It's getting exciting up in here! Enjoy!
**Warning: lots of violence in this chapter
"We can scout the area first," Draco stated, walking towards a cabinet in the corner. "Weasley and I are excellent flyers and we have enough brooms." He opened the cabinet door to reveal four nimbus 2000s. An old, beat up quaffle rolled onto the floor at his feet. He replaced the ball and took out the brooms, laying them against the wall.
Ginny bit her thumb nail. "I'll bring all the potions we have. I put an extendable charm on my rucksack at the beginning of the year anyway."
"Throw in any books from the library," Draco said then, "If we get compromised we might not be able to come back here," he frowned as he looked around at the familiarity of the room. He'd miss the place if they couldn't come back. "Put Granger's school bag in there too. She'll probably cry if we don't have it." Ginny nodded.
Blaise's jaw was tight. He stood with his arms crossed, still studying the map. "What are we going to do once we canvas the area? It wouldn't exactly be smart to just waltz right into a death eater camp…"
"Obviously not," Draco said. "We won't know until we get there. Hopefully enough of them will be asleep or drunk or off whoring that we won't have to be seen. It's already dark out. We can wear cast disillusionment charms to camoflauge."
"Sounds like we're going hunting," Theo chided from behind a glass of whiskey. Draco snatched it from him before he took a sip.
"You need a level head," he said sharply and tossed the glass into the fire. Theo frowned. "You too Weasley." Ginny was zoned out staring at the fire. She looked over at the sound of her name and stopped biting her nails.
She stood. "I'll get my bag," she said and disappeared up the stairs.
"Be ready in ten minutes," said Draco, walking towards the fire. The small dragon figurines he'd transfigured for Hermione were sitting there frozen in stone. He ran a hand through his hair nervously and pocketed them. "I don't want to waste any more time."
...
Hermione felt her feet dragging against the cold ground. Fenrir had her by the arm, his sharp fingernails still digging into her skin. It was dark all around, she heard voices but couldn't see anything but Fenrir's glowing eyes. She was thrown against something solid and rough and she felt her back bruise at the force of it. Ropes began coiling themselves around her torso. Luna was nowhere in sight.
"Incendio," Fenrir growled and a fire roared to life in front of her. Her heart was racing as she stared at him. Fenrir Greyback looked just as dirty and vicious as he had back at the university campus, if not more so in the dark flicker of the firelight. He stared back at her with his glowing eyes full of malice.
"Secrets only get you into trouble girly," he spat and he circled the fire. He was approaching her and Hermione felt her pulse in her throat. Her hands were shaking, but the manacles were still there holding them together. "Looks like there's two conflicting things happening, care to talk about them?" he said, standing in front of her.
Hermione turned her face away from him and searched the area around her for any sign of Luna or a way to escape. All she saw was the edge of the frozen lake before a sharp pain was cutting itself across her cheek. Fenrir's claws were on her again, turning her chin to face him. She could feel the blood seeping down her neck as he held her there.
"I was talking to you," he breathed at her, "Hermione or Patricia or whatever the fuck I should call you. Lying about your name is the secret I don't really care about," he said. "Although it's suspicious don't you think, claiming your a pureblood and oh so proud."
Hermione glared at him. "You can see my blood for yourself, figure it out." He shoved her face aside at this. Hermione felt the pain ease up but the blood began to drip onto her shirt. She stared at it, feeling a tightness in her chest.
Fenrir was halfway around the fire again before he pulled his wand out and pointed it at her. He muttered an incantation under his breath and blue light shot from the tip. The blue light shattered against Hermione's left side and she felt pain ripple through her. Her leg buckled at the force and it felt like her body was being crushed under immense weight. She bit her lip to keep from yelling, realizing for the first time what offensive magic really felt like. And it was awful. She looked up at him bitterly, her breathing heavy as she attempted to stand.
"Not so strong as we act, aye little pureblood?" Fenrir laughed. "If only it was so easy to tell just from looking at the blood," he sounded amused as he walked around the fire again. He was in her face, his fingers smearing the blood on her neck as he squeezed her jaw and turned her face to look at him again.
"How come you didn't have a wand on you, pureblood?" he asked then, his thick brows furrowed. "Such a proud young thing wouldn't have been wandering around all those muggle scum without one. Huh? Anything to say to that?"
Hermione strained against his grip and the ropes. They only pulled tighter. Fenrir laughed again. "That's what I thought. Even if you were related to bloody Lovegood, that family is a piss-pour excuse for magic. Blood traitors through and through." He let go of her again and turned his back. She could feel her magic rising in her veins as he continued to taunt her.
"So based on the fact that you are wandless and in hiding with blood traitors, you must be one yourself, or worse a filthy little mudblood who's wand already got snapped."
"Then why don't you just fuck off," Hermione said threw her teeth. She could feel the rope digging into her arms and she wondered if it was enchanted to do that. Maybe she could figure out a way to get out of the rope at least and then she'd be free to attack him.
Fenrir whipped around, his face flush with anger again. "What was that? You keep on insulting me and it will be the last thing you do," he stated. He was already waving his wand again and she saw the blue light coming towards her.
The spell hit her on her left side again, her leg taking most of it. Again the crushing weight came and it felt like her bones had shattered. This time, she couldn't stop herself from crying out in pain. Her head fell to her chest as she took shallow breaths, the curse slower to leave her body than before. Between the pulses of pain, she felt Malfoy's anger. She knew why he hated Fenrir so much. He was a monster.
"Now we're getting somewhere," Fenrir grinned. He was in front of her again, this time pulling her head up by her hair. Hermione watched with gritted teeth as he inhaled sharply. "But the more important question that's on my mind girly," he pulled the hair and laughed, "is why on earth I can smell Draco Malfoy... all over you."
Hermione's mind reeled and her leg and cheek ached. She tried to stand up again but her feet kept slipping under her. The ropes felt tighter. She thought of Draco's pointed features thrashing around in a nightmare. She thought of the dark mark on his arm and his reluctance to side with these horrible people anymore to the point it hurt him. And she lied.
"I've never heard of him," Hermione spat. Fenrir was glaring at her, inches away from her face. He raised his wand to her throat and Hermione felt her body freeze, her pulse was practically jumping under the pressure of his wand.
"Crucio," he muttered with a twisted smile and Hermione only had a second to consider what was about to happen before it did. Her whole body jerked with the pain of the torture curse, a burning, searing pain that radiated down her limbs and into her mind. She gave a short scream and Fenrir chuckled in satisfaction.
He pulled his wand off her skin and the curse stopped. As quick as it had come, the pain was gone. Hermione gasped for air, not realizing just how horrible the cruciatus was. Her hands gave a twitch against the manacles and she felt the ropes pull at her again. It made her angrier and her magic flare.
She turned to face him. "What the hell," she scowled, feeling her magic coursing to her fingertips. Draco's second year spellbook came to mind. She'd devoured it weeks ago; Diffindo. It was used to cut things. "I said I don't know him, why does it matter?"
"I don't like liars," Fenrir shrugged. "You see, my sense of smell is acute. I can track for miles and well, you girly reek of him. Only a couple ways that can happen."
He circled the fire. When his back was to her, she pulled at the ropes, willing her magic towards them. By the time he turned, she felt the rope near her hands slacken. She caught it as he walked back over. He didn't notice.
"Either you are wearing his clothes," Fenrir mused, looking incredulously at her bloody sweater and jeans, "you're related," he sounded doubtful, "or you're fucking him," he said the last words with a cruel smirk and he leaned in close to her again. She could smell his foul breath.
He sniffed again and she spat at him. His smirk morphed into a grimace and he reached a clawed hand up to puncture her arm again. The blood trickled slowly down to her hand as she shook. Her face was flushed, her magic hot in her veins.
"You seem... agitated," he stated, looking over her face carefully. "Tell me, has Draco Malfoy been smearing his good name with a dirty blood traitor or a little mudblood slut?" he cackled. "His father's going to love to hear it."
And that was the last straw. Hermione dropped the rope and pulled her hands forward. They were still manacled but the magic shot through them anyway. Red jets of light exploded onto Fenrir's chest. He flew backward at the power of the blasting curse and fell onto the fire. When he rolled off it, writhing and yelling, his hair and skin were alite.
She didn't wait for him to get up and began pulling at the remaining ropes, directing the Diffindo incantation on the ones that weren't loosening. They sliced open and pooled at her feet. Then there was shouting, the shuffling of feet and she knew to run.
Her left leg felt painful as she put weight on it and pushed herself into a run. When she looked back, Fenrir's arms and neck were charing with the flames. He was still thrashing about but he wasn't getting up. Hermione could feel her pulse beating alongside her magic. It was alive under her skin and pushed away her worry as she aimed for the cabins.
There was a light up ahead and Hermione realized too late that it was a wand tip. An older witch was already approaching her, confusion marking her features until she realized what was happening. She sneered and pointed her wand at Hermione.
But Hermione was quicker. "Stupefy!" she managed with a wave of her hand. The witch flew backward, her body thudding down hard and sliding across the frozen lake. She didn't move. Hermione rushed onward, trying to squint through the darkness. No one else was moving around her, at least that she could see.
She slowed as she approached the cabins. The logical part of her brain was starting to kick in over her wild magic and she paused to assess. Two men were slumped outside the cabin holding Neville, George, and Katie, presumably sleeping. Two of the other cabins appeared to have people in them as faint light filtered out from their windows. She hoped it wasn't more prisoners. She hoped it wasn't Luna and Scabior.
The thought made her start, but she stopped herself. She needed the others first. She peered around the corner. There was another campfire a hundred yards away on the edge of the lake. She could just hear a couple drunken mumbles of death eaters carrying on the wind. They were far enough away that if she was quiet enough, she could subdue the two outside…
Hermione racked her brain for any spell or hex, anything Draco taught her or from the countless spellbooks she'd read. But the only thing that made sense was a Stunning Spell. What had she read about them again? She brought the pages to her mind. Unconsciousness aside, the effects of the spell were always a bright blue light.
With her ability to do wandless magic it might be possible to make the spell less noticeable though. She thought back to dueling with Draco, practicing the stunning spell and his use of a multitude of styles of it. She had to harness a sense of calmness and delicacy and maybe she could stun with precision instead of flash.
She took several deep breaths, concentrating. The syllables of the incantation were fresh on her lips and she repeated them to herself slowly. Hermione closed her eyes and flexed her fingers several times before she edged toward the cabin.
The men reeked of whiskey and she wondered if the effects of alcohol on stunning had ever been researched. She glanced at the dried blood on her hands and was suddenly indifferent. "Stupefy," she breathed softly, guiding her magic just forcefully enough. The spell stayed dull but hit the first man squarely in the chest. He slumped further against the wall.
The man next to him was large and gave a loud, grumbling snore. She froze, before repeating the same technique twice. He finally slumped over, squashing the other man's legs. Hermione kicked them and they didn't move. She knelt and snatched up their wands from their pockets. She pushed them aside as best she could to get the door open and snuck inside.
"You look like shit," George's eloquent voice floated over to her when she turned around.
"Bloody hell!" Katie said, looking her up and down. "How on earth did you get away?"
"Luckily I suppose," Hermione said, trying not to look at the blood and bruises now developing all down her left side. "We need to get you three out and we need to find Luna. We don't have long. I attacked Greyback and he fell into the fire, plus I stunned that old witch and the two men outside this door. I'm not sure how much time that's bought us. There's a group of them down by the lake, drunk by the sounds of it. I don't think they saw me, but-"
Neville's gaze was calculating. "You did all that without a wand?" Hermione just shrugged. She was already moving past the boys to the wall, where the chains held them.
"How could I have been so stupid?" she said, grabbing the chain that linked Neville to the wall. "Stand back," she stated and with a couple more severing charms Neville was free.
"How did you know that would work?" he asked, watching her cut George free and then walk around the bed for Katie.
"I didn't," Hermione said, coming back around to face the boys. Katie stood beside her. "I assumed the only way out was to attack the manacles but then when Fenrir released me, I realized the weakness was actually in the chains."
"Poor timing on that realization, but we'll let it slide," said George with a smile. "Now what? I'm assuming you don't have our wands…"
"No, sorry," she frowned. "I did take these from the men outside," she said, holding up the two wands. One was black hawthorn about 10 inches and the other was maple with a twisting section on the handle. She handed them to Neville.
"Better than nothing," he shrugged. "Who wants one?"
"Take it Katie, you're better at defensive spells than me," George said and Katie took the maple wand hesitantly. She turned it over in her fingers.
"So, we can either go ambush the death eaters around the fire or search the other cabins for Luna," Hermione stated, feeling her hands begin to shake. She wondered if it was from the cruciatus. She stretched her fingers and balled them into fists to stop them.
"Luna," Katie said, "If the death eaters down by the lake are preoccupied with drinking, we can at least get her free and get another wand or two before we ambush them."
George put a hand on her shoulder. "Why didn't Wood ever consult you during quidditch strategies?" Katie laughed.
"Right," said Neville, turning towards the door. He peered out slowly. The two death eaters that Hermione had stunned were still slumped there. Neville muttered a body binding curse over both men before stepping over them and running towards the next cabin. He crouched under the broken window, where light was still streaming out. They watched him peek inside before crouching down again.
He motioned for them to follow him. "She's not in this one," he whispered. "But there's only two people inside. I think it will be easy to take them down. They are… distracted," his cheeks reddened.
George eyed Neville curiously before poking his head up to peer through the window. He shot back down in an instant. "Ugh, I could have gone my whole life without having to see death eater on death eater action," he said disgustedly. Katie and Hermione both grimaced.
"Well if they're already on the bed, let's just use a Sleeper Hex," Katie said and she and Neville poked their heads up again. They muttered the incantation together and the spells shot through the hole in the glass. Katie's hit one of the death eaters spot on and they slumped on top of the other.
Neville's nicked the side table instead and bounced around the room until it hit Katie's target a second time. Katie quickly cast a second hex and hit the other death eater. He fell limp before he could see where the hexes were coming from. "This wand is trickier than I'm used to," Neville said as they walked over to the door.
They walked inside to see the two death eaters bodies hanging on one of the broken bunk beds. "Gross," Katie said, looking away from the stark nakedness. She walked over to a pile of clothes in the corner and rifled through them. She came out with two potion vials and two wands.
"Try this one," Katie said, as she passed a longer, cherry wood wand to Neville. He grabbed it and gave the hawthorn one to George. Hermione tried not to look at the death eaters, but the one on bottom's forearm hung off the bed. The dark mark glared up at her and her back stiffened. She had only ever seen Malfoy's a couple of times and it had been a while ago. She never knew a tattoo could hold so much negative symbolism.
She tore her eyes away and held her hands up. While the body binding curse was not one she had practiced, she watched Neville perform it moments ago and felt confident. Her magic was still brimming and it would make it easier. She copied the wand work in a more fluid motion and the two individuals stiffened up like stone.
When she turned around, they were watching her. "That is something else," Katie was staring at Hermione's hands.
George's eyes were wide. "I've never seen wandless so easy, not even from some of the best in the Order."
Hermione looked away. "We can marvel about it later or maybe you'll understand more when I have time to explain. Right now, we need to get to Luna," she said, already walking to the door. When she pulled it open, she blanched.
"You aren't going anywhere," Fenrir growled as he pushed her down, "Crucio!"
The spell shot her in the chest and Hermione writhed in pain. Her eyes were slitted as she felt the curse burning her insides, seeing the charred half of Fenrir's face laughing at her. The pain continued up her arms and legs in waves until Neville yelled out.
"Stupefy!" Neville said as red sparks flew from his wand and Fenrir was forced to defend himself. A shield charm jumped up in front of him as the sparks shattered onto it and rained down on Hermione. She rolled to avoid them.
Fenrir ignored her as he bellowed curses at Neville and Katie. Katie whirled spell after spell, jumping to dodge several purple jets of light. One of the spells hit Neville's foot and boils erupted and climbed up his leg. George was nowhere in sight and Hermione prayed he had slipped out to find Luna.
She slid back to the others and got to her feet, right before another one of Fenrir's curses ricocheted off the floor. "Fuck you Greyback!" Katie yelled as she sent a slicing hex right to him. His shield was fading and her hex caught him on the shoulder. He growled in pain as dark red blood seeped out.
"Crucio!" he yelled at Katie, but Hermione shot up a shield before Katie could even move. She nodded her thanks. Katie looked at the boils now climbing up Neville's thigh and muttered a countercurse before turning back to Fenrir. Neville didn't even notice.
Hermione leaned in front of the shield and sent a leg locking spell. The magic jumped and missed Fenrir's legs as he dodged. Neville sent two stunners in a row but Greyback's size absorbed most of it.
"You lot will pay for this!" Fenrir barked, spit flying from his yellow teeth. He raised his wand again but Hermione was quicker. She let the shield fall, putting all her might behind her magic as she lifted her hands towards the ceiling.
"Bombarda!" she bellowed as the force of the exploding charm whipped from her outstretched hands. It hit the crossbeam over the door and wood splintered left and right. She heard Neville shout out a shield charm over them. Fenrir snarled and yelled in agony as the wood crashed down on top of him.
A whirl of dust and decaying wood filled the air around him but his voice was smothered. A minute passed before they moved. Neville stood up first, looking from Katie to Hermione to the pile of rubble in front of them. They couldn't see any part of Greyback, but more dark red blood had pooled around the wood pile.
"Is he-?" Katie asked, looking about. Neville started climbing over.
"I don't know or care," he said over his shoulder. Voices and shouting was suddenly apparent from the distance. The explosion had obviously been loud enough to alert the rest of Fenrir's group. Hermione searched the yard when she got outside and saw three figures making their way to the cabins.
"Where the hell is George?" Katie said then, realizing for the first time their missing friend. Hermione turned back to them in time to see the next cabin door crash open. Her mouth dropped as George and Luna tumbled out onto the frosted grass in a heap. Neville and Katie ran over.
Neville yanked George to his feet. He staggered on an ankle that appeared broken and winced when he started walking on it. Katie helped Luna up, muttering a simple healing charm to stop the bleeding from a gash running down Luna's nose. She had bruises all down her neck. She smiled nonetheless.
"Scabior's taken care of," George smirked behind the pain of his ankle.
"Thanks George," Luna said, "You okay Hermione?" she stated, grabbing the girl's hand. Hermione nodded as something over Luna's shoulder caught her eye; the glowing eyes of a wolf.
"We need to go," Hermione pointed down near the lake. Several people were headed their way. "Now!"
…
Theo, Blaise, Ginny, and Draco soared through the dark night sky towards the camp. Draco let the cold of the wind push through his hair as his mind continued to think of the worst. He pictured Hermione being bitten and clawed into a bloody mess and Greyback laughing his head off in a vicious craze. He gripped the broom tighter to keep his anger in check.
"There!" Blaise shouted, pointing to a small cluster of buildings. The shiny surface of a solid lake leered under the moon. They turned and headed towards the camp. As they drew closer, Draco squinted at a figure sprawled out on the ice. He wondered if it was a death eater. There was a campfire sending up a small streak of smoke.
"Weasley and I will circle around," Draco called and he gestured for Ginny to follow him. She nodded, a look of determination replacing the nervous worry she had back at the house. The two took off as fast as the brooms could carry them.
Theo and Blaise slowed and hovered several feet about the trees. The ring of cabins was fifty feet in front of them. Blaise watched Draco and Ginny soar around, past the lake and loop around wide. On the other side of the lake Ginny dove low, but she was moving so fast that Fenrir's men wouldn't notice.
Then there were shouts. A blasting curse went off in one of the cabins. Theo and Blaise watched as the doorway collapsed into a heap of wood. Someone had been crushed underneath it by the sounds of the yells. Theo and Blaise flew closer as three people stumbled out. When Blaise recognized Neville and Hermione, he flew closer.
"Try not to be seen," he said to Theo as they drifted between trees to the edge of the clearing where the cabins were. Blaise touched down first and stumbled on the roots before looking around again. Theo pointed to Neville, Hermione, and Katie Bell standing in front of the crushed doorway. George Weasley and Luna tumbled out from the next cabin over. They watched the others help George and Luna to their feet.
"Greyback has part of his pack with him," Draco seethed as he landed silently next to Blaise. Blaise almost lost his balance again. "Most are out hunting. There is no one on guard. What was that crash?" He slung his broom easily onto his back.
"It came from there. Let's get them out," Theo stated, pointing to the five standing by the cabins as Ginny swooped in next to him. She dismounted easily and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. She looked cold.
"Goyle and three others are passed out by that fire," she said quietly. "Not sure if its- George!" she yelled, suddenly catching sight of her brother's familiar red hair.
George turned sharply. He squinted through the trees until he saw her. "Ginny, thank Merlin," he limped over and Ginny was already rushing to break the treeline. Draco yanked her backward immediately.
"What the hell Malfoy!" she said between her teeth.
"Don't blow our cover," he hissed. "The last thing we need is the pack knowing you and a bunch of Slytherins are around." He looked up to see Neville, Katie, Luna, and George rushing towards them.
There was more shouting. Then, bruised and shaking, Draco spotted Hermione behind them and suddenly his heart gave in his chest. He almost stepped forward like Ginny, too eager to see her alive. Ginny snickered at him as she embraced George in a hug.
"Our rescue team is Ginny and a bunch of Slytherins, these are strange times," Neville said to Katie as they reached the group. He eyed Theo and Blaise curiously before looking at Malfoy. There was concern all over his face.
Herimone was only two steps behind. Her mind was racing. Panic rushed through her body as she looked behind her; they didn't have much time before Fenrir's people would see the destruction and know they'd escaped.
She was breathing heavily when she joined everyone, trying to calm her nerves when she felt hands on her shoulders. She looked up to see two stormy grey eyes staring back. They had never looked so grateful. She sighed as she threw her arms around his neck.
"Miss me that much Granger?" he chuckled, placing his hands around her waist. He pulled her in tight before he noticed the blood on her arms. He held her gently away from him and stared at the gashes bitterly. His eyes grew cold.
"It's nothing," she said. "Besides, we have to go." Draco hesitated while the others turned towards the open forest. A howl could be heard faintly on the wind.
Theo rolled his eyes, "Fuss over her later mate, we've got company," he pointed and from around the side of the cabins came five more death eaters. Draco's jaw tightened as he pulled her close again.
"Wait," he whispered and the group froze. Everyone watched as the death eaters inspected the cabin where they attacked Greyback. They pushed at the rubble and began levitating pieces off the top quickly. Hermione glanced at Katie nervously. Katie's eyes were wide as she stared at the pile where Fenrir was.
The wind picked up. Another howl. Hermione glanced around them. Suddenly she could hear the thundering of paws or feet, she wasn't sure which. The full moon wasn't for another day at least but it didn't seem to matter. She shivered as another howl rippled through the air and she felt Draco's grip on her arm tighten. "Does that mean-?" she whispered.
Draco nodded, his face angry. "Part of his pack is here. They were hunting. We don't want to stick around," he said, stepping over a root back towards the cabins. He glanced back at the trees. It was tough to see in the forest behind them. The moonlight didn't reach below the canopy, but the howling wasn't stopping.
"We don't have long in here," warned Blaise. He pushed Katie, Neville, Luna, and Theo back towards the forest's edge. Draco and Hermione were already making their way there. Ginny mounted her broom.
"I'll be of more use in the sky," she whispered when George frowned at her. "I'll find how far away the wolves are." She took off silently. Hermione watched her in awe for a split second before she was gone.
Hermione turned back to the cabins and the blood in her face drained. She watched in horror as a witch leaned over the rubble. She saw Fenrir and rennervated him. He grunted and stood quickly, brushing off his tattered clothes. Hermione saw the slice on his shoulder from Katie almost healed already. It was terrifyingly amazing and she catalogued the fact in her mind.
One of the death eaters summoned Greyback's wand from among the wreckage and held it out to him. He grabbed it as his chest heaved with dust. Suddenly, the summoning charm swam back into Hermione's mind, along with the images of each of the wands. At some point, she'd have to try it. She wondered if she'd get the chance...
Hermione glanced at Draco, who had her hand in his. There was darkness to the grey in his eyes that flashed viciously at the werewolf in front of them. She could feel the anger coming off him. The wind shook the trees above, the pounding was even closer.
"They've all escaped, how convenient. Malfoy's little slut will pay for this dearly," he snarled. Draco's hand tightened at the sound of his name. "Wait until I find…" Fenrir trailed off as he sniffed at the wind. A delicious smile came to his burnt face and Draco let go of Hermione's hand.
He stepped out into the open. The rest of them followed, wands held high. The death eaters jumped, turning their wands at the group as they emerged. Fenrir smiled viciously. "Well looks like someone was lying after all," he clicked his tongue at Hermione with a smirk. Draco stepped so he was directly in front of her.
"Long time no see, Blaise. Theodore. Draco," Fenrir stated casually. "I knew you were near. I could smell you on that dirty little slut of yours. You know she lied to me about her blood status. Hope she didn't lie to you. Would be an awful shame if daddy had to find out."
"Don't call her a slut," Draco said curtly, his teeth clenched. He had his wand pointed at Fenrir's chest. Fenrir laughed, his wand hanging at his side as he flexed his fingers. Hermione eyed the pointed nails with disdain.
"She's fiery, I'll give you that Draco. But tell me," he sneered, "Was it worth it to get your cock dirty?"
"Don't try me, Greyback," Draco muttered.
"Some people were starting to think you were dead Draco, but this?" he gestured to the others around him, "This is just pathetic."
Draco stiffened, his hand twitching. "Just because you're here hunting instead of begging for the dark mark every chance you get doesn't suddenly make you less pathetic Greyback."
Fenrir scowled. "Crucio!" he bellowed, but Draco had a shield up in seconds. The other death eaters began shooting off curses and George, Neville, and Theo sprang into action. Theo shielded the others as they cast several stunners, hitting a witch in the chest. She stumbled to her knees and Ginny flew by, hexing her with a violent looking skin infection. She screamed as her skin smoked off her arms and legs.
Hermione could feel her own anger rising in her chest. She reached past Draco who was sending slicing hexes at Fenrir. She sent several stinging jinxes she'd learned about in some defense against the dark arts book. It snapped Fenrir in the face viciously. She grinned as he yelled in pain.
At the same time Draco hit Fenrir with some jinx that sent him stumbling backwards, clutching his chest. When he caught his footing, a nasty black tar was oozing out over his hands. He snapped his jaw at Draco and ran right for him.
"Stupefy!" Hermione shouted and rolled the curse into him. It grazed his shoulder but didn't stop him completely. Draco was flat on his back in seconds and she grimaced as she heard the bones in his shoulder crunch under the weight.
Fenrir laughed as he clawed into the flesh on Draco's chest. Hermione cast a body binding jinx but it only half worked and Fenrir's left side fell limp, further suffocating Draco. The panic rose in her mind as she tried to think of something else.
"Incendio," she tried, hoping she had the movements right. She'd only tried the fire-making spell a handful of times. The flames shot from her hands and caught his fur, setting him ablaze again. "Fuck!" he screamed, "You bitch!"
Suddenly Theo was shoving the flaming body off Draco and yanking him up off the ground. Theo and Draco both sent jinxes at Fenrir and he stumbled at the force of both at once. She watched until a stinging jinx hit her in the neck and she fell to the ground. Her ears felt filled with painful buzzing.
A wizard with a scraggly beard tried to get Luna with a slashing hex but she ducked just in time. Three blue jets of light shot from Neville's wand and hit the bearded man in the throat. He started coughing up mucus so bad he dropped her wand and fell to his knees.
"We have to keep moving!" Katie shouted, pointing behind them. The howling was getting louder. A man in front of Katie ran at her, his jaw snapping. He collided with her, biting her shoulder but she shot him with a stunner.
Some of them are werewolves too, Hermione realized, the fear creeping back to her. The man froze and Katie followed the stunning spell with a body bind. He fell to the ground like a stone, his teeth tearing her skin. She grabbed the spot, wincing.
A pounding grew and they turned to see the first pair of wolves emerge from the trees. In seconds, Ginny was back, diving at the wolves. Behind her broom came a rain of red sparking spells to block them. As each spark struck the ground it shattered upward forming a wall like barbed wire out of more red sparks.
"Go! I'll catch up!" she yelled, raining more and more sparks down. The wolves snapped at her and growled, but they couldn't move past the wall. It was enough to buy them some time. Neville started to lead them toward the lake, but the campfire in the distance caught his eyes. He turned around and shook his head.
"We get to a clear spot and we apparate to headquarters. We can't keep fighting them off like this, it'll draw more attention than we want."
"Is it going to be okay you bringing us there?" Blaise asked, rubbing his ear. There was blood running down his neck.
"It'll have to be," Neville stated. "Let's go." He gestured for Katie, Luna, and George to follow him and he started running for the hills on the opposite side of the lake. Blaise looked to Draco and Theo. Theo shrugged and Draco nodded, his mouth a hard line.
Hermione eyed him, wondering if he was trying to hold back the pain he was in or if he was anticipating staying with the Order. Her head was starting to get heavy, like the cruciatus was settling in and she wondered if dark magic always felt like this. She could feel the residual sting from the hexes.
But Draco grabbed her hand then and they took off after Neville and the others. Hermione felt her feet trip on the ground. Her ears were still stinging and she wasn't registering what was happening. She saw the campfire off in the distance.
Goyle. The wands. She put her free hand up, concentrating. It would take a miracle. She was starting to shake, the terrain was unsteady. She willed her magic forward anyway. thinking of each of the wands vividly.
"Accio," she said firmly into the darkness as Draco pulled her hand harder.
"Come on Granger," he huffed and she wheeled around. She finally found her balance and looked up. They were far behind now and Draco gestured for her to hurry. Ginny was already soaring through the sky to the hilltop.
Hermione felt like she didn't have much strength left. She sprinted, feeling the cold air burn her lungs. Draco ran beside her. He was obviously faster but he didn't leave her side. When they finally crested the top of the hill, the wolves were just breaking free of Ginny's barrier.
Ginny stood with her broom on her back, her hand in George's. Katie and Luna were also hand in hand. When Blaise stumbled over, still huffing, Katie cast a simple healing charm to staunch the bleeding at his ear before grabbing his hand. She eyed it as she stood there; it didn't work completely and sure cursed the borrowed wand she stowed in her pocket.
George held his free hand out to Theo, who wiped his own on his jeans before taking it. When Hermione looked around, she realized they were getting ready to apparate. She really hated apparating.
Neville grabbed her hand and then Draco's. "Ready?" he said to the group. George and Katie looked to the people they had on either side. They all nodded to some extent.
Hermione felt light headed. She looked down the hill, seeing the wolves clawing their way towards them. Fear shot through her veins. She squinted in the darkness. Something was flying through the air towards her just out of reach.
As Neville turned sharply and she felt the disturbing feeling of being squeezed through her own stomach. Her hand closed around something and they vanished.