Brown Eyes

Chapter 8: The Present

The information from Remus was still fresh in his mind. How could Hermione survive and stay human after fighting with a fullgrown werewolf and when would it happen? Harry was perplexed, maybe Remus was wrong.

He continued to pace in the empty common room; he looked in the direction of Hermione’s room. It looked ominous from this far away; she hadn’t been in that room for over a month. He missed her, her presence always had this way of calming him down. Just the scent of her caused him to physically relax and let go of all his pent up energy.

Harry sighed into the open room -- he needed to get out. He needed fresh air. He had been thinking of Hermione far too much since she’d been gone. She was on his mind the moment he woke up and the last thing he thought of at night.

People had been asking and wondering where Hermione had disappeared to, many knew of what had transpired in Snape’s potions class that faithful day she disappeared and everyone held their own thoughts of what really happened. A few thought that Malfoy had gotten tired of waiting for Hermione to accept him with open arms that he transported her to a secret location so no one could find her. Also so Lord Voldemort couldn’t tell if he was a blood traitor or not.

Another constant rumor was that she was transfigured into a small creature and was trying to find a way to get someone’s attention, but since she was so small no one could see her. The last and final rumor was that Hermione was a coward and couldn’t face the fight with Voldemort that was soon to come.

That she lost all hope and staged the thing with Malfoy to protect herself selfishly, that was the most believed rumor. No one wanted to believe that Malfoy was in love with a mud blood or the tiny bug. She is the brightest witch of her age, she would have found a way.

No one thought twice about time travel, it was just too far fetched even for wizards for her to go that far back in time with the use of a time turner. Harry and the professors were the only one’s that knew the truth, that Hermione was lost in what people dubbed the Marauder’s era.

Harry looked around the dull atmosphere that had just lost its shine when Hermione wasn’t there to brighten it all up. He had thought long about her: friend or mother? He still couldn’t decide, when he found himself going more to one side. doubt would kick in and he would be left confused again.

He hadn’t talked to much of anyone recently; he was too lost in his thoughts. Anyone who spoke to him would inevitably get screamed at and no one understood his newfound attitude.

Ginny just happened to be one of the coward Hermione supporters. Harry wasn’t speaking to much of anyone these days; he couldn‘t stand hearing the rumors. He could remember exactly what Ginny did the minute she heard Hermione had disappeared.


ooooFlashbackoooo

Ginny was running up to Harry with the biggest smile on her face while Harry couldn’t even attempt a fake one. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips roughly to his lips. Knocking him into the wall behind him.

When she tried to deepen the kiss he pushed her away roughly and wiped his mouth that was set in a straight line, “What the fuck are you doing?”

She jerked back as if she had been slapped; she had never heard Harry once say a curse word and here he was using one against her, she got angry. Harry never would have talked to Hermione liked this. “What the hell does it look like I was doing? I was just trying to kiss my boyfriend.”

“Ginny for the last and final time, I broke up with you. We already went through this. I need to focus on Riddle and that means no distractions.”

“What if I don’t care? I don’t care about the consequences; I want to be with you. We’re meant to be and everyone knows it but you.” Ginny once again placed her lips against Harry’s and for a minute he thought about reciprocating; just so he could feel something, anything.

But he knew that he would only be hurting her more because he just needed comfort. Hermione was no longer here to help him and he wanted… well he didn’t know what he wanted. All he knew was that Hermione was the only one that had what he wanted.

“I can’t Ginny, this isn’t what I want.” He pulled away but she wouldn’t let go. “Ginny… you have to let me go.” He sounded so sad.

“You do want this, Hermione’s just poisoned your mind. Why do you love her? Why do you love her more than me?” Ginny was screaming hysterically now.

Harry was just going to walk away, but she insulted his mother. “Don’t you ever talk about her like that again! I love my mother with all my heart and she has nothing to do with why I don’t want to be with you anymore.” With that he turned around and didn’t look back.

If he did he would have seen the confused look on Ginny’s face, ‘What did he mean by mother?’

ooooEndFlashbackoooo


Harry was more confused than ever, it had seemed like Ginny had gotten over him and had finally moved on to Neville. But at soon as Hermione got hurt Ginny had gotten really jealous. Could something have possessed her?

He didn’t really want to think about any of that right now. What he needed to focus on was Hermione. She was more important right now. Harry needed to speak to Dumbledore about what Remus had said.

He couldn’t help but delay himself; he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the truth. It wasn’t possible for someone to be attacked by a werewolf and live a normal life as if nothing happened. There was no way a human could talk sense into a monster, the monster would never comprehend anything but the need to mate and hunt.

Just as Harry was about to turn back towards the castle he ran into someone: Ron. He didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t been the best friend he should have been. For the past month, he had been curt and rude.

“How can I help you mate?” Harry asked, his head bowed down.

“Harry, how have you been? You haven’t been the same since Hermione disappeared. I mean you already know she’s coming back soon.” Ron’s eyes pleaded that Harry look at him.

“I just can’t help how I feel. She’s my mother for Merlin’s sake. If your mother disappeared wouldn’t you feel the same? Even if you knew she would be back in a matter of time.”

Ron shook his head. “Of course I would feel that way; she has been my mother all my life! It’s not the same,” Ron looked like he regretted saying that the minute the words left his lips. “Damn Harry, I didn’t mean that.”

“Didn’t you?”

“Harry I’m your best friend and I’m sorry. What can I do to make you feel better? None of us can stand to see you this way, it hurts all of us.”

“There is nothing you can do. I need Hermione back,” Harry said finally.

“But the thing is she will come back, you just have to wait.”

“But I can’t,” Harry said with such sadness that it took Ron by surprise.

“Well, can you tell me how you want her to come back to you?” Ron wanted to know, part of him was hoping he would choose her as a best friend so that they would still be friends. The other half wanted Harry to finally know what it was like to have a mother and a father.

He shook his head; tears running down his face. “That’s the thing, I don’t know. I’m so divided, I need her for so many reasons and I can’t decide which is more important.” He paused for a moment and looked around. “I see her, I see them all. She looks so beautiful and when she’s with my father they look so happy together.” He paused again to gather himself. “I don’t know if what I want really matters and if it does, could I take that away from them?”

Ron didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t known about Harry seeing the past. “That must be hard for you; seeing the past and not being able to do anything about it.” Once again he didn’t know if he said the right thing or put his foot in his mouth.

“It’s actually good, I can’t wait to see what happens next with them. It’s like watching home videos of what I missed. I see them and learn about them. Sometimes I feel as if I’m living too much into the past now,” Harry confided.

“I don’t think I’m the right person to talk to about this, but maybe you should focus more on your life here. Who knows when it will change, you should take advantage of the life you have now.”

Harry was astonished, that was the first time he had ever heard something so deep from his male best friend. Ron was normally the comic relief, not the voice of reason. He was actually proud of him. “Thank you Ron, this really helped.” Harry moved to walk past Ron and back up to the castle, but Ron stopped him.

“Wait,” he held onto Harry’s arm. “The reason I had come out here in the first place was to apologize for Ginny’s behavior. I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but I’ve noticed she’s been really rude and conniving lately. I had thought that she was finally over you and into Neville. She was, but Neville wasn’t sure if she wanted him for who he is or what he now represented.”

“Oh--,” Harry began.

“I think what Neville said hit her the wrong way and she went a little over board, so sorry that you have to deal with this and Hermione.” Ron let go of Harry’s arm.

“You don’t need to apologize Ron, but thank you all the same.” Harry walked away, leaving Ron to stare blankly at the sky above.


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Harry stood in front of Dumbledore’s office and took a deep breath. He didn’t know the password and was about to start naming off sweets when a thought came to him. Especially with how twisted Dumbledore’s mind was.

“Mya Potter.” The gargoyle jumped out of the way and the staircase was revealed. He took his time with walking up the stairs; the confrontation wouldn’t be pretty. He was right in front of the door when he began to have second thoughts.

Harry turned around to leave. “Come in.” he hesitated before he thought better of it; he walked in. “What can I help you with today, Harry? Any new memories you would like to share?”

“Nothing like that, but I would like to ask you something.”

Dumbledore gestured for him to continue. “Go on.”

“I need to know if it’s possible for a human to calm down a werewolf during the full moon?”

Dumbledore’s eyes bore a hole in Harry’s forehead. “From what I know it is not possible; only another animal can calm down the werewolf and only certain ones at that. May I ask why you need to know this information?”

Harry shook his head too quickly, “No.”

“Please tell me that you’re not thinking about helping Remus during one of his transformations?” He
rubbed his temples in a soothing manner and for once his guess was wrong.

“Of course not.”

“Than why did you need this specific information?”

“Would you believe me if I said I was just curious?” Dumbledore shook his head. “I didn’t think so.”

“Harry, there is no reason for you not to tell me. Unless it’s dangerous.” Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed on Harry to check for his reaction, when nothing forthcoming showed up, he sat up and waited.

Harry took a deep breath, it was hard to keep secrets from a man like Dumbledore. He could stare anyone
down. “Ok, well I talked to Remus. Well not really Remus, more like Moony. Anyways, he told me that he
transformed unexpectedly one time and she was alone with him and she calmed him down-- as a human.”

Dumbledore didn’t know what to say, “It was not possible… unless---” he had to research to make sure. “I don’t know what to tell you Mr. Potter. Like I told you before it’s not possible for any human to be anywhere near a werewolf. They have no control of their senses, to them everyone is an enemy.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. What if Remus was wrong, what if Hermione doesn’t survive?”

“Harry,” Dumbledore’s voice took on a hypnotic note. “You don’t need to worry about Hermione, she is the strongest witch since Rowena Ravenclaw.”

“I can’t help it. She’s not here for me to protect. What if they can’t protect her because they don’t know her the way I do?”

“You know Hermione wouldn’t want you talking about her like this, she is strong enough to protect herself.”

“I know mum can take care of herself, but it doesn’t hurt to have someone there just in case. But you’re right, she wouldn’t want me to worry like this.” Harry visibly calmed down before Dumbledore, in a very concise
manner. It reminded him strongly of Hermione. She could always handle herself well; she wouldn’t break down like most under pressure. He couldn’t control the smile that blossomed.

Harry looked at him oddly; he had never seen his headmaster show random displays of emotions. “I apologize, I was lost in time.”

It still surprised Dumbledore when Harry called Hermione his mother, even though he knew without a doubt it was true. It was still awing even in the magical world to see this type of situation. A young girl going back in time to save thousands of people and she will turn out to be the mother of her best friend. In a way she will save the entire wizarding world from the dark. Who could say that? No one, not even Dumbledore himself.

“Thank you Professor.” Harry left without another word.

Harry’s questions didn’t even get answered, he was just left with more questions. His biggest question was Dumbledore’s mental state. Did they have psychologist’s in the wizarding world to check that Dumbledore wasn’t going senile?

He shook his head and left for his room, recently he had begun to sleep in the common room. He felt closer to her there; the coach was a place they shared alone together. It was the place he first realized that Hermione was his mother. He remembered a few weeks ago that he dreamt of her as his mother.

Harry got ready for bed at 8 o’clock at a slow and steady pace. He didn’t rush himself because he had nothing important to do. He laid down on the coach and closed his eyes. Sleep took him over when he was beginning to analysis Hermione’s situation again.