A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Four: What the Future Holds

Hermione's toes brushed through blades of grass as she absently swung in the swing in her backyard. She was deep in thought. Hedwig had left a few hours ago with her reply to Harry. It had been one word: yes.

She sighed and looked toward her home. Her parents were at work. Harry had not left her with much of a choice. She had enjoyed the past few days simply being with them, knowing that at any moment Harry could take them away from her if he wanted to. He had seemed reluctant to do it, but with his new personality, she was not sure exactly what he was capable of. She hated unknown variables.

She felt a chill in the air, but choose to ignore it. Clouds had been gathering steadily throughout the day and it seemed like it would storm. Then the chill turned into a freeze and she shivered, bringing her swing to a stop. Her eyes widened as she realized that the swing next to her was swinging now and that someone had appeared beside her.

"It is good to see you again, Hermione,"

It was Harry. He continued to swing, but kept his gaze fixed on her. He was not wearing the black robes that he had worn before. Today, he wore a black suit with a red button-up shirt. He reminded her of some muggle portrayals of The Devil.

"Harry," she greeted timidly. Harry glanced down at his attire and smiled at her.

"Do you like?" he asked. "Ginny picked it out for me."

"Ginny?"

"Yes, I visited her shortly after I propositioned you for your help."

"What did you do to her? Threaten to kill her parents too?"

"Now now, there's no need for that," Harry said chidingly. "No, she came with me quite willingly. Dear Ginny is not as innocent as we all believed."

"What do you want Harry?" Hermione stood and crossed her arms. "I've already agreed to help you, or do you need me right now?"

Harry stopped swinging and looked at his friend with a look of contrition, which surprised her. He stood and came within inches of her so that their noses almost touched.

"Hermione...I came because I still value our friendship and to show you that you can trust me." He sighed and took her hand in his. "I went by your parents' dentistry immediately after I received your answer. The curse is broken."

Hermione felt that particular burden lift from her shoulders and she sagged a little in relief. She looked at Harry and realized that, no matter how much he had changed, there was still some piece of her friend there. That would be the part of him that she would hold on to, which would allow her to face serving him easier.

"Whatever you may believe about me now," Harry said. "I keep my word and that is something that will never change. I promise you that."

"Excuse me if I'm still a bit skeptical," Hermione softened. "But, thank you. This is a start to convincing me of that."

"Just don't betray me," Harry said, his tone darkening. "Or, I will return and it won't be just to put your parents to sleep."

She let the threat sink in before nodding.

"Fine, do you need my services milord?" She spat the last word.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, not at the moment. As I said, I came to keep my word and I have." Harry smiled. "However, after Bill and Fluer's wedding, I will require you to come with me to Godric's Hollow. I will reveal its location to you at the reception."

"You're coming to the wedding?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Of course, Ginny and I would not miss it for the world," Harry laughed. "Besides it will be the perfect way to reveal myself to the Order of the Phoenix and the Weasleys. Think of it as a way to cast the gauntlet; draw the line in the sand."

"Like that?" She asked giving him a once over. "I hardly doubt anyone will be willing to listen to you when you look like a young Voldemort."

Harry rolled his eyes, but smirked.

"Of course not, I'm not stupid. I will be under a glamor charm when Ginny and I come. You should be pleased, you'll have the old Harry back for a couple of hours."

"It won't be real," Hermione said sadly. "Speaking of Ginny, does her family know that she is with you?"

"I sent a message through an anonymous owl," Harry stated. "I wove a story about how death eaters had attacked Number Four Private Drive and that I had been forced to flee with only a few belongings. After a few days on foot, I arrived at the Burrow to find Ginny alone. She let me in and provided me with some much needed food and rest. We had planned to wait for them to come back, when we were attacked by the same death eaters, who I assumed had followed me. Ginny and I had barely managed to escape with some necessities and are now at a secret location until Bill and Fluers' wedding, when with the Order of the Phoenix present, we will feel secure enough to return. I even left them a location at which to retrieve us when the time comes."

"Impressive, but why didn't I get a letter from Ron about this?"

Harry grinned sheepishly at this.

"I may have intercepted his owl,"

Hermione's eyes narrowed, but she bit back a scathing comment and simply asked,

"Why did you do that Harry?"

"I was not completely certain that you would agree to join me and I did not want you replying back, possibly undoing my plans. I have to protect my interests."

"Will I be privy to these interests, or do you wish for me to follow blindly?"

"You are one of my closest friends," Harry replied. "Once everything is set into motion, I will tell you everything, but not a moment sooner. Matters are...delicate...at present."

"Meaning?"

"Sorry, Hermione it's a secret," Harry winked and turned to leave. "I look forward to seeing you at the wedding."

"Wait..." Hermione grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

"I have other potential allies to visit and gain cooperation from. Plus, Ginny is working on something for me, so I need to check on her progress."

Hermione's mouth moved, as if to speak, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. Harry looked into her eyes and read her thoughts. Ironically, Hermione's mind was like an open book. He flipped through her anxieties until he came to what troubled her most. He sighed and placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"No, I will not force you to hurt anyone," he said. Her eyes widened and she paled. His ability to penetrate her mind so easily unnerved her. "I told you before that I wanted you in an advisory role and I meant that. You do not have to fight if you do not think you're up for it."

"I just...I was expecting when we went hunting for the horcruxes, that I would have to fight and even kill death eaters, but now I have the feeling that I'll be placed at odds with our friends...I can't..." Tears came unwelcome to her eyes and she turned away embarrassed at such a show of weakness to this new dark lord that Harry had become.

"I understand," Harry frowned. "I'm not the villain here Hermione. I'm certainly not the hero, but I have good intentions if that means anything. I believe that what I have planned will ultimately be what is best for wizarding Britain and I am willing to do whatever is necessary to accomplish my goals. I do not have the luxury of being moral...not anymore."

"Why not? Why can't things be like they were before?"

"I am not him anymore," Harry said. "Part of me will always be the Harry Potter you knew, but I know that nothing can ever be the same. I've been changed too much and too deeply. I feel as if destiny is leading me down a specific path and now, I must follow it, however it ends."

With that he aparated away before Hermione could respond. She stood, unable to move, racked with a plethora of unpleasant emotions. She was snapped out of her trance by the sound of thunder and a flash of lightning. She gave one final glance at where Harry Potter had just been standing and made her way inside just as it began to rain.

Miles away, Luna Lovegood sat in her room, her bright blue eyes staring off into space. A drawing lay unfinished on the desk in front of her. The only thing left to do was color it. She blinked and smiled.

"Hello Harry, I've been expecting you,"

"I'm sure you have," Harry replied from his seat on the side of her bed. "Then you know why I am here,"

"Of course, I saw it silly," Luna turned to him. "You won't need to do what you were planning to do to my daddy. I will do whatever you ask."

"How much have you seen?"

"Bits and pieces mostly. This encounter, that battle, explosions, and a particularly cute bunny." Luna laughed. "The future is never set in stone and who knows, perhaps my visions are not genuine at all. You may regret your purchase Mr. Potter."

"I doubt it, after all if you are as gifted as your mother was, then you know I have all of Voldemort's memories, including his association with your mother."

"He sought a reputable seer in order to confirm the prophecy," Luna nodded. "Unfortunately, my mother couldn't help him."

"I believe you can help me Luna," Harry said. "If that drawing is any indication." He pointed toward her desk. The drawing she had been working on was of this exact encounter down to the detail of Harry's seated position on her bed. It was dated weeks before his soul had been merged with Voldemort's.

"I'm not finished with it yet," she pouted. "You weren't supposed to see it until it was."

"Tell me, why didn't you do anything to stop it?" Harry asked. He was not angry, merely curious. "You could have told someone."

"Would they have believed Looney Lovegood?" Luna countered. "All I would've been was a Cassandra speaking doom to Troy, with no one to believe me and no way to stop it. So, I waited to see what would happen."

"But you saw what was going to happen," Harry replied. "You already knew."

"No," she corrected. "As I said, the future is never set in stone and neither are my visions. I see possibilities...many and often contradictory possibilities."

"You act crazy, but I see through you Luna," Harry rose and walked over to her window. "You covered your second sight under a mask of eccentricity that even I could not penetrate at the time. Clever girl."

"I am the way I am," Luna said. "But I may have exaggerated it in order to be underestimated and ignored."

"It worked,"

"I am pleased that you are impressed. I assume that it increases my life expectancy to be of service,"

"Yours, your father's, and pretty much all of wizarding Britain," Harry leaned against the wall and looked at her. "It's a good deal."

"Well, I can't let what you were going to threaten me with happen, so I suppose I am at your mercy," Luna said smiling in a daze.

"What mercy?" Harry joked. It felt good. This easy exchange between him and Luna. Especially after his conversation with Hermione. He needed some comic relief.

"Good point,"

"I assume that you are going to Bill and Fluer's wedding," Harry stated.

"Daddy and I are coming, yes," Luna replied.

"Good, I need you to make whatever arrangements you need to for your father, because afterward you will not return here for a long time...possibly never again."

"That is one of many possible outcomes of all this, however if the path you are on does not deviate, I will return."

"Do you know how this will end?" Harry asked.

"Who ever truly knows what the future holds?" Luna leaned back in her chair and gazed at the ceiling. "All of time is in constant flux like a raging river, but the river suddenly spouts out new pathways and the current changes with it; pure chaos, just like what I see. So no, I do not know THE ending, but I do know several possible endings and none of them could be the right one."

"So, you're either a powerful seer or you are insane,"

"Whoever said the two were mutually exclusive Harry?"

"You've got me there,"

"Before you leave, I would feel remiss in my new duties if I did not advise you to tell Ginny to go to Gringotts and use Griphook to get into their private documents. She will find the information that you and her are looking for there." Luna then turned from him and began to color her drawing.

Harry left after that, committing Luna's words to memory. When he arrived at Godric's Hollow, he noticed that it was strangely quiet, except for the low sound of stringed instruments from upstairs. Then he saw a trail of rose petals leading from the doorway, up the stairs, and presumably to his and Ginny's room. He smirked and a jolt of adrenaline flowed through his veins.

He followed both the petals and pleasant melody to where Ginny lay on their bed. The room was aglow with candlelight which bathed Ginny's naked form in an almost supernatural light. She smiled at the look of both love and lust that graced his features. She motioned for him to come to her.

"I believe you're a tad over dressed Harry," Ginny giggled in excitement as she slowly undressed him. She placed kisses upon every inch of flesh that she uncovered until Harry was bare before her.

"I had wanted to talk to you about something...yet, I can't for the life of me think of what it was," Harry laughed.

"Later,"Ginny whispered. "We've bonded in every other possible way, now its time to bond again." She leaned forward until her breath tickled his ear. "Take me, Harry. Make me yours in every possible way."

"There are many possible ways," Harry said, remembering Luna's cryptic words. They kissed and, indeed, he took her in every possible way he could think of. The memories of the younger Tom Riddle came in handy as Harry had been a virgin and did not know much about the act of love-making. Tom had been quite the ladies man at Hogwarts, however, and that proved to be another amazing boon for Harry.

Ginny had to agree.