A/N: I know, I know. It's been about forever since I put up a chapter. College life is not easy. The story is nearly done, though. So you won't have long to wait. This time, the answers to questions, responces to reveiws, and thanks will be at the end of the chapter.
A Different You by Lina Shay
Chapter Nineteen: Terrified
After kicking lots of behinds, and doing some explaining, Draco came up with a plan. Most of the details were cut short, since Pettigrew, Harry and Snape suddenly burst into the room. All resumed braindead positions.
"Where could that stupid git have gone?" Harry asked.
"The potion should have worked," Snape muttered.
"Maybe it was the new fast-paced formula," Harry guessed. "I mean, with it going through the stages so fast, it might be weaker, and that was why Dumbledore was able to withstand it so."
"No," Snape shook his head. "He had residual from the last batch, so it should have worked twice as well."
"Last batch?" Harry repeated quietly to himself.
"Yes, he was still under the potion's affect when you brought him in, wasn't he?" Snape asked of Harry.
"Yeah, of course," Harry blurted, looking quite fearful.
"I just don't understand it," Snape grumbled, walking up to the stage.
"Don't we need Longbottom to continue the ceremony?" Pettigrew asked.
Snape glared down at Pettigrew. "You were supposed to make sure that everyone had taken some of the potion."
"They did, I'm sure," Pettigrew muttered.
"How come Neville was able to just walk out of here?" Snape demanded.
"You tell us," Harry said, placing his hands on his hips.
"Don't be impertinent, child!" Snape shouted.
"I'm not a kid, Severus!" Harry yelled back.
"Why you-" Snape grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and stuck his hooked nose right in Harry's face. "You ungrateful boy! I raised you after your mother died!"
When Harry conceded the argument, it made Hermione mad. She was mad at Snape for tricking Harry and mad at Harry for believing. She wanted to just shout to all that it was Snape who had killed Lily. She glanced at Draco and saw that he felt the same way. Both knew that they couldn't do anything. It would spoil the plan.
Snape tapped the ends of his long fingers against his chin thoughtfully.
"We have to fix this mess," Snape muttered. "Pettigrew, search every inch of this manor. All the empty rooms, the attic, and the secret passages. Harry, get on your broom and search the grounds. We need to find that boy. I will resume the ceremony and hopefully one of you would have been successful by the time I need him. Now go."
Harry and Pettigrew rushed out of the ballroom instantly. Snape strutted up to the stage where the sparking cauldron sat. He stood very still, staring at the floor. Hermione's heart was beating so hard, she was sure he would hear. But Snape kept staring at the ground, motionless. Then his fingers tightened into fists. He spun around and scanned the crowd of pretending zombies. If one person let on any kind of emotion, all would be lost. Hermione felt herself quaking and breathing erratically, hoping it didn't show on her face.
"All right," Snape began coldly. "I'm a rational wizard, so I'll make you a deal. If you, whichever disgusting wretch you are, tell where you hid that basket, I promise to let you live...you will get great benefits for being on the side of the great lord."
Hermione had to keep repeating to herself that no one would betray them. No one at Hogwarts was that evil, were they? In the corner of her eye, she saw Ron, now dressed in all his clothes that he could find, move slightly. He wouldn't, Hermione told herself. He couldn't. He was a Slytherin and in this universe and Harry's best friend. Ron reached one had up. Hermione couldn't let him do it.
"RONALD, NO!"
Several people around her grimaced and groaned. Now she had done it. Hermione ridiculed herself worse than any one of them could have.
"Miss Granger," Snape began, striding over to her faster than she thought he could have. "Have you got something to say?"
"I would rather die than tell you anything," Hermione spat at him.
"Good idea," Snape sneered, grabbing her by her hair.
He pulled her up to the stage, Hermione yelping and trying to keep up. Instantly, Snape pulled a dagger from his robes and pressed it gently against her throat.
"Anyone else out there?" Snape asked, shooting a glance at Ron, and another at the people who had groaned around where Hermione was. "Anyone care whether she lives or dies."
Hermione was trying her hardest to keep back to urge to cry, but she wasn't succeeding very well. Everytime she shook from a sob, her throat pressed harder against the dagger. Tears were streaming down her face.
"No one, then she dies," Snape announced, tightening his grip around the dagger in preparation for slitting her throat.
"NO, PLEASE STOP!" Draco cried.
"You have something to stay, Malfoy?" Snape asked. "You object to my spilling her blood across the floor."
"Yes, terribly," Draco insisted.
"Then tell me where the basket is," Snape ordered.
"Don't do it, Draco!" Hermione screamed. "I'm not worth it!"
Draco bit his lip nervously. He was thinking really hard. Finally, he said, "I can't tell you. But I can't let you hurt Hermione either."
"Tough decision," Snape grumbled. "Better make it fast."
Draco couldn't possibly tell Snape where the basket was. He was incapable of that kind of treachery. But if that was so, then these were Hermione's last moments. She thought about her life back in her world, with Harry and Ron. Her dear friends. She would never get to say goodbye to them. Then she thought about the last few day with Draco.
"Draco!" Hermione called.
He glanced up from his debate.
"Before I died, I wanted you to know...I love you," Hermione sobbed.
Draco stared sorrowfully up at her. "I love you too."
Hermione blinked away some tears.
"I would die for you, Hermione, but everyone else..." Draco trailed off.
"I know," Hermione sniffled. "I'm glad the last thing I'll see is you."
"I'm sorry," Draco muttered, placing a hand on his forehead like he had a headache.
"Enough with the mush!" Snape exclaimed, fed up. "Does she die or doesn't she?"
Draco looked up at Snape, saying, "I suppose you wouldn't considered an exchange. Me for her."
"Not on your life," Snape scoffed.
"Then, I have to say she-" Draco was interrupted by the door to the ballroom bursting open.
Everyone looked around at the tall figure of the old headmaster, Neville standing right beside him, not an ounce of fear in his countenance.
"Expelliarmus!" Dumbledore casted, his wand pointed at Snape.
The blast knocked both Hermione and Snape off their feet, and the knife flew into the air. Hermione rolled onto her hands and knees and scurried away from Snape before he could get up. She climbed off the stage, taking in long, deep breathes and feeling her neck. Draco ran to her instantly and embraced her. She held to Draco tightly.
"You ridiculous old fool!" Snape shouted, getting to his feet, his wand outstretched. "You can't defeat me."
"Wadrestainus!" Dumbledore casted.
Snape slid back against the wall behind the stage and couldn't move.
"I believe you've forgotten over the years, Severus," Dumbledore began, walking across the room. "I am more powerful than you are."
Snape gritted his teeth, the only movement he was capable of.
A/N: Thanks, CoupeLaFromage, BluDiamond, Captain Oblivious, Masau, Siria, MULTI NoVa, x g r e e n - e y e s x, sweetytweety013, and SpecialEddy11. I won't make you wait too long for the next chapter.
SpecialEddy: email me at and I will get back to you on that.