Harry wandered down the quiet corridor as he reflected on what just happened. Dumbledore is usually not this carefree. Voldemort is at his greatest strength, though without his Horcruxes. Yes, that’s it. Maybe Dumbledore figures without his Horcruxes he is less powerful. But I can’t see why that would be? Something is not right here.
Harry lost his train of thought at the sound of bickering voices.
“I won’t! I can’t!” cried the familiar voice of Ron.
“Oh, be quiet! Someone will hear you. Now, I want you to go into the library and tell her how you feel,” Ginny told him.
Harry turned the corner and jumped into the conversation abruptly. “Hello.”
“Harry, where have you been?” said Ginny a little too loudly.
“You’re telling me to hush up,” Ron whispered hotly.
“Where have you been?” she repeated more quietly.
“I was talking to Dumbledore.” Harry remembered that he hadn’t told the two of them what had happened with Hermione earlier that day.
“About what? It wasn’t your “” Ron was cut off by Harry.
“It doesn’t matter at the moment. What are you two doing?” Harry changed the subject, to Ron’s disliking.
Ginny shot a glare at Ron, who winced in terror. “Hermione’s in the library.”
Harry looked around and noticed he was in front of the library doors. “I need to see her.” Harry wanted to tell her about his encounter with Dumbledore.
“No,” Ginny asserted. “Ron needs to go in there now.”
“No, I don’t,” Ron said. “Harry can go.”
“Why do you need to talk to her anyways?” Ginny interrogated.
Harry took a deep breath and began to tell his tale. He narrated how he got Hermione to eat lunch and what had happened when they were walking to the Great Hall. Every once in awhile, Ron or Ginny would butt in, annoying him a great amount.
“What did you hear?”
“Only his laugh.”
“What did you see?”
“I told you, I didn’t see anything.”
“Someone’s coming out of the library!” Ginny exclaimed.
Immediately following, Madam Pince came out and shushed at them. “Are you coming in or just standing here shooting your mouths off?”
“Sorry, Madam Pince. We’ll get going,” Ron said with a nervous laugh. Ginny grew furious.
The three of them began to walk away from the library while Madam Pince glared at them. Harry felt the need to turn around and enter the library, but didn’t want to cause any trouble with her. He was sure Ginny felt the same.
“What did you do that for?” she said, clenching her teeth.
Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw Madam Pince scolding someone just outside the library doors. It was nearing nine thirty and she decided she had studied enough for the evening, although she had barely studied at all with all kinds of stray thoughts running through her mind. First, there was the incident that occurred with Harry earlier that day. She wondered if he had gone to Dumbledore like she suggested. Then, there was Ron and Lavender. She knew she could always believe and trust him, but right now, that was a hard thing to do. She got up, packed up her things and headed for the door.
The moment she exited the library, she would go looking for Harry, but that was not necessary. She spotted his dark hair, between those of two ginger-headed siblings involved in conversation, or rather, argument. Willing to wait to speak to him, she hoped she could quietly glide past them without encountering Ron. Being as unnoticeable as her puffy hair would let her, she managed to pass, but something made her stop, just to see if he would notice. She stood there for a millisecond and she started to go again.
“Hermione, wait,” Ron called out. She didn’t turn around and he didn’t say another word. As she moved on, she heard whispering among the three.
She felt a warm grasp on her hand and turned around, startled. There she stood face to face with her, now realized, one true love, unable to speak and unable to move. “Hermione, please listen,” he started.
Hermione looked into his eyes, frozen by his gaze. Her heart was beating fast.
“I’m sorry about earlier today. It’s just that “”
“Argh!” There was a thump and yelp of pain as Hermione broke from her hypnotic state. Harry was now crumpled on the floor, eyes closed tight.
Harry fell to the floor as he entered Lord Voldemort’s mind. There were some recognizable faces in the room. Among them were Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. This must have been the Malfoys’. He was sitting in a throne-like chair in front of a lavish fireplace. A familiar pale, pointed face appeared in the flames.
“My Lord, my task has been completed.”
“Young Draco, do you think I would trust you after the failure of your last task?” seemed to come out of Harry’s mouth, although he did not really say it.
“I assure you, it is completely safe,” Draco Malfoy said.
“Show me.”
Draco Malfoy disappeared from the fireplace and within seconds he reappeared with a crack!
“Whose fireplace did you just use?” said Voldemort’s nasally voice.
“The only one connected to the Floo network was Dumbledore’s,” Draco said plainly.
Harry felt an inhuman laugh vibrate through his body. “Your boy has done well,” he said to Lucius.
Voldemort rolled up his sleeve, revealing a bony, tattooed arm and pressed his wand into the skull that dwelt on his skin. “To Hogwarts…”
Harry felt the burning sensation on his forehead and he seemed to be weaving in and out of his own and Voldemort’s mind. He could hear the distinct voices of his friends and the high-pitch cackle of Voldemort at the same time.
“Harry!”
“Harry!”
Only In My Dreams by Ice Cream Eater
Chapter Notes: Sorry for the long wait. I hadn't realized that I had it under two categories and don't remember ever adding another one. I mean, the rest of my chapters had been approved, right?