Hermione lay dead in Malfoy Manor, giving her life for their cause. When Dobby finally rescued them, twisting through crushing darkness to the safety of Shell Cottage. Ron collapsed against the shore, cradling her broken body and begging for her to wake up. His tears mingled with the blood on her skin, but the flush of life had long since faded from her and she cannot hear him or answer him back.
Harry feels empty, guilty. She had been his sister - and now she's been torn from him too. By Hermione's side, he had always felt safe, surefooted. Knowing she would catch him if he fell. He's lost that comfort now, along with the press of her arms around his shoulders and her way of being prepared for every eventuality. She was his rock, and he doesn't know how to go on without her.
He digs a grave for her too, on a picturesque slope beside Dobby's, and it takes them hours to coax Ron into letting Hermione go. Neither of them can speak, but Luna gives her a beautiful eulogy. Bill and Fleur mark her resting place against the sea, her name carved elegantly into white stone washed smooth by the water.
Two figures loomed out in the darkness watching the light of the moon touch the headstones with only the sound of the ocean violent waves in the distance. Ron fell to his knees and a whisper came to his lips "Hermione." then he broke down, and Harry could feel the guilt of those had lost because of him. When angry tears streamed down his face he rested his hand on Ron's shoulder.
Harry stood what felt like an eternity as his heart numbed away in the coldness, footsteps approached as did a light from the wand of Bill Weasley " Harry...Ron, i know how hard it is right now, but you must come inside you'll freeze out here, your no good to us like this, Hermione wouldn't want you two like this " he spoke softly approaching his youngest brother and kneeling beside him.
Harry watched on with loneliness. it cut real fucking deep into his heart, with that he sighed and walked off towards the house.'Im alone now, truly alone' Harry thought to himself.
Walking aimlessly to Bill's cottage with his mind running through what had happened at Malfoy Manor. Fleur approached from the house, meeting him with tears in her eyes "Harry….. I'm sorry " gripping him in a hug, he held on for the life of him. it only reminded him of Hermione. It hurt. It fucking really hurts Harry thought.
"Thanks," Harry said slowly, pulling away from her hug and left a bewildered Fleur looking out to where Ron and Bill were slowly heading back.
The cottage was as beautiful, Ginny had told him and every bit color was dancing off Harry, he made his way through the living room when he was stopped by Luna and Dean.
Luna walked up with her eyes red and puffy with soot and dirt still on her beautiful pure face. She stood in front of Harry; he noticed how small and delicate she was. Harry stood their heartbroken watching the stream of tears fall down her cheeks "Hermione" she sobb filling the living room with heartache.
She took Harry's hand... "She's in a better place now Harry, away from all this horror " collapsing against him and into his arms. Dean put his hand on Harry shoulder " I'm sorry mate I wish there were something we could've done" he said painfully. Harry just nodded.
Harry let Luna go and made his way up the stairs. They watched him go out of sight, he found the bathroom and closed the door behind him, he took one look at the mirror and felt his bottom lip quiver, he splashed water on his face, the pain tore all throughout his body and the last bit of magic clutching at his heart broke into two he started to sob for the loss of his best friend. Pain burned in every fiber of his being; it wasn't until he felt his scar throb and burn with anger He swung back into reality. Clutching at it he hissed under his tongue "I hate you."
Harry then shouted at his reflection punching it with all the force that willed him, glass shattered and tore away at his skin, blood poured out from his hand and as he slumped to the ground he clutched at his scar.
'I don't care' Ron thought, 'that good feeling that was once in his heart is died, all his life he was loved by people, too happy enough that no evil would harm them, but his tolerance level was dead now making him want to detach from the light.
The pain wouldn't be gone, and it was a matter of time before the truth would need to be told, and he could feel the wrongness breaking through the cracks. Hermione was holding onto my only hope of a future ...my one pure light that was taken, ripped and torn. Everything that kept him calm was taken. 'I'm letting go. I'm burning these restraints and burning everything to the ground that dared to take everything from him, he was nothing without Hermione.
Ron struggled to soothe his thoughts, remembering that Bill was still trying to console him he pushed him away and firmly stood up. Roughly drying his face with his sleeve he managed to speak " Thanks….Bill" then he broke down looking at Hermione's resting place before turning to the cottage.
"Wait" Bill cried out stopping Ron, he needed to find Harry he needed revenge "What... Bill if it's what I think you're going to ask, don't...I just can't deal with this bullshit " Ron said before dropping his head, he felt a hand on his shoulder and faced a Fleur who still had tears in her eyes "Ron, it's okay!... if you need anything just let us know " she tried to smile only to pull him into a hug.
"Thanks, Bill, Fleur... for everything, but i'm sorry I need to make sure Harry is okay, I'm all he has left now, " turning towards the cottage, lights flickered abnormally in the upstairs bathroom.
"Harry" Ron shouted thundering towards the house.
Voldemort was angry, his snake-like features consorted into pure rage at the sight of Bella and Lucius who had dared to summon him. Saying they had the Potter brat, the view of them without him caused his magic to flare and all around them things floated before it spiked and sent them crashing into the walls around them " Explain! Now! What is the meaning of this! " Voldemort shouted at his two most loyal followers "Where's Potter" he floated up next to them making Malfoy flinch in horror.
"Master" Bella squeaked, she bowed before talking " We had Potter but the stupid house elf Dobby saved them," she said glaring at Malfoy who whimpered slightly.
Bella's eyes triumphantly focused on her master before she boasted off into another rant " I killed their precious little mudblood they call a friend" her smile was infectious, Voldemort grinned ever so slightly at some good news.
Voldemort eyed Lucius who hadn't even paid him any respect since he had arrived. Still it wasn't enough to confirm that this was true but the fact that Lucius couldn't look him in the eyes.
"Malfoy is this correct; this mudblood. She's dead? And our friend Harry is all alone is he not" Voldemort hissed causing Malfoy to shake uncontrollably.
"Yes, Master... the one they call Granger is dead, Harry Potter's most trusted friend," he said paling at the sight of Voldemort's evil grin.
"Good... Good, this changes things, Our young Harry is all alone now, I think I know a way from him to come to us " Voldemort hissed gesturing at Bella who gave him a constant smile.
"What do you wish Master," Bella said as she stroked her wand like a snake making Malfoy sweat and pale.
"My Lord, Don't you think we should lay low after what Bella had done to the Granger girl, No doubt people will be angry for what she did," Malfoy said avoiding Voldemort eyes.
Bella eyed Lucius suspiciously, Voldemort held up his hand before she could talk " Bella go and find the book on Dark Power throughout the ages. While I deal with Malfoy here" he hissed at her only for her to nod and walk off out of their sight.
"Did you care for this Granger girl Lucius? " Voldemort sneered raising his voice and causing him to pale more than usual.
"No.. no my Lord, I didn't, I swear I hated her and that Weasley boy just as much as the Potter brat," Malfoy said taking a gulp, Voldemort hissed " We will see" then he prayed into his memories.
"And I think," said Bellatrix's voice, "We can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her." Voldemort watched on, then a red-headed boy came into view.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Bursting into the drawing room; Bellatrix looked around, shocked; she turned her wand to face him instead —
"Expelliarmus!" he roared, pointing Wormtail's wand at Bellatrix.
"Wormtail" Voldemort hissed.
Voldemort watched his most loyal follower be disarmed by a child, his anger flared and her wand flew into the air and was caught by Harry Potter, who had sprinted after him. Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, and Greyback wheeled about; Harry yelled, "Stupefy!" and Draco Malfoy collapsed onto the hearth. Jets of light flew from Lucius's, Narcissa's, and Greyback's wands; Harry threw himself to the floor, rolling behind the sofa to avoid them.
"STOP, OR SHE DIES!" Bella yelled holding the unconscious mudblood with the knife inches away from her heart.
Voldemort looked on with cold fury; teenagers had bested his most devoted followers, he wanted this kind of power in his followers, but none would be willing to work with the Dark Lord, he would need to change things, looking at the Red-headed boy and Harry radiating with magic.
"Drop your wands," she laughed hysterically. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly
how filthy her blood is!" Bella mocked her, watching them cower under her threat.
"I said, drop them!" she screeched, pressing the blade into Mudbloods throat: Voldemort saw beads of blood appear.
"All right!" they both shouted, Harry dropped Bellatrix's wand onto the floor at his feet. The Red-headed boy did the same with Wormtail's. Both raised their hands to shoulder height.
"Good!" she leered. "Lucius, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! Your death approaches!"
Voldemort peered at the Potter brat who had suddenly clutched the scar on his forehead, "Interesting" Voldemort hissed to himself, had he accidentally created another Horcrux by trying to kill this boy, was it that simple? he thought to himself, formulating a plan entrap the boy over to his side now knowing he was part of himself.
There was a peculiar grinding noise from above. Voldemort looked up just in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble at the hands of a house-elf. "Kill him, Cissy!" shrieked Bellatrix and green flash through the air, the elf managed to pop away and reappear next to Harry.
"Dobby!" she screamed. "You! You were trying to kill us with the chandelier — ?" The tiny head nodded as did its ears, he shakinly pointed a finger at Narcissa. "You must not hurt Harry Potter," he squeaked.
"Kill him, Kill him Cissy!" shrieked Bellatrix, there was another loud crack, and Narcissa's wand flew into the air and landed on the other side of the room.
"You dirty little monkey!" bawled Bellatrix. "How dare you take a witch's wand, how dare you defy your masters"
"Dobby has no master!."Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"
"How dare you," Bella said shaking with anger, she took the knife without hesitation and pierced the Mudbloods chest.
"NOOOOOOOOOO" Harry and Redheaded boy shouted together, a mighty eruption of magic come from both of them and blasted everyone off their feet. Voldemort watched on with glee; they clutched the limp body with the house elf holding onto both of them, Bella threw her knife as they disapparated leaving nothing but his followers who would beg for mercy at this treachery.
Ron slammed open the door to the cottage and rushed up the stairs, he made his way towards the door to the bathroom. The door was locked and no answer came when he shouted for Harry.
"Harry" Ron shouted again slamming his fist against the door, the goblin they had saved opened up his door to see what all this noise was coming from. Luna and Dean stood at the top of the stairs clearly worried for their friends.
"Harry! answer me!" Ron shouted, pulling back from the door he slammed his shoulder into it, knocking the door wide open. What they saw before them sent shivers through their spines.
Ron pulled his friends body away from the broken glass and carefully lifted him off the ground and out of the bloody mess his hand had caused.
"Don't do this to me Harry. I can't lose you too" he managed to get him out of there and down the stairs to where Bill and Fleur were waiting.
"Oh my " Fleur gasp holding onto Bills robe "is he okay? What happened? She helped Ron lower Harry's limp body onto the sofa.
"Stand back" Bill commanded both of them and took out his wand. Bill knew what needed to be done and healed Harry's hand quickly as the rest stood back watched on nervously.
When Bill casted a simple warming charm, Harry's shivering body wasn't prepared for the aftermath of his famous scars retaliation.
A black substance leaked out from it and Bill looked to Ron " Ron please tell this isn't what I think it is " Ron eyes meet his and nodded. Bill had seen his fair share of dark magic that had latched itself onto a host from his time working for Gringotts.
"Ron this can't be true. Has Harry had this thing in him all this time?" Ron could only nod and hold his friends hand while he shook uncontrollably.