As Hermione and Ginny made their way down to the Gryffindor common room, they arrived to see Harry grinning madly.
"Hi" Hermione said with a big smile on her face. Harry winked at her.
"Hey baby, lookin' good!" Hermione made to smack Harry round the head, but Harry dodged out of the way at the last second. Everyone laughed.
"I know you too well, Mione" He informed her. Hermione giggled. Neville smiled as he took Luna by the hand and together, they both left for the Great Hall. Hermione cooed after them.
"That is so sweet!" Harry laughed.
"You think that all couples that hold hands are sweet" Ron exclaimed. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron, who flinched, but didn't back down "And I've got a bone to pick with you!"
Lily and the Marauders watched after them with worried expressions on their faces, except Sirius, who smirked.
"When are you gonna get rid of that ruddy animal of yours!" he said furiously "Do you know what that monster did to my Potions essay the other day? He ripped it to shreds with his claws!" Ron cried. Hermione sighed with exasperation.
"Well, Ron, if you'd stop leaving your essays out on the table, then Crookshanks wouldn't tear it apart, would he? Use your brain!"
"I don't need to be told by some Know-It-All!" Ron snapped, then immediately regretted saying it, when Hermione's expression turned to one of hurt. Harry glared at him. Ron shuffled his feet on the ground.
"Sorry" he muttered. Hermione smiled and threw her arms around Ron.
"Oh, I've missed arguing with you! It's not been the same!" Ginny and Harry both sniggered as Ron turned crimson with embarrassment. Everyone watched with astonishment as Hermione kissed him on the cheek and turned back to Harry.
"Well, are you going to escort me to the Great Hall or are you just going to stand there gaping at me like a melon?" Harry shut his mouth and blushed.
"Hey, remember the last time Harry acted like that?" Ginny asked, grinning evilly. Hermione giggled.
"Oh, you mean with Cho?" Harry blushed even redder.
"I'm over her now, alright? So leave it out"
"Alright, alright, but I recall you and Ron taking the mick of Ginny and I when we kept swooning over Sirius and Remus" Hermione told him "Come on, let's go, I wanna get to the Ball some time tonight" Harry nodded as she took his arm and they both exited the Gryffindor common room.
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Sirius laughed as he danced with Clare. He had to admit that she was a pretty awful dancer. He hoped that she wasn't as bad at kissing as she was at dancing. His eyes roamed the Great Hall and spotted James and Lily hugging each other, Remus and Ginny with dreamy looks on their faces as they stared into each others eyes. But where were Harry and Hermione? Wait, why was he even thinking that? He was over Hermione! He shook his head to stop thoughts of Hermione plaguing his mind. He turned back to Clare and grinned. He'd got one of the best looking girls in school and tonight, he'd bed her.
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"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly. Harry shook his head.
"Nothing, c'mon, let's go in" Harry smiled reassuringly at her as they entered the Great Hall. Almost everyone stopped to stare at Harry and Hermione, their mouths agape. Suddenly, whispers and pointing came their way, but Harry just ignored it.
He's probably used to it from all the attention in our time, Hermione thought to herself. She caught Sirius' eye and quickly looked away, yet she couldn't help smiling slightly. Sirius had looked completely stunned when he saw her.
"Want some punch?" Harry asked her. Hermione shook her head.
"No thanks" Harry smiled.
"I don't want any either, so . . . do you wanna dance?" Harry asked nervously. Hermione nodded as they both made their way onto the dance floor.
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Sirius watched Harry and Hermione dance with a strange feeling. Was it hurt? Sirius snorted, he'd never be hurt by a female, let alone one that would snog Lucius Malfoy.
But he murdered Hermione's parents, she wouldn't snog him willingly, a part of Sirius' mind said rationally, but the stubborn part of his mind refused to listen and that was the side that won. He turned to Clare and noticed that she was looking strangely at Harry.
"Who's he?" Sirius shrugged.
"No idea" he lied. He watched with jealousy as Hermione danced with Harry, instead of him.
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Suddenly, the music and lights went out. Everyone screamed. Harry held onto Hermione, while Neville and Luna hugged each other tightly. Ginny clung onto Remus.
"Ginny" Remus whispered, sounding frightened "I can't move"
Ginny stared at the outline of Remus.
"What?!"
"I can't move, I-I think I'm paralyzed" This same thing that had happened to Remus had amazingly, struck the whole school, except the people from the future. Even Dumbledore couldn't move!
Suddenly, the double doors to the Great Hall burst open as people that looked to be in black cloaks, filed in. The lights flickered back on and everyone screamed. It was the Death Eaters from the future!
They all removed their hoods as everyone from the future gasped.
"Get together!" Harry yelled as he looked to each of the DA members. They all nodded as they scrambled together, but the Death Eaters merely laughed.
"Potter, do you honestly think you can defeat us?" Lucius Malfoy cried, grinning maliciously. Harry growled.
"I've done it before Malfoy, I can do it again!" Dumbledore muttered something and a white light engulfed everyone that was paralyzed.
"What did you do?" Bellatrix Lestrange demanded.
"I just put a protection charm on everyone in the school, that's all" Dumbledore replied calmly. (It's a spell that I made up!) Bellatrix looked outraged.
"NO! NOW WE CAN'T DISPOSE OF POTTER AND EVANS!" She screamed. Harry laughed.
"You honestly think you could kill my mum and dad that easily, Lestrange?"
"Well, I killed your precious godfather, didn't I?" she spat. Harry's eyes flashed with anger. Malfoy scanned the young group of DA members and his eyes glinted as he raised his wand.
"Accio mudblood" Hermione screamed as she went flying into Malfoy's arms.
"HERMIONE!" Harry shouted, looking torn between anger and fear of what Malfoy would do to her. Malfoy smirked as he pointed his wand to Hermione's throat.
"Who wants to see a killing?" he asked. Hermione struggled to get free, but to no avail, he was a lot stronger than her. Suddenly, a jet of white light hit him square in the back, Malfoy fell, gasping for breath. He turned to see Lupin standing there in a fighting stance, his eyes ablaze. Malfoy smirked as he stood back up.
"Ah, Lupin. So good of you to join us" Everyone stared in shock as the realization of the man standing in front of them was Remus Lupin sunk in.
"Leave her alone! What do you have against her, Malfoy? This isn't the first time you've attempted to kill her!" Malfoy smirked.
"Ah, she's Potter's friend and a mudblood. Those are two reasons why she needs to die, Lupin" Lupin clenched his jaw. Harry had made sure that Hermione was behind him. Neville, Luna and Ron were standing behind Harry, waiting for the order to attack.
"Not yet" he whispered, holding his hand out. The Death Eater standing next to Bellatrix, removed his hood. Lupin narrowed his eyes even more as James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Peter gasped. It was Wormtail! He was shaking (as always), but he didn't seem as scared as he normally was. There was an air about him that made him seem more confident than normal.
"I believe you remember Wormtail, your old friend" Malfoy said with an evil grin. Most of the Death Eaters now were watching how Lupin would react, it was then that Harry gave the signal.
"NOW!" He yelled as several yells of "STUPEFY!" could be heard. Nott fell over, stunned, while a few others only just managed to dodge the jets of light heading their way.
Bellatrix squealed as she aimed her wand at Neville.
"Accio Longbottom" she cried. Neville yelled as he zoomed into her arms. Bellatrix's eyes were alight with something that looked like madness.
"The last of the Longbottom's! I get to torture the last of the Longbottom's!" she cried gleefully "You'll be spending St. Mungo's with your mother and father soon, boy! Crucio!" Neville's screams echoed throughout the Great Hall, while all anyone else could do was watch. Even Dumbledore, whose eyes were ablaze with something more than fire, couldn't move, due to the strength of the paralyzing potion that had been put in the punch.
"NEVILLE!" Harry shouted.
"Don't worry about me Harry! Get them!" Neville yelled. Harry gritted his teeth as he nodded.
"ATTTTAACCCKKK!" He cried as the members of the DA ran to battle. Lupin took his fighting stance, ready to fight Wormtail. Harry fought Malfoy, Hermione fought Nott, Ron fought Avery, while Luna and Ginny were trying their hardest to free Neville, who was still caught in Bellatrix's grip.
"Just wondering something Potter" Malfoy said as he dodged a curse that Harry had sent his way "What on earth does DA stand for?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Harry said smugly.
"DA stands for DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY!" Hermione screamed. Cheers from DA erupted as Neville finally got free from Bellatrix.
"WE ARE FOREVER LOYAL TO DUMBLEDORE!" Ginny yelled as she sent a Bat Bogey Hex, Bellatrix's way. Suddenly, a roar of pain erupted from the other end of the Great Hall. Ginny looked for the source and gasped when she saw Wormtail with his hand grasped around Lupin's wrist. If he wasn't loosened from Wormtail's grip soon, he would die! Without thinking, Ginny ran forward.
"Ginny, NO! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!" Ron cried. Ginny ran at full speed on one of the tables as she jumped up high into the air.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" She screamed. Wormtail went flying backwards as Ginny landed on the floor "IMMOBILAS!" She shouted as Wormtail froze in his spot, his eyes darting all over the place. Lupin groaned as he collapsed onto the floor, unable to move. The silver had hit him hard!
"Professor Lupin!" Luna shouted "HE'S INJURED!" Ginny knelt down next to him, trembling madly.
"STUPEFY!" Hermione's voice called out. Ginny whirled around as she saw Nott with his wand mere inches from the back of her head.
"GINNY! MOVE!" Ron shouted.
"NO! PROFESSOR LUPIN'S HURT!"
"HE'LL BE FINE! MOVE IT! YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED JUST SITTING THERE!"
"I DON'T CARE!"
"Avada Kedavra!" Avery cried. Harry dodged the killing curse by inches.
"OI! Have you forgotten about the prophecy?! I can only be killed by Voldemort!" Harry yelled. He turned to see Bellatrix making a move towards him. Harry aimed his wand at her.
"It's thanks to you that I leaned how to use this! This is for Sirius! Crucio!" Bellatrix's screams filled the air as Harry smirked. He raised his wand to stop the spell.
"Hermione!" Ron bellowed. Malfoy had Hermione again and it looked like he had the upper hand. Lupin was crumpled in a heap on the floor, bleeding profusely. Luna and Neville were both unconscious, Ginny was weeping by Lupin's side, while Ron was being restrained by Nott and Avery. Harry gritted his teeth as he made a move forward.
"Take another step Potter and she dies!" Malfoy hissed. Harry clenched his hands into fists. There was no way for it! Hermione was going to die and it was all his fault!
Suddenly, a burst of white light filled the entire Great Hall. Everyone shut their eyes as the light split into three. As the lights slowly died down, there standing in the places of the lights were the ghosts of Lily, James and Sirius.