Chapter 43-Grim Realisation

I dreamt of death. The streets ran thick with red, rivulets of blood flowed into the gutter as the fallen lay unmourned, their faces in rictus frowns, as if death was something which puzzled them. Rain poured heavily and the rivulet became floods, blood poured from my own hands. Thick and crimson it fell in droplet like macabre tears.

I staked the streets like La Calavera Catrina, the corpses of those I loved lay at my feet a horrific footpath of shattered bones and broken dreams. Tonks; her hand stretched out to her husband, a last definite gesture of love towards Remus whose face was half shattered. Harry was also amongst the fallen, his eyes glazed, his glasses askew, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

I continue on along the path laid out before me, heedless of the bones that crunch and splinter beneath my feet. Ahead of me is an alter where my bridegroom awaits, his eyes red, 'come my dear', the sibilation of his voice beckons me and I struggle forward although now I want to turn and run.

Before him; on the altar rests something silver, it gleams there, as if it might be a crown but that is not the gift he offers me. It is the cold dead stare of my love, his severed head resting gently on a crimson pillow his eyes wide with accusation-'you betrayed me,' they say.

I have become death personified, blood stains my hands and all who see me fall away in terror. I gather their power to me the now infamous tongues of shadow surround me as I reach out to take Voldemort's outstretched hand and...Hermione woke screaming, sweat dripping from her skin.

"It's alright, it was just a nightmare," Draco's soothing voice reassures her as he runs soothing circles across her back. Hermione wondered if it would ever by alright; what have I become? She asked herself the guilt almost unbearable.


The following morning Hermione and Draco returned to Grimmauld Palace. Hermione flew into Harry's arms as he came to greet her as if she had not seen him for years. He was another source of comfort to her but also a source of regret.

"Hey! Nice to see you too," he said looking confused, "but I only saw you yesterday."

Harry became more confused when Draco gave Hermione a look which could only be described as chastisement.

"I had a bad dream," Hermione told him realising that she needed to cover for her over reaction, "it was so real, I'm just glad to see that's all it was-a dream."

"Are you ready?" Remus interrupted.

"Yes," the pair both responded in unison, "as ready as I'm going to be."

"Do we need to go over the plan?"

"Has it changed?" Draco questioned. When Remus shook his head Draco concluded, "Then let's not waste time."


As Hermione and Draco appeared in Hogsmead, the others disapparating around them, it was preternaturally quiet.

"Something's wrong," Hermione whispered.

"Stay with me," Draco said by way of nervous confirmation that he felt it too.

Using a combination of spells to disguise and make themselves unobtrusive the party made their way towards the passage in the Hog's Head. They saw no one.

"I don't like this," Hermione whispered to Draco, "it's too quiet. It feels like a trap."

They reached the Hogs Head without a hitch but the Inn was unnaturally quiet.

"Where's Aberforth?" Remus asked voicing what they had all been wondering.

Hermione looked at Draco; I don't like this she silently intoned as they made their way towards the Hog's Head passage. Despite Hermione's misgivings they made it into Hogwarts without incident. It all seemed too easy but as soon as they emerged into the corridors of Hogwarts to seek the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw they understood why. All hell had broken loose. Battalions of death eaters dueled with teachers and members of the DA. Hogwarts was under attack its walls had once again been breached.

Immediately they entered the fray Draco and Hermione's presence seemed to cause confusion. No one seemed sure whose side they were on. In the melee they were in danger from both sides.

"You two have to get out of here," Harry yelled across the noise.

"But Harry…" Hermione began to protest.

"I'll be alright," he interrupted, "go to the room of hidden things, find the diadem and destroy it."

Draco knew Hermione would continue to protest so he grabbed her hand and dragged towards the seventh floor.

"He'll be alright," Draco reassured her, "and we have to do this." Hermione nodded her agreement but as they reached one of the many staircases she suddenly froze.

"Draco," she said in alarm, "we still don't know what we are looking for!"

"Shit," Draco swore as he pulled her into the relative safety of an abandoned classroom, "can we found Luna?" he wondered aloud. But meanwhile Hermione had been thinking.

"Ravenclaw towers," she said pulling his hand towards the door. Draco looked at her questioningly, she sighed, "If the portrait is anywhere that is where it will be." Hermione explained.

"I hope you're right," Draco muttered under his breath.

"When am I ever wrong?" she demanded.

Draco merely smirked and tugged her from the room.


Harry found himself cornered. Back to back with Remus and Tonks they took up a defensive stance. Harry knew they couldn't keep this up it was only a matter of time and that was when he felt it. The sicken burn on his forehead. Voldemort!

Suddenly preternatural stillness spread across Hogwarts as Voldemort's voice rang through the halls and corridors.

"Harry Potter," his eerie voice rang out.


Voldemort demanded that Harry meet him in the Forbidden Forest. He gave is word that the others would be spared so long as Harry faced him alone. Hermione knew that Harry was too noble not to agree and that now more than ever the destruction of the diadem was critical. Hermione and Draco raced through the corridors of Hogwarts using the lull in the fighting to speed towards Ravenclaw towers.

They ricocheted round corners, bounced from portrait to portrait asking those portraits that had not fled where they would find Rowen Ravenclaw. Finally they found her standing proud at the entrance to a spiral staircase, the diadem respondent on her brow.

"I have seen this before," Draco said as he pulled Hermione back the way they had come, "I know where it is."

They raced towards the room of hidden things. Draco took her hand to drag her towards the now broken vanishing cabinet. Draco felt sick as he looked at the great mahogany box again but he retraced his steps, there had been a mirror he recalled, and it was covered by a cloth, the cloth he took to cover the cabinet and on the table beside the mirror…

"There," he pointed urgently as he rushed towards it.

Cautiously taking up with the edge of his robe Draco lifted it towards Hermione.

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked her recalling how notorious fiendfyre was to control.

"Yes," she said empathically, "or die trying."

Draco wanted to tell her it that wasn't funny but they had so little time and he understood that they had no choice even if it did kill them.

"Do it," he instructed bracing himself for whatever the horcrux might throw back at them. Hermione said the incantation. The fiendfyre roared into life the diadem began to warp and melt but then the fyre flared igniting the random stacks of generations of discarded detritus that littered the room. It surged, catching light more quickly than anything Draco had ever seen.

"Run!" he hollered.


Author's note

Almost finished now may be two chapters left, sorry for not updating for a few days had a it of writer's block. Hope you enjoy this chapter-as always reviews greatly appreciated.