A Last Request

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything else that is not mine.

A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks to all who have reviewed this!! I do hope that there are still readers out there that are still interested in this story. It’s been since February of ’06 since I had last updated. After that there seemed to be a sting of unfortunate events. First this site changed places, and then a bunch of my own stuff happened. After I had lost the original chapter (This is a rewrite of this chapter.) I decided to take a break and write it slowly. I was really broken hearted about it. I even took a break from fan fiction completely after I finished updating on my other story. The chapter was originally over 12000 words. Obviously even with the combination of the spit of this chapter and the next it isn’t close to how long it was. I don’t think I left out too much because I have what I can remember and what I had outlined. If I do remember something I can always write it in later. Like I said I decided to break this chapter it in half. I know that there are readers out there that love really long chapters but I felt that this chapter was better off broken in two. Later chapters will be longer. Just a little warning this chapter has not been gone over by a beta. I am in-between right now. lol I have a friend who really wants to do it but is going to be busy for a few weeks. I am sort of getting impatient (not with her) so I am going to update it now and have her fix what is wrong when she can. Then I will repost the fixed chapters. I am also going to be changing the summery of this story, maybe after the next chapter is posted. Right now I want to have the readers that followed the story before to recognize it, then it will be changed so keep an eye out for that. I know that there are people who don’t realize what a simple review can mean to the authors of stories, but it does so much. The impact on the way the author feels about their story reflects on it. They need to know that there are people interested in the story. Even if it isn’t complete praise. With that in mind do not flame or insult, constructive criticism is always welcome. This is fan fiction I don’t care who is in character or not. This is the way I want them to be and the way I think they would be in a certain situations. Please review I do not like to waste space or time. Let me know if you want me to email you when I update. I do hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks so much!!




Chapter Six

A Whisper in the Night

So Sunday Brunch didn’t go so well, as expected. My father didn’t come back down for quite a while. He must have had a lot of thinking to do. When he did finally come back down he barely spoke. My mother still tried to make small talk but it only brought to reality just how awkward the situation was.

Before I left I requested that know one else know until I was through with school. Lets just say that it seemed my father was very much obliged. I got the impression that the less he had to talk about it at the moment the better. I kept telling myself that he’d get over it. At least I hoped so.

A couple of weeks had passed, not much happened. At least nothing of importance had happened. Calvin and Ginny didn’t even bring Draco up much. I suppose that they figured if I wanted to talk about anything I would, especially after that Sunday with my parents.

One Wednesday in the beginning of May it seemed that Ginny couldn’t hold it in any longer. We were sitting at one of the desks in the library when I heard her drop her book with a hard thud joined with a sigh. I glanced up from my studies to see what was the matter.

“Burnt out already?” I asked.

“Already? Hermione you have been making me study since mid march and I don’t have owls or newts this year,” Ginny replied.

“Alright, so what’s wrong?” I inquired.

“It’s just that it’s been a couple of weeks since Malfoy was here and you haven’t talked about it at all really. You’ve mentioned a few things but you haven’t really talked about it. You also haven’t said much about the visit to your parents.”

I looked back at the book in my hands. I slowly closed it and set it on the table. I leaned forward as did she.

“Let’s take a walk. I really don’t feel comfortable talking about any of that here,” I said. She nodded and we packed our things and walked out of the library.

When I felt we were alone and no one was around I began to talk.

“Well the meeting with my parents didn’t go so well. But I am sure you knew that already. My father was terribly upset. More so that Draco Malfoy is the father.”

“Well that is understandable. Malfoy’s a pompous ass. I mean was, I’m sorry,” Ginny apologized quickly.

“It’s alright. It’s true, he was and is.”

“He still is?”

“Only so much can change. He may not be as bad, but he’s still Malfoy.”

“I see. So did you mention anything about him getting help from us?”

“I tried but he wasn’t having any of it. He wasn’t interested. He said he’d think about it but I think he just said that so I’d drop it.”

“Did he say why he wouldn’t?”

“Just said that it wasn’t for him.”

“What else is he going to do then?”

“I wish I knew. He wouldn’t even say where he has been. He only said he’s been ‘around’.”

“Weird.”

“Just when I think I have it figured out, I realize I don’t. I know it was stupid but I honestly thought if he lived that he’d join the Order, at least for protection if nothing else. If not for himself, then at least he’d join for his child. He could have used it to find and save his mother as well. But when we argued about it he seemed pretty passionate about not joining.”

“Does that change anything?’

“Like what?” I asked as we entered my common room.

“Like the way you feel about him?” Ginny said as she walked over to and sprawled out on the sofa.

“What do you mean?” I replied and sat down in the chair next to where she was.

“Oh come on. I think it is pretty evident that you have feelings for him and not just the ‘oh he’s the father of my child so of course I care’ feelings. I am talking about the ones where you did all that in the first place and the ones that have obviously grown since then.”

Oh those.

“Ginny, I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. Honestly at times I feel like I fabricated them out of nothing, like I made something out of nothing over the last few months. Then I think about it and I feel like maybe Ron was right. This stuff has been going on for years. And Ron noticed it… he noticed it. Is that why Ron didn’t make any moves? I know and I knew he had something for me. But he never took that step. I wasn’t going to. He needed to do it and he knew it. Is that why? Because he saw something there that Malfoy and I didn’t? I know Ron said he was just afraid of messing it up. He said he took too long, but is that really why? Are these feelings out of nowhere? I can’t fully explain how I feel. Maybe it’s due to me being pregnant and all the things that have taken place that would make me feel the way I do,” I stopped to take a deep breath.

“And what is that?” Ginny sat upright and studied me. I looked at the ground then back up to meet her inquisitive eyes.

“I’m not sure, but I think I care more for him than I’d like to admit.”

“You love him, don’t you”?

“I want to say no, but I can’t.”

Calvin chose this moment to waltz into the room. And when I say waltz I mean waltz. Or at least he was attempting to do so anyway.

“Calvin? What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” I asked as Ginny laughed at the sight.

“Trying to sway two beautiful ladies, to capture you in my spell. Is it working?” He replied.

“If we said no would it hurt your ego?” Ginny asked.

“Yes, so lie if you must,” He said wiggling his brows.

“Then yes,” Ginny lied with a bright smile. He stopped.

“You’re a terrible liar, but thanks just the same. So what are you two birds chatting about?” He asked as he plopped down on the coffee table.

“Nothing really. Just studies,” I said. I would have told him but I didn’t want to get into it again.

“Ah. Don’t want any part of it. Rather talk about women’s business than that right now. Well I am off to change my clothes. I need a new shirt then I’m off to dinner,” He said as he lifted his sweat-circled armpits into the air and headed to his room to change.

Normal girls would have been thoroughly grossed out but with guys being a huge fixture in our lives it was mostly lost on us.

Before our conversation was continued Hedwig flew into the room through an open window. She quickly landed and put out her leg for one of us to untie the piece of parchment from her leg. I did the honors. Hedwig then jumped onto Ginny’s lap to receive affection. I couldn’t help but smile.

I unrolled it.

“It’s from Harry, obviously, he says to meet him here at 7 tonight.”

“What time is it now?” Ginny asked as she pulled a bag of treats out of her satchel. I raised an eyebrow. “What? I get a lot of letters from Harry.”

“It’s almost five.”

“Oh! You haven’t much time to get back with a reply,” Ginny said to Hedwig. She pulled out a cup and filled it with water as I scribbled down a reply.

Before I retied the parchment to her leg she took a quick drink and gave herself a light bath in the water making quite a mess. Soon she was off on her way.

I wonder what he wants,” She wondered out loud. I shrugged. It had been weeks since I had talked to him last. I did wonder though if he had heard anything new on the death eaters that tried to attack Draco. It was one of the only things I did mention to Ginny, which I’m sure she mentioned to Harry.

“Alright ladies who’s going to have the pleasure of walking down to dinner with me?” Calvin said as he came out of his room with a fresh shirt on.

Calvin didn’t return with us to my common room. We arrived about five till seven. We assumed that Harry would most likely be contacting us through the floo network. Though no one could physically pass through the fireplace one could still talk through it.

Just as we thought, the small ambers of fire took shape into Harry’s head.

“Is it just the two of you?” He asked.

“Yes, Calvin is out. But I don’t know when he’ll be back,” I answered.

“Well the reason I wanted to talk is to see if you had spoken to Malfoy about joining yet?”

“I did. It doesn’t seem like he wants to join the order Harry. I tried to get him to explain, but he just said that it wasn’t for him,” I explained.

“Did he seem final?”

“He did say he’d think about it, but I think he just said that so we’d stop arguing. Things were too complicated.”

“What’s so complicated about it?” Harry asked confused.

“I don’t know. But to be honest some of the conversation was weird. He wasn’t making a whole lot of sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you must have heard that they thought him to be dead right?” I asked.

“Yeah I read it in the daily prophet. This whole place was a buzz over it. Of course they still have no idea about, you know what. Even Ron seemed nervous. Ginny filled me in on how he showed up a couple of weeks ago.”

“Don’t you find it odd that he turned in two death eaters and the ministry didn’t give any information on this situation other than they believed Malfoy was dead.” Ginny asked us both.

“That’s what I said to him,” I replied.

“I have no idea why they would do that. Especially when they took an innocent man and put his name out there as one. But here is a question. If everyone thinks he is dead, even Voldemort, then why is he on the move? Ginny said that you said he didn’t want to be in one spot too long. I understand why, just in case someone sees him. But why not just come here we can help him and his mother. It would be so helpful to get any information we can get on Voldemort. He has to know stuff.”

“I wish I could change his mind,” I stated.

“Well keep trying. It doesn’t hurt. Any information he could provide us to help with this war is better than none. Who knows what else he can help us out with. We really need to find out where that last Horcrux is. We have some leads infact were going to check one out right after we’re done talking. This is got to be over soon. It’s just got to,” He said exhaustedly.

“I know Harry. I’ll keep on trying. I know how important this is,” I said.

“Hey if anything Hermione, just use the fact that you did him a huge favor,” Ginny said lightheartedly pointing towards my stomach. Harry and I both smiled.

“You could do that too,” Harry joked.

“You know, it just might work,” I said seriously.

Right then Ron’s head poked up. From the looks of it he was eating something. “Hey Hermione, hey Ginny. Mum just made turkey jerky for the trip. I just thought I’d try it out. You know to make sure it was edible.”

“I don’t think there is anything out there that isn’t edible to you Ron,” I teased. I hoped that he was still okay with me. It has been a while since we last spoke.

“Good point. But this sure is good. I’ll have mum make some more when the two of you get here in a few weeks,” He said with a huge grin on his face chomping with his mouth open.

I was going to ask them where they were off to but their heads turned in the same direction and faced us again.

“Well it’s time for us to go. We’ll let you know what happened,” Harry said.

“See ya later,” said Ron. Ginny and I waved before he disappeared into the glow of the logs.

“Be safe Harry. I love you,” Ginny said.

“I will. Love you too Ginny. Bye Hermione, keep trying,” Harry said.

“I will. Bye,” I said right before he disappeared just like Ron had.

“It always make me so nervous with things like this. I can’t ever tell him that though,” Ginny said still looking into the fireplace.

“I know,” I replied. I completely understood.

The Night sky was filled with green, orange and purple explosions. I was in my nightgown crawling along the edge of a cliff fighting against the heavy breeze searching for something. I felt at any moment I’d fall over the edge into the rock littered canyon below. My hair whipped across my face blinding me and I was unaware of the rushing water heading in my direction. I flipped my head sending my hair to flip to one side letting me see once again. I looked to my left to see a giant wave in the shape of Draco’s face. It was sardonic as his sickening smile ascended towards me. I tried to stand but was unable when the wave hit me hard wrapping itself around me pulling me over the edge.

Entangled in my clothing I fought against the current. Rocks passed by me barely missing me as I rolled and twisted battling towards surface to breathe. I somehow made my way to the side of the rushing water. I pulled myself up onto the grassy area that was just out of the water’s reach. I lay on my back breathing rapidly and placed my hand on my stomach, only to discover it to be flat. I sat up and looked around and my eyes settled onto a figure on the other side of the newly rapid river. This hooded figure held a small child in its arms. It threw its head back laughing manically. I made to move but stopped when the figure shot swiftly into the clouds above. I screamed as I reached out towards them.

I shot up sideways on the couch. This was the second time I had woken drenched in sweat. I had fallen asleep on the sofa after Ginny left to take a shower before rounds. At realizing this I looked to the grandfather clock that stood in the corner. It was almost ten, time for rounds.

I showered quickly, pushed the nightmare from my thoughts and headed out of my common room.

Due to two of our prefects being sick Calvin and I had to do rounds alone while the prefects were set into partners. We briefed them and set out to do our job.

I was almost done and only needed to go down one more corridor before I was off to bed.

It was much darker than any of the other corridors I had been though that night. At first when I heard my name being faintly called I thought it was just a play on the mind. I shoved it away and pressed on. It started to become more than a whisper in the night. It became louder and I looked around to see who it was.

“Miss Granger,” The voice said hauntingly. It had to be a teacher I thought. No students addressed me in that way. Looking in all directions, I still could not see anyone.

I started to back out of the hall to go back the way I came. Just as I rounded the corner a cold eerie feeling swept over me. The hair at the nape of my neck stood on end as my heart became rapid. The torches started to blow out around me. Wind gusted past me lifting the hair off my neck. I scrunched my face up and tightly closed my eyes as I pushed myself against a wall. I covered my stomach in a protecting manor hoping whatever this was was just a dream and that I never really woke from my dozing.

“Miss Granger,” The voice was now stronger and was clearly right in front of me.

I slowly opened my eyes only to widen them with the site in front of me. My jaw dropped in horror. For the grandfather of my unborn child stood in front of me. His ghostly image forever would plague my mind.