-1Chapter 20

Disclaimer: All characters and place names, etc, are property of JK Rowling, not me. However, the plot is. So… don't steal it.

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Hermione's POV

I'm not going to harm you.

Could this be my mystery note-sender? I didn't receive so many today. I decided to leave off the cosmetics, and that seemed to discourage the audience slightly. But this person…

"Who… are you?"

Silence.

I take my wand out of my pocket, only to find it isn't there. I always carry my wand, nearby. Not that it isn't nearby. It's hovering nearby my face…

"Give my wand back!" I say with an outstretched hand. "If you don't I'm leaving. Right now."

It's a feeble threat, but it seems to stop whoever is holding my wand. The wand lies flat on my palm, and instantly, I snatch it back, and aim it towards what must be the face of the person in front of me.

"Now, who the hell are you?"

"My name is…"

I wait, wand still hovering at the air in front of me.

"No…" Whispers a voice. "It's me who should be asking the questions."

I open my mouth, but I can't think of a retort. Who…?

"Do you know the position of Harry Potter?"

Oh my god. I can't be facing a death-eater, can I? My reply is shrill with panic. I'm not even past N.E.W.T level…

"So… this was just a ploy to get to Harry Potter?"

Silence.

"I don't know." That's the truth. I don't know now anyway. I know where he'll be soon, but now… he could be anywhere. That's the reason I've been worrying.

Silence.

"I don't know where he is!" I cry into the darkness.

"You're lying."

I'm not… I'm not…

"Legilmens!"

"Protego!"

Memories… so many of them.

Lucius Malfoy throwing a boy down the stairs because he hadn't succeeded in the murder of someone… Pain, searing pain as Lord Voldemort attempted the Cruciatus Curse on a blond haired boy… Severus Snape, in some kind of grotty flat in London…

He was having his doubts. Dumbledore was before him, weakened, knowing how he had been about to kill him; and yet he still offered his help. It was tempting, even with Death Eaters surrounding him. And then, Snape, just as he began to lower his wand. Dumbledore pleaded, and still Snape's wand went up. The killing curse was uttered, green light flashed, and the old man's body flew from the tower…

"NO!"

One voice is angry and panicked, now recognizable as Draco Malfoy's… one is tear-stricken. That's me. A tear runs down my face. I never thought it had happened like that… the way Harry had described it, I knew Dumbledore hadn't gone down fighting, but still… oh…

"Potter taught you that one, did he?"

Draco Malfoy snarls at me, the Disillusionment charm gone.

"Get away from me, Malfoy!" I back away, prepared to run for the Gryffindor Common Room.

"No way, muggle. You've seen too much…"

I run, and his footsteps sound behind me.

"Avada -"

I duck.

I turn round before he can shoot another curse at me, the tears still running fast. "Stupefy!"

I don't care if it's struck him. I'm too busy running for my life, tearing up to the Gryffindor Common Room, ducking through the portrait hole just as Seamus Finnigan comes out, looking perplexed.

I hope, hope with every fibre of my being that Malfoy hasn't used that trick on Harry. I hope he didn't see when we'd meet. I hope… I hope so many things. So many things that are all way too unlikely.