FicWad

Author's Notes: This part concludes the portion I posted to Seel'vor's Yahoo Group. It is much improved in terms of clarity and readability. I've also included a more fully fleshed out section that explains Horcruxes and Cedric's Death. See part 1 for disclaimer.



XXXXXX

"You have to understand. There are rules about gods and goddesses living among mortals. When I decided to use myself to fulfill the requirements of the wish, I couldn't be among mortals as my immortal self. I had to create a backstory, create parent homunculi and even create a separate identity to overlay over my true self in order to stay in compliance with The Rules."

"Rules?"

"No, Harry. THE Rules. You need to remember the emphasis. The Rules aren't like normal rules that can be broken. The Rules literally CANNOT be broken and should be treated with respect. I don't really have the time to explain them now, but suffice it to say, they're important and they govern what I'm allowed to do."

Getting back to another question that was niggling at him, he asked, "So that means the Hermione I know doesn't really exist?"

"I existed in the sense that I thought I had parents and that I thought I was aMuggle-born witch. For the sake of convenience, let's call the personality construct I created that you were friends with Hermione and my Divine nature Freyja."

"Norse goddess?"

Hermione beamed at her friend. "Very good, Harry! Not many people think of us these days. The Greek and Roman pantheons seem to get all the press lately."

"Can I still call you Hermione?"

Hermione looked apologetic, but then nodded. "It's not technically accurate since she's only a small part of a greater whole, but I still retain all of her memories and thoughts... so I suppose you can if it makes you more comfortable. Just remember that Freyja and Hermione are essentially separate entities in the story."

Harry nodded in understanding, but then began staring at his feet, a horrifying thought came to mind and he was too stunned to say anything.

Utilizing her intimate knowledge of what made Harry James Potter tick, Hermione ventured a guess as to what he was thinking. "I didn't control your life, Harry. Your decisions were always your own. I did; however, give you a hand or three as we were growing up. I had to be very careful to always do it in such a way that it coincided with a desire of Ron's. I mean, seriously, you don't think that all of Dumbledore's little schemes, tests, and manipulations would go off without ahitch if he didn't have some divine intervention.

"How?"

For instance: Ron wanted to be on the Quidditch team in first year, but he was certain he could not. He said it himself, 'First Years never make the house teams', so he changed his desire to have a friend on the Quidditch team instead. He only had two friends at the time, so I worked it so that you ended up on the Quidditch team."

Harry laughed at the thought and Hermione smiled.

"Ron wanted a way to sneak around the school, so when I learned that Dumbledore still had your dad's invisibility cloak, I then subtly reminded him that he had promised to return it to your Dad. In this case, he simply returned it to you.

"You got me my Dad's invisibility cloak back?

"Yes."

"I hate to be repetitive, but how?"

"Despite her Divine status, Freyja isn't all-powerful or all-knowing. However, she does have a rather impressive number of abilities to use in the pursuit of wish fulfillment.

"Such as?"

"Occlumency-proof mind-reading, able to become invisible and intangible beyond the ability of mortals to detect, and the ability to introduce dreams and portents to mortals to try and persuade them to take a course of action."

"That's it?" he asked. The skepticism in his voice annoyed Hermione for some reason.

"Well, no. I can do more, but you're generally not supposed to know everything. Sorry, there are some things mortals are better off not knowing..."

Harry raised an eyebrow and smiled charmingly at her... Hermione decided to cave... just a little.

"All right." She leaned in close to whisper conspiratorially to him. "I can do anything a wizard or witch can do, but I can do it better, faster, more often, and to greater effect." She smiled and leaned back so she could say the last part for all to hear. "And all undetectable to witches and wizards." She proclaimed smugly.

Harry felt strangely turned on at this statement. Her enthusiasm and confidence was really quite attractive. Then he remembered she was a married woman and his smile faded. "So what else have you been responsible for in our lives?"

"Remember when Voldemort attempted to curse your broom in first year. Freyja knew who was responsible, but she couldn't act directly, and since Ron didn't want you to die, and neither did Hermione, I gave her the idea of setting Snape on fire."

Harry had to hug her for that.

Still being hugged and enjoying it very much she continued her explanation. "The Goddess me, or Freyja, was strictly concerned with two things. One, fulfill the wish and two, find my husband. She didn't count on mortal me, or Hermione, finding such a good friend."

"I still don't understand that. How can you be two separate people?"

"It's complicated."

"I'm clever... admittedly not as clever as you, but..."

"Very complicated."

"I'm reasonably clever and I'm listening."

Hermione sighed at that and began to massage her temples as if she were readying herself to try and explain organic chemistry to grade school students.

"Hermione is a lot like me, she's intelligent, likes to read and very good at magic. Icreated her of myself so it's natural that she'd have a similar personality. Ididn't want to have to create a detailed backstory about her parents so I made her reticent to talk about them. I never even gave them first names... An only child, bullied by her peers, the standard pre-Hogwarts experience that the average Muggle-born would go through.

Harry was familiar with that sort of life so he didn't even nod, he merely blinked and Hermione took it as a sign to continue.

"For what it's worth, she thought she was real. I mean by several definitions, she /was/real." Hermione took on a lecturing tone that Harry was very familiar with."She thought for herself with only minimal manipulation by me. Granted, she didn't actually know I existed, and when I wasn't actively enforcing the terms of Molly's wish, I was reasonably content to let Hermione exist exactly as you knew her. Since the terms of Ron's desire included having a friend at Hogwarts, Hermione was essentially here to stay until he got tired of her or he passed away.

Harry was not happy that the very existence of the gir-woman, her corrected himself, woman he fancied, even if she was married, had hinged on the attention of Ron Weasley.

"As time went on, Hermione found herself liking you more and more and I suppose Ideveloped a bit of a soft spot for you as well." She smiled and held his hand."It made Hermione happy when you were happy so I went out of my way to try and work things so that you benefited... It was the least I could do since you were her friend, but sometimes Ron's desires were so explicit and so targeted that there was nothing for me to finagle.

"Like what?"

"The Yule Ball."

"What did you do for the Yule Ball - the dress robes?"

"Heavens no. Do you really think that monstrosity of lace and mildewed cloth was something I came up with? No, Molly is solely responsible for that. By the time he realized he needed dress robes, that horrendously ugly set of dress robes was already in front of him and he was resigned. He wanted Fleur to be his date, but he didn't really expect her to in his heart of hearts. If you take into account that messing with romantic free will and Veela in general is frowned upon in The Rules, there wasn't much I could do. I did manage to convince Parvati and Padma that they didn't want to go to the dance unless Harry Potter himself asked them.

"You're the reason I had a date to the Yule Ball?"

"Yes, sorry it didn't end so well."

"No problem, I apologized to both Padma and Parvati for how we treated them a few years back.

How did you end up with Krum?"

"Ron wanted to have a chance to talk with Krum... as soon as I got them together and they talked a bit, he suddenly got jealous of Krum and wanted a reason for hating him. I reluctantly provided him one."

"Did you ever wonder how almost the entire student body didn't believe you about the tournament? Ron didn't want them to have a positive impression of you. I had them dredge up all this mental angst the school had against you due to the Heir of Slytherin nonsense and their innate jealousy. It was hard both physically and mentally for me to do that to you and I'm sorry for it."

"How were you able to stay my friend through that?"

"Ron liked to argue with me, he felt it made him seem manly and impressive, so Iused that desire to allow me to remain your friend through the duration."

"Thanks, Hermione. I wouldn't have made it through without you."

"Don't thank me just yet. What you probably don't know is that I'm responsible for you getting the Horntail. You didn't think it was just coincidence and bad luck that lead to the youngest of the Triwizard Champions receiving the fiercest and meanest dragon there, did you?"

"Actually, he sorta had. That revelation was so shocking he exclaimed "That was you, too!Were you trying to get me killed?"

"NO!I worked for hours trying to get Barty Crouch Junior sane enough that he could successfully act the part of Moody to give you the clues you'd need. Again, Iwas working off Ron's desire to not have you actually dead. I can't tell you the number of times I had to make his bottles of Fire Whiskey go missing so that even if he was still partially crazy, at least he wasn't blindingly drunk*."

"So, you didn't want me to die?"

"Of course not!" she groused. Noticeably put out that the he would even suggest such a thing. "If I had, I wouldn't have spent all that time teaching you the summoning charm. At that point, you were my-I mean-Hermione's very best friend and I didn't want you to die or even get hurt.

"But I did get hurt..."

Hermione's face became cold and the next part was spoken with very little emotion, almost as if she was distancing herself from what she had been forced to do. "Ron wanted to see you get hurt by the dragon so I sent the equivalent of a powerful stinging hex at the dragon and she swatted you with her tail. I was able to make it so you wouldn't get badly hurt, just enough so that Ron would see what /COULD/have happened."

That was news to Harry. He had never actually thought that Ron had wanted him to get hurt... but then again, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised.

"Once he saw you bleed, he did a complete 180 and he wanted to be your best friend again, so I gave him the idea for the reconciliation outside the tent."

Harry slumped. He should have known that it wasn't Ron's idea to apologize.

"Harry, I think you should know... I'm responsible for Cedric Diggory being in the graveyard."

Of all the things he had heard today... this was something that he should have expected, but upon further reflection, he supposed he had still been in denial. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask a dozen questions at once, but in the end each and every question he tried to voice ended up sounding like an accusation. Finally, he settled on a simple, "explain" and almost as a belated afterthought, he added a, "please..."

Hermione's mouth was tight, she knew the death of Cedric had been the first of a set of traumatizing experiences that had truly signaled the end of Harry's innocence."It may not surprise you to know that Dumbledore was well aware of the imposter... Even disregarding the withering curse, Dumbledore didn't have a lot of time left and despite all his talk about not fearing his so-called 'Next Great Adventure' he was genuinely afraid of what awaited him.

"What does that have to do with Cedric dying?" Harry wondered aloud.

"it's about control, Harry. Control, pride, and hubris. Massive, massive amounts of hubris. He needed Voldemort corporeal in order for him to be defeated. He used Voldemort's own plan to further his own ends. Admittedly, Cedric wasn't meant to die that night, but Dumbledore thought it a wonderful addition to his plan of breaking you.

"Couldn't you do anything, Hermione? Anything at all?"

"I tried, Harry. I really did try and come up with something, Ron wanted to steal your thunder, so I tried to ensure Cedric would win, but Ginny and the Twins tipped the balance. Ginny wanted so much for you to win the contest and the Twins thought it would be the funniest thing if it turned out a tie. In aconflict like this, the only choice I had was to have you reach the cup simultaneously."

"He wasn't meant to be there?"

"A strong possibility existed for him to survive the tournament and become Minister for Magic one day."

"How does that even WORK? I mean, you're saying he was destined to live? How could Cedric die if he was fated to live? How does something like that happen?" Harry looked so very lost and disgusted all at the same time.

"Dumbledore happened. He had the Elder Wand and one of the properties of the Elder Wand is the ability to change destinies and meddle in the affairs of fate."

"So, then its Dumbledore's fault Cedric died?"

"Him and some others... Relax, Harry. If it makes you feel better. The afterlife holds you blameless in the death of Cedric."

"So, why did Dumbledore do all this? I mean, I thought I finally understood why he did all those crazy things, why he made my life so bloody awful, and now I'm faced with the realization that I did not know that man at all."

"He felt defeating a second Dark Lord without resorting to killing him himself would wipe him clean of his debts. Indeed, he thought to 'save' others by imposing his 'No-Killing' philosophy upon the Order. Suffice it to say, say he was mistaken."

"What do you mean?"

The afterlife is governed by many beings. None of them are pleased with the extra work he has caused them. Sacrificing the innocent to attempt to redeem the wicked," she scowled as she said it. "It is his fault that good people whose skein of fate should have been much longer... but for the death stick he carried.

Harry's eyebrows raised themselves as if to touch his hairline. "It really did belong to death?"

She nodded. "To one, yes."

"Then my father's cloak?"

"All of the items that wizards know as the Deathly Hallows once belonged to apersonification of Death once upon a time... that is what gives them the power to alter destinies. The wielder has the benefit of the items' innate power, as well as a certain fluidity in terms of Fate and Destiny. Dumbledore did get one thing right, the Cloak is the only safe Hallow for mortals to use; the Death Stick and Resurrection Stone all enact a terrible price upon their owners.

Harry gulped. "What kind of price?" The worry was evident in his voice.

Giving Harry a queer half smile, she tried to assuage his fears. "Not to worry, Harry. You've already given up the two dangerous Hallows of your own free will and you have allies both here and beyond that will keep you from any lasting harm." She blushed and looked away.

He slowly nodded twice and thought back to that horrible night when he had walked into the clearing to die. His parents, the Marauders... he was sure she meant them. He glanced up and just barely caught her eyes. Suddenly, he knew. She was responsible for taking care of him in more ways than he thought possible.

Mulling over this new information, a thought occurred to him. "Speaking of Dumbledore, I saw him when I was... you know... He seemed fine, happy even?"

Hermione facial expression flattened and in an empty voice she spoke, "The tracks were not for you... No train then and no train now will carry you hence. Judgment awaited he who thought himself equal to the gods. In death he does not find release, in ending he has no new beginning." Her voiced trailed off and her right hand was quickly raised to her brow as if she were dealing with a minor headache. "Sorry about that. That was an aspect of my divinity that I seldom use in these modern times."

"That was a bit freaky..."

"You could just say I have some sway with the dead and let's leave it at that."

Harry sat back... this was a lot to take in. A thought suddenly occurred to him."Were you involved with getting Sirius out of Azkaban?"

Hermione began to whistle and her eyes seemed to be looking anywhere but at him.

"Hermione Jane "Freyja" Granger..."

"All right. Yes, I did have something to do with that - in a roundabout way."

"How roundabout?"

Sigh"Well, it all started when Ron got jealous of Hedwig..."

XXXXXX



"Hold on just a minute - you're telling me that the reason Sirius got free was so that Ron could get an owl of his own?"

"Yes."

"Despite the fact that you tried to explain it simply to me, I think I'm finding it hard to believe because you made it too simple. Maybe try again with a bit more detail?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, then we'll go with the complicated version. Ron wanted an owl. His parents couldn't afford one for him due to him breaking his wand in second year and also due to their trip to Egypt. THAT was another whole mess that I had to arrange simply because he'd heard too many of Bill's stories."

She paused for breath.

"I learned from Dumbledore that Sirius Black was your Godfather and also that he was innocent. Incidentally, Dumbledore was well aware that Sirius was an animagus and he also knew about Peter Pettigrew, but it wasn't in my purview to right that particular wrong... what I was concerned about was getting rid of scabbers, because deep down Ron didn't like the hand-me-down rat, and getting Ron an owl."

"You should know that when Hermione was active, Freyja didn't have a lot to do when she was residing in the back of Hermione's mind, so she spent her time reading minds, making mental lists and planning how to fulfill nascent Hearts' desires of various Weasley children. For example, she helped Charlie meet Fleur by arranging for Dragons to be part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This ultimately led to Bill's fondest wish of marriage. In fact, she helped grease the wheels so that Dumbledore's plan of having the Tri-Wizard recommence in modern times in the first place."

Harry had a skeptical smile on his face. This was really something else.

"Taking the opportunity presented before me, the Hermione in me thought you might enjoy having your Godfather available to you. I visited Azkaban and re-worked his mind so he'd be sane enough escape. I even gave him the inspiration to use his animagus form, something he hadn't figured out in the 12 or so years he'd been stuck in that horrid prison.

"I had to help him survive some of his more daring close calls, but I eventually got him to Hogwarts."

"What about the..." Harry brought his hands together and made a spinning motion with his fingers. "You know..."

"Oh, that? Hermione did actually want to take every course available at Hogwarts, so Dumbledore suggested that McGonagall request one from the ministry. They wouldn't have granted the request if I hadn't intervened, but I did and Hermione got to take classes and everything else that went with it."

"I thought there were rules about doing things like that. How did that help fulfill Ron's heart's desire?"

"Pay attention, Harry." She admonished. "I was working to get Ron his owl and for him to get an owl, I had to have Sirius Black grateful to Ron and apologetic for the loss of Scabbers. Dumbledore had always planned for Peter Pettigrew to escape that night which is why he arranged for Trelawney to make a fake prophecy while under the Imperius Curse. He was disillusioned in the tower and had her make it when you were about to leave. I kept his plan on track so Sirius would survive and escape just so Ron would get to keep that miniature owl."

"What about my patronus?"

She smiled at the memory. "That? That was completely you, Harry James Potter. I was truly, very impressed. It certainly saved me from having to go with my A plan."

"So, you weren't in any danger?"

"Strictly speaking... no, but I appreciated that I was one of the reasons you were trying so hard to get your Patronus Charm right. I'd never seen such a young man cast that charm before. You really are exceptional, Harry.

He blushed. "Thanks."

"You know, I was so impressed that I actually modeled Hermione's patronus after you.

"How so? Your Patronus is an otter... I don't see how that relates to me at all."

"The Patronus Charm calls forth a protector, more specifically; it calls forth an animal form that represents a person's innermost desire for protection. As you said, Harry, my patronus is a Patronus Otter. Abbreviate the word Patronus and then say aloud what form my protector takes. I think you'll get the idea."

Looking confused, he said, "P-Otter." Then his face took on a stunned expression before swiveling his head to look Hermione directly in the eye. "Me?" He mouthed.

"Yes, Harry - YOU."

"Was there ever any doubt? You came to Hermione's rescue when a troll was attacking her; you fought a thousand year old, killer basilisk in part because it put one of your best friends in the Hospital Wing, though mainly to save a family you barely knew from heartache. If that doesn't convince you, consider that you also did your utmost to save Hermione and your Godfather from, what you believed to be, certain death at the hands of Dementors. I mean, I'm divine and even I can't see where the ambiguity is coming from.

"An otter is a member of the weasel family... I thought it might mean... well, you were dating Ron..."

Gob smacked at this particular bit of idiocy masquerading as logic, she responded,"First, A ferret is also a member of the weasel family, that doesn't mean Ifancy Draco. Second, Hermione dated Ron because he wanted to take Hermione away from you."

"He WHAT!?"

Yeah, as early as Fourth year, he wanted to upstage you and prove he could have something you wanted.

"Wait a minute. Something I wanted?"

"Well, someone, I suppose."

Harry gulped uncertainly. "Then... you know how I..."

"Yes, Harry, I know... I mean, Hermione knows how you feel."

"Then why-"

"It's very hard to explain, Harry."

"I have complete faith in your ability to explain the unexplainable. I'll wait until you're ready."

At that, Hermione plopped down on her back, hands coming up to cup her head as her arms stretched. She groaned low for a few moments then sat back up. "You WOULD ask that of me, wouldn't you? Figures..."

"I figure I have the right to know why the woman I love and I can't be together."

"You know how I said that my involvement with getting Sirius out of Azkaban was complicated?"

"Yes..."

I was mistaken. THAT was complex. THIS is complicated.

"Then un-complicate it, Hermione or Freyja or whoever you are. If Hermione cares for me the same way I care for her, then by god I want to know why."

"A part of The Rules contains the Doctrine of Free Will and Fate. Essentially, Icannot force mortals to indiscriminately fall in love. It does not fall within my purview. Hermione, however, isn't your typical mortal. She's a construct, an artificial creation. In theory, I can make her do anything I want. In practice, it isn't that easy.

In the seven or so years that I've been Hermione, she's grown... In fact, she's grown so much through her interaction with you that if she was a separate being, I'd be like a proud parent to her grown up child. Hermione has grown up, has her own likes and dislikes and has her own wants and desires. Although she is an aspect of myself, she hasn't really been me since you met her that first day on the train. The problem is that she isn't a separate being. According to The Rules, due to her artificial nature, I should have forced her to love Ron Weasley.

The crux of the matter is that I am bound to do all in my power to fulfill wishes. So, while I CAN make Hermione into someone that loves Ron, when you get right down to it, she doesn't want to be with him, and neither do I. You have to understand, Harry... no matter how much or how little I want to be with someone other than my husband, I am still a married woman and that also falls under the Doctrine of Free Will and Fate.

"This made Harry's brain hurt. "Wait, wait wait... So, what you're telling me is that if Ron wanted Hermione, then he could have her because she's not real, but because she's actually you, who is real, he can't have all of her. Her being Hermione who is you, but isn't. Oww..."

"Like I said - complicated."

Harry reviewed the explanation again through his head one more time. "You said 'how much or how little'. I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that by'how little' you were referring to Ron. So, when you said '/how much'/you must have then been referring to..." He blinked his eyes, and his heart pounded in his chest as he breathed out one word. "Me..."

Hermione nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "There are some rules that I cannot break."

He wanted to comfort the distraught woman in front of him. Unfortunately, ahorrible realization struck Harry. This entire fantastical tale centered on Freyja, Hermione and the Weasleys. They were central characters in this entire ludicrous play, a play in which Harry Potter had played but a bit part. There was no reason that Hermione should tell him any of this. In fact, the only reason she would tell him the truth, the only reason that she would reveal her feelings for him, would be if she was going away and wanted a clean break. He started to shake his head in disbelief. "No, Hermione. Please tell me it isn't true."

She bit her lip, a distinctly Hermione-like gesture, nodded her head in silent affirmation and let the tears flow. She bowed her head so he would not see the tears leaving tracks down her cheeks.

Heedless of their captive audience, he took her in his arms and held her until the crying subsided.

"It's not fair. I love my husband every bit as much as I did the day we were married, but I've been without him for about as long as you've been alive. I love you as well and every bit as much and you're stood right in front of me, but I can't be with you. This sucks SO very much." She complained while still being held.

"There's nothing we can do?"

"Nothing."

"You're sure?"

"Hello?Goddess,here. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

"Well forgive me not wanting to give up hope. I love you and I refuse to accept that Hermione "Freyja" Granger cannot find a loophole in this."

I've looked, Harry. Believe me, I've looked. The Rules are explicit and implicit; even the Norns themselves can't break The Rules and they're the ones that wrote them. I can no more be with you than I can leave anyone with the ability to discuss what I've just told you.

Harry looked horrified. "You mean you're going to wipe our memories?"

"Only yours."

What about the Weasleys?

I intend to simply compel the Weasleys to never discuss my interventions and everyone else will always remember Jimmy was a boy.

"Why only wipe my memories then?"

"You know too much... and I think it would be better if you didn't to remember that Ileft you."

"So, a mercy memory wipe, sort of a mental euthanasia?"

"Uh huh."

"Can I make one final request?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me for a /last wish/?"

"Something like that."

She mentally debated this for a few seconds before she responded. "This is highly irregular and I can't believe that I'm even considering this."

"But you are..."

Okay, Harry. One last request, but it can't be for me to stay with you or any derivation of that. The Rules wouldn't allow it.

"I want to kiss you AS IF you were my wife and I want to remember it forever."

"But I already kissed you at the end of Fourth year."

"No, the last request was that it should be like a husband to a wife. I've only cottoned on to it lately, but that was a kiss like a best female friend saying goodbye to a best male friend."

"Ron wanted to make his move on Hermione sometime after Fourth year. Hermione wasn't consciously aware of what was going to happen but she did want to kiss you"

"I know that now, damn him to hell. Well, will you grant my final wish?"

"Sure. In a sense, I suppose this is my last wish as well. I've always wanted to really kiss you, you know."

XXXXXX

The kiss was tender, sweet, magical and hot. When it ended both were breathless, flushed and so turned on that it was a wonder either could stand it. That single kiss had lengthened and lengthened and Harry was certain that by the end, she had done something to give them more time. He was eternally grateful for the time and for the kiss. He wondered how she was going to reconcile her desire to memory wipe him and his wish to allow himself to always remember that kiss.

As if reading his mind, she answered as if he had spoken aloud. "You'll keep that memory as a daydream of unusual vividness, but Hermione will have transferred out of Hogwarts after she got petrified by the basilisk*.

"Good bye Harry..." She weaved herself back into his arms for the final time.

"Will I ever see you again?" He could feel a tingle as the powerful mind magic gathered in her hand. She would wipe him soon.

"No, but I'll see you. I'll be watching and expecting great things from you, Harry James Potter."She prepared herself to mentally re-write the memory of the only man she had ever loved aside from her husband. She told herself it was for the best, that he still had a chance to be happy, that if they could not be together then he, at least, deserved to be happy. Her eyes began to water anew. Deep wrenching sobs tore themselves from her and she had to stop before she even began. It just hurt so much..."

Harry had closed his eyes not wanting to see the pain in her eyes even if he would soon not remember it, but opened them again when he heard her start sobbing. In the back of his mind he noted that the tingle from the gathered mind magic had dissipated. What he saw startled him. He shook her lightly to get her attention. This was extraordinary. "Hermione..."

Her eyes were closed in an effort to stem the flow of her tears. "Please don't speak Harry. This is hard enough as it is." She said between sobs.

"Hermione... your tears... you're crying red and gold tears..."

"WHAT!There's no way." SNIFF "I only cry tears of Red and Gold for my Husband..." She jerked back as if she had been burned and tilted her head as she focused astare at Harry. "I ONLY cry tears of red and gold for my husband, so proclaimed the Norns on our wedding day. My husband who has been missing since around the time you first defeated Voldemort,"she whispered. Hermione began to look outraged. "My husband, who disappeared doing the Norns' bidding, MY HUSBAND for whom I cried those same tears of red and gold daily while I searched for him."She swallowed hard and touched Harry's cheek. "Oor... is that you?"

XXXXXX

To Be Continued.

Author's End Notes: Completely new material for those who read this previously on Seel'vor's Yahoo Group will begin in Part 3. I want to thank all the people on the aforementioned Yahoo Group that gave me such amazing positive feedback. Thank you all so very much.

Author's Suggestions:

Umm... how about DeliverMeFromEve's "Forever Knight". The second half is truly excellent.