The Charm of a Riddle (tomione)

Chapter Eighteen-A New Beginning

She opened the cuboard, walking into the corridor.  It was the same, but she knew, she knew she was home.  A tear slid down her cheek as she let out a laugh. And then she ran.  She ran up the stairs, burning with anticipation, ran down corridors, ran past Filtch, not caring that she was breaking the school rules.  She ran to the Gryffindor tower, mumbling the password so quickly and hopping through the portrait.  She didn't stop to notice the few students in the common room.  She ran up the boy's stairs, threw open the door, and pounced onto the sleeping boy so fast that he was startled half to death. 

"Bloody hell Hermione! Are you ok?!" He asked reaching for his glasses.

"I am now! Oh I've missed you so much!" she said squeezing him. 

"Who spiked her with a love potion?" A voice called in the teasing tone. 

She snapped her head towards the read head.  And she melted again. Within a second her arms were thrown around his neck, crying onto his nightshirt.  "Oh Ronald Weasley!" She huffed.  He awkwardly patted her back, confused at her forward actions.  Never had Hermione been so close to him in such a way.

'What in Merlin's Beard?' He mouthed to Harry whom was sitting upright on his bed.

He shook his head at Ron, confused as he as their friend clung to him. 

Hermione pulled away, placing a kiss on his cheek causing Ron to blush.

And everything was as it should be.  Harry and Ron didn't question her actions further, for if they did she would simply start to cry, or smile, or emit some emotion to the nth degree.

Almost two years past, the war now full in swing. In that time Hermione almost forgot of her journey in time.  Almost.  It was now, that what she had done painfully was intruding her thoughts.  The past few months, when the earth was barren, when even Harry could not make her smile, she began to question herself.  She had never predicted this!  She would never wish this war upon anyone.  Yet she felt responsible.  After all, she had the chance to change the future, and all she did was let it be. By erasing Tom Riddle's memories of the short time they had together, she had erased the good.  She knew what she was doing.  She thought it wasn't her job to change him.

But if she had known it would come to this........

She was in the midst of a battle, yet her surrondings seemed to be muffled.  The screams, the cries in terror.  She sat next to Ron, nervously bitting her nails.  Waiting. 

The sound of footsteps alarmed them from the top of the staircase, they both stood, but it was only Harry.  He pushed past them, facing away. 

"What is it Harry?" She called in a quiet voice.  "What is it you know?"

He turned around and she clutched onto Ron's hand tighter.

"There's a reason I can hear them. The horcruxes...I think I've known for a while. And I think you have too."

She felt suffocated, water building up in her eyes.  She knew what he meant.  She'd hoped he wouldn't figure it out, if he had, well....no!  The image came crashing back into her mind.  The one where Voldemort..... where the flash of green light.  The scene that she had viewed in the crystal ball.  It seemed so distant then, it seemed untrue.  But she finally realized where it was.  The forest.  The forest where Voldemort was currently waiting for Harry.  She had feared this moment.

"I'll go with you!" She pleaded, refusing to let him do this alone.  She knew he would, being the great hero, but without Harry, she couldn't imagine a world.  She would go with him, face Voldemort together.

"No, kill the snake.  Kill the snake and then it's just him."

She broke.  No! Afraid of ever letting him go, she wrapped him in an embrace.  Though she knew it was a goodbye.  And she clutched onto him as long as she could, before he pulled away.  She stepped back gasping as he walked away.