Chapter 1

::XX::XX::

Foreword: I was particularly unsatisfied with how this story came together over the later chapters I'd published. It started as a really light-hearted, low-effort story that I wrote on because I wanted a change of pace. But I quickly realized that this story had the potential to be much more. With that in mind, I wrote (the old) chapter 6, and after doing so I immediately felt that the rest of the story just didn't live up to the chapter I had written.

So, because of that, I decided to rewrite this story. The early chapters (mainly chapter 1 and chapter 2) will have important but minor changes... copy edits, and better writing mainly. But from chapter 3 onward, the story that I wrote will be different. Better I hope.

Please know that I'm taking this story somewhat seriously now. I have it outlined, I actually created a Scrivener project for it and made a story bible for it... those sorts of things. All that is to say that there is very little in the story that isn't there for a reason now. You will indeed learn about the things that are teased at, you will learn about what is causing things to happen, and so on. Not all at once, not even soon, but it will come.

This includes (but is not limited to):

- Why Voldemort chose today, and seems set upon today no matter what

- Why the time loops begin and continue

- What the various characters are up to and what their involvement in this is

This story will be Ron/Luna for basically the whole thing, but the (final) pairing for Harry will only come much later.

::XX::XX::

The day that Harry Potter died started like any other day, one might say. In fact, as we will soon find, that is perhaps the absolute perfect description you could give to this morning.

Harry awoke with a bit of a jolt. Although he'd slept soundly last night, and felt fully rested, movement in the dorm had been what brought him out of his sleep, and as Harry opened his eyes, he just caught the sight of Neville leaving the room. Harry looked at the window. It couldn't be much later than 6:30...

Annoyed, Harry turned over, and decided to sleep a bit more. He didn't know if he'd fallen back asleep, (it certainly didn't feel like it), but some time had seemed to pass, and by the time Harry had become aware of his surroundings once more, Ron was digging through his things, looking for something. It still looked like it was early morning outside. Glancing around the room, Harry realized that Dean and Seamus had already left.

"What're you looking for?" Harry asked slowly. It was a springtime Saturday... from the looks of it, a sunny one.

"You remember how I slipped away to use to loo last night after dinner?" Harry just blinked at Ron, waiting for him to continue. "Well... I came up here to get something for Gin afterward and there was a note on my bed." Harry was confused. Ron seemed so nervous... what had the note said?

"And?"

"And... it was... fromasecretadmirer." Ron flushed instantly, sticking his nose back in his trunk, continuing his search. Harry broke into a smile for his friend, but it still didn't explain why he was rifling through his things.

"So then what are you looking for?" Ron stopped and looked up at Harry, still flush, opening and closing his mouth several times.

"It... the note asked me... to come meet them by the lake this morning..." Ron looked away, obviously embarrassed again. "And it said... whoever wrote the note... well, they like my hair when it's swept back, like after a Quidditch game... so... I thought I'd... y'know... put it... like that."

Harry nodded, not knowing what else to say, and got out of bed pulling on his clothes for the day. By the time he'd finished brushing his teeth and came out of the bathroom, Ron was gone, apparently off to meet his match. Harry smiled again. Ron deserved some happiness.

Curiosity suddenly piquing, Harry walked over to the window and looked down at the lake to see if he could make out Ron and his secret admirer. He could see a person that was definitely Ron at the shore, yelling at someone with brown hair... she almost looked like Hermione.

Harry's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Had Hermione left the note for Ron? The idea made him a bit uneasy, and he wasn't completely certain why. Sure there were signs... but he felt kind of... sidelined; kind of jilted. He didn't want to be a third wheel.

Looking down at the shore, Harry saw another person standing next to the pair with long blond hair, and he saw another red-head approaching them. That must be Ginny.

Staring intently, Harry tried to understand the conversation from the window by observing their body language, but all Harry could make out from that was Hermione shouting "You insensitive clod!" and Ron firing back "Why are you so difficult!?"

But after a few moments Harry gasped as Hermione slapped Ron across the face, storming off. Harry ran towards the dormitory door immediately running down to the common room. He was almost out the portrait-hole when he realized he'd left his wand back in his trunk. Running back up to his bed and grabbing his wand, he got down to the common room again to find Hermione sitting at one of the tables looking thoroughly upset.

::XX::XX::

Unsure, Harry glanced at the portrait-hole for a second before walking over to the table. They were the only two in the common room... and why not on such a beautiful Saturday morning? Everyone else was either at breakfast or out enjoying the sun.

As Harry got closer though he realized that Hermione wasn't just upset... her cheeks were a bit wet, and she didn't seem to be turning the pages of her book at all.

"Umm... hello Hermione," Harry offered lamely. "You alright?" She looked up at him with red eyes, but she didn't really look sad, and she didn't seem to be crying anymore. At least that was a good thing... Harry didn't particularly like dealing with crying girls.

"Ron can be so dense sometimes," she stated simply. Harry shifted. He wasn't an expert on romance or the female species, but that statement seemed to say to him that Hermione had indeed been the one who left the note on Ron's bed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Ron likes you too, he's just a bit slow, that's all." Harry smiled reassuringly. However quite unlike what Harry had been hoping, Hermione seemed to withdraw and become even moodier at the words of comfort. She closed her eyes and sighed, standing. When she opened her eyes again, Harry could tell that she was hurt. Perhaps he hadn't seen it before because she hadn't looked at him squarely, but she was definitely hurt.

"Sometimes you can be as dense as Ron," she nearly whispered before whisking past him to the girl's dorms, leaving Harry to try and understand what had just happened. He looked at the stairs, trying to put together what was going on. Girls were so frustrating sometimes. Figuring that Ron might need someone to talk to as well, Harry stepped out of the portrait-hole and proceeded down the stairs to the entrance hall.

He could hear the chatter from the Great Hall... most people were still having breakfast. Walking out the front doors, Harry started down towards the lake's edge, only to see Ginny and Ron, er... "exchanging some words". He started to pick up the conversation as he drew closer.

"...as a brick! Honestly, why would you do something as stupid as that?" Ginny gave her brother a piercing gaze.

"How was I supposed to know she wasn't waiting for me? It was all just a big misunderstanding!" Harry continued approaching the pair curiously. Hermione hadn't been waiting for Ron? "I don't know why she got so upset; she just blew up at me!"

"And how do you think Luna feels!?" Harry looked past Ginny and for the first time identified the blond-haired witch that had been out on the grass. Had she left the note?

Ron looked uneasy at the question and glanced over at Luna. The normally spacey girl seemed to be paying rapt attention. Harry pondered jumping in to break the pair up when Luna seemed to preempt him.

"Ginny, thanks for being so supportive, but Ronald won't listen to what you're saying." Ginny looked at the girl, some of the anger draining from her flushed face. The blond girl stared at the two with her wide eyes that seemed to be eternally shocked, but at the moment felt much more knowing. "Really, I just wanted to have a talk with him by myself, but it looks like everyone has been having words with Ronald but me. Harry's even come out to say something."

Ginny and Ron both turned and noticed Harry for the first time, who suddenly felt very on-the-spot.

"Er, just wanted... to find out what was going on..." Ginny looked back at Ron, shooting him a final glare, before stomping up to Harry and grabbing his arm.

"C'mon," she said, starting to drag him away. "Let's leave them to chat." Harry followed her lead, and with a last glance over his shoulder, they passed through the Entrance Hall, heading in to have some breakfast.

"So what was that all about?" Harry asked the fiery girl. Ginny glanced at him before grabbing some toast.

"Luna left Ron a note asking him to meet her by the lake last night." She stopped and Harry waited for her to continue.

"Um... how did you know what was up?" he asked, trying to pry more information from her.

"Luna had me put the note on his bed," she said matter-of-factly. Harry nearly smacked himself in the forehead. Of course! How else would a Ravenclaw get a note onto the bed of a Gryffindor?

"But that doesn't explain Hermione or anything."

"Well..." Ginny trailed off and focused on her toast for a moment. "Ron saw Hermione at the lake and assumed she'd left the note." She glanced at Harry before looking back at her food. "You know how he's always fancied her."

It was something that was unspoken. Harry knew it, somewhere in the back of his mind; how could he not? But it wasn't something he'd ever talked about with Ron before, so in a sense it was something he didn't "know", merely something that he suspected. Ginny referencing it out loud seemed to make it uncomfortably clear for him, and Harry once again felt as if he were being forsaken... an appendage to his friends.

"But, of course, Ron approached it the way he approaches everything: head first." Ginny took a bite of her thoroughly buttered toast. "Too bad he's such an arse."

"What happened then?" Harry prompted.

"Well," she started, swallowing her food. "Ron waltzed up to Hermione and started talking about how glad he was that she finally came around, and that she didn't need to write anonymous notes to tell him she fancied him." Ginny sighed. "By the time Hermione figured out what he was on about, Ron had gone and dug himself a rather embarrassing and deep hole of assumptions. Hermione was not very pleased, and explained to Ron that she didn't send him any letter, and that someone else must have left the note. Unfortunately, Ron's skull is thicker than Dean's... well, you know."

After a split second, Harry's brain caught up with his ears, and he blanched at Ginny. "Gin, I'm trying to have breakfast. No comparisons to anyone's bits." She rolled her eyes, and kept going.

"Ron thought that she was pulling a joke on him naturally, and laughed at her rebuffs, which upset Hermione further. So she explained a bit more forcefully." Ginny paused, giving Harry a strange look. "You know how they can argue... well, one thing led to another, and before too long Ron was wheeling insults about Hermione being a bit, er, 'loose'. Mentioned stuff about Krum and such.

"Well that sent her a bit over the edge, and she yelled that perhaps Ron had left himself the note, since he seemed to admire himself so thoroughly." Ginny gave Harry that strange look again. "This is where it got a bit... out of hand. Ron threw back that she was one to talk about someone admiring themselves, when she spent so much time pleased with herself that anyone would be mental to be around her. She seemed genuinely hurt at that, and mentioned that you didn't seem to have a problem being around her. But of course, Ron was too heated to think before he spoke, and started in on you." She paused to take a bite, and Harry just watched her, the whole recounting of the event coming across as rather surreal.

"Well, what did he say then?" Harry asked.

"Oh, well..." Ginny gave him a chagrined look. "Are you sure you'd like to know? He was just angry you know, I don't think he meant any of it."

"I know that, Gin," Harry replied, annoyed. "I'm not asking because I want words with him, I'm asking because I want to know why my friends are both looking at me like I'm diseased."

"Hmmm," Ginny looked at him for a few moments, taking another bite, before nodding. "Well, Ron said that of course it made sense you didn't mind being around her, since you were just as self-absorbed as she was. Told her that was why she admired you so much, and let you get away with things she never lets him get away with."

Harry was dumbfounded at that. Hermione admire him? Let him get away with things? Harry didn't entertain the notion that Hermione might admire him very long at all. She was the one at the top of class, who always seemed to be right, even when he didn't listen to her. If anything, Harry admired her. Sadly, the bit about Harry being selfish didn't surprise him too much. The last few years that notion had been an intermittent expression of Ron's jealousy for Harry's unwanted fame. But Harry struggled to figure how Ron could level even the thought of selfishness at Hermione. Hadn't she basically gotten them both through Hogwarts through her sheer will just because they were her friends? That was how Harry remembered it anyway.

Of course, this argument between Ron and Hermione had been brewing all year, what with the Slug Club, the incidents with McClaggen, and so on. Although, now that he thought about it, Ron really should have actually gone through the break-up with Lavender before meeting one girl who was a secret admirer and having a row with another over not admiring him.

"Anyway," Ginny continued, "at that point Hermione got this strange look in her eye, like she was looking at him for the first time or something. She walked right up to him, slapped him across the face, and told him that she, ahem, 'didn't ever want to be his anything', and stormed off.

"Needless to say, the whole ordeal was probably a bit traumatic for Luna, who just wanted to talk to Ron privately," Ginny finished. Harry nodded, looking down at his untouched breakfast.

"Thanks Ginny. I think I'll go see how Hermione's doing." Harry jumped up without waiting for a response and trekked off towards the Gryffindor common room. The walk gave him time to go over the exchange in his head. He shuddered at Ginny's crass sense of humor. Why oh why had she mentioned anything about Dean's bits!?

::XX::XX::

Climbing through the portrait after producing the password, Harry glanced around the room to find only Neville there. He was sitting at a table in the far corner, hunched over a piece of parchment. That seemed bit... odd... come to think of it, what had Neville been doing so early this morning?

Just as he was about to open his mouth and greet the boy, Hermione descended from the girls dorm, giving him a faint and tired looking smile as she came into the room. Neville glanced up at her, then followed her gaze and noticed Harry for the first time. Feeling a bit awkward, Harry motioned towards the plush chairs near the empty fireplace, which would afford Neville a bit of privacy.

"'Lo Hermione. Feeling better?" he asked. She smiled a bit more openly to him before nodding.

"Yes. I just needed a bit to collect myself." A heavy silence fell between them.

"Erm... Ginny explained what happened to me—" Hermione interrupted him shaking her head.

"I don't want to talk about that right now; it's too frustrating. Ron's just going to have to apologize for it when he's good and ready." She smiled again, but it looked a bit... empty to Harry. "Ron will probably be busy for the rest of the day now that he's had the opportunity to talk with Luna. I'm fine, but I would feel much better if I could spend the day relaxing with a friend." She looked at him expectantly. "Would you be willing to put up with me for the rest of the day?"

Harry let out a boyish laugh, flashing her a grin. Had that been a serious question?

"Sounds like a splendid way to spend the day!" He stopped for a moment, an almost confused look spreading over his face. "Do you want to go to the library or something?" She shot him an icy glare, but it carried a good-natured reprimand in it.

"Honestly Harry, is that all you think I enjoy doing?" Harry fidgeted uncomfortably. He hadn't spent any days with just Hermione since Fourth year when Ron had stopped talking to him, and during that time Hermione had been focused on helping him prepare for the Triwizard Tournament. To be perfectly honest, Harry wasn't entirely sure what Hermione enjoyed doing other than reading books.

"Ummm... I... well that is... I'm not sure..." Hermione stared intently as Harry trailed off. He was hoping she'd jump in right about now to save him, but it seemed she was interested in hearing him finish the thought. "Perhaps a game of chess?" Hermione scoffed as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, since it appears that you don't know how to socialize with anyone except Ron, I think a good plan would be to retrieve the Marauder's map and spy on him and Luna." Harry did a double take.

"What?" It wasn't like Hermione to joke about that sort of thing. "Are you serious?"

"Come on, Harry. It's a Saturday, I don't have anything left to study until Professor McGonagall gives me the new book I've been waiting for, and Ron is about to make a complete fool of himself in front of a girl that for some reason finds his many qualities endearing." Harry just continued to stare. "Well, are you going to get it then?" She began tapping her fingers against her folded arms in lieu of tapping her foot.

"Uh, right then." Harry sprang up and darted off towards the boys dormitories.

"And don't forget the cloak," Hermione called. Neville looked up briefly watching Harry run off.

Within a few minutes Harry and Hermione were trudging through the grass outside the entrance under the Invisibility Cloak.

"He's up by the reading tree," Harry told her, having glanced at the map once more.

"Quietly..." Hermione whispered as they came up towards the pair who were sitting underneath one of Hermione's favorite spots. 'The Reading Tree' as the trio had come to call it was a lone Birch tree on a hill overlooking a quiet part of the lake which was walled on one side by a sheer cliff. The combination of the cliff face and the hill made the tree a shaded place to sit with a wonderful view. As would be implied, Hermione liked going there with a book to pass spare afternoons.

"You really think so?" Ron asked Luna guardedly. Harry and Hermione stopped walking and listened intently.

"Oh yes," she replied in a sing-song voice. "Do you not remember the hats I wore?" Ron flushed.

"Well... yes... but..." he paused for a moment. "You always wear weird hats. I didn't know you were coming to the Quidditch matches to watch me." Hermione cringed.

"That lout," Hermione whispered. "When a girl says she's been a fan of yours you don't call her weird."

"Ronald..." Luna trailed off with a sigh, almost as if she was expecting him to respond as he had. "Of course you didn't know I was wearing fantastic hats because you were on the team. That's why I'm telling you now." She smiled as if recalling a fond memory.

"Er... yeah, I guess you're right."

"She sure let him off easy," Harry whispered. "I'd have gotten hexed with the way women have responded before."

"Wait, does all of this mean that you want to... uh... bemygirlfriend?" Harry got the feeling that Hermione would have exploded at his thickness had she been able to.

"Yes," Luna said, staring into his eyes. "I suppose that would be nice." Ron rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably and turned to look at the castle in the distance.

"Ummm... well... I guess we could go back to the castle then and... play a game of chess?" Hermione shot a glare at Harry, as if to say, 'You're as bad as him'. Luna nodded, somewhat more solidly than normal.

"That sounds nice." Ron got up and started walking towards the castle without a glance back. Harry thought he was going to have to restrain Hermione. A few steps away however, Ron stopped and turned as Luna caught up.

"Er... sorry. I'm a bit thick when it comes to this. I probably said a few things that upset you already, so I'm sorry, even though I don't know what they'd be." He looked down at his hands, like they were covered in blood and he was wondering who's it was. "I suppose I shouldn't have started off like that."

Nervously he offered a hand to Luna, who took it gracefully and began walking immediately, tugging Ron along behind her.

"Come Ronald. I want to show you how a Ravenclaw plays chess."

Harry was about to start off after them when Hermione grabbed his arm. He looked over and she shook her head no, so they watched the pair walk off until they disappeared into the castle doors. Harry glanced at the map before removing the cloak and looking inquisitively at Hermione.

"I... I can't believe him!" Hermione practically hissed. "He hasn't even broken up with Lavender yet!" The look on her face was one Harry had never seen her wear before, like a mixture of exasperation and pity, but after a few moments it all washed away into a clear expression of defeat. "Is he ever going to change?" she whispered.

Harry wasn't sure if Hermione wanted an answer, but decided to give her one anyway.

"Everyone changes," Harry said. "Look at me. Am I anything like the quiet little boy that got on the train six years ago? And look at you... you've got a confidence and purpose that your younger self wanted but didn't have." Hermione remained silent, so Harry pressed on. "Ron has changed too. When we came to Hogwarts he was... well he was an 11 year-old boy, just like me. He didn't even really have the concept of goals, or purpose. Now he's not a boy trying to be his older brothers, he's really trying to find a way to be himself. You can't honestly tell me that you think Ron hasn't changed..."

"No," Hermione said slowly, "you're right. It's just..." She turned and faced Harry fully, eying him as if deciding whether or not he was the right person to talk to about this. "Harry, I've always felt... older than my peers. Out of place. I don't know why, but a part of me expected that to fade as everyone else, er, caught up." She looked down. "That sounded horribly vain."

"I know what you meant," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "And you're right about it, so it's not exactly vain. Are you upset because you feel like Ron hasn't matured as much as you thought he would?"

"I guess," she replied with a sigh. "I'm..." she glanced over at him again. "Harry, you won't think horribly of me if I just vent for a moment, will you? Let it out? Don't watch what I say?"

"Err," Harry mumbled, his brows furrowing. "Of course not Hermione."

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and like someone flipped a switch, she seemed to crumble in front of him.

"I feel so alone, Harry. Not the same way you do, but just as surely." Her words we coming fast now. "All my life I've felt like an outsider to everyone my age. I don't know... I can't... I don't understand what it's like for most everyone our age. How they can all make such obvious mistakes before learning it's not a smart thing to do, instead of just learning that from other people's experience." She paused and pulled a ragged breath, crying.

"Sometimes I feel like everyone around me has flobberworms for brains. Not because of their marks, or how smart they are... there's plenty of people in our year that are just as intelligent as I am. But because they seem to lack any kind of common sense. And as soon as I think that I feel horrible, because I really don't think I'm any better of a person than they are, but I can't stop feeling irritated by it every so often.

"And then I find myself falling for a boy who really does have a heart of gold, but constantly decides to hide it under all the rubbish parts of himself! It's infuriating! I feel angry at myself for liking him, and then angry at myself for getting angry at myself over something so selfish and petty!"

Harry just nodded, trying to follow along.

"I don't think that's an issue any more though," Hermione said ruefully. "Not after what he said this morning, and not after what he's doing to Lavender right now." She looked around, her eyes resting on Harry's. "You know, in some ways he knows me much better than you," she said more softly. "He... what he attacked this morning was the part of myself I'm most ashamed of, and he knows that. My vanity and narcissism. My fear that I'll let being clever go to my head. But what use is being clever if it doesn't make you happy?"

It wasn't until this point that Harry really understood what Hermione meant by needing to vent. She wasn't even providing the full measure of every thought she was expressing, just the parts that were bothering her, and he found himself at an utter loss as to what to do or how to respond. He looked at her tear streaked face and smiled sadly, realizing that he was still rubbish at crying girls.

He gave it a moments thought, and decided the best course of action was to let her self-reflection be her own, and instead focus on Ron.

"You know... I agree that what he's doing to Lavender isn't right, and she's a nice person, she doesn't deserve that. But in the end this is all probably a good thing." He looked up at the tower, picking out his dorm window for a moment before turning back. "Obviously not the way it happened, but him and Lavender couldn't work, not really. Luna though I think could help him. Maybe complement some of the things that he has trouble dealing with on his own." He reached up and gently gripped her shoulders. "I'll make him talk to Lavender tonight though. He's like the brother I never had, and I reckon that's the sort of thing brothers do for each other."

Hermione smiled at him, a much more relaxed smile than he'd seen in a long time.

"Thank you Harry, for everything. For listening, and being a good friend. To both of us." She leaned forward and pulled him into a brief hug before pulling back and laughing the sort of laugh that lets all your stress and tension melt through your skin.

"Are you really okay, Hermione?" Harry asked quietly. "I know you... well at least used to fancy him. I can't imagine that goes away in one conversation."

"No, it doesn't," Hermione agreed, a sad smile on her face. "But this wasn't really the beginning of that process, it was the end, I think. He's been driving me mad this whole year, and honestly has been putting more and more strain on what I'll tolerate. This was the last straw, not the first."

"I understand," Harry replied. And for once, he really thought he might. "Do you want to go do something else?"

"No," Hermione replied evenly. "I'm going to grab a good book and have a nice, relaxing spring weekend." She smiled, her expression looking all the more genuine for her puffy eyes and tear-streaked face. She'd be okay.

"Well have a nice afternoon," Harry told her with a grin. She walked off and Harry sat down for several minutes, looking out over the lake. With everything going on, with the Hocruxes, with Dumbledore, with Malfoy... it was nice to have some normal problems to deal with. After a half-hour of enjoying the unseasonably good weather, Harry picked up the cloak and headed back toward the castle.

::XX::XX::

"This whole day has been crazy," Harry thought out loud. "And it's barely noon." His stomach growled loudly. "Well, can't think on an empty stomach, especially after missing breakfast."

Harry made his way toward the Great Hall where lunch was being served, still lost in his thoughts a bit. Somehow, his conversation with Hermione had left him feeling unreasonably calm. Harry scanned the tables and noticed Malfoy sneering in his direction, which caught his attention immediately. Malfoy had been almost entirely ignoring him all year, which was odd, so the sudden return to his regular behavior was highly suspicious, and Harry was immediately on guard. But after a few seconds, he realized there wasn't really anything he could say or do right that moment, so instead he look toward the Gryffindor tables for familiar faces. It was very early in the lunch period, and the only person he knew well at the table was Neville. He seemed to be examining a parchment rather fervently, and it looked as if the lunch he'd dished himself was untouched.

"Hello Neville," Harry said, sitting down next to Neville. He startled and quickly put the parchment into his pocket. "What's that?"

"Er, nothing," Neville said, immediately putting some food into his mouth as his cheeks blushed slightly. "Jush an ashignmen." Harry gave him a skeptical look before shrugging his shoulders and grabbing some food for himself. This day had been all over the place.

Harry finished his lunch without further conversation, Neville having left soon after he arrived to go work on the assignment he supposed. It wasn't until he got up to leave the Great Hall that he noticed tMalfoy's odd looks from across the room had changed again. It wasn't the usual disdain and superiority, or the new and unfamiliar dismissal and disinterest, but something else... resolve?

Harry brushed it aside, deciding that he was just going to have a normal Saturday today, giving Draco a stiff glare as he left. He lazily made his way back to the common room and decided to work on his own homework while he had some free time. He set up his things in the corner him and Ron liked to use for studying and dove into his assignment, a particularly nasty one for Charms on the mechanics of mind-altering spells, especially memory charms.

He scrawled on his parchment, trying to finish, but after several hours realized that he was still a few inches short and had no idea what else to say. How did Hermione always find more to add? Sighing, he stowed his things figuring he wouldn't be able to get any more work done today, and glanced at the window. It was starting to get dark.

There were plenty of students in the common room now, it being nearly dinner time, and he found with particular peculiarity that Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all missing from the common room. He shrugged it off and decided to go to dinner, figuring he'd find them there.

Walking through the halls, Harry got an odd feeling, as if he were being watched, and several times stopped to glance around, gripping his wand tightly, only to find himself alone. This day was turning out to be rather strange.

He entered the Great Hall and immediately spotted Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table, pointedly ignoring each other. It used to constantly frustrate him how they did this all the time, but after Hermione's speech, he felt he understood a bit better just what their dynamic looked like.

"Hey guys," he said, sitting next to Ron. "What's your day been like?"

Both of them gave him an odd look, and Ron sighed before giving him a reply.

"Different," he said shortly. "Talking with Luna was... interesting." Harry noticed his friend's ears getting red, a sure sign of embarrassment.

"Yes, well at least she's understanding," Hermione scolded. Ron scowled at her before shoving a bite of food into his mouth. Harry simply remained silent, hoping the awkward moment would pass, and began to dish up his plate.

"Well..." Ron started, clearly deciding his next words. "I think I've been a little bit harsh in how I viewed her before. Like I said, talking with her was interesting." Again Harry noticed Ron's ears reddening. Could him and Luna... well, Harry didn't really think of Luna as being 'his type', but then, he never really got to know her well enough to determine that. Perhaps there was a side of her that he didn't know. Regardless, he wanted his best friend to be happy.

"I think it's great, you and Luna," Harry said carefully, causing Ron to redden a little more. "She was really helpful last year with the DA, and... she was very helpful after what happened with Sirius." Both his friends turned their gazes directly at him, asking without saying anything for him to elaborate. He felt a little embarrassed talking about it.

"Right before the term ended she had a short conversation with me, while I was feeling depressed. It made me feel a little better, like she knew what I was going through, what with her mother and all." Harry paused. "But Ron... you have to break things off with Lavender. If you don't do it after dinner I'm going to do it for you."

"What?" Ron asked heatedly.

"C'mon Ron," Harry sighed. "This isn't you. You're my best mate. I'm not going to let you be 'that guy' if I can help it."

Ron seemed to deflate a little, before getting a thoughtful look on his face.

"I suppose you're right," Ron said with a heavy sigh. "I can't imagine Bill doing that."

The three of them nodded in unison and continued eating their meal in silence. It wasn't until they were nearly finished that Harry noticed something odd.

"Hey guys? Has Malfoy or any of his friends been in here?" Hermione and Ron both looked around the room for them before shaking their heads.

"No," Hermione said, giving him a suspicious look. "Why do you ask?" Harry shrugged.

"He was acting strange earlier at lunch. He was eying me with a weird look, like he knew something I didn't." Harry paused. "That usually means he's going to try something." Ron snorted.

"That little snake doesn't worry me at all."

Harry wasn't so confident, but voiced his agreement, seeing as how his friends thought he was paranoid on this topic. The trio were among the last to leave the Great Hall, and were halfway to the common room before Harry put his hand in his pockets and noticed something missing.

"Uh," he said, stopping. "I don't have my wand."

"What!?" Hermione screeched. "How could you forget that? I don't even recall you taking it out of your pocket." Harry shook his head.

"Neither do I." He checked the rest of his pockets. "It's probably back in the Great Hall."

"I'll go with you to get it," Hermione told him, starting back the way they'd come.

"Well I'm exhausted," Ron chimed in., "and I've still got that conversation with Lavender to deal with. I'm going back to the tower, talking to her, and then I'm going straight to bed. Good luck with the wand." Harry waved, and walked over to Hermione as they made their way back towards the Great Hall.

::XX::XX::

Harry and Hermione were about halfway back to the Great Hall when she spoke into the silence.

"Harry, have you ever thought about me that way before?"

The question was so jarring that Harry stumbled and barely caught himself from falling down one of the many flights of stairs.

"Like... that!?" he repeated dumbly. Oh Merlin, what's the right answer here? But as Harry glanced at her face, he seemed to recognize that she wasn't asking with any expectation. Or at least, without any sort of 'right answer' in mind. She looked as if she were just genuinely curious. "Uh... well, no. To be honest, there's... someone that I've had my eye on this year."

"Yes," Hermione nodded, seemingly in agreement. "Ginny. But I wasn't really asking about now, I was asking about ever. After our talk earlier... I don't know. It felt like for the first time I could just really be myself with a friend and not worry about making you avoid me or ignore me. And these are the sort of frustratingly rational thoughts that pop into my head that I never speak out loud."

"Oh." Harry was quiet for a few seconds. "Hermione... I'm not sure that part of me functions as a normal person. I mean, my life..." Harry trailed off. "Well, I haven't really had a lot of people to talk to about that sort of thing growing up, have I? The only one before Ginny was... Cho. But that was so flimsy and fleeting, I'm not sure it counts. I've..." He got quiet as his face began to redden. "I've never really felt like I do with Ginny before. I don't know what else to compare it to."

She looked at him evenly and Harry began to panic, sure he'd said something wrong.

"I don't know Hermione, maybe there's something broken about me. I mean you're beautiful, and intelligent, and you've always stood by me, but it's honestly just... never crossed my mind." He glanced at her, kicking himself for digging himself a hole once again with a girl. "I mean, it's not that I shouldn't have... shouldn't be! I mean, I don't know why I feel the way I do. Half the time I'm not even sure what I feel." Harry paused and let out a long sigh, passing his hand through his messy hair. He looked over when he heard a sort of rattling from Hermione, and after a few seconds he realized she was holding back laughter. "Alright then," he said, a bit peeved that she would find his discomfort so entertaining. "What's so funny?"

"Oh Harry," she said fondly. "You're so noble that it's both funny and endearing. In fact—" they both stopped instantly when they heard a sound from behind them.

They quickly turned around and saw nothing. Hermione got her wand out, and they gave each other a quick glance. Someone with an invisibility cloak?

"We know you're there." Harry said, suddenly feeling very naked without his wand.

"Is that right?" a voice from around them said. Harry's eyes widened. No! Not him! Not here!

Harry's scar suddenly erupted in searing pain, and he fell to his knees, clutching his forehead. He had to do something!

"It's... Him..." Harry spat out, and Hermione immediately turned to look all around them. Harry watched as Hermione spotted the Dark Lord, apparently behind them again, and blasted a spell at him. He watched in agony as a green bolt hit her in the chest, a look of surprise locked on her face. Time seemed to slow as she fell, her wand falling from her grip, and she hit the floor hard, completely limp.

No... She can't...

"What a pitiful Mudblood," Voldemort hissed, finally coming into Harry's view. "All too easy to dispose of."

"No!" Harry yelled out.

"Oh yes," he replied with a smirk. "She is, in fact, quite dead. See?" Harry watched in horror as he knelt down next to Hermione's lifeless form and poked her with his wand.

"Get away from her!" Harry raged. Voldemort laughed in an odd, wheezing manner.

"Would you like to see for yourself?" He reached out with his long, bony fingers and grabbed her face, turning it so that Harry could see the lifeless expression it was wearing.

"Don't you touch her! Get your hands off of her!"

Voldemort laughed again, reveling in his victory.

"It's really a shame. She was quite brilliant for a Mudblood. I can see why she was attractive." The comment was absolutely infuriating to Harry. Hearing him comment on Hermione's attractiveness... it was simply unacceptable.

He felt a surge of strength, the pain seemed subdued, and he quickly got to his feet. She couldn't be dead. He'd get out of this somehow and get her to Madam Pomphrey.

"Now, now. Don't worry yourself too much, for you're just about to join her." Harry didn't care what he had to say, and lunged at the Dark Lord, who effortlessly stepped out of the way. Harry fell down, and quickly rolled onto his back, looking up at the terrifying figure over him.

"You..." Harry managed to spit out. Voldemort laughed maliciously, looking at him like a lion looks at a gazelle.

"Yes," he said, raising his wand above his head. "Me." The wand began swishing through the air. "Avada Kadavra!"

Harry saw a flash of green light and everything turned black.

::XX::XX::

Harry opened his eyes with a jolt. He was in his bed. He looked around frantically. How had he survived? How long had it been? Was Hermione alright?

He glanced around and saw Neville leave the room. Looking at the other beds, he saw all his classmates sleeping normally. Harry jumped out of bed and got dressed as quickly as he good, noticing that he felt completely fine. His wand was even sitting on his nightstand, where he always leaves it.

He pocketed it, and dashed out of the room, spotting Neville near the portrait in the common room.

"Neville!" Harry called out, startling the boy. Harry rushed over to him, which seemed to frighten his classmate. "Neville what happened?"

"Wh—What do you mean?" Neville replied nervously.

"What happened to Voldemort?!" Neville nearly dropped his wand at the question.

"I—uh—I don't know what you're talking about Harry..." The Boy Who Lived was beginning to get visibly frustrated.

"Surely you know about what happened! Someone had to have brought me up to my bed, though why I'm not in with Madam Pomphrey I don't know." Neville went from looking frightened to confused.

"Harry... last night you came up to bed with Ron after you two played several games of chess. No one carried you." Harry was startled by this answer. That was what he'd done the night before he'd... died...

"Uh... What's today, Neville?" The boy gave him an odd look.

"Saturday." Harry's mind raced.

"Yesterday, did I spill my cauldron in potions?"

"Yeah," Neville said nodding. "All over Malfoy's station. Slughorn thought it was funny and Malfoy was fuming." Harry's eyes glazed over. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." Harry said off-handedly. Maybe it had been a dream.

"Well... I better be going then," Neville said, nodding goodbye to Harry and stepping out through the portrait.

What in the world is going on? It might have been a dream, but it was so real. Harry pondered the possibilities for a moment. It could be a vision. Yes, he decided, that had to be it. He stopped for a moment. All the visions he'd had before were of the present, not the future... he knew from experience that there was such a thing as prophetic messages, but as far as he knew, this wasn't how they came about, and he didn't think he had any special clairvoyant gift. There was only one thing to do: find Dumbledore.

Harry stepped out of the portrait hole and made his way towards the Headmaster's Office, stopping at the statues momentarily.

"Uh... Chocolate Frog? Lemon Drop?"

"Weasley's Weezes," a voice said from behind him. Harry turned to find the Headmaster looking at him curiously. "Trying to find me, Harry?"

"Er, yeah." Harry followed the old wizard up into the circular room. "I had... a vision of sorts. About today."

"What kind of vision?"

"Well, it was about the whole day really. It was like I lived the entire day, or something. The important part of it was that... Voldemort killed me and Hermione... in the castle." Dumbledore's eyes glanced at something on the far wall before looking down at his desk.

"And how confident are you that it was not simply a dream?" Harry looked at him unsure.

"Well... I don't know... it felt very real."

"Has anything from your vision come to pass yet?"

"Uh," Harry paused briefly. "I suppose. In my vision I woke up about this time and saw Neville leaving the dorm room. That was also how I woke up today. But other than that... well... nothing else in the day has had time to happen I suppose."

"Of course." Dumbledore nodded. "Did your vision show at all how Voldemort was able to get into the castle?"

"No," Harry said. "I... He just appeared where me and Hermione were right after dinner."

"Well, let me know if anything else comes up Harry, but I'm afraid there's not much to be done." He sighed. "I would suggest that you don't go about your day as you saw yourself do in your vision, as that didn't end too well. I'll be alerting Professor McGonagall to keep an eye on the situation, and we'll be looking for anything out of place." Dumbledore fixed him with a serious look. "Let me know if you see anything else."

"Of course, Professor."

::XX::XX::

Harry left the Headmaster's office and went straight to Gryffindor tower. He felt a little jittery, remembering his own death so clearly. And Hermione... Harry glanced toward the window. It was starting to get lighter outside, and in an hour or so Ron would be up to go see Luna.

Wait... if things are the same, then I might be able to help.

Harry went up the stairs to his dorm, and quietly pushed open the door. Seamus and Dean were both up, getting ready for the day. Harry looked over at Ron's bed and saw him still asleep.

"Hey Harry," Seamus said with a smile. "You're up awful early." Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I had to go see the Headmaster." Seamus and Dean gave each other a quick look before continuing to get dressed. They knew that there were plenty of things Harry might need to talk to Dumbledore about, few of them good, and they also knew that it was probably pointless asking what exactly those things were.

"Well, we've got to get going," Dean said, buckling his belt. Harry's eyes, unbidden, glanced down at Dean's trousers, before he quickly searched for something else in the room to stare at. Dammit Ginny.

Harry waved goodbye to the pair and went over to his own bed, pulling out a piece of parchment. Perhaps it would be good if he wrote down some of the things that happened in his vision, so that he could make sure to change them. He readied his quill.

-Fight between Hermione and Ron.

Harry paused. Hmm... he could change that by telling Ron who the secret admirer was. But how to explain it?

-Say something to upset Hermione in common room.

Harry grinned. He could change that by helping Ron avoid his argument in the first place.

-Listen to Ginny explain the fight.

Another item that could be avoided by fixing the first item.

-Eavesdrop with Hermione on Ron and Luna.

Harry supposed that he didn't really need to change this item at all, although he wasn't sure how it'd work out if things didn't happen the same way.

-Listen to Hermione explain herself

Harry paused. He had rather liked how that conversation had changed their friendship. It had felt more... genuine. More person-to-person. But he couldn't think of a way to have that conversation without also allowing the fight between Ron and Hermione.

-Go eat lunch and talk to Neville.

Harry stopped again, thinking about the memory. The way Neville had acted had been very odd, like he was trying to hide something embarrassing.

-Work on Charms homework.

Harry supposed he'd still have to do that. Although, it was rather helpful that his vision had given him a full outline for how to do the assignment.

-Go to dinner and meet Ron & Hermione.

Another item that would probably happen the same no matter what.

-Lose wand?

-Go back to retrieve it with Hermione.

This was the thing he had to be aware of he decided. Not only would he be able to defend himself if he'd had his wand, but him and Hermione would never have separated from the bulk of students. He'd have to pay close attention at dinner to make sure he didn't leave his wand lying around.

-Pain in my scar.

-Hermione dies.

-I die.

Yes... he'd definitely be looking to avoid that. Harry set the parchment aside and massaged his temples. This was a rather weird situation, and he wasn't sure he could really wrap his mind around the ideas of causality. Were these things supposed to happen?

Harry reached into his pocket and checked his wand. Still there.

::XX::XX::

Ron began to stir, and Harry looked over and his friend slowly rose from his bed.

"Mornin'..." Ron said groggily, rubbing his eyes. Suddenly, he stiffened, and seemed to come fully to his senses. "Oh," he said softly, clearly recalling something. "Today's Saturday."

Ron jumped out of bed and began to dress, and started looking through his things.

"Are you by chance meeting someone this morning Ron?" Harry asked as innocently as he could.

"Er... yeah..." Ron's ears suddenly began to get red and his face got cross. "Did you read it!?" Harry looked at him confused.

"What? No!" Harry looked over the parchment he'd been using. "I... had a vision last night. About today." Ron's features softened as he waited for Harry to continue. "It was about the whole day, really. From beginning to... end..." Ron crossed his arms. "Well, anyway in my vision I asked you what you were looking for and you told me it was a note from a secret admirer that you were meeting."

"That's—" Ron cut himself short, his face turning red.

"I think it's brilliant, Ron!" Harry encouraged. "But... well it does cause a problem." Ron's shoulders stooped.

"What, is it someone mental or hideous?" Harry paused. Well... Luna couldn't be described as mental.

"No, that isn't what happens. You go down to the lake to meet her and you see Hermione." Ron instantly brightened, his face flushing with a huge smile. "But..." Ron's mirth stopped, and he stared at Harry.

"But?"

"Well..." Harry didn't really want to be the one to tell his friend, because he knew that Ron fancied her, but it was really the best thing for him, wasn't it? And that's what friends did. "Hermione isn't the one who left the note." Ron scowled.

"You're just saying that because you're jealous." Harry stared at him slack-jawed, well and truly shocked.

"What!? No! I'm not jealous at all! I don't feel that way about Hermione. The reason I say that is because you have a terrible fight with her, and she slaps you across the face, and stops talking to you. Something you say to her really infuriates her." Harry decided against going into all the details Ginny told him in his vision.

Ron, for his part, seemed to be in deep thought, as if deducing whether what Harry said had any merit. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders drooping again.

"I don't suppose you know who it is then?" Harry opened his mouth, and stopped himself. Should he tell Ron?

"No, I only saw the fight."

"So it's not Hermione then?" Ron said dejectedly. Harry shook his head.

"No. I'm sorry mate... I know how you fancy her." Ron's face got red again, and he seemed to try and sputter a reply before finally looking back at his things. "But, I think I'd much rather have a girlfriend who isn't Hermione than no girlfriend at all, wouldn't you?" Ron smiled at the thought turning back to Harry.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I got to fix my hair—"

"—because she likes the windswept look. You told me in my vision." Ron gave him an odd look before turning back to his things and searching once more.

"I'd certainly like to have a word with this other me and tell him to keep his traitorous mouth shut," Ron grumbled.

"Oh, one other thing Ron," Harry said, remembering part of his conversation with Hermione in his vision. Ron turned. "You need to break it off with Lavender. Today. If you don't do it, I'm going to do it for you." Harry stared directly at Ron, trying to convey the seriousness of his intent.

For his part Ron didn't fume, or get upset, or even look annoyed. He simply looked at Harry's face, paused, and nodded.

"Blood hell, Harry," Ron said after a few moments. "You were like the spitting image of Bill for a second there."

Harry watched as Ron left minutes later. What should he do? He didn't have anything else he wanted to change until around dinner time. Harry picked up the parchment and looked it over again.

"Maybe I should see how it's going." Harry put the parchment away and walked over to the window. He could probably see what was going on right now like he had before. He smiled, pleased with himself as he saw Hermione staring on with apparent happiness as Ron and Luna talked to each other. Ginny seemed to be chatting with Hermione, and they both waved before heading towards the castle.

Harry mentally congratulated himself. He'd successfully changed the day for the better, at least this small part of it. It gave him hope that he could avoid his fate later that evening. The thought made him reach into his pocket and check for his wand again. Good, still there.

::XX::XX::

Gathering his school things, Harry trudged down to the common room to get his Charms homework done, only to find Hermione sitting at the table already. She must have come straight up to work on homework as well. She caught sight of him and brightened at seeing him carrying his books.

"That's very responsible of you Harry," Hermione congratulated. Harry nodded, setting everything up before sitting down.

"Yes, well, this assignment should be easy since I've already done it once." Hermione gave him a questioning look, and Harry looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I had a vision last night about today. About the whole day, really. It was like I lived today yesterday. Anyway, one of the things that I did in that vision was my Charms homework, so I figure it will be easier to do having already done it once."

Hermione set down her quill and glanced at his parchment before looking back up at him with a worried expression.

"Harry, what happened in your vision? You don't usually get visions without a purpose." Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, well..." He trailed off, trying to figure out how to tell her. "I already talked to Dumbledore about it, so it's going to be alright. Told him everything. But... in my vision... after dinner..." Harry paused again and glanced around once more, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "You and me were killed."

Hermione's face darkened, and she asked him a wordless question with her expression, to which Harry simply nodded. It was Hermione who glanced around this time before speaking.

"How did he do it? In your vision."

"I don't know. One minute we were walking back to the Great Hall by ourselves to get my wand which I'd left there, and the next I was on the floor, you were dead and he was standing over me." Harry felt uncomfortable revealing such a fate to one of his best friends. "But it's not going to happen, obviously. I told Dumbledore all about it, and I'm making sure my wand is always with me, so that we don't get separated today."

"Why..." Hermione paused, giving him an odd look. "Why were you and me alone? Why wasn't Ron with us?" Harry shrugged.

"Ron said he was tired and went on without us," Harry offered, declining to mention the other task of talking to Lavender he'd been assigned that night. "I don't know if he was alright." This answer seemed to trouble Hermione further, and so Harry tried to change the subject. "I know it can be changed though, because I've already changed something today."

"What's that?" Hermione asked, instantly intrigued. Harry grinned. She always had a very 'Hermione' look whenever she was curious about something.

"Ron and Luna. In my vision, Ron went down and thought you left him the note, and you two had a terrible row over it. And then when you came back up I said something that upset you as well, and... well you two had your biggest fight ever." Hermione gave him an odd look, like she wasn't sure what to think about it. "But instead, before Ron left this time, I told him you didn't leave him the note, and you two didn't fight, and not he's having a better day and so are you." Harry smiled proudly.

"I wonder if that was the best thing to do," Hermione wondered out loud. Harry gave her a slightly incredulous look.

"Of course it was the right thing to do," Harry told her. "All of us are having a much better day because of it." Hermione nodded, but didn't seem to be agreeing.

"Yes, but how will that change the other parts of your vision? The future is a tricky thing, Harry. What if the fight not happening leads to Voldemort attacking us in a different way? Then all of the things you told Dumbledore and all the things you're preparing for now are not only useless, but a dangerous distraction."

Harry stopped. He hadn't thought of that. Maybe that fight had created an opportunity that Voldemort took advantage of, but now that advantage wasn't there. Did that mean he'd try something different? Or nothing at all? Maybe it would still happen exactly the same...

"Well, we'll just have to be careful." An uncomfortable silence settled between them, and they both returned to their homework, until after only a few minutes, curiosity got the better of Hermione.

"What else happened?" Hermione asked him softly, causing him to look up from where he was writing. "I mean... with me. What else was my day like?" Harry scrunched his face up in thought.

"Well, you and me spent most of the morning together. After you slapped Ron—"

"I slapped Ron?!" Harry paused, then nodded.

"Yes. I asked Ginny about it, in my vision of course, and she told me that Ron had been throwing insults at you. He attacked your, and I quote, 'vanity and narcissism'." Hermione's face softened, and it looked like she was about to apologize. Harry raised his hand. "He was just upset and wanted to make you angry."

Hermione's expression because very odd for a few moments, like she was nervous. She seemed to be measuring her words carefully.

"Well that would explain why him and me were so upset with each other. What did the two of us do?" Harry grinned.

"We used to invisibility cloak to spy on Ron while he was with Luna."

"What?!" Hermione shrieked, looking absolutely scandalized. "That's terrible!"

"It was your idea!" Harry told her, not ready to be scolded for something that wasn't his fault. Hermione snorted.

"Well some vision. I don't see why I would ever suggest that."

"Well, you said you wanted to spend the day with a friend, and I suggested we go to the library, and you got upset with me. Told me that you liked doing other things too. So I suggested a game of chess, and you seemed further put out, and suggested the spying." Hermione listened, understanding beginning to dawn on her.

"Ah. Well." She seemed at a loss for words, and if Harry didn't know better, he'd say she looked embarrassed. "Good thing. That you changed all that." Harry gave her an amused look. She'd been scolding him for changing it a few minutes ago. But it seemed she was working on her homework again, and with a sigh Harry returned to his. It definitely was easier the second time doing it.

::XX::XX::

The rest of the day passed with very little out of the ordinary. Harry finished his homework in the early afternoon, right around when Ron came back into the common room, absolutely beaming. Harry had never seen Ron so delighted.

"Harry!" Ron called, bounding over like he had springs attached to his feet. "Harry, thank you for your, um, advice earlier today." Ron gave him an odd look. "For some reason I suspect you knew exactly who left the note, but I won't hold that against you. Today was wonderful!" Harry was at the same time surprised and amused.

"What happened with Luna?"

"I don't know why I never talked to her before," Ron said, as if that was an answer.

"Probably because you were worried about not looking cool," Hermione chortled.

Ron gave her a short glare before his happiness seemed to bubble over once more, and he turned back to Harry.

"Yes, well... Luna is everything you wished most women were like! She doesn't play games and make you guess at what she's thinking, she just tells you! And she's an excellent chess player!" Ron sighed. "And she's rather fetching too, wouldn't you say? Long, straight hair... great eyes... wonderful—"

"Uh, yeah," Harry agreed, cutting his friend off. He was a bit worried about which parts Ron might begin describing. Ron's expression changed, as if a thought dawned on him, and he fixed Harry with a look of pity.

"I almost feel sorry for you mate. I bet she's about the only girl you'll find who will simply tell you what she's thinking instead of play games. Hope you find someone like that." And with that, Ron left, a bundle of energy. Hermione scoffed as he walked away, leaning in towards Harry.

"It almost sounded like Ron was describing himself," she said in a half-whisper. "A bit narcissistic, wouldn't you say?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

Harry snickered in amusement, agreeing immediately. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel happiness for his friend. Seeing how miserable most of the day had been in his vision, Harry was very grateful to have made today better for him. In fact, if Harry allowed himself to think so, he seemed to have done nothing but make today better for everyone involved. He mentally gave himself a pat on the back.

::XX::XX::

The rest of the afternoon was consumed with games of exploding snap, which Hermione surprisingly suggested playing with Harry. He'd never seen her play, but she was very good at it, making Harry wonder just how much he didn't know about her. She'd said that it was 'to relax her mind from a day of studying', but Harry had never noticed her do such a thing before.

And so, early that evening, Hermione and Harry picked their things up to head down to dinner. Ron had left ten minutes earlier, apparently starving. He claimed to have skipped lunch to spend time with Luna, but Harry had never known Ron to skip any meals. If that was true, it was perhaps the biggest testament to his opinion of the Ravenclaw.

Meeting back in the common room, which was beginning to thin, Harry and Hermione walked out of the portrait hole, down the familiar route to the Great Hall. For some reason, the conversation between them seemed to flow easier, and they talked about many things, some not even school related.

In fact, the conversation was so intriguing that when Harry looked around to see how close they were, he noticed they were not even close to the Great Hall. They were, somehow, in a fifth floor corridor near the Astronomy tower.

Hermione noticed at the same time he did, and immediately drew her wand, giving Harry a meaningful look.

"How did we get here?" Harry asked quickly, shooting his hand into his own pocket to withdraw his wand.

"I'm not sure," she replied. Harry's blood turned cold as his hand felt around.

"My wand." Harry said. "It's gone." Hermione looked around frantically.

"Was this how it happened? In your vision?" Harry shook his head.

"No. It happened after dinner." He glanced at one of the portraits and saw movement. "Hey, you!" he called out the painting. "Would you get the headmaster? Tell him we're in trouble." The painting glanced up at Harry's scar before nodding and disappearing out of the frame.

"Well," Hermione started, glancing around the empty corridor. "What do you say we make a run for it?" Harry nodded, and they both took off, trying to reach the relative safety of the Great Hall.

They turned a corner and glanced behind them, when suddenly both seemed to trip, and fell forward. Hermione lost the grip she had on her wand, and it slid some ten feet from where they landed. Right as Harry began to get back up it hit him. Pain. His scar exploded in an all-too-familiar way.

No! he thought. Not like before! Not like in the vision!

Harry looked over at Hermione, to see her transfixed on something out of his field of view. Her face wore an expression of horror and fear, two emotions he had hardly ever seen on her face.

"Avada Kadavra!" A beam of green light struck Hermione in the chest and she slumped over, lifeless.

"No!" Harry screamed through the pain. "Not again!"

"Again?" a familiar, raspy voice asked. "So they were right. You did have a vision." Voldemort walked into Harry's field-of-view, looking down at the boy as if he pitied him. Harry knew that the dark wizard didn't, but it was an act of power. It was a message that Harry was so helpless that Voldemort could afford to pity him.

"I was told by some of my servants that you'd gone rushing to Dumbledore this morning with a detailed account of how I was planning on killing you later this evening." The Dark Lord grinned in a maniacal way that scared Harry. "I must say I somewhat doubted the accuracy of their report, but visions have been known to occur, particularly for those close to death."

Voldemort leaned over, his grin turning into a sneer, his face less than a foot from Harry's. "What is it that you see now?"

Harry tried to form words, last, defiant words, to show that he wasn't afraid. But he couldn't seem to convince his voice to work, and even then, he wasn't sure what he would say.

"A real pity. I had been hoping for a plan a bit more grandiose than what I'll accomplish here. I wanted to savor this moment more, but in the end, I guess all that matters is that there is a moment like this."

Voldemort raised his wand threateningly.

"Good bye, 'the-Boy-Who-Lived'. Avada Kadavra!" There was a flash of green light, then everything went black, and Harry opened his eyes with a jolt, and he was breathing heavily.

He was back in his bed. Quickly he glanced over at the dorm room door and saw Neville slinking out.

Well, Harry thought to himself, slowing his breathing, this is strange.