The Lost Souls

Ch 23 // the start of the end

"Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger, we've found the cure to the de-aging problem"

Hermione woke up with a start and Draco only snored away with a twitch of his nose. After a moment of recollection, Hermione shook his shoulders to wake up.

Slowly he yawned with his arms stretching wide and looked with a squint at who had woken them.

There in front of them was their Headmaster, the school's matron, and Harry Potter back to his old self, looking uneasily at the sight.

It was not his two best friends lying in the same bed just previously wrapped in each other's arms, but rather the small little child with them still in deep slumber.

"You-you have?"

That has got to be the worst news she's ever gotten, right after the one about her father's death. Her real, biological father.

Little Tommy would grow back to his older self, with his more developed brain with all this knowledge capable of killing them all.

It took Draco a moment to realize what they were talking about and he looked in worry and sadness at the child he had gotten close to.

"No, I don't want him to grow up"

He sounded like a child when he said it, but he was greatly distressed at losing the one thing he's ever tried so hard to keep happy and well.

"As much as I agree, he's got to at some point. No one can remain in their own world of imagination forever"

Draco wrapped an arm around Hermione, meeting her hand to soothe their nerves. They liked to be the guardians for Tommy.

"Professor, what if we don't give it to him? What if he develops from the age he currently is?"

"As great as the idea may sound, no one would want the responsibility to raising him knowing who he is"

"But we love being with him. He's actually quite the best child I've ever known" acknowledged Draco.

"Interesting to hear. However, there's still the problem of your classes taking place" reminded Dumbledore.

"But Professor, we've got good grades and Hermione is smarter than all the seventh years and the whole ministry of magic-" Hermione's cheeks went red -"Do we really have to?"

"I'm sorry but all I can offer you is some time alone with him for goodbyes until we give him the potion"

The adults left the room, and Draco looked with tears at the small boy. He was still asleep and he had no clue what was going on.

"Tommy, time wake up" Hermione managed to say through her tears. She gently shook his shoulders, and held on to his hand as he began to wake.

"Hmm-?" He sat up instantly by the sight of the two, especially Hermione, crying. "What's going on? Why are you upset?"

"There's a fix to the situation that gave us the privilege of caring for you. We have to say goodbye"

Tom became even more alert, all sleep out of his eyes. "That's not fair, I don't want to go! I hate you!" He started pounding his fists against Draco, but it didn't do any harm.

"Tom, Tom calm down! We don't like this either, but we can't control this. There's power greater than everything, and apparently we lost against the magic of time. You're going to be okay. I promise you, if you remember us and what we've told you, you'll have much to live for and whatever it may be, it will be great"

Tom started to cry softly against Hermione, and he hugged her with all his strength. She hugged him back and ran her hand through his hair as they did so.