To Resist
It was a pacing Hermione Granger who growled in impatience when the makeshift door to their hideout didn't open at the time they had arranged. She thrust a hand through her curls, wincing when her fingers snagged on a few of them. Washing was a luxury, since she certainly couldn't use her wand. Voldemort had the Ministry locked up tight and made sure to key to the survivors wands. If they used any magic then he would know, and he would be on them in hot second. It was a good thing Hermione was Muggleborn, or she probably would have gone crazy by now.
A sound reached her ears and had her scrambling for her unused wand on the table. She stood defiantly as a head peeked in, and Neville scurried through the door. Sighing in relief, Hermione let her weary arm drop her wand on the floor. It wasn't like she'd be using it anytime soon anyway.
"I thought you guys had gotten lost or something? I hope you gathered all of the supplies because these rouge scavenger missions are getting…dangerous…" She trailed off when she noticed the look on Neville's face, accompanied by the fact that he was the only one that showed up. "Where's Luna?"
Neville's face dropped even more, if that was possible, and Hermione's eyes welled up at the prospect of their friend captured by those monsters.
"S-she uh," Neville cleared his throat, his own eyes swimming with his grief. "They were going to find both of us. You told us it wasn't safe to go back around the rubble of some of the stores, but we knew it was vital to what you needed. Luna told me to tell you to fix this, and she raced off in front of the Death Eaters."
Hermione cleared her own throat a couple of times and asked the imperative question, "Did you…do it?"
Neville jerked his head in some form of a nod. "Yeah I-I…it was the killing curse. You know she died instantly and quickly. At least they wouldn't be able to torture her for information. I apparated after I made sure she was hit."
Hermione stood there silently until she crossed over to the Longbottom boy. He dropped to his knees, and she fell to hers as she cradled his head in her arms. To have to kill for survival was one thing, but to have to kill your own friend reaped its own consequence. Hermione rocked the sobbing boy, knowing just how hard it was to kill your own friend. They had done it before, and they would certainly have to do it again.
She looked around their makeshift hideout with tears running down her face. She remembered how lively it used to be in here. The Potter Resistance had many bright souls within its walls, but now it was just down to them, The Granger Know-It-All and the Longbottom boy. She promised herself that all their deaths wouldn't be in vain, but as their numbers dwindled and as the Death Eaters grew stronger, she had to wonder if they would be caught eventually.
It wasn't like anyone expected them to be living in Harry's old home on Privet Drive. And they weren't, not really anyway. They had built a makeshift home under it that suited their magical needs when Voldemort wasn't keyed into everyone's wands like he was now. Both she and Neville were tired, but as they held onto one another for safety and comfort, Hermione knew they wouldn't be sleeping easy tonight. She paused in her musings to look over at the runic circle that she had started making as soon as they had set up camp nearly two years ago.
Two years. Had Harry really been dead that long? Hermione didn't remember much about the fighting; only that a Death Eater had snuck up behind Harry and cut him down before Voldemort killed him off. She watched in horror as the light faded from Harry's eyes, a light that she had come to love seeing on her best friend. All the warring stopped instantaneously when they all realized that one was left standing. And it wasn't Harry.
She felt someone jerk her in a hug before he apparated them out of there. It seemed that while Harry, Hermione, and Ron were horcrux hunting, everyone had come up with the alternative that should Harry die; they all had to get out – and quickly. They had ended up in the forest at The Burrow, and she and Neville weren't the only ones. About fifty people had gotten out and Hermione threw herself into action. She knew that staying at the Weasley home was no option unless they wanted fifty bodies on their hands, so she did the next best thing.
She made a portkey for Harry's childhood home out of her scarf in her bag and made sure that everyone had a hold of it before she activated it. They landed outside of his home, right in his back garden. She could see that Privet Drive was empty of life, and that was how she liked it. The less she had to worry about the Muggles, the less she had to worry about overall. Still, she was surprised that even fighting had spread here. She threw open the cellar doors, and everyone paid attention to the plan she was laying.
The Weasley boys she had with her were only George, Ron, and Bill. She gave out orders to Seamus and Dean about expanding the walls of the cellar the only way they knew how – magic. Every request she made of the witches and wizards surrounding her went unchallenged, and soon, they had something worth fighting for.
"You've done it again you know," Neville said with a smile.
"Done what?" Hermione had asked with a confused look on her face.
"Given them hope and a reason to fight. When Harry fell, everyone was devastated. But now, you're the new face of the Resistance, and Harry will always be at your right shoulder as you take command."
"Let's just hope we can survive that long with small victories," she had commented with a smile.
"We'll do the best we can Hermione."
As Neville turned away, Hermione murmured to herself, "I just hope that's enough."
They had done smaller raids at first and soon it morphed to bigger raids that needed ten to fifteen people. They had learned their lesson by walking straight into a trap that Voldemort had set for them. Eight of their own died that day. Hermione wore the scar on her back with pride, a scar she received while covering Neville's prone body with her own while they waited for help in the collapsed building. She hadn't wanted to risk exposure or splinching while apparating, and she didn't want to make any noise unless it brought the Death Eater's crawling back.
When it was safe again, Seamus and Luna had unearthed the two Gryffindor's streaked with grime and blood. When Neville woke up and they explained what had happened to him and how he would have been dead if it weren't for Hermione, he stuck near her through thick and thin. He was desperate to protect her now, like she had done for him.
She sucked in a ragged breath and removed herself from old memories as she held the exhausted Neville. It had come down to them. Two Gryffindor's, a makeshift base, and a whole lot of grief and loneliness were all they had now. Neville had been hesitant about making the round today to search for supplies, but Luna was adamant in the fact that she wanted to be useful. Hermione threw herself into her studies, and Neville always stood guard. Luna was the last alive besides the two of them, and now even she was gone.
She moved her hand to the bag Neville had dropped near his body and let his head rest on his lap. He wasn't sleeping easy, but at least he was sleeping. It was more than either of them got now. Hermione knew that Voldemort had to be scouring everywhere for them now that he knew there was still some Resistance left, and it wouldn't be long before the Death Eaters came knocking on their hideout like they were good friends. The circle would have to be finished tonight. She had all the ingredients for the potion, and she ran her fingers through Neville's messy locks.
"Tomorrow, it'll all be different for us. You'll be the harbinger for a new beginning." She whispered with a soft smile gracing her face.
~0~
Neville snorted awake with a quick and raspy "Hermione!" She looked over at where he was laying on the floor with a grin and a wave.
"Morning, Sleepyhead. You sure needed the rest after last night. You were completely wiped out."
"I can't believe…you mean that I actually slept? After what I did to Luna?"
Hermione put down her stirring wand and crossed over to Neville, who had sat up and was now clutching his head in anger. "I'm so stupid," he murmured.
She crouched down and stared at him until he looked at her. "No, Neville. You're strong; you're stronger than people give you credit for. I guess it didn't cross my mind that this was the first time you had to kill one of our friends."
Neville's eyes widened and he choked on his own breath. "Oh-oh god Hermione I'm sorry. I just remembered that Ron…"
Hermione shook her head. "Neville don't worry. That was more than a year ago. It was established at the beginning that if capture was imminent, the killing curse was used. Our location was far too precious, and besides, would you want Luna to have to deal with…him torturing her?"
Neville shook his head. "No, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I did…I did the right thing. Right?"
Hermione nodded and stood up, holding out her hand. "Yes you did. Now come on, I need you to help me." He grasped her hand and pulled himself up, before moving with her over to the runic circle.
"These are amazing, Hermione," Neville said, standing in the center with a satisfied look on his face. "Wouldn't expect anything less of the greatest witch to ever come through Hogwarts."
Hermione laughed and surveyed all her runes. "Do me a favor and sit down in the center here, will you? I have to make sure of something before I feel it's done." Neville nodded and sat down patiently, watching as Hermione worked.
"What will this do, when you finally get it up and running?"
She smiled up at him before pondering on her answer. "The object of the rune circle is basically focused on sacrifice."
Neville twitched and moved to get up before Hermione put out a hand. "Not like that, Neville. There's a potion I've been working on for quite some time that nulls the effect – to a degree."
"What's that mean?"
"If you have the potion coursing through your body, then the circle will only take your earthly shell. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So?"
"So," she continued with a chuckle. "There are two sets of runes. The set on the outside is for the sacrifice. The set of runes on the inside will send the person's soul and essence back to a period of time of its choosing."
"So we don't get to choose where we land?"
"Nope. That's up to the power of my runes and Merlin's will."
"Merlin, Hermione. You really are the brightest witch of your age." Neville commented in sheer awe at the girl in front of him.
"Because of the last little bit of ingredients you and Luna gathered yesterday, I was finally able to create the potion. Luna's sacrifice wasn't in vain." Reaching up on the table, she grabbed two vials of potion and held one out to Neville.
He took it hesitantly before uncorking it, while she did the same to hers. "Bottoms up!" He said, draining the vial in one swallow. He made a face at the taste before he noticed that Hermione hadn't drank hers. "Hermione…?"
Murmuring a few quick words in Latin, Hermione placed the tip of her wand on one of the runes in the circle. Once that one lit up, the others followed. "Hermione!" A curtain of blue light surrounded Neville and the runes formed a shield that no one could bypass, not even the boy in the circle. "What are you doing?!"
"It was always you going, Neville," she whispered, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "The circle will only accept one sacrifice."
"No! You have to stop this!" He yelled, banging on the magical shield that kept him in the circle. "Hermione!"
His yelling turned to horrified screaming as he heard the pops of apparition outside. "You have to run!"
"The future depends on you, Neville. You will bring a new beginning upon us." Hermione placed her hand against the magical shield, and Neville placed his on the other side. "I don't know what'll happen to you, but if you have the choice, don't forget me."
"Never," he sobbed. "Never, Hermione. Oh Merlin, he's coming. You know he is!"
"I know," Hermione whispered tearfully, the salty drops falling down her face. "I'm his last trophy. But you can stop this, Neville. Change it all! I believe in you, and I'm counting on you."
She held up her still full vial of potion. "This'll kill me near instantly. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of torturing me."
"No!" Neville exclaimed, powerless to stop her from draining the whole thing. She dropped to her knees weakly, and Neville followed her down. "Please, Hermione. Please don't leave me. Please."
She lay on the floor now, taking quick and shallow breaths. She managed a small smile for him and placed her hand on the shield once more. Neville placed his on the other side, and when her hand starting sliding down, so did his. "Please. Please, oh Merlin. Hermione!"
"Live, Neville. Change everything for the better." She coughed quietly, a trickle of blood escaping her mouth.
He curled up in the rune circle and watched the light fade from her eyes before he closed his own. He had given up the will to live when Hermione had died, and Death swooped in quickly for her earthly sacrifice.
The future depends on you, Neville. You will bring a new beginning upon us.
~0~
Thanks for taking the time to read my latest fanfic. I'll update the others when I get the muse.
Nat