After a minute of crying hysterically, Hermione managed to gather her wits, partially. They're okay, Hermione, they're okay. They're safe...Ron's safe. Now we have to focus on you, you must get out of this place, it's not safe here. She hadn't moved since Ron left her.
She assessed the damage to her arm and leg. Well, at least the bones are sticking out of my body, she thought wryly to herself. Using her wand, she was able to conjure a makeshift split for her arm and leg. The pain was piercing when she put pressure on her leg and numbing when she sat still.
"Well," she said aloud, "piercing pain, here I come." She tried to stand up, putting the pressure on her left leg, but it still felt like a knife ramming into her broken leg. Way to end a birthday. She rubbed Ron's ring while looking around for a place to stay and wait for someone to come get her. She spotted the store across the street that was undamaged and had a shaded awning where she wouldn't be easily seen and made her way over to it.
Suddenly, she saw Neville panting and running along the street looking frantically behind him as she braced herself against the window display of the store. She was confused, the fear on his face looked as though he had seen a ghost. She then saw why he looked that way. A Death Eater was casually strolling the street after Neville and Hermione sensed he enjoyed the torturous fear he was putting Neville through.
"I think that's quite enough, Longbottom," the Death Eater arrogantly said. With that, Neville could no longer try to escape. He made the motions of running, but didn't go anywhere. The scene unfolded right in front of the awning Hermione was hiding under. When the Death Eater caught up to where Neville was wheezing in fear he said, "Really, Longbottom, you're more pathetic than your parents. By the way, how are they doing in the insane asylum, hm?" Neville looked as though he was going to break down and cry at the mention of his parents.
Somehow, though, he gathered himself enough to spit out, "My parent are amazing and brave people, unlike you bloody Death Eaters who hide behind a mask!" Where Neville got the courage to say that, Hermione would never know. The Death Eater was furious and raised his wand at Neville whose eyes got as big as saucers.
At this moment, Hermione was having an internal debate about whether or not she should interfere. No, don't do anything, you're injured and what help can you bring Neville against a Death Eater? I can give him enough time to escape by distracting the Death Eater. But you'll get caught. But it's Neville...I have a better chance of surviving than Neville. Don't be stupid Hermione, you stand no chance against a Death Eater. But it's Neville, my friend. Don't be stupid Hermione, this is suicide. So be it.
"Hey! Leave him alone you prat!" Hermione yelled at the Death Eater while emerging from under the awning. She placed as much of her weight on her left leg, but it still was excruciating painful to walk.
"Hermione??" Neville's voice was a mixture of relief and fear.
The Death Eater was furious that his concentration was interrupted, but became interested in the girl once he heard her name.
"Hermione, one of Potter's friends," the Death Eater sneered, looking at her. He sounded like Lucius Malfoy, it probably is, she thought. The Death Eater lost all interest in Neville who was frozen at the spot seeing his friend endangering herself for him.
Run, Neville, run!!, Hermione thought, but Neville stayed still, watching.
"Tell me, Hermione, where is Potter?" the Death Eater said arrogantly with contrived sweetness. "Longbottom said he didn't know where Potter is and ran away from me. Not very nice of him, don't you agree?"
"I could care less what Neville does," Hermione replied condescendingly and hoping Neville would see through her facade and run very fast. But he didn't.
"I doubt that you don't care about Longbotton, you're risking your life for him as we speak, correct? But, you didn't answer my first question, Granger, where is Potter?" The Death Eater became more impatient.
Damn, he sees right through me. But, he knows my last name, it must be Malfoy. "Oh, yes, that. Well, I don't know where Harry is. We got separated from each other when the stores started to explode," she lied haughtily to him.
"You're clearly lying, but maybe you won't lie to my Master!" With that, ropes appeared around her body, crushing her broken arm to her side. She dropped her wand at Neville's feet and cried in pain. The Death Eater grabbed Hermione harshly.
Just as the Death Eater and Hermione were about to apparate to his Master, Hermione cried, "Run, Neville!!" and disappeared.
Neville, still in complete shock, grabbed Hermione's wand and ran as fast as he could to Hogwarts.
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Ron zoomed through the air trying to maintain a grip on the broomstick. She'll be fine, she's a strong girl. Just get to Hogwarts and tell Dumbledore she's there. It was hard to keep a firm grip on the broomstick while balancing Harry in one arm, and he knew Hermione wouldn't have been able to stay on the broom with a bad leg and arm.
Luckily, the doors of Hogwarts were still open and students were frantically filing into their refuge when Ron flew into the Great Hall below the floating candles and above the other students. Everyone, including the professors, stared at the flying broomstick carrying the two boys. Ron landed carefully, holding Harry steadily and cried, "Professor Dumbledore, Harry's hurt badly! And Hermione! Hermione's still at Hogsmeade, she's hurt, she couldn't walk, she couldn't get out. Please! Help! Harry, Hermione!" Ron's was panting heavily now the his adrenaline rush was over and almost fainted from a flood of exhaustion that hit him.
Dumbledore approached Ron and the still unconscious Harry. "You're safe now, Ron," Dumbledore said calmly, putting a comforting hand on the tall boy's shoulder. "Madame Pomfrey, please take Ron and Harry to the Hospital Wing," said Dumbledore, never taking his eyes off Ron.
"No, no, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine because..." Flashes of Hermione pushing him out of the way of the falling rubble invaded his mind. He looked around and realized that all the students in the Great Hall were looking at him. Harry had disappeared from his arms and was now floating under Madame Pomfrey's careful administrations towards to Hospital Wing.
Dumbledore followed Ron's gaze around the room to all the eyes staring back at him and Ron, "Prefects, please assess if you are missing anyone and take all the students to their respective common rooms. Tell me immediately if you should find someone missing," he said. Dumbledore turned to face Ron again, who was sitting on the bench of the Gryffindor table. He sat next to the red-headed boy who was still panting. "Now, Ron, tell me what happened. Where's Hermione?"
Ron burst into a long explanation as to what happened: the banging noises, the rubble falling onto Hermione instead of him, she telling him to get to Hogwarts with Harry and to tell Dumbledore where she was.
"I see," was the only reply Dumbledore gave Ron. Dumbledore thought about the situation and continued after what seemed like twenty minutes to Ron, "So you know Hermione's exactly location?"
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."
"Professor Dumbledore, Gryffindor is missing Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom! I've talked to the other houses and they are not missing anyone and no one knows where those two are," one of the Gryffindor prefects said. His manner of speaking reminded Ron of Percy, only this boy had black hair.
"Thank you," Dumbledore replied. Worry sank into his kind eyes while he sat with Ron on the bench.
Just then, Neville burst into the Great Hall, heaving big breaths and holding a wand tightly in his hand. All heads turned towards the pudgy boy who just entered. "Hermione! They," Neville inhaled a big breath, "they took Hermione! Took her to," in- taking another breath, "the Dark Lord! Her wand!" Neville concluded extending his right hand where Hermione's wand lay. He fainted right afterwards.
Alarm filled the room and people began whispering excitedly with one another. "Prefects, escort the student to the common rooms! And Head Girl and Head Boy, please get Neville to the hospital wing at once!" Dumbledore declared above the noise of the frightened students.
Ron stood up in shock. No, no, you should have never left her! You-Know-Who has her?!?! He ran over to where Neville's body lay a few seconds earlier and picked up Hermione's wand that was left, forgotten. Pangs of guilt, anger, fear, sadness and complete loss swamped him as he stroked her wand in his hand.
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Author's Note: Please review, that would be great! Hopefully you're enjoying the story!