I do not claim to own Harry Potter or any recognizable characters. I do, however own any unrecognizable characters, ideas etc. Please refrain from using any of my plot without my permission. It is the polite thing to do as I have worked hard on my creation of this story.
Legacy
Chapter 14
"I'm stuck."
"What was that?"
"I'm stuck!"
Hermione whirled around, brows raised in disbelief as Ginny went to assist the Greek princess.
"How can you be stuck? You were just laying there sleeping!"
"Yeah, well, you would be stuck to if you have vines suddenly wrapped around you!" Seren snapped at the brunette.
A sense of foreboding hit Hermione as she moved closer to where Ginny was trying in vain to pull Seren free from the constricting vines.
"Ouch! Not so hard Ginny!"
"Well I'm sorry Seren, but I can't get these damn things loose. It's like cutting through rubber." The red head exclaimed in frustration throwing her knife to the ground.
Hermione scanned their surroundings now eerily lit with the gray morning sky. After her 'magical episode' a few hours earlier she decided to let her companions sleep while she pondered what had happened as she kept watch. She knew, she just knew, that Lucius was nearby. She could feel it in deep in her magical core.
"Gin, stop. Let me have a look."
The youngest Weasley stepped back to allow room for the smaller witch. Hermione knelt down next to Seren and instructed the raven-haired witch to still her movements. She pursed her lips in thought as she swiftly ran through her mental lists of magical and muggle plants coming up blank. Her eyes followed the trail of vines leading from the dark forest.
She was hit with a sudden inspiration.
"Seren, I'm going to try something. Wait here, and I will be right back."
"Wait, where are you going?" Seren called after the retreating witch, struggling with the tightening vines.
No answer came as the petite witch vanished into the thick trees. Ginny shrugged helplessly at Seren's questioning glance. The two witches stayed in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity before a blood-curdling inhuman screech cut through the heavy air.
Ginny jumped to her feet, knife in hand, ready to charge into the trees after her friend when Seren's shout stopped her. Looking back at the roped witch, her jaw dropped as the vines holding her companion captive disintegrated in front of their very eyes. Scrambling to her feet, Seren jumped backwards, putting distance away from the scene brushing ash off of her clothes. Shakily, she made her way over to the gaping Ginny.
"What just happened?"
"I happened."
Both witches whirled around to see a blood spattered Hermione join them. She looked tired but was grinning triumphantly. Seeing their confused expressions she took pity on them.
"I figured that the vines had to come from somewhere so I followed them into the trees to find the source."
"Why are you covered in blood?" Ginny asked slowly.
"Oh, that. Well, apparently the vines were extensions of a rather nasty bush that seemed to feel as if I would make a good breakfast. I stabbed at it with one of my knives while dodging the branches. This is the result." The brunette gestured to herself.
"You have some blood on your face." Ginny said motioning to her cheek.
Hermione chuckled. "I have blood everywhere."
"You should wash up before we go."
Nodding in agreement, the curly haired witch turned, intent on rinsing off in the river, when a bolt of red shot by, barely missing her cheek.
All three witches crouched instinctively as they scanned their surroundings. Movement down stream caught Hermione's sharp eye as she nudged her two companions.
"They found us! Fuck! I knew he was close!"
Her low voice was filled with loathing as they eyed the moving figures. Glancing at each other they knew what they had to do.
"Ladies, we gotta jet. Now. We'll enter the trees keeping the river in sight and follow it." She held up her hands as Seren opened her mouth to protest.
"Look, I don't like it anymore than you do, but the trees do offer more cover than the immediate area around the river which happens to be open. We really don't have a choice. Now go, one after the other. I'll cover you."
"Mione, you are tired and using wandless magic is too draining." Ginny protested.
"I'll be fine, Gin. Now go!"
Seren rose first and sprinted as fast as she could into the trees. Cursing could be heard in the distance as she disappeared from view.
"Go, Gin!"
Reluctantly, the youngest Weasley stood and prepared herself for her mad dash into the shelter of the forest. She ran as fast as she could, barely managing to avoid a purple hex that was thrown her way. She heard Hermione cast the Protego shield just in time for another hex cast the red head's way to bounce harmlessly off.
Hermione took a deep breath before standing. She spared a glance at their pursuers before running at full speed. She literally had to duck; spin and leap as an array of spells were cast her way. Finally, she was in the safety of the trees.
"Keep going!" She shouted to her companions who were standing waiting for her to join them.
They didn't need to be told twice. All three witches sprinted in the trees dodging branches as best they could. Oppressive silence surrounded them except for their labored breathing as they ran as if their lives depended on it.
Which it did.
Ginny felt the blood pounding in her head with every step she took but forced herself to push on following in Hermione's footsteps. She knew that Seren would be suffering as well, but for once she remained silent.
Suddenly, Hermione stopped causing the red headed witch to plow right into her.
"Damn it Mione! Watch what you are doi……" Her voice trailed off and her eyes widened at the sight before her.
She could hear Seren panting for breath as she joined them.
"Holy Merlin! What is that?" The princess asked tremulously pointing to the sloped ravine in front of them.
"A ravine." Hermione replied flatly.
"Yeah, but one filled with skeletons!"
"I know, Gin."
"What do we do now? Go down there with the remains of what looks like humans and animals or go back to the river?"
Hermione chewed her lip in thought. No matter what choice they made, it would most likely not bode well for them. She closed her eyes, weary from staying awake all night, her wandless spell casting and their flight from the Death Eaters all of which had sorely taxed her strength. She was on the verge of freaking out, but could not allow herself that luxury. She had to remain strong if they expected to get out of this alive and in one piece.
"Personally, I would rather face the known than the unknown." Ginny said, her voice firm.
As if to punctuate the red heads statement, black tendrils of mist snaked towards the trio of women from the graveyard of bones below.
"Not again!" Seren cried out.
"Follow me. I have an idea." Hermione said determinedly as she dove through the thick trees forging her own path back towards the river. She ignored the branches that whipped at her face as she literally leapt over fallen trees.
"What are you doing? The Death Eaters are that way!" Seren called out shrilly from the rear of the group.
"I know! Maybe this mist will attack them and leave us alone!" Hermione shouted back.
If we are to die by this strange mist, I'll be damned if we don't take a few of those Death Eaters with us.
"It's gaining on us! Go faster Mione!"
Heeding Ginny's words, the petite witch practically flew across the forest floor, her companions hot on her heels. Finally, they could see the opening of the trees and burst forth from the dank woods only to land themselves in the midst of their hunters.
Avery gave a shout as he was almost barreled over by the brunette. Before he could raise his wand she delivered a blow to his face knocking him down. Only pausing long enough to let Ginny and Seren take the lead, she cast a look around the momentarily stunned group of wizards her gaze meeting that of her former partner's. Amber eyes met steel ones in a clash of wills.
"Mione!"
Breaking the eye contact, she sprinted as fast as she could towards her companions.
"After them!" Lestrange yelled spurring the hunters into action as they raced after the fleeing witches.
Swiftly gaining on Hermione, Lucius poured on the speed until he reached her side. The petite witch easily avoided his grasping hands as he lunged for her shirt. Silently she willed her two friends to continue to stay in front of her.
"You'll have to do better than that Lucius! Personally, I would be more concerned by that mist chasing you than us poor defenseless girls!"
"What are you on about girl?" The blond wizard asked bewildered.
"Take a look behind you!" Hermione called over her shoulder climbing the steep hill, her pace rapid. He glanced behind him, and stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.
"Run you fools!" He shouted to his fellow Death Eater's, not believing his eyes, but believing in the eerie feeling that crept over him at the sight of the ominous mist.
Severus catching onto the fear in Lucius's voice looked behind him. He could not control the involuntary shiver at the sight of the huge area the dark mist was spread over. He knew something was seriously wrong with this place and he cursed Voldermort inwardly for "honoring" him with this mission.
"Draco, pick it up!" He barked at the younger wizard behind him.
"I am!" The blond wizard said through clenched teeth. He could see his father up ahead; gaining slowly on Granger as they ascended the hill.
Hermione sent a small prayer up to whatever deity may be listening as she pushed her exhausted body to move faster up the incline leaving Lucius hopefully floundering far behind. Heart pounding in rhythm with her steps, she almost missed Ginny's signal to stop as she was desperately trying to ignore the burning in her calves.
Skidding to a halt she felt her heart drop as she looked over the cliff face into the churning water below.
"Fuck!" She breathed out.
"What do we do now?" Seren screeched.
Hermione looked around their surroundings quickly. She chewed on her lip as her thoughts raced frantically.
"I'm not going to sit around here and wait to be taken!"
"Seren, shut up!"
"No, you shut up! I am tired of you giving us orders that have led us from bad to worse!"
"We have about thirty seconds before the first of the Death Eaters reach us." Ginny interjected nervously.
"That's that then! I will take my chances in the woods!"
With that parting statement, the raven-haired woman disappeared into the cover of the trees.
"Mione? What do we do?" Ginny asked in a shaky voice.
"Go, Ginny."
"I can't just leave you!"
"Then don't!" The petite witch snarled in anger. "I don't know what to do!"
"It's too late anyway." Ginny said sadly seeing Lucius nearing the top of the hill, the pursuing Death Eaters a short distance behind him.
"Where's the mist?" Hermione asked lowly. "It disappeared again."
Ginny looked around her wildly. "I don't know!"
The petite witch looked towards the woods where Seren disappeared. Realization clicked.
"Fuck! It's after Seren!"
"What do we do?" The redhead asked panicking.
"Run, Ginny. Run. Go into the forest and find Seren. You have to get out of this godforsaken place. Find a way to get back home!"
"But..but.. I can't just leave you!"
Hermione shoved the younger witch away from her. "GO! Tell Harry and Ron….tell them that I love them and I will always be with them!"
"Wait, what?!"
"GO GINNY!!!! NOW!!!!"
The redhead turned and ran towards the woods not daring to go against the order of the older witch. Why was it that she felt that her friend had just said farewell? Tears streaming down her face blurred her vision as she reached the tree line and turned seeing the Death Eater's advance on her friend.
From a distance, she could see Hermione turn towards her. Wiping her tears away, the youngest Weasley raised her hand in parting.
"Farewell Hermione."
A sudden breeze carried her words towards the beautiful witch who was determinedly holding her ground. Not wanting to fail the petite witch, Ginny turned and entered the forest, intent on finding Seren and wringing her royal neck.
"Mudblood!" Dolohov hissed. "How nice it is to see you again. When last we met, our time spent together was way to short and you were not looking much like yourself."
"Dolohov." Hermione said stonily in reply.
"One little trapped birdie with broken wings. Can't fly away to safety, now can you?" Lestrange crooned.
Hermione shivered, her vision dimming. She remembered her bloody and battered body tied to a post in the courtyard of that muggle compound. She recalled the raven she had seen and deliriously conversed with. How ironic, here she was standing once more on a precipice, this time literally, and covered in blood, again. Broken wings, indeed.
"So what now?" She asked, her tone challenging.
"Why now, we return to the Dark Lord with you as our offering. Then we will hunt down your two little friends."
Hermione slowly stepped backwards. She judged that she only had a few more steps to take before she met the edge of the cliff and plunged into the icy rapids far below.
"Why don't you just kill me now? You have to know that I will never go anywhere willingly with you." She said levelly.
"Ah, of course. The reputed stubbornness of one Hermione Granger." Dolohov said with a wicked smile. "Come now my dear, we will not harm you….much."
Lucius gripped his wand tightly as his fellow hunter eyed Hermione lasciviously. His eyes flashed silver and he found himself taking a protective step towards the witch.
"You will not touch her!" He growled, his wand pointed at Dolohov.
Everyone swiveled their heads to look at him with varying expressions of disbelief. Hermione gaped incredulously before taking advantage of the distraction and backing up a couple more steps. She only wished that she had her wand because she knew there was no way that she could perform wandless magic. She was too tapped out.
"What's this? Malfoy wanting a Mudblood all for himself?" Avery asked mockingly. He licked his lips. "Antonin and I already drew straws on who gets a turn with her first. Sadly, you weren't the lucky bloke."
"You will not touch her!" The blond wizard repeated, his voice devoid of any emotion.
Avery raised his hands in surrender. "Alright. I won't touch her…first. Antonin won that privilege."
"Stand away from her Dolohov!" Snape's dark voice commanded the wizard who had taken a step towards the lone witch.
"What is it with you two? Who cares if we use the Mudblood for our own personal use or not." Rodolphus exclaimed impatiently. "Just grab the bitch and let's get out of here."
Severus swung his wand in Lestrange's direction. "Just try it."
Angered over Snape's and the elder Malfoy's behavior, Avery raised his wand and aimed for the Potion's Master. A wand tip at his temple made him check himself.
"Don't even think about it." Draco said menacingly.
Confused, Hermione watched the drama unfold from her very precarious position at the cliff's edge. While she did not truly want to die, there was no way that she would leave willingly with these wizards. It was imperative to Eredita to have Severus, Draco and Lucius's cover remain intact with the Death Eater's for as long as possible.
"Fine, fine. We will let the Dark Lord decide who has her. No harm will come to the Mudblood….now."
"Agreed." Severus said lowering his wand at Rodolphus's statement. Draco backed off of Avery seeing his own father lower his wand.
Antonin sneered at Lucius before turning and advancing on the former Head Girl. "Now, now my pretty, you are coming with us."
Hermione knew that if she reacted the wrong way, they would cast a body-bind on her, and she couldn't have that. She wasn't stupid. She knew what awaited her once she was returned to Voldemort. She refused to be the victim again and she could not put Severus and Draco in the predicament of feeling obligated to save her and blowing their cover in the interim. As for Lucius, well, he was a wild card. She could not even begin to guess what he would do.
She lifted her chin proudly and her amber eyes blazed with pride and acceptance. She looked at each Death Eater in turn, her eyes lingering on Draco and Severus, before turning her burning gaze to Lucius.
His heart clinched as he read the message in her eyes.
"NO!!!!!!" The anguished cry burst forth from him as he moved swiftly to her side.
Severus was stunned after having briefly using his Legilmency on Hermione during their moment of eye contact. Before he could react, Lucius was running towards the witch to stop her.
A small smile crossed the beautiful witch's face before she spun around and swan dived off of the cliff leaving behind a group of shocked Death Eaters. Not pausing,Lucius dove after the witch a split second after she disappeared from view. The raised shouts of his comrades barely registered with him as he reached out with his arms, willing himself to fall faster in attempt to grasp his witch.
'Hermione!'
The petite witch glanced upwards at the mental call and was gobsmacked to see the hurtling form of Lucius Malfoy within a hand's reach of her. Suddenly, she was enclosed in two strong arms holding her trembling body close. Two hearts beat as one, as they continued their plummet to the icy water below. She grasped him tighter in response to his strengthening hold on her.
Severus and Draco were the first to reach the cliff's edge and to see the two falling bodies holding each other tightly. Casting the featherweight charm in hopes of slowing their descent, the Potions Master cursed as the spell fell short due to the great distance between them.
The two wizards could only watch in horror as their fellow Eredita council members hit the water hard, disappearing beneath the crashing waves.
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A/N: And I'm going to end that there. The next chapter will have steamy content in it so I will try to keep it within FFN guidelines. For those of you who don't know, I have started to post this story on Adult (under the same penname and title). I may or may not change the story arc on AFFN but I am leaning towards changing it, but it will mostly be the same through Chapter 10 as it is on FFN.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE HORRID DELAY IN POSTING!!!!! My boss had a mild stroke so the past month has been very chaotic. Hopefully, I still have fans out there! I plan to go on a writing frenzy this weekend and should have at LEAST one more chapter posted by then.
Please, please drop me a line and let me know you guys are still there reading!
Once again, my deepest apologies to you the readers for the looooong delay in posting!
F.L.