"Coventry Carol" By Robert Croo circa 1534... The day after the final fight. Grotesque scenes, be aware!
The worst massacre to occur in the war so far happened on Christmas day. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were assigned the task of making a list of the names of the dead. Unfortunately, the assignment meant that the three of them had to walk amongst the corpses and survey the faces of the innocent.
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
By, by, lully, lullay.
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child.
By, by, lully, lullay.
Hermione tread carefully around Death Eater masks still covering the faces of his followers to gain access to the young students who were mercilessly slain in the midst of the battle. She caught sight of white material beneath a bloody black robe. Hermione shoved the dead Death Eater out of the way. There laid a first year by the size of their body.
O sisters, too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day;
This poor Youngling for whom we sing,
By, by, lully, lullay
She wrapped her arm carefully around the torso and gently tugged on the arm to coax the cold flesh to roll over. She met the face of a young girl. The young Hufflepuff had unruly brown hair. Hermione had to close her eyes to purge the image of herself lying on the cold ground, dead.
Herod the King, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day;
His men of might, in his own sight,
All children young, to slay.
Her eyes shot open as she heard a small breath. She looked down into the glossy eyes of the girl. The young witch was alive, but barely.
"You're going to be okay. I am here to help you," Hermione said as she lifted a few errant strands of curls from the girls face. The young girl smiled weakly and allowed her eyes to close once more.
"No, don't go to sleep. Don't leave me. Stay with me." Hermione attempts were futile. The girl closed her fist around Hermione's hand and left this world in peace, knowing that someone came to look for her and she wasn't alone when she died.
Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee,
And ever mourn and say;
For Thy parting, nor say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.
"Hermione?"
She wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked up at Harry and Ron. "She was a first year. She was in Hufflepuff. She was too young. She was innocent in all this."
Ron knelt down beside the girl and covered her face with a piece of cloth that he had been carrying.
"Come on, Hermione. We have work to do."
The three of them carried on.