After Draco had left for the day, Hermione grabbed a quick shower and got dressed. She then headed downstairs and grabbed some breakfast before Harry and Ron arrived. Just as she was finishing off her cereal, there was a knock on the door so she just shouted for her friends to enter. Since she was inside the room, no password was necessary so Harry and Ron could just walk in with her permission.
"Are we early?" Harry checked when he spotted the nearly empty bowl in his friend's hand.
"No, I was just late getting up," Hermione replied as she headed into the small kitchen alcove and deposited her bowl in the sink. Returning to the common room, she frowned when she spotted both Harry and Ron were empty handed. "No books?" she enquired.
"We didn't take them down to breakfast," Ron replied. "We called for you before we went to get them, we thought we could go study outside."
"Sounds like a plan," Hermione replied with a nod. With Easter approaching the spring weather was kicking in so a morning outside actually sounded quite nice. "Let me go get my bag and throw on a cardigan."
Five minutes later, Hermione had her school bag and she'd thrown on a purple and cream cardigan. Ready to go, she returned to the common room and accompanied her friends up to Gryffindor Tower so they could grab their bags. When they reached Gryffindor Tower, Ron tried to suggest they just take some cards out rather than their school work, but Hermione was adamant they were studying or she was going to head down to Hogsmeade and try and find Ginny or someone. As expected the prospect of her heading down to the village didn't go down well with her friends and they grabbed their bags and headed outside.
When the trio got outside they settled down on the lush grass beside the Black Lake and Hermione was pleased to find that both Harry and Ron got their books out without needing to be prompted. She'd half expected the pair to spend the day trying to convince her that she should be going into hiding, but it looked as though they were going to get a proper day's studying done.
Much to Hermione's delight the trio spent the entire morning studying, with the only conversation in relation to their school work. Not once had Harry and Ron mentioned Voldemort and the war, and Hermione could almost believe they lived in a peaceful world. Sitting on the banks of the lake with her two best friends, Hermione was able to forget all about the darkness in the world, and concentrate on her upcoming exams.
"Do you think we can break for food soon?" Ron asked as lunchtime rolled round.
"Sure," Hermione replied, realising she was also getting hungry.
Just as the trio were packing up to head back inside a rumbling noise shattered the peace and quiet. Thinking it was thunder, the three Gryffindors looked to the skies, but all they saw was clear blue sky and white fluffy clouds.
"Bloody hell," Ron suddenly gasped. "Is that smoke coming from Hogsmeade?"
Harry and Ron turned to where Ron was pointing, and they spotted a large plume of black smoke coming from the direction of the village. As they watched, the faint sounds of screaming and terror began to reach their ears.
"Shit," Harry cursed. "Hogsmeade is being attacked."
"Ginny's down there," Ron cried in horror as the trio took off running towards the school.
Hermione's thoughts immediately went to her boyfriend, and she hoped whatever was going on that Draco had managed to get away unscathed. When they reached the castle, Hermione and Ron stayed outside to keep an eye on the village, while Harry ran indoors to find Dumbledore. By the time Harry returned with Dumbledore and several other Professors, a great deal of the students had gathered outside of the castle.
"Miss Granger, I want you to take charge," Dumbledore announced. "Is Mr Malfoy in school to help you?"
"He went down to Hogsmeade," Hermione replied in a shaken voice.
"Harry, Ron, stay and help Hermione," Dumbledore barked. "I want you to gather the students in The Great Hall and take a roll call. Hopefully some people can make their own way back from the village, but we need to know how many students we've got down there."
"We want to come and help," Harry said.
"Not now, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Stay here and help Hermione."
Before Harry had a chance to say anything more, Dumbledore raised his wand and cast a silent spell. With a nod in the direction of the waiting Professors he then raised his wand and apparated off the premises. The rest of the staff followed after him, and within minutes Hermione was the most senior person in the school.
"You heard Dumbledore, let's get going," Hermione said, deciding that keeping busy would help her keep her mind off Draco, Ginny and everyone else who was down in Hogsmeade.
"Do you still think it's safe?" Ron asked warily. "Dumbledore dropped the wards preventing apparition. What's to stop the Death Eaters coming up to school now he's down in the village?"
"I'm sure he raised the wards the second everyone had left," Hermione replied, even though she had no idea if the headmaster would have even thought about the wards around the school. "But we can't stand here debating, we need to get moving."
Harry and Ron nodded as the trio split up and began herding people into The Great Hall. As they were ushering people back inside, students began to appear coming up the pathway from Hogwarts. Most of them were out of breath because they'd been running, but they managed to inform everyone else that the Death Eaters had attacked the village. The news of Death Eaters so nearby hurried the students up and within fifteen minutes everyone who was still as Hogwarts was gathered in The Great Hall.
After doing her register, Hermione urged people to keep calm as Harry and Ron hovered outside to ensure the students coming up from Hogsmeade got into the castle safely. When Harry and Ron burst through the doors with Ginny and Luna, Hermione felt a surge of relief as she hugged the scared redhead. She then gave Luna a hug, even though the pair had never really been that close.
"Do you know if there's many more people coming back to school?" Hermione asked as she checked Luna and Ginny off the registers. There was still a few students unaccounted for, including Draco and his friends.
"I don't think so," Ginny said breathlessly. "We haven't seen anyone else since we left the village, and we were lucky to get out."
"We were in the changing rooms in one of the shops when the attack started, and we were able to sneak out the back door," Luna provided. "But we had to hide before we could run back to the castle."
"So where's everyone else?" Harry asked with a frown. "Surely they're not stupid enough to be fighting?"
"I think they're in The Three Broomsticks," Ginny replied. "Because it's lunchtime the pub was pretty packed, and we spotted several people running into the pub looking for help and safety."
"Did they get it?" Ron asked.
"Help came from the pub," Ginny answered. "Rosmerta and a load of other adults came out to fight."
"And is everyone still safe inside?" Hermione asked, praying that the pub was going to be safe from the Death Eaters.
"I have no idea," Ginny admitted with a shrug. "We didn't want to risk coming out of our hiding spot. When we did think we can escape unseen, it was easier to come back up to school."
"And safer," Harry said, pulling Ginny into a hug.
Hermione watched Harry and Ginny for a few minutes, before she slipped out of The Great Hall and went and stood at the front door. She could still see smoke pouring from the village, but she was too far away to tell if things were getting worse. As she stood worrying about what was happening down in Hogsmeade, Harry and Ron joined her in the doorway. In silence the trio stood watching the smoke, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
Five minutes later there was another low rumbling and at practically the same time the Dark Mark began to form in the sky over Hogsmeade. Not two minutes after that a silver phoenix patronus swept down in front of the door. The phoenix had barely landed when Dumbledore's urgent voice came out of the patronus.
"Miss Granger, I want you to alert the authorities that we have a serious situation down in Hogsmeade," Dumbledore's voice said. "The Death Eaters are fleeing, but The Three Broomsticks is on fire with students trapped inside. Any seventh years that want to help can come down to the village, via apparition. But Miss Granger, I want you to stay up at school and keep everyone calm."
Hermione's heart sunk at the mention of the pub being on fire, but she kept her composure as she turned and hurried back into school. While Harry and Ron roused the seventh years that wanted to help, Hermione rushed to the nearest Professor's office and flooed the Ministry. She was guessing they were already aware of the attack, but she was informing them about the fire in case they needed expert equipment or wizards trained to fight fires.
"I really should be coming with you," Hermione muttered as Harry and Ron gathered with the other seventh years. Every single seventh year that was still up at school had volunteered to go back down to the village and try and help their fellow students.
"No, stay here, Hermione," Harry insisted. "We'll be back as soon as we can, you just keep everyone else calm."
Hermione watched her two best friends disappear with the other seventh years before she turned and made her way back into The Great Hall. As much as she hated to admit it, everyone was right wanting her to stay behind. Since all the staff were down in the village helping out, the students needed her to take charge. As Head Girl it was her duty to look after the other students, and that was just what she was going to do, despite the fact she was worried sick about Draco, and everyone else that was still down in Hogsmeade.
When Harry and Ron arrived in Hogsmeade they were momentarily distracted by the sight that greeted them. Zonko's and the two shops on either side if it were on fire, but that was nothing compared to the blaze that was roaring at The Three Broomsticks. It looked as though the fire had been launched through the doors and windows of the pub and both Harry and Ron hoped that not too many people were caught inside.
Shaking themselves out of their stupor, Harry and Ron rushed forward to see what they could do to help as the other students did the same. The Professors and various members of the Order were dealing with the fire, and it was made clear to everyone that no student was to enter the pub. Their job was to help the students being dragged from the fire.
The pair were relieved to see several students were already free from the flames, but as they set about helping people they quickly discovered not everyone had been so lucky. A tearful Hannah Abbott informed them that Zacharias Smith had been hit by flying glass when the first explosion struck and he'd bled out before he was pulled to safety. Looking around the pair, spotted a prone body lying a few feet away, and covered by a cloak.
"Terrible," Ron whispered, thanking his lucky stars that Ginny had gotten away safely.
As the rescue mission continued another piece of bad news reached them. Colin Creevey was trapped under some rubble and the fire was starting to spread out of control. Flitwick, Sprout and a few other people were trying to free him, but it wasn't looking good. In fact the fire was starting to spread so much that the Professors started to push those who were safe back even further and they instructed anyone who was fit enough to head back to school and report to the Head Girl.
Harry and Ron were busy helping people get to their feet to head back to school when they saw a group of people stumbling from the pub. Rushing forward to help, they were surprised to find the group were Slytherins. Blaise and Theo were supporting Daphne between them, while Crabbe and Goyle were practically carrying Tracey. Staggering behind them was a barely recognisable Draco, with his blond hair streaked with dirt, carrying an unconscious Pansy in his arms.
"What happened?" Ron asked as Draco gently placed Pansy onto the floor, before he bent over coughing badly.
"She was hit by a flying chair leg," Theo answered. "It knocked her backwards and she hit her head on the floor. She's been unconscious ever since, but she's still breathing."
"What about the rest of you? Are you fit enough to apparate?" Harry asked.
"I think we should be able to manage," Blaise said. He didn't think Daphne was up to apparating, but he was fairly confident Theo would be able to apparate the pair. "But where are we going?"
"Up to school, Dumbledore's dropped the anti-apparition wards," Harry answered. "Malfoy, are you fit enough to apparate?" He asked the still coughing blond.
"Not going anywhere," Draco managed through his cough. "Millicent's still in there. She's trapped under a table."
Before Harry, Ron or any of his friend had a chance to say anything, the blond had turned and darted back into the pub.
"Bloody hell," Ron cried. "Is he crazy?"
"No, he's just trying to help his friend," Blaise said quietly. To be honest he thought Draco was still in shock by the fact the Slytherins had been treated just the same as everyone else. Even though they were children of Death Eaters, or former Death Eaters, they'd received no preferential treatment, they'd been left to die along with everyone else.
"It's bloody madness," Ron muttered. "The rest of you should get going."
"We'll wait for Draco," Theo said.
"At least get further back then," Harry said, offering to help move Pansy. "It's not safe here. I heard McGonagall say they think the whole place is going to go up before long."
The Slytherins exchanged nervous glances as they moved further away from the fire. With each passing minute the fire was getting further out of control, and to the group's horror the adults began to retreat from the burning building. By the time most of the adults were out of the pub, there was still no sign of Draco. There was also no sign of Colin, and Harry and Ron questioned Professor Sprout who they'd heard had been with him.
"He's stuck tight," Sprout answered with a sad shake of her head. "We think his right leg in impaled, and we don't think it's going to be possible to save it."
"So how are you going to get him out?" Ron asked. "This doesn't look very good."
"It's not," Sprout agreed. "I would say we've got five minutes tops before the whole building explodes. Unfortunately we can't get Mr Creevey out in that time."
"So what, he's just left to die?" Harry asked.
"No. Professor Flitwick is with him, and as we speak he's protecting them with every bit of magic he can. All we can hope is that it's enough, and when the fire is under control, they're alive under there."
"So Professor Flitwick is risking his own life to stay with Colin?" Ron asked in awe.
"He is," Sprout answered with a nod, tears prickling at her eyes.
Harry and Ron also got tears in their eyes as they thought about how brave and selfless Flitwick was being. Hoping it worked out, the pair turned back to the burning building to see if anyone else had emerged. As they refocused on the building, they spotted two figures, one of them practically dragging the other one, emerging from the same place the Slytherins had escaped from.
"It's Draco," Blaise cried, pointing to the two figures. "And he's got Millicent."
Several of the adults rushed forward and helped Draco and Millicent away from the burning building, just as it exploded and everyone hit the floor. Burning debris began to fall around the pub, and those still too close got to their feet as quickly as they could and made a run for it. As the debris fell, a piece of burning wood hit Draco on the right shoulder and the blond went back down. Unthinkingly, Harry ran forward and helped his enemy to safety.
"All students back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore announced loudly, as the authorities finally started to arrive.
Harry and Ron took one final look at the burning building, which was now severely collapsed, and praying for Colin and Flitwick to survive, they headed back to school, each of them taking someone who was struggling with them. With all the rushing around neither of them had really had the chance to think about events, but as they returned to school, one thought was playing about in both of their minds. The attack had been about Hermione, and it was just lucky that they'd insisted she didn't go down to the village. If they hadn't been so vigilant, she might have been in the village and she might have been caught up in the attack. Yet again their best friend had been targeted, and they were both determined to make sure it didn't happen again.