Love In Translation

Chapter 8. LOSING HOPE

I found myself in the quiet of my hotel room where I had just apparated, carrying Harry with me.

I couldn't believe it: I had managed to rescue Harry, and we were together again, still alive and far away from the battle.

I put his arm around my neck slowly dragged him to my bed.

"Lumos!"I lit the light on my bedside table and kneeled close to him next to the bed. I felt a strong pang in my stomach at seeing Harry in this condition. His skin was very pale. He had deep cuts on his forehead and lips and large bruises on his cheeks and eyes, and his clothes were ragged and torn in many places. He was still unconscious and was just lying there, absolutely motionless.

I immediately released his hands from the magical ropes and went into the bathroom for some fresh water to moisten his forehead. I was endlessly suffering for him. Tears rose to my eyes.

"What have they done to you, my love?" I sweetly whispered in his ears, while gently patting his forehead. He was freezing, so I immediately covered him with a warm blanket.

I started patting his face again, hoping that he would wake up soon.

"Harry, you have to wake up! I've been waiting for such a long time you know?" I couldn't stop myself from whispering all my love for him.

"Maybe you are asking yourself why I am talking to you this way...me, your best friend, the cold Hermione who doesn't fall in love with anyone. Well, now it's too late for me, but before your girlfriend comes here and takes care of you in my place, I just wanted to tell you what I'm feeling now." Warm tears were falling down my face.

"I love you, Harry Potter and I just understood it now. I've lost you forever. I'm a silly girl, aren't I? As usual, I'm realizing just how important things are to me, just when I've already lost them."

I was sobbing like a little girl, and I felt a knot forming in my throat, preventing me from speaking further. I remained in silence, staring at Harry, who was breathing quietly.

I grabbed his hand tightly, leaned my head on his pillow and stayed there through the night, cradled by his sweet breath.

***O***

I found myself in the Monumental Cemetery again. I was running past the marble graves. Suddenly, I saw a boy far away from me, his back turned. I decided to approach him.

When I got closer, I noticed that he had black, untidy hair and a really familiar air. Then he slowly turned to face me, and I realized that it was Harry. His face was still wounded, and he was staring at me sternly.

"Harry! I finally found you." I was so happy, and without thinking about it, I threw my arms aroundhis neck and held him close to me. I could feel the warmth of his body and his sweet scent.

When I turned again to stare at him in the eyes, I shuddered all over; his expression had not changed. I stopped smiling.

Then, suddenly, Angy appeared at his side. With a sneering smile, she leaned her head on his shoulder and slowly brought him far away from me.

"No! Don't take him away from me! Please don't take him away from me!" I was desperately shouting at her and stretching my arms in an attempt to catch him again.

I was soon all alone.

"Hermione? Hermione!" Someone was violently shaking me.

I woke up abruptly and turned to the person who was calling my name.

"Who...who is it?" I asked, still half asleep. When I raised my head, I saw Angy standing by my side and staring at me, deeply concerned.

"Hermione, may I ask you what you are doing? And can you tell me who that guy is?"

It took me a few seconds to understand the meaning of her words: maybe Angy hadn't recognized her boyfriend?

She pointed her finger toward Harry, and when I turned to look at him, I was completely shocked. I jumped backwards and found myself sitting on the floor one meter away.

I gaped at the boy who was lying on my bed, sleeping and wearing Harry's clothes...He wasn't Harry at all!

The young stranger had curly brown hair and tanned skin, and was tall and thin. His face was still covered with bruises and wounds, meaning that the Death Eaters hadn't treated him with kindness.

"I-I can't believe it! That... that means that...it was just a trap!" I was still staring at the boy with my mouth open, completely shocked.

"Right! A really good trap I have to say. We've fallen into it, just like two dabblers!" Angy said angrily.

Then she came closer to me and hit me lightly on the head with her wand to cancel the Disillusionment Charm she had cast on me the night before. Afterwards, she headed to her bed and sank onto it heavily.

I got up, trying to recover from the shock, and reached Angy's bed, sinking heavily on it as well.

"Polyjuice Potion!" I said firmly because it was the only logical explanation.

"Exactly, my dear. They must have captured this unlucky boy who knows from where and then they forced him to drink the potion to change his appearance and afterwards, they organized this trap for both of us." Angy explained.

I kept staring at the boy while thinking over this incredible situation we were in. After all our effort, we were again at square one, and worst of all, the Death Eaters knew about us. But there was still something really odd about the whole matter.

"Wait a minute! How did the Death Eaters know about our plan?" I asked, staring at her directly in the eyes.

"Simple! Their spies told them.We have our spies too, you know!" replied Angy promptly.

"And where is Rufus?" I asked slightly worried.

"Oh, he's fine! With all the mess that you let loose last night, we managed to disapparate without much effort. Anyway, you had a great idea with those statues, really great!"

"Well, thank you, but it's just been completely useless" I sighed and turned again to the boy, who was slowly waking up.

"What are we going to do with him?" asked Angy worried.

"I think that we should ask him a few questions and then let him go," I replied in a professional tone, and stood up to stand by him.

Angy joined me, and both of us patiently waited for him to realize that he wasn't alone.

When he opened his eyes, he didn't seem too surprised to find us there.

"Good morning, pretty girls. May I ask you what am I doing here with you?" he asked smiling, while staring at us from head to toe. He had an easygoing attitude, and for a moment, we were astonished by his insolence.

"Hey, slow down boy! We're asking the questions here!" I immediately frowned at her. I thought that it wasn't fair, treating him like that after all that he had been through the night before.

"Are you feeling all right?" I asked in a friendly tone.

"Well, honestly, I'm feeling a bit upside-down, you know? Even if I don't remember absolutely anything." he replied, and yawned loudly.

Angy and I looked at each other deeply worried. If the boy didn't remember anything at all, it meant that we had no chance of finding Harry. Anyway, I was still convinced that this boy could help us somehow. I cleared my throat and spoke again.

"You don't remember anything? I mean, about what happened to you?"

"Well, maybe I could remember something, but I usually prefer to have a full breakfast before trying to recall what I've done the night before." The boy winked at me and started to massage his stomach. He had a really crafty twinkle in his eyes and Angy felt a sudden aversion to him.

"Hey, you listen to me boy! Are you maybe trying to take advantage of the situation? Because we aren't exactly in the right mood for jokes, at the moment, you know? Besides, we don't even know if you are a wizard or a muggle, even if I already have an idea about it," said Angy, glaring at him in disgust.

"A what? A wizard? A muggle? What the hell are you talking about?" he said astonished, and before I could stop her, Angy had taken her wand out and was pointing it at the boy.

"I'm going to explain the difference right now. Wingardium leviosa!" At Angy's words, the boy rose in the air and started to float in the middle of the room.

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing to me? I don't like this. Put me down!"

"Angy, stop it! Right now!" I ordered, deeply horrified. But she definitely had no intention of obeying me. On the contrary, she seemed rather amused about it.

"Why should I stop it? I just want to enjoy myself a little bit!" she replied happily.

"Finite incantatem!" I shouted, pointing my wand at the unlucky boy, and he fell on my bed with a loud thud.

"Do you understand the difference now? We are witches and you are a muggle, someone who isn't able to do any magic," Angy explained with the tone of a stern teacher teaching a really difficult subject to an idiot.

"Yes, I-I understand but please calm down, and put away that, that thing, your wand or whatever the hell it's called."

I immediately put my wand away, then I frowned at Angy, and she put her wand away as well.

"Don't worry, we're not going to harm you in any way" I tried to reassure him.

"We would just like to ask you a few questions about those hooded people who kidnapped you. That's it" I added, trying to speak as naturally as possible.

"Those, those guys are friends of yours?" hj asked, deeply worried. I was amused by the fact that he had completely lost his easygoing attitude.

"No way! Those are our enemies and we're fighting them" Angy replied.

"Well, if we'll have to work together, then we should at least introduce ourselves properly! Witches or not, I'm sure that good manners exist where you live, right?" he said formally.

"My name is Hermione Granger, and she is Angy Pureheart and you are?"

"Marco!" he answered proudly.

"Marco what?" I asked curious.

"Just Marco!"

I stared at him doubtfully for a second then spoke again.

"Well, Marco, would you like to have breakfast with us?"

"You don't even have to ask me! It's been ages since I properly filled my stomach up!" he replied happily, and he stood up and rushed to the door.

Angy and I looked at each other deeply surprised, then followed him out of the room.