Hogwarts turned into a battlefield as soon as Voldemort tried to take control of it. Knowing of Dumbledore's absence from the school he saw in this the perfect opportunity to strike a fatal blow to his opponents with a swift and smooth blitz-like attack. Little did he know, that was the kind of action Dumbledore had been waiting for, although not so soon after his revelation. Both sides were taken by surprise and what was supposed to be a clean wipeout turned into a ferocious battle with heavy casualties.
Hermione fought hard to concentrate, but being inside a building attacked by Lord Voldemort's followers didn't help much. She was jittery, anxious and all-out nervous. This was no regular duel with some nosy Slytherins. This was an unfair battle between Death Eaters and Hogwarts staff. Some aurors – sent by Dumbledore himself to watch out for anything suspicious – were also fighting along with teachers and students. Even Dobby was helping.
Pacing back and forth for what seemed to be days, Hermione tried to think what to do. Several tens of students were there in the Room of Requirement – which looked very different from when she had D.A lessons with Harry, almost like a bunker – seeming rather worried, not knowing anything from the battle. Most of them were from years 4 and under, for the rest had gone to help and shake off the attack.
It was quite a bad time for an attack on Hogwarts. Seemingly confident on his predictions about Voldemort's future actions, professor Dumbledore had assigned professor McGonagall to establish escape plans for the students in the event of an atack. McGonagall had asked Hermione to lead the students if that scenario would ever come to be. The only problem was that they had only started discussing escape routs two days before. Nothing had been decided and, now that professor McGonagall had gone to fight Voldemort's minions, Hermione had to decide for herself what the best course of action would be.
Her first impulse was to gather as many students from years 4 and under and take them to the Room of Requirement. They would be safe there for some time, at least until Hermione decided what to do next. Being relatively safe as no one would ever find them there, Hermione couldn't afford to risk her chances of being held in the castle in case Voldemort won. Positive thinking, Hermione! Positive thinking! Voldemort's not going to win! Harry is! Harry is going to win! And he'll be back! And we'll all celebrate victory!
Hermione's stomach jumped up and down at the bare thought of Harry. Sure he'd fought with Voldemort before and he knew how to take care of himself, but this time it was different. Only he could destroy Voldemort. Only he could bring peace to the torn-apart wizard world. But he could die. Voldemort grew stronger everyday and in no way it was going to be easy.
A stubborn tear strided down across Hermione's cheek as she halted to a stop, her back to everyone else. Harry could die, and with that half of her would die too. She found herself thinking what would happen if Harry died. She wouldn't stand to see him lifeless and still. She wouldn't bare to live another day.
Wake up! This isn't helping! You've got to take these students out of here! Quick!
Kicking herself mentally for thinking about Harry's possible death instead of concentrating herself on her task, Hermione shrugged her sad thoughts away and dismissed them to a deep and unknown part of her mind. Pacing back and forth again, and this time concentrating herself harder, a light suddenly flashed in her mind. "The Marauder's Map!" she screamed, causing some students to flinch in fear at her sudden yell. Almost instantly a piece of parchment appeared on the floor just in front of her, and she gladly recognized it as being the famous Marauder's Map Harry used to check whenever he needed to go somewhere without being caught.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" she said, tapping the map slightly with her wand. At once images started to show and Hermione unfolded the map. Little dots raced back and forth, and Hermione recognized some name tags. She had never seen so many in the same place. Some dots eventually disappeared and sadly she got the impression that it would be a sign of someone dying. Ignoring the urge to find the name tag with the name of Harry Potter, she traced the route from where she was to the secret passage Harry used to go to Hogsmeade. Seeing the coast clear she immediately urged everyone to follow her.
Hermione opened the door quietly so as to not make a single sound, and after checking no one was near, she ordered everyone to get out. She started running for the hallway in which the secret passage was located, checking with the Map every time they had to double a corner. After some minutes of franticly trying to run as quietly as possible, they finally got there. Tapping open the door to the passageway, she prodded everyone inside, looking over her back and checking the Map in case someone avoidable showed up.
Finally the last student disappeared into the dark passage, and Hermione was about to get inside when she took a final look at the Marauder's Map. Three name tags were now visible, not far away from their position. Malfoy, Crabbe and Neville in the same spot? That spells trouble. Telling all the other students to keep moving until they reached Hogsmeade and to keep together at all times, she closed the passage and headed towards the place where Neville, Draco and Crabbe were.
As expected, Neville was quite in an uncomfortable position. Laying face down on the floor and starting to sprout something that looked terribly like tentacles from his ears, he was being the target of Malfoy and Crabbe's hard laughs, although barely audible due to the constant magic blasts coming from the outside. She stopped short at the sight.
"Hermione!" cried out Neville, a hint of hope in his voice.
Malfoy and Crabbe, unaware of Hermione's presence turned around fast and pointed their wands in her direction.
"Granger" said Malfoy, his deep gray eyes lacking any emotion besides anger and hatred. "Nice of you to join us. We were just having a little fun with our good friend Logbottom" he gestured towards the miserable looking boy who still lay down under the pressure from Crabbe's foot.
Hermione looked at him defiantly. "Strange time to be having a party."
Malfoy grinned, ever so slightly. "I could kill you now, you know. I have my wand ready, the words are in my mind, and you have no way out" he said, enjoying the moment. "I have to admit it, mudblood, you always had the top of the situation. You were the best, the very best student at Hogwarts. And I despised you more with each passing day. Today I might say I despise you almost as much as I hate Potty boy."
She clenched her teeth and fought the sudden instinct to beat the hell out of him. She stood very still, all her muscles tense with the internal fight between her heart and her brain. Malfoy seemed to notice it, as he let out a mischievous smile. "Ooh… looks like I've hit a nerve right there" he said, seemingly interested in longing the suffering into a good amount of time. "Miss Know-it-all having a soft spot for Mr Celebrity… how touching" he added with false sweetness in his voice. "As far as I know he may already be dead."
Hermione could only think of the nastiest words to say. Merlin be damned, she just wanted to see Malfoy go down in the most horrible and pain-inflicting fashion, and she could only imagine herself doing it. If you try to attack he'll kill you! Don't do anything rash! Wait and catch the little ferret off-guard! Wait!
Malfoy went on with his speech about how Harry could already be dead. "The Dark Lord will not be defeated by anyone! Anyone! I sincerely don't know what got into your minds when you thought pot-head could beat him."
Crabbe laughed loud and Hermione thought it looked exactly like a big wild hog snoring.
Suddenly there was a big blast followed by a rain of shattered stone. All four of them were caught in the blast and thrown away several feet. Still shocked and out of herself, Hermione got up and could only see Crabbe laying in front of her, blood streaking from his forehead, starting to form a huge puddle of crimson liquid mixed with the dust that now made it impossible to see clearly beyond ten feet.
She held up a hand against the wall to help her be up straight and realized she was bleeding badly from a deep cut in her left arm. There were some other small bruises all over her, but she ignored the pain, looking instead for Neville. A big hole in the wall showed the clear moonless night, and it didn't help at all in her quest. At least the dust was setting down and she could almost see the end of the hall.
However, she didn't take five steps before the all too familiar voice spat from behind her "You're not going anywhere, you filthy mudblood! Crucio!"
Everything started distorting and the world started spinning in many directions at the same time. Falling to the ground, Hermione felt nothing except excruciating pain and heard no more than her screams of suffering. Squirming to make the pain go away she managed to hear Malfoy let out an evil laugh of triumph, but the magical punishment like a thousand knives punctuating her could only make her focus on the suffering itself. Malfoy laughed louder with each passing second, and Hermione thought she couldn't bare it any longer. She saw the light at the end of the tunnel quickly appearing and she tried to grab it. Dying was the only solution to stop the pain! To no avail, the light always ran away from her grab and she felt she was being held prisoner to the pain.
Malfoy smiled triumphantly. Dying would be too easy. She had to suffer.
Suddenly Hermione felt the pain lowering to a minimum and, turning back, realized Malfoy had picked up a big stone from the floor. Urging herself to ignore the pain that ran through her, she got up and saw that Malfoy stared at the red tinged stone. It was blood – Malfoy's blood.
"You are so going to regret this, Longbottom!" he hissed, the words dripping venom.
Neville shook with fear, almost sobbing as Draco looked up at him, ready to make him suffer. He started to pace backwards, tentatively, but Malfoy started trodding towards him, ignoring the crimson river of blood that flowed from his left temple. Suddenly Hermione felt her wand.
"Expelliarmus!" she yelled, watching with evil pleasure as Malfoy was sent flying ten feet.
Although Malfoy wasn't expecting the blow, he picked his wand and got up, rolling over to the side with incredible speed. The duels with Harry had made him stronger. He pointed it towards Hermione, who didn't expect such a quick reaction, and sent her flying too. Her wand escaped her hands and she clutched her head as it hit a huge stone column, almost immeadiately feeling the warmth of her own blood. Momentarily blind with the pain, she heard Malfoy walking decisively towards her.
"You have gone too far this time! Say your last prayers!" he shouted. Hermione tried to find her wand but it was fifteen feet away and Malfoy was already at range to strike her. She looked at him and froze. His eyes burned with twisted pleasure and Hermione felt she was as good as dead.
Malfoy stretched his arm and pointed his wand at her. She gulped, terrified for her life, praying for Neville to do something.
"Avada ----"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Malfoy suddenly froze and his eyes rolled in their sockets. With a heavy thud he fell to the ground, completely helpless.
He was dead.
Hermione didn't dare to move for some several agonizing moments. She was afraid that anything would make Malfoy stand up again, until she heard Neville's voice.
"Are you okay?" His voice trembled, but Hermione couldn't know if it was fear, shock or excitement. Maybe everything at once.
She still didn't dare to move for a couple more seconds, but finally answered "Yes" in a voice that didn't seem her own.
Draco Malfoy was dead. Crabbe was dead too. This information didn't seem to fit into her head for a few moments.
Dead. Permanently gone. Just moments ago she had wished for Draco's death in the worst kind of way, but now that the lifeless body lay down at her feet she didn't feel any happiness or comfort about it. She was indeed terrified.
