SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Title: An Inevitable Fate
Chapter Twenty Six: It Never Stops
Author: KissThis
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Rating: PG-13 - maybe later...if I feel like it.
Pairing: Barely existent in this chapter – sorry.
Setting: 6th year in Hogwarts.
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot and the hot version of Harry that I created in mah head. Heehee.
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A/N: A shorty, but hopefully a goody.
Harry sent another Death Eater sprawling across the deck just as Postvorta appeared beside him. She grabbed the nearest one and disappeared into the Tunnel, reappearing seconds later alone.
Hermione screamed, letting out her sorrow and frustration, the wind streaking her tears back across her cheeks. Harry whirled around at the sound and came face to face with the Death Eater that had been sneaking up behind him. The woman was frozen with fear, looking up into the cloudless sky. Harry looked up as well to see Hermione's blade reach its target. The woman screamed as Hermione's arm pulled back readying to thrust her blade into her enemy. A feral cry tore from Hermione's lips as she fell upon her victim.
Even as the tears dried upon her windblown cheeks, a sadistic grin curled Hermione's lips as her sword buried itself in the woman's body with such force that the tip of the blade pierced the wood of the deck. Blood sprayed into the air in a short lived fountain of life before receding to a gurgling expulsion of liquid as the woman's body rapidly cooled in death.
The body, now barely recognizable as the woman's so mangled and coated in blood was it, slid down the blade with a revolting sound. Hermione lifted a blood-flecked hand and grasped the golden handle. With a small grunt she pulled it free from it's wooden sheath and then out of the woman's body through a mutilated slit where a mouth had once been.
Jina McConnelly. A true Irish at heart. She finally got the promotion she'd been waiting forever for yesterday.
Deep inside herself, Hermione screamed. I just want to save my friends – not massacre innocents!
No one is innocent in war.
Why is she doing this? How can Hope spread through violence?
She is doing what she must to survive – that is Her only goal...
Not bothering to stop and clean her blade, she lifted it into the air and let the stolen blood drip down onto her hand. Hunched over with a hand clasped to his mouth, Harry tore his gaze from the horrific image and looked up at Hermione, the disbelief evident in his eyes. Without a glance at her best friend she unfurled her wings and headed towards the other ships.
Harry looked over his shoulder at the nymph floating silently behind him trying to fight back the bitter tears. "It's happening again, isn't it?" He asked quietly.
Postvorta nodded and glided to his side, "It will never stop."
Shedding his cumbersome robes, Harry pushed his sweaty bangs from his eyes and secured his hold on his wand. "Neither will I."
An icy chill shot up his arm as Postvorta placed a watery hand upon his wrist, "This is Hermione's inevitable fate." She told him.
He smiled grimly, "Didn't anyone ever tell you that I'm the troublesome one? Hermione's my best friend, and I'd do anything for her."
"She is beyond your help."
"You're wrong. But if her fate is truly inevitable, then the least I can do is try and slow it down. You have to decide now if you'll help me, or stand by and watch her be consumed."
She studied him with her calculating, empty eyes. "Let's go."
Her wand danced through the air, turning two more Death Eaters into stone as she charged forward. She barreled into one and it shattered against the deck; the second she hit square in the brow the pommel of her sword and it crumbled. Her jeans melted into flowing black silk and her sleeves disappeared. She swooped down in front of Krum, whose darkened face showed no emotion, "Keep the ship secure." She ordered before moving on to the next ship.
The Death Eaters must have sensed that the tide had turned on their surprise attack and they fled in terror. None of them made it far before Hermione's harpy-like scream filled them and they were overtaken.
David Burke. He was going to retire this year and open a potions store.
Paul Montrel. He just graduated from the American Wizarding University. He was the valedictorian.
Ruth Gabel. Mother of two twin boys, Leo and Tristan. Today was the first time she let them stay home alone.
Jacob Vineer. He just finished off the payments on his new car, and was thinking about getting a bigger apartment.
"SHUT. UP!" Hermione screamed bringing her sword arcing downward as the Death Eater shielded its face in a futile and pitiful defense against Hermione's fury. Hermione's feet hit the deck heavily as she landed beside the final Death Eater. She watched as its torso and legs slid in opposite directions and collapse – it had been cloven in two. As the Death Eater's head hit the deck its mask cracked and broke apart completely.
The girl was no more than a child.
Kara Durnhelm. Today was her nineteenth birthday.
"Shut up," She whispered weakly. She turned from the mess of bodies and looked out across the bank. With a wave of her hand the pink dome enclosing the Order disappeared and the locked hatchways swung open. As Krum directed the older students in sifting through the bodies, the younger ones lowered the planks down upon the bank and began rushing from the bloodied ships.
Hermione sagged against her sword, exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. She screamed inside. She wanted to lie down among the bodies she had slaughtered and fade away into nothingness. She wanted their faces to blur together so that she would know longer know them, no longer feel for them...but they never did.
Each death brings Hope closer to her release. The prison you've placed her in is weakening.
Hidden within her heart, Hermione felt what needed be done, but she kept the feeling from her mind. Her own thoughts were no longer secret, and she would not give Hope the advantage over her again.
Her sword flickered in her grasp and disappeared, forcing Hermione to stand on her own. She gripped her stomach as it rolled and jumped into her throat. She closed her eyes to stop the nausea. Golden light leaked from beneath her lowered lids as Hope reached out from inside and touched her. She gasped in pain.
Eyes widened in fear, Hermione watched her hand lift towards her face -- no longer under her control. She tried to twist her face away, but she could not escape Hope's persistent hand. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes as a bloody finger traced the contours of her lips.
Why are you doing this?
She received no answer/
The hand shook as Hermione tried to fight off Hope's control. She could hear Her laughing. Hermione screamed out loud as icy fingertips touched her forehead and dragged their bloody imprints across her face. She grabbed her wrist and tried to pull the possessed hand away, but it was to no avail.
Are we having fun, yet? Hope cooed.
"Leave me, alone!" Hermione cried out.
"Hermione?!" Harry was running to her side. Hermione whirled around to face him, still clutching at her own wrist. He gazed into her blood streaked face and stumbled backwards, "Oh God!" he breathed.
You disgusting creature. Even your friends are terrified of what you've become.
"No!" Hermione argued. "This isn't me! THIS IS NOT WHO I AM!"
Isn't it? Draco could never love a monster like you.
Harry watched in shock as Hermione yelled at nothing and stumbled to the ship railing mumbling something to herself and clawing at her hand. The giant warship burned to ashes beside her
She stared out across the waters at the Order standing motionless on the bank. The looks on their faces cut her painfully. Draco wasn't even looking at her as he ushered the students into the castle. She had regretted leaving Hogwarts angry with him, and now that he had seen what she truly was she knew that he was completely lost to her.
He can't even look at you – you're stained with blood.
Hermione took a step closer to the railing, falling against the wooden beams. Her fingernails dug painfully into the oak rail. Her heart began to race.
It will never stop – they could never possibly understand.
"I don't...understand." She whispered into the wind.
You were born to be alone.
"Leave me alone." Hermione demanded, her voice quiet.
I will never leave. I'll be with you until the day your heart ceases to beat…
Hermione's blood raced and her heart pounded in her ears.
I'll destroy you at any cost. The thought only lasted a fraction of a millisecond. Hope was given no time to react as, immediately after the sudden thought, Hermione toppled over the railing.
"HERMIONE!" Harry screamed.
She did not hear the sound of a splash nor feel the fiery waters entombing her body. Instead, she felt the sudden pain as her body swung back and impacted with a hard, unyielding surface. Hermione opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them in anticipation of the fall. She looked down and found her desired destination a distance stretch beneath her dangling feet. Her left hand clung to the railing. Tears burned her eyes as she fought to wrench her hand away. Her fingers only tightened their resolute grip on the wooden beam.
"Hermione?!" Harry's face appeared above hers. "Give me your hand!"
Hermione ignored his frantic request; her body hanging limply against the ship's hull. Sound rose from the bank as the Order saw Hermione. A wimper escaped her lips and she closed her eyes trying to halt the flood of tears threatening to flood down her face.
Please...let me die...
Are you just going to hang there and feel sorry for yourself, or are you going to save the Headmaster?
Hermione's head snapped up as a shadow detached from the cover of the trees and slipped towards the assembled Order. "No! Please!" She cried even as her body began to flicker and faze out. "HARRY!"
He lunged for her, but she had already disappeared. Grabbing the railing he looked frantically about for where she had gone, but caught sight of something else instead. "DUMBLEDORE!"
The elderly man turned around with a speed that belied his age even as Severus and McGonagall stepped in front of him, wands drawn. The last Death Eater lunged from the shadows, green light already shooting from his wand. "For Voldemort!" he shouted.
Arm outstretched, Hermione appeared between them, catching the killing curse in her open hand. Her body fazed back into view as the Death Eater stood paralyzed with shock and disbelief.
Let's show them close up what you really are. Hope suggested, already losing Her hold over Hermione.
"No, STOP!" Hermione cried grabbing at her wrist in a futile attempt to stop Hope's destructive intent.
The magic turned amber in her hand and her fingers curled around the orb of energy. With an insane scream, not born from her own lips, Hermione's fist shot forward and buried itself within the man's chest. Just before She faded away, Hope laughed again and released the magic.
The man's body exploded. Blood sprayed everywhere as bits of human flesh rained down upon the damp grass. Hermione shuddered uncontrollably as she turned to face the Order. Crimson dripped from her pearly wings and the smell of iron filled her nose. Her entire body was drenched with blood.
Just let go.
She screamed. Hysterically. Her crooked fingers clawed at skin, trying to rip the blood from it. "Get it off – GET IT OFF!" She shrieked.
She stumbled backwards and slipped on the blood soaked ground. She skidded on her side across the grass leaving a crimson smear in her wake. Struggling back to her feet, she begged for the death she could not give herself.
"Ginny!" She screamed desperately, "Kill me, Ginny!"
The redhead's face was covered by a million tears, "No, Hermione!"
"DO IT!" Hermione screamed. "You have to kill this thing inside of me!"
What are you doing?! The voices shouted angrily.
"Somebody please kill me!" She pleaded stumbling into the group. "Draco?" She asked turning to the blonde boy. Her wide amber eyes were flashing wildly as she begged for him to end her painful sorrow.
"I won't kill you, Hermione. None of us will." He grabbed her bloody wrists.
"I hurt you!" She exclaimed. "I didn't even think of your feelings when I threw them to the ground. Hurt me back – kill me!"
Draco shook his head, "I can't do that, Hermione."
Hermione ripped herself free from his hold. The tears pouring down her cheeks left pink trails through the drying blood. "Damnit! If you cared for me then you'd kill me!" She shoved him away.
"Severus?" She grabbed her potion master's hand and lifted his wand to her throat. "You don't like anyone, do you? You'll kill me."
"I won't, Hermione."
"Don't any of you understand?!" She shouted. "I die – Hope dies! Kill her! Set me free!"
He said nothing, but stared back at her with emotionless obsidian eyes...and dropped his wand. She screamed in frustration and her fist raced to meet his face. He didn't even flinch. Her fist never made it.
A strong arm encircled her waist, pinning her arm, and another pulled back her angry fist. She immediately began to fight her attacker, writhing and struggling to break free from her containment.
"Hermione!" Harry shouted over her frantic cries. "Hermione!"
He spun her around to face him and pulled her close. With her hands trapped between their bodies they clenched into fists and she pounded angrily against his chest. "Don't look at me!" She screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. Dry blood caked her face and clumped her eyelashes together. Straggly locks of hair stuck to her forehead and cheeks. "I don't want you to see me like this!"
Lifting a hand from her back, Harry grabbed a hold of her hand and lifted it to the golden chain he'd given her, "Stay with me, Hermione. Look at me."
Fingers clasping the necklace, Hermione felt instantly calmer and she slowly raised her eyes to meet his. She was crying so hard she couldn't seem to get any oxygen. He brushed back her bangs and pressed his forehead to hers. Hermione hiccupped loudly and she forced her eyes to stay open. "Do you remember what you told me?" He asked softly, staring into her eyes.
Hermione nodded faintly. "You told me we'd always be together." He whispered. "Was that a lie?"
Hermione shuddered and collapsed against him, "I can feel Her inside me, Harry." She whimpered. "She never goes away; ever she tries to undo me, Harry. To break free."
Harry's arms encircling her tightened protectively around her. "You're stronger than this Hermione." He whispered to her. "If you die, then Hope will simply chose another host; one not as strong as you. You're the only one capable of containing her, Hermione."
She sobbed loudly, the sound muffled as she buried her bloody face in his shirt. "I'm so frightened." She cried softly, "I feel so alone."
"I can't imagine what you're feeling Hermione, but I do know one thing. You will never be alone. No matter how terrible you think you are, I will never ever leave you. Do you understand?"
He felt her nod against his chest. "I'm so sorry, Harry."
"Ssh," He hushed her. "It's alright now. Everything's going to be ok."
"I believe you, Harry." She murmured, sagging in his arms.
"If you're ever in doubt, just touch the necklace. It's yours now." He told her. Hermione's fingers tightened on the chain.
"I'm so tired." She mumbled.
"I know. Let's get you cleaned up." Swinging an arm beneath her knees, he scooped her up into his arms. Her hands were splayed oddly against his chest, but Hermione was struggling just to stay awake.
"Ginny," he called, and the younger girl ran to his side followed quickly by Ron. "I'll need your help."
"Hurry to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said concernedly.
Harry paused in front of the Headmaster and turned to look at him. "No sir." He told to elderly man flatly. "We take care of our own. We'll handle this."
He started forward again, Hermione's head lolling against his shoulder. The Order stared in shock as the trio moved swiftly towards the castle entrance, the bloody girl cradled preciously in Harry's arms. The final burning pieces of the warship collapsed into the lake, and the Order was jolted back to the tasks at hand and they rushed to help with the evacuation of the Durmstrang ships.
Harry didn't even slow down as he passed a frozen Draco at the bottom of the stairs. He turned his head as he passed and met Draco's eyes, wordlessly telling Draco to stay away. Draco saw the disgust in Harry's face and the protective way in which he held Hermione to his chest.
"Harry, WAIT!" He shouted.
But they were already gone.
I know it was short, but I did my best. I only have 13 days to get my challenge done and I haven't even started yet. So it was either shorter and earlier, or longer and 13 days later.
Ya know…Harry/Hermione is kinda growing on me...
I mean, not JK's 'Harry', but MY 'Harry'. See in MY mind...Harry's hot, lol. JK's...not so much. But don't worry, it'll be Draco/Hermione...i think.
REVIEW PLEASE!
KissThis