Harry and Hermione both lay down in the hospital ward. Madame Pomfrey had insisted that they not be allowed to leave for another day. She had, however, allowed Dumbledore to stay in the ward with them.

He sat down in a chair in front of there beds and looked at them.

“You are both wondering what happened tonight, correct?” Harry and Hermione nodded. “Well, it seems that Penelope Riddle was the daughter to Lord Voldemort. She was adopted at an early age by George and Anita Clearwater. They immediately gave Penelope their last name, not wanting her shunned because she was related to a Riddle and a Gertrue.”

“Gertrue?” Hermione asked. “You mean Moaning Myrtle?”

“I speak of Verrah Gertrue and her twin sister Myrtle,” Dumbledore corrected. Then he continued. “Penelope, however, had maintained direct contact with Voldemort throughout her entire childhood and learned the Dark Arts through that contact. Professor Drowry likewise, was trained by Voldemort. He seemed to love both girls deeply and made them his heirs, as you saw tonight.” Dumbledore said.

“Professor,” Hermione interjected. “What was Penelope doing at Hogwarts in the first place? She left several years ago. Didn’t she?”

“That is true,” Dumbledore answered nodding. “But at the beginning of this year Professor Flitwick, Penelope’s previous Head of House, presented me with a letter from Miss Clearwater asking that she be allowed to come back to the school. According to the letter, Miss Clearwater was interested in teaching Charms as a career and had asked if she could come back as an apprentice or assistant to Professor Flitwick. I told Professor Flitwick that it was all right that she come back. Just add that to my ever growing list of mistakes,” Dumbledore sighed.

Hermione nodded. “What about Marietta?”

Dumbledore held up his hand. “Why don’t you just let me tell you the story from how I know it?”

Hermione nodded.

“To answer your question, Marietta was being controlled by Penelope,” Dumbledore said. “Anyways, several days ago, Lucius Malfoy came to the school, wanting to speak with Draco, it was right after the incident between Ron and Hermione. I am sure that he told Draco to help Penelope.

“It turns out that Marietta was being controlled by Penelope. Penelope was using her as a tool to spy on the both of you and to relay suspicion away from herself. Also, Marietta’s body was found earlier this evening. We think that both Penelope and Draco had a hand in her murder, but we are not positive. Since Draco has fled and Penelope is dead, it may be a while before we get out desired answers.

“Anyway,” Dumbledore continued, “as Voldemort said to you both this evening, most power resides in love and anger. For that reason, Penelope put Ron under the Imperius curse and forced him to rape Hermione. The act would immediately break apart your friendships with Ron, but at the same time, draw the both of you closer together. Ron’s fall down the stairs was not an accident, but Draco Malfoy striking out for all the time’s he had previously failed. So you can both rest assured that Ron’s actions were not his own.”

Both Harry and Hermione nodded, they looked relieved.

“Both of you may have noticed that Malfoy acted different the last couple of days. His behavior was much more violent and superior, for instance. That is due to the fact that he was working with Penelope, but also because he finally had the opportunity to do what he has longed to do for so long. Technically, Draco exploded. Every emotion of hate and anger that he had bottled up inside of him for the last six years came pouring out; as I’m sure you experienced Harry.”

Harry nodded his head slowly, remembering being under the Cruciatus Curse for the first time. He had felt that pain and anger, he had felt it inside of him. He understood what Dumbledore was talking about.

“Professor Dumbledore,” Hermione said, “that’s all good and all, but what I want to know is why Harry and I aren’t dead.”

Dumbledore nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Remember how Voldemort said that most power comes from love? Love, is the one thing Tom Riddle never had. He was an orphan, so he never had any love from parents or siblings or family. All of his friends and girlfriends were only after superficial things, like his looks, his skills, and so forth. So Tom never experienced any strong bonds of love, so it would make sense why that would be his undoing. The killing curse that Voldemort uses time and again, like the other Unforgivable curses, is steeped in hatred and anger and vengeance, but not love.

“Your love protects the both of you from such curses. Because of tonight’s events, I believe it is safe to say that magic cannot and will not ever kill either of you; it does not seem possible. Your love for one another protects each other. You see, the love that two people share for each other is the strongest bond of love that can exist at all, and I would be that it will undoubtedly be the one thing that wins this war.”

Dumbledore was caught off guard by a load moan several bed’s away. Lupin was stirring in his sleep.

“Well,” Dumbledore said, “any other questions you have can be answered tomorrow, I’m sure. Why don’t the two of you get some rest?”

“Wait Dumbledore,” Harry called. “I have a question, or rather, maybe it’s just a remark.”

“Yes?” Dumbledore said. “What is it?”

“After I saved Hermione from the killing curse,” Harry said, “my wand lay on the other side of the room. But I summoned it! I said ‘Accio wand’, and it came.”

Dumbledore nodded. “My best explanation is that, like I said before, love and anger create power. In your love of Hermione, anger over her attempted murder, and urge to protect her, it seems you sparked a power deep within you. A useful power, but also a dangerous one if not watched closely. It seems to me as if tonight’s incident has given you the ability to use wandless magic Harry.”

Hermione glanced over at Harry. He just nodded his head and continued to look at Dumbledore.

“Well,” Dumbledore said rubbing his hands together and standing up to leave, “I hate to admit it but I am quite exhausted by tonight’s events. And Merlin knows how an old man needs his rest,” he said pointing his finger at Harry and Hermione. “Goodnight to the both of you,” Dumbledore said. “Anymore questions you have shall be answered in the morning when I am fully refreshed.”

Dumbledore walked towards the exit of the hospital ward and stopped. He turned back around and looked at Harry and Hermione one last time. He grinned and his blue eye twinkled strangely in the moonlight from the windows. “You two had best mind your manners!” he said pointing his finger at them again. “Poppy has done gone and run off to bed, and Heaven knows that Lupin is in no shape to baby-sit.”

Harry and Hermione laughed as Dumbledore walked out of the hospital ward, still mumbling to himself about Harry and Hermione behaving themselves.

After Dumbledore had gone, Harry and Hermione lay in silence for several moments. Harry glanced over towards Hermione’s bed when he heard a soft rustle and was startled to see her climbing out of bed and putting her shoes on.

“Where are you going?” Harry asked.

“Somewhere,” Hermione said. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Hermione walked out of the hospital ward. She walked through the silent and dark corridors, heading towards the common room. She didn’t care what Madame Pomfrey thought right now, she just needed air. As much as Hermione hated to think it, she needed to get away from Harry for a moment.

“Wait!” Harry said grabbing her arm; he had obviously chased her through the corridors. “What’s the matter?”

“I can’t do it Harry,” she said sobbing. “I just can’t do it anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I love you so much,” she said. “You could have died today because of my stupidity. Lupin almost died because of my stupidity. You went on and on talking about how people were hurt because of you, well, this time it was my fault,” Hermione sobbed. “Voldemort can use my love against you and I won’t let that happen. I...I have to say goodbye,” she said trying to walk away. But once again she was stopped by Harry’s arm.

“Hermione,” he said, “didn’t you hear anything Dumbledore just said to us?”

Hermione nodded.

“Hermione, I need you. You remember that prophecy from last year, the one that Voldemort wanted?

Hermione nodded.

“Well that prophecy said that either I would kill Voldemort or he would kill me. It said that neither of us can survive while the other exists! Don’t you see Hermione- I need you to beat him Hermione! Without you... without you I’ll loose.”

“Harry!” Hermione sobbed.

“Your love will help me beat him, your love protects me, just like my mother’s love did,” he continued. “I need you by my side, forever.” And with that word he pulled softly on the silver chain that hung around Hermione’s neck and he pulled it out from underneath her school robes. There was the red stone set in the middle of the heart.

“Remember?” Harry said. “Eternity? I want us to be together forever. That can only happen if I defeat Voldemort and I can only defeat Voldemort if you’re by my side.”

And with that he pulled Hermione towards him and kissed her on the lips. He held her tight against him, tight so that she couldn’t get away. But Hermione didn’t try to get away, she didn’t want to get away. She stood there in Harry’s arms and kissed him back, her tears wetting his cheeks softly.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

“I know,” Harry said holding her. Then he leaned down and kissed her again, more deeply. Harry didn’t care about anything but Hermione now, because she was all that mattered. He didn’t have to worry about Voldemort, as long as he had Hermione he would win. Hermione was all that mattered.

Harry looked at Hermione. His left eyebrow was raised and he was looking at her from the side.

“What?” she asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she said laughing.

He motioned for her to follow him and he began to walk down the corridor. Fuck the hospital ward, he thought. If he hadn’t died of his wounds yet, than he would probably be okay for the next couple of hours without treatment. All that mattered right now was Hermione.

So, Harry led her up the stairs to Sir. Cadogan’s painting. Had a very nice conversation concerning elf rights with the oblivious knight, and did the one thing that he felt like at that very moment. He made love to the only woman that he would ever love.

They stayed behind Sir. Cadogan’s painting all night long, and in the morning they were forced to come up with a very creative excuse as to why they weren’t in the hospital ward. When Madame Pomfrey spoke to Dumbledore concerning their excuse, which had to do with Lupin snoring by the way, all Dumbledore did was shake his head and murmur nonsense about “behaving themselves.”

Well, now you know what the Strongest Bond of Love is and how it CAN save Harry. The sequal, Love Fulfilled, is all about how it DOES save lives. The sequal is a Dark/Angst for all of you and I happen to like it much better than the first one- it's more exciting!! Of course, more twists, as always, and cliffies, as always, and much better fight scenes, including the final battle!! Ron lovers will be pleased to note that he is back, etc... Bear with me, theres a lot of language in the first couple of chapters, but it's all relevant. Everything I write is relevant! Pay extremely close attention to word choice, the way names are written and the way the names are written change, they give you clues as to what is going on!! Anyone can e-mail me at legallyblond1988@yahoo.com! Thanks so much to all of my reviewers!

ATTN!!! The sequal is up! Love Fulfilled in the Dark/Angst section by dark arts master!! Go read it! It's better than the original!!!