AN: Ahem. Ok. See, there's this really pesky thing called "Real Life", and it SO got in the way of more important things, such as this little piece of fan fiction. Not that it'll ever happen again. (rolling eyes)
Chapter 23
It was Hermione who came and found Harry, several hours later. By then he was dripping sweat, singed around the ears and limping just a tad from a rather powerful Explosion Hex gone not quite right.
"Harry?" her voice came from behind him, and he spun around, reacting rather than thinking.
"Imobilis!" he snarled, fingers pointing before his body was all the way around. Then he saw it was Hermione and sighed. Damn. "Sorry," he muttered and flicked his fingers, letting her body stumble from its frozen position and back to normal.
"Merlin, you're getting awfully strong," she said, wincing just a bit. He rather thought she sounded a bit jealous, even. Harry felt the start of a rather dark grin. How like Hermione, to wish she could have freakishly strong magic. Hermione was all about learning, knowledge, delving farther and deeper into what was and what could be. After all, she had that incredible brain. But lets face it, he thought, flexing his fingers a bit and walking over to where he'd left his shirt, there was also a part of Hermione that liked being first.
Behind him, she tsked a little. "You're cut," she said, coming up behind him. "Hang on, let me get that."
"No, really..." he started, not wanting to talk about the kind of curses that had been flying around that room before she'd walked in.
Hermione shook her head, giving him a look that was rather chiding and motherly all at once. Motherly? Oy, he was getting hungry or something. "Harry, just shut up and let me take care of you before Ginny tracks you down and sees you banged up, ok?" Harry shut up. She had a point. Ginny would probably leave him in worse shape than she'd found him.
A line started form between Hermione's brows as she recited healing and diagnostic spells. Harry just stood still and watched her. She didn't say a word, however, and he was rather grateful. He wasn't up to another lecture quite yet; he still had that anger simmering in his veins.
She finally lowered her wand. "There," she said. "That'll do, I think." Then she turned and walked over to the window, dropping down into the wide window seat. "Now," she said, looking up at him. "Want to tell me?"
Harry grimaced and reached for his shirt again. "Not really," he muttered. Damn this talking thing.
She just waited, and finally Harry sighed, buttoning his shirt. "I was on my way to Potions," he started. "I got a message, I suppose you could say."
"We wondered, when you didn't show up for class," she said, drawing her knees up and clasping her arms around them as she watched him go back for his tie. "Snape was particularly nasty, at least when his wife was out of earshot."
Harry snorted. "When isn't he?" he asked, not really wanting an answer.
"So?" she pressed as he draped the tie around his neck. Why bother tying it?
Harry gave up and wandered over to drop down next to Hermione. "Voldemort," he said. "A nice little letter, just for me. One word. 'Soon'." He felt Hermione stiffen next to him, and tried not to sigh. "We don't have much time," he said, staring forward.
Hermione was silent for a moment, and then said firmly. "Then we need DA meetings every night. I've got to get those spells into some kind of working order. And we need some kind of plan."
Harry blinked and looked at her. "Huh? Plan?" Frankly, he'd thought training everyone to defend themselves against murdering black-robbed maniacs was a plan.
Hermione shook her head, bushy hair curling madly around her head. "No, we need a plan for when they attack," she said, that line between her brows deepening. "Who's going to defend what part of the castle? Where will the little kids be? Who's going to take them there? Those kind of things."
Harry had to admit, he hadn't bothered to think that far. Heck, he was kind of stuck on the I-Have-To-Kill-The-Dark-Lord part. "You're right," he said, crossing his arms and leaning back. He gave her a truly affectionate grin. "What would we do without you, Hermione?"
Hermione blushed a little, but smiled back. "You'd all be failing classes, barely managing to survive your Quidditch injuries, and probably completely clueless as to where the library is," she said smugly. Harry chuckled.
"You're right," he agreed, and stood. He held out a hand to pull her up. "Dinner?" he asked.
"Don't forget your robe," she told him, poking him in the side, and then wrinkling her nose. "And for heavens sakes, use some kind of temporary cleaning charm. You stink."
"Who, me?" he teased, lifting one arm and shoving a rather stinky armpit in her face. She squealed and darted for the door. "Aww, what, afraid of a little sweat, Hermione?" he called, heading after her. After a discrete charm, of course.
"Jerk," she threw over her shoulder as she pulled to a stop at the top of the first staircase. Her eyes were twinkling at him, though, even as serious thoughts lurked beneath the humor. "Come on, Stinky," she said as he strolled up to join her. "We've got a meeting to call." She slipped her hand through his arm as they headed down the stairs, and as they walked, Harry spared a brief thought for the girl striding staunchly along next to him. She'd be there, he realized, perhaps truly realized for the first time. Hermione and Ron and Ginny and probably all the rest. They'd all be there, just because it was right. And that finally eased something tight inside him.
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Draco was in the middle of something far too pleasurable to be interrupted, when that damn Weasley girl popped up. "Cara, Draco," she called, the door to the room they were currently, ah, occupying flying open and her head appearing. Then she slapped a hand over her eyes. "Oh, Merlin, I didn't need to see that."
"Then stay on your side of the castle, Weasley," Draco growled, seriously annoyed and contemplating some rather satisfying retribution. And it would make things rather... uncomfortable for Potter, too. Heh heh heh.
Cara, unfortunately, knew him a tad too well. He was treated to a glare, a shirt thrust in his face, and a sudden loss of warm, soft girlfriend. "Sorry, Gin, what's wrong?" the love of his life asked as she tugged on her own clothes, rather hurriedly. Draco took his time. He wasn't rushing for anyone.
Weasleyette was still covering her eyes. "DA meeting," she said. "Tonight, and every night for now on."
Draco scowled deeper. "Why the bloody hell?" he demanded. Was Potter absolutely mad?
"Harry got a message," Ginny said, eyes still covered. "We don't have much time."
"Oh, for Merlin's sake drop the hand," Draco snapped, seriously irritated and more than a little shaken. He didn't want that day to come. He wanted it, and all the complications that would come with it to disappear and his nice, comfortable time with Cara to simply go on forever.
Weasley gave a rather cautious peer through her fingers before letting her hand drop. "We've got to get everyone gathered tonight," she said, glancing briefly at him before focusing on Cara. "We need the DA, and then we need to start making a plan."
"Plan?" his so helpful girlfriend asked as she started toward the door, clothes still a bit askew but completely dressed, at least.
"Hermione's heading it," Ginny told her. "Who's going to be where, what we're doing with the little kids, who's taking them there. That kind of thing."
"It won't matter," Draco murmured. "If it all ends... none of it will matter."
Ginny gave him a rather stark glance. "Hence the meeting every night," she said. "Let's go, Malfoy," she said, and started out of the room. Cara was right on her heels, a worried look and lips tight as she glanced back at him. He gave her a curt nod, telling her he'd be coming and stayed where he was.
Once the girls were gone and the door had closed again, Draco let himself slump. Damn and bloody hell, he thought, shoving hands through his hair and resisting the urge to tug. It was all going to shit. And what were they doing, trying to defeat the Dark Lord by themselves? Sure, there was Potter's little thing from that rather drunken night in the Astronomy Tower... something about only one. He had his suspicions on that one.
He ran his hands through his hair again. And now he had to go beat thick-headed students into capable fighters. Every damn night from now on.
Draco shook his head, feeling the despair clench in his throat. How could it possibly be enough?
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Sonora sat and stared glumly at her cauldron. What was she missing? She was so close, so damned close. It had to be something, something that was frighteningly simple. A Potion of Intent was for one person. Somehow, there had to be a way to make it for many.
"Still, Sonora?" came that dark, velvety voice behind her.
She sighed. "There has to be a way," she muttered, and turned again to the piles of books and papers that littered her desk. There had to be a way.
Hands closed over her own. "Stop," said the voice gently. Her hands clenched under his. "I won't have you make yourself ill," Severus said over her head, voice just a tad bit dictatorial. "You haven't slept, you're not eating, and you're burying yourself in here."
And something inside her snapped. "People will die!" Sonora exploded. And surged out of her chair, her sudden rage giving that weak leg strength and sending her to the other side of the room. "People will die if I don't solve this! If I can't find an answer and soon, there will bodies littering the grounds of Hogwarts. And you'll be right there," she snarled, swinging around and stabbing a finger toward her rather startled yet angry looking spouse. "You'll be right there, with that great big target painted on your chest, and you'll get yourself bloody well KILLED."
"Sonora," he growled, starting toward her.
"Oh, no you don't," she shouted again, stomping off toward the other side of the room. "Don't you try to tell me 'we'll figure it out' or that you're not going to end up dead. Because I KNOW you," she cried, swinging back around, and feeling sudden tears flood her eyes. And dammit, that sudden strength in her leg drain away. She had to catch herself on a desk and blink back the tears.
"You'll go charging out there, take out a dozen Death Eaters, and then get yourself killed. Probably to save bloody Dumbledore or someone else you think is more important than yourself." There were tears on her cheeks now, and her chest was heaving. Her breath was ragged, it was hard to breath, the rage and misery so tight in her throat. "And dammit, Severus, I can't loose you! I won't loose you! I WON'T!"
She was nearly blinded with tears, choking on the words, and then there were hard arms around her and lips crushing her own and the world spun on its axis. When it settled back into place, she was held tightly against the one person who mattered more than all others together.
"I can make you no promises," he said, voice dark. She didn't have to look up to know that his face was bleak as well. "I never could."
She shuddered. "I know," she said, face muffled in the rough fabric of his robes. "I always knew. But dammit, I'm going to protect you if it's the last thing I do."
His chest moved under her cheek as he snorted. "I rather thought that was my job."
"Eat dirt," she muttered. "It's mine, too." And then something occurred to her. Something that made her want to dance and scream with frustration at the same time.
"What?" he demanded tersely, hands tightening as she made to pull away.
"It's something in common," she said, thinking furiously as she tipped her head back and met his eyes. "Something the drinkers will share, something that makes it intended for ALL of them."
His eyes were narrowed on hers. "What are you thinking?" he demanded.
She headed for her cauldron, limping rather badly, to her annoyance. She wanted speed, not grace. "All in common, something all in common..." she muttered. She was flipping, fumbling, thinking madly and wildly. "Dammit. Dammit!" She slammed the book down. "That's it!"
"What?!" Severus demanded harshly.
She stared at him triumphantly, wildly. "They all, every one of those fighting for the light, have in common," she said, and laid one hand over her heart. "Here."
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Harry gazed over the tired people in front of them. "Go to bed," he said tersely. "And don't forget tomorrow night."
There were mutters and rumblings from the crowd as they headed for the door. Harry turned away, not caring to hear. They said they'd follow him, they'd believe him. He certainly was testing their faith, he thought darkly. It would be interesting to see how many showed up tomorrow.
Malfoy appeared next to him, looking as cool as ever. There were faint shadows about his eyes, however, and an innate weariness in the line of his body, even as he stood tall and relaxed. "Do you really believe they can handle it, Potter?" he drawled.
"It's their only option," Harry said tightly.
"And we'll stick," came another voice. Harry looked over his shoulder to see Neville standing, hands shoved in his pockets and hair sweaty and plastered to his face. Neville was looking a bit grim, his normally friendly face serious and intent. "No one's confused about why we're doing this, Harry. We'll stand by you, because there's no other choice." Neville's eyes were locked on his. He knew, Harry realized.
"You ever wonder, Neville?" Harry said softly, staring at his dormmate's eyes. "Was it a total accident of birth?"
Neville slowly shook his head, eyes never leaving his. Neither paid any attention to anyone else around them. "No," Neville said quietly. "You were meant for this, Harry. I was meant for something else." He gave a little lopsided smile. "I dunno what, yet, but I guess I'll find out if we live through it all."
"Well this is lovely and all, but can we return to the subject at hand?" Malfoy's drawl cut through the intensity.
Harry held Neville's eyes a moment longer, trying to say without words. Somehow, the message got through. Neville tipped his head, then turned to face Malfoy. "You got something to say, Malfoy?" his usually quiet friend said.
Malfoy raised a cool eyebrow. "So the worm finally grows some teeth?" he drawled.
"Enough," Harry said impatiently. He turned to face them all. "Hermione. You have some ideas?"
The Head Girl cleared her throat, drawing herself tiredly up. "I'd say let's move to the common room, but I think there'd be too many ears," she said. "So you'd all better get comfortable." Draco rolled his eyes, but Harry gave a shrug. Transfiguration, right?
Several chairs and a table later, they were all missing a sock and Harry his tie. Hermione had spread several charts over the table. "We need a plan," she said, pointing to one chart. "This is the castle. We need to know where the weaknesses are, how many people need to watch or defend certain points." She gestured to another list. "We need to know how many first, second and third years we have, and where they can go."
"The third years can watch the rest," Ron spoke up, eyes intent on his new girlfriend, face serious. "By then, they've had enough in DADA to know how to ward a door and stupedify whoever tries to come through it."
"We can have the fourth years review spells with the third years and younger," Ginny suggested.
Hermione gave a nod. "Good." She turned her eyes on Malfoy. "Draco. How many of your housemates are on our side?"
All eyes turned to the blonde Slytherin who was leaning negligently back against his chair. His eyes were cold. "Are you ready for a war within the walls?" he asked, voice still and soft. "Because that is what you will have. And believe me when I say that they have been training for this their whole lives. Not like the children you've got here." His face twisted just a bit. "Their fathers, their mothers have been training them since they could walk, just waiting for this moment." His voice was harsh in the silent room. "There will be war inside the walls."
It was Ron who finally broke the oppressive gloom. "How many would you trust, Malfoy?" he demanded. Every in the Head Boy, the strategist, the chess master. "How many do you trust, and can you get them out?"
Malfoy gave a small gesture, maybe his first physical sign of distress that they'd been allowed to see. "A few. Some of the younger ones. No one above fifth year."
All eyes turned to Harry, and he resisted the urge to wince. He hated this, hated it with a passion. "Then we have to get them out," he said, voice tight. "And seal the rest in."
Draco gave a slow nod. "I'll send them out the back door," he said. "And have them seal it behind them."
"Will they know how?" Hermione asked. "I mean, enough to keep the others in?"
Draco gave a harsh laugh. "You still don't get it, Granger. They know how. They know more than you'll ever want to know."
Ron cut him off with a gesture. "Enough," he said impatiently. "We get it, Malfoy. You get with the ones you trust."
"I can check," Harry said quietly. And all turns turned back to him. He started over at Malfoy. "I can tell you if they're truly dark or not."
Draco's face was horribly tense. "I hate this bloody war," he snarled. "Do it."
Harry gave him a terse nod, and looked deliberately to Hermione. "Go on," he ordered.
Hermione was looking miserable and had to take a deep breath. "So that's that. Now we need the rest."
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Ginny held tightly to Harry as they sat on the couch in the common room, staring into the fire. His arm was tight around her waist, the other hand absently stroking her hair. She could feel the tension that was coiled inside him.
Briefly she wondered how long they had, how long until Harry had to go face his damned destiny. How would it all play out? She knew he was scared. He was worried. He was afraid for them all, and afraid for himself.
She pressed closer, eyes falling on her brother and Hermione on the other couch, curled tightly against each other. They'd need each other, especially as the days ticked slowly off, she thought. The waiting. That was what was going to try them all.
Harry's hand was still moving absently over her hair, and Ginny finally turned against him. She pressed her lips to his neck and felt his pulse jump. "Come with me," she said in a whisper. She felt him nod, just a bit.
Ron glanced sharply at them as they got up off the couch and Ginny shot him a look. Her brother gave her a steady look in return, then nodded. Ginny felt a wave of affection for the tall redhead who'd been her best friend, her playmate and her staunchest defender her whole life. Now he was shoving aside his definitely protective instincts and recognizing that this was something two people who mattered to him needed.
She gripped Harry's hand tighter as she led him up the stairs to her dorm. Tonight was for them.
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AN: Whew! I had to quit sometime, you know. Heh heh heh.
MusicMonkey88 – Whipped cream and strawberries might go quite well with what Ginny has in mind. Heh heh heh.
Maddie – You better sit down, dear. (eyeing cautiously) That could get nasty...
Ferggirl99 – So you finally got off your butt and reviewed. And don't give me that 'I was in Vancouver' excuses. Bah. Excuses. And I will gallantly refrain and make no comment about your obtuseness.
Winnie – Darling, you have too much spare time. lol. Why don't I send you a few of my little tasks, and then I can write all the time. (big cheesy grin)
Pandabear08 – (please excuse the snickers) Plutonium? Oh my...
Jennifer Cole – I do love all these new reviewers... I do understand, and I'm flattered. Here's hoping the war lives up to your expectations!
Ariana15 – Frankly, I think Harry should start getting regular massages. It'd be great therapy for all the pent up anger. Lol.
A Harry and Ginny Dreamer – No, spare me! (cringing until I remember that I am the author) Never mind. And thanks, I greatly appreciate the compliment.
Child-of-scorpio – I do love those Weasley's. I think that's where my sister got it... Right, sis?
PolkaDotty – Yes, chocolate and I have a very, um, close relationship. And hence it kinda seeps into my writing. Ooh. Speaking of chocolate... (the author disappears in search of a craving...)
Sibling Creature – Hang in there, there's more H/G action coming. Eventually. Lol. We do have that pesky war to deal with.
Barbelibou – You know, I've been bugging my sister about the same thing and she STILL hasn't gotten off her butt. (poking sister) And I hear you about redheads. My first boyfriend was a redhead. And I've been fascinated ever since... even though I've got a tall blonde now. (sigh)
Cherryblossom08 – (gasp) No! Suspense, you say? Lol.
GoldenWing, the evil chambermaid, Sevvy's Girl, Lady of Masobolle, foxyginny, Silver Warrior, snitchseekerhp, M'embrassez lentement, Moonglaze, LOTRFREAK, mary-v, hplovah, lluvatar, volleypickle16, hawkeyessabre, Openspy, hpjsr - I LOVE all the new reviewers! (passing around the plate of cookies) Keep them coming, folks. That's what drags me away from grading and back to the computer.