Thunder rumbled overhead, and a fresh downpour threatened to empty itself over them. Crookshanks looked anxious.
'We should get inside,' said Draco, and started backing up the steps. Hermione followed, and more slowly, Harry.
Once they were inside, Crookshanks squirmed out of Harry's grasp, landed on the floor, and scampered off to dry out. Hermione and Draco, neither of whom were as wet as Harry, shivered. And Harry just stood there, a widening pool of water spreading out from his drenched robes and shoes.
'Why did you two come haring after me like that?' he said, in a colorless sort of voice. 'And why were you asking if I was all right?'
'Um,' said Hermione, now feeling very stupid indeed. 'We should get you back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry… you're all wet…'
Harry narrowed his eyes at her, but commenced walking up the stairs. They followed. 'That's not an answer,' he said, turning a corner.
'Hermione thought you were going off to get yourself struck by lightning,' said Draco drily. 'To get your Magid powers working. I said, let him, but she would go after you.'
Harry stopped and stared at her. 'Struck by lightning?' he said. 'What kind of idiot do you think I am?'
Her temper flared. 'I don't know, Harry,' she snapped. 'The kind of idiot who tries to get Ron to knock him off his broomstick?'
'Ron has a big mouth,' said Harry shortly, then stopped and stared. Hermione turned to see what he was staring at, and saw him looking through a half-open doorway into a darkened room, through which she could see the faint glimmering of glass.
'It isn't..' said Harry. 'It can't be…'
'What?' asked Hermione, bewildered, but Harry had already squelched past her and pushed the door open. He walked in, and Hermione and Draco, casting each other anxious glances, followed.
It was a room Hermione didn't remember ever seeing before. Large and dimly-lit, one whole wall was windows, now showing the stormy half-darkness outside. On the other wall hung the object that had given off the flash of light Hermione had seen. It was a mirror. Round, with a dark wood border. It was very plain, yet seemed to cast a glow in the half-light.
Harry walked up to it, and gazed up at it as if it held all the secrets of the universe. Water was pattering steadily from his hair, his trousers, the drenched hem of his robes, but he took no notice.
'Harry?' said Hermione uncertainly, and walked up behind him. He didn't turn, didn't even seem to hear her approaching. 'Harry,' she said, 'What are you looking at?'
'Us,' he said. 'I see you and me.'
Hermione looked up into the mirror and saw herself and Harry looking back. 'So do I,' she said. 'Big deal, Harry. It's just a mirror.'
'It's not — ' he began indignantly, then turned to look at her. His eyes were wide.
'What did you say you saw?'
'You and me,' she said, wonderingly. 'There we are,' she said, pointing up at the mirror. Then she squinted. There was something about the reflection of her and Harry — something strange.
'What about now?' said Harry, backing away from her by about ten feet. 'What do you see?'
She glanced back up at the mirror. And her heart turned over. 'Still you and me,' she said, her voice catching. 'Only Harry — in the mirror, you're dry. And you've got — ' She broke off, turning to him. 'What kind of mirror is this?'
'Read the inscription,' said Harry, who was looking astonished, although not as unhappy as he had been.
Hermione read it. Erised stra eh ruoyt ubsi tahwt onuoy wohsi.
Since Hermione was a deal brighter than Harry, it took her only a moment to realize the inscription was written backwards.
I show you not what is but your heart's desire.
'You told me about this mirror,' she said slowly, 'years ago…it shows you your family, Harry…'
'It used to,' he said. 'I still see them. Only I see us in the foreground. I guess,' he said, 'a person's heart's desire can change.'
He was very pale, but he was looking at her, really looking at her, as he hadn't looked at her in days.
Behind him, she saw Draco cross the room to the door, and walk out. Her heart contracted. But she couldn't leave. This was her life, right here in this room.
The door shut behind him, and she turned to Harry.
'The mirror shows you what you want,' she said slowly.
Harry nodded.
'But didn't Dumbledore tell you that most people want what's worst for them?'
'Most people,' said Harry. 'Not everybody.' He looked at her steadily. 'Do you love me?' he said.
'Of course I love you,' she said. 'My whole life I've never loved anyone like I love you. But you scare me, Harry. You can hurt me so easily. That's why I like being with Draco. He wouldn't hurt me, and anyway, he can't.'
Harry spun around, walked a few paces away from her, then turned to face her.
