew paler and her body began to shake. She looked up wildly, breathing hard, eyes brimming with tears.

"Sarin, what is it? What's wrong?"

She shot straight up out of her chair and looked for her brother's head. Spotting it, she ran over and thrust the letter into his face. Ron made it over to where she was a few seconds later and placed a hand on her arm. Toby looked up at his sister with disbelief in his eyes.

"Oh God..."

The letter fell from his hands and onto the table. Ron leaned over a bit and read:

Sarin,

You and your brother must return home as soon as possible. Your father is dead. I need you both here.

Love,

Mommy

He stood straighter and wrapped his arms around the now sobbing girl. Toby still sat in stunned silence, his eyes closed and grief written plain across his face. The entire Hall was silent as they watched this and their curiosities were piqued more when Professor McGonnagal came into the Hall and ushered the three teens out.

Hermione sat in the library shaking all over. She had almost forgotten about the book her parents had gotten her when she said she wanted to be a doctor one day. It had every known disease and symptom known in it. So, when she had begun to feel sick two weeks before, she dug around in her trunk until she found it. Actually, it was more of Lavender and Parvati bugging her to find out what was going on that lead her to digging in the trunk for the old book. Just that morning Lavender awoke to the sound of her being sick again. She remembered that she was asleep and suddenly she felt like she was going to throw up. She remembered sitting up in her bed and tearing the curtains back before dashing across the room to the bathroom. Before her first good heave came, she felt hands in her hair, holding it back. When she was finished retching, she turned and saw Lavender standing there looking at her. It was at that moment she decided to look in the book for her symptoms. And it all lead to where she was now.

Ron was too nosey for his own good. He almost caught her looking in a muggle book. A muggle HEALTH book to be exact. But now that she knew without a doubt what was wrong, she wished for his distraction again. Sitting back in her chair, she closed her eyes as she felt the hot rush of tears pricking her lids. This wasn't fair.

"Life isn't fair."

"I didn't want this!"

"Too bad. You have this."

Her mind was at war. How was she going to tell anyone about this? How would she tell the headmaster and Professor McGonnagal that her prefect duties would have to be taken from her? Her grandparents would be disappointed as well... but she didn't ask for this to happen. Hermione buried her face into the crook of her elbow and began to cry softly. The book she had been looking in laid open to the page she had left it on.

...Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, mood swings, tenderness in the breasts, and frequent bathroom trips to name a few. The most obvious sign of pregnancy is missed menstrual cycles...

There was no denying it. She was pregnant.

One somber face, one tear streaked face, and one shocked face stared at the old man behind the desk. His face looked equally grim. Breaking bad news to a student was always hard, but it was even harder when it was due to Dark wizards. He regarded the three students carefully. The only girl in the group, Sarin, looked ready to collapse at any moment. She was only still sitting upright because Ron was holding her up. Toby sat staring straight ahead, barely blinking. Dumbledore cleared his throat and spoke in a low tone.

"I have the three of you in here because, as you know, Mr. Jonathan Haley has died. Mr. Haley..."

"Was killed by Death Eaters while he was working at the Branford site. He never saw them coming. He turned around and saw someone, covered in a hood, pointing a wand at his face. They tortured him then erased his memory. They did it over and over again and then... they just killed him. They just did the Killing Curse..." Sarin's voice faded out to a whisper as she began to cry again. Dumbledore looked down at his desk. He forgot that this was no ordinary girl.

"Sarin, when did you see this happening?"

"Two weeks ago... in Charms. That's when I passed out."

Toby looked at his sister as if she had grown another head and horns.

"You knew this was going to happen? You knew and didn't say anything to me? Or mom? Or dad? You saw this happening and you didn't do anything?"

He stood up slowly and faced her, the anger on his face unmistakable.

"You fucking KNEW?! "

"I'm sorry! I couldn't..."

"Shut UP Sarin!! Just shut the fuck UP! I can't even... God..."

Ron jumped up and faced Toby.

"She lost a father too. It's worse for her because she knew it was going to happen. Yes, she knew and didn't say anything... but not because she didn't want to."

"You stay out of this Ron. She could have prevented my dad from dying if she had just opened her mouth and said something!"

He rounded on his sister again.

"I hate you for this Sarin. And nothing anyone can say is going to change that. I don't have a sister anymore."

He walked to the door and out of the room. He ran down the stairs, so consumed in his own thoughts and feelings that he didn't hear the anguished scream of his sister or the worried voices echoing out of the office. Ron turned around at the sound of her scream and caught her just as she began to crumple to the floor. His alarmed shout mixed with that of the headmaster.

Harry was fidgeting nervously in the Common Room. He hadn't seen Ron since this morning and he had no idea if Hermione was going to show up for his plan to take action. Just as he rounded the armchair in front of the fire for the umpteenth time, the portrait swung open and Hermione walked in. She looked pale and drawn, and her face was streaked with tears. She didn't even see Harry standing there.

"Hermione?"

She looked up startled and quickly wiped her face with her hands. The book that she was holding fell to the floor and Harry bent over to retrieve it. He studied the cover for a moment and handed it back to her.

"Hermione, can you come up to my room in a bit? I have something I need to talk to you about and I don't think the common room is the best place to discuss it."

"I... ok. When?"

"Give me about fifteen minutes to get it together."

She sank into the armchair and nodded. Harry tore up the stairs to the boys dormitory and got everything he needed ready. Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door and he opened it to find Hermione looking at him curiously. He ushered her inside and made her sit on a chair that he had conjured up. Suddenly, music began to play from somewhere and she looked around, shocked. There, on the windowsill, was a muggle CD player. She looked back at Harry with wide eyes. He just smiled and began to sing. She had never heard him sing before and was surprised at how soothing his voice was.

~It's not that I can't live without you

It's just that I don't even want to try

Every night I dream about you

Ever since the day we said goodbye

If I wasn't such a fool

Right now I'd be holdin' you

There's nothing that I wouldn't do

Baby if I only knew

The words to say

The road to take

To find the way back to your heart.~

He took hold of her hand and looked into her eyes that shone with unshed tears. Tears that he had been the cause of. The thought twisted his heart and made his own eyes swim.

~ I don't know how it got so crazy

But I'll do anything to set things right

'Cause your love is so amazing

Baby, you're the best thing in my life

Let me prove my love is real

Make you feel the way I feel

I promise I would give the world

If only you would tell me girl

The words to say

The road to take

To find the way back to your heart

What can I do

To get to you

And find a way back to your heart~

Harry stood up and gently pulled Hermione to her feet. Holding her tight, he began to sway with her, singing softly in her ear. He never thought he'd be holding her this way again.

~Give me one more chance to give my love to you,

'cause no one on this earth loves you like I do,

so tell me

The words to say

The road to take

To find a way back to your heart

What can I do

To get to you

And find a way back to your heart

I'd turn back time

To make you mine

And find a way back to your heart

I'd turn back time, to make you mine, and find a way back to your heart

I'd beg and plead, fall to my knees, to find a way back to your heart~