Chapter 14: The Two Hermiones

This is not happening!! This entire past year has been a long, elaborate nightmare and it's time that I ended it for good!! Okay……. Ummm……. Blink a few times!! That'll do it.

I blink but nothing happens. I blink again, and again, and again, and the scene never changes; my best friend still lies apparently dead on the leafy ground. Voldemort has collapsed as well, but he is completely blocked from view by his worried followers. I can't even see where he lies under the tangled mass of panicking Death Eaters. But Harry, he just sits undisturbed on the moist dirt as no one here other than me cares about his condition. He could almost be sleeping and dreaming if it weren't for the awkward angle of his left arm. I must pay my last respects to my lifeless hero on the hard earth before me. I scrambled out of Lucius's grip and attempted to run to the spot where Harry lays. Halfway there, I stumbled and fell; my weak legs would no longer hold my weight. I didn't even try to get up and walk again, as I'd slammed my knee into a rock as I fell and could fell the bone poking through my skin. I crawled pathetically over to Harry, aware that many of the eyes that originally flickered with fear over their Lord were now amused as they watched my painful journey across the clearing. The blood leaves a long trail in the leaves and dirt on the forest floor.

I reach Harry and collapse into his chest, sobbing my eyes out. They've taken everything from me; there is no reason for me to try to be strong anymore. Who knows how many damn kids Voldemort wants?! However many, I will be forced to bear them for the bastard. I begin to scream now. I beg for God to just kill me so I may see Harry genuinely smile one more time. But God is not that generous; the man upstairs never seems to hear my desperate prayers. My sobs have died down to sniffles and I focus on breathing evenly. That when I feel it; his chest rise and fall. I'd have slapped him senseless for scarring me like that if I thought it would help. Instead I just gasp out my breaths to cover his breathing. He whispers almost inaudibly to me and I freeze up to hear him clearly.

" 'Mione, keep it on the down low."

I nod blankly as rough, hairy hands seize my arms and drag me off his form. Greyback hauls me back to his master, who is now standing at his full height, and I limp painfully to keep up. He growls as he pushes me into the snake-thing's grasp and smirks and my bewildered expression. The images of the night he tried to have his way with me come screaming back into my mind and I whimper as he leans in closer. The bloody nails wipe a tear from my face and he laps it up with his canine tongue, glaring evilly at me the whole time.

"Greyback, that's enough goddamnit!! If you ever look at my chosen with that lust in your eyes again, you will dearly regret the day you were brought into this world!"

Greyback then slinks away into the shadows, mumbling angrily under his breath. Voldemort wraps an arm around my waist to support me and presses my body against his. I can feel his breath on my ear.

"Is he dead, love?"

I remember who he's talking about and gather my strength to sound convincing.

"Dead as a doornail." I whisper quietly, but not quietly enough for a few others to hear.

The circle erupts with screams and cheers of excitement. Firework-like spells are cast into the air as the Death Eaters celebrate at their false victory. Voldemort turns me slowly and examines my body, ignoring the chaos around us. He waves his wand in a quick circle and my bloody swollen leg is instantly healed and like new again. Another flick and the blood-stained white robe transformed into the most revealing outfit imaginable. The dress was pure mesh and the neckline plunged to my belly button; incredibly indecent seeing as I had no undergarments on. The black leather heels were the strappiest he'd given me in the whole ten months since my abduction. My hair was straightened and the dirt was removed from the knotted tangles. My extra baby weight had also disappeared from the spell. I sighed. Once again, I looked like nothing but a cheap hooker. The Death Eaters have calmed down and begin to crowd around Harry and show him some unwanted attention. I gasp when I think of the things they could be doing to him and I can't even see my still living best friend. Voldemort takes advantage of my parted lips and plants the wettest kiss I've ever received in my life on my slightly parted lips. I try to recoil from the disgusting sensation, but his hands are on my back forcing me closer to him. He finally withdraws, but not before bruising my lips substantially. It hurt like hell and everyone had stopped mocking Harry briefly to wolf-whistle at us. Without thinking I slap him, hard, leaving a red mark. One hand covers the reddening blotch, the other grasps my chin firmly.

"Minx." He purrs and turns to join the cluster around Harry Potter.

I stand there trembling and sniffling as I watch the group of evil people surround my friend and begin yelling insults and kicking out at him. I nearly faint; I know he won't last very long against them. Several things happen at once; I hear Voldemort shriek the dreaded Cruciatus Curse, I lunge at him, and another booming voice begins to yell out as well.

"HARRY!!! GET AWAY FROM 'IM YER EVIL…."

"STOP IT!!! Just leave him alone!! He's dead!! He can't harm you anymore, just STOP THIS!!!"

"You dirty little MUDBLOOD BITCH!!!"

Bellatrix pulls me away by my hair as I claw for Voldemort's wand. He whirls around and screams in fury, throwing a bright orange hex directly at Bellatrix. She squeaks and is thrown into a nearby tree and gasps for breath. Voldemort wraps me protectively in his left arm and continues to point the wand at Bellatrix. She crawls away from the cedar oak that she dented.

"All of you, my mistress is quite right; this has carried on for long enough. Come, let us show Hogwart's precious defenders what has become of their hero."

They act quickly at their master's words. Some moments later, Hagrid appears cut and sickly looking. He was the one screaming with me earlier. Four Death Eaters drag a bawling angry BuckBeak up to Voldemort and I. He flicks his wand and the creature calms instantly under the effects of the Imperious Curse. Two masked Death Eaters lift me up gently, still pinching my ass though, onto the hippogriff's back, followed by Voldemort. He climbs gracefully on behind me, settles down and his servants tug the submissive BuckBeak through the clearing. Lucius quickly passes me the baby as I watch Hagrid stoop to pick up Harry's seemingly dead body. His tears glisten as they fall from his cheeks. With Voldemort's hands on my hips, it's considerably harder to tune out my current dilemma. I stare at the glowing twilight sky and rock the baby with a steady rhythm to pass the boring trek through the Forbidden Forest. I kiss him every now and then and cover his ears every time the Death Eaters shout insults to other forest dwellers. The towering defeated castle soon looms into my view and I nearly cry at the destroyed masterpiece that I've called home for seven years. Of course once we reach the edge of the wood, Voldemort makes Harry's death known to the survivors inside. His followers laugh and cheer even more during his victory speech to the hopeless resistance. Corey began to cry from the sudden loud echoing voice that blared into his sensitive ears. I began to rock faster and shush him; my son just cried even harder. I frantically racked my brain to try and figure out what he could possibly want. It then hit me like a semi; he's hungry. I didn't care that I'd flashed about five people or that Voldemort had tightened his grip on my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder, watching me. I pushed the skimpy gown off of my left breast and latched my screaming newborn onto it. He stopped immediately and regained his peaceful expression once more. I watched him the entire time, stroking his hair and whispering quiet lullabies to him. Eventually his eyes fluttered sleepily shut and I kissed his round head again.

Yells of outrage jolted me back to reality; we were at the school entrance and everybody in the resistance was screaming insults at Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Some, like Ginny and Cho, were sobbing hysterically at the sight of a seemingly dead Harry in Hagrid's arms. Voldemort's nostrils flared in annoyance and he slid off the side of BuckBeak and approached the spot where Hagrid stood.

"SILENCE!!!"

All fell quiet. Everyone's eyes were trained to Voldemort. I glanced down at my sleeping son; I had to leave and save him from being raised by a tyrant. I tucked him more snugly into the dress and waited silently. Finally, when I was sure no one would notice me slip away I made my move.

"…… is dead! Do you understand now….."

I slipped stealthily off of BuckBeak and crouch in the grass.

"…… was killed trying to save himself, while you……"

I craw silently through the tall weeds around the entrance, Corey still tucked in my gown.

"HE BEAT YOU!!"

Stopping for a second, I smile at Ron's bravery before sliding to the wall of the castle. I slowly rise and ease along the wall.

"…… not only did I vanquish your precious….."

The broken window is almost within reach.

"…… but I also have your brightest MudBlood….."

I freeze. He'd better not.

"…… bearing my children! There she is ov- Goyle, where the Hell is she?!"

He went there. I smile and slip carefully through the window. No sooner than I am thought the jagged glass, my side gives off a frenzied war cry. The confusion from my escape gave them enough time to ambush the baffled Death Eaters. I waste no time. I tear the hazardous heels from my feet and sprint out into the battlefield, shielding Corey with my body the whole time. Chaos, absolute chaos. Spells are flying everywhere and blood is smeared on every surface. House elves have made armor out of pots and pans and are stabbing enemies with butter knives. The Malfoys tear off in separate directions yelling for Draco; I see him two floors above smashing Dolohov with a picture frame. The hexes are raining down and I need to find shelter. I dive behind a suit of armor in a niche and catch my breath. Before I can even take a proper breath, a hand closes on my shoulder. I nearly scream as I turn face my attacker. I smile instead; it's Luna Lovegood. She's got a black eye and a bloody lip, but otherwise she looks fine.

"There you are; Tonks and Fleur were freaking out! We thought you were dead!! Anyway, come with me. We have a safe place to keep you and….."

"Corey."

"Corey away from these attacks. Follow me hurry!"

We darted from niche to niche for a while before the fighting began to thin and we could run safely in the open. Two flights of stairs above the attack and sounds of combat could still be heard clear as day. We sprinted as if our lives depended on it the last hundred yards to Dumbledore's deserted office.

"DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY!" Luna shouted to the gargoyle before she was even there.

It sprung away at her words and I ran even faster, hearing the fight grow louder and more violent. The office hadn't changed much since I'd last been here. All the instruments still remained in their same places, along with Fawkes. A large smiling photo of Dumbledore had been added to the headmaster's wall. But the most noticeable change was sitting with her ankles crossed, hands in her lap and staring blankly out the large window was a carbon copy of Hermione herself. I felt my jaw drop to the floor and pinched myself with my Corey-free hand.

Oh stop that Hermione!! When have you ever been dream about all this crazy shit in the past year?!