The effect of the location hit her in the chest like a brick. It means something to Voldemort as it did for Harry. This must be some sort of ceremony or ritual.
Hermione felt like she was going to be sick. On the platform in front of the ruins lay a body bag.
Oh Merlin…
She could only imagine whose body lay tucked away. Whose body would they have bothered to save?
She barely registered the applause, cheering and booing that was directed at her as she was led to the same platform. She was forced into one of the four chairs that sat facing towards the large crowd gathered before her.
Another vehicle pulled up and out came Cho and Luna. Her brain raced as she thought about what was about to happen. A decaying body and three girls all forced before a crowd on a raised platform in front of the former Potter house. What could it all mean?
"Hermione." Luna greeted as she was placed in the chair beside her and then Cho on the other side of the blonde. "Luna. Cho." Hermione leaned towards them to better communicate. "Are you both okay?"
Cho vaguely shrugged and stared out into space while Luna simply nodded.
Three out of the four chairs were filled. Who would occupy the fourth?
Following her thought, a death eater she wasn't familiar with started to unzip the bag that lay in front of the three girls. The body was lifted into a sitting position and the crowd went wild. The sun shined brightly on the long red hair going down her back. Her face was pale and resigned from death.
The body of Ginny Weasley was placed into the last chair. The death eater kept her limp body from falling by grabbing her hair. It was disgusting to see.
Hermione already knew she was dead. She saw it happen for Merlin's sake but it still made her heart shatter at the sight of her friend's body being presented like this.
Her cheeks were wet with tears so she forced herself to look away. The other two girls seemed to be pretending Ginny's body wasn't even there.
Lucius Malfoy joins them on the stage and announces the title of the ceremony: "The Gifting for the Worthy."
Hermione came to the conclusion that the four were to be presented for death eaters that had made the Dark Lord happy. From the ceremony name that was the impression given.
"The Dark Lord is very thankful for the outcome of the war and he would like to reward these four girls to four achieved death eaters. You can do with them what you will. He only asks that you keep continuing your efforts in vow to him." Mr. Malfoy was reading off of a scroll in an uninterested manor. "These four represent the different loves of Harry Potter. Whether they went on a date with him to the Yule Ball or they were pictured with him in the paper as a sign of new love.." Lucius sent her a broad smile and she glared at him in return.
Hermione stopped listening to the scripted speech and looked at the tree closest to her. On the branch was a blackbird. Maybe even the blackbird she greeted with last night. It didn't matter; it was a sign of hope.
She didn't hear why they were being rewarded but she finally started paying attention when Luna was gifted to Marcus Flint and Ginny's body was gifted to Mulciber. She didn't even want her mind to stray to what he would do with a dead body.
"For my friend, Corban Yaxley for organizing and leading the men for the final battle at Hogwarts, I reward you Harry Potter's lover, Cho Chang." Cho is dragged from her seat and then Hermione finds herself alone on the platform with Lucius Malfoy.
"And the last recognition, I'm honored to say, is for my son, Draco." Lucius finally gives a genuine smile for the first time during the ceremony.
"For becoming the youngest Death Eater from all your hard work and commitment for the Dark Lord, I reward you a Miss Hermione Granger." Hermione's blood runs cold and she grips the seat of her chair in an attempt to not be moved.
She did not want to be in the possession of her former classmate and bully. Nor the boy she crushed over in school, even still likes the looks of him now. She couldn't. It would be cruel; be torture. Humiliating.
Draco stepped forward and out of the crowd. It looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Lucius pulled her out of her seat despite her firm grip on the chair. Draco waited beside the platform and held out his hand for her to take.
He looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Please just take it gracefully and we can get out of here as quickly as possible."
She cocked her head at him in confusion. The crowd was making it worse. She would rather take this low blow without the staring people. She sighed and placed her hand in his.
Draco disapparated them without hesitation.
Just kidding, the next chapter is out today! Hope this is an exciting thing for you and it makes up for how infrequently I update. But when inspiration strikes… Happy reading!