Chapter 2
Six months have passed.
She keeps up with the Prophet. Shes watched as Harry is reunited with his family. Fred and George are happier than ever. The shop is doing better than before. They are searching for her, but by this point, she knows how to evade people. She kept Harry and Ron alive and undetected for a year. This was probably easier, since she was hidden in plain sight. She had been in the South of France for a month now. She’s traveled all over the world by this point, using aliases and muggle hair dye to blend in. She also has dressed more elegantly, more refined, so people wouldn’t recognize her.
She sat at a cafè, sipping on a coffee and eating a croissant. So, she was surprised to see Harry, Sirius, and who could only be James and Lily walking down the street. She adjusted her sunglasses, but otherwise continued to sip on her coffee and munch on her treat. She was startled out of her thoughts of missing the very people that walked passed her, when a large black dog nudged at her leg. Sirius Black.
”Hello, boy.” She cooed, breaking off a piece of her pastry and offering it to him. Just then a waitress came over and handed her the check. “Merci.” She told the waitress as she paid her check. Standing and gathering her things, she pet the dog once more. She tugged her glasses down to lock her brown eyes with his gray. “It’s good to see you, Snuffles.” She whispered, wrote hurrying away. The dog barked, as it raced back up the street where it came from. With a quick look around, she apparated to the train station.
It happened at the eighth month mark. When her body began to weaken from the lack of magic in her. She could still make her way around, but she wasn’t able to move like she used to. She couldn’t used her magic at all by this point.
“Hermione?” A voice breathed.
At first glance she thought it was George; but as she stood there, eyes locked with his, she knew it was Fred. Her eyes watered in happiness, as he hurried forward. She was too weak to run, or she would have. Fred wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Fred.” She breathed.
”Are you alright? What are you doing here?” Fred questioned pulling back to look at her.
“Just exploring.” She replied nonchalantly.
“Hermione, you’re lying. From a liar to you, you suck at it.” He told her. “Merlin, George is going to be so happy to see you.”
Hermione shook her head and stepped away from him. “I can’t.” She whispered.
”Hermione-“ Fred paused, looking her over before his eyes locked onto her wrist. Where the tattoo was. “Hermione, you didn’t.”
”it was the only way.” She breathed.
”what’s the price?”
”What do you think?” Just as she spoke, a cough rattled past her lips.
”No. please tell me you’re lying.” Fred violently shook his head, grabbing at her shoulders to hold her still.
Hermione smiled sadly. “He needs you more than he needs me.”
The way she said it so matter of fact, caused his heart to break. In that moment it was like a memory was unlocked for him. “They want your Pure of Heart.” He breathed.
Hermione nodded. “That’s what I suspect.”
“Come home.” Fred whispered, tears gathering in his eyes. “We can fix this. We can find a way to save you.”
“There isn’t.” Hermione breathed, stepping closer and hugging him at tightly as she could. “Go home, and be happy.” She stepped away before walking as quickly as she could away from him. She went to her hotel, gathered her things and headed to the train. Only, just as she was stepping inside, the world around her tilted on its axis, and everything went dark.