Heartbreak
"Harry, please, let's go home. I'm tired and hot, and I have a bad feeling."
"What kind of feeling?"
"Like someone is going to get hurt if we don't get out of the sun, now let's go… " Hermione pulled on Harry's arm, but he persisted.
"I just don't understand why she was so mad earlier."
"If I tell you why she was upset, can we go home?"
"Yes."
"All right." Hermione wiped her burning face and shook her hair to cool her back. "Ginny was only upset because she has obviously fallen in love with someone, and you treaded on her toes is all."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, dear, now let's go. I'm dreadfully hot."
"All right." Harry leaned in and kissed his fiancée.
"Hermione!" Someone called over the din of the crowd. "Hermione!" Hermione pulled away from Harry and looked up. Whoever it was sounded distressed, and she knew that voice from somewhere. "Help! Hermione!"
It was Seamus. The stupid boy had gone and done something again… If she ever caught him, she was going to wring his neck. She held onto Harry's hand and bolted toward the sound of the voice. It was indeed Seamus, but he had pinned Crabbe against the wall with a spell.
"What are you doing?" Hermione shouted. She waved her wand and in a flash, Crabbe was back on his feet.
"I thought I saw him trying to start a fire," Seamus offered, but Hermione shook her head condemningly.
"We don't know that, Seamus!" she shouted. "He could have been doing anything with his wand, for all we know!" She raced toward Seamus and took him by the collar, very strong for someone her size.
"Hermione, I'm sorry, I just… "
"Sorry won't cut it! Didn't you hear what Fudge had to say? He will imprison anyone who fights!" Hermione was livid. She would have hit Seamus, but Harry rushed up and stopped her by taking her hand in his.
"Darling," Harry purred. "Let's go, all right?" Hermione went for Seamus again, and the man coward against the wall she had backed him up against.
"Seamus, keep your wits about you next time!" she called over her shoulder as Harry pulled her away.
"Hello poppet," Crabbe's shadow fell on Hermione and she glanced up. He was menacing.
"Crabbe," Hermione nodded her head and tried to step past him, but he stood in her way.
"Who's to say I didn't want to start the fire?" he asked her as she stood impatiently.
"It would require a lot more skills to burn down the whole Chudley Stadium, Crabbe, and a lot more smarts, too." She sighed and leaned against Harry, who pulled her toward him. This hurt Crabbe deep, for he was the person who burnt down the stadium. In fact, Crabbe was a dangerous arsonist. He wanted nothing more than recognition for his work, and if it meant hassling someone until they caught him, that's what he would do.
"What if I were to tell you I did start the fire?"
"I wouldn't believe you. Now, if you'll let me pass," Hermione tried to push her way through, but Crabbe shoved her back. All the while, Ginny was making her way down the same street. There was a crowd of people surrounding some shouting people, and she decided she too would have a look before passing on.
"What's going on?" she asked someone by her.
"That tall brute is harassing that girl over there," the man pointed. Ginny stood on her toes and peered over the heads of the crowd. The tall brute looked awfully familiar, and the girl sounded like Hermione… oh no. It was Hermione. Ginny shoved past the people and broke through the ranks.
"Oh ho!" Crabbe shouted. "Look who's here! Now I can take care of both birds!" He lunged at Ginny, but Hermione had her wand on him in a second. He was thrown back against a wall with a puff of smoke. The crowd hissed.
"What's going on?" the confused Ginny asked the angry Hermione.
"Crabbe claims that he is the Chudley arsonist. He also wants to kill you. The first is one of my cases, the second is something I am sworn to prohibit."
"Why does he want to kill me?" Ginny was thoroughly confused now. She hadn't done anything to hurt him, nor had she said anything to mar his name. Why, there was nothing even remotely related to him through her. That is, other than Draco, but she didn't even think Draco had spoken of her. She had certainly not spoken of him, other than Dumbledore, of course.
"It's about the party, Ginny. It wasn't some random ball. It was the Malfoy party celebrating Draco's marriage." Hermione bit her lip and stared at the girl. "Crabbe was there and he must have been angry or something, because now he is out for you."
"I… I still don't understand… "
"Ginny… " Crabbe was up again, and moving toward the girls slowly. The crowd had back away, seeing the magic and people involved. The circle was wide and allowed for much movement.
"What would you like to discuss?" Ginny asked cheerfully, as if she wasn't really frightened – even though she was terrified beyond control.
"What would you like your death certificate to say?" he retorted.
"Crabbe, I don't understand what is going on," Ginny held up her empty hands and shrugged her shoulders.
"I think you know what is going on," he hissed. "I saw you at the party last night. And you can't deny that you weren't there. There is no one in this land who looks like you."
"Well, if you want to know, I was at the party. And thank you." Ginny smiled a bit and Crabbe growled.
"How did you get in?" he roared.
"For your information," Ginny began, but stopped. He was one of Draco's best friends, she had to remember that. She just couldn't go getting angry because he was angry; she had to think of how much she would hurt Draco if she said mean things. Ginny closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She cleared her head and opened her eyes again. Now she was ready to talk. "I was invited."
"What! That is a crock, and you know it as well as I." Crabbe was drawing closer, but Ginny kept her cool. Hermione and Harry marveled. Ginny was a completely different girl than the one they had met earlier in the morning. She wasn't so hostile… and she definitely wasn't so impulsive.
"I can only say good-day to you, dearest Crabbe," Ginny held out her hand, but Crabbe smacked it away. Hard. And it hurt, too. Ginny flinched and pulled her hand back slowly, the blood pumping to the bruise that was forming.
"Dearest!" Crabbe laughed evilly. "That is not the word I will choose for you. Dearest, no. Villain, yes. You are a foul creature of the night, you menial, Blood Traitor bitch!"
Ginny cringed at these words, but she only smiled and turned her head. Hermione's mouth opened in horror. Was Ginny going to allow this to happen to her, in public? The woman shook her head. It was almost too much to bear, watching Ginny take the blows like that. Hermione stepped toward her friend.
"She may be foul, but you define that word," she hissed. Crabbe laughed a little.
"What, do you want to take me too? I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to dance my tango, sweetheart." Crabbe laughed heartily.
"Tango? Sweetheart?" Hermione laughed with Crabbe. He was stupid. "I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to keep up with me," Hermione shot back.
"You would never," Crabbe seethed. "You wouldn't fight me, the arsonist, now would you?" That was the ticket that sent Hermione into battle mode.
"If you were any kind of man you would draw and duel me, here and now." Harry stared at Hermione in horror. She was actually thinking about battling this beast?
"Hermione, you don't want to fight him," Ginny said to Hermione softly. "Please, for my sake, leave him be! You don't know what will happen to me if you fight him, please!" But Ginny's words fell deaf on Hermione's ears. She was on a mission to bring Crabbe down.
Hermione walked toward Crabbe and pushed Ginny aside. Crabbe smiled deliciously and drew his wand from his cloak, and thus began the battle. They fought like true fighters; Hermione was trained in battle, Crabbe was trained on the streets.
"Harry," Ginny begged him. "Please, stop them, Hermione will get hurt if you don't stop them!" She looked at the fighters and shook her head. "Harry, why won't you stop them!" Ginny was very distressed now. Crabbe had wanted to hurt her, but now he was going to hurt Hermione instead. Harry stood, frozen like a rock, his wand raised, but his fingers doing nothing.
"I can't," he whispered. "I'll hit her… "
"You won't even try?" Ginny sighed and pulled her own wand out. If he wasn't going to stop them, she had to. "Stop!" she shouted over the blasts. They were a few feet from each other, but they seemed miles apart. Ginny stepped in between them and held out her hands. She raised her voice way up loud and shouted, "STOP!"
In an instant, everything was still. Both Crabbe and Hermione were stunned by her voice, and they had stopped fighting. Ginny panted from the effort, and her arms dropped a little. She gazed from one person to another, each face as surprised as the other's. She sighed and shook her head slowly and sadly.
"You both know what Fudge said. The people to fight will be sent to Azkaban. No matter which side you fight on or for." She looked from Crabbe to Hermione. "Now please, settle this fight some other way, I beg of you. Take it to the Ministry, if you must, but please." She looked at Hermione. "Don't risk life for a silly quarrel." She bowed her head, her piece said.
"She's right," Hermione chirruped. "I'll duel you in the gym, and you can beat the hell out of me, but not on the streets. No, not here." She smiled and put her arm around Ginny. "Thanks," she added under her breath.
"You're welcome," Ginny whispered back. "I'm sorry about this morning," she said as they walked away, Hermione's arm over Ginny and around Harry.
"That's all right," Hermione said. "I still love you." She turned to Harry. "And I love you, too." She kissed him sweetly. Moments later, a cry escaped from the lips that were pressed against Harry's.
"What!" Ginny panicked as she turned around, hoping her worst fear hadn't happen.
It had.
Crabbe stood, laughing, as Hermione fell to the ground. She was twitching violently and crying with the pain of the spasms. Crabbe flipped his wand around like a gun and shoved it into his cloak pocket as though it were a holster. Hermione gurgled and coughed.
"What? No," Harry whimpered as Hermione sank to the ground. "No, Hermione, no, no, no, you can't, you can beat this," He leaned in close to her, wrapping his arms around her, and she stopped convulsing – but blood was coming from her lips. "Someone get a healer!" he shouted to the crowd that had gathered. "Hermione," he whispered as he lifted her head into his lap. "You're going to be fine, just hold on, everything will be fine."
"You fool," Hermione laughed a bit, but she coughed. "Of course I'm fine, it's only a flesh wound." She coughed again, her lungs full of her own blood.
"Hermione," Ginny cried softly. "I didn't know… "
"No one did," Hermione laughed again. "But it was a good life." She coughed again, this time her whole body racking.
"No," Harry howled. "You'll be fine, you just wait and see." He leaned in close to her and kissed her softly. "You'll see," he whispered. Hermione smiled and touched his face faintly.
"Your kiss speeds me to heaven," she whispered. She coughed, and blood poured from her lips. Harry's tears were as obvious as the sun in the sky.
"Hermione," Harry pleaded.
"Harry," Hermione wheezed. She grabbed his hand and held it tight to her chest. "Harry, it's so dark… don't let me go, Harry!" She reached for his shirt and pulled herself close. "It hurts, Harry. Please… " She fell back a little, not wanting to let go of life. "Harry… " Her voice was fading. "I… I love you." She panted quickly, trying to hold on. "Harry," she whimpered, but then she fell limp.
Hermione was dead.
"No," Harry whispered softly. He held her limp form close. She was his life, his light, his all. She was a part of him, and he felt that part dying. He wept bitterly and rocked back and forth, lost in his grief.
"You," Ginny hissed. She was really pissed now, and she didn't care who she was married to. She didn't kill Draco's best friend because she loved Draco, but Draco's best friend had killed her best friend. That was the line, and Crabbe had crossed it. No more nice Ginny.
In a flash, Ginny had her wand to Crabbe's throat. She was right next to him, the very tip of her wand literally at his throat. He gulped and tittered. Ginny shoved the wand deeper.
"You bastard," she spat. "No one kills my best friend and walks away from it." She felt her blood coursing through her veins, and she was ready to kill him. "Draco, my sweet love," she half-whispered. "Forgive me for what I am about to do."
The last thing that ran through Crabbe's mind was 'What does she mean by calling Draco love?' And that was his exact last thought. Ginny had smeared his organs all over the walls before he could think anything else. There was smoke coming from the end of her wand, and she still held it where Crabbe's neck used to be. His guts didn't literally splatter everywhere, but he did have a nice hole in his neck. His body fell to the ground with a thump, and a moment after that, Ginny realized what she had done.
"May the gods curse me!" she ranted as she sank to her knees. "I am doomed, I feel it. I should strike myself to ease this insufferable pain." Ginny's head fell to her chest and she began weeping softly.
"Ginny," Harry croaked from behind her. Ginny turned her heavy eyes sadly and saw Harry's miserable form. He certainly looked disheveled, that being the nicest way of describing him. He was utterly miserable; his way of living was dead, his future was dead, his love, his one and only reason for existence, Hermione, was dead. Her life was taken away as swiftly as the cool breeze that hot afternoon. Life was miserable.
"Harry, I'm so sorry," she lamented. She crawled toward Harry and wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't want them to fight… they would have never understood why."
"It doesn't matter now," Harry sniffed. "All that matters now is that you get the hell out of here. If Fudge sees you here, he'll send you to Azkaban for sure." He hugged his friend tight and helped her stand. She clung onto his hand and gazed into his trembling, watery green eyes.
"Harry, where will I go? Will you come for me?" Ginny felt the tears but shoved them back.
"Go!" Harry shouted. "Don't worry about me. I'll find you. Save yourself!" He shoved Ginny through the crowd and she ran, ran as fast as her legs could carry her.
Harry sank back to Hermione's body and picked her up in his arms once more. She needed to be tended to, yes. He pulled the hair out of her eyes and kissed her cheek softly. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. Harry tried to push away his grief but it overwhelmed him and he fell prey to his tears. He could only hug her tight and cry.
However, life did continue outside of Harry's small, sad world, and soon, the Ministry was there to investigate the complaints. What they thought was a minor disturbance turned out to include two bodies and a hysterical hero. They instantly brought the leader of the whole Ministry, since the lead Auror was one of the deceased. Fudge pushed through the people, ordering them back.
"What happened here?" he roared to Harry, who was gazing at Hermione. "Oh." Fudge stopped short. In a softer, gentler voice, he said "Who killed her?" Fudge was suddenly angry. She was the best damned Auror the world had ever seen… shot down in the line of duty.
"Him," Harry pointed offhandedly. Fudge followed the direction of Harry's finger, and people moved back. Against the wall, smashed, bleeding, and undoubtedly dead, lay Crabbe.
"Crabbe?" Fudge turned back around. "I don't believe it. Why would he kill Hermione? And who killed Crabbe?"
Harry paused a bit before speaking. "He admitted to Hermione that he was the Chudley arsonist, and began a duel with her. She fought for a while, but then Ginny came in and told her to stop, so Hermione did." Harry broke off, his voice wavering. "But Crabbe didn't. As we were walking away, he… " Harry paused, trying to gain the strength to tell Fudge what he did. "He, oh, he… " Harry broke off again, tears forming and flowing.
"I understand," Fudge comforted as he laid his hand on Harry's sunken shoulder. Harry nodded and touched Hermione's face softly. "So how did Crabbe end up dying?"
Harry gasped and sniffed, wiping his face with his sleeve. "Ginny had been so calm, but she exploded. I would have stopped her, but… but, I couldn't." Harry sighed and shook his head slowly. "The next thing I knew Ginny had apperated somewhere else."
Fudge nodded vigorously. "I knew it," he hissed. "I knew she was going to end up doing something stupid."
"Oh, no, no," Harry insisted as he gazed up at the Minister. "She was the one who told Crabbe to knock it off, but he wouldn't, he wouldn't." Harry's eyes wandered from the faces in the crowd back to Hermione's.
"I see," Fudge nodded. "And I'm sure she knows what the penalty is for fighting?"
"She does, sir, that is why she ran."
Fudge sighed. "But he was the arsonist, and he did kill Hermione. That puts me in a bind." Fudge shook his head. "Well, there is only one thing I can think of that will punish her properly. She is hereby banished… from the wizarding world forever!"
"No," Harry pleaded as he rose to his feet. "Don't do that to her. It will drive her mad. Do anything but take away her ability to use magic. It will surely cost the world more than a great wizard."
"I'm sorry," Fudge said as he shook his head. "But I have no choice." He turned from Harry and immediately told the Aurors standing by, "Find her, detain her wand. She is free to return to her home, but she is not allowed to come to this city or any magical place ever again!"
"What about Hogwarts?" Harry asked as he started forward.
"Out of the question!" Fudge bellowed. "She is lucky to escape this situation with her life… "
