A smile broke out on everyone’s face as the procession was in full swing. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were sitting together holding hands, tears dropping from their eyes. They were tears of happiness, tears of joy and the tears of parents who were watching their little girl become a woman and marry. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley felt the same sentiment as they looked on with pride and joy for their son. It was a happy day at the Burrow. The cool, crisp air passed through and the sun shined hope onto the faces of all, with the birds singing a sweet song of love in the background.
Hermione, though, had the largest smile of all. In her white wedding gown, covered with lace and jewels, she rivaled an angel’s beauty. The gown was tight fitting from its strapless top, fitted with black lace, all the way to her waist, showing off her curvy and feminine figure. At her hips, it extended outwards, making her appear like an upside down rose. It gracefully faded from white to a light pink colour at the very hem of the dress, where black lace looped around. What appeared to be small diamonds of crystal white splendor scattered about the dress were actually glittering sequence in the shape of hearts.
Her hair, completely straight for the occasion, ran straight down her back. Similar sequence shimmered in her hair, as well as a pink rose just above her right ear. Her cheeks were as red as the flower, and her face was glowing in happiness. The pearls around her neck and ears shone in delight. She looked positively breathtaking.
Even so, she looked to her husband as though he were the prize of the Heavens above. Ron Weasley’s red hair, brushing his ears and just meeting his neck, was the most combed it had been in years. His black tuxedo, pink shirt, tie and vest matched Hermione’s flower and hem perfectly. He looked nervous but happy nevertheless. He couldn’t entirely believe that the moment had finally come. He was unable to fully grasp the greatness of the situation. Hermione was marrying him! But alas, it was happening, making every dream Ron ever had come true.
Harry Potter stood directly behind Ron, looking to his two best friends with pride. He was proud of Ron for finally asking Hermione, proud of Hermione for listening to her heart and going through with it, and proud of them both for overcoming their past to be together forever. He gave a crooked smile and glanced at Ginny quickly, who stood behind Hermione. She grinned at him and they both looked back to the main event. Ron and Hermione, about to bind themselves together for the rest of their lives.
As the reception came to a close, Ron and Hermione leaned forward to seal it with a kiss. But just before their lips touched, the worst happened. A dark cloud suddenly obstructed the sun and a black blade of lightning struck down, mere feet away from Ron and Hermione. As the dust cleared, cracks were heard from every direction. Hermione panicked, along with everyone else in the vicinity.
“WHAT’S HAPPENING?” she yelled, looking from Harry to Ron quickly. They took to either side of her, shouting back responses to the sound of booming and apparition filled the air, along with screams and yells of despair.
“I DON’T KNOW!” Harry projected his voice over the hysteria. Within seconds, night had blanketed them and a ribbon of death and misery swirled around the air.
Unexpectedly, everything stopped; it was as if the sound was sucked right out of the Earth. Everyone looked on with shocked faces at the base of the black lightning. One last black bolt blasted downwards, ending with red flames engulfing the floor. The flames danced in a magically controlled outline of a circle, where in the middle stood the face of Death himself.
Voldemort.
Shrieks of terror sliced through the sky as some regained their voice boxes. Voldemort looked as vicious and petrifying as ever. Red-Black scars in the shape of lightning also slashed through his face, arms and legs. They pulsed with wine-red liquid in them; his eyes were red flames of pain. His upper lip curled, revealing sharp teeth with a yellow tint.
as His gaze wrapped around Harry, Ron and Hermione. He glared at each one in turn -- Ron first, Hermione second, and Harry last. A similar shiver of fear waved through each of them. Harry drew his wand from his pocket. Ron did the same. Hermione, though, was wandless. Against her better judgment, she didn’t want to have it with her when the ceremony took place. Ginny should have it, she thought. Hermione spun around in haste to find Ginny and retrieve it, but it was a mistake. It was the largest mistake and choice of action Hermione could’ve made, and would ever make….
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a green flash and knew she was going to die. She stood extremely still in anticipation, but the curse never came. She turned back around and moaned out when she saw the sight before her. Ron, with a rush of bravery, had intervened with the curse by jumping in front of it. He lied limp on the ground. He wasn’t moving or breathing; he wasn’t anything. He was gone.
Hermione looked a little further to her right and saw Harry and Voldemort throwing curses at each other. Hermione cried out in fear and determination to avenge Ron’s death. She magnificently acquired her wand out of thin air, and ran over to where Harry and Voldemort were dueling. Her smarts left her and she ran in front of Voldemort’s wand’s aim. She stared him straight in the eye and gritted her teeth.
“WHY?” she exclaimed with anger and heartbreak. “WHY?”
Warm tears fell down her face and onto the ground around her as she stared at the face of evil. He caused so much pain that his name wasn’t spoken around the world out of fear.
“Because,” he said with malicious torment. The flame in his eyes became a new layer of red as he smirked a fatal smile. “You’re a Mudblood.”
Hermione gasped and raised her wand, but was too late. Green light flashed from his wand to her heart and she took her last breath. Closing her eyes, she felt the world pause as Harry’s scream filled her ears. It rang and rang around her mind, and she prayed for him to win, to be happy, and to live. Part of her soul flew out of her, into his heart, and the world came into play again. She fell and stopped moving, stopped breathing, stopped everything...
“NO!”
Hermione’s eyes blasted open, her chest rising and falling after her rapid outburst. Her scream filled the air, just as Harry’s screams had filled her ears in the dream. She reached her hand out to her bedside and lit a small candle.
Dream. It was all just a dream… she thought in relief.
But it was so real… so vivid… so believable... she debated with herself. She got out of bed slowly, picking up a robe and shrugging it on quietly. She moved, barefoot, down the steps of the Girls’ dormitories, into the common room. The darkness renewed her heartbeat and the fear within her, causing her pace to quicken. She rose up the steps to Harry and Ron’s dorm and entered quietly. All she wanted to do was see their faces, hug them, and make sure they were still alive and all right.
They woke up and shared embraces, Ron and Harry only slightly confused. They, too, experienced strange dreams.
The three friends gathered in the common room and Hermione shared bits and pieces of her dream. Harry and Ron listened, comforted her, and relaxed her with soothing words. After she finished, they all sat in silence for a few moments, thinking, until Hermione excused herself for her room. They bid her goodnight and she walked upstairs to her bed.
It was so real. It felt like the future. It felt like a premonition, or, she paused, a prophecy or a vision. The chance of it being real sent shivers and chills down her spine. It can’t be real. I won’t let it be real. she thought, clenching her hands together. I won’t.
She lied back down in her bed with a renewed calmness. She was going to go back to sleep and reached out to extinguish her candle. It won’t come true, she thought, and blew out the flicker of light.
Dream Turned to Nightmare by Sarakime
Chapter Notes: Many thanks to the awesome Keri (kask), and awesome Elle (Sly Severus) for betaing this for me!! This isn't like my normal work, but enjoy!