Title: Just Like Magic

Summary: Similar heartbreaks have Hermione seek Cedric at the Yule Ball and, after a string of uncertainties, ultimately bring them together. But with Voldermort's return can it truly last? A "what if Cedric lived and fell for Hermione" story.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

"How much further?" Umbridge whines.

I almost wanted to smack but I refrained and continued to make my way through the brush in the Forbidden Forest. Grawp had to be around her somewhere and I knew if I remember correctly we were close. I hated leaving Cedric not knowing what was going to happen. We didn't have our wands and I was getting more nervous by the second. Harry shouldn't be out here not with Voldermort on the loose.

"Not far." I finally answer. "It had to be somewhere the students wouldn't find accidently."

I was thinking on my feet and that was dangerous. Harry catches up to me and whispered in my ear. "What are you doing?"

"Improvising."

There was a clearing up ahead and I almost sprinted towards it only to find the rope that had held Grawp torn and hanged loosely on the forest floor. My plan had backfired and I was trying to think of a way to get us out of this. Umbridge, it seemed was pretty hasty with that wand of hers. I looked towards Harry pleadingly.

"Well?" She asked irritation strong in her voice. "Where is this weapon?" When Harry and I didn't answer she screeched in annoyance, "There isn't on, is there? You were trying to trick me! You know… I really hate children."

Just as she approached us with her wand at the ready the sound of a branch breaking could be heard. All three of us whipped our heads to see a centaur at the top of a hill looking upon the scene. He took notice of Harry and a few more appeared with angered looks on their faces.

"You have no business here, centaur. This is a Ministry matter." The centaurs raised their arrows and Umbridge continued. "Lower your weapons. I warn you, under the law, as creatures of near-human intelligence…"

With that insult the centaur up front went to shoot his arrow. Umbridge was too quick for him.

"Protego."

A rope appeared out of her wand and ensnared the centaur pulling on him tightly. It screamed in pain and attempted to wrestle his way out of the tangled web Umbridge put him into.

"How dare you?" She stated as she made her way over to him. "Filthy half-breed. Incarcerous."

With that more growls came from the centaur. I couldn't stand it any longer and I raced towards him trying to loosen the ropes around his body.

"Please. Please stop it. Please." I cried as I realized how useless and futile my attempts are.

"Now, enough. I will have order."

Out of the thicket Grawp appeared and grabbed Umbridge as he had previously held me. I couldn't pay attention to what was happening around me because I seemed to have found a way to loosen the ropes. I freed the centaur and they all began to make their way over to Grawp.

"Do you know who I am?" Umbridge asked.

I heard a screech and turned to see Umbridge with her wand out. The centaurs tried to get to her but are hurting Grawp in the process. "Leave him alone. It's not his fault. No, he doesn't understand."

Grawp shook her and her wand fell to the floor at his feet. Umbridge was scared. It was apparent all over her features.

"Potter, do something." She begged. "Tell them I mean no harm."

Harry's face was blank mask. He turned towards Umbridge and spoke calmly, his voice full of venom. "I'm sorry, professor. But I must not tell lies."

Grawp finished with getting hurt for protecting Umbridge dropped her to the ground the centaurs that quickly grabbed her and take her out of the clearing.

Her screams fill up the otherwise quiet space. "What are you doing? I am Senior Undersecretary Dolores Jane Umbridge! Let me go!"

I made my way over to Grawp and lightly touched my hand to his leg. Smiling up at him with affection, I whispered, "Thank you, Grawp."

Our worries are only gone for a moment. Harry turned to me and his eyes are frantic. "Hermione. Hermione, Sirius."

Without a seconds hesitation we run towards Hogwarts.

We found the rest of the group and Luna on the bridge. The second my eyes found Cedric I raced towards him as if he were my lifeline. Ron told us how he tricked them into eating Puking Pastilles in order to escape and that Luna was searching for them as they exited the building. It was brilliant of Ron but we needed to find a way to get to the Ministry to help Harry.

"So, how we getting to London?" A member of our group asked.

Harry's face turned somber. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you… but I've got you into enough trouble as it is."

We're all shocked at Harry's behavior. After all we've been through he still doesn't understand we're in here for the long haul.

It's Neville who speaks. "Dumbledore's Army's supposed to be about doing something real. Or was that all just words to you?"

There's a quiet moment before Ron adds. "Maybe you don't have to do this all by yourself, mate."

Harry smiled and nodded. "So how are we getting to London?"

Luna answered, "We fly, of course."

It was difficult flying on something you couldn't see. Even as I clenched my arms around Cedric as he held on to the invisible flying horse I realized riding on Buckbeak was nothing! I really hated flying. I opened my eyes for a second to see Ron clinging to Luna who looked perfectly at ease. Ginny and Neville were a different story, as was Harry.

"Do you remember reading about Threstal's?" Cedric asked.

I nod my head against him. "They can only be seen by those who've witnessed death. Bit ironic since it seems we're about to walk to ours."

His hand tapped on mine and he screamed over the wind. "Stay near me. No matter what happens."

"He should be here."

Harry sounded defeated as we stood in the place where he saw Sirius being attacked in the Department of Mysteries. We began searching the thousands of globes around the area looking for a clue as to why the vision had sent Harry here.

"Harry," Ginny called out as she points to a globe. "It's got your name on it."

Harry approached the globe and picked it up. Within seconds it began talking in a faraway voice.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. And the Dark lord shall mark him as his equal but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not. For neither can live while the other survives."

"Harry…" Neville called out and we all turned to see Death Eaters approaching led by a very happy Lucius Malfoy.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked immediately.

"You know, you really should learn to tell the difference between dreams and reality. You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now, hand me the prophecy."

We're all crestfallen. Our rescue mission has turned out to be a coup employed to get the prophecy Harry is currently holding. Our only hope was that Snape understood Harry's message and has warn the Order.

Harry seemed to know we had the upper hand—at the moment. "If you do anything to us, I'll break it."

A sinister laugh sounded in the room and Bellatrix appeared twirling her wand in her between her nimble fingers.

"He knows how to play. Itty, bitty baby." She laughed and then looked dead on at Harry. "Potter."

I felt Cedric grab me and I turned to see Neville tense and point his wand at Bellatrix.

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

She cocks her head. "Neville Longbottom, is it? How's Mum and Dad?"

"Better," Neville stiffens his stance, "now they're about to be avenged."

Everyone's body changes and the tension built. One wrong move and this meeting could turn into an all-out war. Lucius seemed to notice that and stepped forward once again regaining control over the group.

"Now, let's everybody just calm down shall we? All we want is that prophecy?"

Harry's smarted than that. "Why did Voldermort need me to come and get this?"

"You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix screeched. "You filthy half-blood!"

Lucius placed his arm blocking Bellatrix's advance. "It's all right. He's just a curious lad, aren't you? Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made. Which is lucky for you, really. Haven't you always wondered the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord? Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant? Don't you want to know the secret of your scar?"

Words from the prophecy began to play in my head. And the Dark lord shall mark him as his equal…

"All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do is give it to me. Then I can show you everything."

…but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not…

I wanted to scream at Harry not to give it up. That we had already received so much by listening to the prophecy and what we didn't understand Dumbledore could answer. But speaking up now when there was already such thick tension was a suicide mission.

Harry spoke quietly. "I've waited fourteen years."

"I know." Lucius answered already reaching his hand out for the globe.

"I guess I can wait a little longer. Now! Stuperfy!"

All of us screamed out curses and ran. Cedric never let go over my sweater and I was amazed at how well we fought together. We had each others back and seemed to anticipate the other's movements. At times we were joined by others but mostly we were on our own.

At one point a saw Ron run to shield Luna and for a moment a thought hit me as quickly as it escaped. A black figure was racing up to catch us as we ran to meet the group and Cedric and I both hurled a curse in his direction sending him flying into the air.

When we were all grouped together each facing a different direction Ginny hurled a curse at an oncoming Death Eater that sent aisles of prophecies falling to the ground.

"Get back to the door!" Harry screamed.

Without a moment's hesitation we all ran towards the direction of the door. Glass fell all around us and Death Eaters were everywhere but as the door approached we saw our hope. Quickly Neville pulled it open and we all ran through till Cedric closed it with a final click. Thuds and clashes could be heard on the other side.

Ron sighed as he wrapped an arm around Luna. "Department of Mysteries. They got that bit right, didn't they?"

We all lightly laughed and I took that moment survey the room from the tight embrace that Cedric circled me in. It was an empty room with a small archway that was lit up in the center. I noticed Neville searching Ginny for wounds and I smiled despite the situation. Harry was searching the room for a way out as was Cedric who stepped released me to join him.

"The voices." Luna whispered as she stepped away from Ron began walking towards the archway. "Can you tell what they're saying?"

We all looked at each other confused. Luna wasn't exactly a source to be trusted upon when it came to Mysteries. Ron looked uncomfortable and began looking anywhere but Luna.

"There aren't any voices, Luna." He said in an agitated voice.

Ginny spoke up in an anxious voice. "Let's get out of here."

Luna didn't sway from her curiosity with the archway. We all knew you couldn't trust anything in this place and we didn't want her getting into any trouble.

"Luna," Ron called out, "it's just an empty archway. Please, Luna."

His voice was getting desperate. I began to wonder if his desperation was more than just a friend concerned for another friend's well-being. Could Ron and Luna possibly have something going on? Was Ron's affection for me now directed elsewhere?

A whooshing sound and a swarm of black appeared above us and we were brought back to the reality of the situation. The Death Eater's had found a way to us and now we were really in trouble. There appeared to be nowhere out of the circular room.

"Get behind me!" Harry screamed as he ran towards Luna and the archway.

We all raced towards Harry and formed a circle. Soon enough the black figures raced down and grabbed us all one by one. Cedric's hand that had been clasped to mine was torn from it and we were now on opposite sides of the room. The Death Eater that held me plunged his wand into my throat causing me to squirm against his grasp. Harry was left alone by the archway with a very upset Lucius Malfoy.

"Did you actually believe or were you truly naïve enough to think that children stood a chance against us? I'll make this simple for you, Potter. Give me the prophecy now or watch your friends die."

Neville who was caught in the grip of Bellatrix yelled out. "Don't give it to him, Harry!"

Bellatrix pushed her wand deeper into Neville's throat. Neville didn't give her the satisfaction of a reaction except a mild squirm. My gaze turned towards Harry as he seemed at a loss as to what his decision should be. He took the globe out of his pocket and Lucius' eyes widened.

A smile lit up my face as I saw a figure appear behind Harry.

"Get away from my godson."