(A/N: And would you believe my rotten luck?! I'm terribly TERRIBLY sorry to
you all! You see, I'm back from my holiday (yay!) and had been quite busy
the first two days which had resulted in leaving me no time to write. But
when I finally sat down to write, it turned out that my computer received a
virus while I was gone and it's completely fried! So...well this explains the
delay. I'm writing this from a public computer that's how much I wanted to
get this out to you all! Obviously since I cannot access my account I
cannot reply to your reviews! That's two chapters in a row! I can't believe
it!!! I'm very sorry for this; I do appreciate your reviews soo much! They
mean the world to me, and you should know that they are appreciated! I have
yet to go back and correct my mistakes from chapter 14 but I will get to
that a.s.a.p. Well lemme stop talking and let you read! I promise more to
come; hopefully my computer will be working again!! Thanks for your
patience! Hugs, haystack)
Usual Disclaimer
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: NEW ARRIVALS
It took a while to calm Hermione down; though she wasn't in hysterics, she was pretty shook up about the whole ordeal; silent tears gracefully sliding down her face, much to her despair, she desperately slapped a hand across her face, focusing all her energy into stopping the trickle of water leaking from her eyes.
Even though she claimed that she was all right, Draco wasn't fooled one bit. When she had apparently decided that she was capable of continuing on, she suggested going to the Three Broomsticks early, in hope of meeting up with the others. Not really caring one way or the other, he agreed.
The Three Broomsticks was its usual hustle and bustle, leaving everyone barely enough room to breathe. Seeing an empty booth Draco weaseled through the crowd, stepping on a few toes here and there by accident but finally claiming the great prize. Hermione soon joined him, slipping into the same seat and settling in his arms, both glancing at the door every now and then for the others.
Their fellow students looked onto them while they passed, some whispering to their friends, other smirking or smiling broadly at the couple. To them, it seemed an absolute miracle that the two had stayed together, being at the center of the gossip for more than a year and enduring so much; everybody knew it couldn't possibly be anything short of love.
"Ginny! Neville!" Hermione shouted over the heads of the crowd, motioning her friends over to the booth. Seeing Hermione, the two finally managed to get through the crowd both breathing a bit heavily when they sat down.
"Did you see--" Ginny began.
"The sign?" Hermione finished "Yes, I saw that"
"What do you make of it?" She inquired
"There's nothing to think about; they're coming after us. Ron over here!" Hermione said sadly waving her hand to Ron who had just entered with Lavender
"But what do they want with us? Harry's gone," Neville asked, frowning
"Neville's right. What do you have that they want?" Draco pried
"Hello!" Ron said brightly as he said down.
Ignoring Ron, Hermione turned to the three and sighed, "Honestly, do I have to spell it out? Think about it. Your master, one that you've given up everything for and followed for most of your life suddenly dies."
"Yes but Harry died too!" Ginny protested
"I know Ginny. And who does that leave? Both of the leaders are gone...what remains?" She egged on
"The faithful followers" Draco mumbled
"Yes! The Death Eaters know nothing but to hate us, they only know that we're the enemy, because Voldemort said so! They know that Voldemort would have loved it if we all were dead, and what could be a better present to offer their deceased master than the friends of his mortal enemy? They want revenge! It's their last stand, their last declaration of power."
"You do think they'd try to attack Hogwarts again do you?" Neville asked grimly
"It's unlikely, since they attacked there last time. But you heard the Minister, 'all signs point to Hogwarts'"
This was met with silence, Ron having caught on immediately to the tense atmosphere, smiled sadly at Lavender who looked a bit shocked at the morbid faces of the four other students surrounding them.
"We'll be starting up D.A again, then I suppose?" She asked looking quizzingly at Hermione.
"As soon as possible, yes"
"Who will teach us since Harry's...well you know"
"I'll figure that later," Hermione said wearily, rubbing her eyes. Sensing this, Draco grabbed a hand and kissed it. Giving him a reassuring smile, she nodded her thanks.
"But" she whispered, leaning far over the table, inviting others to do the same, which they all did willingly, forming a sort of huddle, "We should all be careful. Watch ourselves. Because--" she gulped slightly "we'll be the targets"
But suddenly there was the sound of breaking glass, followed immediately by the shrieks and screams of people. Snapping their heads up, the friends gaped at the sight their eyes beheld.
Robed in a midnight black, the Death Eater stood, laughing at the terror he had caused. Behind him, others were throwing bricks and other items through the shop windows, shattering the precious glass. Looking outside their window (which had yet to be damaged) they saw people running like mad throughout the alleyways and streets, panic evident in their body language.
Children became lost, loosing their families in the crowd, the child wandering slowly about, not capable of moving while crying so.
All around these evil people were, spreading their demons and terrorizing the village that had just moments ago been described as a kind of heaven-on- earth. But while the others stood, gaping at it all, Hermione was quicker.
"Get Down!" She hissed, pulling Ron down under the table with her. Luckily for her, the others quickly followed suit. "I can't believe it!"
"What?" he asked, obviously concerned at the look Hermione's face was giving off.
"They're here already!" she whispered "they're here for us!!"
Lavender gasped, hand not bothering to cover her mouth. Ron's eyes protruded a bit, but soon rested back normally inside his sockets, and he grimly nodded his understanding. Ginny's eyes filled with tears, Neville grabbed her hand comfortingly, and she nodded. Draco simply turned to Hermione and said, "What's the plan chief?"
Usual Disclaimer
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: NEW ARRIVALS
It took a while to calm Hermione down; though she wasn't in hysterics, she was pretty shook up about the whole ordeal; silent tears gracefully sliding down her face, much to her despair, she desperately slapped a hand across her face, focusing all her energy into stopping the trickle of water leaking from her eyes.
Even though she claimed that she was all right, Draco wasn't fooled one bit. When she had apparently decided that she was capable of continuing on, she suggested going to the Three Broomsticks early, in hope of meeting up with the others. Not really caring one way or the other, he agreed.
The Three Broomsticks was its usual hustle and bustle, leaving everyone barely enough room to breathe. Seeing an empty booth Draco weaseled through the crowd, stepping on a few toes here and there by accident but finally claiming the great prize. Hermione soon joined him, slipping into the same seat and settling in his arms, both glancing at the door every now and then for the others.
Their fellow students looked onto them while they passed, some whispering to their friends, other smirking or smiling broadly at the couple. To them, it seemed an absolute miracle that the two had stayed together, being at the center of the gossip for more than a year and enduring so much; everybody knew it couldn't possibly be anything short of love.
"Ginny! Neville!" Hermione shouted over the heads of the crowd, motioning her friends over to the booth. Seeing Hermione, the two finally managed to get through the crowd both breathing a bit heavily when they sat down.
"Did you see--" Ginny began.
"The sign?" Hermione finished "Yes, I saw that"
"What do you make of it?" She inquired
"There's nothing to think about; they're coming after us. Ron over here!" Hermione said sadly waving her hand to Ron who had just entered with Lavender
"But what do they want with us? Harry's gone," Neville asked, frowning
"Neville's right. What do you have that they want?" Draco pried
"Hello!" Ron said brightly as he said down.
Ignoring Ron, Hermione turned to the three and sighed, "Honestly, do I have to spell it out? Think about it. Your master, one that you've given up everything for and followed for most of your life suddenly dies."
"Yes but Harry died too!" Ginny protested
"I know Ginny. And who does that leave? Both of the leaders are gone...what remains?" She egged on
"The faithful followers" Draco mumbled
"Yes! The Death Eaters know nothing but to hate us, they only know that we're the enemy, because Voldemort said so! They know that Voldemort would have loved it if we all were dead, and what could be a better present to offer their deceased master than the friends of his mortal enemy? They want revenge! It's their last stand, their last declaration of power."
"You do think they'd try to attack Hogwarts again do you?" Neville asked grimly
"It's unlikely, since they attacked there last time. But you heard the Minister, 'all signs point to Hogwarts'"
This was met with silence, Ron having caught on immediately to the tense atmosphere, smiled sadly at Lavender who looked a bit shocked at the morbid faces of the four other students surrounding them.
"We'll be starting up D.A again, then I suppose?" She asked looking quizzingly at Hermione.
"As soon as possible, yes"
"Who will teach us since Harry's...well you know"
"I'll figure that later," Hermione said wearily, rubbing her eyes. Sensing this, Draco grabbed a hand and kissed it. Giving him a reassuring smile, she nodded her thanks.
"But" she whispered, leaning far over the table, inviting others to do the same, which they all did willingly, forming a sort of huddle, "We should all be careful. Watch ourselves. Because--" she gulped slightly "we'll be the targets"
But suddenly there was the sound of breaking glass, followed immediately by the shrieks and screams of people. Snapping their heads up, the friends gaped at the sight their eyes beheld.
Robed in a midnight black, the Death Eater stood, laughing at the terror he had caused. Behind him, others were throwing bricks and other items through the shop windows, shattering the precious glass. Looking outside their window (which had yet to be damaged) they saw people running like mad throughout the alleyways and streets, panic evident in their body language.
Children became lost, loosing their families in the crowd, the child wandering slowly about, not capable of moving while crying so.
All around these evil people were, spreading their demons and terrorizing the village that had just moments ago been described as a kind of heaven-on- earth. But while the others stood, gaping at it all, Hermione was quicker.
"Get Down!" She hissed, pulling Ron down under the table with her. Luckily for her, the others quickly followed suit. "I can't believe it!"
"What?" he asked, obviously concerned at the look Hermione's face was giving off.
"They're here already!" she whispered "they're here for us!!"
Lavender gasped, hand not bothering to cover her mouth. Ron's eyes protruded a bit, but soon rested back normally inside his sockets, and he grimly nodded his understanding. Ginny's eyes filled with tears, Neville grabbed her hand comfortingly, and she nodded. Draco simply turned to Hermione and said, "What's the plan chief?"