Stars in the Dark

Disclaimer: I don't own either 'Harry Potter' or 'Walking Dead'. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: When Voldemort died, Beth Potter imagined peace. She got a zombie apocalypse instead. Hope would never be lost though, and it would always be darkest before the dawn. AU. OOC. Fem!Harry/Blaise.

Rating: M for language, violence, adult themes, gore, character death and, oh yeah, zombies.

Author: tlyxor1.

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Stars in the Dark

Chapter One: Atlanta

If I'm forced to travel on

And end up farther from my home

To live forever here alone

Well, I don't think I'll last too long

Atlanta - Ron Pope

They cruised along an endless stretch of highway, their windows down and the wind through their hair. Ron Pope crooned quietly through the speakers, Elizabeth Potter hummed along to the string of velvet tones and pretty words, and at the wheel, Blaise Zabini flicked his gaze over her, lazy smile on his Mediterranean features.

"I don't think this is what any of us imagined when you said you'd show us the world, love," Elizabeth observed, and in her lap, she fingered the pistol they'd liberated from a town they'd passed by hours ago.

"Yeah, well, neither did I," Blaise acknowledged, "But then, who ever imagines the zombie apocalypse?"

Beth cracked a smile, and her verdant eyes were bright. "Touche."

In all actuality, Beth, Blaise, and their four friends had made plans to travel the world for twelve months after their final year at school. Beth had never been out of Britain, Blaise had been determined to show her all she'd missed out on, and the four others had decided to tag along before the real world caught up to them. That was what had brought them to America, in what was their second stop after a road trip around Britain and Ireland.

They'd been road tripping around America, seeing the sites, experiencing the culture, enjoying the food, and what have you. And then, after two months, everything went to hell in a hand basket in one fell swoop.

Behind them, Draco Malfoy snorted himself awake, Daphne Greengrass stirred against his side, and in the back row, neither Theo nor Tracey flinched. They were still out cold, and the way they slept, and after seven years of dorm life, none of the four others expected that to change anytime soon. It was almost just an accepted fact these days, and Beth was impressed that they could be woken up at all.

"Where are we?" Draco asked, eyes still clouded by sleep.

"Somewhere in Georgia," Beth answered, "You've been asleep for a few hours."

"Any change?"

"No," Blaise replied, "We'll have to stop for some more fuel though. I think we're getting close to Atlanta. Fucking mileage system."

Draco turned to look over his shoulder, to the two canisters of fuel they'd accumulated in the last few days. They'd been protected by a containment ward that ensured the fuel didn't spill, the smell didn't spread, and the fumes weren't inhaled.

"Why? He had a comically confused expression on his face, and Beth grinned at the sight."

The presence of the fuel canisters unfortunately meant all their stocked food supplies had been stored in their trunks to avoid contamination - a precautionary measure - and their stockpile of weapons were deposited on the floor beneath their feet.

No one was complaining though, because if it meant less time spent siphoning fuel and therefore, less time at risk of becoming zombie chow, than yeah, they'd travel with twenty litres of fuel in their boot without hesitation.

"That's an emergency supply," Blaise answered, "To be used if we have no access to alternate means."

"Great," Draco deadpanned, dropped his head against the window and stared vacantly towards the scenery passing them by. "Where are we going?"

"Higher ground," Beth explained, "We all know that the cities aren't safe, and travelling isn't really the zombies' strong suit anyway."

"And if Atlanta is like any of the other major cities, it will be overrun," Blaise contributed.

Draco fell silent, Blaise turned off onto a mountain pass, the disc changed to Joshua Radin's velvet tenor, and Beth fingered her pistol once again. She'd never used a gun in her life, had never been near one, but in a situation where close quarter, hand to hand or knife combat was out of the question, it was a justifiable solution.

Especially since the zombies were immune to magic, and outnumbered what was left of the human race a hundred to one - if not more.

And wasn't that an alarming prospect?

"There's a camp," Draco observed and Beth pulled herself from her reverie, curious.

"Should we join them?" Beth queried.

Blaise stopped the SUV a mile from the afore mentioned camp, turned to face the five of them, and gestured for Draco to wake Daphne, Theo and Tracey. He did so without remorse, the trio groaned their protest, but sat up all the same, prepared for anything.

"Alright, so you can all see the camp. There's a lot of people there, and we know squat all about them. There's strength in numbers though, and reasonable justifications about why we should and shouldn't join them. Will we vote on it?"

"We vote," Tracey conceded, "What are the pros and cons though?"

The six teenagers, fresh out of Hogwarts, a war, and Britain, spent a great deal of time arguing the pros and cons of either option, voted, and eventually settled on the decision to join the camp, provided they were actually welcome. Daphne and Theo, the best at diplomacy, would do all the talking, Draco would keep watch, Blaise would stay in the car in case they had to make a quick getaway, while Tracey and Beth would sit in the car, and look pretty, ready to provide cover for Daphne and Theo in case things went pear shaped.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Beth asked Blaise. Her fingers drummed against the length of her wand, ready to start firing at the mundanes at a moment's notice. It wasn't as though the Statute of Secrecy mattered these days, after all.

"Bit late to change our minds," Blaise answered, eyes on Daphne and Theo, who approached the camp without any visible weapons, hands raised and what have you. "Besides, do we really want to continue the way we've been going?"

"No," Beth conceded with a weary sigh, "I just want to go home."

Blaise reached over, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her towards him, where he pressed a kiss to her temple, breathed in the scent of her hair - strawberries - and whispered a promise to get her home, no matter the cost.

"Ti amo, mia bella. We'll get through this mess, Beth. We always do."

Beth smiled, turned her head and kissed him sweetly. "I love you too, Blaise. Per sempre. No matter what."

Their moment didn't last though, because Theo slapped a palm against the passenger side window to grab their attention. Blaise gave him the finger as Beth wound down the window - electric control was the best thing since automatic gears - and the couple waited, expectant, for Theo to update them.

"We're welcome to join them, so long as we contribute to chores and whatever," Theo explained.

Beside him, Daphne nodded her agreement, a tiny, relieved smile on her beautiful face. After all, Blaise had been right when he'd said that there was strength in numbers, regardless of the drawbacks the concept of another group offered.

"Great," Draco deadpanned. "Just what I always wanted."

"Calm your tits, Princess," Theo jeered, "We'll be sure to show you the ropes."

"Fuck you, wanker."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you, Malfoy?"

With amused grins brought on by the byplay, Blaise, Tracey and Beth clambered out of the car and stretched their legs. Draco, already on the roof, unlatched the chords securing their luggage in place, and began to throw down camping supplies and duffel bags. The rest of their possessions - four of their trunks, and the two canisters of fuel - remained safely in or on the SUV, and so without further adieu, they approached the camp, ready to settle for as long as they were able. Perpetual travel was tiresome, after all, and they were each eager for a break. After a week of nonstop driving, with breaks only for the bathroom, petrol stops, sleep and zombie killing, it was the least they could ask for.