Soul Pieces

Soul Pieces

Chapter 17: She is a Ravenclaw, after all

Luna Lovegood was patrolling Hogwarts' halls that night. Yep. Luna Lovegood the strange Ravenclaw, sixth year prefect.

It was kind of funny actually. She had received the "job" after the "original" prefect - did not return to Hogwarts (like many other students).

Of course she was still the outsider, the weird girl, but that badge made people stop to fuss and laugh at her. And even if she didn't admit it to anyone else, she liked the attention.

So, she was there, alone (her partner was sick), patrolling the school halls when she saw a cat. A cat. A big, fat, orange cat.

That wasn't an ordinary cat- no! Yes, she knew this cat was Crookshanks, Hermione's cat.

"Crookshanks? What are you doing here?"

The cat stopped and looked at her as he was thinking about something.

A few moments later...

MEOW

Normal people wouldn't have paid attention to Crookshanks, but Luna sensed that something was wrong. Something was out of place.

MEOW

Then Crookshanks turned and ran.

Luna Lovegood followed Crookshanks without a second thought. She could feel that something was up.

Less than five minutes later, Luna found herself on the third floor, in front a painting of a middle age woman.

Crookshanks looked at the painting and-

MEOW

"Oh, little cat. I see you brought someone. Something happened with the miss?" asked the woman while opening the door.

Luna cautiously stepped inside the room. She noticed that the place looked like a mini common room but she didn't have time to pay much attention to the room as something else caught her eye.

Someone was on the floor.

"Oh my! Hermione!"

The blonde girl ran to Hermione and kneeled beside her, checking her pulse.

"Thank Merlin! You're alive-wait! You're pregnant?! That's why you're here. Alone. Oh, Girl, what happened"

MEOW

"Yes Crookshanks, thank you for finding me. I will call Madam Pomfrey. Could you stay here?"

MEOW

"All right. I'll be right back!" And with that, Luna Lovegood ran out heading for the Hospital Wing.

***

After Madam Pomfrey came to see Hermione, she told Luna about Hermione's problem and the blonde girl swore she wouldn't tell a single soul.

First, Hermione didn't like the idea of Luna Lovegood knowing about her pregnancy but with time things began to change.

Hermione never thought anything like this would happen, especially declaring that "Luna Lovegood is my friend", but she found out that though Luna was quite odd, she was a great companion.

Okay, she was strange and had peculiar ideas but she was also very intelligent and didn't go crazy like Parvati and Lavender with girl talk which Hermione so hated.

Luna and Hermione talked every day and once a week they had permission to visit Hogsmeade.

And when someone (meaning: Ginny and Neville) asked Luna about her absences she always said she was training with Madam Pomfrey. Sometimes she felt bad about that. Especially when she had to lie to Ginny. She liked the redhead girl but couldn't stop thinking that Ginny and Harry didn't belong together. Ginny didn't love Harry, she loved THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED and that was the problem.

With time Hermione finally told Luna about the baby's father and everything that had happened. The Ravenclaw girl wasn't very surprised. In fact, she had already suspected that Harry was the father. After all, why would Hermione be at Hogwarts?

But she couldn't deny that she was surprised when Hermione told her about the night at the Night Club.

Meanwhile, Hermione was trying to find out any clue or logic in the Hat's words. Yes, even she if wasn't with Harry-or Ron anymore; it was her duty to help them.

And she was very angry and frustrated.

"Ask the Lady! Ask the Lady! What the hell is that supposed to mean?! " she cried, not noticing Luna slip in.

"Whoa, Hermione!? Have Snorkacks invaded your room??" Luna asked with her habitual airy voice.

Hermione jumped in surprise.

"Luna!"

"Hermione, I know that there are some things, specifically some secrets that only you, Harry, and Ron are privy to but I have noticed that you're reading a lot about the Founders and-well, I won't ask-"

"Yes, Luna, you're right. There're some things that I can't tell you or anyone else and..." Hermione really didn't know how to continue.

"You were talking about a Lady, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I don't know if you remember but there is a Lady in the castle. A Ravenclaw Lady."

Hermione gave her a puzzled look.

Luna laughed.

"Hermione, do you know who Ravenclaw's ghost is?"

"Yes, it's-," Hermione stopped; eyes wide. "Oh my God! Lady Grey! The Ravenclaw ghost! Of course! How could I have forgotten such an obvious detail?!"

"Sometimes the answer is right in front of us."

Great! The Lady is the Ravenclaw's ghost! I need to tell Ha...no, Ron! I need to tell Ron! But I can't write this in a letter! It's too dangerous...Oh, Merlin! And I can't talk to the Lady alone because if I do this, they (well, Harry...) will discover where I am.

Luna was watching Hermione in amazement. She knew what the girl was thinking. She needs to tell the boys but doesn't know how.

Luna thought about what Madam Pomfrey had told her about Hermione's pregnancy and she had done some research. Yes, she knew the truth- the real truth about Hermione's pregnancy. The truth that only her, Hermione, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall knew: Hermione was dying.

She shook her head and came back to reality. And then she spoke without her usual airy voice or dreamy gaze. No, she spoke in a grave and serious tone, "It's time, Hermione."

Hermione looked at her. She knew what Luna was talking about. Unconsciously she caressed her six month belly.

"I know, Luna...I know..."

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Grimmauld Place

09:30 pm

Ronald Weasley was in his bedroom, reading about the Cannons when Remus entered the room.

"Sorry that I didn't knock but this is very important."

"Did something happen? My parents? Hermione? I know you know where she is..."

"No, nothing happened but Minerva, er, Professor McGonagall asked to talk with you. Today. At Hogwarts."

Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Me? I am Ronald Weasley remember? I think Harry is downstairs..."

"No! It's you! She needs you to go to Hogwarts, alone, here is a Portkey-," Remus showed a quill. "I will tell Harry that you have a stomach ache. Now, take this and go!"

Feeling apprehensive, Ron took...the quill and moments later he wasn't in his bedroom anymore. In fact, he didn't know where he was.

***

"Good Evening, Mister Weasley," he heard Professor McGonagall speaking. "I hope you had a good trip."

"Bloody fantastic," he muttered, "Well, Professor, Remus told me you wanted to speak with me?"

"No, Mister Weasley. Indeed there is someone who wants to talk with you but this person isn't me."

"So...well...who?" he asked looking around the room. I've never been here before. This place looks like a common room.

"Me, Ron," said a voice behind him. "I want to talk with you."

It wasn't possible! Ron knew that voice very well. He turned around.

"Herm...Bloody Hell!" he yelled when he saw her belly.

"Mister Weasley!" reprimanded Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry, Professor."

Hermione was there, looking at him, teary eyed; by her side was Luna Lovegood.

"Hallo, Ronald," the blonde girl said.

"Er...hi, Luna."

Please...this is a dream...a very odd dream...I am here...in a strange room. Hermione is pregnant and she is with Luna Lovegood!

"Well," Professor McGonagall said, "Miss Lovegood and I are leaving. We will be in my office. Please, go there after you've talked. Oh, if you need anything just call Dobby. Well, Hermione already knew this (Ron was surprised when the Headmistress called Hermione by her first name). Oh, the password is Vera Verto. Until then. Mister Weasley."

Ron didn't say anything. He only nodded.

After some minutes of silence, Hermione finally spoke, "Ron...I am so sorry." She was crying.

Ron walked towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Bloody Hell! What happened, Hermione?!"

"I'm pregnant, Ron! That's what happened!"

Ron ears went blood red. "I know. But this isn't what I am talking about. I mean, why didn't you tell anyone? I missed you so much and Harry..."

Hearing Harry's name made Hermione attempt to turn away from Ron.

Ron stopped her and gently cupped her chin, saying, "Hermione, I already knew about you and Harry. No, don't look so surprised. Deep inside you knew that I knew. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I already spoke with Harry. And I told him that yes, I was hurt, but there were more important things to worry about"

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed kissing him on the cheeks. "You are a great friend you know? You are such a great friend!"

"Now, Hermione tell me about this baby. Why are you here?"

And Hermione told him everything. She only avoided revealing the risks of her pregnancy.

When she finished, Ron couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ron!"

"Sorry, Mione but despite everything it's funny to see you and Luna Lovegood as good friends!"

Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, you're right. She's a really good friend. More than I could ever imagine."

"I know, sorry. But you haven't mentioned Harry-"

"What about him?"

"For Merlin's Sake Hermione! He is the father of your baby!"

"I know...it's just...oh! It hurts so much when I think about him!" She sobbed softly, "It's so bloody difficult!"

"Hermione, I know that he said and did terrible things. I know that you are hurt but I also know that he loves you."

"No, he doesn't," she whispered in a small voice, closing briefly her eyes. Oh god, that hurt so much! She had already accepted the fact that Harry didn't love her but her heart-oh, how that hurt!

"Yes, he does. He told me. He misses you so much, Mione! He knows he made a mistake and he would give all his gold to be with you again. Please, Mione..."

"I don't know Ron. If he really loved me he wouldn't have said what he said! He wouldn't have shagged another woman!" she cried helpless. She didn't want to talk about that anymore. She just wanted to forget.

Ron didn't say anything. He knew it wasn't the right time. Perhaps, with time, Hermione could forgive Harry.

"Oh, I found out who the Lady is!" Hermione said changing the subject.

"Really? Great!"

"Well, it wasn't really me, it was Luna but ...well...the Lady is Lady Grey! The Ravenclaw ghost!"

"Blimey! It's so obvious! I can't believe that we didn't think about that early!"

"Me neither, Ron; Now, you need to tell Harry about this. However, you have to say that YOU were the one who figured it out the whole thing with the Lady. I don't know; tell him that it just came to your mind. He can't know about Luna."

"He will discover you. Okay."

"Then you two can talk with Lady Grey."

"But what if she speaks in riddles or something? We need you, Mione!"

"I will help you! After you talk with the Lady you can come here and..." However Hermione never finished what she was saying. After feeling a searing pain in her body, she collapsed.

"Hermione! Oh Merlin! What happened?" Ron cried while he tried to wake up Hermione, "Oh, what am I going to do? Right! DOBBY!"

Seconds later the little house-elf was there with his big eyes and long ears.

"Mister Whezzy! How Dobby can..." Dobby's eyes Bulged hideously, he had just noticed Hermione, "Oh, Misses Ermione!"

"Dobby, Hermione fainted. Please call Madam Pomfrey."

Dobby nodded and disappeared.

Less than five minutes later, Madame Pomfrey appeared. Luna and Professor McGonagall were with her.

"Oh my! What happened, Mister Weasley?"

"I don't know. I think she felt some kind of pain and fainted. Is she okay?"

The nurse didn't answer and Ron didn't miss it.

"Please, Mister Weasley, could you help me with her? She needs to be in her bed."

"Oh, right!" he said, taking Hermione to her bed. (The bed was in a separate room)

"Thank you, Mister Weasley. Now, I need you to leave."

"But..."

"No, Mister Weasley," said Professor McGonagall, "Hermione wouldn't feel comfortable if she find out that you're here. Please go with Miss Lovegood to my office. I will talk with you later. And before you ask, Hermione will need some sleep so I will tell her that you said good-bye. Now, go!"

***

Luna knew that wasn't her place to tell Ron the truth about Hermione's pregnancy but she felt that he needed to know. He had the right to say good-bye...

So, she told him.

When Professor McGonagall entered the office she saw a very angry Ronald Weasley.

"No! This can't be truth! You're lying, Luna Lovegood! You're lying..."

"What's the reason for all this commotion?"

"I told him, Professor. I told him the truth about Hermione," answered Luna.

"Oh."

"Tell me it isn't true, Professor...Please..." Ron pleaded, tears staining his cheeks.

"I am afraid that's true. I am really sorry."

"No! She can't die! She's only eighteen years old! And, what about Harry? No! There must be a way..." he cried.

"Mister Weasley."

"No! Lily Potter! Yeah! Lily Potter was a Muggleborn too and I know that James Potter was very powerful...and Lily Potter didn't die because of it!"

"Mister Weasley," Ron heard Dumbledore's voice.

The redhead wizard turned to Dumbledore's portrait.

"Professor Dumbledore! Am I right about Lily Potter?"

"Yes, Mister Weasley, you are right. Lily Potter had the same problem that our Miss Granger has. Of course no one knew about this."

"So, there's a way..." Please, please...say there's a way...

Dumbledore closed his eyes and disappeared.

"What?! Where did he go?"

"Mister Weasley, yes there was a way...a way that saved Lily's life."

"So?"

"This way isn't available anymore."

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The time passed as a strange nightmare for Ronald Weasley. He couldn't believe that Hermione was dying. He was sick and tired of the game of pretending he had been playing

. He was sick and tired of making jokes like everything was alright and dandy. He was tired of seeing how Harry had become more and more depressed. He was tired of seeing Lupin's sorrowful eyes and the civil anger Tonks directed at his best mate. Maybe it was a female thing but the truth was that Tonks didn't forget Harry.

Oh yes, he had told Harry about the Lady. Yes, he had told him about his discovery.

"Oh, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley! What a surprise! It's very rare that someone that isn't in Ravenclaw would want to speak with me..." said the pretty ghost.

"Um, well, Miss... Lady Grey," Harry started, a little confused about what he would call her. " I spoke with the Shoring Hat about Vold...well, the Dark Lord and the hat said that the Dark Lord used something from Rowena Ravenclaw..."

"Oh, Tom Riddle! A nice boy! Yes, a nice boy! But his eyes...I remember when you read his diary, Harry Potter. I was glad when you destroyed that. An evil soul..."

"How..." Ron tried to ask.

"You know, I was surprised when Riddle used the instrument of my death for his purposes."

"I don't understand. Sorry, but how did you die?"

"I died because of my desires."

Harry then remembered...Love and Desire...the Hat wasn't telling him only about Hermione!

"My grandmother was a very powerful and brilliant witch. She was always researching new spells and new forms of magic. But there was one kind of knowledge that she couldn't research, some kind of knowledge that all her studies couldn't answer. Desire- the heart's Desire."

"Your grandmother was..."

"Yes, Rowena Ravenclaw was my grandmother, and I died because of her. Because of what she had created. She wanted so much to know about the secrets of the soul that she created..."

"The Mirror of Erised!"

"Yes, Harry Potter. Rowena Ravenclaw created the Mirror of Erised."

"But why did you die?" asked Ron.

"First I saw my family. You know, my parents had died when I was little. Then I saw that I was more intelligent than my gran; then I saw myself with a boy that I liked...I wasn't living anymore. I spent days, weeks, and months in front the mirror until..."

"Until you died."

"Yes. Now, I must go! Just remember, to destroy the evil inside the mirror you only need to do a simple thing. Then, the mirror will 'expel' the evil."

And she drifted away.

Harry and Ron were relieved that they found out that the mirror of Erised was the Horcrux and then they had a new problem: How would they destroy it?

When Ron had a chance, he went to Hogwarts and told Hermione about what the Lady had said. To his surprise, Hermione smiled and said, "It's obvious, Ron! She said that to destroy the evil we would only need a simple thing, right? Well, a simple thing...a simple spell!"

"But Hermione, there're zillions of 'simple spells'!"

Hermione turned to him, exclaiming, "Ron, she said what spell we will need to cast."

Ron looked at Hermione confused by her glee. "Huh?"

"The mirror will expel the evil! Expel," she stressed the last word.

"Huh? Oh! Expelliarmus! Expel- Expelliarmus!" Of course, now it made sense! "You're a genius, Hermione!" he cried hugging her.

The next day, Ron and Harry were at Hogwarts. First, the Headmistress didn't want to tell the boys where the mirror was but after talking with Dumbledore she agreed.

Harry couldn't believe how easy it was to destroy the Horcrux. First he had tried the spell, but nothing had happened, and then Ron tried, and after aiming and firing the spell a dark shadow escaped from the mirror.

Instinctively, the red head wizard had cast another Expelliarmus against the shadow, making that disappear.

The boys didn't know why only Ron could destroy the Horcrux and why he didn't suffer any damage. I will ask Hermione, thought Ron.

A month later, Ron was at Hogwarts. To be more specific, he was in the Headmistress' office. Well, during the month that had passed he had gone to Hogwarts at least once a week to visit Hermione. But this time was different. He wasn't alone. There were other people in the room as well: Harry, Lupin, Tonks, Professor McGonagall, Hagrid and Shacklebolt.

"Well, Harry, Ronald, I called you two here because I want to..." However McGonagall stooped talking when a silver Winged Horse appeared.

It was a Patronus. A Patronus with a message: someone needed help in Hogsmeade.

"Blimey, wha' s' 'appen' in 'ogsmeade?'" exclaimed Hagrid.

"This message is for the Order but I don't know anyone who has..." Tonks said when Shacklebolt interrupted her.

"This is Miss Lovegood's Patronus..."

"Oh no!" Professor McGonagall and Ron cried at same time.

"What? Can someone explain what's going on?!" cried a very lost Harry.

Ignoring him, McGonagall turned to Remus and Tonks, "She is in Hogsmeade with our guest."

"Oh Merlin!" Tonks said. "Accio brooms!"

Several brooms flew in through the doorway.

"Well done, Nymphadora. Flying is the better way. Rubeus, please send a message to Moody and the others. Ron, Harry, you two stay here."

To say Harry was shocked was an understatement. Ron of all people protested loudly to the stoic Headmistress.

"No, we are going! I know why Luna is in Hogsmeade and I will never forgive myself if...and even if you forbid us to use these brooms you know very well that Harry and I can go to Hogsmeade another way."

McGonagall didn't have time to argue with Ronald Weasley so she just nodded

When Harry arrived in Hogsmeade he was startled by the uncharacteristic silence ...yes, Hogsmeade was too quiet. It was deadly silent. And he knew why: The Dark Mark was floating above the main street.

He wanted to know what had happened. Where was Luna?

And then a sense of déjà vu came over him.

He had seen Hermione on the ground, unmoving. Luna knelt by her side, crying silently.

Ginny came running from around a building, seeing Harry her eyes widened and she ran to him, blood staining her clothes and hands.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I am so sorry."

"Noooooo!"