The Story Of Two Paths

Malfoy

"Are you sure of that, Granger?" Can you really keep in control long enough for us to work together for a common cause?" Malfoy asked, still not turning to look at her. Somehow their last fight had become a little personal between them and although she said that she would not apologize to him, he felt that by offering him to stay with them, even if it was for a short time, was in itself a way to apologize and that made him feel, what? Cheerful? Relieved? Satisfied? All of them at the same time? Oh hell, I really have changed if I feel all of that for an 'apparent' apology from Granger. He told himself as he heard Granger sigh, a little closer to him than before.

"I don't honestly like you Malfoy, but I think the feeling is mutual, right?" Was it mutual? Malfoy asked himself inwardly, reflecting on the answer. In the past, the feeling was definitely mutual, but now he could not say he did not like her. What made him hate her in the past was first, her mudblood status, but he no longer cared about that prejudice and secondly, her know-it-all annoying title of best student, which he kind of admired of her now. So at that moment in time, he no longer had a reason to hate her. Of course, that was because he had experienced a change of heart that made him see her in the eyes of his new self. Granger, however, had no reason to see him differently from before, so he understood her skepticism rather well. To her, he was the same old Draco Malfoy who despised her and gave her some hell at times and would probably have a hard time seeing him otherwise.

"Is there any other 'but' after that, Granger?" Malfoy asked, turning to face her and despite his best judgment, could not resist the urge to challenge her with his gray eyes. Hers were still red from the previous cry, but after looking at each other for a moment, he was sure she had accepted his challenge. Hermione Granger was after all, the type of girl who did not cower before anyone, much less before him and he sure like it.

"Yes, we can have a truce for the moment, if you're really here to help us. I will not lie to you Malfoy, I don't trust you, but I can hold my resentment against you, until you prove that this is all a trap. If that time comes, then I'll make sure you're sorry for daring to fool us. Deal?" Hermione said, offering her hand in defiance. Would he take her mudblood hand? She wondered inwardly with a little curiosity. It was one thing to tell them that he had changed and another to prove it with actions. She smiled sweetly as she waited for his reaction.

Malfoy resisted the impulse to smirk back at her. He challenged her a second ago and now she was testing him and challenging him back at the same time. Offering her hand when in the past he would not tolerate being touched by a mudblood, was definitely a fair challenge on its own. Very clever Granger, but soon you will learn that I do not care about that anymore. Not at all. He thought as he took her hand on his and just to prove his point, he brought her closer to him, lowering his head just inches from hers and enjoying the surprise seen in her chocolate eyes. Sorry Granger, but two can play that game and this time it's my win.

"I agree. We got ourselves a deal, Granger." Hermione blushed involuntarily under his intense gaze, before pushing him away to return to her chair. If circumstances were different, he would have laughed. The idea that Hermione Granger was the shy kind of girl would never have crossed his mind. Harry, by the other hand, stood there watching them and thought that the new development between Malfoy and Hermione could bring one of two things. Either disaster or salvation and only for a second, he wondered if Malfoy's challenge would shake Hermione's world in more ways than one. There was something in the way they had stared at each other in a silent struggle of wills, that he could not stop having the feeling, those two had somehow... what was it? Bonded? Was that even possible? Maybe he was going crazy after so many problems in a row. Who knows...

"Can I continue the explanation? The last time, I was... interrupted." Malfoy said, looking at Hermione who held his gaze with a little blush. Just great, are they going to act like kids from there onward? Harry thought, as he sat down beside her. Somehow it all felt strangely familiar, like the moment when Hermione was angry with Ron for snuggling with Lavender. Back then she would not stop looking at Ron with something similar to what she was showing Malfoy now. Anger and defiance. He just hoped she would not end up using the same spell she used on Ron, otherwise their tent would be full of angry birds for a while.

"That would be best, you have a lot to explain, Malfoy. You said that I was going to be murdered by Bellatrix and that it was not Ron Weasley who would follow my same fate, then who will? Is that really written in the diary? And how did Dumbledore know all that? Also, how did you find us here?" Hermione asked, now with all her attention. Malfoy simply sighed, getting ready for the second round. Somehow he had passed his test with Granger, though not without scratches, as she had hit him hard in the face and it still hurt. Now was the time to face Potter, because what he was going to tell them next was going to affect him more than her.

"Some ... circumstances, made the Headmaster wonder what would come to us all in the future and before you ask what circumstances I'm talking about, I urge you to read the diary. The Headmaster was facing some unforeseen problems that I doubt you will believe, specifically if it comes from me, but trust me when I said that it changed many things and it makes him seek answers. In his quest in search for those answers, he read very old prophecies that no one cared about and asked trustworthy seers who he knew of long ago, to came to have a little glimpse of what the future could hold and write everything in a diary, in the hope that it might even slightly alter our future. He confided the diary to Snape, because believe it or not, Snape had become his right hand."

"The hell he had! He was pretending to be his faithful follower, just waiting for the moment when he could kill him!" Harry exploded, now full of fury. Snape was not exactly his favorite person before, but after killing Dumbledore, he became intolerant of him. However, for Malfoy, Potter's sudden rage only proved what he had thought before. This was his second test and the result of their confrontation could lead to something much more painful or dangerous than a simple slap.

"Potter, not everything in this world is as it seems. Snape had a very good reason to become the Headmaster's right hand, other than to wait to kill him when was convenient. They both had a very long story together, so if Snape really wanted to kill him, he had a lot of opportunities to do so in the past. Didn't you ever wondered why the director implored Snape before he killed him? Did you think it was just because he wanted to live? If that is the case, then come and find out the truth behind them in the same way that I did it. We'd better settle this matter now, so we can move on. Use Legilimens on me now and let's end this once and for all." Harry got up and raised his wand to Malfoy, very tempted to do that and discover once and for all the truths and lies behind him, but just before he could do more than think about if he should or not use Legilimens in Malfoy, the pages of the book that once again fell to the ground, begin to rotate as if they had a will of their own until they crouched on a particular page with Harry's name in it.

They looked down when the words (Dear Harry, I regret to tell you that I have kept important information secret from you. If you are reading this now, it means that Draco has been able to find you and perhaps now some of the mistakes I made in the past can be corrected. Please read this and then follow the path of your choice, because Harry, you and everyone else, are free to choose to go ahead or stay behind. Nobody has the right to take that decision from you, not even me), could be easily read on the open page and a chilling sensation ran through Harry's body as he read those words. Just how much information had Dumbledore concealed from him and why?

"Go ahead Potter, read it aloud so that Granger can also know the truth. Then we can make some plans, if you still want me to help you." Malfoy said relieved that the diary had saved him from another difficult confrontation and wished that after they both knew what Dumbledore wanted them to know, they could try to trust each other to change their coming future.

Ron

Hours later while Harry read Dumbledore's diary, Ron Weasley had to admit to himself that of all things he had screwed up in the past, walking out on Harry and Hermione had probably been the worst one. Now that he knew that his family was alright and Ginny was alive and well back at Hogwarts, he had all the time in the world to think. Why did he just bite Harry's head, was beyond him not to mention the way he practically forced Hermione to choose between his two best friends. Yes, he acted like an idiot and at the moment he was not even sure why. It was true that he had doubts as they moved without plans, but that had not bothered him so much in earlier days, as on that day.

Perhaps it was the influence of the locket, as he was now free of it, but at the time he actually reconsiders his decision of leaving them, he had walked into a band of Snatchers. He was lucky they were not the brightest of the lot. Still, with adrenaline running wild on him, as well as his fear of being rejected for what he did, he ended up Disappareting near Bill's cottage. He didn't want to go back home, fully knowing that both of his parents will end up being disappointed of him, once they learned that he had dared to abandon the friends he had sworn to help. He knew that they would not say anything in front of him, since he was still one of their children, but they would think about it once they were alone. In the end, he had thought that choosing to go to Bill's cottage, as it was located near a cliff overlooking the sea, was simply the perfect place to think things through and make a decision that could change his life from one way or other.

Fortunately for him, both Bill and Fleur didn't ask him the painful questions he wanted to avoid at all costs and leave him alone with his remorse. They knew something was wrong, but at least they kept their worries and curiosity to themselves. Now, the question that continues to show the inside of his head was what to do from then on. Of course, he wanted to go back to them and apologize for his outburst, justified or not, he was out of place. They still had to find the Gryffindor sword to destroy the locket and find the rest of the Horcruxes. Maybe he could try to find the sword...

"Bloody hell! Why did I ruin this?! Why I didn't come back after getting rid of the Snatchers?" He asked himself, frustrated. What good would it do him to find the sword on his own, if he didn't know where to find them? He supposed they had probably left the forest, and if that was true, how could he find them again? Thinking of how desperate his situation was, he rose from the edge of the cliff and put his hands in the pockets of his pants, it was cold, so maybe it was better to go back to the house. He took a few steps forward when one of his hands touched something he had forgotten was there.

Ron paused in his slow progress toward the cottage and pulled out the Deluminator he inherited from Dumbledore. If his memory served him well, Dumbledore's will say that he left him the Deluminator in the hope he thought of him when he used it. What was the meaning behind that, he did not know, but on impulse he clicked the Deluminator in spite of not having lights near where he was. Maybe it was out frustration or something else entirely different, but he found himself sadly laughing, when the thing didn't work, just like anything else on that day.

"Oh, come on, I need some help here ..." He said mostly to himself, but to his great surprise a light appeared in front of him. It was a kind of bluish light that seemed to pulsate as it floated in front of him, like a kind of signal. Yes, it was typical of Dumbledore to create strange ways of helping others, yet hope had been sown inside him while he looked at the light just a few steps in front of him. He had no idea what the light could do or mean, but in any case, he was sure it was there to help him out as he had asked. He was going to ask for a way to find his friends again, but before he could gather the words another voice was heard. Ron looked back, expecting Bill or Fleur calling him, since it was late, but behind him there was nothing but darkness.

"Good Lord, I think I'm going mental ..." Ron whispers to himself, but the distant voice was heard again. This time Ron looked at the light and approached and what follows then make him tremble deep inside.

"Dear boy, two options are in your hands at this time. If you take this light, it will guide you towards your friends wherever they may be, but you can also help them differently. A war will hit Hogwarts soon and many lives will be lost because of it. I am sorry to say that death could also touch you closely, since a member of your family could die in this war. If you want to try to prevent such a pitiful future from occurring, then I beg you to return secretly to Hogwarts where your help will be most needed. The road with your friends will merge again sometime. Your presence must be kept secret until the time comes for all of you to act. If this is the path you choose, then say Hogwarts and someone will take you there. Whichever way you decide to choose, remember that the future is not written in stone and that true friendship does not easily crumble, even when tested. Please forgive this old man for leaving you in times of need, but I assure you that I did not leave you alone. Thank you." The voice that seems to come from the light certainly belonged to Dumbledore and his words make him freeze on the spot.

He could try to understand how Dumbledore knew he would leave Harry and Hermione later, his concern at that time was directed at something else. Was a member of his family going to die in the next war? Oh, hell will freeze before letting such a thing happen. Internally, he apologizes to Harry for deciding to follow a different path, but if Dumbledore was right and he hoped he was, then his friendship with both of them will remain true, even if they were separated. He breathed some of the salty air and sighed with relief. Harry's path had already been chosen and his had just been offered. They could settle their differences once they met again, so he would not feel guilty for what he would say next.

"Hogwarts." He said aloud and a second later something seems to appear in front of him. It was a small slender figure with long, pointed ears resembling a house elf. Because of the darkness, Ron could not be one hundred percent sure, but he only knew one elf.

"Dobby, is that you?" Ron asked as he saw the elf approaching.

"Harry Potter friend, come, come, we have to go now, come ... somebody's waiting for you." And with a touch in his hand, both disappear in the night.

Snape

"So, it's finally starting?" Severus Snape asked the portrait of Dumbledore in his office. The man with the glasses nodded in his usual calm.

"I think so. Dobby had left the kitchen to pick up Ron Weasley and will soon be reunited with Aberforth at Hog's Head and I think Draco found Harry and Hermione."

"Will the last ones end well? The three are not exactly friends." Snape said a bit worried about Draco. The boy had recently experienced not only torture but major changes in his life as well.

"There's no need to worry, I think they can come to an understanding once they have a chance to know everything."

"I hope so, Dumbledore, we don't have much time left." Snape said as he looked at the case where the Gryffindor sword rested. He needed to give it to Potter soon, but he was unable to do so now.

"I hope that too, Severus. I hope so too." Dumbledore said wishing for a better future, where fewer people would pay for his mistakes.

AN: Thanks for the review and stones. I'm new to this site so I honestly don't know how this system works. Still, for the two kind reviewers, this one is for the both of you. Hope you like it. 😍😄❤