Lost Pieces

Chapter Two

Hermione woke with a start, the last thing she remembered was drinking some tea at the edge of the bed and then....

Harry had spiked her drink with the last of the Dreamless Sleep potion. While her first instinct was to be furious, she remembered that she had done the very same thing just a few weeks before to both Harry and Ron when they had needed it. They had just been returning the favor.

She surveyed the room. It was early, only eight o'clock. Ron was snoring over on the couch. Harry's small cot was empty. Wondering what had him out of bed; Hermione took a quick shower before changing into a loose pair of jeans. She first grabbed one of Ron's old quidditch jersey's by instinct, but decided that it was still a little too soon and went with one of Harry's instead. It still smelled vaguely of him and it soothed her nerves.

Feeling invigorated, she went downstairs to look for Harry. She found him asleep in a chair in the lobby.

"Don't tell me you slept down here all night?" She gave him a concerned look. Harry woke and ran his hand through his already messy hair groggily.

"What time is it?" He muttered, stretching out his lean arms.

"It's almost nine. Did you sleep down here?" she repeated.

"No, I came down here when I woke up late last night and couldn't get back to sleep. Just thinking." Harry rubbed his eyes and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Okay. What were you thinking about?" He had a determined look in his eyes that puzzled her.

"I was thinking that you have given me so much, that it is time for me to give something to you."

Hermione's mind went into overdrive to figure out what he was talking about. Surely he didn't mean some kind of physical gift, that much was apparent. That could only mean it had something to do with today and her parents, but what could that possibly have to do with anything?

"Harry I don't understand. You're helping me get my parents back, that's wonderful of you, but I already knew that so what are you talking about?"

Harry had a borderline mischievous look in his eyes. He was certainly up to something and it certainly had to do with her parents. She was growing more frustrated the more she thought about it. It didn't seem fair that he would put any more stress on her by keeping her in the dark about his plans.

"Harry, please tell me what you're planning. I really can't take anymore worry in my life right now." It felt satisfying to see his reaction to the edge in her voice. She was in no mood for games.

"Hermione, I'm just trying to do right by you." Harry looked apologetically at her but didn't offer anything else.

"Harry James Potter, you tell me this instant what you are planning!"

She could tell by the look on his face that he regretted bringing this whole thing up to her, but seeing the fire in her eyes she saw him relent.

"I'm going to tell your parents the truth: that this entire situation is my fault."

Hermione felt her brain go numb for a split second before it was quickly replaced by white hot anger.

"And why would you do something stupid like that?" She asked coldly.

"Because it's true. There were other ways that we could have protected them, protected you, but I was selfish and wanted you with me. I didn't stop you from doing this when I should have. I let you gamble your whole life just so you would be with me and Ron." Harry had his patented guilt on full display, but if anything it made her even angrier.

"Harry stop trying to feel guilty about every little thing!" her voice was getting higher and louder by the second, but she couldn't care less that they were in public. She needed him to know how mad she was.