(A/N: Well a week isn't exactly how long I wanted to wait to post this chapter but I suppose it'll have to do! Well, it is officially summer vacation for me which is amazing! I'm looking forward to all my extra time I'll have to write. I'm also working on an original piece for fun which is pretty cool. I feel much better about this chapter and hopefully you all will like it as well! I had trouble writing it at first so hopefully you all think it's passable. Anyways, I don't really have anything else to say except THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! THEY WERE SUPERB AS ALWAYS! And by the way, for those 'Anonymous' reviewers, I had no idea my settings didn't allow those! I'm so sorry if you've tried to submit a review and not been able to! It's up and open now so hopefully I'll be able to communicate with you guys as well! Anyways, thanks so much for being so supportive and Enjoy! Much love, Haystack)
To my lovely reviewers…
spiritoffire32: Aw I'm glad you liked it so much! I'm happy to be back too! ;) My family member that died was just a Great Uncle…no one I was that close to, but thank you so much for your sympathy! That was so sweet! I'm so sorry about your grandmother, one of my friend's was practically raised by her grandparents and went through some major issues when they died so like you said in your review, I have an idea of how hard that can be but only an idea. I wish I could say I personally could understand but I've been unbelievably lucky with deaths in my life and have only experienced ones when I was younger than four, so those don't really count in my case. I'm glad to hear your hooked on my story! It's so funny to hear ppl say that because I'm so hooked on other ppl's stories! I don't know why but when you said you live in Australia I was like so happy! It's just the coolest thing to think that we're semi—talking but we're on two different days! Ah I just find that so interesting! Anyways, I really hope you like this chapter and thanks for such a sweet review! Thanks for reviewing!
vacant xpressi0ns: Off the toaster you say? Hahaha…yay! I must say your review made me laugh quite a lot and I'm very happy you those it was good enough to deserve such praise! Lol, anyways I really hope you like this chapter and thanks for so faithfully reviewing!
Princess Storm: lol you're welcome! I'm glad I could provide what you needed! I must say, you're a very smart cookie! I wasn't sure if anyone would pick up on that line or not. I refuse to give anything away but there always is a loophole in everything in life! The trouble is, finding it! Yes, I know…weird changing appearances wasn't it? Long blonde Hermione…ugh! Lol I made a reference or two to that in this chapter…way weird! I must say that Ron probably has to be my favorite character. I adore Hermione for her intellect but emotionally, Ron is such an interesting character to write. He has so many levels and internal conflicts and struggles. He's extremely sensitive and I can't help but wonder if there's something more to him that JKR hasn't let us know yet. Sometimes I want her to write just for like one chapter or two from the pov of Hermione or Ron. It's frustrating sometimes not to see things through their eyes but I'm sure there has to be some reason for that. Anyways, thanks so much for such a nice review and thanks for reviewing so faithfully!
Sequoia: Aw thanks so much! I really do feel bad about having that block up. I didn't understand what it was at times. Have you been reading the story for a long time? Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing and I hope to hear from you again! Enjoy this chapter!
suckr4romance: Aw I'm glad you found it touching! Everyone's rooting for Ginny, I must say I had no idea she was so popular! It is quite interesting actually! Lol, I do love how JKR portrays her as such a strong woman/girl. It's like power to woman! Woot woot! Lol, you are right though about trouble and hope. Both are on their ways. ;) Thanks so much for reviewing!
Liz: Aw I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Gosh I really need to stop saying 'Aw' before each one! I swear I get so uncreative with these responses, I do hope that no one reads all of them. Maybe next update I'll try to be creative…hmm lol anyways, thank you so much for reviewing! Your so sweet! Hope to hear from you again!
volleyballin17: haha well thanks! Your review was one of those that made my day! I'm so happy you're enjoying the story! We're heading towards the big ending! I'm so excited! Thanks for reviewing! Hope you like this chapter!
Mysticalrain: Aw thanks! Yes, poor Ron/Hermione! I swear I knew when I started writing this that it was going to be much darker/sadder than my other fics (which if you talk to past reviewers, were pretty sad) but seriously, maybe I should put this under tragedy. Hmmm…food for thought. Lol, anyways thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Hope to hear from you again!
dancerrdw: I'm glad you liked last chapter! I really missed solo Ron/Hermione conversation scenes. They're always my favorite to write because its not so much he said she said kind of stuff you need to clarify. It's simply freee…lol anyways, thanks so much for your continual support! Hope you like this chapter!
nattieb: lol Well I must say you take the cookie for the funniest review this chapter! (why do I keep making references to cookies these responses? Is this a sign I might be craving a cookie? I think so!) lol. Anyways, yes I am back! And for the record I am very glad you did not run around and shout for joy and therefore wake up your roommates! I couldn't possibly be the cause of such a disturbance! Lol. Aw well thank you. It's getting harder as the story goes to come up with new ideas so that I'm not repeating the same stuff over and over again. Anyone else think that Hermione cries waaay too much for a normal human being? Lol I'm just kidding, poor girl, let her cry I say! About your ray of sunshine, I don't want to ruin this chapter but let me say that a small ray is coming. Also let me explain my plot charts strewn all about my desk. I have one plot chart that I've generally been following the whole story and I've made different changes within that one. But when I got to the ending I couldn't and still can't decide this one thing, so what I did is I had the same plot chart branch out into two different endings. So, your rays of sunshine and when they come, all depend on the ending I choose. I'm sorry, I don't know if that helps at all but hopefully it does. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks so much for reviewing!
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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: ANGELS
Hermione stood open mouthed at the scene before her. Her eyes were huge and her face was white as a ghost she knew, but she didn't care. Her heart was lurching painfully in her chest and her lungs seemed to have stopped working. She couldn't breathe…she couldn't think…she couldn't do anything but stare in horrified wonder.
She was holding onto Ron's hand but it was as if he wasn't there. All she focused on was the girl right in front of her.
They had gotten off the Hogwarts Express and met up with Seamus and Lavender easily; there had been only one other person on the train. It was then that the four looked at each other, silently wondering where to begin when Lavender, who happened to look over her shoulder, let out a terrified scream.
Propped up on a bench, there was a body…obviously long dead…of a young girl, wearing Hufflepuff robes; purposely placed there for all the world to see. Hermione recognized the girl…she'd been a Sixth Year and had often come to Ginny asking for help.
"Bloody Hell" She'd heard Ron murmur, taking a step closer to the body.
Everyone watched Ron as he examined the face of the girl carefully. He looked down. As he came back, he was holding something.
"W-What is it?" Seamus asked.
Ron could only shake his head as he held up the piece of paper. Scribbled in Blood, it read,
Welcome to HogwartsIt was as if someone had knocked the wind out of her, the new meaning of those innocent words hitting her in the gut. Ron crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it onto the ground, as he went back to the girl. Slowly and carefully, he closed her eyelids and laid her onto the bench. He was angry, she could tell.
"What a welcome" Ron spat, his eyes on fire.
The others could only nod numbly.
"H-how?" Lavender's soft voice asked
All eyes went to Ron. He shrugged, "Some unforgivable. Looks like she was under Cruciatus for a while; her clothes smelled burnt."
"Ron--" The sound of her voice sounded strange. "Should we--" Her voice faded away, implying to Ron what she meant and hoping he got the message. He shook his head.
"No 'Mione. Leave her where she is."
"But--"
"We don't have time to dig a grave for each person we find." Ron said reasonably, his face becoming somber. "And trust me, we'll find many."
"W-We will?" Lavender asked, sounding terrified at the idea.
Ron nodded and met Hermione's eyes. "We're didn't come back to Hogwarts. We came back to a battlefield. This isn't the safe school we all grew up in; this is a battlefield now." Hermione knew he was right but she couldn't help looking in the distance, seeking the tall towers that had once guarded over her, and yearning for the innocence that came with them.
If only she had known, living day to day behind those stonewalls, what had lain outside them. How could she have taken those years; those years that now seemed like a different world; so carelessly? Why had she not prepared Harry better? How had she not found the courage to tell Ron how she felt?
"Come on, we better hurry." Ron said quietly, turning around and leading the way. Hermione hurried behind him, wand under her fingertips. But before she left, she took a last longing glance at the girl on the bench. What had that girl ever done to deserve such a fate? And for a moment, Hermione wondered, how easily that could have been her there; welcoming all to the very pits of hell.
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Walking out onto one of the many fields leading up to Hogwarts, Hermione suddenly realized that this was going to be a lot harder than she'd imagined. Death Eaters were patrolling everywhere and not a soul otherwise was out. Lupin had said that there were people safe…should they have gone to Grimmauld Place instead? She'd simply assumed that they were hiding somewhere on Hogwarts Ground but maybe she'd been mistaken. How were they supposed to go about this? Their hiding place obviously had to be hidden well enough that Voldemort wouldn't be able to seek them out. And if Voldemort wasn't able to seek them out, then how would Hermione and the others? And, they still had to avoid Death Eaters at all costs. This was an impossible feat.
Slowly, Ron, Lavender and Seamus seemed to come to the same conclusions as they continued walking and ducking behind trees as Death Eaters approached.
"So how exactly are we going to find them?" Lavender whispered, it was too risky to talk normally
Ron looked to Hermione. "I honestly don't know. I can try a spell to point us in the right direction but I doubt common spells would work on a place so secret like this." She whispered
They all waited in anticipation. "Pointus Imoivella" She breathed, holding up her wand. Everyone waited with batted breaths, but nothing happened. Disappointed she began mumbling other spells under her breath, flicking her wrist with each one—a motion so perfect by now, it seemed magically performed. "Point me! Directom Legenius! Immapu--"
"Hermione!" Ron interrupted her. She stopped, annoyed, to look at him. "This is pointless. Obviously spells won't work, you've tried like sixty!"
"No I haven't! I've only tried the most recent ones, maybe its tricky because it's such a simple spell!"
"Let's just try to think"
"Think about what Ron!" She asked, exasperated. "I have no clue where they might be! Not a single one!"
"Well obviously you must have had some idea, or else you wouldn't have suggested the idea of coming here in the first place!" He cried
Hermione paused for a moment. He was right. She had thought that…"Well" She said softly, "Hogwarts"
"What do you mean Hogwarts?" Lavender asked, "It's burnt to the ground."
"I know" Hermione dismissed her with a wave, "But I'm sure Voldemort hasn't gone picking through the ashes. And besides, there were….places that could have survived"
Seamus narrowed his eyes, "What sort of places?"
"Well," She began, looking at Ron. "Places like the Chamber of Secrets"
"There is no such thing!" Lavender hissed
"Yes there is" Hermione countered, "We've been there---well I mean, I haven't. But Ron has."
All eyes again, went to Ron, who looked startled at the sudden attention. He shifted his weight uncomfortably and darted his eyes around, blushing under Hermione's loving smile. He hated when she made him look like the hero he was, she of course could see that…she'd known it since he sacrificed himself first year, but it was something he couldn't see within himself yet.
"No you didn't" Lavender breathed
Ron cleared his throat, "Uh—Yea…I did" His ears turning a furious red.
"But---how?" She whispered, still in shock
"Through Moaning Myrtle's bathroom" He mumbled
"Mate, that's a girl's lavatory!" Seamus cried
"I know. But no one went in there…I mean the three of us even brewed a potion in there once" Ron said
Seamus whistled, "I'm impressed," He said. This of course only made Ron's face flush a darker shade of red
"But Hermione, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was probably destroyed in the fire. How else could we get in?" Lavender asked, turning to Hermione.
"If that pipe is still there…" She said, thinking out loud, "We could get in through there. But we'd have to check. There's no other way otherwise."
Everyone nodded, thinking about what this new plan was going to entail.
"Alright then." Lavender said determinedly, "Let's go."
Hermione let Lavender take the lead as they began their routine of crouching and standing up, running and crawling. It was a slow process, and maybe pointless but she could tell it made each of them feel better. Seamus followed after her, and Ron grabbed her hand like always, the two of them falling into perfect syncopation as they scrambled through the trees.
It was a slow process, but they actually moved much more quickly than usual. With everyone's senses on alert, it didn't provide much time for thinking, and they soon were approaching the huge mound of ashes that once had been their home.
Breathing hard, they gathered in the thicket just below what used to be the castle.
"So how exactly are we going to do this?" Lavender asked
"I—" Ron stopped to catch his breath, "I don't think we should all go up there. It's too dangerous"
A twig snapping behind her caught Hermione's attention as her barely regained breath hitched.
"But it's dangerous being apart too you know" Seamus panted
"I know," Ron said, "But we're an easier target if we're together."
She was just being paranoid. How could there be anyone there? They'd all kept their eyes out…they would have noticed something…….or someone.
"So who wants to go up?" Seamus asked,
"I think Ron should" Lavender said, "He's been there before. He knows what to look for."
In the back of her mind, Hermione heard them debating who would go up, and who would stay behind, but right now all she heard was the loud pounding of her heart. Her stomach twisted in a strange way and the hairs on her neck stood up on end. Something wasn't right.
She spun around quickly. All she saw were three trees. Her eyes scanned the ground and the skies. Nothing was out of the ordinary. She examined Seamus, Lavender, and Ron, as they continued their debate…none of them appeared any different and no one seemed to notice that something was wrong.
And yet…she knew there was. She didn't get feelings like this often. Taking out her wand from her pocket, she continued to dart her eyes around, waiting for something to catch her attention.
"Seamus? Are you sure? I think Lavender's right. I think I should go too." Ron offered
"It's okay Weasley. I'm smaller than you; I'll be harder to spot. Plus, you know how well I was able to dig my clothes out of my trunk, digging up some pipe will be easy"
"It's not a normal pipe though Finnegan. It's enormous, and it'll be buried feet underneath all that."
"I know, I know, you told us before. C'mon Lav, let's go"
"Be careful!" Ron advised as the two silently snuck out of the bushes and up to the mound of ashes. Hermione watched…petrified. Something was going to happen; she just knew it.
Lavender gasped as she touched the pile. Hermione could see it in her face that whatever the ashes were made up…it wasn't firewood. And suddenly, Hermione understood Lavender's reaction. Sure, books, beams, metal, wood, and glass had all gone down with Hogwarts. But there had been people in there too…there was human flesh in that pile.
Horrified, she instinctively grabbed for Ron. He was one step ahead of her and had already put his arm around her protectively, coming to the same conclusion. Silently, she buried her face in his shirt, her heart beating. She could hear her own fear in her breath. She was shaking. Ron noticed.
"What's the matter?" He whispered
She pulled away from him and looked over her shoulder, "Something's wrong" She said
"What is it?" He asked, his eyes urgent
"I don't know." She whispered, "But something's not right here Ron. I can feel it"
Pulling out his wand on intuition, he searched the area around them. "I don't see anyone," He whispered back
"I know. But you do feel it too don't you? I'm not crazy am I?"
Ron searched around for a few more moments before looking up towards Seamus and Lavender up on the mound of ashes.
"No…" He said slowly, "I feel it too"
Seamus was digging just as he'd said he would, and Lavender was helping…but she was avoiding the mound she was standing on as much as possible and in the glint of the light; Hermione saw tears glistening off her face. She cringed, already dreading her encounter with the pile. She didn't fancy spotting body parts…they still had no idea who all had died within Hogwarts. The least she could hope for was that the pipe wasn't as deep down as Ron and Harry had described it. The less they had to swim through, the better.
But suddenly, the feeling intensified. It struck her so suddenly and painfully, she gasped. Ron, now tuned in to it as well, spun around to face whatever it was that had found them. Hermione was desperately looking to find Seamus and Lavender…no matter the Chamber of Secrets now. They needed to get out of here!
The sound of footsteps approaching only heightened her panic.
Her eyes were scanning the mound frantically…she couldn't see them! Her eyes had been on Lavender's long hair the entire time, but it was black now and it blended in too well! "I don't see them!" She cried out to Ron.
He spun around, his eyes raking over the pile as desperately as hers were. "There they are!" He suddenly cried, pointing to two vague figures a little over to her right.
Lavender's slim figure appeared as she crawled out from the pile. They'd been underneath it! Lavender and Seamus seemed to sense that something was wrong as well as Lavender reached down into the small hole they'd dug to help Seamus up. She was whipping her head around, looking for whatever force seemed to be pressing down upon them all. And then, all of a sudden, she was still, staring at something on the other side of the mound with a look of utmost terror on her face.
"Lavender! Help me out! Quickly! Come on!" Seamus cried out, looking in the same direction she was.
Snapping back to look at Seamus, Lavender grabbed his hands and pulled. Seamus' torso was now over the edge and he was crawling out.
"Hurry Seamus Hurry!" Lavender screamed, standing up and grabbing his hand.
"I-I can't!" He cried, "They're pulling me down!"
"Ron…" Hermione breathed, her chest rising and falling rapidly
"NO! NO! SEAMUS HOLD ON!" Lavender screamed, pulling on his arm with all the strength in her body.
"LAVENDER WHAT'S WRONG!" Ron shouted, jumping up and running towards her. Hermione was right on his heels
"HE'S STUCK! THEY'RE PULLING UNDER!" She cried
"Who's pulling him under?" Hermione asked, stepping onto the mound of ashes, and instantly recognizing a pinky toe. She felt sick.
"THE DEATH EATERS! HURRY SEAMUS HURRY!"
That sentence was enough to get Ron and Hermione running full speed towards Lavender and the paralyzed Seamus. But by some miraculous event, Seamus was able to get up on his feet.
"GO! GO!" He shouted to Ron and Hermione as he and Lavender began sprinting across the pile of flaky ashes, sending remains flying into the air as they sprinted for their lives.
Ron and Hermione turned around and made it to the bottom within no time, but Lavender and Seamus were still a good way's away.
"COME ON!" Hermione begged
"KEEP GOING!" Seamus yelled
"WE'RE NOT LEAVING WI--"
"AHHHHH!" A terrified Lavender screamed as suddenly, a Death Eater appeared from within the ashes.
"LAVENDER!" Hermione cried, watching the scene unfold with horrified eyes.
"DOWN!" Ron hissed, yanking Hermione to the ground, and crawling over to the thicket they'd previously hidden in.
"Ron let me go!" Hermione yanked on his grip on her arm.
"No 'Mione you can't!" Ron snapped
"They're in trouble Ron!" She pleaded, tears welling in her eyes
"And war is every man for themselves!" Ron said harshly
"They rescued us Ron! They saved our lives! This is the least we can do to repay them!" She begged, yanking on her arm the whole time, tears falling from her dirty face.
"We'll die if we go!"
"THEY'LL DIE IF WE DON'T!" Hermione screamed tearfully, dirt and tears running down her face and into her now long blonde hair, dying it a dull brown.
Ron opened his mouth to say something when a scream from Seamus stopped him and they both watched their friends running for their lives. Hermione tried to wriggle free but Ron held her close.
"LAV HURRY THEY'RE COMING!" Seamus screamed
"I'M TRYING!"
"LAVENDER HURRY!"
"I CAN'T GO ANY FASTER!"
"YOU HAVE TO, COME ON"
"SEAMUS DON'T LEAVE ME!"
"I WON'T!"
"SEAMUS THEY'RE COMING!"
"WE'LL MAKE IT!"
"WE CAN'T MAKE IT SEAMUS!"
"COME ON, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT!"
"SSSSEEEAAAMMMMMUUUUUSSSS!" Lavender let out the longest and most terrified scream Hermione had ever heard. And she'd heard a lot.
Hermione was frozen, watching all with a numb sense of reality when suddenly, 'they' were revealed at the top of the pile, walking with a sense of power and maniac glee. Lord Voldemort himself, followed by his Death Eaters were slowly surrounding Seamus and Lavender, approaching from all sides. And as some appeared from the ashes themselves, it suddenly occurred to Hermione what had happened. They hadn't found the secret hiding place of the Order…they'd found Voldemort's.
"H-Hermione…" Ron choked, frightened tears of his own welling in his eyes.
"What?" She asked, another tear rolling down her cheek
"T-They're not going to make it" Ron said in a monotone, disbelief evident in his face.
"Yes they are!" She replied stubbornly, "They have to make it" She whispered.
"RUN OVER THERE! TRY TO GO BACK! TELL THEM TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
"SEAMUS, WE'RE TRAPPED!"
"NO, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY OUT!"
"SEAMUS…" Lavender sobbed, "WE'RE TRAPPED!"
"WE CAN'T BE! THERE HAS TO BE A WAY OUT!"
"Hello there" An ice cold yet amused voice echoed. It was Voldemort. He had Seamus and Lavender trapped. They were of no use to him. He would kill them. This was the end. Lavender and Seamus were going to die. And suddenly, Hermione came slamming into reality.
"NO!" She cried, jumping up and running towards the now surrounded Seamus and Lavender.
"HERMIONE DON'T!" Ron screamed, reaching out to try to grab her. She wriggled out of his grasp and began sprinting. She had to get to them…had to save them. "STOP!" Ron's voice cried after her, but she didn't care. She didn't want to listen, couldn't he see what was happening! 'Please Ron,' She thought, 'Let me do this, don't come after me.'
"COME BA--" Ron's voice was cut off, when suddenly an arm grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground.
"NO! NO! PUT ME DOWN RON!" She screamed, pounding and kicking Ron in any place she could reach.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Seamus' voice echoed over as a spell was shouted and a flash of light illuminated the night sky
"LAVENDER!" She cried out
"YOU CAN'T KILL US! WE'LL WIN IN THE END! OUR BLOOD WILL BE YOUR DEFEAT!" Seamus shouted out to the world,
"SHUT UP!" A voice that did not belong to Ron hissed in her ear. If Ron wasn't holding her back…who was it!
"W-Who--" She asked, now terrified for herself
A final flash of light appeared and then there was silence.
"Be quiet" Her capturer said much more softly, "And hold on tight"
Laughter was heard echoing from the pile of ashes, but soon that faded away as her capturer held onto her tightly and brought out a Muggle pen from his robes. And with that pen, Seamus and Lavender disappeared from her forever as the world went black.
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Hermione awoke to a familiar smell. It was a smell she knew well…a smell she knew she liked…but as events came crashing down upon her, a smell that pained her. Yet, as she opened her eyes, the sight that beheld her almost killed her.
Four faces were peering at her, barely a foot above her face. They were all smiling, one was crying, and yet….they all had red hair. Hermione's heart constricted and she froze, her brain not comprehending what she saw.
"She's awake Mum! She's awake!" Fred, or was it George, proclaimed excitedly
"She can see that! She's not daft!" The other one said, hitting his twin
Fred and George…but where was she!
"Hermione dear!" The kind, round, face of Molly Weasley exclaimed, dabbing at her eyes emotionally, "I-I'm so glad you're safe! I was so worried…I wouldn't stop crying worrying about you three."
"She was about to have kittens, we heard" One of the twins said
"But when Remus told us that you two were alive…I-I just couldn't believe it" She stroked Hermione's hair affectionately.
You three…had Lupin told them about Harry?"None of us could" Percy Weasley said, smiling at Hermione.
Percy! Here with his family…smiling at her?
"Oh but look at me blubbering like a fool…you're probably starving. I'll go get breakfast, you come when you can alright!" She stood up to leave, but then, as if she couldn't control herself, she came back and kissed Hermione's forehead motherly before rushing out of the room.
As the door shut, Hermione was still frozen in the same position that she'd woken up in. Her brown eyes wide with unshed tears, her body trembling with fear that all this was a dream, and her mouth open in the case that it was real.
"I better go too." Percy stood up, "I'll send the others in later. Glad you two are back" He said, as he left, smiling at Hermione one last time.
Once Percy left, Hermione sighed. Her brain was on overload. She didn't know where to begin, she couldn't make her head work anymore, for once she was feeling hopelessly brain dead. A million questions bounced back and forth around in her brain, but the one that made it out of her mouth first was, "Where am I!"
Fred and George smiled to each other. "You're at Order Headquarters." One said, "And I'm Fred" He said, reading her mind.
"Sorry" She mumbled. "I used to get it right."
"It's alright" George said, "You've been through a lot we've heard."
Hermione didn't want to go down that path…not yet. She couldn't seem to formulate another question in her mind, the last thing she wanted to do was take a trip down memory lane right now. "How did I get here?" She whispered instead, purposely ignoring the looks on their faces as they realized they would be getting no story out of her quite yet.
"No need to whisper. It's safe here." George said
"Where exactly is here?"
"We're underground. It was magically created by Dumbledore years ago when he first became Headmaster. He said he used it for his own purposes…whatever that means. The only way to get here is by a specially activated portkey." Fred explained
"Lupin was stationed at Grimmauld Palace when you all made contact with him. He got here right after and insisted that we put people out on the grounds just in case you went against his advice to stay put, which he suspected you would."
"We were all actually quite impressed by how you all managed to do it"
Memories washed over Hermione as she remembered persuading Ron, Seamus, and Lavender, to go back to England. Now that Seamus and Lavender were dead…guilt unlike she'd ever experienced consumed her wholly. If she hadn't been so anxious, if she'd stayed put like Lupin said to…if she'd used her head for once instead of acting on impulse, if she had…then Seamus and Lavender would be here too.
As she looked up at the faces of Fred and George she secretly wondered what they'd gone through in order to get to safety like she and Ron finally had.
"Um…it's okay Hermione. Don't cry" George said awkwardly
"What?" She asked quietly
"You're crying" Fred clarified, "It's okay. I mean I know it's a lot to take in at once, but it really is okay, you're safe."
Hermione looked in bewilderment at her finger, which held a single teardrop upon it. She hadn't even realized she'd been crying. Looking up through blurry eyes at the faces of the twins, she shook her head. "No" she said quietly, "It's not okay"
"Why not?" Fred asked quietly
"Because" She said, tears rolling down her face, "I killed them"
"Killed who?" George asked, his voice gentle
"S-Seamus….and Lavender" She whispered, fearful of saying their names too loudly
"But…weren't they with you?" Fred asked, confused
"They were." She explained, "But I convinced everyone to come back to England. If we hadn't come back and if they hadn't followed my plan to find---my plan is what sent them to their deaths." By this time, Hermione was crying so hard she couldn't talk anymore. Shoulder hunched and shaking, she suddenly wished her Mum were there.
"Sh…it's okay. It's not your fault." Fred said comfortingly
"It could have been anyone's plan," George said gently
All Hermione could do was sniffle and shake her head. Looking to each other, they nodded and smiled as if they seemed to have some brilliant idea.
"How about we go get someone better trained in this area?" George asked
Hermione gave him a confused look. "Don't worry. We'll be right back," Fred said, as he and George got up and headed for the door
"Oh and Hermione?" George said, pausing in the doorway
"We're really glad you're okay," Fred said winking at her,
"Besides" George said
"We'd hate to loose our future sister-in-law" Fred finished as the grinning faces of the twins quickly disappeared.
Hermione stared at the doorway where Fred and George had just been. How did they know? Were they just teasing her? Tired, Hermione wiped at the tears on her face when something rubbed her raw skin. She looked down at the fake plastic ring Ron had given her. Of course! She was wearing it on her wedding finger! Smiling internally but not having the strength to smile outwardly, she shook her head. It was comforting to know that though the war had made the twins more understanding, they were still always the same mischievous troublemakers they were so renowned for being.
Looking about the small room, she noticed it was just barely big enough to fit the bed and the two chairs on either side of it. The ground of the room was dirt but the ceiling looked firmly secure with wooden beams holding it up. The bed she was lying in was extremely comfortable and sighing, she settled into the big fluffy comforter.
But just as she was about to doze off to sleep, the last remains of her tears subsiding, a hand pushed the door open, light spilling into the dimly lit room.
Curious, Hermione mustered up the strength to see who the person was, and who she saw almost made her start to cry again.
A young girl with freckly skin, and long red hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her back, stood in the doorway, smiling softly. Hermione paled and her heart stopped beating. It couldn't be…it just couldn't be. She was dead. There was no way she could have survived. It was beyond comprehension. How had she survived? It was like looking at a ghost or…Hermione paused as Ginny grinned up at her….no, it was like looking at an angel.
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(A/N: Dramatic eh? Let me know how you liked it!)